WWE SummerSlam is all set to take place tonight (Sun., Aug. 3, 2025) from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It begins at 3:00 pm ET with the Kickoff show leading right on into the main course at 6 pm ET on Peacock in the U.S., Netflix everywhere else, or your local cable pay-per-view provider.
Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.
Let’s get to
it.
WWE SUMMERSLAM PREDICTIONS
WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
Geno Mrosko: I remain unconvinced about that babyface turn on SmackDown, but I’ve talked myself into a possible double turn scenario. I would think that would indicate doing a title change. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Sean Rueter: Not sure if Cena’s return to being respectful, loyal, and hustle-y is legit. Not even sure it’s a good twist in the story (yet, time will tell). But it made me a lot more interested in this match, so I’m not complaining about it (again... yet). If Cena’s full of it, I’m not sure they have enough time left to do a more gradual face turn later. I also think it’s too soon to turn Cody full-blown heel. Intrigue! Let’s say they’ve gone back to doing this as babyface vs. babyface, but will use the match to plant a few more seeds for Rhodes as a villain. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Kyle Decker: There’s two ways this can go. Cody Rhodes can beat the best version of John Cena and be crowned the man again. And that’s viable. He’s still popular with the crowd. But if he loses, he has to turn heel soon because that’s not going to be something his babyface persona can weather. I kind of like the latter creatively, especially moving towards a babyface Reigns/heel Cody at Mania. But I don’t think they do that, especially with Cody still their full time top babyface and media/podcast guy. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Claire Elizabeth: I think Cena’s face turn is genuine, and I also think it’s bad news for Cody because that means he’s found The Old John Cena and that means Rhodes is about to get himself SuperCena’d just like in olden days. Pick: John Cena
Cain A. Knight: Cody’s gonna look really dumb and bad if he falls for a Cena ruse at both WrestleMania and SummerSlam, so I don’t think WWE will do that to him. Also, I hear that Cody can do Sonic Booms now, and that’s perfectly legal in a street fight. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Marcus Benjamin: For weeks, I convinced myself John Cena had this match in the bag. Why? Because the widely reported news about Cody playing Guile. I find it odd for all the numerous times Cody’s sat behind a microphone the past few weeks, it never came up. Weird. I’m still picking Cena but the more seconds go by, the less confident I am. Pick: John Cena
Women’s World Championship: Naomi (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky
Geno Mrosko: I genuinely think fans would revolt if they tried to take the title off Naomi already, even if they were giving it back to Ripley. No way does that happen. Pick: Naomi
Sean Rueter: When I spent my Evolution prediction for the Women’s World title talking about how Rhea should be hold the belt 95% of the time she’s around and availability, I didn’t think about the possibility of Naomi winning it. It’s not to quite the same scale, but Trinity is having a version of Becky Lynch’s 2018 right now. You don’t do anything to hinder that, especially not in a Triple Threat. Pick: Naomi
Kyle Decker: Naomi just won the title and the triple threat aspect of this match allows her to keep it without much issue. This match should rule. Pick: Naomi
Claire Elizabeth: Naomi is very, very good in this role, she’s on top of her game in the ring, AND triple threat math always favors the champion. Easy peasy. Pick: Naomi
Cain A. Knight: Rhea hits Riptide on IYO and is about to beat her for the first time ever, just for Naomi to toss Rhea out the ring at the last second and steal her win. Pick: Naomi
Marcus Benjamin: Naomi can’t lose this championship already. She’s barely into her reign. Pick: Naomi
Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria
Geno Mrosko: It seems likely Bayley is going to get involved here, and that probably means screwing Valkyria out of both the title and the chance to challenge for it while it’s still on Lynch. But that opens the door to her helping Bayley win it so they can battle it out for it in the future, so there are more interesting possibilities there. Pick: Becky Lynch
Sean Rueter: They have a few options given Bayley’s involvement and the stip, but I think the plan has always been to end the program between the Irish lasses with Lyra as champ. And I think they’ll stay the course. Pick: Lyra Valkyria
Kyle Decker: Bayley will play a roll in this match and because there’s no special guest referee announced, I think she turns heel to help Becky. And honestly, that’s probably the best play here. Pick: Becky Lynch
