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Vengeance 2005
Written by: Eddie T.
06/26/05
Lou Corsaro's Predictions
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - HELL IN A CELL
Triple H vs. Batista
Prediction: Triple H
Analysis: I'm clueless on where the WWE is going with all this draft stuff, but I know that I don't like it right now. The decision to add a "Smackdown Championship" is ludicrous for many reasons, and it would seem to make this match utterly unpredictable. That is because, of course, it's unlikely Batista is headed to Thursday nights with the strap he holds right now. Either way, I'm going with Triple H, for two reasons. One is that he would have to job to Big Dave for a third time in a row. For the second, see the triple threat prediction below. And let me just say, Sigh.
WWE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - TRIPLE THREAT
John Cena vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
Prediction: John Cena
Analysis: Well, who really cares now, right? Didn't Smackdown pretty much make this strap meaningless? I hate to continue this tirade into a second prediction, but is WWE smoking crack these days? I'm assuming there's going to be some sort of lame title-unification thing sometime after this PPV. That means the WWE will view the big money as being John Cena vs. Triple H, so of course they will rush into that feud as quickly as possible. I guess Batista could also lose and be drafted to Smackdown, where he'll destroy whoever wins their stupid little tournament and take that title. In any case, this whole draft thing is giving me a migraine.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
Prediction: Shelton Benjamin
Analysis: I love Carlito as a character. I really do. Thing is, I seriously could not tell you if he's a good wrestler. I certainly think he's adequate, but Vince McMahon seems more interested in him as a quirky personality than an in-ring performer. Call him a new-age Roddy Piper in a way, I guess. The way I see it, Shelton gets his revenge here, since winning the title on Raw was simply a way to have Carlito make an immediate impact. Shelton is ready to jump to the big time - world title contention - but Raw is just too bloated right now. That means he should be owning this title for a while longer. On a side note, am I the only one that hoped Carlito would instead be Charlie Haas? I would have loved to see a Shelton-Haas feud for the IC Title. Oh well.
WRESTLEMANIA 21 REMATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
Prediction: Shawn Michaels
Analysis: Kurt got the big win at WrestleMania 21. I guess I see HBK getting some redemption here, although he seems to have significantly mellowed from his Bret Hart screwjob days and may be willing to give Angle another bump. Let's hope they stop doing short attention span theater and maybe continue this feud for a while.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Edge w/ Lita vs. Kane
Prediction: Edge
Analysis: Kane just never seems to win these types of matches. He's constantly used as fodder for other pushes, and it's really damaged his character over the years. I really yearn to see him get the opportunity to have a solid, interesting, non-cartoonish feud that can showcase him as a very competent big man. One interesting note in all this: Like everyone else, I'm wondering whether Matt Hardy is indeed going to be back in the fold at some point. Rumors swirl about him reuniting with Jeff in TNA, but in his post about last week's Raw, he simply made note of the fan reaction to his music, rather than slamming WWE for doing a malicious, juvenile swerve. Hmmmm.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Victoria vs. Christy Hemme
Prediction: Victoria
Analysis: One has to be so sad for Victoria. She's a very good wrestler and makes an excellent heel, but she has no true women's division to toil in. Since Christy doesn't need a win for any reason and Victoria does to retain credibility, I'll say Victoria wins after a returning Trish Stratus comes in and destroys Christy. Guess that could also be a Christy win by DQ, but whatever. Does any of this crap really matter? Is there any chance we can get Molly, Jazz, Gail Kim and Nidia back and get a REAL women's division again. Let me say once more, Sigh.
Trevor Hunnicutt's Predictions
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - HELL IN A CELL
Triple H vs. Batista
Prediction: Batista
Analysis: There are various arguments as to whether this should be on
the card, and they largely stem from the trouble we've all had
rectifying that several-month feud that HHH and Nash had. But I'll put
it all to rest immediately: the high buyrate from March absolutely
justifies a several month program in this case. That said, this hasn't
been an extremely strong feud. Creative gave this good time on TV, but
it was overshadowed by the Draft, ECW, and the feeling that there
wasn't anything left to be accomplished--Batista had proven himself. So
it's been anchored and positioned over one of the strongest cards on
PPV this year. Expect an overly long match in the same style we've come
to expect. Even at once a year, this gimmick is overused.
WWE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - TRIPLE THREAT
John Cena vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
Prediction: Cena
Analysis: And in only a few weeks they've made this the new
Intercontinental Title. Sloppy move of Cena, sloppy heel turn of
Jericho, and a guy named Christian who's lost more matches than Jeff
and Matt Hardy when they started out here. With me, this scores a
"Hecka dumb."
