WWE SummerSlam 2017: Match Card Projections After Payback

WWE SummerSlam is still far away, but how do we think the match card could look after Payback?

SummerSlam is perceived as the second or third-biggest WWE show of the year. It features feuds that could be WrestleMania-worthy and a match card as long as said Show of Shows; there were over a dozen matches seen at the SummerSlam 2016 event.

After WrestleMania 33, there is a big gap between this and Wrestling’s Show of the Summer. No “Big Four” pay-per-views take place during this time, so there is plenty of time to build whatever is going to happen in August at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

With four-plus months to go, how could the SummerSlam 2017 card look? Let’s break it down.

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match
The Usos (c) vs. The New Day

Shortly before WrestleMania 33, the Usos ended American Alpha’s quiet SmackDown Tag Team Championship reign. They didn’t get a match on the card, but still played a part on Tuesday nights these past four weeks, albeit a minor one.

Then, there’s the New Day, who haven’t debuted on SmackDown Live yet. They’re a stable that’s lasted two-and-a-half years, and are steadily approaching the completion of a third year. It’s something few stables have accomplished, especially in an era where just about every tag team or group that forms breaks up.

A title change would be expected here. WWE seemingly has no plan on splitting up Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, so another championship reign could be in store. Whether they wait for SummerSlam for his remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it happen at some point.