WWE SummerSlam is taking on a distinctly WrestleMania-sized feel. For the second straight year, the summer showcase will stretch across two nights, creating room for a deeper lineup and more marquee attractions. This year’s event already carries serious star power, with Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Brock Lesnar among the biggest names attached to the card.
Reigns will put the world heavyweight championship on the line against the one rival who has followed him through nearly every chapter of his career. Seth Rollins has been both Reigns’ closest brother-in-arms and one of his fiercest enemies over the past 14 years, dating back to their days in The Shield. Their latest collision puts one of WWE’s premier titles at stake, while Lesnar and Oba Femi prepare to settle their own score in the only environment built to contain them: Hell in a Cell.
CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes is one of the newer additions to the SummerSlam slate, but it already carries major stakes. Punk now holds the undisputed WWE championship, and Rhodes is still due the title opportunity that slipped away from him. The confirmed lineup also features the women’s world champion, with the men’s intercontinental champion included among the major names tied to the card.
Below is a breakdown of the confirmed SummerSlam matches, along with a look at where the card may be headed. The event streams live on ESPN Unlimited on Aug. 2 and 3, with the main card scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET.
2026 WWE SummerSlam matches
Undisputed WWE Championship — CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: WWE planted the seeds for this showdown the night after WrestleMania 42, and three months later, Punk and Rhodes will meet for SmackDown’s top championship. Both men entered WrestleMania as world champions, but only Rhodes left Las Vegas still holding gold. Rhodes once offered Punk a title shot whenever he wanted it, yet the landscape has shifted dramatically since then. Punk defeated Sami Zayn to become undisputed champion after making a surprise return as Rhodes’ replacement when Gunther took him out. With Rhodes still owed the opportunity he never received, this title match was the obvious direction.
World Heavyweight Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins: Could this be the last time Reigns and Rollins share the ring as opponents? Rollins raised that possibility ahead of their world title clash, adding even more weight to a rivalry that has shaped WWE’s modern era. The two rose together in The Shield before becoming franchise-level stars in their own right, and now they meet again on what has firmly become WWE’s second-biggest event of the year.
Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell match): For Oba Femi, revenge appears to matter more than championship gold. After winning the King of the Ring tournament at Night of Champions, Femi earned a world title match at SummerSlam, but he passed on that prize to chase a far more personal target. Femi and Lesnar have split their first two encounters across WrestleMania and Clash in Italy, leaving the series tied at one win apiece. Their third meeting, and seemingly the deciding chapter, will unfold inside Hell in a Cell.
Women’s World Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky: Liv Morgan and Iyo Sky are familiar opponents, but this time the stakes are different. Last month, they met in the Queen of the Ring tournament finals with separate goals in mind: Sky wanted to secure a world title opportunity, while Morgan aimed to assert herself across both brands. Sky won that match and made the savvy choice to challenge the champion she had just defeated. Now Morgan must set aside her bigger ambitions and focus on defending her title against the woman who recently beat her.
Gunther vs. Nick Aldis: “The Ring General” has his opponent for SummerSlam. Gunther was forced to team with Sami Zayn at Saturday Night’s Main Event for the opportunity to be part of the WWE title match with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Gunther was close to securing the win when Aldis ran in to pull the referee and cost him his chance. This comes after Gunther berated Aldis for not giving him what he wanted upon signing with SmackDown. Now, the two are set to settle their differences in the ring with Aldis relinquishing his role as general manager to become a wrestler once again.
Zayn pleaded for himself to be worthy of challenging for the WWE title after losing the title just six days after winning it at Night of Champions. After losing his opportunity with Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, an irate Zayn ripped Adam Pearce that he deserved to be at the title level once again. Pearce informed him that a fatal four-way to determine his opponent at SummerSlam in a No. 1 contender’s match would be booked for later in the night. After a chaotic match and finish, Balor stood tall over Damian Priest, Royce Keys and Trick Williams.
Intercontinental Championship — Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable: Gable keeps momentum after the El Grande Americano saga in AAA. Gable won a seven-man gauntlet — also featuring Dominik Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, Joe Hendry and Rusev — to earn a shot at Penta. Once lucha libre’s biggest denouncer, Gable has developed a deep respect for Penta’s style.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That motif is the glue upon which Knight, Keys and Sikoa’s loose alliance hinges. All three men have issues with The Bloodline, leading to a six-man tag team match against Fatu and The Usos.
Interim WWE Women’s Championship — Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Charlotte Flair vs. TBA (Ladder match): WWE women’s champion Rhea Ripley is sidelined with a torn meniscus. WWE believes she’s close to a return, but the uncertain timeline inspired this interim title match. It’s the first time the company has ever booked an interim main roster title match. The winner will eventually unify titles with Ripley.
The match came together rather quickly after Brie Bella defeated Reid in a singles match and Jayne and Henley then tried to attack. Nikki Bella made a surprise return after missing WrestleMania with an ankle injury to lay down the challenge for a six-woman tag team match at SummerSlam.
2026 WWE SummerSlam predictions
United States Championship — Trick Williams (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. Baron Corbin: There’s a three-man race in the U.S. title picture. Hayes challenged for the title on July 10, but the ending was inconclusive after a returning Corbin struck down both men. If the program continues beyond SmackDown, the three may meet in a triple threat match.
