Match Ratings For WWE Smackdown 12/27/19 From Sean Ross Sapp

Elias

• Elias is singing a “We need Elias” song, that didn’t catch on last night, and isn’t tonight.
• He sings about 2019 regrets. He targets Lana, Lashley, Bayley and Shane McMahon, then runs down the show.

NO MATCH

• Daniel Bryan comes to the ring, and King Corbin talks trash to Bryan.
• Roman Reigns‘ music hits and Corbin’s goons accidentally drop him.
• Reigns is on the chase after Corbin.
• Apparently Corbin wants Adam Pearce to get the match canceled or postponed.
• Corbin refuses to compete tonight, he’s out of the match.
• Bryan and Miz have a nice exchange and take each other out.
• Corbin’s cronies attack and cause the match to get thrown out.
• Corbin says they shouldn’t be competing without him out there. Roman Reigns is responsible.
• Kayla Braxton says that Reigns has been kicked out. So Corbin says he’s good to fight now.

Braun Strowman & New Day defeated THE ARTISTS
6/10

• Cesaro uppercuts Kofi over the announce table. This was a great, low-impact spot that looked like it was a killer.
• New Day are still so insanely over, and Braun Strowman should get a long, great IC Title reign.
• Nakamura’s sliding German hits a lot better than Kofi’s Waffle Stomp, but both are great.
• Braun getting the tag got an unbelievable ovation. He runs into a knee from Nakamura while chasing Zayn.
• Kofi steals a pancake platter from Nakamura and hits him with it. Strowman beats him with a powerslam.
• The crowd makes this a recommended viewing match. This was STAR level.
• New Day refuse to let Braun Strowman leave without dancing. He does, poorly.
• If you saw how over Braun was in later 2017, there’s no way you couldn’t see something like this coming, for better or worse
• Braun Strowman once told me that he only parties in Crocs. That is a proven lie.

Carmella defeated Mandy Rose
5/10

• Sonya isn’t happy that Mandy wasn’t there for her last week. Mandy says Otis got sweat on her dress last week. Otis gives her a cake.
• Mandy going from nice to the “YOU WILL NEVER LOOK LIKE ME” thing isn’t great. I’m all for multifaceted characters, but that facet is just kinda dumb.
• Carmella wins with a superkick.
• Sonya didn’t come out.
• Backstage, Mandy is eating Otis’ cake when Ziggler approaches and minimizes the gift.
• DOLPH STEPS ON THE CAKE IN SOME JORDANS. OMG.
• Otis discovers the cake and is DEJECTED.

Backstage Crappenings

• Another Sheamus vignette.
• Reigns will face Dolph Ziggler on New Year’s Eve.
• We get an Ali vignette. He says he’ll stand in the light.

Boss N’ Hug Connection defeated Dana Brooke & Lacey Evans
5.5/10

• Lacey Evans says that Sasha Banks taunting her daughter brought out her maternal instincts. She knows what happens on shows like Moment of Bliss, and isn’t going to turn her back. She’s ready for a fight.
• Bayley and Sasha drag out Dana Brooke, who they’ve attacked. Lacey helps fight them off.
• Dana Brooke uses the Ember Moon swinging suplex, because why not?
• Lacey’s babyface wrestling works, too.
• Bayley to Belly hits on Lacey, but Dana breaks it up.
• Sasha ducked a Women’s Right and it hits Bayley.
• Banks Statement on Dana Brooke for the win.
• This was pretty good.

Top Contender Match
Daniel Bryan defeated The Miz & King Corbin
6.5/10

• The action quickly spills outside.
• Corbin doesn’t throw the arm over on the chokeslam, so he has some grip issues.
• I already know Miz and Bryan have chemistry in triple threat matches, I was able to see that last night.
• Miz has Corbin in a Figure Four while Bryan does a diving headbutt. The pressure is reversed on the Figure Four and Miz has to rake the eyes of Bryan to stop the Yes Lock.
• End of Days hits on Miz, but Bryan breaks up that pin. He reverses End of Days and lands a Flying Knee.
• Ziggler interferes and superkicks Bryan. Reigns makes the save and takes out Corbin and Ziggler.
• Bryan uses the Mouse Trap armbar, then a heel hook, but Miz gets a Figure Four.
• Miz and Daniel Bryan have special pro wrestling chemistry.
• Bryan goes in a Rings of Saturn to a Yes Lock, and gets the tap.
• Bray Wyatt appears, and Daniel Bryan leads YES chants.

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!