4 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SummerSlam Night 1 (Review & Results)
2. Old Man Aldis Still Has It
This is an obvious joke: despite being out of the ring for three years, Nick Aldis is younger than almost the entirety of WWE’s main event and upper-midcard scene.
Regardless, the former (and once again current) SmackDown GM battled Gunther in a grudge match that really was a can’t-miss prospect. All they had to do was let Aldis and Gunther wrestle and not overdo it with ga-ga.
Thankfully, that’s exactly what we got, with Aldis coming out to Oasis and color commentator Wade Barrett marking out on his countryman’s behalf. Gunther was his usual awesome heel self, celebrating after winning an early lockup battle, then delivering a cheap shot to take advantage.
Unlike many WWE matches where there are prolonged heat segments, Aldis and Gunther kept exchanging strikes, clotheslines, and slams, with the momentum shifting back and forth several times. Gunther controlled a good amount of the match, but Aldis didn’t spend two-thirds of it on his back selling.
The closing sequence saw Aldis finally lock in the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf, only for Gunther to make the ropes and finally get his sleeper. Aldis fought up, but he eventually was forced to tap.
The crowd was firmly into this match, elevating it several steps and making it an easy “up” for this show.