Jeff Hardy defeated Cesaro
5.5/10
- Jeff Hardy is very much still getting his legs underneath him. They brought him back briefly, but took him off television.
- Cesaro catches Hardy and throws him onto the barricade.
- Cesaro works over Hardy for an extended period of time. This is the kind of guy you want Jeff Hardy in the ring with when he's barely wrestled for 13 months.
- Jeff Hardy lands on Cesaro's knee after a Whisper in the Wind. Cesaro sells it great.
- Twist of Fate doesn't get the win, and Cesaro does a gutwrench superplex.
- Jeff Hardy wins with the Swanton
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles
New Day (c) defeated Lucha House Party, Forgotten Sons, Miz & Morrison
6.25/10
- Gran Metalik going hair-out with the mask. Some Juventud Guerrara vibes there.
- A super Spanish Fly hit on the pile, and then Lucha House Party really highlight their skills.
- Lince does a Dragonrana, Morrison does a great kick.
- Kofi's having a rough go of it getting air on some of his offense. That changes with the Super Mushroom Stomp.
- Skull Crushing Finale on Cutler, Morrison does Starship Pain on Big E.
- Lucha House Party are KILLING IT right now. Metalik does a great outside in super frankensteiner.
- Ryker gets involved, but gets ejected.
- Big E wins with a Big Ending. This ruled.
Bobby Lashley defeated R-Truth
SQUASH
- R-Truth asks the crowd to cheer for him.
- MVP and Truth talk trash to each other, and Bobby Lashley comes out to give MVP the night off.
- Truth doesn't want to face Lashley, and gets his ass kicked.
- Spinebuster and Spear win it.
- Backstage R-Truth thinks he beat MVP. He's reminiscing about his picture with the 24/7 Title, and says he wants his title back. He calls out TOM BRADY!
Smackdown Women's Championship
Bayley (c) (w/ Sasha Banks) defeated Tamina
5.75/10
- As predicted, this is a lot of smoke and mirrors, and Bayley going above and beyond.
- This is pretty good stuff, too. They're accentuating the positives and hiding the negatives of Tamina as limited as she is.
- Bayley throws water in Tamina's face. Tamina bounces her off the ropes outside and clotheslines her.
- A top rope spot doesn't go well for Tamina, but Sasha enters the ring.
- Because WWE is full of dumb babyfaces, Tamina gives chase.
- Bayley wins with a crucifix.
- Tamina rolls through and almost does a Samoan Drop after the match, but Sasha chop blocks her.
WWE Universal Championship
Braun Strowman (c) defeated Bray Wyatt
5.5/10
- Bray Wyatt is such a good contrast from The Fiend. He's laughing and making jokes.
- Braun Strowman isn't making jokes, he's kicking Bray's ass.
- Note that there's no "LIVE" at the top of the screen.
- Bray sidesteps Braun and send him over the table.
- Huskus the Pig is there at ringside. Bray Wyatt has hit a DDT and a Tornado DDT.
- Sister Abigail hits and Braun kicks out.
- Braun hits a big chokeslam and MOWS Bray down.
- Braun pops up with his old sheep mask. Bray says everything will be perfect this time.
- This is a weird spot as they embrace and the puppets all congratulate Bray.
- Powerslam and pin.
- I really liked this match, outside of some of the weird stuff at the end of the match. It doesn't al have to be goofy wrestlecrap. This would have hit rec'd viewing without that.
WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Seth Rollins
8/10
- New entrance and music for Rollins.
- Drew McIntyre has been doing great as a digital draw since becoming WWE Champion.
- Drew is dominant and controlling Rollins early on. He's cocky and getting into Rollins' head.
- Rollins attacks the knee and does several suicide dives until he gets belly-to-belly suplexed into one.
- Seth Rollins SCREAMING while he's selling is killing me. Rollins also told the ref to shut his mouth when the rules were being explained.
- Drew does a spinebuster into a jackknife pin.
- Rollins does some damage, but Drew McIntyre keeps kicking out at one, even after a Frog Splash.
- Rollins misses the Curb Stomp, but after some TUSSLIN' gets this Falcon Arrow combo.
- Drew can't win with a Future Shock DDT and does a Spider German Suplex. Rollins goes inside out on it.
- McIntyre gets Curb Stomped off a Claymore attempt, but kicks out.
- Claymore wins it, and this RULED.
- I loved that. A badass, clean championship match. A guy won, a guy lost, both performed well. No shenanigans.
- McIntyre offers his hand, and Rollins shakes it.
Money in the Bank Ladder Matches
Dana Brooke vs. Asuka vs. Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Lacey Evans vs. Carmella (ASUKA WINS)
Daniel Bryan vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Aleister Black vs. "King" Baron Corbin vs. Otis vs. AJ Styles (OTIS WINS)
6.5/10
- The men and women are introduced at different places in the building.
- Asuka jumps onto the field.
- Baron Corbin accidentally breaks a gym mirror with a weight plate.
- Brother freaking Love is taking a dump in the bathroom!
- The cinematic wrestling we've seen on WrestleMania, BTE and MITB reminds me of wrestling around the house and the yard with my cousin and friends. It's somehow innovative, but nostalgic
- Doink the Clown pops up!
- Dana Brooke lays out Nia Jax and grabs a briefcase, but it's not the right one. The Stephanie cameo was corny, she shows up and says this is the conference room. The dialogue is so bad.
- AJ Styles runs into an Undertaker mural and room of caskets and gets PTSD.
- The men and women converge and see Paul Heyman eating backstage. Otis calls for a FOOD FIGHT.
- Shayna chokes out Rey Mysterio while Nia and Otis run into him.
- Nia slams Dana into a pop machine and powerbombs Carmella through the table.
- Otis hits Johnny Ace with a pie.
- AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan brawl into Vince McMahon's office, where he and his T-Rex head are. Vince screams at them to get out. They straighten up the chairs and resume outside.
- This is cheesy, but in a good way.
- The women are on the roof. I can't believe they didn't re-shoot Nia's sloppy gorilla press on Lacey Evans.
- Either way, Asuka knocks Lacey onto Nia, then knocks Corbin off the ladder too.
- ASUKA HAS WON MONEY IN THE BANK
- Otis should stop doing the Caterpillar in spots like this.
- Baron Corbin throws Rey Mysterio and Aleister Black off the roof!!
- Styles and Corbin both have the briefcase, but Elias appears and cracks Corbin with a guitar.
- OTIS catches the briefcase
- OTIS HAS WON MONEY IN THE BANK
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!
Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.
