Dream and Nightmare Scenarios for Top Stars at WWE SummerSlam 2018
SummerSlam is traditionally one of WWE's most prestigious events.
It is also the stuff of either nightmares or dreams for the men and women who compete on the grand stage the summertime spectacular provides.
Sunday night in Brooklyn's Barclays Center, those dreams and nightmare scenarios for Superstars such as Roman Reigns, Ronda Rousey, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler will be determined by booking decisions that will have long-lasting effects on them and their characters.
What are those scenarios and what might they mean for those Superstars beyond the Biggest Party of the Summer?
Roman Reigns
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Roman Reigns is the most buzzed-about Superstar on the road to SummerSlam, and with good reason.
The polarizing face of WWE in 2018, he has captivated (and angered) fans across the globe in his quest to capture the Universal Championship. Sunday night, he has the opportunity to exorcise the demon that is Brock Lesnar and stand atop the sports-entertainment industry.
He, more than anyone, has clear-cut dream and nightmare scenarios.
Dream Scenario
Reigns realizes he cannot defeat Lesnar on his own and embraces the assistance of Paul Heyman, thus initiating the long-awaited heel turn and winning the Universal Championship in the most shocking conclusion to a WWE pay-per-view event in years.
This outcome allows Reigns to be the dominant badass who, thanks to Heyman's presence, can help mask The Big Dog's mic weakness. It is beneficial for both Reigns and the WWE product, which instantly gets a makeover of sorts with the former juggernaut of The Shield now turning to the dark side.
Nightmare Scenario
Just like at WrestleMania 32, Reigns predictably wins the title clean and in the center of the ring. He is greeted with a loud chorus of boos as fans walk out of Barclay Center rather than sticking around to watch yet another coronation for the second-generation star.
WWE Creative cannot afford this.
With one of the most loaded cards in SummerSlam history, it needs to preserve the intrigue and make sure fans are genuinely excited about the show days after it fades to black. Booking that finish is a clear middle finger to the audience and one that will erase any and all goodwill it had managed to build leading into the broadcast.
Plus, no one really wants to see good guy Reigns overcome the odds and win the title, right?
Daniel Bryan
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Daniel Bryan returned to the ring this past April at WrestleMania 34, but it is his match Sunday, against The Miz, that has fans excited about a return to form for the leader of the YES! Movement.
Bryan has yet to have that one truly great match that signifies to his legions of fans that the bearded wonder is back to form, that he is finally ready to ascend the card on Tuesday nights and maybe embark on a main event run that would position him against some of the best workers in the industry.
His opponent, The Miz, is the best heel on the main roster and a foil that has been a constant thorn in Bryan's side since his debut in 2010. A fantastic series of video packages put over the lengthy rivalry between the two on Tuesday's SmackDown, setting the stage for one of the most heated and anticipated matches on the SummerSlam card.
Dream Scenario
Bryan and Miz have the classic SummerSlam match a rivalry of its length deserves. After 20 minutes of action, Bryan traps Miz in the YES! Lock and taps him out to a thunderous ovation, drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
He stands tall in the center of the squared circle at the event he won his first WWE Championship at and begins the long and arduous journey back to that same title.
The scenario allows Bryan his moment in the sun and the perfect conclusion to his rivalry with Miz. Some will argue that Miz should go over to set up a rematch, but on that stage, against that perfect villain, the only real fitting outcome is Bryan beating him and shutting him up.
At least for the time being.
Nightmare Scenario
WWE Creative is often inconsistent, so for Bryan and Miz to have the program they have had, it is something truly special. Their nightmare scenario is a match rife with overbooking that fails to live up to expectations.
Bryan needs a hit. He needs a great match to rebuild some confidence and reignite the flame. Once the most beloved Superstar in the industry, injuries and a three-year absence ate into that once unbreakable connection he had with the audience.
A disappointing or subpar match that does not live up to the story or the quality of the performers will only create questions as to whether Bryan lost a step or two while away from the squared circle.
Dean Ambrose
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Dean Ambrose returned to WWE programming Monday on Raw, where it was revealed he will be in Seth Rollins' corner for The Architect's Intercontinental Championship match against Dolph Ziggler.
Ambrose will hope to offset the interference of Drew McIntyre and help his Shield teammate score the win and regain his title.
Or will he?
Dun, dun, dun!
Dream Scenario
Ambrose the lunatic babyface has run its course.
Four years in, he has worked with nearly everyone and really has nothing else to accomplish in that role. As a babyface, he is one-dimensional and repetitive.
The dream scenario for Ambrose at SummerSlam is for him to drop Rollins with Dirty Deeds, leading to Ziggler winning the match and retaining his title. Thus, Ambrose and Rollins engage in a heated rivalry that fans have not seen in a while.
Ambrose as the heel, taking exception to his Shield teammates abandoning him and embarking on their own personal journeys, is a character that fans can sink their teeth into in the weeks and months to come.
Nightmare Scenario
Ambrose counters McIntyre's interference attempts and helps Rollins win the title.
There is absolutely nothing accomplished in this scenario and, essentially, everything remains as it was.
Ambrose is the same stale character he has been throughout the course of his singles run. Changing it up is the only way to maintain the momentum he has coming off his return Monday night.
Becky Lynch
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Becky Lynch has long been one of the most underrated and undervalued Superstars on the entire WWE roster. Despite an in-ring game matched by few, and a real connection with the WWE Universe, she has been used as the best friend of the champion or the tackling dummy for heels as they build momentum ahead of a title bout.
To steal an old phrase, "always the bridesmaid, never the bride."
Sunday night, both her and Charlotte Flair will challenge Carmella for the SmackDown Women's Championship in a Triple Threat match. The build to this point has been centered on the growing tension between Lynch and Flair as their friendship prepares to be tested in Brooklyn.
Dream Scenario
Lynch, proving she is every bit as good as Charlotte while simultaneously paying her journey to the gold off in spectacular fashion, taps the second-generation Superstar out in the center of the ring to win the title.
Not only does it allow Lynch to win the title, she beats Flair and basks in the credibility that gives her. Perhaps most importantly, it keeps the rivalry between the three going as Flair's competitiveness (and jealousy) keeps her after the title while Carmella can claim she was never really beaten for the gold.
Lynch suddenly filling the role of the champion everyone is after rather than the second-tier babyface who eats the pin in tag team matches is a suitable reward for her years of hardwork as the heart and soul of the SmackDown women's division.
Nightmare Scenario
Lynch eats the pinfall and disappears from the title picture after Sunday's show.
While that is unlikely given the time and energy put into booking Lynch in recent weeks, it would somehow not surprise anyone if it is exactly what happens.
WWE Creative is so focused on Charlotte and presenting her as the crown jewel of women's wrestling that it sometimes does so to the detriment of the rest of the roster. Right, Asuka?
Lynch falling to her best friend, who then engages Carmella in the continuation of their rivalry, would not surprise anyone, but it would certainly be a nightmare for Lynch.
Dolph Ziggler
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Dolph Ziggler is in the midst of his best run in years, an insufferable intercontinental champion whose penchant for close calls and interference from Drew McIntyre earns him the crowd's wrath every week.
Sunday night, he defends his title against Seth Rollins in a match that has received its fair share of build over the last few months, with the competitors even headlining Extreme Rules in an Iron Man match.
Ziggler will look to steal the show and add to the IC title's incredible SummerSlam legacy, but will Sunday's championship defense be a dream come true or nightmare realized for The Showoff?
Dream Scenario
Ziggler, by hook or crook, retains the Intercontinental Championship and ensures his ongoing story, and eventual breakup, with McIntyre continues.
Ziggler has been reinvigorated by the partnership with McIntyre, and their take on the Shawn Michaels-Diesel storyline of 1994 has made for some strong television. Why end it now just to put the title back on Rollins and hope WWE Creative has another, more beneficial long-term plan in store?
The seeds have been planted for Ziggler and McIntyre to split and feud over the title, so staying the course via a Ziggler victory is how this should go.
Nightmare Scenario
Ziggler drops the IC title to Rollins clean and in the center of the ring.
WWE has just started to rebuild Ziggler's credibility. Beating him Sunday will unravel everything it has done to this point, rendering it all a gigantic waste of time.
Samoa Joe
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Samoa Joe returns to the world title picture for the first time in nearly a year, challenging AJ Styles for the WWE Championship Sunday night in a match that has the potential to be the best on the entire card.
Joe is no stranger to high-profile matches against The Phenomenal One, with their epics in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling helped to build that promotion from the ground up.
Now on the grand stage that WWE provides, The Samoan Submission Machine will attempt to prove himself a worthwhile main event star while also reminding fans why, at one point, he was referred to by many as one of the best wrestlers in the world.
Dream Scenario
Joe does not win the WWE Championship, instead losing to Styles via disqualification as this is but the start of their rivalry over the gold. Angry, frustrated, ruthless and unstoppable, he pummels Styles, leaving the champion in a broken pile.
Pulled away by officials, he watches as trainers check on the man who he just left lying in a heap in the center of the ring.
The scenario builds Joe as an unforgiving monster of a competitor, a full-time Brock Lesnar if you will.
Nightmare Scenario
Joe is pinned or tapped out clean in his first championship opportunity, then beats down Styles.
We saw something similar with Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania 34, and it almost single-handedly killed The Artist's heat.
Joe needs to be put over in a way that solidifies him as Styles' next big rivalry while also earning him heat from fans. The best way to go about that without switching the title is not to have Joe pinned or submitted in his first title shot.
Ronda Rousey
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Ronda Rousey has stunned wrestling fans with the speed with which she has adapted to the world of sports entertainment. A natural athlete, it is her mannerisms, timing and facial expressions that have helped her develop faster than anyone could have imagined.
Sunday night in Brooklyn, she challenges Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women's Championship in one of the marquee bouts.
The more WWE puts Rousey's image on marketing materials for pay-per-view spectaculars, the higher expectations become. Against that background, the potential for a nightmare is certainly there.
Dream Scenario
Win or lose, Rousey follows up WrestleMania 34 and Money in the Bank with another explosive, crowd-pleasing performance that helps her build momentum for herself as an in-ring performer.
Rousey is a hell of a weapon for WWE, and there are probably doubters waiting for her to slip up and not deliver when the lights are brightest and stage grandest. Working with someone like Bliss, who is not as widely recognized for her in-ring ability as she is her character work, and succeeding anyway would be an enormous feather in her proverbial cap.
Nightmare Scenario
Rousey's weaknesses are exposed in a bad match that fails to live up to lofty expectations.
Not that it will hurt Rousey's push or star power, but it would be the first real hiccup she has faced in her pro wrestling career.
The Revival
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The Revival is the best tag team in WWE, despite what their placement on the card would suggest.
Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder have been so poorly utilized by WWE Creative that it is almost inconceivable that they finally find themselves in the Raw Tag Team Championship match against The B Team at one of the biggest events of the year.
Yes, it is as part of SummerSlam Kickoff Show, but still, the team has climbed out of the deep dark abyss of the WWE undercard and finds itself one win away from regaining their spot atop a tag team division under the company's umbrella.
Dream Scenario
Dash and Dawson defeat Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel, handily, to become the new tag team champions and re-establish some seriousness within the division.
The win would help rebuild The Revival's credibility and set them up in a position where they could conceivably battle Dallas and Axel one week and Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose or Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre the next.
Considering the lack of depth in the division, The Revival is absolutely the tandem to carry it at this point.
Nightmare Scenario
The Revival loses clean to the second-tier comedy B Team that has lost considerable steam and popularity since their tag title victory at Extreme Rules.
It's a terrible idea that would benefit absolutely no one.
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