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WWE SummerSlam 2021 assembled a massive ten-match card with titles on the line, grudges being settled and dream matches. It has been heavily rumored that WWE wanted this show to be on the level of WrestleMania. Taking place in Las Vegas at a sold-out Allegiant Stadium, the superstars needed to step up and deliver a memorable pay-per-view.
There was plenty of potential up and down this SummerSlam 2021 card. The main event featured two of the biggest stars in WWE of the past two decades. The WWE Championship featured a WCW legend facing the unstoppable All Mighty champ. A WWE Hall of Famer would face one of the most decorated superstars of the era. It was chock-full of surefire potential show-stealers.
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With this monumental event in the rearview mirror, it is time to dissect this huge pay-per-view lineup. Which matches delivered in the ring? Which contests will be least remembered years from now? In this article, let's take a look at the star ratings for every match at WWE SummerSlam 2021.
Big E vs. Baron Corbin (WWE SummerSlam 2021 Kickoff Show)
The SummerSlam 2021 Kickoff show featured Big E going one-on-one with Baron Corbin. The bout came after Corbin stole Big E's Money In The Bank briefcase following his latest loss and recent downward spiral that has seen him lose all his money. Corbin has performed this character very well, while it was nice to see Big E on this card in any way following his Money In The Bank win.
Big E dominated most of this contest, expressing his anger over his property being taken away from him. Baron Corbin was able to get brief offense with his Deep Six getting a nearfall. When it looked like he couldn't win, Corbin tried to escape with the briefcase again, but Big E caught up to him with a spear into the guardrail. He followed up with the Big Ending for the win on the Summerslam 2021 Kickoff.
This preshow match accomplished two things. It made Big E look strong and teased that he could cash in the Money In The Bank later in the evening. This also continued Baron Corbin's downward spiral, which has been some of the best character work of his career. This was an inoffensive contest all around.
Star rating: **
AJ Styles & Omos vs. RK-Bro for the Raw Tag Team Championships (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
The opener of WWE SummerSlam 2021 saw AJ Styles and Omos defending the Raw Tag Team Championships against Randy Orton and Riddle of RK-Bro. The champions have held down the division since winning the titles at WrestleMania 37, while RK-Bro has become the best act on the Raw brand.
The Las Vegas crowd was into the show and this matchup immediately. They were heavily in favor of the challengers and cheered them on for the duration of this bout. The contest followed a similar formula from most of the champions' matches, with Omos being unstoppable and dominating both Orton and Riddle. AJ Styles brought his A-game and seemed motivated in front of the sold-out crowd.
Despite their differences over the past two weeks, Randy Orton and Riddle were on the same page here at WWE SummerSlam 2021. Orton got the hot tag and came in with a flurry to the champions. Omos hit a chokeslam on Riddle onto the apron, and Styles set up Orton for the Phenomenal Forearm, making it look like the champs would prevail.
However, Riddle drove Omos into the ring post, and Orton caught Styles with an RKO to win the Raw Tag Team Titles. The new champions were showered with a massive pop upon winning at WWE Summerslam 2021. It was a feel-good moment to kick off the show and produced a fun encounter.
Star rating: ***
Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
Heading into WWE SummerSlam 2021, there hasn't been much interest or excitement about the potential of Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie. Alexa's character has been a mixed bag, with her performing well in the role given to her, but it has produced a lot of quality segments and matches. Eva Marie just returned to WWE this summer and hasn't really had a singles match of note yet.
The two ladies were given an opportunity at this stage due to their character work more than in-ring acumen. This led to a contest that was more about taunting and mannerisms than it was about in-ring work. Eva took the opportunity to grab the Lilly doll and slap it across the face to big boos. She then used the doll to hit Alexa across the face with it. This didn't please Bliss at all.
The match didn't last long at all for SummerSlam 2021. After some roll-up attempts from Eva Marie, Alexa Bliss grabbed her and planted her with the Sister Abigail DDT for the win. There wasn't much heat to this bout in the least bit, so it was wise to keep this relatively short.
Alexa Bliss has been hit or miss since the return of fans, while Eva Marie has never been known for her great matches. This was a nothing match that went just under four minutes, but it still felt longer than it had any right to be. It was not a good match and easily forgettable after SummerSlam 2021 was over.
Star rating: DUD
Sheamus vs. Damian Priest for the WWE United States Championship (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
The next contest at SummerSlam 2021 saw Sheamus defending the WWE United States Championship against Damian Priest. The champion has been one of the company's most consistent performers for over a year now, while the challenger has been one of the best booked NXT call-ups in recent memory. This made for an exciting battle.
The United States Championship Match started a bit sloppy, but it quickly picked up with Sheamus and Priest showing off some impeccable chemistry with one another. This was two big men beating the crap out of each other and hitting powerful moves. Priest displayed his athleticism with a nice springboard plancha that hurt his back and became the story of the title bout.
Sheamus worked over the back following that spot. Priest made a spirited comeback and looked for a rollup that Sheamus reversed into a kneebar, but Damian sat up and pulled the champ's face mask off. Priest then hit a barrage of moves to the face, finishing with a spinning heel kick and the Reckoning to walk out of Summerslam 2021 with the United States Championship.
Damian Priest has had an impressive run on the main roster so far. He was in a cool celebrity showcase match at WrestleMania 37 with Bad Bunny and has been kept strong before winning his first singles title on Raw. Sheamus delivered another quality contest to end his US Title reign. This was everything it should have been for its place on the SummerSlam 2021 card.
Star rating: ***1/4
The Usos vs. The Mysterios for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
In a rematch from the Money In The Bank 2021 Kickoff Show, The Usos defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Rey and Dominik Mysterio here at WWE SummerSlam 2021. The Mysterios have been experiencing a bit of dissension with Rey's son getting a little cocky and thinking that he knew more than he should at a young age.
After The Usos cheated to beat the Mysterios at Money In The Bank 2021, The Mysterios have tried to fight fire with fire for mixed results. This set the stage for an intriguing rematch that once again delivered on the same quality that the two tag teams reached last month.
All four men worked hard here at SummerSlam 2021 with not as hot of a crowd as it should have been. Rey Mysterio has shown at 46 years old that he is still among the very best in the world and still has everything that has made him the greatest luchadore in the history of the business. Dominik Mysterio is still learning, but he is skilled for where he is in his career.
The Usos are still the best tag team in the WWE today. The way they come together on double teams and mix in cool counters is always fun to watch. The action was good throughout and led to an exciting finish with Jimmy and Jey hitting a double superkick on Rey. Jey followed up with his second Uso splash on Mysterio to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Titles at WWE SummerSlam 2021.
Star rating: ***1/4
Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Women's Championship (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
One of the most highly anticipated encounters coming into WWE SummerSlam 2021 was Bianca Belair defending the SmackDown Women's Championship against Sasha Banks in a WrestleMania 37 rematch. The two ladies made history at the Showcase of Immortals, becoming the first two African Americans to headline the Show of Shows.
Despite numerous reports that Sasha Banks would be pulled from SummerSlam 2021, WWE falsely advertised this contest until Belair's entrance. Ring announcer Greg Hamilton announced that Banks wouldn't compete and introduced Carmella as her replacement. This was just a red herring because Becky Lynch would then make her return to a massive pop from the Vegas crowd.
Becky Lynch attacked Carmella, removing her from this contest and inserting herself. The Man then challenged Bianca Belair to tear the Allegiant Stadium roof off, which the champion accepted. Twenty-three seconds later, Becky Lynch defeated Bianca Belair to win the SmackDown Women's Championship at WWE SummerSlam 2021.
This was an extremely frustrating result that seemingly ruined two things. Becky Lynch's return should have been a celebration of one of the most popular superstars making her long-awaited comeback. The way this went down ruined any goodwill that would have resulted from this. At the same time, they effectively killed Belair's year-long push and squandered it for a short-term surprise pop.
Star rating: DUD
Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
Drew McIntyre hoped to finally deliver a match with his good friend Jinder Mahal in front of a sold-out Allegiant Stadium crowd here at SummerSlam 2021. However, the buildup left plenty to desire for most fans, which didn't drive up interest heading in.
The story centered around Jinder Mahal, Veer, and Shanky costing McIntyre the Men's Money In The Bank Ladder Match last month. Drew has spent the past few weeks fighting off all three men before this past Monday on Raw, defeating Veer and Shanky to have both men banned from ringside at SummerSlam 2021.
Drew dominated most of this bout, with Jinder only getting a brief bit of offense. McIntyre delivered some nice belly-to-belly suplexes before finishing off Jinder with the Claymore for the victory here at SummerSlam 2021. Veer and Shanky came down after the match, but McIntyre made the two large men back down with his trusty sword, Angela.
This was more or less a television match on pay-per-view. The contest went just over four and a half minutes long and didn't do anything that will be remembered by Monday on Raw. The post-match points to this not being completely over, which seems to be one of the biggest negatives in the current WWE. SummerSlam 2021 wouldn't have lost anything keeping this off the card completely.
Star rating: *1/4
Nikki A.S.H. vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat Match for the Raw Women's Championship (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
Nikki A.S.H. looked set to prove herself to be a true champion when she defended the Raw Women's Championship in a Triple Threat Match at WWE SummerSlam 2021. Her opponents were none other than former champions Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley. After the two challengers' fantastic bout last month, this had all the makings to deliver despite a shoddy leadup.
The Raw Women's Champion hasn't received the best buildup. She lost to Charlotte and Rhea in singles competition prior to SummerSlam 2021. Nikki has also received some boos at house shows, which seem to point to this character not connecting very well with the fanbase.
The three women worked extremely hard here and produced exciting action. There were some incredible moments like Charlotte's corkscrew moonsault from the top rope to the floor on both ladies or a three-way spot where Charlotte gave Nikki a fallaway slam as Rhea hit a German suplex on Flair.
After it seemed like all three ladies would get the win, Flair locked on the Figure 8 on Nikki A.S.H., making her tap out to regain the Raw Women's Championship. This was a very good Triple Threat Match that once again showed that the women could overcome any amount of bad booking. All three looked strong and delivered a solid affair at WWE SummerSlam 2021.
Star rating: ***1/2
Edge vs. Seth Rollins (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
Out of all the non-title matches on the SummerSlam 2021 card, Edge vs. Seth Rollins was easily the most anticipated. It also had arguably the best buildup to this pay-per-view as well. Both men have cut masterful promos that have built excitement and hype for them to lock up for the first time. This was a true dream match of two of the most decorated superstars in WWE history.
From the introductions, this had a big-time feel to it. Seth Rollins came out in brand new ring gear. Edge had one of the coolest entrances in SummerSlam history, coming out to the old Brood theme music with the fire engulfing him at the entranceway and then into his usual theme. This got an amazing pop from the Allegiant Stadium crowd.
Edge showed that he might be better now than he was when he retired ten years ago. His facial expressions, body language, and selling have been top-notch in this matchup as well as last month in the Money In The Bank 2021 main event against Roman Reigns. Seth Rollins brought it here and was in top form, looking to deliver a classic at SummerSlam 2021.
The Rated R Superstar broke out some new moves with a swinging neckbreaker off the top and a beautiful tribute to his wife Beth Phoenix with the Glam Slam for a nearfall. Seth brought his best stuff with the superplex into the falcon arrow and even broke out the Phoenix Splash. However, he missed the splash, leading to Edge hitting a spear for a great nearfall.
The Vegas crowd at WWE SummerSlam 2021 were fully into the near-falls and the seesaw action. Edge countered the Stomp and eventually locked in a crossface with a bulldog choke for the submission win. It was an outstanding encounter that fully exceeded all expectations heading in. Edge and Seth Rollins stole the show.
Star rating: ****1/2
Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg for the WWE Championship (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
Bobby Lashley defended the WWE Championship against WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg next at WWE SummerSlam 2021. Goldberg returned on the July 19th episode of Raw to confront Lashley. The champion eventually accepted the challenge of the legend, but it wasn't before he threatened his son. Goldberg expressed his desire to win the title to make his son proud.
The SummerSlam 2021 bout was more of a match than many of Goldberg's most recent contests. Over the past four years, the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion has had finisher fests that spam big moves in an attempt to hide some of his more glaring weaknesses. However, this started slow and built to the usual signature offense from both.
MVP helped Lashley avoid a spear in the ring, but Goldberg raced around the ring and hit it on the outside. However, the WWE Champion used this detour to the outside to gain the advantage. He brutally assaulted Goldberg's knee, driving it into the ring post. Lashley decimated Goldberg's leg to the point that he couldn't stand, and the referee called for the bell at WWE SummerSlam 2021.
Bobby Lashley wasn't satisfied with this referee stoppage win and attacked Goldberg's leg with a steel chair after the bell. Goldberg's son Gage couldn't stand to watch his dad being beaten down and jumped over the guardrail to jump on Lashley's back. The champ then put Gage in a Hurt Lock, laying out the 15-year-old.
This was going fine until the lame finish, which seemed to set up a rematch in Saudi Arabia. WWE tried to go emotional here at WWE SummerSlam 2021, but this felt empty for the most part. It was an acceptable brawl until the weird ending to this WWE Championship Match.
Star rating: **
Roman Reigns vs. John Cena for the WWE Universal Championship (WWE SummerSlam 2021)
The final impression of the entire SummerSlam 2021 card weighed heavily on how the Roman Reigns vs. John Cena Universal Championship Match transpired. The two superstars were the unquestionable main event and biggest encounter of the night. It featured the two best-built superstars of the past two decades in WWE.
The lead-up to this SummerSlam 2021 main event started at the end of Money In The Bank 2021 when John Cena returned to confront Roman Reigns. Cena's return received one of the biggest pops in recent WWE history and showed just how much the fans had missed him since his last match at WrestleMania 36.
Both men have cut scathing promos for one another on their own and face to face over the past few weeks. Despite a strange detour with Finn Balor being teased as Roman's SummerSlam opponent, Cena and Reigns have done well to generate interest, intrigue, and anticipation for this colossal showdown.
Roman Reigns has not only been putting on the best character work of his career, but he has also consistently put on excellent main events that rely heavily on storytelling and emotion. John Cena has made a living and become an all-time great by using his selling and mannerisms to produce classics against the best of the best over the past two decades.
This contest was no different, with both men bringing what had brought them to the dance. Cena proved at SummerSlam 2021 that he can still bring it on the big stage, while Reigns once again showed why he is the top guy in the industry today. It was a masterclass in the WWE-style main event with its signature offense, trash talk, escalation of the action, and superb near falls with a hot crowd.
The two men had the Allegiant Stadium crowd buying all the close two counts and popping for the huge spots like Cena's massive AA on the announce table. Cena got too cocky and looked to mock Reigns with his signature taunt and spear, but Roman countered and hit a barrage of Superman Punches. He then followed up with a spear for the win to retain the Universal Championship.
Regardless of what fans think of these two men and their pushes, there is a reason why they are the megastars that they are. John Cena and Roman Reigns know how to produce a memorable heavyweight slugfest, and that's exactly what fans got. It was a great main event and a fitting end to SummerSlam 2021.
Star rating: ****1/4
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