The 5 Most Disappointing Wrestlemanias

Hello everyone. I'm back again with another Wrestlemania list on the road to Wrestlemania. Lots of positive feedback from the last list I did. I'm sticking with a Top 5 list again because it is short and to the point. If you expand to a Top 10 list, I feel like you are reaching for points to defend your argument.

This list looks at the five most disappointing Wrestlemanias in the WWE history. Now, this list doesn't necessarily mean the five worst Wrestlemania's of all time. I don't think many people had high hopes for Wrestlemania 9 going into it. This list looks at five Mania's that had a lot of hype around them that just either didn't live up to expectations or fell flat on their face. And at least one Wrestlemania on this list was slightly above average, but it could have been even bigger if the WWE had booked it differently. That also was taken into account when this list was made. Wrestlemania is considered the grandest stage of them all, and if the show does not live up to that hype, it is considered a major disappointment. I have a feeling if I did this same list next year, Wrestlemania 29 would be on it.

With that intro out of the way, lets take a look at this list.

Wrestlemania's Top Performers

Hello everyone. Starting with this write up here, every non-RAW Review piece I write from here on out will involve some type of Wrestlemania related history. We are getting into the heart of Wrestlemania season. There is only so much I can write about The Rock not being on RAW, another HHH/Brock Lesnar match and if CM Punk will be the one to end the Undertaker's Streak. It gets repetitive sometimes. Its something we pointed out on the Creatively Endeavored Pulsecast this week.

So I will be doing a handful of Top 5 lists in the weeks to come. I might stretch some out to a Top 10 list, but that would only be for the bigger categories I might do. Stretching a list out too far can be reaching sometimes. Getting it down to the Top 5 means you are looking at the very best for whatever it is that the topic is about. Plus it leaves room for more debate about who should and should not be on these respective lists.

The RAW Truth Review for 8/6/12

Its Shawn Michaels Appreciation Night, at least off camera. Can't we just have 3 hours of HBK matches instead of a regular 3 hour RAW? It would probably end up being a better show.

I Didn't Invent the Time Machine for Financial Gain!
After a video recap of last week's show and pyro (with nothing starting on fire), A.J. came out. She announced Big Show vs Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan vs John Cena for later. C.M. Punk interrupted. Punk said he's man enough to admit when he makes a mistake. He said he was out there to apologize to A.J. because he lost his emotions last week. He said she does not deserve to be dis-respected just like he does't deserve to be dis-respected as WWE Champion. She accepted, and said she's bound to fall on her face sometimes like she did last week by making the Triple Threat Match at SummerSlam. He asked her to cancel the match. A.J. said the decision stands. He asked if this was revenge for rejecting her. Punk continued to make his plea until Cena interrupted.

Wrestlemania 28 Preview

It is that time of year. The event that only happens once a year. While the build may not have been as great as we hoped for, Wrestlemania is always an exciting time for wrestling fans. People can rip on wrestling all they want, but getting 60,000 plus people to watch one event is something not a lot of things can do. Wrestlemania always brings the goods and most of the time after watching it you can say that you watched something where a major event happened or a great match was had. I went to my first Wrestlemania last year, and while it wasn't the best of Wrestlemanias it was still a once in a lifetime experience that I encourage all wrestling fans to do at least once. From Axxess, to the Hall of Fame, to just being in the city where Wrestlemania is happening, it is just a great week all around.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/19/12

As we continue on the Road to Wrestlemania, it is time for another live RAW Truth Review. Hopefully, the build picks up for HHH/Taker tonight, because I'm starting to lose interest.

Rise Above Alcoholism
C.M. Punk came out with a very serious look on his face. They replayed Jericho calling out Punk for being straight edge because his father was a drunk. Punk told everyone that Jericho wasn't here tonight, but Punk said that was a gift, because Jericho pissed him off last week by calling his father an alcoholic. Punk said it is true, but not his story to tell. Punk said the fact that he said it in front of the entire world is what pissed him off. Punk said there isn't a person watching this that hasn't been effected by alcoholism. Punk said Jericho only wants to get in his head and under his skin to have an advantage heading into Wrestlemania. Punk said Jericho doesn't understand him at all, because it is in his DNA to kick Jericho's ass now. Punk said that Jericho forgot to tell the finish of the story, that his father beat his demons and is working to get better. Punk said Jericho is an obstacle and that he is going straight through him at Wrestlemania to prove that he is the Best In the World.

The RAW Truth Review for 3/12/12

So, You Think You're Untouchable...
Jerry Lawler started in the ring. He mentioned how it is the first ever Rock and Rap Concert tonight.John Cena came out to "Basic Thuganomics" and wearing his old school chain and jean shorts. Cena said Rock is like LeBron, taking his talents to South Beach. Cena asked for a week when Rock doesn't come out and choke. He called Rock and Dwayne both jack offs. Cena said after April 1, Rock won't be making movies because after he is going to need surgery on his boobies. He called out Rock for the Tooth Fairy chant he received last week. Cena said he doesn't have balls, but he is going to beat him at Wrestlemania and put his nuts in his face.

Segment Analysis: Classic Cena when he was at his best. That is the Cena we used to like, that I used to like. That right there proved that Cena can still be that gimmick even in a water downed PG era. That was pretty good. Hopefully Cena doesn't come out as a goof ball later. Survey Says: 3.5/5

The RAW Truth Review for 3/5/12

Tonight we get The Rock, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. No, I swear it isn't 1998.

D-X Strip Poker Segment: Part 2?
RAW started with Shawn Michaels. He said today the best thing about the HBK chant is that it gives him an opportunity to catch his breath. HBK said he knows things got heated between him and HHH, but he needed to do that in order to get HHH to challenge Undertaker. HBK asked Triple H to come out and he did.

Shawn said he knew he was tough on HHH a few weeks ago, but he did it because he knew Hunter had to have the match. Shawn ran down all the things that he called Hunter: a coward, a man of integrity. Shawn called Hunter an oak because he called him a coward and didn't change his mind. Shawn said something must have got Hunter to change his mind. Shawn got the production truck to show what got Hunter to change his mind. And of course, we all know that it was Undertaker saying Shawn was better than him, and he can't do what his friend couldn't do.

