SummerSlam 2023: Roman Reigns retains title after stunning turn, Iyo Sky cashes in on Bianca Belair
Roman Reigns remained the WWE Undisputed Universal champion on Saturday night as he defeated Jey Uso in tribal combat at SummerSlam and he got some extra help before the pinfall.
Uso challenged Reigns to become the tribal chief of The Bloodline and the next Undisputed Universal champion. He started off slow against Reigns but it appeared he was slowly gaining the upper hand. Uso had put Solo Sikoa through the announce table and then hit a big splash from the top rope on Reigns after going through a table of his own in the stands.
Uso appeared to be ready to wrap up the win and deliver the upset of the summer. He hit the splash and as the referee counted on the pin attempt, Uso was pulled out of the ring. The mysterious hooded figure had his back to the camera. When he turned around and took off the hood, it was revealed to be Jey’s brother, Jimmy.
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Roman Reigns spears Jey Uso through a table and won the match. (WWE)
The other half of The Usos hadn’t been seen since early July when Sikoa and Reigns delivered an onslaught and he was carried out of Madison Square Garden on a stretcher. Jimmy Uso super kicked his brother and sent him back into the ring.
Jey Uso sits in disbelief after interference from his brother. (WWE)
Jimmy Uso leaves the ring after interfering in the championship match. (WWE)
Reigns, in disbelief, speared Jey through a table that was set up in the corner and got the pin to retain the championship. Jimmy left the ring without addressing what he had done.
Roman Reigns walks to the ring to face tribal combat. (WWE)
It was one of the best matchups of the night and it followed a dramatic end to the SmackDown Women’s Championship triple threat match among Asuka, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.
Asuka, the reigning champion, didn’t need to be pinned to lose the title. She had a tall order of trying to pin one of the top females in the division. Flair came into the match undefeated at SummerSlam and she showed why she had been so dominant.
Flair was on the offensive the entire night. She was hitting crossbody after crossbody and at one point hit a moonsault off the top rope on both Belair and Asuka. In one of the scarier moments of the night, Flair tossed Belair out of the ring and “The EST” hit the metal stairs but appeared to hurt her knee on the way down. Belair shrieked in pain as trainers came to look at Belair.
Belair would be helped back up the entrance pathway. But she made a reversal as she was about halfway. Flair had Asuka in the figure-four leg lock. Belair climbed the top rope and hit a 450 splash on the bum knee. But she only got the pin to two.
Flair then had Belair locked in the figure four but Asuka came over and sprayed mist in Flair’s face. Belair then reversed the situation and pinned Flair to recapture the Women’s Championship.
Her moment would be short-lived.
Iyo Sky, who won the Women’s Money in the Bank in July, came down with her tag-team partner Bayley and took advantage of the situation. She clocked Belair with the briefcase and then hit her finishing move – the Over the Moonsault. Sky got the pin and was declared the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Iyo Sky wins the SmackDown Women’s Championship after cashing in.
The final two matches were the exclamation point on a great night.
The near 60,000 in attendance who packed Ford Field in Detroit started with Logan Paul defeating Ricochet thanks to some help from one of the YouTube star’s friends. Paul, who impressed with several dynamic moves, was handed some brass knuckles at the end of the match.
He hit Ricochet in the head and pinned the high-flyer for the win. Paul then dipped out of Detroit and went to Texas to watch his brother, Jake, fight Nate Diaz.
Cody Rhodes picked up the victory over Brock Lesnar in the final match of their trilogy. Lesnar tried to overpower and embarrass Rhodes the entire night, forcing him out of the ring and trying to get the referee to count to 10. Rhodes dug deep and forced his way back in. He hit three Cross Rhodes finishers and was able to pin Lesnar for the win.
Rhodes and Lesnar shook hands after the match.
Cody Rhodes dives at Brock Lesnar. (WWE)
Seth Rollins was in action to take on Finn Balor and settle a feud that began about seven years ago when Rollins injured Balor in a match and forced the latter to relinquish his Universal Championship. Balor never forgot and came out with “seven” emblazoned across his shoulder.
It was a classic Rollins-Balor matchup. However, Balor had other things to worry about – like his Judgment Day stablemate possibly cashing in his own Money in the Bank contract. Confusion between Damian Priest and Balor gave Rollins the opening.
Priest tried to give Balor the briefcase to use as a weapon but Rollins found his own use for it and hit the curb stomp to Balor on the briefcase Rollins pinned Balor to retain the title and Priest offered a long stare to the WWE World Heavyweight Champion at the end of the match.
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Additionally, “The Megastar” LA Knight won the battle royal. Shayna Baszler got Ronda Rousey to tap in an MMA rules match. Gunther topped Drew McIntyre to remain the Intercontinental Champion.
