With SummerSlam just around the corner, the July 22 edition of Monday Night Raw continued to build the biggest stories of the summer in WWE.

CM Punk announced he was officially cleared to compete, setting up the official match between The Best in the World and Drew McIntyre.

The catch is that Seth "Freakin" Rollins will serve as special guest referee for the long-awaited match.

Damian Priest and Gunther have gone from opponents to rivals as their words escalated to brawling this week.

Rhea Ripley pushed "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio to choose her over Liv Morgan, leaving the Women's world champion devastated.

Bron Breakker defeated Ilja Dragunov to earn another opportunity at the Intercontinental Championship and Sami Zayn.

This Raw set the stage for a special SummerSlam, heightening the key angles of the brand.

Seth Rollins Once Again Takes a Backseat at Big WWE PLE

Seth "Freakin" Rollins is one of WWE's ace performers and should be relied upon on the biggest stage.

Despite great character work, 2024 has been a down year for The Visionary so far. His health has played a factor, but he is supposed to be healthy and cleared at this stage.

WrestleMania XL was a big night for Rollins, but he still took a backseat to Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, The Rock and even arguably CM Punk and Drew McIntyre.

SummerSlam should have been a spotlight for The Visionary, but he will not truly compete on the card, once again in the background for Punk and McIntyre.

There is no reason for Rollins to be working as only a referee on the second biggest show of the year, especially in a match that hardly needs him.

McIntyre vs. Punk is a story that only needs two men. Even if there is worry about referees keeping order, other men would fit the enforcer role better than The Visionary.

This is a waste of Rollins' talent, who could be playing a firmer role in The Judgment Day drama on Raw or building up a rising heel like Chad Gable, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed or Pete Dunne.

WWE Has Nailed Damian Priest vs. Gunther Build

Damian Priest vs. Gunther may not be the most exciting match on paper for a show as big as SummerSlam, but both men have done everything possible to sell their rivalry.

This week escalated to brawling, and it felt appropriate after the repeated jabs of The King General in recent weeks.

The biggest difference has been The Punishment's fire. While Gunther is always good, Priest has ramped up his performance to match his opponent, more so than Drew McIntyre or Jey Uso previously.

Priest sounds and looks more comfortable as the babyface looking to prove himself rather than the arrogant heel without serious credibility.

While CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre and Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan are hotter angles with months more build, Priest vs. Gunther has built more momentum to SummerSlam in the past two weeks than any other match.

WWE Women's Division Severely Lacking Depth After Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley is one of the hottest angles in all of WWE. Even with a messy build, this is the most anticipated match in the women's division in 2024.

This is a great highlight for these two women, but there is a sharp drop-off in star power past these two women.

Becky Lynch has not re-signed with WWE yet. Lyra Valkyria has lost the spotlight without The Man around. Damage CTRL is barely coasting on past credibility with little forward momentum.

Sonya Deville has brought together Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark to make an intriguing trio that still does not look dangerous. Stark could not even beat an injured Zelina Vega this week.

The talent is all there. Multiple women on the Raw roster have championship history. However, none of them feel like championship contenders in the current WWE.

The hottest angle in the women's division can only sustain the division for so long. WWE has the capacity to build more stars to this level. Morgan's rise took only a couple months. It is time to widen the scope of the division to tell more memorable stories.

Bron Breakker Is a Lock to Win Intercontinental Championship in SummerSlam Rematch

Bron Breakker lost at Money in the Bank in a shocking result to Sami Zayn. WWE looks poised to right the course in a rematch at SummerSlam.

No one in WWE has more immediate momentum than Breakker. The former NXT champion has only gotten better since his main roster arrival, putting on one of his best matches yet with Ilja Dragunov this week.

WWE absolutely cannot afford for Breakker to lose multiple times on the big stage this early. This rematch is only booked if the challenger is going to take down the champion.

If there is one results for SummerSlam that is an absolute lock, it is Breakker dethroning Zayn and beginning a reign of terror as Intercontinental champion that will not be stopped any time soon.

This is no indictment on the current champion. Zayn has performed at a high level every week and deserved a serious run with gold. Hopefully, this only sets him up to go after the world title sooner than later.