Diary of a Mighty Bastard

Taking a very early guess as to the card for Wrestlemania XXVI (because I look at the Indians in the standings and don't want to talk about baseball):

WWE Title: CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena
Note: Officially, Cena's the face and Punk's the heel. But the crowd will be split down the middle for this one

RAW Title: Edge (c) vs. HHH (Royal Rumble Winner) vs. Randy Orton
Note: I know HHH-Orton has been done to death, but I don't really have any place to put Orton. HHH has feuded with every current main eventer in the WWE, and I don't know if they want to build up another one big enough for him to challenge at WM.

IC Title vs. US Title: Miz (IC) vs. John Morrisson (US)
Note: Not sure if I would unify the titles (probably not). For a long time I thought Morrisson was the star and Miz the understudy, but Miz has been outstanding recently, single-handedly making fans care about his feud with Cena (and it'll be a shame if Cena squashes him on Sunday)

Tag Titles: Legacy(c) vs. World's Greatest Tag Team
Note: The WWE doesn't really care about tag titles at the moment (in face, part of me suspect DiBiase and Rhodes will turn on Orton, leading to DiBiase-Orton and Batista-Rhodes at WM. Call that my backup plan). But until they pull the trigger on pushing DiBiase and Rhodes up the card as singles, they'll hold onto the tag belts. Haas and Benjamin are a great team that can have great matches with anyone

ECW Title: Christian (c) vs. Matt Hardy
Note: May be a ladder or TLC match, as we can push a feud between former and current ECW champions, as well as bring back a bunch of Hardys/Edge and Christian references

Jeff Hardy vs. Rey Mysterio
Note: This won't be for a title, but could easily be billed as a face vs. face 'dream match'

Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho
Note: Some heel needs to challenge Undertaker for his streak. Jericho is a big enough name to make it interesting.

Shawn Michaels vs. Bryan Danielson
Note: My big (and only) acquisition for this card (Danielson is a free agent at the moment). Bring Danielson in (truthfully) as Shawn Michael's "prize pupil", have him turn on Michaels around the Royal Rumble, you have a recipe for a fantastic match. I know the "American Dragon" isn't in the WWE's mold of a wrestler, but with Michaels there he could get over very very quickly.

Money in the Bank: Evan Bourne vs. Fit Finlay vs. Carlito Colon vs. Brian Kendrick vs. MVP vs. R Truth vs. Primo Colon vs. William Regal
Note: For once, it won't be Punk or Edge taking home the title shot. I say give it to Bourne or Kendrick. Bourne, probably- he was incredibly over last year, before his injury.

Jack Swagger vs. Batista
Note: Technically, it's a demontion for Batista. But Swagger is going to get a huge push because he fits the WWE's formula so well. And Batista is so injury prone that at this point I'd use him to elevate others.

Given the current storylines, here's how I'd book Sunday's WWE Royal Rumble:

Women's Champion Beth Phoenix vs. Melina: Beth Phoenix retains the title. Honestly, unless they bring Trish Stratus back, the best idea I can think of for Phoenix is to have her and Santino Morella split up in the next couple of months, then have Santino challenge Beth for the title.

ECW Champion Jack Swagger vs. Matt Hardy: I'm a big Matt Hardy fan. But Jack Swagger fits the WWE's formula perfectly, and they are going to keep pushing him as long as the fans will let him. Swagger retains.

WWE Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Edge: There are two big named possibilities for the attacker who's been stalking Jeff Hardy.
( click here to see the guesses )

I expect that stalker to cost Hardy the belt this show, but NOT be revealed (ie, he attacks in a mask or something). This gives Edge the title

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena vs. JBL: There are two paths to go here. The first one is for John Cena to retain, then defend against the winner of the Royal Rumble. The second is for JBL to win the title, then defend against Shawn Michaels at WM.

I think Michaels costs JBL the title here- or at least doesn't help JBL when JBL demands it, and a distracted JBL loses to Cena. JBL will fight Shawn Michaels, but not for the title.

30-Man Royal Rumble Match: OK, starting out is John Morrison and Brian Kendrick (Morrison will last 40+ minutes). A returning Umaga will get the "throws out a ton of dead weight" push.

The lat four will be Chris Jericho, HHH, Undertaker, and Randy Orton (who enters at #30, and is the freshest man in the ring). Orton shocks everyone by throwing out Undertaker almost has thrown out Chris Jericho. Both HHH and Jericho are worn out while Orton is fresh, and Orton starts pushing HHH over the top rope when Stephanie McMahon comes out, grabs Orton by the hair, and allows HHH to hoist Orton over the top rope.

Orton snaps, grabbing Stephanie McMahon by the hair and slaps her across the face in the aisle. Inside the ring, HHH hits Chris Jericho with a Pedigree, and looks ready to throw Jericho out. Meanwhile Orton lines up for a Concussion kick on Stephanie, causing HHH to pause, look concerned- and charge out, tackling Orton and eliminating himself in the process. Your winner: Chris Jericho.

