Predicting all the WWE title holders walking into SummerSlam

Money in the Bank has come and gone and there has already been one huge change regarding a major title in WWE. After Becky Lynch relinquished her title in order to be a mother, Asuka became the new RAW Women's Champion by virtue of her win at MITB. She's now embroiled in a feud with Nia Jax. Jax was the first one to confront the new Champion and she even attacked Asuka's friend Kairi Sane. Bayley still holds her SmackDown Women's Championship after defeating four challengers at WWE WrestleMania 36 and Tamina at MITB.

The Intercontinental Championship will have a new holder after Sami Zayn decided not to be a part of the empty-arena shows due to the COVID-19 situation. And not to be outdone, Apollo Crews wrested the United States Championship from Andrade on WWE RAW. The mid-card and tag team titles are the ones that are in the most flux year-round so they could feasibly change hands between now and August.

As for the top Champions on both brands, however, several were just crowned, so expect the likes of Drew McIntyre, Asuka, and possibly Braun Strowman to enter SummerSlam holding their titles. Here are my predictions for each Championship and who will hold it once the Biggest Part of the Summer comes to the forefront. The 24/7 Championship will not be included.

Women's Tag Team titles - Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

The state of tag teams in the women's division is diminishing by the week. Fire and Desire have officially disbanded and Asuka is now the RAW Women's Champion. Kairi Sane is still her friend/partner, so they could still technically be considered a viable tag team.

The IIconics have returned and immediately were thrust into a title match. They lost, and following the contest backstage, it appeared that there was a little dissension between the Aussie friends. Billie Kay slapped Peyton Royce but the two hugged it out.

Outside of the Champions and the IIconics, there aren't any established pairings. That could change between now and August. Stars like Carmella and Dana Brooke could attempt to win the titles once more. But since Bliss and Cross are one of the few remaining tag teams they will likely walk into the Biggest Party of the Summer as Champions.

SmackDown Tag Team titles - The New Day

The Champs should stabilize the division for the next few months.

Personally, I feel like taking the titles away from John Morrison and The Miz was a mistake. They had a brief run as Champions but were greatly adapting to the empty-show formats. The Dirt Sheet segments were entertaining and Morrison slotted right back into the swing of things as if he never left.

The circumstances around WWE WrestleMania 36 saw two triple threat singles matches decide the fate of the titles instead of one team versus another team. It was altogether weird and in the second of those matches, the New Day won the titles again. They didn't necessarily need another run as Champions so soon but that is what happened.

Since they are the current title holders and they have defeated most of the other teams on WWE SmackDown - Miz/Morrison, Heavy Machinery, Lucha House Party, Forgotten Sons - it doesn't seem feasible that Big E and Kofi Kingston would drop the titles before WWE SummerSlam. If another blockbuster team is formed between now and then, then that might bring forth a title change. But until that team arises, expect the multi-time Champions to walk into the Biggest Party of the Summer with gold and pancakes.

RAW Tag Team titles - The Viking Raiders

The tag team titles in WWE aren't usually held for long runs. A shelf life of two to four months is the usual tag team title run in WWE. Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy held the titles for a few months before losing them to the Street Profits in March. By that logic, it stands to reason that Erik and Ivar may recapture the gold before WWE SummerSlam.

The duos are immersed in a series of "Anything you can do, we can do better" events like basketball and ax throwing. They're building to another match for the gold at some point soon. With WWE Backlash the next PPV in June, it could happen there. But without the Authors of Pain, there are few other pairings on Monday nights. Andrade and Angel Garza will likely challenge for tag gold some time this year. Murphy may also be paired with Austin Theory now that the latter has joined the ranks of the Monday Night Messiah.

Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink are also lurking on WWE RAW but have not been established as viable challengers just yet. For that reason, the two teams to carry the division are the Street Profits and the Viking Raiders. Since it'll be coming up on a few months with Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins as Champions, I expect Erik and Ivar to win the titles before or at WWE SummerSlam.

United States Championship - Apollo Crews

2020 sees another first-time Champion as Apollo Crews captured the United States Championship from Andrade on the latest episode of WWE RAW. It was part of his storyline leading up to WWE Money in the Bank where he qualified but had to be taken out due to injury.

It opens up the title picture as Andrade had a rather uneventful run as Champion. It wasn't all his fault with the global pandemic and other circumstances but it was easy to forget that he was the title holder. Now that El Idolo is no longer holding his title, will he pursue it once more or will Angel Garza now go after Crews? Who is next in line?

There's also the likely scenario that one or both of the disciples of Seth Rollins go after Crews at some point. Austin Theory and Buddy Murphy are both too talented not to be challenging for or holding titles in WWE. We have a few months until WWE SummerSlam so Crews should at least hold the title until the actual PPV. At the show, however, anything is possible.

The US title has had a strange history as Andrade held the belt for 151 days. Before that, Rey Mysterio held the belt for two combined reigns lasting only 46 days. Samoa Joe was only the Champion for 20 days. Before AJ Styles held the title for over 131 days last year, Ricochet was US Champ for only 21 days. The main point to get across is that the runs for some mid-card Champions are usually short and tenuous at best. But since he won the title this week, Crews should at least have a reign until August.

Intercontinental Championship - Daniel Bryan

This is the hardest title picture to predict for the rest of the year. The tournament to crown a new Champion is still ongoing with Daniel Bryan facing Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles squaring off with Elias this Friday on WWE SmackDown. Elias is the wildcard as he's the only star to have never held a title (24/7 title run not counted) in WWE. It could be a way to get him over outside of his musical performances but the likely scenario is a final featuring Bryan and Styles.

They had a great feud over the WWE Championship a few years ago as Bryan turned heel. The Planet's Champion gimmick also helped get Kofi Kingston over at WM 35. Bryan passionately stated that he wants the IC title to be held by the best wrestler in the company and he feels that he is the best.

I can't argue with that statement. Styles and Bryan are great in-ring storytellers and among the bigger names in WWE. Hardy is also, but his best days probably are behind him. Elias just needs a chance as Champion but I think that Bryan will hoist the title at the end of the tournament.

SmackDown Women's Championship - Bayley

The friendship will be tested until the Biggest Party of the Summer.

This title scene comes down to two potential women. The first is the most obvious as Bayley is the longest current reigning Champion in WWE. She's held the title since last fall and has brushed back every challenge that has come her way. She hasn't faced Sonya Deville or Mandy Rose but those two will likely be involved with each other for the next few months.

Bayley will either lose the title to Sasha Banks before or at WWE SummerSlam. They've constantly hinted at dissension between the two best friends. It didn't need Charlotte Flair pointing it out as we've witnessed some sort of miscommunication between the two since before WM 36.

It will likely continue to be a slow burn until Banks finally opens up her eyes and goes into business for herself. The feud deserves a big stage like WWE SummerSlam. For that reason, I think the former Hugger holds onto her title until August. It would be approaching nearly a year for her title run but the scene desperately needs to be refreshed. Having Banks win the title at the Biggest Party of the Summer seems like a moment we could witness in a few months.

RAW Women's Championship - Asuka

Asuka should have a long a fruitful reign as RAW Women's Champion. She has been a hit in the empty-arena shows with her dancing, yelling, and overall antics. The Empress of Tomorrow is entertaining even if it is hard to know what she is saying. That's hard to teach but some people just have it.

She's also deserving of a long and fruitful reign because she is among the best women in the business. They also just turned her back to a babyface with Becky Lynch's departure. Regardless of her challengers between now and WWE SummerSlam, I think Asuka will hold the title past the summer.

I know that the inevitable feud with Charlotte Flair is going to happen, it's just a matter of when and not if. It should be saved for a big PPV like the WWE Royal Rumble or WWE WrestleMania 37 but they may decide they want to give the Queen her 13th reign. They don't need to but they have stopped Asuka's dominance before for that reason. Whatever the case is, however, I think the Empress of Tomorrow walks into 'Slam still holding the gold. Nia Jax is the first challenger for the new Champion but if they wanted her to win the title, she would have won MITB.

Universal Championship - Braun Strowman

The Monster Among Men gets to keep holding the title after several years of failed attempts to win it. Braun Strowman beat only Bray Wyatt at Money in the Bank and not the Fiend. It appears that upon the suggestions of many from WWE Backstage like Booker T, Christian and CM Punk, that we may get the inevitable match again at WWE SummerSlam.

The Fiend is supposed to be unbeatable and the original plan was for Roman Reigns to win the title at WM 36. As plans shifted, it meant that not only was the Champion different heading into the show but so was the challenger. What was originally slated to be Reigns vs. the Fiend became Goldberg defending the title against Strowman.

Strowman dispatched of Wyatt at MITB and will now defend the title in a handicap match against John Morrison and The Miz at WWE Backlash. I'm expecting him to retain next month and hold the title until August. His reign, however, may be ended at the actual PPV. He's done well filling in as Champion and he was more than deserving of a run as a top guy in WWE. But since he wasn't the original plan, I'm thinking he loses the belt once he runs into the masked Fiend.

WWE Championship - Drew McIntyre

McIntyre needs to maintain his title run through SummerSlam.

While Strowman is deserving of winning a top title in WWE, he didn't have to wait almost 20 years just to get his first major title shot. Drew McIntyre did and he was paid off with a huge victory over the Beast at WM 36.

Seth Rollins was the first to challenge the new Champion and McIntyre put him away. The Scottish Psychopath will next face Bobby Lashley. This Lashley could be the best version since he appears more focused and dangerous under the tutelage of MVP. While the Almighty may be a huge physical test for McIntyre, the current Champion will remain in possession of his belt after WWE Backlash.

The door opens up after that because any number of men could be next in line. Will the winner of Edge vs. Randy Orton get a shot? Is Andrade moving up the card despite losing the US Championship? We could also see Kevin Owens get a shot or a revisiting of 3MB if Jinder Mahal gets a chance at the belt.

Whatever happens and whoever is in his way, the Scottish Psychopath will dispatch of every challenger in his path. He needs to have a long reign as the men who beat Lesnar should. The Beast doesn't drop titles to just anyone so McIntyre's first reign has to be long and meaningful in the long run. He'll walk into and out of SummerSlam as WWE Champion.

Edited by Kaushik Das