[6.0] "It's wrestled pretty well with good psychology, but I just didn't find it all that compelling. I don't think I like Gunther nearly as much as I would like to, unfortunately. Also, the finish is pretty weak, especially considering it isn't even very novel."
[9.0] "Das war pures Wrestling. Starke Fehde und super Aufbau, nur die Promo hat mir nicht so gefallen, da Gunther hier recht schwach rüberkommt. Gunter weiß einfach wie man die Leute für oder gegen sich aufbringt. Alles was Gunther hier macht ist äußerst durchdacht, perfekte Ringpsychologie, dazu mit Priest einen tollen Gegner der sich perfekt anpasst und trotzdem seinen Hype gerecht wird. Genau so muss ein Titelmatch sein. Für mich MotN und hätte Main Event sein sollen."
[6.0] "Good match here but I expected more considering we saw a banger at SummerSlam. This one wasn't run that well and the same finish was recycled so really nothing special here."
[5.0] "Match décevant pour moi avec un finish pas incroyable non plus, et puis j'ai tellement aimer leur match a SummerSlam malgré un publique pas investit."
[5.0] "Mid Match, too predictable to be on the card.Ok in ring but I just think it shouldn't have been on the card so overall mid and shouldn't have been there."
[7.0] "It's really sad that a perfectly told great story wasn't matched with an equally great in-ring performance, because that's the only thing this needed to be either a 5 star match or being really close to it. It reminds me so much of the Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle match from Vengeance 2005 (so underrated and far better than the WrestleMania one). A man who once was full of confidence now is baffled with self-doubting while his opponent has no weaknesses, is mentally focused on success and it represents a real danger. Unlike the HBK vs Angle match, this was way behind in terms of workrate, and it's all because of Damian Priest. The dude is really good, great look, good charisma and presence, great storyteller (he did an amazing job selling the shoulder the whole match), but he is not a great wrestler. He is not on Gunther's level, he is not an Omega, a Danielson, an Angle, a Styles, an Okada, a Misawa... You already know what I'm meaning. He is really good, but not great, and he has a lower ceiling that prevents him from delivering a true great performance, thus limiting Gunther's in-ring performance as well. The good part is, like I said before, the storytelling and psychology in this was perfect. Gunther running away during the first moments of the match, completely afraid of the much more confident Priest, completely mentally defeated, unable to gain control of the match since the first moment, botching holds and allowing Priest to counter them and have him in control. But then, the miracle happened, the gates of heaven opened for Gunther and his confidence returned when Damian Priest hurt his shoulder and was wrestling handicapped the whole match. Gunther working that area the whole match like he should, like logic and credibility demands, with Priest showing fighting spirit and regaining small advantages at times to shock Gunther, but ultimately nothing really worked, not the Razor's Edge, not the South of Heaven, not even the Hell's Gate. Priest wasn't on the right level to beat Gunther. It was perfectly done, the body language and facial expressions of Gunther during the whole match were amazing. You could see him truly scared, then completely focused when he had the advantage, then feeling relieved when he retained the title, not before showing some little decency booting Finn Bálor into the shadow realm. About the Finn Bálor interference, I have mixed feelings with that. On one hand, I liked this interference finish because it keeps the Gunther doubting himself story alive, it's a rightfully done interference finish. But on the other hand, it keeps the Priest vs Bálor feud open (zzzzzzz). Great storytelling, great character and psychological performance by both Priest and Gunther, a very limited in-ring work and a half good-half bad finish (*** 3/4)"
[8.0] "incredibly happy to report this was BOSS AS FUCK and everyone is WRONG! Not as good as the Summerslam match but VERY CLOSE. God brought back the big guys to wrestling. YEAHHHHHHHH ****1/4"
[7.0] "Solid, not too bad but not amazing. The only thing that stood out for me was the selling and storytelling of the match, which was decent to good."
