WWE Hell in a Cell Predictions
WWE's Hell in a Cell is this Sunday, with a rare 'triple main event'. Every one of Raw's titles [...]
Kickoff Match - Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, & Sin Cara vs. Tony Nese, Drew Gulak, & Ariya Daivari
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Nese, Gulak, and Daivari (3-1)
Dallas Jackson: As much as I like luchadors, the better team here is Nese, Gulak, and Daivari. Hopefully the match won't be ruined with Daivari doing something ridiculous and it ends with Gulak and Alexander together in the ring going after it. If this is a propeller match for the Cruiserweight Division, then Gulak needs to get the win.
Lan Pitts: This is a great toss up because Alexander and Nese have been doing stellar work (not to say the rest haven't, but those two stand out here). I could see Nese getting the pinfall over Sin Cara easily, but this is a great way to start a show, of course, I'm biased being the spot mark I am.
Christian Hoffer: I'll be the sole outlier and go with Alexander, Dorado, and Sin Cara. This will be a spot fest that should hype the crowd, and what better way of doing that than with Cedric Alexander going over with some of the athleticism that made him a Cruiserweight Classics favorite?
Bayley vs. Dana Brooke
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Bayley (5-0)
Christian Hoffer: I understand why the WWE didn't want Bayley in the title picture, since Sasha and Charlotte's rivalry has been building for months, but sticking her in a program with Dana Brooke was just unfair. Hopefully, Bayley can carry Dana through this match, as Dana seems to botch everything she touches.
Lucas Siegel: You don't bring Bayley out of an outstanding and company-shaping run in NXT to the main roster to have her lose to a glorified jobber on a PPV. Period.
Lan Pitts: With Dana Brooke needing to establish herself as a solo star instead of Charlotte's sidekick is the driving story here. Bayley is incredibly over and Brooke is having to play catch up right now. I could see Brooke winning, but she got the upper hand at Bayley with that arm wrestling match, so things could come back around for Bayley to get the victory. Should Bayley win, she needs to get in on whoever wins the Raw Women's Championship match ASAP.
Dallas Jackson: The contrived storyline here has been a bit of a flop -- that arm wrestling was brutal to watch -- and this match may not be much better. No one likes Dana Brooke and Bayley is hot and cold with audiences as she has moved up from NXT. That said, she is one of the players on the rise and Brooke might as well be a jobber. Her time in the spotlight has been luke warm and so, Bayley will win.
Enzo and Big Cass vs. Gallows and Anderson
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Gallows and Anderson (3-3, tie broken by Christian)
Chris Killian: Don't care. Pop the fans with the Enzo/Cass entrance and move on.
Lucas Siegel: At this point, Enzo and Cass need a win on a big stage in a big way. if they don't come away with a victory here, I'd be looking for them to split officially. Which would suck.
Jim Viscardi: I might go to the bathroom during this match. (I'm picking Enzo and Cass.)
Lan Pitts: I have to give this to Gallows and Anderson as it's obvious they aren't pushing Enzo and Cass as the tag team they need to be. Gallows and Anderson, while humorous, they're still killers in the ring. Taking that into consideration, Enzo, and by association, Big Cass, are probably the most over guys in the company. They're easily up there with Cena and New Day. Giving them a victory now only delays the inevitable even more with Cass going solo. Gallows and Anderson need a victory to remain top prospects in the tag team division.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: TJ Perkins (c) vs. THE Brian Kendrick
ComicBook.com's Prediction: TJ Perkins (4-2)
Christian Hoffer: Raw's Cruiserweight Division has been underwhelming since its debut last month, so it might be time for a change. Perkins can still be the face of the division, but he needs to build an rapport with the Raw audience first. Give the belt to Kendrick, let him heel it up for a while (and let's face it, he's an excellent heel), and get to work establishing characters for the other cruiserweights.
Jim Viscardi: I'm going with Perkins, even though his opponent is THE Brian Kendrick, who's been an amazing sport about pushing the Cruiserweight division on RAW.
Lan Pitts: Storytelling says Kendrick picks up the win, but it might be too soon since Perkins is somebody they can build the company around, especially in the cruiserweight division. Kendrick though can make the comeback of his career by reclaiming the cruiserweight title once again, but I say Perkins has it this time around.
Lucas Siegel: Perkins' legend is only building. Let this video game character continue to power up.
Dallas Jackson: The TJP storyline has grown tired and this is time for change opportunity that the WWE shouldn't pass up as Kendrick has enjoyed a later career resurgence. The former mentor to Perkins, it would be a solid time to give Kendrick a run with the strap and let him fade out as TJP continues to grow his presence in the industry.
Raw Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. Cesaro and Sheamus
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Cesaro and Sheamus (4-2)
Chris Killian: I'm over New Day as champs. They are babyfaces now and should be chasing the titles, plus, Cesaro and Sheamus are too talented to not have a run here.
Lucas Siegel: Do I REALLY think Cesaro and Sheamus will win? No, probably not. But I'll be damned if I wouldn't be flipping out if they did. I'd love to see these two get a proper push.
