Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar SummerSlam 2022 date

Date: July 30, 2022
Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN

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Show Recap --

KICK-OFF SHOW

The panel was hosted by Kayla Braxton, Jerry Lawler, Booker T, Kevin Patrick and Peter Rosenberg. They ran down the card. 

(As usual, I don’t plan on recapping the entire pre-show, just whatever seems somewhat notable.) 

Lawler and Booker buried Pat McAfee because he isn’t a real wrestler sports entertainer like Baron Corbin. One of the other panellists suggested that Lawler face McAfee if he felt so little of him and Lawler was fine with that. 

Theory explained his plan again (again) to Sarah Schreiber and was feeling very confident. 

Titus O’Neil presented WWE title belts to Meals of Hope, PENCIL, and Musicians on Call and announced that each charity would be given $20,000.

The person in the cryptic videos will appear tonight.

Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch will open SummerSlam.

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SUMMERSLAM 2022 

They’re in an outdoor stadium so the show is starting under full daylight.

Bianca Belair defeated Becky Lynch to retain the Raw Women’s Championship (15:10)

Lynch worked over Belair’s arm early on but she came back with a Glam Slam and standing moonsault for two. Belair tried giving Lynch a KOD on the barricade but Lynch landed on her feet, yanked Belair into the barricade and hit her with a leg drop onto it.

Lynch hit a leg drop as Belair was draped over the ropes but Belair countered a second attempt with a powerbomb. Belair hit another Glam Slam, this time onto the edge of the ring. Lynch tried to use Belair’s braid but Belair yanked her into the ring post with it and hit a vertical suplex on the outside. Belair followed with a moonsault for two.

Lynch tried a crossbody but Belair caught her. She couldn’t follow up because of her hurt arm so Lynch followed with Diamond Dust (a cutter) for two. They traded counters until Belair hit what was basically a flapjack. Lynch tried a Disarmer but Belair rolled to the outside while holding onto Lynch. Belair gave Lynch a KOD on the outside but couldn’t pull her into the ring.

Belair didn’t want to win by countout but seemed to think it was inevitable, however, Lynch just barely beat the ten count. They battled on the top rope until Lynch yanked Belair down by her braid and hit a Man-handle Slam for a close nearfall.

Lynch went for a Man-handle Slam off the middle rope but Belair countered into a Spanish Fly. She followed immediately with an emphatic KOD for the pinfall win. Good match with a terrific finish.

— Lynch offered Belair a handshake after the match. Belair shook her hand and they hugged.

Bayley entered as Belair celebrated. The crowd popped huge.

Bayley stopped at ringside and Dakota Kai entered. Corey Graves freaked out because he didn’t think Kai was under contract. Kai joined Bayley at ringside when Io Shirai entered too. 

Bayley, Kai and Shirai entered the ring together to confront Belair. Lynch joined Belair and the trio backed off. This was really good. 

(I think Shirai’s graphic said “Io Shirai” and Jimmy Smith definitely referred to her as that, but Graves called her “Io Sky.”) 

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The Miz and Ciampa had matching neon green ring jackets with tights that were green, pink and black. 

Logan Paul defeated The Miz (w/Maryse & Ciampa) (14:16)

Paul hit a springboard moonsault to the outside but Miz took control with a Codebreaker off the ropes and Ciampa helped out later by hitting Paul with a cheap shot. Paul came back with a Blockbuster, a clothesline and powerslam for two. Paul followed with It Kicks and a figure four but Miz got a rope break. Paul hit a high cross and a standing moonsault for two.

Ciampa tried to attack Paul but the referee caught him and tossed him from ringside. Ciampa grabbed a chair and decided to sit down at ringside instead.

AJ Styles’ music hit and he flew in from the crowd to wipe out Ciampa. Styles attacked Ciampa through the crowd toward the back.

Paul hit Miz with a Phenomenal forearm for a nearfall. It looked good but Graves admitted it was more of a “pretty good forearm.”

Paul cleared the announce table and climbed to the top rope as Maryse screamed at him. Paul chucked his elbow pad at her before hitting Miz with an awesome-looking frog splash through the table.

Paul shoved Miz in the ring and tried a cover but Maryse distracted the referee. Miz tried to hit Paul with something but Paul ducked and hit a Skull Crushing Finale for the pinfall win.

The early part of the match was fine but thanks to the last few minutes, this ended up being quite good. The crowd was relatively quiet early on but Paul’s win got a huge pop. He bowed to the crowd after the match.

The announcers wondered if maybe Paul was trained by Styles. 

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There were video packages (to cover commercial time) for Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

There was also an ad for a water bottle company featuring Maximum Male Models (Mace, Mansoor, Maxxine Dupri and Max Dupri). I might be in the minority but I thought it was pretty amusing.

