6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE Bash In Berlin (Results & Review)

3. Cody, KO Open Strong

Cody Rhodes being the noble world champion and giving his friend Kevin Owens a PLE title match was a great little story for an overseas B-show, but it all would come down to how the match unfolded on the night.

And in a shocker, two excellent professional wrestlers had an excellent match. They started out slowly, two friends tentatively inching into a prizefight, until they both became consumed by winning. However, Owens resisted the temptation to win at all costs, which was a bit of a drag with the drama but worked overall. Their signature spots gelled well together, with Cody going for a cutter, which was countered to a Stunner attempt, which was reversed to a Cross-Rhodes for a near-fall.

There wasn’t a ton of drama here – no one really bought KO winning the title – but it was a perfectly entertaining opener that delivered a good match with a decent story underneath that might play out in the weeks to come.