WWE SummerSlam 2009
With it being SummerSlam month for wrestling fans despite the current event having already taken place, it is time to look at the event in which WWE presented for its 22nd incarnation a decade ago. Taking place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California the PPV was coming off a period for WWE in which the company was finally starting to adapt into the PG mould (SummerSlam 2008 was the first PPV to be PG), as well as rebound off a poorly receptive Wrestlemania which was rescued by the classic Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels match.
The focus going into this PPV surrounded three matches, the first of these being John Cena vs Randy Orton for the WWE Championship with the match still being new to audiences with the two having not faced on PPV since February 2008 in singles competition. The other focus on the show surrounded the return of DX as they would square off against Legacy as well as the continuation of Jeff Hardy’s fairy tale story against CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in a TLC match.
On the pre-show for this card, a Divas battle royal would take place with Chavo Guerrero as the special guest referee, Beth Phoenix would win.
In the video package for the show officially starting, DX would interfere and “Break” the feed for the show. Despite the technical issue this would not stop DX joking about in the package making Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes (fine with the name here) lovers before the feed would be “fixed”.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Rey Mysterio (C) vs. Dolph Ziggler
Following Rey Mysterio’s victorious feud over Chris Jericho over the spring of 2009 the next challenge would come from number one contender Dolph Ziggler who beat Finlay, R-Truth and Mike Knox for the opportunity. This would be the second opportunity for Ziggler after losing his first on a previous Smackdown. The challenger would start the match in a dominant fashion with a power game strategy keeping Mysterio in the corner and hitting a snap powerslam for a two count before Rey would counter the control with a headscissors to the outside. A second hurricanrana by the Champion would be countered into a bucklebomb grounding Mysterio. The challenger followed this up with a fireman’s carry gut buster and sleeper before a seated senton would put the ‘Master of the 619’ back in control. A new Intercontinental Champion would nearly be crowned following a 619 counter into a Famouser before a successful 619 had Ziggler rollup Mysterio for another close fall. The finish of the match sees Ziggler attempt a second rope gut buster but be countered into a hurricanrana for the win.
Josh Matthews interviews Jack Swagger and MVP over their match next week and the “Culture clash” the two have. Swagger claims that’s “Too political” and that the difference is he’s a future WWE Champion and MVP is an ex-con who has “Some talent”. MVP claims Swagger is in for a “Brutal lesson in reality”.
Jack Swagger vs. MVP
With both competitors having just moved to the RAW brand this was a showcase match for both. The former US Champion took control early on connecting with a sidewalk slam before a suicide dive onto the former NCAA wrestler. This would change rather quickly with Swagger targeting the lower back of MVP with an abdominal stretch and camel clutch which MVP would counter into an electric chair drop. MVP would attempt a playmaker which would be countered before a failed Swagger bomb gave Montel Vontavious Porter a second opportunity to hit the playmaker and win the match giving MVP needed momentum.
RAW hosts are shown from the past 6 weeks including the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Freddie Prinze Jr. This would lead to Nancy O’Dell interviewing Freddie Prinze Jr over being attacked by Randy Orton, the actor would claim he’s not going to be getting in the ring and that he’s fully supporting John Cena tonight.
WWE Unified Tag Team Championship Match
Jeri-Show (C) vs. Cryme Tyme
This would be the first PPV Title defence for Jeri-Show following Edge’s injury at a house show forcing a vacation of his half of the tag titles won at The Bash to go to Big Show. Before the match began, Jericho would cut a promo calling the celebrities at the show “Hypocrites and Parasites” and that they are above that.
JTG and Jericho started the match off with the challenger in control after a springboard uppercut and blockbuster combination before Jericho attempted a Walls of Jericho. Once tagged, Big Show dominated over the smaller member of Cryme Tyme with a massive chop before Shad would be tagged in laying into the Big Show and gorilla pressing Jericho before a spear by the ‘World’s largest Athlete’. JTG would get the hot tag after a Shad tilt a whirl powerslam before nearly winning with a sling blade and rollup. The finish saw JTG escape the Walls of Jericho only to be hit with the KO punch for another Title retention.
Josh Matthews interviews CM Punk over the Main Event for later tonight, Punk instead focused on a Jeff Hardy screenplay where Hardy overcomes the odds and defeats Punk. The former 2x World Heavyweight Champion called it “Unrealistic” and an “Epidemic” in which he is the cure for the “Poison society” and that the Main Event will have a happy ending with a new World Heavyweight Champion.
Kane vs. The Great Khali
In a Wrestlemania 23 rematch, it’s a battle of the giants with Khali wanting revenge on Kane for attacking his interpreter Ranjin Singh three weeks prior. The match would start with Kane trying to take the bigger opponent down (a rarity to say), before a failed chokeslam attempt. The Punjab native delivered an elbow drop to Kane before chopping the chest in the corner. Great Khali nearly won with a head chop before Kane brought in Singh as a distraction to hit a running DDT for the win.
D-Generation X vs. Legacy
The build to this SummerSlam 2009 match is through Legacy costing Triple H the WWE Championship and Hunter needing a partner for revenge. This would lead to the return of D-Generation X with Shawn returning following his loss at Wrestlemania 25 to The Undertaker. Legacy on the go-home show would lay out DX accepting the challenge for tonight’s show. DX would get a special entrance involving pyro, army car and a tank showing the significance of the return of the two megastars together. Triple H would cut a promo telling the fans it’s been a long time coming and the all-important question of “Are you ready?” before declaring war on Legacy.
Triple H and Ted Dibiase started the match with the 13 time World Champion in control delivering a knee drop for a two count. Cody would start to play mind games on Shawn slapping the Heartbreak Kid twice with Shawn returning the favour. Legacy would start to gain control over Shawn Michaels with frequent tags and pins as well as targeting the back of Michaels. This led to Triple H entering the frame who dominated until referee Charles Robinson missed a low blow giving Legacy control again in the match. This would lead to a longer spell of Legacy dominance over Triple H with Michaels just missing the tag multiple times. Once Shawn Michaels got the tag the Heartbreak Kid took control until Dibiase and Triple H interference. The finish saw Cody miss an elbow drop but connect with a cross Rhodes for a two count, following a million dollar drop and Pedigree which took out HHH and Dibiase, Michaels would hit a desperation sweet chin music for the win. A big win, then, and a strong match to stand out at SummerSlam 2009.
ECW Championship Match
Christian (C) vs. William Regal
On paper heading into SummerSlam 2009, this match had a lot of potential, in reality it was over in a matter of seconds as Christian copied his old partner Edge in being opportunistic connecting with a Killswitch whilst the challenger was taking off his robe to retain the Championship. Post-match, Regal and his henchmen Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson laid out Christian making sure that the result tonight was not the end of the Champion’s troubles.
WWE Championship Match
Randy Orton (C) vs. John Cena
Two of the biggest names in recent WWE history go head to head at SummerSlam 2009 at the start of their consecutive PPV series for the WWE Championship throughout 2009. Additionally, SummerSlam 2009 is the two year anniversary of their first singles encounter in which Cena retained the WWE Championship. Orton in this match is looking to retain his 4th World Championship reign and Cena is looking for his 6th World Title reign.
Orton started the match in control with the WWE Champion pummelling Cena in the corner and targeting the head for the RKO. This would lead to the commentary focusing on how “Calculated” Randy Orton is with his ground game especially after a high knee drop garnered a 2 count. Following a certain amount of momentum from Cena after breaking out of a sleeper hold the challenger connected with a five knuckle shuffle before an AA was countered into a powerslam. The rest of this match saw both competitors figure each other out and focused more on countering, Orton hitting the second rope DDT led to a Punt opportunity which was countered leading to a second rope leg drop. The finish of the match saw Cena gaining momentum before Orton pushed the referee causing a DQ and a Title retention.
That would only be until Mr McMahon through Lilian Garcia restarted the match and adding the stipulation that a DQ loss for Orton would lead to Cena winning the WWE Championship. After the restart, Orton would take control of the match again throwing Cena into the steel steps and attempting a count out loss. This would lead to another restart with a count out giving Cena the WWE Championship again.
The third part of this match saw Cena and Orton attempt finishers with Orton using the ropes after a schoolboy to get the pinfall. This led to a second referee appearing restarting the match for its fourth incarnation where Cena locked the STF in straight away before a “fan” jumped the referee giving Orton the opportunity to hit 2 RKO’s and retain the WWE Championship.
World Heavyweight Championship Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match
Jeff Hardy (C) vs. CM Punk
It was now time for the main event of SummerSlam 2009, which is following on the continuation of the Jeff Hardy story after winning his third Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions against CM Punk. Punk claimed the fans like Jeff are “Weak” and need a strong World Champion with the TLC stipulation added in as Jeff’s speciality. The promo package ended with Punk claiming to get respect he has to “End Jeff Hardy”. Both of these Main Eventers have previous ladder experience with Hardy having classics at Mania 2000 and 17 whilst Punk is a 2 time MitB winner.
CM Punk gained the advantage early on attacking Hardy in the corner before using a steel chair on the outside, an attempt at the Gold gave Jeff time to get back in and hit a ‘Hardiac arrest’. Punk gained another advantage following a back drop onto a steel chair and dropkick from the corner, this momentum swung again after Punk missed a chair shot hitting the ring post giving Jeff the chance to jump on Punk bringing in the table. Hardy jumped off the top rope mission Punk and going through the table. The challenger’s attempt at the Gold ended in failure following a sunset flip off the ladder by the ‘Charismatic Enigma’.
The latter half of the SummerSlam 2009 main event saw some huge moments for both competitors with Punk hitting a superplex onto a ladder whilst Hardy hit a Twist of Fate before failing with a Swanton bomb. The challenger attempted a bulldog before the World Heavyweight Champion threw the former ECW Champion into a table. After multiple chair shots, Hardy laid Punk out on the Spanish announce table before climbing up a 20 foot ladder. The World Heavyweight Champion hit a Swanton bomb from the top connecting with Punk and bringing medics to the match, Hardy would be brought a stretcher but denied it to stop Punk regaining the Championship. The finish saw both competitors at the top of the ladder with Punk knocking Hardy off the top of the ladder to retain the Heavyweight Championship for the third time.
Post-match, Punk celebrated over the carcass of Jeff Hardy before *DONG* The Undertaker made an appearance replacing the body of Jeff Hardy and chokeslamming CM Punk. This would be the first appearance of The Undertaker on PPV since Wrestlemania 25 with the Phenom’s eyes on Championship gold. That would make for a dramatic end to SummerSlam 2009.
Overall, WWE SummerSlam 2009 was an enjoyable show with the opener and main event being the best matches on the card and thus highly recommended. The other 2 main events delivered for beginning of feuds heading into the autumn whilst the return of The Undertaker finishing the show on Jeff Hardy’s last PPV for WWE in over 8 years was a shocking moment.
