WWE SummerSlam 2015: Final Picks and Predictions for All Matches on the Card
This is the night. All of the hype is over.
After weeks of buildup and a hellish seven-day stretch of promotional work and community activism, the Superstars and Divas of World Wrestling Entertainment roll into the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the biggest event of the season, SummerSlam.
The event will be headlined by a main event pitting two of the most celebrated stars in WWE history against each other in an epic rematch built on revenge. The Undertaker returns to the squared circle for his first match at the annual August extravaganza since 2008, squaring off against Brock Lesnar.
That is only one-half of the double main event, though, as WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins battles United States champion John Cena in a match in which both titles are up for grabs.
With former heavyweight champions, bright young stars and revolutionary Divas making up the remainder of the card, this year's four-hour blockbuster promises to be one of the most buzzworthy shows of 2015.
And it will have to be, following a spectacular NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn event just 24 hours earlier.
Who can fans expect to see leave SummerSlam with their arms raised in victory? Who will exit with championship gold around their waist, and who will feel the harsh disappointment of defeat?
Take a look at these final picks and predictions for Sunday night's extravaganza.
WWE Kickoff Match: Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships
1 of 10
At Elimination Chamber, The New Day used their considerable numbers advantage to stave off the challenge of numerous top contenders and retain their WWE Tag Team Championships. To do so, they had to thwart the challenge of The Prime Time Players, who catapulted themselves into contention with their performance that night.
Weeks later at Money in the Bank, The Prime Time Players realized their dream of wearing gold by defeating Kofi Kingston and Big E. A successful title defense over the same duo at Battleground allowed them to continue their reign while cutting into the momentum The New Day had built as heels.
Over the last month, Los Matadores and The Lucha Dragons interjected themselves into the title hunt. Strong performances by both tandems earned them spots in Sunday's Fatal 4-Way match.
On Saturday morning, WWE took the bout off the main broadcast and moved it to the Kickoff Show.
Prediction: The New Day
The Prime Time Players have enjoyed a nice little reign with the tag titles, but it is time to put the gold back on The New Day, who have lost some of their momentum but remain one of the most over acts in the company, despite lackluster booking as of late.
Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods have been fantastic in 2015 and should be the heels the entire tag division is built around.
Based on the recent booking, that may be exactly the direction WWE Creative is taking.
Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
2 of 10
The feud between Randy Orton and Sheamus intensified at last month's Battleground pay-per-view, when The Viper defeated Mr. Money in the Bank in the center of the ring, using the RKO to put away his opponent.
The Celtic Warrior would avenge the loss by costing Orton the WWE World Heavyweight Championship during a Raw match against Seth Rollins. And, in turn, the third-generation Superstar dropped his rival with yet another RKO, preventing him from cashing in his guaranteed title opportunity just minutes later.
Competing against each other in tag bouts, the two have managed to keep their rivalry alive despite the least amount of effort by WWE Creative imaginable.
Prediction: Sheamus
Staying true to their 50-50 style of booking, expect to see Sheamus get his win back following last month's loss.
From a booking standpoint, he needs the win to maintain credibility, especially given the countless losses he has racked up since winning the Money in the Bank briefcase.
If the audience is to take him seriously as a potential heavyweight champion at this point, he needs to score some decisive victories and build some momentum. A clean win over Orton does just that while also putting this dull program out of its misery.
Triple Threat IC Title Match: Ryback vs. The Miz vs. The Big Show
3 of 10
The Battleground match between Ryback and Big Show over the intercontinental title was on its way to being a satisfying battle of the big men before The Miz got involved, which robbed both competitors and the fans of a decisive outcome.
When Ryback was diagnosed with a staph infection, his future as champion was called into question by fans who had seen the IC title thrust into uncertainty due to injury.
The Miz and Big Show continued to interact, ensuring that the storyline would continue.
Then, when Ryback finally made his comeback, he set his sights on the two men who had been a thorn in his side prior to his short hiatus.
Miz has proved to be the punching bag for his rivals, enduring both the KO Punch from the World's Largest Athlete and Shellshocked from the IC champion.
After a brutal match on SmackDown between the heavyweights that saw them crash through the timekeeper's position, though, will the Hollywood A-lister be able to take advantage of his battered opponents and sneak away with the win and title?
Prediction: Ryback
Ryback has been a fantastic champion to this point, completely exceeding all expectations and restoring credibility to a title that has not meant nearly what it should. He is motivated and delivering the finest performances of his career right now. Best of all, the fans completely buy him in the role, erupting upon his return from injury a few weeks back.
The entire story has built to Big Show finally getting his comeuppance at the hands of the Big Guy.
A Shellshocked to the giant would make for a suitable conclusion and a great moment for Ryback.
Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens
4 of 10
The rivalry between Kevin Owens and Cesaro dates back to the weeks leading into Battleground, when Owens repeatedly cost Cesaro opportunities at the United States Championship held by John Cena. While The Swiss Superman took a backseat to the rivalry that Owens had engaged in with Cena, he immediately sought revenge when the opportunity presented itself.
