AJ Styles Praises WWE’s Two-Day SummerSlam Format

AJ Styles says he’s a fan of WWE’s decision to stretch SummerSlam across two nights, calling the expanded format a good thing for the show. Speaking on his podcast, Styles pushed back against a segment of the fan base that has been vocal about not wanting the two-day format for what was long considered WWE’s single biggest summer show outside of WrestleMania.

WWE first expanded SummerSlam into a two-night event last year, borrowing the blueprint it originally built for WrestleMania. For decades, WrestleMania stood alone as WWE’s only multi-night premium live event, but the company has increasingly leaned into bigger, longer showcases as part of its broader push to treat marquee events like can’t-miss theatrical experiences rather than standard pay-per-views. SummerSlam becoming a two-day affair was the clearest sign yet that WWE views it as a true second pillar on the calendar, not just the biggest stop of the summer.

Not every fan has been sold on that shift. A two-night format means a longer card overall, which can lead to thinner individual show lineups, extra advertising and travel costs for fans attending in person, and the sense that matches get spread thin to fill two nights of television rather than being concentrated into one blockbuster event. That criticism has followed the WrestleMania model for years, and it was inevitable some of the same complaints would carry over once SummerSlam adopted the same structure.

Styles, though, sees the benefits outweighing the drawbacks. A two-day format gives WWE more real estate to feature undercard talent who might otherwise get squeezed off a stacked single-night show, and it allows for match times and storytelling to breathe rather than being rushed to hit a run time. It also doubles WWE’s live gate and television inventory for one of its biggest weekends of the year, a business reality that likely factored heavily into the decision in the first place.

For a veteran like Styles, who has spent years working undercard, midcard, and main event slots across multiple companies, the format debate likely comes down to opportunity. More hours of show time on the season’s biggest weekend means more matches, more spotlight, and less chance of quality performers getting bumped for time. Whether the average fan agrees with that trade-off is another question, but Styles’ comments add a notable voice from the roster to a conversation that’s mostly played out among fans and media since last year’s expansion.

As WWE continues building out SummerSlam as a two-night spectacle, expect more talent to weigh in on how the format affects their own placement on the card. For now, count AJ Styles among those embracing the change rather than fighting it.