Opinion: Match & Show Ratings for July 26 to August 1

Welcome to TPWW’s Emperor Smeat’s Match and Show Ratings for the week of July 26th to August 1st.

Match and show star ratings (out of 5):

WWE

WWE RAW (July 27)
* #1 Contender for RAW Tag Team Championship Triple Threat match – Viking Raiders vs. Cedric Alexander & Ricochet vs. Angel Garza & Andrade – 3.0
* Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler – 1.0
* Mustafa Ali vs. Bobby Lashley – 2.5
* RAW Women’s Championship – Sasha Banks vs. Asuka (c) – 3.5
* Murphy vs. Humberto Carrillo – 2.5
* Extreme Rules – Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler – 3.5
Overall – 2.5
Best – Extreme Rules match.
Worst – The finish to the RAW Women’s Championship match.
Show Notes – Opening Randy Orton promo was pretty good while Jax’s promo was not so much. Triple Threat tag match was pretty good. Jax vs. Baszler was a waste of time. Seth Rollins slowly becoming the new Triple H in regards to his promos and segments just drag on and on. MVP Lounge segment was decent. Banks and Bayley’s promo was also decent. RAW Women’s title match was very good until that disaster of an ending. Back-to-back Banks vs. Asuka matches that have ended in a huge dud. Extreme Rules match was very good. This week’s episode was average at best.

NXT (July 29)
* Io Shirai & Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai & Candice LeRae – 3.0
* Johnny Gargano vs. Roderick Strong – 3.0
* Shotzi Blackheart vs. Mercedes Martinez – 2.5
* Imperium vs. Ever-Rise – 1.5 (Squash)
* Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Jake Atlas – 3.0
* NXT North American Championship Qualifier match – Dexter Lumis vs. Timothy Thatcher vs. Finn Balor -3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Women’s tag team match.
Worst – The Pat McAfee vs. Adam Cole storyline.
Show Notes – Opening Women’s tag match was pretty good. The Pat McAfee and Adam Cole angle is one of NXT’s dumbest ever ideas. Gargano vs. Strong was pretty good despite being one of their weaker in-ring work. Rhea Ripley went a bit overboard with the hair dye job. Undisputed Era segment was dull. Ridge Holland vignette was interesting. NXT Championship promo segment was fantastic. Bronson Reed vignette was very good. Triple Threat match was pretty good despite some questionable booking decisions. This week’s episode was entertaining overall.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown (July 31)
* Intercontinental Championship – Gran Metalik vs. AJ Styles (c) – 3.0
* King Corbin vs. Drew Gulak – 2.5
* Big E vs. The Miz – 3.5
* Lacey Evans vs. Naomi – 1.5
* SmackDown Women’s Championship – Nikki Cross vs. Bayley (c) – 3.0
Overall – 3.0
Best – Big E vs. The Miz match.
Worst – Evans vs. Naomi match.
Show Notes – Opening intro preview was great. Firefly Fun House segment was somewhat boring. IC title match was pretty good but below the quality both guys are capable of. Jeff Hardy and King Corbin promo segment was mostly a dud. Big E vs. The Miz was very good and the Stretch Muffler finish looked amazing. Evans vs. Naomi and their feud in general has been terrible. Crazy Sonya Deville was great. SmackDown Women’s title match was pretty good. The ending with The Fiend and Alexa Bliss was decent based on cheesy horror standards. This week’s episode was enjoyable overall.

