Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for April 25 to May 1

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of April 25th to May 1st

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (April 26)
* 2-on-1 Handicap match – Mace & T-Bar vs. Braun Strowman – 1.5
* Mace & T-Bar vs. Braun Strowman & Drew McIntyre – 2.0
* The Miz, Elias, & Jaxson Ryker vs Damian Priest & New Day – 3.0
* Randy Orton & Riddle vs. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin – 2.5
* Asuka, Lana, & Naomi vs. Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, & Rhea Ripley – 2.5
* Charlotte Flair vs. Mandy Rose – 1.5
* Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman match.
Worst – Charlotte Flair & WWE ref apology segment and the Flair vs. Mandy Rose match with ref shenanigans.
Show Notes – Opening Retribution promo and Strowman & McIntyre backstage promo segments were somewhat decent. Handicap match was a waste of time topped by a lame DQ finish. Miz TV segment was decent although the rotten tomatoes prank by Priest & New Day was dumb. Sonya Deville, Flair, & WWE ref apology segment was stupid and made the Deville & Adam Pearce rift feel way too forced, same for Deville’s heel turn as an authority figure. Sheamus promo and brawl with Humberto Carrillo was quite good. Bobby Lashley & MVP promo segment was fine. Orton embracing Riddle’s dumbness is interesting. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke chucking a bucket of water at Baszler and Jax slipping afterwards like a moron was dumb as hell. Alexa’s Playground segment was extra cringey this week. Flair vs. Rose stunk and not a fan of the Flair vs. ref stuff being a recurring thing. Yikes at Strowman almost hitting a legit Super Brainbuster to McIntyre. McIntyre vs. Strowman was pretty good despite the shenanigans at the end. This week’s show was mostly average overall but a big improvement in terms of entertainment compared to recent weeks.

NXT (April 27)
* Dakota Kai vs. Mercedes Martinez – 2.5
* Toni Storm vs. Zayda Ramier – 1.5
* Bronson Reed vs. Austin Theory – 2.0
* Imperium vs. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick – 3.0
* Legado Del Fantasma vs. MSK & KUSHIDA – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – Legado Del Fantasma vs. MSK & KUSHIDA match.
Worst – First hour felt somewhat dull and plodded along for show flow.
Show Notes – Opening Kai vs. Martinez match was mostly decent despite its somewhat plodding pacing and lame DQ finish. Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, & Franky Monet backstage segment was a bit corny. Grizzled Young Veterans and Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa promo & brawl segment was decent. Xia Li’s Bohemian Rhapsody style promo segment was cool. Isiah “Swerve” Scott promo segment was fine. Storm’s pre-match promo was decent. Storm losing to a jobber is interesting although her return to NXT has been mostly a bust so far. Reed vs. Theory was somewhat dull minus the Dexter Lumis & Indi Hartwell ringside shenanigans. MSK & KUSHIDA interview segment was fine. Maverick’s diving smack to Marcel Barthel’s head was a bit funny. Imperim vs. Dain & Maverick was entertaining. Pete Dunne promo segment was all right. Cameron Grimes jewelry store saga with “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase was wonderful. Adam Cole sit-down interview segment was all right. Legado vs. MSK & KUSHIDA was very good despite the odd delay for its finish. This week’s show was mostly enjoyable overall.

Friday Night SmackDown (April 30)
* Bianca Belair & Street Profits vs. Bayley & Dirty Dawgs – 3.0
* Natayla & Tamina vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax – 2.0
* Intercontinental Championship – Big E vs. Apollo Crews (c) – 3.0
* Universal Championship – Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (c) – 4.0
Overall – 3.5
Best – Universal Championship match.
Worst – Natayla & Tamina vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax match.
Show Notes – Opening Belair, Dirty Dawgs, Street Profits, & Bayley promo and brawl segment was decent. Belair & Street Profits vs. Bayley & Dirty Dawgs was pretty good. Bryan interview segment was all right. Wonder who Baszler upset backstage to be getting the awful booking treatment in recent times. Rey & Dominik Mysterio interview segment was okay. Aleister Black story time Part 2 vignette was interesting. Big E interview segment was superb and a bit funny. Intercontinental title match was pretty good despite the lame DQ finish. Post-match brawl with Kevin Owens, Commander Azeez, & Sami Zayn was fine. The hype video package for Bryan vs. Reigns was terrific. Paul Heyman interview segment was great. The Universal title match prediction segments by several former and current WWE talents were decent at best overall. Reigns new entrance theme has a bit of an eerie vibe and tone to Carmella’s entrance theme. Universal title match was great and among the best WWE matches so far this year. Post-match brawl with Cesaro & Jey Uso was fine. This week’s show was very enjoyable this week.

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AEW

AEW Dark Elevation (April 26)
* Chuck Taylor vs. Rey Fenix – 3.0
* “Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth vs. RYZIN – 2.0 (Squash)
* Orange Cassidy vs. Dean Alexander – 1.5 (Squash)
* The Acclaimed vs. Liam Gray & Adrian Alanis – 2.5
* Nick Comoroto vs. VSK – 1.5 (Squash)
* Amber Nova & Diamante vs. Ryo Mizunami & Leyla Hirsch – 3.0
* Tesha Price vs. Kris Statlander – 2.0 (Squash)
* Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page vs. Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Alan “5” Angels) – 3.0
* Big Swole & Red Velvet vs. Nyla Rose & Madi Wrenkowski – 1.5 (Squash)
* Matt Sydal vs. Joey Janela – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Leyla Hirsch vignette segment.
Worst – Big Swole & Red Velvet vs. Nyla Rose & Madi Wrenkowski match.
Show Notes – Taylor vs. Fenix opener was a pretty good back-and-forth action bout. Nemeth doing the Pee Wee Heman Dance was a bit funny. Nemeth, Peter Avalon, Cezar Bononi, & JD Drake’s backstage fashion segment was decent but also funny. Max Caster’s pre-match rap was among his best ones in AEW. Reynolds & Angels segment was decent. Hirsch’s vignette about her life and road to a job with AEW was fantastic. Nova & Diamante vs. Mizunami & Hirsch was pretty good. Sky & Page interview segment over what should be their team name was all right. Statlander trying to boop Price’s nose throughout their match was funny. Sky & Page vs. Reynolds & Angels was pretty good. Sydal vs. Janela was pretty good overall. This week’s episode was mostly enjoyable overall.

AEW Dark Elevation (April 27)
* Fuego Del Sol & D3 vs. The Acclaimed – 2.0
* Matt & Mike Sydal vs. David Ali & Aaron Frye – 2.5
* Dante Martin vs. Andrew Palace – 3.0
* Varsity Blonds vs. Duke Davis & Ganon Jones – 2.0
* Brian Cage vs. Marty Casaus – 3.0
* Leyla Hirsch vs. Renee Michelle – 2.0 (Squash)
* Lance Archer vs. Jake St. Patrick – 2.0 (Squash)
* Diamante vs. Raychell Rose – 2.0 (Squash)
* Lee Johnson vs. Will Allday – 2.5
* Penelope Ford vs. Ashley D’Amboise – 1.5 (Squash)
* Colt Cabana vs. Cole Karter – 2.0 (Squash)
* Dani Jordyn vs. KiLynn King – 3.0
* SCU vs. Liam Gray & Adrian Alanis – 2.5
* Hardy Family Office (The Blade & Private Party) vs. Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, & 10) – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order match.
Worst – Penelope Ford vs. Ashley D’Amboise match.
Show Notes – Max Caster’s pre-match rap was magnificent. Opening Fuego Del Sol & D3 vs. The Acclaimed match was somewhat decent. Martin vs. Palace was a nice entertaining bout. Casaus showing off some of his old Marty “The Moth” Martinez persona from Lucha Underground was wonderful. Cage vs. Casaus was quite good. Hardy Family Office promo segment was all right. Ouch at Michelle landing on her head from her botched moonsault spot. Evil Uno promo segment was all right. QT Marshall’s ambush of Johnson after his match and Dustin Rhodes run-in save was okay. Ford vs. D’Amboise was a somewhat sloppy squash match. Jordyn vs. King was a quite good back-and-forth style bout. Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order was pretty good. This week’s show was mostly enjoyable overall.

