8/23 WWE SUMMERSLAM KICKOFF SHOW: Crews defends U.S. Title against MVP, farewell for Renee Young by panel with JBL, Rosenberg, Booker, Caruso

WWE SUMMERSLAM KICKOFF REPORT
AUGUST 23, 2020
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Kickoff Panel: Charly Caruso, Booker T, Renee Young, JBL, Peter Rosenberg

The panel did a match rundown for the show, including the U.S. Championship that will be defended on the Kickoff show. After a Fiend vs. Strowman video package, the panel discussed possible outcomes. Booker said Wyatt has the upper hand, while Renee thought Wyatt was in trouble due to Strowman’s physical advantages. Peter compared the contest to Booker’s feud with the Boogeyman, and suggested that if Booker had gone “full Boogeyman back at Boogeyman” it may have turned out differently. Booker indicated that he was about to “bust his ass,” pointing at Peter.

In the ring, Sarah Schriber was interviewing Vega, Andrade, and Garza. Garza asked Sarah about Charly’s whereabouts, then produced a rose to give to Sarah instead. Vega swatted the rose out of his hands and got down to business. Regarding Belair’s attack against her, Vega declared herself an “innocent bystander.” Back on the panel, Charly said that Vega is always mean to her. Booker chimed in, saying that a lot of people don’t like Charly. Charly was taken aback, but Booker would not elaborate.

After a video package, The panel discussed Asuka, Bayley, and Banks. Shayna Baszler showed up at the panel, interrupting the discussion. She said it doesn’t matter how tonight’s matches go, because she’s “got next.” Baszler said that Nia Jax is obsessed with her, and she’s going to put Jax to sleep when her suspension ends. Charly said she was fine with Baszler showing up, as she prefers Baszler’s presence to Retribution’s. This led to a Retribution video package.

Peter said he felt safe from Retribution since there were two hall of famers on the panel. Booker said he wanted nothing to do with Retribution. JBL said Retribution were going to “leave a legacy,” citing other invasion groups in WWE. The panel pivoted to a Dominik vs. Rollins video package.

Announce Team: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

(1) APOLLO CREWS (c) vs. MVP – U.S. Title Match

Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin (MVP’s faction, the Hurt Business) were banned from ringside for this contest.

The wrestlers exchanged holds and pins early on. MVP dodged a punch by rolling out to ringside, where he considered his situation as Crews waited patiently in the ring. MVP punched Crews with a cheap shot, but caught a drop kick and an arm drag by Crews. Crews applied an arm bar.

MVP got to his feet and backed Crews into a corner. He nearly backed off cleanly but took another cheap shot at Crews, but Crews ducked this time. MVP hoisted a charging Crews over the top rope to the floor. Back in the ring, Crews stunned MVP with a kick to the head. When Crews climbed to the top turnbuckle, MVP sprung to his feet and rammed the top rope, causing Crews to fall on his groin. This gave MVP time to scale the corner and execute a superplex. MVP pinned for two.

Crews clotheslined MVP out to the floor, then hit him with a flying somersault senton over the top rope. Both men struggled to their feet and barely rolled into the ring before the referee’s 10-count. They exchanged blows, but Crews had the upper hand with a barrage of forearm shots and kicks. He splashed MVP in the corner twice, then landed a spinebuster in the middle of the ring. Crews hit his standing moonsault, then covered for two in a believable near fall. Crews hit a toss powerbomb, which was good for the three-count.

Benjamin and Lashley appeared in short order, but Crews scrambled out of the ring and up the ramp while the Hurt Business regrouped with their leader.

WINNER: Apollo Crews by pinfall in 6:30 to retain the U.S. Title.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Pretty standard match. The most refreshing thing was seeing a clean victory for the champion, with no shenanigans or interruptions.)

At the end of the Kickoff show, Charly said some kind words about everything Renee has done for WWE. Renee thanked the company and fans, and said they changed her life.

RECOMMENDED: 8/23 WWE SUMMERSLAM PPV REPORT: Keller’s report on McIntyre vs. Orton, Strowman vs. Fiend, Bayley vs. Asuka, Sasha vs. Asuka, Rollins vs. Dominik