Welcome to Inside Pulse’s Live Coverage of WWE Summerslam 2013! Keep it here for all the match-by-match updates, with the latest update in ITALICS!
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Josh Mathews, Alex Riley, Hall of Famer Booker T, and Santino Marella are on the Preshow panel, with Renee Young in the Social Media Lounge. Michael Cole, Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler, and JBL are on commentary for the show.
KICKOFF MATCH – Tag Team Turmoil
3MB is the first team out, followed by Tons of Funk, sans the Funkadactyls. Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre are representing 3MB in this match. Brodus Clay and Slater start the match, and it doesn’t take long for tags to be made. McIntyre wipes Tensai out with a somersault dive to the floor. That’s new. Back in the ring McIntyre and Tensai continue to go back and forth. Tensai catches a schoolboy rollup to eliminate 3MB in less than two minutes.
The Real Americans with Zeb Colter are the next team out, and they join 3MB in a beatdown on Tons of Funk. That gives Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro an advantage as they cut to commercial advertising the pay-per-view. Tensai makes a hot tag and Clay is a house afire. Clay squashes Cesaro in the corner and then hits a splash from the second rope. Swagger breaks it up and then knocks Tensai off the apron. Cesaro makes a blind tag and Swagger is able to put Clay in the Patriot Lock to get the submission.
Next up is the Usos, who have been trading victories with the Real American on TV as of late. The Usos knock the Americans to the floor and then wipe them out with dives. Back in the ring Jimmy hits Cesaro with a high cross body block for two. The Americans cut him off and go to work. This continues on and they take another commercial. Back from the break the Usos are trying to fire up but Swagger puts one of them in the Patriot Lock and the Americans move on again.
The Prime Time Players are up next and they charge the ring. O’Neil asserts his power advantage and throws Swagger around. Swagger goes for the Patriot Lock again but Young makes the save. Young dumps Cesaro to the floor and then gets the hot tag. Swagger immediately locks Young in the Patrick Lock but Young escapes. Young hits Swagger with the Gut Check to get the pin after about 13 minutes of total action. That means The Prime Time Players will go on to face The Shield tonight on pay-per-view!
Night of Champions 2013
Triple H makes his way out to start the show. He puts over tonight’s card and specifically mentions the main event of Randy Orton defending the WWE Title against Daniel Bryan. Triple H says no one will be allowed to interfere in the match. He fires up the crowd, and gets interrupted by Paul Heyman and Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel. Earlier tonight on the Preshow, Brad Maddox made the handicap elimination match a No Disqualification match. Heyman is distraught, and wants Triple H to cancel the match. Triple H won’t do it. Axel reminds Triple H that he beat him back in May. Triple H remembers the name of tonight’s pay-per-view and decides that Axel will defend the Intercontinental Title against the first person he sees when he walks through the curtain, and that match will be now!
MATCH #1: Intercontinental Title Match – Curtis Axel w/ Paul Heyman vs. Kofi Kingston
Axel has been the Champion since 6.16.13, and this is his fifth defense. Kingston pinned Axel in a non-title match recently, so he has momentum here. They start with some chain wrestling and Kingston seizes the early advantage. Michael Cole says Chris Jericho has the most reigns as IC Champion with eight, but Jericho has won the title nine times. Axel takes a powder. Back in the ring Axel slugs Kingston down in the corner. Kingston retaliates with kicks, sending Axel back to the floor. Back in the ring again Kingston lands a spin kick for two. Axel hits an ugly dropkick and clotheslines Kingston to the floor. Kingston is able to hop up to the top rope and take Axel out with a cross body block. He throws Axel back in the ring for a two-count. Axel reclaims control but can’t put Kingston away. He hits the snap back suplex for two. A clothesline gets Axel another near-fall. Axel hits the neck snap his father made famous for a two-count. Kingston fights back with a DDT and both men are down. Up on their feet Kingston is a house afire. Kingston hits a high cross body from the top rope for two. He follows with the Boom Drop. Axel ducks Trouble in Paradise and rams Kingston into the corner. He charges in and Kingston kicks him in the face. Kingston goes up for another cross body block and Axel dropkicks him out of the air. That gets a two-count. Axel goes for the snap back suplex again but Kingston avoids it and gets a rollup for two. Axel hits a clothesline for two. After a nice series of reversals Kingston hits the SOS but Axel kicks out at two. Kingston ends up on Axel’s shoulders and Axel dumps him onto the top rope. Axel hits the McGillicutter to get the pin and retain the title.
WINNER – Curtis Axel (retains title)
From a fan vote on the WWE App, Chris Jericho was voted as the All Time Greatest Intercontinental Champion with 63% of the vote. Honky Tonk Man (10%), Mr. Perfect (24%), Pat Patterson (1%), and Rick Rude (2%) were the others in contention.
Backstage – Rob Van Dam and Ricardo Rodriguez are warming up for RVD’s title shot tonight. Rodriguez teaches RVD some Spanish and gets him psyched up.
Elsewhere – Divas Champion AJ Lee tries to get Alicia Fox, Aksana, and Layla on her side for tonight. Fox says they have no interest in helping her. Layla sticks around for a second but then bails.
