Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for January 9 to January 15, 2022

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of January 9th to January 15th, 2022.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (Jan. 10)
* RAW Tag Team Championship – Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable) vs. RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) – 3.0
* Street Profits & Damian Priest vs. Dirty Dawgs (Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler) & Apollo Crews – 2.5
* Seth Rollins vs. Big E – 3.0
* Omos vs. Nick Sanders – 1.0 (Squash)
* AJ Styles vs. Austin Theory – 2.5
* #1 Contender for RAW Women’s Championship Triple Threat match – Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Doudrop – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – #1 Contender for RAW Women’s Championship Triple Threat match.
Worst – The Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. promo & Nikki heel turn segment and the Alexa Bliss therapy session segment.
Show Notes – Opening Lesnar & Lashley promo about their WWE title feud & Lashley’s brawl with Hurt Business was all right. RK-Bro backstage segment about their tag match & Orton scribbling notes on Riddle’s hand was a bit funny. RAW Tag title match was a pretty good back-and-forth style match despite the anti-climatic tag title change. Montez Ford’s sit-out powerbomb counter of Ziggler’s Zig-Zag was nice. 6-Man Tag was a solid match. Rollins promo mocking Lesnar, Lashley, & Heyman and his upcoming Universal title match, interruption by Big E, & match setup banter was all right. Rollins’ Frog Splash to Big E was nice. Big E’s Stretch Muffler to Rollins was nice. Big E’s sidewalk slam counter of Rollins’ running attack was nice. Rollins vs. Big E was a good back-and-forth action match. Ripley & Nikki promo segment about their team issues and break-up & Nikki heel turn and sneak attack was lame. 24/7 title backstage segment over R-Truth wanting Dana & Reggie’s Philly cheesesteak sandwiches was a bit funny. Cutting Edge segment with Beth Phoenix, Miz, & Maryse about their bad blood issues banter & Miz trashing Philly was all right but Maryse leaving in the middle of Miz’s promo mocking Phoenix was funny. Styles’ suplex style neckbreaker to Theory was nice. Theory’s Fisherman knee breaker to Styles was nice. Styles vs. Theory was going on well until the buzzkill DQ ending by Grayson Waller. Alexa Bliss’ psychiatrist office segment was lame. Lynch’s brief promo mocking her title challengers was nothing special. Doudrop’s brutal looking running splash outta nowhere to Bianca & Morgan was cool. Morgan’s leaping rana to Bianca off the top rope via Doudrop assist was nice. Bianca’s 450 Splash to break up Doudrop’s pin attempt was cool. Women’s Triple Threat was mostly good despite the ending shenanigans by Lynch & flat finish. This week’s show was average overall.

NXT (Jan. 11)
* Santos Escobar vs. Xyon Quinn – 3.0
* Damon Kemp vs. Cameron Grimes – 2.0 (Squash)
* Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic 2022 tournament Play-in match – Joe Gacy & Harland vs. Edris Enfoe & Malik Blade – 2.0
* Crowbar on a Pole match – Tony D’Angelo vs. Pete Dunne – 3.0
* 6-Women Tag Team match – Wendy Choo, Persia Pirotta, & Indi Hartwell vs. Amari Miller, Kacy Catanzaro, & Kayden Carter – 2.5
* Solo Sikoa vs. Boa – 2.0
* AJ Styles vs. Grayson Waller – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – AJ Styles vs. Grayson Waller match.
Worst – Joe Gacy’s rambling dull pre-match video promo and the lame DQ ending to the Gacy & Harland vs. Edris Enfoe & Malik Blade match.
Show Notes – Opening Bron Breakker promo praising Tommaso Ciampa & warning to potential NXT title challengers was all right. Ouch at Quinn’s neck after getting whiplashed on the ropes from Escobar’s toss to the outside. Elektra Lopez’s swift kick to Quinn’s family jewels while the ref was distracted was funny. Escobar vs. Quinn was pretty good despite the shenanigans by Legado. Mandy Rose’s photo shoot & promo segment boasting about herself was decent at best. Gacy & Harland vs. Enfoe & Blade was decent at best despite the lame DQ ending by Harland. Imperium hype vignette boasting about themselves & mocking Americans was splendid. Angelo got some nice height with his Exploder suplex to Dunne. Dunne’s ragdoll KO sell of Angelo’s crowbar shot to the head was cool. Angelo vs. Dunne was a good back-and-forth action match despite dragging a bit near the end. Toxic Attraction vignette was nothing special & just another sign of how far NXT’s Women’s division has declined in quality under Vince’s handling. Choo taking a nap on the corner at the start of the women’s tag match was a bit funny. 6-Women’s Tag was a solid match with some nice comedic moments. MSK & Dakota Kai backstage promo about this year’s Dusty Tag Classics was corny. Solo vs. Boa was mostly solid despite the dull double countout ending. Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams promo about Williams being a fan of big booty women, Hayes mocking Roderick Strong’s Cruiser title reign, & Hayes boasting about his NA reign was all right. Waller’s guillotine neckbreaker to Styles on the ropes was nice. Waller’s discus forearm strike to Styles flooring him was nice. Styles’ German suplex attempt into a rolling Calf Crusher to Waller was cool. Styles vs. Waller was a very good back-and-forth action filled match. Post-match brawl between LA Knight & Waller was all right. This week’s show was mostly enjoyable overall.

