Cyber Sunday

So I know many fans aren't terribly impressed with this PPV, and I'll admit I can understand it - it's being held VERY soon after the last show, with not a whole lot of lead time between it and the next show, Survivor Series, which is routinely a fairly important PPV that starts sowing the seeds for the Royal Rumble-Wrestlemania season. And given it's a tough PPV to sell timing-wise (especially with such a struggling economy right now), the card doesn't feel like it had a whole lot of thought put into it, and whatever personal attachment to this PPV fans might have felt due to them having the power to vote their favourite performers and stips into various matches, has for many been taken away with the pay-per-text voting system.

I for one always enjoyed this PPV because I voted, and was interested to see how my opinions stacked up to those of my fellow fans. As a Canadian who is ineligible to vote (another screwup), and as someone who wouldn't spend a total of $7 or more dollars to vote for each match anyway, this has become, in many ways, just another PPV for me. That said - while my expectations aren't high for this show, it has the potential to be an entertaining little distraction on our way towards the bigger buildup that is about to start next month. Especially given wrestlers usually know when expectations are low, and perform beyond them on those nights. So bearing in mind the potential for this PPV to be either disastrous, or a sleeper hit, let's look at what it's offering us heading into the fall season.

WWE Title Match
Triple H vs. (a) Jeff Hardy, (b) Vladimir Kozlov, (c) a Triple Threat Match vs. both
Stipulation: Choose the Challenger
Well I feel I can fairly confidently say that option B is the least likely option here. While they've been building up Kozlov correctly, and he's come across as a scarier monster heel than many of the men they've tried to push in that position in awhile (thinking Snitsky, Heidenreich, Khali to a certain extent, although he was plenty big and scary), he's still green and comparatively new; his actual MAIN EVENT push should be a ways off. My prediction is the Triple Threat, as we've seen Trips-Hardy a couple times in recent months, and I'm predicting a Triple H retention, with Jeff Hardy as a darkhorse (a) after the reaction to his near-win last month and (b) as he's the only guy other than Triple H guaranteed to be in this match.

World Heavyweight Title Match
Chris Jericho vs. Dave Batista
Stipulation: Choose referee (a) Randy Orton, (b) Shawn Michaels, (c) Steve Austin
Let me put it this way: my WISH would be for Randy Orton in here - he's a returning former world champion whose actions ensured Chris Jericho's involvement in the match where he won the world title; plus he has a history with Batista. That way we don't throw Jericho right back into his feud with Shawn Michaels which I feel is basically over for the time being after their stellar ladder match, and a prime PPV spot isn't given over to a guy who we know will show up, stunner everyone, and disappear for another 6-12 months. However, Shawn Michaels and particularly Austin are the bigger names here and much more fan favourites than Orton. To that end, Shawn Michaels makes the most sense and would be my second choice given he is currently an active wrestler, who has a history with both of the participants. However, when you throw good ole Stone Cold into a mix like this, he almost always gets enough of the mainstream fan vote to win it - depending on how the pay-per-vote system affects this. So look for SCSA to be the special guest ref, and at LEAST hopefully that builds to his rumoured 'one last match' that he wants to have at WM 25. Fighting a talented and experienced pro like Jericho on a stage like that? I'd pay to see it. :)

Undertaker vs. Big Show
Stipulation: Choose (a) Knockout match, (b)I Quit match, (c) Last Man Standing match
I'm figuring, as much as this feud hasn't gone on THAT long, that this is probably the blowoff for it, as fans haven't gotten behind it as much as they otherwise would. I'm thinking that the Knockout match or, outside chance, I Quit match, are the most likely choices here; I can't see any even remotely knowledgeable fans putting these two in a match that would need the amount of time a LMS match would require. I also anticipate Undertaker getting his win back here.

ECW Match
Matt Hardy vs. (a) Evan Bourne, (b) Finlay, (c) Mark Henry
My sentimental favourite here is Evan Bourne because I think he and Hardy could put on a spectacular match. I'm hoping, similarly to the Jericho-Batista match, that the pay-per-vote system leads to mainly smarks voting, because they will create more interesting scenarios than mainstreamers who will only vote for what they know. If there IS a more smarky leaning towards the voting here, look for Bourne to carry it. If it still retains a mainstream flavour, look for it to be Mark Henry again as the biggest name on this list. Regardless - Matt retains. Unless they want to go the Shelton Benjamin route of 3-4 years ago and let the challenger take it, knowing it's a worthy experiment and they can always give Matty back the belt if Bourne or Henry (sorry Finlay) drop the ball.

Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
Stipulation: Choose (a)Falls Count Anywhere, (b) No Holds Barred, (c) Two-of-Three Falls
Who cares? *pulls hair out of head* Like for real, who cares? As long as this match ISN'T best of three falls, which only the very best and most interesting performers can pull off at the best of times, this is called 'Bathroom Break'. Sigh ... kill this feud already.

Intercontinental Title Match
Santino Marella vs. (a) Roddy Piper, (b) Goldust, (c) Honky Tonk Man
The obvious choice here is Honky, though I know Ari disagrees with me in thinking this would be too early to pull that particular trigger. I'm still going with the obvious though, as that's what WWE so often does. I also said in my last post I wouldn't be surprised if really whoever gets voted in will really just be Charlie Haas in disguise. That would upset me, anyway, and I think alienate those fans devoted enough TO vote (and pay for it!), but they MIGHT be able to pull it off if the genuine article comes out by match's end; that way you have a better match than you might between Santino and Old Guy, but at the same time get the pop of the veteran coming out. Either way this match intrigues me, even though it's meant to be mostly comedy. I'm GUESSING Santino's going to come closer to matching the Honk-a-Meter than that, so regardless I'm predicting he keeps the title. ESPECIALLY if he honestly IS fighting one of the actual three options, who are all basically retired.

William Regal and Layla vs. Jamie Noble and Mickey James OR Miz and Morrison vs. Cryme Tyme OR Rhodes and Dibiase vs. CM Punk and Kofi Kingston for the World Tag Titles
Stipulation: Choose the Tag Teams
As much as I've enjoyed the Regal/Leyla-Noble/James feud, I'm thinking it's going to have to take a PPV back seat to one of the other offerings. My selection here, due to the buildup for it and their being a title involved, is Rhodes/Dibiase-Punk/Kingston. I'm also figuring on a title change here. The challengers have been floundering since losing their respective singles titles, and I think this would be a great way of building back up some heat. Given they've been built up nicely too, Miz-Morrison vs. Cryme Tyme is my darkhorse pick, but I'm also thinking that's a long shot, so go with my original statement.

US Title Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. (a) R-Truth, (b) MVP, (c) Festus
Stipulation: Choose the Opponent
I'm figuring on MVP or R-Truth here, and I'm figuring this one's going to the challenger. I'm rooting for MVP as I think they made him look like an idiot on the last PPV, and they owe him better, but I'm guessing it will be R-Truth as he's the one who's been pushed in recent weeks. Either way, they're both talented men who will put out a good showing with the very skilled Shelton Benjamin. By the way - to show you the level of regard in which this belt is held - this match is being held on the preview card, aired online, and the ONLY match listed here on which you can vote in the old-fashioned, free, 'on the website' manner. Sigh. :P

Divas Halloween Costume Contest
I predict ... huh ... toughie ... I predict ... a lot of T&A. *shrug* Bathroom break the second for me. Ari can enjoy this one. :)

And YOU guys enjoy the show. Back tomorrow with my post game thoughts. Until then, take care everybody! :D