The second night of Summer Slam took place with some loftier expectations than night one had, and mere minutes after the broadcast went off the air, I’m honestly not sure if the company met them or not. More than anything, the totality of the two-night format gave the impression that the best parts of each night could’ve been combined into one show for a much tighter and probably better presentation.
I hate to say it because it’s a repetitive statement, but night two also had several segments that were stretched out to the point of being tedious just to get the runtime of the show to almost four hours.
The show opened with the triple threat match for the Women’s championship, and while it was a very good 15-minute bout, there’s not necessarily a lot to say about it since it was yet another example of everything being quality for a featured bout in the women’s division. This was action packed and checked all the boxes for a quality segment. Naomi stealing the victory was a very wise decision since it gave her more heat, and as I’ve written before, both Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are already established so it makes sense to spotlight Naomi. I’d go as far as to say that Ripley and Iyo are such polished pros that they will maintain their status within the division even if they are outside of the title picture for a few months.
The tag team TLC match was exactly what it was advertised to be, especially with the comparisons to the original TLC matches and the introductions of two of the tag teams that were involved in those bouts, The Dudleys and The Hardys. This was the car crash that you’d expect with some wild spots and brutal table bumps. Any ring psychology was minimal here, but that’s the nature of the stipulation. The spot where Tommaso Ciampa was hanging from the bracket that held the belts will probably be the most memorable portion of this match. That being said, it makes sense for the Wyatts to retain the belts. Most importantly, after they completely lost any steam that they and basically needed a restart when they resurfaced a few months ago, it’s key that the office gives them something of substance to do if the company wants the faction to have any longevity or the group will fizzle out again. Furthermore, it’s reported that the Wyatts have done well for merchandise sales so if the organization wants to maximize that revenue stream, the stable has to be showcased as stars.
The Women’s Intercontinental title match was where this card took somewhat of a dip. The action was fine for what it was, but this match went 25 minutes, which was at least ten minutes too long. It was also unintentionally repetitive with the no DQ stipulation, as it was right after the TLC match and used some of the same weapons without being nearly as spectacular as the prior match on the card. This had a slow and plodding pace that might’ve been justified by the office as some type of dramatic presentation, but it became a tedious viewing experience. Bayley’s involvement didn’t add much, and given that the segment wasn’t exactly thrilling, it didn’t boost Lyra Valkyria’s status either. This is a rare time that a Becky Lynch bout was underwhelming. If I had to guess, there will be another match in the feud, but after this, it’s not exactly going to be an anticipated rematch.
Speaking of underwhelming, it’s also rare that the word underwhelming would be used to describe a Jacob Fatu segment, especially because he’s been absolute money since he debuted in the WWE, but I have to be honest, I expected more than what they delivered in this 10-minute cage match. Everything seemed rushed and blatant rather than a narrative that could unfold organically to allow for the drama to build toward the conclusion. This segment never got into second gear because it wasn’t given enough time to do so, as the interference became the narrative more than anything else. More specifically, and this became more apparent later in the night, this card seemed to use gimmick matches as a substitute for compelling drama. The conclusion where Solo Sikoa fell out of the cage to win was very flat.
The Intercontinental title match was fine, but similar to some of the contest from the night before, this was a TV match in a stadium rather than something you’d expect to see on a featured pay-per-view. I understand the narrative based around Eddie Guerrero, which is a nice tribute to the late legend, but there just wasn’t enough meat on the bone in terms of bell-to-bell substance in this segment. This was another contest that didn’t get into second gear before the finish when Dominik Mysterio retained the title.
I think that I’ve probably been too negative in this review, but I can only react to what I watched, and outside of the first two matches of the night, similar to night one, the show as a whole was rather underwhelming prior to the main event, putting more pressure on the championship bout to deliver something memorable. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena had to save the show, but similar to Saturday, I got the impression that the two-night format spreads the talent too thin to maintain the quality of the event.
That being said, the main event saw John Cena recapture a performance from his prime rather than a retirement run where he looks his age. However, the match was still too long, too tedious, and structured in a fashion that didn’t build any major drama. This bout went almost 40 minutes and it was just too long, as the action on screen didn’t justify that amount of time it was given on the broadcast. Furthermore, a series of finishes isn’t dramatic, it’s just a crutch for a lack of a compelling narrative. This contest had a lot of finishers, but didn’t truly have any back and fourth action. Along with that, the street fight stipulation is the exact same thing as the women’s match earlier in the night, and it was more proof that this card used gimmicks to add a sizzle that the in-ring action didn’t have. Maybe I’m being too critical, but I found the pace to be so slow that it seemed like the audience was waiting for some type of interference to set up the finish since it was obvious when they was going to be a kick out.
Similar to how the ending of the cage match was flat, I think the same can be said here. There wasn’t a back and fourth exchange to lead to the finish, but instead a rather tedious conclusion for Cody to win the championship back. I’m not sure the match itself provided a good conclusion for Cena’s final reign or a boost for the start of Rhodes’ second tenure as champion. If this would’ve went 20 minutes, it might’ve been a different story, but the actual runtime was nearly double that.
As far as surprises, the return of Brock Lesnar was undoubtedly a surprise, even if it’s a retread of the same spot that they company did in 2012. Ironically, the last time that anyone saw Brock in the WWE was at Summer Slam two years ago when he lost to Cody Rhodes. As we know, Brock was named in the Vince McMahon lawsuit earlier this year after it was originally filed in early-2024 by Janel Grant, prompting the organization to distance itself from him. His rumored return to the organization at the Royal Rumble that year was scrapped, and he was removed as a playable character in the video game. At the time of the initially filing, it was only stated that a former UFC and WWE champion was involved, but Lesnar was literally the only performer on the roster that had won the UFC title so it was obvious that he was going to be included in the lawsuit before he was officially named, which is why the company immediately canceled any plans for him.
The fact that Lesnar was brought back while the lawsuit is ongoing could mean a few different things. Obviously, WWE brass thinks enough time has passed that they can promote Lesnar for key upcoming foreign shows without any major backlash from the fan base or sponsors. Secondly, Lesnar being named in the lawsuit might prove that he’s a sleazy guy, but he’s not a defendant so he isn’t the subject of any legal ramifications. If there was even the slightest chance that Lesnar might be the subject of legal action, there’s no way that the WWE lawyers would’ve advised to bring him back to television. Given the nature of the lawsuit and the text messages that appear to prove his involvement with Janel Grant, the reaction that he received at Summer Slam proves that the fans often don’t care how shady a performer is if they are a big enough star. If the Hogan scandal happened in his prime, it probably would’ve been swept under the rug, too. Lesnar appears to have requested a sexual encounter with a WWE employee as a part of the negotiations to re-sign with the company a few years ago.That’s disgusting behavior, but the core WWE audience will cheer him and buy his merchandise because the pyro and ballyhoo is more important to them.
Hey, pro wrestling isn’t exactly know for its ethical nature.
Aside from the shock return because of the controversy with the lawsuit, I’m not sure how much demand there is for another John Cena/Brock Lesnar feud in 2025. As mentioned, it’s quite literally a “been there, done that” scenario. More specifically, is there truly a demand for another Brock run? I’m not doubting his star power even after the negative publicity, but is there really anything else for him to do? He was used in a featured role for several stints in the span of several years, I think it’s a fair question to ask, is there any new ground to cover, especially when his move set became repetitive and stale the last time the audience saw him?
Still, the same way that night one will be remembered for the cash-in at the conclusion of the show, the second night of Summer Slam will be known as the event where Brock Lesnar showed up after everyone thought that he was persona non grata so maybe it’s mission accomplished for the company.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
