WWE SummerSlam 2015: Stars Under the Most Pressure at PPV

Anytime WWE presents a show with the prestige and lineage of a SummerSlam, there is sure to be incredible pressure on the talent to deliver performances that help elevate the overall quality of the event.

On Aug. 23, there will be a handful of WWE Superstars and Divas that will take to the squared circle inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, all facing near overwhelming pressure to deliver for a number of different reasons.

There is the WWE World Heavyweight champion, the greatest phenom known to WWE, three Divas sparking a revolution, a family of enigmatic Superstars and a Swiss Superman, all of whom will leave everything they have in the ring on that night, their response to the pressure facing them.

Why them? What about them has those performers facing so much pressure as they prepare for some of the biggest matches of their careers?

Some have to legitimize their reigns. Others have to justify their push. One has to prove that, though the dog may be old, the WWE Universe is still his yard.

Will they succeed?

Only time will tell. Until them, take a look at this handful of stars looking to rise to the occasion in just over one week.

The Undertaker

Credit: WWE.com

To say The Undertaker has been the subject of many age-related criticisms upon his return to WWE would be an understatement. That he has looked less than stellar in his last two official matches has not helped matters as he prepares for a huge SummerSlam main event against Brock Lesnar.

After decades as the company's unquestioned locker room leader, he finds himself in a situation in which he, more than any other Superstar who will take to the grand stage of the summertime spectacular, faces the greatest pressure of all.

One half of a match that is being billed as the main event of the Aug. 23 pay-per-view extravaganza, there will be lofty expectations for the Deadman's performance. Fans will expect him to deliver, much in the same way he did against Triple H, Shawn Michaels and CM Punk not all that long ago.

With Lesnar being an unconventional worker, it will be up to the Phenom to work with him and bring some of the ferocity he showed a month ago on Raw to ensure the success of the match.

A basic wrestling match will not do. Undertaker will have to dip down into his bag of tricks and pull out a hard-hitting, high-impact performance the likes of which helped his matches with Triple H at back-to-back WrestleManias become the classics they eventually did.

If he can muster that type of performance, every ounce of criticism in regards to the Deadman's age and ability will disappear.

On the other hand, a showing that more closely resembles the lackluster bouts against Bray Wyatt and Lesnar more recently would only intensify the questions surrounding his place on the current roster. 

Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

The WWE World Heavyweight champion has reigned over the company since WrestleMania 31, where he shockingly cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and captured the top prize in the industry.

Since that fateful night, though, there have been many criticisms about the way he has been booked by WWE Creative. He has been treated like an afterthought and booked so poorly that the fact that he remains champion and as over with the audience as he is almost qualifies as a surprise.

On Aug. 23, he will face United States champion John Cena in a title-vs.-title match that promises to be one of the night's marquee bouts.

Considering the incredible roll Cena has been on from an in-ring standpoint throughout 2015, working phenomenal bouts with talents of different sizes and styles, the pressure will be on Rollins to perform up to the level of the franchise star when they clash with championship gold at stake.

He has proven he can do just that, competing in a brilliant match against Cena just weeks ago on Raw, where he broke his rival's nose in gruesome fashion.

Can he replicate the performance and deliver a Match of the Year candidate befitting the title-vs.-title stipulation?

Only time will tell but it will be on the Architect to ensure the quality of the contest, especially if Cena is not at 100 percent entering the bout. 

Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch

Credit: WWE.com

Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch have been part of WWE's main roster for two months now and appeared on a pay-per-view broadcast, but everything they have experienced to this point will pale in comparison to the pressure they experience when they compete at one of wrestling's grandest extravaganzas in SummerSlam.

All three earned rave reviews for their work in NXT and have succeeded to this point in their main roster careers, bringing legitimacy to women's wrestling and helping kick off a revolution in the Divas division.

At SummerSlam, the pressure will be on for them to help make what is shaping up to be a huge three-team elimination tag bout one of the best on the show.

Luckily for them, they have spent the majority of their NXT careers stealing the show.

Still, a major WWE pay-per-view the likes of SummerSlam is a whole other beast. Fans know what they can expect from the Bella Twins, Naomi and Tamina and Alicia Fox to this point. They are just beginning to understand the type of worker Paige is when she works with someone who can keep up with her.

All eyes will be on Charlotte, Lynch and Banks to see if they can once again perform up to the moment, with all of the pressure in the world on their shoulders to justify their push and all of the attention paid to women's wrestling over the last eight weeks.

The Wyatt Family

Credit: WWE.com

Both Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper are facing a great deal of pressure, for different reasons.

Wyatt's pay-per-view performances to this point have been wildly inconsistent. Some have been superb while others have left fans wondering what the big deal is beyond the cool entrance and cryptic promos. At last month's Battleground show, he delivered a strong showing against Roman Reigns in a match that far exceeded expectations.

If he can turn in another similar performance, he will earn back some of those critics who questioned his ability.

For Harper, SummerSlam represents a return to relevancy for the talented big man. 

After months wasted wallowing away in the midcard, he was reunited with Wyatt in a partnership that never should have ended in the first place. It will be up to him to prove that he deserves that second chance, that he can continue delivering the quality of work that he has to this point.

With opponents like Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, it should not be difficult. 

The feud has been a quality one to this point, with intense brawling between both teams and enough emphasis on Wyatt and Harper to help get them over as heels on the level of their legitimate babyface main event opposition.

Cesaro

Credit: WWE.com

Cesaro has made the most of his recent push to this point, delivering show-stealing performances over the last two months, including Match of the Year contenders against John Cena.

When he enters Brooklyn's Barclays Center, presumably to face rival Kevin Owens, he will feel tremendous pressure to live up to the lofty expectations he has set for himself of late.

A poor or disappointing performance could spell doom for him, especially considering the inconsistency and ultimate disappearance of previous pushes.

Luckily, the Swiss Superman is on the hottest streak of his WWE career. He appears more confident in his performances than ever and is as over with the crowd as he has ever been. The crowd has fueled recent showings, helping him to find a new gear and intensity in matches with Randy Orton, Owens, Cena and Seth Rollins.

If the crowd in Brooklyn is as hot for him as others have been as of late, Cesaro will prove all doubters wrong.