[7.0] "A pretty solid World Heavyweight Title Match here, though I would also have to say that this wasn't as good as their previous title match back at SummerSlam. Furthermore, I do wish GUNTHER would have beaten Priest clean this time, though I do also understand wanting to continue the feud between Priest and Finn Bálor."
[6.0] "[3.25*] The first match is a little bit slow but it was interesting even with the dead crowd, absolutely loved priest's selling on his left shoulder throughout the match, the pace keeps getting up when they go to the second half but the ending doesn't pays the watch, they should made a better ending to this match"
[6.0] "Although a bit slow at first, the match built up pretty nicely. Both showed their skills nicely. It was ruined by the final moments, however, as it likely will lead to a more prolonged Damian vs Finn. ***"
[7.0] "This match was fun and all, however it felt kinda just like it was a redo of their Summer Slam classic, but it didn't hit the same. I was very disappointed seeing the match end with Balor interfering because once again, it felt like a redo. But it's still Gunther match so honestly I don't think the match was bad, just not as good as their original encounter."
[7.0] "[3.25*] I really like both guys so I highly enjoyed the action, but the dead crowd for a big portion of the match dragged it down a little bit. Their other match was way better."
[3.0] "Another one I knew that not gonna be anything special. Cause some reason the same guy who gave us world class wrestling promotion and booking isn't able to do so in his main promotion. This rematch was should've been a barn burner instead it was distinguishing misfire. Had some solid spots but definitely not enough. And to top all that, the same old interference from the same old rival to continue the same old never ending story."
[5.0] "Damian Priest somehow continues to have lackluster matches with one of the best wrestlers on WWE's roster. This one was even more boring than their previous encounter. Still, Gunther provides a base level of good with these matches that's hard for someone else to overpower by being bad so it was at least somewhat entertaining despite me thinking a lot of Damian's work here was boring. I also wasn't a fan of the finish as it made the PPV match feel less special."
[9.0] "The way Osperay is to Meltzer is the same way Gunther is to me. These two have incredible chemistry and this could be 5 stars for me. I won't though because of the stupid Balor ending. It does make me really hate Balor more so good heel work I guess."
[6.0] "After their Brilliant match at SummerSlam I expected another epic encounter, but it fell flat and left me feeling disappointed, plus I'm not quite sure where they're going with the finish, hopefully a better Priest Vs. Balor story."
[5.0] "I wasn't as high on this as I was on the Shinsuke match or the Breakker match. I didn't feel like Gunther was benefitted by having to work around a storyline where he lacks confidence; you need Gunther radiating that energy at all times. If you're going to go this route, you certainly shouldn't be doing it this abruptly. This felt really awkward, & suffered from going on quite a bit too long (19m! ). I wasn't very invested by the time Finn comes in for another interference, despite them having wrapped that chapter up at Bad Blood. It's like the excessive 36th chapter you didn't need in your book, that you needed to finish writing a few months ago. Gunther doesn't even have his signature "accomplished" expression when his arm is raised. I don't think this held a candle to their Summerslam affair, & I don't think either character gained anything from it."
[8.0] "From a psychological standpoint absolutely fantastic. The story before was included well with Priest having the upperhand and Gunther only finding footing in this match with Damian's injury. Very well done, just needed that last bit of drama. Interference for the finish continued another story that gladly did not end with that lackluster match between Priest and Balor."
[8.0] "It's a great bit below their match at WWE SummerSlam (2024) and Balor's interference just wasn't as effective as last time either, but it was still a good match between both men up until that point."
[8.0] "I really enjoyed this match and it had an old school feel which I liked. Gunther & Priest have a lot of chemistry together it seems and they havent had a terribly bad match."
[6.0] "Mediocre match, I always expect Gunther to have match of the night, so it was a bit of a let down. The finn balor interference was stupid and ruined the match, just let Gunther win clean against Priest smfh."
[6.0] "A decent match but not my cup of tea. While the character work was very good, it hampered the in-ring too much as the match went really slow. Also Gunther getting out of the ring multiple times at the start was kinda annoying, but that's the point. I got another cheap Balor interference which once again happened."