Analyzing Wrestlemania So Far

We are just under a month away from Wrestlemania, and things are starting to take shape. The Big 4 matches are finally set, and those matches alone make this one of the most must see Wrestlemania's off all time. It almost makes me wish that I was going to Wrestlemania this year and saved my money and not had gone last year. But I had to see my favorite all time go into the Hall of Fame. But he should have gone in this year!

Okay, enough being selfish for myself. In all seriousness, this Wrestlemania does look really good on paper. Now that doesn't mean the WWE won't find a way to screw this all up, they usually mess up one thing come Wrestlemania time. But it is going to be tough for them to find something to screw up here. I think one of the reason's I believe this is because I trust the performers in all of the top matches. Six of the eight guys in those matches are veteran performers who know how to put on a good match, know how to entertain the crowd, and know what it means to be so high on the card on the biggest stage of the year. Now of course, there is something to be said that the WWE has to use HHH, Undertaker, and The Rock once a year to pop a buyrate for Wrestlemania. If they did a better job building up stars then they wouldn't need them. But I digress.

The RAW Truth Review for 2/13/12

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This week, Shawn Michaels is on to talk to Triple H about The Undertaker. If Shawn Michaels is on, the show at least gets a 5 from me.

After re-capping Kane's creepy Eve encounter last week, we cut to an unnecessary close-up of Kane. Kane said two things will happen tonight: Cena will embrace the hate, and someone will take a ride in an ambulance.

A Debate to Find Out Who Is Clearly An Afterthought
All of the Elimination Chamber participants were in the ring, apparently for a debate and to say why they will win the Elimination Chamber match. Before C.M. Punk could talk, John Laurinaitis came out and said he was thankful to be back as WWE RAW GM. Jerry Lawler asked how Punk feels about the odds being against him in the Elimination Chamber. Punk wanted to say three things. He promised the debate would not end in violence. Then to SnickelFritz John Laurinaitis, he congratulated him on remaining in power. He said all Ace has done is a lot of begging. Third, Punk said he knew he was going to win because he is the best wrestler in the world. Jerry asked for Dolph's rebuttal. Vickie said there should be no booing allowed. Ziggler said everyone knows he is a better wrestler than Punk and he backs it up every night, and unlike R-Truth, he knows what state they are in.

The Wrestlemania Super Bowl

It is Super Bowl week. If you watch ESPN you know that. About half of SportsCenter for the last week has been Patriots/Giants talk. My Super Bowl Preview is up so take a look at it.

Often, people say that Wrestlemania is the Super Bowl of the WWE and Sports Entertainment. There is no denying that fact. Wrestlemania is held in large stadiums every year and they either sell-out the stadium or come very close to it. The fact that the WWE can still get that many people into one place with wrestling not as popular as it once was says a couple things. It says that WWE still has a ton of loyal fans willing to come out to Wrestlemania no matter what. I went to Atlanta for Wrestlemania last year and it was a great experience. Once in a lifetime. I really wanted to go this year, but the monetary funds were not there for me. Selling out a large stadium also shows that people will travel out to Wrestlemania if the card looks like a "big time" card, like this year's certainly does. We are getting Rock/Cena, HHH/Taker, Punk/Jericho and possibly Shaq/Big Show. That looks like a mega card certainly worthy of a Super Bowl like title.

The Top 10 Moments in Royal Rumble History

We are less than one week away from the 2012 Royal Rumble. The Rumble itself used to be my favorite PPV of the year. Most of the time it is because it usually happens around my birthday, which happens to be on the 29th. But also because the Rumble match is one of my favorite matches of the year. This year, however, I think the WWE has done a poor job of building up to the Rumble.

There are many reasons for that. One is that the Rumble winner will arguably be in the third most important match on the card. This year they fall behind Rock/Cena and the Undertaker match in terms of importance. You could argue that in the last three years the Undertaker's match has been more important than any of the WWE or World Title matches. There's also this little nugget: The last wrestler to win the Rumble match and actually win the WWE or World Title at Wrestlemania was The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 23. It almost seems like that the new "Rumble Winner" is whoever wins the Money in the Bank Ladder Matches at that PPV, since they have had a 100% success rate when cashing in. That might be part of the reason the Rumble match hasn't been booked as strongly in recent years. Hell, last year Alberto del Rio was in the first match of Wrestlemania after winning the Rumble!

The Top 10 Survivor Series Moments of All Time

In less than two weeks time, the WWE will present us with the 25th annual Survivor Series. This is not the 25th anniversary of Survivor Series, no matter what the WWE says.

I was going to put together a top 25 list of the best matches and moments in Survivor Series history, but my availability is really limited so I decided to narrow it down to the Top 10 moments in Survivor Series history. Even when going through a list of all the past Survivor Series, it is really tough to come up with a Top 25 list. Sure there were some good elimination matches, but they really don't stand out as good moments. This PPV always seemed to be more about the matches rather than moments. But that is not to say there haven't been some memorable moments at this PPV. I think this PPV in less than two weeks will be fun. Having The Rock on helps that out a lot. I like the idea of having at least two 5-on-5 elimination matches at this PPV. I wish they had a deeper roster so there could be more, but the WWE feels that those matches don't sell the PPV. But they normally result in some good wrestling, which is all we can ask for as wrestling fans.

With all of this being said, lets gets into this Top 10 list.

10. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of the Gobbledy Gooker
-Hey, I didn't say these were all good memories. The WWF was hyping this "mystery egg" that was seen on WWF TV for weeks. Many people speculated on what it could be. Most people thought whatever was in the egg was something big because of all the hype it had been receiving. Well, Survivor Series came, and we got a giant turkey that became known as the Gobbledy Gooker. It was Hector Guerrero dressed in the costume. The Gooker never appeared on WWF TV again, so nobody knew if it ever had any further plans. The Gooker was booed out of the building. It is known in folk lore and WWE legend as one of the worst ideas ever. But it is still fun to talk about.

9. Survivor Series 1991: The Undertaker Defeats Hulk Hogan To Win The WWF Championship
-For anybody who doesn't know, Hulk Hogan rarely if ever lost in the 1980s and 1990s in the WWF. The only times he ever lost was to Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6. Hogan lost to Andre the Giant on the debut episode of "The Main Event," but that was with the help of a "crooked referee." The Undertaker was an unstoppable force in the WWF at the time. He was going through babyface undercard wrestlers with ease. He soundly defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania 7. At Survivor Series, exactly one year after his debut, he challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title. Although it came with the help of Ric Flair, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the WWF Title. The crowd was stunned. There lied their hero in the middle of the ring having just been beaten for the WWF Title. Undertaker lost the Title six days later, but it was still quite shocking at the time to see Hogan lose.

8. Survivor Series 1994: Diesel Turns Face
-This turned out to be a pretty big deal in the long run, as it began the launch of the single's career of Kevin Nash. Nash, at the time known as Diesel, had been the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels for almost a year at this point. He started wrestling over the summer, and even captured the Intercontinental Championship. Fans started to get behind him because he looked cool and pretty much dominated all of his opponents. Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb was one of the best finishers around at the time. Diesel had been growing tired of Shawn Michaels's antics for a bit, and he finally snapped at Survivor Series. He slowly stalked down Shawn Michaels before Michaels eventually left the arena. Less than two weeks later, Diesel won the WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. Diesel held onto that Title for over a year. He defended it successfully against the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Sid and Mabel before losing it to Hart in late 1995. This was an important event because as I said, it marked the beginning of Kevin Nash's successful singles run, which garnered him a huge contract from WCW and allowed the nWo angle to begin.

7. Survivor Series 1996: The Debut of The Rock
-Who would have thought that this young guy full of energy would go on to become one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Of course he didn't debut as The Rock. In his initial match, he was simply known as Rocky Maivia, and his nickname was "The Blue Chipper." He was the sole survivor of his 4-on-4 elimination match. He eliminated Crush with a crossbody and Goldust with a shoulder breaker. In the growing months fans became sick of his clean cut good guy persona, so he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. You knew the WWE saw something in him with the amount of hype he received from Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, but they probably didn't see The Rock taking the path he did.

6. Survivor Series 1998: Deadly Games Tournament for the WWF Title, Rock/Mankind Double Turn
-I may have this high, but I really liked the booking of this show. The Deadly Games Tournament was a unique concept that was similar to the Wrestlemania 4 Tournament. But this time, the fan favorite didn't walk out with the Title. Well, I guess The Rock was the fan favorite heading into the show. The Rock was becoming a target of Vince McMahon, similar to that of Steve Austin. But it all appeared to be an elaborate set up by Vince, Shane McMahon, and The Rock as a way to get the WWF Title on The Rock. All along it appeared Vince backed Mankind, but Mankind was not the clean-cut, corporate Champion McMahon wanted. But Vince saw that in The Rock, and that's why he screwed Mankind out of the WWE Title. Sure I was only 11 when this happened, but I didn't see the double turn coming. And I don't think most fans did either. It was good booking.

5. Survivor Series 2001: The End of The Invasion
-Just because I have this so high doesn't mean that I liked the Invasion angle. It was badly botched it isn't funny. Instead of bringing in the high priced WCW veterans, Vince McMahon brought in a bunch of mid-carders from WCW, had them align with ECW, and be lead by Steve Austin, the WWE's top star at the time. It made no sense. But Survivor Series 2001 brought  an end to this abomination of an angle in what was a pretty good 5-on-5 elimination match. I consider this an important event in WWE history for a couple reasons. The obvious being that it ended the Invasion angle. But it also lead to the brand split with RAW and Smackdown, it lead to the creation of the Undisputed Championship, and it lead to Ric Flair coming to the WWE. The Invasion could have been done so much better, but this event was one of the better things that resulted from it.

4. Survivor Series 1996: Steve Austin/Bret Hart
-Survivor Series 1996 was a pretty good PPV when you look back at it. The debut of The Rock, Undertaker/Mankind, and Shawn Michaels carried Sid to one of the best matches of his career. The show also saw the first match in what became almost a year long feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Austin had been calling out Hart for months while Hart had been away from TV. Hart returned in October and the two fought at Survivor Series in what was a very good match. These two's classic encounter at Wrestlemania 13 is considered one of the greatest matches ever, and rightfully so, but this match is no slouch either. It continued to propel Steve Austin into stardom, which showed as some fans in Madison Square Garden began cheering Austin. You can really make an argument either way as to what was Bret Hart's best feud, Steve Austin or Bret Hart.

3. Survivor Series 2002: Shawn Michaels Wins the World Heavyweight Title in the First Ever Elimination Chamber Match
-I'm glad that this year's Survivor Series is at Madison Square Garden, because as you can tell from this list, good things happen at Survivor Series at MSG. In 2002, Eric Bischoff debuted the ominous Elimination Chamber. Triple H defended the World Title in the Chamber against Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels had just returned from a four year absence due to a back injury. He defeated Triple H in an excellent match at SummerSlam. In the Elimination Chamber, HBK was the ultimate underdog who the crowd was firmly behind. Many fans were upset that Triple H was just handed the World Title by Eric Bischoff, so they were anxious to see him lose it. The reaction Michaels got after winning the match was great. You could tell Michaels was greatful for the opportunity and thankful for the fans reactions. The match continued HBK's comeback and showed he still had it.

2. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of The Undertaker
-Back in the 1990s, the WWF was all about the character. Look at Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Ted DiBiase. When The Undertaker walked down the aisle to the ring, fans were in awe of his presence. Here was this dark, ominous looking man walking towards the ring. No emotion, no expression on his face whatsoever. Sure he fit in at the time, but I doubt many people thought that The Undertaker character would have the impact it did on the WWE. Twenty years later and The Undertaker's legacy speaks for itself. He's undefeated at Wrestlemania. He's won the WWE and World Title multiple times. The mere presence of him in the ring captivates fans. The entrance is one of the best ever. I doubt many people saw this coming in 1990, but The Undertaker became a Legacy of his own in the WWE.

