So these articles have been inconsistent, because let’s be honest, wrestling has been inconsistent. However, we had a pretty huge weekend, so it warrants some attention!

We’ll figure out how the MOTY Pool looks after the consistency of the industry picks back up. And given how things have gotten a little shaken up this weekend, things should start getting fun again.

Let’s just get to the week!

Quick Top 5:

1. NXT TakeOver 36: NXT UK Championship: WALTER (c) vs Ilja Dragunov
   Rating: ***** ¼
2. SummerSlam: Seth Rollins vs Edge
   Rating: **** ¾
3. IMPACT Emergence: X Division Championship: Jake Something vs Josh Alexander (c)
   Rating: **** ½
4. SummerSlam: Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs John Cena
   Rating: **** ¼
5. IMPACT Emergence: IMPACT World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs Brian Myers
   Rating: *** ¾

Honorable Mentions:

• NXT TakeOver 36: 2 out of 3 Falls: Adam Cole vs Kyle O’Reilly
  Rating: *** ½
• SummerSlam: Raw Tag Team Titles: RK-Bro vs AJ & Omos (c)
  Rating: *** ½
• IMPACT Emergence:  #1 Contender 4 Way: Moose vs Chris Sabin vs Sami Callihan vs Ace Austin
  Rating: *** ½
• NXT TakeOver 36: NXT Championship: Karrion Kross (c) vs Samoa Joe
  Rating: *** ½
• AJPW Odou Tournament: T-Hawk vs Kento Miyahara
  Rating: *** ½
• IMPACT Emergence: Rohit Raju vs Matt Cardona
  Rating: *** ¼
• NXT: Ilja Dragunov vs Roderick Strong
  Rating: *** ¼
• NXT TakeOver 36: Million Dollar Championship: Cameron Grimes vs LA Knight (c)
  Rating: *** ¼
• SummerSlam: United States Championship: Sheamus (c) vs Damian Priest
  Rating: *** ¼
• IMPACT Emergence: Steve Maclin vs Petey Williams
  Rating: ***
• SummerSlam: WWE Championship: Goldberg vs Bobby Lashley (c)
  Rating: ***
• NXT TakeOver 36: NXT Women’s Championship: Raquel Gonzalez (c) vs Dakota Kai
  Rating: ***
• WWE RAW: AJ Styles vs Matt Riddle
  Rating: ***
• IMPACT!: Doc Gallows vs Joe Doering
  Rating: ***

5. IMPACT Emergence: IMPACT World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs Brian Myers

From My Results:
Sam Beale finally gets involved, but in a dorky bumbling sidekick way. Christian ripped apart his diary, caused him to run away and then he crashed himself into the steel steps and Christian just kinda shrugged and grinned before Myers finally took advantage of…the sortuv distraction.

Myers played the clever role, forced Cage to roll back in since as the fighting babyface, Myers didn’t have to run the risk of only winning by countout. Myers does his sliding trip and it looks like Christian lands funny, so there’s enough solid moments for Myers to have hope spots. As Christian comes back into the ring, Myers hits him with a Spear, which was a great wrinkle, but only a near fall.

So Christian returned the favor a little later as Myers sets up for a Roster Cut, Christian hits Myers with a Spear and then Killswitch pinfall.

Winner: Cage via Killswitch

4. SummerSlam: Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs John Cena

From AJ’s Review:
Roman goes back to the talking and Cena grabs him in a Fireman’s Carry for the AA but Roman gets out of it and lands the DDT for a nearfall of his own. He tells the camera that he ain’t going to be able to do anything for movies as John Cena is picked back up and we get an attempt of the old comeback before getting smacked upside the head by Roman. Cena gets up slowly, grabbing the legs of Roman for ANOTHER roll up and Roman gets out and puts Cena in a Sleeper Hold but Cena gets to a vertical base quickly. Roman wraps his legs around him to bring him back down and drops again but Cena gets up again and breaks the hold this time, hitting a Lariat to drop Roman and we are back to square one.

Both of them get up and now we finally get Cena’s comeback, the shoulder tackles, the slam, waves the You Can’t See Me before Roman puts the Guillotine. Roman releases it and hits that Superman Punch with the Gilded Fist. The spear is ready and Cena counters it, hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle and the Attitude Adjustment but for a two! Cena now, puts the STF in but Roman grabs the rope to break it. As things look like it’s in Cena’s favor and following Roman to the outside, Roman hits a Drive By as Cena gets down and charges around to hit Spear to the outside but Cena catches him and does an Attitude Adjustment through the table and tried to roll him in quickly in the ring to win but gets another two count. John Cena now goes to the tope rope but Roman catches him into a powerbomb and a pin for another pin attempt. Roman gets back up and cocks the fist for another Superman Punch but Cena rolls him up again but Roman gets angry again, getting the Spear ready and misses Cena, hitting the post as Cena drags Roman to the top for a Super Attitude Adjustment but Roman kicks out one… more… time…

Winner: Reigns via Spear

3. IMPACT Emergence: X Division Championship: Jake Something vs Josh Alexander (c)

From My Results:
Jake starts throwing Josh around a little, but Josh hits a Northern Lights Suplex to try and stabilize. That then starts a strike exchange where Jake looks to rock Josh and then he lands a Stalling Vertical Suplex, for a near fall. At this point Jake starts landing big moves over and over, but Josh finds the ropes over and over and clings to them for dear life.