[6.0] "A solid match but this one seemed to drag at times but I liked Gunther working on Priest's shoulder from the beginning and I am very interested in the idea of Gunther vs. Finn in the near future. 3 stars at best."
[7.0] "Good match. If were considering how this is a Gunther match, this would be mid. But, for Damian Priest, this match looks like a 10/10 classic. Anyways, Gunther was beating up Damian Priest. Damian Priest tried to fight back, but it just was not happening. Gunther tries to hit a superplex at the top rope, but then Damian falls, hurts his elbow. Gunther also falls. Then, Finn Balor comes out, attacks Damian Priest. Now, with him down, Gunther hits Finn, and then brings Damian back to the ring, hits a powerbomb, then a rear naked chokehold, 1-2-3, and finally, still your World Heavyweight Championship match. Overall, a good match. It's probably a 7/10. 7/10"
[9.0] "Excellent world title match. Gunther is the best wrestler in the world right now. He showcases narratively strong contests every time he steps in the ring, and this match was no different. This was a proper world heavyweight championship bout. Priest dominated the match early, and Gunther was looking for any chance to regroup. Every time hed step back in the ring, Priest would immediately dominate offensively. However, Priest ended up hurting his shoulder badly, and Gunther, being the smart and advantageous ring general that he is, immediately went to town attacking that shoulder. The vicious and malicious nature with which Gunther ambushed Priests shoulder made for engaging control segments. Priest deserves much credit for his selling. Priest had engaging bursts of offense and hope spots throughout the bout. The match as a whole was physical and gritty. The near falls were very effective. Eventually, Priest was sent to the outside where Finn Balor delivered a coup de grace from the steel steps out of nowhere while the referee was checking on Gunther. Gunther booted Balor shortly after. He then proceeded to send Priest back into the ring, powerbomb him, and put on a neat sleeper hold that targeted Priests bad shoulder. I dont mind Balors involvement, especially considering the direction we now know they are going for Saturday Nights Main Event. Yet another very good world heavyweight championship match in a collection of them for the ring general."
[7.0] "This match was fine-to-good. Some good character elements, some good limb work, believable story within the match (although they could have accentuated Gunther's lack of confidence later in the match). Never a fan of an interference finish though, and while at least this one moves Gunther's story forward I don't know that dragging Priest back into Balor is doing anyone a favour long term."
[7.0] "il match è stato solido, molto simile al loro trascorso di Summerslam di quest'anno, ma un più lento e noioso. Il match parte lento con una cosa che, veramente, npn mi è piaciuta: il fare dentro e fuori di gunther, cosache porta il match a rallentarsi di tanto fino a sembrare anche noioso. per fortuna poco più avanti la sfids migliora, alzandosi di intensità con i loro vari capovolgimenti. l' interferenza di Finn Balor, molto pronosticabile, ha portato alla fine più giusta per il match. Purtroppo questo è stata la peggior difesa titolata di Gunther da tempo, perciò, più di 7 non posso dargli."
[8.0] "This match was pretty solid. I am also surprised this has been ranked low. It was an enjoyable match. Priest is one of my favourites on the roster. It wasn't their best work but definitely a great watch!"
[8.0] "It wasn't on the level of their previous encounter at SummerSlam but this was a really good one too. The ending was too predictable but well executed, so it was fine for me."
[6.0] "One of the biggest disappointers for me right here. GUNTHER and Priest had an amazing match at SummerSlam '24 but this was just a lot of steps down. This was strangely slow for the most part. The storytelling was done well with GUNTHER targeting Priest's shoulder and Balor costing Priest a title match but their was a lot of slow down here. The ending was just eyerolling cause I am personally tired of the Judgment Day storyline here. [***1/4]"
[8.0] "Not as good as their Summerslam bout but still a very good match. Speaks to how good this show was that this was only the 3rd best match of the night"
[7.0] "I always love a Gunther match, and I think the Summerslam match beat this one out. The match was hard hitting as youd expect, and the tumble off the top rope that Priest took in particular looked great (albeit painful for Priest). I didnt expect interference in this one so Balors Coup de Grace was a pleasant surprise, as was Gunther taking Finn out too. I love how Gunther just wants to beat people up, and he did so throughout the match. A powerbomb into a sleeper combo to beat Priest was a good way to end the match. Looking forward to the next Gunther one."
