Red Mask

JerseyMania

2012-02-15T20:46:00.003-05:00

Save the date for April 7, 2013. That's the day WrestleMania will come to the Garden State.

That's right. We're getting WrestleMania 29.

Where? Does it really matter? Okay, okay, the event will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

I'm already working my connections for box seats. Where will you be April 7 next year?

Don't believe me? Chris Christie is scheduled to make the announcement tomorrow, reportedly along with The Rock. John Cena will apparently be there, too, as he tweeted Wednesday night: "Looks like my buddy Dwayne is headed to Metlife Stadium tomorrow for WrestleMania 29...I got nothing to do..see u there amigo." But in the meantime, WWE already has a Facebook page for the event.

Odds not good for Sorensen

2012-02-12T20:51:00.002-05:00

Jesse Sorensen was injured in the opening match of tonight's PPV. He is currently being transported to the hospital. I will keep you updated -- TNADixie (@TNADixie)

Sorensen had two bad hits, one from dive on Zema Ion outside the ring, then on the receiving end of a moonsault. It appeared his shoulder was injured on the first one, while Ion's knees hit his head on the second, knocking him out.

Match ended as the result of a count out with Ion winning.

Mock Royal Rumble Results

2012-01-29T12:15:00.004-05:00

While some may perform mock Royal Rumbles using the latest WWE video game, we at The Trentonian took a different approach.

See, we have access to a small child who has a collection of WWE Rumblers, as well as the Rumbler ring, perfect for testing Rumble results.

The ring has paddles the child presses to make the ring floor move, eventually causing Rumblers (and various surprise guests) to go over the top rope.

The child chose 15 competitors (you really can't fit more than that in the ring) and placed them all in the ring for the event. Then, the bell rang.

Almost immediately, Triple H was thrown out. Soon, Alberto Del Rio and Luke Skywalker followed.

Surprisingly, John Cena was then no longer seen in the ring. Shawn Michaels couldn't save himself from exiting the ring with Jango Fett. Then, Sin Cara (actually the blue Rey Mysterio which the child calls Sin Cara) was tossed out.

The Rock wasn't cooking, because he was thrown out next. Then, with a big gasp from the child, Sheamus went over the top rope. Possibly the biggest heel ever in Rumble history, The Joker, was out next.

The final five stared each other down, then started rumbling again. Quickly, R. Truth, John Morrison and Rey Mysterio were eliminated.

C.M. Punk put up a hard fight, but eventually he was over powered by the Wookie World Order.

That's right. Chewbacca won our mock Royal Rumble. I never said this thing was scientific.

"Do you really think Chewbacca will win the Royal Rumble?" the small child asked wide-eyed.

We'll see, little kid. We'll see.

Want to join our Royal Rumble chat tonight? Click here!

2012 Royal Rumble Predictions

2012-01-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

The Royal Rumble match is where anything can happen because it's where wrestlers return from injuries, old-timers make special appearances and 30 men (and sometimes a woman) mix it up.

It's no wonder the Pay-Per-View with the same name is the second biggest event for the WWE.

So, what do I think will happen and who has a chance of winning?

First, especially since WWE keeps emphasizing that ANYONE can participate, I believe either the WWE or World Heavyweight Champion will enter the Rumble. Yes, you heard me correctly. One of those champions will get the itch be an undisputed champion. And, you know what? I actually think he'll have a chance of winning.

Here's why: We already have a main event for WrestleMania in the Rock v. John Cena. If Taker does make the return everyone seems to be thinking he will make to face Triple H once again, there's another main event. (Personally, I think the WWE should have Taker make a surprise return at WrestleMania and screw someone. The streak doesn't have to be in consecutive years to stay alive.) Do we really need two more main events with the championship matches? No. That's why it makes sense to have a Champion v. Champion match at WrestleMania this year.

But, if that doesn't happen, and CM Punk still ends up getting screwed out of the title, he will win the Rumble.

Now, let's say Punk retains the title, and the first scenario doesn't work out. Christian will be making his return from injury, and, in Edge fashion, will win the Rumble. Oh, and see him facing Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.

Of course, there are a few other guys have shots like Randy Orton, Kane (and if it is him, Taker will be screwing him in my personal WrestleMania thought) or even Zack Ryder if he is "medically cleared."

Brodus Clay will be our mid-Rumble entertainment, entering at about 15. Kofi Kingston will be the workhorse and probably stay in the longest. I see Mick Foley, unfortunately, getting humiliated.

I see the Miz somehow staying in the match for a pretty long period of time. You know he'll "get got" by R-Truth, though, when he enters sometime in the 20s.

One person we will not see is Evan Bourne, who was issued his second suspension last week for violating the Wellness Policy.

If you would like to ridicule me for my picks that do not come true, or just want to chat during the Royal Rumble, join The Trentonian's chat during the event Sunday night. Watch for a blog post here on Sunday with the link to the chat room. I'll also post the link on my Facebook page and on the Trentonian's Twitter feed.

The curious case of Brodus Clay, part 2

2012-01-16T18:16:00.001-05:00

After getting a week to fully digest Brodus Clay's return, I've come to two conclusions.

Let me explain. Back in, oh, November, when WWE started hyping his return to the main stage, he was advertised as big scary dude, as he was last time we saw him. I think perhaps if they didn't show us these promos, I would have liked Clay's new character. It's a character type that's worked in the past and is missing today.

Obviously, his return was delayed because someone decided they didn't need another big scary dude with Kane returning. The writers and Clay had to come up with a new character, or Clay would just have to hang in the background, aka Superstars.

So, we get the "Funkasaurus." That's the first thought.

Second thought is, what if his gimmick is to just shock us with a totally different persona each week? Maybe he will be big and scary and will crush Perez Hilton tonight. Maybe Clay's character will be scary because you'll never know which personality you're facing each night.

If that's it, I'll be impressed, and I'm sure we will all be waiting to see Clay each week. This second thought also gives him the ability to be a main eventer someday with, "control" over his personalities.

If it is just the first idea, I do like it-- we need more fun mixed in.

Hardy a chance

2012-01-08T18:42:00.001-05:00

Tonight, Jeff Hardy will get a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

A shot.

In other words, he won't have trouble getting through airport security due to a new accessory.

Why? Even though Hardy is incredibly talented, it's going to take him much longer than it's been sober (at we hope he is sober) and well-behaved to earn back the trust of the company. Think about it, would you want him, with his track record even in just the past year, to be the face of your company?

If Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan do, their middle names might as well be "Nero."

Where's Jericho?

2012-01-02T12:53:00.006-05:00

That's the game playing on Twitter right now. He's been "spotted" in Gettysburg and even on the ice at the Winter Classic. But, the real question is, is he really in Memphis, which the photo (at right) which started all this commotion claims?

Raw, of course, is in Memphis tonight.

There is also a photo of Undertaker with wife Michelle McCool at the airport circulating, but that one appears to be a fake (okay, well, an old photo--not from today or this weekend). Is the Chris Jericho one a fake, too? Jericho, who is promoting the various Jericho sightings around the world, tweeted, "Apparently I've been cloned..."

(follow Jericho on Twitter @IamJericho)

1/2/12

2011-12-31T19:27:00.004-05:00

IamJericho: So obvious the 1/2-02 mystery man is Brock Lesnar. That fight was a joke #ufcisfixed @speewee #memphis (12:25 a.m. Dec. 31, 2011)

Another year and another date WWE is mesmerizing us with. Last time, WWE was in negotiations with Sting, failed to sign him, and then made their promos into ones for the Undertaker.

This time, everyone believes it is Chris Jericho.

One major piece of evidence is the composition book had the name "Chris" on it.

Of course, Jericho is denying it's him. Why would he spoil the surprise even if it is him?

Which brings us to the UFC fight last night. It was to be Brock Lesnar's return, but he fell, hard, losing by TKO in the first round. Could it be? Could it be it was actually the start of his return to the WWE?

(Reality Check: Lesnar's style is much better suited for MMA. Also, Jim Ross has mentioned Lesnar does not like all the travel involved with being a full-time WWE Superstar. Jericho, however...)

Jericho, of all people, helped pass the idea along that those 1/2/12 promos were actually referring to Lesnar. "Wrestlemania" was even trending on Twitter last night due to speculation.

Then, late this afternoon, our master of wit, CM Punk, tweets in response to a fan's question about it all:

CMPunk: @marshmcdowall: @CMPunk who would you like to be the january 2nd mystery man to be” Why does it gave to be a man?

Slammy Awards

2011-12-12T17:40:00.001-05:00

Tonight is the three-hour WWE Slammy Awards, the annual award show that celebrates the stand-out talents and events of the year.

Sometimes the winners are obvious, other times they appear to serve a greater purpose. Here's my personal winners in some categories the WWE has, others, well, I made up...

Diva of the Year: Michelle McCool. It's the Peyton Manning effect-- ever since she left, the Divas division has been hurting. Sure, Beth and Natalya are trying, but everything around them just seems to be dead of spirit.

OMG Moment: Kharma announcing she was pregnant. After watching wrestling as long as I have and simply picking up rumors here and there, it's easy to predict the scenarios the writers will present to us. Unfortunately for the Divas, this moment wasn't scripted, and it shocked me. Her speech moved me. And, I cannot wait for her return.

The Fast Forward Award: Mark Henry. Not only is Mark Henry the "World's Strongest Man," but he is also the world's most boring man. Let's put it this way, if I don't start Smackdown late so I can fast forward through his segments, I usually find myself asleep on the couch with Henry being the last thing I remember...

Best Storyline: CM Punk v. WWE. CM Punk's contract was up, and coincidentally, he was scheduled to battle for the WWE Championship on his last day. On his way out, he, um, criticized the McMahons in the most extreme monologue ever. Of course, he won, and did his best to rub it in the face of the WWE on Twitter and even ComicCon. He eventually made a deal to come back, just in time to main event at SummerSlam. It was the Summer of Punk, and the summer that made events that happened outside of the ring, especially Twitter, just as important as what happens in the ring.

Superstar of the Year: Zack Ryder. This man went from obscurity to viral over the year, building his own name and character. He could have waited for creative to have something for him, simultaneously waiting for the "future endeavor" line. Instead, he posted videos, in a Long Island stereotype (a much better play on the Jersey Shore personalities than the literal, although humorous, representations on TNA) It was a long climb, but he is finally getting major amounts of airtime on both Raw and Smackdown.

What award would you give?

Reality Pit

2011-11-28T21:14:00.001-05:00

Raw started with alot of talk, but it wasn't the typical 20-minute promo that opens WWE programming lately. Bagpipes played and Rowdy Roddy Piper entered the ring, followed shortly by his guest, John Cena.

Piper attempted to give Cena the "reality check" that the fans' negativity is starting to affect Cena. After Cena refused to play along with Piper, the Hall of Famer slapped the boy scout.

Then, Cena walked away.

He walked away.

Is Piper right? Will Cena eventually crack, and crack big time as a result of holding it in for so long?

Will the WWE actually let Cena go heel? Can they?

I still don't think so. Cena's new slogan is "Rise above the Hate" and works alongside WWE's anti-bullying campaign. It wouldn't be a good message to Cena's fan base for him to let the "hate" get to him.

Personally, I would love to see it, but the moms buying those kids' tickets won't.

The curious case of Brodus Clay

2011-11-26T19:43:00.001-05:00

Every week this month, we've been teased Brodus Clay is making his return. Then, he never appears on air.

Will he remain behind the curtain another week?

Rumor has it Brodus is backstage at Raw every week, but doesn't get to make his grand entrance because of last-minute script rewrites.

I suspect this rumor was fed to us by the WWE for the storyline. As I believe I've mentioned before, with Internet's ability to spread news, WWE has used it to further storylines, as well as throw people off with false news.

I believe this is leading to Brodus getting fed up with the delay, and making a destructive appearance. Perhaps he'll even be a hero heel, attacking John Laurinitis along his path of destruction...

Will Survivor Series be Rocked?

2011-11-20T18:13:00.001-05:00

I must admit, I was a little disappointed in the Rock-ing of Raw Monday night. It felt like Mick Foley had more air time than the electrifying one.

Will we have a similar show tonight?

Will The Rock simply wait on the apron, flashing his smile to the crowd, as John Cena does all the work? Will the The Rock's only contribution be a People's Elbow?

Hopefully, The Rock is saving a little less for WrestleMania, and we are getting our money's worth tonight...

Social Media Champion

2011-11-07T18:54:00.002-05:00

Today, Google+ unveiled brand pages, allowing businesses, organizations, media and the like to join the social media platform. Only 16 entities were the social network's launch partners, and WWE was one of them.

Yup, that's right. WWE is such a worldwide social media icon that they got to be among the first to have a Google+ page.

The other partners were Angry Birds, Barcelona Footbal1 Club, CNN, the Dallas Cowboys, Fox News, Macy's, The Muppets, Pepsi, Save the Children, Toyota, Train and the X Games.

View WWE's Google+ page here: WWE-Google+

The Muppets take Raw

2011-10-27T13:48:00.001-04:00

Bret Hart wrote yesterday that he was looking forward to the Muppets on Raw next week (Oct. 31), and, frankly, I am, too.

I hope The Muppet Show theme is played after the Raw theme and introduces Kermit on the Titantron. I see Kermit running the show, much like he did on the former variety show.

There will be comedic chaos.

Everyone (including other Muppets) will be coming to the CEF (Chief Executive Frog) at once, plugging their ideas for roles in the show. A few wokka wokkas later, we'll have our first match.

I can see someone altering Gonzo's nose, and a valiant Santino coming to defend him, resulting in another match.

I can also see Michael Cole comparing the Swedish Chef to JR.

Speaking of Michael Cole, if the entire announce team is not replaced by Statler and Waldorf, I will be highly disappointed.

I'm excited to see Miss Piggy, the ultimate diva, interact with the WWE Divas. I can see Kelly Kelly getting a little too close to Kermit, leading to Miss Piggy jumping her.

And, considering wrestling is only a part of the entertainment program, why not a "Pigs in Space" segment?

Hogan's back, Jack!

2011-10-17T09:02:00.004-04:00

Last night's Bound for Glory event in Philly was off the charts, according to those folks we talked to who attended. The highlight of the crazy night was Hulk Hogan returning to his red and yellow roots to rescue Sting from an Immortal beatdown.

Sting won the match to return the company to Dixie Carter, and the Hulkster came to his aid when Eric Bischoff's goons came down to finish off The Icon.

Thursday's Impact broadcast should be quite interesting.

Velvet Sky won the Knockouts title for the first time ever, putting the titles in both major wrestling companies in the hands of the women voted sexiest in their respective brands. (Kelly Kelly is the WWE Divas champ.)

Jeff Jarrett and Jeff Hardy did battle in between matches, and with Hardy being on the poster for the next PPV, chances are he's getting that last chance.

Kurt Angle retained the world title over Bobby Roode with a little trickery mixed in, but those in attendance said it was a heck of a showdopwn.

Chris Daniels said "I Quit" to AJ Styles, then attacked him after the match. This rivalry is not going anywhere for a while.

When you look at the whole picture, TNA had a great pay-per-view that was set up by months of building rivalries through twists and turns. Meanwhile, WWE is sending out John Cena to wrestle Alberto Del Rio for the title again. Yawn.

Kurt Angle talks about Hogan vs. Sting

2011-10-14T01:02:00.005-04:00

Kurt Angle is taking on Bobby Roode in the Main Event of TNA's Bound Glory at Temple University this Sunday, but the match everyone's talking about is Hulk Hogan vs. Sting.

It's likely to be Hogan's last match - and maybe Sting's, too - and it is the last chance to see Hulkamania in action.

Fans will be excited to see the match, but the boys in the back will be just as stoked.

Check out what TNA champ Angle had to say about the big showdown between the two icons.

“I’m elated about Hulk Hogan getting back in the ring,” Angle said. “He’s putting his body on the line for TNA, and you have to respect the guy for stepping in there with hip replacements and knee replacements. God bless him.”

“Sting is not a spring chicken either, but he’s still kind of in his prime. Hulk has his work cut out for him. Sting can still get it done. I wrestled him last pay-per-view and he is still very good. ... We haven’t seen this side of Sting before. I love the depth he has with his character and his wrestling ability at his age.”

“We’re all marking out for this match. Some people say ‘Come on, Hulk Hogan can’t go any more.’ I would pay any amount of money to see him wrestle one more match. When it comes down to it, he’s the man and he always has been.”

This is a huge match on what could be a great card. Check this space over the weekend for a preview of BFG and check Trentonian.com for a feature article on Angle, who is training for the 2012 Olympics in between matches in TNA.

What now?

2011-10-04T14:24:00.001-04:00

Raw ended with everyone, from Superstars to cameramen walking out on Triple H.

So, what happens now?

Will no one show up next Monday? Will Triple H air Blade Trinity on the JumboTron? Perhaps he'll choose to subject us to The Chaperone or Inside Out.

Perhaps Zack Ryder will make an appearance (as he did after Raw went off the air) and spend the evening getting Pedigree after Pedigree.

Or, perhaps with the vote of no confidence, John Laurinaitis will bring back the person he's been calling after every step he makes. The person who's really been pulling strings, or should I say lowering the cages: Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

I'm sure Vince will make himself the champion of the WWE, proving to the board he should have never lost his position.

You know, the position he never lost in reality, and, as a result had to regain fictionally at some point.

What should we see on WWE TV?

2011-09-26T12:56:00.001-04:00

Earlier this month, WWE announced the WWE Network is coming in 2012. Fans will finally have one place to watch "greatest matches, moments and Superstars in sports entertainment history."

Since then, some have received a survey with hints to what the network hopes to offer. The survey allegedly asks viewers if they would be willing to upgrade their package for a network with new shows mixed with repeats of Raw and Smackdown and classic programming. Also mentioned are two new in-ring wrestling programs, a daily live interactive program like ESPN's Sportscenter and the four major Pay-Per-Views.

Of course, all this is beginning thoughts. There is no guarantee that all of this will happen, in fact, I think it's doubtful the PPVs will move for financial reasons.

However, the WWE Network cannot survive on Royal Rumble marathons. The following are new programs the WWE should consider for their lineup:

- JR's BBQ, the cooking show. Who better than the man who makes the best BBQ sauce to teach us how to cook? Divas can guest star as guest assistants. (okay, there is information someone else will have the cooking show: New Orleans LA : WWE developing a cooking show with The Big Show and his wife Bess)

- Piper's Pit and The Cutting Edge talk shows. Only Roddy Piper and Edge can replace Oprah in the talk show realm.

- Behind the Curtain, a news magazine show. This would be a 60 minutes-type show (I seem to remember WWE doing something similar in the past). Of course, Mean Gene would have to be involved, as well as the current backstage interviewers. I prefer this concept to a SportsCenter-type show because I think they could create more powerful material for this.

- Florida Championship Wrestling, a reality show. Yes, I would put a few of the future Superstars in a beach house in Clearwater Beach, Fla., and have cameras follow them as they interact and train to become the next star. The show would include a match featuring one of the stars. This will help with WWE's goal of getting the public to know the future talent so they can really give them that big push when they hit the big stage.

- The Real Housewives of the WWE, a reality show. This is a play on the The Real Housewives series on Bravo. Actually, the WWE probably cannot legally use the "The Real Housewives" name. The show will probably have to take place in Tampa, and would give us a look into the lives of the families our favorite Superstars leave behind as they go on the road.

Well, do you have any better ideas?

Hogan sweats the small stuff

2011-09-15T21:26:00.001-04:00

Hulk Hogan, being a wrestling legend, is the first guy Johnny Attitude thought to call when his wrestling company was failing.

See, instead of selling out arenas, the company was touring frat houses, and the talent was getting restless.

Hogan agrees to help, and brings Brian Knobs along for the ride.

Sounds like the beginnings of a reality show, right?

Well, it is. Wednesday night was the premiere of Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling.

Oh, did I forget to mention the talent is all midgets? And that their tagline is "half the size, twice the violence?"

They aren't kidding about the violence part, by the way. As if you needed any other reason to watch, there is just as much fighting outside the ring as any Jersey-based reality show, even though the promotion is based in Tampa, Fla.

Wrestlers include Demo (the co-owner), Meatball (the world's largest midget), Blixx (the know-it-all with an attitude), Trixie (the original woman with the company who's more comfortable boxing), Justice (a second-generation midget wrestler) and the new hires Huggie, Sarge and Starla.

The best moment of the premiere was when a frat boy tried paying the wrestlers less than they were due. Justice got in the frat boy's face, which the frat boy seemed to take as a joke. Justice proceeded to take the frat boy down and beat him until he handed over the remainder due.

The assessment made?

"No one skimps the MCW."

The show airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on tru TV. The premiere re-airs Friday at 10 p.m.

Rosita's inspiration lost, but never forgotten

2011-09-11T13:04:00.002-04:00

It is a rough weekend for TNA Knockout Rosita, aka Thea Trinidad.

She is one of the many children who lost their father on Sept. 11, 2001.

Her father, Michael Angel Trinidad, was on the 103rd floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center when it collapsed. He called to say goodbye, but even though 10-year-old Thea was home, the line cut off before she could bring herself to speak.

In the NBC special "Children of 9/11," Thea explained her father was her inspiration for getting into the wrestling business, and feels his presence in the crowd every time she wrestles. The special was filmed before her TNA try-out.

Children of 9/11 clip:

With the No Surrender PPV tonight, Rosita is in Orlando, Fla., listening to the names and watching her brother, Tim Trinidad, at the ceremony on television.

"Good morning everyone, first off thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers," Rosita (@RositaTNA) tweeted this morning. "As sit here in an empty apt watching the ceremony I think about that day, something that has been engraved in my mind since I was 10 years old and I cry. I miss you Daddy. you are my strength and my never ending inspiration. I love you. ... Rest in peace Daddy, please continue to be my guardian angel along with Papa & Joey."

Rosita thanks fans for their support on Monday:

Another shot?

2011-09-09T19:20:00.002-04:00

Jeff Hardy is sorry.

On March 13, Hardy was scheduled to wrestle one of his childhood inspirations, Sting, at TNA's Victory Road. It was to be an epic match. Unfortunately, it was epic for the wrong reasons.

Hardy showed up to the arena that night apearring to be severely under the influence of something. He made it out to the ring, but the match only lasted 90 seconds because of Hardy's impaiment, disappointing both the fans and the idol.

The "Enigma" was told to go home once again for his issues-- in 2003, he was released for the WWE for drug and behavior issues, and in 2005 was released from TNA for no show issues.

Last night, ironically on the same day Hardy pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for drug charges from 2009, he made his return to the wrestling stage and briefly asked for forgiveness.

"I can't expect you or the guys in the back to give me another shot," Hardy said. "But I can ask for one."

As with any highly talented athlete who gets in trouble, I'm sure he'll get that shot from the company and the fans. The trouble, I believe, will be from the locker room. He will have to convince them he's turned his life around and prove to them another Victory Road will never happen again. He will have to regain their trust and respect.

I hope he can regain that trust and respect, and that he stays away from drugs. If he goes back down the wrong road, I fear writing his obit won't be far behind.

CM Punk is coming to Trenton, like it or not

2011-09-02T10:30:00.005-04:00

CM Punk is coming to Trenton on Saturday night, where he is scheduled to wrestle against John Cena and Alberto Del Rio.

To read The Trentonian’s interview with CM Punk, click here.

At Night of Champions, he is facing Triple H, and Kevin Nash has been his chief antagonist lately, so the line is starting to get long for people who want to whoop Punk in the ring.

But Punk is particularly ticked at Nash, as evidenced by his Twitter profile, which says he is “angry with OZ,” referring to one of Nash’s prior nicknames.

“I want to show everyone how high I can kick,” Punk said referring to facing off with the 7-foot Nash at some point. "I really just want to kick him in his weird head.”

“I’m not going to believe Triple H when he says that he didn’t tell Nash to attack me. Something’s going on and I’m going to get to the bottom of it. I want to punch someone in the face, and Kevin Nash is No. 1 on my list, but I’ve got to deal with Triple H first.”

* * *

Punk said he is thrilled to have “Cult of Personality” as his new theme song.

“It’s a kick ass song. I used it in the indies and I think entrance music is a big part of what we do,” he said. “When you come into WWE at an entry level, you don’t command the right to have the company pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the rights to a song. I’m just glad I can use it again because it’s just iconic.”

Getting WWE to fork over the cash for the rights to the song was just one of the perks Punk was after when he returned to WWE with a new contract. He had complained he was not pictured on programs or lunch boxes, and that he did not have a cool T-shirt to sell.

Those things have obviously been rectified, and now he is headed into a match with The Game.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, I’ll tell you that.”

* * *
Punk said he does not pattern his career after anyone, per se, but he has prided himself on hard work and proving he belongs with the elite wrestlers in the world.

Now that he has escaped awkward bookings and failed stables like the New Nexus and the Straight-Edge Society, he fans are starting to realize it, too.

“When you’re on TV for six years, the people form a connection with you. Even if they’re supposed to boo you, they start respecting you because of that connection.

You look at a guy like Stone Cold who just worked so hard for years, and the people recognized that,” he said.

The fans have certainly taken to the new CM Punk, much like they took to Steve Austin, The Rock, Goldberg and other guys who changed the game.

Luckily, the fans of Trenton get to see him up close and personal this Saturday.

Smackdown comes to Tuesday

2011-08-24T21:15:00.002-04:00

As you have probably heard, Smackdown will air live Tuesday, Aug. 30 on Syfy. The show is being called "SuperSmackdown Live."

How super will it be?

Well, just in case, I guess, the episode will re-air at the usual Friday time slot.

The bigger deal is the other news that broke the same day WWE announced its Smackdown plan-- UFC is coming to Friday nights.

The Ultimate Fighter will air on Fox's FX network on Fridays as part of a deal between UFC and Fox. Not only that, but the show is being revamped, with one live fight each week.

Does this mean the WWE fears UFC more than TNA? Or was it just a coincidence?

Throughout the Internet, people are speculating Smackdown's Tuesday special is a test to see if the show would be viable on Tuesdays, if they decide to make the move before or when UFC comes to Friday nights.

While Smackdown is a heavy hitter for the Syfy network, it is still the little brother to Raw. It gets so bad, not even the announcers really seem interested in what's going on in the ring. Raw talents are appearing on the special, but would that really show the impact Smackdown can make on Tuesday nights?

No. It appears to be a facade for the WWE, and an experiment for Syfy. Syfy fears FX. Vince fears no one. (Happy Birthday, Vince!)

@WWE #bodyslams #socialmedia

2011-08-14T19:01:00.002-04:00

Have you ever tweeted @WWE or used the hashtag #Raw? Perhaps you are ready to search the Twitterverse for #SummerSlam info tonight?

Well, you are not alone.

It appears WWE's placement of hashtags and Twitter accounts throughout Raw is working. According to social media tracker Trendrr, WWE's Raw was one of the most social shows on television for the month of July.

Out of all cable television shows, Raw was in second place, with 7% of the share of social voice. True Blood was in first with 10%. In comparison, the top broadcast show was Glee with 31%. (FYI-- looks like if they didn't separate broadcast and cable, True Blood and Raw both would have still been in the top 5 at four and five, respectively)

During any WWE broadcast, the trend list on Twitter almost always includes something from the show throughout the two the hours the show is on the air. Now, I'm also sure that whole CM Punk thing with loads of new information spreading over the Internet didn't hurt Raw's presence on the list.

According to the article posted on Mashable.com, the data is complied from public profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Miso and Get Glue.

Demise of the Divas?

2011-08-05T15:20:00.003-04:00

The Divas division took a hit this week with Gail Kim quitting and Melina getting future endeavored. I know, I know, some fans don't think the Divas are worth much, and lately, the powers that be have proven that they agree with the limited time Divas get on screen.

This is why Kim quit. Or, at least that is what I'm assuming from the tweet she wrote Wednesday in response to people commenting on her eliminating herself from the Divas Battle Royal Monday night:

"oh and also on the contrary, I wasn't being a mark 4 myself I was being a good employee when ur told to get out of the ring in less than a min.I just did it the fastest way possible:)so really I saved some time!"

I can't assume anything on Melina based on her tweets, but John Morrison did tweet this today:

"I’ve always believed that Melina is the most talented Diva ever employed by World Wrestling Entertainment. (not to mention the hottest!) Her face conveys emotion. Vince McMahon likes to say “Television is a feeling” and I agree with him. That’s what Sports Entertainment is all about. Melina’s presence on Television, aside from the obvious (she be sexy!) is raw emotion- joy, rage, surprise, disgust… her passion just pours out of her.

Melina’s presence on Monday Night Raw will be missed by the WWE universe… and especially by me.

I think this is the end of a chapter in the book of @RealMelina – I met Melina on my audition for Tough Enough 3, I never forgot the smile, and hug she gave me when I made the show and she got cut and told to go home. I’ve stood next to her with Joey while MNM was yelled at; told we’d never make it, we were worthless. I’ve seen her come back from 2 career threatening injuries. She is one of a kind, and talented enough to do whatever she wants. I’m proud to be her man. I love her, and will support whatever she chooses to do next.
#staystrong #thankyoumelina"

The problem is Morrison is right. Melina and Gail Kim were among the best Divas with Beth Phoenix and Natalya. Yet, Kelly Kelly (who is improving, but really doesn't deserve to be champion) and Eve are getting the spotlight for, I guess, their looks. I almost didn't recognize Beth when I first saw her Monday night because it's been that long. (Another person in the room didn't recognize Melina, by the way.)

The best women wrestlers shouldn't be pushed aside. They should be out there proving to the naysayers that they are just as talented as the men.

This winter, TNA showed viewers just that by making Mickie James' and Tara's cage match the main event. That match was one of the most amazing matches I've ever seen. Not just women matches, ALL matches.

I've always seen the Divas as great role models for little girls because they are athletic, smart and beautiful, showing girls they can have all three. All the WWE is showing girls now is that they can never be as good as their male counterparts, and if they try to be, they'll be pushed aside.

Superfly Snuka loves the Phillies

2011-07-26T20:17:00.003-04:00

Check out video of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka enjoying the Phillies' game against the Giants last night.

http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/07/26/sports/doc4e2f574cd16d1064177401.txt

CM Punk crashes Comic Con (with VIDEO)

2011-07-21T16:45:00.009-04:00

WWE promoted Triple H, Rey Mysterio and Bret Hart's appearance in a panel with Mattel all morning, but fans who attended also got a special appearance from CM Punk.

The special panel, “Mattel / WWE: Past, Present and Future!” was at 11:30 a.m. (Pacific Time) today. During the panel, CM Punk, with WWE Championship in hand, enters the room with a bullhorn and interrupts the discussion and getting cheers and chants.

He then approaches the microphone and starts asking his questions...

Does this remind anyone else of Chasing Amy? (viewer discretion is advised...)

Money in the CM Bank

2011-07-17T12:28:00.002-04:00

Tonight is CM Punk's last night (for the time being) in the WWE. It is also the Money in the Bank PPV.

First of all, I don't like them taking a great WrestleMania match and turning it into a PPV in which two guys will end up with a briefcase by the end of the night.

Now that I've made that clear, I believe the idea of the PPV works perfectly with the main storyline going into it.

CM Punk threatens to take the belt with him if he wins. John Cena is fired if this happens. This is so big, even CM Punk's rants have been on ESPN.

I believe CM Punk will win in his hometown tonight. But, he won't be taking the belt home with him...

See, this is where PPV works. Whoever wins the Money in the Bank will cash it in during Punk's celebration.

We are saved from two MITB winner storylines (one is pretty entertaining, but two at once would be too much). Cena may even get to save his job since the belt never leaves the company.

Will it work? Yes. The crowd will be in shock at Cena's lost (many will be happy, then shocked when they realize what it means for the belt), then someone's music will play to a huge reaction because they won't expect it (even though I just predicted it...).

And, then, we will have storyline of a champion who must prove himself to the locker room, and, possibly, even a former champion (Cena) who must prove himself to Vince McMahon.

CM Punk Update/ 80's Superstars

2011-07-06T20:55:00.003-04:00

CM Punk Update:
Just so you know the latest, the CM Punk v. John Cena for the WWE Championship is still on for the Money in the Bank PPV. Also, even though we all know villains lie, Punk is not lying... according to GLAAD, WWE informed them CM Punk's departure is real. His contract does expire and he will be leaving the company.

The 80's:
A tweet from Jim Ross yesterday made me wonder how the Superstars of today match up with those from the 80's, also known as the Golden Age of wrestling. I came up with the following... feel free to add your own in the comments or on Facebook. (Go ahead and test these match-ups in your WWE All Stars game. You know you have it):

John Cena is Hulk Hogan- I'm pretty sure I've made this conclusion before, maybe even a few times. He is the star of the company, and he can't go heel without breaking the hearts of children everywhere.

John Morrison is Shawn Michaels- I've made this comparison, too, before, and I stick by it. He is a rock star and is always a thrill to watch perform. Morrison is the new showstopper.

Alberto Del Rio is Ted DiBiase- Even though Ted Jr. would like to be the new Ted DiBiase, he just doesn't (at least not yet) have the charisma his father had. Another Jr does, but you already knew that...

Randy Orton is Macho Man- This was a had one to call, because, really there is no comparison to Macho Man. However, just like Randy Poffo, Randy Orton can slide from heel to face easily. Both men also had alliances with the #1 guy in the company and have victimized women, even though Orton uses an actress instead of his real wife when his "wife" is needed for impact.

Chris Jericho is Rowdy Roddy Piper- Okay, I know Jericho is not a current wrestler, but he can always come back whenever he's done touring Europe with his band Fozzy. Nobody is as witty as these two men.

Big Show is Andre the Giant- Okay, I know this is the well, duh, one. Big Show once even had a character who was Andre's son. But, the comparison is not just in height. They are both endearing men who will live on forever in movies not produced by the WWE.

Santino and Kozlov are the Bushwhackers- Sometimes wrestling can get a little heavy with its issues and stories. That's why we need comic relief, and comics many times work best in pairs. In the 80's, we had the Bushwhackers, swinging their arms as they walked to the ring. Today, we have Santino and Kozlov.

Sin Cara is the Ultimate Warrior- I compared these two because of their energy level at all times in a match. You can feel the energy in their ring entrances and it continues through to the pin.

Jack Swagger is Mr. Perfect- He's not quite at Mr. Perfect level, but he's the closest thing we've got. He's trying people. The All-American American thing echoes Mr. Perfect. What Swagger needs is to go to Chuckee Cheese with Zack Ryder and get Ryder to video tape him mastering the games and put it on You Tube. Make it into a series. Swagger came close with his trophy assortment in the ring, but I think seeing him outside the ring using his I'm-better-than-you jock persona will take him over the top.

Evan Bourne is Ricky the Dragon Steamboat- This was another hard comparison to make, but Bourne's moves do stun me as Steamboat's did back in the day. All he needs is ninjas to fight in a park...

The Miz is The Iron Sheik/Nikolai Volkoff- Yes, The Miz is not a foreigner, but he is probably hated as much as these guys were back in the day. Because they were so good at being bad, like The Miz, they found their way into quite a few major feuds with major guys. Nobody wanted to see them hold the belt, either. (I could have compared The Miz to Jake the Snake, but thought it wasn't fair to Alex Riley, since I would then be comparing him to Damien...)

So, what are the stars lacking today? Character, charisma and off-site videos that tell us more about them.

That is why The Miz was champion. He gets it.

That is why Zack Ryder is getting such a huge following. He gets it. If the WWE cannot use Ryder's in-ring ability, perhaps they should use Ryder in creative to help the guys who do have the ring abilities get the attention-getting abilities.

Oh, and by the way, if you're looking for a comparison to Bret Hart, there is none. You know the line...

Did CM Punk go too far?

2011-06-30T13:38:00.001-04:00

That's the question everyone's been asking since Raw abruptly went off the air Monday night.

That, and was it real or scripted?

Well, I can tell you it was most definitely scripted. However, the scripts are many times based upon real life...

If the powers that be were upset over Punk's actions, I doubt their would have been so many "updates" from WWE's social media and web sites throughout the day on Tuesday. Usually when a Superstar does wrong, if WWE makes any acknowledgement, it's brief, and then WWE distracts us with something else.

Oh, that and they taped their July 4th Raw shortly after this week's Raw ended, and "developments" were made, including the show opening with John Cena discussing the matter. (Hopefully that wasn't too spoilery for you... if you want to know details, you can easily search online for the play-by-play.)

So, did he go too far? I think that was the point of his monologue.

The thing is CM Punk did his job. His promo work usually is fast-forward material (even though he was outstanding as an announcer), but his work Monday night got people talking.

He took Raw from its doldrums to something people want to watch again. As I believe Jim Ross said sometime this week, it was return to the Attitude Era.

Hopefully, Punk can keep it up and will stay with the WWE after July 17, or inspire others to follow in his footsteps, so this new era of attitude can save our fast-forward buttons...

HBK makes television return

2011-06-21T20:30:00.001-04:00

What will Shawn Michaels be doing next week on Raw?

He will be selling his new product to us, of course, but this one won't be found on wweshop.com...

Michaels will be starring in a new hunting show on Outdoor Channel called Shawn Michaels' MacMillan River Adventures.

Alongside MacMillan River Adventures camp owner and friend Keith Mark, Michaels will travel the world hunting big game.

The first episode will air Tuesday, June 28 (yup, the day after his Raw appearance) at 11:30 p.m.

Will the real President please stand up?

2011-06-20T16:05:00.004-04:00

As if all the horrible press conference promos weren't bad enough, WWE's Capitol Punishment gave us a fake Barack Obama. In fact, they gave us a fake Barack Obama who tweets.

WWE's Barack Obama, @WWEPresident, first tweeted, "I'll be tweeting at #WWECapPun all night long. Being POTUS has it's perks. @SecretService already has their eyes peeled for R-Truth."

The tweets -- 26 of them-- continued through the night, a couple with photos and a few as retweets.

Interestingly, yesterday was also the day the real Barack Obama officially tweeted himself the first time. Previously, all tweets from his account were written by a staff member. Now, any tweet the President tweets himself will be signed "BO".

(FYI-- Hulk Hogan also signs all of his tweets with his initials. Both men have made entrances to the "Real American" song.)

Unfortunately, the real President, @BarackObama, didn't have anything to say about the Pay-Per-View occurring not far from his residence.

He tweeted, "Being a father is sometimes my hardest but always my most rewarding job. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. -BO".

Social media hype?

2011-06-10T17:30:00.005-04:00

Have you seen the Ultimate Warrior's video bashing Hulk Hogan yet? If you haven't watch it now:

Okay, my assessment is either Warrior (his legal name, by the way, in case you missed that news during the time it was rumored he was dead...) is hyping a rivalry with Hogan for TNA, or he is using Hogan to hype whatever other television return he is referring to.

If this is for TNA, would Hogan really allow these allegations to be made about him? Why not? I mean, it is over the top enough to be believable as fiction, and really, it isn't that far off from the Angle/Jarrett storyline.

Plus, Hulkamania is so wild that the fans will stick behind Hogan no matter what is said about him, and he's been around long enough that he knows that.

On Hogan's Twitter and Facebook, Hogan does seem to be referencing the "negativity" daily, another clue he may be in on it.

However, if Warrior is just using Hogan (and, as a result, the death of Randy Savage), then I feel sorry for the man.

On another note of social media, the WWE have had a lot to say about Natalya and Rosa's match at the Smackdown taping Tuesday. Apparently, Rosa had a wardrobe malfunction.

I have a feeling, even though we all know we would never see anything on TV, there will be a few more viewers tonight. Unfortunately, it is my understanding the Divas' match was a dark match, but I guess it could make the air if the editing team realizes the attention it got through Twitter.

"With Child"

2011-05-31T11:52:00.003-04:00

The technical difficulties at the beginning of the show were nothing compared to major technical difficulty of the night: Kharma, aka Kia Stevens, is pregnant.

Kharma's WWE career was just beginning, and it's obvious with the month-long build-up to her debut, great things were expected from her.

It is unknown if the former TNA Knockout Champion (then known as Awesome Kong) ever would have held the Divas Championship, but her impact on the Divas division was already being felt. She was the return of the anti-Diva.

Before leaving the ring last night, Kharma vowed a return in a year's time with The Bellas in her sights.

As of now, I see no indication she was released from her contract. In the past, few, if any women, have returned to the roster after giving birth. Dawn Marie is one example of a Diva released from her contract while on maternity leave.

In fact, Kharma's size, which has caused to work harder to prove herself, may actually make her return easier. She doesn't have be perfect-looking when she returns... as long as she can physically handle the work, she'll be okay to perform, and the extra weight will come off when it comes off.

I fear that with her departing, the Divas will just feel stale, no matter how hard they work the crowd.

RIP Macho Man

2011-05-20T13:17:00.013-04:00

TMZ is reporting Macho Man Randy Savage died this morning after suffering a heart attack and crashing his car into a tree.

His longtime friend and tag team partner in the Mega Powers Hulk Hogan took the news hard as people all over the social media landscape reacted to one of the charismatic performers in wrestling history.

"I'm completely devastated," Hogan tweeted. "After over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to communicate. He had so much life in his eyes and in his spirit. I just pray that he is happy and in a better place. We miss him a lot. I feel horrible about the 10 years of having no communication. This was a tough one."

Check out Matthew Osborne's column from The Trentonian here, with videos from the glory days of Macho Man's career.

Also, check out videos from the crash site here.

Seemingly the entire wrestling world reacted to the news in Tweets...

New Jersey's own Jay Lethal, who modeled his character after Savage: RIP Macho Man Randy Savage. You were amazing. Oohh Yeah!!

(Also, poem written by Lethal here.)

Shawn Michaels, after hearing the news from Chris Jericho via text message: We've lost one of the greats. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Randy Savage.

Rob Van Dam: Rest in peace Macho Man Randy Savage.

John Cena: The untimely passing of Randy Savage is indeed tragic. All true fans of wrestling will mourn this loss. One of the all-time greats.

Kevin Nash: I lost close friend today. if anybody in Heaven is wondering who the cat in the ugly cowboy hat is, it's Randy. Love you bro, never another.

The Rock: RIP Randy Macho Man Savage. You were one of my childhood inspirations and heroes. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family.

The Blue Meanie: So saddened to hear about the death of Randy Savage. One of my all-time favorites! RIP Randy. My thoughts go out to Lanny Poffo.

Jim Ross: Condolences to all of Randy's friends and family.

Jeff Jarrett: Randy is gone, but never will be forgotten. Thoughts and prayers with the entire Poffo family.

Mick Foley: I just heard the sad news about the Macho Man. Randy Savage was one of my favorite performers, and my heart goes out to his loved ones.

Chris Jericho: Randy Savage was a true influence and inspiration to me and taught me some very important lessons, in and out of the ring. Rest in peace Mach.

Trish Stratus: Rest in peace Randy-my first inspiration in the ring. My prayers & condolences to the Savage family.

Zack Ryder (who posted on Twitter and Facebook a photo of himself as a child with Savage): RIP MACHO MAN. One of my favorites and one of the best of all time. DIG IT!

Bill DeMott: When I got my start in WCW it was Randy that gave me the rub... my prayers and thoughts to the Poffo family

Bret Hart: I have no words to say. This one hits me hard. We lost one of the best.

Howard Finkel: I am profoundly saddened by the passing of one of the all-time greats, Macho Man Randy Savage. My condolences go out to the Poffo family.

Tommy Dreamer: Randy Savage was the 1st person I saw piledrive someone through a table. Thanks 4 all the memories. Hope u walk the aisle w/ Liz & Sherri again.

Taz: Very sad to hear of the passing of a GREAT legend. I only met Randy Savage a couple of times- I was a big fan of his work. RIP.

Christian: Sad 2 hear about "Macho Man" Randy Savage.. Only met him once briefly. No doubt 1 of the best & influenced so many performers you see today. RIP

Goldust: Prayers go out to Randy Savage family..... God be with them in this tough time... The Lord giveth...and the Lord taketh away....... just remember.. God always has a plan, even if you do not.

Steve Austin: Just heard about Macho Man Randy Savage... unmatched intensity in the ring. A hellacious performer and terrific promo. A real bad ass. RIP.

Roddy Piper: TOO SAD TO TWEET...

Injury Stunner

2011-05-17T16:10:00.002-04:00

Last night's episode of Tough Enough saw the end of a potential winner's run due to injury. It closed with the possible end due to injury for the last female standing.

This season of Tough Enough is already has the highest number of casualties from injury, and there still four (or five, if Christina's injury is not serious) competitors left.

On the original series, two people had to drop out for injury each of the three seasons. In 2001, Paulina left because of severe leg and knee injuries, while Greg left with three herniated discs. On Season 2, Matt tore a ligament in his right knee and Alicia left because of an injury preventing her to continue. In John Morrison's season, Nick suffered a shoulder injury and Kelly suffered a back injury.

Even though it was not disclosed in the show, Rima explained later a broken rib prevented her from performing to her full potential. In an extra video, Trainer Bill DeMott is seen telling Rima he can see she is injured. In the same episode with that training session, Rima is eliminated.

Ivelisse suffered a leg sprain after a weak leapfrog from Christina. She pushed herself to continue, but the trainers eliminated her because of her injury.

Martin fractured his ankle on "freak slip." Although he tried to convince himself, the trainers and medic otherwise, the doctor told him he could not continue with the competition.

Later that day in the skills challenge, Christina injures her ankle when AJ doesn't react properly when she jumps off the top rope. Even though I didn't think Christina was the strongest remaining, much less the strongest of women in the competition, I'd hate to see the last woman leave because of an injury.

It will be interesting to see if the injuries change the training in the remaining three episodes, especially since the skills challenge was cut short after Christina's injury. It will also be interesting to see if USA Network requests changes to the show in upcoming seasons after seeing all these injuries.

The most important thing is the show is emphasizing why you shouldn't "try this at home."

Fearing Chyna?

2011-05-15T09:15:00.001-04:00

On Friday, not long after the Impact show aired and Chyna was revealed to be Kurt Angle's partner, Karen Jarrett "injured" her ankle during or after shopping.

By Saturday, she was doubting her ability to compete due to her injury. (Karen and Jeff Jarrett are facing Angle and Chyna tonight at Sacrifice...)

One fan posting on Facebook described Karen's ailment as "Chyna Syndrome."

Granted, sacrificing Karen to Chyna is like feeding Alicia Fox to Kharma (too soon, Ariane?), but Chyna's physique isn't exactly a wonder anymore.

From what I've read, Chyna doesn't have a contract with TNA, just some sort of handshake agreement. This way, if she messes up in her personal life, TNA can send her straight back to Dr. Drew and wash their hands clean of her.

I hope Chyna looks good in the ring tonight and she stays away from the bad influences floating around the TNA locker room. I'd rather see her in a wrestling ring than on a reality show.

Harmful happenings...

2011-05-10T16:55:00.001-04:00

Last week's Internet postings, since Smackdown is taped on Tuesdays, was filled with anger from many fans about Christian losing the title so soon. I decided to wait to see it for myself.

My opinion? No harm was done.

I think a great job was done by all -- almost as if they knew the Friday night viewers would already know what was about to happen-- to promote and make the situation real.

In fact, I loved it! The match was amazing, and I can't wait to see Christian and Orton in a rematch. If Christian needed to be put over, I think that match did it for him, even though he lost.

Plus, how often do guys lose any titles right away? And when they do, it only makes them more memorable, and more hungry...

Speaking of hungry, a couple Divas looked hungry to prove themselves against Kharma, but failed miserably. I was beginning to think Kharma was some sort of face since she had attacked Michelle, Maryse and Alicia, but last night Eve became a victim.

Even with her monster abilities, I doubt Kharma will become the Divas Champion. If she even gets a shot, twin magic or Beth Phoenix will defeat her. If you don't believe me, take a look at the list of past Womens Champions...

It was nice that John Morrison's visit to Tough Enough aired the same day he had neck surgery. Yes, real neck surgery. He should be out for 4-6 weeks, as the hospital he had the surgery will be out of juice boxes...

Wrestling with name changes

2011-05-04T17:34:00.001-04:00

Several years ago, after The World Wildlife Fund discovered the World Wrestling Federation not only existed, but was widely known by the same acronym they were known by, the wrestling company was urged to "get the F out."

Since then, the company's name has been World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE.

That is, until about a month ago.

In case you didn't notice, Vince McMahon decided to get the wrestling out of the name... the company is now simply WWE Entertainment, encompassing all forms of entertainment. The letters apparently no longer stand for any words.

Meanwhile, TNA has a name change on board. Today, Hulk Hogan tweeted, "No TNA. only IMPACT."

Or, more fully, Impact Wrestling.

There was some confusion over the Internet on whether it was the company changing its name, or just the show. However, Hogan appears to believe it's the company with the name change.

I find it interesting both companies are attempting identity changes at the same time. I'm sure TNA is just playing copycat again (ie Taker/Sting).

But, does this mean WWE will give us more mixed general entertainment shows with a smattering of actual wrestling, like Monday's Raw with The Rock's party? And TNA-- or Impact-- will provide us with shows rich with wrestling?

And, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

I must admit, Monday's show was quite entertaining. Unfortunately, there are already too many guys on Heat, um, I mean Superstars, and these Raw shows with less matches may end up pushing even more guys to the Thursday night abyss.

Then again, guys who can find other ways to entertain, like Zack Ryder (check out his Z True Long Island Story series on You Tube), may get a push which does not involve work in the ring.

Can WWE survive as a variety show built around wrestlers who only sometimes wrestle?

I'm sure it will survive, but it will also give a push to Impact and the indys as long as they continue to provide the non-stop action wrestling...

Shaken or Stirred?

2011-04-26T18:25:00.001-04:00

Did Vince "shake things up" with the WWE Draft this year?

Raw gained:
Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Kelly Kelly, JTG, Drew McIntyre, Curt Hawkins, Chris Masters, Kofi Kingston, Tyler Reks and Beth Phoenix.

Smackdown gained:
Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, Khali, Jimmy Uso, Alicia Fox, William Regal, Yoshi Tatsu, Natalya, Jey Uso, Ted DiBiase, Tyson Kidd, Tamina, Alex Riley and Sheamus.

My opinion? Stirred.

The most unexpected thing was Cena getting drafted to Smackdown, but by the end of the show he was drafted back, which was sort of expected. We knew Smackdown would need a face to fill Edge's shoes, and Orton will do just that.

What else?

- Rivalries: CM Punk lost Randy Orton to torment. Alberto Del Rio won't get a rematch with Christian after Extreme Rules. Rey won't have to worry about Cody Rhodes. Other than those three, everyone is free to continue as they were.

- Family Oriented: Raw may be the big dog, but Smackdown airs at a time when the youngest fans can watch. Moving to Smackdown should give Yoshi Tatsu a push, since he is already a kiddie fan favorite. Meanwhile, Superstars like Sheamus and Sin Cara can build lasting power by winning over the youngest fans.

- Family Affair: With the moves made, a majority of second- and third-generation Superstars are now on Smackdown. In fact, the only ones on Raw are the ones we haven't exactly seen too much of lately-- DH Smith, Husky Harris and and Michael McGillicutty. With Smackdown being the more family-friendly show, having the members of wrestling families can foster discussions between the generations within families watching the programs about their memories.

- Diva Harm: With Kharma (Awesome Kong) on her way, she needs some doll-like Divas to, um, harm. So, that's why Kelly Kelly was moved to Raw. Beth Phoenix will be the only one who can hang with her. Or we are all wrong about which show she'll steamroll through, and LayCool will have something to worry about besides each other.

Getting Tough

2011-04-11T18:32:00.002-04:00

Tough Enough is back. Really back. Just the way I remember it, except someone bigger and balder is running things.

The show that launched the career of John Morrison (who I picked from Day 1 as winning it all way back when) and a few others (Maven, Chris Nowinski and Jackie Gayda-Haas, notably) who had great, yet temporary, runs.

Yes, The Miz will tell you he was on Tough Enough, but he was on a watered-down version on Smackdown which resembled NXT more than Tough Enough.

(FYI- Announcer Josh Mathews was also on Tough Enough, runner-up to Maven and Nidia on the first season.)

I don't know about you, but I was so excited after seeing the premiere of Tough Enough, I downloaded the app for my phone. The app doesn't even give me the names of the contestants with their photos, but it's pretty sweet to have Stone Cold in some way on my phone... But, I'm sidetracking...

Let's first talk about the first elimination. If I was one of those kids in the ring with Stone Cold talking to me the way he was, I'd either laugh and get in more trouble, or bleeped my pants (as Stone Cold revealed he did in a match with Yokozuma). Arianne did deserve to leave, especially if she wasn't acting. Seriously, Alicia Fox and Melina? Even if you just started watching and are only interested in Divas, there were definitely better matches to list. I don't know how you get into a competition like this and don't prepare yourself by researching and watching.

Which brings me to the other two. I don't know how you get into a competition like this and don't prepare yourself physically.

I think if Michelle had described her "11 years experience" better, perhaps everyone wouldn't have been so hard on her. (Of course, if she mentioned during that time she was a contestant on America's Next Top Model, it probably wouldn't have helped...) But, if you are a little rusty, don't you think you should find a way to chip off some of that rust before being filmed for national television?

And, Eric... Eric, Eric, Eric... if he doesn't prove his heart is in it tonight through his actions, I fear he is in danger of going home.

My favorites right now are Luke, Andy, Christina and Ivelisse. Luke is definitely the most impressive right now. That doesn't mean someone with less experience than these four will learn quickly and impress us all, or that Luke's partying will catch up to him...

Don't forget Tough Enough moves to its regular time tonight-- 8 pm, just before Raw on USA.

WrestleMania: The Day After

2011-04-04T15:11:00.001-04:00

Should the Raw after WrestleMania be a better production than the 4-hour you paid for the night before? It usually is a pretty good episode, but it has the potential of stealing the show from the night before...

What messed up the biggest event in sports entertainment?

- The Rock. Yes, The Rock. He restarted the WWE Championship match only to end it by his own hands faster than it took him to tell the Raw GM it didn't matter what he thought.

- The 8-Man Tag match was about, oh, 8 seconds in length. Why was Kofi even put in to replace Kozlov if that going to happen anyway?

- No one was put over. In fact, if anything, the results and the way they happened, only hurt the guys' credibility.

- The "stars" at the end of the night- The Rock, The Undertaker and Snooki- aren't regulars.

- The US Championship match became a dark match, and eventually turned into a match in which the title wasn't contested.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad. So, what went right?

- Jim Ross came back to announce for one night only. JR tweeted he was asked to perform on Saturday. We're glad he was in town for Axxess, because it was nice hearing JR teamed with Jerry Lawler calling the matches (at least the last few matches).

- Taker's streak is still alive. And, as expected, the match was the highlight of the night.

- The second best match was the World Heavyweight Championship match. Unfortunately, this match was the opening match.

Match Results:
Edge def. Alberto Del Rio, retaining World Heavyweight Championship
Cody Rhodes def. Rey Mysterio
Big Show, Kane, Santino and Kofi Kingston def. The Corre
Randy Orton def. CM Punk
Jerry Lawler def. Michael Cole, but Raw GM changed results to Cole winning by DQ
The Undertaker def. Triple H
The Miz def. John Cena

Don't forget tonight is WWE night on USA. Hall of Fame Ceremony is at 8 pm. Raw, featuring The Rock and the debut of Sin Cara, starts at 9 pm. Then, following Raw at (or sometime after) 11 pm, is the premiere of Tough Enough with Host Stone Cold Austin and Trainers Trish Stratus, Booker T and Bill Demott.

WrestleMania: Golden One

2011-04-02T21:48:00.001-04:00

Alberto Del Rio will be the World Heavyweight Champion, but you already knew that...

He lived up to his hype and is now a top heel in company. He won the Royal Rumble, giving him this main event match at WrestleMania. The odds are good for him winning the title.

And, if the WWE wants to give Sin Cara as big of push, perhaps Del Rio already has a challenger to interrupt his next fiesta on Smackdown...

(yes, I do know that Sin Cara performed at a Raw house show this week, and he is scheduled in a match against CM Punk on Superstars next week, and he is debuting Monday night on Raw. However, it is the Raw after WrestleMania, and what better place to promote Smackdown. Oh, and Del Rio's debut match was against Rey Mysterio.)

Don't worry about Edge. He'll end up in sort of entertaining angle involving Christian...

Will The Miz be awesome tomorrow? That's actually one I'm not sure about...

See, I have two scenarios...

The Miz wins, proving he shouldn't have been ignored.

John Cena wins, but, wait-- what's that we smell? It's The Rock, abusing his hosting duties to give Cena his first title defense... and he's the challenger! (Afterall, this is the match being promoted...) Rock Bottom... 1... 2... 3... Finally, the Tooth Fairy, ahem, I mean, The Rock is back as WWE Champ!

WrestleMania: American Dragon and the Celtic Warrior

2011-04-01T20:26:00.001-04:00

Going by their nicknames, this sounds like a pretty awesome match for the US Championship.

Sheamus, the Celtic Warrior, even told an Irish news source that he plans to steal the show at WrestleMania in his match against Daniel Bryan.

The problem is, after saying that, he also says Bryan is the one who has the "need" to win.

True, I guess, since he is the challenger, but shouldn't Sheamus have a huge "want" to retain the title?

I hope so, because he's the one who makes this match entertaining.

Don't get me wrong-- Bryan is a very talented wrestler. The problem is talent lies in submission moves, which don't exactly get the crowd going.

Fortunately for Sheamus, Bryan has no problem with taking beating. As long as Sheamus stays in control through a majority of the match, it will be a great match.

Sorry, Sheamus, but even though you need to steal the show (let's face it, the guy was WWE Champion just over a year ago and lost to Triple H at WrestleMania last year), it will be pretty hard to considering the other matches booked.

Even though I want Sheamus to control the match and that usually means when up against a submission specialist you're tapping out, I'm going with Sheamus retaining the title.

Why? Because while Sheamus was battling Triple H and Cena last year, Bryan was wasn't exactly winning on NXT...

WrestleMania: Leftovers, part 2

2011-03-31T17:21:00.001-04:00

We all knew what The Big Show would be doing April 3 when Wade Barrett attacked him on that first Smackdown of January. But, did we know Kane would be thrown in the mix?

How about Santino and Kozlov?

Okay, why is Money in the Bank a separate PPV again?

The Nexus was quickly becoming a great heel stable. Then, it sort of branched out to creating The Corre. On Smackdown.

Which would have been great if Undertaker was healthy...

If you remember, Taker has a reason to not be happy with the former members of The Nexus since it was they who attacked him causing him to be buried alive in his match with Kane over the summer.

So, why isn't Taker's streak up against The Corre? It would make more sense than Triple H right now, and allow next year's possible 20-0 to be against the bigger name Triple H.

It may be because Taker had just started physical therapy in January and it was uncertain what his WrestleMania status would be. Plus, if you are injured, you don't want to be wrestling against someone fresh out of the gate-- you want someone who's experienced and is smart in the ring, and nobody fits those qualifications more than Triple H.

So, The Corre is in a back-up match with good supporting guys. Who wins?

Doesn't The Corre have to win to solidify their status? Plus, we already saw Kane join Big Show, Kozlov and Tamina in Santino's celebration dance on Raw this week.

I mean, if The Corre wants to be big and bad enough to be Taker's 20th victim, they have to win Sunday night.

WrestleMania: Leftovers, part one

2011-03-30T19:23:00.001-04:00

What do you do if you have Randy Orton, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Kane and The Big Show all healthy, not holding a belt, not in contention for belt and you've already axed the Money on the Bank?

Well, you give Orton a feud with CM Punk over something that happened, oh, two years ago. Then, you get Mysterio to accidentally injure the pretty boy. Kane and Big Show? We'll talk about the big guys tomorrow...

Orton punted Punk as he was being interviewed at Unforgiven in 2008. Punk was defending his title, but because of the injury to his head, had to drop out of the match, and, as a result, lose the title. So, since he has nothing better to do at WrestleMania this year, Punk took over The Nexus to get his revenge on Orton.

One by one Orton has taken out Punk's accessories so it will be a fair match. So, what's going to happen Sunday night?

Eh, Punk could simply because Orton has had the upper hand in eliminating The Nexus. That would make The Nexus stronger, and perhaps that's why we don't have a Nexus v. The Corre match this year (once again, lack of confidence in the future?).

When Cody Rhodes starting calling himself "Dashing," we knew it wouldn't be long until somebody did something to damage his face. Enter Mysterio and his 619...

The 619 broke Rhodes nose, keeping him out of the Royal Rumble, and keeping him out of contention for World Heavyweight Champion. So, what's the next best way to get that WrestleMania paycheck? Get Daddy's help and seek revenge.

Now, I'm pretty sure Dusty won't interfere with the actual match, but I won't be surprised if he's backstage and put on camera prepping his son. However, I don't think it's going help.

What may help is interference of another kind: Sin Cara. There has been a lot of observer talk about the similarities between the two masked wrestlers since WWE acquired Sin Cara, and even questions over whether he is replacing Mysterio.

It's very likely Sin Cara will not make his debut until after WrestleMania, but that's what we're expecting. If he will be put in an angle with Mysterio, I think it would be interesting to see it start Sunday night either during the match or immediately following the match.

And who knows? Maybe all that observation is wrong, and the two won't be rivals, but best buddies who eventually end up facing Kane and Big Show in a double David and Goliath match...

WrestleMania: Reunion Special

2011-03-29T21:30:00.001-04:00

Ten years ago, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin were headlining WrestleMania X-7. The match leading into theirs was a never-before-seen-in-a-PPV match of The Undertaker taking on Triple H.

Wait, so does that mean this year's WrestleMania is a reunion of sorts? Does that also mean Triple H will see the same fate?

Well, some things are different. Ten years ago, it was Taker who challenged Triple H after he complained that he should be in the main event since he had beaten everyone on the roster. Taker reminded him that wasn't true, and eventually we had our second biggest match for the PPV.

This year, Triple H is challenging Taker's record-- one, in fact, buddy Shawn Michaels attempted breaking twice...

That WrestleMania was the one Triple H got Motorhead to perform his entrance theme live. Triple H went through the Spanish announce table. While the ref was unconscious, a sledgehammer, steel chair and even the scaffolding got involved.

This year, the two are in a No Holds Barred Match. So, a lot can happen. We may even see Taker's Hell's Gate hold...

So, will it end with Johnny Cash playing? Yes. Really, do you think a win for Triple H is more important than keeping Taker's record intact? Plus, Triple H is a McMahon, and McMahons rarely win at WrestleMania...

WrestleMania: Special Matches

2011-03-28T20:53:00.001-04:00

Like I mentioned yesterday, there are some special guests for WrestleMania, and they are getting in the ring.

First, Stone Cold Steve Austin will be the special guest referee for Jerry Bawler's WrestleMania debut against Michael Cole.

Now, I think we all know that no matter who wins, somebody is getting stunned. We know Jack Swagger, who will be in Cole's corner, will do his best to interfere. However, the rest is all questions.

What happens to the announce team after this match? Why do we have announcers in a match?

Well, I believe one answer is one of the biggest heels in the company is Cole. I mean, the only person hated more by the fans is Vickie Guerrero. You don't repay your biggest heels by keeping them in the background at WrestleMania.

Which brings me to the other special match of the night. Vickie will be escorting Dolph Ziggler and Laycool to the ring when they take on Snooki, Trish Stratus and John Morrison in a mixed tag match.

Snooki says she wants to have a career as a WWE Diva when her Jersey Shore commitment is complete, and this will be her chance to show us what she's got.

Oh, and we get some Stratusfaction.

I think with the combination of Trish and Morrison in the match, we'll be blown away. Really, because of the two of them and their talent in the ring, I'm betting this will be a match we'll remember when we think back to this WrestleMania.

So, who will win?

In Lawler vs. Cole, I predict the King will win simply because he's been beaten down enough over the past two months and this appears to be the finale in their story.

In the mixed tag, I'm actually taking the heels. I think this is the beginning of their story and they'll continue to use Trish to build the hype for Tough Enough. Yes, the good guys will overpower in the ring, but the bad guys being bad guys will somehow use Vickie to interfere and get the win.

WrestleMania confusion

2011-03-27T20:25:00.001-04:00

WrestleMania 27 looks pretty awesome if you just look at the special names involved: The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and Snooki.

Unfortunately, the biggest match being hyped, well, isn't on the card.

Every week since The Rock was announced as guest host of WrestleMania, you'd think the main event was Rock vs. John Cena. The promos have been entertaining, and it gives the Cena haters someone who is not a heel to cheer.

But, The Miz is champion. And, although it appears he needs to be carried in the ring, promos are what he's good at.

So, I'm confused. Why is The Rock filling in for someone who is actually good at what they do for this stage in game?

Recently, The Miz made clear he didn't want to be ignored. Unfortunately, I think the WWE missed out on an opportunity to prevent The Miz from being ignored.

The Rock said he would like to get in the ring again. So, why aren't they going with the match they're promoting? Why is The Rock simply a guest host instead of giving us what we want to see now. Is The Rock under contract with somebody else through WrestleMania preventing him from activity which could injure him?

That's the only thing I can think of.

If I were Vince McMahon, my main event title match would be my champion, The Miz, vs. John Morrison and the non-title match leading in would be Rock vs. Cena.

Yes, on paper Rock vs. Cena is a bigger match because they are who the fans are paying to see, but Morrison will make them stay to see the end with outstanding moves. I believe I've said before he is the new Shawn Michaels, and no matter what comes before him, he is ready to steal the show.

And, as a result, next year, it will be The Miz and Morrison we are paying to see. (but, you know, against other guys, not each other again) WrestleMania is where your star rises.

If you saw Morrison face The Miz back in January, you know how great a rematch of these two future stars of the company (and, yeah, I know Miz is champ and, therefore a star, but Sheamus was also champ once, and with the way he's being treated, the future ain't here yet) could have been at WrestleMania.

I was sick to stomach watching Morrison last week on Raw wondering why his talent was being wasted on a match involving Snooki as one of his teammates. (Yes, he gets to spend time with Trish, which is a plus for him, I'm sure, but I think spending time as WWE Champion would be sweeter...)

Did Morrison piss off the wrong person? What does he have to do to prove himself other than what he's already done? What does The Miz have do to prove he doesn't need The Rock or Cena to sell his match? Why does he even have the belt if the confidence isn't there to back him up?

In closing, WWE, yes, we love the stars we grew up with, but if you don't give us a chance to love the future, you might as well have Hulk Hogan in the ring every week.

Monday Night DVR

2011-03-20T18:39:00.001-04:00

We all know Raw is on Monday night, but apparently two shows featuring WWE stars may not be aware their guests' audiences will have their eyes on USA...

First, former WWE Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho will perform his debut dance on Dancing with the Stars on ABC sometime in their 2-hour premiere starting at 8 pm. If I understand correctly, the contestants are each doing two dances on the premiere, so we may get to see Jericho's first dance before Raw starts at 9 pm, and will just have to tape the second hour to see his second.

Which brings us to our next competitor to Raw-- Jersey's own Cake Boss on TLC at 9 pm. Who could be getting an extreme cake? Why, Santino Marella, of course. Fortunately, TLC re-airs all their shows later the same night for the West Coast, so you can tape the midnight episode of Cake Boss so it doesn't interfere with Raw/Dancing with Jericho.

With WrestleMania 27 getting closer, expect the guest appearances to get crazier and more conflicting. If you find an upcoming appearance, make sure I know about it by e-mailing me at redmask.trenton@gmail.com.

Twist of Fate?

2011-03-16T13:44:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the NC State Bureau of Investigation, Jeff Hardy will continue to wait to plead guilty to drug charges from the Sept. 2009 bust on his home.

Hardy was scheduled to appear in Moore County, NC, court today, and pled guilty, according to the Fayetteville Observer. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the SBI didn't have the lab results available yet.

To read the full story, see the link at the bottom of this post.

In related news, TNA is offering free TNA On Demand to fans disappointed in Sunday's PPV. The main event was less than 90 seconds thanks to Hardy's state.

FayObserver.com - Jeff Hardy's drug case expected to be continued again in Moore County

Jeff Hardy strikes again

2011-03-14T10:22:00.004-04:00

There's plenty going wrong in the wrestling business lately, but the latest black eye comes from a familiar source.

There was plenty of speculation about Sunday night's big scandal at TNA Victory Road, where Sting beat Jeff Hardy in 88 seconds.

Huh?

That's pretty amazing for a 52-year-old guy, even for The Icon. The rumor around the internet world is that Hardy was in "no condition to wrestle." From his checkered past of drug arrests and suspensions, you can make your own conclusions there.

The question is, when does Hardy run out of chances? When does he become Scott Hall and just get ostracized from TV wrestling for good? (I should never say for good, since Hall always seems to re-emerge, too, but maybe for good.)

Sting was allegedly seen agreeing with the fans that the match was "bulls**t."

In any case, the folks who bought that pay-per-view or a ticket to the show got stiffed out of their money.

Hardy, meanwhile, has a court date coming up. No telling what his future is, but TNA takes a big hit here and is relying on a declining Sting's residual pop from NOT going to WWE to keep them afloat.

Copycats

2011-03-07T16:27:00.004-05:00

TNA, for once, is not the one copying! TNA has had J-Woww and Angelina for MTV's The Jersey Shore to interact with Cookie and Robbie E. Next Monday Jersey will be hitting WWE's Raw in the form of Snooki...

Yes, the best-selling author riding a rocket on the cover of Rolling Stone. The New York chick best known for partying on the Jersey Shore. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi.

Will she be calling out TNA's Cookie? Will she have a drink before going on camera like Angelina claimed she did for Impact last week? Don't know, but I do know she will be guest hosting, which means she could have control over matches.

Will Snooki really help Raw? One thing she will do is distract from the already reduced wrestling aspect of show, which keeps more guys fresh for WrestleMania. It also rubs it TNA's face that they can get arguably the biggest star from MTV's hit show. But, then again, WWE isn't really concerned about TNA, anyway...

One thing I can't wait to see is her interacting with John Cena-- he basically Twitter-begged her to follow him, and she eventually did. She even said last week maybe that she'd be seeing him soon...

The Great Date Hype

2011-03-04T19:20:00.001-05:00

So, not only did Sting come back last night (or last week, since it was taped a week ago), but he did so in a jacket that would rival any of Ric Flair's robes. Oh yeah, and he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship Title.

Not only did TNA "steal" WWE's promo, but, in my opinion, they also stole the show.

Even though WWE's 2-21-11 promo revealed The Undertaker was the one coming, the figure outside (and certain media reports) made many Sting fans want to believe he would be coming, too.

But then, there were also reports Triple H was making his comeback soon and, in fact, his WrestleMania opponent would be Taker. As we now know, this became fact.

But, the stare down wasn't exactly what we wanted to see from these two. Yes, Taker can be quite menacing with just a look, but you can't A) have Triple H come out after him like he was The Miz, and then B) not say a word.

I think it would have been better if Triple H had entered the ring first, cut one of his promos, and then get interrupted by Taker, and then do the stare down.

Fast-forward to 3-3-11...

Sting's return, on the other hand, was the icing on the cake for a jam-packed (return of Hulk Hogan, debuts of Bart Scott and Angelina, and the wedding of Karen Angle Jarrett and Jeff Jarrett) TNA show in which he was Jeff Hardy's mystery opponent in a title match. After three scorpion death drops (one off the ropes), Sting wins the title.

Did I mention this jam-packed TNA show was the same week WWE promised both The Rock and Shawn Michaels, but neglected to mention both would be appearing via satellite?

So, even though Sting didn't come out to the pop he deserved since he was wrestling a half hour away from Hardy's hometown, I'd say TNA is winning.

For the time being, at least.

Dancing with Jericho

2011-03-02T13:57:00.004-05:00

On Monday night, it was announced the rumors were true and Chris Jericho, former WWE Superstar (although, if you read or listen to reporters who obviously don't watch wrestling, not only is he a current wrestler, but the champion) will be one of the stars on Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars.

The show premieres Monday, March 21.

Yup, Monday, the one night of the week most of Jericho's fans will most definitely be watching something else... you know, Monday Night Raw.

You know, probably the reason Stacey Keibler, who is probably just as talented as Season 11 Winner Jennifer Grey, only won 3rd place in the competition.

The curse of Jericho?

Well, I'd only say the curse has struck again if he ends up getting eliminated first, like his last reality show stint, Celebrity Duets. With the likes of Kirstie Alley, Mike Catherwood and Romeo also in the competition, I would hope he dances well enough to make it to Week 4.

He also has the beautiful Cheryl Burke as his pro. She has won the competition twice, partnered with singer Drew Lachey in Season 2 and with NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith in Season 3.

However, win the disco ball trophy? I think that's one championship the once Undisputed Champion of the WWE won't get his hands on, no matter how well he dances.

My proof is Stacey. According to score rankings on Wikipedia, she is one of the top dancers on the show overall, even getting perfect scores twice. She didn't take home the trophy though because her primary fan base was watching wrestling, not dancing, and as a result, she didn't get the fan votes she needed to win. It's just as much of a popularity contest as a dancing contest.

So, even though I really don't want to watch Dancing with the Stars, I will to keep you updated. I wish Jericho luck, because he'll need it, you know, after Week 3...

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TNA loves Jersey

2011-02-24T16:51:00.002-05:00

First, TNA got J-Woww. On March 3, TNA will debut Bart Scott (the Jets linebacker... they play in Jersey) and Angelina (from Jersey Shore).

(Bart Scott's promo, er, post-game interview with Sal Paolantonio)

And that's not even the biggest news for the March 3 Impact... That night will also mark the return of Hulk Hogan!

In fact, Scott will be assisting Hogan as he faces off (in whatever capacity they can) against Kurt Angle and Kazarian.

Angelina is expected to befriend Cookie and Robbie E., and then call out J-Woww.

2-21-11

2011-02-21T17:31:00.001-05:00

Chris Jericho recently retweeted a fan's observation that's tonight's episode of Raw is titled "Why 2-21-11" and concluded that Why=Y, 2=2, and 21-11=10=J (the tenth letter of the alphabet).

So, that, coupled with the fact Jericho's book signing for tonight was cancelled, means the theory that Jericho will come out dressed as Taker, creating massive heel heat, is true, right?

Eh, no...

If you checked the title of Raw last week, it was "Leave it to Bieber," hinting that Justin Bieber was the guest host of WrestleMania 27, not The Rock. So, that means you can pretty eliminate the Jericho theory.

Unless they are fooling us again, knowing we know what they did to us last week...

Undisputed Champion of Literature

2011-02-15T18:28:00.007-05:00

I walked into catering and saw Vince talking talking to The Undertaker. He still hadn't said word one to me about the championship and I assumed he wasn't going to. When I went over to say hello, Vince said sarcastically, "You can tell that the business is going down the toilet when we're going to make Jericho the champion."
That was the extent of Vince's big talk with me. Not exactly the vote of confidence I was hoping for, but at least I knew for sure that I was really going to be winning the title.
Vince wandered away, and Undertaker said, "Do it, man. It's your time. Go out there and kick some ass."
It was nice to have someone's blessing, even if it was a dead man's.
(from Undisputed)

Chris Jericho's newest memoir, Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps, takes the reader through Jericho's adventures in the WWE and his band, Fozzy.

He takes the reader on a journey, starting from his first step out of the WWE curtain through his mistakes, friendships and triumphs. You feel like you are in the same room as him, and he is an old buddy catching you up on his life with great detail.

It's not just a wrestling book... as I said before, it's a journey, relatable to anyone in any business, complete with mentors, buddies, enemies and lessons we all could learn.

And, along way, he never forgets to rib fellow bestselling author Mick Foley, who has never beaten Jericho.

His first book, A Lion's Tale, was a New York Times Bestseller, and I have no doubt Undisputed will be one, too.

Undisputed is available tomorrow, and I highly recommend you get your hands on it in your favorite means. After reading my advance copy, I am hungrily waiting for Jericho to give us a trilogy.

He has a book signing scheduled for tonight at Bookends in Ridgewood, if you are reading this in time. For a complete list stops on his book tour, visit www.chrisjericho.com.

IF YOU SMELLLLLLLLLLL ... (DVR cuts off)

2011-02-15T13:06:00.003-05:00

For those of you who saw the most electrifying man in all of entertainment, The Rock, return to Raw last night, I am sure it was an enjoyable experience ...

... unless, like many people, your DVR cut off too soon because the show ran ridiculously long.

Here is the official WWE video of Rock's 8 1/2 minute promo in its entirety (actually they cut out a lot of the cheering that delayed the show), including Rock's assertion that John Cena came out of Barney the dinosaur's anus.

http://vids.wwe.com/index.php/video/TV-Shows/390534405001/Raw/374759268001/Raw-The-Host-of-WrestleMania-XXVII-is-revealed/790273249001/
I would have just embedded it, but apparently, WWE doesn't permit that.

Enjoy. We'll have all the coverage you can handle of the big 2.21.11 next week.

Road to Host

2011-02-14T14:44:00.001-05:00

Since Vince McMahon announced last week that he would be announcing the guest host of WrestleMania this week, fans have been fluttering all over the Internet over who this new mystery person could be.

This weekend, someone got word from some anonymous WWE employee the mystery person was The Rock.

That would be awesome, if true, but after taking off the People's glasses, I'm not sure it fits.

First, I've already read somewhere awhile ago that Bob Barker (of Price is Right fame) would be appearing at WrestleMania. What would his role be if it's not guest host?

Second, WrestleMania is in Atlanta, not Hollywood or Miami. Wouldn't it make more sense for an Atlanta celebrity to host? Usher, a WWE fan who does fit the description McMahon gave, has been everywhere lately, so why not WrestleMania?

Fortunately, we don't have long to wait for the solution to this mystery...

Admissions?

2011-02-04T12:46:00.002-05:00

Did Eric Bischoff basically admit that Kevin Nash, Booker T and Sting ruined their "They" plotline? Did Dixie Carter imply that it was screwed by Nash?

(Bischoff talks about Nash, Booker and Sting at the 4 minute mark...)

Well, that's what it sounded like to me. Of course, Sting is still up in the air, no matter what Bischoff says.

I mean, he's still listed on TNA's roster.

Carter did not confirm nor deny the rumors about Sting. WWE technically has not either.

If TNA still has Sting and they're smart, they should have Sting make some sort of an appearance on Feb. 17, the Impact before Raw with the 2-21-11 appearance. Then, they will get some payback, ruining the hype that it could be Sting.

The stinging undertaking

2011-02-02T17:30:00.004-05:00

First, WWE stole Kevin Nash and Booker T from TNA, if you believe that "They" was to include them. Now, it appears Hell has frozen over and Sting will be making his WWE debut soon.

The New York Post is reporting that Sting signed a one-year deal with the WWE. Oh, and it also helps Sting was not part of the "They" revealed at last night's Impact taping. (I won't reveal who "They" are, in case you don't want it spoiled.)

In case you aren't aware, Sting has told several sources, including The Trentonian, he would not want to work for Vince McMahon. So, I really don't want to believe this until I see it.

The 2-21-11 promo that aired on Raw could quite possibly be the Stinger. It could also be The Undertaker.

Yes, Taker did just start physical therapy last month, but everyone seems optimistic that he will be able to perform at WrestleMania. He could easily return without competing, simply because his character can do alot with touching a soul.

Remember, last year Edge returned far earlier than expected with a Royal Rumble win, but never actually wrestled until WrestleMania.

Does McMahon win anything if he has stolen Nash, Booker and Sting from TNA's "They" storyline? Not really future-of-the-company-wise (these guys are all approaching Hall of Fame age in their careers), but he gains a new announcer with Booker (we'll see how well he does Friday night), Nash has an undetermined role right now (personally, I think he would make a great Tough Enough coach with occasional ring appearances) and Sting, well, he'll finally get the one legend who has escaped him all these years.

(Who would Sting have a beef with? Who would he face at WrestleMania? I don't think it would be Taker, as some are spreading. Possibly Cena, or even a returning Triple H, who wanted a meaningful return.)

I'm sure he also sold a few more Royal Rumble PPVs with the rumors all weekend about Nash and Booker (okay, and a few more from the others rumored who didn't show).

Oh, and he really gets to laugh every time sometime says "TNA."

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Surprise no more?

2011-01-30T14:47:00.003-05:00

Check out what Wrestlezone.com found at the airport in Boston, home of the Royal Rumble...

Kevin Nash

Oh, and also check out what a rumored soon-to-be Diva tweeted this afternoon:

Awesome Kong
"My stomach is RUMBLE-ing. Craving sushi so I may SMACK DOWN on some RAW fish."

The Golden Ticket

2011-01-29T16:35:00.004-05:00

As of now, 35 men are confirmed for the first-ever 40-man Royal Rumble tomorrow night. Only one will end the night with that golden twinkle in their eye...

(Yes, I did watch Willy Wonka today...)

But who will it be?

Well, for the first time since the first Royal Rumble, the odds are great for rookies-- 15 will be in the match, and there are more rookies in wings (Usos, Michael Tarver, Skip Sheffield, to name a few) waiting to be called up as one of the final five.

Most come from The Nexus, both the former and new members: Daniel Bryan, Darren Young, David Otunga, Husky Harris, Mason Ryan, Michael McGillicutty, Ezekiel Jackson, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett. Unfortunately, I don't see any of these guys winning. I'm sure many of them-- like Gabriel, Otunga, Jackson and Ryan-- will give us a good show.

Out of the remaining rookies-- DH Smith, Primo, Sheamus, Tyson Kidd and Alberto Del Rio-- Del Rio is a real possibility to win. He has the total package, and, actually, feels more like a veteran than a rookie when I see him perform. I also like that whether the champion is Edge or someone else, he will be a great match-up to them.

So, if a rookie can win, what about the complete opposite-- a past winner?

Only two are in the match: John Cena and Rey Mysterio. Only Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin have won the Royal Rumble more than once (more than twice, for Stone Cold). Cena is definitely in the same category as these men. He is the face of the company. Shouldn't the face of the company be in the main event at WrestleMania? So, that makes Cena a real possibility to win the Royal Rumble.

However, that is also too expected. So, let's look at another option.

Out of the remaining entrants, who would be great to see in the main event at WrestleMania? John Morrison.

Morrison is definitely main event ready and has certainly filled Shawn Michaels' shoes in my eyes. He is someone the fans will pay money to see because you know you will see an amazing show if he is there.

There's another plus-- Tough Enough, of which Morrison is only remaining winner, returns the night after WrestleMania. That would be great marketing for the new show-- see future WWE Champions. (I, of course, am assuming Morrison will be among the 70% who win at WrestleMania...)

***

As I said earlier, five spots remain (of course, there's always the chance someone will get knocked out backstage and sixth person will have to replace them...). Who should fill those spots?

Wade Barrett tweeted earlier in the week that Papa Shango was one of the mystery entrants to the Royal Rumble. My question is, once he's eliminated, will he re-enter as the Godfather?

Fans (okay, I'll admit it, I, too) have been drooling over when Triple H will finally make his return. This, especially with his new movie, The Chaperone, being released, could be it.

Another return could also come in the form of The Undertaker. I really can't wait to the faces on the Superstars in the ring when the first "BONG" rings.

I could also see anyone who loses in any of the title matches that night making an appearance in the Royal Rumble match. I'm pretty sure it has happened before, and with the match extended this year, it makes it more possible since there will be more of a rest period. If Natalya loses, I would love to see her enter (making her the third woman ever) and somehow toss Tyson Kidd or DH Smith over the top rope. She trained with them in the Dungeon, she can probably do it.

We also cannot rule out the past performers working backstage, like IRS and Sgt. Slaughter. Oh, and if Jerry Lawler is not doing color commentary for the match for some reason, that reason may be because he is entering the match.

For the list of confirmed 2011 Royal Rumble entrants, click here.

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Holla if ya hear me

2011-01-28T19:17:00.003-05:00

By the way, before it gets to be a week out from the show, there is only thing to say about Thursday's Impact.

"Big Poppa Pump is your hookup ... HOLLA IF YOU HEAR ME!"

Enjoy.

Not sure who else is coming to help Kurt Angle and his band of untouchables next week, but it should be interesting to see.

Tommy Dreamer still extreme

2011-01-28T19:05:00.004-05:00

Longtime ECW legend Tommy Dreamer is coming to the Brick Elks Lodge to face Drew Hankinson on Saturday night. Hankinson was once known as Luke Gallows of the Straight Edge Society, as well as Festus the Cornfed Colossus and Imposter Kane, to WWE fans.

Read all about Dreamer here at Trentonian.com.
While you read that, check out this old school video of Tommy taking on Raven in 1995. Note the cheese grater to the head and the licking of the blodd, and that's just in the first 45 seconds of the video.

More recently, here's Tommy taking on The Monster Abyss in TNA.

More from the show after tomorrow night.

Seeking Fame

2011-01-24T20:51:00.002-05:00

Ever since Shawn Michaels was announced as the first inductee to the 2011 class of the WWE Hall of Fame, my mind -- and by looking at tweets from others, many of your minds, too-- has been spinning over who else could be inducted this year.

Only those who make the decisions on Hall of Fame inductees truly know who will be joining Michaels on the stage at the Phillips Arena this year, but it's still fun for those of us outside that small circle to guess.

First of all, we can eliminate anyone working for another wrestling promotion (TNA), anyone not on good terms with the WWE and anyone who's just not interested in being in the Hall of Fame.

So, that means all of you who think Sting is going into the Hall of Fame need to start rethinking.

I would love to see-- since the ceremony is in WCW's old hometown of Atlanta-- a DX invasion of sorts to the Hall of Fame.

I'm not sure how healthy she is or what terms she is on with the WWE, but Chyna would be a logical choice to accompany Michaels. After all, she was the ninth wonder of the world, the first woman in the Royal Rumble and the first woman to qualify for King of the Ring.

While there are few women in the Hall of Fame, there are also few Tag Teams. The New Age Outlaws are no longer connected with TNA (from what I can tell) and would be great choices considering their contributions to both WWE and WCW. The Road Dogg Jesse James and Bad Ass Billy Gunn won the Tag Team Championship five times, and individually won three Hardcore Championships and each won the Intercontinental Championship.

Another interesting choice that has been buzzing around is Ted Turner. After all, if it wasn't for him turning the NWA into the powerhouse WCW, we may never have had the attitude era of the WWF/E.

Of course, it's likely there won't be a theme. Here are some other likely choices for induction:

- Mike Rotunda, aka Irwin R. Schyster, aka IRS, is now a road agent for WWE and is one of the few backstage legends not in the Hall of Fame. Besides from being one of the most memorable characters of the WWE, he is a five-time tag team champion. He is also the father of Nexus member Husky Harris.

- Sabu, released from TNA late last year, would be a excellent choice to pay respects to ECW. Besides ECW, he brought his hardcore style of jumping off of anything he could find to WCW and WWE.

- As mentioned earlier, there are very few women in the Hall of Fame and there are still a few out there who should be in the Hall. Miss Elizabeth, Sunny and Trish Stratus are the three besides Chyna who should get in the Hall of Fame if not this year, in the very near future.

- My last guess is Linda McMahon. She stepped down from her role as CEO in 2009 to run for Senate. She helped manage the WWE to worldwide empire it is today, making sure it had heart along the way by giving back to the community.

Of course, it would be great to give back to the community by letting a tank roll into WrestleMania as they present the new inductees to the Hall of Fame...

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TNA fires at Triple H (a week late)

2011-01-20T17:04:00.004-05:00

I was out of pocket for a bit, so I just had a chance to review the tape of Impact from last week. Sorry I'm behind the curve on this, but Ken Anderson's title celebratory speech had a pretty fascinating barb in it.

For anyone who missed it, Mr. Anderson basically said that Triple H tanked his career in the WWE. He did not say the name of the Cerebral Assassin, but he said that "a little birdie" got in the boss' ear and told them Anderson wasn't championship material.

The voice was a dead-on impression of Triple H. So, take from that what you will. Just thought it was worth noting for anyone who missed it. Video below.

Alternative content

Also from that TNA show, just in time for tonight's episode:
* Karen Angle's alleged tell-all is set for tonight. Even though I am well aware that it's a show, this whole Jeff-Karen-Kurt thing is awkward due to the fact that it's probably pretty awkward in real life, too.
* Matt Hardy, you are about 13 years too late to join Raven's Flock, so do something with the hair. Sick Boy is offended.
* Will Eric Young give the real title belt back to Mr. Anderson? The one he's carrying around only looks good on Jeff Hardy, and even that is a stretch.

There is your week-late Impact update. More on tonight's show sooner than next Thursday.

More from WWE champ, The Miz

2011-01-19T18:58:00.002-05:00

Trentonian sports editor Matthew Osborne chatted with WWE champion The Miz on Wednesday, and here are a few extra tidbits from the champ’s interview in advance of his appearance in Trenton on Friday night at the Sun National Bank Center.
• Miz said people frequently ask him what he and the other wrestlers like to do when they come to a particular town. With the frantic travel schedule, they don’t get to do much.
“We literally land, we find a gym, then we look for an Applebees or somewhere to get some food,” The Miz said. “Then we get to the arena, and after the show, we’re off to someplace else. So, whatever gym you’ve got, I can’t wait to see it.”
• The Miz is a big fan of hair metal bands from the 1980’s — Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Guns N Roses, to name a few — and he also recently attended a concert to see former WWE champion Chris Jericho’s band, Fozzy.
As for Jersey’s music legends, it’s clear where his loyalties lie.
“I love Bon Jovi, but I’ve never been a big Bruce Springsteen fan, which may upset some people, but whatever,” he said.
• The Miz is the champion of more than just the WWE. He dominated the company’s fantasy football league this year, dominating United States champion Kofi Kingston in the two-week final.
Miz also defeated 99.7 percent of players on ESPN.com, with his team that included Week 1 pickup Arian Foster of Houston.
He also traded Donald Driver for Mike Vick before Week 2, a move that gave him the best quarterback to go along with the best running back in the league.
Miz’s stellar lineup included stalwarts LeGarrette Blount, Andre Johnson and the Steelers’ defense as well.
And in Week 17, with Vick out of action, The Miz called on rookie Tim Tebow to quarterback his team to the title.
“I dominated so much that I could have played just one of the two Super Bowl weeks and still beaten Kofi,” Miz said.
• The Miz mentors Alex Riley on Raw, but when he was breaking into the WWE, he learned from some of the top stars.

“Al Snow and Bill DeMott put their heart and soul into training me. John Cena was one guy who taught me a lot just by me being in the ring with him,” Miz said. “He showed me what I had to do to be in main events. Shawn Michaels also took me under his wing for a while as well.”
• The Miz has every intention of being the WWE champion heading to WrestleMania.
“If you’re in this business, it’s your dream to headline WrestleMania. I’m undefeated at Mania, I’m 1-0, so I’m going after the Undertaker’s streak!”
As for who he faces, as The Rock would say, it doesn’t matter ...
“I’m going to beat whoever it is no matter what.”

Tomorrow, we hope to talk with Nikki Bella, and we’ll have more on this show on Friday night when it’s all over.

WWE Raw Live comes to the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton on Friday, Jan. 21. Great seats are still available and start as low as $15. For tickets visit www.comcastTIX.com, call 800-298-4200, or visit the Sun National Bank Center box office.

Starting off the year right?

2011-01-10T19:30:00.003-05:00

Just a few notes from the first week of the year:

- We had some good news with the upcoming return of Tough Enough, in the original format. Casting is going on now, and the show will premiere the Monday after WrestleMania. It will have a regular air time of 8 p.m. Mondays on USA, just before Raw. John Morrison, you may remember, was a Tough Enough winner from the final what-I-call-real season of Tough Enough... The Miz was a contestant on the Tough Enough which aired as segment on Smackdown and was more like NXT.

- Well, you know it's Royal Rumble time if the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship is a former Spirit Squad member... Yeah, I still can't get past that... Nicky!

- On the TNA front, Karen Angle is returning Thursday night and Matt Hardy debuted at Genesis... Guess their budget is a little lower this year than it was last year when Jan. 4, 2010, brought us Jeff Hardy, Shannon Moore, X-Pac, Razor Ramon, Brian Knobbs, Ric Flair, the Blue Meanie and some guy named Hulk Hogan...

- On a final note, I made my way over to the wrestling action figures aisle in a popular super store with a red circular logo and saw something new from the WWE: Rumblers, which are chunky mini action figures for ages 3 and up. They are a lot like the little Star Wars Galactic Heroes, if you are familiar with those. Anyway, they had sets with John Cena and Sheamus, John Morrison and Rey Mysterio, CM Punk and R-Truth, and Triple H and Shawn Michaels. They also had a ring for the figures and separate Morrison with ladder and tables.

2010: Year of Extremes

2010-12-31T11:12:00.002-05:00

Probably the most memorable moments of 2010 were extreme matches. Unfortunately, it was also the year in which we saw the official death of ECW...

March-- Hulk Hogan and Abyss v. Ric Flair and AJ Styles was a far better match featuring guys who are or could be grandpas than the Vince McMahon v. Bret Hart match we saw later on in the month. Both Hogan and Flair had a classic match, both bloodied, and used the younger guys as appropriate buffers.

July-- Amazing was the only thing going through my mind when Randy Orton RKO'd Evan Bourne in mid-air.

August-- At Hardcore Justice, TNA's tribute to the wrestlers who were the ECW originals, one of the best matches was the South Philly Street in which Team 3D defeated Kahoneys (Balls Mahoney) and Axl Rotten by putting Kahoneys through a flaming table.

The other memorable match (although at times disturbing, considering some parts were happening directly in front of Tommy's family) from the night goes to the organizer, Tommy Dreamer, and his brutal match against Raven.

December-- I will always remember the image of Jimmy Superfly Snuka leaping off the top of the cage and now I will always remember Mickie James and her leap off the top of the cage:

Whatcha gonna do, brother, when I say "I do?"

2010-12-16T16:56:00.003-05:00

No, I'm not referring to the made-for-TV wedding of Goldust and Aksana. Hulk Hogan wed Jennifer McDaniels in a beach ceremony yesterday, but just because a wrestling ring wasn't involved, doesn't mean it didn't have the makings of an in-ring wedding.
During the wedding held at Hogan's Clearwater, Fla., beach house, a photographer was asked to leave. The photographer allegedly said he had a gun and put his arm to an employee's throat (clothesline?). This, of course, resulted in a brawl breaking out.
The police were called, but no charges were pressed.
I'm sorry, but wouldn't a professional wrestler's wedding be the last place you'd want to start something at? By the way, the photographer, was taking video.

Check it out here on TMZ.

Match of the Year?

2010-12-10T18:26:00.002-05:00

Mickie F'n James.

Yes, I've renamed her. If you saw her in the Steel Cage match last night on TNA Impact, you know why.

In case you didn't see it, Mickie and Tara (Victoria in WWE) were the main event in a Steel Cage match. That's right, Knockouts in a Steel Cage. Then, as if that wasn't history-making, Mickie finished Tara by climbing to the top of the cage, standing on it as if it was the top rope, and hits a Thesz Press on Tara.

Amazing. Mickie F'n James.

Granted, neither face was covered in blood, but Tara did suffer a torn ligament in her elbow. And, according to Dixie Carter, Tara was injured 2/3 through the match and continued to compete.

Mickie and Tara may have performed the match of the year last night (or Tuesday, since it's taped). It lived up to the main event status, and is the only match I'm remembering from the past year at this point and time...

(mickiejames.com does have recap, video and photos from match)

You Can't See Cena?

2010-11-22T15:44:00.004-05:00

"And if tomorrow is my last day. So be it. At least i will be able to live with myself. I think the match will be very good either way."

John Cena tweeted those words last night before Survivor Series began. Today is his last day.

Okay, well, let's not get too sappy. We all know something will happen so he is reinstated tonight, he is on Smackdown Friday or he makes some grand return at the Royal Rumble. (of course, it's been almost 3 years since his last Royal Rumble return...)

Whether you like him or not, Cena is a big moneymaker for the WWE and kids love him. I guess he's this generation's Hulk Hogan.

Unfortunately, he also went from being quite an entertaining performer to, well, stale. This Nexus storyline was only interesting because he finally had an enemy. It doesn't make someone an interesting character if all they care about is getting their hands on the belt, and somehow turning every PPV main event into a Triple Threat match. It just makes you greedy and pretentious.

Hopefully, Cena does take a break for a little bit -- possibly to focus on filming another movie which will be on DVD a month after it is released in theaters, although, I've seen no mention of that possibility -- and he works on evolving his character. Maybe he could even take a look at the old John Cena on his newly released "Experience" DVD and and bring some of what made him great back.

One thing is for certain, if a comeback is in his future, he will most certainly have an enemy in Wade Barrett.

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Putting the "F" back

2010-11-15T17:40:00.004-05:00

When you think about the WWF days, you think of Mean Gene, Roddy Piper and some other guy reminding you to say your prayers and eat your vitamins... Well, as the WWE prepares to go old school tonight, I can tell you two of those memories should make their way to the ring.

Also expected are Mae Young, The Iron Sheik, Dusty Rhodes, and the usual backstage suspects like Sgt. Slaughter.

With all the kids of our 80's favorites now wrestling, it would be nice to see a father/son match of some sort, or even a father/daughter match (yeah, did I mention Snuka should be there?).

I would also like to see Vince doing a little announcing. (Jerry Lawler, by the way, is healthy and returning tonight.)

Not sure if this means anything, but a certain "rattlesnake" tweeted earlier today something about "taking off."

Another favorite I'm not sure about was assisting buddy Triple H promote the sale of WrestleMania tickets in Atlanta last week, so he could be a possibility. By the way, The Rockers are in the promo video for tonight's Raw...

Don't forget, Raw does start an hour earlier tonight, as it is a three-hour special.

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Wedding Bells for Hogan

2010-11-11T22:09:00.001-05:00

Hulk Hogan is ready to make it official with fiance Jennifer McDaniel- he applied for a marriage license today in Florida. There's no word on when the 57-year-old Hogan will marry 35-year-old McDaniel, but the license does expire Jan. 11.

There's also no word on whether TNA will try to get more guests-- or hits-- than WWE's most recent "wedding" which was aired on the Internet last week.

According to Internet reports, Hogan's medical issues over the Labor Day weekend inspired the wrestling legend to get his second marriage started sooner than later.

Hogan's 20-year-old son, Nick, reportedly will be the best man.

McMahon for President?

2010-11-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

If you haven't heard, Linda McMahon was not elected Senator for Connecticut. The McMahons made light of her run Monday night, knowing she was one of the Republicans nobody was banking on winning. Vince (wearing a hospital gown) even pondered a run for President for himself.

In the spirit of the McMahons' humor, I have one thing that has bothered me that I can say now that the election over. Linda's opponent found all sorts of good in-character footage to make her look bad to the voters, but there is one thing that was never brought up...

Just over 10 years ago, Linda got revenge on her husband by teaming with Stephanie to sell their shares of the company to Stone Cold Steve Austin and made him CEO!

So, if she were to get mad at, oh, say John McCain, what would she do? Give her seat away to Tina Fey dressed as Sarah Palin?

Is this the kind of person you want making decisions for our country?

Vince as President, though...

Standing Up

2010-10-19T18:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, WWE unleashed its "Stand Up for WWE" campaign, asking fans to show their support for the WWE. The company has gotten alot of bad press lately (and let's face it, almost every time they are in the mainstream spotlight) as a tactic to hurt former CEO Linda McMahon's chances of being elected to the Senate.

The "Stand Up for WWE" has nothing to do with Linda's campaign except for the fact that it is answering allegations made by her opponent, Richard Blumenthal, and others not interested in seeing the successful businesswoman elected.

Allegations are the typical heard in the media, and probably even by some of your non-wrestling-fan friends-- steroid use, poor treatment of talent and the portrayal of women on WWE broadcasting.

A New York Post columnist even went as far as a calling the WWE a "drug-infused death mill." (FYI- the Post endorsed Linda on Oct. 8... I guess this guy wasn't too happy with his supervisors' decision...)

Yes, I'm sure there is pressure to be bigger and stronger, as there is in most sports. These guys also put their bodies through hell each week. This is going to result in some guys making poor decisions.

This is why WWE has a Talent Wellness Policy, which results in suspensions and sometimes releases of their contracts if the guys don't pass the random drug testing. Guys like Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and Carlito have suffered the consequences making stupid decisions and getting caught.

WWE wrestlers are independent contractors, which means they are not employees of the WWE, but basically business owners who provide their services to the WWE. However, WWE does cover the costs of injuries, provide medical health evaluations, and covers the cost of rehab for it's talent. According to WWE.com, the average wrestler earns more than $550,000 a year.

Women many times over the years have been used as pawns in a heel's storyline. This is a classic way to show who the villain is in a story. Any story, not just the WWE's.

The other day an ABC soap opened with a young woman holding a baby and another character was pointing at the two of them. I did not stay on the channel to watch the soap, but in those few seconds, I knew exactly who the bad guy was. Oh, and that was a basic channel in the middle of the day... WWE programming is on at night, on cable, and whenever they had a PG-13 (you know, before they went PG) storyline, it was usually on after 9 p.m., when most viewers who it would be unsuitable for would be in bed.

And on the other issue concerning female wrestlers, if I had a daughter, I would be happy if a Diva was her role model. Divas show girls they can be athletic and smart and still be sexy and gorgeous.

To learn more about "Stand Up for WWE," visit WWE.com.

TNA needs Jersey?

2010-10-14T18:16:00.004-04:00

After their biggest show of year, what does TNA have planned for tonight? Yup, the real J-Woww beating up Cookie, a Snooki look-a-like.

If you're thinking J-who?, let me explain. J-Woww is the nickname for Jenni Farley. Farley is a guidette from Long Island on MTV's "The Jersey Shore." Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, is also on this show. I attempted to watch this alleged hit show, but couldn't stand more than 5 minutes.

Apparently, TNA is trying to boost viewership again. I mean, I keep seeing that The Situation (another Jersey Shore castmate) still isn't eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars," so I guess that means these Bennys have fans who will watch whatever they do.

According to reports, Farley was paid $15,000 for the appearance on tonight's show, and there's a possibility it may not be her last.

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New clothes for Cena

2010-10-04T20:16:00.000-04:00

Tonight John Cena will debut a yellow and black look after losing last night at Hell in a Cell. I would like to see Cena show up tonight unshaven and maybe a little drunk in an bad-Superman sort of way. We've only seen the good side of Cena, and I think taking cues from Superman III may be the way to go for this boy scout...

He probably won't (got to keep up that Make-A-Wish image) and will probably just reluctantly go along, saying "sorry" just before jumping someone backstage.

I only hope this storyline doesn't become like the JBL "owning" Shawn Michaels from a few years ago.

Moving Day

2010-10-01T17:03:00.001-04:00

If the constant advertising wasn't enough to convince you to make the move to Syfy tonight for Smackdown, the WWE unleashed possibly it's biggest SD moment last week: the return of Paul Bearer, urn included.

The last time we saw Bearer he was buried in cement at the 2004 Great American Bash. We assumed he suffocated, but in reality (okay, in reality, Bearer wasn't even there and it was all videotaped earlier, but you know what I mean) the audience saw him escape, and the following SD revealed he was severely injured.

Speaking of injuries, Christain was injured last week but SD's hottest new star, Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio is the shot SD needed, and dare I say, ever since he's arrived, SD has been the better show.

(Of course, TPTB at the WWE don't think the SD viewership is all that great since last week they advertised John Cena and the Nexus to show this week, four days before Cena/Nexus decided on Raw to show up on SD...)

Hopefully, SD is not injured by the move from local broadcast to cable. One of SD's advantages has been that anyone, no matter what kind or level of television service they had, could access it. One positive from the move is SD will no longer be postponed by Yankees or Phillies games, depending on your viewing area.

If you're not sure if you have Syfy, check now. From my research, Syfy can be found on channel 244 for DirecTV, 122 for Dish Network, and it seems to vary on the cable providers in the area (and even shows up as "SciFi" still in the listing sometimes). If you normally tape SD, be sure to check your settings so you still tape the show.

By the way, NXT will no longer be on Syfy as a result of SD's move. It will now be "aired" on WWE.com...

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Computer Crash

2010-09-28T16:56:00.003-04:00

Edge did what I'm sure many of us have wanted to do ever since this mystery GM of Raw took charge in June... He destroyed the computer.

The computer GM reached new levels of ridiculousness last night when it was a guest on The Cutting Edge, speaking with it's own disguised voice via computer, rather than Michael Cole's reading the computer. It gave Cena-like comebacks, then gave Edge a match with none other than John Cena himself.

After losing the match (after first thinking he had won the match, then suffering from the GM interrupting his celebration to restart the match), Edge got "crazy eyes," as the computer said, and proceeded to damage it. The computer even let out a wail as it lay powerless (as in the impact turned the machine off) on the floor.

As I said, this was a new level. A few times in the past, as Cole would read the "messages" from the GM, the camera would shoot from Cole's back, allowing us to see Cole was reading a Word document, not some sort of instant message or e-mail. It was even a lengthy Word document, presumably with the entire script for the night...

I'm sure next week the computer (or a shiny new one) will be back. Perhaps it will even be a new one with a Band-aid on it to go along with how ridiculous this whole thing has become. What I really hope is we get the mystery part of this storyline over with soon... I mean, we're even allegedly finding out who Abyss' "they" are at Bound for Glory on Oct. 10...

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Jericho stays

2010-09-20T22:20:00.001-04:00

Apparently, Chris Jericho's contract negotiations went well because he was on Raw tonight wrestling John Morrison.

Per storyline, Jericho planned to quit if he did not win the Six-Pack Challenge Match at Night of Champions. Randy Orton was victorious.

During Monday's match (which he also lost, and looked distraught afterwards, as he has lately), Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler said Jericho reneged/claimed he never said he would quit.

Jericho does have European and Australian tours planned with his band, Fozzy, this fall/winter, so there is a chance he may be taking some time off. However, considering how well the Ryan Seacrest of sports entertainment has juggled his various jobs in past, I don't expect any absence he takes to be noticeable-- unless, of course, that contract isn't exactly finalized...

Kaval is NXT

2010-08-31T23:15:00.002-04:00

In case you weren't tuned in to Syfy, Kaval won NXT and will get a PPV match for the title of his choosing. I really could have been happy with any the final three winning NXT Season 2. Kaval has such a different, entertaining style. Alex Riley has the character part down. And, Michael McGillicutty is, well, perfect.

The only question now is does the Nexus get stronger the with finale of another NXT season? Or, could the new crop of guys be the new (and a little more fair) rival to Nexus? Or, is McGillicutty just forming his own group called Genesis?

If they do not follow in the Nexus' footsteps by forming some sort of a team, I do think all three finalists, not just the winner, will find some sort of success in the WWE. Percy Watson is an amazing athlete, and I think TPTB would be foolish not to bring him up to the big show, also. I'm also sure Husky Harris (possibly even with a new name) will end up making the leap, too.

Epic Battle

2010-08-30T22:19:00.000-04:00

At the top of the show, the e-mail GM created an epic match for the 900th episode of Raw-- Bret Hart versus the Undertaker-- the two men still around from the first Raw in 1993. Unfortunately, all Hart had to do was lift an eyebrow with Wade Barrett, Kane and then the rest of Nexus interfering (and Hart mysteriously disappearing).

So, let's imagine Hart was healthy enough to wrestle (because I'm thinking that's got to be why he just hung out in the corner for the brief time he was in the ring)...

There were two main moments Taker and Hart met in the ring: In Your House 13 (Feb. 1997) and SummerSlam 1997. In both instances, Hart defeated Taker, winning the WWF Championship.

(At In Your House, the title was vacant. The match was a Four Corners Elimination match also including Stone Cold Steve Austin - Hart rival- and Vader - Taker's rival. Hart and Taker were the final two in the match.)

Tonight's match would have been amazing (because even with Hart's limitations, Taker is an expert at making any match good). And maybe there could have been some interference from Kane, allowing Hart to get the upper hand he possibly wouldn't believably had gotten otherwise. (Each time the lights went out after the first time, I desperately was waiting to see the lights come on to Taker in a Sharpshooter...)

Who would have won this time around? We will never know...

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Raw Thoughts

2010-08-24T00:21:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty disappointed Sheamus will not be defending his title against only Wade Barrett at Night of Champions. I was excited for those brief seconds that was the match because it was something different and interesting. Then, we got the usual-- indecisiveness on what to do with the stars of the show by throwing them all together in the same match.

The problem with the WWE is they have too many stars, or leads. This is okay when a few are out with injuries, but when just about everyone is healthy, it means we have near battle royals to determine who should be wearing the belt. Either no one is willing to step back and let someone else be in the spotlight, or WWE really has no clue what they want to with their stars.

Whether you like it or not, sports entertainment is a soap opera. In soap operas, there may be the same leads there were 20 years ago, but they step back and rotate who's the lead in the current storyline.

Kinda like what TNA does.

One thing I've noticed this summer is WWE is about the stars and TNA is about the show. WWE thinks you'll watch because you are a John Cena fan, you are waiting for Triple H to return or because it's Raw. TNA wants you to watch because it's going to give you a great show, no matter who's in the starring role that night.

Smackdown, on the other hand, did end on a great note with the debut of Alberto Del Rio. His performance stole the show -- perhaps because he was so fresh -- even though Kane did seem to try for an Emmy nod with his seemingly never-ending speech...

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Hardcore Honors

2010-08-08T08:56:00.003-04:00

I think it's great that Dixie Carter and TNA are giving ECW the send off it deserved. In fact, it's long overdue. These guys are the innovators of many of today's special matches.

When WWE first had ECW, they had all the ECW guys doing their incredible hardcore matches.

Then, they started taping ECW with Smackdown. Smackdown, probably because of it's earlier start time and more accessible channel, was always a little more softcore and had more kids visiable in the audience. (I have been to both Raw and Smackdown tapings, and did notice the difference in the number of kids in the crowd)

Kids were getting sprayed with beer the Sandman would spray over the audience. Kids would see men get attacked in ways the moms against Linda McMahon running for Senate could never imagine. Something had to change.

Unfortunately, ECW was sacrificed. It became a new "Heat." And then, when ECW was getting replaced with NXT, Tommy Dreamer couldn't bear to stay long enough to see the official end.

WWE should have done what TNA is doing now back in February. One Last Stand... They could have even pulled together a short One Last Stand tour to a few locations, like the Hammerstein Ballroom. It's actually a shame WWE didn't honor ECW properly.

However, TNA's nostalgic honoring is not going to work to draw more long-term viewers to TNA. In fact, it sounds a lot like WCW bringing over all these WWE wrestlers, who yeah, were big names, but also were at the end of their prime run. And, we all know what happened to WCW...

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Return of the Super Friends

2010-07-26T21:05:00.003-04:00

Maybe I've been influenced by ComicCon, but John Cena's team does sound a little like the Super Friends taking on the Legion of Doom. Cena even referred to Edge and Jericho as Batman and Robin and Khali as Wonder Woman. Here's what I was thinking:

Superman: John Cena
Batman: Chris Jericho
Aquaman: Edge
Hawkman: Bret Hart
Apache Chief: Khali
Flash: John Morrison
Green Lantern: R Truth

Brotherly Love?

2010-07-12T16:23:00.007-04:00

To seek revenge on the attack on his brother, Kane first seriously suspected CM Punk and the SES because it would be logical that a group would be needed to take the Undertaker out. Now, his eyes are set on Jack Swagger. I say he should take a look in the mirror...

See, this is how it always works out. The brother or the best friend got jealous or mad and actually attacked the person you'd least expect him to attack.

When the footage rolled, we discovered it was Triple H who attacked Shawn Michaels in the parking lot in 2002. And, more recently, in 2009, Matt Hardy announced it was he who had been tormenting Jeff Hardy throughout 2008.

And, if you really want to go back, Cain attacked Abel. Okay, I know, but doesn't Taker always get into those title matches and is always the favored one, while Kane, even though he is arguably larger in size, is a sideline character? Need proof? Kane was WWE Champ once, 12 years ago. Taker has held the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships a combined 7 times, with his last reign ending, oh, 5 months ago.

The only question is when will Taker come out of his "vegetative state" (which some creatively say is due to his recent marriage to Michelle McCool... Rey Mysterio did actually injure him- concussion, broken orbital bone- in their match the week before Memorial Day). I have a feeling he'll have a full recovery and will be able to reveal his attacker in time for a match to settle their differences at SummerSlam.

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Bret Hart Speaks

2010-07-01T22:17:00.003-04:00

Bret Hart posted on his Facebook page today his opinion of Martha Hart's lawsuit on the WWE and the McMahons.

He opened his statement with the following:

"I feel that it's ridiculous for anyone to think they are serving the best interests of Owen's memory or his children to pretend he wasn't a wrestler. Not only was he a wrestler, he was a great one and proud of it. I personally believe Martha Hart has done nothing to keep his memory alive and sadly, he fades from view a little more every year. I do suspect this lawsuit is more about publicity, ego, and small-mindedness than it is about pro-wrestling and all of those that are in it."

To read the full statement, visit Bret Hart's Facebook Notes.

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Raw gets another GM, sort of...

2010-06-22T19:37:00.004-04:00

On Raw last night, Bret Hart (who was not present, just as he wasn't present for the PPV) was fired as GM of Raw. Vince McMahon announced there was a new GM, and that person wanted to remain anonymous and would be making decisions heard via e-mail.

Well, I'm pretty sure I know why.

There is no new GM... yet. Bret Hart's departure was sudden, and the WWE is using this computer GM to cover that up.

See, Martha Hart, the widow of Owen Hart, is suing the WWE, again. After Owen's death, the WWE was not allowed to use Owen's name and likeness without Martha's permission. She recently found out that the WWE violated this contract and is especially upset about the Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology DVD (released April 6).

The Federal lawsuit was filed today in Connecticut against Vince and Linda McMahon and the WWE. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said the WWE has the right to use its own copyrighted material which features Owen Hart.

The problem is, I believe the DVD was part of Bret Hart's return to the WWE. And, both the DVD and Bret's return were a major factor in boosting the Hart Dynasty team of Natalya (who tweeted earlier today that she was making a trip to Calgary to visit family), DH Smith and Tyson Kidd. And, shirts and photos featuring Owen are being sold by Bret Hart (www.brethart.com). And, I don't think I've heard anyone but a Hart mention Owen's name. (If I'm wrong, feel free to comment and correct me...)

It, by the way, would be hard to put together a DVD of Bret Hart's career without any Owen Hart footage.

So, it sounds to me that she needs to talk to her own family before suing the WWE. And, perhaps that is why Bret really suddenly disappeared from programming is no longer GM. (There were reports his Lloyd's of London insurer was unhappy with the beat down he received last week... perhaps that was a cover for the lawsuit he knew was on its way...)

From what I've seen, the WWE isn't selling Owen to make money. I know this must be hard for Martha, but I hope Natalya, Bret and the rest of the family can help her understand that Owen is an important part of their family's legacy, and you cannot simply erase him without hurting the family.

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TNA has a job for you...

2010-06-14T13:31:00.005-04:00

Don't freshen up your resumes... it's not that type of work. TNA is looking for fans to create street teams to promote events in their area, and in return, the company will pay you with tickets to a show.

TNA President Dixie Carter has been tweeting all weekend that TNA is "about to change forever" and that we'd learn all about it in the coming weeks. Today, on the Facebook page, fans were asked to join the TNA Nation.

"When a show is coming up in the near future and needs promoting, we will let you with a status update on this page. If you live in the surrounding area, shoot us an e-mail at tdc@tnawrestling.com," the page explains. "Once we have your information, we will supply you with fliers, posters, and other distribution materials to help you and your street team promote the upcoming show. If you and your team successfully promote the show and distribute all of the materials, you will be rewarded with free tickets to the TNA live event in your area!"

You can also throw TNA viewing parties at sports bars for the "extra credit" prize of autographed merchandise.

I don't know how they verify you have done the work, and I also don't know how they judge the next level:

"At the end of every six months the TNA officials will review all of the work done by members of the TNA Nation. The team that has done the most work for TNA will receive the ultimate grand prize. A package full of TNA DVD's, t-shirts, posters, and a personal phone call from one of your favorite TNA Knockouts!"

If you don't want to do all that work, you can still always send them an email with your ideas...

I don't know if this is the change Dixie was talking about or even just part of it, but I do know the last time they had a major announcement it was simply that they had given up on the Monday night waring and were retreating back to Thursday nights...

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Viewer's Choice?

2010-06-07T19:08:00.002-04:00

Well, it appears we won't be able to make our choices heard until the show actually begins in about 45 minutes. But, will our votes actually be heard?

Two things make me concerned about this:

1. With millions of fans voting at once, the website could crash. Yes, they did just unveil a new website, but I still have my concerns. The previous times the WWE has done fan-voting for matches - 2 Taboo Tuesdays and 3 Cyber Sundays - voting started well ahead of the event and voting stopped during the event.

2. With the preparation needed, fans are commenting online that they are suspicious that the "outcome" of the voting has already been decided. Sure, it's possible, but how much of a choice did you really think you were going to get? Usually, the match is pretty much set and we just get to vote on one aspect of it.

With that said, good luck getting your votes through...

The Next Generation

2010-06-02T13:59:00.002-04:00

Does anybody else find it strange that a week after Rikishi's twins and Jimmy Snuka's daughter appear on Raw, Mr. Perfect's kid and IRS's kid are announced as Rookies for Season 2 of NXT?

The Uso Brothers (Jimmy and Jules) along with Tamina attacked The Hart Dynasty last week on Raw. The three newcomers are 2nd generation wrestlers (okay, the Wild Samoans are the boys' great uncles, so perhaps you can call it 3rd generation), while the Harts we all know are 3rd generation and the last graduates of the Hart dungeon. The Harts were a little upset with Uncle Bret over the situation they were put in, but this looks to be finally a great match up for all of them.

Fast forward to last night... Before finding out Wade Barrett was the NXT winner (he's been first in the voting all along, so I'm pretty disappointed we weren't thrown a curve ball at the end, but that's the only thing I'm disappointed about.), we found out the would in fact be a second season of NXT. So, when CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox are all showing programs based on Japanese game shows, circuses with stars, man versus anything crazy, we will be getting something very similar on Syfy with NXT, if the first season is any indicator. (I really wish they would just put the actual FCW shows in its place.)

Anyway, out of the eight new Rookies, two are 3rd generation wrestlers. Husky Harris (aka Duke Rotundo in FCW) is the grandson of Blackjack Mulligan and son of IRS. Michael McGillicutty (aka Joe Hennig) is the grandson of Larry "The Axe" Hennig and the son of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. Cody Rhodes (yeah, son of Dusty Rhodes) is Harris' Pro and Kofi Kingston (sorry, he is not the son or grandson of a wrestler to my knowledge) is Hennig's Pro. I don't know why the two changed their names for NXT- perhaps they had a bet going on who could create the most absurd name for himself. By the looks of WWE personalities' twitter/blogs, I'd say McGillicutty won...

Does having the Rotundo and Hennig (sorry, I tried typing the new names, but, yeah McGillicutty wins as most ridiculous) boys on NXT mean they aren't at the level of the Uso's? Or, were they put on NXT to get us to watch? I really hope it's latter...

The other rookies will be:

Eli Cottonwood (Pro John Morrison) is the tallest at 7'1"
Percy Watson (Pro MVP) is a flamboyant South Beach partier
Titus O'Neil (Pro Zack Ryder) is former pro football player and Florida Gator Thad Bullard
Kaval (Pro Layla and Michelle McCool, yes, I'm serious) is by far the shortest at 5'8"
Lucky Cannon (Pro Mark Henry) is a former Sheriff's deputy
Alex Riley (Pro The Miz) is the FCW Heavyweight Champion who has a university jock (complete with letterman jacket) gimmick.

Who's the new Raw GM?

2010-05-24T16:19:00.004-04:00

The identity of the new Raw General Manager is buzzing all over the Internet. After all, it's got to be somebody good/controversial since past GMs include Eric Bischoff, Stephanie McMahon, Vickie Guerrero, Mike Adamle, Johnathan Coachman and Vince McMahon. Right?

Somehow, word got out that it's Abraham Washington. Yup, the guy who had a talk show that pretty much wasted about 20 minutes of ECW. Since ECW departed earlier this year, Washington has been hanging out in FCW doing color commentary. Will he be any good in this new role? Well, he did have a stint as FCW GM...

Since part of me is hoping the above information is simply rumor, here are some ideas I have:

Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan, whatever you want to call him) would be an interesting choice considering his friction with Michael Cole. Also, with his experience in Ring of Honor, he could bring a fresh perspective to Raw. I'm sure he would personally love to get his hands on the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship, and perhaps he could do that as GM, especially considering how many guys could be really injured and out after the Over the Limit PPV last night...

William Regal (one of guys who actually taught Danielson the business) is another choice. His rookie was eliminated from NXT, he was the WWF commissioner and he is a one-time manager of Raw and ECW. This also works with Teddy Long being a face manager on Smackdown-- a lot of times they like one to be face, the other heel so there are different conflicts on the shows. Plus, I like his character better when he's able to be manipulative.

Bill Goldberg is my last choice. He was tweeting a couple of months ago that he was working on a deal with the WWE, so this isn't that much of a dream. He is somebody who can get an incredible crowd reaction just by moving his pinkie. But, does he have management experience, you ask? Well, he was a contestant on "Celebrity Apprentice" this year (yeah, Maria did last longer). A one-night a week commitment probably won't conflict with his filming schedule for his DIY show "Garage Mahal" either...

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And then there were five...

2010-05-12T19:18:00.004-04:00

After a couple weeks of, um, challenges, I guess, we finally got an interesting NXT show last night with not one, but three eliminations. Both Michael Tarver and Daniel Bryan were eliminated for replying they would eliminate themselves in an interview last week, and Skip Sheffield was eliminated in the Pro vote.

These eliminations did not surprise me, and here's why:

Michael Tarver - He was always in bottom in the voting and the best reaction he got from crowd was last night when he was eliminated. And by best reaction, I mean a reaction.

Daniel Bryan - As I pointed out when he was announced as a "Rookie," Bryan, better known as Bryan Danielson, had only been with the WWE for a few months. Now, he certainly wasn't a rookie in the wrestling industry, which could have meant WWE was trying to put him on the fast track. However, I also looked at as maybe he was just filler/decoy, you know, to give the up-and-comers more experience in their ranks to help train them. Maybe the WWE was using him to draw viewers. Maybe Danielson was using the WWE to make his name bigger. Those are the feelings I got after watching NXT evolve.

Since making the real name reveal last night, I also wonder if he will be hanging around on Raw or Smackdown and actually will be on the fast track, and that is why the format of the show changed... they'll have the one winner with all the perks, but just like Tough Enough and the Diva Search before it, and few will still end up with contracts.

Skip Sheffield - This guy just can't get a break. He was on Tough Enough 4 and was eliminated. Still, I like him. I don't think he should have been the winner, but he is strong supporting character, and if you don't have those strong supporting characters in your undercard, you really have to consider if it's worth paying money just for the main event. I think he'll be back also, just maybe a little while after this NXT season/series ends.

So, who do I think is going to win? I certainly like all four at the top (sorry, Darren, you're good, and I have the same feelings for you as Sheffield). I think David Otunga and Justin Gabriel have the most immediate potential.

Otunga may be another filler/decoy to promote NXT outside of the wrestling community (the man was on entertainment news programs promoting the show), but that also makes him a star with crossover potential. He can also do both heel and face, which is important for the writers.

Gabriel has the high flying impact fans love. He also has a face the marketing department will love. He has the FCW background, which shows he's made it through the ranks and may be someone the WWE wanted to expose to viewers before debuting him on Raw or Smackdown.

I think both Wade Barrett and Heath Slater have made an impact and can be stars, but I think Otunga and Gabriel are the ones who can legitimately mix it up with the big guys now.

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Dawn Marie rescues wrestlers

2010-05-03T11:46:00.001-04:00

As a valet, Jersey girl Dawn Marie would do what she could to help the wrestlers she managed. Today, she helps every wrestler in a different way.

She is the founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization based in New Jersey that helps with the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers.

"We are very blessed in this business, but many things in this business need to change," she said. "If we work together, we can make changes."

And changes she has made. The charity was founded two years ago and has already met its five year goals. They have a talent booking agency- with support from wrestlers from Angelina Love to Jimmy Snuka- to raise funds for the cause. Wrestlers can book their travel through their agency to raise funds for the cause. And, as of March, they now offer insurance programs for active and retired wrestlers and fans.

"I'm making the business better," the Jersey native said, adding the team is working on a new set of five year goals to be released later this month.

Dawn Marie came up with the idea after seeing how many in the business came to help her when she needed to raise funds for her sister-in-law's medical needs. She started the charity to give back to the community that helped her.

It also serves another desire for her. She didn't get the chance to pass the business along to others when her contract with the WWE was released during her maternity leave.

"This business only exists if you pass it along," she said, explaining Jimmy Snuka had passed it on to her. "He expected me to pass it to someone else."

Her son is now 4, and he doesn't know what his mom does, even though he did recently discover her action figures.

"He just thinks everybody has a mama doll," she said.

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The best show in your town

2010-05-02T09:16:00.004-04:00

If you are a wrestling fan in New Jersey, and I'm assuming you are since you are reading this, and haven't found your way to a National Wrestling Superstars show yet, you are really missing out. Here's my top ten list why:

10. Just like the WWE, tickets start at $20* for adults, but they stop there, too. That means for a $20 seat, a wrestler may slap your hand as he makes his way to ring. (*Prices may change from venue to venue, also like the WWE)

9. Great for families-- children will even warm up to the scarier guys!

8. There's humor. For example, at last night's show, The Giant Silva competed in a Gulliver's Travels match against the ZWO, the Zoo World Order. They came out to VooDoo Child and the first "animal" to get the mic opened up his brief promo with "Let me tell you something, brother..." Oh, and yes, the ZWO were all men dressed as animals like a goat, monkey and tiger. They did animals actions, and competing against a 7'7" man, climbed on top of each other's shoulders to attempt to fight him.(By the way, the Giant Silva won and carried the Goat Boy out of the ring in a giant fishnet.)

7. The Jersey Shore Madman Slayer. This guy's ring entrance is a sight to be seen. He wears a straight jacket and violently throws himself around the ring until he gets the jacket off. Then, he is fed items to calm him. Last night, some Christmas lights dangling above the ring were casualties of his entrance.

6. The performers know what they're doing. Don't think this is an untelevised Heat. The wrestlers are great at getting reactions from the fans and they do as crazy moves as the ceiling will allow. I'll admit, when the more experienced guys perform, you can see a difference, but in most cases (because I was once at a show with dead parts, but, hey, the big three wrestling shows on TV all have dead parts) it is still an amazing experience.

5. Fans really get to interact with the stars. Before the show, the special guest headliners and the regulars are out at tables for you to meet and buy their merchandise. Then, at intermission, the wrestlers are out again for you to get photos with them.

4. They travel all over the Garden State, so it's likely you won't have to drive far to get to a show. Next week, they will be in Manville (Friday, May 7) and Middletown (Saturday, May 8) and later in the month they will have shows in Kenilworth, Flemington, Bergenfield and Livingston.

3. Every seat is a good seat. Because they are at smaller venues and not huge arenas, you will be close to the action no matter where you sit.

2. There's always former or current TV star headlining. Last night, I saw former WWE Champ Tatanka. You can see Rikishi and the Blue Meanie next week. Snitsky is trying to throw somebody through a table or a door somewhere each month. Current TNA stars like the Black Machismo and ODB have also made appearances and competed with the NWS stars.

1. Fans are appreciated. Really, the fans are treated as part of the family. They celebrate birthdays by bringing the individuals in the ring and giving them gifts. Last night, a regular fan who died of cancer the night before was given a 10-ring salute and had the show dedicated to him.

Visit NWS online at www.nwswrestling.com or on Facebook.

JR Silenced

2010-05-01T07:06:00.004-04:00

Jim Ross is still employed by the WWE, but don't expect to hear his voice during a broadcast any time in the near future. His 17-year talent contract - the one that makes him an on-air personality - ended yesterday. He will continue to work for the WWE behind the scenes in his other job with the company in talent relations.

Good Ol' JR has not sat at the announce table since his third Bells palsy attack left him with full-blown Bells Palsy in October. His first attack was in 1994 and his second was in 1998.

"The WWE engaged in talks with me on Thursday of this week to discuss a new job description that would include what I am now doing along with other talent relations oriented matters," JR said in his blog last night. "I am considering this offer and trust that a decision will be made soon regarding this opportunity."

JR also let his fans know he is not angry, but disappointed, and that he would have liked to do a farewell broadcast before his contract ran out. He also noted he has interest in doing radio, and that his "dream job" is to be the voice of the Oklahoma Sooners, but that job is not exactly available.

"I have been blessed with a remarkable career and truly feel that I have much more to contribute and will be able to do so on the next leg of my journey on my own terms," JR said.

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UPDATED! WWE Draft Results

2010-04-27T16:18:00.000-04:00

(Check back here throughout the night for the draft results, and come back later on in the week for supplemental draft results)

No draft picks in first half hour...

Kelly Kelly drafted to Smackdown (Michelle McCool and Layla defeat Eve and Maryse for pick)

Big Show drafted to Smackdown (CM Punk defeats Evan Bourne for pick)

John Morrison, R-Truth and Edge drafted to Raw (Ted DiBiase wins 10-Man Battle Royal for Team Raw)

Kofi Kingston drafted to Smackdown (Chris Jericho defeats Christian)

Christian drafted to Smackdown (Jack Swagger defeats John Morrison)

Chris Jericho drafted to Raw (Hornswoggle defeats Dolph Ziggler)

Draft concluded. Supplemental Draft moved to Tuesday noon...

Supplemental Draft Results:
MVP, Rosa Mendes, Hornswoggle, Chris Masters, Cody Rhodes and Chavo Guerrero drafted to Smackdown.

David Hart Smith, Tyson Kidd, Natalya, Goldust, Ezekiel Jackson and The Great Khali drafted to Raw.

My first impression is that Raw is really stacked, and that I don't think WWE did any favors for Syfy like they did for My Network when they got Smackdown. (If you remember, that was the year Triple H was drafted to Smackdown.) I really thought Randy Orton or John Cena or both would end up on Smackdown to even things out. The positive thing is some guys who are very talented, but would have had very little chance of a heavyweight championship before, are going to get it now on Smackdown.

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