WWE SummerSlam 2018 Match Card Odds, Latest Rumors, News and Buzz Before PPV

WWE's biggest party of the summer is just hours away, and all the signs point to SummerSlam 2018 being a seismic event when it comes to the company's long-term plans.

It's a night that could well be Brock Lesnar's final appearance in the company, at least for a lengthy period, if he does indeed depart via defeat to Roman Reigns in the show's main event.

But elsewhere, there are plenty of talking points, rumors and speculation about how the card could play out.

Card Odds

All odds courtesy of, and available at, OddsShark.com and are accurate as of Sunday.

• Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (Universal Championship): Lesnar 9/5, Reigns 19/50.
• AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship): Styles 13/50, Joe 27/10.
• Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins (Intercontinental Championship): Ziggler 7/5, Rollins 14/25.
• Becky Lynch vs. Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women's Championship): Lynch 41/20, Carmella 1/1, Flair 49/20.
• Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey (Raw Women's Championship): Bliss 12/5, Rousey 31/100.

Latest Rumors

The biggest news heading into SummerSlam concerns title changes.

With all the company's titles on the line on Sunday night, it's inevitable there will be some changing hands, and Randall Ortman at Cageside Seats reported this week that it's expected there could be as many as four.

Some are easier to predict than others. The odds on Roman Reigns finally winning the Universal Championship suggest that strap is among the favorites to change hands. Ronda Rousey's odds also suggest she's in pole position to claim her first piece of major silverware since joining WWE.

On the other end of the scale, don't expect AJ Styles to drop the WWE Championship to Samoa Joe: at least not just yet, anyway. Dean Ambrose's influence means there is a great deal of unpredictability surrounding Seth Rollins' clash with Dolph Ziggler, too.

Speaking of Ambrose, his character is another big talking point going into SummerSlam. Ortman also reported this week that he is going to turn heel on Seth Rollins in the very near future, and that could happen as soon as Sunday night.

It would be realistic to expect that to happen, setting up a feud between Ambrose and Rollins going in to the latter part of the year. The big question is whether WWE will have Rollins win the Intercontinental Championship back before Ambrose turns, or whether Dean costs his former Shield brethren the title altogether.

News and Buzz

Right at the top of the card, most of the focus lies on Brock Lesnar and his future with WWE.

Regardless of the meetings Lesnar has held with the company over recent weeks, fans will have the clearest idea about his future at the conclusion of Sunday's show.

If he loses to Roman Reigns, it points to a departure from WWE to allow Lesnar to focus on his pursuit of Daniel Cormier in UFC. If Lesnar maintains his stranglehold on the Universal Championship, however, there's every chance WWE will let him work for both promotions at the same time.

That would certainly not appease fans, although in reality, Reigns holding the Universal Championship for a fixed period of time wouldn't be the most widely-applauded move, either.

So one solution may well be a cash-in from the Money in the Bank briefcase holder, but there's still no clear idea who will have that briefcase in their possession come Sunday night.

Braun Strowman's bout with Kevin Owens has failed to capture much attention or profile, which is perhaps understandable given the big names competing elsewhere on the card.

But that's a contest which will have a big impact on WWE's main event plans moving forward. If Strowman does win, it means Reigns, Lesnar or whoever the champion is will be looking over their shoulder fearing The Monster Among Men.

But as we've seen with Owens so many times in the past, he's always capable of pulling a surprise or a shock, either with someone's help or all by himself.