The KJR's 14 WWE Predictions for 2014

In lieu of a KJR for this week (which I warned you probably wouldn't happen), I've been working on a little something different. I'm looking forward to the future. The upcoming new year to be precise. I intend on continuing the KJR throughout the entire year and I have some predictions - some that I LOVE and some that I HATE, naturally. But still, I expect these things to happen regardless of my feelings on the matter. Here are 14 of my bold predictions for the upcoming year for WWE 2014.


1) AJ Lee will hold the Divas Title until Wrestlemania 30 ...where she will lose it to a diva not currently on the WWE roster. AJ Lee is without question the best diva on the current WWE roster. I know that. You know that. WWE knows that. And AJ Lee knows that. She's even developed somewhat of an ego about it.

Don't do that. You know you heard me.

But she's right to know it and to flaunt it. She came from relative obscurity to being the best in the divas division in a long time. She has no equals and no competition. Sure, Natalya is a pretty good wrestling diva, but WWE has no faith in her. Naomi is an up-and-comer, but she still has a ways to go. Until WWE decides to pull the trigger on some newer talent, AJ will continue to run roughshod over the current divas division. Fast forward to Wrestlemania. AJ is going to need an opponent. And I think by now WWE knows not to make that opponent be a Bella Twin. Or anyone from Total Divas. If they want an opponent who can legitimately defeat AJ Lee, they are going to have to reach outside the box. It could be in the form of a former divas champion or a newbie. Personally, I'd LOVE it if the anti-diva from NXT, Paige, made her debut and faced AJ Lee at Wrestlemania. Paige will debut at some point during 2014. She's too good not to. But I can't say for certain that it'll be before Wrestlemania. I actually think that it will be a former Divas Champion who returns and faces AJ. My money is on either Mickie James or Michelle McCool. Outside shot on Kharma, too.

2) Daniel Bryan will hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ...for more than twenty-four hours. Randy Orton never legitimately defeated Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship. Those aren't my words. Those are WWE's words. Actually they're John Cena's words, but he's part of WWE. They are at least admitting that Daniel Bryan never got a fair shot. That in no way means that WWE will rectify that problem, but they do recognize that the problem exists. Furthermore, they admit that Daniel Bryan exists. He's a problem that will not go away.

Like herpes. I'm not insinuating anything...

They can't bury him or ignore him because the fans are screaming for him in every match, every segment, every promo - whether he's part of it or not. They opened Pandora's Box. The fans will not rest until they see Daniel Bryan on top where he belongs. And the best part about that is it's not just us smark IWC fans, it's the marks too. It's the kiddies. WWE cannot ignore the kiddies. If this does happen, it probably won't be until after Wrestlemania. In the meantime, it'll be up to all of us to keep chanting 'Yes!' and screaming for Daniel Bryan. I fear that if he loses any momentum, his stock will fall. Daniel Bryan will only be as relevant as we make him.

3) CM Punk will turn heel ...again. Aside from Big Show, nobody in WWE turns from heel-to-face and vice-versa more than CM Punk. This isn't exactly a bold prediction. It's also not a bold statement to say that babyface Punk is stale. Punk, like most superstars, is at his best when he's a heel. The only difference is that Punk as a heel is better than anyone else not named Chris Jericho, Ric Flair or Roddy Piper as a heel. As a babyface, he's just vanilla. But it's not his fault. That's just how WWE makes their babyfaces. They have to be a stick in the mud. They cannot have an edge. While some people may be okay with earning a paycheck for doing nothing, Punk cares. Punk wants to be at his best. He lives to entertain the fans. And he knows that his character right now is bland. Just like Randy Orton did last year, CM Punk will actively campaign to become a heel again. And once Sheamus returns, and the pushes for Big E Langston and Roman Reigns get going, I think he'll get his wish.

4) DX will go into the WWE Hall of Fame as a stable ...the closest Sean Waltman will ever sniff to a HOF. WWE LOVES milestones. Wrestlemania 30 is a milestone. The next big milestone won't come for 10 years, so WWE can't afford to waste this one. The nominations for the WWE Hall of Fame will start rolling in as the 'Road to Wrestlemania' starts and this one is a foregone conclusion. There is no stable more iconic to WWE's brand than that of D-Generation X. I don't think I've ever met any wrestling fan not familiar with DX. I don't think I've met a wrestling fan who didn't like DX. Hell, even non-wrestling fans know D-Generation X. That's how popular they are. You don't even have to ask if I LIKE them or not, just look at my moniker. The 4 Horsemen's induction set the precedent for stables to be entered together and not as individuals. WWE would be stupid not to jump at this opportunity. Especially since they happen to have all the members of DX under contract - if you don't include Chyna, which I don't.

Kill it! Kill it with fire!!!

5) Adrian Neville will join the main WWE roster ...and so will a lot of other NXT breakout stars. I don't watch NXT all that often. But when I do, I am usually pleasantly surprised at how talented the guys and girls there are. A lot of that has to do with the fact that they have to try harder to stand out so that they can make it to the main roster. WWE isn't hesitant to cut talent from there if they aren't at their best. Then the talent goes to WWE and become a shell of their NXT selves. Take Bray Wyatt for instance. He's playing pretty much the same character in WWE as he did in NXT, but he was far more over-the-top in NXT. The current WWE Bray Wyatt, while still heads-and-tails above most WWE heels, is timid in comparison to his persona in NXT. More than just pushing the BIG men, I think WWE is actively looking to bring a lot of their new talent from NXT to the main roster. Not only does it allow them to clear some of the dead weight on the main roster, but it gives anyone looking to join the new performance center some ambition and motivation. There are a lot of NXT stars that I think are WWE-ready. Guys like Sami Zayn, Bo Dallas, Corey Graves and Konnor O'Brian. And the girls like Paige, Bayley and Emma. But the superstar I'm most looking forward to joining the WWE roster is Adrian Neville, formerly known as Pac. Neville, while a victim to the WWE random name generator, has so much talent that he's impossible to ignore. It doesn't matter what name he's stuck with, because most of the time you'll just be looking at him in awe. I fear that due to his dimiuitive size, he may get buried akin to Evan Bourne, but his irresistable talent should win out in the end.

6) Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 ... enough said. WWE isn't allowing their contract with Brock Lesnar to go to waste. Triple H. John Cena. CM Punk. He's faced three of their top superstars whilst under this contract and there's still more to go. Around this time every year, everyone starts to wonder about who will face lose to Undertaker at Wrestlemania. The last five years haven't disappointed.

The early years? Not so much.

Going into a milestone Wrestlemania like this one, WWE is going to want to keep that streak going. The best possible option they have is Brock Lesnar. Undertaker already has a rivalry with Paul Heyman going after he was aligned with CM Punk last year. It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine Heyman bringing Lesnar along to attempt to finish what Punk couldn't. And we wouldn't have to worry about whether or not the match will be any good. With both Brock and Undertaker on part-time contracts, they should be both be in fighting shape come the big day. Brock always gives his all in his matches and Undertaker always brings it at Wrestlemania. This should just be a foregone conclusion.

7) Roman Reigns will win MITB ...or maybe Big E Langston. It's no secret that WWE is back on their BIG man fixation, which I usually abhor. But I'm not HATING it this time around. Mostly because they chose some good BIG men to push. Roman Reigns, the heavy of The Shield, isn't the best in-ring wrestler but he's got a big presence and hits some power moves. Plus, he's got some legendary DNA running through his blood and that hair... that gorgeous flowing hair.  

Lookout, Troy Polamalu. He's coming for your endorsements.

I have to admit that were I in Vince's shoes, I'd be pushing him too. Not at the behest of The Shield's more talented members, Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins, mind you. In my opinion, they are the ones who deserve a singles push after the success known as The Shield comes to a disappointingly inevitable end. But like I said, I'd push Roman Reigns too. Big E Langston is the other recipient of the current BIG man push. Langston isn't bad at all. He's BIG, he's athletic, he's agile, he's young, he's black, he's committed. All pluses. They both have room to grow, but I can understand why WWE would want to put their eggs in their respective baskets. The other two BIG men receiving pushes are Luke Harper & Erick Rowan, but neither of them are ready to be pushed as a singles superstar. When Money in the Bank rolls around, perhaps Langston and/or Reigns will be ready to take the step into the main event. If they are, WWE will not hesitate to allow them to win the coveted briefcase. The great thing about MITB is that if WWE changes their mind and regrets their decision, they can always rectify the situation. Just ask Damien Sandow.

8) Ryback will win a title ...any title. This is more of a glaring problem than a bold prediction. I cannot believe that Ryback has not won one championship in WWE yet. And I don't mean the WWE or World Championships, I mean any championship title. Not even when he was a dominant babyface. Turning him heel was a HUGE mistake, especially since he was just spoon-fed to John Cena soon afterwards.  

"Are we cooking up more heels for me to devour?"

The only good thing to come from his heel turn was the fact that he gained a personality, even if it is the worst persona in the entire company - a sometimes self-professed bully, who is adamant about not being or liking bullies. With Vince's BIG man fetish being back, I have to imagine this problem will be rectified sooner than later. I actually LIKE the team of Ryback & Curtis Axel, if nothing more than to give each of them some legitimacy. The tag team division is not lacking in depth or talent, so it could be easy for them to get lost in the shuffle. Thankfully as Wrestlemania approaches, the Tag Team Titles will most likely be leaving the waists of the current titleholders, and with the team of Rybaxel being heels, they have to be considered to be a viable option to gain them. If not, then I don't forsee either of them lasting long in this company.

9) Cody Rhodes vs Goldust will finally happen at Wrestlemania ...with Dusty Rhodes as Special Guest Referee. As alluded to above, Cody Rhodes & Goldust's time as Tag Team Champions is coming to a close for the best of possible reasons - so that their long-rumored match at Wrestlemania will finally come true. WWE teased us with the match last year after having Rhodes eliminate his brother from the Royal Rumble. It could have been a great setup, but it was all for naught. I was upset last year that it didn't happen, but I'm glad that it didn't. Because if it did, the awesome storyline that we got over the summer involving Cody, Goldust and Dusty Rhodes might not have happened. Cody & Goldust might not be Tag Champs. And Goldust wouldn't be having the career resurgence that he's having right now. The water is just right for them to disband and have their match at the milestone of Wrestlemania 30. The only question is... who's going to be the heel? Cody Rhodes is amazing as a heel, so my obvious choice would be him. However, I don't know if he could regain the momentum that he has now if he went back to being a heel. He's only been babyface since Money in the Bank. It took a long time for any fan outside of the IWC to recognize how valuable he is. It'd be a shame to see that all go to waste. On the other hand, due the absolutely astonishing ability that Goldust is displaying right now, it's be a shame to see him lose his status as well. The most important factor is that Cody Rhodes still has the majority of his career in front of him, so he'd have time to repair whatever the heel turn would cost him. And of course, you can't have this match happen without the patriarch of family making an appearance. 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes would have to be involved in some form or fashion. Perhaps as special guest referee. Perhaps as the main instigator.

Perhaps as the 'huckleberry' all night long. Whatever that is...

10) CM Punk wins the Royal Rumble ...and goes on to main-event Wrestlemania 30. Considering that Cena vs Orton, the rematch, will be the main event of the Royal Rumble PPV, it leaves the winner of the Royal Rumble wide open. It can't possibly be John Cena, right? I mean, he won it last year and he's probably going to lose the WWE Championship match. They can't possibly expect us to buy Wrestlemania when it features the same main-event as two PPVs from only months earlier, right? I ask hoping that you and everyone in WWE agrees in the affirmative. You have to imagine that Randy Orton will hold on to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship until Wrestlemania 30, too. That means The Authority will most likely remain in power until Wrestlemania 30. The man who is becoming a thorn in The Authority's side is none other than the rebel CM Punk. And I say 'the rebel' for a reason. Because that's the only time during Punk's babyface run that he's been anything other than a run-of-the-mill good guy. Being a rebel allows him to be as outspoken and unpredictable as he would be as a heel, but still keep the audience cheering for him. It worked wonders for Steve Austin. Assuming Orton is still booked to be WWE World Champion and the Authority is still in power come Wrestlemania 30, then CM Punk is the best choice for #1 Contender. The only other option is Daniel Bryan... but I suspect he'll have his hands full come Wrestlemania with a certain heartbreak kid.

