Welcome to Summerslam for August 19 2018. For all WWE pay-per-views, I will go over every match, share the highlights and quotes, and look ahead to the next show.
Rusev & Lana vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega (Vega and Almas wins by pinfall)
The story of this match was light on Rusev and Cien Almas, and more focused on Lana and Zelina Vega. Lana put forth one of her best outings. Her timing and moves were great. Vega might have gotten the pin fall, but the use of the ropes to do it showed that Lana is a threat. A good start with some moments and the crowd was solidly behind Rusev and Lana
Highlights: Rusev and Lana both do the crush gesture in tandium
Vega runs right into a kick from Lana
Lana holds Vega up before powerslamming her
Grade 8 out of 10
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak ( Alexander wins by pin fall)
This match shows why you should be watching 205 Live every week. Cedric Alexander and Drew Gulak put on a match with some incredible moves, storytelling and about fifty near falls. Gulak is so much better once he lost that politician gimmick and focused on his power. Alexander is still just the best cruiser weight out there. No one else comes close.
Highlights: Gulak hits a neck breaker on his knee and Alexander sells it like his neck is broken
Gulack uses his submission move on the ropes
Alexander moves are on another level.
The last few seconds is just about pin fall attempts and reversals.
Grade 9 out of 10
Raw Tag Team Champions The B-Team vs. The Revival (The B-Team win by pinfall)
Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel are living the dream right now. Their team is fully supported by the WWE Universe and their Cinderella run continues. The Revival need to find a way to break the magic charm the champions have. The match was a throwback when one member of a team has to fight because their partner has been taken out. Not a classic, but a fun one
Highlights: Axel gets hit by the Shatter Machine early and is taken out for most of the match
The ending when Dawson has Axel pinned, but Dallas trips over them and reverses it was pure gold.
Grade: 8 out of 10
Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins (Rollins wins by pinfall to become Intercontinental Championship)
This was a perfect start to Summerslam. Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins simply tore down the building and never looked back. This was their best match in their feud and Drew McIntyre and Dean Ambrose added without taking the focus off them. Ambrose did not betray Rollins, possibly meaning an alliance for the near future. We will see if Ziggler asks for his rematch tomorrow or at the next Pay-Per-View.
Highlights: Ziggler hits a spike DDT on the ring apron.
Rollins is launched over the ropes
Rollins hits an inverted superplex into a Falcon’s arrow.
A move dumps Rollins and Ziggler over the ropes.
THE WHOLE DAMM MATCH
Grade 10 out of 10
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The New Day (New Day wins by DQ)
The New Day and The Bludgeon Brothers had to follow up that excellent Intercontintal Championship match. These five men were up yo the task as they put on a clinic. The Bluedgon Brothers looked mortal for the first time, and the New Day brought out that seriousness that appears in big matches. The ending hurt the match, but just a bit.
Highlights: The Bludgeon Brothers move like men half their size.
Big E throws the Bluedgoeons around like sacks of flour.
Xavier Woods hits a diving elbow on the floor.
Woods and Big E hit a back breaker on the outside.
Those hammers have some weight to them
Grade: 9 out of 10
Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens (Winner gets the Money in the Bank Briefcase) (Strowman wins by pinfall)
Sweet sandwich cracker! Kevin Owens got one offensive move in and the rest, what was of it, was all Stowman. He beat Owens from all sides of the ring. Strowman looked like the Monster he is supposed to be. This squash match might be setting up Strowman to cash in later tonight. Owens needs to find a new game plan and quick.
Highlights: Owens is hit by a shoulder tackle so hard he almost ends up in the front row
Powerbombed on the ramp, Owens bounched
Grade 7 out of 10
SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (Triple Threat Match)( Charolotte wins by pin fall to become the new Smackdown Women’s Champion)
There are two things to love about this match. The first was the match itself was awesome. Becky Lynch and Charlotte are used to putting on matches of this caliber, but Carmella was right there with them. She actually looked like a champion. The second was the aftermath. Lynch went crazy, tossing the new champion around. This might be a heel turn, but the crowd was loving it.
Highlights: Carmella uses the old “hit the person and then make believe it was the third person” trick
Carmella dives through the ring apron onto Lynch
Charlotte hits the moonsault.
Lynch hits an ura-nage
Grade: 10 out of 10
WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (DQ)
This was a brutal match. I don’t know if it comes from just these two fighting each other for so long or they were given permission to turn things up a few notches. Every strike that Samoa Joe and AJ Styles landed echoed through the arena. This was not the final battle, but the beginning of a brutal and personal rivalry. Even the DQ ending didn’t effect the score. It was perfect
Highlights: Joe hits the quickest snap suplex I have ever seen.
Joe slaps Styles across the ring
Styles hits the Styles Clash
Styles tackles Joe through the ring barrier
THE WHOLE DAMN MATCH!
Grade: 10 out of 10
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (Miz wins by pin fall)
The Miz and Daniel Bryan told a fantastic story through this match. Both used each others moves and trash talked each other. The Miz got the worst of it, his body a map of bruises. With this win, this story is far from over. Bryan must now start to wonder if his comeback is a bust, while The Miz knows he was not the better wrestler.
Highlights: The Miz does a crucfix on Bryan.
Bryan hits Miz in the face as promised
Bryan leans into the IT kicks from Miz
The Miz gets brass knuckles from his wife Maryse at ringside.
THE WHOLE DAMN MATCH!
Grade 10 out of 10
Finn Bálor vs. Constable Baron Corbin (Balor wins by pinfall)
Baron Corbin might have had a chance against Finn Balor. The problem was that it was not Balor, but the Demon who slithered to the ring. Corbin looked terrified, refusing to get into the ring. This shows how a transformation such as this can be sold. The Demon moved faster and more aggressive. It was a squash match, but unlike Owens,Corbin did not get one offensive move in.
Highlights: The Demon hits a coup de grace on a standing Corbin
Grade: 8 out of 10
United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jeff Hardy ( Nakamura wins by pin fall)
This was sort of a strange match that didn’t pick up gear until the end. Jeff Hardy looked more like a legitimate threat to Shinsuke Nakamura. Near the end, a series of moves would play out that would doom Hardy. Hardy would try for his signature move, but would come up empty. Nakamura would capitalize and win the match. Randy Orton appeared but did not attack Hardy
Highlights: Hardy mocks Nakamura’s gestures
Hardy tries for Swanton Bomb and hits the ring apron hard.
Grade 7 out of 10
Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey (Rousey wins by submission)
Ronda Rousey finally looked like the monster she is. There were no smiles as she headed to the ring. Once the match started, Alexia Bliss had no where to run. With this win, Rousey has become the Raw Women’s Champion at the best possible time. There is a ton of talent and that great rivalry is just waiting.
Highlights: Natalya comes out before the match in her dad’s jacket.
Rousey sits down in the middle of the ring.
Every move Rousey hits looks like it hurts
Rousey pulls on Bliss’s double jointed elbow. It looked painful
Grade 9 out 10
Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (Reigns wins by pinfall to become the Universal Champion)
This match did not over stay it’s welcome. Before the it started, Braun Strowman came out and said who ever won he would challenge with the MITB contract. Things picked up in a hurry, and Strowman was attacked by Brock Lesnar. This gave Roman Reigns the opportunity and the title is back on someone who will defend it more constantly
Highlights: Reigns hits four superman punches.
Lesnar picks up Strowman into a F-5 on the floor
The crowd cheered when Reigns won.
Grade: 10 out of 10
Final Thoughts: Probably one of the best Summerslams. A lot of story to come in the next few weeks. Just a fantastic show.
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