Roman Reigns returns, Judgment Day implodes at WWE SummerSlam that fell short of being special

SummerSlam delivered a near-complete reset of the WWE landscape, but something felt missing all night even with the long-awaited return of Roman Reigns.

Fans got the correct result they likely expected, but maybe it was the fact we had little variety with seven singles matches with messy finishes — only one clean — that brought very little closure to stories at the midway point of WWE’s year.

Maybe because it was a big day for the heels with Cody Rhodes and L.A. Knight the only babyfaces winning.

Maybe it was a main event that felt just like the last two WrestleManias or an event that had too many ads and Jelly Roll.

SummerSlam will be remembered for four new champions, the implosion of The Judgment Day starting with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio kissing and Reigns smashing Solo Sikoa with a Superman punch and spear.

Here are five takeaways from SummerSlam at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday.

Roman Reigns is back and the next chapter of The Bloodline story is set to begin, but he doesn’t seem finished with Cody Rhodes.

The Tribal Chief returned for the first time since losing to Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 after the Undisputed WWE champion had been decimated by Solo Sikoa and Bloodline member Jacob Fatu in the Bloodline Rules main event.

His music hit and he headed to the ring to deliver a Superman Punch and Spear to his cousin Sikoa, who is claiming to be the new Tribal Chief, reassembled a new Bloodline and took aim at Rhodes without Reigns’ consent. He gave an ominous look back to Rhodes, who hit a Cross Rhodes to secure the win.

Rhodes’ emotional and well-shot entrance backstage including his dog Pharaoh, reuniting with Arn Anderson and the skull mask showed how seriously he was taking Sikoa and the new Bloodline.

All it took was one Cross Rhodes for Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga to attack Rhodes, who kicked out after Sikoa went for a pin attempt. First Kevin Owens returned, then Randy Orton to help their friend. This time Rhodes went for a cover and Sikoa kicked out as Orton and Owens chased Loa and Tonga from the area.

The second of the triple Cross Rhodes attempt brought out Jacob Fatu as this match went back to the tired well of babyfaces coming out to help “The American Nightmare.”

Fatu may have hurt himself after hitting a top-rope splash onto Rhodes through the announce table as he did not initially get back up while telling Sikoa to bring the champion back into the ring. Rhodes kicked out from a big splash before Reigns’ music hit.

Rhodes said during the post-show media session that a rematch between him and Reigns needs to happen.

Morgan ran from Ripley early, but the challenger had her way with her once she cut her off.

Ripley even taunted Morgan with a kiss on Mysterio’s cheek.

Roman Reigns makes long-awaited WWE return at SummerSlam

Morgan threw Ripley shoulder first into the turnbuckle and left Mami yelling “It’s out!” but she continued.  It left the the champ to keep working the shoulder she injured in storyline that kept Ripley out of action.

Mysterio pushed Ripley out of the way of Morgan’s suicide dive to the outside and took the hit for her. It gave Ripley the chance to use the announce table to pop her shoulder back and start a relentless assault on Morgan.

After a headbutt, Morgan got a chair but was initially thwarted by a Riptide.

Mysterio stopped Ripley from hitting Morgan with a chair and an argument followed.

Morgan then pushed Ripley into Mysterio, who was holding the chair. It allowed the champ to hit an Oblivion but the challenger kicked out.

Mysterio would then distract the ref – like he did when Morgan beat Becky Lynch for the title – but his intentions weren’t initally clear.

Morgan used the referee distraction to deliver an Oblivion to Ripley onto the chair and pinned her for the second time in two-plus years – the only person to do so – to retain the Women’s World championship.

Then we got the answer we wanted as Mysterio pulled Morgan up and planted a big old kiss on her and left with the champion to end a good match with just enough well-played twists and turns in the story.

Drew McIntyre got a bid of revenge after CM Punk screwed him out of the World Heavyweight championship three times, but “The Best in the World” can only blame himself.

Punk’s first televised WWE singles match in more than 10 years was very story-heavy around special guest referee Seth Rollins and the friendship bracelet with Punk’s wife, AJ, and dog Larry’s names on it.

They teased that it would end like SummerSlam 1997’s main event, but Rollins – who called it reasonably down the middle – didn’t end up hitting Punk with a chair.

