Despite this, it could still be a decent show in the ring, but I can't remember that last time that SummerSlam had such a poor build, especially since moving from Los Angeles to Brooklyn.
I'll try my best to save this show with some fantasy booking, while still trying to make sense of WWE story lines.
Here are my thoughts and predictions from start to finish...
John Cena vs. Baron Corbin
[A Mae Young Classic ad airs next, and then some of the Mae Young Classic participants are shown at ringside]
Big Cass vs. The Big Show with Enzo Amore in a shark cage over the ring
[A WWE Network commercial airs next]
Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women's Championship
[Highlights are shown from Raw, when Akira Tozawa beat Neville for the Cruiserweight Title]
[Akira is shown in the back, doing his chant, as Titus O'Neil walks in]
O'Neil: Alright Tozawa, this is it. Now you won the title on Raw, so I'm not taking anything away from you. But this is the one that matters. You have to show Neville that you're more than just a one-hit wonder. You gotta make it count tonight. I mean this is SummerSlam. The world is watching! This is the big one.
[Titus and Crews then start mimicking Tozawa's chant, but Tozawa stops them]
Tozawa: Titus, I appreciate your help, but I need to do this by myself, alone. I'm the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, and tonight, Neville will feel the powah of Tozawa!
[Tozawa continues doing his chant out the door, as both Titus and Crews look confused and disappointed]
Akira Tozawa vs. Neville for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
[Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan are in their office, with Shane wearing his referee's shirt]
Bryan: Look, Shane, I hope I wasn't stepping out of line when I volunteered you to be the referee for this U.S. Title match.
Shane: Daniel, I'm a McMahon. Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do. Besides, I can't risk these two guys putting their hands on another WWE official. All I know is this is one official who will having know problem putting his hands on them, if they step out of line.
[Shane is about to leave, but Bryan holds him back]
Bryan: Just remember, you're a commissioner, not a wrestler.
Shane: I know what I'm doing.
The New Day vs. The Usos for the Smackdown! Live Tag Team Championships
[A recap is shown of the match from Raw between Bray Wyatt and Finn Balor]
Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Balor
[Up next is a recap of the NXT: Takeover special from the night before]
Naomi vs. Natalya for the Smackdown! Live Women's Championship
[The pay per view panel provide their thoughts on the night thus far, and discuss what's still to come]
Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
[After numerous replays, Dasha catches up with Baron Corbin backstage]
Dasha: Excuse me, Baron, why did you interfere in the WWE Championship match just now?
Corbin: You have some nerve asking me why? Well the simplest question deserves the simplest explanation. If I can't be the next WWE Champion, I'm gonna make sure nobody else will either. Jinder, you better start warming up that title for me, because I'm not finished with you yet. And I'll tell you something else...
[Before Corbin can get another word out, John Cena attacks him from behind, and they are pulled apart by security]
Randy Orton vs. Rusev
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens for The United States Championship with Shane McMahon as the special guest referee
[Another WWE Network commercial airs next]
[Before the Raw Tag Title match starts, The Hardy Boys make their way to the ring]
Matt: You know it's no secret that we've been in this business a long time. 22 years to be exact. We've held several different tag team titles, and we've both been world champions. Between us, we've held the Cruiserweight Title, European Title, Intercontinental Title, Hardcore Title and United States Title. That alone is enough to make us Hall of Fame worthy.
Jeff: So we got to thinking: What happens now? Where do we go from here? We've beaten everybody there is to beat, competed in every match that exists-- hell, we've even innovated some of them. So what's next for The Hardy Boys?
Matt: What my brother is trying to say is that by being here, we've proven that we can still go. We can still hang with some of today's top stars. We have nothing left to prove, but that doesn't mean that we have nothing left. So before we get ready to hang it up for good, we want one more crack at tag team gold.
Jeff: This will be our last chance, but on our way out, we wanted to come out here and challenge the winners of this match, and if we can't win back our titles, then maybe we don't belong here anymore.
[Both Hardys drop their microphones and then go shake hands with Rollins and Ambrose. They then try to shake hands with Cesaro and Sheamus, who arrogantly slap their hands away. The refs try to hold The Hardy Boys back, as the match begins]
Cesaro and Sheamus vs. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose for the Raw Tag Team Championships
[The pay per view panel provide thoughts and predictions for the main event]
Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman in a fatal four-way match for The Universal Championship
So there you have it.
Here are my match predictions for the next two pay per views:
No Mercy (Smackdown):
Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin vs. John Cena in a fatal four-way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles in the first match of a best of five series to determine the undisputed United States Champion - The winner of each match in the series gets to select a stipulation for the next match.
Randy Orton vs. Mike Kanellis
The Usos vs. The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championships in a street fight
Naomi vs. Tamina Snuka for the Women's Championship
Rusev vs. Tye Dillinger
BreeZango vs. The Hype Bros
Clash of Champions (Raw):
Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship - If Lesnar wins, he gets five minutes alone with Paul Heyman
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman in an I Quit match
Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. The Hardy Boys for the Raw Tag Team Championships - If The Hardys lose, they will retire.
Alexa Bliss w/Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks w/Bayley for the Raw Women's Championship
Neville vs. Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship
The Miz vs. Jason Jordan for the Intercontinental Championship