WWE Super Show-Down has a lot of implications for the wrestling scene in Australia. On Saturday, October 6th, tens of thousands of screaming fans will pack the Melbourne Cricket Grounds. This is WWE’s first PPV level event in the country since 2002, where they presented Global Warning, drawing almost 50,000. The timing of this event is interesting. WWE had sixteen years to return to Australia. Why now? Well, it’d be naïve to think New Japan Pro Wrestling’s tour of the country earlier this year has nothing to do with it. WWE has demonstrated time and time again that they are very territorial—like with World of Sport coming back in the UK or Ring of Honor and New Japan running Madison Square Garden to name some recent examples. But that’s not the whole story. Aussie independent wrestling is the best it’s been in forty years, and Oceania has become a fertile ground for pro wrestling. Because of WWE’s exposure and reach, sometimes events like this can create a renewed interest in pro wrestling in the area, and perhaps we’ll see the indy scene get a bump in the coming months following this show. For story lines, WWE is in somewhat of a booking pickle this fall. With Hell in a Cell, Super Show-Down, Evolution, Crown Jewel, and Survivor Series all taking place within ten weeks, they have a ton of shows to build for and promote, making some stories feel drawn out. Super Show–Down will get a couple storyline blow offs, but a lot of the other matches just feel like RAW or SmackDown Live matches. This show will have direct implications for Evolution and Crown Jewel, and will no doubt set up Survivor Series showdowns, however, so in the grand scheme of things it is an important step in the storylines this year. Let’s take a look at what WWE is bringing down under.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Buddy Murphy
Alexander recently retained his title in a rematch against Drew Gulak, so that means that there was only one real episode of 205 Live with build up towards this title match. Murphy, another Aussie native, has been one of the standouts on 205 Live this year, making him an easy pick to challenge for the belt on this show. The crowd will be solidly behind him, as he’s specifically from Melbourne, Victoria, and was even the top champion at the local promotion Melbourne City Wrestling before signing with WWE five years ago. It’s important that the Iiconics win on this show, because Buddy Murphy won’t. The 205 Live show is building towards making Mustafa Ali the face of the brand, which I expect him to win the belt at WrestleMania next year, and a Murphy title win doesn’t seem to fit in that plan. These two had a title match earlier this year, which was fantastic, so I can’t imagine this one won’t be as well. Lout out for this to be the show stealer.
Prediction: Cedric Alexander
The Iiconics (Peyton Royce & Billie Kay) vs. Naomi & Asuka
Aussie natives Royce and Kay will be cheered by the crowd from their home country, despite being the heels in this. Even though their in ring work has a lot to be desired, the Iiconics are gaining steam with the audience, and its rumored that they may be getting more screen time in the coming months. Asuka and Naomi are both in somewhat of a limbo. Since losing her streak at WrestleMania this year, Asuka had a terrible feud with Carmella, and has since been used for essentially nothing. All this in spite of Asuka being one of the best in ring workers they have on the main roster (and that includes the men). Naomi is in a similar position, as after winning the Women’s Battle Royal on the WrestleMania Kick-Off Show, has likewise been doing very little. Thankfully, all four are on the card on a major show, but the match seems to be little more than a chance for the homecoming heroines to get a win.
Prediction: The Iconics
WWE Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E) (c) vs. The Bar (Shemaus & Cesaro)
The Bar earned this tag team title opportunity by winning a tournament a few weeks ago to decide the new number one contenders for the belts. Kofi Kingston recently became the longest reigning tag team champion in WWE history, combining all his previous reigns with his current one. The Bar have been kept off of television for most of the summer, but it looks to be their time to shine on Tuesday nights. When they were tag champions on RAW, they often had one of the better matches each night they performed, and they are a fresh act for Smackdown whereas the New Day is getting a tad stale. Expect a title switch here, and for the Bar to hang on to the belts for a while.
Prediction: The Bar
Number One Contender for the WWE Championship Match: The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan
Drawing on moments from across almost a decade, this feud has been framed as a long time coming. Their bout at SummerSlam was solid, but saw Maryse interfere to give Miz the victory, which led to the mixed tag match at Hell in a Cell between Bryan and Brie Bella against the Miz and Maryse, where Maryse rolled up Bella for the win. In WWE’s typically booking, that means its time for Bryan to get the win, and that makes all the sense in the world, as he would be chasing either AJ Styles or Samoa Joe for the title afterwards, and either of those feuds would be fantastic. Maryse will try to interfere in this one as well, but Brie will step in and stop her, enabling Bryan to win fair and square, and move on into the title picture.
