General Round-Up - The first of 2007

Bam Bam Bigelow found dead at his home

Posted on WWE.com:

“We can confirm that Scott Bigelow was found in his home this morning. At this time the cause of death is unknown,” Kevin Doll of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office told WWE.com.

An autopsy will be performed on Bigelow’s body; the body is already in the custody of the county’s medical examiner.

Bigelow worked for WWE, WCW and ECW during his professional wrestling tenure. He is best known for his feud (and eventual WrestleMania main-event) with Lawrence Taylor."

Obviously my thoughts are with his family at this time.

Plenty of releases by WWE

So far, the following have gone:

• Tatanka
• Sylvester Terkay
• Christopher W. Anderson
• Jazz
• Rodney Mack
• Tony Mamaluke
• The Bashams
• Al Snow (from active wrestling; he remains with the company)
• The Gymini
• Gangrel

There are also reports that there will be more. Ultimately most of these were not seen on TV much, so it will not have a great impact. Still, I would like to see a bit more of the dross out, and an end to the Raw/Smackdown split.

The brand split should be with ECW, and ECW should be just that - a different brand of wrestling.

Speaking of ECW...

ECW house shows to remain absent

Initially the plan was to have the ECW house shows return after WrestleMania. However, as the roster gets smaller it seems that this is no longer a priority, and reports are suggesting that there will be no return for the house shows.

Quite frankly I do not think this is a bad thing. They should worry about sorting the TV product, first and foremost.

General round-up, 29th November

Rowdy Roddy Piper has been diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer. The cancer was revealed in a biopsy conducted after the 52-year-old wrestler underwent disc surgery.

“It seems like I have been fighting someone, something, someplace, in some manner, my whole life. But this fight, is one I am gonna win!” Piper, who is upbeat about battling the cancer, said on his website.

I am sure you will join me in wishing 'The Rowdy One' all the very best.

Jim Ross has signed a new contract with WWE. With the amount of mistakes that he has been making lately though, I wonder how long the veteran can carry on. Hopefully it is just a phase...!

Although Amy “Lita” Duma ended her run as a World Wrestling Entertainment talent, she is not yet done with the wrestling business.

Maryland Championship Wrestling Bookings announced Monday that she will be available for independent dates after December 1.

Ther are reports that Ric Flair will be embarking on a hiatus from WWE television, which explains the events involving his character on Monday’s RAW.

Fueling the hiatus is the fact that Flair is set to be involved in a messy divorce battle with his ex-wife that could get mainstream coverage.

The degree to which Flair himself pushed for the hiatus, as opposed to it being a call strictly from WWE management, is unknown, but there is a general feeling that the time off is for the best.

As speculated, Candice Michelle does appear to have received a very bad injury to her nose as a result of the womens battle royale on Raw.

Finally, in results from Survivor Series:

'Team Legends' beat 'Team Spirit Squad' in an as-good-as-could-be-expected opener
Chris Benoit beat Chavo Guerrero in a decent, but surprisingly short, US Title defence
In her final WWE bout, Lita dropped the title to Mickie James in a good womens match
'Team DX' defeated 'Team Rated RKO' with a full strength team in a passable match. This was more funny than anything - HBK was quite a hoot! - but did not do a lot for the existing feuds
Mr Kennedy defeated Undertaker in a decent First Blood match
'Team Cena' beat 'Team Big Show' in an ok match
Finally, Batista defeated Booker T to reclaim the World Heavyweight Title in an average bout. On the bright side, it was better than their other recent efforts.

General round-up, 18th November

The full line-up for Survivor Servies has now been revealed:

In addition to the two matches I have already announced, there will also be:

(World Champion) Booker T vs Batista

(US Champion) Chris Benoit vs Chavo Guerrero

(Womens Champion) Lita vs Mickie James

Mr Kennedy vs Undertaker

Legends Team: Ric Flair (Captain), Rowdy Roddy Piper, Sgt Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes (with Arn Anderson) vs Spirit Squad: Kenny (Captain), Mikey, Johnny, Nicky (With Mitch)

HOWEVER, WWE confirmed on Friday that Roddy Piper will miss the Survivor Series PPV . The wrestler, who was sent home from WWE’s tour of the United Kingdom, was hospitalized in Oregon to undergo surgery. His original diagnosis was kidney stones, but sources now believe his surgery is due to disc problems. Ric Flair will now be the lone captain of the Legends team; Kenny will captain The Spirit Squad.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan is likely to take the last spot, though nothing has been confirmed. Hey, maybe Vince will bring in the Ultimate Warrior...!

WWE.com announced that the company met with PRIDE FC Friday:

“Earlier today, WWE officials and members of the group PRIDE had a meeting at WWE global headquarters in Stamford, Conn. The meeting focused on the possibility of the two groups doing some form of business together in the future.

World Wrestling Entertainment is a multimedia conglomerate with a presence in films, music, and sports-entertainment around the world. Known for its unique brand of competition, PRIDE is a major championship mixed martial arts organization based in Japan.”

On the subject of MMA, in an interview with Bubba The Love Sponge, Kurt Angle responded to recent comments from Daniel Puder by saying he would fight Puder on Bubba’s show for free if permitted to do so by TNA’s Dixie Carter.

Angle said that after winning the fight he would pull down his shorts and rub his balls in Puder’s face. He followed the statement up by saying he’d also let his wife urinate and defecate on Puder’s face.

The Olympic Gold Medalist also shed light on his negotiations with UFC, saying that Dana White privately expressed confidence that Angle could knock the limited Puder out in the first round.

The interview, in which Angle plugged TNA’s primetime special, also featured the wrestler calling Puder a “moron” and “piece of shit.”

Finally, WWE have signed TNA Star Monty Brown. Brown was not long ago seen as potentially the man to carry TNA, so this could well be an excellent aquistion for Vince & co.

Confirmed Matches For Survivor Series (and other news)

First things first - I did a general round-up on the 4th November, which appears to have gone missing. Well done Blogger. AGAIN.

Any more rubbish and I will be moving my 'Blogger' blogs to either Xanga, Wordpress or Blogrig.

Anyway - this can be viewed by clicking on this link, but it has mysteriously disappeared from the front page.

Right, on with this post...

Survivor Series

Confirmed matches so far:

Team DX vs Team Edge & Orton

Team DX: Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, CM Punk

Team Edge & Orton: Edge, Randy Orton, Johnny Nitro, Gregory Helms, Mike Knox

Team Cena vs Team Big Show

Team Cena: John Cena, Kane, Bobby Lashley, Rob Van Dam, Sabu

Team Big Show: Big Show, Test, MVP, Finlay, Umaga

Each afternoon this week, wwe.com will announce a new match, running all the way through till Monday.

In Other News...

Firstly, I am quite pleased that Survivor Series is going back to it's traditional format. In this day age of too many PPV's, 'the big 4' are in danger of getting lost in the shuffle. Now, that is certainly true of SummerSlam, but WrestleMania always has a 'big event' feel. The other two have a distinct advantage - Royal Rumble has the Rumble itself, and now Survivor Series going back to the traditional format means that once again it should have the feel of a big event.

Also, one of the attractions of the old-school Survivor Series matches was that we never used to see the big stars all team-up like that. With the teams coming across all three brands, it now means that once again we will see some matches that would not really just happen on any of the shows.

See, sometimes the writers do put in a bit of effort...

In a recent interview Kurt Angle stated that he could defeat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell with only six months of MMA training. Angle also said that he could beat the current #1 contender for Liddell’s belt, Tito Ortiz.

I seriously wonder about Angle. I mean, it should be noted that this is the same Kurt Angle who was rocked and lost teeth from a worked - albeit wreckless - John Cena punch. At one time, there is no doubt that he would have been able to seriously compete - and quite possibly beat - Liddell, Ortiz and any other MMA competitor on the planet. But realistically, with his body the way it is, he should leave alone any thoughts of MMA competition. Just look at what happened with Daniel Puder.

Speaking of Puder, in an interview with Bubba The Love Sponge, he once again called out Kurt. Puder, currently a fighter for the Strikeforce promotion, reiterated the challenge that he would wager his entire purse that he could beat Kurt Angle in an MMA fight. He furthered his claim by saying if no deal could be worked out with an actual MMA promotion, he would fight Angle in his backyard and bow down to the gold medalist if he lost. Bubba, who is friends with Angle, got on the offensive against Puder, claiming the only offense he displayed in his match with Angle was an illegal armbar. He also criticized Puder, who he called a “chump” and a “poor man’s Tito Ortiz,” for using Angle’s name to get a rub. Bubba argued that Angle would knock Puder out in the first round if the two ever fought. Angle is scheduled to guest on the show later this week.

WWE have reportedly given explanations over two men who were recently released - Ted DiBiase and Tim Horner - from producer positions.

Horner was criticized for having a weak mind for match finishes - he also allegedly had trouble reacting to match variables on the fly.

DiBiase, who as part of the ECW brand was considered most honest in his show reports, was criticized for difficulty in communicating match finishes from the office to the wrestlers. He had been previously removed from the creative team for having “dated” views. Another issue that is believed to have hurt DiBiase’s status was his refusal to return to the ring on a limited basis, citing his various injuries.

Finally, in news from a MAJOR star in the wrestling world - K-Fed is no longer “Mr. Britney Spears”!

Citing “irreconcilable differences,” Britney Spears filed for divorce from husband Kevin Federline in Los Angeles court Tuesday.

The couple reportedly have an ironclad prenuptual agreement. So as you can imagine, Spears is expected to be getting the better of the deal by far!

Finally, it is believe that Britney has declared that part of the problem is she has developed huge feelings towards yours truly, Sheriff Kimbo.

Ok, I made that last bit up...

Kurt Angle Signs For NWA:TNA

This man is THE greatest professional wrestler of all time, in this writers opinion. But I really hoped, for his own sake, that he would stop wrestling.

However, as he was unable to regain employment with WWE, he has now signed for TNA.

Now, do not get me wrong. I want TNA to be a total success, for two reasons. One, I want the WWE product to be as good as it can be, and, in order for that to happen, it needs competition. Two, I want it to be a product that I myself can enjoy - and to be fair, when I do watch it, I do.

It also needs top names to arrive to be able to truly compete and I hear that they are also in talks with Goldberg. If that happens - and he is booked properly - that could be a huge success. I would also be delighted if they signed Brock Lesnar.

However, Kurt Angle is a physical wreck, and should not be wrestling. The only thing that pleases me is he will therefore not be getting into MMA, because if he was that could have been really dangerous.

“Being with TNA feels like I found my home,” Kurt Angle said in a TNA press release. “TNA will be the most watched show on cable TV – it’s just a matter of time. Thank you TNA for saving my career, my life and my desire to do what I love.”

I wish you all the best, Kurt. I just hope you know what the hell you are doing.

Mid-Month round-up, September 18th

A couple of things worth mentioning, plus a quick round-up of Unforgiven

More News On Kurt Angle Release:

- After losing his title at WrestleMania, Kurt Angle adamantly began pushing WWE management to get the title back. While that did not initially play out, he continued pushing hard to make sure he remained a top star.
- He pushed Brian Gewirtz to be added to the Vengeance PPV, and, at one point, was actually scheduled to defeat Randy Orton. But, when news of his drug test failure came out (due to having an expired prescription for a drug he took), WWE quickly jobbed him out and suspended him for thirty days.
- Vince McMahon gave Kurt Angle a stern warning after learning of his drug policy violation; following that, sources say things began getting messy. Kurt Angle would constantly call, email and text message WWE officials and wrestlers. Some say half the messages were senseless, while half were perfectly coherent.
- He was brought back immediately at the end of his suspension only because ECW needed a big star to return. The ECW lockerroom quickly turned on him due to his “impossible” behavior, which included telling an agent that when he accidentally dropped RVD on his head during a match, it was actually RVD’s fault. He would have another confrontation with RVD based on something he said in the ring during one of their matches.
- Angle also petitioned very hard to be added to the Summerslam card. His campaigning worked, as the original plan was to make the ECW Championship bout a four-way. But, following his groin injury at the 8/13 house show, Vince McMahon pulled him from the Summerslam card.
- On August 21, Angle called Johnny Ace and said he was being wheeled through the airport. He said his massage therapist claimed he had a torn abdominal muscle. Vince reportedly made a decision at this time to both set up an MRI and, if necessary, fire Angle.
- Kurt Angle was released from his contract (and given some money) on 8/25. Terms of his release remain unclear.
- Some of the major non-WWE wrestling names (All Japan, NOAH and TNA) expressed immediate interest in Angle upon learning of his release. While he could very well wrestle for another promotion (which would upset WWE, both as a company and as an entity looking out for Angle’s health), a bigger fear on WWE’s part is that he’ll take a job with an MMA promotion and put his health in further danger.

DX vs NWO?

Scott Hall has resumed training and, according to the Wrestling Observer, plans to pursue a pro wrestling comeback.

He and Sean 'X-Pac' Waltman have been talking about pitching the idea of a DX vs. nWo feud to WWE. It was recently reported that there has been informal talk of the angle in some WWE circles, but it is not yet under official consideration.

Although the DX vs. nWo rumors first started when a fan circulated a photoshopped Survivor Series poster around the Internet, there are reports suggesting that there is legitimate talk of running the angle.

WWE sources deny that there are any plans to bring Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in for such a feud, but they are acknowledging that the idea has been informally proposed in some circles.
At this point, the angle remains a longshot, but the Internet discussion of the feud (and the availability of Nash and Hall) could make it a reality.

If WWE rejects the nWo idea, Hall intends to seek a job with TNA. Seemingly tipping the scale in TNA’s favor, outside of WWE’s thoughts of the nWo storyline, is the fact that Hall doesn’t want to travel full-time.

In all honesty, while I could see this stinking up the joint, I would like to see this happen as I always enjoy a good faction feud! In addition, there is no reason it could not work if booked properly.

Unforgiven

Well, this was far better than I expected it to be.

In a quick review of the event:

Johnny Nitro beat Jeff Hardy in a decent opener, with a few close pin-falls making for as exciting viewing as these two could hope for

Kane and Umaga battled to a double-count out in this surprisingly ok big-man match. The end stank, and deservedly got booed, but the match was better than I thought it would be, that's for sure (that is not saying much, though!)

Spirit Squad beat the Highlanders in an average tag bout. This five on two deal is getting old, very quickly. It is not like the match was rubbish, but it just summed up the tag division at the moment.

DX then defeated Big Show and the McMahons in a handicap hell in cell match. I actually enjoyed this, and Vince having his head shoved in Big Shows backside was pretty funny. Shane genuinely looked worried about his own condition at the end of the match, but it may just be that he sold it very well and fair play if that is the case. I hope it is, anyway

Trish then got the fairytale ending to her career that I hoped she would, beating Lita in a decent womens match for the womens title, and going out on top to a great ovation from the crowd. It was as close to a Hulk Hogan style moment as she could ever hope for!

Randy Orton then pinned Carlito after a superb RKO as Carlito flew from the top-rope. This match was good, but there should have been more from these two. For one, comparatively speaking, they did not have loads of time compared to some. Still I doubt it would have done either mans reputation any harm, and theay are definitely two for the future.

Finally in the main event, John Cena regained the WWE title from Edge in a TLC match. I hope this finishes their feud, and if it does it is a good way to go out. The end was nuts, as both men took big bumps from the ladder through a table, but then at the end, Cena gave Edge an FU from the top of a ladder through two tables. It was pretty damn insane!

General round-up, 4th September

Well since the last post, we have had SummerSlam and there are a couple of other things to report on but let's cut to the chase:

The Release of Kurt Angle

Right then first of all, there was this statement on wwe.com:

“Due to personal issues, Kurt Angle has been granted an early release from his contract. WWE looks forward to establishing a new relationship with Kurt in the near future.

The only Olympic gold medalist in WWE history, Kurt Angle arrived in 1999 and quickly became one of the most decorated champions in sports-entertainment history. “The Wrestling Machine” is not only a six-time World Champion, but also held the Intercontinental Championship and WWE Tag Team Championship; he also won the 2000 King of the Ring tournament. Recently joining ECW, Angle’s unmatched intensity was rivaled only by his technical and athletic in-ring prowess.”

Then there was the rumours:

1) There were reports going around that prior to his release, Kurt Angle told friends he wanted off the ECW brand.

Angle reportedly expressed the belief that he only wanted to be on ECW if he could get a championship push. A number of wrestlers actually went to Johnny Ace and Vince McMahon requesting that Angle be moved to another brand.

It is unclear if this, if even true, had anything to do with his release, but it is known that the biggest issues Angle faced at the end of his WWE tenure were family problems and injuries.

2) Just prior to issuing Kurt his release, WWE management met with the wrestler and laid out some goals he would need to meet in order to remain with the company.

Angle apparently rejected to fulfill some of the unclear duties, which resulted in his release.
WWE officials were reportedly very considered with Kurt Angle’s physical and mental issues and felt that the relationship could not continue unless Kurt took major steps to improve his state.

In terms of sympathy, sources say it’s a bit less than it would have been had Angle’s time in ECW not been filled with frequent, transparent politicking.

Then various employees had their say on wwe.com, including the boss, Vince McMahon:

“It’s unfortunate that Kurt was released, and it’s really unfortunate for the WWE fans who, for a while at least, won’t see Angle in action,” the Chairman tells WWE.com.

“(Angle) is a consummate professional; obviously he’s a great athlete, and he’s the only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history. Not to have Kurt with us is really unfortunate all the way around…but circumstances were such that Kurt should have been, and was, granted his release.”

The WWE Chairman noted that Angle “only knows 100-percent” and refused to tone down his
in-ring style, even as the injuries began to pile up.

Nonetheless, the door will be open forKurt Angle down the road.

“WWE would certainly welcome Kurt back with open arms,” says McMahon. “I think Kurt has some issues he has to face, as we all do from time to time. We all have our demons, and as human beings, it is important for us to overcome them and become better human beings, athletes and business people.”

However, after treating Kurt Angle’s WWE departure in an optimistic fashion, the company changed its tune in a new message to fans.

According to Keith Lipinski, WWE sent the following via its Mobile Alerts program:

“According to sources, the meeting between WWE Execs & Kurt Angle was heated & confrontational. Angle was an emotional wreck departing WWE Titan Tower.”

To be honest it remains to be seen why WWE is no longer attempting to protect Kurt Angle’s image in its stories about the release.

However, Kurt has now given his own version of events:

Kurt Angle views his WWE release as an opportunity to rest and catch up with family, he tells fans in a letter on his website.

“It’s time to rest! After 6 long years, I looked into my wife’s eyes and finally saw that she, too, was severely stressed and worn out due to my livelihood that she had to endure,” writes the wrestler.

Just prior to his final match at an ECW house show, Angle realized that his priorities were not in check. He explains, “Something happened that made me realize that wrestling wasn’t the most important thing in my life. I sat down with my wife Karen, who had tears in her eyes. I could see in her face how concerned she was for me.”

The wrestler, who suffered from neck trouble throughout his WWE tenure, explains that his diehard effort in the wrestling was taking its toll.

“Week after week, day after day, 250 days a year on the road can be a living hell for anyone, especially when you’re in daily pain for months on end. It was at home when I began to realize how severe the problems were-when a simple task like taking out the garbage is like a full workout and I needed Motrin in order to get up and do it,” says Angle.

Nonetheless, Angle feels he is leaving on good terms with WWE (he referred to Vince McMahon as a great man) and hopes to step back in the ring:

“I, Kurt Angle, will be back! That’s a promise. And that’s damn true!”

On the web: kurtanglewwe.com

And now, for the Sheriffs point of view! To be honest, I think Kurt needs a break. While Stone Cold Steve Austin is my all-time favourite wrestler, I believe that Kurt Angle is the best wrestler I have ever seen. The bloke has been amazing throughout his career and can drag decent matches out of almost anyone.

However, his body has clearly suffered too much wear and tear and, quite frankly, his health was beginning to become a major point of concern.

That said, hopefully with some rest, a new ring style that will protect him, and a revised contract that will see him spend a minimal amount of time in the ring - similar to the Undertaker - then hopefully we will see him return.

Sometimes, less is more. Kurt needs to realise that.

Anyway, on with the rest of the news

SummerSlam

As one of the big four I was looking forward to this and, although there was no stand out matches like Wrestlemania - or even One Night Stand - it was generally a decent event, with one horrible exception!

In results from the card:

Chavo Guerrero beat Rey Mysterio in a match that was better than I expected it to be. No reason why that SHOULD be the case as they are both decent wrestlers at cruiserweight level. But I am so sick of Eddie Guerrero being dragged into storylines that I was not looking forward to it. The end still involved Eddies widow Vickie, but hopefully this story is coming close to an end.

The Big Show then defeated Sabu to keep his ECW title in another decent bout, though that is mainly due to Sabu and the extreme rules rather than the giant champion. It makes me sad that he is even in ECW, let alone the champ. Vince really should give creative control to Paul Heyman. Wont happen though.

Randy Orton then lost to Hulk Hogan in a predictable - but to be fair, passable - bout. A win for Orton would have done a lot for his career - and a defeat would have been irrelevant to the career of Hogan - but we all know the score here. Still Hogan got the biggest pop of the night and I guess that meant the short-term goal of him featuring was achieved. Incidentally, Hogan remains undefeated at SummerSlam.

Mick Foley then quit against Ric Flair in the 'I Quit' match when it looked like Flair was going to clatter Melina with a barbwire bat. Strangely, in the build-up both men expressed an interest in LOSING the match. Anyway it was decent enough, obviously Foley is an expert at these kind of matches but did not have the young blokes he has had to work with in recent times like Edge and Randy Orton, so instead this was a bit more like watching him brawl with Terry Funk. In a way it makes for even more uncomfotable viewing!

Batista beat King Booker via disqualification (meaning Booker held the title) in a horrible match.

Then DX defeated the McMahons in a reasonable tag bout which had tons of outside interference at the beginning, including the Spirit Squad, Finlay, Regal, Kennedy, Big Show and Umaga (the latter was distracted away via a brawl with Kane). While I hope DX hang around for a bit, I hope their feud moves away from Vince & Shane.

Finally Edge beat Cena in another decent enough match between these two. Again, I hope their feud ends as soon as possible though!

Other News

Monday’s “Kiss My Ass Club” angle involving Vince McMahon and Mick Foley should lead to a match between the two at WrestleMania, reports are suggesting. Foley has recently been requesting a feud with Vince McMahon, and Monday’s angle plants the seeds for a confrontation between the two early next year. Sources believe Foley’s interest in the angle comes from a desire to work a less-intense match, while still remaining high-profile in WWE.

Carlito is reportedly unhappy with his current status on the WWE roster. Allegedly, the wrestler feels that while he should be nearing a main-event push, he’s stuck in the middle of the card and in a romance storyline that does not play to his strengths. According to one source, additional frustration comes from the fact that WWE officials actually tell the wrestler to “act like The Rock.” Carlito feels that such an instruction will prevent him from breaking out as a top star.

While the story around Trish and her retirement obviously has kayfabe aspects, it is the case that she will be retiring very soon.

Is it just me or did Chris Masters look like he has lost a bit of muscle? SURELY that can't be a coincidence...!

Former WWE superstar Sean O’Haire has been calling WWE for a job. Although O’Haire has a reputation for being a legitimate tough guy, he’s struggled in mixed martial arts competition since departing WWE. Interest on WWE’s end does not appear too great, however, as he never received a callback from WWE after working a tryout in the spring.

Vince McMahon is reportedly not a fan of ECW Vixen Francine, and she could be an early casualty when WWE stops using some of the “ECW originals.” In fact, upon seeing Francine backstage at the most recent One Night Stand PPV, McMahon asked Johnny Ace who hired someone that 'looked like that'!

There have been reports that there were no drug test failures among WWE RAW and ECW wrestlers. The clean test results came as little surprise to those within the industry, as news of the SmackDown! testing allowed members of the other brands to be sure their bodies were ready for testing. Nonetheless, by now, the general belief is that nearly everyone within WWE has gotten off steroids and other drugs that would yield positive test results. Marijuana is the only illegal substance used somewhat frequently.

Expect some of the Diva 2006 Search contestants to be hired in various roles soon.

Referee Robert Brisko and trainer Eric Langley both quit WWE developmental territory Ohio Valley wrestling recently. Reports suggst that the territory is in chaos right now.

General round-up, 7th August

Some bits & bobs from the last month in WWE:

Hulk Hogan has suffered a recent knee injury, which has put his match at SummerSlam with Randy Orton in doubt. Hogan was expected to miss last nights Raw, but no definite answer has been given for the SummerSlam event. If the match does not go ahead, I would not be surprised to see Jerry Lawler step in. I would also still expect the match to happen at some point, though as this is Hogan, I would suggest it would not happen until Survivor Series at the earliest.

Unfortunately, Trish Stratus is not expected to renew her contract with WWE. Indeed, future house show line-ups have Torrie Wilson scheduled to team up with Carlito against Johnny Nitro and Melina. Personally I think that is a shame, as Stratus has developed into a solid all-round performer, and her transition from her status when she first arrived in the WWE just goes to show how much people can improve with the right coaching and a hard work ethic, and she is an example to any future female performer in the WWE. Quite frankly, plenty of the men could take a leaf out of her book as well.

More bad news. Chris Jericho has reportedly been telling those close to him that he is done with wrestling. I would like to think that is not the case, but he appears to be having a blast pursuing other interests, so sadly that may be the end of Y2J. While he wont be missed on the scale of Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock, this will still be bad news for most wrestling fans, and I hope this is wrong.

In better news, Jeff Hardy has been re-signed by WWE and is expected to rejoin brother Matt and reform the Hardy Boyz. I think this is good news for the floundering career of Matt and the non-existent WWE tag team division. I just hope that Jeff keeps his performances up to standard, both in and out of the ring.

Billy Kidman has recently been given a tryout. I was always a fan of his, and I hope he comes back to WWE. If it does not work out, hopefully he will show up in TNA.

In irrelevant news, Bob 'Hardcore' Holly is expected to return soon.

Several Smackdown! wrestlers have been taken ill recently, which has given cause for concern. Now, while this does appear to have calmed down, it does explain recent absences from the ring for the likes of the Great Khali, Bobby Lashley etc

Randy Orton recently told WWE magazine that his suspension came about after he was caught smoking a joint.

Monty Brown may well be hunted by WWE. Contact talk with Brown and TNA have reportedly been stalling, and WWE may nip in. Brown is a fairly big man, and therefore is likely to interest Vince. Now, while this is still a bit of a long shot, just remember where you heard it first if this happens!!!!!

ECW has been getting better-than-expected TV ratings. While this is good news, the bad news is that House Shows have been selling poorly, despite cheap ticket prices, and WWE is reportedly considering pulling it from the house show circuit for a while. Back to TV, and WWE are also said to be considering giving ECW it's own TV tapings. I think that is what they should do, mainly because the crowd will always have an effect on the show, and the Smackdown audience will not always want what an ECW audience wants.

Vince has been singing the praises of Justin Credible, depite the low-profile he has had since the re-birth of ECW. In addition he has also been complimentary of Balls Mahoney, and was also impressed with CM Punk's ECW debut. Punk was believed to be quite overwhelmed himself, and actually cried after the show!

Finally, Kurt Angle was said to be delighted and very enthusiastic about his return to work.

General round-up, 2nd July

The Big Story

Well, the major news coming out of WWE at the moment is the expected upcoming feud between Hulk Hogan and Randy Orton.

Tentative plans call for this to happen at the Summerslam PPV in August - a year since Hogan had his last match, with Shawn Michaels - which is more than seven months prior to the WrestleMania event Orton initially believed would feature the match. This is believed to be partly due to the fact that WWE still hope to have Austin v Hogan at WM.

Vince McMahon and Hogan met last weekend about the angle, and unless some unexpected problem arises, it is going to happen and will start to build on TV in the coming weeks.

The two ideas thrown around, both of which would give Brooke Hogan exposure as a musician and sex symbol, were that Orton would either pursue Brooke, leading to Hulk coming to her aid, or that Orton and Brooke would actually begin dating on television, infuriating Hulk and forcing a matchup.

It is believed that Hogan will have full creative control, so his vision of the outcome will not be contested. Therefore, I would say there is not much of a chance that Orton will 'kill the legend of Hulkamania'.

The fact that Brooke's video was recently shown on Raw is also an indication that the story has in fact already kicked off, albeit in the most minor of ways.

As for the people connected with her music career, they (her record label and publicists) feel that involvement in a WWE storyline would only paint a negative picture about her talent as a performer. As with her relationship to Hulk itself, although the WWE storyline would give her more publicity, the feeling is that it would come off as nothing more than a stunt to cover-up a lack of ability.

Essentially, these individuals believe Brooke would come off as a “joke” to non-wrestling fans.

ECW - The New Era

At the end of my last post, I said that I hoped ECW would not just become another WWE show, but I fear the worst at the moment.

While Paul Heyman is still at the forefront of the new ECW, his influence has reportedly been lessened in recent weeks. Much of the WWE creative team has gotten involved with planning the brand’s launch, which has resulted in a minor loss of power for Heyman and a major loss of power for Tommy Dreamer. There were also some disputes over how to book the ECW launch, specifically with regards to whether ECW should be allowed to dominate on the weekly RAW telecast.

Plus, as we all know, the first show was not great. Well, the people involved know this as well:

A furious Vince McMahon attributed part of the show’s failure to the crowd. McMahon concluded that ECW was a “tainted brand” and that the hot Hammerstein Ballroom audiences were not indicative of the brand’s national popularity. Thus, the WWE Chairman now believes ECW’s success depends on drawing fans from the RAW audience, which could influence how the show is booked down the road. It’s important to note that despite Vince’s reaction to the first show, he did give Heyman more control week two, so it’s possible that McMahon will still be looking to Heyman in his effort to appeal to the WWE audience.

As for Heyman, he was also said to be furious with how the show turned out. While he did script the show, there was a great deal of Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn influence on the project; they argued with Heyman on a number of proposed segments for the show.

Recent reports suggest that Heyman and Stephanie McMahon have not yet had any blow-ups backstage, which can partially be attributed to Heyman’s desire to remain head of ECW. Apparently, Heyman has told friends he does not want to play into his enemies’ hands by causing problems; doing so would only support the negative images they have of Heyman and give WWE higher-ups a reason to push for his demotion.

The original script for the first show featured The Sandman squashing an alien, but Sci-Fi network argued that it did not want an alien squashed on its network. WWE instead used “The Zombie” in the segment.

Although Paul Heyman noted in an interview that the ECW team is very interested in pursuing the upcoming 'vampire' faction, there are reports that the idea did initiate in a meeting with the Sci-Fi network. Sci-Fi executives also reportedly pushed for alien characters and a storyline in which ECW wrestlers would be transformed into another dimension during a match. Those are not expected to be part of the new ECW. The original plan was to feature Sabu as the leader of the vampire group, but the concept was revised and David “Gangrel” Heath, Luna Vachon and Dennis “Mideon” Knight were contacted. Whether that is the final line-up remains to be seen.

Reports suggest that Kurt Angle is preparing to take a hiatus. Angle, who is experiencing pain from multiple injuries, will be out for a while to heal. Plans for Angle’s hiatus explain his two recent losses.

On the subject of Angle, a highly-ranked UFC official is believed to have said that the company no longer plans to ignore WWE’s public “challenges.” While UFC let Angle’s storyline “open challenge” to anyone from a 4-, 6- or 8-sided ring go unaddressed, it will not be doing that in the future. If WWE attempts to put one of its wrestlers over as superior to MMA fighters, it will respond to put public pressure on WWE to make the match happen. “Now that we have exposure, we’re not going to be ignoring stuff like this. We’ll go public and have Chuck Liddell accept any public challenges or claims they’ll make,” the source said.

During booking for their match at One Night Stand, things reportedly got very heated between Tazz and Jerry Lawler. Tazz apparently refused to wrestle and would not participate in an actual match. Lawler was said to be furious, not only due to Tazz’s refusal to wrestle, but also because he felt that if Tazz was never going to wrestle again, he should not get to win the match. Lawler wanted to win the match via screwjob. Since Tazz would not budge, Lawler decided that he would lose via choke (which he had been pushing as illegal in wrestling) and via referee stoppage (so that he would not have to tap).

Finally, ECW will start on a live format shortly, although whether or not the show goes live will likely depend on the venue (and fanbase). The ECW Arena show on the 4th July, for instance, will probably be taped due to the potential for vulgar fan chants!

Other News

Randy Orton’s permanent move to WWE RAW can be partly attributed to Triple H’s decision to pass on a proposed angle with Edge. The now-babyface Triple H obviously needs top heels with whom to feud when his current storyline ends, and Triple H opted to first feud with Randy Orton instead of the Rated R Superstar. Triple H’s stated rationale for rejecting the feud was that “the time is not right,” although no deeper motivation has been revealed. While many are criticizing HHH for his decision, he theoretically could argue that he needs to quickly defeat a heel in his first singles feud as a babyface, and Edge would lose too much face in that situation. Edge is reportedly not too upset, as he is expected to spend the summer working with John Cena in the main-event over the WWE Championship.

Saturday Night’s Main Event - to be held on the 15th July - will feature Edge vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Cena for the WWE Championship.

New Smackdown commentator JBL is said to be contemplating retirement from in-ring action. Layfield made a remark about retiring on his weekly radio show and also reportedly told wrestlers at the 5/23 SmackDown! taping that he was likely to wrestle his final match that night. The retirement consideration is due to his back and (to a lesser extent) knee injuries. Although the creative team has been told JBL will be back in the ring in three months, those close to JBL are of the impression that such a return is not a certainty. He will, however, make a decision by the end of the summer regarding whether he truly can step in the ring again. JBL is believed to be very happy with what he’s accomplished in the wrestling ring, so he would not at all be dissatisfied if he did have to retire.

Although Trish Stratus is hardly viewed as another Stacy Keibler in terms of inevitably leaving WWE, the company is unaware of her long-term plans—the lack of knowledge about where she stands resulted in her quick, clean job on RAW. Stratus’ contract expires in August and although she’s negotiating with Johnny Ace, a new deal has not yet been signed.Plus, regardless of her contractual status, she will be taking time off in September for her wedding and honeymoon. Again, while Stratus has shown interest in remaining with WWE, there’s enough question about her long-term future that the company feels it needs to elevate other Divas.

HBK is due to take a hiatus after Summerslam, so expect the DX reunion to continue until then.

On the subject of DX, I actually thought the angle on last weeks Raw was genuinely funny!

Thanks in large part to the terrible reaction from the crowd at Vengeance, the Imposter Kane character has been dropped from the plans. Last Monday’s angle turned out to be the blow-off for the Imposter Kane, who was initially scheduled to be involved in storylines for several more weeks. The critical and fan response to the storyline will assure it receives mention as one of WWE’s all-time worst gimmicks! However, the man behind the mask - Drew Hankinson - is not being blamed, and he is scheduled to start on the Smackdown brand shortly.

The Ric Flair and Mick Foley feud is believed to continue through Summerslam.

While there are no definite details on the return of Chris Masters, (who was taken off television to handle personal substance abuse issues) he is, however, getting treatment for his problem, so much like Randy Orton, he is committed to returning to television. However, there are also reports that WWE officials are also looking for Masters to mature socially before making his return. It is believed that WWE has no timetable set for his return, as he is not considered a Randy Orton-level priority.

Goldust has been released.

Disney recently issued a press release announcing that production on upcoming film “Game Plan” was put on hiatus following an injury to star The Rock. The Rock ruptured his achilles tendon during football practice for his role as an all-pro quarterback in the film.

As for his WWE status, although WWE maintains contact with The Rock, there are no plans for the wrestler-turned-actor to do anything major with the company in the short-term.

Vengeance

Randy Orton beat Kurt Angle in a decent match, to gain revenge for his defeat to Angle at One Night Stand.

Umaga squashed Eugene in a nothing bout, then destroyed Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Doink The Clown, before walking away from Kamala (to set up a match on the following nights Raw).

Ric Flair beat Mick Foley by two straight falls in a thankfully short match, the first via pinfall and the second via disqualification, after Mick decided to 'get hardcore' and attacked Flair with weapons, which continued after the bout.

Johnny Nitro defeated Carlito and defending champion Shelton Benjamin in a good triple threat to win the Intercontinental Championship. One particular spot worth mentioning was when Nitro hit some right hands and then perched Carlito on the top rope. Benjamin shook the ropes crotching Nitro and then Carlito nailed him with right hands. Benjamin leapt up to the top and we saw an insane triple suplex type move with Nitro upside down in the corner!

RVD beat Edge to keep the WWE title in a fairly enjoyable match, after Lita interefered but it all went wrong for Edge.

Kane lost to his imposter in an awful match.

John Cena made Sabu tap out in a passable 'Extreme Lumberjack' bout.

DX returned with a victory over the Spirit Squad thanks to a double pin, as HHH pinned Kenny and HBK pinned Johnny at the same time! Afterwards, Michaels forced Mitch's face into HHH's backside, to mimic the 'Vince McMahon's Kiss My Ass' club.

Afterwards, off-air, DX continued its celebration and even got women to flash them. Triple H failed, however, to convince Lilian Garcia to remove her top. The wrestler replied to Garcia’s rejection with a mooning!

General round-up, 3rd June

Some general bits and bobs from the last month:

DX will definitely return at Vengance.

ECW have a deal signed with Sci-Fi TV in the States. We do receive a version of that channel over here, but I do not know if it is exactly the same as in the USA. Therefore I am not 100% sure if ECW will be shown on there, Sky Sports or even the Wrestling Channel. That said, given that it falls under the WWE umbrella, one would assume ECW will be shown on Sky Sports.

Apparently the Sci-Fi channel have asked if ECW can have an 'Alien' character to appease some of their viewers who are upset that a wrestling programme has been added to the schedule! However word has it that their is only one plan for 'weird' character development, at the moment, and that is a vampire faction!

Expect Tazz to beat Jerry Lawler at One Night Stand in what should be nothing more than a squash match.

There is a rumour that WWE plan to push Umaga on Raw, and that over on Smackdown the Undertaker will continue to feud with the Great Khali. Oh joy of joys.

Stacy Keibler recently suffered a seizure and ending up in hospital, but thankfully is doing ok.

'See No Evil' has reached the high end of its targets in terms of money it has brought in, which is good news. Whether upcoming projects with John Cena and Stone Cold Steve Austin will be as successful remains to be seen, but bearing in mind they are both bigger stars than Kane, one would imagine they should do ok. It would be quite a change for Vince to be involved in a successful project that isn't wrestling!

Plans are for DX to just be a short-term attraction, but if fan reaction is good enough they may keep it going for longer, probably adding other stars to HHH & HBK.

Orlando Jordan has been released.

WWE will be charging $39.99 for all PPV's in the States, starting from One Night Stand. I am unaware of whether or not that will affect us in the UK, but it is certainly more than we pay now. (for the record, $39.99 works out at roughly £21.50)

I have to say I am very pleased with the decision to take Kurt Angle to ECW. While he will be missed on WWE TV, he is certainly a big enough star to ensure that I will definitely be watching ECW regularly when it arrives.

Speaking of Kurt, there have been murmours that he will wrestle Daniel Puder at One Night Stand, but how true they are I do not know.

Why would WWE break up MNM? I despair at them at times, I really do.

Anyway, speaking of that, here are the results from Judgement Day:

Kendrick and London beat MNM for the tag belts. While I have enjoyed the feud between these teams and was looking forward to more of it, WWE provided us with a baffling decision to break them up. (Melina and Mercury have since appeared on Raw)

Chris Benoit made Finlay tap in the match of the night.

Melina lost to Jillian Hall in an average womens bout.

Gregory Helms defeated Super Crazy in a decent bout to maintain his Crusierweight championship. I have said it before an I will say it again, but why this divsion does not get more of a push I will never know.

Kurt Angle went down to Mark Henry via count out in a passable bout. Even Kurt - who in my opinion is the greatest wrestler of all time - struggles to drag decent matches out of Mark Henry.

Booker T beat Bobby Lashley to become King of the Ring in a good match. I am glad Booker won this, as not only will he & Sharmell carry the roles of 'King' well, but also it will hopefully give him a new lease of life beyond the mid-card.

The Undertaker rolled over for the Great Khali in a snooze-fest.

Finally, mini champion Rey Mysterio defeated JBL to maintain the World, *sigh*, 'Heavyweight' Championship.

Overall it was a better PPV than I expected, but I have to say that Smackdown is still in a bit of a rut, and needs to improve quickly. With the absence of Kurt Angle, potentially JBL, an injured Chris Benoit and also the split of the best Tag Team since Benjamin/Haas, as well as a champion struggling for acceptance and two main event monsters than no-one wants to see (Khali & Henry), one has to worry about what direction the blue brand is going in.

General round-up, 1st May

Well the big news is the return of ECW

There was always the potential for this to happen, I just hope they get it right. The points of note so far are:

• There will still be the One Night Stand PPV in June, and will be WWE v ECW, though how that will work yet I am not sure
• Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be responsible for the booking
• Joey Styles is likely to be the play-by-play commentator, with JR returning to Raw
• It is scheduled to start around September
• Rather than adding a 3rd day of television tapings, it is likely to replace Velocity and be recorded before the Smackdown! tapings. It will, however, run independant house shows
• The roster is likely to be made up of old ECW stars and developing WWE stars
• Vince is rumoured to be very open to the idea of signing new stars to the brand
• Sabu has reportedly agreed to be a part of the roster
• There are also reports that Rhyno (Rhino) may be interested in moving from TNA, however Raven and the Dudleys (Team 3-D) are on long-term TNA contracts
• Lance Storm has been contacted about joining and, although he appears open to making a few appearances, has stated that he has no intention of returning to work full-time

In other news:

Kurt Angle recently suffered a cracked rib and will be out for an undetermined amount of time. The incident happened in a match against Mark Henry (aint it about time he was fired?) on the recent tour of Europe. As a result, Booker T automatically goes to the final round of the King of the Ring.

Speaking of Booker & the KOTR, I really hope he wins it & starts to gain some momentum to put him back toward the top of the card, cause right now he is pretty pointless.

Although I do not have the details, it appears that WWE & Brock Lesnar have reached a settlement, and that Lesnar will soon be free to pursure other ventures. There are no plans for Lesnar to return to WWE at this point.

The DX reunion idea is nothing more than that at the minute, though it could happen. One of the issues though is how far they could take certain things - bearing in mind HBK's religious beliefs these days - and also whether or not there will be room for both the ego's HBK and HHH on the same team! However, it would certainly create an element of interest, in the short-term at least.

Depite the boo's continuing, there are no plans to turn John Cena heel.

Rumour has it that Shawn Michaels is a bit disillusioned with life as a WWE employee, and will be cutting back on his schedule soon.

In addition to the above news re Joey Styles, he will also apparently be commentating on Heat, though how much of a permanent arangement that is remains to be seen.

Apparently HHH & Steph do not know - nor do they wish to know - the sex of their child. Whatever happens, the little dude is bound to end up in wrestling!

The Tim White suicide videos continue to run on wwe.com.

Trish dislocated her shoulder last night at Backlash, and we await an update to see how long she will be out for.

Sadly (for me) Stacy Kiebler will officially cut ties with WWE once her contract runs out.

Speaking of Backlash, here is a round-up of last nights event:

Carlito beat Chris Masters in a reasonable match. It ended with Carlito winning by putting his feet on the ropes while getting the 3 count. I think Carlito will follow in some similar "Lie, Cheat & Steal" footsteps of the late Eddie Guerrero.

Umaga beat Ric Flair in a non-event.

Trish Stratus beat Mickie James by a DQ. The match was ok but the ending was pretty rubbish, with Mickie getting DQ'd for a 5-count on a choke. However, it has crossed my mind, considering the injury which Trish had, that maybe it was a spur of the way moment of getting her out of there.

Rob Van Dam beat Shelton Benjamin in the 'Winner Takes All' match. Although this was not an unforgettable classic, it was arguably the joint best show on the card - as was expected. A good bout from two of the most enjoyable performers in the business today.

Kane and Big Show had a fairly dull bout, ending in a no-contest as Kane continued to hear more 'voices'. Enthralling, eh...

Then, Vince & Shane beat HBK (and God) in a passable bout. HBK, as you would expect, provided most the action. He was beaten by the McMahons getting some aid from the 'Spirit Squad'.

Just before the WWE title bout there was a fairly dull angle with Matt Striker and Eugene. It did end, however, with Eugene giving Striker a stunner, which always gets a pop, obviously.

Finally, in a decent main event, John Cena pinned HHH to win the triple threat match, which also included Edge. At the end, HHH attacked both of his opponents and the ref with a sledgehammer. Although I wanted HHH to get the belt back, and I would have rather Edge won than Cena, this still a good bout, which meant that, along with the RVD match, I will probably remember the card as average. Believe me, it was nearly much worse.

Review of Wrestlemania 22

Match 1
World Tag Team Championship
Kane & Big Show (c) vs. Chris Masters & Carlito

Sheriffs Prediction: Chris Masters & Carlito win
Correct?: No. Kane & Big Show win.

The Finish: Show picked up Carlito by the throat but Masters hit a chop block from behind. Kane grabbed both men by the throat but they fought him off. Kane nailed a big boot to Masters and then an uppercut to Carlito and went for the chokeslam but Masters came in off the top, however he nailed Carlito by mistake. Kane sent Masters to the outside and then gave Carlito the chokeslam for the win.

Sheriffs Verdict: An average bout, definitely passable but never anything to bring the house down. However, with the Spirit Squad winning the titles the night after on Raw, well, that was just ridiculous.

Match 2
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Bobby Lashley vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs.Shelton Benjamin vs. Ric Flair vs. Rob Van Dam

Sheriffs Prediction: Lashley win
Correct?: No. RVD win

The Finish: ECW chants filled the arena as Van Dam started to climb and he has a hand on the case but then Benjamin came from nowhere and landed right on the ladder! Benjamin nailed right hands and then Hardy set up a ladder next to it and started to climb but Benjamin nailed him and went over to that ladder and they traded shots, but RVD tipped it and both toppled to the outside! RVD is on top of the ladder and grabbed the case.

Sheriffs Verdict: Thoroughly enjoyable, no doubt all the wrestlers were sore after that. The second best bout of the evening. All four commentators were on as well, and to be fair did a good job.

Match 3
United States Championship Match
Bradshaw Layfield vs. Chris Benoit (c)

Sheriffs Prediction: JBL win
Correct?: Yes.

The Finish: Benoit covered but Bradshaw kicked up at two. Benoit missed a splash in the corner and went for a German but Bradshaw grabbed the referee to block it. Benoit then walked into a back elbow and Bradshaw went for the Clothesline from Hell but Benoit side stepped and went for the Crossface. He got it locked in and Bradshaw rolled it over and grabbed the ropes and the referee counted the pin.

Sheriffs Verdict: Again, passable. This was mainly due to Benoit, who never really has poor matches. I think JBL may have a good run with the belt, as I predicted in the preview. From a pure entertainment point of view that would no doubt be a good thing, though from a wrestling point of view, not so much.

Match 4
Hardcore Match
Mick Foley vs. Edge

Sheriffs Prediction: Edge win.
Correct?: Yes.

The Finish: Foley wrenched barbwire across the forehead of Edge, and then he grabbed the lighter fluid and went over to the table that was set up earlier. Foley covered it in fluid and then Lita came from nowhere and hit Foley in the knee with the barbwire bat! Lita covered the table in fluid and then set it alight and then Edge spears Foley off the apron through the flaming table! Holy s**t! Edge crawled over and covered for the win!

Sheriffs Verdict: Best match of the night. Absolutely superb, and, much like the Randy Orton match at Backlash 2004, Foley did a real good job of making the younger man look a star. Not that Edge does not deserve credit, because he really does. Both men put a lot into this and certainly - in my opinion - stole the show. In addition, Joey Styles replaced JR for this one and did a good job, it was nice that he got to be involved.

Match 5
Handicap Match
Booker T and Sharmell vs. The Boogeyman

Sheriffs Prediction: The Boogeyman win.
Correct?: Yes.

The Finish: Boogey sent Booker shoulder first into the ring posts and then pulled a handful of worms from his pocket and ate them. Sharmell grabbed Boogey’s stick and went to hit her, but he kissed her with the worms! Sharmell freaked out and ran to the back and then Booker missed a splash in the corner and got hit with a double choke slam and covered for the win.

Sheriffs Verdict: You would feel sorry for anyone having to follow that, and this was never going to be anything anyway. Booker was injured so they kept it short, sweet & simple. Very average, and definitely forgettable.

Match 6
Women’s Championship Match
Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus (c)

Sheriffs Prediction: Mickie James win
Correct?: Yes

The Finish: Mickie went for a single leg but Trish countered into a small cradle for two. Mickie went for a headscissors in the corner but Trish came back with a running powerbomb for two! Trish nailed right hands and then did the MaTrish to miss a clothesline and then went for the Stratusfaction but Mickie then licked Trish in the lower areas and freaked Trish out. Mickie then went for Stratusfaction but botched it and nailed Trish with a Mick Kick and covered for the win!

Sheriffs Verdict: Just like at New Years Revolution, definitely enjoyed it. These two only have Victoria to challenge for title of 'best women wrestler'. Shame about the messy finish, but a decent match overall.

Match 7
Casket Match
Mark Henry vs. The Undertaker

Sheriffs Prediction: Undertaker win
Correct?: Yes

The Finish: Taker nailed right hands and then a headbutt but Henry came back with a clothesline. Henry worked over Taker in the corner and then went for some mounted punches but then Taker dropped him with a powerbomb! Taker threw Henry on top of the casket and then dived over the top rope and over the casket onto Henry on the outside! Taker sent Henry back into the ring and picked him up for the Tombstone and he nailed it! They opened the casket and Henry was rolled into the casket and the lid was shut.

Sheriffs Verdict: Average. Not a terrible match but it will not go down as one of my favourites, that's for certain!

Match 8
No Holds Barred
Mr. McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels

Sheriffs Prediction: Shawn Michaels win
Correct?: Yes

The Finish: Shawn landed a huge elbow drop to Vince from a 30 foot ladder, on to a table, with Vince inside a trash can! Trainers made their way to ringside and Michaels made his way to his feet. Michaels threw the ladder to the outside and we wouldn’t let the doctor in the ring. Michaels did the DX chop to Shane McMahon and then spat on him! Michaels pulled McMahon up and got right in his face and told him he’s going to knock his teeth down his throat, and did just that with Sweet Chin Music for the pin.

Sheriffs Verdict: Good match, enjoyed it. First time since his return that HBK has not been involved in the best match at Mania, but it was probably the 3rd best effort of the PPV and one that he sure as hell can be proud of, especially when you bear in mind that, even though he is in good shape, Vince is 60!

Match 9
World Heavyweight Championship MatchTriple Threat Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle (c)

Sheriffs Prediction: Randy Orton win
Correct? No. Rey Mysterio win

The Finish: Rey nailed a 619 around the ring post on Angle and then a seated senton and a roll up for two on Angle. Orton got back up and kicked Angle to the outside and then hit a gutwrench into a neckbreaker for two. Orton stalked Mysterio but then Angle came from behind with the Angle Slam for two. Angle stalked Rey and went for the Angle Slam but Rey reversed into an arm drag sending Angle outside and then hit the 619 on Orton. Rey hit the West Coast Pop on Orton and won the match.

Sheriffs Verdict: Well fair play to Our Kid, he got this one right. The match was not bad, the action was good but the problem was that it was cut down to roughly ten minutes, when it could have easily been at least double that. Rey Mysterio as heavyweight champion though? Not particulalry believeable, and while this may be harsh, it probably would not have happened had it not been for the death of Eddie Guerrero. Still, he always has good matches, which is more than what can be said for the champion on the other show...

Match 10
Playboy Pillow Fight
Candice Michelle vs. Torrie Wilson

Sheriffs Prediction: Torrie Wilson win
Correct? Yes:

The Finish: Candice choked Torrie with her legs upside down over the ropes and then did the Go Daddy dance. Candice snapmared Torrie onto the bed as the fans chanted boring. Candice came off the ropes onto Torrie on the bed and then pulled some scissors out of a purse and cut off Torrie’s dress. Candice went under the bed and pulled out her Playboy and then sent Torrie to the corner but Torrie moved and rolled up Candice for the win.

Sheriffs Verdict: While they are nice to look at, the fans were correct with their chanting. Also, did not see much use of pillow, bearing in mind it was supposed to be a pillow fight!

Match 11
WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. John Cena (c)

Sheriffs Prediction: Triple H win
Correct?: Sadly, no. John Cena win

The Finish: Triple H went for the Pedigree but Cena back dropped out of it. Cena went for the FU and he nailed it. But Triple H kicked out. Cena went up top for a cross body but Triple H ducked and then went for the Pedigree but Cena stepped through and locked in the STFU again. Triple H screamed in pain and he’s close the to the ropes and he looks to have passed out. The referee checked his arm but he says alive on the third check but then he had no choice but to tap out.

Sheriffs Verdict: *sighs* Well, I am not a fan of John Cena these days, I must say. The beginning was a waste of time (had that not gone on so long I am sure the Smackdown main event could have been longer) and overall, while it was certainly not an awful match, it was hardly something I will be remembering for years to come.

The Sheriffs Overall Analysis

Three excellent matches, a couple of good ones and the rest were average. It was certainly not a let-down, and in terms of the roster, I do not suppose they could have come out with much more. That said, I would rather have seen MNM defend the tag belts against someone than see the Boogeyman or a Playboy Pillow Fight. A cruiserweight title match would also have been better.

It was great to have JR on commentary (and to NOT have the Coach!) as he really does have that main event feel to him, but it is hard not to feel some sympathy for Joey Styles. One person I have run out of sympathy for however is Bret Hart, who's refusal to turn up at Wrestlemania was absolutely ridiculous.

As for myself, I got 7 out of 11 predictions right, which I think was pretty darn respectable!

Other News

Randy Orton has been suspended for 60 days. This takes effect from the 12th April. The actual details have not been released, however it is believed that it is to do with his backstage conduct. In addition, the incident itself was apparantly not that bad, but was more of a case of the straw that broke the camels back... Tyson Tomko has been released... After the Cowboy Bob Orton incident, it is also believed that two other employees of WWE have hepatitis... The proposed angle between Hulk Hogan & Stone Cold Steve Austin did not happen on the post-Mania Raw, and I have not heard anything else about that... Bret Hart did actually manage to hang around after the Hall of Fame ceremony and had a chat with quite a few people. It is reported that, in particular, he spent a lot of time catching up with Stone Cold... Although he has still not signed a new contract, it is believed that Chris Benoit sees himself staying with WWE for the rest of his career... However it is believed that Stacy Keibler will not be signing anew contract when hers expires... The issue between WWE and Brock Lesnar is still on-going and believed to now be quite tense. WWE are reportedly showing no signs of relenting...

Wrestlemania 22 - Tonight

Well, in some ways it seems to have taken ages yet at the same time it does not feel like it has been two minutes since WM21.

What is quite interesting is that apparently Vince has been very indecisive in terms of his match winning decisions - he reportedley changed his mind for those results as much as five times Friday alone.

Here is the full card for tonights PPV:

WWE Championship
John Cena (c) vs. Triple H



This match was always going to happen ever since Cena moved to Raw. One of the biggest things though is will HHH do his best to make Cena look like a proper star the same way he did with Batista and, although he did not need as much help, Chris Benoit?

Overall, while I am not overly excited about this, I do think it will probably be a reasonable match. Although it is fair to say that I am not a fan of John Cena, the one thing I will say is that he works hard and does everything that is asked of him. If HHH is on form, they should be able to have a relatively decent match.

Sheriffs prediction: HHH Win. Whilst Vince definitely appears to still be behind the Cena push, I can not see HHH losing three Manias on the trot. In addition, they may use this as a way of pushing Cena further by having him chase HHH for the title, and eventually winning it back, maybe at Summerslam?

World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio



In terms of the two world title matches, this is the one I am more looking forward to. Three of the most entertaing stars in the business today, all of them consistently have good matches and all three are capable of telling a good story.

Whilst discussing this match with McEyebrow & Buncey they both said it would not be right for Rey Mysterio to be World Heavyweight Champion. To be honest I can see their point, but also I do not feel that Rey is someone that would be right in that role. He does not need a belt to get over, and there are plenty of stars that had great careers but were never really world title material, such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts.

For me Kurt Angle is the best wrestler the industry has ever seen, and he should be world champion. Randy Orton is definitely a heel superstar in the making, but his last title reign was a complete waste. That said, it was mainly because 1) HHH took the belt off him a month after he won it, and 2) He was playing a babyface character, which he should just never do.

Sheriffs Prediction: Randy Orton win. My heart says Kurt Angle and I hope that is the case, but me head says Orton is a mate of HHH and is quite possibly being primed for his second run with the belt.

No Holds Barred Match
Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels

If this match measures up to the one Vince had with Hulk Hogan at WM19, we are in for quite a treat. When you bear in mind just how much superior a wrestler that HBK is to Hogan, it sets it up nicely. Both Vince and Shawn are great storytellers, and Shawn is one of the greatest of all-time, and that includes where he is today - one of the best.

Overall I see this being an entertaining match, though I obviously do not expect it to be the best match on the card. Vince has obviously pushed this feud very hard and I expect this to be rewarded this evening.

Sheriffs Prediction: HBK win. The McMahons have had the better of this storyline all the way through, but I expect Shawn to get the last word, even though he will probably have to face such fearsome obstacles as the Spirit Squad... Er...

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Ric Flair vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Lashley



Last year this match nearly stole the show (it would have done had it not been on the same card as HBK v Kurt) and to be honest, I think it helped Edge evolve as a star over the past year. In all fairness, after the Smackdown main event, I am quite possibly looking forward to this the most...

Shelton Benjamin is one of the best wrestlers on the roster today. It is just his character - and I am not 100% sure where the fault of that lies - that is holding him back from being a huge star. The same could potentially be said of Lashley, and I think it would be best if one of these two got the win here. I certainly do not think it will be Matt Hardy, and it would be pointless to give it to Ric Flair. Finlay is not bad & could be a dark horse, and RVD is probably the most over out of them all. It is mildly intriguing, and I look forward to the outcome.

Sheriffs Prediction: Lashley win. I think Vince might have one eye on a Lashley v Orton feud round about the time Wrestlemania 23 rolls around...

Casket Match
Undertaker vs. Mark Henry



I am sure this match will have some good moments, and Undertaker has, on occasion, being surprisingly good when carrying a match with a big man. However I think that this is the only match that has an almost certain outcome...

Sheriffs Prediction: Undertaker win. No-one actually expects Mark Henry to be the one to finally beat 'The Phenom' at a Wrestlemania do they?

Hardcore Match
Edge vs. Mick Foley



This should be quite a good match, and Edge is fairly consistent at being able to have decent matches. However, unless Edge has agreed to give Foley his 'defining Wrestlemania win' or whatever before Mick gets too old, I expect this to be a similar situation to the 2004 Backlash where Mick Foley made Randy Orton look absolutely superb, and, if Orton has any humility, will look back and thank Foley for what he did for him.

Sheriffs Prediction: Edge win. I would quite like Foley to have a great match and win it. But I think this will be all about making Edge look like a star.

United States Championship
Chris Benoit (c) vs. JBL



I am not sure who will win here. I do think it will be an ok match as Chris Benoit is up there with Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart etc for just being able to have good matches.

JBL is an average worker but his mic skills are superb, and he would probably make for an entertaining champion. The thing here is that neither star reallly needs the belt to help them get over, however, it does at least have a credible feel to a championship match, which can only be good for the US title.

Sheriffs Prediction: JBL win. I think this Mania will be a night for the heels, and I think JBL could possibly have a 'Honky Tonk Man' style run with the belt.

World Tag Team Championship
Kane & Big Show (c) vs. Chris Masters & Carlito



Much like the aforementioned US title match, the one thing I like about this feud is it is a title match with a credible feel. The Tag Team division has been pretty weak for years (hardly the days of The Hart Foundation, Legion of Doom, Demolition, The Rockers etc) but by throwing together some singles stars, that can sometimes lead to a relatively entertaining feud.

I do not expect it to be a great match, but I do think it will be a relatively good effort.

Sheriffs Prediction: Chris Masters & Carlito win. In the build-up to this, Show & Kane have definitely had the better of the exchanges. But I have a sneak feeling that the youngsters may get a little push here.

Women’s Championship
Trish Stratus (c) vs. Mickie James



The feud between these two has been entertaining, and I actually felt that they stole the show at the New Years Revolution PPV in January. As there are not many great alternative options, I fully expect this to carry on beyond Mania.

Sheriffs Prediction: Mickie James win. To give the feud a fresh feel and keep it entertaining this has to happen at some point.

Playboy Pillow Fight
Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle



Nice bit of eye candy for us all, no real expectations.

Sheriffs Prediction: Torrie win. But as the announcers always say, we are all winners.

Handicap Match
Boogeyman vs. Booker T & Sharmell



Oh how Booker T's star has fallen. This feud has not exactly been cringeworthy, but it is fair to say this is little more than a comedy match. The Boogeyman is one of those characters that needs to go elsewhere for the drama & emotion, because you just will not get it in the ring.

Sheriffs Prediction: Boogeyman win. I expect this to be another signal that any hope Booker has of having another world title reign is pretty much dead and buried.

What else will happen?

There is obviously the usual, like the Hall of Fame ceremony... JR will be calling the Raw side of things, not Joey Styles. It is hard not to feel a little sympathy for Styles...The news is that Hulk Hogan will not be appearing, though Stone Cold Steve Austin may be... Interestingly, there is apparently a segment lined up between the two for the following nights Raw, though they are the only details I am aware of... It is highly unlikley that Bret Hart will make an appearance other than the Hall of Fame... The only other surprise I can think of outside the active roster would be Batista or possibly even Roddy Piper... Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it!!!