Tonight is WWE Summerslam on WWE Network!
Check out the Pulse Wrestling crew’s full preview with predictions!
WWE Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns
CB: The two main questions surround how Roman wins and if Roman leaves Brooklyn as the Universal Champion. I do have a theory that perhaps Roman beats Brock, and after that Braun Strowman tried to cash in. Paul Heyman, desperate to save his WWE employment, actually helps Roman retain against Braun. The rest will then be sorted out on Raw.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Harrak: Raise your hands if you’re a WWE fan & bored with this “feud”. Really? Everyone? I wish I was surprised. Just end it WWE.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Widro – This should be a horrible match with WWE’s biggest main event failure of all time – Roman Reigns – getting booed out of the building en route to winning the title.
Winner: Reigns
Spain: It’s over, right? I mean, you’ll never have a better reason to take the belt off Lesnar, and at this point I am ready for a Roman Reigns Universal Championship…reign. I’ve been ready for a whole long while. Sure, Braun or Owens could cash in on Lesnar or even Roman, but what matters is that Brock’s stranglehold on the gold comes to an end.
Winner (and new WWE Universal Champion): Roman Reigns
WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
CB: This is Ronda’s time, and I hope WWE doesn’t go swerve here (Nia or Natalya) and blow it.
Winner: Ronda Rousey
Harrak: I’ve been one of Bliss’ most vocal supporters since her NXT days but as much as I love our “Moments of Bliss”, there’s no shame in dropping the title to one of the most talent athletes of our generation. Even though it’s only her third match, I wouldn’t be mad at a Rousey win.
Winner: Ronda Rousey
Widro – Two super green wrestlers in what could be a complete train wreck. Both are over so the crowd should be kind.
Winner: Rousey
Spain: It seems too early for Ronda to take the Championship. This feud should mature a little more, and, honestly, I’ll be fine with an eventual title win at WrestleMania if WWE could do it right. Look for Bliss to retain in the most underhand way possible.
Winner (and still WWE RAW Women’s Champion): Alexa Bliss
WWE Championship
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe
CB: Styles has had an incredible run. Joe is a credible challenger. I think Joe knocks off AJ and they continue this feud with AJ chasing.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Harrak: Now this is the match that I and every other original TNA X-Division fan have been waiting for. This two may be older but they’re smarter & working on a much bigger stage. This should be stiff but fun.
Winner: AJ Styles
Widro – These two had epic matches in their primes. Now in WWE I expect a decent but likely slower paced match with a couple high spots. Hopefully this begins a 3 match set.
Winner: Styles
Spain: Not sure if WWE is going to roll the dice just yet, but I would. The feud’s been mostly terrible because nobody cares about AJ Styles family (least of all AJ Styles, apparently), but Joe getting the win in a hard-fought effort would be a great move. Someone has to beat Styles, and Samoa Joe’s first World Championship reign couldn’t have a better start.
Winner (and new WWE Champion): Samoa Joe
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) vs. The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and/or Xavier Woods)
CB: Nothing too crazy here, but I do think the Bludgeon Bros. retain.
Winners: Bludgeon Brothers
Harrak: I like the New Day, I really do. But SmackDown Live is way too stacked with talent for these guys to be getting another match with the Bludgeons. Let’s see some new blood in the blue brand’s tag division.
Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
Widro – Hard to see what the Bludgeons were chosen for this push instead of the Authors of Pain or Sanity, as they are not over whatsoever. Time to end it.
Winner: New Day
Spain: I can’t wait to see this match, but I can’t see the New Day taking the gold. The Bludgeon Brothers, in the same manner as Styles and Lesnar, are the kind of guys whose defeat will be a huge deal to whoever did it, and the New Day doesn’t need that. This is going to be a potential match of the night candidate, but the New Day aren’t taking the belts tonight.
Winners (and still WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions): The Bludgeon Brothers
Money in the Bank contract
If Strowman loses by any means, he will lose the contract
Braun Strowman (MITB holder) vs. Kevin Owens
CB: I think Strowman keeps the case here despite Owens’ most nefarious efforts.
Winner: BRAUNNNNNNNN
Harrak: Braun Strowman & Kevin Owens may be the most entertaining men on Monday Night Raw not named Elias. Their feud is strange and somewhat directionless but it keeps both men relevant and that’s fine with me.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Widro – I don’t think Strowman will lose another to KO here.
Winner: Strowman
Spain: I think this whole contract wager is a tonne of misdirection to make everyone doubt a victory from Braun. In reality, I think that once we’ve seen a few near-misses courtesy of Owens and maybe Jinder Mahal, Braun will win.
Winner (and still MITB holder): Braun Strowman
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Dolph Ziggler (c) (with Drew McIntyre) vs. Seth Rollins (with Dean Ambrose)
CB: Easy Match of the Night candidate and I do think Ziggler wins so that Seth and Dean can move onto more “Universal” matters.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Harrak: When fans chant “Fight For-Ever”, I don’t think they’re specifically thinking Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins but I don’t think they’re disappointed. Rollins and Ziggler have done a great job of raising the stock of the Intercontinental Championship but I’ll be happy if this is their final battle.
Winner: Seth Rollins but Ambrose turns on him after the match.
Widro – I think Ambrose turning is too soon, so I think interference backfires and costs Seth the match but no turn.
Winner: Ziggler
Spain: I reckon Dean came back for an awesome heel run, and I think having a feud with Seth over a belt as prestigious as the Intercontinental Championship is the way to do it. I can see Rollins winning and Ambrose taking him out directly afterwards.
Winner (and new WWE Intercontinental Champion): Seth Rollins
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
Carmella (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair
CB: It’s a testament to Becky that I’m actively rooting for her to win. She’s one of the best baby faces in the company. I can see Becky winning and then Charlotte turning heel where she belongs by beating down Becky and not letting her enjoy her moment.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Harrak: The addition of Charlotte is understandable but not really necessary. Becky & Carmella could have had a decent match together although Charlotte adds a nice wrinkle. All I can think is that we may be in for a Charlotte heel turn & honestly it’s long overdue for SmackDown Live.
Winner: Carmella
Widro – Carmella is a comically awful worker, so hopefully she will stay out of the way of the other two. I expect shennanigans leading to a Charlotte heel turn in the near future and a feud between Becky and Charlotte separate from the title.
Winner: Carmella
Spain: I’m a little uncertain about this one, but it would seem that the best way to kickstart the Charlotte/Becky feud would be for Becky to almost win the big one before Charlotte takes the victory from her. Plenty of great emotional fuel for what should be a stellar feud.
Winner (and new WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion): Charlotte Flair
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Drew Gulak
CB: I haven’t watched 205 Live in awhile. I do think Cedric is solid and Gulak is a good hand. I’ll say Drew wins to change things up.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Harrak: As over as Alexander is, Gulak has been a strong member of the 205 Roster since the beginning & you have to wonder if 205 Live might be ready for a changing of the guard.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Widro – Without any representation on Raw, I’ve totally lost track of 205 live. Should be a nice match.
Winner: Cedric
Spain: Super-busy, haven’t been watching. Let’s say Cedric Alexander.
Winner (and still WWE Cruiserweight Champion): Cedric Alexander
WWE United States Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
CB: I think Nakamura retains here and Jeff joins his brother and takes some time off.
Winner: Nakamura
Harrak: My pick is that this match goes longer than last month.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Widro – Orton will likely play a role here.
Winner: Nakamura
Spain: Last thing WWE really needs right now is someone in Jeff Hardy’s shape holding a Championship, and Shinsuke could do some amazing work with the belt. Factor in Randy Orton’s inhuman desire to murder fan favourites, and I’d say that you’ve got a solid retention for Nakamura.
Winner (and still WWE United States Champion): Shinsuke Nakamura
Finn Bálor vs. Baron Corbin
CB: I’ve heard a lot of people clamoring for The Demon. Honestly, I don’t really think this feud is Demon-worthy. I do think Balor wins though.
Winner: Finn Balor
Harrak: Corbin needs a win but Balor really shouldn’t take the loss. I’m going to go with my heart & hopes here.
Winner: Finn Balor
Widro – I think Corbin picks up a win here, leading to Balor donning the Demon at the next PPV.
Winner: Corbin
Spain: I truly don’t know what WWE plan on doing with Corbin, or Finn for that matter. But I’ll predict a Finn win, because I think my soul would die inside me if he loses to Baron Corbin.
Winner: Finn Bálor
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
CB: This is the match that I want to see more than anything else on the card. I loved how they tied their 8-year history together on SmackDown this week, and Miz and Bryan are simply the perfect foils for each other both as characters and in real life. You don’t need to be friends to have pro wrestling chemistry, and Miz and Bryan are proof of that over the past 8 years. I do think Miz wins here because this latest chapter of this feud seems far from over.
Winner: The Miz
Harrak: Imagine if this match was saved for WrestleMania. Sure that’s wishful thinking but maybe this is just the next chapter in an awesome story these two men have told throughout the years.
Winner: The Miz
Widro – Incredible how they have wasted Bryan’s return, although if he is leaving at least it will make more sense.
Winner: Bryan
Spain: Whilst I suppose this could be the kick-off to a whole new part of the programme, this has been made to feel like the ultimate match. And, if so, then it seems like Bryan should take the win.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rusev and Lana vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega
CB: Cien and Vega have been awesome together. I think Rusev and Lana do win here because Andrade and Zelina seemed to have had the upper hand every week for the past month. Aiden finally gets this right and Rusev Day reunites on the kickoff show to make the crowd happy.
Winners: Rusev Day
Harrak: Nice to see a mixed tag team match make the main shows again. This will be a fun and entertaining segment.
Winners: Andrade Almas and Zelina Vega
Widro – I think Rusev loses here to continue the never ending breakup of his little crew.
Winner: Almas
Spain: Almas is a star on the rise and English is still doing his best match-costing klutz impression. Seems academic.
Winners: Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
The B-Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) (c) vs. The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson)
CB: B Team B Team GO GO GO!!
Winners: The B Team
Harrak: The Revival are magic when given time in the ring and a mic in their hands. Give them a shot.
Winners: The Revival
Widro – Unforuntately the Revival are jobbers in WWE.
Winner: B-Team
Spain: The B-Team doesn’t have the stamina to maintain a long Championship reign. It’s time for a solid tag team to hold the gold: forward the Revival.
Winners (and new WWE RAW Tag Team Champions): The Revival