[8.0] "I thought this injury angle was really smart and Damien absolutely crushed it selling that. The story going on now with Gunther's growing nervousness is absolutely killer. You can tell how unsure and frustrated Gunther was all match, wearing fear on his face and lashing out at all the right points. And though another interference finish is annoying, I actually think this one was really clever and served the story perfectly, especially for Gunther who now has not won a match clean in MONTHS and you can really tell its gnawing at him."
[8.0] "Very good match, telling a simple story and steadily hooking the people in the process. Gunther sports some doubt at the first bell, still reeling from his recent loss, but grows in confidence as Priest injures his shoulder. To his credit, the big man sells that wonderfully well too, with visible frustration making up most of his immediate response. Naturally, that gradually evolves, with the injury even impacting his offence along the way. It's a very smart match with immense focus, and one that produces a genuine near fall or two late. The finish isn't particularly slick but otherwise, a strong World Title match. ***3/4"
[5.0] "It genuinely pains me to rate a Gunther match this low, the guy is my king! But unfortunately everything surrounding this match was stupid and flawed, Priest shouldnt have even got the title shot to begin with, he lost to Dom the week before being inserted into the fatal 4 way, why did he get rewarded for losing? Then he proceeded to say Gunther is scared he couldnt beat Priest by himself, despite Gunther basically dominating their Summerslam matchup. Then on 3 BACK TO BACK TO BACK RAWS Priest gets the upper hand on Gunther, I get it you want the babyface to look strong Triple H but SERIOUSLY? I knew he had a huge preference for Priest for some reason (no idea why, the guy is medicore at best.) Then the match basically ends the EXACT SAME WAY AS SUMMERSLAM and means we have to go through another boring boring Priest Balor programme, awful booking surrounding this in every way and Im beyond glad Gunther can move past Priest and hopefully never have to wrestle him again."
[7.0] "A decent enough match, Gunther always has good matches. But they really need to give him a new opponent and stop having him win via distraction or interference. He's a damn beast and can win by himself, he proved that through his while IC run. Just have him win clean and dominate, enough of the Finn/Priest stuff too, end this damn fued."
[6.0] "Perfectly servicable match that hits some real good highs towards the end, but it kneecapped by continuing to pull Priest back into the Judgment Day drama. Let him exist outside that ecosystem for a bit, PLEASE."
[7.0] "Wasn't like their SummerSlam Match but it wasn't bad still a very solid bout. Damian Priest & Gunther have very good chemistry when they face each other and it was evident in this match. The heat for this match wasn't there but the fans still were enjoying the match. Finn Balor coming out did catch me off guard because I thought that feud was 100% done because it didn't hit as I thought it would've hit back when they feud in August - October. But Gunther retains and Damian Priest restarts his feud with The Judgement Day. I wonder who's next for Gunther I really hope it's either Drew McIntyre or CM Punk."
[7.0] "This match was good but didnt hit the same level as their SummerSlam classic. Gunther and Priest worked well together, with a strong focus on Priests injured arm, great storytelling there. Finn Balor interfering late added some drama, but its starting to feel like Gunther cant get a clean win lately, which takes away from his dominance. Kicking Balor aside before the pin was cool, but this kind of finish is getting old. Overall, a good showing for both, but it couldve been better without the overbooking. Hopefully, Gunthers next match is more decisive."
[7.0] "I wasn't thrilled with this one but it was a good Gunther match. It wasn't Summer Slam, but it was a serviceable defense of the title and got Finn Balor lined up to be the next victim. I doubt that Balor takes the title off Gunther but he's interesting enough to have around the belt for a while."
