Ok, gonna do a geek list of match ratings like I usually do for these big shows. Here goes:
Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - ***1/2
A big WWE stunt ladder match like we've seen many times before. Probably slightly better than last year's but I can see no rationale for the winner. Part one for not giving the fans what they want.
AJ Styles vs Chris Jericho - ***
Same problems as the last one, but worse because of the result and the shite story. Jericho is supposed to be the bitter heel who is annoyed that AJ is better than him but he reverses all his moves, kicks out of his finishers and pins him clean while JBL buries Styles as a flash in the pan. Bullshit. Jericho is so far past it at this level and should just go away. 2/2 on bad results.
New Day vs League of Nations - **1/2
Ok match which was just a backdrop for the legend run ins at the end. Fun to see Austin in particular but once again, current guys are undermined for over 50s. The New Day are very over and should have had a featured match but ended up as afterthoughts. Typical. And 3/3 on wrong results.
Brock Lesnar vs Dean Ambrose - **
Ok, Ambrose sucks. He doesn't look believable at all against Brock with his shitty punches and stupid comedy weapon spots. Kendo sticks and other such rubbish weaponry devalues the Lesnar's legit violence. The funny thing is, Lesnar was the monster and Ambrose was the underdog but Brock was actually better at selling. He should have been facing Reigns tonight.
Undertaker vs Shane McMahon - **
Speaking of shitty punches... One star added on for the big jump, which was really the whole thing. 28 minutes of tedium for two good spots. Not a single crazy run in, nor even a Vince appearance. The story is that WWE is shit but Shane will win and save us. Then he loses and WWE is going to stay shit. Great stuff. Crowd dynamic was off too cause of the bad psychology of the story.
Charlotte vs Sasha vs Becky - ****1/4
Excellent presentation with the new belt, the Snoop Dogg entrance, the Flair robe and the match of the night to follow. All three came off as bigger stars than any of the full time male roster. Awesome excitement and great spots, especially the Charlotte moonsault dive. Wrong winner though. Again. If Snoop punched Flair and Sasha won, a new superstar was born. I think Becky was the best in the ring though for holding the match together.
Battle Royal - *
Jobber battle royal with a celeb guest. Nothing to say.
Rock spot should have been ten minutes but was thirty. Wyatt is truly dead and buried. Cena was a nice surprise though.
HHH vs Roman Reigns - **1/2
HHH entrance was a piece of surrealist performance art. Stephanie is a drag Cher act was weird. The match was way way way too long and completely against what the crowd wanted but I thought Roman took amazing bumps and laid his shots in. HHH was HHH. Nakamura chants and the Bayley song could be heard in the crowd as they were as disengaged as I was after 449730355 hours of show and deflating results in every match.
WWE is trying to stretch its hardcore fanbase to breaking point either for the lols or as protracted punishment for Mania 30 and rejecting Vince's choices. Bizzaro world wrestling.
