WWE SummerSlam Recap
WWE hosted its electric “Biggest Party of the Summer” at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, and the cast on the lineup card was electric.
Match 1: Logan Paul (W) vs. Ricochet
Paul and Ricochet from “Monday Night Raw” kicked off SummerSlam at 8 P.M.
Paul was met with animosity from the crowd but proved that there was nothing that the social media star couldn’t do: he was filled with athleticism and adrenaline from start to finish.
Though Ricochet had some excellent bouts against Paul, the Maverick ultimately won by cheating, as someone slipped him brass knuckles to knock out and then pin Ricochet. Adding insult to injury, Paul then mocked Ricochet’s fiancé, ring announcer Samantha Irvin, and dared her to say his name. Yikes.
There will definitely be more bad blood between these two in the weeks to come.
Match 2: Cody Rhodes (W) vs. Brock Lesnar
The American Nightmare against The Beast Incarnate.
Though Lesnar might’ve broken his arm, he never broke Rhodes’s spirit.
Rhodes was tried and tested during this match, thrown to the ground and over the ring multiple times and even on the brink of having to tap out for medical attention, but somehow came back and defeated the Beast.
Cody used the steel stairs to hit Lesnar over the back, which probably should’ve been a disqualification, but the match continued, and Rhodes was able to pin Lesnar inside of the ring.
After the match ended, Lesnar held Rhodes’s hand up as a sign of congratulations and respect.
Match 3: Battle Royal (W: LA Knight)
Some of WWE’s most prominent personalities gave it their all in the Battle Royal frenzy in which no man can have his feet touch the outside of the ring.
Among competitors were Santos Escobar, Sheamus, A.J. Styles and Grayson Waller, but no one got a louder pop than LA Knight (yeah!), who would ultimately win the fight.
Match 4: Shayna Baszler (W) vs. Ronda Rousey
This match was a lot of people’s bathroom breaks.
Baszler and Rousey fought with MMA rules, one of the two matches of the night to have special rules.
The former Tag Team champions are hot off of betrayal after Baszler turned on Rousey during July’s Money In The Bank.
After the loss, Rousey allegedly announced that she’s leaving WWE indefinitely.
Match 5: Seth “Freakin’” Rollins (W) vs. Finn Balor
No one does trolling quite like Seth Rollins, who wore the same vest he wore to the infamous SummerSlam 2016 against Balor.
Balor, who hasn’t been able to beat Rollins since but has gotten closer with the help of The Judgment Day, came out hot against the champ, pushing him close to defeat with the Coup De Gras.
However, Damian Priest ran out and gave Balor the Money In The Bank briefcase, and as the two argued, Rollins curb-stomped Balor’s neck into it and pinned him.
But the look Balor gave Priest? If looks could kill, Priest would have to pay The Undertaker a visit.
Rollins was right: SummerSlam is going to mark the end of The Judgment Day.
Match 6: Gunther (W) vs. Drew McIntyre
The Intercontinental match was definitely one of the more physical and hard-hitting ones.
Since winning the IC more than 400 days ago, Gunther has been able to hold on, including against McIntyre in this match and other competitors like Sheamus and McIntyre at Wrestlemania.
Match 6: Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka (W: Iyo Sky)
This was a match that nobody saw coming.
Reigning champ Asuka took on Flair and Belair, and Belair, who sold a knee injury, was able to pin both Flair and Asuka to technically win the match.
However, Iyo Sky came out of nowhere with her MITB briefcase to cash in against Belair and defeated her for the Women’s Championship.
This marks Sky’s first singles belt.
Match 7: Roman Reigns (W) vs. Jey Uso
This is what everyone had been waiting for.
Weeks after Reigns and Solo Sikoa put Jey’s twin brother, Jimmy, in the hospital, Jey challenged Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship and the title of Tribal Chief by Tribal Combat.
This was the longest defending match of Reigns’s career, with the bout lasting 36 minutes.
Power went back and forth between the two, and when Jey led Roman into the crowd, Sikoa came out of nowhere, beat up Jey and dragged him back into the ring.
However, Reigns accidentally speared Solo instead of Jey, and with the Enforcer out of commission, Uso finally had Reigns in position to pin… until a masked figure pulled Jey out of the ring.
The masked figure was none other than Jimmy Uso.
With the shock of betrayal from his twin brother hot on Jey, Roman put his younger cousin through a table and pinned him to remain champion and Tribal Chief.
However, this will shift the broken Bloodline, as allegiance should fall with Roman and Jimmy now against Jey and Solo.
Some of the matches were a bit underwhelming, but with moments like The American Nightmare’s entrance, the crowd pop for LA Knight and Jimmy Uso back for revenge, SummerSlam 2023 was one for the books.
Adrianna Gallucci is a rising sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu
