![In tonight's main event Chris Jericho battles Erick Rowan in a match with major implications that could greatly affect his SummerSlam match with Bray Wyatt. [Photo Courtesy of WWE.com]](http://placetobenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SD_780_Photo_176.jpg)
August 1, 2014
Corpus Christi, TX
American Bank Center Arena
The current WWE champs are as follows:
WWE World Heavyweight Champion: John Cena (6/29/2014)
WWE Intercontinental Champion: The Miz (7/20/2014)
WWE U.S. Champion: Sheamus (5/5/2014)
WWE Divas Champion: AJ Lee (6/30/2014)
WWE Tag Team Champions: The Usos (3/3/2014)
Your hosts are Michael Cole and JBL.
– Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Colter) vs. Cesaro
They seem to be putting all their eggs into the Swagger basket right now. Cesaro had an answer for most everything Swagger tried here. He thwarts the Swagger Bomb and dumps Swagger out to the floor to take us into commercial. When we come back, Swagger avoids the superplex, but flies down into a Very European Uppercut. That gets two. Swagger catches Cesaro for a powerslam and finally connects with the Swagger Bomb for two. Butterfly powerbomb by Cesaro gets two. Instead of capitalizing, Cesaro mouths off at his former mentor Zeb Colter. Swagger regains his composure and catches a boot for the Patriot Lock to get the tapout. (6:00 shown) Yes, Jack Swagger just defeated Cesaro. Luckily, we live in a day and age where wins and losses don’t seem to matter all that much. I don’t see the whole babyface American patriot thing working out for Swagger though once his feud with Rusev wraps up. In order for it to work, I believe they would have to tone down the patriotism similar to Jim Duggan and give him a personality people can get behind. Right now, he doesn’t really have a personality. He’s just a guy waving an American flag with a mouthpiece that spreads his jingoistic agenda to the rest of the world. If anything, Zeb Colter is Teddy Roosevelt and Jack Swagger is a flagpole. **
Anyways, Rusev and Lana come out to challenge Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter to a flag match at SummerSlam. I’m assuming it will just be one on one though.
Randy Orton comes out to vent about Roman Reigns costing him the WWE world title match at SummerSlam. We revisit Orton’s assault on Reigns from this past week on Raw. Speaking of challenges, Orton *dares* Roman Reigns to meet him at SummerSlam so he can inject him with venom and then watch him curl up in a tight little ball. Sounds kinky! Orton tells Roman that he can believe dat.
– Bo Dallas vs. R-Truth
I had the idea that Sami Zayn debut and upset Bo Dallas at SummerSlam. That feud is like an onion – it’s got layers. The guy to beat Bo Dallas for the first time should have been from NXT, correct? It gives the rub to the new guy, and actually engages Dallas into a feud with someone. R-Truth beating Bo Dallas is like Tatanka losing to Iron Mike Sharpe in 1994. Dallas has no answer for anything Truth dishes out and winds up getting himself DQ’ed by not breaking on the five-count while he’s beating the crap out of Truth in the corner. (1:30) Afterwards, Bo gets on the mic and tries to convince himself that the people still bo-lieve in him. He doesn’t appear very confident. ½*
– Non-title match: WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee vs. Rosa Mendes
Rosa keeps running her mouth and almost immediately gets put away with the Black Widow in 17 seconds. Afterwards, AJ Lee skips back to the stage and when she turns around to hold up her title, Paige runs out and shoves her off the stage. Paige begins to deny and condescends the entire situation while refs and trainers check on AJ. No rating. Weird how they book the Divas like children, right?
Backstage, Dean Ambrose hopes Kane has another mask because when he gets done with Seth Rollins’ face, he’s going to need one.
– Handicap Match: Seth Rollins & Kane vs. Dean Ambrose
Kane punches down Ambrose so that Rollins can come in and work on the wrapped shoulder. It’s one big mugging for a while here. Being the weaker of the two, Rollins is the guy who Ambrose gets the most hope spots on. Eventually, Ambrose clotheslines Rollins to the floor and pulls the rope down when Kane charges so he can hit them both with a suicide dive. Kane eats the steps to take him out for a while. Ambrose gets his hands on Rollins until Kane saves the day and throws Ambrose over on the timekeeper’s table. When Kane goes back in the ring to check on Rollins, Ambrose reappears with a chair to whack both Kane and Rollins for the DQ. (6:30) Ambrose has to DDT Kane on the chair to put him down, but that allows Rollins to scurry away. *½
In the back, Renee Young speaks with Chris Jericho about the stipulation in his match tonight with Erick Rowan. If he wins, Erick Rowan will be banned from ringside when Jericho faces Bray Wyatt at SummerSlam. He’s already beaten Bray Wyatt at Battleground without Rowan and Harper banned from ringside, so now he needs them to be banned from ringside to beat him again? I’ve already thrown up my hands at this feud.
The Dust Brothers act crazy somewhere. Goldust is wearing what I can only assume is his father’s cowboy hat.
– Fandango vs. Diego (w/El Torito, Layla, and Summer Rae)
Aren’t really Layla and Summer Rae the heels in this scenario? They are only hanging out with losers like Diego and El Torito because it pisses off Fandango. Cole and JBL have a weird exchange about kisses and bulls. Layla and Summer Rae dance with El Torito to distract Fandango enough to where Diego can nail him with the Backcracker for the win. (1:30) I mean really, when was the last (or first) time you cared about Los Matadores that would make Layla and Summer Rae want to hang out with one of them? ¾*
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio
IC champ Miz is on commentary. Just to point out what a difference a year makes, last year (June, to be precise) Del Rio and Ziggler were feuding over the World Title. Del Rio still had a manager/personal ring announcer and Dolph Ziggler had AJ Lee and Big E by his side. Miz gets up on the announce table and interrupts everything by giving us another one of his acceptance speeches. At least Ziggler doesn’t get pinned or something. Not like that finish hasn’t already been played out enough tonight. Dolph hits Del Rio with the Famouser and gets two. Miz then starts to thank Ziggler and then declares that Ziggler just isn’t as good as he is, which brings out Ziggler to punch Miz over the barricade. Back inside, Del Rio decks Ziggler with an enziguri kick and locks in the Cross Armbreaker for the tapout. (4:00) Dang, Del Rio looks like he’s got another black eye. He gets those more than anyone I’ve ever seen. And you know, I hate the Miz, and I would love to see Dolph Ziggler take that IC belt away from him, so they have ultimately achieved their goal. **
Video package airs concerning Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella. This past Wednesday, Michael Cole sat down with Brie Bella for a WWE.com interview. Brie says she doesn’t care what happens to her the day after SummerSlam because she knows if she beats Stephanie McMahon that Stephanie will always look back on that event and feel embarrassed and humiliated. I’m confused; so losing to you is an embarrassment?
Bray Wyatt preaches from his rocking chair in the ring with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan behind him. He wonders why Chris Jericho keeps coming back to WWE. Maybe it was because he knew Bray Wyatt would be waiting for him. Sister Abigail warned him about Jericho; that he would wear the mask of deception and shout from the mountaintops about how he would save us all. But Jericho lied, and now they see right through him. At SummerSlam, they will see their savior Bray Wyatt destroy the imposter Chris Jericho. He will save no one – especially himself. Great promo as always, but the man needs to win some matches now.
– Chris Jericho vs. Erick Rowan (w/Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper)
This feud rarely feels any different than the feud Bray just had with John Cena. If Jericho wins, Rowan will be BANNED from SummerSlam. Rowan throws Jericho around to start, but then Jericho fights back and dropkicks Rowan through the ropes. Harper trips up Jericho to get himself sent to the back. Commercials! When we come back, Rowan is still in control. Jericho fights away the Fallaway Slam and DDTs Rowan down for two. Missile dropkick by Jericho scores another nearfall. Rowan fires back with a spinning heel kick. Whoa. That gets two. Jericho lands a couple of kicks of his own and hits the Lionsault for 1-2-NO! Rowan runs down Jericho and calls for a Super Fallaway Slam. Jericho escapes and comes off the top, but flies down into a big boot. Cover, 1-2-NO! Rowan ragdolls Jericho, but Jericho slips away and delivers the Codebreaker out of nowhere for the win. (10:30 shown) Okay, so if Jericho beats Harper next week and he’s banned from ringside at SummerSlam, what does that mean if Bray pins Jericho? What does that mean to the group if Bray wins without his family? Conversely, what difference does it make if Jericho beats Bray again? Ahh, this is all too complicated. *½
Nevertheless, them’s the breaks. Until next week, so long for now.
