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WWE will head to Cleveland, Ohio this Saturday to host the 37th annual SummerSlam.
The company's third "big four pay-per-view" of the year looks to advance some of the year's biggest storylines and potentially crown a new set of champions. Straight away, fans will wonder if this will be the night Gunther transitions from Raw's workhorse to the brand's official flagbearer.
Conversely, this event could signal the end of The Judgment Day as we know it. There is still some uncertainty surrounding Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio following Liv Morgan's attempt to split them up, and tension between Damian Priest and Finn Bálor has been bubbling under the surface since last year.
This could all come to a head this weekend. Meanwhile, LA Knight hopes to secure championship gold in his long-awaited matchup with Logan Paul and Bron Breakker could cement himself as the next big thing if he unseats Sami Zayn.
There are enough high-stakes matches and pro wrestling drama on this concise seven-bout card to entice the most ardent fans. However, some of the entries on this show have high expectations to live up to.
WWE has been on a hot streak lately, but some of its calculated risks must pay off at The Biggest Party of the Summer.
CM Punk In-Ring Must Deliver
CM Punk's improbable return to WWE has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. The polarizing figure is still one of the most talked about stars in pro wrestling, a top merchandise seller, and a consistently entertaining talker.
Amazingly, the company has managed to squeeze so much juice out of his feud with Drew McIntyre even though the Chicago native hasn't wrestled since January. It has been six months since an unforeseen tricep injury halted his chance to headline WrestleMania for the first time and limited a rousing start to his second run with WWE.
As a result, Punk started yet another road to recovery in hopes of ending his career on his terms. In the meantime, Raw and SmackDown have devoted so much time to the six-month build to his showdown with The Scottish Warrior.
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Although this move has created a mountain of anticipation and an intricate story for this high-profile matchup, it's hard not to question if it will be worth it. One could argue that this rivalry kept McIntrye running in place until his opponent could compete when he had the momentum to become the next world heavyweight champion in his homeland at Clash at the Castle.
It's also fair to ask if it was wise to bet it all on a star who has unfortunately been riddled with injuries since 2022. This could be one of the biggest matches of Punk's career and he has so much to prove to himself and his legions of detractors.
We already know that he can still be a provocative onscreen character, but can he still compete on a high level with this era's wealth of talented performers? This match needs to be a slam dunk for him and WWE.
Even more, the outcome and its execution must justify McIntyre's dedication to this feud and Seth Rollins' inclusion as the special guest referee. A strong pay-off could propel all three men into WrestleMania season and keep viewers interested, but a dud could make this all feel like a colossal waste of time.
Cody Rhodes' Persistent Conflict With The Bloodline
Elsewhere, Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief, Solo Sikoa.
The newest iteration of The Bloodline continues to produce great segments and Jacob Fatu has emerged as a breakout star. In addition, Sikoa has grown into his role as its de facto leader and loathsome antagonist on SmackDown.
Nevertheless, many fans hoped The American Nightmare would be the brand's focal point as its champion. Sure, Rhodes remains one of the most popular superstars in the company and a top babyface character in the industry.
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However, SmackDown still feels like the Bloodline's show and most of the group's storytelling has built suspense for Roman Reigns' return. It was also a risky move to keep the man who dethroned him so closely linked to his stable and potentially set the Samoan wrestler up to get the loudest reaction of the night at SummerSlam.
That could unintentionally present the second-generation star as an afterthought and provide more ammo for critics who didn't think he should defeat Reigns in April. It could lead to an incredible moment but embolden skeptics of this current title run.
After weeks of repetitive beatdown segments, Rhodes needs to come out of this main event looking like a competent champion and a worthy face of the company. It's hard to imagine WWE can stick the landing and properly reintroduce Reigns, but it's far from impossible.
It will be a difficult task for the company, but the possibilities could be worth the risk. Let's hope that both scenarios pay dividends.