[7.0] "Not as good as their amazing Summerslam match IMO, but still cant have a bad Gunther match and I also really like him paired with Damien. I did enjoy the working of the shoulder, only meh was just the idea of Finn balor interferring again. Maybe they run a triple threat match next? Not sure. But still good"
"This match was a pretty slow one, but these two have great chemistry and, whilst the finish was a shame, Gunther smacking Finn out of the way made me chuckle. It does further Damien vs Finn and it could also feed into Gunther's doubt given once again he didn't beat Damien clean, so those could both be positives."
[7.0] "Beide haben eine tolle Chemie und es wurde sich nichts geschenkt. Gunther beweist von Woche zu Woche mehr, dass er seinen Spot verdient hat. Einzig das Finish fand ich unnötig. Da es sich leider nicht von ihrem Match beim SummerSlam unterscheidet. Trotzdem kann ich es nachvollziehen, da man so Priest schützt und Gunther trotzdem seinen Sieg feiern kann. Somit ist Priest bereit für seinen Abschluss mit Balor und Gunther kann weiter zur nächsten Herausforderung."
[7.0] "A very similar approach to their clash at Summerslam. Once again, it's Finn Balor who ends up influencing the outcome of the match, which doesn't help the perception of the bout. Where the emotions were still surging in the summer, it's the strategic working of Priest's left arm that makes Gunther look like the more mature worker, but that's what he is. Priest still owes me a showstealer performance, but is developing in the right direction. Defeats like this don't hurt him."
[7.0] "Decent match, far better than I had been expecting. Especially considering its placement in the death spot. I think the fudged finish was actually detrimental and unnecessary but Gunther kicking Finn into the next century was hilarious. Nothing mind blowing, but a solid PPV death spot match. Please do some rehab on Gunther now, youve basically destroyed him at this stage."
[6.0] "A confrontation between two good wrestlers, but one that didn't carry me away like Summerslam. The fact that the match was more technical and less brutal wasn't bad in itself, but it's probably one of the reasons why I didn't invest as much in it. Its place on the card may not have helped, but the sense of déjà vu probably played a part too. Balor's intervention reinforced this feeling, but above all that of seeing a booking that gets bogged down a lot in rivalries that are too long for what they offer. In-ring quality: 1.25/4. Stakes: 1.75/2. Justification: 1/1. Place on the map: 1/1. Suspense: 0.5/1. Bonus/Malus: None. Total: 6.5/10. Match seen on WWE Network."
[7.0] "it really sucks that this match had to deal with the finish it did because this match was incredible. Once again these two just have awesome chemistry in the ring between this and there summerslam match they have great matches together. Now i do wish that gunther for the win decisively but balor costing priest isnt the worst thing i just dont get why were coming back to this 2 months after there 1 on 1 match and what we thought was the blow off to that. Im not excited to see more balor and priest to me that is done with and i dont care. But gunther once again not being able to beat priest by himself is GREAT for his character as you seen in the match it pissed him off that balor got involved as he wanted to be able to beat priest by himself without any help so he could get his confidence back but since he wasnt this is just gonna add to this great character development of gunther. 4 stars"
[7.0] "A good match that I enjoyed, but one that didnt quite reach the heights of their Summerslam encounter for me. This one had a different story to tell with Priests injured arm, and I will always appreciate Gunthers ability to seek and destroy his opponents weaknesses. The finish was a bit of a wet blanket on a match that I overall enjoyed, and while I didnt absolutely hate it, I would be lying if I didnt say I was a little disappointed. I do like the idea of Gunther being a victim of his own greatness, unsure of how deserving he is of the world title considered how untouchable he was as IC champ."
[8.0] "I really liked what they did with this. At first, they played up GUNTHER being unsure of himself. He was tentative and Damien seemed untouchable and believably so. Then, the worked shoulder happened, and GUNTHER snapped back to his old self. The match became a standard affair for that man where he systematically destroys his opponent bit by bit. Damien's no-quit attitude was really fun to get invested in. Tying Finn Balor to everything worked well. His feud with Damien definitely shouldn't have ended with their Bad Blood match. Now, they can have a better match later on. I like GUNTHER booting Balor into next year - dude should be getting tired of people getting in his business."
