Bold Predictions for WWE Super Show-Down 2018 Match Card
Less than three weeks removed from Hell in a Cell comes WWE's latest special event entitled Super Show-Down 2018, emanating live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia this Saturday.
Unlike Greatest Royal Rumble from earlier this year, WWE has done a commendable job of hyping the show in recent weeks and making each match feel meaningful. Some are certainly more important than others, but on the whole, the pay-per-view has promise and the potential to be thoroughly entertaining.
The Undertaker vs. Triple H will headline the event in what is being billed as a "last time ever" encounter. The addition of Shawn Michaels and Kane to ringside for that bout all but guarantees it will be a spectacle and could possibly set the stage for another outing involving those four down the road.
Elsewhere on the card, The Shield will have their hands full with the dastardly trio of Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre while the long-running rivalry between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe over the WWE Championship will culminate in a No Count-out, No Disqualification match.
Additionally, Ronda Rousey, Daniel Bryan, The Bella Twins, The Miz, John Cena, Kevin Owens and other notable names being a part of the card will make this one of WWE's most star-studded lineups in recent memory. That combined with the electric atmosphere in Melbourne will surely help give Super Show-Down a WrestleMania-like vibe.
In order for the show to be deemed a success from a storyline standpoint, the outcomes should not be as obvious as they seem. As the event draws closer, now is the time to offer to make bold predictions and attempt to anticipate what will happen in the night's biggest matches.
Preliminary Matches
1 of 6
Ronda Rousey and The Bella Twins vs. The Riott Squad: Rousey has been running roughshod over Raw's women's division for months and that likely won't change at Super Show-Down. The Riott Squad have been a bit of a thorn in the side of Rousey and the Bellas lately, but there's virtually zero chance the UFC champ will suffer her first loss in WWE on this show.
The New Day vs. The Bar (SmackDown Tag Team Championship match): New Day only recently regained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship and have barely begun to scratch the surface of what they're capable of in the role. Sheamus and Cesaro getting the better of the trio at every turn for the last three weeks should indicate that New Day will win when it matters most and retain their titles.
John Cena and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Elias: After a six-month absence from WWE programming, Cena will be back in action at Super Show-Down to team with Lashley against two familiar foes in Owens and Elias. With no titles at stake in this tag team clash, the babyfaces reigning supreme should be considered a lock.
The IIconics vs. Naomi and Asuka: Since The IIconcs are from Australia, it makes sense to include them on the card. They have been spinning their wheels for months, but they are in desperate need of a notable victory and I predict that it will come at the expense of Asuka and Naomi.
Cedric Alexander vs. Buddy Murphy (WWE Cruiserweight Championship match): Similar to The IIconics, Murphy will have the hometown advantage in Australia when he vies for Alexander's Cruiserweight title. Alexander was able to emerge victorious in his own hometown the last time they did battle, so it's only logical for Murphy to return the favor at Super Show-Down and end the Age of Alexander by becoming champion.
Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women's Championship Match)
2 of 6
It has been painfully apparent since SummerSlam that Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair are miscast in their current roles. Despite Lynch's best efforts to turn fans against her, the WWE Universe is still very much behind The Irish Lasskicker with most crowds treating Charlotte like the heel.
Despite that, their work on the mic and in the ring throughout their feud has been top-notch up to this point. Their one-on-one encounter at Hell in a Cell featured the right result with Lynch becoming the new SmackDown Women's champion and Charlotte being put in chase mode.
Sure, Charlotte's latest title reign was short-lived, but Lynch is the hot hand at the moment and it was smart to run with her as champion. That said, there's nothing stopping WWE from giving the belt back to the Flair family scion at Super Show-Down in order to keep the program alive.
Lynch has been thriving as a heel as of late and will continue to kill it no matter what, but it would be foolish of WWE to cut her momentum short on Saturday by having her lose the title. Then again, the company tends to make illogical decisions on occasion, so it wouldn't be too surprising of an outcome.
Lynch walking away the champ would be the better choice, but Charlotte needs to bounce back somehow and could get the gold in her grasp again as soon as Super Show-Down.
Prediction Charlotte Flair wins the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Daniel Bryan vs. the Miz (WWE Championship No. 1 Contender's Match)
3 of 6
Since rekindling their rivalry over the summer, Daniel Bryan and The Miz have been able to maintain fan interest in their program and continually raise the bar every time they're in the ring together. Super Show-Down should be no different, where they'll clash in a No. 1 contender's match for the WWE Championship.
What's so exciting about this encounter is that the finish is very much in doubt. Both Bryan and Miz have staked their claim at the championship before and could realistically transition into the title picture at any moment.
It should be noted that Miz has now beaten Bryan on two different occasions (at SummerSlam and Hell in a Cell). Traditional booking would seem to suggest that Bryan will finally beat Miz when the stakes are at their highest on Saturday, but The Awesome One finding a way to pull out yet another victory over Bryan would be the more compelling option.
There's no need to have Miz win in clean fashion, especially considering his history as an opportunist. Rather, Randy Orton can make his presence felt and deliver on his promise to target SmackDown Live's most popular fan favorites by costing Bryan the match.
Not only would that kick off a feud between those two, Miz would be right where he belongs: in WWE Championship contention. He and AJ Styles could have a must-see feud over the gold, assuming Styles is still champion coming out of this event.
Prediction: The Miz defeats Daniel Bryan.
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (No Disqualification WWE Championship Match)
4 of 6
Aside from how the WWE Championship has taken a backseat in this storyline with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, their above-average matches, promos and segments have been enough to keep viewers engaged from week to week.
Joe in particular deserves praise for his exceptional work across the board throughout this feud and should be rewarded in the form of a run with the WWE Championship at some point. Unfortunately, the time to pull the trigger would have been either at SummerSlam or at Hell in a Cell, hurting his chances of victory at Super Show-Down.
It's entirely possible Joe ends Styles' record-setting reign on Saturday, but the odds are certainly not in his favor. The upcoming encounter has been built up as the blow-off to their rivalry and it would be strange for Joe to capture the championship only for Styles to not receive his rightful rematch.
As previously noted, The Miz is my pick in the No. 1 contender's match earlier in the evening and a Styles vs. Miz feud is appealing on paper. There's no telling what would become of Joe if he loses yet again in Australia, but there also isn't a plethora of babyfaces for him to defend against on SmackDown Live, either.
The WWE title has not headlined a pay-per-view since Fastlane in March. Due to Triple H vs. The Undertaker taking place on this show, they are bound to be relegated to midcard duty once again, especially if a title change isn't happening.
Prediction: AJ Styles retains the WWE Championship.
The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre
5 of 6
The Shield's reunion on Raw immediately following SummerSlam prompted Braun Strowman to build a shield of his own in order to combat the destructive trio. His heel turn was a bit of a confusing move since he was so popular as a babyface, not to mention it hurt his momentum in the singles ranks considerably because he hasn't won a meaningful match yet.
In fact, Strowman and Dean Ambrose are the only members of this six-man tag team feud right now that don't have gold around their waists. Oddly enough, none of those titles will be on the line when they do battle at Super Show-Down, and instead, they will be fighting strictly for bragging rights.
It has already been confirmed that Roman Reigns will be defending his Universal Championship against Strowman at WWE Crown Jewel in early November. As it currently stands, fans have no reason to believe that The Monster Among Men will be capturing the gold on that show.
By beating The Shield (and more specifically Roman Reigns) at Super Show-Down, he would firmly be established as a threat to the title. As dominant of a force as The Shield are together, the possibility of a split is there thanks to the heels' attempts to get inside the head of Ambrose in recent weeks.
In addition to the babyfaces having an excuse to lose, Strowman, Ziggler and McIntyre would gain a ton more from winning this thing than The Shield would.
Prediction: Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre win.
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
6 of 6
Regardless of whether it's the end of an era or the last time ever (or perhaps both), The Undertaker vs. Triple H is more responsible for generating excitement for this event than anything else. The buildup to their bout at Super Show-Down has been masterful, even though there was no real reason for them to face off in the first place.
Of course, their history as opponents speaks for itself with Undertaker having beaten The Game the last two times they went one-on-one at WrestleMania 27 and WrestleMania 28. It's also been well-established that they have strong chemistry together, so despite being in the twilight of their respective careers, they can be counted on for a memorable performance on the grand stage of Super Show-Down.
Fans likely wouldn't be as invested in the outcome of this contest if it wasn't for the involvement of Shawn Michaels and Kane, who recently resurfaced on WWE TV after many months away. The Heartbreak Kid's increased presence has lead to speculation he'll be returning to squared circle sooner rather than later to reignite his rivalry with Undertaker from nearly a decade ago.
With that in mind, it would only seem to make sense that he would want to help Triple H defeat The Deadman to set up a tag team match for WWE Crown Jewel next month. Now would be as fitting of a time as ever for Michaels to lace his boots back up, though it's unknown how he would fare against the talent of today if he wrestles more than one matchup.
Admittedly, it doesn't make too much of a difference who wins here, but if more matches featuring these four are in the works, D-Generation X prevailing would certainly create conversation regarding Michaels' in-ring future.
Prediction: Triple H wins.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
