Match Ratings For WWE Smackdown 5/22/20 From Sean Ross Sapp

Braun Strowman defeated The Miz (w/ John Morrison)

• John Morrison takes a shot at Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins’ child.
• Miz is trashing Otis and Braun Strowman. Otis for holding Money in the Bank, and Strowman for being replaced in the Wyatt Family by puppets
• Braun Strowman comes out after Miz & Morrison show off all their puppets that got rejected.
• Morrison cuts a hilarious scathing promo on Braun, and Miz laughs and asks him to calm down.
• Morrison challenges Braun for Miz, and it’s accepted. This was pretty funny.
• Strowman crushes Miz.
• Eventually Strowman posts himself outside, but it doesn’t last.
• Heaving suplex and running powerslam ends it.
• John Morrison challenges Braun Strowman to a handicap match at Backlash for the title.
• Braun Strowman accepts.
• Miz is upset about the match, but Morrison reminds him that they have a title match now. Renee asks why they think they can win. Morrison says Braun sucks in handicap matches.

IC Title Tournament Quarterfinal
AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura
6.5/10

• AJ Styles has now been traded to Smackdown
• Just say it was to make up for Brock leaving Smackdown and we can all move on.
• The pace here isn’t high, which I thought was an issue with their matches a couple of years ago.
• If you couldn’t tell, they edited in that Styles has been traded to Smackdown.
• Nakamura is laying his strikes in, and Styles is cracking Shinsuke with clotheslines and forearms.
• Styles’ Calf Crusher is a good spot, too.
• Cole calls a Samoan Driver a Michinoku Driver.
• Nakamura gets a triangle, but Styles counters into the Styles Clash.
• Styles wins with a Phenomenal Forearm.
• I really liked Styles vs. Nakamura. Obviously not quite Wrestle Kingdom, but a really good Smackdown match.

Non-Title Champion vs. Champion
Bayley defeated Charlotte Flair
6.5/10

• Bayley tells Sasha Banks that she doesn’t want her at ringside for this match. Banks watches on, but wasn’t happy.
• Bayley trolls Charlotte and struts.
• Charlotte takes advantage and gets on the headset and calls for Sasha Banks to come out.
• Bayley has benefited from the lack of crowd in her matches, because her verbal skills in the ring are amazing.
• Bayley runs Charlotte into the barricade and apron.
• Bayley elbow drops the knees of Charlotte and gets put in a Boston Crab.
• Charlotte had got caught trying to use the ropes earlier, but Bayley ends up getting the win the same way. Very clever. This ruled.
• Sasha and Bayley celebrate backstage.

Sonya Deville & Dolph Ziggler defeated Mandy Rose & Otis
5/10

• Mandy Rose is wearing some denim gear. That’s different.
• Sonya Deville ends up getting the win after a commercial when she cracks Mandy Rose in the back of the head with a knee while Ziggler holds Otis back.
• Ziggler superkicks Otis in the head while he’s checking on Mandy Rose.
• Can’t tell you how happy I am that they didn’t 50/50 Sonya and Mandy Rose. That was good.
• WWE has found a way to do these matches with Sonya, Mandy, Otis and Ziggler numerous times but keep the story hot and get multiple people over. Great storytelling and execution.

Other Stuff

• We get The Forgotten Sons angry veteran promo, and Steve Cutler is cutting it this time. They could do a lot worse than this.

IC Title Tourney Quarterfinal
Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus
5.75/10

• Sheamus slams Hardy into the announce table and goes off on Michael Cole.
• After the commercial, Hardy hits a Whisper in the Wind, but Sheamus does a series of Irish Curse backbreakers.
• This is slow paced, but it works well.
• Hardy does the railwalk dive, but eats knees on a Swanton.
• Sheamus follows up with a filthy knee.
• Hardy rolls up Sheamus and ANGRY SHEAMUS IS ANGRY.

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!