The Women's World Championship match was as solid a choice as anything to open this show. Rhea Ripley honestly put on one of her best performances tonight and showed why she's more than a one-hit wonder. Becky Lynch looked good as well, though she could have certainly been excused due to having strep throat. I think the right decision was made her to let Mami retain.
The tag team ladder match was fun and, as many predicted, this was a chance to split the tag team titles again. I correctly predicted A-Town Down Under but didn't see The Awesome Truth getting the Raw titles. In any event, lots of great tag team action and virtually everyone was given a few opportunities to shine.
Rey Mysterio & Andrade vs Dominik Mysterio was the one match tonight I didn't have particularly high hopes for, but thankfully both teams overdelivered. Dominik still has massive potential, and this latest character arc where he is more of a leader than a follower makes sense. The NFL run-in was a neat twist, and I was half-expecting Carlito to turn on his LWO teammates tonight.
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso was the one stinker of the night, in my mind. It definitely underdelivered, especially after such a lengthy buildup. I'll go as far as to say the wrong man won, as Jey will be a top star no matter what and could have given the rub to his twin brother here. And speaking of brothers... no Solo Sikoa run-in tonight?
Jade Cargill, Bianca Belar & Naomi vs. Damage CTRL was exactly what it needed to be: a vehicle to transform Jade into a major star. It's amazing that WWE has done more to get her over than AEW has done with the more established, more talented Mercedes Mone. She looked a bit clunky in there, but nothing that can't be fixed over time. Team Jade's entrance was badass as well.
Sami Zayn vs. GUNTHER was easily the match of the night for me. There was a real "Rocky II" vibe for this one, naturally catering to the Philadelphia fans. It also showed a new dimension to Sami Zayn; last year he was the quirky babyface who overcame the odds; this year he charted his own destiny. Even the pre-match set-up with his family, Chad Gable and Kevin Owens was well done.
Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins vs. The Rock & Roman Reigns took a loooooong time to get into first gear, but the important thing is that it did and gave the crowd a WrestleMania-worthy performance. The Rock didn't hold anything back, while still allowing Rhodes and Rollins to shine. Watching Roman Reigns as second fiddle is still weird to watch, but it worked due to his partnership with The Rock. And the right decision was made on which team won: now tomorrow is that much more interesting.
I was 4 1/2 for 7 tonight in terms of my predictions; we'll see how tomorrow night goes.