By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Staffer
Welcome to the biggest party of the summer: Roman Reigns’ … er … SummerSlam! In a twist, McGuire’s Mondays now means McGuire’s Hot In Cleveland (sans Betty White) Saturday nights. I’ll spare you more yammering. Let’s go.
6:47 p.m.: And so here we are. I drove all this way for some press box Wing garlic parm wings and a SummerSlam broke out. As Pat McAfee made his entrance for the live crowd, I sat down, so forgive me if I’ve missed anything. Drums are being erected in the ring. Jelly Roll must be imminent.
6:55 p.m.: Ut oh. A “light rain will start in 15 minutes” weather alert just came through on my technological device. No way … right?
6:57 p.m.: As the obligatory shots of people arriving backstage aired on the big screens in the stadium, CM Punk garnered the biggest reaction from the live crowd by my very scientific measurement (Seth and Cody were close seconds). And then … well … Jelly Roll.
7:02 p.m.: At the time of the official tip, there were noticeable swaths of seats empty, but by no means does the stadium look empty from this bird’s eye view. I feel for Jelly Roll, man. Dude sings “God Bless America” and then they ask him to stand in the ring for even longer. Walking around the stadium earlier, I was drenched in sweat. I can’t even imagine how it must feel all the way down there under those lights. Naturally, The Paul Levesque Era’s biggest highlight to date is Trips having the ability to formally introduce Mr. Roll to the masses. Also of note: I had no idea Nasty Boy Knobbs was playing drums for the guy these days.
7:09 p.m.: The press box really loves it some Rhea Ripley.
7:14 p.m.: Boy, you forget how long WWE entrances can feel in person when you haven’t seen them in person for a long time. At this rate – and judging by Liv Morgan’s entrance alone – Cody won’t make it to the ring until Survivor Series. In my frantic rush to get going in time, I left something out. I didn’t know this until I saw it tonight, so maybe I’m late to the party, but WWE does something Taylor Swift-level smart in that it sets up merch stands outside the gates around the venue. I get it. Why leave any dollars on the table if you can take all of the dollars with you. But it does make me wonder: How often might fans wander down to something like this without the intention to get sucked in, see some shirts, feel the atmosphere and pull up StubHub on their phones to see if they can get into this stuff for cheap? Or, for that matter, how many non-paying fans who don’t even go into the event give WWE money by throwing 40 bucks at a Bloodline T-shirt?
7:20 p.m.: The Ref Cam! On the big screen!
7:32 p.m.: The crowd really woke up for the finish of Rhea vs. Liv. The Dom stuff was clever. I can’t and probably won’t ever get used to being in a press box, working, doing media/journalism/whatever you want to call it and the majority of the people in said press box act like they are fans in the crowd. When the kiss between Dom and Liv happened, it felt like I was at a house party. I say that without judgment. Just noting: Tough to get used to. I’m old.
7:40 p.m.: Bron Breakker’s entrance is so underwhelming live. Shoot. It’s so underwhelming on television. WWE should do something about that.
7:48 p.m.: You can’t tell me Bron Breakker is a heel. The stadium, along with the media, erupted in applause when he won (also, did something in that match go awry? That finish felt like it came out of nowhere and it wasn’t long after some miscommunication appeared to happen. Not sure what was shown on television; just speaking to what I saw from up here). People love this guy. Some argue the world of tweeners isn’t a viable place to be in pro wrestling and while that might be true long-term, Breakker is sure doing quite well living in that space currently. My only question: How do you turn him full-on babyface but keep his edge? It’s tricky but not impossible.
7:55 p.m.: One-hour attendance check – those swaths of seats are still not filled and that’s surprising. It looks like we have what we’re going to have for the night, audience-wise. Again, it’s a stadium. And the stadium has more than enough people in it to feel like this is a success. I just sort of expected WWE to draw a little more than what my eye is seeing.
7:59 p.m.: Stephanie McMahon showed up! Not in the box. In the crowd. But that’s fun. I wonder if she’d be up for taking a look at the Pink Floyd “The Wall” exhibit currently up at the Rock Hall across the street. I bet she’s more of a Roger Waters guy than a David Gilmour guy and that’s disappointing.
8:01 p.m.: I just heard someone in the press box say the Hawk Tuah girl is in the building. I present that without comment.
8:04 p.m.: The centuries-old feud between Cleveland, Ohio, and Hagerstown, Maryland, culminates, finally, with this U.S. title match.
8:17 p.m.: Just watching how sweaty Logan Paul is, I’d love to know if these people enjoy performing outside in the middle of August when it rained earlier and might rain later so the humidity is wild. That in mind … wait, oh my God, LA Knight just killed Logan Paul.
8:20 p.m.: LA Knight might have the pop of the night thus far. After all this time, that guy continues to be this weird phenomenon where he’s not Daniel Bryan-over where other people’s segments are hijacked because of him, but he never really seems to lose steam being one of the most over people on in the company, despite losses, questionable programming and sometimes not even making it onto television. It’s quite the sweet spot and I can’t recall another situation like like with a wrestler in recent memory. Whatever it is, good for him on getting some gold tonight. I root for that guy.
8:33 p.m.: Lots and lots and lots and lots of empty seats for this Bayley vs. Jax match. I feel for those women. That said, it’s a little after 8:30 p.m. EST, about an hour and a half into the card, and we’ve seen only three complete matches. I can understand if the crowd is feeling a little restless. That said (again), since there is so much space between these matches with video packages, et al, why couldn’t you go grab a hot dog or use the bathroom or buy your shirt then? Why skip a match when there are only seven of them?
8:45 p.m.: Bayley’s powerbomb woke up a live crowd that desperately needed to be woken up.
8:51 p.m.: I don’t know about you, but I’m super looking forward to my Friday nights being filled with manufactured tension between Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton from now until Royal Rumble 2027, at which time somehow Roxanne Perez will be inserted into the program and there will be two other women with MITB briefcases running around WWE programming. Because drama.
8:55 p.m.: How is there still light in the sky? I would have definitely taken the under on when the sun would be completely set and I would have lost money.
9:07 p.m.: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre is the match this crowd wanted to see most to this point. We have two more matches after this, but I’d bet this live crowd stays with that opinion by the time the night is over. The only reason anyone cares about the main event is because of the potential of seeing someone who isn’t even wrestling in it. When it comes to only what match these people are up for most, it’s gotta be this. If a stadium can feel electric, this was the closest it’s been all night.
9:17 p.m.: The biggest pop for a friendship bracelet since Travis Kelce … oh, forget it.
9:22 p.m.: I don’t know, man. For two guys who have spent months insisting on making us believe they really hate each other, this Punk/MacIntyre match feels like it lacks something live. I’m not sure how this is coming across on television, but Rollins is more distracting than anything. It kind of takes away from whatever type of blood feud this is supposed to be. Maybe the commentators are doing a better job putting it over on the broadcast, but halfway through the match, it feels like things should be more intense.
9:25 p.m.: OK, maybe a little more than halfway through the match. Maybe through all of the match. Yeah, I expected more.
9:35 p.m.: Wait. What. They just showed a “WWE Legends Suite” on the big screen? What? If I can get five minutes with Bastion Booger, expect a Dot Net exclusive.
9:46 p.m.: Pro wrestling shows at an outside venue are a mixed bag. There is a stark contrast between this Gunther vs. Priest match after the sky has gone totally dark and the Ripley vs. Morgan match that opened the show. It almost feels like two different shows (and, in some ways, the feeling like some matches are opening acts for the entire event). Pro wrestling is best under bright, multicolored lights and a dark backdrop that at least makes it feel like you’re in a room. It took until this, the second-to-last match of the night, to really get that feeling. Punk vs. McIntyre sort of had it towards the end, but Priest vs. Gunther is the first complete package. It’s all to say … are stadium shows really this necessary?
9:51 p.m.: Oh no! I was just alerted to the reality that one, Mr. Bastion Booger passed away in 2010. I meant no harm, fellow Booger-ites. My sincerest apologies. I instead hope to track down Hikuleo, who as we all know, is a star.
9:59 p.m.: Seeing Gunther be happy at ringside and kiss his wife is a shock to the system.
10:05 p.m.: Cleveland sure does love its hometown boys. Wait. The Miz is telling me almost 58,000 people are in this stadium. Oh, but did you know Wembley … never mind.
10:12 p.m.: Fleetwood Mac, Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello – those are just a few of the fine rock and roll shows I’ve attended while visiting fabulous Cleveland, Ohio, throughout my life. Nothing compares, however, to Jelly Roll choke-slamming Austin Theory.
10:19 p.m.: The way a live crowd stands up after Cody’s opponent’s entrance music ends and turns to the entrance to see when Cody will appear and Cody’s music will start should be studied. That’s some real rock star stuff there, friends.
10:31 p.m.: Cody’s tan is so thick, he looks like a basketball draped in an American flag from the press box.
10:38 p.m.: The vibe at this point is so silly. Nobody cares about a rest hold in a Bloodline Rules match, for God’s sake! Everyone is just sitting on their hands until the nonsense begins. Definite “What are we even doing out here right now” feelings from the crowd. And rightfully so. Come on, guys.
10:49 p.m.: Man, even though everyone was waiting on him, the second Jacob Fatu appeared, it was like 58,000 people collectively lost their breath. I love to see it.
10:53 p.m.: There is Roman Reigns and then there is everybody else.
10:57 p.m.: That’s it and that’s all. A newsworthy SummerSlam for a lot of story reasons, but did it feel like one of the year’s best pro wrestling events? I’m not so sure. Perhaps I’ll have more to say on Monday …
It was Liv Morgan versus Rhea Ripley, not Becky Lynch like your headline says.