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AEW

AEW Dark (July 28)
* The Initiative (“The Librarian” Pete Avalon & Brandon Cutler) vs. FTR – 2.5
* Michael Nakazawa & Pineapple Pete vs. Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela – 2.0
* Skyler Moore vs. Abadon – 1.5
* Shawn Dean & Will Hobbs vs. Stu Grayson & Evil Uno – 2.5
* Corey Hollis vs. Scorpio Sky – 2.5
* Kenzie Paige vs. Penelope Ford – 2.0
* Aaron Solow vs. Wardlow – 1.5 (Squash)
* Dark Order vs. Best Friends – 3.0
* Frankie Thomas vs. Lance Archer – 2.0 (Squash)
* Orange Cassidy vs. Serpentico – 2.0
* Fuego Del Sol vs. Sammy Guevara – 2.5
* Triple Threat Tag Team match – Private Party vs. SCU vs. Santana & Ortiz – 3.0
Overall – 2.5
Best – Dark Order vs. Best Friends match.
Worst – The almost two hour run time for this week’s episode.
Show Notes – Opening Initiative vs. FTR match was good. Nakazawa & Pete vs. Janela & Kiss was a somewhat decent comedy match. Shawn Spears’s promo video was decent. Dark Order vs. Best Friends was pretty good. Thomas vs. Archer was a nice enjoyable squash match. Triple Threat tag match was pretty good. This week’s extra stuffed episode was average overall but not really worth the extra hour in length.

AEW Dynamite (July 29)
* Inner Circle vs. Best Friends, Jurassic Express, & Orange Cassidy – 3.0
* TNT Championship – Warhorse vs. Cody (c) – 3.0
* AEW World Tag Team Championship – Stu Grayson & Evil Uno vs. Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) – 3.0
* Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida – 2.5
* No Disqualification Tornado Tag Team match – Darby Allin & Jon Moxley vs. Ricky Starks & Brian Cage – 3.5
Overall – 3.0
Best – MJF’s “State of the Industry Address” segment.
Worst – First hour feeling very low key or weak compared to last week’s banger of a first hour.
Show Notes – Opening 10-man tag match was pretty good. Warhorse entrance was pretty cool and the TNT title match was a decent showcase for him. Ryder’s surprise appearance was wonderful. Chris Jericho’s promo was good. AEW Tag title match was pretty good despite dragging a bit long. Women’s match was decent despite being a bit sloppy. MJF’s “State of the Industry Address” speech was amazing. Tornado Tag match was very good and the skateboard thumbtacks spot was just brutal looking. This week’s episode was enjoyable overall but one of AEW’s weaker shows this year.

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NJPW & OTHER

GCW Homecoming 2020 Part 2 (July 26)
* Tony Deppen vs. Lee Moriarty – 3.0
* Benjamin Carter, Facade, Logan Stunt, & Sanchez vs. Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner, EFFY, 1 Called Manders, & Matthew Justice) – 3.0
* KTB vs. ACH – 3.0
* Death Match: Zachary Wentz vs. Alex Colon – 3.5
* Scramble Match – Jordan Oliver vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Tre Lamar vs. Alex Zayne vs. Myron Reed vs. Blake Christian – 3.5
* Chris Dickinson vs. Calvin Tankman – 3.0
* Joey Janela vs. Lio Rush – 3.0
* Allie Kat vs. “Spyder” Nate Webb – N/A
* GCW Title Shot vs. Nick Gage GCW Career match – 44OH (Eric Ryan, Atticus Cogar, & Rickey Shane Page) vs. Team MDK (Shlak, Alex Colon, AJ Gray) – 3.5
Overall – 3.5
Best – Scramble Match.
Worst – Janela vs. Rush match dragging at times.
Show Notes – Opening Deppen vs. Moriarty and 8-Man tag match were pretty good. ACH’s match against KTB was better than his GCW debut match at Homecoming Part 1. The Death Match was amazing. Scramble match was amazing in terms of action. Dickinson vs. Tankman was pretty good. Janela vs. Rush was pretty good despite dragging at times. Janela’s splash from the top of a boardwalk pole was crazy. Janela and Rush’s post-match promos were great. 44OH vs. Team MDK match was very good. Homecoming Part 2 was very enjoyable overall.

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Week awards:

• Best match of the week – Scramble Match – Jordan Oliver vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Tre Lamar vs. Alex Zayne vs. Myron Reed vs. Blake Christian (GCW Homecoming 2020 Part 2)
• Worst match of the week – Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler (WWE RAW)
• Best show of the week – GCW Homecoming 2020 Part 2
• Worst show of the week – WWE RAW