SummerSlam 2021 was nothing if not memorable, featuring big returns, title changes, and monumental matches fans will never forget. There are a number of pieces to this epic event that didn’t come across so clearly over the broadcast, though. These are the details and moments only accessible to the live audience in Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
DJ Valentino Khan Plays Vince McMahon’s Music
Los Angeles-based DJ Valentino Khan welcomed many fans into Allegiant Stadium, playing a set ahead of the Kickoff Show that mostly consisted of throwback WWE theme music, often remixed or spliced together with other songs. Perhaps the most enjoyable moment of his entertainment was a more straightforward run-through of Vince McMahon’s famous theme song, “No Chance in Hell.”
Khan encouraged the fans in attendance to sing along. Even though the stadium was still filling in, the fans were loud and eager to join in on each chorus as Khan turned the music down and let the live crowd sing “You’ve got no chance—no chance in hell” each time it came up. Ironically, it wasn’t long after this song finished that a segment of fans started a CM Punk chant.
CM Punk T-Shirts From AEW Rampage
CM Punk hasn’t performed at a SummerSlam since 2013 when he faced Brock Lesnar. The Straight Edge Superstar made news this weekend, though, with an emotional return to wrestling as he appeared on AEW Rampage to cut an impassioned promo.
The spirit of Punk crossed over to Las Vegas, with a number of CM Punk chants—particularly before and after the SummerSlam event. In addition, there were a number of fans clad in the “I Was There” limited edition t-shirts that were sold in the United Center the night before. I personally encountered five such fans outsdie the stadium, each of whom testified to having been in Chicago the night before, then flown to Las Vegas for SummerSlam.
A Big Reaction For The Sasha Banks Video, A Mixed Reaction To Becky Lynch Winning
Out of the hype videos that played before a number of SummerSlam matches, the video for Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks garnered one of the biggest reactions of the night, with fans in live attendance particularly eager to cheer for The Boss. The crowd was audibly deflated when the announcement came that she wouldn’t compete.
Of course, the audience popped for the surprise return of Becky Lynch, but there was a less uniformly positive reaction to her beating Bianca Belair in such short order. While the overall reaction remained positive and excited for The Man’s return and victory, but there was also a fair bit of shock and a sprinkling of boos that may not have come across via the broadcast, on account of how little time it took for her to dismiss Belair.
Allegiant Stadium Was Roughly A Quarter Tarped Off For SummerSlam
Allegiant Stadium was certainly not filled to the traditional capacity of an NFL Stadium for a major WWE PPV. Be it concerns over public health or a reticence to return to live events, a large portion of the venue was taken off line on the hard camera side.
To be fair, WWE seemed to acknowledge the less than entirely full space in its announcement of the attendance number at 51,326. It’s an impressive number, and though it was likely inflated in the tradition of live event numbers getting overestimated for the public, it nonetheless bespoke what was undoubtedly was the largest domestic live crowd for a WWE event since Royal Rumble 2020, and quite possibly since WrestleMania 35.
Security Was On The Lookout For Masks At SummerSlam
Fans in live attendance at Allegiant Stadium for SummerSlam were required to were face masks in compliance with public health polices related to COVID and the Delta variant. There were certainly fans who took their masks off of put them down under their chins at different times, and there were gray areas given that the concession stands were open and selling food and drink, which fans had to remove face coverings to consume.
Nonetheless the Security, Athletic Facilities & Events (SAFE) team was on hand for the event. They more than once came through the section where I was seated, reminding fans to keep their faces covered and confronting non-compliant parties.
It Got Hot At SummerSlam
Allegiant Stadium is domed venue with climate control, so fans were largely protected from the hundred degree temperatures and sunny conditions outside during SummerSlam. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to regulate the temperature for a venue that large and with so many people packed inside.
Particularly around the mid point of the show, it grew uncomfortably warm in segments of the stadium. The temperatures, paired with the long show length, did not do any favors for matches like Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal or segments like Xavier Woods interacting with The Miz and John Morrison that fans were already not as invested in.
Toweling Off The Ringside Area After The Water Gun Segment At SummerSlam
One of the less popular segments from SummerSlam 2021 saw The Miz and John Morrison cut a promo, plotting their usage of the “Dripstick 2000.” To the credit of the performers and creative people behind this segment, it was a creative tie in to Pure Life purified water, a sponsor of the event, and, for better or worse, fit reasonably well with Miz and Morrison’s theatrics of late. Xavier Woods choosing to cosplay as wrestling legend Scott Hall twenty-five years after the summer when the nWo first ran wild was a nice touch, and added some historical appeal for hardcore fans, too.
One practical consideration the fans at home didn’t get as much of a look at came after the promo was over and the hype video for Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley started. The house lights dimmed and the ring crew not only changed the canvas over the ring as they did between each match, but attack the ring and surrounding areas with towels to dry up the mess that the water gun shenanigans had caused.
There were a number of elements of SummerSlam 2021 that translated to the live broadcast. That includes the monster pops for the returns of Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar, as well as the big reactions as fans bought into false finishes for Edge vs. Seth Rollins and John Cena vs. Roman Reigns, not to mention Charlotte Flair recapturing the Raw Women's Championship. Every live event also carries with it some subtleties fans can only catch if they’re there in-person, and SummerSlam offered its share of hidden highlights in that regard.