The Roster Rating Project, Part 3

RANK 10- JILLIAN HALL (JILLIAN FLETCHER, AGE 28)

In-ring work: Average

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Good

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Good

Consistency in performance: Good

Character development: Average

I may be in the minority on this, but I really loved Jillian’s bad singer gimmick. (Can’t say the same for her role as JBL’s planner) I found her expressions and acting (although it may not have been acting) extremely entertaining, and she didn’t seem bad in the ring. She’s been on the fringes for quite a while now, though. The Divas division is in shambles, and giving Jillian a little more action just to see what she can do wouldn’t hurt. I think she has good potential as a comedic babyface. Maybe WWE can consider pairing her with Santino Marella?

The Roster Rating Project, Part 2

RANK 14- LAYLA (LAYLA EL, AGE 31)

In-ring work: Poor

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Average

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Good

Consistency in performance: Average

Character development: Average

That Layla has a certain amount of natural presence is obvious when you consider she’s a Diva Search winner. She has not disappeared into oblivion like some of the other Diva Search winners, but has remained visible, first as part of Extreme Exposé on ECW, then as William Regal’s valet. Her in-ring skills are dubious though, and I hope the recent move to Smackdown helps her improve in that area. I think she could make a decent snobby, nose-in-the-air heel with time, as she showed flashes of this ability during her stint with Regal. As long as she doesn’t have to fake any more accents, that is.

RANK 13- EVE (EVE TORRES, AGE 25)

In-ring work: Average

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Average

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Good

Consistency in performance: Average

Character development: Average

So far, Eve Torres hasn’t shown signs of special talent. But I was extremely impressed with her debut match against Michelle McCool a few months on Smackdown. Her in-ring work was nothing spectacular, average at best. But average is pretty darn good, considering she entered WWE after winning the Diva Search, and has been training for less than two years. Diva Search contestants, despite being gorgeous, have been anything but pretty in the ring, and I’d go as far as saying hers was the best debut I’ve seen from a Diva Search contestant. I’d guess that she’s a hard worker, and I hope I’m right when I predict only better things from her. She was also voted by VH1 (or somebody similar) as the hottest Diva in the WWE, so the company could have a really valuable prospect in her.

RANK 12- MARIA (MARIA KANELLIS, AGE 27)

In-ring work: Poor

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Average

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Good

Consistency in performance: Good

Character development: Average

I’m the last person to complain about seeing Maria on TV, but she just hasn’t had much to show for her time so far in WWE, apart from being the best referee ever (It was impossible to concentrate on the match when she was refereeing), and the ditzy interviewer gimmick she had a couple of a years ago. Her work in the ring is a little sloppy, but once again, being relatively new to the business, that’s understandable. She seems extremely likeable, so I hope she learns the ropes quickly and can compete regularly in matches soon.

RANK 11- KATIE LEA (KATARINA WATERS, AGE 28)

In-ring work: Average

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Average

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Very good

Consistency in performance: Good

Character development: Average

Katie Lea Burchill is either genuinely scary and icy, or plays her role very well. I’m going to assume it’s the latter. The fact that she’s British also makes her stand out, and she’s an asset to the Divas division. Apart from her great performance as Paul Burchill’s valet, what I’ve seen of her in the ring has been pretty decent as well, but I haven’t seen enough. I don’t suppose her being on ECW will help in this regard. Nevertheless, she’s someone to look out for in the future. I think a move to Raw or Smackdown could be just what she needs.

The Roster Rating Project- Part 1

RANK 16- ROSA MENDES (MILENA ROUCKA, AGE 29)

In-ring work: Average

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Poor

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Average

Consistency in performance: Average

Character development: Good

Rosa Mendes being the last Diva on the list is not really her fault. She’s hardly been given the opportunity to do much, other than be an addition to Beth Phoenix’s act. From the limited promo time she’s been given, her mic skills and acting talent haven’t been impressive. However, I sense a sort of enthusiasm in her, and she has a fair amount of presence, with a look that stands out. She did reasonably well as a crazy fan transitioning into Beth Phoenix’s intern. Besides appearing on RAW, she’s also training in FCW, so it’s still early days for her, and I’m sure she has a lot more to offer. I just hope WWE gives her the opportunity to do so.

RANK 15- ALICIA FOX (VICTORIA CRAWFORD, AGE 23)

In-ring work: Average

Mic Skills: Average

Acting ability: Poor

Charisma/Personality/”It” factor: Good

Consistency in performance: Average

Character development: Good

From Edge and Vickie’s wedding planner, to DJ Gabriel’s dance partner on ECW, and now Michelle McCool’s sidekick on Smackdown, Alicia Fox has been given a fair amount to do, and while she hasn’t set the ring or screen on fire, she hasn’t messed up badly either. It’ll be interesting to see where she goes from here. She's young,, good looking and could get a good rub working with McCool. Like Rosa, she also adds ethnicity to the womens’ division, which is a good thing. And boy, can she dance!

The Roster Rating Project

In the coming week or two, I plan to rank every wrestler on the WWE roster (That's 57 male wrestlers and 17 Divas according to WWE.com) based on my personal evaluation of their:

• In-ring talent: Wrestling ability, ring psychology and athleticism
  
• Mic skills: How good they are with interviews and promos
  
• Acting ability: They may not be Oscar-material, but can they pull off decent facial expressions and convey a range of emotions both physically and verbally?
  
• Charisma, presence and "it"factor: That undefinable characteristic that fills arenas
  
• Consistency in performance: How often they live up to their potential
  
• Character development: How interesting their on-screen personnas are; have they evolved or become stale?
  
• Overall value to the company

I'll assign grades in each of the above categories, with options being Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Average, Poor, Very Poor and Terrible

I'll present it in a countdown format, starting with the Divas soon.

This list is only my opinion, and I'd love to debate it.

Of course, since nobody reads my blog, that might be a little hard to achieve....

WWE Smackdown (June 5 2009) Review: The Best Wrestling Show

Once again, WWE Smackdown proved to be the most entertaining show of the week. With a great mix of veterans and great midcard talent, promos and wrestling, and very importantly, the absence of booking boogeymen like Triple H and John Cena, Smackdown is the most complete show in wrestling today.
I'll give some quick thoughts on this week's show, as I'm sleepy...

