Review: WWE Summerslam 2007 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWE Summerslam 2007 Review:

“Three returns in one night at the 20th Annual Slam!”

-WWE Summerslam 2007 took place on Sunday, August 29th, 2007 at the at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey in front of 17, 441 fans and featured talent from each of WWE’s three brands: Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW.

-This was the 20th Annual WWE Summerslam PPV event.

-This was the third time the WWE went to this arena for Summerslam. Obviously a record. (It also hosted Summerslam 1989 and 1997)

-Tickets for SummerSlam went on sale December 30th, 2006 and sold out in forty minutes.

-The event grossed over $1 million in ticket sales from an attendance of 17,441 out of a 17,040 maximum capacity building.

-This was the first Major PPV after the Benoit tragedy.

-The Undertaker missed his 2nd Summerslam in a row with injury and before 2006 he hadn’t missed one in 14 years.

-This is the last DVD in the 20 Disc Summerslam Anthology Review. I will continue Summerslam reviews (08, etc) when the shows become available in stores.

-Stone Cold Steve Austin appears in a good segment with MVP and Matt Hardy.

-Before the event went live on pay-per-view, World Tag Team Champions Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch defeated Paul London and Brian Kendrick in a dark match.

-Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler do commentary for the Raw matches while Micheal Cole and JBL do commentary for Smackdown!’s Matches and Joey Styles with Tazz call the ECW action.

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-Now onto the PPV……………

 

1) Opening Contest- Kane vs Finlay

I’ve got to give it to both men here.

I was NOT expecting a great or even GOOD match between these two.

Finlay is awesome sure, but how many good Kane matches has there been? It shouldn’t come as a surprise when some of Jacobs best work has been against guys like Angle and Benoit.

JBL said it best right from the get go when he said this is going to be a flat out war. Two of the toughest big men in company history going at it, I figured it to be a slow slug fest but I was wrong.

It was actually pretty entertaining and not just because it was the first match on the card to kick off the show. They made good with the time they had.

No filler, nothing pointless, entertaining spots and even good in-ring psychology mixed with the standard brawling you’d come to expect.

It certainly DOES feel weird hearing Kane’s pyro and entrance theme come on and him coming to the ring first, it’s not something that usually happens whether on TV SHOWS or PPV’s and there is a reason for this. The reason is because you don’t want to bore the audience the first match of the night but the WWE trusted both men to do a good job and they did. Good booking.

Finlay targetted the injured mid-section of Kane that was all taped up all throughout the match and even took out the big man’s vertical base which is always a wise move and always shown whenever a good grappler is in there going against The Big Red Machine.
Finlay worked over the legs for the first part then rammed his shoulder into the lower stomach/ribs/kidney section of Kane repeatedly in the corner. Kane hit some high impact moves as well and it was a good back and forth match overall.

A spot when the little bastard Hornswoggle sneaks from under the ring to try and help Finlay but Kane grabs them both by the throat, and a lot of the time you might even consider Finlay would take the match but he didn’t and they actually had Kane go over which is probably the nicest thing the WWE has ever done to him all things considered.
Finlay goes to run Kane’s injured stomach into the corner again but he missed and hit the turnbuckle which proves to be costly.

In the end Kane won the match with a Chokeslam at 8:48!

Good surprise, good opener!

 

 

 

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2) Umaga (c) vs Carlito vs Mr. Kennedy in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Looking at these entrances sure tells the story.

It`s like seeing the flavor of the year from 05-07 give or take and I didn`t even follow these years too often.

Kennedy obvioussly the most popular guy in this match from a certain perspective, much more people on his bandwagon then on Carlito`s.

People ask me if I like Kennedy, I don`t mind him. I don`t care if Austin brought him into the business, because Austin brought hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people into Wrestling in some form. You`have to entertain me first. Kennedy is rather bland but I see the charisma in SOME of his promo`s, as for his in-ring work, it`s just above mediocre at the very best right now.
Umaga take out Carlito and Kennedy early.

Both guys pace around the ring until they both come in the ring and get made to look like Umaga`s bitch.

With Carlito down and out in the corner Umaga goes for a splash in the corner but Kennedy stopped it as he grabbed onto Umaga`s leg and then Carlito hit a nice drop kick to Umaga to the outside.

Kennedy came in and worked over Carlito after Carlito held onto the tights of Umaga and the ropes for leverage and thought he had the three. Carlito hit a nice springboard elbow to Kennedy, before Kennedy hit a face first inverted leg sweep. Umaga then dragged out Kennedy to the floor and then Umaga with a huge slap to Carlito as he stuck his head between the ropes.

High impact slam by Umaga to Carlito, then the 350 pounder launched himself off the 2nd turnbuckle to Carlito, then he pounded away on Carlito in the corner with some heavy rights. Umaga charged to the corner and hit his head on the buckle after Kennedy pulled Carlito out of harms way. Kennedy lifted the monitors on the TV and smashed Umaga in the head with one but Carlito kicked Kennedy off the apron.

Carlito scored a nearfall on Umaga then Kennedy came back in the ring. Carlito and Kennedy both tried to ground Umaga together and when they both went for a double suplex on Umaga they couldn`t lift the Super-Heavyweight up and instead Umaga displayed his power by double suplexing them both and denying the two men`s attempt at a double team move.

Umaga with huge punches to both men and hit a Samoan drop to Carlito. Umaga with a huge splash to Kennedy, near fall then caught Carlito with a thrust kick followed by a back first splash in the corner.

Kennedy showing a resourcefull skill and pulled down the top rope and Umaga fell over.

Kennedy then hit a slam, a leg hook and only a two.

Umaga got back in the ring and hit a Samoan Spike to Kennedy!

In the end Umaga retained the title when winning this Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at 7:22 with that move.

Nice match here, nothing overly special.

**

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3) `The Returning` Rey Mysterio vs Chavo Guerrero

A decent two star match the two had at Summerslam 06 the year before. Here we go again. Hopefully this bout tells a better story.
This was Mysterio`s Return match and it was a nice long built up feud from the looks of it, god has Rey been away from the Guerrero name since 2004…it seems like he`s been either feuding or teaming with Eddie or Chavo since then.

Rey is back and he is all painted up to match his silve ring attire.
The two have a little face to face before getting it on.

Chavo Sucks chants heard all throughout Jersey while Rey looks on having waited for this moment for a long time to not only get back in the ring but to do so with the man that put him out of action.

Rey goes on top of Chavo after the stare down and into a bridge-pinning combination that Chavo kicks out of and there plenty of reversals leads to Rey hitting an arm drag takedown to Chavo that sends him to the outside.

Cole and JBL put over the feud some more but that really was an interesting partt of the match there, that unique pinning combination into a bridge into a flip, into another flip, into an armdrag takedown to the outside.

Back in the ring Chavo tries to target the leg as you’d expect from a Guerrero. Constant kicks to the left sergically repaired knee of Rey’s. Chavo goes for a huge drop kick but flies through the ropes and then Rey leaps off the top onto Chavo and throws Chavito into the steps and back into the ring.

No hesitation by Rey as Mysterio then returns the favor and went to work on Chavo’s knee! Constant kicks next to punches and the fans applaud as Rey hits a back slide into them.

Back up Chavo tries to fight back irish whipping Rey into the corner but Rey gets both feet high into Chavo and hits a Hurricanrauna.

Rey then got hooked up top rope in the next spot and was hung upside down and Chavo spotted an oppurtunity to go back to work on the left knee of Rey. Chavo then slammed Rey’s leg into the ring post as Charles Robinson asked Rey if he was alright.

Awesome story telling and psychology so far blended in nicely with a hot crowd and some entertaining spots.

Chavo then continuing the leg work nicely. Chavo Guerrero didn’t stop as he appled a variety of moves until Rey had Chavo in position to go for the 619 until his hurt left leg collapsed on him and then Chavo sprung on the oppurtunity to lock it back in a half crab!
Chavo relentless as he knows grounding the high flyer will be only to his advantage. Rey with some nice counters in mid-air in this one but Chavo remains in control.

Rey Mysterio then had Chavo Guerrero hung upside down in the corner and the fans reacted appropriately as the two competitors were telling the story nicely and they popped huge when Rey took out all his agression on Chavo in the corner with rights and lefts till the official broke then up. Rey hit a spring board to the outside after he through Chavo to the outside, and then once Chavo was inside, his springboard into a Senton was hit but it hurt his leg, Chavo though he had an opening so he went for a roll-up but Rey flipped over and kicked him in the head.

Great action.

Chavo caught Rey in mid-air but he countered into a tornado DDT! Near fall, good stuff.
All of Rey’s paint was wearing off and he was limping but he was now in control of this great match and he flies off the top with a crossbody but Chavo got back and in control after that and then hit the Gory Bomb from the Gory special and got only a two. Chavo now the one limping as well because his legs had been worked on as well.
Rey missed the 619 as Chavo ducked and had it well scouted.

Chavo hits two of the three amigo’s Rey kicked him to the ropes and set him up for the 619 and this time he hits it!

Mysterio picks up the win over Chavo at 12:05 after he hit the move and Cole yells that Mysterio is back!

GREAT MATCH this time, just should of got more time to work.

 

*** 1/4

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4) Interpromotional Divas Battle Royal
A lot of diva’s here.
They include: Beth Phoenix, Michelle McCool Torrie Wilson, Melina, Mickie James, Jillian Hall, Kelly Kelly, Kristal Marshall, Victoria, Layla, Maria, and Brooke.
That’s a lot of fine ass to be staring at, I never knew which one to look at…
All you need to know is Beth Phoenix had the most eliminations of the 12 diva’s with four and she ultimately won the match by last eliminating McCool at 7:06.

Enough about that.

Lets talk about what you really want to read about here.

Lets talk about Puppies.

Lets talk about Pie.

Lets talk about the Women’s Champion Candice Michelle sitting at ringside.

Lets talk about those outfits.

Lets talk about how useless this division is.

Lets talk about who will still have there job two years from now.

Or

Lets not.

DUD

 

 

5) John Morrison (c) vs CM Punk for the ECW Championship
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Good chemistry with these two.
CM Punk of course comes in as the challenger to Morrison’s ECW title belt.

CM Punk starts off targetting the left leg of Morrison then goes into a sidelock, Morrison rolls around on the mat with him for a bit till he gets a sidelock and then CM Punk with a roll-up into a slam.

CM Punk then scoops up Morroison as if he was going to hit a vertical suplex but drops Morrison abdomen first onto the top rope. CM punk then attempted to suplex him back n the ring but Morrison knees Punk and then hits a neck braker to Punk head first on the apron! It only gets a near fall which frustrated Morrison so he pounded on Punk’s head.
Morrison then with an uppercut to Punk into the corner and then another, and then another. CM Punk down to his back and another near fall and now Morrison locks in an armbar to punk’s Left arm.

He battled out of it with right hands and a slap to Morrison’s face and then Morrison made sure HE landed face first onto the middle rope then came up with a high kick in which Punk kicks out of. Morrison slaps on a sleeper and Punk in a considerable amount of pain as he rises to his feet still fighting through it.

CM Punk with a near fall after countering a corner move then after being catapolted up high he came off with a cross body and a near fall. Punk with a high knee to Morrison then a spinning heel kick but only still a two!

Morrison sent to the ropes from an irish whip but got a power slam in return! Morrosn slowly rises to his feet but Punk gets caught in a back breaker by Morrison after some ducking, neat spot.

John Morrison then has his arm twisted and takes a big clothesline by Punk followed by a Moonsault and another nearfall.

Both men get to there feet and Morrison hits a hard right hand out of desperation followed by an irish whip to the corner. Morrison’s legs get caught up as Punk make sure Morrison gets hit groin first as he straddled the top rope.

Morrison though back in control after a double collision, CM Punk with a roll-up but Morrison kicked out. CM Punk with a kick to the neck then went for a hurricanrauna but he fell. Morrison took advantage of this and used the ropes for leverage with his legs to get the three count.

Morrison retained his title at 7:07 in the end when he had his feet on the ropes.

Another good match between these two! Not enough time but very solid, very good for what they got to work with.

 

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6) `The Returning-King of Kings`- Triple H vs King Booker (with Queen Sharmell)
They tried to do it like his return in 2002 it seems, but it was only cared about 1/8th as much. (Most of that due to the lack of enthusiasm in today’s crowds or him being well past his prime)
King Booker vs The King of King’s.

After a 30 minute (rather then 20 minute entrance) by H, Booker T attacked him in the corner.

Booker with right hands but HHH with thunderous right hands says JR. Ross then calls HHH clotheslining T over the top and to the outside as the fans chant for Hunter as he keeps hitting Booker with blows.

Booker T must remember WM 19, I do. THAT was a great match.

This would be Booker T’s last Summerslam before leaving to TNA.

King Booker got smacked against the steel railing while Trips hit Booker with some more blows.

Booker inside the ring with some chops, but H counters back with a Face Buster and got a near fall.

Trips applied a leg lock, wished it would of been the Indian Deathlock he gave Book at

WM 19 but it was a figure four and then after the ref broke the counr the Booker man got back in control and hit Trips’s back a few times before another once standing.
Then The Game started to fight back as he HAD been control most of the match so it makes sense. Triple H threw Booker over the top rope to the outside and then face first into the top of the steel steps.

Trips with an irish whip to Booker T who falls into the corner and then once HHH tried for a Spinebuster booker kicked him in the head, Booker then went for the kick but Trips had that move scouted and ht a Double A Spine Buster!

HHH then went to set up for the Pedigree but Booker fought out and ran into an elbow then he gave Trips a kick to the mid-section and Trips moves away from his scissors kick. Triple H runs into a Rock Bott, I mean BOOK END! Sidewalk Slam! Booker up to the top now is he going to do it? Well he tried, flipped and failed leg drop as HHH has moved out of the 78th move Booker had tried to do already tonight.

Triple H told Booker to Suck it and went for the Pedigree, Booker countered, then he went for the Pedigree and hit it!

Triple H won the match at 7:56 proving to be the undisputed King in the WWE when he hit the pedigree for the win.

What a basic and very predictable match and was fairly quick as well.

 

7) Batista vs The Great Khali (c) (with Ranjin Singh) for the World Heavyweight Championship

With Khali there’s only so much you can do sometimes…..

Khali used his power game at the start.

They really put over how powerful he is and that is why he is Champion. Or it could be because the roster sucks and Vince gets hard for big guys.

Batista keeps trying to clothesling Khali but he hit Tists with a chop to the head and a nearfall.

Khali threw Batista into the ring post shoulder first twice.

Khali grabbed Batista then levelled him in the back with his powerful arm and the dreaded vice grip is locked on to the trap muscle aka piss break.
After several and I do mean several painful minutes Tista wore through some of the pain.

OKAY so then what was the point OF ALL THAT. Batista down though as Khali still had him grounded and his manager grabbed him a chair.
Batista grabs a hold of the chair now and slowly rises up with it and smacks the back of Khali and then hits the front of him but his hands were in the way. Ugh. Khali can’t even take a chair shot. But he takes several to his back. What a warrior!
Batista wins by DQ but Khali is still Champion at 6:56. Oh good. I was worried I just sat through a shit match for no reason for a second there.
Nothing like there No Mercy 07 brillance. NOTHING.

 

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8 ) Main Event- John Cena (c) vs Randy Orton for the WWE Championship

The was THE DREAM match back in 2004.

It was at this very event that year where these two had there first on air meeting when John Cena interupted Randy Orton`s interview.

But a lot has changed since then and both guys got booed in the mean time, and both guys got pushed higher then many even thought they`d go so it balanced itself out.

This match had already happened of course on the Eddie tribute show but that was forgettable from a quality standpoint. Now they get PPV time in the main event of a big show with proper build for the WWE Championship.
The very WWE Championship that Cena had held for 11 months! Almost caught up to Savage`s record in 1988 at this time here. Good build up video showing Cena’s dominance for the past year and now how Orton is his next and possibly his biggest test to date.
What better time to meet then in the Main Event of Summerslam for the Title?
Randy Orton, coming off an embarassing loss to the Hulkster the year before at this event meets Cena the guy coming off a loss to Edge the year before at this event but Cena hadn’t looked back since that loss. A year on fire.
Cena gets a pretty good pop but I’m expecting a splt crowd.
The sight of these two in the ring is pretty epic because you’d know it’d happen on a grand stage one day.

After the stare down it was on!

Cena slaps a side headlock on Orton trying to wear down the challenger early and then went to the shoulder block after Orton pushed him off and followed it up with another.
Logical start here.

I hear this is four as a consensus so I’ll hold it in its own league but still those are what I gave those matches.

After being pushed in the corner by Orton, Cena found himself in a side headlock on the canvas for a minute by Orton until getting hit with a drop toe hold and Orton got to the ropes.

I don’t mind this pace at all as it’s telling a good story of the two young men trying to enter there prime outdoing each other in the ring on one of the grandest stages of the year.
Orton with some blows to Cena’s back as he is grounded and Keota checks on Cena, the Champ might be hurt but he’s decent.

Cena takes a pounding into the corner as Orton hits his uppercuts. Cena irish whipped Orton to the buckle out of desperation and then a running bulldog followed by a nearfall.
King comments on the momentum shift as Orton hits an uppercut followed by a forearm shot to the back of Cena’s head, another near fall as some fans as I expected are going for Orton to be the man to take Cena’s title.

Back and forth match here that sees a fist fight now and then Cena left his feet and missed Orton and the fans applaud in the front few rows anyway, as Cena sells the fall and Orton gets up to hs feet.

Orton runs from one side of the ring and omces off to the other knocking Cena off the ring apron, puts his hands in the air as if he is guilty of any said crime. Cena is hurting now as Orton catches up to him on the outside and throws John back in the ring and pins him but the Challenger for the WWE Title scores a long two and then is relentless slapping on a side headlock which he twists and turns for leverage as Cena is in more pain now.
This time around the side headlock lasts for over a minute slowing the pace down but it looks more old school WWF with this pacing which I don’t mind.

Cena then gets out of the hold with a side suplex, and attempting to get back in the match runs towards Orton in the corner, but ended up being a costly mistake for the Champ as he charged towards the buckle and Orton moved out of the way so he hit head first, Orton gets another near fall after trying to capitalize on that oppurtunity. Orton stomps on Cena some more.

Cena’s back in pain and Randy Orton just kept hittng the ribs of Cena.
Randy Orton then stomping some more, even a shot to the head. Cena then layed out flat in the center of the ring, Orton takes his time looking at the crowd and goes for a knee drop to the head of Cena but he moved out of the way.
Cena tried building momentum but got hit with a nice Powerslam by Orton in the center of the ring! Cena kicks out.

Orton goes back to the side headlock and lowers to the mat to make sure Cena’s grounded and isolated there and not going to maintain a vertical base anytime soon.

Randy Orton counters Cena’s back suplex attempt out of his original Side headlock into a side headlock TAKEDOWN this time! NICE! Nicely executed by Orton, still no Hart or Hennig in that department but that was a beautiful counter by Orton.
Randy Orton lays down trying to suck the life out of Cena with this side headlock he’s applied four or fifve times now in the match.

Cena’s super strength helps him get out of this predicament and he battles back with super shoulder blocks to build momentum and then a side suplex. He holds the fingers up for the worst move in the history of Wrestling, the embarassing five knuckle shuffle, but Orton fights out of the following F-U and then hit’s a side to head back breaker. NICE. Cena outside on the ring apron, Orton holds him high up by the head with Cena’s legs resting on the middle rope and hits an impressive modified DDT but only gets a two count on the champ with another near fall. This looking a lot like the Benoit match from 04 although Cena is no Benoit at selling or offense, just talking about Orton as the dedicated challenger pulling out all stops to become champion. Orton then stalked Cena at the side of the ring wanting to hit an RKO. Cena turned around then pushed Orton away and charged after him but Randy Orton pulled the top rope down and Cena fell to the outside! Orton goes out there and makes sure he doesen’t lose by countout and damages Cena some more and whips him to the steel steps. Then with John Cena back in the ring still kicks out of a nearfall! Randy down and John goes up top and it’s anybody’s match but Orton catches Cena with a right while sitting on the top turnbuckle. Orton gives John some strong blows and then goes to the top rope and positions himself for a possible superplex. John Cena’s power pushes Orton away and off the top buckle to the canvas.
Cena hits a nice FAMEASSER from the top rope.

Cena waiting on Orton, but as Randy Orton turned around he hung on desperately to that top rope and drilled Cena’s head right into the canvas. NOW Orton down wating on Cena.
Randy Orton patiently stalking the Champion as he lays there in pain.
Cena gets up, ducks an Orton move and pushes him into the corner then a drop toehold, locks on the STFU! WILL ORTON TAP!? Orton tries to get to the ropes and he gets there as some of the audience pops. Cena can’t believe it but after all he had been dominated a great deal to that point.

THEN BAM!

Orton hits the RKO but Cena kcked out and some can’t believe it, some are excited, either way it’s entertaining.

Randy Orton then went for another RKO but got caught with an F-U!

Cena hits the F-U!

In the end John Cena retained the WWE Championship at 21:19 when he hit the move.

Some of the audience in disbelief as most cheered on.

JR and King put over the match and it really was a war.

Methodically paced by Orton in the first half with his scientific wrestling but in the end, Cena’s strength and will to win/comeback powers were to much for Orton to get to.

Awesome contest here.

Really epic and well worked and I really enjoyed it.

****

Final Rating for WWE Summerslam 2007 = 6/10

This show was certainly not as bad as I had heard it was. This was of course my first viewing of the event and it had some quality matches in the first half and it was capped off by a great main event. Yeah a dissapointing match here or there, it happens, the product wasn’t very good apparently in 2007 and considering how close this was to the Benoit thing I give the company credit. This was a pretty good event, but not GREAT. I would just see it for the Main Event, or the Austin and Backstage segments. Rey/Chavo and a couple other matches had there moments, this is definitely an upgrade over the last year (06) so how it is always brought up in Worst Summerslam ever arguments, I have no idea…