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WWE SummerSlam is the biggest WWE pay-per-view of the summer where Vince McMahon tries to assemble a star-studded match card. Unlike the rest of the Big 4 shows, SummerSlam does not have a special gimmick nor is it hosted in a stadium. So, the company tends to put in special efforts to give the pay-per-view a big-event feel.
The WWE Creative has already announced some big matches for this year's SummerSlam and the fans are expecting them to make a few more similar announcements soon.
However, whenever McMahon books a huge event, he pushes only a certain set of superstars while there is a set of superstars who never receive a push when SummerSlam comes around.
Hence, through this article, we will take a look at the 3 superstars that Vince McMahon always pushes at SummerSlam and 2 that he never does -
#1 Always Pushes - Finn Balor
The WWE Universe has always criticized the WWE for under-utilizing Finn Balor. However, the truth is that Vince McMahon has pushed him at SummerSlam every year. He joined the main roster in 2016 and made his PPV debut in a marquee match at the 2016 edition.
The Extraordrinary Man who does Extraordinary Things had defeated the company's top heel, Seth Rollins cleanly to lift the Universal Championship in his very first pay-per-view appearance. The next year saw The Demon King return to get the better of Bray Wyatt.
In 2018, The Demon King squashed Constable Baron Corbin under 2 minutes to build a 3-match winning streak at SummerSlam.
In a few days' time, Balor is slated to face Bray Wyatt and thus, it would be interesting to see how the WWE books him this time round.
#1 Never Pushes - Bray Wyatt
The Eater of Worlds, Bray Wyatt, has become the new favourite of the WWE Universe, thanks to his gimmick change. The Fiend will make his return to in-ring action after a break of 11 months. However, he does not have a good record at the event where he is set to make his return.
The last four SummerSlam events have seen Wyatt either being off the card or losing his match. In 2015, he teamed up with Luke Harper to take on Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. The tag team match ended in Reigns and Ambrose's favour, with the former pinning Wyatt after executing a spear.
However, he could not even make it to the match card the following year, despite being fit. The Demon King, Balor crushed Wyatt at The Biggest Party of the Summer next year while the former WWE Champion missed SummerSlam 2018 due to his tag team partner, Matt Hardy being injured.
Though Wyatt has never received a push at SummerSlam and Finn has always received one, this year might be different because the rumor mill reports that The Fiend is set to overcome Balor's challenge at the PPV.
#2 Always pushes - Brock Lesnar
It is no secret that Vince McMahon loves Brock Lesnar to take part in the marquee matches of his big events. And, the fact that The Beast Incarnate has been in the main event of every SummerSlam event since 2014 is a testament to the aforementioned statement.
At SummerSlam 2014, Lesnar defeated John Cena to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Next year, he lost to The Undertaker in an unclean manner. The following year, he enjoyed a controversial TKO win over Randy Orton.
At the last two SummerSlam shows, Brock Lesnar has defended his Universal Championship in the closing match. In 2017, he put his title on the line in a fatal-4 way match also involving Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe.
He escaped with the championship in one of the best matches in SummerSlam history. However, Lesnar could not repeat his success in the next edition as Roman Reigns defeated him in the title bout.
The WWE Creative team has booked Brock in the WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam once again. And with him having won the championship very recently, one can expect him to retain his belt when Seth Rollins comes knocking.
#2 Never Pushes - Rusev
Former United States Champion, Rusev has the potential of being the next top guy of the WWE. However, he has never received the booking to do so. And his dismal record at SummerSlam drives that point home.
After winning his first ever SummerSlam match against Jack Swagger, he hasn't notched up another victory.
At SummerSlam 2015, his match with Dolph Ziggler ended in a double count out while in 2016, his scheduled match with Roman Reigns never began due to a pre-match brawl. Randy Orton squashed him in 10 seconds at SummerSlam 2017 before he and his wife suffered a loss at the hands of Andrade and Zelina Vega on the kick-off show of SummerSlam 2018.
Given that Rusev has been off TV for months, it is unlikely that he will feature on the match card of SummerSlam 2019. Thus, that will, in all likelihood, ensure that his already bad record at the event, doesn't get worse.
#3 Always Pushes - Seth Rollins
The new face of the WWE, Seth Rollins is one of the best in-ring superstars in the current roster. He debuted as a part of The Shield at Survivor Series 2012 and has been unstoppable ever since.
Rollins made his SummerSlam debut in 2014 when he squared off against his Shield brother, Dean Ambrose in a Lumberjack match. The Architect used his Money In The Bank briefcase as a weapon to emerge victorious in that match.
At SummerSlam 2015, he made history by becoming the first man to hold the WWE Championship and the United States Championship at the same time after he defeated John Cena in a ‘Title vs Title’ match.
Next year, he lost to Finn Balor in the Universal Championship match but he went on to win two different titles in the next two SummerSlam events.
First, he won the RAW Tag Team Championship along with Dean Ambrose in 2017 and in the following edition, he dethroned Dolph Ziggler as the Intercontinental Champion.
In 2019, he will have the opportunity to make it three title wins in three when he takes on Brock Lesnar. Thus, it would be intriguing to see how he fares, given that he is pitted against one of Vince's favourite superstars.
