Summer Slam 2022

The build

Summer Slam 2022 is from Nashville, It is the 35th Summer Slam and the 142nd WWF PPV.

Announcers: Michael Cole (1)

                      Wade Barrett (3)

                      Corey Graves (3)

Dark: Axiom d. Tyler Bate

          Walter d. JD McDonagh

Open on Tennessee wrestling, lot of Memphis, some NWA, followed by clips of the key wrestlers coming up tonight. 

The show proper opens as all WWF PPVs open, right at the culmination of another Walter win where Paul Heyman runs through "you won't see the most dominant wrestler alive on RAW, on Fight Night... and certainly not on Wednesdays - the only place to see Walter is Dark Ride Wrestling."

And then it cuts to the announcers.  This is the first ever WWF PPV in Tennessee and the crowd presumably is sufficiently amped.

1. NUMBER ONE CONTENDER: STREET PROFITS d. MIZ/THEORY

-The Profits won the right to fight for the Tag Ttitles at Mania -- but it's a long summer, and so the Miz, now firmly a Miz-like heel, grabs cocky young Theory from Developmental, takes him under his wing to teach him the ways of the Miz- and weasels the duo into a match at Summer Slam against the Profits - winners to advance later in the night to take on the Usos.  Profits win, Miz and Theory bicker post match.

2. BIANCA BELAIR d. LIV MORGAN

-Belair ran Banks out of WWF and she continues here with a dominant win over Morgan.  

3. DAMIAN PRIEST (w/Solo) d. DOM MYSTERIO

-Priest turned on Orton, punting him out of Defiance with aid of Solo Sikoa, whose irrtation with being asked to choose between Roman and his brothers, the Usos, manifests in his joining with Priest to form the new Defiance.  Mysterio is cannon fodder, his dad has been telling him he's not ready for this yet - and Dom's done enough so some might think Rey is being overly protective - but here, Dom maybe tries to escape the ring once when Priest's offense is too strong - maybe plays to the crowd during what might be a chance for him to get back in the match - there's some good offense, but Dom is clearly green and goes down.  

4. LOGAN PAUL d. PAT McAFEE (Drew Gulak-Special Guest Referee)

-Gulak cuts his first ever PPV promo pre-match, saying it is ridiculous that two non wrestlers are going to come out here at Summer Slam and he will be the special guest referee to make sure they don't embarrass the sport (really he's just here to make sure the match works - they want a veteran in the ring to make sure they successfully get from one spot to the next spot) - this match is really just spots, expectation will be pretty low and given the profile of the two guys (and Paul's real live talent) it likely gets a good crowd reaction.  Paul goes over - McAfee lays out Gulak postmatch to get some heat back.

Clip package of Women's Title Matches in Summer Slam History

2016: Charlotte taking the belt from Sasha

2019: Bayley keeping the belt from Ember Moon

2020: Banks taking from Asuka

2021: Ripley defends from Belair

5. WOMEN'S TITLE: RONDA ROUSEY (w/Heyman) d. BECKY LYNCH

-All babyface match here; Rousey submits Lynch, the announce frames Lynch as having a tremendous year as part of the tag with Flair, but here, just falls sort against the machine that is Ronda Rousey.

Clip package of Tag Title Matches in Summer Slam History

1988: Rougeaus keep from Demolition

1989: Rockers take from Brainbusters

1990: Orient Express take from Rude/Jannetty

1991: Road Warriors keep from Power&Glory

1992: Money Inc keeps over Road Warriors

1993: Steiner Brothers keep over Headshrinkers

1994: Luger/Bigelow keep over Headshrinkers

1995: Smoking Gunns keep over Harris Brothers

1996: Mero/Bart Gunn take the belts from Austin/Dustin

1997: Road Warriors take from Owen/Davey Boy

1998: Rock/DLo take from the New Age Outlaws (HHH/Waltman also in match)

1999: Hardys keep the belts in a DQ win over Edge/Christian

2000: TLC Edge/Christian take the belts from the Hardys, the Dudleys are also in match

2001: Dudley Boys keep belts from DDP/Kanyon and Spike/Rhyno

2002: A masked Benoit/Guerrero take from Jericho/Storm

2003: Shawn/Hunter keep the belts over Dead Men Walking

2004: Mysterio/RVD take from Flair/Batista

2005: Orton/Cena keep the belts over Bradshaw/Dinsmore

2006: Hulk Hogan/PAUL keep the belts from Booker/Conway

2007: Cade/Murdoch take the belts from the LWO

2008: Cena/Batista keep over Hunter/Edge

2009: Division One takes the belts from Dead Men Walking

2010: Young Money keeps from Dead Men Walking

2011: Empire keeps over Nitro/Miz

2012: Young Money keeps from Dead Men Walking

2013: The Shield keeps over Defiance

2014: The Shield keeps over Orton/Miz

2015: Wade Barrett/Sheamus take from The Shield

2016: Trash takes the belts from the Usos

2017: The Usos take from the Hardys

2018: Styles/Black take from The Revival

2019: Brock/Nemeth keep over Underground

2020: Street Profits keep the belts from Orton/MVP

2021: Usos take from Defiance

6. Tag Titles: USOS d. STREET PROFITS

-This is not a great workrate card obviously, so while this is a good match, is really just to get to the postmatch angle, which is McIntyre/Lashley/Gable entering to beat down the Usos.  Usos took the belts from Lashley/Gable at Mania - Roman refused to let Gable/Lashley go near them all summer, saying the personal shame if Usos whipped them again would be too great - so when they finally get a chance, they are just rabid in attacking them (McIntyre serves the Roman  role here - once Lashley and Gable to the damage, they serve Jimmy/Jey up to Drew to hit his finisher).

Clip package of every IC title match at Summer Slam

1988: Bret keeps from Davey Boy

1989: Rude keeps from Hennig

1990: Bret keeps from Jake

1991: Bret keeps from Steamboat

1992: Savage keeps from Jacques Rougeau

1993: Michaels keeps the belt from Hennig

1994: Razor keeps the belt from Diesel

1995: First IC switch - Shawn takes from Razor in the Ladder Match

1996: Vader keeps over Cactus 

1997: Cactus keeps the belt in the Octagon from Shamrock when he gets DQ'd

1998: Austin submits Shamrock to take his belt

1999: Waltman takes Al Snow's belt, DLo also in the match

2000: Jericho takes from Guerrero in a 2 of 3 Falls

2001: Tajiri takes from Austin, Lance Storm also in match

2002: Michaels takes from RVD

2003: Tajiri takes from Mysterio

2004: Jericho takes from Guerrero, Paul London also in match

2006: Hunter keeps from Batista

2007: Orton keeps from Kendrick

2008: MVP kept his belt over Jeff Hardy

2009: Shawn Michaels wins his 5th IC title, taking from Mysterio

2010: Johnny Nitro takes the belt from Matt Sydal

2011: Sheamus kept the belt from Christian

2013: Nemeth kept the belt from Christian but then lost it to Dean Ambrose

2014: Nemeth keeps the belt in a Ladder Match over Jericho

2015: Bray Wyatt is the champ - he keeps over Cena

2016: Rusev takes the belt from El Generico

2017: Brock Lesnar retains the title over Braun Strowman

2018: The belt was vacant, like this year - and like this year Prince Devitt fought for it, he wins, defeating Cedric Alexander

2019: Ricochet keeps the title, defeating Buddy Murphy

2020: Angel Garza retains the title with a win over La Sombra

2021: AJ Styles keeps, defeating Mysterio

7. IC TITLE: PRINCE DEVITT d. REY MYSTERIO

The 80th Intercontinental Champion is Prince Devitt, its his first title belt in 3 years; Devitt's a leather jacket wearing tweener, no friends, just wrestling.  The last year has been Bullet Club only in the IC title chase - Devitt will open it up to the world.  If someone can outwrestle the Prince, come on in.  

Clip package of every WWF Championship match at Summer Slam

1988: Dynamite Kid kept his belt over Randy Savage

1989: Savage keeping the belt over Bret

1990: Mr. Perfect keeps the belt in a steel cage over Savage

1991: Davey Boy Smith took the belt from Hennig

1992: Bret keeps from Davey Boy

1993: Bret keeps again, beating Razor

1994: Owen Hart keeps the belt in a cage match win over Bret

1995: Bret is the champ again, successfully defending against Hakushi

1996: HBK retains over Owen

1997: Austin is the champ, he and Bret fought to a draw and the title is held up.

1998: Cactus takes the belt when he sets Owen on fire in a No DQ match

1999: Cactus keeps the belt and takes Austin's career.

2000: Chris Benoit keeps the belt from the Rock

2001: Kurt Angle unites the WWF and ECW belts over RVD

2002: Angle adds the NWA title by defeating Mysterio

2003: The vacant WWF title won by Eddy Guerrero, defeating Brock Lesnar

2004: Benoit kept his belt in a 2 of 3 falls match over Angle

2005: Another 2 of 3 falls match, Mysterio taking the belt from Guerrero

2006: Mysterio drops the belt to Ric Flair.  Woooooooo.

2007: Mysterio regains, defeating Booker T

2008: CM Punk is WWF Champion and he keeps over Matt Hardy

2009: Chris Jericho is WWF Champion and he keeps over MVP

2010: Edge is WWF Champion and he keeps over Jack Swagger

2011: Nick Nemeth keeps the belt over Rey

2012: Bryan Danielson retains his title from Sheamus

2013: Danielson regains the title, defeating Lesnar

2014: Claudio Castagnoli keeps the title, over Bray Wyatt

2015: Kevin Steen takes the belt from Lesnar

2016: AJ Styles keeps from Steen

2017: Samoa Joe wins the belt from Styles

2018: Shinsuke Nakamura keeps from Joe

2019: Tyler Black successfully retains over Kingston

2020: Black keeps the belt again, over McIntyre

2021: Matt Riddle keeps from Edge

8. WWF TITLE ROMAN REIGNS (w/HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE) d. BROCK LESNAR

-HRE uses their numbers to distract the official to allow for outside interference - Lesnar, of course, is alone - he fights them all off - but eventually Reigns overcomes him.  Postmatch, a real beatdown - Lesnar gets bloodied up, the Usos, attacked after their match, now return - they're met on the ramp by the rest of the HRE -- they fight to the back -- Lesnar is laid out - Reigns continues his assault -- when onto the ramp emerges...

...Paul Heyman.

Heyman, of course, was Lesnar's longstanding manager, his concern is evident -- Reigns continues to punish a defenseless Brock - Heyman disappears....and then re-emerges....

....with Walter.

And Walter marches to the ring -- Reigns sees him now -- Reigns sells this - Walter is on a monster run in Dark Ride (he's lost one WWF match - to Lesnar) -- Walter comes to the ring -- Heyman behind -- Walter and Reigns go nose to nose -- Walter and Reigns go nose to nose as the show ends.

And that's Summer Slam.

Next month, we start the build to Survivor Series 2022, the main event, Reigns defending against AJ Styles.

The Road to Summer Slam 2022

Wrestlemania 38

The new wrestling year is upon us - the 142nd WWF PPV, Summer Slam '22, is coming up in August from Nashville.

We have an announcer shakeup - veteran backup announcer Michael Cole takes over all three shows, he will work RAW with Corey Graves, Fight Night with Wade Barrett and Dark Ride with Xavier Woods.  Woods also does a second screen telecast with the other two shows for the WWF twitch stream.

Here's the Summer Slam card.

WWF Title: Roman Reigns (w/Holy Roman Empire) v. Brock Lesnar

IC Title (vacant): Rey Mysterio v. Prince Devitt

Tags: Usos v. 

Womens Title: Ronda Rousey (w/Dangerous Alliance) v. Becky Lynch

Damien Priest (w/Solo) v. Dominic Mysterio 

Logan Paul v. Pat McAfee

Bianca Belair v. Liv Morgan

Winners Get Title Shot: Street Profits v. Miz/Austin Theory

What you want to understand is the argument that Roman has been making - after a 40 year battle, in the early 21st century, there was peace in the wrestling land - the WWF had vanquished its competition, Kurt Angle defeated Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio to unify the World Titles of WWF/ECW/NWA.

From the dirt arose a bingo hall indie, Ring of Honor, and WWF didn't kill it in the crib - instead, they allowed infiltration - CM Punk arrived, creating GDI as a sleeper cell, desecrating the WWF Title at Surivor Series '06, and then a series of ROH wrestlers would follow - Danielson/Claudio/Styles/Joe/Black/Steen/Zayn, all winning the WWF Title - grabbing a stranglehold on the top of the card for years while "home grown talent" - like the Usos/Hooligans/New Day spun their wheels in the middle.  

And then - AEW launched.  Direct competition to WWF using the same types of ROH wrestlers who had infiltrated WWF - and then they filled out their ranks with many of those very same wrestlers who had taken up temporary residence in the WWF - and wouldn't you know it - AEW then buys ROH (this is a story Reigns has been telling, piece by piece, for a couple of years - so as events warrant, like the ROH purchase, for example, it adds to Reigns's case).

Reigns starts ringing the warning bell - telling those other stables in the middle they need to get on his level, he's going to be the head of the table - he will be leading the WWF in wartime - who better, as a legacy, as a member of the Anoa'i family - he's WWF born and bred.  

He goes on a run, winning over and over - talking more and more - demanding acknowledgement, he ended Jeff Hardy's WWF career, he forced the break up of the New Day - and he took the heart out of his rivals, McIntyre from the Hooligans, Lashley and Gable from Shoot Nation, all of whom, note were developed in the WWF.  

He beats Zayn at Mania, takes the title, able to make the argument that he has consistently been proven right.  Acknowledge him.

One could imagine there are fans who will - it's a compelling case.

Now, Reigns is a heel - and the way he psychologically dominates the Holy Roman Empire is the evidence of that (he's got a system where if they receive a text, they have to text back within one minute or face some type of physical punishment; he divides the other 3 men, Lashley and Gable lost the tag belts to the Usos at Mania, whereas McIntyre beat Steen; so McIntyre becomes the right hand man, receiving special treatment, and eventually embraces the role as enforcer of Roman's rules - Lashley and Gable are browbeaten - they are not allowed to get a rematch against the Usos, it would be too shameful if they lost again - they don't even get to pursue the Usos physically at all, Roman's embarrassed, here are his former family members walking around with title belts where his chosen family, the HRE, is without gold...other than his, of course). 

Roman is sparse with praise - but the members of HRE grow dependent on it - trying to please him (at some point they get branded, I think, HRE, to show their lifelong committment).  Roman and the HRE are the hub of much of the action throughout the promotion - Steen/Black/Zayn are not working Summer Slam so not integral here, but Steen sees which way this wind is blowing and begins trying to bring them together.  It is not successful.   The Usos primary discussion point is Roman's leaving them behind, as Sheamus is with McIntyre, and the night after Mania brings the debut of Solo, brother of the Usos, cousin of Roman, and much of the summer is speculation about which side, Usos or HRE, he will join as he is dominant - squash match after squash match.  

Brock/Roman is announced the night after RAW, but there is no Brock, of course - HRE spends much of the summer feuding with.....Defiance?

The main event segment on that RAW is Cody's return.  

Cody cuts in ring promo - he makes clear he is not invading, he's coming home, he talks about Dusty, talks about coming up through developmental, talks about the Undertaker taking him under his wind - talks about winning the tag titles, says he wanted more - says he risked his whole career - and it paid off and now a wrestling promotion that he started is flourishing.  

But it was time to come home - he sets up that while he won the right to be the leader of a new WWF Bullet Club (if you missed Mania, Cody is the IC Champ) he isn't here to be part of a stable, he's here to blaze his own trail.

And that leads Roman and his group to come to the ring.  The WWF Champ and IC Champ go face to face - Roman, of course, believes that Cody is AEW - it's everything he's been talking about for two years, where's MJF, is MJF right behind you?

Roman challenges Cody to a 4 x 4 for next week - go get whomever you want - bring whomever you want.  

It's a little bait and switchy, sure - but Cody will have a taped piece on Fight Night making it clear he has no one to bring, he will be coming alone and he will fight all 4 of HRE.

Main event of RAW - here's HRE, here's Cody -- he clearly believes it is 1 on 4 -- but who enters to have his back is his old partner, Randy Orton, along with Priest/Crews.  It's Defiance, the stable created by Orton to "defy" Dusty Rhodes when he was the commissioner of the WWF version of the NWA during the brand split.  Cody would then join Defiance and he and Orton would win the tag titles.  

Cody and Defiance wins that match - Cody pinning Gable, and in multiple combinations, that 4 on 4 feud drives through the summer.  Cody/Gable have banger singles matches (think IRL Cody/Rollins from the same time) and it allows Orton to get some high profile matches v Reigns (Cody/Roman kept apart, teasing, not fighting). 

First casualty is Crews - HRE takes him out, that takes Crews off the canvas (pun intended) he won't be seen the remainder of the wrestling year.  Defiance gets the worse end of this feud - Priest grows in his dissatisfaction "why are we fighting these guys - Rhodes isn't Defiance" - Orton bristles, "Rhodes used to be you - you'd want someone to have your back - and how about not questioning my leadership".

Cody, of course, gets injured, beats Gable in the cage with the torn pec - and then does a full stretcher job the next night when Roman takes advantage of his weakened state and lays him out.  Cody is forced to vacate the IC - so what had been advertised over the summer as Cody defending against Rey at Summer Slam (Rey won the shot at WM) becomes Rey v. Devitt (who had a future IC shot promised when injuries took him out of WM). Both former IC Champs, it's legendary babyface Rey vs cool tweener Devitt.  In the build for the Cody match that never happened, Rey said this was his final singles title shot (Rey also expressed a little bit of doubt about Cody, Rey runs the locker room, IRL Undertaker style, and he doesn't exactly endorse Roman's theory about Cody, but also doesn't embrace him either) that his day as a top wrestler was nearing a close, and he was going to pour all he had into taking that IC belt from Rhodes.  Devitt spent a year chasing the IC in the feud of ex Bullet Club members and says his taste for gold has never been more acute.   

Orton/Priest tension appears to be coming to a head, something has to give - our assumption is Orton will do what Orton does and leave Priest laying with a boot to the head - but he does not, Orton  says the old him would have done that - but he's left some wreckage in past relationships, seeing Cody return after these years away suggests that maybe there's a different way to handle conflict.  Orton extends a hand - Priest hugs him - and then into the ring....comes Solo Sikoa.  

Solo and Priest then kill Orton dead (this is probably the go home RAW for Summer Slam) Orton is stretchered out - Damien Priest and Solo Sikoa are the new Defiance.  

Priest takes on young masked Dominic at Summer Slam.

Once Cody's gone and the Defiance program ends - as we draw close to Summer Slam its time for the return of Lesnar, he beat Riddle in the Octagon at Mania and earns this shot.  Lesnar returns for the contract signing - he doesn't know who Roman is - he does know Lashley/Gable, they were stablemates in Shoot Nation once upon a time, he says Kurt would be disappointed they got stuck carrying someone else's bags, but whatever.  

Reigns says at the end of Summer Slam, Lesnar will acknowledge him - Brock no sells that idea entirely - Brock offers zero respect to Reigns here, and nothing boils Roman more than that.  

The Usos won their 4th WWF tag titles, they have a claim as the greatest tag team of all time - but they are not happy (Jey mad, Jimmy sad) as Roman turned his back on them.  At some point, probably the Survivor Series build, that becomes front burnered, with Reigns looking to drive a wedge between them, going to each man "I would have picked you...but your brother holds you back" - sure, you'd think "the Usos will understand they are getting played" -- but Roman's good at this, and you can start seeing a little more daylight between Jimmy and Jey.  

But right now - they are preparing for the Profits - or were, the Profits won the title shot at Mania, but voluntarily relinquish it - Miz is now fully douchy IRL Miz once again, he goes to developmental and plucks a protegee, Austin Theory, looking to make him a mini-Miz.  Miz is able to weasel the Profits into putting up their title shot to open Summer Slam - winners to face the Usos later in the night.

Rousey is the Womens Champ, Walter the Dark Ride Champ, with Heyman as their moutpiece they are the Dangerous Alliance - Lynch and Flair teamed together all year in dominant fashion - and with Charlotte stepping away for the summer - Lynch stands alone in this all babyface matchup for the Women's Title.  Walter, meanwhile, will be defending against JD McDonaugh in the pre-show.  

Bianca Belair has seemingly run the only two time women's champ, Sasha Banks, out of the promotion - and she looks to continue her babyface run against a bratty heel, Liv Morgan.  

Finally - Pat McAfee turned face at Mania following he and Logan Paul losing to Lynch/Flair - he keeps that energy going through the vehicle of his radio show, he has WWF guests on, he puts the promotion over, just to stay in that universe.  Meanwhile, throughout the summer Paul attempts to clown McAfee through social media - on as many platforms as is possible, just attacking McAfee as soft in as many ways as he can - eventually they both appear on the Heyman Hustle, which Heyman does...maybe quarterly at this point.  That quickly turns physical - McAfee gets color - and they set up the match for Summer Slam.

And there you go.

Reigns defends his title against Lesnar, Brock looking to tie the record with 3 WWF Championship reigns.

Devitt and Mysterio try to regain the IC belt, lying vacant after the injury related abdication just a few weeks prior by Rhodes.  

The 4 time tag champ Usos, the most for any non stable, will either be defending against the Street Profits or Miz/Theory.  

Rousey, with Heyman and Walter in her corner, defending against the former champion Lynch.

We get a Damien Priest match, he'll be seconded by Solo Sikoa, the two men forming the new Defiance.  We get a Bianca Belair match - and a celebrity showdown, Logan Paul v Pat McAfee.

Summer Slam 2020 coming next month.  It's gonna be a happening.