Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta

[2.0] "Both dudes have always had a very low ceiling and this match is the definitive proof of that. Subpar in ring action and a quite heatless affair overall where neither achieves anything and gets over."

[6.0] "I think I'm in the rare camp of liking Wheeler Yuta more than Ricky Starks. The build to this match did nothing for me, and the action in the ring felt perfunctory."

[4.0] "Was in an absolute dead spot between the two best matches of the night, and did nothing but cool the crowd down. Obvious filler is obvious, the purpose was served I suppose, but idk what anyone gained from this. A completely forgettable chapter in the Ricky vs BCC saga, want my 10 minutes back."

[6.0] "It's a decent match between both men, but the in ring work wasn't their best and this was another one of those matches on the PPV that could've easily been left off without."

[6.0] "Fun watch and an important step back from the tense emotion of the last match. Ricky Starks is such a good performer and Wheeler really sells beautifully. Some points are oddly paced, but Moxley's commentary is always easy to fall back on."

[6.0] "***. I was at this show live and this was a comedown match after the crowd was passionately cheering on Swerve Strickland. You will notice a lot of empty seats on the broadcast. A fine match, but just filler on this stacked card. Highlight for me is Jon Moxleys commentary."

[6.0] "A fine match, but I feel like this was definitely filler between the awesome match right before this that was Swerve Strickland versus Adam Page and the incredible match that came after this that was Bryan Danielson versus Zack Sabre Jr. With that in mind, this wasn't super memorable. Especially with it being sandwiched between those two aforementioned matches."

[5.0] "[2.5*] I am sad for these guys because they had to follow Swerve x Hangman and cool the crowd down for Bryan x Zack, so it ended up being just a normal match. Moxley at commentary was actually the best part of it as he helped so much with selling the meneuvers."

[6.0] "The crowd was tired on this one, but it was great wrestled, shame that it got no reaction at all. Props for Mox commentating this, it added a lot to the experience. This was basically a filler match for the crowd to rest, very basic and not many things to add up - {**3/4}"

[4.0] "There wasn't anything TECHNICALLY wrong with this match...but it is SUPER forgettable. No manuevers are particularly interesting, no entertaining character work is shown, and it doesn't even come up again in the storyline with Ricky's feud against the BCC. It's ultimately just a forgettable cooldown match."

[5.0] "Good match that was always going to be hampered by following starks excellent matches with Bryan. Match did not need to be on ppv but was solid regardless. Yuta lacks interest from the crowd but laid in heavy strikes and put forth a strong showing in defeat."

[6.0] "Meh, That's all I can really say about this match. It just felt like filler. Filler for wasn't needed since the card was already so full to begin with. This could've been used to put another women's match on the card but oh well. Just a meh filler match that really could have just been on Dynamite, Rampage or Collision."

[7.0] "I like this. It was a physical match, Starks was great and Yuta can deliver in any situation but it was Starks who was the star of the match. The man exudes charisma, his in ring confidence is at an all time high and his execution was on point. Yuta did his job, he can be physical, he can be technical, the guy has the tools to deliver a match and with a dancing partner like Starks, they did a solid job here in the short time they were given. ***1/2"

[6.0] "This was a solid little match on the show in between all the long matches. Both guy's work looked good throughout the whole match, and Starks obviously won, this had very little heat. The most interesting part of the match was Moxley's commentary. ***"

[4.0] "Why this average Rampage match was in the middle of freaking WrestleDream? I mean, just generic offence from bell to bell and a cold Dominator by Starks to get the win. I still don't understand, there are at least two or three matches that deserved more time but Tony decided to give time to this shit there is no sense! **1/4"

[6.0] "Unlike other matches early on the card, I enjoyed this one less than I expected. It was good but was hoping for more from both Starks and Yuta. It was a late addition to the card without much build although having an obvious place in the story. Bit of a cooldown for the crowd which detracted from it and probably could have done with a bit more time."

[6.0] "This was a solid match, albeit one without much heat behind it that probably didn't belong on PPV. The two worked together well enough, there just wasn't really a lot of depth to it. But if the intention was to give the crowd a bit of a break between big matches, I suppose this achieved that - I'm just not convinced that these AEW PPVs are benefitted by being as long as they are."

[5.0] "A cooldown match that was more suited for the preshow than the main card, and probably should've been cut entirely. Both can wrestle but fans don't have much investment in either despite Ricky's upward trajectory. Starks' finisher looked really good and that's about all I can remember ringwork-wise. Mox on commentary makes this watchable though."

