The pro wrestling world and its rabid fanbase are set to take over downtown Minneapolis this weekend as WWE's SummerSlam rolls into town.

Why it matters: This event is a huge deal. If WrestleMania is pro wrestling's Super Bowl, then SummerSlam is like the conference championships — with titles and major storylines settled in the ring, and huge crowds and adjacent events outside of it.

• Roughly 30,000 fans are expected to attend each night at U.S. Bank Stadium tomorrow and Sunday, featuring Minnesota sports icon Brock Lesnar.

Zoom in: Lesnar — a wrestling champion at the U of M who later made his name on the circuit — will compete in a "Hell in a Cell" steel cage match during night one.

• Lesnar's storied athletic career also included a preseason stint with the Vikings in 2004, between title runs in WWE and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

What we're watching: There's speculation this could be Lesnar's final pro wrestling match after teasing retirement at WrestleMania 42 in April.

By the numbers: Minnesota Sports and Events estimates SummerSlam and related events will have a $100 million economic impact on the region.

• Yes, but: SummerSlam is a consolation prize of sorts. Minneapolis appeared close to landing WrestleMania in 2025 before losing out to Las Vegas.

Flashback: Savvy wrestling fans — "smarks," as they're called — know that the Twin Cities has a rich pro-wrestling history.

• In 1960, former college wrestling standout Verne Gagne founded the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association.
• The promotion became a hotbed for talent, including WWE Hall of Famers like the Road Warriors, Curt Hennig (aka "Mr. Perfect"), Rick Rude and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse ("The Body") Ventura.

If you go: WWE is hosting a free fan "Takeover" at the Minneapolis Convention Center today through Sunday.

• Tickets for both nights of SummerSlam are still available. The event will also air on the ESPN, Hulu and Disney+ apps.

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U.S. and state officials believe that Iranian hackers were probably behind this week's cyberattack targeting dozens of municipal water systems in Minnesota, the New York Times reports.

The big picture: The coordinated campaign underscored a growing threat of cyberattacks to state and local agencies.

• Such an "act of aggression" from the Iranians would come at a tense point in the conflict with the U.S., the Times writes.

Between the lines: U.S. officials have not confirmed Iran's role in the incident, and it's possible that hackers could be posing as Iranians to further inflame tensions, the Times notes.

• Officially, Minnesota IT Services said yesterday that the state ​"has not attributed the activity to a specific actor" at this time.

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A second St. Paul police officer has claimed that Mayor Kaohly Her made inappropriate sexual comments on the job, anonymous sources told the Star Tribune and KARE11.

• Her told the newspaper: "The way this is being portrayed in the media does not reflect what I understood" about the alleged interactions in an officers' gym and locker room that she regularly used.

🏀 The Timberwolves are ditching cable TV, inking a five-year deal to show games on streamer DAZN — pronounced: "da zone" — following the shutdown of former carrier FanDuel Sports Network. (KARE11)

🥜 Pearson's Candy Co. will close its St. Paul factory in September, putting 80 employees out of work. The maker of Salted Nut Rolls and Nut Goodie bars was founded in Minnesota in 1909. (Fox 9)

• Pearson's new owner wants to continue making "certain key brands," per a statement.

⚾️ The Twins traded two minor leaguers for Mets reliever A.J. Minter, bringing in reinforcements for a struggling bullpen. (ESPN)

Vikings training camp began this week, which means just six weeks until real games.

Here are three storylines to watch:

The quarterback battle: J.J. McCarthy's disastrous first season prompted the Vikings to bring in former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. The team says it's an open battle for the starting job, but most think Murray has the upper hand.

• It's already awkward.

The rookie big man: Minnesota made a big gamble when it used its first-round draft pick on defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who struggled with foot injuries in college.

• If he's healthy — a big if — his talent could be a major addition to a defense that needs help in the middle.

Will any of the other rookies impress?: The Vikings have had several horrible drafts in recent years, but this year they tapped longtime executive Rob Brzezinski to handle the selections.

• They could use some pass rushing help from second-round pick Jake Golday.
• With big question marks at safety, third-round pick Jakobe Thomas could be called on to play early.
• The Vikings need a running back of the future and training camp will give fans their first glimpse at the speedy rookie Demond Claiborne.

Axios Twin Cities readers have spoken: Bemidji's Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox sculptures are Minnesota's best roadside attractions.

The big picture: Paul & Babe have inspired a state full of competing quirky landmarks, but according to our poll, Minnesotans still love the state's original wayside photo op best.

• Of the semifinalists in our bracket, only one, New Ulm's Hermann the German, predates Paul & Babe.

Catch up quick: The Bemidji icons — which won 77% of yesterday's final round vote — have always been huge draws.

• In 1937, Life magazine ran a full-page spread on the statues, built for the 15,000 attendees of that year's winter carnival. The next year's carnival drew more than 100,000 people, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.

The intrigue: In 1945, the Kodak company declared Paul & Babe the "second-most photographed icon in the nation," behind only Mount Rushmore.

• One wonders where, ya know, the Statue of Liberty landed on that list…

What you're saying: "There is always someone getting their picture taken with Paul and Babe," one Bemidji poll respondent told Axios.

• They're a "darn fine, well-kept tribute to our state," another Bemidjian wrote.

The bottom line: We tried to make it a fair fight, but this tournament was Paul & Babe's to lose from the beginning.

The attractions that (you say) were snubbed…