[7.0] "Enjoyable enough match but nothing great to me. These two didn't have really hot chemistry in my book, the matches are fine but nothing to write home about."
[9.0] "Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens was one of my favourite matches of the year in 2024 in front of a red hot Berlin crowd that was electric all night. The backstory for this match happening was that Cody wanted to thank Kevin for everything they been through, from dealing with the original and temu bloodline, to dealing with the judgement day when they were on raw and now smackdown together, and for what Kevin did for Cody when he first left WWE before returning by rewarding him with a match for the title in Berlin. Kevin played a huge part in that and if it wasn't for Cody linking with the right people (the elite) it brings to question an interesting what if scenario in regards to how the landscape played out in wrestling today. Kevin initially rejected Cody's offer because he didn't feel like he earned it. But when Nick Aldis brought up Roman hypothetically getting a rematch for the title, Kevin went off because he knows what it was like when Roman was champion and when you factor in the amount of times the good guys going against him would always get screwed during a huge part of his run as champ, so to see a scenario where that happens again made him reluctantly accept the offer, which then led to Cody smiling afterwards because he knew Roman being mentioned would set off Kevin, and it worked! They put on a thriller of an opener that helped set the tone for the rest of the show. Professional wrestling is one of the more truest art forms when done right. This match is one of those examples in my opinion. Wade Barrett and Michael Cole did a phenomenal job calling this match. More so Wade Barrett tho. He really added a lot to this match with what he was saying about either man, from the early feel out process between Kevin and Cody, from the early reversals and counters since Kevin and Cody know each other so well, to when Cody was switching things up in the early going, looking to weigh down Kevin with the use of submissions to counter Kevin's high impact offence. To Kevin attacking the ribs since Cody has had some rib issues in the past. They both took turns being in control when they were both working on top, with the crowd being split rooting for either man. A stunning display of drama the deeper the match went. The desperation after every nearfall to try and do something different in attempt to put each other down to win the match. Simplicity is something that should be encouraged much more in wrestling. You don't need to hit an array of moves to put on a good to great match or do anything out of your comfort zone. And even then, it all depends on the dynamics of the match and whatever the wrestlers style is in terms of how they wrestle and who they are facing and how the match is structured, and even the story of the match. Sometimes, the stuff that tends to stick out more in matches is the little details, and that is what happened here in this showdown between two good friends. The level of precision and skill demonstrated in this match made every move matter. Nothing over complicating. The small nuances in their facial expressions to the exaggeration of their fatigue the longer this match went, the resilience both men were showing to do whatever it takes to walk out the winner as champion. Kevin not being more deliberate going after the knee was a brilliant strategy at first by trying to throw off Cody who may have expected a different game plan knowing what the story was heading into this match after their final segment on smackdown when Kevin mentioned the knee stuff. Each false finish/nearfall got more dramatic with the Berlin crowd on the edge of their seats after every big move was performed. When Cody buckled his already rumored injured knee he suffered from the live events leading up to the show when he was looking to go in for the kill, Kevin's desperate attempt to prove he wouldn't turn on Cody by not going after it immediately was excellent storytelling. Kevin mentioned to Cody during their final segment before their match that he still regrets how he won his first world title in the WWE since in his mind, it was tainted because of HHH essentially handed him the belt after he played a huge part in Kevin winning the match for the inaugural universal title so he didn't want a reoccurrence of regret if he won the match here since in his mind, it would of been tainted. After Cody took a second when he exited the ring, in which he told Kevin he was fine after Kevin initially asked him why is he doing this. Then he finally went to the knee. For a second, it looked the prizefighter was making his way back after being mia for so long, but then he hesitated once again when he had the chance to put him away with a ring apron power bomb. The story that was told here was at the time was that if Kevin didn't hesitate the way he did here for a split second, he might of won the title. It gave Cody another chance of life while it looked like his first world title run was about to come to end, which then led to Kevin catching Cody with not one but two stunners, with each stunner being kicked out of. Imagine how it would have looked if Cody lost the title this way when Kevin initially didn't even want the match because he felt like he didn't earn it. Kevin then proceeds to pull off one last shot at looking to become world champ again by going to the top rope, Cody then gets the knees up countering the swanton attempt out of pure survival and guts, then hits one last cross rhodes for good measure for the 1-2-3. One of the better face vs face matches you will see with the crowd popping for both guys. Bash in Berlin was truly a special event all around. I do believe this Cody Kevin feud helped reignite some juice in regards to Kevin as a singles guy again at the time. Especially with what proceeded to happen next. Some of his best work in the WWE. One of my favourite feuds in recent memory. Miss you Kevin. This was awesome. ****1/4"
[10.0] "Great match between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens in Bash in Berlin 2024 . I love the story between them but this match is disappointing story , great match. I'm waiting Kevin Owens s return, I love this guy."
