Backstage Update On WWE SummerSlam 2021 Plans

WWE looking to put on a WrestleMania standard spectacle with this year's SummerSlam PPV.

by Andrew Pollard
Roman Reigns
WWE

With WWE currently planning to go all out and make this year’s SummerSlam as big, if not bigger than WrestleMania, there’s now an update on the company’s annual August spectacular.

As per Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan is the person behind this year’s SummerSlam taking place from Las Vegas. Likewise, Khan is the one currently pushing to have rapper Cardi B host the event as part of his plans to make the 2021 SummerSlam a major spectacle.

From reports earlier in the week, WWE has tentative plans to have John Cena return and challenge WWE Champion Roman Reigns in the main event of this year’s SummerSlam – with that match deemed a WrestleMania standard bout designed to make the event feel massive.

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With WWE returning to the road this July, SummerSlam is viewed as the promotion’s first chance to put on a tentpole PPV with an in-attendance crowd since the hugely successful WrestleMania 37. Similarly, being able to formally get someone like Cardi B on board for the event is seen as a big positive due to how well received Bad Bunny’s involvement with the company was in terms of press coverage and merchandise sales.

This year’s SummerSlam emanates from Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on Saturday 21 August.

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Senior Writer
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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.