Friday Night SmackDown (Jan. 14)
* #1 Contender for SmackDown Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-way match – Los Lotharios (Angel & Humberto) vs. Cesaro & Mansoor vs. Jinder Mahal & Shanky vs. Viking Raiders – 3.0
* Aliyah vs. Natayla – 1.0 (Squash)
* Sheamus vs. Ricochet – 3.0
* Kofi Kingston vs. Madcap Moss – 2.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – Sami Zayn’s comedic “Jackass” style segemnt and the Sheamus vs. Ricochet match.
Worst – Kofi Kingston, Happy Corbin, & Madcap Moss pre-match promos segment.
Show Notes – Opening Usos’ promo about beating New Day last week, boasting about being the greatest tag team, & mocking digs at SD’s Tag division teams was all right. Tower of Doom spot with Viking Raiders, Mahal, & Cesaro was nice. Humberto & Angel’s stereo dives to the outside was cool. Fatal Four-way tag match was pretty good, especially the latter half. Naomi & Deville backstage office segment about their bad blood issues & Deville’s reason why she hates Naomi was decent. Sami Zayn promo badmouthing Johnny Knoxville, his Jackass style “In-Zayn” shopping cart ramp stunt fakeout antics, & Boogs and Nakamura’s sneak attack was funny. Lita interview segment about her return and Women’s Rumble & Mania plans, interruption response by Charlotte Flair, Lita’s “big head” insult retort and rambling banter between the two, & mini-brawl was mostly decent. Sheamus’ slingshot to Ricochet onto the bottom ring steel supports on the outside was nice. Ricochet’s sunset flip powerbomb to Sheamus from the corner was nice. Sheamus’ Brogue Kick counter of Ricochet’s Flying Nothing was nice. Sheamus vs. Ricochet was a pretty good back-and-forth action match. Pearce, Deville, & Naomi backstage office segment part deux about Naomi wanting to beat up Deville since she wasn’t wearing her boss jacket was goofy. Rise & Fall of The Shield & Rollins vs. Reigns feud history retrospective videos were all right. Kingston’s royal announcement about King Woods injury was cringey & same for Moss’ “poo day” joke to Kingston. Kingston vs. Moss was somewhat decent at best despite the flat ending. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns face-to-face promo segment about their past history, both guys boasting about their own greatness & digs at each other, & brawl tease with the Usos was splendid. This week’s show was mostly average overall.

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AEW

AEW Dark Elevation (Jan. 10)
* Jay Lethal & Sonny Kiss vs. Jaden Valo & Chris Steeler – 2.0 (Squash)
* Skye Blue & Tina San Antonio vs. Emi Sakura & Nyla Rose – 2.0 (Squash)
* FTR vs. Pat Brink & Miles Hawkins – 2.5
* Red Velvet & Leyla Hirsch vs. Notorious Mimi & B3CCA – 2.0 (Squash)
* Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ryan Clancy – 2.0 (Squash)
* QT Marshall vs. Zack Clayton – 2.5
* Andrade El Idolo vs. Avery Good – 2.0 (Squash)
* The Acclaimed vs. Kevin Matthews & Joey Ace – 2.5 (Squash)
* Dante Martin vs. Action Andretti – 2.0 (Squash)
* Hardy Family Office (Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, & The Blade) vs. Dark Order (John Silver, Alex Reynolds, & 10) – 2.5
Overall – 2.5
Best – Max Caster’s pre-match rap digs towards Kevin Matthews & Joey Ace & shout out to Betty White.
Worst – The very heavy amount of squash and near squash style matches on the card.
Show Notes – Lethal & Kiss vs. Valo & Steeler opener was a decent mostly squash style bout. Blue’s superkick to Sakura’s head to break up her pin attempt on San Antonio was nice. Blue & San Antonio vs. Sakura & Rose was a decent mostly squash match. FTR vs. Brink & Hawkins was a solid match. Hirsch’s lift & Saito suplex to B3CAA bending her in half was cool. Velvet & Hirsch vs. Mimi & B3CAA was a decent squash style match. Marshall’s pre-match promo mocking Clayton was decent at best. Clayton’s Fisherman Buster to Marshall was nice. Marshall vs. Clayton was a solid back-and-forth style match despite the abrupt ending. Max Caster’s pre-match rap digs at Antonio Brown & their opponents not being good enough to even work at Impact and shout out to Betty White was both great & one of his best pre-match raps in AEW. Acclaimed vs. Matthews & Ace was a fine mostly squash style bout. Private Party’s top rope double stomp & neckbreaker combo to Reynolds was nice. Silver managed to get some nice distance with his toss to Marq Quen across the ring. Hardy Family Office vs. Dark Order Trios tag was a solid back-and-forth style match. This week’s show was average overall but also very skippable.

AEW Dark (Jan. 11)
* “Captain” Shawn Dean vs. Liam Cross – 2.0 (Squash)
* Anthony Ogogo vs. Baron Black – 2.5
* Red Velvet vs. Shalonce Royal – 1.5 (Squash)
* Gunn Club (Austin, Colten, & Billy Gunn) vs. Marcus Kross, T.I.M., & Patrick Scott – 1.5 (Squash)
* TayJay (Tay Conti & Anna Jay) vs. Charlette & Robyn Renegade – 2.5
* JD Drake vs. Orange Cassidy – 3.0
* Aaron Solo vs. Dante Martin – 2.5
* Joey Janela vs. Eddie Kingston – 3.0
* Thunder Rosa vs. Kasey Fox – 2.0 (Squash)
* Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Alexander Moss – 1.5 (Squash)
* Daniel Garcia vs. Fuego Del Sol – 3.0
* AEW TBS Championship Eliminator match – Skye Blue vs. Jade Cargill – 2.5
* AEW Tag Team Championship Eliminator match – The Factory (Nick Comoroto & QT Marshall) vs. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) – 3.0
* Hardy Family Office (Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy) & Serpentico vs. Dark Order (Alan “5” Angels & 10) & Hangman Adam Page – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Joey Janela vs. Eddie Kingston match and the AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator match
Worst – The almost two hour runtime for this week’s show.
Show Notes – Dean vs. Cross opener was a decent mostly squash style match. Black’s atomic drop & T-Bone suplex combo to Ogogo was nice. Ogogo’s DVD style Uranage to Black was nice. Ogogo vs. Black was a solid back-and-forth match. TayJay vs. Renegade Twins was mostly solid despite being a bit rough at times. Cassidy’s tilt-a-whirl Tornado DDT to Drake was nice. Drake’s Bossman Slam counter of Cassidy’s running nothing attack was cool. Drake vs. Cassidy was a quite good back-and-forth action match. Cargill & Mark Sterling backstage interview about Blue never being allow to challenge for the TBS belt while Cargill is champ was interesting. Kingston’s stiff chop to Janela flooring him was nice. Ouch at Janela’s chest after Kingston’s chops fest. Ouch at Kingston’s face after Janela’s stiff thrust kick. Kingston’s Avalanche Exploder to Janela was cool. Janela vs. Kingston was a quite good hard hitting match. Garcia vs. Del Sol was a pretty good match. Cargill’s Jaded finisher counter of Blue’s cazadora was cool. Blue vs. Cargill was a mostly decent brief match. Jungle’s rana counter of Marshall’s delayed vertical suplex was cool. The Factory vs. Jurassic Express was a pretty good back-and-forth match, especially the latter half. Ouch at Kassidy’s head after Angels & 10’s brutal looking modified team Emerald Frosion. 10 & Page’s lengthy delayed suplex hold to Serpentico was cool. Angels’ standing splash & Page’s standing Shooting Star Press combo to Kassidy at the same time was cool. Kassidy’s slingshot sunset senton to Angels was nice. Page’s Twist of Fate counter of Hardy’s Twist of Fate into a Frog Splash by Angels sequence was cool. HFO & Serpentico vs. Dark Order & Page was a pretty good back-and-forth action match despite dragging a bit long. This week’s show was mostly enjoyable despite the lengthy runtime.

