“The Biggest Party of the Summer” has arrived!
WWE SummerSlam 2023 goes down tonight from Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
On tap for tonight’s show is Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso in Tribal Combat for the WWE Universal Heavyweight title, Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor for the WWE World Heavyweight title, as well as Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar in their trilogy bout.
Also scheduled is Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair for the Women’s title, GUNTHER vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Intercontinental title, Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler in an MMA Rules match, Logan Paul vs. Ricochet, as well as the Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal.
Featured below are complete WWE SummerSlam results from Monday, August 5, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live on the USA Network from 7pm-12am EST.
WWE SUMMERSLAM RESULTS (8/5/2023)
The “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together” opening signature narrated by future WWE Hall of Fame legend John Cena airs to get things underway.
From there, we hear “Born to be Wild,” the official SummerSlam theme, and we shoot inside Ford Field in Detroit, MI. where Kayla Braxton welcomes us to the Cricket 5G presents WWE SummerSlam Kickoff Show.
We settle in at the panel, which features Braxton, Booker T, Wade Barrett, Peter Rosenberg and Jackie Redmond. Each are introduced as we hear fans in the background.
They talk about Wade Barrett, who is on the panel, being moved to Monday Night Raw as one of the new members of the commentary team. After the introductions, the panelists run down the advertised lineup for tonight’s show.
Once they finish running down the card, we are sent to the bad-ass, elaborate video package that aired on WWE TV on Friday Night SmackDown this week to promote Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar III.
After the video package wraps up, we shoot back to the panelists, who weigh-in with their thoughts on the highly-anticipated rubber match between “The American Nightmare” and “The Beast Incarnate.” Booker T makes it clear Lesnar isn’t getting embarrassed in battle.
Now the gang gears up for the Slim Jim Presents SummerSlam Battle Royal match scheduled for tonight. The panelists talk about some of the Superstars in the bout, with a lot of focus on the popularity of LA Knight. Barrett predicts Bronson Reed to win it. Booker T picks Otis. Rosenberg goes with LA Knight.
Braxton sends things over to Cathy Kelley, who is with hundreds of rabid members of the WWE Universe outside of Ford Field. She interviews some of them to find out which matches they are most excited for tonight. Most talk about the Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns showdown in Tribal Combat.
Kayla Braxton sends things to another video package, this time the Paul Heyman narrated history of Tribal Combat video, which premiered in his in-ring segment with Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa on this past Friday night’s SummerSlam go-home episode of SmackDown.
Back live, the panelists shift gears to focus on the triple-threat match between Asuka, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair for the women’s title. The panelists share their thoughts on the bout for a couple of moments. Barrett picks Charlotte to win. Booker and Rosenberg both pick Asuka to retain.
An excellent, lengthy video package airs to showcase the career of Edge ahead of his 25th anniversary celebration in his hometown of Toronto on SmackDown in two weeks.
From there, the conversation at the panel switches to the WWE Intercontinental Championship showdown tonight between GUNTHER and Drew McIntyre. Booker T sings GUNTHER’s praises as the best European wrestler in WWE history. Barrett picks GUNTHER to win. Booker T does, too. Rosenberg picks McIntyre.
Jackie Redmond makes a lame Eminem “Lose Yourself” reference that Rosenberg jumps all over when bringing up Finn Balor’s bitterness going into his WWE World Heavyweight Championship opportunity tonight against Seth “Freakin'” Rollins. The panelists each give their thoughts on the bout.
It’s prediction time and we hear Barrett explain why Balor is going to win and become the new champion. Booker T picks Balor as well. Rosenberg picks against the fan-favorite for the first time, predicting Balor to win and using The Judgment Day’s dominance as his reasoning. The panelists then show some Snapshot filters on fans in the crowd and Superstars on the panel.
Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler’s video package airs to hype tonight’s “MMA Rules Fight” between the former UFC stars turned WWE Superstars. After the lengthy package wraps up, we return to the panelists, who weigh-in with their thoughts on this battle of former friends turned bitter rivals. Barrett picks Rousey to win. Booker T predicts Baszler will take it. Rosenberg goes with Baszler.
