Match Ratings For 10/23/20 WWE Smackdown From Sean Ross Sapp

The KO Show

• Kevin Owens makes a joke about the brand split and contractual obligations, which I appreciate.
• Daniel Bryan is very happy with the Smackdown roster, and wants to see the Intercontinental Title defended on every episode of Smackdown.
• Kevin Owens pitches a tag team with Daniel Bryan so they can pursue the titles. Bryan reminds Owens that he’s turned on a lot of friends.
• Ziggler & Roode come out and Owens just says “Why?” Street Profits come out, and then Nakamura and Cesaro. A huge fight breaks out, and WE GOT OURSELVES A BET.
• Adam Pearce comes running down to the ring to stop the mayhem.
• WWE does the movie trailer “drop the sound and react” spot. But with their backstage segment punchlines. This happens when Street Profits, Bryan and KO are celebrating.
• Sami Zayn is not happy that Daniel Bryan is volunteering him for title defenses every week.

Street Profits, Kevin Owens & Daniel Bryan defeated Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode
6/10

• It’s match time, and Montez Ford is playing babyface in peril.
• Please tell me Bryan was wearing kickpads underneath his outfit. He clearly needed to warm up because he hurt his leg.
• Bryan and Owens as a team is something I’m here for.
• Ziggler is back to the punking people and screaming “do something,” which is one of the more nonsensical spots. He’s so good, and that takes me right out.
• Michael Cole just out here renaming gutwrench powerbombs to spinebusters.
• Owens hits a Stunner, but the action is all over the place. Dawkins DOES hit a spinebuster. Ford with a Frog Splash on Cesaro & wins.

Law & Otis

• Ron Simmons is the bailiff, JBL is the judge. Miz & Morrison are there.
• Rey Mysterio, Asuka and Tucker all testify for Otis.
• Teddy Long is the stenographer.
• Miz pays off JBL, and JBL rules that Miz vs. Otis for the Money in the Bank briefcase this Sunday.
• I’ve seen a lot worse than Law & Otis. I wouldn’t call it high art, but it was largely harmless.

Bianca Belair defeated Zelina
SQUASH

• Bianca’s Smackdown outfit rules. She is a STAR.
• Zelina gets a little bit of offense, but she’s not here to get in offense.
• Bianca flips out of a headscissors, and does a gorilla press snake eyes. KOD. THAT’S IT.
• The only complaint I could have about Bianca Belair is that I can’t actually believe she’d struggle to just drag someone over the ring like she has to pretend to do for a few seconds at a time. She’s amazing. My god!
• That was a great showing for both Bianca and Zelina.

Lars Sullivan defeated Chad Gable
5/10

• Shorty G is mad he can’t get drafted, and he’s ready to right the ship. He’s got a chip on his shoulder.
• Lars’ beard is super dyed.
• Freefall flapjack from Lars.
• Gable rakes the eyes.
• I’m sorry but I don’t buy that club to the back is going to send Lars into the ropes.
• Freak Accident wins the match.
• Shorty G quits.
• Lars Sullivan FREAK count: 11
• Whatever Chad Gable does next can’t possibly be worse than what WWE has had him do over the last year or so.
• Backstage, Shorty G says he’s tired of the Shorty G CRAP. He’s Chad Gable.

Contract signing

• Bayley says she’s not signing the contract.
• Sasha Banks ends up taking the title belt and wrapping a chair around Bayley’s neck.
• Bayley is forced to sign under duress.

Seth Rollins defeated Buddy Murphy
7.5/10

• Rollins cuts a promo backstage about Murphy being confused.
• They reverse and avoid pretty much everything into the first commercial break.
• Aliyah is lectured by Dominik and Rey Mysterio for watching the match. She says I DO WHAT I WANT.
• Murphy does an amazing meteora.
• Murphy pulls up lame and Rollins works over the arm extensively. For a solid five minutes including a commercial, Murphy is working with a bad arm.
• Murphy fights back but Rollins is mad.
• Rollins goes for the Stomp twice, but misses both.
• Finally a third time he gets it done.
• This was really great, the kind of match that you want to see both of these guys having in this circumstance. Rollins is a great worker, but sometimes the character work outshines him.
• Aaliyah goes to help Murphy because Rey & Dominik won’t.
• When she does, Dominik comes out and scolds.
• Rollins attacks Dominik but gets run off by Rey.
• This is a 5+ month story that needs better story.

Tribal Chief

• We see what we think is Jey on the screen with a bandanna on. It’s actually Jimmy. Jey is behind Roman.
• Did he really need to say “he’s right behind you?” Haha.
• Uso hits the splash on Reigns to end the segment. Jimmy comes out to celebrate.
• Pretty cool, quick segment and got the Usos one over Reigns. Less it more here. That was good.
• Reigns says if Uso doesn’t acknowledge him after the match, their entire side of the family is out. Their wives, kids, everything.
• Jey Usos scales the cage to talk trash.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!