Greetings and Salutations, Cheap-Heaters. Welcome to another edition of the Over/Under. Today I come live from the floor of Bally's in AC. (it was a rough St. Patrick's Day) –
We'll be looking at the WWE's biggest show of the year. Giving you some odds, some tasty prop bets, and also breaking down each contest as we're a mere 11 days from the Mania of Wrestling.
There are 8 matches, but this edition of the Over/Under will deal with what I consider the four "undercard" matches. Especially considering how many competitors there are, my head is pounding, and pit bosses are circling like buzzards. So?
OVERVIEW!
So Dean Ambrose came out and said he wanted to up the prestige of the IC Title. He lost a match against Bad News Barrett at Fastlane, BUT? He stole the championship belt. Since then the belt has basically been a prop to steal, or play catch with. Like some strange WWE version of hot potato. R-Truth has been doing his best:
This is currently a seven person ladder match. The feud and build has been entertaining, though a little goofy. Makes sense as the last 3 IC Champions: Ziggler, Harper, and Barrett are involved. This all started because of Ambrose. Truth just kind of jumped into the story, and it took a few weeks, but they've shoehorned Daniel Bryan and Stardust into it. Bryan didn't have anything else going, but Stardust sure did. This match should steal the show. Lots of potential for craziness, and seven guys who can all wrestle and entertain. Easily the match I'm most looking forward to, and hopefully this is a step to bigger and better things for the Intercontinental Championship!
Favorite(s):
Ambrose -250. I think this is Ambrose's to lose. His two Shield brethren are in such a better spot on the card. Maybe this can be the spark for him in the WWE.
Barrett -100. He's been booked so horribly. He loses just about every match he's in. So this could be the "gotcha" finish. That said this will be a finish that sours the crowd. You can get away with Ambrose, or Ziggler winning and the crowd will be happy/okay with it.
Ziggler Even. Maybe if they want to put it back on Ziggler? I could see this, considering he shouldn't have lost it to Barrett the way he did.
Bryan. Even. Basically as a consolation prize to the fans. I can't see it. Though I'd dig a long long LONG reign with Bryan taking the IC title back to some glorious heights. Its supposed to be a "workhorse" belt. Well? There's your guy and will guarantee the people will care a great deal about the IC title.
UNDERDOG(s) (read: NO CHANCE):! Sorry Harper, Truth, and Stardust. Not. Gonna. Happen. Have fun out there.
Prop Bets of the Match!
Someone turns during the match: No: -200. Yes: +150. Could happen, specifically with Ziggler or Ambrose. Probably have to be at the expense of Bryan.
Over/Under: 5.5 ladders used during the match.
OVERVIEW!
Lets get as many guys on the card as possible. Battle Royals can be fun. There are some bigger names involved in this: Ryback, Show, Kane, Miz, Mizdow, and I'm assuming Sheamus will be involved in this. Be a bit of fun, though I'm not exactly overwhelmed at them actually using this win to MEAN something. See:
Favorites:
Sheamus: -300. If Sheamus IS in this, he's my pick to win it. Give him a big moment on his return to WWE.
Ryback: -150. the BIG GUY could possibly see his name engraved on the trophy. Crowd likes to chant "Feed Me More".
Mizdow: -100. The turn is right there. He's about to break free from Miz, and what better spot than heading into the Battle Royal and THEN on top of all that? Winning it. Crowd would eat it up. Immediately establish Sandow back into the upper mid card as he moves into his feud with Miz.
Curtis Axel: Even. Maybe… just MAYBE, they decide to pay off the story where Axelmania is "running wild" after having not entered the Royal Rumble, so thus he STILL hasn't been eliminated. I'm putting him here because I wanted to put five and I wanted avoid Big Show and Kane like the plague.
NXT Guy: Even. MAYBE they use the Andre Memorial Battle Royal to debut someone from NXT. Sami Zayn, or Adrian Neville (more likely Neville, considering NXT storylines.). A smart European influenced crowd would love them some Adrian Neville, and you get him down to the final 4, and then let him fly to really wow people who've never seen him before.
Prop Bets of the Match!
Over/Under 10 minutes.
Most Eliminations: Sheamus: -300. Ryback: -150. Kane: -100.
OVERVIEW!
