If SummerSlam is WWE’s second biggest pay-per-view event of the year, it had better act like it. The first event following the brand split must act like it, pack a punch and make us all wish there was more. There must be a surprise or two and somehow, it must lead to a confrontation between Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley.
If the McMahons want us all to get behind this new revolution, please give us something to remember. The fact Battleground was an amazing event, SummerSlam has a lot to live up to. Anything less will be a huge letdown.
Here are five things that have to happen on Sunday.
Seth Rollins Must Win the WWE Universal Title
As much as I would love to see Finn Balor win and defeat “The Architect,” his time isn’t now. WWE would be taking a step back if it put the Raw title on Balor right out of the gate. There is an opportunity for a three-match series – where the NXT great could win the strap in the final confrontation.
Rollins is the consummate heel and Raw’s best product. There must be boundaries set. He must take over Raw with a win, much like he did by “stealing” the WWE World Title from Roman Reigns. If Rollins is the present of this company, then Balor is the future. Give him time to build a WWE resume.
Bray Wyatt causes Randy Orton to lose to Brock Lesnar
The confrontation between Orton and Wyatt has already been rumored after SummerSlam ends and this would be a great way to kick things off.
I personally love the idea of Orton and Lesnar, but I can also see the other side, the one that fans want to see both men move forward. Rehashing 14 years of history kind of stops that in its tracks. Ideally, Wyatt should be part of a program that gets him a title shot against the winner of the Dean Ambrose-Dolph Ziggler match, but that won’t happen just yet.
Orton is a solid opponent after SummerSlam for Wyatt, but it should begin with the Eater of Worlds causing The Viper to lose to The Beast Incarnate.
AJ Styles should beat John Cena
This is the match that in some odd way determines the future of both these WWE superstars. Styles is still the new kid on the campus. Cena has owned the campus for some time. The rubber match for these two should send Styles back towards the top of WWE’s food chain and potentially in line for a title shot against Ambrose.
Cena is really in a no-win situation. He is in the middle of the pack, lost in a shuffle. WWE is bringing along new talent, which is pushing him down the company ladder. Styles cannot afford to lose another pay-per-view event. In this case, Cena should do the honors
.Sasha Banks must win clean
For the past few months, it’s been Charlotte and Dana Brooke. Now, it’s Charlotte alone in a match that means everything to the Women’s Title. Fans want to see Sasha hold onto the company’s top prize, and at the same time, Charlotte needs to move on.
At some point, Bayley will become the top contender (WrestleMania 33?) and the stars will align.
The issue I have with this scenario is there isn’t much of a plan for the other women on Raw. Becky Lynch and Natalya are solid, Nia Jax is the new bully on the block. Something has to give here. In the end, Sasha should win clean and the company moves on.
Dolph Ziggler loses and turns heel
A win for Ziggler means everything and nothing for Smackdown Live. The veteran deserves another run as brand champion, but it does not make sense. Ambrose is as popular a title holder as there has been in some time.
He should win, and confront AJ Styles like I talked about. Ziggler turns heel and immediately challenges Ambrose again and loses, then turns his attention to John Cena.
The problem with Ziggler becoming the top contender is it slowed things down a bit. I’m sure there is a master plan for Ziggler now that he appears to be done with jobber status. Still, the best way for him to further himself on Smackdown Live is to lose and turn heel doing it.