We shoot to Cathy Kelley, who is in the Cricket Fan Zone with a fan doing a promo. She cuts him off and asks him to cut a promo for SummerSlam into the camera. He does so, and after a rough start, he does decent enough. Fans clearly rooting for Jey Uso boo in the background. Kelley sends us back to the panelists.
The panelists talk about the Logan Paul vs. Ricochet match, which Logan claims will be the most viral match in WWE history. The video package airs to explain the back-story leading into this bout.
A commercial airs and then we shoot live inside Ford Field where Titus O’Neil and Byron Saxton are shown in the entrance area. They address the crowd and then announce WWE has provided support for three non-profit organizations for children in Detroit. They introduce people from the organizations. They donate $20,000 to each of the three charities, as well as replica WWE title belts. We shoot to another commercial.
Following the advertising time out, we return to the panelists, who talk about the Tribal Combat battle between former Bloodline members and relatives WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. They each weigh in with their thoughts on the bout, give their predictions and then the Kickoff Show wraps up. It’s time for “The Biggest Party of the Summer!”
Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
The Kid Rock hosted and narrated cold open video package airs after another “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” signature. Once that wraps up, we shoot live inside Ford Field in Detroit, MI. as fireworks and pyro explodes as the WWE SummerSlam 2023 premium live event is now officially off-and-running.
Michael Cole welcomes us to the 36th annual SummerSlam special event while over 55,000 members of the WWE Universe roar in the background. The camera pans the massive crowd and then settles down at the ring where Logan Paul’s theme hits.
Logan Paul makes his way out to a mostly negative reaction. He’s wearing his black-and-yellow ring gear again and holding a bottle of his Prime drink. He settles in the ring and his music dies down.
Now the theme for Ricochet hits and out he comes to one of the bigger pops for a ring entrance in his career. Corey Graves points out Samantha Irvin, Ricochet’s better-half, is actually wearing the same colors as Logan Paul. Cole scolds him for bringing that up.
Both guys are in the ring and it’s time to start what is being touted as something that will be the most viral match in WWE history. The two start the match off by staring each other down. Logan slaps Ricochet. Ricochet slaps the hell out of him back. They start going at it now.
Paul goes out to the floor and covers up, cowering like a true heel. Logan is good, folks. He plays to the crowd a bit and then heads back into the ring as the fans jump on his case with negative chants. “Logan sucks!” echoes throughout the arena as Ricochet takes it to Logan in the early goings. Paul catches him with a back elbow to slow him down.
Logan Paul takes over from there, pummeling Ricochet with a strike-heavy offense. He hits a rude awakening neck-breaker on the hard part of the ring apron outside of the ring ropes. Logan starts taunting WWE ring announcer Samantha Irvin as he rolls Ricochet back in the ring.
The fans chant “You suck!” at Logan and then he mocks Braun Strowman by hitting a running power slam. Michael Cole had to point that out, noting the former tag-team relationship between Ricochet and Strowman as the reason for this. Logan taunts the crowd with the Hulk Hogan ear-cup routine as he has Ricochet down and out in the ring.
Now he hits a big boot and his “Hogan Paul” leg-drop after the Hogan ear-cup routine. Nice. Ricochet hits a spinebuster and a “People’s Moonsault” in honor of The Rock for a close near fall. Logan fires back with an enormous back body drop that sees Ricochet fly high in the air before taking a nasty landing.
We see the two on the hard part of the ring apron outside of the ring ropes. Logan goes for a spanish fly but they both land on their feet. They brawl wildly on the floor with punching exchanges. Ricochet decks Logan but then Logan yanks Ricochet out of the ring. He goes for a flipping clothesline on Ricochet but stumbles a bit. After connecting he takes a bottle of Prime from a young fan and takes a drink.
Back in the ring, Logan heads to the top-rope with a big smile on his face. He connects with a high cross body and then hits a standing moonsault for a close near fall. Ricochet fights back and hits an absolutely insane hurricane neck-breaker off the top-rope. Ricochet hits a nice springboard clothesline.
Logan goes for a single leap off the ropes into a moonsault, but Ricochet catches him. Logan twirls around Ricochet’s body and turns it into a tornado DDT. That was nuts. Ricochet goes for a shooting star press moments later, but lands injured ribs-first on the raised knees of Logan. Logan fights back and hits a power bomb face-buster and then kips up as the fans loudly boo.
Now we see Logan hit an incredible springboard frog splash that saw him leap nearly all the way across the ring. He goes for the cover but only gets two. Ricochet goes for the 630 splash but Logan moves. A Logan Paul friend gives Ricochet brass knuckles behind the referee’s back. He knocks out Ricochet with them and steals the win. Incredible opener. Flat finish. Logan taunts Samantha Irvin afterwards.
Winner: Logan Paul
Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes III
After a commercial break, we see Ridge Holland and Butch in the parking lot watching as Sheamus arrives to Ford Field in a giant WWE monster truck. Corey Graves plugs Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” theme song for SummerSlam and then Michael Cole introduces the video package for our next match.
On that note, we see the events that led to tonight’s highly-anticipated trilogy bout between Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes. When it wraps up, we shoot back live inside Ford Field.
The theme for Brock Lesnar hits and out comes “The Beast Incarnate.” He settles in the ring and his music dies down. Cody Rhodes’ theme hits and out comes “The American Nightmare.” He settles in the ring as we see his mother, Michelle, in the crowd once again tonight.
Cody Rhodes runs across the ring and attacks Brock Lesnar from behind before the bell. The bell sounds and Lesnar immediately starts fighting back. He hits his first of what will likely be 100 suplexes tonight. Cody fights back quickly and connects with a Disaster Kick out of nowhere. He hits a second one but when he goes for it a third time, Lesnar swats him down like King Kong hitting a helicopter on the Empire State building.
We see Lesnar charge at Cody but Cody moves and Lesnar smashes into the steel ring post. Cody follows up with a suicide dive to splash onto “The Beast Incarnate” at ringside. Lesnar immediately takes over seconds later, quickly recovering and smashing Cody into the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Lesnar kicks out the leg of Cody. He scoops Cody up and launches him half-way across the ring like a rag doll. Brock muscles up Cody and starts suplexing the hell out of him as a “Suplex City” chant breaks out. We see Cody’s mom watching on in horror as Brock continues to manhandle her son.
Lesnar continues to pummel Cody. He knocks him out to the floor and the ref nearly counts him out. Cody heads to the ring apron and Brock knocks him back down. He shouts at him to stay down and save himself. Cody rolls into the ring just in time and clutches his ribs in pain. Brock tells Cody that this is only gonna get worse if he keeps getting up. He does. And it does.
Once again we see Brock knock Cody out to the floor and tell him to stay down and save himself. Cody stumbles up and back into the ring and Lesnar does the same thing again. Cody barely makes it into the ring but does. Brock takes Cody out of the ring and looks pissed. He hoists him up and hits him with an F-5 on the floor. Lesnar yells at Michael Cole to tell Cody to stay down.
Rhodes barely makes it into the ring in time this time, as the ref’s count reaches nine and a half. Cody, glassy eyed, struggles like crazy using the ropes to get back to his feet. He screams at Brock to fight and then starts punching away at him. Brock easily Donkey Kongs him again and now he’s pissed. He heads out to the floor and F-5s Cody through the commentary table. Michael Cole yells “Damnit Cody, just stay down!” The fans chant “Holy sh*t!”
Again we see Cody just barely make it into the ring. This time he can’t even get up. Lesnar has a look of disbelief in his eyes. We see welts and bruises all over Cody’s body as Lesnar picks him up and hurls him half way across the ring. He picks him up again and Cody takes the turnbuckle padding off on the way up and over for another suplex. Cody goes to pick the steps up but Brock stops him. Cody rams Brock into the post twice and then hits him with the steps.
In the ring, we see Cody hit a disaster kick and a Cody cutter. He leaps all the way to the top-rope for a super-Cody cutter for a super close near fall. Cody shouts at Brock to get up now, and he does, quickly snatching a Kimura on Cody’s arm. Cody screams in pain but fights it. Cody struggles like crazy but eventually makes it to the ropes to break the hold.
