As a service to followers who’ve a common curiosity in WWE however may not have watched a match in months, we’re pleased to offer this FAQ as a information to SummerSlam at Ford Area in Detroit on Saturday.
Is Roman Reigns nonetheless the undisputed common champion, Tribal Chief, Head of the Desk, chief of The Bloodline, the apple of Paul Heyman’s eye and the focus of all the things that’s the modern-day WWE?
Sure … however he may lose all the things at this premium reside occasion when he faces his cousin “Predominant Occasion” Jey Uso within the first-ever “Tribal Fight” match.
What precisely is a “Tribal Fight” match? Is that like when T’Challa fought Killmonger in “Black Panther”? Are Roman and Jey going to try to throw one another over an enormous waterfall?
Not precisely, and never simply because waterfalls aren’t prevalent in downtown Detroit. The match itself is “no count-out or disqualification,” as a result of how else would Solo Sikoa impression the end? The one strategy to win is by pinfall or submission, and therein lies among the intrigue in what looks like a reasonably lopsided fundamental occasion on paper. Jey Uso grew to become the primary individual to pin Roman Reigns since December 2019 when he and Jimmy Uso defeated Roman and Sikoa in a “Bloodline Civil Conflict” tag staff match at July’s Cash within the Financial institution occasion.
When you’ll be able to measure Roman’s pinfall losses as “a pandemic in the past,” you realize it has been some time.
The Bloodline had a civil warfare, too? Are they simply liberally borrowing from the Marvel cinematic universe now?
You imply like how the MCU borrowed Bautista for “Guardians of the Galaxy”? Turnabout is truthful play, Feige!
(Apart from, everybody is aware of Roman Reigns is canonically a part of the F&FCU: Quick & Livid cinematic universe. Mateo Hobbs spinoff when?)
The Bloodline has been one of the crucial enthralling and triumphant angles in latest professional wrestling historical past, targeted on the Anoa’i household: Roman and his cousins, The Usos and Sikoa. Former WCW boss Eric Bischoff has stated that The Bloodline was “higher” than the legendary nWo “when it comes to a storyline.” However each nice faction reaches its inflection level. The nWo ultimately cut up into “Hollywood” and “Wolfpac” factions, ostensibly to promote extra T-shirts. The Bloodline divided into two factions too, ostensibly so Roman Reigns may have an opponent in a significant match.
The seeds for the cut up have been planted for months now. Sikoa nearly delivered a Samoan Spike to Jey at Backlash. After being egged on by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on “Smackdown,” Jimmy stated, “With regards to the Day Ones, I’m the tribal chief.” Roman’s music hit nearly instantly, for he was unpleased.
Every thing boiled over at Night time of Champions in Saudi Arabia, the place Reigns and Sikoa took on Owens and Zayn for the WWE tag staff belts. The Usos made a run-in to assist their stablemates however ended up super-kicking Sikoa by mistake. Reigns confronted Jey, pushing him round earlier than Jimmy laid out The Head of the Desk with a kick to the pinnacle. As Jey protested, Jimmy kicked Roman once more.
Begun, the Bloodline civil warfare had.
Jey continued to facet with Reigns earlier than ultimately becoming a member of Jimmy in super-kicking the champ. The disrespect to the Tribal Chief led to a tag match between the fractured Bloodline members at Cash within the Financial institution that noticed Jey rating a pin on Roman.
The Usos put Reigns’ Tribal Chief standing on trial in “Tribal Court docket” on SmackDown. We will formally add “Tribal Court docket” to the “procedural occasions on wrestling reveals that inevitably finish in a brawl,” together with contract signings and weddings. The phase was one other reminder of how unbelievable Reigns has turn out to be in charming a crowd, going from rage to tears to a low blow on Jey Uso that had the drive of a sledgehammer breaking by a kitchen cupboard on a house makeover present.
This arrange Jey vs. Roman for … all of it. The undisputed unified title he is held for over 1,000 days and that seat on the head of the desk. And lurking within the background is Sikoa, feeling the identical sort of informal disrespect from Reigns because the Usos skilled, together with Reigns laughing on the notion that Solo might be the Tribal Chief.
This angle has been enjoying out for over two years and stays scorching sizzling, partly due to the thriller over who will ultimately unseat Reigns. Keep in mind once we had been all satisfied it might be Cody Rhodes?
What’s up with Cody at SummerSlam?
Wrestling Brock Lesnar, for a 3rd time in 5 months, within the “rubber match” of their nonetheless ill-defined feud. Did we ever discover out why Brock needed to destroy Cody within the first place? Is it the neck tattoo? The putting resemblance to Homelander from “The Boys”?
Lesnar was purported to be Rhodes’s tag staff companion on the RAW after WrestleMania however selected violence as a substitute, attacking Cody. That led to a match at Backlash, which Rhodes received; which led to a rematch at Night time of Champions, wherein Lesnar made Cody faucet with a kimura lock on his “damaged arm,” which led to this match at SummerSlam.
In idea, Rhodes will get the win right here after which strikes again into the championship image, a tier extra befitting a person with an intensive new Peacock documentary about him. However that is one of many superb issues about Cody Rhodes: You by no means know what number of losses he’ll take or how a lot ache he’ll endure earlier than it is time for the American Nightmare to beat seemingly insurmountable odds and “end the story,” whether or not it is in opposition to both world champion.
Wait, there’s one other world champion apart from Roman Reigns?
So, you understand how it is typically good for weekly televised wrestling reveals to have their champion defend his championship on these reveals? The WWE confronted a twofold downside with Roman Reigns: He unified the titles usually defended on RAW and Smackdown and, as WWE govt Triple H famous in April, is not contractually compelled to defend them that always.
So reasonably than having their money-printing juggernaut champion take an “L” and drop one of many belts, the WWE determined to invent a completely new belt, which is a bit like Nathan’s holding a second hot-dog consuming contest on July 5 and by no means inviting Joey Chestnut.
The WWE world heavyweight championship title was unveiled in April. No matter program did not draft Reigns, the opposite present would have this belt as its major gold.
The WWE held a match for this comfort pri … I imply, tremendously prestigious new belt. Seth “Freakin'” Rollins defeated A.J. Types at “Night time of Champions” to turn out to be its first holder and takes it into Summer season “Freakin'” Slam (an precise T-shirt, individuals) to face The Judgment Day’s Finn Bálor.
Rollins defeated Bálor within the semifinals of the aforementioned championship match after which once more at Cash within the Financial institution. Talking of which: The additional layer of intrigue right here is with Damian Priest, aka “Señor Cash within the Financial institution,” whose skill to money in his contract for an impromptu title match has created some stress together with his stablemate Bálor.
What if Finn wins however instantly loses to Priest? Is the WWE large enough for Civil Wars between two factions?
What in regards to the WWE ladies’s championship?
Asuka, the present champion, is in a triple-threat match in opposition to Charlotte Aptitude and Bianca Belair. The issue right here is not the assemblage of expertise, which is appreciable. The issue is that the match type of seems like a factor that is occurring to get to the subsequent issues that’ll occur: Belair and Aptitude escalating their ongoing feud and Asuka turning her consideration to Bayley and Iyo Sky, who has the ladies’s championship Cash within the Financial institution briefcase on the prepared.
Anyway, it is Charlotte Aptitude sans championship wrestling in a match for one. As at all times, put together your self accordingly. But when I am being sincere, I am extra within the different ladies’s match between Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.
Wait, Rousey vs. Baszler? Aren’t they, like, finest buddies?
Precisely, which is why this feud — as temporary as it has been — has sizzle. Baszler turned on Rousey at July’s Cash In The Financial institution, strolling out on her companion throughout a tag staff title match in opposition to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. The following weeks revealed a storyline that winked at Rousey’s tenure within the WWE with out breaking kayfabe. That Ronda was handed distinguished matches and promotion whereas Baszler simmered within the background. That Rousey allowed Baszler to reside in her home solely so she’d have a sparring companion to beat up. That type of factor.
The resentment of a longtime companion dwelling in a celebrity’s shadow is a tried and true wrestling trope, and it really works right here. There have additionally been a number of experiences that Rousey might be leaving WWE to return to the fight world. In any case, count on a hard-hitting match, as this one might be competed underneath “MMA guidelines.” But when it is hard-hitting you need, then clearly you need Gunther.
Who will Gunther be chopping till their chest seems like crushed tomatoes at SummerSlam?
The present Intercontinental Champion — and “Ring Basic” of Imperium, the WWE’s faction made of individuals you’d usually discover Indiana Jones punching within the face — might be dealing with Drew McIntyre in Detroit. Due to that slobber-knocker of a triple-threat match with Sheamus at WrestleMania 39, we all know what these two reasonably giant people are able to. They’ve additionally given Gunther slightly adversity as of late, nearly taking a loss to Chad Gable in a particular problem match — so he’ll be additional salty. Pure, uncut brutality on this match. Or the other of the spot-fest that needs to be Logan Paul vs. Ricochet.
How has Logan Paul accomplished as a heel?
Like every creature in its pure habitat, he is thrived. The man is a warmth magnet and the sort of troll solely the web may delivery. Witness the lead-up to this match, whereby Paul gleefully famous that Ricochet would have the added embarrassment of getting to listen to his fiancée, WWE ring announcer Samantha Irvin, declare Logan Paul the winner of their SummerSlam match. Oh, that was nasty.
However Logan Paul additionally brings the sort of athleticism that attracts begrudging respect from followers and Ricochet himself — keep in mind that superior double-jump spot the 2 had on the Royal Rumble? Count on outrageous stunts and shameless makes an attempt to go viral, the coin of the realm for a YouTube influencer-turned-actually-pretty-great wrestler.
Hey, aren’t we lacking some acquainted names on this card?
Hey, it is a deep roster, and it is not like SummerSlam is a two-night premium reside occasion — not less than not but! However don’t fret, the WWE obtained you: The SummerSlam Battle Royal Introduced By Slim Jim will characteristic lots of these names in an over-the-top-rope battle for supremacy … however primarily, it’ll characteristic LA Knight.
It is not hyperbole to say that outdoors of The Bloodline cleaning soap opera, nothing within the WWE has been hotter than LA Knight’s stand up the cardboard. For the uninitiated: LA Knight is a 40-year-old wrestler who had a cup of espresso with WWE earlier than discovering work on the indie scene, Affect Wrestling and the NWA. He returned to NXT in 2021 as LA Knight. He hit the principle roster in 2022 with a “Knight Mannequin Administration” male modeling company gimmick, briefly altering his identify to Max Dupri.
After that ran its course, he reverted to LA Knight and … effectively, a very sudden factor began to occur. Knight’s mic work had at all times been an explosive cocktail of The Rock and Stone Chilly Steve Austin, a combination of “Angle Period” humor and catchphrases prepared for crowds to repeat. Regardless of him not successful matches or being anyplace close to a championship, reside WWE crowds seized on Knight’s promos, particularly his Pavlovian “yeah!” that punctuates his strains.
That reputation has translated into {dollars}: Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics reported that Knight had bought extra T-shirts than anybody in July and had three of the highest six best-selling shirts for the WWE.
It is a reminder that this is likely one of the solely mediums in leisure the place a reside viewers can affect the route of the product. The WWE did not come into 2023 pondering LA Knight could be considered one of their most compelling wrestlers. Who may have predicted that the identical Roman Reigns that followers rejected apathetically simply six years in the past would turn out to be the driving drive behind the perfect wrestling angle of the final 25 years — and essentially the most compelling cause to observe this 12 months’s SummerSlam?
It is the great thing about wrestling. Benefit from the present!
