SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
KELLER’S WWE SUMMERSLAM REPORT
AUGUST 3, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO AT CLEVELAND BROWNS STADIUM
STREAMED LIVE ON PEACOCK & PPV
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Pat McAfee
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-The pre-show ended with the panel discussing which match they most anticipated. They acknowledged that C.M. Punk vs. Drew McIntyre is a pick of many fans even if there’s no title on the line.
-They went to Michael Cole who commented on clips of various wrestlers arriving at the arena. Cole said Liv and Rhea would kick off the show.
-Jelly Roll sang “God Bless America” live from mid-ring.
-Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, made his ring entrance to the start the show. In a grinding voice, he welcomed everyone to Summerslam. He threw back to Jelly Roll who performed “Liar.” They interspersed clips of WWE wrestlers and fans with the live performance.
-Miz stood in the stands as host of the show and said he wanted to feel the live energy of the crowd.
(1) LIV MORGAN vs. RHEA RIPLEY (w/Dominik Mysterio) – WWE Women’s Title match
As Ripley and Dom walked out, Cole called Dom “Rhea’s boy toy.” He noted she never lost the title after holding it for 379 days. They went to Cole, Graves, and McAfee at ringside. Cole said over 50,000 were in attendance. He noted the referee is wearing a “referee cam.” It had a hard liquor sponsor. Liv then made her entrance. The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Liv ducked out to ringside early and then rolled back into the ring once Rhea went after her. Liv laughed. Rhea returned to the ring. Liv ducked out again.
Once Rhea got in some offense, Dom smiled and applauded. Ripley high-fived Dom, then licked his cheek. Cole said he can’t stand Dom, but he’s doing something right since he has Ripley. Graves said there should be an ordinance against the pheromones that he’s giving off. McAfee’s (odd and disconcerting) obsession with poop came up again. He rambled about a “pieces of crap” and said “people look like after a poop has happened and you get your butt wiped.” He said Dom is “a poop stain.” (Please stop.) Cole chuckled and said he was painting a picture.
Ripley headbutted Liv and drove her into the top turnbuckle. Liv threw Ripley into the corner turnbuckle and the grabbed her shoulder in pain. She said, “It’s out!” The ref asked if he should stop it. She shouted, “No!” Cole said the injured shoulders is probably dislocated. She fought off Liv and then rolled to the floor near Dom. Liv kicked Ripley into the ringside steps. Ripley kept holding her shoulder. Liv stomped on it and rolled her into the ring and scored a two count at 6:00.
Liv leaped at Ripley at ringside, but Dom shoved Ripley out of the way and so Liv landed on him. Ripley threw Liv back into the ring. She kept clutching at her shoulder. Ripley rammed her shoulder into the announce desk to knock it back into socket. Cole said he’s never seen anything like that. McAfee said it was mind-blowing. Graves compared it to something Finn Balor did at a Summerslam years ago. She went on the attack against Liv and scored a two count.
Liv countered a Rip Tide attempt with a DDT for a near fall. Ripley went on a stretch of offense with more two counts. Liv yanked Ripley’s arm over the middle rope and then grabbed a chair. Ripley battled back and finally landed a Rip Tide. Graves said that had to be cathartic. Ripley picked up a chair. Graves said if she swings it, “the gold is gone.” Dom stood on the ring apron and yanked it away from her. The crowd roared. Dom explained she can’t use it or she’ll get DQ’d. Graves said the fans should be applauding. Liv knocked Ripley into Dom, knocking her to the floor. She then hit Oblivion and scored a believable near fall. Fans popped and chanted, “Holy shit!”
Dom ran over and got the ref’s attention. Liv then gave Ripley an Oblivion onto the chair. Liv scored a three count. Cole said, “What the hell?” Dom smiled at ringside.
WINNER: Morgan in 16:00 to retain the Women’s Title.
-Dom then helped Liv up and kissed her. Cole exclaimed, “Dom, you sorry two-timin’ son of a bitch!” McAfee called him a piece of trash. Cole asked if it’s a been a ruse for months. They showed a fuming Ripley in the ring soaking up what happened.
(Keller’s Analysis: Not sure that made any sense. Rhea had multiple chances to win before Dom went far enough to cost her the match. Dom also clearly helped Ripley not get hit by a diving Liv and also helped Ripley not get DQ’d for using a chair. There was no guarantee that Dom would have a chance to actually cost Ripley the match because of how long he waited. The announcers also had to play dumb for way too long after the match considering Dom smiled right after the finish. This was on the lower end of logic and execution for an angle that has been built up for months. The match itself was solid, and Ripley did a great job selling the shoulder.)
-They showed Sami Zayn warming up backstage. [c]
-They cut backstage to the Judgement Day hangout. Damien Priest barged in and grabbed Finn Balor and asked if he knew. Balor said of course he didn’t know. Balor said they should go look for Dom and confront him. J.D. McDonagh told Priest he’s there for him. Priest said, “I’m gonna kill this kid.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Good follow-up to the angle.)
(2) SAMI ZAYN vs. BRON BREAKKER – Intercontinental Championship
The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. Breakker charged at Sami, who leapfrogged him, so Breakker crashed shoulder-first into the corner. Breakker dropped to the floor and clutched his shoulder. Sami then landed a running flip dive onto Breakker. Sami leaped off the top rope, but Breakker ducked and then clotheslined him.
Breakker gave Sani a Frankensteiner for a near fall at 3:00. McAfee made another reference to poop, saying he “pooped my pants” after Scott Steiner was angry with him for changing the name of the Frankensteiner. Breakker told Sami to quit. Sami slapped him back over and over. Sami set up a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Breaker blocked it. Breakker flipped out of a back suplex but almost landed on his head in the process. The announcers gasped. Sami then gave Breakker a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Breakker caught Sami with a knee, but Sami countered with an exploder suplex. When Sami charged, Breakker speared him. Breakker then lowered his straps, ran the ropes, and speared Sami for the three count. “Welcome to the Bron Breakker ear!” exclaimed Cole. Graves said, “Get used to it!”
WINNER: Breakker in 6:00 to capture the Intercontinental Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good while it lasted, but it wasn’t formatted to be an epic fight. All in all, a bit anticlimactic given the nature of the feud, but they wanted to put Breakker over strong.) [c]
-A sponsored video clip aired of Drew McIntyre attacking C.M. Punk.
-They showed Stephanie McMahon in the crowd waving. Then they showed scenes of Cleveland’s waterfront. [c]
(3) LOGAN PAUL vs. L.A. KNIGHT – U.S. Title match
Logan made his entrance first. He wore Cleveland brown and tore up a fan sign on his way to the ring. He was joined by MGK, a rapped out of Cleveland. Cole said he works with Jelly Roll. Logan arrived in Logan’s stolen sports-drink branded truck. Knight then bashed in the side window. He said he’s now coming for his U.S. Title. Graves said Knight is guilty of vandalism and grand theft auto and he should have been arrested. As Knight began to enter the ring, Logan knocked him to the floor. Logan went after Knight at ringside. Logan sprayed some of his energy drink into Knight’s face after Knight took time to yell at Knight’s crew at ringside.
Logan took the lid off the announce desk and cleared it of monitors, then tried to throw Knight on it. Knight fought back and rammed Logan’s into the table, although Logan’s hand clearly hit each time and his face didn’t connect. Knight then gave Logan leaping neckbreaker on the announce desk. The table didn’t collapse and they both hit hard. Cole said the match may never officially start. Knight threw Logan into the ring and the ref called for the bell 6 minutes into the second hour.
Knight delivered an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline for a two count. Logan made a comeback and threw Knight shoulder-first into the corner (three matches in a row for a variation of that spot). Cole noted Logan’s first match in WWE was at Summerslam 2022 and beat Miz, then beat Ricochet last year at Summerslam. Fans taunted Logan with a chant of “You suck!” Logan landed a splits legdrop for a two count. Knight fought back and they exchanged wild swings. Logan landed a gut-wrench suplex. He followed with an “overbomb” that looked more like Knight countering a powerbomb to land on Logan. Logan scored a two count.
Graves said Logan is controversial and gets the world talking. “You can pick a side, but you can’t question the talent and ability.” McAfee said he loves the business. Knight recovered and surprised a showboating Logan with a quick powerslam. Both were down and slow to get up. Knight landed a Side Effect. Knight landed a top rope elbowdrop for a two count. Knight lifted Logan onto his shoulders, but Logan slipped free and then landed a springboard clothesline to knock Knight off the ring apron to the floor at 7:00. Logan then landed an impressive springboard moonsault onto Knight at ringside.
Back in the ring, they countered each other including Logan scoring a two count with a backslide as a counter to a BFT. Logan nailed Knight with his right hand for a near fall. Logan looked up, wide-eyed in shock. Logan blocked a BFT attempt. Knight leaped and met Logan on the top rope and superplexed him quickly and scored a two count. The crowd popped for the kickout. Fans were standing at ringside.
Logan raked Knight’s eyes. Logan called for help from one of his followers at ringside. Knight slidekicked Logan. Knight yanked one of the hangers-on, Jeff, to ringside and stomped away at him. Logan threw Knight shoulder-first into the ringpost. MGK handed Logan brass knuckes that he had hanging around his neck on a chain. Knight pulled Logan onto the ring apron and went for a suplex, but Logan hit him with the knux. He got rid of the weapon, then went for a springboard flip clothesline. Knight side-stepped him and hit the BFT for the win.
WINNER: Knight in 12:00 to capture the U.S. Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: A lot to like about the match, but it also at times seemed to lose some steam. Besides the official 12 minutes, there was a lengthy brawl beforehand. The finish is a surprise, especially since brass knuckles tend to be decisive. Logan’s gotten some bad publicity lately. I’m curious if WWE officials will be glad he’s out of the mix for a while, assuming he is.) [c]
(4) BAYLEY vs. NIA JAX (w/TIffany Stratton) – WWE Women’s Title match
Jax came out first. McAfee talked about her having an aura. Cole noted Bayley and Jax haven’t had a one-on-one match in over five years. The bell rang 34 minutes into the second hour. Bayley wrapped Jax’s arm around the middle rope early and kicked it. Cole praised her gameplan. Jax shoved her down and then lifted her and set up a powerbomb. Bayley slipped free and hit a jaw-breaker. Jax then gave her a quick Samoan Drop.
Bayley side-stepped a charging Jax. Jax, though, attacked Bayley on the ring apron and went for a legdrop. Bayley moved and kicked Jax into the ringside barricade. Bayley leaped at Jax with a Thesz Press.
Bayley applied an overhead sleeper. Cole and Graves noted Bayley tapped Jax with that in 2015. Jax countered and slammed Bayley to the mat. Then she landed a rolling senton and a legdrop for a near fall. Jax went for a legdrop off the second rope. Bayley moved. Bayley then hit a Bayley-to-Belly for a near fall at 6:00. Jax came back with an Annihilator a minute later for a near fall. Jax rammed Bayley into the mat over and over, then headbutted and tossed her into the corner. Jax said, “I’m so reckless, I’m so clumsy.” Jax charged at Bayley, but Bayley moved and Jax went shoulder-first into the ringpost. (That’s four out of four matches with a spot like that.)
Bayley leaped through the ropes onto Jax’s shoulders. Jax turned it into a slam at ringside. Jax landed a hip attack in the corner back in the ring. She set up another Annihilator. Bayley stood and powerbombed Jax off the second rope, holding Jax up as she walked a few steps out of the corner. That was a feat of strength and balance. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!” Bayley then landed a flying top rope elbow for a near fall at 11:00.
Tiffany Stratton’s music played and she ran out with the briefcase. Bayley knocked her off the ring apron and then scored a two count on Jax with a stack leverage cover. Bayley leaped at Jax, but Jax turned it into a powerbomb. Jax followed with a released powerbomb. She followed with two Annihilators for the win.
Tiffany celebrated with Jax, holding up her custom Money in the Bank briefcase, but wisely not even hinting at a cash-in.
