Welcome back to another Monday Morning Q&A where I toss out some questions to get a feel of how you guys and gals are feeling about certain topics.
So here are 5 questions I’d like to toss out for this week. I’ll give my answers, too, but the key here is that I want to know what YOU think! So make sure you chime in!
1) We’re heading into SummerSlam and NXT TakeOver 36. These are the go-home shows. What missing elements in the builds to these events are you hoping to see? Are there any matches you’re still waiting to be announced for those cards?
At this point, I don’t think any matches will be added to TakeOver and only three at most will be added to SummerSlam.
With NXT, they typically have five on the card. That lineup is already filled and the prime candidates that would have taken more spots are happening on NXT itself with the NXT Tag Team and Cruiserweight Championship matches. If you’re looking for predictions for that, I think MSK retain but Roderick Strong beats Kushida.
With the main roster, the big gap is making RK-Bro vs. AJ Styles and Omos for the Raw Tag Team Championship official. They’ve already done an Intercontinental Championship match, so that’s out the window. I doubt we’re getting Nox and Shotzi against Natalya and Tamina.
I’d like to see what this whole Finn Balor thing has been about. It would be nice to see these next episodes of Raw and SmackDown be something other than promos reminding people of the upcoming pay-per-view, too. I’m not looking forward to Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal talking, Sheamus and Priest talking, Edge and Seth Rollins talking, so on and so forth, with just a few filler “Who cares? Just do anything and have it end in a DQ” matches.
Give me a reason to believe Nikki A.S.H. has a chance at retaining that title and isn’t just holding it to pass it back to Becky Lynch, too.
2) Now that Christian Cage has won the Impact Wrestling Championship from Kenny Omega, does that make you more excited, less excited or the same as before to see their next match at All Out?
I’m a little bit of both and I sway in different directions depending on how I’m framing my viewfinder.
In one way, I’m less excited because I’ve now already seen it, so it’s not as intriguing. The match was good enough that I want to see it again, though, so that’s almost a wash.
I never thought Christian had much of a chance to win the AEW World Championship to begin with. Now, I know that’s even less likely, as it’s extremely doubtful AEW would book him to beat Omega twice.
Oddly, I’m more happy for Impact than anything else and I don’t even watch that show. I just happen to think this is pretty interesting for them to see their title on a bigger stage and that it’s back around the waist of one of their first champions.
3) What are your thoughts on Shinsuke Nakamura winning the Intercontinental Championship from Apollo Crews?
Overall, I’m a fan. I do happen to think it should have gone to someone else—Cesaro—but despite that personal preference, this is more than okay in my book.
Crews has held the title long enough that this doesn’t hinder him in any way. Between this run and the United States Championship reign, he’s fulfilled enough to check off the midcard role well. At any point, now, they could give him either of those belts and I wouldn’t be too shocked.
Nakamura has the king gimmick going on, which I thought was good enough for him to sink his teeth into without needing this belt, but even if he’s just a transitional champion, that’s good for him. As a former Royal Rumble winner, too, the next in line will look better for having beaten him.
Speaking of the King of the Ring…
4) Andrew Zarian claims a King of the Ring and possibly Queen of the Ring tournament will take place in October. If this is true, which two Superstars would you like to see win the crowns?
Give me Xavier Woods as King of the Ring, since he wants it so badly. I doubt that’s what WWE is planning to do, though. If I can’t give it to Woods, there are thankfully still plenty people who could make good use of this moniker.
You could go straightforward and simple with a guy like AJ Styles, but that’s almost a waste.
King Riddle could overstep his current gimmick and make him go from one of the best characters in the company today to someone who is actually annoying.
King Jinder Mahal could get all decked out. I wouldn’t mind that.
King Mansoor would just be pandering if this is in Saudi Arabia like rumored. At that point, I think fans would reject him, rather than how he’s been accepted over the past few years. But King Mustafa Ali could be interesting.
King Kevin Owens, Cesaro, or Sami Zayn I’m sold on from the onset. Zayn wouldn’t happen in Saudi Arabia, though.
Finn Balor is someone I could see taking this in an interesting direction and he might be my top pick after Woods, to be honest.
When it comes to Queen of the Ring, I feel like it should just go to Charlotte Flair to make it easier for everyone. However, if you don’t want to go with the obvious, there are some fantastic other options.
Queen Asuka? Sold for The Empress of Tomorrow.
Queen of Spades Shayna Baszler, not so much, as I don’t think she has the personality that would suit this.
Queen of the Damned Alexa Bliss could be interesting, but they seem pretty dead set on just doing the playset gimmick.
Queen of Harts could be played more into for Natalya. I’d love to see her get more personality behind her.
It’s a shame Bayley isn’t active as she could probably pull off a snotty queen gimmick very well.
For the most part, I’d say go with Woods and Flair, but I’d say Balor and Natalya are my secondary picks.
And speaking of tournaments…
5) We’re down to Odyssey Jones vs. either Carmelo Hayes or Duke Hudson in the finals of the NXT Breakout Tournament. Who do you think will ultimately win the whole thing?
With the way he’s been having tryout matches so often, it seems WWE likes Odyssey Jones. That could mean he gets fast-tracked to the main roster, rather than sticks around in NXT, though. Then again, Bronson Reed had multiple tryouts and he got fired instead, so that might not be the best indication.
Duke Hudson has stuck around after multiple name changes. Triple H, at the very least, must really like him, too. He’s big and has a lot of upside to him. Frankly, if the NXT Championship scene was a little different, I’d think he was the favorite to win.
But don’t count out Carmelo Hayes. If this is anything like the previous tournament, the winner gets a title shot of their choosing for any of the belts. Jordan Myles fought for the NXT Championship, but this year’s winner doesn’t have to. Maybe Hayes wins this and challenges Strong for the Cruiserweight Championship?
If I had to pick right now, I’d lean toward Jones, but I’m having a hard time visualizing any of these three against Samoa Joe or Karrion Kross, so I’m a bit in the dark about this.
Let us know your thoughts about these questions by answering them in the comments!
