WWE SummerSlam 2013: Predictions

I’ve spent a lot of time writing up silly predictions for recent pay-per-views, but SummerSlam has really been built well, and has a solid roster, so I had to write up my honest predictions for the show.

It finally feels as though the WWE has decided to take their pay-per-views seriously this year, starting with Money In The Bank, and SummerSlam is the next step in the evolution of the WWE in 2013, and certain wrestlers in particular, specifically Daniel Bryan.

Because of so much going on in the WWE, I see SummerSlam being their crowning glory of the summer, but they will have a lot to do to beat out Money In The Bank’s fantastic booking and ring work.

United States title match – Dean Ambrose (c) vs. RVD

Even though this match has been scheduled to be on the Pre-SummerSlam Show, I’m expecting it to be awe inspiring. Ambrose, as with the rest of The Shield, is serious about making his name in the WWE, and who better to do that with than RVD?

I’m sure working with a legend such as RVD has to be a huge event for Ambrose, and with RVD being so happy back in the WWE, I know they are going to give us something special. Each month the Pre-PPV match has been better and better, and I’m sure this one will blow all of them out of the water.

RVD’s work since returning to the WWE has been spot on, and it hasn’t looked as though he’s missed a beat, and hasn’t shown a fleck of ring rust. I see their wrestling styles working quite well together, each pushing the other that much further, but because RVD is such a legend in the industry, I think Ambrose is going to get worried and push too hard.

Either he won’t listen to the admonishments from the ref, or Rollins and Reigns will end up getting involved so Ambrose can retain his US title, even if he doesn’t win the match. This should start a solid feud between Ambrose and RVD, giving all us fans something very special in the process.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Ambrose via DQ

Total Divas Match – Natalya w/ Cameron & Naomi vs. Brie Bella w/ Eva Marie & Nikki Bella

This is one of the matches on the card that I’m most worried about. Natalya is an accomplished wrestler, and while Brie’s fiancé is the best wrestler on the WWE roster, her ring work is seriously lacking. All that being said, the WWE is pushing Total Divas hard, and E! has ordered six more episodes of the show while each episode brings in more and more original viewers, so this match will be more than a thirty second slap-fest.

I am sure that the four Divas outside the ring will get involved in the match in some way, but it will be Nikki and Brie working ‘twin magic’ that will bring the win of this match to Brie. There’s no question in my mind that Bryan’s fiancé and Cena’s girlfriend will continue to get a serious push, even through their lacking ring skills.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Brie Bella

Tag Team Championship match – The Shield (Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns) (c) vs. Big Show & Mark Henry

(Not officially on the card, but with the hour long Pre-Show, I expect it to appear somewhere on the SummerSlam card). While it’s been a while since Reigns got some heat for making some negative remarks backstage, things haven’t seem to have abated much for him and Rollins. With Big Show’s return to side with Henry, I don’t think that Reigns and Rollins have a chance in this match.

I’m sure they will work hard to keep their belts, that they’re going to be seriously out-massed in the ring will be their downfall. The Shield banks on outnumbering their opponents to get the upper hand, but in this match they’re going two on two, and the weight difference is more than either Reigns or Rollins. Big Show and Henry outweigh The Shield in its entirety by over 137lbs. They outweigh Reigns and Rollins by about 363lbs. That’s a huge amount of weight to give up, especially to two legendary wrestlers like Henry and Big Show.

All these factors added together is just too much for me to think that Reigns and Rollins have any chance at all. Hopefully Rollins and Reigns can rebuild after their loss, and maybe this could be a solid feud going forward.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Big Show & Mark Henry

Mixed Tag match – Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs. Big E & AJ Lee

AJ Lee

There’s so many ways this match could go, and even though AJ is Divas champion, and Layla will most likely be ringside, I don’t think AJ and Big E have a chance in this one. Big E is a big and powerful man, and AJ has been quite the submission wrestler, but Ziggler is a solid all-round wrestler, and crafty, while Kaitlyn is a powerhouse.

