In the last two decades sightings of 3-4 star matches have increased tenfold, which has enhanced curiosity and “everyday entertainment” but clouded the reporting of and collecting intelligence on authentic encounters of the wrestling phenomenon.
For the past year Happy Wrestling Land has employed a committee to categorize, review, and ultimately report on what pro wrestling is and, more importantly, criteria to determine if it was good or not.
We found that current criteria based on stars was outdated, given the multiple possibilities of a pro wrestling experience interpreted through not mere quality and value but momentum and “buzz.” This system, many times a good faith attempt to help others fill gaps of free time or loneliness, is susceptible to misinformation and can replace recommendation with validation of one’s own viewing experience.
What we can confirm, however, is that good wrestling does exist; it has happened, and it is imperative we continue to explore it and lessen the stigma around it so that more come forward when it does.
* AIR RAID SIREN *
I’ll continue this later.
The 36th Survivor Series but first Survivor Series featuring WWE’s take on WarGames took place inside Boston’s TD Garden, where the siren roared twice – once during Michael Cole and Graves Graves’ introduction.
1. WarGames: Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Alexa Bliss & Mia Yim vs. Bayley, IYO SKY, Dakota Kai, Rhea Ripley & Nikki Cross
The order of entry was Belair, Kai, SKY, Asuka, Cross, Bliss, Bayley, Michin, Ripley and Lynch, and WarGames was ready for the main roster… maybe too ready. It found its’ way once it was 5-on-5 for the Match Beyond, but until then felt overproduced and in search of a focus. When Cross brought in the weapons it was in character, then every entrant after did the same. By the time Bayley grabbed a ladder and table it felt like AI doing wrestling, then “Michin” Mia Yim did the same. Cross cutting off the overdone Tower of Doom was cool; otherwise the script was showing.
The big thing here was the talent. Lot of it. Even the quiet ones played a part well, like Kai’s consistency from start to finish and IYO occasionally freaking everybody out with a ring-to-ring plancha or moonsault off the cage. Ripley brought the energy but came in last for her team, as did Lynch – they had a great staredown to tease a future match and came off like the biggest stars with Belair who entered first. Good fun, geat finish, but someone should have a conversation about lame weapons and timing between entrants. ***1/2
2. AJ Styles w/ Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. Finn Balor w/ Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio
WWE’s put effort in re-building both Styles and Balor the last few months but that and their good fundamentals couldn’t save this match’s lack of energy, pop, rythym… whatever was missing that caused it to go no further than satisfactory all the way to the finish, which was a finishing move that wasn’t reacted to like one. ***1/4
3. SmackDown Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey [c] vs. Shotzi
Rousey’s first year in wrestling was promising with flashes of greatness; the 2022 run has been terrible to uninteresting though this was as low as it got: no structure, flow, chemistry; it was all topped off with Shotzi’s apron DDT that both regularly looks dumb but looked even dumber when Ronda didn’t bump for it. Lesson learned: if there’s 5 matches on the card, one shouldn’t be a Rousey title defense; worse, it was against someone getting their first big shot. DUD
4. Triple Threat Match – WWE U.S. Title: Seth Rollins [c] vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory
For a little while this felt like any other Triple Threat but Rollins was a feature of one of the few Triple Threat matches anyone remembers (Royal Rumble 2015 with Brock and Cena) and I’m not saying this reached that level, but for 90-seconds or so it was approaching it: his comeback with a bunch of topes and tope con hilo woke the crowd up and his height and timing on a frog splash to break a pin (setup well to begin with by Theory reversing a Lashley full nelson) was incredible. ***1/4
5. WarGames: Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, The Brawling Brutes & Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn
The order of entry was Butch, Jey, Holland, Zayn, McIntyre, Jimmy, Owens, Sikoa, Sheamus and Reigns. Butch and Jey were a quality pair to start and I liked Butch using the cage to mess up Jey’s hands. I loved when, after Jey struggled 1-on-2 against the Brawling Brutes, Roman sat on a chair and held Jimmy back like a mob boss when he prepared to enter and sent in Sami instead – for the family.
Zayn’s sagas with The Bloodline and Owens were the focus of the match and he (and Jey Uso!) played each beat like a legend: the cowardice or mean-spiritedness in his wrestling, the timing on his hesitancy when WWE Films showed up for the finish, where he low blowed his lifelong friend then looked to Roman’s nod of approval before Helluva kicking him in the face.
Owens’ big run when he entered and the slugfest with Solo were fun, and Reigns’ showdowns with both him and Sheamus were great too, but like the opener though too much of the first half felt like colleagues dispassionately completing a project together rather than collaborating to deliver something exceptional; even surrounded by one of the best things WWE is doing and has done in years. Still: there is still now a documented Sami Zayn WarGames and there’s some good in that. ***1/2
Happy Thoughts: I liked the show and I’m loving Sami Uso, but either WarGames match or something else needed to deliver more on a 5-match card. 3.25 / 5.0