Chris Jericho, in a fit of pique over the way the McMahons treated him on RAW, announces that he'll be going after the Smackdown title instead, leaving RAW hanging in the win. The February PPV then becomes based around finding a challenger for the RAW title, which ends up being the Undertaker (because, honestly, Undertaker vs. a face Cena is a 'dream match' that hasn't happened yet)

So here's my Wrestlemania lineup:

RAW Title: John Cena (c) vs. Undertaker (the February PPV give
Smackdown Title: Edge (c) vs. Chris Jericho
ECW Title: Jack Swagger (c) takes on Dave Finlay
JBL vs. Shawn Michaels
Randy Orton vs. HHH
Jeff Hardy vs. his Stalker
Women's title: Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Santino Morella
Tag Title Unification: John Morrison and the Miz (RAW Champions) vs. Carlito and Primo Colon (Smackdown Champions)
Money in the Bank: Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Ken Kennedy vs. THE Brian Kendrick vs. Rey Mysterio Jr vs. Matt Hardy

Just finished the book Ring of Hell, about Chris Benoit.

It's an ugly story about an ugly business. I'm a longtime wrestling fan, and a lot of the stories I read really turn my stomach. I don't want to think wrestling is still this bad, but steroids are still prevalent, and so is the brutal schedule and environment that led to Benoit snapping.

It's a somber look at a business I'm a fan of. Otto Von Bismarck was quoted as saying, "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." Add wrestling to that list.

Went to the Ring of Honor show in Cleveland on Friday.

The good news- a good show. Not as great as some of the 2006 shows, but the main event was fantastic, and the crowd was into the show.

The bad news- not a big enough crowd. Maybe 400 people at Gray's Armory. The rumors were that this was a "Do or Die" show- if Cleveland didn't sell well, they wouldn't be coming back. Doesn't sound like they will.

I can't blame Ring of Honor- they put forth a good effort, both in 2006 and now. There wasn't an audience here- not enough to make it a regular stop. As a ROH fan, I'm annoyed. But it's a business, and they make more money at other venues.

It was a good show, and I've enjoyed the four ROH shows I've attended. Best of luck to Ring of Honor.

Ring of Honor is returning to Cleveland after a two year absence.

I don't really watch the WWE or TNA anymore, but this will be my fourth Ring of Honor show. ROH is an independent league without a television contract, but they do an outstanding job. The wrestlers put on excellent matches, and while there are angles, they fit in with the league. I don't feel embarassed watching Ring of Honor, and I can't always say that about the WWE and TNA.

Unfortuantely, this might be the last Cleveland show for a while. Ticket sales have never been good here, which is why it's been so long since the last ROH show. Rumors are if the show doesn't sell very well (as in 4-500 people), they probably won't come back. That's unfortunate. I'm including the lineup for the show below, and will let everyone know how the show went. In the meantime, check out some of the guys listed below on Youtube. And if you're free on the 15th, consider coming to the show. If you are a wrestling fan, I think you'll really enjoy the show.


========================================================
Cleveland, OH- August 15th
Friday, August 15, 2008


Cleveland Gray's Armory
August 15th, 2008- 8:00 pm belltime
1234 Bolivar Road
Cleveland, OH 44115

Tickets are now on sale at www.rohwrestling.com, www.tickets.com, or by calling (215) 781-2500.

ROH World Title Match
Nigel McGuinness defends vs. El Generico

Grudge Match
Austin Aries vs. ROH World Tag Team Champion Tyler Black

FIP World Heavyweight Title Match
Erick Stevens defends vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Grudge Tag Team Match # 1
Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Jimmy Jacobs & a mystery partner

Grudge Tag Team Match # 2
Roderick Strong & Brent Albright vs. Go Shiozaki & Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney

Special Attraction
Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny King

Rematch From Virginia
Delirious vs. Rhett Titus

Special Challenge Match
Kevin Steen vs. Jigsaw

Wrestlemania is happening on Mach 30th. I'll make my predictions, based on both what I would like to happen, and what I expect to happen.

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena vs. HHH vs. Randy Orton
What I'd like to happen:
Not really sure, to be honest. I'm not a big Randy Orton fan, and HHH and Cena have had massive title reigns. The guy who I really wanted to see win the belt was Jeff Hardy, but his drug suspension killed that chance. I'd have Orton retain, just because no one expects it.

What I expect to happen:
Believe it or not, it's been four years since HHH won at Wrestlemania. Yet every year, people expect him to walk out of Wrestlemania with the WWE Championship.

This year, I think it'll happen. There's a huge potential program with HHH and Cena, but I think it works better with Cena as the challenger. HHH pins Orton to win the belt.


