EXTREME RULES PREDICTIONS

After Wrestlemania, I am 13-5 in my predictions.

 

Here are my picks for EXTREME RULES:

-Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

 

Fandango did the impossible at Wrestlemania.  He scored a win in his very first match against the first Undisputed Champion, Chris Jericho.  It was an impressive debut.  But Chris Jericho is too good of a wrestler to lose twice to a rookie.  Look for Jericho to make up for his embarrassing loss at Wrestlemania with a win at Extreme Rules.

 

Winner:  Chris Jericho

 

 

-Randy Orton vs. Big Show

Extreme Rules Match

 

Randy Orton needs a win in this match.  He really does not have a direction right now.  And Big Show tends to choke in matches that should favor him.  Orton will find a way to fell the giant and get his career back on track.

 

Winner:  Randy Orton

 

 

-Sheamus vs. Mark Henry

Strap Match

 

Mark Henry has been trying to portray himself as a ‘monster’ ever since his big Wrestlemania win.  He has been performing incredible feats of strength to show the WWE Universe that he is indeed the World’s Strongest Man.  Feats of strength mean nothing if he cannot win inside of the squared circle.  Henry will be determined to prove his strength in the ring.  Sheamus will not be able to stand up to a motivated Mark Henry.

 

Winner:  Mark Henry

 

 

-WWE Tag Team Championship Match

Team Hell No: Kane and Daniel Bryan (CHAMPIONS) vs. The Shield (Reigns and Rollins)

Tag Team Tornado Match

 

Kane and Daniel Bryan have been dominate Champions.  They have held the Tag Team Championship for an impressive 8 months.  They should be the toughest test for The Shield.  But The Shield has risen to every challenge that has come their way since they debuted in late 2012.  It is time for The Shield to go from being impressive upstarts to Champions.  Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins will rise to the challenge yet again and win the Tag Team Championship.

 

Winners and NEW WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS:  The Shield

 

 

-United States Championship Match

Kofi Kingston (CHAMPION) vs. Dean Ambrose

 

The Shield members are not used to one on one competition.  They excel in group attacks.  But this will be the biggest night in the Shield’s short career.  Dean Ambrose will bring another title to the group when he wins the US Championship.  The Shield will walk away from Extreme Rules as the Tag Team and US Champions.  It will be the “SUMMER OF THE SHEILD”.

 

Winner and NEW UNITED STATES CHAMPION:  DEAN AMBROSE

 

 

-Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger

I Quit Match

 

Del Rio and Swagger continue their politically charged feud.  There no way that Alberto Del Rio will utter the embarrassing words ‘I Quit’ to the man that has been saying so many derogatory things about him. 

 

Winner:  Alberto Del Rio

 

 

-Triple H vs. Brock Lesner

 

Triple H defeated Lesner at Wrestlemania.  Brock Lesner will be motivated to avenge that loss.  He will win inside of the cage.

 

Winner:  Brock Lesner

 

 

-WWE Championship

John Cena (CHAMPION) vs. Ryback

Last Man Standing Match

 

It is hard to pick against John Cena at Extreme Rules.  He is 6-1 at this Pay-Per-View.  Ryback will be a tough challenge for the Champ.  Ryback has been struggling to show that he has earned a spot in the main event scene.  He failed miserably in his feud against The Shield.  This may be Ryback’s last chance to show that he is a head line talent.  A loss here would probably send him back to the mid card level.  It will be a hard fought match.  But Cena just won the WWE Championship.  He will find a way to hold onto it.

 

Winner and STILL WWE CHAMPION:  John Cena

WRESTLEMANIA PREDICTIONS

After Elimination Chamber, I am 5-5 in my predictions.

 

Here are my picks for the biggest show of the year:  WRESTLEMANIA

 

-Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay & Tensai) and the Funkadactyles vs. Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) and the Bella Twins

 

This should be a fun match.  Team Rhodes Scholars have been struggling as of late, even going so far as to break up for a brief period of time.  Tons of Funk will win and have a big dance party on the grandest stage of all.  This match will not be a mat classic.  It will be all about fun and dancing.

 

Winners:  Tons of Funk and the Funkadactyles

 

 

 

-Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

 

Chris Jericho should easily win this match.  He is the first Undisputed Champion.  He is a record setting nine time Intercontinental Champion.  Fandango has not even wrestled one match.  Jericho should clean the mat with the rookie.  But this is WrestleMania, and each and every wrestler raises their game on this night.  Look for Fandango to shock the wrestling world and figure out some way to get a win in his debut match.

 

Winner:  Fandango

 

 

 

-WWE Tag Team Championship

Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan) CHAMPIONS vs. Dolph Ziggler & Big E Langston

 

This match could go either way.  Kane and Daniel Bryan barely function together as a team.  It feels like their partnership could implode at any moment.  But they are going against an untested Big E Langston.  Langston could either make an impressive debut or his inexperience could cause him to choke.  The deciding factor here is Dolph Ziggler.  His future is contained in the Money in the Bank briefcase, not in the tag team titles.  So look for Kane and Bryan to maintain their strenuous partnership a little longer and retain the titles.

 

Winners and still WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS:  TEAM HELL NO

 

 

 

-Ryback vs. Mark Henry

 

Like the Tag Team Championship match, this one is also a coin flip.  Both guys need a win.  Henry is desperate to make an impact after returning from injury.  And Ryback has struggled since being given a big push at the end of 2012.  Ryback struggled in his feuds with CM Punk and the Shield.  Ryback just does not seem ready for a main event push.  His struggles will continue as he loses to the World’s Strongest Man.

 

Winner:  Mark Henry

 

 

 

-Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Big Show vs. the Shield

 

Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns have been an impressive force since they debuted in the WWE.  They scored a huge victory at Elimination Chamber over John Cena, Sheamus, and Ryback.  Can Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Big Show work together to put a stop to the Shield’s reign of terror?  Big Show is notorious for choking at WrestleMania.  And there has been the question of whether Orton, Sheamus, and Show can work together as a team, especially since Sheamus and Show had an intense feud just a few months ago.  Conversely, the Shield has been working like a well-oiled machine.  The Shield should continue to dominate and score another impressive win.  I can see them using a win at WrestleMania to catapult them into contention for the WWE Championship.

