How did this years Summerslam event hold up after weeks of genuine anticipation?
Pre-Show Match - Rob Van Dam def. Dean Ambrose via DQ
I'm really getting annoyed at wrestling crowds, nothing against this match but the fact fans these days are fickle enough to chant "This is Wrestling" and "This is Awesome" for no apparent reason is depressing. An absolutely bizarre point of this match is halfway through it cuts away from a live stream to a WWE 2K14 like a regular televised match which comes off as especially phony on the prelude to a Pay-Per-View show. The match is fun especially for a freebie but is riddled with interference from The Shield, Mark Henry and Big Show, there was definitely enough action to want to see these guys wrestle again.
Ring of Fire Match - Bray Wyatt def. Kane via Pinfall - 1/10
This was a terrible idea in every sense imaginable. First off this didn't even conceptually make sense because if the point was to have a match to get rid of outside interference then there's something called a CAGE. Which might have actually worked because the Wyatt family got in anyway by utilising the innovative idea of getting over fire by throwing a big cloth over it. Other than that, the idea was basically to let Bray Wyatt wrestle his debut in an environment surrounded by fire burning up the oxygen in the ring and exhausting the performers almost instantly. Also the cheesy Summerslam Miz hosting stuff and national anthem being followed by this was a horrible change of tone to kick off the show. Bad match, bad idea, bad opening and it was bloody stupid, so no more fire matches ever again please WWE.
Cody Rhodes def. Damien Sandow via Pinfall - 5/10
Surprisingly short and very forgettable match, considering the time the match above took up these guys could have had more time. They did their job though in terms of clearing the air and getting the show back on track so credit them for that. Rhodes gets a pretty definitive win here so creative might have plans to move him up the roster in the near future.
World Heavyweight Championship - Alberto Del Rio def. Christian via Submission - 8/10
A fantastic match to fill out the middle of this show, quite possibly one of Del Rios best matches in the WWE. The main issue with World Title matches is that title hasn't been relevant for at least two years (I personally would argue more) and certainly can't be considered a World Championship any more. WWE openly acknowledge this now by regularly dumping it in midcard segments on television and the first hour of Pay-Per-Views. Regardless, Christian and Del Rio put on a very good and surprisingly physical match with visual wounds on both which made for great in-ring action.
Natalya def. Nikki Bella via Submission - 10/10
I went to the bathroom so I don't know what happened. I have no doubts it was the best segment on the show though so I better give it a 10 just to be safe. DON'T FORGET TO TUNE IN TOTAL DIVAS ON E! BY THE WAY.
No Disqualification Match - Brock Lesnar def. CM Punk - 9.5/10
You could put Brock Lesnar in there with a sack of potatoes and it would still be entertaining just due to the guys amazing athletic ability, so when you put him in there with Punk you know you're going to get something special. Great physical match, with the last 10 minutes being a breathtaking set of false climaxes (and I don't just mean kicking out of finishers) with the energy levels of both performers and live crowd being high. The match takes a minor dent in the rating for the frankly distracting amount of delayed top rope manoeuvres. That's a nitpick though, don't read too much into, awesome match.
Mixed Tag Match - Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn def. Big E Langston and AJ - 5/10
Shout outs to Big E Langston, he's obviously a bit green but it's nice to see a big muscle guy in the WWE who can actually move around and do stuff. A basic television match to space out the main events, there's not much else to say about it. I think I would have preferred to actually see Dolph and Big E gets a single match to themselves on this show.
WWE Championship Match - Daniel Bryan def. John Cena - 10/10
This match was INCREDIBLE. Anyone who says Cena can't work needs to watch this over and over again, everything about this match was paced and performed like it was Bryans night. Cena very subtly worked a heel style match to keep the crowd on Bryan's side for the entire night, other than a tiny spatter at the end there were no Cena chants, which is unbelievable. Amazing match, an amazing moment in WWE history, until...
WWE Championship Match - Randy Orton def. Daniel Bryan
Triple H Pedigrees Daniel Bryan after Orton comes out, Orton holds off for a while but when the work is done Orton cashes and gets a quick pin. After all the work the main event did into making Bryans WWE title win a truly amazing win, this was a perfect heel turn for Orton and HHH. The individual components of this weren't unpredictable, but the scenario as a whole was very clever and expertly done.
EVENT RATING - 9/10
The six guys in the three top matches delivered for an overall amazing show. The incredibly poor start and needless faffing around on other parts of the night harmed the flow of the show in places. Ultimately, the two exciting matches delivered and a genuinely well done and surprising heel turn capped off the show in an exciting twist. The WWE now has a new top face and a top heel, everything has changed and the future looks bright. Great show.
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