10 Ways WWE SummerSlam 2015 Could've Been Saved

10. An Exciting Tag Team Title Match As Opener (Between Only Two Teams)

The opening match for such a long show is critical in keeping fans invested and focused on the action in the ring. If that fails to work, then the rest of the show can suffer from increased fan apathy, or worse, people spending more time on their phones than watching the matches unfold.

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn was booked perfectly, with the Liger-Breeze match being the perfect choice of opener. Seeing a legend take on one of NXT’s finest was an excellent hook, and fans actually cared for who won or lost. In contrast, the Orton vs Sheamus was, well, boring. 

There hasn’t been anything particularly novel about this renewed feud, and the only really unique part of the match was that it took Sheamus two Brogue kicks to pin Orton. In further contrast, the match that followed had more action in less time, as the tag team title match was one of the most exciting on the entire card, despite having two teams too many.

Though the Lucha Dragons and Los Matadores did have some interesting spots, the match belonged to the Prime Time Players and the New Day, who stole the show with their antics. Had WWE opted to open with a standard tag team match between these two teams only, and given them the exact same amount of time, it’s virtually guaranteed that the audience would’ve been much more attentive for the rest of the show.