I just don’t see Big E ready to win at a pay-per-view yet, and both Ziggler and Kaitlyn need this win to push forward. I’m almost wondering if there’s going to be a kiss at the end of this match, but I’m not sure who might be kissing who.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn

Damien Sandow vs. Cody Rhodes

I think it’s too early for this match. I don’t think these two are ready to face off, even though I know they will need to at some point. They need more interest, more build before they really go at it in the ring. I do think Cody is going over in this match, but it’s not the end of them, not by a long shot.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Cody Rhodes

World Heavyweight Championship Match – Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Christian

I really, really hope that Christian comes out of this match as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. First off, Christian deserves to be champion, at least one last time, and with the video they recently showed for Christian, it looks like it might be his one last big run.

Christian, with and without Edge, is a tremendous superstar who just hasn’t been able to reach and stay at the pinnacle of the WWE, even though he has all the components needed to be a top superstar.

With Del Rio being such a snore, no matter what swerve the WWE tries to play out, I think it’s absolutely time to get the strap off him and put it on someone interesting and different. I think it’s absolutely Christian’s time to be World Heavyweight Champion, and I can’t wait to see him take out Del Rio.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Christian

Ring of Fire Match – Kane vs. Bray Wyatt

I’m rather put out that this isn’t an Inferno Match, but that’s the WWE being all PG for you. All that being said, I really wonder if either Rowan or Harper might end up catching themselves on fire at some point trying to get to Bray to help him out.

Now, I wasn’t impressed with Windham Rotunda when he played Husky Harris. I was live at the 40 Man Royal Rumble Match, and it was obvious that he was a loose cannon and terribly reckless in the ring. I have since seen Bray Wyatt at a live event and he’s a totally different man. He’s not just a different character, but a whole new man inside the character.

He’s stepped into this character with every bit of himself, and it shows in every tiny move he makes when he’s in character in front of the fans. It’s an immersion into his character that I’ve only seen from the likes of Kane, Taker, and a few other true characters.

Because the two men in this match are truly immersed characters, I’m expecting it to be crazy intense, but in the end, Kane won’t be able to hold back and will end up lighting Bray on fire, costing himself the match via DQ.

Winner – Bray Wyatt via DQ

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman

CM Punk and Brock lesnar

I think the WWE booked themselves into a corner with this one. I know it seems as though it really doesn’t matter if Brock loses almost every match he’s in, but in the long run, he’s really looking like quite the pay-per-view wimp. Brock should be disassembling the WWE roster, yet even old guys like Triple H are beating him in the ring. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Punk really needs this win, and really deserves this win, but he should be getting it at WrestleMania, not at SummerSlam. I think Punk’s feud with Heyman is too early in its inception for either Punk or Brock to go over cleanly.

I think Heyman or Axel is going to get involved in some way and cause some sort of big mess and the match will be thrown out. Before that, Punk and Brock are going to put on one heck of a match!

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – A big mess!

WWE Championship Match – John Cena (c) vs. Daniel Bryan

This is the match with the biggest questions, but the one most obvious answer. Cena needs surgery on his elbow, and will be having the surgery before he’s very ill. He’s already lucky that his whole arm isn’t infected, and McMahon won’t be allowing Cena any more time to hope it gets better. The surgery has already been scheduled, so that means Cena will not be walking out of SummerSlam as the WWE champion.

That should mean that Bryan is, but with Orton lurking with his Money In The Bank contract in hand, I have to wonder if he might just be the huge swerve that we’re expecting to see at SummerSlam. The thing is that there’s also the Vince/Steph/Triple H feud that’s hanging over all of this. How will that play out and affect the match?

I’d like to think Trip would call it down the middle, but he would love to screw McMahon. Will McMahon get involved in some way? Will Steph? There’s so many questions about this match that have added so many variables. It would make more sense in the long run for Bryan to win, and Orton to cash in and beat Bryan for the WWE Championship, because it would set up for a better feud, but Bryan deserves to be Champion, so I have to go with my heart on this one. I’m going with Bryan to win and walk out of SummerSlam as WWE champion.

Kendra’s Predicted Winner – Daniel Bryan

I might have added my silly take to SummerSlam elsewhere, but it’s great to be able to get my true feelings and predictions about SummerSlam off my chest for others to read. There’s so much going on with the WWE and their superstars right now, and because of that, I think this could be a stellar pay-per-view.