Summerslam is definitely an interesting PPV to predict. On the one hand, WWE has the momentum running after Money in the Bank with the CM Punk/John Cena angle. On the other hand, we have the idea that WWE might finally say screw the fans again, and run the show how we want. With the trend of CM Punk putting his input backstage on how things should be run (without having the entire power to do so) and the idea that Vince might be finally in the final steps of retiring from the WWE overall (yes, I know that he was storyline fired, but there are rumors that he is done for good after next year). Triple H, even though he is currently just a figure head on TV, is definitely putting his input of the brand and how things should be as well. From what I've read, CM Punk and Triple H are both responsible for the influx of Zack Ryder, Evan Bourne, Daniel Bryan, and other names who I cannot think of at the moment being put on TV more and more. Plus, I read that Triple H is planning on actually rebooting the Tag Team Division with new blood, including that of the Kings of Wrestling from ROH, as well as some tag teams jumping ship from TNA.
But all the creative side of things could be saved for another post. This post is about the current PPV Summerslam. Like I said it was fairly interesting. So, I am going to post accordingly. There will be three points for each match, rather than the normal ramble. There will be How Things Should Happen, How Things Might Happen and Ultimately. In how they should happen, it is just how it sounds. This is how creative should book the match for optimal success (in my opinion of course). How they might happen is if the WWE reverts back to the status quo as Punk put it, this is how the match will probably be booked. Ultimately is my opinion on the aftermath of the storyline and eventually what will happen as a result of the match. Also, it is my last ditch effort to talk myself into believing that the WWE will actually do what should happen.
Also note that two things: 1) CM Punk and Cena almost sound me another PPV. Although, due to financial hardships, I don't think I will order the PPV. That might change. 2) This is a very short card with only two matches that I am really looking forward to and those are the title matches. No IC title match and no US title match. Interesting.
So without further ado, my predictions for WWE SummerSlam 2011:
Undisputed WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena (c) with Guest Referee Triple H
This is the match that will determine how things are really going to be run in the WWE. CM Punk is the reason that the whole wrestling community is in an uproar for his promos and such on TV the last two months. What will happen?
How Things Should Happen: If I was sitting backstage at creative, I would probably be shot for what I am about to suggest: Make John Cena a heel. Why would I be struck down? Take a look at this quote:
"The rumor is attributed to the Wrestling Observer, as they reported last week that a high-ranking executive with great influence over Vince McMahon is lobbying for the match in Rock's hometown of Miami, Florida to be canceled. The executive is concerned that WWE's premiere star, Cena, will be heavily booed during the biggest show of the year."
There are people inside the WWE who are afraid to turn their biggest draw with the little crowd bad. But, ultimately it is what will make this match that much more memorable. You have so many smart marks in the crowd who understand what Cena is and that is why he is booed every match. CM Punk is a smart marks wet dream. He is awesome on the mic, excellent at being the good bad guy, and he can actually wrestle. So the biggest swerve this match will see is if John Cena turns heel, Triple H helps the process by either turning heel as well, and CM Punk walks out the champion. "But James," you are all out there shouting from your computer screens, "If Cena turns heel, and Triple H does as well, won't that mean that Triple H is going to be more bias towards Cena and thus he will win?" Well, you would think that. But in the end, I think that Johnny Laurinitis might be more involved in this match than what is being shown. Look at the facts: He has been on almost every Raw since Money in the Bank and even spoke on one about how Cena should be stripped of the title. He is butting heads with Triple H already and I think he is the reason that CM Punk walks out champion. Triple H will attempt to screw Punk somehow or even Punk smells the double cross from Trips and smacks him in the head. This either leads Trips to play the downed ref or DQ Punk, making Cena the champ. However, Laurinitis, the smart man that he is, will restart the match stating that a title cannot change hands on a DQ. Therefore, CM Punk hits the GTS and Anaconda Vice on Cena, who has no choice but to tap and loses. Now that I am have described the dream scenario, here is how things will probably happen.
How Things Might Happen: If WWE reverts back to the status quo, John CenaWWE champion again. Therefore, CM Punk will be thrown to the mid-card yet again and made to rot. But, even if that's the worst case, I still don't see that happening. In the end, I think that WWE will book a clean finish of the title match with CM Punk walking out the winner and Triple H calling the match down the middle.
Ultimately: Either way, Cena or Punk are a placeholder for Alberto Del Rio to cash in his MITB briefcase. There are numerous rumors that Del Rio will win the title before October so that he is the Mexican champion heading into the tour of Mexico. Although I absolutely hate this idea, I think that even he will be a placeholder champion and entering a feud with the champion who walks out of SummerSlam champion. If WWE was smart, that will be CM Punk, the hottest thing you have going. But who knows?
And through all that, who do I think wins? CM Punk, hands down.
No Hold Barred Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Christian (c) vs. Randy Orton
How Things Should Happen: Remember back months ago that Christian was deemed an unworthy champion and wasn't only given the belt because Edge left and it was a feel good story? He dropped the strap two nights later because creative didn't believe that Christian STILL wasn't a worthy champ and wouldn't carry the company as well as Orton? Well, look how the tides have changed. After a fans dream card at MITB, Christian walked out the champion, although he walked out a weak champion by winning it by a DQ. Now, this card is where the cards are on the table for this feud. If the WWE is going to go down the road of how things should play out, Randy Orton will give Christian a complete ass whooping in this No Holds Barred match. However, Christian, will pull out all the stops down toward the end of the match and beat Orton as his own game, beating him down just as hard. Edge is rumored to be attending Axxess and although he has said numerous times that he will not be backstage at the show or even in the crowd, that might just be a smokescreen to something bigger. Being essentially a street fight, Edge could be involved in the decision, although I don't think he will. Christian walks out the Champion and the internet community rejoices because Randy Orton, while although a big name, along with John Cena are not holding the two titles hostage anymore.
How Things Might Happen: Once again, if WWE reverts to status quo, Randy Orton walks out the champion yet again. However, they wouldn't have built Christian's
heel persona so well just to give him a measly month run with the title after basically screwing him out of the title only after two days. I think Christian still has one major title run left in him (he did hold the NWA/TNA Title for a while when there), so I think this is it. He holds onto the title at least until Royal Rumble, where he loses it to the person who challenges Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania. The funny thing is, I don't have a clue who could wrestle with Bryan at WM and put on a spectacular match. Orton or Christian don't seem like the kinds of talent that would counter Bryan that well. But I don't know.
Ultimately: Daniel Bryan is your next World Heavyweight Champion, regardless of the outcome. While there are plenty of people out there who don't think the D-Bryan was smart at picking his time and place so far in advance, RVD did it in 2006 at ECW One Night Stand with success, so it can be played out well if done right. I don't think either Christian or Orton will be facing him as champion, so there is a third mysterious player waiting to take the title and face Bryan, but I am uncertain at the moment who.
Who wins? Christian and he is made to look stronger in the finish than the MITB finish.
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry
This match, as well as the last two, do not need the three breakdowns. I feel that the championship matches are going to show exactly how much the WWE cares about the fans more than these matches, although these matches are interesting in their own rights. I mean, seriously, who saw a Sheamus face turn coming? It was SO sudden, but so welcome, that alone makes this match interesting.
They have been building up Mark Henry so much over the past few months that he has even taken out Big Show and Kane in the process. So, in steps Sheamus, the Celtic Warrior and a smaller guy in comparison to the two I just listed as well as Henry. But, he was sold so well last week to be stronger than Henry in his match against the Great Khali. Besides, the guy has two title runs already, so they believe that Sheamus can carry the company eventually, otherwise he wouldn't have been given the title in the first place. So, will he defeat Henry here? No, I think that Henry is given one last PPV boost before finally slipping into this long feud with Sheamus, eventually ending with a Sheamus win. Sheamus will give Henry one hell of a fight though, and it won't be a squash by any means.
Winner: Mark Henry
Wade Barrett vs. Daniel Bryan
I already commented on how much I think Daniel Bryan means to the WWE right now. He is the loveable loser of wrestling, not just the WWE. I read about his time in ROH and to be honest, it was strikingly similar. He started out being the loser of every match and getting nowhere fast. However, ROH saw his potential and finally put the title on him a couple of times and turned him into a real asshole. While I don't see the asshole part coming out yet, I do see Bryan walking out of Wrestlemania as champion.
Now to this match. This is turning into quite a small little feud. It all boils down from the Nexus angle from last year. While D-Bryan was technically a part of the original Nexus that destroyed the set, he was "fired" from WWE for being non-PG when he strangled Josh Mathews with his tie. At the time, I thought it was very legit that he got fired and he wasn't allowed back. Now that I have read more into it, I find it odd that there have been PLENTY of non-PG things over the past couple of years on WWE TV that could haven warranted a similar firing, yet nothing happened to those people. So, even back then the WWE was grooming Daniel Bryan to be the superhero that triumphed over the Nexus. They played off D-Bryan off TV to make it seem like Nexus gave him the boot, when in reality he was better suited being a singles star rather than being stuck in a stable. Tell me, besides Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Michael McGillicutty, and maybe Slater and Gabriel (who both don't get much air time) who else is still around from Nexus, both old and new?
This match will definitely showcase how much of a talent D-Bryan really is. I think Wade Barrett doesn't stand a chance and its possible that D-Bryan keeps his promise of trying to learn new submissions and showcases a new one here.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Divas Championship Match: Kelly Kelly (c) vs. Beth Phoenix
The Divas division is a shamble. It hasn't been the same since Lita, Trish Stratus, Jackie, Molly Holly, etc, were still wrestling. Beth Phoenix and maybe Natalya are the only two I can think of that can actually get through a match without fucking up TOO badly. Kelly Kelly, while has definitely gotten better since she first started, doesn't hold a candle to the divas I listed at the beginning.
But wait! We have Beth Phoenix and Natalya bitching about how much the Divas division sucks? Isn't that what I just said? Could it be that the WWE is FINALLY realizing what I and pretty much all the fans have been saying about Divas matches? While I hate Michael Cole and he is total tool, his commentary during Divas matches are pretty much what the community as a whole is saying. They are boring, nothing happens, and nothing is taken away from it. Except maybe the T and A, but that isn't what these ladies are trying to accomplish. Well, the ones who care that is.
So, what does this mean for the Divas division? Well, I think Beth Phoenix comes out as Champion and forms a stable with Natalya and maybe a few other Divas that tries to cleanse the Divas division and maybe try to compete with the Knockouts? I mean, I don't even watch TNA and I know that their Knockouts are 100x better than the Divas. Hell, they have Mickie James, who I totally forgot to mention in my list above.
Winner and New Champion: Beth Phoenix
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