Immediately, we get Charlotte Flair out in her ring gear and curious new cadaver make up. She lets the crowd know that they’re in the presence of greatness. When they look at her, they know that they don’t have the talent, courage, or drive that she does so they have to do something else with their lives… just like Trish Stratus did. Trish comes out, plays a video package, and reminds The Queen that she stands in the ring because of women like Trish. Charlotte tells her that she’ll bow down at SummerSlam and gives her a “Wooo!” Trish slaps her in the face and Charlotte stares her down before backing away and chuckling up the ramp.
Reaction: A bit odd. Charlotte normally rules the promo but seems like she lost her place or wasn’t connecting with the lines here. Then there’s getting slapped and… doing nothing about it. This was the last chance to make us care about this rushed match going into SummerSlam. A “dream match” to be sure but it deserves more than a week and a half of half-hearted build.
After a quick recap of Ziggler’s contract signing on Miz TV and the revelation that his SummerSlam match wasn’t with Miz or even Shawn Michaels but Goldberg, Goldberg’s music hits and the crowd pops… only to find out that It’s for Dolph Ziggler going back to last year’s gimmick of mocking others’ entrances for his match with Rey Mysterio.
Dolph Ziggler vs Rey Mysterio
Before Rey can even make it to the ring, Ziggler is on him. He relentless pounds away and tears at Rey’s mask. As producers and officials pull him off, Dolph hits a superkick on Rey and dropping him for good. Dolph climbs up into the ring and grabs the mic. He points to Rey as “another legend down courtesy of DZ.” He says that he’s not Goldberg’s “next” but that the match will Goldberg’s last. Ali’s music comes on and he races down to check on Rey and then rushes the ring. He beats Ziggler to the kick and dives on him when he rolls out of the ring. Whatever Ali said in the muted little window during commercial break, it sure worked because their match is made for right now.
The result of this contest… is a no contest.
Reaction: Good casting choice here. The perennially loved Rey Mysterio is a legend that fits the storyline and by attacking before the bell, Dolph can be threatening without Rey doing the job on back-to-back nights.
Dolph Ziggler vs Ali
Ali keeps up with The Show Off and even looks to have him beaten when he goes for a pin off a missed superkick but the sometimes stand up won’t lay down. A surprise headbutt by DZ sets up another superkick and that’s the ball game.
Your winner by pinfall… Dolph Ziggler!
Reaction: The people got their match and, with Ali, it could be argued that it was with a modern day Rey Mysterio. Dolph gets a win going into SummerSlam. Everything made sense. More than many expect anymore, really.
After recaps of the beatings that Seth Rollins endured at the hands of Brock Lesnar and attacks on Roman Reigns by The Phantom of the Smackdown, Kayla Braxton sits down with The Big Dog to discuss “one of the most difficult weeks of his career.” (Currently unknown where these past two weeks rank in relation to having the crowd tossing beach balls during his Wrestlemania main event, saying goodbye as Dean Moxley left the company, being given the line of “sufferin’ succotash” to say on live TV, relinquishing the championship to undergo chemotherapy, or being told that plans have changed last minute and he won’t be winning the title with his entire family flying in to be in attendance… twice.) He’s been offered personal security but, even though his livelihood is at risk, he handles his own business. He takes time to apologize to Samoa Joe for accusations made by his fans towards Joe on social media and vows to get answers tonight.
Reaction: Maybe something’s wrong with me. All those years when Roman was being booed and (both ironically and disgustingly) getting cancer wished upon him by fans, I genuinely enjoyed his work. Now, he’s in one of the more hackneyed bits they’ve put him in and getting cheered throughout.
The Harley Race memorial video package gets a pretty good “Har-ley” chant from the Motor City faithful.
Natalya vs Ember Moon
It’s skill and athleticism inside the ring but, not long into the match, it gets quick and brutal. Ember Moon absolutely drills Nattie with a dropkick to the chest that bounces her off the barricade. The Queen of Harts sends The War Goddess hard into the ring apron, nails a spinning clothesline, and locks on The Sharpshooter at ringside. After the referee counts to ten, Nattie still won’t let go. Bayley’s music plays and the Smackdown Women’s champion comes out to make the save. After Natalya gives Bayley a shove and walks off, Ember is wary of The Hugger after last week but Bayley helps her up and assures her that it’s all Kosher now that they’re even.
The result of this contest… is a double count out!
Reaction: If Ember Moon isn’t ready for a singles championship run, she should be put into the mix for the tag titles soon. She is dynamite explosive and somebody like Natalya can smooth out any coarse patches.
