WWE SummerSlam 2008 Predictions

Bold text is my predicted winner.

Hell in a Cell Match
Edge vs. Undertaker

The real main event of SummerSlam, as far as I’m concerned, no matter how long they say they’ve supposedly been building to Cena/Batista. I doubt they’re bringing Undertaker’s tired old self back just to have him lose. Definitely going to be some La Familia trickery going on. Edge gets hardcore again, but ‘taker still gets the duke.

‘Six Years in the Making’ Match
John Cena vs. Batista

I think Batista needs a win more than Cena does. Cena has the charisma to get the fans behind him again by the next night on RAW and he’s seen as such an invincible guy, a loss won’t hurt him here at all. Batista on the other hand, doesn’t have a lot of personality to get the crowd to rally behind him as much (as if the RAW poll was legit, most WWE fans already see him as the lesser star) and has come up short in too many big matches in the past year. Perhaps we’ll get a heel turn here? I’m begging for it! A heel monster Batista would be awesome. At the very least, I expect some quality heelmanship from Batista to win, if not a full out turn.

WWE Championship Match
Triple H (c) vs. The Great Khali

Wow, I can see why HHH didn’t want to go to Smackdown. Even he has become an afterthought on the show… and he’s the champion! I figured for sure Smackdown would turn into The All-New HHH Show, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see that hasn’t been the case… yet. At best, this match is the 3rd biggest on the card and in my mind it’s really fourth down the card, as I feel Punk/JBL at least has a story behind it and could be decent.

Make it quick. I don’t know where there is for HHH to go from here or who he has to feud with unless they move Edge into a program with him again, but Edge has been a whipping boy for too long and I think it’s time for him to take a break. I don’t see a HHHeel turn coming just yet, possibly closer to WrestleMania that’ll happen. For now, they might just end up extending this feud and giving up a cheap screwy finish. Sledgehammer, anyone? Because I sure as heck would hate to see HHH attempt a pedigree on Khali.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
CM Punk (c) vs. JBL

WWE’s top belts are being defending at the SummerSlam and the booking doesn’t even make either one feel like a main event! I feel they’ve put too much time into burying Punk as a champ to actually let him lose it now. JBL is a management favorite, but he doesn’t draw and at best can put on an average match. No reason for Punk to drop the belt here, I figure his holding it for either Cena or Batista.

ECW Championship Match
Mark Henry (c) vs. Matt Hardy

I don’t know how Matt could pull this one off. Henry’s done pretty well in his role as ECW champ and the crowd will always be behind a Hardy, whether they have a belt or not.

Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Jeff Hardy

Perhaps we can move past this and put Jeff into the Smackdown main event scene now? Edge vs. Jeff, anyone?

Winners Take All Tag Team Match for the Intercontinental & Women’s Championships
Kofi Kingson (c) & Mickie James (c) vs. Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix

While I could see them going with Marella/Phoenix for the romantic/comedic champions skits, it would be a really cheap way for the belts to switch.

Will He Stay or Will He Go?
Shawn Michaels’ announcement

Shawn comes out and delivers another emotional speech about his career, and just as he’s about to reveal what the doctors have told him, Jericho interrupts. Segment ends with a superkick and HBK telling Jericho and the world that he’s back and cleared the wrestle.

WWE Great American Bash 2008 Predictions

Bold text means that’s my predicted winner.

WWE Championship
Triple H (c) vs. Edge

Many people were thinking they would play up the Vickie/Edge break up, meaning no wedding/reception, up until the PPV with a swerve of La Familia helping Edge win. Well, given last night’s events on Smackdown, I still think Edge will win. He’ll find a way to pull this one off, setting up Vickie giving the go-ahead for ‘taker to return and chase Edge for the belt for a bit. Well, I actually, I hope we don’t see a chase. There’s just been too much Edge/’taker. Just gives us one more match and end it. Or make it a ‘taker/HHH/Edge feud, at least if this is going to be another long program.

Oh, and don’t you love how whatever belt HHH holds is current the “main” title in WWE and gets top billing? It’s always been whatever title RAW had that was most prestigious, but now that HHH holds a title on Smackdown, *that’s* the big belt.

World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk (c) vs. Batista

So Punk has been getting the Rey Mysterio World title push, meaning he’s doing a lot of jobs and just getting punked out in general. He’s been made to look like he’s not worthy of being one of the “big dogs” and main eventers and WWE is actually encouraging this despite the decent ratings the Punk reign has brought. Punk jobbed to Batista in 2 minutes right after the RAW cameras stopped rolling, but I think that’s a red herring.

I say Punk retains, probably thanks to Kane interference on Batista. They probably won’t even let him pin him, it’ll just be a countout or DQ, furthering the notion that Punk is a punk. But, this is a good choice if they’re thinking the way I am.

