WWE will invade the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York, on August 20 for the thirtieth annual SummerSlam pay-per-view event.
Expect a long night of action, with the pre-show starting around 5:00 PM EST and the main card ending around 11:30 PM EST.
WWE will have all hands on deck trying to create the most spectacular and memorable event possible. Expect a few stars you don’t normally see on a week-to-week basis performing in front of a sold-out crowd featuring members of the WWE Universe from around the globe.
Speculation has already begun regarding what WWE has in store for their second biggest show of the year. Everyone has their ideas and opinions, and WWE is sure to have something for everyone on the card.
Here is what the 2017 SummerSlam pay-per-view event would look like if I was calling the shots:
Pre-Show
Baron Corbin (Mr. Money in the Bank) vs. Sami Zayn
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve seen enough of Sami Zayn versus Baron Corbin for one lifetime.
However, I cannot find a spot for these two on the card separately, so a throwaway match on the pre-show is the best I could do. The future is bright for both of these performers, but for tonight, they’re role players at best.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Neville (c) vs. Akira Tozawa (w/ Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil)
Cruiserweight Championship Match
Neville’s run as Cruiserweight Champion has been an absolute joy to watch.
Without him, I think the cruiserweight division would be in even worse shape than it already is. Akira Tozawa is one of the few 205 Live guys that manage to get any sort of a reaction, and a match between these two is an excellent way to get the crowd ready for the night.
Winner: Neville
Main Card
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. John Cena
Like always, I’m booking with the future in mind, and this match is an attestation of that.
John Cena and Shinsuke Nakamura, two of the most electric personalities WWE has to offer, are absolute gold separately. Together, I think they can make magic.
This bout will help further establish Nakamura as a legitimate threat for the WWE Championship in the near future. I’ve made my thoughts clear on Twitter regarding my choice for the WrestleMania headliner next year, and this match is the first step towards making that dream a reality.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Tye Dillinger
United States Championship Match
Kevin Owens’ run as United States Champion has been fun, but I think it’s time to turn things up to ten. When you mix a heel who can garner legitimate heat with a babyface who is extremely over everywhere WWE goes, you’re guaranteed to have success. I couldn’t like this match on paper any more than I already do, and I think this is the perfect opportunity for a title change.
Winner: Tye Dillinger
Cesaro and Sheamus (c) vs. The Revival
Raw Tag Team Championship Match
For whatever reason, WWE isn’t a big fan of heels versus heels and faces versus faces.
Personally, I’m a fan of your best guys facing off against your best guys for championships, regardless of their personas.
The two best tag teams on Monday Night Raw right now are Cesaro and Sheamus and The Revival, so they lock horns with the titles on the line. Also, let’s be honest, this match would totally kick ass.
The Winner: The Revival
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Sasha Banks
Raw Women’s Championship Match
WWE has teased this matchup recently; it’s fresh, exciting, and new: all things the Raw women’s division desperately needs.
Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss are both talented and hungry for success, which is usually the recipe for an epic performance on the biggest of stages. Banks versus Bayley is probably going to happen instead, but I’d hold off on that until Bayley resembles her NXT self again.
The Winner: Alexa Bliss
Broken Hardys Segment
I don’t think there is anything WWE could do with Matt and Jeff Hardy right now that would be bigger and more impactful than introducing their “Broken” personas. The Hardys still have a ton of steam, but I fear that they may lose it if WWE doesn’t get the ball rolling on this soon.
I know there are legal issues, and I do not know the status of those legal issues, but I hope all of that is resolved by SummerSlam weekend. A fun 8-10 minute segment filmed at the Hardy compound, produced by Matt and Jeff, would send the WWE Universe into a frenzy.
The crowd at Monday Night Raw after SummerSlam is ideal for introducing The Broken Hardys, as that audience will let the rest of the world know how WONDERFUL what they are seeing truly is.
Winner: The Fans
Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Bálor
Finn Bálor taking on Bray Wyatt is an idea WWE has been toying with since Wyatt switched sides and joined the Raw brand during the Superstar Shake-up earlier this year.
If I were calling the shots, I’d have this feud focused around the idea that Bálor doesn’t want to use his demon persona anymore because the last time he went to that place, he got injured.
Bálor is somewhat afraid of what he becomes when he enters that state of mind and Wyatt is begging him to release that side of himself. Bray Wyatt loves chaos, so it makes sense that he would be fascinated by The Demon King persona and what it does to Finn Bálor.
The Winner: Finn Bálor
The New Day (c) vs. The Usos vs. Breezango
SmackDown Live Tag Team Championship
I love the tag team division on SmackDown Live, and these three teams are the main reason why.
The New Day appears to be en route to capturing the tag titles from The Usos sooner rather than later, so I’m going to assume that will happen in the very near future. Insert Breezango, whose comedic routine fits well with the equally-as-silly New Day, and compliments the super-serious Usos, and you’ve got the ingredients for a classic build.
These three teams have mastered the art of tag wrestling, so this one should be fun to watch.
The Winner: The New Day
The Miz (c) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
Intercontinental Championship Match
A fatal 4-way match for the Intercontinental Championship reminds me of my childhood, so this match feels like a perfect fit for me.
The Miz has been fantastic for quite some time now, but his three opponents, Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose, are no slouches.
This is another case of putting the best performers available in a ring together and letting them do their thing. As much as I love The Miz, I think Seth Rollins would be great as Intercontinental Champion.
His victory will also help promote WWE 2k18, a video game for which he is the cover athlete.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Jinder Mahal (c) vs. AJ Styles
WWE Championship Match
Jinder Mahal has managed to draw some legitimate heel heat, and his run as WWE Champion has actually been kind of fun to watch.
Throw in AJ Styles, the best performer in WWE today, and one of the most popular Superstars on the roster, and I think you can create a really special moment here. People are going to be booing Jinder Mahal and tuning in to see him lose, especially to a guy as beloved as AJ Styles, so the atmosphere for this one should be electric.
Your winner and NEW WWE Champion, because I want my WrestleMania main event, damn it, is The Phenomenal One.
Winner: AJ Styles
Naomi (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
These four ladies have been running the SmackDown Live women’s division for a few months now, and again, I think this is the biggest match you can make at this time. Naomi has improved by leaps and bounds during her championship run, so I’d have her retain her title and keep her reign alive and well.
Winner: Naomi
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar versus Braun Strowman is probably the direction WWE is going to go, which is a fine route to take.
However, I think adding Roman Reigns to the mix creates a certain dynamic that isn’t captured if Lesnar takes on Reigns or Strowman individually. A triple threat match is no disqualification, and these three monsters are the most violent men on the roster, so I want to see them tear each other apart for the WWE Universal Championship with as much freedom as possible.
This is one of those matches that fans may be sour on upon hearing about it, and even during the build, but will deliver when bell time arrives. Lesnar retains, but Reigns shows signs of finding some weaknesses in the Beast Incarnate’s impressive suit of armor.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
As I said earlier, it’s going to be a long night for WWE fans who tune in for the entire show, no matter what WWE decides to do. I think focusing on the in-ring action and pacing the show in a way similar to mine will help get fans through the evening without losing their interest.
What matches do you want to see at WWE SummerSlam 2017? Let us know on Twitter, @TheRumbleRamble.
