13 Match Quality Predictions For WWE SummerSlam 2018

4. Dolph Ziggler Vs. Seth Rollins - Intercontinental Title Match

Dolph Ziggler Seth Rollins
WWE.com

Dynamite on TV, catastrophically overcomplicated on PPV, the focus elsewhere should - should - restore the dynamic to its guaranteed strengths.

Guaranteed, sadly, no longer means anything in WWE. What should be a firecracker of a 15 minute match, nothing too grand in terms of dramatic heft, nor fresh but nonetheless thrilling and dramatic, could all too easily suffer as a result of the inevitable shenanigans, or a natural lack of crowd enthusiasm owing to its overfamiliarity. It's difficult to truly care about, but then, Seth Rollins is very, very good at making the audience care even after they have endured the ugliest of RAW's meaningless broad comedy bullsh*t.

You can justifiably accuse Dolph Ziggler of being overrated - which isn't exactly difficult, given his Low Ki/Austin Aries-sized ego - but you cannot fault the man's work ethic nor the chip on his shoulder. After the embarrassment that was Extreme Rules, Ziggler will strive to, yes, show the world that he's as good as he says he is. He isn't, but he's still really good when on form and when positioned to excel.

And, since he excels as a 15 minute midcard merchant, this should - should - realise its sleeper potential.

Predicted Star Rating: ***3/4

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!