SummerSlam 2021 Review

Saturday, August 21st, 2021
Allegiant Stadium
Paradise, Nevada

Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match

RK-Bro vs. AJ Styles & Omos

Orton and Styles kick things off. The stadium looks impressive for wrestling and is giving it that WrestleMania feel. After getting the best of Styles, in comes Omos. He toys around with Riddle and then Styles is back in to carry the load. Riddle makes a comeback, but Styles is able to stop him before he gets to Orton. Riddle hits a knee and makes the hot tag. Orton hits the draped DDT and signals for the RKO. Omos is able to pull AJ out of the ring and then chokeslams Riddle onto the apron. Riddle is able to push Omos into the ring post, but then gets hit with a moonsault DDT from Styles. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but it gets blocked. Orton hits the RKO and we have new champions. This was really short and felt like a TV match. Not a terrible opener or anything, but just underwhelming. 

Match Rating: **1/4

Eva Marie vs. Alexa Bliss

I'm not really sure how this match got on the show. I'm also not sure how Eva Marie got back on the roster. Eva gets in some offense and starts slapping the doll. She then uses it to slap Alexa in the face. Alexa snaps and takes over. Alexa goes to check on her doll and then hits a drop toe hold on Eva into the turnbuckle. She misses with Twisted Bliss and Eva gets a 2 count out of it. Alexa hits a DDT and ends it to put Eva out of her misery. After the match, Doudrop grabs a mic and announces Eva Marie as the loser of the match. There's no reason that the first two matches at a football stadium show should feel like a mediocre episode of Raw. 

Match Rating: 1/4*

Mario Lopez is here and is sporting a Hart Foundation shirt. He is here with RK-Bro and Riddle says he has a surprise for Orton on Raw. 

United States Championship Match

Damian Priest vs. Sheamus

They really didn't capitalize as much off the Bad Bunny stuff with Priest, but I guess that's not a surprise. Priest dominates the early going and hits his springboard somersault dive to the floor, which he only kind of hits. Sheamus catches a spin kick and tosses Priest into the ring post. Priest is able to counter a powerbomb into a hurricanrana, but Sheamus recovers and stays on offense. Sheamus does the clubbing blows on Priest's chest, but stops short of the 10th one to make the crowd mad. Priest hits a tornado DDT and then hits a couple of clotheslines. Priest hits a spin kick off the top rope for a 2 count. Priest grabs Sheamus by the throat when he's on the top rope, but Sheamus counters and slams Priest's neck on the top rope. Sheamus hits an Alabama Slam, but Priest kicks out. I think it's worth noting that the combined age of these two is 81 years. Priest hits a kick before Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick and hits South of Heaven for a nearfall. Sheamus hits a Brogue Kick on Priest coming off the top rope, but Priest kicks out. Sheamus puts on a heel hook in the middle of the ring, but Priest rips off the mask of Sheamus and breaks the hold. Priest hits a spin kick and then Reckoning and we have yet another new champion. This was entertaining, but they felt to be moving a little slower paced than they normally do.

Match Rating: ***

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match

Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Usos

It's pretty cool that it was exactly 16 years to the day that the Dominick storyline came to a close at SummerSlam 2005. The Mysterios start off quick and continue to be among the best things in modern day WWE. Dominick goes up top, but Jey shoves him to the floor. The Usos work on Dominik and hit him with a big right hand to the jaw. Dominik finally fights back and hits a reverse neckbreaker, but is in the opposite end of the ring. Rey gets the hot tag and hits a tornado DDT for a 2 count. Rey eats a superkick, but is able to kick out of the pin attempt. Rey goes for a springboard crossbody, but gets hit with a superkick. Jey hits a splash off the top rope, but Mysterio is able to kick out again. Dominick starts fighting with Jey, but he dumps Dominik on the apron. Rey sets up Jimmy for the 619 and hits it. Rey goes for the Frog Splash, but Jimmy gets the knees up. They hit a double superkick and Jey hits the splash to retain the titles. This was again a pretty entertaining match, but also felt like it didn't hit it's potential. I'm not really sure where the Usos go from here. 

Match Rating: ***1/4

Tiffany Haddish is here to interview Damian Priest and he says he hates bullies. 

