WWE Night of Champions 2015: Predictions for Event's Top Stars

With six days to go until WWE Night of Champions 2015 on Sept. 20, there appears to be a number of slots still left on the card. But the matches announced have plenty of star power behind them. 

WWE Creative is banking on Seth Rollins to deliver a pay-per-view to remember, defending both his WWE Heavyweight Championship and United States Championship against Sting and John Cena, respectively, two of the biggest stars to ever step in the ring. 

Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt will continue their escalating feud with their respective "families," including a new addition to the resurrected Shield 2.0 that has led to teases and rumors throughout the WWE Universe. 

The Divas Revolution will look to get back on track, with Charlotte seeking to end reigning Divas champion Nikki Bella's #Roadto300days, while Rusev and Dolph Ziggler will face off to settle their soap opera-like storyline (even with Lana on the sidelines thanks to wrist surgery), and the tag team titles will be on the line. 

Ryback Retains but Pays a Price

While the intercontinental champion isn't officially scheduled for a match at Night of Champions yet, you can be sure that Ryback will be defending his title. 

His likely opponent? The man who's been poking and prodding him over the last two weeks: Kevin Owens. Most recently, Owens cost Ryback a victory against Seth Rollins on last week's SmackDown. 

These two will come face-to-face on tonight's episode of Raw, and it's a good bet that by the end of the night they'll be scheduled to square off Sunday in Houston's Toyota Center. 

To his credit, Ryback has been at his best over the last month, especially in matches against Rollins. One could say that The Big Guy performs best against better competition, which would benefit him in this matchup.

But Owens is not only a highly skilled wrestler. He's a prizefighter who likes to inflict punishment on opponents. And that's why Night of Champions will end in pain for Ryback. 

First, Owens will batter Ryback's ribs, which have been the source of pain for Ryback in recent months. Then he'll will take out The Big Guy's legs, which generate power for delivering Shell Shocks. 

In the end, it doesn't seem likely that WWE Creative will take the belt off Ryback so soon after a single feud against two of the main roster's lesser talents (Big Show and The Miz). A surprise win by Ryback after being on the receiving end of so much punishment will end with a post-match powerbomb on the ring apron from Owens. 

Charlotte Becomes the New WWE Divas Champion

Charlotte and Nikki Bella will wrestle to a draw tonight on Raw, which will not only allow their match at WWE Night of Champions to go on as scheduled but give Nikki the record for longest reign by a Divas champion in WWE history. 

On Sunday, that reign will end. 

Nikki Bella has been protected this long, wrestling in non-title singles matches and numerous tag matches to keep her streak intact. But she's looked vulnerable ever since the Divas Revolution began earlier this summer, losing multiple times in those matches and succumbing to the submission holds of all three NXT call-ups. 

Charlotte should be made to look unstoppable in her match against Nikki. She should have Nikki on the ropes early and easily rally each time Nikki looks to gain the upper hand. There's sure to be some shenanigans with Brie and Alicia Fox at ringside, but that's why Paige and Becky Lynch are there, too. 

A Figure Eight to make Nikki tap out is a fitting end to the Reign of the Bellas. A title change at Night of Champions would allow WWE to move the Divas Revolution forward. It can begin to focus on individual wrestlers instead of the stables it created that July night, which had so much promise for WWE fans. 

Having Charlotte as WWE Divas champion could begin to create dissent among Team PCB. Sasha Banks is always lurking and would give hardcore fans a matchup they've come to appreciate since the two tangoed at NXT. 

Roman Reigns Gains the Pin on Braun Strowman

Since their feud started at Money in the Bank, Roman Reigns has gotten the better of Bray Wyatt. Each time Wyatt has seemed to have gained an upper hand, Reigns has been given the push over The Eater of Worlds. 

There's no reason that will change at Night of Champions. 

Wyatt pulled a trump card of sorts the night after SummerSlam, introducing the WWE Universe to Sister Abigail's Black Sheep, Braun Strowman. The former strongman has run roughshod over Reigns, Dean Ambrose and anyone else who dares to go up against Wyatt. 

First it was the two former Shield members. Last week, Randy Orton and Jimmy Uso were each put down by Strowman on Raw and SmackDown, respectively. WWE would be smart to sacrifice two more to the heavyweight before introducing Reigns and Ambrose's tag team partner at Night of Champions. 

The rumor mill on Reigns and Ambrose's mystery partner at Night of Champions has run from the staid (Erick Rowan, according to WrestleZone) to the intriguing (Baron Corbin, according to Wrestling Inc.). The third member, however, won't matter. 

It'll be Reigns who stands tall in the end. 

Strowman and Harper will do much of the heavy lifting early on, taking it to Ambrose and the mystery partner. Eventually, Ambrose will make the hot tag to Reigns, who will throw roundhouses and upper cuts before staring down at Strowman. 

Strowman will stand tall, as he has since his debut, until the mystery member of Shield 2.0 gets a cheap shot on Strowman, just enough to distract him from Reigns. It's at that moment that Reigns will hit his Superman Punch, stunning the strongman and allowing Reigns to immediately hit a spear to end the match. 

WWE has a good thing going here with its Shield vs. Wyatt Family 2.0. It could extend this all the way to November and make this a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series matchup. 

The New Day Keeps the Belts, but Someone Goes Through a Table

WWE righted a wrong when it put the tag team titles back on The New Day at SummerSlam. It gave them some real competition the next night on Raw when The Dudley Boyz made their triumphant return to the company. 

While Devon and Bubba Ray are set to fight for the belt at Night of Champions, The New Day has to make it through The Prime Time Players tonight before securing a place at the pay-per-view.

It's an odd dynamic to make the tag champions earn their way to a title defense, but with one of the most beloved tag teams in company history back in the fold, it's par for the course. 

All things point to the Dudleys becoming the first 10-time WWE Tag Team Champions at Night of Champions. Their re-emergence breathed life into the division and created a true No. 1 contender to The New Day, not only in the ring but for the fans' attentions. 

Night of Champions shouldn't be a coronation for The Dudleys, though. It should be the beginning of a long road to recapturing gold. Putting the belts back on Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods only to take it away so quickly would be a booking decision as poor as taking the titles from them at Money in the Bank.

These teams match up very well against one another, so WWE fans should be treated to a very entertaining bout. In the end, though, interference from Woods should allow The New Day to keep the gold. 

On the other hand, that indiscretion should also lead to Xavier getting driven through a table. 

John Cena Reclaims US Title from Seth Rollins with Assist from Sting

Seth Rollins worked hard at SummerSlam to defeat John Cena and claim the United States Championship. He had a little help from a surprising friend in Jon Stewart, but he was still the better wrestler that night. 

On Sunday, he won't be able to say the same. 

Rollins and Cena are the two best wrestlers in the company through 2015 at this point, and they're likely to repeat the performance they gave at SummerSlam that earned them 4.5 stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t The Internet Wrestling Database).

In a match that will likely be one of the first of the evening, Cena will regain his U.S. title from Rollins. But it won't be without controversy. 

After a grueling match, both competitors will have earned multiple near-falls. Toward the end, Rollins will have Cena on the ropes, ready to deliver a Pedigree to win the match. That's when Rollins' next opponent that evening, Sting, will appear on the Jumbotron.

The distraction will give Cena the opportunity to hit an Attitude Adjustment and pin Rollins for the win. Such a decision will allow both men to appear strong while also giving Rollins more ammunition in his fight against The Legend later in the evening. 

Night of Champions should also set up a third and final match at Hell in a Cell to put the Rollins-Cena feud to rest, likely culminating in Cena's record-tying 16th World Heavyweight Championship title. 

Sheamus Distraction Leads to a Questionable Seth Rollins vs. Sting Finish

On paper, this should be a runaway victory for Seth Rollins. More than 25 years younger than his opponent and a full-time wrestler, the world heavyweight champion is the heavy favorite to retain over Sting. 

But this being WWE and his opponent being The Legend, nothing is certain. 

Since announcing his intention to challenge Rollins for the title on Raw following SummerSlam, Sting has gotten the best of him. He's played mind games with the dual champion to the point of developing a rift between the champion and The Authority.

At Night of Champions, Rollins will finally get a chance to prove his greatness against one of the all-time best. It'll be up to Rollins to carry the majority of this match, as the 56-year-old Sting cannot be expected to stand toe-to-toe with the 29-year-old Rollins for a 15- or 20-minute match.  

That's why a swerve will be coming, to help hide what figures to be a slow match with some quick bursts from each competitor. 

Enter Sheamus. 

In recent weeks, The Celtic Warrior has made his presence in the title scene felt, even facing down the champion twice last week on WWE programming. In those confrontations, Sheamus has hinted at a cash-in at Night of Champions, noting that Rollins could be facing a third match on top of his two scheduled title defenses. 

Don't count on a cash-in actually happening, though. 

Instead, Sheamus will interfere in the Sting-Rollins match, coming to the ring and hitting Rollins with the Money in the Bank briefcase, causing a disqualification win for Sting. As Sheamus prepares for a cash-in, Sting will begin hammering on Sheamus, who just cost The Legend a chance to attain the one title that's eluded him. 

Sheamus will deliver a Brogue Kick to Sting, allowing Rollins to collect himself and deliver a Pedigree. The Architect will walk out of Night of Champions without a win, but with the World Heavyweight Championship.