On Sunday, the WWE returns to Brooklyn for the 30th edition of Summerslam. The WWE has built this show into one of its premier events and this year is no exception – Summerslam 2017 will feature 12 matches in its six-hour broadcast.
As with every WWE event, we will give you the card for the show and our predictions for each match. Let’s get right to it with one of the matches on the two-hour pre-show for Summerslam.
Akira Tozawa (champion) vs. Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship
Tozawa defeated Neville on Monday Night Raw to win the Cruiserweight Championship in an odd booking decision. Why not just hold off on the title change until Summerslam? It makes no sense to do it just six days before a major show, but they did it and we have a new champion.
This is one of two pre-show matches and unfortunately, no one will care about this match as no one has cared about the Cruiserweight division since if returned last fall. This match will take place early during the pre-show as the crowd is filing into the Barclays Center and everyone will just ignore it.
Oh yeah, Tozawa retains.
Your winner and still champion, Akira Tozawa.
The New Day (champions) vs. The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
So a tag team title match between two teams in a good feud is on the pre-show? Big Cass vs. Big Show has to be on the main card? With that said, we have the third match between The New Day and The Usos. After the disastrous Battleground pay-per-view, all the talk was about how these two teams stole the show. They will be depended on to put on the same performance in Brooklyn.
This match is a toss-up because the first match in this trilogy was a countout win for The New Day. Their last match saw The Usos lose their titles and in this match, you almost want to see The Usos regain the titles and set a final match with a stipulation like a steel cage or something like that. Not sure the WWE will do that but I will predict it.
Your winner and new champions, The Usos.
Big Show vs. Big Cass (Enzo Amore is in a shark cage above the ring)
Normally, the purpose of the shark cage is to have the heel manager or teammate hang above the ring so they won’t interfere. This concept with Enzo in the shark cage goes against the whole idea of this match. All it is is a way for the WWE to sell more shark cage toys as this will be the third shark cage match in the last 12 months.
This feud escalated after Cass, with help from Gallows and Anderson, slammed the shark cage door on the hand of the Big Show. This was a way to get Big Cass some more heat, but the crowd in Boston hated him on Monday night. This should be a one-off match as the Big Show is being used to get over the young guy and keep the Cass/Enzo feud going without the absurdity and boredom of a one-on-one match between the Cass and Enzo.
Your winner, Big Cass.
John Cena vs. Baron Corbin
In one of the biggest screw-ups in recent memory, the geniuses writing Smackdown Live decided to have Baron Corbin cash in his Money in the Bank contract...and lose in seconds to current WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Reports have Corbin having heat backstage, or because everyone was expecting him to cash in at Summerslam, the WWE swerved everyone. But no matter the reason, it was dumb.
This brings us to Corbin vs. Cena. This feud is just a few weeks old and with Cena moving to Raw (he is a “free agent” whatever the hell that means), this will be his last match against a Smackdown Live star for the foreseeable future. Based on a recent story from former WWE writer Kevin Eck where Cena essentially ruined Dolph Ziggler’s young career after wrestling him, Corbin has to bring his “A” game against the Cena or he will follow the Ziggler route soon. It’s a toss-up, but I think Corbin wins as Cena leaves Tuesday nights for a while.
Your winner, Baron Corbin
AJ Styles (champion) vs. Kevin Owens with Shane McMahon as special referee for the United States Championship
This feud needs to end. It has not worked since the beginning and it is surprising as both men can wrestle their asses off. They just have not had great matches. The hope is that the addition of Shane McMahon to the match will add a bit more interest to it but for the love of God, let this match be the last match in this rivalry.
It seems as if this match is all a setup to get McMahon and Owens in a match down the line. I appreciate that Shane can put on matches but can we just let him be an on-screen authority figure and stop putting him in matches? Styles wins in probably the best match of their whole feud.