[8.0] "Kinda got boring at times, but for the most part was very good. I've love Cody and KO's dynamic, and it was very interesting to see him fighting the urge to target Cody's injured leg. (8.25/10)"
[8.0] "While the ending didn't quite hit the mark for me, this match was still an absolute thrill! Watching these two incredible in-ring performers was a captivating experience from start to finish."
[6.0] "Could've been more...really 5 match on a card with a possible 4 hour show should be enough for wrestlers to pour everything, especially for a crowd like that. The whole narrative of "i can't hurt my friend" sucks, it makes it even worse when KO does it. Ahhhh...on a positive note this is the best match so far in Cody's title run after the Backlash match with AJ...but we need more. 6.5/10"
[8.0] "Thunderous wrestling matchup here ! Berlin was on fire keeping the European momentum making it much more exciting ! I'm only bothered as always by the overusing of the Cross Rhodes multiple times straight. Regardless, Cody & KO did it so good it simply was a fantastic pro wrestling contest !"
[8.0] "It was a good match. Maybe little bit too long. Owens was the star of this match I believe. Seeing him struggle to not going after injured knee was fun."
[9.0] "It had a slow start, but it was a pretty good match. I loved the storytelling in this one with Kevin fighting his demons by not attacking Cody's injured knee."
[7.0] "Really good match, with the match getting better and better with the closing minutes. That is, until the ending. If I had a complaint for this match, it's that the ending felt too anticlimactic for my taste. And I feel like these two definitely have a better match they can get out of each other."
[6.0] "Honestly, this Match was poor, the pairing was clearly not very fluid, Cody was as boring as ever, and the actions taken to add in the KO persona were unsettling, which was less than needed."
[8.0] "That was a match that had fans divided but still delivered on emotion and storytelling. Cody selling the injured knee and Kevins moral struggle added real depth to the action. Their chemistry shone, and the near-falls kept the crowd hooked. Owens hesitating on the apron powerbomb was a standout moment, showcasing his internal conflict. The Berlin crowds energy made it all feel bigger."
[8.0] "Great match here, honestly that might come close to Codys best defense, crowd was hot here, the story was actually pretty interesting watching this as well."
[8.0] "Amazing match from both opponents. Cody's title run has been fantastic but was on a huge pause for the two months prior but this match put the reign back to being amazing. Kevin Owens is one of the best wrestlers today and pairing him with Cody was an amazing choice, the story really wasn't there originally but they told one throughout this epic match."
[10.0] "For a match that kinda come out of nowhere this is top notch. It's a catalyst for Kevin Owens eventual heel turn later down the road. The in-ring action was incredible as expected. Not every match needs proper babyface VS heel to be great. The chemistry between the two was there and the drama whether Owens would turn heel at the show or not was pulled off perfectly."
[7.0] "[3.25*] Awesome opener. Great match, terrible ending. The crowd was ridiculously hot for this one and they went on the easy watch route, keeping a high pacing and doing cool moves throughout the bout. Kevin brought a lot of his OG moves and I loved it, I had a blast. This kind of match is just a complete joy to watch without any complications or boreness. At the same time all these movez were happening, there was a bigger story of a conflicted Kevin Owens thinking about doing what we all thought he was going to do anyway: turn on Cody. He had a lot of opportunities and never pulled the trigger when he could have been World Champion if he attacked Codys knee and hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb. The ending was super weak and anticlimactic tho, it killed the vibe."
"7/10. The result never felt like it was in question, and the small fringe possibility of Kevin Owens pulling the trigger on being vicious never got more than a small tease. Certainly not bad but it had very, very little tension."
[9.0] "It did went a bit too long than it needed to, but its still a fantastic match between both men with really amazing in ring action and chemistry between them and it told a great story between them with Owens teasing a heel turn but didnt pull the trigger just yet."
[7.0] "This match was good, but the ending felt anticlimactic. I didn't enjoy it. The in-ring action was solid, with good pacing throughout most of the match."
[9.0] "This was very very good and was yet another notch of great matches on the belt of Codys reign. The chemistry here was very clear to see and they made the most of a match that had a poor story and build. I actually am glad Kevin didnt turn heel here as where we are now is much more interesting with him still on the cusp of a turn. The false finishes here also kind of popped me. Great match."
