WWE’s second largest present of the yr is right here and it’s time for all of the fallout from Wrestlemania to lastly attain its fantastic boiling level. WWE SummerSlam 2024 involves you from Cleveland, Ohio and the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday, August 3, 7e/4p. The present is out there on Peacock+ in the USA and on the nonetheless operating WWE Community in most different territories. Given it’s in his dwelling metropolis, WWE star The Miz would be the appearing host of the present.
The “Greatest Occasion of the Summer time” has been the backdrop to a few of the largest moments in WWE historical past, and this present is shaping as much as comprise no less than a pair extra so as to add to the annals. Maybe most notably or extremely symbolically, this occasion will mark two years since Triple H gained full inventive management of the corporate and the primary SummerSlam to doubtlessly not have the affect of anybody named McMahon hanging over it, as Vince was nonetheless considerably concerned final yr.
However what’s occurring at this supposedly big occasion? Nicely, that’s why I’m right here to do the factor that I carry on lovin’ doin’ – filling you in on the large wrestling storylines as a result of wrestling gained’t cease and do it for you. And this one’s obtained some doozies. Time for The Beat’s fast and soiled information to SummerSlam 2024!
The Finest within the World CM Punk vs. The Scottish Warrior Drew McIntyre
{w/Particular Visitor Referee: Seth “Freakin’” Rollins}
What has fingers down been the feud of the yr for WWE (and presumably all of wrestling) will lastly see all of the individuals concerned be in the identical ring with the assure of coming to blows.
CM Punk made his Hell-freezing return to WWE following the conclusion of Survivor Collection 2023 in his hometown of Chicago. It had been only a couple months shy of Punk having been out of the corporate for a full decade after being one of many largest (and loudest) opponents of the corporate throughout that point span. This additionally adopted a tumultuous to say the least return to mainstream wrestling in AEW not lengthy earlier than. The shock of Punk exhibiting up induced then-World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins to go on a tirade at ringside. Drew McIntyre additionally had an extremely displeased, if extra delicate expression.
This was all to seemingly arrange CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins for assumedly Evening 1 of Wrestlemania 40, which might give Punk his triumphant return and the one factor he held most pricey: principal eventing Wrestlemania. Sadly, on the 2024 Royal Rumble, ten years to the day of Punk’s notorious strolling out of the corporate, he was injured mid-match by a transfer from McIntyre. Punk obtained a measure of revenge by eliminating D-Mac, however his hopes of principal eventing Wrestlemania have been dashed as soon as once more as he was out with a torn tricep.
To completely cement his bastard standing, McIntyre would state on the RAW afterwards that “I prayed for this.” From there, McIntyre and Punk would commerce barbs each across the ring and on social media, displaying a grasp class on the best way to inform a narrative and construct warmth for a feud with out touching one another. McIntyre himself had a twinge of future to satisfy of his personal, as he had not gained a world title in WWE with followers being current – each his WWE Championship wins got here throughout 2020 in empty arenas. This led to McIntyre having all of the motivation he wanted to win a title shot in opposition to Rollins at Elimination Chamber: Perth.
Seth Rollins in the meantime was having to take care of the rapid ire of being round CM Punk once more, however then needed to instantly shift his consideration to a way more vengeful McIntyre. Along with that, he personally supplied his companies to at least one Cody Rhodes in serving to him take down Roman Reigns and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at Wrestlemania, feeling that he was the person answerable for the monster that Roman Reigns had turn into. Not that McIntyre was singularly centered, as he nonetheless had his considerably obsessive vendetta with Punk occurring. This got here to a head at Evening 2 of Wrestlemania 40, the place Rollins went in on one leg on account of he and Rhodes shedding their headlining match the evening earlier than. It took 4 Claymores, however Rollins can be pinned and McIntyre would lastly get a world title he might have a good time with followers.
…however he didn’t need to have a good time. He needed to brag. The particular visitor commentator for that match was none aside from CM Punk himself, which induced Drew to attempt to taunt Punk to his face together with his new belt on the announce desk. Punk then tripped McIntyre and bludgeoned him together with his steel arm brace, which allowed Damian Priest to money in his Cash within the Financial institution Briefcase and turn into World Heavyweight Champion. McIntyre had been champion for all of 5 minutes. This ramped up the vamping between the 2 males much more after Punk price McIntyre a #1 contendership the following evening on RAW.
Issues really reached Kendrick/Drake ranges of hatin’, nevertheless, when McIntyre lastly obtained his title shot in his dwelling nation of Scotland for Conflict on the Fort. Mid-match, the referee was knocked out and a brand new one got here to ringside…however refused to depend to a few. McIntyre appeared as much as see that it was Punk, who had crossed a pond after which some simply to screw him out of the title once more. Following the occasion, a fully enraged McIntyre pretended to stop the corporate, solely to indicate up on Smackdown in Chicago later that week to beat Punk bloody and take a cherished fan-made bracelet that Punk at all times wore bearing the names of his spouse (AJ Lee) and beloved canine (Larry, who additionally has his personal lore within the CM Punk Cinematic Universe).
