WWE No Mercy 2017 Match Card and Predictions

With a pretty average SummerSlam firmly in the books, it is time for the red brand to really go out there and make their mark. It is no secret that WWE are struggling to really bring in the ratings this year, and with every other Pay Per View to date being just about average, No Mercy could be there chance to shine.

 

WWE RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

SHEAMUS AND CESARO VS DEAN AMBROSE AND SETH ROLLINS (C)

Sheamus and Cesaro have worked well together since they were formed into a Tag Team and have experienced a certain amount of success, beating the Hardy Boyz to win the belts a few months back. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow and develop as a team and right now they are one of the hottest things in the Raw Tag division.

However, with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins now paired up and bringing the fans memories of The Shield, they have a huge amount of momentum going for them at the moment and with the WWE not really having anything for them right now; it makes sense that they continue their run as a pairing. With Rollins being prone to injury, and Ambrose nowhere near any of the singles belts, WWE will want to try and maintain some of their momentum.

WINNER: Ambrose and Rollins

 

INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

JASON JORDAN VS THE MIZ (C)

Jason Jordan recently split from American Alpha and embarked on a singles run, and I think it is safe to say that it has been a very strange set of circumstances. Jordan was revealed as Kurt Angle’s kayfabe son, before falling flat on his face and failing to really amount to anything. The WWE really want to push Jordan as a singles man, and it is fair to say that he does have what it takes to take it to the next level, but he is met with the same old story – WWE just don’t have any idea how to get him over with the fans.

The Miz is currently having the best twelve months of his career, and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping. He is arguably one of the best heels in the company right now, giving some of the best promo work I have seen in some time, but also carrying himself like a champ when he enters the ring. Having just regained the belt, the WWE will want to keep the belt on him for the time being as they search for their next up and coming champion.

Jason Jordan should really be nowhere near this belt, never mind in the title picture. WWE still need to try and fit him with a gimmick that will work with the fans, and if you place the Intercontinental belt on him, then all the hard work The Miz has done with the title will have gone to the dogs.

WINNER: The Miz

 

WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

ENZO AMORE VS NEVILLE (C)

Since Enzo and Big Cass went their separate ways, the most annoying man in wrestling is not having a good time with things. He has generated an insane amount of heat for himself backstage, and has also managed to piss the wrong people off, all of this leading to him being in a number of squash matches and an embarrassing elimination from the Royal Rumble.

Neville has so far been the best Cruiserweight champion the division has had, and his in ring performance and arrogant character has only helped increase the appeal of 205 Live.

In my opinion Enzo should be nowhere near this title, as we all know it is just going to be a squash match. Neville will make him look like an amateur in the ring, and it could be the start of the end for his career.

WINNER: Neville

RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH – FATAL 5 WAY

ALEXA BLISS (C) VS EMMA VS NIA JAX VS SASHA BANKS VS BAYLEY

The RAW ladies are still very much holding their own right now, putting on some of the best matches that female wrestling has seen in decades.

All the women in this match have the potential to become the champ, but I think what it will boil down to is just how ready they are to wear gold around their waist.

Emma is still struggling to get her character over, and Sasha Banks is well known for taking big bumps that have the potential to rule her out due to injury. Plus, she has had a shot with the belt on many occasions, but WWE are keen on her just being an intermittent champ, and long term this will harm both her career and the prestige of the belt. Bayley has managed to show herself as a damn good champion, but her momentum is failing as it stands, coupled with the fact the fans seem to have lost interest in her, it is unlikely we will see her as a champ any time soon. With Nia Jax’s slowly building her momentum up with both the fans and in the ring, it makes sense for Alexa Bliss to retain the belt until these ladies are ready. She still remains a firm favourite and has so far proven to the WWE universe that she can carry herself as a champ.

WINNER: Alexa Bliss

 

BRAY WYATT VS FINN BALOR

This is an interesting matchup that has seen Bray Wyatt taking on anybody on the roster who wears facepaint and then proceeding to rub it off. Bray has lost a lot of prestige since he dropped the WWE Championship belt to Randal Orton after only holding it for a month, and his win/loss record makes for poor reading. Some say that it would be almost impossible for Bray to crawl his way back, even though his gimmick and his in ring ability is still some of the best on roster.

Finn Balor was marked for big things, being the first man to be crowned Universal Champion, only to have to relinquish it the following night on RAW. Since then, he has spent more time on the sidelines than in the ring.

This would make for an interesting match with both wrestlers having two totally different styles and interesting gimmicks, however, I am going to go with Bray on this one, because he still has a good amount of momentum behind him after beating Seth Rollins, and another loss may harm his gimmick beyond the point of no return.

Finn Balor has already managed to redeem some of the momentum he had as he moved over from NXT, so a loss here would not hurt him as much as Bray, and might in fact help him in the long run.

WINNER: Bray Wyatt

 

ROMAN REIGNS VS JOHN CENA

This is by far the most important match on the card for a number of different reasons. Although Reigns has had a good year so far, he is still struggling to find his feet with the fans, and so his push is being stalled. John Cena is the man who has the power change all of this.

If Cena loses clean to Reigns, a big win here may be all that is needed to swing the balance of the fans his way. Cena is well known for making anyone look good in the ring, and his sway backstage has either buried or made other wrestlers.

Cena must lose to Reigns here; there should be no other outcome. With Ambrose and Rollins still enjoying a higher level of success than their former Shield brother, a win here will ensure Reigns stays in the title picture.

Whether or not this will happen is another story. Cena is trying to smash Ric Flair’s record and hold the belt for a record 17 times before he heads into retirement, booking his place in the Hall of Fame and really cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever step into a ring. On the other hand, Reigns needs this win more than anything, and putting on a good match here, will set him up later on down the line for a further title shot.

WINNER: Reigns

 

UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

BROCK LESNAR (C) VS BRAUN STROWMAN

This is a match that I never saw coming, nor did I ever think I would see Strowman anywhere near this title. However, in recent months, he has had a monster push, and his promo work and ring work are really starting to take shape. As it stands, it seem like he is the most likely person to take the gold away from Lesnar, while The Beast Incarnate manages to keep his status intact.

Strowman has had a lot of success outside of the Wyatt Family, because in my opinion, he was by far the weakest member of the stable before he broke out on his own. He has now managed to forge his way to the top of the card, and has made himself a real main event wrestler in the process. His monster gimmick is something that is simple, yet can easily apply to him.

Brock Lesnar has had a bit of a strange run when since he came back from his break. He legitimately nearly killed Randy Orton, lost to Goldberg in less than five minutes, making him look stupid in the process, and then retained his belt, by far looking the weakest wrestler in the outstanding fatal five way match for the Universal Championship.

A win here for Strowman will benefit not just the Monster, but also the roster as a whole. Taking the belt off Lesnar not only allows the WWE to see how Strowman will carry himself as a champ, but will also give other wrestlers a better chance at grabbing the belt, because strangely enough, beating Strowman is a lot more believable than Lesnar.

WINNER: Braun Strowman