WWE SummerSlam 2017 Results and Review: No Champion Is Safe

Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)

SummerSlam has become WWE's number two show of the year, but it often doesn't live up to the moniker. Of course WWE has gone out of its way to prove the label by making SummerSlam a super-long event with the promise of six hours of wrestling, thinking that is a positive moniker to tout.

The build-up had not been top notch, but the match card was rock solid. It wasn't a show that would make you think you really need to sit down and watch for six straight hours, but neither is WrestleMania. You take what you can get with WWE these days.

Jordan trying his best to learn how Matt does four moves total and stays immensely popular.

The Miz and The Miztourage def. Jason Jordan and The Hardy Boyz

Overview: Once again, The Hardy Boyz and Jason Jordan's explosiveness was too much from The Miz and his Miztourage early on; however, this time they managed to isolate the veterans and take some control. After a flurry off a hot tag by Jordan, Miz slipped in off a blind tag and hit Jordan with the Skull Crushing Finale.

Highlights:

• The Hardy Boyz hit Axel with Poetry in Motion followed by a Jeff dropkick to the back.
• Matt hit Jeff with an inverted atomic drop only to take too long mocking Jordan on the apron and be booted away.
• Jeff got the hot tag to Matt off a mule kick with Matt hitting Miz with a bulldog while clotheslining Bo then hitting a diving elbow on Miz.
• Matt went for the Twist of Fate with Matt trying to turn it into a Skull Crushing Finale before being forced to turn it into a low-angle DDT.
• Miz hit the shoot kicks to Matt but then ran into a Side Effect.
• Jordan drove Axel into the corner then suplexed Bo in to join him before shoudler tackling both then suplexing Axel again.

Analysis: I personally wouldn't have asked for a repeat of a messy contest on Monday Night Raw, but this was far better despite lacking any energy due to the crowd being almost non-existent at this time of day. The flow of the match was solid, and Jordan's offense was kept to a minimum (though it is becoming clearer how limited he is).

Rating: 7/10

Neville is the first-ever 2-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion (the old one doesn't count) and will soon be the first-ever 3-time, 4-time, and 5-time CW champion.

Neville def. Akira Tozawa to Become the New WWE Cruiserweight Champion

Overview: Akira Tozawa's confidence was on full display as he saw through Neville's tactics early on and dominated. However, Neville's desperation would not allow him to stay down as he constantly stopped Tozawa from hitting the diving senton. When Tozawa finally managed it, Neville got his knees up then hit the Red Arrow to regain his title.

Highlights:

• Neville missed a dropkick then took a side kick into a standing senton.
• Neville blocked a suicide dive by returning to the ring then sent Tozawa outside to then throw into the LED board.
  
• Neville hit Tozawa with a missile dropkick then a second to the back. Tozawa reversed the whip of Neville and sent him outside into a sudden suicide dive.
  
• Tozawa hit back to back running forearms to Neville then avoided the strikes of Neville to hit a sudden inverted exploder.
  
• Tozawa locked Neville in an octopus hold then hit a quick shining wizard out of the break up.
  
• Both connected with gut kicks followed by enzuigiris then Tozawa hit a headscissors into a shining wizard.
  
• Tozawa planted Neville with a forearm and went to the top rope with Neville stopping him and going for a superplex and being planted only for Neville to get the knees up against the diving senton.
  

Analysis: This was the best these two have been so far, but the lack of crowd did make sure this lacked some energy. I would have liked to see Neville tell more of a story of his desperation and anger, but the athleticism and back-and-forth here was excellent. I hope this means Neville will again be holding the title a while, no hot potato please.

Rating: 8/10

It must be tough being The Usos. You can't even get on the main card when facing The New Day.

The Usos def. The New Day's Xavier Woods and Big E to Become the New SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions

Overview: The Usos and The New Day pulled out their best, and it seemed as if nothing could keep either team down. Xavier Woods though took too much damage over time, finally being taken out to leave Big E alone in the ring. Jimmy saved Jey from the Big Ending, and the two hit a flurry of superkicks to Big E then double Superfly Splashes.

