A Lack of Impact

TNA Wrestling has long desired to be the next major competitor to World Wrestling Entertainment.  For the last ten years, TNA has risen from a small, underground independent promotion to become the second-largest international wrestling company in the world.

While TNA has done a lot to differentiate itself and make itself an alternative to WWE, it seems to have taken two steps back for every step forward.  Whether TNA will actually become enough of a force that they register on Vince McMahon's radar or not is yet to be seen, but if they want to stand a chance of getting that far, they'll need to make a few sweeping changes to their weekly product.

Before I get into that, I would like to say that while TNA isn't perfect, I can applaud their attempts at injecting some fresh ideas into the tried and true pro wrestling formula.  Whereas WWE has stuck with the tried and true style of interviews and vignettes, TNA has attempted more of a "reality show" style interview that makes the audience feel they are simply "peaking in" at the backstage goings on.  TNA has also introduced its Gut Check segment which some will argue is simply a WWE Tough Enough imitation, but has effectively kept new blood flowing into the roster.

These ideas have kept TNA from fading into the background, but it hasn't quite reached that next level.  If that's what TNA wants, they'll have to break out of their shell and the monotony of their current product.

"The Hogan Mistake"

Perhaps the biggest and most glaring issue facing TNA's weekly programming is that it largely resembles a hybrid of vintage WCW and Hogan Knows Best.  When TNA was founded, it was dedicated to the idea of giving young wrestlers their big break.  Guys like James Storm, A.J. Styles, Bobby Roode, and others who would have otherwise been completely overlooked by WWE, were given a chance to shine on a national stage.

Fast forward a decade later and you'll find that the weekly storylines now revolve around ex-WCW/WWE/ECW cast-offs.  The most prominent of these are Hulk Hogan and Sting.  For the last year in particular, TNA has been far too concerned with the personal family drama of the Hogans (including a love story that resembles a poorly realized on-screen rendition of a Taylor Swift love song) and the friendship between Hogan and Sting.

This would all be well and good if every single episode of Impact Wrestling didn't start and end with Hogan in some capacity.  Virtually every show begins with Hogan coming out to cut some kind of promo, and even when it doesn't, it involves some wrestler (usually Aces and 8's) coming out to call Hogan out.  With World Champion Bully Ray firmly embroiled in the Hogan family's drama, the World Title and Hogan are now virtually inseparable.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Hogan "stood up" to Aces and Eights and Bully Ray, and after getting beat down mercilessly at the hands of nWo v.201, Hogan emerged the following week as Mike Tenay asked, "How can you not respect the courage and the nobility" of the Hulkster.  This is the type of angle that could've been used to propel a young up-and-comer, or even a well-established younger star, to new heights, and instead it is simply another vessel to showcase Hogan week in and week out.

Hogan's power is far too great for any General Manager.  Even Vince McMahon had the "WWE Board of Directors" to keep him in check every now and again, but TNA has turned the focus of their show on Hogan and his daughter (the President of the Knockouts division) who are not only the main protagonists of every major storyline, but also have the final say on every championship contender opportunity.  Entire segments are dedicated to Hogan simply deliberating over who to name as the #1 Contender for the World Title, and it often results in someone like Sting getting the reward, as we saw just last week.

TNA has gone from being an innovative promotion showcasing young up-and-coming stars, to the weekly Hulk Hogan Show.  If TNA wants to attract younger fans, and in turn a wider fanbase, they need to keep Hogan's actions largely to the political and less to the in-ring action.  Hogan's star power cannot be denied, but his contributions to the in-ring competition should be minimal at best, and Hogan should not be the shining knight of TNA.  Leave that spot for someone younger and more believable...and most importantly, someone we actually care about, because whether Hogan wins or loses, he's not going anywhere.

"The 'Ex' Division"

Hogan made a lot of changes when he was handed the reigns of TNA.  TNA's iconic six-sided ring was replaced with a traditional four-sided "squared circle".  Many of the major young stars of TNA ended up taking a back seat to older, more familiar and established stars brought in around the same time.

But perhaps the greatest heresy committed by the Hogan regime was the utter decimation of the fast-paced, adrenaline fueled X-Division.  Guys like Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, and the other X-Division stars were left in the dust in favor of the more traditional one-on-one action familiar to the wrestling community at large.

Hogan has recently attempted to revive this division by appointing Kenny King as the X-Division Champion.  Hogan also established that the "new" X-Division would feature exclusively Triple Threat matches, and has brought back men like Dutt and Petey Williams to help bolster the waning X-Division roster.

Having every X-Division match be a Triple Threat will keep the variation of the matches to a minimum.  Realistically, there are only a handful of finishes under Triple Threat rules, which will make it difficult to come up with original ideas every week.  Yes, this will keep the in-ring action fast and furious and ensure that there is as little breathing room as possible, but the end results will not vary enormously from week to week, espcially since the X-Divison title won't be on the line.

If TNA wants to gain momentum, they should take this division back to its roots: Ultimate X and a wider variety of X-Division stars.  Treat the X-Division Title like a television championship and have the champ defend on TV every week.  This will keep fans invested in the division and the characters, even if the matches aren't always as unique as we'd like them to be.

"Knocked Out"

Similar to the X-Division is the Knockouts Division.  With Brooke Hogan at the helm, it has fallen almost completely off the mark from what hardcore TNA fans are used to.

