WWE has a good thing going here with the Takeover Brooklyn/SummerSlam weekends and for the third year in a row, the Barclays Center will host the two major events along with the following Raw and Smackdown. They will go back to Brooklyn again next year, making it four in a row for the great town. This is going to be a jam packed weekend of great wrestling on move sides. NXT has their usual 5 match set up, 3 title matches and two what could be show stealer undercard matches. SummerSlam, as with the past two years, has a double digit match number for the four hour event, featuring 8 of the 9 titles being defended. Currently, as of 8/15/17, Intercontinental Champion The Miz has no match scheduled, which is a crime. SummerSlam promises to be huge but let's start with Saturday's event first, Takeover Brooklyn III.
Takeover Brooklyn will always hold a special place in my heart. The final NXT matches of Kevin Owens and Bayley took place in the last two years, Shinsuke Nakamura won his first NXT Title last year and of course, the greatest women's match in WWE history between Sasha Banks and Bayley took place in 2015. No pressure! 5 matches on the card and anyone of them could be a show stealer. Let's talk!
Notably missing is United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne, who's match with Tyler Bate from Takeover Chicago stands as the best match of the year in WWE so far. There's always a chance that we'll randomly get a rematch between the two for the show but there's been no real mention of the UK scene since this match. Should we be worried?
The Authors of Pain will defend their NXT Tag Team Championships against SAnitY's Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain in an all heels match. Eric Young and Nikki Cross will be at ringside for SAnity while Paul Ellering will be with his monsters. AOP have reigned supreme over the division for the entire 2017, winning the titles from DIY back at Takeover San Antonio. The tag division has always been NXT's weakest and now more than ever. AOP has stopped all competition, even the meaty team of Heavy Machinery. If AOP is to go over here, the only other team around is Street Profits. We know Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish have signed with NXT, probably meaning they will eventually team with one another. I think it would be more believable for reDragon to go over SAnitY than AOP. Anyway, this should be a hard hitting affair. It could go either way but I think AOP will retain their titles.
Johnny Gargano is continuing his career alone and will be taking on Andrade Almas in Brooklyn. This is going to be amazing. Gargano is probably the most loved guy in NXT. His in ring style, his never say die attitude and the fact he was betrayed by his best friend. With Ciampa out, they need to build up Gargano and make him the top guy in NXT. Have him win the title so when Ciampa comes back around Mania season, Gargano/Ciampa will be the biggest NXT Championship match in history. Johnny's singles run begins here and this will be a true test. Almas just got the lovely Zelina Vega as his valet and a loss will really hurt him. Gargano could lose but will definitely bounce back. From that standpoint, I'm pulling for Almas, a guy who hasn't gotten his due in NXT but I'm going with Gargano to win his submission, the Gargano Escape.
Aleister Black will battle Hideo Itami. This might be the most competitive match from the entire weekend. Both vicious strikers, both well versed in martial arts, this is going to be a barn burner of a match. Itami's failed time in WWE is well known. Injuries have plagued him and he hasn't captured the same success he had in Japan and now, he's going against one of the only undefeated stars in NXT. Black is a freaking star. Not only is he able to handle his own in the ring, he has such an amazing presence, such a fitting gimmick that it's hard not to get behind him. Be prepared for a lot of kicks. Black is going to be moving closer to that NXT Championship as he's one of the top guys in NXT so a win here is needed and predicted by yours truly.
Bobby Roode will defend his NXT Championship against Drew McIntyre, only four months since McIntyre made his return to WWE. We all knew it was going to come to this right? Once McIntyre came back to NXT of all places, his ascension to the top was expected to be quick. On Saturday, he can make become the top guy of the company. Roode has been a dominant champion, defeating stars like Nakamura, Itami, Kassius Ohno and Roderick Strong in his 7 months as NXT Champion. McIntyre would continue that dominance but that begs the question; how much longer do we wait for Roode to come to the main roster? The guy screams star and he's already 40. He doesn't have many years left in him. I think a heel champion for the show is best, especially with guys like Black, Strong and Gargano on the rise. McIntyre could play that heel role as well if needed. Hmmm. This should be a great match but in the end, I think Roode will retain. He'll lose the title at the next Takeover, lose his rematch at Takeover Philadelphia, and then debut in the Royal Rumble. Bold prediction yes, but that's just me.
Asuka will put her 500 DAY reign on the line when she defended the NXT Women's Championship against Ember Moon, a rematch from Takeover Orlando. If any match is to main event this year, it should be this one. The most on the line is this match. Asuka barely escaped Orlando with her title during Wrestlemania weekend. After that, Asuka was just bidding her time. Ember Moon has always been the chosen one to end this streak, at least in my eyes. That was, until WWE signed another great female star from Japan, Kairi Hojo, now known as Kairi Sane. Will WWE wait even longer before Asuka drops the title? Maybe. This should be a better match than their Orlando match. There's now a lot of animosity between the two after the events of Orlando and the injury Asuka gave to Moon. This is my most anticipated NXT Women's match since Banks/Bayley. I've been behind Moon as champion since she got there. Saturday, August 19th will be the day she finally does it. Ember Moon will dethrone The Empress of Tomorrow and become NXT Women's Champion.
Takeover Brooklyn III will be another amazing Takeover. Next up, SummerSlam!
SummerSlam currently has 12 matches on the show, 2 or 3 will be included on the 2 hour pre show because, well, they have to give time to some of these matches. If I'm picking matches to put on the pre show, it's the Cruiserweight Title match, the Smackdown Tag Title match and Big Show VS Big Cass. Let's talk SummerSlam!
EDIT. The Miz, Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel will face Jason Jordan and The Hardys on the pre show. Yeah. The faces win.
Akira Tozawa shocked the world, or at least me, when he defeated Neville on the Raw before SummerSlam for the championship. Now, the rematch, the rubber match in their series, will take place at SummerSlam. Neville losing was a total shock to me. He was the hottest thing going in the division and without the title, I don't know how much further he can go. Neville belongs in the other divisions on Raw but time will tell. I don't think Tozawa got the big win on Raw for nothing so he'll retain in a great opener.
New Day will defend their Smackdown Tag Team Titles against The Usos, another feud that has stretched 3 matches this summer. New Day and The Usos are the two top tag teams in WWE and both of their PPV matches were fast paced and competitive. This should be more of the same that we're used to. Smackdown is lacking in heel teams. Actually, they're lacking in teams in general. New Day only came to Smackdown to win the titles so they aren't losing them any time soon. New Day retains.
Big Cass VS Big Show. The point is to get Cass over more as a heel. To do that, he must defeat Big Show. Big Cass wins.
BURN IT DOWWWWWNNNNNN! Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, with nothing better to do, team up to face Sheamus and Cesaro for the Raw Tag Team Titles. Ambrose and Rollins are chasing history here. If they win, Rollins will have won tag team gold with both of his Shield brethren while Ambrose will become a Triple Crown AND Grand Slam Champion. Mighty accomplishments in this day and age. This will be one of the best matches at SummerSlam as all four guys are great workers. Expect a lot of punches and uppercuts in this one and of course, a Falcon Arrow. Sheamus is currently filming a movie which releases next year. It hasn't made him miss any time in WWE yet but if it's a staring role, it will take him away soon. Ambrose and Rollins as tag champs could lead to a much needed heel turn for either guy so I think it's the best move. After a fun tag match, Ambrose and Rollins will defeat Sheamus and Cesaro to capture the Raw Tag Team Titles.
Naomi will defend her Smackdown Women's Championship against Natalya. This is a strange one. With Charlotte on the show, you would think they would have her in the title scene but it just wasn't meant to be and with everything going on with Flair, it looks like this was a blessing in disguise. Nattie is one of the lone veterans of the women's division on Smackdown, having been in the company for 10 years, wrestling some of the best stars from the past generation. If anyone can put on a good match with Naomi, it's Natalya. Although she'll put up a good fight, she won't leave Brooklyn with the title. Naomi will successfully defend the Smackdown Women's Championship. Carmella will not cash in here. You heard it here first.
The United States Championship will be defended when champion AJ Styles faces Kevin Owens with Shane McMahon as the special referee. We know these two will have a great match but it's time to move on from this feud. Styles wins, Owens gets mad at Shane and we'll be closer to some type of Shane/Owens match.
Randy Orton will battle Rusev in a random match. I'm not mad at the pairing because these two could put on a great match but booking wise, man, someone is going to look weak with a loss. Randy Orton hasn't won on PPV since Wrestlemania. Rusev came back to a loss to John Cena. They both need big wins on the major stage. Orton is the one who would be hurt more by the loss so I'm going with Randy Orton for the win.
Demon Balor is back! After losing to Bray Wyatt on Raw and having some type of red liquid poured over him, Balor will don the Demon persona for the first time since he won the Universal Title last year at SummerSlam to battle Wyatt again. They gave their first ever one on one match ever just so Balor could put the body paint on. I can't lie, I can't wait to see Balor come out like that again. It was one of my favorite things about SummerSlam last year. Balor has lost as Demon Balor but in NXT. He won't lose with it on just yet. Balor wins.
Well, this match took a nasty turn. Baron Corbin lost his briefcase this past week on Smackdown with a failed cash in, thanks to his SummerSlam opponent John Cena. Now, Corbin is in a do or die match. John Cena has lost at the last 6 SummerSlams. 6. The face of the company has a losing streak on arguably their 2nd biggest PPV of the year and against some of the best talent WWE had in the past decade. Guys like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins and AJ Styles have beaten Cena at the event and all went on to do big things after their victories. Punk had the longest WWE Title reign in decades, Daniel Bryan had the greatest payoff in WWE history with his historic Wrestlemania 30 win, Seth Rollins became the first man to hold both the WWE and United States Titles and AJ Styles won his first ever WWE World Title a month afterwards. This year, Corbin needs a win to stay relevant. If he loses, he will do nothing on Smackdown and he will soon be losing to Mojo Rawley on a consistent basis. Baron Corbin MUST defeat John Cena at SummerSlam in convincing fashion and send Cena packing to Raw. Either Corbin will flourish or he will be in the lower mid card for the rest of his career.
Alexa Bliss was expecting to defend her Raw Women's Title against Bayley but she suffered an 'injury' and was replaced by Sasha Banks, so we get a much more vicious Women's Title match at SummerSlam. Bayley's injury is a work and I only say that because no one has reported on the severity of it. Dawson had a bicep injury and we know he had surgery and is out until December. Bayley has herself said she's rehabbing it and she'll be back soon. FAKE. This is all being done to set up the inevitable Sasha/Bayley feud. It has to be. It's a great story too. Sasha wins in what was Bayley's match, Bayley comes back for what is rightfully hers, Sasha gets cocky and returns to her heel boss persona. Everyone wins. Sasha Banks will dethrone Alexa Bliss and win her 4th Raw Women's Title. She will turn on Bayley when Bayley comes back from injury.
In one of the most unexpected WWE Title matches in SummerSlam, Jinder Mahal will defend the title against Shinsuke Nakamura. Not actually the WWE Title match I had in my mind when the year started but this could be an amazing moment. Mahal has defeated Orton three times in a row on PPV. He's done his job as a heel champion but I still don't believe him to be a top guy in WWE. The transition from jobber to champion is still bothering me a lot and while I like Mahal and it's been a fun experiment, it's time to move the title. Nakamura isn't my first choice to be champion on Smackdown (Styles would be it) and it may be too fast to put the title on him but Smackdown is the land of opportunity. There is now no Baron Corbin here to ruin Nakamura's moment either. I don't think they'll do a DQ finish, simply because they just did one at Great Balls of Fire and that wouldn't be the best thing to do at a SummerSlam, though they've done it before. Nakamura has had similar success on in Brooklyn, capturing the NXT Title last year. I think lightening will strike twice for Nakamura. I mean, the guy beat Cena to get this opportunity. They could have just as easily did Corbin/Nakamura then Mahal/Cena but Nakamura got the CLEAN win over Cena to get here. That alone speaks the confidence WWE has in him. Shinsuke Nakamura will defeat Jinder Mahal and his cronies the Singh Brothers to win his first WWE Championship, becoming the first NJPW homegrown star to win the title.
In this mega main event, Brock Lesnar will defend his Universal Championship for only the 2nd time since winning it at Wrestlemania. Lesnar faces Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns in the biggest PPV main event of the year. I am excited. Seriously. Four of the biggest baddest guys in WWE in one mega match. This is what SummerSlam is all about. Lesnar's reign of terror must end here. Now more than ever, Raw needs to have their World Champion there on a weekly basis, defending the title at every Raw PPV, not when he wants. Lesnar is a cancer for Raw on that front. He's a great draw but come on, one of these other guys need the title. Strowman is the dark horse here. Based on his tremendous work in 2017, Strowman should get a run with the title. He went from people hating that he might be getting a match with The Undertaker, to people cheering that he has a winning feud over Roman Reigns. Strowman is one of the biggest success stories of the draft and a Universal Title reign would compliment that. Samoa Joe gave Lesnar a tough match at GBOF and made Lesnar look very human. Paul Heyman has apparently been a backstage supporter to make Joe the champion at SummerSlam. Maybe Heyman got through to someone? Joe would continue the trend of former NXT Champions winning the Universal Championship. The two NXT Champions before Joe both won their first and currently only World Title in the Universal Title last August, making half the people who've won the title former NXT Champs. Not much to work off of I know, but maybe Joe gets the nod. If you're a betting man, Roman Reigns is most likely. Reigns has been without a World Title for 14 months and has always been in the main event scene on Raw, battling for the title since its inception last year. Maybe Sunday is finally the time The Big Dog wins the title. It's funny. His Shield brethren are fighting for titles as well. Will we have a repeat of Extreme Rules 2013 all over again? Will Ambrose and Rollins help Reigns win? Am I thinking too much into it?
