WWE SummerSlam 2016: Match Card, Top Themes Established in Build to PPV Event
As WWE's biggest party of the summer, it should come as no surprise Sunday's WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view is stacked from top to bottom. The star-studded card will feature a variety of fresh matchups and anticipated championship clashes, all worthy of occurring at the WrestleMania of the summer.
Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton will meet for the first time on a major WWE pay-per-view, both hungry to prove to the other they are the superior Superstar. Will Orton somehow secure the upset victory by way of an RKO out of nowhere on The Beast Incarnate?
Dolph Ziggler shocked the world by becoming the new No. 1 contender to the WWE World Championship late last month and has since cemented himself as a legitimate threat to the title. Can he beat Dean Ambrose for the belt when it matters most on Sunday?
Few stars can say they have ascended to the top of the card quicker than Finn Balor, and now he has the ultimate opportunity to make history by becoming the inaugural WWE universal champion. But will Seth Rollins spoil his plans by stealing the strap in Brooklyn, New York?
Ahead of tonight's loaded lineup, let's look at the biggest themes established en route to SummerSlam over the last month.
Becky Lynch, Naomi and Carmella vs. Natalya and Alexa Bliss
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Say what you will about the limited roster of women on SmackDown, but the brand has made excellent use of who it has at its disposal since the start of the brand extension. Becky Lynch was already established from the get-go, but the rest of the women have managed to make names for themselves as well.
Natalya has finally found her footing as a heel, and Alexa Bliss left a lasting impression by winning her debut match. Meanwhile, Carmella is gradually winning over the audience, and Naomi has experienced yet another character resurgence.
Above all else, Eva Marie has had everyone talking by refusing to wrestle against the lovely ladies of SmackDown. Although it looked like she was set to debut in the ring at SummerSlam in the six-woman tag team match, she has since been pulled from the event due to being suspended for 30 days for violating WWE's wellness policy.
There is very little chance that this is ultimately an angle, but it can be turned into one. How hilarious would it be if Eva admitted she went to great lengths by getting herself suspended so she wouldn't have to compete at the pay-per-view?
Nevertheless, her absence allows her opponents and allies to shine on their own and further prove why SmackDown is in desperate need of a women's title of some sort. Don't count out the possibility of Nikki Bella returning and replacing Eva.
Cesaro vs. Sheamus (Match 1 in Best-of-7 Series)
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Cesaro and Sheamus have had their sights set on each other since arriving on Raw last month in the 2016 WWE draft, both eager to make an immediate impact on Monday nights. While Cesaro was successful in knocking off Sheamus in their first two outings, their feud was far from over.
Once The Celtic Warrior cost Cesaro the United States Championship on a recent edition of Raw, their rivalry escalated to a whole new level. They were bound to collide again anyway, but Mick Foley raised the stakes by putting them in a best-of-seven series.
We haven't witnessed such a marathon of matches in WWE in well over a decade, and perhaps there are no two Superstars who would be more up to the task than Cesaro and Sheamus.
Their matches are always excellent, so that won't be issue at all. Rather, something should be put on the line in this series, whether it be a title shot or a spot on the SmackDown roster.
Either way, the series is scheduled to commence at SummerSlam. Whoever takes home the premiere victory on Sunday will set the tone for the rest of the rivalry.
Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens
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The kinship between Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens dates back to earlier this year, though it wasn't until just recently that they decided to form an alliance with one goal in mind: eliminate Enzo Amore and Big Cass.
In the months that have followed their electric arrival on Raw, Enzo and Cass have taken the tag team division to new heights, and it is merely a matter of time before they will be contending for the WWE Tag Team Championship again. But first, they have to overcome the roadblock of Jeri-KO.
Despite being a makeshift tandem, Jericho and Owens have shown incredible chemistry in recent weeks. They play off each other exceptionally, both in the ring and on the mic.
That said, that should bode well for their chances of triumph against the established duo of Enzo and Cass. They have singles success to their credit, whereas The Realest Guys in the Room have yet to hold gold in WWE or in NXT.
Since SummerSlam will be taking place in Brooklyn, the backyard of Enzo and Cass, it will definitely work to their advantage, but Jeri-KO will take great joy in ruining their grand homecoming.
The Miz vs. Apollo Crews (Intercontinental Championship)
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When he won back the Intercontinental Championship for a fifth time the night after WrestleMania 32, The Miz was viewed as a joke by the WWE Universe. However, he has proven his naysayers wrong time and time again by successfully defending his prestigious prize against everyone who has stepped up to challenge him.
On the other hand, Miz has yet to face anyone quite like Apollo Crews, who has had momentum on his side since arriving on the main roster the same night Miz regained the gold. Granted, he doesn't have many major victories under his belt as of now, but he could very well walk out of Brooklyn the new intercontinental champion on Sunday.
Although fans should be excited for this match, some might be slightly disappointed WWE hasn't done more to build up the bout. Crews winning the No. 1 contender's Triple Threat match a few weeks back was fine, but very little if anything occurred in the weeks that followed.
Crews has plenty of potential to be a big star on SmackDown in time, but officials first have to establish him in the midcard. A nice reign with the intercontinental title would be a step in the right direction.
It was at Barclays Center almost exactly one year prior that Crews made his NXT debut at TakeOver, so it is only fitting he get his first taste of singles gold in that same building at SummerSlam. Then again, fans have doubted Miz in the past, and he has retained the title time and time again, so The Awesome One shouldn't be underestimated.
The New Day vs. The Club (WWE Tag Team Championship)
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The Dudley Boyz. The Prime Time Players. The Lucha Dragons. The Usos. League of Nations. What do all of these tandems have in common? Each of them fell to The New Day during their record-breaking one-year reign as WWE tag team champions.
WWE's fledgling tag team division was in a state of disarray before New Day came into the picture, and their tag title run has been the best thing to happen to the division in several years. But all good things must end eventually, and their reign will be in serious jeopardy at SummerSlam.
Despite initially falling short of defeating New Day a few weeks back, The Club has had their number. They showed no remorse in viciously attacking Big E, who will not be present at the pay-per-view due to suffering from a groin injury.
That means Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods will have to go at it alone in their title defense versus Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Without that numbers advantage, it is quite possible we witness the crowning of new tag champs on Sunday.
New Day have overcome the odds before, but never in a situation such as this. The Club have been running rampant over the roster for months, and they might finally be rewarded for their efforts in the form of a tag title victory.
Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte (WWE Women's Championship)
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Sasha Banks had championship aspirations the moment she debuted in WWE last summer, though she never had the chance to contend for a title until WrestleMania 32. That appeared to be her night, but she fell short of victory when Charlotte pinned Becky Lynch to become the inaugural WWE women's champion.
The humiliating loss sent Sasha packing from Raw for many months, only for her to resurface shortly following June's Money in the Bank pay-per-view. She made it clear from the start she wanted the women's title in her possession, but Charlotte's protege, Dana Brooke, was a thorn in Sasha's side throughout her championship chase.
At long last, Banks beat her former friend on the July 25 edition of Raw to clinch her first WWE Women's Championship. Their rivalry had only just begun, however, as Charlotte wasted no time in invoking her rematch clause at SummerSlam.
It was uncertain whether Brooke would once again be banned from ringside until Banks defeated her in a match to determine her fate at the event. Thus, it will be a one-on-one bout between the two at SummerSlam, but Banks will still have her work cut out for her this time around.
Her amazing title victory was a milestone moment for women's wrestling, but what if it was nothing more than a fluke? That is what Charlotte will look to prove come their highly anticipated rematch.
Rusev vs. Roman Reigns (United States Championship)
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Rusev was largely an afterthought during his short-lived stint in League of Nations, and the dissolution of the group this past spring was the best thing that could have happened to him. While Wade Barrett, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio all faded off into obscurity, Rusev rose to the occasion and became a two-time United States champion at Payback.
Mark Henry, Cesaro, Zack Ryder, Kalisto and Titus O'Neil have all fallen victim to the Accolade in recent months, but Roman Reigns will pose an entirely different challenge to Rusev. He stepped up to challenge him for the title when no one else would, setting the stage for a clash of titans at SummerSlam.
Six days ahead of their championship fight at the event, they collided in a non-title match on Raw, which was won by Reigns, thus solidifying that he was fully capable of conquering the Bulgarian Brute even at his very best.
Rusev has done a decent job of getting the star-spangled prize back to the same level it was at this time one year ago, but it could be time for him to pass it off to The Big Dog. If so, will he be sent spiraling down the card again similar to when he dropped the strap to John Cena at WrestleMania 31?
With that in mind, Reigns hasn't been the same dominant force he was prior to his suspension earlier this summer, so maybe that means Rusev could have his number at SummerSlam after all.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
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Despite John Cena's comments about how he "fizzled out" earlier this year, AJ Styles has been the best thing going all year for WWE. He has contested classics with almost everyone he has stepped in the ring with and has come close to capturing the WWE World Championship on several occasions.
His feuds with Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns were both excellent, but he has had the most to prove in his program with John Cena this summer. Styles attempted to make a name for himself at Cena's expense upon the former 15-time world champion's return to Raw back in May, and they have been at odds ever since.
Their initial one-on-one outing at Money in the Bank was met with critical acclaim, though Styles was able to walk away victorious merely because of assistance from The Club. When the odds were evened at Battleground in six-man tag team action, Cena avenged the loss by pinning Styles.
Now, they will meet one last time in the center of the squared circle, and The Phenomenal One has gone on record in saying Cena is in a lose-lose situation at SummerSlam. But one thing is for certain: if he can shockingly go 2-0 against the face who runs the place, he will undoubtedly cement his spot on SmackDown as the show's top dog.
Can he beat Cena without outside interference? And can Cena still hang with the best the company has to offer in the twilight of his career?
Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton
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Brock Lesnar took his ball and went home following his dominant showing against Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32, never to be seen again until it was announced he would be doing battle with Randy Orton at SummerSlam.
Although it seemed to be a random match at first, WWE has successfully built it up to be the biggest bout of the summer. The company has not only acknowledged their extensive history from their developmental days, but it has also had them come in contact prior to the pay-per-view despite being on separate brands.
Orton was the first to cross the battle lines several weeks ago on Raw when he emerged out of nowhere to plant The Beast Incarnate with an RKO. Lesnar repaid the favor the next night by invading SmackDown and laying out Orton with an F5 of his own.
The Viper has spent the better part of the last 10 months on the shelf with a shoulder injury, yet he has come back better than ever, stacking up various victories over the likes of The Miz, Fandango, Alberto Del Rio and Heath Slater.
Since conquering The Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania 30, Lesnar has been virtually unstoppable, though Orton has a hunch that all it will take is a sole RKO to slay The Beast. Whether that is actually feasible remains to be seen, but it will be fun to watch him try.
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
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Dolph Ziggler has had his fair share of opportunities in the main event scene over the course of his career, but he's never been able to sustain that momentum for more than a few months at a time. Despite that, fans have remained loyal to The Showoff, leading to him reclaiming his spot as a world title contender with a win in the main event of the July 26 SmackDown.
To his credit, Dean Ambrose has held the WWE World Championship longer than most thought he would, doing what many considered to be the impossible by beating his Shield stablemates in a Triple Threat match to retain his title at Battleground.
At first, fans looked at Ziggler as a "transitional" opponent for Ambrose, and it's possible that could be the case. But it is even more likely he is being pushed toward the top title on Tuesday nights for a reason: Officials are well-aware he belongs at that level.
While The Lunatic Fringe has given him his props, he has also flat-out admitted he couldn't take Ziggler seriously as a credible challenger. That motivated the bleached-blonde Superstar even more to silence the critics and end Ambrose's reign as champ.
A WWE veteran with 10-plus years of experience under his belt, Ziggler has virtually done it all—except for leave SummerSlam as world champion. That could become a reality at this year's installment, but not if Ambrose can keep him at bay.
Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins (WWE Universal Championship)
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With the WWE World Championship becoming property of SmackDown post-Battleground, that led to fans questioning what championship should be positioned as the top title on Raw. No more than 24 hours removed from the event did Raw authority figures Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon announce that an all-new WWE Universal Championship would be up for grabs at SummerSlam.
Seth Rollins was simply granted his spot in the match by the brass, while Finn Balor had to earn entry into the monumental matchup. First, he had to topple three of Raw's most elite competitors before beating Roman Reigns in the main event to secure his spot in the title match at SummerSlam.
Balor may be new to WWE, but in the matter of one night, he showed he was more than a flash in the pan and that Rollins should be worried. He isn't any ordinary rookie; he's the man who decisively defeated The Big Dog when few others could.
Rollins vs. Balor alone was exciting, but then WWE introduced The Demon to the main roster audience, teasing an appearance by Balor's alter ego on the final Raw before Brooklyn. Ultimately, The Demon surfaced on Monday night and took the fight to the former two-time world champion.
As WWE officially ushers in its New Era, it will be interesting to see whether it goes all-in by having Balor become the first WWE universal champion in company history or if it has something else in mind that fans aren't expecting.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a Digital Journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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