After putting the Cruiserweight Title on The Brian Kendrick at Hell in a Cell, I think that having him drop the title would be a mistake. Add in that Kalisto only just returned from injury and I don't think he would be the guy to move the title over to. However, with all that being said, I expect Kalisto to become champion. The new cruiserweight show 205Live is happening at the same location as Smackdown on a weekly basis, so it would just make the most sense from a travel perspective. The cruiserweights shouldn't have to work Raw and then Smackdown if nobody else does. The cruiserweights have been a flop so far and a title change won't help, but a move to Smackdown might
Winner: Kalisto
This a tough match to predict. On one hand, I don't see why they would put the title on the Miz again just to have him drop it to Sami Zayn a few days later. On the other hand, is there really a point to this match if the title doesn't move to Raw? I feel like the WWE would like the Intercontinental Title on their flagship show. I really like both Miz and Sami and I would love to see Sami as champion, but I don't want the IC Title to switch to Raw. Smackdown can clearly book the IC Title much better than Raw can. Despite that, I see the switch being made in both matches where a title moving brands is possible. Plus, it will open the door for Bryan to trade Miz, even though he will most likely get lost in the shuffle on Raw.
Winner: Sami Zayn
These Raw vs. Smackdown Survivor Series matches sound like they could be fun. I'm a sucker for traditional Survivor Series matches and I especially really like the twenty man tags like this from back in the late 80's. There is a lot of talent in the match (Cesaro, American Alpha, Breeze, New Day, etc.). Enough to outweigh the less interesting members of the match. Due to my predictions on the other Survivor Series matches, I get the sense that Smackdown at least takes this one.
Winners: Team Smackdown
Raw has put Sasha Banks and Charlotte in the main event of Raw and a Pay-Per-View. They beat fans over the heads with "WOMEN MAKING HISTORY, WE'RE TRYING SO HARD, STEPHANIE MCMAHON IS THE SAVIOR, ETC" and yet, for all of that, Smackdown has still handled their division way better. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch and Carmella vs. Nikki Bella had matches that felt like bigger deals than Charlotte vs. Sasha. The women on Smackdown are way more interesting but there are two clear reasons why I think Raw will win. Nia Jax, who could get eliminated by DQ or countout, but I see her surviving. The other reason is Charlotte. She wins all the time on PPVs (though she tapped at Battleground) and she has joined Roman Reigns and John Cena as people that I've just stopped betting against.
Winners: Team Raw
Going back to all of the old Raw vs. Smackdown tag matches, whether they were on Survivor Series or Bragging Rights, Smackdown won most or all of them. I was 100% ready to predict them to win again this year. Then this past week's Smackdown happened. The Undertaker returned, sounding like it would be on a much more regular basis, and basically threatened Team Smackdown if they lost. Maybe it's just wishful thinking but I almost instantly saw a world where AJ Styles could win this match but his ego gets in his way. That causes Smackdown to lose and the Undertaker comes for AJ. AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker at the Royal Rumble sounds like something that could help sell out 60,000+ in the Alamodome. For that reason alone, I'm picking Raw.
Winners: Team Raw
Boy, this sounds massively uninteresting. I didn't care about this in 2004 and I care far less in 2016. Brock Lesnar has given minimal effort in a lot of his recent matches. I expect Goldberg to give it his all this time around but he hasn't wrestled in over a decade. That, combined with his shoulder injury on Raw, makes me way less confident about a match I already had little to no confidence in. I think Brock will win because wasting all of his dominance on Goldberg would be monumentally stupid.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
2016 Prediction Record: 61-33
2015 Prediction Record: 60-35
The opening video package highlights Superstars from Toronto and Canada (Bret, Edge, Jericho, Owens, Trish, etc.) and big moments that have happened in history in Toronto. Now, it’s NXT’s turn to take over. The card is run down to end the video. 12,649 in attendance.
