The Steel Cage

WWE returns to pay per view tonight with No Mercy. It's a fairly loaded line-up, especially for an "off-band" pay per view event. I'm looking forward to a good show.

Here's the card and my picks:

World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
After putting all other WWE feuds and storylines to shame for nearly six months, the steam has begun to run out in the Michaels-Jericho feud. If it is indeed the case that tonight will mark the end of one of the great wrestling rivalries of our time, the ladder match should provide an appropriate send off. I fully expect a four-star-plus match, and hopefully one in which neither man takes too many unnecessary risky - especially Michaels, who is still nursing a partially torn triceps. Jericho is on fire as Raw's top heel, so there's absolutely no reason to take the title off of him. I predict Jericho wins it, perhaps in an ending that sets up a new opponent for either, or both, of the contestants.

WWE Championship: Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy
These two had a great match at Armageddon last December, and I predict their unique chemistry will lead to another strong bout tonight. However, with the strong likelihood that the ladder match will go on last, I can see these two holding back a little to not upstage the main event. Hardy is clearly on the track for a world title run, but we haven't been given much reason to believe it will come tonight. With both men so preoccupied with Kozlov as of late, I imagine he will factor into the finish - perhaps causing a DQ finish that will set up a Triple Threat at Cyber Sunday. Whatever the case, there's no way Jeff Hardy wins a world title tonight.

Number One Contender's Match: Batista vs. JBL
There hasn't been much substantive build for this match, and I don't expect it to be particularly good. Batista and JBL are both talented big men, but without the right opponent, both are quite capable of having a stinker of a match. I could see that happening tonight. Dave wins to set up a bout against Jericho at Cyber Sunday.

The Undertaker vs. The Big Show
These two had a pretty solid feud a few years back, but both are older and in questionable condition. After coming back in February looking uncharacteristically lean, Show seems to have returned to his old habits and blown up again. I don't expect a particularly good match between these two, but there may be enough bells and whistles to keep it interesting. Big Show wins to build toward a 'Taker friendly gimmick match at Cyber Sunday.

ECW Championship: Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy
Hardy might be ten times the wrestler than Henry is, but the World's Strongest Man was a more credible champion for WWE's third brand. I think WWE realizes that too and takes the opportunity tonight to put the belt back on Henry. This could be an OK match.

Women's Championship: Beth Phoenix vs Candice Michelle
Candice has had zero heat since her return, while the Glamazon's ongoing storyline with Santino Marella has been one of the highlights of Raw each week. Phoenix retains.

Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
This feud has been a giant dud since day one. The one good thing that came out of it has been the introduction of Evan Bourne onto the big stage. A motivated Mysterio could pull a decent match out of Kane. I wouldn't rule out a finish involving Bourne turning on Mysterio to set up a feud. With Mysterio's mask on the line, there's almost no chance of him losing the match - unless WWE just doesn't deliver on the stip. It's amazing that such a potentially monumental development like the unmasking of Ray Mysterio would be such a total after thought on this card. But again, that probably speaks to how unlikely it is that Kane will win.