WWE SummerSlam is here, and the event is set to be an action-packed one that wrestling fans do not want to miss. Detroit, Michigan’s Ford Field stadium will host a major WWE event for the first time since WrestleMania 23 in 2007. It’s been even longer since the SummerSlam event came to the Motor City, with the last being the 1993 edition. For the 36th edition, WWE brings the “biggest party of the summer” to Detroit.
WWE SummerSlam takes place on Saturday, August 5, and is available to watch on Peacock and on the WWE Network. The main card is set to start at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT with the pre-show set to begin at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.
SummerSlam is one of the “Big Five” events held by the WWE and, taking place just over a month since the Money in the Bank event, the 2023 edition seems to be a high-stakes event all around the card.
At the time of writing, eight fights have been confirmed for the SummerSlam card, with half being title fights. The last month has been all about the build-up to this event but a number of matches on the card are reaching fever-pitch as they signify the end of the feuds that have been building up for months. It is an interesting card, as the wrestlers all look to end the summer on a high note.
WWE SummerSlam 2023 Full Card:
- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship – “Tribal Combat” Match
- Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
- Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins (c) vs. Finn Bálor – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match
- Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair – WWE Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match
- Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre Intercontinental Championship Match
- Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
- Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler
- SummerSlam Battle Royal Presented by Slim Jim
TRIBAL COMBAT: YEARS IN THE MAKING@WWERomanReigns defends the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Jey @WWEUsos THIS SATURDAY at #SummerSlam!
📍 DETROIT
🎟️ https://t.co/8jJD4Qj6gn pic.twitter.com/BTvB1sOJ9x— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2023
Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal
The 20-man battle royal was recently added to the card, and it was revealed that this would be a sponsored match courtesy of Slim Jim.
At the time of writing, there are six wrestlers confirmed for this match; namely LA Knight, Sheamus, Tommaso Ciampa, Shinsuke Nakamura, Otis, and Chad Gable. LA Knight has been a fan favorite for a while now and, after failing to capture the Money in the Bank briefcase, this could be a way to keep the momentum going for him. Knight will not be in the ring alone though as 19 other fighters look to walk out of Ford Field with a victory too.
The other confirmed five wrestlers also want to prove themselves and be the one to come out the best among 19 others. This match could be expected to start off the event or even be on the pre-show, and it could set the pace for the rest of the evening.
Rousey and Baszler Bring MMA Into The Squared Circle
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler are two of the top women in the WWE and are currently in a heated rivalry. Professional wrestling and mixed martial arts have been crossing paths more and more often as the years have gone by, with Rousey and Baszler being perfect examples of that. With both wrestlers starting off in MMA, it is only right that the pair bring carnage into the squared circle. The feud between Rousey and Baszler is a very personal one, and is fueled by their shared goal: To be the baddest woman in the WWE.
UFC 291 recently took place with Justin Gaethje claiming the “Baddest Mf’er” title against Dustin Poirier and, at SummerSlam, Rousey and Baszler will be looking to put on their own version of such a fight. For this match, the two are going to take it back to basics with an MMA rules match, which means that pin falls will not count. The only method to win will be by knockout, submission, disqualification, decision or forfeit.
Rousey and Baszler do not need a long-drawn-out feud, instead, the two are looking to start and end it at SummerSlam with all the brutality they can deliver.
Another Viral Moment Loading
Logan Paul is one of the biggest celebrity wrestlers to ever step into the ring and a majority of his performances have surprised many, leading to him getting praise from wrestling fans. Another result of the older Paul’s appearances in the ring have been some instant viral moments but he would achieve those with one of the WWE’s most exciting wrestlers.
Ricochet has come to be known for his high-risk, high-flying performances and, in 2023, he has been seen doing so with Paul. At the 2023 edition of the Royal Rumble, Paul and Ricochet had a crazy mid-air collision during the men’s Royal Rumble match – arguably the most exciting spot of the entire event.
Recently, the two clashed at the men’s Money in the Bank match when the two had a Spanish Fly into the table. The latter event trended for less-than-favorable reasons but it has led to the two being at war with each other since then. At WWE SummerSlam, the two will go up against each other one-on-one for the first time, and it can be expected to attempt to steal the show.
Greatness Defined By The Intercontinental Championship
Gunther is currently the third longest-reigning Intercontinental champion, having surpassed Randy Savage‘s 414 days, and is closing in on that number 2 spot currently held by Pedro Morales at 424 days. At WWE SummerSlam, Gunther will be at 421 days but he will face possibly the greatest threat to his reign as Drew McIntyre challenges for the gold.
‘The Scottish Warrior’ has often been credited as being one of the forces that kept the WWE moving forward during the pandemic as champion but, since then, McIntyre has not been as involved in the championship scene. The Intercontinental championship has often been called the workhorse title of the WWE, and Gunther has personified and embodied that.
Gunther has been known to put on stellar wrestling matches, all the way from his time on the independent scene to the NXT UK and now to the main roster. With this title fight, Gunther may have met his match in Drew McIntyre. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ will be looking for a second reign with the Intercontinental title but, with Gunther so close to claiming the second longest-reigning spot in the title’s history, this is going to be a hard-hitting affair that could change the history books forever.
