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Ronda Rousey and Roman Reigns won gold at SummerSlam.
Ronda Rousey and Roman Reigns won gold at SummerSlam.Credit: WWE.com

What's Next for AJ Styles, Ronda Rousey, More Stars After WWE SummerSlam 2018?

The Doctor Chris MuellerAug 20, 2018

SummerSlam featured several memorable moments for some of WWE's biggest stars, but now that the pay-per-view is over, it's time to start looking toward the future.

Before we get into what's next for them, let's take a quick look at the results from Sunday night:

  • Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega defeated Rusev and Lana
  • Cedric Alexander defeated Drew Gulak to retain the cruiserweight title
  • The B-Team retained the Raw tag titles against The Revival
  • Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental Championship from Dolph Ziggler
  • The New Day beat The Bludgeon Brothers by disqualification
  • Braun Strowman destroyed Kevin Owens
  • Charlotte defeated Carmella and Becky Lynch to win the SmackDown women's title
  • Samoa Joe defeated AJ Styles by disqualification
  • The Miz beat Daniel Bryan
  • Finn Balor defeated Baron Corbin
  • Shinsuke Nakamura retained the U.S. title against Jeff Hardy
  • Ronda Rousey won the Raw women's title from Alexa Bliss
  • Roman Reigns finally defeated Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship

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The Architect and His Friend

A lot of people expected some kind of swerve involving Dean Ambrose possibly turning on Rollins during his IC title match with Ziggler, but it never happened.

The Lunatic Fringe supported his friend and did his best to keep Drew McIntyre from interfering. Now the question becomes where do they go from here?

Rollins may have to give Ziggler an obligatory rematch, but he is likely moving on from The Showoff following SummerSlam, so he needs a new rival heading into Hell in a Cell.

Unless the plan is for Ambrose to turn on Rollins during Monday's Raw, McIntyre would be a logical next opponent for The Kingslayer.

Not only does he already have an established history with Rollins through Ziggler, he needs a high-profile feud to prove he isn't just there to be backup for The Showoff.

Another possibility is Rollins bringing back the open challenge concept. He could face several struggling midcard Superstars until a worthy challenger emerges.

Friends No More

Despite the positive reaction from the crowd, Lynch was supposed to turn heel when she attacked Charlotte following their women's title match with Carmella.

Unfortunately for WWE, the crowd cheered as The Lass Kicker threw her friendship with Charlotte out the window by tossing her into the barricade and over the announce table.

This is obviously going to lead to a feud between The Queen and Lynch, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

WWE is gearing up for the Evolution PPV on October 28, and it needs solid matchups to fill the card. Becky Balboa and Charlotte certainly fit the bill.

It's going to be interesting to see what WWE does on Tuesday. Lynch may try to turn the crowd against her by insulting the WWE Universe, but management may choose to go the other direction after the pop she received at SummerSlam.

Regardless of whether she ends up a heel or babyface in the end, Lynch has needed something to invigorate her character for a long time. A new attitude and a feud with the seven-time women's champion should do the trick.

Samoa Joe is Just Getting Started

The DQ ending to the WWE Championship match will definitely lead to Samoa Joe being granted a rematch at Hell in a Cell against Styles.

These two veterans put on a great show at SummerSlam, but an extreme stipulation like Hell in a Cell will take this feud to the next level.

Fighting over the title would normally be enough to push a storyline forward with two talented wrestlers. However, Joe insulting Styles and his family gave their feud an extra layer of personal drama.

Their long history as opponents will give them plenty to work with during the coming weeks, so the only thing we have to worry about is the possibility of one of them getting injured before HIAC on September 16.

Can Bryan Move on From The Miz?

The way Bryan vs. The Miz ended was the perfect way to put The A-Lister over without making Bryan look weak, but it also left the door open for this feud to continue.

Bryan was visibly frustrated backstage while talking to Brie Bella about the way The Miz cheated in their showdown, so it's clear he's not satisfied to just accept the loss and move on.

According to an interview with Max Laughton of Fox Sports Australia, Bryan is having lawyers review a new contract offer from WWE, which means he is at least thinking about signing a new deal.

If that happens, WWE would be foolish not to put Bryan and The Miz inside Hell in a Cell so they can give this story the conclusion it deserves.

If The Yes Man doesn't sign on the dotted line, The Miz will ride the wave of momentum from his win all the way into the hunt for the WWE title by the end of 2018.

No Rest for the New Champion

Rousey defeating Bliss for the Raw women's title was a predictable outcome, but it was still a standout moment for the PPV because Rowdy Ronda is such a mainstream star.

It's unlikely she will go months at a time without defending the belt like Lesnar did, so her first title defense could come as early as Monday's Raw if Bliss demands her rematch right away.

The other option is to extend the feud through Hell in a Cell. Once The Goddess has been dealt with, Rousey is free to start a higher profile feud to set up a match at Evolution.

Bayley, Sasha Banks and Nia Jax would all be reasonable challengers, but the best option for Rousey's next rival is undoubtedly Natalya Neidhart.

They have been inseparable every time Rousey has appeared on Raw, but having Natalya turn on her out of frustration will lead to a great story.

As one of the veterans of the women's division, all Nattie has to do is talk about how she has been unfairly passed over by the new generation and Rousey to make the storyline believable. 

Seeing as how a Four Horsewomen of WWE vs. Four Horsewomen of MMA match at Evolution is out of the question after Lynch's heel turn, Natalya seems like the only opponent capable of taking Rousey to her limits.

Lesnar is Gone for Now and The Big Dog Just Painted a Target on His Back

After an entire year of chasing the champion, Reigns defeated Lesnar at SummerSlam to win the universal title and bring it back home to Raw.

The Beast probably won't demand a rematch anytime soon since he is preparing to return to UFC. It's unclear if Lesnar ever intends to return to WWE or if this was supposed to be his swan song. If he decides he is done with wrestling, The Beast Incarnate went out putting Reigns over like a professional.

After failing to cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Sunday, Strowman is going to be looking for his next opportunity to challenge Reigns. 

The Monster Among Men made it clear he has no intention of cashing in like a coward, so this will likely turn into a situation where he shows up on Raw and voices his plan to win the title at Hell in a Cell.

We have seen several matches between these two powerhouses before, but we have never seen them do battle inside the most dangerous structure in WWE. This is a sure-fire main event.

Management could always book it as a multi-man match to make things more interesting, but if the plan is to put the belt on Strowman, it should be in a singles bout against Reigns.

The post-SummerSlam episodes of Raw and SmackDown will give us a better idea of which feuds WWE decides to continue and who will begin programs with new rivals. 


What do you see happening with your favorite Superstars in the coming weeks?

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