WWE SummerSlam 2019 is imminent, with the kickoff about to begin. Unfortunately I don’t have a preview to link to this time. While I was intending to do one, I kept holding off because of uncertainty over the show’s card. Looking at it, I’d be shocked if we don’t end up with last minute announcements here. In fact, yeah, I just took a peek and apparently a Women’s Title defense and an Apollo Crews/Buddy Murphy match have been added to the kickoff.
So yeah stuff like that makes having a full preview difficult. But I’m still here for the live results and recap.
WWE SummerSlam 2019
Part-way through the kickoff here and experiencing some issues with the WWE Network, hopefully that won’t affect this too much.
Our first bout is up…
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Drew Gulak (c) vs. Oney Lorcan
It’s a brawl to start with, trading clotheslines and strikes. Gulak body slams Lorcan into the corner for a nearfall and dammit here’s a mid-match commercial. Whatever, match is still inset, so I’m paying attention. Drew has Lorcan in an abdominal stretch, singles out an arm and forces him to the ground for a heel hook. Lorcan escapes and comes back with fiery strikes, as per his game. Gulak bails and begs off on the barrier, but Lorcan pursues and knocks him around ringside with chops.
Back into the ring, turns more into a pure wrestling match again until Oney escapes a full nelson. Double clothesline spot, both down. Uncomfortable silence in that arena. Gulak surprisingly wins out on a striking exchange, gets Lorcan to turtle up as he slaps him in the back of the head. This leads to a Gulock, but Lorcan rolls out into a pin attempt, Gulak barely escapes! Lorcan then goes mad with slaps and european uppercuts taking Gulak to the floor. He’s got enough fire to get the crowd mildly into it.
Lorcan pulls Gulak towards him, he grabs onto the ringskirt to prevent it. As the ref deals with fixing this, Gulak punches Oney right in the throat. This allows him to hit the Cyclone for the win. Solid finish.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Noting some applause from the rows closest to the ring but generally speaking, pretty dead crowd for a really solid match like always.
Buddy Murphy vs. Apollo Crews
It’s truly depressing how excited I’d be for this match if it took place literally anywhere else. But it should be decent here. Gets off to a fast start with a running knee from Buddy Murphy. The two end up meeting in the middle with a simultaneous crossbody. Thought we were leading to another terrible commercial there, but nope Apollo fights out from there with dropkicks. Murphy comes off the middle rope but gets caught out of the air, samoan drop, standing moonsault for a nearfall.
Apollo tries to follow up with perhaps a middle rope moonsault, Murphy stops him with a Cheeky Nandos kick, followed by a powerbomb off the middle rope for 2. Match spills to the outside, Apollo with a moonsault off the apron misses, he lands on his feet but Murphy tosses him into the steps. Beautiful tope lays out Crews. Aaaaand then in comes Rowan to assault Buddy Murphy, getting the DQ.
Winner: Buddy Murphy
Rowan continues assaulting Buddy afterwards, finishing with a tossing powerbomb into the post, brutal stuff. Rowan yells at Buddy to keep his name out of his mouth.
We come away from a video package to see Elias randomly in the ring. He does his usual bit and it’s pretty popular in Toronto. He mocks them for not having a Stanley Cup and jabs at the attendance of Bluejays games. He finishes by saying he can’t wait to leave and join Kawhi Leonard in LA. As boos rain down, cue Edge’s music!
Aaaaand spear. That’s all.
Women’s tag title match is up now and Alexa and Nikki have 3D graphics in front of the crowd and my God this is not okay. Alexa’s logo is really creepy in 3D.
OH GOD OH FUCK OH JESUS OH SHIT OH HELL #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/5OxQBSGJti
— KEWL Wrestleposting (@kewlposting) August 11, 2019
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: The IIconics (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
Alexa is dressed as Buzz Lightyear and I suppose Nikki is doing a Nikki Cross version of Woody? I mean it’s more like her pants are more cowgirl-like now which I guess works. Anyway Alexa pantomimed Buzz’s pose for shooting lasers from the arm so that’s nice.
Bliss and Nikki seem to have quietly turned babyface. Anyway standard stuff early on, little distracted by Corey Graves’ constant Disney digs. He’s very upset about this for reasons. Royce with a crazy move, basically like a Gory Bomb except she landed Alexa on her knees. Got a nearfall and Peyton freaked out after the kickout. This allowed Alexa to regain her senses and get her with a knockout punch. Nikki keeps Billie Kay down as Alexa hits Twisted Bliss. Fairly nothing match. Not bad, just really short for the pace it had.
Winners: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
The show proper is underway now and we will open with Becky Lynch vs. Natalya. The opener gets a video package which isn’t common, I’m sure it wasn’t planned to be originally.
Submission Match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya
Match spills to the outside fairly quickly. Nattie gets Becky with a giant swing into the barrier. The Network is incredibly buffer-heavy right now so I’mma be missing a lot of this match. I come back to see Nattie holding onto a Sharpshooter as Becky is on the second rope! Looks brutal and she has it in for quite a bit, until Becky falls away. Nattie chases her out, but Becky reverses a whip and takes Nattie into the announce table where she injures her arm.
Match goes back into the ring, and Becky actually ends up locking Nattie into a Sharpshooter! She’s got a Hart in a Sharpshooter in Canada… and not getting too many boos. Impressive. I was hearing a dueling “Let’s go Becky/Becky sucks” chant earlier, but regardless. Eventually Natalya breaks the hold by kicking Becky into the corner. And now Nattie gives her some of her own medicine, locking in the Dis-arm-her! Becky makes it to the ropes to break but then Nattie pulls Becky away and maintains the hold! Becky rolls out of it, and looks for another Sharpshooter! But Nattie reverses into one of her own! Nice sequence.
Becky struggles for a while before forcing her way over to the ropes and breaks the hold by climbing outside. Back inside, Becky counters into a Dis-arm-her and before long Nattie has to tap.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Kinda short really, considering what kind of match we were having. But a good technical bout there, fun submission exchanges. Nothing complicated but good stuff. Becky continues to be booked strong.
Interview with Trish Stratus backstage who has, reverted her appearance to her old days let’s say. Trish says if Charlotte is the queen, then she’s the queen of queens.
And now it’s time for Bill Goldberg to wrestle in the second match of the show, as everyone expected. It will probably not stop being weird that this match is a thing.
Before the match Dolph gets on the mic, shockingly name drops ‘pro wrestling’ and claims that Goldberg fears Dolph Ziggler. I laughed. Incidentally, lovely to see the return of pyro with this show. AEW’s influence paying dividends already.
Bill Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler
Staredown… superkick from Ziggler! Pin for a 1 count… superkick, pin for a 1 count! Yep it’s gonna be that kind of match. Dolph demands Goldberg stand up… wicked spear! Just ran right through him on that one! Aaaand Jackhammer, that’s it.
Winner: Bill Goldberg
For some ridiculous reason Ziggler gets on the mic afterwards, still on the mat and yells at him to get back into the ring. He berates Goldberg and claims he isn’t man enough to face him. I believe he also called him a ‘dipsh*t’, though it was censored. So Goldberg gets back into the ring and delivers another destructive spear.
Goldberg leaves. Dolph… amazingly takes up the mic again and says ‘anybody can get lucky twice’. He says he knew he didn’t have the balls to face him man-to-man and that’s why he’s a laughing stock. Ziggler says he’ll never be defeated, will never stay down and is the best thing going today. Goldberg’s music hits and he’s out again.
Goldberg pulls Dolph to his feet… Dolph puts up the dukes. Goldberg hits the ropes twice and a third spear just breaks him absolutely in half. Yikes.
US title up next.
WWE United States Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Ricochet
Does my heart good to see Ricochet getting over on the main roster. We cut to the commentary teams where R-Truth and Carmella are cosplaying a Canadian celebrities and Drake Maverick shows up. Several years of that later out comes the OC to start this match. Ah, Ricochet is Nightwing, that’s cool. AJ quickly to the outside, Ricochet hops on the shoulders of Gallows and Anderson to catch Styles with a rana! Beautiful. But once they’re in the ring, AJ slows things down and starts wearing on him, targeting the legs to try and neutralize the high-flying.
