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SummerSlam 2021 is in the books and oh boy, what a show it was. Ten matches took place, with a lot of them delivering spectacularly.
However, SummerSlam did feature its fair share of duds. With ten matches, a few of them are bound to disappoint. Some booking decisions were baffling, while the fans got to witness some fun moments. WWE continues to divide opinion over its shows, but nobody can deny how good the high points of this pay-per-view were.
Over 50,000 fans witnessed SummerSlam live, making this WWE's biggest event of 2021. It truly felt that way, but what delivered the most?
Let's take a look at every single match from WWE SummerSlam 2021, grade them, and rank them from worst to best. What was your favorite match at the event? Let us know in the comments below.
#10 Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Women's Championship at SummerSlam
While the moment was electric, Becky Lynch's WWE return resulted in a counterproductive development. Initially scheduled to defend the SmackDown Women's Championship against Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair instead dropped her title to The Man in 27 seconds.
This was a complete non-match, which is what this list is based on. As a result, Lynch's return "match" is at the bottom. Having Belair lose like this was not an inspiring decision at all, which further affects the grade. It must be said, this is through no fault of Becky Lynch or Bianca Belair's.
Grade: F
#9 Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie
Quite predictably, the first actual match on this list is between Alexa Bliss and Eva Marie. The two wrestled a plain contest for less than four minutes. Well, at least it was short and did not overly center around Lilly. Marie did punch the evil doll and slapped Bliss with it.
This led to the babyface's comeback sequence, which ultimately led to her victory. This match was not at all worthy for SummerSlam, either in its build or its execution. It felt disjointed and lacked any fire. The only reason Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie isn't bottom is that it lasted longer than 27 seconds.
Grade: D-
#8 Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg for the WWE Championship
The match between Goldberg and Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam was so weird, for a variety of reasons. First off, this went on way too long. The optimum length of any Goldberg match is around three to four minutes, while he went double that.
The WWE Hall of Famer's limitations were exposed, as Lashley tried his best to make the match an entertaining affair. The All-Mighty WWE Champion targetted Goldberg's knee, while MVP hit him with a cane. His strategy paid off. The veteran lost due to referee stoppage when he was unable to stand due to the pain.
This felt like a confusing mess that was so far away from what Goldberg does best. The post-match events made this even more of a trainwreck, as Gage Goldberg got put in the Hurt Lock after trying to stop an attack on his dad.
Grade: C-
#7 Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam
This match did not need to happen at SummerSlam, as Drew McIntyre soundly defeated Jinder Mahal. While the action was alright, the crowd was barely into it after having just witnessed Becky Lynch's return to WWE. Nevertheless, McIntyre looked incredible as a dominant beast.
The Scottish Warrior won decisively after briefly being leveled by Mahal, while Veer and Shanky were banned from ringside. Hopefully, WWE finds something bigger and better for Drew McIntyre to do after SummerSlam. This was pretty forgettable.
Grade: C
#6 AJ Styles and Omos vs. RK-Bro for the RAW Tag Team Championship at SummerSlam
The opening match of SummerSlam featured a feel-good title change, as RK-Bro won the RAW Tag Team Championship from AJ Styles and Omos. The match may have been surprisingly short, but the in-ring action was pretty good throughout.
Randy Orton and Riddle both enjoyed enjoyable exchanges with The Phenomenal One. Most of the match was built on the hot tag from Riddle to Orton, who turned the match into RK-Bro's favor. Omos also showcased his power but was quickly neutralized by The King of Bros.
Meanwhile, The Viper finished Styles off with an RKO out of nowhere, barely seven minutes into the contest. This match was severely limited from the lack of time invested in it. All four men felt like they were holding a lot back.
Grade: B
#5 Nikki A.S.H. vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the RAW Women's Championship
Questionable booking aside, this RAW Women's Championship triple threat at SummerSlam delivered in the ring. Charlotte Flair was particularly great here, putting down Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley, to win yet another title.
