6 Match Star Ratings From WWE WrestleMania 40 Night 2

4. LA Knight Vs. AJ Styles

Cody Rhodes five stars
WWE

LA Knight Vs. AJ Styles continued the least impressive streak in WrestleMania history: AJ's match quality on the grandest stage is so poor that it's often hard to recall that he's a legitimate great of the 21st century. 

This wasn't actively bad or anything, but it was mediocre short of the odd, elusive exciting moment. They didn't do the appalling old WWE thing and begin a grudge match with a collar-and-elbow tie-up - God, remember the Dean Ambrose Vs. Seth Rollins programme? - but after the hysterical personal violence of the build, it was a bit daft to start hot with punches only for Knight to very quickly turn in his usual offence. This needed a stip and didn't get one. The match was good when attempts were made to convey the hatred that apparently existed between the two men. Knight taking a back body drop onto exposed boards by ringside was one such moment, but elsewhere, this was a shoot-out between a man who has lost his fastball and a man who may never have had one. 

Knight won with the BFT. Elements of the match were good, but nothing was really sewn together in a way that kept the fans locked in. When they weren't complaining about the blinding light above the big screen that towered over the ring, they chanted "YEAH" mostly because it's fun to chant. On that light: it removed focus from two matches and seems to be a recurring issue every year at WrestleMania. 

It's not good enough for a promotion that brags so much about its production values.

Star Rating: ★★¾

 
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!