I’m really excited to watch the next three Summerslams because this is kind of when I checked off of Wrestling full time. I had graduated high school and been in my first year of college and also working full time. We open this Summerslam with a Degeneration X promo and I kind all kinds of feels. What is it with Summerslam and foot kissing videos? I missed the entire Edge and John Cena program and I’m excited to watch this match. The Edge and Cena part of the hype video has me on the edge of my seat ready to watch. It took all of :45 seconds of promos between those two to get my hyped. Oh wow ECW is also apart of this Summerslam as a separate brand LETS GO! We have Cole and JBL on commentary for Smackdown and our usual commentators for Raw, for ECW we have Joey Styles and Tazz.
Chavo Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio: I feel like I’m watching WCW circa 1996 or something with these names facing off. He gives this girl his chain and she still hasn’t closed her mouth out of shock that she got that chain. Man I can tell by the commentary that this entire program is based on Eddie’s death and I feel very meh about it. Man this video package just gave me goose bumps for Mysterio and Eddie. RIP Eddie Guerrero we miss you man. We now get a highlight package of Eddie and Chavo and it makes me remember when Chavo tried to catch Eddie with the box and string trick in WCW. This is a pretty good back and forth match to start off with Mysterio showing off some of his athletic maneuvers. This storyline and commentary doesn’t really age well as I feel like we are just shilling Eddie’s death. Mysterio works on the leg f Chavo and these two really are wrestling a damn good match. Watch this match on mute on you’ll enjoy it a lot more. They really are going back and forth with minimal winning attempts and we get a awesome looking face buster off the top rope by Chavo. The crowd is kind of flat and it’s not because of the action in the ring, I just don’t think they know what to do. We get more action inside and now outside the ring with both men slugging it out on their knees. Vickie Guerrero runs down to thering wearing some awful clothes that isn’t very flattering to her and she slams Chavo which leads to Mysterio flying over the top rope to the floor. Crazy Vickie Guerrero is the voice of reason like… hey are we really going to do this? I will say Benoit and Bret had a Owen tribute match in WCW and that’s how you do this kind of thing. Both men get booed for doing the three amigos and the crowd just like myself doesn’t want this angle revolved around his death. Vickie pleads with Rey who is on the top rope and she grabs the top rope then takes a tumble pretty hard I hope she’s ok. Chavo hits the brainbuster and frog splash for the win. This done as a tribute match goes over so much better than the angle they ran with here. No matter how good the action was it made me uncomfortable and that’s really difficult for wrestling to do.
Sabu vs. Big Show (ECW Title Extreme Rules Match): Man I remember watching Sabu for the first time in ECW and thinking this guy isn’t real, he’s not human. I’ll have to go back and watch some WWECW and I wonder how things went over as Big Show as the ECW champion because I’m kinda digging it. If Paul Heyman had Big Show in his ECW he damn sure would have made him champion. Big Show’s head is bigger than the title plate of the title that’s crazy. We get some early offense from Sabu with the chair early until Big Show is like oh wait i’m seven foot five hundred pounds. We get Big Show throwing Sabu around for a bit until Sabu gets another chair. We get Sabu jumping off the top rope with a chair and dropkick to the face. Sabu goes out to get a table and sets it up in the corner he jumps off the chair and drives Big Show’s head through a table. This gives us a LOUD “ECW” chant. Big Show has a small cut on his head and Big Show has regained control and hits a Vader bomb on Sabu. We now get Stairs and a table in the ring and Sabu kicks Big show right in his face and then catches a chokeslam through the table and Big Show wins. That was actually more entertaining than I thought it would be.
We get the divas hazing another diva in the shower. If you’re into that kind of thing go back and watch it.
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton (Legend vs. Legend Killer Match): Can I just say this Randy Orton theme music is awesome, I still listen to it to this day. Also he’s presented as such a star during his entrance. We really take for granted Randy Orton and I don’t think he gets the love and appreciation from the fans for his career. That ends my Orton rant. Man Hulkamania will run wild forever every time and I mean EVERY TIME that music hits I get excited brother. The crowd goes NUTS for Hogan and it’s crazy that we are nearly fifteen years past his prime and he gets that kind of pop for a match. Hogan gets put over for being undefeated at Summerslam and since I haven’t seen this I honestly don’t know what happens. Brother Hogan must pose though right @heyheyitsconrad? This is a dream match in it’s own right if you got Orton today vs. Hogan then this would possibly main event the PPV. Orton gets the upperhand early and the crowd is chanting “let’s go Hogan”.Orton is getting booed relentlessly for all of his offense. Honestly if anyone in this day and age was getting the cheers Hogan is here the title would get hot shotted to that superstar. A slow methodical match which is what Randy works best anyway but it works really well and the audience is all in. Why am I so intrigued by this slow plodding match? They have me eating out of there hand and I’m with the crowd and wanting Hogan to hulk up brother. Hogan hits the three punches and goes for the boot however Orton hits a PERFECT drop kick. He then sizes up Hogan for the RKO and starts pounding the mat and Orton hits it. Orton thinks he has won however Hogan got his foot on the rope and the crowd goes nuts when the match is restarted. Orton punches Hogan and Hogan gets that look in his eye and starts shaking his head omg I’m cheering from my couch WHY?!?! YOU! Punch, Punch, Punch, Big Boot, and now he asks the crowd if they want the leg and it’s complete pandemonium in the crowd. Hogan drops the leg and Hulkamania is still alive. I may be embarrassed when I end up having this as the match of the night. We talk about the biggest stars of all time and Austin as he should always gets the credit as the most over baby face of all time. I’ve officially changed my mind after watching pieces of this Hogan run, Its Hogan brother.
Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley (I Quit Match): This PPV is trying to hit me right in the feels. Flair is looking kinda rough when coming out and before Flair can get his robe all the way off Foley attacks him. About thirty seconds in and Foley has already smash a trashcan into Flair’s face. Foley brings out socko quick in this match and he then asks for the microphone. Foley tries to get Flair to quit and Flair doesn’t and that brings out the barb wire.We get a ton of action and this has been way more extreme than the extreme rules match and Flair is a bloody mess. They’ve beaten the hell out of each other with tons of weapons and now the thumbtacks are out. Flair gets slammed into the thumbtacks and this is just brutal to watch. Foley now goes and get’s barby from outside. However Flair ends up with the bat covered in barb wire and starts beating Foley with it. We get some more back and forth and Foley is on the apron and Flair runs and rams barby into Foley and he takes an AWFUL bump onto the floor. That looked nasty… concussion? The referee calls the match saying Foley can no longer continue and that pisses Flair off and he says Foley has to say he quits. Flair rolls Foley back in the ring and Foley rolls right through the thumbtacks. Flair is now a man possessed and he goes to hit Melina with barby and Foley quits before he can. If you’re into blood guts and hard to watch gruesome then go watch it but its not for me.
King Booker vs. Batista (World Title Match): Sharmell introduces them down to the ring and this “king” gimmick really suits Booker T well. I talk a lot about theme songs I know but Batista’s bumps and still can to this day. I really do see what officials backstage saw in Batista the guy looks like a million bucks and has some natural charisma. This feels like a World Title match based on how both men are presented and the way the crowd reacts I’m all in. Batista gets the upper hand early however Booker T rolls out and tries to walk out. We get some good reversals back and forth and Batista hits a good looking spin buster. Booker T constantly plays the chickenshit heel during this match trying to get away from Batista and Batista controls a lot of the match. Booker T breaks the scepter over Batista’s head and one point and the thing EXPLODES. Booker T controls the match for a bit however Batista regains control and Booker T runs again. This match has been pretty sloppy to be honest Batista signals for the Batista bomb and the crowd goes wild however Sharmell interferes and beats on Batista. Winner by disqualification Batista however King Booker is still World Champion.
Degeneration X vs. Vince & Shane McMahon: More NOSTALGIA!…..bow to the masters BREAK IT DOWN! Look I do know this is a neutered version of DX but it’s still HHH and HBK and whenever they get together in any capacity only great things happen. How great would a heel Degeneration X (HHH/HBK) be against ‘88 Mega Powers (Hogan/Savage)? Look I know this DX isn’t well regarded but they look like they are having a blast as best friends getting to do this DX thing one more time. Are you ready? NO I SAID ARE YOU READY!!!??? DX destroys the Spirit Squad before the match. They also take out Regal, Finley and Mr. Kennedy. Now the McMahons call out the Big Show to get DX and the other three get back involved. The four men have successfully laid out DX and finally the McMahons get in the ring. Shaen now dances around a lot and throws his famous Shane punches. HHH is still down on the outside of the ring after being put through a table by Big Show. Vince and Shane take turns beating the hell out of HBK. They even hit the Demolition finisher on HBK. Of course HBK kicks out. We get some more McMahon offense however HBK gets a breather after getting the better of the McMahons and HHH starts stirring. HHH gets the hot tag and clears house on the McMahons and we get the HHH greatest hits for offense. HHH sets up for a pedigree on Vince and we get some boo’s because Umaga is now on his way to the ring and he fatalities HBK on his way to the ring. Kane comes out because apparently he’s feuding with Umaga and gets rid of him and we are back to a two on two match. Vince knocks out the referee and Shane brings a trashcan into the ring and goes for coast to coast and catches a MID AIR SUPERKICK!! Oh My God! Vince now gets beaten by DX Superkick and Pedigree and DX wins!
Edge vs. John Cena (WWE Title): Don’t skip right to the match watch the video package that precedes the match. Its fantastic and tells a great story of why these two men hate each other. Cena comes out to a good reaction for their home town superstars. Kudos to WWE for having the Champion enter last it’s not something we see all the time nowadays. Cena gets a couple early near fall attempts until Edge outsmarts Cena and Cena ends up outside. Edge now controls the match and it seems like Edge is certainly the crowd favorite as opposed to the hometown baby face hero. We get some constant back and forth action and they really tell a good story of hating each other. It’s kind of crazy that even back in 2006 the crowd had already started turning on Cena. The dynamic of this is pretty interesting as every time Cena hits a big move there is a huge pop however when Edge counters with one the crowd pops louder. I feel like at any moment Lita is going to make the wrong move and have her gimmicks fall out. The dynamic of Lita and Edge is absolutely fantastic Edge ends up with brass knucks and Lita takes an FU and EDGE WINS!! Oh My Goodness I did not expect that and by the crowd reaction they didn’t either. This was a good main event however wasn’t my favorite match of the night.
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This Summerslam hit me in the emotions really hard. I must say the match of the night goes to Orton and Hogan. It was the match that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and the crowd was absolutely electric for. Was it great from a “work rate” perspective no however it had a big fight feel and I felt they told a pretty damn good story. Another Summerslam in the books and we are headed towards the 20th anniversary and until then be awesome.
