Match Ratings For 9/4/20 WWE Smackdown From Sean Ross Sapp

Show Up And Win

• Paul Heyman says that Roman Reigns had the same thing happen that Heyman had happen to him.
• Reigns fought through life threatening illnesses and had his title shot taken away immediately upon needing some time off.
• He says Fiend would be really bad on news shows.
• Heyman calls Corey Graves "Carmella's latest boyfriend."
• Roman Reigns says that all he needs to do is show up and win.
• Reigns is having his strengths played to right now. Short and sweet promos. More of an edge to him. This should have probably happened five years ago.
• Reigns is walking around backstage and Jey Uso says he's been calling and texting him, but Reigns claims he's been busy. He tells Roman he has his back.

Heavy Machinery defeated Miz & Morrison
5/10

• Morrison's Moonlight Drive outside was great.
• Otis' fired up spot isn't much for me. Then again, I don't like any of them.
• I don't like the Caterpillar, either. I do love the Vader Bomb, though.
• Heavy Machinery wins.
• Morrison steals the Money in the Bank briefcase. He seems to think that means he owns it. But it does mean that Otis can't cash it in.
• Backstage, Morrison figures out that the briefcase is actually Otis' lunch box.

Sheamus ATTACKS.

• I howled at "one of the biggest matches in the history of Smackdown."
• Big E is backstage with Lucha House Party and Drew Gulak to celebrate Xavier Woods' birthday.
• I just watched Big E beat Sheamus on Sunday, so it only makes sense that we're going to see it at least three more times.
• Sheamus attacks Big E big time. White Noise on a car window. This was a really great attack. Brutal. Imagine if they did it without Big E beating him clean last week.
• Sheamus gave bad info. Xavier isn't there as Big E thought. I loved this angle.
• Adam Pearce says Big E won't compete, and they'll figure out who will fill in.
• Heyman approaches and asks to talk to Pearce.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championships
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) defeated The Golden Role Models to retain the titles
6.75/10
ANGLE- 9/10

• Sasha Banks supports Bayley's greatness.
• The Champs do swinging powerbombs into the barricade.
• Back from the commercial, Baszler BREAKS BAYLEYS HECKING ARM.
• Nia Jax is still moving around and selling really slowly.
• Banks is making up for it with explosive offense.
• WWE actually missed SASHA BANKS POWERBOMBING NIA JAX outside. This production direction is terrible.
• Bayley connects with a flying elbow drop, and Shayna kicks out of a lot of offense.
• Sasha is sent into the stairs, then Baszler destroys her legs. This is another excellent attack.
• They do a callback to Sunday's finish, but Bayley avoids it.
• Nia breaks up a Banks Statement on Shayna.
• Nia goes for a Stretch Muffler, Big E's finish.
• Role Models do an H-Bomb to Baszler, but Nia does a second rope cross body on both to win!
• Creative finish. Shout out to Corey Graves mentioning that championships and checks make Shayna and Nia work together better.
• The medical team checks on Sasha Banks, and after a commercial, Bayley turns on her.
• SAVING IT FOR SUMMERSLAM V!
• This attack goes on for several minutes. It looks like Sasha Banks will be off TV for a while.
• Bayley Pillmanizes Sasha Banks.
• The setup and turn alone went through two commercial breaks. Sasha Banks and Bayley's split getting the screen time it deserved. 42 minutes from the pre-match promo through Sasha Banks getting carted out.

IC TITLE

• Sami Zayn comes out with his IC Title and isn't happy he isn't announced as champ.
• Jeff Hardy says he would have just given Zayn a shot if he asked. Zayn is mad and doesn't need to ask for anything.
• AJ Styles is mad too. They brawl

Other stuff

• There's a non descript vignette for a female wrestler
• Firefly Funhouse happens AFTER the main event brawl started. Wyatt says a new friend is coming next week.
• Alexa Bliss apologizes to Nikki Cross and hugs her. Nikki is hestitant.

Top Contender Match
Jey Uso defeated Matt Riddle, Sheamus and King Corbin
6/10

• Jey Uso thanks Roman Reigns for getting him in the main event. Roman tells Jey that Paul made that happen, and now he's gotta win this one on his own.
• Corbin is mad that Jey is involved in the match
• Corbin's spinebuster is great. Most of his offense is.
• Jey lands on his feet out of a Riddle German suplex.
• Riddle and Sheamus have a good series where Riddle uses MMA inspired offense and Sheamus does a Cloverleaf.
• Jey's sloppy dive works really well.
• Brogue Kick on Corbin, Bro 2 Sleep on Sheamus. Floating Bro on Corbin, but Uso hits a splash on Riddle and pins him.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!