WWE SummerSlam Recap and Spoilers
It took 13 matches and six hours, but SummerSlam has finally ended. While we may have permanently [...]
Matches of Little Consequence
Big Cass vs. Big Show with Enzo Amore in a Shark Cage
If you've always wanted to see Enzo Amore oil himself in a rapid manner, then this match was you. If you say no to an Enzo fetish, this match did not offer much.
What... is @real1 trying to do? #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/vKCllKR7Kv
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 20, 2017
Big Cass gets a big win over Big Show. The end.
Winner: Big Cass
Randy Orton vs. Rusev
WWE stuck this right after the Big Cass/Big Show match and man, it was brief.
After jumping Orton before the bell, Rusev took an early advantage. Once Orton got some separation, the bell rang. In the next instant, Orton hit an RKO. 1.2.3.
Hey at least they got their pay-per-view bonuses.
Winner: Randy Orton
prevnextMatches That Kind of Mattered
John Cena vs. Baron Corbin
This match's motif was surprise. No, The Undertaker didn't get involved, and nor did John Cena turn heel. But John Cena was SummerSlam's curtain jerker.
When Cena's music hit, the crowd hit an octave that only surprise can supply. It was weird to see the 16-time champion open such a big PPV, even further, his match with Corbin felt more like a house show tune-up than SummerSlam.
Cena would beat Corbin with zero to little drama — creating yet another eyebrow raising moment. Just a week ago, Corbin was one of WWE's hottest youn acts. But in less than a week, Corbin finds himself relived of his MITB duties and losing all too easily to John Cena.
Perhaps hard times are on the loom for the Lone Wolf.
Winner: John Cena
SmackDown Women's Championship: Natalya vs. Naomi (c)
Unfortunately, WWE gave us little reason to care about this. The match itself was fine, but there was little at stake. That's no slight against the SmackDown Women's Championship, but to the creative team of WWE. They just sent two women out to have a wrestling match with no story or consequences established. An arbitrary match got an arbitrary reaction.
In the end, Natalya won, which could have been a nice culmination to a story that wasn't written. Instead the narrative belongs to change — as this is the was the third title change in the first two hours of SummerSlam.
Winner: Natalya
Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Balor (The Demon)
Finn Balor is 2-0 as The Demon in WWE. Bray Wyatt is 23-476 as Bray Wyatt in WWE.
You may want to fact check that last statistic, but it certainly feels accurate. Balor had the Brooklyn crowd feeling giddy from the get go and his big SummerSlam win came as no surprise.
Exit #TheDemon...VICTORIOUS! #SummerSlam @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/Fq6DS5yctz
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 21, 2017
This match's result as never in question, but what's next for Bray and Finn is of pressing matter.
Winner: Finn Balor
prevnextMatches That Could Have Been Better But Served Their Purpose
RAW Women's Championship: Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss (c)
Sasha Banks is your new RAW Women's Champion. Just a few hours in and we can safely say 2017 SummerSlam will be remembered for the abundance of title changes.
#TheBoss has DONE IT! @SashaBanksWWE makes @AlexaBliss_WWE tap out to the #BankStatement to become the NEW #RAW #WomensChampion! #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/ZAj7bantcT
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2017
This match could have been so much more. It was still fun, but with the venom these gals have for one another, they deserved the opportunity to put on a classic. Perhaps this card was just too big.
Let's hope there's more installments to this feud.
Winner: Sasha Banks
prevnextMatches We'll Remember
RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro and Sheamus (c)
We finally got our crystallizing moment with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. While they made their pact on RAW, no fan was truly confident that their reunion was here to stay.
Becoming Tag Team Champions at SummerSlam should ease that anxiety.
WHAT A SEQUENCE leading to @TheDeanAmbrose & @WWERollins becoming the NEW #RAW #TagTeamChampions! #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/CjHhE68iAW
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2017
Yet ANOTHER switch of titles! However this one is not debatable. Rollins and Ambrose should get a long run with the RAW belts.
Winner: Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose
US Championship Match: Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles (c) with Shane McMahon as Guest Referee
This match will be remembered for two things in particular:
1. AJ Styles was the first (but not only) Champion to keep his belt at SummerSlam
2. This is the match that gave us Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon in a Hell in a Cell.
To no one's surprise, Shane McMahon is a bad referee. While he didn't technically cost Owens his was, he certainly proved to be an impediment - one Owen will not forgive.
Not so fast, @FightOwensFight!@shanemcmahon says it's a 2-COUNT! #SummerSlam #USTitle pic.twitter.com/HyOCbYyWIi
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 21, 2017
This match was fun to watch — but that's what guys like Kevin Owens and AJ Styles do; put on good matches.
Winner: AJ Styles
WWE Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jinder Mahal Champion (c)
Tonight, WWE chose Jinder Mahal. Not just as a temporary champion that could penetrate the India market, but as a main eventer. Where he'll be in a year is anyone's guess, but as far as tonight goes, Mahal is right at the top of WWE.
The era of the #ModernDayMaharaja CONTINUES as @JinderMahal leaves #SummerSlam with his #WWEChampionship! pic.twitter.com/ncR9mNjyJT
— WWE SummerSlam (@SummerSlam) August 21, 2017
Although he has beaten a future Hall of Famer in Randy Orton multiple times, few thought he'd get such a signature win at SummerSlam.
Nakamura will be fine, we think. Although, we'll admit to wincing once he took the pin, the Singh Brothers' shenanigans will justify his rematch.
Winner: Jinder Mahal
WWE Universal Championship Match: Braun Strowman vs. Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (c)
Man...
...Man
This match was amazing. Perhaps Brock Lesnar has never been pushed this far in his WWE career. Lesnar was the focal point of the field's collective offense from the get go. But none was more potent that Braun Strowman's.
Strowman was the first person in WWE history to manhandle Brock Lesnar. The beating was so considerable, that Brock actually was sent backstage.
When a MONSTER manhandles a BEAST... your #UniversalChampion @BrockLesnar gets sent straight through the ANNOUNCE TABLE! #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/rIQlGkYfpq
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2017
In Lesnar's absence, Reigns, Joe, and Strowman would do their best to destroy one another. Sure enough, they did.
Lesnar would storm out and go toe-to-toe with Strowman - if the Wrestling Gods are good, they'll give us that match one day.
In the end Lesnar weathered the storm of his career. Amazing stuff.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
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