TJRWrestling WWE SummerSlam 2022 Preview
It’s time for WWE SummerSlam with Roman Reigns facing Brock Lesnar one more time, plus several other title matches including Bianca Belair battling Becky Lynch again and Liv Morgan against Ronda Rousey as well.
John: It’s been a busy and newsworthy summer season in WWE land. It isn’t always like that, but when you consider that the WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon is no longer holding either of those job titles or the Head of Creative, it’s fair to say times are changing. The lineup for the show seems okay, but there are also so many talented wrestlers that aren’t on the show, which is a shame because it’s a stadium show with about 35,000 fans expected to be there in Nashville. For example, Kevin Owens went from headlining WrestleMania night one with Steve Austin to not even being a part of SummerSlam? That’s disappointing. Guys like Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus and so many others aren’t even on the card. I get that you can’t get everybody on there, but some of them are some of the biggest names in the company. Anyway, I look forward to seeing whatever surprises the new Head of Creative Triple H may have up his sleeve and if they do any kind of big angles to get people talking in a good way. I think most WWE PPVs this year have been good to great, so I’ll always be optimistic. It should be a vocal at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Let’s hope the rain stays away for the first SummerSlam in July instead of August.
One final thing I wanted to mention is I’m disappointed that Seth Rollins vs. Riddle is off the show because I think it would have been a great match and probably the best match of the night because I know they have been working live events for several weeks as well. We are posting this before Smackdown, so WWE could announce something like Seth gets a mystery opponent at SummerSlam or something like that. If it leads to a big debut/return of somebody then that might be cool to see, but otherwise I would have liked to see Seth and Riddle in a singles match. Anyway, we’ll probably see it somewhere soon either on Raw or at the huge Clash at the Castle show in early September.
Joining me for the preview are TJRWrestling writers Joel McIntyre, Matthew Fowler, Alex Podgorski, and Marc Madison.
Alex: This should be a very interesting show to say the least. It’s the first one without Vince McMahon controlling everything, which is a sentence I don’t think any of us ever thought would ever come to fruition. But stranger things have happened in wrestling and will continue to happen. There are already reports that Triple H wants to “make a splash” at SummerSlam, so that alone makes it worth tuning into. That said, I’m not expecting anything mind-blowing out of the card. Everything announced still screams ‘average’ and unless everyone in the eight matches below pull off some sort of wrestling miracles, then most of the hype will come from a non-wrestler than an actual wrestler.
Marc: As SummerSlam approaches, the smell of optimism is in the air. Fans have been hopeful with Triple H at the helm of creative that, it will mean change. So while it is hopeful, realistically, it won’t be drastic and sudden.
But change can mean new outcomes, a fresh outlook, and match writing that keeps fans engaged. However, a major event is expected to deliver with years of writing and booking behind Triple H creatively. Will it deliver? Let’s check it out and see it this coming Saturday.
(Note: All graphics are from WWE.)
No Disqualification Tag Team Match: Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest)
Joel: This feud has been decent, but I feel like it would’ve been better if Dominik had turned on Rey last week at MSG. It was the perfect time for it. Especially after you nixed plans for Edge to be there. Now, even if Dominik does turn, it won’t have the same impact. The Mysterios won last week so I presume Judgment Day will win this week, possibly leading to Edge’s return on the show to build to a match at Clash of the Castle.
Winners: The Judgment Day
Matthew: After removing Edge from the group, Judgement Day has just not been as interesting to me. This match however, has a golden opportunity to change that. Dominik turning on his father here and joining Judgement Day could just be the thing that reinvigorates everyone involved in this match. Therefore, I will go with exactly that happening, with Judgement Day getting the win.
Winners: The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest)
Alex: I don’t see this as being a great match, to be honest. The No-DQ stipulation should actually mean something and yet I don’t see anyone making the most out of it. What’s stopping Rhea Ripley from entering the match right away and making this a 3-on-2 handicap match instead? Will it become a tornado tag match instead? Will weapons be allowed? Unless Triple H really takes this whole “I’m in control now” thing seriously and actually makes stipulations into something useful and not just marketing ploys to sell more tickets, this won’t be anything we haven’t seen anymore.
