Night of Champions 2012: Antonio Cesaro (c) VS Pre-show Battle Royal Winner

[Mighty NorCal]

If ONLY my Ryback plan (Cesaro turns the US title into the European title, cuts some anti american promos, Ryback kills him) had been built toward, this would be absolutely perfect. Win the battle royal, and could already have the buzz built into the building for when that music hits.

Alas, no. and given Cesaro's title reign is so young, I doubt they have the winner of the battle royal take the title off him, which makes this pretty stupid, actually.

Cesaro will (should) retain

 

[Dagger Dias]

I really like the idea of the pre-show battle royal to determine who Cesaro will face. I was worried that they would make the US Championship match AGAIN be the pre-show match. It allows several other wrestlers a chance to showcase what they can do while trying to earn the title shot. I find it difficult to predict who the winner of the pre-show match will be.... As long as it's not Santino. That feud ran its course and Cesaro needs someone he can put on better matches in a more serious feud with.

Whether he retains or not depends on who the contender is, although I hope he does retain. Cesaro has not held the belt for long, about a month. He needs to retain here regardless of who the opponent is so he can use this title reign to fully establish himself. The more he retains and keeps coming out to brag about it in all of the languages he speaks, the better. This match is likely going to be first on the card. If not first, then second following the Tag Team or Intercontinental Championship matches.

DAGGER'S PREDICTION
Antonio Cesaro retains the United States Championship.

 

[Diet Soda]

I don't think Christian will win. I'd be disappointed if he did, since then it would just be a repeat of the scenario from Over The Limit where he won the Intercontinental Championship. Besides which, he's absent from TV more often than he's present these days, and I feel it's getting harder for fans to get behind him because of the long gaps that he takes. Either way, judging by his appearance from this week's Smackdown, he might return at a higher up position on the card than we seem to be anticipating.

Also garnering from last night's developments, Brodus Clay and Tyson Kidd seem to be getting involved in the mix. Out of these two, I'd be more entertained by Kidd going up against Cesaro. There is also the possibility of Santino getting a final blow-off; battle royals somehow seem to be his speciality match.

The longest shot would be the returning Wade Barrett, though it makes little sense for a heel to go up against a heel. I can see Barrett being on the card anyway in a squash filler.

At the end of the day, as others have rightly said, Cesaro's reign is still in its infancy, and I for one would like it to continue in order to prove his worth on the roster. Cesaro wins.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

I'd like to see Zack Ryder win the battle royal.

The guy deserves more then he is getting & hasn't gotten a US title shot in awhile. His (almost) feud w/ Damien Sandow looked promising but fell flat. So why not feud w/ Cesaro?

Either way Cesaro retains & I just hope that this sets up for a solid feud w/ Cesaro & the US title.

 

[TempestH]

I'd like it to be Alex Riley. He's gotten a lot better in the ring. He's over with the fans, and while I know he wouldn't win the title even if he won the Battle Royal, Riley holding ANY championship is long overdue.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Time to give Ryback a shot. Give him a belt, but have it be one that no one particularly cares about anyway. That way if it works out well, they can use it as a stepping stone for bigger and better things. If it doesn't work out, no real harm done as the belt has become pretty irrelevant anyway. He can look dominant, furthering his push, and Cesaro doesn't look weak losing to him, because Ryback has been squashing everyone with a pulse anyway. Cesaro shouldn't have a belt yet anyway, and it's time to see Ryback step up the hierarchy a little.

 

[Mikechase69]

Time to give Ryback a shot. Give him a belt, but have it be one that no one particularly cares about anyway. That way if it works out well, they can use it as a stepping stone for bigger and better things. If it doesn't work out, no real harm done as the belt has become pretty irrelevant anyway. He can look dominant, furthering his push, and Cesaro doesn't look weak losing to him, because Ryback has been squashing everyone with a pulse anyway. Cesaro shouldn't have a belt yet anyway, and it's time to see Ryback step up the hierarchy a little.

Then why put a belt nobody cares about on him? Ryback is a sideshow fun to see but really should be left at that. Guys like him don't need a belt he is fine where he is at and personally I think he will always stay at this level unless they give the guy a chance to talk instead of saying "feed me more", Thats part of the reason why I don't like him right now before he had the leather vest and looked like a badass now he looks like RVD on roids.

And he needs to get off whatever he is using.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Then why put a belt nobody cares about on him? Ryback is a sideshow fun to see but really should be left at that. Guys like him don't need a belt he is fine where he is at and personally I think he will always stay at this level unless they give the guy a chance to talk instead of saying "feed me more", Thats part of the reason why I don't like him right now before he had the leather vest and looked like a badass now he looks like RVD on roids.

And he needs to get off whatever he is using.

Because he simply is not ready for any of the more significant belts, yet. There's absolutely no way you can put him in contention for any of the major titles, not yet, that's obvious. The US title is still a step upwards, putting some strap on his shoulder to see how he responds with it and more importantly, how it's received by the fans. You say he is fine where he is, and perhaps that's true, but the US title could be a nice stepping stone to advancing him towards something more. Or deciding its not in the cards for him.

And silly me, I thought the WWE had a Wellness Policy.

 

[Mikechase69]

Because he simply is not ready for any of the more significant belts, yet. There's absolutely no way you can put him in contention for any of the major titles, not yet, that's obvious. The US title is still a step upwards, putting some strap on his shoulder to see how he responds with it and more importantly, how it's received by the fans. You say he is fine where he is, and perhaps that's true, but the US title could be a nice stepping stone to advancing him towards something more. Or deciding its not in the cards for him.

And silly me, I thought the WWE had a Wellness Policy.

Sure but what are the standards of that test? Is it an extensive test or just a basic one? Plus we don't really know what you the WWE can suspend you for so to me that Policy means nothing it was just a PR move. A good PR move but to me taking steroids isn't wrong but abusing them really should be frowned on.

Also I think having Ryback win the US Title would be an obvious Goldberg ripoff to soon people.