Randy Orton def. Kane:
What I Liked:
A very solid match from these two for the second consecutive week, as Orton and Kane continue to rely on their strength and physicality to get their story across in the ring. Orton rarely puts on a bad match, and I am pleasantly surprised how well him and Kane have fought.The DDT on the stage floor looked great, as well as the dropkick from Kane to Orton. A solid progression from move A to move B from Kane, but Orton got the better of him offensively. Smart logic when Orton uses the turnbuckle against Kane, the one he exposed, to get the upper hand and connect with an RKO.
What I Disliked:
Orton loses and then wins, what is the point in that? It does not give him revenge. I would much rather have some sort of no contest between the two to further build a match at extreme rules. Maybe round 3 happens at the next PPV, but it would make a lot more sense if Orton continued to come up short. Also, the reversals between the guys seemed slow and really did not have a great flow to the overall match.
Grade: B+
Ryback def. Barry Stevens:
What I Liked:
Ryback looked fantastic in all aspects here. You expected a squash match and got it. I like how he is a face, given the heel promo Barry cut before the match. They always rely on debut big men being heels and getting quick heat. He showed off a few moves here that looked great, had the outfit that really did a lot for his body type, and he came off as a terminator character. Well done for his first view on Smackdown. Also, they acknowledged that he was in NXT Season One and not just another guy coming from the ranks.
What I Disliked:
This could happen each week, but Ryback would benefit from a feud rather than squash matches each week. They need him to be different, and I think they will do the right thing and find him some good competition. His aggression and looks facially are great, but it is all about finding the right pairing for him to get over.
Grade: B-
