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After the mammoth event which took place in the auspicious Melbourne Cricket Ground is finally in the record books, let's try to analyze the quality of each match the show had. We do this using the 'star-rating methodology' devised by Jim Cornette and made extremely popular by the greatest wrestling journalist of all time, Dave Meltzer.
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A match is rated on a scale from zero to five stars depending on how good it was; however, in certain cases of terrible matches, the scale can extend up to a minimum of -5 stars. We had Ronda shine, Miz whine, Joe tap, Murphy win the strap, SHIELD stood tall, Elias and Owens fall and a lot more. Let's delve into each match separately:-
#1 The New Day(c) vs The Bar for the Smackdown Tag-Team Championships
Rating: 2*
Cesaro and Kofi started things off. Woods and Kingston dominated with impressive high flying moves before Sheamus and Cesaro had Kofi isolated and performed their regular tandem offense and rest holds. Kofi made the hot tag to Woods after hurling Cesaro over the top rope.
Woods then dominated Sheamus until he got caught into an Irish Curse Back Breaker. The Bar then dominated Woods and Cesaro trapped him in a sharpshooter. Kofi broke this up and Sheamus came in to neutralize things.
Kofi took Sheamus out with a trouble in paradise on the outside after which the New Day hit Cesaro with an interesting Back Breaker and double foot stomp from the top rope combination for the win.
This match was nothing special and had a bit of a house show feel throughout. The New Day got put over perhaps for a rivalry with Sanity next but, the Bar's credibility is severely damaged.
#2 Becky Lynch(c) vs Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Women's Championship
Rating:3*
Becky was met with cheers from the crowd after which she dominated Charlotte in the early going of the match with some vicious assault. Charlotte seemed to fight back momentarily after which Becky went for a hold on the arm with damage aimed at her fingers as well. Charlotte came back with a back body drop.
This was followed by some near falls and even a yeah boo segment where Becky clearly got cheered. Charlotte then hit a devastating spear for another near fall. She hits another spear after sometime after which Becky tries to forfeit the match.
She was however halted and got trapped in the figure 8 leg lock. With no way out Becky hit Charlotte with her title to get disqualified. She was attacked by Charlotte as she was leaving but got the upper hand eventually and hit her with a Becksploder on the outside.
This was a good match to prolong the feud. The disqualification finish was also carried out nicely. However, the crowd reactions suggest that the heel-face dynamic should be the opposite of what it is.
#3 John Cena & Bobby Lashley vs Kevin Owens & Elias
Rating: 1.25*
Elias and Kevin Owens started with their usual in-ring segment only to be interrupted by Lashley's entrance. John Cena then entered with his new T-shirt and Bobby and Elias started the match. The heels predictably dominated Bobby for long. He showed signs of life at times but was unable to capitalize.
Finally, he is able to hit Owens with a spine buster and make the hot tag to Cena. Cena then quickly dismantled Elias and hit the AA followed by his stupid fist finisher to pick up the win. He then cut a promo thanking the WWE universe and pointing out the uncertainty regarding his future in WWE.
This was a quick house show type match which just happened to feature John Cena.
#4 Asuka & Naomi vs The IIconics
Rating: 2.5*
Peyton started things off with Naomi. Both sides got offense and after a point of time, Asuka got isolated for a while. She made the hot tag to Naomi who cleaned house and hit the split legged moon sault on Peyton who is saved by Billie.
Asuka hit her with a dropkick from the top rope and Naomi went for a springboard move on Royce only to get pulled by Kay. Billie then took Asuka out on the outside and they then hit their double team finisher on Naomi to pick up the victory.
This was a well-booked match with good teamwork and comedy. The wrestling from the IIconics was still a bit rough though but, Asuka and Naomi wrestled well.
#5 Cedric Alexander(c) vs Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship
Rating: 3.5*
Buddy Murphy came out to cheers from his home crowd with his national flag. He took Cedric to his limit pretty early in the match by some big moves including a dive to the outside Things got slowed down after a sleeper hold by Murphy.
Cedric came back after an exhilarating 'Michonoku' driver from the top rope. Alexander dominated for some time with his fancy moves and got a near fall. Buddy got one himself after a countered sit out powerbomb.
Some fast-paced action followed after which Cedric hit a Lumbar Check but to everyone's shock, Murphy kicked out of it. Buddy was able to hit the Pumphandle death valley driver and pin Alexander to become the new Cruiserweight champion.
This match did well with the time constraint it had to endure. Just like other pay per view cruiserweight matches, this was fast-paced and spot heavy match with an advantage of having Murphy's home crowd.
#6 Daniel Bryan vs The Miz (No. 1 Contendership for the WWE Championship)
Rating:1*
The Miz entered first and tries to cut a promo only to be interrupted by Bryan. Miz wasted no time and aggressively attacks Bryan on his midsection as the match starts. Bryan came back with his Yes kicks but Miz halts him.
To almost everyone's surprise, a roll-up took place after a skull crushing finale attempt in which Daniel got the three count and dispatched the Miz. Miz is left livid and irate.
This was a complete shocker. The result was for the most of it the right won but, the finish ensures that the feud will continue in some form. Maybe it will play in a future storyline nicely but, as of now, this was a lame match.
#7 The SHIELD vs Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre
Rating:3.25*
Braun led his team to the ring after which the SHIELD entered in style through a 'sea of humanity'. A brawl followed with the SHIELD getting the initial upper hand and going for a SHIELD powerbomb on Strowman which was intercepted by the other two.
The match officially began with Ziggler and Rollins who was then isolated, dominated and taunted by the heels for a long time. Rollins showed signs of tagging at times but the heels stopped him. Braun surprisingly went for a splash off the top rope and missed.
