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The 2018 SummerSlam match card was initially a repetitive, dull, uninspired effort by WWE to fill out one of their biggest pay-per-views of the year. However, as the weeks have gone by, the company had taken some calculated measures to ensure that Summerslam does have some sort of intrigue attached to it. And that is unsurprising considering rumours indicated that the company themselves were disappointed with the lack of excitement for the event.
Now that WWE has pulled out the biggest tricks from under their sleeve by dishing out several big returns and booking dream matches for the pay-per-view, the question is how would the show pan out? And while the answer to that question could only be determined once the show has concluded, the only thing that WWE needs to carefully plan and that is the fact that pay-per-view concludes in a strong manner.
As the theory with regards to any piece of entertainment states, the closing act of a performance could determine its success rate, and with regards to wrestling, the same can be applied. And the best recent example of that is the main event of SummerSlam 2017, as the bulk of the pay-per-view was somewhat terrible, but the fatal four-way Universal Title match sent fans home happy. So, how can WWE send their fans home happy this year?
#1 A rumored alliance
The drama of the Universal Title scene is nothing sort of thrilling, and that isn’t due to WWE’s booking methods, but it's due to the real-life contractual issues of Brock Lesnar, the delaying of Roman Reign's push and whether there will be a Money in the Bank cash in at the end of the night. But the most intriguing angle WWE have left open for discussion is the unlikely alliance between Reigns and Paul Heyman.
Heyman has done everything he could to make this fourth match between Reigns and Lesnar feel like the culmination of an epic feud, even though it was really a long drawn out conclusion by WWE. From crying his way into the sympathy of the WWE Universe to making a very convincing proposition to Reigns, Heyman could be the deciding factor at Summerslam in the Universal Title match.
And if WWE is really going to pull off a shocking twist as reported this could be the biggest twist they could employ as Reigns joining Heyman to win the Universal Championship could elevate Reigns career far beyond what it is right now. Moroever, it would leave fans so surprised that would definitely tune into Monday Night Raw to see what goes down.
#2 Win Owens Win
The story of the Money in the Bank contract programme between Kevin Owen and Braun Strowman is that of missed opportunities, the wrong build and a clunky narrative by the writing team, as Kevin Owens taking on Braun Strowman for the Money in the Bank contract could’ve had a much better build to the biggest party of the summer.
Nevertheless, WWE can’t mess this opportunity up again, as Strowman as Mr. Money in the Bank was the worst decision WWE could have taken, as the briefcase has only dragged him down the card ever since he won it.
So, to correct their errors WWE needs to let Owens beat Strowman at Summerslam and go on to become Universal Champion. While that might make you angry, considering the fact that Owens was one of the worst Universal Champions in the title’s history, but his entire disappointing run is due to WWE ’s terrible writing and the fact that Owens was unfortunately caught up in Chris Jericho’s meteoric rise to another career resurrection.
This time there is no one overshadowing KO and it seems as if WWE could book his World Title reign right this time as they would’ve learnt from their mistakes. Also, Owens could be the star Raw needs right now to run the main event scene, as by booking KO like he was initially booked in NXT would let Raw have a top heel, and we all know that is exactly what Raw is lacking right now.
#3 Samoa Joe takes out AJ Styles
The chances of the WWE Title main eventing Summerslam are slim, and if someone told you that a decade ago you would not believe it, but we are living in a world where Roman Reigns matches are the main event, so there’s no use complaining. But if WWE does surprise fans with Samoa Joe and AJ Styles main eventing the second biggest pay-per-view of the year, saying fans would be excited would be an understatement.
As you don’t need to tell longtime wrestling fans that Samoa Joe and AJ Styles can put on a pay-per-view classic, as their legendary battles in TNA back in the day are some of the best wrestling matches you will ever witness, and even though these men are around forty years of age, there is no doubt they will thrill. And though it would be great to see AJ Styles retain on the night, when it comes to Samoa Joe, this is his time.
There is no wrestler in the WWE that is more believable than Samoa Joe, and while most of you would think that Joe’s wrestling style has tamed since he landed in the WWE, the man’s badass attitude and exceptional promo skills rank as best in the world. And at Summerslam 2017 it should have been Joe’s time to hold a World Title, but WWE was caught up in the Brock Lesnar-Roman Reigns debacle. Therefore, this time has to be the time to put the World Title on Samoa Joe.
#4 Lesnar holds on
Brock Lesnar is a controversial figure in wrestling, as many dislikes him when he doesn’t show up to work every week but cheer him when he is laying the smackdown on anybody that comes in his way, and while Lesnar may be conflicting to the WWE Universe his murky contractual issues is as well. When Lesnar showed up at UFC 226 to confront Daniel Cormier many were surprised that Lesnar being the Universal Champion would be allowed to show up in the octagon.
But as most figured out that Lesnar’s contract would be up after Summerslam he would make a move back to the UFC, but now new details have surfaced that a meeting would take place before Summerslam between Lesnar and the WWE regarding his contract. So if Lesnar walks out the Universal Champion after Summerslam it would be surprising from a fans perspective but it is not that shocking to a smart businessman.
As the cross-promotion appeal WWE seems to be craving for might be the reason, as Lesnar holding the Universal Title and possibly the UFC Heavyweight Title would be historic but also it would genius marketing for the company. As the more exposure Lesnar gets, the more WWE receives, and many predict that would be WWE’s motivation for letting Lesnar keep the title. It would also be a smart move as it would leave fans intrigued to see where this angle goes next.
