Double G Sports Staff Predictions: SummerSlam 2018

Its time for the Biggest Party of the Summer! SummerSlam returns to Brooklyn for the fourth (and possible last) year in a row. Fans will have to drink plenty of coffee, as there are 13(!) matches on the card this year.

Headlining the event is Roman Reigns v. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Title. With a smart crowd in Brooklyn succumbing to another one of these matches, will this go the way Vince McMahon wants? Only one way to find out.

A few months ago, Double G Sports previewed WrestleMania 34. We are getting back to business with the second biggest event of the year. Along with my own, here to give their predictions once again are Chris Passarelli and Scott Rogust.

Just like last time, we are starting with the pre-show, and ending with the main event. Here we go!

B Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) (c) v. The Revival – SmackDown Tag Team Title Match 

Dan: Not going to lie, the B Team has been pretty entertaining since distancing themselves from The Miz. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas have actually gotten to show their wrestling capability, while also displaying their charisma. They are one of the hottest acts in WWE right now, and would be a favorite for me…

…If only their opponents weren’t The Revival. After nonsense booking and disappearing overall from the main roster, Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder are looking to make a point, even if it is on the pre-show. This team needs a title win in order to get their mojo back from their NXT days. The B Team’s 15 minutes are about to run out.

Winners: The Revival (new champs)

Chris: If you had told me six months ago that Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas would be running the RAW Tag Team division, I would have laughed at you. However, here we are with them as the champions and actually getting over pretty well.

Since they’re both legit wrestlers, there are no better opponents for them right now than The Revival. Dawson and Wilder have caught fire also, and after being completely demoralized at RAW 25, have re-established themselves as big-time contenders. Since it is on the pre-show it won’t get nearly the time it should, but this should be a good match. Look for the B Team to retain and probably run with the titles into WrestleMania.

Winners: B Team

Scott: The winning streak of the B Team has been interesting to say the least. While the schtick was funny at first, it seems the crowd has cooled on them a bit. The Revival have been in purgatory ever since being called up to RAW, mostly due to injuries. Now that both are healthy, the Raw Tag Team division needs a bit of a retooling, and The Revival should man that front. The “Top Guys” will emerge victorious after some old school tag team shenanigans and a Shatter Machine.

Winners: The Revival (new champs)

Rusev/Lana v. Andrade “Cien” Almas/Zelina Vega

Dan: This match could have very well been on the main card, replacing something very specific. I’ll get to that later. The four in this match have been feuding for a few weeks now, with the tranquilo ones having an advantage. With the in-ring skills of Vega surpassing Lana’s by a mile, this part of the matchup is one-sided.

On the men’s side, you have the always great Rusev with the eye-opening Almas. That man is a future star if booked right. If we are reading into the story, Almas and Zelina should win, resulting in Rusev Day parting ways with Aiden English.

Winners: Andrade “Cien” Almas/Zelina Vega

Cedric Alexander (c) v. Drew Gulak – Cruiserweight Championship Match

Dan: It’s a shame the match is not heavily promoted, as 205 Live has been the best thing going, in-ring wise. Gulak is finally getting his title opportunity against a fighting champion in Alexander. The two styles don’t exactly scream “classic”, but both Alexander and Gulak can work well with anyone.

Mustafa Ali’s time may be coming soon, but it won’t be with Alexander as a champion. The always entertaining Gulak will finally get the title in a very competitive match. Let’s just hope the fans give them the respect they deserve.

Winner: Drew Gulak (new champ)

Chris: Drew Gulak finally gets his chance at the Cruiserweight Title after a prolonged feud between Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali. He earned the opportunity after winning a Fatal Four-Way on 205 Live over TJP, Hideo Itami, and Ali.

Gulak comes in with a ton of momentum, and it will be a very hard fought match. Gulak is more a bruising style while the high flying acrobatics of Alexander will definitely frustrate him. However, as good as a champion as Alexander has been, he doesn’t have nearly the same appeal that Gulak does. Gulak is one of the most underrated characters in WWE and deserves a shot to run 205 Live. He will on Sunday.

