3 AEW/WWE matches worth a rewatch (Week of Aug. 28-Sep. 3)

Even with this one taking a bit longer than the last, it’s time to reminisce over the great matches we watched this past week. Frankly, it’s either this or speculating over the post-All Out incidents and that stuff didn’t happen during the period we’re discussing.

Fortunately, the match quality we got from WWE and All Elite Wrestling this week (which was boosted by the Clash at the Castle pay-per-view/premium live event) gives us plenty to talk about, so let’s not waste any more time.

These are three WWE and AEW matches that are worth a rewatch.

The New Day vs. The Viking Raiders – Viking Rules match (WWE SmackDown, Sept. 2, 2022) (***3/4)

Apparently, a “Viking Rules” match is basically a Falls Count Anywhere match with a giant Viking ship facing the entrance ramp. In the past, WWE has presented these specialized gimmick matches as a lighthearted distraction (especially on taped shows), but these teams avoided many of the tropes associated with your holiday-themed street fights and brought an intensity that matched the feud’s tone.

The Viking Raiders and New Day received ample time to get in all the spots they wanted, and between the kendo stick shots, blows from Viking shields, and big offensive moves onto the ship, they turned in an excellent 22-minute outing.

In the end, Erik and Ivar scored the win after powerbombing Xavier Woods through a table. This initially made their exclusion from that top contender’s match on the Sept. 3 Raw curious until it became clear that the match only existed as a vehicle for Braun Strowman’s dominant re-introduction to WWE fans.

Bill Ocean Spray and Aussie Open vs. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)- AEW Trios Tournament semifinal (AEW Dynamite, Aug 31, 2022) (****1/2)

Fans have waited to see Bill and Kenny Omega in the ring for a while, and those fans got their wish via this trios match.

This would be the point where you would hear about all of the cool moments from this match, but…it’s a match featuring Bill, Omega, and The Young Bucks, so you already have a good idea of how this went. Actually, I should mention Bill using some of Omega’s signature moves to further their squabble over who is the better wrestler. Other than that, it was the great stuff you’d expect.

With the United Empire being guests from New Japan Pr Wrestling, they took the loss to the full-time AEW act, though their attack on the Elite after the match suggests that this feud isn’t over.

GUNTHER (c) vs. Sheamus- Intercontinental Championship match (Clash at the Castle) (****1/2)

Going into the GUNTHER vs. Sheamus match, most fans’ predictions likely echoed Clubber Lang’s prior to his second fight with Rocky Balboa. Looking back, “pain” might’ve been an understatement for this one.

From the opening bell, Sheamus and GUNTHER bludgeoned each other, took a couple of minutes via rest holds or double downs, and went right back to the battering session. The finish — GUNTHER powerbombing and clotheslining Sheamus to score the pin — also put over how much of a war this was; it also showed us how cunning GUNTHER was to hit an extra move to put Sheamus away and how tough the challenger was to take that much punishment before losing.

Hopefully, we see these two battle again in the near future.