WWE Super Showdown results, recap, grades: Two huge main event surprises, title change make a big show

For as much as WWE's first foray into Saudi Arabia failed to deliver with the Greatest Royal Rumble this past April, WWE Super Show-Down in Australia on Saturday morning came through in spades. Nearly every match on the program played into current and future storylines, there were a mix of surprises throughout the show, and even the main event -- despite featuring four men whose combined age is about 200 -- delivered a nice mix of nostalgia and shock considering the way the ending was booked.

The 10-match card also featured a big title change, a new No. 1 contender for the WWE championship and one of WWE's best matches of the year when AJ Styles defended that very title against Samoa Joe. Plus, Ronda Rousey, the Bella Twins, John Cena and more were in action on Saturday morning. CBS Sports was with you the entire way Saturday morning updating this story with the latest results, analysis, grades and highlights from the show. Check them out below.

WWE Super Showdown recap, grades

SmackDown Tag Team Championship -- The New Day (c) def. The Bar via pinfall to retain the titles: A hot way to open the show with the fan-favorites coming through to keep the straps. Though it was not a long match and there was never a moment in which one thought The Bar may actually win the titles, it was filled with action throughout. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston teamed up for a back-stabber, double foot stomp from the top rope to earn the 1-2-3. Grade: B-

SmackDown Women's Championship -- Charlotte Flair def. Becky Lynch (c) via disqualification: The crowd was firmly in Lynch's camp throughout this match, and she certainly started off as the aggressor. Flair got out of an early Dis-Arm-Her attempt and eventually hit a pair of spears on Lynch, neither of which resulted in a fall. Late in the match, Lynch utilized a typical heel tactic and decided to leave the ring, grab her title and walk to the back. However, Flair stopped her and dragged Lynch back into the ring with the title hanging on the apron. Moments later as Flair locked Lynch in the Figure Eight, the champion grabbed her title and whipped it onto Flair for the DQ. Flair attempted to attack Lynch after the match as retribution, but Lynch turned the tables and hit Flair with the Beck-sploder suplex and walked away standing tall. Grade: B

John Cena & Bobby Lashley def. Elias & Kevin Owens via pinfall: You know exactly how this played out. Elias and Owens opened on the microphone in the middle of the ring before Lashley and then a slimmed-down Cena came out. After a short barrage of offense from the heels, Lashley and Cena took over with Cena eventually hitting his Attitude Adjustment and new "sixth move of doom" finisher -- a backfist to the head -- for the 1-2-3 on Elias. Grade: D

The IIconics def. Asuka & Naomi via pinfall: The hometown team got a rousing ovation from the fans upon their entrance as it immediately became clear that The IIconics were going over. Once they were able to remove Asuka from the ring and put her down outside, Peyton Royce hit a big boot on Naomi, who was elevated by Billie Kaye, for the victory. Grade: D+

WWE Championship -- AJ Styles (c) def. Samoa Joe via submission to retain the title (No Disqualification, No Countout): This one was a barn-burner. Styles and Joe attacked each other on the entrance way and began brawling outside the ring before the match eventually began. There was a perfect combination of in-ring wrestling and brutality throughout. Joe was the first to introduce a weapon by taking Styles down with a uranage through a steel chair, but Styles recovered and slammed Joe backwards through a table the challenger had setup in the ring. It was at this point that Joe began selling an injured knee, which Styles attacked for the remainder of the match. Two efforts to submit Styles via the Coquina Clutch were unsuccessful by Joe, who also attempted his long-lost Muscle Buster only to see his knee give out. The two then flashed back to Hell in a Cell with the same Coquina Clutch pinning combination, but Joe kicked out. Styles immediately locked in the Calf Crusher, and just as Joe was reaching for the rope, his injured leg gave out so he tapped. This is everything we wanted in a match between these two, and while there was certainly room left for it to go to another level entirely, it's difficult to complain about it considering the quality of wrestling and the story told throughout. Grade: A

Ronda Rousey & The Bella Twins def. The Riott Squad via submission: Rousey received a grand entrance in the same city where her UFC undefeated streak came to an end. After the Bellas stood aside and allowed the focus to be on Rousey, the champion and Nikki Bella argued about who should start the match. As a nod to fans, Liv Morgan booted Brie Bella right in the face when they were in the ring together. The Riott Squad spent most of the match keeping the Bellas away from tagging Rousey, who eventually got the hot tag and cleaned house with arm drags, hip throws, sweeps, strikes and suplexes. Rousey had Sarah Logan isolated for the armbar, but Morgan broke it up; as they attempted to double team her, Rousey grabbed their arms, flipped both women over and locked them in a double cross armbar for the submission. The match was well put together all things considering, and the finish was certainly fun. Lots of credit here for a match that over-delivered. Grade: B-

Cruiserweight Championship -- Buddy Murphy def. Cedric Alexander (c) via pinfall to win the title: Though some wrestlers did not have their hometown announced (such as The IIconics earlier), WWE made it clear that Murphy was a Melbourne product on his way to the ring. He received a solid reaction on his way into the ring carrying the Australian flag but still played the heel disrespecting Alexander with a fake handshake to start the match. The pace was hot from the start with Murphy hitting a number of high-flying moves but only able to get a two count. Alexander stunned the crowd with a Michinoku Driver from the top rope and a step-through Flatliner through the ropes, but he was unable to capitalize with a fall. A sit-down powerbomb from Murphy gave him a 2.8, so Alexander quickly answered back with a standing Spanish Fly and his Lumbar Check but was shocked when Murphy kicked out at 2.9. Murphy responded by catching a flying Alexander with a knee and hitting his Murphy's Law finisher for the 1-2-3 to become the first Australian to hold a singles title in WWE history. Grade: A

