Watch Wrestling Welcome to the yearly analysis of WWE SummerSlam 2024 by WatchWrestling2.com! We covered “4 things we hated and 4 things we loved” last year, but this year we’re returning to our standard “3 things” structure. We were still able to cover all seven SummerSlam 2024 bouts despite the adjustment. Check out our SummerSlam results page for the whole picture. These are the three aspects of WWE SummerSlam 2024 that we detested and the three that we adored!
Disliked: Breakker’s Initial Attempt at the IC Title
I must mention right away that I adore Bron Breakker. His development since “WWE NXT” has been astounding. His victory for the Intercontinental title at WWE SummerSlam 2024, though, ought to have taken place at Money in the Bank. Even though Sami Zayn is excellent, he ought to have challenged GunTHER instead.
The contest that preceded SummerSlam 2024 lacked diversity and was predictable. It was expected to be a quick match despite the brisk tempo, particularly given Breakker’s approach. Many supporters, myself included at WINC, thought Breakker would prevail this time. Although Zayn’s victory over GUNTHER at WrestleMania 40 was noteworthy, Breakker deserves more credit and Zayn should go on.
Hatred: A Whimper Ushers in the End of the Brass Knucks Ballad
There was a chance that LA Knight’s battle against Logan Paul for the US Championship would be the finest of Knight’s career. Paul’s wrestling prowess was still impressive. But the conclusion was unsatisfactory.
Paul has been using brass knuckles to win matches for the past year. It was assumed that someone would find a way to offset them. Rather, LA Knight merely countered Paul’s maneuver, won the title, and no-sold the brass knuckles.
Disliked: Tiffy It’s Only a Minute, but It’s Time for a Hot One
Tiffany Stratton’s song started playing as pink lights unexpectedly appeared around Cleveland Browns Stadium during Bayley and Nia Jax’s grueling championship bout at WWE SummerSlam 2024. Reminding everyone of her deal with Jax to stop a cash-in at SummerSlam, Stratton hurried to the ring with a referee and her Money in the Bank briefcase. Stratton tried to cash in on her contract, but Bayley smacked her down right away.
After that, nothing noteworthy happened. Stratton lay on the ground in agony, and when Jax won, Stratton joined her in celebrating as if nothing had occurred. Since Stratton is one of the most well-liked female wrestlers in the WWE, it seemed like a lost chance. Fans were perplexed by the hint of a cash-in that offered no reward. Why, despite the attempted cash-in, did Jax celebrate with Stratton? Why did Stratton’s contribution to the game matter so little? Why not just have Stratton at ringside if her purpose was to divert attention?
Stratton seemed like an afterthought as a result of this strange booking choice, which begged the issue of whether her Money in the Bank cash-in was an afterthought. The diversion ruined the flow of the game and took away from Jax’s first world title victory since 2018. Stratton’s fame guarantees her a full recovery, but the whole thing still appears disorganized and ultimately pointless.
Loved: Rollins Kill It, McIntyre, Punk
Though there was some initial doubt regarding Seth Rollins’ role as the special guest referee for the match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre at WWE SummerSlam 2024, the choice proved to be successful. Rollins engaged both contestants physically while retaining his authority, acting as a non-distracting but equally vengeful mediator.
McIntyre’s triumph was expected and executed well because Punk didn’t need a victory right now. The game made good progress toward the plot, opening up options for Rollins and McIntyre in the future. Though initially questioned, Rollins’ involvement improved the match and opened the door for prospective future matchups, which may include a WrestleMania main event. The best of everyone engaged was on display in this portion, which was the high point of SummerSlam 2024.
Loved: The Day of Judgment has long been anticipated.
The flawless façade of The Judgment Day started to fall apart when JD McDonagh joined. The Judgment Day was left precariously poised after Liv Morgan’s return and R-Truth’s involvement.
Damian Priest lost his title, Morgan kept hers, and Dominik Mysterio and her had a contentious scene at WWE SummerSlam 2024. Finn Balor looked at the mayhem. Even though it won’t be official until “WWE Raw” following SummerSlam, it’s obvious that Judgment Day’s cohesiveness has been permanently harmed. A major change occurred when The Judgment Day imploded at SummerSlam, and every member—including Morgan, Mysterio, Priest, Balor, and Rhea Ripley—performed their jobs flawlessly.
Strong action started the evening with Morgan and Ripley competing for the WWE Women’s World Championship. Ripley and the crowd were shocked by Mysterio’s help to Morgan after their triumph and their surprise kiss. Despite having a clichéd “two women fighting over a man” plot, this development has defined Morgan’s place as a heel and Ripley’s as a babyface going forward.
Another notable moment was Balor’s betrayal of Priest. Their conflict stems from Señor Money in the Bank’s early years and Balor’s aspirations to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Seth Rollins. Given their past, Balor’s flip against Priest was unexpected but not surprising, even though Mysterio’s treachery was predicted given Morgan’s recent influence. There were plenty of opportunities for future tales left open by this betrayal, which didn’t feel hurried.
Roman Reigns wrecks are loved. Sikora alone and departs
The culmination of months of “We want Roman” chanting was a thrilling moment at Cleveland’s WWE SummerSlam 2024. In SummerSlam 2020, four years after changing into the “Tribal Chief,” Roman Reigns made a comeback as “The Original Tribal Chief” to prevent Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline breakaway faction from defeating Cody Rhodes.
Reigns’ stunning comeback was made possible by Sikoa’s stable countering interference from Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. This event, which coincided nicely with the impending Survivor Series: WarGames, put an end to the rivalry with Rhodes and laid the groundwork for The Bloodline Civil War II. A historic babyface run by Reigns, with the fans solidly behind him as the anti-hero and Batman to Cody Rhodes’ Superman, was alluded to by his presence. It will be interesting to see how Solo and his group respond to what happened in Cleveland following this encounter.
