10 match WWE SummerSlam 2018 review

We are officially done with WWE SummerSlam 2018 folks. Unlike previous editions, it was a newsworthy pay-per-view where 4 titles changed hands. We also had 3 squash matches, and an Elias segment interrupted by his own guitar?!

It was a weird show, to say the least. Lets look at each of the matches.

The good

#1 Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler

The show started off with a solid match from Ziggler and Rollins for the IC Title (and the occasional Ambrose serious face). The crowd not counting down the last 10 seconds of every minute certainly helped.

In the end, Rollins beat Ziggler for the title. I hope we have seen the last of this feud because seeing Rollins face McIntyre every Monday is certainly tiring. We did not get the Ambrose heel turn we anticipated (or his new look suggested).

#2 AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe

The only other good match of the event was also the best match of the night. AJ Styles and Samoa Joe battled each other in one hell of a match for the WWE Title.

Expectations were low for this match considering AJ's disappointing series of matches with Shinsuke Nakamura. But this was better than those matches simply because you had the magic ingredient of a story (sorry, but Shinsuke grabbing AJ's testicles is not a story).

This was a very good match, it was slow in certain parts, but the other parts were great. The DQ finish was actually done pretty well, setting things up for the rematch during Hell in a Cell.

The bad

#3 The New Day vs The Bludgeon Brothers

Unlike the WWE Title match, the DQ finish was very bad in the SmackDown tag team title match.

The match was beginning to pick up steam when the finish happened. The match The New Day had with The Bar was much better than this match. The rematch will most likely happen during Hell in a Cell.

#4 Becky Lynch vs Carmella vs Charlotte

We had a heel turn in the form of Becky Lynch attacking Charlotte after the latter won the SmackDown Women's Championship in an okay triple threat match. The WWE may have miscalculated the individual popularities of Becky and Charlotte.

Fans were ready for Becky to finally win the title again, but WWE had Charlotte win the title for the seventh time. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if it is Charlotte and not Cena who breaks Ric Flair's record. Fans booed Charlotte at the end of the match. Does this make her the female Roman Reigns?!

#5 The Miz vs Daniel Bryan

The bout everyone was looking forward to, The Miz vs Daniel Bryan. This was the best built-up match in the card. It ended up being a very disappointing affair. The moment they showed Maryse in the crowd, you knew she would figure in the end, and predictably that was what happened.

As amazing a chemistry these two have on the mic together, I just don't think they share the same in their in-ring work. Again, expect this feud to continue till Hell in a Cell.

#6 Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jeff Hardy

Shinsuke Nakamura and Jeff Hardy had a sub-par match that was a filler at best for the US Title.

How weird was it to see Randy Orton come out after the match and then walk out immediately afterwards? I guess WWE did not want to leave him out of SummerSlam, hence the appearance.

The Ugly

#7 Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens

It is sad to see the once diabolical Prizefighter get reduced to a mere jobber. This was the same guy who beat John Cena clean in his first match.

I have no problem in him losing to Braun. In fact, at this point Braun is more over than him and had to win. But to lose in a squash match that did not even reach 2 minutes?

#8 Finn Balor vs Baron Corbin

Am I the only one who finds Finn Balor grinding his teeth together funny? This match does not even have something worth talking about.

#9 Ronda Rousey vs Alexa Bliss

On a night when one part-time reign ended, another one started. As good as Alexa Bliss is on the mic, she just does not have the credibility to go beyond being a paper champion.

I was expecting a Natalya heel turn, but I was wrong. Hopefully Ronda defends the title more often than Lesnar.

#10 Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns

One thing you have to give to WWE is their intelligence in handling this match. They knew if they had a traditional one on one match, the fans were going to hijack it.

Hence they brought out Braun Strowman before the match, so the fans' attention was on him, distracting them from the match. If only they displayed this intelligence in their booking of this encounter!

In the end, Lesnar wasn't even beaten clean. This begs the question, what was the point of even having this match or building up Brock as such an unbeatable monster? What a way to possibly end a legendary career!