What WWE Got Right (& What They Got Wrong)
James Stevens
Published Mar 27, 2026
Last year, SummerSlam was the first PPV inside the WWE Thunderdome. But this year the scenario was different when WWE held the 'Biggest Party of the Summer' at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. With over 51,000 people, a single day of SummerSlam had roughly the same attendance rate as two days of WrestleMania 37 combined.
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From several dream matches to returns of some big names, the show had everything the fans could have asked for. While some champions retained their titles, some dropped the gold to others. Overall, SummerSlam was certainly one of the best shows of the year, but rectifying some booking errors would have made it a perfect show.
9 Got Right: The New United States Champion
Sheamus defended the United States Championship against Damian Priest at SummerSlam. After the good build-up, the two men certainly delivered an awe-inspiring match.
Sheamus came close to retaining the gold a couple of times, but Priest was in the driver's seat after taking off the protective mask of Sheamus. Priest won the title after hitting a Reckoning. Priest is an exciting talent, and he can solidify his position in the mid-card after the big victory at SummerSlam.
8 Got Wrong: No International Championship Match
While the US Championship match was amazing, there was no Intercontinental Championship match. The decision has once again proved that WWE doesn't care much about the Intercontinental Title.
King Nakamura beat Apollo Crews to win the Intercontinental Championship a week ago on SmackDown. An Intercontinental Title rematch should have taken place at SummerSlam this year.
7 Got Right: Becky Lynch's Return
Bianca Belair was set to fight Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women's Championship. But she wasn't cleared to fight and hence, Carmella came out as a replacement. Given the previous long feud between Carmella and Bianca, it wasn't interesting at all.
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Shocking everyone in the arena, Becky Lynch came out and assaulted Carmella, replacing the latter as the challenger. A Manhandle Slam was enough to give her the win. The Man's return was definitely one of the highlights of the night. With Lynch's addition, the SmackDown women's division should get a big boost.
6 Got Wrong: Bianca Belair Was Squashed
While Lynch's return was spectacular, the total booking of the match was ridiculous. Lynch squashed Bianca Belair to win her fourth SmackDown Women's Championship.
Becky Lynch won the match within 27 seconds. Bianca was booked strongly from the start of this year. First, she won the women's Royal Rumble match and then made history by main eventing Day One of WrestleMania 37 and winning the SmackDown Women's Championship. After a stupendous run of over four months, it was unnecessary to lose the belt in a squash match.
5 Got Right: RK-Bro Won The Titles
The RAW Tag Team Championship match was the first match of the main show. AJ Styles and Omos defended the red twin belts against the team of Randy Orton and Riddle or RK-Bro.
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The match was good, and RK-Bro were crowned the new champions. It is the right call because team RK-Bro are over with the crowd. And Randy Orton could be a great asset to the tag team division, while Riddle might benefit from it.
4 Got Wrong: Big E Competed In The Kick-off Show
Big E made a statement last month after winning the Money in the Bank briefcase. Given the importance of the briefcase, he is supposed to look like a legit threat because he might win a world title anytime after cashing in the contract.
But instead of the main card, the Money in the Bank holder was in the kick-off show of SummerSlam. He wrestled Baron Corbin in a singles match and won the bout.
3 Got Right: Goldberg Lost
The WWE Championship match was between Goldberg and Bobby Lashley. It was a clash of titans as the two powerhouses collided. Fortunately, WWE made the right call by making Lashley the winner.
Goldberg lost the bout, but he didn't get pinned. The Almighty was handed the win because Goldberg failed to continue after suffering a leg injury. Had Goldberg won the match, he would have buried a dominant champion like Lashley, similar to The Fiend. Judging by the ending of the match, the feud might continue.
2 Got Wrong: Another Title For Charlotte Flair
Another day, another title win for Charlotte Flair. Nikki A.S.H. defended the RAW Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat match at SummerSlam.
Since Nikki A.S.H. only recently won the belt after successfully cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase, she was expected to overcome the odds. But it was The Queen whose experience in a big match came in handy, and she forced Nikki to submit in a Figure Eight submission. With another title win, Charlotte became a record 14-time Women's Champion, just two behind her father, Ric Flair. Another title run for Charlotte is repetitive, and many talents in the women's division deserve to be in the title picture.
1 Got Right: Brock Lesnar's Return
If Becky Lynch's return was amazing, Brock Lesnar's return certainly toppled it. The Beast Incarnate showed up after the main event match between John Cena and Roman Reigns. He had an intense staredown with the Tribal Chief, hinting at a possible feud with him for the Universal Championship.
Lesnar's return was booked perfectly at a colossal event like SummerSlam. With a ponytail and beard, Lesnar looked different yet intimidating. It certainly reminded fans how Roman Reigns made his comeback with a new persona at the end of SummerSlam last year.
