WWE Summerslam PPV Reax

- Derrick from Utah (7.0): Best Match: Rollins vs. Cena. Worst Match: Nine-Divas trainwreck. Yikes! This was a long show with a lot to like, a lot to digest, and a lot to discuss. Many will start by explaining how much better the NXT show was than Summerslam. As a whole, the NXT event was the better show, but that statement should be made with some caveats. First of all, even though this was in the same building with many of the same fans, the crowd was incredibly easier last night than they were this evening. Last night they came ready and willing to enjoy themselves to the fullest extent. Tonight, it felt like they sat on their hands waiting for the wrestlers to impress them. The wrestlers did their part. I am not sure the booking did the athlete's efforts justice. I wanted the biggest event of the summer to end with an exclamation point. Tonight ended with a semicolon and a question, "what is next." Though I always prefer a clean finish, I refuse to let a bad ending spoil an enjoyable match. Even with that said, the Taker-Lesnar conclusion did taint an excellent effort from a wrestling legend whose days in the ring are numbered.

On a positive note, Rollins and the New Day both came out of the event stronger than they went in. For one night, Rollins shed his conservative pace and methodical heel style to showcase what he is capable of. In short, he is perhaps the most well-rounded and promising wrestler in the genre today. The New Day continue to elevate their total package en route to becoming one of the most entertaining acts in wrestling. Tonight had the potential to serve as an elevator for Cesaro and Owens. From a mechanical standpoint, their match was fantastic. Unfortunately, it lacked character investment and failed to resonate with an audience I hoped would be very receptive to their talents.

- Ryan from Minneapolis, Minn. (5.5): Best Match: Rollins-Cena. Rollins brought his A Game for this match and continues to earn his keep. You get the feeling that Rollins has been told to stick to the cowardly heel offense during his reign in order to avoid turning the crowd in his favor out of respect for his talents. But, he was outstanding tonight. Not sure he deserves that statue just yet, but Rollins and not Roman Reigns might end up being the break-out star from The Shield.

Worst Match: Rusev-Ziggler. WWE built up Rusev as a monster, then pointlessly sacrificed him at the altar of John Cena. Dolph Ziggler is a two-time World champion who used to be over with the crowd until he lost so many times that the crowd is wary of being burned supporting another Ziggler push. And here they both are, serving as nothing more than man-props for a slow-building feud between Summer Rae and Lana, two women who can barely wrestle. A perfect example of where skittish, inconsistent booking leads you.

Meanwhile, in the main event, you have storytelling that exemplifies everything wrong with the WWE product right now. The Undertaker gets dusted off mid-year, presumably in an attempt to pop TV ratings and PPV buys. Yet Undertaker’s booking is ridiculously weak. The times we’ve seen him get the better of Lesnar it’s because he’s socking Lesnar in the jewels. Tonight was no different. Did a 50-year-old Undertaker come back so that he could be booked to look more cowardly than Seth Rollins? Meanwhile, Lesnar is unquestionably the WWE’s most credible mainstream commodity, and here he is mired in a feud where he’s having to put a semi-retired attraction over as an equal. Lesnar, the biggest attraction in the company, could be treading water all the way to WrestleMania. How soon until Lesnar is facing Sheamus in the first match of the show?

- HBKeith, PWTorch reader (3.0): Best Match: Tag Title match. Worst Match(es): Cena-Rollins & Taker-Lesnar for the finishes. How many times is WWE gonna give us ridiculous endings to big matches at big events? I have the Network, and I honestly feel ripped off. Screwjob endings are nothing new, but tonight was ridiculous. Jon Stewart decides a title for title match? WHY. Why can't Rollins just beat Cena, or vice versa? Taker-Lesnar was even more unbelievable. Fine, the ref doesn't see the tap-out, but the timekeeper NEVER rings the bell without being told by the ref. Also, the great Undertaker has to lower himself to low-blowing Lesnar after tapping out. I don't want to see it.

Did you watch Summerslam? We're looking for your Reax and 0-10 score sent to pwtorch@gmail.com.

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