WWE SummerSlam 2017: Booking Decisions That Could Impact WrestleMania 34

At four hours in length, WWE SummerSlam 2017 will be nothing short of a stacked show featuring stars from both Raw and SmackDown Live. Several of the event's top matches have been built up extremely well in recent weeks and have fans highly anticipating the upcoming event.

As WWE's second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam typically sets the stage for the next several months of WWE programming. In fact, it isn't out of the ordinary for seeds to be planted at this point for WrestleMania matches in the spring.

A majority of the matchups taking place this Sunday will have high stakes, but some more than others should have an impact on what the early card for WrestleMania 34 will look like. That is especially true of the title matches, considering a successful title defense or championship win at SummerSlam could lead to that Superstar holding the gold until the Show of Shows.

What is perhaps most intriguing about this year's installment is that the entire event feels unpredictable, though it will be up to WWE to make the proper booking decisions. If the company can do that, it will have a successful show on its hands and build early excitement for WrestleMania 34.

Ahead of SummerSlam 2017, let's preview what outcomes in the night's biggest bouts will have major 'Mania implications.

Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Credit: WWE.com

It has been years since SummerSlam last hosted a Fatal 4-Way with as much star power as this Sunday's Universal Championship match. Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman are all hungry for a victory, and it isn't a foregone conclusion who will win.

It was reported earlier this year that plans called for Lesnar to defend the Universal title against Reigns at WrestleMania 34, per Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone. Whether those plans have changed since then is unknown, but it is interesting that they will be a part of the same Fatal 4-Way match at SummerSlam.

Anything can change between now and then, including whether Lesnar is still in possession of the prestigious prize. This would be the time to take the title off of him given he wouldn't need to be pinned in order to lose the matchup, and there isn't a hotter hand right now on Raw than Samoa Joe.

On Monday's Raw, a future face-off between Lesnar and Strowman was heavily teased, and that seems to be the bout fans are anticipating the most at 'Mania next year. That wouldn't need to be for the belt, and putting it on another member of the Raw roster at the moment who is much more active than Lesnar will spice up storylines for the foreseeable future.

Strowman costing Lesnar the victory on Sunday would surely set them up for a huge matchup down the road, allowing Joe to hold the Universal Championship hostage through WrestleMania 34.

AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens

Credit: WWE.com

AJ Styles and Kevin Owens have been at odds since the start of the summer and have traded the United States Championship back and forth on several occasions. When their latest championship clash on the July 31 edition of SmackDown Live ended in fluky fashion, a rematch was scheduled for SummerSlam with Shane McMahon serving as special guest referee.

At one point, it looked like Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was a lock for SummerSlam considering their various encounters in recent months. Although it's a match many fans are dying to see, a contest of that caliber should be saved until WrestleMania.

Granted, it should be over the WWE Championship, but it is entirely possible they wage war over the star-spangled prize instead. Styles can knock off every elite performer the blue brand has to offer in the remainder of 2017 before setting his sights on Nakamura in time for WrestleMania.

Henceforth, it is imperative Styles walks out of SummerSlam with his title intact. As for Owens, he appears to be destined to do battle with Shane sooner rather than later, potentially at SmackDown's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in October.

If Shane costs Owens the strap in this match and WWE holds off on having them go one-on-one, that would certainly be a WrestleMania worthy match for next spring.

Sheamus and Cesaro vs. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

The storyline involving Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins attempting to coexist for the first time since The Shield split up three years ago has been beautifully crafted over the last month and has led to this bout being one of the most anticipated on the SummerSlam card.

It wasn't until the Aug. 14 edition of Raw that they finally trusted each other again by finding common enemies in Sheamus and Cesaro. If they can remain on the same page on Sunday, they will earn themselves a run with the Raw Tag Team Championship.

Ambrose could easily betray his former best friend and kick off that feud for the fall, but WWE should milk their partnership for all it's worth, especially until Roman Reigns can eventually get involved. That includes giving them a lengthy run as Raw Tag Team champions through early next year.

Unless WWE has other plans for Raw's tag team division in the foreseeable future, a matchup pitting Ambrose and Rollins against The Revival with the gold up for grabs would be ideal. Only then can they begin to tease tension again and Ambrose can finally execute his long-awaited heel turn.

For now, however, Ambrose and Rollins holding the twin titles will continue the hot momentum the division has had going as of late and will pave the way for Ambrose and Rollins doing something even more meaningful at 'Mania.

Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks

Credit: WWE.com

Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks initially clashed for the Raw Women's Championship at Great Balls of Fire, but due to Bliss purposely getting herself counted out, Banks was unable to take the title. It seemed odd that WWE then immediately transitioned into Bliss vs. Bayley and was seemingly about to leave The Boss off the card for SummerSlam.

Of course, Bayley's abrupt injury changed those plans and possibly any other plans WWE had for the ladies of Raw through the remainder of the year. Fans have been anticipating a heel turn from Banks for some time, and Bayley capturing the championship at SummerSlam could have been the catalyst that triggered the turn.

For now, anyway, Banks will remain the top babyface in Raw's women's division for as long as Bayley is out hurt. There isn't anyone else for Bliss to defend against after Banks, so it's safe to assume Banks will become a four-time Raw Women's champion on Sunday.

None of Banks' previous reigns lasted long at all, but her next run with the strap should be different. The real money match for the women of Raw at WrestleMania 34 is Banks vs. Bayley, so perhaps The Boss can taunt Bayley about missing her opportunity to regain the gold upon her return.

Although this match was thrown together at the last minute, it holds much more significance than one might think as a result of its long-term implications.

Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Credit: WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura's meteoric rise on SmackDown Live in the last few months alone has seen him emerge victorious versus the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin and John Cena. At SummerSlam, he will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he contends for the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal.

Mahal has made the most of the material he's been given to work with since the start of his title run, but he simply isn't clicking with fans the way many had hoped. His promos and his matches are mediocre at best, and it's time to transition the title on to someone the fans can get behind.

Nakamura is as popular as anyone on SmackDown right now and is in line for a title run at some point, so it might as well be at SummerSlam. He is the perfect babyface to bring back excitement to the main event scene on SmackDown and contest classics with the roster in the coming months.

As previously noted, Nakamura vs. AJ Styles must be saved until WrestleMania 34, but it's more a matter of which title they will be fighting for. A United States Championship clash would be great, but positioning them toward the top of the card for the WWE title would be best, especially considering the potential it has to steal the show.

That said, Styles should work his way back toward championship contention by early next year, and by then, Nakamura should still be in possession of the prestigious prize following his likely title triumph at SummerSlam.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.