[7.0] "The confrontation at SummerSlam was incredible, I gave it 10 points. Here, however, because of the rather slow pace, the constant emphasis on Priest's arm, it was not such a spectacle. I really didn't like the way Gunther was portrayed in this storyline, from the most dominant champion he was made into a scared little boy. Balor's intervention is also a little unclear to me and it's not clear what to expect next. Just a good match and nothing more"
[8.0] "[****] Not as good as their Summerslam matchup, as it was really just focused on Damien's left arm also backed by the dead crowd. Still a great matchup, though as this match showedcased how Priest is one of the best sellers in the company. A fun scuffle between the two of them to start leading to the arm angle. There were hard-hitting chops, and again, Damien not being able to mount much offense because of his arm and using only his right arm instead. I thought Gunther would hit a superplex, but both men fell, with Damien to the outside saying "it popped out" referring to his shoulder. Then Finn Balor comes out, hits a Coup De Grace, Gunther hits a powerbomb and then Damien passes out with the sleeper. Pretty good match that only served to reignite the Priest - Balor feud (that should have had Finn get the first win.)"
[8.0] "Replicating the masterpiece of Summerslam was impossible, but the impression is that there was the potential to do better than this. On Raw, Finn Bàlor had said that it was Dom's job to make up for the mistake of giving Damian an opportunity, but then why didn't he intervene too? If they really didn't want to make a clean match, the solution was to make Dom make a mistake AND THEN bring Bàlor, so that you would continue the feud between Damian Priest and Judgment Day and in addition the internal rift would also continue (8/10)"
[6.0] "Thought the match was good outside of the finish. Liked the story the match told and Gunther's psychology in the ring is the best in WWE right now. The bump Damian took to the outside before Balor's interference looked nasty. Finish was expected but still a disappointment."
[6.0] "Pretty decent until the inevitable interference finish which lost points for me. Balor's silly faces on the outside were just ridiculously over the top and cringe. Far from the best of what we've seen of Gunther and Priest just isn't very good. ***1/4"
[9.0] "Despite the silly finish, I thought this was one of Gunthers better matches this year. Terrific psychology and a good story told throughout, while Priest gave as good as he got in the physicality"
[5.0] "[**3/4] This was flat and boring for the vast majority. To be fair Gunther's limb work on Damian Priest's arm did the groundwork for later in the match but I have never been so uninterested in a WALTER match, even in his diminished Gunther form. The match got good towards the end but the interference finish left a bad taste. Skip, unless you are a fan of either."
[5.0] "Way worse than their Summerslam match. Also very slow and sloppy striking sequences in between. Finish also was bad with the Finn interference... It seems like this story hasn't finisher yet and as nearly everything in the HHH era is dragged put, until it is just cold as ice..."
[6.0] "Good match until the finish. They had the crowd and if only they went home earlier the impression would have been better, but they prolonged it a little too much. Nice work on Priest's shoulder by Gunther and overall a hard-hitting contest with both guys working really hard, but even before Balor's interference the fans were starting to get a little cold towards this."
[6.0] "Are kicks and strikes all that Priest's has to offer? I liked only one kick when Gunther was about to do a chop, but he didn't make it in time. Gunther never disappoints as he showed some of new submissions he hadn't done earlier such as Kimura with headscissors or even a sleeper with bodyscissors and an arm trap. Not a boring match here, but I wasn't at the edge of my seat either. What is more, Balor interrupting again? ! When is this storyline going to end? My God! I also don't want Priest near the world title nor IC title picture anytime soon"
[9.0] "Great singles match. Gunther worked heavily on Damian Priest's shoulder. There was some impactful moves from each wrestler. Big striking moves as well with chops from each man, Priest's kicks, ect... It had a big match feeling. I didn't like Finn Balor attacking Priest again because their feud is kinda cold but I understand they have to keep Damian strong."
