Hell in a Cell 2016 Predictions

It's Raw 2nd PPV! Clash of Champions had a stacked card that ending up being a good show. They try again with Hell in a Cell, which features, what they have dubbed it, a Triple main event. By that, they mean they have three big matches, all title matches inside Hell in a Cell. Two are straight rematches from Clash of Champions while one is a rematch from SummerSlam, NXT Takeover R Evolution, etc. It's a 7 match card with one pre show match featuring some cruiserweight stars. Let's get started.

The first match should be the United States Championship rematch between new US Champ Roman Reigns VS former champion Rusev. Roman Reigns is familiar with the HIAC, having an absolute war with Bray Wyatt last year in one of the better matches of 2015. It even made my list. I expect no less from this match. I like both guys and this is really a top feud for the WWE, one that could potentially main event a Wrestlemania one day. Both guys are big guys from NXT who have the look that Vince loves but they both possess the in ring talent as well. Rusev is a real call back to international heels from the 80s and 90s and could be a top monster heel in the absences of Big Show, Mark Henry and Kane in the coming years as they set to retire. Reigns is the hand picked golden boy of this era, already with 3 different WWE Titles reigns and two back to back Wrestlemania main events. This is a Vince dream match. It should be a really good opener too. Roman Reigns will win and will hopefully feud with Braun Strowman. His desire for competition may run into Reigns in his first big singles feud unless the rumors of Samoa Joe are true. Reigns retains.

The New Day are still tag team champions somehow, winning their feud with Gallows and Anderson in a shocker. Now that New Day has defeated every team expect Enzo and Cass and The Wyatt Family, they get the random team of Sheamus and Cesaro! I hate random pairings but Sheamus and Cesaro is a pretty hard hitting tag team. They could be the real deal if WWE wants them to be. My only problem is that they gave the match away already. ON RAW before Hell in a Cell! What was the point of that? The New Day are very close to the all time record for holding the tag team titles, about 50 days away. With the record in sight, there's no reason for them to lose them just yet. Survivor Series is next month and with the Raw vs Smackdown 10 on 10 elimination match featuring the best tag teams. expect The New Day to get an for the next 21 days on their reign. The next Raw event is Roadblock which is December 18th. If they reach the event, they will break the record by just a couple days. The record is in sight so expect New Day to retain in a great match.

Bayley faces Dana Brooke and Enzo and Cass face Gallows and Anderson in filler matches for the show. Both are just a way to make the card more full. Both are pointless here but I'm sure they will all be involved in Survivor Series next month. Bayley is just waiting for her part as Wrestlemania 33 draws closer and closer and a major match with Sasha Banks potentially awaits her. Gallows/Anderson and Enzo/Cass are waiting for The New Day to release their grasp from the titles. I'm going with both faces to win. Bayley and Enzo and Cass.

The Universal Championship is on the line again as Kevin Owens defends against Seth Rollins, another rematch from Clash of Champions. This isn't really that heated of a feud for HIAC but it should still be a good match regardless. I enjoyed their COC encounter and I expect more of the same. The question is whether Jericho will play a role again like at COC. Jericho and Owens definitely have tension between them after this past Monday on Raw and a full fledged feud between the two looks to be very likely, especially with Survivor Series taking place in Toronto. I don't see Seth winning this one as I think he'll be the captain of the Survivor Series team against Smackdown so I'm picking Kevin Owens to retain here after a fantastic battle. It won't be the typical Hell in a Cell but it will still be a great match.

TJ Perkins will make another defense of his Cruiserweight Title when he again faces Brian Kendrick in ANOTHER Clash of Champions rematch. All the darn Cruiserweights on Raw and they have the nerve to do another rematch. The division is certainly off to a slow start but I'm optimistic because this is still a great match. Perkins needs to hold the title for awhile, make it important and defeat all comers. He can't lose in his second defense. Kendrick doesn't really need it. His job is to put the guy over and make him look good in the process. I'm not saying Kendrick won't win the title eventually but let TJP have a nice reign before you take it away! TJP retains via his Knee Bar. Does it have a name? WWE will call it something lame like Game Over...

