Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lacey Evans – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: At Money in the Bank, Becky Lynch retained the Raw Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans, who in turn caused Lynch to lose her SmackDown Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair that same night. After more feuding on Raw, another match between Lynch and Evans for the Raw Women’s Championship was scheduled for Stomping Grounds.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second PPV match between these two girls, Becky Lynch won the previous encounter.

Match: The crowd are hot for Becky Lynch who takes the early advantage. Becky plays with Evans a lot, spinning her around ands then smashing her into the turnbuckles. There’s a bit of a miscommunication which means Becky has to go up for a springboard kick twice. This causes a “Lacey sucks” chant. Lacey takes control, she hits a big ‘gator roll and then wraps the champion around the ringpost. Becky locks on the disarm-her out of nowhere, Lacey counters into a roll-up before getting to the ropes. Lacey hits a version of a bronco buster for a near fall. Lynch locks on a mandible claw at one point. Lacey hits a big stunner and a big boot for a near fall. Lacey goes up to the middle rope but Becky pulls her down and locks on the disarm-her for the three!

Result: Becky Lynch retains her Raw Women’s Championship by submission.

Review: This wasn’t a bad match. It wasn’t amazing but there was nothing wrong with it. Well, besides the one botch. Becky wins the match and I expect her to hold on to the Raw Women’s Championship for a long time to come. Not a bad showing for Lacey Evans.

Rating: 6/10

The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

Background: On the June 11 episode of SmackDown, The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods) defeated the team of Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn, the latter appearing via the wild card rule. On the following Raw, wild card guests The New Day defeated the team of Owens (also appearing via the wild card rule), Zayn, and Baron Corbin in a two out of three falls match. A tag team match between New Day’s Big E and Woods against Owens and Zayn was then scheduled for Stomping Grounds.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV tag team match between these two teams.

Match: The bell rings and Kevin Owens superkicks Big E off the apron before hitting Xavier Woods with three superkicks and hitting a senton bomb. Sami Zayn tags in and hits Woods with a blue thunder bomb for a near fall. Owens hits Woods with a frog splash for a near fall. I love the start of this match. The pace does slow down but Owens and Zayn make quick tags to keep control over Xavier Woods. Woods starts a comeback, hitting a superkick and side suplex on Sami Zayn. Xavier then hits a very cool looking facebuster on Owens before tagging out to Big E! Big E continues the momentum for his team before Woods lifts big E up on his shoulder and Big E hits a splash on Zayn. New Day look for up up down down on Zayn but Sami counters. Sami hits a helluva kick on Woods and Owens follows up with a pop-up powerbomb but Big E breaks up the cover! All hell breaks loose which results in all four men being down. Everyone gets to their feet, Big E spears Zayn off the apron and KO hits a stunner on Woods for the three.

Result: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn win by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good match. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the start with KO and Zayn dominating Woods who just wouldn’t give up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tag team match start like that. Owens and Zayn win cleanly. I wouldn’t mind seeing them have a run at the tag team titles.

Rating: 7.75/10

Samoa Joe (c) vs. Ricochet – United States Championship match

Background: On the June 10 episode of Raw, United States Champion Samoa Joe was a guest on The Miz’s “Miz TV”, only to get interrupted by Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, Ricochet, and Cesaro, each stating a claim to challenge Joe for his title. The following week, a fatal five-way elimination match between Strowman, Lashley, Ricochet, Cesaro, and Miz occurred to determine Joe’s challenger for the title at Stomping Grounds, which was won by Ricochet.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Match: Joe gets some early shots in as Corey Graves stays that Ricochet needs to stay away from the United States Champion. There’s some impressive quick offence from the challenger. You don’t see many dropkicks these days. Joe hits a big urunage for a near fall. It’s a back and forth match for the most match with Joe’s power vs. Ricochet’s speed. Joe hits some brutal suplexes. Ricochet manages to fight out of a coquina clutch and hits a codebreaker and a 630 for the three!

Result: Ricochet wins the United States Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good match. I wasn’t in doubt that it would be great but it definitely delivered. Ricochet winning is a bit of an upset if you ask me, I’m a little surprised but I like it! A big win for Ricochet. Hopefully the loss doesn’t hurt Samoa Joe too much.

Rating: 7.5/10

Daniel Bryan & Rowan (c) vs. Heavy Machinery (Otis & Tucker) – Smackdown Tag Team Championship match

Background: After SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Rowan berated the SmackDown tag team division on the May 28 episode of SmackDown, Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker) interrupted and challenged the champions to a title match, which was accepted but for a later time. On the June 11 episode, Bryan and Rowan were set to have a title unification match with the kayfabe Yolo County Tag Team Champions, a couple of “local” wrestlers with cardboard belts. Heavy Machinery came out before the match and accused Bryan and Rowan of avoiding their challenge. Bryan said that Heavy Machinery needed to earn the opportunity and had them instead face the enhancement talent, who Heavy Machinery quickly defeated. Bryan and Rowan were then scheduled to defend the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against Heavy Machinery at Stomping Grounds.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two tag teams.

Match: Daniel Bryan is very popular in Washington. Bryan and Otis start the match and it’s all kicks form the former WWE Champion. Otis sets up Bryan for a suplex, stalls, Tucker tags in and takes over the suplex! Rowan tags in and hits a big cross body on Tucker. A “we recycle” chant breaks out. Rowan dominates Tucker for a while. Tucker makes the hot tag to Otis who gets boo’d as he picks apart Daniel Bryan. Bryan hits Otis were so many kicks that Otis comes back to life, hits a suplex and the caterpillar! Tucker misses with a moonsault and tags in Otis as Rowan also tags in. Daniel Bryan tags back in blindly and hits a flying knee off the top. Tucker counters a suicide dive and then jumps out at Rowan on the outside. Tucker gets back in the ring but Bryan rolls him up for the three!

Result: Daniel Bryan and Rowan retain the Smackdown tag team championships by pinfall.

Review: Yeah, another good match here. Heavy Machinery looked like they could win the titles at some points. But Daniel Bryan and Rowan retain. This will probably be the end of this rivalry. A good match though.

Rating: 7/10

Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss – Smackdown Women’s Championship match

Background: At Money in the Bank, Bayley won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match and later that night cashed in the contract on Charlotte Flair to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship. On the June 4 episode of SmackDown, Flair competed in a triple threat match against Carmella and Raw’s Alexa Bliss, who appeared via the wild card rule, in order to earn a rematch against Bayley for the title at Stomping Grounds. Bliss, however, won the match, thus Bliss earned the title match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a third PPV matcy between these two girls, Alexa Bliss has won the previous two.

Match: Bayley gets right in the face of Alexa Bliss as the bell rings before a back and forth start to the match. Alexa then dominates for a while, with a mix of submission holds and the odd slap. Bayley counters a DDT and hits a running knee. Nikki Cross, who is in Alexa’s corner, watches on. Bayley hits a side suplex for a two count. Bayley then hits a sunset flip bomb on Alexa into the bottom turnbuckle. Bayley wipes out Nikki Cross with a suicide dive. Nikki took the bullet for Alexa there. Alexa hits a sunset bomb on Bayley on the outside. Alexa heads to the top but Nikki Cross gets in the ring which distracts Alexa. Bayley goes up top but Bliss shoves her off. Alexa then looks for twisted bliss but Bayley gets her knees up and then hits a Bayley to Belly for the three!

Result: Bayley retains her Smackdown Women’s Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a decent match. Two of the better workers on the roster here. Bayley needed a good title defence to get her reign off to a good start and a win over Alexa Bliss is not to be sniffed at. The Alexa Bliss/Nikki Storm storyline is an interesting one.

Rating: 6.5/10

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

Background: At WrestleMania 35, Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre. Reigns was then drafted to SmackDown in the Superstar Shake-up, while McIntyre joined forces with Shane McMahon, but lost another match to Reigns by disqualification when Reigns appeared on the May 6 episode of Raw via the wild card rule. At Super ShowDown, Shane defeated Reigns thanks to a Claymore from McIntyre while the referee was incapacitated. Afterwards, another match between Reigns and McIntyre was scheduled for Stomping Grounds.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second PPV match between these two men, Roman beat Drew at Wrestlemania 35.

Match: Drew McIntyre goes after Reigns as he makes his entrance but Roman fights him off. The fight goes to the ring where the bell rings. Shane McMahon is in the corner of McIntyre. Reigns hits a huge dive over the top, taking out McIntyre. Riegns then runs Shane off which allows McIntyre to take the advantage. This is the first PPV in 7 that Shane McMahon isn’t wrestling on. Shane gets involved with a cheap shot behind the referees back. Drew dominates for a large potion of the match with help from Shane. McIntyre gets a near fall off a spinebuster. Drew applies a mean looking surfboard stretch but Reigns doesn’t submit. Reigns hits a Samoan drop which starts a comeback for the big dog. Reigns motions for a superman punch and hits the move on Shane McMahon who is up on the apron. Reigns hits McMahon with a second for goosd measure. McIntyre then hits Reigns with an inverted Alabama slam onto the announce table.

