WWE Night of Champions 2013

Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)
 Naomi vs. Brie Bella vs. Natalya vs. AJ Lee (Divas Championship)
Turmoil match winner vs. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins (Tag Team Championship)
CM Punk vs. Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman (Handicap Elimination Match)
Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose (United States Championship)
Rob Van Dam vs. Alberto Del Rio (World Heavyweight Championship)


WWE Night of Champions 2013 live from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, with its Night of Champions event starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan will duke it out for the WWE championship in the main event. On top of that, we've got CM Punk vs. Paul Heyman and Curtis Axel in a handicap elimination match, Alberto Del Rio vs. Rob Van Dam in a world heavyweight championship match, and much, much more.

Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.

Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan

The General: I can see this match going about 10 different ways but I'm not inclined to think the ultimate idea is to ever really put Bryan over. Actually, I kind of look at this like Orton's run in 2004 when he briefly won the world heavyweight title before being made to job it to Triple H and falling back in line to climb back up the ladder the hard way. Bryan has done all that and I would hate to see him fall back into some sort of mid-card hell again but me thinks that's the plan. He'll hang around while fans hope he gets the strap but it will always stay just out of his grasp until John Cena returns to make it his. By then, I imagine Bryan will move on to something like what CM Punk has been doing since he lost the title. That's going to be kind of sad, too. Pick: Orton

Hulk Holland: I hate that this is so easy to pick. Since Daniel Bryan just coughed up the strap a few weeks back at SummerSlam, it's way too early to give it back to him, especially considering The Corporate Shield is a long-term program. In addition, Randy Orton was knocked out on the Monday Night RAW go-home show, then submitted on Friday Night SmackDown two days before Night of Champions (NOC). I'm sure "D-Bry" will get screwed in some capacity to save face, but don't expect to see him leaving "Motor City" with the title. Winner: Orton

Keith Harris: This is a hard match to call, as given the umpteen times Bryan has been laid out by Orton since SummerSlam, he needs to look super strong here, but it seems far too early for the title to be switched. Splitting the difference seems to be the safest bet, so look for Bryan to win by disqualification after the usual McMahon family shenanigans.

Sean Rueter: The intrigue here for me is: (1) how clean will the champ go over? and (2) why do I hope the answer is "as a sheet"? If framed right, by reminding us that DB just defeated the Viper that way earlier this summer, a series that is guaranteed to continue would be even at one a piece and, playing up the fact that Bryan has been fighting off three or more men on every show since SummerSlam, would allow it to happen without the Beard losing much face. But I'm pretty sure there will be some shenanigans - I'm thinking full Big Show heel turn - that will pad the time and make it 100% protects the challenger. Should be the latest in a long run of great matched between the two, so hopefully it won't be booked to death. Pick: Randy Orton

Eric B. Stephen: Poor Daniel Bryan, it simply isn't "best for business" for him to win the title here, and I think the powers that be will ensure that Randy Orton walks out of this event as champion. I like Daniel Bryan to win via disqualification, no title transfer.

Kanenite: The WWE Championship has been held for relatively long durations by CM Punk, The Rock, and John Cena over the course of the last couple of years. But now we are entering a period where a hot-potato scenario can play out in regards to that championship. There are many PPV's scheduled in a short amount of time, and I expect that Bryan and Orton are going to swap this title back and forth leading to a culmination of their feud at the Hell In A Cell PPV at the end of October. Big Show is a focal point of this feud right now, and I expect that he will finally lose his temper and KO either HHH or Randy, leading to a controversial win for Daniel Bryan. Pick: Daniel Bryan
Alberto Del Rio vs. Rob Van Dam

The General: Here's what makes me sad about this: Rob Van Dam has actually been really hot since coming back to WWE. Like, super hot. Hot enough that the powers that be might be smart to put a belt on him and let him run with it for a couple months. Why not? Del Rio can't connect with the audience no matter what he's doing. It's gotten so bad, Ricardo Rodriguez has become a centerpiece. And that's the problem here. This isn't about ADR vs. RVD, this is about Del Rio and his former manager. So don't expect the title change. You're more likely to see Rodriguez turn again and rejoin Del Rio for some dumb reason. Pick: Del Rio

Hulk Holland: Without another major title on the line, it's hard to imagine WWE letting this event end on such a sour note. We expect Daniel Bryan to lose, CM Punk isn't in a title match and no one cares about the Divas championship. Even if the tag team titles change hands, the show is top heavy and would benefit from some juice in the second half of the evening. You may disagree with all of that, but surely you will agree that Alberto Del Rio is a boring champion, while Rob Van Dam is still getting pretty decent pops for an ECW guy in his forties. Winner: Van Dam

Keith Harris: With Rob Van Dam's return momentum already fizzling out, this seems a no brainer pick. If WWE had struck whilst the iron was hot, then maybe they could have got some mileage out of a RVD championship run, but it's too late for that. Alberto retains by submission.

Sean Rueter: They're finally booking Del Rio strong, but it's too late. His parade of victories over the stars of the late 90s/early aughts continues, and no one will care one lick more about him or the belt he wears - because WWE has shown us how little both matter for so long. I can't decide if I want a Ricardo swerve...I'd like to have him back with 'Bertie, but this is already shaping up to be "Night of Overbooking". Pick: Del Rio

Eric B. Stephen: This is yet another match on this card that feels thrown together simply because they didn't have anything better to do with either guy. And once again, that doesn't favor the challenger in my book. I like Del Rio to retain and continue his afterthought of a world championship reign.

Kanenite: This feud feels like it is a month-long prank being played on the WWE Universe. Why is Ricardo aligned with RVD? Why does RVD even want his services? Why does Ricardo keep wearing that hideous RVD-themed T-shirt? Why was RVD treated like a generic piece of meat against Ryback on Raw last week? Nothing really makes sense here, dude. I think this month-long joke will come to an end at Night of Champions when Ricardo turns on RVD and helps ADR claim victory. Pick: Alberto Del Rio
CM Punk vs. Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman

The General: If WWE came to me and offered another month of this Punk vs. Heyman feud, I would decline. Then again, the question is who does Punk move on to feuding with once Heyman is out of the picture and what will Heyman do then? Axel isn't cutting the mustard as anything, really, and I fear for what happens when this comes to a close but this feels like a blowoff, especially after Punk did the job for Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Pick: Punk

Hulk Holland: Yawn. Stick a fork in this program, because it's done. CM Punk lost to Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam and isn't going 0-2 against Team Heyman. And since Curtis Axel doesn't have to give up his strap in the process, losing does nothing to kill the heat he doesn't have. Punk is one of the biggest stars on the roster and will win, since finally getting his hands on his ex-best friend is the only reason this angle exists. But before he does any real damage, expect to see Punk get squashed by a new "Paul Heyman guy." If it turns out to be Big Show, however, I'm quitting the business. Winner: Punk

Keith Harris: WWE have been pushing so hard that Punk will finally get his hands on Heyman and put him out of commission once and far all that I think it has to be a swerve. Look for him to eliminate Axel and kick the crap out of Heyman, but for Punk to get screwed over in the end and have the humiliation of Heyman pinning him, thanks to outside help, of course.

Sean Rueter: Is a handicap match no-DQ? There are a million possibilities for how this could go down, and I'm really unsure how to make a pick given their options and my being hazy on the rules. The Intercontinental champ will get eliminated, Punk will begin to get his hands on Paul, Axel and/or a new Heyman guy will save the Advocate and Punk will get beaten down for a while. So, you tell me, who does that means wins?

Eric B. Stephen: With Punk and Heyman involved, you know this match will entertain, even if it isn't in a conventional fashions. Axel should be able to keep up with Punk in the actual wrestling department, but I like Punk to win AND get his hands on Paul Heyman.

Kanenite: The selling point of this match is all about Punk guaranteeing that he will break Paul Heyman's face. Curtis Axel just happens to be an ancillary figure in this feud; his star power is severely lacking compared to just about all of Punk's PPV opponents over the last 18 months. WWE has three separate PPV events scheduled between now and the end of October, so it is tempting to think that there will be a screwy ending here in order to extend the Punk/Heyman feud onto those October shows. But let's face it: there are no credible heels at Punk's level outside of all the players in the Orton/Bryan feud. So unless Brock Lesnar or The Shield are going to get involved in Punk's business, this seems like the best time for Heyman to receive his comeuppance. Paul Heyman's face is going to be broken at Night of Champions. Pick: CM Punk
AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella vs. Natalya vs. Naomi

The General: Don't know, don't really care. Safe bet is to go with the most talented who is in the best with those in power. Pick: Lee

Hulk Holland: I'm not opposed to having AJ Lee surrender her strap, but one of the requirements is actually having someone to give it to. Brie Bella, much like Naomi, is not a singles performer and is of no value without her partner. It wouldn't make much sense to give one of them a title unless they planned a tag team split and feuding Bellas sounds about as appealing as feuding Funkadactyls. Blech. That leaves Natalya, and as likable as "Nattie" is, she's not championship material. This is just a way to keep pimping Total Divas, as well as the evil beauty of AJ Lee. Winner: AJ

Keith Harris: With her recent blistering promo tearing into the Total Divas crew, AJ proved that she was still the best personality in the whole division and richly deserves the belt she holds. Moreover, it just doesn't make sense for the title to change in a meaningless four way match especially when this reality stars vs. Divas champion program has a lot of legs left in it. Thus, AJ pins one of the Bellas to win here.

Sean Rueter: I don't think Total Divas needs the belt, and even if you believe that it does, it would be better for business(-ah) to film shows building to a cast member capturing it. So expect Naomi to hit a lot of ladies with her posterior, Bellas to yell, Natalya to use some of her godfather's moves and AJ to sneak out a victory in a match that hopefully won't set women's wrestling back ten years. Pick: AJ Lee

Eric B. Stephen: Poor AJ, she has that really good promo and then sees the Divas division fall back to pieces around her. Someone from Total Divas is leaving this match with the title, and my money is on Brie.

Kanenite: Total Divas and Pipe Bombshells are the hot topics these days when it comes to the Divas division. AJ is not a part of the reality show, however, which suddenly makes her reign as champion vulnerable. I expect that AJ is going to lose her championship here to Natalya, with the future goal of moving the title onto Brie Bella on one of the October PPV events. AJ is not a part of Total Divas, and it is going to cost her the Divas Championship. Pick: Natalya
Tag Team Turmoil

The General: When looking at this group of scholars there is really only one team that sticks out that hasn't had extensive time working with The Shield, who the winners of this match will go on to face at the PPV, and that would be the Prime Time Players. It works even better because WWE is still riding that wave of good publicity thanks to Darren Young coming out. He was on Ellen just the other day, so because of that, they win here. Pick: Players

Hulk Holland: As much as I would love to see Antonio Cesaro fighting The Shield, the tag team champions are mega-heels, so you have to counter that with mega-faces. Of all the teams embroiled in this melee, I would say The Usos have the best chemistry with Reigns and Rollins, but they already had a few shots at the straps -- and came up short -- and aren't really in the midst of any kind of push. The Prime Time Players, however, are riding the PR wave thanks to Darren Young's recent revelation. They may not be the best choice, stylistically speaking, but they have enough buzz right now to take the next step. What other option is available? Creative sure as hell isn't giving this one to the Tons of Funk carnival act or (lolz) 3MB. Winner: Prime Time Players

Keith Harris: With The Usos vs. The Shield being done to death, and the other teams being jabronis or heels, it seems certain that The Prime Time Players pick up the win here, as they continue to ride the wave of good will from Darren Young's recent coming out party.

Sean Rueter: It's awesome to see so many teams to choose from, and that you could even make an argument for a few of them as legitimate champions. There's only one with any semblance of a program with the champs though, and having a killer match with them on the pre-show for Money in the Bank was a successful audition for a real PPV match. Pick: The Usos

Eric B. Stephen: Well this is a bit of a mess, isn't it? The Usos have been the most successful team in this grouping but I'm leaning towards the Prime Time Players, who've been on a winning streak against everyone not part of the Wyatt family since Darren Young came out. I have the PTPs winning here and advancing.

