Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for December 27 to January 2

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of December 27th to January 2nd.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (December 28)
* #1 Contender for WWE Championship match – Sheamus vs. Keith Lee – 3.0
* The Miz vs. Gran Metalik – 2.0
* Dana Brooke vs. Shayna Baszler – 2.0
* AJ Styles vs. Elias – 2.5
* Ricochet vs. Mustafa Ali – 3.0
* Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax – 2.0
* New Day, Riddle, & Jeff Hardy vs. Hurt Business – 3.0
Overall – 2.0
Best – 8-man tag team match.
Worst – The show closing angle with Randy Orton and Alexa Bliss.
Show Notes – Drew McIntyre’s quick tribute to Brodie Lee was wonderful. Sheamus vs. Lee was mostly good despite it being a bit sloppy at times. Gran Metalik surprise win over Miz was the only notable part of their forgettable match. Alex Bliss Playground & Firefly Fun House segment was a bit dull. Styles vs. Elias was decent despite it dragging on way too long. Ricochet vs. Ali was pretty good despite the shenanigans at the end. Flair vs. Jax was a waste of time. Riddle’s name suggestions for his 4-man team were cringey. 8-man tag match was pretty good, especially the latter half. Miz, John Morrison, & Adam Pearce segemnt was funny but also lazy booking by WWE to redo Miz’s MitB run. Randy Orton & Bliss segment stunk, especially the lame WCW “we’re out of time” style ending. This week’s episode was mostly skippable overall.

NXT “2020 Year End Awards” (December 30)
* Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Bronson Reed – 2.5
* Breezango vs. Grizzled Young Veterans – 3.0
* Mercedes Martinez vs. Valentina Feroz – 1.5 (Squash)
* Roderick Strong vs. Pete Dunne – 3.5
* Legado del Fantasma vs. Lucha House Party – 3.0
* NXT North American Championship – Leon Ruff vs. Johnny Gargano (c) – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Roderick Strong vs. Pete Dunne match.
Worst – Austin Theory taking Future Star of the Year award over some of the more notable names nominated.
Show Notes – Opening Scott vs. Reed match was all right. Pat McAfee instead of Shotzi Blackheart would have been my pick for NXT Breakout Star of the Year. Undisputed Era winning Tag Team of the Year award makes sense. Xia Li & Boa vignette was interesting. Io Shirai taking Female Wrestler of the Year award was a no brainer but Keith Lee instead of Adam Cole would have been my pick for the Male award. Strong vs. Dunne was very good. Balor vs. O’Reilly at TakeOver 31 taking Match of the Year award feels right. The Fight Pit hype video was excellent. Balor, O’Reilly, Kross, & Priest promo & brawl segment was very entertaining. Rhea Ripley vignette was wonderful. Austin Theory taking Future Star award was a laughably bad choice. NXT North American title match was pretty good. This week’s episode was enjoyable overall.

Friday Night SmackDown (January 1)
* Big E vs. King Corbin – 2.0
* Big E & Apollo Crews vs. King Corbin & Sami Zayn – 2.5
* Riott Squad vs. Tamina & Natayla – 1.5
* Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair vs. Carmella & Bayley – 3.0
* Daniel Bryan & Otis vs. Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura – 3.0
* Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Sonya Deville’s surprise return.
Worst – Most of the first half of the show.
Show Notes – Opening Roman Reigns & Owens promo segment was fine. Crews manhandling Corbin’s lackeys and Zayn was the only good part of a forgettable Big E vs. Corbin match. Adam Pearce & Owens backstage segment was decent. Crews & Big E interview segment was good. Billie Kay’s antics was the only entertaining part of a dull women’s tag match. Banks & Belair vs. Carmella & Bayley was pretty good despite the shenanigans at the end. Sonya Deville’s surprise return was cool. Street Profits in-ring segment was boring. I don’t think that Bryan & Otis training video was PG. Bryan & Otis vs. Cesaro & Nakamura was good. Owens vs. Jey was pretty good despite the abrupt ending. Post-match Owens, Uso, & Reigns brawl was entertaining. This week’s episode was mostly enjoyable overall albeit mainly due to the show’s latter half.