Winner: Drew Gulak (new champ)

Scott: Gone are the days of PowerPoint presentations for Gulak, as he has shown a serious and ferocious side ever since the reboot of 205 Live. Alexander has been a fighting champion, putting on strong matches ever since winning the title at WrestleMania. However, with Alexander essentially steamrolling through all heels on the roster, I think Gulak bucks the trend, and defeats Alexander with the Dragon Sleeper to win the Cruiserweight Championship.

Winner: Drew Gulak (new champ)

The Bludgeon Brothers (c) v. The New Day – SmackDown Tag Team Title Match 

Dan: Since winning the titles, Harper and Rowan have just been floating around SmackDown. The same could be said for the longest reigning Raw Team Team Champions in The New Day. If Xavier Woods is involved it will be a very interesting dynamic. While this is sure to be entertaining, there is no way The Bludgeon Brothers lose the titles this fast after being built up for so long, right?

Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers 

Chris: The Bludgeon Brothers have flown under the radar for a few months now, but they’ve strung together a pretty impressive run. The New Day come into this feud on fire after winning a SmackDown Tournament Final against Sheamus and Cesaro to get this title shot.

The Bludgeon Brothers need this a lot more than The New Day do. The New Day have a ton of merch, have been very popular with the fans for a while and like Roddy Piper, never needed a title to stay relevant.

Winners – The Bludgeon Brothers

Scott: The Bludgeon Brothers have “bludgeoned” their way through much of the SmackDown tag team division, no pun intended. Now they face off against The New Day, who they feuded with earlier in the year. The two teams should put on a good match, but there are so much more possibilities for The Bludgeon Brothers, such as Sanity and The Bar. Bludgeon’s retain.

Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

Shinsuke Nakamura (c) v. Jeff Hardy – United States Championship Match 

Dan: It is the match that doesn’t involve Randy Orton, unless creative decides it does. Since turning heel, Nakamura has been on a great run, beating an already injured Jeff Hardy for the title. This is more of a “been there, done that” type of match, a theme of the night if we are being honest.

Hardy is not the same man fans fell in love with all those years ago. Heck, he’s not even the same as last year. It is unknown if he can put on a good performance on Sunday. That is not to say it won’t be entertaining at all. Expect some shenanigans, whether by Orton interfering or by a Nakamura low blow.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura 

Chris: Shinske Nakamura won the U.S. Championship at Backlash in impressive fashion, finishing Jeff Hardy off immediately. This time it should be a more well-versed match. Hardy has been struggling with legal troubles and injuries so he definitely needs some time off. Nakamura is starting to gain a little momentum and should get a well-deserved victory.

Winner – Shinske Nakamura

Scott: Nakamura may not have won the WWE Championship, but he did win the United States title, after defeating Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules. Heel Nakamura has been a breath of fresh air, and now holding a championship makes him that much more intriguing. Hardy has had his hands full with Randy Orton, so expect him to make his presence felt, and give the assist to Nakamura.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

Finn Balor v. Baron Corbin

Dan: This is the match I would have switched with the pre-show intergender match. A few years ago, Finn won the Universal Title. Now, he is in a nothing feud with “Constable” Corbin.

The two have had many matches before, and each really ends the same. Why change something that already works? Let’s hope for Demon Finn to make his return, and to get back into serious title contention after the match. Please?

Winner: Finn Balor

Chris: I really don’t know where this feud is going, nor do I care for it. It’s the old battle of good vs evil, with Finn Balor constantly trying to overcome the obstacles “Constable” Baron Corbin puts in front of him at RAW. Stephanie McMahon’s right hand man has made Balor’s life a living hell, but it is just not that interesting.

Balor has been buried on the card for a plethora of reasons (size, injuries, to name a few) and is looking to get back to the upper mid-card. Corbin on the other hand is looking to avenge his loss from their last PPV feud and finally get over the hump to become a main event player. Based off of Vince McMahon’s past use of Corbin, he really shouldn’t win. Something tells me though that the stereotypical WWE 50/50 booking is in play here, and we’ll see some foul play.

Winner: “Constable” Baron Corbin

Scott: Where to start with this feud; it’s the long overdone “Big Guy” versus “Short Guy” program. Balor has been in a bit of a rut ever since WrestleMania, even with his tremendous skillset in the ring. However, he has been essentially reduced to “The Smiling Guy.” “Constable” Corbin is the heel secondary authority figure, and has been mocking Balor’s height for months. Now they end the “bitter” rivalry in Brooklyn. Finn wins. By the way, when’s Demon Balor coming back? Miss that guy.

Winner: Finn Balor

Carmella (c) v. Becky Lynch v. Charlotte Flair – SmackDown Women’s Title Match 

Dan: This is interesting on many levels. Carmella has been great as a heel champion on the mic, but not in the ring. She has definitely improved from her days in NXT, however. There is Charlotte who inserted herself into the match after returning from injury. And then you have Becky.

Over the past two years, Becky Lynch has basically become the black sheep of the Four Horsewomen, not getting as many opportunities while the other women do. She has a “coming up short” gimmick, which works for her, to a certain degree. Fans love her and its understandable why. She got a solo title opportunity before Charlotte/creative shoehorned her way in. That can definitely lead to some dissension between tea buddies Charlotte and Becky, something most fans are definitely interested in. At first, I had Becky winning, but with another player involved, it is just another way for Carmella to weasel herself towards another victory.

Winner: Carmella

Chris: Boy, is this one going to be interesting. It can really go one of three ways; 1) Charlotte can win and Becky can chase until WrestleMania. 2) Becky can win and can finally get her title with Charlotte chasing. 3) Carmella wins and mocks both of them until the end of time for costing each other the title.

What seems more likely? Becky Lynch has been chasing for years and this should finally be her moment in the sun. It’s been a good build between the two friends and rivals and it will culminate in Becky finally raising the title up above her head.

Winner: Becky Lynch (new champion)

Scott: Becky Lynch has been on an impressive winning streak this season, where she defeated the Women’s Champion Carmella to earn a shot at the title. Afterwards, her friend Charlotte beat Carmella as well, earning a spot in the SummerSlam match. Carmella has been the typical heel champion, finding any shortcut imaginable to retain her championship. Now, she has the odds stacked against her. The fans have been clamoring for Lynch to regain the Women’s Championship, and I believe it happens on Sunday.

Winner: Becky Lynch (new champion)

Braun Strowman (c) v. Kevin Owens – Money in the Bank contract 

Dan: It appears The Authority has stacked the odds against Braun Strowman. If he gets disqualified or counted out, Owens wins the MITB briefcase. Both are loved by fans and many are hoping whoever wins crashes the main event of the sh0w.

As for the match, Strowman has been bullying Kevin Owens for months now. Normally a one-sided stipulation would result in the person handicapped winning the match, but this feels different. Somehow Kevin Owens, the bad guy, will get his revenge.

Winner: Kevin Owens  (new MITB holder)  

Chris: This feud has been very interesting.  Strowman threw Owens off the top of the titantron onto a mat, and ever since then they’ve been chasing each other back and forth.

Owens brought up the stipulation that this match should be the end of their feud and for the Money in the Bank briefcase. Why would the MITB briefcase be on the line if it wasn’t changing spots?  Strowman doesn’t need the briefcase to be relevant, and eventually is going to have a title run anyway. Having Owens sneak in a win is crucial. I think Strowman beats himself however, as Owens can win the briefcase if he is disqualified or counted out.

Winner: Kevin Owens (new MITB holder)

Scott: Braun Strowman has decimated Kevin Owens throughout the summer. From throwing him off a ladder to tossing him off a steel cage. Now the Money in the Bank briefcase is on the line. Owens holding the briefcase would be absolute gold, but all the momentum has been behind Strowman. Expect Owens to pull a lot out of his bag of tricks, but Strowman uses his ridiculous strength to emerge as the winner.

Winner: Braun Strowman

Dolph Ziggler (c) (w/Drew McIntyre) v. Seth Rollins (w/Dean Ambrose) – Intercontinental Title Match 

Dan: We’ve seen this match many times (both the good and the bad), but this time, Seth has company. A buff Dean Ambrose returned and evened the odds for Crossfit Jesus. Will that make a difference against a rejuvenated Dolph and McIntyre?

