Summerslam Night 2 Review

Night one was incredible but somehow, someway night two topped it capping off an incredible weekend and Summerslam in recent years.

Night 2 Review

Women’s World Championship Match- Naomi vs. Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley

Night 2 kicked off with the best women’s match of the weekend and one of the best matches overall. Iyo and Rhea are absolutely over with the fans and Naomi as champion is right there with them. The match was another banger that all I can say is go back and watch it, Sky and Ripley will always bring the house down no matter what. The story of Ripley not being able to beat Iyo Sky continued throughout the match and in the ending as Ripley was close to regaining the championship, Naomi capitalized and stole the victory retaining the title leaving Ripley in shock.

RHR rating: 4 out of 5

WWE Tag Team Championship 6-Team TLC Match- Wyatt Sick6 vs. Street Profits, D.I.Y. vs. Andrade & Rey Fenix vs. Fraxiom vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Finally, the rising tag team division was put on a big show with the titles up for grabs in a TLC match, while I am sort over the car wreck matches this one was actually good! The Wyatt Sick6 making PLE entrance was awesome just wish it were later on the card to feel and see the fireflies, but the match was insane. Montez Ford, Rey Fenix, Andrade, Fraxiom, and Tommaso Ciampa were the MVPs on the match with high flying as well as insanely athletic stuff they did, even the moment with Candice LeRae going throw a ladder was wild but the numbers game won out and the Wyatts retained their titles in a great match.

RHR rating: 3.5 out of 5

Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match- Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria

Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria was next, and Lynch came out to new theme music that fit this phase of her career. The match was a long match where it was anything went almost taking away from the Street fight later on but it didn’t, Valkyria seemed to get over with the crowd and Bayley appearing and interfering at the end of match was a bit disappointing because there was no turn as she accidentally cost Lyra the match and Becky Lynch retained.

RHR rating: 3 out of 5

United States Championship Steel Cage Match- Solo Sikoa vs. Jacob Fatu

Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu in a steel cage I felt would be a show stealer going into last weekend, but I have to admit that was not the case. Pretty solid or standard cage match where Solo’s family came out to stack the odds, when Jimmy Uso came out to help Fatu but in the end, Solo steals the win and the worst match of the night which sucks to say. But Jacob Fatu looked a star again and had a moment post-match where he did his moonsault on to JC Mateo and Tonga Loa to make the crowd happy but no Tama Tonga sort of ruined this match for me.

RHR rating: 2.25 out of 5

Intercontinental Championship Match- Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles

Dirty Dom and AJ Styles absolutely delivered as the co-main event of night two, Dominik Mysterio is without question one of the hottest stars in WWE and that crowd told us that. AJ Styles coming out in a low rider in Eddie Guerrero gear was excellent, the match was very good where the certain homages to Eddie made the match better but Dominik Mysterio hanging with the Phenomenal one in big match is promising and Dom doing the Eddie trick from Wrestlemania 20 to win was beautiful and Dirty Dom retains the IC title going into the AAA Triple mania event coming up where he can go up another level if he wins there.

RHR rating: 3.5 out of 5

Undisputed WWE Championship Match (Street Fight)- John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes

Now to the match to close out the weekend for the undisputed WWE championship between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, Cody’s entrance gave me goosebumps as we heard the words of Dusty Rhodes as he rose through the stage where the crowd was absolutely with Rhodes throughout his entrance. Then we waited to hear and see how the last real champion came out, where the music hit and his current tron appeared but then THE COLORS RETURNED! And MetLife Stadium went crazy as John Cena came out and it just looked right and felt right seeing him in the colors, talking to Stu the camera man, running to the ring was the only for him to come out Sunday night and going forward.

The introductions were telling as the crowd booed Cody Rhodes where it felt like tonight would be the night when we finally got Homelander Cody, but it did not happen, as this street fight overdelivered from the start. Again, another match you simply have to go back and watch as it was one of the better street fights I have seen in a good while, Cena’s performance was phenomenal being one of his best matches ever as well for Cody.

Cody was pushed to the brink even using the turnbuckle iron to beat Cena down but could not completely go over the edge asking the ref to check on him, it came to Super Cena versus Super Cody with incredible false finishes and kickouts having the crowd on its feet. But in the end Rhodes hits a Cody cutter from the top rope into a poetic Cross Rhodes for the win. After the match Cena embraces Cody in a passing of the torch kin to his passing of the torch moment from The Rock 12 years earlier at Wrestlemania 29 but Cody left the ring leaving Cena alone for his final Summerslam moment and standing ovation.

But another massive end of the night surprise occurred, as Cena goes to leave a familiar guitar riff played that we all thought we would never hear again and a titantron we thought we would never see again appearing as The Beast returned! Yes that’s right Brock Lesnar returned to a massive reaction that took everyone in MetLife Stadium and home by surprise. Lesnar who has not been seen or mentioned since 2023 amid his mentioning in the Vince McMahon scandal seemed to be the last time we may see him again, but we were wrong as he came to ring stalking Cena like prey hitting him with an F5 then left.

RHR rating: 5 out of 5

Now while Lesnar’s return was a shocking and viral moment for WWE, it was met with some push back. Push back over why he is needed now and push back over how the WWE/TKO can bring someone back who has involved in sexual harassment scandal. Now if this is because of John Cena’s retirement tour then it makes some sense because of their rivalry, but will it be worth the risk and potential controversy?

 Time will tell us if the same blind spots creatively will return with Brock, and will this tell if the juice was worth the squeeze doing this but the one thing WWE got from Sunday night was they got everyone talking which if that was the goal then I suppose it was mission accomplished. Overall, a great Summerslam that did have some low points/misfires, but the surprises certainly made up for them.

Night 2 rating: 4 out of 5