TNA Bound for Glory 2009 Preview and Predictions
It's one of TNA's biggest shows of the year and I must say that they've done an incredible job of hyping the show. "Super Impact" was a 3-hour show that not only built nicely to the PPV but also included Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles in an incredible match-up. Now, we take a look at the card for this month’s event and I'll give my predictions for what looks to be a spectacular show!
- The Motor City Machineguns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) vs. Lethal Consequences (Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed)
PREDICTIONS: The Motor City Machine Guns would seem the likely choice in this pre-show match given the fact that TNA hasn't exactly done much with Lethal Consequences as of late.
- Matt Morgan vs. Kurt Angle
PREDICTION: Believe it or not, I see TNA pulling the trigger on Matt Morgan and giving him the victory over Angle. Even if Morgan wins this match it certainly won't Angle who is without question a made man (pun intended).
- A.J. Styles (c) vs. Sting
PREDICTION: No one is sure how long Sting will be with TNA. Even if he is going to be with the company for an extended amount of time if TNA wants to continue to make AJ Styles one of their top guys he needs a win against a big star like Sting. If Styles wins this match, I think we can all safely say that Sting will have passed the torch to Styles.
- Samoa Joe vs. Bobby Lashley
PREDICTION: While it will do the company no good, I see Bobby Lashely getting the W. I like Lashley as a person but I really don't see why TNA has brought him in considering the fact that he's not going to be with the company long-term.
- Mick Foley vs. Abyss
PREDICTION: I've stated on the show that I don't feel Mick Foley should be in a standard 1-on-1 match anymore. However, I believe that a hardcore match is a different story. Mick Foley is the king of hardcore and I see this one being quite a match. With that said, I think Abyss will pick up the win. Expect one crazy ending to this match!
- ULTIMATE X: Amazing Red (with Don West) (c) vs. Suicide vs. D'Angelo Dinero vs. Daniels vs. Homicide
PREDICTION: Ultimate X has never been my favorite match-up but it does always provide some cool spots. My prediction and hope is that Amazing Red keeps the strap! I'm so glad to see Don West back on television--and as Red's manager! GO RED GO!!!
- Sarita and Taylor Wilde (c) vs. The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky)
PREDICTION: The Beautiful People
- The Main Event Mafia (Booker T and Scott Steiner) (TNA) vs. The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams) (IWGP) vs. Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm) vs. Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon)
PREDICTION: Whow, this one is going to be fire! Considering Booker T. is probably going to be leaving TNA after this pay-per-view I'm going to go with The British Invasion on this one.
- Kevin Nash (c) vs. Hernandez vs. Eric Young
Prediction: Hernandez is a guy I see TNA pushing to the world heavyweight championship along with Matt Morgan. Kevin Nash certainly doesn't need the belt at this point (nor do I feel he should be an active competitor). I'd feel that the person who would benefits most from winning the title is Eric Young.
- ODB (c) vs. Awesome Kong vs. Tara
PREDICTION: Awesome Kong
WORTH THE MONEY?: Bound for Glory promises to be an action packed show with tons of high quality matches. Many within the company have claimed that this is the beginning of a new direction. If "Super Impact" is any indication of what's to come, TNA is on the right track. I'm skeptical but one can hope! The bottom line is that if you buy one TNA pay-per-view this year, Bound for Glory 2009 is probably the one you want.
UFC 102 Preview
Main card
- Heavyweight bout:
Randy Couture vs. 
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira - Light Heavyweight bout: Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
- Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia
- Light Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs.
Krzysztof Soszynski - Middleweight bout: Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
Preliminary card
- Middleweight bout: Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
- Heavyweight bout: Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
- Heavyweight bout: Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
- Heavyweight bout:
Tim Hague vs. Todd Duffee - Middleweight bout: Nick Catone vs. Mark Muñoz
- Lightweight bout: Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
WWE SummerSlam 2009 Preview
WWE SummerSlam is one of the big ones. But is it worth your hard earned dollar? Let's take a look at the card.
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena - Singles match for the WWE Championship
PREDICTION: Randy Orton has had the championship for quite awhile. I could easily see WWE giving the belt back to Cena. I do hope that this match is the culmination of this feud because, like many others, I feel we've seen Orton vs. Cena one too many times.
Chris Jericho and The Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme - Tag Team match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship
PREDICTION: Cryme Tyme has been groomed for a big win and I have no doubt that we will see that results with Cryme Time winning their first taste of gold within the WWE. Perhaps Jericho will turn on Show or vice versa? Only time will tell!
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler - Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
PREDICTION: Rey Mysterio surprised most people by coming out the victor at Night of Champions when he defeated challenger Dolph Ziggler. Alas, Ziggler is a rising star and considering Rey Mysterio doesn't need the I.C. title (honestly, shouldn't he be going for the WWE Championship or World Heavyweight Championship?) Dolph will probably get the win over the masked icon.
