We go right into the arena for Justin Roberts to introduce Adam Jude from the band Tool to perform the National Anthem. Adam does a good job with an instrumental guitar piece, with a few flourishes. It has nothing on Hendrix’s version from Woodstock, but it gets the crowd cheering a bit, and it’s topped off with some quick fireworks.
This transitions us into a video package highlighting Los Angeles, and of course SummerSlam itself, as the biggest event of the summer. We also get a prominent look at the Punk/Cena match coming up later in the night.
The pyro hits again, much bigger this time, and Michael Cole welcomes us to the PPV. Cole hypes the sold out crowd at the Staples Center, and The Miz’s music hits, he makes his way out through his inflatable ‘Awesome’ set.
Miz has a mic in hand and he says he’s returned to SummerSlam. He says he wants to take this time to thank everyone for their insitence that he competes tonight, and their unwavering support. So he wants everyone to watch while he steals the show, but he’s interrupted by the Truth. Truth says he doesn’t know why Miz wants to thank the people in LA. You know how Truth doesn’t like spiders, spiders starts with the letter S. And so does SummerSlam. And singing at SummerSlam will be Ceelo Green, and Conspiracy starts with C. He’s in turn interrupted by Alberto Del Rio.
Del Rio drives out in a beautiful Ferrari, and he’s introduced by Ricardo Rodriegez of course. Del Rio comes down to the ring with his Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. Del Rio poses for the crowd for a bit, and the crowd actually chants his name. Kofi Kingston is the next man out to the entrance ramp, and he gets a good pop, looks like this will be a six man tag.
Alberto Del Rio, The Miz and R-Truth vs. Kofi Kingston, John Morrison and Rey Mysterio
John Morrison is the next man out to the ring, and he gets a decent reaction. Morrison gives his sunglasses to a kid on the way to the ring. Rey Mysterio is the third man announced for his team and he gets a great reaction from his hometown crowd.
Kingston and Miz look to start things out for their respective teams. We get a lock up to kick things off and Miz locks in a head lock. Kingston is quick to fight out of it and lock in a head lock of his own. Miz pushes him off but goes down to a shoulderblock, then a monkey flip, and then a dropkick. Morrison tags in, and the two pick Miz up and drop him down stomach first to the mat. Morrison hits a big leg drop on Miz and goes for the pin, but Miz kicks out. Miz is able to tag in R-Truth, and Morrison takes him down with a series of punches before taking him to the corner, slamming his head into the turnbuckle and hitting a big springboard kick. Truth is able to catch Morrison with a quick shot and a couple of big kicks to the gut but he walks into a kick to the face. Morrison goes up to the top but he’s pushed to the floor by Miz.
Back in the ring, Truth hits Morrison with a snap mare and locks in a rear chin lock. Morrison is able to fight up but Miz tags in and takes Morrison back down to the mat before hitting a big kick. Miz goes for the pin, gets two and goes right into a rear chin lock. Morrison is able to fight up to his feet, and hits Miz with a big kick that lays him out. Morrison makes the tag to Kofi who comes in and takes out Miz with a series of chops and a big dropkick. Miz is able to push Kofi into the corner but he eats a big boot and a springboard cross body. Kofi takes Truth off the apron with an elbow and then hits the boom drop on Miz. Kofi gets the crowd riled up and goes for the TIP. Miz counters with the SCF, but Kofi fights out and hits the SOS. Del Rio breaks up a pin and knocks Mysterio from the apron, but he’s sent from the ring by Kofi. Miz takes Kofi out with some kind of move that spikes Kofi on his forehead and it’s good for a near fall.
Truth tags in and immediately goes to work with a series of right hands before hitting a sit out front suplex which is good for a near fall. Del Rio tags in and hits a running kick to Kofi’s ribs before hitting a back body drop that’s good for another two count. Del Rio gets kicked away by Kofi, but Miz tags in and prevents the tag, hitting a quick suplex which is good for another near fall. Miz jaws with Mysterio for a bit and ends up rolled up but he kicks out at two and hits Kofi with a solid clothesline that’s good for another two count. Miz locks in another rear chin lock.
Kingston is able to fight out of it and both men are down. Truth and Mysterio tag in and Mysterio takes him down with a seated senton and a quick cross body for two. Truth ducks a clothesline but eats a kick to the side of the head that’s good for two. Mysterio hits a hurricarana that sends Truth into the ropes, and a low dropkick that sends Miz in as well. Del Rio trips Miz up but he’s takes out by a plancha from Morrison. Miz avoids the 619, but he’s taken out by Kofi coming off the top. Truth eats the boots from Mysterio, then a splash from the top rope, and Rey pins Truth for three.