After saving himself multiple times on the ropes, Josh manages to catch Jake, and hits him with locomotion 5 German Suplexes, Bridges into a pin, but Jake kicks and Josh doesn’t let go. So 5 more Germans with the bridge at the end, and still only a near fall. C4 Spike attempt, but Jake fights, Ankle Lock from Josh, but Jake kicks him off. So many haymakers thrown, Blue Thunder Bomd from Josh, Sitout Powerbomb from Jake, a C4 onto the apron almost gives Josh the win by countout. Josh manages to counter the Blackhole Slam attempt, hook in the C4 Spike and finally get the retention pinfall!

Winner: Josh wins via C4 Spike

2. SummerSlam: Seth Rollins vs Edge

From AJ’s Review:
Since Rollins started getting cocky though, Edge comes back and takes it to his competitor but when the go to the top for a move, Seth takes advantage and splashes Edge, looking for the stomp but Edge rolls out of the way. Rollins talks trash again but Edge catches Rollins as both of them land hard on te ring with a swinging Neckbreaker from Edge. Edge now gets the advantage and deals the Edge-O-Cution to Seth to cause Seth to reel but Rollins turns things around to bait Edge in but, Edge catches a Superkick from Seth and hits the Edge-O-Matic but still to no avail. Edge goes to the top rope now as Seth jumps up and does his Superplex/Falcon Arrow combination but no avail of a victory either.

Rollins sets up the Stomp again but Edge moves out of the way of the Stomp, Seth tries to turn it into a Pedigree but Edge spins out of it for a Glam Slam. Seth baits Edge to the ropes and hits a neckbreaker through the ropes, trying for another stomp but Edge catches Seth, stuns him on the apron and lands a Suicide Spear like it’s WrestleMania 21 again against Foley but Edge keeps it up and takes it to Rollins and goes for a Spear but gets caught into a Pedigree but again to a nearfall. Rollins goes for a Phoenix Splash but Edge dodges and hits the Spear onto Rollins but another nearfall happens and Edge is shocked. Edge tries everything now to win and beat Seth, reversing one more Stomp attempt and even bringing the Edgeucator back to get a submission victory but Rollins rolls out and now gets a Crossface started. Seth tries to break out and get an advantage but Edge opens his arms, bashes Seth’s head into the mat and puts an Arm Captured Headlock and Rollins taps out.

Winner: Edge wins via Crossface

1. NXT TakeOver 36: NXT UK Championship: WALTER (c) vs Ilja Dragunov

From AJ’s Review:
After a nearfall, Walter stomps and kicks Ilja, no matter how many times Dragunov gets up, Walter lands another Chop once Ilja stands and even a heavy Big Boot. Even then, Ilja gets some offense going, slapping and striking Walter and gets him down on the mat for a submission that Walter starts blocking, turning it into a strike fest with kicks, slaps, chops and finally stuns the big man down with a knee strike. Ilja takes too much time though after as he goes for a leaping move, caught by a palm down to the ground and a Western Lariat to fall back to the ground for another nearfall. As both men get up, Walter Chops Ilja’s back and that fires Dragunov down and takes Walter down and returns to sender, Chopping Walter’s back and now the Chop are having no effect anymore as Dragunov actually outpowers the Champion for yet another nearfall. Ilja now goes to the top and lands a dropkick on Walter, going to the other stide to do a Senton to Walter and tries to charge over to Walter but is caught in a Sleep Slam. Dragunov pops up quickly and lands his Torpedo Moskau twice to take Walter down for another nearfall.

Ilja now gets chops of his own going now and Walter Chops Ilja this time, still to no effect as he continues the fight to Walter, no matter how hard he gets hit, Ilja gets up and fights more. Walter though halts it with a missile dropkick and Powerbomb but Ilja continues to kcik out. Walter now two heavy chops and a knee to ready a powerbomb and even a big Splash to Ilja but yet again, another near fall, trying to the win now with the Sleeper but Ilja keeps getting up and blocking the Sleeper as he keeps taking down and even putting the Sleeper on Walter this time but Walter is too big and strong as Walter goes to the top with Dragunov on his back and falls to break it but Ilja goes back to put the Sleeper back on Walter, like a scrappy dog. Walter tries to get up again and drop Ilja to break the hold again but Ilja keeps it on, breaking it himself to beat down Walter with kicks and forearms and reapplies the Sleeper to make… Walter… tap.

Winner: Ilja via Sleeper Hold

Final Thoughts:

Well Ilja Dragunov vs WALTER is going to be a hard match to top all year. It build off their first match well, it build off WALTER’s title reign and Ilja’s development through 2021. It was just a wonderful culmination of all things.

Which sucks a little since Josh Alexander and Jake Something put on a hell of a match and Edge vs Seth Rollins was waaay better than I was anticipating. Solid weekend, and who knows…maybe I’ll start watching AEW more often now. I don’t want to, but I feel like I might have to.