Punk, who we didn’t know would care so much about a friendship bracelet, twice let it cost him a win.

First, he let go of the Anaconda Vice because he took the bracelet off McIntyre’s wrist.

Second, he paused a GTS attempt on McIntyre because he saw it on Rollins’ wrist.

McIntyre and Punk both had sure pins wiped away because Rollins was knocked out at different points.

Punk, however, let his hatred push him to hit a GTS on Rollins, opening the door for McIntyre to kick Punk low and deliver a second Claymore.

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Rollins crawled over and counted three. McIntyre took the bracelet back, so this feud is likely moving on so Punk can get a win back.

How long they can keep Rollins out of the ring with either of them remains to be seen.

The other question is how much heat is left in the feud that seemingly has both men stuck.

We may need an AJ Lee appearance to reignite things by putting a face to Punk’s bracelet to add more emotion.

Damian Priest looked great in this match, physically taking it to Gunther early with chops and strikes that made the Ring General’s chest bleed.

Once Gunther finally got the upper hand he kept asking Priest if he would take more punishment and Preist kept saying bring it. It brought Balor out to ringside for support and Gunther proceeded to decimate Priest and gloat over him.

Gunther would kick Balor and it fired up Priest to deliver a massive clothesline and then a Razor’s Edge and a South of Heaven chokeslam.

Priest rolled Gunther toward the ropes but Balor’s jealousy that’s been building for months led to him put Gunther’s leg on the rope.

Gunther grabbed Priest into a sleeper hold as Balor snarled on the outside. Priest at least got to battle back and get a rollup attempt.

But he went after Balor and Gunther grabbed him, power bombed him and put the sleeper back on to win the World Heavyweight championship for his first main roster title. It kind of stinks that it had to come with the added Judgment Day angle and help from Balor and not in more dominating fashion.

It just didn’t feel as big as it should be and lacked the drama of other Gunther matches.

The champion Logan Paul and L.A. Knight battled outside the ring before the bell, highlighted by a neckbreaker from the challenger onto an announce table that wouldn’t budge.

Paul hit an effortless springboard moonsault off the ropes to the outside onto Knight, who eventually kicked out of Paul’s full Knockout Punch. The champ, who kicked from a superplex from the top rope, continually countered Knights’ BFT throughout the match, and that paid off in the finish.

Paul eventually got brass knuckles from the chain rapper MGK was wearing.

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He hit Knight with a short right and it seemed to have little effect on the challenger.

Knight, who has been over with the fans for more than a year and a half, was very quickly up to counter a buckshot lariat attempt into a BFT for the win a nice pop to become the new United States champion for his first title on the main roster.

It ended a very good and intense match that delivered a long-overdue moment for Knight.

Nia Jax over Bayley (c.) to win the WWE women’s championship

Jax deserves another championship run with the quality of work she’s put in since returning, but Bayley was far from steamrolled.

Bayley was able to push Jax off her into the turnbuckle after taking an Annihilator. It fired up Jax, who started reciting Bayley’s verbal jabs leading up to the match back at her.

Bayley slipped away from a second Annihilator and power bombed the champion to bring an eruption from the crowd.

The champ was able to initially take advantage of Tiffany Stratton teasing a Money in the Bank cash-in, but two powerbombs and two Annihilators from Jax was finally enough to beat Bayley.

Jax, who won her first world title since 2018, eluded Stratton’s cash-in for one night, but it will hang over their friendship and could help turn the young star babyface.

Bron Breakker over Sami Zayn (c.) to win the Intercontinental championship

Outside of giving Breakker the SummerSlam stage to win his first Intercontinental championship, this felt like a waste of a rematch after Zayn won at Money in the Bank.

Zayn got a little bit of offense in – the biggest move being a Blue Thunder Bomb – but Breakker mostly thwarted him at every turn.

A spear to counter a Helluva Kick and a second spear after running the ropes gave Breakker overdue gold on the main roster. Would a squash match have had more impact?

Biggest Winner: Liv Morgan

Biggest Loser: CM Punk

Best Match: Gunther vs. Damian Priest

Predictions: 6-1

Grade: B+

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