WWE makes history this weekend as WWE SummerSlam 2026 lands at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the first time. Grudges will be settled, and titles will hang in the balance; you won’t want to miss a single second.
Expected to be an action-packed two-night event, the main show begins at 6:00 pm EST, with the pre-show kicking off two hours earlier at 4:00 pm EST.
With high-stakes matches on the card, including a General Manager stepping back into the ring for the first time in nearly three years, the tone is already set for what is sure to be a thrilling event. With that said, let’s break down everything coming your way on Night 1 of The Biggest Party of the Summer!
The Titans Final Clash
The first night of SummerSlam marks the end of arguably WWE’s most explosive rivalry this year as Oba Femi steps inside Hell in a Cell for the first time in his career. But to walk out victorious from the Demonic Structure, he must slay “The Beast,” Brock Lesnar, one final time.
After Femi won their first clash at WrestleMania, Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the center of the ring as a signal of his retirement. That brief exit didn’t last long, however, as he made a shocking return on May 18, paving the way for a dramatic rematch at Clash in Italy, where Lesnar got his revenge.
Perhaps the most exciting element of all is that this match marks the first time in nearly two years that Hell in a Cell has been brought back into play.
The biggest question heading into this matchup is simple: Which goliath will claim the throne? Will Brock Lesnar assert his dominance over the territory he’s ruled for years, or will Oba Femi take his place?
Frenemies Collide
The main event of Night 1 sees CM Punk defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes in what should be an absolute thriller of a match. While some fans haven’t been fully sold on the build-up, the sheer star power of these two alone has kept the hype sky-high.
While things started friendly, the tone shifted drastically following a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Post-match, Punk slung his championship over his shoulder, striking Rhodes in the face. The incident sparked a heated argument between the two as shown in a video released after the show aired.
This past Friday on SmackDown, Rhodes made his stance crystal clear on why he needs to win, while Punk opted to play mind games. Rhodes admitted that he doesn’t like Punk, emphasizing that beating him is essential to prove he truly belongs at the top. Punk fired back, asserting that Rhodes crumbles under pressure, before dropping a stinging personal jab: “Nobody can touch me… not even Dusty’s kid.”
Heading into this high-stakes showdown, which sees these two face off for the first time in nearly 18 years, one thing feels inevitable: one of them will win in controversial fashion. The only question is, who? Catch all the action on the ESPN app in the United States and on Netflix internationally!
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WWE SummerSlam 2026 Match Card (8/1/26) – Night 1
- Undisputed WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
- Women’s World Championship Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. IYO SKY
- Hell in a Cell Match: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
- Singles Match: Gunther vs. Nick Aldis
- Six-Man Tag Team Match: LA Knight, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys vs. The Bloodline (Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso & Jacob Fatu)
- Six-Woman Tag Team Match: Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid & Jacy Jayne) vs. The Bella Twins (Nikki Bella & Brie Bella) & Paige
