The Biggest Party of the Summer has finally arrived with the annual WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Since this is one of the most important events of the year, WWE has booked a supersized card with 10 matches.
Here is the lineup, per WWE.com:
- Roman Reigns vs. John Cena (Universal Championship)
- Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg (WWE Championship)
- The Usos vs. the Mysterios (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
- Nikki A.S.H. vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley (Raw Women's Championship)
- Edge vs. Seth Rollins
- Sheamus vs. Damian Priest (United States Championship)
- Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
- Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal
- Omos and AJ Styles vs. RK-Bro (Raw Tag Team Championships)
- Eva Marie vs. Alexa Bliss
Let's see how the Bleacher Report staff writers think everything will go down. Here's our lineup of contributors:
- Chris Mueller (CM) (@BR_Doctor)
- Erik Beaston (EB) (@ErikBeaston)
- Jeff J (JJ) (@JeffJSays)
- Graham Matthews (GM) (@WrestleRant)
- Kevin Berge (KB) (@KevinBerge)
- Anthony Mango (AM) (@ToeKneeMango)
- Donald Wood (DW) (@Don_Wood)
Anthony Mango
Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks
Q: What can Belair and Banks do to make this better than their last encounter?
Last time, they started with an emotional truce, sharing tears over how much the WrestleMania moment meant to them. This time, throw out the mutual respect and make this match about one-upping each other.
The dynamic should be more about beating the other and making it a definitive win to prove how they're superior. Banks is upset and fully heel while Belair is more confident as a champion, so neither should hold back.
Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg
Q: If you were producing this match, how would it play out?
Goldberg has never had a wide variety of maneuvers he could pull off even in his prime. With his limitations, there isn't much to work with, and the fans will know they're getting something short.
Have Goldberg strike first right after the bell. Lashley kicks out from a Spear or two before the challenger hits a Jackhammer. MVP distracts him and the referee before Goldberg can even go for a pin.
Lashley gets up, hits Goldberg with a few Spears and puts him in The Hurt Lock. He passes out, and The All Mighty retains. The more they can do, the better, but anything beyond that isn't realistic.
Jeff J
Edge vs. Seth Rollins
Q: Who gains more from a win in this match?
Edge does. He would get closure to a six-plus-year story when Rollins attempted to take him out for good and for his interference during the universal title match.
Rollins loses nothing with a defeat and could continue to be a valued foil for The Rated-R Superstar going forward.
Roman Reigns vs. John Cena
Q: What was the point of the bait and switch with Finn Balor? Do you think he will end up having an impact on the outcome? If so, what do you think he will do?
I honestly have no clue. I expect Balor to loom prominently in the world title scene eventually. Maybe this was Smackdown's way of showcasing him as a legit contender without him losing his opportunity in the ring.
After this one, the anticipation can build further for a potential Survivor Series title match.
Kevin Berge
AJ Styles and Omos vs. RK-BRo
Q: Which team would you rather see leave with the tag titles?
Personally, I want the Raw tag team division to matter. Even though Styles and Omos hold the titles, the division has still slumped. I would hope that Orton holding the belts would change that.
For that reason, I hope RK-Bro pulls it off. They are one of the most interesting stories in WWE. The Viper has managed to make Riddle’s unique brand of humor work. These are the two to keep tag team wrestling relevant in WWE.
Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg
Q: If you were producing this match, how would it play out?
The bell rings and Goldberg hits a Spear. Lashley rolls out of the ring, and the challenger spears him through the barricade. Keep that dominance one-sided to start, but the moment Goldberg goes for a cover, Lashley kicks out.
This turns the match around where The All Mighty spears the veteran in the ring and then outside it near Goldberg's son. Finally, he locks in the Hurt Lock. Don't let this go more than four minutes. Keep it simple to establish Lashley all the more.
Graham Matthews
Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal
Q: What do you want to see happen in this match to make it entertaining?
I'm not sure either guy can do much to make this match entertaining, to be perfectly honest. I'm a McIntyre fan through and through, but almost anything Mahal is involved in bores me to tears.
This feud has been painfully bland, though McIntyre incorporating his sword in some form might make matters interesting.
Roman Reigns vs. John Cena
Q: What was the point of the bait and switch with Finn Balor? Do you think he will end up having an impact on the outcome? If so, what do you think he will do?
There's no doubt in my mind that Balor is being set up to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship at the pay-per-view after SummerSlam, and rightfully so.
Why they did what they did and the way they did it, I have no idea, but given the typical nature of WWE booking, I guess we shouldn't be too surprised. I don't think we'll see him Saturday. Rather, it should be a clean win for Reigns.
Chris Mueller
Eva Marie vs. Alexa Bliss
Q: Lay out the best-case scenario for this match. How would it play out?
This has been one of the weirdest and somehow also the least interesting feuds in WWE today. Bliss is great as this version of her character, but WWE doesn't seem to understand how to use her without Bray Wyatt, so we end up with this proto-Chucky situation with Lilly.
The best way this match could go would be a quick finish with Bliss getting the win. After it's over, if Doudrop turns on Eva, which would be the icing on the cake.
The Usos vs. Mysterios
Q: Now that Dominik has been on the roster for a while, how do you think he is doing? Should he go to NXT at some point or is he good enough to remain on the main roster?
Dominik has shown a lot of versatility in the ring and has great selling ability like his father, but his mic skills need a lot of work. While going to NXT would give him the opportunity to improve without being in Rey's shadow, there would have to be a good reason for the move.
If Dom's desire was to hold the same title his dad made famous, he could go to NXT and fight for the Cruiserweight Championship. Rey being there to support him would even allow the legend to have a few matches against some NXT mainstays like Johnny Gargano and Kushida. It would be a win-win for everybody.
Donald Wood
Sheamus vs. Damian Priest
Q: Based on recent booking, who do you think should win this match and why?
First off, this is going to be an absolute brawl in the ring. Sheamus and Priest are hard-hitting Superstars who will ensure this match is not just filler.
With that said, Sheamus has been booked poorly as U.S. champion, and Priest is a new face who needs to build credibility with the WWE Universe. The Archer of Infamy should win the belt in a hard-fought battle.
Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg
Q: If you were producing this match, how would it play out?
Lashley and Goldberg should be booked like a match in WWE 2K22 with finishers on infinity. Just as the WWE Universe saw when Brock Lesnar fought Goldberg at WrestleMania 33, this bout should last no more than six minutes.
Goldberg should start on the offensive, but Lashley should overcome the onslaught, hit his series of finishers and collect the victory. By keeping it short, the WWE Universe gets a wild run to the finish and both men are protected.
Erik Beaston
Nikki A.S.H. vs. Charlotte vs. Rhea Ripley
Q: What would be the most satisfying conclusion to this match?
The most satisfying conclusion to the match would be a Nikki A.S.H. victory that would put a decisive end to this program so we never have to see these three compete again in any way. The repetitiveness of the Raw bookings leading into the match will do that to a fan.
Besides that, the idea of Nikki continuing her fairy-tale run is appealing to longtime fans who feel her reign as champion should just be starting.
Roman Reigns vs. John Cena
Q: What was the point of the bait and switch with Finn Balor? Do you think he will end up having an impact on the outcome? If so, what do you think he will do?
The bait and switch positions him to challenge Reigns in the weeks and months after SummerSlam. The Head of the Table will, after all, need fresh opposition in the fall months.
Balor has a very real argument for a title shot, and the entire contract-signing ordeal will give him an easy in for his inevitable opportunity.
Predictions
All respondents' predictions are represented by their initials next to their choices.
- Reigns (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB) vs. Cena
- Lashley (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB) vs. Goldberg
- The Usos (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB) vs. the Mysterios
- Nikki A.S.H. (JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM) vs. Charlotte (AM, EB) vs. Ripley
- Edge (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, EB) vs. Rollins (CM)
- Sheamus vs. Priest (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB)
- Belair (JJ, KB, DW, CM) vs. Banks (AM, GM, EB)
- McIntyre (AM, JJ, GM, DW, CM, EB) vs. Mahal (KB)
- Omos and Styles vs. RK-Bro (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB)
- Eva Marie vs. Bliss (AM, JJ, KB, GM, DW, CM, EB)
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