How’s it going, folks?
This is the second time I’ve written this article, because on Friday, when I went to upload it, my computer decided to be a little bitch and one reboot later, half my shit was gone. Thanks a bunch, lenovo.
So instead of ‘Under the Spotlight’, today we’re going to have a final preview before tonight’s WWE SummerSlam with my match-by-match predictions for the event.
We’re not going to let that bother us though, because as any WWE fan would know, the biggest party of the summer takes place tonight on the 17th of August from the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California. Much like January’s Royal Rumble, this year’s SummerSlam will be the 27th of its kind, and will be chock-full of matches featuring the WWE’s biggest and brightest stars.
Even though it is often a fantastic Pay-Per-View, I don’t usually feel the hype surrounding SummerSlam as the second biggest WWE event of the year. Perhaps in recent years, there just hasn’t been a line-up of almost-WrestleMania standard. However, this year I can proudly say that SummerSlam has attracted me like a moth to a flame.
Every single match that has been booked for the official SummerSlam card (excluding the pre-show) has been given a build-up worthy of a big-time event, and even though most of these are rematches, they seem to be rematches worth seeing. What strikes me the most is that none of these rivalries were set up between Raw the night after Battleground and this Sunday.
Even The Miz’s feud with Dolph Ziggler began during the Battleground Battle Royal, giving it its own sense of uniqueness amongst the other, longer-built matches.
There are nine matches in store for us tonight, and I am excited to see each and every one of them. And with that said, let’s delve right into this with my match-by-match predictions for WWE SummerSlam 2014!
Pre-Show: Cesaro vs. Rob Van Dam
Even though this match was just announced a couple of days ago, I’m sure it’ll be a great one. Unfortunately, I am not in possession of a WWE Network subscription, so therefore I will not be able to see it take place.
I think Cesaro is in need of a win, badly, and since RVD never seems too upset about putting someone over, I think Cesaro will have to take this match. He needs to establish himself as a legitimate threat to both the mid-card and main event champions, and a win over the ‘Whole Damn Show’ should help him get back on track.
Winner: Cesaro
Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler and The Miz are great talents, and they’re worthy of everything they’ve been given in WWE and more.
Unfortunately for The Miz, and I’ve said this a few weeks ago in a separate article about these men, I feel like his day in the sun is pretty much over. Sure, he’s the Intercontinental Champion right now, but I really don’t think we’ll see him do any better than that.
When Miz won the WWE Championship and main-evented WrestleMania 27, people thought it was one of the worst reigns in the history of the belt. And now that we’ve got newer, fresher faces lining up to take over that coveted spot in the near future, there really is no room for Miz on that list.
The reason I still see potential in Dolph Ziggler is because of the fan support he has. He’s had two less-than-stellar World Title reigns, the second of which people were still overjoyed with, but he hasn’t been the ‘Face of the WWE’ yet, like Miz was.
And even though WWE is concerned about Ziggler’s track record with injuries, specifically concussions, the guy is too good to overlook. Personally, and I think many will agree, that Ziggler is too good not to take a chance with. Should he get injured again during a run at the top (like Daniel Bryan did), then it doesn’t work out. But I think the guy could be a fantastic top-tier heel if given the opportunity.
With that said, since the only way to go for Ziggler is up, the guy can afford to lose here. This reign could be the best thing Miz gets for a very long time, so I doubt he’ll be losing the gold any time soon. And besides, even though I would love to see Ziggler with a title every week, I think he can wait until around mid-2015 before he gets it.
This leads to my conclusion that Miz pulls off a sneaky victory this Sunday. I’m not really digging the whole ‘don’t touch the money-maker’ thing, but I suppose that’s the point. The more people hate him, the better he does, and with a face as smug as his, I don’t think he has any problems in that department.
Winner and still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Flag Match: Jack Swagger vs. Rusev
I’m confused about this one. When I first heard about Rusev and Jack Swagger facing off against each other in a Flag Match, I thought it was a great way to give Swagger the victory without technically defeating Rusev.