 

Winners:  The Shield

 

 

 

-World Heavyweight Championship

Alberto Del Rio CHAMPION vs. Jack Swagger

 

This has become a heated and personal feud.  This is yet another match that could go either way.   (This year’s Mania is filled with a lot of unpredictable matches, making it one of the most interesting Manias in recent history).  I can see Swagger winning as using the platform of the World Heavyweight Championship to spew his controversial political propaganda.  But historically, good guys win big matches at WrestleMania.  I am picking Ablerto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.   But I also think that Dolph Ziggler will cash in the Money in the Bank contract.  HE has patiently been holding onto the Money in the Bank briefcase.  There would be no better opportunity to cash it in than on the biggest stage of all-WrestleMania!

 

Winner and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION:  Alberto Del Rio

 

 

 

-Triple H vs. Brock Lesner

No Holds Barred Match

If Lesner wins, Triple H must retire.

 

Brock Lesner put Triple H out of action at Summerslam.  He will be extra motivated to put the Cerebral Assassin out of the sport permanently.  But Triple H is the kind of man that will want to retire on his own terms.  There is no way that he will let Brock Lesner defeat him, especially at Mania.

 

Winner:  Triple H

 

 

 

-The Undertaker vs. CM Punk

 

CM Punk has been spending the last couple of weeks disrespecting the passing of Paul Bearer.  BIG MISTAKE!  The Undertaker will make Punk pay for disrespecting his friend. 

 

Winner:  The Undertaker

 

 

 

-WWE Championship

The Rock CHAMPION vs. John Cena

 

There is no question that John Cena will redeem his loss to the Rock at last year’s WrestleMania.  But to what measures will he go to make sure that he gets a win this year?  Will he resort to heel tactics?  I think he will be tempted, but the real John Cena will come through and he will win fair and square.

 

Winner and NEW WWE CHAMPION:  John Cena

 

 

 

Elimination Chamber Predictions

After the Royal Rumble, I am 2-2 in my predictions.  (Even though I did predict the Rock to win at the Rumble, I am considering that an ‘incorrect’ prediction because I picked CM Punk to retain the WWE Championship.)

 

Here are my picks for Elimination Chamber:

 

-WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Kaitlyn (CHAMPION) vs. Tamina Snuka

 

YAWN.  I don’t really care who wins this match.  Neither wrestler excites me as the Divas Champion.  I guess Kaitlyn will retain.

 

Winner and STILL WWE DIVAS CHAMPION:  Kaitlyn

 

 

-UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Antonio Cesaro (CHAMPION) vs. The Miz

 

This is a tough match to predict.  Cesaro has been a dominant U.S. Champion.  He already successfully defended the title against The Miz on the Royal Rumble pre-show.  But The Miz won’t lose twice.  He is eager to get back into the spotlight as a WWE champion, especially with WrestleMania   around the corner.  The Miz will find a way to win.

 

Winner and NEW WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPION:  The Miz

 

 

-WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Alberto Del Rio (CHAMPION) vs. The Big Show

 

Del Rio has been able to outsmart the Big Show in each of their encounters in 2013.  The Champion will use his craftiness to defeat the Big Show again.

 

Winner and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION:  Alberto Del Rio

 

 

-ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH

To determine the #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship

Kane vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry vs. Jack Swagger

 

My heart wants Chris Jericho to win.  He would put on a great match at WrestleMania.  But I think Mark Henry, who has been on a path of destruction since returning to the WWE, will induct the other 5 wrestlers in the Chamber into the Hall of Pain and will win the match.

 

Winner and #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship:  Mark Henry

 

 

-John Cena, Ryback, & Sheamus vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns)

 

John Cena and Sheamus are multi-time WWE Champions.  They should easily be able to handle the upstarts Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns.

 

Winners:  John Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus

 

 

-WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

The Rock (CHAMPION) vs. CM Punk

If The Rock is counted out or disqualified, Punk wins the Title

 

The Rock did not win the title at the Royal Rumble only to lose it less than one month later.  The Rock will win.

 

Winner and STILL WWE CHAMPION:  The Rock

2012 TurnbuckleSTUFFing Awards

 

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  ANTONIO CESARO   

Awarded to the wrestler who had the most impressive debut in the WWE or TNA.

                                                                                            

Cesaro won his first match in WWE on April 27, defeating Tyson Kidd in a tryout match on Smackdown.  He quickly went on to win his first Championship on the Summerslam preshow, defeating Santino Marella for the United States Championship.  He successfully defended the title on major pay-per-view during the rest of 2012 against  Zack Rider and R-Truth.  Winning a major title in his first year in the WWE and being dominant in defense of that title earns Antonio Cessaro the Newcomer of the Year award.

 

2008 Winner:  PRIMO COLON

2009 Winner:  SHEAMUS

2010 Winner:  DANIEL BRYAN

2011 Winner:  MICHAEL COLE

 

 

MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:  SHEAMUS

 

Prior to 2012 I considered Sheamus a terrible wrester and his WWE Championship reigns a fluke.  I even created the “What A Sheamus” award for the ‘Event That Should Never Have Happened” after his 2009 win over John Cena to become the WWE Champion.  But in 2012, Sheamus became one of the most dominant wrestlers in the WWE.  He won the Royal Rumble, an impressive feat in and of itself.  Then Sheamus went on to Wrestlemania and became the World Heavyweight Champion in a record setting 18 seconds.  Sheamus was a dominant Champion, holding the title until December 16 when he lost it to the Big Show.  It was an impressive title reign that made him a top contender for ‘Wrestler of the Year’ and this year’s “Most Improved Wrestler’.

 

2008 Winner:  CODY RHODES

2009 Winner:  KOFI KINGSTON

2010 Winner: KANE

2011 Winner:  DOLPH ZIGGLER

 

WOMAN OF THE YEAR:  A.J. LEE

 

A.J. Lee skipped her way to the center of major storylines on Raw for almost all of 2012. First she cost Daniel Bryan the World Heavyweight Championship with an ill-timed kiss at Wrestlemania.  Then she became  involved  in a love triangle with Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.  She left both Punk and Bryan in the dust to become the General Manager of Raw.  While she was GM, AJ started to romance  John Cena, only to betray him and align herself with Dolph Ziggler. It seemed like you could not turn on Raw in 2012 without seeing A.J. involved in a major storyline in one way or another.

 

2008 Winner:  BETH PHOENIX

2009 Winner:  SANTINA MARELLA

2010 Winner:  NATALYA NEIDHART

2011 Winner:  VICKIE GUERRERO

 

FEUD OF THE YEAR: CM PUNK VS. DANIEL BRYAN

 

On the surface, this feud was about these two men vying for the affection of AJ Lee.  But when these two wrestlers got away from the soap opera aspect of the story and faced each other in the ring, the feud became about two of the best wrestlers in the world today facing off to show who the better in- ring technician was.  Punk and Bryan displayed their skills in a memorable ‘No Disqualification’ match at the Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View.  Watching two exceptional wrestlers face off in the ring made this my favorite feud of the year.

