Hey, gang! Long time no talk, we know, but it’s been one busy summer. We didn’t want to leave you hanging, though, and just in time for the biggest event of the summer, Degeneration Jax is back with predictions! Look no further for your favorite gang’s highly opinionated look into what may go down this Sunday at the Barclays Center; Chris, Jacob, and Katie take a few guesses on each of the matches this weekend in Brooklyn.
WWE Universal Title Match: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
Chris: Gotta go with Seth on this one. Finn just isn’t ready. Plus, it would make much more sense for Finn to chase this for a few months with both of them putting on stellar matches. This will probably steal the show.
Jacob: It’s hard to believe these dudes haven’t been in a Ring together under a WWE umbrella. This is going to be so fucking good yo! GET HYPE. This is a very tough call to make as you’re going back to the well with Rollins or taking a new guy and fast tracking him to the top. Finn’s going to have a badass entrance because of course he is, so I’m really looking forward to that. But will he take the win? I’m going to go with no. The money is in the chase and I have a heart for that lovely Seth Rollins cackle that he has so I think he takes this. But hopefully dirty. We haven’t had a good old hold the tights/grab the rope finish in awhile and SOMETIMES when its done right? It’s incredibly effective. I’ll take Rollins.
Katie: There is a small part of me that thinks Balor might surprise us all and pull it out, but a much bigger part of me thinks that this was made for Rollins. So, my guess is Seth. I think they’re keeping The Club separate from Balor, so that won’t happen yet, but I don’t think this will be the end of the Seth/Finn feud.
WWE Title Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
Chris: Dean retains. Unless there is some sort of really awesome, super badass heel turn by Ziggler and he steals the win and the belt. There could be another option as well, which I’ll discuss below.
Jacob: I must say I’ve loving Dolph’s fire lately. It’s like he’s taking all his frustration of his start/stop booking and putting it all on the line here. Will he take home the gold? Doubtful. Dean is THE guy on Smackdown and he fucking should be. I’m really on the fence as far as if I want a long-term feud out of this or not but I’d rather have Dean be fed challengers for a while and keep building himself as a long term top guy, as I feel Styles is next on the list to challenge him. What does that mean Ziggler? I know a lot of people are feeling a heel turn but I really don’t see what that does for him at this point. It doesn’t make much sense to build him up as a babyface (see Ambrose’s heel mannerisms the last few weeks) and then switch him. We’ll see how it goes but I’m sticking with Ambrose.
Katie: Definitely Dean. I don’t think he’s gonna drop it to Ziggler, but I do think this feud was to elevate Ziggler to a higher level and make him a more serious competitor/threat for the Smackdown brand. Also, I’m fairly certain he’s KFC’s new Colonel Sanders, or at least is for a one-off commercial to debut at SummerSlam, so this may also be a feud to get some spotlight on a guy that’s doing some endorsement stuff. Either way, Ambrose wins after a pretty brutal fight.
Randy Orton vs. Brock Lesnar
Chris: Brock. I don’t see them giving the inevitable Brock loss to Randy. He definitely doesn’t need it. I do think this will be the most formidable opponent for Brock in a while in what I expect to be a good match. I just see Brock’s loss coming at the hands of someone who would greatly benefit from it (looking at you KO).
Jacob: Brock Wins, fatality. I am looking forward to them figuring out a way to counter an F5 into an RKO for a SICK near fall though. This is either the main eventt or right before the title matches. I’ll admit I’m a purist and the titles should be last, but there’s a decent argument that this match is bigger (first announced as well) so we’ll see how they lay everything out. Kudos to both men because I was not interested at ALL in this match, and that RKO on RAW was all I needed. Mission accomplished.
Katie: I agree with Chris, in saying that Randy isn’t going to be given the big Brock loss. I do think this is going to be Brock’s most equal fight in WWE recently, but my prediction is that he’ll win and someone else that needs the rub (a newcomer, who I also think should be Owens). There’s a part of me that thought, originally, that WWE was going to have Brock lose because of his recent UFC drug scandal but…it’s become pretty apparent that Brock Lesnar does what Brock Lesnar wants to. Even though I want him to lose because, fuck that guy, I definitely think The Beast is coming out with the win. I do think this one will go on last, though. The titles should go last, but at the same time, you have TWO main titles for two separate brands, and if you put one over the other, it’s favoring one brand. With Brock vs Randy, you have the first match announced advantage, plus the fact that they’re both huge names, and they’re representing two separate brands. It could be the last representation of the inter-brand feuds until the next big PPV.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Chris: Probably Cena. Match should tear it down, though. I could watch these two work all day.
