Remember when Neville was one of the coolest things going in wrestling during his excellent NXT Title run last year? He could still be that but main roster creative has decided that he is the new Evan Bourne. The guy with the really cool high flying finisher and NOTHING more. He and Stardust are two of my favorite performers but, outside of the Stephen Amell appearance last month, they've been pre-show mainstays. I love the idea of the Cosmic Wasteland as super villain Stardust could use some henchmen and it gives the Ascension something to do. I really want them to win here, but I've picked a fair amount of heels and don't think there are major plans for the Cosmic Wasteland.
Winners: Neville and the Lucha Dragons
Can someone please explain to me how Rusev is the heel in this feud? He's come off as the more sympathetic character while Dolph Ziggler has been a total tool. Regardless, he has been booked as the face and I have to think he should win out soon but I'm not going to pick that. Rusev has still only been pinned by two people, John Cena and Cesaro. Not only that, but, while he's no longer dominant after the horrible Cena feud, Rusev has never been more entertaining. Along with Sasha Banks, New Day and Seth Rollins, there is nobody I look forward to seeing more each week than Rusev. He's been the only redeeming thing about this rivalry and he should win here.
Winner: Rusev
The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family was really cool. This diet, watered down version of the feud...not so much. The outcome of the match would seemingly come down to who the mystery partner is. If it's someone disappointing, which I think it will be, the Wyatts win. If it's a big deal, the faces win. Since I believe it will be someone we don't really care for, I pick the Wyatts to win. They came out of Battleground looking good, while the faces went over at SummerSlam. I'm going to go with the Wyatt Family here, via Braun Strowman looking like a beast, before things finally end at Hell in a Cell with the faces going over there.
Winners: The Wyatt Family
Similar to their match at SummerSlam, I can't really get excited for this. They've faced off far too many times for me to care. Despite that, I do think their SummerSlam match was their best outing, mainly because of Seth Rollins. John Cena has been great at times in 2015, but Seth was on a different level on that night. I don't expect them to match that here, since Seth has to save some energy for the main event. I sense they open things, which would be an interesting place to find Cena. I said it during the Rusev feud and again during the Owens feud, but I'm going to keep picking John Cena to win on these PPVs until he losing a program. It hasn't failed me yet.
Winner: John Cena
It's cool that Seth Rollins holds both titles right now but Kevin Owens absolutely should be the US Champion right now. His match against Cesaro at SummerSlam could have actually meant something. Instead, he's gone from must see TV to another guy that's kind of just there. I don't mind Ryback and I think he was a solid choice for IC Champion but between his injury and the awful program with Miz and Big Show, his reign has been incredibly forgettable. He absolutely should win the IC Title here to make up for not winning the US Title. Unfortunately, I don't have faith in the WWE's faith in Kevin Owens. I think Ryback retains here and if the match manages to exceed expectations, maybe Owens wins a rematch.
Winner: Ryback
There may not be a match that I'm more excited to see. The Dudley Boyz are the kind of veterans that I like to see return. They can still go and I don't believe that they have problems putting anyone over. Also, I actually enjoy them unlike the New Age Outlaws and their return in 2014. Meanwhile, New Day has been the most enjoyable thing about the WWE in recent months, only getting more entertaining by the week. Every single time I think they can't top themselves, they do and I love it. The Dudley Boyz just returned and New Day just won the straps so that means the WWE would probably pull the trigger here. I think that's a bad call though as New Day should retain via shenanigans and make the Dudleys wait.
Winners: The New Day
Honestly, if the WWE wants to prove that Nikki didn't just break the record for the sake of breaking it, she kind of needs to retain here. If she doesn't, it just seems like she made it to 296 days just because. Their match on Raw was going pretty well until the awful finish. Without shenanigans, I truly think they could have a really good PPV match. That being said, I kind of see some more shenanigans. Nikki retaining and AGAIN depriving the fans of seeing a new champion could bring massive heat. They've done a ton wrong with the "Divas Revolution" but I think that bringing a lot of heat to the angle could help. Give me a reason to want Charlotte as champion. Granted, as a fan of NXT, I already want her to win, but for the casual person who didn't see NXT, there is no reason to really cheer for Charlotte. They barely tell you to boo the Bellas, who work as faces half of the time, and all they tell us about Charlotte is that she's Ric Flair's daughter. I think Nikki retains and loses the title until about the one year mark.
