With the summer heating up, WWE SummerSlam is less than two weeks away.
"The Biggest Event of the Summer" will emanate live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the second year in a row on Aug. 21 and feature a triple main event.
In an inter-promotional match, Brock Lesnar will battle Randy Orton, while for "SmackDown Live," WWE Champion Dean Ambrose will defend his title against Dolph Ziggler and the RAW," brand will see Seth Rollins and Finn Balor wage war over the newly minted WWE Universal Championship.
Nine matches have been announced for the card, which is stacked, including six title bouts.
Here are our picks for who should win each match at SummerSlam. To view this article in slideshow form, CLICK START at the top right of this page.
Tag Team Match: Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens
It's hard to say which team is better as Amore and Cass are two of the most popular babyaces in the industry, while Owens and Jericho make an awesome Canadian connection. All four of these Superstars are amazing, so this should be a fun match to get the crowd excited. With Enzo and Cass on the rise and a potential tag title run in their future, they should be booked to win this one.
The Pick: Enzo & Cass.
WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) w/ Maryse vs. Apollo Crews
The former NXT Superstar is an interesting choice for an opponent, but at least it gives off the idea of opportunity following the brand extension. With The Miz and Maryse set to be a focal point of "Total Divas," it makes sense for the WWE to keep the gold on him, while putting Crews over as a threat for the future. A Crews win, however, is worth considering.
The Pick: The Miz.
WWE Tag Team Championsihps: The New Day (c) vs. The Club
The New Day first won the titles last year at SummerSlam, so there would be something poetic to the trio dropping the belts in the very same building the next year. The Club, however, hasn't really meshed well on WWE television as their promo skills have been lacking and they haven't exactly torn it down in the ring. While the WWE may be tempted to hot shot the gold onto Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson to make them a threat on "RAW," they don't have the momentum to unseat The New Day.
The Pick: The New Day.
WWE United States Championship: Rusev (c) w/ Lana vs. Roman Reigns
Much like The Miz, the WWE might want to keep the gold on the "Bulgarian Brute" to keep promoting him and Lana, who just got married, for "Total Divas." Reigns was handed everything by the WWE and threw it all away with his failure of the company's wellness policy, which puts him back in the midcard. The WWE has a chance to do what they should have done with Reigns in the first place by getting him over as a midcard champion and while it may not be right to award him so quickly after his wellness test failure, giving him the U.S. Championship at least keeps him out of the main event picture on "RAW."
The Pick: Roman Reigns.
WWE Women's Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte
This is the sleeper match of the night that could become one of the most-talked about clashes when all is said and done if both ladies are on their A-game. The WWE shocked many people by crowning "The Boss" on "RAW" a few weeks ago, when it was believed her crowning moment was waiting for SummerSlam. Banks is one of the most over ladies on the roster and is great in the ring, while Charlotte may be the most athletically-gifted women's wrestler on the roster. With Banks just winning the title and Charlotte's lengthy run with the title just ending, the result here should be a no-brainer for the booking team.
The Pick: Sasha Banks.
Singles Match: AJ Styles vs. John Cena
"The Phenomenal One's" heel turn has been less than ideal, but he's still one of the best performers on the roster and this match is one of many that could steal the show. The "Cenation" leader has always been able to bring it and on a big stage like SummerSlam he'll definitely be giving it his all. Cena fell to Styles the last time they met, so it would only be logical for him to get his win here, setting up a clash at the first-ever "SmackDown Live"-only event Backlash on Sept. 11.
The Pick: John Cena
WWE Universal Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
This will be a very exciting main event for "RAW" as the company ushers in a new championship with two of the very best going head-to-head. Balor has certainly been through it all, so it would be nice to see him get awarded for the win, but there are many reasons why "The Architect" should emerge victorious come SummerSlam. Rollins has long been the face of "RAW," and with the New Era in full swing, he should once again be looked upon to carry the brand.
The Pick: Seth Rollins.
WWE Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
This is another match that should be amazing to watch come Aug. 21. Ziggler is finally getting his much-deserved chance to shine in the main event, while Ambrose will look to continue to represent the WWE and the "SmackDown Live" brand as its champion. The company could easily go with either Superstar, but "The Lunatic Fringe" is only two months into his reign and should continue to be the face of the Blue Brand.
The Pick: Dean Ambrose.
Inter-promotional Match: Brock Lesnar (RAW) w/ Paul Heyman vs. Randy Orton (SmackDown)
Orton is in many ways the perfect choice to face Lesnar given his offense, believability to win and status as a veteran. Lesnar has been the center of controversy given his failed USDA tests in the lead up to his UFC 200 fight and Ambrose recently calling him "lazy" on the Steve Austin podcast, saying he's only in it for himself.
"The Viper" should go over "The Beast" at SummerSlam and there are many reasons why. The last time the brands split, the WWE didn't give "SmackDown" a chance to out-do "RAW," but by having Orton go over Lesnar, it legitimizes the Blue Brand very early on in the New Era.
Lesnar is also a part-time Superstar, so to have him beat Orton and disappear really does nothing for the company. Orton could solidify himself as a top "SmackDown" attraction by beating one of the biggest names in the business. As Ambrose pointed out, Lesnar only seems to care about himself and doesn't seem to have much interest in the wrestling business, so there's really no reason he should be awarded with a win given all the negative publicity surrounding him.
The Pick: Randy Orton.
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