Another year, another summer, another slam.
SummerSlam 2022.
One of WWE’s big-four, an event typically taking place towards the end of summer to culminate the season of story-building suspense. Mixed reactions this year, most favorable towards what many believe is due to the influence of Triple H now as creative head. Many others who are anti-AEW will praise the show regardless of match quality. Others, who are simply fans of professional wrestling will call it as they see fit, and those are the opinions which truly matter.
In an era where divisiveness is commonplace and at times rewarded, one cannot help if we’ve distorted reality enough just to simply fit a manufactured idea.
That being said, let’s get to the recap!
I want to point this out before the rundown. I am not 100% sure, but the announce team seemed different tonight. Not sure if it’s because of changes in company structure. Many online surmised it’s because they do not have to contend with Vince McMahon “talking in their ear” anymore, but again, this could be a manufactured belief to validate online opinions. Until someone steps forward to prove this fact, it’s not worth creating drama where none exists.
For those of you who will now claim I’m a “AEW stan” (still don’t get it), how about this, I just decided I felt like watching another wrestling show. You know, NJPW, ROH, Impact, MLW, and others exist too, right?
The PPV kicks off with one of their best matches of the night, Bianca Belair retaining the RAW Women’s Championship against Becky Lynch. What a fantastic opener! Belair is truly sensational as a wrestling athlete. Fast, surprisingly strong, and can sell anything. Facial expressions speak volumes, and both Belair and Lynch perfect this. Not a moment went by where I thought I could predict a winner, making the fun-factor and anticipation of the outcome even higher. Belair astounds fans with a Spanish Fly into a KOD for the decisive win.
Post match story begins a new chapter, as Lynch handshakes Belair, but the feel-good moment is interrupted by not one, two, but three returning surprises in Bayley, Iyo Sky (formerly Io Shirai), and Dakota Kai. Well, this is going to bring a lot more eyeballs back to the women’s wrestling scene.
Logan Paul defeats The Miz
I still don’t understand why they saddled Tommaso Ciapma with Miz, unless it is for an inevitable face turn. Has not felt right from the get-go and still doesn’t. Funny Nickelodeon-themed gear. They’re pushing hard to get Paul over as a babyface, but let’s be honest, the guy has been putting in the work and came out looking like a WWE wrestler. Some spots like moonsaults and rope dives nobody expected him to do.
Shock of the match, as Logan Paul wins by pinfall by hitting Miz with his own Skull Crushing Finale.
Hate the guy (yes please) or not, he can wrestle.
Bobby Lashley retains the United States Championship against Austin Theory
Nothing special here. Theory blasts Lashley pre-bell with the briefcase, doing the old “Can you continue?” ref spot. Lashley, of course can continue, bell rings, Theory gets some offense until Lashley rampages all over the place and wins with the Hurt Locker.
If you’re wondering about Theory cashing in at this point, I’d be right there with you.
The Mysterios defeated Judgement Day
This was billed as a No DQ match, yet there were tags. Thought this would have been a Tornado Tag match? It’s fine. No big deal. Good fun match, nothing screamed “special” about it, which is still OK. Not every match has to be a blockbuster. Edge returned to get revenge on Finn Balor and Damien Priest, which allowed Rey and Dominick to get the win.
Pat McAfee defeated “Bum @$$” Corbin
If you forgot about McAfee’s insane performance at WrestleMania, here is your reminder. Dude. Can. Go. I hate Bacon Rorbin, but I’ll give the guy credit. He knows who to work in and out of the ring. He makes you want to hate him and makes you want to see him lose. He does it well.
One scary spot with a senton on the floor, but thankfully everyone came out OK.
The end result is an angry McAfee exacting revenge with Corbin’s own dirty tactics, a low blow followed by a sunset flip into the pinfall.
The Usos retained the WWE RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The Street Profits with JEFF JARRETT as Special Guest Referee
It’s nice to have a dominant tag team, but is there such a thing as too dominant? I think this might be the case. Jarrett called the match fair and square, was right down the middle. No foul play.
Usos and Street Profits work tremendously with each other, and this match was right on par with their previous encounters. This match was hyped big, but did not feel any different or have any extra star-power here. This is not a knock, just the observation that all their matches are consistent, and this one was no different. Sometimes when the bar has been set so high, you can’t go any higher and have hit the limits.
I truly thought this was going to be the night where the Street Profits win it. They should have. Based on what happens later, it would have been perfectly fine to lose and regain it at the next PPV. There’s been teasing of a split between Dawkins and Ford, and based on how the match went, it seems Montez Ford will be the one to cause it. The party man may prove to become the team’s party pooper. Which would be a shame to see yet another great team fall prey to WWE’s penchant for splitting teams up. They’ve kept New Day together this long, why not other teams?
Usos win after 1D and it did appear they might have shown some respect to the Profits. Maybe.
This would be my pick for best match of the night.
Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle brawled. No match took place, so the King of Bros grabbed a mic and called out Rollins who obliged for a short-lived brawl ending with a curb stomp. Meh. it got them on TV.
Liv Morgan retains the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda Rousey
This one got a tad confusing. Rousey was the clear dominator, even though Morgan had enough skill to counter or escape the challenger’s submission attempts, a few times locking in some submissions of her own. Morgan eventually got trapped, but managed to leverage Rousey into a pinning predicament, but yet tapped while the three count was made. Commentary Michael Cole and Corey Graves both admitted the ref “botched it” and should have seen Morgan tap since the final three count was not made yet.
Ugh. I hate these finishes. It made Morgan look like she should not have won, and now Rousey comes out angrier and likely going to demand another match, heaven help Morgan if it’s a submission match. Morgan did seem to smirk at the end realizing how she pulled it off, but something about the whole thing felt off.
Rousey going bonkers on the ref was neat though.
Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match to retain the WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship — Summerslam 2022 Main Event
No bull here, I was split on this one. While chaotic brawls can be fun, there were times I wasn’t sure what the hell was happening. It looked like an insane demolition derby. Brock drove a tractor to the ring! He later used it to LIFT THE FRICKEN RING, tilting it to dump Reigns to the floor. Pretty ridiculous. I can’t lie, I laughed. It’s ridiculous. But it worked. The Usos tried to interfere, they get laid out.
Brock then lobs Rabbi Paul Heyman through the announce table with an F5!! You can’t do that to clergy!! Can you?
As both men were down, and for the life of me I’m not sure what happened, a spear, an F5, who the hell knows, but Austin Theroy ran down to cash in, but appeared to not get the chance as Brock tossed him with the F5.
After the chaos settled, Reigns and the Usos buried Brock under everything imaginable to get him down for the 10-count. Spears, superman punches, you name it, nothing else worked. I’m shocked they didn’t try using Brock’s front-end tractor to flip the ring on top of him.
As the smoke cleared, the Head of the Table reigned supreme, and thus finally closes the long chapter of Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
A lot of new stories set up moving forward, but the big question remains, if Brock couldn’t defeat Reigns… WHO WILL!?!?
