John Cena and Shinsuke Nakamura face each other on the Aug. 1 edition of WWE SmackDown. The winner of that match will go on to face Jinder Mahal for his WWE heavyweight title.
It will be technically a meeting between a proven WWE star and an up-and-rising rock star. That alone should be enough to explain why Cena is a favorite to win it all.
Cena a huge favorite
With some folks likely to react violently, perhaps a look at the betting odds may back that claim. Cena holds a -160 advantage over the +120 odds of Nakamura, indicating that the Cenation leader is likely to face the Modern Day Maharaja at SummerSlam.
But as most know, the WWE is all about storylines. Hence, the 16-time WWE champion may come out the winner, though it may come at a cost. Actually, the same holds true for Nakamura.
Both do have previous storylines. Cena just disposed of Rusev while Nakamura is still dealing with Baron Corbin. Either could get involved and set a separate match at SummerSlam happening on Aug. 20. It is an odd but familiar scenario and the only thing that is certain is both will appear at the WWE spectacle.
Will Cena win another title?
Cena has experienced divided reactions, with most criticizing him for his part-time status. While Hollywood is to blame, it also deprives current rising stars of taking the spotlight.
Without question, Nakamura has had an impact since being elevated from WWE NXT. But the question is whether he is ready to take center stage and become the new face of SmackDown. That question alone is debatable with most seeing a lot of loose ends.
The key to that falls on the shoulders of the WWE creative team. His storyline with Corbin is something, but obviously lacking in popularity.
Both are rising stars, but somehow the physicality alone has not been enough to generate hype.
Then again, Cena being thrown in the title picture is not something most want to see as well. While it assures him a ticket to SummerSlam, he may end up losing to Mahal. Hence, the controversial title reign of the Modern Day Maharaja is expected to continue.
So rather than expect the title to change hands, it will all be about what goes on outside the ring. Randy Orton could get involved or even Rusev. Corbin could stake his claim even if his stock is still raw.
The betting odds are something but anything can happen. That includes seeing Nakamura win the match and get a chance to win the WWE SmackDown heavyweight title at SummerSlam 2017.