It appears we are on track for Dean to turn on Seth. If that is the case, expect Ziggler to win and actually have a lengthy reign before potentially sailing off into the sunset.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Chris: This Intercontinental Title match is going to be a doozy. It puts two of the best in-ring workers against each other with the newly packaged Dean Ambrose in Rollins’ corner and Drew McIntyre in Ziggler’s corner.

The feud between Rollins and Ziggler really should end with Ambrose’s vengeance on Rollins via a heel turn, but it might be a slow burn until then. Look for Rollins to win with interference from Ambrose. The rest will take care of itself after.

Winner: Seth Rollins (new champ)

Scott: This match just got that much more interesting after the return of a rather jacked Dean Ambrose. Rollins and Ziggler have been tearing up RAW this summer, and now their feud culminates at SummerSlam. Drew McIntyre will be in Ziggler’s corner, while Rollins’ Shield brother will be in his. This has all the potential to be the match of the night. Many expect the Ambrose heel turn to happen on Sunday, but I think they’ll hold off on it until further down the road, once we get closer to WrestleMania. Rollins defeats Ziggler to win his second Intercontinental Title.

Winner: Seth Rollins (new champ)

A.J. Styles (c) v. Samoa Joe – WWE Championship Match 

TNA! TNA! TNA! Impact Wrestling! A WWE dream match that’s booking doesn’t reflect it. With time until the event, there was a lot of filler involved in a simple feud like this. Put these two in a ring, however, and you could have one of the best matches of the night.

Unlike Nakamura v. Styles at WrestleMania, these two have faced one another enough times to get a good understanding of how each other work. Joe may be using the ground more, but you can be damn sure he’ll make his style as entertaining as possible. Styles recently became the longest reigning WWE Champion in SmackDown history, and I just can’t see his reign ending just yet.

Winner: A.J. Styles

Chris: If Daniel Bryan and The Miz don’t steal the show then this match will. These guys have known each other for a very long time and have a long-standing rivalry.

A.J. Styles has a great pedigree as champion but Samoa Joe has been on a roll lately, and deserves to be champion. Styles will most likely win it back shortly after but it is Joe’s match to lose.

Winner: Samoa Joe (new champ)

Scott: Ah, nostalgia. The two longtime rivals will meet up to tear down the Barclays Center. Styles and Joe have been fighting for the better part of the past 15 years in Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. Now, they get to do that on the big stage at SummerSlam. Joe will use his various submission and power moves to ground the WWE Champion, while Styles will take to the air to bring the hurt to the “Samoan Submission Machine.” The reign of A.J. Styles will continue (possibly to break CM Punk’s record), and his feud with Joe is far from over.

Winner: A.J. Styles

Alexa Bliss (c) v. Ronda Rousey – RAW Women’s Championship Match 

Dan: The WWE is in an interesting predicament here. Do they continue to allow Alexa to hold the title, or do they let Ronda steamroll through her? Just like the Nia/Alexa feud had a chance to be, Ronda should have no problem beating up Alexa. Will WWE pull the trigger, however?

Rousey does have a movie to promote (Mile 22) and we are unsure about her commitment to the company at the moment. If WWE wants to give it time for Ronda to become champion, then shenanigans will have to be put into play here. Somehow, someway, Alexa will keep her title.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

Chris: There’s only one way this match can go down. Unless WWE plans on a mega feud at WrestleMania (which I can’t see happening), then Ronda Rousey wins at SummerSlam.

Alexa Bliss has been a great champion and ambassador, but Rousey is a money making machine and will take the women’s division to new heights. Everyone is intrigued to see how Rousey can actually wrestle, as she’s been protected for most of her time at WWE. Bliss is a very solid wrestler so it should be a good, albeit short match.

Winner: Ronda Rousey (new champ)

Scott: All eyes are on Ronda Rousey, who has impressed everyone with her in-ring abilities in her two matches this year. Most notably against Nia Jax at Money in the Bank, where she appeared to be close to claiming the title. However, Alexa Bliss struck by cashing in her briefcase and stealing the RAW Women’s Championship. The buildup has been great, with Rousey portraying the badass babyface, ala “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, with Bliss being the cowardly heel. While many think Rousey will win the gold on Sunday, I think they hold off on that for a while. I originally believed Natalya would cost Rousey the match, but I don’t think that will happen. Bliss will retain by some shenanigans.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

Daniel Bryan v. The Miz

Dan: This match is the BEST thing going on this SummerSlam card. In fact, this should be the main event of the show. I actually recently previewed this feud. Years in the making, Miz v. Bryan has been booked to perfection. While you have very different styles in this match, that is completely fine. Since 2010 these two have been on a collision course, with strong promos leading the way.

