Flag Match
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev
In one corner: Zeb Colter, Jack Swagger, the Stars & Stripes, pick-up trucks, pretty women and beer.
In the other: Lana, Rusev, red, white & blue, and Vladimir Putin.
The Road to SummerSlam
Rusev has been on a tear since debuting at January's Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV). The Bulgarian has yet to suffer a pinfall or submission defeat (battle royals, on the other hand, are his kryptonite), and most recently has torn through former Intercontinental champ Big E.
Jack Swagger is a former Intercontinental and World Heavyweight champ, but most recently he's been putting over heels like his former tag partner in the Real Americans, Cesaro, and faces, like Adam Rose. Since deciding that he hates Russians who run down Americans more than Latinos who are excited to come to America, he's been on a nice win streak of his own. That streak includes a win over Rusev, even if it was via disqualification.
While the combatants would probably be willing to just pound on each other, they're each represented by someone who isn't afraid to run their mouth. And it was those folks, Rusev's social ambassador Lana and Swagger's mentor Zeb Colter, who drove the two behemoths to a second showdown in Los Angeles...and to focusing their battle around the flags of the countries they represent:
Whose flag will fly above ther ing when all is said and done at SummerSlam?
What's at Stake?
The hero of the Russian Federation's push has been a little uneven, but he clearly has some supporters backstage who see money in him. In addition to his undefeated-ish run through 2014, he's also been given some crowd-pleasing face-offs with fellow up-and-comers like Roman Reigns. A clean loss would disrupt that, and possibly even derail it, considering that it would come to someone with a roller coaster history like Swagger.
The All-American American has been all over the card - in his career and since his most recent return in the spring of 2013. He played the role of the heel throughout that, though. This is his first big chance to get over as a babyface. And with the power of patriotism behind him and a gifted orator like Zeb Colter in his corner, it might be a legitimate chance. Would a loss hinder or stop his ascent?
How the crowd reacts to either outcome may be an indicator of whether or not WWE will tell more 'us vs. them' stories in the future. For some, this angle has resonated and reminded them of the glory days of Hulk Hogan or Sgt. Slaughter against the Iron Sheik or...Sgt. Slaughter. For others, it's triggered eye rolls and bad publicity.
Real pop or heat this weekend and on Raw for these guys will probably inspire Creative to tell more stories in this vein, and probably even with these characters.
Find out if Russia, America or jingoist storylines will prevail...at SummerSlam on WWE Network and right here on Cageside Seats!