AEW Dynamite (Jan. 12)
* Wardlow vs. CM Punk – 3.0
* Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Dante Martin – 3.0
* Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb – 2.0 (Squash)
* Matt Hardy vs. Penta El Zero Miedo – 3.0
* Bear Country vs. The Acclaimed – 2.5
* Interim TNT Championship – Daniel Garcia vs. Sammy Guevara (c) – 3.5
Overall – 3.5
Best – Lance Archer’s surprise return, Brody King’s surprise debut, & Interim TNT Championship match.
Worst – The abrupt & flat ending to the Wardlow vs. CM Punk match.
Show Notes – Opening Adam Cole, reDRragon, & Young Bucks promo about their issues & brawl with Best Friends was all right. Britt Baker’s sneak attack to Statlander & joining Cole’s group was interesting. Wardlow symphony hype vignette was cool. Wardlow’s powerbomb destruction of Punk was great. Wardlow vs. Punk was quite good despite the shenanigans by MJF & flat ending. Hobbs’ brutal spinebuster counter of Martin’s Flying Nothing onto the floor was cool. Martin got some sweet hang time with his top rope missile drop kick to Hobbs. Hobbs vs. Martin was quite good despite falling apart a bit near the end. Jay Lethal helping out Martin was interesting. MJF promo ranting about Punk & match setup fakeout was all right. Hangman Page promo about his AEW title reign, Dan Lambert’s interruption banter, & Lance Archer’s surprise return & sneak attack was superb. Ouch at Page’s back after Archer’s Black Out onto a chair. Jade Cargill TBS title vignette was fine. Shida vs. Deeb being a very one sided squash match in favor of Deeb was interesting. Hardy vs. Penta was a pretty good match. Post-match brawl between Penta, Malakai Black, and Varsity Blonds & Brody King’s surprise debut helping out Black was awesome. Max Caster’s pre-match rap mocking Novak Jokovic, Bear Country, Sting, & Darby Allin was a bit funny. Acclaimed vs. Bear Country was a solid bout. Acclaimed, Sting, & Allin post-match brawl was splendid. PAC’s “blinded” promo video was wonderful. Hardy teasing the end of the HFO & Andrade’s mystery offer was interesting. Garcia’s catch & backbreaker counter of Guevara’s leap attempt was cool. Guevara’s springboard 360 to Garcia on the outside was sweet. Garcia’s Scorpion Deathlock counter of Guevara’s GTH was nice. Garcia’s piledriver to Guevara was brutal. Interim TNT title was a very entertaining match, especially the latter half. This week’s show was mostly very enjoyable overall.

AEW Rampage (Jan. 14)
* Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta – 4.0
* Shawn Spears vs. Andrew Everett – 2.0 (Squash)
* Kris Statlander, Red Velvet, & Leyla Hirsch vs. Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, & The Bunny – 3.0
* AEW World Tag Team Championship – Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) – 3.5
Overall – 3.5
Best – Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta match and the AEW World Tag Team Championship match.
Worst – A big chunk of the Women’s Trios tag match taking place during the commercial break.
Show Notes – Ouch at Cole’s back after his hard landing from Beretta’s back drop counter of Cole’s Panama Sunrise off the apron. 0uch at Beretta’s head after crashing hard into the barricade from his missed spear to Cole. Beretta’s Avalanche brainbuster to Cole was cool. Cole’s brainbuster & knee combo to Beretta looked brutal. Beretta’s piledriver to Cole on the apron was great. Cole’s Canadian Destroyer counter of Beretta’s Strong Zero was cool. Beretta’s Strong Zero counter of Cole’s Panama Sunrise was sweet. Cole vs. Beretta was a great back-and-forth hard hitting action packed match despite the ending shenanigans. Rosa vs. Martinez feud hype video was splendid. Spears vs. Everett was a decent squash style match. Spears’ post-match promo about his warning to CM Punk was okay. Acclaimed’s diss track music video mocking Sting & Darby Allin’s “goth phase” was both superb and funny. Statlander’s Spider Crab submission to Ford looked brutal. Statlander’s Blue Thunder Bomb to Bunny was nice. Women’s Trios tag was pretty good despite a big chunk of it happening during the commercial break & abrupt ending. Ricky Starks & Jay Lethal promo segment about Lethal’s issues with Team Taz & FTW title match tease was all right. Dark Order and Jurassic Express & Christian Cage split-screen backstage pre-match interview was a bit funny. Luchasaurus’ body slam & Jungle’s Senton over Luchasaurus’ shoulders combo to Reynolds was nice. Silver’s catch & suplex setup counter of Jungle’s dive to the outside into Reynolds’s dive onto Jungle & suplex by Silver sequence was sweet. Luchasaurus’ chokeslam to Silver onto Reynolds was cool. Dark Order & Jurassic Express Tower of Doom spot was sweet. Jungle’s running leap off Destroyer to Reynolds via Luchasaurus assist was nice. AEW Tag title was a very entertaining action filled match, especially the latter half. This week’s show was very enjoyable overall.

