Yahoo News WWE SummerSlam 2019: Matches and predictions
Extreme Rules 2019 and the first-ever Stomping Grounds got things back on track after the WWE's last trip to Saudi Arabia and now WWE SummerSlam 2019 is coming to Canada.
While we're not they're yet, we're getting ever closer to something we can perhaps call the Paul Heyman/Eric Bischoff WWETV era, and this PPV feels like both the end and start of something in the WWE>
WWE SummerSlam 2019 takes place on Sunday, August 11 at 7pm ET/4pm PT (Midnight into Monday, August 12 in the UK) at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
A one-hour Kick-Off Show starts at 6pm ET/3pm PT (11pm in the UK).
What's the full match card and predictions for WWE SummerSlam 2019?
WWE Raw Women's Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs Natalya [Submission Match]
Becky Lynch has gone from being "the champ champ" to one-belt Becky, and despite a scare at the hands of Lacey Evans (and Baron Corbin), she's managed to hold on to the Raw title.
For now.
At SummerSlam she faces her toughest test since WrestleMania. Natalya is a former champ herself. She's a ring general and has the Sharpshooter in her back pocket.
What's more, it's No More Ms Nice Nattie, as the Queen of Harts has brought a new badass attitude along for this ride.
All of which will come in especially handy in a submission match against The Man.
But despite all that, we still can't see past Lynch holding on to her title.
Sure, Natalya has the Sharpshooter, but Bex has the Dis-Arm-Her, and that straight fire is still raging strong enough for to carry on this run.
PREDICTION: Becky Lynch
WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (v) vs Seth Rollins
Five years after Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 31 (and a few months after that cheeky low blow at Mania 35) Brock Lesnar finally returned the favour by cashing in on Seth at Extreme Rules.
Since then, Rollins has vowed revenge, but it's looking less and less likely to happen.
Lesnar utterly destroyed Rollins with one of the most brutal beatdowns in living memory on Raw a couple of weeks back, and when Seth crawled back to the ring a week later he got more of the same.
Beating Brock Lesnar when you're 100% is a tough enough ask, so trying to do it when you're battered and bruised is even harder, no matter how much self-belief you've got.
And although we think Seth will give a better showing of himself than he has any right or reason to do, we still think the damage has been done. Brock to retain.
PREDICTION: Brock Lesnar
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship: Bayley (c) vs Ember Moon
Ember Moon has been our tip for the big time ever since her elevation from NXT, but she's been lost in the shuffle for what feels like forever.
All of which made it a pleasant surprise when she was handpicked by Bayley to be her challenger at this year's SummerSlam.
The only problem is that we've not seen nearly enough from Ember on the main roster in the past few months to show why she can or should be the one to dethrone Bayley.
But form is temporary and class is permanent, and if there's one thing we learned from watching her in NXT is that Ember Moon is one of the classiest there is.
And we think when that second bell goes, Bayley will very much be wishing she picked someone else to face at the Biggest Party of the Summer.
PREDICTION: Ember Moon
WWE Championship: Kofi Kingston (c) vs Randy Orton
Like the two big Raw title matches, this was announced a while back and has all the time in the world to build it.
Rather than wait for Randy Orton to hit him outta nowhere, Kofi Kingston proved his fighting champion credentials by actually inviting this match.
The two men have a storied history going back over a decade, with the extra wrinkle that Kofi blames Randy for limiting his career way back when.
For his part, Orton doesn't even deny it. He says Kofi wasn't ready then, and hell, he's not ready now.
We've not had much on-screen interaction between these two since the match was booked (maybe not enough...), but video packages and the odd interview have kept things ticking along.
And while Orton still feels that Kofi isn't a worthy champ, everything we've seen in the run-up to this year's Mania and since then has more than proved otherwise.
Kofi to win, and to take his reign to the next level.
PREDICTION: Kofi Kingston
WWE United States Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs Ricochet
No automatic rematches these days, but the rematches always find a way to keep coming.
After losing his hard-won title to AJ Styles, Ricochet ran the gauntlet to get an opportunity to win it back.
And for all the fireworks elsewhere on the show, this easily has the potential to be the best out-and-out wrestling match on the card.
Were it a totally fair fight, we'd fancy Ricochet to upset the Phenomenal One.
But as it is, we know AJ will have his OC buddies Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson lurking in the wings to give him the edge if and when he needs it.
So Styles to retain, but this won't be the last opportunity Ricochet gets at a title before the end of the year.
PREDICTION: AJ Styles
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Drew Gulak (c) vs Oney Lorcan
With the rollercoaster ups and downs of Raw and SmackDown as they flirt with the Paul Heyman/Eric Bischoff/SDFox era and the ever-changing landscape of NXT, 205 Live has been quietly getting on with things.
In fact, there's an argument that 205 Live is maybe the best self-contained hour a week of wrestling on WWETV.
That said, it's still proving a struggle for most of these wrestlers to break out of the confines of the Network-exclusive show.
Those that have done (Buddy Murphy, Mike Kanellis, Ali, Cedric Alexander and even Drake Maverick) perhaps should have greater crossover with the Cruiserweight Division after their move to help bridge 205 Live with the main roster.
But, leaving all that to one side, we're still getting quality wrestling week after week, and that includes Gulak's defeat of NXT star Isiah 'Swerve' Scott and the last-minute Six Pack Challenge that gave us Oney Lorcan as this PPV's challenger.
Lorcan impressed by beating Akira Tozawa, Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese, Kalisto and Gentleman Jack Gallagher to get his shot, but Gulak will be able to fend off the challenge... this time.
PREDICTION: Drew Gulak
Trish Stratus vs Charlotte Flair
Apart from an unlikely loss to Vickie Guerrero in 2011, this is Trish Stratus's first solo singles match since she beat Lita at Unforgiven in 2006.
That farewell/homecoming took place here in Toronto, so it's fitting that this major return is also happening in her hometown.
The story here is as old as wrestling. The old legend against the young upstart, but being announced just a fortnight before the big day has meant it's felt rather rushed.
But that doesn't mean that this won't be a classic in the ring.
For all the criticism that she's had her career handed to her on a plate because of the Flair name, there are few WWE wrestlers as good as Charlotte when it it comes to doing the business in the square circle.
And while it's been a long time since we've seen Trish go one-on-one, in every glimpse we've seen of her since then it looks like she somehow hasn't missed a beat.
If both women put everything on the line, this has the makings of a minor classic.
And against all the odds, we're backing Trish to turn back the clock and teach the younger generation a lesson.
PREDICTION: Trish Stratus
Finn Bálor vs Bray Wyatt
Talking of comebacks, Bray Wyatt hasn't wrestled on WWETV or PPV for almost a FULL YEAR.
And his last singles match? March 16, 2018 against Matt Hardy at Madison Square Garden.
And that was the old Bray Wyatt. Bray has since been reborn in dual roles as a kindly if quirky kids TV host, and his alter ego The Fiend.
Finn Bálor knows a lot about alter egos, having relied on The Demon on more than one occasion to take him to the next level.
As it currently stands though, it's The Fiend versus plain old Finn, and while we've got a very soft spot for the Extraordinary Man, we can't see him overcoming the pent up rage of The Fiend.
PREDICTION: Bray Wyatt
Kevin Owens vs Shane McMahon [If Owens loses he will quit WWE]
The WWE Universe was clamouring for Shane McMahon to put his in-ring career on the line against Kevin Owens.
But as things stand going into the match, the only person at risk of leaving the WWE is KO.
If Owens loses (and keeps his word), he will quit the WWE (not for the first time, we don't think).
And if Owens wins? Well, things carry on as normal apparently. Hmmmm.
The hope here is that Kevin Owens gives Shane McMahon such a beating that the boss's son thinks twice before ever stepping into a ring again.
But with his backup of assorted goons and willingness to bend, twist and break the rules when it suits him, Shane-O-Mac has a real chance of winning this and continuing to suck the life out of both Raw and SmackDown Live.
But surely, surely the good will out?
PREDICTION: Kevin Owens
Goldberg vs Dolph Ziggler
After his expectation-defying comeback Hall of Fame run that somehow even included a WWE Universal Championship reign, we thought Goldberg had hung up his boots for good.
But then came that mistake of a match with The Undertaker in Saudi Arabia.
Bad politics, bad concussion, bad heat and a bad vibes led to a match we all wish we could forget.
Taker did his bit to move on by teaming up with Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules and laying the SmackDown on Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.
And now Goldberg looks to have a better coda (or segue?) in his career with this impromptu match against Dolph Ziggler.
Dolph, for his part, has had a much longer return than anyone expected after his time off on the stand-up circuit.
The prediction was a quick comeback, quick loss to Kofi in Saudi Arabia and a return to comedy.
He's stuck around though, but we have the sneaking suspicion that after Goldberg's finished with him he'll wish he hadn't.
PREDICTION: Goldberg
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What date and start time is WWE SummerSlam 2019 in the UK?
WWE SummerSlam 2019 has a start time of Midnight on Sunday, August 11 into Monday, August 12.
A one-hour kick-off show starts at 11pm on Sunday, August 11.
What date and start time is SummerSlam 2019 in the US?
WWE SummerSlam 2019 takes place on Sunday, August 11 with a start time of 7pm ET/4pm PT.
A one-hour Kick-Off Show starts at 6pm ET/3pm PT.
How do I watch WWE SummerSlam 2019?
If you haven't bought a ticket to be there in person at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (tickets available now), your options are either the WWE Network, which we highly recommend, or if you don't have a fast, reliable internet connection, the more traditional – and expensive – pay-per-view.
How do I live stream WWE SummerSlam 2019 on the WWE Network?
The WWE Network is priced at £9.99 per month in the UK and $9.99 per month in the US – first-time subscribers get a month free.
You can access it via the following platforms and devices – click for info on how to access with each app:
How do I watch WWE SummerSlam 2019 on WWE pay-per-view in the UK?
You can buy WWE SummerSlam 2019 on pay-per-view in the UK via Sky Sports Box Office – priced at £14.95.
How do I watch WWE SummerSlam 2019 on WWE pay-per-view in the US?
You can buy WWE SummerSlam 2019 pay-per-view in the US via your local provider – full list here.
What are your predictions for WWE SummerSlam 2019? Let us know at @digitalspywwe.
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