This Sunday, WWE presents their second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam live from Los Angeles. (Did you know you can watch it on the WWE Network for only $9.99?!)
The build up to the event has been so-so, but the match card shows that there is more than enough potential there for a great PPV. With multiple matches scheduled that could steal the show, let’s take a look at what to expect during the event which will feature nine (nine!) matches.
Side note: Seriously WWE, nine matches and you couldn’t find room for the U.S. Champion (Sheamus) or the Tag Champs (The Usos)? Come on now.
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World Heavyweight Title Match)
Ladies and gentleman… I cannot wait for this match. The main event at SummerSlam will pit 15-time (insert eye roll here) WWE Champ John Cena taking on the Conquerer, the One in 21-1, the Streak-ending Brock Lesnar.
This match was set up the night after BattleGround when Triple H was trying to figure out who exactly would be the one to beat John Cena at SummerSlam. After Plan A and Plan B failed, Paul Heyman brought the Beast back as the Authority’s Plan C.
For the last few weeks, Monday Night Raw has noticeably been missing Lesnar or Cena (or both) each night. That is up until this past Monday when we finally got a face to face confrontation between the two. Following Raw, WWE ran a special highlighting the match and the background between Cena and Lesnar. After being lukewarm to the main event, I am now all in.
Plain and simple, these two are going to beat the absolute hell out of each other. Lesnar hasn’t been in the ring since beating the Undertaker at Wrestlemania in one of the most shocking moments in the history of the WWE. Cena is, well he’s Cena. The current Champ has taken on all comers and is coming off of a win at BattleGround in a Fatal Fourway, following overcoming seven other competitors to win the title at Money in the Bank.
This match however, is totally different than anything we’ve seen from Cena or Lesnar in years. It really is a toss-up as to who will come out on top. Will Cena overcome the odds again, defy the Authority and walk out Champ? Or will Lesnar continue his dominance and start the “Era of Lesnar” as Paul Heyman put it.
Giving Cena the win would bring out the requisite eye-roll from the WWE Universe, but is probably the safest outcome. Having Lesnar win the gold means you are putting the straps on a part-timer who will not be around every week or every pay-per-view to defend the title. This however is not necessarily a bad thing. Let Paul Heyman explain in a way only Heyman can.
I think the WWE championship is the defended too often and lost some of the prestige because of the beast of monthly pay-per-views. The champion having to defend on every single pay-per-view, let alone at every single arena, has taken away from the special event that is when a champion defends the title.
If you present Brock Lesnar 52 weeks a year and you have Brock Lesnar defend the title 12 times a year, you’re losing money. You’re not making money because you are watering down the unique opportunity that the audience can have to see an once-in-a-lifetime athlete on the rare occasion that he dons the tights and laces up the boots and goes into the ring to beat people within an inch of their lives.
As usual, the man does have a point. Making it a rare thing to see the title defended would help put more emphasis on other wrestlers as they compete for the opportunity to be the man to beat Brock Lesnar.
So what happens at SummerSlam? While WWE usually takes the safest route (CENA WINS LOL), I’m betting they go with Lesnar. Having him lose to Cena after breaking the holiest streak in wrestling just doesn’t make sense. A Lesnar win is, to quote Triple H, what’s best for business.
Plus, Lesnar winning means we get to see more of this.
FLIP THE PAGE TO SEE WHICH MATCH IS A STRONG CONTENDER TO STEAL THE SHOW…..
