IWE SummerSlam (2020)

From Iwe

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

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 IWE since 1988. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer," it is one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series, dubbed the "Big Four". It is considered IWE's second biggest event of the year behind WrestleMania. 2020 will be the thirty-third event in the SummerSlam chronology and feature wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IWE has had to present the majority of its programming from the IWE 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. On May 8, the ongoing pandemic forced Boston mayor Marty Walsh to suspend all large-scale gatherings until September 7, effectively canceling IWE's planned events in the city. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reported that the promotion would be open to move SummerSlam to September if it meant having fans in attendance. 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. Although PWInsider had reported that the event would be held at the IWE Performance Center, the promotion put out an official statement on July 23 that the announcement of a new location would be forthcoming. IWE also stated that refunds would be issued at original point of purchase.

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 IWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands, while storylines are produced on IWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

Event

Pre-show

During the SummerSlam pre-show. Apollo Crews defended the IWE United States Championship against MVP. In the end, Crews performed a Powerbomb on MVP to retain the title. Following the match, The Hurt Business' Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley came down to the ring to attack Crews, however, Crews escaped.

Preliminary matches

The actual pay-per-view opened with Bayley (accompanied by Sasha Banks) defending the SmackDown Women's Championship against Asuka. In the end, Asuka attempted to attack Bayley, who was teetering on the ring ropes, however, Bayley moved out of the way and Asuka inadvertently knocked off Banks, who had been standing on the ring apron to try and distract Asuka. Bayley then performed a roll-up on Asuka to retain the title. Following the match, Bayley and Banks attacked Asuka.

Next, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) defended IWE Raw Tag Team Championship against Andrade and Angel Garza (accompanied by Zelina Vega). The climax saw Vega stand on the ring apron to distract the referee. Garza performed a superkick on Dawkins, who bumped into Vega knocking her off the ring apron. Dawkins then performed a powerbomb on Garza and Ford performed a From the Heavens splash on Garza to retain the title.

After that, Mandy Rose faced Sonya Deville in a no disqualification match where the loser would leave IWE. During the first half of the match, Rose and Deville fought at ringside where Rose performed a flying lariat on Deville off the announce table. Deville attacked Rose with a chair and slammed her head on the announce table. Rose performed four running knees on Deville to win the match. Following the match, Otis came out to celebrate with Rose where Rose performed her own rendition of The Caterpillar, Otis's finisher.

In the next match, Seth Rollins (accompanied by Murphy) fought Dominik Mysterio (accompanied by his father, Rey Mysterio) in a Street Fight. This was Dominik's first match as a WWE wrestler. In the end, Rollins performed a Stomp on Dominik to win the match.

Next, Sasha Banks (accompanied by Bayley) defended the Raw Women's Championship against Asuka. The end saw a similar situation occur as the SmackDown Women's Championship match from earlier, with the roles of Banks and Bayley switched, however, Bayley moved out of the way. Asuka then attacked Bayley, but as Banks tried a roll-up on Asuka for the pin, Asuka reversed into the Asuka Lock on Banks, forcing her to tap, thus winning the title for a second time.

In the penultimate match, Drew McIntyre defended the IWE Championship against Randy Orton. In the end, Orton attempted a Punt on McIntyre, however, McIntyre countered with a powerbomb, As McIntyre attempted a Claymore on Orton, Orton avoided it, however, McIntyre performed a backslide pin on Orton to retain the title.

Main event

In the main event, Braun Strowman defended the Universal Championship against "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in a Falls Count Anywhere match. During the match, the two fought up the entrance ramp and inside the gorilla position. In the end, Strowman used a box cutter to cut the top ring canvas to expose the wooden flooring. The Fiend countered an attack from Strowman and performed an uranage and two consecutive Sister Abigails on Strowman onto the exposed wood to regain the title for a second time. After the match, Roman Reigns (in his first appearance in five months) appeared and performed a Spear on The Fiend. Reigns then performed a Spear on Strowman, who was staggering at ringside, and attacked him with multiple chair shots. Reigns then returned to the ring to execute another Spear on The Fiend before hoisting up the Universal Championship.

Aftermath

Raw

SmackDown

Results

References

External links