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Pro's from the Palace (#134) - Next up for title shots in WWE, ROH, TNA? |
» Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
» On Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 4:23 PM EST
I've had an itch to do some writing today, and since I saw somewhere some people trying to book Ring of Honor for the remainder of the year, I thought I would take a similar concept, and try and come up with championship programs for WWE, TNA, and ROH for the remainder of 2006. If I went for entire cards, I could be here till next tuesday. It'd be a lot of fun, but hey, let's call it as we see it.
First, WWE Smackdown, and the CRUISERWEIGHT championship.
Honest truth, a friend of mine, I think it was Dave from Scotland, on Myspace.com said it best. WWE is probably wishing they turned the crusiers in to the X Division concept of TNA. Because with that, Helms vs. Matt would have some meaning, and some oomph behind it as it would be for a belt. With the cruisers being depleted on Smackdown by the loss of Psicosis, Rey going down to injury, Noble being in limbo-ville, London & Kendrick as tag team champs, and Nunzio in ECW, tell me someone of legitimate reputation that can challenge Helms to take the title. Answer. I don't think you can. I would probably think that there may be some new blood infused in the division from the developmentals as potential candidates to replace Helms, but that is a long time down the road. I would've said London or Kendrick, but those guys don't seem to be in a position to lose the Tag belts anytime soon. So, the answer to your question is this, ladies and gentlemen.
I have no idea who would challenge Helms for the title. Do you? If so, let me know. I'd love to hear it.
WWE Tag Team Championship
I love London & Kendrick. And, the division has become much more competitive, I think. We have Stevens & James, who are uncrowned title holders, eventually, with time and more matches under their belts. Burke & Terkay could prove dangerous if given the opportunity to shine. I would've loved to see Regal & Taylor take the straps, but as luck would have it, Taylor's injury cramps that idea for the forseeable future.
Stevens & James have been the last guys to go for the gold, and fail. If, however, the WWE brass decide to go down this road one last time, the Smackdown tag team division could get chaotic in a hurry, especially with the tag team main event booked for next week. I would love, absolutely kill for one more run at the top of the mountain for the Brothers of Destruction. And you can't tell me that would not score well in the ratings for Smackdown, who are desperate, absolutely desperate for named recognition at the top of their marquis.
So, I am going to go out on a limb, and say if Stevens & James are not deemed worthy by WWE brass, the next tag team champs are the Brothers of Destruction.
United States Championship
It appears the next one in line for this belt is Chavito. And while Chavito vs. Benoit in any slice you put it would absolutely tear the house down, I am not looking forward to this. This continued use of Eddie Guerrero's name, legacy, and friendships in the background of any feud involved Chavo and Vickie continues to sicken me deeply. While Chavo would pose a significant threat to Benoit, I cannot get in to this feud whatsoever for that main reason.
Who else would prove fun to see Benoit go against for the strap? One man comes to mind, if he's allowed back on the program, and that's the mad Irishman, Finlay. A former US champion, and almost an Irish clone of Benoit, those two men would absolutely kick the high holy ever living crap out of each other, and quite frankly, I would love to see it.
Unfortunately, I think when the dust settles, Benoit will be robbed of another title reign by Chavo. Chavo does deserve the run as US champion, but A) not at the expense of Benoit, and B) not by the way that they are portraying the character.
World Heavyweight Championship
As more time progresses, I continue to dislike this "champions of champions" match at Cyber Sunday. I don't like the idea behind one title being on the line for this match, because NOBODY comes out of it with a reputation that looks promising. Whether Booker wins, Show wins, or Cena wins, all brands are hurt by this, and it would be an absolute shocker of all shocker if either Booker or Show walk around again with the WWE title around their waist. It's pretty obvious, the hatred for Cena will probably sway the vote and the WWE title will be on the line. Brass of WWE should've already figured out that a double champion didn't work out when Van Dam held the WWE and ECW titles, and God forbid if Booker held both the World and WWE titles. He would never shutup.
Now, once we get out of Cyber Sunday, the most likely guy to take the title is obviously Batista. WWE needs to give him a run as champ again to equal the playing field after Batista had to relinquish the title due to Mark Henry's stupidity. You could also see Kane, Ken Kennedy, or even Undertaker try one more time for the strap, but I would guess Batista is next, with feuds with Finlay and Kennedy on the horizon for the strap sometime in 2007. This title has a lot of leeway to work with, the most out of all of them to this point.
ECW World Championship
Ok. You and I both know this. The one champion that hurts the most coming out of Cyber Sunday is the Big Show. He has been made to look like the dominant force out of ECW, and if he doesn't come out with the title win at the PPV, then the whole work to build him up is wasted. With that being said, and the obvious choice of who will challenge at the December ECW PPV, the question is simple.
Huh?
I thought RVD would never even sniff a chance at the world title again. Does he deserve it? Sure, he's an ECW original, he's a former World champion, and he is probably the only one left that hasn't been decimated by Show since his reign began. He's gone through WWE stars, Sandman, Sabu, repeatedly, and God knows who else. It's obvious, to my opinion, that either Show will fall at the PPV by some major fluke, or keep the belt, as ECW is more than likely preparing one man to take the title for a long run.