1. Survivor Series 1997: The Montreal Screwjob
-Come on, did you really think anything else would top this list? It's the most controversial, real life event to ever happen in the history of the WWE. If you are reading this, then you probably know the story. In 1997, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels hated each other, on screen and off. Hart was on his way to WCW, but he was still WWF Champion at the time. Hart didn't want to lose the Title to Michaels in Montreal or Canada. A big DQ finish was planned, then Hart would either forefit the Title the next night on RAW or lose it at some point in the next few weeks to Michaels. Well, Vince McMahon didn't want that or risk having Hart show up on Nitro with the WWF Championship Belt. So McMahon, Michaels, Triple H and a few others came up with the screwjob finish. The result caused outrage among WWF wrestlers and fans, with many more questions than answers.

Many people have different opinions on the matter. Mine has always been the same. Who cares where you lose the Title. Canadian fans weren't going to think anything less of Bret Hart if he lost the Title in Montreal. And just handing over the Title the next night on RAW devalues the Title in my eyes. Having that Title doesn't mean anything to Bret? Then why should anyone else want it? Hart needed to do what was best for the WWF, but instead he did what was best for himself. I always defend Vince McMahon's actions to this day, and nothing will ever change that.

So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Will there be a Top 10 Moment at this year's Survivor Series? Feel free to share your thoughts.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

Thoughts on RAW & C.M. Punk's Amazing Promo

It's RAW Roulette! You have as good of odds here as you do in Vegas!


Dream Match?
Shawn Michaels started the show. He said he's not here to be the guest host. He's not here to plug any kind of show, but he did want to mention that he has a new hunting show on the Outdoor Channel. He asked if the plug was on the TV screen in the corner. C.M. Punk came out next. He said HBK just couldn't stay away. He couldn't stay out of the spotlight. Punk talked about how he was leaving with the WWE Title at Money in the Bank. HBK asked if he cleared that with John Cena, since he is the current WWE Champion. He criticized the audience for bowing down and respecting a legend but not begging him to stay. HBK said they cheer him because they know he's better than Punk. Punk said he was better than him, but not now. HBK then said he does things his way, and gave the Sweet Chin Music to David Otunga. The RAW GM then said Punk would have a match. It landed on a "?" mark, which means he faced a mystery opponent, Kane. HBK laid out McGillicutty with some SCM. Basic match, which saw Punk walk out and lose via countout. Punk said "What are they gonna do? Fire me?" Strong Opening Segment. Punk was on here. Survey Says: 4/5

A Botch Free Sin Cara Match?
Next was the match that we were suppose to see last week: Evan Bourne vs Sin Cara. The wheel landed on "No Countout." Thank god. Very fun match. Lots of quick counters and fast-paced action. Bourne went for Air Bourne but Cara moved out of the way. Cara then hit a head scissors take down for the win. That's the type of match we need to see from Cara. He's very good in the ring and showed it here. Maybe he's finally starting to settle in to the WWE style. Survey Says: 4/5

Wait, is RAW a Re-Run This Week?
Kofi was backstage to spin the wheel. Vickie walked in and spun it instead. It landed on "Player's Choice," which means Kofi got to pick. He picked Vickie being banned from ringside. It was the same match we've been getting from these two. Nothing new, but nothing bad either. It's just becoming the same old same old, and I think it is time for both guys to move on to different opponents. Kofi got the win with the Trouble in Paradise. Survey Says: 3/5

When Did Mark Henry Become Awesome?
Up next was Alberto del Rio vs Big Show. Del Rio asked Maryse to spin the wheel for him. As Maryse flirted with ADR, the wheel landed on Steel Cage. ADR walked away mad. Ordinary cage match with Del Rio working over Show's leg. Mark Henry came out. After pacing around a few minutes, Henry ripped the cage door off. Hey, at least it only took a few seconds this time, unlike when it took him forever on Smackdown years ago. Del Rio escaped the cage. Henry took the door and rammed it into Big Show, who then went through the side of the cage. I know he's not the best wrestler, but there's something about this Mark Henry push that I'm really digging. He just seems on this time. Survey Says: 4/5

I'd Love To Make Kelly Kelly Tap Out
Next was Kelly Kelly vs Nikki Bella in a Submission's Match. Kelly won with the boston crab. Bellas attacked afterwards, Eve made the save. Short and sweet. No problems here. Survey Says: 2/5

Backstage, Rey Mysterio was with Booker T as the wheel spun. It landed on Tornado Match. It was Rey & Alex Riley vs Miz & Jack Swagger. As Rey left, Diamond Dallas Page showed up to plug the Best of Nitro DVD. Drew McIntyre appeared and said people were calling them relics, and that they should leave before they left on stretchers. HBK superkicked Drew. He said he'd never seen any of Nitro cause he was working that night. Fun segment.

More Tornado Tags Please
This was a fun match. Lots of near falls. Fast paced action throughout, never a dull moment. Everybody stood out. Swagger looked the best out of everybody, even in taking the loss. Rey finally got a win back after 2 straight PPV losses. Miz and Riley also looked good. Definite *** star match. Rey and Riley picked up the win. Survey Says: 4/5

Promo of the Decade
R-Truth beat Cena in a Tables Match. Punk distracted Cena, allowing R-Truth to spear Cena through a table. This was an after thought to what happened next.

Punk sat on the top of the ramp and just went off. It was a worked shoot, but it was a damn good one. He said he's the best wrestler, the best mic worker, the best everything in wrestling today. He's better than Cena, and the only reason Cena is where he is is because he's good at kissing Vince McMahon's ass. He said he's been held down since Paul Heyman said he saw something in him. He referenced winning the WWE Title and defending it in ROH and New Japan. He talked about how WWE might be better run with Vince dead, but it will just be run by his idiotic daughter and doofus son-in-law. Right as he was about to tell a story about Vince and the "Anti-Bullying Campaign" his mic was cut off and the show abruptly ended. He also ripped on John Laurinitis, The Rock, and Hulk Hogan. This review doesn't do it justice. Go out and watch it. It was amazing. Survey Says: 10/5 Yes, I have the power to do that.

