WWE SummerSlam Kickoff event notes (video included): CM Punk, John Cena, Randy Orton, Rhea Ripley, Nikki Bella, Becky Lynch, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Tiffany Stratton, Paul Levesque

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

The following are the notables from the WWE SummerSlam Kickoff event that was held on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in in New York, New York, at Javits Center.

-Michael Cole and Peter Rosenberg hosted the event. Cole started by announcing that SummerSlam is moving to Las Vegas. Okay, not really.

-Randy Orton took the stage. The fans sang his song. At one point, Orton remarked, “I don’t know that part either.” Cole asked whether Orton would prefer to face Cody Rhodes or Jey Uso in the King of the Ring finals. A “Cody” chant broke out. Orton said he loves Cody like a brother and credited him with changing the industry. Orton put over Uso while pausing for “yeet” chants. Orton conceded that he would like to beat Cody.

-Rosenberg asked Orton if he would prefer to face John Cena or CM Punk for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. The fans chanted for Punk. Orton said he’s been hearing fans chant Punk’s name for 16 years, whether he was in the company or not. Orton said he has to face Punk at some point, but he wants to kick Cena’s ass.

-WWE Champion John Cena made the next appearance and was serenaded with the usual “John Cena sucks” taunts. Cole said there was an altercation involving Cena, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk. Cena downplayed the idea that it was an altercation and told fans to watch the video.

-Cole asked Cena what happened to him. A “you sold out” chant broke out. Cena said he wouldn’t spoil anything. “I’m giving you nothing today,” Cena said. He encouraged the fans to let him have it. He mocked the crowd by saying, “Thank you, New Jersey.”

-Cole recalled that Punk beat Cena at SummerSlam in 2011 and questioned if history would repeat itself at Night of Champions. Cena rejected the question, saying that he wouldn’t spoil anything. Cena said he was asked to give ten minutes and planned to dodge the questions.

-Rosenberg asked Cena if he had any other boxes he wanted to check during the time he had left in his WWE career. Cena said he would waste 90 seconds by taking requests, then asked fans if there were any boxes he should check. A fan mentioned Triple H. Cena said they can’t do that one.

-Cena put his arm around Cole and spoke about how he loves putting him in tough positions. Cena said he loves Cole and forgave Cole for the things he’s been saying about him on television. Cena said he hoped the fans liked Smackdown because they are cooking up something for the next show. Cena encouraged fans to watch Night of Champions and then wrapped up his appearance.

-Nikki Bella was the next guest. She spoke about the first Evolution show and how it made the female wrestlers feel like equals. Nikki said what the women are doing today is incredible. She said they have exceeded the idea of raising the bar. Nikki said the women stole the show at WrestleMania, and she’s happy that the women will have a full show dedicated to them. Nikki wrapped up her brief appearance.

-Rhea Ripley was the next guest. Cole asked what was going on between her and Raquel Rodriguez. Ripley spoke about how they were like sisters in NXT. She played up Rodriguez pulling her out of the ring to prevent her from winning the Queen of the Ring tournament. She said she kicked Rodriguez’s ass and got her payback.

-Ripley called her match with Dakota Kai for NXT Women’s UK Title at the first Evolution one of the highlights of her career. She said the first Evolution was the same day that she started her career for Riot City Wrestling in Australia six years earlier. Ripley said they will kill it at Evolution.

-Cole turned the focus to SummerSlam, and said it’s the one event that Ripley has had no success at. He played up last year’s SummerSlam as one of the worst nights of her life. Ripley said she hasn’t had a good run at SummerSlam and thanked Cole for pointing it out. She playfully had the fans boo Cole. Ripley said she likes “title time” and questioned whether it would be with Tiffany Stratton or Iyo Sky. She said it doesn’t matter because Mami is always on top.

-WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton was the next guest. Rosenberg brought up Stratton’s lousy first pitch at the New York Mets game. She said she was going for a viral moment. “Mission accomplished,” Stratton said. She delivered her “Tiffy Time” line and wrapped up her brief appearance.

Powell’s POV: Jonny Fairplay claims the same thing about his even more hideous first pitch at a minor league baseball game. I don’t believe either one of them.

-Jey Uso entered through the crowd before joining Cole and Rosenberg on the stage. The fans chanted “one more time.” Jey obliged. Jey was asked whether he would prefer to face Gunther or Goldberg if he wins King of the Ring. Jey chose Gunther. He said he’s never faced Goldberg, but he wants to run it back with Gunther. Jey was asked to talk about his run with the World Heavyweight Championship reign, but he was interrupted by entrance music.

-Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker walked out. Breakker held the Money in the Bank briefcase. Rollins spoke of winning the World Heavyweight Championship. Rollins said he had an insurance policy on top of an insurance policy. Rollins and Breakker left the stage. Cole wished Jey good luck. Jey spoke about winning King of the Ring and finding his way back to the World Heavyweight Championship.

-Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch was the next guest. The fans chanted along with Lynch’s theme song. She said The Man has come around to New York City. The fans responded by chanting her name. Now that’s a heel! Er… Cole brought up Lynch’s match with Bayley that will be held on Monday’s Raw. A fan said something that was censored. Lynch said the fan said it, so she didn’t have to.

-Rosenberg recalled Lynch tearing the house down with Charlotte Flair at the first Evolution, and asked how she could surpass it. Lynch said she surpasses it every time she steps through the curtain. Cole asked Lynch about SummerSlam taking place at MetLife Stadium. Lynch asked if anyone remembered what happened when WrestleMania was held there. A “Becky Two Belts” chant broke out. She said it just might be a prediction of what she’s looking to do.

-CM Punk was the next guest. The fans sang along with Punk’s entrance music as he walked out dressed in a suit. The fans continued to sing the song after it stopped playing, and then chanted Punk’s name. There was a baby in the crowd that was dressed like Punk. It turned out that the same baby was dressed like Punk last year at Fanatics Fest. Punk left the stage and held up the baby.

-Punk returned to the stage and was asked about being put through a table on Smackdown. Punk said it was the Slim Jim table, and he said it hurt ten times more than a regular table. Funny. Rosenberg was asked whether Cena’s comments on Smackdown made things more personal. Punk said he doesn’t think so. “Just because people come out on television and lies about me doesn’t make it true,” Punk said.

-Punk mentioned Travis Scott at one point and then said he’s more of an Ice Cube guy. “No vaseline,” Punk said. “That’s what John’s in store for.” Punk called the Ice Cube song the greatest diss track of all time.

-Punk spoke about facing Cena, and said it’s a different Cena who takes shortcuts. Punk said he’s dealing with a Cena who is desperate and knows his window is closing. Punk said his job is to take the title from Cena and make him apologize to the people.

-Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s entrance theme interrupted Cole. Levesque, Cole, and Rosenberg set up to do the water spit bit together. Cole pumped his arms. Levesque laughed asked what he was doing. Cole said he was warming up. Levesque said it looked like Cole was trying to do what the baby was doing in its diaper. They did the spit bit. Cole said Rosenberg did a good job, but Cole does it horribly each time. Levesque spoke about the fan fest event and SummerSlam taking place in New Jersey. Cole wrapped up the event.

Powell’s POV: The fans had fun, but this was a forgettable event with nothing newsworthy aside from seeing Punk for the first time since Cena’s promo on Smackdown. If Punk was bothered by anything that Cena said, he didn’t sell it here.