Fantasy Booking: Night of Champions

WWE Night of Champions is just around the corner. The card is set, at least for now. Remember, the card is subject to change. Here's how I would book the event and the fallout from it.

Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho 
The match: This one is simple. Randy Orton wins. Jericho winning this match accomplishes nothing. Orton winning keeps him riding high after falling a bit down the card. I have this match opening the show for a reason. 
The future of the angle: There is no future to this angle. Jericho returns to his rock star life and Orton moves on to his next feud. 

Rusev vs Mark Henry 
The match: There is a rumor that WWE will use this match as an opportunity to have Hulk Hogan come in and “assist” Mark Henry to a win. It would work, and it would maintain Rusev as a monster heel. The biggest knock on Rusev is that he requires a mouthpiece to get him over. Here’s how I would book this: Rusev dominates Henry at first, allowing for the big babyface comeback. As Henry makes his comeback, Lana again interferes. Big Show comes out to back up his partner. They eventually scatter, leaving Rusev kneeling in the ring. Lana grabs a mic and says the feud is not over. 
The future of the angle: If played properly, the feud can last until Survivor Series, with these guys leading teams into the traditional-type 4 vs 4 Survivor Series match. Rusev can claim he’s bringing in people committed to changing our way of life or something to that effect. His team would be Rusev, the Ascension, and Bo Dallas. Mark Henry would lead himself, Big Show, Adrian Neville, and Jack Swagger. The match would end with Rusev standing tall over Henry, but then Kurt Angle’s music hits and he returns to WWE. He hits an Angle Slam on Rusev and receives cheers from the crowd. 

Sheamus vs Cesaro – US Championship 

The match: If ever a match featured two incredibly stale characters, this is it. And there’s one thing that can solve it. A Double Turn. Sheamus needs to be a heel. Plain and simple. Cesaro has a move set that is suited to a babyface. They should pull the double switch in this match…of course it may take until the next night to cement the change. Sheamus retains the title. 
The future of the angle: On Raw, Sheamus is seen in the backstage area talking to Triple H. They shake hands and walk off. Later, during a segment when Triple H is on screen, he’s surrounded by the Authority and Sheamus is with them, preferably in a suit. Cesaro squashes a couple of low-level heels (though not Bray Wyatt) before once again challenging Sheamus for the US Title at Hell in a Cell. 

Dolph Ziggler (w/ R-Truth) vs The Miz (w/Damien Sandow) – IC Championship 
The match: Ziggler and Miz can put on some pretty good matches. I would have both guys come out with their recent partners in order to even the sides. Ziggler wins a hard fought back and forth match. Right as the referee counts three, instead of Ziggler’s music we hear Bray Wyatt’s music. Wyatt comes out on stage and R-Truth gives Ziggler a look, seeing as Truth has been demolished by Wyatt before. Wyatt delivers a promo telling Ziggler that his days of showing off are over, and that, concerning the Intercontinental Title, he’s coming for it. 
The future of the angle: For the next few weeks, Ziggler and Wyatt trade promos. At Hell in a Cell, Wyatt defeats Ziggler for the IC Title. The two continue to feud over the belt until TLC in December, when Wyatt wins a Tables match to retain the title. Ziggler goes off to the Royal Rumble and Wyatt enters a feud with Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Title. 

The Usos vs The Dust Bros. – Tag Team Championship 

The match: The Usos and Dust Bros tangle in a hard-fought match that may very well steal the show, which does give me pause on the ending that I would book, but follow me on this. The teams trade several near falls. Goldust and Jey Uso are laid out at ringside. Jimmy Uso and Stardust perform a simultaneous crossbody block and knock each other out. At the moment, Xavier Woods music hits and he, Big E Langston, and Kofi Kingston walk to the ring. They proceed to demolish both teams, with Langston hitting the Big Ending on one Uso and one of the Dust Bros. Xavier Woods grabs a mic and says that his team is tired of being held back and trying to make it in the world by dancing and smiling and shaking hands. It is time for them to “take” what should rightfully be theirs. The trio leaves with the Tag Team Championship belts. 
The future of the angle: Knowing WWE Creative, they would screw this up within the first week. But the actions of the Woods Faction would set them apart as true tweeners, willing to take on anyone. We’d have a three-way feud for the tag team titles, eventually allowing the Woods Faction to legitimize their claim. New feuds would then abound. 

Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns 
The match: Reigns and Rollins put on a match that could steal the show. It’s a battle. No, Reigns does not dominate this match. That would hurt Rollins. Instead, they battle back and forth until finally Reigns gains the advantage. As he goes for the pin, Randy Orton runs in and hits him with the MITB briefcase. As Reigns struggles to get up, Rollins hits him with a Curb Stomp. Reigns is still fighting, though. As he tries once more to get up, Orton lines him up for the Punt Kick. Before Orton can land it, though, Dean Ambrose storms in and takes him out. Ambrose then turns to Rollins and the two brawl their way out of the arena. 
The future of the angle: On Raw the next night, Ambrose opens the show with a promo targeted at Rollins. Triple H comes out and tells Ambrose he’ll have to wait for Rollins, as his next opponent is Randy Orton. Rollins storms out and begins to claim he could take Ambrose out whenever, causing Roman Reigns to come in and shout him down. Triple H, channeling the spirit of Teddy Long, changes his mind and sets up Rollins and Orton vs. Ambrose and Reigns as the night’s main event. The feuding continues until the October PPV, Hell in a Cell, in which Ambrose and Rollins have the only Cell match of the night. 

Paige vs AJ Lee vs Nikki Bella – Divas Championship 
The match: No, I would not have Nikki Bella win this match, no matter how much WWE wants to push Total Divas. I would have Brie take her out just as it appears she was going to win. Paige locks in the Black Widow on AJ, but AJ finds a way out of her own submission move. AJ hits Paige with the RamPaige. Paige kicks out. Paige hits AJ with the Paige Turner and wins the match. 
The future of the angle: The next night on Raw, as Paige celebrates, AJ confronts her, demanding one more match. Paige agrees. Are AJ and Paige good enough to carry a cage match at the next PPV? Hmmm… 

Brock Lesnar vs John Cena – WWE World Heavyweight Championship 

The match: There is only one reasonable outcome to this match: Brock Lesnar wins. The story to be told is how Lesnar will win. Here’s what I would do: The match is just as brutal as the SumerSlam bout. Instead of a pinfall victory, though, Lesnar makes Cena tap out. 
The future of the angle: Monday night on Raw, Cena has to explain to the Cenation why he “gave up.” After all, he spent weeks telling Paul Heyman that he would never give up. Heyman comes out and mocks him. This begins a bit of a tailspin for Cena and we begin to see darker elements to his character. It’s not a true heel turn, but it gives him more depth than the current happy-go-lucky, smiling, buy-my-merchandise Cena.