Sunday 21 September 2014

WWE Night of Champions 2014 Preview

 

WWE Night of Champions 2014 will be taking place this evening at the Bridgestone Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. All the Championships will be on the line, so will we see any new Champions after the event? Let's take a look.

Chris Jericho will take on Randy Orton in what could be a good match. It's a tough one to call but I can see Orton winning here.
Predicted Winner: Randy Orton

The other non-Championship match is between Mark Henry and Rusev. I expect Henry to give Rusev a good fight here but he'll still lose.
Predicted Winner: Rusev

The United States Championship match will have Cesaro challenging Sheamus. This could be a good match and it's one that I'm looking forward to. I would like Cesaro to win here but it's more likely that Sheamus will retain here.
Predicted Winner: Sheamus

The Intercontinental Championship match will be between Hollywood Miz and Dolph Ziggler. I quite enjoyed the mnatches that they have had and I can see Damien Sandow helping Miz to win here.
Predicted Winner: Hollywood Miz

The Divas Championship will be defended in a triple threat match with Paige facing the challenges of AJ Lee and Nikki Bella.  I would like Paige retain the Championship here but it's more likely that, unless Brie interferes, Nikki Bella will be your new Divas Champion.
Predicted Winner: Nikki Bella

The Tag Team Championship match will be between Goldust and Stardust and The Usos. This is another match that I'm looking forward to and The Usos have been Champions for a while and it might be time for a change.
Predicted Winners: Goldust and Stardust

The main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship will be the rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. I don't expect Lesnar to be as dominant as he was at SummerSlam. However, he has to win here, otherwise it would all be wasted.
Predicted Winner: Brock Lesnar

I'll hopefully get to see the event during the week so until then, I hope you enjoy the show.

Sunday 14 September 2014

WWE SummerSlam 2014 Review

WWE SummerSlam 2014 took place, once again, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Will we see the Paul Heyman Beast become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion? Let’s take a look. 

The match on the Kick-off Show was between Rob Van Dam and Cesaro. Highlights of the match include RVD doing rolling thunder outside the ring; and Cesaro continually stopping RVD going for the 5-star frog splash with European uppercuts. In the end, RVS does manage to hit the 5-star frog splash to get the win. I enjoyed the match and I loved afterwards, Cesaro taking the referee up to the Kick-off panel and bitching that it was a fast count. 
Winner: Rob Van Dam 
Predictions: 0 for 1

After we get Hulk Hogan come out and sell the WWE Network (which is $9.99 a month, apparently), we get the Intercontinental Championship with Dolph Ziggler challenging The Miz. There were some good spots such as Ziglger getting thrown into the turnbuckle; and Ziggler hitting a superkick to the face. Miz applies the Figure Four but Ziggler gets to the ropes. Ziggler hits the Fameasser but Miz immediately hits the Skull Crushing Finale for 2. In the end, Ziggler dodges a kick and hits a Zig Zag to get the win and become the new Intercontinental Champion. I thought it was a good match and a fun way to start the Pay Per View. 
Winner: Dolph Ziggler 
Predictions: 0 for 2

Next is the Divas Championship as Paige challenges AJ Lee. AJ goes on the offensive, pulling Paige's hari out and bouncing her head off the announce table. Later on, Paige bounces AJ 's face off the top of the barrier. After some back and forth, AJ applies the Black Widow. However, Paige gets out of it and hits the RamPaige to get the win and become a 2-time Divas Champion. Whilst it would have been nice if they had more time, I really enjoyed it and I'm loving the fact that they are becoming a bit more brutal in their matches.  
Winner: Paige 
Predictions: 0 for 3

Rusev and Jack Swagger face each other in a flag match, in which the winner will have their flag raised and their national anthem played. That's not the normal definition of a flag match, but whatever. Swagger's entrance was nice with the military Colour Guard. They start fighting before the bell rings and Swagger applies the Patriot Lock, injuring Rusev's ankle. When the bell does ring, Swagger focuses on the injured ankle. Rusev gets back into it and keeps Swagger down with stomps and kicks, while struggling to put pressure on his ankle. Swagger makes his comeback with a belly-to-belly suplex. Rusev hits a brutal superkick then applies a modified Accolade. However, Swagger counters it into a Patriot Lock. Rusev does manage to properly lock in the Accolade, forcing himself to stand on his injured ankle. Swagger passes out and the referee gives Rusev the win. Afterwards, to be a dick, Rusev kicks Zeb Colter in the face and he and Lana stand over them while the Russian National Anthem is playing.  

I thought this was another good match between the two. Swagger not tapping out does probably mean another match between the two and I'm looking forward to it. 
Winner: Rusev 
Predictions: 1 for 4

Next is a Lumberjack Match with Mr Money in the Bank Seth Rollins taking on Dean Ambrose. The point of a Lumberjack Match is that the wrestlers surrounding the ring keep the competitors in the ring. Unfortunately, that falls apart when Ambrose reverses an apron suplex and they both go crashing into a large group of them. Despite their best efforts, Ambrose and Rollins brawl into the crowd and Corporate Kane runs down and helps to organise the Lumberjacks. They drag Ambrose back to the ring and Rollins tries to leave. However, Big E, The Usos and Cody Rhodes Stardust stop that from happening and take him back to the ring. Amborse gets a 2 count after seemingly killing Rollins with a clothesline that JBL would be proud of; then hits Peace of Mind, Rollins' finisher. Kane breaks up the pin and the match degenerates rapidly into a clusterfuck as the Lumberjacks all slide in and brawl with each other. They all throw each other out of the ring, leaving Ambrose with Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. Ambrose disposes of them easily but Rollins comes in and creams him with the Money in the Bank briefcase to get the win. 

I absoutely loved this match. I've not seen many Lumberjack matches but this is the first one where they fuck up the one job they had to do. I loved Kane's role in this match, coming in and sorting the clusterfuck that had occurred. I predicted that Ambrose would win but Rollins winning makes more sense. I can't wait to see them fight again, hopefully in a Last Man Standing match.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Predictions:  1 for 5

Next is Chris Jericho taking on Bray Wyatt with Eirck Rowan and Luke Harper banned from ringside. Wyatt, after dealing with Jericho for a little while, gets the advantage and focusing on the head; sandwiching it against the steel steps and the corner. Jericho would try to make a comeback a few times, but Wyatt would shut that down relatively quickly. Jericho manages to apply the Walls of Jericho but Wyatt gets to the ropes then hits an apron DDT to get back the advantage. Despite Jericho hitting a Code Breaker for 2, it was not enough as Wyatt hits a Sister Abigail into the barricade then another onee back in the ring to get the win. I enjoyed the match and I thought it was better than their one at Battleground. I'm quite interested in this feud and I'm looking forward to their next match.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Predictions: 2 for 6

Next is a match that I'm quite surprised to be looking forward to: Brie Bella taking on Stephanie McMahon. The match is very basic to start with with some arm drags and a wrist lock. Stephanei takes the advantage after countering a suicide dive with an axhandle to the head then a DDT. Brie does get back into it after a Lou Thesz Press and she keeps Stephanie down with kicks and stomps. Triple H then runs down followed immediately by Nikki Bella. Brie counters a Pedigree into the Yes Lock but Triple H pulls out the referee. Brie hits Triple H with a dropkick . Stephanei tries to flee but Nikki stands in her way. When Brie slides back into the ring, Nikki hits her with an elbow and this gives Stephanie the chance to hit the Pedigree and get the win.

Even though it was a bit basic at times, which does make sense, I quite enjoyed the match. I've been really impressed with Stephanie McMahon over the last few months and I'm sure that Triple H made sure that she was capable in the ring. I was surprised that Nikki betrayed her sister. However, because Stephanie is not a trained wrestler, Brie does need someone to feud against and perhaps Nikki is the answer. Good job that they haven't kayfabe acknowledged Nikki's relationship with John Cena; otherwise it might be a bit awkward.
Winner: Stephanie McMahon
Predictions: 2 for 7

The penultimate match is between Randy Orton and Roman Reigns. Both guys try to wear each other down with chinlocks, which I didn't really expect. Reigns hits a Samoan drop and they exchange punches and kicks. Orton slams Reigns onto the announce table then sends him into the steel steps. Reigns hits a Samoan drop from the middle rope then hits the Superman punch. Reigns goes for the spear but Orton counters it into a powerslam. Orton hits an amazing RKO for a 2 count. Orton goes for the punt but reings sweeps away the leg and gets to hit the spear to get the win.

Whilst the middle part was a bit slower than I was expecting, I really enjoyed the match and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Predictions: 3 for 8

The main event is for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as Brock Lesnar challenges John Cena. Lesnar hits the F-5 within a minute to get a 2 count and is pretty dominant throughout the match. Cewna does get in some offence at times but Lesnar shuts them down pretty quickly. Lesnar, in the course of the match, hits FIFTEEN German suplexes. Yes, fifteen. Cena does the AA and later on, applies the STF. However, it was in vain as Lesanr gets out of it and hits another F-5 to win the match.

It was a weird match to watch as I really wasn't expecting Lesnar to be so dominant. I'm so used to Cena always overcoming the odds and prevailing. I didn't think Cena would win but I expected him to put up more of a fight. They're having a remath at Night of Champions and I feel that Cena will be more competitive in that match.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Predictions; 4 for 9

I quite enjoyed SummerSlam. Some of the matches were pretty good and I was surprised at how good the Stephanie/Brie match was. It's nice to see Lesnar be the Champion and it would make sense for him to be the Champion until at least the Royal Rumble. However, since he is in effect a part-time wrestler, I can't see that happening. I'll be pissed, but not surprised, if Cena is the Champion before too long.