For the first time ever, WWE is taking a PLE to Germany for this year's Bash in Berlin. Gunther, Drew McIntyre and other European Superstars are sure to get a warm welcome. These international events have been great for WWE because the crowds are always hot, and American fans get a show earlier in the day for a change.
Here is a look at the lineup for Bash in Berlin:
As always, we have our panel of contributors here to offer predictions.
World Heavyweight Championship
Gunther vs. Randy Orton
Is there any scenario where Orton wins the title that you would find satisfying?
Simply put, no. Gunther has been booked to near perfection since making the move to WWE, and his reign of terror over the World Heavyweight Championship has just started. Orton is a great first challenger, but in no way, shape or form should The Viper walk out of Berlin with Gunther's title. Orton is a perfect first challenger for Gunther's title reign. Orton is as much of a made man as there is on the WWE roster and losing here will do him no harm. Gunther also builds cred by picking up a second win over Orton, having controversially defeated him at King and Queen of the Ring. There's no real mystery in the result here, especially in Germany, but the journey to get there should be a good one as Orton has settled into a nice role as the dangerous veteran.
Assuming Gunther retains, do you think he should win clean or with help from Ludwig Kaiser?
Part of what has made the Gunther character so strong is that he does not need help to win matches and retain titles. He does it on his own and does it decisively. After he defeated Priest with help, winning a second match with help would set the wrong tone for the title reign and fly in the face of what worked for so long in the first place. The best way for this match to go so Gunther's reign gets off to a good start is for Orton to be a legitimate top star. He is a 14-time world champion who has done everything to be done. He's beaten legends and contemporaries alike. Giving Gunther a decisive, clean win over The Viper will help further legitimize him.
Undisputed WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens
Do you think we get a Kevin Owens heel turn? Why or why not?
Kevin Owens has been rudderless for months, waiting for another marquee moment that could capitalize on his elite talent. With the SmackDown brand desperate for a villain not involved in the Bloodline storyline, Owens would instantly become a top heel, challenging for the world title through the fall.
Similar to Gunther, WWE won't take the title off Rhodes in a quick feud after spending two years preparing him to be the company's top star. Rhodes vs. Owens should be a great match that reminds people how good Owens is. It'll also add another strong title defense to Rhodes' reign. There is little doubt that Rhodes retains the title. The more interesting question is how well the superstars' friendship endures by night's end.
How would you like to see this match play out?
I want to see Owens fight his urges to revert back to his heelish ways. Have him conform to the devilish beckonings on his left shoulder with teases to his former self. Tease us before hitting Cody with the apron powerbomb, fight foreign object compulsion.
Owens watches the show, and he knows the fans are watching to see what he does, so show us the agonizing torment on your face as you struggle to be the best while doing whatever it takes to win a title. I expect an awesome match between the two with Cody ultimately prevailing.
Women’s Tag Team Championship
Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn vs. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill
Should Belair and Cargill regain the titles or will playing hot potato devalue the belts further?
Fyre and Dawn should retain, if only because history tells us divisions get hotter when there is a heel champion that babyfaces can chase. Belair and Cargill lost the titles without being pinned.
If they lose again in Berlin through further chicanery, it only gives fans a greater reason to get behind them. If they roll through the champions and regain the titles, what does it prove, advance, or improve? The tag division has long needed better stories and booking. This is one way to get there.
Offer a believable scenario where the champion retain the titles.
It's all about outside interference. Blair Davenport joined the Unholy Union recently, and her addition could pay massive dividends with some dastardly dealings in this match. If Blair and Naomi get involved, they'll cause enough confusion for Alba and Isla to steal a victory.
Candidly, I have no idea how this match plays out. Not because the WWE has crafted a complex storyline or presented the teams as competitively even, but because it seems like creative barely cares. The Unholy Union's title win at Clash at the Castle felt like an opportunity to reward the Scottish crowd. Belair and Cargill are far bigger draws but feel invisible without the titles. I anticipate WWE will course correct with new champions.
Mixed Tag Team Match
Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley vs. Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan
Who do you think makes the most sense to win and why?
Both teams can afford to lose here since Priest and Ripley can always bounce back with wins at Bad Blood. Ripley regaining the Women's World Championship from Morgan should be the endgame, so Dom and Liv stealing a win would be an effective way to further the feud and keep Dom from getting his comeuppance just yet.
Who do you think will be pinned and who will pin them? Why should it be them?
While it would be great to see Ripley pin Dom, it is likely WWE will hold to the men and women not being allowed to fight intergender. Therefore, the best option would be for Priest to pin Dirty Dom, keeping The Punishment strong while keeping Ripley and Morgan from a definitive result until a rematch occurs.
Ripley and Priest are the competitive favorites, so to speak. They are a far more imposing duo than weaselly lovebirds Morgan and Mysterio. I suspect The Judgement Day's combine might will be too much for the heroes to overcome. It's the most straightforward way to continue the feud. If WWE opts to give the German crowd an easy pop, LWO might even the numbers game by aiding Priest and Ripley to victory.
Strap Match
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Lay out how you would book this match.
There was an emphasis on the storytelling during their SummerSlam match, which was totally fine, but this match should have much more intensity and a sense of urgency. Strap matches can be hit or miss, but they can maximize the stipulation by brutalizing each other with the strap regardless of the outcome.
With McIntyre winning at SummerSlam, what odds would you give him winning here?
McIntyre should have about +100 odds in betting. Either result is still possible, but typical WWE booking would indicate that Punk will win. Since the expectation is that Punk vs. McIntyre 3 will be in Hell in a Cell, this cannot be a definitive result, but it is hard to imagine Punk losing his third straight match back in WWE.
How do you see this match playing out?
Punk needs this win to tie the feud and push it to a third grudge match. However, it shouldn't be a dominant victory. He needs to claw and scratch his way to that final turnbuckle to claim victory because anything less would devalue the work WWE has done to make McIntyre a top star. McIntyre got the SummerSlam win, which means Punk has to get the win back and even things up. The focus on Punk's friendship bracelet in the SummerSlam match was met with a mixed reaction. A strap match should provide the violence that match was missing. This isn't going to end things between Punk and McIntyre but if we're following standard wrestling logic, Punk gets the win to heat up a third meeting between the two, likely at Survivor Series.
Where to Watch WWE Bash in Berlin
WWE’s Bash in Berlin Kickoff event is happening today (Fri., Aug. 30) live at 10 a.m. ET in Berlin, Germany. At one point WWE called these pre-premium live event pep rallys “press conferences”, but because they weren’t — and because they now hold those after PLEs as part of the Post Show) — they’re now Kickoffs. In the “New Era” at WWE, the pre-show program that used to be a Kickoff is now a Countdown. That will be along as usual tomorrow before the big show, as usual. We’ll all get used to it someday.
The company’s Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque usually hosts these with Michael Cole, but today the Voice of WWE is handling those duties solo. He’ll be joined by the stars of two of the most anticipated matches on the Bash in Berlin card: WWE World Heavyweight champion Gunther, his challenger Randy Orton, and mortal enemies CM Punk & Drew McIntyre.for the event.
Here’s a refresher on the entire Bash in Berlin card, which will stream at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow (Aug. 31) on Peacock:
• Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE championship
• Gunther (c) vs. Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight title
• Terror Twins (Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley) vs. Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan) in a Mixed Tag Match
• CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre in a Strap Match
• The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn) (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Tag Team championship
We’ll see what Gunter, Orton, Punk and McIntyre say or do when the stream goes live. So click play, hang out, and talk about the Kickoff with your fellow Cagesiders in the comments below!
