WWE’s Original SummerSlam Card + Potential Scrapped Matches

There have already been changes made to the WWE SummerSlam card, which will feature Roman Reigns facing Seth Rollins. 

In the main event of WWE Monday Night Raw on June 29th, Seth “Freakin” Rollins went into the ring to challenge the World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns to a match at SummerSlam.

Rollins made the point that he never lost the World Heavyweight Title last year (he forfeited it due to injury), while also pointing out that Reigns hasn’t beaten Rollins in a PLE singles match. After Rollins made his case, Reigns accepted the challenge.

It’s now official for SummerSlam: Roman Reigns will defend the World Heavyweight Title against Seth Rollins on either August 1st or August 2nd in Minneapolis. Considering the title on the line and the names involved, it’s a match that will likely main event one of the two SummerSlam nights.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed some of the big matches that were originally planned for SummerSlam over the two nights in Minneapolis.

“What we do know is that the planned SummerSlam card, and this was before the injury to Rhea Ripley, was Cody Rhodes vs CM Punk for the WWE title, Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the World title, Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky for the world women’s title (so Ripley’s injury did not change this scenario and beating Morgan for Queen to set up the title shot was always planned), Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar Hell in a Cell, Charlotte Flair vs. Jade Cargill, Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes for the US Title, Gunther vs Royce Keys and Paige & Brie Bella vs. Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid for the women’s tag team titles. The plan for Ripley’s match before the injury was to be either Alexa Bliss or Jacy Jayne.”

The Gunther/Royce Keys match likely changed due to WWE deciding to go with Gunther against SmackDown GM Nick Aldis, which was set up on the Night of Champions post-show, but it’s not official yet.

Paige & Brie Bella will defend the Women’s Tag Team Titles against Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid at Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 18, but they could still do the match at SummerSlam as well.

Rhea Ripley is the WWE Women’s Champion and is dealing with a legit right knee injury. There’s no timeline for when she will return, or if she’ll be able to compete at SummerSlam.

Sami Zayn Will Defend WWE Championship Against Cody Rhodes On Raw

On the July 3rd edition of SmackDown, which was taped after Raw this week, Cody Rhodes beat Jey Uso to win a number one contender’s match for a shot at the WWE Title held by Sami Zayn. That Zayn/Rhodes match is scheduled for this Monday, July 6th, on Raw in Chicago.

In the Wrestling Observer, Dave Meltzer noted that Sami Zayn wasn’t originally part of the major SummerSlam plans.

“If Rhodes wins it back Monday, it is possible the Zayn thing was just planned to give people a feel good moment, but to those fans who invested in it and liked it, they will hate Rhodes making him a nine-day champion.”

CM Punk is also expected to return to WWE TV on the July 6th edition of Raw in Chicago, so if Cody wins back the WWE Title, then WWE could set up the Rhodes-Punk SummerSlam match as soon as Monday’s Raw.

As of this writing, the only confirmed matches for SummerSlam are:

• World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
• Hell in a Cell Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
• Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY

WWE SummerSlam is a special two-night event STREAMING LIVE, Saturday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan in the United States and on Netflix internationally.