Here’s my pitch: Batista loses, getting him ever closing to turning heel because he keeps obsessing over the title and choking in title matches. This also can set up a heel turn for Punk down the line who by him constantly trying to “prove” himself to the company, wrestlers and fans. Let him continuously get unintentional cheap wins via interference and countouts or put him in three-ways and let him pick the bones after the other two guys take each other out. People will say he still hasn’t proven himself with legit, definitive wins and this can push him over the edge as well and make him hyper-aggressive towards everyone and go on a whiny rampage about how much better he *knows* he is than everyone else.

ECW Championship
Mark Henry (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer

Look! Tommy Dreamer is a main eventer in WWE! Is there really any doubt? This’ll probably set up a Henry/Atlas vs. Dreamer/Delaney match. Wouldn’t you love to see that?

WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way
The Miz & John Morrison (c) vs. Finlay & Hornswoggle vs. Curt Hawkins & Zach Ryder vs. Jesse & Festus

The only team that has a chance of winning the belts if Finlay & Horny. Jesse & Festus are a joke and H&R are treated like ones as well. Plus, there’s no reason to make a heel to heel title change. M&M retain. These guys have done such a well job as champs (even though they lose non-title matches often), that it’ll mean more for them to the lose the belts in a two on two encounter.

NYC Parking Lot Brawl
John Cena vs. JBL

It’s a logical booking to have the attempted murderer to do the job. Could be a fun brawl, despite the ludicrous backstory. JBL is such a joke these days.

Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho

I’m loving this feud and my heart tells me Jericho should get the win here to keep the feud going, but my brain tells me HBK goes over. I hope I’m wrong though.

United States Championship
Matt Hardy (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin

Could be a decent match. Hard to tell with Shelton these days. He was on fire his first two years in the company and somehow fell behind. With Matt being an ECW “Superstar” holding a Smackdown belt and the recent affirmative action throughout WWE, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him drop to the Gold Standard here.

Then again, Miz & Morrison are ECW guys and have held the Smackdown tag belts for a while. I’ll say Hardy retains.

For the vacant Divas Championship
Michelle McCool vs. Natalya

Hmm… Michelle is dating the Undertaker. Which one do YOU think is going to win?

 

This looks like a real solid car on paper.

WWE Night of Champions 2008 Predictions

Better late than never…

Vengeance no more! Night of Champions is a pretty fun idea for a gimmick PPV, it’s just too bad the matches don’t look so promising. The top two matches may be decent, but the rest is good standard TV-fare for me… I’d love to see Night of Champions become the new Clash of the Champions and have’em put it on free TV.

Bold text represents my predicted winner.

WWE Championship
Triple H (c) vs. John Cena

Before the brand split, I thought HHH was easily taking this one to get his “win” back from WrestleMania those years ago. But now? Now I’m liking the idea of Cena winning the title belt (preferably through an Edge screwjob) and HHH having to run through La Familia on Smackdown to become “top dog” on a brand again.

World Heavyweight Championship
Edge (c) vs. Batista

See above. I figured Batista would take the World title to Raw, and HHH would keep the WWE title on Smackdown at first. Raw is still WWE’s A-show (for now at least), and I can’t imagine putting Batista on top would be a good move. I like the guy, I like him as a champion, but when someone like Cena or HBK or Jericho is an option… He’s the last guy I’d consider. Plus, I’d rather Batista not get the gold right now so he can stew and get bitter so that by the time Orton is healed up, we get Evolution 2.0 and both going after Cena.

ECW Championship
Kane (c) vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry

This one is too close to call almost. I’d rather see Big Show doing things on Smackdown and there’s no reason for Kane to continue as champ right now. So… the Silverback takes it?

World Tag Team Championship
Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Ted DiBiase & ???

Okay, let’s finally do something with these belts, huh? While I love the idea of Cody turning heel and giving us a next-generation heel stable, I don’t see how Cody can turn on his own partner, walk out with a new partner and still be champion. Either way, Ted DiBiase Jr. ALWAYS gets what he wants and tonight he wants the gold!

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Miz & John Morrison (c) vs. Finlay & Hornswoggle

Finlay & Hornswoggle were drafted to ECW. Miz & Morrison retain and the feud keeps going. Though, M&M are in the same way as Hardy: ECW will be switching to Raw soon to tape their shows, which means M&M are gonna have to drop the WWE tag belts to a Smackdown team just like Matt will end up dropping the US belt to a Smackdown wrestler. Too bad there’s no teams on Smackdown to take the belts.

Unites States Championship
Matt Hardy (c) vs. Chavo Guerrero

I know the US title needs to be be taken off Matt soon, but I gotta believe (and hope) they don’t use Chavo to do it. Unless it’s a big La Familia screwjob or something to let Matt save face. There’s still time to let some other Smackdown Superstar (Kennedy, Umaga, Jeff, MVP, Shelton) pick up the belt from Matt before ECW jumps to taping on Monday nights, let’s not panic and put it on Chavo.

WWE Women’s Championship
Mickie James (c) vs. Katie Lea Burchill

I’m flip-flopping again. Originally, I was thinking Katie, but with Melina injured in the middle of her program with Beth, we don’t need two dominant heel Divas running around (and one with nothing to do). Mickie retains and maybe we’ll get a couple of three-ways (!!!) between Mickie, Katie and the Glamazon while Beth waits until Melina is ready to go again. Does anyone know how bad the injury is?

Other rumored matches are Jericho defending the IC belt and possibly the Smackdown Divas title getting off the ground. I hope they don’t waste HBK or Misterio in the IC match. Either one of those deserve proper build. No matter, I expect Jericho to retain.

As for the Divas belt, I’m reading that match probably won’t be taking place, at least not at the PPV. Just as well, with a possible IC title defense that would bump the card to 8 matches (which is the perfect number of matches as far as I’m concerned), 9 matches seems like overkill.

WWE Draft Wishlist

Seeing as how it’s pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to guess what WWE is going to doat any minute thanks to Vince’s insanity and wishy-washy nature, I’ve decided, instead of predictions, to run my own mock draft of what *I* want to see happen come Monday night on June 23rd.

Certainly, as always, the draft will be lopsided in RAW’s favor, but hey, this is my fantasy draft so I’ll try to even things out a bit. And who knows how many will actually be drafted this Monday? Again, I’ll draft however many I see fit. My reasons for certain draft picks may not be honorable.

Going to RAW:

Batista: I think he’s put in enough time on Smackdown. That main event scene is too small and too stale right now, we don’t need to see another ‘taker/Batista match or Edge/Batista match. A move to RAW could continue the HBK feud.

Elijah Burke: I don’t know what’s going on with him in ECW. He should be one of their top stars yet he’s never on TV. Let’s give the new gimmick a shot on RAW.

MVP: Not much left for him to do on Smackdown at this point. It would only make sense for the highest paid man in WWE to be on the highest rated brand.

John Morrison: I don’t care much for the character, but the guy is talented and has potential to get even better. I think he could reach that potential if given the chance to shine against HBK.

Kelly Kelly: She can’t dance, so stop putting her out there on ECW to dance. Plus she’s one of my favorite Divas and she’s over, so she deserves to be on the A-show.

Going to Smackdown:

HHH: I would love to see him on Smackdown because I rarely get to watch Smackdown. I would also look forward to seeing/reading about all the politicking he and ‘taker would most certainly do against each other in order to be perceived as Smackdown’s top star.

Chris Jericho: Okay, now that we’ve gotten the awesome heel turn out of the way, it’s time to move him to Smackdown. He’ll forever be losing to HBK & HHH if he stays on RAW, whereas if he goes to Smackdown he only be forever losing to Undertaker. Smackdown needs more top heels, Edge can only do so many jobs by himself. And wouldn’t a heel Jericho/Edge alliance be awesome?

Umaga: Again, Smackdown needs more top heels and he’s pretty much become a jobber on RAW. I think a ‘taker/Umaga feud would produce a lot of great brawls.

CM Punk: He’s already been ECW champion, and he’s been doing tons of jobs there lately and just spinning his wheels, it’s time for a change in scenery. With ECW moving over to the RAW tapings, he’ll only end up doing more jobs and getting lost in the shuffle. He could shine on Smackdown with a lengthy feud against someone like Edge or Matt Hardy.

Paul London & Brian Kendrick: Back to Smackdown where they were credible and were given TV time just about every week. It’s also the brand where tag team titles have some value. I still don’t understand the point in them ever getting drafted to RAW.

Carlito: Another guy that needs to escape the Curse of RAW (or WWE in general!).

Going to ECW:

Mark Henry: Probably best to get him as far away from Hayes as possible and I sure don’t want him stinking up RAW.

Gregory Helms: Whenever he’s ready, I’d love to see him on ECW.

Jamie Noble: Smackdown is doing him no favors, I thought he was in store for push, but he got jobbed out against Palumbo and has done nothing since. A move to WWE’s most athletically gifted brand will do him good where he can lock up with the likes of Shelton, Nunzio (hey, he’s good when not treated like a jobber!), Kofi and Sydal (okay… “Bourne”).

Hardcore Holly: I don’t like Holly, but I actually think ECW is a decent fit for him and his style. Increase the frequency of Extreme Rules matches and he’d fit in fine.

Kenny Dysktra: My reasons are the same as my reasons for Noble. Dykstra is a more athletically-based wrestler who has potentional, put him up against other true athletes and he’ll only get better.