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Damien Barling: SummerSlam Recap

Considering the length of the show, the length of the highlight packages, and the frustrating outcome of the Nakamura Jinder Mahal match this was a very good show. The big names all delivered and the main event was spectacular.

I had no idea the pre-show started at 3pm. I didn't watch but heard The Usos and New Day had another great one.

JOHN CENA VS BARON CORBIN

The story of the match was Cena taunting Corbin and the announcers selling he's still thinking about losing the Money In The Bank Briefcase on Smackdown Live. Corbin hit a nasty chock slam onto his knee. I have no idea how that didn't hurt incredibly bad. Corbin was very physical throughout the match and pushing his anger from losing the briefcase. Cena ultimately won with Attitude Adjustment, which I 100% believe was the right call. If Cena loses, Nakamura beating him is significantly minimized. I get guys want Cena to "put over" the younger talent. This wasn't the time for that.

NATALYA VS NAOMI (SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP)
Nattie won by working over the leg and locking in the Sharpshooter. For some reason the WWE feels the need to make the women who lose (or sometimes win) sit in the ring and cry. Naomi did that. Nattie gloated. Match was fine.

BIG SHOW VS BIG CASS (WITH ENZO ABOVE THE RING IN A SHARK CAGE)
Enzo's act is wearing thin and this match was only slightly worse then I expected. The crowd was dead. Really dead, and thats saying a lot for Brooklyn. Enzo oiled himself up and slide out of the shark cage. He got kicked in the face for his efforts. Cass dominated Big Show and pinned him after two big boots and an elbow drop that made the People's Elbow look like the most deadly move in history. This was all sorts of bad and the thought of Big Cass and Baron Corbin in future main events is terrifying.

RANDY ORTON VS RUSEV
Randy Orton hit the RKO before I had the chance to finish typing a text message. Remember when Rusev was a badass heel? Yeah, me either.

ALEXA BLISS VS SASHA BANKS (RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP)
There was a backstage shot of Sasha walking to the ring where she runs into Bayley. The crowd booed. HEAVILY!!! The WWE managed to make fans hate the cute girl next door. This match was solid. Alexa is incredible. Sasha Banks won with the Bank Statement in a match that paled in comparison to what we saw from Asuka and Ember Moon on Saturday night. Feed Sasha to my girl Nia Jax and I'm a happy man.

"THE DEMON" FINN BALOR VS BRAY WYATT
I understand most of us felt The Demon would make an appearance, what I don't understand is why the WWE felt the need to tell us on Monday that he would. I don't like the WWE treating these two Balor personas as, well, two Balor personas. I feel like they're flirting with the Mankind/Dude Love/Cactus Jack thing. I would've been happier had the Demon just appeared, as telegraphed is it may have been, without the official announcement. The match itself was fine with a, rightfully, predictable outcome. Balor wins.

THE SHIELD VS JASON'S FAVORITE WRESTLER SHEAMUS AND FRIEND OF THE LO-DOWN, CESARO (RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP)
Cesaro ripped apart a beach ball that was bouncing around in the crowd. Said crowd poped big! Cesaro is now the GOAT. This match was pretty long but it never dragged. It was actually pretty entertaining. Nothing crazy happened but it told the story of Sheamus and Cesaro being a well oiled machine while Ambrose and Rollins are teaming together for the first time in years. The finish was great and worth going out of your way to see. The Shield wins the tag team championship.

 

AJ STYLES VS KEVIN OWENS WITH SHANE MCMAHON AS THE SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE (UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP)
This was a great match with Shane taking a number of bumps at the hands of Owens and Ambrose. He also had on some customized Jordan 31's. He was also sweating. A LOT!!!! Seriously, this was as a great of a match as you'd expect from the two. Shane played his role perfectly including a three count he immediately waved in which Owens thought he won. I love Shane McMahon. AJ wins with the Styles Clash. (I hate that move).

JINDER MAHAL VS SHINSUKE NAKAMURA (WWE CHAMPIONSHIP)
This is exactly what I feared it would be. WWE is forcing Jinder Mahal down our throat. They sacrificed one of the biggest stars in the business for a title reign that is, and has meant nothing. The Mahal experience has been an epic failure which is why I felt there was no way WWE was going to give up on it. Mahal pins Nakamura after interference from the lackeys. Awful. Match quality doesn't matter.

BROCK LESNER VS ROMAN REIGNS VS SAMOA JOE VS BRAUN STROWMAN (UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP)
This was awesome. Four monsters beating the absolute crap out of each other. For everything the WWE did wrong in the previous title match they did perfectly in this one. The build was fantastic. The match was perfect. Stop everything you're doing and watch this match. The crowd was so into it and these 4 guys killed it. Braun Strowman is super over. He sent Brock Lesnar out on a stretcher. Lesnar returned. Roman punched everyone. Joe chocked a couple of guys. Lesnar wins after an F-5 on Roman Reigns.

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