Sunday is Monday Night Raw’s monthly pay-per-view, titled Great Balls of Fire. Yes, it is also the name of the song by Jerry Lee Lewis, and somehow the WWE thought it would be a great name for a major show. Add in the fact that the first promotional picture for the show looked like male genitalia and it’s difficult to look at this event as anything short of a disaster. But then a funny thing happened – Samoa Joe became a star.
Samoa Joe has been a bright spot for the WWE’s flagship show as many believe that he could walk out of Dallas as the new Universal Champion. We’ll get to that match later, but for now, let’s look at the upcoming Great Balls of Fire bouts and give our predictions. Let’s start with another bright spot on Raw weekly and the mismatch that it creates:
Enzo Amore vs. Big Cass
This angle has been built awesomely, even if they could have let it go a little longer. After not winning the tag team titles in either NXT or the main roster, the clock began to tick as to when the team would break up. Vince McMahon sees Big Cass as a future and Enzo was holding him back, as Cass made clear in his promo a few weeks ago. This story has been one of the better stories that have been on Monday nights over the last couple of months.
I am afraid for Enzo Amore. This feud will end on Sunday and after that, where does Enzo go? Does he manage another superstar? Does he move to the Cruiserweight division? Does he join The Titus Brand? Will he just fade away into Bo Dallas obscurity? It is no secret that no one sees much in him. Here’s hoping that he lands on his feet and does something with the company because he does have value.
Your winner: Big Cass
The Miz (champion) vs. Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship
This part will be short. This feud needs to end IMMEDIATELY. This will be the 8,467th time these two will face each other and I hope this match will feature the stipulation that if Ambrose loses, he gets no more matches against The Miz. I’m so tired of these two and the WWE are doing The Miz a disservice when he made the IC title relevant again.
Your winner and still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt
“The Eater of Pins” (credit to the Solomonster podcast) Bray Wyatt has stalled out since moving to Raw during the Superstar Shakeup. He went from being the WWE Champion to just floating around Raw, losing matches and doing nothing. The company wants Rollins to be one of the top babyfaces on the show, and since he is on the cover of WWE 2K18, he will be coming out on top of Wyatt on Sunday. It is criminal what they are doing to Wyatt.
Your winner: Seth Rollins
Alexa Bliss (champion) vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship
I am still under the assumption that Bliss’ stock is still down after the hideous “Bayley, This Is Your Life” segment last month. It seems like the rocket that was strapped to her when she moved over from Smackdown Live just ran out of gas, and she is just another woman on the roster. Speaking of just another woman on the roster, Bliss is facing Sasha Banks.
Banks has had a fall from grace that is comparable only to Drew McIntyre’s “The Chosen One” gimmick to 3MB. From main-eventing Raw to being involved in a pointless Cruiserweight angle is where Banks went and now she is back to competing for the Raw Women's Title. I mentioned in a previous article that the WWE has pretty much given up on the Women’s Revolution. Banks is the poster child of the neglect that the division has and is suffering from.
Your winner and still Raw Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Neville (champion) vs. Akira Tozawa for the Cruiserweight Championship
I have enjoyed how Titus O’Neil has been included in the cruiserweight division. It adds another dimension to the division and stops separating them from the rest of the roster. Tozawa was the most unlikely candidate for the crossover, but it has been entertaining.
Neville continues to dominate the division, but at some point, there needs to be a comparable opponent for him. It is to the point where everyone expects him to retain the title every time he defends it because no one is on his level. The man I am predicting that will be the one to knock Neville is Cedric Alexander, maybe as soon as Summerslam next month.
Your winner and still Cruiserweight Champion: Neville
Cesaro and Sheamus (champions) vs. The Hardy Boyz (30 minute Iron Man Match) for the Raw Tag Team Championship
Can we please get the Broken Hardys already? There’s nothing to this team, and it is starting to feel like a nostalgia act and nothing else. While it was cool to see them at WrestleMania, it is becoming old and stale fast.
Cesaro and Sheamus are a good tag team and it still seems that the crowd does not want to boo Cesaro. This will most likely be the last match between the teams and giving these teams 30 minutes could create a memorable match, as long as Sheamus does get sloppy.
Your winners and still Raw Tag Team Champions: Sheamus and Cesaro
Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns (Ambulance Match)
This match is interesting because the WWE could go in different directions. For months, it has been reported that the main event for WrestleMania in April 2018 will be Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar. As of late, reports have the WWE thinking of doing the match at Summerslam in August. The original plan was for Stroman to face Lesnar at either this show or at Summerslam.
Strowman getting hurt may have been a blessing in disguise. It gave the crowd a chance to almost forget about Strowman, so when he returned, the crowd popped for it. Reigns is still getting booed, but the company is staying the course with Roman as the No. 1 babyface. This match is a toss-up, but the smart money in on Reigns winning this match.
Your winner: Roman Reigns
Brock Lesnar (champion) vs. Samoa Joe for the Universal Championship
While it is a forgone conclusion that Lesnar will continue to have a long title reign, this feud has created a new star in Samoa Joe. Joe will not win the Universal Title on Sunday, but he has shown that he could carry a program with a guy who is not on TV every single week with him. From choking out Paul Heyman to his ruthless aggression with Lesnar on the ramp, the WWE has finally created a badass who could be a future top champion.
The question for this match is how long will it go? Joe, as shown throughout his career, can go for as long as you need him to go. Lesnar is a bit more limited and gets “blown up” after about six minutes. If done right, this match could be a collision between monsters that goes for nine minutes with Lesnar coming out on top. I think Samoa Joe could carry a longer match, but I see the WWE saving a longer Brock Lesnar match at WrestleMania.
Your winner and still Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar
What are your thoughts about the Great Balls of Fire show? Let us know in our comment section.