Jacob: Cena/Styles is going to tear the damn house down. I feel like it could use a stipulation to up the ante but they are fantastic at what they do and it’s going to be fucking awesome. It’s really hard to pick against #CENAWINSLOL but seriously can we get SOMEONE to go over Cena? If it’s anyone it’s AJ Styles and he’ll challenge Ambrose for the title soon thereafter.
Katie: I really want to say Styles. He needs it. I think there’s no reason for Cena to win this but….ugh, should I just go with AJ and see? Meh. I’ll say Styles. The match is gonna be great, though, so maybe it won’t matter.
WWE Women’s Title Match: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte (Dana Brooke banned from ringside)
Chris: I see Sasha retaining, however hopefully they really play up the leg injury from Monday’s figure 8. She’s gonna have to fight from below for this victory to mean anything.
Jacob: They are gonna tear it up and I’m really excited to see it but no way in hell is Sasha losing the title this quick (of course it’s 50/50 booking with WWE always so who the hell knows right?) These girls get 15 mins and we’ll have a surefire match of the year contender. Look for this to steal the show.
Katie: Sasha, definitely. Something tells me Nia Jax isn’t going to be absent from this show, though, so she may show up. I don’t think to interfere, I think to stare down, or attack, Sasha after the match.
WWE Intercontinental Title Match: The Miz (c) vs. Apollo Crews
Chris: Miz. Crews just isn’t there. Plus IC Champ Miz is just pure joy. Keep the belt on him until someone really hot comes along.
Jacob: As much as I love Apollo Crews I just don’t see him winning here. He’s still missing a character (WHY should we cheer you, eh?) Miz in the dirtiest of dirty wins. Shout out to my boo-thing Maryse.
Katie: Miz. Again, there really isn’t much there to Crews yet, and this wasn’t even a feud. What I think is that Miz should definitely cheat to win, or maybe get a DQ, and have Crews chase it. Have him try a few times to win, give the guy some character. But I do agree, keeping the belt on Miz is a great idea. He’s doing an incredible job.
WWE Tag Team Title Match: The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) (c) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Chris: – It’s time for New Day to drop the belts. Which, if I remember correctly, it was Kofi and Xavier teaming up when they lost them last year too, so I expect that to be a factor. Unless we see a Big E return and helps them win, which that does nothing for Anderson/Gallows. Time for some heel tag champs so Enzo/Cass can chase them for the remainder of 2016.
Jacob: This has been a very fun feud so far since they sort of “rebuilt” it by taking Big E and his testicle out. Even if watching the Club’s penis jokes makes me feel like a 14-year-old, it feels different and that almost always works. I think with Big E out I’m feeling a title change is imminent. I’ll give it to the Club, too sweet me fam.
Katie: Anderson and Gallows! It is definitely time for The New Day to lose the belts, and what better way to do it than to a dominant heel team in need of a big win, and without their third member, who was always their advantage? There is so much that they can do with New Day from here, after losing the belts, and I don’t think they need them at all. Anderson and Gallows leading the Raw tag division will be great, plus they’ve been killing it with their comedy/faux serious vignettes and I think there is a lot of potential in future feuds, especially if New Day goes for their rematch into the next Raw PPV.
WWE United States Title Match: Rusev (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Chris: ……..ugh……Reigns.
Jacob: Man this rivalry has been a swing and a miss so far from a storyline perspective but it should be a very good match on Sunday night. Rusev should win here sooooo of course Roman will win.
Katie: I actually think Rusev is going to win this one. Despite the fact that they look like they’re going back to their original booking of Roman, and making him look like the main event while in a mid-card title feud, I think that Rusev is going to win this one. Possibly with interference from Lana (which I think makes sense), but with Roman going over Rusev on the Raw go home show (which made no goddamn sense), I actually think we’re gonna see Rusev winning. This won’t be the end of their feud, and Roman is eventually winning that title, but this one I’ll give to Rusev.
First in the Best of Seven Series: Cesaro vs. Sheamus
Chris: Who cares? Watching these two in a best of 7 is like being told you have to work 4 double shifts in a row at Denny’s.
Jacob: Very weird booking to have Cesaro go up 2 to nil and then BAM Best of Seven, Booker T/Cena-style! But those matches were awesome and these matches have been great as well. They have great chemistry and they can both go. I think they should give the first win to Sheamus and set up Cesaro for the comeback in the latter half.
Katie: Lmao. I’m sorry, guys. I feel bad, but I groaned when I heard that we’d see these guys in seven matches. What is it with Sheamus having to wrestle the same guy for months on end? I mean this is going to drag on for AGES! I think I’d be more excited if this was Cesaro vs. Sami, but I digress. Cesaro has won against Sheamus now, what, twice? So I think Sheamus wins this one. I think these guys will put on great matches but…I just don’t care.
Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass
Chris: Enzo and Cass in what should be a really fun match. They’re on fire. No need to slow them down now.
Jacob: This should be soo SOOO much fun. Jericho is probably going to take the pinfall here because Jericho. As much fun as JeriKO is I think they aren’t lasting past Summerslam. Sidebar: I hope they have a killer finish planned (even though it’ll likely get kicked out of if I’m correct) Kevin Owens pops up Enzo into a Codebreaker and Cass breaks up the pinfall, Bank on it.
Katie: Enzo and Cass, to give them some momentum in the tag division and allow them to chase the belts with Anderson and Gallows having them. Either that, or Owens and Jericho cheat to win and the feud carries on to the next Raw PPV, but I don’t think they’re going to tie those two guys up in a tag feud for long….unless they’re going to make them an actual tag team, which I won’t hate, but I’m probably getting ahead of myself. I think Enzo and Cass win because Owens and Jericho don’t need it (though I thought that with Jericho and Styles at Mania, and we see how that ended).
Natalya, Alexa Bliss and Eva Marie Vacant vs. Carmella, Naomi and Becky Lynch
Chris: Team Eva Marie. Keep the heat on her for the inevitable Becky/Eva match, which I think might surprise people. Edit: Chris did his predictions before the announcement of Eva’s suspension, but he stands by his prediction.
Jacob: With Eva suspended (amazing, right?) I don’t think it really changes anything. I expect the babyfaces to take the win, hell it might even open the show if Cesaro/Sheamus doesn’t (which it should, to get the crowd hot-ish). Also as far as the TBD its probably Alicia Fox. YAY!! POP!
Katie: Well, first off, I think Maryse is going to be Nattie and Alexa’s partner. It makes the most sense (though I’ll credit Chris to coming up with it). I don’t see the heels going at it two to three, and no other girl could really come out, do what Eva was going to do (which was probably not much at all), and get a reaction. My other ideas of partners are either Nikki Bella or Billie Kay. I’m guessing Becky, Carmella, and Naomi win, with Becky getting Natty to tap out.
Miscellaneous Predictions
Chris: I believe Bray Wyatt will be on the card somehow. Whether it’s interfering in the Ambrose/Ziggler match, or in a segment with Sami Zayn, setting up an inter-brand feud that continues at Survivor Series, boils up at the Rumble, to a match at Mania 33 in Orlando. Have a long feud spanning both brands, but only revisiting it sparingly. They’re both Orlando/Performance Center/NXT boys. Have them duke it out in O-Town.
Jacob: Sidebar: WHERE in the FUCK is Sami Zayn? He wins the feud with Owens and he’s not on fucking SummerSlam? Fucking hell. I’m sure he’ll be on the ridiculously long Pre-show but come on dude seriously? I’d honestly love him in an Intercontinental Title Feud with the Miz. Sign me the fuck up. Double Sidebar: A WILD Prediction appears! Shinsuke Nakamura debuts on RAW the next night. Don’t tell me it doesn’t count because its not Summerslam, I do what I want. <3 EDIT: Jacob is also jumping brands here a lot. He really does do what he wants.
Katie: I definitely think Bray will be involved somehow. My best guess is in the WWE title match, or, with Lesnar. Could really spark a feud that carries on for awhile. We’ve been waiting for that for awhile, haven’t we? As I mentioned up there in the Women’s Title match, I think Nia Jax is going to be involved somehow. That being said, Braun Strowman could have some involvement somewhere on the card as well. We haven’t heard anything about the preshow, though, which is two hours, so my guess is Sami has something going on, maybe we see Kalisto vs Baron Corbin (which has been teased for a few weeks now), and some stuff with the Smackdown tag teams, especially with American Alpha at the center of it.
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