4 big Summerslam 2023 mistakes WWE has already made before the show
WWE Summerslam 2023 is just hours away, and anticipation for the event is almost at its peak. With seven matches and a 20-man Slim Jim battle Royal booked for the event, the company is set to put on a blockbuster show in the Ford Field. From the "most viral match in WWE history" to Tribal Combat, the company has got so much right on the Road to The Biggest Party of The Summer.
However, some mistakes have also been made by the creative team. Whether as a by-product of sticking to the company's long-term plans or simply as oversights by Triple H and his team, certain decisions have proven unpopular with fans. These missteps have been pointed out to varying degrees, ranging from mild irritation to full-on hashtags campaigns on Twitter.
Here are four of the biggest mistakes WWE has already made with Summerslam 2023 even before the bell rings.
#4: WWE have missed a trick by failing to add a stipulation to Brock Lesnar vs Cody Rhodes III at Summerslam 2023
There are two match stipulations at WWE Summerslam 2023. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler will contest MMA Rules, while Roman Reigns and Jey Uso engage in Tribal Combat. However, the match that arguably needs a stipulation the most inexplicably has none.
Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes are locked at one win apiece after trading victories at Night Of Champions and Backlash respectively. After delivering arguably the most heated feud going into the event, many expected their rubber match to have a stipulation. However, no stipulation has been added to the bout, leaving fans' enthusiasm for the match somewhat dampened.
#3: Big stars missing go-home shows has affected fan excitement for WWE Summerslam 2023
The go-home episode of a weekly television show before a premium live event is traditionally the most intense episode in the buildup to the latter. It is supposed to bring every major storyline to culmination and elevate the hype for the big event to fever pitch. It is rather disappointing when competitors don't appear on the final RAW and SmackDown to put the icing on the proverbial cake they've been "baking".
Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns, who are in two of the biggest title matches on WWE Summerslam 2023, failed to appear on their brands' respective go-home shows. While it's understandable that they had other commitments, it's still not ideal preparation for the second-biggest event of the year. For this particular "mistake", we can give Triple H and his team a pass.
#2& #1: WWE leaving several top champions and female superstars off the Summerslam 2023 card has not sat well with the fans
WWE Women's World champion Rhea Ripley. United States Champion Austin Theory. Both the newly-crowned Women's Tag team Champions and The Undisputed Tag Team Champions. Becky Lynch. Trish Stratus. Edge. Bobby Lashley. Raquel Rodriguez. Liv Morgan. These are a few of the big names left off the Summerslam 2023 card.
Not booking these stars have caused dissatisfaction among fans heading into the Detroit event. While this is justifiable from the perspective of keeping the event time manageable and giving the eight matches on the card time to shine, fans' frustrations are also valid.
For example, it's hard to argue against the feeling that Ripley's booking has recently been more focused on The Judgment Day than the Women's division. Or the fact that Stratus and Lynch's six-month long storyline deserves to be blown off at Summerslam and not on RAW. From a fan perspective, these decisions definitely feel like mistakes.