• The Edge-Hardy ladder match has been promoted well, not that it needs it. Opening the show with The Cutting Edge featuring Hardy, with ladders all over the place was nice. The two superstars again interacted very well with each other, this time with each of them seated atop a ladder. The segment ended with Edge shoving Hardy's ladder, sending him abdomen-first into the ropes and onto the floor. Looked painful.
• Edge vs. Mysterio was great. It would have been shocking if it were anything but. I really like how Edge has been getting a lot more clean victories lately.
• It was surprising to see Punk vs. Umaga two days before their PPV clash, but they had a very good match, surpassing their decent effort at Judgment Day. Punk won, which is always a good thing. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do different at Extreme Rules.
• The verbal sparring and subsequent match between Jericho and R-Truth was very entertaining. Jericho is simply untouchable on the mic right now, and it was nice to see R-Truth getting some new lines too. The match wasn't bad at all either, although the Codebreaker was slightly botched at the end. Nice to see R-Truth getting to rub shoulders with Jericho
• In theory, Benjamin vs. Morrison is a fantastic feud, but I'm really disappointed that Shelton keeps jobbing to Morrison. Nothing against Morrison, I just think it's high time Benjamin got a push. He's too talented to be midcard fodder. I can't understand why he just can't seem to get past that certain level.
• Dolph Ziggler is looking more impressive with each passing week...
• Would it be possible to have Maria referee all your matches, Vince? Please?

Best Performers: (1) Rey Mysterio (2) Edge (3) CM Punk

Best Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Edge

Best Promo: Edge

WWE ECW (June 2 2009) Review: Christian Is Solid, And The New Kidd On The Block Is Looking Good

The main event of this week's edition of ECW pitted Tyson Kidd against the champ, Christian. Kidd has looked really promising since his debut, with some really good matches, with ones against Evan Bourne and Finlay standing out in my memory. His match with Christian can now be added to that tally. It was a good, solid, wrestling match that gave the young guy a great rub by being in the ring with a classy veteran like Christian. Christian picked up the win, as he shoul, but not before elevating Kidd in our eyes.

• Tommy Dreamer cut a promo that he said could be his last one (I hope it is), but after being interrupted by Jack Swagger, he changed his mind and promised to win the title at Extreme Rules. I realy don't connect to Dreamer as a character. If he turned heel by somehow cheating to win the title, or better yet, by losing and refusing to honour his word that he would retire, he could be a little more interesting.
• For the first time, I really noticed Zack Ryder in his match against some local athlete. Ryder showed good aggression and personality, something that hasn't really come out before. I was pleasantly surprised. There seems to be a wave of young talent sweeping WWE, and I look forward to seeing what Ryder has in store.
• Mark Henry vs. Evan Bourne was all right. Looks like Henry's going to keep picking up fluke losses that will end with him ditching Tony Atlas. Who cares, did you say?

Best Performers: (1) Christian (2) Tyson Kidd (3) Zack Ryder

Best Match: Tyson Kidd vs. Christian

Best Promo: Jack Swagger

WWE Raw (1 June 2009) Review: MVP Is Ballin’… Kingston Goes Boom Boom Boom!

Two fantastic, extremely talented performers had a wonderful title match that breathed life into an otherwise dull and insipid show. And they weren’t Randy Orton and Batista, who will be headlining the RAW side of things this Sunday at Extreme Rules.

The show-stealing performance came from MVP and Kofi Kingston, whose US Title Match on the show turned out to be one of the best matches we’ve seen this year. Also, they’re hitting their stride at a time when the main event scene in WWE has become somewhat stale. If the creative team is looking at elevating talent to the top, and they should, then these two haven’t hurt their case at all with that awesome match. Oh, and the big news is that Kofi Kingston won the title. The manner in which it was done, with a quick counter turned into a surprise pin, suggests that there’s more to come between these two, and I can’t wait.
· Speaking of the main event, Randy Orton spent this edition of RAW being beaten up and kicked around by the 60-year-old Ric Flair in a “Parking Lot Brawl”, which was a way of making Flair fight without actually wrestling. Orton was being completely thrashed by Flair after answering his challenge, until Legacy arrived to make the save. I think I understand why they brought in Flair for the angle, to get the fans behind Batista even more, and possibly set up a heel turn later, but having him physically dominate the 29 year old WWE Champion who’s the future of the business is just ridiculous. Add to that Orton’s recent spate of beatings from Shane McMahon, and I can’t fault the fans who are complaining about WWE taking away Orton’s heat and credibility.
· Rumour has it that Ted Dibiase is turning babyface late this year. They may have been a hint of foreshadowing of this in a backstage vignette, where he tried to dissuade Orton from fighting Flair. He even faintly criticized Cody Rhodes’ performance too in the cage match with Batista earlier in the night.
· Vickie Guerrero picked a “random” tag team partner for Cena to face the team of Big Show and The Miz, which turned out to be Chavo. Nice idea, effectively making it a 3-on-1 handicap match. But can someone explain to me why the hell Chavo stole the win by pinning Miz? On a side note, I’m really starting to like The Miz. I personally love his promos, though I know a lot of people find him annoying. He has come a long, long way in the ring too, and I could see him in the US Title picture in the near future.
· I enjoyed the tag match between the Colons and Hardy/Regal. I like that they’re getting TV time. Hopefully they have something interesting planned for Hardy and Regal.
· Santino Marella vs. Vickie Guerrero was just painful to watch. The slop that Vickie brought to the ring in two buckets was disgusting. At one point, Hardy and Regal interfered (presumably in exchange for some favour from Vickie) Santino swung the bucket at them, sending slop flying all over the place. I hope nobody in the audience sued…

Best Performers: (1) MVP (2) Kofi Kingston (3) Randy Orton
Best Match: Kofi Kingston vs. MVP (United States Championship)
Best Promo: The Miz

TNA Impact (May 28 2009) Review: A Night Of Comebacks

I missed the first half hour or so of Impact, so I can’t comment on the Amazing Red vs. Suicide (X-Division Title) and Cody Deaner vs. Doug Williams (Ladder) matches. Apparently there was also a promo by the Mafia, primarily Sting, in which he used his new status as the Godfather to boot out Sharmell and Jenna from the faction. (Thank god!) It should be interesting to see what direction Sting takes from here.