Backwards enziguri from Ricochet as he fights to his feet. Because he’s selling the leg, Ricochet just uses one leg to springboard off the top rope for a clothesline! AJ fights back into it, goes for a Styles Clash, Ricochet rolls out of it but AJ catches him with an Ushigoroshi for a nearfall. Ricochet drives AJ into the corner to try and fight back into it. Tries to roll through for his shotgun dropkick, but the bum leg prevents it. AJ tries to capitalize, but Ricochet nails him with a one legged dropkick anyway, for a 2 count.
Suplex fails, again due to that bum knee… and AJ reverses into a Calf Crusher! But Ricochet reverses into an Anaconda Vice! AJ fights out of it, this is a really interesting one. Northern Lights Suplex, roll through… big-time deadlift suplex for a nearfall! Gallows and Anderson try to interfere as Ricochet goes onto the apron… one legged moonsault takes them out! Ricochet goes up top but AJ cuts him off. But Ricochet knocks AJ off, kicks Anderson as he runs up. Comes off with a phoenix splash into a rana of some kind, but AJ seemingly powerbombs him right onto his head before pulling him for an unbelievable Styles Clash! Jesus Christ.
Winner: AJ Styles
That was one of the craziest finishes I’ve ever seen in WWE, what in the world? I hope Ricochet’s okay. His head definitely hit the mat there. Stumbles up afterward… and the OC starts beating on him! Magic Killer! Guess Ric must be okay if they went through with that.
Ember Moon comes out with a skull.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Ember Moon
Ember looking hot from the start with fierce strikes, including a lightning spin kick and a handspring clothesline. Springboard assault whiffs, allowing Bayley to get back into the match. Bayley hoists Ember up, draped on the second rope Stun Gun-style, before suplexing her right off for a nearfall. Ember fights back as Bayley gets out onto the apron. Bayley teases a DDT onto the apron, Ember escapes it but gets yanked into the ropes. Tree of Woe position, Bayley rushes up for her signature elbow drop. Commentary of course pretends it’s brand new.
Bayley locks in an inverted Boston Crab, Ember escapes, springs up from the mat for a headscissor. Bayley tries to rush her as she’s on the ground, Ember evades, kip-up, superkick. Bayley bails to the outside. Ember tries for a suicide dive, stopped with a hammerfist. Bayley goes up top to setup her high flying elbow, but Ember cuts her off. Hops up for a rana off the top! Ember hoists her, Detonation Kick! Nearfall.
Bayley fights away, goes to the middle rope, comes off but Ember catches her and spins into an awesome powerbomb! Close nearfall. Ember goes up top looking for the Eclipse. But Bayley beats her to the punch, gets up top and hits a Super Bayley-To-Belly! That’s it.
Winner: Bayley
Real good match in front of a totally quiet crowd. Kind of a weird spot to have a face/face encounter but hey. Ember looked real impressive as always when given the opportunity.
And now for KO’Mac. Unsurprisingly, Owens is mesmerizingly over here. Shane gets on the mic before the bell rings. He says to ensure a fair fight, he’s named Elias as a guest enforcer. Lovely stuff. He’s seemingly made a full recovery from the spear earlier.
Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon (If Owens loses, he will quit WWE.)
As the match begins, Owens repeatedly finds himself getting in Elias’ face. Back in the ring, he pummels Shane with strikes, hits the Cannonball in the corner. Shane dumped to the floor. Owens hits the ropes for a tope, but Elias blocks the way. This lets Shane strike him on the apron and he then throws him into the barricade. Shane gets on offense in the ring to a rousing chant of “Shane, you suck!” They aren’t wrong. “You can’t wrestle” soon follows. He is in fact a non-wrestler, who just happens to wrestle constantly so. DDT sadly gets a nearfall.
Shane goes for the Sharpshooter, Kevin kicks him away. Pop-up sitout Powerbomb for the pin! But Elias is on the apron to tie up the ref. Owens yells at him, Shane rolls him up but Kevin kicks out and lays him out with a clothesline. Elias slides a chair into the ring to try and bait Owens into using it on Shane. Shane goes along with it. Kevin knows better… but Shane slaps him! Owens acts like he’s about to do it… but then tosses the chair. Argues with Elias… Shane tries to capitalize but it’s a setup! He knocks Elias off the apron after whiffing, Owens with a superkick! Goes up top, Bullfrog Splash! Covers… but Elias pulls the ref out of the ring!