Highlights:

• Woods ducked Jimmy's strikes and hitting him with a running forearm. Woods took a sudden slap from Jey only to boot him away then dive into an uppercut.
• Woods headbutt Jey off the top then dodged Jimmy, sending him into the post, followed by a missile dropkick to Jey.
• The Usos hit Woods with an elevated diving elbow drop.
• Woods suddenly pulled out a sunset flip to get the hot tag to Big E who hit repeated belly-to-belly suplexes then the running splash was turned into an enzuigiri only for Big E to pull out a sudden uranage.
• Big E powerbombed Woods onto Jey then Woods slammed Big E onto Jey. The Usos hit Big E with a double spinebuster.
• Big E took a corner hip attack before Woods tagged in and stopped a second with a superkick and a uranage/backstabber combo on Jimmy.
• Jimmy and Woods traded near-the-ropes running forearms then Woods clotheslined Jimmy outside followed by a running knee strike to Jey.
• Big E went for a Spear to the outside but ran into a superkick then took a diving leg drop hanging off the ropes while Woods took a Superfly Splash.
• Woods caught Jey in a sudden Koji Clutch which was broken up only for Woods to immediately hit a shining wizard.
• Woods went for the Honor Roll but had it blocked only for Big E to get involved and set up the Midnight Hour with Jimmy breaking up the pin.
• Jey dumped Woods over the top rope onto Jimmy with Big E then hitting Jey with a running Spear to the floor.

Analysis: These two teams have faced each other many times before but only now have they found the perfect formula especially with Woods working at the best level of his career, making their clashes feel truly worthy of PPV status. I have no idea how anyone could think a match like this should be on the Kickoff. The Usos winning felt a bit sudden as they just lost the titles, but they make more sense as the team to beat on SmackDown.

Rating: 9.5/10

John Cena almost cared in this match for a minute.

John Cena def. Baron Corbin

Overview: John Cena quickly tried to get in Baron Corbin's head, making fun of him for losing his Money in the Bank briefcase recently. However, Corbin found a way to beat down Cena with his superior size and striking. Corbin though got too predictable, and Corbin's third return-to-the-ring run ran right into a clothesline and an Attitude Adjustment for the win.

Highlights:

• Cena was not ready for Corbin's return-to-the-ring clothesline.
• Cena jumped right into the arms of Corbin for a falling powerslam.
• Cena hit back-to-back shoulder blocks and a side slam, but he missed the Five Knuckle Shuffle and Corbin ran around the ring to return with a chokeslam on his knee.
• Cena caught Corbin with a diving tornado DDT then the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
• Corbin fought out of the AA and hit the Deep Six.

Analysis: This was not a Cena SummerSlam match. It was a solid Cena TV main event. While the action was fine, it was over so fast it felt too limited with Corbin going down to one AA, a rare sight in WWE today. It was proof that Corbin may be on the wrong side of WWE Creative these days. This may be the death nail in his main-event push.

Rating: 7.5/10

I'm still not sure if Natalya has character motivation or is just driven by the fact that Bret Hart is her uncle.

Natalya def. Naomi to Become the New SmackDown Live Women's Champion

Overview: The brutality of Natalya's offense was obvious early on as she tried to destroy Naomi to win the match. While Naomi's athleticism helped her stay in the match, she was slowly but surely overwhelmed. Natalya avoided the split-legged moonsault and locked Naomi in the Sharpshooter for the submission victory.

Highlights:

• Natalya slingshot Naomi on the apron face-first into the steel post.
• Naomi caught Natalya with a small package but was quickly grounded by a clothesline off the kickout.
• Natalya grounded Naomi with a discus clotheline then placed her on the top rope only to have Naomi slip out and hit a Russian leg sweep off the second rope.
• Naomi dodged a discus clothesline and hit her with a enzuigiri and headscissors driver.
• Natalya caught Naomi mid-flurry of kicks and slammed her to the mat in the splits followed by a dropkick.
• Naomi hit a slingshot leg drop off the apron to Natalya on the second rope.
• Naomi flipped Natalya into the bottom turnbuckle out of the Sharpshooter but then missed the split legged moonsault.

Analysis: Naomi has always been a stronger athlete than wrestler, pulling out good spots but struggling to string it together into a cohesive match. Luckily, this match was the best showing of athleticism she has ever had, allowing the contest to impress despite still feeling a bit unconnected. I have no idea why Natalya won the title here as almost anyone in the division would have been more interesting with the title.

Rating: 7.75/10

Big Cass is on the main event track after spending half this match getting dominated by a one-hand man.

Big Cass def. Big Show with Enzo Amore Suspended Above the Ring in a Shark Cage

Overview: The hand of Big Show was clearly a hindrance from the start even with Show using his good hand to dominate early. The power of his moves using the left hand just wasn't enough with Cass finding an opening. Enzo oiled himself up and slipped out of the cage, walking into a big boot. Cass then quickly hit Show with a big boot for a nearfall then a second and the Empire Elbow for the win.

