Check out the staff’s full preview and predictions!
WWE Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Samoa Joe
Michael – Joe has been booked almost perfect since coming up from NXT, including the build to this match. In fact, I think the build has been so good that they extend this out longer.
Winner: Brock Lesnar (when Joe gets disqualified for not releasing his choke)
Sam G – I’m almost annoyed how good the build has been for this match because I’ve really bought into Joe as a legitimate threat to Brock. I wish WWE had the guts to put Joe over (you know, the full-time guy) and make him the new monster heel. Sadly this match will end up being your typical 2000 suplexes and a couple F5s to a finish. God knows what will happen to Joe after this match.
Winner: Bork
Sam Keola: Joe has been super impressive leading up to the ppv. I would hope WWE would do the smart thing and strap Joe, but I imagine Lesnar will retain.
Winner: Lesnar
Widro – The build for this has been fantastic and I’d like to see Joe win but I can’t see it happening. I just hope it’s not a squash.
Winner: Lesnar
Ambulance Match
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Michael – As much as I would like this match to be Strowman just destroying Reigns, I have to wonder if Strowman came back early just to give someone for Reigns to roll over. The inexplicable Roman Reigns push continues.
Winner: Roman Reigns (unfortunately)
Sam G – Roman and Braun’s feud has been superb. I love their intensity and I’m getting the vibe these two will be rivals as long as they both have careers in WWE. My man Roman will be winning this one, but they’ll both work hard and put on the best Ambulance match in the company’s history.
Winner: The Big Dog.
Sam Keola: Fans everywhere marked when Strowman returned, but the past RAW seemed to muddle the feud. Smart money is on Strowman, but knowing WWE they’ll put Reigns over.
Winner Reigns
Widro – This match seemed designed to let Roman job without jobbing.
Winner: Strowman
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Neville (c) vs. Akira Tozawa (with Titus O’Neil)
Michael – Adding a contender to the Titus Brand was a good move, but I am not sure they are ready to move the belt off Neville. He has been great as champ and I imagine he keeps his reign going.
Winner: Neville
Sam G – Neville is amazing. He’s gotta win, if only for the memory of that poor monkey Tozawa abused.
Winner: Neville
Sam Keola: They’ve really been pushing the Titus Worldwide, but I’ve yet to see that pay off for anyone. Could this be the start? I’m hoping they’ll keep the number of champions to a minimum than strap everyone though.
Winner Neville
Widro – Interesting that Aries leaving puts this match into a new possible context. Still don’t think this is a title change.
Winner: Neville
WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Sasha Banks
Michael – Bliss is still not good enough in the ring to justify holding onto the belt at this point. Plus, I think there are a lot of good stories to be had with Sasha as champ.
Winner: Sasha Banks (new champion)
Sam G – I love Sasha and she’s clearly the better wrestler – but Bliss is the one being pushed here. It’ll be another Alexa victory.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Sam Keola: Sasha hasn’t been relevant in until the last minute. WWE is feeding the champ.
Winner Alexa Bliss
Widro – Strange to see how Sasha has been marginalized in booking and I think that continues here.
Winner: Bliss
30-minute Iron Man match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
Cesaro and Sheamus (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy)
Michael – They’ve been trying so hard to make us think these teams are evenly matched, but physically it isn’t even close. This match should be thirty minutes of Seamus and Cesaro breaking the Hardy Boys, but it will be an annoyingly back and forth match.
Winner: Seamus and Cesaro
Sam G – This feud really has gone on too long but I’m still enjoying the matches, unlike most people. This match will be very good, very technical.
Winners: Cesaro and Sheamus
Sam Keola: This is a toss up for me. If the Hardys are to be relevant they need the straps. They have nothing else going on. Shesaro has been the most dominant team for awhile now however. Shesaro takes it and possibly a new transition for the Hardys. Yes?
Winner Shesaro
Widro – Hard to decide, but doesn’t feel like a title change.
Winner: Cesaro & Sheamus
WWE IntercontinentalChampionship
The Miz (c) (with Maryse, Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) vs. Dean Ambrose
Michael – Despite how great Miz has been in this past year, they just won’t let him move on from Dean Ambrose. I’d like for Miz to retain here, but I think the brass wants the belt back on Ambrose.
Winner: Dean Ambrose (new champion)
Sam G – The Miz will win again. I don’t really care about this feud.
Winner: Mizanin
Sam Keola: There’s no way Ambrose will defeat the Miztourage.
Winner Miz
Widro – Miz just added some backup, hopefully this is the end of the feud for now.
Winner: Miz
Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt
Michael – So what are these two fighting for anyway? It sounds like Rollins is defending the wrestling world from blasphemy. But since Vince already beat God in a match a few years ago, I can’t imagine a god not getting back his win.
Winner: Bray Wyatt (needing to stay strong)
Sam G – Seth and Bray are two of the blandest, most stale wrestlers on the roster today. Seth is a naturally smug and unlikable person: so they make him a face. Bray is… utterly terrible ever since he jobbed to Boreton at Mania. I’ll be skipping this match.
Winner: Don’t care.
Sam Keola: This feud should be five star. Instead they’ve used tv time to try to get over Rollins new finisher with weekly jobbers. Hopefully this match will fire the feud up for another (actually/hopefully) good run. Logic would say Wyatt would then for another match. But…
Winner: Rollins
Widro – Very stale feud and match for both guys, should be interesting to see if they can step up.
Winner: Bray
Enzo Amore vs. Big Cass
Michael – Cass is the guy they are going to push. Everyone knows this. It is just as matter of how much they let him crush Enzo. Maybe after Enzo can go to SmackDown and join up with James Ellsworth as Carmella’s guys.
Winner: Big Cass
Sam G – Enzo and Cass have never interested me and this breakup doesn’t make sense to me. Cass is going to have a rocket strapped to him because he’s big but to me he has a horrid look and is incompetent in the ring. I am not looking forward to his push over the next few years. Just imagine his and Roman’s inevitable feud… urgh. I love Roman but even he won’t be able to get a good match out of that tall, skinny-fat jabroni.
Winner: Cass, because obviously
Sam Keola: Some things can’t be taught.
Winner: Big Cass
Widro – Hard to see Enzo winning here.
Winner: Cass
