Roman Reigns’ Epic Return and Greatest Takeaways from WWE SummerSlam 2024 Outcomes

WWE introduced The Greatest Social gathering of the Summer time Saturday night time in Cleveland with a card that featured the fruits of the most well liked tales within the firm, the newest chapter within the prime rivalries and the coronation of recent champions.

It additionally featured the long-awaited return of Roman Reigns, who left little doubt in anybody’s thoughts as to who the actual Tribal Chief is.

The blockbuster occasion modified the panorama of WWE, however what had been the largest takeaways from the present at Cleveland Browns Stadium?

Discover out with this recap of SummerSlam 2024.

SummerSlam kicked off Saturday night time with the revelation that Dominik Mysterio was, in reality, a two-timing scumbag as he assisted Liv Morgan in retaining her Ladies’s World Championship over Rhea Ripley after which shared a kiss with the victor.

The stunning growth, if you happen to might name it that, accomplished Morgan’s Revenge Tour and elevated Ripley to predominant occasion babyface standing.

As essential as the connection between Mami and Mysterio was of their rise to stardom as a part of The Judgment Day and the followers’ acceptance of these two in a high-profile place on Uncooked, there was at all times going to be a ceiling on her recognition primarily based on followers’ hatred for Dom.

With that relationship dissolved and Ripley now the vengeful heroine and scorned lover, followers can lastly give her their full help in her quest to avenge her humiliation.

The subsequent chapter of this story will catapult Ripley to the highest of the corporate the place she’s going to be part of Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Damian Priest, LA Knight and (presumably) Roman Reigns as the highest babyfaces. That is principally as a result of she has confronted adversity and the WWE Universe has a motive to put money into her emotionally.

For those who consider Ripley was already one of many faces of WWE, anticipate even greater and higher issues from The Eradicator starting as quickly as Monday night time on Uncooked.

Bron Breakker was broadly anticipated to be one of many Superstars round whom WWE’s future was constructed the second he debuted on NXT and subsequently gained the gold model’s world title.

After just below three years with NXT, he made his predominant roster debut after which impacted Monday nights as a part of the Uncooked roster.

Saturday night time, he rebounded from a Cash within the Financial institution loss to defeat Sami Zayn clear within the heart of the ring and win the Intercontinental Championship.

It was a defining second for the second-generation star and one which might be seemed again upon as the beginning of WWE’s Bron Breakker Period.

An unimaginable athlete who can transfer across the ring at ridiculous speeds and inflict harm because of a devastating power-based offense, the 26-year-old has the entire instruments essential to be the prime star within the firm for the foreseeable future.

He must wait his flip, although, as all younger stars do.

However do not be be stunned if Saturday night time in Cleveland is seemed upon as a second for Breakker that John Cena’s win over Large Present at WrestleMania XX for the US Championship or Randy Orton’s win over Rob Van Dam for the intercontinental title was for these era-defining Superstars.

In September 2015, LA Knight competed in a Road Struggle towards Tommy Dreamer as a part of a TNA Wrestling home present at a state honest in York, Pennsylvania, beneath his earlier moniker, Eli Drake.

There have been perhaps a pair hundred followers in attendance. The prospect of the Maryland-born competitor succeeding on the highest ranges in skilled wrestling appeared relatively unlikely.

Almost a decade and a grueling journey later, Knight defeated Logan Paul in entrance of fifty,000-plus followers at SummerSlam to win the US Championship.

The Megastar had constructed momentum for the final 12 months, succeeding as an overwhelmingly common babyface in wrestling’s prime promotion, acknowledged by the largest star of the final 15 years, John Cena.

Each time he had a shot at successful championship gold, although, he fell brief.

His lack of ability to seize a prime prize in WWE was on the heart of the storyline with Paul, who didn’t miss a chance to remind Knight of how rapidly he entered the wrestling sport and struck gold.

The cocky social media star was silenced Saturday. Paul’s use of his trademark brass knuckles backfired as Knight shook off a glancing blow and delivered BFT to safe the win and his first predominant roster championship.

It was a triumphant second for a journeyman who has witnessed his star rise over the past 12 months and eventually had his arduous work and dedication repay within the type of a defining second on one of many greatest phases WWE has to supply.

How he follows up the win and whether or not the followers stick with him now that the chase is over might be fascinating transferring ahead. If the fervour that has greeted The Megastar in arenas throughout the globe is any indication, Knight has nothing to fret about as he embarks on a run that was earned way back.

Many had been skeptical of Nia Jax’s return to WWE final September, however she has spent the final 12 months proving she is a greater in-ring performer than ever earlier than.

She gained the Queen of the Ring match in Could by halting Lyra Valkyria’s momentum and defeating her after the damnedest Annihilator.

Jax paid off her rise to the highest of the WWE mountain Saturday night time, capitalizing on a mid-match distraction from Tiffany Stratton to overpower Bayley and finish her reign as WWE girls’s champion.

It was a fruits of a journey again to the corporate with whom she made her identify. With the particular objective of proving her doubters improper, she returned higher and extra decided to determine herself as a personality and an in-ring presence.

It labored, and the end result was a triumphant second for a performer who labored to enhance each side of her sport and show she was championship-worthy.

Jax’s triumph additionally served to focus on how underwhelming Bayley’s run as champion was.

After her defining girls’s Royal Rumble win and a reputable Match of the 12 months candidate towards Iyo Sky at WrestleMania, Bayley turned a champion with no actual course. She waited for contenders to be decided, efficiently defended towards them and moved on to the following one with no story.

Saturday, her reign ended not with a bang, however a whimper.

Perhaps meaning Bayley can have the chance to rebuild momentum by chasing Jax and combating Stratton. Maybe she finds backup to do battle towards the duo.

Regardless of the case, it needs to be higher than the inventive, or lack thereof, that went right into a reign that had began with a lot promise on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

The rivalry between CM Punk, Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins drew comparisons to the SummerSlam 1997 basic between Bret Hart and The Undertaker, through which The Hitman’s main rival, Shawn Michaels, was the visitor referee.

With The Visionary sporting the zebra stripes Saturday night time, it was anticipated that he would affect the end result of Punk and McIntyre’s hotly anticipated match, however how that occurred would in the end decide the success of the complete ordeal.

In a match that simply might have been an overbooked mess, Triple H and the inventive staff tiptoed a slim line and delivered a profitable conclusion to at least one chapter of the story whereas introducing the following.

McIntyre obtained his much-needed win after consuming losses for many of the 12 months. It was a measure of revenge for The Scottish Warrior, achieved by way of underhanded and questionable circumstances, simply accurately for a prime heel.

These circumstances?

Punk’s lack of ability to put aside his points with Rollins and keep targeted on defeating his predominant rival.

The end of Saturday’s match arrange McIntyre to take pleasure in bragging rights transferring ahead into no matter he does subsequent whereas setting the stage for the WrestleMania match we had been robbed of this 12 months in Punk vs. Rollins.

A match of this magnitude, simply essentially the most anticipated of the present, might have turn into a multitude that disenchanted followers. As an alternative, it concluded one chapter and wrote the introductory paragraph of the following, making certain Punk’s narrative continues.

How the followers react to him in a program towards the beloved Rollins bears watching, although.

The Judgment Day as we all know it’s no extra.

Simply hours after Dominik Mysterio betrayed Rhea Ripley and revealed his relationship with Liv Morgan, Finn Bálor confirmed his true colours, putting Gunther’s leg over the underside rope and costing Damian Priest a profitable protection of the World Heavyweight Championship.

Gunther put Priest to sleep, forcing the referee to name for the bell because the deceitful Bálor watched on, happy along with his actions and all they meant to the way forward for The Judgment Day.

With Priest and Ripley out of the best way, the Irishman has a transparent path to assuming the function of chief. He seemingly manipulated and schemed his means right here whereas instigating the sneaky relationship between Mysterio and Morgan, all whereas taking part in harmless when pressed by Priest.

It’s a much-needed redesign for the faction, which has dominated Uncooked for thus lengthy that it ran the chance of rising stale. With Priest and Ripley certain to be intent on avenging their betrayals, and Bálor, Mysterio and Morgan forming a strong trio atop the group, it will likely be intriguing to see how a lot issues change.

What will not change is the world champion as Gunther gained his first World Heavyweight Championship and can now embark on a run that he hopes rivals his NXT UK and Intercontinental Championship reigns.

A wrestler who considers the mat sport sacred, it will likely be fascinating to see who steps up first to problem him in time for Bash in Berlin on Aug. 31, when The Ring Common is more likely to be the overwhelming fan favourite.

Enter Drew McIntyre, maybe?

Regardless of the case, the coronation of Gunther and the evolution of The Judgment Day ensures Uncooked will look a lot totally different starting Monday night time.

Roman Reigns made his anticipated return within the closing moments of the Bloodline Guidelines match for the Undisputed WWE Championship, leveling Solo Sikoa with a Superman Punch and Spear, and organising Cody Rhodes to retain his title.

With “OTC” adorning his chest, the Authentic Tribal Chief staked his declare to his spot because the Head of the Desk and kicked off a Bloodline civil warfare that can see him battle Sikoa and his faction, together with Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and the seemingly unstoppable Jacob Fatu.

Hopefully, what seemed to be a major harm suffered by the latter following a top-rope splash via the announce desk on Rhodes was not as severe because it appeared.

Reigns is now unequivocally a babyface, a task he has not crammed in 4 years. Contemplating that he was by no means actually accepted in that spot anyway, it is new territory for the previous undisputed WWE common champion.

Not like his first run as the highest hero within the WWE Universe, he returns to a fanbase able to cheer him on. The followers wish to admire and acknowledge him in a means he has by no means been beforehand.

How he responds and whether or not he can preserve the sting that made him probably the most partaking and fascinating stars in WWE over the past 4 years will bear watching.

For now, although, the pop Reigns obtained as he made his approach to the ring was plain and probably the most unforgettable moments in SummerSlam historical past.