[9.0] "****1/4 (8.5/10) It's tough making a sequel when the original was a masterpiece. You have to either make a masterpiece or come pretty close. Here, they came pretty close, though maybe not in the excitement factor but in technical exhibition, bringing the standard displayed from in-ring quality up to a level that has never been seen but in the best of Survivor Series. You know the story is not over here. And with Balor getting a boot from Gunther (and being involved in the first title change), it's probably best that we let them cook here, for as of late it's proving to be worth it when we let them cook."
[8.0] "Another excellent match from these two men, despite a lack of hype on my part. The story was simple but interesting. A hard hitting affair. With excellent work on Priest's arm, the overbooking was the conclusion of this match. Almost the same ending as at Summerslam, only I'm lowering my score compared to their 1st match, because this match lacked a bit of "magic", the crowd wasn't that electric, Gunther didn't do anything incredible and that frustrated me, he stuck to his basics. I just hope he'll get out of his comfort zone and show us what a champion he is, as he did during his IC reign. And as for Priest vs Balor, please put Balor forward so that he regains a bit of credibility... : ****"
[8.0] "This was a fight which I feel needs more credit than it has been given. I agree with the sentiment that their SummerSlam encounter was the better match but this certainly held up its own to be a solid Gunther title defence. Could this match lead to Gunther vs Finn Balor? I sure hope so."
[7.0] "This match was excellent, it missed a couple of things to be a very remarkable one, but it was a great watch, the limb work was outstanding, Priest sold the shoulder injury incredibly well, and despite I'm not being the biggest fan of this scared Gunther storyline, it's undeniable that the storytelling worked out pretty well here. The ending wasn't ideal, we really don't need more Finn Balor interferences, there were plenty of these already, but I liked that Gunther kicked him before beating Priest, it showed that, no matter how Balor helped him to win, he still thinks he's an idiot and respects Priest way more. This match was great, cohesive and coherent, the best structured match of the night and the one that suits more my taste, but unfortunately a couple of details held down the ceiling this one could've had. Nevertheless, excellent chemistry by both - {***1/2}"
[7.0] "A solid borderline good title match. Although I felt that it was just missing something compared to their summerslam match. The action was solid even good at times but you never truly believed that priest had a shot at winning. So when balor came in and interfered at the end it was annoying because this means the dead and stagnant Judgement day priest feud will continue but also leaves the door open for another priest gunther match that I dont want to see again. Also means Gunther failed to win clean again which is lame. 3.5/5"
[6.0] "This was a match that I didn't care much to see again. We already saw it at Summerslam. Looking back at that match I can't remember anything either than the Finn Balor turn and Gunther winning the world title. It was as if they knew I didn't remember anything because I got an awful feeling of deja vu, as they ran it back with an almost identical match. From a technical standpoint the match was fine but from a booking standpoint I would say it was a colossal failure. I don't think either character gained anything here. Hopefully this feud is done and buried and we can see Gunther move on to new and exciting opponents. As for Damien Priest, he isn't doing it for me and WWE needs to desperately wrap up this Judgement Day angle."
[9.0] "Much better than their SummerSlam match with GUNTHER trying to regain his dominant aura and Priest trying to regain the WHC title he lost at SummerSlam they worked a hard hitting match with a good use of GUNTHER knowlage of submission to work on the injured arm of Priest, I know some people don't like that GUNTHER seems doubtful but I think that was what made this match better than their previous one, the only down on this match was the interference from Bálor but at least GUNTHER kicked him because he was trying to prove he's better than Priest"
[6.0] "This was very slow at the start but eventually it turned into a decent match but I really hated that once again Finn Balor had to interfere to "help" Gunther get the win. He is the world champion, he needed to win clean here in my opinion. But the action was fine, the biggest problem they had early on was that crowd was not that invested. In the end, they were more lively and Gunther choked him out after the interference. I had hoped this match would end in a different way from their previous match and had a more decisive finish."
