Summerslam Night 1 Review

This past weekend was Summerslam and not only was it a remainder why this is one of my favorite shows of year but also it was better than Wrestlemania 41 certainly being a fantastic way to shape how the end of the year is going to go. There is a lot to cover so here are my review and rating of the matches on both nights where there may be some match-of-the-year candidates here.

Night 1 Review

Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

Could not have picked a better match to kick Summerslam weekend off and get the crowd hype right away then this tag match. Jey Uso’s entrance is just surreal to see, the energy is undeniable like Roman Reigns presence when he comes out. The match was fun and high impact, Bron Breakker is not human and was a good outing as well for Bronson Reed, Reigns and Uso make a good tag team and them winning was a given, but in hindsight should of have been a big tell for what was to come at the end of the night.

RHR rating: 3.5 out of 5

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match- Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss

Not much to cover with the match itself except Roxanne Perez was the star of the match, the crowd finally embracing Charlotte Flair is something we thought was impossible, and the moment of Flair and Bliss solidifying their friendship was the moment as Bliss pins Perez to become the new women’s tag team champions who hopefully will elevate those titles and division on all three shows.

Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross

The hype for Karrion Kross and Sami Zayn was well deserved but did not live up to it sadly. The crowd was and is clearly into Karrion Kross, but the story of the match fell a little flat when Scarlett toss Zayn the lead pipe only for the moment to be sort of blah as he didn’t used the pipe and beat Kross confirming the end of this feud in sort of flat way.

RHR rating: 2.25 out of 5

WWE Women’s World Championship Match- Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill

 The WWE women’s championship was next where it was not a long match, which was a good thing. This may have been Cargill’s best match this year, the fact that these two gorgeous women have been wrestling for less than five years should be promising for the main event scene in the women’s division going forward. Stratton retaining was a bit of a surprise but hopefully this is the first in a series of matches between them.

RHR rating: 2.5 out of 5

Randy Orton & Jelly Roll vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul

The celebrity match of the weekend was next with Randy Orton and Jelly Roll facing Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. The match went a little long for me, very Jelly Roll heavy which I get why because Logan Paul, Bad Bunny, and Stephen Amell had incredible in-ring debuts but a high bar for Jelly Roll. Granted his training and dedication was incredible, which there is a little something to work with, but a bit much where Drew and Logan winning was the right thing to do.

RHR rating: 2 out of 5

World Heavyweight Championship Match- Gunther vs. CM Punk

Now to the main event of night one that was an absolute banger of a match. Just old school, simple, hard-hitting fight which made it so damn good! Gunther and Punk just have the chemistry where we need to see more matches between them, Gunther chops making Punk’s chest bleed then the moment when Punk makes Gunther bleed was excellent. The finish was awesome where Punk hits the GTS for the win and is champion again, the emotions, celebration, moment was set to perfectly close out night one, but it was not over yet…

When Seth Rollins music hit and MetLife stadium came unglued! Rollins on crutches with Heyman and the briefcase came out in what we thought was another mind game to remain Punk, but as Rollins turned around and headed back he stopped dropped the crutches and revealed his recent injury was a complete ruse when Rollins took the MITB briefcase storms to the ring, beats Punk down enough to cash in, hit the stomp for the win to become the new world heavyweight champion after Punk won the title just 5 minutes before in perhaps the most memorable cash-ins ever.

RHR rating: 4.5 out of 5

Overall Night 1 rating: 3.5 out of 5