2011 Elimination Chamber Predictions

Prognostications from the Buckle
2011.3

After the Rumble, I am 1-3 in my predictions. (I am not counting the Divas Championship, since they changed the match at the last minute.) The Jelly Bean is 0-1. Emmalynn will be picking every match for this Pay-Per-View.


ELIMINATION CHAMBER PREDICTIONS



WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (CHAMPIONS) vs. Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel

Marella & Kozlov had a fun reign as the Tag Team Champions. But their pairing was mostly a joke. The joke has run its course. Slater and Gabriel are the most promising members of the Corre. The Corre also needs something to give the group legitimacy. Right now, they are nothing more than Nexus castoffs. A run as the Tag Team Champions would give the Corre some credibility as a force in the WWE.

Winners and NEW WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: JUSTIN GABRIEL & HEATH SLATER
Jelly Bean’s Pick: Marella & Kozlov



Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio

I don’t really know why this match is on the Pay-Per-View. It is probably here just to keep Del Rio in the spotlight since he will be headlining Wrestlemania. Because he is in a Wrestlemania Main Event, Del Rio cannot lose. It would make him look weak going into the biggest show of the year.

WINNER: ALBERTO DEL RIO
Jelly Bean’s Pick: Del Rio



WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Miz (CHAMPION) vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler

The Miz and Lawler already wrestled for the WWE Championship on the November 29, 2010 edition of Monday Night Raw. Lawler lost that match. To have a rematch on a Pay-Per-View, only to have Lawler lose yet again, seems rather pointless. Lawler has been very loyal to the WWE over the years, and I think that loyalty gets rewarded with a brief run as the WWE Champion.

WINNER and NEW WWE CHAMPION: JERRY LAWLER
Jelly Bean’s Pick: Lawler



Smackdown Elimination Chamber Match
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Edge (CHAMPION) vs. Kane vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Wade Barrett

Dolph Ziggler was supposed to be in this match, until he was fired by Vickie Guerrero on the February 18 edition of Smackdown. That leaves an open spot in the Elimination Chamber Match. There is the possibility of a surprise entrant in the match. I really hope this happens. The idea of any one of these wrestlers going into Wrestlemania as the World Heavyweight Champion is not very exciting. Since Del Rio has chosen to face the World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania, the winner of this match has to be a ‘good guy’. Since Mysterio has a feud going with Cody Rhodes, I am going to pick Edge. But PLEASE WWE, give us a surprise entrant. Edge and Del Rio do not have an intriguing storyline going into Mania’. This year’s Wrestlemania needs a dose of excitement. There are not a lot of compelling storylines going on right now. That is probably why the Rock was brought in, to create some sense of excitement to this year’s Wrestlemania. Edge vs. Del Rio is not going to bring excitement to Wrestlemania.

WINNER and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: EDGE
Jelly Bean’s Pick: Rey Mysterio



Raw Elimination Chamber Match
Winner will go on to face the WWE Champion at Wrestlemania
John Cena vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. C.M. Punk

As I stated in the prediction above, this road to this year’s Wrestlemania Main Events are not filled with any excitement. Orton will probably face Punk at Mania’. Shaemus still has to face the wrath of Triple H. Morrison already had his title shot on Raw. R-Truth is not Main Event material. That leaves John Cena, who can always be counted on to bring excitement and energy to Wrestlemania.

WINNER: JOHN CENA
Jelly Bean’s Pick: Cena


When you are watching this year’s Elimination Chamber matches, pause for a moment and consider how much these men put their bodies through to entertain us. There is no way to ‘fake’ being smashed into steel chains. A body slam onto steel has to hurt. Professional wrestlers are some of the greatest athletes in the world and they put their bodies through unbelievable punishment to entertain us. They deserve our respect as well as our applause.

2011 Royal Rumble Predictions

Prognostications from the Buckle



ROYAL RUMBLE PREDICTIONS



WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP
Natalya Neidhart (CHAMPION) vs. Lay-Cool (Layla & Michelle McCool)

Natalya has been a great Diva’s Champion. But I think her reign comes to an end. The WWE needs strong promo people going into Wrestlemania season. Nattie is weak on the mic and Lay-Cool is highly entertaining. Plus, either Layla or Miichelle McCool will get tired of sharing the spotlight, and a feud between the two of them would be fun to watch.

Winners and NEW WWE DIVA’S CO-CHAMPIONS: LAY-COOL



WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Edge (CHAMPION) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler’s girlfriend, Vickie Guerrero, tried to ensure that her boytoy would win the Championship by banning Edge’s spear. But she forgot that Edge is the ‘ultimate opportunist’. Edge will find a way to win.

