WWE Greatest Royal Rumble: Star Ratings For All 10 Matches
4. AJ Styles (c) Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - WWE Title
It only went for 14 minutes, but AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE Title match surpassed their disappointing WrestleMania clash on every level, albeit marginally.
Like their first encounter, this bout wasn't anything close to great. This is largely down to the runtime, which prevented them from taking it to the next level, as there was little wrong with the work. Nakamura's heel turn helped immensely. He attacked with a violent edge that couldn't have worked as a babyface, and the crowd were all-in on his control segments, with the inevitable low blow spot drawing a particularly strong reaction. The double count-out worked, too, as it's nowhere near as overdone as other screwy finishes, and gives the duo a reason to keep feuding into the next pay-per-view cycle.
For those let down at 'Mania, this bout should have restored faith that these two will one day deliver a banger. The chemistry is clearly there, and with the right layout (and runtime), they'll likely reach greatness. Perhaps it won't be to the level many expected prior to New Orleans, but we won't know for sure until Backlash.
Star Rating: ***1/2