World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Undertaker
What I'd like to happen:
Unlike Orton, Edge is, in my mind, a franchise player for the WWE. I'd have him be the one to end Undertaker's streak, keep the title, and be the heel champion to the RAW face champion

What I expect to happen:
Undertaker doesn't lose at Wrestlemania. Here he'll win the belt.


Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. Big Show
What I'd like to happen:
The Big Show looks in great shape, and I'd like to see a huge push for the guy. Have him beat Mayweather and look like a monster doing so. Expect the crowd to treat Big Show as the biggest babyface on the show.

What I expect to happen:
Something controversial where both men walk out trying to look stronger. My guess is that Big Show pins Mayweather, then afterwards Mayweather knocks Big Show Out and his group does a verbal ten count.


Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels (Career Threatening Match)
What I'd like to happen:
Flair, in trouble the whole match, turns heel when someone (CM Punk?) comes down to ringside to help him win. Setting up a Michaels-Punk feud and giving Punk the rub of being trained by the dirtiest player in the game.

What I expect to happen:
While being the guy to retire Flair would normally be a big push, Michaels doesn't need it. Still, I think this may be Flair's final match, and I expect him and Michaels to pull out all the stops in a classic that ends with Michaels winning and Flair walking away to cheers.


Money in the Bank Ladder Match
What I'd like to happen:
They announce a surprise eighth contestant- Matt Hardy. Hardy wins the title shot, challenges Edge for the Smackdown Title at Sumemrslam, and either wins the title or renews his feud with MVP for the US title.

What I expect to happen:
Not really sure, to be honest. CM Punk is my favorite wrestler in the group, but I don't think he's being given a big push. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sheldon Benjamin win it, then challenge the winning of the ECW title within the next month. Benjamin's been in every MiTB match, and this could be a reward for him.


SmackDown vs. Raw: Batista vs. Umaga
What I'd like to happen:
A double-turn... Umaga is beating Batista cleanly in the match, and Batista cheats (maybe gets help from Snitsky or the Great Khali) to steal the win. Umaga then heads to Smackdown to continue their feud.

What I expect to happen:
Batista wins a hard-fought battle between the two. No turn.


24-Man Battle Royal - Winner faces ECW Champion
What I'd like to happen:
I like Jamie Noble- great wrestler, great character- and coule easily see him as ECW Champion.

What I expect to happen:
I suspect it comes down to two men- either Kane (his last hurrah) or Colin Delany (as the underdog). Either way, I think Chavo loses the title.


Finlay vs. JBL - Belfast Brawl
What I'd like to happen:
This could be the match of the night. Both Finlay and JBL can brawl with the best, and a street fight match could bring out the best in both. I'm not sure who'll win- probably Finlay, as JBL can take the loss better.

What I expect to happen:
Finaly wins a vicious, vicious battle. Keep Hornswoggle away and this will be a great match.


BunnyMania Lumberjack Match: Candice & Maria vs. The Glamazon & Melina
What I'd like to happen:
Beth Phoenix is the best wrestler, and (IMHO) Melina is the best looking of the four. So I'd prefer that side to win.

What I expect to happen:
Never bet against the one actually appearing in Playboy. Maria pins Melina

The police are treating the death of the Benoit family as a murder-suicide. Chris Benoit strangled his wife Nancy, smothered his seven year old child Daniel, then hung himself.

My thoughts are pretty jumbled now. It's hard to believe anyone you see is capable of a crime like that. Everyone who talked about Benoit said what a good guy he was. It's difficult to believe that so many people were fooled- that Benoit was such a monster.

But he was. Three people are dead. Two are innocent.

I own his DVD of his best matches. I'm half convinced to destroy it. I know, right now, that I don't want any reminders of him.

I recommend reading Crosblog, Kicking Air, or Raton Range Sprts Guy for their comments. They do a better job describing their thoughts than I do.

It was the acid test of wrestling fans- the test that separated the casual fan from the hardcore fan.

"What do you think of Chris Benoit?"

To the casual fan, Benoit was a good wrestler and a former world champion. Not the most colorful guy out there, but very good in the ring.

To the hardcore fan, Benoit was an artist. Able to wrestle any style- brawling or technical or high-flying. He probably had more great matches than any wrestler ever, from his classic matches in early 90s in Japan through his years in ECW to the brawls with Kevin Sullivan in WCW to finally winning the world title in the WWE from HHH.

And he did it without being flashy, and considered 'too short', and a thousand other criticisms fired off at him.

He was never the WWE's franchise player, like John Cena is. He was just their best wrestler- the guy they could put against anyone. I would bet to say that over half the WWE's roster had their best matches with Benoit- because he wrestle a great match, and because he'd go out of his way to make sure the other guy wrestled a great match as well. The WWE used Benoit to create stars, and it worked. MVP was just the latest wrestler to have improved by working with Benoit.

And along they way, you thought you had an idea what the guy's personality was like. Wrestling fans heard second hand stories about him trying to get his friend Eddie Guerrero off drugs. And they knew he didn't have an ego that made him refuse to work with others. We thought he was one of the good guys.

Yesterday, I found out Benoit, his wife, and their 7 year old son were found dead in their home.

At first, we thought it was another tragedy, like Owen Hart or Eddie Guerrero. Too many wrestlers have died young, from drugs or accidents or suicides. Wrestling is very much an outlaw business- not regulated by unions because it straddles the line between sports and entertainment. Too many people slip through the cracks.

But now more details are starting to slip through- that Benoit killed his wife and child, then killed himself.

I'm going to hold off saying anything until we learn more. But if it's true...

People used to ask me why I am a wrestling fan. Usually if I tried to get them to watch a show at random it would invariably be something so stupid that it'd be a lost cause to explain what I liked about it. But I could usually point to a Benoit match with Eddie Guerrero or Dean Malenko or Kurt Angle and hold it up as a reason to watch.

I'm too old to have sports heroes. But I have people whose work I respect and admire. And to find out that one of those people did something so monstrous is beyond my comprehension right now.

Wrestlemania has come and gone... I didn't watch it, but I read the results.

It probably won't go down as a 'classic' Wrestlemania, but if you liked the lineup, you probably liked the show. The WWE does a good job building up their main events, and delivering what was promised to the fans (moreso than TNA)

Steve has decided to put together his own dream WM23 lineup, and since I'm always willing to steal good ideas, I'll do the same:

1) RAW Title- John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
2) Smackdown Title- Batista vs. Undertaker
3) Hair vs. Hair- Lashley vs. Umaga

Yep- I'm keeping the top three matches the same. Only change is that Lashley and Umaga have lost their belts. The buildup for all three have been excellent, and I'd even keep the booking the same.

4) ECW Title- CM Punk vs. RVD

Put the title on Punk, and have him retain the belt. Ideally, I'd love to do a Ring of Honor vs. ECW feud, but regardless I would push Punk as the champion.

5) US Title- Chris Benoit vs. Matt Hardy
6) IC Title- Kenny Dykstra vs. Jeff Hardy

Push both Hardys as the challengers for the belts. Dykstra retains, but Matt Hardy pulls off the huge upset to beat Benoit (long-term, I'd turn Benoit heel to feud with UT, while Matt feuds with a despondent Jeff.)

7) Money in the Bank match- Ken Kennedy vs. Johnny Nitro vs. Fit Finlay vs. Booker T vs. Ric Flair vs. Carlito Colon vs. Marcus Cor Von vs. Elijah Burke

Not a classic spotfest, but I think it'd work. Either Kennedy or Burke wins.

8) Tag Team Elimination match- winners are the WWE Tag champs for both divisions:
Rated RKO vs. World's Greatest Tag Team vs. Kendrick & London vs. Jimmy Yang & Jamie Noble

Unify the tag titles. Possible match of the night here. I'd take any of them, but would love to see Benjamin and Haas win the belts.

9) Cruiser match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Greg Helms
Current Heel champ vs. former heel champ.

10) Woman's title: Melina vs. Victoria
I can't get Molly Hally back, but this'll do.

That's how I'd run it.

With Wrestlemania coming up this Sunday, I thought I'd throw in my $0.11 and predict who would win.

RAW Title: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
Who will win: John Cena.

Cena is one of the WWE's two projects- wrestlers the WWE is trying to get over as their franchise palyers, and are willing to sacrifice everyone on the roster to keep him over.

I don't mind Cena- he's not a great worker, but he can be carried to a good match. And he's very good on the microphone. Shawn Michaels is one of the best workers on the roster, and his ability to work as hard as he does at his age is remarkable. He's going to carry Cena to a great match, but in the end Cena will be the one with his arm raised.

Smackdown Title: Batista vs. Undertaker
Who will win: Undertaker

A year ago, I would have chosen Batista. Undertaker's WM streak is a big thing, and whoever breaks it will get a tremendous push. But Batista's faltered lately- he's had bad matches, the crowds have turned against him. With three brands I'd expect at least one title switch, but Lashley isn't defending his belt and Cena will retain. So Batista will lose his title to Undertaker. UT is still over with the crowd, and can carry the belt until the next heel challenger is in place to take the belt (my choice is below).

Hair vs. Hair: Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga
Who will win: Lashley

First of all, there's no way Donald Trump is losing his hair.

Secondly, Bobby Lashley is the other WWE project. The WWE has a formula- if you have a good look, can speak on the microphone, not suck in the ring (you don't have to be Chris Benoit, but have to be able to be carried by a Benoit type), and don't get into trouble outside the ring, you'll get a good push. Lashley (like Cena) fits the formula perfectly. As long as he fits the formula, he'll get a push as long as feasibly possible.

The WWE has been willing to sacrifice everyone in ECW to build up Lashley, and now Vince McMahon is willing to have his head shaved to build him up. Umaga has been built up as a monster and (unlike Khali) can work a good brawl. This won't be a classic, but it'll be a fun brawl.

Money in the Bank Match: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Fit Finlay vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. CM Punk vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Booker T
Who will win: Mr. Kennedy

I love this concept for the match, as it's a geat way to build someone up. And I could make a case for every single person in this match to win it. My personal choice would be for Matt Hardy to win the shot, as I think he could use the push more than anyone. That being said, Edge and Randy Orton are so over they don't need the win, and Mr. Kennedy fits the WWE formula better than anyone else.

ECW Originals vs. the New Breed: Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu, and Rob Van Dam vs. Kevin Thorn, Monty Brown, Elijah Burke, and Matt Striker
Who will win: The New Breed

The WWE is down on three of the ECW originals, and RVD's contract is expiring. Expect a clean win for the new guys.

Woman's Title: Melina vs. Ashley
Who will win: Melina, I guess

The WWE keeps trying to find the new Trish Stratus among the women, like they keep trying to find the new Rock or Steve Austin. Ashley's willing to pose for Playboy, but Melina's a better wrestler. *shrug*

United States Title: Chris Benoit vs. MVP
Who will win: MVP

No, I have not gone insane. Yes, I can think of about a dozen wrestlers on Smackdown I'd rather have than MVP win the belt. But Benoit doesn't need the belt to be over. What he needs is to be freed up- so he can turn heel and challenge the Undertaker for the Smackdown Title. To do that- to turn heel and go for the big belt- he needs to lose the secondary title. So MVP gets the nod here.

Kane vs. The Great Khali
Who will win: Not me.

Let's see... Jamie Noble's not on the card. Neither is Paul London. Brian Kendrick. Carlito Colon. Ken Dykstra (and he is outstanding). Ric Flair. Chavo Guerrero. Jimmy Yang. Gregory Helms. Johnny Nitro.

But Khali's on the card. Ya know, I can forgive them for pushing Cena and Lashley- leaving those wrestlers off and keeping THE GREAT KHALI on? That's a travesty.

I've been watching the wrestling DVD Joe vs. Kobashi, from Ring of Honor. Excellent DVD, and I've become a huge fan of Ring of Honor over the past year.

Ring of Honor, from late 2005 through 2006, has been outstanding. Great work from the wrestlers, good booking, and the crowds are incredibly hot. They are hitting everything on all cylinders.

Wrestling is very cyclical like that- a league will go on a run where everything seems to work. I think Ring of Honor's peak run is ending- Bryan Danielson is injured, Samoa Joe is leaving ROH, TNA refuses to let their wrestlers be booked against non-TNA wrestlers... but they've been on an incredible run.

There's other past runs- wrestling leagues that just hit their peak. Some of them are:

* WWF from 1997-1999: Highlighted by Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Rock, the WWF had incredibly hot crowds and wrestlers who were over enough to have mainstream sucess.

* The WCW from 1996-1997: the nWo era. For the first time, WCW overtook the WWF in terms of being #1 in the minds of most people.

* ECW in 1994-1995: Both the WWF and WCW stunk in 1994 and 1995. ECW presented something 'different', and the crowds ate up the 'rebel' aura ECW had.

* NWA in 1989: It was carried on the back of two feuds (Ric Flair-Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair-Terry Funk), but those feuds carried over to the rest of the fed

* WWF in 1985-1987: Hulk Hogan's era. Not great for wrestling, but any fed that can sell out the Pontiac Silverdome is over with the fans.

If the peak period of Ring of Honor is over, they've had a great run. And I do recommend checking out the DVDs and matches from this period.

Seeing how everyone and their uncle is making predictions on the WWE's Royal Rumble for 2007, I thought I'd throw in my $0.11

Who I think will win is easy: MNM, Lashley, Cena, Batista, Michaels wins the Royal Rumble. What I think the WWE should do is different.

Pre-show: Announce one of the contestants (say, Viscera) is out and will be replaced.

MNM-Hardys: Give MNM the win on this one. Over the next two months, have the Hardys win the RAW tag team titles, and MNM challenge them in one final match (TLC?) for the belts

Lashley-Test: Have Test win. Have him cheat, outside interference, whatever. Play up the fact that Test is about as far from the original spirit of ECW as possible. Cut to a backstage scene of Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu watching the title change in frustration.

Cena-Umaga: With Test winning the ECW belt, the other two titles don't have to change hands. Cena retains after a hard felt battle (Umaga can fight Hogan at WM)

Batista-Kennedy: Batista retains. Not sure what to do with Kennedy after this match- maybe challenge Benoit for the US belt?