Our general understanding is that in a Flag Match, a competitor wins by climbing to the top rope and retrieving his/her flag from a pole suspended in the corner. This makes sense for Swagger and Rusev, because they’d want the patriot to win, without actually pinning Rusev or forcing him to submit. That way he can keep his undefeated streak going despite having lost the match.
But this week on Raw, and forgive me if I’m mistaken, but one of the commentators (probably Lawler, the dumb prick) mentioned how if Rusev or Swagger tapped out this Sunday, that’d be the match.
Now, it’s likely that the guy simply made a mistake, and in Lawler’s case, he fucks up more times than he doesn’t, but it did spark my interest. What if this flag match simply involves the encouragement of using your country’s flag as a weapon? We’ve certainly seen that happen over the last few weeks, so I could definitely see it becoming the stipulation.
In which case, you’d need to rethink the result of this match. I’ve said this before, but I don’t see Rusev getting pinned or submitting from now until WrestleMania, and I think John Cena is going to be the man to do it. So if this match is scheduled for one fall, then Rusev will need to pick up the victory, because it’s not ending via DQ again.
If it so happens that Rusev’s match with Swagger will be decided via pinfall or submission, expect Rusev to pick up the win, but if it’s the traditional kind of Flag Match, then Swagger has this one in the bag.
With the amount of hate Lana’s been spewing towards the United States over the last few months, SummerSlam is the perfect opportunity to give America some sweet justice, even if it’s not the way they want it. A victory for Swagger will put this away nicely without any need for a rematch, and in my eyes, it’s the best way to go.
So to predict a finish, I’d say Swagger will dish out tremendous damage to Rusev’s ankle with the Patriot Lock, making it too difficult to climb to retrieve his flag, allowing Swagger the opportunity to get his, along with the victory.
Winner: Jack Swagger
Lumberjack Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
While I think this rivalry is worthy of something far better than a Lumberjack Match, I am just looking forward to these guys finally squaring off. Be it in a Lumberjack Match, a Steel Cage Match or a Blindfold Match, I don’t really care.
Dean Ambrose has been one of the most exhilarating people in the WWE ever since The Shield went their separate ways, and even before it, with his smoothness and hypnotic mannerisms. Now that he is on a mission to rip Seth Rollins’ head off his shoulders, and will be given that very opportunity tonight, I think we’re going to see something very special at SummerSlam.
Take nothing away from Rollins either. The guy is fantastic in the ring and deserves his Money in the Bank briefcase. But I think just about everyone is looking forward to Ambrose getting his hands on him after he double-crossed his Shield brethren.
As for a winner, I think it would be beneficial to both men if the rivalry were to continue, so I think Ambrose should take this one.
If Ambrose beats Rollins, then he’ll be able to challenge him to a rematch with the briefcase on the line. Aside from the actual betrayal of Reigns and Ambrose, you could say that Seth’s feud with Dean really started at Money in the Bank when Kane screwed Ambrose out of winning the contract, allowing Rollins to capture it himself.
So I think it would be sweet justice to end this rivalry the way it practically started, with Ambrose and Rollins battling it out for the Money in the Bank briefcase. Hell, they could even make it a Ladder Match to sweeten the pot.
With Lesnar and Cena taking up the main event spot at the moment, if Seth Rollins was to cash in his briefcase I’d be afraid he’d either lose or get lost in the shuffle as a guy who got hot-shotted way too fast.
So dragging this rivalry out for a bit longer wouldn’t do him any harm. I’m not saying he should lose the case to Ambrose, but at least this way we get to see the ‘Lunatic Fringe’ get at least a morsel of justice against his former friend.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
WWE Divas Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Paige
I think this rivalry could’ve been handled a lot better than it has been, with the whole frenemies fiasco, and AJ making Paige look weak half the time, but now that the time for talking is over, I think this is going to be a great match.
Their encounter at Battleground was short and sweet, but I can really see them upping the ante at a huge event like SummerSlam. I want a decent-length match that keeps us enthralled from start to finish.
Normally that would be a tall order from a Divas Match, and in a company where Eva Marie pinned AJ Lee on Monday Night Raw, it still is, but Paige and AJ are phenomenal competitors with years of experience. Given the chance to shine, these girls will have the ability to produce something really special tonight.
I still don’t feel like Paige has truly settled into being a member of the main roster, because we’ve yet to see a lot of the characteristics that made her such a badass in NXT. However, I think she’ll get better as the months go by, and with her level of skill, she could really blossom into a legendary WWE Diva.
With that said, I think she really needs this win against AJ tonight. Despite beating down AJ a couple of times, Paige hasn’t looked as tough as she could have in recent weeks, and I think that’s giving people the impression that AJ Lee has this one in the bag.
But should Paige claim a victory over the reigning champion, maybe even forcing her to tap out to the PTO, then I think we’ll really see her shine in the coming weeks. Imagine her smug face when she walks out on Raw with the championship. She’ll be on top of the world.
And I’m not just saying all this because I love Paige, because I think AJ is amazing as well, I just think Paige will suffer greatly from a loss tonight. Whereas AJ could still keep this thing going for a month if she invokes her rematch clause. With such a depleted Divas division, it would be so easy for Paige to turn into just another face in the locker room if they drop the ball with her now.
And if someone like Eva Marie is facing AJ Lee at the next Pay-Per-View, when the only kind of Pay-Per-View she should be on is the kind with X’s in the title (and I don’t mean WrestleMania), then WWE will have well and truly fucked over every woman to ever set foot in the company, from Lita to the Fabulous Moolah.
So speaking with a hope for the future of women’s wrestling within the ranks of Vince’s empire, I have to go with Paige here. There’s just so much more potential for future matches and rivalries if the Anti-Diva were to re-claim what’s rightfully hers, the Divas Title.
Winner and NEW Divas Champion: Paige
Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns
It’s safe to say that ever since losing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, and even before that, Randy Orton has become little more than Triple H’s own personal lapdog, who can never quite get the job done.
Now that he’s out of the title picture, we’ve seen him come out of his shell a little more than usual, as we saw with the return of ‘The Viper’ when Orton dished out a beating of monumental proportions on Roman Reigns.
Unfortunately for WWE’s resident Apex Predator, Orton now finds himself up against the company’s fastest-rising star with the lights on bright at SummerSlam.
It is a shame to see Orton fall so far as to win the WWE Championship at one SummerSlam only to be a younger star’s stepping stone at the very same event one year later.
I’m not going to start throwing around insider terms like “jobber” because regardless of what half the idiots on the internet actually say, the word just doesn’t apply here. But it is very plain to see that Randy Orton isn’t going into this match to win. I’m not ruling it out 100%, but I will be extremely surprised if we see Orton walk out with his hand raised.
Roman Reigns is gearing up for tremendous success in the WWE over the coming months, and in his first singles match at SummerSlam, he’s going to prove himself as a major force to be reckoned with. He doesn’t give a damn about Brock Lesnar, John Cena or whoever it may be who stands in his way of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
The guy is on the road to success, and I believe he’s going to start picking up speed when he runs straight through Randy Orton tonight, followed the Royal Rumble in January and directly onto the Road to WrestleMania.
Believe that!
Winner: Roman Reigns
Brie Bella vs. Stephanie McMahon
Funnily enough, this has been the best built match-up of this entire Pay-Per-View, and up until last Monday Night, I was really into it.
The length of the rivalry was very impressive, extending far beyond Payback if you include Daniel Bryan’s solo involvement, and Stephanie has always been great at promos, so it was really destined to be great, despite Brie Bella’s sorry excuse for acting.
But when they decided to introduce whatshername on Monday, claiming to have had an affair with Daniel Bryan, I completely lost interest. Especially with Brie Bella half-believing the story. Sure she threw out the whole “is she paying you?” thing, but she actually cared about it. Here’s to having faith in your spouse!
Plus, Daniel Bryan is one of the most popular guys in WWE right now, so to demean him like that is just ridiculous.
Sure, they did it to Cena in 2012 with AJ Lee, but I find this different because of Total Divas and the fact that Bryan and Bella’s wedding was aired on the WWE Network. People are aware of how awesome Bryan and Brie are together, so to even consider tarnishing that is plain idiotic. What a way to ruin a good feud.
In other news, Stephanie has been doing some hardcore workouts on WWE’s YouTube channel, so maybe this match will be more physical than one would expect. It’s been over a decade since Steph stepped in the ring, but I’d say in a legitimate fight, she would rip Brie Bella in two.
And to be honest, I’d actually like to see Stephanie kick Brie’s ass just because Brie was the one who demanded the match. I haven’t seen Brie as a victim during this entire thing, because what exactly makes her innocent?
She quit her job and slapped her former boss, then showed up in the crowd at Raw and provoked Stephanie then had her arrested for lashing out, then made a really stupid, unfunny joke about Stephanie getting raped by her cellmate in jail, demanded to get her job back along with a pay-raise for her sister and a match with Steph at SummerSlam. What a fucking hero.
Quite frankly, Brie Bella deserves whatever punishment Stephanie has to dish out, and if I was to predict a finish, I’d say Nikki Bella turns on her sister for being a prick and abandoning her, helps Stephanie and allows the Steph/Brie rivalry to transition into a Nikki/Brie rivalry.
Then with a bit of luck, that can become a Cena/Bryan rivalry with Daniel Bryan kicking John Cena’s head in. A kid can dream, right?
Winner: Stephanie McMahon
Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho
Now we approach what many people consider to be the true main event of SummerSlam. This will be Bray Wyatt’s second encounter with Chris Jericho after suffering a loss to him at Battleground, and with his henchmen, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan banned from ringside, we’ll truly find out who the better man is.
Bray Wyatt is perhaps the greatest, most bizarre character to ever set foot in a WWE ring. And the most fascinating thing about him was hearing an “out-of-character” interview with the man, where he was exactly the same, exposing Bray Wyatt to be more than just a gimmick, but Windham Rotunda’s true being.
He speaks from the heart when he takes a microphone in his hand, and his intense passion for both the business and the message he is trying to express, resonates throughout the WWE Universe with every spoken word. The man is a visionary, a wolf leading an army of sheep, gracing us with his very existence.
Sure, I may sound like I’m out of my mind, but it’s true. Bray Wyatt is the personification of professional wrestling. A man who blurs the lines between fact and fiction, real and “fake”. Someone who embodies the perfect mixture of athleticism, speaking-skills and overall charisma.
Then we have Chris Jericho. The man who’s very presence makes watching Monday Night Raw a more enjoyable experience, because of his inability to disappoint. Whenever Chris Jericho steps in that ring, he gives his opponent everything he has, competing with the mindset of “wrestle every match like it’s your last”.
And when he speaks, whether he’s a villain or a hero, he makes you hang on every single word he says, because he’s the best in the world at what he does. Chris Jericho is one of the best talkers in wrestling history, and as the guys said on SLTD Radio this week, it’s pretty amazing how even after a decade and a half, Jericho is still one of the most talented guys on the WWE roster.
This makes it even more exciting to see him go one-on-one with one of the most talented young guys on the roster, on a stage as big as SummerSlam. Watching them talk to each other face-to-face with no physicality on Raw was quite surreal, as there aren’t many guys in the back who could believably sell a match on the go-home show for a major Pay-Per-View without any physical conflict or a crowd to work off of.
Since Jericho picked up the last victory, and it looks like the odds are in his favour with Rowan and Harper banned from ringside, I’m going with Wyatt here. His last few rivalries went rather unsuccessfully, with losses to John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Jericho himself under his belt, so he’s overdue for a win.
But I don’t think Chris Jericho will be finished with Wyatt just yet. Expect them to square off once more when Night of Champions comes around.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
And I thought this match was important before! Well go ahead and listen to this week’s SLTD Radio. Apparently the titles aren’t the only thing riding on this match. If John Cena defeats Brock Lesnar tonight, then SLTD’s own George is officially quitting his involvement in the podcast and will no longer be writing about wrestling. Talk about high stakes!
It’s funny how this whole thing has worked. This match is the main event of SummerSlam, yet Brock Lesnar and John Cena have only been in the same ring together once since Extreme Rules 2012, and that was last Monday when Lesnar crashed Hogan’s birthday.
What’s even better is that not many people have picked up on it. When these guys were gearing up for action two years ago, they had run-ins nearly every week leading to the event. Yet this time they haven’t even laid eyes on each other until this Monday.
I think the main difference between then and now is definitely Paul Heyman. This week alone, the guy sold the match better than any well-made video package could, when he actually busted some rhymes, son… Yeah, I’m not doing that. But as funny as it sounds, Heyman’s rap was fantastic.
I don’t think there’s a thing on this earth that Paul Heyman can’t do, or sell. It’d probably take the man less than ten minutes to convince me that it would be in my best interest to let Brock Lesnar kick me in the balls, and I would be totally okay with it. It’s crazy how good he is with a mic.
And his brains go hand-in-hand with Lesnar’s brawn. The reason this match has been so anticipated is because Heyman and Lesnar have appealed to the one thing most fans want to see, and that’s John Cena getting his ass handed to him.
Capturing the championship has been the second thing on Lesnar’s to-do list, right after tearing John Cena a new asshole, and the people absolutely love it. You see it in the vignette they’ve been airing on Raw. “I’m an ass-kicking son of a bitch”. The dude does not give a shit about anything except for destruction.
This has worked perfectly with Cena’s passion for professional wrestling and the WWE in particular. He’s offended by Lesnar’s self-involvement, and as he said himself, he’s going to turn into the monstrous man we’ve been waiting to see for six or seven years in order to beat Lesnar. Talk about appealing to the masses.
If the feud had been this deep back in 2012, I think Cena’s win would’ve been ten times more important, but now it’s only seen as Cena beating Lesnar in his first match back. And I would see it as a good idea for Cena to win this match if one thing was different.
I don’t care what you say or what you do, but Brock Lesnar conquering The Undertaker’s streak was the most tragic decision in WWE history. I’m not saying it shouldn’t have happened, because I’m not opening that can of worms, but it makes me sad just thinking about it.
And if John Cena beats Brock Lesnar in his first match since beating The Undertaker, it may be the thing to set me over the edge. I flipped a fucking coin when Lesnar won at ‘Mania, so if Cena wins tonight, I don’t know how I’ll react. I may just explode with rage.
John Cena cannot win tonight. If John Cena wins tonight, then he and whoever booked that shit will personally piss on the legacy of the Undertaker.
Hell, I’m praying for Lesnar to win just so George doesn’t split, but if Cena does actually win I may just make like CM Punk and fuck off as well. I’d definitely have to rethink some things, and I’ve never even considered that in the 12 years I’ve been a wrestling fan. Funny that.
So yeah, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, The Undertaker’s legacy, Brock Lesnar’s momentum, George’s spot in SLTD Wrestling and my time and spirit as a wrestling fan may all be on the line in this match. Thanks, WWE.
Needless to say, I am pulling for Lesnar to win this match, and I will be a mixture of shock, anger, depression and anger if he doesn’t. Your move, Brock.
Winner and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Brock Lesnar
So that’s that. Pretty important Pay-Per-View to say the least. Don’t forget, you can make your own predictions with the SLTD Predictions League which closes an hour before the show starts tonight.
If you happened to like this article, please share it on Facebook and Twitter, and leave your comments down below to let me know your thoughts. A lot of work went into it (including writing it twice), so feedback would be much appreciated.
You can also follow me on Twitter @AdamOB_SLTD, to speak with me about wrestling, my writing or anything at all!
We’ve got some great writers here, so do yourself a favour and check out the great content on offer from our extremely gifted staff. Hell, why not do it while listening to the hilarious, insightful stylings of the guys at SLTD Radio and the MFX Podcast by checking out their most recent podcasts! It’s great stuff to get you pumped for SummerSlam!
Thanks for reading, folks. Hopefully I’ll see you next week!
Self-Professed Conversational Wizard.
Admin, Editor and Writer for SLTD Wrestling.
Creator of 'Under the Spotlight'.
Studying Computing in Games Development.
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