SummerSlam (2020)

SummerSlam is an upcoming professional wrestling pay-per-view and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. It is scheduled to take place on August 23, 2020 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.[2] It will be the thirty-third event under the SummerSlam chronology.

SummerSlam
Promotional poster featuring "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt
PromotionWWE
Brand(s)Raw
SmackDown
DateAugust 23, 2020
CityOrlando, Florida
VenueAmway Center[1]
Tagline(s)You'll Never See It Coming
WWE Network event chronology
← Previous
NXT TakeOver XXX		 Next →
Payback
SummerSlam chronology
← Previous
2019		 Next →
—

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston mayor Marty Walsh announced the suspension of all large-scale gatherings and that no permit would be issued for an event that could draw a large crowd before September 7.

Production

Background

SummerSlam is an annual pay-per-view, produced every August by WWE since 1988. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer,"[3] it is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series, dubbed the "Big Four".[4] It is considered WWE's second biggest event of the year behind WrestleMania.[5][6] 2020 will be the thirty-third event in the SummerSlam chronology and feature wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.[7]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE has had to present the majority of its programming from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida since mid-March with no fans in attendance, though in late May, the promotion began using Performance Center trainees to serve as the live audience, which was further expanded to friends and family members of the wrestlers in mid-June. SummerSlam, as well as the preceding night's NXT TakeOver event, were originally scheduled to take place in Boston, Massachusetts at the TD Garden.[7] On May 8, the ongoing pandemic forced Boston mayor Marty Walsh to suspend all large-scale gatherings until September 7, effectively canceling WWE's planned events in the city.[8][9] Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reported that the promotion would be open to move SummerSlam to September if it meant having fans in attendance.[10] However, an advertisement that aired during The Horror Show at Extreme Rules confirmed that SummerSlam would still be taking place on August 23, but with no reference to a city or venue.[11] Although Pro Wrestling Insider had reported that the event would be held at the WWE Performance Center,[12] the promotion put out an official statement on July 23 that the announcement of a new location would be forthcoming. WWE also stated that refunds would be issued at original point of purchase.[13] On August 14, it was made official that Summerslam would emanate from the Amway Center, a larger venue also located in Orlando, and would feature a "virtual fan experience".

Storylines

The show will include matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results are predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands,[14][15] while storylines are produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.[16]

On the July 27 episode of Raw, Randy Orton cut a promo listing many of his accolades before declaring that he wanted the WWE Championship again. He then issued a challenge to Drew McIntyre for a title match at SummerSlam. Later that night, McIntyre accepted Orton's challenge and then defeated Dolph Ziggler in an Extreme Rules match in a rematch from The Horror Show at Extreme Rules. Following the match, Orton attacked McIntyre with an RKO.[17]

On the July 20 episode of Raw, Andrade and Angel Garza lost to Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins).[18] The following week, Andrade and Garza won a triple threat tag team match to earn a title match at SummerSlam.[17]

After United States Champion Apollo Crews repeatedly declined MVP's offer to join his faction, The Hurt Business,[19][20] the two faced each other in a non-title match on the June 29 episode of Raw that was won by MVP. After the match, Crews was brutally attacked by Bobby Lashley, MVP's fellow teammate of The Hurt Business.[21] The following week, MVP unveiled a new United States Championship belt and stated that he would face Crews for the title at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules.[22] At the event, however, it was revealed that Crews was unable to compete due to failing his pre-match physical thanks to Lashley's attack. MVP then declared himself winner by forfeit and unofficially claimed himself as the new United States Champion.[11] Crews, sporting the older United States title, returned on the August 3 episode of Raw where Crews finally faced MVP in their scheduled title match where Crews retained. Celebrating his victory, Crews later stated in a backstage interview that he would give the old belt to his kids while he kept the new belt MVP introduced. MVP then demanded a rematch for SummerSlam and Crews accepted.[23]

Following several weeks of Seth Rollins tormenting and taunting Rey Mysterio, the two finally faced each other at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules in an Eye for an Eye match in which one has to extract an opponent's eye to win the match; the match was won by Rollins.[11] Mysterio's son Dominik appeared on the July 27 episode of Raw to confront Rollins and his disciple Murphy for Rollins' actions, as well as for Rollins gloating about it. Although Dominik attacked Rollins and Murphy, they eventually overpowered Dominik until Aleister Black came out to Dominik's aid. The brawl, however, resulted in Murphy injuring Black's eye using the corner of the steel steps.[17] The following week, Dominik challenged Rollins to a match at SummerSlam. Later, after Rollins and Murphy taunted commentator Tom Phillips (which led to fellow commentator Samoa Joe defending Phillips), they were both attacked from behind by Dominik with a kendo stick. An irate Rollins would eventually accept Dominik's challenge.[23]

