Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for January 24 to January 30

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of January 24th to January 30th.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (January 25)
* Charlotte Flair vs. Shayna Baszler – 1.5
* Charlotte Flair, Mandy Rose, & Dana Brooke vs. Lacey Evans, Shayna Baszler, & Nia Jax – 1.5
* Slapjack vs. Xavier Woods – 2.0
* Sheamus vs. John Morrison – 3.5
* 2-on-1 Handicap match – Sheamus vs. The Miz & John Morrison – 3.0
* AJ Styles vs. R-Truth – 2.0
* Gauntlet match – Riddle vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Cedric Alexander – 3.0
* RAW Women’s Championship – Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka (c) – 1.0
Overall – 2.0
Best – Sheamus vs. John Morrison match.
Worst – RAW Women’s Championship match and WWE not learning their lesson from the last time they booked a title feud and match involving an unstoppable Fiend-like challenger.
Show Notes – Opening Drew McIntyre, Miz, Morrison, & Goldberg segment was all right. Flair’s promo about people calling her “Miss WrestleMania” was laughably bad. Flair vs. Baszler and women’s tag matches were a big mess in terms of booking, quality, and flow. MVP Lounge segment with R-Truth was somewhat decent. Sheamus vs. Morrison was a terrific back-and forth style bout. Handicap mach was pretty good. The on-going Flair Family drama storyline has been horrible. The Styles as the denier of Rumble spots to RAW guys storyline was entertaining overall. Alexa’s Playground segment was very cringey. Gauntlet match was good despite the forced Hurt Business implosion storyline dragging it down. Edge’s promo was superb. Whatever potential Bliss vs. Asuka had got ruined by some godawful booking decisions. This week’s Royal Rumble go-home show was mostly dull overall, especially the first hour and main event.

NXT (January 27)
* 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals Round – Drake Maverick & Killian Dain vs. MSK – 3.0
* 2020 Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round – Aliyah & Jessi Kamea vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez – 2.5
* Tyler Rust vs. some jobber – 1.5 (Squash)
* 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals Round – KUSHIDA & Leon Ruff vs. Grizzled Young Veterans – 3.0
* Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Bronson Reed – 3.0
* Kyle O’Reilly & Finn Balor vs. Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan – 3.0
Overall – 3.5
Best – KUSHIDA & Leon Ruff vs. Grizzled Young Veterans match.
Worst – Tyler Rust vs. Performance Center jobber match.
Show Notes – Opening Maverick & Dain vs. MSK match was entertaining. Curt Stallion interview segment was a bit dull. Scarlett Bordeaux Tarot cards segment was fine and she’s still the only real interesting thing about Kross’ gimmick. KUSHIDA & Ruff vs. Grizzled Young Veterans was pretty good. The unseen injury angle with Stallion & Legado del Fantasma was an interesting way to write off the show’s advertised Cruiser title match due to NXT Creative pulling a “Vince McMahon” with the show’s plans. Toni Storm, Io Shirai, & Mercedes Martinez promo and brawl segment was superb. Imperium vignette was wonderful. Scott vs. Reed was pretty good. Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher promo segment was all right. O’Reilly & Balor vs. Burch & Lorcan was pretty good, especially the latter half. Same for the post-match brawl with Pete Dunne. This week’s episode was very enjoyable overall.

Friday Night SmackDown (January 29)
* Bianca Belair vs. Bayley – 3.0
* King Corbin vs. Dominik – 2.0
* Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles – 3.0
* 6-Man Tag Team match – Daniel Bryan, Big E, & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, & Cesaro – 2.5
* 10-Man Tag Team match – Daniel Bryan, Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura, Otis, & Sheamus vs. AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, The Miz, & John Morrison – 2.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles match.
Worst – The show’s final 30 minutes or so being a very overbooked mess.
Show Notes – Opening Bryan & Styles promo segment was excellent. Belair vs. Bayley was pretty good. Belair post-match interview was decent. Corbin vs. Dominik was mostly flat in terms of flow. Big E, Sonya Deville, Miz, & John Morrison backstage segment was decent. Sasha Banks & Reginald segment was fine. The #30 spot for the Women’s Rumble match being either Natalya or Tamina is a huge buzz kill announcement. Kevin Owens & Roman Reigns sit-down segment was superb. Bryan vs. Styles was a very good match dragged down by WWE going overboard with the shenanigans at the end and lazy tag match setup booking. Same for the 6-Man tag and 10-Man Tag matches being decent but were hurt a lot from similar booking issues. Braun Strowman’s surprise return was fine. This week’s episode was mostly average overall despite the show turning into an overbooked mess in the latter half.

