4 signs LA Knight will NOT win the US Championship at WWE SummerSlam 2024
The WWE Universe is almost united in their hopes of seeing LA Knight dethrone Logan Paul as the US Champion. However, fans might be in for the biggest heartbreak of the summer.
When Logan Paul won the US Championship in November 2023, there was excitement about The Maverick possibly becoming a regular to justify winning a WWE championship. However, that didn't turn out to be the case, and over the course of nearly nine months, he has only defended the title twice.
That said, there's a ray of hope now that LA Knight has entered the US Title picture. WWE's resident Megastar fully plans on winning his first singles Championship on the main roster, and he's confident he'll do it at SummerSlam 2024.
But the road to championship glory might not be a smooth one for Knight. There are multiple signs that SummerSlam might not be his night. Here are four of those.
#4 WWE SummerSlam 2024 is in Logan Paul's hometown
It's no surprise that the Stamford-based promotion's main objective with having Logan Paul on the roster is to get attention from outside the typical pro-wrestling bubble.
The upcoming SummerSlam PLE will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, which happens to be The Maverick's hometown. With Logan Paul's celebrity friends and acquaintances possibly in attendance, the company has a golden opportunity to generate incredible buzz for the event.
Obviously, step one would be to advertise the US Champion for a big match, which the company already did by announcing Paul/Knight. The next step would be to ensure that the defending champion is portrayed as a legitimate hometown sensation. That might mean letting him retain the title.
In short, Paul's homecoming has to be successful on all fronts for WWE to reap maximum benefit from it.
#3 Too many titles potentially changing hands at or right around SummerSlam
There are multiple titles across the WWE main roster. So, it's common sense that the more titles that change hands on the same night, the less value each crowning moment gets.
Thus, LA Knight's championship aspirations might have to take a backseat at SummerSlam. While nothing is set in stone, there's a solid chance that Gunther will be walking out of the premium live event as the new World Heavyweight Champion. With the PLE after SummerSlam being in Europe, The Ring General might be the perfect candidate to make the trip as the defending Champion.
Furthermore, there are rumors indicating that the reason Bron Breakker lost at Money in the Bank 2024 was that the company wanted his first crowning moment at a big PLE. It goes without saying that SummerSlam fits the bill.
Additionally, The Bloodline's Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa will be attempting to become the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship. So, with all these potential title changes on the horizon, the US Championship might just have to stay with its current holder for a while.
#2 LA Knight's failure to realize that Santos Escobar is a credible distraction
Professional wrestling history is proof that being involved in two feuds at the same time isn't a smart idea. Perhaps LA Knight needs to be reminded of that.
The 41-year-old Megastar has fans' unwavering support in his quest to dethrone The Maverick as the US Champion. But at the same time, he is also willing to take out some time to remind Santos Escobar of the pecking order on Friday nights. That could be bad news for Knight's immediate championship aspirations.
On the road to WWE Money in the Bank 2024, there was a segment in which the former Million Dollar Champion was too focused on the leader of Legado Del Fantasma to defend himself from a knockout blow by the social media superstar.
If Knight doesn't wrap up his program with Santos before SummerSlam, it could cost him the opportunity to leave Cleveland as the new US Champion.
#1 Logan Paul needs his win back
Professional wrestling wouldn't be as successful as it is today if it wasn't for the give-and-take mindset. It's a sport built on the principle of teamwork, and trading wins is a vital part of it.
There have been numerous instances of a top WWE star losing to a rival, only to get their win back at a later date. This helps keep things fresh and ensures that multiple stars are able to carve out legendary careers for themselves.
That said, LA Knight and Logan Paul's ongoing rivalry could soon mark another case of trading wins. The Megastar pinned The Prime co-founder to qualify for the recent Men's Money in the Bank ladder match. So, he is one up on his SummerSlam opponent.
Therefore, one shouldn't rule out the possibility of Paul getting his win back at the PLE. That would also allow WWE to extend this rivalry even further, possibly to the next Saudi Arabia PLE, a year after Knight got his first singles shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.