McIntyre hits a superplex for a near fall. Reigns avoids a claymore and hits a backslide for a two count. Drew hits a headbutt and then goes to the top but Reigns catches him with a superman punch for a near fall. The two men exchange blows before Reigns hits a spear! He hooks the leg but Shane McMahon drags the referee out of the ring! Shane then hits Reigns with coast to coast! Drew pins Reigns and Shane throws the referee into the ring but Reigns kicks out at 2! Reigns hits a superman punch, disposes of Shane and then hits McIntyre with a spear for the three!

Result: Roman Reigns wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match. Two talented stars didn’t disappoint. And Shane getting involved added a bit of spice in what turned out to be a match right out of the attitude era. I assume this is all leading to a match between Roman Reigns and Shane McMahon at Summerslam. A good win for Reigns who doesn’t lose often.

Rating: 7/10

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler – Steel cage match for the WWE Championship

Background: At Super ShowDown, Kofi Kingston defeated Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE Championship thanks to interference from fellow New Day member Xavier Woods. Following the match, an irate Ziggler claimed he would have beaten Kingston had it not been for Woods and then challenged Kingston to a steel cage match for the title at Stomping Grounds and Kingston accepted.

Previous PPV matches: This is the 6th PPV singles maych between these two men. Dolph has won 3 of the previous 5, Kofi has won once and they drew the other.

Match: It’s a fast paced start to the hob with the two men exhcngaing kicks and dropkicks. Dolph dmoinates much of the beginning of the match with fast-paced offence and submission holds. Kofi starts a comeback, launching Ziggler into the cage. This is the sort of match that doesn’t really need a cage. Kofi hits a cross body off the cage for a two count. Kofi hits SOS for a near fall as both men start to show fatigue. Dolph hits a superkick that sends Kofi into the door and through it but Ziggler pulls Kingston back into the ring before he can escape fully. Ziggler counters trouble in paradise and applies a leglock. Ziggler hits the zig-zag out on nowhere but Kofi kicks out of the pinfall. Dolph rakes the eyes and then hits a double boot to the face. He then crawls to the door but Kofi runs and vies over the top of Dolph and out of the cage!

Result: Kofi Kingston wins by escaping the cage.

Review: This match was ok. I don’t think it neweded the cage. The finish was creative, I’ve never seen a cage match end like that before. Kofi Kingston wins and retains the WWE Championship.

Rating: 7/10

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Baron Corbin – Universal Championship match with Lacey Evans as special guest referee

Background: During Seth Rollins’ Universal Championship defense against Baron Corbin at Super ShowDown, Corbin got into an argument with referee John Cone, allowing Rollins to roll-up Corbin to retain the title. After the match, Corbin attacked Rollins with the “End of Days” and a title rematch was scheduled for Stomping Grounds.On the following Raw, Corbin revealed that he was able to convince WWE officials to allow him to choose a special guest referee for their rematch, since he felt that it was Cone’s fault for him losing at Super ShowDown. Corbin was going to choose Elias, but he was attacked by Rollins, who followed suit and continued to attack Corbin’s other potential choices: EC3 and Eric Young on Raw, and The B-Team (Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas) on SmackDown. Corbin’s decision on the special guest referee remained unknown before Stomping Grounds.

Previous PPV matches: This is the second PPV match between these two men. Seth Rollins beat Corbin at Super Showdown.

Match: Corbin announces the special guest referee as none other than Lacey Evans! Corbin gets a cheap shot in to start the match and then attacks Rollins with a chair as Lacey Evans watches on. Lacey calls for the bell, Corbin hits a side suplex and hooks the leg and despite Lacey’s fast count, Seth kicks out. Corbin dominates much of the match as the crowd are vocal in showing their displeasure. Rollins starts a comeback and hits a suicide dive to the outside and then a springboard knee to the jaw. Seth hooks the leg and Lacey counts very slowly, allowing Corbin to kick out. Rollins powerbombs Corbin through the announce table and Lacey has to count but when she gets to 8 she calls over the ring announcer to tell him that there are no count outs in this match.Corbin hits a chokeslam on the apron and then another in the ring for a two count.

Seth hits a frog splash and Lacey counts to two before selling an arm injury and not counting the three! Corbin lays into Rollins with a chair and Evans announces that the match is no disqualification. Seth hits a falcon arrow but Evans refuses to count. Rollins then gets in the refereee’s face so she slaps him twice, kicks him and then hits a low blow! Corbin hits end of days but then out comes Becky Lynch who lays into Lacey Evans! John Cone comes out to replace Lacey Evans as referee. Seth counters end of days and hits a stomp for the three!

Result: Seth Rollins wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match, another match reminiscent of the attitude era. It was chaotic but it told a really good story. Seth Rollins retains the Universal Championship with helpt from his wife. Lacey Evans was a great choice as referee, I really enjoyed this one.

Rating: 7.5/10