Unknown of Daniel Bryan’s future post-September 1st, this can go many ways. In the end, beating his greatest rival only makes sense for Bryan. That is of course, if The Miz doesn’t already have something up his sleeve.

Winner: Daniel Bryan 

Chris: A tale as old as time. As Dan stated in his Twitter poll, one of the best rivalries of the past decade. The Miz and Daniel Bryan were made for each other. One a pompous former champion who flashes his money, the other an underdog superhero who is more of a common man than anyone in the WWE. A clash of the titans.

If given the proper time, this should be the match of the night. Miz and Bryan have a very long history and it will be a slobberknocker (as Jim Ross affectionately puts it). Who wins in what looks to be the culmination of a seven year feud? The Goat, that is who.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Scott: The most hyped match of the night. There has been no hotter feud on the main roster than Bryan versus Miz. The two have been at each other’s throats for the past eight years, which was taken to the next level following their brilliant Talking Smack segment two years ago. The storytelling in this match will be fantastic and the crowd will be in the palm of their hands. This rivalry will not be over, where Miz will win by dirty means. There are bigger things on the horizon for these two, where I think there will be huge stakes at WrestleMania involving the WWE Championship.

Winner: The Miz

Brock Lesnar (c) v. Roman Reigns – Universal Title Match 

Dan: Well, here we go again. It feels like this feud been going on forever. WWE’s insistence in making Roman Reigns their guy has been an exhausting experience to witness, and it isn’t even Reigns’ fault. It is a problem however that the two have the same exact matches, which no indication that anything will change.

At this point, it is fairly obvious that Brock Lesnar is heading back to the UFC. He rarely appears on WWE programming as it is, imagine him trying to go back and forth between two companies? No chance in hell, cc: Vince McMahon. At this point, don’t be surprised if Roman walks out the winner. It would help Brock’s image with WWE fans, a change would actually freshen things up and it MAY work in the long run for Roman. After a LONG show, WWE will hope fans aren’t too harsh on this match. The way things have gone recently however, that just doesn’t seem possible.

Winner: Roman Reigns (new champ)

Chris: I’m hoping this is how it goes;  Reigns and Lesnar beat each other up for a solid ten minutes.  Literally just throwing elbows and hard punches. All of a sudden, Kevin Owens appears with the briefcase, gives Paul Heyman a wink, knocks Brock Lesnar down with the briefcase, wins the Universal Championship and teams with Heyman.

What’s actually going to happen: Reigns and Lesnar drag out a 22-minute match with Heyman being the only entertaining part of the match. Reigns finally captures the elusive Universal Championship and the entire crowd goes home pissed off.

Winner: Roman Reigns (new champ)

Scott: As Albert Einstein once said, “insanity is the act of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That sums up the Reigns-Lesnar feud. The crowd has been vocal against their matches the past year, but that is not stopping the company from pushing this rivalry. Lesnar is on his way to the UFC. Reigns is the “underdog” who has gotten numerous title opportunities over the years. Despite how hard Lesnar, Reigns and Paul Heyman have tried, the fan base has grown to extensive levels of exhaustion of this long, drawn out feud.

Brooklyn will have a ball with this match, not for the action, but by the chants they will have during the match. A bunch of Superman Punches, German Suplexes, F-5’s, and spears, just like we’ve seen when the two collided for the past three years. Reigns will win for the “feel good moment,” which ultimately results in Brooklyn rioting…for the time being.

Winner: Roman Reigns

“BRAUN” blares through the speakers, where Strowman cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase, hits a running powerslam to win the Universal Championship to send the crowd home happy and Reigns once again chasing the title.

Winner: Braun Strowman

SummerSlam will be on the WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET, with the kickoff show starting at 5 p.m. ET. You can follow the following accounts for updates regarding the show:

Dan Yanofsky

Chris Passarelli

Scott Rogust

The Main Event