Casual fan’s guide to WWE SummerSlam 2016
This Sunday, for the 29th time, WWE presents SummerSlam. Basically a WrestleMania for the summertime, it’s become the most important part of the nine-month wait between WrestleMania seasons. This year’s event is unique in that it’s four hours long for the second year in a row, as well as the final WWE event featuring both brands before brand-exclusive specials begin in September.
Let’s take a look at why we’re supposed to be emotionally engaged in the 10 matches scheduled for this year’s biggest event of the summer (along with three on the pre-show).
GRUDGE MATCH: BROCK LESNAR vs. RANDY ORTON
The only match on the card featuring wrestlers from both brands sees Raw’s Brock Lesnar tangle with SmackDown’s Randy Orton. Originally announced on the July 7th edition of SmackDown, the hook is that they’re two big stars who’ve been around the same amount of time but haven’t really ever wrestled. They faced each other once on a SmackDown in 2002 with Lesnar coming out on top, but not since then.
Presumably a victory for either guy puts them in contention for the top championship on their respective brands, though this really hasn’t been emphasized. It’s Orton’s 11th SummerSlam match (he’s 6-4) and Lesnar’s 7th (4-2).
WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE: FINN BALOR vs. SETH ROLLINS
After Dean Ambrose won at Battleground and kept the WWE World Title on SmackDown, Raw created a brand-new title. Stephanie McMahon gave Seth Rollins a pass to this match at SummerSlam, while Finn Balor won a couple qualifying matches to earn the title shot, and his rivalry with Rollins has grown ever since, with both guys vying to make history as the first WWE Universal Champion.
Both men are former NXT Champions. This is Rollins’ 3rd SummerSlam (he’s 2-0) and both Balor’s first WWE pay-per-view appearance and his first SummerSlam.
WWE WORLD TITLE: DEAN AMBROSE (c) vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER
Ambrose won the WWE World Title at Money in the Bank and kept the title on SmackDown by beating Rollins and Reigns at Battleground. Now the undisputed top dog on his brand, he’ll face Dolph Ziggler, who won a qualifying match to earn the title shot.
The overriding angle is that this is Ambrose’s chance to cement himself as a long-term champion, while it may be the last good chance for Ziggler to prove he’s a championship-caliber superstar.
This is the 7th SummerSlam bout for Ziggler (he’s 2-2 with 2 no-contests) and just the 3rd for Ambrose (he’s 1-1). This is the 28th WWE World Championship bout at SummerSlam and the title has changed hands seven times at the event over the years, most recently in 2014
WWE WOMEN’S TITLE: SASHA BANKS (c) vs. CHARLOTTE
Following a title change on Raw, new Women’s Champion Sasha Banks will face the former champion Charlotte in a rematch. Banks had been pursuing Charlotte’s championship since her WWE main roster debut last summer, and the pair had a storied rivalry in NXT before they were both called up.
It’s the second SummerSlam bout for both combatants, as both debuted in the same match at last year’s event; Charlotte was on the winning team in a three team, nine-female bout, while Banks picked up the loss. While this is the first appearance of the “new” Women’s Championship at SummerSlam, it’s the 8th match featuring a female singles belt in SummerSlam history. Champions are 3-4 overall.
WWE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE: THE MIZ (c) vs. APOLLO CREWS
For the 23rd time in SummerSlam history the Intercontinental Championship will be up for grabs. This year, The Miz seeks to continue his reign (which began the night after WrestleMania) when he defends against Apollo Crews. It’s Crews’ first SummerSlam and Miz’s 5th, though the veteran has an unimpressive 1-3 record at the event.
History may also be on Crews’ side: the title has changed hands 14 times at SummerSlam, more than any other championship in WWE history (and twice as often as the WWE World Title). Outside of fanning the flames of Miz being a primadonna champion, there’s no overriding storyline behind this bout.
WWE UNITED STATES TITLE: RUSEV (c) vs. ROMAN REIGNS
Since the summer began, former WWE golden boy Roman Reigns has lost the WWE World Championship and been beaten clean as a sheet by Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Finn Balor. But his skid could be halted when he faces Rusev, the proud Bulgarian that the fans seem to dislike more than they do Reigns.
It’s unclear whether Reigns (a) dislikes Rusev, (b) dislikes Rusev’s wife Lana, or (c) really wants to be the US Champion. Either way, the crowd reactions for this match will be really fun to watch and at its core, wrestling often doesn’t get much better than when two big guys are brawling with each other.
Both guys are undefeated at SummerSlam with one win apiece (and Rusev was also involved in a no-contest). US Champions are 1-2 at SummerSlam historically.
WWE TAG TEAM TITLES: THE NEW DAY (XAVIER WOODS & KOFI KINGSTON) (c) vs. THE CLUB (KARL ANDERSON & LUKE GALLOWS)
The New Day (the trio of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E) have been WWE Tag Team Champions since last year’s SummerSlam and have beaten basically every tag team except for Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, who joined WWE earlier this year from New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The New Day were attacked by Gallows and Anderson during their in-ring celebration of their lengthy title reign, with Big E being sidelined with an injury in the attack. Now Woods and Kingston are seeking revenge for their fallen comrade, as well as trying to retain their titles. Anderson and Gallows were multi-time champions in Japan, and view the WWE Tag Team Titles as something they deserve.
Woods, Anderson, and Gallows are making their in-ring SummerSlam debuts, while Kingston’s in his 6th SummerSlam bout (he’s 3-1 with a no-contest). In 16 prior tag title bouts, spanning various incarnations of the titles, the champions are 10-6.
GRUDGE MATCH: JOHN CENA vs. AJ STYLES
AJ Styles debuted in January, coming over from NJPW, while John Cena was out of action with an injury. Styles was as synonymous with TNA Wrestling as Cena has been with WWE during the same time period, so their first bout at Money in the Bank was quite anticipated.
Styles won after interference from Anderson and Gallows, and Cena teamed with Enzo Amore and Big Cass to beat Styles, Anderson, and Gallows at Battleground last month. This is the “rubber match,” where each guy will try to prove they’re the best and put themselves in contention for the WWE Title.
Cena’s in his 13th SummerSlam and has an unimpressive 4-8 record, having not won a singles match at SummerSlam since 2007. Styles is making his SummerSlam debut.
GRUDGE MATCH: ENZO AMORE & BIG CASS vs. CHRIS JERICHO & KEVIN OWENS
In a match that seems like giving four talented guys something to do on a big show, the established team of newcomers Enzo Amore and Big Cass (formerly of NXT) take on two ring veterans who haven’t teamed together in Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens.
This match resulted from a 20-minute interview segment to open an episode of Raw, and given that one side is not a full-time team there seems to be almost nothing at stake in this contest beyond pride. Enzo and Cass are making their SummerSlam debuts, Owens his 2nd appearance, and it’s Jericho’s 10th (he’s 3-6 overall).
SIX-WOMAN TAG TEAM MATCH: CARMELLA, BECKY LYNCH & NAOMI vs. NATALYA, ALEXA BLISS & potentially a MYSTERY PARTNER
SmackDown doesn’t yet have a female singles title, but this match was originally meant to whet the collective appetite for one by pitting all six members of SmackDown’s women’s division against each other in a tag match.
Unfortunately, Eva Marie’s in-ring return has again been postponed, this time by a failed wellness policy test. And WWE.com is teasing that perhaps somebody will join Natalya and Alexa Bliss, though based on the posted rosters on the WWE site there aren’t any remaining healthy SmackDown women to take her place.
Anyway, it’s the 2nd SummerSlam match for Becky Lynch (1-0) and Naomi (0-1) and the debuts for Carmella, Natalya, and Bliss.
Also on the pre-show:
MATCH ONE IN A BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES: SHEAMUS vs. CESARO
Two big guys that don’t like each other face off. We’ve seen a couple previous best-of-seven series’ in WWE and WCW, but it’s completely unclear what’s at stake between these men beyond bragging rights.
TAG TEAM MATCH: THE DUDLEY BOYZ vs. SAMI ZAYN & NEVILLE
One of the most decorated tag teams of all time (The Dudleyz) take on two former NXT Champions (Sami Zayn & Neville) who have yet to find their footing in post-draft WWE.
12-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH: AMERICAN ALPHA, THE HYPE BROS & THE USOS vs. BREEZANGO, THE ASCENSION & THE VAUDEVILLAINS
The largest pre-show match in recent memory based on the sheer number of bodies involved features eight graduates of NXT, including three different former NXT Tag Team Champions.
Fun Fact: Including competitors in the pre-show, there are 25 graduates from NXT on SummerSlam.