SummerSlam 2021: Listing 3 things that WWE got right

Man, WWE really knows how to overshadow any good that they do with their trademark brand of creative stupidity. This year’s SummerSlam played host to this dichotomy, as this mid-2010s WrestleMania-esque show gave fans plenty of reasons for elation and anger.

Describing every show like this — and finding new ways to describe it — has become exhausting, but as long as Vince McMahon is in charge, this is what we have to look forward to, assuming this repetition of mediocrity hasn’t already driven you away.

But let’s not get too glum so soon (that will come in another piece). Here, he will highlight what WWE did well on this show from a booking standpoint.

These are the three things WWE got right at SummerSlam 2021

Damian Priest wins the United States Championship

Given what else happened on this show, there’s no reason to expect WWE to follow through with Damian Priest’s push, but it was nice to see him wrest the United States Championship away from Sheamus in a quality 13-minute match.

Over on Raw, Priest’s rise up the midcard ranks has been one of the few things the promotion has gotten right on that show, so seeing that continue with a pinfall win over “The Celtic Warrior” was encouraging.

Now, there’s a non-zero chance that WWE simply has Priest and Sheamus trade the title back and for a couple more months instead of finding fresh opponents for the new champion, but for now, let’s appreciate this rare good moment that WWE has produced.

Roman Reigns beats John Cena

There isn’t much to say here. Roman Reigns and John Cena turned in an exceptional main event for the Univeral Championship, a match filled with season finale of a TV show-level tension and high-impact offense.

In the end, though, Reigns took care of “The Face that Runs the Place” his patented spear and ensured that his reign lasted past Day 355. And look, given Reigns’ standing in the company and Cena’s increasing outside interests, this was the correct move.

Like Cena said a couple of weeks ago (albeit in kayfabe), Reigns needed this win much more than Cena did, as the The Suicide Squad star’s legacy in the promotion is more than secure. It was a signature win for a champion who needed one.

It also parlayed into Brock Lesnar’s return well, as Reigns now has a more beastly mountain to climb following his huge win over the 16-time world champion and fans don’t have to wonder who’s left for Reigns to face.

Drew McIntyre beats Jinder Mahal in short order

Thank goodness WWE didn’t waste too much time getting to the point here. Even if Veer and Shanky hadn’t lost their ringside privileges before this PPV, fans still would’ve expected Drew McIntyre to handle former 3MB stablemate Jinder Mahal in fewer than 10 minutes. This match lasted less than five.

Jinder got a bit of heat in, but that didn’t last long, as McIntyre hit his old pal with the Claymore Kick and scored the 1-2-3. Of course, he made sure to threaten to behead Mahal’s heater’s after the match, but that’s for another day.

Where McIntyre goes from here is anyone’s guess. He’s still barred from challenging for the WWE Title as long as Lashley is the champion. So, it will be interesting to see who McIntyre faces next.