Match Ratings For Smackdown Live 1/23/18 From Sean Ross Sapp: Smackdown Live Go Home Show

Opening segment

• Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come out and heel the crowd.
• AJ Styles interrupts, and Sami Zayn makes fun of him for being predictable. Zayn is really good here.
• WWE keeps scripting AJ Styles and it really hurts him. Zayn and Owens are the best at throwing to footage, particularly of AJ saying he'd face Owens and Zayn individually. 
• Daniel Bryan comes out to make the match official, but AJ Styles does first. 
• Backstage, Daniel Bryan tells Shane McMahon he wasn't actually going to sanction the match and Shane takes a little shot at him.

Chad Gable (w/ Shelton Benjamin) defeated Jey Uso (w/ Jimmy Uso)
5.5/10

• The early minutes are Gable dominating Jey Uso with amateur wrestling. Uso stops it for a while, but gets posted during the break.
• Uso is fighting one armed, and after teases of a dive from him and a moonsault from Gable, he connects.
• Gable with a rolling kick and the deadlift German Suplex for the win. 

Backstage Crappenings

• I thought both Shinsuke Nakamura (KNEE. FACE) and Baron Corbin had fair promos for what they were. Nakamura challenges Corbin.

Naomi defeated Liv Morgan

• I loved the kick/dodge spot early in this match. One of the better spots I've seen on Smackdown in a singles match in a while. Liv uses the Matrix move and dodges kicks.
• This is really short. Liv hits a nice clothesline, but Naomi wins with a slingshot sunset flip.
• I want to see these two have a longer match.
• Riott Squad and Welcoming Committee, Becky Lynch get involved. Lynch ends up tossing Naomi over the top rope. 

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
5.5/10

• A lot of stalling in the opening moments to lead to Corbin gaining the advantage over Nakamura.
• Corbin has a great counter into a Deep Six. 
• Nakamura scores a triangle armbar and a big kick, but Randy Orton runs in with a GREAT RKO. The place goes nuts.
• RKO on Corbin!

New Day & Bobby Roode (w/ Big E) defeated Jinder Mahal & Rusev Day
5.75/10

• New Day enters the Royal Rumble and introduces Bobby Roode.
• This is really just a bunch of moves, but it was fun for what it was. Spinebusters, dives, signature hits.
• Xavier wins with the elbow drop.
• I think Bobby Roode has new white gear. 
• Rusev Day is still incredibly over. 

AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens.

• Shane McMahon makes Sami Zayn go to the back. If KO or Zayn interfere in each other's match, they're fired.. Awkward commercial cut.
• Calf Crusher. Submission. Wow. Styles holds onto it a while.

Sami Zayn defeated AJ Styles
7/10

• Sami Zayn attacks AJ Styles before the bell, but Styles says he's good to go. Wouldn't it have made a little more sense to have Owens do some damage in the match to really sell it?
• Sami gets good offense, but Styles' comeback strike combo into the clothesline is one of my favorite. 
• No one has ever hit a flying forearm quite like AJ Styles. 
• AJ Styles randomly attacks Kevin Owens — and the medics helping him. What a dick.
• This is great work. An outstanding super huracanrana and Pele hit for Styles.
• AJ Styles slides out of a superplex in a masterful manner to drop Zayn across the top rope.
• Styles attacks Owens AGAIN. THE BLUE THUNDER BOMB WON A MATCH THIS IS THE GREATEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR SPORT WE'RE OUT OF TIME!
• This match ruled.