The Undercard
Randy Orton defeated Cody Rhodes in what was a really good match. My biggest positive coming out of this was that neither guy looked weak. We knew that Rhodes would lose, but how would he lose? WWE could have easily buried him and make Orton look powerful, but they decided to give us a really entertaining match. I loved seeing the chemistry between the two former members of Legacy. Rhodes took control in the middle portions of the match, grounding Orton. Much like we have seen before, Orton calculated his attack and kicked down Rhodes. Rhodes would ultimately hit his finisher, to which Orton kicked out of, and then hit him with an RKO. I really enjoyed this match and really think they did a great job with not burying many of their midcard guys. Orton needs to see Big Show after this match. That is the only change I would have had.
Grade: B
Naomi defeated Brie Bella in a quick match. There is nothing to report here besides the fact that the referee reversed his decision because he found out the twins switched. They should've given more time for Naomi to showcase her athleticism in the ring.
Grade: D
Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston in a Champion vs. Champion match. Again, we knew that Ziggler would not lose to Kingston. The match was excellent. If anyone says that Kingston should never be a main eventer, watch this match. The pacing and the fluid movement in the ring was excellent to see. We have seen this match multiple times, but it was great to watch the maturity of Kofi. I would ultimately want to see Ziggler win without help and with more offensive control, but he is going to continue to be booked like this. For all, he is a heel. Nonetheless, Ziggler picks up a victory and Kofi comes extremely close to pulling off an upset. I love seeing multiple 2 counts in a match where the underdog comes close. Everyone loves that kind of action. Also, look for Big E Langston to potentially get into a feud with Kofi Kingston. I can see a 3 way champion stable, with Big E, AJ Lee, and Dolph Ziggler.
Grade: B+
Jack Swagger defeated Zack Ryder in another average match. Swagger and Ryder could potentially be in a group together. I can easily see a slow heel turn for Ryder to freshen up his character. He is a good competitor but needs something new. Ryder could be saved by Zeb Colter. We saw a match here with a cocky Ryder, a confident Swagger, and a predictable finish.
Grade: C
