5 takeaways from WWE SummerSlam 2023
WWE SummerSlam 2023 is in the history books. The 36th edition of The Biggest Party of the Summer was a star-studded affair.
A lack of surprises may have hurt the overall quality of the event, as some believe it did not live up to expectations. However, the storytelling was on point, and most booking decisions made perfect sense.
On that note, let's look at five key takeaways from WWE SummerSlam 2023.
#5 Logan Paul proved he was the quintessential heel at WWE SummerSlam 2023
The opening bout of the evening was the much-anticipated grudge match between Logan Paul and Ricochet. It was the culmination of a feud months in the making, dating back to their breathtaking collision in the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble match.
As expected, it was a high-octane showdown with plenty of incredible spots. The action left nothing to be desired, but The Maverick's character work proved that he was better suited as a heel.
Ford Field showered the YouTube sensation with loud boos and heavily backed Ricochet. Paul was the quintessential arrogant, self-obsessed heel that resorted to underhanded tactics wherever possible.
At ringside, The Maverick made some nasty remarks about Samantha Irvin, Ricochet's real-life partner. Moreover, he used brass knuckles, handed by one of his buddies, to knock his opponent out cold for the three-count.
There was a time when WWE wanted fans to cheer Paul, especially during his program with Roman Reigns last year. However, Triple H seems to be pushing him as a heel, which is more natural.
#4 Cody Rhodes may be the most resilient babyface in the company
The whole dynamic of the Brock Lesnar-Cody Rhodes saga was that The Beast Incarnate thoroughly enjoyed assaulting The American Nightmare. However, the resilient Rhodes kept coming back for more.
Their rubber encounter at WWE SummerSlam 2023 epitomized their entire program. The initial stages followed the typical Lesnar match formula. After initially jumping The Beast to get an advantage as the bell rung, Rhodes went to Suplex City as his rival delivered a brutal beatdown.
One F5 at ringside, another through the announce table, and a multitude of German Suplexes weren't enough to keep the RAW Superstar down. The 2023 Men's Royal Rumble match winner didn't relent, even executing the Kimura lock on Lesnar at one point.
A trifecta of Cross Rhodes put The Beast down for three-count. The match will forever be remembered for Lesnar's heartfelt and unexpected endorsement upon losing to Rhodes.
#3 We are in the LA Knight era
The YEAH! Movement has spoken, and Triple H has heard the desires of virtually every second WWE fan. The fan base has been clamoring for the company to push LA Knight to the stratosphere.
Fortunately, WWE SummerSlam 2023 was a welcome change in the right direction for Knight. In the inaugural Slim Jim Battle Royal, Knight outlasted an impressive field of superstars, including Sheamus, AJ Styles, and Omos, among others, to build some serious momentum.
If Saturday's show was any indication, we can expect Knight to receive a sizeable push moving forward.
#2 Shayna Baszler is now The Baddest Woman in WWE
Although many women were left off the card, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were given a decent chunk of the spotlight with their MMA Rules match. The bout was a nice throwback to their pre-WWE background.
Heading into the show, various media outlets reported that The Rowdy One was close to leaving the promotion. Thus, it made sense for her to pass the torch to The Queen of Spades, which is precisely what happened at WWE SummerSlam 2023.
A clean victory over her real-life best friend established Baszler as one of the most formidable women on the main roster. She could now feud with some top names before eventually eyeing the world title.
#1 Roman Reigns is still The Tribal Chief
Riding on a wave of emotion and momentum, Jey Uso seemed primed to dethrone Roman Reigns and become the new Tribal Chief of the Anoa'i family. After all, he did pin the seemingly invincible Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at Money in the Bank 2023.
However, when the dust settled at WWE SummerSlam 2023, Reigns was still The Head of The Table. The bout had numerous close calls and missteps, including Reigns accidentally spearing Solo Sikoa.
Unfortunately for Jey, Jimmy Uso made a treacherous return to cost his brother the most significant victory of his career. It remains to be seen if The Tribal Chief had anything to do with the shocking betrayal, but the result remains the same — Roman Reigns always wins.