At Cash within the Financial institution 2024, issues obtained even extra intense when McIntyre gained the titular briefcase and cashed-in the center of Priest vs. Rollins later that evening. Nonetheless, Punk was there and able to price McIntyre as soon as once more. Sadly, Rollins would additionally lose on account of collateral harm and will not problem for the World Heavyweight title whereas Priest was champ. This refocused Rollins’s ire on Punk, which had light since February.
Punk is lastly medically cleared and McIntyre has needed a chunk for months. In the meantime, Rollins is right here as one thing representing the regulation as particular referee, bringing full-circle the preliminary feud thought and Punk’s false ref garb. Rollins has said he gained’t do something he doesn’t really feel like, that means Punk and McIntyre will virtually definitely be free to deal no matter carnage they want on one another with no holds barred for so long as Seth deems essential. He’s additionally definitely going to get his licks in as nicely.
As a consequence of that stipulation with the severely biased official, I feel it’d be irresponsible in kayfabe to not have this match go on final, since there’s no assure it should finish within the timespan allotted for the PLE itself. This feud and these males should principal occasion such a large present for the huge and masterful effort they’ve all put in. It virtually doesn’t matter who wins, I simply totally anticipate to see all three of those guys inside a Hell in a Cell earlier than the top of the yr as a result of one match is not going to settle this.
Girls’s World Championship
Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
The one different match on this card that I feel deserves an opportunity at principal eventing is that this telenovela climax.
Final summer time, Rhea Ripley injured Liv Morgan’s shoulder with a savage chair assault that put her on the shelf for months. She made her triumphant return within the Girls’s Royal Rumble match this yr. She then made a decree to go on a “revenge tour,” the place she would take all the things Rhea held pricey. Following Wrestlemania, Liv jumped the totally dominant Girls’s World Champion backstage that resulted in Rhea legitimately tearing her shoulder and being pressured to vacate the title after being the inaugural champ for a whole yr.
Liv managed to win the title from Becky Lynch not lengthy afterwards with some unintentional and surprising assist from Rhea’s principal squeeze and fellow Judgment Day member, “Soiled” Dominik Mysterio. When Liv made her case to take “all the things” from Rhea, she did certainly imply all the things, as she’d been flirting with Dom for weeks. The slowly unraveling Liv then developed a form of obsession with Dom, believing he had helped her out of the goodness of his coronary heart and mutual attraction. Along with seducing the Mysterio inheritor, she obtained within the good graces of the opposite Judgment Day members by serving to them win again the tag staff championships.
This led to weeks of Liv slowly utilizing her female wiles to work her method even additional into the group, particularly with chief Ripley nonetheless out of the image. Regardless of repeated pleading from de facto chief Damian Priest, Domink by no means actually appeared desirous to cease Liv’s advances and appeared like he was about to offer in to them as soon as she helped him lastly defeat his father, Rey Mysterio…just for Rhea to return. She then made the problem the following week for SummerSlam after which the week after, Dominik publicly advised Liv to get out of his life, breaking her coronary heart and making her go full catatonic vengeance wench.
On paper, Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan is Rhea’s for the taking all day. Not just for the scale and energy benefit, however Rhea is undoubtedly probably the most over girl in all of wrestling proper now. Nonetheless, with the context of this story, that is Liv’s for the taking and Dom will probably be coming along with her.
The Judgment Day turning on Rhea (and to a larger extent Damian Priest, however we’ll get to that later) has been brewing for months now, particularly contemplating each of them are getting face reactions. Liv profitable with Dominik’s assist solely helps all of them – Liv totally embraces her femme fatale heeldom, Rhea turns into much more over with crowd sympathy, and someway boo magnet Dom Mysterio will draw even extra (Latino) warmth.
Additionally as many different individuals have famous and joked, this isn’t the primary time Dominik Mysterio has been the main focus of two combatants at SummerSlam. Almost twenty years in the past at SummerSlam 2005, Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero confronted off in one other telenovela climax: the notorious ladder match for the custody of then 8 year-old Dominik. This match is, as absurd because it sounds, the religious sequel to that very contest. Geez, Dominik’s obtained hella daddy points, doesn’t he? Is that why he desires a Mami so unhealthy?
Bloodline Guidelines Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship
The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes (c) vs. The Tribal Chief? Solo Sikoa
At Wrestlemania 40, Cody Rhodes lastly vanquished Roman Reigns and The Bloodline, ending Reigns’s 4 yr run on the high and incomes the Rhodes dynasty the one championship their father Dusty might by no means deliver dwelling. With Roman MIA, enforcer Solo Sikoa would take it upon himself to take the reins because it have been, excommunicating his personal brother Jimmy Uso from the group following his loss from their different brother Jey Uso at Wrestlemania.
Following that, Solo would slowly start recruiting new members of the Anoa’i household to the Bloodline. First got here Tama Tonga, then Tonga Loa (cousins and adopted brothers to one another and sons to Haku) who helped the Bloodline defeat Kevin Owens and Randy Orton at Backlash in France. After this, Jacob Fatu was introduced in, the son of Umaga. With this new unpredictable Bloodline remade in his picture, Solo sought to be named the brand new Tribal Chief, however the group Wiseman WWE Corridor of Famer Paul Heyman refused to acknowledge him at that rank. He was the following to be excommunicated from the group, leaving this younger and hungry new Bloodline with no rational thoughts behind them.
Owens and Orton recruited the WWE Champion to their trigger for six-man tag motion at Cash within the Financial institution 2024, however Solo would wind up pinning Rhodes due to the numbers recreation. Quickly after, Solo challenged Cody for the WWE Championship, swearing to deliver it again to the Bloodline. Within the weeks that adopted, not solely was Cody repeatedly laid out by the group, however all different potential allies in Orton and Owens have been decimated and brought out of motion as nicely. This primarily makes this SummerSlam match 4-on-1, as your complete Bloodline is at Solo’s beck and name. And after the newest Smackdown added the Bloodline Guidelines stipulation to this match, which means principally something goes.
Proper, so this match will most likely principal occasion for one superb purpose: the return of Roman Reigns as Cody’s final piece of assist and produce opposition to the hostile takeover of his steady. Nonetheless, this brings forth a reserving dilemma – it will be a shock if this match is something however the principle occasion, but it surely doesn’t fairly deserve it by itself advantage, no less than to me. Placing this match on final telegraphs what I’m positive is designed to be a surprising return for Roman, however since many individuals suppose it’s occurring anyway…is something misplaced?
I’d like to see this contest begin the evening to be trustworthy, as Roman’s return would ship shockwaves all through the remainder of the present. It additionally wouldn’t be a shock to see Cody’s buddy Jey Uso intervene on his behalf as nicely, seeing as he’s left off the cardboard. For all these causes above, Cody isn’t shedding right here. Undecided if he’ll should summon Seth Rollins, John Cena, and The Undertaker to get it executed once more although.
World Heavyweight Championship
El Campeon Damian Priest (c) vs. The Ring Basic GUNTHER
The backstory of this contest is definitely one of the crucial simple “champion vs. challenger” matches on the cardboard, the opposite being its counterpart girls’s match. In Might, Gunther gained the King of the Ring match and was granted a world title match at SummerSlam. Gunther had simply come off of being the longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion in historical past at 666 days and just one pinfall loss since coming to the principle roster.
Damian Priest, in the meantime, has had some bother being overshadowed throughout his personal title reign – and he’s form of had sufficient of it. Following outdoors interference at each Conflict on the Fort and Cash within the Financial institution, Priest’s noble demon vow to maintain the title together with his personal two fingers stored getting damaged by means of no fault of his personal.
As soon as Priest was cemented as the person going to face Gunther at SummerSlam, the Austrian brute would criticize Priest’s tumultuous highway to the championship as that of somebody lesser and undeserving of that gold. This is able to proceed portray Priest within the face-ish gentle he’d been shaded in since making his noble vow, along with taking part in an element within the promotion of his personal WWE documentary particular popping out the weekend of this present.
That is actually probably the most unpredictable match on the cardboard. When the match was introduced, it appeared like Priest was a lame duck champion prepared handy issues over to Gunther, who appears destined to carry world title gold within the firm. Nonetheless, due to the construct and utilizing Priest’s actual life highway into it, I might see it nonetheless swinging his method. Plus, as iffy as Priest’s wins have been total, pinning somebody as dominant as Gunther would skyrocket his credibility as a champion and principal occasion participant.
Nonetheless, Damian has an enormous cloud circling overhead within the type of his steady the Judgment Day. Priest’s order to not have the group intervene in his matches appeared to peeve Finn Balor, who has been slowly exhibiting hints of resentment in opposition to Priest. Double this with Priest being the tightest with Rhea Ripley who is nearly definitely going to be turned on by her group, and you’ve got an extremely unpredictable scenario right here.
Contemplating the Bloodline Guidelines match will probably be filled with interference and Liv/Rhea will even probably have parts of it, the usage of interference ought to be used sparingly by means of the remainder of the cardboard. Even so, a case might be made for Finn to intervene and eventually price Damian the belt and query his function within the group. Or you would play it straight and never have the group activate Priest, which might provide you with weeks of programming of a conflicted Priest having tasks to each his group and his homegirl Rhea (if she’s usurped that’s).
