WWE SummerSlam 2021 Flops and Hits: Brock Lesnar returns to Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman’s nightmare, Big mistake in world championship match (22nd August, 2021)
WWE SummerSlam 2021 is in the history books. The show was decent with its fair share of good and bad. We witnessed two megastars make a huge return at the recently concluded pay-per-view. Additionally, four out of seven title bouts ended with the championship changing hands.
Those who sought nostalgia from The Biggest Party of the Summer found satisfaction in the WWE legends’ dedication to the craft.
More than anything, the Vegas crowd made SummerSlam genuinely feel like a 'Big Four pay-per-view.' Nothing beats the return of WWE fans in the live audience. The cheers, the boos, the chants, and the applause – everything helped in creating an engaging show.
Here, we look at the biggest hits and flops of SummerSlam 2021. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Honorable mention: Pat McAfee impresses again at SummerSlam 2021
WWE SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee is made for this job. He was excellent while calling the in-ring action throughout the show. McAfee enjoyed a glorious moment in the spotlight at SummerSlam alongside Rick Boogs and Shinsuke Nakamura as the trio celebrated The King’s Intercontinental Championship victory.
He was particularly impressive during Edge vs. Seth Rollins as the skillful orator worked hard to draw our attention towards the superstars’ subtle acts inside the ring. It made the “dark Edge” persona look so much better on-screen. Not to forget, his commentary made the main event quite intense.
#7 Hit at WWE SummerSlam 2021: Roman Reigns beats John Cena, Brock Lesnar returns
The main event of SummerSlam 2021 saw Roman Reigns and John Cena face each other in an entertaining match that lived up to the hype. Both superstars stuck to their respective strengths, taking turns to dominate the match. The action was fast-paced, and every time either of them stopped, it would be to mock the other.
Cena took a lot of punishment, but he also came close to pinning The Tribal Chief on three occasions. Reigns looked incredible in the ring, and that is not something that you would read often. Barring a couple of little mistakes, he was impactful in all his attacks and carefully maintained his “Holier Than Thou” attitude throughout his title match.
This was the difference in Roman Reigns between this and his last match against John Cena. If he can fetch this kind of reaction, he is doing a good job as a heel.
Following an epic clash, the match’s closing moments saw Cena hit Reigns with an Attitude Adjustment off the second rope. The crowd rallied behind both the superstars, genuinely appreciating their efforts. John Cena deserved the supportive cheers after the shift he put in against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
Unfortunately, Cena couldn’t capitalize on the momentum as Reigns found a way out of the pinfall. He eventually used a picturesque Spear to seal his victory and retained the title at SummerSlam.
However, Roman Reigns’ title celebrations were cut short as The Beast Incarnate’s theme music hit the stadium. Brock Lesnar walked out with fans screaming on top of their lungs while Paul Heyman looked like he saw a ghost.
WWE only teased a feud between Lesnar and Reigns before the latter walked out. The former received an envious welcome from fans in the live audience. The WWE Universe is excited to see what’s on Brock Lesnar’s mind and how he will target Roman Reigns after the pay-per-view.
Lesnar’s return can be viewed as a reactionary booking decision, but it is still great to see him back inside the ring. Hopefully, WWE will book him in a compelling storyline. A good feud with Brock Lesnar can work wonders for Roman Reigns’ current gimmick, but lazy writing will force the crowd to turn on the entire storyline altogether.