Bobby Roode vs. Tye Dillinger
There is an actual choir singing Roode’s theme. It is literally a glorious sight. They sing the whole song but you can’t hear them because the crowd is singing louder. Both guys are super over. A stare down and “this is awesome” chants from the opening bell. Bobby does his taunt and Tye levels him. They trade blows and Tye gets shoulder blocked down. He comes back with a back elbow and clotheslines Bobby over and out. Tye sends him in for a clothesline over and out on the opposite side. Chops from Tye around ringside. Roode hits a knee and there are dueling chants. Tye reverses a whip to the rail and then hits a back body drop on the floor. Inside, Roode begs for mercy and realizes that he put up the ten fingers. Tye is all “YOU’RE A TEN?” and stomps on his hands, which causes him to do the “ten” hand sign a bunch. Ten punches in the corner from Tye and the crowd eats it all up. Roode ducks a Tye attack and sends him to the outside. Roode runs around outside and hockey checks Tye. Roode drives his elbow into Tye’s throat on the apron and then smashes him chest first. “This is glorious” chants while Roode clubs away on Tye. Tye eats some chops and a hard whip to the corner followed by a clothesline. GLORIOUS taunt off the second rope and the focus of the attack is again on the back of Ty’e’s neck. Tye counters a neckbreaker into a backslide for two. Chops from Tye while selling the neck. Roode turns it around and scores with the neckbreaker for a near fall. Roode talks trash while slapping and kicking Tye. Roode goes for his own series of corner punches but Tye walksk out with him into an inverted atomic drop. Tye ducks a clothesline and fires up with some forearms. He hits a high knee, clothesline and a stomp. “Ten” corner stomps. The knee pad is down but Bobby rolls outside to avoid the Tyebreaker. He goes to leave but Tye stops him with a chop. Back inside Tye runs into a spinebuster for two. Roode sits Tye up top. They struggle a bit before Roode nails a superplex. It’s another near fall. Roode steals the “ten” taunt and removes his knee pad. He attempts the Tyebreaker but Tye gets free. Bobby blocks a superkick and rolls Tye up with his feet on the ropes. The referee sees it and breaks the pin. Bobby thinks he’s won so Tye rolls him up for two of his own. A superkick by Tye scores another near fall. Both men are down and when they get up, they backtrack into each other. They trade shots and Tye fires up after taking some. COME ON BOBBY. He hits a bunch and goes for the Tyebreaker. Bobby gets free and tries the DDT. Tye slips out and puts Bobby in the sharpshooter to a massive ovation. Roode reaches the ropes. Roode puls him into a small package. Tye reverses into his own for tow. Tye misses a charge and hits the corner. Roode throws him into the opposite one and wins with the implant DDT.
Winner: Bobby Roode in 16:32 (***3/4)
Tye Dillinger gets up after Bobby leaves. He gets a standing ovation of “ten” chants from the crowd. Well deserved.
After a WrestleMania commercial, Asuka was shown warming up.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals: The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering vs. TM61
Paul Ellering is being hoisted in a crash cage over the ring. The little cage got the legit cage match gimmick with music played for the lowering of it.Akam starts with Miller and backs him into the corner. Miller hits an elbow and lays in some forearms. His whip attempts backfire and Thorne tags in. They both kick Akam and send him outside. A double dropkick and double clothesline send Razar out. Miller takes out Akam with a suicide dive. Razar puts Thorne on his shoulders and climbs the structure that is holding up the cage. Thorne fights him off and then leaps from it with a tope cone hilo! AOP turn it around inside. Ellerinng shouts instructions from the cage while Thorne gets worn down. Akam launches Thorne across the ring for two. Akam misses a clothesline in the corner but tags Razar before Thorne can tag out. Thorne still dropkicks Razar and tags Miller. Miller knocks him down with some forearms and easily body slams Akam. He also hits several suplexes on them like nothing. Miller hits some running forearms and climbs up top. He nails a moonsault on Razar for two. TM61 counter the powerbomb sandwich spot and impressive hit Thunder Valley on Razar. Akam breaks up the count. Miller dives out onto Akam and Thorne follows with a somersault dive. With Razar alone inside and the referee distracted, Ellering drops some sort of chain to him. Razar misses his swing and it goes flying. Thorne rolls him up for two and then runs into a massive spinebuster. Akam enters and they win with the Last Chapter.
Winners: The Authors of Pain in 8:19 (**3/4)
NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls: The Revival (c) vs. #DIY
#DIY have matching gear. Leather jackets and pink and black gear in Canada for the champs. Dawson starts with Gargano to “DIY” chants. They go to the mat and neither man gains an upper hand. Gargano rolls Dawson into a crucifix for a very close near fall. Dawson reacts like he nearly died. They lock up again, go to the corner and Dawson hits some shots. Gargano gets snap mared and then shoulder blocked. He tags in Ciampa and hits an inverted atomic drop. Big forearm from Ciampa and they hit stereo dropkicks for two. Dash distracts the official while Dawson rakes Ciampa’s eyes. Dash gets tagged but Ciampa blocks a corner smash. He goes to whip Dash into the corner but that gets blocked. Tag back to Dawson and they continue to work over Ciampa. Slam from Dawson and then he assists Dash on a leg drop for two. Ciampa gets free and both guys make tags. Gargano comes in hot with a clothesline and a belly to belly. He hits both champions with running chops in the corner, before doing a bulldog to Dash while clotheslining Dawson. A neckrbeaker gets two. Gargano sets Dawson up in the corner and charges, but Dash tags as Dawson sends him onto the apron. Gargano tries his slingshot apron spear but they counter it into a sick Shatter Machine to win the first fall at 5:07. Gargano barely gets to his feet and Dash goes right into it. Gargano rolls him up for two and just gets walloped. Dawson mocks the fans and gets in some shots on Gargano. Dash clotheslines him from the apron back inside and Dawson nails a sweet rebound suplex for two. Gargano tries to fight free but just the champions bring the CLUBBERING in the corner. They keep going for pinfalls on Gargano. Dawson works a body scissors and grinds Johnny’s face while doing so. Dawson goes to a Gory special. Gargano counters but takes a right hand from Dahs. He hops over Dawson and under Dash, but Dawson runs and cuts off the tag. Perfect tag wrestling. Gargano still gets an opening by hitting a tornado DDT on Dash and kicking Dawson in mid air. As he gets close for the tag. Dash goes outside and pulls Ciampa’s leg. Ciampa fights him off, so Dash slides in and distracts the referee so he misses the tag to Ciampa. Classic. They go back to CLUBBERING. Ciampa chases Dawson around the ring and once inside, the official stops Ciampa so the Revival hit Gargano with the Hart Attack. CANADA! That gets two. Dash places Gargano up top but Gargano counters a back suplex into a pin attempt for two. Gargano makes the hot tag and CIampa hits a missile dropkick on Dawson. He nails a corner running knee and some elbows. Dawson ducks a third but runs into a boot. Ciampa hits a huge fameasser like move for two. Dash runs in and gets sent to the apron. Dawson rolls up Ciampa but it doesn’t get a count. Ciampa does a trio of German suplexes and a big running knee but Dawson gets a shoulder up. Ciampa wants Gargano in the ring. He takes a while and Dawson makes him pay. They take Gargano and look for a spike piledriver. Ciampa cuts it off and hits a cross body on Dawson for two. Another high knee for Dash. DIY nail their finisher and tie it at 13:34. They do the short rest period and Dash starts with Ciampa. They trade forearms untli Ciampa goes to knees and slaps. He removes the elbow pad but misses a Dawson tag. Dash ducks the forearm and Dawson tries a dDT. Ciampa counters into the armbar. Dawson counters the armbar into a crucifix pin for two. Gargano does the blind tag now and hits a big kick. Ciampa nals a rope assist flatliner like move and goes after Dash but eats an uppercut. Gargano sueprkicks Dash and hits a slingshot DDT for a close two count. Gargano sells the desperation so well. Dawson is on the apron and Gargano tries to suplex him in. Dash holds him to prevent a Gargano move and tags in. Gargano tries his DDT spot but gets caught with an uppercut/German suplex combo. Ciampa breaks up the pin in the nick of time. Dawson sends Ciampa into the ring post and goes back to his corner. He tags in and talks trash before