Rick Boogs is in the ring shredding, Man Mountain Rock style. He plays out King Nakamura and Pat McAfee dances on the announce table. That's it. 

SmackDown Women's Championship 

Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks Carmella Becky Lynch

So after showing a highlight package before the match, they announce that Sasha Banks is unable to wrestle tonight. Bianca's new opponent is instead Carmella. Bianca is very disappointed as Carmella struts around. Bianca grabs the mic and she tells Sasha that sooner or later it will be the two of them in the ring. She said she's going to take out her frustration on Carmella here tonight. Becky Lynch's music then hits and the crowd erupts. This all just feels so odd. I'm not sure this is how I would have booked Lynch's return up against a babyface Bianca. Becky starts attacking Carmella and takes her out. Her and Bianca are face-to-face and Becky grabs the microphone to ask for a match tonight. The bell rings and she hits a Manhandle Slam and we have a new champion? Really? I get that they will count this as a fluke and maybe this leads to a heel turn for Bianca? I don't know, this just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. 

Match Rating: 1/4*

They announce another Crown Jewel event and then bring out Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Gable Steveson, both gold medal award winners at the Olympics. 

Jinder Mahal vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre immediately drives Mahal into the turnbuckle and we are underway. Even though this match had a build up, it still doesn't feel like a SummerSlam match. Jinder catches Drew with a kick to the jaw and gets a 2 count. Mahal already goes to a rest hold, which allows McIntyre to make his comeback and toss Mahal around. McIntyre hits the Future Shock and hits the Claymore Kick for the easy win. I mean I guess this was a way to show that McIntyre is still a player with a story. Mahal's goons come into the ring, so McIntyre grabs a sword and they scurry. This was a snorefest, but at least it was short. 

Match Rating: 3/4*

Triple Threat Match For The Raw Women's Championship

Nikki A.S.H. vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair

Nikki tries to go with some old school babyface offense, but the live crowd isn't really buying it. Charlotte takes her turn and tosses Nikki into Ripley and then goes to work on Ripley. In comes Nikki, who hits a crossbody, but Charlotte scoops her up and slams her onto Ripley. Charlotte climbs to the top rope and goes for the moonsault, but Ripley gets her feet up. We get a little bit of a sloppy spot that leads to Charlotte hitting a big boot to Ripley. Charlotte clears the ring, but then eats a tornado DDT from Nikki. Charlotte has Nikki up for a body slam, but Ripley hits a German suplex that takes out both opponents. Ripley hits a missile dropkick and gets a 2 count. The crowd seems to not have a horse in the race here. Either that or they realize they still have two hours left. Ripley and Charlotte battle on the outside and Nikki takes them both out with a top rope crossbody. Nikki and Ripley team up and go for a double suplex, but Charlotte counters it into a double DDT. Charlotte hits a top rope corkscrew moonsault to the floor and she legit looks to crush Nikki. Normally Charlotte whiffs on those top rope moves, but that was definitely not the case here. Charlotte puts the Figure Eight on Ripley, but Nikki leaps off the top rope and breaks the hold. Nikki hits the Cross Rhodes and then another DDT on Charlotte. Nikki misses with a crossbody off the top rope and Charlotte slaps on the Figure Eight  on Nikki now. Nikki tries to crawl to the bottom rope, but she caves and taps for yet another new champion. Did Vince Russo book this show? The match was pretty good, but nothing super memorable. 

