WWE SummerSlam Kickoff Show Coverage

The SummerSlam Kickoff show kicks off with Renee Young, Jerry Lawler, Lita, and David Otunga welcoming us to the show. Charly Caruso is in the Social Media Lounge and she says she will be joined by Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins later on tonight.

The panel hypes the WWE Network, and then we take a look back to Smackdown Live on Tuesday when Baron Corbin failed on his Money in the Bank cash-in against WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Dasha Fuentes interviews Corbin backstage. He says he is not the champion because of John Cena. Corbin says he doesn’t regret cashing in, but Cena will regret costing him the match. Renee reminds us of one of the kickoff matches, The New Day vs. The Usos for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship, as we head to a break.

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Back from the break, we see the video hype package for the match between Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt. Otunga says he is really looking forward to this match and it will be awesome. Lita says Wyatt is intimidating, but there is nothing more insurmountable than the Demon that Finn Balor will bring tonight. Lawler says Wyatt’s sole purpose is to make people fear him, but Balor doesn’t fear anybody. Lawler, Lita, and Otunga all pick Balor to win. Renee brings up another Kickoff Show match, The Hardy Boyz and Jason Jordan vs. The Miztourage, as we head to a break.

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Back from the break, we see the video hype package for the match between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens. We join Dasha and Shane McMahon backstage. McMahon says he is going to call it down the middle, but if something happens he will take matters into his own hands. Back at the panel, Lita says she believes McMahon will call it down the middle and Otunga agrees. Lawler says McMahon will end up being a big part of the outcome of the match. Lita says she wants Styles to win and Otunga picks Styles as well, while Lawler picks Owens.

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Six-Man Tag Team Match: Jason Jordan and The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) vs. The Miztourage (The Miz, Bo Dallas, and Curtis Axel) (w/Maryse)
Matt and Axel start the match. They lock up and Matt applies a side-headlock. Axel backs him into the corner, but Matt connects with a right and applied another headlock. Jeff tags in and he and Matt double-team Axel for a bit. Jeff connects with Poetry in Motion to Axel and then delivers a dropkick to the back. Jeff goes for the cover, but Axel kicks out quickly. Jordan tags in and applies an arm wringer to Axel, but Axel comes back and takes Jordan down with a few knee shots. Dallas tags in and connects with a shot to the midsection. Dallas takes Jordan to the corner, but Jordan comes back with forearm shots and then takes Dallas down with a dropkick. Jordan goes for the cover, but Dallas kicks out at two.
Jordan keeps Dallas grounded and then applies a wrist-lock and tags in Matt. Matt comes off the ropes and delivers an elbow to Dallas. Jeff and then Jordan tag in quickly and Miz and Axel get into the ring as well. Matt and Jeff send Miz and Axel to the floor and Jordan slams Dallas to the mat. Jeff tags in and goes up top, but Axel pulls Dallas out of the ring as we head to a break.
Back from the break, Jeff is in control of Dallas. Jeff connects with a double leg-drop and goes for the cover, but Dallas kicks out. Dallas comes back and takes Jeff to the corner. Jeff fights out and goes up top, but Axel pulls him down. Miz tags in and stomps away on Jeff. Miz kicks Jeff in the face and goes for the cover, but Jeff kicks out at two. Miz applies a rear chin-lock, but Jeff fights to his feet. Miz grounds him again and tags in Axel. Axel takes Jeff down to the mat and applies a rear chin-lock of his own. Jeff fights to his feet again, but Axel slams him right back down. Axel slings Jeff into the corner, but Jeff takes out Miz and Dallas. Jeff connects with an inverted enzuiguri and tags in Matt as Miz tags in as well.
Matt slams Miz into the turnbuckle repeatedly and then connects with a clothesline. Matt takes out Dallas and Axel as well and then clubs Miz from the top rope. Matt goes for the cover, but Miz kicks out at two. Matt goes for the Twist of Fate, but Miz counters and delivers a DDT. Miz goes for the cover, but Matt kicks out at two. Miz delivers the It Kicks to Matt, but Matt dodges the last one and drops Miz with the Side Effect. Matt goes for the cover, but Miz kicks out at two. Jordan tags in, as does Axel. Jordan pulls Axel into the ring and drops him with a few elbow shots. Jordan slams Axel into the corner and then delivers a suplex to Dallas. Jordan spears both of them in the corner and then suplexes Axel. Jordan goes for the cover, but Miz breaks it up.
Matt tosses Miz to the floor and Dallas takes Matt out with a neck-breaker. Jeff drops Dallas with a Twist of Fate and Jordan sends Dallas out. Jordan drops Axel with a suplex, but Miz tags in and drops Jordan with the Skull Crushing Finale and gets the pin fall.
Winners: The Miztourage.

