RAW Deal: WWE Super Show-Down Predictions

MELBOURNE, Australia –  WWE Super Show-Down in Melbourne this Saturday, October 6, isn’t really a pay-per-view event, but for all intents and purposes (mostly because the company has enough on its schedule to pull off an all-women PPV later this month) it is one.

With the advent of the WWE Network and the ability to broadcast any large-stadium event from around the world on it as though it were a monthly special in the US, expect even more dates on the WWE calendar. If you thought around eight hours of wrestling every week, plus an added four to five more on some Sundays, was too much, Vince McMahon disagrees with you. You’re getting more WWE wrestling (the distinction is important) whether you like it or not.

Strangely, though, WWE Super Show-Down is still booked somewhat like a house show. Even though they’re trying to draw in WrestleMania levels of attendance for a show in Australia – banking on fans from neighboring countries in the region who would rather go to nearer Australia than cross oceans to go to the States – it isn’t really a WrestleMania-caliber card. Sure, there are semblances of big-money Mania matches in the headliner Triple H vs. the Undertaker and a rare John Cena appearance, but the rest of the card feels like a regular episode.

That said, I do think there are possibilities for some big results here despite the paint-by-numbers card. Given that this is the only stop for the males before WWE Crown Jewel, their second Network event in Saudi Arabia this year, if they’re going to pull the trigger on some things, it’s gotta be now. Two things come to mind: the WWE and the WWE Cruiserweight Championship matches, which have been brewing for a while now. AJ Styles and Samoa Joe have been duking it out over the former’s family for two long months, while the as-yet undefeated Cedric Alexander’s going up against hometown guy Buddy Murphy.

Let’s see what we’ve got here:

Asuka and Naomi vs. The Iiconics

It’s at least something for the four women to do after a while of being sidelined (nobody noticed, though, with how good/frustrating Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch over the SmackDown Women’s Championship has been). I just realized that there are two matches involving villainous Australians here, so would they let both sets of Australians win that night? If it has to be only one, I’m guessing it’s the Iiconics taking it.

Winner: The Iiconics

Buddy Murphy vs. Cedric Alexander (c) for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Here’s the other one. While Alexander has been champion for so long and it’s already time for a change, Murphy’s got the more slippery slope to the title. This is Murphy’s second shot at it, and I’m just glad they made him earn this shot. The long Cedric Alexander reign would be more meaningful if it felt like they had something planned for him with this run, but at this point, after beating pretty much every challenger they’ve built up on 205 Live, it’s like they’ve stuck it on him for the sole purpose of good matches. That’s noble, but it does absolutely little for everyone else. Have your Buddy Murphy investment pay off already and give him the hometown pop. The man has worked his ass off to earn it.

Winner: Buddy Murphy (new WWE Cruiserweight Champion)

The Bar vs. The New Day (c) for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship

The New Day doesn’t really need this title reign; it only really happened because Rowan of the Bludgeon Brothers got injured. You could also argue that the Bar doesn’t really need it either, but I would rather see a refreshed tag division on SmackDown with all these new teams taking on the Bar instead of the New Day’s chokehold on it. They’re good, but they’re also oversaturated.

Winner: The Bar (new SmackDown Tag Team Champions)

The Bella Twins and Ronda Rousey vs. The Riott Squad

Brie Bella botches aside, it’s not like there’s gonna be a different result for this one, right? Ronda Rousey losing at a big show? Ronda Rousey losing?

Winner: The Bella Twins and Ronda Rousey

Bobby Lashley and John Cena vs. Elias and Kevin Owens

See above match. I guess this show is still a house show, after all.

Winner: Bobby Lashley and John Cena

Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (c) for the SmackDown Women’s Championship

I don’t see the title changing hands here, as putting it on Lynch to cap off almost a month of uncertainty and frustration on who’s really the good guy here was the best thing they’ve done in this story so far. Of course, they could still turn it into some sort of hero’s journey for Flair (it’s the kind of thing they love doing, and Flair is the kind of Superstar they love doing it with and for) and having Lynch lose it. They can argue it as them already giving what the fans wanted, so they can do whatever they want now.

Then again, it’s just a house show, so I hope this doesn’t change.

Winner: Becky Lynch

The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre

So all male titles on RAW are still on four of these six men. The RAW Women’s Championship on Ronda Rousey isn’t being defended on this show, so that means RAW has zero title shots on this card, unless you count the Cruiserweight Championship as still being a part of the red show. That’s… really, really strange.

Which is why it makes me wonder why they couldn’t have just split this up into two or three different matches to promote the same storyline. Doesn’t Strowman deserve a Universal Championship rematch, or will we wait five more grueling weeks for WWE Crown Jewel? Can’t Rollins defend the Intercontinental Championship against someone else on RAW, and then Reigns and Ambrose go up against Strowman and McIntyre or Ziggler?

Oh, right. It’s a house show, so the Shield’s got to be together. I guess I also know who wins.

Winner: The Shield

Daniel Bryan vs. the Miz to determine the #1 Contender to the WWE Championship

So far, SmackDown Live and 205 Live are the only brands on this show with actual stakes. This feels like the end of the current Bryan/Miz feud, and for good measure; it’s just gone on for so long, and now that Bryan’s officially re-signed with the WWE, it’s time to move on to the other dream matches on the docket. I do feel like Bryan is getting this win, which means it doesn’t matter who wins the title match up next because Bryan could get an instant classic from either of them, but it also does make me feel good because of the resulting logic. Read on to find out what that is.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles (c) in a No-DQ, No-Count Out Match for the WWE Championship

So naturally, if Bryan is going on to be the #1 contender, then surely we need a new villain for him, right? Because if not, it’s either Bryan or Styles turning heel, and that’s not good for business. No, the most logical move is the best move for all involved. It’s been a great run for AJ Styles.

Winner: Samoa Joe (new WWE Champion)

Triple H (with Shawn Michaels) vs. The Undertaker (with Kane)

With Triple H being the only good body in this match–the Undertaker is running on fumes, Kane is injured the last time we saw him, and Shawn Michaels has been retired for eight years now)–I really don’t have high hopes for this one. It’s apparently building toward a tag match with all four involved, and a possible Shawn Michaels/Undertaker rematch at Survivor Series, none of which I really would like to see. But I’m guessing the casual fans they need to attract in Melbourne will. They just don’t know what’s coming.

Winner: The Undertaker

Who do you have for WWE Super Show-Down?

*****

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