SummerSlam is this weekend in Minneapolis’ US Bank Stadium, bringing us two nights of pro wrestling spectacle from WWE. Both Sat., August 1 and Sun., August 2 will feature a free “Countdown” pre-show, then the premium live event itself begins at 6 p.m. ET — streaming HERE on ESPN Unlimited in the U.S., and on Netflix pretty much everywhere else.
Sunday’s Night Two features another chapter between Shield brothers with a World title on the line, a 6-woman ladder match to determine an Interim champ,
Men’s United States and Intercontinental bouts, along with another to determine the #1 contender for the Undisputed WWE title. Plus, Danhausen and Dirty Dom will try to get dirty human monies off poles. And more!
It’s a lot to process. Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.
Let’s get to it.
PREDICTIONS FOR SUMMERSLAM NIGHT ONE
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Geno Mrosko: I at least appreciate that they put it all on the line for Rollins by outright calling out his status as second best. That’s going to give it some legitimate weight when he loses here. What comes after should be interesting. Pick: Roman Reigns
Sean Rueter: These meet-ups of The Shield’s betrayer and his brother most hurt by the betrayal and his only brother (did I do that right, WWE?) have always gone The Visionary’s way, but not this time. The story is the champ is finally mentally tough enough to slay his dragon. Then he’ll move into more filler feuds until WWE decides to book the Femi match. Pick: Roman Reigns
Kyle Decker: Man, I am not interested in this match at all. I don’t care how many Shield retrospective videos they run or how much of the same talking points they throw at each other, this just feel ho-hum. No reason to do a change here either. Pick: Roman Reigns
Claire Elizabeth: I so badly wanna say that Seth is right when Roman will never ever get one over on him but in 2026 Seth is slowly falling apart and Roman is minty fresh every time he gets pulled out of the box for a match, so… oh well. Also, isn’t a shame that the identity of the third member of the Shield seems to have been lost to history? Archive your media, kids! Pick: Roman Reigns
Cain A. Knight: Remember when WWE fans got so bored of watching John Cena and Randy Orton at the top of the card fighting each other, resulting in their world title match at Royal Rumble 2014 bombing? Reigns and Rollins have been around at the top of WWE long enough where it’s starting to feel just as exhausted as the Cena versus Orton feud, even though they haven’t fought each other as often on PLEs. It’s just not working. Pick: Roman Reigns
M. G0MEZ: This should have been an easy feud to build. Instead, we got the guy who Triple H coddled for 12 years complaining about someone else getting breaks. I could go on, but as I was told recently: support the wrestlers, don’t pick on creative. Okay — Let’s go, my Tribal Chief! As for a prediction, get this: expect no less than three Superman punches, a spear countered into a pedigree for a false finish, and Rollins missing a Phoenix Splash before Reigns ultimately wins with a spear. Hooray, OTC! Pick: Roman Reigns
Jon Velez-Jackson: The best that can be said about this match is that Seth Rollins will pull a good performance out of Roman Reigns. But WWE will be reluctant to take the title off the extremely popular Reigns, and he looks set to finally get a W against his former Shield stablemate in a high-stakes match. Pick: Roman Reigns
Josh Jagler: WWE is banking on the history between these two cats carrying the story for this match. There really hasn’t been another dimension added to this feud that wasn’t already there. When the bell rings though, I feel confident that these guys will deliver and put on a match worthy of the spot. All that said, I just don’t see a way Seth goes over here, nor is there much of a reason to go that direction. Pick: Roman Reigns
Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Chelsea Green vs. Lash Legend
Geno Mrosko: There are only two real options here, based on how they’ve booked television, and that kind of sucks. I’m betting they go with the most reliable choice. Pick: Charlotte Flair
Sean Rueter: If anybody can make an Interim belt run work, it’s our girl Chels. Could it happen? Cargill and Flair still haven’t had a one-on-one match, so they can continue to cancel each other out to set that up. Blake Monroe can distract Tiffy, and it seems even less likely that WWE would put a top title on either Giula or Lash Legend right now than our first-ever and greatest Women’s champ. Will it happen? Screw it. Pick: Chelsea Green
Kyle Decker: Who is most likely going to get the big match against Rhea when she’s healthy? It’s Charlotte Flair. Pick: Charlotte Flair
Claire Elizabeth: Flair and Cargill neutralize each other, Tiffany and Chelsea working together makes them too obvious a target for everybody else (and nevermind the obvious and inevitable betrayal), so when everybody’s down and out and there’s one ladder sitting upright in the middle of the ring, it’s gonna be Lash Legend who climbs it and retrieves the briefcase interim title belt. Pick: Lash Legend
