Match Ratings For 9/18/20 WWE Smackdown From Sean Ross Sapp

Dirt Sheet

• Miz and Morrison waste a few minutes on The Dirt Sheet before talking about Mandy.
• Miz says that he got Mandy sent to Raw so that Otis could focus on his contract.
• When Otis threw that chair, I instinctively worried about fans.
• Otis runs off Morrison, and Tucker throws Miz in the ring.
• Otis smashes Miz. Good! We don’t need an 11th match between Miz/Morrison and Otis then.
• Otis goes right back after Miz even after his music hits.
• Miz is wearing tighy whiteys. Okay. This will be a gag then, I guess. Morrison can’t believe it.
• Ah. Lawsuit angles. Those always rule! Otis is served. They want him to forfeit the Money in the Bank contract or go to court.

Cesaro (w/ Shinsuke Nakamura) defeated Gran Metalik (w/ Lucha House Party)
5/10

• Kalisto and Lince Dorado have a discussion over who should be coaching Metalik.
• Pretty early in the match, they both get sent to the back and Metalik subsequently does better.
• There’s a really nice jumping super huracanrana.
• Back from the commercial break, and Cesaro waited forever to catch Metalik. Eventually he wins with a Neutralizer.
• This is a match that would have really been helped a lot by not having commercials.

Other stuff

• There’s a Matt Riddle bro promo where he says it conveys emotion via bro.

Moment Of Bliss

• Alexa and Nikki hug.
• Alexa Bliss asks how this will this be different from all the other times Bayley beat Nikki. Nikki said Sasha Banks isn’t there anymore.
• Nikki Cross isn’t happy about Alexa hitting her with Sister Abigail last week and leaving.
• Lacey Evans comes out and trashes Nikki. Cross blows her nose on her HANKY and they brawl.

Nikki Cross defeated Lacey Evans
4.75/10

• Alexa Bliss is on commentary, cheering on Nikki Cross.
• Lacey Evans is dominating the match and working over Nikki’s arm.
• Lacey Evans is rubbing hand sanitizer in Nikki Cross’ eyes. Michael Cole reasonably has a cow wondering how that is legal.
• Tornado DDT into the Purge gets the win for Nikki.
• Standard WWE babyface wins after selling 90 percent kind of match.
• Just fine, but painfully formulaic.
• Lacey Evans is mad at Alexa Bliss. Alexa does Sister Abigail and stares as she wanders off.

Sasha Banks

• Really hoped they wouldn’t have Sasha on TV to help sell the angle and Bayley would come out mocking her. Nope.
• Sasha banks says her piece, only to be attacked by Bayley.
• Sasha Banks got Pillmanized for ten minutes two weeks ago. Why did she need to be on the show!?

AJ Styles defeated Sami Zayn
5.25/10

• Sami Zayn is upset he isn’t introduced as the IC Champion, and Styles attacks him.
• This is Zayn’s first match since March 25.
• Styles uses Zack Ryder’s suplex neckbreaker.
• They trade kicks, and Zayn gets caught holding the tights.
• Styles does the same and wins.
• Not the 20 minute classic it could have been, but I’m okay with that considering the circumstances. Zayn’s first match back.
• Zayn attacks Styles and wants to be announced as the champion.
• Jeff Hardy attacks Zayn and drags out a table, a ladder and chairs.
• Zayn vs. Styles vs. Jeff Hardy TLC or ladder would be fun.

PRELUDE

• Paul Heyman narrates an amazing video about the Samoan wrestling family.
• Jey Uso says Reigns has been throwing his weight around since they were little, but they’re not little anymore.
• Sheamus is talking trash, and someone tells him his car is towed.
• Big E is there and beats up Sheamus, then the guy that set him up. Belly to Belly on the car window, then he throws dude in the truck.
• WWE would have had Hunter Red back on TV two weeks after New Jack stabbed him nine (14) times.

Samoan Street Fight
Jey Uso & Roman Reigns (w/ Paul Heyman) defeated King Corbin & Sheamus
6/10

• Corbin does a Deep Six on the floor. Such a great move.
• Reigns is out here for the full match, he also gets thrown over the announce table.
• Jey Uso gets put through a table.
• Reigns Samoan drops Sheamus through a table and spears him through the barricade.
• Uso hits Corbin with the title. Spear, splash, win.
• Reigns and Uso hug.

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!