Hello folx! Welcome to 411’s SummerSlam 2025 Preview! I’m Hel, and today WWE is at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for night two of the 2025 SummerSlam event! Once again, this is the 38th annual SummerSlam and the first ever to be two nights. Going over the first half of the events in yesterday’s preview, it was interesting to see how important the Intercontinental Championship was to the early days of SummerSlam. We also go to see the rise of Austin, as well as Lesnar and Orton, who both won their first World Championships at SummerSlam. We also saw the heights of Booker T and JBL, as well as the rise of Cena and Edge. In the second half, we will see the rise of Punk, the Women’s Revolution, and the stranglehold that Lesnar and Reigns had in the late teens and early 20s.

Additionally, I mentioned that I have finished two more books since my last preview columns (Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and The Boatman’s Daughter by Andy Davidson). I’ve also mentioned that I’m a huge TTRPG nerd; let’s focus on music this time. I love all things rock, and I have playlists that cover every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s, as well as some genre-specific ones. If anyone is interested, let me know!

07 – John Morrison beat CM Punk to retain the ECW Championship, and in the main event, Cena beat Orton to retain the WWE Championship.
08 – Punk beat JBL to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Triple H beat Khali to retain the WWE Championship, Batista beat Cena, and in the main event, Undertaker beat Edge in a Hell in a Cell match.
09 – Rey Mysterio beat Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship, DX beat Legacy, Orton beat Cean for the WWE Championship, and in the main event, Punk beat Jeff Hardy, in a TLC match, for the World Heavyweight Championship.
10 – Orton beat Sheamus by DQ, in a match for Sheamus’ WWE Championship, and in the main event, Team WWE beat The Nexus.
11 – Orton beat Christian in a No Holds Barred match for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event. Punk beat Cena to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship (Triple H was the guest referee), Alberto Del Rio then cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to beat Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
12 – The Miz beat Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental Championship, Sheamus beat Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Punk beat Big Show and Cena to retain the WWE Championship, and in the main event, Lesnar beat Triple H in a No DQ match.
13 – Bray Wyatt beat Kane in a Ring of Fire match (first major match for Wyatt on the main roster), Del Rio beat Christian to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Lesnar beat Punk in a No DQ match, Daniel Bryan beat Cena to win the WWE Championship (Triple H was guest referee) and Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank to beat Bryan for the WWE Championship (they really repeated the same finish from 2011, including Triple H as the guest ref.)
14 – Ziggler beat Miz for the Intercontinental Championship, Paige beat AJ Lee for the Divas’ Championship, and in the main event, Lesnar beat Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship.
15 – Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns beat The Wyatt Family, Seth Rollins beat John Cena to retain the World Heavyweight Championship and win the United States Championship, Team PCB, beat Team B.A.D. and Team Bella, and in the main event Undertaker beat Lesnar.
16 – Sheamus beat Cesaro in the first of a best-of-seven series, Charlotte beat Sasha Banks for the Women’s Championship, AJ Styles beat Cena, Ambrose beat Ziggler to retain the World Championship, Finn Balor beat Seth Rollins to become the inaugural Universal Champion, and in the main event, Lesnar beat Orton.
17 – The Usos beat The New Day for the Smackdown Tag-Team Championships, Banks bear Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship, Ambrose and Rollins beat The Barr for the Raw Tag-Team Championships, Jinder Mahal beat Shinsuke Nakamura to retain the WWE Championship, and in the main event Lesnar beat Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns, and Samoa Joe to retain the Universal Championship.
18 – Rollins beat Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship, Joe beat Styles, by DQ, in a match for Styles WWE Championship, and in the main event, Reigns beat Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
19 – Bayley beat Ember Moon to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Charlotte Flair beat Trish Stratus, Kofi Kingston drew with Orton in match for Kingston’s WWE Championship, and in the main event, Rollins beat Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
20 – Bayley beat Asuka to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Rollins beat Dominik Mysterio in a Street Fight, Asuka beat Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship, Drew McIntyre beat Orton to retain the WWE Championship, and in the main event, Wyatt beat Strowman, in a Falls Count Anywhere match, for the Universal Championship.
21 – Damien Priest beat Sheamus for the United States Championship, The Usos beat The Mysterios to retain the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships, Becky Lynch beat Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Edge beat Rollins, Bobby Lashley beat Goldberg to retain the WWE Championship, and in the main event, Reigns beat Cena to retain the Universal Championship.
22 – Belair beat Lynch to retain the Raw Women’s Championship, Liv Morgan beat Ronda Rousey to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship, and in the main even,t Reigns beat Lesnar, in a Last Man Standing match, to retain the Universal Championship.
23 – Logan Paul beat Ricochet, Cody Rhodes beat Lesnar, Gunther beat Drew McIntyre to retain the Intercontinental Championship, Rollins beat Balor to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, Belair beat Asuka and Flair to retain the Women’s Championship and then Iyo Sky cashed in her Money in the Bank contract to beat Belair for the Women’s Championship, and in the main event Reigns beat Jey Uso, in a Tribal Combat match, to retaun the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
24 – Morgan beat Rhea Ripley to retain the Women’s World Championship, McIntyre beat Punk, Gunther beat Damien Priest to win his first World Heavyweight Championship, and in the main event, Rhodes beat Solo Sikoa to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.

And with all that, plus last night, we are all caught up and can get into tonight’s card!

Cage Match for the WWE United States Championship
Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa

Image Credit: WWE

After a big brawl, and Sikoa trying to get Fatu arrested, this match was made official on the 7/18 SmackDown.

Jacob Fatu has been wrestling for 13 years, and in that time he has been; a one time DEFY Tag-Team Champion, a one time IWC Heavyweight Champion, a one time APW Tag-Team Champion, a one time APW Worldwide Internet Champion, a one time APW Universal Heavyweight Champion, a one time HOG Heavyweight Champion, a one time PPW Heavyweight Champion, a one time, and inaugural, LIT Knuck if Ya Buck Champion, a one time, and final, PCW ULTRA Tag-Team Champion, a one time PCW ULTRA Heavyweight Champion, a one time SOW World Heavyweight Championship, a one time SPW (Shout out to the company I trained with under Timothy Thatcher!) Tag-Team Champion, one time WCPW Heavyweight Champion, the 2022 MLW Battle Riot winner, a one time MLW National Openweight Champion, a one time MLW World Heavyweight Champion, a one time WWE Tag-Team Champion, and a one time WWE United States Champion.

Solo Sikoa has been wrestling for seven years. In that time, he has been a one-time AWF Heavyweight Champion, a one-time NXT North American Champion, and a one-time and current WWE United States Champion.

We know the cage won’t be able to keep the interference from happening, but I think Fatu finds a way to victory. I am all in on Fatu, and this time next year, he is going to be wrestling for one of the World titles. Sikoa has improved a lot, but I don’t think he is going to be much higher on the card. He makes a good threat to the mid-card, and can slot into higher profile feuds if needed, but I don’t think he is ever going to win the big one. So, let’s get the belt back on Fatu, and he can go on a tear until WrestleMania, where he can drop it and start his movement up the card.

Winner and new WWE United States Champion: Jacob Fatu

TLC Match for the WWE Tag-Team Championships
Andrade & Rey Fenix vs Fraxiom vs The Motor City Machine Guns vs DIY vs The Street Profits vs The Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy)

Image Credit: WWE

This match has been building since the Wyatt Sicks returned and targeted the SmackDown tag-team division. They beat The Street Profits on July 11th for the titles. On the 7/25 SmackDown, they defended them against Andrade & Fenix, which ended in a DQ and a giant brawl between all the teams. Nick Aldis then announced this match. This will also be the 25th anniversary of the first TLC match.

Andrade is a 22-year veteran, and Rey Fenix is an 18-year veteran; they have only recently become a team and have yet to win any championships together. Fenix has had 12 different Tag-Team Championships across the world, and Andrade has one.

Axiom is a 13-year veteran, and Nathan Frazer has been wrestling for seven years. They have been a team for two years and are two-time NXT Tag-Team Champions.

Alex Shelley is a 22-year veteran, and Chris Sabin is a 25-year veteran. They have been a team for 19 years, and in that time have been; one time AAW Tag-Team Champions, one time CCW Tag-Team Champions, one time DPW Worlds Tag-Team Champions, one time NWA International Lightweight Tag-Team Champoins, one time ROH World Tag-Team Champions, one time GCW Tag-Team Champions one time Strong Openweight Tag-Team Champions, one time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag-Team Champions, three time TNA/Impact World Tag-Team Champions, and one time WWE Tag-Team Champions.

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are both 20-year veterans. They have been a team, off and on, since 2015, and in that time have been: one-time NXT Tag-Team Champions, and two-time WWE Tag-Team Champions.

Angelo Dawkins is a 13-year veteran, and Montez Ford is a 10-year veteran. They have been a team since 2016, and in that time have been: one-time NXT Tag-Team Champions, one-time Evolve Tag-Team Champions, and three-time WWE Tag-Team Champions.

Joe Gacy is a 19-year veteran, and Dexter Lumis is an 18-year veteran. They have been a team since 2024, they are the current WWE Tag-Team Champions, and this is their first title as a team.

Based on the TLC match from the SmackDown after WrestleMania, this has the potential to steal the whole weekend. I will admit my bias towards Motor City Machine Guns here; they are more than deserving of a big moment and a nice run before settling into a coaching/producer role. Honestly, though, all the teams have busted their asses off the whole year, and no matter who wins the match, we all win for getting to watch it. The Wyatt Sicks just won the titles, and having a longer rung would help establish them better, Fraxiom are on the of the most consistent teams in the whole company, Street Profits have been a staple in the division for years, DIY have the talent to carry the division, and Andrade and Fenix could use the win to solidify their team.

I’m ready to see what Ford and Dawkins can do on their own, so I’m hoping for a loss here to start the split. Like I said, DIY has all the talent to carry the division; they’ve proven that with their previous runs, but that also means they don’t need to hold the titles right now, they can easily get their heat back after a loss. Fraxiom has been killing it for years in NXT and is just catching on with the main roster. A loss here won’t hurt them too badly, as there are five other teams plus the possibility of a big spot to take them out and given them a reason for a rematch. The Wyatt Sicks having a longer run would help them a lot, but their whole gimmick allows them to stay protected even if they lose here. Much like Fraxiom, they will be able to quickly get their heat back and either chase the champions or shift their focus to other feuds. That brings us to Motor City Machine Guns and Andrade & Fenix, I can make the case for either team to get the win here. Like I said, Motor City Machine Guns deserve the win and a nice run before settling down. They came in hot but have cooled off a lot since then. I’d love to see them get their big moment here and then have the other teams chase them through The Royal Rumble or WrestleMania, even. On the other side, we have the new team of Andrade & Fenix. Fenix hasn’t caught on as quickly as his brother, and Andrade hasn’t done much since returning to the company. This team has been good for both men, and the win here would help get them over as a team. I have to choose one team to win here, though, and while my heart says Motor City Machine Guns, my brain says Andrade & Fenix get the win here, and hopefully Motor City Machine Guns can be their first feud and the two teams can put on bangers through the fall and winter.

Winner and new WWE Tag-Team Champions: Rey Fenix and Andrade

No Count Outs and No Disqualifications for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship
Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch

Image Credit: WWE

On the 7/14 Raw, Valkyria would defeat Bayley in a fantastic 2 out of three 3 Falls match to earn the right to face Lynch here tonight.

Lyra Valkyria is a 10 year veteran, in the time she has been; A one time OTT Women’s Champion, a one time Irish Junior Heavyweight Champion, a one time PWE Tag-Team Champion, a one time PWU Women’s Champion, a one time WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champion, a one time NXT Women’s Champion, and the first WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion.

Becky Lynch is a 23 year veteran, with a six-hiatus due to concussion issues, in that time she has been; A one time World Queens of Chaos Champion, a one time SuperGirls Champion, a one time NXT Women’s Champion, a two time WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champion, a one time WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, the 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, and a seven time WWE Women’s World Champion.

Over the past year, Valkria has grown as a performer and has held her own, both in the ring and on the mic, with both Lynch and Bayley. Having a three-month-long feud that involves two of the best women to ever lace up the boots has also helped establish the Women’s Intercontinental Championship as a prestigious title. It feels like they are working to make it, every bit, the workhorse title that the Men’s Intercontinental Championship has been known as at various times. It has also been built a lot better than the Women’s United States Championship, which is a shame, as both Chelsea Green and Giulia are women around whom a division could be built.

I’ve been saying it since Money in the Bank, Valkryia lost then, so she could win now. The added wrinkle of Bayley helped carry the feud through Evolution, and I can see her being involved in the match here as well. I still think Valkryia walks out with the belt, though. Even more so now that if Valkryia loses, she can’t challenge Lynch for the title again.

I’m also thinking that maybe the Women’s WarGames match will be the veterans (Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley) vs The New Generation (Valkryia, Stephanie Vaquer, Giulia, and either Rhea Ripley or Tiffany Stratton). So, this will help plant more seeds for that here. We could see Bayley fully turning on Valkryia post-match, and while she won’t be trustworthy of Lynch, she might be willing to team with her to get her career back on track.

Winner and new WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion: Lyra Valkryia

WWE Intercontinental Championship
AJ Styles vs. Dominik Mysterio

Image Credit: WWE

This match was supposed to happen at Night of Champions, but Mysterio wasn’t cleared to compete. Since then, Styles has been harassing Mysterio until he was finally medically cleared on the 7/21 Raw.

AJ Styles is a 27 year veteran, and in that time he has been; the winner of a 2006 AAA Tag-Team Tournament, a one time CWF/CWE Heavyweight Champion, a one time, and final, FWE Heavyweight Champion, a one time Natural Heavyweight Champion, a one time AAW Heavyweight Champion, a four time IPW Heavyweight Champion, the 20024 Ted Petty Invitational winner, a one time IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion, the 2004 Super Indy Survivor Showdown winner, a four time IWC Super Indies Champion, a one time IWR King of The Indies Champion, a one time Max-Pro Television Champion, a one time MPW Universal Heavyweight Champion, a one time NKPWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, a three time NWA Wildside Television Champion, a one time NWA Wildside Heavyweight Champion, a one time PPW Tag-Team Champion, a one time, and inaugural, ROH Pure Champion, a one time ROH World Tag-Team Champion, a one time WWA International Cruiserweight Champion, a four time NWA World Tag-Team Champion, a three time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, a two time TNA World Tag-Team Champion, the 2013 Bound for Glory Series winner, a six times, and inaugural, TNA X-Division Champion, a two time TNA Legends/Global/Television Champion, a two time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, a one time PWG World Champion, a two time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a one times WWE Tag-Team Champion, a three time WWE United States Champion, a one time WWE Intercontinental Champion, and a two time WWE Champion.

Dominik Mysterio has been wrestling for six years, and in that time he has been: a one-time WWE Tag-Team Champion, a two-time NXT North American Champion, and a one-time and current WWE Intercontinental Champion.

I have been a fan of AJ Styles since he showed up in WCW bell to bell. He is one of the best to ever lace them up. And in the nine years since he joined the WWE, he has also become one of the more underrated promo guys. His comedy timing is up there with guys like Jericho, and he can also pull off the cocky heel or intense face when needed. I think he tends to get overlooked, but he is probably one of the most consistent wrestlers around and more than deserving of one last great run.

Mysterio has grown so much in six years; the difference between his Judgement Day work and when he was teaming with Rey is night and day. He has also been able to get massively over with doing so little; he just shows up, and the boos rain down on him. He has also limited his in-ring time enough that his bump card isn’t as full as others’, so he has a long future ahead of him. I can see him winning his first World title within the next few years.

With all that said, I am torn on who should win here. Styles has earned a last run, and putting on clinics with the Intercontinental title would be a great way to do that. Mysterio is hot right now, though, and needs to get a few more defenses in to help make his run a bit more memorable. I also don’t think it’s time to take the gold off Judgement Day, that will come later down the road. So, I’m going with Mysterio for the win here, and hopefully, Styles can be a challenger for Gunther in the Fall.

Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: Dominik Mysterio

Triple Threat for the WWE Women’s World Championship
Rhea Ripley vs IYO SKY vs Naomi

Image Credit: WWE

Naomi would cash in her Money in the Bank contract at Evolution 2 to win the WWE Women’s World Championship. On the 7/18 Raw, this match would be made official.

Rhea Ripley is a 12 year veteran, in the time she has been; a two time RCW Women’s Champion, a one time, and inaugural, NXT:UK Women’s Champion, a one time NXT Women’s Champion, a one time WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champion, the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, and a three time WWE Women’s Champion.

IYO SKY is an 18 year veteran, in that time she has been; a one time TLW World Young Women’s Tag-Team Champion, the 2009 Captain’s Fall Six Person Tag-Team Tournament winner, a six time Artist of Stardom Champion, a one time Goddesses of Stardom Champion, a one time High Speed Champion, a 1 time, and inaugural, SWA World Champion, a two time Wonder of Stardom Champion, a two time World of Stardom Champion, the 2014 5*Star GP winner, a one time Americas World Mixed Tag-Team Champion, the 2022 Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic winner, a one time NXT Women’s Tag-Team Champion, a one time NXT Women’s Champion, a two time WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champion, the 2023 Women’s Money in the Bank winner, and a two time WWE Women’s Champion.

Naomi is a 16 year veteran, and in the time she has been; a one time FCW Divas Champion, a one time Impact/TNA Knockouts World Champion, the 2018 WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal winner, a two time WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champion, the 2025 Women’s Money in the Bank winner, and a three time, and current WWE Women’s World Champion.

I am expecting this to be a fun match. Ripley and SKY are two of the best in the business right now, and while Naomi isn’t the best in-ring wrestler, she can hold her own, and this change in character has helped her a lot. She can be more vicious, and that helps to cover some of her weaknesses. She has shown that in her matches with Cargill, and so I’m excited to see how she does with Ripley and SKY tonight. The winner here has to prepare for Vaquer at Clash in Paris. I’m not sure what is next for SKY if she loses here; she could team up with The Kabuki Warriors and either stay in the chase for the World Championship or go after the Intercontinental Championship, but she seems the most directionless coming out of this match. If my prediction for WarGames is right, and Ripley loses here, she could side with the New Generation team there or face the winner of Vaquear vs Naomi. If Naomi loses here, she can keep her momentum going, but honestly, she deserves the win tonight; she has more than earned a run that has a solid win in it, and if/when she loses the title to Vaquer, they can carry a feud through the Royal Rumble.

Winner and still WWE Women’s World Champion: Naomi

Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena

Image Credit: WWE

At Night of Champions, Cody Rhodes would win the 2025 King of the Ring to earn this match.

Cody Rhodes is a 19 year veteran, in that time he has been; A one time OVW Television Champion, a two time OVE Tag-Team Champion, a one time OVW Heavyweight CHampion, a one time WCPW Internet Champion, a one time BPW Champion, a one time A1 Tag-Team Champion, a one time GFW NEX*GEN CHampion, a one time NEW Heavyweight Champion, a one time ROH World Six-man Tag-Team Champion, a one time ROH World Champion, a one time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, a three time, and inaugural, AEW TNT Champion, an eight time WWE Tag-Team, a two time WWE Intercontinental Champion, the 2023 and 2024 Royal Rumble winner, the 2025 King of the Ring, and a one time WWE Champion.

John Cena is a 26 year veteran, in that time he has been: a one time UPW Heavyweight Champion, a one time OVW Southern Tag-Team Champion, a one time OVW Heavyweight Champion, a four time WWE Tag-Team Champion, a five time WWE United States Champion, the 2008 and 2013 Royal Rumble winner, the 2012 Money in the Bank winner, the Guinness World Record for longest WWE face run before turning heel at 7,786 days, and, a record breaking, and current, 17 time WWE Champion.

A lot has been said about Cena’s heel turn and the follow-up, and I understand the hate it’s gotten. It didn’t start the best, with the whole Rock being there and then not, Travis Scott taking his sweet time getting to the ring at WrestleMania, and some not-so-great matches. I do think Cena’s motivation works; he spent his best years giving his everything to WWE, and was never appreciated. He got the nostalgia love when he became a part-timer, but that just plays into his whole mindset. Fans only appreciated him when he became a special attraction, not when he strapped the company on his back for over ten years. Also, he brought his working sneakers to Night of Champions, and if he can do that here, we will get a much better match than SummerSlam.

Rhodes finished his story at WrestleMania XL and was able to ride that wave for a year before losing the title to Cena at WrestleMania 41. He took some time off after the loss and, since returning, has made it his mission to stop Cena from killing wrestling. And honestly, he needs to win here; it makes the most sense, and a loss here only works if Rhodes finally finds a way to win at Cena’s last show.

With this being a street fight, they will be able to work around Cena’s weaknesses, and to be fair, some of Cena’s best matches are gimmick matches. Cena will for sure have some sort of backup, and Rhodes will have some as well. Cena has made a few enemies since returning, so I’m sure we will see Ron Killings, Randy Orton, and possibly Jey Uso or CM Punk during this match. In the end, like I already said, Rhodes needs to win here; otherwise, Cena is going to end his career as a heel, as opposed to losing here, and then realizing the error of his ways, and being able to go out as a face.

Winner and new Undisputed WWE Champion: Cody Rhodes