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Superstars from SmackDown Live, NXT, and 205 Live competed in this week's best matches. Raw once again did not make the top 5 list but have a few matches listed as honourable mentions while the Mae Young Classic have one match listed as an honourable mention.
Honourable Mentions:
Nikki Bella vs Ruby Riott: Nikki Bella competed in her first singles match of the year. While this was a solid match with solid performances from both competitors, the finish of the match causes it to lose points. Nikki Bella held Ruby Riott up in the fireman's carry and then waited for Brie Bella to take out Liv Morgan before hitting the Rack Attack 2.0. That made Ruby Riott look a little bad because she should have been able to counter the move after being in the same position for 15 seconds.
Ronda Rousey & Natalya vs Alexa Bliss & Mickie James: This was a very decent match that ended with the wrong result. It probably would've been best for Alexa Bliss & Mickie James to win with Alexa Bliss pinning or submitting Natalya. They could've then both attacked Ronda Rousey after the match with Natalya being incapacitated from the match. Instead, they took another loss and just got a cheap kick in after the match.
Finn Balor vs Elias: This was the best match on Monday Night Raw. This was an excellent back and forth matchup and it seemed like both superstars could get the win at one point in this match. Elias looked dominant while Finn Balor looked like the gutsy face. However, it would be nice if Finn Balor got a less fluky win. Instead of winning with a roll up, maybe Finn Balor could've countered a superplex and hit the Coup de Grace out of nowhere for the win. This way, Elias would've been protected but Finn would've gotten a big win (which he needs).
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jeff Hardy: This was a very good match. However, it was extremely predictable. It was obvious that Randy Orton wouldn't allow Jeff Hardy to get a win before Hell in a Cell. Nobody was surprised when the match ended in a disqualification. (Can it also be noted that of the 5 Jeff Hardy vs Shinsuke Nakamura matches, 3 of them ended in disqualification, one of them ended in a few seconds because Nakamura attacked Hardy before the match, and only one of them that has ended clean).
Bianca Belair vs Nikki Cross: This match was pretty good. It was coming along pretty nicely before it ended in a no-contest. However, it did lead to a nice brawl and will definitely lead to future matches between the two.
Mercedes Martinez vs Ashley Rayne: This was definitely the best match of the second episode of the 2018 Mae Young Classic. However, it was pretty slow. If the two competed at a faster pace, it definitely would've made this list.
#5: Lars Sullivan vs Raul Mendoza
This was Raul Mendoza's best match in WWE since the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. Most of the time, he is nothing more than a jobber that is quickly defeated by other superstars on the NXT roster. This time, Raul Mendoza was able to be the underdog to the monster Lars Sullivan. Lars Sullivan did excellent as the imposing heel that is to be feared. However, Raul Mendoza hung in there with him. He used his high-flying skills to hit Lars Sullivan with some of his best shots. While it was Lars Sullivan that got the win, it was a win-win scenario for both superstars.
#4: Charlotte Flair vs Sonya Deville
Sonya Deville looked to score the biggest victory of her career when she faced SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair in non-title action. While Charlotte seemed a little bit off during the match, she definitely helped put on a show-stealing performance. Sonya Deville really showed that she is one of WWE's breakout stars this year.
She performed excellently and when she gets all of her in-ring skills together, WWE can be looking at a star. While it was Charlotte Flair that scored the victory, it was Sonya Deville that opened the most eyes.
#3: Rusev Day vs The Bar
Rusev Day faced the Bar to decide who will face the New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles at Hell in a Cell. This was an excellent match that made you believe that either team could get the win. It was probably the right move for Rusev Day to get the win because the Bar is already getting an opportunity at the Super Showdown.
The Cinderella story of Rusev Day has been one of SmackDown Live's great stories. Aiden English being there to save Rusev was great and it really shows that Aiden English is trying to make things up to Rusev. It is also nice to see a fresh team challenging for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles.
#2: Cedric Alexander & Akira Tozawa vs Drew Gulak & 'Gentleman' Jack Gallagher
Cedric Alexander & Akira Tozawa faced Drew Gulak & Jack Gallagher in the main event of 205 Live. This was an action-packed tag team match that properly showcased all 4 men. Akira Tozawa wrestled like a man possessed and almost gained the victory for his team.
It is good that Drew Gulak & Jack Gallagher won because they now have some more momentum heading into Drew Gulak's championship match next week on 205 Live. Cedric Alexander vs Drew Gulak will be an excellent match this week.
#1: Buddy Murphy vs Gran Metalik
These two wrestled in 205 Live's opening match. While it was not as good as Gran Metalik vs Tony Nese last week, it was still an excellent match. These two took each other to the limit and it was a quick, fast-paced matchup. Gran Metalik has been opening a lot of eyes over the last few weeks and could possibly be the breakout star of the Lucha Houseparty. Buddy Murphy also got the win which was the right decision as he has a Cruiserweight Title match against Cedric Alexander at the Super Showdown and he needs all the momentum he can get.
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