Cody gets lifted up for another F-5 but Cody escapes out the back door and rams Lesnar into the exposed steel on the turnbuckle that had the padding removed earlier in the bout. Now Cody slaps a Kimura on Brock out of nowhere and he cranks away on it as Brock screams in pain. Cody counters an F-5 with three back-to-back-to-back Cross-Rhodes’ for the win. Amazing match. After the match, Brock and Cody shake hands and Brock gives him respect. You can see it means a lot to Cody.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal
After a commercial break and a pointless, lengthy Becky Lynch video package, we shoot back inside Ford Field where the ring is already filled up, except for The Miz and LA Knight, who get special ring entrances, as it’s time for the Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal.
Also getting their ring entrance shown on the broadcast is AJ Styles, who comes out last. He makes his way to the ring to a nice pop. As he finishes his walk to the ring, Michael Cole introduces us to a history and legacy or battle royals in WWE history.
The bell sounds and everyone starts fighting. We hear MVP and then see him appear at the top of the entrance way. He says this match can’t start until the man who is going to win it — is in it. He then introduces the 7’3” Omos. “The Nigerian Nightmare” joins the gang in the ring and the fight is on.
Apollo Crews is the first person thrown over the top and eliminated. Omos launches JD McDonagh out next with a massive military press over the top. He throws out Rick Boogs next. Everybody gangs up on Omos to try and get rid of him. Omos fights his way free.
We see several more eliminations in rapid-fire fashion as the ring starts to thin out a bit. Eventually Omos gets thrown out for a big pop. Miz and Grayson Waller start to team up until LA Knight throws Miz out for an enormous pop from the crowd. Grayson Waller is thrown out by Sheamus.
Bronson Reed, AJ Styles, LA Knight and Sheamus are the final four men remaining after the big man Bronson Reed gets a few eliminations. LA Knight ends up eliminating Reed by himself for a huge pop. Styles and Sheamus mix it up as Knight recovers and fans chant his name.
Karrion Kross comes back and this leads to AJ Styles being eliminated. Knight hits his version of “The People’s Elbow” on Sheamus and then prepares to eliminate him but he runs into a big knee from “The Celtic Warrior.” Knight runs and leaps to the top rope in the same spot he badly botched twice on SmackDown. He hits it this time and then clotheslines Sheamus over the top for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
MMA Rules
Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler
We shoot to a quick commercial break. When we return, the video package telling the story for our next match of the evening airs. Up next is the MMA Rules showdown between former friends turned bitter enemies Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.
The video package wraps up and then the iconic sounds of Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” as MMA icon and UFC Hall of Fame legend “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey makes her long walk down to the ring wearing her Judo gi.
Now the entrance tune for “The Queen of Spades” Shayna Baszler hits and out she comes in her usual ring gear. She settles in the ring and our MMA Rules bout is officially off-and-running. The ref brings the two face-to-face like in an MMA bout.
They’re each wearing MMA gloves. The ref reminds them there is no pin falls and you can only win by knockout or submission. Rousey looks to touch gloves but Baszler wants nothing to do with it. The bell rings again and now the fight is on this time. Baszler clinches with Rousey against the ropes.
After some pushing and pulling we see Rousey hit a Judo throw. Back up to the feet, we see Baszler take Rousey down. The crowd is dead for this so far. We hear some “Boring!” chants in the crowd as they continue to have what is essentially a boring version of an MMA fight. One usually referred to as “lay and pray” in the sport for how boring and uneventful it is.
On the feet, it’s Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn II. Yeah, that bad. Baszler hits a head kick that knocks Rousey down. She rolls out to the floor. Back in the ring, Baszler works the leg of Rousey on the mat as louder “Boring!” chants spread throughout the building.
Rousey hits a flying knee that seemed to connect for real. We’re seeing slow-motion replays of the knee from Rousey and head kick from Baszler. That seems to be the idea, to potato each other and show the replays to emphasize the connections being real. Rousey works on Baszler’s arm on the mat but Baszler stands up with Rousey pretzeled on her. They both roll over the top and out to the floor in another boring spot. This is bad.
They come back into the ring but trainers and medics stop and check on Baszler’s arm. Rousey throws them around and then stalks Baszler. Shayna says bring it and the two start trading shots. Baszler ducks under and suplexes Rousey. She looks for the rear naked choke. Rousey gets it to the ropes but it doesn’t force the break. Rousey counters with an armbar.
Baszler counters with an ankle lock. Rousey counters with a rear naked choke of her own. Baszler gets her in a rear naked choke again. Rousey fights the hand of Baszler but ends up passing out. Baszler wins via technical submission.
Winner via Technical Submission: Shayna Baszler
WWE Intercontinental Championship
GUNTHER (C) vs. Drew McIntyre
Once the Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler MMA rules bout wrapped up, the ring announcer revealed the WWE SummerSlam 2023 attendance of 59,194 fans inside Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
From there, the pre-match video package for our next match of the evening airs. Up next is the one-on-one showdown between GUNTHER and Drew McIntyre for the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
The theme for Drew McIntyre hits and out comes “The Scottish Warrior” with his massive sword. The challenger settles into the ring to a huge pop and looks ready to give “The Ring General” all he can handle.
His music dies down and now the familiar sounds of Imperium’s entrance theme hits. Out comes the reigning and defending WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER. He makes his way to the ring accompanied by Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. We see some back-and-forth action early on. McIntyre ends up settling in the early offensive lead. A few stiff chops later and it’s all GUNTHER on offense now.
A few more chops from GUNTHER sees McIntyre’s chest already badly welted and bright red. McIntyre spends some time on the defensive as the Imperiun leader takes it to “The Scottish Warrior.” McIntyre shows signs of life and begins fighting from underneath back into competitive form.
McIntyre hits a Future Shock DDT out of nowhere to shift the momentum back in his favor. He goes for the cover but GUNTHER kicks out. McIntyre stalks GUNTHER looking for the Claymore Kick but GUNTHER sees it coming and heads out to the floor.
Drew flies over the ropes and splashes onto GUNTHER. Back in the ring he stalks GUNTHER looking for the Claymore again but again GUNTHER avoids it. GUNTHER hits a power bomb and goes for the cover but McIntyre kicks out.
We see the two trading chops back-and-forth as the crowd reacts to each one that lands. McIntyre finally connects with a Claymore Kick. He goes for the follow-up cover but somehow GUNTHER kicks out. Seconds later, GUNTHER hits his power bomb for the win. Corey Graves does his Ludwig Kaiser impression. Good match.
Winner and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth “Freakin'” Rollins (C) vs. Finn Balor
Another commercial break airs and then we shoot into the video package for our next match of the evening, which features Finn Balor of The Judgment Day challenging Seth “Freakin'” Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
When the package wraps up, we return inside Ford Field where The Judgment Day theme hits. The fans boo as Finn Balor slowly walks to the ring with almost an expressionless look on his face.
The commentators point out that Finn Balor has the word “SEVEN” on his shoulder, which was surgically repaired seven years ago when he was forced to drop the WWE Universal Championship after winning it.
Now the theme for Seth “Freakin” Rollins plays and out comes the reigning and defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion as the fans loudly sing along with his theme. Rollins is wearing the same vest to the ring that he wore when he injured Balor’s shoulder seven years ago.
From there, the bell sounds and the ring announcer handles the formal, drawn-out pre-match ring introductions for the champion and the challenger. After Rollins is introduced he throws the vest in Balor’s face. Balor attacks Rollins from behind and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running.
We see some early back-and-forth action and then Balor jumps into the early offensive lead. He is very slow and methodical early on as he stalks and attacks the champ with precise offense. Rollins starts to show signs of life and he begins fighting from underneath.
Rollins knocks Balor out to the floor and then hits back-to-back-to-back suicide dives to splash onto The Judgment Day leader on the floor. Balor’s mouth is busted open during this sequence. Balor fights back and takes over control of things again, focusing his attack on the arm of Rollins, the same area he was injured in seven years ago.
