TJRWrestling WWE SummerSlam 2023 Preview
It’s time for WWE SummerSlam featuring Roman Reigns-Jey Uso, Cody Rhodes facing Brock Lesnar one more time, an Asuka-Belair-Flair triple threat match and four title matches in all.
John: I am a big fan of SummerSlam as one of the three biggest shows of the year on the WWE calendar behind WrestleMania and I’d rank it behind the Royal Rumble too, just barely. With that said, it’s usually one of the better shows of the year. I love that WWE is doing it at a football stadium like Ford Field with 45,000+ fans in attendance, so it should be very loud most of the night. I think the top matches have all been built very well. I wouldn’t say anything on the show has bad build except the battle royal, which was announced a week before the show, but I don’t mind it being on the show.
I genuinely feel bad for Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus for not being on the show. They are two of my favorite women’s wrestlers ever. They are massive names who have had a four month storyline, so why not find a way to get them on the card? I understand time constraints and all that, but you can certainly get nine matches on a show that’s probably going to run four hours or close to that. Shave off some time in a few other matches, cut back a bit on backstage segments/interviews and filler in between matches and find a way to get those wrestlers on the show so they can have a ten minute match. I also wanted to see Rhea Ripley on this card, but that’s probably not happening either. That’s the negative thing about having a talented, deep roster. Some people will miss out. That’s just a reality of being in WWE in 2023.
Joining me for the preview are TJRWrestling writers Matthew Fowler, Marcus Madison, Kelly Dishnow, Alex Podgorski and Kristian Thompson. No Joel this time because he’s moving and didn’t have time for it.
Marc: On Saturday, August 5th from Detroit, Michigan the WWE presents the 2023 edition of SummerSlam. With only eight matches on the card the biggest question has been why isn’t Rhea Ripley, Trish Stratus or Becky Lynch on the card? While ‘time’ is the answer it hasn’t proven to be one that fans nor talent appeared to be happy with. With titles on the line and feuds likely reaching a fevered pitch it is anyone’s guess as to what will happen for sure!
Alex: Ah, SummerSlam, one of the highlights of the summer season. For the first time in a long time, I’m genuinely excited for most of the matches on a WWE card. WWE is rightfully on a hot streak right now and I can’t say I’m surprised. There’s a solid mix of matches on this card, which gives something for everyone. And most of those matches have been built up very well so I won’t be surprised if the live crowd ends up being loud and animated for most of the night. The show is still fairly predictable given the matches, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think this will be a great show, especially WWE appeared to have learned their lesson from the past and won’t make this show drag on past four hours in length.
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Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
Matthew: If you are a fan of crazy high spots and lots of flipping, then this will be the match for you. Both of these guys are incredible athletes and will likely create some memorable highlights. As for who wins, I think Paul is the bigger star and they want to give him a marquee win here. Therefore, Paul wins after a crazy, entertaining match.
Winner: Logan Paul
Marc: While this match will likely be given time and excite fans with the moves we’ll see, the same argument will be made. Why is Paul taking the spot of someone else that is there daily? And for that the same answer will be given. It’s because it’s a major event with major publicity and his a pop culture figure that resonates with younger fans. That’s the simple answer. It will be fun to watch for sure but I think once you’ve seen what they can do, I guess this match will be a matter of hey, watch us top that with THIS. I do think this is the match that actually has the mult-media guy go over. It serves no purpose but to further fuel Ricochet after the loss.
Winner: Logan Paul
Kelly: These two are not going to put on a clinic or anything. This should be a solid opener. These two made moments in the Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank, so I would expect them to try topping those moments here. Paul has been very impressive in the ring but he really needs a win. Sorry Ricochet.
Winner:Logan Paul
Alex: This match has been teased since January and is expected to be a massive blowoff. But picking a winner here isn’t that easy. While Ricochet has done a decent enough job of portraying himself as the wrestling everyman that gets overlooked in favor of the part-timers with more influence, Logan Paul is in a league of his own right now. I usually loathe the idea of non-wrestlers going over fulltime wrestlers, but Logan Paul gets this business like few others. He knows how to be as obnoxious as possible and he takes what he does seriously, at least for the most part. When making these predictions one must think beyond just the match result itself; one must also ask “where do they go from here?” In Paul’s case, he can come and go as he pleases because he’s never really going to falter or lose value. Ricochet, on the other hand, has just been “there” since 2019 and hasn’t proven his worth that much. If he beats Paul, does anyone really think a potential push for him would last more than a month? I doubt it. I expect a car crash-style match and one or two ludicrous high-spots here, but this’ll be eye candy and not eye protein for anyone looking for top-tier quality.