It’s The Kevin Owens Show with special guest, Kevin’s SummerSlam opponent, Shane McMahon! He isn’t looking to make this a typical KO Show so he calls Shane out to get it over with. Kevin Owens says that everyone keeps asking him “Why are you risking your career without making Shane do it, too?” He asks Shane to do so and Shane (of course) declines. The Best in the World goes on to list all the ways that he could win on Sunday: pinfall, count out, submission, disqualification. Any of these would result in Kevin Owens having to leave WWE. Kevin says that, despite all the death-defying stunts that Shane pulls, this is proof that he doesn’t have any balls. Shane and KO get the ring clear and go at it! Elias gets in the mix pretty early, though. Owens holds out for a few minutes, hitting a stunner on Elias after throwing Shane over the announce table. Shane recovers, though, and flips the announce table over, pinning Owens underneath and making him ripe prey for sliding dropkick with a chair! As officials pull Shane away, he screams in KO’s face that he went too far and now he’ll face the consequences.
Reaction: I’m a big fan of Kevin Owens AND I have always said that his ceiling was higher as a “Dusty Rhodes” type babyface than as a comedic or straightforward heel. That said, they are booking him as strong than they did for Roman in the same predicament and I’m really not any more excited. The only chance of Shane going over at SummerSlam is if they plan to have Kevin Owens quit WWE only to have a brash new masked man… some generic luchador… with a beard and a belly show up to stunner Shane the next night. On second thought, I would get a kick out of that.
After his former best frenemy gets to the back, Sami Zayn comes out to the ring to speak about his match against Aleister Black at SummerSlam. He says that his gift of an offer to beat and expose Aleister Black at SummerSlam was met with silence because Black is scared of him. Aleister’s music comes on and we see the graveyard entrance as Aleister explains that the match wasn’t for SummerSlam but for right now!
Sami Zayn vs Aleister Black
A short rally and occasional counter by Sami keep it from being a squash match until The Black Mass ends it.
Reaction: Sami Zayn, after all those years as a plucky underdog or lovable luchador with limited vocabulary, may be best by working the mic as a grating and condescending heel.
Shelton Benjamin is asked if he is interested in going after the 24/7 Championship. He follows an fly off camera with his eyes for a bit, smiles, replies with a “Well…” and walks off.
On Firefly Fun House, Husky the Pig Boy has eaten himself sick on cakes and candy. Bray Wyatt explains that he does this to cover his insecurities; just like his SummerSlam opponent, Finn Balor, isn’t scared of anything but it’s not courage, it’s ignorance. After all, he invited The Fiend to his doorstep. Yowie wowie! Now that he’s there, though, it’s time to let him in.
Backstage, Chad Gable is warming up with some elastic bands when Elias tells him to be careful of his guitar. Gable apologizes good-naturedly but Elias goes in on him, taking digs at his height. He tells Gable that he has to be “this tall” to walk with Elias and Gable can’t meet his eyes.
Reaction: Charlotte gets slapped. Bayley gets shoved. Chad Gable gets punked and takes it. What is it with WWE superstars getting disrespected and walking off with their tail between their legs tonight?
Last week, Randy Orton gave us some insight into the decade plus long rivalry with Kofi Kingston. This week, Kofi gives us his side. He was getting to the big time when a loss to Randy knocked him back to the bottom and, according to rumor, Randy’s influence held him there. Through the power of positivity, Kofi has climbed up and over where he was back then.
The New Day vs Daniel Bryan & Rowan
New Day does a good job of frequent tags to overpower Daniel Bryan and attempts to do so to Rowan until a 300+lb cross body block shifts the momentum. Big E and Daniel play “muscle vs mastery” until Rowan gets tagged in and hits a spin kick so pretty Steve Blackman’s phone starts blowing up. Some more quick tag work and Xavier Woods hits an elbow drop 87.35% across the ring onto Rowan. Big E suicide spears Daniel Bryan off the ring apron and Xavier set to fly but Rowan flattens them both with the ring steps.
Your winners by disqualification… The New Day!
The Planet’s Defenders drag New Day into the ring for stomps, a claw slam, and a running knee but we cut away to see Roman Reigns walking through the back and into the men’s locker room. He orders everyone out but tells Buddy Murphy to take a seat. Roman saw Buddy close to the first accident so he figures that he is in on the plot against him or knows who is. Buddy says that he doesn’t know anything… but he wouldn’t tell Roman if he did. Wrong answer. The former cruiserweight champion is on the receiving end of The Big Dog’s Sonny Corleone treatment until he gives up a name: Rowan. We cut to see Daniel Bryan and Rowan watching the big screen from the ring.
Reaction: A less “busy” show than last week with fewer and shorter matches but plenty of “B” and “C” plots coming around the bend. Yet another cliffhanger because we got an answer of “who” but minus the “why.” SummerSlam is coming up and I wonder where we go from here if a 52-year-old man who made a mess of his last match generates the most interest from the general audience.
