WWE SummerSlam 2016 Preview

There are now just a few days left until WWE heads to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York for SummerSlam. The final card seems to be finalizing as there is only one episode of Monday Night RAW left before the big event. Here is a preview of the updated card:

Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass
This is one of the most recent rivalries that started just a couple weeks ago. With a mixture of great promos, great wrestling, and just enough comedy, this match has the potential to be a crowd pleaser. The mic skills shown by all 4 men have been the highlight as well as the comedy provided by Jericho and Owens. By being in the ring with two great ring veterans, Enzo & Cass have the potential to continue their hot streak and get a future shot at the WWE Tag Team Championship.

John Cena vs. AJ Styles
What started at Money in the Bank, seems to be concluding at SummerSlam. The 3rd and most likely final PPV match between these two men was made official on Smackdown. This rivalry has been cooling down the last couple weeks but has picked up some steam recently. Cena’s promo skills have been on point, at times overshadowing AJ. But Styles has been adapting to his heel character and has shown improvement. Fans have been complaining about the lack of interest in this match. But as proven in the past, both of these men can have a five star match. Who will come out victorious in this rivalry? Will the winner possibly be the next number one contender for the WWE Championship? We will find out at Summerslam.

United States Championship match:
Rusev vs. Roman Reigns
Rusev, alongside with Lana have been flourishing with this new wedding angle. But in what looks like a demotion for Roman Reigns, this has the potential to be a great match. This fresh and new matchup brings hope for both men. Putting Roman vs. the anti-American monster has finally gotten fans to cheer for him as well as making Rusev that villain heel they have always wanted. If Roman wins, it will be interesting to see what is next for Rusev. But a Roman loss can be the last straw for that heel turn fans have been waiting for.

Intercontinental Championship match:
The Miz vs. Apollo Crews
This match is just what Apollo Crews needs. A credible opponent, as well as a goal at the finish line. The Intercontinental championship may be just what Apollo needs to solidify his name in the main roster. As for The Miz if he wins, ehhh on to the next opponent.

Tag Team Championship match:
The New Day vs. Gallows & Anderson
In what has been a roller coaster of a rivalry, this feud has had it all. From Big E having a contusion on his genitals. To The Club pretending to be doctors. This match is very underrated. If Gallows & Anderson can bring that strong style they have shown since their debut, mixed with the shenanigans of The New Day, this match can be really good. Both wrestling wise, as well as entertaining. It will be interesting to see if The Club will be the chosen tag team to dethrone The New Day. Or will The New Day reign on as champions. If so, is Balor next up for The Club?

Women’s Championship match:
Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte
This rivalry dates back to when both women made their main roster debut. Even further back in NXT. Sasha and Charlotte seem to be the ying and the yang that the women’s division needed. Although it may not be as good as their championship match on RAW. This match still has the potential to be great. Both women have delivered on the big stage and SummerSlam seems to not disappoint. With the ban of Dana Brooke from ringside, this adds another twist to the match. It will be interesting to see if WWE believe in Sasha as Women’s champ or if Charlotte is still the poster child for the women’s division.

Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton
In what has been a surprise to most fans, the feud between Orton and Lesnar has been sensational. Whether it’s Orton poking fun at Lesnar’s recent UFC controversy or both men attacking each other on both RAW and Smackdown. This feud has already surpassed what most fans expected. The promos from Paul Heyman have been great as usual and the video packages showing both men from the start of their careers have added a lot of interest to this match. It will be interesting to see if Orton can once again win a big time match. Has Brock’s UFC controversy already lost him the match? Or with Lesnar being on the cover of the new video game ‘WWE 2K17’, will WWE continue to push Brock as the company’s monster top star?

WWE Championship match:
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler
With a new era of Smackdown beginning, this matchup was just what the show needed. Dolph becoming number one contender came as a surprise to most fans, making Dean Ambrose the strong favorite, but having a new, fresh challenger makes this rivalry worth watching. We already know what to expect from Ziggler and Ambrose. Both men always put on a great match regardless of anything. Ziggler has been great on the mic delivering heart-felt promos. Ambrose is showing how good he is adapting to his character and being the men. I believe both men have a lot to prove as well. Fans seem to be overlooking this match because of a new world title debuting at SummerSlam. Expect Ambrose and Ziggler to steal the show and prove everyone wrong.

WWE Universal Championship match:
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
In what feels to be the main event, Rollins and Balor are expected to have the best match on the card. The similarities of styles add a unique touch to this match. But what makes things more interesting is the differences in characters. Finn will finally be debuting his Demon character that was so loved in NXT. It will come as a great surprise to those in the WWE Universe who have never seen NXT. Balor always brings that intensity when the body paint is on and we expect nothing less on Sunday August 21, 2016. On the other side of the ring we have “Cross Fit Jesus”. Rollins always brings out his white gear for big time matches. This adds more excitement to the matches in my opinion. Regardless of the outcome, Balor is a bona fide megastar in the making. He still needs improvement and there is still time introduce Balor to a wider audience and allow him to get his footing in this new environment. This may be why Rollins is the favorite to win. Seth has proven these last years that he is the man. He has everything a wrestler needs to be a superstar. Making him the champion opens up for this rivalry to continue for months to come. So who wins from this aged old storyline of good vs. evil? Will Finn become the man or will Seth prove once again why he is in the main event?

Also, Cesaro and Sheamus seem to be teasing a match at the big event but nothing official as of yet. Popular superstars like Sami Zayn, Neville, and Darren Young are also not on the card. There is still plenty of time for new matches to be added on or switched around. As the old saying goes, “card is subject to change”. Tune in Sunday, August 21, 2016 to watch it all unfold.