Match Ratings For WWE Smackdown 7/3/20 From Sean Ross Sapp

TOOTSIES

• Matt Riddle says bro a whole lot. He talks about AJ Styles liking him less than he likes AJ Styles.
• Riddle talks about almost getting AMPUTATED TOOTSIES from frostbite. He says he doesn’t wear shoes, even if he’s hanging out with a bear.
• Baron Corbin interrupts Riddle and calls him an idiot. Corbin kicks Michael Cole out of the ring.
• Corbin tells Riddle that he needs to be ready for a match at any time and someone needs to put the new guy in his place.
• Corbin says Riddle doesn’t get to face him just yet, and brings out John Morrison.

Matt Riddle defeated John Morrison (w/ The Miz)
7.5/10

• The chain wrestling of Riddle is fantastic. He goes for rolling gutwrench suplexes.
• Morrison should probably stop doing that move where he piledrives himself.
• Morrison’s corkscrew body press was great.
• They’re about to trade strikes, but Morrison pokes him in the eye.
• I was scared to death of the Fisherman’s buster Riddle did, but it looked good.
• Broton Bomb and rear naked choke. The two brawl on the top rope.
• Morrison did a Spanish Fly belly-to-belly and a standing Spanish Fly.
• Riddle thwarts Miz and small packages Morrison for the win.
• AJ Styles shows up and attacks Riddle, but Gulak makes the save.
• Corbin, Morrison and Miz aren’t happy backstage, and Corbin says he’s going to cut the legs out from underneath him.

Intercontinental Title
AJ Styles (c) defeated Drew Gulak to retain the title
7/10

• Gulak is much bigger than people realize.
• Daniel Bryan is giving advice via Zoom.
• Gulak has an homage to Danny Havoc on his wrist tape, who died on May 31. This is Gulak’s first match since then.
• Styles hits a brainbuster that was a beautiful close call.
• Gulak whiplashes Styles on the turnbuckle and does a great delayed scoop slam driver.
• Styles does a powerbomb and hits a beautiful Styles Clash.
• Phenomenal Forearm gets the win.

THE GOATS

• Bayley and Sasha Banks brag about the shows they’re on.
• They say The Undertaker called her and told her how much he respects them.
• They have produced a fitting tribute. They have a video highlight.
• Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss interrupt and have their own list of accomplishments. Alexa Bliss drove across Antarctica in a go kart, Nikki Cross is 325th to the throne as Queen of Scotland.
• Some shit goes down and we now have Bayley vs. Bliss.

Bayley (w/ Sasha Banks) defeated Alexa Bliss (w/ Nikki Cross) via DQ
4.75/10

• Bayley is wrestling in leggings and t-shirt.
• Bayley works over the arm of Alexa Bliss.
• Bayley and Sasha cheat, and Nikki Cross takes out Sasha.
• Nikki attacks Bayley and ends up getting the DQ.
• The heels hit the bricks.
• The lame finish brought it down for me

Other Stuff

• A really lame Swamp match promo. Oh my god, @CoryJCropper just wondered aloud if the Swamp match would result in an alligator eating one of these guys to promote the new WWE game.
• They’re going to show the Bray Wyatt vs. Braun Strowman MITB match next week. Okay. Bliss Cross Applesauce vs. Golden Role Models non-title, too.

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kofi Kingston
5.25/10

• Big E hilariously laughs, then chases Cesaro around the ring and gets tossed out. Cesaro is out, too.
• The match is fine and we’re looking at two people who have been massively over at points of their WWE careers, I just would rather see the title match than another stakeless match.
• Nakamura gets the win.
• The tag title match is taking place next week.
• Cesaro comes out and grabs a table, but Big E runs the heels off.

A TOAST

• Sheamus isn’t there, he’s on Zoom. But Jeff Hardy is there around all the drink setups.
• Sheamus says a whole bunch of nothing for several minutes and calls Jeff Hardy a JOONKIE.
• “IS IT FUNNY 2 U” – Jeff Hardy. Well, Sheamus is laughing, so yeah.
• Sheamus wants Jeff Hardy to drink. Instead, Jeff pours it all over Sheamus’ bartender and breaks a bottle over his head.
• Lol why would Sheamus give a shit about some scrub he hired to serve Jeff drinks?
• This sucked.

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!