Point/Counterpoint: WWE Vengeance Preview

It's time for another RAW pay-per-view...this time the June extravaganza known as WWE Vengeance. This used to be one of the "Big 5" ppv's when it was called King of the Ring, but now it's just relegated to another spot in the order. However, this does seem to be a pretty stacked PPV since RAW has been hitting a high note lately, and with the addition of ECW things are looking up.

For this preview, I invited my friend Dave to go over some picks in a Point/Counterpoint style....Dave and I have been to a TON of ppv's and have watched wrestling our entire lives...so these should be interesting...Without further ado....

Eugene w/Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Umaga

Dave's Pick: Umaga

Oh tough choice...who do I care about less? Eugene is on a revenge mission for his buddy Jim Duggan, while Umaga is getting a huge push that defies explanation. Though I really do dig on Estrada. I guess I'll tip my hat to Umaga unless they want to do the "retard who can't control his anger" thing with Eugene that we seemed to get a peek of Monday. OOOOMaga defeats Eugene with taped up thumb chop (god I wish I were making up that finisher)

Brad's Pick: Umaga

Please....if you honestly think Eugene is going to win this match then you probably have an unhealthy man crush on Hacksaw or you ride the short bus. Why do you push Umaga like that and then have his first loss be to a sideshow freak. Eugene loses it on Umaga, who will no sell it like no tomorrow, and give him the Samoan Thumb of Doom (tm)....after the match the Texas Tornado will rise from the dead, and he and Umaga will feud over who's finisher is worse.....good times...

Kane vs. The Freakin' Deacon...er...Old Kane

Dave's Pick: Kane

Oh god I really wish Big Show had just taken Kane out back and shot him at Backlash, then I"d be spared this nonsense. Remember Undertaker vs. Undertaker? Remember that train wreck? And this time we don't even have Leslie Neilson helping us figure things out. Not only that but fake Kane doesn't even look as much like real Kane as the Under-faker looked like Taker. I know he has a mask, what I mean is that he's 2 inches too short and has no discernable physique. Anyway I'm guess Kane beats "Kane" with a chokeslame and much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Brad's Pick: Old Kane

This match has the potential to make me want to gouge my own eyes out...much like in that movie Kane was in...forgot what it was called. They haven't done too much promo work for that on WWE television lately. As for the "match" I predict a lot of standing and staring, a bunch of punches and no selling like crazy. Kane will get the advantage by actually doing a wrestling move, but then some stupid supernatural shit will happen which will give the Old Kane the win and continue this god-awful angle until SummerSlam. Hooray!

Intercontinental Title Match
Shelton Benjamin (c) vs. Carlito vs. Johnny Nitro (w/Melina)

Dave's Pick: Shelton Benjamin

This might be the toughest match of the show to pick. I'd like to see Carlito pick up the win and the title here becuase I'm a big Carlito fan. But part of me thinks he's done with the IC title and it's time to get him into the WWE title hunt. Nitro on the other hand isn't quite there yet. Tons of potential, he'll be IC champ by the end of the year. But for now I'd leave it on Shelton. If they were smart, they'd turn Nitro and Melina face. Then he can pick up the title at Summerslam and Melina can take on Mickie for the Womens title since she's just spinning her wheels until Trish gets back from injury. They can do that whole "golden couple" thing HHH and Steph did a few years ago. For those reasons I think Shelton Benjamin defeats Carlito and Nitro with the suprise T-bone on Carlito after he dispatches Nitro

Brad's Pick: Shelton Benjamin

This is a VERY tough match to pick, so I'll just go with the story I want to see played out. I think Benjamin wins the strap by pinning Nitro due to some shenanagins and then Carlito can spend the next month chasing Shelton say "you didn't pin me" and get a shot at SummerSlam. This could be the show stealing match of the night, and hopefully I'll still have my eyes after the Kane vs. Kane debacle.

"Extreme" Lumberjack Match
John Cena vs. Sabu

Dave's Pick: John Cena

I'll cop to it...I was never a huge ECW guy. I watched a bit but I didn't follow cloesly. I had no real problem with it, but it never caught my fancy. In retrospect I wish I had watched a bit closer as I tend to enjoy the tapes of it I see today. I'm kind of digging ECW on Sci-Fi. And I like Sabue even if he's just a little past his prime. So I'll have to give the duke to Cena on this one, since odds are after this PPV ECW will have less and less to do with RAW and Cena will be right back in the WWE Title Hunt (dammit). Plus this match was his idea so he must have his own lumberjacks up his sleeve. If he were smart he'd bring those gun toting "gangster" assholes from his uber-queer WrestleMania entrance. Cena defeats Sabu with that dumbass STFU

Brad's Pick: John Cena

Anyone who's read this blog knows my wonderful feelings for John Cena. Well after the ECW PPV I actually have to say that I respect his ability to work the crowd. He did a GREAT job interacting with the crazy ECW fans. However, he's still an annoying asshole and I would LOVE to see him do the job here...but come on. Do you really think they are jobbing Cena out here? When was the last time he lost clean? Think about that one for a bit....he's like the New Millenium Hulk Hogan except the fans hate him. Oh and before I hear the "Edge beat him clean" comment...it was AFTER a elimination chamber when he could barely stand...not clean folks. Since this is the first ECW crossover of the evening I will give my thoughts on that. I'm enjoying the product thus far, especially Macho Libre. Funniest character they've had in freaking years. Oh, and as far as this match premise goes...what's real "extreme" about a bunch of jobbers standing around the outside? I mean does Tony Mamaluke and Balls Mahoney brooding at ringside really scare anyone? Anyone? Sabu will hit some highspots, but in the end I see an STFU in his future....and you can hear me gagging already.

Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton

Dave's Pick: Randy Orton

Please. Angle kicks all kinds of ass, but he's already made Orton his bitch...twice. So I guess that means Orton is due or something stupid like that. Plus this is "WWE rules", which is dumb given that Angle never cheats, he just pounds on people until they tap. Anyway look for Orton to get the fluke win...like he gets any other kind.

Brad's Pick: Randy Orton via shitting in Kurt's singlet

Ah, nothing screams great match like Randy Orton. I'm looking forward to the 100 ways he does a boring chin lock. Always top notch. Due to "WWE Rules" Angle won't be able to choke Orton out this time...wait...he hasn't choked Orton out before? Oh well I guess that means the "WWE rules" thing is complete bullshit. Orton gets the win here because they really can't just have him lose to Angle over and over and over...can they?

Two out of Three Falls Match
Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley

Dave's Pick: Ric Flair (2-1)

If Sabu is past his prime then Ric Flair is practically dead. I've always hated the guy, but now it's really time for him to sit down before he falls down. Mick of course is the reason to watch this match, as he always is. Mick says he's going to be dogging it on Sunday so my guess is this is only the beginning of the feud. Hopefuly we get a nice big hardcore blow out at SummerSlam, where Foley can kick Flair's ass properly...if nothing else Flair can really take an ass beating like few others. So look for Flair to get the nod here.

Brad's Pick: Mick Foley (2-0...just kidding 2-1)

Why is it that all two out of three falls match inevitiably come down to one fall? Has there ever been a sweep? Well tonight won't be the night we see it. Mick has promised the worst match we've ever seen, but will end up being a couple matches too late as Kane has already wrestled his match (zing!). Eventually Ric Flair may just die inside the ring...or break a hip or something. Unfortunately for all wrestling fans Flair hasn't decided that he needs to put a shirt on when he wrestles so we'll be subject to his saggy breasts the entire match. UGH! Foley takes the first fall via mandible claw, Flair takes second via figure four, and then Edge and Lita help Mick (via a hardcore way) steal the third fall...this setting up Flair going fucking apeshit and stripping naked on a future RAW and challenging Mick to a hardcore match at SummerSlam....

Handicapped Match
DX vs. The Spirit Squad

Dave's Pick: DX

I dig both teams here, and I know this match will be hilarious and fun no matter who wins. But Michaels and HHH won't be laying down on their big comeback match. For the record the best name for that finisher the cheerleaders use is the Sis Boom Bah-dy Slam. DX wins via Sweet Chin Music and Pedigree and a lot of miscommuncation on the part of the cheerleaders.

Brad's Pick: DX

For the record Dave, your name of that finisher for the Spirit Squad makes me question your sanity....that name will haunt my night terrors. Anyway, how can you pick against DX in this one? While the Spirit Squad has been main eventing RAW for the past month I still don't think HHH is going to use his stroke to lay down to these jackasses. The promos from DX should be one of the highlights of the night, and the male cheerleaders are definitely a great gimmick for DX to skewer. Unfortunately I'm very afraid of what kind of promos we'll see out of Vince. His track record for the past two PPV's haven't been so good...but at least he won't have to damn us all to hell this time by talking about God....ugh....

WWECW Championship
Rob Van Dam (c) vs. Edge

Dave's Pick: Edge

So if Van Dam loses here...does he lose the ECW title too? Or just the WWE title? It's pretty unclear. In any event I say Edge gets the "W" here. Van Dam can't use any chairs and there's always the Lita factor to contend with. Edge picks up the title here and goes back to feuding with Cena. Van Dam takes his ECW title to Sci-Fi and has some feuds of his own. And please....for the love of GOD...can we get the real WWE title belt back and lose that douche-bag spinner one?

Brad's Pick: Edge...with help

So RVD is finally champ...and then cuts some of his "greatest" promos the past two weeks. UGH....there is a reason he hasn't held the big one up until now and that's because he can't string two sentences together. It's like watching some pro athlete read of cue cards on some shitty local ad for a car dealership. Edge, on the other hand, is fantastic in all aspects and should get the win here. I'm assuming that Edge will get it through some shady means, which will give RVD the ability to claim that he was "screwed" by the WWE and therefore he's still the ECW champ. I would like to see a new ECW guy come into this match and screw RVD to set up a feud for ECW, but I don't really know what guy out there could really do the job. Rhyno just re-upped with TNA so in reality there aren't that many people they could bring in. This match SCREAMS for a surprise and we may see it. I just hope it's not Test...dude needs to work his way back up....Edge wins this match and goes on to continue his feud with John Cena leading to Cena taking the title back at SummerSlam, and me jumping off the TD Banknorth Center in Boston...remember it is Cena's hometown.....

And that is that. Again check back tonight for a Running Random on WWE Vengeance and we'll see how these picks hold up.

Until next time....