[7.0] "Good match. Not gonna be the most memorable championship match, but it served it's purpose. Owens and Cody had good chemistry and there was mutual respect and camaraderie between them, which was best highlighted when Owens refused to attack Cody's injured leg. This match was filler to be honest, it happened because Cody didn't really have any opponents to face. It could have been a big deal match but it just didn't have the hot build. Still good work by both men, would love to see a rematch in a bigger stage. ***1/2"
[7.0] "This match was a decent enough opener to the show. There was the built-in anticipation that Owens might turn heel, and they kept things interesting throughout via constantly teasing that Owens would do whatever he could to beat Cody Rhodes, but being ultimately unable to. Aside from that, the in-ring work was good as you can expect from Owens and Rhodes, although there was some points here that I did not enjoy such as Owens taking two Cross Rhodes before brushing them off like it was nothing and hitting the Stunner. Relatively minor, really, but it bothered me quite a bit. Overall, an enjoyable match."
[7.0] "A good match between two good workers. The result was predictable but that does not take away from the action of the match, a good opener and I like seeing a world title match to open the show every so often."
[7.0] "Really enjoyed this opener between Rhodes and Owens. I thought it was the perfect way to book a Face Champion vs. Face Challenger - especially with the hesitation from Owens on attacking Cody's injured leg. Are they planting the seeds to an Owens heel turn? I wouldn't mind it, as the main event scene on Smackdown could use some more villains that aren't in the Bloodline lol! Also shout out to the Berlin crowd - their energy definitely made it a big fight feel."
[8.0] "I thought this was absolutely stellar. They hooked me in from the get go with the environment these two create by being in the ring together but they quickly turn this thing into an unbelievable effort. The kneecap buster, the swanton, Kevin Owens was on one man. I don't much like the melo drama with the apron powerbomb but it didn't hinder my enjoyment too too much. **** 1/2"
[8.0] "A bit of a slow start but picks up and delivers on every beat. Rolling Swanton from the top rope, impressive and scary from Kevin Owens, the kneecap brainbuster was well done. Just good action all around. When the finish came though, that's where criticisms can be made. Cross Rhodes is canonically understood to be rather weak on its own as a finisher but Cody did too many throughout the match and the actual game winning Cross Rhodes did not feel as hard as it should have."
[6.0] "Two baby faces fighting in a world title match on a ple with a horrible build is a recipe for a disaster. The match was so predictable and face cody rhodes is wearing thin for me i never was a huge fan tho. Just an overall flat match. FUCK THE REVIVAL"
[6.0] "Match starts out very gentle with little intensity as part of the story. Just a traditional tie up and some chain wrestling, nothing showy or bad. Crowds really great as they pop for a simple shoulder tackle. Cody does a leapfrog into what should be a Cody cutter, but Cody didnt get much of the ropes. Just nothing special so far in the first few minutes. Cody misses a disaster kick and then KO hits a running senton. Cody lands on his feet from a back body drop and then Cody goes for a cross rhodes, KO goes for a stunner, neither one hits them and for some reason KO is now mad at Cody. KO sent to the outside, then catches Cody on a suicide dive and then throws him into the apron, then hits him with a running cannonball from the apron. He rolls Cody into the ring but then Cody hits a disaster kick, then hits the suicide dive. Cody takes down KO in the ring and then gets him in a weird arm scissors contraption. KO rolls to the ropes. A knee to the gut into a pin attempt by Cody. Some chops from KO to Cody who hits him with a dropkick and then Cody puts a figure four on KO. This middle part of the match just seems like they got a little lost since none of it really makes any sense. KO gets out of it and also gets to the ropes. KO basically shoulder bumps Cody into the barricade. Then KO hits a frog splash from the apron to the floor. Not the top rope but the apron. Really underwhelming so far. KO starts working over Codys liver with elbows and headbutts. Cody does the stupid head slap thing where he claps on the other side of the head. Another shoulder tackle by KO and then they do a double clothesline. I give the crowd a lot of credit, theyre really keeping energy in the building. Inverted atomic drop by Cody, hits a scoop slam on Kevin, hits another disaster kick, covers him and KO kicks out at two. Cody goes for the Cody Cutter but it doesnt even look like hes trying to hit it as KO hits him with a German as a counter. But then Cody basically just bounces back immediately by hitting the Cody Cutter when KO sends him off the ropes. Cody and KO trade forearms in the ring. KO hits a really cool neckbreaker in whats the first genuinely good offense of