Summerslam 2025 Night Two: The Great Carry Job
Summerslam 2025 Night Two
Date: August 3, 2025
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
We’re back for the second half of the show after yesterday’s pretty snazzy first half. In this case we’re headlined by Cody Rhodes challenging John Cena for the Smackdown World Title. Cena seems to have seen the light again and that could make for a big change of pace. Other than that, Solo Sikoa is defending the US Title against Jacob Fatu in a cage. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
The opening video looks at last night’s highlights, along with that Druski guy talking about how this is another chance to shake up the world. The regular opening video again features various reaction shots.
Here’s HHH to fire up the crowd with a “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
Raw Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky vs. Naomi
Naomi is defending and is played to the ring by….her dad. Well that’s awesome. Naomi drops to the floor to start but is thrown back inside and surrounded. Ripley kicks Sky in the face by mistake so Naomi drops Sky across the top and bites Ripley’s thumb for a change of pace. A hanging X Factor drops Sky and Ripley gets knocked into the corner. The Blockbuster puts Sky down and Naomi sends her outside.
Ripley is back up with a belly to back faceplant to Naomi and Sky is back up with the springboard missile dropkick. Sky’s 619 into a German suplex sends Naomi outside and it’s time for the big showdown. Sky small packages Ripley into a quickly broken crossface, followed by a poisonrana. Naomi is back in and goes to the floor with Ripley, allowing Sky to Asai moonsault both of them.
Back in and Sky’s Over The Moonsault is broken up so Sky goes up again and hits Ripley. Naomi rolls Sky up for two and everyone is down. Ripley is back up for Riptide on Naomi, with Sky making the save. Sky and Ripley kick Naomi out to the floor before Ripley flip dives onto Naomi on the floor. Sky follows them outside and powerbombs Ripley onto Naomi for the nasty landing. Back in and Ripley catches Sky on top for a super Riptide, only for Naomi to come in and roll Ripley up with trunks for the pin at 16:23.
Rating: B. Good start to the show here, as Ripley’s frustrations continue to mount. At the same time, Naomi has been on a roll as of late and it’s great to see her getting a chance like this. She’s won me over in recent months and that’s a nice feeling. Ripley might have to do something drastic soon and I’m not sure how that’s going to go. As for Sky…well she’s Iyo Sky, which is quite the praise.
The Dudleys and Hardy Boyz are here for the TLC match.
Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Wyatt Sicks vs. DIY vs. Andrade/Rey Fenix vs. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Street Profits vs. Fraxiom
The Wyatts are defending in a TLC match. The challengers jump the Wyatts to start and it’s time for the parade of dives to the floor. Fraxiom brings in a ladder, with the Guns picking it up, only to have it dropkicked back against them. The Wyatts cut Fraxiom off from climbing and go up, with the Profits making the save. The Profits backdrop Gacy at a ladder….but completely miss it, so they try it again to make sure they get it right (nice reaction for that).
Some more tables are set up at ringside but Andrade and Fenix come in, with Fenix climbing onto Andrade’s shoulders and touching the belts (the fans are impressed). That’s broken up and it’s time to set up a bunch of tables around ringside. Lumis dives onto Ford and then Fenix hits a dive of his own through Fraser. Dawkins goes up but gets taken down by Axiom’s super Spanish Fly through some tables.
With everyone else down, Candice LeRae, B Fab and Nikki Cross go up for the belts but get pulled back down. LeRae goes up again and gets knocked down through a bridged ladder for a terrifying crash (her knee looked like it landed badly). Gargano goes up but gets pulled down by Ford, with Rowan coming in to kick him in the face. Rowan cleans house until the Profits send him through a table in the corner.
Ciampa goes up but the Guns move the ladder. Frazer tries a spear off the ladder but Ciampa pulls himself up onto the belts to send Frazer crashing (that was NUTS). DIY goes up but Uncle Howdy comes in to shove them both down, with DIY going crashing through a pile of tables at ringside. Fraser goes up but gets caught in Howdy’s Mandible Claw. Andrade dives up with a sunset bomb to bring him back down but the other Wyatts go up, with Gacy pulling down the titles to win at 16:03.
Rating: B. This was a total spectacle and stunt show, with that Ciampa sit up spot being an all time highlight. At the same time, this didn’t have the flow of the classic TLC match from earlier this year, partially due to how many people were involved. This one felt more like it was about going viral than having a great match and the segment in the middle where people dove off the posts to the floor summed up the issue. While they were getting ready to dive, the ring was empty and a ladder was set up. Why was no one going for the belts? Yes it’s a spotfest, but at least try to look like you want to win.
We look at Seth Rollins cashing in last night….in various languages.
We recap Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Title. They won the Women’s Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania but lost them on the following Raw. Lynch turned on her and then won the Intercontinental Title while basically saying she used Valkyria as a stepping stone. Now it’s Valkyria’s last chance and anything goes. There’s also the Bayley factor, as she isn’t happy with being left out of Summerslam.
Women’s Intercontinental Title: Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria
Anything goes, Lynch is defending and she comes out to new music. Valkyria knocks her outside to start but Lynch takes over, allowing her to whip out a kendo stick. Valkyria isn’t worried as she comes out with a metal crowbar, which knocks the stick away. A crossbody off the barricade drops Lynch and Valkyria sends her…well right into a photographer actually. That doesn’t seem to do much damage as Valkyria sends Lynch into the post and then over the announcers’ table.
A table is pulled out but Lynch uses the delay to whip out a chain. Said chain is wrapped around Valkyria’s mouth as commentary gets into it about whether Valkyria is a threat to Lynch without having beaten her. Cole: “She has beaten her.” Lynch knocks her down again and grabs a toolbox, with a hard shot getting two. Lynch finds a zip tie in the toolbox and ties Valkyria’s hands together so the beating can continue.
The chairs are loaded up…but Valkyria slips her arms around Lynch and gets a belly to belly. Valkyria gets back up (ignore the camera showing the zip tie coming undone and having to be reset) and manages a moonsault with her hands tied together. The turnbuckle pad is taken off but Lynch sends her to the floor, where Valkyria (hands still tied) comes out with a fire extinguisher blast. Valkyria uses the edge of the fire extinguisher handle to cut herself free and unloads with a kendo stick.
A fisherman’s suplex gets two and they go back outside, with Valkyria hitting Nightwing off the stairs for a nasty crash. Back in and Valkyria misses a charge into the exposed buckle, setting up a Manhandle Slam onto some open chairs….for two. Lynch ties her up in a chair and kicks away, including ramming Valkyria into the announcers’ table.
Lynch grabs the crowbar but cue Bayley to take it away and beat on Lynch around ringside. Bayley misses a running knee but Valkyria is back up with a legdrop to send Lynch through a table. Back in and both finishes are countered…and Bayley accidentally knocks Valkyria silly with a chain. The Manhandle Slam finishes for Lynch at 25:07.
Rating: C+. On one hand, this was a heck of a fight with some creative spots and Valkyria getting to show off some incredible athleticism when her hands were tied. It also helps that despite here interference being pretty obvious, it didn’t feel like a countdown until Bayley showed up. At the same time though, MY GOODNESS this did not need to be so long. It’s a great example of a match that could have been ten minutes shorter and improved as a result. That’s on top of the main event being a street fight, with this one making that one feel less unique. Good parts to it, but it desperately needed some cuts.
We recap Solo Sikoa defending the US Title against Jacob Fatu in a cage. They were close, then Fatu turned on him because he was tired of Sikoa taking advantage of him. Sikoa stole the US Title and tried to get Fatu arrested so it’s time for a cage match to ensure that it’s 1-1.
US Title: Solo Sikoa vs. Jacob Fatu
Fatu is challenging in a cage and knocks Sikoa down to start. A running elbow drops Sikoa but he sends a charging Fatu into the cage. The slow beating continues but Fatu is back up with a hard clothesline. Sikoa sends him into the cage…and Fatu shrugs it off. A pair of moonsaults connect to give Fatu two so cue the MFT’s. The distraction brings out Jimmy Uso, who gets taken out without much trouble.
