A – Excellent
B – Good
C – Mediocre
D – Avoid
Release Date: October 28th 2013
Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk
Price:
DVD £ 12.99
Blu-ray £ 13.99
(Prices from www.wwedvd.co.uk: high street prices will vary)
Format Reviewed:
DVD
(Also Available on Blu-ray)
What It’s About:
WWE’s
26th annual SummerSlam event held on August 18th from the Staples Centre in Los
Angeles, California. Featuring ‘The Best’ vs ‘The Beast’ pitting C.M Punk vs
Brock Lesnar and the WWE Championship Match which sees John Cena defend against
Daniel Bryan. The event also includes the much talked about Randy Orton and
Triple H heel turn.
Strengths:
Beginning
with the best match on the card, C.M Punk vs Brock Lesnar is a stunning bout
which is by far WWE’s best match of the year so far, surpassing C.M Punk vs The
Undertaker (WrestleMania 29) and Triple H vs Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2013).
This match, unlike most this year has that big match atmosphere and big fight
feel before it even begins, even more so than Daniel Bryan vs John Cena. The
beginning of the match is hard hitting and totally gripping, the fact that it
never lets the audience go and wrings every last drop of emotion out of the
watching crowd is a credit to both men. Brock Lesnar plays the part of the
monster to perfection, showcasing his sheer power over Punk, by throwing ‘The
Second City Saviour’ around ringside including an impressive haul over the
announce table which Punk almost clears without touching. When Punk finally
gains control, Lesnar once again asserts his dominance with a great looking
shoulder block into the steps and Punk. Punk’s flying clothesline off of the
announce desk is very fine and everything Brock Lesnar does, gets a reaction
from the partisan Punk crowd. What the brawl generates into is a tense and very
believable fight, which Lesnar dominates not just with hardcore strikes but
also some distinguished belly to belly suplex’s – which on the outside of the
ring look immense. I fear that C.M Punk’s selling is getting worse as he almost
leaps up from the belly to belly to pepper Lesnar with kicks and the final F5
isn’t sold for nearly long enough – but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. From
what has been described so far, you may think this is just a hardcore brawl but
you’d be wrong. After the weapons and aggression have taken their toll, to
their credit, Punk and Lesnar turn the match into a high stakes technical brawl
before the final flurry of hardcore action, boasting reversals galore. Lesnar
reverses a running knee into an F5 attempt in a great looking exchange and a
GTS attempt into a seamless Kimura Lock which brings a wholly gripping
submission endeavour. Punk reverses the Kimura Lock into a Triangle Choke hold
or Hell’s Gate if you’re an Undertaker fan, which brings Brock Lesnar’s selling
powers into play as he teases a tap out in one of the best moments of the
entire match. By this time the “This is Awesome” chants the crowd are bestowing
on the pair are richly deserved. At ringside, Paul Heyman is the marvel he
usually is and when he interjects himself in the match it adds another layer of
emotional depth to the affray. Lesnar and Punk sell amicably for each other and
the nail-biting near falls towards the end are simply sublime. The last five
minutes of the match are completely faultless, as Punk reverses an F5 into a
DDT in the best move of the match – and it has a lot of competition – and
Lesnar’s sickening chair shots in the vein of Austin on The Rock at
WrestleMania 17 are a wonderful star builder as they basically tell the
audience that Lesnar could only beat Punk by battering him into a
semi-unconscious state. A first class match which has to be match of the year.
Punk and Lesnar do more for each other here than anyone has done for them in a
very long time.
A
wonderful surprise for second best match on the card is the WWE Championship
Match between John Cena and Daniel Bryan. Just a short note before we get into
the match. The video package shown before the bout compiles Vince McMahon
criticising Daniel Bryan for his look and that he doesn’t want Bryan to be WWE
Champion for various reasons. When WWE wrote this angle for Raw, they really
should have thought about what lasting effect it would have on the World
Heavyweight Championship. McMahon makes the WWE Championship sound like the
only important top tier title in the company – which it is to him but he
doesn’t have to let us know it – when you realise that McMahon had no problem
with allowing Bryan to hold the World Heavyweight Championship, but he does the
WWE Championship. Thankfully though, that is a distant memory once the bell
rings and yes my friends, I credit John Cena here for putting on a hell of a
show. His selling and wrestling skills still are iffy but for once, it doesn’t
matter. John Cena knows this is the beginning of something huge for Daniel
Bryan and he acts and wrestles accordingly. For that, John Cena deserves all
the credit in the world. It’s clear by the end of the match that John Cena can
do it when he wants to and this is the Cena we want to see more of in the ring.
The leader of the Cenation hits a lovely and striking bridge hop which is only
usually done by luchadores and his suplex off of the steel steps is top class
all the way. The “You still suck chants” afterwards are very funny. On top of
that, Cena nails Bryan with an accomplished sit down Powerbomb which is
faultless. There are no childish smirks here, it’s all business. Though not all
of Cena’s offence is good, the big moves which matter are done to perfection.
Daniel Bryan – the WWE Champion elect just goes and goes and goes without any
sign of tiring. This is a man WWE want to keep on top; his main event output is
simply unmatched. Bryan is technically brilliant here and you won’t find
anything out of place or executed wrong. Reversing an Attitude Adjustment into
a Yes Lock is brilliantly done and if wrestling moves were chocolate; his
spider suplex from the top rope would melt in the mouth. As both men sell the
others offence which is believable, Cena counters a suicide dive with a
shoulder block from the floor to the apron in another good move and nails his
flying leg drop on target. The only slip Cena has in the match is when he
nearly breaks Daniel Bryan’s neck countering a hurricanrana. When Cena has him
held upside down he drops to his feet from the top and Bryan lands on his head
in a cringe worthy moment. This match is everything it should have been and
both men deserve every praise. Cena fans can be proud of this one. The ending,
portraying Cena as the never say die Champion and Bryan as the determined
challenger who had worked his whole life for this one night is perfectly gotten
over. Neither will quit and the audience recognise that this is something
special. The final running knee which finishes off Cena is perfectly timed and
sold by the Champion and the ending is a good old fashioned, clean finish which
furthers Bryan’s career. Yes, you heard it here first. John Cena actually
helped make someone. The handshake at the end of the match is a nice touch and
Randy Orton’s last minute crashing of the party gets a massive reaction as it
looks like the show will end on Daniel Bryan’s victory. Triple H’s heel turn on
Bryan is superbly done and Orton’s WWE Championship victory garners another approval
from the crowd. Excellent.
Alberto
Del Rio vs Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship is yet another
great effort by both men, though it can’t match Del Rio’s matches with Dolph
Ziggler for emotion. At the beginning of the match, Michael Cole comments on
Alberto Del Rio’s black eye, crediting Christian with the assist. This isn’t
true. Alberto Del Rio was beaten up in a bar days before SummerSlam and after
the pre-SummerSlam Smackdown taping (which is done on a Tuesday) – some
swelling is still visible on his face – whilst intoxicated, like Shawn Michaels
was in the 90’s. However Shawn Michaels managed to fight off his attackers in
the 90’s. Alberto Del Rio took a beating. The first notable piece of action in
this is a running inzaguri on Christian who is sitting on the top rope with his
back to the ring. That gets the crowd hot and they never die away. Del Rio
cements his World Heavyweight Championship reign with a great outing here,
including a double stomp from the top rope whilst Christian is leaning across
the middle rope. Christian nails an exciting cross body block from the top rope
to the outside which is added to by Del Rio when he nails a backstabber out of
Christian’s sun set flip in what proves to be one of the best moves of the
match. Christian does manage to finally hit the move from the top rope and his
performance here is also brilliant, building into a wonderful finale. If this
is Christian’s last shot at the gold as the announcers wanted us to believe
then he put on a hell of show.
Dolph
Ziggler and Kaitlyn vs A.J Lee and Big E. Langston is another surprisingly good
match. Ziggler – who gets a thunderous ovation - was included here purely to
get the best out of the stiff Langston and that he does. Because for the first
time in his career, Langston looks like a star and cements this with some very
good moves, executed to perfection. A.J and Kaitlyn share some great moves and
reversals and its clear that A.J has come into her own as a singles performer.
The star of this match though is clearly Dolph Ziggler who sells for Langston
and then hits his stride with some superb moves, including a pitch perfect
dropkick. The end of the match sees Kaitlyn hit a forceful spear on A.J at
ringside whilst Ziggler reverses a powerslam into the Zig Zag for the victory.
Very good indeed.
The
Miz – who is the official SummerSlam host, yes, that’s the best they can find
for him – provides the laughs with Fandango throughout the show. Beginning at
the opening of SummerSlam, Miz is interrupted by Fandango and Summer Rae on the
stage who dance in front of him. The skit then goes backstage and Fandango and
his gorgeous dance partner interrupt The Miz who is trying to interview Maria
Menounos – who doesn’t get the jeers she would have surely expected after the
Hall of Fame 2013 ceremony. The segment ends with Miz trying to one-up Fandango
and dancing with Menounos. The final segment in their little story comes when
Miz nails Fandango to much applause from the audience. Each segment is short,
but provides some much needed comic relief.
Jo-Jo
sings a perfect rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’ which is a relief. Those
with long enough memories will remember we have had some disasters of that song
in the past. Kim Kardashian at WrestleMania comes to mind. What a mess that
was. Thankfully though Jo-Jo nails it and it only adds to the spectacle.
The
SummerSlam entrance video is reminiscent of an 80’s American cop show. It’s
very well put together and credit goes to whoever complied it.
Weaknesses:
Kane
vs Bray Wyatt in the Ring of Fire Match is a tedious affair. Basically an
Inferno Match without the stipulation of having to set your opponent on fire to
gain the victory, Kane and Wyatt plod through some boring exchanges which do
not live up the hype with which WWE pushed the Wyatt Family before their WWE
debut. The trio get a massive ovation when their eerie entrance video proclaims
“We’re here” and their entrance is genuinely unsettling. Sadly, that is the
best part of the match and the flames get a bigger reaction than the wrestlers.
The flames which surround the ring limit what both can do with the time
allocated to them. It’s standard at best. Fans chant for Undertaker when Luke
and Rowan find a way to interject in the match – if only he was there. The
absolute worst of the absurdity here is when Wyatt has pinned Kane and Luke and
Rowan drag Kane up the aisle and lay him on the awaiting steps, proceeding to
supposedly smash him in the head with the smaller portion of the stairs. The
problem with this is that the pair uses the ‘V’ section of the stairs on Kane
and it clearly doesn’t get anywhere near Kane’s head. As the Wyatt’s are
dragging Kane away the announcers proclaim “Where are they taking him?” The
answer to that is to the set of See No Evil 2. Even more bizarre, of all the
friends Kane must have in the locker room – not one comes to his rescue.
Damien
Sandow vs Cody Rhodes is yet another disappointing effort for two men who
should be putting on main event level matches. There are some good moments in
the second match of the night. Damien Sandow executes an imposing leg sweep on
the apron and then applies an unspoiled reverse Sharpshooter which looks great
and Cody Rhodes pulls out the Muscle Buster – how WWE have been sued for
gimmick infringement by TNA by now is anyone’s guess – and an awe inspiring
springboard dropkick. But that is the limit of excitement here and it’s such a
let down when we know both men are capable of much more. When the match ends,
you’re still waiting for it to warm up to the main event calibre effort
everyone is waiting for. It’s worrying that Damien Sandow is beaten far too
easily for someone who is holding a Money in the Bank Contract and isn’t
permitted to kick out of one finishing move.
Natalya
vs Brie Bella is a dreary slog through the usual Bella routine, so much so that
the audience amuse themselves chanting the names of JBL, Michael Cole and Jerry
Lawler who lap up the attention. When the fans have done with them they chant
“We want Ryder, Woooo –Woooo – Woooo!” That’s how little they cared about what
was happening in the ring. Natalya looks dragged down by the inability of Brie
Bella who applies the same submission hold three times even though it bored the
fans the first time around and the woman who is supposedly engaged to Daniel Bryan
is so slow between moves its painful to watch. WWE really do need to think
again when pushing the Bella’s as in ring talent.
WWE
should have stopped Shawn Michaels appearing on the SummerSlam panel with that
beard. It’s horrendous. It also contradicts everything WWE had done with Daniel
Bryan and criticising his appearance in the weeks leading up to SummerSlam. WWE
really shot themselves in the foot with this one.
The
one and only DVD extra is the Pre-Show Match between Rob Van Dam and Dean
Ambrose. On the night, the match was a very good effort form the pair and
deserved to be on the main show. However, for whatever reason, WWE have cut the
13 minute match down to just five minutes on the release which isn’t good
enough. The only time we get to see these matches are either on the internet
and if your connection isn’t that good then you have to wait until the DVD or
Blu-ray is released. It’s no good cutting the match by more than half when you
do include it on a release. Entering the match with only 5 minutes left to go,
Van Dam and Ambrose still put on a good show, but it’s unforgivable that WWE
would only include a small portion of it.
DVD and Blu-ray Special
Features:
Pre-Show Match
WWE United States
Championship Match
Dean
Ambrose vs Rob Van Dam
Blu-ray Exclusive
Extras:
Monday Night Raw –
August 12th 2013
Daniel
Bryan vs Wade Barrett
Randy
Orton vs Damien Sandow
Mr.
McMahon Picks a Special Referee for SummerSlam
Miz
TV with John Cena and Daniel Bryan
C.M Punk vs Paul Heyman
Smackdown
– August 16th 2013
Bray
Wyatt Tells a Story About Kane
Daniel
Bryan vs Wade Barrett – No Disqualification Match
Conclusion:
Whilst
many called SummerSlam 2013 the best SummerSlam of all time, there are
arguments that state it falls short of that claim. But like everything else in
this industry, it depends on your taste and opinion. Everyone’s is different.
There is no denying that this is an essential purchase for die hard fans just
to see Daniel Bryan vs John Cena and C.M Punk vs Brock Lesnar, however the casual
buyer of WWE releases may want to wait until this is knocked down to £5.99 as
only Alberto Del Rio vs Christian is the other match worth witnessing.
There’s
a special feeling about purchasing a WWE pay-per view on DVD or Blu-ray. It
makes you feel like you’re part of history. And speaking as someone who owns
every WWE pay-per view and release from 2000 onwards as well as the previously
released ‘Tagged Classics’ from former WWE licensee Silvervision, which means I
own almost every WWE event from 1985 onwards, I know how important these
releases are to a collection and the WWE Universe.
If
you’re a completionist who simply must have every event in your collection then
what are you waiting for? If you’re someone who prefers to wait to spend their
money on a pay-per view which is strong at both bottom at top or just want the
better matches alone then you can wait until the ‘Best PPV Matches of 2013’
which will surely have both matches included amongst its running order. In the
end, there are better pay-per views than SummerSlam 2013 but there are also
worse.
Rating: B
Next Time in Review
Corner: WWE Straight to the Top – The Money in
the Bank Ladder Match Anthology DVD and Blu-ray
Onwards
and upwards...
