Summerslam 2018 Review

The biggest party of the summer has been and gone and followed an impressive Takeover with an entertaining main roster showing in Brooklyn. Titles changed, heel turns, cash ins and quite a few roll ups… here’s the rundown on the evening.

• Not going to go into too much detail about the pre-show but I will say that they built the matches well and I thought JBL was very good in his new slightly analytical role. I’m not a fan of the in-match promos they do whilst the pre-show matches are on… especially in pre-show title matches.

Andrade Cien Almas/Zelina Vega beat Rusev/Lana in a Mixed Tag Team Match **

Cedric Alexander beat Drew Gulak to retain the Cruiserweight Championship **3/4

B Team beat The Revival to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships **

• All three matches served their purpose here but there was nothing to write home about.. three roll up finishes. The finishing sequence in the Cruiserweight Match was very well done and B Team with a flukey roll up win was also fun. However, it won’t be long till Alexander/B Team drop their titles. I imagine to Lio Rush and AOP.

 

THE MAIN SHOW

Seth Rollins (w/Dean Ambrose) beat Dolph Ziggler (w/Drew McInytre) to win the Intercontinental Championship – Rating: ***3/4

• The crowd were solidly behind Rollins/Ambrose here but this one started abit too slow for my liking, alot of chinlocks and rest holds which seemed to go on for an eternity. However, this did allow for Ambrose and McInytre’s story to develop on the outside.
• The pace quickened as Seth Rollins hit an incredible top rope inverted DDT which rolled into an inverted sidewalk slam.. I can’t even call the move it was that good.
• Other good spots included Ziggler spiking Rollins with a DDT on the apron.
• (Hardest part of the ring ya know?
• A great end sequence saw some hot nearfalls followed with Ambrose hitting Dirty Deeds on McInytre and then Rollins with a superkick/stomp combo for the surprise win. I say surprise as I bought into an Ambrose heel turn here which didn’t surface. An overall very good start to the show.

 

New Day beat Bludgeon Brothers by DQ in a Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match Rating: ***

• This was one of a few pleasant surprises over the course of the evening which had great fast-paced in ring work throughout and was a good… sort of culmination (they’ll be a re-match.. *which is actually tonight if I get my arse in gear and finish this*.)
• The SD tag division has so much depth and the in-ring work is always sound, its the character development that sometimes lacks. The Bludgeon Brothers resorting to disqualifying themselves to keep their titles is good for the narrative here.
• BB looked strong and effective throughout but the New Day looked great here with Big E hitting successive Belly to Belly suplexes on Harper and Rowan on the outside and Woods with a fantastic top rope elbow drop to the floor. All round good stuff here.

 

 

Braun Strowman beat Kevin Owens to keep his MITB Briefcase – Rating: *

• All the theories of Owens somehow winning and cashing in on Reigns went well huh? With what happened in the main event, I see why they did this here but I do feel sorry for Owens whose been thrown off ladders, stages, cages and chokeslammed on the steel outside the ring here all to be beaten in a couple of minutes at Summerslam. Maybe a feud with Balor? Keep him away from monsters.

 

Charlotte beat Carmella and Becky Lynch for the Smackdown Women’s Championship Rating: ***

• The three stars here are probably about 2 for the match and one for the post match angle which everyone is talking about. The ladies worked hard here but could probably do better as some spots seemed off such as Charlotte’s Spiral Tap missing Lynch completely and a couple of close shaves with breaking up pins.
• However, the story told of Carmella subtly getting Lynch and Flair to turn on another was fun and in fact, Carmella in-ring was great here with a fantastic dive through the ropes late in the match.
• Lynch having Carmella in the armbar but Charlotte then sneakily hitting Natural Selection to get the pin was perfect and set up the post match turn by Lynch.
• Lynch showed fantastic fire in a brutal post match assault which saw the crowd behind her throughout. Now she’s a heel I don’t know what WWE can do and she’ll be the fan favourite in the program I think.

 

 

Samoa Joe beat AJ Styles by DQ in a WWE Championship Match – Rating: ****1/4

• Match of the night right here and I’d say the only real match from the main roster that could be classed as a contender for match of the weekend. I loved this. Joe getting on the mic and saying that Daddy’s coming home before the match even started was brilliant. 
• Imagine AJ having to be held back in a backstage segment but then starting the match with a lock up. That bugs me. (My only complaint..)
• Joe was a beast here. His snap scoop slam, suicide dive and enziguri to Styles whilst AJ was stuck on the top rope were all fantastic. Styles also looked great somehow mustering a Styles Clash for a hot near fall.
• There was a good submission sequence where Joe broke out the calf crusher by smashing AJ’s head relentlessly into the mat which saw Joe respond with his Coquina Clutch.
• It was all about the finish here which was executed to perfection, something that was a reoccurring theme throughout the night. Joe got on the mic and told AJ’s family that he’d be their ‘new daddy’ – Styles snapped and both went through one of the guard rails before AJ went to town on Joe with a steel chair for the DQ. The story here is not finished and is perfectly set up for Hell in a Cell and maybe a new side of Styles we haven’t seen in a while. I cannot wait.

 

The Miz beat Daniel Bryan – Rating: ****

• I’m bumping this match up to four stars as I loved this from bell to bell. Some people seem underwhelmed but I thought the story of Miz doing Bryan’s moveset, only for DB to show him how it’s really done was great. Besides, this story isn’t over. Wrestlemania beckons.
• There were some good spots here aswell with the surfboard stretch and Yes/It kicks done by both. I particularly liked Bryan no-selling Miz’s kicks and laying him out with a kick to the face of his own.
• The finish was expertly built to after Miz’s work on Bryan’s knee and Bryan really failing to put Miz away. Miz snuck to ringside and got some brass knuckles from Maryse and layed him out with a punch to the face for the dirty pin. A great ending but this is just the beginning to the feud here, also Maryse is definitely going to have some sort of feud with Brie Bella down the line.

 

Finn Balor beat Constable Corbin – Rating:  *1/2

• Another pleasant surprise here with Balor bringing out his demon persona to easily beat Corbin in an absolute squash. This was exactly what it needed to be and also kept the show fresh and allowed the second half of the show to be paced well and not drag. Big thumps up here from me.  

 

Shinsuke Nakamura beat Jeff Hardy to retain the US Championship – Rating: **1/4

• Back to back PPV wins for Nakamura against a banged up Jeff Hardy, these two actually got abit of time here but the match didn’t really get out of second gear.
• I enjoyed the two mimicking each other’s taunts and poses as the match started and also enjoyed Nakamura attempting a cheap DQ loss by going for a low blow. He’s really flourishing as a heel.
• Hardy went for a Swanton off the top rope onto Nakamura on the ring apron but Shinsuke moved and Jeff hit hard, Nakamura followed up with the Kinshasa for the clean win. It was a crazy spot. Orton came out for what I thought would be a brutal attack to write Hardy off TV but these two are actually having a match on SD live to that could be it?

 

Above: SD live’s new(ish) heels..

 

Ronda Rousey beat Alexa Bliss to win the Raw Women’s Championship – Rating: ***

• Realistically, this was perfect. Ronda Rousey is a legit badass so she shouldn’t be selling for Bliss who is the caniving heel. 
• Rousey was impressive here, her judo throws looked great and her work on the arm of Bliss looked excruciating. I also enjoyed her sitting down and closing her eyes goading Bliss to come in.. that was great. I saw people complain of her calling spots loudly… this is her 4th match. Get over it. She’s a star.
• It was also great to see Natalya after the tough time she’s had.. I originally thought Nattie would cost Rousey but maybe those plans were shelved. It seems they’ll go for Nikki Bella v Rousey I think.

 

Roman Reigns beat Brock Lesnar to win the Universal Championship – Rating: ***

• This was the best decision of the night and also the most clever. Braun comes out before the bell tolls and announces he’ll be watching from ringside, immediately getting fans invested in the match. They keep the match short and only had one pinfall attempt which was the decisive spear, learning from past mistakes such as the obscene F5 kickouts at Mania.
• Reigns went for a spear and crashed into Braun, Lesnar then F5’ed Strowman to take him out the equation and cost him his cash-in chance.. along with launching the briefcase.
• Reigns got the win after hitting the spear to a BIG pop and became the champion. Something that he thoroughly deserves and it’s great to have a full time champion. Lesnar now goes to UFC and Roman will probably feud with.. well actually I don’t know, but it does mean a title defense on every PPV. THANK GOD.

 

A very good Summerslam, best I’ve seen since 2013. Two ****+ matches along with a hot opener, a Lynch heel turn, logical booking decisions and a half decent main event. When WWE pull it out the bag, it makes for the most entertaining TV you’ll see. Thumps Up.