Highlights:

• Show hit two corner chops with his good hand then a knee but hurt his hand on a side slam.
• Show landed a body slam but took too long to get to the second rope and missed a diving senton.
• Show reversed the big boot into a KO punch with his bad hand.
• Cass found an opening with a big boot to the bad hand then began stomping on and wrenching the hand.
• Show hit back-to-back clotheslines then a body avalanche followed by a chokeslam.

Analysis: It is disappointing this was as bad as expected, but it really was a boring slog. The big men never got going with the story of Show's bad hand hindering what little momentum the contest could have mustered. Cass hopefully will now move on to better things as he has nothing more to gain from Enzo or Show.

Rating: 6/10

I guess Randy wasn't feeling like wrestling at SummerSlam this year. Unsurprising given he didn't show up during his entire Bray Wyatt feud.

Randy Orton def. Rusev

Overview: Rusev attacked Randy Orton before the match, assaulting him and then throwing him into the barricade. As the bell rang, Rusev walked right into an RKO out of nowhere for the loss.

Analysis: This had to happen some time given WWE is so focused on the RKO's suddenness, but Rusev did not need this. Orton could have won a strong back-and-forth match and looked just as good without making Rusev look like a joke on back-to-back PPVs.

It must suck to be Bayley as she missed the championship fire sale and had to let Sasha get the bargain.

Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss to Become the New Raw Women's Champion

Overview: Alexa Bliss managed to hurt and ground Sasha Banks in this match, but Banks was driven by a desire that would not waver. Banks turned a DDT into the Bank Statement, but Bliss used the bad shoulder to break the submission only to have Banks reapply the hold and get a quick submission.

Highlights:

• Banks blasted Bliss in the corner with repeated forearms only to back off right into a devastating forearm smash from Bliss.
• Bliss caught Banks with a sleeper on the top rope then hit a diving double knee drop into a double knee moonsault.
• Bliss caught Banks once more with a sleeper on the top rope but was then flipped to the mat into a sliding knee from Banks.
• Banks caught Bliss's sunset flip and wheelbarrow slammed Bliss head-first into the top turnbuckle.
• Banks caught Bliss with the backstabber into the Bank Statement with Bliss slipping outside then tripping Banks off the apron as she went for the running double knees.
• Bliss dumped Bank over the top rope onto her shoulder then went after the joint on Banks' return followed by a nearfall on the Twisted Bliss.

Analysis: I swear these two can have a showstealer at some point, but their match construction so far is just off. There's no flow despite the two constantly showcasing their disdain for one another. Still, it was a solid match mainly hurt by the awkward rushed finish. Banks as champion feels like a mistake, given current running stories, but maybe it is a way to move the title to Nia Jax.

Rating: 7.75/10

Wyatt is back to feeling right at home in his role in WWE after a month of steady victory.

"The Demon" Finn Balor def. Bray Wyatt

Overview: Bray Wyatt's first glimpse of The Demon showed he was already off guard, and Finn Balor took advantage, forcing Wyatt onto the defensive throughout. Even though Wyatt's power allowed him to fight back, he could not keep Balor down. The spider walk only seemed to energize The Demon with Wyatt shocked, taking the Slingblade, corner dropkick, and Coup De Grace for the loss.

Highlights:

• Wyatt rolled outside right into a somersault plancha.
• Wyatt caught Balor with a right hand through the ropes into a suplex to the floor elevated by the ring ropes.
• Balor caught Wyatt with an overhead kick then a series of running forearms followed by a dropkick to the outside and a soccer kick off the apron then a double foot stomp.
• Wyatt dodged the Coup De Grace then Balor slipped out of the Sister Abigail with a  quick Slingblade.
• Wyatt grounded Balor with a big boot then a uranage.
• Balor caught Wyatt with an enzuigiri on the top rope then a standing elbow smash.
• Balor caught Wyatt with a dropkick into the barricade, but Wyatt quickly fought back with a clothesline back in the ring.

Analysis: I love matches like this that know their story from the start and never waver. It was one of the best performance from both men I've seen and certainly their best of this year to date. The chemistry here was heightened by a tight story and action that flowed to a finish that almost made too much sense for tonight.

Rating: 9/10

They've achieved the boyhood dream of being thrown into the tag team division and forced to revisit a story that people remember as the only great years of their careers.

Seth Rolins and Dean Ambrose def. Sheamus and Cesaro to Become the New Raw Tag Team Champions

Overview: The teamwork of Sheamus and Cesaro was on full display early as they isolated and dominated. Even as Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins got in flurries, they struggle to sustain offense. However, when all looked lost, Rollins came running in with a fury, taking out Cesaro then hitting Sheamus with a high knee to set up a Dirty Deeds on Sheamus for the win.

Highlights:

• Rollins was double teamed outside by Cesaro and Sheamus only for Ambrose to dive onto both from the top rope of the heel corner.
• Ambrose dodged an uppercut and hit Cesaro with a swinging neckbreaker.
• Rollins and Ambrose clotheslined Sheamus and Cesaro out of the ring to set up simultaneous suicide dives.
• Rollins and Ambrose hit an elevated Slingblade on Cesaro.
• After Sheamus pulled Rollins to the floor, Ambrose dived into an uppercut and went for the Neutralizer which set off a flurry of back-and-forth strikes into a rebound clothesline.
• Ambrose hit a suplerplex on Sheamus into a Rollins frog splash with Cesaro saving the pin.
• Rollins and Ambrose stomped Sheamus into the bottom turnbuckle before setting him up for a double powerbomb with Cesaro breaking it up.
• Cesaro turned Dirty Deeds into a Giant Swing quickly into a Sharpshooter with Sheamus taking out Rollins with a rolling senton outside with Cesaro then turning his submission into a a crossface.
• Sheamus and Cesaro hit Ambrose with an elevated clothesline for a nearfall then a double crucifix with Rollins saving the cover.
• Rollins stopped the White Noise-neckbreaker combo on Ambrose by sending Cesaro into Sheamus with a headscissors.

Analysis: Sheamus and Cesaro are proving right now that there is a higher level of tag team competition that is possible with the kind of performances that put others to shame. While Ambrose and Rollins were excellent, this was the former tag champs' show in a hard-hitting dynamic bout. It is a shame they had to lose, proving this was primarily a one-show story WWE was telling.

Rating: 9.25/10

This picture is a fantasy as it makes you think this was actually a single match and not a triple threat heavily featuring Shane McMahon.

AJ Styles def. Kevin Owens to Retain the WWE United States Championship with Shane McMahon as Special Guest Referee

Overview: In this battle of long-time rivals, Shane McMahon as special guest referee was the major factors with both men questioning his standing in the match. After Owens finally lost it on Shane, ready to attack him, Styles snuck up on KO, hitting him with a pele kick into the Phenomenal Forearm then the Styles Clash for the win.

Highlights:

• Shane caught KO with a running knee strike on the apron.
  
• Styles jumped out of the corner but ran into a clothesline.
  
• KO hit Styles with a cannonball then a short-arm clothesline into a standing senton.
  
• KO ran into a fireman's carry, fighting out only to walk into a wheelbarrow facebuster.
  
• KO fought off the Styles Clash then missed a moonsault into a superkick with Styles fighting back with a ushigoroshi.
  
• Owens sent Shane into the ropes to trip Styles on the top rope with Styles battling out of the corner with a sunset flip powerbomb.
  
• Shane was checking on KO and took the brunt of a 450 Splash with KO then hitting a pump-up powerbomb only for a slow count nearfall.
  
• KO went shoulder-first into the post and rolled into the Calf Crusher with KO breaking it by raking the eyes.
  
• KO booted Styles into Shane only for Styles to roll him into Calf Crusher again with Shane missing the tap out.
  
• KO caught Styles for a swinging fisherman superplex. Styles and KO traded shots before Styles missed the pele kick, took a superkick, then turned a pump-up powerbomb attempt into a roll up right into a Styles Clash.
  
• KO dodged the Phenomenal Forearm then hit a pump-up powerbomb with Styles getting his foot on the ropes.
  

Analysis: If it wasn't for the overt use of Shane in this match, taking multiple odd bumps, this would have easily been the best clash of Styles and Owens. It still was their best bout, but it was closer thanks to the frequent shenanigans. This was an athletic physical match that sold why these two are among the best in WWE.

Rating: 9.25/10

When I get a time machine, I'm going back in time to 2014 to tell someone that SummerSlam 2017 will feature a WWE Championship match between Jinder Mahal and Shinsuke Nakamura, just because the look on their face would be worth it.

Jinder Mahal def. Shinsuke Nakamura to Retain the WWE Championship

Overview: Shinsuke Nakamura's unorthodox style was too much for Jinder Mahal early on as he was unable to find an opening against the kicking onslaught. However, Mahal's power and toughness allowed him to find openings and fight back. A distraction from the Singh Brothers with Nakamura giving Kinshasas allowed Mahal to hit him with the Khallas and retain.

Highlights:

• Mahal connected with Good Vibrations and sent Nakamura reeling outside with Nakamura going after him with strikes, but a distraction from the Singh Brothers allowed Mahal to forearm him off the apron into the barricade.
• Nakamura caught Mahal with a knee to the gut followed by a back spin kick.
  
• Nakamura hit the running corner knee then went for the inverted exploder with Mahal blocked it only to be caught with the triangle choke.
• Nakamura caught Mahal with  an inverted powerslam, but Mahal dodged his knee strike and sent him into the turnbuckle followed by dumping Nakamura onto the top rope into a running high knee.
• Mahal called for the Khallas with Nakamura fighting it off and hitting a spinning kick then sent Mahal into the post followed by a knee into the corner.

Analysis: Take out the finish here, and this was a strong first encounter between two men who have surprising chemistry. Mahal and Nakamura came off energized and driven, keeping the pace up throughout. I look forward to what they do next. That said, the finish was a messy way to keep the title on Mahal (which I did think was the right move).

Rating: 7.75/10

Imagine thinking this will help turn Brock Lesnar face as if anyone could ever root against Braun Strowman.

Brock Lesnar def. Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, and Samoa Joe to Retain the WWE Universal Championship

Overview: Braun Strowman quickly established his dominance here when he clashed with Brock Lesnar and destroyed him. The damage he did was bad enough that Lesnar was stretchered off. He returned though to stop Strowman from winning. In the end, Reigns hit Lesnar with triple Superman Punches into a Spear that Lesnar reversed into an F5 for the win.

Highlights:

• Lesnar quickly suplexed Joe out of the ring while Reigns pushed Strowman through the post.
• Strowman threw Lesnar into the corner, hit him with a body avalanche, then Strowman clotheslined him to the floor.
• Joe caught Lesnar with the Coquina Clutch only to have to duck as Reigns Speared Lesnar through the barricade.
• Joe uranaged Reigns onto the table only for Strowman to blast Joe over the table then running powerslam Lesnar through the announce table.
• Strowman threw an announcer chair into both Reigns and Joe then running powerslammed Lesnar through another announce table then dumping the table on top of Lesnar.
• Strowman wiped out Reigns and Joe with the steel steps. Reigns fought off a uranage then hit a Samoan drop on Joe.
• Strowman broke up a Coquina Clutch on Reigns with a double chokeslam to both men.
• Lesnar returned to take out Strowman then suplex both Reigns and Joe with Lesnar then blocking a running powerslam and catching Strowman with the Kimura Lock only for Reigns to Superman Punch it clear.
• Reigns Superman Punched Joe away then Speared Lesnar for a nearfall then went for another only to take a Coquina Clutch with Strowman breaking that up with a dropkick into a running powerslam on Joe with the referee pulled away by Lesnar.
• Reigns hit a Spear off the pump-up from Strowman then went for a Spear into a big boot that set up a Strowman running powerslam on Reigns.
• Lesnar went for the F5 but had it turned into a running powerslam that Reigns broke up with a Spear on Strowman.
• Reigns nearly walked into a F5 with Joe getting involved and catching Joe with a Coquina Clutch only for Lesnar to turn it into an F5.

Analysis: This was the absolute monster car crash it needed to be, and it was even better than I could have imagined. Strowman went off as the crowd-pleasing highlight reel of destruction, and Lesnar's story with him was perfect as Lesnar looked outmatched but managed to survive him this time.

Rating: 9.5/10

Final Notes: General Managers Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan met and argued backstage over which brand would steal the show. The crowd in Brooklyn tried to be the classic "we are awesome" group but failed to actually make noise at most points then just cheered and booed in reverse because that makes them cool. It hurt the show.

Conclusion: Despite a messy early part of the main card, this was a really good show thanks to an electric home stretch of top matches. Perhaps on reflection a few of my ratings will go down, but right now I have this show with an incredible five matches with a rating above 9.

WWE tried its best to weaken the event with an absurd amount of unnecessary title changes and clumping together all the weaker matches, and the crowd attempted to sabotage the event with a combination of being obnoxious and low energy. It all didn't matter.

This was a wrestlers show with everyone putting in their maximum efforts. SummerSlam felt like a Big Four event, showing off the best of the best. It also help develop stories moving toward the fall that are equally as exciting. SummerSlam was exactly what I hoped it could be.

Grade: B+