After being gone from WWE since just before WrestleMania, Roman Reigns returned Sunday at WWE SummerSlam and made his impact felt.
After The Fiend had defeated Braun Strowman for the Universal title, Reigns ran into the ring clad in black with a new t-shirt and speared the new champion, followed by punches. He then turned his attention to Strowman on the outside and speared him as well before laying in several chair shots, saying he made Strowman and that there was no monster in WWE unless he was here.
Reigns, who looked to be in great shape, then went back in the ring and speared Fiend again, saying he was just a freak in a mask before raising the Universal title and saying it was his.
Reigns was slated to face Bill Goldberg for the Universal title at WrestleMania but chose to pull out of the event, later saying it was due to him wanting to be with his two newborn twins rather than concerns with his personal well-being because of the coronavirus. Strowman then took his place and defeated the WCW legend for the title.
Reigns’ last match was a six-man tag on a March 1st house show with his last televised match being a steel cage win over King Corbin at February’s Super ShowDown from Saudi Arabia.
Asuka defeated Banks at SummerSlam tonight to win the Raw Women’s Championship. The finish of the match was Banks tapping out to the Asuka Lock.
Earlier in the night, Banks helped Bayley retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Asuka. Asuka went for a hip attack as Bayley was on the apron, but Bayley moved and Banks took the move instead. In the Raw Women’s Championship match, Banks moved out of the way of the hip attack but Bayley did too. Asuka then hit a spinning back fist on Bayley. Banks went for the Banks Statement, but Asuka reversed it and applied the Asuka Lock to win the title.
The story was that Bayley wasn’t willing to make the same sacrifice that Banks made for her.
A Beat the Clock Challenge with Banks and Bayley both facing Naomi on Friday’s SmackDown decided which of tonight’s title matches would take place first.
This was Banks’ first defense of the Raw Women’s Championship since defeating Asuka by countout last month to become champion.
Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax have been positioned as potential challengers for Asuka’s title.
Banks & Bayley are defending their Women’s Tag Team titles at next Sunday’s Payback pay-per-view. Their opponents have yet to be revealed.
Date: August 23, 2020 Location: Amway Center in Orlando, FL
Show Recap —
KICK-OFF SHOW
Zelina Vega told Sarah Schrieber that she did not poison Montez Ford and it doesn’t matter anyway because he’s fine. She also wasn’t happy about Bianca Belair attacking her. Andrade said they would win the tag titles.
Shayna Baszler interrupted the panel to say she wants the winner of the Raw Women’s title match. She also said Nia Jax is obsessed with her and was having trouble sleeping so she would help put Jax to sleep.
There was a video package for Retribution. Peter Rosenberg wondered if they all bought their outfits at Target together.
Apollo Crews defeated MVP to retain the United States Championship (6:37)
Crews’ entrance included fireworks. MVP has new theme music. The big title belt graphic they showed before the match was the old US title belt, not the new one.
MVP used a superplex but moments later Crews hit a flip dive. Crews hit Stinger splashes, a spinebuster and standing moonsault for two. Crews countered MVP’s finisher into a spinning powerbomb for the pinfall win (MVP went up heavy on the move). After the match, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin ran out to attack but Crews escaped.
With about a minute left in the pre-show, Charly Caruso told Renee Young how much they appreciated her. Renee thanked WWE and the fans for changing her life.
SUMMERSLAM MAIN SHOW
There was a gigantic fireworks display to start the show and the camera panned the “crowd.”
Bayley (w/Sasha Banks) defeated Asuka to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship (11:35)
Both women had fireworks in their entrances. Bayley had “317” shaved into the back of her head, which is the number of days she has been the Smackdown champion.
Asuka dominated early. She flew off the steel steps and landed a DDT on the outside. Bayley took over after kicking Asuka’s leg out of her leg and used a cutter in the ropes. Asuka came back with kicks but Bayley caught her in a Bayley-to-belly suplex for two.
Asuka came back with a kick to the head, shoulder tackles, running hip attack, knee strike, a German suplex and another hip attack for two. Asuka tried another hip attack on the apron but Bayley countered and slammed her knees-first on the apron.
Bayley had a leglock and you could see fans clapping for Asuka to get up. You could hear clapping too. Asuka responded with a Codebreaker for two. Bayley countered a missile dropkick into another leglock but Asuka got a rope break. Bayley used a sunset flip powerbomb into the turnbuckle but Asuka countered a flying elbow drop into an armbar.