the match from either guy. KO goes up to the top rope, Cody cuts him off, Ko then punches him in the ribs and then hits a rolling senton on Cody. KO sends Cody into the ropes for what should be a pop up powerbomb, Cody holds onto the ropes, goes for another disaster kick, KO reverses that and goes for a stunner, Cody reverses that and hits a crossrhodes. KO kicks out at two. Cody HAS to stop having the Cody cutter and disaster kick reversed, every time he does them for a reversal it looks so stupid. KO gets a fisherman brainbuster on Cody from the top rope, really nice move, pin attempt on Cody for only 2. Both guys trade strikes, headbutts, hockey fight, super kick. Cody goes to the top rope for a top rope Cody cutter but Codys knee gives out on him. KO, of all fuckin people, then acts really really torn between going after Codys knee and not. After some back and forth KO finally goes to the knee outside the ring, but then again has a conflict and wont hit the powerbomb on the apron to Cody, Cody rolls up KO as he comes into the ring, kicks out at two, KO hits him with the stunner, Cody kicks out at two on the pin. KO picks Cody up, and Cody just reverses an Irish whip into three straight cross rhodes, but KO kicks out of the third one and hits a stunner again, kicked out. None o these finisher mean a single thing. KO goes for a Swanton bomb but Cody gets his Kees up, hits KO with a crossrhodes and then gets a pin for 3. Weirdly put together. KO had some good spots in the match, but this just wasnt it for me. It was bad in the beginning, weird ending, but the lead up to the ending did actually get going. But just a satisfactory match."
"8/10 amazing match owens and rhodes had great chemistry a lot of nearfall great combination great storytelling with the knee of Cody and the demon of Kevin owens but at the end owens staying face is good thing for the part two of Owens rhodes"
[8.0] "8.1/10: talking about the crowd, pretty much expected. The main x factor lies within the match. we did not see owens turning heel. That surprised me more than owens winning could have surprised me. Cody was going for the top rope maneuvre, but is unable to, due to the bad knee which owens pointed out the other day. Owens could have incapacitated rhodes for the win, but did not? Both men fought with pure agony after this moment. Multiple cross rhodes, multiple stunners, but it ended when rhodes hits the last cross rhodes. A match which looked probably the weakest, turned out to be a great storyteller. I still have hopes for owens turning into the prizefighter, sooner or later."
[9.0] "a thrilling clash that had everything you want from a wrestling bout. Both superstars brought their A-game, with Cody showcasing his resilience and Owens demonstrating his relentless aggression. The back-and-forth exchanges kept me on the edge of my seat, especially during the dramatic near-falls and counters. Codys victory after multiple Cross Rhodes felt hard-earned and left a lasting impact, but what really hit home was the post-match embrace. Seeing Owens, who could have easily turned on Cody, instead show respect was a beautiful moment that added real emotional depth to the match. It was one of those moments that reminded me why I love pro wrestlingit's not just about the athleticism but the storytelling and emotions that come with it."
[7.0] "I found the match long and lacking in impact for much of it. This surprised me, as Kevin Owens knows how to bring intensity to a fight and Cody Rhodes often gives that kitschy but generally distracting false suspense. The match took a long time to settle in, but once it did, they managed to take me on board with them, and the ending was great."
[8.0] "Armed with a big fight feel, this is an exciting babyface title match. They are very even-handed with the layout, exchanging momentum and allowing the people to root for Owens without overly leaning Rhodes in an unflattering direction. That approach highlights the work itself, which I thought was very strong. Their chemistry seemed immediately apparent, layering offence in explosive fashion. Owens' inevitable crisis is well performed also, even if the play call is increasingly polarising within wrestling's current landscape. Admittedly, it does rely on Owens' unique skill-set, but works well enough for my money. With that being said, they do get a little finisher happy late, which makes the slightly anticlimactic finish rather disappointing. Very good match nonetheless, with frequent flashes of something great. ****"
[9.0] "This is a great match I thought both men had great chemistry I think this match had really good back and forth I just think they should have given the belt to kevin owens I think that with him keep loosing it take away his credibility . ****1/2"
[6.0] "Pretty strong match, though it felt weird as the PLE opener, coming out with more narrative and psychologically-driven work (despite typically strong wrestling from these two). Decent pacing, though I'm not sure it really made either wrestler look great, but that's an issue that I think can be capitalized on with how this potential feud develops."
[7.0] "Good opener, it was probably the most cohesive title defense of Cody's reign so far, Kevin is just a fantastic wrestler, I loved the staredown while sitting at the corner before the match, he was locked in and made the match more interesting. The action was really good, the ending had a lot of nearfalls, but I didn't really thought that Owens was winning at any moment, the match was very predictable and I wasn't fully into the final moments, a heel turn would've been nice, but they are probably gonna rely on long term storytelling once again. Good match by two excellent workers, but KO kinda looked like a loser at the end - {***1/2}"
[9.0] "****1/2 (9/10) The finish fell a bit flat after a hell of a banging outing by KO and the American Nightmare, but this might be due to the true legitimacy of the Cross-Rhodes (it seems that it's not a strong enough finisher that he always needs to do it a three-time minimum). Okay, flat may be an overstatement, because to some this may be considered a classic. In fact, I would consider this an all-timer, but I am of the population that favors Cody's WWE Championship reign. It started off on the highest note a WrestleMania had ever seen, each of his defenses have fallen into the MOTY from the BITW contenders. The opener to Bash in Berlin was no exception."
"One of the best fights of the night. At the wrestling level, it went from less to more, demonstrating the experience of two fighters who are friends where there is a lot of psychology involved with the possible betrayal of Kevin Owens and the knee of Cody Rhodes. 8/10"
[8.0] "Great match to open the show, there was even some intrigue when I watched it live. But it's about time Owens was given at least one title and overall I'm a little surprised he didn't make the heel-tern."
[9.0] "A great wrestling match, two of the best in the business right now gave us great with great background and story. Cody appreciated KO's efforts to help him remained champions in SummerSlam against the bloodline which he showed that in giving him a title shot with KO refuses explaining his character as a fighting spirit who earned the shot not been giving. Cody knew Owens' past in turning on friends but he was believing in him to have a fair fight between two men, Cody hurts his knee before the match giving KO a slit bit of an adv over him and KO was making sure of Cody is 100% to go against him and have a great fight. the match started with a switching in controlling between these two with no clear adv for one over another with a great athleticism performance until Cody started struggle with his waking up the demons in KO's mind either taking the advantage of Cody's knee or keep the fight fair between. KO was in front of a MORAL DILEMMA to decide which path he should take, the moment he decided not Powebomb Cody on the ring side after he attacked his knee for the first and last time cleared the path KO chose. KO lost the title but he remains as Cody's friend and trusted man to the man who trusted him and gave him a title shot. Lost the title but kept his friendship in a the best way. The best match in Cody's reign and the best WWE title match in the last 3 years (****3/4)"
[6.0] "This match is kinda boring. Cody Rhode's finisher isn't respected anymore, he had to do is finisher 4 times for win the match. I'm just waiting for KO to turn hell to be more invested in the storryline. And OMG this ultimate boring babyface like Cody Rhodes is so fade, i need a more agressive babyface Cody."
[8.0] "Was a good match that does a good job of portraying Kevin owens internal struggle I guess you could call it. I thought the last like minute of the match was poor though. The finisher spam especially Codys insistence on doing multiple cross Rhodes really devalues the impact their finishers have and just makes them look weak and stupid for continuing to use them."
[10.0] "My favorite match of Cody's title reign so far. Excellent physical in-ring storytelling. Kevin's performance in particular in helping tell the story of the match was exceptional. Tremendous match w/ probably my favorite crowd of the year. MUST WATCH!"
[7.0] "This was probably my favorite WWE PPV match this year. Very good work as Owens went after Rhodes' ribs. There was the point where Owens hesitated going after Cody's knee, which is a storytelling trope that I fundamentally disagree with, but the hesitation wasn't as egregious as I've seen in other matches. Just a very good PPV title match. ***3/4"
[8.0] "[****1/4] A really solid defense with storytelling elements really edging the audience...pause. A lot of painful looking spots, KO getting closer to his prizefighter persona, but not giving in being the reason he lost. Beautiful. A lot of technical wrestling involved as well, with both of their dynamics hopefully leading to a Bad Blood or Survivor Series matchup."
[8.0] "This is a match that needs a sequel so badly. The underlying story of Kevin refusing to give in to his darker impulses and that ultimately being the reason he lost is compelling storytelling. The match itself was great too, with Cody selling the same knee that Kevin pointed out on the Friday before the show. Just a great match between of the best."
[8.0] "Really fun match, the story being told of KO not wanting to go full heel on Cody was so well done. Here is my breakdown: Wrestling: 2.75/3 Finish: .25/1 Story: 1/1 Bonus: 0 Total: 4/5 - Cagematch Rating of an 8"
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