The main event, or what SHOULD be the main event, is the first ever Women's Hell in a Cell match pitting WWE Raw Women's Champion Sasha Banks against the newly named Charlotte Flair. Do I really need to say why this should be the main event? Let's see. One, it's the best feud on Raw right now. Two, it's the two cornerstones of the women's division. Three, it's featured on ALL the promotional material as the last match. Four, it's a great opportunity to help further prove the women's division is alive and well by putting them last. Five, Hell in a Cell takes place in Boston, Sasha's hometown. And lastly, it's the FIRST ever women's Hell in a Cell. All the freaking stars are aligned here. I don't get why there should be any argument over it. These two, along with Bayley and Becky, have changed the way WWE and the fans perceive women in the WWE. It needs to go on LAST. It will not be a brutal Attitude Era HIAC with blood and crazy spots. I'm sure they will use the Cell to bash their heads in and you'll see Charlotte try to top her corkscrew moonsault from Raw a couple weeks ago but for the most part, it should be another great match between the two. This feels special. This is the type of feud HIAC was designed for. This will be the final match between the two for awhile. After 20 minutes of action, Sasha Banks will defeat Charlotte to retain the title. MAKE IT THE MAIN EVENT!

Three weeks after Hell in a Cell is Survivor Series and with the main event of Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg and the three different elimination styles matches, I think many of the champions are going to get a break. The major 5 on 5 match between the top male talents hasn't been decided yet but with the next Smackdown event, TLC, right around the corner, I don't think AJ will defend twice in two weeks, which would make him the captain of his first ever Survivor Series squad. Joining him needs to be Dean Ambrose, Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin and either Bray Wyatt (don't know how that would work), Kane or Jack Swagger. This would leave Miz and Ziggler open for doing another match for the IC Title or they could just be apart of the team. Raw would be captained by Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins and featuring Sami Zayn, Neville and maybe Braun Strowman or Rusev? I don't know. I don't think both teams would have people feuding on it, just one. Keep Owens and Jericho apart so they can have a title match against each other. You don't waste the potential of a Owens/Jericho match in CANADA.

So yes, Rollins/Reigns/Zayn/Neville/Rusev or Strowman VS Styles/Ambrose/Crews/Corbin/Fifth Member, whether it be Wyatt, Swagger, Crews, Kane. Sorry, forget about the franchise player. John Cena has been rumored to be apart of Survivor Series so put him on the team, which would then be Styles/Ambrose/Cena/Crews/Corbin. WWE can accomplish a lot here.
-Set up major feuds for the future such as Reigns/Strowman, Cena/Corbin, etc.
-A Shield reunion of sorts
-Setting up Styles as a babyface if rumors are to be believed.
-Give Styles revenge against Reigns, who beat him in previous title matches earlier this year.
-Tease Cena/Reigns
We'll see though but I really don't think they should use Owens and Jericho and waste the opportunity for a title match between the two.

As for the women, Nikki Bella won the right to be the Smackdown Women's Team Captain, strangely over the Smackdown Women's Champion Becky Lynch. If Nikki is captain over the champion, will Becky just sit out? When Nikki beat Natalya, she also knocked her out of contention for the team. With that, there's only 5 women left on the show. Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Naomi, Eva Marie and Carmella. I don't see Eva Marie being apart of it and you HAVE to have the champion on there so it looks like Nikki/Becky/Bliss/Naomi/Carmella for Team Blue. Raw has more women so their team is a bomb squad if they use their best. Sasha/Charlotte/Bayley/Nia/Emmalina. I would say Brooke but they keep airing promos for the new Emma so I think she'll get the nod here.

The tag team elimination match is going to be MASSIVE as 10 teams will battle in a 10 on 10 elimination match. Smackdown has already announced the tag champions Heath Slater and Rhyno and The Hype Bros will be on their team. The Ascension will not as they lost contention for the team when they were defeated by The Hype Bros. Others teams that should be included are The Usos, American Alpha and Breezango. The Vaudevillians are around but I don't see them getting on the team. The Headbangers are announced for an upcoming Smackdown so I guess they will at least be in contention for a spot on the team. Raw will be captained by The New Day and featuring Gallows/Anderson, Enzo/Cass, The Golden Truth and maybe Sheamus and Cesaro if they stay a tandem. If not, The Shining Stars.

TJ Perkins (or Brian Kendrick) should defend his title in a 6 man elimination match or something of the sorts featuring Cedric Alexander, Tony Nese, Rich Swann and Lince Dorado or Drew Gulak. If Survivor Series is going to be 4 hours, they need more matches for the length of the show. This would be one of them. They could even do a Cruiserweight 5 on 5 match if they wanted. TJP/Sin Cara/Lince Dorado/Rich Swann/Cedric Alexander VS Kendrick/Nese/Gulak/Davari/Mustafa Ali if they can get him for a one off thing. Regardless, there needs to be some type of multi person Cruiserweight match. I'm more for the title match.

So, may Survivor Series card as of right now:

Goldberg VS Brock Lesnar

Rollins/Reigns/Zayn/Neville/Rusev or Strowman VS AJ/Ambrose/Cena/Crews/Corbin

Kevin Owens VS Chris Jericho for the WWE Universal Championship

Dolph Ziggler VS The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship (still shaking especially with TLC two weeks later)

Sasha/Charlotte/Bayley/Nia/Emmalina VS Nikki/Becky/Bliss/Naomi/Carmella

The New Day/Gallows and Anderson/Enzo and Cass/The Golden Truth and Sheamus and Cesaro VS Beauty and the ManBeast/The Usos/American Alpha/The Hype Bros/Breezango

TJP VS Brian Kendrick VS Lince Dorado VS Rich Swann VS Tony Nese VS Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship

There. That should be 4 hours EASY. Let's get through Hell in a Cell first though shall we?

Women Making History and Goldberg

So, the wrestling world has been all abuzz over a few newsworthy items lately. One, the fact that Bill Goldberg was going to make his Raw return and set up a completely pointless and shameless rematch with Brock Lesnar. Why you ask? To promote WWE 2K17 and to of course, give Survivor Series its edge, it's marque match that will sell the show out. The other thing was that Sasha Banks and Charlotte, who've already made a lot of history together along with Bayley and Becky Lynch, would be competing inside Hell in a Cell for the WWE Raw Women's Title in a match that may or may not be the show ender, according to Mick Foley who at one point called it the main event and then later said whatever match the fans want is their own main event. Ok Mick, obviously he's had way too many shots to his head. Anyway, let's start with the whole Goldberg thing.

I was never a WCW guy. Growing up, it was just WWF but I barely remember most of the Attitude Era as I was only 8-10 during it. So if I barely remember that, what makes you think I remember a star from a company I didn't watch? My first exposure to Goldberg was in WWE but I knew of his previous accolades and accomplishments as I did plenty of research. I realize Goldberg was a fan's wet dream in the 90s and had everything you could want in a wrestler from that era. He was jacked, had a catchphrase and his whole entrance and demeanor was spot on. It sucks his WWE run was so poorly booked. When they announced you would get to play as Goldberg in 2K17, I knew he would be back with WWE eventually and look at that, we're getting a rematch from Wrestlemania XX that no one really wanted! Let's get things straight, I don't care about Goldberg as I wasn't a fan of his growing up but I respect Goldberg and everything he's done in WCW and WWE. I wish he was coming back to wrestle someone who needed it like Kevin Owens, Braun Strowman or Roman Reigns. OK, maybe not Reigns but definitely the first two. I understand WHY WWE would put on a Lesnar/Goldberg match. It's a mega rematch featuring two big names. It puts butts in the seats, I get it. Do I want to see the match? Hmmmm, yes and no. No because I have very bad memories of this match. At 13 years old. Brock Lesnar vs Bill Goldberg at Wrestlemania XX was probably the biggest match I wanted to see at that point of my life. I was so pumped up for it and it turned out to be pure and utter garbage. It just wasn't the match I envisioned in my mind. And they have the nerve to do it again 12 years later, when both of them are older? And rumor is is that this is a one and done deal for Goldberg. Why would he just come back for one pointless match with Lesnar? I am looking forward to the match to see the crowd reaction. Lord forbid if it's the MAIN EVENT. If WWE teasing is anything to go by, there's a potential mega Universal Title match between two Canadians, Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. If that's to happen and it's BEFORE the Lesnar/Goldberg match, then the crowd will freaking eat them alive again. They would be safe in Atlanta, Dallas, even Los Angeles but TORONTO? The crowd is going to be on fire that night! This will be like Reigns/HHH all over again! Goldberg's return didn't do anything for me but it brought in the ratings and in the end, that's what it's all about. I'll keep an open mind as Triple H VS Sting, another match I was very critical on, turned out to be one of the high points of Wrestlemania 31 but like that match, there are plenty of other options.

If you read this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of women's wrestling but in particular, this era of women's wrestling. Ever since NXT Arrival, I've been hooked onto the style of wrestling those women use. It's not hair pulling and bra and panties. These ladies are really wrestling like the men do and sometimes, even better. Women's wrestling on the main roster really took a step up this year with the discontinuation of the Divas Championship in favor of the new Women's Championship, which was contested between Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch in the best match on the Wrestlemania 32 card. Once Sasha and Charlotte starting mixing it up together in singles matches, it went up even further. Sasha was able to win the title in a thrilling Raw match, the first Raw after the draft and made Sasha the first new champion of what WWE has dubbed the New Era. Charlotte won it back at SummerSlam due to injuries from Sasha but dropped it again to Sasha in the main event of Raw, a first between two ladies in 12 years. The last main event was Lita VS Trish Stratus in 2004. You might remember the match for not only be fantastic but also because Lita almost killed herself. The NXT ladies tried to top it as Charlotte hit a freaking corkscrew moonsault to Sasha on the outside. It wasn't a perfect catch from Sasha but damn, it was mighty pretty!

This is all leading to a historic match between the two. The Four Horsewomen of NXT (Sasha, Charlotte, Becky and Bayley) have already made plenty of history in the last couple years already. Like having the match of the year, being the main event of a live WWE Network event, being the first ever champions of titles etc. This might be the biggest of them all. Sasha Banks and Charlotte will battle for probably the final time inside Hell in a Cell. This is definitely dangerous as Sasha has been injury prone in the past but it's amazing because it's the only match that will settle the feud for now. There have also been some rumblings of making the match the MAIN EVENT of the Hell in a Cell PPV, a PPV that also features HIAC matches between Rusev/Reigns and Owens/Rollins, an all NXT Hell in a Cell affair it seems. It only makes sense. The two are literally plastered all over promotional material for the event and Foley himself, before he retracted it, said they were the main event. The chances of it being the last match are very likely, especially since Smackdown had the nerve to put AJ Styles, Cena and Ambrose in the first match of No Mercy for the WWE TItle and then make Randy Orton VS Bray Wyatt the main event. If that could happen, Charlotte VS Sasha Banks, the first women's match inside Hell in a Cell, should by all rights main event. They deserve it, they have earned it and it's what the fans want. Oh yeah, it's in Boston AKA Sasha's hometown. Does it get anymore poetic than that? Pull the trigger WWE!

It's something that needs to happen. The ladies are breaking down barriers and this is the first step to getting to the ultimate goal, the main event of Wrestlemania. While that will probably NEVER happen, this is the next best thing. Make it so WWE.

Hell in a Cell Predictions are coming this week!

No Mercy 2016 Predictions

Smackdown is up again on Sunday as they bring back old WWE PPV No Mercy! 8 (?) matches on the card and it looks better than Backlash. I haven't decided if that's a good or bad thing as Backlash was a surprisingly solid show all around. Can Smackdown strike gold twice? Let's talk matches!

In a pre show match, the reigning pre show king Baron Corbin will face Jack Swagger in a rematch from Smackdown. This will be Corbin's FOURTH pre show match since joining the main roster in April. I'm a huge fan of Baron Corbin as I've been a fan since he burst out at NXT Takeover Fatal Four Way. He has the look and size that Vince McMahon loves but it just doesn't seem like he has the backing. This should be a nice kick off to the event and if we're going off of Corbin's Backlash kick off match with Crews, then it will be a surprisingly good match. I don't know why WWE continues to give shots to Swagger but his Smackdown PPV debut won't go his way as Corbin will walk away with a cheap victory.

Curt Hawkins will make his debut because...yeah, I don't know or care why.

The Usos, now as heels for the first time since their debut, will challenge Beauty and the Man Beast on Sunday for the Smackdown Tag Team Titles in a rematch from Backlash. I like Heath Slater. I like Rhyno. I like the comedy dynamic they have but how are they the champions of a division that features The Usos, American Alpha, The Hype Bros, Breezango and The Ascension? It just seems....wrong. I understand they were giving Slater his contract and to end that little storyline but now it's time to actually build this division back to where it needs to be. It starts on Sunday, with The Usos winning the Smackdown Tag Team Titles and making their feud with American Alpha about the tag team titles. THAT'S the feud that will propel those tag titles to a greater level. The Usos will defeat Beauty and the Man Beast on Sunday, ending their Cinderella story as Rhyno takes time off to finish his campaign and Slater stays in the mid card. They will also become the first team by default who has won the Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Titles. Slater already became the first person to hold both when he won at Backlash.

In her PPV singles match debut, Carmella has the opportunity for a major upset when she faces Nikki Bella in a heated grudge match. I didn't think I would be actually looking forward to this but I'm really invested in this rivalry. It's no secret that I'm a NXT mark and I want all the people from it to succeed in some way or another. Carmella wasn't too high on my list but after what she's been doing to Nikki Bella, I want nothing but the best for her. She's has pinned her in the 6 Pack Challenge and in a tag match and has attacked her on multiple occasions. This is unfortunate for her as this is all leading to a Nikki Bella win on Sunday. Come on, it's just like anyone VS Nikki's boyfriend. You can get the upper hand in any match, just as long as it isn't one on one. Carmella will have a great showing but ultimately fail as Nikki Bella will be victorious on Sunday.

Bray Wyatt will face Randy Orton in a match that was suppose to take place at Backlash but due to Orton taking Lesnar' barbaric elbows to his head, he had a concussion and was unable to compete. Now, they have their first one on one match at No Mercy. Wyatt doesn't win feuds, it's been proven throughout his career. He's lost to Kane twice in the past month. He WILL NOT defeat Randy Orton. My prediction stays the same from Backlash, an Orton victory. Looking forward to the match but it will end the suspected way. Unless, that is, Sister Abigail finally makes her TV debut....

Dolph Ziggler VS The Miz XVII at No Mercy for the Intercontinental Championship. This time, if Dolph Ziggler loses, his WWE career is over. Usually, when someone puts their career on the line, this is a telltale sign that they will walk out with the victory. With Ziggler, I don't think that will be the case. Ziggler has had a good run, one that will always make a fan desire more as he was used incorrectly for so long. Reports suggest he will move to a backstage role after this Sunday and focus on his stand up comedy. Ziggler is a funny guy and at 36, he still has his entire life ahead of him. It will be sad to see him go, but he's going. The Miz has been on a career resurgence and looks to make that a bigger deal when he's the one who ends Ziggler's career. It will be another great match between the two but The Miz will prevail and retain the title again. Thank you for the memories Ziggler.

In a highly anticipated match, a main event of the show if you ask me, Becky Lynch will make her first defense of her newly won Smackdown Women's Title when she faces upstart Alexa Bliss in an all NXT alumni match up. Outside of the Four Horsewomen, Alexa Bliss was always a favorite of mine from NXT. Something about her body type man....oh, sorry. BESIDES that, she has an awesome finisher and her small but angry gimmick is great. It's good to see in the first one on one SD Women's Title match, they went outside the box, not giving any established  stars, like Nikka, Nattie or Naomi the first shot. I think this will be an impressive match for the division and as a whole. Both are NXT trained so they don't have that prissy diva style of wrestling. These two are looking to put out a statement, especially after Raw's fantastic match between Sasha and Charlotte. While Alexa will put on the match of her life in her biggest match of her career to this point, I don't see Becky, who had to scratch and claw just to get to this point, lose the title this early. Alexa will definitely become champion at some point, but it won't be on Sunday. Becky Lynch will retain by submission.

AJ Styles will make his first PPV title defense against two heavy hitters; former WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose and the man trying to tie the record for 16 World Title reigns, John Cena. Should be an easy title defense right? I feel like Ambrose is now on the outside looking in as the bigger feud is Styles/Cena. Styles, of course, defeated John Cena at SummerSlam CLEAN. Cena has not gotten a one on one victory on Styles. Ambrose as champion was bland and nothing like the guy who chased the title for so long. To solidify his claim as the Face that Runs the Place, Styles really needs a good win here. I make predictions based on what would happen next. We all know Cena will be taking a hiatus soon to film American Grit for Fox. Styles is on too hot of a role to lose at his first PPV. Or maybe, he will. Cena is chasing immortality on Sunday. With one more World Title win, he has #16. As Cena says, if he does it, he enter the conversation for greatest of all time. Not only would it provide WWE with a new record for their golden boy, it could set up the main event for Survivor Series, or, co-main event if the rumored Goldberg/Lesnar match happens. There's nothing wrong with a Styles/Cena III, especially if it involved the WWE Title this time. They could use it as a way to make Styles even greater. Could you imagine if Styles was the one to end Cena's 16th reign and get a 3rd consecutive victory over him? I don't know what happens to Ambrose. He was Smackdown's #1 draft pick so it's unlikely he'll move down too far. Maybe a feud with Baron Corbin? Push some other talent.

While I think the Styles/Cena III thing is a great idea and will most likely happen, it will probably be with Styles as champion. AJ Styles will retain his WWE Title on Sunday, most likely pinning Dean Ambrose.

No Mercy looks to be a good show. A career VS title match, a first ever meeting between two of Smackdown's top stars and two awesome main title matches boost the show. Can't wait!