By Steve Ward
WWE Summerslam would continue with night number two from US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tonight’s card featured six matches with five titles contested and was headlined by Roman Reigns going toe to toe against Seth Rollins with the World Heavyweight Championship hanging in the balance.
Undisputed WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Match
Finn Balor vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
Winner: Kevin Owens via pinfall
This match was originally scheduled to be a one-on-one encounter between Balor and Zayn until newly reinstated Smackdown GM Nick Aldis made his way onto the stage. Aldis announced that he would be adding another competitor to the match as Gunther made his way out. Aldis then announced he never said he was only adding one competitor as everyone in US Bank Stadium was left in shock when Kevin Owens was introduced as the fourth competitor following a 17-month absence resulting from neck surgery. In the closing moments of this frenetically paced opening contest, Zayn appeared poised to capture victory as he hit the Blue Thunder Bomb on Owens and then had him squared up for the Helluva Kick. As Zayn attempted to kick Owens head off, KO countered with a superkick and then quickly followed up with a Stunner to claim the number one contender’s spot.
United States Championship
Trick Williams (c) w/ Lil Yachty vs. Baron Corbin
Winner: Baron Corbin via pinfall
Following his shocking return recently on Smackdown, Corbin immediately set his sights on Trick Williams and the United States Championship. The repeated attacks on Williams by Corbin helped fuel tonight’s match coming to fruition. The closing moments of tonight’s encounter saw Corbin grab the title from ringside and start making his way back into the ring. As Corbin stood on the ring apron, he was confronted by Lil Yachty. Corbin and Yachty proceeded to fight over the belt as Trick ran into Corbin who subsequently bumped into Yachty knocking him from the apron and through a table that was set up at ringside earlier in the bout. With the referee distracted, Corbin proceeded to strike Trick in the head with the belt and followed up with the End of Days which allowed him to cover Williams for the pinfall.
WWE Interim Women’s Championship Ladder Match
Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Lash Legend vs. Charlotte Flair
Winner: Chelsea Green
With WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley out of action indefinitely due to a torn meniscus, the decision was made to crown an interim champion tonight in a five-way ladder match. The closing moments of this match saw three ladders set up in the middle of the ring. The center one with Green’s feet caught in between rungs as she was hanging upside down following an attack from B-Fab and Michin, another with Cargill and Flair jockeying for position, and the third with Stratton and Legend battling each other. First, Cargill climbed across the ladders to tip over the one with Stratton and Legend on it. Next, Jade and Charlotte took themselves out of the fight with their in-fighting. Finally, Green sat up with her feet still anchored on the ladder and ascended to the top where she retrieved the title.
Human Monies On A Pole Match
Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio
Winner: Danhausen
Following weeks of Danhausen throwing curses at The Judgement Day after they attempted to collect money they believed he owed them, they finally decided to settle the core in a Human Monies On A Pole match. As the match began to wind down, we saw JD McDonagh attempt to assist Dirty Dom until the Minihausens swarmed the ring. Once McDonagh dispatched them, Joe Hendry made his way down the ramp with a guitar in hand and proceeded to shatter it over his head. Dirty Dom then began to climb the the turnbuckles towards the bag of money when Danhausen cursed him and fireworks shot from the corner post knocking Mysterio off. This allowed Danhausen to climb up and retrieve the Human Monies.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable
Winner: Chad Gable via submission
Chad Gable earned his opportunity at the Intercontinental Championship back on the July 13 episode of Monday Night Raw as he emerged victorious in a grueling gauntlet match and tonight would attempt to dethrone Penta who put his 153-day title reign on the line. In the final moments of the bout, Gable survived a brutal Mexican Destroyer on the ring apron to quickly recover in the middle of the squared circle. Gable then countered another Mexican Destroyer attempt in the ring with the ankle lock submission. Gable continued to battle to keep Penta away from the ropes and finally dropped to the canvas to cinch in the hold even deeper which immediately prompted a tap out by Penta.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall
This match symbolized the end of a chapter for both competitors. Seth who had never lost to Roman would attempt to put the shadow of The Shield in his rearview while Roman would seek to finally earn a victory over Rollins exorcising his demons in the process. After both competitors pulled out every stop in an attempt to conquer one another, the referee took an inadvertent spear from Roman Reigns that left him incapacitated outside the ring. Rollins then introduced a chair into the match. Reigns managed to get a hold of the chair and instead of putting it to use, he tossed it from the ring wanting to put Seth away on his own. In the final minutes, Seth attempted a top rope stomp only to miss and be put down with a spear. Roman then connected on two more spears in a row as the referee came to just in time to count the 1-2-3 as The OTC retained his title.
