WWE SummerSlam 2019: Live results, highlights and grades

WWE’s second biggest show of the year arrives tonight, as SummerSlam takes place from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The show will feature a huge main event between Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins, and Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston. Who will walk out victorious?

WWE has long marketed SummerSlam as the biggest show of the year outside of WrestleMania and this year is no different. Booking issues leading into the show aside, this will still be a very eventful show. The main event will see Brock Lesnar defending his WWE Universal Championship against Seth Rollins in a rematch from WrestleMania.

We will also see Kofi Kingston take on Randy Orton in a feud that goes back years. Building upon Randy Orton yelling “Stupid! Stupid!” at Kofi years ago, this one is very personal. Out of many of the matches on the card, this is one that has been built very well. Kofi Kingston was never planned to be WWE Champion originally, but as he got over in his matches with Daniel Bryan, WWE just went with it.

It’s been a great success for WWE, in one of the few examples of where they listened to the fans, changed their mind, and ran with it. Kofi has been strongly booked since just before WrestleMania, rarely losing matches and maintaining his look of a real babyface. For once, WWE is doing something right with a babyface and it’s absolutely refreshing to see.

Kofi is easy to believe in and easy to cheer, so having Randy Orton play off their decade long feud is the perfect heel foil for him. While people might not be looking forward to this match as much, it has been perfectly booked to get there.

Stay tuned right here for all the live results and analysis once the show starts!

The Card (so far)

Drew Gulak (c) vs. Oney Lorcan – WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Trish Stratus vs. Charlotte Flair

AJ Styles (c) vs. Ricochet – WWE United States Championship

Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt

Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens – If Owens Loses He Quits WWE

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler

Bayley (c) vs. Ember Moon – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya – Submission Match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Randy Orton – WWE Championship

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Universal Championship

Notable by their absence on the card: Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura, Alexa Bliss, & Nikki Cross. Could we see them added last minute?

Oney Lorcan vs. Drew Gulak – WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Gulak started the match with some ground-based offence, and slammed Lorcan into the top rope. He landed right on his head on the mat, which looked awful. After an ad-break mid match for the Network I was watching this on, Lorcan managed to hit some hard strikes to get back into the match. He chopped the crap out of Drew on the outside a few times.

Lorcan rolled him into the ring, and Gulak just grabbed hi with the Skull End, but Lorcan got the ropes. Lorcan and Gulak exchanged attempts at suplexes and a fireman’s carry, but neither man could get ahead. Gulak and Lorcan crashed into each other and hit the mat. Lorcan got locked in the Skull End again, but Lorcan rolled through for a near fall.

Lorcan hit a series of hard uppercuts that got the crowd to react a little bit. Gulak elbowed Lorcan in the throat and hit the Cyclone Crash for the pinfall.

Result: Drew Gulak

Rating: **1/2 (2.5 stars)

This was fine, but the crowd didn’t care at all. If given more time and a better build it would have been fun. These guys not being on the main shows at all has really hurt them.

Apollo Crews vs. Buddy Murphy

Buddy Murphy started the match fast, kicking Crews right in the back of the head. He locked him up with a chin lock, but Crews managed to role Murphy out of it and then both men crashed into each other with a flying crossbody. Crews hit an enziguri and went for an Olympic slam, but Buddy rolled through with an armdrag.

Crews hit a powerslam into a Samoan Drop, but only got a two after a moonsault. Murphy hit a Cheeky Nandos kick and a knee, but Crews rolled him up. Crews sent Murphy to the floor and tried to moonsault off the apron, but Murphy moved and shoved Crews into the stairs after Crews landed on his feet. Murphy hit a tope con hilo but Erick Rowan ran in and beat up Murphy for the DQ.

Result: Buddy Murphy via DQ

Rating: ** (2 stars)

This would have been far better without the crap finish. Rowan taking revenge on Buddy Murphy made sense though. Corey Graves said that the incident with the forklift happened several weeks ago, but it was literally 2 weeks ago. Not several.

Edge’s music hit, and it was demonstrated that he is far more over than any of the current stars. Edge speared the crap out of Elias and left the ring. I thought Edge wasn’t cleared to do anything physical, let alone deliver a spear. This was good.

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Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

Bliss and Kay started the match, but it wasn’t long before Nikki Cross was tagged in. Corey Graves absolutely buried Alexa’s Toy Story inspired gear, and it was really grating. Peyton Royce did a very ugly roll up and ugly kick on Cross before the blind tag from Billie Kay. I don’t hate the IIconics, but to say that they’re good in the ring would be a lie.

Peyton is better than Billie, but both of them still seem very green. They were better in Shimmer, which I don’t quite understand. Kay got the heat on Cross here, raking at the eyes and locking on a chicken wing of sorts. Kay got a near fall and then tagged out to Royce.

Royce couldn’t get the pinfall on Bliss, so she threw a tantrum. This was no good.Bliss hit a big elbow and went for Twisted Bliss on Royce and got the pinfall victory.

Result: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross

Rating: ½* (0.5 stars)

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya – WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Lynch started the match beating on Nattie in the corner before hitting a Northern Light’s suplex. Becky tried to lock on an armbar, but Nattie got to the ropes and tried to powerbomb out of it. Becky countered into an Indian Deathlock, but it didn’t take long before the action spilled to the outside.Nattie sent Becky flying into the barricade and started to take it to Becky. Corey Graves said there was No DQ’s in a submission match. That is incorrect. There is. It’s the I Quit matches that have No DQ.

Nattie suplexed Becky into the ropes, and Becky landed right on her head. Given that she retired due to neck injuries years ago (but made a comeback) I don’t think it’s a good idea to do that to Becky.

Nattie locked on a Sharpshooter on the top turnbuckle, somehow. The official should break it due to rope breaks, but it seems that they agents that put the match together don’t know the difference between I Quit and Submission either. Both women spilled to the outside and Becky sent Nattie flying into the ring steps.

Nattie met Becky on the top rope and hit a big superplex. Nattie was up first, but it hurt the both of them. As Nattie went to pick up Becky, Becky kicked her in the face, but Nattie fired back, hit the ropes, and Becky managed to lock on the Sharpshooter on Nattie! Becky didn’t get the tapout, but Nattie managed to grab Becky and lock on the Dis-Arm-Her.

There was a roll through and Nattie managed to get Becky Lynch in the Sharpshooter! Becky found her way to the ropes and dragged herself to the outside of the ring. Becky countred another Sharpshooter attempt with a Dis-Arm-Her of her own! Nattie tapped out! Very solid match from both ladies here.

Result: Becky Lynch

Rating: ***1/4 (3.25 stars)

Trish was backstage and she cut a good promo about how she was going to beat Charlotte.

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler cut a promo before the match about how he’s the best thing that could happen to wrestling. Okay, Dolph.Goldberg came out and he crowd gave him a big pop, and the crowd chanted his name as the bell rang.

Goldberg got nailed with a superkick, but Goldberg kicked out at one. Dolph hit another one, but Goldberg kicked out again. Goldberg got up and speared the crap out of Dolph and called for the Jackhammer. Goldberg picked him up and nailed it for the pinfall.

Result: Goldberg

Rating ** (2 stars) (but it was a 5* squash)

Goldberg got a huge pop from the crowd, and they all roared after the spear. Goldberg is great. He is not the best worker in the world, but what he does, he does so well and has a real charisma to him.Dolph grabbed a mic and claimed it was like a baby hitting him. He said Goldberg doesn’t have the guts to fight him man to man. Didn’t he just do that Dolph?

Goldberg came back down to the ring and killed Dolph with another spear. Dolph grabbed a mic again, and Goldberg came back down and killed him with a third spear. This was great.

AJ Styles (c) w/ Gallows & Anderson vs. Ricochet – WWE United States Championship

Ricochet started the match by sending Styles to the floor and then running across the shoulders of Gallows and Anderson to deliver a hurricanrana on Styles. Back in the ring, Styles managed to turn it around and begin to work over the knee of Ricochet. Ricochet went for an enziguri, but AJ ducked and drove his knee into the mat.

Ricochet sold the knee for next few minutes as AJ worked over it. Ricochet managed to pull off a running shooting star press but did it on one leg when he jumped into the air. That was great. Ricochet went to the top rope, but AJ cut him off. In a spot that you don’t normally see, Ricochet countered the cut off with a sunset flip, but AJ kicked his knee after rolling through.Styles hit a baseball slide dropkick to send Ricochet to the floor.

Styles called for the Styles Clash back in the ring, but AJ Ricochet flipped out of it, tweaking his knee. AJ hit the ushigoroshi for a pinfall attempt, but Ricochet kicked out. Styles launched in from the apron, but Ricochet hit an elbow. Ricochet tried to hit a rolling move from the corner, but his knee gave out.

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Ricochet still managed to hit an enziguri, but Styles kicked out. Styles managed to lock on the Calf Crusher, but Ricochet powered out and locked on an Anaconda Vice. Ricochet hit a twisting vertical suplex, but AJ kicked out. Ricochet pulled AJ to the corner and tried to climb the ropes, but Anderson and Gallows came over.

Ricochet took them out with a kick and moonsault respectively.Ricochet went to the top rope, but AJ cut him off. Ricochet went for a Phoenix Splash, but AJ caught him in midair and hit the Styles Clash for the pinfall victory!

Result: AJ Styles

Rating **** (4 stars)

This was excellent, but the heat seemed off for the match. The fans never quite got into it as much as I expected, but the action was fantastic. An awesome finish that we saw AJ use in NJPW with Kota Ibushi. Great stuff.Styles had Gallows and Anderson attack with a Magic Killer on Ricochet after the match.

Bayley (c) vs. Ember Moon – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

The match started with Ember trying to work faster than Bayley while Bayley tried to out wrestle her. Bayley ran to the corner and then Ember did a handspring clothesline. That was great.I experienced a massive computer freeze here, so I wasn’t able to finish my notes on the Bayley and Ember Moon match.

Bayley got the win with a great Bayley to Belly off the top rope.

Result: Bayley

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Shane McMahon w/ Elias vs. Kevin Owens

Tom Phillips said that if Shane won this match, he would no longer be bothered by Shane McMahon. This made it sound like Owens was an annoying heel. My roommate, who doesn’t watch wrestling, thought that KO was a heel. That proved my point right there. WWE is horrible at telling us who the heels and babyfaces are.

It was also troublesome that Tom Phillips was told to put over how great Shane is in the ring. He’s the heel. He’s not supposed to be great. Even in WCW they would have Tony Schiavone talking about how horrible the non-wrestler was.

Owens eventually took out the ref and Elias when he did a cannonball off the apron on to both of them.KO grabbed a chair and beat the heck out of Elias with it before throwing him into the timekeeper’s area. Why do they have a timekeeper’s area if there are no time limits in WWE matches anymore?

Maybe it’s an unstated rule? Owens went back into the ring with a chair, but the other referee was up and told him not to do it. Owens handed the chair to the referee then low blowed Shane and hit a stunner for the pinfall.

Result: Kevin Owens

Rating: ** (2 stars)

The commentary was horrendous during this match, making Shane seem like he was a legit wrestler, when in reality, he wasn’t supposed to be taken seriously. One can do it, like Corey, as he’s a heel and not supposed to be taken seriously, but Tom Phillips and Byron? They should be talking about how ridiculous it is that Shane is saying he’s the best in the world. Either way, the ending was great. KO won, as he should have.

Trish Stratus vs. Charlotte Flair

The fans sung the Canadian national anthem while Trish and Charlotte locked up. After the lockup, Trish ran up the ropes and hit a hurricanrana. She fought out of the Figure Eight with a headscissors. Charlotte went of a powerbomb, but Trish fought out and both went to the floor. Charlotte drove Trish’s head into the steps and started to get the heat on Trish.

Flair threw Trish right into the barricade, and that looked like it sucked. Charlotte chopped Trish in once they were back in the ring. Charlotte got the heat for a few minutes, but Trish managed to float over into a pinfall attempt. Charlotte kicked out and hit a hard strike on Trish to keep her down. Charlotte shoved Trish in the corner and tried to bully her.

Trish fought back with punches and got on the corner, but Charlotte shoved her onto the apron and hit a big boot that send Trish to the floor. Charlotte brought Trish into the ring and went for a moonsault, but Trish got up and cut her off and then came through the middle ropes with a spinning flatliner. A new move for Trish, I think.Trish made her comeback with a bunch of chops, but Charlotte kicked her as she ran towards the corner.

Trish went for her hurricanrana, but Charlotte countered and tried to do a Boston crab on the top rope. Trish pulled herself up, but Charlotte tried to powerbomb her, but Trish hit a super hurricanrana on Charlotte! Charlotte managed to hit a big boot as she stood up.

Charlotte went for the figure eight, but Trish rolled her up for a near fall and then countered a move into a Figure Four before bridging into a Figure Eight! Graves said, “That’s not Fair to Flair!” in a Bobby Heenan reference. Charlotte made it to the ropes and kicked Trish’s knee. Trish was still in charge though and she hit the Stratusfaction!

Charlotte kicked out,Trish and Charlotte then had a chop battle, but Trish countered into a Jackknife but got a near fall. Trish hit the Chick Kick, but Charlotte kicked out. Trish went for the Chick Kick again, but Charlotte hit a big boot and locked on the Figure Four. Charlotte then bridged into the Figure Eight and Trish tapped out.

Result: Charlotte Flair

Rating ****1/4 (4.25 stars)

This was an absolutely fantastic match. Trish can still go, and Charlotte is great. If Trish sticks around for a program, I would have had Trish win here. If it’s a one off, they mad the right call in having Charlotte go over.

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Bret Hart walked up to Seth Rollins and told him he would be watching the match.

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Randy Orton – WWE Championship

The locked up and broke it off a few seconds later. Orton threw a piece of a pancake at Kofi. Kofi hit a clothesline out of the corner, dropping Orton. The fans chanted “Kofi’s stupid!” and “Randy sucks” to cheer for their respective favorites, and I love it. Orton shoved Kofi to the floor as he tried to dive off the top rope.

The story leading into this match was fantastic playing off the long running feud these two have had over the years with Randy being the main eventer and Kofi being the midcarder. Orton took credit for letting Kofi win the WWE Championship from Bryan, and I love it. Great heel work. Orton back suplexed Kofi on the announce table.Randy stepped on Kofi’s limbs repeatedly, but Kofi was able to hit a dive off the steps.

Randy dodged a dive off the apron and hit a back suplex onto the announce table again. Orton put Kofi on the top turnbuckle and went for a superplex, but Kofi fought him off and hit a diving Tornado DDT on Orton.Orton managed to hit a backbreaker, but Kofi kicked out. Kofi hit a stage dive off the top rope to the floor on Orton.

Kofi went back to the top rope and hit his flying crossbody. Orton managed to hit the middle rope DDT on Kofi as they came back in the ring. Orton tried for the RKO but Kofi reversed into a backslide, but Orton kicked out. Kofi went for Trouble in Paradise, but Orton ducked.

Kofi hit a kick in the corner and went for a crossbody, but Orton caught him with an RKO. Randy’s evil smile here was so great, but he couldn’t capitalize. Kofi rolled to the outside and Randy taunted Kofi’s family. The ref counted them out as this happened.

Result: Draw via Count Out

Rating: *** (3 stars)

I was on track to giving this four stars but the finish was horrible. It made zero sense. They were counted out just before they started brawling. Kofi then beat him up with a kendo stick and hit Trouble in Paradise.

This made the finish look even worse. Why book the match if you didn’t want to beat either guy? If you wanted to do the rematch next month, have Orton win and Kofi get his rematch.

But really, Orton wouldn’t have lost anything here losing. The finish completely sucked the crowd out of it and they booed Kofi out of the building because the finish sucked so badly. This was a complete failure. Orton did nothing other than talk to Kofi’s family, and Kofi started using weapons for no reason.

Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Balor

Bray Wyatt walked out with his own head as a lantern, and it was terrifying. They also had a heavy metal remix to his theme that was incredible. This was, by far, the best part of the show so far.

Bray just killed Finn quickly here with a shoulder block and hard strikes. Finn ran at Bray, but Bray caught him and hit a blow to the back of Finn’s neck to drop him. Wyatt grabbed Finn by the neck and twisted it, trying to break it. Bray hit a giant uranage and stared at the near dead body of Finn Balor. Bray picked him up and went for Sister Abigail, but Balor fought out.

Balor hit a sling blade, a shotgun dropkick, and a double stomp on Bray’s face. Finn hit another shotgun dropkick and Finn went for the Coup de Grace, but Bray moved and locked on the Mandible Claw! Balor went out and Finn got the pinfall victory!

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The lights went out and Bray disappeared!

Result: Bray Wyatt

Rating ***1/2 (3.5 stars)

This was a glorified squash match, but man, it was awesome. Everything about Bray hear screamed top guy. I really hope they don’t mess it up this time.

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Universal Championship

Seth Rollins’s music hit and the crowd went silent. This isn’t good. The fans chanted ‘Burn it Down’, but they booed Seth as his music ended. Lesnar’s music got a pop. As Rollins was introduced, he got booed and Brock got largely cheered. This speaks to the booking leading into the match that saw Seth Rollins come across as a loser as Brock beat him up week after week.

Brock attacked Rollins’ ribs right at the start and drove him into the corner and killed him with some knees. Brock hit hard shoulder blocks in the corner, but Rollins hit a superkick. Brock went for a German suplex, but he landed on his feet. Seth hit the ropes and hit the Curb Stomp, but Brock kicked out!Seth hit a running knee off the apron and then went for another superkick, but Brock caught him and went for a German suplex again.

Seth landed on his feet again but Seth hit a superkick and went for the Curb Stomp again, but Brock caught him and hit an F5! Brock grabbed Seth by the tape around his waist and swung him around the ring like a ragdoll.

Brock then killed him with 3 German suplexes. Brock suplexed him on the floor and screamed and the crowd popped. Seth struggled to his feet, and Brock hit another German suplex. Seth rolled to the outside but Brock went for an F5 into the corner. Seth slipped out and drove Lesnar into the post twice, sending Brock to the floor.

Seth went for a springboard knee and nailed Brock once they were back in the ring. Seth went for another knee, but Lesnar side stepped and killed him with another German suplex. Brock tore his gloves off and hit a vertical suplex.

Brock drove Seth into the corner again and went for another German, but Seth tried to fight. Brock went to a bear hug and squeezed on his ribs.Brock drove Seth into the corner again and Brock went for a shoulder block again, but Seth moved and Brock crashed into the ring post. Seth drove Brock off the apron with a kick and then hit two suicide dives.

Seth went for a third dive, but Brock caught him and drove him into the ring post.Brock cleared the Spanish announce table, but Seth superkicked him and had Brock land on the table. Seth climbed onto the ring post and did a frog splash from the ring post through the table! This had to hurt Seth’s ribs, so I hope that plays into the story of the match.

Rollins hit another frog splash back in the ring and Lesnar is still down. Rollins hit the curb stomp again, but Brock kicked out.Seth called for another Curb Stomp, and at this point they finally had the crowd. Seth went for it again, but Brock went for the F5 again! Seth floated out, hit a superkick, and the Curb Stomp again! Seth Rollins has pinned Brock Lesnar!

Result: Seth Rollins

Rating: ****(4 stars)

This match was perfect fine. It took forever for the crowd to get behind Seth, as Brock was cheered for most of the match, but after the frog splash through the table they finally got them back. Rollins managed to walk out with cheers, but one has to ask now: What happens to Seth now? Who does he go on to face? What happens to Brock?

Show Rating: *** (3 stars)

The show wasn’t too bad. The crowd was largely dead for most of it, which is sad because some of the matches were very good. It’s a sign that the booking has been largely lackluster when you only get a mediocre reaction in Toronto.   Rollins and Lesnar was good, but my two matches of the night would have been Orton/Kofi (if it wasn’t for the horrible finish) and Trish/Charlotte.