Paige has been feuding with the Bellas for a few months now. She had a one on one title shot at Fastlane, that didn't go her way. The numbers game always seemed to play out, and then in New Jersey? AJ returned. Got a GREAT crowd reaction, though I still HATE-HATE-HATE CM Punk chants directed towards her. STOP IT, PEOPLE! Anyway… They set up this tag team match. On the heels of #GiveDivasAChance, and even Vince weighing in on that movement? AJ and Nikki Bella worked a match that went through commercial BREAKS, plural. I didn't keep a watch on it, but I saw someone post a screenshot of an iPhone stopwatch over 10 minutes. It was an entertaining match, too. Paige and Brie mixing it up on the outside reminded us of what lay in store for these four women. Of course what WILL be in their future? Will no doubt be the worst spot on the card. I'm guessing they're between Taker/Bray and the WWEWHC match, much like they were last year. OR they follow Sting vs. HHH. Still, this match could be a lot of fun. People hate on the Bellas for their work, but I think they've vastly improved, and Nikki's power game can be impressive. I'd prefer a four corners/fatal four way match with the belt on the line, but this is definitely a good spotlight match for the Divas division.
Favorites!
Freaks and Geeks (Paige and AJ as AJ tweeted for potential names, this was my fav): -300. I think this leads to some sort of multi woman match for the title coming out of Mania.
Underdogs!
Bellas: +3000 I accidentally hit an extra zero there, but then thought? Screw it, I'll keep it at three thousand. I can't see the Bellas winning.
Prop Bets of the Match!
Will it be longer than ANY other Match at Mania? Yes: -200. No: +100.
CM Punk Chants: Before the Bell rings: -250. During the Match: -100. Doesn't happen: +500
OVERVIEW!
One time Authority members, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins were the Authority approved "faces" of the WWE. Tensions arose. Heads were butted. Eventually Rollins and Co. Attacked and destroyed Randy Orton. Shelving the Viper. At Fastlane, Orton returned looking to get his revenge for that beatdown… only he didn't. So he then rejoined the Authority, and waited. Eventually Rolllins' ego got him to the point where in a handicapped match with Roman Reigns, the Viper could STRIKE (yeah I did!) – What followed was a long… LLLLLLLONG beatdown. It almost felt like they were wanting us to feel a little sympathy for Rollins. Orton destroyed him, and we had ourselves another Mania match. This is a Hall of Famer and the Future (i'd argue PRESENT) of the WWE. No one has been as valuable as Rollins over the last 365 days. He's had amazing feuds and matches galore, and been an amazing heel. Plus he still has that wonderful gold briefcase. Orton has just returned as a newly turned face, with a very anti-authority (pun not intended) type vibe. Middle fingers, casual swearing, and a poisonous snake nickname… this… feels… familiar. This could be sleeper for match of the night.
Favorite!
Randy Orton: -150. Not a huge favorite. This, to me, is essentially a "Pick �em". Orton's first BIG PPV match back. He got some of his revenge with that brutal beatdown segment. Maybe he finishes it off by dispatching Rollins, and in turn has a claim to fight Rollins if/when Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank successfully. The slight favorite because I feel like it helps storylines more if Orton wins than if Rollins wins.
Underdog!
Seth Rollins: +100. Not a huge dog. He's easily been the strongest booked Money in the Bank winner… EVER. He will have a lot of shenanigans and trickery at his disposal with the Authority. I assume we see Big Show, Kane, J and J and whoever else the Architect of the Shield can get to do his bidding. He has bigger things in his very near future. This loss would not alter that in the least.
Prop Bets of the Match!
Over/Under: Total Combined Curb Stomps + RKOs: 3.5
Will we see the Phoenix Splash? No: -250. Yes: +300
Who will the crowd get behind? Rollins -200. Orton +250.
I'm cutting this off here. So there will be a sequel to this where I go over the four, "Main Events", as I see them. Also it JUST dawned on me… I fully expect a multi team Tag Title match to be added. With either four, or three if the hurt Uso is unable to go, teams. That'll be The Professionals (Kidd and Cesaro), Los Matadores, The New Day, and the Usos (again, health permitting). The Professionals are the favorite in that match. -400. Prop Bet: Will it be on the pre show? YES: -1100. No. +600.
I'll see you later for the four Main Events.