10 Losses That Must Happen At WWE SummerSlam 2016
SummerSlam looks like it could be a great show, but its success hinges on its booking.
After weeks of build, SummerSlam 2016 is almost upon us. For the most part, WWE have done a good job of turning around the blasé reactions that the 2016 Draft results initially garnered to make SummerSlam one of the year’s most hotly-anticipated shows thus far.
The feuds are heated, the stories have layers, and the match card features a number of potentially show-stealing bouts showcasing some of the company’s most exciting wrestlers.
Sure, it would’ve been nice to see WWE find a place for the likes of Sami Zayn and Bray Wyatt, but there’s little to complain about on the SummerSlam 2016. Card. The night’s three headlining bouts (Lesnar vs. Orton, Ambrose vs. Ziggler, and Balor vs. Rollins) have been built-up expertly, and with an undercard featuring performers like Sasha Banks, AJ Styles, and Enzo Amore & Big Cass, SummerSlam looks set to deliver from start to finish.
Much will hinge on WWE’s booking decisions, however. Having a great card on-paper is all very well, but the pay-per-view will only deliver with the right wins and losses, and WWE can’t afford to botch another big show after WrestleMania’s disappointment. SummerSlam has “show of the year” potential, but the winners and losers aren’t logical, it’ll go down as one of 2016’s biggest busts.
Looking at the card thus far, here are 10 losses that need to happen at WWE SummerSlam 2016.
10. The Miz
While he hasn’t exactly been booked strongly since the Brand Split kicked-in, The Miz has repositioned himself as one of WWE’s most detestable heels. He’s not someone that fans are pining to watch every week, but Miz has salvaged himself from irrelevance since winning the Intercontinental Championship from Zack Ryder and adding Maryse to his act.
The “Hollywood” gimmick is perfect for him, and he has a solid match with Apollo Crews ahead of him this weekend.
The Miz has spent four months retaining his championship against more-celebrated opposition (and Darren Young) by employing just about every sneaky tactic in the book. He hasn’t been written as a strong champion, but that’s the point: Miz is a loathsome shortcut-taker who’s being built-up this way to create heat and make fans yearn for his comeuppance.
Whoever ends his reign should be in-line for a big swell in crowd support, and few wrestlers need this more than Crews.
Apollo has stumbled since joining the main roster, but his SmackDown contributions have been strong thus far. Spearheading SD’s IC Title division would be a great rub for him, and WWE can only afford to keep Miz’s run going for a certain amount of time before it grows stale. They have the perfect opportunity to do just that this Sunday.