CM Punk Defies Expectations and Biggest Takeaways from WWE SummerSlam Night 1 Results
WWE SummerSlam night one is officially in the books, and it ended with a bang.
The Biggest Party of the Summer emanated from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 38th annual edition of this iconic PLE marks the first two-night iteration in the event’s history.
The first night’s undercard wasn’t much to write home about, but the main event and aftermath made up for its shortcomings. On paper, tomorrow’s show has the better matchup and bigger implications for the rest of the year.
Although the company’s routine product placement and reliance on celebrity appearances have also grown overwhelming, WWE managed to stick the landing on Saturday. Hopefully, the Sunday card will produce more moments and even better matches.
In the meantime, these are the five biggest takeaways from SummerSlam night one.
Roman Reigns Finally Made A Sacrifice For Jey Uso
1 of 5SummerSlam opened on a high note with Jey Uso and Roman Reigns vs. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
Main Event Jey’s entrance has proven to be a great way to warm up the crowd to start the premium live events. However, Paul Heyman questioned why he would team up with his cousin again after he treated him so poorly as the leader of The Bloodline.
Although the former wise man is playing mind games, it’s a valid question because Reigns hasn’t changed that much since he returned to WWE at The Biggest Party of the Summer last year. Case and point, the Samoan star never truly apologized to Uso or any of his allies in the lead-up to the 2024 men’s WarGames match.
So, it was great to see him finally show some character development as he pushed his cousin out of the way and took a spear from Breakker to set him up to win. Even more, the OTC raised Main Event Jey’s hand after he scored the winning pinfall for their team.
Teaming with Alexa Bliss Salvaged Charlotte Flair’s WWE Return
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Charlotte Flair’s return during the women’s Royal Rumble match should’ve been a tremendous moment for the women’s grand slam champion.
After all, The Queen suffered the worst injury of her career in 2023, which kept her out of action for over a year. Nevertheless, the fans didn’t respond well to her record-setting second Rumble win, and her subsequent feud with Tiffany Stratton was a disaster.
Flair has been noticeably directionless ever since, but teaming with Alexa Bliss and portraying her character on her own terms has been a much-needed life raft. In her The Players’ Tribune article, she spoke candidly about her struggles being a Flair sometime, but this tag team allows her to do something different.
Working with Bliss and being vulnerable about her experience has given the fans the chance to see her in a different light. The women’s tag division also desperately needs the star power and stories that the new champions can provide.
Jade Cargill’s Heel Turn Is Imminent
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After Jade Cargill defeated Asuka to become the Queen of the Ring tournament winner, it’s safe to assume most of us didn’t expect her to lose to Tiffany Stratton in seven minutes.
In fact, her showdown with the WWE women’s champion seemed like her match to win after Naomi cashed in the Money in the Bank contract at Evolution. Cargill also hasn’t lost many one-on-one matches with the company so far.
So, it’s a bit confounding that she lost clean to Stratton when she seemed earmarked for a big victory. Moreover, all three members of “The Big Three” have unfinished business with Nia Jax’s former ally, so it would’ve made sense for the 33-year-old to end her reign.
That would seem to suggest Bianca Belair could eventually beat her, and her former tag team partner may turn heel. Triple H notably called Cargill a ticking time bomb during his appearance on the SummerSlam post-show and noted that it would be interesting to see how she responds to this loss.
This could be foreshadowing for an upcoming turn because she has been playing nice since she teamed with Naomi and Belair, but she’s a natural heel.
CM Punk Is Still A Great In-Ring Storyteller
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Gunther vs. CM Punk for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was the best match of the night.
These two have worked live events together, but it was hard to tell how the matchup would translate to the big stage. Gunther is currently one of the best wrestlers in the world, but it was unclear if Punk could compete at his level.
The Second City Saint defied expectation again in an outstanding 30-minute bout with an excellent closing stretch. The 46-year-old has never been the most athletic competitor, and he doesn’t move as fast as he used to. He doesn't rely on flashy moves either.
However, he has always excelled as a prolific in-ring storyteller, and this match was another showcase of what makes him so great. Even as an established star, the Chicago native can still deliver a convincing and well-paced underdog story like this.
This was an old-school “David vs. Goliath” dynamic, and both men set the bar for the rest of the weekend.
Seth Rollins Pulled Off The Ruse of the Century
5 of 5Seth Rollins closed the night with one of the greatest Money in the Bank cash-ins in recent memory.
The reports surrounding The Visionary’s knee injury have been conflicting to say the least, so most knowledgeable fans expected him to factor into this weekend’s festivities. Still, his predictable re-emergence after Punk’s long-sought-after world title win was awesome.
Sure, his plan doesn’t make much sense when you think about it long enough, but this was the type of moment that pro wrestling fans will talk about for years. Rollins executed the reveal that he is cleared perfectly, and Punk masterfully sold the effects of his match with Gunther.
It was everything you would want in a cash-in and a great demonstration of how entertaining the concept can still be when used well.
Rollins also joins Punk as a two-time Money in the Bank winner who has successfully cashed in twice. It’s almost poetic justice because the Chicago native has done this to others, and he helped Damian Priest cash in at WrestleMania 39.
