One of the most satisfying WWE events of all time.
Here are my thoughts on the WWE's second biggest PPV event of the year:
Pre-Show match:: WWE United States Championship: Dean Ambrose(c) vs. Rob Van Dam
As far as pre-show matches go, this was one of the better matches they've had this year. Van Dam has been killing it since he's returned to the WWE and Ambrose can always be counted on to entertain. Some solid back and forth action that led to run-ins from Ambrose's Shield squadmates and Big Show & Mark Henry to even up the score. After about thirteen minutes of action, Reigns interferes and Van Dam picks up the win as a result. Nothing too special, but a pretty good match nonetheless.
Rob Van Dam def. Dean Ambrose via. disqualification after 13:45 (Predictions 0 for 1)
Match Rating: ***
Match 1:: Ring Of Fire match: Kane vs. Bray Wyatt
This was shockingly the most disappointing match up of the night. As much as it pains me to say that, the post-match angle was so brilliantly executed that it almost made up for the lack of action instantly. After collectively beating Kane to a pulp, the Wyatts haul the Big Red Machine off to God Knows where possibly for a bit of "obedience training". And looking at this as a short piece of a prolonged story arc, it was arguably, the most effective bit of business Bray Wyatt has been a part of to date. Loved the angle, hated the match. That leaves my rating for this one right in the middle.
Bray Wyatt def. Kane after 7:50 following interference from the Wyatt Family (Predictions 1 for 1)
Match Rating: **1/2
Kane is left crippled by the new face of fear.
Match 2: Damien Sandow vs. Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes arrives sans mustache to go toe-to-toe with his former best friend in a match that was better saved for television. There was nothing particularly wrong with the work, it's just that this feud had lost nearly all it's momentum for me come the PPV. What started as a terrific angle with Rhodes tossing Sandow's briefcase into the Gulf Of Mexico, ended with a six minute cruiser match that left a very small deposit for the memory bank.
Cody Rhodes def. Damien Sandow after 6:40 via. pinfall following the CrossRhodes (Predictions 1 for 2)
Match Rating: ***1/4
Sandow is embarrassed by Rhodes yet again.
Match 3:: World Heavyweight Championship match: Alberto Del Rio(c) vs. Christian
Now to the opposite effect of the match prior, here's a match that had little buzz to begin with yet as the weeks went by, the story sort of began to tell itself. Christian is going to turn 40 in three months so it's safe to say he is a bit past his prime as a WWE main event talent. They had billed this to be Christian's swan song and some may say that is very close to the truth. My only problem with this one is that they had already given us this match for free on television twice and that kind of killed whatever spectacle they could have built here. That didn't stop these two from doing their damnedest to tear down the house though. This was easily the best of their three matchups together and on any other PPV, it would have been the match of the night. I predicted that Christian would leave Los Angeles with the world title, but this is a fairy tale that would not have a happy ending. Del Rio would capitalize on a wounded Christian and successfully lock in the Cross Armbreaker for the win. It's worth noting that thanks to this victory, Alberto Del Rio would soon pass Chris Benoit & Kane and land at number seven in combined days with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Alberto Del Rio def. Christian after 12:30 via. submission following the Cross Armbreaker (Predictions 1 for 3)
Match Rating: ****1/2
Del Rio celebrates with his title.
Match 4: Natalya w/Cameron & Naomi vs. Brie Bella w/Nikki Bella & Eva Marie
This was obviously meant to capitalize on the buzz from increasingly popular E! hit reality series Total Divas. Unfortunately for these ladies, the ratings of that show don't seem to reflect the level of interest of the fans in attendance. They barely even react to anything here and I can't say I blame them. This is space that could have been much better served for Divas Champion AJ Lee to finish off her rivalry with Kaitlyn or even lock up with a new, fresh challenger. The fact that the only singles match the ladies are given on the second biggest event of the year is being used as a way to further rivalries established outside of WWE programming is strange logic, but whatever. Nattie has her first match on PPV in ages so there's at least one win in this scenario. As far as your typical Divas squash match goes, the match itself wasn't all that bad, but I wouldn't want to see it again.
Natalya def. Brie Bella after 5:15 via. submission following the Sharpshooter (Predictions 2 for 3)
Match Rating: *1/2
These ladies are a hit with the wrong group of fans.
Match 5:: No DQ match: CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman
These days, there are very few instances in the WWE where everything just seems to come together. The overall match quality has evolved tremendously, but there's something much more important at events like Wrestlemania and Summerslam and it's that elusive "big fight feel". The WWE's biggest events have been built on spectacle and without it, the best of in-ring performances just never seem to stack up. Paul Heyman's betrayal of CM Punk has laid the foundation for what could very well be the best and most personal feud between manager and former client ever told in pro wrestling. And with his associate and on-call muscle Lesnar always willing to bring the pain, most would prefer to stay out of the dangerously manipulative Heyman's crosshairs. Punk is no such man.
Punk is a man blinded by rage. A rage that is a result of wounded pride. More importantly, it is a product of something that very few wrestlers even like to admit motivates them. Hurt feelings. For the better half of CM Punk's 434 days as champion, Heyman was the Straight Edge superstar's most trusted and beloved associate. Punk has stated on many occasions that he would be nothing without Heyman. It's likely that the self proclaimed "Paul Heyman Guy" would not even be a part of this event had it not been for Heyman's support. Take that kind of history and blend it with professional jealousy and a relentless hunger for power and you've got one of the best builds of the entire decade.
The minute CM Punk and Brock Lesnar first brawled on Monday Night Raw, I knew this match was going to be something special. There was an instant chemistry and an undeniable magic in the air. What made things more interesting is the fact that the seeds for this matchup had been planted over two years prior in Punk's infamous "Pipe Bomb" promo. Whether it was intentional or not, there is just so much groundwork laid for this match that it had already reached epic proportions before it even got going.
With all this considered, you can imagine my excitement and level of expectation for this one and I'm more than delighted to say that it did not disappoint. This match had everything you could have wanted with a few things you didn't expect as icing on the cake. Just an incredible grudgewar that proved something major for every man involved. For Punk, it proved he was indeed capable of taking the fight to the WWE's most intimidating entity. For Lesnar, that he is still the baddest man on the planet. And with both men having come up under his tutelage, it proved that Paul Heyman may very well be the greatest manager in WWE history. I couldn't have asked for more from this one. This is now the frontrunner for WWE MOTY. Make no mistake about it.
Brock Lesnar def. CM Punk after 25:15 via. pinfall following an F-5 to a steel chair (Predictions 3 for 3)
Match Rating: *****
At least Punk would get his hands on Heyman before all was said and done.
Match 6: Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs. Big E Langston & WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee
After that last match, the Los Angeles crowd seemed to not know what to do with themselves. They had just witnessed one of the greatest matches in the history of Summerslam for God's sake. How the hell were they supposed to get excited for a mixed tag bout with very little build or momentum going in? It was a solid enough outing, but it's just too bad that no one really seemed to care. Ziggler is again a victim of bad positioning. They did their best here, but this is just filler.
Ziggler & Kaitlyn def. AJ & Big E Langston after 6:45 via. pinfall following a Zig Zag from Ziggler to Langston (Predictions 4 for 3)
Match Rating: ***
Ziggler & Kaitlyn both earn a moral victory tonight.
Daniel Bryan is making his way to the ring to a standing ovation from those in attendance at the Staples Center. This must mean that it is now time for our
MAIN EVENT
Match 7:: WWE Championship match: John Cena(c) vs. Daniel Bryan w/special referee Triple H
With the instant classic between Brock Lesnar and CM Punk now hanging over their heads and an anxious Randy Orton waiting in the wings with his MITB briefcase, it's safe to say that both Cena and Bryan had a lot of pressure heading into the biggest main event of the summer. Daniel Bryan has been the most popular act in the WWE for the better part of 2013 and he has been long overdue for a title shot. It's no secret that the Internet loves him, but what has come as more a surprise is how well he has been received in the entertainment heavy world of the WWE. He is pro wrestling's biggest success story this decade and has somehow still managed to maintain that "lovable underdog" aura that has endeared fans since he first made waves on the independent scene. And now we have reached the moment when he fully realizes his potential.
This match was just excellent from beginning to end. Brilliantly executed offense from both men and the storytelling was top notch. The best moments of the match came in the final stretch. It was the sort of hard hitting edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that has made New Japan Pro Wrestling king of the main events over the past year. The same formula that made every Tanahashi-Okada match so spectacular was set in motion here and this match rivals any of the great outings NJPW has put forth in their unbelievable run.
Daniel Bryan def. John Cena to become the NEW WWE Champion after 26:55 via. pinfall following the Busaiku Knee (Predictions 5 for 3)
Match Rating: ****3/4
Bryan would emerge victorious after an impactful Busaiku Knee to Cena's jaw that damn near knocked him unconscious. After which, he would begin one of the most emotional and memorable victory celebrations in WWE lore. Confetti was falling, Bryan was close to tears and the fans in the arena were going crazy in appreciation of their new hero.
Enter Randy Orton.
The WWE's Apex Predator would show everyone just how he got that moniker by cashing in his Money In The Bank contract on an already battered Daniel Bryan, effectively raining on his victory parade. This didn't come as much of a shock to many, but the real kicker here is just how Orton was able to capitalize.
Triple H had been one of the more vocal supporters of Bryan for the entire build to this matchup and he was pretty deep into a family feud involving himself and his father-in-law & WWE CEO Vince McMahon. So The Game turning on Bryan and costing him the WWE Championship is something that almost nobody saw coming. Nobody but possibly Vince himself.
It turns out that this was all a part of the McMahon's plan to remove Bryan from the top of the card and position somebody they feel is more appropriately suited as the primary face of their promotion. Despite his violent past with HHH & Co., Randy Orton was chosen to be that face. And now for the first time in three years, he is again your WWE Champion.
Randy Orton def. Daniel Bryan to become the NEW WWE Champion (Predictions 6 for 3)
Back to the mountaintop after three long years.
Final Thoughts
This PPV is an interesting case. It's easily one of the best WWE events this decade, but it was hardly unpredictable. The two biggest draws both ended the way fans expected them to, but for once the predictiable outcomes were the endings that we all wanted. I know some of you wanted to call in to your cable provider and demand a refund once Orton crashed the D-Bry victory celebration, but in the long run, this will have proven to be the best decision they could have made. Underdog good guys like Bryan are infinitely more popular when they're chasing the title. Still, however the ending may sit with you, it's hard to deny that this is one of the best Summerslam events in history. It's not the best (that honor goes to the 2002 classic), but it's easily top two or three. The mixed tag and divas match were both forgettable, but all three main event matches delivered the goods. And with the captivating plot twist to the Wyatt-Kane match & the very solid Sandow-Rhodes midcard scuffle, you've got one of the most well-balanced shows of the year. Add in the fact that this PPV marked the beginning of the WWE's next great era and the arrival of Daniel Bryan as a major star, and you've got one of the most memorable WWE affairs of all time. People will be talking about this night for years to come. And it will fondly be remembered as the night the upper echelon of the WWE was forever changed. With Bryan and Punk as the new number one and two in the company and Orton playing top heel, the rest of 2013 looks to be as exciting as ever. Fuck, I can't wait for Night Of Champions!
Overall PPV Score: 10/10
Fucking Classic!!!!!
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