A Scintillating WWE Women’s Championship Picture
Asuka is in her third reign as the WWE Women’s Champion, and she is set to defend against two major challengers at the same time. The triple threat will feature Asuka defending her gold against Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair. Charlotte Flair is a 14-time women’s champion on the WWE main roster, having claimed gold more than any other female in the promotion’s history.
Flair looks to build upon this by claiming yet another title, further solidifying her place in the annals of the WWE. Bianca Belair had a meteoric rise in the WWE, gradually becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in all of professional wrestling.
When the three meet in the ring at SummerSlam, each has the fans’ respect to back them coming out the victor and lead the blue brand. The thrill of a triple threat match is there but this particular match is further brightened up by the possibility of women’s Money in the Bank contract holder, Iyo Sky, and the role she might play.
There is no doubt that Sky will be watching as the three wrestlers battle it out in the ring and, if the opportunity arises and the stars align for ‘The Genius of the Sky’, neither Asuka, Flair or Belair will leave Detroit as the champion.
Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor Run It Back
Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor have quite a history together in the WWE. Most notably, the two clashed at the 2016 SummerSlam event for the right to be crowned the first ever WWE Universal Champion. Bálor won that fight but was forced to vacate the title following a shoulder injury sustained during the bout.
Seven years later, the two meet again at SummerSlam, this time having their history and knowing each other too well. Things have changed since then with Rollins being one of the best wrestlers in the promotion and having the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to prove it.
Bálor looks to gain the gold, and being one of the leaders of the Raw brand, from Rollins but he might also be looking to prove more than just that. The Judgement Day has been on the hunt to attain championships and be the most dominant stable in the WWE, and Bálor hopes to bring the World Heavyweight gold to the camp but he is seemingly not the only Judgement Day member eyeing the championship.
‘Señor Money in the Bank’ Damian Priest has been looking for the opportunity to cash in his briefcase and the Rollins versus Bálor match could serve as the perfect time and place for Priest to claim the championship for himself. That mystery elevates this already-heated match as Rollins looks to hold onto the title against two stablemates with their own separate intentions of dethroning him.
Finishing A Chapter In The Story?
Cody Rhodes has been talking about “finishing the story” for a while now but it seems that this is a multi-chapter story. After being unsuccessful in his attempt to claim Roman Reigns‘ gold at WrestleMania in April, Rhodes found himself being targeted by Brock Lesnar.
Though Rhodes has tried to move past Lesnar, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ has kept a firm grip on ‘The American Nightmare’. Rhodes won their first meeting at Backlash before Lesnar exacted his revenge and leveled the score at Night of Champions.
With the amount of time that this Brock Lesnar feud has gone on, this has become a significant chapter in Cody Rhodes’ story. At WWE SummerSlam, the two will have their rubber match, in what could be the end of this chapter in Rhodes’ story. The question is who will put the final punctuation at the end of this chapter because, although this is ‘The American Nightmare’ story,
Lesnar wants to have a say in how everything unfolds. Lesnar has an unexplained grudge against Rhodes, with some attributing it to ‘The Beast Incarnate’ not being happy about Rhodes getting the title shot against Reigns at WrestleMania, and ‘The American Nightmare’ has been feeling the heat from Lesnar since.
The two will go to war at WWE SummerSlam as they both look to end the rivalry with the history books having them as the one who remained standing. Rhodes hopes to win this match and get back to finishing his story by claiming the title.
The Right To Be The Tribal Chief
The Bloodline story has been one of the best in all of professional wrestling in recent memory and, with the implosion of The Bloodline, it is reaching its boiling point. Roman Reigns has often used the SummerSlam event as a means of making a statement, including his 2020 return at the aforementioned event where he attacked Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. Upon winning the Universal Championship at Payback later that year, Reigns’ first challenger was none other than his cousin – Jey Uso. Reigns would defeat Jey twice, and force the twin to acknowledge him as ‘The Tribal Chief’.
Since then, Jey Uso has been by Reigns’ side, along with Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa eventually joining. Over the years, Reigns has had a stronghold on the WWE’s top title and, perhaps as a result of that, has descended further and further into almost-maniacal chaos. Recently, all that ‘The Tribal Chief’ has built up over the years has come under threat from within his family.
With Jimmy Uso taken out of the picture by Reigns and Sikoa over the course of the civil war, Jey finds himself confident and daring enough to challenge Reigns once more. The Undisputed WWE Universal championship will be on the line but will be secondary in this case as the title of ‘Tribal Chief’ will also be on the line.
This is the first time that Reigns has his ‘Tribal Chief’ status challenged and, after consulting with the elders of the Anoa’i Family elders, Jey made it known that this will be a Tribal Combat match. Tribal Combat is a new match type but wrestling fans can expect high levels of violence as the two look to be the leader of the Anoa’i family, as well as the entire WWE.
More than likely, this will also be a non-disqualification bout. This is as personal as it gets between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso and, in addition to all the lengths the two will take each other, the Motor City could bear witness to a career-defining victory from either one of these two wrestlers.
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