Winner: Logan Paul
Kristian: This should be a really fun match with some exciting spots. It has been positive to see Ricochet in a PPV singles feud and Paul always brings great heat to a rivalry. They made things a bit personal this past week on Raw by mentioning Ricochet’s relationship with Samantha Irvine, Raw’s ring announcer who does a terrific job each week. Paul is such an unlikeable character and knows how to get a reaction. As much as I’d like Ricochet to get the win, I think they’ll go with Paul victorious as he’s the bigger name. It should be a top opener.
Winner: Logan Paul
John: It should be fun to watch because they are two wildly athletic guys capable of doing a lot in the ring, so they should have an entertaining match especially if it goes on first as expected. Logan Paul lost to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania and lost to Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel last November. Those were Logan’s last singles matches. I think this match is designed to give Logan Paul a win like he got over The Miz last year at SummerSlam. One year since his last win is a long time. I know Logan has had the advantage in the storyline and stood all over Ricochet this past week on Raw, but I think Logan winning makes the most sense.
Winner: Logan Paul
Men’s SummerSlam Battle Royal
Matthew: There is only one correct answer to who wins this one, and if it doesn’t happen then WWE may have a riot on its hands.
Winner: LA Knight
Marc: Let me talk to ya! Alright, that was fun. But will be even more fun is that we have an opportunity for growing fan favorite LA Knight to walk out victorious on this night. We have seen him come close and fans overwhelmingly wanting to see him succeed. And as it appears more recently a Sheamus and LA Knight final two appears likely. But what’s come out recently is that Sheamus felt that his momentum after Clash at the Castle last year wasn’t capitalized on. Could we see him snap if he’s unsuccessful on this night too?
Winner: LA Knight
Kelly: Since we are not going to get Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch, this will be its fill in match. This match also makes sense given the WWE’s recent partnership announcement with Slim Jim. Snap it to a Slim Jim, oh yeah! This is LA Knight’s match to lose again. The guy can sell some t-shirts, so I’m sure Vince has the warm and fuzzies for Knight now. I would expect some of the lesser feud guys participating in this battle royal. As I write this, we do not have a participant list outside of LA Knight and Sheamus. Those two will likely be the final two anyway. Say it with me…
Winner:LA Knight (yeah)
Alex: We don’t know who else is in this match (as I write this) or what these wrestlers are even fighting for, so we can safely assume that this’ll be the least exciting match on the card. only six of the twenty men have been announced, but one of those is LA Knight, who has been getting monstrous reactions of late and has also been showered with praise, despite losing more matches than he has won. Maybe, just maybe, this might be his big moment to turn things around, but that also depends on who else is in the match. Barring any big surprises or debuts, he would be the most logical choice of winner to wake the crowd up ahead of one of the bigger matches above it.
Winner: LA Knight
Kristian: I think the obvious scenario here has LA Knight winning. WWE doesn’t always do obvious well so they could go with someone else. I don’t really like pointless battle royals, so having a reward such as a future title shot would’ve made sense. But this is WWE of course! Having wrestlers argue that they were going to win the Battle Royal this week on Raw also sounded pretty lame.
Winner: LA Knight
John: It’s a way to get more people on the show, which is good for the male wrestlers that will be able to say they got to wrestle in front of 40,000+ people. I think LA Knight will be popular choice here and he should be. I’ll go with LA Knight for the win with Austin Theory as the runner up if he’s even in the match. That can be a way to tease Knight vs. Theory for the US Title in the future.
