Post by Sedition: Gladiator on Aug 12, 2011 23:37:14 GMT -6
Summerslam has long been my favorite Pay Per View of the year. Wrestlemania gives the best spectacle, Royal Rumble has the best gimmick, but Summerslam is usually where the best matches take place. This year it's difficult to tell if it will produce those great matches. With only 5 matches advertised so far, I have a lot of questions about this one.
WWE Championship Match
John Cena vs. CM Punk
Prediction: CM Punk Retains
I have mixed feelings about this match. On one hand, their match at Money In The Bank was amazing, and I would love to see a sequel to that one. On the other hand, the build up to the return match has been nowhere near as good as the build towards Money In The Bank. The idea of having 2 WWE Champions would be great if done properly, in fact SWA had a great storyline about that back in 04. The problem here is that John Cena does not seem like a legitimate champ. There was no official announcement of Punk being stripped of the title, so therefore there should not have been a tournament to crown a new champion. Let alone crown a new champion in Rey Mysterio, then have him lose the same night to the Golden Boy John Cena. The story doesn't click with me.
Triple H's involvement adds some intrigue, but I fear Triple H will take the spotlight off of the competitors. Plus it just makes me worry that this is leading to some lame screwjob finish. My guess is they toy with the fans making them expect a screwy finish, possibly with Laurinitis getting involved, but Triple H ends up calling it down the line. I really feel that Punk should retain here. Cena does not need the title to remain at the top, Punk on the other hand would greatly benefit from a lengthy reign, and firmly set himself as a top star. Here's hoping WWE makes the right call here.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Christian vs. Randy Orton
Prediction: Randy Orton Regains
The first time Christian won the World Title, I was so excited. He has been my favorite wrestler since the days of the 5 second pose. I had waited for 11 years to see him win the World Title in WWE. He finally won, only to lose the title less than a week later. He wins the title back, only to be booked as one of the weakest champions ever. He won the title by disqualification. That in itself makes him look weak. He then tries to dodge a rematch with Orton, and squirm out of it being a no dq match. Then comes my biggest pet peeve. One of the biggest problems WWE has had of late is the inability to make a heel champ legit. They dropped the ball with The Miz, and since losing his reign has become an afterthought, and now it is happening with Christian as well.
WWE is so determined to protect their Golden Boy John Cena, and their Silver Boy Randy Orton, that they make antone set against them seem weak and insignificant. This really hurts the product. WWE has made Christian seem like an ant to Orton the anteater. The thing I hate the most is that Randy Orton has been in the main event of every single Smackdown since losing the title. Christian on the other hand has been in the opening match of all but one, where he was in a tag match against Orton. I believe that a Champion should be the main event no matter what. By doing this WWE is telling everyone that Christian doesn't matter. Ohhh it irritates me. To top it off WWE releases a poster for their next Pay Per View, and the poster has Orton holding the World Heavyweight Title. I would like to see Chrstian hold the title for longer, but I just don't see it. My guess is, Orton wins, goes on to face Sheamus or Mark Henry at the next PPV, and Christian gets demoted to the upper mid card and starts putting over guys like Daniel Bryan. Shame too, cause I would have loved to see what Daniel Bryan and Christian could have done in a match for the World Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania, but that will never happen.
Divas Championship Match
Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly
Prediction: Beth Phoenix destroys Kelly Kelly
What I am about to say will probably place you in a state of shock that will lead you to be a vegetable for a very long time, but here goes... I am really liking the Diva storyline going on right now.... are you still with me.... if you are I will refrain from repeating myself so you can pretend you didn't see what you just saw. Usually the Divas produce the worst matches, the worst storylines, and the worst characters. This time around, the story is different. They have taken the two most legitimate wrestlers of the WWE women Phoenix, and Natalya and had them turn against the barbie dolls. They are having the real wrestlers dominate the models who probably never saw a WWE program until they were on the show themselves. I like it when WWE realizes their mistakes and makes a storyline out of their mistakes. The divas have been a mistake for a long time, and things seem to finally be turning the corner. This match will probably suck, since Kelly Kelly couldn't put on a good match if her implants depended on it, but the story is good.
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry
Prediction: Sheamus wins by DQ
Mark Henry has never been this interesting. For 15 years Mark Henry has done nothing but bore me, or make me want to stick my head inside a bee hive. Finally Mark Henry manages to capture my interest. I love the way he has been handled since his move to Smackdown. He has come across like a dominant monster. I can't remember the last time WWE propped up a monster heel so well. On the other hand, Sheamus is more over now than ever he was. Why i wrote that in Yoda speak, I know not, but there it is. Though I think Sheamus has a long way to go to develop into a top babyface, I will say his in ring work has been top notch. He shows great aggression and intensity, and has managed to show much more charisma lately than he was able to before. I think this one will end in DQ. That way Sheamus can get the win, but Henry can still seem dominant heading into a likely rivalry with Orton over the title.
Wade Barrett vs. Daniel Bryan
Prediction: Wade Barrett wins
I am glad to see this on the card, mostly because I am a huge mark for Barrett. When I think of the future of WWE, I see Barrett as the top heel. He has a ton of charisma, he is incredibly eloquent, he has a great look, and comes across as legitimately tough. I also think Daniel Bryan has a great future as an upper mid card, sometimes main eventer. I don't see Bryan as a superstar. As a performer in the ring, there are few better, but his mic skills have a long way to go, he does not have a natural charisma, and Vince doesn't ever get behind small guys (I don't consider Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels or Steve Austin small guys, because all of them still dwarf Daniel Bryan). The fact is almost everytime a small guy wins the World, or WWE title, they end up getting bumped down the card when they lose. Examples, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, CM Punk, The Miz. Miz has just come out of a rivalry with Alex Riley, and the other three guys all went onto reigns as Intercontinental Champion after being World Champion. So if guys like Punk and Jericho don't get to stay at the top, Bryan doesn't stand a chance.
All that being said, I like what they are doing with both guys right now. Smackdown creative has finally decided to stop burying Barret for no good reason, and they have decided to use Bryan for a change. I think Barrett will pick up the win by cheating and keep this rivalry alive for an inevitable match where Bryan puts his briefcase on the line against Barrett. Personally I don't see as much money in Bryan as there is in Barrett, but I expect Bryan to eventually get the better of this rivalry. I just don't think it will happen here.
So that's it for advertised matches, which is strange, because WWE usually advertises at least 7 matches for a PPV. I heard that Mysterio is injured, so that's probably why they haven't announced any other matches. They are probably waiting to see if he can be on the show or if they need to shuffle things around.
A few possible matches are:
Cody Rhodes vs. Ezekiel Jackson
Dolph Ziggler vs. Alex Riley
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston
The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio
All in all I have to say, I am unsure about all of my predictions this time. In every match I can see reasons for them to go the opposite way. It would not shock me to see all of my predictions be wrong, and in the case of the World Heavyweight Title Match that would be a welcomed surprise. Personally this card leaves me underwhelmed if that's a word. I know it's not cause I looked it up. Seeing Orton and Christian for the millionth time, a big man match, a chick fight, an underdeveloped rivalry, and a sequel with less emotion and intrigue (Kind of like 3 ninjas part 2. Sure it was fun and all, but where was the heart of the original?). I look forward to seeing what develops, but I am not holding my breath for anything great.
WWE Championship Match
John Cena vs. CM Punk
Prediction: CM Punk Retains
I have mixed feelings about this match. On one hand, their match at Money In The Bank was amazing, and I would love to see a sequel to that one. On the other hand, the build up to the return match has been nowhere near as good as the build towards Money In The Bank. The idea of having 2 WWE Champions would be great if done properly, in fact SWA had a great storyline about that back in 04. The problem here is that John Cena does not seem like a legitimate champ. There was no official announcement of Punk being stripped of the title, so therefore there should not have been a tournament to crown a new champion. Let alone crown a new champion in Rey Mysterio, then have him lose the same night to the Golden Boy John Cena. The story doesn't click with me.
Triple H's involvement adds some intrigue, but I fear Triple H will take the spotlight off of the competitors. Plus it just makes me worry that this is leading to some lame screwjob finish. My guess is they toy with the fans making them expect a screwy finish, possibly with Laurinitis getting involved, but Triple H ends up calling it down the line. I really feel that Punk should retain here. Cena does not need the title to remain at the top, Punk on the other hand would greatly benefit from a lengthy reign, and firmly set himself as a top star. Here's hoping WWE makes the right call here.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Christian vs. Randy Orton
Prediction: Randy Orton Regains
The first time Christian won the World Title, I was so excited. He has been my favorite wrestler since the days of the 5 second pose. I had waited for 11 years to see him win the World Title in WWE. He finally won, only to lose the title less than a week later. He wins the title back, only to be booked as one of the weakest champions ever. He won the title by disqualification. That in itself makes him look weak. He then tries to dodge a rematch with Orton, and squirm out of it being a no dq match. Then comes my biggest pet peeve. One of the biggest problems WWE has had of late is the inability to make a heel champ legit. They dropped the ball with The Miz, and since losing his reign has become an afterthought, and now it is happening with Christian as well.
WWE is so determined to protect their Golden Boy John Cena, and their Silver Boy Randy Orton, that they make antone set against them seem weak and insignificant. This really hurts the product. WWE has made Christian seem like an ant to Orton the anteater. The thing I hate the most is that Randy Orton has been in the main event of every single Smackdown since losing the title. Christian on the other hand has been in the opening match of all but one, where he was in a tag match against Orton. I believe that a Champion should be the main event no matter what. By doing this WWE is telling everyone that Christian doesn't matter. Ohhh it irritates me. To top it off WWE releases a poster for their next Pay Per View, and the poster has Orton holding the World Heavyweight Title. I would like to see Chrstian hold the title for longer, but I just don't see it. My guess is, Orton wins, goes on to face Sheamus or Mark Henry at the next PPV, and Christian gets demoted to the upper mid card and starts putting over guys like Daniel Bryan. Shame too, cause I would have loved to see what Daniel Bryan and Christian could have done in a match for the World Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania, but that will never happen.
Divas Championship Match
Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly
Prediction: Beth Phoenix destroys Kelly Kelly
What I am about to say will probably place you in a state of shock that will lead you to be a vegetable for a very long time, but here goes... I am really liking the Diva storyline going on right now.... are you still with me.... if you are I will refrain from repeating myself so you can pretend you didn't see what you just saw. Usually the Divas produce the worst matches, the worst storylines, and the worst characters. This time around, the story is different. They have taken the two most legitimate wrestlers of the WWE women Phoenix, and Natalya and had them turn against the barbie dolls. They are having the real wrestlers dominate the models who probably never saw a WWE program until they were on the show themselves. I like it when WWE realizes their mistakes and makes a storyline out of their mistakes. The divas have been a mistake for a long time, and things seem to finally be turning the corner. This match will probably suck, since Kelly Kelly couldn't put on a good match if her implants depended on it, but the story is good.
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry
Prediction: Sheamus wins by DQ
Mark Henry has never been this interesting. For 15 years Mark Henry has done nothing but bore me, or make me want to stick my head inside a bee hive. Finally Mark Henry manages to capture my interest. I love the way he has been handled since his move to Smackdown. He has come across like a dominant monster. I can't remember the last time WWE propped up a monster heel so well. On the other hand, Sheamus is more over now than ever he was. Why i wrote that in Yoda speak, I know not, but there it is. Though I think Sheamus has a long way to go to develop into a top babyface, I will say his in ring work has been top notch. He shows great aggression and intensity, and has managed to show much more charisma lately than he was able to before. I think this one will end in DQ. That way Sheamus can get the win, but Henry can still seem dominant heading into a likely rivalry with Orton over the title.
Wade Barrett vs. Daniel Bryan
Prediction: Wade Barrett wins
I am glad to see this on the card, mostly because I am a huge mark for Barrett. When I think of the future of WWE, I see Barrett as the top heel. He has a ton of charisma, he is incredibly eloquent, he has a great look, and comes across as legitimately tough. I also think Daniel Bryan has a great future as an upper mid card, sometimes main eventer. I don't see Bryan as a superstar. As a performer in the ring, there are few better, but his mic skills have a long way to go, he does not have a natural charisma, and Vince doesn't ever get behind small guys (I don't consider Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels or Steve Austin small guys, because all of them still dwarf Daniel Bryan). The fact is almost everytime a small guy wins the World, or WWE title, they end up getting bumped down the card when they lose. Examples, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, CM Punk, The Miz. Miz has just come out of a rivalry with Alex Riley, and the other three guys all went onto reigns as Intercontinental Champion after being World Champion. So if guys like Punk and Jericho don't get to stay at the top, Bryan doesn't stand a chance.
All that being said, I like what they are doing with both guys right now. Smackdown creative has finally decided to stop burying Barret for no good reason, and they have decided to use Bryan for a change. I think Barrett will pick up the win by cheating and keep this rivalry alive for an inevitable match where Bryan puts his briefcase on the line against Barrett. Personally I don't see as much money in Bryan as there is in Barrett, but I expect Bryan to eventually get the better of this rivalry. I just don't think it will happen here.
So that's it for advertised matches, which is strange, because WWE usually advertises at least 7 matches for a PPV. I heard that Mysterio is injured, so that's probably why they haven't announced any other matches. They are probably waiting to see if he can be on the show or if they need to shuffle things around.
A few possible matches are:
Cody Rhodes vs. Ezekiel Jackson
Dolph Ziggler vs. Alex Riley
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston
The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio
All in all I have to say, I am unsure about all of my predictions this time. In every match I can see reasons for them to go the opposite way. It would not shock me to see all of my predictions be wrong, and in the case of the World Heavyweight Title Match that would be a welcomed surprise. Personally this card leaves me underwhelmed if that's a word. I know it's not cause I looked it up. Seeing Orton and Christian for the millionth time, a big man match, a chick fight, an underdeveloped rivalry, and a sequel with less emotion and intrigue (Kind of like 3 ninjas part 2. Sure it was fun and all, but where was the heart of the original?). I look forward to seeing what develops, but I am not holding my breath for anything great.
