12 WWE SummerSlam 2019 Impulse Reactions

11. Apollo Crews Vs. Buddy Murphy

The Fiend
WWE.com

Tom Phillips noted that Buddy Murphy's Kickoff clash with Apollo Crews was somehow his first match on SmackDown Live since getting taken from 205 Live earlier this year, topping up the Twitter patter of his gurn going through the FaceApp ageing process waiting to get his turn.

The 'Best Kept Secret' gimmick has been all too real for the Australian of late, with only a sudden inclusion in the Roman Reigns whodunnit storyline keeping him relevant on the blue brand, and presumably, in mind for this late addition.

A run-in from Rowan brought the encounter to an abrupt conclusion as Daniel Bryan's associate took to decking Murphy for grassing him up as the assailant responsible for pushing a portion of set onto 'The Big Dog' two weeks earlier.

The angle was a welcome inclusion in the pre-show's final hour, as was the impressive beatdown Rowan dished out. His high spots were always great, but his sense of purpose since linking up with Bryan has given them heft, too.

Apollo Crews disappeared, of course. If he was even ever there?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett