Welcome to the Summerslam Review for August 20, 2017. For all WWE pay-per-views, I will go go over every match, share the highlights and quotes, and look ahead to the next show.
The Miz & The Miztourage vs Jason Jordan & The Hardy Boyz (Miz wins by pin fall)
What a strange choice to start off the kickoff show. With the Hardy Boys as hot as they are, it was strange to see a mostly empty arena for this match. It was a hard hitting affair, with Jason Jordan looking like a superhero. In the end, Miz getting the pin means that his issue with Jordan and Kurt Angle is not over by a long shot.
Highlights: Jason Jordan picks up Curtis Axel and runs him the entire ring into the post.
Jordan spears both Axel and Dallas at the same time
Grade: 8 out of 10
Cruiserweight Champion Akira Tozawa vs Neville (Neville wins by pin fall to become Cruiserweight Championship)
If you saw Neville and Akira Tozawa’s match from Raw, this was a sequel that was turned up to 11. There is something about a big Pay-Per-View that brings out the best in wrestlers. Neville looked like a man unhinged and the energy seemed to be flowing off of Tozawa. The ending was a repeat of Raw, but Nevillie learned from his mistake. Will we see a final match to end this feud?
Highlights: Tozawa spears Neville hafway up the ramp
Tozawa lands on Nevillie so hard he bounces.
Neville raises his legs into Tozawa’s back as Tozawa hits a Swanton Bomb
Grade 9 out of 10
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day (The Usos wins by pin fall to become Tag Team Champion
Could these five men top one of the greatest matches just last month. The answer was a resounding YES as this was high flying, hard hitting, and a just a flat out a fantastic match. Xavier Woods looked to remind everyone that he is a fantastic wrestler, The Usos looked like monsters, and Big E… just WOW. This was an instant classic that got the crowed hyped to the point of no return.
Highlights: Woods lifts Big E on his shoulders to hit the Uso’s
Jay pop up powerbombs Woods on the floor
Big E dives through the ropes onto Jay
The Uso’s dive from both corners on to Big E
Quotes: “This is Awesome” WWE Universe
Grade 10 out of 10
John Cena vs Baron Corbin (Cena wins by pin fall)
The big question in this match was not if Baron Corbin was going to win, but if the loss of the Money in the Bank suitcase would change him. In this match, Corbin looked more dangerous. No cheating, but just hitting John Cena as hard as he could. Cena did not look like he had the match in control, but rather that he escaped with a victory. Cena was going to win, but Corbin looked good in defeat.
Highlights: Corbin runs in and out of the ring for a clothesline
Corbin tries the clothesline again, and Cena deliverers his own.
Grade 8 out of 10
SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi vs. Natalya (Natalya wins by submission, becomes new SmackDown Women’s Champion)
Natalya and her arrogance was on full display here. She knew she was the better wrestler and nothing was going to stop her. Naomi was the better athlete, but tonight it was simply not enough. This was a great match and both women looked like this title was the most important thing in the world. With Carmella lurking, how long can Natalya hold on to her title?
Highlights: Natalya throws Naomi into the splits
Naomi springboards onto Natalya’s head
Quotes: “You like that Naomi?” Natalya
Grade 9 out of 10
Big Cass vs. Big Show (Cass wins by pin fall)
Like I have said before, I like matches that tell a story. Big Cass went after the injured hand of Big Show the entire match. As Enzo Amore looked down from the shark cage, Cass left no one who believes that he is not a threat in the WWE. With the story line with Enzo done, Cass can look to a possible run at one of the championships on Raw
Highlights: Enzo oils up and escapes the shark cage
Cass steps on a fallen Enzo
Quotes: “I’m Al Capione on this microphone!” Enzo
Grade 8 out of 10
Randy Orton vs. Rusev (Orton wins by pin fall)
This was a quick one. After Rusev attacked Orton before the match even started, Orton threw Rusev into the ring post then hit a very nasty looking RKO for the win. And that was it… Um… I guess there is nothing else to say.
