WWE SummerSlam 2013 Matches: Full Card, Lineup and Predictions for Marquee PPV

SummerSlam is one of WWE's longest-running and most successful pay-per-views, and the tradition of excellence promises to continue on Sunday night. WWE has come up with a stacked card, and while expectations from the fans are high, there is no reason why the performers shouldn't be able to live up to them.

With John Cena and Daniel Bryan doing battle for the WWE Championship, as well as CM Punk taking on Brock Lesnar in a match dubbed "The Best vs. The Beast," SummerSlam should be spectacular even if the undercard only ends up being average. It's hard to imagine that will be the case, though, as there are plenty of intriguing midcard matches to boot.

Here is a complete breakdown of every match scheduled for the SummerSlam card along with predictions for who will prevail in each one.

John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan

In what has already been one of the better face vs. face feuds in recent years, Cena and Bryan have been effective in generating interest for SummerSlam. The match should be excellent, but there are plenty of moving parts that could make it even better. Not only will Triple H be serving as the special guest referee, but Randy Orton is lurking with the Money in the Bank briefcase in tow as well.

There is so much unpredictability involved that it's impossible not to be excited about this encounter. Based on how much Orton has been featured in the angle, however, it seems likely that he will cash in. The manner in which he'll do it is up for debate, but look for The Shield to attack Bryan after winning the title at the behest of Vince McMahon. This will allow "The Viper" to slither into the ring and successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract.

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar

Even if Punk and Lesnar don't close the show at SummerSlam, it's possible that they could steal it with an incredible match. Punk and Lesnar are essentially polar opposites, but as two of the best WWE Superstars over the past couple of decades, they are guaranteed to put on a great show. Lesnar has largely gotten the better of Punk throughout the build toward SummerSlam, but Punk was able to stand tall on Raw.

An interesting sidebar to this match is Paul Heyman's involvement. Punk's ultimate goal is to get his hands on his former manager and friend. While Lesnar is likely to take time off after this match, expect him to win as it can help further the Punk vs. Heyman angle moving forward.

Also, in an effort to keep Punk relevant after SummerSlam, look for Rob Van Dam to interfere on Heyman's behalf and turn heel in the process to kick-start a Punk vs. RVD feud.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian

The World Heavyweight Championship match between Del Rio and Christian has been overshadowed by some of the bigger matches, but it has the potential to be one of the best-worked bouts on the card. Del Rio's world title reign hasn't been anything to get excited about, so the creative team has nothing to lose. Christian is a veteran who doesn't need the belt, but at least he can potentially have some fresh, exciting feuds.

Christian has beaten Del Rio in non-title matches, which is a bit disconcerting, but there is no real reason for ADR to retain. The fact that he attacked Ricardo Rodriguez a couple of weeks ago figures to come back to bite him as Rodriguez will interfere, allowing Christian to become world heavyweight champion for the third time.

Kane vs. Bray Wyatt

Although no titles are on the line, the Ring of Fire match between Kane and Bray Wyatt is one of the most intriguing clashes on the card. Wyatt has yet to wrestle a match under his new persona, but he has been one of the best things going in WWE in recent weeks. Kane's involvement has been great as well since "The Big Red Monster's" dark character is the perfect foil to Wyatt.

The Ring of Fire match hasn't been fully explained, but it figures to differ from an Inferno match. One can safely assume that the rules of the match are similar to a standard match except the fire will keep Luke Harper and Erick Rowan out of the ring.

There is little doubt that Wyatt will win his debut match, and things also seem to be pointing toward the Wyatt Family abducting Kane in an effort to make him part of the family.

 

Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn vs. Big E Langston and AJ Lee

It seemed like Ziggler was on track to becoming one of the WWE's top faces several weeks ago, but his progress has halted to an extent. He turned face after dropping the World Heavyweight Championship to Alberto Del Rio at Payback, and the fans seemed to get behind him. However, the creative team has failed to capitalize on his momentum. Because of that, he will team with Kaitlyn against Big E Langston and AJ Lee.

All four people involved are talented performers, so it won't necessarily be a bad bout, but very little is riding on it. Since Ziggler is the future star of the group, though, it makes sense for him to pick up the victory. His pay-per-view record is appalling, but he'll put one in the win column on Sunday.

Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow

Rhodes and Sandow were floundering as a tag team for months as they were constantly booked to lose, but their respective career paths changed significantly at Money in the Bank.

Rhodes was about to secure the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank briefcase before Sandow attacked him from behind and won the prize. Since then, Rhodes has made life miserable for Sandow as he believes that his former best friend double-crossed him.

There was belief among fans that the Money in the Bank contract would be up for grabs in this match, but that won't be the case. Conventional wisdom suggests that Sandow should win since he is a future world champion, however, the WWE doesn't usually book like that. Since the briefcase isn't on the line, Rhodes will win the match, which should help boost his meteoric rise as a face.

Natalya vs. Brie Bella

In what is unarguably the least important match on the card, Natalya will take on Brie Bella in a bout that will be used to further Total Divas. There's no reason to get mad about this match necessarily since it is only going to last a couple of minutes, but it's silly to have it rather than an Intercontinental or Tag Team Championship match.

With other cast members of Total Divas scheduled to be at ringside, this match is sure to devolve into an all-out brawl. Since The Bella Twins always seem to get the better of their counterparts on Total Divas as well as on WWE programming, Natalya will probably reign supreme at SummerSlam.

Dean Ambrose vs. Rob Van Dam

The United States Championship match between Ambrose and RVD could have been one of the best matches on SummerSlam's main card, but it has been relegated to the kickoff pre-show. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, as it could lead to an increase in pay-per-view buys.

Van Dam has had some spectacular matches since making his WWE return, and there is little doubt that he'll have great chemistry with an up-and-comer like Ambrose.

Also, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are set to accompany Ambrose, while Mark Henry and Big Show will do the same for RVD. The face trio defeated The Shield on SmackDown, but they won't get the better of the Hounds of Justice this time around. RVD won't benefit from winning the United States title at this stage in his career, so Ambrose is all but guaranteed to retain.

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