WWE United States Championship
Logan Paul (c) vs. LA Knight
Contemplating Logan Paul posted some effin’ gross transphobic stuff within the final 48 hours, I don’t actually really feel like explaining his entire deal. All I’ll say is the dumbass influencer has been United States Champion since final November and might be described as sadly blessed with regards to being a professional wrestler. Man is aware of the best way to be hated. I ponder why.
LA Knight, then again, has been probably the greatest tales in WWE since final yr. Knight went on a meteoric rise someday final yr that noticed him turn into one in every of them most over guys within the firm, persistently getting a few of the loudest pops of the evening each time he confirmed up. This granted him probabilities on the WWE Championship, however he got here up brief each time. There had been hints that Knight was craving a shot on the US title, however after he pinned Paul to qualify for the MITB Ladder match this yr, he had a real case to go for the belt. He additionally invaded Paul’s dwelling at one level, lounging in his pool simply because, marking Knight’s second dwelling invasion this yr (AJ Kinds obtained the opposite home name).
All this to say, that is lastly LA Knight’s second. Final yr when questioned why they didn’t have Knight win the MITB Briefcase, Triple H said they’d a lot larger issues within the playing cards for him. That is the fruits of these “larger issues,” as Knight getting his first piece of singles gold on the principle roster off of somebody as excessive profile as Logan Paul might be higher than him in the long term than any program with the briefcase would. This match won’t be fairly, however that can play second fiddle to the “second” of Knight profitable his crown. Oh and hey, it may need the added impact of getting Paul to piss off for a minute. Oopsie.
WWE Girls’s Championship
Bayley (c) vs. The Irresistible Power Nia Jax
Right here we’ve got probably the most “vanilla” match on the cardboard, if you’ll. Bayley is the champion and Nia Jax gained the Queen of the Ring match to earn herself a championship match at SummerSlam. That’s principally all of the set-up you want, however so as to add some gas to the fireplace, there have been hints of earlier packages and matches with these two being added to the combination.
Specifically, Jax’s status for being an unsafe employee has been form of built-in along with her character lately and particular incidents cropping up in sure packages. Not way back, Jax went to process with Becky Lynch over the stiff punch Jax threw again in 2018 that broke Lynch’s nostril (and subsequently helped create “The Man” persona that skyrocketed Lynch into superstardom). For this feud, the same incident was introduced up between Bayley and Jax that additionally wound up injuring Bayley.
Don’t be stunned if homages to these earlier incidents are alluded to of their match, however aside from that, the most important story thread this one can have might be a David vs. Goliath really feel. Nia’s been booked fairly unstoppable since her full-time return, so totally anticipate this to be Bayley’s most monumental problem so far.
Additionally, simply so as to add extra taste to issues – don’t neglect Nia Jax is additionally a member of the Anoa’i wrestling dynasty that may be pulled into that plot at any level.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Bron Breakker
What was a reasonably elemental construct on the final PLE has turn into a tad extra advanced. The story of their Cash within the Financial institution encounter was that not solely did Sami Zayn have veteran prowess on his facet over Bron Breakker’s brute energy, however that the younger meathead couldn’t depend for Zayn’s biggest weapon – the gang. Zayn dug into that extremely underdog vitality that he has thrived on his entire profession and put issues right into a gear Breakker couldn’t match and used it to retain his title.
That’d be a very simple shonen anime character beat to make use of to develop Breakker a bit. Right here’s the issue: Bron Breakker doesn’t care. He solely has one reply to all the things and that’s if it didn’t break, simply hit it more durable subsequent time. And boy does he intend to. After beating the almost unbreakable Ilja Dragonov to a bloody pulp to earn his rematch, it’s clear that if Breakker can’t counter Sami’s coronary heart, he’ll simply rip it out his chest.
There is likely to be a call-back or two to some spots from their earlier conferences, however actually, I form of suppose this one has the potential to be an prolonged squash. Contemplating you’ve two matches which may whole over 35+ minutes apiece with all their bells-and-whistles, it’s a must to discover someplace to chop again time and this might be that place.
Breakker can put it into a further gear of brutality that Sami won’t have the ability to reply, particularly if one thing occurs like Sami will get damage in a vital space early and Breakker simply retains tearing at it. I totally anticipate Breakker to stroll out with the title right here, I’m simply not completely positive on what sort of efficiency Zayn can have. Both method, Sami dropping the title will free him up for different issues…like serving to out his buddies Jay and Cody (and presumably a returning Roman) tackle the neo-Bloodline in time for, say, WarGames.
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