All three competitors took to the sky during the match. Ripley hit a missile dropkick and Nikki floored both her challengers with a crossbody. Meanwhile, Flair hit a beautiful corkscrew Moonsault to the outside. The Queen continued her dominance by making the RAW Women's Champion submit to the Figure Eight at SummerSlam.
Again, this match was pretty good despite fans disliking the fact that Charlotte Flair won her 12th WWE Women's Championship.
Grade: B+
#4 The Usos vs. Rey and Dominik Mysterio for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Usos and The Mysterios put on a great match at SummerSlam, which featured some of the excellent chemistry the two duos have developed recently. This delivered exactly how one would have expected it to, in a good way.
Rey and Dominik Mysterio fought valiantly against the dastardly Usos. The offense was smooth and energetic, as the young Mysterio was isolated from his dad. Like the other tag team match, the hot tag was a major aspect of this contest.
The masked legend was timeless in his offense and survived a mid-air Superkick. He even kicked out of an Uso Splash, before a second one put him down. Jimmy and Jey Uso quelled the Mysterio rally at SummerSlam.
Grade: B+
#3 Sheamus vs. Damian Priest for the United States Championship at SummerSlam
While this started slowly, Sheamus and Damian Priest crafted a physical and compelling clash for the United States Championship. The two hit each other with several hard-hitting moves, getting the crowd onside.
The Archer of Infamy hit a Falcon's Arrow, followed by a dive to the outside. Meanwhile, Sheamus was also pretty stiff, hitting a series of knees. SummerSlam was Priest's night, as he picked up the victory.
He countered a Heel Hook by removing The Celtic Warrior's face mask, before finishing him off with the Reckoning. Damian Priest truly shined on the big stage here, while Sheamus delivered yet again in a big match.
Grade: B+
#2 Roman Reigns vs. John Cena for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam
The main event of SummerSlam had an epic feel to it, as Roman Reigns took on John Cena. This truly delivered, more so than their previous encounter at No Mercy 2017. It did start methodically though, as all of Reigns' matches do now.
The Tribal Chief talked a lot of trash during the match, while Cena nearly caught him in a roll-up multiple times. We saw counters aplenty, as Reigns turned a Five-Knuckle Shuffle into a Guillotine choke. As the match went on, the near falls kept on increasing.
John Cena hit Roman Reigns with three Attitude Adjustments - a normal one, one through the announce table, and one from the second rope. However, the Universal Champion kicked out of everything.
One last flurry from the 16-time world champion proved unsuccessful, as Reigns put him down with a Spear. This was a dramatic main event and delivered exactly what was promised.
The atmosphere was incredible, truly making it a huge deal. Cena hasn't had a better in-ring match in the past few years. Brock Lesnar's WWE return added to the excitement, as SummerSlam ended in the best possible way.
Grade: A
#1 Edge vs. Seth Rollins at SummerSlam
The best match at SummerSlam saw Edge gain his vengeance on Seth Rollins. Both superstars brought their absolute best for this psychological war. The Rated-R Superstar went to a dark place for this match, as was showcased in his entrance.
Edge went back in time at SummerSlam, rising from a pit of fire to The Brood's music. Like with most of his matches, it gradually built over time. But when it got going, the action was excellent. A lot of huge moves were hit, with both superstars bringing out some big guns from their arsenals.
Edge paid tribute to his wife Beth Phoenix with a Glam Slam, before hitting a devastating apron Spear to the outside. The fans gasped multiple times, as the WWE Hall of Famer put his neck through a roller-coaster of pain.
Rollins was also excellent, countering a Spear into the Pedigree as he did at Money in the Bank 2016. He kept on targeting the neck but could not hit the Curb Stomp. Edge locked in the Edge-ucator, before applying the Crossface Sleeper to pick up the submission win.
This was as intense and gritty as the build to SummerSlam suggested. The Rated-R Superstar has delivered yet another in-ring storytelling masterclass in his comeback run. Edge continues to prove why he is among the greatest WWE Superstars of all time.
Grade: A+
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