Winner: Nikki Bella
I'm honestly pretty nervous about this match. You see, the only decision that makes sense to me is to have Seth Rollins win here. He just defeated John Cena to become the US and WWE Champion, so why drop the big belt to Sting here? Since him losing wouldn't make sense, that is exactly why I'm worried that it will happen. Granted, Sting starting his career 0-2 isn't the greatest, which just goes back to why he should have hone over Triple H at WrestleMania. I also realize that Sheamus is lingering but I really would rather not see him as WWE Champion. Anyway, I'm still looking forward to this because a guy that I fell in love with on the indies is going to wrestle Sting for the WWE Title. I never expected that. Consider me hopeful as I think Seth retains.
Winner: Seth Rollins
2015 Prediction Record: 42-25
2014 Prediction Record: 22-18 (Only five PPVs)
Picks!
ReplyDeleteRusev/Ziggler
- Rusev is a misued monster whose monent was snuffed at Mania. Ziggler is a misued HBK/Edge hybrid whose moment was snuffed when the calendar year hit 2015. The fact that Rusev has managed to stay afloat despite having his hot mouthpiece snatched away and with Summer Rae as a Family Dollar knockoff is a testament to Rusev's ability and personality we probably didn't think he had.
Rusev crushes Ziggler.
The New Wyatts v. Shield 75% & Some Unknowning Mystery Guy
- Ambrose is in popularity what they want Roman to be, only he may never get there because the fans are smarter than the WWE wants to acknowledge. Dean should be the top end face. Roman, thanks to boneheaded booking isn't going to hit his stride until he goes heel. As for the Wyatts, how is it that Harper got singles gold before Bray? How is it that they haven't pulled the trigger on him despite his entrance alone being as over as Taker's in the mid 90s (if they did a side by side of the two, it's like an HD remake. Lighters became cell phone flashlights.). As for this, who cares???
Wyatts win. Finale likely at Heck In A Cage.
IC Title
- At least the E is consistent with their idiotic booking. Ryback was super hot in 2012, if he wins the Rumble in 2013, voila. They have a fan friendly wrecking ball they can push on the fans. Instead, Cena wins, he goes in the toilet, the end.
Kevin Owens has been the best heel in the company since his arrival in February. His ability to get heat almost makes his two losses to Cena seem trivial. (Plus, wins and losses don't matter so sayeth Nikki Bella Not Cena.).
Owens wins.
Divas Championship (Champion's Advantage Nullified)
- Pardon the obvious pun, but there's no way out for Nikki other than to win. Brie getting pinned is just the same as Nikki losing this time around. Tonight we'll see just how seriously they're taking this women's thing. They've found a way to fuck Nikki's run up maybe even worse than they did Punk's 434. Rather than have Nikki go the 'I went from ashy to classy' deal and rub the fans' noses in it...they've had her go from face to heel like changes in the Ohio weather.
Charlotte is here because she's the daughter of my favorite wrestler of all time.
Charlotte wins, but ends up beating Brie so Nikki is protected.
Tag Team Titles
- I can't be alone in thinking Ambrose & Reigns would be the best buddy tag champs this side of Hall and Nash. I'm honestly not a fan of the Dudleyz returning, as well anything more than this company's over reliance on the past rather than building and cultivating the future.
Oh, New Day wins.
Seth Versus The World
- Two days ago, ROH put its double champion up against its best tag team this side of the Briscoes and had him win both matches. One cleanly, one messy, but wins nonetheless. His star is cemented if a win over Jay didn't do it in June.
Seth Rollins should be on par with Jay. But alas, they've made him into a simpering little shit much the same way they killed Orton two years ago after a masterfully done heel turn by Trips and Orton. Seth's cash in was the best EVER. He should be on a run similar to that of Triple H back in 99. The only time Seth even resembled a decent champion was during his beef with Dean.
The seeds that have been planted for a possible Trips/Seth feud die if Seth doesn't win both matches. The premise behind a Seth/Trips beef would be the notion that Seth is better than Trips at any point of his career. A point which would've been valid if Seth emerged from tonight as a double champion. But much like every single time they've had a chance to make a new star so they're not so reliant on the past...they will blow it.
Seth retains the WWE WHC, loses the US Title. (Note, this is one time when following ROH's lead wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Actually it would result in the star making moment Seth has needed since Mania.)