11) Total Divas will be canceled after Season 2... lasting two seasons longer than it ever should have. In network television, it's called the sophomore slump. People tune in when a show is brand new because they like the novelty. They want to get used to the characters and the stories and the universe that the show is displaying. But after that initial introduction, people get bored easily. They either want something new or yearn for 'how much better the show was in the first season.' That's right. Obnoxious smarks exists in the world of television too. I'll be honest, I wanted Total Divas to fail from the beginning. Turning the Divas division into a reality TV show will only attract more 'actresses' and less 'wrestlers' to WWE's already pitiful female ranks. But I gave it a chance. I honestly did. I watched the first three episodes and stopped. There was an episode with Fandango and Eva Marie where I realized that it's all just scripted.  

If this wasn't scripted, Fandango would totally have an erection.

I understand that all reality television is scripted to some degree. Where directors will advised the stars to have certain conversations while the cameras are rolling or introduce false drama into a tense situation, but this is different. It was all scripted. The entire show. It's no different than just watching a backstage vignette involving the divas. That's why I stopped watching. It may not be the reason others stop watching, but they will. The average reality TV show only lasts for one season, so Total Divas has already surpassed its half-life. It won't make it too much further.

12) Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins ...with Rollins as the babyface. It's no secret that WWE wants to push Roman Reigns into the main-event due to his size. I don't have a problem with that, but it does leave a question as to what will happen to Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. Will they continue on as a tag tandem or will they all go their seperate ways? I think the answer is simple. Once Reigns moves on, one of the remaining ex-Shield members will have to turn babyface to remain relevant. That'll most likely be the most exciting of the three, Seth Rollins. Once the WWE fans see what the erstwhile Tyler Black can do, they'll LOVE him as much as I do. It takes a little smark to LOVE Dean Ambrose. Even as Jon Moxley, he wasn't the most exciting to watch in the ring - very talented but not very exciting - but man could he cut a promo. He oozes heel appeal and part of the reason The Shield worked so well was because Ambrose was the perfect choice as the front man. At some point in the near future singles babyface superstar Seth Rollins and singles heel superstar Dean Ambrose will feud. And when they do, it'll be awesome.  

13) Brad Maddox will become an in-ring performer ...and be surprisingly good. Cards on the table, I've never seen Brad Maddox wrestle. Ever. I don't know if he's any good. But Maddox was pushed by none other than Triple H. I assume Triple H has seen Maddox wrestle. And while Triple H may not book many good matches, he at least knows what a good wrestler should be. Triple H was the driving force behind Kharma and Sin Cara. Most people see those as failed experiments, but I do not. Kharma would have run roughshod over the divas division had she stayed, but her pregnancy cut her time short. And for as much criticism as the Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde version of Sin Cara took, he's an amazing wrestler when he's in his element. Triple H knows talent when he sees it and he saw it in Brad Maddox.  

Or maybe he saw those badass armbands. Those are boss.

I trust Triple H's ability to culture and obtain talent for WWE. I don't trust his ability to make that talent work, but that's not solely on him. Brad Maddox will have to prove his worth as an in-ring competititor and I think he'll be able to do it.

14) WWE Network will finally debut ...and will be moderately successful. I've been calling on the WWE Network to be a failure since it was first announced. Not because I have anything against WWE having their own network, but because in the age of technology that we live in today, nobody watches live television. It's all DVRs and Netflix and illegal downloading.

You heard nothing.

Trust me, I work for one the leading providers of media in America. In my short time there, after handling hundreds of accounts, I've only come in contact with anything involving WWE once. Once. And that was only because of the WWE Battleground blackout, where customers wanted a refund, which they were granted. The WWE Network as a televised, paid-subscription service will not work. HBO & Showtime just barely work with that method. They had to come around to the times and create HBOGO and ShowtimeAnytime so that people can view their programming when they want to. If WWE follows this method and makes their network akin to Netflix, where you can buy a subscription for a year or so and watch their programming when you want to, then it'll succeed. It won't do so in any other method.