Just...God, please don't let Lesnar win. Seriously. Any of the challengers can win the title, just not Lesnar. A rumor going around is that Cena is coming to Raw right after SummerSlam and will be thrust right into a feud with the winner of the Fatal Four Way, which looks to be Samoa Joe, leading to a first time ever feud between the two. That's a dream feud right there. That sounds like a pipedream right now though. UGHHHH....
I'm going with The Destroyer Samoa Joe to win the Universal Championship at SummerSlam by choking out Brock Lesnar. BOLD, but that's what I'm going with.
It should be a fun weekend! Are you ready!?!?
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Thursday, August 3, 2017
The Draft; One Year Later
It's been about a year since WWE decided to split the brands again, having separate stars for Raw and separate stars for Smackdown. Like with anything WWE has done, there were some winners and there were some losers. Some stars flourished with the opportunities they were given while others...well....didn't capitalize. Let's talk winners and losers.
Winner
AJ Styles
This list isn't ranked but was there honestly wasn't anyone who did more with the brand split than AJ Styles. He became the face of Smackdown Live. Styles was already in a heated feud with John Cena, which he won at SummerSlam with a clean victory over the face of WWE. Styles was a heel at the time as well. He backed up that win at the first ever Smackdown exclusive PPV with a victory over WWE Champion Dean Ambrose, giving Styles one of the only World Titles in the world he hadn't held yet. He remained champion until January, where he finally lost to Cena in a one on one match, giving Cena his 16th World Championship in the process. He failed to win the title back in the following months and got into a feud with Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon, which led to a strange decision, a match between the two at Wrestlemania. Though there were several other amazing options and being put on first, Styles made the most of the situation and put on an absolutely show stealing performance with Shane. Styles gave Shane his respect on the following Smackdown and started his face turn in the process. Styles stayed around the midcard afterwards, winning his first United States Title from Kevin Owens at a house show in Madison Square Garden.
Styles is proof that WWE knows how to book a talent. His transition from defeating Cena clean to becoming WWE Champion in a month's time is legendary. Styles consistently rose the bar on Smackdown and brought out the best of everyone he came into contact with. With his intentions to bring back the US Open Challenge in the future, Styles is only going to keep upping his game in the year to come. And of course, I'd be crazy to not talk about the dream 2nd meeting between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. Their first match in New Japan was amazing and I can't wait until they tear the roof down at the Barclays Center (SummerSlam), Toyota Center (Survivor Series), the Wells Fargo Center (Royal Rumble) or the Mercedes Benz Superdome (Wrestlemania) as those are the only places that could hold such an amazing match-up. Big winner.
Loser
Sami Zayn
It pains me to type this out but Zayn has been a bust thus far in the draft. I don't know who to blame but putting him on Raw from the start was a bad idea. Too many monsters on Raw at the time and too many mega stars. Zayn was up against guys like Reigns, Rollins and the debuting Balor. There was no way he was going to stand out among those guys. And he had a great start too! At Battleground, he defeated Kevin Owens in a great match to end their feud but WWE didn't capitalize on it. At the next PPV, Zayn teamed with Neville to face The Dudleys on the pre show. He then was just thrown into random feuds, never winning any of them. Zayn was moved to Smackdown in April, the show he should have started on to begin with but the damage has been done already. Zayn hasn't done anything yet. He was once given Jinder Mahal to defeat in a squash match and now Jinder Mahal is the one squashing Zayn. It's scary.
Zayn should have definitely been booked better. Placing him on Raw was a horrible mistake. If he was on Smackdown to begin with, he could have gotten into a lengthy program for the IC Title with Miz and/or Ziggler. Could you imagine the great matches Ziggler and Zayn could have had? It leaves a lot to be desired. There's still time for Zayn but for the first year of the draft, Zayn was a bust.
Winner
Braun Strowman
With guys like Kane, Big Show and Mark Henry all on the backend of their careers, it leaves a real big gaping hole for a monster heel. Enter Braun Strowman. Strowman got split from Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan as they were placed on Smackdown and for the first time ever, Strowman was by himself to start his singles career. It started with Strowman destroying jobbers, which is how James Ellsworth came to be in the WWE as well. Strowman would eventually enter a feud with Zayn, which ended in a Last Man Standing match on the first Raw of 2017. Strowman stated his intentions to win the Royal Rumble one night during Raw before being dual speared by Reigns and Goldberg. This led to Strowman attacking Reigns during his Universal Title match, which caused Reigns to lose. Before the match at Fastlane, Strowman was featured in the main event of Raw against The Big Show. This turned out to be one of the best matches in Strowman's young career and Braun went over Show, looking massively strong. He would get his first singles loss at Fastlane against Reigns, who was preparing to face The Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Strowman would rebound eventually, crashing Show through the ring and beating Reigns clean at the Payback. Strowman got sidelined with an injury but once he came back, he beat Reigns again, this time in an Ambulance match. Reigns then tried to kill Strowman but Braun being the lovable guy that he is, was able to walk away from the attempt and is now a likely contender for the Universal Title at SummerSlam.
WWE had a monster heel problem because there were no stars who fit that role. They no longer have that problem on Raw. Braun Strowman has become a legit star and mega main event player on Raw. While he's being getting mostly cheers to feuding with Roman Reigns, when he does feud with the top babyfaces such as Finn Balor and Seth Rollins, the crowd will turn. Strowman going solo seemed strange at first, but he's actually doing fairly well for himself. I'm all behind putting the title on him come SummerSlam, if that's the direction they're going with a Fatal Four Way.
Loser
Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews shouldn't have been called up after Wrestlemania 32. It wasn't the right time for him. He could have had a great run in NXT, especially with Balor leaving. Crews moving to Smackdown looked to be a good idea and they started pretty strong with him. He challenged for Miz's Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam. Miz won, and then Crews was lost for the rest of his time on Smackdown. He was in a brief feud with Dolph Ziggler but that went nowhere fast. Crews deserves better and was one of the bigger losers in the draft.
Winner
Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens' success during the year came by accident. Finn Balor just became Universal Champion but then news broke that he had a major injury, which caused him to relinquish the title one day after winning it. Kevin Owens qualified to compete in a massive Fatal Four Elimination match for the title, featuring Roman Reigns, Big Cass and Seth Rollins. Triple H showed up during the match and cost Reigns the match and just when it looked like he was going to help Rollins win, Hunter screwed Rollins, basically giving Owens the title. Owens flourished in his new role, wearing suits, hanging out with Chris Jericho and being a fantastic heel. He started a dream feud with Rollins and beat him on several different occasions. He also defeated Reigns at two different PPVs. Trouble came when he had to face Goldberg for the Universal Title. It was during this time Owens went from funny heel to serious heel as he turned on friend Chris Jericho at the Festival of Friendship AKA one of the best Raw segments of the year. Jericho distracted Owens and Goldberg capitalized, defeating Owens for the title in seconds. Owens got revenge by taking Jericho's United States Title at Wrestlemania in his singles debut. Owens was moved to Smackdown during the shake-up and looks to make Smackdown an even better brand.
