Big Show def. Cody Rhodes to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship:
What I Liked:
Although I was never sold on this matchup, I enjoyed it. Rhodes and Show did a good job of keeping the crowd's interest throughout with aggressive attacks from Rhodes onto Show. I really liked Rhodes' ability to time each move perfectly without missing a step. Rhodes is such a student of the game, beating down parts of Show to make it believable that he could beat a giant. I enjoyed the logic behind his offense, and the transition made sense when Show caught Rhodes' Beautiful Disaster and connected with a spear.
What I Disliked:
What is the point of having Big Show win the title? My only thought is that Cody Rhodes moves up the ladder and competes with main event talent. I would love a Sheamus vs. Rhodes, but that may be too premature. My thoughts is Rhodes somehow wins the gold back, solidifes himself and makes a chase at the WHC while he holds the IC Title. He is the face of the mid card talent. I wish Show had something more to offer in this match, as it was good, but nothing wonderful. Middle of the road match, with no hook, no big spots, and no memory of it a year from now.
Grade: C+
Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos def. Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres:
What I Liked:
Believe it or not, this divas tag match was better than the normal. It is so easy to criticize every single move and compare it to the men's divison, but I am not going to. Kelly Kelly stepped up here with a few nice moves, including the great spot off the top rope onto Beth. Beth is just the best at everything for the Diva's division. Every other diva trusts her so much that they can attempt new moves and not be scared to screw up. Maria Menounos did not do much, but she looked fantastic and not out of place. I wanted to see more of the heels work over Kelly Kelly, but it made sense to give the celebrities.
What I Disliked:
Maria was never seen on WWE TV leading up to the match, so there really was zero interest. You needed the fans to buy into the fact that Maria had legit beef, but you did not get that. Either way, the Divas are going to get a good grade from me because it was much better than the usual we get every Monday and Friday. I wanted more Beth, more of the focus on her, but this isn't about champions. It was about the cross into mainstream Hollywood.
Grade: C