[7.0] "After Summerslam got Gunther the title due to Finn interference I was expecting this to just be these two having a clean do over and thats mostly what it was, telling a compelling story around Damiens left shoulder and showing great psychology from Gunther. Was really enjoying, up until the finish where Finn interfered so Gunther wasnt put over cleanly. Yet again? Was this necessary? Gunther winning clean wouldnt bury Priest, I dont understand this decision at all. Good apart from that but nothing so great that the finish didnt sour it."
[7.0] "Gunther always gets my attention. He had some monster chops, powerbombs, submissions, and just general bullying. Damian is a fine hand but I really dont get what people see in him. I dont understand his character, , and his vibe is just hot topic Scott hall. He is a total beast and I could see myself getting into him if put in a good program with a defined character. That said he was more than serviceable here. Im glad Gunther held on to the title and eagerly look forward to Balor vs Gunther. I also really hope Priest doesnt fall to far down the division"
[6.0] "This match just seemed to drag on and on. It's not that it wasn't good, but I was ready for War Games to start and didn't care about this match. Gunther is probably the best wrestler in the company right now. He's almost always good for a high star rating, but Damian Priest just isn't the right guy to be in there with him. Finn Balor is like an ex-girlfriend that just won't go away and ends up costing Priest the match. Gunther retains, but kicks Balor in the face for good measure. At least Priest can get out of the title picture now."
[7.0] "Disappointing for a Gunther match, and it all hinges on the finish. WWE has this weird thing going on recently where they managed to leave a sour taste in one's mouth after what should be a decent match. In the past couple of years, Gunther has been built in such a way that a hard-fought clean loss doesn't bury you, so why bring Finn out for an interference spot? The Judgment Day vs. Terror Twins/Street Trash/etc feud has been really bad, and instead of drawing a line under it, they're extending it, most likely to Mania. If it wasn't for the finish, this could've been a high 8, but as it is yeah."
[7.0] "A fight that fulfills but does not exceed the limits of anything, I think it is left to owe that strong development of Damian Priest where he left Gunther below in these last episodes of Raw, but to my taste, it was an ending that if it had been directed from that point of view of superiority of the Austrian would make sense, but it was Damian who was superior. On the other hand, the fact that Judgment Day keeps appearing as a resource to leave Damian out of a match like this one, which is a title match, can be frustrating because they don't separate it from that other story and they think they can spin it in any situation at anyone's convenience because in the end it's boring."
[6.0] "I don't know if it's just me or is something just not right at the minute with gunther's world title reign i don't k is i cuz im expecting pretty much a five star match from gunther given how good he is or if it's just the booking but i feel like he was so much better as intercontinental champion his match quality was o much better when he was IC champ but he is yet to have an outstanding match as WHC yet idk if there limiting him or what but it doesn't feel right atm - this match was pretty average and i way preferred their summerslam match"
[7.0] "A slower-paced match compared to the rest of the show, but still a solid contest. Gunther once again showcased his unmatched in-ring psychology, bringing a level of legitimacy to every move and moment that few can replicate in pro wrestling today. Damian Priest held his own, adding a compelling dynamic to the match, but Gunther's ability to control the pacing and tell a story through his actions stood out. While not the most thrilling bout of the night, it was technically sound and engaging. Solid 7/10."
[7.0] "This match starts off slow, the story is Gunther not allowing Priest to build any momentum. He shows a shoulder injury early which gives Gunther a target. This gives a chance for some good submission work from Gunther as Priest fights from underneath. Like most Gunther matches, there are some great chops in this, and not the tired you chop me, Ill chop you bullshit exchange you see too often these days. Theres a great top rope frankensteiner and razors edge combo that still isnt enough to put away the ring general. Priest shows great fire fighting out of a submission. Unfortunately, Balor interferes and costs Priest the match, presumably to continue a program between him and Priest."