 

 

 

2008 Winner:  RANDY ORTON vs. ALMOST THE ENTIRE RAW ROSTER

2009 Winner:  JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON

2010 Winner:  MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS VS. BEER MONEY, INC.

2011 Winner:  RANDY ORTON vs. CM PUNK

 

 

“LOVE TO HATE” WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:  BROCK LESNER

 

Brock Lesner used the WWE as a stepping stone to what he thought was going to be ‘greener pastures’.  After stinking up his Wrestlemania match in 2004, Lesner left professional wrestling to play in the NFL.  He was cut in preseason by the Minnesota Vikings.  He then went on to try his hand at Ultimate Fighting, where he did find success until he was forced out of competition due to diverticulitis.  With his career in UFC ended, Lesner returned to the WWE in 2012 and demanded to be the ‘face’ of the company that he wanted nothing to do with eight years prior.  For being a giant bully and a hypocrite for acting like he owned the WWE in 2012 when he could hardly wait to leave the company in 2004, made Brock Lesner my most hated wrestler of the year.

 

 

 

2008 Winner:  RANDY ORTON

2009 Winner:  RANDY ORTON

2010 Winner:  WADE BARRETT

2011 Winner:  THE ROCK

 

FAVORITE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:  JOHN CENA

 

2012 was not a very good year for John Cena inside of the ring.  He lost to the Rock at WrestleMania in the biggest match of his career.  He became the first wrestler to fail to successfully cash in the Money in the Bank contract.  He failed on several occasions to win the WWE Championship from CM Punk.  And he failed to win the Smackdown Money in the Bank contract from Dolph Ziggler.  John Cena is not used to failure in the ring.  But he never compromised on his principles.  He did not get frustrated and become a ‘heel’.  He stayed true to his principles of ‘Hustle! Loyalty! Respect!”  And that made me root for him even more than when he is achieving success in the ring.

 

Outside of the ring, John Cena continued his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  In 2012,  Cena granted his 300^th wish to a sick child.  That alone makes John Cena someone worth   rooting for both in and out of the ring.

 

 

2008 Winner:  C.M. PUNK

2009 Winner:  JOHN CENA

2010 Winner:  JOHN CENA

2011 Winner:  MICHAEL COLE

 

 

MATCH OF THE YEAR:   CM PUNK (WWE CHAMPION) VS DANIEL BRYAN FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP IN A NO DUSQUALIFICATION MATCH AT MONEY IN THE BANK

 

In this one match, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan proved that they are arguably the two best wrestlers in the world today.  Their in ring arsenal of moves already make for an exciting match whenever they hook up, as evidenced at Over The Limit.  But this match also had a no disqualification stipulation, and Punk and Bryan proved that they could brawl with the best of them.  The combination of the two wrestlers’ technical abilities and the ‘hardcore’ elements of the match made this the most exciting match of the year.  I was so enthralled in the show these two men were putting on that I did not want the match to end.  It was pure excitement from beginning to end.   

 

2008 Winner:   Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship: Edge (CHAMPION) vs. Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy (Armageddon 2008 Pay-Per-View)

2009 Winner:  THE UNDERTAKER VS. SHAWN MICHAELS (WRESTLEMANIA 26)

2010 Winner:  THE UNDERTAKER VS. SHAWN MICHAELS (WREASTLEMANAI 27)-THE STREAK VS. CAREER

2011 Winner:  John Cena (WWE CHAMPION) vs. CM PUNK for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank

 

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR:  KOFI KINGSTON & R-TRUTH

 

2012 saw a resurgence of tag team wrestling in the WWE.  Primo and Epico, The Prime Time Players, Kane and Daniel Bryan, and Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger all became legitimate threats to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.  But from April 30 until September 16, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth were dominate tag team champions.  For almost half a year they successfully defended their titles against the top teams in WWE.  Sadly, Kingston and R-Truth broke up after losing to The Prime Time Players in a tournament to determine the number one contenders to the Tag Team Championship.  Their time together was too short, but they were an exciting team to watch while they help the tag titles.   

 

2008 Winner: JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ

2009 Winner:  DX: TRIPLE H & SHAWN MICHAELS

 2010 Winner:  THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (ALEX SHELLEY AND CHRIS SABIN)

2011 Winner:  BEER MONEY, INC. (JAMES STORM and ROBERT ROODE)

 

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:  CM PUNK

 

CM Punk was the WWE Champion for all of 2012.  He was a fighting Champion for most of the year, until he aligned himself with Paul Heyman and started using The Shield and corrupt referees to retain the title.  Still, it was an impressive year.  No one has been able to hold onto the WWE Championship for one full year in the time that I have been doing these awards.  And with the fierce competition in today’s WWE, it is unlikely that this feat will be repeated anytime soon. 

 

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK

2009 Winner:  JOHN CENA

2010 Winner:  THE MIZ

2011 Winner:  ALBERTO DEL RIO

 

“NOW THAT…THAT’S COOL” AWARD

This award is for my favorite moment of the year.

 

RAW CELEBRATES IT’S 1000 EPISODE

 

On July 23, WWE Raw aired it’s 1000 episode.  That is a landmark achievement in television history.  Ever since it debuted, Raw has been my stress reliever of the week.  I look forward to Monday night.  No matter how bad of a week I had, I know that I can forget about everything and enjoy a night of fun wrestling action.  Raw had been there for me for so long that the wrestlers are almost like ‘old friends’.  One example of how important the personalities on Raw have become to me occurred on the September 10 episode.  Jerry Lawler suffered a heart attack on the air.  I am not even a fan of Jerry Lawler.  But  the thought of someone who has been there for me every Monday night for such a long time fighting for his life made me feel saddened and concerned for his well-being.  Thankfully, Jerry Lawler survived and even returned to his familiar position at the announce table.  For being there for me every Monday night for 1000 episodes, I would like to give everyone involved in Monday Night Raw a big ‘THANK YOU!’  Here’s to 1000 more!   

 

2008 Winner:  JEFF HARDY WINS THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP

2009 Winner:  THE UNDERTAKER’S SUICIDE DIVE AT WRESTLEMANIA 25

2010 Winner:  THE MIZ CASHES IN HIS MONEY IN THE BAK CONTRACT AND BECOMES THE WWE CHAMPION

2011 Winner:  HULK HOGAN COMES TO THE AID OF STING AT BOUND FOR GLORY

 

The “What a Sheamus” Award:  DANIEL BRYAN LOSES THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP IN 18 SECONDS AT WRESTLEMANIA

This award is for an event that should never have happened.