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We see the video hype package for the match between Dublin-07 and 2/3 Shield. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins have joined Charly Caruso in the Social Media Lounge. Ambrose says he is feeling agressive and is in a mood. Someone asks them what their tag team name is. Rollins says they don’t need a name but after tonight, everyone can call them the Raw Tag Team Champions. Ambrose says he has made a list, but Rollins says they will look at it later. Someone asks how it feels to be back together. Rollins says it’s surreal and Ambrose says he is feeling confident. Someone asks what was the best moment when they were in The Shield. Rollins says there are so many and Ambrose says they opened the show in the first WWE event in the Barclays Center. He says Jay-Z doesn’t own the building, he and Rollins do.

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WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: Akira Tozawa (c) (w/Titus O’Neil) vs. Neville
They lock up and Neville applies a side-headlock. Tozawa sends him off the ropes, but Neville drops him with a shoulder tackle. Neville dropkicks Tozawa down to the mat, but Tozawa comes back and dropkicks Neville out to the floor. Neville gets back into the ring, but Tozawa kicks him in the face. Tozawa beats down Neville in the corner. Neville comes back and sends Tozawa off the ropes, but Tozawa holds on as Neville goes for a dropkick. Tozawa connects with a senton, but Neville comes back and drapes Tozawa over the top rope. Neville slams Tozawa into the LED board as we head to a break.
We’re back and Neville takes Tozawa down with a dropkick in the ring. Neville connects with another dropkick and goes for the cover, but Tozawa kicks out at two. Neville stomps down onto Neville a few times and goes for the cover, but Tozawa kicks out at two. Neville drives a knee into Tozawa’s back and then applies a rear naked choke. Toazawa fights to his feet and sends Neville to the outside. Tozawa takes Neville out with a suicide dive and then connects with a few forearms in the corner. Tozawa kicks Neville in the midsection and then takes him down with a suplex. Tozawa charges at Neville again, but Neville puts him on the apron. Tozawa comes back into the ring, but Neville catches him. Tozawa turns it into an octopus submission and then rolls up Neville for a two count. Tozawa delivers a shining wizard and goes for the cover, but Neville kicks out at two again.
Tozawa goes up top, but Neville moves out of the way. Tozawa comes back and kicks Neville in the side of the head and comes off the ropes, but Neville takes him out with an enzuiguri. Tozawa stays on his feet and drops Neville with a kick to the face and both men are down. Neville grabs Tozawa and slams him down to the mat on his injured shoulder. Neville works over Tozawa’s shoulder, but Tozawa comes back with a straight right hand. Tozawa goes up top, but Neville cuts him off. Neville goes up top as well, but Tozawa fights him off and shoves him down to the mat. Tozawa goes for the senton, but Neville gets his knees up. Neville goes up top and connects with the Red Arrow and gets the pin fall.
Winner and new WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Neville.

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We go back to the panel and Peter Rosenburg has replaced Lita. Rosenburg shows off his Bobby Heenan-esque jacket and Lawler makes fun of his for it. Renee tosses it back to Kayla Braxton, who is joined by Roman Reigns. Reigns says there is no reason to prepare for the match tonight because he was born ready. He says he doesn’t care who it is, he is whooping everybody’s ass and is walking out of Brooklyn as the Universal Champion.

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We’re back from the break and Elias is in the ring. He cuts a promo on Brooklyn and begins to sing a song, but the crowd boos him mercilessly. He says he told them to hold their applause, so he is going to start over. He finishes his song and the lights go out, but he comes back for an encore.

We go back to the panel, but they are interrupted by Carmella and James Ellsworth. Carmella says nobody is talking about Natalya and Naomi because they are all talking about her. The panel does rapid fire for match picks. Carmella picks Big Cass, and doesn’t pick between Naomi and Natalya. Rosenburg asks for her preference and Carmella says Naomi because she would like to snatch the glow off of her. Lawler asks Ellsworth about Rosenburg’s jacket and he mocks Rosenburg. Carmella also doesn’t pick between Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks, but she picks Rusev to beat Randy Orton. Rosenburg picks Orton. Renee asks Carmella when she is planning on cashin in and Carmella says she is not going to reveal anything but because of it she is the most powerful woman on the roster.

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Back from the break, we see The Singh Brothers backstage and they introduce the WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal. Mahal says he has proven he is the best of the best and restored glory to the WWE Championship. He says the naysayers cheered when Baron Corbin tried to cash in, but he stripped them of their hope. He says he will do it again tonight when he defeats Shinsuke Nakamura. Mahal says Nakamura is not in his league and will fight for the 1.3 billion people of India again tonight. He then speaks to his people in his native language of Punjabi. Back to the panel, Lawler says there is more pressure on Mahal than Nakamura tonight. Rosenburg says this is an important night for both men and he loves the combination of both of them tonight. Otunga says Nakamura being in this arena for big shows before will be a benefit and it will be difficult for Mahal. Rosenburg asks if Nakamura will be ready for the Singh Brothers. Rosenburg and Lawler pick Mahal and Otunga goes with Nakamura.