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
Prediction: Benjamin
Analysis: One of many hotshotted feuds on this card. One of the points
of the draft lottery, at least I thought, was to create new matches for
the next year plus. But WWE continues to think of things from the next
month plus framework.
WRESTLEMANIA 21 REMATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
Prediction: Angle
Analysis: The most majorly hotshotted match on the card. This feud gave
the card depth, but without preparation, it's utterly worthless--except
in the Chris Benoit role of bolstering match quality so the show
doesn't die. From my perspective, Angle needs the win.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Edge w/ Lita vs. Kane
Prediction: Edge
Analysis: This leads the pack for worst angle or most tasteless angle
of the year, and it was totally showed up by Paul Heyman's words of
Matt Freakin Hardy. The next night on RAW, the ignorance resumed. Kane
is castrated, Lita is a public whore, and Edge doesn't leave this with
any bit of dignity in tact (which may be good, he's a heel). Badly
executed.
The Crow's Predictions
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Victoria vs. Christy Hemme
Prediction: Christy Hemme
Analysis: Using her usual array of, ahem, “ring-skills”, Christy will get the win in a quick match with veteran Victoria stuck playing jobber to the Playboy Bunny. To add insult to injury, there will be another promo for the new Diva Search that will last three times as long as the match itself. The only hope that I can possibly foresee for this match is maybe Trish Stratus will make her return. Otherwise, it will be yet another proverbial turd taken on the almost-as-good-as-flushed Women’s Division.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Edge w/ Lita vs. Kane
Prediction: Kane
Analysis: Kane will win this one because he needs to win this one… for his own self-esteem. The poor guy has been in a real shame-spiral what-with his lady dumping him for that jerk Edge. We all know that the Big Red Machine just hasn’t been himself lately, pouting and sitting around the house all day watching talk shows. But a segment on Dr. Phil titled “Men Who Lose the Women they Rape and Force to Marry them” seems to have given him a new outlook, as we witnessed at Edge and Lita’s wedding on Monday. Expect to see the Monster embrace his inner strength and overcome the pain of loss in a match that will be also be broadcast on the Lifetime channel. Look for interference from Meredith Baxter-Birney.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
Prediction: Carlito
Analysis: It wouldn’t serve much purpose for Carlito to have the belt less than a week, so I’m thinking he’ll retain the title at Vengeance. This will keep the resentment factor and heel-heat high at his new home on RAW while helping to lift Benjamin to the next level where he truly belongs as he works to get the title back.
WRESTLEMANIA 21 REMATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
Prediction: Shawn Michaels
Analysis: As much as I’d love to see Angle win another one against Michaels I think it will be Michaels who takes this one with the pin. However, Michaels fans shouldn’t expect an easy win for the Heart Break Kid, nor do I think they want with one. Originally intended as a Street Fight, this should be another knock-down, balls-out ass-kicker of a match in which Angle says they will try will outdo the WM21 match. Fans are expecting their money’s-worth out of this one and I have a feeling they won’t be disappointed.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP- TRIPLE THREAT
John Cena vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
Prediction: John Cena
Analysis: Cena will retain the title as RAW tries to get their own mileage out of his tremendous popularity. Originally, I thought that maybe Christian or Jericho would take the belt and then move to Smackdown, but now that Smackdown has a new title it seems that both titles will stay on RAW, at least for the time being.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP- HELL IN A CELL
Triple H vs. Batista
Prediction: Batista
Analysis: I’m picking Batista but I’m a little worried because of the creative team’s mishandling of the champ in recent weeks. Little airtime and lack of a promo this past Monday for his first ever Hell-in-a-Cell match doesn’t seem like an appropriate set-up for a victory, but I believe it would be a real waste for them to give up on him now. I think Batista is plenty tough enough to win as he’s proven time and time again, and as usual he’ll give it 110%. But I wouldn’t underestimate the Game. Look for him to be at his ultimate best… and dirtiest.
Shawn Stinson's Predictions
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - HELL IN A CELL
Triple H vs. Batista
Prediction: Batista
Analysis: I'm not the biggest fan of the gimmick matches like these when one of the guys isn't a great worker. Think back of some of the bad Hell in a Cell matches, there was always a guy who wasn't a great worker and made the match horrible. I think Batista has a chance to continue to improve and be a great wrestler and champion but he's not there now. This is the type of match where a weakness like this is going to stick out. Triple H, for all of his faults, can still bring out the best in an opponent and I expect the same again Sunday. But it's not going to be a classic by any means.
