Smackdown definitely seems to build to it's pay per views more efficiently. All the title matches have been built well, and the flag match between Cena and Rusev has had a reasonable build as well, with the two guys having history together on top of their recent rivalry. Even without the storytelling, there are a few matches that are exciting match-ups. This could be a surprisingly good pay per view.
Pre-show: Tye Dillinger v Aiden English
Poor Aiden English. According to Internet Wrestling Database, aside from a DQ victory against Randy Orton, he has not won a match since February. That was part of an twelve man tag team match. Before that, his previous victory was in June 2016 when the Vaudevillains beat Enzo & Big Cass (again by disqualification).
He is currently embodying the definition of jobber. This is a man who was an NXT tag team champion. They obviously like English at they kept him around when his partner, Simon Gotch left the company a few months ago.
Dillinger beat him at Backlash, and I don't think he'd be elevated too much by beating English again. Something in me thinks that this might be part of a little push for English, so I have to go for him here.
Prediction: Aiden English
Shinsuke Nakamura v Baron Corbin
Both of these guys have a claim to be looking at a title shot in the near future. Nakamura has come in as a 2-time NXT champion, and Corbin has been on the rise since winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at Wrestlemania last year.
Corbin has been attacking Nakamura before matches recently; he did this before the tag team match on Smackdown and the Money in the Bank match. I can see him potentially trying to do the same here. Nakamura deserves a degree of payback which he should do by getting the rub here, especially as Corbin is Mr Money in the Bank.
Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura
5-Way Elimination Match for the Smackdown Women's Championship #1 Contender:
Natalya Neidhart v Charlotte Flair v Becky Lynch v Tamina Snuka v Lana
I love elimination matches. They make multi-competitor matches seem a lot more credible in my mind. They also allow you to give competitors a minor push by allowing them to gain an elimination.
I have a feeling that they will get Lana to eliminate one of the other competitors, as whilst she had a few matches against women's champion, Naomi, she didn't look very credible in them. The last one lasted under a minute. I think they will give her a shock elimination over either Becky or Charlotte to set up a mini-feud.
They will likely want a heel to face Naomi, so I think that Natalya is the most likely challenger as Tamina has no real momentum.
Prediction: Natalya to win.
Predicted order of eliminations: Tamina (by Charlotte), Charlotte (by Lana), Lana (by Becky), Becky (by Natalya)
Flag Match:
Rusev v John Cena
The flag match is not a common match, and essentially works like a wrestling version of capture the flag. It can be used as a tool for getting a crowd onside using patriotism. I imagine this is the tactic they will use here, which is smart as Cena is a divisive character and it might help to get more of the crowd onside.
Rusev does seem to be quite liked by fans. When he came in initially, there was a long running angle about him being unbeatable, with lots of Americans attempting to do so. They should go back to this as it made him look like a beast, and I think that will mean he takes the victory here.
Prediction: Rusev
US Championship:
AJ Styles (c) v Kevin Owens
I imagine that they want one or other of these guys to move onto a new feud. That seems like the most logical reason for them to hand the belt to Styles at a house show, leaving this as Owens rematch. If they'd waited for Styles to take the belt here, then there would have to be a rematch at some point in the future. Which of these guys it is, and who they will feud with is not obvious at this stage. They should put on a good show but the result shouldn't be in doubt.
Prediction: AJ Styles
Tag Team Championships:
The Usos (c) v The New Day
I think this is when they will pull the trigger on the New Day becoming champs. They've paid some dues on Smackdown and will be rewarded with the belts. This rivalry will continue though, as it's been pretty enjoyable. Especially now that American Alpha have split, it leaves Breezango and The Hype Bros as the only other credible challengers for the belts.
Prediction: The New Day
Punjabi Prison Match for the WWE Championship:
Jinder Mahal (c) v Randy Orton
We took a look at the history of the Punjabi Prison Match earlier. It won't take much for Mahal and Orton to produce the best of the three matches. In both previous matches, there was an obvious favourite, and the face won. I don't think there's an obvious favourite here. 6 months ago, you would have picked Orton without a second thought. Jinder's rise has been meteoric, and it would destroy everything they've done to not give him a reasonable length title reign. It's for this reason that I don't see him dropping the belt to Orton here, although don't discount the possibility of it being a controversial victory involving the Singh brothers interfering in some way to help Jinder to the victory.
Prediction: Jinder Mahal
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