‘WWE SummerSlam 2020’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of WWE SummerSlam 2020, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have My Dinner With Andre…The Giant. Andre The Giant: I crush you, puny monkey man! Smash you! Smash you good! Me: Wo…would you like some br… Andre The Giant: AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Me: Hellllllllp!!!!!!! Also, we have several title matches tonight, as well as… Andre The Giant!
Match #1: Apollo Crews def. MVP – WWE United States Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
MVP and The Hurt Business have made life difficult for Apollo Crews in recent weeks, but Crews put the hurt on MVP on the SummerSlam Kickoff to retain the United States Championship. With Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin banned from ringside, “The CEO of The Hurt Business” found himself in unfamiliar territory without being able to lean on his backup. Though MVP slowed the action to a more methodical pace momentarily, Crews used heightened aggression to counter MVP’s Playmaker attempt into a toss powerbomb for the victory. Lashley and Benjamin hit the ring immediately after the bell, but Crews craftily evaded their grasp, United States Title in tow.
My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – These two made the most of a brief slot on the Kickoff show and had a brisk, bright…baguskie? I don’t know no words. Crews good. MVP good. Match good. Me pregnant. It baby. CANNONBAAAAAAAALL!!!!!!!! If you like Crews as champion, then this match will re-confirm your love of the man.
Match #2: Bayley def. Asuka – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Asuka came up empty-handed in the first leg of her SummerSlam doubleheader, falling to SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley thanks to the other half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. The Empress of Tomorrow dominated much of the bout until Bayley dropped her knee-first on the apron, then continued to isolate her left knee with targeted offense. Bayley even caught Asuka coming off the top rope to lock in a knee bar and inflict further damage. Sasha Banks proved to be the difference-maker, however. Asuka blasted her off the apron with a hip attack meant for Bayley, and the miscue allowed the champion to roll up Asuka for the victory. “The Golden Role Models’” larger strategy became clear following the bell, as Banks hit the ring to pummel Asuka, and they dropped her with a brutal double-team attack, giving Banks the advantage going into her Raw Women’s Title defense later in the night.
My Opinion: 3.7 out of 5 – This was purdy gooooooood!!!!! I could watch these two all day, because the action they put on is tense, tight and hot…to the touch. Everything these guys do together is so smooth and fluid, like Saturday night at the Elmer Fudd grotto (Oh My Gwawd!). I…does this all sound a little too sexy? Here…Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day! There…better. Where was I? Right…Bayley and Asuka blew…my mind. I wanted this match to go a bit longer, but considering Asuka’s double-booking for the card, I get this going a bit short. Still, it came together like it should have and delivered a big prize fight to continue Bayley’s defense streak and that’s just fine by me.
Match #3: The Street Profits def. Andrade & Angel Garza – Raw Tag Team Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Street Profits are still partying with the Raw Tag Team Championship after a costly slip-up by Andrade & Angel Garza. Andrade & Garza looked poised to claim the titles early, making frequent tags as they isolated Montez Ford and wore him down. But Ford backflipped out of Andrade’s back suplex, tagging in Angelo Dawkins for the first time, and Dawkins unleashed a high-energy attack on his foes. Ford accidentally collided with Zelina Vega on the apron, which commanded Andrade’s attention as he checked on her on the outside. Meanwhile, no one was home when Garza looked to make a tag to Andrade, and Dawkins dropped Garza with the Cash Out, teeing up Ford to hit a spectacular rotation frogsplash to retain the titles.
My Opinion: 3.6 out of 5 – This was a very nice prize fight with the champions actually looking formidable, which is new for them. Ford was a real natural out there with the more skilled Andrade/Garza on the other side of the canvas…CANVAS?! This feels like The Art Of War by Bob Ross: First, chop his head off. Second, pour the blood out. Third, y…moving on. I thought this moved quickly and efficiently, with no time wasted and little fat to trim after it was all said and done. Hey, when it’s good, it’s good and this was good, so shove it!
