Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Sasha Banks (WWE Raw Women’s Championship)
Reactions: While this match moved at a more tepid pace than SD Live’s ladies contest, it was still just as good. The crowd seems to have turned on Banks (plus it seems like their love for Bayley has dissipated, too). Bliss got a lot of love from the live crowd, but all their excitement died down as this match unfolded. Even with the tepid fan response, I still found some enjoyment from this title match. Bliss dominated at points and played her character role well, while Banks played the face-in-peril role as it should be and pulled off some slick counters. Bliss’ use of the ring apron skirt proved to be a pretty funny moment to watch unfold. Banks ended up being the one to finally ending Bliss’ title reign, which was a cool moment to see. Good match here. The live crowd probably doesn’t have the same opinion I do, though…
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Naomi (c) vs. Natalya (WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship)
Reactions: First things first, let me apologize to both ladies for underestimating their talent. What we got here was a surprisingly good title bout that showed just how impressive these ladies can be against each other. Naomi’s lackluster reign may have been a bore, but at least she put on an impressive performance during her final title defense. Natalya dialed up the meter on her heel tactics and looked all the more badass when she had the match under control. Naomi’s flashy comeback added more fuel to the match and kept things interesting all the while. Natalya’s Sharpshooter granted her ownership over the SD Live Women’s Championship after participating in a bout I initially doubted.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Brock Lesnar (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman (Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Universal Championship)
Reactions: You know those Kaiju battles that are still all the rage? WWE gave us one tonight. Four of the most dangerous behemoths in the company gave us one of the most entertaining opening moments of a match…EVER! This was filled with balls-to-the-wall action, especially when Strowman manhandled Lesnar. This was one of those rare times where Lesnar got beaten and beaten badly. Strowman was already a star, but now he’s even more credible since he was the one that got medical personnel to take Lesnar out on a stretcher. Joe and Reigns had their jaw dropping moments too and helped lend more great action to an explosive main event. The middle portion was fun, but Lesnar’s return sent this match into overdrive. Multiple Running Powerslam’s, F5’s, Superman Punches and Kokina Clutches were doled out as the crowd lost their shi…minds. The final F5 given to Reigns ended one of the best SummerSlam matches and one of the better contests of 2017.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Match of the Night
Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman!
Final Verdict
SummerSlam 2017 was a tale of two shows – one half that featured matches that were expected to be awesome. And another half that featured matches that ranged from completely forgettable to pleasantly surprising. The New Day vs. The Usos almost took MOTN honors until Raw’s monsters battled in the main event. Both women’s matches were solid, Styles vs. Owens was filled with drama (the good kind), Cena had a solid bout with Corbin, Finn outwitted Bray and the former Shield brothers became tag team champs. The rest of the show wasn’t much to speak of, though. Overall, the Barclays Center was treated to a pretty good show filled with title changes and shocking conclusions.
Final Score: 3 & a Half out of 5 Stars
