WWE’s second-biggest show of the year has now come and gone. And after the rocky road it took to get to The Biggest Party of the Summer, WWE had a lot to do to make the event feel worthwhile. Though unwanted celebrity involvement and an expansion to two nights that nobody asked for started things off on a pretty bad foot. Like WWE’s writing team had started pregaming months ahead of the party.
That being said, SummerSlam ended up being a lot of fun. Solid matches, fun moments, and a general sense of scale that was largely missing from WrestleMania 41. In many ways, SummerSlam felt like an apology for how deeply crap WrestleMania was. Though it wasn’t without its issues.
You ever see a woman moonsault with her hands tied?
I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to have half of night one be tag team matches. And have all-but-one match on night two have some sort of stipulation or altered rules. And both nights had pretty poor endings. Seth Rollins’ completely unnecessary “Ruse of the Century” just when it seemed like the main event scene was getting interesting. And the dramatic return of The Beast, Brock Lesnar. Despite still being a key part of an active federal investigation into Vince McMahon.
I don’t know if Brock is innocent of what he’s accused of or not, but WWE’s legal team clearly have some faith if they gave this the okay. However, WWE announcing THAT DAY that they were cancelling post-show press conferences is not a good look. If they’re confident enough in his innocence to bring him back to the company, surely they wouldn’t mind sharing that with the public. Smells to me like something is rotten in Denmark. But let’s return to New Jersey one last time and take a look at all the highs and lows of SummerSlam weekend.
12. Solo Sikoa vs. Jacob Fatu – United States Championship Steel Cage Match
Rating: 2/5
This match could’ve been an email. Or at least a SmackDown main event. Twelve minutes of the same old tired and drawn out Bloodline storytelling with no drama or progression. There were better ways to show the dominance of Talla Tonga than stealing a match slot away from guys like Rusev, Sheamus, and LA Knight.
At least this part was cool
I don’t know why WWE is so insistent on Solo Sikoa being this huge deal. He’s fine for sure, and has great comedic skills, but he shouldn’t be winning this feud. Jacob Fatu’s run with the United States Championship should have elevated both him and the title. Instead it ended prematurely for this lackluster feud that is likely far from over. This was a filler match. It did not belong on SummerSlam.
11. Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
Rating: 2.5/5
This was the second-shortest match across both nights of SummerSlam. Clocking in at just above eight minutes. Eight minutes to conclude what was, with no exaggeration, the longest running feud going into The Biggest Party of the Summer. Further proving that WWE has booked this entire feud reluctantly.
Sami resists the temptation
The match itself was nothing special. Something you’d expect to see in the middle of an episode of Monday Night Raw. There was an interesting moment that served as the climax of Kross’ insistence that Sami Zayn is a bad person, but that was it. A quick and decisive end to a story that has done neither man any favors.
2025 has, against WWE’s wishes, been the year of Karrion Kross. One of the sole constants since March has been Kross’ growing crowd support following years of carefully crafted character work and promos. And WWE seems set against capitalizing on it in any meaningful way. Jey Uso adopts a decade-old meme and has a popular entrance, and wins the Royal Rumble. Karrion Kross dedicates his own time and resources to building a character fans eagerly want to see more of, and he can’t even get ten minutes on a six-match show.
10. Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill – WWE Women’s Championship
Rating: 2.75/5
And this was the shortest match across both nights of SummerSlam. Landing at a grand total of seven minutes and five seconds. Tiffany Stratton’s sole strength in her title run is her ability to bail out the bad promos and lack of storytelling with quality in-ring work. But there’s not much she can do with seven minutes. Jade’s no slouch either, but this was destined to fall flat.
Proof that stuff did indeed happen in this match
Yet another Tiffany Stratton title defense where the utter lack of any level of storytelling kneecaps what the match is capable of. This should have been presented as two of the biggest women’s stars of the future battling over the present. Instead it was just two women fighting for a thing. Heatless and mostly dull, with some impressive gymnastics here and there.
Tiffany winning was an odd choice, too. The bloom has long since fallen off the rose with this title reign. The matches, promos, and stories just have not been there. So choosing to ride it out longer instead of crowning one of your highest-profile signings and top prospects doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I’m sure they’ll have a rematch, but I don’t particularly care.
9. Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles – Intercontinental Championship
Rating: 3/5
I don’t really know what I was expecting from this match. But it was more than what we got. After all the months of entertaining build, especially once Dom wasn’t medically cleared, built up to a match that was overall fairly lackluster.
Mind if a boy speaks a little espanol tonight?
Dominik’s title reign has been nothing to write home about, and SummerSlam seemed like the perfect opportunity to crown The Phenomenal One at least one more time. And show that things may not be as good for The Judgment Day without Liv Morgan as they thought. Instead, Dom got a win that can’t even really be classified as cheating. All he did was hit AJ with his boot. Which he had been kicking AJ with all match.
Really the biggest highlight of the match was AJ’s homage to the late, great Eddie Guerrero through his entrance and attire. I’d be pretty disappointed if this is where the feud ends, as I’m willing to bet both men can do better than what we got at SummerSlam.
8. Randy Orton & Jelly Roll vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul
Rating: 3/5
This was one of the first matches announced for SummerSlam. And let’s just say that fans weren’t too happy that, after months of underwhelming booking and stale television, one of the first matches announced for the second biggest show of the year featured a celebrity and an influencer. Even if said influencer has been a professional wrestler for four years now. It seemed like a waste of both Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre.
Jelly Roll takes the fight to Logan Paul
That being said, the match ended up being a lot of fun for what it was. Jelly Roll was clearly passionate about his involvement (unlike a certain rapper) and had spent lots of time training. Though, unlike most celebrity matches of old, he wasn’t presented like God’s gift to wrestling. He learned just enough to surprise his opponents, but they were both clearly the better fighters. Jelly Roll perfectly played the (jelly) role of a virtuous man out of his depth, but still standing up for himself.
And to top it all off, the celebrity actually lost. Not only that, he took the pin. Randy, Drew, and Logan were able to keep Jelly Roll safe through all his spots, even the big table break, and all four men put on a fun match that you could just turn your brain off and enjoy.
7. Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Rating: 3.25/5
This was certainly a match to put Roman Reigns in at SummerSlam. Because apparently WWE doesn’t know how to do anything with him not involving his own family or related to Seth Rollins in some way. And this match was both! What a treat.
The Bloodline stands against The Vision
This was as standard and simple a Roman Reigns match as you can get. Roman spent a majority of the match on the outside while the Brons very slowly dominated the man who was World Heavyweight Champion a few months ago. There were a few fun moments here and there, but the writing was on the wall the minute this match was announced, and there was no Paul Heyman magic capable of changing that.
It’s sad how WWE felt the best way to handle Roman Reigns’ turn back to the light was to not have him change or show any remorse for his actions. It completely cut them off from years worth of storytelling that would unquestionably be better than him Yeeting it up with his walking entrance of a cousin.
6. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair – Women’s Tag Team Championship
Rating: 3.5/5
You know your tag team division is in a good place when the two top teams don’t really like each other, but happen to be finding success working together regardless. That being said, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair’s “allies of necessity” team has been one of the surprising highlights of the past few months. The two women have great chemistry together, and it’s refreshed both their careers.
Charlotte will remember that
Roxanne Perez had the unenviable task of stepping into the shoes of the uber popular Liv Morgan aboard the sinking ship of The Judgment Day. But she’s The Prodigy for a reason. And, while I’ve never been a Raquel Rodriguez fan, even I can admit she’s stepped up her game in the last month or two. And all four women worked together to put on an entertaining match that easily could’ve gone either way.
Alexa and Charlotte winning the titles was a nice feel-good moment perfectly suited for SummerSlam. And the fakeout of making it look like Charlotte was going to betray Alexa for accidentally hitting her, only to instead help Alexa get the pin, was the cherry on top. And I’m sure it’ll all come full circle when Charlotte inevitably betrays Alexa in about 6 months’ time.
5. Naomi vs. IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley – Women’s World Championship
Rating: 4/5
Now we’re in the upper echelon of SummerSlam matches. All five of these could be your favorite match of the weekend and I wouldn’t question it. That being said, this one is the least good among them. Mostly because it’s been done better before.
Why parry when you can dodge?
Naomi, IYO SKY, and Rhea Ripley looked to recreate the magic of the opening triple threat from night two of WrestleMania earlier this year, with Naomi replacing Bianca Belair. This match felt like it contained less, despite being longer than the other. With a lot of time dedicated to Rhea and IYO taunting and working together against Naomi. Though there were plenty of moments where a fast-paced and energetic fight broke out.
Naomi winning was the right call, and Rhea Ripley being the one to take the pin was certainly a surprise. Though, given the pace and structure of the match, I wouldn’t have minded another five or so minutes at least. But, as it stands, it was a pretty great way to start SummerSlam‘s first-ever second night.
4. Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria – Women’s Intercontinental Championship No DQ Match
Rating: 4.25/5
A part of me never wanted this feud to end. However, all good things must. And both women were determined to go out with a bang. Waging war for 25 minutes in what would prove to be Lyra Valkyria’s last crack at the Women’s Intercontinental Championship whilst around The Man’s waist.
Smile for the camera
The added No Disqualification stipulation both helped and hindered the match. Allowing both women to reach a new level of aggression. While also drawing out the match through protracted beatdown segments. The section where Lyra’s hands were tied went on especially too long. Though the payoff of seeing Lyra hit jaw-dropping offense with her hands almost literally tied behind her back was great.
Bayley’s involvement in the match was necessary given her importance to the story. However, I fail to see why she couldn’t be in the match itself. Though the series of events did a good job playing on people’s fears that the Role Model would turn heel again. Hopefully both her and Lyra are able to come out the other end of their incoming singles feud with their babyface momentum still intact.
3. Gunther vs. CM Punk – World Heavyweight Championship
Rating: 4.75/5
Watching this match with the knowledge that Gunther spent the last seven months burdened with Jey Uso, Pat McAfee, and Goldberg makes it so much better, and those months so much worse. On top of that, this was the most CM Punk match that CM Punk has had since he came back. And easily his best singles match since his foray into Hell in a Cell with Drew McIntyre last year.
The Best in the World vs. The Best Wrestler in the World
The story this match told was simple, yet brilliant. With CM Punk having clearly studied his opponent and doing whatever he could in the early stages to avoid Gunther’s dominating offense. But Gunther’s raw power was too much, and it wasn’t long until he was firmly in control and toying with the older, more broken down wrestler. Though, like something out of 300, Punk is able to hang in long enough to make the big man bleed. Which is all it takes to crack Gunther’s confidence, weaken his stance, and open him up to defeat.
That being said, my one gripe with the match is how quickly Gunther lost. For one, I’m tired of all his losses coming because he refuses to just win the match, and instead toys with his opponent for ages until they beat him. Two, There was barely any time between him being busted open and him losing. It should’ve been drawn out a little more to make Gunther look that much stronger in defeat. Given that this was his biggest match to date.
2. Six-Way WWE Tag Team Championship Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match
Rating: 5/5
25 years on from the first-ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match between The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge & Christian; WWE decided to do it again, and do it bigger. As The Wyatt Sicks defended their WWE Tag Team Championships against DIY, The Street Profits, Fraxiom, Motor City Machine Guns, and Andrade & Rey Fenix. SmackDown‘s tag team division finally getting the proper spotlight it deserves.
Axiom delivers a Spanish Fly to Angelo Dawkins
This match was an absolute car crash in all the best ways. Sixteen straight minutes of bodies and furniture flying in all directions. All twelve men, plus the two extra at ringside, plus three women, put their bodies on the line for insane moments and trainwreck violence you won’t soon forget. Because, sometimes, the only story a match needs, is that everyone involved is really good at what they do.
The Wyatt Sicks retaining may have felt a little obvious, but that’s far from a bad thing. Especially when the road getting there was so much fun. DIY were absolutely the MVPs of the match. Candice LeRae’s crash and burn off the top of the ladder was especially great. And proof that Candice should be utilized far more than she is. A fantastic, high-impact match perfect for the Tik Tok attention spans of that New Jersey crowd.
1. John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes – WWE Championship Street Fight
Rating: 5/5
Remember what I said about the women’s triple threat not being as good because of the expectations? It was the exact opposite for this match here. As Cody and Cena’s WrestleMania 41 stinker left many people apprehensive to the idea of a rematch. Expectations were not raised by Cena’s sudden return to normalcy 24 hours ahead of SummerSlam. But, even if just for one night, Cena reversed time and pulled an instant classic out of his jorts.
Superman vs. Superman
This rematch was a full 16 minutes longer than their first encounter, yet felt half its length. It started in second gear and continued to build and build to a fever pitch. Big move after big move. Brawling through the crowd and quite literally up the stage. All painting the perfect picture that John Cena is going up against a new John Cena in his prime. It was two of the best, at their best, doing what they do best.
Easily John Cena’s best match since the 2017 Royal Rumble against AJ Styles. And yet another feather in the cap for The American Nightmare’s reign as face of the company. What a treat that this was the final exclamation point of SummerSlam and nothing happened afterward that took all the focus away from this spectacle of a match.
