On This Day

On this day I see clearly that professional wrestling lost one of the greatest in ring workers and personalities I've seen in my lifetime. I wasn't going to write anything about Edge because I figured everything was a work. Isn't it always in wrestling? I come to find out Edge is really retiring. He has made a large impact on the industry and really my life. Edge has been one of those guys that when I heard the music, I knew I was going to see a good match. I'm sure there are a ton of blogs on Edge today. This is going to be one of them as I list ten in no particular order of my favorite matches in Edge's career.

10) Summerslam 2008 Edge vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match.

This feud was one of several that deserved such a send off and Edge and Taker delivered. The Undertaker's returns are diluted now but in this story it felt special. Edge played it off well and was sent to hell at the end of the match. Hell in a Cell delivered the final blow to one of Edge's best feuds.

9) Unforgiven 2006 John Cena vs. Edge for the WWE Title in a TLC Match

The match was held in Edge's backyard Toronto, Ontario Canada. Cena and Edge had a long program and this was the kicker. Cena was in a lose lose because of the hot Canada crowd. I loved the finish with Edge going through two tables off an FU. Only a handful of people have made Cena look great and Edge is one of them.

8) Vengence 2004 Randy Orton vs. Edge for the Intercontinental Championship

No need for weapons, ladders or a cage in this classic one on one contest. Edge and Orton wrestled in a beautiful match. They started slow with basic mat wrestling, worked towards hot spots and ended with a surprise finish. Orton wasn't elevated to the big level yet but Edge helped him. Even better is once Orton was up to the main event level, Rated RKO teamed up.

7) Summerslam 2000 TLC Edge & Christian vs. The Hardyz vs The Dudleys

The three teams that lifted tag teams to heights we will never see again. These guys did everything in this match. The first of many TLC matches for Edge and the peak of tag team gold. Wrestling will never duplicate what these three teams did.

6) Wrestlemania 22 Mick Foley vs. Edge

OH MY GOD! This match was the first and probably the only time the WWE allowed a flaming table at Wrestlemania. Foley brought it all out in Edge and vice versa. This was my favorite hardcore match in the WWE era. I loved the story, the match and the swerve later on teaming with Foley. My favorite moment of the match was the flip over the top with Lita on Foley's back. HBK and Vince maybe remembered more from fans but I feel Edge and Mick stole the show.

5) Wrestlemania 24 Edge vs. The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Champion

I heard rumors that Edge didn't particularly care for this match. I enjoyed this match. Edge and The Undertaker always felt special and some certain chemistry and I felt that in this contest. They both worked hard to put on a great show. Edge was in the main event for a reason. He's always dedicated and the fact he didn't feel this match was that good, shows his devotion. Edge deserved a few more spots on the main event at Wrestlemania. I guess stealing the show a few times means more.

Edge shocks the world. I couldn't put Cena and Edge at New Year's Revolution on the list because it was barely a match. Edge won his first championship and kicked started the Money in the Bank guarantee. Since then, everyone who has cashed in has won. But the first is always the most special and that was Edge's win over Cena.

4) Raw January 16th, 2006 Edge vs. Ric Flair TLC Match for the WWE Championship

Wooooo! I remember Flair mentioning this match in his Hall of Fame speech. Edge called the match, took a man who never worked in a ladder match and made it such a beautiful match. The story built in the match was paced so well. Edge took a lot of the bumps but to Flair's credit, he held his own. I couldn't believe they even made this match. At the end, I couldn't believe how good it was. That's a credit to both competitors.

3) Wrestlemania 2000 Tables Trio Tag Edge & Christian vs. Hardyz vs Dudleys

I had to put this on the list. The finish alone with Edge and Christian standing on a table scaffold was creative as hell. Edge and Christian were recognized as masters of the ladder shortly afterward. This match proved it.

2) No Mercy 1999 Tag Ladder Match Edge & Christian vs. Hardy Boyz

Before there were 5 second posses, TLC, spears, Rated R and single's success, there was the Terri Runnels. I know seems crazy. Many fans around my age (I'm 27 for those who care) always say HBK and Razor revolutionized the Ladder match. If they revolutionized the Ladder, then what ized word can you come up with for what these two teams did? Nobody looks at ladder matches the same way after what 4 men did on October 17th, 1999. This ladder match was the only one Edge & Christian lost too. Incredible.

1) Wrestlemania XVII TLC II Edge & Christian vs. Hardyz vs. Dudleys

Was there ever a doubt that this wasn't going to make this list? As I said in the opening paragraph, these are not in order, but this is my favorite match of Edge's. I know it's a tag match and quite a cop out by me with all the other TLC and Ladder matches already making the list. Tell me something, if you could take one picture of Edge's career what would it be? I would choose the still of Edge taking off on a 20 foot high ladder spearing Jeff Hardy who is dangling off the loop like a cheap ear ring. Anyone who puts an Edge tribute package on Youtube and doesn't have that moment failed. I couldn't let this blog fail without having the best TLC match ever.

I'm seriously saddened by the retirement of the Rated R Superstar, Edge. I know I sound like a selfish wrestling fan. I am happy he is getting out before he is seriously injured because that would make this even worse. I've come to realize that nothing lasts forever. Bold statement huh? When I was younger watching wrestling I never thought Hogan and Flair would make me feel sad for them because they can't let go. Once the attitude era, I wanted Austin and Rock to never leave my television screen. I never though 'Oh crap these guys aren't going to last forever.'

Now, fans aren't taking advantage of those sweet moments we get every once in a while. We complain because these moments don't happen all the time. I'm one of them. I complain about lack of direction, new stars and wrestling in the broadcasts. Meanwhile, I look around and see Edge, Austin and HBK are gone and The Rock, HHH and Taker recently came back. Instead of complaining, we should bask in the glory. You never know when this day is their last.

J Call

Raw 4-4

I sit here typing as a humble WWE blogger. My picks sucked. Luckily, I'm happy the way Wrestlemania went. The WWE did some things correctly and some missed. I read a few summaries and opinions. So what if Mania wasn't perfect? It was still a fine show and I will go into more detail in a few. Raw isn't going to change the direction of WWE. The Rock and Stone Cold is still around while HBK is back home. WWE biggest show is over and now it's time to swallow some leftovers.

Wrestlemania was a good show in my opinion. As I said, there were a few mistakes. John Morrison and Ziggler didn't even get a chance in the ring. I guess that's better than Sheamus and Bryan being made into a non-title stupid ass battle royal. Dolph and Morrison are the future of the company. I truly believe they will headline a Mania or two in their wrestling career. They certainly didn't get that chance this year. Cole and Lawler were in deed a bigger letdown than Vince and Bret. That went on way too long. Cena's entrance was ridiculous. I could barely make out what the choir was doing. Then he comes out in a confederate flag look-a-like t-shirt. I guess he wanted to even it out since he had an all black choir. Cena is the master at hypocrisy.

The good definitely out weighed the bad. Triple H and The Undertaker brought out the best of wrestling. They provided a story for the ages. I was on the edge of my seat after the 3rd pedigree and nearly fell off my chair when Trips hit the tombstone. A lot of my friends didn't care for the finish. I liked the surprise tap out finish. HBK lost back to back years with a tombstone. I speculate maybe they wanted to be different. In the end, incredible match. JR and King were incredible at the table. They were wonderful. Del Rio and Edge didn't make a lot of sense to be an opener. Even if it didn't, the match was still solid. I enjoyed it and especially since Christian didn't turn heel. The Rock was also entertaining but I could have done with the long opener if it gave us an actual United States title match. I give the show a B+. We all judge to harshly on Wrestlemania. This may not have been the greatest, but it's one I will remember for years to come.

Raw opened with the Game. I didn't expect that or Ross at the broadcast table. Triple H finally recognized he fought Taker at Wrestlemania before. That was about 2 months to late. They should have added that on the story. Triple H furthered the line of The Undertaker becoming mortal. Triple H's promo was heart felt and nice. The only problem I have is Triple H saying he will be waiting. I hope he's not waiting another year. The Undertaker needs a new opponent. No more tries for anyone old at Wrestlemania.

The entire Michael Cole persona has lasted way to long. I thought for sure Wrestlemania would end it. It should have. Swagger is at least a real wrestler and had an actual wrestling match with Lawler. Deja Vu from Wrestlemania. It wasn't bad. I was hoping for Austin and more stunners. The BBQ thing worked. I just wondered who was going to call Raw afterward.

We found out Cole was back in his play pen. Raw as far as broadcasting, got much worse. No offense to Booker or Josh, it's just we want JR and King. Cole going in and out of character all night doesn't help a broadcast or other wrestlers. Orton and Rey teaming up to further their respective feuds is a good idea. Both men had great matches at Wrestlemania. Rhodes is really working this new character. I like it since he was never going to be 'over' as Dashing Cody Rhodes. Orton and Rhodes need to have a one on one feud sometime this year. The tag match was very well done. No doubt those two stories head all the way until Extreme Rules.

I will be watching Tough Enough directly following Raw. WWE didn't chose the cast and USA did most of the production value. The show will probably feel like the UFC show on Spike. It should be fun. I know a few of them were on the Independent circuit. The segment made me want to see Stone Cold wrestle again. The crowd has been hot. Miz couldn't do anything with Austin when The Rock and Cena are later. It worked for publicizing Tough Enough and anytime Austin is on is good in my book.

Del Rio's destiny is apparently to be built up for months to lose at Wrestlemania. I feel bad for Evan Bourne. He's one talented individual and seems to float around. Bourne should be in a feud with Daniel Bryan for wrestling sake. Del Rio is going off on a mean streak. He's developing an even more vial character. I actually want to see him get the World title soon. I'm not tired of Edge, Del Rio deserves it. Extreme Rules will be some sort of rematch. If I were to bet, I'm not and am terrible at predictions, I'd go with a Ladder match.

I'm all for anything that keeps Ziggler and Morrison in a feud together. I don't care how it's done, these two need to be in some sort of a gimmick match at Extreme Rules. Morrison and Ziggler tripled their in ring minutes from Wrestlemania. I continue to say they are the future. I believe they are. Ziggler is easily the best seller in WWE. Morrison has everything you can ask for in a star. This feud needs to last a while so the fans can finally get a chance to see into their crystal ball.

Finally, Sheamus and Bryan got their opportunity. That should have been the Wrestlemania opener. They proved with little time to have a good match. They could have had another 7 minutes at Wrestlemania and gave us a really good match. Sin Cara is going to be a lot of fun to watch. Daniel Bryan, Sheamus and Sin Cara can have a hell of a triple threat match sometime. Sin Cara did a little and meant a lot. Some times less is more.

The Rock and Cena has felt special these past weeks. One thing I agree with Cena, I want to see Cena and The Rock. I just want to see The Rock win. I guess we will see it in a year. How the hell can this wait another year? Look, I want to see the match. I can't see how it can hold up for an entire year. What happens if Cena gets hurt? It is a match that should be on a Wrestlemania card. I agree with that. The second best thing is Summerslam. Summerslam is big enough for Rock and Cena. The Corre was a good idea to finish if they actually got an upper hand. Instead, they were fodder. I should be pumped, I can't though when I know the match is 364 days away.

Raw was a good show. I liked the in ring battles. Raw provided some good wrestling entertainment. The tag match with Punk/Rhodes and Rey/Orton was damn good. Sheamus and Bryan got what they should have gotten Sunday night. WWE obviously is booking and planning for Wrestlemania XXVIII. How about a little less planning for next year's Mania and a little more planning the here and now.

Be sure to check out ShowStoppers on Wednesday now on BBSD. You can always follow me on twitter @mccall316. By the way, I keep forgetting to mention that if you only read my blog on BBSD, you are always missing out on the pictures, so click the link at the top of my blog page on BBSD. If you don't have twitter, email me at jcall@bigbadsportsdaddy.com. I appreciate all your hits and feedback. Stunners for everyone!

J Call

Wrestlemania Pick Blog

The time has come, Wrestlemania is upon us. The WWE fell short for weeks until Monday. Raw did exactly what its purpose was and that is to get me ready for this Sunday. I don't remember a better go home show ever. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit. Stone Cold did the beer truck promo the Raw before Wrestlemania XV. Still, Monday did its job and I am ready for the biggest wrestling show of the year. I expect some twists, turns and swerves on Sunday. A few I want to see and one I hope doesn't happen. I know it is early to talk about Wrestlemania 28 since I'm just getting to Mania 27 picks. The WWE prepares for next years Mania right after so I thought I would help out.

In the last 3 years, The Undertaker has wrestled HBK twice and HHH this year. Who the hell is left for Taker? I read some reports that Taker was going to wrestle Wade Barrett this year. Of course, then 2-21-11 was going to be Sting and Taker. We know that was all smoke and mirrors now. Maybe Barrett was a lie and the WWE always knew Triple H was going to face Taker. That may never be solved. The real problem is who can take Triple H spot next year and be victim number 20?

