Roman Reigns' Evolution and Best and Worst Booking Decisions Of WWE SummerSlam 2025
WWE rolled into MetLife Stadium for Night 1 of SummerSlam, headlined by CM Punk challenging Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship, the in-ring debut of singer Jelly Roll, and Roman Reigns teaming with Jey Uso to battle Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
A show of that magnitude was destined to include several acclaim-worthy booking decisions and others that create questions and potential backlash.
What were those decisions? Find out with this recap of Saturday's show.
Best: Evolution of The Tribal Chief
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For five years, this incarnation of Roman Reigns was defined, in part, by his self-centeredness. He worried only about himself, his place at the head of the table and his spot atop the WWE Universe.
Friends, family and partners of convenience were mere pawns in his plan to maintain his dominance over professional wrestling.
We saw hints of change in The Tribal Chief over the last year, beginning with his return at last year's SummerSlam. And the opening match Saturday night provided the latest evidence in the much-needed evolution of the centerpiece of WWE's epic story.
Late in his match with Jey Uso against Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, the latter attempted a Spear to Uso, only for Reigns to shove his cousin out of harm's way and absorb the blow. It took him out of the equation, but it also exhibited his growth as a person.
Gone was the selfishness that had been a key characteristic of his persona for so long. Instead, his downward spiral in the wake of losing the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship and the preceding 16 months allowed him to look internally and recognize some things are more important than his own success.
Things such as family.
This is a Tribal Chief growing wiser and more appreciative of those who contributed to his success. And, in return, Uso acknowledged him by retrieving his ula fala and hanging it around his cousin's neck.
This was a significant takeaway from a match that was energetic, sometimes chaotic, but always fun.
Best: Partnership with Alexa Bliss Rejuvenates Charlotte Flair
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There is no denying the excellence of Charlotte Flair. She is one of the best wrestlers in the company and has been for a long time.
What she hasn't been is a fan-favorite, thanks in large part to her one-dimensional, championship-driven booking.
There are few moments more representative of that than her post-Royal Rumble win earlier this year, when fans booed her out of the arena rather than celebrating her triumphant return.
She lost to WWE women's champion Tiffany Stratton at WrestleMania 41 and did not compete for the Money in the Bank.
What she did, though, was form a partnership of convenience with Alexa Bliss that saw the definitely-not-friends build momentum to the point that they won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on Saturday night at SummerSlam.
The victory over Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez represented the latest development for a team forced together for narrative purposes. More importantly for Flair, it was the latest chapter in her all-important character rejuvenation.
Free from the confines of singles gold, The Queen has been allowed to let her personality shine while simultaneously building chemistry with Bliss.
It has done wonders for Flair, with crowds again cheering in support of her rather than jeering out of spite.
Worst: WWE's Karrion Kross Failure
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Following an inexplicable loss at Night of Champions, WWE again failed Karrion Kross at SummerSlam as he went 0-2 against Sami Zayn in PLE action.
One of the few positives emerging from WrestleMania 41 was the positive response to a Kross promo that meshed fiction with reality and showcased the passion he had for a company that had not always been as passionate about him.
The crowds reacted in kind, selling out his merchandise and chanting his name in arenas.
Instead of capitalizing on his popularity and rewarding his work to get over with audiences, WWE instead made him the antagonist in a storyline intended to highlight Zayn's morality.
Amid a report from Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp that he has yet to receive a contract renewal offer from the company and the consecutive defeats in his most important matches, it feels as if this was a way to halt his momentum and potentially serve as a swansong.
Hopefully, that feeling proves to be unfounded and Kross does re-sign with WWE en route to a long and fruitful career.
For now, though, it's impossible not to characterize the company's follow-up to his momentous year as a failure and one of the worst booking decisions of both SummerSlam and 2025 as a whole.
Best: Jade Cargill's Frustration Gets the Best of Her
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Some may consider Tiffany Stratton defeating Jade Cargill to retain the WWE Women's Championship one of the worst decisions of the show.
However, what occurred throughout the match should have fans thinking it was one of the best.
Cargill dominated Stratton from the bell. She was clearly the superior wrestler for the majority of the bout, devastating the champion with her fury and strength advantage. Despite all of that, though, she was unable to keep her opponent down.
She delivered Eye of the Storm, but Stratton kicked out. She executed Jaded, but she could only muster a two when her opponent got her foot on the bottom rope to break the count.
After both near-falls, Cargill could noticeably be seen questioning the count, asking the official, "Two?"
The frustration led Cargill to take a risk and drag Stratton to the top rope for an avalanche Jaded. It was a costly mistake as the champion reversed the move, flipped her opponent off the top rope and followed with a Prettiest Moonsault Ever to score the victory.
That frustration, loss and desperation to win gold Cargill will experience coming out of SummerSlam should lead to demeanor changes for her.
That could mean a heel turn, returning the 33-year-old to a role she excelled in during her time with All Elite Wrestling.
Worst: Jelly Roll Loses
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One of the marquee matches of SummerSlam Night 1 saw recording artist Jelly Roll partner with Randy Orton to battle Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul.
The musician impressed, working a large portion of the bout and absorbing offense from his opponents.
He even took a big bump off a frog splash from Paul through the announce table. That spot led to medics checking on him and a tease that he would not be able to finish the match.
He toughed it out, though, shoving the medics aside and re-entering the match to the delight of the fans and exploding on his opponents. The crowd was behind the underdog and ready to watch him surge to victory alongside The Viper.
Except, he didn't.
Jelly Roll ate a Claymore from McIntyre and Paul quickly scaled the ropes before delivering a frog splash for the deflating victory.
While there was a worked-in reason for the singer to lose, based on the injury from the earlier table bump, it was a tone-deaf booking decision that took the wind out of the stadium rather than giving fans the outcome they wanted.
Best: Seth Rollins Ruins CM Punk's Moment
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Seth Rollins has repeatedly vowed that CM Punk will not be world champion as long as he can help it. Saturday night, he made good on that promise.
Moments after The Best in the World defeated Gunther to win the World Heavyweight Championship in a brilliant main event, The Visionary limped through the curtain and warned Punk that his reign would end at any time he wanted.
Then, he tossed aside his crutches, tore off his jacket and hit the ring with the Money in the Bank briefcase, attacking Punk and cashing in his guaranteed title opportunity.
From there, he delivered one last Stomp and snuffed out Punk's fairy-tale ending, ruining his championship conquest and kicking off another tyrannical reign for The Architect.
It was a brilliant surprise conclusion that propels forward the main event storyline on Raw and sets up a redemption arc for Punk that ensures his next title win will not only net him the championship but also earn him the revenge this story will demand.
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