30 man Royal Rumble: Flair gets #1, and Kenny Dykstra gets #2. Dykstra will get the 'longest in the ring push'. Rapid eliminations- wonder if #30 might get into the ring with only one or two people left in the ring.

2/3rd of the way through, Shawn Michaels and Edge are tangled up in the ropes when Randy Orton throws both men over the top. Edge hops back up and argues with Orton, allowing someone (Finlay?) to toss Orton over. This sets up a fatal four-way match at Wrestlemania with Michaels, Cena, Orton and Edge for the title.

After #29, four men remain in the royal rumble: Undertaker, Finlay, Booker, and Dykstra. #30 is the mystery contestant....

... Enter Mick Foley.

The three heels team up on beating down the two faces. UT fights back, but a charging clothesline sends him, Booker, and Dykstra over the top ropes. Finlay and Foley are the final two, continuing to fight (and let them work stiff) until Foley is able to backdrop Finlay over the top rope to win.

Fallout: Shocking winner of the Royal Rumble, who then challenges Test for the ECW title to represent 'The REAL ECW'. Cena and Batista have their programs for Wrestlemania (No Way Out can be a #1 contenders match for UT to win). Royal Rumble doesn't seem so predictable, and play up the fact that the idea of Test being ECW champ is so horribly wrong that all of the old school ECW fans will band together to cheer Foley on.

Let me start this rant off with two statements:

1) I’m a pro-wrestling fan
2) I don’t like the WWE Style of Wrestling

This isn’t about the WWE. Vince McMahon has his preferences for what type of wrestlers he pushes to the top, and he’s made a fortune. I’ve been a WWE fan in the past when the people he’s pushed are people I enjoy watching (Rock, Mankind, etc.) , and tuned out when they aren’t (Current-day HHH, Cena).

For the past year, TNA has presented itself as the alternative to the WWE. Really, it’s the only other brand that has any national tv deal- so the WWE and TNA are the only choices most fans have. Unlike the WWE, TNA has multiple wrestlers that I enjoy watching. Everyone from Samoa Joe to AJ Styles to Christopher Daniels to America’s Most Wanted…

TNA isn’t in the same weight class as the WWE, and I don’t care if they ever achieve that level of name recognition. What I want, as a fan, is a good alternative that is worth watching.

Which is why I’m upset. Because I swear that TNA is working very hard and spending a lot of money to make sure that I never want to watch their shows. Here are my problems with TNA:

1) Jeff Jarrett. I’m a Jarrett fan- he’s a good heel, and he can have good matches with people of any style. He has a place on the roster, as either a perennial contender for the title or as a top heel. Unfortuantely, he’s booked as the centerpiece of the organization- the single guy everyone focuses on, the franchise of the federation. The same level that Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, or Ric Flair were booked at.

He’s not that over with the fans. And he’s been on top so long that he’s burned out. Fans are turning away from TNA because it’s all Jeff Jarrett, all the time. Very- VERY- few wrestlers justify the push that Jarrett has been given. He’s not one of them.

The fundamental problem is that Jeff Jarrett is also the head booker of the show. Which means the only person that can de-push Jeff Jarrett is… Jeff Jarrett.

2) TNA Name Brand. TNA- or any young fed- needs to develop their wrestlers. Wrestelrs that people associate with their fed. Jeff Jarrett might be champion and head booker, but most fans associate him with WCW or the WWE. TNA needs to develop wrestlers who don’t have the aura of being from the WWE. Samoa Joe, Styles, Daniels, AMW- these are the guys TNA should be pushing as their top names. Instead, most of them are pushed aside for Jarrett, Christian, Scott Steiner, Sting… some of these guys are very good in the ring (Christian). Some aren’t (Steiner). But TNA isn’t helped by getting fans to cheer for Sting. They need the fans to cheer- and pay money for- the ‘TNA’ people.

The worst offense of this was when Kevin Nash joined up to take on the X Division. Nash is one of the worst in-ring wrestlers out there, and he’s very injury prone. But he’s over 7 foot tall, and he’s a ‘name’ wrestler. So he was allowed to get over on several X Division stars, with the payoff supposedly that he’d put over one of the X Division guys in the end. But (to no one’s surprise), Kevin Nash got hurt. So a bunch of X Division stars lost to a guy for no reason. Lots of people got buried, no one came out ahead.

3) Vince Russo. He’s been hired back. Some people like Vince Russo’s booking, some don’t. I think he has a bunch of advantages for booking (he likes to try and push EVERYONE) and a bunch of disadvantages (he likes too many inside comments that go over people’s heads). But his biggest flaw is that he cares more about the skits than the actual wrestling. TNA has some great wrestlers, guys that can go out, give a twenty minute match, and get the fans behind them. Russo has not shown he can write for people like that- people who’s biggest strengths are their in-ring work. So we get stuff like three of the top X Division guys acting like they are trying out for Jackass 3.

4) Kurt Angle. Sigh. OK, Outside of Ric Flair, I think Kurt Angle is the best pro-wrestler I’ve ever seen. He can work any style, have a sixty minute match, wrestle as a face or heel without breaking stride, sell well, put over people without looking bad himself. In short, Angle is incredible.

He’s also badly injured, and has come back from multiple neck injuries. The WWE gave him his release, and rumors have it that they were encouraging Kurt to take time off and fully heal. I know the WWE knows how good a fully healthy Angle is.

But instead, he joined TNA. Now, TNA does have a shorter shcedule than the WWE, so that’s good. But if he’s so injured that the WWE released him as a message to get healthy, that’s a strong sign that him wrestling now is a bad idea.

I want to see Kurt Angle wrestle. But I also don’t want to see him in a wheelchair. And given TNA’s track record, I’m very concerned about his future.

***

As a fan, though, I do have one other outlet. Ring of Honor comes to Cleveland every three months, and the next show is on October 6th. cygnia and I already have tickets, and are looking forward to the show. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Saw my second Ring of Honor wrestling show last night. Outstanding action. Some of the matches included:

* Bryan Danielson (ROH Champion) defeated Nigel McGuiness (ROH Pure Champion)
* Christopher Daniels defeated Christian Cage
* Irish Airborne, Jerrell Clark, and Davey Richards upset Generation Next (Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, Jack Evans, Matt Sydal) in Generation Next's final match under that name.

Overall, just great action and a lot of fun. I had given up on the WWE, and thought I might be done with pro wrestling for good. But watching Ring of Honor, I realized that I'm still a fan- just that what's offered by the WWE isn't the type of show I want to watch.

Apologies for not posting lately... 1,000,000 things going on.

If anyone wants to learn how to lose me as a fan of anything, permanently, here's a good example.

I've been a wrestling fan since 1985. Even when I followed the NWA or WCW or TNA, I still was a fan of the WWE.

No more. It's a lost cause to be a fan of them anymore.

Good bye and good riddance.

I don't watch the WWE anymore- when I do watch wrestling, it's TNA and ROH. But the WWE is the most recognized name in wrestling, and Wrestlemania is their biggest card of the year. So without further ado, here are my guesses for the matches:

WWE Champion John Cena vs. Triple H
===> Cena gets booed about half the time he goes to speak, which isn't good when you're supposed to be the face. And they've pushed HHH as 'the King of Kings' so much that I don't see him NOT winning.
WINNER: Triple HHH

World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio
===> Angle's had some injuries, so I expect him to lose the belt. Having Mysterio win the belt would make the fans happy, but Orton has been pushed as the man for so long that they've been planning him to win the belt forever. It's a coin flip, but Smackdown has more face challengers than heel challengers now.
WINNER: Randy Orton

Mr. McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels (No Holds Barred Match)
===> Gah. A 60-year old non-wrestler in the biggest non-title match in Wrestlemania? Bah. At least McMahon knows better than to go over in the blowoff match.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
===> There are six contenders. It won't be a Smackdown guy (so rule out Finley, Matt Hardy, and Bobby Lashley). It won't be Sheldon Benjamin (phenomenal talent, is starting to get over as a heel). It comes down to Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair. It's a personal bias, but I'm going with Flair.
WINNER: Ric Flair (yes, I know I just complained about 60 year old men wrestling. But Flair's better than half the roster today)

Undertaker vs. Mark Henry (Casket Match)
===> Undertaker's had a 13 year win streak at Wrestlemania. Marc Henry is ending a ten year contract as the biggest flop the WWE has ever had. You do the math.
WINNER: Undertaker

Edge vs. Mick Foley (Hardcore Match)
===> Edge should be in the Main Event- he was over as the heel champion. Foley's retired, but he still knows how to work a great match.
WINNER: Edge

United States Champion Chris Benoit vs. JBL
===> Like Edge, Benoit should be in the Main Event. He's a great ring worker who is ok on the mic. JBL is the opposite- a great person on the mic and ok in the ring. JBL needs someone to carry him to a great match- but Benoit fits the bill perfectly. I suspect Benoit will be challenging Orton for the World TItle soon, and they'll want the US Title off of him.
WINNER: JBL

World Tag Team Champions Kane & Big Show vs. Chris Masters & Carlito
===> Blargh. They've made Carlito and Masters to be stupid during the run-up, so if they don't win the belts they've been buried.
WINNER: Chris Masters & Carlito

Women's Champion Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James
===> Best storyline (James is an obsessed Trish Stratus fan) given to any of the people in Wrestlemania. Seriously. And Stratus is a good worker. I don't know how good Mickie James is, though. But I suspect she'll win the title tonight.
WINNER: Micke James

Boogeyman vs. Booker T & Sharmell
===> And here's the worst storyline. I don't understand how or why the Boogeyman is over- maybe it's one of those 'so stupid that it's funny' characters. But hell- might as well complete the atrocity.
WINNER: Boogeyman

Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle (Playboy Pillow Fight)
===> I call upon the Coyote Ugly rule (if the only reason you want me to watch something is because hot girls are in it, I expect gratuitous nudity). There won't be, so it doesn't matter.
WINNER: Who cares?

I'm a wrestling fan. I've also gotten very sick and tired of the WWE lately. But there alternatives, and Ring of Honor is one of them. cygnia and I went to the show last night.

Ring of Honor tries to make pro wrestling seem less like a cartoon and more like a real sport. The guys aren't monstrously big (the world champion weighs less than 200 pounds), but they pull off some incredible high-flying moves and good technical/submission holds.

Overall, it was a great show. There were three opening matches, then moves on to the official card:

* Adam Pearce defeated Jay Fury: I've never heard of either guy before. Pearce is a big guy by ROH standards, but could pull off a couple of backflips that I wasn't expecting. Pearce won.

* ROH Commisioner Jim Cornette came out for an announcement, but was interrupted by a 'hardcore' wrestler from another fed (I think it was Necro Butcher from CZW, but that's thirdhand). A brawl broke out between Pearce (who had stayed behind to listen to Cornette) and Butcher that was taken backstage.

* Jimmy Yang defeated Jay Lethal: I've seen both guys before (Yang as part of the Young Dragons in WCW, Lethal on TNA recently). Good match with lots of high-flying moves (ROH is a cruiserweight fan's dream)

* Sal Rinauo, Tony Mamaluke and Delirious defeated Abyss, Alex Shelley, and Jimmy Rave: OK, here's where my lack of knowledge of Ring of Honor started hurting me. Delirious is some sort of luchador who does very weird things (he was bassically comatose until the bell rang, then suddenly jumped up and ran to the back before running into the ring, trying to challenge everyone on the heel side). Sal and Tony are a tag team that weigh less than Abyss combined. Abyss is a monster (I still think he's the WWE's top choice if they are going to start raiding the TNA/Ring of Honor wrestlers). Shelley and Rave got into an argument which led to a double rollup by Sal and Mamaluke for the win.

* Claudio Castagnoli & Ace Steel defeated Nigel McGuiness & Chad Collyer: Four guys that I didn't know before. McGuiness got off the line of the night before the match, talking about how this would be a wrestling match. "You'll see some wristlocks, you'll see some armlocks, and if you're very lucky, you might even see a headlock or two." I wanted to get a 'Headlock' chant going, but it didn't catch on (dammit). Nice work with Steel taking most of the punishment during the match.

* Low-Ki defeated Jack Evans: This was a special attraction match, and wasn't originally on the card. Evans looks like he's about 80 pounds, but he can fly around the ring. Low-Ki, however, can also fly around the ring. Plus he's a good dealer bigger and stronger than Evans. Plus he's a mean son of a bitch. I think they were trying to make him the heel, but the crowd kept chanting for Low-Ki. For a finish, Low-Ki put Evans in a Tree of Woe (hung him upside down on the corner), climbed up the turnbuckle, stepped on Evan's knees until Evans tried to raise himself, then leaped up and stomped on Evans' face. Intermission happened after this

* ROH Tag champions Austin Aries and Roderick Strong defeated Jimmy Jacobs and BJ Whitmer. Aries and Roderick were hugely popular with the crowd- especially Aries (Roderick's problem is that his name isn't as easy to chant). The storyline (as far as I could tell) is that Jacobs (one of the smallest guys in the fed) is absolutely nuts over their manager, Lacey, and kept getting distracted by her. One badly-missed move (top-rope hurricanarana by Jacobs onto Strong while Strong was on Whitmer's shoulders), but otherwise a great match with Strong pinning Jacobs after a backbreaker. After the match, Whitmer attacked Jacobs (and there may have been an injury here- Jacobs needed help going to the back)

* Christopher Daniels defeated Matt Sydal: Sydal replaced Samoa Joe, who was out with a staph infection. I had watned to see Joe, and had never heard of Sydal, but Sydal had a good match. About five minutes in, it looked like Daniels hurt his right knee/hamstring. He was able to keep going (even hit his moonsault), but he was limping throughout the match. Daniels pulled out a submission hold for a win.

* ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson defeated AJ Styles: The crowd was split throughout the match, with half cheering for Styles and half for the champion. Styles can pull kicks out of nowhere, and can wrestle any style of match (brawl, high flyer, technical). Danielson (aka the American Dragon) had some nasty looking submission holds, including one that finally made Styles tap.

Overall, a great show. My big regret is not knowing enough about the storylines or wrestlers. Ring of Honor is coming back to Cleveland in April and we plan to come back.