WWE didn’t give us new matches for SummerSlam, but they definitely stirred the pot a bit with the ones that were already in place. Chad Gable and Penta team before clashing for the IC title. Oba Femi took out his frustrations on someone and Solo Sikoa is trying to maneuver his way into the Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins main event. Let’s talk wrestling.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Event: WWE SummerSlam, August 1 and 2, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
- Broadcast: ESPN Unlimited in the US, Netflix internationally, 6 p.m. ET both nights
- Raw: July 20, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
- New matches added: none
- Confirmed for SummerSlam: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, World Heavyweight Championship · CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes, Undisputed WWE Championship · Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi, Hell in a Cell · Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky, Women’s World Championship · Gunther vs. Nick Aldis · Penta vs. Chad Gable, Intercontinental Championship · six-man tag with LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys against Jacob Fatu and the Usos
- Also announced: Darius Rucker performs the national anthem on August 2
What’s New On The WWE SummerSlam Card?
Nothing, in the literal sense. No match was added in Detroit, which is unusual for a Raw twelve days out from a two-night stadium show.
What WWE did instead was spend the night servicing matches it had already booked. Every significant segment moved an existing SummerSlam program rather than starting a new one, which suggests creative considers the card close to set.
The Aldis announcement at Fanatics Fest was the last real addition, and that came Sunday.
Why Did Chad Gable And Penta Team Up Before SummerSlam?
Gable seemingly has to win at SummerSlam. I’m rooting for him as much as anyone. He’s paid his dues in a major way and he’s still one of the best overall performers in the company. The IC title should be first and a world-title run should follow in the next three years.
The tag match against Ethan Page and Rusev was built to make both men look capable without either taking a loss. Gable fought out of the Accolade and made Rusev tap to a grapevined ankle lock while Penta hit Ethan Page with a Mexican Destroyer.
Booking opponents as partners the week before a title match is an old device, and it works because it lets both get over without a result complicating the finish. It also lands in Minneapolis, which is Gable’s hometown.
Is Solo Sikoa Working His Way Into Reigns Vs. Rollins?
Sikoa came through the crowd, called Rollins out, and offered to watch his back against the Bloodline at SummerSlam. Rollins said he wanted to think about it.
Jacob Fatu came down before he could answer. Sikoa left, Fatu turned his back, and Rollins superkicked him and walked off laughing.
That is WWE hedging. The main event is a singles championship match, and creative has now given itself a reason for four other people to be at ringside without committing to any of them. Backstage, Jey Uso took out Sikoa, and Fatu and Jimmy Uso mauled LA Knight and Sikoa later in the night.
What Else Happened On Raw In Detroit?
Is it me or is anyone else growing weary of Joe Hendry’s seemingly disconnected appearances. WWE doesn’t seem to have anything solid for him, so he just shows up here and there so fans can hear his song. I like Hendry, but more depth is needed and soon.
Hendry beat Dominik Mysterio in a non-title match with help from Danhausen and Iyo Sky, after early interference from Liv Morgan. Oba Femi beat JD McDonagh and told the camera the real money is at Hell in a Cell.
The Vision opened the show with a non-title win over Je’Von Evans and Dragon Lee. Full results are here.