WWE has a bonus live special on the network tonight – WWE Roadblock 2016! Here are the Pulse Wrestling team’s thoughts and predictions.
WWE World Heavyweight Title
Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose
CB: This would be such a better WrestleMania main event than Reigns’ coronation. Alas…
Winner: HHH
Pat Metalhead: Well, WWE has at least tried to sell the idea something big could happen here. And let’s face it, Ambrose winning here would completely change what will otherwise be a dreadfully bland and predictable main event at WM. Which is exactly why our dear friends from WWE creative won’t go for it of course. Like it or not, Ambrose is just there to cover for the fact Reigns is recovering from surgery. And boy, did WWE get lucky with that one as Ambrose vs HHH on RAW has been lightyears more entertaining than anything involving Reigns. Not that that’s saying much, but still. Anyway HHH wins and he and Reigns get back to pointing at the WM sign while fans all go back to sleep.
Winner: HHH
Spain: I guess I’m alright with this. Sure, Ambrose has no chance whatsoever of taking the belt, but the near-falls are going to be incredible to watch. I feel like WWE does need to learn the difference between ‘teasing’ and ‘being self-unaware and dickish’. The fact that this match exists shows that they know what people want (in case the thorough booing of Reigns wasn’t a clue), and the fact that they still think they know best, even after WrestleMania 30 proved that listening to their audience pays off, is pretty damn arrogant.
Winner: Triple H
Sam P – This should be a solid tune up for the Cerebral Assassin. I can’t see him dropping the title in his first match since winning it, and right before a well publicised main event at Mania. The Triple H / Reigns and Lesnar / Ambrose programmes have had decent interlinking storylines, so a massive swerve isn’t out of the question. A fatal four way for the title at the grandest stage of them all? Maybe Reigns makes a run in to help Ambrose win so he can face his brother? Possibly a bit of a stretch.
Winner: Triple H
Kate Hartford: If WWE is going to stick to their current WrestleMania card, then they have that option of having HHH retain the title until WM. It’s great he’s defending the title in the meantime, however. It validates HHH’s status as a respectable champion who’s worked his ass off for the company, which also helps Ambrose – not that Ambrose isn’t already over, but the fact he has a title shot with HHH is a big deal. There’s also that super small chance that Ambrose gets the title and we see Ambrose vs. Reigns at WM. Hang on, I’m not done yet – there are rumors that Seth Rollins might come back to WWE sooner than expected. He’s already training in the ring. If he can make it in time, perhaps we could see a Triple Threat for the title between Rollins, Ambrose, and Reigns. If Rollins doesn’t come back aligned with the Authority, then HHH could also be included to make it a Fatal Four-Way. But, unfortunately, my gut is telling me that HHH will retain. However, if WWE wants to do something interesting before carrying on HHH vs. Reigns, they could give Ambrose the title briefly, much like how they did with the IC title, and that would get Ambrose even more over and provide some buildup if they have some great post-WM plans for him. There are actually lots of options here to improve the current WM card, if WWE fails to provide The Game vs. The Juggernaut and instead gives us company badass vs. the babyface we don’t want, need, or deserve.
Winner and still WWE World Heavyweight Champion: HHH despite possible match interference by Roman Reigns
Paltrowitz: I mean, this is essentially a house show, right?
Winner: HHH
Penny Marie Sautereau: I’d really like them to pull a shocker and have Dean win here so it can be Dean/Roman at Mania, but Vince and Tripsy are hellbound and determined to stay the course no matter what. So Tripsy will win no matter what and goddammit we will like Roman’s inevitable Mania win whether we want to or not!
Winner: HHH
Sam Keola: Ambrose will win by DQ. Triple H will prepare to destroy him with the sledgehammer and Reigns will save the day or something like that. I’d much rather there be some twist build to a four way at Wrestlemania between Ambrose/Hunter/Reigns/Bray, but I expect we’ll see the predictable.
Winner: Dean Ambrose by DQ
Fantasy Booker Matthew Michaels: I’ve decided to respond to this roundtable throwing out the window what I think WWE will actually do! Therefore, let’s have Dean Ambrose beat HHH here to become World Heavyweight Champion. Of course if WWE actually DOES this, I’ll assume that HHH wins the belt back the next night, and becomes 15-time WHC, tied with Mister Cena and one away from The Nature Boy Ric Flair’s WWE-kayfabed 16. What they should do however is have Ambrose face HHH at Mania for the title, have Roman beat Brock to become number-one-contender, and then build towards Reigns finally becoming champion again in a three-way with Dean and a returning Rollins at SummerSlam.
Winner – Ambrose
Widro: WWE has done a decent job of muddying the waters but it would be a huge shock if Dean won here.
Winner: HHH
Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt
CB: No way Lesnar loses…
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Pat Metalhead: BROCK SMASH! FANS HAPPY! BROCK SMASH SOME MORE! FANS HAPPY SOME MORE! I think that about covers it. I’m yawning in advance.
Winner: BROCK SMASH!
Spain: This could have been incredible, hypothetically. You had Wyatt and Heyman, ready to duel promos like the loquacious gods that they are. Wyatt and Lesnar, personality-wise, was an intriguing combination, and the Wyatt Family at ringside would have added some doubt to the matter. Lesnar had the perfect reason to be furious at Bray, post-Rumble, and Wyatt’s stated profession as titan-hunter gave him all the motivation he needed to go after the biggest monster around. The fact that the WWE managed to fumble this winning formula to the point that it’s a no-build match on a hastily-put-together PPV is a really worrying sign for them, competence-wise. I figure Brock’s going to win because A) why wouldn’t he, and B) because he’s actually doing something at WrestleMania.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Sam P – Widely expected to be a bout in Texas, this is like a ‘here’s what you could’ve won’ at Wrestlemania match. The Wyatts have been victims of terrible booking since their reunion, and it can only continue with another loss here. The only way Bray could possibly come up victorious would be with severe interference, but with another live event running simultaneously to Roadblock and half of the Wyatt Family performing elsewhere, there can be no other hand raised than Lesnar’s.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Kate Hartford: This is a good match-up to at least draw in more viewers. The Wyatt Family needs a good feud after having several others with veterans that were great, but went nowhere. Maybe this will open up a possibility Brock Lesnar could F5 all four of them easily, so Bray Wyatt should be an even easier win for him. Also, it would be crappy to have Lesnar lose a few weeks before WM.
Winner: Brock Lesnar, clean pinfall
Paltrowitz: Ditto.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Penny Marie Sautereau: Lesnar wins, Wyatt steals the show with his spooky shenanigans, lots of carnage and violent stiff-looking spots.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Sam Keola: Lesnar will win. They have no clue what to do with Bray Wyatt. Brock can’t be shown to be weak going in to WM. This is a wrap up of the would-be Wyatt feud that never got any attention and dropped before it got footing. I’m hoping we’ll be thrown a swerve somehow in this match up since there was the Bray tease with Triple H last week, but I’m doubtful. The ideal situation would be for Strowman to take out Lesnar, after a Wyatt Family interference or botch. Lesnar wins and Strowman is shown as a monster as sets up Brock vs Strowman to replace Ambrose. That’s what I’d do, but it’ll never happen.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Fantasy Booker Matthew Michaels: Lesnar wins. I don’t even want to good around here; Brock needs to be strong going into Mania, period, and Wyatt has lost so much, this won’t do anything to his status.
Winner – Lesnar
Widro: I think we’ll see the original Wrestlemania match here with ample interference from the other Wyatts.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
NXT Tag Team Titles
The Revival (c) vs. Enzo & Cass
CB: Part of me wants Enzo and Cass to win, but part of me also wants them on the main roster ASAP. Therefore…
Winner: The Revival
Pat Metalhead: I would assume this match exist to introduce Enzo and Cass (and Carmella) to a wider audience (although I have to think that since NXT is part of WWE Network, most people watching the Special will already know them. Regardless, this could be a good showcase for both team and the wrestling gods knows that the WWE tag team division needs all the help they can get, so, why not? Shouldn’t be bad, but The Revival vs American Alpha’s has already been set for NXT Takeover Dallas so the result should be a formality.
Winner: The Revival
Spain: I’ll be totally honest and admit that I don’t watch NXT. Not through lack of desire, but because I feel like it’s the kind of thing I’d need to devote all of my concentration to, and I don’t have that sort of free time right now. So, I’m going to randomly pick a team and, if I am correct, then I am some kind of wrestling prophet.
Winners: The Revival
Sam P – The Revival. The Mechanics. Dash and Dawson. Wilder and Dawson. These guys have had four tag names since their inception, and still there’s no awesome team moniker for Enzo and Cass. This is the only match on the bill where the result is legitimately in doubt, for while Enzo and Cass are due a fully deserved title run, there’s certainly a place for them on the main roster. The Revival would feel a little irrelevant without the belts and in all likelihood, American Alpha will enter the race next. They’ll need a heel pair to bounce off.
Winner: The Revival
Kate Hartford: This match-up definitely makes me interested, plus the casual fans watching will be more likely to check out NXT if they haven’t already. I imagine some NXT fans are thinking that most fans won’t realize who they are and why this match-up is important, but I don’t think that will necessarily be the case once the match starts because of the talent. However, it sounds like The Revival will continue to beat Amore and Cassady once again, but I can see either Amore and/or Cassady getting called up to the main roster despite their loss. That result would definitely make sense, especially if WWE has plans to bring both of them up in the near future.
Winners and still NXT Tag Team Champions: The Revival
Paltrowitz: Because life isn’t fair. But it’s nice that Enzo and Cass are getting good exposure to the regular WWE audience.
Winner: The Revival
Penny Marie Sautereau: It’ll be interesting to see a WWE Main Rostyer audience react to the Jersey Guido Connection, but Enzo and Cass are at a Crossroads here; either win the fucking tag belts finally, or just jump up to the main roster and start jobbing to the Usos already. I’m hoping for a title win. They need to stay where they’re cared about.
Winner: Enzo & Cass
Sam Keola: I’m hoping for a big showing from both teams to introduce them to the larger WWE audience. I like the Revival’s old school feel. Enzo and Cass, I’m not completely sold on. I think we may see a title change with the loser being brought up to the main roster sometime soon.
Winners: Enzo & Cass
Fantasy Booker Matthew Michaels: I’m willing to go out on a limb here to say that The Revival will win, and Enzo and Cass will be brought up to the main roster… Not sure how well they would do, but them vs. teh New Day could = a whole lotta goofiness.
Winners – The Revival
Widro: This is a good showcase match for NXT but i don’t think we’ll see a title change here.
Winners: The Revival
WWE Tag Team Titles
The New Day (c) vs. The League of Nations
CB: I have a feeling LON wins just to make New Day chase the titles and win them back at Mania.
Winners: League of Nations
Pat Metalhead: This feud is apparently set to continue until WM, so I assume LoN will do a New Day and shenanigan themselves into victory or some such. Well, at least we’ll have some sort of storyline involving the tag team titles, instead of just having the New Day goof around, that should count for something, right? Right?
Winner: LoN
Spain: This came massively out of nowhere. I’m not sure if this indicates a face turn for the New Day, but it’s a different team for them to take on, so I’ve no real problem with it. I can’t see the League of Extraordinary Mid-Carders being the ones to take the belts, however, so let’s call it a win for the New Day.
Winners: The New Day
Sam P – If you didn’t have enough evidence that Roadblock was a glorified house show, this match is proof. While the card has 3 title matches on it, surely there can’t be too many changes before the biggest show of the year? How Sheamus and Barrett weren’t paired together years ago is beyond me, but it’s too late. Having a disillusioned Barrett hold gold seems unlikely, although it would be great to actually have the League of Nations look strong. At the moment, they’re just an angry, foreign Social Outcasts.
Winner: New Day
Kate Hartford: With Wade Barrett leaving WWE soon, it definitely makes sense that WWE is at least giving him another title shot before he departs. However, it feels unlikely that the League of Nations will earn the titles, mainly because there hasn’t been any build-up between New Day and LoN and there would be a lot of heat towards the company for New Day to lose their titles right before WrestleMania.
Winners and still WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day
Paltrowitz: New Day are planning a big Wrestlemania entrance, so…
Winner: New Day
Penny Marie Sautereau: A month ago I’d have said League of Boredom would go over since they’re Authority flunkies, but of late they’re barely an afterthought on tv. The only way we even still know they work for the authority is because the announcers tell us so. So I’m guessing New Day retains again.
Winner: New Day
Sam Keola: This will be the big attempt of turning the New Day face. I expect ND to retain, but if they lose to LoN I don’t expect the titles to be gone long. We may see them drop the belts only for a rematch at WM, having the now face New Day chasing the gold.
Winners: New Day
Fantasy Booker Matthew Michaels: Wait that’s it? Four matches on a three-hour show? Um… Since this match was originally rumored to be taking place at Mania, and still might, I predict tomfoolery and a shmozz ending. BUT WAIT, I’m not predicting! I’m fantasy booking! Therefore, New Day finally turns babyface here, when they are joined by a fourth member to even the 4-on-3 odds: former Big E ally and Spirit Squad member: Dolph Ziggler!
Winners – The New Day
Widro: I don’t think it makes sense to take the titles off the New Day.
Winners: New Day
Charlotte vs. Natalya
Kate Hartford: Charlotte and Natalya have had excellent matches in the past, but I have feeling that this one will take an unfortunate backseat. It was revealed at the last minute, it isn’t a title match, and there doesn’t seem to be any storyline attached to it. Natalya also deserved a lot better a long time ago. We might expect a solid match, but nothing close to their NXT match-up a couple years ago.
Winner: Charlotte, with possible interference by Ric Flair
