Lesnar Passes the Torch, Orton Returns, and Reigns Closes a Decade of History with Rollins

Brock Lesnar handed the torch to Oba Femi. Randy Orton returned to reshape the WWE Championship image. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins introduced their decade-long rivalry to an emotional shut. Here is all the pieces that occurred throughout each nights at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The thirty ninth annual WWE SummerSlam reworked U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis into the middle of the wrestling world throughout two nights, Aug. 1-2. The premium reside occasion delivered six championship adjustments, the shock returns of Randy Orton and Kevin Owens, and two defining moments that would form WWE for years to return: Brock Lesnar publicly handed the torch to Oba Femi, whereas Roman Reigns introduced one other chapter of his decade-long rivalry with Seth Rollins to an emotional shut.

Night 1 established most of the tales that can form WWE tv within the months forward. Liv Morgan strengthened her Women’s World Championship reign with a decisive victory, Randy Orton returned to price Cody Rhodes the Undisputed WWE Championship, and Lesnar closed one other chapter of his Hall of Fame profession by acknowledging Femi after their Hell in a Cell important occasion.

Night 1: Liv Morgan earns a decisive championship victory

Liv Morgan opened SummerSlam by efficiently defending the Women’s World Championship towards 2026 Queen of the Ring winner Iyo Sky, whose event victory earned her one of many 12 months’s largest championship alternatives.

Late within the match, Judgment Day members Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez tried to intervene, however Sky fought them off earlier than the motion returned to the ring. Morgan capitalized moments later, hitting a flying Codebreaker adopted by Ob-Liv-ion to attain the clear pinfall.

The victory marked Morgan’s first televised championship protection since WrestleMania 42 and gave her one of the vital convincing wins of her present title reign.

Night 1: Bella Twins activate Paige

Fatal Influence — Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne and Lainey Reid — defeated Paige and The Bella Twins in a six-woman tag workforce match.

The largest improvement got here after the bell. Nikki and Brie Bella attacked Paige, turning on their accomplice in a heel flip that instantly reshaped their alliance and opened a brand new storyline heading out of SummerSlam.

WWE later introduced that Paige had been taken to a hospital for analysis following the assault, confirmed by Triple H through the post-show press convention. No replace on her situation has been introduced.

Night 1: GUNTHER wins, Nick Aldis regains management of SmackDown

SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis quickly returned to the ring for his first match in three years, falling to GUNTHER earlier than regaining his authority beneath the bout’s stipulation.

Although Aldis didn’t win the match, the end result restored him as SmackDown General Manager. That determination instantly influenced SummerSlam’s second night time, as Aldis used his authority to dramatically reshape the Undisputed WWE Championship No. 1 Contender’s match.

Night 1: Randy Orton returns to assist CM Punk retain

CM Punk retained the Undisputed WWE Championship after Randy Orton made his shock return throughout Punk’s title protection towards Cody Rhodes.

Rhodes appeared to have the match beneath management after delivering a Cross Rhodes that despatched Punk to the ground. As Rhodes tried to proceed the assault, he unintentionally knocked down referee Charles Robinson, leaving the official unable to see what occurred subsequent.

Orton, showing for the primary time since WrestleMania 42, entered the ring and struck Rhodes with an RKO earlier than leaving by the gang. Punk recovered, related with a 3rd Go to Sleep and pinned Rhodes to retain the championship.

The return instantly positioned Orton towards Rhodes by costing him the WWE Championship and created one of many largest unanswered questions popping out of SummerSlam. Whether Orton acted alone or shares a bigger agenda with Punk stays unknown, whereas Rhodes now faces one other setback in his pursuit of the title.

Night 1: Oba Femi ends Brock Lesnar’s period

The Night 1 important occasion concluded considered one of WWE’s defining rivalries of 2026 as Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell to win the deciding match of their trilogy. Femi defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 earlier than Lesnar evened the collection at Clash in Italy, organising the rubber match in Lesnar’s dwelling state of Minnesota.

Both rivals exhausted each benefit out there contained in the Cell. Lesnar uncovered the picket boards beneath the ring canvas and drove Femi down with a Tombstone Piledriver straight onto the wooden. Femi kicked out at two. Lesnar threw three F5s at him throughout the match. Femi kicked out of these too. The end got here when Lesnar reached for a metal chair and Femi punched it from his arms, then hit Fall From Grace for the pinfall. It was the primary time Lesnar had ever misplaced inside Hell in a Cell.

The most memorable second got here after the match. Lesnar returned to the ring, embraced Femi and addressed the Minneapolis crowd.

“This is the past,” Lesnar mentioned, pointing to himself. “This is the future,” he continued whereas elevating Femi’s hand.

Throughout his WWE profession, Lesnar has not often provided such a public endorsement of one other famous person, making the embrace and raised hand one of many clearest passing-of-the-torch moments of the trendy period. Whether Lesnar wrestles once more stays unknown, however his endorsement firmly established Femi as considered one of WWE’s cornerstone stars heading into the rest of 2026.

Night 2: Kevin Owens returns to turn into No. 1 contender

Night 2 opened with a dramatic change to the marketed No. 1 Contender’s match for CM Punk’s Undisputed WWE Championship. The bout was initially scheduled as Finn Bálor vs. Sami Zayn. Before the opening bell, newly reinstated SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis added GUNTHER to the match, then delivered a fair greater shock: Kevin Owens.

Owens had not appeared on WWE programming since Elimination Chamber in March 2025 after struggling a severe neck damage. His entrance drew one of many loudest reactions of the weekend, with cameras capturing emotional followers all through U.S. Bank Stadium whereas longtime buddy and rival Sami Zayn appeared on in disbelief.

Owens shifted the match instantly. He neutralized GUNTHER and Bálor with a string of Stunners, then countered Zayn’s Helluva Kick with a superkick and completed him with a last Stunner at 8:30 to win. Owens returned from a 17-month absence and immediately established what seems to be WWE’s subsequent marquee championship rivalry with CM Punk. There are early reviews Owens might have aggravated his neck damage through the match. WWE has not commented.

Night 2: Baron Corbin captures the United States Championship

Baron Corbin marked his WWE return by defeating Trick Williams to win the United States Championship, however the victory got here beneath controversial circumstances. Williams managed a lot of the match earlier than chaos broke out at ringside. Corbin shoved superstar visitor Lil Yachty from the apron and thru a Slim Jim-branded desk, drawing the referee’s consideration away from the ring. Corbin then struck Williams with the championship belt earlier than hitting End of Days for the pinfall.

The end protected Williams in defeat and left the rivalry unresolved. The night time then shifted from controversy to celebration, with its subsequent three matches producing a few of the most emotional moments of the weekend.

Night 2: Chelsea Green wins her first world championship

Chelsea Green captured the primary world championship of her WWE profession by profitable the Interim Women’s Championship Ladder Match. The interim title was created as a result of reigning Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley stays sidelined with an damage.

The 13-minute match produced a number of standout moments. Jade Cargill wore gear paying tribute to Prince — a nod to the Minneapolis crowd that obtained one of many night time’s largest entrance reactions. Lash Legend delivered probably the most bodily spectacular spot of the match, a sequence that drew an instantaneous “OH MY GOD” caption from WWE’s personal social channels. Green finally climbed the ladder and retrieved the championship to finish the most important victory of her WWE profession.

The win units up an eventual title unification showdown as soon as Ripley is cleared to compete.

Night 2: Chad Gable celebrates a hometown championship victory

Chad Gable fulfilled a hometown dream by defeating Penta to win the Intercontinental Championship in Minneapolis, forcing the submission with an ankle lock at 11:09.

Penta repeatedly pushed Gable to the restrict, bleeding hardway through the match and touchdown a Penta Driver for a near-fall that had the gang on edge. Gable survived, caught Penta within the ankle lock and didn’t let go till the faucet.

After the match, Penta helped Gable to his toes, positioned the championship round his waist and raised his hand. Gable’s household entered the ring because the Minneapolis crowd chanted “You deserve it.” The victory was the most important singles championship win of Gable’s WWE profession.

Night 2: Roman Reigns retains after closing one other chapter with Seth Rollins

Roman Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Seth Rollins within the SummerSlam important occasion, bringing one other chapter of considered one of WWE’s most enduring rivalries to an in depth. Former Shield teammates turned bitter rivals, Reigns and Rollins have spent greater than a decade shaping WWE historical past by championship reigns, betrayals and a few of the firm’s largest matches.

The match ran 33 minutes and 31 seconds and lined most of U.S. Bank Stadium. They brawled by the gang and thru each announce tables. Reigns powerbombed Rollins by the Spanish commentary desk; Rollins answered by reversing a second powerbomb try right into a Shield Bomb by the opposite. Back within the ring, Rollins hit a Pedigree, then a Stomp, and Reigns kicked out of each. Reigns answered with a Buckle Bomb and his personal Stomp for one more near-fall. Rollins hit Reigns with a Spear. Reigns kicked out. Reigns locked within the Guillotine. Rollins powered out and suplexed him onto the uncovered metal ramp.

The end got here after the referee was knocked down. Rollins reached for a metal chair however by no means used it. Reigns knocked it away. The two resumed preventing with out shortcuts, buying and selling blows within the middle of the ring. Reigns hit three consecutive Spears. The referee recovered in time to rely the pin.

The match’s defining second got here after the bell. As each males recovered in reverse corners, Reigns walked to the middle and prolonged his fist. Rollins answered with the acquainted Shield fist bump — the identical gesture that after outlined their brotherhood earlier than the 2014 breakup — drawing one of many loudest ovations of the weekend. After years of betrayals and championship battles, the second offered a way of closure to a rivalry that has helped outline WWE’s fashionable period.

Reigns left Minneapolis nonetheless holding the World Heavyweight Championship, with no introduced challenger. Raw takes place Monday night time, the place WWE is predicted to start constructing towards its fall premium reside occasion schedule, together with Money within the Bank on October 3.

What comes subsequent

SummerSlam 2026 closed a number of of WWE’s largest ongoing tales whereas establishing its subsequent wave of headline rivalries. Oba Femi left Minneapolis with Brock Lesnar’s public endorsement as considered one of WWE’s new cornerstone stars. Kevin Owens instantly reentered the world championship image after 17 months away. Randy Orton reignited his rivalry with Cody Rhodes. Chelsea Green and Chad Gable each reached the highest of WWE’s championship construction for the primary time.

CM Punk now awaits Kevin Owens in what seems to be WWE’s subsequent marquee championship feud. Cody Rhodes has unfinished enterprise with Randy Orton. Roman Reigns holds the World Heavyweight Championship and wishes a challenger. Rhea Ripley’s return units the clock working on Chelsea Green’s interim reign. Monday’s Raw is the primary likelihood for WWE to begin answering these questions.