Lan Pitts: It seems when WWE creative is stuck on characters, they pair up two and create tag teams and try to make that work. It's how we have the Golden Truth and truth be told, it's how we got most of R-Truth's story lines now that I think about it. It would be an incredible shame for The New Day to lose their championships to a team that has been together for maybe two weeks? I say New Day takes this one home, which drives a wedge back again at Cesaro and Sheamus.
Dallas Jackson: This is a match that WWE will use to keep pushing The New Day forward. Currently in their second run as Tag Team Champs, it will be teamwork that pushes them to the top. Cesaro and Sheamus are the better athletes and probably should/could win, but the storyline of mashed chemistry and dislike will outweigh logic.
Christian Hoffer: I'm with Chris on this one, I'm over the New Day as champions. They haven't had anything interesting to do since Wrestlemania and Raw's Tag Team division has stagnated because of it. Cesaro and Sheamus are two of the most underappreciated wrestlers on the roster. Either give them some belts to defend or move them to Smackdown where they'll be more appreciated.
United States Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev
ComicBook's Prediction: Roman Reigns (6-0)
Christian Hoffer: Poor Rusev. All he wanted to do was share his honeymoon pictures with his friends and defend his wife's honor. Sadly, the WWE's incessant need to push Roman Reigns got in the way of that. Roman will win this decisively, but we'll at least see Rusev put up a good fight.
Jim Viscardi: I cant imagine they'd take Roman's consolation prize away from him. Plus if he has this, Rollins has the Universal Title and if Dean wins the title over on Smackdown - I SMELL SHIELD REUNION.
Lucas Siegel: Reigns retains as the WWE continues to try to make him a thing.
Chris Killian: It's gonna be Roman Reigns because Vince gets what Vince wants. And he can't have Lana.
Lan Pitts: I think putting Roman in this part of the card was a great choice. He's a triple crown champion now and I think it's done well for his relationship with the WWE Universe. Rusev hasn't lost his edge against Roman and still looks and acts like the man-beast he is. This isn't going to go down as one of the most technical matches of all time, but Roman has a Cell match already on his resume. I'll say Roman retains, but barely.
WWE Universal Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Kevin Owens (4-2)
Chris Killian: I've got Kevin Owens for this one. I think he still needs a few more wins under his belt to build up the credibility of a brand new made up world title. One of the best ways to add meaning to a title is by keeping it on a heel champ who sneaks out a win over and over and over and KO needs to be that guy.
Dallas Jackson: Owens will win the match and retain the title. Rollins has had too much negative press for his in-ring performances that it would not be a good business decision to have his ascend to the top. This actually has little to do with personal opinion of who I would want to win, versus what decision is best for the WWE brand.
Jim Viscardi: Seth has been through hell and back since returning, and honestly - I want to see more JeriKO.
Lan Pitts: Since becoming a face, Seth needs that redemption moment. He won the title for a second time at Money in the bank, only to lose it immediately to Dean Ambrose. Rollins has been up against a wall since having to face down his former comrades in the Authority. He's had to lose to Finn Balor and Kevin Owens to finally get a shot at the title, so a win would keep his momentum going. Owens could easily win it back in time for the Royal Rumble, but it's Seth that needs the victory Sunday to stay in the game.
Christian Hoffer: Kevin Owens is in a weird spot right now, not dissimilar to where Dean Ambrose was a few months ago. He's earned a chance to show he can be the WWE's "guy", but his title run has largely been lackluster. Part of that is because Owens has been saddled with a mediocre story, but hopefully Owens can reestablish himself as someone who can be a threat when necessary.
Raw Women's Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
ComicBook.com's Prediction: Sasha Banks (3-3, tie broken by Christian)
Christian Hoffer: This should be the main event of Hell in a Cell and will probably mark the end of the Sasha/Charlotte feud. Charlotte hasn't lost a singles match on a PPV since coming up from NXT, but Sasha Banks is the wrestler popular with fans and should be the face of the division until Bayley establishes herself as John Cena 2.0. Sasha will win in what should be a killer match, although hopefully she doesn't injure herself again in the process.
Lucas Siegel: Women's title bounces back to Charlotte Flair, who takes a huge Face turn after a brutal and history-making match. Sasha is the latest to go on a rampage through the Women's division.
Lan Pitts: Sasha comes out on top for a few reasons. She is this generation's People's Champ. While Charlotte maybe the Queen of the WWE, Sasha's story is more relatable, which is why fans are driven to her. This is the first Cell match for the both of them and the first Cell match for any women's championship, so history will be made here regardless of who walks out. I think Sasha has the upperhand here as Champion because both women don't really know what to expect inside the construct, but Sasha will retain as champion this time around.
Dallas Jackson: While I am certainly a bigger fan of Sasha Banks, the simple truth is that Charlotte is pretty dominant on the big stage being 15-1 in PPV matches. Putting the two in a Hell in a Cell match will take some of the high-flying away that these two are known for -- which also could make this a more physical match. Everything about it adds up to Charlotte taking her title back.
Jim Viscardi: PURE BOSS BABY! This is going to be one hell of a match.
Chris Killian: This is probably the toughest match to call. On one hand, I could see the baby going over here considering the historical relevance of this match. But WWE also loves them some Flairs and I think they add to that stellar legacy by having Charlotte go over in this match.