Banks was yelling at Asuka so Asuka kicked her (and let go of the hold). Asuka was distracted by Banks again and Bayley used a schoolgirl for a nearfall. Asuka went for a hip attack but Bayley moved and Asuka knocked Banks off the apron. Bayley caught Asuka in a cradle for the pinfall win. Good match.
Banks and Bayley attacked Asuka after the match as booing played over the speakers. (The Raw Women’s title match is later tonight.)
Dominik was with Rey Mysterio in the back. Dominik wanted Mysterio to promise him that he wouldn’t get involved tonight. Mysterio hesitated but Dominik convinced him.
There was a Retribution video package. Byron Saxton said they had additional security tonight.
The Street Profits defeated Angel Garza & Andrade (w/Zelina Vega) to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships (7:51)
Kevin Owens joined commentary. He wore a Street Profits t-shirt and a red necktie. He made fun of a fan for wearing an AJ Styles t-shirt. Red cups fell from the ceiling for the Street Profits’ entrance. They wore green and black gear with gold trimming.
Montez Ford tried a flip dive early on but Andrade and Garza caught him and slammed to take over. Garza ripped off his pants and tossed them at Ford and the following exchange happened on commentary:
Tom Phillips: There go the pants!
Byron Saxton: Thank goodness.
Kevin Owens: …What?
Angelo Dawkins made a hot tag and ran wild until Andrade caught him with a back elbow. Dawkins came right back with a spear. They each tagged out and Garza tried to pin Ford with his feet on the rope but the referee caught him.
Vega argued with the referee and Ford inadvertently knocked her off the apron. As Andrade checked on her, Dawkins gave Garza a spinebuster and Ford followed with a frog splash for the win. This was one of the coolest frog splashes you’ll ever see. He completely rotated in mid-air to hit the move. The match itself was ok.
Owens announced a new episode of the Kevin Owens Show tomorrow and invited Aleister Black to join him.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Bayley and Banks in a ring elsewhere in the arena. The key line was Banks saying that she can beat Asuka if Bayley can. Bayley had a broom and told Braxton that tonight would be a clean sweep. (They piped in way too much fake booing here.)
No Disqualification loser leaves town match: Mandy Rose defeated Sonya Deville (10:05)
Daniel Bryan tweeted that this was one of the two matches he was most looking forward to tonight (the WWE title match being the other).
The fight quickly went to the outside and Rose suplexed Deville onto the edge of the ramp. Rose was in control and hit a flying clothesline off the announce table. Rose set up a table but Deville grabbed a chair and hit her in the midsection. Deville followed with kicks to the chest and a sliding knee for two. Rose came back later with a knee strike for two.
Rose slammed Deville’s head on the announce table and placed her on the table but she rolled off. Deville dodged Rose’s attempts to throw a chair at her and hit a bicycle kick to the midsection.
Deville tried Rose’s finisher but Rose slipped out. Rose hit three consecutive knee strikes, her double underhook facebuster, and another knee strike for the pinfall win. Deville acted distraught over the loss.
Otis ran out with his briefcase, did the caterpillar upon entering the ring, and hugged Rose. She tried the caterpillar too but couldn’t really do it.
Rey’s wife Angie was in the back with Rey and Dominik before they came out. Dominik wore black and blue wrestling tights and vest with a hood. Rollins wore purple and black gear inspired by Rey’s gear from Halloween Havoc 1997, which Phillips pointed out on commentary.
Rollins was outwrestling Dominik until he came back with arm drags, which caught Rollins off-guard. Rollins suckered him in and punched him to end the chain wrestling exchange. Murphy gave Rollins a kendo stick but Dominik dropkicked him. Rollins kicked the stick away and took control without it. Rollins cut off a comeback attempt with a slingblade.
Rollins tried a curb stomp after stepping off a steel chair but Dominik countered and dropped him onto the chair. Rollins went for a buckle bomb but Dominik used a leg scissors takedown and followed with a tilt-a-whirl DDT for two.
Dominik then attacked with the kendo stick. Dominik went to the top but Rollins ran up and gave him a superplex and falcon arrow for two. Rollins attacked with the kendo stick as he mocked Rey. Murphy slid a table into the ring and Rollins set it up.
As Rollins mocked Rey, Dominik crotched him on the top rope. Dominik then gave him a Russian leg sweep using the kendo stick off the top through the table. Dominik followed with a frog splash for a close nearfall.
Dominik tried using a chair but Rollins hit him with a superkick and a very hard powerbomb. Rollins removed Dominik’s vest and attacked with the kendo stick. Samoa Joe couldn’t believe that Rey just continued to watch.
Angie walked out onto the stage on Rey ran up to plead with her. Rollins was distracted so Dominik rolled him up for a nearfall. Dominik tackled Rollins but Murphy knocked him down with a knee strike. Murphy tried taking out Dominik’s eye but Rey ran down for the save. Rollins and Murphy took out Rey.
Rollins and Murphy handcuffed Rey to the ring. Rollins started walking toward Angie as Rey yelled at him but Dominik attacked him. Dominik also took down Murphy.
Dominik followed with a 619 but Rollins got his knees up on a frog splash. Rollins taunted Rey who could only watch before hitting a curb stomp for the pinfall win.
After the match, Rollins left the handcuffs keys on Dominik who had to crawl over to Rey to hand it over. Rey was emotional and embraced Dominik.
I’ve seen some negativity toward Dominik but I thought he did fine here. Rollins was good too, of course.
Asuka defeated Sasha Banks (w/SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley) to win the Raw Women’s Championship (11:31)
Banks targetted Asuka’s leg which was hurt form the previous match but Asuka fought right back. Banks dodged a kick and Asuka kicked the ring post by accident. Banks followed with a powerbomb off the apron to the outside which looked nasty as hell. Two matches in a row with ugly powerbombs. Banks used a running kick to the head, which also looked nasty, for two.
Asuka used an electric chair drop and kneebar but Banks fought out. Asuka followed with a DDT off the top buckle for two, then a missile dropkick for two. Banks used a cool counter into a double knee strike for two. Banks missed a frog splash and Bayley gave her words of encouragement.
Asuka caught her in the Asuka Lock but Banks reversed into a crossface. Asuka reversed into an Asuka Lock but Banks slipped out. Asuka gave Bayley a spinning back fist to knock her off the apron before putting Banks in the Asuka Lock again for the submission win. Asuka wins the title.
The announcers claimed that Bayley wasn’t willing to help Banks which cost her in the end.
Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship (20:35)
The announcers asked Shawn Michaels about this match. He appeared to be watching from home. He was hoping to see a Claymore kick.
McIntyre blocked a few RKO attempts early and Orton took over after he dodged a charge and McIntyre went shoulder-first into the ring post. Orton proceeded to drive McIntyre into the post before giving him two back suplexes onto the announce table. Orton followed with a vertical suplex on the outside. Orton tried a pin in the ring but McIntyre kicked out at one.
Orton stomped away before posing at the screens. McIntyre used a knee breaker but Orton responded by kicking him in the leg. McIntyre came back with a spinebuster and applied a Figure Four. As Orton was selling, he yanked the referee down to the mat and poked McIntyre in the eye to escape the hold.
McIntyre emerged with a bit of blood around his eye. They exchanged strikes, which McIntyre got the better of. He used clotheslines, consecutive overhead suplexes, and a flying clothesline. Orton dropped him in the tree of woe position but McIntyre sat up and yanked him off the top. McIntyre followed with a Future Shock DDT for two. (Orton had blood on his forehead.)
Orton dodged a flying clothesline and hit a powerslam for two. McIntyre avoided a draping DDT, headbutted Orton, and clotheslined him out of the ring (they both fell out). Orton caught McIntyre on the way back in the ring and gave him a draping DDT.
Orton thought about the RKO but stepped back for the punt. McIntyre caught him and hit a powerbomb. Orton ducked a Claymore Kick but McIntyre caught him in a backslide for the pinfall win. McIntyre retained. Orton was stunned.
(Phillips made sure to yell “never saw it coming!” as soon as the referee counted three, which was so phony. He yelled it again seconds later.)
A good match that certainly would’ve benefited from a live crowd.
There was a video package to announce Keith Lee on Raw tomorrow.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defeated Braun Strowman to win the Universal Championship (11:59)
Michael Cole said you should turn away if you have a weak stomach. Corey Graves said hell was empty because the devils were here.
Wyatt immediately used a Uranage and did the dumb head-snap thing. Wyatt attacked with a toolbox but Strowman came right back and plowed him through the barricade. Wyatt got up quickly so Strowman chokeslammed him onto the edge of the announce table and slammed the steel steps into his head. Strowman then used a powerslam for two.
They fought up the ramp to Gorilla position in the back. Wyatt used Sister Abigail for two. Wyatt brought the fight back out toward the ring. Strowman had a patch of blood on the top of his head. Strowman blocked a mandible claw and shoved Wyatt into the side of the ring. Strowman hit another running powerslam for two.
Strowman grabbed a boxcutter from the toolbox and sliced the ring mat to expose the wood panels. Wyatt immediately gave him a Uranage on to the wood followed by two Sister Abigails for the pinfall win. Wyatt wins the title. Not a good match.
When Wyatt got to his feet, Roman Reigns suddenly speared him. Reigns then speared Strowman on the outside. Reigns attacked Strowman with several chair shots (and also missed a few). Reigns speared Wyatt one more time.
Reigns taunted both guys, claiming they were nothing without him. He said Bray was just a freak in a mask. He said the title was his and held it high as the show ended.
WWE has announced which of tonight’s matches will be taking place on the SummerSlam pre-show.
Apollo Crews’ United States Championship defense against MVP will be tonight’s SummerSlam pre-show match. The pre-show begins at 6 p.m. Eastern time, with the main card then starting at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Crews defeated MVP on Raw three weeks ago to become the unquestioned US Champion. MVP had been calling himself the rightful champion after Crews wasn’t able to compete in their match that was scheduled for Extreme Rules last month.
After losing to Crews, MVP cut a promo blaming the technical issues caused by RETRIBUTION and challenged Crews to a rematch.
As a stipulation of Crews defeating Shelton Benjamin on Raw last Monday, MVP’s Hurt Business stablemates Bobby Lashley and Benjamin will be banned from ringside for tonight’s match.
Here’s the list of announced matches for SummerSlam:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in a falls count anywhere match
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins in a street fight
Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville in a no DQ, loser leaves WWE match
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP (pre-show)
A stipulation has been added to one of the top matches for SummerSlam.
It was announced on Talking Smack that Braun Strowman vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam will now be a falls count anywhere match. Talking Smack made its return today and will be hosted by Kayla Braxton and Xavier Woods, though The Miz was Braxton’s co-host for this episode.
After Strowman invaded Wyatt’s Firefly Fun House on last night’s SmackDown, they brawled and Strowman slammed Wyatt off a ledge backstage onto concrete. Wyatt was loaded into an ambulance as part of the angle, but the show then ended with the ambulance reversing and The Fiend emerging.
SummerSlam is taking place at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida this Sunday and will be the first pay-per-view with the WWE ThunderDome. Here’s the updated card for the show:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in a falls count anywhere match
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins in a street fight
Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville in a no DQ, loser leaves WWE match
Raw’s go-home show for SummerSlam featured a couple of developments regarding matches set for Sunday’s pay-per-view.
Rey Mysterio will be in his son Dominik’s corner when Dominik makes his in-ring debut against Seth Rollins in a street fight at SummerSlam. Mysterio returned to WWE television tonight for the first time since losing his Eye for an Eye match against Rollins at Extreme Rules last month. Mysterio and Dominik got revenge on Rollins and Murphy on tonight’s Raw, attacking them with kendo sticks.
Murphy will be in Rollins’ corner on Sunday.
MVP’s Hurt Business stablemates Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin will be banned from ringside for Apollo Crews’ United States Championship defense against MVP at SummerSlam. That was a stipulation of Crews defeating Benjamin on tonight’s Raw. Later in the night, The Hurt Business defeated Crews, Ricochet & Mustafa Ali in an elimination tag match.
Here’s the current list of announced matches for SummerSlam:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Dominik Mysterio’s in-ring debut at SummerSlam will now be a street fight.
WWE confirmed today that Dominik and Seth Rollins will face off in a street fight at SummerSlam. During their contract signing on Raw this week, Rollins said he would do Dominik a favor and allow weapons to be used in the match. Dominik had previously used a kendo stick as a weapon against Rollins and Murphy.
Rollins and Murphy brutalized Dominik with kendo stick shots on Raw this week. For this coming Monday’s go-home episode of Raw, WWE is teasing that Rey Mysterio will make an appearance. It will be the first time Rey has appeared on WWE television since losing his Eye for an Eye match against Rollins at Extreme Rules last month.
SummerSlam is taking place on Sunday, August 23. Here’s the updated card for the show:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville are putting their hair on the line at SummerSlam.
After an angle setting up the match took place on SmackDown two weeks ago, WWE announced tonight that Rose and Deville will face off in a hair vs. hair match at SummerSlam. The pay-per-view is taking place on Sunday, August 23.
Rose cut a promo on SmackDown tonight challenging Deville to the hair vs. hair match at SummerSlam. She asked if Deville really thinks she’s the first person to say Rose is just a pretty face. Rose said she’s been hearing things like that for her entire life and it still hurts to this day. Rose said Deville of all people should know how hard she works. She thanked Deville for reminding her that she’s so much more than just a pretty face. After saying Deville is sitting on her high horse and pretending like she doesn’t care how she looks, Rose told Deville to put her money where her mouth is and face her in a hair vs. hair match.
Later on tonight’s show, Deville responded to Rose and accepted the challenge.
Deville attacked Rose backstage on SmackDown two weeks ago, cut off some of Rose’s hair, and then went to shave Rose’s head until being stopped by officials. Rose then appeared last week and brawled with Deville during a match between Heavy Machinery and The Miz & John Morrison.
Here’s the updated card for SummerSlam:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
In addition to challenging for Sasha Banks’ Raw Women’s Championship at the pay-per-view, Asuka will also challenge Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Asuka was confirmed as Bayley’s SummerSlam challenger by winning a triple brand battle royal on SmackDown tonight.
The battle royal featured wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. It came down to Asuka and Shayna Baszler as the final two. Bayley interfered and tried to eliminate Asuka, but Asuka then laid out Bayley and Banks with a sliding knee. When Baszler tried to knock Asuka off the apron, Asuka’s feet didn’t hit the floor because she landed on Bayley and Banks. Baszler put Asuka in the Kirifuda Clutch, but Asuka was able to eliminate her.
On Raw this week, Asuka defeated Bayley in a match where the stipulation was that Asuka would get a shot at Banks’ Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam if she won. There was a segment after tonight’s battle royal where Bayley and Banks spoke backstage. Banks brought up Bayley losing to Asuka on Raw but assured her they’d both be fine in their matches at SummerSlam. Bayley agreed and said that — since her title will be on the line at SummerSlam — she’ll actually have something important to fight for this time. Asuka then attacked Bayley and Banks.
SummerSlam is taking place on Sunday, August 23. Here’s the updated card for the PPV:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending against Asuka
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Two more title matches have officially been added to the card for SummerSlam.
Sasha Banks will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Asuka at SummerSlam. After it was set up on SmackDown last Friday, WWE has also officially confirmed that “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt will challenge for Braun Strowman’s Universal Championship at the pay-per-view.
Asuka defeated Bayley on Raw tonight to be confirmed as Banks’ challenger for the PPV. The story was that Banks said last week that she’d give Asuka a title shot at SummerSlam if she could defeat Bayley tonight.
Asuka vs. Banks at Extreme Rules last month ended in controversy, setting up a rematch on Raw two weeks ago. Banks won the title by countout after Asuka went to save Kairi Sane when she was being attacked by Bayley backstage.
There will be a triple brand battle royal on SmackDown this week to decide who will challenge for Bayley’s SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.
For the first time since their Swamp Fight at Extreme Rules, Strowman returned to WWE television on SmackDown last Friday. He appeared on the video screen and agreed to face The Fiend at SummerSlam.
SummerSlam is taking place on Sunday, August 23. Here’s the updated card for the PPV:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defending against Asuka
Universal Champion Braun Strowman defending against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Dominik Mysterio’s first official match is set to take place later this month.
WWE announced tonight that Dominik will make his in-ring debut against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam on Sunday, August 23. The match was made official with Rollins accepting a challenge that had been issued by Dominik.
After Dominik issued the challenge on tonight’s Raw, Rollins and Murphy made an appearance later in the show. Rollins said that he and Murphy had some housekeeping to attend to before he responded to Dominik. Rollins and Murphy then confronted Tom Phillips for cheering Dominik on when he was hitting them with a kendo stick last week.
Rollins said the time has come to find a new voice of Raw, but Samoa Joe stood up to Murphy and defended his broadcast partner. Rollins and Murphy both had steel chairs and wanted Joe to get in the ring. Dominik then attacked Rollins and Murphy from behind with a kendo stick, gave Rollins a 619, and took them out with a dive to the floor. After that, Rollins declared that he accepts Dominik’s challenge for SummerSlam.
WWE issued a new storyline update on Rey Mysterio last week following his loss to Seth Rollins in their Eye for an Eye match at Extreme Rules: “WWE Digital has learned that Rey Mysterio’s vision is improving slowly each day, and that his optic nerve is intact, completely secured and back in its socket. A timeline for Mysterio’s return to the ring is unknown at this time.”
Here’s the updated card for SummerSlam:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
Though Apollo Crews defeated MVP on Raw tonight to become the unquestioned United States Champion, a rematch between the two is already set.
WWE has confirmed that Crews will defend his United States title against MVP at SummerSlam. The pay-per-view is taking place on Sunday, August 23.
Crews vs. MVP for the US title was supposed to take place at Extreme Rules last month but didn’t happen due to Crews testing positive for COVID-19. MVP has been calling himself the rightful United States Champion since then. Crews defeated MVP to retain the title on Raw tonight, getting the win by hitting his toss powerbomb.
After winning tonight’s match, Crews received the old US title belt and the new title belt that was introduced by MVP. Crews said in a post-match interview that he was going to display the old title belt in his kids’ bedroom because he wants them to have the first championship he won in WWE.
MVP got on the microphone after losing and said WWE and Crews should be ashamed of themselves. As part of a show-long storyline ahead of a new faction arriving on Raw tonight, lights were going on and off during Crews and MVP’s match. MVP blamed the unsafe working environment for his loss and challenged Crews to a rematch at SummerSlam.
It was announced later on Raw that Crews has accepted MVP’s challenge.
This is the third match that’s been made official for SummerSlam. Here’s the updated card for the PPV:
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defending against Randy Orton
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Andrade & Angel Garza
United States Champion Apollo Crews defending against MVP
One of the top matches for this year’s SummerSlam has now been made official.
After defeating Big Show in their unsanctioned match last week, Randy Orton opened tonight’s Raw by challenging Drew McIntyre to a WWE Championship match at SummerSlam. Orton cut a promo discussing his accomplishments in WWE and said people like Steve Austin and The Rock can’t hold a candle to his longevity, consistency, his accolades, and his title reigns.
Orton said he’s done what he wants to do, when he wants to do it, to whoever he wants to do it to for his entire career. But Orton said something is missing. He then announced that he desires to become WWE Champion again.
Orton said that means he has to bring McIntyre into the conversation. Orton said if he compared careers with McIntyre, it would be a very short conversation. He brought up McIntyre getting released from WWE in 2014 but said he respects that McIntyre defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania and did so in quick fashion.
Orton said McIntyre has a problem, and it’s that he has what Orton wants.
McIntyre appeared later on tonight’s Raw and accepted Orton’s challenge. McIntyre called Orton the biggest threat to his title and said he knows people are thinking that he’s the underdog against Orton. McIntyre said he hopes Orton is underestimating him — because that’s what Lesnar did and he kicked Lesnar’s ass in five minutes at WrestleMania.
In the main event of tonight’s show, McIntyre defeated Dolph Ziggler in a non-title extreme rules match but was laid out by an RKO from Orton after.
SummerSlam is taking place on Sunday, August 23. The Street Profits defending their Raw Tag Team titles against Andrade & Angel Garza has also been confirmed for the show.
The team of Andrade and Angel Garza will be facing Raw Tag Team champions The Street Profits at SummerSlam.
The duo defeated Cedric Alexander & Ricochet and The Viking Raiders in a triple threat tag team match where the winners would become number one contenders for the titles. The finish came when Ivar did a dive that took out most of the competitors in the match. Garza, however, avoided the dive and pinned Alexander with the wing clipper.
After the match, Andrade & Garza confronted The Street Profits, who were at ringside doing commentary. After some back and forth, the two jumped Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford, bolting before either could retaliate.
This is not the first time the two teams have faced one another. They had a match on the July 20 edition of Raw. where The Street Profits defeated Andrade and Garza.
SummerSlam is scheduled to take place on August 23. A location has not been announced.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view officially won’t be taking place at its originally scheduled location.
WWE posted a statement today confirming that this year’s SummerSlam will no longer be taking place in Boston, Massachusetts. It was noted that SummerSlam will still stream live on the WWE Network on Sunday, August 23 and that “information regarding a new location for the event is forthcoming.”
“In coordination with our local partners, government officials and TD Garden, WWE’s SummerSlam and related events will no longer take place in Boston. Refunds are available at the original point of purchase. We are grateful to the city of Boston for their longstanding partnership and look forward to holding WWE events at TD Garden in the future,” WWE announced.
“SummerSlam will stream live on Sunday, August 23, at 7 p.m. ET on WWE Network, and information regarding a new location for the event is forthcoming.”
NXT’s next TakeOver special was supposed to take place in Boston on the night before SummerSlam. It will remain on Saturday, August 22 but is no longer being held in Boston. The event is now titled NXT TakeOver XXX.
