Several storylines in WWE are peaking at the perfect time with SummerSlam right around the corner on Aug. 3.
The Money in the Bank event and the subsequent editions of Raw and SmackDown effectively set the stage for the super-show with multiple matches now confirmed for the card.
Damian Priest will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against King of the Ring winner Gunther, though the bigger focus is on the tension that's been teased within the ranks of The Judgment Day. Rhea Ripley's recent return and the rekindling of her rivalry with Liv Morgan only adds to the animosity and uncertainty.
Meanwhile on SmackDown, Cody Rhodes' war with The Bloodline rages on as Solo Sikoa replacing Roman Reigns as The Tribal Chief has caused chaos on Friday nights. Their Undisputed WWE Championship clash should be solid, but how Reigns ultimately factors into the mix is the most compelling aspect of the angle.
SummerSlam should be where WWE's top storylines are either paid off or furthered in a meaningful manner, and the following five will be the ones worth tracking.
CM Punk and Drew McIntyre Seek Vengeance
Despite CM Punk's untimely injury in the men's Royal Rumble match costing him months of his in-ring career and a guaranteed WrestleMania match with Seth Rollins, WWE has done an exceptional job of keeping him relevant through his rivalry with the man credited with sidelining him: Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre hasn't passed up a single opportunity on WWE TV to trash-talk Punk and give fans a reason to want to see him get his comeuppance. Punk costing him the World Heavyweight Championship on not one, not two but three separate occasions has made matters extremely personal between the two.
Punk has kept quiet about his road to recovery and when he's expected to be cleared to compete again, but all signs point to him being back in the ring at SummerSlam for a heated grudge match with McIntyre.
Nothing will be at stake and nothing needs to be. They could easily headline SummerSlam and it would be believable because of how highly anticipated their inevitable encounter is.
What role Seth Rollins will potentially have in the matchup is also an intriguing subplot. Rollins blamed Punk for failing to win the World Heavyweight title at Money in the Bank, so he, too, will be out for vengeance as SummerSlam draws near.
LA Knight, Bron Breakker Aim to Claim First Singles Gold
LA Knight is very much overdue for some singles gold, and it appears he may finally be on the verge of becoming a champ for the first time since joining WWE's main roster as part of his program with Logan Paul.
On the July 12 edition of SmackDown, The Megastar lined up his challenge for Paul at SummerSlam, and although it has yet to be made official, it soon will be. He's chased championships for many months and is ready to hold one of his own based on how popular he's remained with the audience over the last year.
Bron Breakker hasn't been on the big stage for nearly as long, but he finds himself in a similar position as a hungry championship challenger heading into SummerSlam.
The two-time NXT champ narrowly fell short of dethroning Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship at Money in the Bank but immediately bounced back on Raw by laying waste to both Zayn and Ilja Dragunov.
If he and Knight manage to leave SummerSlam as champions, it will mark a new era for both belts and get them that much higher on the totem pole on their respective brands.
The Judgment Day's Demise
The writing has been on the wall for The Judgment Day for some time now and SummerSlam should be where the months of dissension finally come to ahead.
Damian Priest has been adamant about defending the World Heavyweight Championship on his own. Judgment Day didn't interfere in either of his last two title matches, but Priest still received unsolicited assistance from CM Punk and retained the title both times.
Finn Bálor in particular can't be thrilled with Priest claiming that the group needs him but than he needs them, which could result in Bálor betraying Priest at the event or shortly thereafter.
Elsewhere in Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley has a bone to pick with Dominik Mysterio for his many interactions with her archenemy Liv Morgan in her absence. The two are both to smooth things over temporarily, but Mysterio's involvement in the likely Women's World Championship match at SummerSlam will be the ultimate test of where his allegiance lies.
A once-dominant stable, Judgment Day's demise will continue to be a big part of the buildup to SummerSlam on Monday nights.
Who Will The Wyatt Sicks Target Next?
For as outstanding as the arrival of The Wyatt Sicks was on the post-Clash at the Castle edition of Raw, the follow-up was equally important. So far, WWE has nailed every aspect of it.
The series of vignettes that have been produced with Bo Dallas a.k.a. Uncle Howdy have successfully established his motives and why the group exists. Simultaneously, they've left viewers wondering who they intend to target next.
Chad Gable has found himself in their crosshairs on more than one occasion, but it's entirely possible that he's merely a red herring. Jey Uso is a logical candidate given he's been present for several segments lately that have also involved Gable.
Regardless, Dallas being present in Raw general manager Adam Pearce's locker room on the July 8 edition of Raw indicates his in-ring return is imminent and that The Wyatt Sicks could be at SummerSlam in some form or fashion.
Even if not, they'll remain a Raw recurring highlight in the coming weeks as their hostile takeover of the red brands becomes clearer.
Roman Reigns' Return Looms Large
WWE getting CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Rhea Ripley back in the last month has been huge for Raw, but Roman Reigns returning to SmackDown soon will prove to be the biggest game-changer of them all, if only for what it means for the ongoing Bloodline saga.
With Reigns having been gone since WrestleMania 40, Solo Sikoa has stepped up as the new Tribal Chief and has assembled a strong crop of competitors in Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu as the new Bloodline.
Sikoa will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam but has also vowed that Reigns will acknowledge him as his Tribal Chief when he resurfaces. Reigns' reaction to everything that's gone down in his absence will take the storyline to the next level.
If it isn't prior to the pay-per-view, the moment will surely be saved for right after Rhodes beats Sikoa, assuming they close out the event.
Rhodes will be walking into SummerSlam at a distinct disadvantage with Randy Orton being taken out of action and Kevin Owens off television for the time being. That will play a significant factor in the Sikoa vs. Rhodes rivalry leading up to SummerSlam, but above all else, Reigns will loom large.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
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