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The sun has gone down which was good timing for Lashley’s entrance with fireworks.

Bobby Lashley defeated Theory to retain the United States Championship (4:44)

Theory attacked Lashley with the briefcase during his entrance. The ref checked on Lashley before ringing the bell to start the match. It didn’t matter much because Lashley quickly came back with a chokeslam.

Theory tried to leave less than two minutes into the match but Lashley cut him off and chucked him twice into the barricade. Theory came back with a rolling dropkick for two but Lashley responded with a flatliner.

They traded fists before Lashley hit a running powerslam. Theory leaped over a spear attempt and Lashley collided with the turnbuckles. Theory tried another rolling dropkick but Lashley countered it perfectly by pressing Theory above his head.

Lashley applied the Hurt Lock and Theory tapped out immediately. The crowd liked Lashley and popped big for the win. 

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No disqualification tag team match: Dominik & Rey Mysterio defeated Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Rhea Ripley) (11:09)

They were still tagging in and out even though this was a no-DQ match.

Graves thought that maybe Bálor, 41-year-old former Universal champion, would finally reach his full potential now.

The crowd got into it as the Mysterios set up for a double 619 but Ripley tripped both Mysterios. She also dropped Dominik onto the apron which looked great.

Bálor called for a chair when the lights went out.

A remixed version of the Brood theme started and stairs appeared on the aisle way. Fire pyro went off as Edge rose through the stairs and he marched to the ring.

Edge speared both Priest and Bálor. The Mysterios gave Bálor a double 619 and Rey followed with a springboard splash for the pinfall win.

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There was a moment when Graves told Michael Cole, “I liked you better when you were allowed to have an opinion,” which of course is a reference to Vince McMahon being gone. Cole responded to him by saying, “That’s changed. A lot has changed.”  

Pat McAfee defeated Happy Corbin (10:39)

Corbin entered first and was greeted by a male choir chanting “bum-ass Corbin.” They also hummed McAfee’s theme for his entrance (so he didn’t come out to Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes).

Corbin chucked McAfee onto the (now repaired) announce table. Cole yelled at Corbin so Corbin shoved Cole into his seat. I guess the fans hate Corbin more than Cole because they booed this.

Corbin went to the top but McAfee leaped to the top and brought him down with a superplex. (McAfee almost slipped but he managed to regain his balance.) With Corbin on the outside, McAfee went to the top and feigned losing his balance before hitting a Swanton.

The referee got knocked down for a moment after Corbin collided with him so McAfee kicked Corbin in the nuts. McAfee followed with a Code Red (I guess) off the middle rope for the pinfall win.

McAfee did well here for the most part but I wouldn’t call this a good match.

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Drew McIntyre promo

McIntyre entered and he cut a fiery promo. He was happy to be in Nashville. He put over his battle with Sheamus and said he could barely get out of bed today but it was worth it because he’s got the winner of tonight’s world title match.

(McIntyre asked a young fan for his name and he said “Colt.” McIntyre gave Colt a big shoutout and the crowd chanted for him.)

McIntyre said he would beat the ass of whoever won tonight and would take both titles. He asked the crowd for a Claymore countdown. He raised his sword and fireworks went off.

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Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins were led to the ring by the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders. They also wore Titans-themed gear. 

The Usos defeated The Street Profits to retain the Tag Team Championships [special referee: Jeff Jarrett] (13:23)

About eight minutes into the match, Dawkins took out the Usos with a flip dive (something that he might’ve done in the first 40 seconds if this was a Raw match). He pounced Jey Uso into Ford who hit a back suplex. The Usos superkicked Dawkins and Jimmy hit a splash for two. The Usos argued with Jarrett before hitting a double splash but Ford broke up the cover.

Jey almost superkicked Jarrett by mistake but Jarrett caught it. Dawkins followed with a sit-out powerbomb and Ford hit a frog splash but he took too long to make the cover and Jey kicked out. Ford was pissed at Jarrett for some reason.

The Usos fought back and took out Ford with double superkicks outside the ring. They hit Dawkins with superkicks before hitting a 1D for the pinfall win.

This was good, I guess, but I thought it felt a bit flat and it wasn’t any different than their past matches. Jarrett’s involvement ultimately led to nothing.

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Kid Rock was shown in the crowd. He crushed his beer and made out with his ladyfriend.

Riddle suddenly barged into the ring as security told him to leave. Riddle told them to shut up. He was all business. He explained that he wasn’t cleared to wrestle but he called out Seth Rollins for a fight anyway.

Rollins entered as officials tried to hold him back. Rollins ran down the aisle and Riddle attacked him.

When they hit the ring, Rollins gave Riddle a curb stomp. Cole freaked out because Riddle was injured but he also admitted that this was Riddle’s own fault. Rollins left and officials checked on Riddle.

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Liv Morgan defeated Ronda Rousey to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship (4:35)

Morgan retained with help from the referee.

They went back and forth early on trading moves and counters, including Morgan reversing a Samoan drop in a crucifix bomb. Rousey went for the armbar a couple of times but Morgan kept getting the ropes. The ref had a trainer check on Morgan who was selling her arm.

Rousey placed Morgan in the armbar again as her own shoulders were down. The ref counted to three as Morgan tapped out at the same time.

Morgan was announced the winner as Rousey tried reasoning with the ref.

The replay showed that Morgan tapped out moments before Rousey was pinned.

— Rousey attacked Morgan after the match and put her in the armbar as the crowd lightly booed. Rousey then put the ref in an armbar the crowd cheered. Shawn Daivari and Jamie Noble ran down to break things up. (Morgan remained outside the ring selling her arm.)

This was probably a heel turn for Rousey but I’m not sure it got over that big. Morgan also didn’t exactly look like a winner after the match.

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Glenn Jacobs (announced as Kane) was introduced to the crowd. He announced an attendance of 48,449.

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Last Man Standing Match: Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) defeated Brock Lesnar to retain the WWE Championship (22:55)

This was wild.

Reigns entered first and got a big fireworks display. He told Nashville to acknowledge him. They did. Lesnar also got big-ass fireworks. Cole said this was the first last man standing match in SummerSlam history and he was surprised to learn it was Lesnar’s first.

Lesnar put on a cowboy hat and drove a red tractor to the ring. Lesnar climbed the tractor and posed for the crowd. Mike Rome was doing the introductions but Lesnar told him to shut up. Lesnar introduced himself as a big-ass country boy weighing 285 pounds here to kick Roman Reigns’ ass.

As soon as Rome completed Reigns’ intro, Lesnar leaped off the tractor and dropped Reigns with a Thesz press. The bell rang and the match was underway.

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Lesnar beat the shit out of Reigns early on, suplexing him around ringside. However, Heyman distracted Lesnar and Reigns put him through a table with a Samoan drop. Lesnar beat the ten count and did again after Reigns put him through another table with a Uranage. Lesnar’s back was bleeding.

Reigns hit a superman punch but Lesnar only fell to a knee so Reigns hit another. Reigns hit a spear but Lesnar got up at seven. Reigns tried for another spear but Lesnar sent him to the outside. Lesnar slammed Reigns onto the broken half of a table which looked painful.

Lesnar backed the tractor up (presumably for safety reasons considering it was dangerously close to the ring) before hitting Reigns with the steel steps and a broken piece of table. Reigns got up at an eight count.

Lesnar chucked Reigns into the front loader of the tractor and dumped him into the ring. (They probably thought this would be a cool-looking spot but it wasn’t that bad of a bump and Reigns was smart enough not to sell it too big so he got up at a five count.)

Lesnar followed by giving Reigns three straight German suplexes but Reigns got up at eight. Lesnar hit an F5 and Reigns beat the ten count again. Reigns reversed another F5 attempt into a guillotine but Lesnar countered that into a guillotine of his own. The ref told Lesnar to let go because Reigns was out but Reigns got up at a nine count.

Lesnar got in the tractor again and used it to literally push the ring back a couple of feet. He then put the front loader under the ring and lifted the ring way up, causing Reigns to roll out of it. The crowd popped huge for that.

The Usos showed up to attack Lesnar but he suplexed them both.

Heyman handed both belts to Lesnar and pleaded with him to stop.

Lesnar grabbed Heyman and gave him a damn F5 through the announce table. (Heyman’s bump was fine, all things considered.)

Reigns speared Lesnar but they both got up at nine.

Theory’s music hit and he ran out with a referee and his briefcase. Theory clocked Reigns with the briefcase but before he could officially cash in, Lesnar gave him an F5.

The Usos used the distraction to drop Lesnar with superkicks but Lesnar got up at nine.

Reigns hit a spear but Lesnar got up again at nine.

Reigns grabbed the briefcase and hit Theory before hammering Lesnar with it. Lesnar got up again at nine and Cole was freaking out. Reigns hit Lesnar with the title belt but he again got up at nine.

Reigns hit Lesnar with the belt again before he and the Usos buried Lesnar under pieces of tables and the steel steps. Reigns stood atop the pile and Lesnar didn’t budge. The ref counted to ten. Reigns retained.

Reigns hugged the Usos. He also hugged Heyman after they brought him back to life. 

Who won Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns SummerSlam 2022?

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