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1. Is the Miz getting over as a face?

2. Who will walk out of the Elimination Chamber with the No. 1 contender’s spot for the World Heavyweight Championship?

3. Who will win the WWE title at the event?

And much more!

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The Road to WrestleMania started Monday night at 11:05 p.m. ET when Brock Lesnar came out and gave Vince McMahon the F-5.  The road SHOULD have started three hours earlier but instead, we were given a terrible episode of Raw full of bad comedy and short matches that neither started nor progressed storylines.  After a very predictable, though good, Royal Rumble, this is not a good way to start promoting the biggest event of the year for the WWE.

To be fair, there were some great segments on Raw that are worth watching or reading about but it’s not nearly enough for me to recommend anyone watch the whole thing.  When WWE and USA Network announced Raw as moving permanently to three hours I was on board.  I was always under the impression that there’s never such a thing as “too much of a good thing.”  Good plus good equals more good, so yes, more wrestling, YES!  Unfortunately, this past episode of Raw proved that moving to three hours can be really bad.

One of the things I predicted last summer that would happen is more emphasis on the Tag Team Division and the Divas Division.  The Tag Team Division is looking better recently but the Divas have been completely ignored (more on that later).  So how else can they fill a three-hour block?  How about filling it with longer wrestling matches, more mid-card matches to showcase the Intercontinental and United States championships?  Nope.  Let’s fill it with comedy sketches, fillers, and even more commercial breaks.

Before I sound like any other bitter Internet wrestling fan, let’s compare last year’s Raw after the Royal Rumble to this year’s.  Last year, Sheamus won the Royal Rumble (in what seemed like a very average PPV looking back at it).  The following Raw was one highlighted by a job evaluation (sounds familiar?) for John Laurinitis by Triple H.  Within that Raw, we had gems like the champion versus champion match between CM Punk and Daniel Bryan that ended with Chris Jericho taking out Daniel Bryan (causing CM Punk the match and then Bryan to celebrate in his over-the-top way) and then attacking Punk, which lead to a WrestleMania match between Punk and Jericho.  Another great match was Randy Orton versus Dolph Ziggler.  Although this didn’t lead to a feud between them, it was still a great match to showcase each wrestler’s talents.

The biggest surprise of course was when Triple H was about to fire Laurinitis, he was interrupted (still sounds familiar?) by The Undertaker, leading of course to that epic Hell in a Cell match against HHH with Shawn Michaels as special guest referee.

Fast forward to this year’s Raw and what did we have?  A few good, not great, matches (Orton versus Cesaro and Sheamus versus Damien Sandow), a match with a potential storyline (Bo Dallas, the newcomer from NXT going over Wade Barrett), a good old fashioned heel beat down by The Big Show, and of course the surprise at the end (more on that later on).  How about the other 1.5-2hrs of Raw?  Well that was filled with atrocious gimmicky “competitions” (I use that word loosely) that involved Tensai (who used to be one of the top guys in New Japan wrestling after he left WWE) wearing women’s lingerie.  How is that for Road to WrestleMania?

Focusing back on the positives, the promo between CM Punk and The Rock was fantastic.  However, it makes me realize that it’s really hard for me to root for the “face” (Rock) when the “heel” (Punk) is making sense.  At the beginning, Punk mentioned that The Rock now tarnished the WWE Title, which is of course a heel thing to say but it’s just opinion of course.  But then, when The Rock called CM Punk a “punk ass bitch” I immediately made a joke on Twitter about how The Rock is probably not involved in WWE’s “Be A Star” campaign nor does he care that this show is supposedly PG.  After the comment, CM Punk countered with “I’m going to stand on the stage like a punk ass bitch because it’s cool to swear, ladies and gentlemen.”  Then of course, my favorite line of the night when Punk was talking about when he wanted the rematch.  “Since tonight doesn’t fit my schedule how about… Chattanooga, Tennessee on Friday, that’s where I’m going to be.  Or Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday.  I’ll be in Birmingham on Sunday, and I’ll be right back here in one week, Monday Night Raw in Atlanta, but if none of those fit your schedule, I say three weeks I grant you a title shot…”  If you didn’t get the reference, CM Punk named the cities where he’ll be wrestling house shows, something The Rock will never do, even though he’s WWE Champion.  Awesome.

There’s an argument that some wrestling fans/writers have emphatically stated, which is to just shut up and enjoy the ride.  The argument continues with, “as much as we all bitch and moan, we’ll keep watching anyways, so we should bitch and moan less.”  What an idiotic thing to say about fans of wrestling.  This is like saying, we shouldn’t have complained about the NFL Lockout because we were going to watch anyways when they came back?  How about when the NFL locked out the referees?  No complaining because “we’ll watch it anyways.”  Ridiculous.  Why are we not allowed to criticize something we like to watch?  There are people who take the criticism to the extreme, and I understand when others tell those guys to quiet down, but to group all critics into this one large category of “marks” is absolutely stupid.

The bottom line is WWE messed up by starting one of the most important Raw episodes of the year with a gimmick.  I get that they were in Las Vegas, so the Spin-the-Wheel gimmick is essential, but the timing of it all was bad.  If this Raw was placed anywhere else this year, I wouldn’t have had as much of a problem with it as I do today.  Hell, if Raw was in Las Vegas next week instead of yesterday, I wouldn’t have had that much of a problem.  Unfortunately, we had a Raw where the Divas match between Tamina and Divas Champ Kaitlyn, which by the way I was looking forward to this match, ended with a half-hearted brawl between the “LumberJills” that had Kailyn on one side of the ring just watching while Tamina on the other side did the same.  This whole train wreck lasted two minutes.  After the refs pulled some divas off, everyone left.  Match over, no result.  Two minutes.  On a night where Trish Stratus was announced as a Hall of Fame inductee, WWE gave us this.  Two minutes.  I literally could have stood up, went to the kitchen, made some popcorn, come back, and missed the whole thing.

The best part of Raw was at 11:05pm, when even though WWE spoiled it on Twitter a few minutes early (WHY?!?!?!), Brock Lesnar came out and gave Vince McMahon an F-5.  It should be noted that Paul Heyman is an absolute genius at selling his promos with his body language and his facial expressions.  Saying he lies every day of his life because he’s a promoter and that’s what promoters do was pretty much one of the best lines of the night, other than the CM Punk one I mentioned earlier.

Back to Lesnar, he came in, kicked ass, walked out.  No talking was necessary.  Very similar to last year where Undertaker confronted HHH though he didn’t physically attack him like Lesnar did McMahon.  So where does this lead?  Most are pointing at the obvious Lesnar/HHH rematch at WrestleMania (please no…) but there’s the potential of a stable that includes CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, The Shield, and Paul Heyman?  If this can stay put for a long time (Lesnar recently signed a two-year contract, though I’m not sure on the details), then not only will WWE be placed on the right track again, but this stable can be potentially one of the greatest stables in recent WWE history.

I still believe these next two months leading up to WrestleMania are still the best months of the year in terms of wrestling.  Not to sound repetitive, but this truly is the best time of the year for WWE.  However, this bad episode of Raw is not the start WWE needs to attract casual fans who haven’t watched the product all year.  I saw many sports journalists and other people I follow on Twitter actually tweet about the Royal Rumble and the following Raw.  Many were deterred by the terribleness of Monday that actually had a segment of Tensai in lingerie.  The point of WrestleMania and the weeks leading up to it shouldn’t just be, get the most buys we can for WrestleMania.  Rather, WrestleMania should be a place where WWE can showcase all of the best talents on the roster, and a reason why casual fans should tune in EVERY week and EVERY PPV of the year, instead of one.  Raw in Las Vegas didn’t do that.  WWE is going to need a strong week to get back on track.  If not, it’ll look as though we’ll fall in the same hole as we did before Punk’s title reign.

Sunday night, WWE held its 2012 edition of the Over The Limit pay-per-view. Just over three weeks after its predecessor, Extreme Rules, would Over The Limit deliver with a relatively small announced card and rushed feuds? Time to divulge.

1. Kane def. Zack Ryder

Nothing much to say here. It was the pre-show bout, and as mentioned in my last review, I am very much enjoying the concept of airing the bout online. WWE received nearly 50,000 views at once last night for the match, which is a good indication that this format is working.

The match was what was expected, with Kane going over Ryder after chokeslamming him off of the latter’s own finisher. Ryder showed some nice aggression throughout, but Kane could not afford to lose in this situation.

The question is, could Ryder either?

Match grade: 6/10

2. “People Power” 20-man  battle royal to determine no. 1 contender for United States or Intercontinental Championship

This one was reported online a little over an hour before the event started, and officially announced just minutes before the actual show started. It was a great way to showcase all of the faces that normally do not get much face time on television, including many of the NXT guys.

Tyson Kidd was the real standout here. He finally got a chance to showcase his wide array of skills on a large platform, and he delivered exponentially. He has the potential to be a massive star if given the right booking, and it was good to see him in the final four competitors.

Many argue that Christian’s return taking place here (especially after he was promised a World Heavyweight Championship shot if John Laurinaitis became the GM of both shows, remember?) was a bit odd, and it is hard to argue. However, with them ultimately deciding to turn him face and go after Rhodes, it seemed to make sense in a way.

I admit, I was surprised to see David Otunga and The Miz be decked with a loss here, but perhaps more good will come out of this than bad. But seriously, what has happened to the must-see Superstar?

Fun battle royal, ultimately harmless. Props to William Regal for lasting long as well

Match grade: 7/10

3. Kofi Kingston and R-Truth def. Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship

This was it. The perfect tag team match fans casual and “smark” alike have been waiting for. It was 12 minutes of nonstop, compelling tag team action, with an abundance of excellent spots.

All four men in the match are great athletes, including the best-seller in all of the business, Dolph Ziggler. He is in a class of his own, yet still finds himself in this picture. I wonder when he will breakout, and I keep thinking it is coming sooner rather than later, but I am continuously proved wrong. I will not complain here though.

What made the tag titles so valuable over a decade ago was that it seemed that both team genuinely were willing to do whatever it took to capture them. That’s what happened here, and I was very impressed with the teamwork showed by both pairings. If WWE could put a tag match like this on every card, people would once again become invested in the tag scene.

The only question is, where can Ziggler go from here?

Match grade: 9/10

4. Layla def. Beth Phoenix to retain the WWE Divas Championship

This was a solid contest for what we have gotten of late from the Divas, carried much by the challenger. With that being said, Layla is definitely decent in the ring, and fits the description of what a Divas champion could very well be. She has the look, the fans enjoy her and she is able to work a good match.

There is a lot of potential for this feud. It is not one that can be carried for three months, but it certainly can go at least two pay-per-view events. The issue is, they need to come up with a reason for them to feud, other than Phoenix wanting the championship.

It was better than the garbage matches seen on past pay-per-views, and for that, I approve and will generously score it in regards to those other matches. Let’s hope we see a little more of the too before the one they call Kharma makes her impact.

Match grade: 7/10

5. Sheamus def. Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton in a Fatal Four-Way match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

This was a fun watch. All the way through. Each competitor got a spot where they matched up with one another, which added versatility to the contest.

Rumor floating around the Internet claimed that the reason Orton and Jericho were added was because of how little interest there was in a Del Rio/Sheamus match, and that would appear to have some weight to it. Orton added a completely different dynamic to this bout, as he does undoubtedly possess the ability to attack at just about any moment.

Sheamus wins by securing a pinfall on Jericho. After a much-hyped debut and a potentially enormous feud that ended up being relatively lackluster CM Punk, Jericho has quite literally done nothing since returning. As he is gearing up for a tour with his band Fozzy, it would also appear he is on his way out. Was it a forgettable run for Y2J? Many would feel this way, I just wonder why nothing came of it. Who exactly did he elevate?

Nonetheless, good to see some classic four-way action here. I hope we get to see an Orton/Sheamus feud, even if it is between two faces.

Match grade: 8.5/10

6. Brodus Clay def. The Miz

Stupid. I am done with Brodus Clay’s booking. I enjoy his entrance, and that is about it. He is over with the fans, which is great, but would it be that awful for him to lose a match? Rikishi certainly did not win every bout he was in.

Once again, The Miz must have made somebody extremely angry backstage. It is clear he is doing all he can to bring himself back into the main event picture, heck even the mid-card, but it just is not working. Even after the Thriller dance.

Match grade: 5/10

7. Christian def. Cody Rhodes to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship

After originally deciding to face Santino Marella for the United States title, Christian changes his mind and takes on Rhodes, solidifying a face turn. It was a good match, a tad short but much better than what he could have put on with Marella at least, and planted the seeds for what could be an interesting feud.

Will Christian get over as a face? I am sure of that, and while he may not be as effective as he is when heel, the fans do support him all the way. This is a matter of whether he will be able to help elevate Rhodes to the next level though. Hopefully some good comes of this feud. I know I’ll be tuning in on Friday nights.

Match grade: 7.5/10

8. CM Punk def. Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Championship

A wrestling purist’s dream. The Internet Wrestling Community’s dream. And it. Was. Awesome.

Punk’s promo before the match set open some interesting possibilities, especially AJ lurking around. Ultimately, nothing came of her, but I am sure she will be integrated very soon into the feud. He also gets bonus points for his great Vince McMahon impression.

These two have a history with each other than spans well over 10 years, and this was made very evident. Their chemistry was golden, fluidity was perfect. Bryan’s Surfboard Stretch on Punk was the highlight of the match, executed flawlessly. The crowd was behind both guys, and Bryan further proved why he is here to stay.

Alongside, the finish was exactly what needed to happen, as Punk rolled over and pinned Bryan while the Yes! Lock was being applied. Punk tapping out after the pin only gives Bryan more reason to demand a rematch, which means we will get more to this feud. Awesome.

Interesting tidbit by the way, as the WWE Championship match has been the main event only once in the past seven pay-per-views. Sure would have worked here.

Is it weird that this match added more legitimacy to Punk’s title reign than his entire three-month feud with Jericho?

Match grade: 10/10

9. Ryback def. Camacho (with Hunico)

I like Ryback. Much more so than the hecklers do. And Camacho was a little more of a challenge, actually getting the monster on his knees. But these squashes need to stop.

It’s not the competitors’ fault. It’s the booking. Last month I spared a grade for the Ryback squash, but I will not be so lenient this time around.

Match grade: 4/10

10. John Laurinaitis def. John Cena. If Cena won, Laurinaitis would be fired. If any WWE Superstar interfered, they would be fired.

I will admit. It was certainly a waste of time in the sense that they ruined any credibility that Laurinaitis had as an in-ring performer back in his heyday. Cena used comedy to pulverize and humiliate the RAW and Smackdown general manager, and it did undoubtedly provide a good laugh.

But much like WrestleMania 26′s match between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon, the humiliation was extended for a far too long duration. The comedy bits at the announcers table was funny, but only for those watching at home. The live crowd must have been lost beyond belief.

On a side note, I would like to note that the announcing for Over The Limit was atrocious. Nonstop laughter from all three men. Call the match. Get over your inside jokes.

I will commend WWE for doing something right with this. Even though predictable, Big Show coming to save Laurinaitis in the finish actually made sense. They built up for it on RAW, with Laurinaitis making the giant get on his knees begging for his job back. Many may have seen it coming (yes, even those who “swore” it was Batista or Brock Lesnar), but it did something that creative has struggled with in terms of execution over the past year, and that is booking something that completed a story logically.

Hopefully this heel turn for Big Show works out. Were people dying for a John Cena and Big Show feud? Likely not, but at least it makes sense.

And hey, at least it was not Lord Tensai.

Match grade: 6.5/10

At the end of the day, Over The Limit was one of the better technical wrestling pay-per-views we have been treated to in years. The WWE Championship match was jaw-dropping, the tag titles match excellent as well. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for WWE, as it begins the three-hour switch on RAW in July.

There were certainly some wasted moments on the show, but overall, Over The Limit was a success.

Over The Limit grade: 8.0/10

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With WWE’s 2012 edition of the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in the books, it is time to sit down and grade the card! Whose matches stood out as the best? How was the event as a whole? Let us begin.

1. Santino Marella def. The Miz to retain the United States Championship

This match was on the pre-show, which was available strictly on Youtube. It was the second-consecutive pay-per-view that this concept was applied on, and I must say, it does bring back some old memories of Sunday Night Heat, which would precede the monthly-events back in the 90s and early portion of the 2000s. I am a big fan of this idea, and putting it on Youtube is a great way for WWE to integrate their social media mission into the fold as well.

As for the bout itself, I do believe it is fair to say The Miz is effectively buried. With all due respect to Marella, who has done a tremendous job getting over with the fans and is by no means bad in the ring, there is no reason for a man who once headlined WrestleMania to be jobbing in a match seen only on the Internet.

While many will argue that creative simply has nothing for him, it is clear something went wrong. At this point, a move to Smackdown would be most effective for the former WWE Champion. Santino wins with the Cobra, and The Miz is left in the gutter. I don’t believe the former holds on to the championship all that much longer, though.

Match grade: 5/10

2. Randy Orton def. Kane in Falls Count Anywhere match

While the feud itself has not been all that strong, it has significantly improved since WrestleMania. The match started aggressively, which was supposed to set the pace for the rest of the night. Once it left the ring, however, things slowed down. The issue with a Falls Count Anywhere match is that once the two competitors imminently go into the stands, it must be fairly difficult for the majority of the audience in the arena to watch. It is also likely that the fall will not be recorded up there.

As the competitors got backstage, I liked the incorporation of Zack Ryder. He has been relatively silent ever since his feud with Kane and Cena, but it was a nice twist that he started beating away at the man who supposedly incapacitated him for several months. I could see them doing a short-lived Ryder/Kane feud for Over The Limit, though I’m not all that sure what that would accomplish other than giving them something to do.

The finish was where the match earned its stripes, as a great series of near-falls lead to an exciting finish that saw Orton RKO Kane on top of a chair. Hopefully this is the end of the feud, and if it was, I was satisfied. A good match with an Attitude Era feel to it.

Match grade: 7/10

3. Brodus Clay def. Dolph Ziggler

I am a huge fan of Brodus Clay and his efforts to get over with the live crowd. And he has done a nice job with that.

But this feud has made no sense. At first, it appeared as though it would be a segue to Ziggler and Jack Swagger splitting from Vickie Guerrero. Instead, Ziggler has lost cleanly in nearly every matchup with the Funkasaurus. Ziggler sells moves like no other in WWE, and is world champion material. Who did he piss off to get this treatment?

It was nice to see Clay look vulnerable, and it served its place as a filler match. It just involved poor booking of Clay’s opponent.

Match grade: 6/10

4. Cody Rhodes def. Big Show in a tables match for the Intercontinental Championship

I understood the reasoning, in the long run, for them to let Big Show win at WrestleMania. It was a feelgood moment, and made for good television. But this change needed to happen.

Rhodes is good, but he has not received the best of treatment since 2012 began. His run with the Intercontinental title, while long, was nothing less than lackluster. Hopefully this reign is a little more reputable.

The match itself was short, as expected, and ended with a nice twist in Big Show accidentally stepping through a table. It was a creative and different finish to what is normal for a tables match, but guaranteed that this somewhat anti-climactic feud will continue. Nonetheless, beneficial outcome, and expect Rhodes to go over cleanly at Over The Limit.

Match grade: 6.5/10

5. Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan in a 2-out-of-3 falls match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

After the 18-second match at WrestleMania, it was a general consensus that these two would finally, after a years worth of waiting, get to showcase their skills. Deliver they did.

The 2-out-of-3 falls stipulation is usually a predictable split of the first two falls followed by a clincher at the end, which was the case here  as well. However, the way they went about booking it was much more creative than in the past. Bryan’s self-disqualification by relentlessly kicking Sheamus’ arm to take him out was extremely heel-like and cowardly. It was also a testament to the ring psychologist that he is. Actually utilizing the hurt arm in the YES! Lock for the second fall was also logical, something WWE has been missing of late at times.

The Brogue Kick at the end was sold effectively enough to look legitimate, and provided a solid finish to a very entertaining match. The crowd was incredibly into this one, and Bryan is arguably the most over superstar in the company today. The pacing in the match was perfect, telling a story of a crazed-Bryan and a bloodthirsty Sheamus. My only major complaint would be as to why they showed A.J. prior to the match without utilizing her, but I will wait to see if anything spurs from that this week.

Match grade: 8.5/10

6. Ryback def. Aaron Relic and Jay Hatton in a 2-on-1 handicapped match

Nothing really to say here, or grade for that matter. Typical squash match, but I like the inclusion of letting the jobbers speak prior to facing him. Ryback looks great in the ring and I am very anxious to see him in a feud. He is physical with some dominating moves, but I wonder how his character will develop. Hopeful that feud comes soon.

Match grade: N/A

7. CM Punk def. Chris Jericho in a Chicago Street Fight to retain the WWE Championship

Oh man. This was awesome.

As expected, the crowd popped big time for Punk. The feud got personal ever since WrestleMania, and I was curious to see as to whether this would actually be the conclusion of the program. After the finish, it may appear so.

Many would argue that Jericho’s return has been somewhat pointless, but he has done an excellent job at getting Punk over even more so than he was. The matches have been technically flawless, while last night’s was brutal as well. There were some great spots in this, and both competitors took a legitimate beating (that damn Kendo stick).

The finish saw the feud return to its roots, with Jericho hoisting Punk and proclaiming himself as the best in the world, which saw the latter respond with a GTS of his own. Throw that in with the flashy elbow drop on the table, and this match told a story of two competitors who had tremendous tension, all of which turned into not a battle, but a war.

Match grade: 9.5/10

8. Layla def. Nikki Bella for Divas Championship

I liked that they took the title off Beth via “injury,” which tries to salvage some legitimacy for her. When they announced a mystery opponent for Nikki, it was expected Kharma would be making her long-awaited return. It was also be logical, due to the Bella twins teasing of her as she went on hiatus.

Instead, Layla comes back from her knee injury after a year of inactivity. It was definitely a nice surprise, as she is good in the ring, and looked great. However, it was not the surprise the hostile Chicago crowd wanted, and this came off poorly as a result. The twin switch was used to likely expand the program slightly further, but it is clear Kharma is on the horizon. Not an awful match, but certainly not what people wanted.

Match grade: 6/10

9. John Cena def. Brock Lesnar in an Extreme Rules match

My thoughts have been wavering ever since Cena hit the Attitude Adjustment on the steel steps for the win.

To say I was in a literal shock when Cena went over Lesnar would be an understatement. To me, it made no sense that Lesnar would come in with the reputation as being one of the toughest men on the planet yet lose. Where does he go from here? How is there any legitimacy to it?

However, as the hours passed, I started to come to terms with the outcome a little more. After the fight, and yes, it was a fight, Cena said he would be taking a break. Rumors have been rampant of late that he would be taking a much-needed vacation, but he also appeared actually beat-up. His shoulder looked torn at times, and he got busted open the hard way as well. If Cena is to be taking a break, then it only serves as justice to let him go out with a win after all he has done for the company. While they could have gone the injury-route, it is honestly a little more satisfying to see him win.

As mentioned, the match was an absolute brawl. It told a compelling story of two men who appear to have genuine disdain for one another. Cena was once again split open by real punches, which only contributed to the MMA-style feel the bout had. Lesnar did appear a little ring-rusty, misjudging a key jump that could have left him seriously injured. Nonetheless, the fight went over very well on television, and that appeared to be the case with the live crowd as well.

I still do not 100 percent agree with the ending, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, even being left a little disturbed by how brutal it was.

Match grade: 9/10

When all is said and done, Extreme Rules was most definitely a successful pay-per-view. The undercard was, appropriately, underwhelming as expected. On the contrary, it was held together by three excellent main event matches that make up for most of the stale booking seen by the other bouts. It is hard to push extreme in a PG environment, but they managed to do the best they could last night. There must be something in the water in Chicago. Because whenever wrestling swings by, it rocks.

Extreme Rules grade: 8.5/10

This is the SportsFullCircle WrestleMania XXVIII Preview Show! Join hosts Jon Alba and Brian Mallen as they discuss the WrestleMania 28 card and make predictions for the big show. They’ll speak with A.J. Kirsch of WWE Tough Enough fame along with Justin LaBar of WrestleZone, and talk about what the experts are predicting for the big event!

Listeners can interact via the live chat, or call in to the show by Skyping jon.alba1.!

Video streaming by Ustream

WWE Divas Title Match- Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Tamina

Rob Brown- Ever since the Glamazon won the Divas title back in October, the WWE Universe hasn’t seen an opponent that could legitimately challenge her for the title…and they won’t on Sunday. With little to no buildup to this feud, I’d be shocked to see Tamina Snuka take down Phoenix. On the bright side; they’re referring Tamina as the daughter to Super Fly which means she may have a bright future in the months after WrestleMania.

Phoenix retains but is confronted by Kharma after the match. This will setup a nice feud heading into WrestleMania. After all, Kharma is the exact kind of diva that Phoenix thinks she is—not a Barbie doll, but an actual wrestler who’s here to win championships.

Winner: Beth Phoenix

Jon Alba- I give credit where credit is due in the Divas division, and both of these have done a nice job in taking what they’ve been given and rolling with it.

I like to see that WWE has finally put a little stock into Tamina, who has worked diligently to improve inside the ring and develop more of a character over the past couple of months. It was also important for them to establish the connection between her and her father.

As for Beth, it took her far too long to capture the title in the first place, and she’s dealt with every card they’ve given her. Joke matches, real matches, stupidity, surprises, all of it. I hope that this match is given at least more than five minutes, and can show some quality in-ring activity between two solid female wrestlers.

I’m with Rob here, I believe Beth wins, hopefully Tamina isn’t pushed to the backburner, and we see Kharma either tonight or on Monday night.

Winner: Beth Phoenix

Ambulance Match- John Cena vs. Kane

R.B.- So this is where John Cena finally snaps and embraces the hate right? I sure hope so, because if not then the WWE has successfully buried their former posterboy going into the year’s biggest event called WrestleMania. This feud has been horrible to watch, but if Cena snaps and leads to a more intense character heading into his match against the Rock; it’ll be somewhat worth it.

This has to be the match that shows Cena getting his hands dirty for the win. Chairs, kendo sticks, and of course tables, will be used to show how intense Cena will get when pushed to the limit. Only then will anyone expect for him to even be able to compete against The Rock next month.

Winner: John Cena

J.A.- I’m torn here. Not because of who I think is going to win, but how it’s going to play out.

Seemingly out of nowhere last Monday, Kane proclaimed that Cena had finally embraced the hate after stealing Zack Ryder’s girlfriend, Eve. I’m not quite sure how this is a sign of him doing as Kane wished, but I digress.

I do agree that we’ll see Cena snap much like we did a few weeks ago. It’s important that he shows an extremely aggressive side heading into Mania against The Rock. Otherwise, we get the staleness we’ve become accustomed to over the past several years. This feud with Kane, in my opinion, was put to have an excuse for him to become more physical.

But that is where my dilemma begins. Is there a true payoff to this feud? What comes of putting Ryder in this? How much will Cena ultimately benefit from snapping? Where will Ryder and Eve come in tonight? Will Ryder turn heel? Will Eve?

And more importantly, who cares if any of those hypothetical scenarios occur?

This is the problem with a flawed feud. It had ups, but overall, many more downs. We’ll see what happens. Cena wins.

Winner: John Cena

Smackdown Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship- Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Big Show vs. Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. The Great Khali vs. Santino Marrella

R.B.- I can’t be the only one pleasantly surprised with Daniel Bryan’s new character right? There’s a couple of things we know right off the bat, The Great Khali won’t win and Marrella won’t win either. That leaves four that can legitimately win the world championship.

The thing about Elimination Chamber matches that I don’t like is the fact that it’s real steel. Therefore, you won’t see huge bumps to the outside of the ring. Watch as wrestlers fall gingerly out of the ring like a bunch of fifth-graders who are playing “wrestler” in the backyard. We’ll get one or two real bumps, but that is it.

That’s why I don’t expect much from this match (moreso than the next) because guys like the Big Show and Great Khali won’t be seen taking huge bumps. This match will be placed on the shoulders of Cody Rhodes and Daniel Bryan to carry the entire thing.

Although I could see Wade Barrett stealing this one, look for Bryan to retain the title going into WrestleMania. Barrett has been outstanding in recent months and looks to be the next one to be elevated to Smackdown’s main event, but Daniel Bryan will find a way to get the win. I assume he’ll even find a way to do so over the Big Show to finally seal the feud they’ve been having in recent months.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

J.A.- What I do love about this year’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view is the unpredictability factor. No one can confidently say who is going to win either Elimination Chamber match.

What I do not love is the current Smackdown roster. There is a serious lack of depth, as evidenced by the entrants in this match. The Great Khali, who hadn’t been seen in months and was supposedly finished with the company, is back and shot straight to the main event picture. Then there’s the issue of Santino, which I won’t even go into.

I will say that I’m okay with Santino being in the match for the fact that he is incredibly over and entertaining, but it’s only proof of how weak the pool of talent is. Let’s see if he even makes it into the match. Maybe someone and his “peeps” will have something to say about that.

I’m with Rob though, and I agree that Daniel Bryan’s heel turn has gone well. He’s made a habit of escaping every single match he’s in, reminiscent of an early Kurt Angle. The difference, however, was that Angle won big matches without being a coward. I really hope this happens tonight. Have Bryan take out Big Show early. Make a statement.

Even though a guy like Barrett could win, I think Bryan does get out of it. Establish some legitimacy for WrestleMania. Have the World Heavyweight Championship match be with multiple contestants. Make it grand.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Raw Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship- CM Punk (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. R-Truth

R.B.- Dear Kofi Kingston, you were right last week on Raw. Nobody thinks you have a chance to win this one, and you won’t. What we do expect is some outrageous move where you clinch onto the side of the cage and leap off as if you’re the John Morrison replacement.

Wait…you are the John Morrison replacement aren’t you?! Awkward…

Anyways, this will be the best match we see all night since all the participants work really well in the ring. We’ll see the R-Truth/Miz feud finally conclude within the cage and it’ll give Kofi Kingston a chance to steal the show with a move that we’ve never seen before.

What is somewhat lost in this match is where Dolph Ziggler fits in. He’s probably been the most consistent in-ring performer in the past six months, but doesn’t seem to have anything going for him lately. Seems like the “Show-Off” has been forgotten about.

Of course all eyes will be on CM Punk and Chris Jericho as they continue their feud, which should lead to WrestleMania. This feud has taken a traditional approach in recent weeks, starting with very little contact and a lot of talking. This will be the first time the two actually face each other in action
and they will look to bring the best out of each other.

I think Jericho will steal the title on Sunday and will head to WrestleMania as the champion and Punk as the challenger. Jericho wearing the belt, which signifies why he is the best in the world at everything he does (besides Dancing with the Stars of course), gives him enough to talk about for the next five months. Meanwhile, Punk will have to chase Y2J for a month, which would lead to the biggest clash of both athleticism and mouth that WrestleMania has ever seen.

Look for these two to show you a small glimpse of what you can expect from their WrestleMania match though. They won’t let it all out of the bag here.

Winner: Chris Jericho

J.A.- In regards to Rob’s statement about Kofi Kingston, it does hold some water. Yes, Kofi will be a spot machine. Yes, he likely won’t win.

With that being said however, I expect Kofi to capture an elimination tonight. I believe he is in the midst of a mini-push, and I do firmly believe there is a chance we see a more physical and aggressive Kofi in 2012, much like what we saw in his feud with Randy Orton a while back.

Ziggler is unfortunately wrapped up with nothing to do at the moment, but could gain some leverage with an elimination tonight as well. R-Truth and The Miz are somewhat stagnant, with the latter being in the doghouse among WWE officials. Do not expect much from either of them.

This one is even more difficult than the Smackdown chamber match to convincingly pick a winner. In many people’s eyes, the Jericho/Punk feud has been off to a slow start. I on the other hand think the lack of physicality between them has been only beneficial for building tension, and we’ll get a good glimpse tonight of what’s in the future for us.

Punk is a great champion. He’s even better at chasing the title. If anyone could make the most of a one-month title reign, it’s Jericho. Would people continue the argument that the belt is devalued? Yes, but there’s no secret to that anymore. Let Jericho sneak away with a win, have Punk proclaim that he wasn’t “beat” by Jericho one-on-one, and we have our Mania feud.

We could also see Johnny Ace get involved too. Leave it up to Mr. Excitement to shake things up!

Winner: Chris Jericho

Also, expect something big tonight in regards to Triple H and Undertaker. Just a gut feeling.

When CM Punk’s microphone turned off last summer, even the “smart Internet fans” scratched their heads not knowing if this was a scripted “shoot interview” or if the straight-edge superstar was actually voicing his opinion.  Now, on the yearly road to WrestleMania, the line between reality and scripted television will be blurred as CM Punk is colliding into Chris Jericho.

Punk has been doing this for months. It appears obvious that he has been improvising his interviews and promos, often leaving his opponents baffled and without any comeback.  While standing opposed to Kevin Nash, Punk’s witty banter kept the WWE Universe laughing and slapping their knee while Nash continued to remind fans why he should be retired.

Although his mic skills (or “pipebomb skills” as he’d probably call it) have been remarkable, Punk’s in-ring ability also seem to have reached a new level. No matter the fanbase, anyone who saw Punk defeat John Cena at last year’s Money in the Bank show were amazed to see an entertaining match. Not amazed that Punk had a great match, but that he could do so with the predictable Cena.

Although this isn’t the first time Punk has hoisted up the WWE title, it is the first time he has this much support from the WWE Universe.  Any and every time “Cult of Personality” blares through the P.A. system, fans of all ages and genders raise to their feet to show Punk their appreciation.

The amazing part is that we’ve read this book before. It was a great read and we read the second installment just a few years back. This was the Book of Jericho.

Since the day Chris Jericho interrupted The Rock in front of a jam-packed Chicago crowd (ironically Punk’s hometown) Jericho has kept fans entertained with the microphone. Whether he was stringing together insults towards Stephanie McMahon or speaking with a monotone voice while wearing a suit, Y2J fans have always respected him to some degree.

He also has been tremendous in the ring regardless if that venue was an ECW, WCW, or WWE ring (although he admits his early WWE ring work wasn’t good). An epic match between him and Shawn Michaels stole the show at WrestleMania XIX and he also carried a match at WrestleMania XXV against Jimmy Snuka, Ricky Steamboat, and Roddy Piper (the three had an average age of 61).

In an attempt to not be a prisoner of the moment, I’ll try not to consider this to be the best feud of all time before it even finishes. But while looking at this recipe, there’s no reason for me to think that this can potentially be the most memorable feud in recent history. Never have we had two men with the ability to tear down the house both on the mic and in the ring collide on the biggest stage of them all.

The Rock and Steve Austin were never great in the ring like these two, Hulk Hogan’s same five repetitive moves could never get me out of my seat and Triple H and Randy Orton were never able to work well in the ring together.

The only other combination that comes close is when Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII. I admit that’s a tough one to overcome.

When the time comes and the two hold their respective “pipebombs” and stand across the ring from each other, fans will wonder how much is scripted and how much is real. The second Punk placed “Best in the world” across the back of his shirt, Jericho fans took notice. Y2J, in his monotone voice would remind fans that he is “the best in the world” in what he does before Punk ever spoke the words. Y2J reminded fans on twitter that Punk was ripping him off.

“Everyone is so excited that @CMPunk mentioned me on Raw. Newsflash…I don’t give a s**t. Mind ur own business and stop rippin me off Punk.”

 

These are the type of feuds that fans love to watch, especially the older ones. Feuds where you don’t know what will happen next, who will win, or what will be said. You just know that something great is expected since both men have such talent.

With Punk and Jericho’s popularity being so high, their promos being entertaining, and what may be real animosity in the air, the next two months of watching these two may be the feud we remember for as long as we’re wrestling fans.

Alas, one of my favorite days in January has come. Tonight is the 25th edition of the Royal Rumble, and one of the most exciting nights for any fan of sports and entertainment!

Without further ado, it is time to take a look at the card for tonight’s event, make my picks, and hope for a great show!

Steel cage match for the World Heavyweight title: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Mark Henry vs. The Big Show

Daniel Bryan has done a tremendous job thus far as the champion, even if his reign has been just over a month. Even so, in that month, we’ve seen him transition from, well, a transitional champion to a full-fledged heel. His cowardly actions resemble that of a young Kurt Angle, and he has still proven nonetheless that he can work a match with guys who are twice his size.

As far as Henry and Big Show go, I expect this to be the last time we see both of them together in the title picture. One will likely need to drop out after this, my guess being Big Show, who is rumored to have a potential WrestleMania opponent in Shaquille O’Neal. While I wouldn’t put it past both of them to be in the title match at Elimination Chamber, I fully expect this to be the last of the feud between the two as a whole.

Bryan will walk out of this one as the champion. There is no reason to lose, and there is no benefit in putting the belt on either of the two big men. Henry is bruised up, and Big Show is ready to move on. I am curious, however, to see if we start getting a more aggressive, heel-ish Big Show heading down the stretch.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Kane vs. John Cena

It has been an interesting feud between these two, with some serious ups and some serious downs.

Masked Kane debuted to much fanfare, and many were expecting to get a pure-physical, hard-beating character with the only intention in mind being to destroy John Cena. Instead, we’ve seen a deep-thinking Kane whose intentions are to force Cena to “embrace the hate.” He has delivered not only massive attacks, including taking out the popular Zack Ryder, but dark promos to convey his message.

Cena, on the other hand, has become more aggressive and physical, which would make one believe he is beginning to do as Kane wishes. Even though he’s still far from being considered a heel, he has undoubtedly become more interesting to watch, and I think the gimmick tweak was what is needed heading down the stretch into WrestleMania.

I feel that while it’s tough to decide if either goes over cleanly, there is no reason John Cena should lose this match. He has too much riding on him going into WrestleMania, and needs to get hot. I am curious, however, to see if this feud carries into Elimination Chamber.

Winner: John Cena

WWE Championship match: CM Punk (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler with special guest referee John Laurinaitis

This is a weird one. Arguably two of the best competitors in the company, and maybe even the business, will face each other once more in a championship match. While the feud has obviously consisted of the two battling it out, this is as much a feud between Laurinaitis and Punk as it is anything else.

The interim RAW general manager has stated that he plans to screw Punk, though has rescinded that statement after learning his job will be up for review by Triple H tomorrow night. In addition, he has banned Jack Swagger and Vicki Guerrero from ringside.

So what happens here?

My belief is that Punk will walk away with the title heading into Elimination Chamber. However, I could also see them giving Dolph Ziggler a trial run with the belt and have him drop it a month from now, more of a way to gauge how ready he is to be a fixture in the main event scene. Having him drop the title in the Elimination Chamber would be a good way of proving that he can stand with the best and still hold a true championship run to his record, though I’m not sure if they’re ready to do such a thing so close to WrestleMania.

Punk wins, even as Johnny Ace tries to screw him. Will we see more outside interference in this one? Not sure, but even so, I think there are ample ways to go about this.

Winner: CM Punk

The 25th annual Royal Rumble match

We only know two things heading into this year’s main event. The Miz will be the first entrant alongside that any WWE Superstar is eligible to enter the match. Many have speculated that this could mean one of the world champions could end up in the match, but I’m not so sure about that.

Last year’s rumble match was one of the strongest ever, featuring 40 competitors. While it is back down to 30 this year, I fully expect it to be an entertaining one. We will still get our usual surprises, possibly including guys like Road Dogg or maybe even a debuting Ryback, and some great technical displays as well.

Earlier this week, I had a chance to interview business insider Justin LaBar about his beliefs for this match. While before it had been widely reported that Chris Jericho was slated in for a match with Punk at WrestleMania or that Randy Orton was a near shoe-in to win in his hometown, it appears things may have changed.

My personal belief is that Triple H, which would qualify under the “all Superstars” surprise, will end up walking away with the victory. His appearance for tomorrow will be setup to appear as him firing Johnny Ace, followed by a heel turn on Punk, with a declaration of him going for the title.

Is it a little out there? Surely, but it would be a pleasant surprise as well. Even so, I could very much see a guy like Jericho, Orton, or even Wade Barrett walking away with the victory. But I do believe they have a twist ending in store for us, and this would suit it.

Winner: Triple H

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Justin gives more insight on his recent reports surrounding the events, alongside talks a little bit about what he believes is in the future for WWE and his new job as PWO commissioner!

A great interview, and worth your time listening too! Enjoy! A special thanks to Justin for giving his busy time.

Justin LaBar can be found on Twitter, and is the host of Chair Shot Reality on WrestleZone, alongside the commissioner of PWO wrestling. He also hosts a show on Tuesday’s from 3-5 p.m. ET on TribLive Radio.

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