(Promotion: WWE – Venue: Barclays Center – Location: Brooklyn, NY – Date: August 21, 2016)
SummerSlam 2016
Observations
Enzo Amore/Big Cass v. Kevin Owens/Chris Jericho
Mega-pop for Enzo and Cass. It was really cool when the crowd continued singing the lyrics of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy.” (“It was all a dream…”)
Jericho’s mustache and saunter are LOL.
I did not know that Cass was trained by Johnny Rodz. Rodz was an amazing talent. I guess you actually do learn something new every day.
Cass is cleaning up after the hot tag.
Amore’s DDG is boss.
Owens launches Enzo into a Codebreaker. That did not look fun.
Owens whispers “I love you, Chris” as the two make their way to the back. Too funny.
Winners: Kevin Owens/Chris Jericho
Mick Foley comes out looking like a rejected member of The Monkees.
Jon Stewart segment was a dud. The interruption by the New Day didn’t help.
WWE Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks v. Charlotte (c)
We have seen these two many times at this point. Another great effort by both.
Banks delivering the double-knees to the floor was rad.
I had a slight issue with the Internet when I started watching the event, therefore I was a number of minutes behind the live feed. The finish of the match was ruined for by an update sent to my phone by the WWE. Grr…
Winner and NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Charlotte
The Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson comedy segment was horrid.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Apollo Crews v. The Miz (c) w/ Maryse
I have experienced mixed emotions about The Miz over the years but I have liked his recent work. He and his wife are an entertaining combo.
I have followed Crews for a number of years. He is much better than he has performed thus far in the Fed.
Winner: The Miz
Bill Goldberg’s WWE 2K17 commercial aired.
AJ Styles v. John Cena
AJ Styles is rocking a divorced mom haircut.
This was a tremendous match. So many great spots: Cena kicking out of the Styles Clash, Cena’s Canadian Destroyer, the reversal of the Calf Crusher into an STF.
Cena looks tired late in the match. You don’t often see that.
Styles wins. Cena gets a standing ovation after the match. All these years of people booing him for no good reason. He is going to be missed when he is gone.
The armband in the ring was a nice touch.
This may seem like an odd observation, but I’d really like to see Cena work both with and against Johnny Gargano.
Winner: AJ Styles
Jon Stewart is out. He is a fantastic television host but the drizzling shits in context of the WWE. The crowd is killing him as he announces that he is joining The New Day for the evening.
Luke Gallows/Karl Anderson v. The New Day
Not a fan of The New Day, but the Unicorn Stampede is pretty funny.
I prefer Xavier Woods working matches rather than Big E.
Stewart interfered after a Magic Killer. Talk about babyfacing The Club. Big E runs out and demolishes Gallows and Anderson.
The same people who boo John Cena, cheer for The New Day. No thanks.
Winners: The Club by Disqualification
WWE World Championship
Dolph Ziggler v. Dean Ambrose (c)
Two Ohio guys scrapping it out for the title. Both are talented and hungry.
Ziggler is going into the Kent State University Varsity “K” Hall of Fame in September.
Ziggler eats a double-arm faceplant.
I dig Ambrose’s consistent intensity.
Zig’s selling feels less cartoony in this match. It’s a good look.
The Dirty Deeds that lead to the pin was gnarly.
Where does the loss leave Dolph?
Winner: Dean Ambrose
Recap of the Fed’s week in NYC. Someone waited 20 hours to meet the Dudley Boyz??? SMH.
Naomi/Carmella/Becky Lynch v. Natalya/Alexa Bliss/”Eva Marie”
Naomi’s entrance was ridiculous.
Carmella has major swag. I saw her when NXT was at the Arnold Sports Festival 2015 in Columbus. The former member of the Laker Girls is an incredibly hard worker.
Bliss is another wrestler representing Ohio.
Great swerve with the Eva Marie entrance. Crowd popped big for the returning Nikki Bella.
The match isn’t bad but feels long.
Bella pinned Carmella. Yawn.
Winners: Natalya/Alexa Bliss/Nikki Bella
Clash of the Champions is back!
WWE Universal Championship
Finn Balor v. Seth Rollins
Balor’s entrance was hot.
The commentary is especially good. I like the use of statistics during match calls. The team has done a great job of explaining the difference between Balor and “Demon King.”
Rollins hit a sweet High Fly Flow.
Small Package Driver!!
Balor hits the Coup de Grace for the pin and championship.
I’m really glad Balor got the win. However, I’m not sure the moment felt big enough.
(It has since been revealed that Balor was injured while taking a running powerbomb to the barricade. He was forced to relinquish the title the following evening on Raw.)
Winner and NEW WWE Universal Champion: Finn Balor
I’m at a complete loss over the Col. Sanders wrestling segment.
Balor to be on Good Morning America.
WWE United States Championship
Roman Reigns v. Rusev (c) w/ Lana
The two feel miscast as the heel Rusev is out for revenge on Reigns.
I will say that two big guys trading leather will be a nice change of pace from the rest of the show.
The match ends before it starts. Cut for time?
Winner: N/A
Randy Orton v. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman
Lesnar out first. Looks good. He is announced by Heyman and gets a smattering of boos.
Ranallo: “This isn’t gonna be a match. This is gonna be a fight.”
Lesnar delivers a traumatic powerslam to Orton on the announce table. He then tosses him through it again. Orton looks rough after the table bumps.
Orton shocks Lesnar with an RKO through another announce table.
Orton kicks out of an F5.
Lesnar takes off his gloves and clubs Orton with forearms and elbows. Blood is pooling on the mat.
Crowd chanting for Golberg. Please, God, don’t let him come out.
The match is called by TKO.
Shane McMahon is blocked by Lesnar as he attempts to enter the ring . He get F5’d.
Heyman tries to calm down Lesnar as crowd boos.
Winner: Brock Lesnar by Technical Knockout
Verdict
First off, this show was ENTIRELY TOO LONG. I know Vince & co. are trying to turn SummerSlam into a WrestleMania-level event but adding length and adding quality are two different things.
At the time, I wasn’t sure if it was a planned or unplanned spot between Lesnar and Orton. Word has come out since that it was planned. That makes the match order more perplexing. The Reigns/Rusev “no match” followed by, essentially, a “no finish” ended a long night of wrestling on a flat note.
Cena and Styles delivered the match of the night. How much longer is Cena gonna continue to wrestle?
Enzo and Cass are over huge. I hope that WWE creative is careful and don’t burn out the act out or split them up too soon.
The Jon Stewart experiment has failed at back-to-back SummerSlams. Let not make it a Three-peat.
How will Finn Balor’s career be impacted by this injury? It is reported that he will be out a minimum of six months. He was set to be the top babyface on Raw. Will someone pounce on the vacancy created by his injury between now and late-February? Time will tell.
More Wrestling
Premier Championship Wrestling: Battle of the Beards
NXT Cleveland (3/4/16): The Clash at the Classic
AIW’s Gauntlet for the Gold Eleven
Reviewer: Zep the Bear
supernobueno.wordpress.com 
2 thoughts on “SummerSlam (2016)”