Winner: LA Knight
MMA Rules: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler
Matthew: Of all the matches on this card, this is the one I am least excited about. If I wanted to watch a MMA match, that is what I would do. A “worked” MMA match does not excite me in the least, especially since one of the competitors will be leaving the company soon. I will go with Baszler winning, so Ronda can give her friend the “rub” on the way out.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Marc: Good friends…or so we thought. As its been reported Ronda is leaving after the event. Whether this is for a longer time or not, wasn’t disclosed. And as it typically is done if you are on your way out you will put the other person over in the process. Its just the etiquette around it all. But Shayna hasn’t really been given to carry a singles run on the main roster and thrive like she could now. Fans will finally get to see the Shayna Baszler they should be seeing a dominate magician hell bent on using submissions!
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Kelly: This whole feud just feels rushed from the get go. I know that Rousey was injured and that delayed plans for a bit too long. The two part video package that played on Raw really helped make up for the lack of build and actually makes you want to care about the feud. I’m sure it would have been great if given the proper time to build. I expect this to be Rousey’s swan song.
Winner:Shayna Baszler
Alex: For the first time in a long time, there’s a story in WWE’s women’s division that makes it hard for me to pick a winner. Earlier this week, WWE aired a side-by-side video that showed both Rousey and Baszler explaining why they’ll win at SummerSlam and how bad things have gotten between them. I think that these two women did a fantastic job of making this into a personal battle and warning fans of the violence that’s to come. Even with the unusual stipulation, I get the feeling that this might be the most unusual and exciting match of the night. As for a winner, I’m doing a coin toss; not out of apathy but because it could go either way, even with rumors of Rousey’s imminent exit from WWE. She could be leaving having avenged her betrayal, or she could leave for a while and Baszler could finally step out of Rousey’s shadow. Either way, this has the potential to be great match.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Kristian: For the first time since NXT, Baszler has become interesting. Far too often she has been either destroying jobbers with no follow up or left out of big title feuds. However, here she has been given some mic time and shone in this personal feud with Rousey, who is pretty painful on the mic still. She speaks too fast, too far away from the mic and gets flustered too often. This should be a hard-hitting fight and Baszler would benefit from a big PPV singles win.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
John: It’s another match where the predictions are going to be similar. It was revealed weeks ago that Ronda Rousey was going to end her WWE run soon. I don’t know if she wants to have another baby or she’s just bored of being in WWE, but it has seemed like Rousey has had less enthusiasm for being in WWE this year. It’s nice that Rousey wants to put over her buddy Shayna Baszler on her way out. Since it’s MMA Rules I’m guessing this won’t be very long. Keep it under five minutes with Baszler winning in impressive fashion.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Intercontinental Championship: GUNTHER (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Matthew: In contrast to the last match, this is the match I am most excited for. I fully expect these two to beat the living hell out of each other, and have an absolute “banger” as the kids say these days. As for who actually wins, Gunther is a month away from breaking the record for longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. Therefore, I can’t see him losing here, and will cheat to win to set up another match at a later date.
Winner: Gunther
Marc: This is a singles match we needed to finally see. We saw these two along with Sheamus tear it up at WrestleMania. Now we finally get to see GUNTHER and McIntyre showing just exactly what they can do. We can be assured that this will be a hard-hitting battle between the two with both giving their all along the way. With GUNTHER in the midst of the longest Intercontinental title reign in over 30 years, to see him not win would be surprizing. It feels as though the WWE is in the midst of record-setting title reigns and to think he doesn’t walk away the champion would be rare.
Winner: AND STILL Intercontinental Champion, GUNTHER
Kelly: Let’s see, GUNTHER is about 40 days away from breaking the Honky Tonk Man’s IC Title reign record. This is really a no brainer. Sorry Drew. At least it’ll be a banger.
Winner:GUNTHER
Alex: If this is anything like GUNTHER vs. Sheamus from CatC or the WrestleMania 39 Triple Threat, then it’s going to be the MOTY and a certified classic. McIntyre has the most credibility out of all of GUNTHER’s IC challengers and his list of accomplishments speaks for itself. If there’s anyone that actually stands a chance of beating GUNTHER, it’s McIntyre. And yet, I just don’t see the champion losing. GUNTHER is simply too strong, too dominant, and too close to becoming the longest-reigning IC Champion ever. It doesn’t make business sense for something that has been built up for so long to end prematurely. As for McIntyre, what does he do if he wins? Even though he’s a big star, GUNTHER comes across as a bigger, special star. If these two get 15-20 minutes to just maul each other and GUNTHER can do what he does best, then I’m certain that the fans in Detroit will be giving both men standing ovations more than once.
