Match Predictions and Heat Index Anticipation Levels
Temperature Scale = Scorching > Hot > Lukewarm > Temperate > Chilly > Cold > Freezing
Heat Index is my assessment of how interesting the segment is, including how excited I am for the match and how intriguing the feud has been. The hotter, the better. Scorching translates to not being able to wait to see it, while Freezing means I couldn’t possibly care less and think it will be awful.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP FATAL 4-WAY MATCH:
Big E (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
Heat Index = Hot
Prediction: I have no idea who wins. Ever-so-slightly in favor of Big E retaining right now.
Thoughts: This match has gone through a number of changes and thrown me for a loop. At first, it was just Rollins. Then, a Triple Threat with Owens, who was heading toward probably not re-signing with WWE in January. Lashley gets into the mix, kind of turns babyface, and Owens re-signs. I’m at a loss of what’s going on here and where the WWE Championship scene will be for WrestleMania. I’m starting to think Owens wins this and fights Edge for the belt at Mania, but that seems like such a long shot. Then again, who fights Big E if he retains? It can’t be these guys. Rollins doesn’t seem like he’d win, and if Lashley wins, who fights him, too? While all four parties here are good and the match could be rock solid, I’m more interested in the outcome than anything else.
UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
Heat Index = Hot
Prediction: Roman Reigns wins.
Thoughts: Supposedly, WWE wants some big angle to go down to set up yet another match between these two at WrestleMania. You know how I feel about that, so I’ll spare you the diatribe. But if that’s true, that should point to Paul Heyman rejoining Lesnar and screwing over Reigns, a title change, and that to be the big hook, right? I don’t buy it. Too much has been made about The Tribal Chief’s long title reign for it to just end like this, I think. Instead, I think this is all just blowing smoke and Reigns is going to retain through whatever shenanigans. There will probably be something that WWE thinks is worthwhile enough to keep people interested for 4 more months, but I don’t even have a lot of faith in that, either.
RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Heat Index = Chilly
Prediction: Becky Lynch wins.
Thoughts: Nope. Sorry. I’m not buying the Liv Morgan hype train. I like her and all, but I think a lot of people are getting themselves set up for disappointment. Nothing in my mind points in the direction of Lynch dropping the title right now. That’s especially true with Morgan being the challenger and the idea of WrestleMania coming up. I just can’t imagine WWE is going to take the belt off a more proven commodity and bigger prospect like Lynch in favor of putting all that responsibility on Morgan. This is an underdog story where the underdog loses yet again, and I don’t think the match will be particularly awesome, either.
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
RK-Bro (c) vs. The Street Profits
Heat Index = Chilly
Prediction: RK-Bro wins.
Thoughts: Filler. I love both tag teams, so I’m sure the match itself will be fine, if not even one of the best of the night. But it seems so lacking in purpose other than filling time that I can’t get properly invested in it. More effort was put into Alpha Academy as opponents for Randy Orton and Riddle than in The Street Profits. RK-Bro retains and fights The Mysterios down the line, too.
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
The Usos (c) vs. The New Day
Heat Index = Temperate
Prediction: The Usos win.
Thoughts: These two teams are among the best ever. Pretty much every time they step in the ring, they kill it. However, the amount of times they’ve fought has taken the wind out of the sails. They had something like 3 matches in the past month alone, right? Therefore, I know I’ll enjoy the segment, but I don’t think a title change is happening, nor do I think it’ll be anything I haven’t seen before, and I’ll ultimately look at it as filler.
SINGLES MATCH:
Edge vs. The Miz
Heat Index =Â Lukewarm
Prediction: The Miz wins.
Thoughts: Not only do I think The Miz is underrated, I’m also a fan of this idea of these two feuding. However, I think the real money is in a mixed tag team match, which should take place at Royal Rumble or whatever event happens in February. Let’s get Edge and Beth Phoenix against The Miz and Maryse. In order for that to happen, Maryse needs to cost Edge the victory here.
SINGLES MATCH:
Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
Heat Index = Freezing
Prediction: Drew McIntyre wins.
Thoughts: I like both guys, but good lord is this pointless. This is a match you’d skip by if it were on SmackDown. Why do they think it’s worthwhile enough to be invested in on January 1st when people have other things to do? I guess the philosophy is just “People are tuning in for Brock and Roman. Let’s fill it with other stuff.” But that’s why you get a Freezing. Either McIntyre wins outright and they continue this feud with a match against Baron Corbin at Royal Rumble (or SmackDown in the coming weeks) or Moss only wins due to a distraction from Corbin. The latter is less likely. It all ends up going in the same direction anyway, too.
OVERALL PPV:
How excited am I for the event as a whole?
Heat Index = Temperate
Thoughts: I can’t shake the feeling this show is basically one or two hooks and a bunch of filler. Essentially, if the Reigns and Lesnar thing is good enough to generate buzz and the WWE Championship match has a title change, WWE will look at this as a success even if everything else is 3+ hours of material nobody remembers the next night. That makes it hard to get pumped about it. I’m curious, but cautiously.
What do you think is going to happen at WWE Day 1? Which matches are you most excited to see? Keep the discussion going in the comments below!
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