Cain A. Knight: I assume Rhea Ripley will eventually beat whoever wins this match. She’s already beaten Cargill twice, so there’s no need to do it a third time. I don’t think Flair wants to risk the fans turning on her if she wins another top title, even an interim one. Stratton already has a belt. Green is now a babyface. I think that makes Lash Legend the best choice for an interim champ who Ripley can return to beat. Pick: Lash Legend
M. G0MEZ: No one in this match has any sustained momentum. Flair at least feels lukewarm. Given her resume, she has the credibility to make an interim title feel like “something.” Pick: Charlotte Flair
Jon Velez-Jackson: Charlotte Flair is probably the logical choice to win this crowded match in order to eventually continue her history with Rhea Ripley, but I’m going to go with my heart and predict a Chelsea Green victory. Green is a unique performer who can do it all — a workhouse with comedic chops. She’s long overdue for a run on top, even if it’s an “interim” run. Pick: Chelsea Green
Josh Jagler: The long game here is who makes for a good matchup with Rhea Ripley when the Eradicator returns in the coming months. In that regard, putting the interim title on a heel, like Jade or Lash, would seem to be the play. The heart is telling me to go with Chelsea here, but I think I’d rather see her win Money in the Bank in October. At the end of the day, I think they go with the safe play and make Charlotte the Fifteen Queen and figure out the rest later. Pick: Charlotte Flair
Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable
Geno Mrosko: This is an easy one. Just do it for the future video packages, if nothing else. Pick: Chad Gable
Sean Rueter: His story’s lost a little momentum for me, but there’s really no choice. It may be time to start thinking about bigger things for Fenix’s brother, anyway. Pick: Chad Gable
Kyle Decker: Gotta pull the trigger on Gable in his hometown. Pick: Chad Gable
Claire Elizabeth: Chad Gable has learned how to deal with luchadors through the power of respect and friendship, and that means he’s tight, he’s focused, and he’s coming home with the gold. Pick: Chad Gable
Cain A. Knight: Chad’s redemption arc would work better if he won the Intercontinental championship from a heel, rather than a beloved babyface like Penta. The clapping thing is awkward and forced, but WWE will keep trying to make it a thing with a win for Gable in his home state. Pick: Chad Gable
M. G0MEZ: This is Gable’s hometown and his redemption story. Pick: Chad Gable
Jon Velez-Jackson: Chad Gable is still hot off his performance against El Grande Americano in the frontrunner for Match of the Year, even though he lost. Penta has enjoyed a respectable run with the Intercontinental title, but now it’s time for Gable to hold the belt. Pick: Chad Gable
Josh Jagler: Traditional booking says that Chad Gable isn’t winning in his hometown, but I think they buck that old trend here. Reactions to Gable have dissipated a bit since Noche de los Grandes, so putting him against a big-time babyface like Penta isn’t the best way to get him a big reaction for his big moment, but I just don’t see how Gable loses this match. Pick: Chad Gable
United States Championship match: Trick Williams (c) vs. Baron Corbin
Geno Mrosko: I’ll riot if this goes any other way. Me and my friend Mark are going to be pissed. Pick: Trick Williams
Sean Rueter: They’re selling us lone wolf, but so far what WWE and Baron have served up is more bum ass. Still, there HAS to be more to bringing him back just putting over T. Willy on a Big 4 card. Right? So while he may not get an official victory, this feud will roll on. And because we don’t track records anyway (is that because mine would be the worst? hey, is that Rhea Ripey over there?) let’s say he does get the W by somehow tricking/goading the champ into a disqualification. Pick: Baron Corbin
Kyle Decker: Tough to pick since Corbin has barely been on TV since his return. But I’d like to think they didn’t bring back the 41-year-old Corbin to take the title from the uber popular 32-year-old. Pick: Trick Williams
Claire Elizabeth: I do not know what Corbin is doing here as his plain white toast self (no “I did some judo tournaments and now I know a submission” does not count as a character reinvention) and I do not care, I just know I want— no, I need Trick to retain the title here. Shine them lemon pepper steppers up and let’s get it done, baby! Pick: Trick Williams
Cain A. Knight: This title match wouldn’t interest me in the slightest if it was on a regular episode of SmackDown, let alone one of WWE’s biggest events of the year. Pick: Trick Williams
M. G0MEZ: Corbin just returned to WWE three weeks ago. He doesn’t have enough momentum to walk in and win a title. Conversely, losing straight away kills his comeback flat. Nah, this is just getting started. Pick: Schmoz
Jon Velez-Jackson: Trick Williams is one of the most over stars in wrestling, so Baron Corbin does not feel like a legitimate threat no matter how much WWE pushes him. Pick: Trick Williams
Josh Jagler: Baron Corbin talking about patience on SmackDown on Friday gives me pause and makes me think there could be some sort of dirty finish that leads to an upset. That being said, I just can’t see them taking the title off of Trick yet. Thinking maybe Baron tries to cheat but Carmelo Hayes stops him in his tracks, allowing Trick to retain and set up a Trick Melo Gang showdown in the next few months. Pick: Trick Williams
WWE Championship No. 1 Contender’s match: Sami Zayn vs. Finn Bálor
Geno Mrosko: It looks more like they’re trying to get Balor back to the main event than keep Zayn there. Pick: Finn Balor
Sean Rueter: No offense to Finn, but we saw that. And since whoever wins this probably isn’t gonna become WWE champ in the course of their program with CM Punk, I’d rather keep that special and save his World title shots for later in his run. The Real Good Guy complaining about Corporate Man Punk for however long it lasts? Insert the Big E eating popcorn GIF here. Pick: Sami Zayn
Kyle Decker: I’d ride the good guy run of Bálor here. I prefer a more aggrieved Sami Zayn, who can interfere with a Punk/Bálor match to prevent Finn taking a third straight loss to the Second City Saint. Pick: Finn Bálor
Claire Elizabeth: The promo between these two might have been the best part of SmackDown last night and I really enjoy the layering of both men’s stories of scratching and clawing to get to this point, and I almost want a screwy finish to set up either like a best of five series or just a plain ol’ three-way for the title, but no, I think it’s clean and I think Finn gets to exorcise the ghost of his wonderful and terrible 2016 SummerSlam experience once and for all. Pick: Finn Balor
Cain A. Knight: I think there’s more juice to squeeze out of WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn coming out of SummerSlam. Pick: Sami Zayn
M. G0MEZ: The direction for these two seems clear following Zayn’s compelling promo last week on SmackDown and Bálor’s face-to-face with Gunther. Bet the house on “The Last Real Good Guy.” Pick: Sami Zayn
Jon Velez-Jackson: Even though he was recently the Undisputed WWE Champion, albeit a transitional one, Sami Zayn will perpetually be the underdog. As such, a loss here won’t even be that much of a setback, and Finn Bálor has been on a roll since leaving The Judgment Day. Pick: Finn Bálor
Josh Jagler: I’m of the mindset that Sami needs to spiral more before he gets back to the top of the mountain, but Punk and Finn just happened a few months ago. I think Sami wins here, only to eventually get screwed by Cody Rhodes this time, setting up an interesting feud for both of them that doesn’t involve a championship. Pick: Sami Zayn
Human Monies on a Pole Match Match: Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio
Geno Mrosko: I hate the idea of Dirty Dom losing this match, for many reasons, but I don’t know that they should beat Danhausen right now. He’s overexposed and they need to calm down with his usage but if you’re riding a hot hand, you don’t beat them on a show like this. Pick: Danhausen
Sean Rueter: Hopefully this goes over better than that belief-dampening scene with Hendry in L.A. If it’s fun, it will. So, please make it that, Mr. King of the WWE Universe. Pick: Danhausen
Kyle Decker: I had Dom winning this match because they weren’t going to let the AAA Mega Champion get pinned by a comedy act. But then they changed it to a good ol’ “On a pole” match where all you need to do is reach up and get something and that’s enough to allow Danhausen to continue his undefeated run. Pick: Danhausen
Claire Elizabeth: I’m sorry, the monies are on a pole? On a pole. Monies on a pole. I feel like I need more information— are they gonna be in Danhausen’s old leather doctor bag? Are they gonna be in a burlap sack with a big dollar sign printed on it? Will it just be one big gold ingot? The weaponosity of the monies makes a difference people! But no Danhausen’s gonna have some trick up his sleevehausen and he’s gonna take himself to the pay windowhausen for even more of those delicious human monies. Pick: Danhausen
Cain A. Knight: Dominik Mysterio used to be one of the hottest stars in WWE. Now he’s just some guy who is there to be humiliated by Danhausen in a Pole match. Pick: Danhausen
M. G0MEZ: The stipulation gives away the outcome. Danhausen doesn’t have to pin or submit Mysterio. He just needs to climb a pole and claim the prize on top. In an environment ripe for shenanigans, hijinks favors the clown. Pick: Danhausen
Jon Velez-Jackson: Danhausen is undefeated in WWE, and the company is going to continue to push him hard as long as his merchandise keeps moving. Putting a stipulation on the match gives Mr. Very Nice, Very Evil an edge against the more technically-gifted Dominik Mysterio. Pick: Danhausen
Josh Jagler: I just don’t think there’s any way Danhausen loses for the first time in a WWE ring in this type of gimmick match. He can use all the shenanigans he needs so that Dominik doesn’t look too bad in defeat. Pick: Danhausen
That’s how we see Sunday night’s matches playing out. In the comments, tell us where we’re wrong or why you agree, and give us your predictions for Night Two of SummerSlam!