As for a winner, I’m going with Judgment Day for the simple fact that any opportunity for a good storyline with the Mysterios has sailed. They’re not building Dominik up in a major way and Judgment Day needs to be taken more seriously. If this match is the opener, hopefully it goes beyond being the token ‘hot opener’ and delivers some major angle on top of being a solid contest.
Winners: The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest)
Marc: If there was a tag team match that poses no interest whatsoever, it’s this one. The Mysterios are too white meat babyface that if Dominik doesn’t turn, it will make this all seem pointless. There is no animosity, no desire, and even as a family; it’s disinteresting. So while I should care about Priest and Balor, it’s hard to care as they were feuding with each other too recently.
Since it’s no disqualification, I am begging for a Dominik heel turn as it is something fans have wanted and gives a new edge to his character.
Winners: The Judgment Day
John: I think the feud has been okay. Not great. I don’t think Dominik necessarily has to turn heel, but it certainly could happen. I’d rather see Rey and Dominik win the Tag Team Titles one more time because last time when they won them there were no fans. This seems like the perfect time for Edge to return to get revenge against Balor & Priest for turning on him. That should lead to a tag match at the Clash at the Castle stadium event in September. The weird thing is that Rey & Dominik beat Balor & Priest this past Monday on Raw, so that makes me think The Judgment Day will win here. That might mean they might save Edge’s return post match, so the faces would lose the match, but stand tall after it’s over thanks to Edge’s return.
Winners: The Judgment Day
Pat McAfee vs. Happy Corbin
Joel: I think this match is going to surprise a lot of people. These two are pretty good friends so you know they’re going to try to outdo one another. Pat McAfee has not dropped the ball in any of his WWE matches to date, so I expect him to go above and beyond to not fail here. The build up has actually been pretty good. Pat is a natural on the mic and in the ring. He’s easy for the fans to root for. I believe Pat takes the win here.
Winner: Pat McAfee
Matthew: Pat McAfee has proven time and time again that punters are athletes after all. This match has a lot of history behind it, with McAfee and Corbin being NFL teammates and roommates back in 2009. McAfee has hit it out of the park with every match he has had so far (besides the match with Vince McMahon, but that was hardly his fault) and I do not expect this one to be any different. I expect McAfee to get the win here in a surprisingly good match.
Winner: Pat McAfee
Alex: McAfee isn’t just a commentator; as he proved with Theory at WrestleMania, he can actually pull off a decent match and captivate crowds. A win here would make sense since Corbin can lose and lose and lose and never end up worse for wear. I think this’ll go about ten minutes and will follow you general WWE match layout: babyface gets to shine early, heel cuts him off, hope spot/false comeback from the face, a few hear-falls from the heel, and then a final finishing sequence that leads to the babyface’s win. The company’s higher-ups are probably testing McAfee to see how much they can get out of him, so if he can pass their most basic test a second time, then that might be a positive sign for his future in WWE.
Winner: Pat McAfee
Marc: If you’ve seen the memes recently of Corbin and McAfee’s history with one another, we know that they had football roots. While gimmick matches are always a mixed bag, why not a lumberjack match with the Indianapolis Colts surrounding the ring? While there is a no disqualification match already on the card, it could have used a little more tied to it. McAfee seems to compete only during pay-per-views, so weekly matches aren’t something fans will see him compete in, likely because he’s on commentary.
It really feels like they are using him for special attraction matches like this one here. McAfee split his time with a win and a loss at Mania, but a win here doesn’t seem likely, and that’s because Logan Paul will probably win against the Miz.
Winner: Happy Corbin
John: I think McAfee is going to impress again like he has done in the past while Corbin will get plenty of heat as the heel. From a logical standpoint, Happy Corbin shouldn’t even be on this Premium Live Event considering he lost his last feud with Madcap Moss, who has nothing to do on this PLE. However, logic doesn’t really apply in WWE land. McAfee’s promos have been fun in the buildup of this feud with the “Bum Ass Corbin” chants among other things. They are former teammates in the NFL (brief since Corbin didn’t make it far on the Colts) and seem to be friends, so I’m sure they wanted to work together at some point and now we get to see the match. If Corbin wins then I expect McAfee to get some sort of revenge or help after the match. Since Corbin tends to lose a lot, I’m fine with McAfee getting the win. This is one of those matches where I think it could go either way.
