Review: WWE SummerSlam 2011 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWE “SummerSlam 2011” Review:
  
 

 

“Randy Savage (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap) RAN-DY SAV-AGE” – WWE Universe (heard loud and clear after CM Punk’s elbow in the main event)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
-WWE Summerslam 2011 took place Sunday Night, August the 14th, 2011 Live on PPV and for the third consecutive year, SummerSlam was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California in front of 17,404 fans. It was later announced that SummerSlam attracted a sellout crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, grossing more than $1 million for the company in ticket-sales revenue. This marks the highest grossing SummerSlam ever held at the Staples Center.
 

-This was the 24th Annual Summerlam event.
-The official theme song of the show was “Bright Lights, Bigger City” by Cee Lo Green.
-This Show orginally had 6 matches to take place, but since someone cashed in ther MITB at the end of the show it had 7.
-Micheal Cole, Booker T and Jerry Lawler did commentary for Summerslam.
-Before the pay-per-view aired, Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero) defeated Alex Riley. Ziggler was in the opening PPV IC title match at Slam 09 and 10 in this arena but here he has a dark match.
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
-Now onto the PPV……………

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
1) Opening Contest- Kofi Kingston, John Morrison and Rey Mysterio vs The Miz, R-Truth and Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) in a 6 Man Tag
  
 

 

This is the 24th Annual Summerslam, and while it’s the third in a row to take place in LA, both other LA Summerslam’s before this one had opened up with Dolph Ziggler in an IC title match.

Dolph this year didn’t crack the card unfortuntely, I say unfortunately because I mean for him and me, and others as I am a fan of him and I’m sure there are others. You should always compare where you are on a card then a year from that day to see how you’re doing.

Because when Ziggler heard last year he’d open up Summerslam 2010 in another IC title match he was probably okay with it. However if you would of said to him then, next year you’ll be in a dark match, I highly doubt he’s fine with it.

But you pay your dues I guess. I would of just found someone else and made this eight man tag to include him.

 
Alberto Del Rio with a ton of momentum on the year, the Raw MITB and 2011 Rumble winner has R-truth the new heel side to him and Miz a man who main evented Wrestlemania on his side as well.

So the heels are pretty stacked here in the opener.

 

There going up against three aerial attackers in former World Champ Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston and John Morrison.
Should be a good, fast paced tag-team opener.

 
“AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESOOOME” hits the *pa and Cole marks out.

 

Miz took my would be gimmick. I would of been called the Mix, but now that would seem like a rip-off of the Miz if I was ever a wrestler. I am in better shape then at least some of them.

I guess Bm1x would always work.
Anyway Miz calls himself the most must see champion of all time. Hmmmm…I would say he’s ahead of a couple of others but in the bottom late 30’s of all WWE champs.

R-Truth comes out to no music and starts talking about Spiders and letters.

I hate spiders.

Cole starts to laugh at him. And he even gets on the “What” chants.

Alberto Del Rio comes out, Mr. MITB inn his dazzling new ride of the week. Riding in style at the 2nd biggent event of the year. Well, I consider the Rumble 2nd but the WWE likes to say this is their second biggest show so I’ll just go with that because at the end of the day, who really cares?

Heels are out, now it’s time for the Babyfaces.
Kofi comes out, 2nd straight Summerslam opener for him as he challenged Ziggler for the IC title last year.

Mixed-reactions for this babyface and it’s probably because he’s too smily and the fans don’t go for that. He barely has a gimmick but he’s a great athlete.

The ladies scream and the home-town character of Morrison comes out and he’s got the slow motion entrance and all.

Booyaka, Booyaka, the man who lost his mask at the last ppv is out last and he’s been getting mixed-ovations ever since Eddie died.
Must be the sympathy card I guess.

 

So we should be in for a great six man here, especially considering the names here and the fact it’s the opener of Summerslam 2011!

Bell rings, here we go the 24th annual Summerslam is under-way, I think the last time we opened Summerslam with a six man was in 2004 when the Dudleyz met London, Kidman and somebody else.
Mysterio gets a title shot tommorow in his home-town of San Diego against the Undisputed title main event.
Kofi Kingston starts the match with The Miz. Miz locks up with him in mid-ring and slaps on a side headlock.

Fans chant “Miz is Awesome” and Kofi with a monkey flip off the ropes and then a high dropkick and soe boo’s are heard. Morrison tagged in and the ladies scream and both men slam Miz to the mat. Morrison takes it to R-Truth.

What’s up?

I heard him on Raw singing “You Suck” instead of What’s up….hilarious.

R-Truth hammers away on Morrison but he kicks back at Truth. Morrison taken to the outside. Kofi complains to official Charles Robinson on the apron. R-Truth slaps Morrison on the floor.
R-Truth with a snapmare to Morrison in the ring then a rear choke-hold. Isolation to Morrison, just the way a heel tag should work. Miz tagged in and kicks Morrison in the head. Morrison with a headlock to Morrison following up on R-Truth’s offense surely.

Good tag work.

Kofi with a leg up on Miz. A crossbody as Kofi god the hot tag and now goes to work on the heels. Kofi runs circles around the Miz and now the boom boom drop. Half the crowd are fans, half aren’t.

Miz with a full nelson and Kofi with a great SOS counter and ddt, Alberto Del Rio comes in breaks up the count. Bodies flying everywhere and Morrison clotheslines Alberto Del Rio on the floor.

Miz drops Kingston in the ring and a nearfall. R-Truth with a ddt to Kofi now and then Alberto Del Rio who is majorly over, probably because were in LA near Mexico after-all.

The winner of the biggest rumble ever, and Mr. Money in the Bank slams Kofi down and then Kofi kicks out and looks to tag but Miz tags in and prevents him. Miz with a snap-shot vertical suplex to Kofi Kingston. Kingston with an inside cradle and a nearfall. Miz them slams Kofi and gets a two.

What a match.
Miz with a headlock on Kingston.

Mysterio gets a hot tag, fresh and he’s on fire and he’s waited virtually the whole match. R-Truth matches flipping around and a nearfall.

A modified head-scissors takes Kofi and Miz to the rope. Rey goes for a double 619 but Alberto Del Rio interupts it.

Morrison then flies over the ropes and takes him out.

Double 619.

Kofi flies.

Mysterio with a frog splash off the top….must be for Eddie, hey it’s Mystero after-all.
 

 
In the end at 9:35 the Faces got the win.
 
This match was such an awesome opener. The quickness reminded me of the opener at Summmerslam 02 between Rey and Angle, just not quite as good. Same rating though.
 
 
Awesome opener!

 

 

 
****
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
2) Mark Henry vs Sheamus
  
 

 

Henry basically was made to look like a god at MITB 2011 absolutely crushing Big Show in more ways then one. A squash match in 6 minutes exactly and then the chair thing.

He’s been wrestling smart, and scary dominance is right Cole.

Booker calls him a bully.

Now he’s got the Warrior in Sheamus.

“Lets go Sheamus” is now chanted.

Now, we got a power match, should be more methodical and the clash of styles could be interesting after our fast paced, awesome opener.

Sheamus begins to take it to Henry and now Sheamus with another high shot. Henry takes Sheamus to the floor now he just tossed a 270 pound man into the ring over the middle rope.

Mega impressive.

Mark Henry with a a clothesline and a big splash. Henry then with a shot to the head of Sheamus. Henry covers Sheamus and gets a one count.

Sheamus is atually very over as a babyface. Interesting, I think he works better as one in a day where babyfaces aren’t very over, you can see that judging from our opener.

Chops and shots to Sheamus and Henry stands dominant above so far in a back and forth match that Henry is momentarily in control of.

Henry with a back-breaker now.

 
Sheamus back up with a big double axe-handle to the 64 inch chest of Henry. A big double-axe handle to Henry. Savage would be proud, he was without a doubt the master of the flying double axe-handle even though Sheamus just hit a standing one to the big man, to get him down to level.

Sheamus wth shots to Henry and a knee up to the face and then a high boot, big time collison there. Big bad Mark Henry crashes into Sheamus though the barricade.
 

 
In the end at 9:22 MarK Henry won by countout.

 
This match was pretty decent. Good old-school booking, I’m liking seeing wins via dq or count-out on PPV’s by the WWE again.
 
Not to mention Henry being booked well before he eventually won the title at Night of Champions 2011 after this PPV.

Good stuff.

 
 

 

**
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
3) Kelly Kelly (c) (with Eve) vs Beth Phoenix (with Natalya) for the WWE Divas Championship
 
 

 

Okay, the piss-break match…will Kelly be even more improved?

Gave her match a 3/4* rating at MITB 2011.

 
Kelly Kelly take Beth to the outside with a head-scissors and the fans boo it early on as Kelly flies from the top to the floor.

Cole calls her a flying candy-cane.

Lawler is up to his old tricks.

Kelly flips over and Beth Phoenix gets a good pop clotheslining Kelly Kelly.

Kelly is dropped face-first on the top rope and Beth Phoenix gerts a two. Beth Phoenix takes it to Kelly down on the mat now tossing her in the corner. Beth Phoenix choking her out with a boot now. Beth Phoenix then runs and with the back of her heel gives it to Kelly.

Beth Phoenix then rubs Kelly on her behind.

A snapmare to Kelly and she kicks out. Beth Phoenix with a reverse chinlock. Kelly punches out and then Beth Phoenix goes for a huge back-breaker and Beth Phoenix stretches Kelly out on top…uhh, let me re-phrase that, she holds her in a top back-breaker until Kelly counters with a neck-breaker when she lands on her feet.

Kelly with forearm hots and then all of the sudden Beth Phoenix run with her slamming her upside down in the buckle and head-first into the bottom turnbuckle.

A roll-up out of the corner by Kelly. Beth Phoenix with a side suplex and a nearfall. Beth Phoenix with shots to the back of her neck.

Cole and Booker argue on commentary about Kelly’s skill, pretty funny how Cole actually kind of owns Booker.

Kelly with flips over to Beth Phoenix and then she is held behind and Beth Phoenix had Kelly in position until she flipped her over with a sunset fip and Kelly won.

 
In the end at 6:33 Kelly Kelly retains the title.
 
This match wasn’t bad at all.
  
  
 

 

* 3/4
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
4) Wade Barrett vs Daniel Bryan
 
 

 
A nice uppercard match here.
Daniel Bryan and Barrett going at it for the second straight year from the same arena at Summerslam when both guys were on Nexus and team WWE.

Fans chant the name of Bryan as he toks Barrett’s arm.

Wade Barrett then slams him down.

A top wrist-lock by Wade Barrett. Wade Barrett gets hit with a dropkick to Daniel Bryan. Bryan then with a modified hammerlock and overhead wrist-lock at the same time..

Cole and Booker don’t know what to call that move so I figured I’d do my best.

Bryan weighs in at just over 190, so I weigh 30 more….interesting. I look just about his size, but perhaps with bigger triceps and biceps. He’s got stronger abdominals, but who really cares about my look, back to the match.

Bryan drops all his weight on Wade Barrett and then kicks at Wade Barrett at the sternum and then a nearfall.

Wade Barrett catches Bryan off the ropes and a side-slam planting Bryan to the canvas and gets a two.
Wade Barrett with an innovative, at least to me sling-shot on top of the ropes into the back-breaker. Now a nice reverse chinlock, leaning on him. Bryan elbows out of and then Bryan hits a clothesline.

Wade Barrett hit with a European uppercut twice and then Wade Barrett goes off with a fllying forearm.

Wade Barrett with a giant boot to the face of Bryan off the apron and he falls onto the apron, onto the floor. Ouch.

Nearfall for Wade Barrett. Wade Barrett in control now until Bryan takes him to the floor and hits a high-risk aerial offensive move.

Then another high flying move onto Wade Barrett and a nearfall. Wade Barrett up and had an abdominal stretch he tried to get Bryan in a slam of sorts but Daniel Bryan gets out of this predicament and lands high Punk like kicks to the sternum to Wade Barrett.

Wade Barrett down and recieves all sorts of kicks then a final kick to the head of Wade Barrett by Bryan.

Awesome.

Bryan with a crossface after a facelock take-down. Wade Barrett uses his leverage advantage to make it to the bottom rope and gets out of the move.
 
In the end at 11:47 Barrett gets the win after he hits a waist-slam.
 
This match was GREAT.

Back and forth both guys got a chance to shine here.

I would of liked to see the IC title defended on this night, perhaps in this spot but at the end of the day you can’t really complain about this match.
 
 
 

 

*** 1/2
 
  

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
5) Christian (c) (With Edge) vs Randy Orton in a No Holds Barred Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
 
 

 
Crowd should be split here.

Christian comes out with a confident smile, the guy looks smaller and smaller every time I see him.

Christian says welcome the guy in my corner, my best friend, Edge.

Hey weren’t they brothers? Oh right, didn’t Bubba have a stutter, didn’t Kane have scars have to talk with a voice box, wasn’t there GTV
They forgot so we should as well.

Edge has a bit of a haircut and gets on the mic.

Edge calls him out on being a bitch pretty much and leaves.

 

Orton’s music hits and out comes the “Viper.”
Christian is much more booed now and Orton is now the clear cut face in the match, but now there are Christian chants.

Hmmm….interesting.

 

A lot of back and forth work, Christian with a flying reverse elbow to Orton but it wouldn’t be before long until Orton got back in control and dropped the knee on Christian, then stomped on him.

Christian pushes out and then stomps on Orton’s back, then tries the Bossman slap over the ropes onto the floor but Orton has it scouted as he learned from Money in the Bank!

Orton then on the ground slaps Christian and slams his back against the barricade.

Orton tried to go fo the RKO on the table.

Christian grabs the title like a coward and tries to walk away but Randy Orton catches up to him in the crowd half-way up the steps in the Staples Center.

Orton now tosses Christian over the barricade and places him back in the ring.

A funny sign said “NO DQ: Run Christian, Run!” Haha, and he did.

Orton ran right into the turnbuckle and Orton hit shoulder first into the post.

Christian still has some peeps which is good because of how this match made him out to be a total heel.

I think allignments are being changed in this new day and age. Times keep changing.

Christian grabbed a kendo stick and smacked Orton a bunch of times and then got a nearfall.

Christian is caught coming off the top with the stick and in mid-air Randy Orton hits a dropkick and a powerslam to Christian as Randy gains some momentum.

Orton grabs the kendo stick and Christian hits him with a boot to the face. Orton with his nice jackknife cover on Christian and then an awkward looking Thesz press Orton’s added to his move-set.

Christian tries for a kill-switch, Orton counters into his modified-back breaker.

Nearfall, Christian kicks out and Orton looks frustrated.

Orton goes for a punt Christian grabs his leg, Orton gets out and grabs a table, but then is speared into the apron.

Christian has some history with table’s to say the least and sets one up around the ring.

Orton then in the ring leapfrogs Christian with tremendous agility trying to go for the RKO and couldn’t hit it.

But on the outside Randy Orton launched Christian into the steel steps hard. Orton then goes to throw Orton into the steps set up vertical on the apron.

Christian blocks it and sends Orton head-first into the steps.

Christian then gets hit with an RKO to the table.

This is awesome chant.

Yeah it is, but I like this chant only for a near five star classic, but that could just be me. I heard it at a house-show once and rolled my eyes.

Christian counters an RKO and hit th Kill-Switch and Orton kicks out. Christian frustrated and in disbelief gets up and grabs two steel chair.

The old chair on chair move is chanted. Christian spits in Orton’s face for the second straight PPV.

Not the first time someone has spit in someone’s face in a Summerslam title main event. 1997 anyone?

Orton then gets out of harms way and knocks Christian off the apron with a chair through a table. Meanwhile a table is still set up vertical in the corner.

Booker says Orton is hearing voices in his head.

Orton now has Christian in a curb stomp position and then Christian moved but still got power-slammed through the table in the corner.

Nice.

Orton now with a sadistic smile and has a kendo stick in hand and he goes to work on Christian’s back. Orton with a garbage can and sets up Christian for a ddt and he smashes him on the can of the middle of the ropes.

Orton RKO’d Christian in mid-air with a counter on the steel steps after Christian tried to jump off the top with a crossbody.
 
In the end at 23:45 Orton got his title back and for the 9th time, a World Champ. About six or seven too much I’d say.

 

Almost double the time of their great match at MITB!
 

 

While I’m not a fan of the title being tossed around more then ever, the night was a big one….it is Summerslam after all.
This match was the best the two have had in my eyes, highly enjoyable and Orton always seems to deliver around Summerslam time.
 
Match of the night.
 

 

 

****
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
6) Main Event- CM Punk (c) vs John Cena (c) for the Undisputed WWE Championship -C.O.O Triple H served as guest referee
 
 

 

 

So a little background story here, making a long one short.

Rey won a tournament held by McMahon when he was still in kayfabe charge of things after Punk won the title at MITB 2011 and `left.` Leaving Raw without a Champ.

Cena beat Rey, HHH the new COO makes it Cena vs Punk, Champ vs Champ to see who the real WWE Champ is.

 

CM Punk was so hot at the time with the crowd.

 

Nice, the Cult of Personality is back with Punk. Love that tune.
John Cena comes out to his expected mixed-reaction with mostly boo’s against Punk.
WWE Champion against WWE Champion in the Summerslam MAIN EVENT.

I haven’t seen this much of a similar scenario in a Summerslam Main Event since 94 when it was Undertaker vs Undertaker and we know how great that was.
Punk begins with a side headlock. A stand-off to start.

Punk is taken to the mat by Cena.

The usual “Lets go Cena” “Cena Sucks” chant happens.

The WWE just loves that.

A waist-lock by Punk to Cena, Cena then with a side headlock take-over on Punk that gets some boos. Cena with a shoulder block to Punk. Cena goes for a leg, a single leg-sweep.

Booker says the match is too technical for his taste. It just sounds hilarious.

Small you can’t wrestle chants, followed by a series of head-locks. Cena powerslams Punk and drops an elbow off the ropes and then back into a headlock.

Punk takes down Cena and hits him with a knee to the gut.

A lot of submission holds in this one, back and forth.

Both men trying to wear the other man down or pace themselves for a highly intense, match of cardio.

Cena with a ton of power and slams Punk with a unique side-slam as Punk was being spun around.

“Fruity Pebbles” chant. Haha….

A big high knee by Punk to the face of Cena. Cena then started to build momentum until CM Punk turns him around with a high knee until Cena caught Punk in the air and slammed him hard to the mat.

Cena then tried to drag Punk closer, and Punk takes Cena down and locks on head-vice with his legs, locking him almost into submission.

CM Punk with a headlock down on the mat. Cena reversed it into an STFU untl CM Punk back-dropped John to the floor over the top rope. CM Punk off the ropes dives through the second rope with a suicide dive on Cena.
HHH leaves the ring and tosses Cena and then Punk both in the ring saying lets go at it.

 
The exchange of Boooo, yeeeeeah when Punk and Cena go back and forth. A dropkick from Cena to Punk and now he goes for the five knuckle shuffle and hits it.

Cena goes for the AA, a sunset flip by Punk, a nearfall, a jackknife cover by Cena, a bridge out by Punk.

A side-kick by Punk then Cena powers out.

Great sequence there.
 
John Cena almost hit with the GTS and then Cena side-slammed Punk out of the corner.

Punk launched himself off the top and Cena has Punk in the STF. Punk gets out, then Cena hits the AA.

Cena can’t believe Punk kicked out.

Cena goes for a leg-drop and Punk counters it into a GTS, and Punk can’t believe Cena kicked out this time and argues with a stare to HHH. Cena down now.
Punk goes up high.

 
Now my favourite part of the match takes place when Punk does his tribute for Randy Savage and it gets a proper pop this time as the fans chant it for over half a minute. (His name – Randy Savage)

HHH and Punk argue over the count but on the inside they had to be happy, well Punk did anyway.

Real fans in big markets know how to respect the Legends. This put a smile on my face.

Macho Man headlined the first two Summerslam`s, he was married in the main event of Summerslam 91, he defended the WWF title at Summerslam 92.

He hosted Summerslam 94, he had a good Summerslam resume so this was nice to see here at the 2011 Summerslam, that he`s not forgotten even though the WWE hadn`t talked about him barely in 17 years.

 

CM Punk only got a two. Punk then turned in by a cradle but he kicks out.

Cena beginning to fight back but a high knee by Punk.

Another GTS!
Cena put his foot on the rope.

Punk wins despite that!

HHH raises his hand despite Punk not wantng to shake his hand.
Kevin Nash runs out and hit the Jackknife on Punk. HHH comes down to the ring asking what was up?
 
In the end at 24:12 CM Punk became the Undisputed Champ, the Champion of the two WWE Champion`s.
 
This match was another classic between the two. Great stuff.

It was everything it had to be.

 
 
 

 

****
 
 

 
 
 
7) Surprise Co-Main Event- CM Punk (c) vs Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship (MITB Cash In)
 
 
After Punk had become the NEW Undisputed Champ, Kevin Nash comes out for the first time since the Rumble and leaves Punk laying there after he hits his bomb.

 

 

All of the sudden Alberto Del Rio came to the ring to cash in his Money in the Bank so soon.

 
At 0:08 Alberto Del Rio covered Punk and got the win after he levelled Punk.

 

 

 

 
This whole cashing it in thing is getting redundant. Something that`s done for shock factor gets boring if it keeps getting done. I am not positive but every Money in the Bank winner outside of Kennedy who was unable to keep the case has won the title when cashing in.

I will no longer rate the cashing in process when it comes to star ratings.

Those who read my reviews know I hate how all these young up and comers are getting the World title. The Miz. Swagger. Sheamus. Del Rio.

In time maybe it`d be ine but yeah, it bugs me. Not a bad show though as it was saved by the REAL two main events.
 

 

 

 

No Rating
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—————————————————————————-
 
 

 

 Final Rating for WWE Summer Slam 2011 = 8.5/10
  
 

 

 
This show was actually a very good Summerslam to say the least. Perhaps the best one of the past decade, or one of them since the top one in 2002. So many tremendous matches, a surprise ending, and three matches at four stars. A SummerSlam to own for sure. This was one of the best PPV events in a very long time when you look at match quality. I enjoyed it and you should own it. A welcome addition to my large collection.