OVERALL
This was a very good episode of RAW. Very good in ring action, topped off by the tornado tag match. There was nothing terribly bad on the show. Even the Divas segment was kept short, which is all you can ask for. Mark Henry continues to be an underrated part of the show. I'm really enjoying his push right now. Of course, C.M. Punk stole the show and got everybody talking in the end. Money in the Bank may do one of the best non-big 4 PPV buys since the Attitude Era. There's going to be a lot of hype going into it. Nobody truly knows the outcome of the match. It takes a lot for a show to get a perfect rating. Before Punk's promo I had this show around a 7, but Mr. Punk bumps it up to a 10.

Thoughts on C.M. Punk's Promo
There is nobody else in this business that could pull of that worked shoot better than C.M. Punk. He's just that good. He did the perfect job of playing up to every possible fan out there. The marks, who believe everything is real, thought that he was crossing the line and couldn't believe Punk was actually saying this. The smart fans, the Internet fans who don't know everything, thought that he was saying some stuff they knew, but was saying just a few things that might have crossed the line. Then the real smart fans, people like you and me who read the Internet religiously, knew everything he was saying was a work, but his delivery was just so spot on that you had to enjoy it.

Punk touched on just enough stuff that made you know it was a worked shoot. Mentioning Paul Heyman and Hulk Hogan's names was nothing. There big enough names that it doesn't effect anything badly. Even mentioning Ring of Honor and New Japan doesn't mean anything. ROH isn't even a blip on the WWE's radar. They're not a big enough company to worry Vince. Same with New Japan. There big in Japan, but nowhere near as big in the States. Now had Punk mentioned something about TNA, then there might be some cause for concern. There the #2 Company in North America. The same can be said for bringing up Brock Lesnar. Everyone knows what happened with Brock. Mentioning his name isn't a killer blow.

As far as ripping on Vince McMahon, HHH, Stephanie McMahon, John Cena, and John Laurinitis, that was all planned as well. You knew they were all probably getting a good laugh out of it in the back. They got the Internet in a big hub-a-lub, talking about their product again. Punk is the Internet's Golden Child. The Internet criticizes WWE constantly, but now their praising them for what Punk did. The mic cut off and subsequent quick cut off air was perfect. It would make some believe that the plug was actually pulled on the show because of Punk.

This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for C.M. Punk/John Cena at Money in the Bank. Everything I talked about in my last post seems so non-existent right now. Could Punk win the Title and stick around for a while. Maybe Punk brings in his Indie buddies to help him win the WWE Title, then he actually defends it on Indie shows across the country. That would take a lot of balls for Vince to do. You'd have to worry someone might shoot on Punk and attempt to legit beat him for the Title, but I'm sure Punk has so much respect in the wrestling world that it wouldn't happen. I've read the spoilers for next week, but I won't go into them here. I will get more into that for next week's review.

In closing, this is something that has to be done at the right place at the right time, with the right person. Everything fit perfectly here. It had to be Punk, it had to be this moment, it had to be that night. This is something that can be done once every few years. It's got EVERYBODY in the wrestling world talking. If the WWE handles this the right way, it could be the best angle they've done in years. That can't drop the ball like they did with Nexus. There are endless possibilities here, and I for one cannot wait to see how it plays out.

Until next time,
Justin C

A Lion's Journey: A Tribute to Chris Jericho

In a wrestling business that is always changing, a wrestler needs to standout in order to have a lasting impact. They need to have that special ability to connect with the audience. Somehow, the wrestler needs to find a way to get the audience to care about them. It could be their in ring work, it could be their great promo skills, it could be their natural charisma or genuine passion they show for the business. Master any one of those traits, and you will stand out in the fans eyes.

It takes a special person to have every one of those traits. It's a short list. In my opinion, you can count the number of people who have all four of those traits on both hands: Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage, Triple H just to name a few. Everything is debatable. Guys like Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior are recognizable names, but they never put on the best matches, and you could argue Warrior lacked a passion for the wrestling business.

Every great wrestler leaves their mark on the business. They're the ones who will always be remembered. They stand the test of time. When they are gone from the business, they are still talked about or remembered by the current crop of wrestling fans. They stood the test of time. They somehow connected with the fans, and those fans made sure he wasn't forgotten.

When talking about wrestlers who stand the test of time and leave a mark in the wrestling business, Chris Jericho has to be on that list. Jericho possess all of those traits I mentioned earlier. He puts on great matches, he's great on the mic, he has a natural charisma, and a passion for the wrestling business. Chris Jericho is a man who understands the wrestling business. He gets it. He knows what the fans want. Jericho can adjust his performance to make it fit in with the current product. Jericho's history of wrestling around the world has given him that great ability to adapt.

Young Chris Jericho in his early stages of the wrestling business

Jericho's wrestling career is a storied one. He's been to almost every corner of the globe. He's wrestling in Europe, Japan, Mexico, and of course North America. Every stop along the way helped contribute to Jericho's career. If he hadn't gone to just one of those places, then we might not have the Chris Jericho that we have today.

Jericho was trained by Stu Hart in the legendary Hart Dungeon. Back then, you knew that anybody coming out of the Hart Dungeon took the wrestling business seriously and was dedicated to the business. His travels took him to Mexico then Japan, before coming back to North America where he competed in Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain wrestling. He formed a tag team with Lance Storm known as the Thrillseekers. Throughout all of these stops, Jericho was fine tuning his in ring work as well as his ability to connect and read the crowd. It helped him become the wrestler he is today.

In 1996, Jericho caught his first big break when he was discovered by Paul Heyman. At the time, Heyman was running ECW. ECW was still growing at the time. It was a place for talent who either wasn't ready or couldn't hack it in WWE or WCW. Many people consider Heyman to be a wrestling genius, someone who can bring out the best of any wrestler. He started to do that with Jericho. Although Jericho wasn't with ECW for long, he had some good matches with the likes of Taz and Cactus Jack. In his short time in ECW, Jericho immediately one the affection of the fans. The fans in ECW loved blood and violence, but he won them over with his technical skills in the ring. While ECW fans loved violence, they also enjoyed and respected great wrestling. Jericho earned their respect in his short time there with his budding in ring skills.

After ECW, Jericho found his way to WCW. Eric Bischoff has an eye for talent, and he saw something in Chris Jericho. Jericho became a part of WCW's Cruiserweight Division. While guys like Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall were drawing the big $$$, the cruiserweights were putting on some great matches with moves most of the North American viewing audience have never seen before. Often times they were the opening matches on the show. It was a great way to keep viewers before the likes of the nWo came out.

Jericho started off as a bland, run-of-the-mill baby face. As Jericho said on his DVD, there was really nothing he could do as a babyface to get over. But in early 1998, Jericho turned heel and embarked on a run that would help make a name for himself in the wrestling business. Jericho's obnoxious personality helped get him over with the fans, even though he was suppose to be the heel. Jericho would use crazy pop culture one-liners that would leave the audience laughing.

Jericho's best known feud in WCW was with Dean Malenko. Malenko was a very no non-sense wrestler. He let his work in the ring do the talking. Jericho claimed to be a better wrestler than Malenko, but never actually wanted to wrestle him. Malenko was known as the "Man of a 1000 Holds." Jericho, claiming to be the better wrestler, said he knew 1004 holds. This lead to Jericho cutting one of the funniest, and best, promos I personally have ever seen. Jericho had a long list of computer paper with all of his holds listed on it. Anyone who is reading this should go out of their way and find it. It's great. Evey other hold is "ARMBAR." Jericho got even better as the feud continued. Malenko won a Cruiserweight Battle Royal dressed as a masked wrestler known as Ciclope. Malenko then beat Jericho for the Cruiserweight Title. Jericho then began claiming he was a conspiracy victim. He filmed a skit in Washington D.C., walking the streets with a "Conspiracy Victim" sign and even went into the Library of Congress trying to find the rules of wrestling. It was these crazy skits that won Jericho a whole bunch of fans. They were so outlandish that they were funny and memorable. Just like a wrestler needs to, he made his mark with the audience.


After winning the WCW Television Title, Jericho began to call out Bill Goldberg. Goldberg was at the time the hottest thing WCW had. His impressive physique and impact moves won the crowd over. Jericho wrestled an impostor Goldberg at Fall Brawl and beat him. Jericho would continue to call out Goldberg, but Goldberg usually wasn't in the building yet. This was all suppose to build up to a match between Goldberg and Jericho on PPV, but it never happened. According to Jericho, Eric Bischoff and Goldberg didn't think it would draw any money. Jericho thought people would pay to see Goldberg squash him on PPV. The match never happened, which was considered a major disappointment. But it was status quo for WCW at the time. They wouldn't give anybody new a chance to get over. Jericho was held down in WCW, even though he was getting over with the crowd. He was getting frustrated, and rightfully so. The crowd wanted more Jericho, but the Powers that Be wouldn't allow it. Jericho knew it was time to move on, and the WWE gave him the perfect opportunity to do so.

Chris Jericho's debut in 1999 is still one of the most memorable moments in wrestling history

Jericho made his WWE debut in August 1999. His debut was teased for numerous weeks with a "Countdown to the Millennium" clock. He made his debut on RAW, interrupting a Rock promo. That means a lot. Vince McMahon, someone who usually likes his homegrown talent more than outsiders, let Jericho interrupt a promo of  the hottest superstar in the business at that point. Unfortunately, that never really let to much. There was never a feud between the two. Watching Jericho's debut when it happened at the age of 11, I was immediately hooked on him. I only really remembered him on WCW briefly, I was always more of a WWF guy. I was hoping Jericho would be the next big breakout star in the WWE. I loved his exchange with the Rock and thought he came off really well.

In his first 2 years with the WWE, Jericho mostly fought over the Intercontinental Title against the likes of Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Chyna. Yes Chyna. Jericho's first taste of the main event cane against Triple H on an episode of RAW in April 2000. Jericho challenged HHH to a match for the WWF Title and won thanks to a fast count from referee Earl Hebner. HHH, who was storyline in charge at the time along with Stephanie & Shane McMahon, forced Hebner to reverse the decision. Many people to this day still argue that it was the wrong decision. The problem was the timing. The Rock was trying to get his Title back from HHH, who he lost it to at Wrestlemania. They were in the middle of a program, and it would have felt awkward having Jericho win the Title in between. The fans were excited to see someone new like Jericho at the top, but it would be wrong to have Jericho's first win only last a week or two. What this small event did show was that the fans were more than willing to get behind Jericho as a main event performer. His in ring work was only getting better, and his  promo skills were one of the best, if not the best in the business. During this time, Jericho also had some great exchanges with Stephanie McMahon. They always got a laugh from me. Again, Vince trusting someone to make fun of his daughter shows he had faith in him. Jericho had the ability to be funny, but also be serious when needed. He knew the proper balance and delivered it effectively.

Jericho's crowning moment of his career came in December 2001. After the horribly botched Invasion angle, which could be an entire blog of its own, Jericho won the Undisputed Championship. I wasn't expecting it, and I'm sure not a lot of others were as well. Jericho was probably #4 on the list of himself Rock, Austin, and Angle as far who had the best chance of winning the title. But again, it showed Vince McMahon's faith in Jericho to carry the company and be the top dog. Jericho's reign only lasted til Wrestlemania 18, where he lost the Title to HHH. But again, it was a highlight of Jericho's career to headline Wrestlemania. Sure, Rock/Hogan was the main draw, but Jericho/HHH went on last.

Winning the Undisputed Championship is something Chris Jericho never thought he could accomplish, but his talent allowed him to do it

Early 2003 saw Jericho start one of his best feuds in his career with Shawn Michaels. The two had a great match at Wrestlemania 19. Great back and forth action. Michaels showed that he still had it, and Jericho showed he was one of the best around at the time. Jericho then went back to a feud with Goldberg before teaming with Christian. The two broke up over what guys usually break up over, women, before Christian beat Jericho at Wrestlemania 20. Jericho feuded with Christian throughout 2004, then re-focused on the WWE Title in 2005. He turned back heel and began a program with John Cena. Jericho was never able to take the Title from Cena, and lost a "You're Fired" match to him on RAW in August 2005. Jericho's contract was expiring, and he wanted to take some time off from the business, which I respected Jericho for. Wrestlers are on the road more than they are at home every year. Jericho needed to re-charge and take a step back. He basically needed to re-tool his character so that when he came back, he would make a different impact than he did before.

"Chris Jericho is somebody I enjoy have around. He's had a wonderful career for a lot of reasons, because he's good at his job. And when he was gone, there was something missing." John Cena

"It was a great way to put a stamp on that stage of my career. I just needed to get away, I was burned out." Chris Jericho on leaving in 2005

Jericho returned to the WWE in late 2007. His return, which was the worst kept secret in wrestling, was very similar to his WWE debut. He interrupted a Randy Orton promo and immediately challenged him for his WWE Championship. Jericho never won the Title. He went on to feud with JBL after he cost Jericho his WWE Championship match against Orton.

"He has the ability to make you hate him, and as Y2J make you love him. But he's very smart in that I think he saw that when he first came back after a two year absence he was kind of doing the same thing before he left, and he realized that the climate had changed in that two years. So he had to completely about face things." Edge

Even though the fans were happy to see Jericho back, he wasn't getting the same reaction he did in his first run in the WWE. He knew he had to change his persona. The fans wanted something different. They had seen this Chris Jericho before, and they wanted something new. And Jericho gave that to them. He viciously attacked Shawn Michaels, bashing his head into the JeriTron 5000 and storyline injured his eye. The two fought at the Great American Bash, which saw Jericho reinjure HBK's eye. Michaels was going to retire at SummerSlam, but Jericho interrupted his speech. Jericho went to go punch HBK, but hit his wife Rebecca instead. The two fought in an Unsanctioned Match at Unforgiven, which Michaels won. Jericho got the last laugh, however, by winning the World Heavyweight Title in a Scramble Match. Jericho beat Michaels in a Ladder Match at the next PPV, capping off an incredible feud. I would argue that it was the best of Jericho's career, better than his first time around with Michaels. The intensity was amped up. Jericho took his new suit-wearing, no non-sense, better than you persona and played it up to a tee. I loved this new Chris Jericho. He was able to change his character and adapt to the desires of the audience.

Shawn Michaels may have won the battle, but Jericho got the last laugh at Unforgiven

After losing the title to Cena, Jericho began insulting various legends of the wrestling business. He defeated Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, and Jimmy Snuka in a match at Wrestlemania 25. Jericho moved to Smackdown where he started a feud with Rey Mysterio over the Intercontinental Title. I loved this for many reasons. First off, the two put on some great matches, especially their match at the Great American Bash. Second, two main event level wrestlers were fighting over the IC Title. That made the belt seem more important than it had in a very long time. That was great to see. Jericho then formed a tag team with Edge, but after Edge's injury he chose Big Show as his new partner. They won the Tag Team Titles. The two made the tag team titles relevant again, and it was probably the last time they were relevant in a long time. After losing the tag titles to DX, Jericho was able to win back the World Title in the Elimination Chamber. He defended it successfully against Edge at Wrestlemania, only to lose it at the next Smackdown to Jack Swagger. Jericho was drafted back to RAW. After unsuccessful attempts to win the WWE Title, Jericho was punted in the head by Randy Orton and written off of television. Jericho again wanted to take time off from the wrestling business. He loved everything about it, but needed to re-charge again and attempt other projects outside of wrestling.

Phew, that was one long history on Chris Jericho. But the man has such a storied history that it's tough to skip over certain parts of his career or condense them down to something short. There's just so much to like about his career. Once he got to the WWE, there was hardly ever a down point. Everything he did was interesting. He was funny when he needed to be, he was serious when he needed to be. Both of his runs in the WWE each had their own unique aspects, and surprisingly enough, he never suffered a serious injury in either of them. That is a rarity in the pro wrestling business.

So, looking back, what were Jericho's Top 5 opponents in his wrestling career? Here's my Top 5:
5. Rey Mysterio: You could go back to some of their matches in WCW, but I mostly liked their feud in the summer of 2009. It was great, entertaining wrestling all around. Two pros doing what they do best. As I said earlier, it was great to see two established main event wrestlers feuding over the Intercontinental Title. I would recommed anybody to go out and see their two matches at Extreme Rules and the Great American Bash. It was some of Mysterio's best work in his WWE career.

4. The Rock: Towards the end of the Invasion angle, the two began forming an animosity between each other. Jericho was jealous of all The Rock's success, and he wanted the WWE spotlight for himself. The two were arguably the best talkers at the time in the business, and watching them exchange verbal jabs at each other every week was highly entertaining. Jericho got the best of The Rock in both of their matches, at Vengeance 2001 and Royal Rumble 2002. That means something, saying you beat the Rock on 2 straight PPVs.

3. Stephanie McMahon: Now I may get some flack for this, but there is no denying the great chemistry these two had. As Jericho said in his DVD, she was a great foil to him. There was a point when Stephanie McMahon was arguably the most hated person in the WWE, and Jericho used that to his advantage. His constant mockery of her got laughs out of everybody. It helped establish Jericho on the mic as one of the best around. By interacting with the most hated person in the Company, it showed people that Jericho had what it took to stay at the top.

2. Dean Malenko: Jericho's program with Malenko helped but him on the map. It showed that he had the potential to be the next breakout star in the business. It lead to two great skits, the Armbar promo and Conspiracy Theory skit. It also lead to some good matches. Jericho showed his ability to get over and respond to what the audience wanted in this program. It's ashame that WCW failed to capitalize on Jericho's momentum after this program.

1. Shawn Michaels: His first program with HBK was great, his second one was even better. Jericho was still the semi-goofy rockstar character in their first program. It was more of a student/teacher type of program. Jericho was facing the man he idolized his entire career. Their second program brought the big time feel. It had great emotion, drama, intensity, everything you would want in a wrestling feud. The story told at Unforgiven was great. Michaels finally got his revenge on Jericho, but Jericho STILL managed to one up him in the end, walking out as World Heavyweight Champion, then beating Michaels in a Ladder Match at No Mercy. These two were perfect for each other.

"When you get in the ring with Chris, he brings out the best in you. He makes you better." Chavo Guerrero

There's so much that can be said about Chris Jericho. From a die-hard wrestling fan like myself, I like and respect everything he did. He was that damn good at it. There is a reason people are desperate for him to return to the WWE. Plug him in to TV today and he will be just as entertaining as he was when he left. The guy doesn't miss a beat. As I said about Randy Savage, Jericho is one of those guys that I believe can be plugged into any generation of wrestling and he would find a way to get over. Jericho has a great knowledge of what the wrestling audience wants and can adjust his character accordingly. His vast experience of wrestling around the globe has helped him do that.

Jericho's storied career is an example of the passion he has for the business. Not many guys would travel the world like he did just to perfect his craft. But Jericho used every stop to his advantage. He grew as a performer, and a person, at every one of them. His travels around the world made him almost a skilled veteran by the time he came back to North America. Wrestling outside of the United States is very different. They like different aspects of the performance, and it isn't as big of a joke as it is over here. Those fans helped Jericho become what he is today.

Chris Jericho has had a very successful life, even outside of wrestling. His rock band, Fozzy, is very popular in Europe and Canada. Jericho has hosted and been a part of a variety of pop culture shows on VH1. He's also written two of the best wrestling books ever published: A Lion's Tale and Undisputed. Every wrestling fan should go out and read them. He recently appeared on Dancing with the Stars. Although he was eliminated early, he had fun every single week he was there. Jericho's out going personality makes his cross over to other areas of entertainment very easy. He is a genuiely funny guy who loves entertaining the masses. While he may not be known to the non-wrestling audience immediately, he always finds a way to win them over with his personality, charisma, and rugged good looks.

Jericho's place in wrestling history is debatable. When you talk about mainstream wrestlers, ones known to even non-wrestling fans, Jericho's name probably won't come up. By I think that is a stupid way to judge wrestlers. That's only a partial way to judge wrestlers. While that should be taken into account, other aspects should as well. If you take into account his in ring work, promo skills, dedication to the business, and growth as a performer, Jericho is high up on that list. Depending on who you ask, Jericho could be Top 10. In my opinion, he's guaranteed Top 25, and would fall anywhere between 8-25. In my biased opinion, he's one of my Top 7 performers ever. I don't like keeping a ranking. Shawn Michaels is my favorite, hands down. After that, I would put The Rock, Steve Austin, Sting, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, and Chris Jericho in one big group. Each one of them have their own likeable assets. In ring wise, Jericho is very similar to Savage. I would have loved to see a Savage/Jericho feud, especially serious Jericho. Those seven guys compose my Top 7. They're all great performers for different reasons.

Chris Jericho idolized Shawn Michaels early in his career. As evidence by his young photo, he resembled a Rockers version of Shawn Michaels. Both Jericho and Michaels were masters of their craft. And similarly, both performers had two very distinct runs in the WWE. In Michaels first run with the WWE, he was an obnoxious loose cannon, but he was also a great wrestler. During his second run, he was an esatblished veteran who turned his life around when given a second chance. In Jericho's first run, he was a goofball joker, always cracking jokes and ripping on his opponents. But again, he was also a great wrestler. In his second run, he was a no non-sense straight shooter. He spoke the truth, whether the fans liked it or not. It's amazing how the career paths of Jericho and Michaels are so similar. Both great workers, both great promos, both had two distinct and different runs in their WWE career. You could also argue that both of their second runs were better than their first. Jericho's suit-wearing personna was one of the best characters in the WWE during 2008 and 2009. Fans cheered him despite being the bad guy. They respected his work ethic, and Jericho deserved it. Some people say that if the bad guy gets cheered, he's not doing his job right. Well Jericho was doing his job right. He was doing everything a heel is suppose to do, but he was so good at it that the fans loved him for it. At the time, he really was "the best in the world at what he did."

Chris Jericho is a very humble man. He will be the first to tell you that there are plenty of other wrestlers better than him. But that list is very short. When it comes to legends in the business, Chris Jericho's name has to be in that discussion. His career is a story of hard work, determination, and dedication to the wrestling business. Much like Edge, Randy Savage, and Christian, all guys I wrote about, fans can idnetify with Jericho because he was built very similarly to a normal guy, not one of the larger than life guys in the wrestling business. He perfected his craft over many years, and today is recognized as one of the better in ring workers of all time. All of his matches are entertaining. Jericho knows how to read a crowd. He gives them what they want. He respects the fans opinion, and the fans respect him, good or bad.

I hope Chris Jericho comes back for one more run. I love watching him perform and do his thing on TV. The WWE needs a solid go to guy right now, and Jericho can be that guy. He can be the veteran to help establish new talent and get them over. But if Jericho doesn't come back, he's still had one hell of a career. He's a great performer who always entertains night in and night out. Many times, you have to agree with him, he was "the best in the world at what he did."

As a wrestling fan, I want to say thank you for everything you have done in the wrestling business Chris. No matter what you think, you are one of the very best to ever step foot inside the squared circle. You're one of the few guys I always made sure to watch when you were on TV. I respect you as a performer and everything you've done in and out of the ring. Thank You.

Until next time,
Justin C