Furious, Owens catches both Elias and the official with a cannonball off the apron! Rolls back in, and now he’s thinking about using that chair! But Elias pulls him out… only for Owens to absolutely pummel him with that chair! Toss over the barricade finishes him. Owens back in the ring, chair still in hand. Kev wants to use the chair but the regular referee makes it back inside. As he takes the chair out of the ring, Owens kicks Shane low! Stunner follows, for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
A video package plays for the Roman Reigns situation but we move onto Charlotte coming out. Mkay.
Charlotte Flair vs. Trish Stratus
Charlotte absolutely towers over Trish here. A chant I can’t comprehend slowly builds… Canadian national anthem actually I see. Trish teases Stratusfaction – to no reaction from commentary – only to spring into a headscissors instead. Trish takes Charlotte to the outside, Thesz Press off the apron followed by a series of punches. But Charlotte retakes the advantage and tosses Trish roughly into the barrier. Back in the ring, Charlotte with a fallaway slam, kipup and a mock of Trish’s pose.
Lengthy heat segment here, they seem to be pacing the match slow so as to ensure Trish doesn’t get blown up. I don’t really feel like it’s as big a threat as they’re making it seem but playing it safe. Trish makes a comeback, diving in on Charlotte. Trish with the mounted punches in the corner, a fitting callback to her era in a way. But Charlotte escapes, running big boot takes Trish off the apron and she hits the floor hard! Trish barely makes it in off the 10 count, Charlotte right back on her immediately.
Trish with a desperation springboard Reverse STO to get back in it. Charlotte battles back and makes it to the second rope, Trish tries for the Stratusphere… but Charlotte hoists her up into powerbomb position! But Trish reverses that into a top rope rana! That sequence went places. Big Boot from Charlotte takes her right back out of the game though. Charlotte tries for the figure four, but Trish reverses and gets in a Figure Four Leglock of her own! But Trish amps it up and actually transitions into the Figure Eight, wow! Full finisher theft!
Charlotte kicks away, going to the legs. ‘This Is Awesome’ chant kicks up as Trish avoids a corner charge, then nails the Stratusfaction! Narrow kickout on that one. Chopfest ensues! This is good stuff. Trish ducks a Big Boot, nails a Chick Kick! Another nearfall! Charlotte outwrestles Trish and gets into the Figure Four… bridges more than ever for the Figure Eight! And that’s it, Trish can’t hold on, tap out!
Winner: Charlotte Flair
Probably the match of the night thus far. Really good stuff, awesome to see Trish come back and look that good. A well-deserved Standing O and chant of ‘Thank You Trish’ follows.
Fully believe Trish could make a full-time return if she wanted, but if she opts to have that be her last match I couldn’t fault that at all.
Video package for Orton/Kofi is a really good one.
WWE Championship: Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Randy Orton
A dueling chant of “Kofi’s Stupid” and “Randy Sucks” breaks out as we ease our way into this match. That’s an all-timer. Kofi goes up top, Orton shoves him off and he falls facefirst onto the barricade! Back Suplex leaves Kofi flying onto the announce table, geeze. Bumping hard here. Orton tries to whip Kofi into the steps, but Kofi hops over them, then vaults off of them for a flying forearm! Kofi rushes off the apron but whiffs. Orton clotheslines him solidly, followed by another ruthless back suplex onto another announce table.
Pulled into the ring, Orton slowly teases a superplex. Kofi tries to fight out, but Orton goes up higher… Kofi powers out, clubbing blows follow. Orton gets knocked off. I started to feel an RKO counter but Kofi leaps off for a Tornado DDT! Too pained to make a cover right away though. Kofi gets in the blade chops, Boom Boom Legdrop. Kofi yells, “You’re stupid!” before going for a Trouble In Paradise, countered into Orton’s signature backbreaker that he never bothered to name.
Orton goes for the draping DDT, but Kofi back body drops him to the floor. Goes up top, Trust Fall wipes out Orton! Back in the ring, big time crossbody takes Orton down for a nearfall! Kofi attempts a Shuriken in the corner, Randy catches it, pulls him out, Draping DDT! And now the long build to the RKO begins. Goes for it, Kofi counters with a crucifix cradle! Orton kicks out, they go to the corner, Kofi hits the Shuriken! Comes off the top… RKO counter!!! But Orton too faded to cover and Kofi ends up rolling out of the ring.
