Summerslam Predictions

Hello! Today's a busy day isn't it? I don't know what order you're reading these two posts- if you are reading both that is, so either welcome back or welcome. I hope you'll understand the reasoning behind them coming up today and I suppose that's all I can really say. If you're here on Sunday this doesn't really apply to you and especially the first bit of the Predictions will be a moot point (or at least it should be) but either way I hope you enjoy. With 10 Matches on the Card and a lot to be talked about in quite a few of the matches I won't ramble aimlessly as of now.

One thing that as of writing still hasn't been determined is the Pre-Show match. So I thought I'd open up with my first Prediction- what in fact will be the Pre-Show match. I'm not going to put stuff like the Cena match in this discussion- because that's just stupid and we all know it. The way I see it there's 3 possible matches that could end up on the Pre-Show.

The most obvious one- and the one I think is most likely is the 4-Way Tag. You only have to see RAW for my reasoning as to why. They had the least amount of time on RAW out of every segment apart from the Stardust/Amell thing- and that's not ending up on the Pre-Show, that I will guarantee. So as I say, that is my pick for the Pre-Show and I'm 99% certain it will indeed be on the Pre-Show. However, if for some reason they decide they want the Tag Match on the Main Card (only reason I could think would be a Title Change) then we turn to other options. Another option is the IC Title Triple Threat, I think that's the second most likely to be bumped- but given Ryback's return and the fact it is for the IC Title means it's teetering but safe. The third option whether we as internet fans like to admit it or not is in fact Kevin Owens v Cesaro. In a way I do want it to be on the Pre-Show because they'll get a lot more time than they will on the Main Card. The simple fact is there's absolutely nothing on the line in the Owens/Cesaro feud- while I think it's unlikely it does end up on the Pre-Show, it could.

With that in mind let's get onto the actual Predictions, and I'm working on the basis of the Tag Match being on the Pre-Show. I also think there might be a Jobber Battle Royal on the Pre-Show but as it's not announced I can't really predict it.

Pre-Show: Primetime Players v New Day v Lucha Dragons v Los Matadores- Tag Titles
I said in my RAW Review and I've been saying it for the last few weeks on Twitter- I honestly won't mind if New Day lose. Especially from me that might seem like an "out there" comment, but it's true. New Day are so close to "snapping" now without saying it's a guarantee- I think them losing again will lead to it. Especially if the PTP end up pinning another team after New Day were about to win. Especially with this being the Pre-Show, but what with Titus being a nice Dad I can't see the PTP not retaining despite everything else.
Winner: Primetime Players

Sheamus v Randy Orton
In terms of the Cena/Rollins match I think this match's outcome is pretty much going to tell us where they're going for it. It's pretty much an accepted practice at this point that the MITB Winner is booked to lose pretty much every week until they Cash-In. Sheamus has taken the Pin in his last two RAW matches and in the week he wasn't in a match he hilariously failed to Cash-In. In short, if Sheamus loses on Sunday then he's pretty much guarantee to cash-in. Whether he cashes in successfully is another issue entirely, but if he loses he will cash-in. However, I can't see Sheamus cashing in at Summerslam- for the simple fact there's way too much other stuff going on and they won't want a Cash-In to be buried under all of the other stuff. With that in mind, and because Sheamus has taken a Pin for his last two matches I'm going for Sheamus to win this match.
Winner: Sheamus

Team PCB v Team Bella v Team BAD
From what I can gather- and this hasn't been explained at all well, Only one member of a team has to be pinned to eliminate that whole team. I might well be wrong, but that's what I've taken from it. I think because of that fact you can rule out Team BAD, because they've got Tamina and Naomi who can both afford to take a Pin. This all depends on where they want to go coming out the other side of Summerslam.

Sasha Banks is pretty much guaranteed a Title Shot at Night of Champions after she made Nikki tap on RAW. But as proven on RAW unless they get more defined characters the crowd will turn on the match completely. With that in mind I think it's reasonably safe to say either Charlotte or Paige will make Nikki tap to win the match for Team PCB to set-up a Triple Threat- in fact I'd put money on it being Paige so they can have Nikki pin her.

An alternative suggestion that I've been floating as of late as you may well have seen, and going back to more defined characters. Charlotte turning on Paige- at least in my mind is a possibility. Charlotte out of PCB is the easiest to turn Heel for the Main Roster audience- all she has to do is start cutting Promos on her Dad and she'll get over as a Heel. Going back to my "casuals" theory when it comes to the crowd- everyone knows Ric Flair, so it would work. Turning on Paige would be an even easier story to tell- she doesn't want to be anyone's sidekick, she wants to be #1. That's just something I've concocted though and realistically it won't happen and the Triple Threat at Night of Champions is where they're going.
Tamina's Pinned by Nikki
Nikki Taps to Paige
Winner: Team PCB

Dolph Ziggler v Rusev
I actually don't think this as straightforward as it would seem. It had almost become a running joke with Rusev coming off as a Babyface in the last few months- and while it might well just be bad booking it might be something. That combined with the fact Dolph's been a complete dick during this feud means I do think there could be a Double Turn. But given the nothingness of this match in contrast to the rest of the card I can't see them doing an angle here and it's more likely Dolph get's his win despite Rusev deserving it infinitely more with his work in the last month or so.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Ryback v Miz v Big Show- IC Title
The only person who I would be opposed to winning in this match is Big Show. Miz has been great lately, in a way him getting squashed by both Big Show and Ryback recently has made me think it's more of a possibility Miz could win. I do think Ryback will win- but I can definitely see a scenario where Ryback Shellshock's Big Show for a Big (not intended, I swear) Pop and then Miz throws Ryback out and steals the win.
Winner: Ryback

Kevin Owens v Cesaro
I'm actually not sure who's going to win this. Both of these guys desperately need a "big" win. If you know how I lay out these Predictions you'll know I've gone for Owens. This is one of the 50/50 ones on the card- but I'm leaning slightly towards Owens- I don't know if it's instinct or whatever you want to call it, but I just see it happening that way. My main reason is the fact Cesaro's actually been booked on the winning side of matches pretty consistently in the last few weeks, I'm not saying Owens will win clean- but I think he'll win.
Winner: Kevin Owens

The Wyatts v Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose
You all know where I'm going with this if you've read pretty much any of my WWE related Wrestling Posts in the last month or so. The only way I don't see Ambrose turning on Reigns is because they've deliberately set it up to make it as obvious as possible to swerve us. That's the only reason- they could of course swerve us and have Reigns turn on Ambrose as well- which I can't imagine them not thinking about as an option in the build to Money in the Bank. With all that in mind I'm sticking with my Ambrose turning Prediction that I've been harping on about for a Month.
Winner: The Wyatts

Stephen Amell & Neville v Stardust & Cosmic King Barrett
This is pretty much the most clear cut match on the card- and by quite some way. That statement of course means Stardust & Barrett will win. I just can't see Amell & Neville not winning this match- although I wouldn't mind Stardust & Barrett becoming a regular Tag-Team coming out the other side of Summerslam after their Promo on RAW.
Winner: Amell & Neville

John Cena v Seth Rollins- WWE/US Title
It's impossible to say for definite where this match is heading until the Sheamus match is over. So as far as that goes it's really 50/50. The one thing I'll say- and I will put my stake in the ground on this- I can't see Cena leaving with both belts. I might well be wrong on that front, but between the possible Sheamus shenanigans (which is quite fun to say), Triple H's death stare on RAW and just the way I think I just can't see Cena leaving with both belts.

It might have been a red herring with the segment on Monday, but Triple H pretty much confirmed that with his wording of "bringing back two belts" when it came to Rollins' statue demand. With that in mind- and call this a cop out if you must- but I'm simply going to predict shenanigans and Cena not leaving with both belts.

Brock Lesnar v Undertaker
I said it at the earliest possible time with the Battleground Review- and I'll repeat it here. At least in my opinion the most likely option is for there to be another No Contest with Taker being Brock, Brock being Rollins and Sting being Taker. I can't ignore the fact Sting was pulled from the Summerslam card- yes, it made sense because Reigns couldn't afford to be shown up charisma wise standing next to Sting- but still. That combined with the fact we know for a fact Sting is in the area this weekend because he's doing a signing on the Saturday means that's my main prediction.

There are other options of course- given the build and the old "Person who looks strong on RAW loses at the PPV" stuff we might just end up with Brock beating Taker clean again with Taker putting up his career for a Third shot at him for Mania much in the way Shawn Michaels did against Taker. Then we could get Taker winning clean to kick-off his "retirement tour" which given the fact Taker's doing the Mexico Tour at least to me means he's going to not do every PPV between now and Mania- but Summerslam won't be his only one between now and Mania. But like I said, I predicted it from the start and I'll say it again now.
Winner: No Contest

My expectations for Sunday are sky-high. There's no excuse for any of the matches not to get time- and with NXT going on the night before the Main Roster guys won't want to be outshone by it. That combined with the fact we do have 4 Hours for the show- and there won't be a load of bullshit musical performances and self-gratification stuff we get at Mania so there's no proper excuses for any of the matches to get a decent amount of time.

Thanks for reading as always, I know this was on a weird day- but I hope you understand why what with the number of posts there's going to be this week. Of course if you're reading this on Sunday it doesn't apply to you- but still thanks for reading either way. Whether you're reading this on Thursday, Sunday or any of the days in between I hope you read the Takeover Review and all of the other posts around this week. So stay tuned for all of those, I'll of course be covering Summerslam on Twitter so I hope you tag along- and like I say, the show should be a good one. We can only sit back and let it unfold at this point.