The “hottest party of the summer” needs to prove it has sizzle.

WWE will deliver an oddly constructed SummerSlam card Sunday night from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto (kickoff show 5 p.m., SummerSlam 7 p.m. on WWE Network). The eight or nine matches on the main card should give the talent time to tell their stories over a potentially five-hour show. But there are some hurdles to having a successful night.

All of the matches, including the kickoff show’s cruiserweight championship bout, are singles matches — something that hasn’t been done at SummerSlam since 2014. The only match stipulation is Becky Lynch vs. Natalya being a submission match. The leaves WWE having to create at least nine unique-feeling singles matches.

There is also an aura of predictability around the card, especially when Lynch, Bayley and Kofi Kingston feel like established champions who deserve to keep their belts. There is plenty of talent and plenty of room for the unexpected (don’t forget 24/7 champion R-Truth) at SummerSlam. It’s up to WWE to make the most of the difficult creative situation it created.

Here are five things to watch for at SummerSlam:

Animal instincts

“The Beast” Brock Lesnar and “The Viper” Randy Orton will try to leave SummerSlam as champions at the expense of babyfaces in very different positions.

Seth Rollins, who will try to win back his Universal title from Lesnar, doesn’t seem to have connected with the audience at the level WWE would like. They’ve pulled out all the stops to make it happen, even putting him in a segment with D-Generation X and the NWO at the Raw Reunion. In the build to this match, Lesnar has beaten him to a point where you can seriously question his ability to win.

WWE is now faced with the choice of trusting Rollins and having a lukewarm babyface beat Lesnar twice in four months or keeping the former UFC champion strong for a feud with Braun Strowman or a more meaningful Rollins win later down the line.

WWE Champion Kofi Kingston is in the opposite position of Rollins. Kingston is completely over with the audience. You can ride his momentum into “SmackDown Live” moving to Fox in October with a credibility-building win over Randy Orton or use the flash ability of the RKO to put Kingston back chasing the belt. There may not be a wrong answer here.

Be legendary

The SummerSlam card features Hall of Famers Goldberg and Trish Stratus. While Stratus said her match with Charlotte Flair will be her last, Goldberg could be starting a special-attraction run, according to the Wrestling Observer. Either way, WWE really needs these matches to feel special.

Goldberg has a lot to prove against Dolph Ziggler after his disaster with the Undertaker at Super ShowDown in June. He can’t afford safety to be an issue or WWE should consider not using him again in a legitimate match.

Stratus was in a tag match on Raw this week, but never tagged in. She proved she can play her hits in matches at Evolution and on Raw in October, but you want her to push her limits more here.

Friends or woes?

The friendships with their opponents are likely over for now, but will Becky Lynch and Bayley’s title reigns end as well?

Lynch and Natalya’s friendship has been torn to shreds in the build-up to their Raw women’s championship match. Natalya has said she wants their submission match to leave a legacy like her uncle Bret Hart and Steve Austin did at WrestleMania 13. Don’t put it past these two to have a fine match. Still, it’s tough to see Natalya winning, even in her native Canada.

Bayley and Ember Moon’s friendship has been on the rocks since the Hugger challenged her to this SummerSlam match, which could be a sleeper hit on this card. Don’t be shocked if Moon turns heel if Bayley retains her SmackDown women’s championship.

He’s really here

Bray Wyatt has been turning off lights and attacking people for weeks, and has made Mick Foley’s Mandible Claw his own. Everything about his new scary character has been done well. Now Wyatt needs to deliver in the ring as the Fiend. We get to see his entrance and wrestling style in a match against Finn Balor that could end quickly to add more mystery and fear to his Fiend persona.

Gone missing

WWE changing the holders of all three tag team championships in less than a month continues to underline its helter-skelter booking in the division and inability to create meaningful stories. Also, the Intercontinental championship will not be defended at SummerSlam for the second time in three years. At least we get to see A.J. Styles vs. Ricochet for the U.S. Championship in a match-of-the-night candidate.

The environmentalists did it?

Who attacked Roman Reigns? Buddy Murphy said he saw Erick Rowan during the scaffold attack, pointing the finger at him and eco-conscious tag partner Daniel Bryan. What does this angle become at SummerSlam? Does it lead to a match? Do we get a backstage brawl? Do we not find out all? So many questions.

Predictions

Drew Gulak over Oney Lorcan to retain the Cruiserweight championship

This will be physical and fun. Lorcan, a regular on NXT, moves between brands too much to take the belt from the 205 Live mainstay Gulak.

Kevin Owens over Shane McMahon

Owens is one of the hottest babyfaces in WWE. The audience getting behind him makes it clear this in-ring Shane McMahon run needs to end here.

Charlotte Flair over Trish Stratus

This is Stratus’ last match, and there are storylines Flair still needs to be explored with Bayley and Becky Lynch.

The Fiend over Finn Balor

Balor is reportedly taking a break for a few months, and Bray Wyatt needs to be pushed. A Demon return for revenge could be in Wyatt’s future.

Goldberg over Dolph Ziggler

WWE needs to reestablish Goldberg’s dominance to get something out of him moving forward. Dolph loses nothing in defeat.

AJ Styles over Ricochet to retain the United States championship

Styles and the Club appear to be a high priority (see: Gallows and Anderson winning the Raw Tag Team belts). No reason to stop the momentum now, especially when Ricochet doesn’t need the belt to be an attraction.

Bayley over Ember Moon to retain the SmackDown women’s championship

This feud will likely last more than one match, and it’s great to see Moon getting a push. Bayley vs. Lynch at Survivor Series is too good to pass up.

Becky Lynch over Natalya to retain the Raw women’s championship

WWE could go for the big pop in Canada with Nattie. Still, they just put Lynch on the cover of WWE 2K20. The belt stays with The Man.

Brock Lesnar over Seth Rollins to retain the Universal championship

Lesnar’s title reigns are rarely short, and his Money in the Bank cash-in means very little if he drops the belt right back. The feud could last until WWE finishes rebuilding Braun Strowman.

Randy Orton over Kofi Kingston to win the WWE championship

Orton is an excellent heel who could get a believable win with an RKO. Kingston becomes the underdog again and spends the next few months chasing the title.