Match Rating: ***

Seth Rollins vs. Edge

Edge comes out to the Brood music and then we get the standard entrance from there. Rollins gets frustrated quickly and slams Edge's head into the step multiple times. They are really keeping the pacing slow to start things off here. Rollins hits a springboard knee and gets the first 2 count. Edge sneaks in a backslide and then hits a flapjack. Rollins knocks Edge off the turnbuckle and hits a frog splash with some major elevation for a nearfall. They battle up again and Edge hits a swinging neckbreaker off the top rope. Edge hits the Edgecution and gets another 2 count, as the pace begins to build. Rollins hits a superplex and rolls through into a Falcon Arrow, but Edge kicks out. Rollins is just so smooth. Edge misses with the Stomp and Edge counters with the Glam Slam, but Rollins kicks out. Rollins again goes for the Stomp, but Edge slams him into the ring post. Edge then hits a Spear to the outside Big E-style. He rams Rollins' head into the LED board and turns it off. Edge goes for a Spear in the ring, but Rollins counters it into a Pedigree. That was pretty clever. Rollins climbs up to the top rope and goes for a corkscrew moonsault. He misses, but rolls through and Edge hits him with a Spear, but Rollins kicks out. Rollins is able to kick Edge in the back of the head and again goes for the Stomp and doesn't hit it. Edge grabs his leg and puts on the Edgecator. He moves it over to the crossface and then starts repeatedly slamming his head into the mat. He then puts him in the sleeper hold and Rollins taps. That ending was a little flat for me. There was some good stuff in here, but I definitely was expecting a little bit more here. I also personally think that Rollins should have gone over here and let Edge win the rematch. 

Match Rating: ***1/2

Miz and Morrison are here and they introduce the Dripstick 2000. They forget to bring it and argue about it. Xavier Woods walks through the crowd wearing the Driptstick 2000. The echo is really heavy on the mics here. After doing a Scott Hall survey, Woods squirts both of them down with the water gun and that's the skit. I love these guys, but that was weak. 

WWE Championship Match

Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg

Goldberg is able to knock Lashley off his feet early and hits a few body slams. He hits a couple of weak looking clotheslines. He goes for the Jackhammer, but Lashley counters it. Lashley goes up top, but Goldberg is there to powerslam him off. Goldberg goes for the Spear, but MVP pulls Lashley out of the ring to a big pop. Goldberg comes out of the ring and hits the Spear. MVP gets in another distraction by hitting him with his cane in the back of his leg and then Lashley hits a chop block. Lashley goes for the Hurt Lock, but Goldberg is able to get out before he locks his fingers. Lashley rams Goldberg into the ring post two times and gloats to the crowd. Goldberg is selling his knee and the ref rings the bell. God, the booking on this show sucks. That was a momentum killer for Lashley, as he hardly even got a chance to look impressive here. After the match, Lashley takes out Goldberg's knee with a chair and then continues to attack it. Goldberg's son Gage gets in the ring and Lashley quickly takes care of him. MVP gets on the mic and says that there was no way to know that it was Goldberg's son and then announces Lashley as the victor. This was really, really bad. 

Match Rating: 1/4*

Universal Championship Match

John Cena vs. Roman Reigns

Well, after four days, I have finally made it to the end of SummerSlam. We get the usual big match beginning that WWE always likes to do. After dominating the early portion, Reigns stands on the steel steps and poses with the belt. Cena gets a small package for a 2 count when he walks in, but then Reigns steamrolls him after. Cena gets Reigns up for an AA, but Reigns counters it into a DDT. After a sleeper attempt by Reigns, it's Cena time. But not for long. Reigns puts Cena in the guillotine and then hits the Superman Punch. Cena is back and hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle and hits the Attitude Adjustment, but Reigns kicks out. Cena goes out of the ring and is then greeted by a drive-by. Cena comes back with an Attitude Adjustment through the table. Cena hustles to roll Reigns back in the ring, but Reigns kicks out again. Cena goes off the top rope, but Reigns catches him for the powerbomb. We're in the big move portion of the match and Cena is able to sidestep a Spear, causing Reigns to hit his shoulder on the post. Cena then hits a super AA and again Reigns kicks out. After they trade right hands, Reigns hits another Superman Punch and follows it up with a Spear for the victory. I really was hoping to love this match, but ended up just liking it. It followed the blueprint that we have seen so many times and didn't deviate enough for my taste. Both guys looked good and hopefully we'll see Cena again. 

Match Rating: ***1/4

Out comes Brock Lesnar and his onion haircut. Reigns heads to the back and that's the show. If there was any doubt what the A show is, it's pretty obvious now. Reigns, Cena, Lesnar. 

Was this show bad? No. Was this show good? Meh. This show just didn't really get any emotion out of me. I was really hoping to love the Edge/Rollins and Cena/Reigns matches, but they just didn't hit that next level I was looking for. For the majority of the show, it just felt like an episode of Raw or SmackDown. I'd call this one a disappointment. 

Overall Rating: 58%