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NJPW, Impact, & Other Wrestling

NJPW XTRA (Jan. 10)
* The DKC & Kevin Knight vs. Chris Bey & Hikuleo – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Show Notes – The “Week in NJPW” and NJPW Strong Nemesis Night 1 show highlights were fine. Bey’s head scissors grab to Knight was nice. Hikuleo’s lariat spinning Knight to the mat was nice. Hikuleo yeeting Knight across the ring into a corner was cool. Bey’s sliding spinning European uppercut to Knight was nice. Hikuleo’s loud stiff chop flooring Knight was brutal. Ouch at Bey’s head after spiking his head onto the mat from DKC’s running bulldog attack. DKC’s karate chops fest to Bey was nice. Knight’s lariat & DKC’s sunset roll-up combo to Hikuleo was nice. Bey’s spinning heel kick to Knight was smooth. LA Dojo Young Lions vs. Bullet Club was a pretty good back-and-forth action match. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

Impact Wrestling Impact! (Jan. 13)
* Chris Bey vs. Laredo Kid – 3.5
* Jake Something vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey – 3.0
* Masha Slamovich vs. Vert Vixen – 2.0 (Squash)
* Impact World Championship – Zicky Dice vs. Moose (c) – 1.0 (Squash)
* Raj Singh vs. JONAH – 2.0 (Squash)
* AAA Reina de Reinas Championship & ROH Women’s World Championship Winner Takes All match – Deonna Purrazzo (AAA) vs. ROK-C (ROH) – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Chris Bey vs. Laredo Kid match.
Worst – Matt Cardona, Chelsea Green, & Tasha Steelez dull backstage segment.
Show Notes – Opening W. Morrissey angry promo about his issues with Moose’s antics and Impact title match demand & Moose’s video response was all right. Matt Taven & Pals and D’Lo Brown ringside brawl was okay. Rok-C hype vignette was all right. Kid’s tilt-a-whirl head scissors & crossbody dive to the outside combo to Bey was nice. Bey’s guillotine backbreaker to Kid on the ropes was nice. Kid’s back drop driver on the apron bouncing Bey off the top rope onto the apron hard looked brutal. Bey’s spinebuster & brainbuster combo to Kid was cool. Kid’s top rope Spanish Fly finisher to Bey was nice. Bey vs. Kid was a very good back-and-forth action filled match. Brian Myers & Pals “comeback” wrestling lesson & pizza ad segment was a bit funny. Ouch at Bailey’s back after Something’s stiff powerbomb onto the apron. Bailey’s standing twisting splash to Something was cool. Bailey’s Ultimate Weapon finisher to Something was cool. Something vs. Bailey was a quite good back-and-forth action match. Matt Cardona & Chelsea Green backstage interview about their losses at Hard to Kill 2022 & interruption by Tasha Steelz was nothing special. Josh Alexander’s heated promo about Impact World title goals & issues with Moose, surprise debut by Charlie Hass, match setup banter, & brawl was great. The Influence’s backstage segment besmirching IInspiration & interruption by Decay was decent. Rich Swann & Pals’ payback plan on the ROH invaders failing miserably through the show was a bit funny. ROK-C’s tilt-a-whirl head scissors & Russian Leg Sweep combo to Purrazzo was nice. Purrazzo’s knee strike, Russian Leg Sweep, & Fujiwara arm bar combo to Rok-C was nice. ROK-C’s mini “pass out” spot during Purrazzo’s arm bar was very goofy looking. Purrazzo vs. Rok-C was a quite good match, especially the latter half. This week’s show was enjoyable overall.

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Weekly Awards:

• Best match of the week – Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta (AEW Rampage)
• Best match of the week runner-up – AJ Styles vs. Grayson Waller (WWE NXT)
• Worst match of the week – Omos vs. Nick Sanders (WWE RAW)
• Worst match of the week runner-up – Aliyah vs. Natayla (WWE Friday Night SmackDown)
• Best show of the week – AEW Rampage
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW