WWE's latest PLE is in the books as Bash in Berlin has ended their summer schedule. When things return on Monday, the countdown begins for Friday Night SmackDown to move to USA Network before Fall hits and then the motion of Raw going towards Netflix after the end of the year begins.
For now though, another European PLE lives up to expectations. Here's how we saw each of the matches individually.
Cody Rhodes (c) vs Kevin Owens for WWE Undisputed Championship | Grade: B+
Match Recap: Escaped stunner into a Cross Rhodes.. brainbuster from top rope- Cody tried to go to the top rope, left knee buckled... Owens wouldn't attack it- doesn't go for teh ring apron power bomb, throws him back into the ring and hits the stunner but Rhodes kicks out. Two Cross Rhodes but Owens escapes and nails another Stunner... Rhodes kicks out. Owens tries a Swan Ton from the top rope but Rhodes gets his knees up to the back. A fourth Cross Rhodes finally does the trick. Rhodes wins by pinfall.
Major Takeaway: There was no heel turn... yet. As discussed on the And New! prediction podcast, Rhodes took the title and Owens didn't turn; they're saving that for SmackDown as it moves to a new network in two weeks.
Unholy Union (c) vs Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill for WWE Women's Tag Championship | Grade: B
Match Recap: Good action early on as the champs worked together both in and out of the rnig on Belair. Finally after about 10 minutes of whopping Cargill is tagged in to clear the ring. Spinebuster, Fallaway Slam, corner splashes, Super kick and a suplex. A couple tags and Jade had to race into the ring to breakup the pinfall on Belair. Alba Fyre tried to take on both but got double gorilla pressed. A Fyre head butt setup the the finisher, but Cargill again broke things up. The two finally get their acts together and work toegether to do the final combo. Cargill held Isla Dawn in a wheelbarrow and Belair hit her with a DDT; without letting go Cargill executed the reverse suplex and gets the pinfall.
Major Takeaway: WWE had to give Scotland a local winner during Clash of Champions, but now the belts are back with their rightful owners. It will likely stay here for a while until the brand is ready to push Cargill as a solo wrestler.
CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre Strap Match | Grade A-
Match Recap: Early advantage goes to McIntyre and he lights up the first lamp. Punk finally gets going and nails a GTS but instead of going to for the lamps, he wants more punishment. We got early blood from the forehead of Punk. Good action outside the ring as Punk tries to setup the table but
A sharpshooter has McIntyre trying to tap out but that's not in the rules. Hegoes out for a while and Punk made it to two of the lamps but couldn't get the third before McIntyre gets the energy to reverse. McIntyre pulls the bracelet out of his shorts and kisses it; ew. Lands a Claymore and goes for the lamps, getting three of them before Punk pulls him to the middle of the ring and lands a GTS. He gets two lamps and decides to go for another GTS. Lamp 3 on. Punk gets halfway to Lamp No. 4, stops, lands yet another GTS, grabs the bracelet and finally lights the final lamp.
Major Takeaway: Things are now tied 1-1 with Punk's victory. It feels like a rematch at Bad Blood is on deck before they point Punk on his legend's tour and McIntyre towards Gunther and the Heavyweight championship.
Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley vs Dominik Mysterio, Liv Morgan | Grade: C-
Match Recap: Early domination from Priest saw the tide stemmed when Morgan distracted him and gave Mysterio an opening to pull of 2 of his 3 moves. Tag brought the women in and Ripley took immediate control with punches stomps and kicks, ending with a German Suplex. She then turned her attention to Mysetrio who asked for a hug, Morgan tried to sneak attack but caught an elbow before RIpley nailed two standing clotheslines. Ripley almost landed the Riptide on Mysterio but Morgan came in, eventually landing a CodeBreaker. The men were in soonafter and Priest almost had a pin until Morgan broke it up.
Ripley and Priest land a double Razor's Edge, Morgan is thrown out the ring. Here comes the Judgment Day to interfere as expected. Mysterio gets caught off the top rope but Finn Balor interferes, allowing Mysterio to hit a 619 and a Frog Splash, but Priest kicked out.
Women's turn, Morgan missed the Oblivion and Ripley. Priest handled all interferers and Mysterio onto the announcers table and a Riptide wins it for the Terror Twins.
Major Takeaway: Rhea Ripley in the filler match, say it ain't so. There was no twist to this iteration of the rivalry, which feels like a missed opportunity for a PLE. Judgment Day interfered. Shocker.
Gunther (c) vs Randy Orton for WWE Heavyweight Championship | Grade: B+
Match Recap: It's never a good idea to keep the great Samantha Irvin from making an announcement, but Ludwig Kaiser introducing Gunther to the german crowd worked well. The crowd chants were fantastic, impressing Orton as well, adn finally the wrestling begins.
But the wave breaks out and Orton joins in, earning the love from the crowd. Gunther has the early advantage in the matchup of technicians, but outside the ring Orton sends Gunther into the stairs and starts attacking the right arm. Back-to-back side slams of Gunther on the announcer's table, and then a third.
Back in the ring Orton tried for an RKO but it was reversed into a sleeper Gunther couldn't lock in because of the arm damage. Orton continued to dominate, including a second turnbuckle suplex, but nothing close to a pinfall.
Orton tried to land an RKO to end it but Gunther slipped it and landed a German Suplex. T-Rex drop kick as the tide turned and a top-rope splash gets a 2.5 count for Gunther but Orton kicks. Gunther finally lands his Power Bomb on the fourth attempt and Orton barely kicks. Orton slipped out of the next Power Bomb, lands the RKO but Gunther kicks.
Outside the ring, Orton climbs the steps to drop Hunther onto the German announcer's table as the crowd alternately chants each wrestler's name, showing how over the 14-time champ is internationally.
Orton gets him back in the ring, tries an RKO but is pushed onto his back midair. Gunther pounced and locked in the sleeper. Orton finally roke free but Gunther is able to lock it in again. He finally is able to break free with a standing back fall but again Gunther locks it in and this time Orton passes out.
Major Takeaway: It's cool to see the submission holds becoming a major technique, and this match felt like the legitimizing of Gunther on his way to being an all-time great.