Match #4: Mandy Rose def. Sonya Deville – No Disqualification Loser Leaves WWE Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Mandy Rose sent her ex-best friend packing, defeating Sonya Deville in a brutal No Disqualification Loser Leaves WWE Match. The Golden Goddess was more than ready to match Deville’s trademark viciousness, slamming her into the steel steps and ring post, as well as delivering a suplex on the ramp in the early going. The Pride Fighter struck with a huge pump kick, then used a steel chair as her equalizer while bad-mouthing Mandy relentlessly. Rose fought back and obliterated her former tag team partner with a trio of jumping bicycle knees, followed by an underhook facebuster. For good measure, she dropped Deville with one final knee to force her out of WWE. While Deville erupted into an unhinged tantrum at ringside, Otis joined Mandy in a jubilant celebration in the ring.
My Opinion: 4.1 out of 5 – This was walloped packed in its own fist. These two had a rough week with the potential kidnapping of Deville, but they took that anxiety and poured it into this match. You wanna talk about a brawl, this was a brawl and then some. Deville was just mean man, just mean! Rose worked her ass off here and showed the most she’s ever shown in her career, so far any-way. I liked this. I’m sorry that this match came about from the terrible events of Deville’s attempted abduction, but they took that anger and fear to the ring and made it into something that will give their careers a lot of legitimacy. Cheers to them both and I wish them good health and comfort in this hour of both tragedy and triumph.
Match #5: Seth Rollins def. Dominik Mysterio – Street Fight Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A courageous effort by Dominik Mysterio in his in-ring debut wasn’t enough to topple Seth Rollins in a barbaric and highly personal Street Fight at SummerSlam. Rollins taunted his inexperienced adversary from the get-go, even allowing Dominik to grab him in a headlock before sending him to the mat. The Monday Night Messiah gave Dominik a mocking round of applause after he was dropped with several impressive arm drags from the underdog. Dominik unleashed his rage when he found his trusty Kendo stick, which he also used to deliver a top-rope Russian leg sweep through a table, but Rollins kicked out at two moments later after a frog splash. Commandeering the advantage, Rollins screamed at Rey Mysterio, who was at ringside, baiting him to interfere after he had promised his son he wouldn’t get involved. As if the issue wasn’t already personal enough, Murphy interfered to blast Dominik with a ripcord knee before handcuffing Rey to the ropes. Dominik dug deep for one final rally, hitting a beautiful 619 before Rollins countered a second frogsplash attempt with knees to the midsection. With Rey handcuffed only feet away, Rollins flattened his son with a devastating Stomp to make the pin academic.
My Opinion: 3.7 out of 5 – I thought this was a fantastic debut for Dominik, who was light-years ahead of the kind of physical movement that he’s been displaying. Seth definitely played his part in keeping this match together, but Dominik showed some real skills and a heart to match. I really took to this, so much so that I think Dominik could be a big deal within a year or so. Dominik does need to work on his physique, but he dressed like AJ Styles, so that helped a lot. This was brutal and thrilling, which was all this needed to be.
Match #6: Asuka def. Sasha Banks – Raw Women’s Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Sasha Banks was instrumental in Bayley retaining the SmackDown Women’s Championship, but “The Role Model” couldn’t return the favor, accidentally helping cost Banks the Raw Women’s Title against Asuka. The Legit Boss had a leg up from the opening bell, targeting Asuka’s knee that Bayley focused on in their earlier matchup. Banks looked set to cruise to an easy victory after hitting an incredible flipping powerbomb to the outside from the apron, dropping The Empress of Tomorrow with a sickening thud. But Asuka turned the tables, demonstrating her resolve with a top-rope missile dropkick despite her injured knee. Suddenly desperate and on the defensive, Banks pleaded with Bayley at ringside for reassurance. But Bayley was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she moved out of the way to avoid the same hip attack that Asuka hit Banks with in Bayley’s own title defense earlier in the evening. Asuka reversed The Legit Boss’ Bank Statement attempt, pulling her into an Asuka Lock in the middle of the ring, where Banks had no choice but to submit. All Banks and Bayley could do was look at each other in disbelief, suddenly having one fewer piece of gold among them.