Winner and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER
Kristian: This will be a fantastic bout and probably the match I’m most looking forward to. I think the main event outcome is too obvious or I would’ve picked that. I think having McIntyre on the show this week would’ve been beneficial, however it meant a nice match between GUNTHER and Chad Gable, who looked terrific in defeat. I think they’ll stick with GUNTHER to break the title record and it could be possibly a screwy finish (maybe a DQ) and Drew could win it at Survivor Series or somewhere after GUNTHER has passed the record.
Winner AND STILL Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER
John: I am really looking forward to this because I think this is going to be the best match. Gunther has proven how great he is, so any time he’s on a show like this, it’s fair to predict his match will be the best. The build could have been better, but with Drew missing a couple of Raw’s due to movie filming, that played a bit of a factor in the build to the match. I’m sure they will have a hard hitting match similar to the triple threat they had with Sheamus at WrestleMania 39.
We know that Gunther is over one month away from setting the record for the longest Intercontinental Title reign ever. Why end it one month early? I like Drew McIntyre and I’d be fine with him as the next IC Champion, but save it for after Gunther breaks the record. Anyway, I expect a lot of nearfalls, a hot crowd and ultimately Gunther gets the win. It wouldn’t even surprise me if Gunther got help from Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser and/or Giovanni Vinci just to make it cheap and use it to set up a rematch.
Winner: GUNTHER
WWE Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair
Matthew: This one is interesting, as I think whomever wins will not actually leave as WWE Women’s Champion. IYO SKY is looming with the Money in the Bank Briefcase, and I think this is the night she chooses to cash it in. As for who she actually cashes it on, I will go with Charlotte so she can get one step closer to breaking her father’s (and John Cena) record.
Winner AND NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Charlotte Flair, but immediately loses it to IYO SKY
Marc: With all the recent criticisms about the women’s division not receiving the attention it should at the very least having this match on the card is a good thing. But with that said this match should be a lot of fun. All of these women have legitimate claims to the title. What initially began as both Belair and Flair on a quest for the title but it has become one where the champion was no longer an afterthought. I think what we can anticipate is that the least likely result come about from this match. Fans anticipate that Flair is the champion. It’s part of the booking since she’s been in the company. Belair is angry that she lost the title by being robbed and in the process we have Asuka who mocks both along the way. I think Asuka finally walks away as champion in a match that involves Charlotte Flair.
Wommer: AND STILL WWE Women’s Champion, Asuka
Kelly: Bianca has a legit complaint. Charlotte just waltzes back in and is handed a title shot. An undeserved title shot at that. I’m really digging the new Kana Asuka. It’s a different side of her while still keeping it within the PG rails. We cannot forget about Miss Money in the Bank, IYO SKY, either. There’s a few ways this could go. Either one of the three have a chance at winning the match. I’d put a cash in at 20%. I think the placement of this match in relation to the World Heavyweight Championship determines if a cash in happens or not. Please do not go the stupid route and have Bayley cost SKY her cash in attempt. If SKY cashes in, I see her being successful to finally have a proper feud with Asuka. As for this match, it is a toss up.
Winner(s):Asuka / IYO SKY successfully cashes into become WWE Women’s Champion
Alex: I don’t see this match setting the world on fire despite the quality of the three names involved, and since the build for this match has been much lower compared to almost everything else, I predict this match will be relegated to one of the show’s death spots, that is, as a bring-down match after a hotter and more intense match preceding it. By no means will this be bad – all three of these women have talent and can do quite well in the ring – but I don’t expect white-hot reactions from the audience. I can see this match as either second or third on the card and being given fifteen minutes max since WWE appears to be adamant about time constraints for this show.
In terms of winner, I’m going with Asuka since it fits her character. She has been going a solid job of cosplaying as The Great Muta and mixing her hard-hitting style with a deviousness that hasn’t been seen from her before. A title change here wouldn’t make much sense especially since there’s plenty that can still be done with Asuka as champion, so I’m going with a surprise or deception-based win for the champion.
Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion: Asuka
Kristian: As long as Charlotte doesn’t win, I’m happy. Actually, scratch that. Belair has been in title feuds forever. Let’s get to and Iyo vs Asuka feud. I think this match here will be pretty great and Asuka will get the win over Belair because Flair is invincible and doesn’t lose. Hopefully the reign of Asuka continues.
Winner AND STILL WWE Women’s Champion: Asuka
John: It will be another great match that will get plenty of time because of who is involved in the match. I’m not a huge triple threat match fan, but I think they have built it up well and it makes sense that they are doing it as a triple threat. We know Asuka is a heel, Charlotte is a face and Bianca is a face too although she has been very frustrated and whining a lot over the last two months. Belair doesn’t really need the title back so soon after losing it, so Asuka will retain or Charlotte will get the victory.
While I really like Asuka a lot and would love to see her have a really long reign, I feel like Charlotte Flair will win her 15th Women’s Title here. I think Flair will get #16 (tying her father Ric Flair and John Cena) before year’s end and then at WrestleMania 40 Flair will get #17 so WWE can celebrate a “record” at WrestleMania. Just my hunch anyway. Flair gets the win over Asuka leading to some Flair-Belair matches.
I also think that IYO SKY could cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase soon to become the champion. I’m not going to predict it for this show, but I think it’s possible.
Winner AND NEW WWE Women’s Champion: Charlotte Flair
World Heavyweight Championship: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor
Matthew: This is a rematch of their match from just a month ago at Money in the Bank, where Rollins was able to retain his title. This is also another match where a cash-in could occur. I however don’t see a second cash-in happening on the same show, so I will not predict that happening here. Instead, I see Damian Priest attempting to cash-in, but failing while also costing Balor the match. This will lead to not only a Rollins win but the implosion of The Judgment Day as well.
Winner: Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Marc: Is this a case where Finn Balor is the proverbial bridesmaid and never the bride? Sure, he once captured the WWE Universal title but we know how that all played out. When we add to that Damian Priest is constantly intertwined in this scenario we can see that it doesn’t bode well for Balor. What we anticipate happening is that these two will battle and give a really concerted effort involving all parties. But the result is likely to be something along the lines of a screwy finish that involves Priest cashing in and Balor again being distracted costing him his chance.
Winner: AND STILL World Heavyweight, Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins
Kelly: This rematch from Money in the Bank should be a notch better. The Judgment Day momentum is much better than it was last month. I think that Balor wins the title here. Rollins has done great establishing the WHC and a loss here would not hurt him. The question is, what will Senor Money in the Bank do? I think Priest cashes in on the winner and is successful in his efforts. But, who will he cash in on? Let’s do something creative for the cash in. Have it look like Rollins is going to win the match, so Prest cashes in with his back to the ring. Balor reverses to win the match. By the time Priest realizes that Balor won the match, it is too late to back out of the match so Priest wipes Balor out anyway. Sure, it sounds like The Bloodline angle, but they (Judgment Day) seem to be going to pick up the baton.
Winner(s):Finn Balor / Damian Priest successfully cashes in to become WWE World Champion
Alex: The Judgment Day has become arguably the most consistently impressive stable in WWE that doesn’t have so much artificial momentum behind it. Unlike Roman Reigns and his Bloodline, who have achieved success partly due to management’s commitment to pushing them, Balor and his stablemates have largely gotten over through hard work and dedication, which in turn have led to enormous reactions from fans and consistent popularity. As such, it only makes sense for Balor to finally complete the suit and no longer be the only man in his faction without some kind of prize. While Rollins has been solid as inaugural WHC, there is simply much more money and intrigue in Balor’s storyline with his Judgment Day buddies, particularly Damian Priest. I think there’s a much more interesting story to be told with Balor beating Rollins and avenging the unfortunate set of circumstances that took place seven years ago. Longtime fans of Balor’s would get to see their boy finally get what he’s due, and from there a new set of possibilities comes about. With the WHC and Mr. MITB on the same side, there would be an endless amount of will-he-turn tension that will make almost if not every interaction involving Balor and Priest so much more exciting. So, we can expect a solid match here, but I think the result is inevitable.
