WWE SummerSlam 2020 will take place on August 23 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT live on the WWE Network with the kickoff show beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The following will provide early match card predictions for this big 5 PPV.
SummerSlam! Indeed, it is the biggest event of the summer. Since the PPV is three months away, there will be many deliberate presumptions, especially when pertaining to the each of the championship matches and personal rivalries that could take place. There may even be WrestleMania 36 rematches that could take place at this event.
As an annual PPV, SummerSlam has an epic history of great moments, which helps its branding as the biggest event of the summer for the past 30 years. In the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras, SummerSlam was the PPV where:
"(1) British Bulldog defeated Bret Hart to become the new Intercontinental Champion. (2) Macho Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth tied the knot. (3) Brock Lesnar won his first WWE Championship against The Rock. (4) The Deadman Doppelgängers went face-to-face. (5) Randy Orton became the youngest World Heavyweight champion. (6) Shane McMahon and Mick Foley had scary dives (but that’s every PPV). (7) The first ever TLC match took place between Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian. (8) Rey Mysterio reclaimed custody of his son, Dominick. (9) Batista broke John Cena’s neck with a mid-air Batista Bomb."
SummerSlam continued its prominence with more memorable moments in the past decade. Although these moments had a tough time surpassing those of the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras, the moments were memorable nonetheless. In the PG Era, SummerSlam was the PPV where:
"(1) DX performed a very memorable tank entrance before their match against Legacy. (2) The Nexus was buried by John Cena. (3) Nikki Bella betrayed Brie Bella to help Stephanie McMahon win a high-staked match. (4) Brock Lesnar’s Suplex City was born. (5) The Green Arrow made his debut in the WWE. (6) Daniel Bryan won his first WWE Championship against John Cena. (7) Seth Rollins won both the WWE and United States Championships (thanks to Jon Stewart). (8) Finn Balor became the first ever Universal Championship (but only for 24 hours). (9) The Fiend made his presence felt for the first time in the WWE ring."
As for this year’s upcoming SummerSlam PPV, the main card championship matches, women’s championship matches, mid-card championship matches, tag team championship matches, personal rivalries, and WrestleMania 36 rematches will all be covered in this premature match card. With that being said and most of the historic SummerSlam moments already covered, here are some very early match card predictions for WWE SummerSlam 2020.
Author’s Note: Since these WWE SummerSlam Predictions were produced the week after WWE MITB 2020 PPV, there was a deliberate presupposition that all of the champions will retain or keep their championships after the WWE MITB 2020 PPV and once the SummerSlam event goes live on August 23, 2020.
Street Profits (c) vs. Bobby Lashley and MVP [Raw Tag Team Championships]
Assuming Street Profits hold onto the Raw Tag Team Championships until SummerSlam, they should be defending their championships against the newly formed TNA-reunited, heel tandem of Bobby Lashley and MVP. MVP promised Lashley that he will get him championship opportunities since Lashley is stuck defeating jobbers every week on Raw.
It is very likely that Lashley will target Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at WWE Backlash 2020. Since Lashley won’t dethrone Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, it would be a convenient consolation prize to reward his recent dominance with the Raw Tag Team Championships at WWE SummerSlam 2020.
Lashley will most likely carry the team while MVP reaps the rewards. Although Lashley and MVP are not a legitimate tag team, they were directly involved in the rivalry between two tag teams from the Raw Tag Team Division, 2 Fly Crew and Ever-Rise, so it would be suitable for them to dethrone the Street Profits and revitalize the Raw Tag Team Division.
Prediction: Bobby Lashley and MVP
The New Day (c) vs. Forgotten Sons [SmackDown Tag Team Championships]
Assuming The New Day holds onto the SmackDown Tag Team Championships until SummerSlam, they should be defending their championships against The Forgotten Sons. The Forgotten Sons already defeated The New Day on the May 1, episode of Friday Night SmackDown have not yet received a traditional tag championship opportunity.
Since they did not get pinned in the Fatal Four Way SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at WWE MITB 2020, they should be getting a championship opportunity on the road to WWE SummerSlam 2020. The New Day should drop their championships at SummerSlam, but the Forgotten Sons are not necessarily the ideal tag team to dethrone them since they were booked with lackluster momentum in NXT.
Defeating The New Day is a big deal, so a well-established tag team with long-term momentum should be taking the titles from The New Day. Henceforth, Mr. MITB Otis should cash in the MITB Briefcase with his tag team partner, Tucker during this match to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships for a big swerve at this PPV.
Prediction: Heavy Machinery
Bliss Cross Applesauce (c) vs. IIconics [Women’s Tag Team Championships]
Assuming Bliss Cross Applesauce holds onto the Women’s Tag Team Championships until SummerSlam, they should be defending their championships against the returning IIconics. The IIconics already defeated Bliss Cross Applesauce on Raw this week and will be getting a championship opportunity on Raw next week.
Whether they win or lose that match, it is foreseeable that this rivalry will be stretched until WWE SummerSlam 2020. The Women’s Tag Team Division is infinitesimal to the point that championship rivalries have to be stretched and stalled in order to keep the fans invested unless more women’s tag teams are formed.
On the bright side, Bliss Cross Applesauce defend the Women’s Tag Team Championships more often than the Kabuki Warriors ever did. Hopefully, their bi-weekly title defenses don’t grow stale but IIconics should pick up the win at SummerSlam because it seems that they are getting a push, especially after those repackaging rumors.
As many should remember, Bliss Cross Applesauce won their first ever Women’s Tag Team Championship by defeating the IIconics in a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match on the August 5, 2019 episode of Raw. Just like Bliss Cross Applesauce redeemed themselves by defeating the Kabuki Warriors at WrestleMania 36 in a HIAC 2019 match, it would be very redeeming for the IIconics to defeat Bliss Cross Applesauce for the Women’s Tag Team Championships at this PPV.
Prediction: IIconics
Andrade (c) vs. Apollo Crews [United States Championship]
Assuming Andrade holds onto the United States Championship until SummerSlam, he should be defending his championship against Apollo Crews. Apollo Crews already defeated Andrade in a six-man tag team match on the April 27, episode of Monday Night Raw and received a United States Championship opportunity on the same night but unfortunately suffered a storyline injury during the match and was unable to finish the championship match.
There are rumors of Apollo Crews turning heel and joining MVP’s stable with Bobby Lashley, but that’s a bad idea. Crews already gained some incredible babyface momentum after showcasing his fancy pro wrestling skills in the ring and evoking sympathy from the WWE fanbase for his delayed journey to his first main roster championship due to the injury.
Once Crews returns from injury, he should receive another United States Championship opportunity so he can finish what he started. Crews can’t lose his return match and he should be the one to end Andrade’s reign. If not, it would be a wasted opportunity on what could be the top babyface in the mid card division on Monday Night Raw.
Prediction: Apollo Crews
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin vs. Elias vs. Cesaro vs. Drew Gulak vs. Shinsuke Nakamura [Intercontinental Championship: Ladder Match]
Assuming Jeff Hardy wins the Intercontinental Championship that Sami Zayn had to relinquish and holds onto it until SummerSlam, he should be defending the championship in a Ladder Match against all the mid-carders from Friday Night SmackDown. For this prediction to come true, Hardy would have to win the announced tournament, which is very likely considering how well that they have promoted his journey and return to the WWE from rehab.
Ladder Matches are in Jeff Hardy’s DNA, so it would be suitable for him to defend the Intercontinental Championship in this type of match. Hardy is all about high risk and high rewards so many should expect his Intercontinental Championship to be full of extremely risky matches that could make for some memorable wrestling spots and dives.
Once Sami Zayn returns from quarantine, he should receive his championship rematch since he never lost it. It’s a shame that the WWE completely stripped Zayn of his first main roster championship instead of giving him the Jordan Devlin treatment (i.e. The Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament), but Hardy should have some solid babyface fun with the championship in the time being.
Prediction: Jeff Hardy
Aleister Black vs. Seth Rollins [Grudge Match]
On this week’s Monday Night Raw, Aleister Black and Rey Mysterio teamed up due to their common fate in the MITB Ladder Match (i.e. getting tossed off the roof by King Corbin) to battle Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy. Due to Rollins’ despondency during that tag match, Murphy had to all the work until Mysterio elbowed Rollins in the gut.
This attack elicited Rollins’ vicious retaliation as he shoved Mysterio’s eye into the edge of the steel steps. Mysterio now has a bloody eye and could be out of action for a long time due to storyline injury. Meanwhile, Aleister Black might have to end up fighting for Mysterio in a match against Seth Rollins at WWE SummerSlam 2020.
If this match occurs, Aleister Black will evidently pick up the victory. He never loses and still needs victories over top superstars like Seth Rollins to look like a main event superstar. Unfortunately, for Rollins, his despondency may continue and turn into something uglier than anyone expected.
