It’s time for one of the signature events on the WWE calendar. Usually considered right behind WrestleMania in terms of popularity, SummerSlam will be the biggest match card of the summer months with five title matches on the deck in Nashville on Saturday night.
The most important game of all pits a pair of old rivals against each other once again. Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns puts his pair of titles on the line against Brock Lesnar in a Las Man Standing Match in the main event. Reigns unified the titles by defeating Lesnar in the main event at WrestleMania.
The card also sees the return of the celebrity factor. Logan Paul is back as he takes on The Miz in singles action. The two teamed up to beat The Mysterios at WrestleMania before Miz turned on their partner. Also, SmackDown commentator and former NFL punter Pat McAfee returns to action as he takes on Happy Corbin. McAfee debuted in style at WrestleMania when he beat Theory in singles action before losing to Vince McMahon.
Let’s take a closer look at who our CBS Sports experts predict will be the best at WWE SummerSlam, which begins Saturday at 8:00 PM ET from Nissan Stadium in Nashville and airs live on Peacock after a opening show one hour earlier.
WWE SummerSlam 2022 Predictions
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar (Last Man Standing)
By giving Reigns a run as champion that has lasted nearly 700 days, WWE has been slowly working himself into a corner. Reigns has basically dispatched every quality contender, bringing the promotion back to the Reigns vs. well. Lesnar despite being a very outdated pairing. It’s hard to see Lesnar getting the win here, as it only serves to restart another feud between the pair. With The Usos and Paul Heyman around, there are plenty of easy exits to help Reigns hold Lesnar for the 10 count. As for Theory and his threat to cash in the Money in the Bank contract after the match, it’s likely the Usos could run interference to allow Theory to keep the briefcase as a storytelling device a bit longer. Selection: Roman Reigns retains
SmackDown Women’s Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
While there’s a good chance WWE will make some big missteps with the winners on the card, Rousey ending Morgan’s reign and reclaiming the title may be the most important thing. Rousey’s return to WWE has mostly been a failure, while Morgan has a strong fan base that was thrilled to win her first championship. The reaction to a Rousey win here would be horrific and Morgan needs time to really see how she can function as a world champion. That’s not to say that a Rousey win isn’t possible, just that it shouldn’t happen and hopefully WWE will see that. Selection: Liv Morgan retains
Raw Women’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Another possible mistake would be that Lynch beat Belair on the same stage as their famous 27-second match. Lynch returned last year at SummerSlam and beat Belair with such speed that it caused a major backlash. Belair beating Lynch at WrestleMania to become champion once again was some compensation for that mistake, but allowing her to stay at SummerSlam would help remove that blemish from Belair’s resume. Selection: Bianca Belair retains
Pat McAfee vs. Happy Corbin
Corbin hasn’t won a pay-per-view match since December 2019. That likely won’t change when he faces McAfee. WWE has done a good job of protecting McAfee as a special attraction who wrestles infrequently, but surprises with his competence and athleticism. Corbin has established himself as a heel who can come into shows against anyone, lose the elimination match, and then move right into the next one without really gaining or losing momentum. This makes him a perfect opponent to defeat McAfee. Pick: Pat McAfee wins
WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. The Street Profits (special guest referee Jeff Jarrett)
The Usos are so closely tied to Reigns that it’s hard to pick them before the “perfect moment” arrives. Such an important part of Reigns’ presentation is the dominance of The Bloodline, as they hold all the top men’s championships. Jarrett’s introduction as referee could tilt things in favor of the Profits, but Jarrett could just as easily cheat in favor of the Usos. Either way, someone gets a guitar. It’s just too hard to see The Usos lose the belts before WWE is ready to start having Reigns’ empire crumble around them. However things turn out, the game should be fantastic. Chosen: Uses retain
United States Championship — Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Theory
WWE has invested a lot of time in Theory, giving him tons of screen time, a run with the United States Title, and a Money in the Bank win. They’ve also done an interesting job of tripping him up so often that the idea of his SummerSlam plan to get his title back before cashing in the Money in the Bank contract later in the night completely blowing up in his face is very in play Lashley is a great player who can elevate the secondary belt in an era where the top champion is hardly ever on TV and there seems to be too much value to take the belt away from him so quickly. Pick: Bobby Lashley retains
Logan Paul vs. The Miz
WWE loves nothing more than putting celebrities over standard talent. This is almost certainly the case with Paul vs. Miz. After Miz turned on Paul once the pair beat The Mysterios at WrestleMania, it was obvious that we would finally get a one-on-one match on a big stage. Once Paul signed a deal with WWE, he guaranteed it. WWE likely won’t have Paul lose his first match as a signed talent and The Miz is as bulletproof as Corbin in his ability to take a loss but maintain his position in the promotion. Pick: Logan Paul wins
The Mysterios vs. The Judgment Day (no disqualifications)
Under normal circumstances, doomsday would be favored here. They’re a group WWE is pushing as a big deal with Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley all in strong roles. The removal of disqualifications changes things, however, especially with vignettes issued over the past month suggesting the return of Edge. Balor, Priest and Ripley went against Edge after he brought them into the group and their return helping The Mysterios win in a match where their involvement is within the confines of the rules makes a lot of sense. Pick: The Mysterios win and Edge returns