Welcome to the Rasslin’ Roundtable for WWE Night of Champions. Now without further ado…
Flag Match
Mark Henry vs Rusev
Justin C: This one is pretty simple. Henry is just another body to feed to Rusev until he gets to John Cena. Whether that is this fall or at Wrestlemania, that is the path this is going. I was extremely disappointed in the main event segment on RAW. I like Rusev but he needs to move on from Henry after this.
Winner: Rusev
Chris Sanders: Just end this.
Winner: Rusev
Widro: This has gotten a shocking amount of TV time including a Raw main event. The match finish seems like a foregone conclusion to me.
Winner: Rusev
Rhett Davis: Ugh. Rusev crush. America cries. Rusev, hopefully, moves on to an opponent that matters.
Winner: Rusev
WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos vs Gold & Star Dust
Justin C: Some people seem to be torn on this one but I don’t get it. The Dust Brothers are just a team for the Usos to beat until The Ascension gets called up. Even a brief Dust Brothers Title run doesn’t make sense. You want the Ascension to beat The Usos after holding the Titles for over 6 months, not after they just regained them. The Usos win here in what should be an entertaining match.
Winners: The Usos
Chris Sanders: Usos are a bunch of jerks. Talented, but jerks.
Winner: GoldStar
Widro: The Usos have done a good job as champs and have seen the division elevated (although it seems lower right now than at its recent peak), and it’s time for new champs.
Winners: Gold and Stardust
Rhett Davis: This should be an interesting match, but it depends on whether The Ascension is coming up soon or not. If they are, then The Usos win it here to lose it to them. If not, then Gold and Star Dust win it. However, I don’t think The Ascension is coming up soon so we’ll see Gold & Stardust.
Winners (and NEW WWE Tag Team Champions): Gold & Stardust
Intercontinental Championship
Dolph Ziggler vs The Miz
Justin C: I like Dolph Ziggler. But it seems like all of his mid-card feuds are just never that great. The best part of this program has been Damien Sandow in his role as Miz’s stunt double. I don’t think Miz is going to regain the Title here. Dolph is over and I don’t see any reason for him to lose the Title yet. If the rumors of a Bray Wyatt feud are true then having the IC Title involved will be good for the Title itself. Dolph retains.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Chris Sanders: Yeah, I’m gonna need for Miz to keep his grubby paws off the IC belt for a while.
Winner: Ziggles
Widro: I did laugh at R-Ziggler the first time, although it’s already a tired joke. This feud is seemingly endless even though it’s only a few months old.
Winner: Ziggler
Rhett Davis: Ziggler hopefully wins to stop this boring feud.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
United States Championship
Sheamus vs Cesaro
Justin C: These two are going to have a fun brawl. I would expect this to be a hard hitting match as these guys won’t be afraid to work a little bit stiff with each other. Both of these guys need to be elevated a little further up the card, because honestly they both deserve it. I think Sheamus would get a push before Cesaro, so that is why I see Sheamus dropping the Title here. Cesaro can win the US Title and defend that for a little bit as Sheamus moves on to something else, where a Title isn’t needed.
Winner: Cesaro
Chris Sanders: Eh, it’s not like Sheamus is doing anything with the belt.
Winner: Cesaro
Widro: These two guys are apparently friends in real life and are excited to have a match. Whether the match will be good or not remains to be seen.
Winner: Sheamus
Rhett Davis: Poor Cesaro. Maybe the Roman Reigns injury will open things up for the guy. Cesaro wins to move up the card a bit.
Winner: Cesaro
WWE Diva’s Championship
Paige vs AJ vs Nikki Bella
Justin C: On the HTCPulsecast my colleague Matt did a good job of striking fear into me, giving a reasonable explanation on why Nikki might win. I still don’t think that is going to happen though. I see Paige retaining here. We maybe get one more Paige/AJ match, then see AJ move on to a feud with Stephanie McMahon. That’s just a guess. Hell, I would even consider a gimmick match between Paige and AJ, maybe even a cage match. I think Paige holds on to the Title here.
Winner: Paige
Chris Sanders: I have a bad feeling about this…
Winner: Nikki
Widro: This seems designed to get the belt onto Nikki in some sort of screwy fashion involving Steph.
Winner: Nikki Bella
Rhett Davis: I guess Paige wins.
The Ayatollah Meets the Apex Predator
Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho
Justin C: This match is here just to right Jericho off TV, and give Orton a win after his losing effort against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. To me, Orton seems like the next logical choice to fight Brock Lesnar. Orton would have a good match with Lesnar, and he’s the only real top star they have that hasn’t faced Lesnar before. I’m guessing Orton gets a clean win here, and delivers a punt to the head of Jericho to write him off TV for the time being. Orton needs a win and one over Jericho will help.
Winner: Randy Orton
Chris Sanders: Jericho is on his way out and Randy hasn’t won a PPV match in forever. Do the math.
Winner: Randy Orton
Widro: This match has almost no buzz at all, and I can’t imagine many people are excited for it. Since this is Jericho’s last WWE appearance for this run, my expectation is that he will do the job here.
Winner: Orton
Rhett Davis: Orton wins.
Winner: Randy Orton.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesnar vs John Cena
Justin C: The WWE wants you to believe that John Cena has a chance to regain the Title here. They might have convinced some people, but I still think Lesnar wins here. Lesnar losing the Title before Wrestlemania just doesn’t make sense, especially if you want the man who beats him to be the next face of the WWE. I think Cena gets some more offense in this match. I could see a possible DQ finish, stretching the program out to Hell In A Cell. But I think this program comes to an end Sunday. Lesnar picks up the win and both parties involved move on.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Chris Sanders: I’m just not ready to see the person that defeated the streak to lose to anyone just yet. Try me again around Wrestlemania.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Widro: Everyone’s worst nightmare seems like it’s going to happen. Cena barely sold the loss at Summerslam and it just feels like he will get his win back. or actually go up 2-1. I could see Rollins cashing in afterward too. For me, nothing other than a Summerslam-style rerun would be satisfying, having Cena come back ruins the whole thing. However given the Roman Reigns injury, plans could be shaken up and changed again.
Winner: Cena
Rhett Davis: Cena will lose to Brock Lesnar. That simple.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
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