WWE - Summerslam 2009 (Blu-Ray)

Summerslam is usually one of the greatest ppvs of the year, at times, it can even be better than Wrestlemania, and is considered as the 2nd Grand Stage after Wrestlemania. This year however didn't quite live up to memory except for 3 amazing matches.

Intercontinental Championship - Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler

This was an extremely impressive encounter and awesome opener that didn't once drag or have a dull moment. From the get go it kicks into high gear with an amazing moonsault by Rey and what follows is a toe to toe, back and forward style of fast pace, counters and near falls. Very high quality stuff.
MATCH RATING 8.5

MVP vs. Jack Swagger

Perhaps if this was the opener, it would've been seen differently I don't know, because I always feel the opener's get alot of attention because everyone's hot and ready. Anyway this match was okay, but that was it. I expected more because Swagger proved his ability as ECW champion and MVP was US champion for a year because he was that good. Sadly this was just okay.
MATCH RATING 6

Unified WWE Tag Team Championship - Chris Jericho/ Big Show vs. Cryme Tyme

I love JeriShow and I was happy that the tag titles would be defended and that Cryme Tyme were getting there spot. This was alright, but nothing was memorable which isn't a good thing. Luckily the champs retained and continued their impressive duo.
MATCH RATING 6

Kane vs. Great Khali

This shouldn't of been on the card, it was a waste of time and it was slow and boring. Kane deserves better, and Khali, no offence, but he can't carry a match. The time of this should have gone to the ECW title match which I'll get to in abit.
MATCH RATING 2

D-Generation X vs. Legacy

Note: The DX entrance is something to check out I tell you now.
A very good tag match it what is DX's last run as a team, and Legacy fighting like they really have something to prove. Thinking this was going to be a squash or a DX beating was incorrect, Legacy brought it, but so did DX, making this a tremndous affair.
MATCH RATING: 8.5

ECW Championship - Christian vs. William Regal

This match was another classic ECW screw job in that it got a lousy 8 seconds adding insult to talented Christian and William Regal. If you watch their Breaking Point match that follows, they proved they could bring it. But Breaking Point is a b ppv, this is an A ppv, this should've been that Breaking Point match. This was an embarrassment. And to think I was surprises ECW got 3rd to last billing on a PPV instead of the usual early match.
MATCH RATING: 1

WWE Championship - Randy Orton vs. John Cena

What? Suddenly I was watching Summerslam 2007. Oh no wait this is Summerslam 09 still. So these guys fight again, lets be honest, their 07 match at Summerslam was pretty good, but that was it. These 2 are a stale feud together. Dont get me wrong, their Iron Man Match is a classic, but other than that this feud just doesn't do it for me. This match has its moments but it went on too long especially the ridiculous amount of false endings, and Lillian messing it up on the mic didn't help. I was glad Orton retained but I hope this feud stays clear now.
MATCH RATING: 6

TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship - Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk

Match of the Night and Match of the Year contender. This match was both psychological and brutal at the same time, and kept within continuity of the story. What I mean is that it wasn't spot after spot like the other TLC's as much as we love them which had a better flow in my opinion and when something does happen it's more impactful, taking time to take effect for example the superplex onto the ladder, or Jeff missing the splash through the table or Jeff countering into a powerbomb off the ladder. Now the ending is a must see, an OMG moment. Jeff has done it before, but for some reason it just seemed more off a shocker. Perhaps because this is the first time he's done it since the attitude era, but he Swantons off a HUGE ladder onto Punk through the announcer table. When thinking of the height, think Mankind - Hell in a Cell 98. It was unbelievable.
MATCH RATING: 9

Overall the opening, main event and the DX/ Legacy matches are definatley worth watching. But everything else was very forgetful or dieing to be forgotten about. If I could change things, I'd take away the Kane/ Khali match, put that time towards the ECW match and a bit towards MVP/ Swagger. Shortened the WWE Title match and got rid of most if not all those false endings and gone from there.

This particular SummerSlam is a mixture of outstanding and frustrating. To get the bad stuff out of the way, you can expect to suffer the absolute unbearable. Namely match-ups we've seen before TOO MANY TIMES (Khali/Kane and Cena/Orton), ridiculous, tiresome booking and results which will just want to make you bang your head through the wall.

But WHY I recommend the SummerSlam of 2009 is because of three downright excellent matches that will have fans hooked. It's the opener, tag-team and main-event that save the show from being a flop and turn it into a great WWE offering. There's some watchable content on the undercard as well, making this SummerSlam from the Los Angeles Staples Centre a fine one. Just make sure you have that remote handy. You WILL need that SKIP button.

