For a change, Raw is the brand with the first PPV after a combined event. Raw in my opinion is the least exciting of the brands. They tend to go with the safer options, unlike Smackdown who have catapulted stars such as Baron Corbin and Jinder Mahal into the main event scene.
One notable absence from this show is Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. The part-time champion wouldn't have defended his title within 30 days which is the WWE's kayabe rule. This is the rule which resulted in Naomi being stripped of the Smackdown Women's championship. It doesn't seem right that Lesnar should be exempt from this rule, but he obviously is due to the cost of paying him to fight. Oh well.
Also missing from the card is the recently returned Finn Balor, although he is going to be on Miz TV on the pre-show.
Enzo Amore & Big Cass v Gallows & Anderson
Enzo was taken out on this week's Raw. This match is on the pre-show and it seems likely that he will get his revenge to get the crowd in a good mood before the show begins.
Prediction: Enzo & Cass
Roman Reigns v Braun Strowman
They keep forcing Reigns down our throats. They let him beat the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. I don't see any way that he is losing at the next PPV, regardless of how Strowman is being built up. Strowman is too early in his career to take a victory over someone they insist on pushing. I do wonder if they will make the turn here. The Raw after 'Mania he had so much heat and now would be the time. Even if they don't (and I think it's unlikely), then Reigns has to take the victory as far as creative is concerned.
Prediction: Roman Reigns
Seth Rollins v Samoa Joe
Rollins beat Joe's "boss" Triple H at Wrestlemania and now has to face the destroyer who injured him the day after the Royal Rumble. I expect him to get his payback here. As with Reigns, it seems unlikely that he'd get a big victory at 'Mania to then fall down to a lesser opponent just a few weeks later.
Prediction: Seth Rollins
Raw Women's Championship:
Bayley (c) v Alexa Bliss
I find this difficult to call. Bayley has had a few big victories recently, notably over Charlotte Flair. It seems that they are trying to build her up and to take the belt from her so soon into her reign would break up the momentum that they have been building. Alexa Bliss was the biggest heel on Smackdown Live and this allowed her to grow and improve at what she does. I can see her being rewarded here with a victory and becoming the first woman to hold both the Raw and Smackdown Women's championships. This is a close call, but my instincts say the five feet of fury will take it.
Prediction: Alexa Bliss
US Championship:
Kevin Owens (c) v Chris Jericho
Kevin Owens has moved seamlessly into his role as the Face of America and this needs to keep going for a while, because he's stumbled upon another slice of gold, straight after the gold Best Friends run with Y2J. Jericho has been rumoured to be going off TV for a while, and is also on tour with Fozzy soon, so it's likely that they'll put Owens over, possibly with him inflicting a serious kayfabe injury over Jericho. This could write the GOAT off TV for a few months to fulfil his other commitments, and leave Owens to have a great run with the belt. Jericho could come back and take the strap from Owens, leaving him free to move up to the main event scene having held the mid-card in place during the transitional stage of superstars moving brands.
Despite the event being titled Payback, Jericho won't get his here.
Prediction: Owens
Cruiserweight Championship:
Neville (c) v Austin Aries
I thought Aries would take it at 'Mania. I'm not sure why they'd have the same bout again if it wasn't for Aries to take the title here. The Cruiserweight championship has changed hands frequently, but that's at least partly due to it being the only title on the show. Aries is over but could have a good run with the title after coming back from his injury.
Prediction: Austin Aries
Raw Tag Team Championship:
The Hardy Boyz (c) v Sheamus & Cesaro
These teams are both fan favourites, although there was some conflict between them on this week's Raw with Sheamus being the unlikely voice of reason. I can see this possibly being a very sporting contest with a big group hug at the end. The Hardy Boyz are on fire at the moment, and there's no way the momentum of their return is being stopped here.
Prediction: The Hardy Boyz
House of Horrors Match:
Randy Orton (c) v Bray Wyatt
This match seems not be for the title, as Jinder Mahal is being talked of as Orton's first title defence at Backlash. This seems really odd as the match was ostensibly arranged on a Raw PPV due to it being Wyatt's contractual rematch.
It seems unlikely that the title would get moved to Raw, so if it's not for the strap, then Wyatt has got a much better chance of winning. We still have no idea what a house of horrors match would involve, suffice to say that it has to be freakier than the projected images on the ring mat that inexplicably happened at Wrestlemania.
This match should hopefully continue the Wyatt era and should hopefully be as freaky as hell, leaving him to get his revenge on Orton.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
No comments:
Post a Comment