Summerslam 2023 is the latest in the incredible lineage of WWE’s premier summer event, and this year’s edition did not disappoint.
With one of the most highly anticipated cards of the year, an electric Detroit crowd saw big stars, like Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, battle it out in some of the top matches of the year.
Many matches on the card are bound to received huge star ratings from Dave Meltzer, and the men (and women) who walked out with title belts at the end of the night will feel secure in their victories.
However, in this article, we’ll analyze the real winners & losers from Summerslam 2023, analyzing which wrestlers put on the best performance at the event.
Winner: Logan Paul
While he admitted that he never wanted to be a heel in the WWE, its clear that Logan Paul has found his footing as an incredible bad guy.
At Summerslam 2023, he showed off his potential as a top heel in the company, playing the role perfectly in the opener against Ricochet.
He bathed in the crowd reaction, who booed him from the moment his music hit to open the show.
The Detroit crowd made it clear they did not like Logan Paul, and he not only took the boos, but encouraged even more.
He mocked Ricochet throughout, shining his bald head and dousing him in Prime on the outside.
Logan Paul hit some incredible high-flying moves, and took as good as he got – including a sensationally painful looking Hurricane Neck Breaker from the top rope.
The Moonsault-into-DDT combination from Logan Paul was something neevr seen before in WWE, and showed just how good the elder Paul Brother has become in the wrestling ring.
With the help of one of his friends, Logan Paul hit Ricochet with the brass knuckles to win the match, making himself an even bigger star in the process.
Loser: Omos
The Nigerian Giant made his long-awaited return during the Summerslam Battle Royal, although it was a less-than-impressive showing.
Omos was a surprise entrant in the match, and immediately was targeted by the rest of the field.
He fought them off and began to dominate the match, but it was clear Omos had not improved in the ring at all.
He lumbered around aimlessly, simply waiting for others to wrestle around hi, with very little agency of his own.
Omos was eventually eliminated by Sheamus, ending a disappointing stay in his return match,
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes showcased why he is the top babyface in the WWE today – he simple never says die.
While Brock Lesnar hit him with an untold number of suplexes and throws, tossing him to the outside and begging him to lay down, the American Nightmare never relented.
However, the American Nightmare refused to give up. He spent what felt like hours in a Kimura Lock, his sheer will stopping his bones from snapping in two.
He managed to rally and hit Lesnar with multiple Cross Rhodes to win the match, but it was the post-match that solidified him as a huge winner at Summerslam 2023.
Following the win, Brock Lesnar hugged Cody Rhodes, before lifting his hand and admitting defeat, in front of his adoring crowd.
Loser: Shayna Bazler
When the MMA Rules match between Shayna Bazler and Ronda Rousey was announced, fans were largely apathetic.
This did not chance when the bell rang to start the match, nor when it rang to signal the end.
It was dull, boring and a waste of such a hot Detroit crowd. WWE even cut to a crowd in Germany, pretending they were celebrating Bazler’s victory, when they clearly weren’t.
Shayna Bazler won the match, but didn’t look like she gained anything from the win.
Yes, she may have retired Ronda Rousey, but she is infinitely more boring than her former friend, and her performance at Summerslam 2023 doesn’t make me want to see any more of her.
Winner: The Women In The Triple Threat
Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky all deserve their plaudits for putting on one of the best women’s matches of all time.
The first three women battled in a triple threat match for the WWE Women’s Championship, in a bout that was cleverly won by Bianca Belair.
Bianca Belair stole the win, rolling up Asuka after the champion spit her green mist at Charlotte, at the end of fantastic sequence to end the match.
In fact, Bianca Belair was still locked in Charlotte’s figure four when she won the match, adding to the genius of the finish (she had injured her knee earlier in the match too).
After the match, Bayley helped clear the field for IO SKY to hit her moonsault on Bianca Belair, winning the WWE Women’s Championship for the first time.
The crowd popped huge for her music, and the post-match celebration with Bayley and a returning Dakota Kai provided a feel-good moment for the Iyo Sky, as she celebrated as the new women’s champion.
Loser: Finn Balor
This hurts, because he had the crowd behind him and performed brilliantly in his match against Seth Rollins.
Finn Balor should have walked out of Summerslam as world champion, just as he had done seven years prior,
He and Seth Rollins referenced their Universal Championship match in 2016 heavily, both in the ring and during their entrances.
Rollins entered wearing the jacket he wore that day, whereas Balor pained the word “seven” on the shoulder that was injured that night.
Balor looked a star in the match, and got the crowd on his side by the end of the match – they truly wanted him to lift the World Heavyweight Championship.
Sadly, it looks like that was his last chance to taste gold again, and he failed. WWE had Balor lose, thanks to a miscommunication with Damian Priest.
Interference from Judgement Day threatened Rollins’ title reign, but a miscommunication between a paranoid Balor and Damian Priest caused Balor to eat a Curb Stomp onto the MITB briefcase, handing Rollins the win and escaping with his World Heavyweight Championship.
This will likely lead to a “civil war” in the Judgement Day, but make no mistake about it – Finn Balor being Summerslam’s loser means he has no chance of being a world champion again in the future.
Who are your biggest winners and losers from Summerslam 2023? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.