Alfonso's Judgment Day Picks
For the first time in a long time, WWE is presenting a pay per view that feels like it’s there just to fill space. With 14 pay per views each year, it’s actually quite an accomplishment to have run as many consecutive must-see pay per views as WWE has in recent months. I’d say you’d have to go back to September’s rather mundane Unforgiven, which was headlined by the Undertaker’s return against Mark Henry, to find a skippable WWE pay per view.
That’s not to say that this Sunday’s Judgment Day won’t be any good. On the contrary, the potential is there for several fine matches. The problem is that few of them feel fresh. The two competitors in Smackdown’s world title match – The Undertaker and Edge – will have faced each other in four out of six WWE pay per views, not counting Edge’s attack on Taker at the Survivor Series. Raw’s headliners, Randy Orton and Triple H, will similarly have wrestled each other five times in nine pay per views, including twice at October’s No Mercy.
WWE is in desperate need to freshen up their main event scene, but with One Night Stand taking place just two weeks after Judgment Day, I can see WWE sticking to their top feuds through at least another pay per view.
Nevertheless, here are my Judgment Day Picks, for what they’re worth:
WWE Championship Cage Match: Triple H (champion) vs. Randy Orton
The aforementioned familiarity between these two may keep the fans from really getting into this one. We’ve just seen Orton and Hunter go at it so many times before to be all that intrigued by their latest battle. Plus, while the cage match stip might seem novel, it can sometimes take away from a match more than add to it. There will be no brawling outside, table spots, or dives to the ringside area. Still, these two are professional and capable enough to put forth a three-star plus effort, and I expect nothing less. I’ll say Triple H somehow retains the title, despite the involvement of William Regal.
Vacant World Heavyweight Championship Match: The Undertaker vs. Edge
These two have put on good matches at the last two pay per views, but without even a stipulation to freshen their feud up, this match, more than any, may suffer from feeling like too much of a rerun. I could see Vickie Guerrero introducing a stipulation earlier in the night to favor Edge, such as a no-disqualification match that would allow Ryder, Hawkins, Bam Neely and Chavo Guerrero to help Edge gain the advantage. Still, I’ll predict Taker defies the odds, gets back his title, and transitions into a feud with Umaga or Kane.
John Cena vs. JBL
These two have also had many matches together – most notably during Cena’s earliest months as world champion on Smackdown in 2005 – but it’s been long enough that this match feels relatively fresh. That said, with JBL still not having totally shaken his ring rust since returning to action, and Cena having cooled off considerably in recent months, I expect something of a flat match between these two. Cena desperately needs a big win to get his momentum going again, so I’ll pick him getting the clean victory here.
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
These two had one of my all-time favorite WrestleMania matches back in 2003, and I’m really curious to see if they still have the same chemistry together five years later. Jericho’s been a lot more entertaining since turning heel, while Michaels’ “woe is me” routine has been pretty lame. With this being only a mid-card match, I imagine both men will hold back a little something as to not steal the spotlight from the two world title matches. I predict Jericho picks up the victory here to keep this feud going a while longer. I’d also expect some angle involving Michaels’ getting a “real” injury to his knee.
WWE Tag Team Championship: The Miz & John Morrison (champions) vs. Kane & C.M. Punk
The Miz, Morrison and Punk are all athletic enough to make this match watchable. The tag team champs, especially, have been a lot of fun to watch as of late, both in the ring and behind the microphone. I’ll predict a title change here to set up dissension between Kane and Punk, and an eventual ECW title feud between the two.
Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Mickie James (champion) vs. Beth Phoenix vs. Melina
Kudos to WWE for investing some creative energy in the women’s division as of late. I was under the impression that it was Maria - not Melina - that was in this match, and I'm glad to hear from readers that I was wrong. These three women represent just about the three top female workers in the company, so I expect one of the better women's matches of the year here, if the ladies are given ample time.
It’s far from a loaded card. Remarkably, there is just one announced Smackdown match on the event. Batista, the Big Show, U.S. Champ Matt Hardy and MVP are all conspicuous by their absence, as are Raw's Jeff Hardy, Mr. Kennedy and Umaga. I imagine WWE could throw something together at the last minute to get some of them involved.
I may just be saving my $40 this Sunday.
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Comments (5)
I believe it is Melina, not Maria that is part of the Women's Triple Threat at JD.
The women's match is Mickie v. Beth v. Melina (not Maria).
I've seen loads of people talk about Jericho's 'heel turn' but I've yet to actually see it.
The feud looks like a 'cheer who you choose' type deal, because Jericho never actually turned, and HBK's faking of the injury, being unsportsmanlike, could be heelish to some people - especially as big babyface Batista has said he will get Shawn if he was indeed faking. This is very much shades of grey, I certianly don't think Jericho has 'turned' yet.
I also don't think Cena has cooled off. Every match he is in gets a ridiculous amount of reaction from the crowd, and I don't see why going against a good heel in JBL that this Sunday will be any different. It won't be flat.
I'm loving Miz/Morrison lately, especially since theyv'e been made to look real good against Batista/Punk/Kane in recent weeks, so I also look forward to one of their matches. ECW could have an interesting storyline if Kane/Punk win, with distrust brewing because Punk has a title shot whenever he wants (even if he won't cash it on ECW's gold) or one of Miz/Morrison getting the pin cheaply on Kane and both of them saying they should be contending for the title, leading to them both helping each other out but perhaps showing signs of getting on each other's nerves.
I'm not overly pumped about either of the title matches, but the cage match should be good, and I expect Regal involvement to lead towards a feud with HHH and hopefully a Regal title win. We are also in theory guarenteed a new World Heavyweight champion, which makes it watchable just for the fact that if Taker was still holding, you'd know that this would be nothing more than a post-Mania retain for the recently crowned champ. There's realistic possibility that Edge can walk out with the belt this time, so in that sense it could be fun.
Beth and Melina also took an interesting turn with their backstage segment, so that even adds intrigue to the women's match.
I'm sure Batista will also have some invovlement somewhere, and maybe Kennedy/MVP/Matt/Jeff/Show will get on somehow. I'm of the opinion that WWE has been on fire lately with their TV (after two poor weeks IMO following Flair's send off) and their PPV's have been, as you said, great since Unforgiven, and even that had a title change and the return of The Undertaker. Before that we had the first battle of Cena/Orton for the title at Summerslam and a solid GAB card with Cena/Lashley and MVP/Matt. In terms of PPVs, if not TV, it could be argued that WWE has gone almost a year of really watchable shows, and I feel that's great considering the injuries, the amount plans have had to be changed and what happened with Benoit.
If you compare this JD card with the one last year I feel there is no comparison, this one blows it out of the water.
Id rather Edge win the title back and go feud with someone else like Matt Hardy or CM Punk. Umaga should interfere and start their inevitable feud. I don't like Taker as champ and that battle of big men doesn't need a title on the line to make it interesting. WWE could help elevate some other guy in a feud with Edge over the title.
I'm predicting Batista to get involved in the Michaels-Jericho match because on the May 2nd Smackdown, he claimed that if he found out Shawn Michaels was faking an injury, he would injure him for real.