Night 1 of SummerSlam didn’t pull any punches and drastically changed the landscape of the WWE Universe.
Generational talent Randy Orton made a stunning return, while another WWE legend seemingly said goodbye to in-ring competition.
Let’s recap all the mayhem from SummerSlam Night 1.
The Viper Strikes Cody Rhodes
On paper, Cody Rhodes versus CM Punk for the WWE Championship was a dream match between two of the brightest WWE superstars.
From the moment the bell rang, the match proved exactly that, as the two stars exchanged blows. One thing no one saw coming was the involvement of a third generational WWE talent, Randy Orton, who made a shocking return at SummerSlam.
Just as Cody Rhodes seemed to gain the upper hand on an injured CM Punk, who tweaked his knee early in the match, Randy Orton returned with a patented RKO out of nowhere.
Orton has been absent since losing to Cody Rhodes in the main event match of WrestleMania 42. Apparently, The Viper is still sour about losing the championship match against Rhodes and decided to score some payback at SummerSlam.
Thanks to Orton’s interference, which the injured referee did not notice, CM Punk secured the pinfall over Cody Rhodes to retain the WWE Championship.
This is the third time this year that Orton has ambushed his former apprentice. This time, Cody Rhodes will likely leave no stone unturned in pursuit of a receipt.
Oba Femi Conquers Brock Lesnar Inside Hell in a Cell
GettyOba Femi won King of the Ring 2026
The Ruler has slain the Beast Incarnate inside of the domain where he was previously undefeated, Hell in a Cell.
Oba Femi prevailed over Brock Lesnar in an intense rubber match between the two giants.
Despite enduring five German Suplexes and several F5s, Oba Femi refused to give up.
Femi withstood everything the former Royal Rumble winner threw at him, including a rare Tombstone from Lesnar onto the exposed wooden ring boards.
Ultimately, Femi secured a pinfall victory over Lesnar following a grueling Hell in a Cell match.
His victory not only earned Femi the decisive win in the trilogy between Lesnar, but it also earned the respect of the Beast Incarnate.
“Here’s the future of WWE,” Lesnar said of Femi following the match.
Will Brock Lesnar Retire Again?
While praising Oba Femi, Lesnar hinted that he may be retiring from in-ring competition.
“This is the past,” Lesnar said, pointing at himself. “This is the future.”
Earlier this year, Lesnar seemingly retired following his WrestleMania 42 loss to Femi, the first bout between the two superstars.
The 10-time World Champion left his fighting gloves and boots in the ring after the match, a common sign of retirement in the wrestling industry. WWE even briefly moved him to the alumni section on the official website, reaffirming his departure.
Although he returned to reignite his feud with Femi, his loss at SummerSlam, hosted in his hometown of Minnesota, may be his final match.
Other SummerSlam Night 1 highlights include LA Knight, Royce Keys and Solo Sikoa defeating The Bloodline, Nikki Bella turning heel and Nick Aldis making his WWE in-ring debut.
WWE SummerSlam Night 1 Results: Randy Orton Returns, Brock Lesnar Retires