Roman Reigns returned fire in the Bloodline Civil War, meeting the words of Solo Sikoa with actions on Saturday night at the 2024 edition of WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland. Reigns returned to WWE for the first time since losing to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 in April, aiding his former rival in defeating the replacement Tribal Chief, Sikoa, in the main event of SummerSlam.
Cleveland hosted a dramatic event chock-full of betrayal, tension and misdeeds. Rhodes successfully defended his undisputed WWE championship in Saturday's main event thanks to Reigns' unlikely assistance. Drew McIntyre scored vengeance against CM Punk with Seth Rollins serving as a distraction, and the Judgement Day imploded from multiple betrayals.
Beyond those storyline developments, there were four title changes on the show, notable since WWE has not seen most of its main roster championships switch hands since WrestleMania.
CBS Sports was with you the entire way throughout WWE SummerSlam. Check out our match results and grades below along with highlights from the show even further down the page.
2024 WWE SummerSlam results, grades
Women's World Championship -- Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley: SummerSlam's opening match had two primary subplots: The love triangle involving Dominik Mysterio and a cat-and-mouse game. Morgan was apprehensive about a straightforward fight, preferring to flee and find openings. Both superstars flirted with Dominik to try and get under their rival's skin. Ripley eventually got her hands on Morgan but her offense was short-lived. The champion hurled Ripley into the corner post, aggravating her previously legitimate shoulder injury. Ripley, in character, claimed, "My shoulder is out," but refused to concede. Mysterio, who accompanied Ripley to the ring, showed his allegiance by throwing himself in front of Morgan's suicide dive. A bizarre spot saw Ripley ram her shoulder into the announcers' table to pop it back into place. Morgan looked horrified as Ripley stormed the ring.
Morgan countered Riptide with a DDT before Ripley locked in a one-arm Prism Lock. Morgan's brightest moment was a crucifix driver and armbar. The shoulder spot became a recurring bit. Ripley repeatedly rammed her shoulder into the turnbuckle to put it back in place. Morgan tried to get herself disqualified -- titles don't change hands via DQ or countout -- by hitting Ripley with a steel chair. Ripley countered Morgan by hitting her with a Riptide. Ripley picked up the chair instead of going for the pinfall. Mysterio tried to talk some sense into Ripley, during which Morgan pushed Ripley into Mysterio and hit Oblivion. Ripley kicked out at two, but a second distraction by Mysterio allowed Morgan to hit her finisher on a steel chair. Post-match, Mysterio handed Morgan the title and kissed her, confirming his betrayal of Ripley. Mysterio flipped off the SummerSlam crowd as a seething Ripley looked on. An angry Damian Priest interrogated Judgement Day about Mysterio's actions shortly after the mach.
Morgan vs. Ripley was arguably SummerSlam's second-best storyline coming in, behind CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre. This is an instance where a deceptive finish was welcome, perfectly playing into the soap opera-heavy story. Ripley looked strong and sympathetic in defeat, Morgan and Mysterio elevated their profiles in victory. It's not a five-star athletic match but an excellent representation of this type of pro wrestling. Morgan (c) def. Ripley via pinfall to retain the title. Grade: A
Intercontinental Championship -- Sami Zayn (c) vs. Bron Breakker: Saturday's sophomore match was the antithesis of the opening contest, which was a fast-paced workhorse match. Both men made crucial mistakes early by going for signature moves. An overzealous Breakker hurt his shoulder spearing the ring post, and Zayn whiffed on a Helluva Kick. The challenger hit a nice Frankensteiner off the top ropes, an ode to his uncle Scott Steiner. The champ hit Breakker with a Blue Thunder Bomb and an exploder suplex in what felt like 5 minutes into the match.
Zayn lined Breakker up for a match-ending Helluva Kick but was intercepted by a nasty spear. The Cleveland crowd barked in favor of Breakker as the challenger followed up with an even meaner spear to win the intercontinental title. Blink and you missed most of this match. The crowd had no time to be bored, but the short runtime left something to be desired from two superstars with more to give. On the plus side, it sets up a trilogy match that hopefully will be granted more time. Breakker def. Zayn (c) to win the title. Grade: B-
United States Championship -- Logan Paul (c) vs. LA Knight: Paul was accompanied by musician Machine Gun Kelly. Knight rolled up in Paul's Prime-branded Hummer that he stole on SmackDown, busting out the blue-tinted windows with a steel pipe. Fists started flying before the match. Knight repeatedly slammed Paul's head into the announce table before planting the champ with a burning hammer neckbreaker onto the table. Knight rolled his opponent into the ring and the match was underway. The match was evenly contested throughout. The crowd was clearly behind the challenger despite Paul being born nearby.
Knight nearly won after landing a big top-rope elbow drop, but Paul answered nicely with a springboard clothesline. Paul's athleticism is remarkable, and he often delivers a memorable spot. Saturday's might have been his best yet. Paul executed an incredible spinning springboard moonsault to the outside. Paul subsequently countered Knight's signature BFT with a haymaker punch. The commentators made a big deal of Paul's titanium fist but Knight kicked out at the last moment. The moonsault wasn't the match's only huge spot. Knight landed a gnarly avalanche brainbuster that was legitimately scary to witness. Fortunately, Paul seemed unharmed. MGK slipped brass knuckles to Paul in the closing moments. The champion cracked Knight with the foreign weapon but couldn't seal the deal. Knight flawlessly countered a Buckshot Lariat into a BFT to win the title.
Knight and Paul had fantastic chemistry. The execution of the counters was terrific and the two major spots looked beautiful. Knight was overdue for a singles title reign, his first main roster belt in a 21-year-long career. The U.S. title has a good chance of being on par with the intercontinental title under Knight's watch. Knight def. Paul (c) via pinfall to win the title. Grade: A
WWE Women's Championship -- Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax: Jax entered the ring wearing her crown, a reminder that she earned this title shot by winning the Queen of the Ring tournament in May. David vs. Goliath showdown. The champion's speed and experience provided her with windows of opportunities, but Jax's sheer strength often gave her the edge. Jax relied primarily on power moves, including her signature Samoan drops inside and outside the ring. Jax was gobsmacked when Bayley kicked out of her Banzai drop finisher, dubbed the A-Nia-Later.
Bayley showed plenty of underdog spirit but also shrugged off her label as the undersized champion. Bayley slid underneath as Jax set up for a second A-Nia-Later, lifting up the challenger with a powerbomb. It won't have the cultural impact of Hulk Hogan power-slamming Andre the Giant, but Bayley's feat was praiseworthy as she walked around with Jax on her shoulders. Ultimately, Bayley could not overcome the power disadvantage. Tiffany Stratton teased a Money in the Bank cash-in, giving Jax the space to hit two powerbombs and two mores A-Nia-Later to become champion. Jax and Stratton celebrated post-match.
This match won't get a lot of love compared to tonight's heavy-hitters, but it was a solid showing. Bayley's powerbomb was legitimately impressive, and Jax continued to grow as a performer. Having Jax as champion and Stratton as Ms. Money in the Bank will create an interesting dynamic for their partnership moving forward. Jax def. Bayley (c) via pinfall to win the title. Grade: B
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (Seth Rollins as special guest referee): The tension between Punk, McIntyre and Rollins was palpable. Punk and McIntyre brawled off the bat. Each man's refusal to adhere to five counts implored Rollins to get physically involved. The action spilled outside as Punk repeatedly rammed McIntyre's head into steel steps. McIntyre retaliated by swinging Punk into the announce table. While Rollins diligently applied the rules early, he ignored countouts to let McIntyre and Punk beat each other. McIntyre manhandled Punk through the middle portion, chucking Punk around and slapping him in the face. The dynamic between Rollins and the competing superstars was a primary factor in the match. McIntyre compelled Rollins to turn a blind eye to using a steel chair. Rollins snatched the chair from McIntyre, prompting McIntyre to pie-face the referee. Rollins attempted to hit McIntyre with the chair but nearly struck Punk instead. Punk pieced together a flurry of signature moves -- including a top rope elbow drop and Anaconda Vice, setting up a crucial theme in the match.
Punk made a rare psychological error, retrieving the sentimental bracelet McIntyre stole from him instead of completing the submission. McIntyre took advantage by cracking a distracted Punk with a Claymore but only managed a two count. Notably, Rollins took the bracelet off the mat and wore it around his wrist. Punk lifted McIntyre onto his shoulders for Go To Sleep but was again distracted by the bracelet. Punk saw Rollins wearing the bracelet and dropped McIntyre off his shoulders. Punk accused Rollins of playing mind games, which Rollins staunchly denied. McIntyre shoved Punk into Rollins and set up a Future Shock DDT, the same move that legitimately injured Punk at the Royal Rumble. Punk countered with the Go To Sleep but Rollins was still recovering on the floor. Rollins rolled back in but McIntyre kicked out after a delayed two-count.
An argument ensued between Punk and Rollins, the latter of whom proclaimed that Punk wasn't welcome in WWE after having his buttons pushed. Punk hit Rollins with a GTS before turning his attention to McIntyre. McIntyre kicked Punk in the groin -- a callback to Clash at the Castle where Punk did the same to McIntyre -- and hit a match-ending Claymore. A compromised Rollins made a slow, hesitant three-count to award McIntyre the victory. McIntyre snatched the bracelet post-match as he mocked Punk.
Much like Morgan vs. Ripley, this match prioritized long-running drama over in-ring action. It was an all-around success. Punk's rare tactical errors suggested ring rust, McIntyre finally scored a measure of vengeance on Punk, and Rollins was reintroduced as an integral part of the feud. WWE has many ways to pivot from here. Options are a good thing. McIntyre def. Punk via pinfall. Grade: A
World Heavyweight Championship -- Damian Priest (c) vs. GUNTHER: Priest entered the match as an underdog champion, a stigma emphasized early in the match. GUNTHER overwhelmed Priest with his combination of physical power, technical brilliance and ring generalship. It took a while but Priest turned the tide with a top-rope hurricanrana and his signature Broken Arrow. The next phase of the match was striking-oriented: Priest's MMA-inspired strikes vs. GUNTHER's chops. Priest's dynamic striking was more effective. The champion even managed to make GUNTHER -- arguably WWE's best chopper -- bleed from chops. "The Ring General" GUNTHER reputation preceded him. Priest made the mistake of trying a second spinning kick. GUNTHER scouted the move, scooped the leg and planted Priest with a T-bone suplex. GUNTHER followed with a barrage of strikes. Finn Balor tried to will his Judgement Day leader Priest to life as GUNTHER continued to chop the champ's lifeless body.
GUNTHER knocked Balor off the apron, a misdeed that spurred Priest back to life. Priest planted GUNTHER with a Razor's Edge and South of Heaven, but Balor draped GUNTHER's leg over the rope to break the count. Priest wasn't immediately aware of the betrayal but caught the incident on the big screen replay. GUNTHER locked in a rear-naked choke as Priest tried to confront Balor. It appeared that Priest would pass out, but the champ rolled over and nearly pinned GUNTHER. Priest couldn't ignore the treachery and lunged again for Balor. GUNTHER intercepted with a powerbomb and rear-naked choke for the technical submission victory.
The opening match set the table for a complete coup within the Judgement Day. The match was great, but it had some things going against it. The drama-heavy nature of the match was similar to Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley and CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins. There was definitely fan sympathy for Priest, but it didn't feel quite as strong as it did for the night's other heroes. WWE is also heading towards a Bloodline civil war storyline, making a similar storyline involving the Judgement Day not quite as intriguing. Kudos to the parties involved for putting in a hard-hitting effort and doing the best they could within the confines of the story. GUNTHER def. Priest (c) via submission to win the title. Grade: B+
Undisputed WWE Championship -- Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa (Bloodline Rules): Sikoa notably entered without The Bloodline. Rhodes received encouraging words from the legendary Four Horsemen member Arn Anderson en route to the ring with Arn telling the champ he had friends around. Your mileage will vary on Sikoa as Tribal Chief, but he reminded folks his aura is most potent in singles matches. Sikoa was intimidating, powerful and tactical from the get-go. Sikoa blocked Rhodes' signature fallback mat strike, warning the champ that he's been studied. The main eventers had a back-and-forth match taking place between the ropes and ringside. Sikoa had the better reads for much of the match, allowing him to land big moves. Rhodes capitalized on a small opening to remedy his grief. Rhodes lept onto the corner ropes, intercepting Sikoa with a superplex. Sikoa's hubris got the better of him during a back-and-forth exchange. Sikoa tried to hit Rhodes with his Rhodes' finisher but the champ countered into a Cross Rhodes. The champ didn't have time to capitalize as Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa stormed the ring. The Bloodline dragged Sikoa over Rhodes but the champion kicked out. Queue Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. Rhodes' allies had been absent for weeks after being attacked by The Bloodline but returned on Saturday to even the odds.
The three fan-favorites hit Sikoa with signature moves, yet the challenge managed to shrug his shoulder off the mat for a two-count. Rhodes repeatedly struck Sikoa with steel steps. The champion was prepared to take Sikoa's head off with the stairs, similar to what he did to AJ Styles at Clash at the Castle. Sikoa countered with a spear but was soon after the victim of a pair of Cross Rhodes. The champ lined up Sikoa for a match-ending third consecutive finisher, but Jacob Fatu made his presence known. The Bloodline's new enforcer tore through Rhodes before Sikoa crawled over for the cover. Rhodes managed to kick out at the final moment but it only made things worse. Fatu lunged again, laying Rhodes across the announcers' table and driving him through the table with a top rope splash. It appeared Fatu may have legitimately injured his ankle or knee on the landing. Sikoa rolled Rhodes into the ring and hit a top rope splash, yet the fighting champion kicked out. Rhodes hit a Cody Cutter as both men laid fatigued.
That's when Roman Reigns' music hit, eliciting a huge ovation from the Cleveland crowd. Reigns took his time entering the ring. he came face-to-face with Sikoa, slugging him with a Superman punch and shredding him with a spear. Reigns gave Rhodes an acknowledging nod before exiting the ring. Rhodes hit Sikoa with a match-ending Cross Rhodes and stared down Reigns while covering Sikoa.
Candidly, I was prepared to give this match a lower grade. I was burnt out from the sheer quantity of slow burn dramatic matches on the card. But people mostly remember the finale and SummerSlam's finale was awesome. The live audience came unglued for Reigns, who set the stage for an incredible Bloodline civil war that will probably carry SmackDown into November's Survivor Series PPV. Some logic gaps dragged the match down. The most notable was Fatu's late arrival. There were a few instances where Sikoa could have believably lost, putting Fatu's absence into question. Still, it was a phenomenal conclusion to SummerSlam that sets the scene for the rest of 2024. Rhodes (c) def. Sikoa via pinfall to retain the title. Grade: A
