WWE SummerSlam 2021 Predictions

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we give our SummerSlam 2021 predictions.

Which match are you most looking forward to at SummerSlam 2021?

Jack Goodwillie: It’s gotta be John Cena vs. Roman Reigns. This is one of the biggest matches to make in wrestling right now and WWE hasn’t exactly provided the backdrop for big matches lately. No, this match isn’t going to have the work rate of the Sasha Banks-Bianca Belair rematch (which should be a bright spot on this show), but I’m excited to see how this Roman Reigns 2.0 works with one of the biggest stars of my time.

John Corrigan: Cena vs. Reigns is the only reason I might tune into SummerSlam. It’s still unlikely, though, because my Peacock app hasn’t worked since Money in the Bank and I don’t have enough reason to fix it.

Chad Gelfand: Seth Rollins vs. Edge since it’s a first-time match-up. The feud has been done well so far with references to their 2014 confrontation and the parallels being drawn between each other’s careers. I expect this to be one of the best matches on the show.

What do you make of Nikki’s superhero gimmick?

Goodwillie: Not much. I saw people were trying to justify it by the fact that she got the Women’s Title. Those people should go apply to WWE because that is textbook WWE writer logic. “I wrote Nikki this superhero gimmick and Vince made her the champion! Therefore, it must be working!” The gimmick says more about Nikki Cross than the gimmick herself. The gimmick isn’t over – Nikki is over and would be over no matter the story direction because she has the magic. The sooner WWE realizes this, the better, because I don’t see much of a reason to get THIS gimmicky with a new character in 2021.

Corrigan: Nikki Cross needed something to get TV time, so why not? The Hurricane was fun and a superhero gimmick hasn’t been done since then.

Gelfand: I don’t think it’s very good. They’re trying to present Nikki as “Almost a Superhero” after winning Money in the Bank and successfully cashing in to win the Women’s Championship. She’s no longer the underdog after achieving success this fast in her new gimmick, but each week she continues the same type of corny promo, and fans will eventually turn on that.

Why does Vince McMahon keep bringing Goldberg back?

Goodwillie: I think I saw a stat the other day that Goldberg had been longer tenured as a WWE nostalgia act than he had during his initial run in WCW. I don’t know why Goldberg keeps coming back. I know he doesn’t come cheap, and I don’t think he moves THAT much merch because I can’t recall ever seeing anyone walking around with a Bill Goldberg shirt (though I have seen a bunch of CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Kevin Owens’ merch, just to name a few). WWE has all but claimed television ratings don’t mean anything, so I’m all out of reasons. Vince! If you’re reading this, please shoot us an email at thewrestlingestate@gmail.com.

Corrigan: Vince is so senile that he thinks it’s Austin.

Gelfand: Vince McMahon is creatively bankrupt at this point, and he will continue to go back to nostalgia acts time and time again since he’s failed to fully develop true top stars that can carry big PPVs and stadium shows consistently over the last five years.

Who wins at SummerSlam 2021: Edge or Seth Rollins?

Goodwillie: This seems more like the start of a program than anything else, and if I’m to believe Roman Reigns is beating John Cena, Edge gets some heat back with a win on Rollins and Rollins continues to be a thorn in his side in future weeks.

Corrigan: Same theory as Goodwillie, but roles reversed. Seth Rollins squeaks out a victory on Edge to force the “Rated-R Superstar” to seek revenge in rematches.

Gelfand: Edge takes the victory by out cheating Seth Rollins, showing that he’s one step ahead of Rollins when it comes to being cunning, which sets up another match between the two at the next PPV.

Who wins at SummerSlam 2021: Bianca Belair or Sasha Banks?

Goodwillie: If this was AEW, I’d say Sasha Banks comes out on top here to force a trilogy match that you could put at the top of any WWE card in 2021, including WrestleMania. However, this is WWE, so a Belair victory does not in any way disqualify Banks from getting another crack at it, possibly as soon as the ensuing SmackDown. For that reason, Bianca retains.

Corrigan: “The Boss” regains the championship she lost at WrestleMania, forcing Bianca to chase Banks yet again throughout the fall. I loved their WrestleMania match, so hopefully they can follow it up.

Gelfand: Bianca Belair has done really well in her reign despite not having a variety of wrestlers to work with. Each week she’s grown more and more confident, especially on the mic, and she’s probably the biggest babyface in WWE right now. However, to add a new dynamic and give her a challenge to overcome again, Sasha takes back the title here.