Your winner and still champion, AJ Styles
Sheamus & Cesaro (champions) vs. Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins for the Raw Tag Team Championship
I had a feeling there would be more to this tag team match a couple of weeks ago before The Revival was taken out due to Scott Dawson’s bicep injury. Instead, we get a title match between Sheamus and Cesaro and the reunited two-thirds of The Shield, featuring Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. It was a slow build towards the reunion as the WWE teased it for weeks with it finally happening on Monday Night Raw.
Why have a “Shield” reunion with just two members? It makes no sense to me and makes even less sense to give them the tag team titles. Rollins deserves more than this. I think the WWE will go with the momentum they feel with this reunion and give Rollins and Ambrose the titles.
Your winners and new champions, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.
“The Demon” Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt
We get “The Demon” Finn Balor back on Sunday for his match against Bray Wyatt. This will be short. Wyatt will lose because he loses everything.
Your winner, Finn Balor.
Randy Orton vs. Rusev
Two guys with nothing to do on Smackdown Live and both need a win. After Orton putting over Jinder Mahal three times, I believe that Vince McMahon owes him one and this match is his one. In the process, Orton’s win will continue the downfall of Rusev as his career as gone in the crapper after a promising start. I am still confused as to what soured the company on Rusev as he is everything McMahon loves – a foreign, monster heel.
Orton wins this match and hopefully begins a part-time schedule because he is just boring as all hell.
Your winner, Randy Orton.
Alexa Bliss (champion) vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women's Championship
We have a rematch between Bliss and Banks and as much as Bayley’s shoulder injury sucked, this is the match that everyone wants to see.
The last week revealed through interviews that there might be real-life heat between these two. While we do not know how real it is, I think the idea of it makes the match more intense as both women want to be the number one woman in the WWE. I am rooting for Bliss only because a Sasha heel turn needs to happen sooner than later and loss at Summerslam could begin the transformation.
Your winner and still champion, Alexa Bliss.
Naomi (champion) vs. Natalya for the Smackdown Women’s Championship
Natalya winning this match could be a lifetime achievement award for her work in the company. It would also switch the Smackdown Live women’s title and shake things up a bit as it’s gotten a little stale in the last few months. Naomi is a good champion, but things need to be spiced up a bit. Enter Carmella.
Carmella is still not ready to be on the main roster. However she is, and she currently carries the Money in the Bank briefcase (sorry Vince) and can cash in whenever she wants. I think she does not cash in on Sunday, but it is going to happen sooner than later.
Your winner and new champion, Natalya.
Jinder Mahal (champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship
This match was interesting until Baron Corbin cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase (sorry Vince) on Tuesday and lost. I wrote about how much of a failure the Jinder Mahal WWE Championship reign has been and I am pretty sure it is mercifully coming to an end this Sunday. He has not gotten over with fans, and his matches have been dreadful. Part of the blame has been the writing as they have made him out to be a weak champion, similar to how Seth Rollins was booked as champion.
Nakamura has been on the main roster for almost six months and is getting his shot at the WWE Championship. I think now is time to pull the trigger and take the belt off of Mahal and begin Nakamura’s reign. I think already have a built-in feud with Corbin right out of the chute, and then you work from there.
Your winner and new champion, Shinsuke Nakamura.
Brock Lesnar (champion) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns: Fatal Four- Way for the Universal Championship
Now we have come to the main event of Summerslam. We have a fatal four-way match that features four men that each could walk out of the show with the title. I have sat for days trying to think who will win this match, and I am still stumped. Lesnar could retain, especially since he is advertised for upcoming events after Summerslam. Joe has accidentally gotten over with the crowd, and Strowman continues to be the monster that the company wanted out of him. Moreover, then there’s Roman Reigns… he is no good.
That is what makes this match so great because each man has a legitimate chance to win the title. In the end, the WWE probably wants to continue the Lesnar run has he is still the biggest attraction in the company. However, having a multi-man match means that Lesnar does not have to be pinned and he still keeps his aura. According to reports, Paul Heyman has been pushing for Samoa Joe to win the title and I would not be opposed to that. In the end, I think Vince overrules everyone and keep the belt on Lesnar.
Your winner and still champion, Brock Lesnar.
What are your thoughts about Summerslam? Let us know in our comment section.