an uppercut. Gargano fights off but is stuck in the corner between the champions. Gargano firs off several forearms on Dawson but misses one. He counters a backslide into a small package for another very close near fall. Dash grabs a Tag Title from ringside and slides it in. Ciampa clotheslines him over and out. Dawson has the belt and uses it to block Gargano’s rolling kick. Gargano sells the leg on the ground. Dawson applies the inverted figure four that won the match in Brooklyn back in August. The crowd badly wants Gargano to stay alive. He nearly taps but makes it to the ropes. Dash is back on the apron and tags in. They go to steal DIY’s finisher but they miscut and Dash superkicks Dawson. DIY hit Dash with the Shatter Machine but Dawson breaks up the cover! Dawson plays possum and uses it to roll Gargano up with tights. The referee sees it and that he isn’t the legal man so he stops counting. Dash takes out Ciampa outside with the same move that hte used in Brooklyn. Gargano kicks Dawson outside, so Dash runs in with a vicious chop block to the other leg. Gargano counters a submission into a small package. They do several pins from both guys for near falls. Gargano finally turns one into the Gargano Escape. Dawson runs into break it up but Ciampa pulls him into the armbar. The Revival are both in submissions and even holding their partner’s hand. They both have to tap out and we have new champions.
Winners and NEW NXT Tag Team Champions: #DIY in 22:16 (*****)
Jim Ross is shown in the audience.
NXT Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Mickie James
Mickie looks to be in great shape. The front row all wore Asuka’s entrance mask. Mickie avoids a kick and misses a slap. They lock up and go to the mat but neither woman breaks free. They finally both let go and Asuka offers a handshake. Mickie accepts and pulls her in tight. Mickie applies a headlock that Asuak struggles to break. Mickie tries a shoulder block that has no effect. Asuka takes her over into a wristlock. Mickie cartwheels out and sends Asuka over. ASuka misses another kick and Mickie snapmares her followed by a dropkick. Asuka retreats outside for what may have been the first time in her NXT run. “You still got it” chants for Mickie. Mickie holds the ropes open for Asuka. Mickie escapes a hammerlock and kicks up. Asuka kicks her in the ribs, so Mickie responds with one of her own. She hits the ropes, Asuka follows and uses the hip attack, sending Mickie outside. Asuka now holds the ropes open for Mickie and I believe Mickie blows a kiss but the camera misses it. Asuka hits another hip attack to send Mickie outside. She misses a hip attack off the apron and Mickie scores with a rana. They continue to battle outside where Asuka hits Mickie with a German suplex variation. Asuka basks in the count but Mickie makes it back in. Inside, Asuka tosses Mickie and looks to be enjoying herself. She hits a running corner dropkick for two. Asuka works an abdominal stretch liek move in the ropes. She misses another hip attack and sits on the middle rope for a bit. She continues the attack with kicks. Mickie busts out an Indian deathlock submission (I believe that’s what it was, my feed cut out for a bit) but Asuka reaches the ropes. They trade forearms in the center of the ring. Asuka answers with slaps. Mickie ducks a backfist and slaps the shit out of Asuka. Asuka liked it and gives Mickie an interesting look. She goes for another shot but Mickie ducks and connects on a neckbreaker. She lays in some clotheslines and counters everything Asuka has. She nails a flapjack before coming off of the top with what was basically a flying crotch attack. Asuka manages to slap on an armbar after kicking out but Mickie reaches the ropes. Mickie kicks Asuka in the knee and sends her down. They get up at the same time. Mickie ducks a kick and nails the Mick Kick but Asuka gets her foot on the bottom rope. A pin in the middle gets two. Asuka avoids the MickDT and tries the ASuka Lock. Mickie rolls around to avoid it and gets Asuka in a pinning combination for two. Asuka turns over and gets it locked in, causing Mickie to tap.
Winner and Still NXT Women’s Champion: Asuka in 13:03 (***3/4)
Mickie goes for a post-match handshake, but Asuka raises the title instead and walks off.
Pat Patterson is shown in attendance.
NXT Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Nakamura has several violinists for his entrance. I won’t go into detail because it needs to be seen. Right at the bell, Nakamura unloads with strikes and kicks. Joe defends himself and comes back with one to the inner thigh. They continue to trade big shots until we get a rope break. Joe does give the clean one but Nakamura ducks him and confidently walks away before hitting a knee. He continues with a knee drop and good vibrations. The fight moves outside where Nakamura sends Joe into the crowd. They fight some more until Nakamura sends Joe back inside. Nakamura hits some corner knees but Joe comes back with an enziguri. Joe looks for the corner facewash but Nakamura is up and greets him with a knee. Nakamura takes him to the mat and delivers more knees. Joe is back on the offensive and runs over Nakamura. An elbow drop gets two. The stream isn’t very good right now. Joe busts out an innovative move that slams Shinsuke’s knees on the mat. Joe apples an ankle lock. Nakamura gets free (I’m not sure how, again my feed skipped) and Joe continues the assault. He twists Shinsuke’s knee at an odd angle. Like he wants to do a half crab but Nakamura won’t turn all the way over. Nakamura slaps his leg to wake it up after getting free. He misses and falls outside, where Joe follows with elbow suicida. Joe looks to use the steel steps and kicks Nakamura in the chest. Inside, Nakamura starts to fire off some kicks, using the injured leg even. Nakamura is making the comeback. He nails an enziguri and runs into the corner with an elbow. He sets Joe on the top and hits the running knee for two. Joe turns things around with the atomic drop, running kick, BIG BOY SENTON combination for a near fall of his own. Joe hits a powerbomb for two and he takes the kickout right into a Boston crab. He transitions that into a crossface. Nakamura counters into a pin and then turns that into an armbar. He runs in but Joe catches him with a powerslam for two. Nakamura gets his boot up on a charging Joe. He goes up top but Joe kicks him down onto the apron. Nakamura stops him with a desperate kick and drapes him over the apron. Nakamura hits a running knee. He goes up top and comes off with a middle rope knee strike. Both men are down and struggle to their feet. Once there, they trade forearms. Nakamura goes with kicks and one massive forearm to take Joe down. Joe blocks an inverted exploder with elbows and tries a suplex. Nakamura slips free and hits a German suplex. Joe rolls into Nakamura’s legs to take him out, which makes sense given the work he has done. Joe looks for the Muscle Buster but Nakamura wriggles free and rolls through. He gets up and nails Kinshasa for two. Joe avoids a second Kinshasa and locks in the Coquina Clutch. Nakamura fades but the fans start humming Nakamura’s theme. He nearly gets free but Joe hits a German suplex. He holds on for a dragon suplex and then a straightjacket suplex for a close near fall. Joe is busted open around his left eye. Nakamura hits Kinshasa to the back of the head but Joe falls outside. Nakamura wants to show no mercy and goes for a third Kinshasa outside. Joe avoids him and hits a low blow behind the official’s back. He then delivers a uranage onto the steel steps and a Muscle Buster inside leads to him winning back the title.
Winner and New NXT Champion: Samoa Joe in 20:06 (***1/2)