WWE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - TRIPLE THREAT
John Cena vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
Prediction: Christian
Analysis: The bad news for the winner of this match is they are going to head over to Smackdown and be the champion on a forgetten show. Cena has been good holding the belt and beginning his reign, but has been stuck facing JBL time and time again. I hate having to see Cena drop the belt to Christian, but the writing has been on the wall to have Christian go to Smackdown to feud with Cena. Instead, we see Cena drafted to Raw to start the feud. The only thing to throw a monkey wrench into this plan is have Jericho score the win and slide to Smackdown, leaving Christian and Cena to battle on Raw. But I have a feeling with Christian's rise the last few months, they want to see Christian run with the title for a while.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
Prediction: Carlito
Anaysis: The move of Carlito to Raw was a brilliant move. Carlito jumped onto Smackdown by beating Cena for the U.S. Title only to suffer a shoulder injury which forced him to the lose the belt and any momentum he had on the brand. He wasn't going to elevate into the WWE Title race nor the U.S. Title picture, so a move was a great thing for him. I have a feeling he's going to have a good run with the championship, not as long as Benjamin's but a nice run for a few months. The only downside to Carlito's push is what is going to happen to Benjamin. There was a tease of a heel turn for him against Jericho, but it never happened. It's going to be interesting to see what the future holds for a guy who is on par with Angle with wrestling holds and is the most athletic wrestler on either brand.
WRESTLEMANIA 21 REMATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
Prediction: Shawn Michaels
Analysis: This is a rematch from the best wrestling match on the card at Wrestlemania. Everyone and their brother knew a rematch would happen between two of the best wrestlers in the world today, yesterday or tomorrow. Unfortunately, there wasn't a big set-up for this match. Instead this match just popped up because Angle didn't have anyone to wrestle at Vengeance. Regardless of how the match is set up, I have a feeling these guys will tear the joint down again.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Edge w/ Lita vs. Kane
Prediction: Edge
Analysis: I don't have much to say about this match or the feud between this two wrestlers. If I did have something to say, I would like to see Matt Hardy come out in the middle of the match with a steel chair and pretty much break it over Edge's and Lita's head. Instead, I will just say the best thing for Kane would be to lose, "suffer" an injury and undergo a complete character change.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Victoria vs. Christy Hemme
Prediction: Victoria
Analysis: While Victoria is one of the better wrestlers on the women's scene, Hemme is still green. A few years ago, the same thing could have been said about Trish Stratus, I think Hemme is still trying to improve, but she is still a train wreck in the ring. Hopefully, this match will be relatively short and Victoria will pick up the win. It's going to be interesting to see how the return of Stratus is going to effect this match.
Eddie's Predictions
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - HELL IN A CELL
Triple H vs. Batista
Prediction: Batista.
Analysis: They just have to go with Batista here. A Triple H win will do them no good. Batista should pick up the win, having beaten RAW's strongest guy 3 times in Triple H, he can then go to SmackDown! and be their champion. Then again with Teddy Long creating the SmackDown! Championship nobody seems to know where this is headed. Anyway, if one of these three - Cena, Triple H, Batista - has to move to another show, it looks like it'll be Batista, although in my opinion, Cena is the man to move.
WWE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - TRIPLE THREAT
John Cena vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
Prediction: John Cena
Analysis: This has been bad since the start. I do have to note that in my opinion Cena has looked as more of a star on RAW as he did on SmackDown!, but at the same time he still looks like less than a star than the other top dogs on the show. I think the move to RAW was not smart at all, as it puts Cena, SmackDown, and their belt on the line. I already discussed this though.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
Prediction: Carlito
Analysis: I can see those two feuding for a while. There is a very valid argument here as to why WWE didn't save the title change for the PPV, and why they hot-shotted this storyline the way they did. However, I think it was more important to give Carlito the win on his first night on RAW, because it makes it that more important. Ultimately it's ok, because this is probably going to be a program that will last a while, so they can get a bigger payoff from the rematch on the next PPV.
WRESTLEMANIA 21 REMATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
Prediction: Kurt Angle
Analysis: This should DEFINITELY not be on this card. They killed this storyline by giving it no time to develop at all. This should have been one of the most anticipated matches of the year, and perhaps the biggest rematch in WWE history, but they absolutely killed it. I see Angle getting the win since he's the new big dog around town, and because they're going to have a third match down the line. It might also end up with an HBK win due to an outside interference on something. This will not be as good as the original match because if it is, it will overshadow the cell. An HBK win also makes sense because it'll be one-to-one wins, which means match three.
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Edge w/ Lita vs. Kane
Prediction: Edge
Analysis: Someone please give me a logical explanation to this argument - Why in God's name is Edge busy banging sluts and fighting low-carders when in his hands he holds a World Title shot?
ONE-ON-ONE MATCH
Victoria vs. Christy Hemme
Prediction: Victoria
Analysis: UGH.
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Randy Savage was trained by his father, Angelo Poffo.
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