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WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) (c) (w/Kofi Kingston) vs. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey)
Woods and Jimmy start the match and hey tie up. Woods goes behind and Jimmy gets to the ropes. Jimmy applies a headlock, but Woods sends him off the ropes. Jimmy takes him down with a shoulder tackle and then goes for a suplex. Woods lands on his feet and drops Jimmy with a spinning elbow. Woods goes for the cover, but Jimmy kicks out at two. Woods takes Jimmy to the corner and delivers a few chops. Woods delivers an elbow shot in the corner, followed by another and then kicks Jimmy in the face. Woods connects with right hands in the corner, but Jimmy comes back with a right of his own. Jimmy charges, but Woods meets him with the boot. Woods comes off the ropes, but Jimmy catches him with an uppercut as we head to a break.
We’re back and Jey is still in control for his team. He applies a headlock down on the mat. Woods tries to get free to tag Big E, but Jey slams him down in the corner. Jey sends Woods into the opposite corner and then delivers a few chops. Jey sets Woods on the top rope and connects with a right hand. Jey climbs as well, but Woods fights back. Woods delivers a headbutt to send Jey down to the mat. Jimmy tries to get involved, but Woods sends him down to the floor. Woods takes Jey down with a dropkick and goes for the tag, but Jimmy pulls Big E down to the floor. Jey comes back and slams Woods head-first into the turnbuckle. Jey delivers an elbow to the back of Woods’ head and Woods falls to the floor. Jimmy slams Woods into the apron and then tosses him back into the ring and tags in Jey. They double-team Woods with a back-breaker/off the top rope elbow drop combo. Jey goes for the cover, but Woods kicks out at two.
The Usos double-team Woods in the ring and Jimmy applies a headlock down on the mat. Woods fights back to his feet, but Jimmy slams him down to the mat again. Jimmy picks Woods up, but Woods counters with a face-buster. Big E and Jey tag in and Big E drops Jey with a suplex. He delivers another one, and then a third. Big E goes for the splash, but Jey counters with an enzuiguri. Jey charges, but Big E catches him and slams him down to the mat. Big E goes for the cover, but Jey kicks out at two. Woods tags back in and Big E power slams him down onto Jey. Big E tags back in and Woods picks Big E up and slams him down onto Jey. Big E goes for the cover, but Jey kicks out at two.
Jimmy distracts Big E and Jey rolls him up, but Big E kicks out. Jimmy gets into the ring and he and Jey drop Big E with a double spine-buster. Jimmy goes for the cover, but Big E kicks out at two. Jimmy delivers a right hand in the corner and then connects with a hip attack. Woods tags in and kicks Jimmy in the midsection. Big E and Woods delivers a double back-stabber to Jimmy and Woods goes for the cover, but Jimmy kicks out at two. Woods chops Jimmy against the ropes and then delivers a headbutt. Woods comes off the ropes, but Jimmy meets him with a clothesline. Woods then meets Jimmy with a clothesline and delivers more headbutts. Jimmy meets Woods with more clotheslines and Jey tags in. Woods sends Jimmy to the outside, and then Jey as well. Woods takes Jimmy down on the floor and then Jey takes Woods out.
Big E tries to come through the ropes, but Jimmy meets him with a superkick. Jimmy and Jey go up top. Jimmy splashes down onto Big E and Jey splashes onto Woods. Jey goes for the cover, but Woods kicks out at two. Jey grabs Woods, but Woods turns it into a submission. Big E grabs Jimmy and Jimmy decks Big E on the floor. Jey rolls Woods over, but Wods kicks out. Woods connects with a shining wizard and goes for the cover, but Jey kicks out at two. Woods backs into the corner and decks Jimmy and goes for the Honor Roll, but Jey catches him. Woods fights out and tags in Big E. Woods drops Jimmy with a DDT on the floor and then Big E and Woods drop Jey with the Up Up Down Down, but Jimmy breaks up the count at two.
Woods grabs Jimmy and delivers a headbutt and then a left hand. Jey tosses Woods out of the ring an Jimmy drops Woods with the Alley-Use. Jey slams Kingston into the steps and Big E flies through the ropes and takes out Jey. Big E tosses Jey into the ring, but Jimmy makes the blind tag and kicks Big E in the midsection. The Usos double superkick Big E and then Jey tags in and goes up top. Jimmy goes up as well and they connect with the double splash and get the pin fall.
Winners and new WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos.

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Back to the panel, they run down the other matches on the card: Naomi vs. Natalya, Big Show vs. Big Cass, Randy Orton vs. Rusev, Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks, and John Cena vs. Baron Corbin. They then rundown the matches that they have already talked about earlier in the Kickoff Show.

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We see a long KFC advertisement with Big Show, Mojo Rawley, Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater, and Becky Lynch. We go back into the arena and Shawn Michaels’ musis hits. The Hearbreak Kid comes out dressed as Colonel Sanders.

We go back to the panel and they talk about the Fatal-Four Way for the Universal Championship. We see Paul Heyman backstage. He says it doesn’t matter who is in the ring tonight, Brock Lesnar will take them all on. Braun Strowman interferes and tells Heyman he talks to much and Heyman walks away in fear. Rosenburg says Heyman seems more nervous than he ever has before. Otunga says this is the most vulnerable position that Lesnar has been in. Lawler picks Lesnar to retains, Rosenburg picks Reigns, and Otunga picks Strowman as the Kickof Show comes to a close.