This is a very special Summerslam and I can’t wait to re-watch this, especially the two main event matches. This very much has an early Summerslam feel to it with two main events that certainly deliver. This Summerslam launches two superstars into another stratosphere with one breaking the streak at the next Wrestlemania and one overcoming all the odds and winning the title. We have a guest host for this Summerslam and it’s the Miz. While this is a role he can succeed in, it never really works unless it’s done with a nostalgic hall of famer. AWESOME! Has just played over the loud speakers so let’s see how this Summerslam shakes out.
We kickoff this show with the Miz out to welcome everyone to the show. The crowd isn’t really feeling it. We then have Miz interrupted by Fandango and the crowd goes wild for the Fandango dance. Miz goes into his “Really” gimmick. We then get a pretty cool introduction that puts over Los Angeles. This show is really build on two matches “The Beard” vs. “The Champ” and “The Beast” vs. “The Best”.
Kane vs. Bray Wyatt (Ring of Fire Match): I really miss Kane’s “ruthless aggression” theme. I don’t know why but that’s always been my favorite Kane theme song. Man this entrance is pre “fire flies” for Bray Wyatt and with the entire arena dark it’s pretty eerie. You know I don’t think anyone ever compares Wyatt to Mankind but the physique and attire makes me think of Mankind here. We have Rowan and Harper around the ring who looks like cavemen who just saw fire for the first time. The issue I think with this match is the fact you are limited in your moveset. Kane has the upper hand to begin this match and every time we see a big slam the flames shoot up in the air. Personally this Wyatt is way more fascinating than the current gimmick. More of a “cult leader” and less of a “God”. This match has LOTS of strikes and basic slams. Harper gets a kendo stick and tries to set it on fire and give it to Wyatt however is afraid of fire. Rowan gets a fire extinguisher and tries to put out one side of the fire. Kane hits multiple choke slams and the crowd is cheering Kane here. Harper and Rowan find a way to cover the fire and they come into the ring and get booed in the process. Wyatt hits Sister Abigail for the win. After the match the Wyatt family set Kane on the stairs and slam another set onto his head. They carry Kane away to the back with the lights out and Wyatt holding his lantern.
Damien Sandow vs. Cody Rhodes: Sandow at this time is of course the Money in the Bank contract holder and in two months he would unsuccessfully cash in in Orlando, Fl. This match opens with a lot of intensity from Cody Rhodes and he begins by beating Sandow with lots of punches. Watching this match makes me think of the Re-Writing the Book I did for Rhodes. He has all the tools to be a super star. Sandow sends Rhodes to the outside and keeps control. Sandow begins working on the body of Rhodes with rest holds before locking in some inverted looking Sharpshooter. Even know it’s not a Sharpshooter it’s still a better looking Sharpshooter than Rock’s. Rhodes gets the upper hand and begins the red hot baby face come back until he misses the disaster kick and Sandow hits a flipping neck breaker for two. The crowd so far in both of these matches has been rather quiet. Rhodes hits the disaster kick and man do I love that move. We get some back and forth reversals and Cody Rhodes hits the Cross Rhodes for the win and a good pop.
Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (World Title Match): This is the “one more match” gimmick Christian was running with. I will say I loved Christians theme here. Man Alberto Del Rio looks like a star with that World Title around his waist. It’s a shame things couldn’t work out long term with him and WWE because man does he look the part, and can also go in the ring. AHHHH I forgot JBL reminding us he’s “Mexico’s Greatest Export’. Christian gets the upper hand early until going up top and getting hit with an elbow. Del Rio is sporting a Hogan like shiner, think it was from a Jet Ski brother? OUCH! Del Rio’s enziguri kicks impress me and the sound he can make doing it pop’s casuals. The crowd is firmly behind Christian in this match and Alberto Del Rio is in full control. Alberto Del Rio would be an awesome addition to the Smackdown Live brand and would love to see him and AJ Styles. We get a botched move and the crowd lets them know by chanting “you fucked up”. Will fans ever not to the ten count spot? I love Christian doing the cross body, I don’t know why but it just looks right. Del Rio turns up the intensity and this another enzigrui in the corner and it sounds absolutely awful. The crowd is fully into this match chanting “this is awesome”. Christian hits the spear but doesn’t go for the cover immediately because of the hurt shoulder. Del Rio grabs his arm from the ground and goes for the cross arm breaker. Christian fights it and gives the crowd hope however Del Rio locks it in and Christian taps out. That was an extremely entertaining match. Knowing how this Summerslam ends I wonder if I’ll be putting this in my top five.
Natalya vs. Brie Bella: Natty is accompanied by the Funkadactyls and she looks like a Soccer Mom who just joined a hip hop workout class. Brie is accompanied by Eva Marie and Nikki Bella. This match is only here to promote total divas on E! By the way the new season should be coming back soon right? We start with some hair pulling between the two and then some chain wrestling. I forgot how much Brie makes screams during the match and they start smacking the hell out of each other. Rough bump that Natalya takes when Eva and Nikki pull the apron from under Nattys feet. Brie then hits an awesome baseball slide and the fans chant “JBL”. We now get a ‘Michael Cole” and then “Jerry Lawler” chant. While this isn’t exactly Charlotte vs. Sasha I don’t hate this match. Natty shows off her strength when she catches Brie on her back and hits an Alabama slam. Natty then locks in an AWESOME Sharpshooter for the win. You can @ me all you want but this match wasn’t as bad as the crowd wanted to make it out to be.
