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WWE SummerSlam is just a few nights away, and the company has been doing well to build some rivalries for the pay-per-view. Top superstars have also returned to WWE to make the event more memorable.
Goldberg appeared on RAW not too long ago and challenged Bobby Lashley for his WWE Championship. Meanwhile, John Cena stole Finn Balor’s opportunity to face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam.
Randy Orton also returned to the company just in time for SummerSlam and will team up with Riddle to face AJ Styles and Omos for the RAW Tag Team Championships. At the upcoming pay-per-view, Nikki A.S.H., Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley's storyline will play out in a triple threat contest.
Sheamus will put his United States Championship on the line against Damian Priest, while The Mysterios are set to challenge The Usos for the SmackDown tag team titles.
SummerSlam will undoubtedly be one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year for the company. Let's take a look at five things that must happen at SummerSlam to make the event memorable.
#5. Randy Orton and Riddle must defeat Omos and AJ Styles at WWE SummerSlam
Randy Orton was recently uninterested in teaming up with Riddle again. After exchanging some hot words with AJ Styles last week, Orton took him on later in the night.
The two men did well in the contest before Riddle leveled Omos outside the ring to help Orton win the match. Afterward, The Viper RKO-ed Riddle to make a statement.
The events of this week's RAW have given Orton and Riddle a chance to get on the same page again, especially now that they are the upcoming challengers for Styles and Omos' titles.
RK-Bro can realistically defeat AJ Styles and Omos without hurting the latter team's credibility.
After all, SummerSlam, being a huge pay-per-view, is the perfect stage to have the RAW Tag Team Championships change hands. Such an outcome should also give Riddle and Orton a big boost and ensure that they stay together for some time.
#4. Damian Priest must become the new United States Champion at WWE SummerSlam
Sheamus and Damian Priest's SummerSlam fight could steal the show in terms of in-ring action. The Celtic Warrior defeated Riddle to win the United States Championship at WWE WrestleMania 37 back in April.
Since then, he has only defended the title once on television. A major reason for that is because he suffered a nose injury during a match against Humberto Carrillo on an episode of WWE RAW.
While Sheamus has put on entertaining bouts against some high-flyers such as Mansoor, Carrillo and Ricochet, he will be up against a man who can match his size and strength at SummerSlam.
Damian Priest made the challenge on RAW not too long ago and Sheamus accepted the call for a match without hesitation. While both men are great in the ring, Sheamus has already held the title for four months. It seems like the right time for WWE to crown a new United States Champion at SummerSlam.
The Archer of Infamy has proven himself in NXT and even held the North American Championship there. Winning the US title at SummerSlam would at least put him in a stable role on the main roster.
Additionally, a victory over Sheamus will allow Priest to engage in some interesting rivalries. The Miz also seems to be fit, and the two men could have one final match with the US title on the line.
#3. Bobby Lashley must retain his WWE Championship at SummerSlam
Bobby Lashley will defend his WWE Championship at SummerSlam against Goldberg. Lashley made a clear statement at Money in the Bank after ripping through Kofi Kingston. On the episode of WWE RAW that followed, The All Mighty defeated the returning Keith Lee before Goldberg made his return.
The WWE Hall of Famer soon entered into a major rivalry with Lashley. Many are predicting that the two powerhouses will compete in a quick SummerSlam match.
Goldberg, who is already 54 years old, has taken down major superstars such as Kevin Owens and ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt for top championships. However, WWE's higher-ups must avoid giving Goldberg another title victory over a beast like Lashley.
At SummerSlam, The All Mighty must run through Goldberg with ease and establish himself as the most dangerous man in sports entertainment.
After all, the WWE Champion has waited a long time to get on top of the company. Since winning the title, he has been doing a good job with it to prove his worth.
A victory for Lashley could open the door to a major title match against another former Universal Champion at some point.
Check out Sportskeeda's interview with Bobby Lashley here:
#2. WWE must give Nikki A.S.H. a convincing victory at SummerSlam
WWE SummerSlam will play host to a massive Triple Threat Match for the RAW Women's Championship.
Current RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. won the title after cashing in her Money in the Bank contract and pinning Charlotte Flair. She will defend the gold against Flair and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat showdown at SummerSlam.
Nikki hasn’t won many matches since her RAW Women’s Championship victory. She was pinned by Rhea Ripley on RAW before SummerSlam, and later lost a tag team match with Ripley against Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax on the show.
The upcoming SummerSlam bout will be a real test for the current titleholder, who is looking to cement herself as one of the company's top female competitors.
At SummerSlam, WWE must allow Nikki A.S.H. to pick up a big victory by pinning either Flair or Ripley after hitting her finisher. The finish will allow Nikki to come across as a convincing champion.
The recent string of losses have hurt Nikki's credibility as a champion. A big win against two of WWE's biggest superstars at SummerSlam will give her the boost she needs in her career.
The Almost Super Hero has a good chance of becoming a big merchandise mover for the company, and WWE should look to give her an underdog victory at SummerSlam.
#1. Roman Reigns must choke out John Cena at WWE SummerSlam
Two of the absolute best superstars of the 21st century are set to collide at WWE SummerSlam. John Cena made his return to WWE at Money in the Bank. He ruined Roman Reigns’ celebration and gave the fans something big to look forward to. On the episode of WWE RAW that followed, Cena made his intentions very clear.
Cena believes Reigns is an overhyped and overexposed superstar, and he wants to take the Universal Championship away from him. Reigns refused Cena’s challenge and agreed to face Finn Balor instead. However, the contract signing ceremony for the match between Balor and Reigns was ruined by Baron Corbin before John Cena stole the opportunity.
The match is now official, and the two men had a great promo battle on SmackDown to create hype around the match. The match will likely be the biggest on this year’s SummerSlam card.
At SummerSlam, WWE must allow Reigns to beat down Cena in the final moments of the match before locking in the Guillotine Choke. Cena must then pass out without tapping out to The Tribal Chief.
The result will give Reigns one of the biggest victories of his current reign while protecting Cena to a certain extent. It will leave the door open for a future match between the two superstars while cementing Reigns as the top superstar and heel of WWE.
