This Saturday, WWE will host a Premium Live event in Germany for the first time in the promotion’s history. Bash in Berlin will take place from the Uber Arena and stream live on Peacock.
It’s a relatively light card, but it’s to be expected as the first PPV event after an event like SummerSlam earlier this month. Only five matches are expected to take place, but each has a unique storyline worth following.
World heavyweight champion Gunther will attempt to defend his title for the first time when he faces Randy Orton, who is seeking his 16th major championship. Gunther, who was born and raised in neighboring Austria before working in Germany’s independent wrestling scene, might be greeted as a hero despite his heel work.
Meanwhile, undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to face his friend Kevin Owens as the tension between the two continues to escalate as match time gets closer.
Plus, CM Punk and Drew McIntyre continue their year-long feud when the two meet in a strap match that’s sure to turn up the violence.
Let’s take a look at who the CBS Sports experts are picking to win in each match on Saturday’s card.
WWE Bash Berlin 2024 Predictions
World Heavyweight Championship – Gunther (c) vs. Randy Orton: Orton is a perfect first challenger to Gunther’s reign. Orton is as much of a made man as there is on the WWE roster and losing here won’t do him any harm. Gunther also boosts his credibility by scoring a second victory over Orton, after controversially defeating him at King and Queen of the Ring. There’s no real mystery to the outcome here, especially in Germany, but the journey to get there should be a good one as Orton has settled into a nice dangerous veteran role. Choice: Gunther retains the title – Brent Brookhouse (also Shakiel Mahjouri)
Undisputed WWE Championship – Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens: Similar to Gunther, WWE will not strip the title from Rhodes in a quick feud after spending two years grooming him to become the company’s top star. Rhodes vs. Owens should be a great match that reminds people how good Owens is. This will also add another strong title defense to Rhodes’ reign. There is no doubt that Rhodes retains the title. The more interesting question is to what extent the superstars’ friendship lasts until the end of the night. Pick: Cody Rhodes retains the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (strap match): McIntyre was victorious at SummerSlam, which means Punk needs to get the win back and even things up. The focus on Punk’s friendship bracelet during the SummerSlam match was met with mixed reactions. A strap match should provide the violence the match was lacking. This isn’t going to end things between Punk and McIntyre, but if we follow standard wrestling logic, Punk gets the win to heat up a third meeting between the two, likely at Survivor Series. Pick: CM Punk wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)
Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley vs. Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan: If there’s one match that’s hardest to predict on the card, it’s this one. The heels’ victory makes sense if you want to continue building Priest and Ripley’s frustration and the rest of Judgment Day interference provides plenty of easy paths to get there. Still, it feels like Priest and Ripley benefit from a win here and it’s getting closer to Ripley getting her hands on Morgan in another title match. If that’s the end goal, Priest and Ripley should be victorious. Pick: Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley win –Brookhouse
Ripley and Priest are the competition favorites, so to speak. They are a much more imposing duo than the weasel lovebirds Morgan and Mysterio. I suspect the combination of The Judgment Day might be too much for the heroes to overcome. This is the easiest way to continue the feud. If WWE chooses to give the German audience an easy boost, LWO could even gain in numbers by helping Priest and Ripley to victory. Pick: Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan win — Mahjouri
Women’s Tag Team Championship – Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn (c) vs. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill: I honestly have no idea how this match is going. Not because WWE has crafted a complex storyline or presented the teams as competitive, but because it seems like creative barely cares. Unholy Union’s title victory at Clash at the Castle was an opportunity to reward the Scottish crowd. Belair and Cargill are much bigger draws but feel invisible without the titles. I predict WWE will correct this with new champions. Pick: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill win the titles — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
