IC Title Match: Johnny Nitro vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Carlito. Jeff Hardy had just returned before this event. have him open the card for his big return match. i like the additions of Benjamin and Carlito since i like having as many guys possible on the card, but this could be Nitro vs. Hardy one-on-one i guess. really, just have Hardy return and fight for the IC Title to open the show. maybe a Ladder Match? add two more guys to give it that marquee match feel. so add RVD and Sabu. almost like a MITB Match, only for the IC Title instead of a title contract.
Mysterio vs. Guerrero was great. the only change i'd make is to have this be their "I Quit" Match that we got on Smackdown around this time. this was a very personal feud and needed that kind of stipulation to take it to that next level. Mysterio "quitting" would be a big moment and a bit of a swerve. keep it as is.
Foley vs. Flair. this was the highlight of the night, but the match itself ended kinda flat for me. i'd make this a Last Man Standing Match instead of an "I Quit" Match. for one thing, i'm arm-chair-booking Guerrero/Mysterio with that stipulation instead. in their TNA years, Foley and Flair had a Last Man Standing Match on Impact that surprisingly delivered really well. loved that match and that finish much more than what we got here. so that's how i'd do it this time around.
DX vs. McMahons and Big Show; Hell in a Cell. i know that i am in the vast minority, but i really enjoyed this feud from before the Royal Rumble all the way thru beyond SummerSlam. Vince and Shawn started their rivalry, had a fun brawl at Mania, then added the different pieces with Hunter and the Spirit Squad, etc. their Hell in a Cell Match that we got (i think at Unforgiven the next month) was so much fun. i've got that match on dvd and go back to it often. even my non-wrestling-fan wife likes it. as gross as it is, she loves Vince kissing Big Show's ass, especially after i explained the ENTIRE feud to her. it was so fitting. i'd do that here instead of on a lesser ppv.
Hogan vs. Orton was fine. as others have stated, the build up was pretty unimpressive and the match was lacking. some have complained about the finish, stating that Orton should have gone over cleanly. Orton, in years past and yet-to-come, had beaten such legends as Foley, HBK, Flair, Taker, Dusty Rhodes and many others in either one off matches or drawn out feuds. Hogan at SummerSlam would have been a huge feather in his cap. i'd probably do the build up without Brooke and simplify the story... Legend vs. Legend Killer. i think Orton was undefeated at SummerSlam up to this point. Hogan for sure is. streak vs. streak. and yeah, probably have Orton go over.
please forgive the oddness of this next one, but i'd do a Triple Threat Match for the World Title. Taker vs. Batista vs. King Booker. Taker could have the match won and King Booker could steal the pin. i just really hate World Title Matches at major pay per views ending in dq. makes me crazy. stealing the win is pretty rough when overdone also, but this would have fit. Batista can continue his feud with King Booker, saying that King Booker couldn't beat him one-on-one, and Taker/Batista can still be set up for Mania 23 the next year. full circle.
Edge vs. Cena was fine for what it was. i really hated this feud. i know that's blasphemous. it supposedly made Edge's career and solidified him as a main event star. it's hard to argue. my biggest and honestly only complaint is that Edge never got a real win over Cena. it was always after major interference, cheating, dq, etc. why couldn't Edge EVER get one clean win? here, on this stage, in Cena's hometown would have been HUGE!! make this match a Street Fight, and have Edge spear Cena for the win. after being brutalized in a Street Fight, it wouldn't hurt Cena's credibility one bit. but it would have given Edge that one big win, that he didn't really have prior in this feud.
i'm sad that Angle wasn't on this card, but he was on his way out to TNA around this time. in a perfect world, i'd give him that one last big match. i'd even let him win, or decide, if he wanted, to put someone over on his way out. maybe against Lashley for the US Title? Angle is the Olympic Hero, so one last match for the US Title makes sense. and it'd give Lashley a great rub on his way up.
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