Tonight is the third biggest WWE show of the year, Summerslam. It's the 25th anniversary which WWE surprising hasn't pushed at all. I don't think WWE has done the best job promoting the show to make it feel like one of the biggest shows of the year, but on paper, it's a very good card. No time to waste. Here's a quick preview.
Santino Marella (c) vs Antonio Cesaro - United States Championship Match (Youtube Pre-Show)
Hopefully Cesaro wins the title because it means absolutely nothing on Santino. They've never done a title change on a Youtube pre-show match, though.
Prediction: Antonio Cesaro - New United States Champion
Kofi Kingston and R-Truth (c) vs The Primetime Players - Tag Team Championship Match
The plan was for the PTP's to win the titles, but with the whole AW situation, plans could change. For some reason, I just see Kofi and Truth retaining.
Prediction: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth - Retain Tag Team Titles
The Miz (c) vs Rey Mysterio - Intercontinental Championship Match
There was NO build for this match. It was just announced on Raw and that was it. Since winning the title, The Miz has jobbed every week on Raw. I don't understand why WWE won't get behind Miz. Ever since that Survivor Series buyrate came in, WWE has completely given up on Miz. With the large Hispanic audience in LA, I'll go with Mysterio winning the title.
Prediction: Rey Mysterio - New Intercontinental Champion
Kane vs Daniel Bryan
The Charlie Sheen deal has apparently fell through, so all the plugs for Anger Management have been for nothing. The report is this feud will continue past Summerslam (lucky Daniel Bryan), so I'm going with Bryan stealing a win with a rollup tonight.
Prediction: Daniel Bryan
Chris Jericho vs Dolph Ziggler
Either tonight or tomorrow will be Jericho's last night in WWE for the foreseeable future. This match has the possibility of stealing the show. The storyline has been that Jericho "can't win the big one." It would seem like a strange way for Jericho to leave with the story telling people he's a loser and then losing his final match. I'm going with Jericho getting the win tonight. Chris Jericho will then be back on Raw tomorrow for his final match.
Prediction: Chris Jericho
Sheamus (c) vs Alberto Del Rio - World Heavyweight Championship Match
For as much as I hate Sheamus, I really liked the storyline building this match over the past week. Booker T called off the match after ADR had the fake police attack Sheamus and injure his arm. Smackdown closed with Sheamus begging Booker for the match to be put back on. Booker refused saying Sheamus was hurt. Sheamus said he didn't care if his arm was ripped off, he needed to get his revenge on Del Rio at Summerslam. When I read the spoilers, I thought it sounded stupid, but I thought the angle came across very well making Sheamus look like a fighting champion. With the way they built this storyline, I see no way Sheamus is losing to Del Rio.
Prediction: Sheamus - Retains the World Heavyweight Title
BUT
After the match, I'm predicting that Dolph Ziggler cashes in Money in the Bank and wins the World Heavyweight Title from Sheamus. Then, tomorrow night on Raw, Jericho can say he beat Ziggler tonight and wants a match for the title. Ziggler then beats Jericho tomorrow night to send him off of TV.
Prediction: Dolph Ziggler - New World Heavyweight Champion
The Big Show vs CM Punk (c) vs John Cena - WWE Championship Match
The build of this match is not around Show and Cena being the main threat to CM Punk but rather the triple threat stipulation being the bigger obstacle as they've pushed many times the champion doesn't have a good record in this match (I'm not so sure about that but I'm not taking the time to look it up). This match was came together on Raw 1000 when Cena lost to Punk via DQ when Big Show interfered (and led to Punk's heel turn after attacking The Rock). It's kind of funny that Punk said that the WWE Champion should be the focus of Raw and in the main event, but it's likely this match won't be the main event tonight. I feel like we've seen this match many times. It will be good but nothing special. Punk really has been playing a tweener role, but I think he goes full heel tonight by cheating to win.
Prediction: CM Punk - Retains WWE Title
HHH vs Brock Lesnar
I've hated the build for this match, just as I've hate the entire way WWE has managed Lesnar. A few months back, Lesnar broke HHH's arm with a kimura. HHH proceeded to no sell the broken arm. HHH then challenged Lesnar to a fight. Paul Heyman came out and said no. He then threatened more lawsuits against HHH and WWE (what ever came of these?). On Raw 1000, Heyman insulted HHH's family which lead to Stephanie coming out and beating up Paul Heyman (as well as stroking Vince's ego). Lesnar and Heyman finally accepted the fight. Two weeks ago, Shawn Michaels returned on Raw with HHH. Lesnar confronted them and said he would see HHH at Summerslam but he would see HBK before that. Last week on Raw, Lesnar stalked HBK in the back but did nothing. Lesnar and HHH had an uneventful contract signing. After it was over, Michaels was trying to leave the building in his rental car but Heyman cut him off. Lesnar ran in and yanked HBK out of the car and the camera went to black. Lesnar "brutally attacked" HBK, and then brought him out to the ring and hit him with an F5. He put Michaels in the kimura. HHH ran out but Heyman said if HHH took one more step, Lesnar would break HBK's arm. Eventually, Lesnar broke his arm anyway. Lesnar and Heyman ran off playing the cowardly heels.
It would have been so much more effective if they did the arm break angle a week earlier. Then we could hear from HHH and Brock about the aftermath to really build the match tonight.
Shawn Michaels is being advertised that he WON'T be at tonight's show which almost certainly means he'll play a role in the finish. I expect a very physical match between these two. Not as physical and Lesnar and Cena, but still much more physical than a typical WWE match. The way this angle has been booked, I just can't see HHH losing tonight (unless HBK turns on him which I don't see happening). I think it may be similar to the Lesnar/Cena match where Lesnar is in control, but then HBK comes out and distracts Lesnar leading to a Pedigree and clean 1-2-3 win for HHH in the middle of the ring. Completely wrong booking of Lesnar and I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it. This is HHH and HHH's ego we're dealing with. I'm already getting my rant prepared for after the show.
Prediction: HHH
Less than an hour till the show starts. Actually less than 30 minutes till the pre-show. Get your PPV Prediction Contest in asap if you haven't done so already!
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