Cody Rhodes defended his WWE Championship against AJ Styles in an "I Quit" match to start the show. As expected, the crowd was electric for this and very much in the corner of Cody Rhodes, singing his name to the tune of a Boney M song (it was unfamiliar to me, but that's what I could dig up online). Rhodes and AJ brawled through the crowd and into the production area to start the match, but this didn't really "pick up" until AJ hit a nasty-looking brainbuster on the announce table. What I was less happy with was AJ wrapping a steel chair around Cody's head and "Pillmanizing" his neck - a move that, in the past, has led to guys getting stretchered out and kept off TV for weeks (and usually returning with a neck brace on). I know, I know - the DDT used to be a finish and times change and all that, but there should be some things that should maintain their credibility as "death moves" and, to me, a "Pillmanizing" qualifies. I also wasn't super into AJ's interactions with Cody's mom. Her involvement post-Mania is giving Jose Lothario. AJ eventually busted out the handcuffs to further punish Rhodes, who had been bloodied earlier in the match (I initially thought he'd used a blood capsule but I now am leaning towards it being a small blade job). AJ too ended up with some "hardway" color, nicked and scraped by this and that. Despite receiving a ton of kendo stick shots, chairs to the body, and getting lashed with a strap, Rhodes refused to say "I Quit" and eventually fought his way free and back into the match by countering a Phenomenal Forearm attempt and sending AJ through a table. From there, Rhodes turned things around with a bunch of Cross Rhodes and then handcuffed AJ to the ring rope so he could beat him down with a chair. AJ showed some toughness at first, but when Rhodes went out and grabbed the steel steps, AJ gave up. Rhodes still bashed him with the steel steps, though. Not necessarily a super babyface thing to do. Why didn't AJ have The Good Brothers to help him? Seems like a real unnecessary miscalculation by Styles. As Rhodes was leaving, the New Bloodline attacked him. Randy Orton - inexplicably dressed in his wrestling attire despite not having a match on the show - and Kevin Owens showed up to make the save. The New Bloodline story is not something I've been particularly interested in or following closely. Overall, Rhodes and AJ delivered a good-not-great opener and the electricity of the crowd certainly helped tremendously. I didn't mind the finish as it exposed AJ as a coward - which, a heel should be - but there were too many other elements in the match that I didn't like for me to consider this even close to great. Above-average, yes, but not one I'd ever be interested in watching again. (3/5)
The Women's Tag Team Championships were on the line in the next match - a triple threat between the reigning titleholders Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn (Scotland natives), and Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. The crowd seemed a little dead for this in the beginning. Belair, as far as I can remember, hasn't had a big heel run, which only adds to the general feel that she hasn't really developed much over her career. Meanwhile, Jade Cargill is a bona fide Superstar, but still looked a little green here at times, messing up a move off the ropes for her hot tag and looking a little lost afterwards and then, later on, fairly obviously tapping out while in a sleeper to the point that the commentators had to cover it up on commentary as the referee being out of position to see it. A weird moment there. Cargill's "botches" were unfortunate, but they didn't take me out of the match and I loved seeing her hit an incredible sit-out powerbomb while also kicking Baszler with one foot. The best action of the match happened when the two challenging teams were given their spotlight, their chemistry on full display (I'm guessing from previous matches and encounters in NXT?). This match was torn up on Cagematch, but I didn't think it was too bad and quite entertaining for its last third. (2.5/5)
Sami Zayn defended the Intercontinental Championship against Chad Gable in the next match. The story here has been going on for months as Gable and Zayn competed to see who would face GUNTHER at WrestleMania with Gable eventually helping Zayn train for the match. From there, though, Gable's jealousy and ego drove him heel, much to the dismay of his best friend Otis and Alpha Academy stablemate Maxxine. This was a terrific contest as Zayn and Gable are excellent workers and adequately built towards the big turning points in the match, namely Gable trying to have Maxxine interfere on his behalf and then, later on, accidentally calling her to fall on her previously-injured foot (which led to Otis carrying her out of harm's way rather than assist Gable). The crowd was red hot for this, but like I wrote in my review of Backlash, could be distracting at times as a viewer. This was Gable's best overall performance that I've seen as he not only delivered the in-ring goods, but his interactions with Otis and Maxxine on the outside were perfect. Very good stuff, but maybe just a hair below the "must watch" level. (3.5/5)
