‘WWE SummerSlam 2025: Night 1’ Review
Night 1 of WWE’s first-ever two-night SummerSlam was a spectacle packed with drama, surprises, and a massive twist to close the show! Things kicked off with a high-energy opening segment, and from the jump, it was clear WWE wanted this to feel like a blockbuster event. The crowd was buzzing, and the stadium setting gave everything a larger-than-life feel. But the card itself didn’t always live up to that scale.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill for the Women’s Championship was a short but impactful bout. Stratton dominated more than expected, brushing off Cargill’s power offence and dispatching her in under 10 minutes. It was a definitive win, but arguably too decisive for what was billed as a marquee women’s match.
In tag team action, Randy Orton and Jelly Roll teamed up to face Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre. This was better than it had any right to be. Jelly Roll looked like he belonged in a WWE ring, taking bumps and getting huge crowd reactions, while Paul and McIntyre played the cocky heel role to perfection. Despite Orton’s efforts, Paul and McIntyre picked up the win after some sneaky teamwork. Fun, chaotic, and surprisingly memorable.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair dethroned Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s Tag Titles in a match that leaned heavily on character drama. The seeds were clearly planted for future issues between Bliss and Flair, as the title win felt more like the beginning of a storyline than the end of one.
The surprise of the night may have been Roman Reigns and Jey Uso teaming effectively to shut down Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. It was a hard-hitting tag match, with Roman in peak form and Jey feeding off the crowd. Breakker reportedly suffered an injury mid-match, and it did seem to throw off the pacing a bit.
Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross was the night’s low point. Despite Zayn’s best efforts, the match never found its rhythm. Kross looked uninspired, and there was speculation that this might be his last major WWE match for a while. The crowd was largely disengaged.
Then came the main event: Gunther vs. CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. This was easily the best wrestling match of the night – physical, psychological, and emotionally charged. Punk looked like the Punk of old, surviving a brutal stretch of chops and slams before finally taking the title in a cathartic moment.
But just as the celebration began, Seth Rollins stormed down the ramp, ditched his crutches, and cashed in Money in the Bank. In a flash, he stomped Punk, pinned him, and walked out as the new World Champion. The crowd was stunned, some cheering, some booing, all buzzing. It was a bold swerve, and while it arguably overshadowed Punk’s victory, it left a lasting impression and injected Night 2 with serious unpredictability.
Final Verdict
WWE Summerslam 2025: Night 1 delivered on spectacle and shock value, even if the pacing and match quality were uneven. The Punk/Gunther main event, followed by the Rollins twist, stole the show. While not every match hit the mark, the Rollins cash-in helped close the show in dramatic “WTF ?!” fashion.