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk - Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the World Heavyweight Championship
PREDICTION: In what will probably steal the show and (rumor has it yet again) be Jeff Hardy's final WWE match for quite some time, Hardy will likely do the honors on his way out putting over CM Punk. It's a smart call by WWE because Punk is arguably on the top of his game. Also, a win over Hardy will cement him as a legitimate champion in many fans eyes.
D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) vs. The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase) - Tag Team match
PREDICTION: I hope something big to happen here. We could either see the end of Legacy or perhaps a heel turn by Triple H. Wouldn't it be great of Michaels was the one to make the turn, super kicking The Game right in the kisser (though perhaps his nose would be an easier target!). But what I hope for and want are usually two different things. In any case, I'm going go with Legacy. If Legacy gets a win over D-Generation X it could lead to a long-term feud between the two teams.
The Great Khali vs. Kane - Singles match
PREDICTION: This can't bode well. Kane is an outstanding superstar but to stick him in the ring with Khali isn't even right. Khali is a sight to see but the fact is, he just CAN'T WRESTLE! Why WWE doesn't simply use him as an enforcer or in a tag team is beyond my understanding. Let's hope this match is early in the card and VERY quick.
Jack Swagger vs. Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) - Singles match
PREDICTION: Jack Swagger and MVP are nothing but money! This is going to be an outstanding technical contest featuring two of WWE's finest.
Christian (c) vs. William Regal - Singles match for the ECW Championship
PREDICTION: William Regal is always so under-utilized and I'd love to see him get the strap. Speaking of under-utilized... Christian deserves much more than the ECW title. In any case, I see this match opening the show and Christian holding on to his title.
WORTH THE MONEY: Many have claimed that the SummerSlam card is weak but if you really look at it close, we have some very high quality matches. D-Generation X vs. Legacy is bound to offer some drama. Jack Swagger vs. MVP should be a terrific match for fans of straight-up Pro Wrestling. Christian vs. William Regal will also offer a high quality but short match. Finally, the TLC match between CM Punk and Jeff Hardy will without a doubt deliver a magnificent spot-fest that will please everyone. So, is it worth the $40.00? In my opinion SummerSlam 2009 IS WORTH YOUR MONEY.
TNA Hard Justice 2009 Preview
UFC 101 Matchups / Odds – Preview
Capper's Pics has an interesting preview of UFC 101 up:
They’re not officially the main event because there’s no title on the line. But everyone knows the Anderson Silva-Forest Griffin match is the focal point of this Saturday’s UFC 101 event at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
Silva is considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but if you look at the odds of his recent matches (supplied below), you can tell that Silva’s competition level hasn’t been up to snuff. So he’s making the move up from middleweight to fight the former light heavyweight champ, Forrest Griffin - no stranger to delivering big upsets against the likes of Quinton Jackson and Shogun Rua. Griffin also has a knack for delivering action; his last two appearances in the Octagon earned Fight of the Night honors.
Silva’s other fight at light heavyweight lasted 61 seconds, as he destroyed James Irvin in front of a salivating cable TV audience at UFC Fight Night 14. Griffin is a bigger threat than Irvin to put Silva on the ground and neutralize The Spider’s deadly strikes. Silva remains the more likely man to win this bout, but Griffin’s size advantage and his dedication to training protect his betting value in this situation.
The lightweight title bout between champion BJ Penn and challenger Kenny Florian is another case of natural talent versus determination. In this case, however, Florian has only recently started moving up the UFC ladder and doesn’t have anything close to Griffin’s resume. Penn, on the other hand, is looking for redemption in his own weight class after losing to Georges St-Pierre at welterweight. This is his fight to lose.
The main card is top-heavy with winners from The Ultimate Fighter series, including TUF 7 champion Amir Sadollah facing WEC recruit Johny Hendricks, and TUF 3 middleweight champ Kendall Grove taking on UFC/Pancrase veteran Ricardo Almeida. Sadollah and Grove both possess the enhanced betting value for Saturday night that comes with participating in TUF training. Recent records and odds are below.
Middleweight: Kendall Grove (+130) vs. Ricardo Almeida (-160)
Mar. 7, 2009: Grove (-185) over Jason Day (+155) by first-round KO
June 21, 2008: Grove (+155) over Evan Tanner (-185) by split decision
Mar. 1, 2008: Jorge Rivera (+265) over Grove (-325) by first-round KO
Apr. 1, 2009: Almeida (-280) over Matt Horwich (+260) by unanimous decision
July 5, 2008: Patrick Cote (+125) over Almeida (-135) by split decision
Feb. 2, 2008: Almeida (NL) over Rob Yundt by first-round submission
Welterweight: Amir Sadollah (-115) vs. Johny Hendricks (-115)
June 21, 2008: Sadollah (+125) over C.B. Dollaway (-155) by first-round submission
Mar. 1, 2009, WEC: Hendricks (-300) over Alex Serdyukov (+240) by unanimous decision
Dec. 3, 2008, WEC: Hendricks (-370) over Justin Haskins (+340) by second-round TKO
Mar. 15, 2008, HDNet Fights: Hendricks (NL) over Richard Gamble by first-round submission
Light Heavyweight: Anderson Silva (-365) vs. Forrest Griffin (+285)
Apr. 18, 2009: Silva (-525) over Thales Leites (+325) by unanimous decision
Oct. 25, 2008: Silva (-800) over Patrick Cote (+500) by third-round TKO
July 19, 2008: Silva (-600) over James Irvin (+400) by first-round KO
Dec. 27, 2008: Rashad Evans (+120) over Griffin (-160) by third-round TKO
July 5, 2008: Griffin (+200) over Quinton Jackson (-260) by unanimous decision
Sept. 22, 2007: Griffin (+275) over Mauricio Rua (-345) by third-round submission
Lightweight title: BJ Penn (-280) vs. Kenny Florian (+220)
Jan. 31, 2009: Georges St-Pierre (-245) over Penn (+175) by fourth-round TKO
May 24, 2008: Penn (-230) over Sean Sherk (+180) by third-round TKO
Jan. 19, 2008: Penn (-280) over Joe Stevenson (+235) by second-round submission
Nov. 15, 2008: Florian (-185) over Joe Stevenson (+145) by first-round submission
Aug. 9, 2008: Florian (-145) over Roger Huerta (+135) by unanimous decision
Apr. 2, 2008: Florian (-210) over Joe Lauzon (+170) by second-round TKO
WWE Night of Champions ’09 Preview & Predictions
WWE's Night of Champion takes place this Sunday (July 26th) live and only on Pay-Per-View. Let's take a look at the card.
WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
PREDICTION: I believe that this will in fact be the main event and has the potential to be a very good match. However, given the fact this PPV is a lead in to SummerSlam I believe Randy Orton will walk out holding the strap.
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy
PREDICTION: Will this be Jeff Hardy's final match on PPV before he takes time off? That possibility is certainly there. It's also possible that WWE could drag the feud out to SummerSlam. Either way, I see CM Punk keeping the gold.
Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler
PREDICTION: This is the match that could launch Dolph Ziggler if he beats Mysterio for the IC title this Sunday. As much as I love Mysterio and wish he could have a longer run as the champ I think WWE realizes that they've got to establish new stars and so I predict that Dolph Ziggler will in fact cheat to capture his first WWE gold.
United States Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Big Show vs. MVP vs. Carlito vs. Jack Swagger vs. The Miz (Six Pack Challenge)
PREDICTION: If given enough time, I believe that this will be the match of the night. As I've said on my Twitter, "Kofi Kingston is money". That being said, I don't think Kingston needs to U.S. title long term and I already feel that both Swagger and MVP are on track for heavyweight gold in the near future. So, who would benefit most from winning the U.S. title? I feel that The Miz is going to continue be a good heel and for that reason he is my pic to win this Sunday.
ECW Champion Tommy Dreamer vs. Christian
PREDICTION: This could also be a match that steals the show. Tommy Dreamer is a legend and it is my hope that he will keep the ECW Championship.
Unified Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho & A Mystery Partner vs. Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes
PREDICTION: Who will be Jericho's partner? How about Christian? I could see Jericho and Christian losing the Tag Team Championships to Legacy. Of course, after the match Jericho will turn on Christian and this will set up a feud between the two at SummerSlam.
Women's Champion Michelle McCool vs. Melina
PREDICTION: I think Melina will beat McCool.
Divas Champion Maryse vs. Mickie James
PREDICTION: Maryse is as hot as it gets but I have not been impressed with her ring work. Thus I think the ultra talented Mickie James has gold in her future this Sunday.
WORTH THE MONEY: There are some good matches on this card. Randy Orton vs. Triple H vs. John Cena is a strong main event where all three superstars will work hard. CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy is sure to be an intense match (it also may very well be the last time we see Hardy for awhile) and the Six Pack Challenge match-up is sure to deliver for those looking for highspots. But at $40.00, that's an incredibly hefty price to pay for just three hours of action. Plus Night of Champions is in many ways just a short interlude before SummerSlam. So despite the good card, I can't recommend spending that kind of money in this economy unless you're a hardcore fan of wrestling. My suggestion? SAVE YOUR MONEY (Or watch it at your local sports bar)!