Fatu has to hold off the MFT’s, who start to climb into the cage. That’s broken up, but one of them manages to handcuff Fatu to the cage (in case the tied hands deal in the previous match wasn’t enough). Sikoa goes to the door but Fatu pulls the cuffs apart and makes the save. Talla Tonga slams the cage on Fatu’s head though and Sikoa escapes to retain at 12:05.
Rating: C-. This wasn’t much to see and the problem comes down to the fact that it didn’t feel like any kind of big moment. Instead it was just the two of them doing stuff until the interference started. It wasn’t an interesting match and Fatu only got to do so much. Sikoa keeping the title is fine, but they could have found a better way to do it.
Post match Uso gets back up and goes after Tonga Loa and JC Mateo. They’re thrown inside and Fatu takes both of them down. The moonsault off the top of the cage takes both of them down to show off that Fatu is awesome. And that’s kind of the problem with this whole story: win or lose, they’re going to keep fighting, which makes this match feel kind of unimportant.
We recap Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Title. Styles has been wanting a title shot but Guerrero has claimed an injury to avoid having to defend against him. For some reason Styles put on a bunch of costumes to….I’m really not sure why as it was about waiting for Mysterio to get healthy. Anyway, the match is on.
Intercontinental Title: Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles
Styles is challenging….and comes out in a low rider (with his son next to him), a STYLES HEAT shirt and does the Eddie dance. Styles hammers away to start fast and takes over on Mysterio in the corner. A missed charge sends Styles crashing out to the floor though and Mysterio puts him on the top. The super hurricanrana is countered into a failed Styles Clash attempt, leaving Styles to hit a diving tornado DDT.
Styles slips on a Phenomenal Forearm attempt and charges into a Michinoku Driver as the Fireflies come out for some reason. The Three Amigos are loaded up but Styles reverses the third into a brainbuster. Styles can’t hit a brainbuster but can reverse Mysterio’s frog splash into the Calf Crusher. That’s broken up and the referee gets dropped, so Mysterio goes to grab a chair.
Mysterio throws it to Styles and drops down, but Styles wraps it around his own neck and drops too. The referee gets up but didn’t see what happens so they keep going. Styles goes for the Calf Crusher again but pulls the boot off so Mysterio can escape. The referee has to duck a swing so Mysterio boots Styles in the head, setting up the frog splash to retain at 10:35.
Rating: B-. This one is going to depend on your tolerance for Eddie Guerrero tributes. I’ve been over them for years, so seeing just about every Eddie reference possible in one match was a bit much. That being said, it was a much more lighthearted match and that made for an easier match to watch. If nothing else, it was so different from the other violent/car crash matches on the night and that’s what it needed to be.
Stephanie McMahon announces the attendance: 60,561, for a two night total of 113,722.
We recap Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena. Rhodes lost the Smackdown World Title to Cena at Wrestlemania when Cena hit him low, but now Rhodes wants a shot at the REAL Cena. This caused Cena to turn back to the good side, as he needed someone to remind him what he used to be.
Smackdown World Title: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes
Cena is defending in a street fight. Rhodes gets a special entrance with a Dusty Rhodes quote (“The view never changes.”) appearing on the screen. Cena gets quite the strong reaction and does his old run to the ring. They do the Big Match Intros and stare each other down with Cena giving him a hug. The brawl is on fast and they go outside, with Cena grabbing NBA star Tyrese Haliburton’s crutch for a shot to the back.
Cena throws the steps inside but gets knocked onto them, only to pop up and knock Rhodes off the top. The steps are thrown over the top onto Rhodes’ head but he’s right back up with a Disaster Kick. Back in and Cena sends him over the top for a crash, allowing both of them to grab chairs. Rhodes knocks Cena’s out of his hands and gets in a shot to the back for two. Cena fights up again and initiates the finishing sequence but Rhodes is back up with a Cody Cutter. The AA gets two but Rhodes hits the top rope moonsault.
Another Disaster Kick gets two on Cena, who is back with an electric chair for two more. Back up and a piledriver gives Rhodes another near fall but we have to pause to check on Cena. That’s goldbricking though and Rhodes walks into an AA, followed by the STF (STFU as Cole calls it), sending Rhodes to the apron (remember ropes don’t matter here) for the break. Cena is back up with a microphone to the head, followed by a Code Red on the floor. The AA through the announcers’ table knocks Rhodes sillier but he gets back up anyway.
A quick Cross Rhodes gives Rhodes two but Cena knocks him down again. The top rope Fameasser into another AA gets two so it’s time for a table. Another (yes another) AA takes too long though and Rhodes reverses into a DDT. Said table is put up in the corner but they go outside to fight into the crowd. Cena grabs a piece of barricade and shoves it in Rhodes’ general direction before Rhodes suplexes him onto it instead. They go underneath the stage and come up the elevator Rhodes uses for his entrance with Cena holding him in the fireman’s carry (that was GREAT).
One heck of an AA sends Rhodes onto the ramp (Cena LAUNCHED him) before Cena picks Rhodes up and they go back to the ring (heck of a carry job by Cena). Back in and Rhodes sends him through the table in the corner and hits another Cross Rhodes for two. A chair to the head knocks Cena silly and Rhodes takes the turnbuckle off. The shot to Cena’s hands in front of his face thankfully doesn’t get a cover and another big shot connects, with the fans not liking this version of Rhodes.
The third shot is loaded up but Cena pulls him into the STF with the rope. That’s reversed as well so Rhodes hits back to back to back Cross Rhodes for two, leaving Rhodes stunned. With nothing else working, Rhodes grabs the belt but misses the big shot, allowing Cena to hit back to back AA’s, followed by the super AA for two. Another table is loaded up but Rhodes reverses a super AA into a Cody Cutter through the table. Cena is up in about five seconds and another Cross Rhodes gives Rhodes the title back at 37:33.
Rating: B. I’m not even going to try to defend this match, as it was a totally insane and ridiculous match (eight AA’s if you lost count) with nothing but ridiculous spots and kickouts. That being said, I was laughing my head off at some of this stuff, as they were leaning into the ridiculousness. That’s what it should have been and I liked it far more than I should have.
Post match Cena hands Rhodes the title and says something to him, which seems to mean a lot to Rhodes. With Rhodes gone, Cena soaks in a THANK YOU CENA chant….AND BROCK LESNAR IS BACK. Cena looks like he has seen a ghost and gets F5’ed to end the show. That’s certainly going to raise some eyebrows, and I do wonder if that had something to do with the abrupt Cena face turn.
Overall Rating: B. It definitely wasn’t as strong as last night, but I had a good enough time with this show. The problem here was having way too many gimmick/violent matches as it was so much of the show. The cage match wasn’t very good and the Valkyria vs. Lynch was too long, but I had a good time with most of the rest. Not an all timer, but for a three hour and forty five minute shot, I had a good time.
Overall Overall Rating: B+. The best thing I can say about this was it wasn’t dull. They had a long, drawn out weekend with a bunch of stuff taking place and some memorable moments, even if some of the matches might have been a bit lacking. I can absolutely see why Summerslam is going to be a two night event going forward and if this is what we’re getting every year, it’s going to be fine. Strong overall showing from WWE, though it would have been even better if they mixed the cards up a bit.
Results
Naomi b. Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley – Rollup with tights to Ripley
Wyatt Sicks b. Andrade/Rey Fenix, Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxiom, Street Profits and DIY – Gacy pulled down the titles
Becky Lynch b. Lyra Valkyria – Manhandle Slam
Solo Sikoa b. Jacob Fatu – Sikoa escaped the cage
Dominik Mysterio b. AJ Styles – Frog splash
Cody Rhodes b. John Cena – Cross Rhodes
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:
” I can absolutely see why Summerslam is going to be a two night event going forward ” Why? No one asked for Summerslam to be two nights, people weren’t even bitching that summerslam was too long like Mania. TKO literally just did it so they could get more money from overpriced tickets and more ad revenue thrown on the shows. If this show was one night it would’ve been awesome, especially if they had cut crap like the jelly roll tag match. Instead we got one lackluster night and one good night which is usually the case with these two night shows.
“Overall Rating: B. It definitely wasn’t as strong as last night, but I had a good enough time with this show. ”
Bro it was way better than last night. Last night was a bunch of matches no one cared about bookended by an atrocious punk match where he was gassed for half of it. This night had multiple matches to care about, the womens triple threat, tlc, lyra/becky, aj/dom and the main, which I had incredibly low standards for because the mania match was so bad, delivered in spades.
“Rating: B. I’m not even going to try to defend this match, as it was a totally insane and ridiculous match (eight AA’s if you lost count) with nothing but ridiculous spots and kickouts. That being said, I was laughing my head off at some of this stuff, as they were leaning into the ridiculousness. That’s what it should have been and I liked it far more than I should have.”
I thought the main event was really good, I get that they used a lot of finishers but its the two biggest stars in wwe in the main event of summerslam its ok for them do a lot of finishers. It also wasn’t JUST finishers like Orton/Cena at Backlash it was actually a great match with Cena busting his ass again. I really liked it, would give it an a. I also think that like because finishers are so overdone now that you have to hit a lot of them for the crowd to buy a false finish. This was WAY better than Punk/Walter last night.
HHH decides to end post show scrums right before Lesnar comes back. Good lord, what a coward. What’s your thoughts on Brock being back KB (if you feel comfortable sharing)? I don’t see why they needed to do this.
On one hand, I was stunned by the music hitting because I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m not wild on Lesnar (and wasn’t before the Janel Grant stuff). He’s kind of done almost everything he can outside of putting some up and comers over. What he’s accused of doing isn’t on the same level as what Vince is accused of doing, but it’s not exactly something I’d want to have around a locker room. From a business standpoint I get it, but outside of Lesnar just doing some over the top stuff, I’m not overly interested.
bro the only thing she accused him of doing was getting a video of her pissing. That’s not even a cancable offense, wrestling fans are such liberal little bitches and want to cancel anyone for anything. I think a lot of them don’t even know what Lesnar actually did and how little involved he was. The only other thing that happened was apparently, again allegedly, he was supposed to bang her but got too drunk and went home on his jet. He never even met her irl and never had sex with her or anything. That’s another reason why I don’t buy that Vince put it in his contract that Lesnar was going to bang Grant, he never banged her.
There are texts that show Lesnar knew of her and that Vince was offering her. I’m liberal but it has nothing to do with politics. This isn’t politics. This is about treating women correctly. Lesnar himself has admitted to some pretty bad things regarding women.
I don’t care if he cheats on Sable. I don’t care if he likes women doing weird stuff on videos. That’s a personal choice, not my business.
It also shows you know so little about the lawsuit. The lawsuit is over McMahon stopping the payments to her. Grant isn’t a cop and cannot do anything to charge him with a crime. As the son of a judge, this lawsuit will take some time and things will come out slowly, if at all. What we know about right now is a tiny fraction of everything that actually happened. What we do know about Lesnar’s involvement is a crime, even if he never had sex with her. Lesnar won’t be charged as again, that’s not what this is about.
What McMahon had her sign an NDA about was actually illegal (you cannot pay someone to coverup crimes). However, that’s not what the case is about. My dad said he would not be surprised if Grant eventually settles and this goes away quietly. Unfortunately, unless you are rich, prolonging a court case will eventually end up costing more than what you could get. Bro.
uh I just sent a comment and it didn’t go through WTF kb. Ok lets focus on Grant’s accusations focusing on Lesnar not on vince to keep this focused. She said that Vince wrote into Lesnar’s contract that she was going to have sex with him however that’s highly questionable because he never had sex with her and never even met her irl. There was a day they were supposed to have sex but Lesnar got too drunk and went home on his jet. Then there’s the accusation that he asked for a video of her pissing and she sent him one. That’s it. None of this is a reason to cancel someone. He never met her, never had sex with her, wasn’t involved in sex trafficking. The only argument you seem to have is that in her accusations that he knew what was happening and talked to Vince so he should be cancelled. Ok well that’s not proven true and even if Lesnar knew that he was having sex with Grant that doesn’t mean he was involved at all or even knew to the full extent what was happening. Regardless Robert Karples, the guy behind the WWE Creative twitter and a former lawyer, already looked at the court case and said that Lesnar wasn’t going to be charged with anything because there’s nothing to charge him with. I’m not downplaying anything, Lesnar just wasn’t accused of doing anything. You seem to think he should be cancelled for knowing Vince was banging Grant or whatever, well according to her Vince also bragged about having sex with her and showed pictures of her to random production guys so do you think they should be fired too?
“The lawsuit is over McMahon stopping the payments to her. Grant isn’t a cop and cannot do anything to charge him with a crime. ” If Grant couldn’t get Vince in trouble why did he have her sign NDAs in the first place dumbass? She literally got Vince cancelled and kicked out of WWE just through unverified accusations. But that’s “consequence culture” right?
KB I don’t know from like an objective in ring perspective you’re not excited for Lesnar. His three match series with Cody was amazing and we all know he can have great matches with good opponents (rollins, aj, bryan, punk).
I liked the Rhodes series well enough. Just a case of you know what you’re getting with him, which is only so interesting.
Greg you think Lesnar should get cancelled and not be allowed into WWE because he allegedly got a video of her pissing with no evidence? Do you also think that anyone who subscribes to Only Fans should be cancelled to?
I responded to your other comment. You are trying to downplay what he actually did and comparing that to Only Fans is comparing apples to oranges. Not remotely similar.
I hate people saying someone got cancelled. What is actually happening is called consequences. Actions have consequences.
That’s really dumb liberal propaganda. People get cancelled for ALLEGATIONS not for being proven of doing something wrong so its not consequences its cancelling someone for something they may or may not have done and assuming guilt before being proven guilty when you’re supposed to assume someone is innocent first. Remember when Enzo Amore was accused of rape and was fired from WWE before the case even started and then he came out squeaky clean and was proven innocent? How about Johnny Depp being cancelled for years (and still arguably cancelled now) even though he ended up being innocent and proven clean in case against Amber Heard? You’re one of those believe all women people even though there’s so many fake rape claims in the last 10 years and you refuse to acknowledge this or even agree that someone shouldn’t be cancelled before being proven guilty. An accusation is an accusation, someone can be accused of anything by anyone at any time it doesn’t mean shit until they’re y’know actually proven guilty.
I’ll make this short. False rapes make up 8% of allegations. False allegations do happen. My sister was raped. I watched as people laughed at her, mocked her, called her a liar. My sister is not a liar. I’ll leave it at that.
Since I can’t respond to your other comments, I’ll do it here. You once again do NOT know the case at all. Vince had her sign an NDA and paid her off to hopefully keep her quiet. As what happened could have led to consequences for Vince, which it did. Vince has done multiple deals in the past where he only makes an initial payment and then you have to sue him to get the rest. Cornette has talked about this. Had Vince just paid her what the contract said, we likely wouldn’t have heard about it. Vince got removed because he used company money to pay off crimes. Hell, he paid a fine to the SEC because of what he did.
Lesnar won’t be charged with anything because he isn’t a part of the NDA. She isn’t suing him. We only know a tiny fraction of what actually happened. You ignored that part. What Lesnar did IS a crime. Like an actual crime. You literally even wrote exactly the part that is a crime. I’m not joking about that. I’m guessing you don’t understand what crime he committed and so are pretending he didn’t do one. Which, again, he did.
The crime Vince did is much worse than Lesnar. If Vince isn’t being charged, Lesnar definitely will not be.
Oh and this guy you are defending so much literally broke into Sable’s house after she broke up with him. He admitted to it. Swell guy.
I’m done with you. You are not responding in good faith and will do mental gymnastics to defend evil people. Maybe look in the mirror at this one dude. You seem to fear women.