It’s time for The Biggest Party of the Summer! WWE SummerSlam goes down tonight from Ford Field in Detroit, MI. It’s a pretty loaded card, from Cody looking to finish the Brock Lesnar story to Tribal Combat for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Let’s break down when and how you can watch the show, as well as the full card with predictions from our esteemed panel of rasslin’ experts:
WWE SummerSlam 2023 date and start time
WWE SummerSlam will air live on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 8pm ET from Ford Field in Detroit, MI.
How to watch WWE SummerSlam 2023
WWE SummerSlam will stream on Peacock in the United States, and the WWE Network elsewhere.
WWE SummerSlam 2023 full card and predictions
SummerSlam Battle Royal
WWE’s official preview:
The Biggest Event of the Summer just got a whole lot wilder with the monumental announcement of a SummerSlam Battle Royal, presented by Slim Jim.
Superstars will battle tooth-and-nail for glory in the total free-for-all as they fight off attacks in every direction. A competitor will be eliminated when they are thrown over the top rope and both feet hit the ringside floor.
Who will be the last Superstar in the squared circle?
Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (MMA Rules)
Shane: If the rumors about Ronda Rousey are true, then Shayna should be victorious here. Actually, even if the rumors about Ronda Rousey aren’t true, Shayna should still win. This short storyline has been the closest we’ve seen of the badass version Shayna Baszler on the main roster and hopefully a definitive victory over her BFF will help this momentum continue.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Jay: Shayna is going to take it. Rumors are swirling that Ronda is going to call it quits and this is a favor she is doing to her friend which, if true, makes the ending to this match inevitable. But even if it isn’t true, it’s breathtaking how badly the Ronda Rousey experiment has gone off the rails. She had an excellent 2018-2019 and her mere presence helped legitimize the women’s division in WWE and propelled them to the main event of a WrestleMania. But insecurity in regards to her ability and fan reception get to her. She then appeared to have lost a step when returning after a two year hiatus in 2022 to the point where she could not be justifiably placed near the top of the card and now we’re here. I’m glad Shayna is going to get a marquee win which I hope will help her career along but damn, Ronda burned out.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Tyler: This match feels like the final fight scene in the last act of the third movie of a trilogy–that is, if we skipped all the scenes and the second movie all together and just got to the fight. Despite the 0-60 nature of the storyline, a definitive victory for Shayna should and will occur.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
Shane: Logan Paul and Ricochet have extreme in-ring chemistry. If everything lines up correctly and these two don’t try to pull off too many “viral moments”, I could see this match actually being the match of the night. It has been pretty cool in my opinion to see Ricochet in a featured program even though there is a like 0.01% chance he is going to win. This match should be very entertaining nonetheless.
Winner: Logan Paul
Jay: Logan Paul is going to take it. They’ve just reinvested in Paul as he was given a new contract and he’s lost the past two matches. Plus, it’s Ricochet, who has reached a Kane/Dolph Ziggler/John Morrison type of place in the hearts and minds of fans. He will always be respected and beloved for his ability and will occasionally get a push, but he just ain’t him, ya know?
Winner: Logan Paul
Tyler: Although this match is being booked to finally give Logan Paul a much-needed win, Ricochet has more than held up his end of the bargain. Their in-ring chemistry should suffice for an otherwise predictable victory for the influencer.
Winner: Logan Paul
Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the Intercontinental Championship
Shane: This is the Big Meaty Men Slappin’ Meat portion of the card and it will live up to that expectation. I think it is impossible for McIntyre and Gunther to have a bad match. And while I do think that Drew might be the most legitimate threat to dethrone Gunther since his reign began, the Ring General is way too close to breaking the Honky Tonk Man’s record to lose the belt here. I’m not sure how I feel about a DQ loss here, so I’m going to predict that Gunther wins the old fashioned way; by pinning Drew’s shoulders to the mat for the 1,2,3.
Winner: Gunther
Jay: Gunther. He’s way too close to breaking the all-time record for IC title reigns and Drew McIntyre would have little to do with the IC title. I fully expect Drew to move into a feud with Seth Rollins after this which should be serviceable till we get to Survivor Series.
Winner: Gunther
Tyler: Nothing new from me. Unlike Roman, Gunther is actually within reach of breaking an all-time record as a champion. I don’t know what a loss does for a returning Drew – a valid concern – but Gunther holds on just a little bit longer.
Winner: Gunther
Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair for the WWE Women’s Championship
Shane: Please, for the love of God, let Asuka win and have some sort of decent run with the WWE Women’s Championship. That’s all I ask.
Winner: Asuka
Jay: Asuka is going to take it. Charlotte is the last Horsewoman that Bianca has to beat and they probably will not clash one on one till Mania. This match is to give us an attraction and to tease us with Bianca vs. Charlotte in the future. Plus, Asuka just became champion and she still has so much to do in the division.
Winner: Asuka
Tyler: The booking leading up to this match has been a bit rocky and convoluted but has gotten all of the players where they need to be. Charlotte can never be bet against, but a victory for her would accomplish nothing. Bianca is on a journey that will be fueled by jealousy and her darker impulses. It will be kicked into high gear when Asuka retains.
Winner: Asuka
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Finn Bálor for the World Heavyweight Championship
Shane: I want Finn to win. Now is the time. Seth Rollins has done wonders with a belt that was a secondary prize feel important, so his job is done. I am much more interested in a world where Finn is the World Heavyweight Champion and Damian Priest is Senior Money in the Bank. It writes itself.
Winner: Finn Bálor
Jay: I would love it if Finn won, but Triple H is living vicariously through Seth. He gave Seth his biggest breaks, his finishing move, and even remade his favorite belt just so Seth can have it. Seth’s reign still has legs though, admittedly, he hasn’t been the most interesting champion. Finn could use the title so much more and the story could be SO interesting if Finn won it and then Damian cashed it in on his stablemate. We’ll see if they have the guts to do it.
Winner: Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Tyler: Despite losing practically every meaningful match since joining Judgment Day, the once-weakest link of the faction has done a wonderful job of putting himself in a position to be the favorite in a world title match that I’m invested in. Now is the time. The power dynamics within the group shifting suddenly will provide months of compelling programming.
Winner: Finn Bálor
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
Shane: Cody will win so he can keep writing his story, blah, blah, blah. Rumor has it Bray Wyatt will be attacking one of the main event stars… maybe its Cody? Guess we will see.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Jay: As our compatriot Jason Segarra says, Cody’s principle character trait is ADVERSITY. There is no greater form of ADVERSITY incarnate than in the form of Brock Lesnar. WWE still clearly sees Cody Rhodes as the right guy but, as shown at Mania, it wasn’t at the right time. This whole feud has been to keep Cody away from Roman Reigns and the Undisputed Championship while also continuing to build him. I fully expect Cody to close this chapter with Lesnar but that begets the question, what next? I’d love a Bray Wyatt feud or even a Randy Orton feud, but who knows if either guy is on the table.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Tyler: Cody Rhodes should have won at WrestleMania. He didn’t. And yet, WWE have put in a superb effort of keeping him relevant and strong in the four months since April. After SummerSlam, we have four more months until Royal Rumble season. As for Saturday’s rubber match, it will be Brock Lesnar who finds himself at a crossroads.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (Tribal Combat)
Shane: Never bet against the Tribal Chief. Especially in an anything goes environment. Jey is incredible, but I still don’t think he is credible enough to dethrone Roman Reigns. At this point I’m not sure who will, but this historic title reign isn’t ending at SummerSlam. At least not this year.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Jay: As much as I’d love Jey to take it, Roman must pose. I know people are clamoring to move on from Roman and we’d like to see a change, myself included, but my perverse curiosity prompts me to say “f*** that, keep the belt on him.” I want him to be champion past WrestleMania 40 just to see what they would do. Who could they get to actually fight him sans The Rock or even goading Stone Cold to come out of retirement for another match? Sure, he can still fight Bobby Lashley or AJ Styles. With the right story, they can even bring Kofi Kingston and The New Day back to prominence. Not to mention Seth Rollins has a legit claim to owning a win over Roman and I’d love to see him defend the World Heavyweight Championship against him at Survivor Series, but yeah, I want Roman to keep it and he will keep it.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Tyler: It’s funny – Jey pinning Roman at the previous PLE makes it less likely he will get the job done again. I don’t know who the man will be to finally take the belt away. Jey has as much claim as Cody or Seth or Solo. Every one of these stories has had the opportunity of a poetic, fitting end. And yet, Roman still reigns. Maybe I was wrong. It’s not funny; it’s a tragedy.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
