SummerSlam delivered a near-complete reset of the WWE landscape, but something felt missing all night, even with Roman Reigns’s long-awaited return.
Fans got the correct result they likely expected, but maybe it was the fact that we had little variety—seven singles matches with messy finishes and only one clear—that brought very little closure to stories at the midway point of WWE’s year.
Maybe it was because it was a big day for the heels, with Cody Rhodes and L.A. Knight being the only babyfaces to win.
Maybe it was the main event that felt just like the last two WrestleManias or an event with too many ads and Jelly Rolls.
SummerSlam will be remembered for four new champions, the implosion of The Judgment Day starting with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio kissing and Reigns smashing Solo Sikoa with a Superman punch and spear.
Here are five takeaways from SummerSlam at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday.
Hail to the Chief
Roman Reigns is back and the next chapter of The Bloodline story is set to begin, butdoesn’tsn’t seem finished with Cody Rhodes.
The Tribal Chief returned for the first time since losing to Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 after the Undisputed WWE champion had been decimated by Solo Sikoa and Bloodline member Jacob Fatu in the Bloodline Rules main event.
His music hit,t and he headed to the ring to deliver a Superman Punch and Spear to his cousin Sikoa, who claims to be the new Tribal Chie. He reassembled a new Bloodline and aimed Rhodes with Reigns’gns’ consent. He gave an ominous look back to Rhodes, who hit a Cross Rhodes to secure the wiRhodes’des’ emotional and well-shot entrance backstage including his dog Pharoh, reuniting with Arn Anderson and the skull mask showed how seriously he was taking Sikoa and the new Bloodline.
All it took was one Cross Rhodes for Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga to attack Rhodes, who kicked out after Attempting a pint. First,t Kevin Owens returned, then Randy Orton to help their friend. This time, Rhodes went for a cove, and Sikoa kicked out as Orton and Owens chased Loa and Tonga from the area.
The second of the triple Cross Rhodes attempts brought out Jacob Fatu, and this match returned to the tired well of babyfaces coming out to h”lp “The American Nightm”re.”
Fatu may have hurt himself after hitting a top-rope splash onto Rhodes through the announce table. He did not initially get back up while telling Sikoa to bring the champion back into the ring. Rhodes kicked out from a big splash befReigns’gns’ music hit.
Rhodes said during the post-show media session that a rematch between him and Reigns needs to happen.
Liv In the Moment
Morgan ran from Ripley early, but the challenger had her way with her once she cut her off.
Ripley even taunted Morgan with a kissMysterio’sio’s cheek.
Morgan threw Ripley’s shoulder first into the turnbuckle, leaving Mami to yell, “It,’ sIt’s “ut!” but he continued. The champ had to keep working on the shoulder she injured in the storyline, which kept Ripley out of action.
Dom helps Liv Morgan retain the Women’sen’s World Championship!!!!#SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/BW0bTajVUh
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) August 3, 2024
Mysterio pushed Ripley out of the way. Morgan’s suicide dive to the outside took the hit for her. It allowed Ripley to use the announce table to pop her shoulder back and start a relentless assault on Morgan.
After a headbutt, Morgan got a chair but was initially thwarted by a Riptide.
Mysterio stopped Ripley from hitting Morgan with a chair, and an argument followed.
Morgan then pushed Ripley into Mysterio, who was holding the chair. This allowed the champ to hit an Oblivion, but the challenger kicked out.
Mysterio would then distract the re— like he did when Morgan beat Becky Lynch for the title— but his intent was unclear initially.
Morgan used the referee distraction to deliver an Oblivion to Ripley onto the chair and pinned her for the second time in two-plus years – the only person to do so – to retain Women’sen’s World championship.
Then we got the answer we wanted, as Mysterio pulled Morgan up, planted a big old kiss on him, and left with the champion, ending a good match with just enough well-played twists and turns in the story.
Punk Screwed Punk
Drew McIntyre got a bid of revenge after CM Punk screwed him out of the World Heavyweight championship three times, “ut “The Best in the W”world” can only blame himsePunk’snk’s first televised WWE singles match in more than ten years was very story-heavy around special guest referee Seth Rollins and the friendship bracelet wPunk’snk’s wife, AJ, and Larry’sry’s names on it.
They teased that it would end like SummerS1997’s main event, but Rollins—who called it reasonably down the middle—didn’t end up hitting Punk with a chair.
Punk, who didn’t know he would care so much about a friendship bracelet, twice let it cost him a win.
First, he let go of the Anaconda Vice because he took the bracelet McIntyre’sre’s wrist.
Second, he paused a GTS attempt on McIntyre because he saw itRollins’ins’ wrist.
McIntyre and Punk had sure pins wiped away because Rollins was knocked out at different points.
Punk, however, let his hatred push him to hit a GTS on Rollins, opening the door for McIntyre to kick Punk low and deliver a second Claymore.
Rollins crawled over and counted three. McIntyre took the bracelet back, so this feud is likely moving on so Punk can get a win back.
How long can they keep Rollins out of the ring with either remains to be seen?
The other question is how much heat is left in the feud that seemingly has both men stuck.
We may need an AJ Lee appearance to reignite things by putting a facePunk’snk’s bracelet to add more emotion.
Final Judgment
Damian Priest looked great in this match, physically taking it to Gunther early with chops and strikes that made the RGeneral’sal’s chest bleed.
Once Gunther finally got the upper hand, he kept asking Priest if he would take more punishment, and Preist kept saying to bring it. It brought Balor to ringside for support, and Gunther proceeded to decimate Priest and gloat over him.
Gunther kicked Balor, which fired up Priest to deliver a massive clothesline, the Razor’s Or’s Edge, and a South of Heaven chokeslam.
Priest rolled Gunther toward the ropes Balor’sor’s jealothat’sat’s been building for months led to him Gunther’ser’s leg on the rope.
Gunther grabbed Priest into a sleeper hold as Balor snarled on the outside. Priest at least got to battle back and get a rollup attempt.
But he went after Balor, and Gunther grabbed him, power-bombed him, and put the sleeper back on to win the World Heavyweight Championship for his first main roster title. It kind of stinks that it had to come with the added Judgment Day angle and help from Balor, not in a more dominating fashion.
It didn’t feel ajust didn’t should have have and lackhave the drama of other Gunther matches.
Thmatches, such as L.A.’s A. ’sPaul and L.A. Knight battled outside the ring before the bell, highlighted by a neckbreaker from the challenger onto an announce table twouldn’tdn’t budge.
Paul hit an effortless springboard moonsault off the ropes to the outside onto Knight, who eventually kicked out Paul’s full knockout Punch. The champ, who kicked from a superplex from the top rope, continually counteKnights’hts’ BFT throughout the match, which paid off in the finish.
Paul eventually got brass knuckles from the chain rapper MGK was wearing.
He hit Knight with a short right, which seemed to have little effect on the challenger.
Knight, who has been over with the fans for over a year and a half, quickly countered a buckshot lariat attempt into a BFT to win a nice pop and become the new United States champion for his first title on the main roster.
It ended a perfect and intense match that delivered a long-overdue moment for Knight.
Other Matches
Nia Jax over Bayley (c.) to win the women’s championship
Jax deserves another championship run with the quality of wshe’she’s put in since returning, but Bayley was far from steamrolled.
Bayley was able to push Jax off her into the turnbuckle after taking n Annihilator. It fired up Jax, who started recitBayley’sey’s verbal jabs leading up to the match back at her.
Bayley slipped away from a second Annihilator, and power-bombed the champion, causing the crowd to explode
The champ initially took advantage of Tiffany Stratton teasing a Money in the Bank cash-in. Still, two power and two Annihilators from Jax were finally enough to beat Bayley.
Jax, who won her first world title since 2018, eluStratton’son’s cash-in for one night, but it will hang over their friendship and could help turn the young star babyface.
Bron Breaker over Sami Zayn to win the Intercontinental championship
Outside of giving Breakker the SummerSlam stage to win his first Intercontinental Championship, this felt like a waste of a rematch after Zayn won at Money in the Bank.
Zayn caused a bit of offence—the most significant move was a Blue Thunder Bomb—but Breakker mostly thwarted him at every turn.
A spear to counter a Helluva Kick and a second spear after running the ropes gave Breakker overdue gold on t e main roster. Would a squash match have had more impact?
Biggest Winner: Liv Morgan
Biggest Loser: CM Punk
Best Match: Gunther vs. Damian Priest
Predictions: 6-1
Grade: B+
