I’ll be honest. Going into SummerSlam, I wasn’t very excited. That’s not because I don’t love wrestling anymore. I always will. I still follow what’s happening, but I don’t watch every week like I did growing up. A lot of today’s product just doesn’t grab me the same way. Too many matches feel overproduced, too perfect, and sometimes they don’t feel believable.
Then came Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi inside Hell in a Cell.
From the moment this match was announced, it felt different. It felt important. It felt like a fight instead of just another match on the card. As I watched, I found myself getting lost in it the same way I did as a kid. That’s a feeling I honestly haven’t had in a long time.
I want to be clear….I have a lot of respect for guys like CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. They’re talented, and CM Punk especially has that natural believability that makes you pay attention whenever he speaks. I don’t think the problem is the wrestlers themselves. Sometimes I wonder if it’s the creative direction or the way stories are presented. Wrestling is at its best when it makes you forget it’s a TV show, even for a few minutes.
That’s exactly what Brock Lesnar has always done for me.
When Brock walks out, it feels like business is about to pick up. He has an aura that very few wrestlers have ever had. You believe he can destroy anyone standing across the ring. That’s something wrestling is slowly losing as many of those larger than life stars move on from the business.
That’s why Oba Femi caught my attention.
I really believe he has the tools to become one of those special attractions. He looks the part. He carries himself like a star, and he has the presence that makes you stop and watch. That’s something you can’t teach.
Now if I had one critique, it would be this…. I think Oba needs to slow things down just a little. After the big moves, I’d like to see him stay down longer and let the damage sink in. Sometimes he recovers so quickly that it pulls me out of the moment. It reminds me a little of the old Hulk Hogan style where a wrestler suddenly powers back up, but the timing doesn’t quite feel right yet. That’s not a knock on him. I think it’s something that will come with experience.
That’s also why I’m not completely sure he’s ready for Brock Lesnar to fully pass the torch just yet. I think he’ll get there, but I don’t know if he’s there today. The potential is obvious though.
Out of everything I watched on SummerSlam Night 1, this was the match that made me remember why I became a wrestling fan in the first place. While some of the other matches were good, they didn’t leave me thinking about them afterward. Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi did.
As for SummerSlam Night 2, I probably won’t watch it. Maybe I’ll miss a huge moment, and that’s okay. Night 1 already gave me what I was looking for. It reminded me that wrestling can still feel real when the right people are in the ring.
If WWE wants to bring back more longtime fans like me, this is the direction I’d love to see. Give us larger than life personalities. Give us matches that feel important. Most of all, give us moments that make us believe again, even if it’s only for one night.
