WrestleMania XXVI: Part 1

WRESTLEMANIA XXVI

Unified Tag Team Championship Match: ShoMiz vs. John Morrison and R-Truth

Just like Night of Champions when Chris Jericho introduced The Big Show as his replacement partner, The Unified Tag Team Championship Match opened the show.

R-Truth came skipping and jumping down the ramp of the University of Phoenix Stadium, which is a great start to what each year promises to be the greatest wrestling spectacle of the year. John Morrison came down the ramp and bent space and time with the slow motion pose; while the reigning champions, ShoMiz charged down the ramp looking to annihilate the competition.

From The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation, to Demolition, The Rockers, The Hardyz, Edge and Christian, and The Dudleys, the Tag Team Championships have always created many great WrestleMania moments. However, with the passing of the time tag team wrestling is becoming a thing of the past. Therefore this championship match was short and concise, just allowing each wrestler about a minute of in-ring time before Big Show sneaked a tag and K-O'ed John Morrison.

Randy Orton's Voices Saved Him

Triple Threat Match: Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes vs Ted DiBiase

At WrestleMania there are some things that must happen, and this Triple Threat was one of them. The reason why so many people have been cheering for Randy Orton in recent weeks is because they knew that the demise of Legacy was nearing.

With the assistance of Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, Randy Orton was portrayed as a weak competitor relying on his lackies to fight his fights. Yet, before Legacy came along, Orton was The Legend Killer and reigned as the WWE Champion in a period known as The Age of Orton. There is no secret that Legacy has been holding him back, and after last night, Randy Orton has returned.

Cody Rhodes, believed by some to be going over in this match, entered the arena with a new entrance theme (TBA), red trucks, and white boots. Most likely in honor of his father "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

Ted DiBiase, the only one who entered to the Legacy "Its a New Day" theme, has always pretended to be on Orton's side, but no one has had more resentment that the son of "The Million Dollar Man." Speaking of, Ted DiBiase's father was inducted to the Hall of Fame class of 2010.

The match resembled a handicap match as Rhodes and DiBiase double teamed on Orton. Yet, their egos got in the way as DiBiase attempted a cover while Rhodes went for the moonsault. The severed alliance allowed The Viper to grab both Rhodes and DiBiase for a Double Hanging DDT. Then, almost as if he was listening to the voices in his head, Orton viciously punted Cody Rhodes in the head, and then wildly struck DiBiase with the RKO while avoiding Dream Street.

Orton took back his mantel on top of the ropes and outstretch his arms in glory of his victory. The backdrop behind Orton simply read RKO with the image of wings, sending the message that the burdon has been lifted and Orton is free.

Smells like "American" Money
Money in the Bank Ladder Match

For the first time in two years, The Money in the Bank Ladder Match revealed a new victor other than C.M. Punk, "The All-American-American" Jack Swagger. This contest of ladders holds far greater importance than probably any other match at 'Mania because it represents the company's pick of who should become the next World Champion. Much like Rob Van Dam, Edge, and C.M. Punk, Jack Swagger has the rare opportunity to capture either his first WWE or World Heavyweight Title.

Yet, becoming Mr. Money in the Bank was not a simple task because this year's MitB was a close call as each superstar were finger tips away from cementing their careers. Evan Bourne could have gone for it, but like all high flyers, he decided a Shooting Star Press was the way to go. Matt Hardy and Christian exchanged blows at the top of the ladder, each touching the briefcase for a fleeting moment. Either of these two ladder technicians would have been an odds on favorite to win the match, but others followed suit.

This year Kofi Kingston provided another strange display of climbing ladders as took the two halves of the broken ladder to walk over to the briefcase, Cirque du soleil style. MVP and Shelton Benjamin both making their way to the top warded off the other from reaching the briefcase. But whether you were perfection, the chosen one, or simply the only former world champion, it was all about strategy, thinking with your head, and having the mental fortitude to become the next World Champion. Congratulations to Jack Swagger for reaching the apex of his career, and starting a new chapter. Far from the land of extreme where Swagger became the ECW Champion within a few months, Swagger has the opportunity to escalate his career even further.

SmackDown Results: 3/26/10 - Money in the Bank Picks

The final installment of Friday Night SmackDown (WWE programming period) before WrestleMania featured a SmackDown vs. RAW 10-man tag match showcasing all the Money in the Bank Qualifiers.

Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston start the match.

Dolph Ziggler earned his shot for Money in the Bank by pinning R-Truth in a Triple Threat Match against the now-#1 contenders for ShoMiz's Unified Tag Team Titles.

As far as ability is concerned, Ziggler is in great physical shape and has gone toe to toe with the likes of Rey Mysterio and John Morrison during his I-C pursuit. He also scored a victory over Shelton Benjamin on WWE Superstars a few weeks ago.

Now, does Dolph Ziggler have the advantage to win this year's MitB? Not necessarily. Dolph is quick to anger and applies slow moving submissions. In a ladder match, one must make quick decisions in an instant.

Can the 10th Qualifier from RAW, Kofi Kingston, provide the victory? Kofi Kingston, who captured the I-C title from current World Champion, Chris Jericho, at Night of Champions 2008, has provided the wherewithal to be a champion; especially when capturing the World Tag Team Titles with C.M. Punk, and then the United States Title from MVP during 2008-2009.

Kofi earned this opportunity by defeating Vladimir Kozlov, which just last year was the man Shawn Michaels defeated to earn his first attempt to end the Undertaker's Streak. Around Bragging Rights 2009, Kofi entered a feud with Randy Orton and provided some memorable moments, including the Boom Drop at MSG.

If anyone has a chip on their shoulder to win this match, it would be Kofi Kingston. Plus, a MitB win would definitely complete the push that WWE seems to have aborted back at the TLC pay-per-view.

Matt Hardy and Jack Swagger are tagged in.

As Matt Striker mentioned, there is no one who has more to prove in this match than Matt Hardy. The elder brother Hardy, along with younger brother Jeff, entered WrestleMania together in 2000 against Edge and Christian, and The Dudley Boys (Team 3D) in a death defying Triangle Ladder Match (the prelude to TLC matches). Since that day, Matt has captured the Cruiserweight, United States, ECW, and multiple Tag Titles, but has never grasped that brass ring. Known as the better of the two when it comes to wrestling, Matt has always been outdone by his brother when it came to World Titles. It has been Matt's dream to one day Headline WrestleMania, and though he has won 2 singles matches at 'Mania, he has yet to become a Champion.

Will Matt Hardy win? For all the Mattitude Followers out there, there would be nothing more heart warming than Matt reaching the apex of his 10 year long journey than to have a World Title opportunity. But his recent matches since ending his feud with Jeff has been below sub par. Matt Hardy has been jobbing to guys like Dolph Ziggler and The Hart Dynasty for a while. In all reality, Matt Hardy has let himself go and is not the competitor that he was 5 years ago, delivering compelling matches against Edge, and one indie match against AJ Styles.

Jack Swagger was at the height of his WWE career in ECW, capturing the ECW title within four months against Matt Hardy. He earned the opportunity to compete in MitB in a squash match against Santino Marella. But the likely hood of Swagger winning is not likely at all.

Personally one of my favorites to win the match, will not because WWE caters more to entertainers that don't necessarily have a lisp. Recruited to the WWE by Gerry Brisco and J.R., the 2x All-American from Oklahoma doesn't need to win this match, but he needs a push.

Matt Hardy tags in Shelton Benjamin.

Shelton Benjamin earned his shot in MitB by defeating the only 2-time MitB winner, C.M. Punk. So thanks to Shelton (and Rey Mysterio's distraction), there will indeed be a new Mr. MitB at this year's WrestleMania.

Knowing ladders very well, Shelton will be competing in his 5th MitB ladder match. He is another veteran to the WWE who has never held a World Title. Yet, he has captured the World Tag Team, Intercontinental, and United States Titles throughout the years.

The only momentum that Shelton has gained was a win over Dolph Ziggler on SmackDown, which was followed by a loss in the following episode of WWE Superstars. Yet, during the 10 Man Tag, Shelton proved his resilience against Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne, and MVP during a single tag.

Jack Swagger reluctantly tags in Evan Bourne.

Evan Bourne gained entry by defeating William Regal in what was believed to be the 8th and final Qualifying Match. Evan Bourne had scored impressive victories during his debut on ECW that culminated to a title shot against Matt Hardy. Bourne came up short and was later drafted to RAW.

Does Bourne's Style Benefit him in a ladder match? No. Just like every high flyer in the history of professional wrestling, Bourne will be looking to create as much spots as possible to get onto the WrestleMania highlight reel.

Would Bourne make a great MitB winner? Absolutely not. Evan has no fortitude to stand up to the likes of Sheamus, what would make anyone believe that he could main event?

Evan Bourne tags in MVP.

Montel Vontavious Porter, once hated in the WWE has now become a favorite among fans and to win this years MitB. At WrestleMania 23, MVP defeated the late-Chris Benoit for the United States Title. If anyone can create a WrestleMania moment, it's MVP.

However, with consecutive losses to The Miz for the U.S. Title during the start of 2010, will MVP have enough momentum to win MitB?

MVP tags back out to Evan Bourne.

Shelton finally tags in to Kane.

The only former World Champion within the mist of this year's MitB is Kane. His plans to face Undertaker for the World's Title was thwarted several times by Rey Mysterio and Chris Jericho.
Kane earned his spot in this year's MitB by granting Drew McIntyre his first* loss, just 5 days removed of failing to best McIntyre for the Intercontinental Title at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

Obviously the tallest man in the MitB may have the advantage. His advantage lies in the fact that he doesn't care about creating spots. He is like a bulldozer, crush everyone in the way.

Kane tags in Matt Hardy who shortly tags in Dolph Ziggler.

Bourne escapes and tags in Christian.

The odds on favorite to win this year's MitB, Christian is riding a wave of momentum that the peeps are more than happy about. A veteran of ladder matches, Christian had an impressive run as the ECW Champion and defended it against the likes of Jack Swagger, Tommy Dreamer, William Regal, Ezekiel Jackson, Yoshi Tatsu, Zack Ryder, and most impressively against Shelton Benjamin.

Since returning to WWE, questions of whether Christian could still perform in a ladder match were answered at the TLC ppv when he defended the title in a show stealer Ladder match against Shelton Benjamin.

Now the question remains is if Captain Charisma can be called Mr. Money in the Bank?

Drew interfered with the potential 3-count.

Drew McIntyre is scorned by the other 9 members of the MitB Qualifiers because of the nepotism of Mr. McMahon. *Drew lost his first match against Kane but it was expunged by McMahon. Therefore, Drew was granted another shot at MitB against Matt Hardy. But Matt Hardy won that match which granted Drew his 2nd first loss, until McMahon erased that from the books. Drew's third and final shot at MitB was against a local wrestler who may never be heard from again, which was basically McMahon gift wrapping Drew a spot.

According to the realm of WWE and McMahon, Drew's official first lost was dished out by The Undertaker last week. Seeing as Drew has already qualified to compete at 'Mania, and the fact that it is The Undertaker, that loss remained in the record books.

Drew's interference between Christian and Dolph Ziggler caused an outbreak of all the other competitors to run rampant in the ring. But none more impressive than Kane, who delivered a double choke slam to Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston.

Match's End.

The match ended with Christian delivering the Killswitch to Dolph Ziggler, however, McIntyre had tagged himself in and quickly executed the Future Shock DDT to win the match for Team SmackDown.

Drew then placed a ladder in the ring as a foreshadowing of things to come, but Kofi, Swagger, MVP, Bourne, Christian, Shelton, Kane, Dolph, and Matt reentered the ring to knock McIntyre off the ladder (from a safe height).

In all honesty, Matt Hardy and Jack Swagger would make great Money in the Bank winners, but the three main picks comes down to Christian, MVP, and Kofi Kingston.

RAW Results: 3/8/10 - Pushes and Failures

Major Push for Eve Torres
(Six-Divas Tag Match) Eve Torres, Gail Kim, and Kelly-Kelly vs. Maryse, Alicia Fox, Katie Lea

After pinning Alicia Fox last week in a Diva Pajama Pillow Fight Match, Eve Torres scored the biggest victory of her career by defeating the Divas' Champion in a Six-Divas Tag match. The match also included: Gail Kim, Kelly-Kelly, Alicia Fox, and Katie Lea.

To emphasize, Eve Torres not only defeated Maryse but she made her tap out to the same armbar lock submission that crowned Michelle McCool as the inaugural Divas' Champion - The Bash, 2008.

In addition, it appears that Gail Kim has passed the torch to the 2007 Diva Search Winner. During last week's match, Eve dropped kicked Gail Kim out of the ring in order to capitalize on Alicia Fox; now this week, after submitting the Divas' Champion, Gail Kim raised the arm of Eve Torres as a sign of mutual respect, and transference of status.

Since coming over to SmackDown in 2007, and later being drafted over to RAW during the tri-branded Divas Draft, Eve Torres has been steadily working her way up the ladder, and with a win over Maryse, expect a Championship match.

WWE's Faulty Tag Team Division
ShoMiz vs. John Morrison and R-Truth

The Miz, in regards to the #1 contenders, states that ShoMiz is a dying breed because they are the last great tag team that the WWE has to offer.

A shot at his former tag partner John Morrison, the man who truly carried Miz; or a blatant shot at WWE's lack of development in the tag team division?

During the first half of the last decade, WWE had epic tag team matches, which ranged from TLC, ladder, and championship matches. But after the Invasion died out, WWE were left with two sets of tag titles and not enough tag teams to contend for them. Hence, WWE decided to fuse the titles together.

But after a year since the Unified Tag Team Titles were created, it looks as though WWE has exhausted all of its tag team possibilities, that they must rely on a makeshift team of two elevated midcarders to contend at WrestleMania.

The fault obviously lies with the WWE for its lack of development. Every time a formidable tag team was created, plans of sepration soon followed. Separating teams has always been WWE's rash attempt to create big name stars, such as Shawn Michaels (The Rockers), Edge (The Brood), and Jeff Hardy (The Hardys); yet, it doesn't always work out to that effect. Teams such as The World's Greatest Tag Team, The Colons, Hawkins and Ryder, and Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch suffered severely from the breakups.

In a warm-up match between ShoMiz and John Morrison and R-Truth, the new team disregarded the referee's 5-count and double teamed both members of ShoMiz to state the credibility of the new alliance. But in a championship match, where the rules will matter, Morrison and Truth will have to rely on expert tag team knowledge, which Morrison has, to overcome the Last Great Tag Team.

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of The Legacy
(Handicap Match) Randy Orton vs. Legacy

In an age of wrestling where new stars need to emerge, comes the rise, fall, and rebirth of The Legacy. Since its formation in 2008, Randy Orton has been mentoring and pushing both Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes.

Sons of Ted DiBiase and Dusty Rhodes, respectively, these second generation superstars are far from the legendary statuses of their fathers. But, ruled under Orton's iron fist, they have attained their own identities.

Within the past year, signs of Legacy's downfall were eminent. Rhodes and DiBiase were becoming fan favorites, supressed under an unruly Orton. But after his matches against Sheamus, Orton is now associated as the fan favorite.

This week, Randy Orton faced off against Rhodes and DiBiase in a handicap match. Orton attacked Rhodes and DiBiase during their entrance, thus setting the tone of the match. He then dominated the match by establishing his superiority over his proteges. Outmatching Rhodes and DiBiase, Orton continued to conquer each one individually, until Legacy started using their heads. Rhodes, the cause of many of Orton's loses to Sheamus, provided the distraction on the outside, therefore, allowing DiBiase to strike with Dream Street for the win.

The Legacy rose in 2008, it fell in 2010, and the rebirth of two new superstars will be determined.

Evan is 'Air-Bourne' to WrestleMania
(Money in the Bank Qualifying Match) William Regal vs. Evan Bourne

After defeating William Regal, last Thursday on WWE Superstars, Evan Bourne was slated in a rematch against The English Blue Blood, but this time it was for the final spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder match. Learning from the last encounter, Regal overpowered Evan with a hip toss and a butterfly suplex. But he failed to calculate the split-second reaction from Evan Bourne, as he evaded the Knee Trembler. Bourne struck the momentarily distracted Regal with a knee strike, which was followed by Air Bourne. In his fourth-straight victory thus far, Evan Bourne will be going to WrestleMania.

The Final List of Money in the Bank Competitors Are: Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Matt Hardy, Christian, MVP, Jack Swagger, and Evan Bourne.

WWE's Aborted Superstars
Mr. McMahon vs. John Cena

On a history making Monday Night, where TNA promised the in-ring returns of retirees, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, WWE promised a main event pitting the Chairman of the Board, Vincent Kennedy McMahon against John Cena. And not only would McMahon face off against John Cena, but he vowed that he would pin Cena for the 3-count. However, McMahon did not promise that he would actually wrestle John Cena. Therefore, McMahon created stipulations, mid-match, to contour to his benefit.

The first stipulation was a Gauntlet Match involving Vladimir Kozlov, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger, and Mark Henry. After Vladimir's Iron Curtain, Drew's Armbar Takedown, Swagger's body splashes, and Mark Henry's World's Strongest Slam, John Cena managed to kick out each time.

McMahon, who covered Cena after each maneuver, out of frustration changed the stipulation to a No-DQ match. Eventually, Batista, who promised that he would not interfere with the match, attacked Cena with two Batista Bombs in a row. McMahon, as promised, pinned Cena.

McMahon's Gauntlet Match incorporated superstars which either the WWE is currently working on, or have given up on:

Vladimir Kozlov: Started out in the WWE Championship picture against Triple-H and Jeff Hardy, until he was banished to ECW. Kozlov was then brought back to SmackDown only because ECW had ended. WWE, realizing their failed attempts at creating a powerhouse superstar in Kozlov, have currently no plans to further his development.

Drew McIntyre: Undefeated until two weeks ago, Drew has lost two consecutive matches and has failed to earn a spot for WrestleMania. Drew McIntyre is still being pushed regardless, possibly having his second loss erased from the record books again, but he has not gone over with the fans.

Jack Swagger: Became the ECW Champion within four-months of signing with the company, was moved over to RAW and, despite a short feud with MVP, has been forgotten. The two-time All American, has the charisma and wrestling ability to carry the company as a World Champion, but WWE may be reluctant due to his lisp.

Mark Henry: Receiving his biggest push about two years ago, when he captured the ECW Title in a Triple Threat match at Night of Champions, Mark Henry has since returned to RAW and has undergone a face-turn. Despite his accomplishments in ECW, the ECW Champion is the equivilent of the mid-carder on RAW.

WWE Superstars Results: 3/4/10 - Rising Stars

A more serious Kofi
Kofi Kingston vs. Chavo Guerrero

Surprisingly not making an appearance on RAW, Kofi Kingston wrestled on WWE Superstars against Chavo Guerrero. Always a treat to see a basic mat wrestling match. Chavo Guerrero, who is highly underrated, brought Kofi Kingston back to a more solid wrestling based match, rather than the crazy high-flying ones that he is use to. Kofi, originally with a Jamaican gimmick, has shed the yellow and green trunks for red and black. Signs of a more serious competitor, as well as signs of unrelenting after missing the first Trouble in Paradise kick, immediately followed up with a second for the win.

With the WrestleMania season upon us, there is one spot remaining in the Money in the Bank Ladder match. Who better than Kofi Kingston to fill the spot? Kofi wowed the fans last year, especially when trying to climb up an unopened ladder to reach for the briefcase. And with his push lately, it wouldn't be farfetched to see Kofi as Mr. Money in the Bank.

Third-straight win for Evan Bourne
Evan Bourne vs. William Regal

As we have seen on NXT, William Regal is none too happy about mentoring Skip Sheffield, known as the Cornfed Meathead. With an Archie Bunker catchphrase as part of his nickname, Skip likes to smile. Yet, William Regal's week would get even worse when facing the highflying Evan Bourne. William Regal is a man of prestige and class, and to be stepping into the ring with an acrobatic buffoon is a disgrace.

Evan Bourne, in his third straight week, picks up the win. With a flying headscissors takedown, and numerous knee strikes, Bourne was able to ground Regal long enough to connect with Air Bourne. With wins over Chavo Guerrero, Cody Rhodes, and now William Regal, Evan Bourne is finally getting a steady push within the midcard division, after jobbing for over a year.

Speaking of an open spot on the MitB Ladder match, Evan Bourne's high flying would be great for the WrestleMania highlight reels.

Kane vs. Knox IV
Kane vs. Mike Knox

Another Mike Knox and Kane match is a pointless confrontation. Mike Knox, impressive only in size and beard length, cannot win a match if his career depended on it. This was an exhibition match for Kane, not like he needs it, to build momentum heading into WrestleMania. But if WWE actually wanted to build momentum for Kane, this should have been a ladder match. As the record stands, Kane is 4-0 against Mike Knox.

Chris Jericho is the Golden Opportunist
Chris Jericho vs. Goldust

Despite getting speared for six weeks, Chris Jericho is indeed the World Heavyweight Champion. When Edge was injured, everyone thought that Chris Jericho would drop the titles to Legacy, but he did what no one else could. He revived the career of the Big Show, and together they successfully held the titles for half a year. And when no one believed The Undertaker could lose the title inside the Elimination Chamber, Chris Jericho set out what he said he would do and became The World Heavyweight Champion for a sixth time. And on March 28th, in front of the sold out stadium for WrestleMania, Chris Jericho will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Edge.

While Edge contents against the top stars in the industry, Chris Jericho fights Goldust? Not to take anything away from the Bazaar one, but Goldust, signed to SmackDown, will not make it far in the WWE. He'll possibly remain a few months to job to various superstars, but in the end he will leave. Goldust's best shot of being relevant was ECW. But the demise of the brand spelled the demise for Goldust, as his tag team partner, Yoshi Tatsu, was signed over to RAW. Goldust's character belongs in the Attitude Era, his gimmick is lost in 2010.

In the match, Chris Jericho, in tribute to the late-great Eddie Guerrero, laid across the turnbuckle as if on a hammock. The threat of Goldust may not have been something to snooze about, but a Walls of Jericho had Goldust tapping out immediately. If Jericho keeps this up, he'll either be limber, or not battle-tested like Edge, heading into WrestleMania.

RAW Results: 2/22/10 - WrestleMania Taking Shape

Evan Bourne's victory overshadowed by Legacy's downfall

Just this past Thursday on WWE Superstars, Evan Bourne prevailed by pinning Chavo Guerrero in tag team action; then on RAW, Evan Bourne defied the odds by pinning Cody Rhodes of Legacy in a six-man tag match. Yet, what should have been a great moment for the "Highlight Reel" Evan Bourne, became overshadowed by chants of RKO.

The downfall of Legacy may have finally occurred after Randy Orton turned on his brethren, Cody Rhodes, with a rope hung DDT. Orton then abandoned the match and was followed by Ted DiBiase Jr., demanding an explanation; which he responded with an RKO. Earlier on, DiBiase and Rhodes were talking about "a plan," most likely a scheme to turn on Orton; but as the leader of Legacy, Orton is always 10 steps ahead.

Divas' Champion Applicant: no wrestling experience required

Apparently the Divas' Title means that no wrestling ability is required, as the championship match between Maryse and Gail Kim was an embarrassment to women's wrestling. Gail Kim, an actual women's wrestler, delivered on every offensive maneuver within that match, while Maryse simply threw Gail to the ropes and set up for the French-Kiss. How can the WWE award it's championship title to a person who cannot wrestle? Wait... that's right. This is the same company that awarded it's WWE Title to Batista, and at one point, awarded the World Heavyweight Title to The Great Khali. Sadly, Gail Kim sold her soul for a WWE endorsed paycheck to job to models.

After having the Divas' Title match postponed, thanks to Vickie Guerrero, the final round of the Divas' Championship Tournament was decided on RAW. For weeks leading up to this match, Maryse had been trying to draw a mutual respect between the two, but Gail Kim fired back - in French - telling Maryse that she understood every mean thing she disguised in French, and was not fooling anybody. This confrontation, this past Sunday, lead to Gail Kim loosing an impromptu tag team match - turned Handicap - when Maryse was unwilling to tag in.

Maryse was awarded the vacant Divas' title, made so by Melina who tore her ACL back in January, and became the first-ever two-time Divas' Champion.

New RAW Superstar Christian qualifies for Money in the Bank

Two weeks ago, then-ECW Champion Christian, acting as a future free agent, had an amazing encounter with then-WWE Champion Sheamus; and this week it was confirmed, after winning a Money in the Bank qualifying match against Carlito, that Christian has signed on with the RAW brand. A year ago, people thought that Christian's return did not have quite an impact because of his emergence on ECW, those days of extreme are over because Christian is on the A-brand of wrestling shows.

WWE had recently announced on wwe.com that on July 18, a pay-per-view entitled Money in the Bank would air. This news led to many wrestling fans wondering whether or not there would be a Money in the Bank Ladder Match at this year's WrestleMania. Money in the Bank has been a central part of WrestleMania since it's concept at WrestleMania 21, witnessing Edge as it's inaugural Mr. Money in the Bank winner. Luckily, WWE has recently scrapped the MitB pay-per-view concept, along with the rest of the pay-per-view summer lineup after WrestleMania.

Having competed in the 2005 and 2009 Money in the Bank ladder matches, Christian is an excellent star competitor leading into WrestleMania.

The Miz dominates MVP in every way

At Elimination Chamber, The Miz successfully defended his United States Title against MVP in yet another impromptu title defense; and would yet again, along with The Big Show, successfully defend the Unified Tag Team Titles against MVP and Mark Henry on RAW. The Miz, who will be mentoring Daniel Bryan on NXT, has not only been successful at capturing and defending the titles, but undertaking every challenge, scheduled or not.

The constant title defenses against MVP has grown wearisome, as WWE is forcing The Miz to defend all his titles against one man. There are a sea of mid-card opponents that would benefit from title matches against The Miz. And when will ShoMiz be making their way down to SmackDown to defend their titles against the likes of: The Hart Dynasty, Straightedge Society, Cryme Tyme, Croft and Barreta, and Hardy and Khali?

WWE Superstars Results: 2/18/10 - Bourne to Win

Evan Bourne: The Silent Highlight Reel

The veterans Chavo Guerrero and Carlito teamed up against the rookies Evan Bourne and Primo.

Throughout the match, the animosity between the two brothers were eminent, with each trying to get the upper hand on the other. Primo attempted to connect with a missal drop kick from off the top rope but was knocked down by Carlito without the referee's knowledge. Primo would certainly then inflict some much needed punishment with an array of kicks and Carlito's finisher The Backstabber.

Chavo Guerrero, who executed an impressive match, has been underutilized in the WWE for years. In this match, Chavo grounded Evan Bourne with a double wrist-clutch, followed by repeated knee stomps to the chest. As far as I can recall, I have never seen Chavo perform this move. But one person who has utilized this maneuver throughout his career is "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson, or as he will be referred to by his NXT name, Daniel Bryan. Chavo has wrestled against Daniel in dark matches on RAW, so perhaps he has learned a thing or two from the young rookie. Chavo, especially with the Gory Bomb, has never looked more alive in the WWE ring.

There are very few instances when Michael Cole says something worthwhile, but his nickname for Evan Bourne may be on those lists of rarities; "The Highlight Reel" Evan Bourne. I know what you are possibly thinking, wasn't Jeff Hardy considered that, especially when appearing on every highlight reel involving ladders?

Evan Bourne needs a new gimmick if he wishes to survive the WWE, and if he were to take the initiative to wow the audience members, or be charismatic enough to call out his maneuvers, then he would have an interesting gimmick. Jeff Hardy was so successful with the fans because he had no problem accepting high risk-no reward type matches, and would proclaim to the WWE Universe of his dare-devil goals. Evan Bourne would really benefit by improving on his mic skills and hyping up the crowds. Because as of right now, Evan Bourne is a silent highlight reel, he needs to add some high-octane explosions to get the crowd going. And after pinning Chavo Guerrero with a Shooting Star Press, his future could sky rocket, if he just heeds my advice.

Gail Kim and Katie Lea: Solid Match-up

Usually when the RAW Divas hit the ring, I hit the fast forward button; but this match up between Gail Kim and Katie Lea proved of some interest to me.

Gail Kim, obviously a hell of a competitor, has been a cry for concern to the wrestling fans who watched Gail establish herself as a corner stone of the TNA Knockout division. During her first stint in the WWE, Gail Kim feuded with the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita, Jazz, Ivory, and Molly Holly, during a time when women's wrestling meant something. TNA was another feather in her cap, as she elevated even higher to make women's wrestling more enjoyable to watch than TNA's X-Division. But her recent move to the WWE in March of 2009 has not payed off, as she has been forced to compete in tag team matches and is always overlooked in a title match. Even the instant of Mickie James-Gail Kim title match turned into a flop, as Gail botched a maneuver, and Mickie further made matters worse by etching her dislike on her long face.

More recently, Gail Kim, the finalist competing for the vacant Divas' Title this Sunday, has been building momentum these past couple of weeks by defeating WWE's underutilized female wrestlers in Jillian Hall and Katie Lea.

Her match with Katie Lea proved to be a concrete physical match in which these two women avoided the pretty handstands or awkward grapple holds. Katie Lea showing the WWE Universe that she is more than a valet to her "brother" Paul, threw Gail shoulder first into the ring post. She then went to work by Irish-whipping Gail Kim shoulder-first into the turnbuckle, and following up with a side slam backbreaker. Katie Lea was able to avoid Gail's first finisher, but "Ate Defeat" with a second inverted stomp facebreaker.

Maryse, the other finalist for the vacant Divas' Title, hasn't wrestled in quite some time. But she has demonstrated to have respect for her opponent, and wishes to deliver an honest match at this Sunday's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. The question is, will Maryse become a 2-time Divas' title holder, or will Gail Kim become the third woman to capture both WWE's women's titles?

Rey Mysterio: Illogical Victory

Rey Mysterio has always been the underdog in the WWE, but what if his credibility as a wrestler is becoming a little too hard to conceive? No doubt, Rey Mysterio reached the pinnacle of his Cinderella story at WrestleMania 22, when he captured the World Heavyweight Title in a Triple Threat Match, by pinning a young Randy Orton. Obviously now, Randy Orton has evolved into a super heel and a mulit-time World Champion, so Mysterio pinning Orton would no longer be considered normal, it'd be an upset.

Lately, Mysterio has forfeited his Intercontinental rematch clause, and has set his sights on the World's Title. He defeated Batista in a Cage Match for the right to challenge Undertaker at the Royal Rumble, and almost defeated the Deadman. Mysterio's credibility in those matches were solid, because Mysterio didn't have to pin Batista, only escape a cage; and as for Taker, Mysterio provided consistent offense and attacked the weak spots but he still lost.

Mysterio starts to lose credibility when he supposedly can overpower a 300-pound-plus giant in Mike Knox. Mike Knox of course has an impressive record of the most losses in the WWE, along with the longest beard, but he should not have lost to Mysterio. I understand that Mysterio has the star power, but if you get struck with a 300-pound cross body, logically you should not be able to kick out.

Last week on SmackDown, Mysterio was able to weasel a victory out of C.M. Punk by countering the GTS, but he received ample punishment from the Straightedge Society. That is the true story behind the mask, no one feels that he should have won the World Title four years ago, nor do they feel that he has a shot at defeating The Undertaker. The point of a match against Mike Knox is to showcase Mysterio's resiliency to punishment, and what he offers to the Elimination Chamber. This Sunday, Rey Mysterio doesn't necessarily have to pin Taker to capture the World Title, he just has to eliminate the last man - with the hope that the last man is not The Undertaker.

WWE Superstars Results: 2/4/10

Wasted Potential: Carlito and Evan Bourne

The following match saw Carlito against Evan Bourne.

At the Royal Rumble, Evan drew No. 2 and fought in a stalemate against entry No. 1 Dolph Ziggler. Evan had 90 seconds before the next participant to join the fray to toss Ziggler over the rope, but instead C.M. Punk eliminated both.

As for Carlito, he was equally as impressive, lasting 4:34 enough time to back stab half the participants in the ring. And who better to toss you out than Shawn Michaels?

The match on Superstars was questionable because Carlito and Bourne have been jobbing for various superstars for most of their careers. Carlito has zero drive, while Evan is happy just having his own WWE T-Shirt.

Suggestion: Either get Carlito back together with his brother, or revive the feud he should have had, and let it lead to outspoken matches, tag team matches, mix-gender matches, any series of matches will do. Have them go on Carlito's Cabana and tear the house down. There is so much potential, and they are letting it go to waste.

RAW Diva Update: Kelly-Kelly in Limelight

The opening match pitted Kelly-Kelly and Eve Torres against Jillian Hall and Katie Lea.

Lately, WWE has been favoring their youngest diva, Kelly-Kelly, as she's appeared on WWE Superstars for several weeks besting Jillian Hall. Whether teaming with Gail Kim or Eve Torres, the focus is centered on Kelly-Kelly.

Side tracking a bit, in other RAW Divas news: Maryse mentioned to Gail Kim, her opponent for the vacant Divas' Title, of how she detests the childish feud Michelle McCool has been having with Mickie James, and she does not want their match to escalate by those means. "Let's behave like women." Was Maryse being sincere to suggest that, or does she have an ulterior motive? The jury will have to agree when I say "motive!"

Now back to this divas match: Jillian Hall didn't try to sing, and Katie Lea seems lost without Paul. Honestly, if they are not going to be used to their potential, then why bother?

Kelly-Kelly and Eve Torres picked up the wins.

SmackDown Midcard Update: What to do

The main event was The Hart Dynasty and I-C Champion Drew McIntyre versus Matt Hardy, The Great Khali, and John Morrison.

Oh, how far Matt Hardy has fallen. Matt Hardy entered the Royal Rumble, executed two moves and was immediately tossed out by Kane. The past couple of weeks, he's had to forge a team with the Great Khali. Either WWE really wants nothing to do with another Hardy, or they have officially run out of things for him to do.

As for John Morrison and Drew McIntyre, the feud ended in favor of Drew McIntyre last week during a no-DQ I-C Title Match. The reason WWE paired Morrison against McIntyre in this six-man tag match is for familiarity purposes. What WWE needs is another contender for the I-C title, to keep things fresh.

Hart Dynasty needs to continue dominating a slew of singles matches, seeing as how they can't make a career out of defeating Cryme Tyme. Just recently, H.D. has been feuding with Khali and Hardy, which explains why they are in the match.

As for the match, Matt Hardy struck D.H. Smith with the Twist of Fate and, instead of going for the pin, Matt tagged in Khali. The Punjabi Playboy picked Smith up and executed the Punjabi Plunge for the win.

With the final scene of Matt and John waving their arms in the air, in a crazy attempt to make Khali look cool. Not really working guys.

ECW Results: 1/5/10

ECW Showdown: A Look at Christian's Competition

Well, it's been four weeks since ECW General Manager Tiffany issued the ECW Homecoming Tournament to determine Christian's opponent at the Royal Rumble. On January 11, 2010, eight superstars, comprised evenly of the superstars of yesteryear and today, will compete in an over-the-top-rope showdown for a shot at the ECW Title. The eight ECW Homecoming finalists are C.M. Punk, Matt Hardy, Kane, Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, Yoshi Tatsu, Vance Archer, and Ezekiel Jackson.

As the face of ECW, Christian prepares for his title match by scouting his possible opponents. Yet, with the unpredictability of this final match, Christian will have a hard time trying to get in the right mind set to overcome his next threat.

So to make things interesting for my readers, let us take a look at each superstar that has qualified.

Matt Hardy: This North Carolinian has recently turned babyface after a trilogy of matches with his brother Jeff. A smart career move on the part of Matt, as he was suffering as a mid-carder heel during his short-lived return to RAW. In many ways, Matt remains relevant to SmackDown story lines because C.M. Punk is still mocking Jeff's lifestyle. As a result, this has sparked a mild feud, but Punk's ideals are interchangeably challenged by R-Truth, which downplays the potential of a long standing feud.

Defeating Matt Hardy: First off, Matt Hardy has a recent history of abdominal surgeries involving his appendix and his intestinal lining, Christian could focus on the midsection; however, he runs the risk of disqualification if the strike is mistaken for a groin shot. Second, if Christian can time it just right, he can reverse the Twist of Fate and set up for the Killswitch.

C.M. Punk: Punk shocked the world again by not only winning the Money in the Bank briefcase two consecutive years, but by also cashing in on an exhausted Jeff Hardy, who was just crowned his first World Heavyweight Title. The controversy of cashing in on a fellow babyface changed Punk, so as the fans started to turn on him... he turned as well. C.M. Punk accomplished a third World Heavyweight Title reign at the end of his feud with Jeff Hardy; however, he lost it to The Undertaker at WWE's first-ever, Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. After four shots at Taker's title, Punk has slipped away from the World Title picture, but has evolved in a completely different fashion. Much like a lot of the greats still in the business, C.M. Punk does not need a title reign, Punk is doing a fantastic job utilizing his mike skills to preach a Straight-Edge lifestyle; and if that were not enough, he has also recruited a disciple by the name of Luke Gallows, formerly known as Festus.

Defeating C.M. Punk: Punk, a master of the Muay Thai, attacks his opponents through punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes; Christian will have a hard time countering such an offense. Christian's best bet is to connect with missile drop kicks and crossbodys, but Punk is also not afraid of taking the action to the top of the ropes. And let's not forget the GTS, a powerful finisher that has placed many of Punk's opponents to sleep. If Christian were to find himself in the fireman's carry, it's best to try to squirm out with knee and elbow shots followed by a Sitout rear mat slam. Despite locking in a Killswitch on Punk at WrestleMania 25 during the ladder match, Punk came out the winner, so Christian will have to be creative and look for the best opportune moment for an inside cradle or small package to get the job done. But, be weary of C.M. Punk's friend, Luke Gallows at ring side.

Ezekiel Jackson: Formerly from Harlem, New York, Ezekiel Jackson has changed his accent to one residing in Guyana, South America. As part of his move to ECW, Big Zeek joined up with William Regal's Ruthless Roundtable; however, the alliance has gotten him nowhere. He hasn't improved in wrestling or mike skills; and to top it all off, Ezekiel earned this Homecoming spot by defeating Vladimir Kozlov, his Roundtable teammate. So how stable was the Roundtable to begin with?

Defeating Ezekiel Jackson: Crucial advice, aim high. Christian will have to make it his business to remain focus and balance on those top turnbuckles to land missile drop kicks. The worst thing Christian could do would be to propel himself in a cross body position, because Jackson can easily catch and gain control of the champion.

Yoshi Tatsu: A rising superstar in ECW, Yoshi Tatsu has earned himself a lot of clean victories. Additionally, he has fought for the ECW Title once before against Christian. Captain Charisma believes that Tatsu will be a future champion someday, just not at his expense.

Defeating Yoshi Tatsu: Christian has already defeated Tatsu in a championship match before, but Yoshi has undoubtedly formed a new strategy to take him down. All Christian can do is to rely on his experience, and avoid the enziguri kick.

Vance Archer: Vance Archer has just rolled into ECW and remains undefeated: Goldust, Tommy Dreamer, and Shelton Benjamin are just the victims that we remember.

Defeating Vance Archer: Vance is relatively new but he is overly aggressive. Christian is a bit of a prankster and tends to agitate his opponents. Christian's best bet is to not anger Vance Archer, because (even if he loses the fight) he will continue striking.

Evan Bourne: Evan Bourne once challenged for the ECW Title against then-champion Matt Hardy and he came up short. Despite turning into a jobber in his move to RAW, Bourne still shows slight signs of wanting more than just being in the WWE. Especially since he challenged WWE Champion Sheamus this past Monday Night for a shot at the WWE Title.

Defeating Evan Bourne: Sheamus unlocked the flaw in "little" Evan Bourne's tactics, Evan uses up his entire move set in under a minute. The Shooting Star Press was not enough to take down Sheamus; nor is any finisher, if one doesn't wear down the opponent. Christian just has to outlast Bourne's move set by relying on his endurance.

Shelton Benjamin: This is Shelton's second stint with ECW, and he has made slight alternations in his gimmick, but never enough to get him to that next level. Albeit, Shelton was seconds away from becoming the ECW Champion in a ladder match against Christian, but came up short.

Defeating Shelton Benjamin: Shelton Benjamin is the best pure athlete in the WWE today, and despite losing a stipulation match at TLC, a one-on-one match could determine a different outcome. Shelton is primed for championship gold, and if Christian wants to retain his title, he will have to have his A game and wrestle like he has never wrestled before.

Kane: The big red monster has been on a downward spiral since returning to SmackDown; yet, circa 2007, Kane ruled the Land of Extreme. Kane single handedly saved ECW from being canceled and went on to win the ECW Title at WrestleMania 24 in under 9 seconds against Chavo Guerrero.

Defeating Kane: Despite being a mid-carder on SmackDown, Kane has proven his dominance in ECW. Christian's best bet is to attack the nimble, tooth pick, legs of Kane, and the avoid the chokeslam.

ECW Results: 12/29/09 - Tommy Dreamer Leaves ECW

The Final Original Leaves ECW

The final ECW of 2009 turned out to be Tommy Dreamer's last. Tommy Dreamer has truly been the heart and soul of ECW, from the very first feud in the original ECW, to the final repackaged ECW of 2009. When Tommy Dreamer won the ECW title from Tazz, he said that it was the happiest moment in his life, and that even though he may never headline a WrestleMania, or want to be at Starrcade, at least a guy like him made it in ECW. Amazingly enough, Tommy Dreamer did indeed wrestle at WrestleMania, as part of the ECW Originals (Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, Sandman, and Rob Van Dam) to defeat The New Breed (Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, and Kevin Thorn). At the IZOD Center, where Dreamer had his final match, he remebers attending his second WWE show with his best friend and his father, and he got to see Rowdy Roddy Piper do a live Piper's Pit, and called a woman from the audience who happened to be from Yonkers, his hometown. It has been his dream since he was nine years old to become a wrestler, and if you have enough passion then you can make it anywhere. After losing his final match to Zack Ryder, Tommy Dreamer greeted his wife Trisha Hayes - for those who don't remember, her ring name was Beulah McGillicutty in the original ECW as Dreamer's valet. She was accompanied by their twin daughters Kimberly and Briana. When asked at school "what does your father do for a living?" Kimberly answered, "My daddy falls down a lot," while Briana added, "But my daddy always gets up." That has been the wrestling career of Tommy Dreamer, he loses a lot of matches, but he manages to always get himself back up. He says it's the fans that give him his strength, and that we are his family. Tommy Dreamer has been at the bottom of the WWE for several years after the Alliance movement of WCW/ECW, jobbing to superstars. But despite all that, he has worn the Hardcore Title 14-times and recently became the ECW Champion at Extreme Rules. With his departure, we can't help but pound our fist over our hearts and shout E! C! W! Tommy Dreamer not only made it in ECW but he also made it in the WWE, and that's a rare gift. Thank you, Tommy Dreamer for all you have done.

Hardy Returns to Extreme Roots

The opening match was the ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match featuring SmackDown superstars Matt Hardy and Finlay. During their time in ECW, Matt Hardy became the ECW Champion after defeating Mark Henry in an ECW Championship Scramble Match at Unforgiven 2008... eventually losing the title to Jack Swagger and departing from ECW; Finlay lost the Fatal Fourway Contenders Match for the strap, which saw Matt Hardy as the winner... eventually had a title match against Matt Hardy and lost... and after Matt Hardy left for RAW, Finlay had a fighting chance to become the top face of the brand but was traded to SmackDown as part of Donald Trump's fifteen-superstar trade. Finlay has never held a world title while in the WWE, and this qualifying match was possibly his final shot at the ECW Title. Finlay focused on twerking the knee of Matt Hardy, and managed to roll out of the Moonsault; but never count out the "Never Say Die" attitude of Matt Hardy, who managed to get in a Twist of Fate to score the pinfall.

Air-Bourne Soars High

The following match was also an ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match featuring RAW's Evan Bourne against SmackDown's Mike Knox. Mike Knox, currently in a one-sided feud with Kane, started out as one of the original members of the newly envisioned ECW revival. He was not well known, except during his feud with CM Punk because his then-girlfriend Kelly Kelly was enamored with "The Straight Edge" superstar. Evan Bourne was part of Teddy Long's ECW Superstar initiative, along with Kofi Kingston - both, now, fan favorites over on RAW - his closest shot at the ECW Title was during Cyber Sunday 2008, when the WWE Universe voted for him to take on ECW Champion Matt Hardy. This particular match up is interesting, not because Mike Knox is 6'6, 298lbs, while Bourne is a mere 5'9, 183lbs, but because these two are jobbers in their current brands; yet, these two were never at the top of their game as they were, here, on ECW. Evan Bourne had to rely on his quickness and agility, and most of the time that works against super heavyweights, but Mike Knox is adept to matching speed with the smallest of opponents. Mike Knox managed to connect with a flying crossbody, one of his deadliest maneuvers, but Bourne managed to kick out. To Bourne, it's not size that brought him to the game, it's heart and his will to become a champion. Bourne evaded a spear takedown and used the opportunity to strike with the Shooting Star Press for the win. Evan Bourne will have another shot at the ECW Title in two weeks, as all the winners of these matches go on to an ECW Homecoming Showdown to determine the #1 Contender for Christian's ECW Title at the Royal Rumble.

RAW Results: 12/21/09

Johnny Damon Strikes Out. Formerly on the New York Yankees, this free agent knew less how the wrestling business worked than Dennis Miller. WWE announcer, Justin Roberts, announced two-time MLB World Series Champion Johnny Damon to a jeering Tampa audience. He tried to play it cool by stating his past accomplishments with the Yankees and Red Sox, but he came off as insolent. After issuing a foreseeable Santa's Little Helpers Divas' Match, Damon stayed away from the ring throughout the rest of the night. Instead, he appeared in a series of back stage scenes involving Santa Clauses advising wrestling matches, and one undesirable makeout session with Santa's oldest helper, Mae Young. If not for the holiday gimmicks, Johnny Damon's lack of charisma would have been apparent.

RAW Divas are cute, not athletes. The opening match was a Six-Diva Santa’s Little Helper Tag Team Match, involving: Divas' Champion Melina, Kelly Kelly, and Gail Kim against Maryse, Alicia Fox, and Jillian Hall. There is very little intergrity left when it comes to the women of the WWE, and chances are, they know it too. Melina, who in the past year, has improved immensly after her feuds with Mickie James and Beth Phoenix, stands alone as RAW's only competitor. Gail Kim, a former WWE Women's Champion, and headliner/champion of the TNA Knockout division, returned to the WWE last summer as a mid-carder. Gail Kim's status has not changed, as her role is still to carry the match and then lose at the last minute. WWE should utlize Gail Kim instead of having her job to the likes of Alicia and Maryse. Kelly Kelly, nicknamed Barbie, was actually a model who the WWE insisted should join pro-wrestling. This suggests that WWE is focused on looks rather than athleticism. Jerry Lawler, unknowingly, demeaned Kelly Kelly's offensive strike, "She did a drop kick!" Even the announcers are shocked when a diva actually shows some sign of athletic offense. Thanks to the assist from Melina, Kelly Kelly scored the pinfall on Maryse.

Evan Bourne, most underrated superstar of 2009. This Six-Man Tag Team Match featured Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry & Evan Bourne against Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase. This was one of those matches where the years of watching these superstars grow into formiable opponents really pays off; Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, and Evan Bourne were among these opponents. Yet, Evan Bourne is among the most underrated superstar - and not just in the WWE - but throughout his whole pro-wrestling career. Since arriving in WWE in late 2008, on the ECW brand, Bourne became an instant fan favorite, even winning a Slammy for Best Finishing Maneuver of 2008. However, that's about all Bourne has accomplished and the reason for this is his fast paced, high octane style of wrestling is short lived. When tagged in, Bourne was able to jump over the ropes, perform a hurricanrana on Rhodes, knock out Orton and DiBiase out of the corner with one kick, and set Rhodes up for the Shooting Star Press - all in under three minutes. What happens when that doesn't get the job done? This is why Bourne jobs to everyone because he is flashy, but cannot last in a full match. His matt wrestling skills is below par, and unless he faces off against another high flyer, Bourne will always be at a disadvantage. Luckily, Kofi Kingston was tagged in and picked up the win after executing Trouble in Paradise to the back of DiBiase's head.

Jack Swagger is the Future. The next match was John Cena vs. Jack Swagger. Unlike Sheamus who uses brute force to intimidate his opponents, Jack Swagger combines his 6'5" stature and his All-American wrestling background to takedown the competition. His opponent for the night was no stranger to Swagger seeing as these two fought in a Champions vs. Champions match during the 2009 Draft picks. John Cena, who has vowed to never lose a match until he reclaims the WWE Title, did not have it easy against the Perry Oklahoman. Jack Swagger dominated the match, not just in keeping John Cena down on his knees, because he is the better wrestler. Correction, Jack Swagger is a wrestler with charisma, while John Cena makes up for his lack of wrestling with more charisma than anyone else. Jack Swagger, in four months in the WWE, became the ECW Champion - all for what? To become a mid-carder on Monday Night RAW. Much like everyone else, it was thrilling to see Sheamus defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship, but honestly, it was too much too soon. Despite being the one to take the WWE Title, Sheamus and Cena really have no back story. Swagger, on the other hand, has the ability to rise up the ranks of the WWE and truly become the poster boy for the company. Swagger has the makings to become a phenomenal WWE Champion because he's the complete package: a larger-than-life persona and the technical skills to back it up. The match was great because Jack Swagger made it great, but again, the best man must fall in order to fuel the passion of John Cena.

Eve finds her man. Since coming over to RAW as a result of the Tri-Branded Divas Trade, WWE has been trying to administer Eve Torres in a valet role. At first, a short stint started between The Miz and Jack Swagger over the United States Title and Eve's affection; but after Miz won the title, the angle was dropped and Eve remained single. Then Chris Masters returned to the WWE, undergoing a babyface turn when he instilled the dancing pectorals as part of his gimmick. Along with the turn, Chris Masters practices chivalry, especially when it comes to protecting Eve from the likes of Chavo Guerrero and Carlito. The match between Carlito and Chris Masters was not about Carlito's past aggressions with Masters, but his disrespect towards Eve. Carlito was able to avoid the first Master Lock attempt, but the second one rendered him unconscious. After the match, Eve pulled out a mistletoe and gave Masters a kiss, starting a relationship. As romantic as this angle is, unless Masters trains Eve to be a better wrestler, she benefits nothing from this story line.

"What's underneath the ring, Shawn?" Many mysteries remain unsolved in the WWE, such as: "Where is Parts Unknown?" and "Why the Gobbledy Gooker?" But the most mysterious one of all is the space underneath the ring, what's really down there? Finally, it was revealed on Monday Night RAW when DX went to Little People's Court. In the past, Hornswoggle had hidden under the ring to escape opponents; The Bella Twins hid in order to alternate during singles matches; The Boogeyman lurked in the shadows to trap victims; and, followed by flames, The Undertaker chokeslammed Edge straight through the mat, implying hell resides below the squared circle. Shwan and Triple H traveled underneath the ring to find an underground passage, alike basements in any building, and went to a court hearing where they were found guilty for intentional infliction of emotional distress towards Hornswoggle. And now a new mystery has arisen, why cannot the little people in WWE speak?

John Cena overshadows WWE Champion? Unlike other superstars who demand championship matches, Montel Vontavious Porter preferred to earn his by taking on the Celtic Warrior in one-on-one competition. At any rate, Sheamus vs. MVP could have been a great follow up to Swagger and Cena, but the match turned into an exhibition of Sheamus' intense capacity in the ring. With an impressive array of finishers, The Celtic Warrior will make a fine head liner someday, considering that it hasn't occurred yet. Albeit, John Cena is no longer the champion, but his standing in the WWE far surpasses that of the company's main champion. Even looking at the Royal Rumble poster, John Cena is at the head of the line while Sheamus is #13 down the row.

The Miz that stole Christmas. 2009 has been an overall great year for The Miz from being part of one of the greatest tag teams and holding both WWE and World Tag Team Titles... Being drafted over to RAW... Entering a feud with John Cena... Losing a match causing him to be banned from RAW... Winning a contract back to RAW as the Calgary Kid... Revamping his attitude and wrestling gear, and now... The United States Champion. However, it's not enough for the Miz because he also wants to be the WWE Champion. The following match was The Miz vs. Santino Clause. Santino Marella, chosing to fight in his Santa garb, lost miserably to The Miz, who picked up the win with the Skull Crushing Finale.

One wish to rule them all... Johnny Damon promised that one wish would be granted and so far that hadn't happened, but could the Big Show get his wish? Calling out for the real Santa Clause, Big Show looked on as Santa Clause came, accompanied by the Bella Twins, to the ring willing to grant one wish. Big Show wished for Chris Jericho to come back to RAW, and Santa agreed. But before the fans could bring back their RAW is Jericho signs, Hornswoggle demasked Father Christmas to reveal Chris Jericho. If that were not enough, Hornswoggle rallied a miniature DX army of little people to take down Jericho. But before Jericho could fully clear the DX elves, the real DX disposed of Jeri-Show. Seeing as Jericho was Santa Clause, he has no power to reinstate himself as an agent of RAW, so Show's wish was nullified. As for Hornswoggle and DX's court issues, Triple H propositioned a deal: If Hornswoggle would drop the law suit, then he can be the faction's mascot. Hornswoggle agreed and initiated in his first official DX Crotch Chopping pyro routine.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

WWE Superstars Results: The Masked Man's Identity Revealed; Ziggler is Perfection

RAW Match: Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase vs. Evan Bourne and Primo Colon. WWE Superstars is truly the mid-card show, which is great because they are the future champions of tomorrow. And like Legacy's Theme, It's a New Day for them as they have been frequenting this show ever since Orton lost the title. As for Bourne and Primo - really? This union is entertaining seeing as two weeks ago, on the 3-hour Thanksgiving episode of RAW, Primo and Bourne were suppose to fight each other in a Break Through match, but Primo was unable to compete after an ambush by Orton. So taking out Rhodes and DiBiase would be the equivalent of taking out Orton right? Another thing these two have in common, they are both high-flying jobbers. This was actually a really good match, Bourne works well with Rhodes and DiBiase. Primo, on the other hand, annoys me, cause he jumps and does cart wheels that take away from actually delivering offense. By match's end, Primo launched Evan "Air-Bourne" to the outside onto DiBiase, but Primo was not ready for the Cross-Rhodes in his life. Legacy won obviously.

ECW Match: Zack Ryder w/Rosa Mendes vs. The Hurricane. Finally, an ECW match that I wanted to see. The Hurricane hasn't been seen since casting the Burchills from ECW two weeks ago; while Ryder was seen this past Tuesday on the Abraham Washington Show. Ryder, since he has the girl, has been more focused in the ring - almost like he is trying to impress her with more wins. Remember people, more wins = more pay = more shopping = a happy Rosa Mendes. Ryder has the advantage throughout the match, but Hurricane picked up some momentum during the end, until he was attacked by a masked man. Looks as if The Hurricane has met his match, a masked nemesis. He appeared in a scarecrow-like gas chamber mask and wore tights. Much like The Miz's strategy to remain on RAW by donning the Calgary Kid costume, Paul Burchill, on the money, is the masked villain. Sure, Burchill wears trunks, but the masked assailant executed Burchill's Dangerous Buster. This past Tuesday, Burchill was begging for his spot back on the roster, so why not remain on the roster through another identity? Plus, after being driven to the position, Paul is the type to fixate on the Hurricane's identity so much that he would conceal his own in order to finally reveal Gregory Helms' secret to the world.

SmackDown Match: Matt Hardy vs. Dolph Ziggler. After watching Mr. Perfect's IC Title defense at WrestleMania VII this morning, it is uncanny how much Dolph Ziggler aspires to be Mr. Perfect. Ziggler has got it down to the platinum curly hair, and the theme song which screams "Perfection." However, unlike Curt Hennig, Dolph Ziggler has never won the Intercontinental Title that he predicted he would win in 6 months, and less than a month remains. Could Ziggler's promise be a foreshadowing of his IC win either at the TLC PPV or a SmackDown prior to the new year? Matt Hardy, on the other hand, has faced a lot of adversity this year, having feuded with his brother Jeff, broken his arm, and ruptured his stomach lining. Will the end of the year end well for Matt as it did for Jeff one year ago when he won the WWE Title? Not likely, seeing as Batista will be contending for the World Heavyweight Title against the champion at the PPV in less than two weeks; but, Matt could become the #1 contender as did Jeff two years ago in the December PPV. No matter how the year ends for Matt Hardy, the pop that he received from the audience was immeasurable; it was his dream to become a famous WWE Superstar and he is living the dream. Last week, people were freaking out that WWE dropped Ziggler's push seeing as he lost to R-Truth - What did I tell you? Give it some time and Ziggler will come around. Ziggler pinned Matt Hardy, and let me just say, it was Perfection. I foresee Dolph Ziggler ringing in the New Year as the Intercontinental Champion.

Three Survivor Series Team Elimination Matches Revealed; Streak Broken; Undertaker Scheduled for Next Week

Native English Boxer, Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton hosted RAW in Sheffield, England. Question, didn't WWE already have a boxer as a host? Speaking of Mayweather, Jeri-Show interrupted and Big Show was willing to be the bigger man, quite literally, and allow Hatton the first punch across the jaw. Jericho ceased the exhibition to refrain from another WrestleMania XXIV incident, and to redirect Show's focus to the Triple Threat Match where Jericho assures his 6th title reign.

Let's break it down: Chris Jericho is the best he has ever been. He rejuvenated his career when he turned heel, becoming a multi-time World Heavyweight Champion and beating his own Intercontinental record to 9 reigns. He even jump started Big Show's career by allowing him to become the other half of the Unified Tag Team Champions.

Downside: Jericho has never been in the ring with The Undertaker, until this Friday.

Break it even more: Big Show is in the best shape of his life and is a force to be reckoned with. Jericho calls him the colossal killer, because the force and magnitude... Can anyone last recall when he was pinned? Probably not.

Hatton scheduled a tag team match between Jeri-Show and DX.

First Match: Alicia Fox w/Jillian vs. Kelly Kelly w/Gail Kim. I was actually rooting for Kelly Kelly, the lesser of two evils. These two are so bad, why has WWE gone for far down in quality? Alicia Fox went for the scissors' kick to the back of the head and got Kelly's back instead... I'll say it again, Alicia is horrendous in the ring.

Next week: Melina vs. Alicia Fox (Divas' Title Match)

At the Survivor Series: Mickie James captains the team of Melina, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, and Eve. Michelle McCool captains the opposing team of Beth Phoenix, Jillian, Layla, and Alicia Fox.

Second Match: Sheamus vs. Local. Last week, Sheamus almost killed Jaime Noble, who has retired from professional wrestling. And last night, Sheamus showed no mercy to the local Brit with a crucifixion power slam.

Third Match: Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne. In a backstage interview with The Miz, he talks about being the captain of an elite team of up and comers, and that with his guidance they will win against Morrison's team. Swagger interjected by claiming to be a better suit for the position of captain; he also advised to watch closely to his match against Evan Bourne. Swagger dominated most of the match, until The Miz, making his appearance, distracted him, which allowed for Bourne to pick up the win with The Shooting Star Press. I was disgusted by how WWE executed the end to Swagger's winning streak, it was not believable that Bourne would overcome Swagger so easily. But I sense a future United States Title defense against The All American-American.

At the Survivor Series: The Miz captains the team of Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus. John Morrison captains the opposing team of Matt Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, Finlay, and Evan Bourne.

MVP’s VIP Lounge: MVP and Mark Henry welcomed their guest and captain of their Survivor Series team, Kofi Kingston. Kofi was praised for standing up against Orton’s tyranny and refusing to be bullied around. Yet, Legacy crashed the VIP Lounge, badmouthing the lounge for its pleather and $50 bottles of champagne. It was basically the rich white kids making fun of the poor minorities, until a fight broke out. Nice segway into our next match.

Fourth Match: Mark Henry vs. Randy Orton. The night Mark Henry was drafted from ECW to RAW, through the Trump Trade, he shoved Orton around in a gauntlet match as a testament to what he was capable of. It’s been five months since, and Henry finally gets his one-on-one with Orton. In the match, Henry was fatiguing a lot faster than Orton; I knew that Henry was not in the same shape as he was 10 years ago, but he is out of shape! The people of Britain demanded an RKO and they got it, Orton struck and won the match.

At the Survivor Series: Randy Orton leads Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, CM Punk, and William Regal. Kofi Kingston will lead the opposing team of MVP, Mark Henry, R-Truth, and Christian; what is this, The Nation of Domination? Kofi’s team is an all black team with a single Canadian; looks as if Christian is this decade’s Owen Hart.

Fifth Match: Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton vs. Chavo Guerrero (Boxer vs. Wrestler). Really, we chose Chavo to represent professional wrestling? Hatton has won 45 matches, and 32 of them were by KO! Chavo’s record is more like he lost 45 matches, and 32 of them were by leprechaun. Chavo had his split second of grappling Ricky to the ground, but Ricky ended knocking him out. Congrats Hatton, you did something Cedric the Entertainer couldn’t, and that’s beat Chavo Guerrero.

Main Event: DX vs. Jeri-Show. John Cena accompanied King and Cole on commentary, and the three really deciphered the main event matches for the Survivor Series. If DX were to remain together throughout the match, then Cena’s chances of retaining his title would be slim; but if DX split up, a clash of egos would benefit Cena. The main focus was on Shawn Michaels, leading me to wonder if Shawn is being considered for another title reign. Big Show accidentally knocked Jericho out after Michaels avoided the mammoth sized fist. Show froze in disbelief and was knocked over the ropes by Triple H, giving Michaels the cover on Jericho for the win. After the match, the main event for next week was announced, a triple threat match consisting of DX, Jeri-Show, and John Cena and his partner… The Undertaker!

Main Event Announced for Next Week: DX vs. Jeri-Show vs. John Cena and The Undertaker.

Next Week’s Guest Host: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

Side Note: Next week’s RAW will take place at Madison Square Garden and will feature a new RAW theme song by Nickelback called “Burn it to the Ground.”

WWE and World Heavyweight Championship Matches Revealed for Survivor Series; Kofi Kingston Gets Push; ECW Superstar Comes to RAW

Just 24 hours removed from Bragging Rights, RAW reved up with NASCAR racers, Kyle Busch & Joey Logano. But, like every Monday, RAW started off with Jeri-Show; Chris Jericho parading around with the Bragging Rights Trophy, and The Big Show with a mark on him for betraying the RAW team. Jericho applauded Show's bravado for staying true to the bond that comes from being the Unified Tag Team Champions; but Big Show revealed his true intentions for betraying his fellow comrades. It resulted from a deal he struck with the SmackDown GM Teddy Long: if SmackDown won Bragging Rights, he would be given a World Heavyweight Title Shot at the Survivor Series.

At the Survivor Series, The Undertaker will defend the World Heavyweight Title against The Big Show.

RAW Guest Hosts: Kyle Busch & Joey Logano screeched into the HSBC arena in SmackDown and RAW schemed cars, which they will be racing at the O’Reilly Challenge NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway on November 7th. The two questioned Show's actions, and decided to place him in a match against the man he sucker punched last night, Triple H. In addition, Chris Jericho would face off against the man he pinned last night, Kofi Kingston.

First Match: Chris Jericho vs. Kofi Kingston. In recent weeks, we have noticed a change in Kofi: first off, he is no longer being billed from Jamaica; and secondly, he lost his accent. Now, for those who don't remember, Kofi made the transition from ECW to RAW in a big way when he pinned Jericho for the Intercontinental Title back at Night of Champions 2008. More than a year since, Kofi has also decorated his WWE resume with a United States and World Tag Team Title reigns; but none of those compared to this night. Despite losing the accent, Kofi still carries himself the same in the ring; which begs the question, when will it change to a more brawler type offense? Kofi picked up a clean win with Trouble in Paradise, redeeming himself for the loss that cost RAW the trophy. As he left the ring, he was ambushed by Orton, who blamed Kofi for losing the Iron Man match.

Second Match: Melina and Santino Marella vs. Jillian Hall and Chavo Guerrero. Question, is Melina the new Beth Phoenix; because why is Santino tagging along? This match is actually considered a step up for Chavo, since his opponent is taller than 4'4." As stated in last week's post, Melina successfully defended the Divas' title against Jillian Hall, and it seems as if this feud is far from over. Chavo and Santino shared a few punches and blows, but it was only a warm up for the clash of RAW's divas. Melina pinned Jillian with, the ever so painful, Primal Scream. Then Hornswoggle, garbed in DX merch, entered the ring and started doing the DX chops. It was all fun and games until Hornswoggle was handed a "Cease and Desist" order by D-Generation X for gimmick infringement.

Promo: Legacy challenged John Cena to a Triple Threat match, in order to bring the WWE Title back to Legacy. But after winning the Iron Man Match, The Champ has earned the right to say NO! Instead, Cena relays a message from the guest hosts of their immediate match.

Third Match: Legacy vs. MVP and Mark Henry. It's nice to know that WWE is still investing in the futures of MVP and Mark Henry; however, it would have been beneficial to have MVP feud with Orton. But all things considered, MVP and Henry should benefit from one another; not in technique, but through popularity. The pairing of MVP and WSM was actually the most believable tag team assembled that challenged the Unified Tag Team Champions; but, as the business goes, it's too early to be handing out title belts just yet. MVP picks up the win with a Sitout Pin.

Promo: Kofi Kingston seen standing on the hood of Orton's new ride, a NASCAR schemed with a life sized image of Randy Orton on the hood. A gift from Legacy turned into scrap as Kofi tested the durability by smashing a 300lb equipment box to the side of the car. But the point Kofi was trying to get across, as he key-scratched the car, it's a small thing that can really cause the most damage. Kofi continued to destroy the car and ended by throwing a bucket of orange paint all over the image of Randy Orton. I had my doubts on what WWE were planning to do with Kofi Kingston, but this more aggressive side of Kingston was just what the doctor ordered. Orton is probably the best in the business that RAW has to offer when it comes to being a Super Heel, which will hopefully boost up Kofi into a top star, if used just right.

Fourth Match: The Miz vs. Evan Bourne. Miz is crowing over that fact that he was the only RAW member who won his Bragging Rights Match, and now feels that he is ready for a WWE Title shot. However, after losing his match to Evan Bourne via count out, it doesn't seem likely that we will see another Miz-Cena match anytime soon. The count out was caused by an interference from Jack Swagger, who, idling at the special ring announcer, Eve Torres, insulted Miz's ability to put on a great match. Evan Bourne breaks the jobbing curse with a win over the United States Champion. Will we be seeing Bourne in a title match next week; or will a blowout between Swagger and Miz present itself?

Fifth Match: Sheamus vs. Jamie Noble. I know, everyone was shock to learn that Jamie Noble is still signed with the WWE, seeing as he hasn't been relevant to WWE TV since 2007. But this match wasn't about Noble, it was about the Celtic Warrior from Dublin, Ireland, who made his RAW debut from the Land of Extreme. Sheamus, despite all the pale jokes, is one of the most determined superstars in the WWE, and has, in real life, been favored by Triple H. But, if you noticed in this match, there was no pop for Sheamus in the RAW audience. Thats because it was a major mistake of WWE to take him away from ECW so soon; he's more well known there and he was having an amazing feud with Shelton Benjamin. What I liked about this match was that Jamie, despite the ring rust, did not allow Sheamus to have an easy victory. But seeing as this was Sheamus' debut match as the newest commodity on RAW, Jamie had to lose.

Main Event: The Big Show vs. Triple H. Last week, Triple H had an amazing 20-minute battle with John Cena, but would he be able to replicate it against RAW's Benedict Arnold? Before the match started, Triple H announced that the Guest Hosts deemed this a Lumberjack Match, with the ring surrounded by members of the RAW locker room. Then Shawn Michaels added a few other stipulations to the match: there is no disqualifications, and that John Cena has been named the guest referee for the match. With all that against the Big Show, Triple H still had his work cut out for him. Even when H knocked Show out of the ring to be attacked by the lumberjacks, the man is still a 6' 11" Giant who swatted them away like flies. And never say that John Cena is not an impartial judge, his hand just happened to cramp up before finishing off the 3 count to declare Big Show the winner. This interference allowed all the RAW superstars to get a piece of Big Show, even an 8-stomp Sweet Chin from Shawn Michaels. Triple H won the match, and the integrity of the RAW brand, with a pedigree.

At the Survivor Series, John Cena defends the WWE Title in a Triple Threat Match against Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

Next Week's Hosts: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne