WWE SummerSlam 2017 Results: Finn Balor and the Biggest Stars of the Night

Another SummerSlam is in the books. It was a night, if nothing else, of change. More belts changed hands on Sunday than at any other pay-per-view in recent memory.

Things started off badly; neither Baron Corbin nor John Cena came out of that opening match looking good. Cena looked unchallenged. Corbin looked silly. One Attitude Adjustment and Corbin was done. Cena didn't even bother hitting the ropes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle.

Corbin lost the briefcase, and now he's lost his dignity. He must have ticked someone off backstage, because he's gone from future WWE champion to WWE chump in under a week.

After that, however, things started to get better. Here are the biggest stars of the night.

Natalya

It's been a long time coming for Natalya. Despite being one of the most technically skilled women on the roster, she hasn't held the title since it was called the Divas title.

On Sunday, she put on a great, submission-heavy match, and she overcame a painful looking bump on the bottom turnbuckle to claim the title. Here's to hoping this title reign is more than just a "thank you" for the years of service.

Natalya's next feud is probably going to be with Charlotte (the Flair/Hart drama writes itself). But hopefully they can move beyond their bloodlines when they trash talk each other. These women need a better, more compelling reason to hate each other.

Rusev

The match itself was a joke; when the bookers have 13 matches to burn through, something has to give. But Rusev sold that single RKO like a champ. It was the best sell of the night by far.

Watch the match again on the Network. He doesn't just fall horizontal to the ground. He kicks out his legs and actually spikes himself, face first, on to the canvas.

It's long overdue: Rusev needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. He's got the same problem that Nia Jax has; he's a natural babyface who looks like a monster heel. If he ever gets the opportunity to show off his goofy, off-camera sense of humor, the fans will love him.

Finn Balor

Finn Balor was in full demon regalia on Sunday, and he lived up to his own hype. He hasn't donned the makeup since last year's SummerSlam, and this was the best occasion to bring it out again.

He earned a lopsided, impressive victory against Bray Wyatt; he even showed off some mystical Undertaker-esque durability, by no-selling some of Bray Wyatt's best shots.

The trick, going forward, is for Balor to have the exact same intensity, whether he is in or out of the makeup. He can't wear it for every single appearance, and he needs to get into that psychological headspace without it.

Sheamus and Cesaro

Cesaro and Sheamus have gotten so good at being a tag team that it's getting harder to remember them as singles competitors.

Ambrose and Rollins may have won on Sunday, but Cesaro and Sheamus carried the match with multiple power moves and seamless teamwork. They moved like a unit. Ambrose and Rollins, on the other hand, moved like two singles competitors who were thrown together—which they kind of were.

It'll take some time for them to recapture the old Shield magic they had. But once they do, they'll be a great addition to the tag team division. The singles division is overcrowded, and this tag run will be a nice change of pace for both men.

Aj Styles and Kevin Owens

It's getting repetitive to keep celebrating it. But again, Kevin Owens and AJ Styles turned their mid-card feud into a wrestling showcase. This right here was what all WWE matches can aspire to. Hard hitting. Deliberate. Psychological. And just the right amount of theatricality without making things too corny.

The quote of the night belonged to Kevin Owens, who is a king of one-liners. It makes him incredible on Twitter, and it made him incredible in this match, when Shane got knocked out and subsequently slow-counted a pin:

"Where were you?! You fall off buildings, and you get back up. And you can't get over there for a three count?! Are you kidding me?!"

Meta, and funny, as hell.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Not yet.

Shinsuke Nakamura has "it," whatever "it" is. It's in his strut, his apron theatrics, his lurid sexuality and his hard-hitting kicks. He doesn't say much, and his English, though getting better, is still limited. But when a guy can draw eyeballs the way he can, those things don't matter as much. He speaks a more physical language that crosses spoken barriers.

WWE had an opportunity to pull the trigger on their most charismatic superstar at SummerSlam. But for some odd reason, WWE didn't. By any metric, he's the better, more skilled, more magnetic performer than Jinder Mahal.

But no matter. Nakamura is irrepressible. The fans love him. The camera loves him. And when he finally becomes WWE champion, the fans are going to tear the building apart.

Braun Strowman

What a performance by Braun Strowman. This match was an old Universal monster movie, with nothing but power shots and highlight-reel spots. And yet, it worked really well. Technical chain wrestling would not have worked in this sort of match. A hellish, hardcore free-for-all was a much better choice.

Strowman had the best, most brutal moments. His three table spots and his swivel chair throw (it's quickly becoming a signature move) were incredible—back-to-back feats of strength.

It's difficult to believe that not so long ago, Strowman was a Rose Bud and a Wyatt Family lackey. But now, he's more than proved himself. A Lesnar vs. Strowman title match at No Mercy would be the perfect main event.