Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
Wade Barrett beats Daniel Bryan when special guest referee Brad Maddox performs a fast count. This angers Bryan, and Maddox somehow escapes D-Bry's wrath.
Cody Rhodes guests on commentary for the next match.
Randy Orton beats Damien Sandow when Cody Rhodes tries to steal Sandow's handcuffed Money In The Bank briefcase, distracting Sandow.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) talk down to the rest of the WWE and flex their superiority, saying they can't be beaten.
Josh Mathews interviews CM Punk. Punk knows Paul Heyman has something up his sleeve in their match tonight...
The Great Khali and Natalya beat Big E Langston and AJ Lee after Natalya gets AJ to tap to the Sharpshooter. Big E attacks Khali and Hornswoggle, but Khali strikes back!
Vince McMahon is here!
Vince McMahon shows up! He mentions the fast count from the Wade Barrett-Daniel Bryan match at the start of the show. He brings out Brad Maddox, demanding an explanation. Brad was guest referee because "Daniel Bryan matches get out of hand," and "admits" that he was "a little excited." He asks for a second chance in the form of being the special guest referee in the Daniel Bryan-John Cena match at SummerSlam. Vince McMahon questions Maddox's neutrality even further, then makes him special guest referee for the match anyway. Triple H shows up, agrees with Vince on what makes up the neutrality of a special guest referee, then puts Maddox in a Pedigree after saying he should be the special guest referee in the match instead.
Kane vs Bray Wyatt at SummerSlam will be a Ring of Fire Match. The ring will be surrounded with fire, keeping this match one-on-one.
Kane beats Titus O'Neil...then The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper) show up. When the lights turn back on, Kane reappears at the top of the entrance ramp.
Josh Mathews interviews Brie and Nikki Bella, the Bella Twins. The Bella Twins say they're the queen bees of the Divas Division. Natalya shows up, however, and challenges Brie to a match at SummerSlam. Eva Marie joins the Bellas as The Funkadactyls (Cameron and Naomi) show up to side with Natalya. Brie slaps Natalya before she, Nikki and Eva Marie leave.
Alberto Del Rio beats Kofi Kingston with the Cross Arm Breaker.
After a video package of Christian's career, Renee Young interviews Christian. Christian plans to beat Alberto Del Rio and win the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam, then Alberto Del Rio shows up and openly mocks him, saying "no more matches for you."
Zeb Colter's distraction backfires! The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) beat The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro).
It's time for Miz TV! The Miz's guests tonight are Daniel Bryan and John Cena. It's official: Cena and D-Bry's match will have Triple H as the special guest referee. D-Bry is happy that the WWE Universe gets the match they deserve, and Cena is pleased with this as well. Daniel Byan feels John Cena is not in this for the wrestling and is only in this for the fame, and considers him to be a parody. Cena says otherwise, saying that the WWE Universe is the sole reason for why they do what they do...yet both men will always have their critics. Nevertheless, Daniel Bryan feels disrespected by Cena, as he feels Cena does not understand his hunger to hold the WWE title even once. After further insults and a reference to the Japanese exercise where two opponents take turns slapping each other in the face, D-Bry tells Cena he doesn't even deserve the slap. Cena slaps D-Bry, then Triple H shows up to restore order solely through his presence. Randy Orton shows up immediately afterwards, lifting the red Money In The Bank briefcase into the air.
R-Truth and Fandango have a dance battle. Fandango attacks R-Truth during his turn, but R-Truth strikes back!
Paul Heyman has second thoughts about challenging CM Punk to a match...
Rob Van Dam wins the 20-man battle royal. He goes on to face Dean Ambrose for the United States title at SummerSlam. "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry, the last man he eliminated, fistbumps with RVD. The Shield (Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) show up. Henry sticks around to help RVD in case of a potential attack. The biggest surprise, however, is the return of Big Show, who evens the odds. The Shield flee.
Paul Heyman comes out and blames the WWE Universe for all that's happened. He then brings out Brock Lesnar. We see a Lesnar video package, then Heyman dares Punk to get in the ring with him and Lesnar. Punk's music plays, but it's a sneak attack - Punk comes out from the back and levels Lesnar with a television camera. Punk chases Heyman, but Curtis Axel runs interference. Axel fares no better and eats a GTS after some steel chair shots. The show ends with Punk declaring himself the best in the world.
Stephanie McMahon is in the ring, and we get to see the corporate makeover of Daniel Bryan. She calls Bryan out, and he shows up with his hair in a ponytail, a slightly shorter yet neater beard and wearing a suit. Nobody likes this, and Bryan is convinced WWE would rather have someone like John Cena, as Cena is an entertainer, unlike Bryan who considers himself a wrestler. Of course, if Cena got fired tomorrow, he'd never wrestler again while Daniel Bryan would be in armories and gymnasiums and whatnot while still at it if he suffered the same fate. When he asks the WWE Universe if they like wrestling, they say yes. Bryan then promises to beat Cena at SummerSlam, then Vince McMahon shows up. He's actually impressed, but still teases him on a few things. He then tells him to do one more thing if he really wants to be WWE Champion: cut the beard. He calls for a few stage hands to get a barber chair, and after a few tense minutes, D-Bry sits in the chair. Vince then calls for Wade Barrett to be the barber, and Barrett shows up. D-Bry gives Barrett a request to fulfill concerning the beard, but it's just a set-up for D-Bry to headbutt Barrett and give the man his come-uppance, going so far as to cut some of Barrett's facial hair with the razor he brought in. D-Bry then runs up the ramp and takes the shirt off, revealing a T-shirt saying "The Beard Is Here." Vince is livid.
The Miz guests on commentary for the next match.
Rob Van Dam beats Alberto Del Rio after causing the returning Ricardo Rodriguez's tactics of putting the bucket between two turnbuckle pads to backfire. After the match, Ricardo tries to tell him it was an accident, but Del Rio destroys him.
Cody Rhodes shows up, and has a gift for Damien Sandow. After the recap of what's happened between them, he opens the boxes and pulls out - you guessed it - the waterlogged SmackDown Money In The Bank briefcase. Sandow shows up and tells Rhodes to drop it and walk away. He does, but then rushes back when Sandow tries to pick up and overpowers him. Rhodes then empties the blue briefcase of the gunked-up contents, including the waterlogged contract.
Ryback walks away, giving "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry the count-out win.
John Cena shows up. He talks abotu Daniel Bryan's criticisms of him, and compares him to The Rock and CM Punk for it. He also says D-Bry glorifies armories and auditoriums because he's more comfortable in them. He promises to beat Daniel Bryan, then Randy Orton shows up. He says the Raw Money In The Bank briefcase is what matters to him, not who wins at SummerSlam. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) show up. Daniel Bryan runs in to even the odds. The Shield try to flee, then Brad Maddox runs in and stops everyone in their tracks, putting them all in a six-man tag match.
The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Erick Rowan) beat Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai). Bray Wyatt hits the Sister Abigail on Brodus, then sends another message to Kane. After plumes of fire surround the ring, Kane shows up on the TitanTron and tells him he can't wait until SummerSlam to tear Bray Wyatt apart...and supposedly in an Inferno match!
Josh Mathews interviews CM Punk. Punk considers Curtis Axel to be Paul Heyman's blind sheep, and promises to beat Bock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
Layla beats Kaitlyn thanks to AJ Lee's interference.
Christian beats Heath Slater.
Paul Heyman interferes during CM Punk vs. Curtis Axel. Brock Lesnar shows up, and Axel tries in vain to attack CM Punk. Punk not only beats up Axel, he also beats up Lesnar. Lesnar gets the upper hand again eventually, but loses it back to Punk. Punk then tries to hit Heyman with a steel chair, but Lesnar gets back up and quickly levels Punk for it.
Renee Young interviews Paul Heyman, Curtis Axel and Brock Lesnar. Lesnar is unimpressed, and after telling Heyman to say something stupid, Heyman says he will come out next week to take on CM Punk in a match.
Kofi Kingston returns! He beats Fandango in his first match since getting injured by Ryback.
Stephanie McMahon tells Triple H that her dad Vince McMahon has chewed her out for the "failure" of the Daniel Bryan corporate makeover. Triple H finally makes it known that he is tired of Vince's shit, and plans on stopping Vince from doing...whatever it is he's going to do.
The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro) beat The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso).
Kaitlyn comes out and attacks AJ as Dolph Ziggler takes on Big E Langston. Ziggler tries to separate the two ladies, which gives Big E Langston the upper hand and the win against Ziggler after he's able to land the Big Ending.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) vs John Cena, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan prematurely ends when The Shield gang up on Daniel Bryan. Orton RKO's Bryan, then he and Cena clean house when The Shield strike again. Orton then RKOs Cena and then tries to cash in his WWE Championship Money In The Bank briefcase only for The Shield to get back in the ring again. Orton walks off, and Daniel Bryan receives a three-man powerbomb.
Brad Maddox shows up and makes Alberto Del Rio vs. Dolph Ziggler. John Cena shows up. After joking around, Maddox lets Cena pick his opponent for SummerSlam. Randy Orton shows up and says he won't make the mistake Cena made with the red briefcase last year. Fandango shows up, then Randy Orton fights him after he fools around. Maddox makes Fandango vs. Orton a thing.
Randy Orton beats Fandango.
Dolph Ziggler tells AJ Lee he's moving on...from her.
"The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry is in the ring. He knows he lost, but he wants to be John Cena's choice at SummerSlam. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) show up and inevitably give Henry the three-man powerbomb after he tries to fight them off.
Brad Maddox meets Chris Jericho, who has a wonderful idea: Rob Van Dam vs Jericho. Jericho likes the thought of RVD vs Y2J.
The bell rings prematurely as Dolph Ziggler is about to pin Alberto Del Rio. Turns out, AJ Lee rang the bell. Del Rio takes advantage of the distraction to get the win. After the match, AJ then slaps Dolph, and Dolph is then laid out by Big E Langston.
R-Truth comes out...and so do The Wyatt Family! The surround R-Truth, and Bray Wyatt says that he is the answer. R-Truth comes at the Family with a steel chair only to get a dangerous beatdown from Luke Harper and Erick Owens. Kane has followed the buzzards. R-Truth is not the truth they seek.
Who will Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro fight? The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) or The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil)? Vote now on the WWE App!
Zeb Colter wants John Cena to pick either Antonio Cesaro or Jack Swagger.
The Real Americans' (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro) opponents are...The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso)!
The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) beat The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro).
Christian beats Damien Sandow by countering the Elbow of Disdain...then Cody Rhodes rushes into the ring and attacks Sandow!
Vickie Guerrero wants people to vote for her.
Naomi beats Brie Bella.
Paul Heyman stays silent after Money In The Bank.
CM Punk shows up. He calls out Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. Heyman comes out and says Punk is more or less dead to him. They were a team, but Punk betrayed the partnership. He drudges up his crap family relations, saying the fans are all he has before admitting he betrayed Punk because Punk can't beat Lesnar. Punk tells Heyman - and swears on Heyman's children - that Heyman, his clients, and everyone around him will suffer. Heyman then sends Lesnar out. Lesnar distracts Punk so Heyman can attack Punk from behind, then Lesnar goes on the offensive. Lesnar and Punk fight, but Lesnar comes out on top.
The Great Khali wants John Cena to pick him.
Brad Maddox talks to Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. They're wary of John Cena being able to pick his own SummerSlam opponent, especially Vince McMahon's possible reaction...but Brad's doing well for the first night.
Rob Van Dam beats Chris Jericho.
Paul Heyman will show up on Miz TV this Friday on SmackDown.
John Cena comes out. He can't pick an opponent, and lets the WWE Universe and their respectable honesty help him out. He calls some names and asks for responses to them, yet the crowd still steers him towards Daniel Bryan. Finally, Cena chooses Daniel Bryan, who runs to the ring and chants "Yes!" Cena vs Bryan for the WWE title is on.
