RAW Results: 3/22/10 - Final RAW to WrestleMania

Shawn Michael's Final Week?

There were mixed reactions over Shawn Michaels past accomplishments. Defeating Bret Hart for the WWE Title, and coming close to ending Taker's Streak. Now, something that has been an overall giveaway of Michaels' pending doom at 'Mania is WWE's release of "My Journey" DVD set which chronicles Michaels' career. Michaels reassures everyone that there will be a volume 2. And after 'Mania he will be forever known as the man who ended the Streak.

To intimidate Michaels, Taker throws down the lights and shows a video package spanning Shawn's life, ending with the solem words "Shawn Michaels Career will Rest in Peace."

Pete Rose issued Shawn Michaels a match against Kane, and it will be contested in either pinfall or submission. Pete Rose has not forgotten what Kane did to him years ago at WrestleMania (piledriver), and knows Michaels is the man for the job.

Morrison versus Miz: WrestleMania caliber?
John Morrison vs. The Miz

Former tag team partners now find themselves on opposing sides at this year's WrestleMania. Last year, The Miz and John Morrison teamed up in a losing effort against the Colons in what was the creation of the Unified Tag Team Titles. The Miz finally became the Unified Tag Team Champion after defeating D-X with The Big Show several weeks ago. And at WrestleMania, Miz will be defending those titles against the man that carried him, who made him into a superstar, John Morrison along with R-Truth.

Since going their separate ways via the draft, these two have squared off in the ring on more than one occasion. But the result has always been the same, The Miz rising on top. As part of the action from two weeks ago (Show def. Morrison, Truth def. Miz), John Morrison took on The Miz while his tag team partner will take on The Big Show this Friday on SmackDown.

Honestly, Morrison-Miz should be the WrestleMania match, instead of a tag team match. Miz and Morrison work best together as a team, and definitely against one another. The final Dirt Sheet promo prior to Bragging Rights is only a sampling of what these two can do. This feud is still fresh and could have very well made it to the Show of Shows.

John Morrison defeated Miz in a classic match, only to be ruined with a commercial break. The record for Miz is 0-2 against Truth and Morrison in single matches, can Big Show even the score with another victory this SmackDown?

Kofi Kingston: 10th and Final Money in the Bank Qualifier
Kofi Kingston vs. Vladimir Kozlov (Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)

Ever since Drew McIntyre became the 9th qualifier (unheard of in years past) the need for a 10th qualifier was evident. Who better than to have Kofi Kingston, a superstar that had been receiving a push back in the fall. But the winter season slowed down Kofi's push for some reason.

During this exact time last year, Shawn Michaels delivered Vladimir's first loss to gain the right to take on The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Now, a year later, Kozlov jobbed to Kofi Kingston.

Randy Orton becoming a Fan Favorite?
Triple-H and Randy Orton vs. Legacy and Sheamus

It doesn't matter who wins at WrestleMania as long as Orton doesn't? If there is anything that Legacy learned from Orton is to have an ego. And in their promo, signs of a struggle exist. A triple threat means every man for themselves, there are no friends.

During the match, Rhodes and DiBiase kept Triple-H in their corner, making frequent tags. Sheamus entered the fray by attacking Hunter on the outside (without referee's nohow) and was legally tagged in.

Then when Orton was tagged in, the crowd really popped. Orton was taking out Rhodes, DiBiase, and Sheamus one by one. With side scoop slams, and arm lock back breakers, Orton was short of one RKO to win it. Yet, trying to Hang DDT Rhodes, Orton was kicked in the face by Sheamus, leading to a pinfall victory for the Celtic Warrior. With that said, the WWE Universe will be behind Triple-H and Randy Orton in their respective matches.

Bret Beat Vince, or Bret still Screwed?

Bret Hart made it clear that his match against Vince will be the apex of his career. Past WrestleMania memories include Bret defeating Piper for the I-C title, his World Title win against Yokozuna, his Iron Match against Michaels, and his match against Owen. This match will be Bret Hart's cleansing from the whole Montreal Screw job. But Vince has vowed that Bret will be screwed one way or another.

Shawn's Journey Continues?
Shawn Michaels vs. Kane

Shawn Michaels could very well lose this Sunday's match against The Undertaker, and therefore his career will be over. As mentioned by Pete Rose, this match against Kane must be won by either pinfall or submission.

Knowing this, Michaels attempted various submission maneuvers: Crippler Crossface and The Ankle Lock. Moves made famous by past WrestleMania opponents Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle. Shawn Michaels, going into his possible final match, must bring everything that he has learned from every opponent he has ever faced in order to take down The Undertaker. And just like Pete Rose said, there is no one better to end the Streak than Michaels.

Taker, getting back at Michaels for last week, appeared to deliver a chokeslam. Then Taker disappeared and Kane went for the pinfall, but Michaels kicked out. Michaels won with a superkick, and looks to use all the lessons learned on his Journey to face the only man that ever mattered, The Undertaker.

A 2 Diva Squash Masquerading in a 6-Diva Tag

On one side of the ring, Eve Torres, Gail Kim, Beth Phoenix with Mickie James and Kelly-Kelly at ringside. On the other side, Michelle McCool, Layla, Maryse with Alicia Fox and Vickie Guerrero at ringside. This could have been a showcase of implosion of Divas from both SmackDown-RAW, but it ended shortly.

Gail Kim took on Michelle McCool and struck with some fast offense. But Gail's failed jack knife pin attempt, was countered into a pin, then into a Faith Breaker pinfall victory. What was the point of the rest of these Divas. The WWE fans were expecting a hard fought match, and turned into a disappointing showcase of what WWE fails to realize. Fans want to see women wrestlers wrestle good matches, just look at TNA's product.

This Divas Match could actually become a WrestleMania match. By the way, it was great to see Mickie James walking about as she heals from her knee injury, or taking a break from promoting her music album.

The Final Faceoff, really?

Batista claims that John Cena has never defeated him. They only had one match at Summerslam two years ago. And Batista called Cena a corporate product, he is right, but so is he. Both Cena and Batista are products of the WWE that cannot make it anywhere else. As the fans chanted "He can't wrestle!"

Batista trying to get major heat from the fans, and Cena gaining sympathy from them leads this main event into a disappointing upset. We all know that Cena will become the WWE Champion for the 7th or 8th time. Unless WWE are smart and have Batista win in order to give him some credibility.

NXT Results: 3/9/10 - Week 3, Just Beginning

Daniel Bryan's Mizerable Losing Streak
David Otunga and R-Truth vs. Daniel Bryan and The Miz

After suffering his first loss at the hands of Darren Young, David Otunga has lost faith in his mentor (R-Truth) without taking the time to realize that C.M. Punk was the cause of the upset. Yet, this week, the two worked as a cohesive unit as they capitalized on the ever growing split between Miz and Daniel Bryan.

As for those two, Miz had a pet talk with Daniel Bryan on his 0-2 losing streak. He also noted that if Bryan was pinned in this tag team match, that he would see to it personally that his dreams of being a superstar would be over.

Daniel Bryan was on the verge of submitting Otunga with a fierce heel hook, but Miz tagged himself in and ultimately lost the match. So in turn, did Miz let Daniel Bryan down? And how much does it say for one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions to lose this match?

The One Man Rock Band is no Bad Apple
Heath Slater w/Christian vs. Carlito w/Michael Tarver

Last week, Heath Slater was spit in the face by Carlito. And Carlito made it known that Slater should be thanking him for getting spit at. Doesn't make much sense at first because who wants to be spit at? But if Heath did not get spit at then he would never have had the chance to prove himself against a Pro.

Heath unleashed some massive right hands at the start of the match, and kept with great offense. But Carlito took Heath to his limits, almost having fun with the rookie. Then Carlito's overconfidence got the better of him as he dictated his maneuvers, but failed to estimate the unpredictability of Heath Slater who managed to get the roll up and the victory.

Heath Slater, if you follow closely, has toned down his excitement ten fold, and has become more focused in the ring. Christian is doing a fine job with his rookie.

In NXT, Size doesn't Matter, But it Helps
Justin Gabriel w/Matt Hardy vs. Wade Barret w/Chris Jericho

Wade Barrett, a personal favorite to win the NXT competition, is rolling with great momentum after defeating fan favorite, Daniel Bryan, last week. This week, he went one on one with Justin Gabriel.

Justin Gabriel pinned William Regal in his debut match along with his sensei, Matt Hardy. With an impressive 450 splash, Matt Hardy is confident that Justin will make it far in NXT. But his match against Wade Barrett was nothing short of luck.

Justin may have the speed of a crusierweight, but Barrett has the size and strength to overpower even the fastest of opponents. With a devastating backbreaker from the top rope and innovative bow and arrow stretches, Barrett is well on his way to becoming the next break out star. However, with an upset from Justin Gabriel who connected with the 450 splash, the momentum has shifted over as Justin is 2-0.

Yet, within defeat one can still come smelling as fresh as an English rose as Chris Jericho slapped the Liontammer on Justin Gabriel and raising his rookie's hand in dominance.

SmackDown Results: 2/26/10 - Spear, spear, on SmackDown

Spear, spear, spear on Jericho

The RAW following the hellacious Elimination Chamber, Chris Jericho celebrated his World Heavyweight Title win only to be speared again by Edge, who announced Chris as his WrestleMania opponent. Enraged, Jericho vowed that he would never be speared again.

Edge then listed Chris Jericho's accomplishments, ranging from becoming the first-ever Undisputed World Champion, defeating Shawn Michaels in his own match, to defeating Undertaker two-times; but he ended each accomplishment with the word, "spear." Edge is sending Jericho the message that no matter what he does, in the end, he will get speared. Edge then informed Chris that come 'Mania, he would be speared again, resulting in Edge's 10th World Title reign.

Chris Jericho then attempted a Code Breaker, but Edge evaded and struck with another spear. Does Edge have Jericho's number; or will he join the fate of the last two Royal Rumble winners?

Dolph Ziggler's perfect restart

A few weeks ago, John Morrison won a Triple-Threat qualifying match to participate in the Elimination Chamber. After failing to capture the World Title, could Morrison win another Triple-Threat to participate in this year's Money in the Bank Ladder match? R-Truth, who also participated in the Elimination Chamber, was inserted in this triple-threat qualifier for MitB. The final competitor was Dolph Ziggler, who has incurred more loses in his quest to become the Intercontinental Champion, counted on the outcome of this match to propel his career.

At the very start of the match, Ziggler's strategy was obvious, have Morrison and Truth battle it out as he picks his spots. Morrison and Truth, knowing this full well, rolled to the outside and tried getting Ziggler in the ring. But the tension shifted after Truth pulled Morrison out of the ring, in order to take on Ziggler by himself. Unable to seal the pinfall, Truth ended up fighting Morrison, a match that the fans were deprived of two weeks ago due to Morrison's tweaked ankle.

Ziggler played to his strengths, evading attacks and avoiding confrontation. With a Lie Detector corkscrew meant for Ziggler, accidentally struck Morrison, thus turning the attention between Morrison and Truth yet again. Morrison, after a pele kick and Starship Pain, covered R-Truth for the pinfall. But Dolph Ziggler pulled Morrison out of the ring at the last second, and covered Truth for the emphatic win. Dolph Ziggler has finally taken the first-step towards reviving his career.

Dolph Ziggler will have his WrestleMania moment as he joins Christian and 6 other competitors in the Money in the Bank, Ladder Match.

Vickie screwed Mickie; New Women's Champion

Luck is back on Michelle McCool's side as she once again captured the Women's Championship, making her a four-time female champion. However, the incidents factoring around her title win is controversal at best.

A few weeks back, Mickie James accidently tossed a plate of cottage cheese at SmackDown's special consultant, Vickie Guerrero. As if the release of Maria from the company wasn't bad enough, the added rival of Vickie, along with LayCool and Beth Phoenix, truly has Mickie outnumbered. Vickie first decided to set Mickie in a handicap match against LayCool following the cottage cheese incident, and then announced that Mickie would defend her title against Michelle McCool, and named herself as the guest referee.

At the Royal Rumble, Mickie James scored some much needed payback, after defeating McCool for the title in one switft DDT. It may have been satisfying for her, but not for the fans that wanted to see a hard fought women's match. This rematch more than made up for the squash, however, it ended with Vickie slapping Mickie in the face, a fast 3-count, and awarding the Women's title to Michelle McCool. In what could be considered a modern-day screw job in women's wrestling, left Mickie James, the only remaining babyface on the SmackDown brand, defeated in the ring. With high hopes of Mickie James defending against Beth Phoenix at WrestleMania may remain a dream. And any chances of Beth Phoenix contending for the title may be hard pressed as McCool now has Vickie Guerrero on her side.

Drew's first loss; Kane qualifies for Money in the Bank

Drew McIntyre had never been defeated, not by R-Truth, John Morrison, not even Kane. The brash Intercontinental Champion, coming off from a major title defense at Sunday's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, looked to fulfill McMahon's prophesy of being a future World Champion.

All Drew had to do was win one more match to be automatically inserted into the Money in the Bank Ladder match at WrestleMania. And if he won that match, he would then have the opportunity to cash in on a World Title shot at any time, up to one-year. This qualifying match was an opportunity for McIntyre to one-up Rowdy Piper (WWE's famous Scotsman), who's highest achievement was winning the Intercontinental Championship.

At the pay-per-view, Kane lost to McIntyre after being thumbed in the eye and struck with the Future Shock DDT; this time around, Kane was fully aware of McIntyre's capability. After failing to lock in Future Shock, Drew McIntyre shocked the fans, and the announcers, when he connected with a reverse bulldog, similar to Dolph Ziggler's Zig-zag finisher. Yet, Kane managed to kick out, evade a second Future Shock, and connect with a Big Boot for the win.

Similar to Christian, Kane was in the first and last Money in the Bank Ladder match. And just like Christian, Kane has qualified for this year's Money in the Bank Ladder match. At WrestleMania 25, Kane was finger tips away from becoming Mr. Money in the Bank, will this year be different?

Drew McIntyre, incurring his first-ever loss, was distraught. He behaved as if he lost the Intercontinental Title, because he no longer has the edge which made him above everyone else. Despite the loss, Drew McIntyre needs to stop obsessing, and focus on finding an opponent to defend the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania.

Shelton is Gold for WrestleMania; C.M. Punk vs. Mysterio at 'Mania?

Aside from being synonymous with Straightedge, C.M. Punk is the only 2-time winner of the Money in the Bank Ladder match, back-to-back. And both times, C.M. Punk successfully cashed them in against Edge and Jeff Hardy to capture his first two World Heavyweight Titles. So, a qualifying match to enter this year's MitB would just be a formality, right?

"The Gold Standard" Shelton Benjamin has been in every Money in the Bank, except for one. Shelton may have never won any ladder matches, but he is a gifted athlete that always puts on a performance in such stipulations. His latest conquest was against then-ECW Champion Christian at the TLC pay-per-view. He failed to best Christian, but the two put on possibly the best match of the night, only to be matched by D-X and JeriShow in the TLC main-event. What happens when the two Money in the Bank favorites are set to face each other in a qualifying match?

The match looked in C.M. Punk's favor as he managed to hoist Shelton for the GTS, but was distracted by Rey Mysterio attacking Luke Gallows. C.M. Punk's distraction allowed Shelton to connect with Pay-Dirt to win a spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXVI. As for C.M. Punk, he may not be going to WrestleMania via a ladder, but we may see a grudge/lucha apuesta match against Rey Mysterio.

Edge's Awesome spear; The Miz ready to main-event

The Miz arrived on SmackDown because he doesn't have a match for WrestleMania. He demanded that Teddy Long find a tag team to defend the Unified Tag Team Titles against, but instead, Teddy scheduled Miz into the main-event against Edge.

In the best match of the week, even topping the Jericho-Bryan match on NXT, glimpsed the realization that The Miz is main-event material. Just last year, The Miz was begging for a pay-per-view match, and now he's scoring multiple ppv victories, and main-evented this week's SmackDown against a 9-time World Champion and the winner of the 2010 Royal Rumble, Edge.

Edge is known for bringing the best out of every superstar he faces, whether it be John Cena, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, C.M. Punk, or John Morrison, Edge creates quality matches. Just last week, Edge lured Batista out of his no-compete attitude, and got him to fight in a match against him, no other superstar has that level of ring presence that The Rated-R Superstar has. Edge is still a heel, when many felt he would turn babyface, but he still remains a fan favorite because of his willingness to face any opponent head on.

Throughout the match with The Miz, Edge dictated the pace as Miz tried keeping up. NXT Rookie, Daniel Bryan viewed the match from backstage, in order to learn a thing or two from his mentor. The crowd grew considerable reactions from both Miz and Edge, but with an Impaler DDT followed by a spear, Edge would walk away with a victory over the United States/Unified Tag Team Champion.

NXT Results: 2/23/10 - Week 1, Daniel Bryan Learns the Hard Way

Daniel Bryan's Personality Test: Fail

Welcome to the premiere post of WWE's newest concept NXT. Let's get underway with what exactly is NXT? NXT is a new concept where WWE plucks out eight rookies from FCW and pair them off with eight WWE pros from SmackDown and RAW. The show kicked off with The Miz introducing his Rookie, Daniel Bryan, an "Internet darling" and famous in the "minor leagues." Daniel's first task: enter the arena along to Miz's entrance theme, introduce himself, and come up with a catchphrase.

According to The Miz, the WWE Universe may not be aware of Bryan's lack of personality. Daniel explained how he wrestled for ten years and he finally has a shot in the WWE. His catchphrase was two words: I'm sorry, sorry that The Miz is his mentor and not William Regal. Daniel Bryan would then come up with another catchphrase directed towards The Miz, "You either tap, or you snap." The Miz then slapped some personality into Bryan, and rightfully so.

In an interview with the host of NXT, Matt Striker, Daniel expressed his dislike for The Miz and claimed that he would make it into the WWE without his help. Sure, Miz came from a reality show before coming to the WWE, but The Miz evolved in the 4+ years he has been here. Miz is after all a current-multi title holding champion, and he always anticipates the unexpected. The main event tonight: Daniel Bryan versus The World Heavyweight Champion, Chris Jericho.

Official Theme song of NXT: "Wild and Young" by AmericanBang

Despite the loss, Carlito is a winner

The inaugural NXT match was a tag team competition set for one-fall; Christian and Heath Slater versus Carlito and Michael Tarver. WWE showed a video package for both Heath and Tarver to explain a little of where they come from. Heath Slater describes himself as a rock band without any instruments; however, he looks like a guy suffering from H.A.D.D.. Heath is unique with his Sunkist hair, flailing of the arms stretch out, and his tongue hanging loose. His dream is to become a WWE superstar, and he looks to make it on NXT.

Michael Tarver is known as Mr. 1.9 seconds, because that's how fast he can knock someone out. He should shorten that to Mr. 1.9, because it's obvious that his quick striking abilities attests from his training in mix-martial arts. Which, if any Rookie looks as if they belong in UFC, it would be Michael Tarver.

There was a difference in style between Christian and Carlito's mentoring, even though Christian's team won the match, Carlito had the better method. Michael Tarver is by far the stronger of the two, so Carlito allowed Tarver to wrestle most of the match in order to build endurance. Christian noticed that Heath was lagging and called for the tag, in which he finished with a Killswitch to Tarver. Carlito lucked out by having an amazing rookie of such stature, but the failure lied in Carlito's poor tag team abilities. As for Heath Slater, the man jumps around like a jackass and should learn the rule: less is more.

David Otunga is overrated; Darren Young needs a prayer

David Otunga's video package was longer than the Rookie vs. Rookie match up between Otunga and Darren Young. Otunga claims to have the personality of The Rock, the cerebral text tile of Triple-H, and the power of John Cena. He has a famous fiance, Jennifer Hudson. He graduated from Harvard Law School, and has been to the white house twice this year. As far as Otunga's celebrity status is concerned, I don't give a damn if the man knows famous people, it is what you do inside that ring which will determine if you are as good as you say.

C.M. Punk has stated that he mentors only Luke Gallows and Serena, and if Darren Young wants to be mentored, then he will have to pledge to lead a straightedge life. Darren Young, obviously the polar opposite of C.M. Punk, is known as a party animal - which would most likely include one of the three things that the Straightedge Society is against. By the end of it all, I see Darren shaving off that ridiculously spiky hair of his.

Without any guidance from C.M. Punk, Young fell prey to the "A-lister" Otunga. In a match that lasted no more than a sip of coffee, Otunga did not resemble The Rock, or Triple-H, nor John Cena; he resembled a carbon copy of Ezekiel Jackson with a poorly executed Ura-nage. Just because he's met the president doesn't mean squat when it comes to the WWE.

NXT Main-Event outshines RAW program

In the main-event, the World Heavyweight Champion went one on one with Daniel Bryan. As we have seen earlier, Daniel Bryan has no charisma or mic skills, and he is shortest man in the entire NXT roster. But a more pressing matter is the total lack of respect that he has for his mentor, The Miz. Daniel feels that he is owed something with his 10-year wrestling career, performing in the indie circuit. It's all good that you elevated your wrestling ability for a decade, but he hasn't been inside the WWE long enough to become accepted by the WWE Universe and WWE locker room.

Daniel Bryan did have an impressive outing with the World's Champion, Chris Jericho. Interesting set up since Chris Jericho is the Best in the World at what he does, while Daniel claims he is the Best Wrestler in the World. Chris Jericho is on a far higher scale than Bryan, and there is a difference between a pro and a rookie. Daniel Bryan focused all his outrage against The Miz towards Chris Jericho, and it was seen when Daniel slapped Jericho in the face and started executing drop kicks and running kicks to the chest.

Daniel, however, went a bit off course when he made a running dive through the ropes, only to be flipped kidney-first against the announce table. If you wanted to know the difference between and a a pro and a rookie, there you have it. But instead of cutting your loses, Daniel Bryan seemed to feed off of that pain and managed to lock Jericho in the center of the ring with a heel hook. Jericho's agony was etched on his face as he scrambled towards the bottom rope; Daniel hoping to make it known that he is the Submission specialist and you only have two choices, you tap or you snap. But it was Daniel Bryan who would tap out to Chris Jericho's liontamer. And if losing your first high-profile match wasn't bad enough, than Miz added insult to injury as he started beating down his rookie for lack of respect.

Despite the loss, Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho delivered big on the premiere episode of NXT, outshining the entire RAW line-up.

Next week: Matt Hardy and Justin Gabriel come to NXT

Elimination Chamber: Intermediate Titles Retained

"The Chosen One" and "The Awesome One" retain

Hand picked by the Chairman of the WWE, Drew McIntyre's ascent in the company is apparent; he now gracefully strides to every match as a symbol of his greatness. Three weeks ago, Drew was involved in a triple-threat qualifier match against John Morrison, the former I-C champion, and Kane. While the rivalry against Morrison over the I-C belt may be over, a feud with Kane is emanate.

A title defense victory over Kane can go either one of two ways: it can either bolster McIntyre's career; or leave it stagnant. Since Kane has been used to elevate numerous superstars in the past, a victory over the Big Red Monster may be insignificant.

McIntyre and Kane's match-up was unwavering, though, there was a major difference in style. While Kane exerted brute force through diving clotheslines and boots to the face, Drew applied more technical maneuvers, such as arm locks and a double underhook DDT known as Future Shock.

Drew McIntyre's Scottish background has most likely been a burden, as he is pressured to become the next best national hero since Rowdy Piper. Dubbed as The Chosen One, Drew has been given a considerable push by becoming the Intercontinental Champion and going undefeated in single's competition since arriving in August 2009. Yet, he hasn't always won every match fairly; the thumb to the eye, obviously an illegal move, has played a vital role of insuring that the Intercontinental Title remains around his waist; hence, how he went on to successfully defend the title against Kane.

In mid-match, Drew turned away from the ring and started ascending back up the ramp in order to be counted out and retain. But Kane, unwilling to let him just walk away, nabbed and rolled him back into the ring. Then when the referee tried to separate the two, McIntyre jabbed Kane in the eye, followed by the Future Shock DDT. But who's to say that McIntyre was not deliberately luring Kane into a false sense of security in order to capitalize? With another title defense under his belt, has McIntyre seen the last of Kane?

After Vickie Guerrero postponed the Divas' Title match for a tedious RAW versus SmackDown Divas' tag team match, MVP issued another challenge for The Miz's United States Title. He claims since he pinned Miz last Monday Night on RAW, it allots him a U.S. title shot. Granted, MVP did pin Miz but in a tag team match, meaning that MVP has the right to challenge for the Unified Tag Team belts, not the single's title belt.

In the second consecutive pay-per-view of the new year, the WWE Universe were treated to another impromptu United States Title bout between the defending champion and MVP. This fifth title match was slightly different, with MVP and The Miz's tag team partners residing in their respective corners.

Since the last title defense, The Miz has become an even bigger superstar in the WWE by teaming up with The Big Show to become the Unified Tag Team Champions. Aside from the two new World Champions, no one is more impressive than "The Awesome One."

The Miz was evidently confident in his abilities as a champion without underestimating the tenacity of MVP. Last Monday, Miz was pinned by taking MVP too lightly, but after executing a double knee buster to a bridging MVP, he would not make that same mistake again. MVP, as well, put out all the stops by tossing Miz off the top turnbuckle with a Belly-to-Belly throw, and going for his signature Ballin' Elbow drop. But with Miz evading the Drive-By kick; instinctively placing his foot on the bottom rope to break a cover; and a right-handed knockout hook by The Big Show, he was able to secured another title defense against MVP. Indeed, MVP had Mark Henry in his corner, but Big Show Irish-whipped him through a barricade, which his massive body destroyed.

With another awesome title defense for The Miz, he will walk into NXT still the United States Champion, and one-half of the Unified Tag Team Champions, as he mentors the internationally famous Daniel Bryan. In addition, it looks as if The Miz and Drew McIntyre will enter WrestleMania XXVI as champions.

ECW Results: 2/15/10 - The Final E-C-DUB

R.I.P ECW 1992-2001, 2005

I'm not going to lie to you and say that ECW ended on February 15, 2010, because this was not ECW. ECW was not a brand, it was a promotion started in Philadelphia in 1992 under the name Eastern Championship Wrestling, until it evolved into what fans knew around the world as Extreme Championship Wrestling. Unlike Eastern-CW, Extreme Championship Wrestling focused on a mature male demographic.

ECW earned its reputation by becoming the true alternative to cartoon wrestling of World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling, by becoming the grittiest, explicitly violent, unedited program on television.

Extreme Championship Wrestling was truly a land of hardcore as it innovated specialty matches, which included Barbed wire match, Flaming Tables match, and Singapore Cane match.

I feel both ECW and my announcing career should have been retired after the ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view in 2005. WWE was classy enough to give everyone who was ever involved with the Original ECW, all of us who worked for the promotion and the rabid fans who made ECW, the closure we all emotionally craved. - Joey Styles

WWE purchased ECW's assets after Paul Heyman filed for bankruptcy and the promotion ended in 2001. WWE used the ECW video library to compile a three-disc DVD: The Rise and Fall of ECW, with a three-hour documentary of the company's history. With the video library and a series of books, interest for the Hardcore promotion was revitalized leading to WWE organizing the One Night Stand pay-per-view in 2005 with ECW Alumni. The success of that pay-per-view is what launched the travesty that was ECW as the third brand of the WWE.

According to Joey Styles, the voice of ECW, One Night Stand in 2005 was the true ending of ECW, and the brand, along with his announcing career, should have ended after that night. However, things don't usually end the way you want them to.

Mr. McMahon revitalized ECW by hiring ECW Alumni to jump start the brand: Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Sandman, Sabu, and Balls Mahoney; along with a slew of new superstars: C.M. Punk, Mike Knox, Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn, Marcus Corvon, Ariel, and Kelly-Kelly.

WWEECW, or EC-DUB, really had no sense of direction as one by one the ECW Originals were released from the WWE. Then on December 29th, Tommy Dreamer wrestled his final match and released himself from his contract; thus ending any ties to the Original ECW.

Without even realizing it, EC-DUB became not a land of extreme, but of opportunity. Wrestlers such as C.M. Punk, Kofi Kingston, and Evan Bourne got their start in EC-DUB, while other superstars drafted there, would return to the major brand with either a new gimmick or new perspective on their career. Hence, why Mr. McMahon and the rest of the WWE had decided to scrap the whole EC-DUB programming to create a newly innovative show with it's sole purpose to creating new stars.

NXT Roster: The Controversy of Daniel Bryan

Next week, WWE will feature the new show NXT where eight pros will mentor eight rookies in a reality-television style programing.

The roster is as follows: Chris Jericho and Wade Barrett; William Regal and Skip Sheffield; Carlito and Michael Tarver; Matt Hardy and Justin Gabriel; Christian and Heath Slater; R-Truth and David Otunga; C.M. Punk and Darren Young; and The Miz and Daniel Bryan.

The rookie that stands out from the pack is Daniel Bryan, or "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson. There is no denying that Daniel Bryan has the most experience out of any NXT Rookie, but he is far from a superstar. Sure, Daniel possess more wrestling ability than probably half of the current WWE roster, yet he needs help to get to the next level.

A lot of people were upset over the announcement that The Miz would be mentoring the American Dragon - because shouldn't it be the other way around? Most of these discrepancies came from wrestling-internet fans who have watched Daniel fight in Japan and ROH; but fighting for a crowd below 900 people is nothing compared to fighting in sold out arenas around the globe, with everyone chanting, buying merch, and a multi-billion dollar company investing money in your development.

When The Miz first arrived in 2006, he wasn't much of a sight. And no way in the history of ever would I have pegged Miz to one day hold the United States and the Unified Tag Team Titles; but he was given that opportunity by developing in EC-DUB alongside Johnny Nitro/John Morrison.

Daniel Bryan has all the talent in the world, but every wrestler has weaknesses. And that's what my job is, to find his weakness and make him the biggest star possible. - The Miz

No wrestler is born with the total "superstar" package, and Daniel Bryan's flaw is his mic skills and lack of charisma. NXT will be a great opportunity for not only the rookies, but for the pros to impart their wisdom and contribute to the growth of the WWE.

Final EC-DUB Title Match: Extreme Rules (Sorta)

Christian acknowledged the ECW Originals, working with Tommy Dreamer, mentoring Yoshi Tatsu, and what EC-DUB meant for him. I certainly felt that Christian should have made a bigger impact on his return to the WWE, and that EC-DUB was a demotion. But Christian didn't see it that way, he say it as his home. Possibly because for the past year, EC-DUB became his personal Peep Show.

Christian accepted Ezekiel Jackson's challenge for the ECW Title, and added, on his own accord, to defend it under Extreme Rules. Yet, the extremeness of a WWE Extreme Rules match is considered a paper cut to the ECW Originals who bled, stabbed, pierced, broke, and burned their bodies every night to make those three letters mean something. Christian arrived with Singapore canes, a trash can, and a shopping cart to set the overall tone of the match. Ezekiel brought his own weapon, a cunning manager in William Regal.

Zack Ryder, who felt should have been a part of the final match on EC-DUB, interfered with the match, but ended up getting flap jacked into the trash can and thrown - face first - over the ropes. Rosa Mendes slapped Christian - and what would have been ECW of him to strike a woman, allowed for a nice treat - then, after tonight, former-ECW GM Tiffany came running down the ramp and speared Rosa Mendes. Both Rosa and Tiffany have trained in FCW, and after this scene, not only is Tiffany beautiful, she is deadly.

The numbers game became too much for Christian, as he fended off William Regal with a Killswitch, only to be thrown back first through a table and covered by Ezekiel Jackson. After holding the title since Night of Champions - defeating Tommy Dreamer for the strap - Christian's reign of ECW Champion ended, and the title of Final ECW Champion went to Ezekiel Jackson.

Obviously, the title change means absolutely nothing because the title has now become defunct. The ECW Title joins the list of other defunct titles: Cruiserweight, Hardcore, Light Heavyweight, European, ECW Tag Team, ECW Television, and the WCW Championship.

In the hearts of the ECW fans, ECW either died in 2001 when it went bankrupt, or in 2005, when WWE provided fans with the closure it desperately deserved. However, let it be known that WWE bought out both WCW and ECW, and while the WCW Title was laid to rest when it was converted into the World Heavyweight Title in 2002, today marks the end of ECW's title history with Ezekiel Jackson, "The end has come, it has awakened, against you."

Royal Rumble: The Road to WrestleMania XXVI

The Royal Rumble kicks off the road to WrestleMania, where the winner gets an express ticket to headline the main event. But who will be the World Heavyweight Champion and the WWE Champion come WrestleMania? Both Taker and Sheamus if successful means nothing, because they can easily lose them in three weeks time at the next pay-per-view: Elimination Chamber. But tonight we witness the pieces coming together, the first piece, Who will headline WrestleMania?

ECW Championship Match: Christian vs. Ezekiel - After all, he is Christian

The end has finally come, it has awakened; but against who? Last week, Ezekiel Jackson pinned Christian in a tag team match, so has the end awakened against Christian?

Since returning to the WWE, Christian has overcome adversity, and became a two-time ECW Champion. He currently holds the record for the longest reign as ECW Champion in the WWE.

Ezekiel Jackson, a few weeks ago, overwhelmed three former ECW Champions to become the #1 contender, and humbled the current ECW Champion just five days before their title match.

Many had doubts if Christian could pull the upset, because he was unable to hook the Killswitch last time. But don't be ready to just declare Ezekiel the new champ. It's easy to win a fight, but can you win the war?

The match exhibited all of Christian's qualities mentioned in a previous post. Christian used his quickness and agility to out pace Ezekiel; and with each evasion, Christian struck with an upper cut.

Ezekiel's strategy was going for big power moves and quick covers. Hence, he struck with a backbreaker and immediately went for the cover, which shows humility and respect to your opponent.

Christian failed to secure the Killswitch four-times, but attempted other moves. He executed a DDT and connected with the Flashpoint; then cinched a sleeper, and missed with the Frog Splash. Lastly, Christian surprised Ezekiel with a 5th Killswitch, after being rammed back first into the ring post, to retain the ECW Title.

United States Championship Match: The Miz vs. MVP - MVP Stuck in the Past

This impromptu title match meant only one thing, either the 30-Man Rumble would be shortened, or one of the three remaining scheduled title matches would be cut short.

The match had a big-time feel to it, because out of nowhere, beyond the knowledge of the fans, we lucked into a bonus title match. Both men, focused on winning the Royal Rumble, provided an excellent match.

The Miz, no doubt on a serge since recreating his look about five months ago, has defended the U.S. Title against every opponent.

Yet, many times throughout the match, it looked to be MVP's time to reign again as the United States Champion; but his showboating is what cost him. The Ballin' Elbow takes way too long and never seals the deal. And when he went for the Playmaker, once again he took precious seconds trying to set the move.

The Miz never struck with finishers Skull Crushing Finale or the Reality Check, but managed to roll up MVP as he was coming through the ropes for another successful title defense.

MVP showed poor sportsmanship when he struck with the Playmaker, letting us to ponder, "Why didn't he do that earlier?"

2007 was the year of MVP. He set a record for the longest U.S. Title reign in the WWE, and captured the Tag Team Titles along with then-rival Matt Hardy. He was the only man since the days of the Attitude Era, at that point, to hold two titles at once.

Yet, what has he been trying to accomplish lately? Forming a team with Mark Henry in an attempt to become a tag team champion, and feuding with Miz to become the U.S. champion for a third time. MVP is trying to recreate 2007, when he should be focused on moving forward rather than backwards.

WWE Championship Match: Sheamus vs. Randy Orton - The Fall of Legacy

Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. have both set their sights on winning the Royal Rumble, which leads to the possibility of a member of Legacy facing off against Randy Orton, if successful, to a WWE Title Match come WrestleMania. With each member expressing concern over the outcome of this match, Orton ordered that neither assist him tonight.

This championship match against Sheamus and Randy Orton was very methodical. The tension had risen as these two superstars stared each other down for a while after the bell had rung. Then they circled around the ring without taking their eyes off the other. And when they finally locked holds, they were at a stalemate, until they broke it, in which Orton slithered rearwards towards the opposing turnbuckle. Both of these men have done unspeakable things to get to this point in their careers and neither would let up.

Sheamus meticulously worked on the arm of The Viper, while Orton explicitly focused on the leg of the Celtic Warrior. King mentioned that this match was gut-check time for Sheamus to prove himself a superstar in the WWE, while Striker counterclaimed that the Tables Match against Cena was gut-check time for Sheamus and came out on top. Both men have a point, albeit that Sheamus became the WWE Champion during that Tables Match, Sheamus has yet to prove that he can defend the title without disqualifying himself.

Yet, Randy Orton's first WWE Championship match since October, did not go as planned as Cody Rhodes ran interference while the referee was looking. Orton managed to strike with the RKO, but the match ended in favor of Sheamus due to disqualification.

The aftermatch witnessed the fall of Legacy as Randy Orton struck Cody Rhodes and slamming his head repeatedly against the mat. Ted DiBiase Jr. arrived to pull Orton off, but suffered a similar fate. Orton continued to stomp the heel of his boot into the sternum of Rhodes shouting the words "You're through!"

Sheamus, still the WWE Champion, struck Orton with a bicycle kick. The true gut-check time for Sheamus will come when he will have to defend the WWE Title inside the unforgiving structure of the Elimination Chamber against five other competitors.

Women's Championship Match: Michelle McCool vs. Mickie James - Mickie Outweighs McCool

Since coming over to SmackDown, Mickie James has suffered humiliation each week by the hands of Lay-Cool. With references of This little piggy and Old McDonald's Farm, McCool attacks Mickie on two levels: her country music aspirations, and her weight problem.

As mentioned earlier, the United States Championship Match could have only meant one of two things: either the Royal Rumble main event would be shortened or one of the scheduled title matches would. And after witnessing the quick Mick-DDT, the answer was that the Women's Title Match would be the one experiencing the cut-back.

Congratulations to Mickie James on becoming a 5-time Women's Champion. A victory much sweeter, especially when dropping a cake over McCool and Layla, while the other divas held them down.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: The Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio - A Phenom-enal Match

Rey Mysterio has been the underdog all his life. He's had nightmares, but he has been able to realize his dreams because he concurred his nightmares. But this time, the nightmare comes in the form of The Undertaker. Taker's dominance is unmatched by anyone in the WWE, but could Mysterio gain the upset and become the World Heavyweight Champion for a second time?

The announcers focused on Rey Mysterio's luck at the Royal Rumble, winning it in 2006 and going on to WrestleMania to become champion; but as I recall, UT won the Rumble the following year and captured the World's Title against The Animal Batista. Batista, who has been on a warpath against Rey Mysterio, looks to win the 2010 Royal Rumble for a shot at Undertaker's Title.

Which leads to Mysterio's next added momentum into this title match, no one believes that Mysterio has what it takes to defeat The Undertaker. With Triple-H losing at WrestleMania X-Seven; Batista losing at WrestleMania 23; and Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV, they cannot fathom a little luchadore being able to humble the Deadman.

The match was a well hard fought match, and possibly the best I have seen Mysterio in recent memory. Yet, The Undertaker did not take him lightly, as he did everything he could to ground Mysterio's high flying offense. At the start of the match, Taker threw Mysterio over the top rope, and then decked him in the face as Mysterio tried jumping back into the ring. Mysterio would have to rely on his quickness and unpredictability to score the upset.

Mysterio picked apart the Deadman, from drop kicking him during the Dead Rise, to performing a leg drop from the top turnbuckle, to striking the bad hip of the UT with a baseball slide, Mysterio was closing in.

The Phenom, after the first 619, showed his mortality as his face busted open. For many years, Undertaker has been seen as the Undead, beyond what any human can do, but he bleeds like the rest of us. If he can bleed, he can fall, which Mysterio set out to do, with not one, but two 619's in succession.

Mysterio reached new heights, literally, when Undertaker performed The Last Ride to secure another title defense.

Sheamus and Undertaker have both retained their World Titles at The Royal Rumble and are expected to face off against the winner of the night's Royal Rumble. But before they can headline WrestleMania as the defending champions, they must defend them inside the Elimination Chamber. Titles were certainly change on that night.

Coming Soon: Part II of Royal Rumble 2010

RAW Results: 1/25/10

The Time for Glow Sticks is Over

We have all heard the question, "Are you ready?" Shawn Michaels wasn't, because he wanted to talk about Triple-H's disregard of his pursuit on ending the Undertaker's streak. Triple-H harshly, but truthfully, states that he will not let anyone get in his way from winning the Rumble and main-eventing at WrestleMania; and for anyone that does not care about striving for the richest prize at WrestleMania, should not even be in the WWE.

Old Foes, New Enemies

D-X fought in the opening match against Legacy, which is a change of pace from their countless weeks staring in the main-event. Legacy, who has had a lot of tension against their leader Randy Orton, has been showing improvement in the ring. Their maturation is partially due to their feud with D-X over the summer, and in part to their willingness to surpass their fathers' legacy. But, in speaking of tension in Legacy, their is also tension between Rhodes and DiBiase Jr., as the two argue who will finally reach for the brass ring, and for the failed attempt to defeat John Cena and Kofi Kingston last week.

As for D-X, while Triple-H set up for the pedigree, Shawn Michaels tagged himself in. This did not bold well for Triple-H as the two stared each other down, provoking an ambush from Legacy. However, they managed to get their head back in the game with HBK striking Ted with Sweet Chin, and Triple-H with a forearm to Cody. Michaels picked up the win and the two held their Unified Tag Team Belts high in triumph. The title were not on the line, but this week on SmackDown, D-Generation-X will defend their titles against the #1 contenders C.M. Punk and Luke Gallows.

M.V.P. Ready for Miz, Really!

Montel Vontavious Porter voiced that Miz can hide behind his "friend" The Big Show, but he cannot run forever from defending the United States Title. The Miz, meanwhile, cannot grasp the concept of why people like MVP, seeing as he was a convicted felon. Miz was a celebrity of reality television, and knows numerous celebrities. MVP responded, "It's because you're a jackass."

MVP's match was not against Miz, but against The Big Show. The pairing of this match was intriguing, seeing as MVP fought Big Show last year in a Last Man Standing Match, with Triple-H's Royal Rumble entry status at stake. This year, however, Big Show made short work of MVP with a devastating chokeslam.

Maryse Gets by on Looks Alone

Maryse, the self-proclaimed Sexiest of the Sexy, proved in the semi-final of the Divas' Tournament that the women on RAW get by on a pretty face, and nothing more. Eve Torres, on the other hand, has actually been trying to become a wrestler, but her inexperience comes at the expense of the wrestling fans. Eve carried the entire match, executing every offensive maneuver, and you would think that she would have advanced? Sadly, after a missed moonsault off the top turnbuckle, Maryse connected with the French Kiss-DDT to move on to the finals.

McMahon Has Brains, but no Courage or Hart

Mr. McMahon came out and asked the people if they wanted to see Bret Hart back in the WWE, in which he gleefully responded that he would never again be seen in the WWE. McMahon had referred to Bret Hart as a used piece of gum that's lost its flavor, and questioned the profitability of his return.

Last week, The Undertaker looked deep inside McMahon's soul and stated "You Screwed, Bret." Yes, Taker was present backstage for when the infamous Montreal Screwjob took place. And in a non-kayfabe sense, The Undertaker is usually knowledgeable of the happenings within the WWE, but this was purely between a select few. So when the incident occurred and made its way backstage, Taker asked Michaels, "Did you know about this?" The Undertaker is as intimidating and respected in real life as he is in the ring, in which Michaels responded that he was aware.

Triple-H advised McMahon that if he did not bring Bret Hart back to the WWE, he would be labeled a coward, and that Bret would be seen as a hero. If McMahon would have just set aside his ego for one night and made nice with Bret, the situation would have ended.

John Cena came out and delivered a phenomenal promo. A few months ago, when Roddy Piper guest hosted RAW, McMahon treated him with the utmost disrespect; and on January 4th, McMahon kicked Bret in the guts. So is this what happens to the great men and women who have dripped their blood, sweat, and tears into this business? A pat on the back, and a get the hell out of my sight? So are all the wrestlers people or commodities to line up McMahon's wallet and fill his ego? Cena goaded McMahon into bringing Bret Hart back, after issuing a warning for the the year 2035, when McMahon is 90 years-old, and John Cena has lost his flavor, would find McMahon and pick him from his wheel chair and shove his false dentures down his throat.
Bret Hart deserves a chance to confront McMahon face to face, and next week - Bret Hart will get that chance.

Mid-Carders on Becoming Superstars

The following match, issued by guest host Dulé Hill, was a display of the two up-and-coming superstars of the WWE - The Miz and Kofi Kingston.

Kofi Kingston, one of the more impressive former United States Champions, did not get his big push until he started feuding with Randy Orton. Kingston's momentum sky rocketing after delivering a passionate promo, while defacing Orton's car; dropping the Boom Drop over an unconscious Orton sprawled on a table at MSG; and defeating two former World Champions within seconds of each other at the Survivor Series to become the sole survivor. However, in their last few encounters, Randy Orton has come out on top and the feud seems to have ended. So what's next for Kofi Kingston? A return back to the U.S. Title picture? WWE should think of something quick, before the momentum dissipates.

As for The Miz, he has evolved from his days on The Real World by becoming his own man. No longer needing the support of John Morrison, The Miz delivers his own promos, reinvented his wardrobe, got a new entrance theme, and carries around his first singles title. Miz is clearly elevating himself as a major superstar in the WWE, while remaining in the appropriate setting of the mid-card title to do so.

Then comes MVP, when he first arrived on RAW, he shocked the world by challenging then-WWE Champion Randy Orton. The intensity and passion that MVP brought on that first night brought hope to the mid-card division, but after the first few weeks, that intensity vanished. MVP wasted his time on The View with Sherrie Shepherd, and loosing two U.S. Title matches against The Miz, with little-to-no build up on either match. This time around, MVP and Miz are building up on a steady paced background to base their feud on. MVP is starting to ignite the passion he once had when he became the United States Champion in 2007; and after The Miz was pinned by Kofi Kingston, it was apparent that Miz is fully aware of the threat that MVP poses to the United States Title.

Jack Swagger to feud with Santino Marella?

The past two weeks, Santino Marella has thwarted Jack Swagger's momentum going into the Royal Rumble; but this week, before challenging Carlito to a match, Jack Swagger attacked and destroyed Santino Marella. Not only did Swagger toss Santino over the top rope, but he DDT'ed Marella into the turnbuckle.

Is Santino Marella going to be pushed into a serious competitor, or is Swagger being downgraded to meaningless comedy? As for that DDT, Swagger is intent on making a name for himself come this Sunday.

Dulé Hill is no Psychic

The match between Alicia Fox and Gail Kim was so predictable that even a fake psychic could detect. Sadly, James Roday, who plays the fake psychic on PSYCH, was unable to co-host RAW, so Dulé, mostly due to hormones, predicted Alicia Fox as the winner. Fox lost the match to Gail Kim, and then reacted by slapping the holy hell out of Dulé.

The Divas' Title will be decided in the final match of the Divas' Tournament - Maryse versus Gail Kim. The date of that match is still TBA, but most likely on next week's RAW.

Let's Get Ready to Humble!

There are consequences for calling McMahon pathetic, even for guys like John Cena. Cena was placed in a non-title match against the man who defeated him for the WWE Title last month, Sheamus.

John Cena, despite his happy-go-lucky promos, compensates for his limited wrestling ability by raising his intensity in the ring to dangerous levels; that intensity has been matched, and possibly surpassed, by Sheamus.

Many may argue that Sheamus became the WWE Champion too early in his career, but no other superstar has been so dominate than the Celtic Warrior. WWE felt it imperative to remove Sheamus from ECW, where his talents would be underscored, and move him to the A-Show where he would hopefully help the business sky rocket to the top.

Sheamus may be stronger than Cena, as he managed to lay Cena out of the ring twice, almost winning by count-out, by Randy Orton cost Sheamus the match with an RKO. This was in response to the Boot to the Face that Sheamus delivered at the end of Orton's match last week.

And when Cena managed to pull himself to the ropes, Orton almost got him in a hanging DDT from the ropes, but Cena managed to get Orton in the Attitude Adjuster. Honestly, how was Cena able to find the strength to attack Orton with the Fireman's Carry? This is where the character of John Cena starts to lose it's flavor.

Dulé Hill's Celebrity Impact!

Initially advertised to be hosted by James Roday and Dulé Hill was only hosted by Dulé after James underwent an appendectomy over the weekend. It was obvious that WWE had no back up plan for Dulé Hill, as he went around causing trouble for himself - mainly from the WWE Divas. Contrary to Carlito's sentiments, Dulé Hill was not the greatest host of all time, he had no viable impact on the show.

But don't forget to check out the new season of PSYCH this Wednesday Night at 10 p.m. on USA Network, guest starring John Cena.

RAW Results: 1/18/10

Taker Declines Challenge

After a month of openly challenging The Undertaker for a rematch at WrestleMania, The Deadman made his way to Monday Night RAW in order to deliver his response in person; obviously it was a response that Mr. WreslteMania was not expecting. In his storied WrestleMania career, The Undertaker has fought and laid to rest every opponent that has dared to face him; and even though Shawn Michaels was the closest to breaking the streak... he still failed. The Undertaker has nothing to prove, but if Shawn Michaels wants his rematch, he will have to win this year's Royal Rumble. Shawn Michaels claims that when he does, not only will the streak be broken, but Undertaker's title and soul will belong to him.

Heder-Johnson Impact!

Miami Vice's Don Johnson and Napoleon Dynamite's John Heder guest hosted RAW, so what impact did they have? Well, Santino Marella was dressed up as Don Johnson because he is the President of the I.D.J.F.C., or the Italian Don Johnson Fan Club. And Carlito was found backstage dressed as Napoleon Dynamite. It would have been really great if Primo would have dressed like Pedro, but he hasn't been seen on RAW in months.

As for the celebrities themselves, John Heder made the most of his stay on RAW as he took on a heel persona. Don Johnson, meanwhile, wanted to give the people what they "wanted," DX in the main event; but John Heder introduced two men who would main event tonight's RAW... The Miz and The Big Show. Later on in the program, there was an altercation involving Hornswoggle that forced John Heder to participate in a six-man main event.

Viper Stares Down Sheamus

A few weeks ago, Evan Bourne challenged Sheamus for a contender's match; but since then, that honor has gone to Randy Orton. Evan Bourne didn't have much of a chance until Randy Orton made his way into the arena. Sheamus took his focus out of the match, allowing Bourne to almost get an upset. Sheamus quickly did away with Bourne with the Celtic Cross. Orton, clearly intimidated the WWE Champion who chose to leave the ring. Sheamus is just starting out in the WWE, but Orton is a seasoned veteran. Is Sheamus out of his league?

The Second All-American-American-Challenge

Jack Swagger stated that Santino's victory last week was a fluke and could not happen again. Santino, however, did not choose to face him again, but instead, had a suitable substitute... Mark Henry. If you haven't heard me say it before, I'll say it again, Jack Swagger, despite being a sure-fire main event one day, is stuck as a mid-carder with other mid-carders. Mark Henry is the next person to humiliate the All-American-American by bench pressing him over the ropes.

Cena-Kingston Seek Retribution

Last week, during the Triple Threat Match to determine Sheamus' opponent for the Royal Rumble, it was clear that Rhodes and DiBiase Jr. interfered in order for Orton to pick up the win. This week, John Cena and Kofi Kingston looked to get some much needed payback for Legacy costing them a shot at the WWE Title.

Cena started off the match, but Rhodes and DiBiase Jr. held their ground. When Kofi was tagged in, Legacy did everything possible to keep him from tagging in Mr. WWE. At certain points in the match, it almost seemed as if Legacy were lax about facing Kofi, as if he were not a threat. Well, they should have done away with Kofi because after Cena was tagged in, it was Kofi who would pin Rhodes with a flying cross body after being hit by the Attitude Adjuster. DiBiase Jr. did break Cena's cover, but he rolled out of the way to avoid being taken down by Kingston.

A major pop went out to the victory of Cena-Kingston, but friendship means nothing come the Royal Rumble. As for Legacy, Rhodes seemed bitter towards DiBiase Jr. for letting him take the fall. If this keeps up, they won't have to worry about friendship getting in the way for their Royal Rumble aspirations.

Eve's Phantom Kick

The following match was a Divas' Tag Team Match featuring Eve Torres and Gail Kim versus Alicia Fox and Maryse. The only wrestler in this match was Gail Kim, but sadly, she is downplayed so as not to overshadow the other women. Eve Torres, who has been paired with Chris Masters for the past month, has shown some ring-rust. She attempted a drop kick, and missed. Sure, that's not bad when you miss a move, but when your opponent reacts, then that becomes what is known as a Phantom move. Of course, both opponents quickly got up and executed the spot. Alicia Fox should not have reacted to the phantom kick, because the move never connected. Instead, everyone noticed and was the only thing anyone could think of. However, Eve Torres did get the pin on Alicia Fox, which is great for her, but that Phantom kick still bothers me.

Sheamus Sends a Message

The following match was Randy Orton against Chris Masters w/ Eve Torres. Orton was not deterred by Sheamus' presence at the ramp way, but he did manage to get himself caught in the 3rd attempted Master lock. The Master lock looked to be Orton's demise, but it turned into his salvation as Orton fell towards the ropes, breaking the hold, and striking with the RKO. Sheamus, though, entered the ring unnoticed and struck Orton with a big boot to the face. The audience was actually cheering for Randy Orton, which is a new change of pace seeing as he is a super heel, but the audience despises Sheamus more.

WWE Retaliates Against Ric Flair

The Big Show and The Miz mentioned how they would get John Heder some sweet ring gear; well... what can be more stylish than a knock-off of The Nature Boy's signature ornate fur-lined robe with sequins, sporting the ring name "The Flame."

Since departing from the WWE after his farewell send off at WrestleMania XXIV, Ric Flair has since been seen in ROH, wrestled in Australia in the main event of the Hulkamania Tour, and is currently signed with rival promotion TNA. There is also mention of Ric Flair returning to active wrestling duty in TNA against long-time rival Hulk Hogan. A return to the ring would be a disgrace to the send off that WWE gave him, but Flair has been in financial straits and relies on these paychecks to keep his head above water.

Ric Flair will always be The Man, but, enough is enough Flair, hang up the boots because it is just plain sad. Also, word is going around that AJ Styles will become the new protégé of Ric Flair, Styles has risen to the top without Flair and doesn't need him now.

The Flame is Extinguished

After a few rounds of weakening the opposition, the newly devised team of Miz and Show tagged in "The Flame" John Heder to take on Hornswoggle. Heder took off his robe, showing a paler complexion than Sheamus, and kicked around Hornswoggle, until Triple-H made his way in and knocked him out. Then a superkick by Shawn Michaels knocked out the Big Show to be laid out on top of Header. Then Hornswoggle was tagged in to strike with the tadpole splash followed by a cover on Header for the pin fall victory.

Triple-H's Message to Shawn

In two weeks, 30 participants will enter, but only one will leave with a World Title Shot at WrestleMania. What Triple-H has been trying to tell Michaels all night is that he needs to find another way to take on The Undertaker, because he's going to win the Rumble. Do I sense a disband of D-Generation-X? I believe so.

RAW Results: 1/11/10

Mike Tyson Returns. Last week, the WWE Universe chanted "You Screwed, Bret," yet, this week the crowds chanted "You Screwed, Shawn." Mike Tyson, in 1998, joined forces with D-Generation X after a dispute with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. At WrestleMania of that same year, Mike Tyson changed sides and punched out Shawn Michaels allowing Stone Cold to go for the win. Known as the Iconic Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson was stared down by WWE Champion Sheamus, who feels he is the most feared champion in the world. But after Tyson made him flinch, Sheamus wasn't strutting around so high and mighty. This was uncanny that Mr. McMahon would allow the top champion of his company to be humiliated by a guest host; because flinching is a sign of weakness and casts a bad light on the WWE. Mike Tyson, who has a worst lisp than Jack Swagger, issued a triple threat match to determine Sheamus' opponent at the Royal Rumble; and, in addition, chose to team up with Chris Jericho to take on Shawn Michaels and Triple-H. And if Jericho and Tyson defeat DX, then Jericho will be allowed to venture into any WWE show he wishes.

Third Contender in Divas' Tournament. The opening match was another Divas' Championship First-Round Tournament Match to determine the new Divas' Champion. So far Maryse and Gail Kim have advanced, so two more first round contenders must place to make it to the semi-finals. The match was Kelly-Kelly against Alicia Fox, in another terrible display of women's wrestling. The two are very beautiful women, which is the only reason that they are even here, but as far as wrestling is concerned, they might as well hold up Round signs at boxing events. Kelly-Kelly, sporting zebra wrestling attire, has not had any luck in capturing gold, and this tournament did not help. Kelly-Kelly did manage a hurricanrana, but Alicia Fox executed, what looked like, an accidental power-bomb for the win.

Legacy Determined for Glory. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. stated that they helped Randy Orton win the Royal Rumble last year, but this year one of them would win. Of course, the decision was split as t0 who would exactly win... but in 1994, both Lex Lugar and Bret Hart won the Rumble, so it is possible for both Rhodes and DiBiase to leave the Royal Rumble as winners. Their match was against Mark Henry and Evan Bourne. As for Evan Bourne, he has qualified for the ECW Homecoming showdown on ECW to determine Christian's opponent for the Royal Rumble. At this point in their career, Rhodes and DiBiase Jr. have established themselves within the company and no longer needs the backing of Randy Orton. However, in order to advance further, they will need to wrestle wrestlers of higher caliber rather than always facing Bourne and Henry. DiBiase is the closest into reaching that level by once facing Randy Orton in a WWE Championship match back in the summer. As for the match, DiBiase Jr. saved Rhodes from a potential Shooting Star Press and took out Mark Henry, leaving Rhodes to connect with Cross-Rhodes to pin Evan Bourne.

The All-American-American-Challenge. Jack Swagger, the candidate for future champion, has vowed that he will win the Royal Rumble and go on to main event WrestleMania. This would be Swagger's first Rumble, seeing as how last year he successfully defended the ECW Champion against the man he won it from, Matt Hardy. But after being tossed over the rope by Santino Marella tonight, Jack Swagger will have to think twice about his strategy come January 31st.

The Viper Contends Against The Celtic Warrior. At the start of the program, Kofi Kingston made it clear that despite losing to Orton last week, he was determined to make his way into the WWE Title scene, as he cannot wait until an opportunity is granted, he must take it. John Cena defeated Sheamus two weeks ago in his WWE Championship rematch, but it was due to disqualification so the titles could not switch hands. Sheamus refuses to grant him another title shot, but Mike Tyson is in charge and says that Cena will be a part of this Triple Threat Match. Randy Orton, after weeks of demanding a title match, can now contend for the title. At Bragging Rights, his loss to John Cena banned Orton from any future title matches as long as Cena was the WWE Champion, but at TLC Cena lost to Sheamus, thus, breaking the ban. Randy Orton had his work cut out for him in this match since he has feuded with both John Cena and Kofi Kingston, so obviously their was a double team on Orton. Shades of WrestleMania XXIV presented itself when Cena had Kofi in the STF, but Orton should've gone for the punt to the head of Cena to secure the win, but instead he just broke the hold. Kofi did manage to connect with the Boom Drop and Trouble in Paradise Kick on John Cena, but he rolled out of the ring. Yet, Legacy was not far behind, as Rhodes kicked the steel steps into John Cena and DiBiase knocked down Kofi to allow an RKO to secure a win. So at the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton will face off against Sheamus for the WWE Championship.

The Miz Evolves as a Superstar. The Miz has gone for years opening his big mouth and getting himself into serious troubles, most recently being banned from RAW after losing to John Cena, but after becoming the United States Champion, things changed for The Miz. No longer considered that guy from the reality show, The Miz has evolved into a first class superstar, and the biggest evidence to date was his amazing promo against #1 contender Montel Vontavious Porter. He channeled his experiences in the early stages of his career, how no one would welcome him to the locker room and how JBL would make fun of him. Miz has truly become his own man, and MVP, finally, is taking this United States Title Match seriously. Before, The Miz has defended his title twice against MVP, but this time seems different. MVP has learned from his mistakes, from his time in prison, and has worked his way to the top to be respected by the people. MVP and Miz will have a classic match on their hands when the time comes.

Fourth Contender in Divas' Tournament. The following match was the final Divas' Championship First-Round Tournament Match to determine the new Divas' Champion. The final match was Eve Torres against the former ECW resident Katie Lee Burchill. According to Michael Cole, Katie and Paul Burchill have been signed onto RAW. The match had a few quick pinning combinations, but in the end Eve left the winner. Starting next week the semi-finals will begin with Eve Torres facing off against Maryse, and Alicia Fox taking on Gail Kim. The winners of those two matches will meet in the final round to crown the new Divas' Champion.

Bret, No Chance in Hell. McMahon addressed his actions from last week, and he is not sorry for kicking Bret Hart in the gut. Twelve years ago, Bret Hart spat on Mr. McMahon, and then punched him back stage; so, as far as Mr. McMahon is concerned, there is no closer when it comes to Bret Hart.

Mike Tyson Changes Sides, Again. Chris Jericho has been trying to get back on RAW ever since losing his Unified Tag Team Titles against DX at TLC. Jericho has failed on two separate occasions in recapturing the titles and devised a plan with Mike Tyson to be granted immunity in showcasing every show. Well, much like WrestleMania, Mike Tyson screwed over Shawn Michaels over, this time, Mike Tyson screwed over Chris Jericho. With a distraction from Hornswoggle, Mike Tyson revealed a DX shirt underneath his black shirt and delivered a knock out punch to Chris Jericho. Mike clearly makes amends with Shawn Michaels and we lay this to rest.

WrestleMania Challenge. Before his match, Shawn Michaels demanded that next week, The Undertaker give an answer to his challenge. What will Undertaker say? Next week we find out.

RAW Results: 1/4/10

Excellence of Execution

After twelve years, The Hitman returns home. On January 4, 2010, the wrestling world witnessed one of the darkest chapters in wrestling history finally resolved. Bret Hart entered the Nutter Center and stood in the middle of the ring to an overwhelming reception. He expressed his love for the sport and the fans who made sure that he was never forgotten. Bret's first order of business was to confront Shawn Michaels. Michaels, coming out in his DX ring attire, stood face to face against the man he placed in a Sharpshooter at the Survivor Series. This confrontation between these two legends has been the most highly anticipated moment for any wrestling fan emotionally invested in the controversy of the Montreal Screwjob. Bret Hart was not there to pick a fight, but to finally bury the hatchet. Shawn Michaels truthfully told Bret, "You deserved what happened to you." Shawn Michaels went on to mention how much he respected Bret, but he never felt respected. And how everyone remembers Survivor Series, but he remembers a 60-minute Iron Man Match that everyone said would not be possible, but they defied the odds at WrestleMania. Bret Hart acknowledged that they both have had successful careers and they shook hands. Everyone cheered and then waited because Michaels was set up for the Superkick; however, he walked over and gave Bret a hug as a personal sign of forgiveness. During the days of the federation, both HBK and The Hitman were cocky superstars, believing that they were better than everybody else, but the wear and tear of life has humbled them to learn that life is bigger than any one person, and that it should not be lived in hatred. Shawn Michaels mentioned last week that he would be more than happy to see Bret Hart one last time, and I feel that this confrontation will finally put to rest the restless demons of their past. Yet, there is one more man that owes Bret a little face to face - Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon!

Melina Vacates Divas' Title

It was reported on WWE.com that Melina injured herself during a live show and would be unable to defend the the Divas' Title. Unable to work a match, dropping the strap to Maryse, Melina's title was vacated, and instead WWE has issued a tournament to crown the new Women's Champion. The first tournament match featured Maryse against Brie Bella. The Bella Twins were moved over to RAW because McMahon loves how they interact with the celebrity hosts, and the fact that they are twins is a factor. However, with the Bellas current position in the company, they have not had regularly scheduled matches, and it showed in their ring rust during their fight with Maryse. The Bellas' best shot at advancing was to alternate for a fresh Bella, however the trick doesn't work if the opponent sees the switch. Maryse easily disposed of Nikki Bella to advance in the tournament. This was a major disappointment in women's wrestling, and further proves that SmackDown has the more serious competitors.

Former 2-time, 2-time, United States Champion?

The following contest was a Fatal Four-way to determine the #1 Contender for the United States Title; and sitting at the RAW announce table was US Titlist, The Miz, sporting a new entrance theme entitled "I Came to Play" by Downstait, which starts off with him saying "I'm Awesome!" The contestants were MVP, Jack Swagger, Carlito, and Mark Henry. Either one of these competitors would be a great candidate for the US title, but who deserves it more? Mark Henry and Jack Swagger, were dominate forces on ECW, capturing the ECW Title in such a short amount of time, but with their move to RAW they are no longer on top. Mark Henry has been a part of WWE since the days of The Nation of Domination, and his final rise to power might have been on ECW. Mark Henry's health is noticeably depleting and it does not look at all possible that he will have another title reign. Jack Swagger, on the other hand, is a rising star that can out wrestle the best in the industry, and contending for the United States Title is a good place to be on while on RAW at such an early age. Carlito needs to start from scratch and start winning more matches. His past three years has been a foot note in the annals of the WWE, and will not be taken seriously until he gets some steady wins under his belt. MVP should learn from the old adage that nice guys finish last. As a heel, MVP prospered when he held both the United States Title and the WWE Tag Team Titles with then-rival Matt Hardy. MVP has recovered financially and has grown into a fan favorite, but his competitive drive to score titles is no longer there. This is more like his fifth go-around challenging for The Miz's strap; if he still had the same fighting spirit as he did in '07, we might have a 3rd reign on our hands, or has Miz taken over? Luckily for MVP, he became the #1 contender after applying the Play Maker to Swagger. Can MVP stop show boating in the ring, and start aggressive and end aggressively to achieve his goal of becoming a 3x United States Champion?

Jeri-Show vs. DX, one-more-time

Chris Jericho tried appealing to Bret Hart to stand in as guest referee, and if Jericho manages to get Michaels in the Walls of Jericho... let instinct take its course. Hart, however, declined the offer because he was serious what he said to Shawn - he wants to bury the hatchet for good. Jericho's attempted ace in the sleeve failed, but he still has the Largest Athlete as his tag team partner. The match was fast paced which saw a lot of finishers but no covers: DX teamed up to lock the Pedigree on Big Show, but he rolled out of the ring... Big Show went for a body slam off the top turnbuckle, but Triple H rolled out of the way. Jericho picked his spots, by applying chokeholds and missile dropkicks to both Shawn and Triple-H. Yet, after attempting the Walls of Jericho on Triple-H, The Heartbreak Kid's instinct called for a superkick to the face of Jericho laying him out for the 3-count. Big Show did not console his partner, but understood that the business understanding between them had officially ended. Jeri-Show formed out of convenience, but with no more title shots, there is no more Jeri-Show... and more importantly to DX, no more Chris Jericho on RAW, again.

Air-Bourne Crashes and Burns

Sheamus, having retained his WWE Title last week against John Cena... via DQ of course, has demanded a new challenge for his next title defense at the Royal Rumble. Out of all the superstars in the WWE, Evan Bourne came out and stated that the only reason Sheamus holds the WWE Title is because he was given a chance, and he wants that same chance. Evan then issued a challenge, if he could defeat him in a match, then he gets a title opportunity at the Royal Rumble. Sheamus, love him or hate him, agreed to grant "little" Evan Bourne a shot to prove his candidacy for the WWE Title. Evan Bourne's weakness: I had mentioned that Bourne is underrated, but he is also overrated. Bourne's high flying style ranges from swift kicks and aerial assaults, all executed in under two minutes, without applying any long term offense. Evan Bourne looked good when he managed to out pace Sheamus and execute the Shooting Star Press, but Sheamus has endurance, which is something Bourne doesn't have. It takes more than flashy moves to win a wrestling match, it takes actual grappling to wear out an opponent, especially one of the magnitude of our WWE Champion. Sheamus sent a message to the RAW locker room again, by adding Evan Bourne to the list of his victims.

Orton's Leadership Tested

The main-event featured Randy Orton taking on Kofi Kingston, a match brought on after Randy interfered with Kingston's match, where he was seconds away from becoming the new United States champion. However, this week, Orton had added incentive because his Legacy brethren stated that if he didn't win this match not only would he be out of Legacy but that he would receive a beating. It wouldn't be the first time that Orton was turned on in a faction? As for Kofi Kingston, this former-Jamaican superstar is slowly rising as a top start in the WWE, one might say that he has a chip on his shoulder, but experience usually beats momentum. For the most part, Kofi has relied on his high impact moves to take down Orton in the past, but it sometimes isn't enough. Kingston looked good executing his signature moves the S.O.S. and Boom Drop, but with someone of Orton's caliber, you need to wear out your opponent. Orton is no Evan Bourne, he has the endurance to outlast a one-hour Iron Man Match, if Kofi wants to win he has to use excessive force and impossible-to-kick-out pinning combinations. In regards to Orton's viper-like quickness, Kingston managed to counter two RKO's; but, with Orton blocking the Trouble in Paradise with his forearms, Kofi lost control of his in ring instincts and fell to a 3rd RKO. Randy Orton has Kofi Kingston well scouted, but could he do that trick against a second Trouble in Paradise kick? As for Legacy, Rhodes and DiBiase did not seem at all thrilled with Orton's victory, but at least a renewed sense of respect should surface between The Legacy.

McMahon Didn't Kick Bret

Years ago, in an interview conducted by Jim Ross, Mr. McMahon stated "I did not screw Bret Hart; Bret Hart screwed Bret Hart." Bret Hart screwed Bret Hart because, at the time, Bret signed a contract to WCW, the rival company, and was still the WWE Champion and refused to lose the title. It was to McMahon's, and a certain few, understanding that if Bret were to have retained the title, he might have gone over to WCW and stripped the title of its prestige, thus destroying the WWE. McMahon wanted nothing more than to keep Bret Hart, but he signed a contract that he couldn't quite oblige to. Bret Hart would not listen to reason, so extreme measures at to be taken. McMahon has his reasons for hating Bret Hart, because immediately after the Screwjob, Bret spit in his face and then punched him in the face backstage. Twelves years removed, Hart claims that he has tried to make his way back to the WWE, but McMahon had refused; but with McMahon accepting to try to close this chapter in his life, the two met in the ring. McMahon, such as Shawn Michaels, stated that Bret deserved what happened to him, but he also acknowledged The Hitman's excellence in the ring and thanks him for being the best that there was, the best that there is, and the best that there ever will be. The two shook hands and McMahon raised Bret's hand to a cheering audience. The chapter of the Screwjob had finally come to a close, until McMahon kicked Bret right in the gut. A future interview would be kind of silly, "McMahon didn't kick Bret; Bret kicked Bret," well McMahon, there is photographic evidence that proves otherwise, plus video footage.