Winner and NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Finn Balor (Damian Priest does NOT cash in MITB)
Kristian: I’m not sure why they’re doing this match again. The match at Money in the Bank wasn’t as great as I’d hoped. Perhaps it’s time for Balor to have a run with the title, which would be something I’m up for. I doubt it, though, because I think the WWE is super high on Rollins as the main man on the red brand and at this point, I don’t see any reason for a title reign unless they want to push the Balor/Priest tension.
Winner AND STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Seth Rollins
John: They should have a good match just like at Money in the Bank last month, but it wasn’t a great match. I feel like this should have been a stipulation match of some kind instead of just doing a regular match again. As for my pick, I’m leaning toward Seth Rollins winning. While I think Finn Balor winning is a possibility and maybe even Damian Priest could cash in to become World Champion, I think the guy to take the title off Rollins is going to be Drew McIntyre or perhaps GUNTHER either later this year or next year. I don’t think one of The Judgment Day guys is going to be the one to do it, but Balor is a credible heel for Rollins to face in a match like this. I think Seth finds a way to retain and escape from getting cashed in on too.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes
Matthew: Even after losing at WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes is still the best option to eventually beat Roman Reigns for the title. Before he can get there however, he has to win this feud with Lesnar. Rhodes losing here would be catastrophic to his push, and I can’t even fathom it happening. Therefore, I will go with Rhodes beating Lesnar clean in the ring.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Marc: The third and likely final match up happens between both men on Saturday. We have seen Cody slip by with one win, pass out in a loss the next time all leading to this one between them. Fans can anticipate a few scenarios playing themselves out. They’ll see a passionate Cody come on strong, a merciless Brock wanting to end Cody and the big comeback from Rhodes for the win. So when all is said and down what is best for all parties? A Cody win helps to continue his story.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Kelly: This is the rubber match between these two. The build has been pretty good. I’m surprised that there isn’t a stipulation for this one. I think the match is fine without a stipulation but it wouldn’t have hurt either. This match should end the feud and they’ll move on to other things. Could Rhodes’s next feud show up at SummerSlam? Possible. Lesnar is likely done until the next Saudi show.
Winner:Cody Rhodes
Alex: Given the Brock Lesnar rule, this match will either go on last or it will open the show. Regardless of placement, this won’t be a stipulation match as some of us might’ve thought, so it’s a bog standard rubber match. In terms of what to expect, well, it won’t be anything we haven’t seen before. The lack of a special stipulation hurts this match because it’ll be that much harder to top what they’ve already done and Cody simply has no equalizer against Lesnar’s power and fury. But since WWE’s going out of their way to build Cody up for a possible WrestleMania rematch against Roman Reigns next year, there’s a good chance that Cody will get the win and Lesnar will take his hefty payday back with him to Saskatchewan. I’m expecting 10-15 minutes of nothing but finishers and raw aggression from both guys, but by no means will this be a classic, especially since Cody has done more talking than anything else and has done little physical to prove he’s got a chance against Lesnar.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Kristian: We all know WWE loves a series feud. This one has been drawn out nicely and three matches over four months, with plenty of interaction between the two. I haven’t got tired of it yet. Lesnar beating Rhodes up in front of his Mom was pretty great too. I think this is the match that propels Rhodes back toward the title picture. I don’t know how they draw out that until April at WrestleMania, but they’ve shown through the Bloodline angle that long stories are a hit in WWE nowadays. I think this one will get bloody and Rhodes will finally conquer the Beast after 3 or 4 Cross Rhodes finishers. It might have shades of Lesnar’s first match back against John Cena about 10 years ago.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
John: It is Cody Rhodes winning for me too. I can see them doing a shorter match around ten minutes with Cody Rhodes attacking Brock Lesnar before the bell as payback for Lesnar getting the upper hand the last two times they interacted on Raw. Maybe Lesnar will be weakened by that attack, sell a body part for a while and then Cody can take advantage throughout the match to find a way to win. I don’t see any reason why the 46-year-old, already established 10-time WWE World Champion BRock Lesnar needs to win a match like this. It’s about trying to elevate Cody again by giving him a big win over a credible heel. After this, Lesnar will probably go away for a few months until the next Saudi Arabia show while Cody will be on TV every Monday to start a new rivalry with one of The Judgment Day guys or somebody else on Raw. I’ll predict this goes around ten minutes with Cody winning with multiple Cross Rhodes to put Brock away.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Tribal Combat Match For the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso
Note: Tribal Combat is another way of saying a No Holds Barred/Anything Goes Match. They can use weapons and it will end by pinfall or submission.
