WWE SummerSlam 2016: Latest Card Predictions, Including John Cena vs. AJ Styles
WWE's SummerSlam event is nearly upon us, and this should be a major night for the company. There are 13 matches booked, so it is a monster card. But it's not a monster card just for the number of bouts, but also for the importance of the top bouts.
This is truly a cavalcade of stars.
Even the kickoff show features three matches, with a total of 18 talents. That's 18 guys crammed into three bouts that may or may not go past 10 minutes each. American Alpha, The Usos and The Hype Bros will face The Vaudevillains, The Ascension and Breezango, in a match that is sure to be full of high spots from start to finish.
American Alpha should go over in this one, as should The Dudley Boyz when they face Neville and Sami Zayn. Sami in particular is in somewhat of an odd spot here, but at least he is booked. The same could be said of both Sheamus and Cesaro, whose feud has been spotlighted on Monday Night Raw, yet they find themselves on the kickoff show instead.
This is a Best of Seven Series, and both guys should deliver a quality match. Sheamus should win this one, and Sami will be put on the defensive for match two.
But the main card is the real story here, and that card includes Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho versus Enzo Amore and Big Colin Cassady. This may be the most entertaining match of the night in terms of comedy and timing, as both teams have serious chemistry in the ring and on the mic.
Enzo and Cass need a win here, and they should get it, as Owens and Jericho will live to fight another day.
Then there's a match that was directly affected by Eva Marie's recent suspension, as Carmella teams with Becky Lynch and Naomi to take on Alexa Bliss and Natalya. The babyfaces should go over here, unless WWE manages to throw in a last-minute replacement to even the odds.
But that's not all, as there are still eight matches remaining.
It's these eight matches that really have fans talking. Six of the eight matches are true clashes of champions, while the other two are main events anywhere in the world. WWE has indeed amassed a very impressive card for SummerSlam, and these top bouts are the ones that really make it special.
The Miz vs. Apollo Crews, WWE Intercontinental Championship
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The Miz is one of the best heels in WWE, yet he doesn't always get the credit he deserves. The Intercontinental champion is among the best when it comes to drawing heat, and fans genuinely want to see him lose matches.
That is a testament to just how good he is, and it should be key to helping the man standing across the ring from him at SummerSlam.
Apollo Crews has a million-dollar body and a smile to go along with it. He's very athletic in the ring and has a natural charisma that gets the attention of fans every time he's on TV. He seemingly has what it takes, except he's just not quite over yet.
That should come in time however, and Miz should be a big part of that.
This is a good match for Crews, as he will be able to show what he can do against a strong heel. Miz will undoubtedly do his part to make the overall match look good, and Crews should shine as a result. This should be a coming-out party for Apollo, as he definitely has a lot to prove.
But it's a bit early for him become the Intercontinental champion.
That moment should come eventually, but this match is more about Crews showing what he can do on the main event stage. If all goes well, then hopefully this feud will continue, and Crews will wear Intercontinental gold when it's all over.
This night, however, belongs to The Miz.
The New Day vs. The Club, WWE World Tag Team Championships
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Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have really begun to show their entertaining side in this rivalry with The New Day, and with very good reason.
The New Day can't be outclassed in the eyes of fans, so their opponents are forced to try to compete with them in any way they can.
Luckily for The Club, this is not the first time they've had fun with their rivals. The former New Japan duo has a history of poking fun at their opponents and doing anything they can for a cheap laugh. The Club is the present-day offspring of The nWo, so the move makes complete sense to fans familiar with both factions.
However, for The New Day, the time for joking is over.
Big E is out of the picture here, which means Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston are on their own. The good thing about this, however, is The New Day does not need to win in order to keep rolling. They're so over that any combination of them can either win or lose and still maintain momentum.
But this night will not see a new day for The Club.
New Day should retain the tag belts here, mostly because the two teams have just not feuded long enough for the championships to gain serious spotlight. Anderson and Gallows are primed and ready for a title run whenever their numbers are called, so there should be no rush.
A surprise return for Big E may leverage the match for The New Day, who should win in the end.
Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte, WWE Women's Championship
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Sasha Banks has been riding high as WWE Women's champion, and fans could not be happier.
The former NXT star always seemed to be on the verge of greatness, yet she never seemed to get the nod to beat Charlotte on the main roster. When she did, she realized a lifelong dream, and fans realized just how good she really is.
Now the Ric Flair to her Dusty Rhodes is back for another shot.
Charlotte is, and probably will always be, the greatest rival Sasha will ever have. The two just match up so well together, and they have such great chemistry in the ring. When they work, time seems to stand still, as the only thing that matters is their desire to tear the house down.
That may be exceptionally hard to do at SummerSlam, but fans should not be surprised if that's exactly what happens.
These two will bring everything they have in this one. This will be their usual great showing, but probably better than fans have seen before. Charlotte will be Women's champion again at some point, but that is not going to happen at SummerSlam.
It's all about The Boss.
Banks should retain the championship, and the rivalry will likely continue well past SummerSlam. These two will forever be connected, and that is a very good thing not only for them, but for the fans as well.
Rusev vs. Roman Reigns, WWE United States Championship
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The reconstruction of Roman Reigns is beginning at SummerSlam, when he takes on Rusev for the United States Championship. The problem is many fans don't want to hear that.
The fact is Roman has had his chance, and his critics are probably wondering why he's getting such a prime opportunity on such an important stage now. They believe he should go to the back of the line and stay there until he's ready.
But the truth is WWE needs him now.
Reigns is not perfect, and he's definitely made his share of mistakes. But the brand split has brought on a real need for top talent on both Raw and SmackDown Live to step up. WWE needs stars to fill these programs, and despite what anyone says about Roman, he is a star.
He's also in a great spot at SummerSlam.
This is exactly the type of match he should have. Rusev is a hated heel, with no redeeming qualities. Fans love to hate him, and that means anyone he faces should get over by default. This may or may not be true for Reigns, but at the very least, he's got a shot at making some progress here.
That progress will result in his victory at SummerSlam.
The U.S. Championship will change hands here, as Roman will begin chapter three of his WWE career. It's a good win for him, and the title is a great fit for him. He has a chance to start over, and the belt is a big part of making that happen.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
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AJ Styles versus John Cena was nothing but a dream match at one time. Now that the two are constantly on TV together, it could be very easy for fans to get complacent with it all.
But when the two get in the ring, it's magic all over again.
Styles and Cena are big-time money-making stars, and they have great chemistry. Fans love this rivalry because it's a mix of new and old, of the PG Era versus the New Era. Cena is stepping aside for other talents to rise up, and many believe AJ will do just that at SummerSlam.
But this is where it gets a bit sticky.
As much as WWE puts over Cena's new role, fans are also reminded John is the face that runs the place. That means no matter who steps up to challenge his spot, Cena must be beaten in order for it to happen.
Of course John tends to win the big matches.
So while this one could go either way, it's likely going to be Cena who comes out on top in the end. There seems to be no good reason for him to go over, but WWE has not really shown a true commitment to getting AJ over as an unbeatable main event star.
AJ must beat Cena in order to solidify that status, and it should happen at some point. But SummerSlam will likely not be the night when it happens.
Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins, WWE Universal Championship
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Finn Balor went from being the face of NXT to being the top babyface on Monday Night Raw.
This is exactly what WWE wanted, as there is arguably no other talent in the company who can fill that spot other than Balor. He's got 16 years of experience in the industry, he has traveled the world and he has a world of talent at his disposal.
He's also in the head of Seth Rollins.
Rollins' character needs to be in control of every situation, and that is simply not the case here. For the first time since Sting was chasing the WWE Championship, Rollins finds himself outgunned mentally. Balor is an opponent he can't handle or predict, and now he's forced to find a way to beat him at SummerSlam.
But that is just not going to happen.
Finn is in a perfect spot because he can handle it, and because Seth needs a great opponent to work with. If WWE plays this right, Rollins and Balor could have an ongoing rivalry that would last for years. They are each so good in the ring, and if they indeed have chemistry at SummerSlam, then this may only be the beginning.
But this will be Finn's night, and so will the new WWE Universal Championship.
This belt has no history, which means it's worthless right now. But as soon as the bell rings for this match, it will begin to grow in value. When Balor wins, the value will become real, and it should only grow from there. The man will make the belt, and Balor is the man to wear it for the first time.
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler, WWE World Championship
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Dean Ambrose is the WWE champion right now, and of all the talents on SmackDown Live, there is arguably no one better to wear the belt.
He fought back from the shadows of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, and he's now become a true main event Superstar. Ambrose is the man who perhaps deserved this spot more than anyone else, and now that he has it, he shouldn't lose it.
The fact is he won't lose it at SummerSlam.
Dolph Ziggler is a wrestling machine, and he's been one of the best, most reliable talents in WWE since 2008. He should have been a top guy this whole time, but fans know he's had his fair share of ups and downs in the company.
He may have a great chance of making it now, but many fans are just not falling for it this time.
WWE has teased this so often that it's now lost all effectiveness. Ziggler deserves a real chance here, but it may very well be nothing more than just a way for Ambrose to build his young legacy as WWE champion.
Dolph will give him a great match, and Ambrose will respond in kind. But this match belongs to The Lunatic Fringe, as he will retain the WWE Championship.
Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton
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Brock Lesnar has no real competition in WWE, and that is likely never going to change. He's just been booked so strong, with so much intensity, that no one can ever hope to compare to him.
He is truly the ultimate prizefighter of WWE.
But Randy Orton is perhaps one of the last best options to truly challenge Lesnar's spot as the invincible monster. After all, Orton did come up with Lesnar, and he has also received his own very impressive booking over the years.
With the exception of The Rock and Samoa Joe, The Viper is really the strongest choice to face The Beast Incarnate.
Common sense says Randy should win this, if only so WWE can continue on with storylines that will involve talents who are actually there. But this is Brock Lesnar, and Lesnar just does not lose all that often. In fact, Lesnar is 17-7 since returning to WWE back in 2012, and many fans likely have already forgotten about those seven losses.
So despite the fact Orton should win, he probably will not.
WWE needs Brock at his best all the time, and if he is to challenge for the Universal Championship at some point, he should do so without a loss hanging over him. The company loves an indestructible Beast, and that is exactly what fans will once again see at SummerSlam.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
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