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No Mercy 2003
By: Shawn Stinson
Hey, hey what do you know. It’s another pay-per-view and Vince McMahon is asking us to dig into our wallet. Unlike the last few offerings, this one is absolutely horrible on paper and more than likely will be on the airwaves.
But like the troopers we are, we are still going out onto the shaky limbs and attempt to predict these matches. Trust me, with the booking and crap going out of Connecticut lately, I’m not sure anyone has a chance.
Click here to view this month's PPV Roundtable participants!
Pre-Prediction Comments:
Roland G.:
There’s a PPV this weekend? Is there anyone that’s going to even buy it? In my opinion, this might be the worst PPV card I’ve seen in a long time and normally, I’m pretty upbeat about that sort of thing. I won’t be buying it, but I’ll make sure to check out TBL for the live coverage. And since I’ve been perfect in my last two roundtables, I’m totally going to bomb this one.
Joe Balrog:
PPV? Huh? Dude, this was Homecoming weekend at my alma mater - I don't even know what happened on Saturday and here we are it's Sunday...wait a minute - where am I? Who are you?
The Matches
Chris Benoit vs. A-Train
Matt Hardy vs. Zack Gowan
Cruiserweight Championship
Rey Mysterio vs. Tajiri
United States Championship
Eddie Guerrero vs. The Big Show
John Cena vs. Kurt Angle
Father vs. Daughter
Vince McMahon vs. Stephanie McMahon
WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
Chris Benoit vs. A-Train
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: Chris Benoit everyday, all day and twice on Sunday. Oh wait this is a Sunday.
Who Will Win: Benoit, if there is a higher power upstairs (and I don’t mean Vince)
Match Analysis: A-Train is okay for a big man and Benoit is in a class of elite wrestlers today. Which means bad match, despite the fact Benoit is in it.
Eddie:
Who will win -- A-Train
Who should win -- Benoit
Carbo:
Chris Benoit
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Enough A-Train already. I know they want to give the guy something to do, but this is just getting to be too much. Benoit should win to derail the Hairy Train.
Who Will Win: A-Train because Vince becomes increasingly stupid every day.
Match Analysis: No real build up to speak of = poor booking.
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Chris Benoit
Why: He's about a million times better than Albert (yes, I called him Albert - this A-Train crap is still pathetic).
Analysis: If Benoit has any heart left, he'll leave WWE after his contract is up - they have misused him for years.
Return to the Match Listing
Matt Hardy vs. Zack Gowan
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: Zach. I think the mention of him not ever winning on Smackdown means, he’s going to win one soon. Why not now.
Who Will Win: Zach. Having Matt flip out after losing is only going to enhance his character and make him more of a heel.
Match Analysis: Should be a nice match, Zach is obviously limited in what he can do in the ring. However, Matt is a good wrestler and should be able to help Zach to a decent PPV match.
Eddie:
Who will win: Zach Gowen
Who should win: Zach Gowen
Carbo:
Zach Gowen
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Zach. Good night, can this guy ever get a win?
Who Will Win: Zach. This is his time.
Match Analysis: It ought to tell you how important this match is when it was barely even mentioned on Smackdown this past week...
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Matt Hardy
Why: He might be more misused than Benoit right now. This guy had the potential to be THE breakout Superstar of 2003 - great gimmick, great look, great skills...and he got nothing.
Analysis: I'll never take Gowan serious because I know that 95% of the guys in the crowd could kick his ass. The reason why Hogan was so big is because he seemed bigger than life - same with Andre, Austin, Flair, etc. Even the midcarders always seem/seemed like they could put a pounding on someone if they wanted to. On any of YOUR worst days, you could have a great shot at beating up Gowan - he's got one leg. I like his story, I like his heart - but I won't pay to see him on PPV. Sorry.
Return to the Match Listing
Cruiserweight Championship
Rey Mysterio vs. Tajiri
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: I think Tajiri should keep the belt for a while longer. Mysterio is over with the fans, so he doesn’t need the belt.
Who Will Win: I honestly believe the belt will remain around Tajiri to set up Mysterio moving on to bigger things.
Match Analysis: Will be a barnburner. I think these two guys will tear the roof off. Could be a sleeper for match of the year.
Eddie:
Who will win -- Tajiri
Who should win -- Tajiri
Carbo:
Tajiri
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Tajiri. We’ve seen Rey win it enough. And with Benjamin set to be coming back soon, Rey and Kidman can be the next Tag Team contenders.
Who Will Win: I thought Rey would win, but with Tajiri spraying mist at Nidia on Smackdown this past week, it looks like a Noble/Tajiri feud is forthcoming. Tajiri wins by The Cheat.
Match Analysis: Tajiri is a good champion and makes me believe he can hang with Mysterio. This would be the only match on the card that would be worth me paying money to see.
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Tajiri
Why: Rey Rey always wins the big match. Why not let Tajiri take a bit of the spotlight for a bit?
Analysis: Just as I will not pay to see Gowan on PPV and I don't believe that he can really beat anyone up, I WILL pay to see these guys and I DO believe that they can beat people up, regardless of their size. These two could possibly put on a match of the year candidate tonight.
Return to the Match Listing
United States Championship
Eddie Guerrero vs. The Big Show
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: Eddie. Hands down. Like Benoit, he should be booked to win this match without a second thought.
Who Will Win: Eddie. Even I don’t think the McMahons are stupid enough to give the Big Show a win against Guerrero.
Match Analysis: Big Show to give him credit has been busting his big butt lately and having some decent matches. I’m still not sure the style of wrestling Guerrero favors is going to allow either to have a good match.
Eddie:
Who will win: Eddie Guerrero
Who should win: Eddie Guerrero
Carbo:
Eddie
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Eddie. People pop for him and he has a great future ahead of him if the powers that be will only recognize it.
Who Will Win: With Big Show getting the upper hand at Smackdown, Eddie will cheat and win.
Match Analysis: Eddie can pull a good match out of a lot of people, but he will really have to carry Show to something worth watching. But I believe.
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: The Big Show
Why: The Big Show is the biggest athlete on Earth. As such, he should never lose a match.
Analysis: Eddie will win this one, I hope. I don't like how The Big Show is being used (sense a theme here among how people are being used?) and I don't think that the title would be good on him.
Return to the Match Listing
John Cena vs. Kurt Angle
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: Cena. Having Angle elevate a younger talent with superstar written all over him is not a bad thing.
Who Will Win: I have to flip a coin to see who will exactly win this one. It came up heads, so I think Angle will win this time and probably lose the rematch at Survivor Series or something.
Match Analysis: Both of these guys are solid technical wrestlers and should be able to have a good match.
Eddie:
Who will win -- Angle
Who should win -- Cena
Carbo:
John Cena
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: A loss for Kurt isn’t going to hurt him and if they really want to elevate Cena, he needs the win.
Who Will Win: Tough to call. I’ll go with Cena.
Match Analysis: This should be a fun match, but the build up has been less than stellar. I don’t remember either of them actually having a match on television in the past month. You’d think if you wanted to build it properly, you’d throw these guys in a tag match or something.
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Cena
Why: He was the breakout Superstar of 2003 in my book.
Analysis: This has the potential to be one of the top matches of the night. I'm looking forward to it. Two great athletes, two great personas, one great match. These qualities are what the other matches are missing.
Return to the Match Listing
Father vs. Daughter
Vince McMahon vs. Stephanie McMahon
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: No one who paid any money to see this PPV. I really hate the egos of a certain family that owns World Wrestling Entertainment.
Who Will Win: Vince, so he can fire Stephanie and send her off to get married and push out more McMahons with HHH.
Match Analysis: No need to comment. I think you already know how bad this is going to be.
Eddie:
Who will win -- Vince
Who should win -- Shane, Linda, Triple H, and Marrissa McMahon :)
Carbo:
They both lose and leave forever
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Uh, who cares?
Who Will Win: Vince will win so Stephanie can go get married. Linda will bring her back anyway.
Match Analysis: It’s baffling to me that the success of No Mercy is hinging on this match. This is the main event…sad.
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Stephanie
Why: Vince needs to get off of television and let the kids start to make their mark.
Analysis: Vince is obviously going to win this one to give his daughter time off for the wedding. You know, just a side note...if you were the Chairman of the Board of your company and you couldn't simply fire a General Manager, then you suck as a Chairman.
Return to the Match Listing
WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
Shawn Stinson:
Who Should Win: Lesnar. Taker is done with his title reigns until he tells Vince this is his final year or so.
Who Will Win: Lesnar because he is the main heel on Smackdown.
Match Analysis: It will be passable, but the time of the Taker as a main eventer is over and has been for a while.
Eddie:
Who will win -- Lesnar
Who should win -- Lesnar
Carbo:
Lesnar
Roland G.:
Who Should Win: Could we even suffer through another Taker title reign? Brock should win.
Who Will Win: Vince will interfere to set up his feud with Taker and it will all serve to only make Brock look weak as a champion. Someone bring back Heyman for Brock, please?
Match Analysis: A biker chain match? You gotta be kidding me. And how much does the WWE not care about this match when they were asking Taker about the McMahon match on Smackdown?
Joe Balrog:
Who should win: Brock Lesnar
Why: He's the man right now - why take his steam?
Analysis: I love The Undertaker - always have, always will. But it's not his time right now to have that title back. It's Lesnar's time.
Return to the Match Listing
Roundtable Participants
Shawn Stinson, writer of The Focal Point
Eddie, writer of News & Analysis
Roland G., Editor-in-Chief of The TBL Newsletter & writer of Roland's Chamber
Joe Balrog, writer of RAW Wishes & Balrog Babblings
Jon Carbo, writer of Carbo's Top Ten
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Konnan briefly appeared in WWE as "Max Moon" in 1992. He played the role of the man who hailed from "outer space" for a single WWE Superstars television taping.
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