WWE's latest Network Special, Hell in a Cell, takes place at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday. Ahead of the event here are the predictions for what will go down.
"I'll say it with complete sincerity, @shanemcmahon, you had it coming." - @FightOwensFight #SDLive #HIAC pic.twitter.com/FNbAkzfut1
— WWE (@WWE) October 4, 2017
Kevin Owens to beat Shane McMahon in Hell in a Cell match where falls count anywhere
One of the biggest problems the WWE have had of late is booking feuds that justify a Hell in a Cell match. They do not have that problem this time as this should be a lot of fun.
It feels like the WWE are giving Owens the vicious streak he sorely lacked for much of his reign as WWE Universal champion earlier in the year.
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This should be a standard Shane McMahon match: some high spots, some bad punches, and doing the job to put over the full-time talent.
It has been 14 years, at SummerSlam 2003, since McMahon won a singles match on a pay per view, against Eric Bischoff, and that run is unlikely to end here.
Whether Owens does it cleanly or not is questionable. The use of Sami Zayn in the build-up has the possibility of a heel turn by Zayn, given the fact that the points Owens made on Zayn's failings on the main roster were true when he verbally ran down his old friend in a promo.
Owens wins to continue the feud with the McMahons going into Survivor Series, with Zayn being an accomplice being a dynamic that would be a lot of fun.
Jinder Mahal to beat Shinsuke Nakamura to retain WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Nakamura was white hot when he was promoted from NXT, but his booking on SmackDown has been awful and he has cooled off badly.
It does not help that he has been stuck with arguably the WWE's worst champion since Jack Swagger in Jinder Mahal.
Mahal's promos are dull and repetitive and his matches are poor.
This has been a hugely disappointing feud, and the WWE need to get Nakamura away from Mahal as fast as possible.
Nakamura, right now, is not ready to be champion, so Mahal retains, allowing Nakamura to shine in a 5x5 match at Survivor Series and regain some lustre.
Mahal needs a new opponent, and that man may just be AJ Styles...
AJ Styles to retain the United States Championship against Baron Corbin
Styles is the No 1 talent on SmackDow,n and it feels like the WWE have kept him in the mid-card ahead of another big run at the top of the card in 2018.
Corbin is trying to recover from the ignominy of losing when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and he is likely to have a run with the US title at some point soon.
But Styles wins here to remain strong and set himself up as a No 1 contender for Mahal's title in the closing months of the year.
Charlotte Flair beats Natalya to win SmackDown Women's Championship
I think Natalya's title reign was a thank you for her service to the company, but the money is with Charlotte Flair being the champion in the main event scene.
Initially the expectation was that if and when Charlotte won the belt, Carmella would cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase to steal the title.
But given the health scare her father Ric Flair has been through, this would be a feel-good moment for WWE fans and Charlotte seeing her back with the gold.
Carmella will cash in sooner rather than later, but it won't be on Sunday.
New Day to retain WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship against the Usos
These two teams have feuded for a long time, but their matches have been excellent and it is still feels like a fresh rivalry, despite this being the fourth match they have had on a Network Special since June.
Given the regularity by which they have swapped the titles, another change could happen here. However, this feels like the end of the rivalry, and New Day should come out of this with the belts, so for that reason they prevail.
Randy Orton to beat Rusev in a singles match
Rusev could be a big star in WWE if he is given a chance at the top of the card.
He has instead been used continually by the organisation to elevate other talent, with John Cena and Roman Reigns both gaining from feuding with him.
Orton wins here with an RKO to be kept strong ahead of a likely key role in one of the 5x5 elimination matches at Survivor Series, while Rusev stays in the mid-card.
Bobby Roode beats Dolph Ziggler in a singles match
Twelve months ago, Ziggler was involved in a cracking match with the Miz to save his career.
Fast forward to now and his character has completely lost his way. It is sad to see a talented guy doing such nonsense as coming out to the different entrances of former and present WWE Superstars.
This has all been to promote Roode and his excellent theme tune Glorious. This will be a fun eight to 10 minute match that Roode wins.
Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin beat the Hype Bros in a tag team match
A pre-show match. Should be a good match, but Gable and Benjamin win and this might well be the night that the Hype Bros implode, with most likely Zack Ryder turning on Mojo Rawley.
WWE Hell in a Cell is on the WWE Network, which is available through OSN, with the action beginning at 3am UAE time.