Since then, Cesaro has broken out, making the most of his recent push. He has added flashier offense to his more traditional skill set while battling the former NXT champion in numerous tag team and Triple Threat matches.
Both men have had the chance to compete for the right to challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship but fell short, which left them free to settle their differences Sunday night in Brooklyn.
Prediction: Kevin Owens
No Superstar has cooled as significantly as Owens has in the wake of last month's Battleground pay-per-view. The loss he suffered at the hands of Cena on that night, as well as the mounting defeats he has endured in the weeks that followed, have led to his losing a lot of the star aura that once surrounded him.
A win over Cesaro on Sunday night may not repair him completely, but it will help turn the tide on what has otherwise been a downward spiral of late.
Cesaro's status as a babyface will allow him to bounce back quicker and easier given the company's preference for quality good guys over legitimate heels.
Neville and Stephen Amell vs. Stardust and King Barrett
5 of 10
For well over a year, Arrow star Stephen Amell has lobbied WWE for the opportunity to take part in the show. A lifelong wrestling fan, he took to social media to state his case.
After an altercation with Stardust a few months back, prior to the unfortunate passing of Dusty Rhodes, the issues between the actor and the second-generation star intensified once again when Amell guest-starred on the August 10 episode of Raw.
The cosmic Superstar disrespected the celebrity. Unwilling to sit back and allow the insult to go unanswered, Amell hopped the guardrail and took Stardust down, pounding away at his rival. Furious that his guest had interjected himself in the show, COO Triple H admonished him backstage, only to be shocked when Amell accepted WWE Superstar Neville's offer to team with him to face Stardust and King Barrett at SummerSlam.
The match was booked, giving Amell the opportunity to live his dream of competing in a WWE ring.
But his involvement is not at the heart of the match.
As WWE's resident superhero, Neville has found himself under attack by cosmic baddie Stardust.
The two have the opportunity to settle their issues Sunday night in a match with far more background than some of the higher-profile bouts on the card.
Prediction: Neville and Stephen Amell
There is no way WWE is bringing in Amell to lose here. No matter how hot Stardust has been over the last month, he is a pro's pro whose job it will be to take the pin Sunday night. The impending loss will prove beneficial to him, though, because he will appear across mainstream media as the guy whom Amell mixed it up with.
Where that leaves him going forward should be interesting to watch.
Divas Elimination Tag Match: Team PCB vs. Team BAD vs. Team Bella
6 of 10
The Divas Revolution took WWE by force just over a month ago, as the arrival of former NXT Divas Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch immediately changed perceptions of women's wrestling in the company.
Team Bella, consisting of The Bella Twins and Alicia Fox, found their dominance threatened by Charlotte and Lynch's pairing with Paige, as well as Banks' partnership with Naomi and Tamina.
A three-way rivalry involving the teams ensued, with the newcomers oftentimes scoring victories over the more experienced stars of Team Bella.
Paige picked up a win over Divas champion Nikki Bella, as did Sasha Banks.
On the final episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam, though, it was Brie Bella who seized momentum for her team with a victory in Triple Threat action against Lynch and Banks.
Prediction: Team Bella
As much as this writer wants nothing more than to see Team PCB or BAD walk away victoriously here, SummerSlam typically coincides with the season finale of Total Divas. Therefore, it should be expected that WWE would want to put the Bella Twins over here to spotlight them when that episode finally airs a few months from now.
Nikki is the current Divas champion, and the company appears, from the outside looking in, to be bent on making sure she eclipses the record for longest title reign, which is currently held by AJ Lee.
If that is the case, it will be imperative to keep her strong, and win a Sunday night would certainly do that...even if a loss would help create new and fresh competition.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev
7 of 10
For months, chants of "we want Lana" rang throughout arenas, angering Rusev and creating an irreparable schism between the Bulgarian Brute and Ravishing Russian.
Despite a partnership that had been mutually beneficial, Rusev's controlling and verbally abusive ways led Lana to split from her former charge and wind up in the arms of The Show Off, Dolph Ziggler.
Not one to sit back and allow a woman to humiliate him in that fashion, Rusev aligned himself with Summer Rae, who appeared to have her eyes on the former United States Championship.
Their budding business relationship would allow the Bulgarian star to regain face while presenting the leggy blonde with a new star she could latch onto as he rose to the top of the industry.
Together, the duo was responsible for injuring Ziggler, thus leaving Lana at their mercy.
For weeks, they tormented her, but the Russian never allowed the constant emotional abuse to defeat her. She would gain a measure of revenge by shoving Summer face-first into a dead fish, but an Accolade by the former ballroom dancer to Lana intensified the rivalry.
Then, on the August 17 episode of Raw, Ziggler made his stunning return, and a match between him and Rusev was hastily booked for SummerSlam.
Prediction: Rusev
This feels like the setup to a much bigger and more important Mixed Tag Team match further down the line, perhaps at September's Night of Champions pay-per-view. As such, the heel would have to go over in order to continue the progression of the story.
Otherwise, the babyfaces would have their shining moment, and the fans would have their happy ending.
Expect Rusev to cheat his way to victory, probably with the assistance of Summer Rae, leaving Ziggler and Lana to take to the squared circle for revenge at a later date.
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper
8 of 10
The feud between Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt necessitated Sunday's tag match.
At Money in the Bank, Wyatt interfered in the titular match, costing Reigns the opportunity to win a guaranteed shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
"Anyone but you," he exclaimed, seemingly hellbent on preventing the former Shield member from rising to the top of the industry. To support his war against Reigns, Wyatt recruited former "family" member Luke Harper, who interfered and helped the Reaper of Souls pick up a huge win at Battleground.
With his friend and former Shield teammate on the losing end of a numbers game, Dean Ambrose emerged and stood by Reigns' side, creating a heated rivalry between the two tandems that featured numerous brawls.
Prediction: Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
It remains to be seen how far WWE wants to go to drag this program out. With Erick Rowan still recovering from injury, one would have to assume he would be introduced to the story at some point. Until that time comes, or WWE Creative makes the decision to turn either Reigns or Ambrose, expect the writers to fall back to their crutch of 50-50 booking.
Wyatt won at Battleground, which means it is Reigns and Ambrose's turn to pick up the victory here.
Of course, that would seem to suggest that the feud would be over, but do not be surprised to see the company book something immediately after the match to justify continuing the rivalry.
Title for Title Match: John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
9 of 10
On July 27, Seth Rollins challenged John Cena for the United States Championship in the main event of Monday Night Raw. In a fantastic wrestling match, The Architect caught Cena with an errant knee to the face, shattering his nose all over his face.
It was a grizzly injury suffered by the biggest and most important star in WWE but one he worked through, to the point that he picked up the win following an Attitude Adjustment.
Despite the loss, Rollins took credit for sidelining Cena and called himself the greatest champion in wrestling. Rollins was so sure of himself that he issued a challenge for a Title vs. Title match at SummerSlam.
When Cena announced on Tough Enough that he would accept the challenge, he delivered a stiff blow to Rollins' ego by referring to him as Triple H's lackey (in much harsher language). A comment about tying Ric Flair's record for world title reigns and the effect it would have on Triple H sets the stage for the COO to interfere in Sunday's title bout.
Prediction: Seth Rollins
Much like the match between Ziggler and Rusev, this feels like the start of something rather than the culmination of a rivalry.
A Cena win would result in harsh criticisms from fans blaming WWE or panicking when ratings dipped and going back to the same, tired act in Cena.
Rollins, on the other hand, is a lead heel whom the entire show is built around. One look at the current roster reveals a lack of quality villains. Why sacrifice your biggest and best, someone who has proved he can be the centerpiece of television, just to put the title back on Cena?
The franchise player has had his best year ever from an in-ring perspective and would certainly deserve another run with the most prestigious prize in the sport. Now is not the right time, though.
The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
10 of 10
There is no forgetting the silence that befell New Orleans' Superdome as the referee's hand slapped the mat for the third time and Brock Lesnar was announced as the winner of his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX.
Almost immediately, fans questioned whether the finish was botched—if Undertaker was legitimately hurt and unable to hear his cue. But as the 21-1 graphics appeared on the screens around the stadium, fans were faced with the harsh reality that Vince McMahon and WWE had taken the most sacred winning streak in wrestling and crushed it in front of millions of fans worldwide, courtesy of Lesnar.
The Beast Incarnate's victory over The Phenom fueled his dominant run in 2014, earning him the momentum necessary to demolish John Cena in the most one-sided main event in wrestling history at SummerSlam for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Last month at Battleground, as Lesnar was attempting to win back the title so cheaply stolen from him by Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XXXI, Undertaker shocked the world with a comeback that started with a low blow.
Since then, he and Lesnar have engaged in a brawl that saw The Beast forcefully removed from the arena. Then, just six days before the SummerSlam main event, Undertaker again struck with a kick south of the belt line and two consecutive Tombstone piledrivers that left Lesnar unconscious in the center of the ring.
Prediction: The Undertaker
At this point, it is not realistic to suggest that Undertaker came out of semi-retirement to work a rare non-WrestleMania match just to be demolished by Lesnar once again, even if common sense would seem to indicate that is the best way to go about doing things.
After all, how can The Deadman convincingly beat The Beast?
With help, of course.
Do not forget the fact that during the buildup to Lesnar's match with Seth Rollins at Battleground, he broke the ankle of Kane. You know, the younger brother of the Phenom, a fact that Paul Heyman made abundantly clear while goading the Big Red Monster.
It would make sense for Kane to return and assist his brother, reuniting the Brothers of Destruction as the only force capable of slowing Lesnar.
Even if that does not happen, Undertaker is winning Sunday night.
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