Winner: Pat McAfee
Logan Paul vs. The Miz
Joel: I’m a little skeptical on Logan Paul wrestling a singles match. AJ Styles and Logan Paul versus The Miz and Ciampa would’ve been a better match. Logan impressed a lot of people, including myself, with his performance at WrestleMania. I think he will impress here. The smart move would be to keep the match short. Logan Paul, at this stage, doesn’t need to be wrestling 15-minute matches. I think ten minutes might be good for him. No way he loses.
Winner: Logan Paul
Matthew: WWE seems bound and determined to try to get Logan Paul over as a babyface, in spite of him naturally being someone the fans want to hate. Due to this, I expect the crowd to actually cheer The Miz in this match, while booing loudly for the “face” Paul. Nevertheless, this match will likely be surprisingly good, as veteran Miz should be able to get a lot out of the green but athletic Paul. As for who wins, I don’t see WWE having there new superstar lose this quickly. I’m going with Paul winning in a good match.
Winner: Logan Paul
Alex: Like most of you, I was astonished how well Paul wrestled and behaved at WrestleMania. He was way better than he had any right to be, and this is coming from a guy that absolutely LOATHES the idea of non-wrestlers wrestling wrestlers. But Paul did an amazing job then and I doubt anything will change this time. The guy knows how to work a crowd. He has a sense of timing with what he executes in the ring. He should have no problem beating the Miz at SummerSlam. I don’t see Paul doing much, so he’ll stick with some simpler things while Miz tries to carry the match. That’s not exactly something Miz is known for, but since he’s been with WWE for almost two decades, he should be able to do it by now.
Winner: Logan Paul
Marc: Boy, if there was a feud booked that was hard to cheer for the face, it has to be this one. From my own kids to people I know, Logan Paul is easy to dislike than he is to like. There is a smug and arrogant nature about him. He even gives movie reviews that make people not like him. He’s the first person I read that disliked Nope. Anyway, is it wrong that I cheer each time he gets double-teamed by Ciampa and The Miz?
It almost feels like Miz has to act like a bigger jerk than Paul. The difference is Paul is trying to be likable. Just a show of hands of who is convinced by Paul’s face nature? Hey, you that one in a million fan in the back row, it must be lonely over there, isn’t it? But The Miz will easily put over entertainers as he has done repeatedly. This doesn’t feel like it will be any different.
Winner: Logan Paul
John: It should be a decent match. I think I care more about the crowd reactions because WWE keeps trying to book Paul as a face by resorting to the cheap pop method of referencing The Miz’s “tiny balls” and the fans still want to boo Paul by the time he’s done a segment. How are they going to react to him in a match? I don’t know. The reports after WrestleMania (where Paul was impressive in tag team match) were that Paul wanted to be a face, so that’s we get to see now, but I think creatively it would be better if he was a cocky heel bragging about being a millionaire and finding a babyface to kick his ass. You may want to be a face, Logan, but the fans don’t want you to be a face. Listen to the fans, pal.
Anyway, I think Paul should probably get the win here since WWE just signed him to a new deal and having him lose his first singles match seems like a bad idea. Plus, Miz loses more matches than he wins these days, so he’ll be fine after a loss because he gets so much promo time to brag about his awful WrestleMania main event match with John Cena among other things.
