SummerSlam has been the place for surprises and big moments for WWE, and Saturday was just another example for how dramatic SummerSlam can be.
The Tribal Combat between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso continued what has been an epic story for The Bloodline, and while Roman Reigns held his position as the Tribal Chief, it came at a confusing expense. Elsewhere, there’s a new women’s champion, but probably one few people expected leaving Detroit with the title, while Cody Rhodes continues his journey toward achieving the one thing he came to WWE for.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from SummerSlam 2023:
An odd end to Tribal Combat
The Tribal Combat between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso for the right to be called Tribal Chief and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion lived up to the hype with blow after blow happening between the two. It was expected Solo Sikoa would come in to help Reigns, and even with the disadvantage, Uso was able to get the upper hand and looked to secure the win.
But twin Jimmy Uso, who was out after a ruthless attack from Sikoa weeks ago, came out to spoil his twin’s win, delivering a superkick before Reigns won.
From an instant reaction, the twist doesn’t make sense since Jimmy Uso was the first one in the family to turn on Reigns, and encouraged his twin to do the same. Once Jimmy Uso finally did, he got stabbed in the back. It’s not clear whether it was done out of jealousy or to fall in line with Reigns, but this is likely headed toward an Uso vs. Uso battle that will brew. The only question is whether Reigns and Sikoa will be part of it, and what it means for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Regardless, it’s a disappointing ending for such a big match and for what has been such a good story for WWE. Is The Bloodline dragging on? Not at all, but it wasn’t a great ending. Maybe WWE will be able to make the next step good, but this feels like the first time The Bloodline story was dissatisfying.
Damage CTRL now has ctrl
Remember a couple of months ago when Damage CTRL was in a funk, there was tension brewing and it looked like the faction was about to end?
How quickly things changed.
Things turned around when Iyo Sky won Money in the Bank, and it was only a matter of time before she was going to cash it in. When an injured Bianca Belair won the WWE Women’s Championship, Sky took the opportunity to cash in with Bayley by her side. What made it even sweeter was that injured Dakota Kai was on hand to join in the celebration.
It’s a solid champion who deserved the title ever since giving an epic performance at Backlash. After the event, Kai said she’s still “a ways away” from being cleared, but regardless, Sky and Bayley make the faction the top one in the women’s division, one year after making their dramatic debut.
Is Cody Rhodes back on the WWE title path?
Ever since his WrestleMania 39 loss and attack from Brock Lesnar the following night, it was clear Cody Rhodes was going to have to face strong adversity to even get back in the title picture.
The rivalry with Lesnar over the past few months was a great one, and their third match showed no matter how much pain Lesnar put on Rhodes, “The American Nightmare” continued to get up. The win on Saturday was big, but perhaps the most significant moment was Lesnar giving Rhodes his flowers, something you’d never see from “The Beast Incarnate.” Not only did it signify Rhodes was the winner in the rivalry, but he is ready to take the next step towards “finishing the story.” Things will have to be settled within The Bloodline and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, but Rhodes’ second opportunity could be coming up soon.
Let me talk to ya, it’s LA Knight’s time
If there was one thing WWE fans hated the most from Money in the Bank, it was LA Knight not winning the men’s match. He has become one the biggest fan favorites in recent months, and him falling just short of securing the WWE title contract was a move not many liked. But rather than bury him, WWE continued to build on his popularity and he came out on top in the SummerSlam Battle Royal.
It was one of the best pops of the night when he won, and it should be propelling LA Knight towards more success in his career, especially since he has all of the WWE Universe in his corner. His skill set along with talk makes him such a great candidate to be a champion, and he could build solid hype for a title match. Is he ready for the Undisputed or World Heavyweight title? Not yet, but he should be a contender for the United States or Intercontinental Championship now, if not soon.
“This has been an amazingly fast climb, and it’s been really crazy how it’s happened,” LA Knight said after the SummerSlam. “I’m just getting started here.”
‘The Ring General’ gets closer to becoming the greatest Intercontinental champion
It took over 30 years, but The Honky Tonk Man’s reign as the best Intercontinental champion in WWE history is nearly over.
Since winning the title last June, Gunther has defended the title against any and all challengers, all while showcasing his talent as one of the best performers on the WWE roster. Drew McIntyre looked like the first true threat Gunther had for his title, but he once again proved in clean fashion it is nearly impossible to take him down. His win on Saturday put his title reign at 421 days, just 33 away from The Honky Tonk Man’s record.
Unless someone bolts through WWE, it doesn’t seem like “The Ring General” is going to lose his belt in the next month and will break the record. He already cemented himself as the best Intercontinental champion reign of this generation, but it won’t be long before he officially becomes the greatest one to exist.
