The Case
WWE: SummerSlam 2009 is wrestling's biggest pay-per-view event each
summer, and this year, the show descended on Los Angeles. Here's the complete
lineup:
• Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler in an Intercontinental
Championship Match
Opening this year's WWE: SummerSlam are Rey
Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler, who both deliver a surprisingly solid opener with
this title match. Clocking in at 12 minutes, it's also a long enough matchup,
giving both wrestlers plenty of opportunities to show off their skills and fire
up the audience with a variety of high-risk maneuvers and a whole bunch of
counter moves. For a PPV opening battle, this one delivers the goods, which is
exactly what WWE fans expect from such an event.
• MVP vs. Jack Swagger
At 7 minutes, the match between MVP
and Swagger is shorter and less energetic than its predecessor. That said, this
is by no means a disappointment. The action between the two WWE stars slows down
a bit here and there, but all in all, they offer a clean, well-coordinated show
stuffed with enough powerful moves. This is one of those matches that are quite
enjoyable to watch but still end up being forgettable in the end. Nevertheless,
we're off to a solid start.
• Chris Jericho & Big Show vs. Cryme Tyme in a Unified Tag
Team Title Match
One thing is for certain: all four athletes approach this
title match with the right attitude. Big Show looks a little out of place at
times, but other than that, he and his partner put on a decent show against the
vibrant Cryme Tyme team. Both teams execute a variety of different maneuvers.
While some are interesting, others fail to impress. A poor ending damages this
otherwise fast-paced battle.
• Kane vs. Great Khali
It had to happen. While the past
three matches promised a really good show, this 6-minute battle between Kane and
Great Khali is pretty lame. Khali's enormous size and weight slow him down most
of the time, which obviously slows down most of the action inside the ring.
Sure, both men deliver a variety of very powerful punches, but none of it is
amusing enough to watch for more than a minute or two. They just should've had
Kane wrestle someone else; that would've worked way better in this context.
• D-Generation X vs. Legacy
No title is on the line in this
tag team match, and that's just fine. Followed by a superb entrance by DX, this
18-minute fight really gets the crowd going. Even though Triple H and Shawn
Michaels are the more experienced wrestlers, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
successfully contribute to what is a well-coordinated, entertaining fight filled
with powerful, high-risk maneuvers and some interesting team action. I wouldn't
count this one among the best tag team matches I've seen at PPVs this year, but
it's anything but dull. Good match.
• Christian vs. William Regal in a ECW Championship Match
Ah! The WWE writers sure know how to slow things down during a pay-per-view by
totally messing up at least one match. Sadly enough, they decided to sacrifice
the ECW Championship match this time. The matchup between Christian and Regal
lasts for only 10 seconds, and not one of them is worth it. Enough said.
• Randy Orton vs. John Cena in a WWE Championship Match
Drawing closer to our main event, it's time for Orton and Cena to face off for
the WWE title, and to be honest with you, this one failed to win me over. I
wouldn't call it a boring matchup, but the several twists the show's writer
decided to include just feel out of place. Orton and Cena are both flexible
athletes with the necessary power to battle for a while, but somehow, this
21-minute faceoff doesn't really give them the chance to make complete use of
their skills. It's ridiculous.
• Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk in a TLC Match for the World Heavyweight
Championship
Luckily, the 20-minute main event rocks, with Punk and Hardy
giving it their best to impress viewers via a selection of crazy moves using
tables, chairs, and ladders. Both men really seem to push their own boundaries
at times, and that's exactly what makes this hardcore battle so engaging. The
high-risk maneuvers look impressive, and all the hits with chairs and ladders
add to the match's dramatic value. Plus, you'll get to see Hardy pull off a
totally insane dive that easily turns this one into the highlight of the entire
PPV. It's without a doubt a strong way to finish a decent show.
WWE: SummerSlam 2009 is presented in full frame, and I have no
complaints when it comes to the quality of both picture and sound. It looks and
sounds good.
The bonus material on the disc includes a short clip taken from a 15-Diva
Battle Royal match recorded before the live broadcast of the PPV. It's too bad
they didn't include the entire match, because watching a brief recap of it is
pretty much a waste of time. My suggestion to the WWE: beef up these special
features or just drop them all together.
WWE: SummerSlam 2009 is undoubtedly one of the better WWE
pay-per-views this year. Despite three forgettable matches, it still offers some
great wrestling action.
