RAW Results: 3/1/10 - Bumps on 'Mania Road

D-X Testament

Shawn Michaels addressed the WWE Universe explaining how members of the locker room can't even look at him. At WrestleMania, Shawn will place his career against The Undertaker's Streak. His peers cannot bare to look at him because it has never been broken. The Streak is 17-0, and to bet against it is career suicide. Michaels then challenged anyone to come out and admit that they feel he can't win.

Queue in Triple-H. Of all the people, why Triple-H? Hunter flat out looked Michaels in the face and told him that he doesn't think, but he knows that he will end the streak. Triple-H has been in the business for over a decade and has fought everyone that there is to fight, but no one has been better than Shawn Michaels.

Then Triple-H suggested that D-X reform for one night in order to invoke their rematch clause for the Unified Tag Team Titles against ShoMiz. Shawn and Hunter have no need for the titles, but title contracts state that title holders have 30 days to defend them; 29 days from now is the RAW after WrestleMania. To Triple-H's testament, Shawn Michaels will have defeated the Streak, and celebrate in the only way that D-X can. The inspiring reply from Michaels gave us all hope, "I guess we have some tag team titles to win!"

Victor Von Orton and his creations
Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase Jr.

For a match perceived with great repute when first put together by 2010 WWE Hall of Fame inductee, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, WWE wasted an Orton-DiBiase Jr. match on free television, yet again. The first encounter, Randy Orton inched away a victory; the second time, he scored a pinfall by threatening DiBiase Jr. out of Legacy if he didn't. Then at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, Ted DiBiase Jr. shocked the WWE Universe by eliminating Orton thus costing him the WWE Title.

During the match, Ted DiBiase Jr. managed to get the upper hand by mirroring Orton's moves. Orton regained control by stomping DiBiase's wrist followed up by the infamous Randy Orton Stomps. Then Cody Rhodes, no doubt executing last week's original plan, interfered by attacking Orton. Yet, surprisingly, the crowd booed Legacy for attacking Orton, and cheered when Orton tossed DiBiase over the ropes and struck Rhodes with the inverted headlock backbreaker. Too much animosity has brewed between all three members that it has been announced that Orton will take on Rhodes and DiBiase Jr. in a handicap match next week on RAW.

Jack Swagger dominates Santino with authority
(Money in the Bank Qualifying Match) Jack Swagger vs. Santino Marella

If you blinked then you missed it, Jack Swagger quickly defeated Santino Marella with the Gut wrench powerbomb. Jack Swagger, along with Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, and Shelton Benjamin, will compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania. Can The All-American-American become Mr. Money in the Bank? Seeing as Swagger lost last year's Extreme Rules pay-per-view Triple-Threat match against Tommy Dreamer and Christian, will he be any better with ladders?

WrestleMania 21 crowned two champions, who became enemies

Remember when John Cena compared his WWE title loss to the non-kayfabe Montreal screw job? Bold words from a guy who was not there, but this week, John Cena is okay with Batista as the WWE Champion, for one reason. Because once again, John Cena's match at WrestleMania will be a championship main-event.

Batista reveals the reasons for his actions. Their main-event careers began at WrestleMania 21: John Cena winning the WWE Title, and Batista winning the World Heavyweight Title. But since then, their careers went completely different directions. John Cena is the face of the WWE; the perverbial torch from Steve Austin has been passed to Cena; Cena is on the cover of every magazine, appearing in every WWE promotion, and starring in movies (albeit bad).

Regardless of his lack of wrestling ability and his loud voiced interviews, in which he feels that he has to scream each word to get his point across, John Cena gives everything he has to the business. In their last encounter at Summerslam 2008, Batista injuried Cena's neck which required surgery; as soon as he was able to walk, Cena was backstage at RAW to see how things were going.

John Cena once considered Batista a friend, but their paths have crossed yet again, and this time the WWE Title will be on the line at WrestleMania.

Radio signal not as strong as on ECW
(Money in the Bank Qualifying Match) MVP vs. Zack Ryder

Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendes have signed with RAW, as announced during his match on WWE Superstars against Primo, and was placed in a Money in the Bank qualifying match against MVP. Zack Ryder's first night on RAW and he was already given the recognition that he deserves, right? Much like Swagger's win earlier, MVP easily disposed of Ryder with the Playmaker.

Zack Ryder has performed near brink of the edge matches against Christian on ECW; won a battle royal to be crowned the #1 contender for the ECW Title; ended the career of Tommy Dreamer; and battled Hurricane in his final matches before being released. How in the world is Ryder getting the Santino treatment?

The Money in the Bank competitors are as follows: Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Swagger, MVP, and 2 more spots remain. SmackDown and RAW are evenly matched thus far, so the best solution would be to add one more competitor from each brand.

Divas' Pajama Pillow Fight
Gail Kim, Kelly-Kelly, and Eve Torres vs. Maryse, Alicia Fox, and Jillian Hall

In a match issued by Guest Hosts, Cheech and Chong, after getting a sugar high on Hornswoggle's Lucky Charms breakfast cereal, featured Gail Kim (Hello Kitty jammies, type-casted), Kelly-Kelly, and Eve Torres against Maryse, Jillian Hall, and Alicia Fox. What was assumed to be a six-Diva tag team match turned into a free-for-all as the faces hit the faces, and the heels hit the other heels. Jillian Hall broke up the pillow fight by driving vicious clotheslines against every woman in the ring, friend or foe.

By the end of the match, Gail Kim almost won after connecting with Eat Defeat on Alicia Fox, but was dropped kicked out of the ring by Eve Torres. The match ended with Eve Torres connecting with a Seated Senton on Alicia Fox, thus being declared the winner. Looks like Eve has a better success rate than Chris Masters.

The 'Hart' of WrestleMania

Vince McMahon denied screwing Bret Hart at the Survivor Series 1997. Now, after twelve years, McMahon finally admits to it. Since coming back, Bret Hart has been kicked, spat, and humiliated. McMahon, at one final attempt to fill his ego, challenged Bret to a match at WrestleMania. A challenge issued weeks ago by Bret, and the only reason to accepting it now is because Bret has been forced onto a crutch again. The one fleeting passion that drove Bret into accepting this match, despite being hit by a car two weeks ago, is the seething pent up rage that has been stirring for 12 long years.

With about 10 years of ring rust, being a stroke victim, and old age wearing down Bret Hart, this match may be far from excellence. But Bret came back to the WWE, when he said he never would, to not only have one more WrestleMania moment, but to live up to his vow that he will never be pathetic again.

At WrestleMania: Bret "The Hitman" Hart versus Vince McMahon

Phenom mind games; Sheamus hunts The Game
(Unified Tag Team Title Match) ShoMiz vs. D-Generation X

D-Generation-X reformed, minus the D-X mascot, in order to take back their Unified Tag Team Titles, which would symbolize that Shawn Michaels will end the streak. But distractions, obsessions, and the awesomeness of The Miz, cost D-X the titles yet again. It was Deja Vu as Shawn Michaels remained seated in the ring with an agitated look, as Triple-H looked on in disbelief.

This match wasn't so much of a title match, but of a showcasing of what is to come at WrestleMania. Shawn Michaels was covered in a jackknife pin by The Miz, after being distracted by The Undertaker looking down from the titantron. Afterwards, Triple-H was ambused by Sheamus. Now, we know that Shawn Michaels will have his rematch against Taker at 'Mania, but where does Sheamus come in?

Sheamus did what many though was impossible, best John Cena for the WWE Championship at such an early stage in his career. He'd managed to sneak by some successful title defenses against Cena and Orton, but the Elimination Chamber was a different story. Sheamus managed to outlast the competition until he was the last of three competitors remaining inside the satanic structure. Almost eliminating John Cena from the match, Sheamus was pedigreed and eliminated by Triple-H instead. It is obvious that Sheamus wants to settle the score at WrestleMania, which would be another case of Pro vs. Rookie.

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?

RAW Results: 2/8/10

ECW vs. WWE, The Better Champion is...?

In two weeks, The WWE Champion Sheamus will have to defend his title inside the Elimination Chamber. There is a strong possibility that Sheamus will lose the title, but he demanded from RAW Guest Host Carl Edwards to make him the final entry into the Elimination Chamber.

You can close your eyes, but not against ECW Champion Christian who interrupted the WWE Champion. Christian remarked on Edge's appearance on RAW last week and mentioned that his Championship Match could either be for the WWE or World Heavyweight Champion, leaving him quite peeved that the ECW Title was not taken into consideration. But McMahon's announcement of the cancellation of ECW put the pieces together. In two weeks, all the ECW superstars become free agents, meaning they are free to join up any show they see fit, and Christian decided to test the waters on RAW before making his decision.

In order to test the waters, Christian demanded a match against Sheamus to see who the better champion was. Well, in two weeks, the ECW Title will become vacant, making Christian the final and longest running ECW Champion in WWE history.

As for the match, Christian is used to taking on opponents that outmatch him in size, but he usually relies on his speed and agility to get the job done. But what happens when your opponent is equally as fast? Christian held off Sheamus better than I have ever seen anyone do, and possibly one of my favorite Christian matches since his return in 2009. Christian even almost got the pin after a tornado DDT, but Sheamus powered out. In the end, Christian could not evade a second Bicycle kick, and the exclamation point, the Celtic Cross.

The New Unified Tag Team Champions - ShoMiz (Like Show-Biz)

Minutes... seconds... that's all it takes for titles to change hands, and it happened in a big way on Monday Night RAW. D-Generation-X put the Unified Tag Team Titles on the line against The Straightedge Society, and The Show-Miz in a Triple Threat Elimination Match.

First off, fabulous tag team match; and finally, WWE created a stipulation where three people in a tag team match could fight at the same time, unlike those Fatal Four-way Tag Team Matches where only two competitors are allowed in the ring at a time.

There was a nice mixture of wrestlers in the ring, from the middle-weights: Shawn vs. Miz vs. C.M. Punk and the heavyweights: Triple-H vs. Big Show vs. Luke Gallows. Then at times the combination was meshed, which is great because it allows fresh competition, instead of the stale matches week after week.

After C.M. Punk was super kicked and pinned by Shawn Michaels, team Straightedge were eliminated... thus leaving The Miz and The Big Show fending off against D-Generation-X. Shawn Michaels was occupied with trying to survive against Big Show, who would not let him tag in a fresh Triple-H. Show and Miz however were celebrating too early and taking Shawn Michaels too lightly. He is after all called Mr. WrestleMania for a reason, do not take him lightly, ever.

The tragic story concluded after Triple-H was finally tagged in, and D-X looked to retain their titles, but Shawn Michaels forced tagged himself back in.

The Miz used the distraction between Triple-H and Michaels arguing to roll Michaels up for the win.

The Miz made good on his promises to retain the United States Championship, which he did at The Royal Rumble, and to capture the Unified Tag Team Championships... something he was unable to do with his partner John Morrison during the title's fusion one-year ago at WrestleMania 25.

As for The Big Show, he not only found a new partner in The Miz, who treats him like a person, but is the only man in the WWE to become a 2-time Unified Tag Team Champion. And not only that, he was able to accomplish something that he could not with Chris Jericho, and that is defeat D-Generation-X.

Congratulations to ShoMiz on becoming the New Unified Tag Team Champions.

The Fall of D-X

Last week, Shawn Michaels incurred the worst 24-hours of his life as he lost the Royal Rumble and the qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber. Shawn Michaels dreams of another shot at ending Taker's Streak seemed to have vanished, but he could at least take solace that this would be the first WrestleMania for D-X, right...?

Triple-H had to burst Michaels' bubble by reminding him that though he didn't win his qualifying match, he did. Triple-H has been in five Elimination Chamber matches and won the last four. Winning chamber matches is what Triple-H does, and he will do what he does, and that is win the chamber match, become a 14-World Champion, and go on to headline WrestleMania.

It doesn't come as a surprise that Michaels made a bad decision call when he tagged himself in, costing D-X the Unified Tag Team Titles against ShowMiz. Michaels went to see Teddy Long, who was present to see Straightedge Society in the Triple Threat Elimination, on being traded to SmackDown and taking someone's entry spot in the Elimination Chamber. Michaels plans on moving to SmackDown, taking someone's spot, becoming the World's Champion, and defending his title at WrestleMania against The Undertaker, retaining and thus... end the streak. That's a tall order, however, Teddy is unable to fulfill Michaels' wish.

Triple-H encountered Michaels and demanded that he doesn't just through his career away over this obsession. But Michaels declared that his career was over, and superkicked Teddy Long.

Mole within Legacy?

Last week I spoke about Cody Rhodes and how there was something off with the way the WWE Championship match went down at the Royal Rumble. And now the plot thickens as Cody continues to dispute with Ted DiBiase Jr. and Randy Orton.

Unlike Ted, Cody Rhodes failed to secure a spot in the Royal Rumble and he attributes that loss based on the assigned opposition. Ted defeated Mark Henry, an opponent that all three members of Legacy have defeated on numerous occasions, to secure a spot in the Elimination Chamber; while Cody had to face John Cena in a losing effort. Cody proposed that he had a much tougher opponent, while DiBiase eased by.

Randy Orton then scheduled two matches for the night: DiBiase vs. John Cena, and Cody vs. Randy Orton.

Cody Rhodes' ring prowess has considerably changed, escalating in arrogance and intensity. And for those that have wondered, the reason Rhodes does not wear knee pads is to inflict more damage with his bony knees. Hence, when Cody slapped Orton's hand away from his face and then dropped kicked him, its his evolution.

Predictably, Orton delivered much needed punishment to Cody for costing him the title. A title match, in which Cody appeared to have wanted Orton to lose. If that's not enough to generate some rumors, then how about the fact that Sheamus showed up to distract Orton from an unsuspecting Cody Rhodes, who struck with Cross-Rhodes. Maybe Cody is working for Sheamus, or it can just be a coincidence.

As for Ted DiBiase's match, there was no match... only a beat down from John Cena.

WrestleMania Matches?

John Cena addressed the beat down he received from Batista last week, and called out Mr. McMahon. Vince claims that he didn't hire Batista to take him out, but it was by coincidence. Of course it was by coincidence, because no one told Cena to come to Bret's aid. Cena showed up Batista, and The Animal is not one to be shown up.

Will we indeed see a rematch from the SummerSlam 2008 encounter?

As for McMahon screwing Bret Hart last week yet again, Cena revealed that Bret wants nothing more than to have one more WrestleMania moment against Mr. McMahon. And Vince agreed to have that match, that was until Bret sneeked attacked him.

McMahon's final words were that he would not fight Bret at Mania, because Bret deserves to be screwed.

Thoughts on these pending WrestleMania matches are as follows:

John Cena vs. Batista: If John Cena fails to procure the WWE Title at the Elimination Chamber, this would mark Cena's first WrestleMania where he is not defending or contending for a title. As for Batista, he hasn't had a good WrestleMania since facing Taker at 'Mania 23, so the spotlight he so desires would be on him if he defeats John Cena. Batista defeated John Cena in their last match, and embarrassed him last week on RAW... could he do it again at WrestleMania?

Bret Hart vs. Mr. McMahon: A few months ago, Rowdy Piper wanted to wrestle Mr. McMahon, but he refused, saying that he was officially retired from wrestling. Yet, when it comes to a guy like Bret Hart, who sufferred a stroke a few years back, and looks physically incapable of wrestling another match, Mr. McMahon cannot wait to strap on his wrestling boots. Bret Hart appears to have gotten closure from Shawn Michaels, but when it comes to Mr. McMahon, they both still harbor hatred for one another. A WrestleMania bout between these two is a dream, but is that all it is? Bret Hart's stroke is not kayfabe, it's a serious disability hindering him from wrestling. The days of the Excellence of Execution are long behind him, and a physical match such as this could have some serious implications on his health.

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.

SmackDown Results: 12/25/09

Eight-Man "Christmas Bash" Tag Team Match. The opening bout featured John Morrison, Matt Hardy, R-Truth, and Finlay against Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Luke Gallows, and Dolph Ziggler. This match was evenly paired with the rising feuds on SmackDown: John Morrison is feuding with McIntyre over the Intercontinental Title; Matt and Truth are feuding with Punk and Gallows; while Finlay and Ziggler have just faced off against one another a few times. The story in the ring played well with each respected wrestler showing animosity against their respected rival. However, the pitfall that these large tag team matches usually fall into is that each superstar shows off their finishing maneuver instead of keeping to the story. Nevertheless, business picked up as Morrison attacked McIntyre and every other superstar that got in his way. The match ended with Morrison's Starship Pain unto Ziggler. Morrison is red hot on SmackDown, and very well he should be... not only is he cashing in his rematch clause for the Intercontinental Title next week against Drew McIntyre, but he is becoming a real powerhouse superstar.

Canadian Clash! The following promo was in regards to the credibility of The Hart Dynasty and their right to challenge D-Generation X for the Unified Tag Team Titles later in the evening. Chris Jericho, calling out the Harts, acknowledges their training, seeing as he also graduated from the infamous Stu Hart Dungeon, but what right do they have to challenge for the titles? Jericho and the Big Show never officially had their championship match, it was tarnished by DX in a technicality of an intentional disqualification. However, DX cut the promo short in order to make fun of Jericho and to plug in more DX merch. Jericho is right, DX do not know how to take anything seriously. He also told Hart Dynasty that if they want to make it in this business they have to make an impact... and that's exactly what they did as they set Jericho up for the Hart Attack. A heel vs heel confrontation does not usually take place, but when it does it makes a greater impact than two friends fighting for the spirit of competition...

Karma Strikes 619. The following match was for the World Heavyweight Championship, The Undertaker defending his title against The Master of the 619 Rey Mysterio. The Undertaker had a distinct height advantage over Rey Mysterio, which is usually the case but it's 6'10 versus 5'6. That's a difference of over one foot. However, Mysterio looked more focused and aggressive as the match went on with arerial assaults that would bring The Man from the Dark Side down to his knees. Mysterio relied on his quickness and speed to evade Taker's strikes, and managed to get the Undertaker down for two 619's. Yet, Undertaker's prowess in the ring is unlike any other superstar, which has led to such a phenominal streak at WrestleMania. But before the match could see a decisive victor, Batista entered the ring and attacked The Undertaker. The title can only switch hands via pinfall or submission, and it looks like Mysterio is still paying for the damage he cost Batista at the Bragging Rights Fatal Four-Way Match. Nevertheless, Mysterio left on top as he delivered a 619 to his former best friend, The Animal Dave Batista.

Cryme Tyme fighting jobbers? A preliminary tag team bout accord with Cryme Tyme taking on a local tag team. JTG and Shad Gaspard have already proven to be an established tag team in the WWE, why not fight an actual tag team? Well the answer is because, aside from The Hart Dynasty, there are no other heel tag teams on SmackDown. This would have been a great opportunity to slap together two other WWE superstars, who have not seen the light of television in quite some time, to get some air time. What about Charlie Haas? He's still a part of the SmackDown roster. We could have seen Charlie Haas and Eric Escobar or Kane and Mikie Knox take on Cryme Tyme. Heck, WWE could have even brought over ECW's Trent Barretta and Caylen Croft, but instead WWE hired two local athletes to miserably lose to Cryme Tyme.

Turmoil for Mickie James. The Diva Tag Team Match featured Mickie James and 2009 Diva of the Year winner Maria against Layla and last year's Diva of the Year Beth Phoenix. Prior to the match, McCool and Layla gave Mickie James a membership to Jenny Craig, further implying that Mickie's fat. She allowed McCool to get the best of her and it showed throughout the match. Her tag team partner, Maria since returning to SmackDown, has won the Slammy for Diva of the Year, but the question remains, what impact will she make to prove that she belongs in the title picture? As of right now, Mickie and McCool are dominating the women's title storyline; however, after Mickie pinned Layla, Beth Phoenix made an impact by slamming Mickie James into the side of the SmackDown announce table. Michelle McCool looked on in fear as Beth Phoenix glared on to a fallen Mickie and a scared Women's Champion. Obviously, Mickie James lost her composure after the match when she tried attacking McCool, but The Glamazon putting the SmackDown roster on notice that she is the most dominate woman in the WWE and will be the next Women's Champion.

Rookie mistakes cost Dynasty. The main event was for the Unified Tag Team Championships as D-Generation X defended their newly won tag team gold against The Hart Dynasty. This was a phenominal match as the two veterans of the WWE took on the company's future. From the mid-80's to the late 90's, WWE fans grew up to teams like The British Bulldogs and numerous renditions of the Hart Foundation - but cut through the turn of the century and one tag team that still remains is D-Generation X. Sure, DX has gone through some changes but the two main heirarchy still remains, while the offsprings of the British Bulldogs and Hart Foundation have formed the Hart Dynasty. It was a testament of Youth versus Wisdom as these two teams fought for the coveted Unified Tag Team Titles. Triple H, mocking the finishing move of Davey Boy Smith, applied a standing vertical suplex to Tyson Kidd. But, push comes to shove, DH Smith returned the jeer by putting Triple H in a standing vertical suplex. And what Matt Striker said was dead on, sure Triple H did the move to Tyson, but Smith did it to Triple H that speaks a lot about the abilities of the son of the Britsh Bulldog. Tyson, for the most part, had Shawn Michaels scouted as he played pasum for Michaels executing an elbow drop, and rolling out of the way at the percise moment. The evasion was followed up by a springboard neck breaker. Even Smith attacked the lower back of Michaels on the outside of the ring. But when it came to crunch time, the Hart Dynasty couldn't pull through. DH Smith set up Triple H for the Hart Attack, and Tyson followed suit but failed to knock HBK out of the corner - thus allowing Michaels to break the 3-count. If Tyson would have knocked HBK onto the floor, then we would be looking at new Unified Tag Team Champions. Despite the loss, The Hart Dynasty proved in this episode of SmackDown that they deserve to be recognized and will one day hold the gold.

WWE's TLC Concept Crowns Three Champions; Orton's Ban Broken!

ECW Ladder Match: Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin. Christian has been the ECW Champion since Night of Champions back in July! He is the second longest - current - champion within the WWE. Christian has defended against William Regal, Yoshi Tatsu, Zack Ryder - but Shelton was a true test. Shelton Benjamin has been in numerous ladder matches, including 4 out of the 5 Money in the Bank matches at WrestleMania! I really thought Shelton had Christian's number. I have spoken before of WWE in talks of changing the ECW Brand name, and possibly having Christian as the final known ECW Title holder since he won it in the original ECW's hometown. Christian wanted to steal the show at TLC, but McMahon would not let that happen; hence, why ECW Title matches usually open up the PPVs. But what better way to open up a TLC PPV then with a Ladder match?

Intercontinental Title Match: John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre. Drew McIntyre has been undefeated since being signed to SmackDown by the Chairman of the Board, Vincent Kennedy McMahon. He has defeated R-Truth, Jimmy Wang Yang, Finlay - and as of two weeks ago - IC Champion, John Morrison. Sure, McIntyre had the assistance of the metal support beam underneath the ring, but a wins a win within the WWE. John Morrison has been on a pay-per-view losing streak since Bragging Rights. He lost to The Miz at Bragging Rights, then lost to The Miz's team at the Survivor Series, and now he has lost the Intercontinental Title to Drew McIntyre. Prior to Mysterio's suspension from the WWE, it was rumored that Dolph Ziggler would go over at the Breaking Point PPV, but it was sidelined and given to John Morrison instead. The Guru of Greatness brought a lot of prestige back to the IC title, but with McIntyre now as the champion, it is believed that Morrison will move on to the main event scene on SmackDown - about damn time! Congrats to Drew McIntyre as the New Intercontinental Champion.

Women's Title Match: Michelle McCool vs. Mickie James. Christian may be the second longest current reigning champion, but McCool is the longest, period. Michelle McCool won the Women's Title against current Divas' Champion, Melina at The Bash (a pay-per-view no longer in existence as of next year). It's the PPV where McCool won her Divas' Title (2008) and now her Women's Title (2009). Mickie James is a four-time Women's Champion and was looking to win big tonight at the TLC PPV. She not only wanted the title, but she also wanted to shut McCool's "Piggy James" taunts. The announcers were solely behind Mickie James' not being fat, except for Striker, who finds the whole thing quite hilarious. Mickie couldn't win the title, because McCool is being put over as a huge heel, and to lose the title in the first match? Like I mentioned in the predictions, this is a feud that can culminate onto the Grandest Stage of them All - WrestleMania. It would be great to see another Mickie James match at WrestleMania before she hangs up her wrestling boots for good. A title win for James at the show of shows, where she won her first title 6 years ago, would be historic.

WWE Tables Match: John Cena vs. Sheamus. On November 23rd, Vesse Ventura set up a Breakthrough Star Battle Royal in order to tear down the tyranny of the Corporate Champion, John Cena. Guys like Ventura never got title shots because they didn't follow the rules, so The Governor jump started this revolution. Sheamus was declared the #1 Contender and powerbombed John Cena through a table during the contract signing. John Cena failed to realize the threat that a Celtic Warrior can have on his title. John Cena has defeated all that there was to beat - and like Orton - John Cena knew no threat. On October 13th, Sheamus, while on ECW, made a speech about Shelton Benjamin's mediocre career in regards to his future, "I, on the other hand, I will make it to the top of the WWE. And Shelton, well, let's just say, I'm going to use him as a stepping stone to get there. ... And at the end, there will only be one man standing at the top - ME, The Celtic Warrior, Sheamus." Who would have guessed that on June 30th, 2009, ECW, when they signed Sheamus to the WWE, that the age of the Celtic Warrior would have revealed itself so soon? John Cena has gone to war with the best that the business had to offer, but Sheamus didn't have to pin nor submit to become champion, all he had to do was throw someone through a table. It was by John Cena's own hand that he fell through the table, he attempted a suplex from the top turnbuckle, but was shoved by Sheamus. On RAW, Carlito, along with all the other superstars that can't stand John Cena, rallied behind a new comer like Sheamus to take the WWE Championship - and it finally occurred. The Age of the Celtic Warrior is upon us! Sheamus IS your new WWE Champion!

World Heavyweight Chairs Match: Undertaker vs. Batista. The Animal has had a complete change of heart since Bragging Rights. Rey Mysterio cost him the WHT and decided to cut ties from his best friend at the Survivor Series. And just this past Friday, Batista destroyed Mysterio in a Street Fight - with an actual conclusion. Batista even told the fans how Evolution just helped him learn the game, but he has always been about title wins and money - never cared a lick about the fans. Great, cause I don't give a damn about Batista. It's amazing how many people cheered for Batista to beat up Mysterio - kinda makes you think that I was right about Mysterio all along. Batista has been merciless towards delivering chair-shots to his opponent, The Undertaker. The Deadman actually looked really weak the last couple of SmackDowns. Taker had no great speech lined up, like he did towards CM Punk - Batista is not about speeches, we know the feud, we live on this feud. WrestleMania 23 jump started this feud, and now Batista is heel, so the gloves are off! And Batista was declared the World Heavyweight Champion! - until Teddy Long called for a restart because he noticed that Batista used a low blow. The last time we saw a restart from Long, Undertaker was the victim, but it was Batista who fell to the Tombstone Pile Driver! 1-2-3, Undertaker was declared STILL, your World Heavyweight Champion.

Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston. Mark Cuban called this the rubber match, since the score was 1-1, but if he was truly paying attention, the score was in Kingston's favor. Kofi cost Orton Legacy's assistance at Bragging Rights, humiliated him at MSG, and knocked him out at the Survivor Series. Kofi had all the momentum going into this match, and Kofi should have also remembered that at Unforgiven 2008, Legacy attacked Kofi, when trying to protect CM Punk (babyface at the time). Kingston had enough momentum going into this match, but Orton is much stronger. And as I mentioned before, this match would culminate into a shattering RKO. Randy Orton is the best super heel in the business today. Orton has gone to war with Triple H and John Cena, possibly the two top competitors in the WWE. Orton will not go down easily, especially to Kofi Kingston. And the news that all RKO-Fans have been waiting for, since John Cena is no longer the WWE Champion, Randy Orton can now challenge Sheamus for the WWE Title, the ban has been broken!

Unified Tag Team TLC Match: Jeri-Show vs. DX. For weeks, Chris Jericho had made speeches upon speeches of how DX have never been in a TLC Match, nor have ever held the tag team titles as a team. Jericho, along with his greatest weapon - The Big Show - were looking to make sure that never happened. Before this night, there were eight recorded TLC Matches within the WWE, Jericho has been involved in two, winning only one. Big Show, despite never being in a TLC or winning a ladder match, proved to be a devastating force against DX. But you're talking about a team with the man who was in the very first ladder match in the WWE, Shawn Michaels. You are talking about the man that turn heads at WrestleMania X, with a ladder match that is STILL spoken about to THIS day! Shawn Michaels is the innovator of Ladder Matches, but none of the four competitors in that ring, innovated the TLC Match; that honor belongs to Edge & Christian, The Hardyz, and The Dudley Boys. You see, that's what TLC was made for, it was made for tag team titles, not for World Title matches! Don't get me wrong, all TLC Matches have been great, but its pure majesty comes from four or more competitors raising hell in the ring with the agents of destruction: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. I wish I could chronicle this match, speak of all the great spots that occurred, but it wouldn't do justice to this match. But by match's end, The Big Show propped Jericho on his shoulders to reach the belts... But DX knocked them out, Triple H held one half of a ladder, while Michaels climbed to the top - and unhooked the Unified Tag Team Belts! That's right, ever since their first formation in 1997, Triple H and Shawn Michaels have never held the tag team titles as a team; and what could be better than holding the Unified Tag Team Belts? DX can now appear on all three WWE brands, causing trouble, promoting merchandise, and just plain SmackTALK! Chris Jericho can no longer appear on RAW, unless drafted. Since October 5th, when Ben Rosthlisberger pitted DX and Jeri-Show together, this feud would culminate into a spectacular TLC Match, in a PPV concept that WWE got right. Not many people are happy with the results on tonight's PPV, but I am. So Congrats to the DX Army, your generals are now decorated with Unified Tag Team Gold.

John Cena Screws Up; JeriShow Remain Unified; Truthfully, McIntyre Won

The following match was for the Unified Tag Team Titles: Chris Jericho and The Big Show vs. Batista and Rey Mysterio. This reunion is a little offsetting, seeing as Batista was brought over to SmackDown to be in the World Title picture, while Mysterio was just suspended for failing the wellness policy. It was a spur of the moment kind of deal to match these two up again in hopes to wrangle up some more ticket and ppv sales. It was quite irresponsible for WWE to place Mysterio in a title match, when he was just suspended. Also, Batista and Mysterio did not win any qualifying matches to contest for the titles, it was solely on the basis of Batista pinning Jericho and then beating Big Show via disqualification. With not much to base this feud on, Batista and Mysterio did what every opposing tag team has done so far, isolate Jericho and hope for the best; but in the end, it's Big Show who is the deciding factor. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that JeriShow have retained their titles time and time again... but it's always the same ending! Big Show clobbers someone with the KO Punch and the match is over. I'd like to see a Code Breaker or a Walls of Jericho win a match once in a while. You know... to shake things up! Now seeing as WWE is upset with CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler lost to John Morrison, it appears that the reunion may have been a one time deal as Batista and Mysterio may set off on their own paths in pursuit of single titles.

The second Hell in a Cell Match was for the WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Randy Orton. Now, it's one thing to open up the show with a World Title match, but to have the last World Title match thrown into the middle of the pay-per-view... what were they thinking? John Cena has been going on about how this was Orton's final chance at the WWE Title. Really? Cause Orton could just win another contender's match and instant title shot! But usually when the Champion says it’s the challenger’s final chance - you can usually put your money on the challenger. Randy Orton not only pinned, but he punted Cena's skull for the title win. Consider this as the match that never took place at No Mercy 2007. Randy Orton has only been in one Hell in a Cell match in his career - one more than Cena - but he lost to The Undertaker. But after last night's victory, he is now 1-1. Now, the WWE Creative staff were rattling their brains on how to make each hell in a cell unique, while still trying to keep to WWE’s PG environment. The theme of the ppv "Monster" by Skillet, was about Orton and what he would do to become Champion again even if it meant shedding some blood. However, things didn't go as planned as John Cena lost the blade mid-match. What is this blade you ask? Well, in wrestling, wrestlers hide a small blade in their wrist band or trunks to insert a small cut for the bleeding effect. Apparently, creative team got the ok to show blood on TV and it would’ve been a great effect if it wasn’t for Cena. Despite how things went down, it was still a brutal match that kept to the PG standards.

The Drew McIntyre and R-Truth match was added less than 24 hours to the pay-per-view. It is unsure whether this or the Divas Title defense was meant to fill the void of an ECW match, but it was rather pointless. Drew McIntyre connected his Double Underhook DDT for the quick victory. It was not so much a match as it was a replay of the segments seen on SmackDown. McIntyre does not have an impressive ring persona and hopes that changes soon.

Hell in a Cell Predictions

R-Truth vs. Drew McIntyre

Prediction: Drew McIntyre

Divas Title Match

Prediction: Mickie James Retains

Unified Tag Team Titles Match

Prediction: JeriShow Retain

Triple Threat Match for United States Championship

Prediction: Jack Swagger new US Champion

Intercontinental Title Match

Prediction: John Morrison Retains

Hell in a Cell Match

Prediction: D-Generation X

World Heavyweight Title: Hell in a Cell Match

Prediction: CM Punk Retains

WWE Championship: Hell in a Cell Match

Prediction: Randy Orton becomes the new WWE Champion

Unified Tag Team, ECW, and US Champions Retain at Breaking Point

Last Night at Breaking Point – a new concept where the main events are submission type matches – witnessed the official formation of MVP and Mark Henry; Titles Retained, Points Made; a New Champion; and a Screw Job.

The first match was for the Unified Tag Team Titles, now reckon, this was not fought under submission rules. This was a clean cut match, well as clean cut as you can get when dealing with Chris Jericho and The Big Show.

Now, Mark Henry and MVP may not have won the belts, but they looked like Champions last night. They entered the ring with matching uniforms. As of last Mark Henry has been sporting red and, last night, Montel Vontavious Porter did the same. The two superstars had their monograms styled on their backs: MVP and WSM (World’s Strongest Man).

The match started up strong with the challengers isolating Jericho in the corner. They acted quickly, with quick tags. However, when Big Show got into the ring, Henry tried power slamming The World’s Largest Athlete again, but to no avail.

Despite the great effort by these two, and the fluid motion and agility – a K.O. Punch to the side of Mark Henry leaves Jericho to pin The World’s Strongest Man.

Mind you, the referee had his back turned, but that’s just smart tag team action. You do what ever you can to get the win, no matter what. To some that’s more of a way of life than just a motivation.

The ECW Championship match was longer than 8-seconds, but it came at a price. The match clearly stated that William Regal would have both Kozlov and Jackson at ringside. Seeing as this is Breaking Point – over coming the odds would be Christian’s breaking point. However, Tiffany notified the referee prior to the match that both Kozlov and Jackson would be banned from the arena, leaving Regal to fly solo.

William Regal had all the momentum going into this match – with great promos and a legion of followers – it was wrong of Tiffany to ban them from ringside. Most of the great heels of our generation have a legion or lackeys that help them out. Just like Orton has Legacy and Edge had La Familia – Regal has his United Front.

Christian retained his title with a Killswitch that left William Regal down for the 1-2-3.

The Breaking Point pay-per-view featured a United States Title match, that was added to the card just over the weekend – as WWE found it wiser to build the feud with John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler – seeing as Rey Mysterio is suspended so the initial Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler could not take place.

WWE ruined the build up for the US Title during The American Dream’s day of hosting – putting on a Fatal Four Way with all the possible contenders. The build up was rushed and left for a descent title match.

It wasn’t until WWE Superstars 9/10/09 that The Miz made his re-statement. In a tag team match with The Miz teaming with Jack Swagger against Kofi Kingston and Primo, The Miz pinned the Jamaican Superstar with The Skull Crushing Finale.

However, The Miz failed, once again, to capture the United States Title. Maybe John Morrison is right – out of their success: John Morrison, by winning the Intercontinental Title, is the Shawn Michaels, and The Miz is the Marty Jannety.

Predictions: WWE Presents Breaking Point!

United States Title Match

Prediction: Kofi Kingston Retains

ECW Title Match

Prediction: William Regal becomes new ECW Champion

Kane vs. The Great Khali

Prediction: Kane Wins.

Submission Counts Anywhere Match

Prediction: D-Generation X Wins.

Unified Tag Team Title Match

Prediction: Chris Jericho and Big Show Retains

"I Quit" Match for WWE Title

Prediction: John Cena becomes new WWE Champion

Submission Match for World Heavyweight Title

Prediction: The Undertaker becomes the New World Heavyweight Champion

MVP Slams Swagger; Jeri-Show Stops Cryme Tyme; The Big Red Machine Triumphs

The next match was “The All American-American” Jack Swagger vs. “Montel Vontavious Porter” MVP.

Prior to the match, the two competitors were interviewed by ECW commentator, Josh Matthews. When asked how each would fare in the match-up, Swagger responded that he was better and at least does not have a criminal record; MVP retorted that after tonight, he would take him back to school.

MVP may have been the longest reigning United States Champion back on Smackdown, but Jack Swagger became the ECW Champion after four months with the WWE.

However, it was street smarts that gave MVP the win over Swagger as he executed with the Play Maker.

These two superstars are the future of RAW and seeing as WWE is in crisis mode because of the lack of depth in their RAW main event matches – look no further because Jack Swagger and MVP are ready to become the new faces of RAW.

Ever since winning the #1 contendership match against The Hart Dynasty – Cryme Tyme has been on a role. Especially since JTG pinned Chris Jericho in one-on-one match-up! However, their luck started to change when JTG tapped out to Big Show in their one-on-one – But let’s face it, the Big Show is a Colossal Giant that cannot be taken down by either JTG or Shad Gaspard.

Cryme Tyme were even on the side of the losing team in the six-man tag team match on the last Smackdown prior to SummerSlam.

This match marked their second tag team title match – the first being against Priceless for the World Tag Team Titles, and it ended the same way.

Cryme Tyme actually impressed a lot of people by being able to stand toe to toe with the JeriShow combination – but Jericho and Show are more experienced in a WWE ring than the Word-Up crew.

Some may call what they did cheating – I call it team work. With Big Show knocking out Gaspard and JTG submitting to The Walls of Jericho, it was all over.

Congrats on Jericho and Big Show on retaining their titles because together they are the best in the world at what they do.

Next was the battle of the giants – no, not the football team, but two real giants.

Kane entered the ring in the glow of the red lights, while Khali entered with his brother Runjin Singh.

The match up was actually quite dull, a repeat of the snooze-fest that was their match up in Wrestlemania 23.

Kane prevailed after catching Khali off guard when he held Singh hostage.

Singh proved to be a distraction and a liability that caused Khali to lose the match. Kane went for a low drop kick and a destructive DDT.

Hopefully this feud can just end, unless Khali intends on learning actual wrestling moves – please WWE spare us.

Predictions: WWE Presents SummerSlam!

The Biggest Party of the Summer - This Summer's Wrestlemania!

ECW Championship Match

It was a major upset when Christian captured the gold in Tommy Dreamer's old stomping grounds of Philadelphia. However, Christian claims that he is ready to be the face of ECW. But with William Regal as the #1 Contender, he has two BIG reasons why he should be champion: Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson. After the devastation that Regal has caused to both Tommy Dreamer and Christian, will he walk out as Champion?

Article(s) to Read: William Regal's Extreme Alliance, The Rise of the Distinguished Gentleman, Christian Outmatches Dreamer in Extreme, Christian Leaves Birthplace as ECW Champion

Prediction: Christian Retains.

The Great Khali vs. Kane

Since coming back at The Bash, Kane has stopped at nothing to destroy Khali. The feud has been thinly spread for the past 2 months, as the battle between the two of them is hopefully to be a bigger clash than the one at Wrestlemania 23. With Kane holding all the momentum, after torturing Khali's brother and translator, Runjin Singh - will Kane win?

Article(s) to Read: Runjin Singh... Why so Serious?, Kane Returns

Prediction: The Great Khali wins.

Unified Tag Team Championship Match

Cryme Tyme's JTG has been on a role lately, pinning D.H. Smith to qualify for the title match and pinning one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho. But JTG has suffered a crushing submission to Big Show's Colossal Clutch and was part of the losing team this past Friday's Six Man Tag Match: Cyme Tyme & Rey Mysterio vs. The Unified Tag Team Champions & Dolph Ziggler. But can Cryme Tyme pull a major upset and finally capture gold?

Article(s) to Read: WWE Should Develop II: Tag Team Edition, Shaq Clocks in on Monday Night RAW, Chris Jericho and Big Show New Unified Tag Team Champions

Prediction: Chris Jericho and Big Show retain.

MVP vs. Jack Swagger

These two have had different lives. MVP did some time when he was an adolescent and Jack Swagger was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. MVP may have been the longest reigning United States Champion on Smackdown, but Jack Swagger became the ECW Champion in four months of signing his WWE contract. These two have battled before and Swagger has walked away the victor. But MVP is not one to walk away from a challenge.

Article(s) to Read: The Animal Dave Batista in Charge of RAW

Prediction: MVP wins.

Intercontinental Championship Match

Dolph Ziggler is a rising star in the WWE, defeating many reputable opponents - even pinning his SummerSlam opponent this past Friday during the Six Man Tag Match. But Rey Mysterio has been politicking that he keeps his IC title, because he wants a longer title reign instead of the transitional World Heavyweight Paper Champion days.

Article(s) to Read: Dolph Ziggler becomes #1 Contender, Ziggler continues to be Heel, Ziggler scheduled to win, but Mysterio Retains

Prediction: Rey Mysterio retains.

WWE Championship Match

No one knows who really forced Orton to tap, but the following Monday Night on RAW, John Cena beat the clock and will enter Los Angeles as the #1 Contender for the WWE Championship. A title which he hasn't held since October of 2007 whence he held the title for an astounding 380 days. Now, business picks up as he faces the man that took him out of action, causing the title to be vacant at No Mercy 2007. Despite having the entire locker room attack John Cena during Piven's LumberJack Match - Cena proves unstoppable.

Article(s) to Read: Freddy Prince Jr. Hosts RAW, Jeremy Piven Hosts RAW, John Cena Becomes #1 Contender, Randy Orton Retains at Night of Champions

Prediction: John Cena will be the new WWE Champion.

D-Generation X vs. Legacy

There is a question on everyone's mind and that is.... ARE YOU READY? No, I don't think you heard me, I said ARE YOU READY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I certainly am. But it's been a tiring effort for Triple H and Shawn Michaels to build up Legacy. It's crisis mode in the WWE, where RAW, being so busy with celebrity hosting, has failed to build up anyone. So it's up to DX to build up some people. Because if Smackdown can build up John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, and Rey Mysterio can build up the IC Title; while over on ECW, they can build guys like Zack Ryder, Goldust, William Regal, Vladimir Kozlov, and Ezekiel Jackson - Are you kidding me! So this is why Legacy seems stronger than DX, but doing sneak attacks on the two. If Rated-RKO could not defeat DX, if The Greatest Tag Team of the 21st Century (John Morrison and The Miz) could not defeat DX, then what can Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. do?

Article(s) to Read: D-Generation X is Back! Are You Ready?, WWE Should Develop II

Prediction: D-Generation X

TLC for the World Heavyweight Title

GM Theodore Long stated that TLC is Jeff's specialty, why? Because the Hardys made the TLC match famous. Jeff Hardy has been in more ladder matches than anyone in the WWE. Jeff lives his life in the unforgivable steel of the ladders, the clashing of steel chairs, and the crushing splinters of tables. Yet, CM Punk has been in a few ladder matches of his own - namely the last three Money in the Bank ladder matches at Wrestlemania - where, in the last two years, he's won the MitB contract and cashed it in twice to become a 2-time World Heavyweight Champion. It's because of his last MitB contract that this feud started. It's a match up of two lifestyles but which one will prevail?

Article(s) to Read: Has Jeff Hardy Decided to stay with WWE?, Matt Hardy Makes Amends, TLC Match for SummerSlam Revealed, CM Punk Paints Baltimore Red with Hardy's Blood, Jeff Hardy: The Swanton Bomb that Defied the World

Prediction: Jeff Hardy retains.