CM Punk's Promo of the Year, WWE's Massive SummerSlam Mistake, More Raw Fallout
The July 28 edition of Raw on Netflix delivered go-home hype for SummerSlam 2025 from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Jey Uso hoped to pick up some momentum against Bronson Reed ahead of his tag team match alongside Roman Reigns, but Bron Breakker took out Main Event and The OTC to make a statement before SummerSlam.
CM Punk delivered a final statement to Gunther to remind him of the legacy of The Best in the World as world champion.
Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella took down Naomi, Chelsea Green, Alba Fyre and Piper Niven.
Karrion Kross and Sami Zayn agreed to the terms for their SummerSlam match, advising that the loser would say the winner was "right."
Thanks to a pair of El Grande Americanos, The Judgment Day retained the World Tag Team Championship against LWO.
This was not the most eventful night of action but clearly established the expectations for SummerSlam on Saturday and Sunday.
CM Punk Finally Sold Gunther Match on Go-Home Show
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For what could be considered the second-biggest match of SummerSlam, Gunther and CM Punk have barely had time to scratch the surface of their rivalry.
However, their latest face-off in the ring established more clearly the stakes of their heated battle to come.
In particular, Punk delivered one of his best promos in a while, selling why he wants to win the World Heavyweight Championship again.
It was the kind of promo that made his name back in the day and pushed The Ring General to a different place than he has been for most of his WWE career.
He was rattled by The Best in the World's confidence and fire, leaving him with a need to answer with action come Saturday.
This should not be a one-and-done angle based on the build. Punk proved he can add significant excitement to this rivalry purely with his words.
Their first match should only serve as an escalation of a longer running angle, especially since there are few options on Raw right now ready to step to Gunther beyond The Second City Saint.
Make Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker World Tag Champs ASAP
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The World Tag Team Championships should not be missing SummerSlam, especially not with multiple tag matches on the card without stakes.
In particular, the titles would be in a much better spot with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed going into a fight with Roman Reigns and Jey Uso.
The build for that tag match main-evented over a title defense by The Judgment Day and will be featured in a big way at SummerSlam.
After Monday's main event, WWE should consider putting the gold on the hottest heel tag team on Raw.
While it is nice to see Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh picking up some wins, they will never be a priority ahead of Breakker and Reed.
The tag titles need to be held by big names right now to avoid WWE forgetting the gold exists entirely.
Karrion Kross is Nailing the Biggest Feud of His Life
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Karrion Kross' career in WWE has been a series of decent highs and frustrating lows, but he may be approaching the highest spot of his career going into SummerSlam.
The Herald of Doomsday has grown popular with fans due to his strong promos and character consistency.
The one area he was lacking was in the ring, but he has recently started to elevate his game there as well.
SummerSlam will be an even bigger test for him than Night of Champions as his feud with Sami Zayn likely comes to an end.
If he can pull off his best match in his biggest moment, he could earn himself a major push and possibly an impressive new contract.
According to Sean Ross Sapp via Fightful Select, Kross and Scarlett have still not been approached about a contract extension or renewal.
While Kross and WWE could be obscuring the news of his re-signing, it is just as likely Saturday's match will define his future.
Luckily, it seems like The Herald of Doomsday is up for the challenge.
Nikki Bella Finds Valuable Role on Raw
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The return of Nikki Bella was not a big story at first in 2025, but the former Divas champion has quickly shown she is back for more than a few one-off matches.
Bella has find her place as a supportive babyface veteran who can work with the new crop of talent in WWE.
On Monday, she looked right at home working with three of the best wrestlers in the world: Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky and Stephanie Vaquer.
Bella may not be able to work at their level, but she has raised her own game enough to look like she belongs while tagging with them and possibly fighting them in the future.
The women's division needs more big names, building more variety for future matchups and allowing the women the biggest spotlights.
Bella is a key piece in making sure WWE cannot continue to ignore the overwhelming talent in the women's division that is beginning to outshine the men.
WWE Making Wrong Call With 2 Nights of SummerSlam
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WWE has officially put together the 12-match, two-night card for SummerSlam, but it's not a show that will easily rival WrestleMania in terms of hype and expectation.
While John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes, Naomi vs. Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley and Gunther vs. CM Punk are all must-watch premium live event matches, not much else stands out.
Roman Reigns and Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed was thrown together at the last minute. And even the world title match between Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill has lacked SummerSlam-level build.
Solo Sikoa vs. Jacob Fatu and Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles are not exciting matches on paper despite a decent build.
The rest of the card includes a Jelly Roll match and a six-team TLC match certain to be hard to follow for fans in the arena and at home.
The only exception is Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria, which has felt like a personal project The Man has brought to fruition in elevating the Women's Intercontinental Championship.
This could have easily been a solid eight-match, one-night event. Instead, by opting for two nights this year, WWE revealed the lack of story depth on the current roster beyond the main event scenes.
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