Sunday will feature nine championship matches for the latest WWE pay-per-view. As always, these are just our predictions with no insider knowledge. Let’s get started with the first match:
Ambulance Match for the WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Randy Orton
Once again, this is the hardest match to call on the entire card. Coming in, both men aren’t exactly 100%, though Randy Orton got the last laugh on Monday night. The Ambulance match is a great way to protect the loser from taking a pinfall (though let’s be honest, this match is used to sell their latest toy).
Once again, I’m picking Orton here. I’ve listed my reasons why the veteran holding onto the WWE championship until Wrestlemania could actually be good for business in my Summerslam preview, though admittedly, Orton isn’t as hot as he was when he entered his match with Drew last month.
I like to think that Keith Lee getting a strong victory over Orton at Payback was to set him up as the next challenger for the WWE title if Randy wins. Drew McIntyre winning wouldn’t be a surprise, though the question remains, who will step up and challenge him next?
The only fresh main event opponent for McIntyre is a newly turned Aleister Black. Kevin Owens could be a fun babyface vs. babyface choice as well. In the end though, I’m sticking with the man that I chose last month.
Winner: Randy Orton
WWE Championship match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso
I have to hand it to creative here, Jey Uso is a nice surprise opponent for Reigns. However, lets be real, the “Big Dog” is not dropping the belt anytime soon. There’s so much storyline potential between these two that I wish this match was actually saved for the Royal Rumble instead. That way, Jey could’ve been built up as a credible singles star and it would’ve been believable that Reigns might actually drop the title at the Royal Rumble. Unfortunately, despite the solid build, the result is never truly in question here.
Winner: Roman Reigns
WWE Intercontinental Championship match: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn
This should be a great match. I’m eliminating Styles from winning back the IC title here. While Styles didn’t get to do much as the Intercontinental Champion, it wouldn’t make sense to simply switch the belt back over to him so quickly.
Looking at the Smackdown roster, there aren’t many opponents that stick out for Jeff Hardy next, unless the company really wants him to go back to feuding with Sheamus or King Corbin. The Miz or John Morrison are possible options since they’re not involved in the tag team title picture.
However, Jeff Hardy will likely feud with Sami Zayn for a while. If that’s the case, Zayn will get the win here, but in some type of fluke or controversial fashion that guarantees the rivalry between Hardy and Zayn will continue.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Smackdown Women’s Championship match: Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross
It’s time that WWE calls up a new female to the Smackdown roster. The division continues to lack any true depth outside of Bayley and Sasha Banks, and repeated championship matches are growing tiresome. I don’t see the point in changing the title over to Nikki when a feud with Banks is still waiting.
Its possible that Banks will come out and cost Bayley her title on Sunday, but “The Boss” made it clear that she was coming for the Smackdown Women’s title once she recovers. It’s likely that Bayley and Banks will meet at Hell in a Cell next month.
As for Nikki, the only direction for her to go next is with a heel turn, but Alexa Bliss has already done that somewhat with the Bray Wyatt nonsense. Like their previous encounters, Nikki will give a valiant effort, but the longest reigning Smackdown Women’s Champion isn’t dropping the belt here.
Winner: Bayley
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship match: Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro (c) vs. Lucha House Party
I just don’t see Nakamura and Cesaro dropping the belts here. The Lucha House Party feel like challengers of the month and this match also seems to be the backdrop of Kalisto’s heel turn when the duo loses again.
It’s possible that Lucha House Party could walk out as tag champions as Cesaro and Nakamura don’t have a set direction following their championship match on Sunday, but as I previously stated, the big moment here seems to be Kalisto finally turning heel.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match: Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax (c) vs. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan
There’s literally no other tag team on RAW, Smackdown, or NXT for Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler to feud with, so its possible that Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan could win the belts due to the miscommunication between the tag champs. The long term plan seems to be a feud between Baszler and Jax, and the feuding tag partners rarely have lengthy title reigns.
Jax and Baszler do have more star power, thus it’s likely that the belts will be kept on the duo for the time being, but I feel that Riott and Morgan will walk out with gold on Sunday. Jax and Baszler will have their brief rivalry and then one of them will go on to challenge Asuka for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Winner: Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan
WWE Tag Team Championship match: “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins (c) vs. Angel Garza and Andrade
Angel Garza and Andrade have to finally win the tag team titles here, right? Both men have been squashed in a lopsided feud that has done them so much harm that the only reason this match could possibly exist for the 50th time is for Garza and Andrade to win.
I can see the duo being transitional champions and dropping the belts to Rey and Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series. The potential matches between the two teams will be great, but imagine how better those matches could have been if Garza and Andrade weren’t buried for the last several months. I won’t count out The Street Profits retaining here, but if that was the case, then what’s the point of making this match again?
Winner: Angel Garza and Andrade
United States Championship match: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Apollo Crews
I’ll save you the time, Bobby Lashley. Crews and Ricochet have mostly looked like scrubs when it comes to The Hurt Business and I don’t see that changing at Night of Champions.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
RAW Women’s Championship match: Asuka (c) vs. Zelina Vega (Kickoff Show)
Zelina Vega is simply challenger of the week. The talented manager (who’s a solid wrestler as well) could become a credible threat in the title picture someday if she’s built up properly; however, Asuka gets the win here and moves onto Peyton Royce.
Winner: Asuka
That’s it! Thanks for reading and feel free to put your predictions in the comment section.