Night 1 of WWE SummerSlam is officially in the books, and after a night of thrilling matches, fun moments, and unexpected surprises, there were several new Champions crowned before the night came to a close, though some were not at all in the way fans expected. We’re breaking down the biggest moments of SummerSlam night 1 and revealing whether they were huge hits or unfortunate misses, so let’s get started with the first match of the night.
Hit: The Chief Is Having Fun
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At first, I was going to rate this a miss due to the low impact this match and its result had in terms of story or furthering the rivalry. Upon watching it back though, I couldn’t help but smile at the sheer fun Jey and Roman were having throughout the match, and that pushed this to a hit. While it didn’t really move any part of this feud or story forward, you can’t help but love seeing Reigns call for Jey’s intro again or shaking things up and diving over the ropes. The same went for Reed and Breakker, who delivered creative (and brutal) spots throughout the match. Sometimes matches are just fun to watch, and this was that in spades.
Hit: Frenemies to Champions
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One of the more anticpated matches on the SummerSlam card was the battle for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, and it absolutely delivered. Not only did the evolving partnership between Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair continue to reveal intriguing moments during the match, but they actually captured the gold and paid off one of WWE’s best ongoing stories.
During the match, we even got a tease of likely moments to come in terms of Flair turning on Bliss, though it could easily go the other way as well down the line. That creates a layer of tension even in a win, which is great for a future story, but for now, it’s just nice to see both superstars succeeding and having fun while doing so.
Miss: Momentum Killer
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While Bliss and Flair are thankfully on the rise and walking away with a big momentum boost, another crowd favorite wasn’t so lucky. That favorite is Karrion Kross, who, alongside Scarlett, looked to get a big win against Sami Zayn at SummerSlam. The match was solid and looked as if it would provide Kross the win the crowd has been wanting for him, but alas, that didn’t happen. Instead, Zayn resisted the temptation to turn to his dark side while also defeating Kross, making it difficult to see any sort of silver lining for Kross and Scarlett going from here. Unless there’s a new story coming for the duo, it just doesn’t leave you with much confidence that they’ll get the push fans have been wanting for them, and that’s a shame.
Hit: It’s Still Tiffy Time
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Tiffany Stratton came into SummerSlam as a strong Champion, and had a major chance to retain even against a rising star as big as Jade Cargill. Still, there was some doubt that Stratton would leave with the Title, and there were moments throughout the match that could have led to a shocking loss. In the end, the two superstars delivered a really good match with some impressive spots, but it feels like Stratton still has room to grow and make this reign even better, so I’m glad to see the reign continue, at least for now. Even with that said, it feels like Cargill’s time as a Champion is going to happen sooner rather than later.
Hit: Jelly Roll Delivers
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Celebrity matches and showcases tend to be a mixed bag, and while there are certainly superstars who could have benefited from having those spots on a card, especially at an event like SummerSlam, they are simply a part of the process and a hallmark of big events. That said, if you’re going to have a celebrity match, celebrities like Bad Bunny and Jelly Roll should be the standard to shoot for.
Jelly Roll just gets it, and you can tell from every part of his performance in teh ring. From selling and positioning in the ring to making his offense land with impact, Jelly Roll leaned in full force, milking the moments when he needed to most. He risked it all in big spots too, taking a flying crossbody that crushed the announce table from Logan Paul, got taken away from the ring, and then came storming back in heroic fashion, and all along the way, the pros that are Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre made him look like a million bucks. This match had no business being that entertaining, but you’ve simply got to give props where they are due.
Hit: Punk’s Emotional Win
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The main event of SummerSlam Night 1 was the epitome of a rollercoaster ride, and the first part of it ended with CM Punk surviving the force of nature that is Gunther to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. Punk survived a brutal match and a true test of grit to finally hold Championship Gold for the first time since returning to WWE, and the emotion in his reaction leaped through the screen. You couldn’t help but cheer for him in this amazing moment, and it made the next moment hit even harder.
Hit: The Ruse of the Century
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The celebratory moment was cut short by music, but you didn’t actually have to hear it to understand what was happening. All you had to do was look at Punk’s face and you understood what was happening, but even then, you weren’t fully sold. That’s when Seth Rollins pulled the curtain back on an all-time ruse, revealing that he wasn’t actually injured or on crutches, but was instead waiting for the perfect time to strike.
And strike he did, cashing in on his greatest enemy and not only depriving him of his prize but also ascending himself to the top of WWE in the process. It was a great swerve and instantly restored one of the most compelling storylines and factions to the main event picture of Monday Night Raw.
Those are our biggest hits and misses, but what were yours? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