ECW brass would be foolish to think that the one man who is most likely capable of carrying the brand to the next level is CM Punk. Punk has the ability, the bravado, and the skills on and off the mike to take the reigns of the brand and go forward with it. The question is simple, who does he win it from? Show or Van Dam? Either which way, it will be a monumental task, but the writing has to be on the wall, CM Punk is the uncrowned ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Now, on to WWE Raw, and the Women's championship
I would suspect Mickie James to take the tournament, and begin a rekindled feud with the returning Beth Phoenix. It's most logical. They had the beginnings of a good feud going before Phoenix went down with injury, and currently, Phoenix is OVW women's champ, so she is getting experience and a half as a title holder in Kentucky. It's only a matter of time that I would suspect this will go down. It is not going to be Maria, Melina, or Lita, I would think. Lita is set to leave, Maria's not a wrestler, and Melina's niche is not in competing, it's in smooching with Nitro.
The Intercontinental Title
Jeff Hardy has to be on cloud nine right now. From obscurity in the ranks of TNA to WWE gold. And he has a pick of the litter as contenders for his title. Chris Masters, Super Crazy, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Johnny Nitro, and in a stretch, even Charlie Haas and potentially Ric Flair if he wanted a chance to run with the gamut one more time. Hardy has the most to gain and the most to lose come Cyber Sunday, and I would suspect his match will be a barn burner, whomever he is up against.
The World Tag Team Championships
It appears the Spirit Squad is eventually going to implode, but damn has it taken a long enough time. Although I am very much not surprised that Ric Flair is involved in the Squad's decimation, as he could get under the skin of almost anybody, and drive them insane. The question is, who takes the gold. I am going to take a stab and say Cryme Tyme. Are they ready to go as World champions? No. Not by a long shot, but the fact is, everyone and their mother loves them, and I would think WWE is going to respond to that in a positive way. No more positive a way than to give the belts to Shad and JTG.
The WWE Championship
Cena's hurting for talent to compete against him for the belt. The two most likely are involved in a feud with DX, that being Edge & Randy Orton. Triple H is long overdue for a run at the title, but that's not going to happen with the DX thing still going strong. The only one left that I think is next in line, and this frightens me....
Umaga.
Umaga has been shown on television to be nearly unstoppable, and that may be the odds that Cena needs to overcome to keep the title. He has gone in to battle with the Bulldozer once before and got his ass kicked, and that may be the one option that WWE can run with as a transition feud while waiting for some more main event line talent to free themselves up for title contention.
Umaga vs. Cena scares the hell out of me, because all the soft WWE fans are going to rip Cena for not making Umaga look good. But, what else is there?
Moving to the other companies, let's talk TNA.
The NWA World Tag Team Championships
I am surprised AMW is set to get back in the picture as a challenger to LAX. I thought they were going to go the way of the dodo. I am also surprised as the amount of changes between LAX and Styles & Daniels. I can't go much further in to this because if I do, I am going to ruin spoilers for upcoming Impact broadcasts. But let's just say I think the uncrowned NWA World tag team champs are not AMW, nor LAX, but the Naturals. I think Shane Douglas will bring Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas back to the top of the mountain, and I would love to see the Franchised Naturals rule the tag team scene in TNA with an "ECW" style feel.
The X Division Championship
Shocked I was to see Sabin win at BFG. I forgot it was his hometown they were in, and that may have changed my pick, but the fact remains, I am shocked. Senshi now, I don't know where he goes, but the truth be told, I can't discuss the future of this belt right now due to forthcoming events. If you want to know, and you don't mind spoilers, email me. If not, then, I'll bring this up as the time allows, down the road.
The NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Isn't this obvious? Two options. Samoa Joe or Kurt Angle. It's just a matter of who. Whoever survives Joe vs. Angle is going to end up challenging Sting for the title. The whole "fight for your right" thing at the moment is just a way to get through Genesis before the real fun begins. If TNA can put the belt on Cage so fast after he jumped, they can do it for Angle. But, I will think that Joe will be next in line for a shot at the strap. Which hurts me to say with his roots in ROH, but the truth hurts, sometimes.
And lastly, Ring of Honor...
The ROH World Tag Team Championships
Obviously, Aries & Strong need a shot to regain the straps, and with both men winning matches over the tag champs in Dayton last night, the chances are greater that the rematch will come sooner rather than later. Afterwards, it's kind of up in the air as to whom would be next because most of the faction tag teams have gone the way of the trash bin, with the Embassy going byebye, and the Rotts not really being organized anymore with 'Cide's business and Ki being gone. I would like to see Sydal & Daniels go for the straps as they impressed me when I saw them last time out in Long Island, and also Irish Airborne could be viable contenders if given more chances to shine. It's not as deep as I think ROH would like, but there is some options.
The ROH World Title
Will Danielson ever lose? It's kind of up in the air. I thought Joe had a shot, but obviously, I don't think his other committments would allow him the chance to run with the ROH world title for a long period of time. Aries as well I would think is legit to take the gold, but he has similar problems. Will they give it to Homicide by Final Battle, or is his TNA committments going to stop that, and force his hand to keep his promise and walk out of ROH without a title by the end of 2006. McGuiness vs. Danielson needs to be rekindled, but I think Nigel is in NOAH right now. Daniels could go for the title, but is TNA going to irk that one?
Seems like a lot of obstacles as to whom is most likely to take the ROH world title. Will we see a newcomer like Albright or Tank Toland? I doubt it, but the chance remains. One thing is for certain. Samoa Joe's longest reign as ROH champ is in serious jeopardy. I don't see Danielson losing for some time, unless his body gives out first.
Ok. Some topics to chew on, ladies and gentlemen. I hope to hear from you to discuss them in the future.
If you wow me, I'll publish it, one way or another.
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We should've went to the beach.
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