WINNER: Jax in 12:00 to capture the WWE Women’s Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match. It did feel, though, that it wouldn’t end until Tiffany got involved in some way. Some impressive exchanges and big moves in that one definitely got the crowd popping and gasping after being a bit quiet for some of the early methodical action.)
(5) C.M. PUNK vs. DREW MCINTYRE – Seth Rollins Special Referee
Seth came out first. He had glittery pants and a bedazzled sleeveless ref shirt. Cole talked about Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s role as a special referee on two occasions at Summerslams. Drew then made his entrance. He told Seth all he has to do is call for the bell and count to three. Punk walked out in his signature hoodie. Cole said it was Punk’s first one-on-one match in ten-and-a-half years in WWE. He said they teamed together once, but have never wrestled each other. Graves said he’s never seen Punk more pissed off than the last two days and he’ll fight until his heart gives out tonight. Punk got in Seth’s face as soon as he entered the ring. Drew walked up to him. Seth rubbed Punk’s hoodie on his butt before throwing it out of the ring. The bell rang 6 minutes into the third hour.
They met mid-ring and swung away at each other. Seth pulled Punk out of the corner when he didn’t break on his comment. Drew then went after Punk as Punk was complaining to Seth. Seth pulled Drew out of the corner as he was kicking away at him. Seth yelled, “Just like I told him, I run this show.” Punk clotheslined Drew and punched away at him. Drew palmed Punk in the throat and then ran to the ropes. Punk clotheslined Drew over the top rope, then leaped off the ring apron and tackled Drew. McAfee said Punk was looking good. Graves said Punk was trying to add just a little bit of muscle. He said when you do that, though, cardio can drop. Punk took it to Drew in the time keeper’s area. Punk tossed. Then he shoved Drew into the ringpost. Fans chanted, “We want Tables!” Punk rammed Drew’s head into the metal stairs at ringside.
Drew swept Punk’s legs and tripped him on the ring apron. Then he swung his by his legs into the announce desk. Drew. catapulted Punk up from under the ring into the frame of the ring. Seth laughed and applauded. Back in the ring, Drew chopped Punk to the mat as Punk whiffed on a punch. Drew snap-suplexed Punk and went for a cover. Punk rolled out of the cover before Drew secured it. Drew blocked a running knee by Punk and slammed him to the mat for a two count. Drew powered up Punk and landed a sitout powerbomb for another two count.
Drew grabbed a chair from ringside. Seth eyed it. Drew said he should let him use it because “then both of our problems go away.” He said he’d take the industry to new heights. Seth turned his back, but then when Drew wound up, Seth grabbed it. Seth told Drew, “You embarrassed me at WrestleMania.” Drew pie-faced Seth. Seth swung the chair, but Drew ducked. Seth stopped short of hitting Punk. Punk then rolled up Drew as Seth was getting ride of the chair. Drew powered out when Seth turned around. Drew gave Punk a neckbreaker and then kipped up. Graves said this was much more one-sided than anyone expected, noting Drew was overwhelming Punk.
Drew pulled out Punk’s bracelet at 10:00 and signaled for a Claymore, but Punk met him with a kick. Punk then landed three running high knees in the corner and then a clothesline. Punk climbed to the top rope and smiled, then vlew Seth a kiss and landed a flying elbowdrop. He made the cover, but Drew kicked out. Punk went for an Anaconda Vice, but Drew blocked it at first. Punk pushed through and got it applied. Punk then pulled the bracelet off of Drew’s wrist. The fans popped. Drew stood and surprised Punk with a Claymore for a dramatic near fall.
Drew set up a Future Shock DDT, but Punk escaped. Drew charged, but Punk moved, and Drew went into the ringpost shoulder-first. (That’s five out of five matches.) Punk the called for the Go To Sleep. He lifted Drew, winced, and then dropped Drew and looked at Seth who had put on Punk’s bracelet. (Is Punk a cat?) Drew charged at Punk and knocked him into Seth, who rolled to the floor. Drew then hit Punk from behind and set up a Future Shock. Punk blocked it and hit a GTS. Seth was late and counted, but didn’t start until the fans had counted to eight first. Drew kicked out at two.
Punk told Seth, “You’re as good of a referee as you are a wrestler.” He asked if he’s messing with him or kidding him. Punk yelled in Seth’s face. Seth told him to listen to him because this is his ring and his company. “We don’t want you here!” he said. “Not everything is about you!” He told him to focus on his opponent, who’s down for his pickins. Seth called him an asshole. Punk gave Seth a GTS. Seth went down and stayed down as Punk bent over and took his bracelet back. Drew recovered and kicked Punk in the crotch. He followed with a Claymore (without counting beforehand) and made the cover. Seth crawled over and counted slowly to three.
The announcers said Punk couldn’t stay focused. “C.M. Punk cost himself this match tonight,” Cole said. Graves agreed. “Punk was blind with rage and Punk’s emotions got the best of him.” Drew took the bracelet back and put it around his wrist. He put his boot on his chest and raised his arm high with the bracelet on his wrist.
WINNER: McIntyre in 17:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Given it was Punk’s first singles match in a long time, he put on a solid performance, but he did seem to struggling with cardio or getting his legs under him at times. A lot of the time it was more about Seth and everyone’s emotions than having an all-out fight to win, which maybe was by design to protect Punk a bit. I have mixed feelings about Seth’s storyline role in this. Punk looked undisciplined and unfocused when it appeared he was on the verge of beating Drew but turned to the bracelet. Not that it’s not important to him, but this wasn’t any match or any opponent. It was Drew, who in the last seven months was a much more bitter enemy than Seth. Drew gets credit here for his role in making this as good as it was considering how long it’d been since Punk wrestled, and there’s just no way to really get strong in-ring cardio without wrestling in front of crowds with the adrenaline and no net.) [c]
(6) DAMIEN PRIEST vs. GUNTHER – WWE Heavyweight Title match
As Gunther came out, they showed a skyboc with Diamond Dallas Page, Sean Waltman, and Kevin Nash sitting together. Also, Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, and Jacqueline. The bell rang 40 minutes into the third hour. Gunther charged. Priest hit him with a forearm to knock him backwards. Priest set up a South of Heaven, but Gunther chopped out of it. Priest gave Gunther a flatliner. Priest played to the crowd and got mild cheers.
Priest went to ringside and leaped at Gunter with a clothesline. Back in the ring, they exchanged strikes. Priest took Gunther down with a head scissors and a Broken Arrow for a near fall at 5:00. Gunther countered a Priest charge in the corner and then landed a running dropkick. He followed with a powerbomb for a near fall. Gunther took some deep breaths. He noticed from looking at the big screen that his chest was bleeding. It looked like a natural surprise reaction. He wiped the blood, then stood. Fans were cheering for something else going on.
They stood and chopped each other. Priest landed South of Heaven for a two count. Priest stood and fans rapid-clapped. He played to the fans and got a surge of cheers. He set up a Razor’s Edge, but Gunther escaped and chopped him. Gunther blocked a Priest kick and then took him down with a running clothesline and then another clothesline for a two count. A “This is awesome!” chant broke out as Gunther assessed the situation. Priest signaled for Gunther to bring it on. Gunther turned to the fans and they booed him. Gunther chopped Priest hard.
The crowd really got into Priest’s comeback a minute later. He turned it up and lifted Gunther and then delivered. Razor’s Edge. Gunther stood quickly and Priest gave him a South of Heaven. Gunther rolled toward the bottom rope. Finn Balor ran out and put Gunther’s leg on the bottom rope. “What the hell?” exclaimed Cole. Priest watched Balor’s interference on replay. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!” They cut to Balor who snarled at Priest. Priest leaned out of the ring toward Balor. Gunther then put Priest in a sleeper. Priest looked out of it but then showed life and leveraged Gunther’s shoulders down. Priest leaned out of the ring and grabbed Balor. Gunther then grabbed Priest and gave him a powerbomb followed by another sleeper for the win. Cole said this night will be remembered as “the implosion of The Judgment Day.”
WINNER: Gunther in 16:00 to capture the WWE Heavyweight Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: They really gave Priest an out in losing there, which didn’t feel like a trapdoor finish as much as making advancing the story of The Judgment Day a priority and giving Priest something to do after the title reign. I’m more understanding of Priest being unfocused because of Balor’s turn than I am Punk losing focus because Seth had the bracelet on his wrist. Punk wanted a win over Drew as much as Priest wanted to retain his title, or at least the stakes in both of their minds were probably emotionally similarly intense. The downside is Gunther’s win wasn’t the focus, but rather “the implosion of The Judgment Day.” Priest won over the crowd more and more as the match progressed. WWE has a solid babyface wrestler in Priest now and he’s coming out of this title reign stronger, even if it wasn’t a stellar reign on usual title reign merits. For whatever it’s worth, this was the first match of the night that didn’t involve a wrestler going shoulder-first into the corner and hitting the turnbuckles or ringpost.) [c]
-A commercial aired for John Cena’s retirement tour.
-Clips aired of the Dom-Liv angle earlier.
-The Miz announced a crowd of 57,719 and said it was a record for Summerslam. He was accompanied by R-Truth in the ring. Austin Theory and Greyson Waller walked out. Theory said they are in the city with the worst NFL team of all time. Cole said he agreed with that. Theory said all the people look like Jelly Roll. Waller said he wouldn’t let Theory disrespect Jelly Roll like that. “He’s incredible, he’s amazing,” he said. “You’re the only man in history to make music worth than R-Truth’s!” Truth then said Waller and Theory are “Ricky and Robert, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.” Miz said it’s not them. He pointed at Waller and said he just got his eye fixed, a reference to Robert Gibson. Jelly Roll smashed Theory and Waller with chairs to the back. Jelly Roll then chokeslammed Theory. (Theory sure exposed the nature of that move, which is all the about the recipient leaping. Truth, Miz, and Jelly Roll did fistdrops onto Theory. Truth and Miz helped Jelly Roll stand. They raised their arms and celebrated.
(Keller’s Analysis: Did Miz have any other duties as “host”? Not that I’m complaining.)
(7) CODY RHODES vs. SOLO SIKOA – Undisputed WWE Title match
Solo came out alone. Cole said it took a hell of a lot of guts to make it a Bloodline Rules match because he loses every advantage as champion. They cut to Cody in his bus. He walked out and then took his dog’s leash and walked him through the parking garage with him. Graves said this is Faraoh’s final trip with Cody on the road. Cody then hugged Arn Anderson backstage. Arn said 54,000 people say he’s a great champion. (What about the other 3,000+?) He told Cody he put himself in a tough spot, but he still has pull and a couple of his friends on the way to make sure things remain fair. Cole gave a brief bio on Anderson’s history with the Rhodes family. Cody handed off Faroah to a handler and put on his jacket and a helmet with a skull mask and wings. He then made his entrance.
After formal ring introductions, the bell rang 25 minutes into the fourth hour. Solo had his back turned when the bell rang as he held the red necklace that Cole said represents the Tribal Chief. Fans chanted, “F— you, Solo!” A fan held up a sign that said, “Manifesting the return of Roman Reigns.” Solo countered some of Cody’s signature offense early and then methodically beat on Cody. Graves said he was surprised Cody didn’t try to pick up teh pace. Cody ducked a charging Solo, who landed on the ring apron. Cody landed a Disaster Kick and then he followed with a dive through the ropes, tackling Solo. He showed fire and went for another dive, but this time Solo punched him out of mid-air. He rammed him into the ringside steps.
Solo went on methodical offense with two Samoan Drops and a two count. Graves said Solo’s methodical pace could backfire if he gave Cody too much time to recover. Cody then landed a Cody Cutter. Graves said Solo indeed took long, taking time to “enjoy himself” when he had Cody down. Cody rammed Solo into the ringside stairs and then into the cart with energy drinks on it. Cody landed a Bionic Elbow, but Solo caught him mid-air and hit a powerbomb. Solo landed a hip attack in the corner, then bragged to the crowd at 10:00. Cody kicked Solo and set up a Pedigree, but Solo slipped free and almost hit the ref. Cody rolled him up for a two count. Solo then landed a one-arm slam for a near fall. He applied a nerve hold next.