The current roster only has two studs and one of them has already faced Undertaker. Randy Orton won't be getting a rematch against Taker anytime soon. They wrestled at Wrestlemania 21 in a phenomenal contest. John Cena on the other hand is a different story. Cena is the only mega star left the WWE has yet to use in the streak. I think it could happen. If WWE really wanted to get Cena heel, have him beat Taker and do it by cheating. WWE would have a riot on their hands. I look at Cena versus Taker the same way as Austin vs. Taker. It's not going to happen. The payoff isn't there. In all the years of the streak, Taker has only faced 2 mega stars, HBK and HHH. Edge, Orton and Batista aren't quite up to that level. Cena is a likely candidate but I don't see it.

Miz might be an option. He's certainly proved he can deliver during this Rock/Cena/Miz triangle mess. Miz has looked, played and acted like a main event player. The build would have to be perfect in order for fans to buy Wrestlemania for that match. Miz could team up with the owner Vincent Kennedy McMahon to help the fans believe he has a shot. Hell, if Vince weren't rising past 60, he could end up being an option. I'm kind of surprised that never happened.

Wade Barrett has a chance for redemption. Again, it's all about the story. The story would have worked this year. Nexus buried Taker and the set up was there. To be able to replicate that for next year may be difficult. Wade would have to "injure" Taker or something to that affect. It seems like the current roster may not have the star. What about the guy hosting this years Wrestlemania?

The People's Champ says he is going to stick around forever. I'm sure forever means a few months after Wrestlemania. He has said he would wrestle again. Okay, take on Cena at Summerslam in August and create some magic with The Deadman. I would love this match and I don't care who the bad guy is. They would be a lot like Triple H and HBK where neither were a heel. The Rock would sell tickets, as he is this year. This is a pipe dream but then again so is this next guy.

My pick on a 'No chance in hell but a fan can dream' vote for The Undertaker's opponent at Wrestlemania 28 is Kurt Angle. What! I said Kurt Angle! I am aware Angle is currently on the TNA roster. I know he has said he is loyal to TNA. He has also said he doesn't want to work full time once his contract ends this summer. The Olympic Gold medalist would be hard pressed to turn down an offer from the WWE if they said we want you to face The Undertaker. That is a huge vote of confidence in Angle. If Angle were to sign a contract in say October, I wouldn't reveal him until the Royal Rumble. Sure it's a hot shot angle (pun intended) but it would work. Kurt would eliminate Taker and brawl it on the outside. Angle would come through the crowd as opposed to be one of the participants. Security gets Angle and Taker separated. The promo begins on Friday Night Smackdown with The Undertaker saying Angle is a dead man. He wanted one more shot at Wrestlemania for the world title. Angle comes to the ring with a huge smile on his face. He starts talking about how all he ever hears about around this time is the streak. The rest writes itself. Angle and The Undertaker would rock. I would love to see it.

The Corre vs. The Freaks er Kozlov, Santino, Kane, Show

This match should be Corre vs. Show, Kane and Kofi. They take the belt off Kofi and keep him off the card. I hate it. Anyway, Corre is wasting away. I like Barrett and Gabriel. The Gabriel Slater tag team has a decent future. I'm not into this match at all. I thought it was funny on Raw with everyone doing the trumpet thing. That's the only thing I remember of this entire story. The Corre win.

Rey Mysterio vs Cody Rhodes

This match has great potential. I loved the build. Dusty Rhodes was involved, Cody has been much darker and Rey always plays his role well. Rey and Cody deserve at least 15 minutes of in ring time. I wouldn't be surprised if the American Dream tries to help his son. I will watch this match with complete focus to see if Rhodes can handle the spotlight and bring a great match. I think he will. In the end, dial it up R-E-Y with the win.

United States Championship Match

Sheamus (c) vs. Daniel Bryan

The match that should kick off Wrestlemania. The build hasn't been all there. I hated the squash match with Sheamus and Bourne. Both men have a bright future in the WWE. I said it in my Raw blog that these two can provide a spark and get the crowd involved from the start of Wrestlemania. I love this match and the competitors. I hope they give me what I want, a back and forth contest. I think they will and the Irish Ghost steals a victory.

Jerry The King Lawler vs. Michael Cole w/Swagger in his corner and Stone Cold as the ref

This could go one way, which is a beer bash and Lawler beating the crap out of Cole from the bell, or the other way, which is Hart/Vince from last year. I don't think there is much middle ground. Steve hits a stunner or 12 and Lawler wins. The match is better than last years Hart vs. Vince.

Randy Orton vs. CM Punk

A match with show stealing potential. These two have had the best overall story on Raw. WWE actually used the history to add a different flavor. Nexus members have been gone for quite a while, we might see one of them return to help Punk. They may hold that off for Raw. I think the story continues. I'm torn but I'll say Punk gets the victory.

Dolph Ziggler and LayCool vs. John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Jersey Whore

Celebrities don't normally lose. In fact, I'm not sure if they ever have. The only thing I can hope for is a lot of Ziggler Morrison and less the Divas. They are the future and should get a shot to shine. Morrison and crew take down the heels. Although, I will be rooting for Ziggler.

World Heavyweight Championship

Edge (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio

It is Del RRRRRRio's destiny to win the World heavyweight championship at Wrestlemania. I sound like a broken record but don't turn Christian heel. He shouldn't be a heel. I believe this is a sure bet, Del Rio will be the World Heavyweight Champion.

WWE Title Match

Miz (c) vs. John Cena

How does Rock get involved? He is definitely going to be in the match some way, shape or form. WWE has used a lot of time to build him up with Cena and Miz. He has to do something. I just don't know what that is. If he is going wrestle, he could cost Cena the match. Miz would get a major boast if he walks out with the belt. For some reason, the picture of Cena raising the WWE title and then receiving a Rock Bottom is in my mind. That's what I will go with. Cena wins.

The Undertaker vs. Triple H

I do think this match will end Wrestlemania. Raw brought me back into this story. I was drifting away. Shawn Michaels made be in the mix for an appearance during the match. He's done wrestling though so where would the payoff be if he cost Triple H? There isn't one. I've yelled it on ShowStoppers, I've wrote it several times and I am telling you right now, The Streak will never die. Triple H and HBK can do anything in this match but the outcome will remain. I hope I'm wrong because I smell a disappointment in this match. 19-0 will happen on Sunday. Enjoy the festivities with your buddies. No wrestling fan deserves to be alone on Sunday night. Get your ass to a party or create one. This is WRESTLEMANIA!

J Call

Raw 3-28

We are 6 days away from the grand daddy of them all, Wrestlemania. I can't wait. I've been a little disappointed about the Taker/HHH story or lack of story. The rest of the card seems set except perhaps adding Corre vs. Show/Kane/Kofi. Raw is jam packed with some special guests and big time appearances. Smackdown has already announced a street fight between Del Rio and Christian. I don't think we will get anything that good on Raw. I believe tonight will be all about Rock/Cena/Miz. I was pumped all day to witness a Raw full of attitude. The go home Raw has to peak more interest to make sure we are all ready to purchase Wrestlemania.

