# SummerSlam (2023)
**SummerSlam (2023)** was a professional wrestling premium live event produced by WWE, held on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at [Ford Field](https://www.edgepedia.org/ford-field) in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first WWE event at Ford Field since [WrestleMania](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestlemania) in 2007 and the first [SummerSlam](https://www.edgepedia.org/summerslam) held in the state of Michigan since 1993.[1](https://corporate.wwe.com/f/docs/press-releases/02072023_47.pdf) WWE later announced that it had become the most-watched SummerSlam in company history, setting records for viewership, gate, sponsorship, and merchandise.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan[1](https://corporate.wwe.com/f/docs/press-releases/02072023_47.pdf) |
| Attendance | 59,194[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) |
| Gate | Record $8.5 million, the largest gate for any non-WrestleMania event in WWE history[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) |
| Viewership | Most-watched SummerSlam in company history; about 2 million viewers on Peacock[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) • [3](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-cleveland-00946d21-e75b-4a5b-8bb0-927a2511bd87) |
| Sponsorship | $7 million, up 23 percent versus 2022, the most for any non-WrestleMania event[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) |
| Main event | Roman Reigns defeated Jey Uso in Tribal Combat after Jimmy Uso's return[4](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/full-summerslam-2023-results) |
| Social | Over 230 million views and four million hours of video consumed, up 26 percent over the prior year[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) |
## Venue and promotion
WWE announced on February 7, 2023, that Ford Field, the home stadium of the [Detroit Lions](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-lions), would host the event, with tickets going on sale April 14, 2023, via [Ticketmaster](https://www.edgepedia.org/ticketmaster).[1](https://corporate.wwe.com/f/docs/press-releases/02072023_47.pdf) The Detroit Sports Commission described the booking as a signature win for the city; its executive director Dave Beachnau noted that metro Detroit "enjoys a special place in WWE history."[5](https://detroitsports.org/news/2023/2/7/general-detroit-to-host-summerslam-at-ford-field.aspx) The last time WWE had held a SummerSlam in the greater Detroit area was 1993.[6](https://pwi-online.com/summerslam-2023-in-review/)
## Commercial records
The event set several company benchmarks. With 59,194 in attendance, it generated a record gate of $8.5 million, the largest for any non-WrestleMania event ever, and it was the most-watched SummerSlam in company history, ranking among the top three audiences in the history of WWE on Peacock.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) Axios reported the Peacock audience at about 2 million viewers.[3](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-cleveland-00946d21-e75b-4a5b-8bb0-927a2511bd87)
**Sponsorship and merchandise** also reached records for a non-WrestleMania event. Sponsorship revenue was $7 million, up 23 percent versus 2022, with Slim Jim, C4, and Rocket Mortgage among the sponsors.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) In partnership with retail partner Fanatics, merchandise sales rose 60 percent versus the record set in 2021, and On Location premium packages set a SummerSlam record, up 47 percent versus 2022.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing) On social media, the event drew over 230 million views and four million hours of video consumed, a 26 percent increase over the previous year.[2](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing)
## Card and results
The main event was Tribal Combat for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship between [Roman Reigns](https://www.edgepedia.org/roman-reigns) and [Jey Uso](https://www.edgepedia.org/jey-uso), a stipulation agreed to on SmackDown in July 2023.[7](https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/wwe-smackdown-results-recap-grades-roman-reigns-jey-uso-agree-to-tribal-combat-at-summerslam/live/) Reigns won after [Jimmy Uso](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-uso) made a surprise return and superkicked his brother Jey, paving the way for Reigns to retain the title.[4](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/full-summerslam-2023-results)
The women's championship picture produced the event's most abrupt title change. [Bianca Belair](https://www.edgepedia.org/bianca-belair) defeated champion Asuka and [Charlotte Flair](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlotte-flair) in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE Women's Title, only for IYO SKY to immediately cash in her Money in the Bank contract and take the championship from Belair.[4](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/full-summerslam-2023-results)
Other results on the card:[4](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/full-summerslam-2023-results)
- Seth "Freakin" Rollins defeated [Finn Bálor](https://www.edgepedia.org/finn-balor) to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
- Gunther defeated [Drew McIntyre](https://www.edgepedia.org/drew-mcintyre) to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
- [Cody Rhodes](https://www.edgepedia.org/cody-rhodes) defeated Brock Lesnar.
- Logan Paul defeated Ricochet.
- Shayna Baszler defeated Ronda Rousey in an MMA Rules Match.
- LA Knight won the SummerSlam Battle Royal, presented by Slim Jim.[8](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/wwe-slim-jim-partnership)
## Reception
Critical response was generally favorable. [Sports Illustrated](https://www.edgepedia.org/sports-illustrated)'s review called the show excellent for most of its runtime while criticizing one storyline decision.[9](https://www.si.com/wrestling/2023/08/07/wwe-summerslam-review-bloodline-roman-reigns-jey-uso) In a Pro Wrestling Dot Net reader poll, 43 percent of voters gave the event a B grade, with C second at 23 percent.[10](https://prowrestling.net/site/2024/08/07/wwe-summerslam-poll-results-for-the-best-match-and-overall-show-grade-2/) On the Cagematch events database, the show's rating sat near the 2023 WWE average of 6.58.[11](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=361080)
## Aftermath
The event's commercial performance fed into a strong stretch for WWE: the Associated Press reported days later that first-day ticket sales for WrestleMania 40 topped the all-time gross record of $21.6 million set by [WrestleMania 39](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestlemania-39), coming on the heels of SummerSlam's $8.5 million gate.[12](https://apnews.com/article/04496aadb6d526628c12b8a87dd441b5) SummerSlam returned to the Midwest the following year at Cleveland Browns Stadium, with coverage of that announcement citing the Detroit event's $8.5 million gate and roughly 60,000 attendance as the benchmark.[3](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-cleveland-00946d21-e75b-4a5b-8bb0-927a2511bd87)
## References
1. [SummerSlam Headed to Ford Field in Detroit August 5, WWE press release (February 7, 2023)](https://corporate.wwe.com/f/docs/press-releases/02072023_47.pdf)
2. [WWE announces most-watched SummerSlam of all-time, WWE.com (August 7, 2023)](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/summerslam-record-breaking-most-watched-highest-grossing)
3. [Summer's big slam, Axios Cleveland (March 13, 2024)](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-cleveland-00946d21-e75b-4a5b-8bb0-927a2511bd87)
4. [Full SummerSlam results, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/full-summerslam-2023-results)
5. [RELEASE: Detroit to host SummerSlam at Ford Field, Detroit Sports Commission](https://detroitsports.org/news/2023/2/7/general-detroit-to-host-summerslam-at-ford-field.aspx)
6. [SummerSlam 2023: In Review, Pro Wrestling Illustrated](https://pwi-online.com/summerslam-2023-in-review/)
7. [WWE SmackDown results: Roman Reigns, Jey Uso agree to 'Tribal Combat' at SummerSlam, CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/wwe-smackdown-results-recap-grades-roman-reigns-jey-uso-agree-to-tribal-combat-at-summerslam/live/)
8. [WWE and Slim Jim return to the ring with a record-breaking partnership ahead of SummerSlam, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/article/wwe-slim-jim-partnership)
9. [WWE's One Mistake Dampened an Otherwise Great 'SummerSlam', Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/wrestling/2023/08/07/wwe-summerslam-review-bloodline-roman-reigns-jey-uso)
10. [WWE SummerSlam poll results, Pro Wrestling Dot Net](https://prowrestling.net/site/2024/08/07/wwe-summerslam-poll-results-for-the-best-match-and-overall-show-grade-2/)
11. [WWE SummerSlam 2023, CAGEMATCH events database](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=361080)
12. [WWE's WrestleMania 40 ticket sales show strength of the brand, Associated Press (August 21, 2023)](https://apnews.com/article/04496aadb6d526628c12b8a87dd441b5)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestling promotions and championships › SummerSlam*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license