10 Things WWE Fans Have To Look Forward To In 2018

8. SummerSlam, General, A Bit

Spiteful Man
WWE.com

It will probably last eight hours, admittedly, but at least two of those hours should host some of the best and/or most interesting matches of the calendar year, even if those matches end up suffering from the marathon duration of the show itself. That is the reality of WWE in the Network Era. Unless we all start watching Ride Along, executives will instead earn streaming bonuses through elongating and ruining the once-bulletproof Big 4 pay-per-view model. So do us all a favour and press play when the kettle is boiling, or something.

Until/unless sunstroke sets in, the rumoured marquee matches should provide good old wrestling heat.

Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe each excel using less-is-more psychology; this in parallel with their sublime performances in the face and heel roles, respectively, should make for a match that literally doesn't have to beat you around the head with its quality. Since they are the two best promo guys in the entire company right now, the build promises almost as much as the bell-to-bell - and Big Cass is hardly going to interfere this time 'round. In fact, it's difficult to gauge where he goes after losing to Daniel Bryan, which you have to believe is the only possible outcome.

Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose are rare cases in WWE; whether in partnership or at war, their material invariably feels authentic and meaningful. The Lunatic Fringe is rumoured to become an actual lunatic - as opposed to an easygoing comic - upon his return, promising a much-needed and credible subversion of their legacy feud four years after they managed something gripping with the most overused TV trope gimmick there is.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!