4 current champions who may not wrestle at WWE SummerSlam 2023 - Recently returned star to miss out on epic event?

WWE airs a big event almost every month. The Stamford-based promotion has a handful of major Premium Live Events that take place each year that are considered the "big 5". This includes WrestleMania, SummerSlam, the Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and most recently, Money in the Bank.

SummerSlam is set to arrive in just a handful of weeks. The Biggest Party Of The Summer will stream beginning at 8 PM EST on Saturday, August 5th, 2023. The show will take place in front of tens of thousands of loud fans at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

No official card has been revealed for the big event, but most major matches are beginning to take shape. The likes of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Gunther, and Asuka will all surely compete at the big show, and the way the television is being booked points in that direction.

Unfortunately, there are a handful of champions who may end up missing the show based on the projected card. While they could still end up added to the big event, there's only so much room, and there's clearly a lot of competition for the stacked lineup. This article will look at current champions who may not end up competing at SummerSlam.

Below are four current champions who may not wrestle at WWE SummerSlam 2023.

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#4. Sami Zayn & #3. Kevin Owens, the tag team champions could miss the big event

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are two of the most popular superstars in WWE today. Both men have been popular for a long time, but their adulation from the audience reached new heights this year, thanks to their feud with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline.

The pair won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles during the main event of WrestleMania 39. The first night was all about the tag team gold, and the Canadian pair stood tall over The Usos, ending the longest tag team title reign in the company's history.

While their win was monumental, they may end up missing SummerSlam. There aren't any obvious opponents for the two stars to fight. They defeated Pretty Deadly the night before Money in the Bank. They've also managed to put away The Usos, Imperium, and even The Street Profits since winning the titles.

If the two don't make the SummerSlam card, it would be quite unfortunate. They've been in several main events this year, so to miss out on the actual SummerSlam card after not being in action at Money in the Bank could prove to be a mistake.

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#2. Raquel Rodriguez may challenge Rhea Ripley, leaving Liv Morgan without a match

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez are a pair that shouldn't work, yet they do. On paper, they don't have much in common. They're completely different wrestlers with different personalities, yet somehow, they work incredibly well as a team.

The two were the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions earlier this year. They, unfortunately, had to give up the belts when Liv was injured. Thankfully, Morgan returned to action, and the two re-captured the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles at Money in the Bank.

Despite being newly crowned champions, however, they may not end up defending the belts at the next Premium Live Event.

According to recent reports, Raquel Rodriguez may be challenging Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship at The Biggest Party of the Summer. If this news turns out to be accurate, The Miracle Kid will seemingly not have a match at the big show. It would also mean their coveted tag team titles won't be defended.

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#1. Austin Theory doesn't have a clear match for WWE SummerSlam

Austin Theory is a WWE Superstar many believe could lead the company for years, if not decades, to come. At only 25 years old, Austin has managed to win the United States Championship twice and even defeated John Cena at WrestleMania.

In his second reign with the coveted belt, Theory has held the United States Championship since Survivor Series last year. With well over 200 days as champion, many are wondering how long he may hold onto the gold.

While his reign with the gold has been impressive, he may end up missing The Biggest Party of The Summer. Austin has no obvious match for the card, and there aren't any major rumors hinting toward an impending bout.

He could potentially fight Sheamus again, but given how stacked the card may be, Theory could end up missing the big show.