Daily DDT
Fansided

SummerSlam 2022 is another case of more of the same

By Raphael Garcia

Roman Reigns wins a match during the 2022 WWE Elimination Chamber at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on February 19, 2022. (Photo by Amer HILABI / AFP) (Photo by AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images)
Roman Reigns wins a match during the 2022 WWE Elimination Chamber at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on February 19, 2022. (Photo by Amer HILABI / AFP) (Photo by AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

SummerSlam is set and one week away on July 30 from the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. This annual event is one of the biggest WWE showcases each year, but the 2022 edition doesn’t have the same hype as past shows. The reason being is that this show is a continuation of what has been seen as lackadaisical booking by the company. Excitement should be building, but this feels like yet another show in the downward trend that is WWE booking.

There are eight matches slotted for the PPV, with the potential for others to be added in the coming week. But looking at the current card shows exactly why this show isn’t appointment viewing as it once was. Only 25 percent of SummerSlam features fresh matches. And those two matches, Pat McAfee versus Happy Corbin and Logan Paul versus The Miz are more about the entertainment factor than anything. Of course, celebrity matches have the potential to exceed expectations, but it seems like WWE is putting more focus on these types of ordeals rather than the stacked roster that is here to compete month after month.

For example, the Intercontinental championship held by Gunther has yet to get a match on SummerSlam. In fact, that title hasn’t been defended since back in June.

Then one looks at the rest of the card and there’s nothing new to look forward to. All these matches have occurred in some iteration within the last year. In what has become a broken record, WWE continues to neglect building stars and interesting storylines, instead relying on the same tired playbook. Even Jeff Jarrett’s inclusion in the tag team championship match doesn’t create any intrigue for the long term. His reveal as the special referee was met with a collective shrug and “OK” response from viewers.

This doesn’t need to be the case. While the group isn’t utilized in such a fashion, WWE has a deep roster of talented men and women that could put on an amazing show. That is usually what happens with these poorly booked shows. The performers get into the ring and put on excellent matches with what they are given, even though fans continue to long for more.

dark. Next. Women on the WWE roster are unhappy

Will wrestling fans sit down on Saturday, July 30 to watch SummerSlam? Yes, that will happen. But WWE could have created a stronger buzz for the show if the leadership showed any interest in building something new that had long-term value to the people that watch week after week. This show, just like many others in recent years, doesn’t have that and continues the trend of a subpar build to a staple event.

Home/Summerslam