Summerslam 2018 Preview & Prediction

IMAGE VIA WWE

Summerslam is returning to Brooklyn’s Barclays Centre for the fourth year in a row with the five-hour event having 11 matches including two matches taking place in the kick-off show, however it could run longer as I believe there could be one more match announced for the pre-show (more on that in a second).

Both Raw and Smackdown Live have six matches on the card with 205 Live with their championship match actually on the main card to once as it deserves to be. With Smackdown having the better and most exciting half of the card.

I look at Summerslam as the start for a slow build going into Wrestlemania and the perfect opportunity to change things and start new storylines.

Here are my preview and predictions to the show:

Kick-Off Show

IMAGE VIA WWE

Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega vs Rusev & Lana

I’m not a fan of mix tag matches especially when the women can’t fight the men like what happens with the UK indie scene unless your name is Ronda Rousey.

The positive is Almas is on a major PPV and get to make a progression on the main roster and as a duo, he and Vega are currently the ones with the most potential.

I love Rusev and if he’s staying face then he should be going after the US title after this feud. As SD has a heel problem at the moment as they’re too many of them Almas being one of them.

So depending if Daniel Bryan stays with the company post-Summerslam then he’d the be a perfect person “Cien” and Vega move onto next. Unless they finally do something with Tye Dillinger or call up a Johnny Gargano.

Winner – Almas & Vega

IMAGE VIA WWE

Raw Tag Team Championship – The B Team (c) vs The Revival

If it wasn’t for a Dash Wilder injury early in their move up to the main roster, The Revival could’ve been at least two-time tag champs, but finally, they have to chance to wear the belts.

As someone who saw The Revival during their NXT run this is the most talented tag team on the main roster and should be running the division on Raw once they get the belts.

They missed out on Raw this past Monday with The B Team retaining, but Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel’s short run needs to be over now.

Winner – The Revival Becomes The New Raw Tag Team Champions

It hasn’t been slated as of yet but I won’t be surprised if there’s a tag match between Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection and the Riott Squad as Ruby Riott just returned and continue to develop the women’s tag division.

Main Show

IMAGE VIA WWE

Intercontinental Championship – Dolph Ziggler (c) vs Seth Rollins

You need to start the show with a bang and the best of them is normally the IC title and with Ziggler and Rollins going at it once again especially with Dean Ambrose in his Shield brother’s corner.

This match as the perfect opportunity to branch off into new exciting stories, which is why I’m going with Rollins regaining the title.

As the Raw after Summerslam could be must-watch TV for wrestling fans as we could see Ambrose turn heel on Seth as more focus man looking out for himself. Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre can turn on Ziggler saying he was NXT Champion before being stuck in the Show Off’s shadow and he’s sick of it.

Winner – Seth Rollins Becomes The New Intercontinental Champion

IMAGE VIA WWE

Smackdown Tag Team Championship – Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs The New Day

I feel The Bar should be in this match instead of New Day. While it was fun at the beginning seeing the Bludgeon Brothers batter everyone, it’s time for a change and with The New Day, they could make the SD tag division feel competitive once again.

I think New Day are going to use their extra man to their advantage to pick up the win or Harper and Rowan win by DQ.

Winners – The New Day Becomes The New Smackdown Tag Team Champions

IMAGE VIA WWE

Finn Balor vs Baron Corbin

For reasons unknown, a feud between these two wrestlers is still a thing.

Hopefully, this match will be the end of it and Balor can focus on something new and better like a possible heel Bobby Lashley or maybe turn Finn heel, but that’ll be harder with his everyone gimmick.

Winner – Finn Balor

IMAGE VIA WWE

Cruiserweight Championship – Cedric Alexander (c) vs Drew Gulak

The talk has been 205 Live has been much better since Triple H took over with Alexander an unbeatable champion.

However, with Gulak you probably got the show’s biggest heel and no doubt seeing a high-flyer like Alexander against the submission specialist in Gulak could be interesting to watch.

If anything this match should go out to impress and get fans interested to watch 205 Live.

Winner – Alexander Retains The Cruiserweight Championship

IMAGE VIA WWE

United States Championship – Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Jeff Hardy

This will be the first PPV where Nakamura is champion and could be the perfect place to shine and with Hardy beginning to show his age it’s time for him to slow down and rest plus Randy Orton will likely come out and beat the living shit out of him.

Nakamura as US champion is perfect for him right now.

Winner – Nakamura Retains The United States Championship

IMAGE VIA WWE

Intermission – Elias Sings of Brooklyn

With much bigger matches on the way, this is the perfect chance for fans to re-energise and have some fun singing along with Elias as they film is documentary.

This is until Bobby Lashley comes out and puts an end to it.

IMAGE VIA WWE

Money In The Bank Contract - Braun Strowman v Kevin Owens

This match is being used to highlight the MITB as one of these wrestlers will be cashing in at the end of the night.

Both Strowman and Owens are Raw’s biggest and entertaining superstars and with the curveball of KO will win the contract if the Monster loses by DQ or count out it makes it sound Owens will win somehow.

However, Strowman is the brands biggest babyface and him winning will mean a potential massive pop at the end of the night.

Winner – Braun Strowman

IMAGE VIA WWE

Smackdown Women’s Championship – Carmella (c) vs Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch

Carmella has been a great heel champion, but I can’t see her leaving win the title when you can a better feud on the horizon with Charlotte and Lynch as I could see Becky locking the disarmer on Carmella before Flair brakes it off and locks in the figure eight for the win.

During her celebrations, a furious Lass Kicker loses it and attacks Charlotte at first to cheers from the Brooklyn crowd to then getting booed starting a new era in WWE for Becky as a heel.

Winner – Charlotte Flair Becomes The New Smackdown Women’s Champion

IMAGE VIA WWE

Daniel Bryan vs The Miz

This is the biggest match on the Summerslam card and the one fans are looking forward to the most to the point I could see this closing the PPV, it won’t, but I can dream.

Their history to Miz’s Taking Smack promo and Bryan’s return has been leading to this match.

This rivalry can’t end here and hopefully, Bryan does sign a new contract with WWE as a potential final match at Wrestlemania could be even bigger (match two happening at Survivor Series).

With that, it’d be better for The Miz to get one over Daniel by despicable means this time around and Bryan demanding a rematch.

Winner – The Miz

IMAGE VIA WWE

WWE Championship – AJ Styles (c) vs Samoa Joe

AJ has been a fantastic champion for WWE and was rewarded being the cover star for the new WWE 2K19 game.

Which in some people’s minds this will mean Styles will beat Joe. However, the game doesn’t come out until October so the Samoan has enough time to be champion.

Both these wrestlers have a chance to give this dream match the right performance and platform and I want them to steal the show away from Miz/Bryan and have more matches.

Which is why I’m going for another title change because AJ has Hell In A Cell to regain the title and promote the game as the champion.

Winner – Samoa Joe Becomes The New WWE Champion

IMAGE VIA WWE

Raw Women’s Championship – Alexa Bliss (c) vs Ronda Rousey

It’s less of a question of if Ronda becomes champion, but when and it’ll either be this weekend or until the Evolution PPV.

However, Bliss is such a great champion and Rousey still needs to have more TV matches to the point fans are truly wanting her to have the belt and I don’t think Summerslam is the place, when you can have everyone watching Evolution on October 28.

It’ll give Rousey more ring time, the fans will be supporting her and the pop down be massive and she could carry the title going into Wrestlemania.

Winner – Alexa Bliss Retains The Raw Women’s Title

IMAGE VIA WWE

Universal Championship – Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns

It seems every time these two face off and it happens more often than not its repeated everywhere because we know Lesnar want’s and got a big money UFC title fight against Daniel Cormier coming up that he’ll drop the title to Reigns.

Fans are sick of Lesnar doing next to jack shit and want a new champion but it isn’t Roman.

Meanwhile, from a business outlook imagine Vince McMahan’s prized champion going into the UFC octagon with the Universal title, wins the fight and having the WWE belt and UFC belt on both of The Beasts massive shoulders would be his gold mine.

However, it’s a massive risk if it all falls to shit and Brock loses as it’ll weaken the brand to casual audiences.

Which is why I feel like Brock’s going to beat Reigns (again) but this time Strowman (or Owens if my prediction is wrong) runs down with the MITB, cashes in, beats Lesnar to biggest pop and fans can leave the Barclays Centre happy.

Winner – Lesnar Retains Until Strowman Cashes In & Becomes The New Universal Champion