Summer Slam 2009

Summer Slam 2009 - Los Angeles

Your announce is Joey/Striker/Josh

Dark - (Tatsu d. Noble, Sydal d. Benjamin)

The ring is green in tribute to Misawa, who died in this stretch; there's a clip package at some point during the evening.

The show opens with the go home Fight Night clip of Matt Hardy ramming Shane Helms's surgically repaired neck into the retaining barrier as explanation for why their scheduled match will not take place tonight - babyface announce expresses disgust at what's happened to Hardy - here he is, ending his brother's career at Silver - and now almost certainly ending his boyhood friend's career just Friday night.  Heel announce says it's focus - Matt has never been WWF Champion despite multiple attempts, and he owns the greatest number one contender power ever given - anytime he wants he can cash in the power to wrestle for the strap - could be tonight - Matt Hardy could come to the ring literally right now and demand to wrestle Chris Jericho for the WWF Title - he doesn't need to worry about Shane Helms.  Further - he is sending a message to the rest of the WWF; Shane Helms spent the summer talking about Matt Hardy, running him down, criticizing him - Matt Hardy showed Friday night that talking about him has consequences.  Striker tells Joey that maybe he should watch his own mouth. 

(someone else cut promos on Hardy this summer - so this is setting something up.  Hey, how about some matches?)

1. Winner Gets the Shot:  Division One (Swagger and Nemeth, with Kelly) d. Defiance (Orton and DiBiase, with Malenko)
-Arn Anderson is the new figurehead GM; he's set a full refurbishing of the tag ranks as his number one goal; so his first PPV opens with a long, hopefully good, tag match.  DiBiase joined Defiance at the Rumble after losing his Contract Match to Swagger, the two having had a year long feud in developmental (which you could watch at wwfu.com - otherwise known as the Underground - or see recaps of that run during WWF programming, called Notes From the Underground).  Nemeth was Swagger's only friend in developmental, as he had sort of a superclean, superachieving reputation that alienated him from the boys (DiBiase was far more popular, even though he was more of a pain in the ass to head trainer Taz). Nemeth's got a mini-me thing maybe with Swagger...he clearly looks up to him; he's now dating Kelly, Swagger's sister - who was with DiBiase before the Rumble swerve.  Nemeth feuded with Defiance in the build to Silver; then gave way to the Fit Finlay return (Fit had been gone a year, taken out by Defiance at 24).  Orton beat Fit at Silver - but the babyfaces, led by a returning Regal (taken out by Defiance in '08) and Swagger came in to clean house postmatch.

But here it's the babyfaces - Swagger hits the gutwrench powerbomb on DiBiase - and D1 goes over - they get the shot against DMW later in the evening - and that means both DiBiase and Orton will have singles matches later in the evening. 
Could be there are some receipts coming due for Defiance tonight, Joey notes.
2. John Cena d. HHH-M (w/Miz)
Cena and Leviathan (Batista) took from Hunter and Shawn at WM24; at the top of '09, Hunter took out Leviathan with the sledgehammer, he's been out since.  Hunter joined Miz in the build to Silver - and they remain together, doing a largely comedy veteran/kid act that's also designed to give Miz a little credibility.

Here - Cena goes over, Miz enters postmatch for a heel beatdown - that's interrupted by a Leviathan superman return - he gets the music and the fireworks and he hits his moves and shakes the ropes and he and Cena hit their muscle poses.  They clean house. Weapons of Mass Destruction is back!

3. Cody Rhodes (w/Dustin) d. Ted DiBiase
Cody spent '08 doing a Mikey Whipwreck/Colin Delaney gimmick, getting his ass kicked by Bradshaw's stable.  But the Undertaker took him under his wing and by the end of Silver, he had earned some level of respect.  Taker's been gone all summer; Cody's been working with Dustin, the idea being that his veteran older brother will continue to provide Cody with seasoning.  DiBiase worked earlier in the evening, so that's also in play.

Finish comes when Defiance attempts a trademark spot - Malenko starts to come to the ring - normally, that means a referee distraction and then Orton appearing from somewhere near the ring to RKO the opponent and get Ted the win.  Here - Malenko hits the ramp - but is interrupted by the Bong.

Bong!

Malenko does the big bug eyed manager facial - and turns around right into an Undertaker chokeslam - when the focus turns back to the ring, Cody rolls up DiBiase for the win.

Cody briefly celebrates with his brother - but saves the big hug for the Undertaker (ever seen someone hug the Undertaker?)  He is momentarily startled - but then returns the hug.  It's nice.  Except for Dustin perhaps, who is left out of the moment. 

4. Steve Regal d. Randy Orton
-The Orton/Regal history was mentioned previously - they feuded in '08, Regal taking up for his frenemy Finlay - no Dean, no DiBiase - Orton's by himself.  Finish comes with that Defiance spot - just used against Orton.  Finlay starts to come down the ramp - pointing at Orton - Finlay's coming to get him some, and that draws the attention of the referee -- from the crowd come the Hooligans (Sheamus and McIntyre, they're in developmental, they're doing a young Fit/Regal gimmick where they are partners who occasionally beat the hell out of each other - they worship Fit and Regal) who hit their finish on Orton, allowing Regal the pinfall.

Regal, Fit, and the Hooligans celebrate postmatch.  Tough night for Defiance.  Orton fumes. 

5. Christian d. CM Punk (w/Maria)
-Okay, something important happens here.  If you're into the Counterfactual but just skimming along, you want to catch this. 

Punk's been the top heel for a few years, after beating Steamboat at Silver to blow off that feud, he and Maria spent the summer doing vignettes that lead to a decision to discuss marriage after Summer Slam.  Christian returned in a mask to win the tag titles with Edge, but that turned out to be a swerve to get Edge to let him to return to the WWF (he lost a loser leaves town to Edge years ago).  In the Montreal Match at Silver when Matt got Jeff to submit, sending him from the company, Christian chose to release his hold on Edge when his brother snapped his achilles tendon, giving up the opportunity that Matt now has to be the number one contender.

Maria essentially picked Christian out of a hat for Punk to go after to hotshot this match.

So - here's the angle.

Punk and Christian are outside, Punk holds Maria in front of him as a shield in that Savage/Liz spot, Punk's obviously done that as part of his chickenshit repertoire for years.  This time - Christian punches Maria in the face.

It's unintentional - it should be quick - Christian swings, Punk pulls Maria in front - Christian hits Maria.  Christian sells it as a complete mistake - and, if they can do it - it should be a shoot punch, like Jericho/Whisper in the real world.  Maria doesn't oversell - she drops but isn't knocked out - she sits up on the floor, tears in her eyes, hopefully we can see the swelling and the mark - Christian's pissed - Maria's pissed - Punk is out of his mind - he wants to stay outside and tend to Maria - but Christian goes back in the ring, and Maria tells Punk to get back in and not get counted out.

Punk's in a wild frenzy - the match breaks down - it should feel out of control - Punk and Christian throwing blows - Maria exits, as angry as she is hurt - Punk distracted by Maria's leaving opens him up for a shot that knocks him to the mat - Christian puts on a submission hold and it's fast.

Punk runs out of the ring to the ramp where Maria now is - they stand below the Titan Tron (which, if I haven't mentioned in awhile, is as big as it can affordably be - I'd like it to wrap around the entire arena) which plays the clip of Punk pulling Maria right in front of Christian's shot - so it appears clear that it was, effectively, Punk's fault that Maria got hit.

She pulls away from Punk - walking out - leaving him alone in the ramp.

Pause a few beats, so we can turn our attention from Punk back to the ring - where Christian remains, having gotten the victory - and then Matt Hardy appears from under the ring - laying Christian out with the Twist of Fate.

(don't talk about Matt Hardy.  Remember?)

6. WWF Tag Titles: D1 d. DMW (PAUL/Kane)


-DMW had all the makings of transition champions – and the announce really wants to stress we’re seeing a new era in WWF tag team wrestling with the crowning of Division One – here are two guys from developmental – WWF University – The Underground –and they have captured WWF gold. Swagger and Nemeth, both with (especially Swagger) stalwart amateur backgrounds, have really grabbed the opportunity – and when you consider the other tag teams in the division – Young Money, the LWO, the Flock, Regal and Finlay, Hunter and the Miz – the returning WMD – the Hooligans in developmental – Arn Anderson’s goal of returning the tag ranks to prominence – having a tag team oriented WM 26 – certainly looks like it’s coming to fruition.

They get the fall with whatever double team maneuver they’re going to use, something related to Swaggers doctor bomb one assumes – and they take the straps – winning the tournament and taking two matches at Summer Slam to seal the deal. A big night for the Underground – a big night for Division One.

7. IC Title: The Messiah Shawn Michaels (w/Flock) d. Rey Mysterio

-It’s Michaels’ 5th IC and 11th overall WWF belt, both records.

First goal here is just to have a Michaels/Mysterio PPV match (we haven’t done one yet) while there’s still time. I never got Michaels/Eddy and while there was Benoit/Michaels I was just about to pull the trigger on a long set up year long Michaels/Benoit program when, well, you know what happened.

Second goal here is Shawn’s got a program – he dropped the nickname, and the gear – he cut his hair – he’s a full blown messianic heel – he’s preyed upon the young Hart kids (all 3) who he scooped up from the Underground when they were dissatisfied with their spots (and with Jericho’s inability, even as champ, to get them out of those spots) convincing them to abandon their family heritage (like Michaels, they burned their gear – took old memorabilia and burned it – Michaels won’t allow them to use any Hart related maneuvers).

And Shawn doesn’t use his own trademark maneuvers – he’ll tease them – like where there’d be a kip up, he’ll roll off the ground – where he’d skin the cat, he’ll just slide out of the ring, he’ll go up to the top rope for an elbow drop and climb on down – and he’ll tune up the band for the superkick and the Hart kids will do some type of outside interference while everyone is distracted.  Just doesn't do them.  People boo.  He's a heel.

Hopefully, the outside intereference and the need for this story doesn't disrupt the match - 'cause I want to see the match - regardless, it's Michaels with the Flock aided pinfall.

Michaels leaves alone - allowing the Flock to attack Mysterio postmatch - save by the LWO - who, recall, are heels.  And they exit, as they have throughout the summer, protecting Mysterio.

8. WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. Montel Porter
-It's Jericho.  Clean.  In the best match they can have.  'Cause that's how it works.

#7 keeps the belt over the Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All Time.  Matt appears at the top of the ramp postmatch - will he cash in his shot - will he cash in his shot -- Jericho waves him - come on - come on - but Matt makes the sign for the belt - and then disappears backstage. 

Jericho's going to Survivor Series as WWF Champ for a full year - now, Punk held the ECW belt for almost two years - and never lost the WWF Title in that time (instead, throwing it down before regaining it much later) so he felt like the world champion for almost two years - but technically, the last WWF Champ who held the belt for a year was Benoit, he won at XX, lost at XXI.

Jericho reigns supreme at Summer Slam - the fireworks go off and the show ends.

I'll be back..what - September for the beginning of the build for Survivor Series 2009.  Between now and then will be real world Summer Slam 2010, and for many years, that's been a huge PPV for me - as it dictates changes I'll have to make in my Mania book.  Right now, I think both my planned IC and tag champs will need changed.  All part of the fun.  Thanks for reading. 

NEXT

Road to Summer Slam 2009 - Part 3

Part 2 is here.


Two matches left. Only one will actually happen.

CM Punk v. Christian

Matt Hardy v. Shane Helms

Both programs involve Matt Hardy and his completion of the heel turn at Silver, when he submitted his brother , forcing Jeff to leave the company. Matt’s largely been more silent than not during his babyface explosion, he’s more like Crow Sting than anyone else, given his verbal limitations. That doesn’t change here, it’s unclear that Matt can pull off anything more than mildly funny as a heel, so he’ll still largely be silent.

He needs really just one bullet point – his reward for winning at Silver was enormous (1) he can claim his WWF Title shot whenever he wants over the next calendar year – that means right now – or it could mean at Summer Slam, or it could mean at WM 26, or it could mean that right at the end of Jericho’s title defense with MVP, Matt Hardy could walk out to the ring – point to whomever just, right then, had won that match – and right then – take him on.

Matt says it’s the biggest opportunity of his career. And he’s not sorry he took it.

The other reason he’s not sorry is his brother Jeff had been holding him back. The drugs. The arrests. The craziness. It’s a win/win as far as he’s concerned.

That’s gonna draw responses from both Christian and Helms.

Christian isn’t in a program for most of the summer – I just want him cutting funny babyface promos and winning matches.

He’s gonna cut some promos on Matt. Matt does not respond.

No one knows better than he does about having a weird relationship with a brother. Christian’s brother once beat him in a Loser Leaves Town match. Christian repaid him with a torn Achilles tendon at Silver. But at the crucial moment, Christian had a decision to make – just like Matt Hardy, he’s never been WWF Champion. Unlike Matt Hardy – he’s never had like a million title shots. But at that crucial moment, when either Christian held onto that ankle lock and sent his own brother out of the WWF – or showed just an ounce of compassion – Christian chose being a human being over being number one contender. Maybe Matt Hardy is so twisted, so mangled, so warped, that he can’t understand that.

Helms hasn’t wrestled in a couple of years, breaking his neck in a Mania IC title loss to Orton. He appeared on WWF TV for the first time subsequent to that on satellite at the beginning of ’09 – there’s no real chance, they said, that he’d wrestle again – but he was able to walk and it looked like he’d live a normal life. Updates on his condition were periodically kept through the various WWF platforms – and Helms promised a visit sometime after Silver.

He makes that visit. He’s announced the week before as a guest analyst for RAW – it’s a thing as he comes down the ramp – Helms got a good babyface push for a few years – he was both tag team and IC Champ – so this isn’t an enhancement guy returning from a broken neck. There’s a few weeks of video leading up to his return – so as he, walking normally, dressed in street clothes, looking like a civilian, returns for the first time since his injury – there are a few moist eyes in the crowd.

Helms puts over whatever is going on RAW that night – but finds time to really lay into Matt – Joey prods him – has he been in contact with Jeff, Helms and the Hardys were teenage friends – it’s the Hardys that got him into the sport – Helms says Jeff’s doing okay – but who hasn’t tried to call Jeff is Matt – Helms says he’s tried to stay out of it – watched as Matt just got mean, bitter – bitter about not getting what he thought was his due, about seeing the fans always flock to Jeff no matter the circumstance – that Matt not only beat Jeff at Silver – but celebrated, that’s the thing – Helms knows he’s never going to be WWF Champ, and he knows it’s the most important thing in Matt’s life – he can even forgive Matt for that – but that after the match he celebrated – wouldn’t even shake his brother’s hand – didn’t even acknowledge any sort of remorse, even for a second – Helms says Matt Hardy makes him sick. There’s no shred of who he used to be anymore.

A couple weeks later, as the Summer Slam card comes into focus, Matt cuts a promo about how he doesn’t have a Summer Slam match on purpose – because he is thinking about sitting at ringside for the main event. Being fresh and rested and ready to challenge the Jericho/MVP winner.

That brings out Jericho and MVP and they can have a 3 man promo that turns into a Jericho/MVP pull apart with Matt avoiding confrontation.

Unannounced – Helms returns on Raw the following week.

He waves papers. Says he just got medical clearance. Says he’s been cleared to return to the WWF at Summer Slam – after 3 years – after 3 years he is returning to the ring. And he wants Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy is not going to sit around and pick the bones of whomever survives that Jericho/Porter match – Matt Hardys gotta get through him first.

Arn makes the match – Matt v. Helms, provided that the Friday before the card, on Fight Night, Helms has a tuneup match – he can’t step into the ring with Matt Hardy with 3 years of rust.

So the build for that match then becomes Helms’s return to the ring against his boyhood friend (Matt never acknowledges Helms in any way, doesn’t refer to the criticism at all; he never talks about Helms or Christian, he just focuses on how he has this incredible power, anytime he wants - instant title shot. 

It’s that go home Fight Night – Helms, for the first time in 3 years, is announced – he starts his walk to the ring. And Matt Hardy runs up from behind and throws him – head first – into the retaining barrier. Hardy puts the boots to him until pulled away by security. Helms is stretchered away - the announce strongly indicating he would not be able to compete at Summer Slam – and as they open the PPV, it’s announced that Helms not only isn’t competing – he will have to return to retirement immediately.

And that’s it for Shane Helms.

Bringing us to Punk.

The Tuesday after Silver is GDI – after Noble/Tatsu beat someone, they are both beaten up by Punk (this will be the last straw in the fragile Noble/Tatsu relationship – Tatsu turns heel on Noble – they feud all Summer long, their last match will be a loser leaves town the GDI after Summer Slam which Tatsu wins).

Punk, to whatever heat there’s gonna be – cuts the following promo:

"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.”

He says most people watching won’t get the reference, because the phrase “smart fan” is an oxymoron, but what it boils down to is this “I’ve got nothing else to win.”

Punk says he wanted to split up London and Kendrick – why – because you smart fans loved London and Kendrick, thought they were the next Rockers, the next Hardys – Punk turned them against each other and they got fired.

Punk says he wanted his own TV show – ‘cause what wrestler was ever able to start his own tv show – and so he got it. GDI Wrestling. Maybe the fans start chanting GDI – Punk laughs at them, says his royalty check from the office just went up. Every time one of you smart fans chants for one of your indie gods on Tuesday, Punk puts another addition on his house.

That’s when we need one of the non contract guys who works the indie matches that we run on GDI when we aren’t running the GDI guys – like Chris Hero – Chris Hero would be perfect – I’m making it up, ‘cause Hero didn’t work dark for the WWF in 2009 (the Briscoes did though – so within the spirit of the endeavor, they could come out – but the result is the same). Whomever it is cuts a very quick – “the indie guys appreciate your generosity Punk – but now we’re gonna kick your ass” – and then an impromptu squash match – Punk doesn’t give them anything, not a second – it’s bad, the kind of thing I’d boo. It’s bad. Punk goes right back into the promo.

Punk says he wanted to be WWF champion. And he was. Twice. Same number of times as Shawn Michaels. Punk says he wanted to main event WM. And he did. Punk says he won Mania ladder matches against Van Dam, Sabu, Benjamin, and Nitro.

Punk says he spit on the WWF belt and the NWA belt. Only man in the history of the sport to walk away from either – and he walked away from both on the same night.

Punk puts his hand on Maria’s ass. He says he wants to grab a slice of that – he can – and has – over and over again.

Punk says and finally – after half a dozen years and 3 separate companies of trying – Punk was able to talk Ricky Steamboat, the ultimate wrestling legend, back in the ring. Not just any ring. Wrestlemania Silver.

And Punk beat him. 1-2-3. And now he is gone.

And so, Punk says, he has no more worlds to conquer. Nothing left to do. Nothing left to prove.

So – he’s leaving.

Not retiring – just leaving GDI – leaving Tuesdays – leaving SyFy – there’s no one in this building worth his time – no one in the building I ever care if I ever see again. So – thanks, GDI – but this is the last time you’ll ever see CM Punk.

Enter Matt Sydal.

Sydal’s been gone almost a year since being taken out by Matt in retaliation for the GDI attack att he end of WM 24. Sydal’s all adrenaline – he was a heel back a year ago, brought in by Punk to GDI to replace London – but now – he takes the mic and says “You know – I always thought I could beat you, Punk – and before you leave – I gotta find out.”

And they wrestle – and Sydal goes over – and that’s how the show ends – Sydal celebrating, newly minted high flying GDI babyface – and Punk shakes his head – almost with bemusement.

Over the summer, Sydal’s the top face on Tuesday nights – Tatsu the top heel, Tatsu will be feuding with and going over Noble, as mentioned – Sydal’s gonna be feuding with, and going over, the returning Yakuza – the other time we’ll see Yakuza is every 3 months, out of nowhere, he will totally wipe out Cody Rhodes, to continue their program from last year.

So – how does Punk spend his summer?

Contemplatively.

Punk legitimately doesn’t have a direction – we see him away from the arena talking to Maria – it’s the summer where, as much as we’ve ever seen it pushed before, the idea of Punk/Maria as a package is sold and sold and sold again. She gives ideas for the next step – he pokes holes in them. One day, he says maybe they should get married and have babies. Maybe that’s what is next. She tells him he’s not serious – and that becomes the thread for the remainder of their vignettes, he gets more amped about marriage – she puts him off a little.

Finally – what they come to is this – after Summer Slam, they’ll sit down, away from the cameras, away from the ring, and talk about it.

Punk says deal – but only if she picks his Summer Slam opponent – ‘cause he can’t figure it out – she just needs to point – that guy – and that’s the guy he’ll wrestle. He doesn’t want to think about it anymore – she can just do it.

So, occasionally, Maria will just pop up (one could, if one were disposed, offer a double entendre about the phrase pop up, ‘cause, seriously, there’s nothing wrong with Maria) and then disappear. We’ll do a pointing tease thing – it’ll look like she’s going to point – but then she won’t. It’s all Maria all the time in the summer of 2009,

And near the end of the summer, with the PPV not more than a few weeks away – Maria pops up during a Christian match – she readies the finger – and from behind Punk waffles him in the back (the back, I said, the back) with a steel chair. Then she points.

Christian goes down, Punk lifts him up for the Pepsi Plunge on the chair – and that’s the match.

Why – he’s asked later? He shrugs his shoulders – says it was Maria’s decision, “come on Joey Styles, don’t you get cable? Don’t be afraid to watch the programming.” So Maria is asked, she says she’s just never liked Christian’s face. Sorta creepy.

And there you have it. The very last thing is this – Misawa dies in June, they do ten bell salutes on all of the various programs – and at Summer Slam, the canvas will be green.

WWF Title: Jericho v. Porter


IC Title: Mysterio v. Michaels


Tag Titles: DMW v. Defiance/D1 Winners


Punk v. Christian


Regal v. Orton or Swagger


Cody v. DiBiase or Nemeth


HHH-M v. Cena


Defiance v. D1

It’s Summer Slam 2009 from LA. Coming in August.