It’s time for the “party of the summer,” SummerSlam, and what says summer more than Toronto, Canada, home for this year’s Summerslam.
Although this pay-per-view is sure to be action-packed, it is a smaller card than we’re used to seeing for the August event. This year’s card only has ten matches compared to thirteen from 2018. According to rumors, the Sami Zayn vs, Aleister Black match and the Women’s fatal four way tag team match from SmackDown this past week were taken off of Summerslam to give those matches more time and to cut the overall runtime of the PPV.
One thing thing this PPV doesn’t have is tag team matches. They could be added on last minute, but as for now, this is a card filled to the brim with singles matches.
Either way you slice it, this SummerSlam is sure to be a great one and the predictions are all here for the “party of the summer.”
Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt
Our first match is Balor vs. Wyatt, demon vs. fiend. Although we haven’t seen much of a build for this match, we have seen the fiend run roughshod over Raw, taking out others and adopting the Mandible Claw in the process.
With this being Bray Wyatt’s first match back since December of last year and it being Wyatt’s first match with his new persona, Wyatt will win this match pretty handedly regardless of whether we see the demon of not.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens – If Owens loses, he leaves Smackdown
In a match eerily similar to one from WrestleMania 34, Owens and McMahon duke it out again. And like that WM 34 match, if KO loses, he must leave SmackDown.Tthe only difference between this match and the one from Mania is that the Mania match was a tag match pitting Daniel Bryan and McMahon vs. Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayn would lose that match and subsequently move over to Raw.
However, in this match, Owens is coming in hot and Shane has been running roughshod over Smackdown. It’s time for time to get his comeuppance. Owens wins, continues his steamroll and hopefully runs Shane McMahon away from SmackDown, for at least a few weeks.
Prediction: Kevin Owens
Charlotte Flair vs. Trish Stratus
When rumours started swirling of a Trish Stratus return for SummerSlam, fans starting speculating who the legend might face. It didn’t take long for Charlotte’s name to be thrown in and, before you knew it, the dream match was made. Another one of the last-minute matches on the card, we haven’t seen much interaction between these two, but with Flair and Stratus, there’s no doubt this’ll be a great match.
Most of the legend matches we’ve seen this past year have seen the legends winning, but with Flair being on top of her game and assuming this is a one-time deal for Stratus, there’s only one way this match this way could go. In wrestling terms, that’s Flair “getting the rub and going over the legend.”
Prediction: Charlotte
Dolph Ziggler vs. Goldberg
This match was originally built up to be Ziggler vs. The Miz, but proved to be the red herring it was rumored to be before the reveal this past Monday on Raw. Although Ziggler vs. Miz probably would be a good match, it’s a match we’ve already seen plenty of times.
A match we haven’t seen, Dolph vs. Goldberg should still be a good one but will most likely end up being another Goldberg sqush match.
Prediction: Goldberg
Oney Lorcan vs. Drew Gulak (c) – Cruiserweight Championship
This past Tuesday, Lorcan won a battle royal to win a shot at the cruiserweight championship and will challenge Drew Gulak’s 39+ day reign. With this being Gulak’s first reign and his win being fairly recent, WWE are sure to want to keep the championship on him for a little bit longer.
Prediction: Gulak
Ricochet vs. AJ Styles (c) – United States Championship
After Ricochet won the gauntlet match on Raw a couple weeks ago, fans knew that this repeat match from Extreme Rules was going to be a better match. It would’ve been nice to seen a stipulation added to this match, but without one, it’s pretty apparent that the Good Brothers are going to get involved again and AJ is going to retain.
Prediction: Styles
Ember Moon vs. Bayley (c) – Smackdown Women’s Championship
After Bayley hand-picked Ember Moon as her SummerSlam opponent after the pair defeated Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, most fans were excited to see this match with the title on the line. However, since the match was made we haven’t seen much from either of these two or heard much about the match.
That being said, although most fans would like to Ember win the championship, WWE seem to want to keep the championship on the Hugger.
Prediction: Bayley
Natalya vs. Becky Lynch (c) – Submission Match – Raw Women’s Championship
With the submission stipulation added earlier this week, this match went from an okay match to a match that most fans seem to be looking forward to. Although Natalya is a very capable wrestler and has put on some good matches, I feel this will possibly be seen as her best match of her career, if pulled off correctly. Of course, with most of Lynch’s feuds, the beef spilled over to Twitter.
Although this should be a great match either way, I can’t see Natalya winning. Therefore, Becky makes the Canadian tap and continues her meteoric rise in WWE.
Predictions: Becky Lynch
Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston (c) – WWE Championship
When this match was made, most fans knew it was going to be fantastic. With the WWE referencing the two’s past, it’s only ramped up the hype for this match and its sure not to disappoint. Kofi has held the championship for 122+ days since winning it from Daniel Bryan at this year’s WrestleMania.
This Sunday though, Kingston’s reign will come to end. Although Kofi has been a great champion, it’s time for him to move on and let the championship help raise someone else’s stock. That person isn’t necessarily Randy Orton, but with Orton winning, another young face can win it in the future.
It’s been two years since Orton has held the WWE Championship, and at SummerSlam, he’ll make it 14 reigns with a WWE Championship.
Predictions: Randy Orton
Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar (c) – Universal Championship
When Brock Lesnar cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase on Seth Rollins at Extreme Rules last month, most fans didn’t expect “The Beast” to actually win, but to become one of the few MITB holders to actually lose after cashing in. Alas, Lesnar did win and has since continued to pummel Seth Rollins week after week on Raw.
This feud got started back in January when Rollins won the Royal Rumble match, chose to face Lesnar at WrestleMania and won the Universal Championship. This will be the 9th match in 2019 where the Universal title is on the line.
With this match being Brock’s first title defense since defeating Rollins, its safe to say that Lesnar will once again pound Rollins to the ground and retain the Universal Championship.