Handicapping the Most Likely Outcomes for Seth Rollins vs. John Cena Match

The showdown between John Cena and Seth Rollins at SummerSlam is being marketed as title vs. title. But with so many possible outcomes likely to prevent one man from leaving with both championships, it's unlikely that WWE will see its first WWE and United States champion by the end of this match.

As of this writing, this is a standard singles match with no stipulations, so several outcomes are in play. Everything from a disqualification to a Money in the Bank cash-in could affect the finish. But just how likely is each scenario?

Scenario: John Cena wins WWE World Heavyweight Championship  

If John Cena's historic 16th world championship victory came after such little fanfare, it would be a shame. Based on the buildup, Cena's quest to break one of wrestling's only sacred records is tertiary to his broken nose and Rollins proving himself as a viable world champion.

Cena didn't even mention the number 16 until the go-home show, but by then, it was nothing more than a tidbit that he otherwise brilliantly weaved into a strong promo. Should Cena ever break this record, it should have its own storyline and buildup, possibly leading up to WrestleMania.

But the lack of emphasis on what would be a monumental victory, combined with the premature "15 times" t-shirts hurt the odds of Cena winning another WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.

Odds: 5-1

Scenario: Seth Rollins Wins United States Championship

WWE is having enough trouble building up a legitimate division for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The fact that Cena is once again in the world title picture means WWE once again broke into its emergency glass case, since all the other top babyfaces recently feuded with Rollins.

Should Rollins win the United States Championship, it would be for vanity purposes only. The title wouldn't be nearly as interesting as it is during Cena's reign, and Rollins could just as easily neglect it.

A Seth Rollins United States Championship open challenge the following night could be in order. This would give WWE a chance to have Rollins immediately drop the title to a Barclays-approved (read: Internet Wrestling Community-approved) babyface for an easy pop. Only then would the United States Championship continue to build momentum without getting lost in the shadow of a world championship.

Odds: 9-4

Scenario: John Cena vs. Seth Rollins Ends in a Disqualification, No-contest or Time Limit Draw

In the event of a non-finish, both Cena and Rollins would leave with their championships. A time limit draw is an old-school finish that wouldn't be as upsetting to the hardcore New York fans as the others. 

Fans may still feel like they got their money's worth from a time limit draw since it would mean Cena and Rollins went the distance, and the match wasn't even the main event.

Any non-finish would be poorly received, but a disqualification of any sort would cause significant unrest. The only way WWE can weasel its way out of the match with some variation of a non-finish is if it's accompanied by a huge surprise appearance.

Possibly The Rock?

Triple H is intertwined in the Cena-Rollins feud. During Monday's contract signing, there was a tease that he could get involved. Should this happen, it would open the door for The Rock to make the save to build on their confrontation at WrestleMania 31.

With such a special appearance, fans would forget what Cena and Rollins were fighting for in the first place.

Odds: 2-1

Scenario: Sheamus Cashes in his Money in the Bank Contract

The elephant in the room is Sheamus possibly cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. This would be an easy way out of crowning a dual champion and mauling history all while giving fans a satisfactory finish.

The problem with this scenario is it will only be done for the above-mentioned reasons. There is no demand for Sheamus to carry the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the moment. This possibility was seldom teased outside of a recent attempt two weeks ago.

There is a good chance that Sheamus could cash in his contract midway through the match, only to lose. WWE could then explain the technicality that no titles could change hands since Sheamus' cash-in attempt made the match exclusively for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Where's Jack Tunney when you need him?

Odds: 11-10

Alfred Konuwa is a featured columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty and subscribe to his weekly wrestling podcast.