Prediction: Aleister Black
Otis and Mandy Rose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Sonya Deville [Mixed Tag Team Match]
Before Otis cashes in the MITB Briefcase to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships alongside his best friend, Tucker (as mentioned earlier), Otis also needs to handle some unfinished business alongside his girlfriend, Mandy Rose.
Since Otis defeated Dolph Ziggler at WrestleMania 36 and Sonya Deville defeated Mandy Rose on the May 8, 2020 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Otis and Mandy Rose need to complete the trilogy by defeating Dolph Ziggler and Sonya Deville in a mixed tag team match at WWE SummerSlam 2020.
With Otis already set with the MITB Briefcase and a potential SmackDown Tag Team Championship victory with Tucker, this victory could be used as a launching pad for Mandy Rose to advance to the SmackDown Women’s Championship picture once the high demand Bayley-Sasha Banks saga is completed.
Prediction: Otis and Mandy Rose
The Miz vs. John Morrison [Falls Count Anywhere Match]
The Miz and John Morrison lost the SmackDown Tag Team Championships to the The New Day on the SmackDown after WrestleMania in a triple threat singles match and lost their championship rematch in a fatal four way match at WWE MITB 2020. As can be indicated by their backstage exclusive interviews, they are fed up with not battling in traditional tag team matches for the tag team championships.
Once they lose in a traditional tag team match for the tag team championships and have nothing left going for them, they will very likely break up and feud on the road to WWE SummerSlam 2020. Remember when The Miz and John Morrison had a Falls Count Anywhere Match on the November 29, 2011 episode of Monday Night Raw?
The Miz won that match and it would be suitable to book a Falls Count Anywhere Rematch between these two superstars at WWE SummerSlam 2020. Thanks to 50:50 booking and his recent return to the WWE, John Morrison should pick up the victory.
The Miz was the reason the team lost the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. This portrays The Miz as the weak link and Morrison will eventually get fed up with The Miz and start his own singles career after defeating him at SummerSlam.
Prediction: John Morrison
AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker [Grudge Match]
It seems that the Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36 was not the last time AJ Styles and Undertaker saw each other. As can be indicated by Styles’ interactions with The Undertaker’s haunted room and portraits in the MITB Ladder Match, he is clearly not finished with the Deadman. Now that they are both Deadmen since they both resurrected from the dead, a rematch will determine who is the superior Deadman.
Thanks to 50:50 booking, AJ Styles should defeat The Undertaker in a traditional wrestling match. When it comes to a gimmicked Boneyard match, The Undertaker is superior. However, when it comes to traditional wrestling matches, AJ Styles is superior not only because Undertaker is older but also because Styles is phenomenal. Besides, when was the last time AJ Styles won on PPV?
Clash of Champions 2019 against Cedric Alexander in a United States Championship on the kickoff show? It has been eight months since Styles won on PPV. He needs to redeem himself from getting robbed at WWE MITB 2020 and should already be dominant after his main event experience with The Undertaker. Regaining momentum for future championship opportunities by defeating The Undertaker at SummerSlam would have to be next step for The Phenomenal One.
Prediction: AJ Styles
Randy Orton vs. Edge [Grudge Match]
There is a tantalizing list of superstars that could battle Edge in a traditional wrestling match, but WWE seems to be booking the rivalry between Randy Orton and Edge for a trilogy that could culminate at SummerSlam. The WWE Universe seems to be exhausted with the rivalry, but the WWE insists on continuing it for the sake of a ratings boost.
‘Reboot’ is certainly Vincent K. McMahon’s middle name. Don’t let that ‘K’ fool you. It’s not Kennedy. Anyways, let’s not digress. If a trilogy is indeed happening, Orton would have to win the traditional wrestling match against Edge at WWE Backlash 2020. He would be a big loser if he didn’t win to show why he lost in a Last Man Standing Match and why he is the better wrestler.
Imagine Edge being rusty and coming back after nine years of absence to defeat Randy Orton who has been training continuously for those nine years? Preposterous. Orton will win at Backlash, and Edge will get his win back to finish the rivalry at SummerSlam before moving on to new opponents on the Raw roster (i.e. AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Rated RKO Reunion).
Prediction: Edge
Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler [Raw Women’s Championship]
Assuming Asuka holds onto the Raw Women’s Championship until SummerSlam, she should be defending her championship in a triple threat match against Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Coincidentally, these three superstars were the Raw superstars who were in the Women’s MITB Ladder Match and they are now the top stars in the Raw Women’s Division.