The Chicago Made Punk (You see CM or it could be Chick Magnet) was likely to get a giant cheer tonight from his fellow Chicagoians or whatever they are called. I've liked the Orton/Punk feud. This is what Punk needed to do, grab a mic and do his thing. He got the fans to turn on him somewhat from the start of the promo. I've heard fans complain that Orton is just playing the roll of Cena. I disagree for a few reasons. One, I like Orton, dislike Cena. The match between Orton and Punk will be much better than anything Cena can do. The added element of an injury is great. Orton is now a wounded animal and if he loses at Wrestlemania, it doesn't look as bad. I wonder if any Nexus member returns.

I was hoping for a 5 second pose. Edge and Christian were scheduled to be in a tag on Smackdown a few weeks ago but never happened. I love both these guys. I think it would be a dumb idea to turn Christian heel at Wrestlemania and cost Edge the WHC. Christian plays the better good guy. Edge's character is a more natural bad guy. I hope it's as simple as keeping both good for now and we get a Triple Threat at the next pay per view, whatever the hell WWE is calling it. Since there will be Smackdown, I expect Edge to get the best of Del Rio then. I love Del Rio's ruthless aggression. They are going to have a great match at Wrestlemania.

Sin Cara wrestled over the weekend against Primo. The match was amazing. In fact, I was nice enough to give you the link by clicking here. I tried to embed it but didn't work. The flip off the top is nuts. I've daydreamed about a Bourne/Sin Cara match already. Wow that might turn some heads.

I guess Kofi won't get on the Wrestlemania card. I'm not saying Santino and Kozlov don't deserve to be on the card. They just haven't even wrestled Corre in weeks. Kofi lost his title on Friday night and won't get an opportunity to win it back. That is lazy writing and typical for WWE. Kofi deserves either a rematch or on the card. I will admit I laughed my ass off for the celebrating dance off. Kane does have a sense of humor. You can add humor to the broadcast in easy ways but they have to be funny. That was simple and funny. People's court was uh the complete opposite.

The Undertaker entrance still gives me chills. The bell tolling as Triple H was going to spit was brilliant. Raw certainly stopped as the real Show stopper came out. It was about damn time HBK got involved in the story. I didn't see HBK calling out Triple H during the segment. That was a nice twist. I hope one day they can write a book on The Undertaker. A complete real book and not some fake in character book. It would be awesome. I've read the 2 Jericho books and just finishing up with the Stone Cold Steve Austin book. The Jericho books are real, out of character must read books. The Austin book is a bit of a letdown. Back to the Raw blog, the whole segment was awesome. They brought me back into the story. The only problem I had with the in ring segment was it brough sympathy to Triple H. It made him look like an underdog. As much as I love HBK, he really did make the focus on him. It was a wonderful segment. But creating HHH as this underdog is something I don't like. They both should be made strong. Still, overall I can't complain to much when 3 of the biggest icons in the wrestling industry were standing in the same ring.

Michael Cole nearly got fired for his racial slur on twitter a few days ago. He should have. My guess is the tweet got a lot of heat on Cole, which lead to a short segment between Lawler and Cole. Even when he doesn't speak, Cole messes up.

The tag match with Sheamus/Ziggler/Morrison/Bryan is a preview of what the future of the WWE could look like. Ziggler and Morrison need a real feud after Wrestlemania. Minus the women, minus all the pub and a simple one on one story. If they were on Smackdown, they would help elevate the IC title and move on in another year or two in the WHC. On Raw, they are nothing more than fillers. Hopefully they get a long feud with the United States title after Wrestlemania.

The Road Warriors were the greatest tag team of all time. Hawk was the talker and Animal was the power. The spiked shoulder pads, the paint and muscle was a perfect combo. They deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. WWE Hall is a joke but at least 2 or 3 guys each year get in that deserve it. LOD ruled plain and simple, WHAT A RUSH!

Glad I went and took a pee break during the whole Shore segment.

It certainly feels special when The Rock is live and in front of a great hot crowd. I didn't figure The Rock would get interupted by a clock tonight. It's hard to put into words the final segment. The moment with Cena and The Rock was breath taking. Miz did have a great aura around him tonight. I thought he held his own with Cena and Rock. The people's elbow was greatness and the AA was perfect ending. The only question is where is the pay off? Unless The Rock is going to actually stick around and beat the piss out of both these guys, then all of this is for nothing. I would be fine if this dragged on and The Rock and Cena went at it one on one next year. If WWE really wanted to throw a giant curveball, they would turn Cena a full fledge heel. The Rock could help that. Otherwise, this is just to hype Mania and The Rock will hose Cena but he doesn't like either man. I don't have my crystal ball out. I can't see into the future for Wrestlemania. I will try and do that on Thursday morning with my Wrestlemania pick blog. A great show and a great ending. I'm ready for Sunday.

Time for some plugs before I walk. ShowStoppers will have a special guest on Wednesday when it hits BBSD. During Raw, you can follow me @bigbadsportsdad or any other time @mccall316 on twitter. As I mentioned, I will be back for my Wrestlemania pick blog on Thursday morning or Wednesday night on blogger.com. Enjoy the hype for Wrestlemania. I know I am. Stunners for Everyone.

J Call

Raw 3-21

The previous week of wrestling was very good in this wrestling blogger's opinion. Hell, even TNA had their moments. Raw may not be as stratusfying as last week, instead it should help build a few other matches for the card at Mania. The new United States Champion Sheamus should get an opponent of either Kofi or Daniel Bryan. Triple H and The Undertaker need to do something as last week didn't help at all. I hate Snooki and her being added to the card. Still, I love Ziggler and him being in a high profile match is good enough. The WWE has only 3 Raws left and time is running out.

I'm ready for the Triple H Taker match at Wrestlemania. I don't think the hype has been as good as I thought it would be. I figured Shawn would make a live appearance and have a few words for Triple H. We've only saw a bunch of videos. It's a little disappointing. Biggest shocker was Ted Dibiase was actually used. Sure, he got the same treatment as Sheamus a few weeks ago. Still, some people may have forgot about Teddy. He had a great match on Smackdown taking on Rey. Teddy is the most underused talent in the WWE. If you don't believe that, I got two words for ya... The whole story feels rushed. Without Triple H or Taker actually beating each other up, it's weak. I want the match but I'm not as excited as I should be to witness it. The video later in the night was pretty sweet. One thing WWE knows how to do, production.

Sheamus is finally winning matches which is good. I would rather see him in a real match against Evan. I guess Evan won't be on Wrestlemania. They have yet to build a real story for Sheamus. As I wrote that, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus is booked for Wrestlemania. I'm really happy about that. Bryan deserves to be on the card and I believe Sheamus and Bryan will open the show. They can create a hot opener. They already had a great Raw match which is difficult with time restraints. WWE should give them about 15 minutes of actual in ring time and it won't disappoint.

The Diva match certainly mattered. Eve's slap was sweet. WWE is making an even bigger sham of the Diva division. Eve is the Diva champion and hardly anyone remember. I know it is Coles' job to be a douchebag. You can do that in ways when it doesn't hurt the rest of the roster. Worst part of all was Cole wasn't even the next segment. What the hell was the point?

Good to see Santino and Kozlov got a rematch about 3 months later. I've never understood Heath Slater and his one man rock band moniker. What's a mean? He must be ultra talented on the guitar, mic and drums. He sure as hell isn't talented in the ring. Big Show and Kane may add Kevin Nash to go up against the Corre. It would make sense. Raw has them blindside Corre and then Smackdown Corre turns the table until the big truck horn hits and Nash walks down the aisle on his giant stilts.

Hmm, Cena is live via satellite. Pretty lame Cena. The crowd sure got a huge 'Cena Sucks' chants. Those are always fun. The interview was stupid and meant zip. WWE says it's entertainment and at this point it wasn't entertaining. Raw was boring up to this point. Cole didn't make it much better.

Cole and Swagger have to get in as many shots as possible. Wrestlemania is going to go a lot like this: Glass breaks and Austin does the BMF walk to the ring. Swagger and Cole follow and then Lawler. Cole starts talking and then Ross comes down to announce the match. Cole gets pissed and starts to whine. Lawler punches Cole to shut him up. Swagger tries to interfere and receives a stunner for his trouble. Lawler continues to beat the crap out of Cole. The crowd is going crazy. Lawler hits the fist drop, 1-2-3. Lawler wins. Austin, Lawler and JR celebrate with some cold ones. Cole gets back up and gets a Stunner. You wait and it will go down very close to this paragraph only it will last 10 minutes to long.

Snooki gives WWE a bunch of pub. That's about it. I can't stand her and haven't like any of the celebrity matches except the LT Bam Bam match and Tyson's involvement. Otherwise, keep them out of the ring. Morrison and Ziggler should be the match, by themselves. I made the notion that Morrison and Ziggler would wrestle for their respective show's number one contender. I know that's too smart. Of course, WWE would change a match in midstream. More awesome writing. I don't want you to read this wrong, I enjoy watching Trish Stratus. I just want the match to begin and end with the same participants. I figured Cole would interrupt their match as well. Vicki getting to pin Morrison was greatness. That may have been the best part of the show so far. Seriously, she is very talented.

I have to say, I'm pretty pumped to see Sin Cara. He's going to be a lot of fun to watch. Then again, WWE won't have a clue how to use him. He will probably sit around the mid card status forever.

I tweeted that Orton was foreshadowing talking about his family earlier. I figured Punk might take the bus or something to that affect. Again, Raw cuts off a match to further a story. Wrestlemania should be loaded with in ring entertainment since Raw hasn't had any real matches for weeks.

I have liked Miz stealing the spotlight but Raw couldn't come up with anything for a main event except for Miz-tory. By the time Miz-tory hit my television screen, I was too bored to care. I had a feeling Cena would be there and was complete in shock that he was there. I couldn't believe it. (Read with lots of sarcasim).

Raw provided nothing of real interest. I was pretty bored by the time Miz-tory rolled around. A typical ending to a standard Raw. The WWE pretty much phoned that in and will wait for next weeks Raw with the return of The Rock. I'm expecting big things. If the WWE gives this crap again, Wrestlemania's road won't make it to Atlanta. Keep your browser locked on BBSD for more wrestling opinions. ShowStoppers have moved to Wednesday which means they have one extra day to slack off before taping. You can always follow me on twitter @mccall316 and or find me on facebook. I'm live on twitter during Raw under the BBSD account @bigbadsportsdad. Stunners for everyone.

J Call

Raw 3-7

We can forget last week. It never happened. I was unable to watch Smackdown because of my DVR screwing up. This week brings back the greatest WWE superstar of all time, Stone Cold Steve Austin. The glass will shattering and the Dallas crowd is going to tear the roof off the American Airlines Arena. Austin has always been able to excite the crowd even in non-wrestling roles. We forever love and respect the man who nearly was left paralyzed inside the squared circle. The rest of Raw is going to sort itself out. All I want is a big fat 24 pack of whoop-ass to be opened tonight in Dallas.

I'm sure most wrestling fans have seen or heard TNA brought back Sting and had him win the TNA world title from Hardy. If you haven't seen it, search youtube and find it. TNA made themselves look horrible. The Impact (pun intended) was weak at best. Sting returning was a nice moment especially since it wasn't in the puny Impact Zone. The crowd loved it but the return felt stupid compared to Taker/HHH encounter or The Great One being named Mania host. TNA made a fool of themselves when copying the Taker video and somewhat the return. They kept the arena dark and played an ominous video. TNA will always be second rate unless the talent stops mentioning and mocking WWE. I like Anderson and Angle. But they are put in the dumbest situations. I was all for Sting to make his debut with WWE a few weeks ago. Sting could have shocked the world. Instead, returned and won a belt from Mardi Gras. I don't know whether to care or feel sorry for him.

Raw started off with a little shocker as the Deadman was the first to appear. I can't see the negative in Triple H and Taker at this years Mania. Taker mentioning Michaels, followed by the kick ass video, is a great way to remind people about the streak. I don't think Triple H and Taker can match the intensity or story that the previous two Wrestlemania matches have had. The stipulation is a brilliant one. The match at Wrestlemania XVII was similar as they used the arena to their advantage. We might see something the same concept for this years battle. It keeps getting better.

The attention has been on Cena, Miz and The Rock for good reason. However, the best story Raw has developed is Punk/Orton. Randall gained even more sympathy with the fans. He was beaten to a pulp and somehow managed to beat Otunga, RKO Ryan and punt Otunga out of Mania. The new Nexus never got the love the original did. They are about to be dismantled completely by the Viper. If I were a betting man, I'd say the draft will disperse them all to different shows. Smackdown may keep Corre intact for a while longer. I think they have legs and I like Barrett in his role. I can't believe how Cena failed to take out Nexus and Orton has been so successful. Normally, Cena is the guy taking everyone out. Granted he took out Barrett but no one else. I'm relieved by it though since I love Randall and dislike Cena.

I forgot Christian was on Raw. I thought he was making an appearance on Friday night. Brodus is a guy I hadn't seen much. I rarely caught NXT. I had read quite a bit on him and was impressed with his size. He won't wow anyone with his speed or athletic ability. Del Rio and Christian is obviously still going to continue. I hope they have a match on Smackdown. I can't see the ending except if C-squared gets involved in the main event at Mania. Christian could turn on Edge but how would that work after Del Rio injured him. If anyone should be heel, it's Edge. He makes the better heel and that way Christian can chase. The fans always get behind the guy returning from injury at that's Captain Charisma.

You talk about the Attitude Era, you have to bring up Sunny. She was probably the most risque woman WWE has ever had. I don't know about being in the Hall but hell it's a joke anyway. It really doesn't matter.

I can't fully understand why the Bellas got their shot at the title. Gail Kim, Melina and Natalya should get another shot. Well, the WWE really cared a lot about it when Cole started talking. How can anyone ever care about the Divas when they pull crap like Cole shouting on the house mic? Oh, I didn't take them seriously before that. I'm glad I caught the two minutes of the supposed big Diva title match. The WWE continues to make a mockery of their Diva division. I don't ever remember that happening when Trish Stratus was in a match.

I won't even comment on how idiotic having Snooki come in next week. I've seen enough Jersey Shore in TNA. I didn't need WWE to add to the equation. Snooki reminds me of what Jericho use to call Stephanie McMahon, a dirty, filthy, disgusting, brutal, bottom feeding, trash bag hoe.

WWE has really been calling up the Attitude guys. JBL was another one. Wrestlemania is going to have The Rock, Stratus, HBK and Austin. The attitude guys still draw the ratings. I never cared for JBL the wrestler but he was a good color man on Smackdown. You had a feeling or at least I did that this was the moment for Stone Cold. The pop wasn't as big as I thought it would be. JBL won't be at Mania. That was great! Austin and The Rock at Wrestlemania again! Stone Cold may not have had the mic promo that Rock has done. Stone Cold being at Mania is just as big. My favorite superstar of all time didn't disappoint tonight on Raw.

Daniel Bryan got a whole 5 seconds of in ring time. He and Sheamus could have a great feud. The WWE must not believe it. They haven't been given any thought to the story. Sheamus has been buried to Triple H last week and this week loses a count out to Bryan. Meanwhile, Bryan was in a great story with Kim and Bellas. That's now been shut and he has nothing. They could have played off that story and have Bellas flirt with the Irish Ghost to help them get revenge on Bryan. Nope, through it all in the trash. Brilliant writing.

I guess Punk hurting Truth makes him look stronger. He needed something after being made a fool of by Orton. Truth is once again fodder. WWE seems content on not having a MITB match so therefore guys like Morrison, Truth and Bryan are wafting. I want stronger stories and the WWE should be doing that leading to Mania.

One thing I do want to see is Ziggler taking on Morrison. I had read rumors Morrison was going to team up with Stratus and Kelly Kelly to take on Ziggler and LayCool at Mania. I would have liked to see these two wrestle for a lot longer. I hope they give them plenty of time to work off their match and create something unique. I think we are headed down the right road with Vicki taking on Stratus next week.

Cena went for the knockout and fell short. The only thing funny was the t-shirt. I really liked the Miz showing up. He has been forgotten in this whole ordeal. It was a nice treat. You could tell he wanted to smile during the People's Elbow. The past two weeks, Miz has been the other guy. He got the last laugh tonight. The Rock will likely still appear and rebuttal the words of Doctor Thug'a'nomics. We have to have a face off but that is coming at Mania. I'm just happy Miz got the spotlight tonight. No more hiding behind Riley or anyone else, it's all Miz and it's Awesome.

Raw had several good moments. A nice bounce back after a really crappy show last week. Stone Cold being the special guest ref for Cole and Lawler was magic. You had to love that. I mean Rock and Austin will be together again, ten years since their 2nd Mania main event. Trish Stratus is making a return next week. Finally, WWE seems to be on the right path for Wrestlemania.

If you aren't getting enough wrestling information in your brain, then keeping hitting up BBSD. I'm betting my boy John and that other guy will be talking about all wrestling headlines this week on ShowStoppers. If that's not enough, hit me up on twitter @mccall316. I'm live on BBSD's twitter account during Raw every week, taking questions and giving some random @bigbadsportsdad. I'd love to see more followers and seeing you tweeting it up during Raw. I'll catch you next week.

J Call

Raw 2-28

I guess some aren't to pleased that Triple H and Taker are wrestling once again at Mania. Yes it's forced. Yes it makes zero sense and yes it leaves Sheamus and Barrett to do nothing. I'm still pumped and think it will be the best match on the card. The rest of the week was pretty boring. I can't believe Christian never showed up on Friday night. The one night appearance wasn't enough. We need Captain Charisma. I give props to another BBSD blogger, Chris for his brilliant write up on wrestling. I agree a 100 percent when he says less talking, more wrestling. Even though I am a hardcore wrestling fan, I still want the classic art of wrestling inside the squared circle as opposed to many promos and little wrestling. As the road to Wrestlemania continues, so do the back and forth of The People's Champion and John Cena. What did Raw give us? One great highlight with The Rock and not much else. I was severely disappointed with this edition of Raw.

We were off to a good start with The Game. I don't know what it is about Triple H but I have always been a big fan. I respected the man when he was ruling DX or running Evolution. I didn't like Lawler saying 'the streak is in more jeopardy then ever.' Wrong again King. The last two years is the only real time I ever thought Taker might lose. Shawn Michaels was the only real man that everyone really pondered could he take down The Deadman? The answer was no. The streak will never die. The speech seemed more of a send off then a welcome back. Trips in a subtle way, buried the rest of the locker room. By saying there was no challenges left, the rest of the guys feel like chopped liver. I was about to make fun of how we have to all forget about Sheamus taking out Triple H. The Irish Ghost put a smile on my face. I wanted a little better fight and not squash the two time champion. I didn't get my wish. Poor Sheamus I'm starting to feel bad for him. Trips looks strong but buries one of my favorites. I'm torn. Let's move on.

The night got worse for Sheamus. I on the other hand was freaking pumped for Bourne. He's back in time for Money in the Bank. He won't win and that's fine. I'm happy one of the best in ring performers on Raw. Bourne is a stud wrestler and sells perfectly. The moment was lost when John er Michael Cole (Inside Joke for my buddy Chris) walked to the ring. We all want to see Lawler pop Cole in the mouth. It really is a testament to Cole's character and how it evolved into a full fledged heel. The way Vicki receives heat is the same as Cole. Lawler deserves a better match at Mania than Cole. But, put it in another way, Lawler may never hear a bigger pop then when he beats the crap of Cole. I like the addition of Swagger. The only other thing Swagger was going to do was be a part of Money in the Bank. I smell Riley is the ref.

Even if I didn't care for the start of the segment, I liked the stipulation. Hey McGillicuty didn't get squashed. Another Monday night miracle. He hung around with Orton. I believe McGillicuty may have a terrible name, he's got a future. Orton and Punk needs to be one on one. I guess we can forget about Nexus vs. Corre. Orton has punted two of the four members already. We won't be seeing them anytime soon. How strong does Orton look? Cena didn't do a damn thing to Nexus. The last three weeks, Orton took out two members.

Sin Cara is a huge name for the WWE. He is going to be a fun competitor to watch. The masked one should be debuted as a good guy. I don't want to see the stupid he's Rey Mysterio's partner and then feud with him. I say keep them away from each other for a long time. In fact, I would keep them apart for a year. Del Rio is the bad guy. Sin Cara could be on Raw and next year he faces Rey Mysterio at Mania. I think if it's hyped up correctly (read not mask vs mask), the WWE could book a winner and one the entire country of Mexico would die to see and buy.

Cena has to rap. The rest of it sucks. Riley was horrible. I have to admit, Miz was the only awesome part of the entire segment. I'm sure it is just that I don't like either man. Cena bores me and I don't take Miz seriously. There stipulation was nice since I heard it about 10 minutes ago during the Raw GM's e-mail.

The consecutive weeks continue as Gail Kim got in a match for the third week in a row. Meanwhile, the Bellas did another switch-a-roo. Now I have to hear Cole and Mathews talk about how they have no idea which twin will face Eve. I got question for them, Who cares?

Although the Rock wasn't there at the arena, he still electrified the only way he can. The Rock had more passion then I ever remember. Wow he was perfect. I have a hard time describing or finding the right words to use to describe The Rock. I was bored with Raw before The Rock. It had way to many promos, no in ring action and seemed mailed in. Then, The Rock hit the television screen and I awoke. That's what The Rock can do. Simply put, The Rock is special.

Josh Mathews said it all, "What's the point of this?" Exactly. Miz assaults Bryan and nobody has a clue why. Thanks WWE for wasting every ones time. Main event didn't give me much either.

Raw sucked. It was awful. The entire show felt rushed and mailed in. The writers put zero thought into much of anything. This is what I will remember of this episode, The Rock stole the show and wasn't even in the arena.

You can keep up with more wrestling opinions and news from the boys on ShowStoppers right here on BBSD. My guess is Larry is going to be furious having a Raw without J-Mo. Be sure to read my buddy Chris's new blog on what wrestling needs. He couldn't have been happy with tonight's show. If you want, you can always email me at jcall@bigbadsportsdaddy.com. I'm also working on something new for Raw. I hope to let you in on the details next week and begin right before Mania. Yabba dabba Bitch.

J Call

Raw 2-21

The night has finally arrived. The speculation is over. The WWE had to love the hype. Elimination Chamber didn't change a whole lot. Cena and Miz are main eventing the Raw side of Mania. The Smackdown side could see a triple threat match with Captain Charisma's return. I'm a big peep, by the way. Raw brought more to the table. Last week, Rock made the headlines. This week, The Undertaker and Triple H are the real story.

Cena was the right way to start the show. The Rock embarassed him. He had to address the fans. I will say Cena eating the bowl of Fruitie Pebbles was funny. On this night, Cena needed to be serious. His focus at the beginning was on Rock. The Thuganomics and rap was fantastic. This mic stuff is exactly what Cena had to do. If Cena rapped more, I wouldn't hate him so much. Now, I hope we can keep this going and the Rock can rebutal.

Morrison showed off that unique skill only he possess at the EC. John is really intriguing to follow the next 5 weeks. I know I sound like a broken record. I don't see any feud or story except the Money in the Bank, which I hate. Morrison's been on a big high for months. It seems cheap to throw him into the MITB. I made reference in the Locker Room that Morrison and Ziggler should wrestle for the #1 contendership for their show's title. Dolph has since been fired so that's likely out. On the other hand, Punk is facing Orton. I couldn't be happier to see that match. They've kept the story interesting since the Rumble. Morrison and Punk didn't provide much entertainment inside the squared circle. What they did provide is showing Morrison's heart and guts. Also, Punk helped promote the future match at Mania. Thank you live crowd. Randall got the chants he deserves.

I would've picked Del Rio over Kofi in my pick blog had I known it was a non-title bout. Kofi's sneak attack was a surprise. I just wish he had been successful. Kofi's revenge will have to wait for another time. Meanwhile, Friday Night will belong to C-squared and Del Rio. Smackdown will bring a match or two between them before the mega event.

Okay, the Miz is still the champ. I knew Lawler wasn't going to win. The verbal assaults continue as Miz got his revenge...sort of. I did enjoy his mocking of The Rock. I hated the announcement of the tag titles being defended. The tag belts should be defended against Santino and Kozlov. You know, the guys the fans were behind in the last several weeks. The ones that should get a rematch clause. Stupid booking.

Gail Kim must have blown one of the writers. I mean two weeks in a row she got to wrestle is some type of record for her. Bellas are limited in wrestling ability. Hey, I'm trying to be nice. They must be getting a slight push picking up a win. I loved hearing Stratus is helping with Tough Enough. Rumors have her potentially wrestling at Mania. Good idea if the belt is no where near her. The perfect scenario is Kong debuts and beats up Beth and Natalya and teams with LayCool. A 6 Diva tag pitting Beth, Natalya and the greatest women's wrestler ever, Trish Stratus against LayCool and Kong.

The videos, the hype and the entrance were all worth it. I know some maybe disappointed it was only Taker. To them, I say shut up. Wrestlemania wouldn't be the event it is had Taker missed the show. It's been ten years since the Game and Taker faced each other at Wrestlemania XVII. They had an epic encounter. I wanted the rematch and I want to see them duke it out again. The E chouldn't get Brock or Sting. I don't care because the Game is more important. I've waited months to hear 'Time to Play the Game'. I got what I wanted on 2-21-11. There was no reason for words. The hand signals gave everything we needed. A lot of times the hype is better than the actual event. This won't be one of those times. They are two of the most respected individuals in wrestling history. Trips will try and out do his idol. Taker will try to prove he's still got it. Can they give a better match than the previous two years with Michaels? No, probably not. Will they provide the best match as far as story? Yes indeed. By miles and miles.

The biggest loser in all of this is King Sheamus. We all felt Triple H would return to dethrone the Irish Ghost. Now what? He, much like Morrison, might be thrown into MITB. Again, I hate it. Sheamus has been pushed hard over the course of the last year and a half. Find an opponent and make something meaningful. The two time WWE champ deserves better. The mini feud with Henry isn't done. Henry getting a win sets up one more match.

How can you not smile seeing Hacksaw? He never won a singles title and was never a main event wrestler. He still deserves a spot in the Hall. He's a special character and had a place in all of the old school wrestling fans hearts. Hoooooo! USA! USA!

I must say The King still has it. The crowd was on the edge of their seat. You have to give credit to Cole as well. The cheap heat mentioning Lawler's mom was an added personal element. The match will be bowling shoe ugly. I'm talking Bret vs. Vince Mania XXVI ugly. The payoff will be the same as their match. It will send off Cole's heel character and give Lawler the match he deserved for 20 years.

So let me try to understand the ending. You know what, it's to stupid to explain. I'll just get pissed. I don't want to ruin the return of Taker and Triple H by getting mad at the ending.

Be sure to check out BBSD for all the wrestling opinions as well as some great bloggers on the sports world. ShowStoppers will electrify you in the only way they can. If you don't like my opinion, then argue with me in the Locker Room or email me at jcall@bigbadsportsdaddy.com. I look forward to having debates with intelligent wrestling fans.

J Call

Raw 2-7

I was somewhat upset after the previous Raw which gave Lawler the number 1 contender to Miz's title. Otherwise, Raw and Smackdown weren't all that bad. Smackdown provided some compelling wrestling in their main event. Elimination Chamber is setting up nicely. Raw can continue to build momentum and hype for something very big on 2-21-11. It succeeded in one aspect but failed in another.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon showing up was certainly a surprise. I would love to see McMahon back each week. My guess is Bob Barker will host Mania. I've heard rumors he was coming back. Plus, he did an excellent job as celebrity host on Raw. Let the speculation begin. Randall Orton did indeed cost Punk his WHC back in '08. I love the WWE bringing that footage into this feud. It adds more elements to the story. Hell, usually the WWE forgets what happened a month ago. The opener worked out well. Punk received a bloody nose but got revenge on Orton. As I said about Miz and Orton, the heel needs revenge. The story gets boring if the face always gets the better. If you compare Corre and Nexus, Raw has built up their group a lot more than Smackdown has used Corre. They've looked pretty average.

The Raw GM could e-mail during the commercials every time. I wouldn't have to deal hearing Michael Cole. Cena stole my joke about the Aguilera national anthem when it came to Truth. Damn you Cena and your joke stealing ways. Anyway, I found it funny Cole lead the cheer of Milwaukee. Mason Ryan got some much needed ring time. I wanted to see what he can do. You can tell he's very green. I liked his submission, haven't seen that in years. I especially liked the torture rack to Truth's leg. I didn't care about the decision. Crowd didn't care either. They were to busy mocking Truth to feel sorry for him.

Holy crap balls, Gail Kim got to wrestle. Divas match was forgettable. I just can't get over Kim got to wrestle. I know your not going to miss Raw next week for the showdown of Eve vs. Natalya for the Diva's title. Okay, maybe that's not high on the list. Still, it's a title match and we can hope it will last longer than 5 minutes.

The new 2-21-11 video makes me believe its The Undertaker. The video plays the same Johnny Cash song as the promo for last years' Taker HBK match. The lyrics brought more hints, "There ain't no grave that can hold my body down." Taker was last seen buried alive.

I know the WWE thought about eliminating Hell in a Cell. I read they felt it was old. I disagree. The Chamber and the Cell are to unique structures to quit using them. I wish the Cell was build up a little more. They throw two guys in there like Orton and Sheamus and try to make it feel special. It didn't work. The Chamber does feel special because of when its used. The pay per view before Mania needs a gimmick. The Chamber executes that to perfection.

Starship pain was beautifully executed. Morrison doesn't always hit that move perfectly. Perhaps that is why he developed the running knee. The match wasn't anything special. It seemed Raw was filling time with a matches less than 7 minutes. I'm okay with that when it comes to Ryan and McGillicuty. Those two are young and shouldn't be exposed to a long match. They are helping get the point across without long bouts. At this moment, Punk was ruling Raw.

The Miz and King were compelling television. They did an excellent job playing off the other. Miz shocked me saying he patterned his success after King. I figured he would agree that King was the weakest challenger. Bryan and Dibiase getting involved made it all that much better. They've had a mini feud for a long time but never meant anything. Pairing the two with the number 1 contender and WWE champion means something. Best of all, the four men were given time. King and Miz had the best promo and the tag match was the best match on Raw. I'm not sure what it is. Call it childhood memories, nostalgia whatever you want, I'm starting to believe in King. The chances are slim and high unlikely the WWE would put the belt on King. But say it did happen. 2-21-11 Raw begins with King walking out as WWE champion. Michael Cole is flipping out. King starts to talk about earning it...Miz interrupts and asks for his rematch tonight. The Raw GM chimes in and makes the match. Miz wins back the belt with some help from Cole and Riley. The scenario sets up Miz and Cena and a handicap match at Mania. Now, you can do the same thing at the Elimination Chamber. You may get farther by giving Lawler the win first and then crumble the dreams on free TV.

Mark Henry has started to be built up quite a bit. A beat down on Sheamus is a pretty big thing. The Irish Ghost will get revenge next week. The big disappointment was the crowds reaction.

The crowd got hot for Santino. We might not see Del Rio much on Raw after the EC. It's a great idea to keep him in the spotlight until then. Once the Chamber is over, Del Rio should focus on the WHC. I'm just hoping its still Edge. I don't want Rey and Del Rio.

If you haven't seen it on BBSD, check out the locker room in the TNA subject. Larry and I have had a big debate on Ziggler. I know, its the wrong company. I believe Larry brought Ziggler up so it's his fault. He doesn't remember much at his old age. Cole said (and I quote), "Cena is starting to bore me." Thanks Cole for reading the blog. I've been saying that for a long ass time. Cena is boring. An assist can go to King for Cena getting the best of Nexus. They made everyone in the Elimination Chamber match look weak except Cena. Typical. He's probably going to win anyway.

Raw wasn't bad, it wasn't good either. King and Miz provided the best segment and were part of the best match. I'm sure the IWC is going nuts over the new 2-21-11 video. The rest of Raw was nothing to remember. Even VKM's announcement didn't wow me. Be sure to hit up the locker room on BBSD. There is always some good debates on sports and wrestling. You can find the best wrestling radio show on their as well in ShowStoppers. If you want to e-mail me, send it to jcall@bigbadsportsdaddy.com. Wooooo!

J Call