Hits & Misses -- WWE Clash at the Castle Match Scores!

Hello and welcome to my match scores from Clash at the Castle that emanated live from Cardiff, Wales. I rate each match on a 1-to-10 ranking, with ten being the best.

Okay -- let's go to the matches, and let me know your scores at @apter1wrestling or [email protected].

1. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky

Short takes: Some hot attitudes were shown by all six competitors during the contest. Referee Scott Bennett certainly had his hands full with all six stars battling in the ring at times. The match kept moving, and there were no dead spots, really.

However, the live crowd didn't seem to be into this opening contest. Asuka's performance stuck out to me as the best of the match, and fans were solidly behind her.

RESULT: Bayley pinned Belair after a triple-team took place. Not fair, but excellent teamwork by the rule-breaking trio of Bayley, Kai, and Sky.

APTER SCORE: 5 -- Lots of action, as mentioned before, an okay opening bout, so it made it halfway to 10 for me.

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2. Sheamus (with Ridge Holland and Butch) vs. Intercontinental Champion Gunther (with Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci)

Short takes: There was a total brawl with everyone but the actual match competitors. But when the bell finally sounded, the champion and the challenger kicked, punched, and physically showed their genuine hatred for each other. The fans were solidly behind Sheamus. I rarely see a WWE match with such physicality, and this Clash at the Castle bout was a 10 just on brutality alone.

RESULT: After beating each other senseless, and so many false finishes (even Sheamus' Celtic Cross couldn't get Gunther pinned, and the few powerbombs didn't do the job for The Ring General).

A series of brutal kicks by the champion severely injured Sheamus' back, stopping him from being able to perform his patented Brogue Kick finisher. Eventually, a near decapitating Lariat from Gunther saw him get the pin Clash at the Castle.

APTER SCORE: 10 -- One of those rare matches when your friends say, "Wrestling is fake," show them this one. I went off of my recliner and gave this match a standing ovation, just like the live crowd. There was no shame in losing the bout as it was definitely a Match of the Year candidate.

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3. SmackDown Women's Champion Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler

Short takes: Liv Morgan started out perhaps overly confident and showboating a bit too much to the fans. Some of her early moves were quite effective, but the shoot-style Baszler uses finally saw the challenger work on the champion's injured left arm, putting her in agony for much of the match.

Seemingly out of nowhere, The Miracle Kid took charge for a brief period and locked Baszler in an arm breaker, nearly causing a submission.

RESULT: The champion retained her title after a Code Breaker and Oblivion for the pin in a very tough title defense at Clash at the Castle.

APTER SCORE: 8 -- Another good, hard fight. Well done, ladies!

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4. Rey Mysterio (with Dominik Mysterio) & Edge vs. Judgment Day's Damien Priest, and Finn Balor (with Rhea Ripley)

Short takes: Edge came to the ring wearing a wrestling mask and took it off before the match started. The fans in at the Clash at the Castle event went bonkers over his fresh avatar. Rey Mysterio was in the ring to start the match, but the fans demanded Edge, and he was tagged in. Priest hit the Hall of Famer with a right fist, nearly causing a kayo. Edge tagged Rey, who was regularly double-teamed.

Later, The Rated R Superstar got back in and the crowd went crazy as he used a 619 on Balor. Dominik came into the ring to distract the referee at one point, and he and Ripley got into a battle that The Nightmare got the best of. However, Dominik was able to trip Balor out from ringside and enable his father to pin The Prince.

As Edge and Rey celebrated in the ring, you could see that Dominik was ignored. He finally let all his feelings be known by attacking Edge (kicking him in the groin) and then clotheslining his father, Rey.

RESULT: Mysterio and Edge won what has now become a very sad match for the winning team as the legendary luchador's son turned heel.

APTER SCORE: 7 -- Dominik's heel turn was expected eventually, but now that it happened, it doesn't feel too good.

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5. Riddle vs. Seth Rollins

Short takes: One of the most highly anticipated matches on the card as the extreme hatred between these two had seemingly boiled over. What didn't sit well with me at the onset is Riddle's entrance should not have been so happy, coming down on his scooter and embracing fans. In my opinion, an angry sprint to the ring was the way it should have gone -- but again, that's just my feeling.

When the bell rang, it was a different story as the two furiously punched and kicked each other. Most of the of the match were holds and other maneuvers, but the animosity spewed in the interviews during the past few weeks did not seem present in a physical setting.

They vowed to kill each other nearly, but that did not happen here. The rivals had a good brawling wrestling match with lots of near finishes, bringing the crowd into a "this is awesome" chant. An "Orton" DDT on Riddle was quite unexpected. Towards the end, Rollins tried to imitate The Viper again, but Riddle went nuts. With the two battling outside the ring, Rollins took charge again.

RESULT: Rollins secured the win the Stomp from the middle rope to secure the win.

APTER SCORE: 7 -- Good action. A better score would have been given if the hatred theme had carried over properly at Clash at the Castle.

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6. Clash at the Castle main event: Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

Short takes: What an amazing big fight feel this was at Clash at the Castle. Watching from home, I could feel the incredible in-arena buzz. —deafening cheers for the challenger and equally loud booing for the champion. Roman Reigns was alone as neither The Usos nor Paul Heyman was accompanying their Tribal Chief.

There was no mic work, no "acknowledge me" from Reigns initially. It looked like the entire 62k fans in the building were all rooting for Drew McIntyre to win. Reigns seemed focused on the crowd support for McIntyre, and in my eyes, he looked more like a challenger than the title holder.

At one point, the match went outside the ring, and Drew tossed Roman into the steel steps. At ringside, Karrion Kross, who was in a seat, traded some words, distracting Drew enough to let Reigns attack and change the course of the match. Roman was in charge but still could not pin McIntyre, no matter what he did.

He taunted Drew when the challenger was down several times. Roman later demanded the microphone and proclaimed, "Cardiff, acknowledge me." At that point, Drew met him with a headbutt, and both were knocked down. It almost ended nearly 30 minutes in when Drew went for a Claymore kick, but Roman caught him with a Superman punch -- gaining a two count.

A spear by Reigns yielded a kick out at the two count as well. The two Guillotines by Reigns failed to put the challenger out. Drew speared Roman through the barricade outside the ring. Back in the ring, Drew once again went for the Claymore -- Roman met him with a spear and pin -- but only a two count. With Roman arguing with the referee, Charles Robinson was knocked out of the ring.

A Claymore with no referee saw Drew with a pin attempt. At this point, Theory came to cash in the Money In The Bank briefcase but was kayoed by Tyson Fury, who was in the front row. A new referee came in, and Drew went for the pin, but young Solo Sikoa -- a young member of the Bloodline --pulled the referee from the ring.

With original referee Charles Robinson back in the ring, Roman pinned Drew. Tyson Fury got into the ring and shook hands with The Tribal Chief to congratulate him on winning. He also commended Drew for a great fight.

RESULT: Roman Reigns found a way to win a tremendous match at Clash at the Castle.

APTER SCORE: 10 -- Other than the interference, the Clash at the Castle main event was exceptional.