Matthew: Another chapter in the greatest wrestling story of the last 20 years comes to an end this Saturday. What can be said about this storyline that has not already been said, as it has almost single-handedly led to a boom period for the WWE. Jey Uso has done an incredible job, and would make a great champion. Unfortunately for Jey however, he is facing one of the greatest champions of all time. I can’t see Reigns losing the title to anyone not named Rhodes, and therefore see him retaining here. I will go with Jey’s brother Jimmy returning and accidentally costing Jey the match, leading to Reigns retaining.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Marc: When they originally agreed to Tribal Combat we thought that there could be no other parties get involved in this match. Then we see Solo attempt to strike Jey again and get taken down in the process. So can they or can’t they? What we anticipate with this match? It would be great to see family members involved. Who or whom is anyone’s guess. But with the ongoing reign of Roman not appearing to come to an end any time soon, to expect it ends here seems somewhat disappointing. With that said, I’d anticipate the tribal chief continue on his long-standing reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Winner: AND STILL, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns
Kelly: The Bloodline angle has been the greatest angle in WWE this century. It’s about to all come to a head with this match. There are so many variables here. Will the tribal elders make an appearance? Will Jimmy Uso return? Whose side will he be on? With the strike in Hollywood, does The Rock have time to swing by? Will Jey Uso pull off the upset of this decade? What does Solo do? All of this is making the match that much harder to predict. I would have to look long term here and there’s only one way this ends. I think this will end The Bloodline once and for all.
Winner:Roman Reigns
Alex: I have no idea how these two will be able to top Reigns’ match with Lesnar from last year’s SummerSlam. You know, the one with the big ass tractor and the ring literally being lifted off its foundation? That match was absurd in an almost hilarious way, so I can’t help but wonder if this match will be like that one or more of a serious one. And if it’s a Tribal Combat match, does that mean both men will come out in special Maori attire and use replicas of Samoan weapons on each other? If WWE tries to give this a sense of uniqueness with things that haven’t been seen before, then this could be interesting. But if that stipulation just ends up as a bait-and-switch and we get the same weapons we’ve all seen before (chairs, tables, kendo sticks, etc.) then this will fall flat.
I don’t doubt that Reigns and Jey will deliver on the excitement, but when a company advertises a stipulation as over-the-top as “Tribal Combat”, then one hopes that they deliver on what’s promised. If this ends up as the same thing as many recent HIAC matches (which end up as hardcore weapons fights inside a cage that ends up having little significance beyond aesthetic), then it risks disappointing a committed and passionate audience. As for a winner…I mean, come on. Jey Uso would literally have to commit attempted murder to even stand a chance of winning. Reigns, like GUNTHER, is on track to shatter decades-old records, and there’s no way that trend is ending now.
Winner and STILL Undisputed WWE Universal Champion (and Tribal Chief): Roman Reigns
Kristian: This match has a great story behind it, even if Reigns only shows up every 3rd week or so. However, for me the match outcome still seems too obvious. I don’t see Jey as the main man or beating Roman again. He has proven that he is a main event level player though and has been getting great crowd reactions. Will Jimmy return here in some capacity? I think that’s what is most intriguing here for me. Jimmy might come back to even the odds and take out Solo, allowing Roman to capitalise on the distraction and get the win. I think that’s the most logical outcome. Do I see a heel Jimmy costing Jey the title? Not really, but it’s not out of the realms of possibility. They have said that they would like to face each other at a WrestleMania. Is August too far to start that build? There are lots of questions to answer here but I think the answer to the winner of the match is pretty straight forward.
Winner AND STILL Undisputed WWE Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
John: This should be a wild match like the Reigns-Lesnar match last year at SummerSlam, which was also a lot of fun to watch. I don’t expect a tractor this time around, but I think they can certainly come up with some unique spots to make it interesting. This is the best story of the last 20+ years in WWE and it’s certainly up there all time considering it has been going on for three years. I’m on board with anybody that christens this an all time great feud.
As for the finish of the match, I think Jimmy Uso is going to come back during this match. That’s going to play into how this match ends. I believe Jimmy is either going to turn on his brother Jey to help Roman win and that leads us to a long feud between The Usos or Jimmy accidentally costs Jey the match. Remember there was a promo in the build to this match with Roman Reigns saying that Jimmy getting beat up was Jey’s fault. If you want to turn Jimmy against Jey, you can have Jimmy reiterate that point and maybe say Jey was selfish for trying to beat Roman on his own because The Usos are a tag team. Anyway, I’m leaning towards Jimmy not turning on Jey, but I think Jimmy will show and maybe an accidental superkick will hit Jey in the head leading to Reigns hitting a Spear for the win. If there is no Jimmy Uso at all then I’ll be surprised a bit. I’ll still go with Reigns winning in some kind of cheap way rather than a clean victory.
Winner: Roman Reigns
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BONUS TOPICS!
The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most
Matthew: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre.
Marc: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso.
Kelly: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor.
Alex: GUNTHER vs. Drew McIntyre.
Kristian: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre. It should be close to 5-stars.
John: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre.
The Match I Care About The Least
Matthew: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Marc: Logan Paul vs. Ricochet.
Kelly: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Alex: Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal.
Kristian: The Battle Royal but as long as Knight wins, I’m happy.
John: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Longest Match
Matthew: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre.
Marc: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor.
Kelly: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso.
Alex: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso TRIBAL COMBAT (30 minutes).
Kristian: Jey vs Roman. That should go almost 30-minutes.
John: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso around 25-30 minutes.
Shortest Match
Matthew: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Marc: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Kelly: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
Alex: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (~8 minutes).
Kristian: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler.
John: Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler. Maybe five minutes. Under ten minutes most likely.
Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)
Matthew: 8. This card is full of good to great matches, that actually have stories behind them. Add that to what should be a match of the year candidate with Gunther and McIntyre, and you have the makings of a great show.
Marc: 7. With eight matches on the card there is a lot to look forward too. I’d have liked to have those that should have been involved be involved but that wasn’t the case.
Kelly: 9. I will be there live and the card is quite solid. It should make for a great night of action. I don’t think the show is lacking without Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch and/or Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez. I think their additions would be a bit of overkill and drag the show beyond four hours long.
Alex: 8.5 – I’m genuinely intrigued with half the matches on this card, which is a lot more than what I say about WWE’s usual cards. Normally there’s one or two, maybe three matches that pique my interest, but WWE have done such a good job of building up most of the card here that I can definitely say that most of the show will be worth watching attentively, to the point that this might end up being one of the best SummerSlams in recent memory.
Kristian: 7/10. I think this will be a great show in terms of wrestling quality. That doesn’t mean I’m captivated by every match. Some of the match outcomes seem pretty predictable and some of them are rematches. There aren’t too many matches on the card, which means the match length should be decent. I am surprised that we aren’t getting some more women’s matches on the show, because Trish vs. Becky and Rhea Ripley could’ve done with a showcase. Ripley has been doing a lot on TV with her stable, so it’s not like she’s being left off altogether. I am happy that some of the talent who don’t often get a PPV spot, such as Shayna Baszler and Ricochet, are being featured. I am also looking forward to how the main event is booked.
John: 8. I like the card a lot although I would say that most of it is predictable in terms of winners and losers. I’d be absolutely shocked if Reigns, GUNTHER, Baszler and Cody lost. There are some others that feel predictable too, but perhaps less so. Predictable certainly doesn’t mean bad. I’m just saying that a bit more unpredictability would make the lineup even better. I hope there are at least some surprises on the show like we have seen at SummerSlam events in the past couple of years. With all that said, the match quality should be very strong throughout the card with multiple matches potentially reaching that four star level or higher, so I’m looking forward to see most of the matches. Having a show in front of 40,000 fans is always pretty cool visually too. I’m excited to watch it and write about it.
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In Closing
John: I’ll be back with a review of WWE SummerSlam on TJRWrestling.net on Saturday night, so check that out live or any time after it’s over. You can also tweet me @johnreport as well.
If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.