This Sunday, Monday Night Raw will host its first Pay-Per-View since before WrestleMania 33: Payback. This isn’t entirely brand-exclusive, because of the Superstar Shake-up. Since some matches were made before the Shake-up, there are two matches that feature SmackDown Live Superstars. On top of that, only one male singles championship is being defended (the Cruiserweight Championship), while the others are nowhere to be found on the card. Let’s take a look at what this unusual card has to offer (and of course, try to predict the winners).
Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
A couple weeks ago, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson scored a victory over Enzo Amore and Big Cass. Last week, Gallows and Anderson then teamed up with Samoa Joe against Seth Rollins, Big Cass, and Finn Balor and lost (Balor was a replacement for Amore, who was attacked before the match). This Sunday, however, Enzo and Cass have a chance to finally get a win against the former Club members.
Prediction:
Enzo and Cass getting the win here would be a good way to pump up the crowd, but it doesn’t seem like they are ever going to win anymore. I’m going with the team that has actually won championships before. Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
This match started to build before Fastlane, but Samoa Joe’s assault on Seth Rollins (which was also his main roster call-up) would injure Rollins’ knee for several weeks. When Rollins returned, he moved onto his match with Triple H, but now that he is back full-time, the Kingslayer can finally refocus on the Samoan Submission Machine. Both men have brawled here and there, but they finally come to a head in a standard match.
Prediction:
In singles matches on the main roster, Samoa Joe is undefeated. Joe has defeated Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho, and anyone else who has stepped in his way. While Seth Rollins is no easy challenge, it looks like Joe has this one in the bag. Winner: Samoa Joe
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Of all the matches on the card, this one probably has the best build. Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman have been feuding since before the Royal Rumble, but that was put on hold for WrestleMania when Reigns feuded with the Undertaker. Strowman immediately picked up where he left off, assaulting Reigns backstage and flipping an ambulance with Reigns inside. The former three-time WWE Champion has not been seen since, but this is sure to be a fight.
Prediction:
Most of the time, it seems like Roman Reigns is the definitive choice. However, Braun Strowman is a human wrecking ball and he seems to be Reigns’ kryptonite. On top of that, Reigns might not even be 100%, giving Strowman an easier chance at winning. Winner: Braun Strowman
Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton – House of Horrors Match
No one knows what a House of Horrors Match is. Will it be in the ring? Will it take place outside of the arena? How do you win the match? There are no answers to these questions, but logically, everything is in Bray Wyatt’s favor, since he invented the match after all. It also seems like WWE sneakily removed the WWE Championship from being on the line so that if Wyatt wins, SmackDown isn’t without a big title.
Prediction:
Because the WWE Championship is safe, this gives Wyatt a great opportunity to build momentum for his move to Monday Night Raw, where he will potentially start a feud with Finn Balor. Winner: Bray Wyatt
Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries – WWE Cruiserweight Championship
As usual, this is the match that can steal the show. Neville, who is undefeated in singles matches since October, retained the Cruiserweight Championship against Austin Aries at WrestleMania by attacking Aries’ eyes. Shortly after his loss, Aries regained the #1 Contender’s spot by winning a Fatal Four-Way match. Since then, TJ Perkins has gotten involved, changing his attitude and aligning himself with the King of the Cruiserweights.
Prediction:
Austin Aries is definitely deserving of the Cruiserweight Championship, but this feud cannot last longer than it already has. It seems unlikely for Aries to win then immediately retain against Neville, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cruiserweight Champion retains and gains a new challenger on 205 Live. Winner, and STILL Cruiserweight Champion: Neville
The Hardy Boyz (c) vs. Sheamus & Cesaro – Raw Tag Team Championships
At WrestleMania 33, The Hardy Boyz shocked the WWE Universe and returned to win the Raw Tag Team Championships. After successfully retaining against Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, Sheamus and Cesaro would win a #1 Contender’s Match against Enzo Amore and Big Cass (who, as mentioned earlier, can never win a match). Most of this buildup has been through mutual respect and just the chase for the gold, but over the past couple of weeks, Sheamus and Cesaro have both lost their cools for a little bit before regaining their composure.
Prediction:
Based on the past few weeks, it sure seems like either Sheamus or Cesaro will lose his cool and cost his team the match. Whether or not that happens, The Hardy Boyz are too good for the WWE to lose their titles so soon. Winners, and STILL Raw Tag Team Champions: The Hardy Boyz
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Chris Jericho – United States Championship
The long-awaited conclusion to a months-long story comes this Sunday when Chris Jericho gets his championship rematch against his former best friend, Kevin Owens. Chris Jericho set up a match at Fastlane for Owens, which Owens would lose and drop the Universal Championship to Goldberg. KO was then dead set on taking Y2J’s title from him, which he did at WrestleMania 33. No matter who walks out the United States Champion, the winner will join SmackDown Live. This doesn’t mean that if Owens loses, he goes back to Raw.
Prediction:
This seems like the easiest match to predict on the card, but only because of non-WWE related events. Chris Jericho is going to be touring with his band, Fozzy, starting in May. He can’t work a WWE schedule and a touring schedule at the same time, so by default, he can’t be the United States Champion. Winner, and STILL Face of America: Kevin Owens
Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss – Raw Women’s Championship
After being on top of the SmackDown Live Women’s Division for months, Alexa Bliss got the call to move to Monday Night Raw. In her first Raw match, Bliss defeated Nia Jax, Sasha Banks, and Mickie James to become the new #1 Contender for Bayley’s Raw Women’s Championship. This match hasn’t had much build behind it other than Bliss making fun of the champion, but that’s all it needs with such short notice.
Prediction:
Bayley was a phenomenal NXT Women’s Champion, but her run as Raw Women’s Champion seems to fall short. Sure, she ended Charlotte’s Pay-Per-View streak and retained at WrestleMania. Something about her run seems lackluster, and a change of hands would freshen things up for the title and the division. Winner, and NEW Raw Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