Intercontinental Championship Match
Rey Mysterio (Champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler
Yet another IC title classic from Rey's glorious run. After Night of Champions, the supremely talented Ziggler was now over/recognised by the crowd. The result is a high-octane, blistering classic, filled with fluid exchanges and moves Mysterio hasn't used in years. Both men leave it all in the ring and further restore the Intercontinental Title's prestige. Would've preferred the outcome to have gone the other way, but still a mind-blowing opener. (9/10)

Jack Swagger vs. MVP
Ah, how I miss MVP. Bags of personality and skill who could've gone on to be world champion like Swagger (and hopefully not as ill-treated). Nice little interview between the two characters before what is an average, forgettable collision. Decent enough encounter, though. One that's certainly nowhere as bad as some other matches on the show. (6/10)

Unified WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Chris Jericho & Big Show (Champions) vs. Cryme Tyme
Again, the Jericho/Show pairing turned out to be an unlikely, but tremendous success. The heels work a solid defence against the entertaining duo of Cryme Tyme (who I personally felt were worthy enough to hold the belts for just a short time at least), carrying the limited Shad and allowing JTG to make an impression. Hardly spectacular, but actually quite lively here and there. (6/10)

Kane vs. Great Khali (w/Ranjin Singh)
Oh, lord...This somehow manages to be even worse than the match at WrestleMania 23. Absolute snore-fest. Don't even bother. (2/10)

D-Generation X vs. Legacy
Triple H and Shawn Michaels reform the D-X band once again. And the result not only works again, it succeeds again. A super entrance precedes a technical gem of a tag team contest. Those expecting a squash will be really surprised and happy to see Rhodes & DiBiase look like a real threat against the legends, taking it to them in impressive style. A true back-and-forth war of attrition that makes Legacy equal to the Game and the Showstopper. An excellent showing all-round. (9/10)

ECW Championship Match
Christian (Champion) vs. William Regal (w/Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov)
Those who watched ECW on Sci-Fi KNOW that Christian and Regal could tear the house down. WHY they weren't allowed to do so, I simply cannot fathom. Shafting this, yet allowing bouts like Kane/Khali and giving WAY too much time to Cena/Orton was wasteful. Nine seconds plus a beatdown at the end? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........(1/10)

WWE Championship Match
Randy Orton (Champion) vs. John Cena
Their title bout at SummerSlam 2007 is one of my favourites; a real rollercoaster ride of fun proportions. THIS SummerSlam tussle? A grossly overbooked, tiring and lacklustre mess! Aside from having already SEEN these two go at it SEVERAL times, the action is average and the bout ends, restarts, ends and restarts OVER-AND-OVER again! You're much better off turning to bouts like SummerSlam 2007, the "I Quit" classic at Breaking Point and the Iron Man Match at Bragging Rights. Let's just pretend THIS ONE never happened. (4/10)

Tables, Ladders & Chairs World Heavyweight Championship Match
Jeff Hardy (Champion) vs. CM Punk
The feud of 2009, one of the greatest storylines ever on SmackDown television...all led to this excellent main-event. Right at home, Jeff would say goodbye to the WWE Universe with yet another breathtaking TLC display under his belt. The worthy World Champion gelled extremely well with Punk, who likewise cements his main-event status in a twenty-minute high-stakes drama. Both outcome and aftermath are wicked! Match of the night. (9/10)

So, do THREE blistering matches make SummerSlam 2009 mandatory? Not really, but it's certainly a terrific show to check out. The WWE and ECW title messes bring the overall grade down, as does the tedious Kane/Khali match. But the TLC Main Event, the D-X/Legacy tag bout and the Intercontinental Title opener are TRULY must-see contests. There's a decent enough undercard too to pad things out.

Only one special feature; a Divas battle royal, shown in highlights(!) which make its inclusion rather redundant. So would I recommend this SummerSlam? On the great strength of Hardy/Punk, D-X/Legacy and Mysterio/Ziggler, YES. Everything else, don't get your hopes up.

1. Rey Mysterio vs Dolph Ziggler (WWE Intercontinental Championship) 3/5

Nice little opening match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship with Ziggler being the impressive superstar of the match. I mean he was totally dominating this match, though Mysterio did perform some nice high flying moves.

2. Jack Swagger vs MVP 2/5

Typical squash kind of match that was alright, but not what you call a pay-per-view match to be remembered.

3. Jeri-Show vs Cryme Tyme (WWE Unified Tag Team Championship) 3/5

Kind of liked the team of Chris Jericho and the Big Show and they did very well in this match, by destroying Cryme Tyme to retain their WWE Unified Tag Team Titles.

4. Kane vs Great Khali 2/5

Not much to say about this match as you can expect with a superstar like the Great Khali.

5. DX vs Legacy 4/5

Second best match of the night for me as this tag team match involved the return of DX to pay-per-view. Legacy though were impressive and they did dominate most of the match by wearing DX down. Though in the end DX got that little bit of payback that they wanted to deliver to Legacy.

6. John Cena vs Randy Orton (WWE Championship) 3/5

This WWE Championship match did get off to a great start and then towards the end it became silly. Orton firstly gets himself disqualified, then he gets himself counted out and then he gets found out for using the ropes to beat Cena. Possibly one of the disappointing matches of the night and especially for a match that involves Cena vs Orton.

7. Christian vs William Regal (ECW Championship) N/A

What a waste of time and pay-per-view time on putting on a match for the WWE Universe that lasts a matter of seconds. I mean Christian hits his finisher, wins the match and gets a beat down by Ezekiel Jackson, Vladimir Kozlov and William Regal.

8. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy (TLC Match for World Heavyweight Championship) 4/5

Match of the night and certainly a match of 2009 that should be remembered. Perhaps one of the best tables, ladders and chairs match in the WWE. All three items were used in the match and especially tables and ladders with Jeff performing a high dive off a ladder onto CM Punk.

Though this night wasn't over as the Undertaker made his return and choke slammed CM Punk to the ground.