The voting for the best Divas Champion ever is between Fabulous Moolah, Wendi Richter, Trish Stratus, Lita, and Michelle McCool. Stratus wins with 56%. Lita got 29%, Moolah 8%, McCool 6%, and Richter 1%.
MATCH #2: Divas Championship Match – AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella vs. Naomi vs. Natalya
Lee has been the Champion since 6.16.13, and this is her fourth defense. Three years ago the Divas and Women’s Title were unified at this event. The Champion tries to bail as soon as the bell rings but the odds are severely stacked against her, since everyone hates her. Back in the ring Brie takes the first advantage. Naomi fights back and shows off her athleticism. She and Brie collide and knocks each other down. Lee and Natalya go at it and things get heated quickly. Naomi hits the Rear View to take both of them out. She covers Natalya but Brie breaks it up. Naomi misses a high cross body block when Natalya ducks. Lee comes in and throws Naomi and Natalya to the floor. The action is fast and furious. Brie and Natalya end up in the ring. Natalya is in control. Naomi comes back in and Natalya hits her with a discuss lariat. Natalya slams Brie on top of Naomi, and even though Brie in on top of Naomi and Naomi’s shoulders are down, the idiot referee doesn’t count. Natalya puts both Brie and Naomi in the Sharpshooter simultaneously and Lee breaks it up. Lee locks Natalya in the Black Widow and Natalya taps out in about 7 minutes.
WINNER – AJ Lee (retains title)
They throw it over to the panel and the talking heads preview the World Heavyweight Title Match.
MATCH #3: World Heavyweight Title Match – Alberto Del Rio vs. Rob Van Dam w/ Ricardo Rodriguez
Battle Creek is just shy of two hours West of Detroit, by the way. Del Rio has been the Champion since 6.16.13, and this his his third defense. RVD takes the first advantage with kicks. This event has not been kind to Del Rio, as he lost the WWE Championship to John Cena in 2011 and failed to win the World Heavyweight Title from Sheamus in 2012. RVD continues to control, knocking Del Rio to the floor and wiping him out with a moonsault. Del Rio is able to turn the tables and take RVD out with a dive. Back in the ring Del Rio wears RVD down. RVD fights back and quickens the pace. Del Rio grabs a quick backstabber for a near-fall. He puts RVD up top and goes for a superplex but RVD knocks him down. RVD hits a leaping somersault for two. Del Rio hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a knee to the face for a two-count. The champ goes for the Cross Armbreaker but can’t lock it on. RVD hits the split-legged moonsault for two. Del Rio pops up and hits an armbreaker and a nasty superkick for a two-count. RVD comes back and tries the Five-Star Frog Splash but Del Rio gets the knees up. Del Rio locks on the Cross Armbreaker and RVD reaches the ropes! The referee counts to five and Del Rio refuses to break the hold, resulting in a Disqualification in about 13 minutes.
WINNER – Rob Van Dam (via disqualification)
Del Rio tries to continue the assault after the bell, but Rodriguez rescues his new friend. That gives RVD the chance to hit the Five-Star Frog Splash.
Backstage – Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman are preparing for their match with CM Punk.
In the fan poll for greatest World Heavyweight Champion, the results are Ric Flair (14%), Booker T (38%), Batista (5%), Edge 22%, and Undertaker 21%. So Booker wins? The fans are morons.
In the fan poll for best WWE Champion ever, the contenders are Triple H, CM Punk, John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan.
Backstage – Randy Orton is wondering why Triple H banned all interference from tonight’s main event. Triple H wonders if he picked the right guy to be WWE Champion, and Orton assures him that he did.
Back in the arena Summer Rae and Fandango make their way out. Must be another impromptu match.
MATCH #4: Fandango w/ Summer Rae vs. The Miz
They go back and forth in the early going. Fandango scores the first sustained advantage. This goes on for a while. Miz fires back and unloads with a flurry of offense. More back and forth happens and Fandango misses the guillotine legdrop. Miz locks on the Figure-Four Leglock and Fandango taps out.
WINNER – The Miz
WWE does stuff with the National Guard. Members of the Michigan National Guard are in attendance tonight and Lilian Garcia announces them and the crowd chants USA.
MATCH #5: No Disqualification Handicap Elimination Match – Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman vs. CM Punk
Punk and Axel both start the match with kendo sticks. Heyman is watching from ringside. The first advantage goes to Punk and he wears Axel out with the stick. Punk takes his shirt off and the girlies scream. Punk takes the opportunity to take Heyman out with a dive, and he then throws him into the ring. Before Punk can do any damage Axel hits him with a low blow. Axel continues to wear Punk down, and is looking pretty good for competing in his second match of the night. The IC Champ brings a table into the ring but can’t put Punk through it yet. Punk makes the comeback with a flurry of offense. He goes up top for the elbow but Axel rolls to the floor. Punk tries a suicide dive but Axel takes him out with a chair shot. Back in the ring Axel hits a swinging neckbreaker for two. Axel hits Punk repeatedly with the kendo stick but still can’t put him away. Punk fights back and hits Go 2 Sleep! He locks Axel in the Anaconda Vise and Axel taps out! That means Heyman has to face Punk now! Punk chases Heyman around and finally gets him in the ring. He uses the kendo stick to wear Heyman out. Punk gets some handcuffs out and cuffs Heyman’s hands behind his back. Before he can deliver the fatal blow, Ryback comes out and puts Punk through the table. Ryback drags Heyman over to cover Punk and Heyman gets the pin.
