Just a couple of hours before SummerSlam, Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa meet in the ring prior to their highly anticipated match for the Undisputed Universal Championship. Sikoa is called by name, and he arrives alone like Rhodes instructed last week.
You know what I’ve noticed? I don’t know why Rhodes says that Sikoa appointed himself Tribal Chief when I distinctively remember Roman Reigns saying that Solo is the Tribal heir, meaning he was going to take that spot either way. It was rightfully his when you pay attention to the details. People are mad, but they fail to realize that little piece of information.
Anyway, Rhodes intends to pay his due when Randy Orton and Kevin Owens put their bodies on the line trying to help him fend off the Bloodline. Something he needs to do, and in order to do that, he can’t afford losing tomorrow. He must win.
Sikoa fires back by reminding Cody that he isn’t Roman. That Tribal Chief was seen as weak to Solo, something he most definitely isn’t. Ha! And just to make himself even more threatening, he proposes a Bloodline Rules match for SummerSlam just as Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu and Tonga Loa begin circling the ring.
Ha! Ha! “I ain’t scared of you [Jacob Fatu], you dumb son of a b*tch!” said Rhodes. What’s even worst is that Cody agreed to the Bloodline Rules match. Yikes…
Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
There were nasty amounts of sharp-edged chops Hayes and Andrade were sending each other back and forth, some of which got reactions from the audience. Carmelo drop kicks his opponent, as Andrade returns the favor. A “see-saw battle” is the best way to describe this match.
Hayes finds himself on top as he sends Andrade into the stairs before throwing him back inside the ring. Carmelo continues with his efforts with a flying clothesline followed by a Super Kick that nearly pins Andrade.
Luckily, Andrade makes a comeback with a clothesline that turns Carmelo inside out. Unfortunately, that didn’t last very long when Hayes utilizes the ropes to perform a unique German suplex. Right at the top of the turnbuckles, Andrade was able to superplex Carmelo, yet he didn’t have enough strength to cover him.
Andrade was going for a finishing move, but Hayes turns it around with a face buster that almost ended this match. Andrade remains in the game. That pissed Carmelo… Ha! Even later as a payback, Hayes kicks out of that spinning back elbow to the face. Oof.
Hayes was trapped in a Figure 4 submission, however, he was able to reach the bottom rope to save himself. Andrade may not have had enough energy then and there, yet he managed to surprise Carmelo with a sudden roll up reversal to win. Again!
Carmelo was left in disbelief.
Winner: Andrade
Santos Escobar vs. Apollo Crews
Legado del Fantasma looks to get back on track after Humberto and Angel failed to win the Tag Team Gauntlet match last week. Santos ventures to lead by example by taking out Apollo Crews, well, try to at least.
Right off the bat, Santos gets ahead by attacking Apollo before he could see him coming. Elektra Lopez continues to encourage him to get rougher as the match progresses. Crews attempts to get back in the game, but Santos has been in control the majority of the time. Baron Corbin is seen cheerleading Crews.
Apollo finally gets back to his feet with a sudden performance of a German suplex to Santos. That whiplashes him completely. Annoyingly so, Angel tries to help Santos when he notices he’s on the receiving end, so he stands on the apron. Luckily, Corbin was there to knock his ass out.
After that, Crews drops Santos from a high distance, right on his stomach. Humberto wanted to distract Apollo, yet he gets sucker punched by Crews. Corbin and Apollo were doing great, and that was the problem. Someone is seen grabbing Baron by the ankle from under the ring, and it’s later revealed to be Angel, as he and Humberto beat him up.
Back inside the ring, Escobar uses that initiative by his teammates to deliver the conclusive Phantom Driver.
Winner: Santos Escobar
Among everything Logan Paul spat out, I paid more attention to Nick Aldis’ crocked tie and the begged for arrival of LA Knight. I had to derive whatever amusement I could find out of this mind-melting interaction. A homecoming for this man?? Seriously? Not only was it underwhelming, but it almost made me grab a knife and stab my leg out of impatience.
Aldis was going to expose that those dignitaries Logan paid to stroke his dick were frauds since he couldn’t find their legitimate credentials online. Paul bullcraps his way by telling Nick that he simply doesn’t get it. More so, that he wants to unveil a banner with his obnoxious face on it to remind people that he’s “Cleveland’s finest”… asshole.
What perked me up was the tampering of that banner done by LA Knight. Thank you! He made my day by stealing Logan’s ugly ass car, too.
Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill vs. The Unholy Union (c) – Women’s Tag Team Championship match
The Unholy Union tried to get an early jump on their challengers, but it backfired tremendously. Ha! Cargill and Belair disposed of them as quickly they would with a fly. Double suplexes.
Isla Dawn and Jade Cargill start this match. There was a little misdirect, but Jade was able to shoulder tackle Dawn to the mat. Cargill continues on her assault with a body splash in the corner followed by a back breaker.
The challengers are on a roll as they double team to drop Fyre and Dawn on the mat at the same time. The Unholy Union finally get back in the game, turning things around in their favor. Isla yanks Bianca off the apron to prevent Cargill from tagging her partner. Fyre and Dawn nearly pinned Jade after that Swanton.
Cargill amazes the crowd with a double suplex, then she tags Belair, who steps up blazing through the field with a double crossbody by air. The fight continues as Belair delivers ten clubbing blows to the champs. Alba stops this by grabbing ahold of Bianca’s ponytail. So, Belair makes her pay with a spine buster.
Isla manages to send Jade on the outside. Cargill’s blood boils as she drags Dawn down with her, then she delivers a Super Kick. And just when things were getting better for the challengers, Blair Davenport swoops in and destroys their chances. This results in a disqualification.
Despite that, Jade squashes Davenport with a massive kick to the face before being overwhelmed by the Unholy Union. While all this kafuffle is happening, we’re left wondering what is the relation between Davenport and the Unholy Union for this to take place?
Winners: Disqualification
The Undisputed Championship under Bloodline Rules has been made official between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa. One of the nastiest rivalries being CM Punk and Drew McIntyre with Seth Rollins as the guest referee finally erupts tomorrow. Both Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley have their work cut out for them as they battle for the Women’s World Championship after the ongoing trials on Monday Night RAW.
LA Knight is looking to snatch that US Championship from Logan Paul’s waist and put some respect on that title. Sami Zayn faces Bron Breakker one more time in an attempt to retain his title from a man who swears he won’t fall short the second go-around. My personal favorite, a battle of classism where Damian Priest and Gunther brawl for the World Heavyweight Championship. The WWE Women’s Championship is on the line as Nia Jax gets to use her Queen of the Ring winning card to compete against Bayley with Tiffany Stratton’s Money in the Bank briefcase looming over with opportunity.
DIY (c) vs. Tama Tonga & Jacob Fatu – Tag Team Championship match
Tommaso Ciampa starts things off against Tama Tonga, yet he’s on the receiving end of Tama’s incoming blows that push him into a corner. Ciampa fights back as well as he can versus this… person. The Bloodline are rolling in the early goings.
Jacob is tagged in and brawls Ciampa. Fatu collided with the top of the ring post when he tried to squash Tommaso in the corner. This is the first display of any breathing room Ciampa was able to get as he crawls towards Gargano for a tag.
Once Tama is tagged in, he’s momentarily whipped by Johnny. Even Fatu is introduced to Gargano’s foot. DIY continue to gain some leverage as Johnny spears Tama for a near fall. They do play a double team after that when Tonga didn’t stay down.
Later on, Ciampa only realized too late that Jacob tagged himself in, so he gets bulldozed by Fatu’s thunderous self. The Samoan Werewolf adds more salt to the wound by backing it up in the corner, practically decapitating Tommaso. Tama comes crashing down with a body splash that almost, almost ended this if it weren’t for Gargano. Fatu enforces after Johnny, yet Gargano sidesteps.
Just when DIY were setting Tama for Meet Me in the Middle, Tonga Loa distracts the referee, so Solo could deliver the Samoan Spike to Tommaso. Despite all this, there’s no quit in Johnny. That’s all well and good, but Jacob isn’t entirely human given he barely felt the effects of Johnny’s Poisonrana. You know, Fatu really is a delight to watch.
Jacob stamps a very BIG and bold conclusion to Gargano with a spiking twisting DDT. They sought out to do what they said they were going to do. I can only applaud them knowing this. Good luck, Cody.
Winners: The Bloodline
TOP PHOTO: The Bloodline loam over Johnny Gargano’s fallen body. Courtesy of WWE
