The professional wrestling matches at SummerSlam featured professional wrestlers performing as characters in scripted events pre-determined by the hosting promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).[11][12] Storylines between the characters were produced on WWE's weekly television shows Raw and SmackDown with the Raw and SmackDown brands—storyline divisions in which WWE assigned its employees to different programs.[13]
The main rivalry heading into SummerSlam from the SmackDown brand was between the champion Kane and Rey Mysterio over the World Heavyweight Championship. On the May 28 episode of SmackDown Kane's storyline brother, The Undertaker defeated Mysterio to qualify for the fatal four-way match for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Fatal 4-Way pay-per view in June. During the match however, The Undertaker suffered a legitimate injury, forcing him to be written out of the match by having him found in a "vegetative state" by Kane over Memorial Day weekend. As a result, Kane accused several wrestlers of incapacitating his brother and attacked them. Mysterio won a battle royal to replace The Undertaker by last eliminating Kane, and went on to defeat the defending champion Jack Swagger, Big Show and CM Punk at Fatal 4-Way to win his second World Heavyweight Championship. At Money in the Bank, Kane won a Money in the Bank ladder match and cashed in his championship opportunity on Mysterio later that night, after Mysterio had defeated Swagger to retain. Kane defeated Mysterio to win his first World Heavyweight Championship. On the July 23 episode of SmackDown, Mysterio defeated Swagger in a two-out-of-three falls match to earn a rematch against Kane for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. On the July 30 episode of SmackDown, Kane revealed that The Undertaker had disclosed that his attacker was Mysterio, and vowed to get revenge.[14]
Another main rivalry from Raw featured The Nexus, a stable consisting of former NXT 'rookies' led by the season's winner Wade Barrett, against 'Team WWE', led by John Cena. The Nexus made their debut as a collective unit on the June 7 episode of Raw, attacking Cena, CM Punk, and members of the ringside crew, on the pretext of demanding guaranteed WWE contracts for all of them. The following week on Raw, the then-General ManagerBret Hart refused and as a result, The Nexus attacked and incapacitated him, forcing WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to appoint a new, anonymous General Manager, who ultimately signed all members of The Nexus to the show. The Nexus continued to frequently attack various WWE wrestlers, crew, and legends to display their dominance, although they focused mainly on Cena, costing him the WWE Championship twice at Fatal 4-Way and Money in the Bank. On the July 19 episode of Raw, Cena confronted The Nexus, who offered him a place in their stable, which he refused and instead revealed that he had assembled a team, christened 'Team WWE' (consisting of Cena himself, Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, R-Truth, The Great Khali, and Bret Hart), to face The Nexus in a seven-on-seven tag team match at SummerSlam. On the July 26 episode of Raw, the anonymous general manager changed the match to an elimination format. Following dissension on Cena's team in the next few weeks, Edge and Jericho left the SummerSlam match on the August 2 episode of Raw. They rejoined the following week, however, when The Nexus tried to attack the members of Team WWE and Edge and Jericho. On the same episode, Khali was attacked by The Nexus, removing him from the match at SummerSlam. The Miz offered his services to the team as Khali's substitute, ultimately saying that he would reveal his final decision at SummerSlam itself.
Another rivalry from the SmackDown brand pitted Big Show against The Straight Edge Society, a stable preaching the hardlinedstraight edge lifestyle, led by CM Punk and consisting of Luke Gallows, Joey Mercury and Serena. In May, at the Over the Limit pay-per-view, Punk lost a match to Rey Mysterio, forcing Punk to have his head shaved bald as a result of the stipulation. In order to conceal his baldness, Punk started wearing a mask until Big Show forcibly removed it on the July 16 episode of SmackDown. In attempt to avenge Punk's humiliation, the Straight Edge Society's masked "mystery man" faced Big Show in a match, but had his own mask removed during the match, revealing him to be Joey Mercury. On the July 30 episode of SmackDown, the Straight Edge Society attacked Big Show and repeatedly stomped his right hand into the steel ring steps. The following week, it was announced that the Straight Edge Society would be facing Big Show in a three-on-one handicap match at SummerSlam.
Another rivalry from the Raw brand was between the champion Alicia Fox and Melina over the WWE Divas Championship. In December 2009, Melina tore her ACL at a live event, which caused her to vacate the Divas Championship. At Fatal 4-Way in June, Fox won the title in a fatal four-way match against Maryse, Gail Kim and defending champion Eve, and retained the championship against Eve at Money in the Bank. On the August 2 episode of Raw, Melina made her return and attacked Fox. The following week on Raw, Melina defeated Fox in a non-title match and was rewarded with a title opportunity at the Divas Championship at SummerSlam.
In the fourth match, Sheamus faced Randy Orton for the WWE Championship in a last chance match, with the stipulations being that anyone who interfered in the match would be suspended indefinitely along with if Orton lost, he would never get another shot at the title as long as Sheamus is champion. In the climax, Sheamus performed a Brogue Kick on Orton for a near-fall. Sheamus retrieved a steel chair and fought with the referee over the chair, resulting in Orton winning by disqualification. After the match, Orton attacked Sheamus with a low-blow and performed an RKO on the broadcast table on Sheamus.[1]
In the main event, The Nexus faced Team WWE in a 7-on-7 elimination tag team match. Before the match started, Daniel Bryan was announced as the seventh member of Team WWE. In the climax of the match, after every other member of Team WWE had been eliminated, Barrett delivered a DDT to Cena onto the concrete floor and scored a near-fall. Cena eliminated Gabriel after Gabriel missed a 450º splash. Cena then eliminated Barrett with the STF, giving his team the win.[1]
Reception
Overall, the event received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who praised the quality of the main event match (although panning the finish) while panning the remainder of the event.
Bleacher Report's Andre Harrison rated the event 5 out of 10, calling it a "one match show" (referring to the 7-on-7 tag team match as the only good match in the event), although stating that "WWE dropped the ball huge" on the finish.[15] 411mania.com rated the event 2.75 out of 5.[16]
Aftermath
The next night on Raw, the anonymous general manager of Raw announced that members of The Nexus would face off against members of Team WWE in a series of matches throughout the evening. In order to find the "weak links" of the group, The Nexus' leader, Wade Barrett, declared that anyone in The Nexus who lost their match would be excommunicated from the group. Ultimately, each Nexus member won their match except for Darren Young, who lost to John Cena by submission. After the match, the remaining six members brutally attacked Young, symbolizing his banishment from The Nexus.
According to Chris Jericho and Edge, the original plan steered toward a victory for The Nexus. However, John Cena asked for the finish to be changed, which Jericho felt affected The Nexus' momentum.[17] Nexus members Heath Slater and Darren Young have shared similar sentiments.[18][19]
In April 2011, the promotion ceased using its full name with the "WWE" abbreviation becoming an orphaned initialism.[20]
Last Chance match for the WWE Championship if anyone interfered in the match they would be suspended indefinitely. Had Randy Orton lost, he would never get another shot at the title as long as Sheamus was champion.
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