7 biggest WWE Superstars missing from SummerSlam 2023 and the reasons why
SummerSlam 2023 is less than 24 hours away. The Biggest Party of the Summer will feature some of pro wrestling's biggest stars and witness the conclusion of the season's hottest storylines.
Roman Reigns defends his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against cousin and former Bloodline 'Right Hand Man,! Jey Uso, in Tribal Combat. Logan Paul returns to the ring to collide with Ricochet. The card will also feature Gunther defending his IC Championship against a fired-up Drew McIntyre.
However, even with eight matches announced for the card, several massive WWE Superstars have been left off it. Let's take a look at who didn't manage to make the SummerSlam card.
#7/6. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will sit out SummerSlam
This one is extremely unfortunate. Owing to Kevin Owens' legitimate rib injury, the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships will not be up for grabs at SummerSlam 2023 unless WWE pulls off an unlikely miracle.
Considering that Owens and Sami Zayn are two of RAW's top babyfaces, they would have definitely been on the card if it weren't for the Prizefighter's ill-timed injury. Along with Seth "Freakin" Rollins, the champs were embroiled in a grudge feud with The Judgment Day.
Zayn could possibly have a role to play during the world heavyweight title bout at SummerSlam where he helps level the playing field for Rollins. However, we all would have preferred that the tag titles be defended at The Biggest Party of the Summer.
#5/4. Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus was pulled from the card
SummerSlam 2023 may be an unforgettable evening for the Women's Division as many top-tier female superstars are sitting out the second-biggest show of the year.
The Becky Lynch-Trish Stratus saga has dominated television for months now, but their blow-off encounter was pulled from The Biggest Party of the Summer. Time constraints and a loaded card seem to be the primary reasons for the controversial decision.
It is now being saved for a episode of RAW in Winnipeg. Having a Hall of Famer wrestle on a mega-event against the top babyface of the division has no drawbacks, which makes the news more difficult to swallow.
#3. Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley
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The WWE Women's Championship will be up for grabs as Asuka collides with Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair. However, the same cannot be said for the female division on RAW.
Rhea Ripley will sit out SummerSlam 2023. What's more surprising is that Ripley was featured in promotional posters, and will hype up the eventual show on TikTok hours before the event.
The Eradicator was expected to face Raquel Rodriguez at The Biggest Party of the Summer, however, time constraints led to WWE pulling the match, and using a storyline injury to book a valid excuse.
#2. Bray Wyatt
Weeks before WrestleMania Goes Hollywood, Bray Wyatt was pulled from television following an undisclosed medical issue. Several months later, and there is still no definitive timeline for Wyatt's in-ring return.
The rumor mill was consistently churning out stories that The New Face of Fear would make a grand return at SummerSlam 2023, but Mike Johnson of PWInsider provided an unfortunate update, which may have curbed speculation:
"If Wyatt is [appearing at SummerSlam], there’s been no indication internally that is happening that we’ve heard, and I personally would not expect it. PWInsider.com has been told by numerous sources that Wyatt has been out with a health issue and until he is cleared to return (and there’s no indication that is on the horizon), he obviously can’t appear."
It is possible that WWE could be keeping his return as a massive surprise, but the chances seem pretty slim.
#1. Randy Orton
Following a retirement scare, Randy Orton seems to be nearing a return. Early rumors called for a grand homecoming at Money in the Bank, while the more recent ones shifted the speculation to SummerSlam 2023.
As much as we want to hear his iconic theme song resonate through Ford Field, it seems very unlikely.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select suggested that Orton is not medically cleared for in-ring competition, and will not be available for the PLE tomorrow.
"Despite reports of Randy Orton being in Detroit, I’m told by people close to Randy that he is nowhere near medically cleared to return at this point."
However, one cannot ignore the possibility of The Viper returning for a non-physical segment, much like the one John Cena had at MITB minus the confrontation with Grayson Waller.