Predictions for tonight’s WWE pay-per-view, which I will be attending at Verizon Center:

WWE champion Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels/Jeff Hardy/Mr. Kennedy: I would expect Michaels to win the online voting – and he clearly is WWE’s preference, based on how Raw has been booked – but Hardy does have a loyal fan base, so you never know. Either way, Orton will retain the title. I wouldn’t be surprised if Michaels gets the vote and a Hardy-Kennedy match is added to the show.

World heavyweight champion Batista vs. The Undertaker: Fans will choose whether the guest referee is Steve Austin, Mick Foley or JBL. It would be a stunner – no pun intended – if Austin doesn’t get the nod. Perhaps Santino Marella will get his stunner from Austin tonight, as well. As for the finish, I really don’t have a strong feeling. There is the possibility of a Batista heel turn, but WWE hasn’t dropped any strong hints of that happening, and this doesn’t seem like the right time for it. It would make Smackdown awfully thin on the babyface side. Somehow, Batista retains the title.

Triple H vs. Umaga: Fans will choose whether it’s a cage match, first blood match or street fight. I’m going with Triple H no matter the stipulation, but I’m thinking cage match.

ECW champion C.M. Punk vs. Big Daddy V/The Miz/John Morrison: It’s extremely doubtful that The Miz would win the voting, so it’s between BDV and Morrison. BDV has been booked the strongest, so maybe it will translate into votes. Assuming that is the case, I could see BDV dominating the match, but Punk escaping with the win after the big man slips on a banana peel.

Matt Hardy vs. MVP: Fans choose whether it’s a boxing match, wrestling match or MMA match. I’m hoping the fans don’t vote for anything other than a wrestling match, because that has the potential to be very good, while the other two would likely be very bad. The fans will come through, and so will Hardy, setting up another U.S. title shot for him against his tag-team partner.

Finlay vs. Rey Mysterio: Fans choose whether it’s a no-disqualification match, shillelagh-on-a-pole match or stretcher match: Since the shillelagh usually comes into play in Finlay’s matches, I think we’ll get the pole match. Mysterio probably should win, but if I’m right on the other matches, then only one heel (Orton) on the card has gone over. For that reason alone, I’ll go with Finlay.