Kevin Owens is a workhorse and one of my legit favorites in WWE. He's great on the mic, fantastic in the ring and just has the heel factor we all love. Taking advantage of a bad situation, Owens made the most of the opportunity and became a central part of Raw for basically the whole time he was on it. With Owens on Smackdown now, my dream of seeing Owens with the WWE Championship has increased exponentially. The man has been champion for A LOT of his time in WWE. The WWE Championship is within reach for him.
Loser
Rusev
Rusev deserves much better. He's an amazing talent and has the ability to be a major foreign heel. I loved how they used Rusev when he first came onto the main roster, destroying anyone who challenged him in the name of the US. Then, of course, he ran into Cena and that was it. Rusev should have been a big deal. He was the reigning US Champ, a top heel on a stacked brand of former NXT talents. Rusev's biggest hurdle was running into Roman Reigns, who ended up taking the title from Rusev. Rusev just was lost after that. He feuded with Enzo and Cass, formed an alliance with Jinder Mahal and didn't benefit from it. It's really a shame when Mahal got the push that Rusev really should have had in the first place. Being moved to Smackdown looked to benefit Rusev but he wasn't used at first and now the first thing they do with him is throw him at a returning John Cena. Have they not learned their lesson from 2 years ago? There's still hope for Rusev though. He's on a show that's filled with opportunity, one that has his former associate as WWE Champion. While Rusev probably won't be WWE Champion by the end of the year, simply because I see Mahal/Cena/Corbin/Styles/Owens dominating that scene but hey, anything is possible.
Winner
Alexa Bliss
WOW, talk about a shocker. Of the 6 call ups from NXT, Alexa Bliss was definitely the most successful. Bliss faced Becky Lynch in her debut and was successful in defeating her. She had a chance to become the first ever Smackdown Women's Champion but wasn't successful in her attempt. She gained attention for her ring gear that night, which mirrored the 2016 Suicide Squad version of Harley Quinn. Bliss always stayed relevant on Smackdown, even though she wasn't always in the main event scene. Her big break came when she became #1 contender for the title during an episode of Smackdown. She challenged Becky Lynch at TLC in a Tables match and in one of the more shocking moments of the night, Bliss powerbombed Lynch through the table to win her first championship in WWE. She became the 2nd NXT female alumni to win a main roster women's title without winning the NXT Women's Title. She defeated Lynch in multiple rematches, even winning a Cage match that was the main event on Smackdown. It saw the return of Mickie James as well. NO big deal. Bliss eventually lost the title to Naomi at Elimination Chamber. Naomi had to vacate the title the following week due to injury, which Bliss won back by defeating Lynch. She lost it back to Naomi at Wrestlemania and in her rematch the following Smackdown, Bliss was unsuccessful in winning it back. She was then sent to Raw in the Superstar Shake-up, became #1 contender for the Raw Women's Title and won the title in then champion Bayley's hometown at Payback. Little Miss Bliss became the first woman to have won both the Raw and Smackdown Women's Titles, a feat that only took her 5 months. Bliss still reigns supreme on Raw.
Alexa Bliss came to the main roster apart of the draft but wasn't featured on the two hour episode of Smackdown. She went in with everyone else, not with the heavy hitters but she ended up doing better than everyone else from NXT who was drafted before her. Yes, even Finn Balor. Sorry, I know Balor won the title in his first shot but as a whole, Bliss did much more. She was around the whole year, put on some of the best heel promos of the year (and one of the worst in the Bayley, This is Your Life) and steadily improved in the ring. Her matches with Bayley and and Sasha at Payback and Great Balls of Fire have been her best matches. Bliss will only improve as she continues to wrestle and get better. The shining star of the NXT draft picks.
Winner
Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks
It was only a matter of time before Sasha Banks and Charlotte feuded on the main roster. Their NXT feud was epic and one of the reasons why women's wrestling on the main roster was so looked forward to. They were the focus of the women's division on Raw for most of the first year of the draft. On the first night of brand split, Charlotte defended her championship against Sasha Banks in their first one on one title match since NXT a year before. It was a barn burner of a match, one that saw Sasha use some tactics from her hero Eddie Guerrero. Sasha would not be denied and in the middle of the ring in her first one on one shot for the championship, she won it. The crowd erupted, Sasha was visibly excited for her win and her post match speech was the icing on the cake. There was so much raw emotion in it, it was a high note on the year 2016. This would be the first of many matches Sasha and Charlotte had in 2016. I believe their feud was 6 matches and 6 months long spanning multiple history making moments. Sasha and Charlotte main evented Raw in October , a first between two women wrestlers since Trish and Lita. They battled inside Hell in a Cell in October as well, marking the first time ever two women battled inside the structure. What was even more important was that Sasha Banks and Charlotte main evented the entire Hell in a Cell pay per view, something no other female competitor has done. They went ahead to main event another Raw in November in a Falls Count Anywhere match. They concluded their feud in December in a 30 minute Ironman match, another first for the main roster women. Sasha had previously competed in the match type with Bayley in NXT. After the two ladies parted ways, Charlotte went on to feud with Bayley, who she lost the title to in a Raw main event in February and again at Fast Lane in March. She was apart of the women's title match at Wrestlemania in a losing effort. She was apart of the Superstar Shakeup and was sent to Smackdown and turned face in the process. She hasn't had a massive impact on Smackdown just yet but wait on it. Sasha feuded with Nia Jax in the meanwhile but hasn't gotten to the same level after losing to Charlotte. She was involved in the Wrestlemania women's title match but that was mainly about Charlotte/Bayley, not Sasha and Nia. And even with the opportunity to turn Sasha heel, they haven't done it yet.
Sasha Bans and Charlotte ruled the women's division on Raw. They have 7 title reigns between them from July to December. It became overkill after awhile but you can't deny the great amount of matches they had, in particular, their first match on Raw in July and the Ironman match in December. They had the best women's feud on the main roster since Trish and Lita and are proof that if even an opportunity, the women can main event and steal the show. All eyes are on the next big feud, whether that be Sasha/Alexa or even better, Sasha/Bayley.
