WWE Stomping Grounds 2019: Match Card, Preview, and Predictions
By Bryan Heaton
United States Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Ricochet
If you’re looking for a match to steal the show, look no further. Ricochet is at his best not when he trades superhero poses with another flippy dude, but when he works opposite a solid base for his acrobatic maneuvers. All those matches on Raw against Cesaro are all the proof you need of that, since the Swiss Cyborg is arguably the best base in the world.
But Samoa Joe spent years working in Ring of Honor, a promotion known for its fast-paced action, and TNA, where he was a prominent member of the X-Division, which showcased an acrobatic, lucha libre style of wrestling. If anyone can be a base for a high flying superhero, it’s Joe.
The United States Championship has been hotly contested as of late, possibly due to the disappearing act Finn Bálor and the Intercontinental Championship have pulled off. You have to wonder how different this match would look if Rey Mysterio hadn’t suffered an injury that forced him to relinquish the championship.
The One and Only, Ricochet, has emerged as the number one contender since the title returned to Joe. It’s the highest-profile match for the former NXT North American Champion on the main roster to date, so he’ll definitely be bringing his A-game.
Much like Heavy Machinery, though, I think it’s too soon for Ricochet at this point. WWE Stomping Grounds 2019 should be a average-to-above average show, but when all is said and done it’ll likely be forgotten before too long. Why try and establish a new star on a show that no one will remember by the time SummerSlam rolls around?
I’m predicting Joe to walk out with the championship, perhaps due to some interference from Cesaro. I also wouldn’t be surprised if some of the other contenders for the title – The Miz, Lashley, or Braun Strowman – somehow get involved in the outcome, extending the war for the United States Championship.