SummerSlam is “Your Summer Vacation Destination.” This year’s pay-per-view will truly bring the heat, as the WWE Universe braces itself for an epic card from top to bottom, including Universal Champion Roman Reigns against John Cena, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley against WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair against Sasha Banks, Raw Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. against Chalotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat Match, WWE Hall of Famer Edge against Seth Rollins and so much more. It all streams live this Saturday exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network everywhere else, beginning at 8 ET/5 PT!
As the WWE Universe gears up for this pivotal event, WWE.com’s editors offer their own grand prognostications as to who will sizzle at SummerSlam! Presented by Cricket Wireless.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. John Cena (PREVIEW)
WINNER: JOHN CENA
MIKE BURDICK: Roman Reigns thinks he can beat what he can not see. John Cena knows he will beat what he has seen in countless battles before. “The Champ is gone” after he conquers The Head of the Table and lays claim to his history-making 17th World Championship.
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS
STEVE BARILE: Have you seen the last year Roman Reigns has had? John Cena may in fact be the G.O.A.T., but he is walking into The Head of the Table’s territory now, and the 16-time World Champion will be forced to acknowledge him when SummerSlam is all said and done.
WINNER: JOHN CENA
JON CHIK: It’s been a long time since Cena could be considered the bona fide underdog, but it’s a role in which he thrived when he was racking up championship after championship and largely dominating WWE. Like he said, all he has to do is hang in there for “1-2-3.”
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Goldberg (PREVIEW)
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY
BURDICK: Goldberg has proven time and time again that he is a true warrior. All of the WWE Hall of Famer’s great achievements, however, will not help him against the merciless powerhouse that is The All Mighty.
WINNER: GOLDBERG
BARILE: Everyone counted Goldberg out when he first returned to battle Brock Lesnar back in 2016, and look how that turned out. After missing out on the elusive WWE Championship at Royal Rumble earlier this year, Goldberg is hungrier than ever, and that could very well catch “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley off guard when they finally collide.
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY
CHIK: Over the past year, Lashley has ruled the red brand with an iron fist and trampled his fellow Raw Superstars with ruthless efficiency. For all his accolades, Goldberg is competing in just his second match of 2021, so it seems unlikely that he can unseat The All Mighty WWE Champion.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks (PREVIEW)
WINNER: BIANCA BELAIR
BURDICK: The EST of WWE has been on an incredible roll since laying claim to her title, and at the conclusion of what is sure to be an incredible rematch, WrestleMania history will ultimately repeat itself at SummerSlam when Bianca bests The Boss once again.
WINNER: BIANCA BELAIR
BARILE: The E-S-T of WWE is having arguably the best year of any WWE Superstar. She proved she can beat Sasha Banks in the main event of WrestleMania, and Bianca Belair will do it again on summer’s biggest stage.
WINNER: SASHA BANKS
CHIK: Did you see the look in Sasha’s eyes when she savagely attacked Bianca and trapped her in the Bank Statement a couple of weeks ago on SmackDown? Banks is back to being the merciless competitor absolutely consumed by reaching the top … the best version of The Boss.
Raw Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair (PREVIEW)
WINNER: RHEA RIPLEY
BURDICK: SummerSlam may stand witness to the greatest of Charlotte Flair throughout the free-for-all matchup. It may be “almost a win” for Nikki A.S.H. When the smoke clears, though, the epic Triple Threat Match will prove to be a Nightmare for both The Queen and optimistic titleholder.
WINNER: NIKKI A.S.H.
BARILE: She’s almost a superhero for a reason. Nikki A.S.H. knows how to make justice prevail in the end, and Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair going toe-to-toe might cancel both of them out, leading Nikki to retain her title.
WINNER: CHARLOTTE FLAIR
CHIK: Triple Threat Matches are all about being opportunistic and picking the right time to strike, and no one does that better than Charlotte Flair. Also, The Queen is undefeated at SummerSlam because of course she is.
Edge vs. Seth Rollins (PREVIEW)
WINNER: EDGE
BURDICK: The Rated-R Superstar knows how to overcome. He has come back from the impossible to compete again and now he is going to take out “The Visionary of Drip” for costing him the Universal Title.
WINNER: SETH ROLLINS
BARILE: There is no doubt Edge has proven he can still go with the best of them since returning to the ring, but Seth Rollins is straight-up angry. He feels he deserves to be next in line for a Universal Championship opportunity, and he isn’t about to let Edge stand in his way to reaching the top of WWE once again.
WINNER: EDGE
CHIK: How else can you say it? Edge is fighting for his life this Saturday. Rollins threatened to end his career, and The Rated-R Superstar is always at his most dangerous when backed into a corner.
Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie (PREVIEW)
WINNER: ALEXA BLISS
BURDICK: Look, Eva is stunning, Doudrop is intimidating. Neither will prove to be a match for the mystical ability of Alexa Bliss or her dangerous doll Lilly.
WINNER: ALEXA BLISS
BARILE: The time for mind games is over … but they will likely continue. Once Eva Marie finally comes face-to-face with Alexa Bliss, she will not stand a chance both physically and mentally.
WINNER: ALEXA BLISS
CHIK: Even prior to turning to the dark side, Bliss was a decorated champion, a cunning manipulator and willing to do whatever it takes to win. Now that she’s using seemingly supernatural forces and getting assists from her doll Lilly, she’s practically unstoppable.
Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Omos vs. Randy Orton & Riddle (PREVIEW)
WINNER: RK-BRO
BURDICK: RK-Bro will finally have an answer for AJ Styles’ Own Personal Colossus Omos, leaving The Phenomenal One vulnerable to the most dangerous three letters in WWE … R-K-O!
WINNERS: RK-BRO
BARILE: Riddle has beaten AJ Styles. Randy Orton has beaten AJ Styles. All RK-Bro have to do is somehow isolate Omos and take him out of the equation. If they can find a way to do that, new Raw Tag Team Champions will be crowned.
WINNERS: RK-BRO
CHIK: Given The Viper’s knack for turning on friends and partners, who’s to say how long RK-Bro will last? But whether Orton wants to admit it or not, the two have remarkable chemistry in the ring, and the alliance should last just long enough for a championship win on Saturday.
United States Champion Sheamus vs. Damian Priest (PREVIEW)
WINNER: DAMIAN PRIEST
BURDICK: The time has come for The Archer of Infamy to take his rightful place on the top of the mountain by toppling The Celtic Warrior in what is sure to be a hard-fought matchup.
WINNER: DAMIAN PRIEST
BARILE: The Archer of Infamy has mastered the Brogue Kick. If he can execute it, it also means he can see it coming from a mile away. Priest will have his day of Reckoning and become the new United States Champion.
WINNER: SHEAMUS
CHIK: Okay, when are we going to start mentioning the Brogue Kick as one of most devastating finishing moves in WWE history? Like, easily top five. Against most opponents, Priest would likely be closing in on his first title in WWE, but when it comes to The Celtic Warrior, all it takes is one well-timed Brogue Kick to get to #AndStill territory.
Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal (PREVIEW)
WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
BURDICK: No henchmen left to help him out. No sword has been banished. No way! McIntyre is going to run right over The Modern Day Maharaja.
WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
BARILE: No Veer. No Shanky. No one to help Jinder Mahal means Drew McIntyre is swinging his mighty sword, Angela, all the way to the ring for this one, but he won’t have to use it. Just one swift Claymore should get the job done for The Scottish Warrior.
WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
CHIK: Whatever chance Jinder had of upsetting his former bandmate flew out the window when Drew got Veer and Shanky barred from ringside. Plus, who could possibly have their head in the game when their opponent is wielding Excalibur?
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Mysterios (PREVIEW)
WINNER: THE USOS
BURDICK: The Mysterios made history as the first father and son Tag Team Champions. Nevertheless, Dominik has shown as of late that he is just too inexperienced to help his legendary father best the well-oiled machine that is The Usos for a second reign. The Bloodline will hold here.
WINNERS: THE USOS
BARILE: Lightning will not strike twice for Rey & Dominik Mysterio. Some slight miscommunications as of late won’t cut it on the stage of SummerSlam, and The Usos are just on another level right now. The SmackDown Tag Team Titles stay in The Bloodline.
WINNER: THE USOS
CHIK: Seeing The Mysterios become the first father-son duo to win tag team gold in WWE was an amazing sight to all who witnessed it, but they’ve only been tagging together for a handful of months. The Usos, meanwhile, have been the most dominant tag team in WWE for more than a decade (yes, it has been that long).
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