WWE Night of Champions 2014 Matches: Biggest X-Factor for Each Contest
Every single match on this year's Night of Champions pay-per-view has some sort of X-factor that figures to weigh heavily on the outcomes of the matches and the direction of the company.
Whether some of those X-factors revolve around the potential for new champions or the ignition of feuds that will carry WWE through the fall months, there is plenty that can—and will—be done from a booking standpoint to ensure the overall success of Sunday's broadcast.
Who will leave with the gold? Who will have their hand raised in victory? Whose egos will be inflated by the sweet taste of victory?
More importantly, what had a hand in determining the answers to those questions?
Find out for yourself by clicking the snazzy little "next" button, conveniently located at the bottom right-hand side of your screen.
Tag Team Championship Match: The Usos vs. Goldust and Stardust
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Biggest X-Factor: The Booking
Fans of the four Superstars involved in Sunday's WWE Tag Team Championship match are fully aware of just how good they are what they should expect from an in-ring perspective.
What remains a mystery, at least to this point, is whether WWE Creative is content to let them wrestle an outstanding match that would continue to build upon the foundation created by the Usos and the Wyatt Family over the summer or if the writing staff will be unable to resist the urge to overbook the contest to suit the Stardust character.
Their decision, not to mention whether they finally decide to take the titles from Jimmy and Jey Uso, will be the biggest X-factor surrounding what has every opportunity to be the dark-horse candidate for match of the night.
Mark Henry vs. Rusev
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Biggest X-Factor: Rusev's Winning Streak
To this point in his main roster stint, Rusev has yet to be beaten by pinfall or submission, making every high-profile match he wrestles from here on out—not only that much more important and intriguing—potentially historic.
The World's Strongest Man, Mark Henry, has repeatedly gotten the best of the Bulgarian Brute leading into Night of Champions and is really the first man to dominate the super athlete from a physical standpoint. Sunday night at WWE's latest pay-per-view extravaganza, it will be interesting to see if WWE Creative opts to extend Rusev's undefeated streak, thus continuing his meteoric rise up the ranks, or if Henry can make history by becoming the first Superstar to knock off the once seemingly unconquerable Superstar.
Either way, Rusev's unbeaten streak serves as the centerpiece of a feud that is more passionate, more entertaining and much hotter than anyone could have expected.
Divas Championship Match: Paige vs. AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella
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Biggest X-Factor: Brie Bella
When Divas champion Paige, AJ Lee and Nikki Bella square off for the top prize in women's wrestling on Sunday, there will be one question on the tongues of all wrestling fans: when does Brie Bella show up?
The rivalry between Brie and backstabbing sister Nikki has stolen the spotlight from AJ Lee and Paige, who were in the middle of quite a heated little rivalry before the Bella Twins split and Total Divas suddenly had its finest promotional tool ever.
With Nikki showing such a self-centered side and aligning herself with Stephanie McMahon, most expect that her sister will somehow interject in the Night of Champions Divas title bout and cost Nikki her chance to become champion, thus further feeding her ego.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. the Miz
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Biggest X-Factor: The Stunt Doubles
The inclusion of Damien Sandow and R-Truth as the Miz and Dolph Ziggler's stunt doubles, respectively, has severely watered down what could have been a truly great, competitive rivalry that could have helped to further restore the importance of the title.
As it is, they have delved the story further into entertainment than athleticism and storytelling, and as a result, fans are very much concerned that either Sandow or R-Truth will take a pin and somehow cost their associate the match.
While that may sound ridiculous, remember that we are dealing with a writing staff that once scripted a story involving Kane and a lovely young lady named Katie Vick...
At the very least, expect some heavy interference from both Sandow and Truth.
Sheamus vs. Cesaro
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Biggest X-Factor: Placement on the Card
Sheamus and Cesaro enter Night of Champions colder than a winter's night in New England, their feud not really defined and the Swiss Superstar riding a losing streak that has many questioning why he was even awarded the title shot in the first place.
Luckily, the actual in-ring product should be outstanding. Both Sheamus and Cesaro rank among the very best in-ring workers in the world, and their history of hard-hitting matches has fans hoping for the best possible bout.
The placement of the match on the card is absolutely paramount in regard to its success, though.
With no real storyline for fans to bite into or any measurable heat surrounding the match, where the match is placed and what it follows will be of the utmost importance in terms of maximizing the reaction fans greet it with.
Sandwich it between two molten-hot matches, it will suffer tremendously from a lack of interest; put it early in the card, perhaps the opening slot, and fans will treat it as a far bigger deal than WWE Creative could be bothered to.
Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton
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Biggest X-Factor: Motivation
Considering the overall lack of respect shown to both Chris Jericho and Randy Orton over the last few months, it is not difficult to see why motivation may be lacking as they prepare to square off at Night of Champions in what should actually be quite a fresh match between two outstanding competitors.
With Jericho on his way out and Orton floating aimlessly at this point, whether they are motivated to have a great match or will merely being going through the motions is the key element of the contest.
Given Orton's reputation as one of the most consistently great in-ring performers in WWE at this point, not to mention Jericho's status as one of the best wrestlers of his generation, it is hard to envisage a scenario in which they are not motivated and not give everything they have in what should be Y2J's final night with the company for a while.
Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
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Biggest X-Factor: Dean Ambrose
Shortly after SummerSlam, Seth Rollins dealt with the pesky Dean Ambrose problem by curb stomping his face into a pile of cement blocks, sidelining the Lunatic Fringe and freeing himself up to engage his other former Shield teammate, Roman Reigns, in a brief-yet-explosive rivalry.
At Night of Champions, just six days after Reigns pinned Rollins on Monday Night Raw, the two are set to lock horns in one of the biggest bouts on the entire card.
Considering the fact that WWE booked the match on Raw and delivered a definitive winner, one must assume that there are plans for something bigger, better and more important to unfold at Night of Champions. Expect that something to be the return of Ambrose, who recently wrapped shooting on new WWE Studios film Lockdown, in which he plays a police officer.
You read that correctly.
The feud between he and Rollins is far from finished, so what better way to reintroduce the Lunatic Finge to the equation than by having him interfere in a match between the architect and Reigns, bringing all three members of the Shield back together again—no matter how briefly it may prove to be.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
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Biggest X-Factor: Mr. Money in the Bank
We have already covered Seth Rollins and his match with Roman Reigns, but it turns out that the Iowa native has the opportunity of a lifetime to achieve his childhood dream and capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship by the time Night of Champions leaves the WWE Network (only $9.99!) on Sunday night.
With the potential for either Brock Lesnar or John Cena to take a tremendous beating in the night's main event, the opportunity may very well present itself for Rollins to rush the ring, cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and capture the title for the first time in his critically acclaimed career.
It would be a monumental moment that would completely shift the direction of booking, but it would also instantly elevate a new villain to the top of the card, especially since Lesnar only makes inconsistent appearances on Raw.
Whether it actually happens or WWE Creative leaves us waiting another month remains to be seen.
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