WWE SummerSlam 2016 Predictions: Will Roman Reigns Defeat Rusev?

WWE SummerSlam 2016 predictions abound as the most-anticipated event of the summer is upon us — on Sunday, August 20th, wrestling’s best and brightest will congregate in Brooklyn’s Barclay Center to bring us more than four hours of fights, rivalries, and entertainment. With this in mind, then, we’ve come up with some of the many things you can expect from this Sunday’s main event, and — if betting is legal in your state — what you should be betting on in the matches to come!

THREE. MORE. DAYS. #WWE #SummerSlam is LIVE on #WWENetwork THIS SUNDAY at 7e/4p! pic.twitter.com/FkbVWKEsbP

— WWE SummerSlam (@SummerSlam) August 18, 2016

First, let’s tackle one the most exciting WWE SummerSlam 2016 predictions: the match of Randy Orton vs. Brock Lesnar. Who will win this brutal battle? According to Newsweek, the answer to this question should be obvious, and that answer is Randy Orton.

This sole cross-promotional card on WWE SummerSlam 2016’s lineup is also the most talked about, because it’s giving a much-needed shot in the arm to the SmackDown brand, which — as of late — is suffering more than the more established Raw brand. As anyone who’s been watching the WWE for more than five minutes knows, the loyalists to the brand get more of a reward than those who haven’t proved their worth. And while Brock Lesnar is certainly an audience draw, he’s not someone who — as of yet — has been able to prove that he’s a brand loyalist, especially as Vince McMahon would want him to. So, it looks like this battle is going to go to Randy Orton.

Another of the most anticipated WWE SummerSlam 2016 predictions concerns the battle between The Miz and Apollo Crews for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. According to The Huffington Post, this match looks to be a favored win for Apollo Crews. Simply put: the WWE needs diversity, and a different story line. While we all love The Miz, and while The Miz has been the Intercontinental Champion for quite a while now, his story line is getting a bit old… and, frankly, isn’t really going anywhere. But Apollo Crews seems like he has a very interesting story line and doesn’t seem to be playing up the “heel” bit that The Miz seems to love so much (and it’s almost to the point of parody, now). Again, while The Miz had a good reign, Apollo Crews is a better bet for this battle.

Finally, we come to the WWE SummerSlam 2016 predictions that everyone and their mother wants to know about: the predictions for the battle between Roman Reigns and Rusev for the new United States Championship belt. For a wide variety of reasons, Roman Reigns has made the WWE hit the news for good — and bad — reasons. Many outlets think he’s the WWE’s “problem child,” and while this assertion is more than a bit unfair, it’s also somewhat true. Yes, he’s popular amongst the fans, but his story line is all over the place. Yes, he was suspended — in a controversial move — but he also deserved it, and at least he was man enough to admit he messed up.

This Rusev story line, then, is the very thing Roman Reigns needs in order to finally entrench himself in the WWE subconscious and have his “heel” story line fully developed. Even though the Rusev battle got off to a bit of a hokey start — really, though, must he shove a woman’s face in a wedding cake? — this week’s Raw showed that Rusev and Roman Reigns are two of the best athletes in the actual sport of wrestling today, and — as Morning News predicts — Roman Reigns is going to take this title. It will provide, not only the benefit for Roman Reigns, but the benefit for the newly introduced title, which could use all the publicity it can get.

Will you be watching WWE SummerSlam 2016, and if so, what are some of your predictions? Leave your thoughts about our WWE SummerSlam 2016 predicti ons in the comments below!