This is the end

Everything eventually comes to an end. Well, almost everything. If Disney has its way, nothing will ever end and my future kids will enjoy the same pop culture staples that I enjoy today. But big global franchises aside, most things expire. That statement is true in wrestling for the most part as well, because no one can truly “fight forever” despite how often fans chant or how loud those chants are.

Which brings us to the story of The Usos and The Street Profits. Two teams battling for WWE supremacy for, what feels like, an entire spring and summer. Their last battle at Money in the Bank brought down the entire house and truly felt like a battle of attrition. It came down to which team made the first mistake and when the Profits went down, it looked like we got our answer.

But wait, there’s more!

As it turns out, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins didn’t fall victim to anything but questionable officiating, as the ref ignored the fact Montez’s shoulder was way off the mat while he counted to three. And that, ladies and gents, is why we’re getting this rematch at SummerSlam for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team championships. Oh, and it’s also why Jeff Jarrett is the special guest referee. I guess? The Double J thing is weird and this is probably the only time he gets mentioned in this preview. However, if he sings “With My Baby Tonight” in Nashville, then that’s a W for us all. Nope, couldn't even type that with a straight face.

The fascinating aspect of this match is the contours of the aftermath. The Usos reign is part of a larger tale of Bloodline dominance. Can they still look dominant without the tag titles? Of course. Will they look the same with just Roman Reigns holding up a belt and a finger on Fridays and a few Mondays? Not so much. Those four belts define Jimmy and Jey’s careers. Outside of the New Day, they are the standard for WWE tag team wrestling, a constant for more than a decade. It also ingratiates them with the Tribal Chief, because yeah, Roman hates losing. The more they win and sustain excellence, the longer they avoid Reigns’ mob boss iron fist. It’s not just ego driving Jimmy and Jey; it’s fear.

Fear drives The Street Profits as well. Fear of inadequacy, fear of failing yet again, and fear that as a team, no matter how high Montez jumps, maybe they reached their ceiling. Tez and Angelo kept their sights focused on the championship belts all year. They received multiple shots at RK-BRO but never got the job done. They fought for their own relevance week after week, practically begging every team in the division to not sleep on them. But at a certain point, narcolepsy crept in because despite the near falls and great matches, these two keep coming up short.

Every now and then, they even seem like they’re on two different pages in two very different books. Not helping matters of team unity is the fact WWE planted breakup seeds a few weeks ago. Now, those talks tampered down after a week or two and with the entire company under new management, who knows what the current plans are. But it’s not hard imagining this match as the Profits’ last stand. It truly is championships or bust for them at this point.

One way or another, SummerSlam is the end. Either The Usos retain and The Profits walk on different sides of the street, or Tez and Angelo finally get that monkey off their backs while Jimmy and Jey cop pleas to their Chief. Both teams are going out in a blaze of glory in the conclusion of what are some of the best matches in WWE this year, and one hell of a story to boot.