| CBright7831 |
05-17-2004 09:05 PM |
A Superstar's Chances of Winning:
WWE.com's predictions:
Rhyno:
Rhyno is no stranger to competing for a World Championship. In fact, the Detroit native was the last man to hold the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, before the company folded in early 2001. That said, a victory on Monday night may not be completely out of the question. While Rhyno has struggled a bit since returning from injury, his low center of gravity may help him in this match and get his World Heavyweight Championship aspirations back on course.
Edge:
Upon arriving to WWE after a lengthy absence, Edge looked noticeably different. The normally svelte, yet muscular, Canadian had put on several pounds of muscle. Never before had Edge looked so big. This added size will undoubtedly help Edge in this match, where the bigger you are, the better chance of winning you have. However, just imagine for a moment if Edge actually does win. Can we be staring a Chris Benoit/Edge Bad Blood main event right in the eyes? This could get interesting.
Ric Flair:
Normally, expecting a man of Ric Flair's age to win a battle royal would be out of the question. Ric Flair, however, is anything but normal. Unlike many other professional athletes, Flair seems to get better with age. The 16-time World Champion may not be in the top three to win this match, but if he does, don't be surprised. The only caveat would be whether the Nature Boy will sacrifice his chances of victory in an attempt to help fellow Evolution teammate Triple H in his quest to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.
Rosey:
Chris Benoit vs. Rosey in the main event at Bad Blood with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line. It could happen. In fact, this may be Rosey's most serious shot at the World Heavyweight Championship to date. While a Benoit/Rosey main event seems tough to imagine, it may be even tougher to find a Superstar that can lift the gigantic Rosey over the top rope. Undoubtedly, this is Rosey's biggest chance at greatness. Will he take advantage?
Hurricane:
Despite being WWE's resident superhero, this match does not extenuate Hurricane's positives. With just under 200 pounds of weight on his 6-foot frame, Hurricane may be ripe for picking off. While anything is possible when it comes to the Hurricane, it is hard to imagine that he will be able to avoid the likes of Kane, Triple H and Batista. In a match where size dwarfs speed, Hurricane may be in trouble.
Matt Hardy:
Matt Hardy may be one of the toughest Superstars to handicap for the upcoming battle royal. The former European Champion had little luck upon signing with RAW several months ago. However, his in-ring success has been growing as of late. With Matt on a bit of a roll, does he have what it takes to outlast 19 other RAW Superstars? Unfortunately for Matt, outlasting 19 others will not be his only concern. Just as he and Lita have begun to put their lives back together, Kane has interfered. The Big Red Monster has made Lita the object of his affection. With Kane being one of the 20 men competing in this battle royal, Matt's focus may be divided between winning the match and destroying Kane. Can Matt separate business from personal?
Shelton Benjamin:
Nobody thought Shelton Benjamin had what it took to beat Triple H, but he did ... twice. Nobody thought Shelton Benjamin had what it took to beat the legendary Ric Flair on pay-per-view, but he did. Now, some people are underestimating Shelton Benjamin's ability to win the 20-man over-the-top-rope battle royal. Come Monday night, those people may be forced to eat their words.
Triple H:
Triple H combines a genuine passion for the World Heavyweight Championship with an unmatched in-ring ability and three other Evolution members to be considered one of the odds-on favorites to win Monday's battle royal.
Steven Richards:
Seeing as it has been over a year since Steven Richards has had a pay-per-view match, the chances of him actually main eventing Bad Blood seem very slim. However, weirder things have happened.
Christian:
The young Christian's career is on a rise of meteoric proportions. The only hiccup he has been faced with recently was a loss to Chris Jericho in a Steel Cage Match on Monday Night RAW. Other than that, his budding relationship with Trish Stratus and having the "problem solver" Tyson Tomko by his side has made Christian one of the top RAW Superstars. Is a Bad Blood main event in his future?
Johnny Nitro:
While Johnny Nitro may be a great apprentice to Eric Bischoff, he may not have what it takes to outlast 19 of RAW's finest. There is no doubt that he will have an amazing career at some point in the future, but the future is not now for Nitro. Should he end up winning the battle royal, it would have to be considered one of the biggest upsets in recent WWE history. Also, some serious underhanded maneuvers would have to take place. Don't put it past him or his boss Eric Bischoff. An extra official may have to be stationed ringside just to keep an eye on Nitro.
Batista:
Size and strength wins battle royals. A great example of this would be Andre the Giant. Andre's amazing battle royal record earned him the moniker "King of the Battle Royals." While not quite the size of Andre, Batista possesses an unmatched amount of strength. This level of strength may take Batista to the winner's circle and the Bad Blood main event.
Val Venis:
Val Venis can win the battle royal. He has the athletic ability to do so. The only question is whether he actually will win the battle royal. It has been some time since fans have see the Val Venis that held the Intercontinental Championship. The battle royal may be the perfect place for the old Venis to break out again. Can the Big Valbowski make a splash in the battle royal?
Chris Jericho:
Chris Jericho is a former World Champion. For him to gain this level of success again is not out of the question. In fact, his recent victory over Christian in a Steel Cage Match may be one of his most impressive in recent history. Now the only question is whether this momentum will carry him past 19 other RAW Superstars. Some say it will, while others question if it is enough. Either way, Jericho is definitely one of the favorites to walk away with the win.
Garrison Cade
Garrison Cade knows a thing or two about being the underdog. He has played this role ever since entering WWE. Come Monday night, he will be asked to play the underdog once again, as he steps into the ring with the likes of Triple H, Kane and Christian. Many think that the young Cade may not have enough matches under his belt to survive such a brutal bout. We'll see if this Cinderella tale has a storybook ending on Monday night. knows a thing or two about being the underdog. He has played this role ever since entering WWE. Come Monday night, he will be asked to play the underdog once again, as he steps into the ring with the likes of Triple H, Kane and Christian. Many think that the young Cade may not have enough matches under his belt to survive such a brutal bout. We'll see if this Cinderella tale has a storybook ending on Monday night.
Kane:
Kane's size and strength give him an obvious advantage going into the battle royal. However, the big man does have a target on chest, a target that has been put there as a result of personal reasons. For Matt Hardy, eliminating Kane is more about defending Lita than it is about actually winning the battle royal. When these types of emotions are involved, there is no telling what the outcome may be. If Kane is successful in fending off Hardy, then he should be one of the favorites to go all the way.
Rob Conway:
Does anybody like Rob Conway? In a time where patriotism is almost a religion, the last thing this country needs is an American turncoat. But that is what Conway is. Chances are Conway will be the target of every American in the ring on Monday night, making him a tough Superstar to pick to win the whole thing.
Sylvain Grenier:
Like Rob Conway, Sylvain Grenier's chances are slim. While not an American turncoat, Grenier is equally disliked. Look for him to be ousted quickly by a large number of Americans.
Randy Orton:
Don't bet against Randy Orton. Not only has this third-generation Superstar climbed every mountain that he has been faced with, but he has done so in very impressive fashion. Couple that with three other members of Evolution participating in the match and we may be looking at an all Evolution final four. Who would win that one? Will it really be every man for himself? This could get interesting.
Maven:
Maven's future looked bright. He found himself sharing the ring with legends like Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. Then injury struck. Maven hasn't been seen by RAW audiences in a long time, but on Monday night, he will be making his long-awaited return to the ring. Will there be ring rust? Can he pick up where he left off? In most cases, you would think not. But with Maven, anything is possible. Can the first chapter of Maven's return conclude with a battle royal victory? If so, it would make for a great story.
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