Matches:

  1. Rollins vs Rhodes ****1/4
  2. Lashley vs Omos *1/2
  3. Styles vs Edge ***1/2
  4. SmackDown Women's Title, I Quit: Flair(c) vs Rousey ***3/4
  5. Corbin vs Moss *
  6. The Bloodline vs RK-Bro, McIntyre ****1/2

Thoughts:

I finally had enough time set aside to watch this one. I saw almost none of the build and what I did see did little for me. Still, the card looked interesting on paper even with the poor leadup so fuck it, right!?

We started this one with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a rematch from Mania. Their first encounter was well worth seeing so I was rather hopeful they'd deliver once again. They did. In fact, it was a borderline MOTYC and I am especially excited to see how they use the Hell in a Cell gimmick for round three as a result. The American Nightmare and The Architect are creating magic in the ring together and we have a rare exception to the annoyance that is WWE's tendency to repeat matches over and over again. 

Change the finish and this is even better.

The shots made at AEW here were funny to me, but I personally consider AEW to be a far superior product so it was likely humorous to me in a way that differs from fans that consider Vince's brand to be generally enjoyable.

Lashley and Omos was ultimately forgettable and just a TV match at best being played on PPV. Clearly, Omos is getting tested so that's the reason, to be fair. Still something this average being on a special event is tragic. That's about all that I have to say about this one.

Edge took on AJ Styles next in yet another rematch. The former's new unit getting involved seemed inevitable, despite the added rule of seeing Priest forced to remain in the back. Still, the package for this was so well done and, in combination with the talent involved, I was actually excited to see it play out.

If WWE has someone backstage that can get good shit on TV, they'll have tensions tomorrow with AJ and Finn asking if Liv is with Edge and crew.

Anyway, the work here was pretty decent and they did well with the storytelling and crowd-work, too. It was sports entertainment stuff for sure, but honestly a pretty good example of the style. The finish was circus act and saw Rhea join the cult.

Ronda won the strap from Flair in our 4-spot with I Quit rules in place. Rousey has all but lost the buzz she once had and feels like just another roster member to me. As a result, I didn't find myself caring at all about the outcome. A shoulder shrug was about the most I could muster and that was done with less energy and enthusiasm than it is taking to write this sentence. On the other hand, the contest itself was largely enjoyable and even hit past recommendation levels so that's what matters most.

The finish was a bit cheesy, but cheese can be fun. I'm the asshole that used to buy up all of the b-movies from the checkout lanes in Walmart years ago, after all.

Happy and Moss was filler content and it blew. If Omos/Lashley should have been a TV match, this should have just been left in a fucking dumpster to rot away so that we might never have to care. If the plan was to provide for a shit break or perhaps to ensure whatever followed came off well, it succeeded.

Take a shit or smoke or something while that one plays instead of trying to skip forward in Peacock. 

We closed with The Bloodline versus RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre. I am unsure if they ever really explained why it was logical to change the match up but luckily I am not attached enough to the product to really care.

If you're curious, Roman will be facing the three faces from that match in his next defenses. With Money in the Bank ahead, and Summerslam as well as Clash at the Castle following, we have a trio of great matches to look forward to.

The other bit of good news is the match was amazingly enjoyable and delivered very well to close us on a high note. This was one of my favorite WWE matches in forever. Orton especially was in a good mood and everyone worked hard to make this feel like a worthwhile experience. Superb storytelling and top shelf action.

Go out of your way for that one.

The correct way to watch WWE these days is this:

  • Only watch select segments and matches from the TV programs utilizing the WWE YouTube channel.
  • Watch select PPV content, mainly allowing the packages to serve as your catch-up source.
Do this and you might trick yourself into thinking Vince isn't completely fucking insane. It saves a lot of time, too. In the meantime, know that this was one of the better specials they've had in a while and it closed with a truly awesome six-man. If you have an itch, this might do the job. Just skip #2 & 5.

Overall Rating: 75/100%