Winner: Logan Paul
United States Championship: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Theory
Joel: I could’ve sworn they were going to add Dolph to this match so they could have him take the pin to protect Lashley or Theory. I guess that’s off the table so now it’s pretty much a lose-lose situation. I think Theory’s push might stall a little bit under Triple H’s leadership. He gave him screen time in NXT with The Way, but that was mostly as a lackey. I’m not sure Hunter has that much confidence in Theory as a top guy. We’ll see. I think Lashley wins here. He just won the Title at Money in the Bank. It would be stupid to have him lose it back three weeks later.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Matthew: This is one of many rematches on this card and seems easy to predict too me. WWE is clearly grooming Theory for bigger things, with him already carrying the Money in the Bank Briefcase. Theory also just lost the United States Championship to Lashley last month. Therefore, it makes no sense for Theory to win back the United States Championship here. I expect Lashley to retain here, while Theory moves on to the main event scene.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Alex: This match doesn’t make sense to me. If Theory plans on cashing in his MITB briefcase later on, why would he take such a huge risk like this? Why would he put himself in the ring with Lashley, a hard-hitting former world champion with a devastating arsenal? There’s a whole locker room full of underused wrestlers that could’ve been sacrificed to Lashley but instead Theory will have a rematch that no-one expects him to win. That is, unless Theory pulls off a one-in-a-trillion feat and wins the US, WWE, and Universal titles all in one night. Could that be the ‘creative splash’ that Triple H has in mind? To cut down on all the titles that Vince has watered down and rendered into props anyway? Who’s to say, but for the first time in a long time, anything really is possible in WWE.
Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Bobby Lashley
Marc: It’s tough to see Lashley transition from this massive beast to a guy that is as committed to being everyone’s friend or, at the very least mutual respect. But they have to start somewhere. As stated by Roman Reigns earlier this week, Theory’s daddy isn’t here anymore. If that’s the case and his daddy isn’t here anymore could this be where he ends up flat once again? It may not necessarily be so.
He is so easy to dislike and has shown a range of characteristics during his time on the roster. From the dufus’ son’ in NXT as part of The Way to the brash and arrogant handpicked guy by Mr. McMahon, Theory is putting in the work. He has a solid athletic base behind him, and because of that, it will help to carry him forward. If done right, he could be the next Seth Rollins, and we’ve seen what kind of a workhorse he can be. I still don’t believe Bobby Lashley needs the US Championship, but at this point, maybe Theory doesn’t either, with other things on the horizon.
Winner: AND STILL, United States Champion Bobby Lashley
John: I was a bit surprised when Lashley beat Theory for the US Title at Money in the Bank, but then it made sense when Theory won the MITB briefcase. Now we get the rematch with Lashley likely winning again. It’s not a bad idea to have a title on Lashley since the WWE/Universal Title is rarely defended on television, so at least you can have a fighting babyface champion like Lashley, who is liked and respected by the fans. Theory will probably get a bit of offense, he’ll get some heat since the fans hate him, but I think it’s going to be a win for Lashley in about ten minutes or less.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Smackdown Women’s Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
Joel: Liv Morgan shocked the world when she cashed in her briefcase on Ronda Rousey at Money in the Bank. Given that Ronda doesn’t lose clean often, conventional wisdom would point to Ronda winning the Title back. I’m going the other way. Mainly because Ronda insisted that she drop the title to Liv. I doubt she would want to win it back this quickly. Plus, Liv JUST got her sideplates last week. If the plan was for her to lose it back, why give them to her at all just to have her lose 8 days later? It would make no sense and I’m going to give HHH the benefit of the doubt that he is going to do stuff that at least makes sense. I’m going with Liv.
Winner: Liv Morgan
Matthew: This is also technically a rematch from last month when Morgan quickly cashed in the MITB briefcase on Rousey to capture the title. I expect this match to go a lot longer, as Morgan tries to prove that her win last month was not a fluke. This match is technically between two faces, but the crowd is going to be clearly behind Morgan in this one. Anything but a Morgan win here will upset the WWE Universe, so I am going to predict exactly that happening. I foresee Rousey cheating to win here, turning heel and recapturing the title.
Winner and New Smackdown Women’s Champion: Ronda Rousey
Alex: This one’s hard to predict. I know Morgan has legions of loyal fans and she has gone through a long and arduous journey to win the title. But let’s be practical and commonsensical here: does anyone here really believe that Liv Morgan has the legitimacy, skill, strength, or experience to beat Ronda Rousey one-on-one? This is such a mismatch; it’s like Sami Zayn facing down Brock Lesnar. As such, I don’t see Morgan winning clean here; the ONLY way she retains here is if someone interferes on her behalf to either force a DQ finish or to distract the referee. This is where the additional possibilities become possible and more interesting questions can be asked. Does Triple H bring someone up from NXT to help Morgan? Does Bayley make her big return after being shelved for more than a year? Does Morgan enlist the help of Naomi and Sasha Banks to double-team a downed Rousey so that she can pick up what’s left and eke out a victory? I know some of these theories are wild and extremely unlikely. But as I said earlier, no one ever expected Vince to leave WWE as he did. And since that has happened, the possibilities for even the most inconsequential match are endless.
Winner and STILL SmackDown Women’s Champion due to interference from SOMEONE: Liv Morgan
Marc: The following that Liv Morgan has is undeniable. She’s liked by others on the roster and has a huge following both online and in the audience. But I’d be remised if I didn’t also hear the criticisms about her from more experienced veterans on the roster. As the champion, from a more traditional standpoint, the belief is that you should be behind them and can relate. So the argument is, are they believable?
For many fans, Liv is believable, and her target audience adores her, not unlike a rockstar. But when seeing her up against Ronda Rousey, I have a hard time believing she can beat Rousey. She won her title against the weakened champion. Does that mean she can beat Rousey straight up? For some, it’s doubtful, while for others, it isn’t. Personally, a former MMA champion with a legitimate fighting background behind her could be fooled once, but it’s hard to see that happening twice.
Winner: AND NEW Smackdown Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey
John: This one is tough because I think there might be a clash in styles and I don’t know if they are going to have a good match or just something that’s average. It’s a big spot for Liv because when she’s against a heel that’s powerful it’s easy for her to just sell for the majority of the match and then hit the big moves for the comeback win. However, Rousey is also booked like a face, so I don’t know what kind of match they are going to have. What I hope is that Rousey loses and turns heel within a few weeks because she’s a lot better in that role. As we head towards the rest of the year, I think Ronda as a heel and Becky Lynch slowly turning into a face is what WWE should be doing so that it sets up their showdown at WrestleMania next year. I know I’m moving ahead really far, but I’m just saying Ronda can use this spot of not beating Liv as a time for her to turn heel. Anyway, I’ll go with Liv winning although it might be controversial or there might be interference that helps Liv get that win. I don’t know if Charlotte Flair might return to cause Ronda to lose. It’s a possibility. I’ll go with Liv, but I really don’t know how they are going to book it, so that makes me intrigued to see what WWE comes up with here.
I also hope Bayley makes her return. Her knee injury was one year ago. She should have been ready to go within the last two months, so I think it was just a case of waiting for the right time. A cheap attack on Morgan after the match is an easy way to bring her back. I miss Bayley. I hope this is her return.
Winner: Liv Morgan
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) (with Jeff Jarrett as the special referee)
Joel: I’m kind of conflicted because the story would indicate The Street Profits are due a win here. Especially with Jeff Jarrett as the referee. Yet, at the same time, I feel like a Street Profits split is coming and I wouldn’t end The Usos year long title reign just to take the titles off The Street Profits a month or two later. Plus, I feel like The Usos aren’t going to lose their titles until Roman Reigns loses his and it adds another wrinkle to The Bloodline angle. The debut of Solo Sikoa is also possible here.
Winners: The Usos
Matthew: This match is also a rematch, but one most WWE fans are excited to see. Last month at Money in the Bank, these two teams had a potential match of the year candidate. This time they are adding the intrigue of Jeff Jarrett as the special guest referee. Jarrett is a strange choice here, as he seemingly has nothing to do with either of these teams and is just there to pop his hometown crowd. I could be the referee (honestly WWE, I still can if needed) and this match would still be incredible. I think it is finally time for The Bloodline to start losing some of their titles. I am going to go with The Street Profits here to get the shocking win.
Winner and New WWE Tag Team Champions: The Street Profits
Alex: I’ve heard reports recently that people in WWE are high on one of the Profits (Ford) and want to split them up. What better way to start that story than with an unsuccessful shot at the titles? I think Jarrett will play a minimal role until the finish. The Usos will do their usual high-octane stuff and will beat the Profits to retain their titles. But this match will be about story as much as it’ll be about action. The Profits will lose here after just under twenty minutes and then they’ll start arguing. They might get into a little shoving contest and one of them will leave fuming while the other waits in the ring to reflect on the loss. It won’t all happen right away; it’ll be a slow burn and eventual team break-up. But this’ll be the catalyst that gets that ball rolling. Also, I hope that Jarrett doesn’t hit anyone with a guitar post-match. I know some devoted fans of his are nostalgic for a guitar shot, but I don’t see it happening simply because a) it looks phony, and b) if he hits one of the losers with the guitar it doesn’t do them any favors, and as a booker I think Triple H is smart enough to realize that senseless nostalgia and having old-timers beat up his ‘future investments’ isn’t a wise business philosophy.
Winners and STILL Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: : The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
Marc: Could it be an absolute collapse for The Bloodline at SummerSlam? With everything on the line, that seems to remain a question. But with hints of a Montez Ford push, what does this also mean for the Street Profits? Also, the inclusion of Jeff Jarrett as a special referee who wasn’t a tag team specialist is odd. But the fact it’s in Nashville makes sense in including him.
Much like Roman Reigns, The Uso’s are clearly the team in the promotion. Unless something out of the ordinary happens, the ace in the hole yet to be revealed is their younger brother Solo Sikoa. Sure, there haven’t been any pitches to have him come in, but like rumors and opportunities, this is a grand enough place to elevate him. Despite Double J’s best efforts, there is still a chance for someone to get involved. Could. Naomi return since her departure weeks ago? Regardless, I’m leaning more on The Uso’s retaining by hook or by crook than losing.
Winners: AND STILL, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso)
John: They had an amazing match at Money in the Bank, so I look forward to the rematch. That match at MITB went 23 minutes, which is a lot longer than most televised WWE tag team title matches. That tells me that they could go around 20 minutes again even with a guest referee like Jeff Jarrett involved. I don’t think Double J is going to be a heelish referee helping The Usos or anything like that. What I believe is they might do some screwy finish where The Usos benefit and they keep the titles. Maybe they do something like the illegal man gets the pin or something along those lines. I’ve been really impressed by The Street Profits this year showing more intensity and having better matches because of it. The Usos are at a point now where I really like that team so much they are in the conversation with my favorite teams of all time like The Hart Foundation and Edge & Christian. The consistency and greatness can’t be overlooked.
As for the Street Profits, I think they’ll be broken up in the next WWE draft in October (or if they do it in September) so there’s not a split where one of them goes heel, but they will be on opposite brands. Ford will be on whatever show his wife Bianca Belair is on while Dawkins will be on the other one.
Winners: The Usos
Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Joel: This, overall, has been one of the best built women’s feuds in quite sometime. Starting at last year’s SummerSlam, it’s fitting that it ends here. Bianca winning the match in 25 seconds or less would be an ideal ending given Becky beating her in 26 seconds last year. I’m not sure that is going to happen, but I still see Bianca retaining here.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Matthew: Look everyone, it’s yet another rematch! Both these women are incredible, and will unquestionably have a good match. Unfortunately, this one feels stale at this point which hurts the excitement level. WWE heads across the pond next month, which I think will influence the outcome of this one. I expect Lynch to get the win here, so she can defend the title in front of her hometown crowd.
Winner AND NEW Raw Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
Alex: This is Belair’s chance to completely negate the embarrassment that happened to her at last year’s SummerSlam. It’s also her big chance to break away from 50/50 booking and solidify herself as a star. And since Vince McMahon is no longer around, the chance of a random ‘swerve’ is much lower. Not 100% impossible but still pretty low. Since Belair was one of Triple H’s big signees, I doubt he’d ruin one of his biggest projects for another unnecessary title change.
While there’s no doubting that Belair wins here, the question is whether they’ll top their match from WrestleMania 38. There’s a chance that happens, but they’ll need at least twenty minutes to do so. This has the chance to be the match of the night as long as it’s given ‘pure’ booking. No shenanigans, no interference, no ref bumps, and a clean finish. Let the two of them have all of that and we might get a MOTYC.
Winner and STILL RAW Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair
Marc: We know what these two can do against one another. They are committed to long-term storytelling, and this match is another in that line. Belair has been grateful for working with Becky, as I’m sure Becky is of working with Bianca. At this point, a win for Becky would stop her spiraling out of control here for her. But should she win her? Both women have traded wins against the other at meaningful times and meaningful places.
But with it now one year removed from Becky’s return, where she beat Bianca in 27 seconds, could we see Belair retain the title in that amount of time. On the other hand, the story arc of these two could be quite poetic if that’s the case. This is hard to pick, but at some point, Becky’s tailspin has to end, but this match is about retribution for last year for Bianca.
Winner: AND STILL, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair
John: It’s a WrestleMania rematch. I really enjoyed that match they had there. The WWE creative team has done a lot of things to try to keep them from having a televised singles match since their great match at WrestleMania. It’s also a rematch of last year’s SummerSlam where Lynch beat Belair for the Smackdown Women’s Title in 26 seconds. I think if Belair wins a lot of fans are going to be upset about it because they were so mad that she lost last year to Lynch and how she lost. Their WrestleMania was kind of a way to have Belair get that revenge, so it seems even to me. I think Lynch winning would be fine, but I want to see Belair in a title feud against heel Rhea Ripley and if somebody is to take the title from Belair then I’d rather see Ripley do it because she’ll be fresh as a heel champion.
I think this will be a great match that gets plenty of time in the 15-20 minute range. It may not be a KOD win by Belair. It may be like a move counter to win so that it’s not a dominant win and it could lead to yet another match in the near future.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
(Note: WWE is claiming that this is their last match regardless of who wins.)
Joel: The feud should’ve ended at WrestleMania, but due to the injury to Randy Orton, we have to have it again. The Last Man Standing stipulation gives them a little more freedom to do some other things. I can see Brock going through the announce table. It seems inevitable. The Usos will likely get involved but if they are building this as the last match regardless of who wins, I can’t see Roman not walking away with it. You can’t just have him doing nothing while Brock goes to Clash of the Castle. Roman wins.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Matthew: Finally, we get to the rematch of all rematches. If there is ever a sign that WWE needs to make more top stars, it is the fact that they are going back to this match once again. To further emphasize the point, when Lesnar reportedly walked out of Smackdown last Friday, WWE considered bringing in Goldberg to replace him. Hopefully this truly is the last time these two will face each other, and WWE can find some fresh matchups from here on out. As for who wins this one, I think Reigns is on a collision course with Drew McIntyre next month. Therefore, I will go with Reigns once again retaining here, to hopefully end this feud once and for all.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Alex: WWE is claiming that this is the last time we will ever see these two compete one-on-one. I have my doubts about that because WWE once promoted the same out of John Cena vs. Randy Orton and then they faced off anyway because WWE thinks its fans are dumb marks that’ll buy tickets anyway no matter how much they complain. But that was under different management and this time they might actually mean it. As for what happens here, well, I think it’s obvious: this is going to be a re-hash of WrestleMania 31 but with the roles reversed. Reigns and Lesnar will maul each other for twenty minutes and then Theory will cash in towards the end as both of them are down. The match will transform into a triple-threat match then and there and Theory will pick up the pieces and steal the win and the titles.
Do I think that Theory deserves the titles? No. But WWE have booked themselves into a corner here with what they’ve done up to this point. Reigns’ schedule is reducing and he can’t carry the belt forever. Lesnar doesn’t need the title since he’s a part-timer anyway. And Theory is the only guy that, for better or worse, has gotten any sort of regular screen time since last year. If Theory were to cash-in and lose, then WWE would be in panic mode as they wouldn’t have anyone ‘big’ to build their shows around. And while they won’t be in danger of losing money or interest, it makes business sense to invest in someone now with such a golden opportunity. And as both Triple H and Stephanie have said before (much to everyone’s annoyance) they know what’s “best for business.”
Winner and NEW WWE Undisputed Universal Champion: Theory
Marc: A quote by Roman Reigns was floating on Twitter. The quote was he hopes this is the last time he faces Brock because facing him is hard. Yes, most fans are likely tired of the story arc of these two. Roman as the face or Roman as the heel. Brock as the face or Brock as the heel. With Heyman, without Heyman. Wearing a cowboy hat or tribal law. Wardrobe changes, facial hair, and hairstyles all seem to change.
But if this is the last match, that could mean it’s a sign of things. Does that mean Theory does walk out as champion? Could the plan still be in place? A heel that people don’t like that has a skillset not unlike others in the company? While we won’t know for sure until after the match, but we are assured that change could begin with the main event. We can all hope that this means something happens to help a restart but not too much that the character of Roman goes down the drain.
Winner: AND STILL, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns
John: It’s Roman and Brock one more time for the last time…we think. I like both guys a lot, yet I’m also tired of seeing them wrestling eachother. I think their best singles match against eachother was at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, which was their first match. A lot of the other matches since then have been shorter or less interesting. Since this is Last Man Standing, they’ll probably spend most of the match using props like the steel steps, chairs and putting eachother through tables. It wouldn’t surprise me if Theory teased a cash-in during the match or after it’s over, but I don’t see him winning. I think that The Usos could be involved since interference is possible. Lesnar might get rid of them, but Reigns will capitalize after that. I think Reigns will win what should be a pretty good match after about 12-15 minutes of action.
As we look ahead towards Clash at the Castle on September 3 with 65,000+ fans in Wales, I think Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre is going to headline that show and I’ll say right now I’m probably picking Drew to win because that’s the right time for Reigns to finally lose.
Winner: Roman Reigns
BONUS TOPICS!
The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most
Joel: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
Matthew: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
Alex: Lesnar vs. Reigns (vs. Theory).
Marc: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
John: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
The Match I Care About The Least
Joel: Logan Paul vs. The Miz.
Matthew: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory.
Alex: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory.
Marc: Logan Paul vs. The Miz.
John: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory.
Longest Match
Joel: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
Matthew: The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
Alex: Usos vs. Profits or Belair vs. Lynch (~20 minutes each).
Marc: Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title Match – The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
John: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch.
Shortest Match
Joel: Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey.
Matthew: Logan Paul vs. The Miz.
Alex: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory (5-8 minutes).
Marc: Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey.
John: Bobby Lashley vs. Theory.
Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)
Joel: 7 – I feel like Triple H is going to want to make the first PLE in the post-Vince McMahon era a success. So I can see some surprises here. The matches will be good. I’m excited for the new WWE. Hopefully they deliver. I think they will.
Matthew: 6 – On paper, this card should be very good to even great, with some potentially awesome matches. The problem is we have seen most of them multiple times with the whole show seemingly stale. Hopefully the rumors are true and Triple H has something up his sleeve to add some needed freshness and excitement to this show.
Alex: 7.5 – The card itself isn’t what’s interesting to me here. instead, it’s the possibility of something genuinely exciting and new happening with Triple H & Stephanie in charge. For the first time in ages, there’s this fun sense of unpredictability for a show. They might deliver and they might not. And yet, there’s enough speculation around this show that it just can’t really be missed. Something special might happen here so it’s really worth tuning in.
Marc: 6.
John: 7.5 – As I said in the open, I’m going into the show with an optimistic viewpoint. While I think the card probably has too many rematches and is missing some top guys that I would like to see in matches, I think everybody involved in the show is going to do well. Most WWE PPVs this year have been shows in the 7.5 to 8 range (out of 10) when I review them, so I think this will be in that area as well just based on match quality. What I’m hoping is that Triple H and his creative team can come up with some big things to make us remember this show like Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch returning last year at SummerSlam. Who could it be this year? Lots of possibilities. I hope it’s a good mix of action, great matches and memorable matches. If it is then Triple H is off to a good start and we can look forward to the next stadium show Clash at the Castle on September 3rd as well.
In Closing
John: I’ll be back with a review of SummerSlam on TJRWrestling.net on Saturday, so check that out live or any time after it’s over.
You can also tweet me @johnreport, Joel is @GiftedMoney, Matthew is @fowlerwrestlin1, Marc is @themarcmadison and Alex is not on twitter with any comments as well.
If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com as well. Thanks for reading.