WWE's biggest winners and losers of the week (August 5-11, 2018 - contains spoilers)

The week before SummerSlam week was mostly uneventful on the main roster. The preview for Monday's Raw go-home show doesn't look that good, either. Most of the major storylines didn't see a lot of advancement this week, and even Ronda Rousey's debut match on Raw arrived with little fanfare (and failed to pop the red brand's ratings, as well). SmackDown didn't do much better, as too many things there feel like generic afterthoughts.

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It's not a good position for the company to be in at this time.

On NXT, a massive change to the TakeOver card was confirmed, and it wasn't for the better. Meanwhile, in what was the most notable development of the week, the Mae Young Classic tapings took place, delivering two massive winners and a heartbreaking loser.

With SummerSlam and NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn a week away, did this week tell us anything? Might we see some hints about what could transpire afterwards?

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Winner: Roman Reigns

As I mentioned on Monday, it's working for now. People are so desperate to see Brock Lesnar lose the Universal Championship that Roman Reigns is getting some goodwill. His reactions on Raw this week were good and perhaps that's building confidence in Vince McMahon for the SummerSlam match next week.

I suspect that the thing will fall apart in Brooklyn as it did in at WrestleMania New Orleans, but for now, Roman Reigns got positive responses, so the angle is working for now.

Everything depends on what happens in Brooklyn next week. While the match will certainly get the WrestleMania 20 treatment, it's imperative that Reigns beats Brock Lesnar cleanly, or he'll look like a choke artist again. And it's also imperative that we finally get this long, sorry mess over with.

Money in the Bank shenanigans can come after the finish.

Loser: Drew McIntyre

So far, there's been no development on the front of Drew McIntyre getting a bigger spotlight at SummerSlam.

That could change on Monday, but with that being the go-home show and the angle being that the numbers are stacked against Seth Rollins, it appears unlikely that he's going to be more than Dolph Ziggler's corner man in Brooklyn.

While the partnership has worked far better than expected, McIntyre isn't a name that you want having minimal exposure at a show like SummerSlam if he's to get a main event push soon (as he should).

Loser: Asuka

The advertised Asuka vs. Carmella match failed to transpire on SmackDown this past week, and it now appears that she won't be on the SummerSlam card.

That might not be the worst idea in the long-term, but for now, after suffering such embarrassment in her dreadful feud with Carmella, it doesn't look good.

Losers: AJ Styles and Samoa Joe

The WWE Championship match feels like an afterthought when it should feel like a big fight.

The build has produced little sizzle thus far, only coming when the match was announced. The two haven't confronted each other and there's been no real story to it, despite the match currently leading on WWE.com's own poll about which match fans are looking forward to the most at SummerSlam.

In truth, the feud doesn't feel any different than Styles' rivalry with Rusev did a month ago. Something needs to change.

Loser: Aleister Black

Aleister Black suffered an injury at the worst time imaginable because the triple threat in Brooklyn should have gone down as the best match of the summer. Now it's just another Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa singles match, which, fantastic as they've been, feels like they've been done to death.

For Black, it's a huge loss because this would probably have been his NXT finale, and in the main event of the yellow brand's biggest show. Now it's likely that he gets called up to the main roster without a proper sendoff.

However, compared to another injury suffered this week, Aleister's loss is pretty tame.

Loser: Tegan Nox

Tegan Nox was likely to get to the semifinal of this year's Mae Young Classic, but suffered a heartbreaking injury during her quarterfinal match against Rhea Ripley.

At first, it looked like she broke her leg, but now it seems that Nox shattered her kneecap, which is a much more serious injury. For Nox, it comes a year after a torn ACL forced her out of last year's competition. Now, in the midst of what was to be a major comeback, the injury bug bit her again.

Her prognosis remains unknown, but the injury stopped her from making a far bigger mark in the tournament. Her prospects are up in the air now.

Winners: Toni Storm and Io Shirai

The first match at Evolution is set. It will be Io Shirai and Toni Storm, two of the world's greatest female wrestlers, competing with each other for the Mae Young Classic crown.

It's a huge deal for them. For Shirai, it was the opportunity she dreamed about after an injury made WWE pull their contract offer to her a year ago at the last minute. For Storm, it's a chance to make herself the center of the UK women's division and a springboard to be introduced to a much wider audience still.

Regardless of who wins, the two have cemented their places as the keys to the future of WWE's women's division. Their match at Evolution is almost certain to be the show-stealer, and it comes on the most important stage imaginable.

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