The significant news is that three performers returned from wrestling wilderness on the show. Victoria (as a new challenger to Angelina Love), Raven (aligning with Dr. Stevie as he assaulted Abyss), and Shane Douglas (unclear what his role will be)

The other important developments were the two King of the Mountain Qualifying matches for Slammiversary. AJ Stlyes took on and defeated Daniels in a nice match, while Eric Young lost to Jeff Jarrett, and then turned heel, attacking him. I think Young will be effective as a heel, since he’s shown promise with a few dissatisfied and frustrated promos in recent weeks.

Also, Mick Foley cut a promo saying that after Slammiversary, he’s only going to defend the title once a year to safeguard it’s prestige, or something along those lines. I guess it’s a safe bet the title will change hands at the pay-per-view…

Best Performers: (1) AJ Styles (2) Daniels (3) Eric Young
Best Match: AJ Styles vs. Daniels (King Of The Mountain Qualifying Match)
Best Promo: Raven

WWE Smackdown (22/5/2009) Review: The Edge-Hardy Feud Is Headed For Higher Places...

...Literally. At the conclusion of yet another fantastic edition of Smackdown, we learnt that these two magnificent performers will do battle again at Extreme Rules in one of my favourite types of matches- a ladder match.

After a great opening segment (with awesome acting by Edge, and great energy and crowd interaction by Jeff), the main event was set- Edge vs. Jeff Hardy, with the winner deciding the stipulation for their match at Extreme Rules. Hardy ended up winning this right after a great match. The finish was especially good. Edge went for a top rope Edgecution, similar to the one that got him the win at Judgment Day, but Hardy shoved him to the mat and hit the Swanton. I was fully expecting a TLC match, but I think it's a good decision by WWE to go with a Ladder Match instead. We don't want the Pay-Per-View getting too gimmicky. Or perhaps they wanted to save TLC for a later date.

This feud is really starting to grip me. These two are at the peak of their abilities, and they play off each other very well, both in the ring and in promos. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

• The #1 Contender's Match for the Womens' Championship between Gail Kim and Michelle McCool solid match. McCool has really improved in the ring, and though Kim seems more deserving of the title shot, you can see WWE's logic in giving it to McCool, since she's the heel.
• The six-man tag pitting Benjamin/Haas/Ricky Ortiz (where did he come from) vs. Morrison/Cryme Tyme was nothing special. With the exception of Starship Pain at the end, of course. In my book, it's passed the Shooting Star Press as the best finisher in WWE.
  
• I liked the interview with Rey Mysterio where he explained the importance and honour of a mask to a luchador. They need to have more of these segments that bring out the glorious traditions of the business. Of course, they could not have made it more obvious that Rey will put the mask on the line sometime soon...
  
• Punk vs. Jericho was very good, even though we've seen it so many times before. These two always manage to make each match different from the previous one. The big news from this match is that Umaga (who interfered, attacking Punk) has learnt to speak English! In An American accent too. Strange how he suddenly deveoped the ability after years of communicating in incoherent, guttural yells, isn't it?
  
• Dolph Ziggler got a clean victory over R-Truth. I think Ziggler has potential. It's great to see so many young guys getting pushes after the Draft, something I've been pleasantly surprised by. Can't get too excited about Ziggler-Khali though.

Best Performers: (1) Edge (2) Jeff Hardy (3) CM Punk
Best Match: Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
Best Promo: Rey Mysterio

WWE Raw (May 4 2009) Review: The Shane McMahon Show

When the main event for this week's edition of RAW was announced as Randy Orton vs. Shane McMahon, I hoped it was the last we'd be seeing of Shane for some time. I don't have anything Shane, in fact I think he's very decent as a wrestler and entertainer. I just feel you shouldn't have the top wrestler in the company keep getting beaten up by a guy in his late thirties who isn't even a regular competitor.

So it was with mixed feelings that I watched the main event. The match was changed to a 3-on-1 handicap, after a "Win and You're In" scenario earlier that night which saw Rhodes vs. MVP (Rhodes winning by countout as William Regal tripped MVP outside the ring) and Batista vs. Dibiase (Batista losing by DQ after getting carried away with his punches in the corner). Rhodes and Dibiase thus earned the right to join either Orton or Shane in the main event. This set up a 3-on-1 handicap.

Now, Legacy shattered Shane McMahon's ankle after relentlessly beating him, causing him to be stretchered out. That's the good news. The bad news is that before that, Shane McMahon single-handedly dominated all three members of Legacy, who had to resort to underhanded tactics to win. Think about that. A middle-aged businessman beat the hell out of the WWE Champion, and two of the most talented young superstars in the company all by himself. Those McMahon genes must really be something! Oh well. Hopefully, this was the end of the McMahons in the storyline, and now Randy gets some real competition.

Here are my other thoughts on the show:

• Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase were really good in their respective matches against MVP and Batista. The more I see of these two, the more I like them. As for MVP, I'm thrilled that he's sort of touching the main event scene these days. Batista on the other hand, has noticeably slowed down after his return from injury. He reportedly is hanging up his boots in a year or so, so he's probably realized it himself. I'll be happy if he lasts longer though, as I like the guy. He works hard and is obviously really sincere about his passion for the business.
• Every time I see Mickie James, I think to myself how sad it is that she has such few good wrestlers to compete against. I think she's the best wrestler among all the women. It's always fun watching her, and her match against Maryse was no different. Maryse too seems to be improving by the week, so there may be hope for the divas division.
• Just like last week, The Miz came out and mouthed off on John Cena. This time Cena came out, The Miz fled, and Big Show turned up to pound Cena to pulp. Now I'm really enjoying The Miz's promos. I've been pleasantly surprised by how good he is on the mic. I know a lot of people find him really annoying, but I'm not one of them. I think he adds freshness to the RAW scene, and I hope we get to see this Miz-Cena thing for a while. Miz will keep getting these "victories" over Cena, which will make the inevitable beatdown by Cena more fun for the fans, while also getting the Miz over. It's basically the same thing they did in WCW with Jericho and Goldberg. Miz is no Jericho, but he's still making it work.
• Carlito vs. The Brian Kendrick saw Carlito getting an easy victory in a match that was too short to be significant. I'm losing hope about Kendrick's career. If only he'd been drafted to ECW.
• It was good to see Kofi Kingston getting a clean victory over Matt Hardy. Of course, Hardy got his heat back by attacking Kofi after the match with his cast. I'm glad Kofi is being pushed, and I'm also waiting to see what Matt does once he recovers from his injury.
• RAW also featured a singing contest between Jillian and Festus. Yes, really.

Best Performers: (1) Randy Orton (2) Shane McMahon (3) Cody Rhodes
Best Match: Legacy vs. Shane McMahon
Best Promo: The Miz

ECW (21/4/2009) Review: A Great, Simple Wrestling Show

After weeks of RAW masquerading as Smackdown and Smackdown stars showing up in droves on RAW, and general outrageous porosity of the brand borders, this week's ECW was pleasing in that all the wrestlers featured were on the ECW roster. With the exception of Hornswoggle, of course, who was drafted to RAW in the Supplemental Draft. But even he got a farewell match. It was a nice, well laid-out show, and I think RAW and SD could actually take a few lessons in going back to the basics, which ECW has been doing well lately.

So here are my quick thoughts on the show:

• The Evan Bourne- Paul Burchill match was the highlight of the night, and the second consecutive week in which Bourne was given a pretty long match. WWE's obviously high on Bourne, but I was also really impressed with how well Paul Burchill performed in this match. ECW really has some good, solid talent.
• Natalya shined in her brief verbal confrontation and match with Hornswoggle. It was ridiculous that she lost, but hopefully she'll move on to bigger and better things.
• The contract signing between Christian and Jack Swagger was decent, but it could have been better if Christian had been given more mic time. Swagger seems a little awkward and rehearsed on the mic. I am looking forward to their match though. I expcct Christian to win soon now that Vladimir Kozlov has declared he's going after the belt.
• How great does Tiffany look in that suit?
  

So, the best of the night-
Best Performer: (1) Evan Bourne (2) Paul Burchill (3) Natalya
Best Match: Evan Bourne vs. Paul Burchill
Best Promo: Jack Swagger

Wrestlemania XXV (5 April 2009) Review: A Match Made In Heaven (And Hell) Steals The Show

They'll be talking about this one for years.

The already anticipated match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXV did the impossible: it lived up to the hype, and much more. The match was so incredible that it outshone everything else that happened at the pay-per-view. There is no question that this was a five-star match, with perfect storytelling, layout, psychology, suspense, execution and unbelievable athleticism from two guys in their mid-forties. They undoubtedly stole the show, and this match will be remembered far longer than this Wrestlemania itself.

Here's a match by match look at the show:

• The Tag Team Unification match between the Colon brothers and Morrison/Miz was scrapped from the main card and made a dark match. This is a really disappointing decision, as the four performers deserved a Wrestlemania spot. This all but confirmed WWE's apathy towards the tag division, which is really sad when you think about it. I really hope this changes in the future.
• Money In The Bank was great as usual, with some crazy and spectacular spots in it. Kofi Kingston and Shelton Benjamin in particular shone in this match. There were a lot of creative things the wrestlers did with the ladders, and I really tip my hat to them for putting their bodies through so much. Punk was a surprising winner, and I won't be surprised if he becomes the first to cash in the briefcase and lose.
• The Miss Wrestemania 25 Battle Royal was terrible, with 'Santina Marella', the eventual winner, being the only highlight. (Apart from the obvious visual ones)
• Chris Jericho vs. The Legends was next, and it was a pity that Jericho had to work so light. Considering his incredible performance over the past year, I feel he should have been rewarded better. It was ridiculous to see him having to sell Jimmy Snuka and Roddy Piper's offense. The two were moving pretty badly, and I don't understand why they didn't use guys who could still wrestle, like Jerry Lawler for this match. But once Snuka and Piper were eliminated, boy, did Ricky Steamboat turn on the style! "The Dragon" turned back the clock, and was unbelievably fast, fluid and agile for his age. He had a very good few minutes of action with Jericho before the latter got the victory. The Jericho-Rourke conforntation after the match seemed very, very contrived.
• Hardy vs. Hardy was a good match, highlighted by two insane spots by Jeff Hardy. However, the match was not backed by a story, and these two (along with a majority of the other wrestlers) need to learn how to do that from guys like Michaels and Jericho. I was happy to see Matt get a clean victory.
  
• Rey Mysterio (In a Joker's mask) beat JBL in about 20 seconds, following which JBL quit. I really wish he could have got a better farewell, but apparently he chose this himself. In that case I salute his attitude. I'm going to miss him. He was never a great wrestler, but I have always found his promos really entertaining. He has been one of the better heels in recent years.
• Until this point, the show was lacklusture and disappointing....but out came Mr Wrestlemania. Not enough can be said about Shawn Michael's greatness. He is in my opinion the best of all time, and is especially unrivalled as a big match wrestler. He never has bad matches, and when was the last time the Match of the Year didn't have HBK in it? I'll be shocked if this year is any different. That being said, The Undertaker matched him step for step in this classic. The storytelling was just perfect in this match, and they had the crowd in the frenzy. They didn't use rest locks, illegal weapons and outlandish stunts. It was a return to basics. The HBK-Taker will be remembered as one of the best in Mania history. You have to salute these two veterans, who can still do it better than anybody else. Although we all probably knew Taker would win, the nearfalls and suspense could not have made us doubt any better.
  
• Unfortunately, it was so magnificent that anything else that followed would seem like a terrible letdown. The Edge-Cena-Big Show had the unenviable task of following Michaels and Taker, and the match definitely suffered. It might have seemed quite good under different circumstances, but the crowd got bored easily after the rollercoaster they had just been through. The most memorable part of this match was John Cena's entrance, which saw about a hundred Cena clones come out to his old music before he made his entry. Cena won, which didn't please me, as I don't find his character compelling right now. I also think they're changing the belts far too much.
• Triple H vs. Randy Orton. What can I say about this match. After all the phenomenal build-up. After Randy Orton's unmatched momentum and heat in recent months. After all the hype and expectations, the match fell flat on it's face. Although it may have been a victim of HBK-Taker too, this match never picked up and held my interest, and I thought the execution was plain terrible for a Wrestlemania main event. It was a huge disappointment, and seemed like a match you'd see on Raw, not closing the biggest show of the year. It left an even more bitter taste with the ending. Although I personally feel Orton should have won to stamp his status as the #1 guy in WWE, I wouldn't have had an issue with Triple H winning, if it had been done differently. The ending seemed so tame and straightforward, that it's hard not to believe the talk about "The Game" pulling a few political strings.

Overall, the show was nothing special, except that one match which will live on as a classic. It was another below-par display by WWE, continuing their worrying trend in recent weeks. I plan on posting a blog about changes I want to see in the company, so more on that later. Till then, here's the Best of the Night

Best Performers: (1) Shawn Michaels (2) The Undertaker (3) Jeff Hardy

Best Match: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker

Best Promo: JBL

My Wrestlemania Predictions

It's time for the grandaddy of them all....the biggest wrestling show on Earth is here, and I can hardly wait! Even though I have been disappointed with the promotion for this year's event, I'm still fully in the grip of wrestling fever. The card is really good, and we should be in for some great matches. Here are my predictions, match by match:

Rey Mysterio vs. JBL (Intercontinental Championship)
If at all there's anything interesting to look forward to in this match (not that the match will be bad), it's what JBL's "historic Wrestlemania moment" will be. Word has it that JBL will win and be the first to retire as IC Champ. It would be convenient, as a space at the announcing table is empty with Tazz's departure. I pick JBL for the win.

CM Punk vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry vs. Kane vs. MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Finlay (Money In The Bank Ladder Match)
I think we can safely rule out Kofi, Finlay, Mark Henry and Kane as winners. Punk has received no focus whatsoever in the past week or two. I think a strong case could be made for either Christian, MVP or Shelton Benjamin. Christian certainly deserves a shot after all his years of work. It's also about time MVP is elevated to the main event scene. Benjamin is a guy who's been on the fringes for years, but I think he's shown us his best work this past year, and this could be his breakout moment. It's a very close call, and if I have to pick one, I'd say Christian.

Chris Jericho vs. Jimmy Snuka/Ricky Steamboat/"Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Obviously, this match rests largely on the very capable shoulders of Chris Jericho, and I fully expect him to deliver. But I still can't think of this match without feeling a twinge of sadness at what might have been if Austin had been able to wrestle. I suspect it'll come down to Jericho and Steamboat, with Snuka going out first, followed by Piper. I think Jericho wins, but as usual proceeds to do the humiliating beatdown. I'm hoping beyond hope that will lead to glass shattering, some stunners and a beer bash in the ring with lots of legends. I hope it's not wishful thinking...

Carlito and Primo vs. John Morrison and The Miz (Tag Team Championship Unification Lumberjack Match)
These two teams have great chemistry in the ring, and this should be a really fun match to watch. The lumerjacks, not to mention the lovely Bella twins, should spice up this match. Both teams are deserving, but since its Wrestlemania, I'll go with the faces: Carlito and Primo.

25-Diva 'Miss Wrestlemania' Battle Royal
This one's going to be a feast for the eye, and the....er, other eye. I don't really care who wins. Let's see....I'll say Melina just for the heck of it.

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy (Extreme Rules Match)
Oh, what a monumental disappointment the layout of this feud has been. There's no question that these two will deliver in the ring, but the fantasies I was having of this rivalry equalling Bret-Owen can be laughed off. It's sad that they made this a gimmick match, which means the feud isn't going to last very long. Jeff Hardy wins, in my opinion.

John Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge (World Heavyweight Championship)
Another match that's bound to be great, with three guys who play their parts perfectly. I really want Edge to retain, or maybe even a Big Show, but I think WWE all but confirmed Cena's victory when Big Show beat him cleanly on RAW, and Edge proceeded to beat the hell out of him after the match. Not to mention the fact that he didn't even appear on Smackdown...

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
I think pretty much everyone's expecting this to be the Match of the Night, and it could easily be a Match of the Year candidate. The Showstopper vs. The Phenom. There's no chance in hell (or heaven) that HBK will break the streak, though. The Deadman wins.

Randy Orton vs. Triple H (WWE Championship)
The entire execution of this feud has been brilliant, and the buildup has been really memorable. Randy Orton's the hottest thing in pro wrestling right now, and we all know how good Triple H is. I'm expecting this match to be really good, with involvement from the McMahons and Legacy. Logically, I guess Triple H would win, but I could really see Randy Orton winning. That would be a Wrestlemania moment and an ideal announcement of WWE's new face. My head says Triple H, my heart says Orton. Hell, Wrestlemania is all about passion and emotion, so I'm going to pick Randy Orton here.

Smackdown (3/4/2009) Review: A Shockingly Sparse Episode

I was unpleasantly surprised to see how incredibly lightly Smackdown- the last WWE show before Wrestlemania was booked. Most of the show was devoted to footage of Wrestlemania Axxess, the fan convention being held on the eve of the HOF ceremony.

There were three matches that ranged from mediocre (Maryse/Michelle McCool vs. Gail Kim/Maria) to average (Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP for the US Title) to bad (Jeff Hardy vs. Ezekiel Jackson), and a fantastic promo by Edge. He truly plays the part of a scheming, demented opportunist obsessed with the title to perfection

I'm disappointed that we didn't get to see a final chapter in the buildup to all the feuds, as it seemed WWE was just killing time on this show. In fact the entire promotion this year has been nothing compared to the marketing blitz that they unleashed last year. But hey, it's Wresltemania weekend, and I'm still as excited as hell.

So 'll just wrap things up with my Best of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Shelton Benjamin (2) MVP (3) Edge

Best Match: Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP (United States Championship)

Best Promo: Edge

ECW (31/3/2009) Review: Not Much To Write About

This week's ECW only contained two matches, Finaly and Christian vs. Mark Henry and Kane, and Nikki Bella vs. Brie Bella. For most of the show, Matt Striker and Todd Grisham promoted the main Wrestlemania rivalries, and we got to see some great video packages. So I'm just going to post my Best of the Night.

Best Performers: (1) Christian (2) Nikki Bella (3) Mark Henry

Best Match: Finlay/Christian vs. Mark Henry/Kane

After Smackdown, I'll be posting my predictions for Wrestlemania. So stay tuned, nobody.

RAW Review (30/3/2009) - Last RAW Before Mania Signs Off With Unconventional Booking

RAW signed off their last show before Wrestlemania in style, although the trend of unconventional booking continued. It's usually common ppractice to keep opponents of a pay-per-view, let alone Wrestlemania, physically apart before the event, but WWE hasn't been doing that lately.

Last night, Triple H and Orton had yet another physical brawl, we saw another John Cena-Big Show match (the third between two members of the Triple Threat Match), and even had a non-title match between JBL and Rey Mysterio six days before they meet at Wrestlemania. That being said, the go-home show before the biggest show of the year sells itself, so it was still entertaining, and definitely didn't deter my interest in watching the pay-per-view.

• Randy Orton's "Wrestlemania Address" was great, which is what we've all come to expect from him. I loved that he brought up the fact that he was turned on by Triple H, and I like the idea that he's been plotting these actions for four years. This has been the best promoted match in my opinion. The segment, and the show, ended with Vince, Shane, and Triple H brawling with Legacy. (Although I found the fact that Vince was physically dominating Dibiase a little too much)
• I just can't wait for the Michaels-Taker match. The funeral Shawn held for the Undertaker may have been the exact same thing that Edge did last year, but these two made it brilliant. I love the way they've handled the buildup, with Michaels getting the better of Taker every week, and triumphing in the mind games. It's great to see Undertaker getting to show some emotion, as he's frustrated week after week. Of course, all this makes it all the more obvious who's winning...
• I was surprised to see Big Show getting a clean victory over John Cena, but I suppose the logic was to give him a boost and make him look like the favourite. Looks like we can rule him out as a winner too.
• Chris Jericho has been phenomenal recently. I thought Jerry Lawler was pretty good in the ring. I feel bad that "The King" has never got the chance to wrestle at Wrestlemania. They could have had him in place of Snuka. I also feel bad that Chris Jericho didn't get Austin...
• Kane winning the Battle Royal means whatever minute chance he had of being Mr. MITB has vanished... I'm rooting for Christian or Shelton Benjamin to win that one.
• Does anybody care about the JBL-Rey Mysterio match? I hear JBL is looking to retire at Wrestlemania as the IC Champ. In that case I hope he fills the announcing position left vacant by the departure of Tazz, as he was a hell of an announcer.

I guess that wraps it up. Here are my picks for the best of the night.
Best Performers: (1) Randy Orton (2) Big Show (3) Shawn Michaels
Best Match: Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Chris Jericho
Best Promo: Randy Orton

A Short Break, And Now I'm Back

Owing to a lot of activities in my college, which tied me up, I have been unable to post a blog for about two weeks. Not that anyone is reading this. Oh well. I'll be back in action shortly! (I'm talking to myself)

Smackdown (6/3/2009 Review): Brother vs. Brother Feud Hard(l)y Matching Up To Expectations

This week's Smackdown was a great show overall with solid performances from all involved. The only cause for bother (and it's a pretty big one at that) remains the lukewarm way in which the Matt-Jeff rivalry is playing out. As soon as it was announced that the Hardys were having separate qualifying matches for Money In The Bank (because Jeff refused to fight Matt at Mania), it was obvious that both would lose. Matt lost to MVP trapped in a quick counter as I expected, and later that night Matt walked into Jeff's qualifier against Shelton Benjamin and slapped Shelton, thus causing Jeff to lose by disqualification.

While both Matt and Jeff performed very well, I'm really disappointed with how WWE has handled this so far. I don't agree with those who say the rivalry is not hot because of the brothers' mic and acting skills, because they've both proven they can be very good in those departments. It's just that the treatment of the feud has been just like any other tag-team-splitting-up story. These are two brothers who have stood by each other for 10 years. Jeff has had his fair share of problems, while Matt has always been responsible and consistent. Yet Jeff has had the better career and is more popular with the fans. Matt is supposed to be jealous of that, and so turned on his brother. But Jeff seems a lot less heartbroken than he should be considering Matt has been the only one who was there for him all these years. All the ingredients are there, but the fire has just been lacking. Even the announcers have not played up the feud, which is shocking considering J.R. is on the Smackdown team. But WWE still has 4 weeks to save this situation. I'm hoping they'll do it.

Other thoughts on the show:

• The beatdown of Triple H by Legacy during his match against Umaga was very well done. Randy Orton's facial expressions were tremendous as usual. WWE is doing a very good job with this feud. Although I wonder if any other wrestler besides Triple H would have fought off three people for so long before finally falling prey to them....
• It seems Umaga legitimately injured his leg in a jump to the outside of the ring in the aforementioned match with Triple H. Let's hope it's not serious. It'll be a blow to the Samoan Bulldozer after having just come back from injury
• The contract signing between Edge and Big Show was very entertaining. Both men (and let's not forget Vickie Guerrero) were perfect as usual, and bickered back and forth for a while. Show again hinted at an affair with Vickie. Of course, before Edge could put pen to paper and sign the contract, Cena's music hit, and he thrashed both Edge and Show. He then whispered something in Vickie's ear, causing her to look shocked and scared. I'm guessing Cena has proof of the affair, which he will use to blackmail Vickie into making the World Heavyweight Championship match a Triple Threat. Should be fun. (Although Big Show already leaked the news about the match to VH1, and the word is that Vince McMahon is not happy with him at all. Oops)
  
• Both the MITB Qualifying Matches were very good, which is not surprising considering the talent involved. It's great to see MVP get in. Ditto for Shelton Benjamin. I could definitely see either of these guys winning this year.
• I noticed during Eve's match against Maryse that she seems a lot better in the ring than the other Diva Search girls when they started out. Not that she needs in-ring skills to earn my appreciation.
• The Undertaker's speech was a good way to open the show. The Shawn Michaels video that aired during the promo was simply phenomenal. Seriously, WWE would be worth watching for those videos alone. I can' wait for this match.

Best Performers: (1) Matt Hardy (2) Shelton Benjamin (3) Jeff Hardy
Match of the Night: Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin (MITB Qualifying Match)
Best Promo: The Undertaker

TNA Impact (5/3/2009) Review: Jarrett-Angle Brawl An Unnecessary Distraction

The thing about TNA Impact is that it tends to assault your senses. It's understandable that with a roster of almost 60 and 2 hours of TV a week, it's hard to fit everybody in on the show, but TNA seems to stuff in so much that it sometimes appears they're not quite sure what they're doing themselves.

This week's Impact started off well, with Jeff Jarrett announcing that Kurt Angle had been slapped with a week's suspension for attacking him last week, and that his salary had been donated to a "worthy cause". This cause turned out to be the Front Line, who then paraded new suits they had bought with the money. Jay Lethal thought for some reason that wearing a suit made him Ric Flair. Eric Young spent very little of his portion on the suit, and most of it on surround sound for his gameroom, and invited Kurt Angle to 'come over and play anytime'. Now this was TNA's usual attempt to throw comedy in everywhere, but I didn't find it too out of place because these guys are supposed to be young and flippant. Then Kurt Angle proceeded to show up at the arena (because the rules don't apply to him), and took turns beating the hell out of Young, Lethal and Consequences Creed. He also tore their suits off to get his salary back. So far, so good. Angle played his part of the spoilt egomaniac who thinks he's above the system perfectly as usual, and TNA had just about managed to keep things logical.

This is where things got messy. Jeff Jarrett, deciding enough was enough, decided to go out and fight Angle. Sting tried to tell Jarrett to let him fight Angle, but Jarrett just pushed him out of the way. Jarrett then went to the ring, and after a 5 minite brawl, physically threw Angle out of the arena. Sting, or any of the Mafia members didn't even make an appearance. This 10 days before Sting and Angle face off in a match for the championship. It took the focus off the Sting-Angle rivalry, and I feel it was badly written. It made Jarrett look singlehandedly more powerful than the Front Line (what's the point of still having it, by the way) and the Main Event Mafia, and just added to the already overcrowded and muddled mess that is the TNA main event scene.

I would have had Jarrett go to the ring, brawl with Angle, only to have it broken up by the Mafia, who then proceed to beat up Jarrett. Then Sting comes out, and makes the Mafia step away. Angle then launches himself at Sting, and Jarrett goes for Angle. You could then have had Mick Foley come out to restrain Jeff Jarrett, while the Mafia separated Sting and Angle. This would have been a perfect way for the show to go off the air.

Other thoughts on the show:

• The verbal exchange between Mic Foley, Sting and the Main Event Mafia was very well done. The idea was that Foley was trying to convince Sting to quit the Mafia, who then came out and told Sting they still had a long way to go. Kevin Nash was especially good on the mic, while Foley and Sting were their usual great selves.
• On the subject of the Mafia, it was good to see Booker T show a little more seriousness this week after his recent cartoonish performances. However, that didn't stop the situation with him and AJ Styles getting ridiculous. Three policemen showed up to arrest Styles- wearing gas masks. Seriously, gas masks?? Did they think AJ Styles would let loose his arsenal of deadly biological weapons? I also couldn't see the logic of AJ being arrested for stealing a belt, but Samoa Joe (who revealed himself as one of the masked policemen) going scott-free for holding a machete to Scott Steiner's throat. Oh well.
• The Beer Money, Inc vs. LAX match was the best of the night, although it makes no sense why LAX would put their careers on the line when both Homicide & Hernandez have two huge title shots to cash in. The promo that Roode and Storm cut before the match was really entertaining too.
• The Knockouts match served no purpose at all. However nice it was to see The Beautiful People, the pleasure was quickly nullified by the women in the Kongtourage. Yikes.
• Alex Shelley had a decent match with Kiyoshi. After Shelley won, Suicide appeared again, taking both him and Chris Sabin out. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.
• Somebody needs to tell TNA the Abyss therapy sessions are not funny. At all. Probably the only thing that was as bad on this week's Impact was the continuation of the Don West-Mike Tenay rivalry. Wow, announcers feuding. Who wouldn't pay to see that.
• Speaking of Abyss, his former partner Matt Morgan, who beat Shane Sewell this week, is really impressive. A little more work on the microphone, and he's a main event waiting to happen.

Best Performers: (1) Hernandez (2) Matt Morgan (3) Kurt Angle

Best Match: LAX vs. Beer Money, Inc. (Off the Wagon Tag Team Championship Challenge)

Best Promo: Beer Money, Inc.

Line of the night: Mike Tenay (to Don West): I guess the next two hours with you will be about as much fun as an emergency landing in the Hudson river.

"Come On Man, It's Fake" OR "Why Do You Watch That Rubbish? It's All Fixed"

Sound familiar? Sepending on whether you're a wrestling fan or not, it's a good bet you've either been on the receivng or giving end of at least one of them.

I don't know how, but "fake" is a tag that seems to have become attached to the spectacle of pro wrestling, and it's very hard to shake off. It very often happens in my hostel that I'll be watching wrestling on TV or my laptop, and some wise soul waltzes in and treats me to one of the following:
a) A contemptuous laugh
b) An indulgent smile (like a parent would to a child who's playing with his imaginary friend)
c) A sad shake of the head
d) Similar body language indicating pity, disdain, etc.
e) A helpful "Come On Man, It's Fake" or "Why Do You Watch This Rubbish? It's All Fixed"


This behaviour is to be found all over the world. Now I find this completely unfair. There are others who follow cricket, football, basketball, badminton, movies of a particular actor or actress, play Counterstrike and other LAN Games with similar enthusiasm, but they are left alone. Their passion is not questioned. So why are we wrestling fans singled out for this treatment? I'm going to attempt to explain that, and also try and clear up one of the biggest misconception's around- that wrestling is "fake".


Why all the hate? Why do people look down on wrestling and it's fans?

This is actually very simple to answer. Far too many people think that wrestling is a sport with outrageous match-fixing involved, a business that pretends to be a legitimate sport and then cheats the audience by paying certain people to win and certain people to lose. If this was true, then I would totally understand the disrespect they show wrestlers and wrestling fans. But is it? Nothing could be further from the truth. This brings me to...

WRESTLING 101, CHAPTER 1: THE OPPOSITE OF REAL IS NOT NECESSARILY FAKE

Okay, so admittedly, a vast majority of the wrestling fans in my country (India) think wrestling is a real sport and aggressively argue with people who call it fake.

But you see, wrestling's not real. It's definitely not fake either. Which is why here, the opposite of real is virtual-a virtual reality similar to that you'd see in a movie or TV Show-one that exists only as long as the cameras are rolling.

What many people fail to understand is that you're not supposed to look at it as a sport. It's true that until the mid-70s at least, wrestling promoters presented it as a real sport and hid the fact that it was scripted and pre-planned, but not any more. Most wrestling fans today know that it's not real, and those in the wrestling industry are very open about it.

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who introuduced the term sports entertainment, describes it best-
"Professional wrestling, as done by the WWE, has always been about entertainment. It features fantastic performers who are world-class athletes who have the ability to create entertaining characters and enthrall an audience. However, what we do is scripted and is not competitive sport. Unlike competitive sport, we can control the outcomes to ensure an exciting evening of entertainment. That's why our fans always get a great show."

Note, that's the chairman of the biggest wrestling company in the world talking. There's no attempt to hide, hoodwink or cheat anybody. He discusses wrestling as a director would talk about a movie, referring to the wrestlers as performers, not sportsmen, and their on-screen personas as characters.

In short, watching wrestling is like watching an action-packed play. Athletes (who have to be decent actors too) play out storylines and rivalries, as decided by the wrestling company, maintaining the spectacle of a sport.

So as you can see, the two sentences in the title of this blog fall apart in the face of this.
1)"Why Do You Watch That Rubbish? It's All Fixed" : There is no actual sporting competiton involved, and so saying it's fixed makes no sense
2) "Come On Man, It's Fake": Calling a virtual reality that involves suspension of disbelief in the audience (just like a movie or play) fake, is like calling The Dark Knight or Hamlet fake, just because it's not real. And I'm sure you'll all agree that's just plain unfair.

If it's not real, what's so insulting about calling it fake?
The word 'fake' implies some kind of deception, and is usually said very dismissively. "Fake" and "scripted", are two different things. What people don't understand is how physically, and indeed, mentally and emotionally demanding wrestling is. Wrestlers undergo a gruelling training and conditioning system that very few make it through, and WWE wrestlers in particular are on the road about 300 days a year. Imagine that much time away from their families. It takes creativity, teamwork and trust between two wrestlers to make a good match and tell a great story. The slightest mistake or error can produce horrific, painful injuries. It is a business wrought with great pain and sacrifice, one that takes hard work and unique artistry. It is a business held in great honour by all those involved, including the wrestlers and the fans. Doesn't "fake" completely and unfairly undermine that honour?

I'll end now. I do hope I've made a convincing defence of the business I love to those that don't love it. And I hope it's not too much to ask that the next time you hear someone vilifying or looking down on wrestling as fake, you'll tell them about this blog! Okay, that was shameless self-promotion. See you later.

"I can't jump high, so I jump from high places." - Cactus Jack

What? What? What?

Immortal words, or  more accurately, word, from probably the biggest star in wrestling history, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

I think its safe to say Austin probably didn't delve too much into the philosophical complexities and existentialist implications of the word, but I'm going to elaborate on that a little. Just kidding.

What i'm going to do is tell you what inspired me to finally join the blog bandwagon, what drove me to choose wrestling as a central topic, and what I hope to achieve by this. So in the words of DX, "Are you ready?"

1) What's making me blog?

a) Everybody's doing it and I'm feeling left out

b) I'm not actually blogging, it's a figment of your imagination

c) What?

d) I had something to say, that I thought some people might be interested in, and with the encouragement of a blogger friend (That's you, Arjun) realized that there would be absoultely no harm in giving it a shot. It might even be a lot of fun.

Um....(d). Final answer.

(2) What's making me blog about wrestling of all things

(a) It's my passion

(b) It's my burning passion

(c) It's my burning, undying passion

(d) It's my burning, undying, eternal, fervent, protracted, almost concupiscent passion

Any guesses?

(3) What I want to achieve

(a) Communicate with and share opinions with other wrestling fans

(b) An outlet for my numerous ideas and opinions related to the current wrestling scenes

(c) Have fun

(d) Help dispel the many misconceptions and prejudices about wrestling from the hearts and minds of the people

The answer my friends (or at the moment, the grand total of zero people who have read this blog), is all of the above.

I'll see you around.

Till then, how about this for a quote.

Bobby Heenan commenting on Hogan's entrance music:
  Bobby Heenan: That's my second favorite song.
  Gorilla Monsoon: I'm almost afraid to ask. Whats your favorite?
  Heenan: All the rest are tied.

Welcome to Blogger Is Me!

And with that characteristically dorky proclamation, I have blogged my first words. (It's actually a very clever play on the phrase 'Welcome to Raw is Jericho', which has never been tried before.)

Now I don't follow too many blogs, but I assume a lot of them spend their first post detailing at great lengths what inspired them to blog, what they're going to blog about etc. etc. all marked by a charming undertone of apologetic anticipation, and expressing the hope that their blogs will be embraced by the blog-reading populace etc. etc.

But am I going to do that? Am I going to be just like everybody else? Well of course. As the Invisible Man said in that episode of Heroes, "They're all like the rest. That's why they're called the rest."

But I've discovered a way of being different, while not really being different at all. It's a gift. You see, I'm going to do all those things I mentioned in my second post. Bet you didn't see that one coming eh? Or should I say, that two coming. Heh heh.