Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for June 27 to July 3

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of June 27th to July 3rd.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (June 28)
* Winner Advances to Last Chance Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying match Battle Royale – 2.5
* Nikki Cross vs. Shayna Baszler – 1.5
* Asuka & Naomi vs. Eva Marie & Doudrop – 2.0
* Ricochet vs. John Morrison – 3.0
* Charlotte Flair, Natayla, & Tamina vs. Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke, & Rhea Ripley – 2.5
* Strap match – Elias vs. Jaxson Ryker – 2.0 (Squash)
* Last Chance Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Triple Threat match – Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles vs. Riddle – 3.5
Overall – 2.5
Best – Kofi Kingston & MVP face-to-face in-ring promo segment and the Triple Threat match.
Worst – Nikki Cross vs. Shayna Baszler match with the Alex Bliss ringside shenanigans.
Show Notes – Opening backstage segment with Riddle’s “Orton’s absence” scribbled note was hilarious. The 24/7 title shenanigans & Omos manhandling Viking Raiders were the best parts of a middling Battle Royale match. AJ Styles & Omos interview segment was okay. Cross pre-match interview segment was all right but her new superhero nickname is goofy. Bliss’ new theme might be the worst one currently in WWE based on a second hearing. Cross vs. Baszler was mostly boring. Kofi Kingston & MVP face-to-face promo segment about Woods & Kingston-Lashley feud was excellent. Asuka & Naomi vs. Marie & Doudrop was nothing special but Asuka eating the pin was a terrible decision. Miz, Morrison, & Ricochet backstage segment was very goofy but still a bit funny. Ricochet’s springboard crossbody splash on Morrison to the barricade spot was cool. Ricochet vs. Morrison was entertaining despite the buzz kill double countout ending. 6-Woman Tag was solid. The backstage segment of Ryker whacking himself with a strap & interaction with R-Truth dragged too long. Riddle cosplaying as Orton was funny while his backstage segment with Damian Priest was all right. Styles’ Burning Hammer-like spot to Riddle was sweet. Ouch at Riddle’s foot after his missed kick to Styles on the steel steps. Triple Threat was a very good action filled bout. This week’s show was average at best overall.

NXT (June 29)
* #1 Contender for NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat match – Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Zoey Stark & Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez – 3.5
* Roderick Strong vs. Asher Hale – 2.0 (Squash)
* Cameron Grimes vs. Ari Sterling – 2.5
* Mixed Tag Team match – Jake Atlas & Mercedes Martinez vs. Tian Sha (Boa & Xia Li) – 2.5
* NXT North American Championship – Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Bronson Reed (c) – 3.0
Overall – 3.5
Best – #1 Contender for NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat match.
Worst – Roderick Strong vs. Asher Hale match.
Show Notes – Yikes at Moon’s rough looking Eclipse move to Stark. Opening Women’s Triple Threat tag was a very entertaining action filled match despite it getting a bit sloppy near the end. Kross & Gargano backstage brawl was okay. NXT bringing back the Breakout tournament and Angel Garza being involved is interesting. Kross destroying both Gargano & Austin Theory was the best part of a bland promo segment. Grimes & LA Knight promo segment was fine but the stip of Grimes being Knight’s butler if he loses next week’s Million Dollar title match is interesting. Stark, Shirai, & The Way backstage segment about their tag title match next week was decent. Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole, & Samoa Joe promo & brawl segment was superb. Joe just walking away and not breaking up the Cole & O’Reilly brawl was funny. Mixed Tag match was mostly solid despite the accidental legit KOed ending. Ciampa & Thatcher and MSK promo segment about their tag title match next week was all right minus MSK’s weak promos part. Gargano, Theory, & Kross parking lot brawl was a bit goofy but got a chuckle out of Gargano & Theory’s ambush plan backfiring badly for them. Reed sitdown drop counter to Swerve’s sunset powerbomb spot to the outside was funny. Top Dolla’s crash into the plexiglass barricade looked brutal. NXT North American title match was quite good despite the ending shenanigans. This week’s show was very enjoyable overall.

Friday Night SmackDown (July 2)
* Shinsuke Nakamura & Big E vs. Apollo Crews & Baron Corbin – 2.5
* Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Last Man Standing match – Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – 4.0
* Zelina Vega vs. Liv Morgan – 1.0
* Otis vs. Angelo Dawkins – 2.0 (Squash)
Overall – 3.0
Best – Last Man Standing match.
Worst – The back-to-back Zelina Vega & Liv Morgan promo segment and match.
Show Notes – Opening Edge promo segment about his feud with Roman Reigns was all right. Paul Heyman & Jimmy Uso backstage promo segment was decent. Pat McAfee sitting on Cole and trying to rock out during Nakamura’s theme was hilarious. Depressed/Sad Corbin might be Corbin’s most interesting persona ever in WWE. Nakamura & Big E vs. Crews & Corbin was mostly decent despite the ending shenanigans by Rick Boogs. Bayley & Bianca Belair face-to-face promo segment about their feud & I Quit match at Money in the Bank was decent. Yikes at the welt on Zayn’s back. Zayn’s Half-nelson suplex to Owens on the apron looked both cool and brutal. Last Man Standing was an amazing hard hitting match, especially the latter half. Edge backstage interview segment was okay. Sad Corbin & Boggs backstage segment was okay but Boogs acting very heelish was odd. Zelina Vega’s surprise return was interesting although WWE has been very lazy with the booking of the spots for SmackDown’s side of the Women’s MitB match. Vega & Morgan pre-match promo segment was awful. Vega losing her return match to WWE was dumb. Seth Rollins, Deville, & Pearce office segment about Rollins bickering over wanting a Universal title shot was okay. Edge & Jimmy Uso promo & brawl segment was all right. This week’s show was mostly enjoyable overall.

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AEW

AEW Dark Elevation (June 28)
* The Wingmen (“Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth & JD Drake) vs. The Gunn Club (Colton & Billy Gunn) – 2.0
* Penelope Ford vs. Valentina Rossi – 2.0 (Squash)
* Brian Cage vs. Serpentico – 2.5 (Squash)
* Karl Anderson vs. Wheeler Yuta – 2.0 (Squash)
* Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson, & Dustin Rhodes vs. Adrian Alanis, Liam Gray, & Justin Corino – 2.5
* The Acclaimed vs. PB Smooth & Matt Justice – 1.5 (Squash)
* KiLynn King vs. Riho – 2.5
* Varsity Blonds vs. Aaron Rourke & Jake Logan – 2.0 (Squash)
* Thunder Rosa vs. Katalina Perez – 2.0 (Squash)
* The Blade vs. Chuck Taylor – 2.5
* Hardy Family Office (Private Party & Matt Hardy) vs. Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Alan “5” Angels, & Colt Cabana) – 3.0
* Hikaru Shida vs. Reka Tehaka – 2.0
* The Hybrid2 vs. Eddie Kingston & Penta El Zerio Miedo – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – The Hybrid2 vs. Eddie Kingston & Penta El Zerio Miedo match.
Worst – The Acclaimed vs. PB Smooth & Matt Justice match.
Show Notes – Opening last week’s post-Dynamite taped Eddie Kingston promo praising Jungle Boy, Christian Cage, Penta, & AEW in general and the little digs at WWE was superb. Ford vs. Rossi was a somewhat decent at best quick squash match despite the awkward looking finish. Cage’s reverse exploder suplex to Serpentico was cool. Same for Cage’s running powerbomb from the ramp to inside ring spot afterwards. Cage vs. Serpentico was an entertaining squash match. Anderson vs. Yuta was decent despite the ringside shenanigans. Max Caster’s pre-match rap was more of a swing and miss in terms of quality. The Acclaimed’s gut kick, swinging neckbreaker, & leg drop combo was sloppy. King vs. Riho was a solid back-and-forth style bout. Taylor’s reaction to the Bunny acting creepy at ringside was a bit funny. Blade vs. Taylor was a decent competitive match despite the ending shenanigans. Post-match brawl with TH2 & Orange Cassidy was okay. Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order trios match was pretty good. The Hybrid2 vs. Kingston & Penta was a quite good action filled match. This week’s show was mostly average at best overall.

AEW Dark (June 29)
* Wardlow vs. Baron Black – 2.0 (Squash)
* Lee Johnson vs. Vary Morales – 3.0
* Abadon vs. Hyan – 1.5 (Squash)
* Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Marko Stunt – 1.0 (Squash)
* Lance Archer vs. Kenny Bengal – 2.5 (Squash)
* Tay Conti vs. Charlette Renegade – 2.0 (Squash)
* Chad Lennex & Zachariah vs. The Factory (QT Marshall & Aaron Solow) – 2.5
* JD Drake ve. Frankie Kazarian – 3.0
* Angelico vs. Arjun Singh – 2.0
* Nyla Rose vs. Holidead – 1.5 (Squash)
* The Blade vs. Sonny Kiss – 3.0
* Julia Hart vs. Ashley D’Amboise – 2.0
* Hardy Family Office (Private Party & Jack Evans) vs. Dark Order (Stu Grayson, Evil Uno, & Colt Cabana) – 3.0
* Shawn Dean vs. JDX – 2.5
* The Wingmen (Ryan Nemeth & Cezar Bononi) vs. Sage Scott & Jake St. Patrick – 2.0 (Squash)
Overall – 3.0
Best – Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order match.
Worst – Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Marko Stunt match.
Show Notes – Wardlow vs. Baron Black opener was a decent squash match. Johnson vs. Morales was a quite good action filled competitive match. Starks & Taz’s banter on commentary during the early matches on the show was hilarious. Archer vs. Bengal was a fun jobber destruction match, including Bengal’s pre-match antics. Lennex & Zachariah vs. The Factory was a decent back-and-forth style match and a fine AEW debut performance by Lennex & Zachariah. Drake vs. Kazarian was a pretty good hard hitting match. Joey Janela backstage interview about his injury update and issues with Sonny Kiss was decent but Alex Marvez enticing Janela to party together at a go-go bar called the Melon Farm was funny. Blade vs. Kiss was an entertaining competitive match. Post-match attack by Hardy Family Office, run-in save by Chuck Tayor & Orange Cassidy, and Janela being extra late to help Kiss was okay. Hart vs. D’Amboise was a mostly solid bout. Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order was pretty good. Shawn Dean getting his first ever AEW win was interesting. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

AEW Dynamite (June 30)
* AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator match – Eddie Kingston & Penta El Zero Miedo vs. The Young Bucks – 3.5
* Jack Evans vs. Jungle Boy – 3.0
* TNT Championship – Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Miro (c) – 3.0
* Nyla Rose & Vickie Guerrero vs. Dr. Britt Baker & Rebel – 2.0
* MJF vs. Sammy Guevara – 4.0
Overall – 4.0
Best – MJF vs. Sammy Guevara match.
Worst – Nyla Rose & Vickie Guerrero vs. Dr. Britt Baker & Rebel match and Rebel suffering a serious looking injury.
Show Notes – Young Bucks going all out in the ridiculousness with their new 70s era mustaches look is marvelous. Kazarian’s clothesline to Brandon Cutler was both brutal and sweet. Penta & Kingston vs. Young Bucks opener was very entertaining. Ethan Page promo about the Coffin match & brawl with Allin, Sting, & Sky was all right. Jericho on commentary being upset at the crowd signing along to Jungle Boy’s song was a bit funny. Evans vs. Jungle Boy was pretty good and Jungle Boy becoming the first person in AEW to reach 50 wins is interesting. Post-match brawl with Cage & Hardy was awkward. MJF promo segment about Guevara & Jericho was superb. Omega & Dark Order promo segment teasing Omega vs. Page for the AEW title was splendid. Miro’s new “Redeemer” entrance theme sounds magnificent minus the horns. TNT title match was quite good. Page & Dark Order backstage segment was all right. Team Taz backstage promo segment was fine. Yikes at Rebel’s knee completely giving out during her pin break spot. Women’s tag match was somewhat decent at best. Hager, Santana, & Ortiz backstage promo segment was all right. Guevara’s springboard Destroyer to MJF was cool. Guevara’s Senton dive from the top rope to the front row on MFJ was awesome. MJF’s Avalanche Tombstone to MJF was crazy. MJF vs. Guevara was fantastic despite the ending shenanigans. AEW’s Daily’s Place tribute video was sweet. This week’s show was one of Dynamite’s best shows this year.

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NJPW, Impact, & Other Wrestling

Impact Wrestling Impact! (July 1)
* Satoshi Kojima vs. Eddie Edwards – N/A
* Satoshi Kojima & Jake Something vs. Brian Myers & Sam Beale – 3.0
* Tenille Dashwood vs. Rachael Ellering – 2.5
* Fallah Bahh & TJP vs. Rich Swann & Willie Mack – 2.5
* Chris Bey vs. Petey Williams – 3.0
* Steve Maclin vs. Manny Smith – 2.0 (Squash)
* 6-Man Tag Team match – Team Callis (Good Brothers & Kenny Omega) vs. Team Dreamer (Chris Sabin, Moose, & Sami Callihan) – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Chris Bey vs. Petey Williams match and the post-match brawl between Ace Austin’s side and Josh Alexander’s side with Bey joining Alexander’s side.
Worst – Steve Maclin vs. Manny Smith match.
Show Notes – Pre-match promo by W. Morriseey about him laying out Eddie Edwards was all right. Myers promo & brawl with Kojima, Beale, & Something was decent. Something’s Black Hole Slam to Myers looked awesome. Opening Kojima & Something vs. Myers & Beale was an entertaining match. Scott D’Amore, Rosemary, & Havok backstage segment was decent. Dashwood vs. Ellering was mostly solid despite the flat finish. Bey interview about his lack of action in last week’s brawl and Ace Austin & Pals interruption segment was okay. Bahh & TJP vs. Swann & Mack was going on well until the DQ ending by Violent By Design. Fire N’Flava & D’Amore backstage promo segment was a bit funny. Team Dreamer interview segment about their distrust of each other and Team Callis was all right. Bey vs. Williams was a quite good action filled bout. Post-match brawl with Austin & Pals, Trey Miguel, and Josh Alexander was pleasant. Bey joining Alexander & Pals group is interesting. Susan & Kimber Lee backstage segment teasing the return of Su Yung was interesting. Something’s promo segment about his feud with Myers was all right. Myers & Beale backstage segment in response to Something was decent. Don Callis’ pre-match intros for himself and Omega was superb. Sabin’s Tornado DDT spot on Omega using the Good Bros as leverage was cool. Team Callis vs. Team Dreamer 6-Man tag match was pretty good. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

NJPW Kizuna Road 2021 (July 2)
* Yota Tsuji vs. Kota Ibushi – 3.5
* Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi – 3.5
* Jado, El Phantasmo, & Taiji Ishimori vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado – 3.0
* BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito vs. DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi – 3.0
* NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship – Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hirooki Goto (c) – 4.0
Overall – 4.0
Best – NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship match.
Worst – The botched setup to the finish of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team title match.
Show Notes – Ibushi’s first stiff kick to Tsuji both looked and sounded brutal. Ibushi’s modified Liontamer was cool. Tsuji vs. Ibushi opener was a very entertaining hard hitting bout. Yikes at Uemura getting his mouth busted open. Uemura vs. Takagi was a very good competitive action filled match. Both Young Lions matches were excellent showcases for Tsuji and Uemura. El Phantasmo’s pre-match antics with a fan was a bit funny. El Phantasmo’s Flying Nothing into a regular back rake spot to Kanemura was also funny. Bullet Club vs. Suzuki-Gun 6-Man tag was a quite good back-and-forth style match. BUSHI’s Codebreaker spot to DOUKI looked rough and was very close to botching it. LIJ vs. Suzuki-Gun 6-Man tag was a good competitive bout. Yikes at Kojima’s bruised chest after Ishii’s chopfest to it. Tenzan & Kojima’s 3D on Ishii spot was cool. NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag title match was an amazing action packed hard hitting battle despite the somewhat botched finish. Kizuna Road 2021 Night 11 was fantastic overall.

NJPW Strong “Fireworks Frenzy” (July 2)
* Adrian Quest vs. Lio Rush – 3.0
* Hikuleo vs. Jordan Clearwater – 2.5
* Bateman vs. Fred Rosser – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Adrian Quest vs. Lio Rush match.
Worst – Hikuleo vs. Jordan Clearwater match.
Show Notes – Quest vs. Rush opener was an entertaining back-and-forth action match. Rush’s post-match promo was all right. Hikuleo vs. Clearwater was a solid bout. Bateman vs. Rosser was a quite good hard hitting bout. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

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Weekly Awards:

• Best match of the week – MJF vs. Sammy Guevara (AEW Dynamite)
• Worst match of the week – Zelina Vega vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Friday Night SmackDown)
• Best show of the week – AEW Dynamite
• Worst show of the week – AEW Dark Elevation