 

Daniel Bryan is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world today.  He was a participant in my 2012 ‘Match of the Year’.  He is capable of putting on a match of the year caliber match any time he steps foot in the ring.  But he will always be remembered for losing a match on the biggest stage of all in a record setting 18 seconds.  And it was not just an ordinary match.  It was a World Heavyweight Championship match.  That loss will always make Daniel Bryan look like a joke.  I don’t think there is any way that Daniel Bryan can erase that blemish from his record.  It will taint his career for the rest of his professional life.

 

2009 Winner:  Sheamus Defeating John Cena for the WWE Championship at the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Pay-Per-View

2010 Winner:  JACK SWAGGER WINNING THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

2011 Winner:  ADAM COPELAND RETIRES

 

And introducing the TURNBUCKLE STUFFing HALL of FAME

2012 INDUCTEES:  HULK HOGAN and EDGE

Recognizing the superstars that have made a significant impact on my enjoyment of professional wrestling.

 

This year I am inducting into my Hall of Fame my all-time favorite wrestler and my all-time most hated wrestler.  First, my all-time favorite wrestler:

 

Hulk Hogan

 

Hulk Hogan was the reason I started watching professional wrestling in the first place.  He was on a Saturday morning wrestling show.  We had just seen Rocky 3 in the movie theaters, and when we saw the big wrestler guy from that movie on TV, my family decided to watch the show.  We were hooked.  Hulk Hogan instantly became my favorite wrestler.  He always stood up to the bad guys.  His motto of ‘Train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins’ resonated with me.  He always did the right thing, no matter how horribly the bad guys treated him.  He was the perpetual hero, and I liked that.  Eventually wrestling fandom seemed to pass Hogan by.  The fans wanted edgier anti-heroes and grew tired Hogan’s ‘do-gooder’ persona.  But not me.  Hulk Hogan was always my favorite.  Hulk Hogan realized that he needed to change his character if he was to remain successful in pro wrestling.  He shocked the world at Bash at the Beach in 1996, turned heel, and he created the NWO.  While I never rooted for NWO Hogan, I sympathized with him.  I knew he was forced to turn heel because the fans had stopped caring about him.  But not me.  I kept hoping for the day when Hogan would return to his Hulkamania roots and would be a good guy again.  That day finally came at Wrestlemania 18 when he turned away from the NWO after a match with The Rock.  I felt like a kid again seeing Hulkamania running wild once more.  Years after first seeing Hulk Hogan for the first time on that Saturday morning TV show, Hulkamania still had the power to make me feel like a kid.  I was at a Raw taping during the summer of 2006.  Hogan was getting reading to face Randy Orton at Summer Slam.  I was in the lobby getting a something from the concession stand when I heard “I am a real American” coming over the speaker system.  Hulk Hogan was making his way to the ring.  I was like a little kid.  I got goose bumps and ran back to my seat to see my hero.  Hulkamania will always run wild in my life.  .

 

And my all-time most hated wrestler:

 

Edge

 

I hated every second of Edge’s wrestling career.  I even briefly rooted for the dirtiest player in the game, Ric Flair, when he feuded against Vader.  But I never once rooted for Edge.  When he teamed with Christian, I found the two of them very juvenile and obnoxious.  And I hated every aspect of his Rated-R persona.  I had a lot of fun rooting against Edge during his career, especially in his feud against John Cena.  That is one of my all-time favorite feuds and contained some of my all-time favorite matches.  Every hero needs a villain.  And in Edge, Adam Copeland created the villain that I loved to hate the most.

 

Hulk Hogan and Edge gave me a lot of memories over the years.  But these two men paid a tremendous price physically while giving me wrestlers to love and to hate.  Edge had to retire due to injuries he sustained in the wrestling ring.  And Hulk Hogan has had numerous knee and back surgeries.  Hogan said recently said that one failed back surgery left him ‘twisted like the exorcist’.  I am continually amazed at the abuse professional wrestlers put their bodies through to entertain the fans.  Hulk Hogan and Edge paid a big price with their bodies to give me my all-time favorite and all-time most hated wrestlers.  They deserve to be in my Hall of Fame.

 

2011 Inductee:  RANDY SAVAGE

 

ROYAL RUMBLE PREDICTIONS

After a long absence, I am back to doing my predictions for WWE Pay-Per-Views.  I will only predict the outcome of matches that will appear on the actual Pay-Per-View.  I will not predict any matches that appear on a pre-show.   

 

Royal Rumble Predictions

-WWE Tag Team Championship

Team Hell No: Kane & Daniel Bryan (CHAMPIONS) vs. Rhodes Scholars: Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow

 

Kane and Daniel Bryan have formed a successful but very tenuous partnership.  It is only a matter of time before Kane or Bryan’s ‘anger management’ therapy fails.  I am guessing that it will happen under the spotlight of the Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View.  Rhodes and Sandow will capitalize on this and become the new Tag Team Champions.

 

Winner and NEW WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS:  Rhodes and Sandow

 

-World Heavyweight Championship

Last Man Standing Match

Alberto Del Rio (CHAMPION) vs. Big Show

 

Del Rio scored a surprise victory over Big Show on the January 11 edition of Smackdown to become the World Heavyweight Champion.    The momentum of that big win will carry over to the Rumble where Del Rio will successfully retain his title.

 

Winner and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION:  Alberto Del Rio

 

-WWE Championship

 

CM Punk (CHAMPION) vs. The Rock

 

If the Shield interferes, then CM Punk will be stripped of the title.  That doesn’t mean Punk can’t get himself disqualified to keep his title.  The Rock will win the match, but not the Championship.

 

Winner:  The Rock

 

-Royal Rumble Match

 

The Rumble match is always difficult to predict.  But John Cena will put aside his dismal 2012 and start 2013 on a high note by winning the Rumble and going on to the Main Event of Wrestlemania.

 

Winner:  John Cena

 

 

 

TNA House Show, Akron Ohio

I went to my first TNA Impact Wrestling house show on Sunday July 29 at the Akron Civic Theater. I did not know what to expect. It turned out to be one of the most FANtastic wrestling experiences of my life! I decided to use some birthday money I had been saving to get a $50 ticket, which included a meet and greet with some of the wrestlers. I arrived at the venue at 3:50 for the 4:00 meet and greet. There was already a long line of very enthusiastic wrestling fans. At 4:00, they started letting people into the theater. There was a nice mix of ages. A lot of kids (which was kind of surprising since Impact Wrestling is not a PG show). And even some wrestling fans that were older than me. Inside the lobby of the theater was a man trying to sell some merchandise to the captive audience. One deal was a two-pack of action figures of Kurt Angle and Mr. Kennedy. They were selling the two-pack for $20, which included the opportunity to meet Angle and Kennedy at 5:30 to have them sign the action figures. This was a really good deal, considering that a two pack of action figures would cost about $16 in the store. And for $20 you got the figures and the opportunity to meet the wrestlers. I briefly considered getting the figures, but decided against it due to the fact that I am not at all a fan of Mr. Anderson. They were also selling a replica of the TNA Heavyweight Championship belt for $375. While this was way out of my budget, it was a fair price. Replica belts can be found online for $300-$600. What made this a great deal was that belt acted as a lifetime backstage pass. You could take the belt to any TNA Impact Wrestling House Show and go backstage to meet the wrestlers. A lot of fans jumped at this opportunity. The opportunity to meet the wrestlers of TNA continued to be a theme throughout the night. They were all too happy to take your money, but these experiences were very reasonably priced (like the two-action figures and opportunity to get them signed for only $20). It was nice to see the company making their wrestlers available to the fans without gouging their wallets.

The meet and greet began at 4:30. The line was long but they kept it moving pretty fast. Five wrestlers were seated at a table on the theaters stage, right in front of the ring. The wrestlers participating in the meet and greet were Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, The Pope, Magnus, and Garrett Bischoff. I was a little surprised that they did not have 8 x 10 photos for the wrestlers to sign. I was glad I brought a little notebook to take notes for this blog. I had the wrestlers sign the notebook. When I meet a celebrity, I always like to say a little something. I want the person to feel like I am there to really meet them, not to just get a signature on a piece of paper. Daniels and Kazarian were the first two at the table. It was really hard to talk to them. There was a security man at the front of the table who kept placing programs in front of them to be signed. He was trying to keep the line moving, which I appreciated. But it made it hard to talk to Daniels and Kazarian because they were signing pretty much non-stop. The Pope was next. He had a big smile the whole time. He was as charismatic in person as he is on TV. I told him “Thanks for coming to Akron tonight”. He looked at me with a big smile and said “Thanks for coming”. Magnus was next. He showed no emotion. He never smiled. He barely looked at me. And he said nothing when I thanked him for the autograph. I don’t know if he was trying to stay in character or if he just did not enjoy participating in the meet and greet. Last at the table was Garrett Bischoff. I said “Thanks” when he handed me back my notebook. He looked at me and said “Thanks for coming”. It felt like he was genuinely thankful that I had come out to see him. He came across as a newcomer to the business that really appreciated the fans coming out to the show.

While standing in line for the meet and greet, they announced that Madison Rayne would be at the souvenir table signing autographs. SO after I got Bischoff’s signature, I stood in line to meet her. While standing in line, a man came by selling really nice Madison Rayne banners. The banners were HUGE with a very nice picture of her. The banner was $10, which included the opportunity to get your picture taken with the TNA Knockout. Again, it was a good deal considering how nice the banner was. There was a father in line with a little girl and two boys. He bought the banner for his daughter but said that his boys did not need their picture taken with a female wrestler. This made me laugh. Madison Rayne had a big smile on her face the entire time she was signing autographs. When I got the opportunity to meet her, I told her “Thanks for coming to Akron tonight.” She replied “Thanks for coming. It’s good to be back”. She was extremely nice.

After getting Madison Rayne’s autograph, I made my way to my seat. The $50 ticket was worth it to get the wrestlers autographs. But when I saw just how close my seats were, it was even MORE worth the money. I was about ten rows from the stage. The ring was set up on the theater stage, which was unique.  I had not sat that close to the action at a wrestling show in about twenty years. It really is a different experience. I got to see the facial expressions, which really adds to the drama of the moves being performed in the ring. I also got to see a lot of spit flying when certain moves connected. The wrestlers really sell the impact of the moves with their facial expressions, which is something I had not had the chance to experience in a long time. Just before the show, Joseph Park showed up. He sat directly behind me. I reached over and handed him my notebook and asked for his autograph. He was happy to sign. WOW! He is a BIG MAN!!! If I was Bully Ray, I would not pick on him. Shortly after Joe Park sat down behind me, the fans that really had those tickets showed up. SO he had to move. This happened to him about five times, with him sitting down and the real ticket holder showing up shortly after. It was a nice touch to have Joe Park show up in the audience. The fans were excited to see him. After ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ blared over the PA system, the action began!

-Jeremy Borash was introduced as the host for the night. -The show began with a battle royal. The winner of the Battle Royal would get a shot at the TNA Heavyweight Championship in the Main Event of the night. The participants were: Kurt Angle, Robert Roode, The Pope, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, Magnus, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, D’Vonn, Garrett Bischoff, and Rob Van Dam. Mr. Anderson competed wearing a baseball hat. This made me regret, just a little, not getting the action figure two pack because anyone who would wear a baseball hat and keep it on during a battle royal is cool to me! Kurt Angle won the battle royal. He eliminated Roode, who hid during the entire match and tried to surprise Angle after the last competitor was eliminated. But the veteran was too smart for this and tossed Roode over the top rope. This was a very popular victory for the fans. Angle was loudly cheered!

-Miss Tessmacher successfully defended the TNA Knockouts Championship against Madsion Rayne. When Rayne came out to the ring, she was the complete opposite of how she was at the souvenir table. She was cocky and gave a diva-esque wave to the audience, as if she was too good to even wave to the them. These women athletes wrestled a match that was every bit as good as the men. In fact, they wrested a better match than Jeff Hardy. The WWE Divas should take note, Tessmacher and Rayne were wrestles in every sense of the word, and not just eye candy.