Loser
The rest of the Raw Women's Division
With Sasha and Charlotte hogging all of the spotlight, (they were the only two women fighting over the title for months) the other women suffered greatly. Raw's women division is vast, filled with massive potential. Women like former Divas Champion Alicia Fox, NXT standouts like Emma, Dana Brooke and Summer Rae and once the Superstar Shakeup happened, the most revered woman in the entire division right now, Mickie James. Now, yes, I understand. The other women may not be as experienced as Sasha or Charlotte but it's about giving opportunity. There is no reason why Emma shouldn't be a top star of the division. She has the ring prowess, cocky attitude and put on great matches in her two tenures in NXT. Summer Rae as well. While maybe not as technical in the ring, she still deserves a chance to prove herself. She teamed with Charlotte and Sasha during her NXT days so that should say something about her. Dana Brooke has the physique WWE officials like and she's gorgeous as well. In need of a female powerhouse that's not Nia Jax, Dana could fit that profile. There's just no reason why Sasha and Charlotte should have gotten all the spotlight with all the talented women on the show. The title picture should have been much more diverse and more people should have gotten shots. Even still, the title picture revolves around Alexa, Sasha, Bayley and Nia Jax. They're even doing a rematch from two PPVs at SummerSlam, despite having Emma, Mickie, Dana and Summer Rae just doing nothing. It's ashame. They need to spread the love around if they want to survive and compete with Smackdown's much better women's division.
There are other winners and loser but I'm going to leave it here. I think this is enough, especially since I'm like a month late.
Let's see who become the big winners this year!
Winner
AJ Styles
This list isn't ranked but was there honestly wasn't anyone who did more with the brand split than AJ Styles. He became the face of Smackdown Live. Styles was already in a heated feud with John Cena, which he won at SummerSlam with a clean victory over the face of WWE. Styles was a heel at the time as well. He backed up that win at the first ever Smackdown exclusive PPV with a victory over WWE Champion Dean Ambrose, giving Styles one of the only World Titles in the world he hadn't held yet. He remained champion until January, where he finally lost to Cena in a one on one match, giving Cena his 16th World Championship in the process. He failed to win the title back in the following months and got into a feud with Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon, which led to a strange decision, a match between the two at Wrestlemania. Though there were several other amazing options and being put on first, Styles made the most of the situation and put on an absolutely show stealing performance with Shane. Styles gave Shane his respect on the following Smackdown and started his face turn in the process. Styles stayed around the midcard afterwards, winning his first United States Title from Kevin Owens at a house show in Madison Square Garden.
Styles is proof that WWE knows how to book a talent. His transition from defeating Cena clean to becoming WWE Champion in a month's time is legendary. Styles consistently rose the bar on Smackdown and brought out the best of everyone he came into contact with. With his intentions to bring back the US Open Challenge in the future, Styles is only going to keep upping his game in the year to come. And of course, I'd be crazy to not talk about the dream 2nd meeting between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. Their first match in New Japan was amazing and I can't wait until they tear the roof down at the Barclays Center (SummerSlam), Toyota Center (Survivor Series), the Wells Fargo Center (Royal Rumble) or the Mercedes Benz Superdome (Wrestlemania) as those are the only places that could hold such an amazing match-up. Big winner.
Loser
Sami Zayn
It pains me to type this out but Zayn has been a bust thus far in the draft. I don't know who to blame but putting him on Raw from the start was a bad idea. Too many monsters on Raw at the time and too many mega stars. Zayn was up against guys like Reigns, Rollins and the debuting Balor. There was no way he was going to stand out among those guys. And he had a great start too! At Battleground, he defeated Kevin Owens in a great match to end their feud but WWE didn't capitalize on it. At the next PPV, Zayn teamed with Neville to face The Dudleys on the pre show. He then was just thrown into random feuds, never winning any of them. Zayn was moved to Smackdown in April, the show he should have started on to begin with but the damage has been done already. Zayn hasn't done anything yet. He was once given Jinder Mahal to defeat in a squash match and now Jinder Mahal is the one squashing Zayn. It's scary.
Zayn should have definitely been booked better. Placing him on Raw was a horrible mistake. If he was on Smackdown to begin with, he could have gotten into a lengthy program for the IC Title with Miz and/or Ziggler. Could you imagine the great matches Ziggler and Zayn could have had? It leaves a lot to be desired. There's still time for Zayn but for the first year of the draft, Zayn was a bust.
Winner
Braun Strowman
With guys like Kane, Big Show and Mark Henry all on the backend of their careers, it leaves a real big gaping hole for a monster heel. Enter Braun Strowman. Strowman got split from Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan as they were placed on Smackdown and for the first time ever, Strowman was by himself to start his singles career. It started with Strowman destroying jobbers, which is how James Ellsworth came to be in the WWE as well. Strowman would eventually enter a feud with Zayn, which ended in a Last Man Standing match on the first Raw of 2017. Strowman stated his intentions to win the Royal Rumble one night during Raw before being dual speared by Reigns and Goldberg. This led to Strowman attacking Reigns during his Universal Title match, which caused Reigns to lose. Before the match at Fastlane, Strowman was featured in the main event of Raw against The Big Show. This turned out to be one of the best matches in Strowman's young career and Braun went over Show, looking massively strong. He would get his first singles loss at Fastlane against Reigns, who was preparing to face The Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Strowman would rebound eventually, crashing Show through the ring and beating Reigns clean at the Payback. Strowman got sidelined with an injury but once he came back, he beat Reigns again, this time in an Ambulance match. Reigns then tried to kill Strowman but Braun being the lovable guy that he is, was able to walk away from the attempt and is now a likely contender for the Universal Title at SummerSlam.
WWE had a monster heel problem because there were no stars who fit that role. They no longer have that problem on Raw. Braun Strowman has become a legit star and mega main event player on Raw. While he's being getting mostly cheers to feuding with Roman Reigns, when he does feud with the top babyfaces such as Finn Balor and Seth Rollins, the crowd will turn. Strowman going solo seemed strange at first, but he's actually doing fairly well for himself. I'm all behind putting the title on him come SummerSlam, if that's the direction they're going with a Fatal Four Way.
Loser
Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews shouldn't have been called up after Wrestlemania 32. It wasn't the right time for him. He could have had a great run in NXT, especially with Balor leaving. Crews moving to Smackdown looked to be a good idea and they started pretty strong with him. He challenged for Miz's Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam. Miz won, and then Crews was lost for the rest of his time on Smackdown. He was in a brief feud with Dolph Ziggler but that went nowhere fast. Crews deserves better and was one of the bigger losers in the draft.
Winner
Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens' success during the year came by accident. Finn Balor just became Universal Champion but then news broke that he had a major injury, which caused him to relinquish the title one day after winning it. Kevin Owens qualified to compete in a massive Fatal Four Elimination match for the title, featuring Roman Reigns, Big Cass and Seth Rollins. Triple H showed up during the match and cost Reigns the match and just when it looked like he was going to help Rollins win, Hunter screwed Rollins, basically giving Owens the title. Owens flourished in his new role, wearing suits, hanging out with Chris Jericho and being a fantastic heel. He started a dream feud with Rollins and beat him on several different occasions. He also defeated Reigns at two different PPVs. Trouble came when he had to face Goldberg for the Universal Title. It was during this time Owens went from funny heel to serious heel as he turned on friend Chris Jericho at the Festival of Friendship AKA one of the best Raw segments of the year. Jericho distracted Owens and Goldberg capitalized, defeating Owens for the title in seconds. Owens got revenge by taking Jericho's United States Title at Wrestlemania in his singles debut. Owens was moved to Smackdown during the shake-up and looks to make Smackdown an even better brand.
Kevin Owens is a workhorse and one of my legit favorites in WWE. He's great on the mic, fantastic in the ring and just has the heel factor we all love. Taking advantage of a bad situation, Owens made the most of the opportunity and became a central part of Raw for basically the whole time he was on it. With Owens on Smackdown now, my dream of seeing Owens with the WWE Championship has increased exponentially. The man has been champion for A LOT of his time in WWE. The WWE Championship is within reach for him.
Loser
Rusev
Rusev deserves much better. He's an amazing talent and has the ability to be a major foreign heel. I loved how they used Rusev when he first came onto the main roster, destroying anyone who challenged him in the name of the US. Then, of course, he ran into Cena and that was it. Rusev should have been a big deal. He was the reigning US Champ, a top heel on a stacked brand of former NXT talents. Rusev's biggest hurdle was running into Roman Reigns, who ended up taking the title from Rusev. Rusev just was lost after that. He feuded with Enzo and Cass, formed an alliance with Jinder Mahal and didn't benefit from it. It's really a shame when Mahal got the push that Rusev really should have had in the first place. Being moved to Smackdown looked to benefit Rusev but he wasn't used at first and now the first thing they do with him is throw him at a returning John Cena. Have they not learned their lesson from 2 years ago? There's still hope for Rusev though. He's on a show that's filled with opportunity, one that has his former associate as WWE Champion. While Rusev probably won't be WWE Champion by the end of the year, simply because I see Mahal/Cena/Corbin/Styles/Owens dominating that scene but hey, anything is possible.
Winner
Alexa Bliss
WOW, talk about a shocker. Of the 6 call ups from NXT, Alexa Bliss was definitely the most successful. Bliss faced Becky Lynch in her debut and was successful in defeating her. She had a chance to become the first ever Smackdown Women's Champion but wasn't successful in her attempt. She gained attention for her ring gear that night, which mirrored the 2016 Suicide Squad version of Harley Quinn. Bliss always stayed relevant on Smackdown, even though she wasn't always in the main event scene. Her big break came when she became #1 contender for the title during an episode of Smackdown. She challenged Becky Lynch at TLC in a Tables match and in one of the more shocking moments of the night, Bliss powerbombed Lynch through the table to win her first championship in WWE. She became the 2nd NXT female alumni to win a main roster women's title without winning the NXT Women's Title. She defeated Lynch in multiple rematches, even winning a Cage match that was the main event on Smackdown. It saw the return of Mickie James as well. NO big deal. Bliss eventually lost the title to Naomi at Elimination Chamber. Naomi had to vacate the title the following week due to injury, which Bliss won back by defeating Lynch. She lost it back to Naomi at Wrestlemania and in her rematch the following Smackdown, Bliss was unsuccessful in winning it back. She was then sent to Raw in the Superstar Shake-up, became #1 contender for the Raw Women's Title and won the title in then champion Bayley's hometown at Payback. Little Miss Bliss became the first woman to have won both the Raw and Smackdown Women's Titles, a feat that only took her 5 months. Bliss still reigns supreme on Raw.
Alexa Bliss came to the main roster apart of the draft but wasn't featured on the two hour episode of Smackdown. She went in with everyone else, not with the heavy hitters but she ended up doing better than everyone else from NXT who was drafted before her. Yes, even Finn Balor. Sorry, I know Balor won the title in his first shot but as a whole, Bliss did much more. She was around the whole year, put on some of the best heel promos of the year (and one of the worst in the Bayley, This is Your Life) and steadily improved in the ring. Her matches with Bayley and and Sasha at Payback and Great Balls of Fire have been her best matches. Bliss will only improve as she continues to wrestle and get better. The shining star of the NXT draft picks.
Winner
Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks
It was only a matter of time before Sasha Banks and Charlotte feuded on the main roster. Their NXT feud was epic and one of the reasons why women's wrestling on the main roster was so looked forward to. They were the focus of the women's division on Raw for most of the first year of the draft. On the first night of brand split, Charlotte defended her championship against Sasha Banks in their first one on one title match since NXT a year before. It was a barn burner of a match, one that saw Sasha use some tactics from her hero Eddie Guerrero. Sasha would not be denied and in the middle of the ring in her first one on one shot for the championship, she won it. The crowd erupted, Sasha was visibly excited for her win and her post match speech was the icing on the cake. There was so much raw emotion in it, it was a high note on the year 2016. This would be the first of many matches Sasha and Charlotte had in 2016. I believe their feud was 6 matches and 6 months long spanning multiple history making moments. Sasha and Charlotte main evented Raw in October , a first between two women wrestlers since Trish and Lita. They battled inside Hell in a Cell in October as well, marking the first time ever two women battled inside the structure. What was even more important was that Sasha Banks and Charlotte main evented the entire Hell in a Cell pay per view, something no other female competitor has done. They went ahead to main event another Raw in November in a Falls Count Anywhere match. They concluded their feud in December in a 30 minute Ironman match, another first for the main roster women. Sasha had previously competed in the match type with Bayley in NXT. After the two ladies parted ways, Charlotte went on to feud with Bayley, who she lost the title to in a Raw main event in February and again at Fast Lane in March. She was apart of the women's title match at Wrestlemania in a losing effort. She was apart of the Superstar Shakeup and was sent to Smackdown and turned face in the process. She hasn't had a massive impact on Smackdown just yet but wait on it. Sasha feuded with Nia Jax in the meanwhile but hasn't gotten to the same level after losing to Charlotte. She was involved in the Wrestlemania women's title match but that was mainly about Charlotte/Bayley, not Sasha and Nia. And even with the opportunity to turn Sasha heel, they haven't done it yet.
Sasha Bans and Charlotte ruled the women's division on Raw. They have 7 title reigns between them from July to December. It became overkill after awhile but you can't deny the great amount of matches they had, in particular, their first match on Raw in July and the Ironman match in December. They had the best women's feud on the main roster since Trish and Lita and are proof that if even an opportunity, the women can main event and steal the show. All eyes are on the next big feud, whether that be Sasha/Alexa or even better, Sasha/Bayley.
Loser
The rest of the Raw Women's Division
With Sasha and Charlotte hogging all of the spotlight, (they were the only two women fighting over the title for months) the other women suffered greatly. Raw's women division is vast, filled with massive potential. Women like former Divas Champion Alicia Fox, NXT standouts like Emma, Dana Brooke and Summer Rae and once the Superstar Shakeup happened, the most revered woman in the entire division right now, Mickie James. Now, yes, I understand. The other women may not be as experienced as Sasha or Charlotte but it's about giving opportunity. There is no reason why Emma shouldn't be a top star of the division. She has the ring prowess, cocky attitude and put on great matches in her two tenures in NXT. Summer Rae as well. While maybe not as technical in the ring, she still deserves a chance to prove herself. She teamed with Charlotte and Sasha during her NXT days so that should say something about her. Dana Brooke has the physique WWE officials like and she's gorgeous as well. In need of a female powerhouse that's not Nia Jax, Dana could fit that profile. There's just no reason why Sasha and Charlotte should have gotten all the spotlight with all the talented women on the show. The title picture should have been much more diverse and more people should have gotten shots. Even still, the title picture revolves around Alexa, Sasha, Bayley and Nia Jax. They're even doing a rematch from two PPVs at SummerSlam, despite having Emma, Mickie, Dana and Summer Rae just doing nothing. It's ashame. They need to spread the love around if they want to survive and compete with Smackdown's much better women's division.
There are other winners and loser but I'm going to leave it here. I think this is enough, especially since I'm like a month late.
Let's see who become the big winners this year!
Building towards SummerSlam
SummerSlam 2017 is approaching. It's the third consecutive SummerSlam to take place in Brooklyn and Brooklyn has been treated to two good shows the last two years. WWE is doing its best to make this another good one. As of my typing, 7 matches have been announced, with another 4 to 5 to come based on feuds. This is going to be a packed card. Let's talk matches so far.
Alexa Bliss is currently scheduled to pick up her feud with Bayley for the Raw Women's Title but right now, Bayley is injured. WWE hasn't announced how serious it is but with only two weeks left before the Biggest Party of the Summer, it's likely WWE's resident hugger might have to sit this one out, which would definitely set up Bliss/Sasha II. In all honesty, THAT'S the match that should take place on the card. Their match at GBOF was intense and you could fill their disdain for each other in the match. Why not do it again on a big stage? Regardless of whoever faces Bliss, I don't see her walking out of Brooklyn with the belt. This could be a blessing in disguise for WWE as a way to springboard the inevitable Sasha/Bayley feud. Sasha takes Bayley's opportunity while she's on the shelf for a few months, she comes back to her best friend Sasha and wants a shot that she rightfully won. Sasha begins to mock her and eventually turns on her. Depending on how bad the injury is, this could lead to a big match at Survivor Series or Royal Rumble. I'm obviously hoping for the best for Bayley but if it is serious, WWE may have a great opportunity here.
Naomi VS Natalya is a weird one. I fully thought Charlotte was going to get the nod here to finally win the Smackdown Women's Title but they decided to go with Nattie instead. This alone speaks of Smackdown's Women Division compared to Raw. EVERYONE gets a shot. Obviously everyone is waiting on Carmella, to see when she will cash her contract in and it's very possible it happens here. We'll see but it's something that will be in the mind of everyone watching this match, which should be very good.
Randy Orton is officially out of the WWE Title picture following his 3 straight PPV losses to Jinder Mahal and now looks to take on another first time opponent in Rusev. I was really hoping that WWE was going to let AJ Styles do some sort of open challenge at SummerSlam and have Orton answer it but with Styles/Owens and Rusev/Orton both announced, we'll have to wait a bit longer for a feud between the two stars. Their Smackdown match during Wrestlemania season was great and only a tease for what the two men can do with each other in the ring. Orton/Rusev is fresh and should be a good match but it's kind of lose-lose. Rusev needs to look strong as he just got owned by John Cena at Battleground. Orton needs a win as he wasn't won on PPV since Wrestlemania. Someone has to lose here. As for Owens/Styles IV, it's like your favorite meal. You don't want to eat your favorite meal all the time do you? I love the two feuding with each other but I'm ready for something different, hopefully either Orton, Rusev or Chad Gable get thrown into the mix following SummerSlam.
Jinder Mahal will defend the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at SummerSlam. I will pay someone $1000 if they saw this match coming at the beginning of the year as Nakamura was still in NXT and Mahal was nowhere near the main event scene yet. This is definitely a weird choice, considering SummerSlam is a top PPV. Top PPVs deserve top matches and it seems WWE is wholly relying on the main event to carry the event. Smackdown did do Dean Ambrose VS Dolph Ziggler last year so I shouldn't be too surprised. The obvious thing to do here would be for Nakamura to go over Mahal. Mahal has done his best but it's time for somebody else to get the title. Though I think Nakamura will win over Mahal, I don't think he'll leave SummerSlam as champion. Corbin and Nakamura have unfinished business. Yes, Nakamura has won both of their matches but a guy like Corbin will not forget that. I see two new WWE Champions being crowned at SummerSlam. Maybe. Maybe not.
The massive main event features Raw's biggest and best. Brock Lesnar will defend the Universal Championship against Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns. In terms of mass and anticipation, it doesn't get much better than this. There is a 75% chance that Lesnar's reign of terror will be over on August 20th. A part timer holding the top title hostage is not OK and this is only Lesnar's second defense of the title in four months. They have to get him to drop the title NOW. They have put together three legitimate guys who could do it. Samoa Joe gave Lesnar a hell of a fight at Great Balls of Fire. There were times where Joe made Lesnar look human. Strowman has been the biggest success story long term on the Raw side. From squash matches to feuding with Zayn to becoming the most likable monster heel in recent memory, Strowman is an absolute beast. He has also defeated Roman Reigns on two separate occasions. He's definitely the least experienced of the four but I say give Strowman a shot. Again, if Mahal can win the title, anyone can. Roman Reigns is the clear cut choice as he's the undefeated at SummerSlam golden boy. Also, the match was suppose to be the singles rematch between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar and I always thought Reigns was finally going to defeat the Beast. Reigns as the top champion is best for Raw. He has SO MANY challengers. He can face Joe at No Mercy, Strowman at TLC and so on and so on. Again, I'm good with anyone but Lesnar.
SummerSlam is more than two weeks away and with 7 matches on the card and no announced plans for both brands tag titles, Miz's Intercontinental Title and the obvious Balor/Wyatt showdown, it's going to be a long night of professional wrestling. SummerSlam last year had 13 matches so I'm guessing it will be the same. Figuring the two hour pre show will have 2-3 to matches, SummerSlam will probably run right to 11PM this year. Let's plan this out:
1. Brock Lesnar VS Braun Strowman VS Roman Reigns VS Samoa Joe - Universal
2. Jinder Mahal VS Shinsuke Nakamura - WWE
3. AJ Styles VS Kevin Owens - US Title with Shane as ref
4. The Miz VS Jason Jordan - IC Title (possible)
5. Alexa Bliss VS Bayley or Sasha Banks - Raw Women's Title - depending on severity of Bayley's injury
6. Naomi VS Natalya - Smackdown Women's Title
7. The New Day VS The Usos - Smackdown Tag Titles
8. Neville VS Akira Tozawa - Cruiserweight - (pre show)
9. Sheamus and Cesaro VS Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins - Raw Tag Titles (possible)
10. Randy Orton VS Rusev
11. The Hardys VS The Revival (pre show)
12. Finn Balor VS Bray Wyatt (almost definite)
13. John Cena VS Baron Corbin (possible)
14. Big Cass VS Big Show (pre show)
Notably missing would be three of the Four Horsewomen, Gallows and Anderson, and Sami Zayn. Personally, I'm hoping Owens somehow messes up his US Title match and they change it to Shane/Owens and let Styles issue an open challenge and let him and Zayn tear the Barclays Center down. Fun fact, if Ambrose and Rollins can capture the tag titles, which is likely since Sheamus has to film a movie soon, then Ambrose will become a triple crown champion, the first of the three members of The Shield to do it. A Grand Slam champion if they're not counting either the Universal or Smackdown Tag Titles. Quite an accomplishment.
I'm ready for SummerSlam!
Alexa Bliss is currently scheduled to pick up her feud with Bayley for the Raw Women's Title but right now, Bayley is injured. WWE hasn't announced how serious it is but with only two weeks left before the Biggest Party of the Summer, it's likely WWE's resident hugger might have to sit this one out, which would definitely set up Bliss/Sasha II. In all honesty, THAT'S the match that should take place on the card. Their match at GBOF was intense and you could fill their disdain for each other in the match. Why not do it again on a big stage? Regardless of whoever faces Bliss, I don't see her walking out of Brooklyn with the belt. This could be a blessing in disguise for WWE as a way to springboard the inevitable Sasha/Bayley feud. Sasha takes Bayley's opportunity while she's on the shelf for a few months, she comes back to her best friend Sasha and wants a shot that she rightfully won. Sasha begins to mock her and eventually turns on her. Depending on how bad the injury is, this could lead to a big match at Survivor Series or Royal Rumble. I'm obviously hoping for the best for Bayley but if it is serious, WWE may have a great opportunity here.
Naomi VS Natalya is a weird one. I fully thought Charlotte was going to get the nod here to finally win the Smackdown Women's Title but they decided to go with Nattie instead. This alone speaks of Smackdown's Women Division compared to Raw. EVERYONE gets a shot. Obviously everyone is waiting on Carmella, to see when she will cash her contract in and it's very possible it happens here. We'll see but it's something that will be in the mind of everyone watching this match, which should be very good.
Randy Orton is officially out of the WWE Title picture following his 3 straight PPV losses to Jinder Mahal and now looks to take on another first time opponent in Rusev. I was really hoping that WWE was going to let AJ Styles do some sort of open challenge at SummerSlam and have Orton answer it but with Styles/Owens and Rusev/Orton both announced, we'll have to wait a bit longer for a feud between the two stars. Their Smackdown match during Wrestlemania season was great and only a tease for what the two men can do with each other in the ring. Orton/Rusev is fresh and should be a good match but it's kind of lose-lose. Rusev needs to look strong as he just got owned by John Cena at Battleground. Orton needs a win as he wasn't won on PPV since Wrestlemania. Someone has to lose here. As for Owens/Styles IV, it's like your favorite meal. You don't want to eat your favorite meal all the time do you? I love the two feuding with each other but I'm ready for something different, hopefully either Orton, Rusev or Chad Gable get thrown into the mix following SummerSlam.
Jinder Mahal will defend the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at SummerSlam. I will pay someone $1000 if they saw this match coming at the beginning of the year as Nakamura was still in NXT and Mahal was nowhere near the main event scene yet. This is definitely a weird choice, considering SummerSlam is a top PPV. Top PPVs deserve top matches and it seems WWE is wholly relying on the main event to carry the event. Smackdown did do Dean Ambrose VS Dolph Ziggler last year so I shouldn't be too surprised. The obvious thing to do here would be for Nakamura to go over Mahal. Mahal has done his best but it's time for somebody else to get the title. Though I think Nakamura will win over Mahal, I don't think he'll leave SummerSlam as champion. Corbin and Nakamura have unfinished business. Yes, Nakamura has won both of their matches but a guy like Corbin will not forget that. I see two new WWE Champions being crowned at SummerSlam. Maybe. Maybe not.
The massive main event features Raw's biggest and best. Brock Lesnar will defend the Universal Championship against Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns. In terms of mass and anticipation, it doesn't get much better than this. There is a 75% chance that Lesnar's reign of terror will be over on August 20th. A part timer holding the top title hostage is not OK and this is only Lesnar's second defense of the title in four months. They have to get him to drop the title NOW. They have put together three legitimate guys who could do it. Samoa Joe gave Lesnar a hell of a fight at Great Balls of Fire. There were times where Joe made Lesnar look human. Strowman has been the biggest success story long term on the Raw side. From squash matches to feuding with Zayn to becoming the most likable monster heel in recent memory, Strowman is an absolute beast. He has also defeated Roman Reigns on two separate occasions. He's definitely the least experienced of the four but I say give Strowman a shot. Again, if Mahal can win the title, anyone can. Roman Reigns is the clear cut choice as he's the undefeated at SummerSlam golden boy. Also, the match was suppose to be the singles rematch between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar and I always thought Reigns was finally going to defeat the Beast. Reigns as the top champion is best for Raw. He has SO MANY challengers. He can face Joe at No Mercy, Strowman at TLC and so on and so on. Again, I'm good with anyone but Lesnar.
SummerSlam is more than two weeks away and with 7 matches on the card and no announced plans for both brands tag titles, Miz's Intercontinental Title and the obvious Balor/Wyatt showdown, it's going to be a long night of professional wrestling. SummerSlam last year had 13 matches so I'm guessing it will be the same. Figuring the two hour pre show will have 2-3 to matches, SummerSlam will probably run right to 11PM this year. Let's plan this out:
1. Brock Lesnar VS Braun Strowman VS Roman Reigns VS Samoa Joe - Universal
2. Jinder Mahal VS Shinsuke Nakamura - WWE
3. AJ Styles VS Kevin Owens - US Title with Shane as ref
4. The Miz VS Jason Jordan - IC Title (possible)
5. Alexa Bliss VS Bayley or Sasha Banks - Raw Women's Title - depending on severity of Bayley's injury
6. Naomi VS Natalya - Smackdown Women's Title
7. The New Day VS The Usos - Smackdown Tag Titles
8. Neville VS Akira Tozawa - Cruiserweight - (pre show)
9. Sheamus and Cesaro VS Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins - Raw Tag Titles (possible)
10. Randy Orton VS Rusev
11. The Hardys VS The Revival (pre show)
12. Finn Balor VS Bray Wyatt (almost definite)
13. John Cena VS Baron Corbin (possible)
14. Big Cass VS Big Show (pre show)
Notably missing would be three of the Four Horsewomen, Gallows and Anderson, and Sami Zayn. Personally, I'm hoping Owens somehow messes up his US Title match and they change it to Shane/Owens and let Styles issue an open challenge and let him and Zayn tear the Barclays Center down. Fun fact, if Ambrose and Rollins can capture the tag titles, which is likely since Sheamus has to film a movie soon, then Ambrose will become a triple crown champion, the first of the three members of The Shield to do it. A Grand Slam champion if they're not counting either the Universal or Smackdown Tag Titles. Quite an accomplishment.
I'm ready for SummerSlam!
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