Add as a preferred source on Google WWE has confirmed a major addition to Night Two of SummerSlam. Darius Rucker will sing the national anthem on Sunday, August 2, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
SummerSlam will run across two nights, August 1 and August 2 — the first time the Minnesota Vikings’ home stadium will host a WWE premium live event.
Rucker is the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and a three-time Grammy winner. One of those awards came in 2014, when “Wagon Wheel” won Best Country Solo Performance.
But Rucker’s involvement is more than just another celebrity appearance. He’s a self-professed wrestling fan who recently launched a WWE merchandise collection in partnership with Fanatics. He won’t be part of Night One, though — he has a concert scheduled in Indianapolis that Saturday.
His ties to wrestling also run through Ric Flair. Rucker appeared in a 2021 episode of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures dedicated to the Nature Boy, and he owns one of Flair’s famous robes, which he acquired at a charity auction.
The appearance reinforces WWE’s push to turn the two nights of SummerSlam into a full stadium show, combining matches, celebrities and musical acts.