Rasslin’ Roundtable – WWE Night of Champions 2010

Features, Roundtables, Top Story

Night of Champions is one of the few PPV events in WWE with a theme that actually makes sense and could be fun to watch. Yet, WWE is pulling a TNA by not announcing a tag team championship match for an event where all titles should be defended and announcing a match where no title is involved. Good one WWE. Here are the Pulse team predictions for WWE Night of Champions 2010.

WWE Championship – Six Pack Elimination Challenge:
Sheamus (C) vs. John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge vs. Chris Jericho vs. Wade Barrett

Steven Gepp: Can I say that I may be in the minority here to be actually looking forward to this match? I wasn’t at first, but the elimination rules make it seem that much more unpredictable. And it means, as someone has already pointed out in a column somewhere, that the champ must be pinned to lose! The way I’d like to see it going is everyone basically gangs up on Wade Barrett because everyone hates the Nexus, and then it degenerates into some sort of clusterf*ck, and then there’s a winner. Is it going to be all on all all the time? Or sort of tag in whoever you want rules? Okay, I think Barrett will be first eliminated, whether by ganging up or by the fact he is DQed when Nexus interferes. But who wins? Do they keep the belt on Sheamus because there’s more in the chase for the faces, especially when the 2 faces – Cena and Orton – are also at each other’s throats? Will this lead to the long-awaited heel turn for Cena? Have they made promises to certain Canadian music star people to stop them leaving the WWE? Will Victor realise Marlena actually loves Brodie, or will Sam and Stacey’s marriage go ahead as planned, even if Kimberley is locked in the basement of a burning building? So many questions…
Winner: (and new champ, and the money is still in the chase) Chris Jericho (and I know that’s just wishful thinking on my part, but dammit, I’m so far behind in this roundtable thing it doesn’t matter!)

Matthew Michaels: I want Sheamus to keep the belt. I think it would be fun for Wade Barrett to do so, but unlikely. John Cena doesn’t need it. Edge? I have no idea who he’d even feud with at this point. Chris Jericho SHOULD win the belt as we approach the ten year anniversary of him uniting the WCW and WWF Championships, and hold it until the rumored WrestleMania title unification bout. But the hot hand is Orton.
Winner: Randy

Kyle Sparks: This is probably the hardest match of the night to predict, which is good. But it promises to be a giant cluster-you-know-what and likely won’t be a good match. Which is bad. Edge hasn’t looked like ANY sort of threat, and still isn’t the heel he was when he was last World Heavyweight Champion what seems like years ago. Barrett would make an interesting story, but I don’t think Vince wants to go there just yet. He won’t win the fall, but he CERTAINLY won’t lose it. One of 4 people is walking out with the strap. Cena, Sheamus, Orton or Jericho. This whole thing appears to be a lazy way to take it off Sheamus, because the heel isn’t supposed to persevere through this type of thing. That leaves Cena, Orton and Jericho. Orton is white hot, Cena is the big merch seller, and Jericho is the guy who’s said he’ll retire if he doesn’t win the title. While they’ve given him the boot before, I don’t remember the last extended Jericho/Orton program (the brief one they worked when Jericho came back I’m not counting) and think it could be a really high quality short program to transition the title from him to Orton. I’m going to go with the dark horse pick.
Winner: Chris Jericho (New WWE Champion)

Kelly Floyd: Everyone’s kind of feuding with everyone, and having five contenders is kind of a mess. Glad it’s an elimination match now, that gives it some real possibility. Chris Jericho will not win, he’ll be quitting at the end of this match. I don’t see Edge winning this, either. So…Sheamus, Orton, Barret or Cena? Orton has sprinted past Cena as the top star of Raw, but he’s been the one on top for the last few weeks. Cena is a good possibility because…he’s Cena, and it’s been a whole minute since he’s held the belt. Sheamus could weasel one out here, but I think he’s used every trick in the book thus far to keep his title. This is Barrett’s earned title shot for winning NXT and he has his cronies to help him win, for some reason I feel like they’re going to pull out a big surprise on this one. And well…why the hell not.
Winner: Wade Barrett

