As of this moment, the current sentiment is that SummerSlam will be nearly 6 hours long. With so much time for wrestling, WWE should have no problems including most if not all of their roster, right?
Well, maybe not. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there are a handful of matches who, while deserving of a pay-per-view stage, will be left off of the SummerSlam card.
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It seems WWE’s season of budget cutting has trickled into the roster as the company has chosen efficiency as its current mantra. In the name of running a lean show, fat had to be trimmed. Blood may have been drawn, however, as some of these decisions are bound to draw the ire of many fans.
Still 3 weeks away from the event, WWE has plenty of room to audible back into some of these matches. As of today, though, don’t expect to see these brawls happen in Barclays:
The Miz vs. Jason Jordan
Strangely, it looks like the Intercontinental Championship will not be defended at SummerSlam. It’s not so much that it’s undeserving of a big match – it’s that the feud between the Miz and Jason Jordan is a little premature.
Having just begun last week, it leaves WWEย only a few episodes of RAW to get theirย storyline to a fever pitch. Rushing Jason Jordan into anythingย won’t sit well with WWEย as they have meticulouslyย crafted his involvement in the Kurt Angle narrative.ย
To throw a rivalry together just for the sake of having a match at SummerSlamย sounds counterintuitive. So kudos to WWEย for adheringย to moderationย and letting this one simmer for the bit. Chances are Miz and Jordan can put together a memorableย program, so it may be worth the wait.ย
Big Cass vs. Big Show
These two may have closed RAW last week, but don’t count on seeing them at SummerSlam. This was clearly never meant to be a long term feud so them carrying their disdainย for one another to and through SummerSlamย seemed like a stretch.ย
However, it’s hard to imagine Big Cass not getting involved somehow at the Barclaysย show. He’s been an integral part in WWE’sย return to storytelling this summer and deserves to do something (even if it is locking Enzo in a dumpster).
Breezango vs. Unknown Attackers
If not having the Intercontinentalย Championship at SummerSlam is the surprise, then this one is the disappointment. Obviously, a lower-tierย tag team on WWEย secondย tiered show isn’t going to be a high priority. However, Tylerย Breeze and Fandango have been remarkably good as ofย late.
The Fashion files have been the best recurringย segment in recent WWEย memory. On top of that, it’sย one of the few times in history that wrestlersย have proven to be consistently funny. They’ve been creative, well timed, and simply fun to watch and certainlyย deserve some type of elevated status.ย
How far these segmentsย go kind of depends on who theirย secret attackers actually are. If it is indeed what the popular theory indicates (Harper and Rowan), thenย that’s worth puttingย TV. Perhaps they can stick it on the pre-show.ย
Sami Zayn vs. Mike Kanellis
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Although Zayn andย Kanellis have over achieved, their story isn’t ripe enoughย for a SummerSlam spot. Sure Samiย Zaynย fans may be salty over his utter lack of relevance, but don’t be sad – rumors have theย rest of Zayn’sย 2017 beingย quite impactful.ย
For Kanellis, there just isn’t much to be said. Smackdown has a revolvingย door of forgettable undercard heels. Seeing that he’s most certainly one of them,ย WWEย won’t receive too much blow back for not including him at the Brooklyn show.ย