Orton follows him out.. stalls forever, and Kofi starts brawling with him as the ref calls for the bell. Double count out, I suppose.
Winner: N/A
Large chant of ‘bullshit’ as the commentators clarify that Orton was dissing Kofi’s family in the front row. Kofi takes up a kendo stick and wails on Orton. Crowd starts chanting ‘Stupid’ for every shot. Kofi gets Randy in the ring, nails Trouble In Paradise. Crowd boos as he makes his leave.
Pretty good match until that happened. Completely ruined it.
And now for spooks.
Finn Balor vs. The Fiend
It was announced in advance but still entirely silly that Finn doesn’t bring the Demon into this. Legitimately, why wouldn’t he? Fiend comes out with a wicked new entrance. He’s got his own version of the lantern and it’s made of Bray’s old head. That’s ridiculous but I love it. Now that I look at him, this aesthetic is extremely Beetlejuice inspired. Fiend brutalizes him, every move looks destructive here. He did a move where he just snaps his neck. Stares at the gloves…. he’s constantly grabbing his own head. Goes for Sister Abigail, Balor escapes with a dropkick. Tries his damnedest to bring the fight… double footstomp to the head!
Finn with a shotgun dropkick, goes up top and tries for the Coup de’Gras, but Fiend catches him out of the air with the Mandible Claw! Gets him down to the mat… Finn is out. Fiend simply pins him that way.
Winner: The Fiend
Afterwards, lights flash as the Fiend turns around on the stage. He disappears. Chant of ‘That Was Awesome’ as Finn seems to be choking within the ring.
Main event time.
WWE Universal Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
Rollins has more tape on his ribs than I’ve ever seen. I mean it looks like a good few dozen layers. Brock immediately kicks Rollins in the ribs and hammers him in the corner. German… Rollins lands on his feet! Immediate curbstomp! But Brock kicks out. Brock bails, Rollins comes off the apron with a flying knee lift! Seth measures, goes for a thrust kick… Brock counters with another German but Rollins lands again! Superkick… and then another! Rollins goes for the Curbstomp but Brock avoids it… F-5! But Rollins is able to roll away from the pin attempt.
Lesnar grabs the tape around Rollins’ waist and hoists him up by it! That’s why it’s so thick! So he can sling him around by it! And now a serious of vicious german suplexes, Rollins landing on his head each time. German on the floor! Oof. In the ring for probably the fifth German Suplex. Back outside the ring. Brock gets him up, tries for another F-5 to the post! But Rollins escapes and tosses Brock into the post not once but twice! Big flying springboard knee back in the ring! Tries another, whiffs… VICIOUS German, the worst one yet damn!
Brock with a reverse bear hug, squeezing powerfully on Rollins’ wounded ribs. Lesnar takes Rollins to the corner, charges… but Rollins evades and Lesnar goes shoulderfirst into the post! Running dropkick takes Lesnar from the apron into an announce table! And now start the series of suicide dives! Hits it once, twice… and yep, goes for a third! But Brock catches him! And brutally rams him backfirst into a post! Lesnar uncovers an announce table… but Rollins shocks him with a superkick! Goes up top… atop the ring post even! Huge frog splash through the table!
Gets Lensar into the ring… another Frog Splash! Rollins sets up for the Curbstomp… rushes up and hits it! But Lesnar still kicks out! Rollins ups the intensity and looks for another. But he gets caught! Lesnar goes for an F-5… Rollins escapes and hits the most stiff superkick of all time! Rushes him for a Curbstomp and plants it! And he gets the 3!!!!
Winner: Seth Rollins
Best match either man has had in a long, long, long time. Exceptional stuff.
Gotta give credit where it’s due too, since I rag on WWE a lot, it shows a lot of faith to stick with Rollins in spite of how abysmally the summer went for them with him on top. And it’s the right choice, he is the right choice. Just, needed to stop being booked like WWE books it’s top guys and no more Baron Corbin for the love of God.
Awesome show all around. WWE’s best PPV in a while I’d dare say. And that’s great because they really needed a win with this.