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SummerSlam was easily one of the best shows that WWE has produced this year. While the jury is still out on the ThunderDome, it certainly adds a new flavor for both the fans using that technology to be in attendance and the regular viewers.
The Biggest Party of the Summer had surprising returns, somewhat expected title changes, and big announcements. Renee Young confirmed that she would be leaving WWE and Sonya Deville would also be joining her out the door, courtesy of her loss to Mandy Rose.
Roman Reigns' return was the biggest development coming out of SummerSlam but the show laid down the breadcrumbs for a lot of future events.
On that note, let us look at five things we learned at SummerSlam 2020.
#5 Seth Rollins is arguably the greatest storyteller in WWE right now
There was plenty of hype surrounding the debut of Rey Mysterio's son Dominik Mysterio at SummerSlam and it can be safely said that the youngster rose to the occasion. Nobody expected him to get the better of Seth Rollins but Dominik did enough to suggest that he has a bright future ahead.
The guy who truly stole the show though was Rollins himself. Not everyone's a fan of his current schtick, but you cannot deny that he's made this role of an all-encompassing Messiah his own. The art of telling a story is not an easy one in the world of pro wrestling. And it is the one element that separates good Superstars from elite ones. Rollins clearly belongs in the latter category.
His antics of provoking the helpless father in Rey Mysterio to making Dominik's mother Angie come out and beg for mercy added more layers to this David vs Goliath tale. Yes, Dominik looked like a brilliant competitor during his debut at SummerSlam. But Seth Rollins' ability to spin a yarn made this feud and the eventual match so much better.
We may still see some more clashes between Rey Mysterio and Seth Rollins with WWE Payback just a week away.
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#4 WWE Creative doesn't have anything solid for Andrade and Angel Garza
What started as a promising year for Zelina Vega and her associates has quickly turned into a mess of sorts and SummerSlam didn't help at all. Andrade, in particular, has had a tumultuous run, including his suspension due to a Wellness Policy violation, a poor run as United States Champion, and a few injuries.
Although it looked like Andrade and Angel Garza could find a new lease of life as potential RAW Tag Team Champions, they've consistently come second against The Street Profits. Garza may have done well in singles matches against Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford but that doesn't lead him anywhere.
Unless we count Ford accidentally bumping into Zelina Vega as some foul play, Andrade and Angel Garza lost clean at SummerSlam. The duo could still somehow find themselves challenging for the tag titles at Payback but they have no momentum right now.
Putting the titles on them after so many losses wouldn't help the already underwhelming RAW tag team division. So it's fair to claim that WWE Creative doesn't have their thinking caps on right now as far as Andrade and Angel Garza are concerned.
#3 Randy Orton might not be done with Drew McIntyre yet
Randy Orton has arguably had the best year amongst all WWE Superstars and he's done so without having a title around his waist. The Legend Killer came second at SummerSlam but that wasn't without him giving Drew McIntyre a run for his money.
McIntyre and Orton gave the fans a classic wrestling match that involved some hard-hitting action as well as significant mat work. The use of the Figure Four Leglock was a great tribute to Ric Flair as well. However, the ending of this contest left a lot to be desired.
McIntyre retained the WWE Championship at SummerSlam by securing a roll-up win over Orton and that potentially allows this tale to be stretched further. It makes all the sense too, considering that the Scottish Terminator doesn't have a viable challenger for his title with Brock Lesnar still not nearing a comeback.
WWE could even go for a trilogy involving Orton and McIntyre. The former has had too brilliant a run to not be eventually awarded a Championship. The possibilities are endless.
#2 Sasha Banks vs Bayley is around the corner
WWE fans may have wanted Sasha Banks to tough it out with Bayley all along, but the duo has done a great job as the women holding all the gold on RAW and SmackDown. After the events of SummerSlam though, that feud may finally be on the cards.
The Legit Boss was reliable once again and came in with the distraction that allowed Bayley to retain the SmackDown Women's Championship against Asuka. However, The Role Model wasn't willing to put in the same effort later during SummerSlam. Banks came up short against The Empress of Tomorrow and dropped the RAW Women's title.
Banks and Bayley are set to defend their WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at Payback, although their opponents have not been confirmed yet. However, there could be a lack of chemistry between the two given what went down at SummerSlam. If the Golden Role Models fail to retain their tag titles, things could take a nasty turn between them.
#1 Roman Reigns is likely to challenge for the Universal Championship soon
Roman Reigns would've likely been the current Universal Champion had the coronavirus situation not forced him to back out of WrestleMania. The Big Dog has returned now and given the nature of his actions at SummerSlam, he visibly wants the title shot that he was originally promised.
Reigns punished both Braun Strowman and the new champion "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt after the conclusion of the main event. The vicious beatdown has made fans ponder whether he's turning heel again. But it must be remembered that the former Shield member has history with both these Superstars. It could just be a way to make his comeback all the more impactful.
At the same time, he'll likely be challenging for the Universal Championship soon enough. Braun Strowman could be looking for 'payback' following the thrashing that Reigns gave him with a steel chair at SummerSlam. But once the latter is done with that, he'll be gunning for Wyatt's title.
