Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 7:39 AM EST

I am as sick as a dog right now, but obligations are obligations. Maybe I'm not keeping record of the picks on my blog like last year, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if I am not going to try and prognosticate this now very interesting Night of Champions PPV.

Let's get down to business.

ECW Championship Triple Threat Match
KANE(c) vs. MARK HENRY vs. BIG SHOW
A Raw superstar vs. a smackdown superstar vs. an ECW superstar. Here's some viable questions. One, with the pending merger of ECW on to the Raw side, does this give Kane a chance to retain? I personally would hope so. Two, with Smackdown losing the ECW brand on its back, does this give Big Show a disadvantage? I doubt it, his athleticism and sheer size can overcome virtually anything. Three, is WWE smart enough to try and keep the ECW title with an ECW branded superstar? Personally, I don't trust creative as far as I can throw them, so my answer there is no.

As a match, based on skill sets, this is as good as it gets from a power perspective. I do worry about Big Show and Kane handling the ineptness of Mark Henry's in ring ability, but he has seemingly improved over the past few months. This match is not going to be for the weak at heart, it's going to be ugly, bowling shoe ugly, and frankly, that makes me a happy panda. I like seeing guys beat the ever loving crap out of each other, and this one should be no exception.

Question is, my head says to pick one guy, and my heart says to pick another. Which way should I lean? I'm gonna lean with my heart, because frankly, I don't think the obvious looking choice to win this match can handle having an entire brand's future on his back.

WINNER: Kane

WWE Women's Championship
MICKIE JAMES(c) vs. KATIE LEA BURCHILL
I haven't seen Lea compete in action very often, but I do remember significant reports from OVWrestling.com that said she was good. Really good. However, the champion is no slouch either. I am a huge fan of Mickie James, and I think, personally, that she can withstand any challenge outside of another one from Beth Phoenix, or possibly a couple of Smackdown divas, if the titles continued to get tangled, to use WWE.com's words. In other words....

WINNER: Mickie James

WWE United States Championship
MATT HARDY(c) vs. CHAVO GUERRERO
Technically, this is two ECW branded superstars competing for a belt that is supposed to be on Smackdown, at least, before the draft. I don't like how Chavo snuck his way in to this match thanks to the family, but the facts are, he can give Matt every ounce of hurt and then some, and still have something left in the tank to finish the task of winning the title. However, I am beginning to think with the results of the draft sinking in that perhaps the US title may become a secondary title on ECW, and hence Matt's move was necessary to provide a near main eventer to lead this brand. Again, the same question is asked as during the summary for the ECW title match. Can Hardy hold a brand's future on his back? While I didn't agree Henry could, something tells me Hardy can.

WINNER: Matt Hardy

WWE Tag Team Championship
JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ(c's) vs. FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE
Everyone and their mother knows how I feel about tag team wrestling in WWE. And if you've read my draft columns, you'll know how I feel about this match. I love Finlay's style, but he's turned comedic with ECWoggle, and frankly, that's not how you change this championship off a team that has looked, whether you believe it or not, as the only dominant team in the entire WWE. I can sense that perhaps this may be the end for the Miz and Morrison as champions, but damnit, I hope not, because the titles lose a lot of prestige that London & Kendrick and Miz & Morrison have garnered if the champs drop them to a leprechaun.

No offense. I know that sounds horrible, but I hope you guys can understand what I mean. I really thought Kane & Punk were the uncrowned champs, but this time, I'm not sure the champs can survive, especially since the challengers were drafted to their brand. I'm gonna pick the champs, but I won't be the least bit surprised if we see our first title change here.

WINNERS: Miz & Morrison

World Tag Team Championship
HARDCORE HOLLY & CODY RHODES(c's) vs. TED DiBIASE & a mystery partner
Everyone and their mother thought the partner was going to be DH Smith. It still may be, but somehow I doubt it. Question is, now, how does this match play out?

I have had a lot of people email me saying what about the possibility of Cody Rhodes turning on Holly, and this basically being a handicap match. The seeds are planted with the lack of communication between the champions, and with the obvious predicted choice now seemingly out of the picture, this scenario does fit the puzzle. One thing is definitely for certain. This match has some build to it, which is stunning for a world tag team title match. I also think that the rookie and whomever comes on board with him will make the first championship change hands. Just a gut feeling.

WINNERS: TED DiBIASE & a mystery partner

Intercontinental Championship
All reports I have seen say that Jericho's opponent, not yet publicized, unless it was on Smackdown, which I missed last night due to the Mets game being played on CW, (God, how awful was that game), is going to be HBK. I'm going to be surprised if it is HBK, but frankly, if it is, I could see HBK walking out of the PPV with gold around his waist. I would be stunned to see Shawn Michaels with a secondary title around his waist, but anything is distinctly possible. I won't make a pick here, but I invite your opinions on who may challenge for the title, and who would win.

Before I move on, a lot of people have said Kofi Kingston would challenge Jericho. While I LOVE Kingston as an athlete, and think he is championship material, I think his resume needs a little more building, especially now on the flagship brand of WWE. I would personally love to see Jericho vs. Kofi, but it fits the puzzle better to see HBK come back and take on Y2J.

World Heavyweight Championship
EDGE(c) vs. BATISTA
The writing on the wall here seems awfully obvious for this match and the WWE title match, with the WWE title displaced. Question is, will Batista take another fall in a title match going to Raw, or is Batista going to beat Edge here, and take the World title to Raw, leaving Triple H as the sole world champion on Smackdown.

Personally, its a near pick 'em, but I think the family will ensure Edge remains champion, which I cannot stand. Let me quickly divulge what I mean, for I know one person in Rhode Island is currently snickering at me.

I love Edge as a HEEL. But, depending on the family makes me ill. I hated it when Triple H did it with Evolution, but it was tolerable because the back up he had was immense. Batista, Orton & Flair. Here, we have Chavo, Bam Neely, Hawkins & Ryder? Dude, doesn't compare.

On sheer skills, this is a pick 'em match. One way or another, next up for Edge is a feud with the Game, which I am going to love. Somehow or other, I suspect that Edge will find a way to secure this title, and keep it on Smackdown.

WINNER: Edge

WWE Championship
TRIPLE H(c) vs. JOHN CENA
This is a fun match, no questions asked. Had the draft not occurred until after this PPV, I would pick The Game to retain. However, the draft happened before tomorrow night, and as much as the Game probably hates it, he knows and the world knows that he is a supreme hunter for gold, and I suspect that he will fall sunday night, bringing the WWE title back to Raw, and beginning the eventual climb for Triple H back to the World title, as he will set his sites on the Family, and the Rated R Superstar.

It's kind of anti-climatic, in a way, and that's hard for me to say as a Cena fan, but I am assuming the movie obligations are done for Cena, and I am doubting that the WWE wants to remove their flagship title from the flagship brand. I know it wasn't there back in the day, but it was a long time ago. I also think it would lead to some more interaction from an inter promotional standpoint between H and Cena, but for now, H has other business waiting in the wings. I know people are gonna hate this.

WINNER: John Cena

Ok, I'm done. I hope you take the time to check this out, and email me your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

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