Bayley defended her WWE Women's Championship, the one defended on Raw, against Piper Niven. Niven was the hometown gal and she did have audible support from the crowd as the match went on, though Bayley was also (obviously) super popular with the audience. I liked that they put a ton of heat on Chelsea Green with her involvement in the match and particularly liked her late-match return as it led to a believable nearfall for Niven. As they say on Cagematch, this was in that "satisfactory" territory in terms of quality, the last few minutes helping to boost what was, up till then, a somewhat dull match. I also found the commentary to be a bit heavy-handed at times with their praise of Niven, who is a solid performer but not a proven winner and certainly not the "biggest"/"strongest" competitor that Bayley has faced in her career (not only did Bayley have a lengthy feud with Bianca Belair, which was noted on commentary, but has had at least a half-dozen matches with Nia Jax over the years). (2.5/5)
Main event time - Drew McIntyre challenging Damien Priest for the WWE Championship. As expected, McIntyre got a huge welcome from his home country crowd. While technically a heel/heel match, Drew was the babyface coming into this match. Big front-flip splash in the early going from Drew before Priest started ramming into the post and guardrail. Priest's arrogance cost him control back in the ring as Drew took over from a huge spinebuster. A hard-hitting but not particularly astounding match shifted considerably when Priest attempted a step up over-the-top rope something-or-other and got his foot caught in the ropes, fortunately tying himself up in the process before he may caused himself a serious injury. As the commentators noted, it was possible that Priest broke or fractured his ankle here, but the match went on and Drew maintained control, delivering a vertical suplex to bring Priest back into the ring. Priest sold the damage to his leg, but fought hard, kicking out of a Future Shock DDT. Priest hit a huge Razor's Edge from the corner and the match continued with solid back-and-forth bomb-throwing, McIntyre revving up the crowd as he called for a Claymore (but Priest rolled out of the ring before he could attempt it). On the outside of the ring, Priest hit the Claymore and sent the champion through the barricade and into the timekeeper area. He attempted another one in the ring, but Priest countered it with a chokeslam for 2. Into the corner they went, but Priest struggled with his knee and barely got off a hurricanrana from the top rope - that McIntyre quickly sprung back up from to hit a Claymore for another huge nearfall. I'm not sure I like Drew's finisher (which, by this point, he'd hit three times) not being able to put away the champion. At this point, McIntyre and Priest's sparring led to the official being knocked off the ring apron. McIntyre hit another Claymore and made the cover, getting the visual pin. Another referee came out and while McIntyre had the match won, the referee only counted to 2...because its CM Punk! Punk hit McIntyre with a low blow, drawing a whole ton of boos, and then watched as Priest hit another South of Heaven chokeslam to get the W. A controversial finish, but not one that was totally unexpected as wrestlers failing to win the big one in their hometown is more common than the reverse. I loved the camera angle they used to "reveal" Punk as the referee and how the commentary team sold the moment too. Maybe not the most memorable match ever, but I'm not sure how anyone could consider this a poor showing from anyone involved. (3.5/5)
With a solid 3-out-of-5, Clash in the Castle: Scotland continued the WWE's undeniable "winning streak" of good-to-great premium live events. Assisted by a red hot crowd, every match was at least good with the main event and the Zayn/Gable match being great at times - but not quite great enough in their entirety to push them into absolute "must watch" territory. Even the woman's tag match, criticized heavily by most fans, was really solid at times, especially when the two lesser known teams were given the spotlight and Belair and Cargill were selling damage.
FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand
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