The countdown is on to this Sunday's Bash at Nassau Coliseum (and also to our live chat right here Friday at noon Eastern on the Steel Cage blog!), so here's a preview and my predictions for this Sunday's Pay-Per-View ...
WWE Title: Triple H vs. Edge: Forget all the Edge/Vickie swerves they've been trying to throw at you, including what's gonna happen tomorrow night on SmackDown. For this feud to have any legs, Edge needs to end Hunter's waste of a title reign and then string him along for some time, potentially even to WrestleMania. As Paul Heyman accurately stated in his blog recently, Edge is the best heel in the business right now, and a top babyface chasing a hot heel is the definition of how to make money in wrestling. (Second definition: Hot, fresh babyface champ who beats everyone ... which brings me to our next match ...)
World Title: CM Punk vs. Batista: Batista winning the title makes no sense. A schmozz makes Punk look like a weak champion. I would love to see Punk go over here, with signs of a Batista heel turn emerging, probably out of frustration. I hope they don't follow the Jericho/Benoit formula of making an emerging champion look weak by a non-finish or a match where he's made to look bad. I'd say Punk goes over.
ECW Title: Mark Henry vs. Tommy Dreamer. Tommy's the sentimental favorite, but that's his gimmick. The second half of his gimmick is that he always loses the big match. Henry will go over strong here.
Blah Blah Brawl: Cena vs. JBL. No reason to have JBL go over here, but the Cena quasi-injury from Monday combined with the no-DQ stip would give them an out for JBL to go over. But the only reason to put JBL over would be to build him for Punk, and they've already had their match, so that makes no sense. JBL is a heel who can lose a million times and still be massively over, so I'd expect to see Cena go over, and look for a possible Cena-Punk match at SummerSlam.
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho. Jericho has to win here for this feud to keep going and to mean anything. That being said, they'll probably put Michaels over for no apparent reason.
WWE Tag Title Fatal Fourway: Whoever the champions are will retain. It should show you how meaningful the match is that I don't even know who the champions are.
Divas Title, McCool vs. Natalya: New titles usually work better on heels; the thrill of the babyface chase gets the title over with the fans. I'd see Natalya going over here.
What do you guys think? See you tomorrow at noon for the live chat ...
Comments (7)
"WWE Tag Title Fatal Fourway: Whoever the champions are will retain. It should show you how meaningful the match is that I don't even know who the champions are."
Really? You're missing out, then. John Morrison and The Miz are the champions. They've held the titles since November 2007, and they have developed into an AWESOME team. Seriously, I never would have believed it, but it's true.
Miz and Morrison are the tag champs.
They are the best tag team in the WWE. Though that's not saying much.
I'd guess Miz and Morrison drop the belts to one of the Smackdown teams so they can ween off the Smackdown/ECW connections.
Going to this one, and pretty stoked for both main events along with Michaels-Jericho.
Miz and Morrison are fantastic and fun to watch, but why not reunite the Hardys for good? I mean you have the ECW/Smackdown talent exchange, it just makes sense.
Also, why the hell is Punk getting such a push? He's just not good.
I want to see Edge vs. Big Show or Kennedy, that would be nice and fresh.
Cena is the best on RAW, I just don't get why they put Punk so over.
I JUST WANNA POST THIS AND I WAS HOPING ONE OF THE BLOGGERS WOULD HAVE GOTTEN AROUND TO TALKING ABOUT THIS....
WHY IS IT THAT ALMOST ONCE A MONTH WE GET SOME CRAPPY ENDING TO RAW???? IT-JUST-DOESN'T-MAKE-SENSE!!!!
I MEAN, IN A 4 WEEK SPAN BASICALLY WE HAD A CRAPPY ENDING WITH VINNIE MAC GETTING HURT....AND NOW WE HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT CENA IS STILL EVEN BREATHING AFTER NOT ONLY BEING HIT WITH A CAR, BUT KINDA DRAGGED TOO.
WHO THINKS OF THIS CRAP? "YEA, LET'S HAVE SOMEONE GET HIT BY A CAR AGAIN!" AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? HE'S GOING TO COME OUT WITH ONLY HIS RIBS TAPED UP AND MAYBE A SHOULDER WRAP. FORGETTING THAT COMMON SENSE SAYS HE SHOULD BE MISSING SKIN FROM HIS LEGS AND BACK (NO CLOTHING TO PROTECT)
MAYBE THIS IS WHY WWE'S RATINSG ARE SO-SO NOWADAYS. THEY'RE BECOMING INFAMOUS FOR THE DUDS AT THE END! NO SURPRISES. NO SHOCKS. NOTHING TO CALL A FRIEND ABOUT. IT'S JUST EITHER A CRAP STUNT OR A WRESTLER FIGHTING ANOTHER ONE UNTIL THE CAMERAS TURN OFF. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I actually like the endings to Raw. They haven't actually done this often enough for me. Until this year, it's mostly been some sort of sneak attack after the main event, and then a stare down on the ramp. They are actually getting creative with it now.
As for GAB, I too hope Morrison and Miz lose. Not because they aren't a fantastic pairing, but I'd like them to shave the ECW/SD exchange off because it really isn't needed anymore. SD and ECW both have good enough rosters when used to potential, and Miz and Morrison can both be good singles stars on ECW. For a while, basically since the exchange started, ECW has just been a bunch of matches thrown together with no real story. That's getting better now with Henry, and they can continue it with Miz, Morrison, Finlay, and to start using Burke. The exchange was needed when it started, because ECW didn't have anyone that people cared about. They do now though. Hawkins and Ryder FTW.
I'd have HHH to win, and then to put Jeff Hardy over at Summerslam. Babyface vs babyface, all about Jeff wanting to realise his dream. HHH doesn't turn heel, but still puts Jeff down, maybe touches on the fact that he hasn't taken his career seriously enough. However when Jeff beats him, HHH shakes his hand and raises his arm in the middle of the ring. Then have Jeff hold until around November or December, where he can drop to Edge , which can then set up Edge vs Kennedy at Mania.
Punk winning is a lock for me. I'm really liking what they are doing with him though. The underdog story is genuine, because people really do think he can lose at any moment. This comes from him not having the usual championship build up. Losing to the Miz etc was all to contribute to him being a shock winner. I think they should still want to protect Batista, so I doubt Punk will win clean. He's definately walking away with the belt though
Cena has beaten JBL in absolutely every match they have had. JBL should surely win one. I doubt it though.
Natalya for the divas title. Jericho to win with help from Cade and possibly Paul London, to start some sort of 'Path of Rightousness' stable. Henry to win.
Hawkins and Ryder will win.
Edge will win so they can have alot of gold in La Familia. Edge the best heel? What a sad state of affairs because he does embrace his character better than almost anyone. I just don't buy him as a worthy Champ until he has a good run with the belt and stops getting beat around by everyone.
Kane will cost Batista the match. Punk still the lame duck Champ. I do like Punk though
Both Kofi and Cade will interfere in the HBK/Y2J match setting up a feud between the two for the IC title. Y2J needs to win but HBK will win to make the comeback from the injury complete.
JBL vs Cena has a run in with Crime Tyme and Cody/Ted setting up a feud between the two teams over the Raw tag titles I don't care who wins but i say Bradshaw wins. JBL he and Edge are the same in my book
Henry FTW he's been in the WWE so long it's about time he gets something. Yeah I know he was given the European Championship by Jarrett back in the day.
The Women of Smackdown do not need a championship. so who cares unless the get Awesome Kong or give Victoria the title.
I will no longer watch the opening of Raw's 30 minute promos or the end which has insulted my intelligence twice in the last month alone.