Raffi Shamir: I know who isn’t going to win – Edge. He’s in a holding pattern and seems to be developing something with his former EdgeHead Zack Ryder. I know who I don’t want to win – Wade Barrett. He’s not ready yet and it would be a jumping the shark moment for Nexus. I know who shouldn’t win even if I wouldn’t mind him winning – John Cena. He just doesn’t need the title right now. This leaves us with three guys who would make a good choice. Orton is the top face on Raw and an obvious choice after he failed to win the title last month. Jericho said he’d retire if he doesn’t win the title here and nobody wants that to happen (Though we all know what wrestling retirements are like). Sheamus is finding his groove as a dominating heel champion and it would be a shame to have him lose the title and put the brakes to his current nice push. Also, I love long title reigns.
Winner: Sheamus

Andrew Wheeler: Sheamus and Orton have a date at Hell in a Cell, so there’s no reason to take the title off of him here. Besides, nothing bolsters the champ better than saying he survived a match with the odds stacked against him. Cena and Barrett can work HIAC without the title, while Edge can afford to float aimlessly. The scariest aspect of this match is that this could be the final time we see Jericho…but I doubt it. Chances are, Morrison is going to interfere in some way to cost Chris his title, postponing Jericho’s “retirement” so that he can get revenge.
Winner: Sheamus

Widro – It’s curious that after the failure of the Fatal Four Way PPV that they would do another multiple-man Raw Title match, but here we are. No clear winner, which is a plus, as I could see Jericho, Barrett or Sheamus winning. If they truly wanted to go with Barrett they likely would have done a singles match. Given it’s unlikely that a face would win in this type of wacky match, that leaves Sheamus and Jericho as my picks, and why not.
Winner: Jericho

World Heavyweight Championship:
Kane (C) vs. The Undertaker

Steven Gepp: Next! I mean it. Next! You are both old and over the hill and slow and boring and you both do not deserve to be here! I don’t care who wins, so long as Punk has the title by the end of the year! Augh! But it’s ‘Reward Mark “I don’t sell for anyone under 6’10” tall or with a name made up of three initials” Calloway time’, so, the winner is:
Winner: Undertaker.

Matthew Michaels: For this to be effective, Kane needs to hold onto the belt longer. Taker will eventually win this feud, as he should, but it’s too soon.
Winner: Kane

Kyle Sparks: There really shouldn’t be any doubt here, but I’m going to go out on a limb again. Bear with me. This entire feud has been predicated on Kane telling his brother at every turn, “I’m stronger than you,” and then proving it. If the first thing that happens when they get a match is Kane gets his ass kicked again, that’s just useless. As much as Ace will hate it, a Kane retention here allows for a little more recovery for a still weakened Undertaker (as he played it on SmackDown) to get back in his groove and whip Kane in the match Taker helped put on the map next month.
Winner: Kane (STILL World Heavyweight Champion)

Kelly Floyd: Kane has had the upper hand for weaks. He’s bested Taker on more than once occasion. They’ll put the belt on Taker to draw fans over for the big move to Syfy, since Rey Mysterio is gone for a while. Plus, who can resist an opportunity to get the crowd to crap their pants?
Winner: The Undertaker

Raffi Shamir: There aren’t enough words to describe how much I hate seeing these two fight again. This was bad the first 500 times and this will be bad this time and the next 500 times. But if WWE wants any kind if mileage out of this program, Kane has to finally win one decisively against his brother, or else what’s the whole f*cking point?
Winner: Kane

Andrew Wheeler: Kane’s retaining the title here, stipulation or not. The gimmick is that Kane is the more powerful one now, so why not let him get a victory for his efforts? I know we’ll see this match a few more times (like HIAC and Survivor Series), so it makes sense for Kane to get the advantage.
Winner: Kane

Widro – I might be in the minority, but I think it’s a good idea for WWE to go back to this feud for the new generation of fans. It plays to both Kane and Undertaker’s strengths and can provide some cool special effects. Obviously this feud doesn’t end here, and as such I can’t see Taker winning the title.
Winner: Kane retains (taker by DQ)