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AEW

AEW Dark (January 26)
* Fuego Del Sol vs. Miro – 2.0
* Lee Johnson & Aaron Solow vs. Jurassic Express – 3.0
* Terrence & Terrell Hughes vs. SCU – 3.0
* M’Badu & KC Navarro vs. The Butcher & the Blade – 2.0 (Squash)
* Baron Black vs. Rey Fenix – 3.0
* Kilynn King vs. Shanna – 2.5
* Brooke Havok vs. Dr. Britt Baker – 2.0
* Vertvixen vs. Abadon – 2.0 (Squash)
* Ryzin & Mike Verna vs. Santana & Ortiz – 1.5 (Squash)
* Davienne vs. Tay Conti – 2.0 (Squash)
* Ray Jaz vs. 10 – 2.5
* Madi Wrenkowski vs. Red Velvet – 2.0
* Sean Maluta vs. Danny Limelight – 1.5 (Squash)
* Jazmin Allure vs. Ivelisse – 2.0
* Jake St. Patrick vs. Powerhouse Hobbs – 2.0 (Squash)
Overall – 2.5
Best – Lee Johnson & Aaron Solow vs. Jurassic Express match.
Worst – The Walk Off contest segment.
Show Notes – Fuego Del Sol vs. Miro was a decent opener squash match. Taz humming Jungle Boy’s entrance theme was funny. Johnson & Solow vs. Jurassic Express was an entertaining tag match. Hughes Bros vs. SCU was pretty good. Black vs. Fenix was also a pretty good back-and-forth style bout. Havok vs. Baker was somewhat decent despite the botched finish. Santana & Ortiz promo segment was fine. The Walk Off contest was boring but Cezar Bononi joining Peter Avalon is interesting. Negative One’s guest commentary was fun, especially his banter with Taz & Excalibur. This week’s episode was mostly average with the first half being much better than the latter half in terms of entertainment.

AEW Dynamite (January 27)
* Eddie Kingston vs. Lance Archer – 3.0
* MJF & Chris Jericho vs. Varsity Blonds – 3.0
* Hangman Adam Page vs. Ryan Nemeth – 2.5
* Dax Harwood vs. Jungle Boy – 4.0
* Britt Baker vs. Shanna – 3.0
* 8-Man Tag Team match – The Young Bucks & The Good Brothers vs. The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, & John Silver) – 3.5
Overall – 4.0
Best – Dax Harwood vs. Jungle Boy match.
Worst – Cody Rhodes, Arn Anderson, & Red Velvet segment dragging too long.
Show Notes – Opening Kingston vs. Archer was a fine stiff bout despite the shenanigans at the end. Jon Moxley promo segment was okay. Sting & Darby Allin’s “Hoodlum” promo segment was all right. MJF & Jericho’s new mixed entrance theme stinks. Jericho using the Lionsault as a finisher after the online mockery he got over last week’s sloppy one was a bit funny. PAC’s promo segment was splendid. Cody Rhodes, Arn Anderson, & Red Velvet segment was okay but also dragged on too long. Page vs. Dolph Ziggler’s brother was decent. Matt Hardy wanting Page to join his group is interesting. Harwood vs. Jungle Boy was among the best matches in Dynamite history. FTR cutting off Luchasaurus’ horns was great heel heat. Team Taz destroying the AEW merch guys was cool. Baker vs. Shanna was pretty good. 8-man tag was very good and same for the post-match brawl. This week’s episode was very entertaining overall.

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NJPW & Other Wrestling

Impact Wrestling Impact! (January 26)
* Matt Cardona & Josh Alexander vs. Ace Austin & Madman Fulton – 2.5
* Brian Myers vs. Eddie Edwards – 2.5
* Tenille Dashwood vs. Rosemary – 3.0
* Joe Doering vs. Cousin Jake – 2.0 (Squash)
* 8-Man Tag Team match – Moose, Chris Bey, Sami Callihan, & Ken Shamrock vs. Tommy Dreamer, Willie Mack, Rich Swann, & Trey Miguel – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – 8-Man Tag Team match.
Worst – Fire N’Flava Fest segment.
Show Notes – Opening Impact World title promo & brawl segment was all right. Swann, Dreamer, & Mack, Scott D’Amore backstage segment was decent. Rohit Raju and mystery person segment was interesting. Delusional Tony Khan was the best part of a somewhat corny AEW paid ad segment. Matt Hardy & Private Party segment was fine. Dashwood vs. Rosemary was pretty good but Impact going overboard with the fake crowd noise afterwards was annoying. Johnny Bravo & Fire N’Flava backstage casino segment was funny. Deonna Purrazzo & Pals and Jordynne Grace & Jazz segment was okay. Fire N’Flava Fest was a train wreck and not in an ironic entertaining way. Chris Sabin & James Storm bar segment was fine. Trey Miguel’s surprise return to Impact is interesting. 8-Man tag match was pretty good, especially the latter half. This week’s episode was average at best but mostly enjoyable overall.

NJPW Strong (January 29)
* The DKC vs. Clark Connors – 3.0
* Chris Dickinson vs. Rocky Romero – 2.5
* Hikuleo, El Phantasmo, & KENTA vs. TJP, Lio Rush, & Fred Rosser – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Jon Moxley’s surprise appearance.
Worst – The flat finish to the 6-Man Tag match.
Show Notes – Opening DKC vs. Connors match was pretty good. DKC joining Shibata’s L.A. Dojo for Young Lions training is interesting. Dickinson vs. Romero was all right despite dragging a bit too long. Dickinson’s post-match promo was fine. Bullet Club vs. TJP, Rush, & Rosser was pretty good despite the flat finish. Jon Moxley’s surprise appearance was amazing and same for the Moxley vs. KENTA brawl & Moxley’s promo afterwards. This week’s episode was one of Strong’s better episodes in recent times.

NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya 2021 (January 30)
* Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL vs. Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada – 2.5
* BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, & SANADA vs. Master Wato, SHO, Tomoaki Honma, & Kota Ibushi – 3.0
* Loser Must Stop Using the Mongolian Chop match – Great-O-Khan vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan – 3.0
* No Disqualification match – Will Ospreay vs. Satoshi Kojima – 3.5
* NEVER Openweight Championship – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shingo Takagi (c) – 5.0
Overall – 4.0
Best – NEVER Openweight Championship match.
Worst – Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL vs. Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada match.
Show Notes – Yano’s entrance announcement growing longer over time due to all the shilling by the ring announcer has been hilarious so far. Opening Takahashi & EVIL vs. Yano & Okada match was nothing special. LIJ vs. Wato, SHO, Honma, & Ibushi was pretty good. Great-O-Khan vs. Tenzan was pretty good and the Mongolian Chop off spot was cool. Ospreay vs. Kojima was a very good hardcore bout. Yikes at Tanahashi getting spiked hard on his head from Takagi’s Made in Japan spot. Tanahashi vs. Tagaki was terrific and easily Match of the Year tier worthy. El Phantasmo’s guest commentary work was amazing, especially his insults and comedic one liners throughout the show. New Beginning in Nagoya 2021 was a very enjoyable show overall, especially the latter half.

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Weekly Awards:

• Best match of the week – NEVER Openweight Championship – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shingo Takagi (c) (NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya 2021)
• Worst match of the week – RAW Women’s Championship – Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka (c) (WWE RAW)
• Best show of the week – AEW Dynamite
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW