Review for WWE Summerslam 2014

Summerslam is generally regarded as WWE's second most important PPV and it does have that Wrestlemania feel and with so many big matches you can understand why. But just like this year's Wrestlemania it did leave a bitter taste in the mouth and for the same reason too. The event has a nice mix of matches, though a tag match would have been nice or indeed to see the US Championship. It started with an appearance by Hulk Hogan and if you didn't think the WWE Network was suffering you do now with the shameless plug from him. But at least he didn't get the name of the place incorrect like at Mania.

Intercontinental Championship match between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler is fine, though when you consider both of these used to be world champion main eventers this is a bit of an eye opener to see them so low on the card. It's a good match, but nothing special. I feel like the same could be said about Randy Orton against Roman Reigns. It has it's moments and it shows how great Reigns could be, but the match was just slow and boring. It is true that there are some amazing moments, but every time Orton grabbed a headlock I yawned.

Divas Championship match between AJ and Paige is as great as always. Both work really well together and it is great to see either of them in the ring. Rusev against Jack Swagger in a flag match is not a bad match, but really does anyone care? It was a little slow and lumbering and not something I would want to watch again. Stephanie McMahon against Brie Bella should have been a carwreck, it really should, but surprisingly it's not. Both looked amazing and the match wasn't too bad and I think this was helped by the build up the match over the months, plus the surprise ending.

The Lumberjack match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins was pretty good, though I never like the stipulation this one was handled well. I do wish it had been for the Money in the Bank contract to make the match mean something, but the use of the lumberjacks was good and it had some amazing moments throughout. As is the almost perfect match between Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt. Both work so well together and this had an amazing build to it and the match itself was my match of the night especially with that ultra creepy ending.

As for Brock Lesnar against John Cena for the Championship? This was possibly one of the most boring matches I have ever seen. I have never watched a match and wanted something, anything to happen. The match can be summed up thus: Brock Lesnar beats up Cena, Cena fights back a bit and then Lesnar beats him up some more. There is simply nothing memorable about this match and it was in sore need of a stipulation. If this had been a Last Man Standing or an I Quit match it would have made sense, but instead it was just dull and boring and an awful way to end a PPV.

The Blu-ray includes a wealth of extra features including the whole saga between Brie and Stephanie from the arrest of Stephanie to their brutal contract signing. A look at the reveal of Brock Lesnar as Cena's opponent and the build is also looked at including Lesnar crashing Hulk Hogan's Birthday party. There is also a look at the Jericho/Wyatt feud which is great, though their face to face confrontation is probably the best thing I've seen in a long time. Apart from the four on one handicap match between Nikki Bella against Alicia Fox, cameron, Eva Marie and Rosa Mendes which was only watchable for the eye candy, the only other match is the Summerslam Kickoff match between RVD and Cesaro. This isn't a bad match and if there had been a title or a reason for them feuding it would have been much better.

Summerslam is a mixbag of good, great and boring which is a shame as overall I did enjoy watching it. It is true that Cena/Lesnar was beyond painful, but it was made up for by a majority of the matches being hugely entertaining. Jericho against Wyatt and AJ against Paige are highlights and the rest of the event is enjoyable for the most part. It is just such a shame that the final match had to ruin the summer's greatest even for me.