For the last few weeks, there has been speculation about the main event for SummerSlam. Based on who is being pushed, most have assumed that it would be Randy Orton challenging Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship.
Dave Meltzer confirmed on Wrestling Observer Radio that the original plan for Raw was to set up the SummerSlam main event and the match is scheduled to be Orton vs. McIntyre.
“They were going to shoot a Drew McIntyre-Randy Orton SummerSlam angle [last night]. I presume it was taped for the second show that was taped [for next week]. I don’t know that as a fact because I was told in the afternoon that the angle taping is still on but it could have been for the second show so they did not do [the angle on Monday] because they are doing Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler for the title in a rematch [for next week].”
Meltzer said that the SummerSlam angle was delayed so they could get through the McIntyre-Ziggler rematch that will air next week. As it was announced last night on Raw, McIntyre will get to pick the stipulation but it won’t be announced until the match starts.
Meltzer said, “it makes no sense to shoot the angle with Randy Orton before doing that match so they delayed that for a week, among other things that changed.”
WWE decided to stretch out the McIntyre-Ziggler feud an extra week so they could try to get a ratings boost. Next week’s show will also feature Asuka vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship, which is another rematch from Extreme Rules.
