5 worst case scenarios for SummerSlam 2018

With Extreme Rules taking place tomorrow night, the road to SummerSlam is entering its home stretch. Traditionally considered WWE's second biggest show of the year, the annual summer extravaganza often drops hints of what the next WrestleMania card might look like.

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More cynically, SummerSlam is one of the few times in the year where WWE usually tries to put some effort into the show instead of just being content to coast on filler programming. That's especially relevant this year, where things have really fallen off the cliff following WrestleMania.

With AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe being rumoured, the company looks like it's at least partially headed in the right direction.

That's not to say WWE can't drop the ball, though. Depending on what happens tomorrow night, several worst-case scenarios could be on the horizon. Let's hope not!

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#1 Carmella vs. Anyone

We shouldn't expect anything more than an awful match involving Carmella tomorrow night. She's never had a good one, no matter who she shares the ring with. She never makes things look good. She always makes things look bad.

In a perfect world, Asuka would defeat her tomorrow and move on to face Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam, but WWE is usually the polar opposite of perfect. Carmella should be considered the favourite, given the shark cage stipulation.

Another Carmella singles match at SummerSlam would be awful. Brooklyn probably won't take too kindly to it, either.

If for some silly reason Carmella must enter SummerSlam as champion, there should be a multi-woman match involving Charlotte, Becky, and Asuka. That way, those three can carry it to something enjoyable and give us the illusion of that triple threat match we've anticipated for a long time.

#2 Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

The Bludgeon Brothers will probably retain their tag team championships tomorrow night. That presents a real possibility of Kane turning on Daniel Bryan, leading to a singles match between the two at SummerSlam.

Team Hell No has been fun as filler, but Kane vs. Bryan isn't a match anyone wants to see at SummerSlam. Kane has been far from inspiring in his recent runs with the company, and we know he'll be leaving soon.

The match on everyone's mind is Bryan vs. The Miz. The company might be saving it for WrestleMania, but as we currently see with Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, a series of high-profile matches can add to a feud, as long as they aren't too similar.

A loss to The Miz at SummerSlam would eventually set up another crowning WrestleMania moment.

Kane really does nothing as a singles competitor at this point.

#3 Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax

Watch that segment again. Now ask yourself - would Nia Jax add anything to it? The answer is obviously no.

Rumours persist that Ronda Rousey will interfere in tomorrow's Raw Women's Championship match, ultimately leading to a triple threat match at SummerSlam. This would be a colossal mistake.

The money here is in seeing Rousey rip Bliss' arm off and shut her mouth for good. Nia Jax adds nothing to it.

Her reign proved she isn't championship material, and she should likewise move down the card. There's no need for her to be involved in this feud in any way.

#4 Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

There are few things we need less than to see this thing for the fourth time. It's old. It's stale. The two have no chemistry together. Brooklyn will tear the match apart.

Enough.

The company had the chance to pull the trigger on Roman Reigns beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, and then again at the Greatest Royal Rumble if they wanted to get a better reception. WWE declined to do so both times. It's time to move on.

Bobby Lashley isn't too hot himself, but it would at least be a fresh matchup that a lot of people were looking forward to before WWE booked Lashley like an idiot.

Furthermore, Lashley isn't the only alternative.

#5 Brock Lesnar leaving Brooklyn with the Universal Championship

Even less so than another Reigns vs. Lesnar matchup would we need to see the latter leave Brooklyn with the Universal Championship.

It's been said over and over again, but Brock Lesnar's reign has been a disaster. It's left Raw without any direction and is directly responsible for much of the staleness of the programming.

Let Braun Strowman cash in his money in the bank briefcase, pin Lesnar so that "the beast can finally be slain," and let us at last move on forever. Brooklyn would love it, fans around the world would rejoice, the Beast Incarnate can move on to what he really wants to do (return to fight in the UFC), and Raw can find some direction again.

If Lesnar leaves Brooklyn with the title, you might as well just tune out of Raw for the next year.