Rasslin’ Roundtable – WWE SummerSlam 2010

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Elimination Tag Team Match
Team WWE (John Cena, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Edge, R-Truth, John Morrison and The Great Khali) vs. The Nexus (Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Darren Young, Michael Tarver and Skip Sheffield)

Raffi Shamir: Before I start, I wanna thank MM for hosting this roundtable after my computer died. Onto the matters on hand. I love everything about the Nexus. This storyline has been running perfectly since their debut. Now WWE to needs to take things to the next level. If the Nexus loses here, than the story is over. But if they get just any win, than it’s a standstill. It’s time to finally pull the plug on the long awaited John Cena heel turn. Just imagine, it’s down to the seven Nexus guys against Cena and Bret Hart, and then Cena turns and absolutely murders Hart in the middle of the ring. The following night Cena reveals he was behind the Nexus all along, and I even have his motivation for it. Cena tried to earn the respect of the WWE fans for years but he never got it. Then, the NXT season 1 guys didn’t get any respect either. So he recruited them, and he was willing to sacrifice his own body and take beating after beating to hep the Nexus. He even says that he kicked Daniel Bryan out of Nexus because by spitting on him, Bryan disrespected him and Nexus is all about respect. From there, after killing Bret Hart on Sunday and giving his reasoning on Raw, Cena goes on to become the top heel of WWE and rule Raw for a long time.
Winners: The Nexus

Widro: This has been built up really well, and the Nexus is over with the crowd as huge heels. It would be shocking if Nexus didn’t win this match for a variety of reasons, but I”m not sure how it will actually go down. I could see Miz as the mystery, or someone from team WWE turning such as Bret Hart.
Winner: Nexus

Kelly Floyd: This sure has been a tough one, hasn’t it? The only solid aspect of this match has been the Nexus. Cena’s team has flip flopped all over the place, and still isn’t complete. This match definitely has promise now, considering there’s no more Khali and no hope of Mark Henry joining up. But where does that bring us for a finish? Cena’s team has been set up for the ultimate Cinderella finish, with the crumbling team and the Nexus always having the upper hand. Cena’s overdue for retribution, and Jericho deserves revenge. However, I think the WWE has learned from their previous mistakes with an angle like this, and Nexus will receive their first PPV victory. I do think, though, that a tangible rift will become evident in the Nexus, perhaps a weakness will be revealed, or even, simply, a member or two will be eliminated. Who knows.
Winner: The Nexus

Steven Gepp: This story has been pretty damn compelling. I think The Miz will step into WWE’s team, let them down, giving the Nexus the win (probably with a beat-down of Bret Hart, to be saved by the Hart Dynasty), and Bryan Danielson (or whatever they’re calling him this week) will take umbrage, come to the rescue, form a tag team with John Cena, get beaten by the Miz in under thirty seconds, be released by the end of November and go on to win the TNA title three times before returning to the WWE in January where he’ll be mired in a mid-card hell with the renamed John Smith, great-grand nephew of Hurricane Higgins, famous Australian wrestler of the 1950s.
Sorry, I went off track a little there. Ah-hem.
This is actually being built up so well I think the match could be quite entertaining. I am actually looking forward to it – honestly.
Winner: Team Nexus

Matthew Michaels: The Nexus really has to win here. It’s just not time for “Team Raw” or “Team WWE” to win. That’s right, this is just Team Raw after all, and if the promotion really wants to put this new heel faction over, they need to win until something extraordinary happens, which to me is one of two things: HHH’s return (not my preference) or Smackdown helping join forces with Raw to defeat The Nexus. So how will it happen? My guess is Miz joins the team, there’s some in-fighting, and Nexus prevails, hopefully with Barrett pinning Cena. How would I LIKE it to happen? The Rock comes in as the seventh member of Team WWE, gets a huge pop, and HE gets pinned, causing some strife between he and Cena, and leading to an eventual match between the two at Survivor Series, the Rumble or WrestleMania. But that’s just me.
Winner: The Nexus

WWE Championship
Champion Sheamus vs. Randy Orton

Raffi Shamir: What a dilemma. Sheamus is doing a great job as champion in his second run, so he should keep the title. On the other hand, Orton is the hottest thing on Raw and the top face in WWE, so it would be a waste not to give him the title. With that in mind, I guess that WWE will not resist the temptation of giving us a heel Cena (assuming he turns) vs. a face Orton feud, but it’s too soon. If WWE truly want to cement Sheamus as a top level heel, he simply must retain here, even if it leads to a rematch against Orton next month. The Miz will not cash in his briefcase after the match. Not this month.
Winner: Sheamus

Widro: Surprising to see the same Raw World title match on both Royal Rumble and Summerslam, but here we are. With so many heels likely going over at the event, I could definitely see Orton picking up the win here, but it doesn’t make as much sense storylinewise. However, champ Orton would then be forced to align with Cena against the Nexus. I just don’t think it’s time to take the title off Sheamus yet.
Winner: Sheamus

Kelly Floyd: Randy Orton hasn’t held a title since Bragging Rights last year, and has been patiently waiting with thumbs twiddling for another shot. Sheamus desperately needs a victory that can’t be written off as a fluke. So where does that lead us? I think Randy will win this, but it’ll be a battle. Sheamus needs a contender. With Triple H’s return delayed and John Cena wrapped up in shenanigans with the Nexus, Randy Orton may be your man. There is the question of whether Randy will remain champ as Miz has been teasing a cash-in, but I think that’s too easy, too expected. My money is on Randy to win this one.
Winner: Randy Orton

Steven Gepp: Another match with some good build up and Randy is hitting his stride as a face while Sheamus now appears to be a monster heel. Good feud, could be a good match if it doesn’t over-stay its welcome.
Winner (and new champ): Randy Orton

Matthew Michaels: Orton winning here, then joining Team WWE to beat the Nexus would be the happy ending way to go here… but I don’t think that’s the right direction. So let’s keep the belt on Sheamus. As hot as Randy seems to be (the Wrestling Observer keeps writing about how his name trends on Twitter and online search every week), I wouldn’t be upset if they put the belt on him, but I’d like to see the heels be victorious most of this night, setting up the return of Undertaker.

Winner: Sheamus
World Heavyweight Championship
Champion Kane vs. Rey Mysterio

Raffi Shamir: Words can’t describe how apathetic I am about anything Smackdown related. I haven’t even watched a full show in three weeks. The entire “who attacked Taker” storyline had wrestlecrap written all over it since day one (Mostly because it involves Kane who is synonymous with wrestlecrap) , and sadly, it came true. Assuming Sheamus retains on Raw’s side, they will probably want to have Smackdown’s title held by a face, so Rey will win either due to a misfired Swaggwer interference or an appearance by Taker.
Winner (and new champ): Rey

Widro: This match might be decent enough in the ring but the real focus will be on the Undertaker storyline, and the next chapter of that saga. It seems likely that Taker will return in some way at this show, possibly to cost Kane the title.
Winner: Rey

Kelly Floyd: This whole set-up was poorly done, and it should have been easy. Kane took the title from Rey. Rey wants it back. And a feud should ensue. But it’s been rather dull. The most exciting part was seeing Kane toss Rey into the Gulf of Mexico, and even that was rather mundane. And where has Swagger been? Who would Kane feud with if he retains and no Taker to be seen? Regardless, I think it’s too soon to take the belt off of Kane, with Taker’s return still up in the air.
Winner: Kane

Steven Gepp: I am finding that I don’t care about this match. At all. Really.
Winner (and new champ): Rey

Matthew Michaels: I really don’t like that Kane will probably be the one to have put his brother in a “vegetative state,” but this is a roundtable and the name of the game is predicting what will happen, so I will be a sheep here and go with the IWC consensus. That said, it would be nice to see Undertaker show up at the end of the night (my official prediction) and then reveal the person was … someone OTHER THAN Kane. Kane wins though.
Winner: Kane

3-on-1 Handicap Match
The Straight Edge Society (CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Joseph Mercury) vs. Big Show

Raffi Shamir: So that’s what the SES have been reduced to? Sigh. I like Happy Fun Big Show, but not when the SES is paying the price. Losing here spells the end of the SES and Bis Show has an excuse for losing, with the injured hand.
Winners: SES

Widro: I think it’s a big odd to have this has a three on one match, with cm punk being somewhat marginalized by needing so much help against show.
Winner: Big Show

Kelly Floyd: This is where the SES is going to crumble. Two of the members have been de-masked, one is being chastised for drinking, and there’s tension all over the place. The stable is falling apart at the seams, and Big Show has his rally cap on.
Winner: Big Show

Steven Gepp: Another match I could not possibly care less about. 3-on-1? If Big Show wins it completely destroys the SES and then what? Do they have him challenge for the title or what? If the SES wins, so what? They’re 3-on-1. It’s not like they get anything out of it. Nothing match that will mean nothing.
Winner: SES

Matthew Michaels: I think SES should win, and it’s a three on one, so… BUT my prediction is that Show will win, and Punk will blame someone else for it, continuing his whiny heel persona that’s been completely kick-ass lately.
Winner: Big Show

Divas Championship
Champion Alicia Fox vs. Melina Perez

Raffi Shamir: Welcome back Melina. My, how I’ve missed you. Please make Alicia Fox disappear from my screen.
Winner (and new champ): Melina

Widro: With LayCool as heel Woman’s champion(s) over on Smackdown, it makes sense to turn the Raw title over to Melina to get a face with a female title. Could be a really terrible match
Winner: Melina

Kelly Floyd: Melina will regain her title, thus returning hope to the Raw Divas division.
Winner: Melina

Steven Gepp: FTS.
Winner: Melina

Matthew Michaels: A babyface needs to win eventually tonight, so…
Winner: Melina

Intercontinental Championship
Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston

Raffi Shamir: Another Smackdown match that I don’t really care about. Ziggler just got the title, so it’s too soon for another switch.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Widro: Should be a solid in ring match, and it seems like finally time for Dolph to pick up the IC title. I think he should have gotten it around the time he feuded with Morrison last year, but it’s good to see him getting a push.
Winner: Ziggler

Kelly Floyd: I was so happy when Dolph won this. He’s been a contender for it off and on since the LAST Summer Slam. I think Kofi has served his time in the mid-cards, and may be making his way towards main event status. He has his serious face on, lately, and his matches have improved. I think it’s time for Dolph to enjoy his IC title reign and for Kofi to move on.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Steven Gepp: Another match that I can see being quite good. If they let them go for it and just have fun, this will be match of the night. BUT if they get Guerrero and anyone else involved, it’ll be a clusterf*ck and I’ll pout my foot through the TV. Or maybe just go get another ice cold beverage.
Winner: Dolph

Matthew Michaels: I really don’t have any babyfaces winning tonight, nor any title changes except for the Divas belt… And I think that’s the way it should be to put the emphasis on Nexus domination (which should cross over to SD if I had anything to say about it) and Undertaker’s return.
Winner: Dolph

Matthew Michaels is editor emeritus of Pulse Wrestling, and has been since the site launched.