United States Championship:
The Miz (C) vs. Daniel Bryan

Steven Gepp: I think the Miz is over-rated by everyone. He’s better than average on the mic, his in-ring skills are passable, and he has a catch-phrase. That’s it. Daniel Bryan is okay on the mic, has superb in-ring skills, and no catch-phrase along with dubious facial hair. Oh, and he’s liked by the IWC. Not good for him, not at all. But I don’t see this feud ending here. I can actually see Bryan winning the Rumble in January, and Miz somehow being involved in his Wrestlemania plans, but beyond that I’ve given up trying to think like a booker in the WWE. After all, I’ve had an education. This is the start of something long that will hopefully bring Miz’s wrestling up to a better than decent level and bring Bryan’s talking up to the level he reaches only rarely in the indies. Win-win for all concerned.
Winner: The Miz

Matthew Michaels: There might be interference to allow The Miz to keep his heat and move onto a feud with Cena or Orton, but Bryan’s winning this.
Winner: The American Dragon

Kyle Sparks: I’m a little torn here. Elementary Booking 101 says Miz retains here (as Bryan made him tap like a bitch on the go-home Raw). But all logic and common sense says the American Dragon goes over (yes he can still be called that, WWE trademarked it, we all know). If Miz beats Bryan clean here, it’s done. Over. Fini. Kaput. Bryan is buried before he begins. The only way Miz walks out with the title is Riley-ference. I don’t see that happening, and I think they want to elevate Miz sooner than later so the albatross (at least to him) that is the US Title has got to go, and who better than the American Dragon?
Winner: Daniel Bryan (NEW United States Champion)

Kelly Floyd: The WWE could give Bryan the win to not only apologize for the hasty release back in June, but also to make up for the stall in the momentum from the tremendous push he had going for him pre-release. The US belt is the last hindrance of Miz remaining in mid-card, and this will be his big leap to the main event.
Winner: Daniel Bryan

Raffi Shamir: I so disagree with Steven here. The Miz is not just better than average on the mic. He’s has Jericho level mic skills and that a huge accomplishment for someone who though HURRAH was a catch-phrase when he just started. He’s shown tremendous improvement in the ring and as I said before, he’s the hottest heel in WWE right now. As for this match, The Miz absolutely has to lose here. I’m reminded of a young Randy Orton in 2004, who had to lose the intercontinental championship before moving on to fighting for the world championship. The Miz is in that spot right now. He’s held the US title for so long (not counting a few weeks in between title reigns) and has to lose it before he moves on to the next level. While I want him to only cash his MITB contract at Wrestlemania, he doesn’t need the US title any more. Daniel Bryan, on the other hand, needs it. And he needs a win over the Miz. This will establish him in the midcard and with the title around his waist, make sure he will not get pushed to the background. I love this feud and I think it can go on a little longer, but Bryan has a lot more to lose by losing this match that The Miz has.
Winner: Daniel Bryan

Andrew Wheeler: Bryan’s momentum from Summerslam has stalled a bit since it’s clear that Miz is already being booked beyond this feud. If the WWE wants Miz to get the title soon, they’ll take the belt off of him. If not, then I think that he’s going to drop it here. With that said, Miz and Bryan can get at least one more month out of this deal, so I say Miz keeps it thanks to some aid from Alex Riley.
Winner: The Miz

Widro – This is a big in-ring test for both guys, because Miz is surging as a character but needs a statement match and Danielson can give it to him, if Miz is up to it. This is Bryan’s first major WWE singles match on PPV and he needs to deliver in a big way, which he likely will.
Winner: Bryan

Intercontinental Championship:
Dolph Ziggler (C) vs. Kofi Kingston

Steven Gepp: Again? Look, they were entertaining the first few dozen times, but they’re not good enough yet to keep doing things differently each time. So, yes, it’s getting predictable and boring and very same-y. They should have thrown some sort of stipulation in here to give it some pep for the PPV – cage, ladders, Vickie Guerrero on a pole, anything – but as it is it’ll be okay, but not anything we haven’t seen many, many, many, many, many times before.
Winner: Kofi Kingston

Kyle Sparks: The stipulation here is that if Dolph gets counted out or DQs, he loses the title, right? When was the last time a heel actually lost the title under those circumstances. Dollars to Doughnuts (who the hell came up with that phrase anyway?) Ziggler walks away with the belt after a roll-up and a handful of tights and/or his feet on the ropes.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler (STILL Intercontinental Champion)

Matthew Michaels: I just don’t care about this feud. Kofi needs a push, but Dolph and Vicky are incorrigible. And as pro wrestling heels, that’s a good thing.
Winner: Ziggler

Kelly Floyd: This has been done over, and over, and over…and OVER. I care about this match almost as much as I care about the Divas match. I can see Vickie ruining this for Dolph after a messy debacle with Kaitlyn (no pun intended), and Kofi regaining his title.
Winner: Kofi Kingston

Raffi Shamir: Things in Smackdown range between stuff I hate to stuff I don’t care about. This is in the second category.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Andrew Wheeler: This feud has been going on forever, but Ziggler hasn’t had the title for all that long. It would make sense for Dolph to keep the belt, but Kofi has fresh challengers in Swangle and Del Rio. Sadly, I think Dolph is going to lose…probably by DQ thanks to Vickie to further the tension.
Winner: Kofi Kingston

Widro – This feud has seemingly gone on forever, with some long TV matches with non-finishes. If given some time, could be a great match. I don’t sense Kofi has the momentum to get the title here.
Winner: Ziggler

Divas and Women’s Championship Unification Lumberjill Match:
Melina vs. LayCool

Steven Gepp: Logic says that Melina overcomes the odds, the two friends go after one another, and she walks out the champ. But logic is not married to the Undertaker at this point in time, and so, in the current Mark Calloway can do no wrong tour of the WWE…
Winner: (and new sole champion, but without her BFFE) Michelle McCool

Matthew Michaels: Raw’s the A-show, so Raw gets the title, right? Wrong. LayCool’s too funny with the belts, and combining the titles = continued humor as they now have one each to share.
Winner: LayCool

Kyle Sparks: Haven’t seen much of the build here, because…oh, wait, there hasn’t been any. What do you get when you unify nothing? This match. My only hope is that they call the unified title the “Women’s Title” because that Diva’s Title is an abomination unto the world in both looks and name.
Winner: Melina (NEW Women’s Champion)

Kelly Floyd: Who do Michelle and Layla have to face on Smackdown? I mean, really? This could be a great place to break them up, but I think it’s working too well right now. If Melina wins, they’ll go crazy trying to get it back, giving them something to do.
Winner: Melina

Raffi Shamir: Whenever I have the opportunity to praise LayCool, I take it. They’re fresh and entertaining and are always fun to watch. Melina on the other hand, is a better wrestler than both members of LayCool combined and only won her title last month. When in doubt, I’ll go with the face.
Winner: Melina

Andrew Wheeler: Miscommunication between LayCool gives Melina the win, thus ending the Tramp Stamp Title reign of terror. Who am I kidding? There’s no way the WWE doesn’t keep that ugly butterfly title.
Winner: Melina

Widro – It seems too soon to break up the LayCool act, so it makes most sense to me that they’ll win the WWE Raw Woman’s title, and each have a belt. Then it will lead to a slow build where they will finally split and wrestle each other to fully unify the titles
Winner: LayCool

WWE WTF Championship:
Big Show vs. CM Punk

Steven Gepp: If Show has his working boots on, this could be quite the entertaining disaster area.
Winner: (and springboard for new things) CM Punk

Matthew Michaels: Punk should win here, even if he gets help.
Winner: Punk

Kyle Sparks: To be fair, I don’t have a big issue with this match. All the promotion ever said (that I recall) is that “every title would be defended,” not that “every match will be a championship match.” So there. Anyway, just like with Miz vs. Daniel Bryan, I’m torn. Elementary Booking 101 says Punk, but the part of me that desperately wants this feud to end says Big Show. Just end it, dismantle the SES and let Punk move onward and upward. But no, I think they’re going to stretch this for one more PPV and have Show win a match at Hell in a Cell to “free the SES” like Saturn did with Raven in WCW.
Winner: CM Punk (likely via Straight-edge-rference)

Kelly Floyd: I don’t even care who wins, I just hope that this is the last of this feud, and it will stay off my television. I want to see Punk move on to bigger and better things.
Winner: CM Punk

WWE did not announce a tag team title match for Night of Champions, yet this match is on the card. Don’t get me wrong, I think this will be a fun match but how does this sit with Night of Champions theme? Anyway, Punk and Show have good chemistry and I think they will get something nice going. A loss for Punk would be the final nail in the SES coffin, and it seems like this is the direction that WWE is heading, but I think we might be pleasantly surprised.
Winner: Punk

Andrew Wheeler: This feud isn’t all that interesting, despite Punk’s best efforts. Big Show beat the SES pretty cleanly last time, so I suspect Punk is going to get revenge.
Winner: CM Punk

Widro – Strange booking to go from a three on one handicap match to a one on on match, but that’s booking 2010 for you. Punk needs a credible win after months of jobbing and injuries, so this could be it.
Winner: Punk

Rumoured match for the WWE Unified Tag Team Championships:
The Hart Dynasty (C) vs. Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre

Steven Gepp: Was Tyson Kidd impressive against Jericho in the cage on Raw or what?! I like this Harts v2.0 team. A lot. They are actually making me think this second/third generation stuff has some merit. I also like Cody Rhodes, though this team would have been so cool if he was with Goldust, and Dusty was their manager, if you weeeel. And by cool, I mean that in the ironic way kids today use words. But I’d like to see Cody/Dustin team up one day for shits and giggles. And why am I waffling on about a team that doesn’t even exist? Because it makes more sense than throwing McIntyre and Rhodes together and then giving them a title shot on PPV. I still think they have to let McIntyre off his leash and let him wrestle European style, while I think Cody is one of the more improved wrestlers of the past few years. But the Harts rule what passes for tag team wrestling in the WWE at the moment. Imagine them against MCMG, Beer Money, Generation Me, The Briscoes, TWGTT? Imagine if tag wrestling meant something outside of TNA and ROH?
Winner: Hart Dynasty

Matthew Michaels: Alas, maybe now that the tag titles are combined, and the other titles rumored to be merged by this time next year, we’ll have a solid slot for the tag belts soon enough. Until then, I’m guessing this opens the show or doesn’t even make the PPV.
Winner: Harts

Kyle Sparks: Oh, PS to Raffi, they’re just called the WWE Tag Team Titles again now. But yeah, this is as likely as anything to be the Tag Title match, and honestly, does anyone really see the Harts losing to this team? Honestly? I’d still rather see the Dudebusters or the Gatecrashers or even Gallows & Mercury from the SES, but that’s just me. Harts get their win back, and keep waiting for a REAL tag team to challenge them.
Winner: The Hart Dynasty (STILL WWE Tag Team Champions)

Kelly Floyd: I don’t think Cody and Drew have a shot. I like that Smackdown guys are contenders in this match, but this won’t happen for them just yet.
Winner(s): Hart Dynasty

Raffi Shamir: Thanks for the tip Kyle, but if I changed the category title now, it would have been cheating. So I’ll change it the next time these titles will be on the line on PPV. Which may be in a very long time as I weep for the state of tag team wrestling in WWE. This is a rare case where WWE needs to take a page out of TNA’s playbook. WWE can and should put more focus on this division because the Harts need a worthy opponent. Try elevating the Dudebusters or the Gate Crashers. Give those teams a chance to impress or disappoint, just give them a chance. In any case, I don’t see Drew and Cody succeed where Morrison and Truth failed.
Winners: the Hart Dynasty

Andrew Wheeler: The Harts have had the title for what feels like an eternity, so maybe it’s time for a new team. Cody and Drew make a fine heel tag team, and giving them exposure on RAW can only raise their profiles.
Winner: Rhodes & McIntyre

Widro – It’s sad that after introducing the new tag titles they have basically disappeared. Drew and Cody is an odd team, in that their personalities don’t mesh and both are heels with no real sign of face turns (to create a feud). Tyson Kidd looked great against Jericho, and with Kidd, Kaval, Danielson and Bourne, WWE could have an instantly amazing cruiserweight division if they felt like it.
Winner: Harts

Now that you have our predictions, you can come back to Pulse Wrestling on Sunday night for full, live coverage of WWE Night of Champions 2010.