Kick-Off Show
The Kick-Off Show begins with the panel of Renee Young, Sam Roberts, Booker T and David Otunga. The panel rundown the entire card for tonight’s show.
We cut to John Bradshaw and Peter Rosenberg on the stage, making jokes about Bradshaw’s poor history at SummerSlam.
We see a video hyping the SmackDown Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match. The panel say Becky Lynch is understandably frustrated but tonight is her chance to step out of Charlotte’s shadow. Booker reckons the Triple Threat rules helps Carmella. They say it’s anyone’s game.
Kevin Owens Vs. Braun Strowman is discussed by Bradshaw and Rosenberg. Peter says Owens is smart, he doesn’t want to stand toe-to-toe with Braun, and asks Bradshaw what you do in that kind of situation. Bradshaw says that when he faced Undertaker at SummerSlam, he realised during the match he physically he couldn’t beat him, so he tried to get the Deadman to disqualify himself to win. He says KO is a great talent but he needs to come up with something to beat Strowman. Rosenberg reminds us that, whoever wins, could cash-in.
The panel discuss The Miz Vs. Daniel Bryan. Roberts says The Miz’s insecurities have haunted him for years, and so he is trying to prove that he is better than Bryan. Booker blames JBL for “creating” The Miz, because he made him dress in the hallway and whatnot. Booker says this match is the one to watch for him.
We get a hype video for Ronda Rousey Vs. Alexa Bliss. The panel discuss Bliss’ antics in getting Ronda suspended and say, on paper she doesn’t stand much chance. However Alexa is wily and may have some tricks up her sleeve.
Rusev & Lana Vs. Andrade Almas & Zelina Vega
Rusev and Almas start the match. Cien leaves the ring and runs around with Rusev chasing him, before sliding back inside and performing tranquilo with Vega beneath him. This prompts Rusev and Lana to flex together on the opposite side of the ring. Again Almas leaves the ring and Rusev chases but this time Cien hits the Bulgarian with a dropkick through the ropes.
Back inside the ring, Rusev takes control by stomping a mudhole in Almas in the corner. Rusev looks for a suplex as the fans chant “Rusev Day”. Vega provides a distraction as Almas attacks Rusev from behind, then tosses him into the ring post. Almas performs an armbar to Rusev, while hanging from the ropes. Almas looks to ground Rusev with a submission as we get a split-screen commercial for SummerSlam. Almas hangs Rusev on the middle rope and chokes him with a knee to the back. Vega again looks to distract Rusev, allowing Cien to charge him in the corner but this time Rusev dodges and Almas hits the turnbuckles. Rusev looks for the tag to Lana but Zelina pulls her from the apron at the last second.
Almas hits Rusev with a flying knee in the corner, then lands a tornado reverse DDT from the middle rope for a near-fall. Almas grinds Rusev with an armlock but the Brute fights back, and reverses a second tornado DDT and shoves Almas to the floor. Rusev crawls to make the tag to Lana and Vega is forced in. Lana connects with two flying attacks, then a bulldog and a spinarooni of sorts. Lana hits a corner splash and a neckbreaker for a two-count. Zelina rolls to the outside but Lana chases after and slams her into the apron. Lana throws her back into the ring and body-slam’s Vega for another two-count. Zelina begs for mercy in the corner but then suckers Lana into eating the turnbuckle! Vega then kicks Lana in the head. She takes to the corner and looks for a running knee but Lana responds with a kick to the gut. Lana looks for the Accolade but Andrade appears on the apron for a distraction. Rusev yanks him down but Almas tosses him into the barricade. Almas comes back to the apron and Lana slaps him, allowing Vega to roll-up Lana and pin her with an assist from the ropes!
Winners: Zelina Vega & Andrade Almas
We return to the Kick-Off panel and Jerry Lawler has joined the crew. Booker makes a joke about Lana’s spinarooni not being very good. The panel again rundown the entire card before we go backstage for an interview between Charly Caruso and Paul Heyman. She asks him if all of this was an elaborate ruse because Brock is scared of Roman. Heyman asks if we’re live and says he doesn’t even get the question. He says we’re here to witness history because tonight Brock will get rid of The Big Dog. Heyman says Brock is so focused on becoming UFC Heavyweight Champion. He’s preparing to take Daniel Cormier and knock him out. Tonight however, Brock looks to finish this feud once and for all. He says everytime Brock F5’s Roman, everytime he suplexes Roman, The Big Dog comes back for more. So tonight he looks to beat him so that he can never come back. He says Brock will F5 Roman and pin him 123 and that’s a spoiler. The panel discuss the match a little, saying Reigns is a major threat to Brock.
We see Kurt Angle, Paige, and Drake Maverick backstage. Paige and Drake say they’re thrilled to be here because this is their first SummerSlam’s as GM’s. Angle says she is excited to see Styles Vs. Joe because that will be an instant classic. In walks Baron Corbin, who says he is here to make sure Kurt is on top of everything. Corbin asks if Angle has prepared Brock’s private dressing room, to which Angle says he has and asks if Corbin would like to go cut Brock’s steak as well? They make jokes at Corbin’s expense and he leaves after poking fun at Maverick’s height.
WWE Cruiseweight Championship Match
(C) Cedric Alexander Vs. Drew Gulak
Alexander and Gulak lock-up and the Champion forces him to the corner. Gulak takes Alexander to the mat but gets kicked to the corner. They lock-up again and this time Alexander catches him with a nice dropkick. Alexander gets caught with a stiff boot to the face, then Gulak drags him from the ring and lands a neckbreaker from the apron.
Gulak lifts Alexander up and drops him on the apron, then throws him back inside. Gulak applies a neck crank as we get another SummerSlam commercial. Alexander fights out of the submission but Gulak catches him with a T-bone suplex. Gulak regains control by grounding Alexander with a headlock. Gulak then gets Alexander in a Gory Special. Eventually Cedric escapes by flipping over Gulak and lands a rope-assisted STO. Alexander chops Gulak in the chest, and the challenger rolls from the ring, so Alexander follows-up with a beautiful senton over the top to the floor!
Alexander throws Gulak back into the ring and climbs to the apron. Alexander looks for a springboard but Gulak swipes his feet and Cedric falls back onto the apron. Gulak then applies the Gu-Lock over the ropes and holds it in until the referee’s four count. Gulak brings Alexander back inside and looks for the Gu-Lock again but this time Alexander escapes and elbows him down. Both men trade shots in the middle of the ring and Gulak gets the better of the exchange with a stiff slap. They trade pin reversals until Alexander hits a Spanish Fly for a near-fall. They trade pins again and this time Alexander rolls-up Gulak for the win!
Winner: Cedric Alexander
We return to Rosenberg and JBL, who discuss the SmackDown Women’s Championship Match. JBL says Becky is the favourite. Rosenberg says the New Yorker in him is rooting for Carmella and JBL agrees, saying the hometown advantage is a real thing.
After a video package, we get an interview with Samoa Joe. The challenger to AJ Styles says he is inside AJ’s head. He says he is a man in control of all of his faculties and he knows what he is doing. He says AJ is an egomaniac, who only cares about himself, and he has him broken mentally. Joe says AJ is fantastic and has won titles everywhere he has went but then he comes and takes those titles from AJ. He tells AJ to hand him the WWE Championship or he’ll rip it from his unconscious hands. The panel are floored by Joe’s cutting words. W return to Rosenberg and JBL on the stage, and they say Joe is a huge threat to Styles. Booker says AJ just beat his record for longest title reign on SmackDown. He then says AJ Styles is this generation’s Shawn Michaels and tonight he will find a way to win. Rosenberg points out that Joe missed WrestleMania and he is hungry for gold. He says Joe has beaten Styles again and he may do so again.
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match
(C) The B-Team Vs. The Revival
Scott Dawson and Bo Dallas start the match with a lock-up and Bo takes Dawson down with a headlock. Dash Wilder tags in and connects with a dragonscrew to Dallas,hurting the leg, then catch Axel running in with the Shatter Machine! The referee forces Dawson from the ring and checks on Dallas in the corner.
Dallas gets up and gets beaten back down by Dash. Dawson tags in and connects with a dropkick from the top rope. Dawson stomps on Dallas and tries to injure the leg further. We get another SummerSlam commercial. Dawson is still working on the leg, and Axel is still out on the floor from the Shatter Machine. Dash and Dawson beat on Bo in the corner, then Dawson hits another dragonscrew. Dallas manages to kick Dawson off and into the ring post, then catch him with a roll-up for two. Axel returns to the apron but Dash runs over and kicks him off.
Dawson taunts Dallas before tagging Dash. Dash looks to suplex Bo to the floor but instead Dallas drapes Dash across the ropes and hits a spinning neckbreaker. Axel is back on the apron and tags are made to both men! Axel clotheslines Dawson twice, then splashes him in the corner. Snapmare from Axel, then a neckbreaker. Dawson rolls-up Axel for a two-count. Axel looks for a Perfect Plex but Dash prevents it. Dash gets knocked from the ring by Bo while Dawson rolls-up Axel. Bo gets whiplashed and falls back, reversing the pin attempt from Axel to Dawson and The B-Team score the win.
Winner: The B-Team
The panel rundown the SummerSlam card again, as we’re 20 minutes away from showtime! Charly Caruso tries to score an interview with Alexa Bliss but the Champion shrugs her off. Booker T says she is simply focused on the match with Ronda. They say the pressure in on Alexa because if she loses there will be headlines everywhere and that is weighing on her.
We get a video package for the Roman Reigns/Brock Lesnar rivalry. Rosenberg and JBL discuss the match, with JBL saying Reigns resents Brock’s dominance. Bradshaw says the locker room might feel miffed at Lesnar but it’s simply because of how dominant he is. Rosenberg says that Heyman wants you to believe that Roman cannot beat Brock Lesnar but Reigns believes he already did so. Peter asks if there is any chance Brock is overlooking Roman and thinking all about UFC and JBL says 100% yes. He says nobody has done what Brock wants to do and his ambition may cost him the match.
We return to the panel and Renee agrees with JBL; Brock may be too focused on UFC. They say Paul Heyman may very well be a factor tonight. JBL says he doesn’t believe Brock is stupid, he wants to go down as the greatest of all-time, and that is weighing on him. Rosenberg says this is why Roman is angry, everyone is focused on Brock. Renee asks if you can imagine the noise if Roman wins tonight. Otunga says it is clear Brock is worries about Roman, because of the pepper spray antics.
The panel breakdown the rest of the card to round-out the Kick-Off Show.
