One MIND-BLOWING Secret For Every WWE SummerSlam

6. 2020 | Glorified Backlash

Edge Randy Orton
WWE.com

SummerSlam has lost its appeal in recent years. CM Punk Vs. Gunther (2025) and Drew McIntyre (2024) are the only truly massive-feeling first-time meetings between two huge, established names to have taken place at the so-called Biggest Party of the Summer of late. The Punk/Drew match was also very obviously the first in a trilogy too. 

SummerSlam 2023 was the site of the dismal Tribal Combat meeting between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. WWE ran back Roman Vs. Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2022 for the mindnumbing seventh time on PLE. This was the second SummerSlam meeting; they also did the same Paul Heyman match in 2018. WWE booked a sequel to Roman Reigns Vs. John Cena in 2021. 

What’s basically happened here is Saudi Arabia. There is far more in the way of financial incentive for WWE to book unique matches for the regime as opposed to the public. The glue factory-bound horses aren’t getting out of bed for a SummerSlam these days. If the Undertaker is going to put his life in the hands of concussion fetishist Goldberg, he’s going to do it in Jeddah.

This explains why the first draft of the SummerSlam 2020 card was essentially Backlash; Drew McIntyre Vs. Brock Lesnar was pencilled in for August, per WrestleVotes, but Brock was never going to work again in 2020. Before Edge went down with a triceps injury at the actual Backlash, he was set to conclude his trilogy with Randy Orton at the glorified Backlash. WWE had already promoted the second meeting as the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever. How were they going to market the third?

‘It Probably Won’t Be As Good, But We Only Know How To Book Trilogies Here’?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!