WWE SummerSlam 2023 Guide: Match Card, Predictions
Read update
- A battle royal has been added to the card and six Superstars taking part in it have been announced.
Quick Links
UPDATE: 2023/03/08 10:20 EST BY JOSH COULSON
A battle royal has been added to the card and six Superstars taking part in it have been announced.
WWE's biggest show of the summer is almost upon us once again, and this year's SummerSlam is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory. Lots of matches, lots of titles on the line, and perhaps most important of all, a lot of potential twists, turns, and maybe even endings for long-running angles. It's going to be a special night, and we've got everything you need to know about it ahead of time below.
RELATED: 5 Matches That Could Main Event SummerSlam 2023 (And 5 That Shouldn't)
Emanating from Detroit on August 5, 2023, if you weren't lucky enough to bag a ticket for the show, don't panic. As always, you will be able to watch WWE's next premium live event from the comfort of your own home. Airing on Peacock in the US, and the WWE Network or whatever company carries it in your part of the world, SummerSlam's main card will begin at 8 pm EST. There will likely be a kickoff show starting an hour before that for those who simply can't wait an additional 60 minutes for the action to begin, and every match announced for the card so far can be found below.
What Time Does SummerSlam 2023 Start?
WWE WrestleMania 39 will take place on Saturday, August 5th.
Just as with any other WWE Premium Live Event, the show will begin at 8 PM EST, but there will be a pre-show on YouTube that begins at 7 PM EST on both nights.
Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship in Tribal Combat
Jey Uso made history at Money in the Bank by pinning Roman Reigns, marking the first time anyone managed to do it since December 2019. That has resulted in the issues The Bloodline had bubbling under the surface exploding and when Jey tries to beat his cousin again at SummerSlam, there will be more than just gold on the line.
If Jey can beat Reigns on August 5, he will win the championship and also take The Tribal Chief's moniker. That's right, Jey has the chance to become the new Tribal Chief at SummerSlam, but that's not going to happen. Reigns will win and by the end of August, we'll be watching another championship celebration as The Head of the Table sails past three years with the title.
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
Months after Brock Lesnar first attacked Cody Rhodes, we still don't know what The Beast's problem is with The American Nightmare. They've wrestled twice since then, picking up a win each. At SummerSlam, this rivalry presumably gets put to bed once and for all as one man will win the tiebreaker.
There can only be one winner in this match, and it's Rhodes. If we really are on a road to WrestleMania 40 where Rhodes will avenge the loss he suffered in this year's WrestleMania main event, then he needs to beat Lesnar here and move on to other people he's going to get the better of between now and April.
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship
Cracks are starting to show in The Judgment Day's foundations, and it's all Seth Rollins' fault. Well, not really. Rollins just happens to have a title that Finn Balor wants, and since Damian Priest is Mr. Money in the Bank, there's every chance he could cash in for a shot of his own at any given moment.
That caused some friction between Balor and Priest, and I fully expect that friction to continue at SummerSlam. In fact, I'm going to make a very bold prediction in this one. Neither man in this match ends the night as World Champion. One way or another, Priest successfully cashes in and leaves with the title.
Asuka vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair for the WWE Undisputed Women's Championship
Just when you thought we were going to get a showdown between Asuka and Bianca Belair, here comes Charlotte Flair. Whether you like it or not, if Flair is available, she needs to either be champion or trying to become champion. That's why she has been inserted into this feud and this match.
Not only has Flair been inserted into this match, but let's be honest, she's probably going to win it. WWE is incredibly eager to have The Queen equal and then surpass her dad's World Title record. If she wins, I believe that puts her on 15, just one away from Ric.
Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre for the Intercontinental Championship
Gunther is on a tear with the Intercontinental Title like nothing most fans have ever seen before. More than 400 days with the championship and nearing the longest reign of all time. Drew McIntyre might potentially be the last man who can stop the dominant Austrian from achieving that goal.
If Gunther wins at SummerSlam, it will be almost nailed on that he breaks Honky Tonk Man's long-standing record. I don't think that's going to happen. My guess is McIntyre wins and finally gets a monumental moment in a stadium filled with tens of thousands of screaming fans.
Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler's Tag Title reign was cut short rather unexpectedly at Money in the Bank. Seems that happened so Rousey's planned rivalry with her former friend could get going with the former likely on her way out of WWE. Rumor has it this might well be her last match, or at least close to it.
With that in mind, Baszler absolutely has to win this if WWE is going to do the right thing. The Queen of Spades arrived on the main roster with a bang that quickly faded. Sending Rousey packing is her chance to get that momentum back and move on to something really special in the coming months.
Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
This one has been on the cards since the pair's botched spot at Money in the Bank, it has just taken a slightly different route due to that mistake. One that is guaranteed to be athletic, but discovering whether the pair can make a match work between breathtaking spots will be very interesting.
I'd love to think Ricohet is going to get a big win here and propel himself onto a higher table in WWE, but that's not going to happen. Logan Paul's last win will have been an entire year ago by the time SummerSlam arrives, and WWE will see this as the perfect platform on which to give him an overdue victory.
SummerSlam Battle Royal
A battle royal has been added to the SummerSlam card, but there will be nothing but pride and bragging rights on the line. Six superstars from Raw and SmackDown have been announced for the match so far, and since LA Knight is one of them, I'm assuming this will be the moment WWE gives him this weekend.
Where Is WWE SummerSlam 2023 Taking Place?
30 years ago, SummerSlam 1993 took place in Detroit, Michigan. While that night ended with one of the most disappointing matches in WWE history, this year's SummerSlam hopes to redeem that night as it takes place in Detroit as well at the massive Ford Field stadium.
While the city itself played host to a SummerSlam in 1993, the last major WWE PLE to take was actually the legendary WrestleMania 23. That night saw classic matches such as The Undertaker vs. Batista, John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels and the Battle Of Billionaires between Vince McMahon's champion Umaga vs Donald Trump's champion Bobby Lashley.
How Can I Buy Tickets To WWE SummerSlam 2023?
Tickets for the show are available via Ticketmaster. Tickets for the show can be found at this link.