The Shield def. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre via pinfall: The Shield entered through the crowd wearing Bane-like masks and dominated the early portion of the match; however, as they attempted to drive Strowman through the announce table with their signature triple powerbomb, the opponents thwarted the move and took advantage, isolating Rollins for a large portion of the match. After his teammates took out the rest of the Shield, Strowman actually climbed to the top rope and attempted a splash on a prone Rollins, only to miss as expected. This provided an opening for Rollins to tag Ambrose, who cleaned house a bit but got taken out by McIntyre. Reigns eventually got the hot tag and attempted to hit the Superman Punch on McIntyre, but he moved and Reigns nailed Ambrose with it instead, knocking his Shield teammate off the ring apron. Reigns then dodged a running Strowman, who dove through the turnbuckles and hit the Superman Punch on McIntyre only for him to roll out of the ring. With Reigns and Rollins in the ring, suddenly all four sides were surrounded by their competitors and Ambrose. It looked like Ambrose might attack Reigns and Rollins, but he instead charged Strowman. With McIntyre the legal man and everyone else down outside, the Shield prepared to hit the triple powerbomb only for Strowman to spear the four men and knock everyone down.

Strowman then shoulder tackled Reigns and Rollins outside the ring and called for Ambrose outside after Ambrose kicked out of Ziggler's Zig-Zag. But as Strowman charged Ambrose to take him down, Reigns appeared from out of nowhere to spear Strowman through the ringside barrier and into the crowd. Ziggler and McIntyre then dragged Ambrose into the ring for their finisher, but Rollins superkicked McIntyre outside the ring and Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds on Ziggler for the 1-2-3. The match left a lot to be desired and dragged at times, but the finish was electric and well-booked with Ambrose getting the big moment. Grade: B-

Daniel Bryan def. The Miz via pinfall to become the No. 1 contender for the WWE championship: Miz attempted to cut a promo to open the match, but Bryan's music interrupted him before he could speak. Shortly after the match started, Miz attempted to beat Bryan with his own running knee but was unsuccessful. Miz then tried his Skull-Crushing Finale, but Bryan reversed it into an inside cradle for the 1-2-3. It looked like Miz's left shoulder was up at the end, and the crowd was absolutely shocked that the bout ended in 2:25. There was hardly a reaction to Bryan winning as Miz lambasted the referee after the fact. That said, it is decent booking to have Bryan's only win over Miz thus far be in this fashion, as it keeps Miz angry and creates a need for him to interfere in the forthcoming title match, keeping the feud going. Grade: D+

Triple H (w/ Shawn Michaels) def. The Undertaker (w/ Kane) via pinfall: The match began a surprise announcement that it would be contested under no-disqualification rules. Triple H and Taker felt each other out and proved how familiar they were with one another's move set at the start. Taker attempted to go for Old School only for Triple H to break it up and attempt it himself before Taker eventually hit it. Michaels got involved early while the competitors were outside the ring, running Taker into the ring post and helping Triple H set a table up. Kane tried to stop it but was inexplicably moved away by the referee. The combatants then moved into the crowd with Triple H taking a number of big bumps. Michaels served as both a friend and coach throughout the match, often whispering into Triple H's ear when given the opportunity. Taker later responded to the earlier interference by striking Michaels to push him away from the action. As Taker set up Triple H on the table, Michaels tried to interfere on the ring apron only to be booted off by Taker. Triple H used a steel chair to stop Taker from diving outside of the ring, but as he went to strike again, Kane dragged him out of the squared circle. Michaels then hit Sweet Chin Music on Kane, laying him atop the table before Triple H dove off the ring apron with an elbow drop to knock Kane out.

When Triple H reentered the ring with the chair, Taker caught him with a chokeslam and then the Tombstone Piledriver, but Triple H kicked out at 2.9. At this point, Taker knocked out referee Mike Chioda -- presumably for his count -- picked up a steel chair and hit Triple H with it multiple times as he demanded Michaels watch. Taker then placed Triple H's head inside the chair, so Michaels jumped to the ring apron and pleaded with him for mercy. Once Taker turned his back, Michaels attempted to get involved but Taker smacked him. Triple H responded with a spinebuster and soon after a Pedigree. With a new referee in the ring, Triple H also got a 2.9 count, which the crowd fully expected as it did not react. Triple H then wrapped the same chair around Taker's neck and hit a stomp from the top rope, but just as he was about to get a three count, Kane pulled the referee out of the ring. Michaels retrieved Triple H's sledgehammer as Kane pushed a chair into Taker's hand, and the two sat in opposite corners staring at each other. Triple H drilled Taker with a sledgehammer into the chair into his head and covered his opponent, but no referee was available to count. Taker then submitted Triple H in Hell's Gate, but Triple H -- sledgehammer in hand -- began choking Taker with it until the two fell over exhausted. Chaos ensued from there with all four men getting involved. Michaels hit Taker with Sweet Chin Music, Triple H hit him with a sledgehammer, Michaels hit Sweet Chin Music again and Triple H hit the Pedigree for the 1-2-3 to win.

Triple H and Michaels hugged and celebrated when the match ended as Taker sat stunned and seemingly disappointed that Triple H needed Michael's help, though it was tough to understand the meaning of the expression. Triple H then walked over to Taker, put their heads together and lifted him up to hug him in the middle of the ring with Michaels and Kane surrounding the two. The four men then stood tall, shook hands and raised each other's arms as fireworks went off in the distance and the crowd cheered wildly. As the four men continued hugging and celebrating with it looking like the show was going off the air, Taker and Kane "turned" on the Kliq, taking both out with Tombstone Piledrivers and chokeslams, the last of which resulted in HBK being driven through the announce table. Grade: B+