Grade 5 out of 10
Raw Women’s Champion Alexia Bliss vs. Sasha Banks (Banks wins by submission, becomes new Raw Women’s Champion)
If the women’s Smackdown title match was about athleticism, the Raw’s match was about guts. Alexia Bliss was all over Sasha Banks, never letting the challenger get going. At one point, Bliss threw Banks to the outside in a move that looked like how Bailey got injured. From then on, Bliss focused on the shoulder. Banks used this to apply two Bank statements for the win. Can she heal before Nia Jax comes after her friend’s belt?
Highlights: Bliss throws a tantrum in the middle of the ring
Banks runs full force into Bliss with her knees
Banks really cranks back on the second Banks statement
Quotes: “That’s why I am the champ!” Bliss
Grade 9 out of 10
“The Demon” Finn Bálor vs. Bray Wyatt (Bálor wins by pin fall)
Having a wrestler have two different characters at the same time is very hard. It is not enough to simply change appearance, they must act totally different. The Demon King Finn Balor is much different then Finn Balor. He crawls and snarls around the ring. Props to Bray Wyatt as well for acting scared of Balor the entire match. Is this a one time appearance of the Demon King, or the first match in many?
Highlights: The entrance of the Demon King
Wyatt clothesline a running Balor
Wyatt spider walks only to see Balor rise to his feet and snarl back
Grade 10 out of 10
Raw Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins (Ambrose and Rollins wins by pin fall to become Tag Team Champions)
They finally came together. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins looked like a long time tag team as they simply dominated Sheanus and Cesaro. There were small bits of offensive from the champs, but they were in the path of a train. The tag teams matches have been stealing the show. How well will Rollins and Ambrose will work together from here on out is a mystery, but I will focus on them holding the belts as the crowd roared.
Highlights: Cesaro destroys a beach ball in the crowd
Ambrose drops an elbow from the top rope onto Sheamus and Cesaro on the floor
Sheamus and Cesaro do a double crucifix on Ambrose
Rollins hits a hurricanerana on Cesaro on the top rope.
Quotes: “This is awesome!” WWE Universe
Grade: 10 out of 10
US Champion AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (Shane McMahon as special referee) (Styles wins by pin fall)
A special referee called it right down the middle. AJ Styles and Kevin Owens put on a classic and didn’t have to use any bad calls from Shane McMahon. This was hard hitting, with two wrestlers who know each other well enough to put on a great old school match. I have never seen a match where both men put their hands on a referee. Will Owens be able to let the US title go? Something tells me not
Highlights: Shane gets hit.. a lot
Styles hits a sunset flip powerbomb from the top rope
Owens powerslams Styles from the top rope
Styles hits a styles clash from a pin attempt
Quotes: “That was three!” Owens
Grade 10 out of 10
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Mahal wins by pin fall)
Jinder Mahal is quickly becoming one of those champs who needs to win a match on his own. The crutch of the Singh Brothers makes it seem like he can’t win. He is a bad guy, but he must also be a champion. Shinsuke Nakamura went after him quickly, but could not match Mahal’s power. This win was the biggest surprise of the night so far.
Highlights: Mahal mocks Nakamura’s “come on” gesture
Nakamura hits Mahal with five violent kicks
Grade 8 out of 10
WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (Lesnar wins by pin fall)
The greatest match of this or any other Summerslam. This was chaos, great wrestling, and the birth of a mega star in Braun Strowman. The crowd was screaming the entire time. You need to see this match. Every man looked incredible. Match of the Year. With Lesnar retaining, who will be next to challenge the Beats for the Universal title?
Highlights: Reigns spears Lesnar through the baracade
Strowman power bombs Lesnar through two tables
Joe dives through the rope onto Reigns
Strowman up ends a table onto Lesnar
THE WHOLE DAMN MATCH
Quotes: “There’s over 1000 pounds in the ring” Michael Cole
“This is awesome” WWE Universe
Grade 10 out of 10
Final Thoughts: Best Pay Per View of the year. The electricity that started the show never left. Title changes paired with some damn great wrestling. This was a pay per view longer then almost everything and every moment was great. It was one of those few events that I want to watch again. Get the network and check it out.
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