WWE SummerSlam 2026 predictions, match card analysis for Night 1: Why CM Punk retains
Night 1 of SummerSlam gives us more variety than we are used to from WWE at these big eventsTriple H and Co.are giving us two six-person matches, a Hell in a Cell clash and the return of Nick Aldis after three years out of the ring.
The cherry on top at U.S.Bank Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN Unlimited) is seeing CM Punk and Cody Rhodes have their first single match since September 2008, this time with the richest prize in WWE and possibly their on-screen friendship on the line.With plenty at stake in Minneapolis, Post pro wrestling columnist Joseph Staszewski tries his best to predict how it will all play out.This one really could go either way and it feels like there needs to be a betrayal.
More damage is done to the loose alliance of Knight, Sikoa and Keys moving forward with a loss, and Jimmy could take the pin if WWE wants to protect Fatu and Jey.Roman Reigns is going to need challengers after being done with Seth Rollins and one of them could come from this trio. Even with that said, the story won’t have a major thread to move it forward unless someone turns.
If WWE does have The Bloodline win, it could be Sikoa rejoining the family — even if he feels rejuvenated as a babyface.Keys turning heel on Sikoa without joining The Bloodline gives them both something to do after SummerSlam and still leaves Knight — who has longstanding issues with The Bloodline — free to chase gold. Keys has a longstanding friendship with Fatu, and he will do something to open the door for The Bloodline to pin Sikoa to get the win.Pick: The BloodlineThis match needs to be about reestablishing Nikki Bella fresh off her return on Raw from a serious ankle injury she suffered before WrestleMania.
Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley have already taken the Women’s tag team championships off Paige and Nikki’s twin sister Brie, so it’s time to get full revenge.Brie’s return after eight years away was about getting the Bella Twins a run as tag champs, and you have to feel WWE...