As much as I've detested WWE programming in recent months, I will be watching along with the rest of you. Because I know there are a couple matches on this show that will at least merit a one-time watch. If you are expecting an all-time classic on this show, to quote Wade Barrett's old gimmick, I'm afraid I've got some bad news.
Here's a preview of the sequel to the latest Saudi Blood Money show.
Let's get this disclaimer out of the way: Goldberg will not be dropping anyone on their heads today. Also, no lockers will be harmed in the making of this Pay Per View production.
Now that I've covered that, let's talk about the sequel to the Saudi Blood Money show.
Steel Cage Match
WWE Championship
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
I know that Kofi has won basically every match since WrestleMania, or rather the ones that actually mattered. Still, I wouldn't call beating a defanged Kevin Owens or Dolph "Pin me, Pay me so I can yell IT SHOULD BE ME one more time" Ziggler as definitive title reign victories. Kofi is still just there as WWE Champion, and while the live crowds have been warm to him, I can't help but feel that this has been a failure up to this point. Now that being said, I think it's 80% likely that Kofi walks out of that steel cage still WWE Champion. I know Vince devalues the WWE Championship, but I don't think he devalues it enough to put it on Dolph Ziggler. It's not Dolph's fault either. But after a decade of programming to tell people "This guy is nothing," you can't just flip a switch. That's why the Jinder Mahal experiment failed miserably in 2017. (Go ahead. Argue the "Punjabi Prison Match" with Orton put butts in the seats. I dare you.) Kofi keeps the strap for another month, unless Vince decides to swerve everyone and have Brock cash in on Kofi.
Prediction: Kofi Kingston
WWE Universal Championship
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Baron Corbin
**Corbin gets to pick the guest referee.**
I'm going to make this short and sweet. As much as Vince loves him some Baron Corbin, I don't think he's that in love with Baron Corbin to put the belt on him. The bigger question, again, is whether Brock cashes in on Seth Rollins during or after this match.
Prediction: Seth Rollins.
Raw Women's Championship
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lacey Evans
The whole Becky Lynch championship reign has been a failure for a few reasons. Becky's character has been effectively neutered thanks to the greater attention to her opponents (Evans and Charlotte last month) and the questionable actions that her character has taken. We're supposed to believe that she's a Conor McGregor like character, but she's made some really stupid choices as a character that can only be attributed to bad writing and booking. Therefore, I'm going on a limb and predicting that Vince is going to do what Vince probably wants to do here: put the belt on Lacey Evans. My question is whether Becky (now) "No Belts" will continue to be a featured part of Raw or whether another woman on the roster gets pushed over Becky as the next challenger.
Prediction: Lacey Evans
SmackDown Women's Championship
Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (w/ Nikki Cross)
Against Vince's instincts, I think that Alexa's continued health concerns are probably going to stop her from becoming champion. Plus, if you open Pandora's Box of having a Raw superstar win a SmackDown championship (not that the brand split has meant a damn thing in the last two months), it's going to only further muddy the waters. There's also the Nikki Cross factor to consider. Could Nikki cost Alexa the title by accident or on purpose? Regardless, I'm predicting a Bayley win here. (Could we get Sasha Banks returning tonight to attack Bayley? Just a thought if Sasha's really coming back...)
Prediction: Bayley
Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre continues to be woefully miscast by WWE. I've enjoyed McIntyre's work since returning to WWE (via NXT), but the writing and booking have done no favors for him. Nor did the WrestleMania match against Roman Reigns. I'm a little mixed on this one. On one hand, I can see Roman beating Drew because... well, he's Roman Reigns. And it would set up Roman going back after Shane. (Remember. Miz's old gimmick before he was turned into a job boy for this storyline.) On the other hand, I can see Shane screwing Roman out of this match to allow Drew to get the win. Then, that would force Roman and Miz to work together against this (sigh) UNSTOPPABLE force of Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon. Which way will they go? Which way will they go? (To borrow from another Shane McMahon program from years past.) Screw it. I'm going Drew McIntyre on this thanks to Shane McMahon.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre
United States Championship
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Ricochet
I want to be excited for this match. But I have no faith in WWE's booking of Ricochet lately. So, I'm going with Joe.
Prediction: Samoa Joe
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Tony Nese (c) vs. Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa
I'm like most the world: I don't watch 205 Live. And during a 5 hour WWE production, this will be my bathroom break. (Again, much like most the live audience and those watching at home.) So, let's flip the coin. Crap. There's three people in this match. Um... the champ retains? Yeah. I'll go for that old trick.
Prediction: Tony Nese
SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Daniel Bryan and Rowan (c) vs. Heavy Machinery
I know Vince loves Otis. But I'm not going so far as to predict that he'll stop The Planet's Tag Team Champions quite yet.
Prediction: Bryan and Rowan
The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
I didn't even know this was a match on the card until I looked it up. I have to believe that Owens and Zayn are going to get a win. But since when do Zayn and Owens win matches? A man can root for miracles, right?
Prediction: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
Other Predictions
- We will get a couple 24/7 segments including a probable run-in during one of the matches Vince believes needs "spiced up."
- Miz will get involved one way or another in the Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns match.
- Somewhere, some wrestling pundit is going to say "God, I can't wait for Bray Wyatt to get in the ring and change everything." And I'm going to hear it somehow and laugh hysterically. In a year from now, Bray will be chasing the 24/7 Championship behind Drake Maverick and Shinsuke Nakamura. (Yes, unfortunately. I have Nakamura being swept up in the 24/7 chase if he continues to be employed by WWE.)
- I'll be sitting through the show thinking "I can't wait for Fyter Fest."
Well, those are my predictions. I may be wrong, and I'm hoping I will be in a few cases. Join me later tonight as I do live thoughts during the show and giving some brutally honest reactions to the show.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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