The Red brand's first PPV since the split has had more time than Backlash to develop storylines. They've also got a bigger roster and now one more title. They will be expected to put on a better show and a couple of the matches have the potential to be show stealers. Here's how I think it will go down.
Alicia Fox v Nia Jax
Anything but a Nia Jax victory here would defeat the point of all the squash matches she's been having. I'm struggling to be interested in this because we've not really seen Jax up against anyone who would give her a challenge. Obviously, that's what this match is supposed to be but why build her up as so overpowering only to have her lose when the first serious challenger turns up. There's a reason this is on the pre-show.
Prediction: Nia Jax
Tag Team Titles:
The New Day (c) v Gallows & Anderson
Gallows and Anderson have lost The Club moniker for no explicable reason. I think it might have given them more credibility which has also been chipped away at by turning them into comedy characters. Perhaps they thought it would play best against the New Day to have them both quipping at each other. Despite this, the commentary teams have been constantly reminding us of the pair’s achievements outside WWE and trying to play up their threat. The guys are beasts who should be smashing through everyone in sight week on week but have been made to look a bit weak at times. It’s time for the organisation to show why they brought them over from Japan and give them the belts. The New Day would have been champions for almost 400 days and it’s time to spice it up a bit now there are other genuinely viable candidates for top team, which there hasn’t been for periods of their reign.
Prediction: Gallows & Anderson
Best of 7 Final:
Cesaro v Sheamus
When this started, I liked the idea of it. Since then it's sort of been buried with matches on pre-shows and house shows. It hasn't got the billing it needed to make it seem worthwhile or meaningful. Cesaro is on the way up and Sheamus is on the way down - both in terms of career and this series - and so I can't see Sheamus winning, especially when a title shot is on the line.
Prediction: Cesaro
Sami Zayn v Chris Jericho
There’s no way Zayn should win straight off. He’s marketed as the underdog from the underground and this personna works better if he’s lost a bout or two before finally overcoming his adversary. He’s a great performer and Jericho isn't so egotistical that he won't put over younger talent (witness his defeat to Fandango of all people) so Zayn will definitely get a victory at some point, but the start of what should hopefully be a good rivalry is not the time for it.
Prediction: Jericho
US Championship:
Rusev (c) v Roman Reigns
Rusev has had some pretty poor storylines recently. The Ziggler one with Lana yo-yoing between the two of them, and then Roman Reigns crashing his wedding. When he joined the main roster, he was an unbeatable monster and he’s been quite poorly booked since that undefeated streak ended. When him and Owens gave Reigns the beat down in the cage last night, it felt like they were trying to highlight the primal aggressiveness which was part of those early victories. Reigns has been jumping between the Universal and US title scenes and doesn't seem to have settled after what appears to be a demotion after his suspension. Reigns suffered a few near misses before he won the World Title and I think they would do best to have the same thing happen with the US title.
Prediction: Rusev
Women’s Championship:
Charlotte (c) v Sasha Banks v Bayley
The rumourmill had Banks only dropping this at Summerslam as they thought she would be out for a while. Charlotte had been champion for a long time and it felt like the belt needed a new holder, with Sasha being the obvious choice. The decision here is whether to just have Charlotte’s reign be a short one or to deny Sasha the reign that it feels like she has earned. Bayley's late entry feels designed just to make the match a bit more interesting than a straight out Summerslam rematch. I don't feel she will be given the title just yet. It looks like Charlotte’s relationship with Dana Brooks is breaking down and that she has a ready built feud good to go so I can see her dropping the belt here, perhaps with some interference from Dana. This could leave Sasha to renew her great rivalry with Bayley who has laid a claim to be the number one contender and there has been some tension between the two of them recently.
Prediction: Banks
Cruiserweight Championship:
TJ Perkins (c) v Brian Kendrick
I've not watched the Cruiserweight Classic, so my introduction to it was on last night's Raw. It's difficult for me to go for anything other than the newly crowned Perkins retaining his title.
Prediction: Perkins.
Universal Championship:
Kevin Owens (c) v Seth Rollins
KO should not under any circumstances drop the belt here. It would undermine the fact that they gave him the honour in the first place. He should get a clean victory to cement the fact that he deserves to be the top man for the red brand. He’s been a really consistent worker all the way through from NXT and is great both on the mic and in the ring. There should be no interference from Triple H as Owens has the talent to win on his own and needs to prove it. Although I did enjoy his reaction on Raw when Trips pedigreed Rollins to give him the title, the win this time needs to be fully deserved. It will be interesting who the crowd cheers for here. Both guys have been heels that the crowd has loved. Rollins looks like making the move to be the brand’s top face so perhaps they’ll have Owens give him a merciless beat down after the victory to try to cement that.
Prediction: Owens
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