The countdown is on as SummerSlam is just over two weeks away.
"The Biggest Party of the Summer" will invade the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the second straight year on Aug. 21 in what will be the second-biggest event of 2016.
Already, the lineup for SummerSlam looks stacked and the first six matches the WWE announced for the show all have potential to become the Match of the Night when the summer sun sets on the spectacle.
Here are five candidates to have breakout performances at SummerSlam. To view this article in slideshow form, CLICK START at the top right of this page.
5) Dean Ambrose
There is a lot riding on SummerSlam for "The Lunatic Fringe." The WWE surprisingly gave Ambrose a run with the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank in June, but given the history of the company showing a lack of faith in him, he needs to pull out a great match come Aug. 21.
Ambrose has overcome a lot of odds to get a well-deserved championship run, but there's no guarantee the WWE will keep him as the face of "SmackDown" -- especially with John Cena on the roster. It's a good thing his opponent Dolph Ziggler has also overcome a lot of adversity to finally get a shot, because they'll both be hungry and quite capable of stealing the show.
4) Brock Lesnar
"The Beast" is always a draw when he steps into the ring, but there is a lot of pressure surrounding the hype being given to the "RAW" Superstars inter-promotional match against "SmackDown Live's" Randy Orton.
"The Viper" is in many ways the perfect opponent for Lesnar, but despite his veteran prowess, nothing measures up to when Lesnar is on television. Lesnar could steal the show just by showing up, but he's likely to put on a great match and once again have the WWE Universe at Barclays Center in the palm of his hand.
3) AJ Styles
The "Phenomenal One" will be making his SummerSlam debut and he'll be in a bout that will have a big-match feel to it. Styles is set to take on John Cena in a match that can further establish him as one of the best in the industry.
The former TNA standout has shown what he can do in the WWE, having great programs with Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns (carrying the latter to two amazing matches). Styles and Cena have a natural chemistry as the "Cenation" leader seems to with everyone these days, but Styles will likely have the WWE Universe on his side and he can use that adrenaline to steal the show.
2) Sasha Banks & Charlotte
Both ladies are being included in this because their match is very important to the future of this division. The Women's Revolution has had its share of ups and downs, but now that "The Boss" has been shown good faith by the WWE, she'll have to bring the skills she displayed in NXT into what could be the biggest match of her career to date.
These two ladies told a great story and put on an amazing show with Becky Lynch at WrestleMania, but if they want to make the belt and division feel important, they'll have to outdo themselves at SummerSlam. Banks is the most over Superstar on the women's roster and has the best well-rounded character, while Charlotte is the most athletically gifted women's wrestler around. The two will hopefully play to their strengths and put on one of the best ladies matches in history -- and hopefully one of the best SummerSlam matches ever.
1) Finn Balor
To the shock of many, the WWE has given "The Demon" a chance to be in the main event picture right off the bat after his NXT call-up. His opponent is all-world athlete Seth Rollins who would make the list if he wasn't such a lock to steal the show every time he goes out there. Balor has his first true test awaiting him at SummerSlam and the WWE will truly see if his success in NXT can be replicated on the main roster.
While this year's event is important for a lot of Superstars, perhaps it's the most vital to Balor as the WWE has shown him the faith to put him in the ring with the best of "RAW" in Rollins to wage war over the newly minted Universal Championship. Given his history and the reputation of his opponent, Balor is poised to steal the show.