[5.0] "This was a fine match for what it was, but it was given the death spot on the PPV and ultimately didn't need to be on the show. Both of these guys are super talented but it really just felt like a regular match with no real stakes. At least we got Mox on commentary. **1/2"

[6.0] "This match was literally just on the card to act as a buffer between Swerve vs Hangman, and Danielson vs ZSJ. It definitely wasn't bad, both men showed great intensity in the opening stages with their strikes, and Wheeler's technical work was as good as it usually is, but overall this match was just kinda there. Mox's commentary was also very entertaining so that's also a plus for this match I guess. ***"

[3.0] "Did this match even happen? What actually happened in it? He somehow passed by the show or something. I didn't see anything at all. And most importantly, why was it and what for? It took time away from other matches that needed it more. Useless, unnecessary, dull and empty crap."

[5.0] "This match was alright in terms of in-ring quality, but I had trouble caring for it and neither wrestler was doing anything to make me care about them. Seemed to have a pretty quick and sudden ending too but there was nothing notable that happened and neither have any charisma to cause me any excitement, would have been better suited on the pre-card."

[7.0] "first of all, I wanna say that Moxley's commentary was fantastic, and so funny. and about the match, well, a bit more than average in my opinion! many of us, might have thought that this match, is going to be 5 minute filler match, or even a bathroom break! but it was the other way around! Wheeler is a solid talent, and Ricky has been known to be a great wrestler for years. he proved himself once again but quite honestly, I didn't think that this match could get a 7 from me, because it was like they made it official in a rush! all in all, they showed clear aggressiveness to each other, and left us satisfied with their capabilities in the ring. (***1/2)"

[6.0] "This died a death in front of a crowd that was still coming down from the previous match and did not have a hope in hell and frankly the work in it was not very interesting and I am afraid it did not further the call for Starks to be a star I am afraid. Mox was awful on comms."

[6.0] "This match furthered Ricky Starks' ongoing struggles with the BCC, and communicated to the fans that even though Starks is not yet ready to conquer Danielson, he's ahead of Yuta and potentially ready for Moxley (given the teases they did during the match with Moxley ringside on commentary). There was some good matwork from Yuta (especially in the opening stanzas), and I thought they handled Yuta's defiance well. For example, the spot where Starks mocked Yuta with the BCC-esque anvil elbows, Yuta welcomed the violence and fought back nicely. Overall, it was a credible PPV performance for both guys (even though it'll probably be the most easily forgotten match on a stacked card)."

[6.0] "The first match on this card that actually made sense and didn't do anything stupid. The only thing bothering me was making Yuta the badass that he never was and never will be with his physique, but at least he didn't go to the Kingston levels here. Pretty okay technical bout, Ricky was great in terms of character work like he always is and Starks beat Wheeler quite comfortably which was the right call."

[6.0] "Not bad as a way to add to Ricky Starks's shrinking list of notable company wins. The match was just kind of mid -- Yuta doing his thing, Ricky doing his -- with the sole exception being Jon Moxley absolutely hilarious commentary. I'm not sure if I ever want Mox as a permanent fixture but I'm 100% down for him commentating for the BCC."

[7.0] "An enjoyable, well-worked match with two great talents that unfortunately suffered from a lack of buildup and being placed in the unenviable position of following up two 5-star matches back to back. Mox's commentary was fantastic as well, both selling Yuta's story and honestly being the funniest shit we heard all night. Yuta's story of being the underdog of the BCC definitely benefitted from this, but for Starks it felt like a step down after his phenomenal feud with Danielson back at All Out. Overall though, both of them put on a great match that sadly got lost in the mix of absolute bangers to come out of the latter half of this show and hopefully both of them can go on to bigger and better things from here."

[7.0] "Fine match, which on this night meant that it was one of the least exciting. Nevertheless, they worked it well and Mox on commentary was simply excellent, adding legitimacy to Wheeler (who was great) and giving props to Ricky as well. He even made J.R. chuckle, which was the best contribution of Ross for the night."

[5.0] "Match was kind of bland. But it does move the story of Ricky Starks feuding with the Blackpool Combat Club forward. I will admit Wheeler Yuta does a very good job as being the perverbial punching bag of the BCC. Moxley on commentary almost makes thus match unwatchable."

[8.0] "I actually thought this was very very enjoyable. The crowd (and TK's placement of this match on the card) let the performers down, but the action in the ring was hard hitting and I really enjoyed what Mox brought through his commentary and interactions with Starks. I really hope we're heading towards Mox vs Starks - though I would've preferred if the International Championship was involved to finally give Starks an opportunity for gold. A much needed win for Ricky, who is hopefully going to continue his way up the card."

[6.0] "This match wasn't half as bad people may think, but it was placed between two of the best matches, not only of the night, but of the whole year. I like both of them, two young guys with a lot of potential, hope to see them holding gold in a near future, they deserve it. ***1/4"

[6.0] "A match of the week, a good match, although I did notice some botches, even a little dangerous, the truth is I still don't understand what AEW is trying to do with Starkz, I don't understand their path, I'm glad they won. As such it is not a surprising match, but it adds something to the PPV."

[3.0] "Didn't liked that match weakest of the card. Suffered hard on position in the card, they had inpossible job of keeping up after Hangman and Swerwe. It was just boring, rampage level match on PPV. Result was also sooo predicable couldn't care less. Waste of time, i would prefer show to be 20 minutes shorter but TOny loves that massive 14 match PPV's"

[6.0] "I reallt liked both men's aggresiveness in the early goings. Then these two procedeed to have a solid match: nothing really stood out and there it weren't any big spots but the action was enjoyable. Moxley on commentary was good and it's always nice to see Starks win on Pay-Per-View. 6/10 - 3*/5*"

[8.0] "I loved it. It did a good job of both cooling down the crowd from the fast-paced war of Swerve and Hangman, and also heating up the crowd to see some intense technical action from Danielson and ZSJ right afterwards. It was an excellent decision in terms of pacing to put this here, props to TK. Starks has finally pieced it all together in AEW, after a rough babyface start to the year. He's charismatic and ferocious and clever, able to work on the mat when he needs to, but his desire to be a showman means that he'll stay on his feet more often than not. Yuta is all aggression and fundamentals, wants to slap him and work him down to the mat where he can stretch him, pin him and make his surrogate dads proud. They clicked very well and had a great under 10 minute match, that made me even more excited to watch the experienced masters at work right afterwards."

[6.0] "This match was in the unenviable position of following the barn burning, crowd spasming match that was Swerve vs Hangman. And it featured a dude who remains a charisma vacuum despite his best efforts fighting another heel who is way more over than him. To be clear, this was not a bad match. But it wasn't a great match either, and it shouldn't have been on the card. From a story telling perspective, what does this accomplish when Ricky has already been beaten by Yuta's mentor, but then beats Yuta? It's like going in reverse order. Nobody thought Wheeler was winning here, and this could've slotted comfortably into Collision and been better received."

[6.0] "A fight that was really superfluous, that's all, that's what I think. Look Starks a little while ago had one of his best moments in AEW but now he doesn't stand out much and this fight doesn't serve any purpose, neither benefits the winner nor his opponent. Look I like them both but this is a fight you put it on a weekly show and it makes a lot more sense than putting it on a PPV like this where it was supposed to be the start of a new era. That said, you put this on Dynamite or Collision and it could have been a hell of a lot better, but you put it here and it's a pretty inconsequential wrestling match and I don't know what it's going to be good for, but oh well. A filler fight, come on."

[6.0] "This was actually a good match but beating Wheeler Yuta really doesn't mean much of anything for Starks so it kind of suffered from low stakes and the crowd treated it as such, unfortunately. I'm not sure where Ricky Starks goes from here after this. Hopefully he's done with the BCC and they find something else for him. Yuta being the fall guy for BCC members is kind of unfortunate but inevitable honestly. Still a good match just hurt by the lack of momentum for both wrestlers and crowd investment."

[6.0] "This one may be slightly better than how I felt at the time, having come off Hangman vs. Swerve. Was a good match with some smooth sequences.Would've been a really good potential Dynamite or Collision main event. It was obviously being used to further the Ricky Starks vs. Blackpool Combat Club story. Either way, this one was placed in a bad spot and wasn't anything special at all. I think if the crowd were more into it, I'd probably rate it higher as well, but it really did just feel like a strong TV match."

[8.0] "This was a really good match that suffered from card placement and being in the "death spot". Mox on commentary added to the match and gave some insight into the BCC's training and offered opinions on what each wrestler should do in certain situations, while still putting over his teammate in Yuta. As Mox said, they're training him for the future so he's not concerned about the losses of today. Ricky showed off his charisma, he did have one noticeable botch after a powerbomb spot, but he won. Yuta looked strong from some of Ricky's offense not phasing him, which makes sense because Ricky in no way can hit as hard as any of the trainers in the BCC."

[7.0] "These guys had a nice TV match in the middle of a major PPV. Yuta brought some physicality and Starks brought some personality, but to be perfectly honest the best part of this match was Mox on commentary. Big Bill coming out in the middle didn't make sense and I'd rather he just be there the whole match, even if he only had like one spot. I do like how Ricky tried to take the fight to YUTA who laughed it off because he's had worse done to him in training, but the rest of this was just standard. ***1/4+"

[8.0] "Ricky Starks has been known to be a great wrestler for years now but 2023 has potential to be his best year yet. Almost all of his matches have been certified bangers and this match was no different. It would be much better with a different opponent though. Wheeler Yuta is a good wrestler too but the level of competence between him and Starks is noticeable. Still, Starks needed to fight a member of the Blackpool Combat Club to continue is feud and Yuta is the only one that didn't already have a match or is injured and this was probably the best we were going to get. (God, this review sounds super backhanded but it's genuinely a great match."