Date: July 30, 2022 Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee
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Show Summary —
OPENING SHOW
The panel was hosted by Kyla Braxton, Jerry Lawler, Booker T, Kevin Patrick and Peter Rosenberg. They took down the card.
(As usual, I don’t plan to recap the entire pre-show, just anything that seems somewhat noteworthy.)
Lawler and Booker buried Pat McAfee because he’s not a real wrestler like Baron Corbin. One of the other panelists suggested that Lawler should face McAfee if he felt so little for him, and Lawler was fine with that.
Theory explained his plan again (again) to Sarah Schreiber and felt very confident.
Titus O’Neil presented the WWE Titles to Meals of Hope, PENCIL and Musicians on Call and announced that $20,000 would be given to each charity.
The man in the mysterious videos will appear tonight.
Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch will open SummerSlam.
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SUMMER SLAM 2022
They are in an outdoor stadium, so the show starts in daylight.
Bianca Bellaire defeated Becky Lynch to retain the Women’s Championship (15:10)
Lynch works over Bellaire’s arm early, but she comes back with a Glam Slam and a standing moonsault for two. Bellaire tried to KOD Lynch on the barricade, but Lynch landed on his feet, pulled Bellaire into the barricade and kicked her on top of it.
Lynch landed a leg drop as Bellaire was tossed into the ropes, but Bellaire countered a second powerbomb attempt. Belair hit another Glam Slam, this time at ringside. Lynch tried to use the braid on Belair, but Belair pulled her into the ring post with her and hit a vertical suplex on the outside. Belair followed with a moonsault for two.
Lynch tried a crossbody, but Belair caught her. She couldn’t follow up due to her injured arm, so Lynch followed with a Diamond Dust for two. They traded counters until Belair hit what was essentially a flapjack. Lynch tried a disarmer, but Bellaire rolled to the outside while holding on to Lynch. Belair gave Lynch a KOD on the outside but couldn’t pull her into the ring.
Belair didn’t want to win by countout, but seemed to think it was inevitable, but Lynch barely made it past ten. They battled on the top rope as Lynch pulled Bellaire down by her braid and hit a manhandle for a near fall.
Lynch went for a manhandle off the middle rope, but Bellaire countered into a Spanish Fly. She followed immediately with an emphatic KOD for the pinfall victory. Good match with a great finish.
— Lynch offered Bellaire a handshake after the match. Belair took her hand and they embraced.
Bailey walked in as Bellaire celebrated. The crowd grew huge.
Bayley stopped at ringside and Dakota Kai entered. Corey Graves freaked out because he didn’t think Kai had a contract. Kai joined Bayley in the ring as Io Shirai entered as well.
Bayley, Kai and Shirai came to the ring together to face Belair. Lynch joined Bellaire and the trio retreated. That was really good.
(I think the Shirai graphic said “Io Shirai” and Jimmy Smith definitely called it that, but Graves called it “Io Sky.”)
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Miz and Ciampa had matching neon green ring jackets and tights that were green, pink and black.
Logan Paul defeated The Miz (w/Maryse & Ciampa) (14:16)
Paul hit a springboard to the outside but Miz took control with a Codebreaker off the ropes and Ciampa helped out later by hitting Paul with a cheap shot. Paul came back with a Blockbuster, a clothesline and a powerslam for two. Paul followed with It Kicks and a figure four, but Miz got a rope break. Paul hits a high cross and a standing moonsault for two.
Ciampa tried to attack Paul, but the referee caught him and threw him out of the ring. Ciampa grabbed a chair and decided to sit at ringside instead.
AJ Styles’ music hits and he flies in from the crowd to destroy Ciampa. Styles charges Ciampa through the crowd to the back.
Paul hit Miz with a Phenomenal Forearm for a near fall. It looked good, but Graves admitted it was more of a “pretty good forearm.”
Paul cleared the announce table and climbed to the top rope as Maryse screamed at him. Paul threw an elbow at her before hitting Miz with a great looking frog splash on the table.
Paul pushed Miz into the ring and tried to cover, but Maryse distracted the referee. Miz tried to hit Paul with something, but Paul ducked and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for the pinfall win.
The opening part of the match was good, but thanks to the last few minutes, it turned out to be quite good. The crowd was relatively quiet at first, but Paul’s win caused a huge stir. He bowed to the crowd after the match.
Speakers wondered if Paul had been tutored by Styles.
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There were video packages (for commercial time) for Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
There was also an ad for a water bottle company featuring Maximum Male Models (Mace, Mansoor, Maxxine Dupri and Max Dupri). I may be in the minority, but I found it quite amusing.
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The sun went down, which was a good time for Lashley’s entrance with fireworks.
Bobby Lashley defeated Theory to retain the United States Title (4:44)
Theory attacked Lashley with the briefcase during his entrance. The referee checked on Lashley before ringing the bell to start the match. It didn’t matter much because Lashley quickly came back with a choke.
Theory tried to leave less than two minutes into the match, but Lashley cut him off and tossed him into the barricade twice. Theory came back with a rolling dropkick for two, but Lashley countered with a flatliner.
The two traded fists before Lashley hit a power slam. Theory jumped a spear attempt and Lashley ran into the spinning top. Theory tried another spinning dropkick, but Lashley countered it perfectly by pressing Theory over his head.
Lashley applied the Hurt Lock and the theory was gone right away. The crowd loved Lashley and had high hopes for the win.
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No Disqualification Tag Team Match: Dominik & Rey Mysterio defeated Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Rhea Ripley) (11:09)
They still went in and out even though it was a no DQ match.
Graves thought maybe Balor, the 41-year-old former Universal champion, would finally reach his full potential now.
The crowd tagged in as the Mysterios set up for a double 619, but Ripley tripped both Mysterios. She also dropped Dominique on the apron which looked great.
Balor called for a chair as the lights went out.
A remixed version of the Brood theme started and stairs appeared along the path. The fire pyrometer went off as Edge climbed the stairs and made his way to the ring.
Edge impaled both Priest and Bálor. The Mysterios gave Bálor a double 619 and Rey followed with a springboard for the pinfall victory.
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There was a moment when Graves told Michael Cole, “I liked you better when you were allowed to have an opinion,” which of course is a reference to Vince McMahon leaving. Cole responded by saying, “That’s changed. Many things have changed.”
Pat McAfee defeated Happy Corbin (10:39)
Corbyn entered first and was greeted by a male chorus chanting “Bombe Corbyn”. They also hummed McAfee’s theme for his entrance (so he didn’t come out to Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes).
Corbin tossed McAfee onto the (now repaired) announce table. Cole yelled at Corbin, so Corbin shoved Cole in his seat. I guess the fans hate Corbin more than Cole because they booed that.
Corbin went to the top, but McAfee jumped to the top and took him down with a superplex. (McAfee almost slipped, but managed to regain his balance.) With Corbin on the outside, McAfee went to the top and pretended to lose his balance before hitting the Swanton.
The referee was knocked down momentarily after Corbin tackled him, so McAfee kicked Corbin in the nuts. McAfee followed with a code red (I guess) off the middle rope for the pinfall win.
McAfee performed well here for the most part, but I wouldn’t call this a good match.
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Drew McIntyre promotion
McIntyre came in and made a fiery pitch. He was happy to be in Nashville. He stopped his fight with Sheamus and said he barely got out of bed today but it was worth it because he has the winner of tonight’s world title match.
(McIntyre asked a young fan his name and he said “Colt”. McIntyre yelled loudly for Colt and the crowd chanted for him.)
McIntyre said he will beat whoever wins tonight and take both titles. He asked the crowd for a Claymore countdown. He raised his sword and a firework went off.
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Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins were led to the ring by the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders. They also wore Titans themed gear.
The Usos defeated The Street Profits to retain the Tag Team Championship [special referee: Jeff Jarrett] (13:23)
About eight minutes into the match, Dawkins took out the Usos with a flip dive (something he could have done in the first 40 seconds if this was a Raw match). He charged at Jey Uso in Ford, who hit a back suplex. The Usos superkicked Dawkins and Jimmy hit a dropkick for two. The Usos brawl with Jarrett before hitting a double stomp but Ford breaks up the cover.
Jay almost kicked Jarrett by mistake, but Jarrett caught him. Dawkins followed with a seated powerbomb and Ford hit a frog splash but took too long to make the cover and Jey kicked out. Ford was mad at Jarrett for some reason.
The Usos fought back and took out Ford with double superkicks outside the ring. They hit Dawkins with superkicks before hitting the 1D for the pinfall win.
That was fine, I guess, but I thought it felt a little uneventful and not unlike their past matches. Jarrett’s involvement ultimately came to nothing.
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Kid Rock was shown in the crowd. He crushed his beer and made out with his girlfriend.
Riddle suddenly stormed the ring as security told him to leave. Riddle told them to shut up. He was…
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