WWE SummerSlam 2016: Predicting Match Card, Most Likely Swerves at PPV

One of the biggest shows in WWE's calendar gets an extra shot of impetus this year at SummerSlam.

With the brands now split and the early signs of some brand warfare, there are all the makings of a phenomenal show later this month in Brooklyn, New York.

Two surprising contenders for the company's main titles also hint that WWE will throw more curveballs at fans in the self-titled New Era.

But what can fans expect from the hottest show of the summer? Here's a look at not only the matches fans already know about, but the others that will be added between now and the event itself, as well as a look at what swerves could be on the horizon. 

Likely Match Card

Credit: WWE.com

At the time of writing, the following matches have been confirmed by WWE:

• John Cena vs. AJ Styles
• Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE Championship)
• Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor (vacant WWE Universal Championship)
• Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte (WWE Women's Championship)
• The Miz vs. Apollo Crews (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
• Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton

Furthermore, we can expect some other matches to be added.

Rusev needs an opponent for the United States Championship, and it looks like Roman Reigns will be the guy who gets the shot. That hints at a drop down the card and a move away from the main event scene on Raw following two losses in as many nights at Battleground and the first edition of Raw following the brand split.

SmackDown will undoubtedly have female representation at the show too, perhaps with a Becky Lynch vs. Eva Marie match, judging by what happened on Tuesday night.

Expect The New Day to put their tag titles on the line too, with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson the men to get the shot. 

Finally, don't expect Kevin Owens to miss out on the fun of SummerSlam. It seemed logical he would tussle with Sami Zayn one more time, but his segments with Chris Jericho have been so amusing and interesting of late that a match between those two, or even with them teaming against someone like Enzo and Cass, could be on the agenda. 

There Will Be More Brand Warfare

Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton's appearances on SmackDown and Raw, respectively, are what is needed to build their feud up given that they're on different shows, but that will spill over into more brand warfare at SummerSlam.

It was a huge surprise when Orton showed up on Monday's Raw, and although it was far more expected to see Lesnar invade the blue brand, it still hints at an exciting few months as the brands jostle for the top spot in WWE.

Some of the lesser matches on the card will see interference from other brands too as Stephanie and Shane McMahon attempt to exert their authority on the opposing show.

If The Miz vs. Apollo Crews and the likely Roman Reigns vs. Rusev matches both need inconclusive finishes to keep the feuds going, this would be the way to do it.

Having the Raw and SmackDown brands up the ante at SummerSlam could set up an all-out war later in the year. 

Dolph Ziggler Turning Heel After Defeat

There's an underlying sense of frustration in Dolph Ziggler's recent TV appearances on SmackDown.

His reception from the WWE crowd was far from one you'd expect a babyface to get, and when he was fighting Bray Wyatt on Tuesday night, the crowd was very much in Bray's corner.

So with Ziggler constantly feeling like he's trying to impress but getting nowhere, it should be the catalyst for him to turn heel.

If Dean Ambrose beats him clean and the two shake hands afterward, it kills the feud there and then. However, Ambrose offering his hand and Ziggler viciously beating him down to turn heel gives the rivalry a fresh dynamic.

Some of Ziggler's best work came when he was a heel, especially alongside AJ Lee and Big E. Turning him heel adds a whole new impetus to Ziggler's latest run, and solidifies Ambrose as a major babyface in the process.

Balor Club to Unite in the Main Event

There is bound to be drama and excitement in the WWE Universal Championship match between Seth Rollins and Finn Balor, but there will also be a major surprise.

Whether it turns Balor heel or not is dependent on whether WWE wants to persist with Rollins as a heel, but the arrival of Balor Club to the company will signify a major moment in Balor's career irrespective of his character's direction.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson may well taste success earlier in the night if they beat The New Day for the tag titles, and with Balor being helped to the Universal Championship, it would hint at a Balor Club domination of Raw.

That would be just the thing they need to get their run as a stable up and running, which is something AJ Styles, Gallows and Anderson never quite managed since they all joined WWE earlier this year.

It would be a crazy ending to what will be an unmissable show, and it would set Raw up for an explosive few months.