WWE Raw preview, Aug. 14, 2017: Who’s going to SummerSlam?

With Alexa Bliss’ top challenger Bayley out with a separated right shoulder, Sasha
Banks will battle Nia Jax to determine which Superstar will challenge Little Miss Bliss
for the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Meanwhile, the strange saga of Dean
Ambrose & Seth Rollins continues, and SummerSlam’s Universal Title combatants come face-to-face-to-face-to-face. Tune in to Raw, live tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network.

Every woman for herself

Bayley’s out of contention with a separated shoulder, and so Raw Women’s Champion Alexa
Bliss will now field one of two challengers at SummerSlam: Sasha Banks, who The Huggable
One is vocally backing as her replacement, or Nia Jax, who has become Little Miss Bliss’
ally as part of “Team Rude.” The two Superstars meet Monday in a win-and-you’re-in match,
with the victor earning a date with Bliss in Brooklyn. Jax has the edge when it comes to
pure power, and Bliss would seemingly prefer to fight a friendly face, but does Sasha
have one more big win up her sleeve?

Face-to-face-to-face-to-face

After being pinned by Roman Reigns for the first time ever in a Triple Threat Match two
weeks ago, The Samoan Submission Machine cost The Big Dog a Last Man Standing Match against
Braun Strowman on Monday when he trapped Reigns in a Coquina Clutch that put him down for
the count of 10. With all three of those Superstars slated to challenge Brock Lesnar for
the Universal Title at The Biggest Event of the Summer and a face-to-face-to-face-to-face
confrontation slated for tonight’s show, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will head into
SummerSlam with the biggest head of steam.

Mizzed opportunity

Brock Lesnar turned The Miz and his Miztourage into lunch meat this past Monday on “Miz TV,”
but lost in all that commotion was why The Awesome One held Raw hostage in the first
place: He wanted another piece of Jason Jordan, who embarrassed him the previous week
on his signature talk show. Kurt Angle’s gold-blooded son was seen elsewhere dismantling
a local named Jean-Pierre Goulet, but perhaps The A-Lister will have better luck this
time around in getting what he wants.

Face your fear

Finn Bálor has managed to ward off Bray Wyatt’s wizardry for a while now, but the Irish
Superstar has admitted he’s more than a little unnerved by The Eater of Worlds all the
same. Wyatt made one of his boldest declarations to date just moments before their
SummerSlam bout was formally sanctioned, promising to drag down Finn and his followers.
With one week to go until The Biggest Event of the Summer, how will Bálor respond?

Brothers on the mend

Well, this is an interesting turn of events. After leaving Seth Rollins high and dry
against Cesaro & Sheamus, Dean Ambrose finally seemed to come around to The Kingslayer’s
redemptive crusade when his former brother rescued him from a joint beatdown by the
Raw Tag Team Champions. This time, however, it was Rollins who denied the traditional
Shield fist bump, leaving The Lunatic Fringe hanging. How will Ambrose attempt to save
face, and will the former Shield-mates finally reunite in earnest? Tune in to Raw,
live Monday at 8/7 C, only on USA Network!