Nia Jax botched a Buckle Bomb on Kairi Sane on the April 20, 2020 episode of Monday Night Raw. For the sake of Kabuki Warrior redemption, Asuka needs to retain the Raw Women’s Championship against Nia Jax so including Jax in the title picture is a huge plus for Asuka’s title reign. It will give her the babyface momentum she needs and might change any booking plans of her being a transitional champion, as many WWE fans fear.
On the other hand, Shayna Baszler, the more obvious choice to be included in the title picture, still needs to redeem herself from losing her Raw Women’s Championship match against Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36. Since Baszler insulted Becky Lynch’s pregnancy and Lynch honorably and respectfully relinquished the Raw Women’s Championship to Asuka, Asuka needs to retain the Raw Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler as well for the sake of Lynch’s legacy.
Prediction: Asuka
Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks [SmackDown Women’s Championship]
Assuming Bayley holds onto the SmackDown Women’s Championship until SummerSlam, she should be defending her championship against Sasha Banks. Bayley has already defeated all of the singles stars in the SmackDown Women’s Division, except Sasha Banks.
Thanks to the continuous losses she has sustained since her return from her four-month hiatus, it is easy to forget that Banks was a former NXT Women’s Champion, 4x Raw Women’s Champion, and former Women’s Tag Team Champion. Since Banks’ momentum has been poorly booked for a future championship opportunity, she would have to win a gauntlet match against all of the women in the SmackDown Women’s Division to prove that she is worthy for that opportunity and remind the fans why she is indeed championship material.
As indicated by her past accolades, Banks is one step away from becoming the third ever women’s Grand Slam Champion (note: Bayley was the first and Asuka recently became the second). All she has to do is win the SmackDown Women’s Championship from her best friend and hopefully have a main roster singles championship reign that is longer than two weeks.
Prediction: Sasha Banks
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Bianca Belair [NXT Women’s Championship]
Assuming Charlotte Flair holds onto the NXT Women’s Championship until SummerSlam, she should be defending her championship against Bianca Belair. Flair and Belair already crossed paths in NXT before Flair dethroned Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36, and Belair never won the NXT Women’s Championship before getting called up to Monday Night Raw.
Ever since Belair got called up to Raw after WrestleMania 36, she has not been involved in any significant storylines in the Raw Women’s Division, which is a clear sign that her call-up was premature. Bianca Belair should have won the NXT Women’s Championship before getting called up, and she needs to do that at this PPV, if given the opportunity.
Long term success is important on the main roster, and winning the NXT Women’s Championship will assure Vince McMahon that she is main event material and should not be overlooked. As an African American female superstar in a Caucasian male-dominated company like WWE, it is evident why she needs to be one step ahead at all times. Winning the NXT women’s championship from a game Charlotte Flair will assure that she’s not only one step ahead but also that she is putting her best foot forward.
Prediction: Bianca Belair
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Jinder Mahal [WWE Championship]
Assuming Drew McIntyre holds onto the WWE Championship until SummerSlam, he should be defending his championship against Jinder Mahal. Recently, Mahal returned to in-ring competition and has been branded as a former WWE Champion to conveniently remind everyone of his main event status as well as the beginning of his hero’s journey.
The double entendres in Jinder Mahal’s promo were riveting because he is a heel trying to be hero, which is quite genius work. Thanks to said branding and their 3MB history, it would be sensible booking if Mahal was McIntyre’s challenger at the biggest event of the summer.
However, he should not dethrone McIntyre by any means. After slaying the Beast, McIntyre should be champion for longer than four months, and he should keep the WWE Championship until Adam Cole gets called up to the main roster because an Undisputed Era attack on McIntyre after SummerSlam would be some neat booking and a nice throwback to NXT.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre
Braun Strowman (c) vs. Bray Wyatt [Universal Championship]
Assuming Braun Strowman holds onto the Universal Championship until SummerSlam, he should be defending his championship against Bray Wyatt. Strowman already defeated the Firefly Funhouse Bray Wyatt at WWE MITB 2020, but he has not yet defeated The Fiend.
Bray Wyatt failed to convert Strowman into the black sheep he used to be in the Wyatt Family. Since Strowman rejected the offer to join Wyatt again, The Fiend will be furious at Wyatt and unleash his dark powers onto Strowman to win back the Universal Championship at the PPV where it debuted.
Prediction: ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt