Match card predictions for WWE Summerslam 2018 after Extreme Rules

After Wrestlemania, WWE usually has a drop in the quality of its product. This slump lasts until the summertime, when WWE start preparing for the next big four pay-per-view, Summerslam. However, this year things have been different. With the increase in the importance of Money in the Bank, the big four has seemingly turned into the big five. This has helped to keep the quality of programming high.

But things will continue to heat up as we approach August. Summerslam is the second biggest pay-per-view event on the WWE calendar and is always expected to deliver. Since Wrestlemania is more for the casual audience, Summerslam caters more towards the hardcore fans.

The Biggest Party Of The Summer usually hosts a few excellent contests every year, and this year looks to be no exception. Some matches that could happen here have already been teased on television, while others would stem from logical booking decisions. I feel that we should have nine matches on the show, instead of ten, so each match can get a little more time than they would usually get on a four-hour show with ten matches scheduled. Therefore, some titles will not be able to make the main show. Here are the matches that should be booked for WWE Summerslam 2018.

#10 Finn Balor vs Kevin Owens

This seems like a random match, but honestly, there is nothing for these two massive stars to do for SummerSlam. So why not have them face each other? It’s not like it wouldn't be a good wrestling match anyway. Finn Balor and Kevin Owens just got done with victories at Extreme Rules against “Constable” Baron Corbin and Braun Strowman respectively. Strowman might have a role to play later in the night *wink*, while I’d rather see Owens on Summerslam than Corbin, despite how entertaining he has been in recent weeks.

The two of them have done battle in the past, most notably for the NXT Championship. In fact, it was in Brooklyn only, where Balor and Owens main effected the first NXT Takeover outside of Full Sail. That was a tremendous ladder match to close out that incredible show, and they could open this year's Summerslam with a bang. They can easily go for how much ever time you want them to and the fact that they are both without any real purpose is a major shame. Finn Balor and Kevin Owens were astonishingly the first two Universal Champions (Yes, that title existed on TV).

Honestly, there could be other wrestlers and matches in this place but the star power of these two means that you just cannot leave them off the second biggest WWE pay-per-view of the year. Pairing them together is a simple solution, as they do work well together. An addition of a story would be a major bonus, with the way things have been going on Raw this year. In terms of who would need the victory more, it would probably be Kevin Owens. The poor guy has been tossed around and killed by Braun Strowman too much lately, including at Extreme Rules, where he took a sickening off the steel cage. Balor can still continue to progress if WWE evolves his character from just a smiling man who has a face-painted alter-ego.

Prediction: Kevin Owens earns a much-needed victory

#9 Bludgeon Brothers vs sAniTy (Smackdown Tag Team Championships)

Eric Young and co. might be the next challengers for Harper and Rowan.

The Bludgeon Brothers have dominated the tag team division on the Blue brand, beating whichever team has been put in front of them. They need new challengers after fending off The Usos, The New Day, The Club and most recently, Team Hell No. This is where SaniTY would come in. They also won at Extreme Rules, in a Tables Match against The New Day. Despite being heels, it is likely that we will see them challenge Harper and Rowan.

Questionable gimmick aside, the Bludgeon Brothers have had some really strong and powerful showings. They have incorporated many double team moves into their arsenal, with all of them looking good. sAniTy, on the other hand, has had a rather interesting gimmick that they were just about able to protect in NXT. Any combination of Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killian Dain would be capable of holding the belts.

I am incredibly excited at the prospect of Dain facing off against Harper. Two huge bearded monsters coming to blows is just something that I have started enjoying ever since Braun Strowman started doing it in 2017. In the end, I would expect sAniTy to come away victorious exactly one year after winning the NXT Tag Team Championships in the same building.

Prediction: sAniTy win the titles

#8 Carmella vs Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)

For some reason, Carmella is still the Smackdown Women's Champion. She cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase on Charlotte Flair, two nights after the Queen ended Asuka’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania 34. Then, Carmella beat Asuka with some major assistance from James Ellsworth, TWICE. One must wonder what WWE is planning to do to get Asuka out of this terrible mess Carmella superkicked her into, but we must look forward to seeing who will step up to challenge for the Smackdown Women's title next. Who will be the next honorable savior of the blue brand’s Women's division?

It has to be Becky Lynch. After Carmella won the title, there have been hints of a secondary women's storyline on Smackdown Live. Becky Lynch was quietly grabbing a bunch of victories week in, week out. The Irish Lass Kicker even had a brilliant showing at Money in the Bank, where she literally had the briefcase unhooked before Alexa Bliss pushed her off to win it. The crowd was passionately behind Becky that entire time and it did show that WWE might be teasing us. Since then, she has gone on to win match after match against the likes of the IIconics and Absolution.

After Asuka and Charlotte, it is only natural that the call for Carmella’s championship challenger is answered by Becky Lynch. She has not had a pay-per-view singles match since before WrestleMania 33 and it is more than due. She has had her problems with James Ellsworth as well in the past, so maybe this entire story comes full circle as Becky lays the both of them out and finally conquers the champion. We haven't seen her in the main story of Smackdown since she lost her feud to Alexa Bliss. Now is her time, strike when the iron is hot. Becky Lynch has shown all the abilities to be a top WWE superstar and she deserves her time back on the top of the Women's division, it has been way too long.

Prediction: Becky Lynch finally gets the gold

#7 Sasha Banks vs Bayley

Can these two recreate the magic three years later?

WWE's booking of the Sasha Banks vs Bayley feud has been catastrophic, to say the least. They were sowing seeds of dissension at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, and it seemed like they were pulling the trigger when Bayley walked out on Sasha during a tag team match on Raw the next night. However, that was the most progressive this story would get as the two of them would reconcile and argue more times than Kane would ever turn face or heel. This continued for months and months until Bayley FINALLY snapped and attacked Sasha to a monstrous reaction on Raw. People actually believed in Bayley, as she stood up for herself.

Since then though, incompetent general manager Kurt Angle sent the two of them to therapy (while Braun Strowman was killing Kevin Owens every week). Now that Extreme Rules is over, WWE can cut the cheesy therapy schtik and focus on what really matters. Terrible booking has blinded fans from what we already knew, just how good Sasha Banks and Bayley are in the ring. They can create magic in the ring if given the right amount of time to do so. WWE simply has to book this match for Summerslam if they want to salvage anything at all from this lame story. The match is the only thing that can save it.

Sasha Banks and Bayley did create magic at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn in 2015, hopefully, WWE will give them a chance to recapture that piece of gold three years later at the same venue. It is the only thing that can save them now, the match at Summerslam. The win will need to go to Bayley, just to show that she is no more the goody, jolly kid she was portrayed to be throughout her first year on the main roster. This will show how far she has come since she was literally buried during that terrible feud with Alexa Bliss. Us viewers would also be reminded of Sasha’s in-ring brilliance, something that has gone under-the-radar, much like her prominence. In short, this match is needed to rescue both Bayley and Sasha Banks and it should be a good one.

Prediction: Bayley finally recovers on the main roster

#6 Shinsuke Nakamura vs Randy Orton (United States Championship)

These two could bring back some value to the US title.

Shinsuke Nakamura beat Jeff Hardy in next to no time at Extreme Rules to capture his first Championship on the WWE main roster. He became the United States Champion. But immediately after the match, Randy Orton made his return and attacked Jeff Hardy right away. This seems like a compelling match-up, that is if Orton is willing to come out of auto-pilot mode. Nakamura and Orton have had some good matches in the past, but not with Nakamura as the heel. It is about time for the Viper to actually show some interest in his work and be a part of a good story for once.

Jeff Hardy invoked his rematch clause for Smackdown Live but it will likely only be a short match if it even happens. Hardy is so knackered from all the injuries he has had. His back has been in a terrible place, so terrible that he stopped doing the Swanton Bomb at live events. He deserves some time off and the way Nakamura won the title was probably the smartest way to pull it off. Orton and Nakamura can easily have a very good match on pay-per-view, but they might need some help with the right story.

The United States Championship has been damaged goods for far too long now. We have seen so many changes, not good ones too, since the feud between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens. This match and feud could bring some prestige back to the fallen Championship as it could be an extremely valued component of the vastly talented Smackdown mid-card. Nakamura will need the win more, to continue his rise and have a credible reign as champion. However, it will be tricky as WWE are unlikely to make such a big star like Orton lose so soon after he returns on pay-per-view. In all honesty, though, he could lose and it would not affect him at all.

Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura gets the win

#5 Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose

Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins main evented Extreme Rules in an iron man match for the Intercontinental Championship. It was littered with falls throughout, but the decisive one came when Drew McIntyre distracted Rollins during the sudden death portion of the match. Ziggler barely escaped Pittsburgh with the title. But now, Rollins has more reason to go after Dolph and Drew. This has been a really compelling feud and it could be furthered. It has been established that Rollins could not this on his own.

Enter Dean Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe got injured at the end of 2017 and was said to be out for about six to nine months. Summerslam perfectly coincides with the timeframe of Ambrose's return. He could be back to help his former Shield-brother, as he had been doing prior to his unfortunate injury. Anticipation for Ambrose's arrival is high, so the moment when he does make his return would be a big one. It could come during a two-on-one attack from Ziggler and McIntyre on Seth Rollins. The pop would be huge.

A tag team match would be an extremely fun way to utilize all four of these guys for the Summer Spectacle. It would provide some good quality wrestling, along with a nice way to close the book on this great feud. The Intercontinental Championship feels like the biggest title in WWE today, and it is thanks to performers like Ziggler and Rollins. But it might not need to be defended at Summerslam for the sake of this tag match. The reunited team of Rollins and Ambrose could pick up the win and we move on to the next chapter for all parties involved. Perhaps we could get that Dean Ambrose heel turn we so badly want after this match.

Prediction: Rollins and Ambrose win

#4 Ronda Rousey vs Alexa Bliss (RAW Women's Championship

At Money in the Bank, Ronda Rousey put in an amazing performance against Nia Jax. There were concerns on how she would do in her first ever wrestling singles match against a relatively green competitor. Rousey proved all of her doubters wrong, again. However, she did not walk out with the Raw Women's Championship. Alexa Bliss interrupted just as Rousey had the match won and cashed in her Money in the Bank contract two hours after she'd won it.

Alexa Bliss ended the night with the title. She verbally poked the bear on Raw, as Ronda Rousey went on an absolute rampage. She went through referees and even took out her WrestleMania tag team partner Kurt Angle, in order to get to the champion. Rousey pummelled Bliss and put her through a table in the ring. She did make an appearance during Bliss' title defense against Nia Jax at Extreme Rules, as the Goddess barely managed to retain.

They clearly have unfinished business which will probably be resolved at Summerslam. Rousey has looked amazing whenever she got physical in the ring. This is what she is best at, a babyface killer who will destroy everything and everyone to get what she wants. I don't think anybody would complain if she won the title here since she has proved how good she is. Ronda Rousey just gets it, she is the fastest person from other sports to adapt perfectly to pro wrestling since Kurt Angle. She is just a natural in the ring.

Prediction: Ronda Rousey destroys Bliss

#3 Daniel Bryan vs The Miz

This is possibly the hottest feud of the year, and hasn't even begun. — This is possibly the hottest feud of the year, and it hasn't even begun.

This is a match that we have been wanting to see for almost two years now. We are now very close to getting the physical version of the Miz vs Daniel Bryan feud. Having already wrestled each other during WWE's tour of Europe, these two are about to punch each other in the face, on Smackdown. Summerslam seems like the perfect place to have this match since it is not very far away, but far enough to start a proper build towards the match.

Their history dates back to 2010 when The Miz was Daniel Bryan's mentor on NXT. They did not like each other then, and the storyline turned into a feud for The Miz's United States Championship. The tension was reignited in 2016 when Daniel Bryan became the General Manager of Smackdown. The Miz laid into him on Talking Smack one week, and then this became the match we never knew we needed to see. Miz has Daniel Bryan to thank for some of his improvements as a performer, as Talking Smack truly made him what he has become today.

The Miz is certainly one of the best all-around performers in WWE today and is finally earning the respect from the fans, that he so richly deserves. This match is two years in the making, and it shouldn't disappoint. It's about time we get to see Daniel Bryan giving The Miz his comeuppance for all the dastardly things he has said since that Talking Smack promo.

Prediction: Daniel Bryan shuts The Miz up

#2 AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Rusev (WWE Championship)

Adding Samoa Joe to this feud would produce fantastic results.

AJ Styles retained his WWE Championship against Rusev at Extreme Rules and is marching to Brooklyn with his belt still intact. The Bulgarian did have a strong showing after finally getting an opportunity for a World Championship. His performances and overall charisma certainly warrant a regular high placement on the card, along with a face turn which fans have been clamoring for a lot in the last few months.

He was always likely to remain a placeholder, while AJ Styles was named the cover star of the video games WWE 2K19. His WWE Championship loss would probably represent a bigger moment to a bigger star. Samoa Joe could be that guy. AJ and Joe are yet to face each other in a WWE ring but it is surely going to be a sight to behold. They worked magic together at TNA, where they were both originals. Samoa Joe will be the one to end the Phenomenal One's long title reign.

However, it would have to wait. I struggled to find another place for Rusev on this card so he remains part of the WWE Championship picture while Joe enters it. This is merely a transitional match for AJ Styles to go from a feud with Rusev to a feud with Joe, but a pretty good match nevertheless. AJ will keep the title here, but Samoa Joe will get his moment later in what would surely be an extremely special moment. But it won't happen at Summerslam, as long as there is someone else in the match.

Prediction: AJ Styles barely manages to retain

#1 Roman Reigns vs Bobby Lashley vs Brock Lesnar (Universal Championship)

Reigns may have one last shot at Lesnar at Summerslam.

Bobby Lashley pinned Roman Reigns clean at Extreme Rules in a match he had to win to remain as a top-level main event superstar. He should ideally be given a Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar at Summerslam. But Roman Reigns will continue to whine about how he is the "uncrowned" Universal Champion. There has to be an ending to this feud. This would provide that and the inclusion of Lashley would likely keep interest levels above zero. It would also provide a different style to the WWE Championship triple threat match.

The match would likely be an aggressive, smashmouth style brawl reminiscent of last year's main event of Summerslam. The most probable scenario would be Roman Reigns finally conquering it all and winning the Universal Championship, but Lesnar's reign has been too tyrannical and long to blemish the moment he loses the title. Honestly, if Reigns wins, the entire part-timer story would have been a waste of time as he is just not going to get cheered. Bobby Lashley could be the one to end the Beast, but we have a more popular choice waiting in the wings.

Brock Lesnar shockingly retains the Universal Championship but suddenly, Braun Strowman's music hits and he runs down the ring. He takes out the groggy champion and cashes in his contract. We get a short and competitive match between the two, which ends with Strowman hitting multiple Powerslams and pinning Lesnar clean in the middle of the ring. I would have originally had Seth Rollins win the Universal Championship but since Strowman won the Money in the Bank ladder match, he could easily replace Rollins in terms of popularity.

Brock Lesnar's reign of terror must end at the hands of a popular babyface who will be cheered while he does it otherwise this entire reign has been a waste of everybody's time. Even if Roman Reigns wins and immediately loses to Strowman, the moment of Brock losing the title would be ruined by a negative reaction.