Winners: Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston and John Morrison
CM Punk is backstage with Johnny Ace who is asking for an apology for what happened on Raw last week right now. Punk sarcastically apologizes, calling Lauranitis by his title, and saying he’s sorry again, smirking the whole time. Punk turns around and there’s Stephanie McMahon who wishes Punk luck. Punk finds it hard to believe. He tells her to wish her husband, or father luck. Stephanie says she spoke to both, and they wish luck to both Punk and Cena, but what would she know, she’s Vince’s clueless daughter. Punk agrees, but says he called her idiotic. Steph offers her hand, but Punk declines, saying he knows where that hand has been.
We get a look at the events that have led up to this match, including Henry assaulting various WWE personnel, and taking out the Big Show and Kane.
Mark Henry vs. Sheamus
Mark Henry is the first man to make his way out to the ring, and he gets a big of a negative reaction initially, but it dies off quickly and the crowd doesn’t seem very excited for this one.
Sheamus makes his way out next, and he gets a nice little pop on his way out to the ring.
The bell rings and Henry and Sheamus go at is immediately. Henry takes Sheamus down with a shoulder block. Sheamus comes back with a series of quick punches, but he goes down to a head butt, then another. Henry back Sheamus into the corner and Sheamus is quick to fight out with a series of right hands. Sheamus hits a back elbow, and takes Henry down to his knee with a knee to the gut and a series of clubbing blows to the back. Henry shoves Sheamus away but Sheamus comes right back at him. Henry instead tosses Sheamus over the top rope out to the floor.
Henry follows Sheamus to the outside where he picks him up in a gorilla press and throws him back into the ring. Henry gets into the ring and hits a giant clothesline before following up with a big splash. Henry gets a near fall, and he doesn’t look happy with it. Sheamus crawls toward the ropes, and Henry brings his whole body crashing down across Sheamus, while leaping to the outside through the ropes. Henry goes for the pin but Sheamus is in the ropes. Sheamus begins to fight back but Henry picks him up and takes him down with a back breaker.
Henry gets Sheamus up across his shoulder. Sheamus fights out of the submission attempt, but Henry throws him into the corner hard, and Sheamus goes down. Henry steps on Sheamus and goes for the Vader bomb, but Sheamus rolls out of the way and Henry crashes down into the mat. The ref begins the count on both men, but both get up before 10. Sheamus hits a couple of big axe handles, ducks a clothesline, and takes Henry down with a flying axe handle. Sheamus hits a series of knee drops to wear Henry down. Sheamus ties Henry up in the ropes and hits a series of big clubbing blows across Henry’s chest, stunning him. Sheamus hits the ropes and he and Henry collide hard, both men going down.
Henry charges Sheamus but runs into a big boot. Sheamus goes to the top and hits a flying shoulder block that’s good for another near fall. Sheamus goes for the bicycle kick, but Henry avoids it and knocks Sheamus to the mat. Henry goes for a slam but Sheamus reverses out and hits a bicycle kick that sends Henry to the outside. Sheamus goes to the outside to bring Henry into the ring, but Henry fights him off, picks him up, slams him into the ring post, and through the barricade at ringside, and I spot some local So-Cal wrestlers like Joey Ryan at ringside. Sheamus crawls back toward the ring slowly, but the referee reaches 10 before Sheamus can make it back.
Winner by Countout: Mark Henry
Josh Matthews is backstage with World Champion Christian. Christian says that Randy Orton is not leaving SummerSlam World Champion. He’s got an insurance policy, and the entire beneficiary is the WWE. He says this match is going to be an epic summer blockbuster filler with action. And Christian is Harry Potter, and Orton is Cowboys and Aliens, and over-rated, over-matched flop.
Justin Roberts introduces Cee-Lo, who’s here to sing his song ‘Bright Lights, Bigger City’, which also happens to be the theme song for SummerSlam. Cee-Lo is dressed in a crazy sequin muumuu. Green transitions the song into his more popular past hit ‘F*** You’ (conveniently re-sung as ‘Forget You’). Green has some of the Divas acting as back up dancers for him. Green finishes up and the crowd really seemed to enjoy it, so that’s definitely good.
