The SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Usos, took on The New Day in the first ever Day 1 match. This had to be their hundredth match together and while they usually bring the goods and the live crowd was into this, I was underwhelmed. There were some nice near-falls and they got loads and loads of time, but its hard to get excited when you've had this same meal - as tasty as it may be - as many times as we've had this same meal. As the match stretched on I actually wondered if we'd get some sort of time limit finish to further cement how equal these teams are but that was not the case as the Usos got the clean W with a variation on the Dudley's old finisher. (3/5)
After a hype video for Big E and some comments from Kevin Owens, it was time for Drew McIntyre vs. Riddick "Madcap" Moss. The crowd was dead for most of this match aside from McIntye's signature offense. Some writers and fans have really praised Baron Corbin for his new "Happy" Corbin gimmick, but I didn't hear anything in his pre-match promo or Madcap's moments on the mic that would make me think these two are worthy of PPV time even when you've got a depleted roster. This is the sort of match I would've skipped if it were on TV, which is maybe why I don't watch much of the TV programming anymore. If McIntyre is going to be getting a big push towards WrestleMania, they need to find opponents for him that are worthy or go the opposite route and have him start squashing jabrones like Madcap Moss, who gets minimal reaction and isn't interesting enough in the ring to warrant a spotlight yet. (1.5/5)
The RAW Tag Team Champions, RK-Bro, defended the titles against The Street Profits next. This was another so-so match that seemed to lose the crowd for extended periods, maybe because it, again, felt like a repeat of a match that has likely been on TV multiple times over the past year? Orton seems to be having fun in this tag team, but "fun" doesn't really mean the same as depth and, with the company so rudderless right now, it does still seem like a placeholder spot for a guy that, not too long ago, had a well-received feud with Edge and a slightly underrated rivalry with McIntyre that, if it had been booked properly, would've cemented McIntyre's title reign even more that it did. I've softened my stance on alleged sex creep Matt Riddle, but I also no longer see him as any sort of fool-proof future main eventer like I might have when he first debuted. Meanwhile, the Street Profits, like the New Day and Usos, are a team that works hard and generally knows how to keep a live crowd engaged but already seems very "skippable" on TV, another team suffering from hamster wheel booking and no real direction or development. This was a fine match, but nothing remarkable. (2.5/5)
Edge vs. The Miz followed in a match that was a miss for me. I'm far less critical of The Miz than most, but this match didn't play to his strengths one bit. There is just no real reason why The Miz should be working 20-minute matches (even on a card that obviously was missing a main event). While the crowd stuck with them, this wasn't nearly as hot a match as it could've been had it been a little bit tighter and a notch less "epic." The Miz's best matches, by my account, have often included either a whole ton of shenanigans and weaponry and gimmicks or they've been against superworkers - Cesaro at Payback 2016, Danielson at SummerSlm 2018, Sami Zayn and Dolph Ziggler. Having to fill so much time with Edge, another guy who has always shined brightest when he's been (a) working as a heel and (b) allowed to sprinkle his matches with ladder, table, and chair spots, was a recipe for tedium and that's what this match was for me. Seeing Beth Phoenix arrive to help even the odds was a crowd-pleasing moment, but with Edge already winning fairly decisively (and even kicking out of the Skull-Crushing Finale), I don't see what the point of stretching this storyline any further is aside. Then again, I'm not sure I really see what the point of stretching Edge's return any further is either as, at this point, is there a single "dream feud" left for him? Sami and KO would've been interesting but only with Christian involved and I don't see Edge going heel to give the rub to someone like Big E, who could absolutely use it. Oh well. Not a good match due to its length. (2/5)
Liv Morgan challenged Becky Lynch for her RAW Women's Championship next. This was a big step up from every match that came before it as it felt like the audience was fully behind Liv and her and Lynch had good chemistry without ever delving into making things seem overly cooperative. Liv Morgan had some strong offense at times, but still hasn't put together the full package to be at the top of the Women's Division. I doubt that Morgan is going to challenge at WrestleMania which does make things intriguing as to what direction they will go at the Royal Rumble, but then again, if she can find a way to stay relevant and over with the live crowds, there are way worse options. Becky Lynch has never been the most spectacular worker, but her timing and ability to draw in the crowd is what makes her special and it was on full display here. I still think the heel turn was a tad unnecessary as no matter how much Lynch trolls the crowd - both in-person and at home - I still find myself rooting for her in a way that I've never rooted for Charlotte or Sasha. The match of the night up till this point. (3.5/5)
Main event time - Big E defending the WWE Championship against Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, and (because his scheduled opponent, Roman Reigns, was out due to a positive Covid test) Brock Lesnar. How long does a great match need to be to be considered truly great? This one went under 9 minutes but every single second of it was excellent...unless you were super invested in Big E's Championship reign, in which case, the final 3 seconds probably left you upset. As I am way too cynical about the WWE's current booking, I wasn't shocked by the outcome, which saw Brock Lesnar eventually deliver a whole slew of F5s in order to capture the gold. But, again, the other 8 minutes and 17 seconds were terrific and saw everyone basically gunning for Lesnar, who put on a terrific performance and sold like a champ for everyone else. (4/5)
With a Kwang Score of 2.75-out-of-5, Day 1 was a fine show, but not one I would ever see anyone needing to revisit. The main event was fun for what it was, largely because of Brock's aura and the demolition derby-on-speed layout, every single second of its sub-10 minute runtime being glorious. Unfortunately, the rest of the show mostly paled in comparison (though Morgan/Lynch was as good a match as Morgan as had and the opener was above-average if not necessarily fresh). If you're not a fan of modern WWE and aren't a Lesnar fan, this show will have nothing to offer.
FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver
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