SummerSlam (2020)

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SummerSlam
Amway Center
Attendance0 (behind closed doors)[Note 1]
Tagline(s)You'll Never See It Coming
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The 2020 SummerSlam was the 33rd annual

Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, and was WWE's first pay-per-view to be broadcast from the ThunderDome bio-secure bubble. It was also the first SummerSlam since 2011 to not feature Brock Lesnar, who competed in the main event match for the past six years and in 2012. Additionally, it was the first SummerSlam since 2009 to feature MVP
.

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the

no fans in attendance
due to the pandemic. With the move to the Amway Center, SummerSlam was the first major WWE event held outside of the Performance Center since March, although still without fans physically in attendance; fans were instead able to attend and be seen virtually on LED boards in the venue through the ThunderDome arena staging.

Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. In the main event, which was the main match for SmackDown,

street fight
in a losing effort.

Production

Background

livestream on the WWE Network.[4]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Main article: WWE ThunderDome

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE had to present the majority of its programming for Raw and SmackDown from a behind closed doors set at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida beginning mid-March,[5] although in late May, the promotion began using Performance Center trainees to serve as the live audience,[6] which was further expanded to friends and family members of the wrestlers in mid-June.[7] SummerSlam, as well as the preceding night's NXT TakeOver event, were originally scheduled to take place in Boston, Massachusetts at the TD Garden.[4] On May 8, the ongoing pandemic forced Boston mayor Marty Walsh to suspend all large-scale gatherings until September 7, effectively canceling WWE's planned events in the city.[8][9]

Wrestling journalist

Pro Wrestling Insider had reported that the event would be held at the WWE Performance Center,[12] the promotion put out an official statement on July 23 that the announcement of a new location would be forthcoming. WWE also stated that refunds would be issued at original point of purchase.[13] PWInsider then reported that WWE were looking into hosting SummerSlam on a cruise ship or on a beach.[14]

On August 17, it was made official that SummerSlam would emanate from the

Amway Center, a larger venue also located in Orlando. This made SummerSlam the first major WWE event to be held outside of the Performance Center since March. WWE also entered into an agreement with the Amway Center in which all future broadcasts of Raw, SmackDown, and PPVs would be held at the venue "for the foreseeable future". Along with the move, WWE partnered with the full-service fan experience company The Famous Group to provide a "virtual fan experience", a bio-secure bubble dubbed the WWE ThunderDome, which was first utilized for the August 21 episode of SmackDown. Drones, lasers, pyro, smoke, and projections were utilized to make the wrestlers' entrances "better than WrestleMania". according to WWE Executive Vice President of Television Production Kevin Dunn, who further noted that "We can now do things production-wise that we could never otherwise do". They also installed nearly 1,000 LED boards in the Amway Center to allow for rows and rows of virtual fans, who could register for a free virtual seat. Arena audio was also mixed with that of the virtual fans so that chants from the fans could be heard.[15][16][17]

Storylines

The event comprised eight matches, including one on the Kickoff pre-show, that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands,[18][19] while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.[20]

At

Falls Count Anywhere match.[28]

On the July 27 episode of Raw,

Extreme Rules match in a rematch from The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, preventing Ziggler from earning the title opportunity. Following the match, Orton attacked McIntyre with an RKO.[29]

On the July 20 episode of Raw,

triple threat tag team match to earn a title match at SummerSlam.[29]

After United States Champion Apollo Crews repeatedly declined MVP's offer to join his faction, later dubbed The Hurt Business,[31][32] the two faced each other in a non-title match on the June 29 episode of Raw that was won by MVP. After the match, Crews was brutally attacked by MVP's teammate Bobby Lashley.[33] The following week, MVP unveiled a new United States Championship belt and stated that he would face Crews for the title at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules.[34] At the event, however, Crews was unable to compete due to failing his pre-match physical thanks to Lashley's attack. MVP then declared himself winner by forfeit and unofficially claimed himself as the new United States Champion.[11] Crews, sporting the older United States title belt, returned on the August 3 episode of Raw where he formally faced MVP in a title match where Crews retained. Celebrating his victory, Crews later stated in a backstage interview that he would give the old belt to his children while he kept the new belt MVP introduced. MVP then demanded a rematch for SummerSlam and Crews accepted.[35] On the August 17 episode, Crews defeated The Hurt Business' Shelton Benjamin, thus banning Benjamin and Lashley from ringside during the title match at SummerSlam, which was set to occur on the Kickoff pre-show.[36]

Following several weeks of

Street Fight.[38]

At The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, the

Beat the Clock Challenge to determine the order of their respective title defenses against Asuka with the loser defending first; Banks subsequently won as she defeated Naomi, who in turn defeated Bayley.[39]

At the onset of 2020, a romance began between

loser leaves WWE.[39] This stipulation change was brought about due to a real life incident involving Deville; her home had been broken into by a stalker in Florida.[43] Her lawyers cited it was not a good idea to have a shaved head while in court.[44]

Event

Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
English commentators Michael Cole (SmackDown)
Corey Graves (SmackDown)
Tom Phillips
(Raw)
Samoa Joe (Raw)
Byron Saxton (Raw)
Spanish commentator Carlos Cabrera
Ring announcers Greg Hamilton (SmackDown)
Mike Rome (Raw)
Referees Danilo Anfibio
Shawn Bennett
John Cone
Dan Engler
Darrick Moore
Eddie Orengo
Chad Patton
Ryan Tran
Interviewers Kayla Braxton
Sarah Schreiber
Pre-show panel Charly Caruso
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
Peter Rosenberg
Renee Young
Booker T

Pre-show

During the SummerSlam Kickoff pre-show, Apollo Crews defended the United States Championship against MVP with MVP's stablemates Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin banned from ringside. In the end, Crews performed a Toss Powerbomb on MVP to retain the title. Following the match, Benjamin and Lashley came down to the ring to attack Crews, however, Crews escaped.[45]

Preliminary matches

The actual pay-per-view opened with Bayley (accompanied by Sasha Banks) defending the SmackDown Women's Championship against Asuka. In the end, Asuka attempted to attack Bayley, who was teetering on the ring ropes, however, Bayley moved out of the way and Asuka inadvertently knocked off Banks, who had been standing on the ring apron to try and distract Asuka. Bayley then performed a roll-up on Asuka to retain the title. Following the match, Bayley and Banks attacked Asuka.[46]

Next, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) defended the Raw Tag Team Championship against Andrade and Angel Garza (accompanied by Zelina Vega). The climax saw Vega stand on the ring apron to distract the referee. Garza performed a Superkick on Dawkins, who bumped into Vega knocking her off the ring apron. Dawkins then performed a Powerbomb on Garza and Ford performed From the Heavens on Garza to retain the titles.[46]

After that, Mandy Rose faced Sonya Deville in a no disqualification match where the loser would leave WWE. During the first half of the match, Rose and Deville fought at ringside, where Rose performed a flying Lariat on Deville off the announce table. Deville attacked Rose with a chair and slammed her head on the announce table. Rose performed three Running Knees, a Fairytale Ending, and a fourth Running Knee on Deville to win the match. Following the match, Otis came out to celebrate with Rose where Rose performed her own rendition of The Caterpillar, Otis's finisher.[46]

In the next match, Seth Rollins (accompanied by Murphy) fought Dominik Mysterio (accompanied by his father, Rey Mysterio) in a Street Fight. This was Dominik's first match as a WWE wrestler. Dominik performed a Russian Legsweep on Rollins from the top turnbuckle onto table below. Later on, Rey Mysterio tried to interfere but Dominik told him not to do so. Later on, Rollins handcuffed Rey to the second rope. In the end, Rollins performed The Stomp on Dominik in front of Rey to win the match. [46]

Next, Sasha Banks (accompanied by Bayley) defended the Raw Women's Championship against Asuka. During the match, Banks performed a Powerbomb from the ring apron on Asuka. Asuka applied an Ankle Lock on Banks, who rolled through. Asuka countered a Superplex attempt into a DDT on Banks for a nearfall. Asuka performed a Missile Dropkick from the top rope on Banks for a nearfall. Banks attempted a Frog Splash, but Asuka moved out of the way. Asuka then applied the Asuka Lock on Banks, who countered into a pinning combination for a nearfall, after which, Banks applied the Bank Statement. As Banks brought Asuka to the middle of the ring, Asuka countered into the Asuka Lock, but Banks escaped. The end saw a similar situation from the event's SmackDown Women's Championship match occur, with the roles of Banks and Bayley switched, however, Bayley moved out of the way. Asuka then attacked Bayley, but as Banks attempted the Bank Statement, Asuka reversed into the Asuka Lock to force Banks to submit, thus winning the title for a second time.[46]

In the penultimate match, Drew McIntyre defended the WWE Championship against Randy Orton. In the climax, after a back-and-forth contest, Orton attempted a Punt Kick on McIntyre, however, McIntyre countered with a powerbomb. As McIntyre attempted a Claymore Kick on Orton, Orton avoided it, however, McIntyre performed a backslide pin on Orton to retain the title.[46]

Main event

In the main event, Braun Strowman defended the Universal Championship against "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in a Falls Count Anywhere match. During the match, the two fought up the entrance ramp and inside the gorilla position. In the closing moments, Strowman used a box cutter to cut the top ring canvas to expose the wooden flooring. The Fiend countered an attack from Strowman and performed a Uranage and two consecutive Sister Abigails on Strowman onto the exposed wood to regain the title for a second time. After the match, a returning Roman Reigns (in his first appearance in five months) appeared and performed a Spear on The Fiend. Reigns then performed a Spear on Strowman, who was staggering at ringside, and attacking him with multiple chair shots. Reigns then returned to the ring to execute another Spear on The Fiend before hoisting up the Universal Championship belt.[46]

Reception

Dave Meltzer rated the WWE Championship match 4.25 stars, the highest of the night. Meanwhile, the main event received 1 star, the lowest of the night. Elsewhere on the card, the kick-off show match received 2.25 stars, the SmackDown Women's Championship match received 3.25 stars, the Raw Tag Team Championship match received 2 stars, the Loser Leaves WWE match received 2.75 stars, and the street fight and the Raw Women's Championship match received 3.75 stars.[47]

Aftermath

Raw

The following night on Raw, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre gloated how he had defeated "the greatest wrestler ever" with a wrestling move, and stated that he knew that Randy Orton wanted a rematch. As McIntyre made his exit, Orton attacked McIntyre and delivered two Punts to him. Later, McIntyre attacked Orton during Orton's match against the debuting Keith Lee and the brawl ended with Orton delivering a third Punt to McIntyre, taking him out for the next couple of weeks.[48] On the August 31 episode, Orton earned himself another title opportunity against McIntyre for the WWE Championship at Clash of Champions.[49]

Sasha Banks challenged Asuka to a rematch for the Raw Women's Championship, but as a

lumberjack match. However, Banks was unsuccessful in regaining the title, thus ending their feud.[48] However, the two faced each other again at Survivor Series on November 22, but as a champion vs. champion match with Banks as SmackDown Women's Champion,[50] where Banks was victorious.[51]

Dominik Mysterio teamed with his father Rey Mysterio in a tag team match against Seth Rollins and Murphy, but the match ended in a disqualification after Retribution attacked the Mysterios.[48] On August 28, a rematch was scheduled for Payback.[52]

On August 24, United States Champion Apollo Crews was scheduled to defend his title against The Hurt Business' Bobby Lashley at Payback.[53] On Raw that night, the two had an arm wrestling match that Crews won when he took a cheap shot by stomping on Lashley's foot.[48]

SmackDown

The day after SummerSlam, it was announced that new Universal Champion "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt would defend the title against Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns in a

triple threat match at Payback.[48] Subsequently on SmackDown, it was revealed that Reigns aligned himself with Paul Heyman.[54]

Results

No.ResultsStipulationsTimes
Falls Count Anywhere match for the WWE Universal Championship[62]
12:00
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
P – the match was broadcast on the pre-show

Notes

  1. ^ The event was held without a paying audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, though it featured a live crowd of virtual fans via WWE's ThunderDome viewing experience.

References

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External links

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