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AEW

AEW Dark (December 29)
* Vary Morales vs. Rey Fenix – 3.0
* Lindsay Snow vs. Penelope Ford – 2.0 (Squash)
* Shawn Dean & Tyson Maddux vs. Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) – 3.0
* Jazmin Allure vs. Anna Jay – 2.0 (Squash)
* Ryzin, Nick Comoroto & James Tapia vs. Team Taz (Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, & Brian Cage) – 2.5
* Fuego Del Sol vs. Griff Garrison – 2.5
* Terrence & Terrell Hughes vs. Santana & Ortiz – 3.0
* Aaron Solow vs. Sammy Guevara – 3.0
* Ariel Levy & El Cuervo De Puerto Rico vs. Chaos Project – 2.5
* Madi Wrenkowski vs. Leva Bates – 1.0
* Danny Limelight vs. Matt Sydal – 3.0
* Vertvixen vs. Tay Conti – 2.0
* Royal Money, Baron Black, & Mike Verna vs. Gunn Club – 2.0
* The Hybrid2 vs. SCU – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – The Hybrid2 vs. SCU match.
Worst – Madi Wrenkowski vs. Leva Bates match.
Show Notes – Opening Morales vs. Fenix bout was entertaining. Dean & Maddux vs. Dark Order was pretty good, especially the latter half. The Waiting Room segment with Sydal was decent at best. Huges Brothers vs. Santana & Ortiz was pretty good. Solow vs. Guevara was also pretty good. Guevara’s post-match promo was okay. Wrenkowski vs. Bates was one of the worst AEW Women’s matches this year. Limelight vs. Sydal was a fine back-and-forth style bout. Austin Gunn’s post-match promo was decent at best. The Hybrid2 vs. SCU was very good and same for the post-match stuff with The Acclaimed and Young Bucks. This week’s episode was enjoyable overall.

AEW Dynamite “Brodie Lee Tribute Show” (December 30)
* Matt Hardy & Private Party vs. The Young Bucks & & Colt Cabana – 3.5
* Dark Order (Stu Grayson & Evil Uno) & Lance Archer vs. The Butcher, The Blade, & Eddie Kingston – 3.0
* Hangman Adam Page & Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) vs. Inner Circle (Santana, Ortiz, & MJF) – 4.5
* Tay Conti & Ana Jay vs. Penelope Ford & Britt Baker – 2.5
* Brodie Lee Jr. 6-Man Tag Dream match – Team Taz (Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, & Brian Cage) vs. 10, Orange Cassidy, & Cody Rhodes – 3.5
Overall – 5.0
Best – All of the tributes to Brodie Lee throughout the show.
Worst – Brodie Lee’s passing and him not being around to witness all of the outpouring of love and support everyone has shown for him and his family.
Show Notes – Opening 10 bell salute and Jon Moxley tribute to Brodie Lee was very touching. Darby Allin tribute to Lee was nice. Archer’s Luke Harper attire homage was cool. The photos of Lee & his family and tributes by several AEW people were very heartwarming. Silver & Reynolds doing Lee’s paper toss bit was great. MJF taunting Brodie Jr. was very ballsy to do tonight. Rowan’s surprise appearance was wonderful. Page & Dark Order vs. Inner Circle was a very entertaining match. Rowan’s post-match tribute to Lee was very emotional. Eddie Kingston’s tribute was wonderful. Baker’s post-match conspiracy promo was interesting. Chris Jericho tribute was nice. Allin & Sting walking out together was cool. AEW’s show closing tribute was amazing. This week’s episode was a great tribute in honor of Lee. RIP Brodie Lee.

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NJPW & Other Wrestling

GCW 56 Nights (January 1)
* Jordan Oliver vs. Tre Lamar – 3.5
* Ken Broadway vs. ACH – 3.0
* Cole Radrick vs. Chris Dickinson – 3.0
* Team Bussy (Allie Kat & Effy) vs. Crazy Tough Enemies (Joshua Bishop & Matthew Justice) – 2.5
* 8-Man Scramble match – 1 Called Manders vs. Elayna Black vs. “Too Hot” Steve Scott vs. Levi Everett vs. Ellis Taylor vs. Charlie Tiger vs. Ironbeast (Shane Mercer & KTB) – 3.0
* Mance Warner vs. Calvin Tankman – 3.0
* Lee Moriarty vs. Blake Christian – 3.5
* Death Match – Alex Colon vs. Atticus Cogar – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – Alex Colon vs. Atticus Cogar Death Match.
Worst – The tinted or washed out colors from the ringside camera feeds during the show.
Show Notes – Opening Oliver vs. Lamar match was very good. Broadway vs. ACH was pretty good despite dragging a bit at times. Broadway’s post-match promo was decent. Radrick vs. Dickinson was a fine grapple based bout. Team Bussy vs. Crazy Tough Enemies was somewhat decent. Scramble match was pretty good despite dragging a bit too long. Warner vs. Tankman was a good hard hitting bout. Moriarty vs. Christian was very good. Christian’s post-match promo was decent. Colon vs. Cogar was a very entertaining and bloody death match bout. GCW 56 Nights was enjoyable overall.

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Week awards:

• Best match of the week – Hangman Adam Page & Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) vs. Inner Circle (Santana, Ortiz, & MJF) (AEW Dynamite)
• Worst match of the week – Madi Wrenkowski vs. Leva Bates (AEW Dark)
• Best show of the week – AEW Dynamite
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW