Bookie .vs. Punter: SummerSlam 2018

Whenever there is a major WWE PPV on the horizon, I get together with a person who works in the betting industry and we butt heads over the upcoming matches. Then, I go ahead and publish a post where I share how our opinions compare or contrast.

When we were discussing what to do for SummerSlam, the Bookie came up with an idea of having a competition where we would go head-to-head and rank our picks in order of strength. Then, when the show is over, we'd go back and tally up how our picks did and work out a score.

It - in my opinion - was a fabulous idea. I shared the concept with a friend of mine who reads WWELeaks.org and he too thought it was great. Following on from that, my friend told me a few ideas he had for some of the matches. As I thought the few ideas he shared with me were quite good, I thought I'd ask him to take my place in the SummerSlam edition of Bookie .vs. Blogger. 

I give you Bookie .vs. Punter.

There are thirteen matches scheduled for Sunday's event. Both the Bookie and the Punter have ranked their winners on strength with one being the selection they have the least confidence in leading up to their top pick, which is worth 13 points. They have also added a few notes on why their selection is placed in the position they're in. 

So, without further ado, let's see this head-to-head. I've tossed a coin to see who goes first and it has gone in favour of the Bookie. Typical that the bookie wins a coin flip, eh?!

Number One Picks

Bookie: Daniel Bryan's contract situation means I don't know which way this match will go. Even though I think he has signed, it's still unconfirmed. I want Bryan to win but I also want the feud to continue. Part of me is gutted it's not taking place at WrestleMania for a title. I think The Miz has to win to set the feud up for the future. So, unfortunately, I'm picking THE MIZ.

Punter: I don't follow 205 Live as much as I used to, so I don't have much of a real view on the Cruiserweight Championship match. If I had to guess, I'd go with DREW GULAK as Cedric Alexander has held the title since WrestleMania and it might be time for a change.

Number Two Picks

Punter: The mixed tag team match could go either way really. I'll go with RUSEV AND LANA with Aiden English managing to finally help successfully.

Bookie: The Smackdown Tag Team Championship match is hard to predict in my eyes as either could win and feud with the stacked Smackdown roster. I think the way The Bludgeon Brothers have been built makes it hard to believe The New Day will win clean, but I also can't predict where The Bludgeon Brothers go from here. I am taking THE BLUDGEON BROTHERS as my number two selection.

Number Three Picks

Bookie: Before I get people asking why I have chosen CARMELLA, I'd like to explain that I do think she is the worst wrestler on the Smackdown roster. However, I think they've only added Charlotte Flair to this match to add star power and give another excuse for Carmella to go over. Also, a friend gave me a scenario that I felt I should mention but it does contradict my pick on Carmella. The champion could win here due to interference from the Four Horsewomen of MMA to cost Charlotte and Becky the match and set p a match at Evolution or Survivor Series. It could also explain the reason why they've put Sasha Banks and Bayley back together. But, with that said, Alexa Bliss would have to win the Raw title match for this to happen.

Punter: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA should and likely will win, but something seems strange to me about this match. This is why I've rated it so low.

Number Four Picks

Punter: Daniel Bryan .vs. The Miz is a difficult match to call for a number of reasons, but I'd lean slightly on DANIEL BRYAN (I had sided with The Miz originally). It should be the first match in a long feud which - in theory - should see the heel winning. However, Miz seems to be getting the better of Bryan verbally on a weekly basis, burying his return a 'complete bust' amongst other things. So, Bryan taking an L here kind of proves that correct which isn't what you want. Unless he's leaving, of course, which is the caveat here.

Bookie: For me this is another heart ruling the head call. I might be on my own, but AJ Styles' title run hasn't excited me. He is a brilliant wrestler, but the feuds haven't been the best. SAMOA JOE is the best heel in the company at the moment and a title run could be brilliant so he's my number four pick.

Number Five Picks

Bookie: This will probably be higher on other lists, but I haven't watched 205 Live for a few months as I have been busy. I will go CEDRIC ALEXANDER even though he bores me.

Punter: I'm picking SETH ROLLINS to beat Dolph Ziggler in the IC Title Match. This pretty much comes down to whether you think Dean Ambrose will help or cost his Shield teammate. I think it's best to let it play out for a bit rather than pull the trigger straight away. Ziggler has also pinned Rollins multiple times, so feel Seth is due one.

Number Six Picks

Punter: If the Smackdown Women's Championship match remains a triple threat, I'd go with CARMELLA. I'm expecting tension between the two babyfaces to allow Carmella to sneak out with the title.

Bookie: I won't be the only one thinking this. I believe Dean Ambrose - back with a heel look - will turn on Seth Rollins and cost him the Intercontinental Championship match. Also DOLPH ZIGGLER and the Scottish Psycopath (I love that nickname) Drew McIntyre have been really good together and have made Ziggler relevant again. The other reason why this is in the position it is on my list is because it's an upset and could potentially mean getting a decent amount of points in this competition.

Number Seven Picks

Bookie: It's got to be ROMAN REIGNS winning the Universal Championship match. We have been playing this dance between he and Brock Lesnar for years. With Lesnar standing tall on Raw, it has to be Reigns' time to win the Universal Title and get us out of the limbo we've been in since WrestleMania 33. The booking of the feud has made this lower on the list than it should be.

Punter: THE B-TEAM is just getting started and their match with The Revival is on the pre-show, so they should retain.

Number Eight Picks

Punter: Baron Corbin will be in the same position whether he wins or loses against FINN BALOR. Balor needs the win and to move on.

Bookie: ANDRADE 'CIEN' ALMAS AND ZELINA VEGA receive my eight point gamble. WWE (or should I say Vince?) doesn't appear to want to push Rusev Day and looks like he wants to split he and Aiden English up, which I believe to be a mistake as a stable of three works. Also, Almas - since his NXT Championship run - is a character that works and Vega with him could be ready for big things. 

Number Nine Picks

Bookie: I'm giving BRAUN STROWMAN nine points. His match against Kevin Owens - to me - is to give them both something to do, and fight over, on the card. Personally, I think the Money in the Bank briefcase would be better with Owens, but Strowman having it works. As for the match - it has been played up that Strowman could lose the briefcase easily, so I don't think he will. With that said, it wouldn't be a shock if we get the other result.

Punter: Originally, I thought SAMOA JOE would win the title here, but - with the personal direction the feud has gone - I can't see Styles dropping the strap just yet. I can still see Joe winning the match, however.

Number Ten Picks

Punter: I'm not sure what the point is of the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship match is if THE NEW DAY are losing again. They could have gone with The Bar if this was set up just to give The Bludgeon Brothers another successful defence. The slight worry I have of The New Day winning is a lack of fresh opponents, but I think the Bludgeon Brothers' reign has run its course.

Bookie: I know that THE B-TEAM isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I find them funny and want their t-shirt, so this is my heart putting them high on my list. What also works in my favour is this match is on the pre-show so the faces need a win on it. The Revival hasn't been built up strong enough for this to be their first title win. I predict B-Team wins and then go on to lose to the Authors of Pain at the next PPV.

Number Eleven Picks

Bookie: This has to be SHINSUKE NAKAMURA as Jeff Hardy is in a feud with Randy Orton that doesn't need the title. With that said, it wouldn't shock me if they did have the feud over the title. This was my top selection, but I've moved it down a few places because I am struggling to think what Nakamura's next feud could be.

Punter: If RONDA ROUSEY didn't have the championship match at Money in the Bank, I could possibly see Alexa Bliss escaping with her title on a disqualification, but would be surprised at having Ronda be unsuccessful twice. The only worry I have is how close Bliss came to losing against Ember Moon on Monday's Raw.

Number Twelve Picks

Punter: The disqualification or count-out stipulation exists in Braun Strowman .vs. Kevin Owens to make people believe that Strowman could lose, and we've already seen him lose by both methods to Jinder Mahal to illustrate this point that anything could happen. BRAUN STROWMAN has to win.

Bookie: Alexa Bliss has to be the best talker in the women's division and done what Carmella couldn't do and improved in the ring since her call up. That being said, RONDA ROUSEY has been brilliant since WrestleMania and - even though  she doesn't need the title - the women's division needs her heading into the Evolution PPV. Having her as champion could be a way to promote the women's only event to the mainstream audience.

Number Thirteen Picks

Bookie: I can't really see what a win over FINN BALOR will do for Baron Corbin. He is killing the Constable role  so a victory isn't needed for him as much as it does for his opponent. I can see Balor winning and then move up maybe to fight Dolph Ziggler.

Punter: The Brock Lesnar .vs. Roman Reigns feud has to end with ROMAN REIGNS getting the win over Brock Lesnar. The stuff with Brock and Paul Heyman did have me second guessing, but can't see anything other than a Reigns win. It's now or never.

* * *

If we were to look at this from match to match, they are opposing each other on five of the bouts. Not that this matters entirely because the point of this game is how the competitors have ranked their picks and applied the points to said picks. The table below shows both of their rankings.

I'll publish a follow-up post in the days following SummerSlam to see who won.

I'd like to thank both The Bookie and Punter for helping me with this Bookie .vs. Blogger spinoff. This was the Bookie's idea so I want him to get all the credit for thinking this up.

Good luck to both...