WWE SummerSlam 2013 Preview

I'm going to try to do a quick preview of this Sunday's SummerSlam from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. I will preview the advertised eight matches including the pre-show. I won't be previewing matches that haven't been announced so even though I expect Big Show and Mark Henry will have a match during the Pay-Per-View, they will not be in my preview.

Kickoff Pre-show: Dean Ambrose vs. Rob Van Dam for the United States Championship

This will probably be an entertaining match. I'm picking RVD to win by disqualification after The Shield interfere in the match.

Winner by DQ: Rob Van Dam

Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow

I would have been more interested in this match this was a ladder match with the Money in the Bank briefcase on the line. That seems like a match fans would love to see so I'm not sure why WWE didn't do that. Without the ladder gimmick, this match doesn't feel special and I would rather see it on the pre-show. I guess the only thing I'm excited about is that Rhodes and Sandow are future main event stars in WWE and this could be one of those enjoyable "Before They Were Stars" matches like Triple H and The Rock had at SummerSlam 1998. It won't be as enjoyable as the HHH-Rock match, but it will be fun to watch five years later when both Rhodes and Sandow are two of the top superstars in WWE. I think Sandow wins this match because he has the briefcase and needs to win this match more than Rhodes does. 

Winner: Damien Sandow


Natalya vs. Brie Bella  

The Bella Twins are the biggest stars of Total Divas on E! so I'm expecting Brie to win this match. I won't be surprised to see Twin Magic used in this match.

Winner: Brie Bella

Kane vs. Bray Wyatt (Ring of Fire Match)

This is one of the matches I am most excited about. Of course I'm excited about the Punk match and the Bryan match and this match is third on my list. WWE can call it a "Ring of Fire" match, but I know that this match is really an "Inferno Match". This match could be terrible and I know that I will still enjoy it because it will be fun to watch this match with the ring being on fire. I can't wait for this match. It's something WWE hasn't done in many, many years. Wyatt wins this match because I have said for awhile now that Kane should never win another singles match on PPV and he hasn't since I said that.

Winner: Bray Wyatt

Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship

Christian and Del Rio had a good ladder match in 2011 and that's when Christian won his first World Championship. No doubt that will be mentioned at least one time during the SummerSlam broadcast. I got that match on blu-ray and I might go watch that later tonight. This match probably won't be as good as that match and it probably won't have the same result either. I say Del Rio wins this match because there aren't many good heel opponents if Christian was champion. I would like to see Christian win, but it won't ruin my night if he loses.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee and Big E Langston


I don't care too much about this match. I'd be shocked if Team Ziggler doesn't win. Both Dolph and Kaitlyn need a win here.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar (The Best vs. The Beast)

I would love to see this be the main event, but I'm fine with it not being the main event because the Bryan vs. Cena match could potentially be the most important WWE match of the decade. This match should be awesome despite the fact that Lesnar has had only one great WWE match since his return in 2012. I think Punk has to win this match. He's lost to Triple H, The Rock and Undertaker. He needs a win over a great future Hall of Famer WWE Superstar. I know he beat Jericho on PPV three times, but it seems like everyone has beaten Jericho in the last two years including Ryback. Lesnar seems to be expected to win this match and he needs a win too, but Punk needs it more. This would really be one of Punk's biggest wins and it would really make his WWE career look more impressive. I don't really care if the win is clean or not...a win is a win.

Winner: CM Punk

Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship with Special Guest Referee Triple H


This is the match of the night. The match of the year. In my opinion, the match of the decade. Even bigger than my favorite match of the decade, CM Punk vs. John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. After watching this storyline for the last several weeks, I have gone from thinking Bryan might win to thinking that Bryan will win. I wish I didn't have that expectation because a Cena win would really piss me off and make me think that WWE is never going to find a new Top Guy in WWE as long as Cena is still an active wrestler in WWE. Cena is only 36 and seems to be very committed to wrestling so that reign at the top could last at least another ten years I think. Hopefully, WWE does the right thing and makes Daniel Bryan the champion. If Randy Orton wants to come out and cash in his briefcase, that's fine. Bryan losing the title to Orton is just a short-term thing. The long-term thing is that Cena losing to Bryan might be Cena passing the torch to Bryan and Bryan becoming the new Top Guy in WWE. He won't be the Top Guy overnight, but it will begin the transition from Cena to Bryan. This does seem similar to Cena and Punk in 2011 and that did not lead to Punk becoming the Top Guy, but I see more potential in Bryan than Punk. I never saw Punk being as over as Bryan is. Punk could get over in Chicago and New York, but Bryan is over everywhere and the response he gets is the loudest I have seen since guys like The Rock and Steve Austin. Daniel Bryan is the next in line to be WWE's new #1 and it begins on Sunday. Oh and as for Orton, I don't expect him to cash-in. I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but WWE seems to be making it too obvious and when they do that, the obvious thing usually doesn't happen. Orton might cash-in on RAW the next night, but I don't think it happens at SummerSlam. It could, but I think that would be too predictable. I'm interested to see what happens with Triple H because I know there has to be a reason why he's in the match. He's going to do more than just be the referee. Screwjob? Heel turn? I'm not sure what will happen.


Winner: Daniel Bryan


There's some bad or mediocre matches on this card, but I really like the good matches so I'm thinking this will easily be WWE's best PPV of 2013 at this point.