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SummerSlam is just around the corner and why should we not be excited? It’s the biggest party of the summer after all!
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If you’re one of them who took some time off from WWE programming right after WrestleMania, well, Brock Lesnar has not shown up on Raw since April and AJ Styles is still the workhorse champion that runs the place. The top of the card has pretty much remained the same while the undercard has seen changes galore.
For those who’ve had the patience to keep up on a weekly basis and also for those who haven’t, SummerSlam promises to be a show worthy of being called the second WrestleMania. Cometh August 19th, 2018, the Barclays Centre could play host to some marquee matches, possible title changes and of course, pop-worthy returns.
As of this writing, Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship is the only confirmed match, however, the rumor mill is helping our cause in predicting the most-likely SummerSlam card.
We’ve picked the best bits of speculation that have been doing the rounds regarding SummerSlam:
#1 AJ Styles’ opponent and the possible outcome
Samoa Joe is expected to rekindle his TNA rivalry against AJ Styles at SummerSlam unless something drastic was about to happen. WWE spoiled the announcement which may have been originally saved for the upcoming episode of SmackDown in a Summerslam advertisement.
This would be Joe’s first WWE title match but it may not be a triumphant effort for the Samoan Submission Machine if a report from CageSideSeats is anything to go by.
AJ Styles is said to be the favorite to retain his WWE championship and is slated for a long reign with the topmost prize in the company. We aren’t against the idea as we get more of Styles vs. Joe in the aftermath of SummerSlam. Who wouldn’t want to watch them tear each other and also the house down in an elongated feud?
#2 The Universal title
It’s clear as vodka that Brock Lesnar will be dropping the title at SummerSlam in order to free himself up for a super fight against dual-weight champion Daniel Cormier.
Talking about his opponent, Bobby Lashley should ideally be facing the Beast Incarnate in singles competition after beating Roman Reigns clean at Extreme Rules.
But the fans may not get an uninterrupted showdown between the two jacked up freaks as expected. CageSideSeat reports in their rumor roundup that the current plan is to have a triple threat featuring Reigns, Lashley, and the champ who’s sitting comfortably in his farm back in Mayfield, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Lashley and Reigns are scheduled to face each other next week on Raw with the #1 contenders spot on the line and we’re sure the match will not have a conclusive result.
Whether it is Reigns or Lashley or both for that matter, WWE desperately needs a new champion. Additionally, BRAUN to get those hands on the title at the end of the night!
#3 Dean Ambrose's return
It’s about damn time that the Lunatic Fringe returns! Dean Ambrose has been sidelined since Royal Rumble due to a triceps injury and we’re nearing the end of the prescribed rehabilitation period.
Dave Meltzer touched upon the topic and said that Ambrose, who was set to be back in 9 months from after his surgery, should be back in the ring doing his thing pretty soon.
“He’s supposed to be back sometime by I think pretty soon. I was told late-Summer and we’re mid-Summer so it shouldn’t be too long,” Meltzer said.
Keep your eyes out for him waltzing into Barclays Centre to quite possibly the biggest pop of the year.
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#4 Undertaker’s status
We’re nearing a major PPV and it’s tradition to have speculation of the Deadman’s return doing the rounds. The Observer reports that there has been a backstage talk on using Undertaker for the upcoming show but nothing has been revealed beyond that.
If he were to come back, a WrestleMania 34 rematch against John Cena seems like go-to booking decision for the WWE Creative to make. Giving the two veterans a longer match to work may undo the damage done by their first encounter. Nonetheless, there’s no word on Taker’s health and whether he is physically in a condition to have another showdown with the Cenation Leader.
With the possible Universal title triple threat main event having enough star power to carry the show home, WWE can also afford to do without the Phenom this time around.
#5 Miscellaneous
In addition to the aforementioned matches rumored to happen along with the Raw Women’s Championship match, these are the remaining bouts that could constitute the card of the biggest PPV of the summer:
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz: With Kane out of the picture, it’s a no-brainer!
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (Triple Threat match for the United States Championship): Orton is back again as a heel and pitting him against a heel in Nakamura makes no sense. A three-way dance between the veterans should be on the cards.
Tag team titles: Paige's announcement of a tournament to decide the #1 contenders for the SmackDown title should give the Bludgeon Brothers new opponents to work while the B-Team looks certain to give Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy another shot at reclaiming lost gold.
The other bouts predicted to make the show include, Bayley vs. Sasha Banks, a multi-man ladder match for the IC title and Carmella vs. Becky Lynch or Asuka.
Satisfied with where the show is headed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section and how you would book the PPV given a chance to be a part of the creative team.
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