
SummerSlam Night 1 featured everything fans have come to expect from WWE's premier summer event: title changes, emotional victories and stunning moments that could alter the company's biggest rivalries.
As Night 2 approaches, the fallout from Saturday's action is already impossible to ignore. Here are four takeaways from Night 1.
The second match of the night was a six-man tag team match that featured Royce Keys, Solo Sikoa and LA Knight against Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso and Jacob Fatu, all members of 'The Bloodline.'
The Usos and Fatu have long been tasked with removing Keys, Sikoa and Knight from Bloodline business but that ultimately failed, as The Bloodline fell short.
Not accomplishing what was laid before them by "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns will be a bad sign of things to come for The Bloodline.
SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis stepped into the ring for the first time in over three years against Gunther in a match that had become extremely personal in recent weeks.
The 39-year-old Aldis showed no signs of ring rust and looked just as impressive as he once did when he was competing for and winning championships in other promotions.
Despite ultimately tapping out to a sleeper hold from Gunther, fans were left hoping that Aldis would soon be stepping back into a WWE ring.
What a PERFORMANCE by @RealNickAldis at #SummerSlam! pic.twitter.com/2EMNG1aq2Y
— WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2026
The closing shot of WrestleMania 42 earlier this year saw Randy Orton standing over Cody Rhodes after losing the WWE Championship match between the two.
Orton hadn't been seen on WWE television since but that changed Saturday night when he made his return and cost the man that knocked him off at WrestleMania.
With the referee down, Orton returned through the crowd, entered the ring and delivered an RKO to Rhodes and helped CM Punk emerge victorious and remain the WWE Champion.
RANDY ORTON IS BACK
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2026
RKO TO CODY RHODES!!!! pic.twitter.com/3IK4QrUHSL
In the main event of Night 1, it was Oba Femi, a 28-year-old, up-and-coming star against Brock Lesnar, the 49-year-old veteran inside Hell in a Cell.
In the third matchup between the two, it was Femi who got the best of Lesnar for the second time in what was an all-out battle.
After the match, Femi received Lesnar's stamp of approval and was proclaimed as the future of the business.
Night 2 of SummerSlam will be Sunday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. ET.
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