Backlash Predictions

The Usos vs. The Hype Bros

The American Alpha/Usos angle on Smackdown was done so well. The Usos turning heel and taking them out is going to build massive amounts of sympathy for Alpha when they return. You also have the added bonus of them having a claim to possibly being the rightful champions. This is all Usos, all the way. They need something to rejuvenate their careers and this could be the shot in the arm that does it.

Winner: The Usos

I want to be more excited for this, I really do. When Bray Wyatt first started making an impact in the WWE, I hoped for a program with Randy Orton and felt like it could be really good. Here we are getting it, but Bray has been damaged to a point where I cannot find any interest in him. Orton was cool during the Brock feud, but has started to fall back into his same pattern of lackluster effort. This is Bray Wyatt that we're talking about, so I could see him win the first match before losing the feud. Instead though, I feel like he'll lose the first one and maybe, just maybe, win the rivalry.

Winner: Randy Orton

The current payoff for Miz's blistering promo on Daniel Bryan is a been there, done that feud with Dolph Ziggler. Dolph has only been interesting for about three weeks (leading up to SummerSlam) in the past two years. Their matches are usually pretty good, but never resemble anything great. I'm picking a lot of heels to win, so I know I will be wrong at some point and that may be right here. Still, I say Miz retains to further push Dolph's anger and disappointment. Miz has been damn good as champion too.

Winner: The Miz

The Heath Slater storyline has been one of many highlights on Smackdown each week. This is why American Alpha not being in the finals makes sense. The crowd wants to see Heath get his job, so they may have been split. A 50/50 crowd for the first title win of your top babyface team isn't ideal. Have the Usos win the titles after backing their way into the finals. They cost Heath his job, delivering another blow to the fans and setting up a program with American Alpha down the line.

Winners: The Usos

Outside of the main event, this is the match I'm looking forward to the most. The Raw women's division has the top girls (Sasha, Bayley, Charlotte) but the rest of the division is barely around. Smackdown has wisely built up six girls to be on just about equal footing. Hell, they've even given Eva Marie character development. Anyway, this match can go almost any possible way. Naomi has been on the cusp of winning the belt a few times, Natalya is a veteran that could help establish the title and Alexa and Carmella are two fresh heels for a babyface to chase. The two biggest options though are Nikki Bella and Becky Lynch. Nikki is their marketable girl thanks to Total Divas and Total Bellas, while Becky is the ultimate babyface. I say they go with Becky because she needs to stop chasing and finally win.

Winner: Becky Lynch

Go ahead and try telling me in 2010 that a WWE PPV in 2016 would have a WWE Title match featuring Jon Moxley and AJ Styles. The same goes for the Clash of Champions main event. Anyway, this is a tough call. On the one hand, Dean Ambrose is less than three months in a title reign that he clawed his way to. He had to overcome several missed opportunities and the company throwing momentum stoppers in his way (Wyatt, shitty WM31 IC Title stuff, Lesnar) to get to this point and I don't want to see it end. But, AJ Styles is the hottest thing the company and absolutely deserves to be champion. He's lost two Title matches to Roman Reigns already this year and I think it should happen here. Part of me sees Dean retaining and AJ winning the rematch at No Mercy, but I think they're gonna strike while the iron is hot.

Winner: AJ Styles

2016 Prediction Record: 43-24
2015 Prediction Record: 60-35