QOTD #32: SummerSlam

Today’s Question: What is your all-time favorite SummerSlam match?

We have over 25 years to choose from, so have at it. To start the discussion, jump to the end of this thread or hit the “Comments” button. Otherwise stick around to talk about the Shield.

So which Shield member is going to have the most lasting power? Which of the 3 is headed for stardom, and will still be there 5 years from now? Seth Rollins has main event experience; he spent years on top of ROH as Tyler Black. Roman Reigns is getting the rocket push, has Samoan blood, and deep family connections … not to mention the height and build. And Dean Ambrose has been the breakout since the Shield babyface turn, he’s got charisma coming out his pores.

Darren: Roman Reigns. Why? a) Of the 3, which is more likely to appeal to mainstream media/the masses? Which means, of course, the WWE will force-feed him to us. Ambrose is ultra-talented, but can you really see Ambrose on The Late Show with Jimmy Kimmel? b) The WWE and their cookie-cutter formula won't capitalize on Ambrose's following and c) What other options are there for Rollins or Ambrose? I'm taking an educated guess TNA wont be around in 5 years

Mister_E_KindaBuzzedAllBecause: I think that Reigns is the most likely to be a long term upper tier guy. He’s got the look, he’s good enough in the ring, and WWE is behind him.  That good enough in the ring bit is still sort of up in the air, as he’s mostly been protected in multi-man situations, but I think that he’ll do ok. He should slide nicely into the small tier of top guys who trade the title around.

Jason Clark: I think it's going to Reigns based on injuries, or lack thereof. All three are roughly the same age to rounding error, but Reigns's size will permit him to wrestle a style less conducive to injury than Ambrose or Rollins. Plus, Reigns (debut 2010) has less mileage than Ambrose (debut 2004) & Rollins (debut 2003).

So we start with the Roman Reigns camp. He’s the first who’s being given an opportunity, and seems to have a good feeling for the wrestling business. Whether or not he’s ready in singles competition is the big question, as he has been one of the most well protected wrestlers over the last 20 years. If they invested half the energy in a lot of the wasted opportunities over the years, they might have a much deeper main event roster today (however, not you Ken Kennedy). We should get our answers about Reigns over the next year. If he can hold the fans, and eventually carry the belt credibly when he’s asked, then he may be a made man.

UdonBelieve: I'm gonna go with Rollins here. A lot of people here talk about how they want to see Reigns prove himself in an extended 1 on 1 match. I'm more interested in seeing him cut a couple promos on his own that get me emotionally invested in a program. Ambrose is my favorite of the three and a highlight of Raw but I think his current loose cannon persona keeps him at upper mid-card at best.

Seth Rollins has been given the chance to run with the ball before, albeit on a high level indy level. So far, he’s held his own on the major stage, carrying himself like a star from his first appearance. He also has a little daredevil in himself, with the stage dives during the Shield feud with Evolution. Still, many of you aren’t feeling Rollins as a main event guy. He has definitely fizzled since the heel turn, but 5 years is a long time and stranger things have happened. For example, who would have imagined that Kofi Kingston would be doing the exact same shtick, with absolutely 0 career progression in either direction, for 7 consecutive years?

WLLYOUSTOP?!?: My hunch is that Dean Ambrose is the one who will have the longest lasting legacy, if for no other reason than someone on the booking committee is finally going to realize the parallels with Austin and start building Ambrose that way.

Marv Cresto: I suspect that Ambrose will become a bigger name even if Reigns goes on to hold more titles and win more main events. Reigns will be given every single opportunity to get over, like a Cena. While Ambrose will over time pick up the support of the majority of the fans, like a Punk or Bryan. I think they could all benefit from some changes in their look, the SWAT gear is weird when they're not a team.

Ambrose is the sentimental favorite on the BoD, as the underdog maniac. He is clearly the guy the WWE expected the least out of, but has produced the most since the split. His wild attacking of Rollins is eventually going to grow old, however, and he’s going to need to find new ways to channel his energy. Based on his worked “shoot” with Foley a couple of years back, however, I have to believe he understands how to get a reaction when he needs to, and there’s hope there.

Thanks for your answers yesterday. I’ll of course be back tomorrow. Until then, have a great one.