WWE Over the Limit Preview: Thoughts and Predictions

As of this writing, WWE Over the Limit has six matches scheduled on the card, with possibly one more added—the WWE tends to add an unannounced mid-card title bout, such as one involving United States Champion Kofi Kingston for example. Another possibility is a Sin Cara PPV debut, where he could face Chavo Guerrero as the two have been engulfed in a storyline of sorts in the past few weeks on SmackDown.

The card looks well-built storyline wise, as every match on this card, with the exception of the just added Tag Team Title match (speaking of title matches that never have any storyline buildups), have been very plot-driven in the past few weeks on both Raw and SmackDown.

The IC Title match between Barrett and Jackson has been teased for awhile now, as there have been disagreements in the Corre almost ever since they formed when they joined SmackDown a short while back.

Rey Mysterio vs. R Truth was added to the card because of R-Truth's assault on Mysterio after the No. 1 Contenders match for the WWE Championship two Raws ago, continuing the storyline of R-Truth's assault on main-eventers throughout the WWE Championship scene.

Orton and Christian have been teaming up together on the past few SmackDowns against Henry and Sheamus after Orton's title win over Christian just days after Christian had won his first World Championship at Extreme Rules.

Cena and the Miz look to be finally concluding their feud at Over the Limit, as most I Quit matches tend to be used as a prop to end most longtime feuds.

And you guys have already heard enough about the Lawler-Cole feud.

Here are my predictions for this Sunday's card:

Rey Mysterio vs. R-Truth

I have a feeling that they make this match first on the card, as Mysterio's ability to entertain and get the crowd involved and R-Truth's huge heel heat since his heel turn are much needed to get this crowd involved from the very start.

Just last month at Extreme Rules, Orton and Punk, two main-event superstars, kicked off the PPV with a hell of a match. WWE will do the same at this PPV with one main-eventer and guy who is destined to be involved in the main event scene for the next couple of months as part of his ongoing storyline.

There is no doubt that R-Truth comes out with a victory, as he desperately needs it in the process of establishing himself as a main-eventer before he most likely challenges Cena for the WWE Championship in the next couple of months. Truth will most likely win due to some cheap shenanigans, to further his heat even more so by defeating a heavy fan favorite like Mysterio.

Winner: R-Truth

Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole

The WWE will put this match either second or third on the card as they did at Extreme Rules. This match seems to be the culmination of a months-long feud that Cole has seen the better end of ever since it began.

Lawler will win this match, as this is the third time these guys have faced at a major PPV in some shape or form and will finally be seen as the victor of this feud. There is no way Lawler gives up his HOF ring and, even though I still enjoy this feud, especially with the wacky Swagger-Cole dynamic, most people seem to be getting tired of it. WWE finally ends this feud at Over the Limit and Lawler wins despite interference by Swagger.

Winner: Jerry Lawler

Wade Barrett (C) vs. Ezekiel Jackson, IC Title Match

I know the favorite in this match is Ezekiel Jackson seeing as he's been built up as a babyface after being attacked by the heel group Corre, but I can't see Ezekiel winning this match over Barrett at Over the Limit.

This feud has the makings of at least one more PPV match and I think Barrett will get the better end of Jackson at Over the Limit, with help from Gabriel and Slater. Jackson has not been a face long enough for the crowd to get behind him, so by having the Corre slight and beat down Jackson yet again, it'll create further remorse and babyface heat for the newly-turned Jackson.

Barrett is also, barring a major turn of events, a future world champion in this business, so I see the WWE building him up as a legitimate IC Champion, instead of just being a two-month champion who loses to a guy who isn't ready to make it on his own as a singles upper-mid-card wrestler.

This feud may go another route, in which Barrett gets the better end of Jackson at OTL, and Jackson never beats Barrett for the title. Even though Jackson has one singles title run on his resume (being considered the last ECW Champion), I see him being much in the vain of Mark Henry.

Ezekiel Jackson is a guy who, regardless of how many title runs or titles he has, will always be seen as a legit threat just because of his sheer size. Henry did not win his first major singles title until 2008 when he was ECW Champion after being in the business for 12 years. Henry, despite the lack of title resume, main-evented a Royal Rumble (2006 for the WWE title vs. Kurt Angle) long before he even won a major singles title. This is the least likely route, however.

Winner: Wade Barrett

Big Show and Kane (C) vs. The New Nexus (CM Punk and Mason Ryan) Tag Team Titles Match

This is the newest added match to the card as it was announced on the May 16th edition of Raw.

This match could go either way. With Punk looking more and more like he's going to leave WWE after his contract expires, the WWE may throw him a bone and give him a Tag Team Title run with Ryan. Yes, the titles don't mean much these days, but they're still titles, regardless. This also gives a little bit of a rub to Ryan, who they're sort of building up as a wannabe Batista circa his Evolution days.

Then again, with Punk looking like he's on the way out, they could just go the safe route and keep Big Show and Kane as tag team champions so they can continue having three-minute squash matches with any thrown-together tag team you can possibly think of.

Knowing the WWE, I'll go with Show and Kane remaining as champions.

Winners: Big Show and Kane

Randy Orton (C) vs. Christian, World Heavyweight Championship Match

This feud started when Orton won the right to challenge Christian for the title on the SmackDown that followed Extreme Rules.

I am 100 percent certain in my prediction that Orton will win this match and retain the title. The WWE, contrary to the all of the criticism it has received since Christian's short title run, know what they're doing most of the time. They will not screw over Christian with a two-day title run and have him never hold the title again.

However, this feud is building towards something bigger. Orton will win this match cleanly in a hard fought bout and this will plant the seeds of a slow heel turn for Christian that will develop over the summer months, probably leading to a huge title win for Christian at SummerSlam.

I think the WWE sees that although Christian is a big babyface right now, he is more so a fan favorite for the sheer fact that he is associated with Edge a great deal. The majority of WWE fans right now have no knowledge of Christian's past in the WWE and has a kneejerk reaction to Edge's retirement, rooting for Christian because he's Edge's "best friend." The WWE knows Christian's ability as a heel and I think they will go this route before they give him the title and a huge run with it. Over the Limit will plant the seeds of this heel turn.

Winner: Randy Orton

John Cena (C) vs. The Miz, WWE Championship Match

Just as I am 100 percent certain that Orton will win, I am 100 percent certain that Cena will win. Before his title victory over the Miz at Extreme Rules, it had been a year since Cena held a world title. Cena, no matter how hot Miz is as a heel, will not lose the title after less than a month of holding it. This is not the Rock-HHH feud of 2000.

Cena has a propensity of being the anti-Edge, for his long title runs. He is undefeated in I Quit matches. There is no reason why he should lose this match. Cena comes out with the win and ends the Cena-Miz feud while moving onto a feud with a less established star before SummerSlam, such as Del Rio or R-Truth, with Truth being my pick for Cena's next feud.

Alex Riley will be heavily involved throughout the match, but to no avail, and Cena will remain WWE Champion.

Winner: John Cena