WWE takes a lot of flack for their Divas division.  Classic Divas like Sable, Chyna, Trish Stratus, and Lita have given way to what many believe are simply glorified supermodels in wrestling attire.  TNA's Knockouts Division was always hailed as a true alternative for "real" women's wrestling, and often showcased characters that were believed to be outside the mold of what WWE would ever showcase.  Yes, there were girls like Velvet Sky and Angelina Love who would've gotten on in just about any company, but we also had women like ODB, Roxi, and Awesome Kong.

TNA's Knockouts Division has now devolved into an almost identical roster to WWE.  Yes, ODB is still around, but her character is seldom pushed.  Yes, Velvet Sky is the Knockouts Champion, and it is well-deserved.  And yes, we have women like Gail Kim, Tara, and Mickie James who are arguably three of the greatest female competitors in the world, but what we are missing is the "alternative" look and feel that TNA offered in its glory days.

If TNA wants to continue to differentiate itself from WWE, it will need to provide a true alternative to WWE in every respect, not just when ratings are on the line.

"Towing the Coompany Line"

Probably the most glaring issue with TNA, and the one that really keeps it from growing, is the fact that TNA has always considered itself "the second-largest" wrestling promotion in the world.

No matter how big the company gets, no matter how many fans turn out or tune in every week, TNA has always made it very apparent, sometimes even stating on television, that they are a second-rung wrestling promotion.  Every other week, Hogan comes out and tries to pump up the fans by explaining that they are part of a "growing" movement, and something that will only get bigger.  This would be fine...if it didn't happen every other week.

It's no secret that the key to television is marketing.  Every moment on that screen, TNA is trying to convince people they are worth paying to see, whether it is in pay-per-view buys or ticket sales.  So if you're trying to sell yourself, it makes no sense to sell yourself as second-best.

TNA knows it's not as big as WWE.  The fans know TNA is not as big as WWE.  Rather than seeing that as a shortcoming, TNA should be using this as a positive avenue to differentiate itself from WWE in every aspect.  No one wants to tune into to the "second-best" wrestling program.  If TNA is a "growing" company, why not just tune back in a few years when it's "full-grown"?

TNA has an annoying habbit of catering to the "smart marks" in the audience, rather than attempting to attract the wider demographic of casual wrestling fans.  Many people criticize WWE for marketing toward a younger demographic with stars like John Cena, but WWE can afford that gamble.  Meanwhile, regardless of what TNA attempts to do, the ratings remain the same because everything from the storylines to the stars to the program rating, are geared toward a demographic of males ages 18-35, and most of them have already fled to MMA and similar products for their entertainment.

Of course, this could be a good way to stand out from WWE, but it hurts TNA's opportunities for exposure.  Ken Anderson could be a great spokesperson for the company if his handle wasn't "The Asshole".  Velvet Sky could be on talk shows if she didn't run around the ring with her butt exposed (not that I'm peresonally complaining).  All these things have kept TNA where WWE was about fifteen years ago: it's the company that parents are afraid to let their kids watch because of the violence, sex, and language.  And with all this in the way, TNA hasn't been given the recognition it deserves because the only people watching are the ones who know where to find it and who follow it religously.

TNA recently took its show on the road, and I wonder how ticket sales are doing?  Are they really filling arenas, or are they simply doing what WCW did to give the illusion of a full house?

The biggest problem with going on the road at this particular time is the main storyline revolves around a faction who is threatening the livelihood of the company.  Unlike the much maligned "Invasion" angle in WWE, this is TNA's first attempt at real exposure, and it's squandered because many of these fans are seeing these stars for the first time and are immediately asked to care about them and the well-being of the company they work for.  TNA is a young company with just a decade under its belt.  WWE had over thirty years of growth behind it when the "Invasion" angle was used, and it didn't exactly go over swimmingly there, either.  The only reason we are taught to hate Aces and Eights is because Hulk Hogan is opposed to them.  Great heels like Christopher Daniels and Kazarian are met with complete indifference because nobody recognizes them (again, "smart marks" excepted).  Rather than re-introduce themselves every week to fans who are seeing themselves for the first time, angles are written to last months instead of weeks, and that hurts because most fans have not been following TNA for months and will want to know who these people are before the bell rings.

Of course, this is all designed to keep Hogan as the constant spokesman and face of the company.  That's all well and good--until it detracts from the in-ring action.  Any time that could be spent on introducing these new fans to the various characters of TNA is spent embellishing on the character of a man who has been well-established for almost forty years.

If TNA wants to reach the next level, they need to stop talking about "the company".  They need to cease focusing on threats to "the company".  They need to put the action back in the ring and make feuds personal between the wrestlers.  Feuds like Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe or Styles vs. Daniels are key examples of truly great feuds in this company, and could really turn fans on to what kind of action they can expect if they tune in or attend a live event every week.

"Talking the Talk"

The opening segment of any wrestling program is the key to setting the tone for the rest of the night.  At a live event, the opening segment can make or break the energy of the crowd.  On a television, the opening segment will determine how many viewers stay tuned for the next two or three hours, and how many people change the channel in the first five minutes.

One symptom of both WWE and TNA is that their opening segments are almost always promotional segments.  Now, I understand that this segment often lets viewers know what the main event is for the night, and can also serve to recap what happened the week before.

But in this age of YouTube, official websites, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, and a million other news feeds, there's no reason to recap the show before the theme song hits.  Fans should know the main event for the following week, or at least have a good guess, before the show goes off the air.  That's what makes us tune in each week: the idea that there is something to look forward to.  Again, this is basic storytelling principle: show, don't tell.