Prediction: Daniel Bryan
John Cena & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Elias
Cena has been away from the WWE for a while, in one of his increasingly more frequent absences, as he continues his transition into Hollywood. Lashley, on the other hand, is coming off a feud with Roman Reigns a few months ago, but has been treading water ever since. Owens likewise has done nothing of note after ending things with Braun Strowman recently. Elias is Elias, as his gimmick is a fun filler segment, sometimes a nice change of pace. He’s nothing special in the ring. It’ll be nice the Aussie fans to get to see the WWE’s biggest star in John Cena. This match will be fine, but its more to showcase Cena and perhaps give Lashley a bit of a rub, so look for the babyfaces to go over here.
Prediction: John Cena & Bobby Lashley
WWE Smackdown Live Women’s Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte
Oh boy. So, this feud grew out of a Triple Threat Match between these two and then-champion Carmella at SummerSlam, by hitting Lynch with a Natural Selection and getting the pin. Lynch…uh…turned heel (?) on her after the match by attacking her, but the crowd cheered it like a babyface move. Lynch defeated Charlotte in a single match for the title at Hell in a Cell, so here in Melbourne, Charlotte gets her rematch. With Evolution just on the horizon, I expect WWE to give us a Dusty finish on this one, and to have a blow off stipulation match at the Nassau Coliseum for the all-women’s PPV on October 28th, so Lynch will retain here.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
Ronda Rousey and the Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie) vs. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan)
Recently, the Bella Twins returned to WWE TV, and befriended Rousey on Raw. This match looks to be a setup for the rumored Rousey/Bella match-up at Evolution. Behind Alexa Bliss, Ruby Riott is probably the next top female heel on RAW, and her Riott Squad is often used to foil the top babyfaces, and they’ll get another chance here. Look for Rousey to specifically get the win for her team, by submitting with an armbar. It’s possible that Nikki will turn heel on Rousey after the match, but I think that’s very unlikely, as the Bellas have become mild celebrities outside of wrestling, and are much more valuable to the general public as babyfaces.
Prediction: Ronda Rousey and the Bella Twins
No Disqualification, No Count-out Match for the WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Also stemming from SummerSlam is the family feud that is Styles versus Joe. In the lead up to their title match at SummerSlam, Joe claimed to have a letter from AJ’s wife Wendy, condemning him as a failure as a husband and father. Styles’ wife and daughter attended SummerSlam, and when Joe called them out during the match, AJ attacked him with a chair and was disqualified. In their rematch at Hell in a Cell, AJ countered a submission by Joe by rolling him up, but tapped out before the three count was registered. However, the referee missed the tap, counted the pin, and named Styles as the winner. Joe was obviously upset, and this rematch was set. Joe recently continued the family theme of the feud by filming himself going to AJ’s house. While Joe would be a worthy WWE Champion, I think WWE wants to keep the belt on AJ one more month. AJ’s reign is almost at one year in length, and with Daniel Bryan most likely the next challenger, Bryan taking the belt from a year-long champion at a big four show would a perfect moment, and set up a great feud for those two leading into the Royal Rumble.
Prediction: AJ Styles
The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose) vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre
Roman Reigns is currently embroiled in a feud with Strowman and Brock Lesnar for the Universal title, Rollins was feuding with Ziggler for the Intercontinental title, then moved on to Dean and he chasing Ziggler and McIntyre for the Raw Tag Team Championships, and in the middle of all of this the Shield reformed, Strowman turned heel, and last week there were teases for Ambrose to turn on the Shield and McIntyre to turn on Ziggler and Strowman. Got it? Good. So that leaves a lot of questions coming into this match. Will Lesnar show up? Will Dean turn? Will McIntyre turn? Who will pin who, and what will that mean for the Universal or Intercontinental or Raw Tag Team Championship(s)? With this match merely being a stepping stone in three different title pictures, it can be difficult to make out what’s what. That said, I expect the Shield to win with no Lesnar appearance, and no Dean heel turn. I think Dean’s turn is definitely coming, but it’ll be a little further down the road. I do, however, believe Strowman and McIntyre will turn on Ziggler, and McIntyre will begin his main event singles run. This will be an excellent match, as these six performers range from good to great, and it will be given plenty of time.
Prediction: The Shield
The Undertaker (w/ Kane) vs. Triple H (with Shawn Michaels)
This “Last Time Ever” match up between the two, will no doubt be a sight to see. The crowd will eat up Taker’s entrance, as he doesn’t come down under very often. Both men are obviously past their prime – but both are very smart workers, and with sure to be shenanigans from the Heart Break Kid and Kane, this won’t be a bad match. It’s important to note that it has been reported that Michaels has agreed to come out of retirement for a tag match with Triple H against Taker and Kane at Crown Jewel on November 2nd, so look for this to be a build up for that.
Prediction Triple H
