Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan (Women’s World Championship Match)
This was a great match to start the night off with. Becky Lynch is super over with the crowd and Liv Morgan is progressing exponentially as a heel. Both women had great ring gear for the match. They worked within a framework, but that didn’t hold them back from making an impression.
The action was fantastic throughout the game. Morgan has made leaps and bounds as a performer and could be the most underrated wrestler on the roster. She played her heel role perfectly and was more than deserving of the championship win.
Dominik Mysterio‘s “botching the interference” was a great piece of storytelling. It is clear that there is collusion between Morgan and ‘Dirty Dom’, and it will be interesting to see how this angle plays out, especially with ‘Mami’ Rhea Ripley waiting in the wings.
Ranking: 3.75/5
Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Intercontinental Championship Match)
Wow, was Sami Zayn ever over with this crowd? This might have been the loudest sing-along to his entrance that anyone has ever heard. He got the crowd hot and kept them hot throughout the match, and what a match it was.
The addition of Bronson Reed raised some eyebrows as it took away from the main Zayn and Chad Gable storyline, but Reed did his best to leave an impression. His top-rope moonsault was incredible and he showed tremendous agility. He is a star and will get his hands on gold before too long.
This was one of the better triple-threat matches in recent memory. We saw some of the most creative spots with the three men with the triple German suplex being the jaw-dropping moment of the match. Let’s hope these three men fight forever.
Ranking: 4/5
Lyra Valkyria vs. Nia Jax (Queen of the Ring Finals)
Lyra Valkyria was the obvious underdog here and the match played out accordingly. Valkyria’s desperation was apparent when she began to realize that she may not be able to get one over on Nia Jax.
The match was O.K., nothing great here. Both women tried their best but there didn’t seem to be any doubt as to what the outcome would be. The finish was a great spot and one that added a bit to the match but not enough to make it incredibly entertaining.
Jax makes sense to win, as she provides a huge obstacle for Bayley in Cleveland.
Rating: 2.5/5
Gunther vs. Randy Orton (King of the Ring Finals)
For the first time, Gunther and Randy Orton met in the ring, and boy was it a superb match. There was nothing fancy, no chain wrestling or high-flying maneuvers. This was a fight plain and simple. It was as physical as any match could get as both men beat the crap out of each other. Every move was stiff and both men’s bodies were beat red by the end of the match.
Great psychology with Orton selling a bad knee and back throughout the match. It showed that great wrestling doesn’t need to be fancy, it just has to mean something. And every part of this match meant something.
The only drawback to the match was the fact that Orton’s shoulder was clearly up for the three-count. Not sure if this was a botch or meant to carry a feud forward. Time will tell.
Rating: 4.25/5
Cody Rhodes vs Logan Paul (WWE Championship Match)
Every time that Logan Paul steps into the ring, he continues to impress. Going up against the WWE Champion is a tall order but Paul was entirely up to the challenge. Cody Rhodes and Paul put on a fantastic match.
There was great mat wrestling that showed the acumen of the combatants. There were some great high spots and fantastic counters. Great action in and outside the ring. It was a true main event and one that showed that Paul is a professional wrestler.
Some great psychology during the match as well. We all knew that Paul was going to resort to underhanded tactics, but it was sure entertaining to see how he got to that point. He truly is one of the best heels in the company.
Rhodes’ hubris getting in the way was a great way to sow some doubts into the audience’s minds. Follow that up with a timely ref bump and it looked like Paul might actually walk out of Saudia Arabia as the champ. Of course, this was a red herring and Rhodes got his victory.
A great main event and one of the better Saudi PLE’s in WWE history.
Rating: 3.75 /5
