Hi there, fellow wrestling fans! Sorry for the slight delay, but I am back on track and ready to offer some predictions and previews for the week to come…well, the first day of it at least!
WWE (Returning!)
We start things off with WWE. Raw will be returning to our screens tonight after an abrupt hiatus from NXT and Smackdown. The last image we saw was the sight of the Kabuki Warriors standing tall over Natalya Neidhart, but I don’t suspect that Asuka will be the first person we see on Raw. That distinction will either go to yet another vignette from Lexis King or possibly Drew McIntyre; the rumored, though not confirmed, choice that Dibiase was denied.
It’s hard to tell what we are going to get from Murrey Entertainment for Raw or any of their broadcasts this week, but something tells me that the WWE Champion will be making some kind of appearance to remind everyone who the top dog of the company is!
We will also have a new world champion crowned, and we don’t even know all of the participants yet! I’m still leaning towards Drew, but WWE has mastered the art of twists from out of left field, so all I can really do here is brace myself for whatever is to come.
Either way, it will be a lot of fun having the company get back to business in the second full week of the new era!!
AEW
Knockouts Hardcore Title: Nia Jax © v. Lacey Evans
On to All Elite Wrestling, and I have to admit that the card I am laying out here is just the card I am assuming will take place. I may have made a mistake in my notes, as I only see three matches laid out on my sheet.
Regardless, the first match I have here is Nia Jax’s first title defense as the new Knockout’s Hardcore Champion. I’m going to be candid here: I don’t see Nia losing this title for the reasons that I laid out the other day. This belt is going to be her ticket to wreaking havoc, and poor Lacey Evans is set to get her face rearranged tonight on Dynamite.
Granted, with the 24-7 rule in place, this really is ANYONE’s opportunity, and the title doesn’t have to leave with either of these two ladies, but I can’t foresee anyone getting it off of Nia…just yet.
Gunther v. Ultimate Warrior
Speaking of unstoppable beasts, Gunther is scheduled to go against Mickey’s former “Ultimate Weapon”, the Ultimate Warrior. This will be Warrior’s first time in action since he trounced Ted Brown at Wrestlemania back in April, so you know that he is hungry for this opportunity.
Gunther, though, is in the midst of a build for a rematch with the TV Champion, Swerve, so I don’t expect Gunther to lose, but I do expect a really brutal encounter. Interestingly, both men were brutes-for-hire dispatched by Mickey at one point in the previous era (Gunther had been hired to destroy Blaster, only for Steve Austin to intervene).
Regardless, I think this will one will be fun, and will likely involve Swerve as he watches the primary threat to his reign do battle.
A word from Dominik
After his mysterious no-show on Friday’s return premiere of “Chaos”, Dom Dom will be making an appearance on Dynamite tonight to explain his presence in AEW as well as offer a hint as to his plans to capitalize on his opportunity earned in that Gold Rush Ladder Match at Starrcade!
You almost have to anticipate that he is planning to go after Sami Zayn, right? I just think that he is biding his time to wait out the possible rise of Brock Lesnar. That would be the smart move…at least.
Reaction from Sami Zayn?
On the topic of Sami, the only Co-Chair of BWM Inc. whom we’ve seen active since the Draft, he is most definitely going to have something to say about Armageddon being taken out and Xolo getting a win over him.
The walls aren’t quite closing in on Sami just yet, but there are a number of factors which will be working against his title reign being longer than a handful of months; including, again, Mr. Lesnar. Run, Sami. Seriously, run!
Bryan Danielson v. “Hangman Adam Page”
Lastly (from my notes, at least), we have Danielson taking on his former good friend and now the company drunk; Hangman Adam Page.
This match will most certainly serve two major objectives: telling the story that Page is in a bit of a free-fall en route to his long-awaited match with Kenny Omega, and paving the way for Danielson’s redemption.
Danielson is all-but guaranteed to get the victory here, but the biggest story of the match will be the impending encounter with Kenny Omega during and/or after the match, wherein we see Omega finally start to realize that Page is beyond saving.
I do apologize if I missed something about the show to come, but that’s all I have for the “Elite” of the business!
ULW
Ricky Starks v. The Ladies Man
Ok, let’s move on to Undisputed League Wrestling (hey! I work there!) and the scheduled opening bout of the new show. I know that the company is really excited for the world to see the new look (and I am told that more upgrades here and there are coming), and they are especially excited for the world to see what ULW has to offer in the ring.
In the first bout of the evening, the old meets the new as the always-controversial Ladies Man takes on Ricky Starks, whose selection in the Draft turned some heads so fast that I swear I felt a shockwave on my side of the arena!
The Absolute one is planning to kick this new era off with a bang, but the man he meets hasn’t had a serious showing in the business since the first year of the Sixth Era. This will be a great clash of differing styles, and I can’t wait to see it!!
Living Dead Girl v. Beth Phoenix
Vengeance is in the air, as the Glamazon seeks to get back at the first female phenom of wrestling for costing her a shot at Jade Cargill. These two dominant former Women’s Champions stand poised to give us a classic in their own right in this dream match, and I am not sure that the new set will survive it!!
We still have questions which need to be answered – re: why LDG interfered on behalf of Lee to begin with -, but for now we will just have to sit back and enjoy the battle of monsters of the female persuasion!
Women’s Title: Jade Cargill © v. AJ Lee
Assuming that LDG is taken out by Beth, Lee will be forced to face Jade Cargill alone. That might not be a problem for Lee, though, as she already has a victory over the Women’s Champion in their only other singles encounter last summer when Lee defeated Jade to qualify for the Premier Tournament.
Does her past success in toppling the champion foreshadow a repeat for yet another upset? Time will tell, but Jade is the freshest champion in the business as she hasn’t competed since she defeated Alexa Bliss for the title at Armageddon 4 on Memorial Day.
This one really can go either way, and I am ready for it!
4:20: Featuring CM Punk
The boys are back at it, as CM Punk kept Jesse Hash from retaining his Extreme Title at the Shockwave, and now Hash has demanded a one-on-one opportunity to confront the thorn in his side! Punk, for what its worth, is equally excited for this chance to see Hash again, and I have a sneaking suspicion that this won’t just be a friendly conversation!
Like I said before, the last time they were alone in the ring was when Hash defeated Punk at Motivation X more than a year ago. A ton has changed since then, so buckle up!
Dragonfly’s Decision
3 weeks out from his final match and we are going to be treated to the official announcement both of who he plans to face and of the stipulation he will choose. I am among those who don’t want to see Dragonfly hang up the boots, but the greatest of all time has earned this moment, and perhaps it really is time to move out of the way and let someone else step up in his absence!
Massacre Six Match – Shot at Undisputed Title: Randy Orton v. Kevin Owens v. Matt Cardona v. Chris Jericho v. Giant Gonzales v. Sting
Finally, we have the Main Event to determine Bray’s next challenger, and what a doozy this one will be, as it involves six of the biggest names in the business! Just think about where all of these guys were just a few months ago: Sting was by Darby’s side in AEW, Jericho seemed like he was going to retire in WWE, Kevin Owens was reaching for the Rock’s title, and Matt Cardona was challenging Randy Orton for the Undisputed Title!
Now, each of these men will have a chance to challenge for the most prestigious prize in the business if only they can come out on top in this unique match created by Benny Mouse 22 years ago!
Tonight and this week as a whole are poised to be a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to experience it with you all, so let’s get ready to watch some wrestling!!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 