WINNERS – Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman
The next WWE Pay-Per-View is Battleground on October 6. The panel talk about how surprised they are with Ryback coming out, joke about Booker T winning the “Best World Heavyweight Champion” poll, and plug the “Best WWE Champion” poll.
MATCH #6: United States Title Match – Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler
The choices for Best United States Champion ever are Sting, Sgt. Slaughter, Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, and Bobo Brazil. Ambrose has been the Champion since 5.19.13, and this is his seventh defense. They wrestle on the mat for a bit and Ziggler quickens the pace. Ziggler hits a dropkick for two and then drops a series of elbows. They take it to the floor briefly and Ziggler remains in control. Back in the ring they trade strikes. Ambrose hits a hard spinebuster and keeps Ziggler on the mat for a bit. They go into a fish out of water spot and no one gets a pin. Ambrose this a butterfly superplex but it only gets two. He goes up top and Ziggler brings him down with a super X-Factor for two. Ziggler hits a Stinger Splash. He gets into position for the Sleeper and Ambrose breaks it with a back suplex. A series of reversals ends with Ziggler hitting the Fame-Ass-Er for two. Ambrose comes back and hits the headlock driver to get the pin in about 10 minutes.
WINNER – Dean Ambrose (retains title)
The winner of the Best U.S. Champion fan poll is Sting with 53%. Bobo had 2%, Race 9%, Steamboat 24%, and Slaughter 12%.
The choices for best Tag Team Champions are D-X, the Wild Samoans, the Hart Foundation, the British Bulldogs, and the Legion of Doom.
MATCH #7: WWE Tag Team Title Match – Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns vs. The Prime Time Players
Rollins and Reigns have been the Champions since 5.19.13, and this is their fourth defense. Rollins and O’Neil start the match. O’Neil immediately takes control using his freakish strength. Young tags in and the challengers are looking good here. Rollins backs Young into the champions’ corner and Reigns tags in. As soon as Rollins comes back in the PTP are back in control. The Shield uses some chicanery to regain control. They isolate Young and try to wear him down. Finally the hot tag is made and O’Neil is a house afire. O’Neil hits Rollins with Clash of the Titus but Reigns breaks up the cover. Young tosses Reigns to the floor but Reigns is able to sneak back in and deliver the Spear to O’Neil. Rollins covers to get the win in about seven minutes.
WINNERS – The Shield, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns (retain titles)
Hey, don’t try this at home.
Remember earlier when CM Punk faced Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman in a handicap match, and Ryback interfered?
For the greatest Tag Team Champions poll, the winners are DX with 47%. Hart Foundation got 17%, Samoans 1%, Bulldogs 3%, and the legion of Doom 32%.
The final poll, for Best WWE Champion ever, the winner is Hulk Hogan at 55%!. Triple H 4%, CM Punk 12%, John Cena 13%, and Stone Cold Steve Austin at 16%.
MATCH #8: WWE Championship Match – Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan
Bryan has twice won gold at Night of Champions, defeating The Miz for the United States Title in 2010 and teaming with Kane to win the WWE Tag Team Titles last year. (10:34)Orton tries to keep the pace slow but Bryan is wrestling the match at a quicker pace. Bryan goes after the arm and targets it for annihilation. Orton cuts him off and slows the pace back down. Every time Bryan tries to fight up Orton has an answer for him. Finally Bryan is able to trap Orton in the corner and he unleashes a couple of dropkicks and other assorted kicks. Bryan hits a super hurricanrana and Orton takes a powder, so Bryan wipes him out with a dive! Back in the ring Bryan hits a missile dropkick that sends Orton to the floor. Bryan follows Orton out with another suicide dive. He goes for a third and Orton decks him with a forearm smash. Orton then hits Bryan with the Orton DDT on the floor! Back in the ring Orton tries the RKO but Bryan escapes and dropkicks Orton right into the referee! Poor Scott Armstrong is out on the floor. A new referee is out as Bryan fights for the Yes Lock. Orton shoves off and hits a snap powerslam for two. Bryan puts on the Yes Lock and Orton reaches the ropes. Orton avoids a dropkick in the corner and Bryan crumples to the mat. They fight up on the top rope and Bryan crotches Orton. Bryan traps Orton in the Tree of Woe and delivers a dropkick. He goes up and tries the belly-to-back superplex but Orton knocks him back. Bryan perseveres and goes back up for a superplex. He hung on to the ropes with his legs and pulls himself up to deliver the diving headbutt! That was awesome, but it only gets two. Bryan unloads with kicks, but Orton catches him in a t-bone suplex. Both men are down. Bryan lands a knockout kick to Orton’s head and then hits the flying knee to get the pin and regain the WWE Title!
WINNER – Daniel Bryan (NEW WWE CHAMPION!)
