WWE SummerSlam 2017: Assessing The Potential Quality Of All 12 Matches

3. AJ Styles Vs. Kevin Owens - WWE United States Title Match

Jinder Mahal Shinsuke Nakamuara
WWE.com

Kevin Owens Vs. AJ Styles, in the grand finale rubber match surely free of the cheap plot devices that led us to this point, looks fantastic on paper.

But hasn't it always?

Multiple chinlock spots won't pollute it, as they did their underwhelming Battleground bout. That was obviously laid out as foreplay before the real act - but it only succeeded in doling out a painful case of blue balls. It shouldn't end inconclusively, unlike the deflating damp squib count out finish at Backlash. This is SummerSlam; matches of this magnitude rarely suffer from such shenanigans. Only, the decision to instal Shane McMahon as special guest referee, an antiquated relic of sports entertainment storytelling, guarantees shenanigans of a different stripe.

It can be both a great match in itself and a means of furthering the budding Owens Vs. Shane O'Mac rivalry - WWE does tend to deliver when it matters most - but as good as their August 1 SmackDown match was, the feud has disappointed on the whole.

Best to approach this one with low expectations; that way, the potential high spots will resonate all the more.

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!