Summer Slam Preview

 By Benny Fairchild

Despite not having Brock Lesnar and/or The Rock on the card, Summer Slam is shaping up to be a great event. With rumors circulating earlier this summer that The Rock was going take on Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar was going to take on Bobby Lashley, some may look at this card as a disappointment, but what I see is an event featuring seven title matches with a Wrestlemania caliber eighth match that's not even for a title.

Sure it would have been nice to see The Rock in action, and I know how many people feel about Brock Lesnar, but enough about what we don't have. Let's focus on what we do have.

The show kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern-time with a one hour kick-off show that I'm guessing will likely feature Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal or the United States Championship match. I'm guessing Reigns and Cena will close out the night.

With AEW's recent signing of CM Punk, I look for Vince and the folks at the WWE to put on one hell of a show Saturday night to try and swing the headlines back their way. Titles will change hands and there may even be a surprise return or two.

Now for the picks... 

I'm not sure which match will appear on the kick-off show, so I'll lead with this one. Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal. This one's going to be quick, and I don't think anyone will be surprised by the winner. I anticipate this match lasting 5 minutes or less.

Who I want to win: Drew McIntyre

Who I think will win: Drew McIntyre

Another contender to appear on the kick-off show is the U.S. Title match pitting Damien Priest against Sheamus. This match is sure to be a hard hitting affair as these men straight up just don't like each other. Sheamus' reign as United States Champion has been somewhat underwhelming to say the least, and despite the length of time he's held the title, I believe I have more fingers on one hand than he's had title matches during that time.

I look for a title change to take place in this match regardless of where it appears on the card. I'm not sure if Priest will bring back the open challenge concept and defend the title each week, but I do anticipate he will be a much more active champion.

Who I want to win: Damien Priest

Who I think will win: Damien Priest

One of three women's matches on the card is Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie w/ Doudrop. While Doudrop isn't an official participant in the match, if anyone thinks she doesn't get involved they haven't been watching Raw over the past several weeks.

I flat out don't see any way Eva Marie wins that match, even if Doudrop attempts to assist. With the way Eva Marie has been treating her protégé, I wouldn't be surprised to see Doudrop assist Alexa, not that she'll need it, or even leave Eva Marie in the cold, as this is a relationship we all now was doomed from the start.

The wildcard here is Lilly, and the supernatural occurrences that have been known to occur when Alexa and Lilly are together. This is a storyline that's gone on for quite some time, and with Bray Wyatt out of the picture your guess is as good as mine on how it's going to end. I look for some shenanigans from the doll and something to happen with the Eva Marie/Doudrop relationship.

Who I want to win: Alexa Bliss

Who I think will win: Alexa Bliss

Both the Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Titles will be on the line and as far as I'm concerned it's a lock one of them will be changing hands.

On the Raw side, the team of Randy Orton and Riddle aka RKBro will be challenging the team of AJ Styles and Omos. I know last month I said, I didn't see a team on the roster who could put up a legit challenge for the titles. I changed my mind. Write it down in pen, no eraser needed, Summer Slam will mark the end of their title reign.

I do look for this to be an entertaining match, and who knows Riddle may even hit an RKO to pick up the victory, but I do not see any way RKBro doesn't walk out of Vegas with the tag titles.

Who I want to win: Riddle and Orton

Who I think will win: Riddle and Orton

On the Smackdown side, the team of Rey and Dominic Mysterio will challenge The Usos. My wife says I'm a terrible person for this take, and I know Rey is one of the most popular superstars of all time, but personally, I've never been much of a fan. I'm not going to deny the talent. He's a surefire Hall of Famer, but I've just never been much of a fan. I also believe the relationship between him and Dominic is going to crumble at some point, I'm just not sure when.

I believe the USOs will retain the titles in a good match with plenty of near finishes. Following the match is when I think things will get good. Rey is going to blame Dominic for the loss. Will Dominic beat the holy hell out of his father, I kind of hope so (this is why my wife says I'm evil). Remember in the world of wrestling if people hate you that's just as good as people loving you. Imagine the boos and hatred that will be flung his way if he beats up his father.

I'm not sure if he will actually beat the crap out of his father or maybe walk away after a slap or a punch, but I look for there to be fireworks following the conclusion of this one.

Who I want to win: The Usos

Who I think will win: The Usos

The toughest match of the night for me to pick is for the Raw Women's Championship when Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair will challenge Nicki A.S.H. for the title. I have no grand illusions of Nicki holding onto the title for several months, but I'm not sure if her reign is going to come to an end this week or not.

With the pending return of Becky Lynch, I feel like there is a chance Nicki somehow escapes this match with the title before eventually losing to Becky. It's no secret the powers to be in the WWE love Charlotte Flair and enjoy constantly inflating the number of title reigns she's had. Sure her dad won 16 titles, but that was over the course of more than 30 years. With the way Vince and company have been treating Charlotte, she'll have more title reigns than her dad before the next CarShield commercial debuts.

I also really like Rhea Ripley, and believe she is the future of women's wrestling, however I just don't feel like now is the time for her second title reign.

Who I want to win: Nicki A.S.H.

Who I think will win: Nicki A.S.H.

Anyone who keeps up with the wrestling rumors online knows there's some debate about whether Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair will actually compete this weekend or not. Sasha was absent from the go-home show, but the way WWE continued promoting the match, made me believe it was going to happen.

Should the match take place, I look for this to be another epic encounter - not quite as great as their Wrestlemania match, but everyone knows the sequels are seldomly as good as the original. I also think the bookers owe Sasha a favor. She is without a doubt one of the best female talents in the WWE and world today, but she always seems to come up short in big matches. Her record at Wrestlemania is awful. Her record in title defenses is awful. How can she be the Legit Boss when she legit chokes at almost every big moment?

I look for Sasha to win this match and move away from Bianca for a little while, setting up Banks vs. BeLair III at Survivor Series or perhaps even next year's Wrestlemania. Remember, rematches aren't automatic anymore.

Who I want to win: Sasha Banks (much to the dismay of my daughter, who loves Bianca)

Who I think will win: Sasha Banks

While it may not be a title match Edge vs. Seth Rollins will steal the show, and I know I'm not the only saying that. It is going to be a brutal, back and forth match with more than a few near finishes. I'm even going to go out on a limb and say Edge will kick out of at least one curb stomp.

Edge is a feel good story and the segment with he and Rollins on Friday and the Brood bath was amazing! I just wish they would have given it the Carrie treatment and used "pigs blood," rather than what appeared to be oil of some kind. I see little chance of Rollins winning this match, but I do expect it to be the best match of the evening.

Who I want to win: Edge

Who I think will win: Edge

While I'm not a fan of Brock Lesnar, I do believe that Lesnar vs. Lashley would be an amazing match, and that is a fight I want to see. For whatever reason it's not happening at Summer Slam, but I hold out hope it will happen at some point. However, if Bobby Lashley loses the title then what's the point?

In steps Bill Goldberg to take on Bobby Lashley. Everyone knows that a Goldberg match is going to be quick regardless of who wins. Part of me feels like Goldberg is going to win the title, and then maybe hold onto for a little while until the WWE can convince Lesnar to come back, at which point either he or Bobby Lashley will reclaim the title setting up Lesnar vs. Lashley.

However, another part of me feels like Goldberg's appearances leading up to this match don't feel the same. There hasn't been the dramatic entrance, and something this time feels different, and at least to me the Goldberg I've been watching over the past several weeks doesn't seem like a champion. I guess we'll find out about 3-4 minutes after the bell rings on Saturday.

Who I want to win: Bobby Lashley (I'm only saying that, because I hate part-time champions)

Who I think will win: Bobby Lashley

Did I just say I hate part-time champions? Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about John Cena. He and I both went to Springfield College. He and I are both passionate about Make-A-Wish, and frankly John Cena is my favorite wrestler of all-time. 

When John Cena challenges Roman Reigns on Saturday I hope he wins. Do I really want him to break Ric Flair's record? I could care less about the record, and I'll note Ric Flair is my second favorite wrestler of all-time. I have no problem with the two of them staying tied at 16 title reigns a piece for all of eternity, but I'm ready for the WWE to move on from Roman Reigns at least for a little while.

Before I sat down and watched Friday's episode of Smackdown, I thought there was a small chance Cena would win the match. Imagine closing out the show with someone breaking Ric Flair's record for world titles? It would have been epic. Then they added the stipulation that if Roman loses, he leaves WWE. Does anyone believe for even one second, that will happen? As with any Cena match there will be plenty of near finishes, and I anticipate both men hitting their finishers at least once during the match, but with that added stipulation, I now feel like I'm watching a game on DVR after already knowing the final score.

Who I want to win: John Cena

Who I think will win: Roman Reigns

So here's my picks. How do you think the night will shape up? Feel free to comment below with some picks of your own and enjoy the show.