WWE No Mercy 2016: Latest Card Picks, Including The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler
WWE No Mercy 2016 could be a night when history is made.
John Cena will be going for his 16th world championship when he faces off against AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose in the main event. If Cena does indeed win the belt, he will tie Ric Flair's all-time record and carve his name beside that of The Nature Boy.
But considering that Cena appears to be stepping aside for the New Era, this match could be a case of bad timing.
Maybe Cena's time has come and gone. If that's true, this match is a tease and nothing more. But if he does become the new WWE world champion, then it once again proves that he's still the company's top guy and that the next generation will have to wait its turn.
Much of that next generation is represented at No Mercy, including SmackDown women's champion Becky Lynch, who will be defending her belt against Alexa Bliss. The SmackDown Tag Team Championships will be on the line as well, with the newly redesigned Usos challenging Rhyno and Heath Slater.
But it's the Intercontinental Championship that has a lot of fans talking.
If Dolph Ziggler loses this match against The Miz, he's done with WWE. A retirement angle is nothing new, but it's an intriguing idea because of the circumstances. Ziggler is a fan favorite, but he never seems to be a company favorite.
Instead of being elevated due to his hard work and ability, Ziggler has settled for the midcard. Fans want more for him, and they always have, but it just doesn't seem to be what WWE wants.
No Mercy is another opportunity for WWE to impress and perhaps even shock the fans. Will Ziggler walk away? Will Cena win it all? The blue brand will be on the main stage here, and fans are left wondering what will happen next.
Jack Swagger vs. Baron Corbin
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Jack Swagger is getting a new lease on life in WWE.
The former world champion is stepping up as the newest competition to Baron Corbin, and it could not have come soon enough. Corbin has been somewhat stagnant since feuding with Dolph Ziggler, and now he has a chance to work with a guy his own size.
Swagger has the chance to get back on track against someone who needs some polishing. If The Real American can add some shine to the younger Lone Wolf, both men will benefit as a result.
Swagger has always been one of the more athletic and stronger guys on the roster, but he has not done much since his alliance with Zeb Colter ended. Now he can perhaps take advantage of his new spot on SmackDown Live as a top babyface.
Corbin will put up a good fight, and the two will throw some heavy hands, but this should be Swagger's match. This feud, however, is far from over.
Pick: Jack Swagger
Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Usos (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
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Heath Slater and Rhyno may be the unlikeliest duo in WWE, but they're over just the same.
Fans went on this ride with them as the two fought to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Comedy ensued every step of the way, with Slater finding his niche in a company that loves spotlighting the underdog.
But the fun and games are coming to an end at No Mercy.
The Usos have embraced their new heel personas more than fans could have predicted. What began as an obvious attempt to get heat has now solidified them as the most hated act in the company. Jimmy and Jey are all business now, and they want the tag team titles.
This is a tough one because of the time WWE has invested in Rhyno and Slater. To take the straps off them now makes no sense, so the champs should retain.
But The Usos are hot right now and don't need a loss, either. So this one is likely going to end in a brawl that will see the gold remain right where it is. The Usos will become the champs again, but Slater and Rhyno need more time at the top.
Pick: No-contest; Slater and Rhyno retain
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella
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The women of SmackDown have a lot to live up to.
Sasha Banks and Charlotte worked the main event of Oct. 3's Raw, and they tore the house down. They carried the last match like true pros, once again showing just how far women's wrestling has come.
But can the blue brand keep up?
Nikki Bella was once the face of the women's division, and now she's fighting to get back on top. Carmella is in her way, and the former sidekick to Enzo Amore and Big Cass is looking to make a name for herself.
There's no better way to do it than by stealing a win at No Mercy.
Carmella will take the easy way out here. She could distract the referee long enough to get the upper hand, or she could grab the tights and roll Bella up for the pin. No matter how she does it, this should be Carmella's match to win.
Bella's return to the top will have to wait for now.
Pick: Carmella
Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt
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Randy Orton has looked into the abyss, and Bray Wyatt looked back.
The Viper and The Eater of Worlds will finally face off at No Mercy, and it's an intriguing matchup, to say the least. The fact is that both men need this win, as a loss for either one doesn't make much sense.
Orton went down to Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, and Wyatt has a recent loss to Kane on SmackDown. Orton is in much better shape in terms of wins and losses than Wyatt is, but he needs to rebound from the beating Lesnar gave him.
Wyatt's booking continues to be the more curious of the two because, no matter how much promise he shows, he can't keep his head above water.
The company has a monster babyface waiting to happen here, but Wyatt remains heel. WWE evidently feels he's better in this position despite his potential to excel as a fan favorite. But if his career is to finally get moving in the right direction, he needs something big, and a win over Orton is it.
That's what should happen at No Mercy, especially if Sister Abigail finally makes her presence known. Wyatt's disappearing act on the Oct. 4 edition of SmackDown has raised some interesting questions regarding his mysterious muse, and now fans will have to wait and see what happens at No Mercy.
Pick: Bray Wyatt
Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss (SmackDown Women's Championship)
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Becky Lynch needed a viable foil, and she has finally found one.
Charlotte has Banks, and now Lynch has Alexa Bliss. While the rivalry is just in its beginning stages, the fact is there's some serious potential for the two to make magic in the ring. That should be proved at No Mercy.
Lynch has never been more over, and she should retain here. Bliss is just getting started in terms of her main event career, and if the two have chemistry, she should get more than one shot at the SmackDown Women's Championship.
No matter what happens, though, Nikki Bella is waiting to once again reclaim her spot on top.
But until then, this is Lynch's division. It's up to her to deliver solid matches every time she's on the card, and that's what will happen at No Mercy. She will give Bliss a good match, and Bliss will step up to show just what she can do.
But in the end, Lynch will still be the champ.
Pick: Becky Lynch
AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose (WWE World Championship)
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John Cena's potential 16th world championship is making the news right now, and he hasn't even won it yet.
Just the idea of tying Ric Flair's record is enough to spark the debate, and it's been raging long before this title match was announced. Many feel Cena doesn't deserve this because he's never been considered the traditional pro wrestler Flair was.
Then there's the fact that all of his titles were won under WWE, a company that's protected him from the beginning.
But others believe this must happen because Cena has worked hard for it. No one can measure up to him in terms of drawing power and dedication to the company; he's the top guy for a good reason. If anyone should stand with Flair in the record book, it's Cena.
But fans can't forget about the other two guys in this match.
AJ Styles is the champion—and deservedly so. Styles has worked his entire career to reach this level, and it's not a position he takes lightly. He's the best choice to wear the belt because he is the top heel on SmackDown, and he can get it done in the ring better than anyone else.
But then there's Dean Ambrose, who didn't get enough of a title run to begin with. Of the three men, he has the most to prove, and he perhaps always will.
If he does become WWE world champion again, however, it will not be at No Mercy. This is Styles' night to shine, and Cena will be left hanging to make history at another time.
Pick: AJ Styles
Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz (Win or Retire Match for the Intercontinental Championship)
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Dolph Ziggler wouldn't walk away from the sport he loves, right?
That one question is hanging over this match, and it refuses to go away. WWE has done an admirable job of creating doubt in the minds of fans, and it hasn't been hard to do. Ziggler is not the main event attraction he could be, and the frustration he's shown has been real.
He's connected with the WWE fans, and they feel as though they've gone on this journey with him. But is the journey over?
Ziggler could step away from the company and find his focus again. With enough time to recharge physically and mentally, he could eventually come back with a renewed sense of purpose for his WWE career.
But will the company do right by him the next time around?
Without the proper booking and commitment from WWE, Ziggler will never realize his full potential. He will always be a midcard star and nothing more. He has the respect of the fans and his peers. But he may never have the support he needs to reach that top level.
If he doesn't get it, things will never change for him.
But Ziggler is a pro wrestler. This is what he loves, and to imagine him doing anything else seems impossible. So he should go over on The Miz at No Mercy because stealing the show is what Ziggler does best. He always fights against the odds, and he always delivers.
The future may be in doubt, and Ziggler may never get what he deserves, but it's not time for him to walk away yet. This match and the Intercontinental Championship belong to him at No Mercy.
Pick: Dolph Ziggler
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
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