Kanenite: The only teams that have a shot here are The Usos and the Prime Time Players. WWE might have a lot of time to kill on this PPV, and so a Shield versus Usos match would be the best candidate for filling out a solid 10+ minutes of the card. The Prime Time Players are the hottest tag team in WWE though, so they are also a strong candidate to win this Tag Team Turmoil match. Unlike The Usos, however, The Prime Time Players don't really have any history or personal issues with The Shield. So I think WWE will delay a Shield/PTP match until an actual story has been developed that the audience can use to rally behind the PTP as babyfaces. Pick: The Usos
The Shield vs. Tag Team Turmoil Winner

The General: They might win tag team turmoil but I can't imagine WWE would actually put the belts on them. They're digging that publicity but they aren't digging it that much. Plus, if The Shield are still cronies for Triple H, there's really no need to take the belts off them. So it's pants down then, I guess, right?!? Har har! Pick: Shield

Hulk Holland: Well, since I'm taking the Prime Time Players (PTP) in the Tag Team Turmoil Match, I may as well play captain and go down with the ship. Coming out of the closet was a great career move for Darren Young and WWE has embraced it, for its own selfish reasons, of course, but at least he's not getting Orton'd on a flight to Poughkeepsie. Any spoils that Young receives also go to Titus O'Neil, who is pretty effective at blowing a whistle and barking like a dog. Hey, the crowd eats it up, so you can't knock it. They may not be the most refined pair, technically speaking, but they're the flavor of the month. Sometimes that's all you need. That, and the "heat" The Shield keeps getting (Heat Shield?) for not kissing ass. Winner: Prime Time Players

Keith Harris: Assuming that my previous prediction is correct, I could see WWE management liking the idea of an openly gay wrestler being one of their champions and hoping that would get them another round of good publicity. It's just whether they pull the trigger here or wait for another night. Given that all the other belts seem like they won't be changing hands and The Shield have had recent backstage heat, I think The PTP will be shot straight to the top of the tag division here.

Sean Rueter: Not successful enough to knock of the Hounds of Justice. Not yet, anyway. Pick: Reigns & Rollins

Eric B. Stephen: The PTPs might advance to the main show, but I think their run ends here. While the Shield haven't exactly done much with the titles in their possession, I don't think this is where they lose them. I like the Shield to retain.

Kanenite: This is the easiest match on the card to predict. The Shield are heavily involved in the main event scene and are not going to lose their titles to any of the mid-card (at best) tag teams that are competing in the Tag Team Turmoil match. Roman Reigns will spear a fool in this one for the win. Pick: The Shield
Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler

The General: Not sure why this was added at the absolute last minute but there's no reason to believe Ziggler won't be booked the same way he's always booked -- as an enhancement talent who makes his opponents look awesome but never really gets much out of it himself. So he goes down again here.

Keith Harris: Two of the most talented wrestlers in the promotion face-off in a match booked at the last minute, as both men have been put on the back burner of late having fallen foul of being placed in the dreaded WWE dog house for unknown reasons. Given that Ambrose seems to have served his time, while Ziggler's stint isn't over yet, the leader of The Shield should win convincingly.

Sean Rueter: Hey look! Somebody remembered to book this...in a re-dub of commentary on the last show before the PPV. With two weeks of build, I would have picked the champ to retain. Given that, I'd pick him twice if I could. I just hope that the Show-Off isn't so in the doghouse that they don't give this at least ten minutes. Pick: Ambrose

Eric B. Stephen: If you like masters of selling, you'll like this match. The fact that it seemed thrown together at the last minute doesn't look like a good sign for the challenger however, so I like Ambrose to retain.

Kanenite: Dolph Ziggler is the lost babyface in the overarching storyline of HHH's new reign of terror. We have been given plenty of reasons to want to see the other babyfaces prevail over their unfair treatment at the hands of HHH. All it took was one highly emotional segment to give Cody Rhodes a chance to be a future star. All it took was one heart-wrenching segment to create a huge amount of sympathy for Big Show's plight and his unfortunate life expectancy. But in 12 hours of Raw television and 8 hours of Smackdown television, WWE has failed to provide Ziggler with a similar star-making segment. Instead has been treated like Zack Ryder was during the Cena/Kane feud of 2012, only without the wheelchair. Week after week WWE is telling us that Ziggler is not worth caring about. He hasn't even won a match to earn this title shot. Ziggler loses every single night, and Ambrose just happens to be the guy who is standing across the ring from him on this night. Pick: Ambrose