Claire Elizabeth: Honestly I’m going with Becky just because I’ve consistently thought they weren’t going to put slash keep the title on her throughout this entire run and I’ve been wrong every time, and let it never be said that I’m not capable of overcorrecting on my picks here. Pick: Becky Lynch
Cain A. Knight: You don’t give a top star new theme music and then have her lose the belt. Pick: Becky Lynch
Marcus Benjamin: They’ve set this up as the potentially the last match in a series of bouts between these two. But there’s Bayley lurking. They’ve emphasized how unhappy she is not having a place on the card. Does she take her frustration out on Becky or Lyra? That will determine the outcome. Pick: Lyra Valkyria
Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles
Geno Mrosko: I loved every second of the build to this match, and I’m certain Styles is going to give us one hell of a piece of business. I’m also certain he’s putting the kid over. Pick: Dominik Mysterio
Sean Rueter: Only because I truly believe the mustachioed and mullet-ed one’s about to become the AAA Megacampeon at Triplemania in a couple weeks. Pick: AJ Styles
Kyle Decker: I’ve thought that Dom should have lost this title to Finn Bálor within a week or two after Mania. But maybe because of the AAA deal, that changed. I still think he should lose the title to Bálor so I’m saying he wins here but they finally move forward with Finn kicking him out. Pick: Dominik Mysterio
Claire Elizabeth: AJ Styles is still one of the best wrestlers on the planet AND he has like a solid month of pent-up rage ready to unload at this kid. Dom’s gonna be lucky if he doesn’t end the match a fine red mist. Pick: AJ Styles
Cain A. Knight: Stlyes isn’t going to win another world championship in WWE, so they might as well strap him with the IC belt and give him a run of great title matches before he calls it quits. Pick: AJ Styles
Marcus Benjamin: As much as I love AJ, it’s too early to take the title off of Dom. Pick: The Ol’ Dirty Dommie
United States Championship: Solo Sikoa (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
Geno Mrosko: It’s going to take every one of the MFTs to keep Fatu from winning the title back, and that’s still not enough. The question is how soon they want to shoot him up the card. The time isn’t right just yet. Pick: Jacob Fatu
Sean Rueter: The sooner they get the Samoan Werewolf away from the remnants of The Bloodline Saga, the better. Yadadamean? But he’s destined for bigger things, while this feels like the right level for Jimmy & Jey’s little brother. They can continue to prep Fatu for the main event while keeping the belt on... Pick: Solo Sikoa
Kyle Decker: While Jacob is the guy here, Solo has way too many dudes at his beck and call that the cage will not neutralize. Pick: Solo Sikoa
Claire Elizabeth: SmackDown had Fatu taking out half the MFTs in the cage and all Solo could do was run away, the only way Sikoa retains the title is if Talla Tonga tears a hole in the cage for him to escape through. Pick: “Samoan Werewolf” Jacob Fatu
Cain A. Knight: These guys can trade the belt back and forth a few more times. Pick: Jacob Fatu
Marcus Benjamin: Jacob’s gotta get his championship back. Why not do it on summer’s biggest stage? Pick: Jacob Fatu
WWE Tag Team Championship: The Wyatt Sicks (c) vs. The Street Profits vs. Fraxiom vs. DIY vs. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Andrade & Rey Fenix
Geno Mrosko: I don’t know. I hardly care. The match is going to be entertaining as all get out. Pick: The Wyatt Sicks
Sean Rueter: I don’t think anyone who’s interested in The Sicks cares if they’re holding tag gold, so I don’t think WWE will hesitate to take the belts off them. Maybe I’m paying too much attention to TKO’s plans for AAA, but I also think they just might put another set of tag belts on another pair of luchadors. Pick: Andrade & Rey Fenix
Kyle Decker: I think giving the Wyatts a big SummerSlam win will go over very well with the crowd. And there’s no one team in this mix that tells me they shouldn’t do this. Pick: The Wyatt Sicks
Claire Elizabeth: My wrists hurt already just thinking about liveblogging this one but hell I’m just glad I get to see Joe Gacy with WWE gold around his waist. Chaos, violence, ibuprofen— and no title change. Pick: Wyatts (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy)
Cain A. Knight: It doesn’t seem like any team will beat the Wyatts in a separate match, so this kind of chaos with every team involved is a better way to get the belts off of them. Maybe it’s the Motor City Machine Guns’ turn to be champions again. Sure, why not? Pick: Motor City Machine Guns
Marcus Benjamin: This should be a lot of fun. I don’t think they snatch the titles off the Wyatts just yet, but they do make it look like they might. Pick: The Wyatt Sicks
That’s how we see the card playing out.
You?
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