Showdown in the Sun takes place the two days before WrestleMania, and I have just one question in regards to that. How lucky can we be as wrestling fans? We’re promised six hours of high quality wrestling over the course of two days before we’re treated to the biggest event of the year! I’m stoked! Ring of Honor has only officially announced fourteen of the sixteen matches on the card, so I’m assuming we’ll just have to wait to wait and see what the last two are when the show rolls around. I’m not going to talk too much about each match, otherwise this thing will take forever to do. Honestly, some of the matchs I just have a lot more to say about than others. The ones that I say so little about might be the ones that stand out and speak for themselves the most. It’s a stacked card for two days of action, so let’s get to it!
Day 1 on Friday, March 30th:
Tag Team Rematch
Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) vs Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander: This is a rematch from the 3/23 ROH show where the Briscoes interfered and smacked Charlie Haas with a steel chair. Coleman and Alexander look like they might be teaming together on a more regular basis now. Haas and Benjamin will be looking to gain momentum as they head for their match on day two, and I’d expect them to win this match as long as the Briscoes don’t interfere again. Predicted winners: WGTT
Proving Ground Match
ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe vs TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste): For our inter-promotional tag team match, we have guys who I’ve been told are a great tag team going against the reigning ROH Tag Champs. I’d expect nothing less than a well worked match from these four, and I think the Briscoes will win this match even if WGTT decides to get involved. Predicted winners: The Briscoes
Dual Duel #1
The Young Bucks(Matt and Nick Jackson) vs. The All Night Express(Rhett Titus and Kenny King): What could be better than high flying, fast paced tag team action on day 1 of this ROH ippv special? I’d say having the match for a second time on day two! For these four, I’m thinking we’re going to have two days of really exciting and intense action that will result in both teams winning one of the two matches. They’ll probably end up in a third match together at a later date tbd. Predicted winners: Young Bucks on day 1, All Night Express on day 2(or the other way around)
LA REVANCHA!!
“Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen vs El Generico: This is a last man standing match between two guys that love to have a spotfest and beat the hell out of each other. I’d say we are all winners with this one! Steen has been a man on a mission as of late and you can expect no less in this match as he continues on his quest for the ROH World Title. I think this will be a close fought match where both guys look like they’ve been destroyed, but I have to give the edge to Steen here. Predicted winner: Kevin Steen
ROH World TV Championship Match
World TV Champion Jay Lethal defends against Kyle O’Reilly: Kyle O’Reilly is talented, but Jay Lethal is world’s above him in terms of the total package of being an overall performer. Lethal has the mic skills and the charisma needed to be a top star in any organization. O’Reilly is horrendous to listen to on commentary and needs a lot more work. The few matches I’ve seen him in have been good, but I don’t feel like he’s ready to be the TV Champion just yet. Predicted winner: Jay Lethal
The ICON vs The PRODIGY
Lance Storm vs “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett w/ Maria Kanellis: This match will be interesting. I don’t like Mike Bennett, nor do I think he’s all that great of a wrestler. Lance Storm sees something in him, and that could mean a lot more than what any one of us casual fans has to say about Bennett. I think this will end up being a good matchup, and I also think it could result in a heel Bennett shaking Storm’s hand when the match is over. Predicted winner: Lance Storm
ROH World Championship Triple Threat Match
ROH World Champion Davey Richards defends against “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards and Roderick Strong w/ Truth Martini: All three of these individuals have an opponent on day 2 already booked. I think it’s very possible that all three opponents could become involved in this match and turn it into a gigantic mess. If that doesn’t happen, this match will be incredible to watch and a lot of fun. ROH is famous for putting on amazing triple threat matches, and this one has the potential to be one of the best ever. I don’t think having the title change hands in this match makes much sense, though. ROH values their title, and changing up the storylines to have a new World Champion would alter the potential feud between Richards and Kevin Steen that we’ve all been hoping to see. If Richards lost the title in this match, you know we would again crown a new Champion on Saturday. In my opinion, that would be bad booking and be a slap in the face to the value of the ROH World Title. Predicted winner: Davey Richards
Day 2 on Saturday, March 31st:
Special Attraction : Chikara vs Ring of Honor
“Technical Lightning” TJ Perkins vs Chikara’s Fire Ant: I didn’t know a lot about Chikara until recently, but now that I’ve seen a little bit of it, I’m impressed. I’ve actually seen Fire Ant wrestle and can tell you that he’s quite the talented performer. TJ Perkins is one of ROH’s best x division style wrestlers and has wrestled at least once in every promotion besides Chikara. I don’t have a clue who will win this thing in the cross promotion but I know it promises to be an entertaining match. Predicted winner: Fire Ant
Former Partners Collide
Kyle O’Reilly vs Adam Cole: Future Shock meltdown here! Both of these guys need work in one way or another as they try to improve their skills and become better performers. I think together they will work a match worth seeing. I’d like to see these two in a feud over the TV Title down the road once they’ve improved. Predicted Winner: Kyle O’Reilly
Dual Duel Night #2
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King): See my predictions for day 1.
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match
The Briscoes defend against Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin): This match could be the show stealer. WGTT has been around the block and are probably the best tag team out there today, but the Briscoes have really made a name for themselves in ROH. There will not be a better worked tag team match this weekend than in this contest. Hopefully it’s a clean victory for whichever team comes out on top. Predicted winners: The Briscoes
ROH World TV Champion Jay Lethal vs Roderick Strong w/ Truth Martini: I don’t expect this match to be for any titles, even if Lethal has his TV Title still. These two could potentially put on the best overall match of the entire weekend. Lethal has been moving up towards the main event scene, but I’m not sure if he’s quite ready to be booker there. Strong is a guy that is ridiculously talented and fun to watch in the ring. My problem with his character is that he is somewhat in limbo right now. He’s held the World Title, and now there are other heels waiting for that push into the main event scene. What do you do with this guy outside of the main event scene? I just think he needs to start up a new long term rivalry, and Lethal might a good option for that. Predicted winner: Roderick Strong
“Die Hard” Eddie Edwards vs “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen: This is another match that has the potential to be the best of the weekend. Edwards and Steen are two of the top five performers in ROH. Steen is beyond impressive with what he does in the ring. If by some chance Eddie Edwards walks into this match as champion, then I would expect him to win the match and keep the title so that his feud with Steen could continue. If Edwards isn’t the champion like I predicted, he will probably lose this match in a surprising clean victory for Steen. Predicted winner: Kevin Steen
ROH World Champion Davey Richards vs “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin: Elgin has one of the worst haircuts we’ve ever seen. He’s also pretty talented for a guy his size. Davey Richards has been World Champion for awhile and some feel that this is his weekend to finally drop the title. I don’t see it happening, but I’m not the guy in charge either. I expect him to put on a solid main event with Elgin. If Richards by some chance has lost the title, he will come into this match and destroy Elgin in quick fashion. If Richards is champion like I predicted, then this will be an aggressive back and forth match where Richards comes out on top in the finish. Predicted winner: Davey Richards
That’s all for this one! It’s a very exciting weekend with this big pay per view on the books! Make sure to check out my WrestleMania 28 predictions as well! Until next time…
