WWE SummerSlam 2016: 10 Things We Learned
Dolph Ziggler was booked to choke WWE title match...
AJ Styles, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Finn Balor were the real winners coming out of this year's SummerSlam. Not all of those men would win their matches, but they all produced amazing performances befitting of an event WWE are now touting as their second biggest on the calendar.
The next pay-per-view on the list will be a SmackDown-only presentation. Backlash was once a firm fixture on the schedule, but it'll have quite the job topping SummerSlam when it airs on September 11. Bursting at the seams, the card could barely sustain any more matches or segments. In total, SummerSlam (including the Kickoff show) clocked in at over six hours in length.
As always, the burning question is exactly what can be gleaned from the show? What was learned at SummerSlam this time around, and what does it mean for each brand going forward?
From weak links that had no business being on the pay-per-view, to strong moments that actually protected those involved and beyond, here's what can be extracted from SummerSlam 2016...
10. WWE Must Find Slots For Neville & Sami Zayn Or Commit To Their Team
Ever since he made his debut on the main roster, Neville hasn't always been used effectively. The Englishman has had some highlight moments, but they mainly boil down to the fact that his finishing Red Arrow couldn't fail to catch the eye. Aside from that, character development has been sorely lacking for the man.
Sami Zayn has been a little different, WWE explored his friend-turned-enemy story with Kevin Owens, but that seems to have been dropped for now. On Monday Night Raw, the pair are kind of lost in the shuffle at the moment, there doesn't appear to be a solid feud for either in the immediate future.
At SummerSlam, Neville and Zayn teamed together on the Kickoff show to beat The Dudley Boyz. Bubba-Ray and D-Von are pretty much enhancement talent these days, but they're still a regular team. The main thing gleaned from this match is that WWE have a decision to make.
Creative can either commit to the idea of a new tag-team, or find something else meaningful for Zayn and Neville to do. It has to be one or the other.