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We are merely a week away from WWE's second-biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam. And times are exciting, with the 'Biggest Party of the Summer' reportedly set to take place at the Amway Center in Orlando. It will be a welcome change from the monotony of the Performance Center if the reports turn out to be true.
And how would WWE celebrate such an occasion? By having another pay-per-view exactly one week after SummerSlam.
For the first time since 2017, Payback is back on the WWE calendar and will take place in two weeks' time. This is set to create a lot of confusion, with the company essentially building to two separate pay-per-views at the same time.
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Multiple angles have either started or been furthered on this past episode of SmackDown, which begs the question of which matches will happen at SummerSlam. There are eight bouts currently scheduled for the event, so expect only a couple more to be added. The card will not be that bloated, thanks to Payback.
A lot of the developments from Friday night could be concerned with the post-SummerSlam pay-per-view, while some angles require to be concluded at the 'Big Four' pay-per-view. Here are two matches that may be added to the SummerSlam card, and three that may happen at Payback instead.
#5 Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin (SummerSlam)
The angle between Matt Riddle and King Corbin has been at play for close to a month now, starting even before Extreme Rules. So it seems logical that this will blow off at SummerSlam, the perfect stage for Riddle to make his pay-per-view debut as a SmackDown star.
The inclusion of Shorty G in this story has been interesting, with the former Olympian taking up Corbin's "bounty" on the 'Ultimate Bro' and essentially becoming his lackey. It has sparked a tinge of intrigue and the eventual match between Riddle and Gable will surely be excellent.
But the main story is between Corbin and Riddle, which will likely culminate at SummerSlam. WWE seems to have big plans for the former NXT Tag Team Champion, who could become a babyface staple in the upper echelons of the Blue brand.
Expect Matt Riddle to give King Corbin a royal smacking at the biggest event of the summer, moving on to bigger and better things. The nature and position of the feud make this a better fit for SummerSlam.
#4 Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Lucha House Party (Payback)
As SummerSlam approaches, one of the thinnest divisions in WWE is the tag team roster on SmackDown. After Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura won the Blue brand's tag team titles, there has been a distinct lack of challengers. With the likes of The New Day and Heavy Machinery away from the division for their own reasons, Lucha House Party seems to be the only real option at the moment.
Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado have stumbled into a feud for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, with Kalisto returning on SmackDown to further stake their claims for a title shot. A title shot that should happen at Payback instead of SummerSlam.
If Cesaro and Nakamura are to defend the belts against the Lucha House Party at SummerSlam, it would likely happen on the Kickoff Show. So a better option is to wait it out and sanction the match for the lower-level pay-per-view one week later, where the performers would get enough time to shine.
Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura could be phenomenal Tag Team Champions, but they need the right set of opponents. And with this being the biggest opportunity for the likes of Metalik and Dorado, WWE should use Payback to showcase the talented undercard they currently have.
#3 Big E vs. Sheamus (Payback)
With Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston both out with injuries, the time has come for Big E to step up as a singles star. And so far, he has looked pretty great. The New Day member has made both, The Miz and John Morrison tap out to his new 'Stretch Muffler' submission move. It seemed like Big E would find a way onto the SummerSlam card, but it doesn't seem likely anymore.
He was confronted by Sheamus on SmackDown, with the Irishman giving him a solid Brogue Kick after a victory over Morrison. The two could have an excellent hard-hitting encounter and a pay-per-view match between them deserves at least a couple of weeks of build, making it perfect for Payback.
While it would be nice to see Big E have a singles match at SummerSlam, Payback seems more likely for this one to take place. There has not been enough build to warrant a place for Big E and Sheamus on the main card of SummerSlam, and the Kickoff Show is not a suitable position for either man.
The only way this match happens at SummerSlam is if it serves as a vehicle for RETRIBUTION to show themselves at the Amway Center since Sheamus brought the faction's name up multiple times. Otherwise, WWE should allow them enough time to shine at Payback.
#2 The Riott Squad vs. The IIconics (SummerSlam)
This may not seem like a SummerSlam-worthy match at first glance, but it would be part of a week-long story culminating at Payback. The one thing that the Riott Squad and The IIconics have going for them is their feud. The two teams have been going at it for a few weeks now, with Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott now completely reunited.
The two of them did defeat Peyton Royce and Billie Kay a couple of weeks ago, but the storyline is not over. And with the announcement of Bayley and Sasha Banks defending the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at Payback, this could lead to a blowoff match with actual stakes between the Riott Squad and The IIconics.
It may happen on the Kickoff Show, but a number one contender's match at SummerSlam would make perfect sense within the story. Unless a team from NXT steps up, it seems like Riott and Morgan will be challenging the 'Golden Role Models' at Payback. So WWE might as well use it to enhance their current program.
With Payback coming only a week after SummerSlam, it would be smart if WWE connects the two together. They can use the "multiple pay-per-view builds" issue to their advantage, by using SummerSlam to help build Payback to an extent.
#1 AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy (Payback)
One of the biggest matches that WWE teased this past week was AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy for the Intercontinental Championship. It seemed like SummerSlam would be the destination for it, especially after Hardy interrupted the presentation of the 'Phenomenal Intercontinental Statistics System' on Friday. It was pretty cool to see Joseph Parks on WWE TV, by the way.
However, WWE instead booked Hardy to challenge for the Intercontinental Title on next week's episode of SmackDown. This would be the third straight instance of Styles having an IC Title match on a pay-per-view go-home show, instead of being on the event. He previously defeated Daniel Bryan and Matt Riddle two days before Backlash and Extreme Rules respectively.
Styles and Hardy could go a similar route ahead of SummerSlam. But with another pay-per-view coming right after the 'Big Four' event, WWE might end up booking a rematch between the two former TNA stars at Payback, instead of SummerSlam.
The show is admittedly pretty stacked already, meaning there is no need for an AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy match to be added. The following week's event would benefit from hosting this clash, to avoid overkill for SummerSlam.
Either way, Payback looks to be an interesting show, particularly due to its placement just one week after SummerSlam. The card will be made up of some of the mentioned matches, along with the residue of the stories from the 'Biggest Party of the Summer'.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
