FINAL CARD & PREDICTIONS: WWE Great Balls of Fire
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FINAL CARD & PREDICTIONS:
7/9/2017
WWE Great Balls of Fire
Dallas, TX
Neville has been the single most gratifying component of WWE's Cruiserweight Division since its fall from grace after the Cruiserweight Classic. Most of the wrestlers on 205 Live have failed to get over with the WWE Universe. Coupled with storylines that lack creativity and imagination, most of WWE's Cruiserweight Division has been a dud, despite a stellar tournament last summer. The exception; however, is Neville who has been the ventilator to a dying brand, keeping it alive and carrying it on his shoulders. As a heel, Neville shows depth and believability that he never showed early on in his WWE career as a baby face. He has also proven virtually unbeatable as WWE Cruiserweight Champion, defeating everyone at the top of the division including TJP, Austin Aries, and Rich Swann. Along comes Akira Tozawa, who is a virtual unknown to most WWE fans. The Japanese sensation is a solid in-ring competitor; but, like most of his division lacks charm and charisma. Enter Titus O'Neil, who is recruiting Tozawa to his Titus Brand. Tozawa and Neville will put on a good match, which is typical of the Cruiserweight Division. There are many good matches; but, the characters are so poorly developed most fans don't often remember them. Look for Titus O'Neil to try to do his best to win over Tozawa's approval and look for it to cost Tozawa the match against Neville, who is quick to capitalize on even the smallest mistake.
Winner and STILL WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Neville via pinfall
WWE Intercontinental Champion the Miz vs Dean Ambrose
The Miz gets himself over no matter where he is on the WWE roster. He was over on SmackDown LIVE and was even one half of one of WWE's biggest feuds heading into WrestleMania against none other than John Cena. Once a forgotten part of RAW, the Miz along with his newfound partnership with real life wife Maryse rejuvenated his career and now the Hollywood A-Lister is once again wearing championship gold. Dean Ambrose hasn't been so fortunate. One of WWE's most talented competitors has been unable to evolve his character since the SHIELD days and has found himself floundering on the mid-card. Ambrose is playing second fiddle to the talented Miz in this feud. Wrestling fans remember what the Miz did each and every Monday; but, Ambrose is very much dwarfed by The Miz' overt charm and charisma: an afterthought, a sad lesson in character development. With all that stated, don't look for the WWE to take the Title off the Miz and put it on Ambrose, who has only failed to get over time and time again despite numerous opportunities. With the help of Maryse and his newfound side-kicks Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas, look for the Miz to capitalize on Ambrose who won't know who to focus on.
Winner and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: The Miz via pinfall
Seth Rollins vs Bray Wyatt
There hasn't been much build up in what has been a quickly put together feud. Wyatt has become an afterthought since losing his WWE Championship to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 33. He has since fallen to his previous status as very scary, extra talkative, enhancement talent. Wrestling careers are ultimate forged in the ring and solidified with championship gold, not MC skills. Seth Rollins is one of the most talented competitors in professional wrestling; but, since his feud with Triple H, the WWE has failed to find an appropriate spot for the Architect. Both of these individuals simply have nowhere else to go right now, so don't look for this one to end the feud. Instead look for this match to add logs to the fire. Rollins will get the clean victory over Wyatt; but, look for a brutal post-match attack that ensures these two have something to do at SummerSlam.
Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall
IRON MAN MATCH
WWE RAW Tag Team Champions Sheamus & Cesaro vs the Hardy Boyz
The WWE has never invested more time into two competitors who have never really gotten over with the fans; but, they continue to invest in Sheamus & Cesaro, even if it leaves the rest of us scratching our heads. Coming into Great Balls of Fire as tag team champions, Sheamus & Cesaro will have to prove that they are indeed superior to the Hardy Boyz in an Iron Man Match, which upon its conclusion will leave no doubts as to who is RAW's greatest tag team. The winner of this bout will have the most falls (pinfalls, submissions, countouts, disqualifications all included) over the course of a 30 minute period. Putting the belts on Sheamus & Cesaro accomplished what usually happens when Sheamus & Cesaro hold gold, very little. It did not enhance the tag team division; but, only prolonged a feud with the Hardyz, while the Revival recovered from injury. Sheamus is taking time off from the WWE to do a movie, so look for the WWE to get the belts off Sheamus & Cesaro here and begin a feud between the Hardy Boyz and the Revival for SummerSlam
Winners and NEW WWE RAW Tag Team Champions: The Hardy Boyz
WWE RAW Women's Champion Alexa Bliss vs Sasha Banks
Alexa Bliss has been everything the WWE hoped Sasha Banks would be when she received her main roster call up last year. Injuries and slow character development have derailed Banks' championship opportunities with the company; but, now she has clawed her way back into the Title picture. Still, don't look for the WWE to take the Title off Bliss just yet. She is a proven commodity and the top heel in all of women's wrestling. The WWE needs to build toward SummerSlam in what will likely be a Triple Threat Match between Bayley, Banks, and Bliss. Look for Bayley to come to Banks' aid here; but, look for that to ultimately backfire on the two best friends.
Winner and STILL Women's Champion: Alexa Bliss via pinfall
Enzo Amore vs Big Cass
In what has been one of the best built and most heated feuds leading up to the Great Balls of Fire, Enzo and Cass' breakup has caused waves of controversy across the WWE Universe. Although the feud has been built up near flawlessly, don't expect a similar quality match. Enzo Amore was the mouth behind Enzo and Cass; but, he wasn't the in-ring talent. Amore often saw himself dominated by other tag team competitors, only to tag in Cass who, and this is fair to say, won tag matches by himself. Enzo's finisher is even aided by Cass, leaving Enzo with nothing of his own in the ring. Enzo Amore has accomplished nothing in the wrestling ring that Cass hasn't accomplished for him. Cass is being built as a main eventer of the future, playing the Shawn Michaels to Amore's Marty Jannetty; but, even the Rockers were a tag team with two respected in-ring competitors who were virtual equals at the time of their teaming. This is simply not the case with Enzo and Cass. Look for a short one-sided match dominated by Cass. After Cass annihilates Amore in under 5 minutes, look for him to continue his assault on his former tag team partner until Big Show makes the save, sparking a SummerSlam feud between Show and Cass.
Winner: Big Cass via pinfall
AMBULANCE MATCH
Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman
These two have had one of the best and most believable feuds in a long while, a Feud of the Year type rivalry. Giving the WWE Universe lasting memories like Strowman flipping an ambulance on live television, this match is sure to live up to even the loftiest of expectations. Love him or hate him, Reigns is one of the WWE's most reliable in-ring competitors and Strowman is one of the WWE's most improved wrestlers. These two simply hate each other and Strowman doesn't only want to beat Reigns, he wants to remove him from the face of planet Earth. One might expect Strowman's hatred to overcome his intelligence; but, how much intellect does a freight train need? It doesn't need thinking to annihilate anything in its path. That's just what it does. Srowman is a behemoth, an unparalleled strongman and clearly overpowers Reigns, who is no slouch in the strength department. Look for Strowman to be built strong heading into SummerSlam and look for him to end the feud by putting a beaten, broken, and incapacitated Roman Reigns into the back of the ambulance.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Universal Champion Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) vs Samoa Joe
This feud has been built flawlessly heading into Great Balls of Fire. Samoa Joe has shown no fear against the Beast, nearly putting him to sleep two weeks ago on RAW, when he secured the Kokina Clutch on Lesnar. Samoa Joe even went as far as to hunt Lesnar down last week on RAW, only to be restrained by WWE personnel. When was the last time anyone went looking for Brock Lesnar? While this could be seen as a huge advantage for Joe, it may reveal some fatal flaws in his approach. No one has ever faced the Beast and underestimated the carnage of which he is capable. Joe's courage may just put him in the unique position of underestimating Lesnar, a dangerous and susceptible position to be in. Lesnar; however, is a part-timer now, barely visible on weekly television, yet holding WWE's premier championship in the Universal Title. The WWE should do the right thing and allow Joe to beat Lesnar, building Samoa Joe as an unbeatable monster heading into WrestleMania; but, Vince McMahon has a passion for a Roman Reigns/Brock Lesnar WrestleMania main event. He can't shake that idea and don't expect him to, whether kick and scream or not. Agree or disagree, look for Lesnar to be build by being fed brutal and vicious beasts in their own right. Samoa Joe is the first major stepping stone in that road to WrestleMania 34 and Strowman will be the next. Lesnar will conquer all because in doing so, Roman Reigns will have his (and Vince McMahon's) WrestleMania 34 moment against Lesnar.
Winner and STILL WWE Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar via pinfall
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