By Darren Gutteridge

Can Dot Net contributor Darren Gutteridge predict the outcomes of pay-per-view matches with more accuracy than the WWE 2K14 video game simulator? Let's find out

Yes, wrestling is in a general rut at the moment. Yes, I could complain about the very played out main events on this show (And may do later). And yes, I could also complain about the very thrown together under card. But let be positive – I won something!

After seeing off it’s final challenge 4-2, I have bested (the entirely inanimate) WWE ’13 9-1 in predictions. And now, I look to go one better, by beating it’s replacement, WWE 2K14, in a complete whitewash. Anything less than a 12-0 victory will be a loss in my book. I’m taking this completely one sided competition very seriously, because what else could I do, try and beat a human at the predictions game?! Don’t be absurd!

Pre-Show – Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz: I know that in his run ins with the Authority he has shown a little more aggression, and he did work heel in his match with Kofi on a recent house show I attended, but did I miss something that seemed to clue in the majority of people, who seem to know The Miz's turn was coming? I mean, outside of the fact that Miz has been a heel all along, just some mindless drones chose to cheer him because that is what they were told to do, I haven’t seen anything that would explain such an out-of-the-blue change. I expect he’ll cement his turn with a win here, and then we can all go back to dismissing everything he does.

Prediction: The Miz defeats Kofi Kingston
WWE 2K14: Kingston defeats The Miz

Natalya, The Bella Twins, The Funkadactyls, JoJo and Eva Marie vs. AJ Lee, Tamina, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes, Aksana and Summer Rae in a 7 Divas Elimination Match: It makes sense for the WWE to focus their division on Total Divas, as it’s the only productive thing they have managed to do with the division in years. I’ll go for a “feel-good” (read: illogical) ending of either JoJo or Eva Marie scoring the decisive pin.

Prediction: Team Total Divas defeat Team. . . Totally Not Divas?
WWE 2K14: Team Totally Not Divas (AJ, Tamina and Kaitlyn) defeat Team Total Divas (Natalya and the Bellas) in a 6-man elimination tag match

Big E Langston vs. Curtis Axel for the Intercontinental Title: I have a hard time believing that the title will do anything to elevate Big E on the roster, because I can notice a pattern when it happens for roughly ten years straight. The title has proven an albatross for the past decade, with almost all title holders doomed to tread water, usually only beating people decisively when the title is on the line. It’s a milestone for Big E, but I feel the really telling chapter will begin once he loses it. I don’t think that will happen here though, as ironically the title was the only thing keeping Axel afloat after Heyman left his side, and his slide into the lower reaches of the card may start as early as Monday night.

Prediction: Big E Langston defeats Curtis Axel to retain the Intercontinental Title
WWE 2K14: Big E defeats Axel to retain

Cody Rhodes, Goldust, The Usos and Rey Mysterio vs. The Shield and the Real Americans in a Traditional Survivor Series Match: Instead of lambasting a match that contains a hell of a lot of potential for a great, frenetic match, I’ll bemoan the lack of Survivor Series matches on the card. Vince’s criticism that Survivor Series has lost it’s appeal is entirely down to WWE losing faith in the gimmick. Wrestling fans LOVE factions, hence why so many have played big roles in it’s history (The Four Horsemen, NWO, DX etc.). And right now, WWE has got more emphasis on tag team wrestling than it has in years, AND an overarching storyline based on a corrupt Authority punishing those they don’t see as the “right fit”. A SS loaded with different factions butting heads kind of writes itself, doesn’t it?

At the very least this year, they have got The Shield worked into one of these matches. I don’t think this was the most intriguing way to utilise them (that would have been going with the original projected match with Punk and Bryan on the face side instead of Rey, and The Wyatts replacing the Real Americans), but their record this past year gives me great belief that this will be a fun match to watch. Maybe WWE will take note and push the gimmick harder next year. I’ll go for a happy return for Mysterio.

Prediction: Mysterio will be the last man standing
WWE 2K14: Roman Reigns pinned Mysterio to win a 6-man elimination tag match (Rhodes Boys and Rey vs. The Shield)

CM Punk and Daniel Bryan vs. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan (w/ Bray Wyatt): I don’t think I’ll be ordering the PPV tonight, but if I was, this is the match I would look forward to the most. Everybody reading this will know of Punk and Bryan’s skill, but I also know from their time on NXT that Harper and Rowan can have great tag matches as well. They will hopefully rise to the occasion, and match The Meta Powers (credit to Will Pruett for introducing that name to me) for work-rate in order to really impress, because I suspect they will take a back seat after this match to allow either Punk or Bryan to feud with Bray.

Wyatt has to be the long term target here, but I’m undecided as to who it should be taking him on. My guess would be Punk, as Bryan could easily be transitioned back into the WWE Title picture should interest in Big Show continue to slump. Yes, he’s being punished for the big drop in buys for SummerSlam, but there’s no denying who of those two is more over. Punk meanwhile has to be kept chugging before Mania roles around and he has to take on Lesnar again, so being put in the WWE Title picture and being screwed over by the Authority will hurt his momentum. Plus, he and Wyatt could have some fantastic promos together. So I’ll get there via a Punk and Bryan win on the night, and a Wyatt attack on Punk Monday night.

Prediction: CM Punk and Daniel Bryan defeat Luke Harper and Erick Rowan
WWE 2K14: Punk and Bryan defeat Harper and Rowan

John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship: I hope this is the end for this feud, but not for the reasons you may think. You may be in the mind set of “Get the title off Cena NOW”, but that may also mean you’re of the school of thought that Cena should be fired and sent to live out his days well away from your TV, and trust me, that’s A) Never going to happen, and B) Not best for business. I, on the other hand, see Cena’s World Title run as one rife with opportunity to elevate guys. Simply put, working with Cena makes you more important, at least initially. Cena can help a lot of people get noticed between now and the Rumble, creating a lot of potential for Mania season, but he can only do that once he gets past the tedium of this feud with Del Rio. I suspect he will at SS.

Prediction: John Cena defeats Alberto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
WWE 2K14: Del Rio defeats Cena to win the WHC     

Randy Orton vs. Big Show for the WWE Title: Maybe something interesting will happen due to the Authority ruling out outside interference (an NXT debut perhaps?). Maybe Show will recapture his inspired form from his matches with Sheamus last year, and pull out a good match? Or maybe they’ll continue to underwhelm. Yeah, I pick that one. I couldn’t care less about this feud if I actually tried. But I’m at a miss as to where to go from here, since WWE seems adamant not to let Bryan get another look in, and Cena’s currently occupied. So lets all prepare ourselves for next months rematch shall we? Sigh.

Prediction: Randy Orton defeats Big Show to retain the WWE Title
WWE 2K14: Orton defeats Show to retain

Thanks for reading. If you had any comments or thoughts on the show or this preview, add me on Twitter via @Dazatheg

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