Hell in a Cell 2012 predictions: Superstars share their visions of 'Hell'
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, the future of WWE is very much up in the air at Hell in a Cell 2012 this Sunday.
For one, it’s the first pay-per-view during the tenure of Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero, who replaced the ousted Raw General Manager AJ Lee this past Monday, and the outcome of the event will very much dictate the power structure of Raw going forward. Both the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship Matches are also first-time contests, with CM Punk taking on Ryback inside Hell in a Cell for the WWE Title and Sheamus brawling it out with Big Show with the “Big Gold Title ” up for grabs. The rejuvenated tag team division also has a marquee matchup in place, with Kane & Daniel Bryan, aka Team Hell No (dynamic and dysfunctional in equal measure), putting their titles on the line against Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow, better known as Team Rhodes Scholars (smarter than most and not shy to say so).
The WWE Universe is, needless to say, far from short on its own predictions as to how the night will transpire, but what’s the pulse of the locker room on these historic contests? WWE.com went straight to the source and picked the brains of several Superstars to get their take on how the night will turn out, and some of the answers were … well, unexpected.
For one, the Superstars we polled were nearly unanimous in their belief that CM Punk would prevail against the mighty Ryback in the place where rivalries are settled. “CM Punk always finds a way, he’s very crafty,” said Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston, who will put up his own championship in a grudge match against The Miz.
The Boom Squad General conceded, though, that victory would not come easily for The Second City Saint. “I think Punk is gonna be in for the fight of his life [against Ryback],” Kofi said. “I’m gonna go with him for the win, but it’s going to be very hard-fought.”
The polled were almost dead-even on the subject of the World Heavyweight Championship Match between Sheamus and Big Show, with Kofi and David Otunga choosing The Celtic Warrior and Jinder Mahal and Johnny Curtis throwing in with the giant.
The outlier, however, was Jinder’s bandmate Drew McIntyre, who gave the most fascinating answer of the bunch: Dolph Ziggler. As in, The Chosen One was calling a cash-in by Mr. Money in the Bank following the outcome of the contest, an outcome that The Showoff himself has guaranteed as Hell in a Cell approaches. “I’m positive that Ziggler will become champion.”
The Superstars were more on the same page for the WWE Tag Team Title Match, as nearly everybody sided with the irascible odd-couple Team Hell No. “I think Team Hell No covers more of the bases than Team Rhodes Scholars,” Kofi said. “[Daniel Bryan] is a very technical wrestler, quick and athletic, and Kane is just a powerhouse. Hell yes for Hell No.”
Only Curtis had a differing opinion, citing his soft spot for Rhodes & Sandow as grounds for picking against Team Hell No. “I’m a big fan of Team Rhodes Scholars, so I think they’re gonna win,” the winner of WWE NXT season four said.
The Superstars also gave their picks for Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio (The majority picked Del Rio!), but our favorite prediction in terms of analysis was Otunga’s choice for the Intercontinental Title Match. As befits a graduate of Harvard Law School and legal counsel to a former Raw and SmackDown General Manager, Mr. Otunga was both succinct and articulate in his summation of why he felt Kofi Kingston would retain against The Miz. We, for one, feel ill-equipped to argue against him:
“Did you see that kick?” Otunga said (To clarify: He meant this kick), “He kicked the mess out of him. I’m going with Kofi.”
The defense rests. See you on Sunday.
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