“I’m Better Than You, And You Know It”

"Every Man Has A Price For The Million Dollar Man"

"The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be"

"Whatcha Gonna Do, When Hulkamania Runs Wild On You"

"And That's The Bottom Line Because Stone Cold Said So"


<p>WWE presented the Biggest Party of the Summer from the Thunderdome with the tag line, &#8220;You&#8217;ll never see it coming&#8221;. There were several great booking decisions made in the show and definitely a few moments which no one could have ever seen coming. The show had a great deal of hype behind it and it managed to reach the expectations. </p>



<p>Yet another short show with only eigth matches on the main-card, WWE&#8217;s decision to put over quality over quantity is paying dividends in the Pandemic Era. Shorter PPVs pass by like a breeze and get the job done much better than a five-hour long show with 14 matches on the card. </p>



<p>Two major title changes took place on the PPV,  a big debut, and one of the most shocking returns in current memory. We run down WWE SummerSlam 2020 results and give our thoughts and analysis on how the show fared overall. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>Pre Show | United States Championship Match: Apollo Crews(c) vs. MVP</strong></h2>



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<p>The duo faced off on the kick-off show in what is thought of as the culmination to their rivalry which has gone on for several months now. MVP did not have his buddies from The Hurt Business by his side, and was no match for his younger opponent&#8217;s pace and athleticism. </p>



<p>MVP slowly got back into the match but Crews countered with a dive to take control. MVP went for the Playmaker but the champion countered it with a powerbomb to retain the title. </p>



<p>Post-match, The Hurt Business hit the ring but Crews escaped the attack. </p>



<p><strong>Winner and still the United States Champion: Apollo Crews</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: C+</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> The match could have been much more, given their much better bout on RAW a few weeks ago. MVP has done a fantastic job of estabilishing Crews as a legitimate talent on the red brand and continued to give him the rub he deserves. Crews on the other hand has plenty of superstars waiting for a title shot, and his reign should go on for much longer.</p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>SmackDown Women&#8217;s Championship: Bayley(c) vs. Asuka</strong></h2>



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<p>Asuka&#8217;s first title match came against the Role Model of the Women&#8217;s Division. Asuka came out of the gate early, hoping to secure a quick victory to save energy for her match against Banks later. Bayley hit a Bayley-to-Belly but it wasn&#8217;t enough. Asuka hit Hip Attacks of her own for a near fall. </p>



<p>Banks got invovled on several occasions but couldn&#8217;t give Bayley the win. Banks eventually sacrificed herself, taking a Hip Attack from Asuka, which allowed Bayley to put the challenger down for the three count. </p>



<p>Post-match, Banks and Bayley destroyed Asuka in order to ensure she is not 100% for her RAW Women&#8217;s Championship Match later in the night. </p>



<p><strong>Winner and still the SmackDown Women&#8217;s Champion: Bayley</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: B+</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> Asuka has delivered a long list of tremendous encounters over the past few months, and this one was no different. Both the competitors told a great story inside the ring, with Bayley&#8217;s increasing frustration, Asuka trying to secure a quick win and Banks making sure her friend remained the champion. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>Raw Tag Team Championship: Street Profits(c) vs. Andrade and Angel Garza </strong></h2>



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<p>The heels dominated the early part of the match as Montez Ford was worked over by the two Mexican superstars. Angelo Dawkins hit the ring with a hot tag but his run was halted by an elbow by Andrade. </p>



<p>Ford eventually made his return to the match and sent Garza into Zelina Vega who was on the apron. Andrade tended to Vega which left Garza all alone in the ring, allowing the champions to hit the Cash Out to secure the win. </p>



<p><strong>Winners and still the Raw Tag Team Champions: The Street Profits</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: B-</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> There was nothing extraordinary in this match and was a rather disappointing one for a PPV of SummerSlam&#8217;s caliber. Street Profits have done great work so far and them retaining the titles is not a bad decision, but the match could&#8217;ve been better.</p>



<p>WWE is still teasing a Garza-Andrade breakup, which could happen anytime in the coming weeks. Both the stars are supremely talented to be restricted to the tag-team division. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>No DQ Loser Leaves WWE: Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville</strong></h2>



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<p>The final chapter in one of the best rivalries in the Women&#8217;s Division had lots of real-life tension behind it, as the two competitors were subjected to a kidnapping attempt just a week ago. Rose was quite aggresive from the start and introduced a table to destroy Deville. </p>



<p>Deville, instead, locked her in submission maneuvers and tried to choke her out, but Rose eventually fought her off and placed Deville on the table. Deville avoided a chair-shot to the face but Rose kept up the aggression and delivered several knee strikes in a row to win the match.</p>



<p>Post-match, Otis joined Rose in the ring and the duo celebrated, as a distraught Deville looked on. </p>



<p><strong>Winner: Mandy Rose</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: B</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> The duo had a deeply personal rivalry which was built up for most of this calendar year. The originally scheduled Hair vs Hair match was canceled at the last moment, which could be due to the real-life issues in their lives.</p>



