10 Must-See Matches, Moments, And Segments From WWE This Week

6. Ambrose Vs. Styles II Hopefully Previews Match 3 And Beyond

the miz maryse
WWE.com

The contingent of fans that seemed irritated by John Cena being inserted into the Styles-Ambrose program may have been upset by the fact that the superb first Ambrose-Styles match for the WWE World Championship was not going to immediately segue into a series of matches that built off the first and capitalized on its momentum.

Their rematch on SmackDown this week, with all its dreaded yet understandable commercial breaks, was not of the caliber of their bout at Backlash, but if it was a preview of more Ambrose-Styles one-on-one PPV matches to come in the near future, then surely the more the merrier.

Cena provided triple threat-enhancing guest commentary while Ambrose and Styles played well off of their prior encounter, expertly teasing spots from Backlash and adding in new wrinkles best appreciated by a more mature audience. In an era in which the “epic” match full of finisher kick-outs has become the standard of excellence most likely to elicit the “awesome” chant, Ambrose and Styles tend to work together in such a way that makes the big moments count more by focusing the majority of their attention on the smaller details.

So, if you enjoy a match that makes you think and have not seen it yet, do not miss Ambrose vs. Styles II; if you have seen it already, it was good enough and featured enough nuance from the Backlash bout to watch it again.

Contributor
Contributor

"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition. Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.