AEW Dynamite (April 28)
* “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Brian Cage – 3.0
* AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator match – Matt & Mike Sydal vs. The Young Bucks – 3.5
* Orange Cassidy vs. Penta el Zero M – 3.0
* Michael Nakazawa vs. Eddie Kingston – N/A
* Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander – 3.0
* The Factory (QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto, & Aaron Solow) vs. The Nightmare Family (Billy Gunn, Dustin Rhodes, & Lee Johnson) – 2.5
* TNT Championship – 10 vs. Darby Allin (c) – 3.0
Overall – 3.5
Best – Pinnacle & Inner Circle Blood & Guts Parlay segment.
Worst – The Factory vs. The Nightmare Family trios match.
Show Notes – Page vs. Cage opening match was pretty good despite its very short length for an AEW opener and also was surprised Cage won. Kenny Omega & pals limo promo segment was all right. Sydal Bros vs. Young Bucks was very entertaining. SCU’s promo to the Young Bucks was one of their best promos in AEW. Penta catching Cassidy’s dive and one-handing him after was awesome. Cassidy vs. Penta was quite good despite the ending shenanigans. Britt Baker interview segment was fine. Ouch at Sammy Guevara’s dig to Shawn Spears on his failed WWE career. Pinnacle & Inner Circle Parlay segment was fantastic. Kingston, Nakazawa, Omega, Moxley, & Callis segment was a bit too goofy. Guevara bringing back his cue cards routine for the split screen ad break was wonderful. Taz & Christian Cage backstage segment was superb. Ford vs. Statlander was pretty good. Moxley vs. Yuji Nagata for the IWGP US title being on Dynamite and not on NJPW Strong is very interesting. Miro’s beatdown of Kip Sabian was nice. TNT title match was pretty good despite being weaker in quality than Allin’s recent title matches. This week’s show was very entertaining overall.

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NJPW, Impact, & Other Wrestling

Impact Wrestling Rebellion (April 25)
* Impact X-Division Championship Three-way match – Josh Alexander vs. TJP vs. Ace Austin (c) – 3.5
* 8-Man Tag Team match – James Storm, Chris Sabin, Eddie Edwards, & Willie Mack vs. Violet By Design (Deaner, Joe Doering, Rhino) & W. Morrissey – 3.0
* Brian Myers vs. Matt Cardona – 2.5
* Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship – Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering vs. Fire N’Flava (c) – 3.0
* Last Man Standing match – Sami Callihan vs. Trey Miguel – 3.0
* Impact World Tag Team Championship – Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (c) – 3.0
* Impact Knockouts Championship – Tenille Dashwood vs. Deonna Purrazzo (c) – 3.0
* AEW World Championship & Impact World Championship Title vs. Title match – Kenny Omega (AEW) vs. Rich Swann (Impact) – 3.5
Overall – 3.5
Best – Mauro Ranallo’s guest commentary work for the Title vs. Title match.
Worst – Title vs. Title match feeling a bit off in flow and being a bit sloppy at times.
Show Notes – The Ankle Lock & Octopus Hold combo spot by Alexander & TJP looked really cool. X-Division title opener was a very good action packed match. Big Cass/CazXL debuting as a hired gun guy for Violent By Design is interesting. 8-Man tag was a nice entertaining match and CazXL looked good in his Impact debut. Myers vs. Cardona was mostly decent despite the fake injury spot deflating all of the match’s momentum. Tony Khan interview segment was funny. Knockouts Tag title match was pretty good and bit surprised Grace & Ellering actually won. Ouch at both Miguel getting slammed on the table’s legs and Callihan’s top rope piledriver not breaking the table. Last Man Standing match was pretty good. Impact Tag title match was pretty good and a bit surprised FinJuice retained. Knockouts title match was quite good despite the ringside shenanigans. Taylor Wilde’s return was decent but her new theme sounds awful. Mauro Ranallo’s guest commentary was delightful to hear. Omega vs. Swann was mostly very good despite the match’s flow being off at times. Rebellion was a very entertaining show overall.

Impact Wrestling Impact! (April 29)
* #1 Contender for Impact World Championship 6-Way Qualifier match – Jake Something vs. Chris Bey – 3.0
* Same Beale vs. W. Morrissey – 2.0 (Squash)
* Kimber Lee vs. Taylor Wilde – 2.5
* X-Division Championship – Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander (c) – 3.5
* #1 Contender for Impact World Championship 6-Way Qualifier match – Brian Myers vs. Matt Cardona – 2.5
* #1 Contender for Impact World Championship 6-Way Qualifier match – Sami Callihan vs. Eddie Edwards – 2.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – X-Division Championship match.
Worst – Same Beale vs. W. Morrissey match.
Show Notes – The new storyline of Omega being stripped of the Impact title if he misses a show is very interesting. Something vs. Bey was pretty good despite the ending shenanigans. Don Callis & Callihan backstage segment was decent. Wilde, Tenille Dashwood, & Kaleb segment was okay. Morrissey pre-match promo was somewhat flat. Lee & Deonna Purrazzo interview segment was fine. Willie Mack interview segment was all right. This year’s Slammiversary ad teasing Okada showing up is very interesting and would be a big surprise if Impact got him first instead of AEW. Scott D’Amore, Moose, & James Storm backstage segment was superb. X-Division title match was very good. Callis & Johnny Swinger backstage segment was funny. Jordynne Grace, Rachael Ellering, & Fire N’Flava segment was all right. Myers vs. Cardona was most decent despite dragging a bit too long. Violent By Design promo segment was fantastic. El Phantasmo showing up on next week’s show is cool. Callihan vs. Edwards was decent despite the No Contest finish. Omega & Good Brothers ambush and post-match brawl with FinJuice was okay. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