Solo hung Cody upside down in the corner and landed two running headbutts to Cody’s chest and head. Cody avoided a third headbutt and then landed a top rope moonsault bodypress. Graves said it was ugly but effective. Graves said it reminded him of a Terry Funk moonsault. Cody landed a superplex a minute later. (There was little drama in these first 12 minutes not primarily because of the methodical pace or the length of the show approaching four hours, but because Bloodline Rules hadn’t been factored in at all yet and everybody knows that’s going to happen before the finish.)
At 16:00, Solo set up a Cross Rhodes, but Cody reversed it and it it. Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga then attacked Cody. Solo made the cover, but Cody kicked out. Graves said this could happen all night long. Kevin Owen’s music then played and he ran to the ring. He was quickly outnumbered. Randy Orton’s music played and he ran out next. (One at a time isn’t the best strategy here!) Owens gave Solo a Swanton.
Cody then gave Solo a Cross Rhodes for a near fall. Orton and Owens chased Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa through the crowd, so it was one-on-one. Solo was down and Cody assessed. Cody picked up the top segment of the ringside steps and threw it into the ring. He lifted it and bashed Solo with it twice.
Cody went for a third, but Solo speared Cody and scored a two count. Solo set up the stair segment in the corner and pushed Cody against it. He then charged with a hip attack. Cody moved and Solo hit the stairs. Cody then landed Cross Rhodes twice. As Cody set up a third, Jacob Fatu charged in and attacked Cody. Fatu landed a top rope moonsault. Cole said the referee couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Fatu dragged Solo onto Cody who kicked out at the last split-second. Fans were standing. and watching. Oddly, no “Roman Reigns” or “We Want Roman” chant yet. Fatu superkicked Cody at ringside and then cleared the announce desk. Solo began to recover in the ring and directed Fatu’s attack. Fatu leaped off off the top turnbuckle onto Cody with a frog splash. Fatu grabbed his right ankle in pain afterward. He stood, but his leg gave out. He threw chairs around and let out yells. He yelled at Solo to finish him.
Solo then leaped off the top rope with a splash for a dramatic near fall. That got a bigger pop than previous near falls. When Solo set up a Samoan Spike, Cody collapsed. (Everyone should do that!) Cody then hit Solo with a superkick and a top rope Cody Cutter, getting a surge of energy bordering on a Tommy Dreamer Comeback. Suddenly, the Head of the Table graphic appeared on the big screen and a remix of Roman Reigns’s music played.
Roman walked out at 27:00 “He’s here! He’s here! He’s here! Roman Reigns is here!” exclaimed Cole. “Holy hell, Roman Reigns has returned.” Graves said it’s the first time since losing his crown at WrestleMania. Cole said, “The question is: Why is Roman Reigns here? Who is Roman Reigns here for?” Roman entered the ring and hit Solo with a Superman Punch. Fans roared with cheers as he hit a Spear. “The Revival of the Roman Empire with a spear!” exclaimed Cole. “Holy shit!” chanted the fans. Cody looked at Cody and nodded, then left. Cody soaked up the scene as Reigns walked down the aisle. Reigns paused and watched as Cody picked up Solo and delivered a Cross Rhodes for the win. As Cody celebrated Cole said the real Tribal Chief is back and god help Solo.
WINNER: Cody in 30:00 to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.
(Keller’s Analysis: Like so many Roman matches, this was paced to tell an elaborate story with the finish mattering more than the quality or pace of the action in the first 80 percent of the match. It worked to a great degree by the finish because the return of Roman was what this was all about and Fatu’s apparently severe leg injury augmented the drama at the end. The crowd never bought into Solo as a threat to win despite a solid performance from him and help from his cohorts. Does Reigns overshadow Cody? How much is he around now? Does he explain himself and say he did it for Cody, against Solo, or for Paul Heyman, or all of the above.)
-They shifted immediately to the post-show outside the arena as fans left the stadium.
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