Brock Lesner vs. CM Punk (NO Disqualification Match): We get a really good video package to promote this fight. I can already tell you I hate the fact they put a buffer match between this and the title match. The crowd boos Brock and that’s because they are all supporting CM Punk. We even get some “CM Punk” chants before his music hits. Man WWE really positioned Punk as a main eventer for over two years. I understand why he was frustrated but he’s a mega star here and could have had an awesome career. I wonder what Lesner does before a match because right now he looks like he wants to eat CM Punks face. Lesner uses his power early and throws Punk into the corner. LOUD CM PUNK CHANTS… I MEAN LOUD. Punk tries to throw some strikes but Lesner grabs Punk like a bear and throws him around the ring. Punk throws some knees at Lesner and sends him outside the ring and then goes for a suicide dive. HA! Punk grabs the stairs and Lesner just runs over Punk with the steps. Punk and Lesner brawl outside including a ring post shot and a double axe handle to the outside from Punk. Lesner grabs the upper hand outside now and throws Punk around like a rag doll around the tables. Everything looks like it hurts in this match, the intensity these two men bring to the table is phenomenal. Lesner works on Punk’s back in the ring and the fans are rallying Punk back. Punk gets the upper hand after some knee strikes and calls for the GTS and we get some reversals and Punk hits a high kick. Lesner just countered the GTS into the Kimora and Punk reverses into an arm bar and we get more reversals and the crowd is going BANANAS thinking Lesner will tap. Lesner hits a Power Bomb that looks like it should have broken Punk’s back and crowd is relentless with CM Punk chants. Lesner goes to grab a chair and Punk dives through the chair and Lesner and both men are hurt. We get some action with the chair including a Punk elbow off the top rope with a chair. Punk locks in the anaconda vice and Heyman tries to get involved with a chair and he locks the vice onto Heyman to a big pop. Lesner however takes advantage of the distraction and hits a F5 on the chair for the win. This match may enter my top five of all time that was awesome.
Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs. Big E & AJ Lee: Three ain’t enough man I need five. Big E looks like an absolute monster during his entrance. We start this match with Big E and Ziggler with Big E dominating Ziggler. AJ looks on like a crazy person and slaps Ziggler. AJ and Kaitlyn get tagged in and Kaitlyn throws AJ around. AJ hits an awesome looking spin kick and Ziggler is begging for the hot tag while AJ hits back to back neck breakers. Ziggler gets the hot tag and he and Big E are going back and forth with offense. Kaitlyn breaks up a pin at one point and AJ hits a shining wizard on Kaitlyn. We go back and forth in the ring as Kaitlyn hits a monster spear on AJ on the outside. Ziggler reverses the big ending into the Zig Zag for the win.
John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Title Match w/ HHH as special guest referee): Daniel Bryan is out first in this match and crowd is going WILD! There is two trains of thought here. Either A. WWE planned this whole Bryan storyline out starting here or B. They changed their minds after the revolt of the crowd at Royal Rumble. Cena gets booed HEAVILY before his music even hits much like Money in the Bank vs. CM Punk in Chicago. I wonder if WWE would have ever done a Bryan w/ Brie vs. Cena w/ Nikki match. Loud “You can’t wrestle” chants liter the beginning of the match. We get Cena trying to out wrestle Bryan early in this match and it doesn’t work out for him. We get more mat wrestling between the two and HHH at this point is just a spectator in this match. We end up outside the ring and Cena hits Bryan with a suplex off the steps to the outside and you hear a chant of “you still suck” to Cena. Where they were obviously wowed by the move but couldn’t let him know that. This match is extremely slow paced and it’s a story of Cena trying to out-work the better worker. We get some back and forth and the crowd is mega loud for the Yes! Kicks which of course leads to a shoulder tackle, shoulder tackle, missed punch, slam and five knuckle shuffle attempt. Bryan kicks him in the head and they start countering each other and Cena hits a five knuckle shuffle. Bryan reverses out of the AA and hits a diving drop kick. Some really good wrestling between the two and man does Bryan bring the best out of Cena here. Bryan hits a back suplex off the top rope and hangs onto the ropes and goes right into a diving head butt. We get Cena and Bryan going back and forth and going submission into submission between the two before they start striking each other with punches and kicks. There is no 50/50 with Cena and this crowd they are 100% behind Daniel Bryan here. Bryan goes for a cross body off the top rope and Cena reverses into a AA attempt however Bryan rolls him up for a small package for a two count. Bryan then hits a stiff kick to the head and backs into the corner and starts doing a Yes chant he hits the running knee and this match is OVER. Bryan has won the WWE title and the crowd is beside themselves. HHH smiles at Bryan and we get a full celebration of Bryan. We get a handshake from Cena and Bryan and HHH pats Cena on the back. Confetti starts falling and Orton’s music hits. The crowd immediately pops because he has the briefcase. (They don’t mean that though I’ll prove it in about two minutes). Bryan tells Orton to come on and cash in, Orton starts to walk away when HHH hits a pedigree on Bryan. Orton comes in and cashes in the briefcase and the fans want to be excited to see a cash in but realize that means Bryan won’t be the champion. Want to see a crowd go on a roller coaster of emotions? Watch the end of this Summerslam.
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The Summerslams get better every year starting at 2010. I’m going to have some tough decisions to make once I have to narrow everything down to top five’s. This is an incredibly good Summerslam and you will not regret watching this match. Even the Diva’s match that many probably think is awful isn’t that bad. Honestly the worst match on this card is probably Wyatt vs. Kane and it’s a spectacle and a gimmick that goes with Kane and Wyatt. The match of the night is tough as I thoroughly enjoyed Bryan and Cena however I’m going to go with Lesner and Punk and it may certainly be close to my favorite of all time.