In another call-back from seven years ago, we see Balor hoist Rollins up and hit him with a buckle bomb on the barricade. Back in the ring he hits a sling blade and stalks Rollins waiting for him to get up. He runs into a super kick but brushes it off and decks Rollins and then slaps him in an armbar on the arm he has been working on throughout the match.
Seth powers his way out of it, hoisting Balor up while still in the hold and connecting with back-to-back buckle bombs. He heads to the top and hits a big splash for a close near fall. We see the two start to hit false finishes and then Damian Priest makes his way out.
“Senor” Money In The Bank settles in at ringside with his briefcase. This distraction allows Balor to nearly steal the win, but Rollins hangs in there. In another distraction, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley come through the crowd. Balor then jaws with Priest on the ring apron. This allows Rollins to hit Balor with a Stomp. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out.
Rollins heads out to the floor and takes all of The Judgment Day guys out. Back in the ring, he walks into a sling blade from Balor. Balor follows up with a Coup de Grace off the top-rope. He goes for the cover, yet somehow Rollins finds a way to kick out. The crowd erupted when Rollins kicked out that time.
We see Priest slide the briefcase in and distract the ref. Balor goes to pick it up but when he leans down, Rollins hits a Stomp to Balor face-first onto it. He covers him and gets the win. Afterwards, Rollins and Priest stare each other down intensely.
Winner and STILL WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Seth “Freakin'” Rollins
WWE Women’s Championship
Asuka (C) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair
We see silly “comedy relief” with Alpha Academy and The Miz in a sponsored Mike’s Hard Lemonade ad segment. After it wraps up, the video package for our next match airs.
With that said, we see the events that led to tonight’s triple-threat showdown for the WWE Women’s Championship between Asuka, Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair.
The video package wraps up and then we are treated to the iconic ring entrance of Charlotte Flair. “The Queen” settles in the ring to a big pop and her music dies down.
Asuka’s tune hits and out comes the reigning and defending WWE Women’s Champion to the ring. “The Empress of Tomorrow” settles inside the squared circle and her music dies down.
Finally, Bianca Belair’s theme hits and out she comes to a big crowd reaction. “The EST of WWE” swings her ponytail and settles in the ring. Her music fades off.
Now the ring announcer handles the drawn out, formal pre-match ring introductions for the champion and the two challengers. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
Charlotte takes it to Asuka straight out of the gate. With Asuka out on the floor, Belair and Charlotte smile at each other and then begin getting after it. Charlotte gets knocked out of the ring and then Asuka goes to work on Belair.
All three end up trading big shots and then high spots until Belair gets a turn in the dominant offensive driver’s seat. Asuka takes out Belair and then locks Charlotte in a choke, which “The EST of WWE” breaks up just in time.
Belair clutches at her knee after breaking up the pin. She limps up to the top rope where Asuka knocks her out to the floor. Charlotte knocks Asuka out and then goes for a huge top-rope moonsault to the floor on Belair.
Asuka kicks Charlotte as soon as she lands and then brings her in the ring where she hits a big top rope spot and a DDT for a close near fall, which Belair again breaks up. Belair hoists Asuka up for the K.O.D. but Asuka gets her legs in the ropes to free herself.
Charlotte ends up blasting Asuka with a big boot to knock her out to the floor. Belair then hoists Charlotte up for the K.O.D. Charlotte lands on her feet but then Belair throws her overhead with a huge German suplex, Asuka knocks Belair out to the floor and tries stealing the pin, but only gets two.
“The Empress of Tomorrow” locks “The Queen” in an armbar and transitions to a triangle choke, with Belair still on the floor. Charlotte muscles Asuka up and tries power bombing her way out of it, but she slips. Belair comes in and hits a sit-down power bomb on Charlotte, but Asuka snatches her up in a rear naked choke. Charlotte breaks it up.
“The Queen” hits a top-rope moonsault on Belair and Asuka and tries covering them both, only to get a count of two. Belair crashes and burns on the floor trying a move and again clutches her knee immediately. Charlotte and Asuka fight in the ring as Belair is checked at ringside.
Charlotte gets Asuka in the figure eight. Belair limps up to the top and hits a wild 450 splash onto Charlotte to break it up. She goes for the cover but only gets a two. We see Asuka mist Charlotte while she’s got Belair in the figure four. Belair then grabs Asuka and rolls her up for the win still in the hold. We have a new champion.
Winner and NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair
WWE Women’s Championship
Bianca Belair (C) vs. Iyo Sky
After the match, we see Bianca Belair celebrating with the title when out of nowhere the theme for Iyo Sky hits. Out comes “Ms. Money In The Bank” with fellow Damage CTRL member Bayley.
Bayley has the briefcase and she’s hitting everyone in sight on the way to the ring. She runs into a big shot from Belair. Sky picks up the briefcase and chop blocks Belair’s injured leg with it.
She cashes in the briefcase and the bell rings. Sky heads to the top-rope and connects with her moonsault finisher for the pin fall victory. We have another new WWE Women’s Champion! Damage CTRL celebrates in the ring afterwards.
Winner and NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Iyo Sky
Tribal Combat For WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (C) vs. Jey Uso
It’s main event time!
Once the second women’s title match in a row wraps up, we head to a commercial break and then a pointless, very lengthy Liv Morgan video package. Once all that is done, we see the video package for our next match of the evening.
Up next we’ve got our final match of this year’s WWE SummerSlam 2023 premium live event, as Roman Reigns defends the WWE Universal Championship and his title of “The Tribal Chief” in a Tribal Combat title tilt against Jey Uso.
The video package wraps up and then we hear some “day one ‘ish” as “Main Event” Jey Uso emerges and makes his way to the ring to a huge pop from the Detroit crowd of over 50,000 fans. He comes out with his own lay around his neck.
We see the crowd is totally with Jey as he has them do the arm-wave thing he does on the ropes. The entire crowd is doing it with him and singing along with his entrance tune. He paces the ring clearly amped up and ready for war.
Now his music dies down and the iconic beat for Roman Reigns’ theme hits. Out comes “The Tribal Chief” with a red lay around his neck to the white one around Jey’s. He has “The Wise Man” by his side and he heads to the ring ready for Tribal Combat in the main event of WWE SummerSlam 2023.
After he settles in the ring, his music dies down. The ring announcer does the formal ring introduction for this, our main event. Roman Reigns grabs the mic and says, “SummerSlam … ACKNOWLEDGE ME!”
The bell sounds again and it’s time to get this one started. The ref takes the WWE Universal Championship and holds it up high to show these two what they are fighting for. Reigns takes his lay off and goes to hand it to Paul Heyman like always, but the ref stops him. The ref says since it’s on-the-line hand it over.
Roman walks over to Jey and we hear him off mic tell Jey that if he wins, he, not the referee or anyone else, will give it to him. Now the bell sounds yet again and this time the match is officially off-and-running.
We see Reigns back Jey into the corner early on. He pushes Jey and tries big-brothering him, but Jey shoves him right back. The crowd jumps on Roman’s case with negative chants, but he waves them off and he and Jey start mixing it up again.
From there, we see Roman jump into the early offensive lead. This starts to turn into every Roman match you’ve ever seen, with slow movement and more talking off-mic than actual wrestling from “The Tribal Chief,” but then Jey starts to fight back. The crowd comes alive as he knocks Roman out to the floor and then launches himself over the ropes for a big splash.
Out on the floor, we see Jey ram Roman into the steel ring steps with a vengeance. Jey goes over and momentarily taunts Paul Heyman. He reaches under the ring and pulls out a table. The commentators remind us that in Tribal Combat, everything is legal. Heyman pleads with Roman screaming that he’s his blood and he loves him, don’t do this.
Reigns ends up springing to life and bashes Jey off the steel steps. Back in the ring, we see Reigns hit a drive-by on Jey. The fans start to get on Roman’s case with loud negative chants. Corey Graves says on commentary they’re just gonna feed “The Tribal Chief” and make things worse for “Main Event” Jey.
Jey fights back and knocks Reigns out to the floor. He builds up a full head of steam looking for a suicide dive, but dives right into a shot from an oversized kendo stick from Reigns. Back in the ring, Reigns wears Jey out with multiple kendo stick shots before letting out a war cry. Corey quotes some rap classics by talking about how Jey’s arms aren’t long enough to box with God.
Reigns gets locked and loaded as he stalks Jey, waiting for him to get up for a spear or superman punch. He ends up running with into a big shot from the kendo stick from Jey. Now Jey wears out Roman with the kendo stick, beating him with it until it turns into 1,000 tooth picks. Jey knocks Roman out to the floor and then hits the ropes for a big flipping splash onto the reigning Universal champ and “Tribal Chief” on the floor.
Back in the ring, Jey heads to the top-rope but leaps off and flies right into a Superman punch from Roman Reigns. Reigns goes for the follow-up cover, but Jey kicks out before the count of three. Roman goes for a Spear but Jey sees it coming. Jey hits a super kick and goes to the top-rope, where he connects with an Uso splash for a close near fall.
Jey Uso heads out to the floor and reaches under the ring. He pulls out a steel chair and heads back into the ring. Again we hear Heyman yelling for Uso not to do it. He screams that Roman loves him. He begs him no more. Jey continues to pummel Roman with the chair. Jey heads out and grabs a few dozen more chairs and throws them in the ring. He walks over and stares a hole through “The Wise Man,” who continues to beg for mercy.
We see Uso take Reigns up to the top-rope looking for a super-plex on the mess of chairs he just stacked in the ring. Roman head-butts Jey off the ropes. Jey hits a step-up enzugiri and then climbs back up. Roman escapes and hits a power-bomb on Jey off the top-rope onto the pile of chairs. He covers Jey but Jey kicks out after the count of two. Roman sets up a table on the floor and then leans one in the corner in the ring.
Now Jey charges at Roman looking to spear him through the table in the corner of the ring. Roman catches him coming in and hoists him up, but Jey escapes out the back door. The two fight back and forth and Roman decks Jey in mid-air looking for a springboard spot. Roman hits the ropes but runs into a big kick from Jey. Jey hoists Roman up on his shoulders and he hits a Samoan Drop through a table off the ring apron. The fans loudly chant “Holy sh*t!”
From there, Jey grabs a giant strap and begins whipping Roman with it. Roman climbs over the barricade and goes through the crowd. Jey follows after him. Solo Sikoa comes over and interferes, beating Jey down. He savagely chokeslams Jey through a table in the crowd area. Roman tells Solo to bring Jey to the ring. Back in the ring, Solo hits another chokeslam on Jey. Roman tells Solo to pick Jey up. He does but Jey springs to life and spears both of them. He covers Roman but only gets two.
Jey Uso grabs a chair and he begins beating the p*ss out of Solo and Roman with it in the ring. He wears Roman out with it and then plays to the crowd. On the floor, Jey heads out with a chair but walks into a super kick from Solo. Solo recovers and looks down angry at Roman. Solo gets his Samoan Spike hand ready. Roman notices this and points to it. As he’s distracted by this, Jey charges over and spears Reigns through the barricade.
Solo Sikoa clears off the commentary table, but Jey lays him out on it and then hits a splash off the barricade to put him through it. Back in the ring, Jey hits a spear on Roman. He heads to the top rope and connects with an Uso splash. He goes for the cover but a masked man pulls him out of the ring. He pulls the mask off and reveals it is Jimmy Uso. He’s got a scowl on his face as he looks down at Jey angrily.
Jimmy pauses for what seems like forever and then super kicks Jey. The fans chant “F*ck you Jimmy!” as he rolls Jey into the ring. Roman spears Jey through the table and then drags him out and covers him for the win. With the win, Roman Reigns retains the Universal title and the title of “The Tribal Chief.” Reigns leaves with “The Wise Man” after the match. Jey is in the ring looking upset as he recovers. That’s how the show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
Winner and STILL WWE Universal Champion & The Tribal Chief: Roman Reigns
