{"id":42566,"date":"2017-05-19T17:24:15","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T22:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=42566"},"modified":"2017-05-19T17:28:31","modified_gmt":"2017-05-19T22:28:31","slug":"wwe-backlash-predictions-tom-gets-wrong-orton-vs-mahal-styles-vs-owens-nakamura-vs-ziggler-usos-vs-breezango-sami-vs-corbin-dillinger-vs-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/05\/19\/wwe-backlash-predictions-tom-gets-wrong-orton-vs-mahal-styles-vs-owens-nakamura-vs-ziggler-usos-vs-breezango-sami-vs-corbin-dillinger-vs-english\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE BACKLASH PREDICTIONS \u2013 Tom Gets It Wrong: Orton vs. Mahal, Styles vs. Owens, Nakamura vs. Ziggler, Usos vs. Breezango"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-3452972006\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>So it\u2019s possible, even likely, that I\u2019m going to get all of these wrong.<\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English (Pre-show)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>This is genuine pre-show fodder and, sadly, both of these men are still likely to be pre-show fodder as we get closer to Summerslam. I don\u2019t understand the appeal of Tye Dillinger yet. He hasn\u2019t had enough time on the main roster for me to know anything about him beyond that he makes fans chant \u201c10\u201d a lot, which is really annoying. In addition, he\u2019s come up at the same time as Nakamura. That\u2019s not a good thing for Tye in comparison.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Aiden English has been dumped to the side and looks set to job for a little while before he hopefully starts to find some traction. This match at least gives us a chance to see them both in action.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the pre-show. Faces win. I\u2019ve been bitten by this one before.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Tye Dillinger<\/b><\/p>\n<p>No Alpha? I\u2019d take Alpha\/Colons\/Ascension with one heel team pinning another, to be honest.<\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>My feeling is that whoever loses this match will be winning the Money In The Bank contract next month, though it\u2019s still possible that Rusev will win that match. Anyway, that means that the wrestler who needs the win more is unlikely to win because Money In The Bank is a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>Sami Zayn has come to Smackdown and been used in exactly the same way as he was on Raw: jobber to the big guys. He\u2019s lost to Mahal a lot. Meanwhile, Corbin has lost to Ambrose, Styles, Cena and Orton this year. Vaunted company, even in losses. Either way, they\u2019re both in trouble so the question is where both are likely to go from here.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-45207935\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>The card needs heels. Corbin gets built up.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Baron Corbin<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. The Usos vs. Breezango (Smackdown Tag Team Championships)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve been hoping for a Breezango push for a while. I fantasy booked a whole \u201cLuke Harper: Sex Machine\u201d angle involving makeovers and the like a while back. The Fashion Files have been great and the crowd are really starting to get behind these guys. That said, I don\u2019t think they\u2019re winning.<\/p>\n<p>The Usos are the right people for the belts right now. Their promo skill are excellent, as are their wrestling skills. They put on great matches with great builds so in a tag division that is currently being rebuilt, they\u2019re the right people.<\/p>\n<p>There aren\u2019t many heel teams for Breezango to move on to should they win the belts. The Colons and Ascension need more built first, which non-champion Breezango could supply. Meanwhile, New Day are due to come in and it would make perfect sense for them to walk straight into a feud with The Usos. Big names in big matches. It could push The Usos to the next level.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>The Usos<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowan<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>These 2 are destined to be in the tag team ranks soon. Let me elaborate. The tag division needs another heel team with New Day coming in. More importantly, neither Harper nor Rowan are currently represented in the Smackdown Live opening video. You know, the one that features everyone on the roster? They\u2019re not there. It stands to reason that they\u2019re waiting for the right image of the 2.<\/p>\n<p>The story tells itself. Rowan has been abandoned by a master that Luke Harper now recognises as not being worthy of either of them. Rowan is looking for leadership and blaming Harper for driving his man away. If the matches were good then this would be a good feud but the 2 of them seem completely out of place right now. Change is coming.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2270874834\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>I see Harper winning this one, delivering a finisher to a Rowan who is practically begging for it. After that, Harper becomes the master.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Luke Harper<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal (WWE Championship)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Randy squashes Mahal. Mahal goes back to his feud with Mojo Rawley, but as a much bigger deal now. That elevates Mahal and Rawley, with a view to elevating a returning Zack Ryder too in the long run. Orton goes on to fight someone else. AJ, Owens, Jericho, Cena, that\u2019s his level. Rusev could easily be pushed up there too in the interim.<\/p>\n<p>But first, Orton squashes Mahal.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Randy Orton<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s Nakamura\u2019s first match. It\u2019s going to be a huge crowd reaction, Ziggler\u2019s going to sell with Shawn Michaels level brutality. This match could genuinely be tremendous. It\u2019s fresh, it\u2019s exciting and the 2 men have been practicing incessantly. If this match isn\u2019t amazing I am going to be stunned.<\/p>\n<p>I am so hyped right now, and Ziggler benefits so much from just being in this match. We might even be seeing Orton vs. Ziggler after this one.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Shinsuke Nakamura<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. Royal Fire Glow vs. The Welcoming Committee<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>And you thought \u201cThe Welcoming Committee\u201d was a bad name.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s likely in the future? Well, Charlotte vs. Becky is the big draw match in the division but in the meantime WWE is building both Naomi and Natalya, with Carmella getting a few wins under her belt too. A lot of people are rolling their eyes at this whole feud but the fact is that everyone is getting the benefit of it.<\/p>\n<p>I believe Natalya will be the next champion. So it makes sense to me that Tamina (making her re-debut) will pin Becky after Charlotte accidentally hits the wrong person. That leads the 2 of them to fight, thus leaving Naomi exposed and easily to overwhelm and steal the title from.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>The Welcoming Committee<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles (US Championship)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Man am I psyched for this one. This might not be the strongest card wall to wall but it contains some genuine beauties of match ups. Dream matches, really, and that\u2019s before top stars like Cena and Jericho come back, then Rusev joins lower down. You can see why I think Dillinger and English are in trouble.<\/p>\n<p>The lack of heels once again shows itself in this match. With so few heels left, Owens has been moved to Smackdown to be the top heel. He has the potential, he just needs to get some big wins under his belt to really position him where he needs to be.<\/p>\n<p>Is there any bigger scalp than A.J. Styles?<\/p>\n<p>Winner: <b>Kevin Owens<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll see you for another live Twitter session during Backlash 2017.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow <b>Tom Colohue<\/b> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tomcolohue\/\">Facebook<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/colohue\">@Colohue<\/a> for updates.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS COLUMN:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/04\/29\/wwe-payback-predictions-tom-gets-wrong-braun-vs-reigns-seth-vs-joe-hardys-vs-sheamus-cesaro-house-horrors\/\">WWE PAYBACK PREDICTIONS \u2013 Tom Gets It Wrong: Braun vs. Reigns, Seth vs. Joe, Hardys vs. Sheamus &amp; Cesaro, House of Horrors<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2227701053\"><div id=\"pwtor-2849760343\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>So it\u2019s possible, even likely, that I\u2019m going to get all of these wrong. 1. Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English (Pre-show) This is genuine pre-show fodder and, sadly, both of these men are still likely <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/05\/19\/wwe-backlash-predictions-tom-gets-wrong-orton-vs-mahal-styles-vs-owens-nakamura-vs-ziggler-usos-vs-breezango-sami-vs-corbin-dillinger-vs-english\/\" title=\"WWE BACKLASH PREDICTIONS \u2013 Tom Gets It Wrong: Orton vs. Mahal, Styles vs. Owens, Nakamura vs. Ziggler, Usos vs. Breezango\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,52,4452,27],"tags":[90,3523,1495,467,3810,222,321,73],"class_list":["post-42566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-opnionandanalysis","category-ppv-predictions","category-specialists","tag-aj-styles","tag-backlash","tag-carmella","tag-charlotte","tag-jinder-mahal","tag-kevin-owens","tag-naomi","tag-randy-orton"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2017\/05\/Backlash2017_Poster_3x2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42566"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42570,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566\/revisions\/42570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}