At The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, the Raw Women's Championship match between Sasha Banks and Asuka ended in a controversy when Asuka inadvertently spat green mist on the referee's face which led to Bayley removing the referee's shirt and counting the pin as Banks pinned Asuka.[11] The following night on Raw, Stephanie McMahon appeared on the TitanTron and stated that Banks nor Asuka won at Extreme Rules and then announced a rematch between the two for the Raw Women's Championship for the following week in a match where the title could be won by pinfall, submission, disqualification, or count out.[18] During the ensuing match, Bayley attacked Asuka's tag team partner, Kairi Sane backstage. Distracted by the ambush, a visibly horrified Asuka went backstage to check on Sane and was counted out thus Banks won the title for a fifth time.[17] On the August 3 episode of Raw, Asuka demanded a rematch for the title, however, Banks stated that she has to defeat Bayley to earn the match.[23] The following week, Asuka defeated Bayley to earn the right to face Banks for the championship at SummerSlam.[24]

On the August 7 episode of SmackDown, Stephanie McMahon announced a triple brand battle royal for the following week, where the winner would face Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship at SummerSlam,[25] which Asuka won.[26]

At Money in the Bank, Braun Strowman retained the Universal Championship against Bray Wyatt, who wrestled as his cheery Firefly Fun House character.[27] After being absent for a few weeks, Wyatt returned on the June 19 episode of SmackDown, but was interrupted by Strowman. Wyatt stated their rivalry was just getting started before appearing as his old cult leader persona of The Wyatt Family, which formerly included Strowman and from where Strowman had originally made his WWE debut.[28] This lead to a non-title match between the two called the Wyatt Swamp Fight at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules.[29][30] At the event, Wyatt, fighting as his old Eater of Worlds self, defeated Strowman, who disappeared somewhere in the swamp. As Wyatt tried to leave himself, he was pulled back into the water only for his alter ego The Fiend to appear.[11] On the following SmackDown, Wyatt appeared in the Firefly Fun House and stated that his old Eater of Worlds self was done for now and that The Fiend had been unleashed.[31] The following week, Wyatt said that The Fiend wanted the Universal Championship and that no one was safe until he got it, which was made evident later that night when The Fiend attacked Alexa Bliss, Strowman's old tag team partner from Season 1 of Mixed Match Challenge.[32]

Matches
No. Matches* Stipulations
1 The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) (c) vs. Andrade and Angel Garza Tag team match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship[33]
2 Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Randy Orton Singles match for the WWE Championship[34]
3 Apollo Crews (c) vs. MVP Singles match for the WWE United States Championship[35]
4 Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins Street Fight[36]
5 Sasha Banks (c) vs. Asuka Singles match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship[37]
6 Bayley (c) vs. Asuka Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship[38]
7 Braun Strowman (c) vs. "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt Singles match for the WWE Universal Championship[39]
8 Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville Hair vs. Hair match[40]
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • *Card subject to change
gollark: Using cryptography magic™, each end can agree on a single symmetric encryption key using asymmetric keypairs.
gollark: You would preconfigure trustworthy public keys.
gollark: I may be able to just steal what Wireguard does, hmm.
gollark: Against people intercepting the connection somehow.
gollark: UTTER security.

References
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  2. Nature, Heel By (2020-08-17). "WWE Launching 'ThunderDome' At Amway Center This Friday". Pro Wrestling News - WWE News, AEW News. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  3. Dee, Louie (May 17, 2006). "Let the Party Begin". WWE. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  4. Hamilton, Ian (2006). Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition. Lulu. p. 160. ISBN 9781411612105.
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  25. Powell, Jason (August 7, 2020). "8/7 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Barnett's review of Matt Riddle vs. Sheamus, Jeff Hardy vs. King Corbin, The Dirt Sheet with special correspondent Sonya Deville, the latest on Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman on the road to SummerSlam". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  26. Powell, Jason (August 15, 2020). "8/14 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of the latest Retribution attacks, a Triple Brand Battle Royal for a shot at the Smackdown Women's Championship at SummerSlam, Big E vs. John Morrison, Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  27. Powell, Jason (May 10, 2020). "WWE Money in the Bank results: Powell's review of the Climb The Corporate Ladder MITB matches, Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship, Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt for the WWE Universal Championship, Bayley vs. Tamina for the Smackdown Women's Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  28. Powell, Jason (June 19, 2020). "6/19 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of Matt Riddle's debut, AJ Styles' Intercontinental Title presentation, Bray Wyatt's Firefly Funhouse, Miz TV with Mandy Rose". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  29. Powell, Jason (June 26, 2020). "6/26 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of the Undertaker tribute, Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans vs. Dana Brooke for a shot at the Smackdown Women's Championship, Jeff Hardy vs. King Corbin". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  30. Wilen, Jerome (June 27, 2020). "Non-Title "Wyatt Swamp Fight" announced for Extreme Rules: The Horror Show PPV". WrestleView. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  31. Powell, Jason (July 24, 2020). "7/24 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus in a Bar Fight, Naomi on Miz TV, Sasha Banks and Bayley address the championship landscape". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  32. Powell, Jason (July 31, 2020). "7/31 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell's review of Bayley vs. Nikki Cross for the Smackdown Women's Championship, AJ Styles vs. Gran Metalik for the Intercontinental Championship, Naomi vs. Lacey Evans". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
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  36. Zak, Brad (August 3, 2020). "Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins — Street Fight". WWE. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
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