Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for May 3 to May 9

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of May 3rd to May 9th.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):
WWE
WWE RAW (May 4)
* Last Chance Money in the Bank Qualifying Gauntlet match – Bobby Lashley vs. Titus O’Neil vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Humberto Carrillo vs. Angel Garza vs. Austin Theory vs. AJ Styles – 1.5
* Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink vs. Cedric Alexander & Ricochet – 2.5
* Street Profits vs. The Viking Raiders – 3.0
* Charlotte Flair vs. Liv Morgan – 3.0
* Drew McIntyre vs. Murphy – 2.5
Overall – 2.0
Best – Street Profits vs. The Viking Raiders match.
Worst – Last Chance Money in the Bank Qualifying Gauntlet match.
Show Notes – MVP Lounge segment was dull outside of Auska’s antics. The Last Chance Gauntlet was one of the worst ever WWE Gauntlet matches. Seth Rollins interview segment was decent. Both tag team matches were pretty good despite questionable booking decisions. Aleister Black’s promo was very good. Flair vs. Morgan was surprisingly good despite the weak ending. RAW itself was decent at best overall but also mostly boring as the go-home show for MitB.

NXT (May 6)
* Johnny Gargano vs. Dominick Dijakovic – 3.0
* Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament B Block – Akira Tozawa vs. Jack Gallagher – 2.5
* Xia Li vs. Chelsea Green – 1.0 (Squash)
* Karrion Kross vs. Leon Ruff – 1.5 (Squash)
* NXT Women’s Championship – Io Shirai vs. Charlotte Flair (c) – 3.0
* Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament B Block – KUSHIDA vs. Jake Atlas – 2.5
* Cameron Grimes vs. Denzel Dejournette – 1.0 (Squash)
* NXT Championship – Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole (c) – 2.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – NXT Women’s Championship match.
Worst – The overbooked shenanigans in the NXT Championship match.
Show Notes – Opening match between Gargano and Dijakovic was pretty good. Kross’ debut entrance was amazing and one of the best in NXT history. NXT Women’s title match was pretty good despite the abrupt ending and flat post-match stuff. Both Interim Cruiserweight tournament matches were decent despite the short ring time combined. Finn Balor’s promo was good. NXT title match was decent at best. This week’s episode was pretty good overall.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown (May 8)
* Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville – 2.5
* The New Day & Lucha House Party vs. The Forgotten Sons & The Miz & John Morrison – 3.0
* Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Lacey Evans & Tamina – 2.0
* King Corbin, Cesaro, & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Daniel Bryan, Drew Gulak, & Otis – 2.5
Overall – 2.5
Best – 8-Man Tag Team match.
Worst – Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt’s promo segment.
Show Notes – Opening match between Rose and Deville was decent. 8-man tag team match was pretty good despite the flat ending and dragging on a bit too long. Jeff Hardy and Sheamus’ promo segment was decent. Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt’s promo segment was terrible. Women’s tag match was decent at best. Hacker segment was interesting. 6-man tag team match was mostly good despite the weak ending. This week’s episode was somewhat good overall compared to recent weeks.

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AEW
AEW Dark (May 5)
* Ryan Pyles vs. 10 – 1.5 (Squash)
* Shawn Dean vs. Sammy Guevara – 2.5
* Kip Sabian vs. Colt Cabana – 2.5
Overall – 2.5
Best – Dean vs. Guevara match.
Worst – The weak finish to the Sabian vs. Cabana match.
Show Notes – This week’s episode was decent overall in terms of quality.

AEW Dynamite (May 6)
* Joey Janela vs. Cody – 3.0
* Nyla Rose vs. Kenzie Paige – 1.5 (Squash)
* Frankie Kazarian vs. Jon Moxley – 3.0
* QT Marshall vs. Lance Archer – 2.0
* Street Fight – Le Sex Gods vs. Kenny Omega & Matt Hardy – 3.5
Overall – 4.0
Best – Street Fight match.
Worst – Marshall vs. Archer match.
Show Notes – Opening match of Janela vs. Cody was pretty good despite the weak start. AEW Women’s video package was very good. MJF promo segment was good. Kazarian vs. Moxley and post-match Dark Order attack were pretty good. Brandi’s promo segment was decent. Marshall vs. Archer could have been shorter but Jake Roberts bringing out his pet snake was great. Street Fight match was amazing. This week’s episode was one of the best empty area shows by AEW.

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Other
Viceland’s Dark Side of the Ring – Herb Adams & UWF Episode (May 5)
Overall – 3.5
Show Notes – An interesting episode overall looking back on UWF’s failure to be a notable rival to WWF and the coke-fueled downward spiral of Herb Adams’ life.

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Week awards:

• Best match of the week – Street Fight – Le Sex Gods vs. Kenny Omega & Matt Hardy (AEW Dynamite)
• Worst match of the week – Grimes vs. Dejournette (WWE NXT)
• Best show of the week – AEW Dynamite
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW