The John Layfield Award - Best Gimmick Change of 2010

This award recognizes the change to a wrestler's on-air character (gimmick) that best resulted in improved performance. The award is named after John Layfield, whose change in gimmick from a cigar-smoking, beer-drinking, poker-playing bar brawler for hire (Bradshaw) to that of a rich, conservative businessman (JBL) resulted in a tremendous turnaround for his career; leading to a main event push and even a WWE Championship victory.

WINNER - CODY RHODES: 2nd GENERATION WRESTLER TO NARCISSISTIC GROOMING EXPERT

A week after Cody Rhodes was drafted to Smackdown, a poll conveniently appeared on WWE.com. The poll claimed that the WWE Divas had voted Cody Rhodes the most handsome Superstar in the WWE (For those wondering, Cena, Orton, Jericho and MVP rounded out the Top 5). Whether the survey was legitimate or not, WWE seized on the opportunity. That very week, Rhodes was bragging about the result on Smackdown, and he demanded that he be referred to as "Dashing" Cody Rhodes from that point on. Throughout the rest of the year, he continued to appear in sporadic backstage segments in which he gave the WWE Universe grooming tips (ranging from teeth to nose hair), so that he could bring us all "One step closer...to dashing!" Its the sort of silly wrestling gimmick that would fail 8 times out of 10, but Cody is talented enough to make it work. I enjoyed his performances, and he has cleverly used the "dashing" persona to tell a story in almost all his matches (pausing to stare into mirrors; throwing a fit when he gets hit in the face). I give him the win in this category. I just hope he realizes that he has to colour the campy narcissism of his character with some moments of seriousness and intensity. He currently feels like someone who's playing a part rather than someone who actually believes what he is saying (like Punk or Jericho make you feel). If he can incorporate that into his gimmick next year, he will be one step closer...to the main event.

1st RUNNER UP- ABYSS: INSECURE NEUROTIC MAN-CHILD TO PSYCHOTIC VIOLENT MONSTER

I actually feel like a less intelligent person for having written that ludicrous sentence. As over-the-top as Abyss sometimes goes with his current "monster" persona, it is still infinitely better than the monstrous manner in which he started 2010: fresh off "therapy" sessions with Dr. Stevie, groveling like a starstruck child in front of Hulk Hogan, panicking when things started to go wrong, and who can forget - gaining magic powers of strength and invincibility when presented with Hogan's WWE Hall of Fame Ring. Only in TNA. When Abyss turned heel following Slammiversary VIII, it was a huge relief. He added enough intensity into his promos to make him interesting again. Also, you have to admit his new attire (pictured) is great, even though it makes him look like something out of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.

2nd RUNNER UP - JEFF JARRETT: SYMPATHETIC FOUNDER OF TNA TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTS WANNABE

This is a gimmick change that came very late in the year, and I even doubt it will last very long, but I couldn't resist throwing it in. When Jarrett turned heel and joined Immortal, he began a feud with Samoa Joe that saw a submission match between the two signed for Final Resolution. In the weeks leading up to the event, Jarrett began claiming that he was an MMA expert, demonstrating holds on local wrestlers and featuring in vignettes that saw him teaching karate to children. He then started the weekly "Double J MMA Challenge" where he offered $100,000 to anyone from the crowd who could beat him in an MMA match. These segments have been among the most entertaining on TNA television, and Jarrett has alternated his character very well between silly and serious, which is essential for the sort of role he is playing. For that, Jarrett gets my vote.

The Howard Finkel Award - Best Major Show of 2010

This award recognizes the best pay-per-view event or major show of the year, discounting weekly TV programming. The award is named after Howard Finkel, who came up with the name "Wrestlemania", the most biggest wrestling event in the world.

WINNER - WRESTLEMANIA XXVI

There would be something dangerously wrong with WWE if this weren't the top show of the year. While this may not rank very high on the all-time list of Wrestlemanias, it was a very good card that just about delivered. There were some disappointments - an underwhelming opener between Shomiz and Morrison/Truth, the messy Money in the Bank, the awful Hart-McMahon match and a dull Triple H-Sheamus encounter; however these were redeemed by two very strong world championship matches (Cena vs. Batista and Edge vs. Jericho). The real story of this Wrestlemania, though, was the fantastic main event- the Streak vs. Career match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels that, impossibly, managed to live up to the hype, and gave us what will be one of the most enduring Wrestlemania moments - the retirement of Mr. Wrestlemania himself.

1st RUNNER UP - TLC: TABLES, LADDERS & CHAIRS

This was the last PPV of the year for WWE, and they could hardly have done a better job in closing out the year. I'm not a big fan of the concept of having stipulation-themed pay-per-views as I think it dilutes the value of the gimmick matches. However one advantage of having a lot of similar matches on a card is that it leads to more careful booking and planning in order to make each match stand out. This was definitely the case with TLC- the finishes to each match were almost faultlessly booked, and it was evident WWE put a lot of thought into them. The in-ring action was also stellar- we got four very good matches: The IC Title Ladder match (Kingston vs. Swagger vs. Ziggler), the Tables matches (Natalya/Phoenix vs. Laycool and Orton vs. Miz for the WWE Title) and the TLC World Heavyweight Title match (Edge vs. Mysterio vs. Del Rio vs. Kane). Not to forget, a Match of the Year candidate- the #1 Contender's Ladder Match between John Morrison and Sheamus, which may yet prove to be Morrison's breakout performance. The only thing WWE got wrong was the main event (Cena vs. Barrett in a Chairs Match) which was a somewhat anti-climactic end to a fantastic all-round show.

2nd RUNNER UP - MONEY IN THE BANK

WWE decided to cash in (accidental pun) on the popular "Money in the Bank" ladder match concept from Wrestlemania, by giving it a whole pay-per-view. The company made up for the poor MITB match at Wrestlemania XXVI by delivering a tremendous show here. Both the RAW and Smackdown MITB matches were outstanding, even if the results were somewhat predictable. (The Miz and Kane emerged the respective winners). The two ladder matches were also punctuated by two very good world championship matches: John Cena vs. Sheamus inside a Steel Cage and Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio. The latter ended with a nice bit of drama as Mysterio won, only to have Kane come out and successfully cash in the title shot he had won that very night. Overall one of the better pay-per-views of the year, with nice action and storytelling.

The Richard Blood Award - Best Babyface of 2010

This award recognizes the performers who have played the role of the hero or the good guy - the babyface, in wrestling parlance - the best, and have caused audiences to connect with them in this capacity. This award is named after Ricky Steamboat (Richard Blood), who wrestled his whole career as a face.

WINNER- JOHN CENA

Though many viewers, notably males above the age of 18 (myself included), find Cena's pure white, over-cheerful and sanitized superhero act annoying at times, the facts must be faced. No other babyface in world wrestling has the kind of connection that John Cena has with the crowd. Children and women in particular love him. The man is a merchandise-selling machine. The only wrestler who has earned more money for WWE through merchandise sales is Stone Cold Steve Austin. How valuable is such a performer? Consider this: WWE was so afraid of alienating fans and losing sales that they didn't even keep Cena off television for a single week after he was "fired" in the Nexus storyline. But to understand why Cena is worthy of this award, go on Youtube and view the insane reactions of children (and some adults) when he was forced to join the Nexus, and later during the firing angle. Case closed.

1st RUNNER UP - RANDY ORTON

Last year, it was hard to imagine that anyone could play a heel better than Randy Orton. This year, his character was essentially the same, and yet here is, inches away from ousting John Cena as the company's top face. What happened? Orton was so good at being bad that the fans desperately wanted to cheer him. WWE wisely decided to swim with the tide and turned him face in rivalries with Sheamus and Orton's own stable, Legacy. "The Viper" became intensely popular with the crowd, receiving reactions that rivaled and sometimes even dwarfed Cena's. At one point it seemed Orton had surpassed Cena in the pecking order, but Cena has regained some prominence in the later part of the year with the Barrett feud. Still, Orton embodies the modern babyface - the antihero who doesn't play to the crowd - better than anyone. Besides, nothing is close to being as awesome as the RKO.

2nd RUNNER UP - MR. ANDERSON

Much like Orton, Anderson's transformation into a babyface was dictated by the audience. In fact, the Impact Zone crowd loved his villainous rants so much that they proudly chanted "We're all assholes" after Anderson used the term to describe them. How could they not turn him after that? With his fantastic and unique style on his fantastic and unique microphone, Anderson is a riot to watch, and will continue to enthrall viewers. Anderson is one of the edgier babyfaces we have seen, and his success is further proof that the traditional see-no-evil type of hero is on his way out in today's wrestling scape.

The Bret Hart Award - Best In-Ring Performer

This award discounts the entertainment aspect of sports entertainment, and recognizes the performer who displayed the best in-ring work. The winner of this award is someone who had the best workrate- someone who consistently delivered the best matches, and could be relied on to have a good match with just about anybody. Named after Bret "The Hitman" Hart, one of the best ever within the squared circle.

WINNER - JACK SWAGGER

Its hard to believe the person I'm naming best in-ring performer was jobbing to Santino Marella a couple of weeks before Wrestlemania. Swagger spent the first quarter of 2010 in lower midcard pugatory, but the biggest pay-per-view of the year was the flash point. Out of the blue, Swagger won the Money in the Bank Match, and they had him cash it in successfully less than a week later. It was an abrupt but overdue elevation for the All-American American, and since he cashed in for the World Heavyweight Title on Smackdown, he was moved to the Blue Show. The change of scenery worked wonders. Swagger has had a stellar year in the ring since Wrestlemania, putting on great matches with Chris Jericho, Edge, Rey Mysterio, MVP, Kaval, Kofi Kingston and a one-off with Randy Orton. He even got very decent matches out of the Big Show during their program together. He was wasted a little bit towards the later part of the year, but I believe he has been the most consistent performer in the ring. I hope to see him around the main event in 2011.

1st RUNNER UP - REY MYSTERIO

One of the all-time greats, 2010 was a good year for Rey Mysterio, one that saw wrestling's biggest little guy winning his second World Championship. His rivalries against CM Punk, Jack Swagger, Kane and Alberto Del Rio produced some very good matches, but that's not the only reason why Mysterio is rated really highly. What makes him special is that rare gift to work against even the biggest opponents, and produce matches that are both exciting and not completely unbelievable. He is one of the best at selling an opponent's offense and making it look real, while at the same time knowing how to use his own 'underdog' style of offense so that it doesn't look completely ridiculous. For someone whose talents are so dazzling and obvious, Mysterio is one of the most subtle performers on the roster, and indeed in the world. Remember the last time a crowd wasn't into a Mysterio match?

2nd RUNNER UP- DANIEL BRYAN

One of the best things to happen in WWE all year is the slow resurgence of independent wrestlers. With signings from Ring of Honour like Low Ki and Tyler Black, WWE is looking beyond its own developmental territories for young talent. At the forefront of the indy movement is Daniel Bryan. As Bryan Danielson, he has become popular on the Internet over the last few years as "The Best Wrestler in the World." He was hired by WWE last year, and finally made his TV debut as part of NXT Season One. Since this is an award for In-ring performance, I will not go into the pairing with the Miz, the Invasion, the tie-choking, or the release and re-hire. Bryan was the best Rookie skill-wise by miles on NXT, and after becoming a RAW Superstar, he has consistently delivered the best matches for the Red Brand. With WWE's toned down style, we will not get to see the full, awe-inspiring range of Bryan's talent (Youtube Bryan Danielson for that), but he gets my nod for 2nd Runner Up for the great matches he put on throughout NXT, and later his US Championship matches with The Miz, John Morrison, Ted Dibiase and Dolph Ziggler. I would not at all be surprised to see him win this next year.

The Fliehr/Lunde/Rogowski/Blanchard Award - Best Stable of 2010

WINNER - THE NEXUS

Almost every member of the Internet Wrestling Community loves to lament about how WWE bungled the potential of the storyline, but we have to admit, none of us even saw it coming. There can be little argument that the group of rookies who "invaded" Raw six months ago gave us our most compelling stable of the year. After the memorable debut night that saw them batter everything and everyone in sight, they went on to a hugely engrossing hostile takeover/invasion storyline that climaxed in the main event of Summerslam. The Nexus was a stroke of inspiration by WWE, and they ended up creating 8 potential stars in one shot, while giving us our most unpredictable storyline in months and months. The group has been kept fresh since then with several additions and deletions, and has ridden high on the fantastic presence and verbal skills of its leader, Wade Barrett, aided by clever booking by WWE. A long feud with John Cena looks apparent.

1st RUNNER UP - THE STRAIGHT EDGE SOCIETY
The release of Serena and the injury to Joey Mercury meant a premature end to what was the hottest ensemble act in wrestling before the Nexus came on the scene. If the SES hadn't folded so early, they might have even won this award. Nobody is better than CM Punk at drawing heat from live crowds, and the addition of three brainwashed, machine-like disciples to his gimmick was a brilliant touch. The Straight Edge Pledge segments were the most electric week in and week out while they lasted. The SES produced some epic promos and moments, the most memorable being Punk singing "Happy Birthday" to Rey Mysterio's daughter, one of the best heel performances ever.

2nd RUNNER UP - THE IMMORTAL/FORTUNE ALLIANCE

They more or less win this award by default, as their only competition was the pointless Ev2.0 and the obsolete Beautiful People. The alliance between Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff's Immortal, and Ric Flair's Fortune has produced some fun moments though. This is a stable that is still in its infancy, and will be one to watch in 2011. My main criticism of this group,

though, is its size. There are so many people in this Alliance that I couldn't even find one photo containing them all. It's members currently include Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, AJ Styles, Jeff Jarrett, Kazarian, James Storm, Robert Roode, Abyss, Rob Terry and Jeff Hardy. They recently dropped Matt Morgan and Doug Williams, but that's still eleven people. I can't even figure out if I've left someone out. I understand that TNA has to accomodate their large roster into two hours of television time, which does lead to some cramming. But it makes for messy viewing sometimes. Nevertheless, most members are quite talented, so while the quantity may be overwhelming, it comes with quality as well. A bit of trimming next year, or just more structured booking, and we could have a top-notch stable.

This award represents the group of wrestlers or "stable" who have performed best in the year. The award is named after perhaps the most celebrated stable in history, The Four Horsemen, which comprised Ric Flair (Richard Fliehr), Arn Anderson (Martin Lunde), Ole Anderson (Alan Rogowski) and Tully Blanchard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Horsemen_(professional_wrestling)

Coming Soon - The 2010 Gorilla Awards

Granted, It has been seven months since the last post. And the zero followers of this blog have been frantically flooding my Inbox with pleas for my comeback. So I have decided to yield.

Coming soon, The 2010 Gorilla Awards, honouring the best and worst, the highs and lows, the peaks and valleys, the Jerichos and Khalis of the wrestling world (should I say Universe?) in 2010.

The categories, in alphabetical order are:

1. The Austin/McMahon Award – Best Feud

2. The Benoit/Guerrero Award – Best Moment

3. The Bret Hart Award – Best In-Ring Performer

4. The Brock Lesnar Award – Most Promising Wrestler

5. The Chris Benoit Award – Best Technical Wrestler

6. The Chris Irvine Award - Best Catchphrase

7. The Curt Hennig Award – Most Underrated

8. The Dalip Rana Award - Worst Wrestler

9. The Dwayne Johnson Award – Most Charismatic

10. The Eddie Guerrero Award – Retired/Injured/Late Wrestler who was Missed the Most

11. The Fliehr/Lunde/Rogowski/Blanchard Award - Best Stable

12. The Fred Ottman Award - Worst Gimmick

13. The Hart/Austin Award – Best Match

14. The Hector Guerrero Award - Biggest Letdown

15. The Henry/Young Award – Most Absurd/Unintentionally Funny Moment

16. The Howard Finkel Award - Best Major Show

17. The Jacobs/Levesque Award - Worst Feud

18. The Jim Ross Award – Best Announcer

19. The John Layfield Award – Best Gimmick Change

20. The Katie Vick Award – Storyline in Poorest Taste

21. The Keiichi Yamada Award - Best Wrestling Maneuver

22. The Kurt Angle Award – Best Debut Performer

23. The Mark Calaway Award - Best Gimmick

24. The Matt Cappotelli Award – Most Inspirational Wrestling Personality

25. The McMahon/Hart Award – Off-screen Story of the Year

26. The Michael Hickenbottom Award – Best All-round Wrestler

27. The Mick Foley Award - Best Spot

28. The Mike Adamle Award – Worst Announcer

29. The Morasca/Sullivan Award - Worst Match

30. The Oscar Gutierrez Award – Best High-Flier

31. The Patricia Stratigias Award - Best Female Wrestler

32. The Paul Heyman Award - Best Wrestling Show

33. The Paul Wight Award- Most Improved Wrestler

34. The Phil Brooks Award – Best Face/Heel Turn

35. The Richard Blood Award - Best Babyface

36. The Richard Fliehr Award - Best Promo

37. The Roderick Toombs Award – Best Performer on the Microphone

38. The Scott Hall Award - Most Embarrassing Wrestling Personality

39. The Smith/Billington Award – Best Tag Team

40. The Steve Austin Award – Biggest Star

41. The Ted Dibiase Award - Best Heel

42. The Terry Bollea Award – Most Overrated

43. The Vince McMahon Award – Best Non-Wrestling Performer

44. The Vince Russo Award - Worst Wrestling Show

A little excessive, you think? Well, Michaels quit at 44. So will I.

WWE NXT: My Rankings of the Rookies

Instead of reviewing this week's episode of NXT like I thought I might do, I thought I'd give my thoughts on where the Rookies stand so far. We go to the polls again in two weeks, and it'll be interesting to see how things go from there.

Rank 8: Michael Tarver

I think the WWE Universe is quite unanimous on this one. Tarver has been the least impressive among the rookies for me. He has tried to differentiate himself by refusing to participate in challenges, but that has only worked against him. I kind of feel bad for him in that he probably has the least appealing of the Pros in Carlito. Still, Tarver has not done much to warrant anything other than early elimination.

Rank 7: Darren Young

CM Punk's Rookie is decent in the ring, and seems enthusiastic and likeable. Somewhere down the line he might earn a shot on the main roster, but right now he hasn't really captured my imagination. He would have been a hell of a lot more interesting if he had joined the Straight Edge Society, but obviously they'd be reluctant to put a Rookie in that big a role. I like Young, though, and would not be surprised to see him on Raw or SD sometime in the future.

Rank 6: Skip Sheffield

I like this guy. He's not dazzling in the ring or electric on the mic, but you can see that he's a competitor and loves what he does. I'm glad he's shed the dumb comedic gimmick he was doing at the beginning, and I think it would be well-advised to drop the "Cornfed Meathead" moniker too. I see potential in Sheffield at least as a solid midcard heel. He has one of the best Pros (William Regal) in terms of mentoring ability, so I think he could be one of the surprises of this show.

Rank 5: Heath Slater

Slater's another guy with very decent ring skills. Also, he seems like another likable chap, and you can tell he's being himself. Now that's generally a good thing, but I fear it may not be enough to take Slater into the Final Four. The slightly exaggerated heel characters like Otunga and Barrett, along with the guys that are really good in the ring like Bryan and Gabriel, are likely to sustain attention more over this short span. While Slater's good and seems to be liked by management (read the win over Jericho), I think at this point there are catchier characters on the show. That being said, I definitely give him a thumbs up in terms of being a potential recruit for the main roster.

Rank 4: Daniel Bryan

Oh, where do I begin. Bryan Danielson was the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Most Outstanding Wrestler" four years in a row (2006-2009). He was also their "Best Technical Wrestler" five years in a row (2005-2009). They gave him the gimmick of "Best Wrestler in the World" in ROH, and by the time he left to sign with WWE, a lot of people in the wrestling world agreed. People said the move to WWE would kill his career. We were optimistic. Then WWE changed his name to "Daniel Bryan" because he wouldn't sell the rights to his real name. We were optimistic. They announced the "Best Wrestler in the World" would start his WWE stint as a "Rookie", and there was outrage. We were still optimistic. They announced "The Miz", who has less than half his experience, would mentor him, and the internet erupted. But we still held on to hope. Then we saw the hugely entertaining friction between The Miz and Bryan ("He looks like my accountant") seemed to be the focus of the show, Bryan got to wrestle a great little match against Jericho on the second episode, and we smiled. Of course, after a few weeks our guy was 0-4, but that was just a losing streak angle right? He was ordained to win this thing and feud with The Miz from the start..... As it stands weeks later, Daniel Bryan has a 0-9 record. He has even lost to Darren Young and Skip Sheffield- clean. I don't know if WWE is intentionally burying him. Even if he now stages a miraculous turnaround, I fear too much damage has already been done. If this ranking was based solely on wrestling ability, it would not even be a contest. But I cannot rank Bryan any higher based on what we've seen so far on NXT. And we are not optimistic.

Rank 3: Justin Gabriel

Sorry for the rant about Bryan. Gabriel's #2 behind Bryan in terms of wrestling ability. He has also connected very well with the crowd, and comes across as a very pleasant kid who's enjoying every moment of what he's doing. Also, he's the first South African to wrestle for WWE. Anything that differentiates you is good. Gabriel is extremely agile and athletic, and yet not very small. The only thing he has shown to be lacking is the promo ability. But then, he can always work on that. Matt Hardy, his pro, is a very positive and helpful person, and I think he will contribute to Gabriel's development. He's a keeper for sure.

Rank 2: David Otunga

Ok, he's very green in the ring. But this guy had "Star" written all over him from the moment that first introductory video package was shown. ("Come on man, Google me.") I love the confidence and attitude he exudes. The audience hates him immediately because he flaunts his celebrity status. Listen to the crowd each week. It's always Otunga who gets the strongest reaction. The man is a natural heat magnet. He has a long way to go in the ring. I'd have someone like Regal, Finlay or Jericho working closely to develop Otunga in the ring. If he shows a willingness to work hard and not just coast on his natural charisma, the man is money. And Vince knows it.

Rank 1: Wade Barrett

I do not think it is a coincidence that this is Chris Jericho's rookie. I think most people would agree that Wade Barrett is the best all-round performer so far on NXT. He is solid in the ring, has the sort of size you'd look for in a main eventer, classy looks and very smooth verbal skills. He was brilliant in the Talk the Talk challenge, and has yet to lose his poise in any of the challenges unlike virtually every other Rookie. The guy conducts himself like a pro. And as if his natural abilities weren't enough, he has the best performer in the world as a mentor. Wade Barrett is the most impressive debut I've seen in a long time, and I would be very, very surprised if he does not become a World Champion one day.

WWE Smackdown (30/4/2010) Review: Jack leads the Pack

WWE may have loaded Raw with the biggest stars with the Draft, but that may actually work to the advantage of Smackdown. With a majority of the traditional main eventers on Monday nights, the Blue Team is now fresher than ever; a land of opportunity where what was midcard till now can become main event.

And the man leading the charge is fittingly, the World Champion, Jack Swagger. The champ was outstanding this week. Vignettes kept airing throughout the night where Swagger would announce himself as champion and then go on to state a random impressive fact about himself. The best was yet to come. To conclude the show, Swagger came out and continued with more of the same. "When I was a boy...when I was five...when I was nine...when I was twelve....when I was sixteen....", taking the audience on a deliciously irritating personal history. He got mega heat from the crowd, and played it up well. The great segment ended with Teddy Long coming out and announcing Big Show as the no. 1 contender. Show knocked out Swagger to huge cheers to cement his face turn. The Smackdown writers really do know how to book their wrestlers. I also like this because it probably means Swagger is keeping the belt for some time, since I don't see them putting it on Show.

Other thoughts:

• Chris Jericho still proves week in and week out why he's the best in the world. A great promo to start off, a very good match where he not only gave Kofi Kingston a lot of offense, but took (yet another) pinfall loss to him. Jericho is willing to lose to absolutely anybody, which is the only thing I wish he would change about himself. If he continues to lose, then somebody beating him is not going to be a big deal.
• It was a big mark-out moment to see the interaction between Edge and Christian. The purpose of it was to confirm Edge's heel turn, but it didn't work as well as it should because the arena audience didn't seem to have gotten the memo. When Edge's music hit, they erupted in applause, and cheered him when he expressed his disingenuous love for the fans and the show. When Christian came out and called him a liar, it seemed like the crowd didn't know how to react, and the silence hurt the segment. To add to it, there was actually a "Spear" chant and there were some boos when Christian blocked it and went for the Killswitch. Christian tried to startup a "Goodbye" chant to close, but wasn't very successful. I just hope none of this has any bearing on Christian's future. Its no secret Vince doesn't see him as a star, but he's at the top of the list of people who deserve to be elevated to the main event...
• MVP showed great charisma when he interrupted CM Punk, and good enthusiasm in the ring in the tag match that ensued. He is very popular with the crowd despite his recent lack of screen time, and I truly hope he is one of those in line for a push.
• The Mystery Man (Joey Mercury) attacked Mysterio again after the tag match. I like the fact that they're adding to the SES.
• Cody Rhodes was also very solid in the ring against John Morrison. I like Rhodes. Kudos to Matt Striker for cleverly describing him as "the uncommon son of the common man".
• Chavo Guerrero is one of the most underutilized performers in the company. The man is actually quite good in the ring. How have WWE used him? In a sixth month rivalry with Hornswoggle, getting beaten up by Santino and the guest hosts, and now on his first night on Smackdown, he gets chokeslammed by Kane...
• I was dreading a Hornswoggle run-in when Dolph Ziggler started bragging about putting the leprechaun to sleep...
• Matt Hardy did a good job of selling Drew's beating with the concussed look. Weren't they leading up to a triple threat with Kane also in the mix? Or are we not supposed to remember?
• The tag match with Beth/Kelly taking on Team Laycool was decent. I like the Smackdown divas. They're developing in the ring and showing some personality, which is good.
• I still like JTG more than Shad...and why are they on the same show?

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Jack Swagger (2) Chris Jericho (3) MVP

Best Match: Kofi Kingston vs. Chris Jericho

Best Promo: Jack Swagger

WWE Smackdown (12/3/2010) Review: Happy Birthday

Quick thoughts since I'm sleepy:

• I cannot get over how incredible CM Punk was on this Friday's Smackdown. Wow. What an actor. For my money, the guy is the best heel in the business and hands down the best gimmick. The way he taunted Rey Mysterio and his family was unbelievable. Everything, from the tone of voice, to the expressions, the slap to Rey and the frightening way he sang "Happy Birthday to You" was scarily perfect. Even Rey and the family (especially the birthday girl Aaliyah) did a very good job. This is a must watch part of the show.
• Edge and Jericho continued to build their match around the Spear. It was great to see the Highlight Reel back. I'm really looking forward to this match and feud. Edge has really found his feet as a cool babyface, and the crowd is loving him. Great times lie ahead.
• Very good match between John Morrison and Big Show. Good psychology. Is this Morrison's breakout year? He's reportedly turning heel after Mania, so I hope so. He deserves it.
• Drew McIntyre finally qualified for MITB. I think he's the favourite. I like Drew. He looks and carries himself like a main eventer. And that music and entrance is beautiful. So there are 9 guys in MITB here? Will Kofi Kingston be added to make it 10? It already seems crowded...
• Miz and R-Truth also put together a solid match. The look on Miz's face when Daniel Bryan cost him the win was priceless.
• The crowd loved Beth Phoenix's face turn. I did to. I suppose they had to pull the trigger now Mickie's injured. Vickie Guerrero as an addition to Simply Flawless could be a lot of fun. As for Tiffany, I think she's my favourite diva now that Maria's gone...
• Thank God Undertaker prevented us from having to sit through the 5567th match between THD and Cryme Tyme when he destroyed all of them. Although I feel bad that THD doesn't have a spot at Mania.

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) CM Punk (2) Edge (3) Chris Jericho

Best Match: John Morrison vs. Big Show

Best Promo: CM Punk

WWE Raw (8/3/2010) Review: The Black Cloud and Other Stories

Here are my thoughts on all the matches and segments of this week's edition of WWE Raw:

• The Undertaker/Shawn Michaels Promo: What a way to start the show. The story was that Shawn is exuding confidence, and is really getting under Taker's skin by accusing him of being afraid. They ended up making this match a No-DQ, No-Countout Match. As if it needed anything. Undertaker's look of rage to end this segment was great. I have to say I wasn't initially in favour of them redoing this match, but now it's the match I'm most looking forward to. Can't wait.
• The Divas Match: Eve is getting a title feud against Maryse. Well-deserved. She's very decent in the ring. On a side note: Kelly Kelly!
• The Guest Host: Somewhat disappointing. I was expecting more from the Mindfreak.
• The Tag Team Non-Match: I was just about to message a friend who was watching for the first time to keep an eye out for Morrison's amazing moves, and the match was over before it started. I liked that the faces went after the heels and got the DQ. Not done very often. Nice. Also loved Miz's promo before this.
• The Handicap Match: A very solid and nicely worked match, the best of the night. All three guys were very good here, with Rhodes and Dibiase getting the win. The crowd is starting to get behind Orton as a face, although some of his mannerisms are still very heelish. I don't see it as a problem. The role of the babyface with an edge would suit his personality. So will this match be a handicap or a triple threat at Wrestlemania? There are some who think Kofi Kingston might partner Orton, while others think the Triple H-Orton match next week is a way of setting up a 2-on-3 match at Mania (Triple H/Orton vs. Rhodes/Dibiase/Sheamus) Until next week we're just guessing.
• The Triple H/Sheamus Promo and Brawl Into the Crowd: Its still painful to see Sheamus getting a high-profile singles match at Mania. However, Triple H was great in this segment, almost making you want to see the match. It was a pleasant surprise when he brought up his loss to the Ultimate Warrior, and losing to Batista and Cena at Mania. When did we last see Triple H embracing his failures? Maybe we were all wrong about him....of course, the promo soon degenerated into a brawl that spilled over into the crowd before Sheamus made his escape.
• The MITB Qualifying Match: I'm thrilled that Evan Bourne is in MITB. Imagine what the guy can do with a few ladders. Although I wish his match with William Regal could have been longer. They could have put on a gem. But on Raw it only got 3 minutes. Anyway, at least Bourne's in. (Where does this leave Drew and Kofi?)
• The Main Event: I'm not talking about Shawn Michaels here. So with a match like Vince McMahon vs. John Cena, it was obvious that it would not be exactly as advertised. But while I was expecting a simple Batista beatdown, WWE got creative and had Vince change the stipulation to a Gauntlet Match at the last moment. So we had Vladimir Kozlov, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger and Mark Henry all try to finish Cena off for Vince before Batista came out the end and finished the job. It was an entertaining match, and served the purpose of gathering heat for Vince and Batista. I love heel Batista. Its a very natural role for him.

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Randy Orton (2) Ted Dibiase (3) Triple H

Best Match: Legacy vs. Randy Orton

Best Promo: Triple H

TNA Impact (8/3/2010) Review: Hope and Fear as the Monday Night War Begins

Today's episode of TNA Impact marked the first head-to-head with WWE Raw since the company decided to move to Monday Nights. While I'll see Raw when its telecast on Thursday, I don't think realistically TNA can hope to pose any threat to WWE in the near future. Still, the competition will make both shows better.

I'll divide my thoughts on today's show into two categories: those that gave me hope for the show's future, and those that inspired cold dread in me. For it is these two polar forces that will battle, and unfortunately, the latter category is largely populated by those who have the power in the company....so here it is:

HOPE

• The three-way promo and match between Kazarian, Daniels and Doug Williams. There were some great spots during the match, the highlight being Kazarian giving Daniels a Northern Lights Suplex while already in a pinning position on Doug Williams. Insane. Williams' rollup into Northern Lights finisher is a treat for the eyes. The X-Division is full of great talent, and I really hope the "big names" don't eat into their well-earned TV time.
• The great Kurt Angle segment where he and the US Army beat up Mr. Anderson. Angle was very good on the mic as always, and his speech had a very good feel to it. It was unusual that Angle got his revenge so early in the feud. I suspect Anderson will get his heat back in a major way. This rivalry is different from all others in TNA right now because both characters are firmly established. I hope TNA goes with more structured booking and clearly-defined characters in their feuds, rather than the overload of gimmicks and frequent face/heel turns they do.
• Sting as a heel. We've never seen it. Why did he turn? Why the sudden aggression towards Dixie Carter? This would be a lot more effective if turns weren't so frequent in TNA. But it should be interesting to hear his justification. I hope its a good one.
• Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy. Two extremely valuable acquisitions. RVD has a cult following and will add to the magnificent in-ring talent in TNA. Jeff Hardy was the hottest thing in pro wrestling before he left WWE and has a huge fan base. If TNA uses him well there's no saying. I hope they do
• The Knockouts: This is one area where TNA are miles ahead of the WWE. Their women can actually wrestle, and they are by no means unpleasant to look at. The Knockouts also have unique characters and gimmicks, which were all on display in this week's three-way tag match. I like the though of Daffney being Champion. The Beautiful People winning the Knockout Tag Titles is a logical move. The Knockouts will definitely be given their screen time, and I hope all these women continue to thrive.

FEAR

• Abyss: Why is Hulk Hogan a fan of this guy? Why is anyone a fan of this guy? I'm not impressed by his ring work, and he may be hands down the worst actor in pro wrestling today. And that is saying something. I may be able to accept him as a silent monster heel. But as a childish, teary, naive fool with a magic ring? Please spare me. However, I fear this act is here to stay. His continued push is also very disturbing.
• The Band: Scott Hall. Age 52. Can barely walk. Can barely talk. Six-Pac. Formerly X-Pac. Age 37. Can still go in the ring. But all these two do is bully Kevin Nash. Age 50. And try to get him back in The Band, although he says he's too cool for it now. They do this week after week, each time being banned forever from entering the Impact Zone. And for some reason poor Eric Young. Age 30. So talented. Is stuck in the middle of all of this. If he ends up getting some upward thrust from this, then good, but its a sad sight to see what could be a 90s WCW rerun eroding 10-15 minutes each week. I fear this will continue.
• Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair wrestling. Please stop. Please. Come out every week in the ring and cut your charismatic promos. The crowd will still love you. They do not want to see you hobble across the ring, sweat, bleed and unconvincingly beat up people less than half your age. Will you ever know when to call it quits? I fear not.
• AJ "Ric Flair" Styles: Two months ago, AJ Styles was the most popular wrestler on TNA. He is by anyone's account one of the top ten wrestlers in the world today. Many say he's the best. Why then, has he become a parody of Ric Flair? The first night he embraced this new heel character, I loved his promo. He had the cockiness and flashiness of Flair, while retaining his own personality traits. After that? Seems like he's been misdirected to try and become Flair himself. He is now clearly playing someone who he is not. Please let AJ be himself. Will they? I fear not.
• The TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Who is Styles defending it against at Destination X? What were his last three rivalries? Can you answer this in less than three seconds? No. Because TNA is booking its performers rather than its championships, and that is a dangerous place to be. The Title has become an insignificant prop in the current Flair/Hogan/Abyss/Styles saga, which is sad. I fear for this and the other championships in TNA.
• Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett: Where the hell are they going with this? Both of them, as well as Eric Bischoff, are playing their parts very well, but what exactly are their parts? I fear this is just a meaningless way for all concerned to kill a bit of time.

It seems like there's a little more Fear than Hope. However, right now, its still a marginal call. TNA can still "Turn things around" to use their own phrase, and I certainly hope that they realize what the fans want and do the sensible thing. Don't panic, and don't be foolish like WCW was. The competition will only make it better for us as fans.

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Kazarian (2) Kurt Angle (3) Daniels

Best Match: Kazarian vs. Daniels vs. Doug Williams (X-Division Championship)

Best Promo: Kurt Angle

WWE NXT Review (23/2/2010): Bryan is the Focus in a Fun First Show

The focus going into the debut show of NXT was on Daniel Bryan, who has earned a name for himself as the "Best Wrestler in the World". There was a lot of buzz and outcry on the internet over The Miz, who has half his experience, mentoring him. The Miz has been cutting promos for the last couple of weeks that have acknowledged Bryan's wrestling ability, but attacked his supposed lack of charisma, saying he looked like Miz's accountant. After today's show, one thing is apparent: Miz has a point.

Bryan had a great main event match with Chris Jericho, but seemed to lack the look and the "it" factor that WWE wants in its main eventers. Miz asked him to go to the ring and connect with the crowd (though I'm not sure if Bryan was aware of it) and Bryan fumbled a bit before gaining his composure. Miz came out and insulted him some more, slapped him and left. Bryan did say he would get his revenge. The clash of personalities between these two will make entertaining television though. Coming back to the match, boy, can the guy wrestle. Unfortunately the match was a bit short, but Jericho gave Bryan a lot of offense and made him look good before he defeated him with the Walls of Jericho. There was an amazing spot where Bryan performed a suicide dive onto Jericho, who caught him and slammed him onto the announce desk. It seemed like Jericho too was enjoying wrestling Bryan, as he moved faster than I've seen him do in a long, long time.

Other thoughts:
* David Otunga seemed the most impressive of all the rookies. He exuded confidence in the profile they showed of him, and actually came off like a legit celebrity, what with a Harvard Law student, Jennifer Hudson's boyfriend, visits to the White House et al. His ring skills weren't on display much as he basically squashed Darren Young, CM Punk's rookie. On a side note, the look of horrified disapproval with which the Straightedge Society were treating Young (who is a polar opposite of the Straightedge look) wrestling was priceless. Punk, Gallows and Serena are really in a fantastic zone right now.
* The Carlito/Michael Tarver vs. Christian/Heath Slater match was ok. Both Tarver and Slater seem like interesting characters.

Overall, I like NXT as a concept. The interaction between Pros and Rookies will provide a lot of entertainment, as I fully expect the Pros to show their proteges some tough love. A show to watch.

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Chris Jericho (2) Daniel Bryan (3) David Otunga
Best Match: Chris Jericho vs. Daniel Bryan
Best Promo: David Otunga

*

WWE Superstars Review (25/2/2010): Luke Gallows, THD Shine

The following were featured on this week's edition of WWE Superstars:
Chris Masters/Santino Marella vs. Jack Swagger/William Regal: Decent match. I was extremely relieved to see Swagger get the pinfall rather than submit to the Masterlock like I thought he would.
Zach Ryder vs. Primo: It seems Zach is on Raw now. (Translation: Jobber?) The match was nothing special, but wasn't bad either. I'm not sure I like the Zach Attack as a finisher though. Finishing moves that can be hit in an instant work better than those that take time to set up and require your opponent to freeze. That being said, a certain 13-time World Champion springs to mind as an exception...
Luke Gallows vs. Sylas Young: Gallows cut a nice promo about how he and Serena were living proof that Straightedge was the way to live, and dedicated his match to CM Punk. Gallows then showed great intensity in squashing Young. Its so great that he got to shed the Festus gimmick, because he's getting a chance to show how good he can be in the role.
The Great Khali/Matt Hardy/Maria vs. The Hart Dynasty: This was a mixed tag match. The Hart Dynasty were really awesome here. Tyson Kidd in particular is really impressive, as is Natalya. David Hart Smith, while talented in the ring, doesn't seem to catch the eye as match as the other two though. On a side note, this was probably Maria's last match in WWE as she has now been released. Sad news, people. Sad news.

Highlights of the Night:

Best Performers: (1) Luke Gallows (2) Tyson Kidd (3) Natalys
Best Match: The Great Khali/Matt Hardy/Maria vs. The Hart Dynasty
Best Promo: Luke Gallows

TNA Impact (25/2/2010) Review: Why Can't the Old Guys Stay Retired?

After a long, long break, I'm back to the blog. I apologize to the zero people who have been turning in week after week, anxiously hoping for my return. So getting down to business...
*After a series of excruciatingly acted segments and matches, the show ended with Hulk Hogan announcing next week's main event: Hogan and Abyss vs. Ric Flair and AJ Styles. I am unhappy with this on many levels. Hogan and Flair (especially the latter after the amazing sendoff he got from WWE) shouldn't even be wearing wrestling boots in my opinion. Apart from the limitations from a work standpoint, this is taking valuable time away from the young talent that distinguished TNA in the first place. Secondly, I have never been an Abyss fan, but I'm finding this Magic Ring thing absolutely intolerable. To see it being promoted as the main angle on the show is just painful. The only watchable thing in this whole fiasco may be AJ, although there are times when he overplays the Flairesque persona.
* Mr. Anderson continues to be a compelling watch, and I think that's also partly because they've firmly established his character as a deplorable heel, rather than the see-sawish tweenerism TNA goes with so much. This week's segment was great. Anderson stood on the ramp as his opponent (Rob Terry) waited in the ring, and badmouthed Angle and the medallion. Angle snuck up behind him, listened to the whole thing, and whacked him with a chair. He then proceeded to throw him in the ring, where Terry easily pinned him. The segment served the dual purpose of furthering the Angle-Anderson feud, and getting Rob Terry over as a babyface. Anderson saying "Don't worry, he's not coming" while Angle was right behind him was a nice touch.
* Bischoff continues to be loads of fun. I loved his interactions with Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett. Although the sight of Jarrett quietly accepting his fate and flipping burgers seemed too unbelievable.
* The Kaz-Kendrick match wasn't much, but was noteworthy for a spectacular new finisher that Kaz debuted. (It seemed new to me, maybe its been used before). I guess they've laid the Suicide character to rest.
* The Daffney-ODB match was ok while it lasted. (Is ODB back to being a face?) Daffney's fit of lunacy while she was being physically restrained by Dr. Stevie was tremendous. I think she's by far the most interesting female character in wrestling right now.
* It was great to see Beer Money get some mic time. They're really over with the crowd. However, I fear the purpose of their title shot against Morgan and Hernandez has more to do with getting Morgan over as a heel rather than getting Beer Money into the title mix. Oh well, if they walk out with the belts, I'm not complaining.
* Please, please get rid of the Nasty Boys. Or is it Nasty Boyz.
* It is extremely disturbing that Desmond Wolfe got squashed by Abyss (or as Flair would call him, The Abyss) in the main event. Please don't drop the ball with this guy, TNA.
* All I can say about the whole "Band" saga is that I feel sorry that Eric Young has to be involved in such a waste of time.
*I don't mind those long-winded backstage promos as long as Christy Hemme is the interviewer.

Highlight of the night:

Best Performers: (1) Mr. Anderson (2) Eric Bischoff (3) Frankie Kazarian

Best Match: Kaz vs. Brian Kendrick

Best Promo: Mr. Anderson