WWE SummerSlam 2018: Star Ratings For All 13 Matches

8. Braun Strowman Vs. Kevin Owens

kevin owens braun strowman
WWE.com

This was weird. That's about the only word needed.

WWE, for some reason, screened a highlights (nominally, obviously) package ahead of the match. It was longer than the match itself, and only served to remind fans why there was so little buzz surrounding the match in the first place. Owens took a powder, as so many of the heels did on the night. The roster of 2018 shares something in common with that of 1989 in one respect, at least.

And then, Braun channelled the version of himself that got over huge by beating the p*ss out of Owens in a crime scene of a squash match. Owens did nothing except bump with an admirable generosity. Whomever laid out that match didn't even bother to tease that Owens had the ring awareness to bait Strowman into a disqualification or count-out, which we'd spent the last however many weeks being asked to accept. He simply played a role identical to that of James Ellsworth as WWE hit the reset button on the comedy shenanigans ahead of the Monster's association with the Universal Title picture.

Where Owens goes from here is anybody's guess, but this was a fall from grace harder than his crazed bump last month.

Star Rating: N/A

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential 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 former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current 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!