Liv Morgan Retains Women’s Title At SummerSlam Amid Judgment Day Interference

WWE kicked off SummerSlam Night One on Saturday, August 1, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and the opening title match delivered a controversial finish. Liv Morgan retained the Women’s World Championship over IYO SKY, but only after Judgment Day stablemates Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez interfered behind the referee’s back.

The match itself was a back-and-forth war that showcased why this rivalry had built into one of the night’s most anticipated bouts. Morgan, who came into the show riding an undefeated streak at SummerSlam, started aggressively before SKY seized control with a missile dropkick and her signature Bullet Train Attack. SKY followed with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb to the floor and looked to be building toward a decisive finish when Morgan created a distraction that let Rodriguez and Perez sneak into the ring. Rodriguez’s blindside chokeslam toss on the apron went unseen by the official, giving Morgan the opening she needed.

Even with the numbers disadvantage, SKY kept fighting, fending off both Judgment Day members and connecting with a Spanish Fly before climbing for her Over the Moonsault finisher. Morgan avoided it twice, capitalizing on a botched attempt by sending SKY’s leg into the ring post, then countering a second moonsault attempt with raised knees. From there, Morgan finished the challenger off with Ob-LIV-ion, a Codebreaker, and a second Ob-LIV-ion for the pinfall.

The finish keeps Morgan’s championship reign intact while continuing to build tension within Judgment Day, whose backup proved to be the deciding factor once again in one of their members’ title defenses. It also sets up an obvious follow-up: SKY was denied clean, and with Judgment Day’s fingerprints all over the result, a rematch — likely with stipulations neutralizing outside interference — feels like the natural next chapter for this feud.

The title match was just the opening act of a stacked SummerSlam Night One lineup that WWE built around several matchups reportedly once considered for a future WrestleMania card. CM Punk defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes in the show’s headline attraction, while Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar collide in a Hell in a Cell match. Gunther squares off with Nick Aldis, marking Aldis’s return to in-ring competition, and the night also features a six-man tag pitting LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys against Jacob Fatu and The Usos, plus a six-woman tag between the Bella Twins and Paige against Fatal Influence.

With the Women’s World Championship picture now further complicated by Judgment Day’s meddling, and a loaded card still to unfold, Night One in Minneapolis has already set a high bar heading into the rest of SummerSlam weekend. Night Two will need to match that energy, but if this opening title match is any indication, WWE’s flagship summer event is off to a red-hot start.