-Earl Hebner came out to referee the next match. He took off his referee shirt to reveal a shirt that said ‘Damn Right I Did’. He then put on a pair of Bret Hart glasses and mocked Hart’s strut. -Mr. Anderson defeated Magnus in a Bound for Glory Series match. Before the match, Anderson posed in front of the ring waiting for a microphone to be lowered. Nothing happened. He posed again. Still no microphone. Anderson grabbed a folding chair, set it up and then had Jeremeny Borash stand on the chair with a microphone. Anderson posed and had Borash hand him the microphone. It was hilarious! Anderson continued to entertain the fans by announcing that he was looking for his a%holes. He kept asking “Where’s my a%$holes?” The fans cheered in response. It was a little bit uncomfortable sitting in an arena with a lot of kids as Anderson searched for his ‘donkey holes’. But this is Mr. Anderson’s gimmick, and it is the parent’s fault for taking their kids to this event knowing that Anderson calls his fans ‘donkey holes’. After the fans cheered being called ‘donkey holes’, Anderson then looked over the audience for his d%$che bags. He would ask “Where’s my d%che bags?” He made a beeping sound that got louder and louder until he looked at Magnus. Anderson said “BING! Found one!” It was a very funny bit. Mr. Anderson really went out of his way to make the fans laugh. While I am not at all a fan of the ‘donkey hole’ gimmick, I really appreciated how much Anderson went out of his way to entertain the fans. Magnus submitted to the sharpshooter. After the match, Anderson grabbed a microphone and put his arm around Earl Hebner. Anderson made fun of the fact that Magnus actually tapped while trapped in the sharpshooter BEFORE Hebner called for the bell. Again, Mr. Anderson went out of his way to entertain the fans. I really appreciated the effort he made to ensure the fans had a good time.

  -Before the next match, Jeremy Borash saw Joe Park in the audience ad called him up on stage. Christopher Daniels and Kazarian came out in gradate robes to interrupt the segment. They proceeded to beat up Joe Park. D’Vonn and Garrett Bischoff came out to make the save. D’Vonn announced that they were Daniels and Kazarian’s opponents.

-Daniels and Kazarian defeated D’vonn and Bischoff. D’vonn was very popular with the fans.

-Before intermission, Jeremy Borash announced that referee Earl Heber had recently officiated his 100,000 match and to celebrate he would be at the souvenir table to sign autographs. Miss Tessmaacher would also be at the souvenir table signing autographs. They did the same deal where if you bought a $10 banner, you could have your picture taken with the Knockouts Champion. Finally, they announced that there were a limited number of backstage passes available for $50. The pass would allow two people to go backstage where they were guaranteed to meet Angle, Anderson, Hardy, RVD, Roode and Austin Ares. That’s $25 a person, and considering the stars that you were guaranteed to meet, I thought that it was a pretty good deal. Next time TNA comes to town, I would consider getting the backstage pass. At intermission, I got in line to meet Miss TEssmacher. She is really tiny! I told her she wrestled a really great match. She said “Thanks. It hurt, I’m not gonna lie!” I then went over to meet Earl Hebner. He called everyone “Buddy”. When he slid my notebook back to me, he said “Here, buddy.”

-Robert Roode defeated RVD when Van Dam missed the Five Star Frog Splash. This was a Bound for Glory Series match. The fans were really into RVD. They enthusiastically chanted “RVD” and “Whole F’N Show” while Van Dam pointed to himself with his thumbs. This was a great match.

-Jeff Hardy defeated The Pope. Hardy was definitely the most popular wrestler of the night. He was the only wrestler to come off the stage to shake hands with the audience, which was a really nice touch on Hardy’s part. The match itself was terrible. The Pope dominated Hardy until Jeff hit the Twist of Fate to get the pin. Even the though match was bad, Hardy won so everyone was in the audience was happy.

-TNA Champion Austin Ares defeated Kurt Angle to retain the TNA Championship. This was a GREAT wrestling match. Both guys are fantastic wrestlers. The match spilled out onto the stage, where Angle threw Ares off the stage onto the floor. The audience was in shock when Ares went sailing off the stage. I can’t believe he took such a hard bump at a house show. Ares is one tough wrestler. He won after reversing the Angle Lock and hitting a muscle buster.

After the match, they gave the fans a really unique opportunity. For $20, you could go into the ring and have your picture taken with Austin Ares. A whole group could go up for $20. So if there were 4 people, it was only $5 a person. Again, TNA made their wresters available to the fans at a very reasonable price. In addition to the picture you got that night, they made the picture available online for you to download for free. I am not a big Ares fan, so I did not get my picture taken with him. But I would consider it if I ever went to another TNA house show and had the opportunity to get my picture taken with a different wrestler It was a really fun night.

TNA came across as an organization that really caters to the fans, with some wrestlers signing autographs for free and others signing at a minimal charge. The wrestlers themselves out on great matches, with most of the in ring action being pay-per-view quality (especially Roode vs. RVD and Angle vs. Ares) and they made it feel like the Impact TV show (Joe Park appearance, Kennedy’s a-hole bit). I will defiantly go to more TNA Impact Wrestling house shows.

2011 TURNBUCKLE STUFFing AWARDS

This year’s edition of the Turnbuckle STUFFing awards was surprising. They showcased the silly (favorite wrestler of the year), the exciting (match of the year), the sentimental (‘What a Sheamus), and sad (Hall of Fame) aspects of professional wrestling. This year, more than any other year, these awards show my own unique perspective on professional wrestling. I hope you enjoy!

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: MICHAEL COLE
Awarded to the wrestler who had the most impressive debut in the WWE or TNA.

Many fans were shocked when Michael Cole decided to make the jump from the announce table to the wrestling ring. And many more fans thought he would thoroughly embarrass himself when he decided to make his in ring debut at the grandest stage of all-Wrestlemania 27. Cole’s big mouth did a lot of trash talking in the weeks leading up to Wrestlemania. But he backed up his words by winning his Wrestlemania match against Jerry Lawler. Most Superstars hope to compete in just one Wrestlemania match in their career. (Cole’s opponent, Jerry Lawler, was competing in his very first Wrestlemania match, which is surprising considering his long and legendary career). And the wrestlers who do get to compete on the biggest stage in all of professional wrestling consider themselves lucky to come away with just one Wrestlemania win. Michael Cole not only made his debut at Wrestlemania, he got his first win in professional wrestling! Michael Cole followed up his impressive debut by gaining yet another high profile win in his very next Pay-Per-View match. Cole and his tag team partner Jack Swagger defeated Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross in a ‘Country Whipping Match’ at Extreme Rules. Two wins in his first two pay-per-view matches is something very few wrestlers can claim. Michael Cole has since retired from in ring action and resumed his role as an announcer. It is not clear if he will dust off the bright orange ring gear in the future. But his impressive in ring debut at Wrestlemania made him the clear choice for ‘Newcomer of the Year.”

2008 Winner: PRIMO COLON
2009 Winner: SHEAMUS
2010 Winner: DANIEL BRYAN

MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: DOLPH ZIGGLER

Dolph Ziggler entered the WWE in 2006 as Nicky, a member of the Spirit Squad. The Spirit Squad had a short and mostly laughable career. It is hard to take seriously a group of male cheerleaders jumping up and down on a trampoline. When DX boxed up the Spirit Squad and shipped them off to ‘OVW’, most fans thought the members of the Spirit Squad would never be seen or heard from again. Nicky ditched the cheerleader gimmick and returned as Dolph Ziggler. And in 2011, Ziggler proved that he indeed had more to offer professional wrestling than a silly cheerleader gimmick. He found himself competing in a World Heavyweight Championship match at the WWE’s second biggest pay-per-view-the Royal Rumble. While he failed to gain the World title in that match, he did win the United States Championship at the Capitol Punishment Pay-Per-View on June 19. He was the year’s most dominate Champion, holding the title all the way until December 18. Nicky the cheerleader is now long forgotten and Dolph Ziggler, a main event wrestler and a dominate Champion is now how wrestling fans will see the most improved wrestler of 2011.

2008 Winner: CODY RHODES
2009 Winner: KOFI KINGSTON
2010 Winner: KANE

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: VICKIE GUERRERO

No woman had the impact on professional wrestling in 2011 like Vickie Guerrero. She used her influence as ‘Acting General Manager of Smackdown’ to manipulate the system and make Dolph Ziggler a World Heavyweight Champion. When the real General Manager returned to his job and got Edge an immediate rematch to reclaim the title, Vickie and Dolph Ziggler went to compete on Raw. While on Raw, Vickie Guerrero helped Dolph Ziggler win the United States Championship and hold onto it for 6 months. Guerrero always made sure that she was noticed with her trademark ‘EXCUSE ME!” catchphrase. But In 2011, she made sure she was noticed by the impact she made on what happened inside of the wrestling ring.

2008 Winner: BETH PHOENIX
2009 Winner: SANTINA MARELLA
2010 Winner: NATALYA NEIDHART

FEUD OF THE YEAR: RANDY ORTON VS. CM PUNK

This was a short lived feud. But what made this my favorite feud of the year was the fact that they acknowledged the history between these two wrestlers. In 2008 at the Unforgiven Pay-Per-View, Randy Orton and his faction know as The Legacy attacked and injured CM Punk. This caused Punk to vacate the WWE Championship and pull out of the Championship Scramble match that night. CM Punk decided that it was time to gain a measure of revenge against Orton by preventing him from winning the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Punk and the Nexus continued to hound Orton up until their encounter at Wrestlemania, where the two men put together one of the best matches of the night. Professional wrestling often times ignores the history between it superstars. The fact that this feud had such a significant history behind it made it my favorite feud of the year.

2008 Winner: RANDY ORTON vs. ALMOST THE ENTIRE RAW ROSTER
2009 Winner: JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON
2010 Winner: MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS VS. BEER MONEY, INC.

“LOVE TO HATE” WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: THE ROCK

The Rock shows up out of no where, having not wrestled a match in seven years, and has the nerve to criticize John Cena. Cena has been putting his body on the line day in and day out to entertain wrestling fans while the Rock has been making movies in the very controlled and safe environment of a Hollywood studio. The Rock is completely out of line to criticize John Cena. And what is the Rock’s big complaint against Cena? That he likes to wear bright colored clothes and has a fan base of kids. To quote The Miz, ‘REALLY?” That is your big criticism? Clothes and kids? The Rock has no right to criticize John Cena and there is no way that he deserves to be in the Main Event of Wrestlemania 28. The Rock needs to go back to Hollywood and leave the ring to guys like John Cena who truly want to be in there day in and day out because they love entertaining the fans.

2008 Winner: RANDY ORTON
2009 Winner: RANDY ORTON
2010 Winner: WADE BARRETT

FAVORITE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: MICHAEL COLE

When I first decided to name Michael Cole my favorite wrestler of the year, I surprised myself. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. The one wrestler that made me want to watch professional wrestling week after week for a large portion of the year was one man: Michael Cole. Michael Cole’s antics were similar to the larger than life characters that populated the wrestling ring in the 80’s. He was over the top, completely ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining. Michael Cole became irritated sitting next to the vastly overrated Jerry Lawler and began to openly speak his mind. CM Punk likes to pride himself on speaking whatever is on his mind, but Cole was doing so months before Punk’s famous promo on Raw. Cole provoked Lawler by claiming that the King was a disappointment to his dead mother and even brought Lawler’s son, Brian Christopher, to the ring to make Lawler face the fact that he was a failure as a father. I tuned in to Monday night Raw just to hear what Michael Cole would say next. Cole’s words became so biting that on the March 14 edition of Raw he debuted one of the funniest innovations professional wrestling has seen in a long time-The Cole Mine. The Cole Mine was a Plexiglas box surrounding Michael Cole’s announce position that would allow him to say anything he wanted and Jerry Lawler could not touch him. When Michael Cole made his wrestling debut at Wrestlemania 27, he continued to be over the top and entertaining by coming to the ring in a bright orange singlet. Michael Cole showed that he would stand behind his biting words, even if it meant embarrassing himself in matches such as ‘Country Whipping’ and ‘Kiss My Foot ’. When Lawler eventually won their feud (proving just how overrated Lawler is. A ‘real’ wresler should not have had a hard time winning a feud against an announcer), Cole turned his attention to Jim Ross and devised the ridiculous ‘Michael Cole Challenge’. Michael Cole was controversial, over the top, ridiculous, highly entertaining, and the reason I watched wrestling in 2011, making him my favorite wrester of the year.

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK
2009 Winner: JOHN CENA
2010 Winner: JOHN CENA

PAY-PER-VIEW OF THE YEAR
(This award has been retired)
2008 Winner: UNFORGIVEN
2009 Winner: WRESTLEMANIA 25


MATCH OF THE YEAR: JOHN CENA (WWE CHAMPION) VS. CM PUNK FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP (MONEY IN THE BANK)

There was enough ‘soap opera’ drama surrounding this match to make it one of the most important matches of 2011. C.M. Punk had just cut his famous promo where he blasted WWE politics. Punk’s contract was also set to expire at midnight on the day of the Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View. Punk had already said he was not going to sign a new WWE contract and threaten to win the title and leave the company with the WWE’s most prized title belt in his possession. Vince McMahon suspended Punk, making sure that the WWE Championship stayed with the company. John Cena, standing up for what is right like he always does, demanded that Punk be allowed to wrestle for the title. Vince McMahon agreed, but declared that Cena would be fired if he lost the match. On top of all of the storyline drama, the match was taking place in CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago. The fans in attendance were extremely loud in their support of their home town ‘antihero’.

But it takes a lot more than great storyline drama to make a great match. The story has to be told in the middle of the ring. On the night of July 17, John Cena and CM Punk delivered 30 minutes of exciting wrestling action. The match was back and forth. The match was pretty even until Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis showed up to try to screw Punk out of a win. Cena, doing the right thing as usual, was yelling at Vince McMahon, telling him that Punk deserved to win or lose on his own. Punk took advantage of the distraction and got the win, leaving Chicago and the WWE as the WWE Champion.

2008 Winner: Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship: Edge (CHAMPION) vs. Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy (Armageddon 2008 Pay-Per-View)
2009 Winner: THE UNDERTAKER VS. SHAWN MICHAELS (WRESTLEMANIA 26)
2010 Winner: THE UNDERTAKER VS. SHAWN MICHAELS (WREASTLEMANAI 27)-THE STREAK VS. CAREER

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR: BEER MONEY, INC. (JAMES STORM and ROBERT ROODE)

TNA continues to be a hot bed for tag team wrestling, with one of their teams winning this award for the second year in a row. James Storm and Robert Roode won the TNA Tag Team Championship on January 9, 2011 and held the titles until August 9, 2011. This 212 day title run made Beer Money, Inc the longest reigning TNA Tag Team Champions in the history of the company. Sadly, it looks like Beer Money, Inc will not get a chance to regain their titles. On November 3, Roode beat Storm to become the TNA Heavyweight Champion after hitting his own tag team partner with a beer bottle. The beer bottle smashing against the head of James Storm also smashed the future of 2011’s tag team of the year.

2008 Winner: JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ
2009 Winner: DX: TRIPLE H & SHAWN MICHAELS
2010 Winner: THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (ALEX SHELLEY AND CHRIS SABIN)

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: ALBERTO DEL RIO

Winner of the Royal Rumble. Money in the Bank winner. Two time WWE Champion. Those accomplishments would make for a remarkable career. But Alberto Del Rio did ALL of that in just one year. Clearly, it was not only Del Rio’s ‘Destiny’ to become the WWE Champion; he was also destined to be the ‘Wrestler of the Year’!

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK
2009 Winner: JOHN CENA
2010 Winner: THE MIZ

“NOW THAT…THAT’S COOL” AWARD
This award is for my favorite moment of the year.

Hulk Hogan comes to the aid of Sting at Bound for Glory

I almost didn’t even know that the ‘coolest’ moment of 2011 even took place. I was all set to name The Miz’s big win at Wrestlemania, something that is unheard of for a bad guy’, as my favorite moment of the year. I had stopped watching TNA after that company spit in the face of their fans and disrespected the sport by allowing Jeff Hardy to compete at the Victory Road Pay-Per-View. Hardy was in no shape to wrestle and Sting took matters into his own hands and ended the match in a matter of seconds. Wrestling fans pay their hard earned money to support WWE and TNA, and they deserve a quality main event. TNA showed me that they have no respect for their fans when they went ahead with that match.

Just hours before I was about to post my ‘Turnbuckle Stuffing Awards’, I picked up a copy of Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Year End Awards Issue. Brandy Hick, contributing writing for the magazine, picked Hulk Hogan’s rescue of Sting and corresponding standing ovation from the fans as her favorite moment of 2011. I could not agree more. The Hulkster will always have a special place in my heart, and I am sure that is true of most wrestling fans. To read about him coming to the aid of another all-time favorites of mine and then getting a five minute standing ovation from the fans in attendance made me smile. Hulk Hogan, no matter how long he tries to portray himself as a bad guy, will always have Hulk mania living inside of him. It was great to read that Hulkamania got to live again at Bound For Glory. When the Hulkster ‘fights for what’s right’, all is good in the world of wrestling. And that…that is cool!.

2008 Winner: JEFF HARDY WINS THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
2009 Winner: THE UNDERTAKER’S SUICIDE DIVE AT WRESTLEMANIA 25
2010 Winner: THE MIZ CASHES IN HIS MONEY IN THE BAK CONTRACT AND BECOMES THE WWE CHAMPION


The “What a Sheamus” Award: ADAM COPELAND RETIRES
This award is for an event that should never have happened.

I hate Edge. I will always hate Edge. He is a nasty, disgusting, dispicable character. His ‘Live Sex Celebration’ is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen on Raw.

But Adam Copeland should not have had to retire in 2011. It was not his choice. Severe injuries forced Edge to quite wrestling. Ironically, those injuries that forced him to retire from wresting were caused while wrestling. Adam Copeland put his body on the line to entertain us wrestling fans. Edge and Christian revolutionized the ‘Tables, Ladders, and Chairs’ match. His feud with John Cena is one of the greatest feuds in the history of professional wrestling. His career has given wrestling fans many memories. But in doing so, he did irreversible harm to his own body.

No one should be forced to retire. Edge should still be wrestling. I should still be hating him. Instead, I will say “THANK YOU, ADAM COPLAND” for everything you put your body through to cause me to hate your character and, in the process, thoroughly entertaining me. You will be missed.

2009 Winner: Sheamus Defeating John Cena for the WWE Championship at the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Pay-Per-View
2010 Winner: JACK SWAGGER WINNING THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

And introducing the TURNBUCKLE STUFFing HALL of FAME
2011 INDUCTEE: RANDY “SAVAGE” POFFO
Recognizing the superstars that have made a significant impact on my enjoyment of professional wrestling.

I have been thinking about creating my own ‘Hall of Fame’ for quite some time now. With the sad passing of the “Macho Man’ Randy Savage, this seemed like an appropriate time to introduce this award.

I was never a fan of Randy Savage, the wrestler. Probably because he was such a great villain character and I never cheered for the bad guys in the 80’s. But he plays a significant role in some of my favorite memories as a wrestling fan. His Wrestlemania 3 match against Ricky Steamboat is one of my top ten all time favorite matches. And for a long time, it WAS my all-time favorite match. Wrestlemania 4, where Savage won a tournament to become the WWE Heavyweight Champion, is my favorite Wrestlemania. And the creation of the Mega Powers with Hulk Hogan and eventual breakup of the team is my all-time favorite storyline. Finally, I became a huge fan of Diamond Dallas Page as a direct result of DDP’s feud with Savage.

Randy Poffo sadly passed away on May 20, 2011. But he is very much alive in my memories. Because he holds such a prominent place in my favorite memories of professional wrestling, I can think of no other wrestler deserving of being the first entrant into my ‘Hall of Fame’.