SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
So it’s possible, even likely, that I’m going to get all of these wrong.
Follow @Colohue for updates.
1. Cedric Alexander vs. Buddy Murphy (Cruiserweight Championship)
205, no longer 205 Live, has provided some really high quality matches over recent months. Cedric Alexander has been a good champion, delivering comfortably since Wrestlemania but the real star of the show has unquestionably been Buddy Murphy. Murphy has been far and away beyond everything they could have expected and now would be a great time to make a big change leading into the second half of the season.
Buddy Murphy will be a home country hero who has performed to the highest standard since his debut. This could be the best match on the card and could have fans out of their seats from the off.
Winner: Buddy Murphy
What If?: This match opens the show hot and nothing else can even come close to living up to it?
2. New Day vs. The Bar (Smackdown Tag Team Championships)
The Bar have been given very little to do since moving to Smackdown but when they are in the ring Sheamus and Cesaro have a magnificent combination of potential opponents lined up. We’ve seen these two tag teams go to war before and this is an exciting match to see. That said, it’s also something of a timekilling exercise.
A lot was thrown up into the air when The Bludgeon Brothers were taken out of action so whether or not The New Day were the ideal next champions or not is questionably. We could have a number of changes before Wrestlemania or we could have none. That said, I wouldn’t say that this is the right time for a change to be made.
Winner: The New Day
What If?: My Bootyworth gets his revenge?
3. Ronda Rousey & Nikki Bella & Brie Bella vs. The Riott Squad
If the idea is that we will see Ronda Rousey vs Nikki Bella at Evolution, they’re going to need to hurry the hell up. Thus far this storyline is essentially the poster child of going absolutely nowhere.
Does anybody see a team with Ronda Rousey in it picking up a loss here? In fact, does anybody expect to see Ronda Rousey take a loss any time soon? Honestly in this match what I expect to see most is Liv Morgan wailing on Brie Bella with a number of pristine looking Yes Kicks.
Other than that all I expect is for Ronda Rousey to walk out of it looking great, even if Nikki Bella does end up turning heel on her.
Winner: Ronda Rousey, Nikki Bella and Brie Bella
What If?: Liv Morgan does accidentally concuss Brie Bella with a Yes Kick? How many people do you think will be on Brie’s side?
4. Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
I can’t help but hope that this is the end of Bryan vs Miz for a little while, especially if this does end up being the WWE Championship match for Wrestlemania as rumoured. Bryan vs The Miz hasn’t hit the heights that were expected of it but generally the match quality has been good.
Daniel Bryan as the underdog doesn’t work unless he spends a while getting beaten down for a while. Meanwhile, Miz vs Styles and Bryan vs Styles are both very interesting potential feuds but the lack of faces on Smackdown Live definitely suggests we’re going to see The Miz have his moment.
Winner: The Miz
What If?: The Miz wins but it’s Samoa Joe he ends up facing instead?
5. Asuka and Naomi vs. The Iiconics
This match seems as thrown together as any match can be. The strangest thing is it wasn’t even a last minute thing. Naomi vs The Iiconics has been ongoing for a while and with the inclusion of Asuka this should now be an easily concludable short term feud. Whether or not The Iiconics are from Australia isn’t particularly relevant. They’re not more important than Asuka.
If this was a house show, as you’d expect looking at the Raw side of this card, The Iiconics might walk away with the win but the sheer amount of damage done to Asuka since her first loss can’t be added to now. They have to keep rebuilding her if they want Becky Lynch to have any competition in the near future.
Winner: Asuka and Naomi
What If?: The Iiconics do pick up the win? What’s next for Asuka?
6. John Cena & Bobby Lashley vs. Elias & Kevin Owens
As magnificently unpopular as Elias and Kevin Owens are, WWE have only one interest in this match and that’s the continued outside push of Bobby Lashley.
Winner: John Cena and Bobby Lashley
What If?: Cena and Lashley don’t come out victorious, leading Bobby Lashley to turn on Cena?
7. A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
I expected Samoa Joe to be a champion by this point. Not necessarily WWE champion but some sort of champion at least. He’s an incredible talent with great intensity and his in-ring talent is obvious for anybody to see. The problem is that the WWE Championship is in a very strange place right now.
While AJ Styles has been a spectacular champion in his usual way his feuds have been a little bland. They’ve built moderately well but the match quality hasn’t been there and it’s becoming less and less credible that anyone is likely to take the belt from him any time soon.
Winner: A.J. Styles
What If?: It actually is Joe’s time? Suppose we’re going to see this match another few times yet.
8. The Shield vs. Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre & Braun Strowman
One of the main reasons this feels like a house show, especially on the Raw side, is matches like this. The Intercontinental Title is not on the line. The Raw Tag Titles are not on the line. The Universal Title is not on the line. Instead we have these six men getting in the ring together in something which isn’t new, which isn’t interesting and which isn’t actually going anywhere.
As likely as it is that The Shield will do their usual thing, standing tall at the end of all things, it’s worth pointing out that there are no stakes to this match. As such, The Shield can easily afford to take the loss en route to standing tall at the end.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman
What If?: This is the night that Dean and Drew somehow both swap sides?
9. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair – Smackdown Women’s Championship
Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair has continued to be the top of the card feud since Summerslam. It’s a real shame they won’t get that honour this time around. This feud will undoubtedly continue to run into Evolution and as things continue to escalate we’ll hopefully have ourselves something a bit more attitude era as we get closer to the finish line but for the mean time I’m confident that these two can have an enjoyable sparring session well worth the watch.
I was expecting Becky to actually take the belt here rather than at Hell In A Cell so I would expect her to keep hold of the title.
Winner: Becky Lynch
What If?: Charlotte Flair does come away with the belt? It wouldn’t be her first time playing hot potato.
Triple H vs. The Undertaker
Well this could go in a lot of different directions, especially when we consider that Triple H/HBK vs Undertaker/Kane could be happening at some point in the future. Who wins that one is directly tied to who wins this one.
For now, I trust in The Undertaker’s comeback tour?
Winner: The Undertaker
What If?: We end up with the standard overbooked mess? It’s the previous generation guys, Attitude Era ws full of it.
I’ll see you for a live tweeting session of Super Show Down 2018 and a full report on the event here at PWTorch.com!
NOW CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE: TOP 3 DEVELOPMENTS – RAW 10/1: The Temptation of Dean, Heat for Elias, Brothers of Destruction, Thoughts on Ruby Riott’s Philosophy
Personally, I hope the IIconics win. I don’t care about Asuka, like at all.
If Drew and Dean flip sides, I’m cancelling my network subscription. I was a huge fan of Braun, and still am- but of course they flipped him, because… well, “Roman can’t be a heel!!” I like Dean, and his new edgier persona is awesome. If they flip the wrong Shield member because, well, “Roman can’t be a heel!!”, I’m just done. And I mean with WWE. Most likely for awhile.