10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 2011 Facts
8. A United States Title Match Was Planned For SummerSlam
Given Dolph Ziggler's budding profile and his status as US Champion, you'd figure he would've ended up on the SummerSlam card in some capacity. The preliminary plans for the card had Ziggler working, defending the belt against something of a promising star at the time.
Ziggler's opponent was to have been Alex Riley, relatively fresh off of a well-done babyface turn, and subsequent clean win over former boss The Miz. Life for Riley in WWE wouldn't stay rosy for long (thanks to alleged run-ins with John Cena), but at the time, a SummerSlam match with Ziggler was in the cards.
The Wrestling Observer at the time reported that Ziggler was gingerly working through an abdominal pull in early-August. Regardless, the match did take place, but curiously as a non-title dark match, with Ziggler winning.