10 Amazing (But Forgotten) WWE Pre-Show Matches You Need To See
Things You Should Be Knowing
The SummerSlam 2017 Kickoff Show was WWE's best ever pay-per-view curtain raiser. Though a two hour commercial for a four hour show isn't exactly the most appealing prospect (especially with only a lukewarm product to sell), somehow the production warranted attention far more than most of the goings on from the main show itself.
The Miz, The Hardy Boyz, Jason Jordan, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas had a six-man tag team match in front of a virtually empty arena. Having only recently left TNA, it was the sort of thing Matt and Jeff were probably used to, but WWE almost never has to face such glaring production errors. The unfamiliar territory afforded a rare glimpse at the group's resourcefulness. Shooting tight and low, it was a victory for the crack TV team if nothing else.
More traditional rewards awaiting. Elias was phenomenal in winding up the Brooklyn attendees with another hilarious musical takedown of the locale, and Neville's retrieval of his Cruiserweight Title from Akira Tozawa was enjoyable despite a distinct lack of spark following their maiden encounter just six days earlier.
However, the night truly belonged to The Usos and The New Day. Absolutely essential viewing, their title bout was one of the best of their series, perhaps the best tag match of the year, and in the running for WWE's match of the year. After tracking down and checking out what will quickly gain cult-like status, why not investigate some of the other gems located on the shows before the shows...
10. The Usos Vs The Shield (Money In The Bank 2013)
Unfairly stuck as perennial Kickoff Show favourites thanks as much to their persistence in the tag team division as much as anything else for several years now, The Usos have routinely delivered in matches missed by millions.
And as almost a demotion for Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at the time such was the rampant progress of The Shield in the first six months on the main roster, the quartet of robustly talented stars were determined to try and steal the show before the show.
Despite being infuriatingly broken up by advertisement breaks as these events so often are, the four assembled what effectively amounted to be a riveting television clash with the hope of restoring some lustre to the long abandoned tag team titles.
A rare-for-WWE Tower Of Doom spot highlighted just this, with all four drawing monstrous responses from the notoriously hard-to-please Philadelphia crowd.
Rollins and Reigns were so protected at the time too, drawing further tension for every nearfall late in the game. After The Usos used the steel stairs to subdue Reigns, Jimmy looked to have it won with a superkick and splash, but 'The Big Dog' just barely made the save.
A last gasp effort from Jey failed, leaving him exposed to a wicked combo attack from the Champions. Seth's buckle bomb flowed beautifully into Reigns' spear, ensuring the 'Hounds Of Justice' kept control of the yard.