<p>Deville is most likely to stay at home for the next few months, given the psychological trauma she had to go through with the attempted kidnapping and the court trials. Mandy Rose has risen as one of the best babyfaces in the division, and should totally be the one to dethrone Bayley in the coming weeks. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>Street Fight: Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio</strong></h2>



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<p>Flanked by his one-eyed father at ringside, Dominik made his debut against Rollins in a Street Fight. Rollins used his veteran knowledge to gain the upper hand in the initial parts of the match before the rookie landed some punches and an arm-drag. </p>



<p>Both the competitors made great use of the kendo stick to destroy each other before Rollins handcuffed Rey Mysterio to the ring and went to attack him. Rollins was interrupted by Mysterio&#8217;s wife Angie, and he proceeded towards her before Dominik made the save. Dominik hit a 619 and went for the Frog Splash but the Messiah countered. </p>



<p>Rollins hit the Stomp to secure the win, as the father and son shared an emotional moment in the ring after the match. </p>



<p><strong>Winner: Seth Rollins</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: A-</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> This was a masterclass in storytelling and a great in-ring debut for Dominik, who proved that he has what it takes to be a top performer in the WWE. Seth Rollins continued to prove why he is arguably the best wrestler on the main-roster and deservingly took a win in this matchup.</p>



<p>It is unclear what will happen next in the storyline, as both the Mysterio&#8217;s have now taken a loss at the hands of the Messiah. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>Raw Women&#8217;s Championship: Sasha Banks(c) vs. Asuka</strong></h2>



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<p>Asuka&#8217;s second match of the night saw her enter the ring limping after the attack by the Golden Role Models earlier in the night. The Blueprint focused the attack on Asuka&#8217;s injured leg and dropped her with a nasty looking sunset flip powerbomb on the concrete outside.</p>



<p>They both traded submission maneuvers, trying to lock in the Banks Statement and Asuka Lock. In a callback from the match earlier in the night, Asuka went for the Hip Attack but Bayley moved out of the way, refusing to sacrifice herself the way Banks did. Asuka ended up locking the Asuka Lock on Banks to secure the title.</p>



<p><strong>Winner and New Raw Women&#8217;s Champion: Asuka</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: B+</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> Asuka having the stamina to produce two fantastic matches in the same night is a testament to her greatness. The callback to the earlier match was a fantastic way to end things, and continues the slow-burn between Banks and Bayley. </p>



<p>Sasha Banks losing the title in her very first defense yet again is extremely saddening but at least they are setting up a possible face turn for her against Bayley.  </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Randy Orton </strong></h2>



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<p>Randy Orton used his slow pace to methodically tear down the champion, who retaliated and focused his attack on Orton&#8217;s leg, locking him in the Figure Four. Orton poked McIntyre&#8217;s eye causing him to bleed. McIntyre delivered a Future Shock DDT for a nearfall, followed by a Glasgow Kiss headbutt which caused Orton to bleed as well. </p>



<p>Orton hit the draping DDT and setup for the Punt Kick but was countered by the champion. The duo tried to hit their finishers but failed, with McIntyre eventually winning with a backslide on Orton for the three-count in a unique finish (you&#8217;ll never see it coming).</p>



<p><strong>Winner and still the WWE Champion: Drew McIntyre</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: A+</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> This was a match straight out of the Attitude/Ruthless Aggression Era. There were no flips, only fists in the match, with the two powerhouses trying to achieve supremacy in whatever way possible. McIntyre using the Figure Four as a homage to Ric Flair was a splendid touch, and the finish helps the duo to further their rivalry without diminishing their status. </p>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading"><strong>Falls Count Anywhere Match | WWE Universal Championship: Braun Strowman(c) vs. The Fiend</strong></h2>



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<p>Strowman took the attack to The Fiend early in the match, but the demonic personality retailiated and hit Strowman with a toolbox. Strowman slammed the Fiend onto the announce table but it didn&#8217;t break, resulting in a nasty back bump for the challenger. The action proceeded to the Gorilla Position, where Wyatt hit a Sister Abigail for the near fall.</p>



<p>Wyatt survived a Powerslam and hit two Sister Abigails in a row to pin the champion and capture his third World title in WWE.</p>



<p>Post-match, <strong>Roman Reigns</strong> made his surprise return and attacked both the superstars, trash-talking, and asserting his status as the true champion. </p>



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<p><strong>Winner and New WWE Universal Champion: The Fiend</strong></p>



<p><strong>Grade: B+</strong></p>



<p><strong>Analysis:</strong> The main event wasn&#8217;t much spectacular but WWE gets all the credit for the perfect booking, and the return of an aggressive-than-usual Roman Reigns. Reigns showed much needed personality, and looked like a Stone Cold-esque figure, with his &#8216;Wreck Everyone and Leave&#8217; persona, which is quite similar to Austin&#8217;s &#8216;Raise Hell and Leave&#8217; gimmick. </p>



<p>The upcoming rivalry between the monster, the devil and the Big Dog should be a fantastic addition to the main event scene of Friday Night SmackDown.</p>


WWE SummerSlam 2020 Results, Grades, and Highlights

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