Photo Credit: Cageside Seats
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WWE delivered a memorable opening night of SummerSlam 2026 with championship drama, emotional moments, and a career-defining main event. By the end of the night, Oba Femi stood tall after defeating Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell. The victory marked the biggest win of Femi’s career and signaled a changing of the guard in WWE.
The event also featured CM Punk retaining the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes. However, Randy Orton’s shocking return stole much of the spotlight. Elsewhere, Liv Morgan kept the Women’s World Championship, Gunther defeated Nick Aldis, and Fatal Influence continued its rise. The night belonged to Femi, though. His victory over Lesnar may become one of WWE’s defining moments for years.
The Hell in a Cell main event capped a trilogy between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi. Both competitors entered the match with one victory each. Femi defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42, while Lesnar evened the series at Clash in Italy. Instead of cashing in his King of the Ring title opportunity, Femi chose to settle the rivalry first.
The match showcased power, violence, and determination from both men. Femi struck first and forced Lesnar onto the defensive. Still, the former UFC heavyweight champion answered with his trademark offense, delivering several German suplexes and brutal strikes.
As the battle intensified, both men used the steel environment to punish each other. Femi launched Lesnar through a table against the Cell. Lesnar answered with repeated chair shots and several crushing blows using the steel steps. Even so, Femi refused to stay down.
Lesnar connected with three F5s during the match. He even delivered a Tombstone Piledriver after exposing the wooden boards beneath the ring. Still, Femi kicked out each time and stunned the Minneapolis crowd with his resilience. Finally, Lesnar attempted another chair attack. Femi knocked the weapon away before planting Lesnar with one final Fall From Grace for the victory.
After the match, Lesnar embraced his younger rival in a powerful moment. He called Femi the future of WWE while describing himself as the past. The emotional exchange suggested this could have been Lesnar’s final WWE match. At only 28 years old, Femi now appears ready to become WWE’s next franchise player. Earlier in the evening, CM Punk successfully defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes in a technical and physical battle.
Both superstars focused on body parts throughout the contest. Rhodes targeted Punk’s injured leg, while Punk attacked Rhodes’ left shoulder. Each competitor countered signature moves and survived several convincing near falls. The closing sequence changed everything.
Punk attempted an elbow drop onto the announce table, but Rhodes escaped. Punk crashed awkwardly onto the table instead. Rhodes quickly rolled him back into the ring and delivered another Cross Rhodes. Unfortunately for Rhodes, referee Charles Robinson remained down after accidentally taking contact. That opening allowed Randy Orton to make his surprise return.
Three months after losing to Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, Orton emerged from the crowd and dropped his former student with a devastating RKO. Punk immediately capitalized with one final Go To Sleep. Robinson recovered just in time to count the pinfall, allowing Punk to retain the championship. Orton’s return immediately created fresh storylines while protecting Rhodes in defeat.
Liv Morgan also survived one of her toughest title defenses of the year. Iyo Sky controlled large portions of their Women’s World Championship match with speed and technical precision. However, Judgment Day members Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez attempted to shift the momentum through outside interference.
Sky responded by taking both women out with a spectacular moonsault to the floor. Despite that effort, Morgan found another opening. She connected with a codebreaker before hitting Oblivion to secure the pinfall and retain her championship after an exciting contest.
Gunther also picked up an important victory over Nick Aldis. Although Aldis had not wrestled in three years, he impressed the audience with several powerful offensive sequences. He even trapped Gunther in the Kingsland Cloverleaf and nearly scored a major upset. Gunther eventually relied on his trademark sleeper hold to force Aldis to submit. Following the match, the crowd rewarded Aldis with a standing ovation as he celebrated with his family.
Meanwhile, LA Knight, Royce Keys, and Solo Sikoa earned a hard-fought victory over Jacob Fatu and The Usos. Knight survived multiple finishing moves before Sikoa disrupted The Bloodline’s offense with a Samoan Spike. Knight then connected with the BFT to score the decisive pinfall.
The victory could give all three men valuable momentum heading into the remainder of the summer. Fatal Influence also continued its impressive rise by defeating Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, and Paige. After the match, Nikki shocked the WWE Universe by attacking Paige with a lariat and the Rack Attack 2.0. The betrayal added another unexpected twist to an already eventful evening.
SummerSlam Night 1 delivered major storyline developments across the board. Yet nothing matched Oba Femi’s unforgettable triumph over Brock Lesnar. The victory completed his trilogy with one of wrestling’s greatest stars and officially announced his arrival as WWE’s next main-event attraction. As Michael Cole declared after the match, “The Next Big Thing is here.” After Saturday night, very few fans would disagree.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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