Benjamin defends against MVP this Friday

[mont3818]

Well, this is the first opponent I think may actually have a chance at beating Benjamin. I'm not gonna read the SD spoilers this week so please don't give away any spoilers on this thread if you reply after it has been taped. I want to be suprised, the match is always more exciting when you don't read the results.

First I really enjoy Benjamin as champion, its sort of like a salute to him being probably the most atheltic wrestler currently on SD. And he's literally one of my favorite wresters... period. I enjoy watching him more than most anyone else. I know his US title reign hasn't been that great, but thats not so much his fault as it is the people who book the matches. Remember his first IC title reign? ...amazing. He had about 15 title defenses before losing it to Carlito when he first came to Raw. He was the young up and comer, he was on fire. His first US title reign has actually lasted longer but I think he has had just a fraction of the challengers he had in his first IC reign. I know, the midcard has been pretty weak. The championships aren't shown as prestious as they use to.

Well I guess I wanted to know, how could Benlamin have some classic matches in the position he's in now? Is MVP REALLY worthy of taking the belt from him at this point in time? This is just my opinion, but MVP doesn't seem to work as a babyface. Whats so great about it? He seems out of character that way. And he seemed much more affective as a heel. Would he make that great of a champion right now that way? Kind of like Carlito, he'll always be better as a heel. That's just more natural for guys like them. Benjamin.. I guess he's alright as both but I gotta say, he was on fire as a babyface when the people were really excited about him. So that is his best to me.

I don't mind MVP taking the belt from him, but as long as its the right way. And I have a feeling the 500th episode of SD is gonna be very disappointing more me. It's probably just gonna be a frizzled lame match with MVP possibly taking the belt in an uneventful way with Shelton going down the wrong way. OR they'll prolong it all with Chavo and possibly R-Truth interfering. One of those two ways. And if not, hey, Shelton wins and gets to live another day ^_^ I'd love to see him beat MVPs record and have some good atheletic rivalries over the title within that time.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

In my mind, this means whoever comes out with the title is relegated to not only stay on Smackdown post-draft, but also NOT win the Money in the Bank. Both Shelton and MVP could fit as the MITB holder or the US champion, and those 2 and Christian are the only ones that have a shot at winning the briefcase this year.

Shelton to me needs the MITB more than MVP. MVP has the ability to just go up to a main event guy, cut a promo, and start a feud. If he does that with 2 "upper echelon" stars (especially if he's thrown into the main event on Raw after the draft if he moves), then by the end of 2009, I could see him potentially becoming a world champion. Shelton struggles more on his mic opportunities, but he's a better performer in the ring in my mind, so to me, Shelton would need the MITB to instigate a feud with a main event person.

However...

Shelton works very well as the US title holder because it makes sure that he doesn't get lost in the shuffle. As champion, he has something to defend that doesn't really require much of a "feud" per say. Being less flexible when it comes to being thrust into a spot on a whim - when compared to MVP, that is - means that MVP would be better suited to tinker around with the MITB case for a few months and toy with the idea while feuding with random people.

Overall, I think both have the potential to rise up into the main event in 2009, with Shelton staying US champion and having a really long run with it and then starting to challenge main event guys, and MVP as the MITB holder who possibly switches up from the normal routine and actually cashes it in and turns heel in the process, as opposed to the past 4 times of "cash in - stay heel or face but now you're the champ".

My prediction: Shelton retains his US title next week and MVP wins the Money in the Bank. MVP is drafted to Raw, Shelton stays on Smackdown as their US champion, and I have no idea who the two of them start their next feud with lol.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Meh. After losing the belt last year MVP was well on the way to becoming WWE/WHC material. Him winning the title back now is still a step back. Shelton should keep it until they need to put the belt on somebody they're going to consistently push, and who'll benefit from the belt.

 

[reanimat3d]

I'm feeling what NoFate said, however..

The MiTB briefcase is a fairly big responsibility to carry as a performer, and depending on how they carry themselves after winning the case (and also how they choose to cash it in) can determine whether they are going to sink or swim as champion. See: CM Punk or Edge respectively.

MVP is the kind of guy who will be able to carry himself as a WWE/WHC champion without the need of the MiTB, and I personally think he will benefit from another big run with the US title more then he would a MiTB win. He will be in the light as a champion, and with little to no expectations in comparison to being World champion. He can talk his way through to the fans, and build up a solid (and already growing) fanbase and become a legitimate WWE/WHC off the charts over champion.

Shelton Benjamin however, doesn't have the promo ability to get under the skin of the fans enough to work up to be a world champion. It would suit him much better to stalk the WWE/WHC champions (the way he moves and just his general presence is really intimidating) and having them fear the chance where they might be caught off guard - and not necessarily in an opportunistic way - and Benjamin cashes in, whoops their ass hard and walks away with their title. He won't need to speak himself up, or convince us with words that he is the best, it will just show.

So in wraps: Shelton Benjamin wins MiTB. MVP wins the US title, both stay on Smackdown.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I think that Shelton Benjamin has been a great United States Champion, despite not defending the title too much over the past 8 months. M.V.P., on the other hand, did not have that great of a title reign in my opinion, despite holding it for 11 months. The difference is their wrestling styles. I think that Benjamin is a lot more entertaining in the ring, than M.V.P., which is why he is one of my favorite superstars. You could look at their championship match on Smackdown as an ''opposite glimpse'' of the ''Money in the Bank'' match. If Shelton Benjamin retains (God, I hope so), then you know he won't be winning the briefcase, but that still doesn't necessarily say that M.V.P. will. If M.V.P. wins the title, he won't win the briefcase, but that also doesn't mean that Benjamin will.

So far, I don't really like the Benjamin/M.V.P. fued. Believe it or not, I think his fued with R-Truth and his mini-fued with Hurricane Helms were a lot more entertaining. It seems that their wrestling styles fit together a lot better. Their match on this coming Friday's Smackdown could be good, but I think a title change is very likely because it is SD!'s 500th (remember on Raw's 800th, Chris Jericho won the title from Batista)? Another U.S. Championship reign for M.V.P. won't benefit him like retaining the title would benefit Benjamin. But you have to wonder if Chavo Guerrero will have a role in the title match.

 

[mont3818]

For some reason I don't think the WWE will let Benjamin win the MITB. He's been in more MITB matches than I think anyone (all but one of them). If they wanted him to win it he would have already won. I pretty much assumed Christian or MVP would take it. But I guess if Benjamin loses his title this Friday, then he might have a better chance in some odd way. BEcause then we'd know MVP, as US Champion, won't take it. Either way I'm rooting for Shelton! Yeah, MVP as US champ right now would be a bad move for him, and I'm sure WWE is aware of that. Plus I haven't heard of Benjamin currently being in line for any big push (with a MITB win) so I think it may stay as is. That gives me confidence in Sheltons US title reign, yes!

Thanks for your comments. It helped me make sense of it.

 

[JuviJuiceIsLoose]

Well, I read the Spoiler for this week's Smackdown, but I won't spoil it.

I think whoever loses this match is going to be drafted Raw. Although it's a possibility that the U.S. Title will go to Raw while the I.C. Title goes to Smackdown. I doubt that's gonna happen, though. I also think that whoever loses this match becomes the favorite to win Money in the Bank, as weird as that sounds. Which would be a huge step. Even if one cashes in, and doesn't win the title. Which apparently, are the plans for this year's MITB winner.

I think these guys need to change their attitudes. As far as their characters go.

Shelton Benjamin needs to turn face. I think being a heel has hindered him significantly. He pretty much changed his whole in ring style. He went from being this exciting high flyer and excellent mat technician that did things seldom seen to someone who's strictly a mat technician and brawler. I think being a heel forces him to hold back his natural athleticism.

He also needs to change his finisher. It's extremely awkward, and it looks too similar to Chris Jericho's finisher and a few others. If he wants a finisher that can be executed out of nowhere, I'm sure he can find a better one than Pay Dirt. Earlier in his career he was using a 450 splash. Seeing someone Benjamin's size pull of something like that would be amazing!!! I know he's not exactly John Kronus doing 450 Splashes at close to 300 pounds. But Shelton's a big dude to be able to do that. I hope that if he does lose the U.S. Title, he doesn't become unmotivated like he has in the past when he loses titles. If he retains, I hope they give him better feuds.

As far as M.V.P. goes, I am not enjoying his face turn. I know the crowd started to cheer for him during his long losing streak, so it happened organically. It was just weird seeing him as a cheerleader a few weeks ago when he tagged with R-Truth. There was something a bit wrong seeing him on the apron chanting R-Truth's name trying to get the crowd's energy up trying to get a hot tag.


I know it's early, and he really hasn't done any promos as a face. I just don't see that cocky, "big things poppin", "I'm better than you" cat anymore. It's like he lost all the swagger that made him awesome. I know that was the point of his losing steak, to humble him. I just think now he's TOO humble. When the Rock turned face, he was still this hysterically funny guy, who was cocky and put down his opponents. Here's hoping he gets better, or turns heel. I'm hoping that if he wins, he'll get a little more stride in his step, and his tongue will get a little sharper.

I think this has been a pretty good feud. I'm a big fan of both these guys.