WWE SummerSlam 2025 Night 1 Preview – Title changes, possible return, CM Punk heartbreak

WWE SummerSlam 2025 will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 2-3. The first two-night event in the show's history is due to feature 12 matches, with six taking place on each night.

Night one will be headlined by Gunther's World Heavyweight Championship defense against CM Punk. Tiffany Stratton's WWE Women's Championship will also be on the line, with Queen of the Ring winner Jade Cargill challenging for the gold.

American singer Jelly Roll will make his WWE in-ring debut alongside Randy Orton in a tag team match against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. In another high-profile multi-man bout, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed will face Jey Uso and Roman Reigns.

Elsewhere on the card, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair are set to challenge Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez for the Women's Tag Team Championship. Karrion Kross vs. Sami Zayn has also been announced for the show.

In this article, let's preview and predict every match on the first night of SummerSlam 2025.

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#6. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed vs. Jey Uso & Roman Reigns

The July 28 episode of RAW ended with one of the most devastating beatdowns Jey Uso and Roman Reigns have ever received. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed attacked the former Bloodline members with their Spear and Tsunami finishers. Reed then humiliated Reigns by stealing his shoes after joining forces with Breakker to send him crashing through a ringside barricade.

A win for Breakker and Reed would take their alliance with Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins to the next level. However, it feels like Reigns and Uso would benefit more than their opponents if they leave SummerSlam with a win.

Triple H said in the new Netflix show WWE: Unreal that he feared Reigns' character would be "dead in the water" if he lost at WrestleMania 41. Three months on from suffering a pinfall loss to Rollins, it's time for the OTC to make a statement again.

Prediction: Jey Uso & Roman Reigns defeat Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

#5. Karrion Kross vs. Sami Zayn

Over the last few months, Karrion Kross has unexpectedly gained popularity with fans despite being presented as a bad guy on RAW. Along the way, the two-time NXT Champion has repeatedly threatened Sami Zayn and encouraged him to unleash a more villainous side to his personality.

As part of the storyline, Zayn will be forced to say the words "Kross was right" if he loses at SummerSlam. If Kross loses, he will have to admit "I was wrong" to his opponent after the match.

From a storyline perspective, everything points toward Kross earning his first premium live event victory since 2022. The 40-year-old already lost to Zayn at Night of Champions on June 28, meaning another defeat at SummerSlam would seriously damage his character. That being said, Kross' real-life WWE contract situation post-SummerSlam remains unclear, so it makes sense to back Zayn.

Prediction: Sami Zayn defeats Karrion Kross

#4. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair

It is safe to assume this Women's Tag Team Championship match was not part of the original plan for SummerSlam. Raquel Rodriguez's tag team partner, Liv Morgan, underwent shoulder surgery in June. Since then, Roxanne Perez has stepped up to take Morgan's place in The Judgment Day and as Rodriguez's fellow Women's Tag Team Champion.

The new alliance between Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair also came as a surprise. Both women made their names as singles competitors who struggled to get along with others, so fans have welcomed this unexpected change. It has proven so popular that Flair, one of WWE's top villains, is receiving organic cheers for the first time in years.

Given how well people have reacted to the team, anything other than a win for Bliss and Flair at SummerSlam would be a surprise.

Prediction: Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair defeat Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez

#3. Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill

Tiffany Stratton has held the WWE Women's Championship since January 3, making her the longest-reigning current title holder on the main roster. The 26-year-old's most notable defense came at WrestleMania 41, where she retained the gold against Charlotte Flair. However, the storyline is best remembered for both women going off-script in a chaotic SmackDown segment on April 4.

Stratton's latest challenger, Jade Cargill, won the Queen of the Ring Tournament to earn a shot at the WWE Women's Championship. There is no doubt Cargill looks the part as a WWE star, but many fans still have doubts about her in-ring work.

Another successful Stratton title defense would be the safe option for Triple H and the creative team. On the flip side, a Cargill win would freshen up the storylines in the SmackDown women's division for the rest of 2025, so a title change cannot be ruled out.

Prediction: Jade Cargill defeats Tiffany Stratton

#2. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul vs. Jelly Roll & Randy Orton

The segments involving these four men have been some of the best in WWE ahead of SummerSlam. Jelly Roll, a lifelong wrestling fan, has endeared himself to fans by making it clear in interviews how seriously he wants to succeed. The 40-year-old has even received help in training from Jacob Fatu, Kevin Owens, and WWE icon The Undertaker.

Randy Orton is the perfect tag team partner for the country rapper, whose recent promos put most of the full-time roster to shame. Even Logan Paul, known more for his athletic in-ring style than his character work, has taken his promo skills up a notch lately.

If past WWE celebrity appearances tell us anything, it would be foolish to go against a crowd-pleasing win for Jelly Roll and Orton.

Prediction: Jelly Roll & Randy Orton defeat Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul

#1. Gunther vs. CM Punk

The World Heavyweight Championship match is the most anticipated of the night. Gunther is reportedly suffering from a nose injury ahead of SummerSlam, prompting many to speculate that his second reign with the title could end imminently. The Austrian's opponent, the increasingly popular CM Punk, has not held a title since losing the WWE Championship to The Rock in 2013.

While Punk's sights are set on Gunther at SummerSlam, he still has unfinished business with long-term rival Seth Rollins. The Visionary has not been seen since hurting his knee against LA Knight at Saturday Night's Main Event on July 12. The severity of the injury remains unknown, with some believing he could be out for several months and others predicting he could return soon.

The latter scenario seems most likely, with Rollins successfully cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to spoil Punk's title win.

Prediction: CM Punk defeats Gunther, Seth Rollins defeats CM Punk