Star Ratings - Royal Rumble

Survivor Series is here

Royal Rumble 1989

IC: Curt Hennig (w/Brain) d. Bret Hart 4 ½ (switch)

Tags: Brainbusters (w/Brain) d. Rockers 4

WWF Title: Randy Savage d. Ted DiBiase 3 ¾

Rick Martel d. Terry Taylor 3

Royal Rumble 1990

WWF Title: Curt Hennig (w/Brain) d. Rick Rude 4 ¼

IC: Bret Hart d. Ted DiBiase (switch) 4

Jacques Rougeau d. Ray Rougeau 3

Royal Rumble 1991

Shawn Michaels d. Marty Jannetty 4

IC: Bret Hart d. Rick Martel 3 ¾

WWF Title: Curt Hennig d. Ted DiBiase 3 ½

Royal Rumble 1992

IC: No DQ: Randy Savage d. Roddy Piper 4

Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart 4

WWF Title Ric Flair (w/Hennig) d. Davey Boy Smith 3 ¾

Tito Santana d. Rick Martel 3 ½

Tags: Money Inc (DiBiase/Rotundo) d. Road Warriors 3

Royal Rumble 1993
IC: Iron Man: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart (switch) 5
WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Genichiro Tenryu (w/Fuji) 4 ¼

Curt Hennig d. Ric Flair (w/Bobby) 4

Razor Ramon d. Randy Savage 3 ½

Tags: Steiners d. Beverly Brothers 3 ¼

Royal Rumble 1994

No DQ: Owen Hart d. Randy Savage 4 ¼

WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Undertaker 4

IC: Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel) d. Razor Ramon (w/Waltman) 3 ¾

Tags: Rougeaus (Jacques/Pierre w/Levy and Ted) d. Steiners 3 ¼ 

Genichiro Tenryu d. Bob Backlund 3

Jeff Jarrett d. Lex Luger 3

Smoking Gunns d. Headshrinkers 3

Royal Rumble 1995

WWF Title: No DQ: Shawn Michaels d. Diesel 4 ½

IC: Owen Hart d. Razor Ramon 4 (switch)

Tags: British Empire(Davey Boy/Backlund) d. Hart Foundation (Bret/Anvil) 3 ½

Smoking Gunns d. Jarrett/Dogg 3 ¼ 

Sean Waltman d. Rick Martel 3

Royal Rumble 1996

WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Owen Hart 5

IC: Vader (w/Perfect) d. Shawn Michaels (switch) 4 ½

Sean Waltman (w/HHH) d. Hakushi 4

No DQ: HHH (w/Waltman and Sunny) d. Bob Holly 3 ½ 

Tags: Steve Austin/Dustin Rhodes d. Diesel/Razor (switch) 3  ½ 

Royal Rumble 1997

WWF Title: Lumberjack: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels (Guest referee-Brian Pillman) 5

IC: Death Match: Cactus Jack d. Terry Funk 4

Steve Austin d. Vader 4

Tags: Hart Foundation (Owen/Davey Boy) d. Marc Mero/Bart Gunn (switch) (triple crown) 3 ½

2 Cold Scorpio d. Hector Garza (w/Al) 3 ½

Goldust d. HHH 3

Royal Rumble 1998

WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Steve Austin  4 ¾

Casket Match: Shawn Michaels d. Undertaker 4 ¼

IC: Octagon: Ken Shamrock d. Vader 4

Tags: No DQ: Cactus Jack/Terry Funk d. NOD (Rock/DLo) 3 ¾

Marc Mero d. Goldust 3

Jeff Jarrett d. Savio Vega 3 

Royal Rumble 1999

WWF Title: Barbed Wire: Owen Hart d. Cactus Jack (switch) 4 ½

IC: Steve Austin d. Al Snow 3 ¾

Jeff Hardy (w/Matt) d. 2 Cold Scorpio (w/Henry) 3 ¾

Tags: NOD (Rock/DLo) d. HHH/Waltman 3 ½

Edge/Christian d. NAO 3 ¼

Flag Match: Ulysses Morley d. Dustin Rhodes 3

Royal Rumble 2000

IC: Cage: Chris Jericho d. HHH 4 ½

WWF Title: Cactus Jack d. Taz 4 ¼

No DQ Edge (w/Christian/Trish) d. Ulysses Morley 3 ½

Hardys (w/Lita) d. NAO (Dogg/Jarrett)3 ¼ 

Kurt Angle d. Sean Waltman 3

Al Snow d. Rock, DLo 3

Royal Rumble 2001

WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho 5

IC: Steve Regal d. Steve Austin 4 ¼

Kurt Angle d. The Rock 3 ¾

Tags: Raven/Taz (w/Justin and Duds) d. Edge/Christian (w/Trish) 3 ½

Ulysses Morley d. Perry Saturn 3

Hardys d. Dudleys (DQ) 3 ¼ 

Royal Rumble 2002

IC/US/TV: RVD (w/Heyman) d. Taz 4

Tags: Chris Jericho/Lance Storm w/Stacy d. Dudleys, Edge/Christian 4 (switch)

Steve Austin d. DDP 3 ¾

HHH d. Undertaker 3 ¾

Steve Regal d. Rock 3 ½

Shane Helms (w/Chavo) d. Ulysses Morley (w/Snow) 3

Royal Rumble 2003

TLC4: Hardys (w/Bischoff) d. Dudleys (w/Heyman) d. Edge/Christian (Trish) 4 ¾ 

WWF/NWA/ECW: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½

Tags: Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. Chris Benoit/Eddie Guerrero (w/Horsemen) 4 ½

IC/US/TV: Rey Mysterio d. RVD (switch) 4 ¼

Chris Jericho d. Brock Lesnar (DQ) 3 ¾

Chavo Guerrero (w/Horsemen) d. Tajiri 3 ¾ 

Lance Storm (w/Stacy) d. Steve Regal 3 ½

Royal Rumble 2004

WWF/NWA/ECW Kurt Angle d. Eddy Guerrero 4 ¼ (switch)

IC/TV/US: Chavo Guerrero d. Tajiri, Rey Mysterio 4

Tags: Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. HBK/HHH 4

Chris Benoit d. Jamie Noble 4

Chris Jericho d. RVD (w/Heyman) 3 ¾

Christian (w/Trish) d. Matt Hardy (w/Bischoff) 3  ½

Barbed Wire: Brock Lesnar d. Mick Foley 3 ½

Flair/Leviathan d. Dudleys, SpreeKillers (Helms/Rhyno) 3

Royal Rumble 2005

WWF/NWA/ECW: Chris Benoit d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½

Paul London d. Rey Mysterio 4 ½

IC/US/TV: Edge d. Chris Jericho (w/Trish) (switch) 4 ¼

Tags: SpreeKillers (Rhyno/Shane Helms) d. Kurt Angle/Shelton Benjamin (w/Regal and Haas) 3 ¾ (switch)

Eddy Guerrero d. Leviathan Batista 3 ¼

Christian d. Ric Flair 3

Royal Rumble 2006

Shawn Michaels d. Kurt Angle (w/Benjamin) 4 ¼ 

WWF/NWA/ECW: Rey Mysterio d. Psychosis, Super Crazy 4 ¼

IC/US/TV: Fit Finlay (w/Regal and Dean) d. Chris Benoit (switch) 4

Brian Kendrick d. Jamie Noble, Paul London 4

Empty Arena: Matt Hardy d. Edge 3 ¾

RVD d. Kid Kash 3

HHH-M (w/Solution) d. Shelton Benjamin (w/Angle) 3

Tags: Booker T/Bradshaw (w/Conway) d. SpreeKillers (Chavo/Helms) 3

Royal Rumble 2007

ECW: CM Punk d. Matt Hardy 3 ¾

IC/TV/US: Shane Helms d. Chavo Guerrero (w/LWO) 3 ½

Booker T (w/MVP and Burke) d. Edge (w/Hart and Smith) 3 ¼

Fit Finlay (w/Dean) d. Randy Orton 3

HBK draw Jeff Hardy 3

Royal Rumble 2008

ECW: CM Punk d. Jeff Hardy 4

NWA: Johnny Nitro (w/Melina) d. Fit Finlay (w/Dean) 3 ¾

WWF Title: Shelton Benjamin d. Rey Mysterio 3 ¾  (switch)

US: Jamie Noble d. Randy Orton (switch) 3 ½

Yakuza Yang (w/Kendrick) d. Little Warrior Shannon Moore 3

Juggernaut Eddie Little d. Undertaker 3

Royal Rumble 2009

WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. HHH-M 4

IC: 2 of 3 Falls: MVP d. Rey Mysterio 3 ½

Shelton Benjamin draw Johnny Nitro 3 ½ 

Randy Orton (w/Dean) d. RVD (w/Taz) 3 ¼

Cage: Matt Hardy d. Brian Kendrick 3

Jack Swagger (w/Kelly) d. Ted DiBiase, Jr 3

Royal Rumble 2010

Cage: Christian d. CM Punk 4 ½

IC: Matt Sydal d. Shawn Michaels 3 ¾ (switch)

Tags: D1 (Nick Nemeth and Jack Swagger w/Kelly) d. Defiance (Randy Orton/Ted DiBiase, w/Dean) 3 ½

WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. Matt Hardy 3 ½

Yoshi Tatsu d. MVP 3

Rey Mysterio (w/Chavo) d. Carlito Colon (w/Primo) 3

Royal Rumble 2011

Rey Mysterio d. Bryan Danielson 4

IC: Johnny Nitro (w/Natty) d. Tyson Kidd (w/Harry) 3 ¾

Tags: Defiance (Orton/DiBiase) d. Young Money (Kingston/Killings) 3 ¼

CM Punk d. Steve Regal DQ 3 ¼

Dos Caras, Jr (w/Ricardo and Vicki) d. Chavo Guerrero 3 ¼ 

Zach Ryder (w/Douchebags) d. Yoshi Tatsu (w/Cole) 3

Royal Rumble 2012

WWF Title: Bryan Danielson d. Nick Nemeth (switch) 4 ¼

John Cena d. CM Punk 4

No DQ Yoshi Tatsu d. Heath Slater 3 ¼

Cage: Kingston d. Killings 3

IC: Sheamus d. Miz 3

Royal Rumble 2013

Nick Nemeth d. Claudio Castagnoli (w/Hero) 4 ¼

Chris Jericho d. CM Punk 4

WWF Title: Bryan Danielson (w/Steamboat) d. Dos Caras, Jr (w/Vicki and Ricardo) 4

Rey Mysterio d. Mistico 3 ¾

Miz d. John Cena 3 ¼

IC: Rock NC Nick Nemeth 3

Royal Rumble 2014

WWF Championship: Montreal Match: Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk,  Brock Lesnar, Jack Swagger 4 ¾

IC: Sheamus d. Nick Nemeth, Dean Ambrose (switch) 3 ½

Tags: Shield (Black/Langston) d. Wyatts (Dustin/Cena) 3 ½

Claudio Castagnoli d. Leviathan Batista 3

Rey Mysterio d. Dos Caras, Jr. (Ricardo/Vicki) 3

Royal Rumble 2015

WWF Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman and Kenta) d. Claudio Castagnoli 4 ½

Bray Wyatt d. Nick Nemeth 3 ½ 

Tyson Kidd d. Kingston 3 ½

Jack Swagger d. John Cena 3

Women’s Title: Paige (w/4Ground) d. Natty Neidhart 3

Royal Rumble 2016

Mask v Mask: Kalisto d. Pac 4 ½

IC: AJ Styles d. Dean Ambrose 4

El Generico d. Chris Jericho 4

Tags: New Day: (Langston/Kingston w/Woods) d. Rusev/Dos Caras (w/GHB and Lana) 3 ½

Parking Lot Brawl: Luke Harper d. Damian Sandow 3 ½

WWF Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Devitt, Sombra, Heyman) d. Kevin Steen (w/Generico), Nick Nemeth (w/Sheamus and Barrett) countout 3 ¼

Roman Reigns Uso d. HHH-M 3 ¼

Tables Match: Usos d. Dudleys, Rhodes Brothers 3 1/4

Women’s Title: Charlotte Flair d. Becky Lynch 3 1/4

Royal Rumble 2017

Tags: Kevin Steen/El Generico d. Trash (Claudio/Neville) (switch) 4 ¾

WWF Title: Cage: AJ Styles d. Luke Harper 4 ¼

Women’s Title 2 of 3 Falls: Sasha Banks d. Charlotte Flair (switch) 4

IC: Brock Lesnar d. Rusev (w/Lana and GHB) 3 3/4  (switch)

Chris Jericho d. Nick Nemeth, Roman Reigns Uso 3 ½

Crews/Kalisto d. Swann/Gallagher 3 ½

Dean Ambrose d. Langston 3 ¼

Royal Rumble 2018
Number One Contenders: 2 of 3 Falls: The Revival (w/AA) d. American Alpha 4 ½
WWF Title: Royal Rumble Warfare 4
El Generico v. Rey Mysterio 4
Dark Ride Lumberjack: Sombra (w/Zelina) d. Adam Cole 3 ¾
Tags: Usos d. Anderson/Gallows 3 ½
Women’s Title: Asuka d. Becky Lynch (countout) 3 ½
IC: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) d. Shelton Benjamin 3

Royal Rumble 2019
Loser Leaves Town: Tyler Black (w/Anderson and Gallows) d. Dean Ambrose 4 ½
WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Kenta 4 ½
Samoa Joe d. Bryan Danielson 4 ¼
Number One Contender: AJ Styles d. Brock Lesnar 4 ¼
IC: Devitt d. Tozawa, Dunne 4 ¼
Io Sharai d. Kairi Sane 4
Tags: Hooligans d. Trash 3 ¾
Womens Title: Asuka d. Ember Moon 3 ½
Ronda Rousey d. Becky Lynch 3 ½
Elimination Match: Underground (Aleister Black/Buddy Murphy) d. Rey/Sombra (w/Zelina) Crews/Kalisto, Gable/    3 ½
Shoot Nation (Angle/Benjamin/Lashley) d. New Day 3 ½

Royal Rumble 2020

Styles d. Danielson 4 1/2

IC: Aleister Black d. Ricochet 4 1/4

WWF Title: Black d. Nakamura/Joe 4

Shirai d. Sane 4

Lesnar/Gable d. Riddle/Lee 3 3/4

McIntyre d. Reigns 3 3/4

Sombra d. Claudio 3 1/2 

Tags: Edge/Nitro d. Mysterio/Steen 3 1/2

Women: Baszler d. Asuka 3 1/2 

Flair draw Lynch 3 1/4

New Day d. Hooligans 3

Royal Rumble 2021

Danielson d. Ricochet 4 3/4 

Edge d. Christian 4 1/4

Castagnoli d. Styles 4 1/4

Riddle d. Mysterio/Steen/Zayn 4

Banks d. Bayley 3 3/4

Black d. Nemeth 3 1/2

Lashley d. Nakamura 3 1/2 

New Day d. Hooligans d. Miz/Nitro 3
Neidhart d. Asuka 3

Ripley/Baszler d. Belair/Storm 3

Royal Rumble 2022

Zayn d. Steen 4 3/4

Styles d. Ricochet 4 1/4

Reigns/Gable d. New Day 4

Riddle d. Lesnar 3 3/4 

Nakamura d. Black 3 1/2

Edge d. Rey 3 1/2

Ripley d. Banks/Belair 3 1/4

McIntyre/Lashley d. Sheamus/Nemeth 3 1/4

Defiance d. Street Profits 3 1/4

Rousey d. Baszler 3

Royal Rumble 2023

Devitt d. Gargano 4 1/2

Asuka d. Sky 4 1/2 

Rhodes d. Gable 4 1/4

Reigns d. Black 4 1/4

Ricochet d. Escobar 4

Paul d Edge 3 1/2 

Lesnar/Walter d. McIntyre/Lashley 3 1/4

Belair d. Bayley 3 1/4

Priest d. Ford 3

Rey d Kingston 3

Royal Rumble 2024

Tag Titles: Steen/Zayn d. Styles/Nakamura 4 1/2

#1 Contender: Walter d. Reigns 4

Paul d. Devitt 4

WWF Title: Rhodes d. Punk 4

Elimination Chamber: 3 3/4 

Unsanctioned: Andrade d. Reed 3 3/4

Hayes d. Ricochet 3 3/4

Orton d. Priest 3 1/2

IC: Jey d McIntyre 3 1/2

Womens Tag: Belair/Bayley d. Stratton/Baszler 3 1/4

Womens Title: Asuka d. Grace 3 1/4

Top 10 

1. '96 WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Owen Hart 5

2. '01 WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho 5

3. '97 WWF Title: Lumberjack: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels (Guest referee-Brian Pillman) 5

4. '93 IC: Iron Man: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart (switch) 5

5. '21 WWF Title: Danielson d. Ricochet (switch) 4 3/4 

6. '17 Tags: Kevin Steen/El Generico d. Trash (Claudio/Neville) (switch) 4 ¾

7. '22 WWF Title: Zayn d. Steen 4 3/4
8. '14 WWF Championship: Montreal Match: Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk,  Brock Lesnar, Jack Swagger 4 ¾

9. '03 TLC4: Hardys (w/Bischoff) d. Dudleys (w/Heyman) d. Edge/Christian (Trish) 4 ¾ 

10. '98 WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Steve Austin  4 ¾

11. '96 IC: Vader (w/Perfect) d. Shawn Michaels (switch) 4 ½

12. '05 WWF/NWA/ECW: Chris Benoit d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½

13. '03 WWF/NWA/ECW: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½

14. '19 Loser Leaves Town: Tyler Black d. Dean Ambrose 4 1/2

15. '15 WWF Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman and Kenta) d. Claudio Castagnoli 4 ½
16. WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Kenta 4 ½ 

17. '16 Mask v Mask: Kalisto d. Pac 4 ½

18. '89 IC: Curt Hennig (w/Brain) d. Bret Hart 4 ½ (switch)

19. '20 AJ Styles d. Bryan Danielson 4 1/2

20. '10 Cage: Christian d. CM Punk 4 ½

21. '24 Tags: Zayn/Steen d. Styles/Nakamura 4 1/2

22. '23 IC Devitt d. Gargano 4 1/2

23. '23 Chicago St Fight: Asuka d. Sky 4 1/2 

24. '94 WWF Title: No DQ: Shawn Michaels d. Diesel 4 ½

25. '99 WWF Title: Barbed Wire: Owen Hart d. Cactus Jack (switch) 4 ½

Summer Slam 2018

The build is here.

Summer Slam 2018, the 31^st Summer Slam and the 126^th WWF PPV comes to you from Brooklyn.

(Dark: Ciampa d. Gargano, Ricochet/Tozawa d. Kenta/Hero, Cole/O’Reilly, Dunne/Bate)

Announcers: Ranallo (12^th PPV)

                        Regal (22^nd PPV)

                        Nigel (9^th PPV)

As was the case with Wrestlemania – the show opens cold on Ronda Rousey’s introduction; not the announcers, not a taped piece – cold on Rousey, which is designed to frame her as separate from the rest of the show. 

1.       Special MMA Attraction: Ronda Rousey d. Charlotte Flair

-So, this is a little tricky; unlike Mania where Rousey and Deville just had to work a shootfight for a minute, this fight needs to cover a little more real estate, and it’s tough to make a worked fight look real.  The story here is Rousey didn’t really take this seriously; while Flair spent the summer in MMA training. Rousey largely toys with Charlotte in the first round, Charlotte does a  couple of things that signify she’s worked hard this summer – but at no point in the first round should you think of them as in the same league inside whatever version of an octagon they’re in.

However – there’s a point near the end of the first round when Charlotte catches her with a punch to the face.  Tricky – because it needs to be a shoot punch, enough that if it breaks Rousey’s nose, that would be great, which obviously is a hard thing to work.  But enough that it’s shocking and causes the crowd to stir.

In the second round, Rousey beats the hell out of Charlotte but is unable to submit her – the fight either ends in round 2 or preferably in round 3, really it depends on how long this can go and still look like it’s really happening. It’s a referee stoppage, a visibly frustrated Rousey isn’t able to get Charlotte to submit and finally just keeps punching her in the head until there’s a stoppage.  Rousey and her corner exit quickly; Rousey’s heated – there are a couple of guys in suits come out of the crowd, the assumption is they’re with her agency as they seem very concerned with the condition of her face.  Rousey doesn’t want to deal with them – or deal with the fans as she exits.  Charlotte, ideally bleeding, makes her way to her feet and starts yelling “you can’t tap me out, Rousey – you’ll never tap me out” in a way that ideally gets her some babyface acknowledgement from the crowd. Charlotte waves up the ramp "Come on back, Rousey - let's go - let's go" the blood flowing from her face, coloring her hair a Flair red - the fans getting increasingly revved up as Charlotte shouts for Rousey to come back and fight some more.  

Then – the show opening taped piece; clips of the histories of the Nakamura/Joe and Danielson/Lesnar feuds.  Then throw to the announcers – and then to the next match.

2.       Gods of Carnage (Rusev/Strowman w/Lana) d. New Day (Woods/Langston) DQ

-GoC has been slapping New Day around since the Rumble, less concerned with getting wins than with beating the hell out of New Day; here, Kingston emerges from under the ring swinging light tubes, he cracks both Rusev and Strowman over the head – drawing the DQ – New Day uses their numbers advantage to get some payback before Lana is able to get her crew to exit the ring and head up the ramp. 

3.       Winner Gets Tag Title Shot: Mike Mizanin (w/Hooligans) d. Roman Reigns Uso (w/Usos)

-Reigns takes most of the match, Mizanin escaping a couple of evident nearfalls, before Reigns slips on the proverbial banana peel allowing Mizanin to hit his move out of nowhere and get the fall.  Reigns attempts to attack postmatch – cut off by McIntyre, who lays him out.  Sheamus/McIntyre/Miz celebrate – they are headed for Survivor Series to get a shot at the tag titles.

4.       Jeff Hardy d. Luke Harper

-It’s Jeff’s first WWF match as Jeff Hardy in..I think 9 years, don’t hold me to that, but it’s been awhile.  Harper does big brawler types of things – Jeff does veteran high flyer types of things, and it’s Jeff who gets the fall. 

5.       Sombra (w/Zelina and Rey) d. Kevin Steen

-Steen gets no entrance music; the crowd ideally is dead silent as he enters. Mysterio has effectively been blackballing Steen from the promotion since the unmasking of Generico at Mania; we’ve seen Steen go from no selling his being exiled from the locker room to finally blowing up at Sombra, who has slid into the role of masked mentee upon Mysterio’s return to the promotion.  Sombra goes over here – it’s designed to feel weird, Steen hasn’t been able to get guys to wrestle him; what’s left for him after this match?  It’s like he doesn’t exist. 

Mysterio climbs in the ring to go nose to nose with Steen postmatch; Steen seems to have had the life entirely drained out of him; “Rey, this is my life.  It’s how I feed my family.”  Mysterio shakes his head “You have no code, Steen.  You can’t stay in my world.”  Steen seems to fully absorb the weight of his circumstance – he looks out at the, ideally, silent crowd, nodding his head, and solemnly exits "okay" Steen says as he gets to the top of the ramp, taking in his full circumstance "okay".  If there were a little bit of a debate among the announcers about if maybe, just maybe, Mysterio had gone too far this summer, that would be good. 

We now have a clip package of all 70 Intercontinental Champions, either winning their titles or holding the belt (you know, ‘cause of Rio)

Pat Patterson

Ken Patera

Pedro Morales

Don Muraco

Pedro Morales

Don Muraco

Tito Santana

Greg Valentine

Roddy Piper

Randy Savage

Bret Hart

Curt Hennig

Rick Rude

Ted DiBiase

Bret Hart

Roddy Piper

Randy Savage

Shawn Michaels

Owen Hart

Shawn Michaels

Razor Ramon

Owen Hart

Razor Ramon

Shawn Michaels

Vader

Cactus Jack

Ken Shamrock

Steve Austin

Al Snow

Sean Waltman

Chris Jericho

Eddy Guerrero

Chris Jericho

Steve Regal

Steve Austin

Tajiri

Taz

Rob Van Dam

Shawn Michaels

Rob Van Dam

Rey Mysterio

Tajiri

Chavo Guerrero

Eddy Guerrero

Chris Jericho

Edge

Chris Benoit

Fit Finlay

HHH-M

Shane Helms

Randy Orton

MVP

Rey Mysterio

Shawn Michaels

Matt Sydal

Johnny Nitro

Sheamus

The Rock

Nick Nemeth

Dean Ambrose

Sheamus

Nick Nemeth

Luke Harper

Bray Wyatt

Dean Ambrose

AJ Styles

El Generico

Rusev

Brock Lesnar

Shinsuke Nakamura

6.       IC Tournament Final: Prince Devitt (w/Anderson and Gallows) d. Cedric Alexander  (w/Ricochet and Tozawa)

-Prince Devitt wins his first WWF title belt and reacts with the level of pride you would assume.  Long road for Devitt, from his role as a Paul Heyman Guy to forming the WWF version of the Bullet Club to getting his skull fractured; he’s been feuding with the entirety of Dark Ride Wrestling since after the Rumble, that included losing to Alexander at Mania. 

But he gets that win back here in a junior style fast paced workrate match, no hint of interference; Devitt hits his move and gets the fall.

7.       Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) d. The American Dragon Bryan Danielson

-This is sold as the blow off to this long feud and given the juncture in which each man finds himself, there’s a precarious quality to the match.  Danielson returned after a 3 year absence, lost to Styles at Mania and then lost to him again in the IC Tournament. That led Danielson to “start over” – but he got pulled back into what might be Lesnar’s last WWF match.

It won’t be – we’ll learn somewhere between here and Survivor Series that Brock has signed a lucrative new deal with WWF and will be facing AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble – with the winner going on to Mania to wrestle for the WWF Title. 

This is a unique look for Danielson as he fights from underneath, largely appearing overmatched.  Bryan Danielson has never appeared overmatched; even in prior fights with Lesnar, despite the size disparity; they were positioned at similar levels.  If anything, Danielson’s skill advantage over pretty much every single opponent has made him the pick to win throughout his WWF career.  But this match looks like IRL Daniel Bryan – he is clearly an underdog, he gets thrown around – he uses veteran guile to come back and gain advantage (there's definitely a spot where he gets out the ring, walks around to cool Brock's heels) but the end comes with an F5 in the middle of the ring. 

Danielson stays down longer than expected – enough that ringside personnel look to aid him from the ring – Lesnar waves them away, “Dragon walks out like a man” – and he and Heyman serve to steady Danielson as he walks up the ramp under his own power. 

8.       WWF Tag Titles: Bullet Club (AJ Styles/Tyler Black) d. The Revival

-Styles and Black become the 105^th WWF tag champs; moreover, AJ becomes the 13^th wrestler to win the Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown (ceremony will be discussed in the build for Survivor Series) postmatch, we see shots of each of the dozen prior winners all holding up the Triple Crown Trophy (their names are engraved thereon like the Stanley Cup)

PEDRO MORALES

BRET HART

SHAWN MICHAELS

OWEN HART

STEVE AUSTIN

CACTUS JACK

EDDY GUERRERO

REY MYSTERIO

CHRIS BENOIT

CHRIS JERICHO

EDGE

NICK NEMETH

And then the name AJ STYLES fills the video wall. 

We did a heat angle to write out Arn Anderson and while AJ wasn’t on the giving end of that beating, he’s guilty by association for Dash and Dawson, so they are as angry with him as they are with Black; so this is a pretty good fight. No interference, the official gives them some leeway as opposed to calling for a DQ (there’s a bit of a tradition with tag title matches to let things go a little bit) but there aren’t any other members of the Bullet Club at ringside.  AJ gets the pinfall – and when the Triple Crown montage plays with his name at the end, his reaction is very different than Devitt’s from earlier in the night  - whereas Devitt puffed out his chest with pride upon winning the IC – Styles is clearly humbled as he sees his name as only the 13^th ever to win the Triple Crown. 

The rest of the Bullet Club, including Becky Lynch who has not been seen since losing her belt at Mania, hits the ring – they’ve got the tag belts, and the IC (and the briefcase which Anderson brings out to hand to Black) the Bullet Club – again – is standing tall atop the WWF.

9.       WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Samoa Joe

-Main event style match here – over 20 minutes, multiple nearfalls – the champ wins in the middle of the ring with his move.  Nakamura, excised from the Bullet Club at the beginning of the year, buried under the flag – has been WWF Champion since the Rumble and will be defending that belt at Survivor Series.  Nakamura stands along in the ring, confetti raining down as his music plays postmatch as the show ends. 

That’s Summer Slam 2018. 

Back next month with some filler – in October, the build to Survivor Series and then come November, Survivor Series 2018, you already know the main event – it’s Nakamura defending his title against Claudio Castagnoli.  See you then