Celebrating Summerfest: WWE Summerslam Thoughts

Well it is just about that time for the "biggest party of the summer" according to the WWE. That's right, it's time for WWE Summerslam...or Summerfest if you are recent Raw guest host Jeremy Piven. I have been a WWE fan for the longest time and Summerslam has always been a solid card and it should be considering that it is one of the "Big 4" PPVs along with the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, and Survivor Series.

Now in recent times, the direction of WWE storylines and angles have left some things to be desired. However, I am not one of those people who will constantly bash the product. I recognize wrestling for what it is. It is an escape. It is meant to be fun and over the top. It is meant to provide entertainment and mix in some great athletics and at times, really stir your emotions and provide some great memories. My opinion has always been that if you can't just sit back and try to enjoy what you can, then don't watch! It makes no sense to watch something and all you do is criticize it and say "this sucks". Do I like everything I see on WWE programming? Absolutely not. Creative drops the ball numerous times, match outcomes seem utterly stupid sometimes, and the comedy/humorous angles sometimes fall woefully flat. However, I still enjoy seeing great matches and there are great laughs and enjoyment to be had if you just allow yourself to let it happen.

So with that said, let's take a look at Summerslam coming up this Sunday. I think the card has some potential to deliver some good matches, although I will have to say that it does not feel like it is something extremely special. Cena/Orton has been done before...DX returning has been done before...much of the under card does not have a great amount of heat and build. I still expect some good wrestling and fun matches though and the TLC match between Jeff Hardy and CM Punk has the potential to be a great match. Here is a match by match rundown of the card and my thoughts on the outcomes:

Kane vs. The Great Khali - Ugh...I have absolutely no interest in this feud since it was seemingly thrown together for no apparent reason. It just feels like one of those things to satisfy Vince McMahon's "big man" fetish. Kane always has the potential to be higher up the card and he has deserved more than he has gotten over the years. He has always been a reliable worker and maybe a win at one of the "Big 4" will be his "reward". It is Kane's first big match back on PPV and considering that Khali is the face and they probably want to drag this feud on longer, I think Kane will get the win. Or we could get one of those wonderful DQs...
Prediction: Kane

Jack Swagger vs. MVP - This has the potential to be a great match if Swagger and MVP are given time for it. I unfortunately think it will be shorter than it needs to be, but both men are talented enough to give a good performance with what they will be given. Obviously, Swagger is one of the future players in the WWE and will most likely be given a run with a major belt in the future. MVP has continued to improve and has gotten much better in the ring and is entertaining on the stick. The feud has centered around Swagger wanting to fight on "his terms" and it seems the bright lights of Summerslam will fit the bill. It seems like these two have been jawing for a good 2 months or so at this point, but it feels like the feud has not run it's course yet. That usually has me leaning toward the heel getting the victory. I think MVP could be in danger of getting lost in the shuffle and it seems like something creative would do, so I give the nod to Swagger in this one.
Prediction: Swagger

DX vs. Legacy - I'm not sure it is worth going into any type of analysis for this one. Shawn Michaels is returning to PPV and the WWE and reforming DX with Triple H and you think they will lose at Summerslam? Yeah right LOL. I assume that Legacy got the bone thrown to them on Raw when they beat down DX during their usual antics. Honestly, I think Legacy needs to win this match to be seen as a more serious threat because WWE blew it by not making them the Unified Tag Champions and letting them "run the show" with Randy Orton. Rhodes and Dibiase are still treated too much like lackeys and I can only assume the plan is for one (most likely Dibiase) or both to finally get tired of it and turn on Orton. So anyway, DX cruises in this one.
Prediction: DX

ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal - Again this match seems rushed out there and came out of the blue, but fortunately Regal is extremely solid and a bad ass and he should be able to have a good match with Christian. Christian's 2nd run with the ECW Title has not lasted that long yet and I don't think they will be taking the title off of him so soon. I could easily see this match ending in a DQ to extend things. I can also see a Christian victory and instead, Regal continues to come after Captain Charisma with his new henchmen, Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson. It just seems like Christian will drop the belt to one of those two and Regal is there as a placeholder to have a few solid matches and guide the two younger guys.
Prediction: Christian (or a DQ)

Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme - Well the pairing of Jericho and Big Show has been interesting and I think it was a pretty good decision by the WWE after Edge went down to injury. Jericho is allowed to be even more cocky considering the back up that he has. Cryme Tyme has been solid and have done a good job to get themselves over with the fans and they deserve the match at Summerslam as much as anyone. However, I don't think that they should be getting the win. Jericho and Big Show still have room to run with this angle I believe and they should not drop the belts yet. There needs to be more tension between the two at some point and Chris Jericho being the Unified Tag Champ means more of him on both Raw and Smackdown and that is a good thing.
Prediction: Jericho/Big Show

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler - Well I am as shocked as anyone that Ziggler has been able to get this character over. He seems to getting more heat with the crowd and his in ring work has gotten better and better. He showed he could hang with Mysterio in their last PPV encounter and it seems like now is the time for him to take the belt at a big PPV like Summerslam. I really have nothing against Mysterio, but I feel his character really has no room to develop and he will always be over as a popular superstar. Ziggler could really benefit from getting the title and it will continue to move him up the ladder as a major player.
Prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champion)

TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk - I have thoroughly enjoyed Punk's heel turn and it has been the best piece of work that the WWE has been doing over the past few months. These two have delivered some great matches in the ring and this match should be no different. However, the outcome of the match seems to be a foregone conclusion. It seems that there has been no news to break that Hardy has signed a new deal with WWE and he seems determined to take some time off. They ran the "injury" angle on Smackdown and are speculating that he might not be at 100% for the match. So to me, all the pieces are in place for Punk to really "injure" Hardy in this match, take the title, and then Jeff just disappears for a while and takes his time off. A Punk wins allows him to transfer into a title feud with John Morrison (more matches between those two would be welcomed) and possibly a feud with a returning Matt Hardy. All evidence points to this and it is what I would have to go with.
Prediction: CM Punk (New World Heavyweight Champion)

WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena - I'm not sure this match needs much analysis either. I expect Cena to be superman again and win the title. I like Randy Orton's character and think the half-psycho gimmick fits him great. He has gotten really good on the stick and can deliver a good match in the ring. I still believe he has more room to run with the belt and terrorize the rest of the roster. John Cena on the other hand...I just can not stand. Granted, I know Cena works hard and is a model employee and he always delivers when it comes to enthusiasm and interacting with the fans. But to me, his whole schtick is just so bland and feels old. I really would like to see a heel turn because it would freshen him up and be a shock and that would make for some interesting TV. That seems like a dream however, so expect Cena to "hulk up" and become Superman Cena by the end of the night and beat Orton to give the fans their "go home happy" moment.
Prediction: John Cena (New WWE Champion)

The Game's Quick Hits:

- Plaxico Burress reached a plea agreement and was given a 2 year jail sentence. Well good to see he was smart enough not to take this to trial and get the mandatory minimum of 3 and 1/2 years slapped on him. Just another case of bad judgement costing someone millions of dollars and it could have easily been avoided.

- Memphis Tigers are forced to vacate their 38 win Final Four season from 2007-2008. More stupidity and bad judgement. The sad thing is that this is now the 2nd time that John Calipari has had a Final Four trip vacated and yet he skips away to his cushy job with Kentucky now. So much for caring about your players being "student" athletes right John?

- Usain Bolt breaks his own world record again with a 19.19 in the 200m at the World Championships. Damn...is this guy human or did he mutate and escape from that District 9 compound?

- Fran Tarkenton has been running his mouth and calling the whole Brett Favre scene in Minnesota an "absolute circus". That's all well and good but the guy seems to be going out of his way to rip on Favre. Seems like someone still craves a little spotlight and attention, right Mr. Tarkenton?