The View from Down Under: Rating The Build Up For All Proposed Matches For Summer Slam 2014

For the second year in a row, the Battleground Pay Per View has seemed like a waste of time (and money for those who cannot access the WWE Network). Besides the Usos / Harper, Rowan match the general consensus online was that the Battleground PPV could have easily been a ‘special’ RAW episode. Unfortunately for this year’s Battleground PPV, its poor performance and feel can be put down to the PPV being sandwiched between the high profile PPV’s of Money in The Bank & Summer Slam as well as every man and his dog knowing John Cena was walking out the WWE World Heavyweight champion due to the leaked 2014 Summer Slam poster.

 


 

summer slam 2014

Previous years we had The Money In the Bank as the lead in PPV to Summer Slam which felt like the beginning of the Summer Slam season, much like the Royal Rumble is the beginning of the Wrestlemania season. To sandwich a Battleground PPV this year between the two MITB and Summer Slam has (to me) taken much of the momentum out of this year’s Summer Slam build up.

With 3 weeks to go before Summer Slam we only have 1 match confirmed, that is the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar. Now while I am expecting after RAW and Smackdown this week we should have several more matches confirmed for Summer Slam, does this leave enough time to properly build the matches/feuds or are they going to feel rushed, forced or that one match too many in a current feud?

 

Let us look at all the proposed and rumoured matches that are floating around online, and see which are the best option to add to the Summer Slam 2014:

  • Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose – now while many (who ordered the Battleground PPV) were upset this match never happened, I do feel Summer Slam is the high profiled PPV these two should meet for the first time. Another few weeks of Dean Ambrose trying to get at Seth Rollins and the addition of some type of stipulation (inside a cage so Seth cannot get away, or falls count anywhere so these two can use the whole arena) and this will make this match one of the most anticipated of the Summer Slam PPV.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRm-2loMupM[/youtube]

 

 

  • Usos vs. Harper/Rowan for the Tag Team Titles (to end the feud and excellent series of matches between these superstars). However it will be very hard to beat the quality of match at they had at Battleground, and a 2 out of 3 fall match is usually a end of feud type match. One more match may just be that one match too many which will take the gloss of the battles these teams have had.

 

 

  • Usos vs. Goldust/Stardust – with many people feeling The Usos should move on from the Wyatt Family now, the only other high profile tag team they could defend their tag titles against is the ‘Dust’ family. However with these teams not even interacting between each other, both being face teams, a proposed match at Summer Slam will lack the heat and intensity the Usos have had with Rowan and Harper. (Possible triple threat tag match with all 3 teams will add a nice transition between feuds)

WWEKOF_SummerSlam14GoldustStardust

 

  • Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt – another rematch from Battleground. There first match failed to deliver (Chris Jericho first match back, Bray Wyatt having a letdown match after headlining previous PPV’s) and a lot of people are praying that the match at Summer Slam can deliver. However sometimes what looks good on paper doesn’t translate into the ring.

 

 

  • Roman Reigns vs. ????? possible Randy Orton, possibly Triple H, possible Kane. The problem is whoever they chose the feud is going to feel forced and rushed. This is the PPV that will determine if Roman Reigns will be the next big WWE main event superstar, and his match needs to be promoted as the 2nd main event of the night.

 

  • Kane vs. Randy Orton – Kane has copped plenty over the past couple months with plenty of people saying he cannot deliver in the ring and he should only be used to push younger superstars. Yet he still manages to surprise many. However the problem we have here is Randy Orton, since losing his WWE World Heavyweight title at Wrestlemania has been in the shadow (of Evolution, John Cena and Roman Reigns) and needs a serious revamp of character to get the fans to care about him again. And do we really want to see Randy Orton in another revisited feud???

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVW-iL_yIfI[/youtube]

 

  • Paige vs Aj Lee for the Divas Championship – Similar to Jericho and Bray Wyatt, this match at Battleground between these two Divas failed to deliver. The recent heel turn and more aggressive Paige has added the needed further intensity into this match.

 

  • Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella – a feud that has developed from Daniel Bryan injury has had a slow build until last week’s arrest of Stephanie McMahon on RAW. While both are former WWE women’s and/or Divas champion, neither have been acknowledged for the high quality wrestling skills. So a match at Summer Slam will need to have a stipulation added to cover for the lack of wrestling skills in the ring.

 

 

  • The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Title– has so far had the perfect build up for a match at Summer Slam. The Miz costing Dolph Ziggler the Intercontinental Title at Battleground, and some great teaser matches since. If they can continuing this build up this will be a great match to look forward to at Summer Slam.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKKGNxlh_nU[/youtube]

 

 

  • The Miz vs. Sheamus – unification of The Intercontinental Title and US titles. This has been talked about for well over a year, and has become a focus again after Sheamus mention unification at last month’s Battleground Battle royal match. However with The Miz and Dolph Ziggler interacting more since Battleground then look at this match likely happening at Night Of Champions.

 

 

  • Jack Swagger vs, Rusev – this match at Battleground ended in a win for Rusev via count out, and the return match on Main event ending in a win for Swagger via a disqualification (Rusev’s first loss since debuting on the WWE roster). Look at Summer Slam being the place to end this feud (more than likely on the preshow)

 

  • Sheamus vs. Cesaro for the US title – these two have delivered some great quality matches recently, so a title match at Summer Slam would not seem out of place. With Cesaro’s push seemingly halted and Sheamus with no other option this match could also suit the preshow timeslot.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRRERMDs_9o[/youtube]

 

 

  • Naomi vs. Cameron – with their match at Battleground ending with a roll up and held tights, this feud need to have some finalization. Another option for the pre show, although with 2 higher profile Diva matches planned look for this one to be left for RAW or Smackdown.

 

 

Look at the new stable of Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to make an impact at Summer Slam, as well as Bo Dallas to gain further Bolievers….

 

 

 

Hooroo and see you next week.

 

Like me, or contact me at https://www.facebook.com/authorCraigHigham

 

Or get my book at all good online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million or Powell’s Books)

http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Telling-Its-Fake-Wrestling/dp/1489585508

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stop-telling-us-its-fake-mr-craig-n-higham/1115848816?ean=9781489585509

http://www.powells.com/s?kw=stop+telling+us+its+fake&class=

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Stop-Telling-Us-Its-Fake/MR-Craig-N-Higham/9781489585509?id=5788500481133

 

Related Articles

Latest Articles

Videos