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WWE SummerSlam is fast approaching, with 'The Biggest Party of the Summer' set to be a rather interesting one this year. Not only is it WWE's second-biggest PPV and their biggest show before moving over to Fox, but it's the first in their 'new era' under Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as well.
With that in mind there's every chance that, on top of the match card we've already got, they'll look to pull out all the stops and throw out a few big surprises to really usher in their new television deal with a bang!
It certainly seems like WWE is making some room for some unannounced appearances and segments as they've trimmed several previously announced matches such as the women's tag team match and Aleister Black vs. Sami Zayn.
So what could these big, crazy surprises be? Luckily, the SummerSlam rumor mill has been working overtime and there are a lot of insane things being suggested for the show. Let's take a look at them and discuss whether or not they'll happen!
So, without further ado, here are eight craziest things that could happen at SummerSlam this Sunday.
#8 Sasha Banks returns
Now, people have been predicting that Sasha Banks will return almost weekly since she has taken time away from WWE following losing the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 35.
We were all told that Banks was unhappy with the creative direction behind the Women's Tag Team Titles and the decision to take them off her and Bayley (even though Banks herself hasn't confirmed this or said anything since).
This certainly wouldn't be a surprise given our very own Tom Colohue recently reported that Vince McMahon had no plan for the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles and didn't really want to introduce them in the first place.
However, Banks isn't having time off because of her frustration with the Women's Tag Team Titles, rather she's just taking some time off because she's earned it, much like Rusev and Lana.
This means that she's likely to return at any time, and given that she's been advertised on a graphic for SummerSlam this year, it does make it seem extremely likely that she'll be back for the 'Biggest Party of the Summer'. That and all of the wrestling news sites have reported that she'll be 'back soon'.
A returning Banks would be thrust straight into the top of the Women's Division, and there are three women's matches on the show that she could make her presence felt in. She'd be a great heel opponent for whoever wins out of Bayley or Ember Moon, a fantastic face opponent against Charlotte (who will probably beat Trish Stratus), or she could be Becky Lynch's next challenger.
#7 'The Demon' Finn Balor surprises us
Finn Balor has a demonic problem on his hands with the returning Bray Wyatt debuting the 'Fiend' against him at SummerSlam. Currently, the first-ever Universal Champion isn't planning on donning his 'Demon' persona to counter-act 'The Fiend'.
This seems ill-advised to me, given that Finn Balor is undefeated as 'The Demon' in general. But further than that, SummerSlam is actually The Demon's fortress--The Demon's hunting ground.
Balor has beaten Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt and Baron Corbin in his three SummerSlam matches, and he was 'The Demon' in all three.
Sure, Finn Balor has chosen not to become 'The Demon' in high-profile matches before, like his Universal Title match against Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble. However, he has also surprised the WWE Universe by appearing as 'The Demon' like he did against Baron Corbin at last year's SummerSlam.
Admittedly around this time last year, despite not being officially announced, it was widely reported that Balor was going to surprise everyone as 'The Demon' for SummerSlam and this year that's not the case. But there's still a chance he'll come to his senses and invoke 'The Demon' against a foe like Wyatt.
#6 Ronda Rousey comes back!
When Rousey took time away from WWE after WrestleMania, SummerSlam was always the time she was earmarked to make her return and well, here we are, it's SummerSlam. So Rousey will be back, right?
The stage certainly seems set given that Becky Lynch is still WWE Raw Women's Champion, the title that she won from Ronda Rousey, and that Lynch's SummerSlam opponent is Natalya who was Rousey's biggest onscreen ally. It practically writes itself.
Could we see Ronda Rousey return to help Natalya win the title? Or will she make an appearance after the match to remind Becky Lynch that the rivalry between the two is far from over?
Alternatively, Rousey might decide that her unfinished business with Charlotte is a more pressing matter and could do the same with her. Either way, Rousey coming back to the WWE will definitely give the women's division a much-needed shot in the arm and would blow the roof off of SummerSlam.
That is, of course, if she isn't too busy making films about killer tables.
#5 NXT Callups - Shayna Baszler & Undisputed Era
NXT TakeOver: Toronto sees WWE NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler against Mia Yim, UE's Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano in a 2-out-of-3 falls match for the NXT Title, UE's Roderick Strong competing for the NXT North American Title in a Triple Threat against Velveteen Dream and Pete Dunne and finally UE's Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly facing the Street Profits for the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Why is that important? Well, because Baszler and The Undisputed Era's tenures in NXT are getting a bit long in the tooth so it might be the perfect time to think about calling these guys up to the main roster.
And if you're thinking about calling these guys up to the main roster, then surely you'd possibly consider doing so in the biggest way possible by surprising the WWE Universe with an Undisputed Era or Baszler appearance at SummerSlam.
Current rumors seem to suggest that Shayna Baszler will appear and start a feud with Becky Lynch, again this sort of writes itself given Baszler's close affiliation with Ronda Rousey. As for the Undisputed Era, it is being suggested they will interfere in the Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens match in some way.
The good news is that even if Baszler does retain her title and even if UE get the clean sweep in their respective title matches this can still happen!
#4 Matt Riddle confronts Goldberg
Whilst Matt Riddle may be feuding with Chris Jericho on social media at the moment, don't forget that this all started when Riddle took a shot at WWE Legend and Hall of Famer Goldberg on Twitter calling him the worst wrestler ever.
This was something Riddle doubled-down on in a now-deleted video after the error-riddled Goldberg and Undertaker match at the Saudi Arabian WWE show Super ShowDown, he said:
"Goldberg, Goldberg. You lived up to the hype yet again. You're absolutely the worst wrestler in the business, bro. And that's not an opinion, that's a fact."
Now, this originally seemed like it was just one of those social media things between two wrestlers that doesn't go anywhere, but as luck would have it, both Riddle and Goldberg will be in Toronto at the same time this weekend.
He has even wished Goldberg's opponent for SummerSlam, Dolph Ziggler, luck for the upcoming bout.
And he's promised that he'll be at both TakeOver: Toronto and SummerSlam and even suggested that things are going to heat up.
So, will Riddle get involved in Goldberg's match somehow? You do the math... Of course, you could be doing 2+2 and getting 5.
#3 Braun Strowman becomes 24/7 Champion
WWE has been running backstage interviews asking Superstars if they want to win the 24/7 Championship, and the word on the street is that WWE has a 'monstrous' surprise winner for the company's most entertaining title (Yeah, I said it).
Get it? I said 'monstrous' because I'm, of course, referring to Braun Strowman who has been largely peripheral when it comes to WWE over the last few weeks, but there's certainly no denying that 'The Monster Among Men' would give him some sort of spotlight.
Plus, anyone who remembers Braun Strowman's work during the Mixed Match Challenge and his relationship with Alexa Bliss will know how funny Strowman can be and how, like Drake Maverick, he has great comedic timing.
A small comedic segue away from the main event scene might be exactly what a guy like Strowman needs to reinvigorate himself for when he's ready to get back into the Universal or WWE Title picture again, and having someone as massive and dominant as him would make for entertaining 24/7 segments where he swats away multiple people on a regular basis.
#2 Seth Rollins isn't cleared to compete, Matt Riddle replaces him
We now move on to our second crazy thing that could happen at SummerSlam that involves NXT's Matt Riddle, and this is definitely the epitome of crazy thing that would be mind-blowing if it happens.
So, a lot has been made of Seth Rollins' rib injury after the brutal attack from Lesnar a few Monday Night Raw's ago, and it seems that the former Universal Champion is going to be less than fully fit when he takes on 'The Beast Incarnate'. But what if he doesn't make it all?
Let's imagine that Brock Lesnar attacks him again before the bell is rung and Rollins is no longer able to fight through the pain and inconvenience of severe internal bleeding. What if Lesnar then challenges anyone to a fight, as he's there already?
Then steps up Matt Riddle, we know he'll be there because he's been announced for the 'Watch Along'. We also know that Riddle has campaigned feverishly for a match against Lesnar, and has even hinted that something might happen on his social media.
In case anyone is doubting the likelihood of WWE putting an NXT rookie against a dominant champion let me just remind you that's exactly what WWE did with Paige (admittedly she was NXT Women's Champion at the time, and Riddle doesn't hold a title, but still).
#1 CM Punk returns
CM Punk returning to the WWE would be absolutely crazy, right? Especially doing it at SummerSlam and putting an end to the rumors he'll be turning up at AEW's 'All Out' later on in the month once and for all.
Now, I certainly don't expect this to actually happen, but given recent events, there's no denying that it could happen if a certain amount of things were to take place. Firstly, we'd need to find out if Punk's recent interview criticising AEW and saying he's done wrestling is a work or not and then we'd need to analyse the likelihood of Punk returning to WWE at all.
But, if for some reason all the chips have fallen in the right way then Punk returning at SummerSlam would be, without a doubt, the craziest thing to happen in the WWE for a long, long time. Just don't go getting your hopes up!
Also Read: 5 Biggest mistakes WWE must not make at SummerSlam 2019