The hot tag was made and Ambrose took out Ziggler with his spots. Both men ended up taking each other out with a double cross body. Roman then came in to face Macintyre after the tags were made and he was met with relatively milder reaction from the crowd.
Roman got the upper hand only to accidentally hit Ambrose with a superman punch after some shenanigans from Dolph and Drew. The heels surrounded Roman and Seth from three sides of the ring and Dean came up to the fourth teasing his change of allegiance.
This expectedly did not happen and Dean helped his brothers who went for a SHIELD powerbomb on Drew only to be taken out single-handedly by Braun.
Ziggler got a near fall on Dean after a ZIg-Zag which frustrates Braun who ran into a spear through the barricade from Roman after attempting a running shoulder tackle on Dean.
After a good finishing sequence, Dean pinned Dolph after hitting the Dirty Deeds picking up the win for the SHIELD.
This was a decent match with an interesting finish. It could have been more intense and destructive at times though.
The match followed the typical six-man tag prototype which some people did not except. Overall this was a good match which could have been booked better and it certainly didn't tear the roof down.
#8 AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (No Disqualification) for the WWE Championship
Rating: 3.75*
A.J. entered without performing his signature entrance. A brawl followed before the bell rings. An impulsive Styles struck Joe until Joe halted him with a knife edge chop.
A steel chair was introduced and after suffering a few strikes, Joe hit a Euranagi on Styles on to the steel chair. There was also a super-plex countered into an electric chair drop on Joe onto a table which took out his knee.
Styles then worked on the bad knee and hit him with a 450 splash on the knee and a phenomenal forearm outside the ring. Joe countered with a coquina clutch but, eventually, Styles made Joe tap with a Calf Crusher.
The emotion was high in this match with the match doing justice to its fantastic build. The two competitors did their best and most of the moves were perfectly executed, most notably a scoop power slam by Joe. However, much more could have been done with this opportunity and the finish was a bit rushed without a Styles' Clash in the entire match.
#9 Ronda Rousey & The Bella Twins vs The Riott Squad
Rating: 2.25*
Ruby and Nikki started after which it was not too long before Brie and Liv faced each other. Brie grabbed her blue tongue in a not so pleasant site and the real-life accident was brought in. Nikki got isolated and beat up by the heels only to make the hot tag to Ronda.
Ronda cleaned house as expected and Liv saved Sarah from an armbar. The two tried to double team Rousey but, she hit both of them with an innovative double armbar from which both tap out.
This was a match supposed to put Rousey over big time which it did. There was nothing special about the action except for the decent end. Even the Bellas didn't turn on Ronda.
#10 Triple H( with Shawn Michaels) vs The Undertaker(with Kane) - 'last time ever match'
Rating: 3*
After a long and intriguing video package, the four legends entered one by one starting with Triple H and ending with The Undertaker. Despite the fireworks, in the beginning, there was sadly no pyro for Kane's entrance.
To the crowds pop, the match was announced to be no disqualification. The two icons squared off with the crowd very interested. Triple H was confident and countered the old school. He then went for his own old school but, got caught after which the Deadman unloaded on him and successfully hit the old school.
This was followed by snake eyes, but Triple H countered the subsequent big boot with a high knee. Shawn caused a distraction and this gave Triple H the momentary upper hand. Kane tried to even things up but Shawn ran from him and the referee backed the Big Red Machine up. Triple H then dominated Undertaker in the ring.
He eventually got caught while coming off the second rope and got hurled out of the ring. Undertaker cleared the announce table but, Shawn again distracts him to prevent Triple H from getting slammed through it. The two then brawled in the crowd where Undertaker uses a cable trying to choke The Game. They then moved further into the crowd with Undertaker getting the upper hand.
He then drove The Game back to ringside and punched HBK when he tried to interfere again. Triple H got a chair but failed to utilize it. Undertaker then proceeded to take him out with the chair shots. He then laid Triple H on a table at ringside and hit HBK with a big boot when he tries to interfere yet again.
Triple H then got him with a chair and he and Shawn took Kane out with Sweet Chin Music and an elbow through the table after he tried to even the odds.
Undertaker then hit HHH with a chokeslam followed by a tombstone which was not enough to put him away. He then took out the referee and proceeded to punish The Game with the chair.
He then put the chair around Triple H's neck and Shawn pleaded him not to go further only to get struck by Undertaker.
This gave time to the game to counter with a spine buster and a pedigree which was not enough to put Undertaker away. He then jumped on him with after putting a chair around his neck but, Kane pulled the referee out before the one two three to save his brother.
Triple H then struck the Phenom with a sledgehammer but there is no official to count. Undertaker countered with Hell's Gate but, Triple H somehow got out. HBK came in as both men are down and Kane came in, to chokeslam him but got hit with a low blow.
HBK then got flung out. The Phenom then hit the chokeslam on Triple H and went for a tombstone but, HBK came in and hit multiple superkicks. This was followed by a sledgehammer shot and a final pedigree to pin The Undertaker.
Triple H then offered the Deadman a handshake and the four legends posed together. Kane finally got some rationality back and the Brothers of Destruction took out Triple H with a tombstone and drove Shawn through the announcer's table hinting a tag match at Crown Jewel.
This was perhaps a well-booked match considering the age-related physical limitations of the competitors involved. The crowd was hot throughout. Kane was booked like an idiot but, that has sadly been happening for 21 years now.
Unlike their recent promos, Shawn and Hunter were very heelish throughout. The swerve was effective and now Crown Jewel will be looked forward to.
This was nowhere near the Wrestlemania classics they had had but, wasn't disappointing at all and was a fitting main event to the show.
