RAW Preview

We're getting closer and closer to The Great American Bash, and with the main events already determined, WWE will surely have to build up some hype for them. This is exactly what we'll see tonight...

The main event of tonight's RAW, according to WWE.com, is Bobby Lashley vs. King Booker. Here's my prediction: the ref goes down, Mr. Kennedy interferes to Booker's benefit, who then picks up the victory. Lashley, however, clears the ring after the match. We'll see...

John Cena will not be appearing on RAW tonight since he will be on Larry King Live. I predict that Mr. Kennedy challenges Cena to a match tonight, and then brags when Cena doesn't show. The match will take place next week.

Randy Orton will continue his disrespect towards Dusty Rhodes in building up to their match at the Bash. Just another legend for Orton to kill before a giant feud with Triple H.

Carlito and the Sandman will surely have a match at the Bash, so look for their feud to continue. They met in a match last week, so maybe this week we'll see the Sandman interfere with a Carlito match.

It looks to me like the Candice Michelle-Melina feud is on for the Bash as well. I can see Candice wrestling Jillian Hall tonight with Melina at the announce table.

There's got to be a tag match! I'm not sure which one WWE is more interested in pushing, but look for either London and Kendrick or Cryme Tyme to pick up a big win tonight and later challenge for Cade and Murdoch's titles.

There they are, my bold RAW predictions for tonight.

Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip

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The Need For A Draft

All right...I may have done a post like this in the past, but the trend is continuing. WWE has HORRIBLE champions (see left). The only good champs that they have are Edge and MVP (and a case could be made for Melina). The fact that the only good champs are from Smackdown makes it seem like Smackdown would be the top brand. However the problem with the Smackdown is that all of the champs are heels! (Edge, MVP, Chavo, Deuce and Domino). In fact, among active and weekly Smackdown superstars, heels outnumber faces 19 to 8. Also, throughout the whole Smackdown roster (active/unactive), heels outnumber faces 22 to 16. A successful brand has a mixture of heels and faces as champions. THAT is why Smackdown is the number two brand (notice how RAW has two heels and two faces as champions).

Let's take a little scroll through the current champions.

The question for RAW is...who is the better champion? Santino Marella or Melina...I'll give it to Melina. Cena's wrestling skills leave much to be desired, nobody likes Cade and Murdoch, and Santino Marella won the Intercontinental Championship in his first match. I didn't realize, until I thought about it, that Melina...the Women's Champion...is the best champion...on the top brand of wrestling. This sounds crazy, and many may disagree, but she is actually better in the ring then John Cena. If it isn't Melina, then it is Santino...but we don't know enough about him yet to judge.

ECW has Bobby Lashley...and you know what we feel about him.

Smackdown has Edge (FANTASTIC), MVP (FANTASTIC), Chavo Guerrero...whom I hate with a burning passion because he decided to go through with being part of a storyline that had to do with his late uncle Eddie, and Deuce & Domino...who have the privilege of having a gimmick that is almost as stupid as someone wrestling as a vampire...

This is why WWE needs a draft. Even if there weren't all of the major injuries that have recently taken place, WWE would need to mix things up. This draft should boost tv ratings temporarily (because people will want to see what new storylines they get to feast upon). I don't see a bad thing that could come out of a draft (if you disagree then please comment). Thanks for reading.

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One Night Stand Predictions

Tomorrow night's PPV has the best card that we've seen since Wrestlemania. A lot of these matches are tough ones to call, but let's get down to it.

Kane vs. Mark Henry
Lumberjack Match
Why do they keep making a great entertainer like Kane lose to such crappy wrestlers? I don't know, but I think it will happen again.
Winner: Mark Henry

Randy Orton vs. RVD
Stretcher Match
This should be an awesome match. Now, it's "common knowledge" that this will be RVD's last match with WWE (at least for a while) but it is also known that Vince McMahon doesn't like the fact that everybody knows this. I don't think that will make a difference. Look for RKO to "kill the legend" of RVD.
Winner: Randy Orton

CM Punk, Sandman, Tommy Dreamer vs. Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker
Table Match
This should also be a good match, but I think it's a pretty easy one to call. Look for CM Punk's push to continue and for the New Breed to continue to fall apart.
Winners: CM Punk, Sandman, Tommy Dreamer

The Hardys vs. World's Greatest Tag Team
Ladder Match for the World Tag Team Championship
This, along with the stretcher match, will probably be the match of the night. Now it would not surprise me at all if Haas and Benjamin won the belts somehow, seeing as WWE wants the Hardys to each be singles wrestlers. I think that Matt and Jeff will keep the belts at One Night Stand, though.
Winners: The Hardys

Melina vs. Candice Michelle
Pudding Match
It was made a non-title match...because Candice Michelle will win it
Winner: Candice Michelle

Edge vs. Batista
Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
This match seems pretty straightforward. Edge has been guaranteed a long title run, and it is extremely possible that Batista will be drafted to RAW soon. So...
Winner: Edge

Vince McMahon vs. Bobby Lashley
Street Fight for the ECW World Championship
I really don't like this storyline, but thankfully I think it will end tonight. Bobby Lashley "overcomes the odds" and wins the ECW title back.
Winner: Bobby Lashley

John Cena vs. The Great Khali
Falls Count Anywhere Match for the WWE Championship
I really think that they'll go all out in this match. Cena can be more hardcore than people give him credit for, and I think we'll see that in this match. I also think we'll see him retain, setting up for a Cena-Batista feud in a few weeks.
Winner: John Cena

There it is! As always, please post your responses and especially your disagreements. I will write a One Night Stand reaction and see how I did.

Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip

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As Usual...Predictions for Tonights RAW!

Tonight's main event: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
- I think HBK gets the win here only because Cena is coming off the victory in the handicap match last week. Edge will most likely interfere with the match somehow, as WWE wouldn't let Cena lose clean. Keep in mind that Orton has been sent home from the European tour for drunkenly destroying his hotel room! He definitely won't make an appearance. This match probably won't result in anything of substance, just like last week's handicap match. It's probably just there to further progress towards Backlash.

- I predict that Santino Marella will put his Intercontenental belt on the line to night...and retain it. Most likely with help from Bobby Lashley.

- Khali is back! I'm not a fan of his, but I still predict a squash match in favor of the Great Khali tonight.

- Mickie James and Melina will continue their feud heading into Backlash. Contrary to what some folks are saying online, I like this feud a lot. They're two good wrestlers (especially Mickie James) and Melina has a great gimmick.

- Apparently Mick Foley will be on RAW tonight...look for him to have a continued push for a leadership position on the show. I can see him being RAW GM.

- I think they're finally pushing Johnny Nitro again - another squash match for him tonight? Or maybe the seeds for a feud with Mick Foley? We'll see...

That's all I've got! Let me know if your predictions differ from mine. And of course, I will post a RAW response after the show and see which of my predictions happened to come true.

Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip

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