7 Match Star Ratings For WWE Clash At The Castle

2. Matt Riddle Vs. Seth 'Freakin' Rollins

Gunther Sheamus
WWE.com

This was a very good to at times excellent version of a match that Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle shouldn't have had.

Yes, Riddle was furious in the opening exchange, kicking several shades of sh*t out of Seth's thigh to convey how pissed he was after Monday's shoot-style promo exchange. Beyond that however, structurally, this felt indistinguishable from most modern main event style matches: methodical start, finisher theft sequences, big kick-outs down the stretch.

Again: it was an excellent version of that genre of match, and the tone was nasty when the action was laboured, at least. They lost the crowd for five early minutes of a match that was very Triple H, but the second they got out of 2003, this was great. Rollins, the obnoxious heel ar*ehole, taunted Riddle by mimicking "Wandy's" signature offence. He was so charismatic and witty that he split the live crowd right down the middle in a sequence that informed the finish.

After a blistering series of counters executed beautifully, Riddle grabbed a chair. Rollins evaded the assault, and when Riddle slid back into the ring, he was met with a curb stomp. A top-rope variation ended it.

Another heat-heavy finish, Rollins is such a beloved fixture of WWE at this point that half of the stadium was happy, at least.

Star Rating: ★★★★¼

In this post: 
Sheamus
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

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!