WWE SummerSlam 2017: Naomi vs. Natalya Set at Battleground

The first WWE SummerSlam match was set on Sunday night, and will see Naomi defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship at the show.

SummerSlam is arguably WWE’s second biggest show of the year. It has an extensive card, with double-digit matches filling up a four-hour show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Going into Sunday’s Battleground event, everyone knew that a SummerSlam match would be made. This is due to the Fatal Five-Way match set for the show, with Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Lana, Natalya, and Tamina batting to become the new No. 1 contender to the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WWE’s Biggest Party of the Summer.

The Elimination match sped by, with three eliminations coming within seconds of each other. This left Natalya and Flair, leading to the former getting the pin with a move that used the turnbuckle. So the Queen of Hart’s will face Naomi at SummerSlam.

For Natalya, it’s her first feud for a title since the spring of 2016, when she feuded with Charlotte for the WWE Women’s Championship. It’s an opportunity, on the big stage, to put on a match that’s remembered for years to come and add to her legacy.

It’s no guarantee Naomi gets to SummerSlam as SmackDown Women’s Championship, due to Carmella’s presence with the Money in the Bank briefcase. She can cash this in at any point, even on an episode of SmackDown Live. Given the recent PPV settings for cash-ins, though, it’s unlikely this happens on free television. Plus, the post-match segment played up these two as a guaranteed bout for next month’s show.

Next: WWE Battleground 2017 Review

The match card is officially underway, with plenty more to come. That should be learned on Monday’s Raw and the upcoming episode of SmackDown Live. Do you like the early direction for SummerSlam?