August 27, 2007 Observer Newsletter: SummerSlam & UFC previews, WWE responds to Congress

We are at a couple of interesting crossroads this coming weekend as both WWE and UFC each have one of their biggest events of the year, one day apart.

WWE’s SummerSlam, on 8/26, at a sold out Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, has seven matches announced at press time, and will feature the returns of HHH and Rey Mysterio, along with John Cena vs. Randy Orton, as the biggest draws. It will be the first time in three years that SummerSlam didn’t feature Hulk Hogan, and last year’s show was loaded, with Cena vs Edge, plus a Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley match backed up with some of the best interviews of that year. This year, the TV by and large has not done a good job of hyping the show itself. Cena vs. Orton has been promoted okay. The angles have been by-the-book. The promos have been average.

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September 3, 2007 Observer Newsletter: WWE SummerSlam & UFC 74 reviews

The theme of the 20th annual SummerSlam show on 8/26 from East Rutherford, NJ, is it had a few surprises, but more in the uneventful way.

John Cena pinned Randy Orton to retain his WWE title in a strong main event, said by many to be an almost identical match to those done at many of the house shows in recent weeks. The result was a surprise, if only because HHH had stated months back he felt Cena would got hotter in the position of chasing the title after such a long reign and Orton was his choice to do it. That was the direction they were working toward, although no actual final decision was made to the finish, other than a rematch was penciled in for Unforgiven. If Cena retains his title on that show and the week beyond, he will be the longest reigning WWE champion since Hulk Hogan’s 1984-88 run.

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