7 Match Star Ratings For WWE WrestleMania 37 - Night 2

2. Asuka Vs. Rhea Ripley - RAW Women's Title Match

Alexa Bliss
WWE.com

Rhea Ripley dominated early before Asuka used her savvy to create several openings. She sent Ripley tumbling with a drop toe-hold before kicking her in the face.

The dynamic established promised something quite special, but it never materialised. The pacing was fairly static, and the palpable lack of drama wasn't remotely helped by the idea that this was an unacceptably lazy hype-job.

Ripley shrugged off Asuka's signatures, and she played the domineering heel role well enough. The paintbrush slaps to the back of the head; withering kicks; full open palm across the mush: all of this good, but it didn't summon the incandescent fire that fans have come to expect from Asuka. She did explode into a great trap of an ankle lock submission, but this was weirdly low energy - even methodical - for a big-time Asuka match. Asuka's missile drop kick looked excellent, and the DDT on the steel steps was beyond committed, but you'll not find a more competently worked match that was just...there.

"Just like that," Michael Cole said when Ripley captured the title, and that's what it felt like. The match didn't peak or escalate into any sort of awesome crescendo, and the fans didn't give a single sh*t about it because WWE didn't bother to craft a storyline or build the challenger.

They should have no-sold Vince McMahon on Night 1, but it is what it is.

Star Rating: ★★★

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!