My Opinion: 3.9 out of 5 – This really kicked some ass. Asuka did it twice in one night, which is no small feat. Everything was as it should have been, with enough action to push this thing near the top of the glass ceiling and, almost, crack it. There’s far too much to like here, from Asuka’s mean streak and Banks desperation turning into seething, conniving, rage that corrupted her body as she waged war for the Raw Women’s Title. I…sounded like I knew what I was doing there for a second. Old Man Riverrrrrrrr. That Old Man Riverrrrrrrr! He always has a…bull-diiiiiiiiiiike!!!!!! There…the stupid is back and on tap. I wanna see some more matches with these two. Don’t stop them now, damn it!
Match #7: Drew McIntyre def. Randy Orton – WWE World Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
While Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton’s WWE Championship clash lived up to its billing as a true heavyweight clash, McIntyre retained after one-upping The Viper in clever fashion. Orton wasted no time playing mind games, setting up the champion for multiple false starts at the match’s onset before nearly hitting two early RKO attempts. The Legend Killer soon initiated an all-out onslaught on the outside of the ring, bashing McIntyre into the post, barricade, announce table and anything else at his disposal. McIntyre later put Orton on the defensive when he borrowed a page from Ric Flair’s playbook, applying a Figure-Four Leglock just weeks after The Viper had taken out his mentor. Orton escaped only with a thumb to the eye while blocking the official’s view of his infraction. The two titans traded their best blows from there, with McIntyre hitting a Future Shock DDT, while Orton fired back with his trademark powerslam and draping DDT. Orton craftily ducked under a Claymore try before McIntyre dodged another RKO. The King of Claymore Country then caught The Viper off-guard with a backslide to pin him for the three-count for the stunning, yet hard-fought win.
My Opinion: 4 out of 5 – These two matched-up very easily. Everything here was so smooth and solid, like my dumps. There was an even mixture of technical and brawling to make this feel like a competitive bout, rather than a fight to the death. It’s nice to see a prize fight that is contested like a sport. There’s so much strong wrestling in here that I just couldn’t help but love it. Drew won and should have, because losing now, knowing how Vince books, would just have served to push him back down the ladder for, possibly, the rest of his career. All in all, this was just what the doctor ordered.
Match #8: (Main Event) Bray Wyatt def. Braun Strowman – Falls Count Anywhere Match For The Universal Championship
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
In a matchup between two of the most destructive forces in WWE history, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt prevailed over “The Monster” Braun Strowman to become the new Universal Champion. As expected, this Falls Count Anywhere Match resembled nothing like a traditional wrestling bout, instead looking more like a demolition derby. The action spilled outside the ring in the opening minutes as “The Fiend” showcased his inhuman power with a chokeslam to the larger Strowman before delivering multiple neck-snapping maneuvers. The melee only picked up from there, as Strowman answered with a chokeslam of his own on the announce table after the rivals crashed through a portion of the ringside barricade. Wyatt used a toolbox stored under the ring as a devastating weapon against his former Wyatt Family ally. They soon brawled to the backstage area, demolishing everything in sight before Wyatt hit a vicious Sister Abigail on the bare floor. Returning to the ring, Strowman used a box cutter to dismantle the canvas, exposing the wooden boards underneath the mat. But it would lead to his own downfall, as Wyatt delivered two Sister Abigails on the exposed wood, putting away “The Monster” to reclaim The Universal Title.
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This was good when they leaned into the hardcore part of the match. These guys went all over the place and probably wrecked the cement just from stepping on it. The brawl itself was fine, but the gear they kicked it in for the third act of the match was what you’ll be talking about when it comes to this match. Every-thing was mean and nasty, like Thai food. Bray winning makes sense, as he seems to be a more capable promo and character, but neither man feels like they are a major draw to begin with. Still, as main events go, this was a hit and it got on base after a night of scoring runs.
News Of The Night:
- Roman Reigns returned to attack Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman.
Final Verdict: 4/5
Through hard work and determination, the roster made this show a smash. It didn’t hurt that the booking was simple and easy, but the wrestlers made this great.