NJPW Wrestling Satsuma no Kumi 2021 Night 1 (April 28)
* Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd & Tiger Mask – 3.5
* DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi vs. Jado & Guerillas of Destiny (Tanga Loa & Tama Tonga) – 3.0
* Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, & Yujiro Takahashi vs. Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hiroshi Tanahashi – 3.0
* BUSHI, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, & Shingo Takagi vs. United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, & Will Ospreay) – 3.0
* Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Championship Creation of Darkness Blindfod match – EVIL vs. Toru Yano (c) – 2.0
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship – Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado vs. Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) (c) – 4.0
Overall – 3.5
Best – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match.
Worst – Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Championship Creation of Darkness Blindfold match.
Show Notes – Young Lions vs. Kidd & Tiger Mask opener bout was very entertaining. Suzuki-Gun vs. Bullet Club 6-Man Tag match was going on well until the buzz kill DQ finish. Zack Sabre Jr. post-match promo was all right. Taguchi & Gedo dueling “wow” and “boo” cheers during Tanahashi’s pre-match abs display to the crowd routine was funny. Bullet Club vs. Wato, Taguchi, & Tanahashi 6-Man Tag was a pretty good match with some fine comedic moments mixed in. LIJ vs. United Empire 8-Man Tag match was a quite good back-and-forth action bout. Provisional KoPW title Creation of Darkness Blindfold match had a couple funny comedic spots but the stip ended up causing it to be more swing and miss than hit for the match’s quality and didn’t help that it dragged too long. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag title match was terrific. Night 1 of NJPW Wrestling Satsuma no Kumi 2021 was a very enjoyable show overall.

NJPW Wrestling Satsuma no Kumi 2021 Night 2 (April 29)
* Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji vs. BUSHI & SANADA – 3.0
* Tiger Mask & Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado – 3.0
* DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi vs. Jado & Guerillas of Destiny (Tanga Loa & Tama Tonga) – 2.0
* Dick Togo, Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, & EVIL vs. Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, & Toru Yano – 3.0
* Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay – 3.5
* Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs. Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb – 3.5
Overall – 3.5
Best – Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay match.
Worst – YOH’s entrance theme.
Show Notes – Young Lions vs. BUSHI & SANADA opener bout was entertaining. Not sure if YOH got a new singles theme recently but the one his team came out to tonight was an odd choice for a wrestling theme. Tiger Mask & Roppongi 3K vs. Suzuki-Gun 6-Man Tag was a quite good back-and-forth action match. Suzuki-Gun vs. Bullet Club 6-Man Tag non-match was okay despite being a no contest. The post-match brawl stuff was splendid though. Bullet Club vs. Wato, Taguchi, Tenzan, & Yano 8-Man Tag match was pretty good. Naito & Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan & Ospreay was a very good action packed bout. Cobb playing the guitar with Tanahashi’s body was a bit funny. Tanahashi & Ibushi vs. Henare & Cobb was very good. Night 2 of Wrestling Satsuma no Kumi 2021 was very enjoyable overall.

NJPW Strong “LA Dojo Showcase” (April 30)
* The DKC vs. TJP – 3.0
* Kevin Knight & Alex Coughlin vs. Ren Narita & Fred Rosser – 3.0
* Clark Connors vs. Karl Fredericks – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – Clark Connors vs. Karl Fredericks match.
Worst – DKC vs. TJP match being too methodical in pacing and action for an empty arena show.
Show Notes – Show intro hype video with LA Dojo head trainer Katsuyori Shibata was splendid. DKC vs. TJP was a pretty good mat-based bout despite being a bit too slow paced for action. DKC’s post-match promo was decent. Knight & Coughlin vs. Narita & Rosser was an entertaining back-and-forth action based bout. Knight & Coughlin post-match promo was all right. Connors vs. Fredericks was a very good hard hitting battle of a bout. Connors post-match promo of him teasing a brand new persona was interesting. This week’s LA Dojo Showcase special was enjoyable overall.

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Weekly Awards:

• Best match of the week – Universal Championship – Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (c) (WWE Friday Night SmackDown)
• Worst match of the week – Charlotte Flair vs. Mandy Rose (WWE RAW)
• Best show of the week – AEW Dynamite
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW