Match Ratings For WWE Summerslam 2020 From Sean Ross Sapp

WWE United States Championship
Apollo Crews (c) defeated MVP
5/10

• I love the new shirts for The Hurt Business. They have Apollo cut a terrible inset promo.
• WWE didn’t bother changing the backgrounds for the video wall.
• MVP does a release superplex, and it looks great. A little twist on a classic. Apollo practically whiffs on a tope con hilo.
• Apollo meets better success with a moonsault. Apollo wins with a Toss Powerbomb
• Apollo escapes the Hurt Business.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship
Bayley (c) (w/ Sasha Banks) defeated Asuka to retain the title
5.5/10

• The video feeds went out for the screens briefly.
• Bayley has nice new gear, and then she and Asuka beat the shit out of each other.
• Asuka kicks out of a Bayley to Belly. Bayley kicks out of a hip attack, so Naomi’s Rear View is definitely more lethal.
• Bayley works the knee over.
• Asuka steps over a nice modified Calf Cutter into a heel hook briefly.
• The sunset flip bomb, and even some moves like it, are such great additions we’ve seen on WWE TV of late.
• Asuka catches Bayley’s flying elbow drop with an armbar. Asuka is more worried about kicking Sasha, though.
• Bayley rolls up Asuka off of a distraction.
• Sasha Banks attacks.

WWE Raw Tag Team Champions
Street Profits (c) defeated Angel Garza & Andrade (w/ Zelina) to retain the titles
6.5/10

• Kevin Owens comes out for commentary.
• Street Profits still bringing the Celtic Pride. Montez had an incredible front flip clothesline and jumping huracanrana. He’s going 100 MPH.
• Bryon Saxton saying “thank goodness” when Garza’s pants came off was great.
• I’m gonna buy Angel Garza a fruit basket for making sense of the Del Rio Stomp. I will take a bullet for this man.
• Dawkins and Andrade trade spears and back elbows.
• Angel Garza sees the Wing Clipper FLIPPED out of.
• Cash Out, Twisting Frog Splash. That was a blast.
• Kevin Owens invites Aleister Black to the KO Show.

Loser Leaves WWE
No DQ
Mandy Rose defeated Sonya Deville
5.5/10

• Mandy has a Madusa vibe going on.
• Many Rose is pretty aggressive early on and knocks Sonya around and pulls out a table.
• Sonya attacks with a chair.
• Sonya applies the dragon sleeper with a body scissors.
• They’re chucking around some nasty knees.
• Sonya tries to steal the Angel’s Wings, but gets hit with knees, one weaker than the other.
• Mandy does the Angel’s Wings.
• The table was never used.
• Otis comes out and celebrates with Mandy. She tries to do a Caterpillar.

NO DQ
Seth Rollins (w/ Buddy Murphy) defeated Dominik Mysterio (w/ Rey Mysterio)
7/10

• Wrestling with a hood on your jacket is pretty odd.
• Seth Rollins looking like he’s wearing a Burn Book that belongs to the Riddler.
• Dominik is very versatile. He flips up and kips up and other ip ups.
• Rollins taunts Dominik, as his mother is shown watching backstage. Dominik’s, not Seth’s.
• Dominik counters a Buckle Bomb with a huracanrana into the buckle. He also does a nice tornado DDT.
• A fan had a beach ball on one of the screens.
• Superplex into the Falcon Arrow.
• Rey Mysterio is trying to decide if he will help Dom. Seth calls for a table.
• Frog splash from Dominik has me emotional.
• There was a great White Russian Leg Sweep off the buckles through a table.
• Rollins destroys Dominik with a powerbomb.
• Dominik’s mom comes out.
• Rey is handcuffed up, and Rollins implies he’s going to BEAT DOMINIK’S MOTHER WITH A CANE.
• Dom makes the save. Big back body drop outside on Murphy.
• 619.
• Rollins gets his knees up on a frog splash. Stomp and a win.

WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Asuka defeated Sasha Banks (c) (w/ Bayley) to become Raw Women’s Champion
8.5/10

• They immediately get into it and Sasha Banks does a corkscrew sunset flip bomb on the floor off the apron. This was gross and amazing.
• You know Sasha is bringing the knees hard.
• An Electric Chair to a reverse powerbomb from Asuka, down into a heel hook and Ankle Lock.
• Asuka does an insane DDT off the top rope.
• Asuka goes for an Alley Oop but Sasha does a Codebreaker.
• This match rules.
• Frog Splash missed.
• Asuka applies a flying armbar into an Asuka Lock.
• Sasha tries to pin, then a Banks Statement.
• Asuka flips off the ropes into an Asuka Lock.
• A Bayley distraction spot doesn’t work, and Asuka taps out Sasha Banks with the Asuka Lock.
• Sasha Banks still can’t defend her championship successfully.
• Sasha is distraught.

WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Randy Orton to retain the title
7/10

• Why is Shawn Michaels in the cabin of a cruise boat?
• Orton avoids Drew McIntyre for several minutes, then attacks. We get a nice Singh Bomb.
• Orton methodically works over Drew, but Drew fights back to work the leg over.
• Knee breaker and a Figure Four Leg Lock from Drew McIntyre. The latter is a great piece of business.
• Orton gouges McIntyre’s eye, who is busted open.
• Drew is really laying the chops in on Orton.
• Drew lands a Future Shock, Orton hits a powerslam.
• The piped in crowd noise does add. I probably wouldn’t rely on echoed Thurnderdome viewer noice, either.
• Orton lines up for a punt, but Drew does a big powerbomb. There are some damn good ones.
• McIntyre misses a Claymore, but wins with a backslide.

WWE Universal Championship
Falls Count Anywhere
The Fiend defeated Braun Strowman (c) to become champion
5.75/10
Angle- 10/10

• Fiend breaks Strowman’s neck twice after a uranage.
• The thing that “we’d never see coming” from Summerslam was them booking stuff that makes sense.
• Braun mows Fiend trough the barricade and slams him on the table. OUCH.
• Powerslam for Strowman, Fiend kicks out at one.
• Nobody is running Gorilla Position! They brawl back there, and Fiend hits a Sister Abigail.
• Powerslam and a two count.
• Strowman cuts up the ring. Fiend hits Sister Abigail and wins.
• ROMAN REIGNS IS BACK! He looks bad ass.
• He destroys everyone.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!