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This year's SummerSlam event will come to us this Sunday, and the card is finally clear following Raw and SmackDown Live earlier this week. The night will feature several championship matches, and it could shape the landscape of the WWE for the rest of 2017.
How to watch SummerSlam
When: The event will take place on Sunday, August 20th. It will start at 7 PM Eastern Time, 4 PM Pacific Time, and 12 AM British Time (technically on Monday, August 21st). In India and Australia, it will technically start on Monday, August 21st. It will start at 4:30 AM India Time and 9 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time. The Kickoff Show will start two hours prior to the main start time, so 5 PM Eastern Time, etc. The main show is scheduled to last approximately four hours and may be followed by a fallout show on the WWE Network.
Where: As always, SummerSlam is available on the WWE Network which can be viewed through most media devices. The WWE Network is only $10 a month and new subscribers can sign up for a free trial that will allow you to enjoy SummerSlam. It is also available in the U.K. on Sky Sports Box Office for £19.95 (€24.95 in Ireland). It is available in Australia via Main Event for $29.95. It is also available in India on Ten Sports. If you’re in any other country, visit this link and select your country to see how to watch SummerSlam.
Kickoff Show: While SummerSlam will primarily be available on the WWE Network, the Kickoff will also have a free stream on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.
Championship Matches
Universal Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Brock Lesnar (c) vs Samoa Joe vs Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman
Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns squared off several weeks ago to see who would move on to face Brock Lesnar. Due to interference by Braun Strowman, no clear winner emerged. As a result, we’re getting this massive Fatal 4-Way that leaves Brock Lesnar at a severe disadvantage, but truly anything can happen here.
WWE Championship Match: Jinder Mahal (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Shockwaves rippled throughout the WWE Universe when Shinsuke Nakamura pinned John Cena on SmackDown Live to earn this opportunity. Jinder Mahal has shown himself a capable champion, but the King of Strong Style is an opponent unlike anyone he’s faced before.
United States Championship Match: AJ Styles (c) vs Kevin Owens (w/ Shane McMahon as Special Guest Referee)
The issues between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens go back months, and the recent addition of Shane McMahon to the picture only further complicates it. Owens has his own issues with Shane, while AJ squared off with Shane O’ Mac as recently as WrestleMania. SmackDown’s Commissioner will attempt to maintain order, but these two will not be easy to control.
Raw Women’s Championship Match: Alexa Bliss (c) vs Sasha Banks
It looked like Bayley was going to get another shot at the champion, but a shoulder injury derailed her plans. After defeating Emma and Alicia Fox to advance to a number one contender’s match, Sasha Banks vanquished Nia Jax to earn this opportunity at the Raw Women’s Championship.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Sheamus & Cesaro (c) vs Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins
Despite major trust issues and a long history of betrayal, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins have been mending fences in recent weeks. It’s not clear if they’ll be able to stay on the same page, but they’ve been given a common enemy in the form of the current Raw Tag Team Champions. If the former members of The Shield can work together, they could walk out of SummerSlam with gold around their waists.
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Naomi (c) vs Natalya
Naomi has been one of the more consistently dominant champions on the main roster, but she’s up against a freshly determined veteran in Natalya. While it was surprising to see Natalya find her way to the title picture, the Queen of Harts will look to capture the Women’s Championship for the first time at SummerSlam. (Natalya is a one-time Divas Champion, but has not been Women’s Champion.)
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day (c) vs The Usos (Kickoff Match)
After impressing with the best match at Battleground, The New Day became the three-time tag champs. Their celebration didn’t last long as The Usos have constantly kept The New Day on edge leading into their contractual rematch. Being on the Kickoff Show could give this match a good amount of time, so this could be a surprisingly good clash.
Cruiserweight Championship Match: Akira Tozawa (c) vs Neville (Kickoff Match)
Thanks to the business savvy of Titus O’Neil, Akira Tozawa got his chance at the King of the Cruiserweights early and managed to leave Raw as the new Cruiserweight Champion. Neville is on the warpath and will be cashing in his rematch, but Akira Tozawa won’t want to let the title go as quickly as he won it.
Grudge Matches
John Cena vs Baron Corbin
After a post-SmackDown altercation that ended with Baron Corbin crashing through an announce table, it was clear that Cena and Corbin would need to settle their issues. Tensions are even higher after Cena’s brief distraction ruined Corbin’s attempt at cashing in this week. While the veteran will hope for another win, the hunger of The Lone Wolf may be more dangerous than ever.
Randy Orton vs Rusev
After The Bulgarian Brute demanded some competition a few weeks ago on SmackDown Live, he got an answer in the form of Randy Orton. Despite a relatively simple build, there’s already bad blood between these two egos. This clash at SummerSlam may be only the beginning of their issues with each other.
“The Demon” Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt’s has shown an obsession in recent weeks with pushing Finn Balor to the next level and forcing out The Demon. While Bray picked up a win over Finn on Raw, he may have gone too far when he drenched Balor in a “viscous acidic liquid.” Now Bray will get what he’s wished for at SummerSlam, and “The Demon” will return with an eye for revenge.
Big Show vs Big Cass (w/ Enzo Amore suspended above the ring in a Shark Cage)
Tensions between Big Show and Big Cass have been going on since Cass accused Show of being involved in the attacks on Enzo Amore months ago. After it was revealed that the attacker was actually Big Cass himself, Show has attempted to get some retribution over things. Enzo has been unable to keep himself from interfering as of late, so he’ll be hung above the ring in a Shark Cage in this final clash between seven-foot-tall superstars.
The Hardy Boyz & Jason Jordan vs The Miz, Bo Dallas, & Curtis Axel (Kickoff Match)
Our final Kickoff Match will be a repeat of a six-man tag team match from this week on Raw. The Miz and his Miztourage came up short on Raw in the impromptu clash, but they’ll look for some redemption with more advanced notice. Meanwhile, The Hardy Boyz and Jason Jordan are both looking to gain some momentum in their respective divisions. A win at SummerSlam, even on the Kickoff Show, will help that.
Will you be watching SummerSlam live? Let us know in the comments below!
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