1. Developing The Wyatt Family/Kane Fued
SummerSlam saw the in-ring WWE debut of Bray Wyatt, as he took on Kane in an Inferno Match. It was first time the WWE Universe would see Wyatt on the big stage, coming out as one of the WWE's most promising talents. Wyatt's minions, known as the Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Erick Rowan), have also come through the ranks at NXT and made their live debuts along with Bray Wyatt, acting as his 'followers' and muscle.
Their initial ambush on Kane was memorable, making a sweeping statement by attacking The Big Red Machine, and thus, removing him from the Money in the Bank ladder match he was scheduled to appear in. It was a bold move by the WWE, but it seemingly paid off, as the Wyatt's began running amok and taking out other superstars on the roster, including R-Truth and Tensai. It made the ultimate showdown with Kane hyped up to be (in the words of good 'ol JR) a slobberknocker. Unfortunately, and I think I can speak on behalf of many WWE fans when I say, the match was poor. From what I've seen since SummerSlam, nothing has greatly improved. As is typical of WWE bookings, Bray Wyatt has fallen victim to consistent squash matches. Yes, he's winning, but it's not convincing when his performances are as dull as dish water. The WWE need Kane to return sooner rather than later, so that we can witness the the best of the Wyatt's. Prediction: Upon Kane's return, an interesting twist could occur with Kane siding with the Wyatt's. It would return Kane to his evil, sadistic persona, a character much better suited for him. His face character is frustrating to see, as he loses a significant amount of credibility and recognition, in comparison to being a twisted heel. They could have a major impact in the long run, with a possible head-on collision with The Corporation down the road... The Road to WrestleMania.
In Conclusion...
I believe the WWE can thrive even without the presence of John Cena. If the right bookings are made, and developments continue to put bums in seats, we could be building up for one of the most exciting and must-see WrestleMania's of all time. Triple H has the entire company in the grip of his hands, and his regime can only improve with time. Major feuds need to take shape soon to build up for Survivor Series too; which of the factions will feature in the annual elimination tag matches? There are of course other things to consider, including how the AJ Lee vs. Total Divas feud will play out. That very well may be a big deal at Survivor Series, with the WWE doing everything it can to sell the reality TV-show to the existing WWE fans. That said, AJ Lee's
'pipe-bomb' was a nice surprise, to spice things up in time for a title defence against a cast member of Total Divas at Night of Champions. Hopefully, The Shield will find themselves in championship action on a more consistent basis. At this moment in time, they hold the United States title (Dean Ambrose) and the Tag-Team championship (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns). There was no Tag-Team title defence at SummerSlam, something that has been criticised by the WWE Universe, and rightly so. Give the likes of The Usos a real shot at the tag champions, and create some real heat for Night of Champions and beyond. With this coming Monday Night RAW being the final episode before Night of Champions, you can be rest assured that everything will get one final push in time for the WWE's visit to Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. Don't forget, Edge is in the house!