Instead, the first ten minutes of each show is spent talking and setting up the main event.  Once again, TNA has a chance to set itself apart from WWE by shooting its stars out of the a figurative canon at the start of the show, with the action kicking off fast and furious.  Instead, they have simply followed the trend rather than setting a new standard.  This is a common theme throughout TNA as it seems to take its cues from one particular defunct wrestling promotion.

TNA should let its in-ring action speak for itself, and leave the promos to a maximum five minutes for the major segments.  There's no denying that TNA's action is faster-paced than WWE, but what shows through in TNA is that their matches don't tell the stories as well as WWE does.  Watch a C.M. Punk match.  Punk is a great talker, but that talk would be for nothing if his in-ring work wasn't as well-suited to concluding those creative threads.  Guys like Jericho and Ziggler are other prime examples.

For all the talking in TNA, it's a shame TNA's matches don't do a better job of continuing these threads.  The action is often so fast, it's hard for the audience to keep up with what's happening.  No one will ever think that Michaels vs. Flair from Wrestlemania XXIV was either man's best performance, and the match will never win the "fast and furious" race, but there are layers of emotions at play that made it the most memorable match of the night.  Undertaker vs. Triple H from Wrestlemania XXVIII is another great example of a slower match filled with emotion that became one of those moments that will live forever in the minds of those who experienced it.  TNA needs to learn how to create these moments, and another Hogan/Sting feud has so far not been the answer.  Finding two charismatic stars and pitting them against each other can do just this.  I felt TNA had potential with the Angle vs. Joe and and Angle vs. Styles feuds, everything else feels borrowed and worn-out.  TNA needs to make Slammiversary and Bound for Glory its own Summerslam and Wrestlemania.  Fans need to believe that they are witnessing something they cannot find anywhere else: and something they will remember forever.

I know I'm doing a lot of criticizing of TNA here, but it's only because I want them to succeed and really push WWE and the wrestling industry to a new level.  But they will never do that if they continue to view themselves as "going somewhere" instead of letting fans know it simply doesn't get any better than what they're seeing now.

Wrestlemania 29: The Aftermath

So Wrestlemania 29 has come and gone, and the sports entertainment world has begun to lull back into its usual routine.  The spectacle has largely diminished back to its subdued weekly complacency.  This was never more evident than the night after Wrestlemania where the New Jersey crowd spent much of the three hours flaunting bizzare antics, from football chants to dancing to Fandango's theme song.  WWE and the commentators attempted to play this off as a side-effect of the Wrestlemania hype and the palpable "excitement" in the air, but the truth of the matter is that the night after Wrestlemania was downright boring, save for a few interesting spots.  There has been rampant debate that Raw was better than Wrestlemania, but I don't see how this could possibly be the case.

WWE pulled the old "bait and switch" with John Cena coming out to defend his newly won WWE title, and everyone expected a "real" challenger to emerge, but instead Mark Henry made his way to the ring, which, while impressive, did little to excite the fans.  Then, to further frustrate the audience, Cena's open challenge was foiled Vickie Guerrero and changed to a #1 Contender's Match.

Meanwhile, Randy Orton and Sheamus fought to see who would get their hands on Big Show after the latter cost the two a victory over The Shield at Wrestlemania.  The crowd proceeded to do the wave over the entire match.  Once again, WWE chalked this up to an excited crowd, but the bottom line is that no one in that audience cared which of these individuals took at swing at Big Show, but now Big Show was out of the picture for the night.

WWE frustrated the crowd even further by not having Triple H or C.M. Punk present at the event.  Instead, we were promised that Punk would have a response to his loss at the hands of The Undertaker next week, while Paul Heyman threw out yet another challenge to "The Game" on Brock Lesnar's behalf, this time for a Steel Cage Match at Extreme Rules.  Is it just me, or is this official "challenge" formula getting old?  I mean, isn't this the exact same storyline as every Triple H/Lesnar match since the two collided last year at Summerslam?  Correct me if I'm wrong.

So after being grossly short-changed, the fans finally get some vindication when Dolph Ziggler finally cashed in his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase against a weathered Alberto Del Rio to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.  This got the biggest reaction of the night.

Over the next several weeks, Raw and Smackdown have gotten better.  Triple H showed up to accept Brock Lesnar's challenge for Extreme Rules, a speechless C.M. Punk has virtually disappeared from the WWE landscape, while "The Deadman" has returned to help Team Hell No fight The Shield (granted, to no avail).

It will be interesting to see what WWE does to freshen the product this year.  I love to watch Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho tear down the house as much as the next guy, but we've seen that match a few times already, and the only new face on the scene has been Fandango, who WWE would like to think has "taken the world by storm", when in reality it was his theme song people are interested in, while the character himself is poorly developed and holds almost nobody's attention.

All that being said, I found Wrestlemnia 29 to be thoroughly enjoyable.  It's always breathtaking to see the sheer breadth of the event, packing almost 80,000 fans into a single venue for an even that, like the Wrestlemanias that have come before, is larger-than-life.

The results of the matches were largely as expected.  The one exception, of course, was the Tag Team Championship Match between Team Hell No and Ziggler and Langston, which of course, was simply a setup for Ziggler's eventual victory the following night.

The WWE shows some promise as the new year begins.  If Lesnar sticks around after his feud with Triple H, he could provide some nice competition for some of the more established talent like Orton. C.M. Punk is most likely due for a hiatus, and it will be interesting to see when he comes back and what new angle he will be presenting.  And of course, with The Undertaker embroiled in a feud now with The Shield, the countdown is on to how long he will be around before disappearing until Wrestlemania XXX.

And, just like Christmas, it's hard to finish one monumental event without wondering what next year will bring.  Perhaps the most specualation surrounds The Undertaker.  Are we seeing the final year of in-ring competition for "The Phenom"?  Will Wrestlemania XXX be his swan song, and if so, who will be his final victim?  Will Punk be looking for a rematch ala Shawn Michaels and Triple H?

However, perhaps even more interesting is the rumor of Wrestlemania XXX's main event.  Some sources have suggested that we will see the long-sought after C.M. Punk vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin confrontation.  While WWE hasn't mentioned this first-hand, they teased it quite heavily during their promostion of the WWE '13 video game, which allowed players to pit the stars of today against the legends of the "Attitude Era".  Austin himself has claimed that he still has two or three good matches left in him, so the question is, will we see one (perhaps Austin's final) at Wrestlemania XXX against a man many claim is his modern-day counterpart?

We can speculate all we want.  This is half the fun of being a WWE fan.  But the bottom line is we still have a long way to go before we can even think about Wrestlemania again.  So the real question is what will WWE do to keep us watching until it gets here?

Wrestlemania 29 Predictions

It's that time of year again: we are just a few short days away from the "show of shows", WWE Wrestlemania 29. It's worth noting that this year's Wrestlemania features more matches than most Wrestlemanias in the last decade, and while a lot of it feels a bit too much like filler, there's still some opportunities to have some memorable Wrestlemania moments. It's also worth noting that WWE has trimmed down the celebrity appearances this year, with no notable guests aside from a performance by Diddy and this year's Wrestlemania theme, "Coming Home". This is a good thing, because it helps keep the focus squarely on the in-ring competition rather than allowing the event to be in awe of itself. With that being said, I present my predictions for the victors and the defeated on the "Grandest Stage of Them All."

WRESTLEMANIA 29 PRE-SHOW
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

The Miz vs. Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett

This match will actually take place on WWE's social media networks: WWE.com, WWE's YouTube channel, Facebook, etc. This has been the case for the last several years and particularly this year with pay-per-view events. While it's a bit sad to see The Miz, who main-evented Wrestlemania XXVII against John Cena just two years ago, demoted to curtain-jerking at an online opener, it should be a nice warm-up match to get the crowd pumped for the evening. It's rather clever of WWE to dangle this carrot in front of fans who are on the fence about ordering the pay-per-view, because it makes them feel like they are getting a slice of it for free: and once they see the sheer scale of the event, even just the Titan-tron entrance, they will be more inclined to help push up the buy rates.

It's also sad that WWE doesn't feel the Intercontinental Championship (a title that is second in prestige only to the WWE Title) should be more prominently featured in the heart of the show. It's been a habit lately to open the show with a title bout, and last year could almost be considered heresy, opening with the World Heavyweight Championship match between Daniel Bryan and Sheamus.

In any case, this match could go either way. I think it serves Barrett well to have the Intercontental Title around his waist, but if WWE wants to start the evening on a high note, they will probably let The Miz walk away victorious. It will also give Barrett more purpose to chase a title rather than sit loftily atop the proverbial ladder waiting for challengers, which will, in turn, make for more interesting television.

YOUR WINNER: The Miz

8-PERSON MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH

Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls: Brodus Clay, Tensai, Naomi, & Cameron vs.
Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins: Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, & Brie and Nikki Bella

I'm not exactly sure why this match is happening.  I mean, I get it...in theory.  But Wrestlemania has always been about settling feuds...or starting new ones.  I could see a nice long feud forming between these two teams: they're perfectly balanced and compliment one another well.  The women could eventually go off and feud over the Divas Championship.  But this match in itself feels like something you'd see at a monthly pay-per-view rather than something that's been anticipated for months.

Part of this has to do with the fact that it's hard to take Tons of Funk seriously.  Brodus Clay seemed so strange to us at first, but eventually we warmed to him because it was more about having fun than running roughshot through the locker room.  But adding Tensai to the mix is just bizarre (whatever happened to his handler, by the way?)  Team Rhodes Scholars actually works well and can be taken seriously to a point, even if we don't like them very much.  But there's nothing at stake in this match.  I feel like the feud between the girls is more intriguing than the guys because at least the girls show a genuine disdain for one another whereas the men are simply going through the motions.  The feud seemed very random and last-minute, so there was no time taken to properly build it and make the audience care.  Brodus Clay vs. Tensai might have been interesting, but this foray really doesn't seem to amount to much.  Perhaps they will make it a #1 Contenders Match for the Tag Team Championship.  That, at least, would give us a reason to root for one team or the other.

Team Rhodes Scholars will win simply because they are a better team that can actually use this momentum to go places and climb the ranks of the tag division that is sorely lacking competition.

YOUR WINNERS: Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

First of all, whenever I think of Fandango, I think of two things: 1.)  That I should be reserving movie tickets online, and 2.) The cult classic LucasArts video game: Grimm Fandango.  Neither of these things actually makes me care about the wrestler, and I feel like Chris Jericho's status as a marquee performer is wasted here on a man who has done nothing to impress the WWE Universe.

There's been a trend in the WWE ever since Ken Kennedy (now TNA's Mr. Anderson) burst on the scene.  That trend has been for new superstars to constantly repeat their names for the WWE Universe so that we will remember them.  Fandango operates on this same level, with little else to offer.  Every week he comes out and we're reminded that his name is, in fact, "Fun-don-goooooooo", but we've seen nothing else out of him, save for a few poorly executed dance moves and a lackluster legdrop from the top rope.  Jericho has added some intrigue to the mix by using his trademark mic skills to mock the rookie wrestler, but there's still not enough at stake in this match for me to care who wins or loses.  Obviously I will root for Jericho, but that's because he's Chris Jericho.  I don't particularly hate Fandango, I just don't care.

WWE seems content with Fandango's cheap heat, but what they don't seem to realize is that in the long run, this sort of heat will make the fans completely apathetic to the character.  It's not like when a real heel bursts on the scene and picks a fight with a beloved superstar and the fans immediately learn to hate him (ironically, Chris Jericho did just this).  Instead, we are simply annoyed to the point where we don't necessarily want to see Fandango get his butt kicked: we'd just rather not see him at all.  It's a waste of time.  Jericho has tried valiantly to pull this program from the gutter, but it hasn't helped immensely.  The song and dance are still the same, and the only thing we can hope for is that the match will turn out much better than most people anticipate.

Also, how is it that someone like Fandango gets to debut at Wrestlemania?  Don't you usually have to...y'know...earn that spot?

If WWE sticks with their formula, they will give Fandango a victory here to help build him as a competitor, but it should, by all rights, go to Jericho.

YOUR WINNER: Fandango

WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No: Kane & Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler & Big E. Langston w/ A.J. Lee

My first instinct was that the year should have culminated with Kane and Daniel Bryan turning on each other and having a final bout at Wrestlemania, but having Dolph Ziggler in the mix made this match infinitely more interesting.  Team Hell No has been a fan favorite the entire year ever since Bryan traded in his girlfriend and "Yes!" chants for "No!" chants and the Tag Team Championship.  Of course, having his ex at ringside should make things more exciting for everyone involved.

The in-ring action will be the highlight here, if Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler's Raw match is any indication.  This is what Wrestlemania is all about.  The feud is made personal by the fact that A.J. Lee has had an on-off relationship with 75% of the competitors in the match, not to mention the taunting of Team Hell No by Ziggler and company.  There is something at stake here: the Tag Team Titles.  The feud has been building for months now, so the anticipation is ripe.  The characters are interesting to the fans because we've already cared about them in the past, with the possible exception of Langston who is helped by his association with Ziggler.

This will be an entertaining bout, but I think in the end we will see Team Hell No lose the Tag Titles to Ziggler and Langston, helping once again to build a strong tag team division and a powerful heel stable that can only go up.  And with Ziggler still holding his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase, who's to say his night is over once the bell rings at the close of this match?

YOUR WINNERS: Dolph Ziggler & Big E. Langston w/ A.J. Lee

Ryback vs. Mark Henry

I must say, this match will be much more interesting in person than it ever looked on paper.  It's no secret that Ryback's mic skills are...limited...but Henry's strong presence has helped move the story along nicely.  It's nothing especially innovating: two powerhouses colliding in the ring to see who comes out the winner.  It's certainly not going to amount to a Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, or even Lesnar vs. Goldberg, but it should be entertaining enough for what it is.  It'll be nice to see these two manhandling something other than a pair of jobbers.

I'm actually rooting for Mark Henry here, simply because I think he's a more dynamic performer than Ryback.  While the latter's power is impressive, the limitations of his work are starting to show, and the fact that the crowd will always chant, "Goldberg" during his matches doesn't bode well where longevity is concerned.  But whichever way this match ends, I hope the feud continues as I think there is plenty of gas left in the tank to keep fans entertained and hopefully build Ryback into a more full-fledged performer instead of a one-trick pony.

YOUR WINNER: Mark Henry

SIX-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH

Randy Orton, Sheamus, & The Big Show vs. The Shield: Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns

Another well-built feud that should make for a great match.  The Shield has done a great job of making themselves a force to be reckoned with in the WWE without feeling like they are being rammed down our throats.  A lot of this has to do with the fact that they are, individually, very talented performers with a bright and beautiful future in professional wrestling.  Each of them has a distinct look, style, and feel that somehow blends wonderfully when they work as a unit.  Their promos are engaging and just different enough to separate them from the pack.  They've also wasted no time in finding suitable targets for their assaults.

It's pretty obvious that Ryback was meant to be the third member of this team until Big Show took his  place so Ryback could feud with Mark Henry.  It was built that way at Survivor Series when C.M. Punk used the Shield to screw Ryback out of the WWE Championship.  That being said, the program has held together surprisingly well despite the last-minute change, and Big Show brings a power and dominance to the opposition that even Ryback can't match.

Again, I must play devil's advocate here and root for The Shield simply because they have done so well to get to this point, and while Orton, Sheamus, and Big Show's collective futures are secured in WWE, I hope The Shield is around to see their victims off into the sunset.

YOUR WINNERS: The Shield

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter vs. World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio w/ Ricardo Rodriguez

This has been the most uncomfortable feud to watch...and somehow that has made it good.

Out of the blue, WWE decided to make Alberto Del Rio the World Heavyweight Champion.  It's pretty obvious that this role was intended for Rey Mysterio, who always seems plagued by some injury or other, and at the worst possible time.  Del Rio has never been a strong champion, and at times it felt more like he was trying to convince us to cheer for him rather than simply letting us cheer for him.  I'm not a big Del Rio fan.  He's a solid worker, but his promos are clearly not his own words and they tend to come off awkward and lackluster.

All that being said, it's hard not to cheer for Del Rio when your opponent is managed by Zeb Colter.

This feud was clearly designed to turn heads and raise eyebrows, and it has done that in the most uncomfortable fashion.  Spouting fanatical right-wing propoganda, Zeb Colter's ideas of "Jack Swagger's America" have made viewers squirm no matter what side of the party lines you're standing on.

In the end, though, Jack Swagger has skyrocketed from a mid-card player to Wrestlemania main-eventer.  I just wish Del Rio did a better job of holding up his end of the feud, and I'm not sure if I should chalk that up to Del Rio himself or just poor writing in general.

I shudder to think what WWE would be like with Jack Swagger as Champion.  So I'm rooting for Del Rio here.  Hopefully Alberto can make good in a city just a stone's throw away from where Lady Liberty greets the masses into the Land of Opportunity.

YOUR WINNER: Alberto Del Rio

NO HOLDS BARRED
CAREER-THREATENING MATCH

Triple H w/ Shawn Michaels vs. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman

This will be an emotionally-charged match.  Or at least it should be.

Unfortunately, WWE has made a tradition the last couple of years to make matches with the biggest emotional impact take place at Wrestlemania.  While this is generally a good formula, it has sort of left us feeling like we already know the ending before it's been written.

It started when Shawn Michaels defeated Ric Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV, ending the "Nature Boy"'s 30+ year career (at least in WWE).  It continued two years later when Michaels fell to The Undertaker in the main event of Wrestlemania XXVI and "The Heartbreak Kid" was sent off into the sunset.  A year later, Shawn returned as the special guest referee for a match that would signify the "End of an Era".  And now, Triple H has put his career on the line against Brock Lesnar.

The story should feel familiar by this point.  Many people assume that his is Triple H's last hurrah, while some question if "The Game" can really be expected to stay away from a business that has essentially been his whole life.  Even if Triple H loses, can we really believe that we'll never see him wrestle again?

Meanwhile, you have Brock Lesnar, whose tenure in the WWE has been checkered at best.  It's not just the history between these four men that makes this match personal: Lesnar having broken Shawn and HHH's respective arms on multiple occasions as well as assaulting the New Age Outlaws.  It's the past history that is being carried into this bout: the idea that Triple H took the reigns when Lesnar was handed the keys to the kingdom and then left for a failed NFL career only to wind up in MMA and finally back to WWE.  Meanwhile, Triple H has become a 13-time World Champion and cemented himself as a staple of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Could this be Triple H's swan song as he goes off behind the scenes to take the reigns of WWE?  Or is this just one more opportunity for Triple H to show us he is still the "Cerebral Assassin"?

As always, Brock has left the talking to his mouthpiece, Paul Heyman, who's been pulling double-duty for both Lesnar and C.M. Punk as of late, and doing a fantastic job.  WWE has done a great job of making Brock a force to be reckoned with, but unfortunately for Brock, he has been constantly shown up by Triple H, who simply refuses to allow himself to look like a victim.  Even when Brock has all-out assaulted "The Game" on Raw, Triple H has miraculously come back to wield a sledgehammer and take down Lesnar.  This has made Wrestlemania almost redundant by nature.

Still, it will be interesting to see the lengths to which Triple H will go to to preserve his career...and the lengths to which Brock will go to end it.

Of course, everyone is rooting for Triple H.  It's hard not to, especially with DX co-founder and fan-favorite Shawn Michaels in his corner.  But will Shawn actually help his best friend beat Heyman's wrecking machine?  Or will Shawn simply be another distraction to possibly cost his best friend his lifelong passion?

YOUR WINNER: Triple H

The Undertaker vs. C.M. Punk

Every year it becomes harder and harder for WWE to find suitable opponents for The Undertaker.  For a while it seemed "The Deadman" was content to squash whatever young upstart was pushing through the ranks that year, but for the past five years, the Undertaker has instead turned his focus to the veterans rather than the rookies.  This has turned out quite well, as the overall match quality has been superior to much of what we've seen in the past.  Undertaker's matches with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 and XXVI have been hailed as some of the greatest of both men's careers, and the history in the Undertaker's matches with Triple H has lent them an air of nostalgia and an immediate emotional connection to the fans.

No matter who his opponent has been, one element has always been prevalent in The Undertaker's matches: the element of respect.

Ironically, "respect" has been the mantra of WWE's most controversial superstar in several years: C.M. Punk.  Punk began 2013 as the WWE Champion, and went on to successfully (albeit controversially) hold the title until The Rock took it from him at Survivor Series.  After failing to gain a rematch for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania by losing to John Cena in his #1 Contender's Match on Raw, Punk has set his sights squarely on "The Phenom", and more importantly, on the illustrious 20-0 Wrestlemania winning streak.

This match is one of the most difficult to book every year.  Why?  Because it must be booked in a manner that makes the audience believe The Undertaker's streak is actually in jeopardy.  Some would say that if Triple H and Shawn Michaels could not "beat the streak", no one can.  In recent years we've seen monsters like Mark Henry and Batista attempt the feat, while we also saw cunning men like Edge attempt to etch his name into history at "The Deadman"'s expense.  The Undertaker has managed to fell every obstacle in his path, including current and would-be WWE Hall of Famers.  So after twenty years of watching people fall at the hands of the man from Death Valley, it would stand to reason that the intrigue of this match is gone, as we know how it will end. It's the same old song and dance...

...isn't it?

Enter C.M. Punk: a man with no remorse, no regret, and certainly no respect for anyone but himself.  Punk won over the WWE Universe with his scathing tirades on the McMahons, Triple H, John Cena, and even The Rock, which pulled back the curtain of some of WWE's darker truths and threatened to expose a system overrun by politics, egos, and just plain bad booking.  C.M. Punk proclaimed himself the "Voice of the Voiceless": a shepherd to the lost sheep of the WWE Universe.  When he won the WWE Championship from Alberto Del Rio, C.M. Punk was the most beloved superstar on the roster.  Over 400 days later, when his reign hit "rock bottom", Punk had become the most reviled man in the WWE.

Punk has continued that trend in his feud with The Undertaker, using the passing of William "Paul Bearer" Moody as a platform to strike a nerve with The Undertaker that few have ever struck before.  Now in possession of the sacred urn that stands as both a source of power for The Undertaker and a memorial to his long-time manager, C.M. Punk has used his time over the past several weeks to degrade and mock Paul Bearer, even going so far as to have Punk's own manager, Paul Heyman, come out onto the ramp dressed in Paul Bearer's likeness.

Two things stand out from this feud.  The first is Punk's blatant disrespect for The Undertaker.  Punk simply doesn't care what "The Phenom" or anyone else thinks about his actions, and that is something we haven't seen since Randy Orton attempted to end the streak eight years ago.  We are very used to seeing The Undertaker's power manifested in supernatural happenings: emerging from caskets, floating rings, lightning strikes, and the appearance of the Druids.

This year, Punk has been the puppet master and the pageantry that usually accompanies the Deadman has been reserved this time for his opponent, and it has set a different tone for the contest: one that puts The Undertaker at a distinct disadvantage.

The second thing that stands out is the shadow of doubt suddenly cast on The Undertaker's streak. Undertaker himself all but admitted that he'd be willing to get himself disqualified, thus ending the streak, if it meant silencing Punk and reclaiming the urn.  It's possible all Punk will have to do is taunt The Undertaker enough to the point where he gets himself disqualified, inadvertently handing Punk a landmark victory.

Of course, after being around almost thirty years, we should all hope The Undertaker is smarter than that.

YOUR WINNER: The Undertaker

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP

John Cena vs. WWE Champion The Rock

This match should be pretty academic.

John Cena hasn't exactly had a banner year.  After losing to The Rock in the main event of Wrestlemania XXVIII, Cena went on to get beaten and bloodied by the returning Brock Lesnar.  Cena's attempts to regain the WWE Chmapionship were met with defeat when C.M. Punk took off in Chicago.  In fact, that night was the last time John Cena held the WWE Championship, and for some fans, that's a good thing.

It's no secret that a large portion of the WWE Universe is tired of John Cena.  Men like The Rock and Punk have come along to breathe new life into what has largely become, under Cena's leadership, a stale experience.  Last year was monumental in that it saw The Rock's return to in-ring competition, and this year was made even greater by his recapturing of the WWE Championship from the hated C.M. Punk.

From there, the story takes a rather predictable turn.  John Cena came back to win the Royal Rumble, earning the right for a shot to regain the WWE Title, and a rematch with The Rock...all in the same night.

The program between The Rock and Cena is somewhat milder than it was last year.  Rather than take personal shots at one another, their match at last year's Wrestlemania seems to have bred a mutual respect between the two superstars.  The Rock's message is simple: "I've beaten you before, I will beat you again."  Cena's story is much more personal, since he now has a chance to redeem himself from the devastating loss that sent his career spiraling out of control.

All signs have pointed to John Cena winning back the WWE Title.  This really is the only logical conclusion.  It strikes a perfect balance for fans who were upset by Cena's loss last year, and gives Cena's comeback story the perfect fairy tale ending.

Also, we have to remember that while The Rock is the WWE Champion, his appearances on Raw have been sparse due to his obligations outside the ring.  WWE can't possibly expect The Rock to hold and defend the WWE Championship on his own time.

However, while many felt John Cena had the verbal upperhand on The Rock last year, he seems to have backpedaled this year.  Spouting the same sob story about the poor year he's had, Cena has tried desperately to find some way to one-up a man who has already beaten him.  He picked on The Rock for coming back and making an impact, for unveiling a new WWE Championship, and for claiming to be a champion for the people.

Of course, if we rewind just eight short years, Cena was doing the exact same thing against JBL.  Cena was an edgy young champion for the people.  He made an impact in every way possible.  And immediately after winning the title from JBL, he did away with the Undisputed WWE Championship and unveiled what became infamously known as the "spinner belt".

Cena capped off almost every promo with the phrase, "Your time is up, my time is now."  Of course, these are the first words of John's theme song.  But John Cena's time was 2005.  Cena's promos belong to someone who has never held the WWE Title, not to someone who has held it ten times.

No matter who wins or loses, this match lacks the mystery and anticipation that fueled it last year.  The novelty is gone, and adding the WWE Championship to the mix hasn't helped much because at the end of the day, nothing will change in WWE.  If The Rock wins, we get a champion who is there sometimes, and if Cena wins, we go back to the same tired formulaic programming we've been watching for the last decade.

This match would've worked great at Summerslam or Survivor Series, but it seems odd here because it is the same match we saw last year and we have no reason to believe the outcome will be any different.  But of course, when Superman is on your side, anything is possible.

YOUR WINNER: John Cena

I know it sounds like a lot of nitpicking and griping, but it's only because we are desperately looking for our next Wrestlemania moment.  And while it seems a bit doubtful on paper, we can only hope that the event itself will bring with it that larger-than-life spectacle and the promise of memories that will last forever.

The Year The Rock Got "Punk"ed

I think The Rock missed his calling. That's right, I don't think "The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment" was meant for entertainment. Or perhaps just a different form of entertainment. I don't think Dwayne Johnson should have been a wrestler.

I think Dwayne Johnson should've been a politician. Why? Because for the second year in a row, The Rock has shown us just how good he is at skirting the issue.

Last year, when the WWE was in a fevered anticipation for The Rock's bout with John Cena at Wrestlemania XXVIII, Cena cut scathing promos about how The Rock had all but completely forsaken his sports entertainment origins and sold out to do Hollywood movies. The Rock, who rekindled a fire in the WWE Universe harkening back to the bygone days of the "Attitude Era", responded by making fun of Cena's genitalia, his former rap star persona, and his status as the unbeatable Superman of the WWE. The Rock railed against Cena for marketing his image to children and the younger fans of the WWE Universe. He mocked Cena's mannerisms and his ring attire, even going so far as to call Cena a "Fruity Pebble": a moniker that follows the 13-time World Champion to this day.

Cena defended himself by taking the stance of loyalty to the audience who has supported him from the start. Even in the face of one of the greatest trash-talkers the industry had ever seen, Cena stood, unflinching and unashamed of his brightly colored t-shirts, his denim ring attire, and his commitment to fans of all ages. As a fan who grew up watching WWE at the height of the "Attitude Era", I was shocked to find myself actually pulling for Cena more often than not right up until his defeat on the "Grandest Stage of Them All".

Why?

Because rather than defend his decision to use his star power to become a successful (a term I use loosely) Hollywood star, The Rock had nothing in his verbal bag of tricks but the same catchphrases we've been hearing for the past fifteen years or so. In the midst of the launch of WWE's anti-bullying campaign, The Rock did everything he could to belittle a man whose mantra was "Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect." Few were the instances in which The Rock actually addressed his career path, his ignorance of his beginnings as a truly great WWE Superstar, or even the fact that he hadn't shown his face in the company for almost a decade, save for some random promos aired "via satellite."

The Rock may have won the match, but he lost the war, as John Cena's truths cut much deeper in the long run than Rock's cheap jibes. The funny thing is, Cena had some measure of respect for The Rock as a pioneer in the industry, and John Cena as a character, and perhaps even as a man, would only take his comments about The Rock so far out of respect for the younger fans who may have been watching.

Ironically, less than a year later, The Rock is now in the same position against a man who is not concerned with crossing lines: a man who, for the last two years, has made a bigger name for himself by proclaiming "the truth". Granted, CM Punk does not have the advantage of year-long build up to his match with The Rock in just three short weeks, but that hasn't stopped "The Voice of the Voiceless" from spouting his truth in the face of the Brahma Bull.

This past Monday on Raw, CM Punk had his first confrontation with Dwayne Johnson since making the latter a victim of the GTS on the 1,000th episode of Raw earlier this year. After dropping one of his infamous "Pipe Bombs", Punk stood toe to toe with the sure-fire Hall of Famer, and though he didn't get a chance to say much while the two were face to face, I'd have to say that if we were keeping score, Punk would be up 1-0 on The Rock heading into the Royal Rumble main event.

Punk has turned heel since knocking out The Rock, so his rants are largely filled with his mantra of "Respect", but he was still able to paint a picture of The Rock as a fly-by-night Superstar who'd much rather be in Hollywood than in the ring. Punk also made it clear he was not intimidated by The Rock's trash-talking abilities, nor his larger-than-life persona. The Rock answered Punk's truths in much the same way he answered Cena's: with tired routines and references to Punk's man-junk. He even attempted to form a moniker for Punk the way he'd created one for Cena, as the crowd chanted "Cookiepuss" at their once revered WWE Champion. Punk responded immediately by calling the WWE Universe a collection of "puppets" whose strings were in the hands of The Rock, even citing that he got them to chant "ice cream bars" just a few short months ago. Even as The Rock continued in his attempts to degrade Punk before his audience, Punk simply stood firm, his eyes never leaving The Rock's. Whereas Cena attempted to play off The Rock's jests with a polite smile, Punk's expression alone made it clear there was no room for laughter. Whereas The Rock was out to start "trending", Punk was out to make a statement, and he made it, ironically, without saying a single word. He will not budge. He will not be intimidated. The Rock may be "the man", but his sophomoric humor did little to buckle the knees of "The Best in the World", and that is a huge plus for Punk heading into the last stretch of his WWE Championship reign.

It's probable that WWE had Punk turn heel specifically to build him as a good opponent for The Rock. In the meanwhile, Punk's following hasn't dwindled in the wake of his attitude adjustment (no pun intended). Make no mistake, Punk's 400+ day reign as WWE Champion will, most likely, come to a screeching halt at the Royal Rumble, but he will go out with far more than a whimper, and if WWE is smart, it won't be the last time we see Punk in the WWE title spotlight.

Obviously that is speculation at this point, but no matter the outcome of their match on January 27th, the battle has already begun, and thus far, it's The Rock who has wound up on the short end.

It may be for one night only, but this past Monday, The Rock got "Punk"ed.