Winner and STILL WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGH CHAMPION: Edge



WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Miz (CHAMPION) vs. Randy Orton

Randy Orton should win easily. He is a much better wrestler that The Miz. But The Miz is crafty and always seems to find a way to win. However, I would not be surprised to see The Miz use a disqualification or a count out to hold onto the belt. So I am going to pick Orton to win but for The Miz to retain. I do see The Miz holding onto the belt going into Wrestlemania. He would bring a lot of publicity to ‘Mania, especially from MTV and E!.

Winner: Randy Orton (The Miz retains the WWE Championship)



40 MAN ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH

For the first time ever, there will be 40 participants in this year’s Rumble. That should ensure a lot of twists and turns during the course of the match. It should also enable a surprise entrant to win. The ‘surprise comeback’ has been done too many times (Cena, Edge). So the winner WILL NOT be a returning Triple H.

There really are no compelling stories involving the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship. So this makes it difficult to predict a winner. However, there is one storyline that has not yet been resolved. And that is The Miz’s feud with Jerry Lawler. Lawler received a terrible beat down at the hands of The Miz. Lawler could easily interject himself in the WWE Championship match. But I am thinking outside of the box here. I believe that the best way for Lawler to get his revenge against The Miz is to enter the Rumble, win it, and go on to face The Miz at Wrestlemania.

Winner of the first ever 40 MAN ROYAL RUMBLE: Jerry “The King” Lawler



Bonus pick:

Jelly Bean’s Prognostication:

I asked my three year old daughter who was going to win the Royal Rumble. I was looking at T-Shirts on WWEShop when I asked the question. She pinted to a C.M. Punk T-Shirt and said ‘That guy is going to win.’

Jelly Bean’s pick to win the Royal Rumble: C.M. Punk



Enjoy the Royal Rumble!

2010 Turnbuckle STUFFing Awards

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

Daniel Bryan, aka Brian Danielson Turnbuckle STUFFing
, had made a name for himself on the independent scene. Bryan’s career in the Ring of Honor promotion, including a 15 month reign as their World Champion, has led many fans to label him as the ‘greatest wrestler in the world’. Bryan was even included in Filsinger Games Legends of Wrestling game before his debut in the WWE. But the question remained: Could Bryan translate his impressive career on the independent circuit to the WWE. Bryan proved that he could indeed make it in the spotlight of a major promotion when he won the U.S. Championship at the ‘Night of Champions Pay-Per-View’.

2008 Winner: PRIMO COLON
2009 Winner: SHEAMUS


MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: KANE

It is hard call someone who has been wrestling in the WWE for thirteen years the most improved wrestler of 2010. But Kane always had two black marks on his impressive career. One being the fact that he always came up short in his on again/off again fed with his brother The Undertaker. And the other being a very embarrassing one day reign as the WWE Champion. But in 2010, Kane erased both of those blemishes on his career. On July 28, Kane won a contract to face the World Champion at any time of his choosing at the ‘Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View’. He cashed in the opportunity the same night and defeated Jack Swagger to become the Champion. Kane proved he was indeed a worthy Champion by holding onto the title for most of the remainder of 2010. The bulk of Kane’s title defenses were against The Undertaker, an opponent that Kane had previously had a hard time defeating. But Kane not only won his feud with The Undertaker, he dominated his brother. Kane defeated The Undertaker in a No Holds Barred match at ‘Night of Champions’, in a Hell in a Cell match at the ‘Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View’, and in a Buried Alive match at ‘Bragging Rights’. The Undertaker has not been seen since he was ‘Buried Alive’. By finally getting the upper hand against his brother and proving that he was a legitimate World Champion, Kane went from being a superstar to a legitimate Legend!

2008 Winner: CODY RHODES
2009 Winner: KOFI KINGSTON


WOMAN OF THE YEAR: NATALYA NEIDHART

Neidhart had a great year as both a manager and a wrestler. On April 26, Nattie led Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith to the Unified Tag Team Championship. She helped the Hart Dynasty defend the tag team championship in a feud with the Usos by getting involved and neutralizing the Usos’ manager, Tamina. When the Hart Dynasty lost their tag team Championship at ‘Night of Champions’ in September, Kidd and Smith split up. This let Neidhart focus on her career as a wrestler. She was impressive in the ring and won the Diva’s Championship at ‘Survivor Series’.

2008 Winner: BETH PHOENIX
2009 Winner: SANTINA MARELLA


FEUD OF THE YEAR: MOTOR CITY MACHINEGUNS vs. BEER MONEY, INC.

This feud was not about a grab for power or personal vendettas. It was about two of the best tag teams in the business today wrestling to show who the better team was. The highlight of this feud was a best of five series for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. And as a treat to the fans, these matches were contested not on Pay-Per-Views, but on the weekly broadcast of Impact! Beer Money won the first two matches, a ladder match and a street fight. The Guns came back and won the next two encounters, a steel cage match and an Ultimate X match. The fifth and final match saw the Machine Guns win a thrilling two out of three falls match to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Any one of these five matches could have won Match of the Year. 2 great tag teams + 5 great matches=1 GREAT FEUD!

2008 Winner: RANDY ORTON vs. ALMOST THE ENTIRE RAW ROSTER
2009 Winner: JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON


“LOVE TO HATE” WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: WADE BARRETT

Wade Barrett was an unknown wrestler who won a wrestling show, NXT, which hardly anyone watched. He should have faded into obscurity like NXT Season 2 winner, Kaval. But Barrett put together a band of thugs comprised of his fellow NXT Season 1 contestants. They became known as The Nexus. The Nexus debuted on the June 7 edition of Raw and terrorized Raw for the remainder of the year. Wade Barrett used the Nexus to bully himself into the main event picture, a spot that he did not earn on his own. There is NOTHING worse than a bully getting what he does not deserve.

2008 Winner: RANDY ORTON
2009 Winner: RANDY ORTON


FAVORITE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: JOHN CENA

For unexplained reasons, the entire Raw roster sat back and watched a group of unproven rookies take over and dominate their brand. Everyone, that is, except John Cena. Cena has proven time and again that he will always stand up for what is right, no matter what the odds are against him. John Cena was not gong to let a group of bullies take over Raw, no matter how many beat downs he endured at the hands of The Nexus. Cena’s desire to do the right thing and to stand up to bullies even cost him his job when he refused to award Wade Barrett the WWE Championship in a match that Cena acted as the special guest referee at ‘Survivor Series’. Cena, who had previously been forced to join Nexus, could have been “freed” if Barret won the title or ‘fired” if Randy Orton retained. Orton won the match and Cena was fired from the WWE. Standing up to the Nexus, no matter the cost to him physically or professionally, made John Cena my favorite wrestler for the second year in a row.

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK
2009 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: THE UNDERTAKER VS. SHAWN MICHAELS (Wrestlemania 26)-THE STREAK VS. CAREER

When it was announced that The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels would have a rematch at Wrestlemania 26, there was a little bit of disappointment from wrestling fans. Their Wrestlemania 25 match won this award last year and could easily be considered the greatest Wrestlemania match of all-time. How could these two aging and injury riddled veterans possibly top that performance. The answer lied in raising the stakes. The Undertaker would put his Wrestlemania winning streak on the line against the career of Shawn Michaels. This match carried so much importance that it was the Main Event of Wrestlemania 26. The WWE Championship Match and the World Heavyweight Championship match were contested before Michaels and The Undertaker took center stage. The two veterans pulled no punches. They showed the entire WWE roster what it means to wrestle in the main event of Wrestlemania. It looked like the Streak was finally going to come to an end when Shawn Michaels hit a moonsault onto The Undertaker’s legs as he was lying on the announce table. Taker injured his left knee early in the match and Michaels took advantage of this rare chink in the deadman’s armor. But by the time both combatants crawled back into the ring, The Undertaker was able to recover enough to avoid being pinned. The Undertaker nailed Shawn Michaels with a devastating tombstone piledriver. Michaels remarkably kicked out. The Undertaker stood over his battered opponent, reluctant to administer any more punishment to his battered and bruised opponent. The Undertaker yelled “Stay Down” to the Showstopper. Michaels used The Undertaker’s body for support and climbed to his feet. He then slapped The Undertaker in the face. This enraged The Undertaker and he hit Michaels with yet another tombstone piledriver. This time Michaels could not kick out. At 23:59 the epic battle and Shawn Michaels legendary career ended. Recognizing the significance of ending the career of Shawn Michaels and out of respect for a man that gave his all in the match, The Undertaker helped Michaels get to his feet. The two wrestlers shook hands and hugged in the center of the ring. The sight of two Legends of the ring embracing, exhausted after giving their all with so much riding on the match, is an image that will go down in wrestling history.

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)


TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR: THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (ALEX SHELLEY & CHRIS SABIN)

TNA has arguable the best tag team wrestling in the sport. And The Motor City Machine Guns proved that they were the best of the best! On July 11, Shelley and Sabin defeated Beer Money, Inc. to win the vacant TNA World Tag Team Championship. And they won an amazing best of five series against Beer Money, Inc (see Feud of the Year) to retain the titles. The Machine Guns held onto the Tag Team Championship for the remainder of the year, defending it against Generation Me and the legendary Team 3D.

2008 Winner: JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ
2009 Winner: DX: TRIPLE H & SHAWN MICHAELS


WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: THE MIZ

The Miz had a year that most wrestlers can only dream of. 2010 was filled with Championship gold. The Miz entered 2010 as the United States Champion. He also formed a tag team with the Big Show. ShoMiz won the Unified Tag Team Championship on the February 8 episode of Raw. ShoMiz had the honor of kicking off Wrestlemania 26 by successfully defending the Tag Team Championship against R-Truth and John Morrison. The Miz and Big Show lost the Unified Tag Team Championship on April 26. The Miz lost the U.S. Championship on May 17 but regained it on the June 14 episode of Raw. The list of The Miz’s accomplishments in 2010 continued on as he won the Money in the Bank contract at the ‘Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View’ on July 18. He held onto the United States Championship until September, losing it to Daniel Bryan (see newcomer of the year). Those Championship runs would be enough to earn the Miz the Wrestler of the Year honors. But he won the ultimate prize in professional wrestling when, on November 22, The Miz cashed in his money in the bank contract and defeated Randy Orton to become the WWE Champion. Being the United States Champion, one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions, and the WWE Champion in won year clearly made The Miz the best wrestler of the year. In 2010, the Miz was ‘AWESOME!”

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


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

The Miz cashing in his Money in the Bank Contract on the November 22 episode of Raw

When the Miz came to the ring on the November 22 episode of Raw, it was one of the most exciting moments for me as a wrestling fan.. I followed The Miz’s wrestling career from the very beginning. Before he even debut in the WWE, I saw The Miz compete in a dark match before an episode of Raw in Cleveland. He was from Cleveland, so I cheered for him. I watched him go from being kind of a ‘goofy’ character to someone who worked hard to be taken seriously as a professional wrestler. I remember being at the Unforgiven Pay-Per-View in Cleveland back in 2008. The Miz competed for the ECW Championship in the inaugural ‘Championship Scramble’ match. When he came to the ring, I remember leaning over to my wife and saying “We have to cheer for him. He may be a goof, but he’s OUR goof!” Then, on November 22, that ‘goof from Cleveland’ who I watched wrestle in a dark match to prove that he should be given a chance to compete in the WWE was now getting an opportunity to win the WWE Championship. I was literally on the edge of my couch rooting for The Miz. When The Miz hit the ‘skull crushing finale’ on Randy Orton, I was the happiest I have been as a wresting fan in a long time. To root for a wrestler from dark matches to a WWE Championship match was a fun and exciting ride for me as a wrestling fan!

But that is only half of the story. The Miz is a great example of never giving up on your dream. By all accounts, The Miz was the laughing stock of the WWE locker room. He was seen as a reality show has-been just trying to keep alive his fifteen minutes of fame. He was kicked out of the locker room for six months because he ate a piece of chicken over one of the wrestler’s bags. He had to find a place to shower, change, and use the restroom. JBL admits to hazing The Miz. But the Miz refused to quit. He worked on his mic skills. He worked on his ring skills. And now he is the WWE Champion. The Miz’ rise to the top, despite disrespect from his peers, and his determination to succeed encourage me to work even harder on my goals.

2008 Winner: JEFF HARDY WINS THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
2009 Winner: THE UNDERTAKER’S SUICIDE DIVE AT WRESTLEMANIA 25


The “What a Sheamus” Award: JACK SWAGGER WINNING THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
This award is for an event that should never have happened.

2010 was filled with many events that were strong contenders for this award: a group of unproven rookies (Nexus) taking over Raw while a locker room full of veterans sat back and did nothing, TNA turning the one guy (Jeff Hardy) that cold have made the company more popular into a bad guy, TNA turning the second guy (Hulk Hogan) that could have made their company more popular into a bad guy, the long drawn out anonymous Raw General manager storyline, seeing Big Show in his underwear in ‘Knucklehead’ (I needed to poke my right eye out after seeing that!), Orlando Jordan ( just CREEPY!), seeing Ric Flair get stripped to his underwear on Impact! (I needed to poke out my left eye after seeing that!), and TNA having an a@#hole as their Champion. But the one event that really should not have happened was Jack Swagger winning the World Heavyweight Championship on March 30. Does anyone even remember that Swagger won the Championship? Do you remember who he beat to win the Championship? Do you remember who defeated Swagger for the title? Can anyone name a wrestler who Swagger defended the title against? Jack Swagger is perhaps the least memorable Champion in the history of the World Heavyweight Championship. “What a Shaemus!”

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

These are my thoughts on the year in wrestling 2010. Please let me know your thoughts and who you would have picked to win these categories.

THE MISERY IS FINALLY OVER

Cleveland sports fans have waited for 46 years to celebrate a Championship. Those forty six years have been filled with frustration, disappointment, and misery. The last time Cleveland fans celebrated a Championship was in 1964 when the Cleveland Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts 27-0 to win the NFL Championship. Before that, the Cleveland Indians defeated the Boston Braves 4 games to 2 to win the 1948 World Series. And the pitiful Cavaliers have only been to the NBA Finals once, in 2007, only to be swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The forty six years between the Browns Championship until now have been filled with frustration, disappointment, and misery...UNTIL NOW!

All that heartache FINALLY came to an end on November 22, 2010. On that night, on national television, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to face Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. The Championship moment came at around 11:00 PM when the current Champion, Randy Orton, tried to execute his finishing move, the RKO, on The Miz. The RKO usually results in a victory for Orton. But on that night, The Miz brilliantly blocked the RKO, turned it into his own finishing move The Skull-Crushing Finale, covered Orton and got the pin. With that one amazing move, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin brought a Championship to Cleveland and ended a 46 year drought.

Mike Mizanin was born in Parma, Ohio where he went to Normandy High School. While Mizanin has since relocated to Southern California, he remains a Clevelander at heart. When making his way to the ring for a match, The Miz is always announced as “hailing from Cleveland, Ohio.” The Miz is very proud of his Cleveland roots. In the October 2010 issue of WWE Magazine, The Miz was quoted as saying “I left Cleveland, but I’ll always remember Cleveland. When I walk out on Raw, what city do they announce? They don’t say Los Angeles, California. They say Cleveland, Ohio, because that’s where I was born....I am the last hero of Cleveland, and I will finally bring another Championship to that city one day.” To the delight of long suffering Clevelanders, The Miz came through on that promise!

Cleveland sports teams have come close to winning a Championship, only to let the city down time and again. Cleveland fans have even given nicknames to the many heartbreaking moments. “The Drive” took place in the 1987 AFL Championship game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos. The Browns were leading with about 5 minutes left in the game. The Broncos were on their own 2 yard line. It looked for certain that the Browns were headed to their first ever Superbowl appearance. But John Elway masterfully led his team 98 yards down the field to tie the game. The Broncos went on to win 23-20 in overtime. “The Fumble” occurred in the 1988 AFL Championship game when Cleveland Brown running back Earnest Byner fumbled the football at the Broncos 3 yard line with 1:12 seconds left in the game. What should have been a touchdown would have sent the game into overtime. Instead, the Browns went home for the summer. "The Shot” happened in the final game of the round one match-up of the 1989 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan hit an almost impossible buzzer beating shot to eliminate the Cavaliers from the playoffs. And most recently there was “The Elbow” or “The Rumor”. The Cavaliers ended the 2009-2010 NBA season with the best record in the league. The Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoff but lost to Boston in the second round. LeBron James, the leagues MVP that year, blamed a mysterious elbow injury for his poor performance against Boston. Others claim that their was a rumored affair taking place between one member of the Cavaliers and someone in James’ family that caused the team to become divided and self-destruct.

But now the words “The Drive”, “The Fumble”, “The Shot”, and “The Elbow” can be proudly replaced with the words “THE MIZ”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mike Mizanin has ended 46 years of misery. It is appropriate that it took someone whose name sounds just like the beginning of ‘misery’ to finally end the misery and bring a Championship to Cleveland. Mike Mizanin, Cleveland fans thank you! And we are waiting for the city to throw you a Championship parade down East 9th Street!

2009 Turnbuckle STUFFing Awards

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: SHEAMUS

Sheamus debuted on the June 30 episode of ECW. In less than six months, Shamus did something that Legends such as “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, and the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase could not do in their entire career: win the WWE Championship. Whether or not winning the WWE Championship was a fluke remains to be seen. But capturing the WWE’s biggest prize in his first year in the company clearly makes Sheamus the newcomer of the year.

2008 Winner: PRIMO COLON





MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: KOFI KINGSTON

Kofi Kingston had an impressive run in 2009 as the United States Championship. He successfully defended the title in matches that put the Champion in a disadvantage, such as a Fatal Four-way match at Extreme Rules, a Six-pack Challenge at Night of Champions, and a Triple Threat match at Hell in a Cell. Retaining the title in any one of these types of matches is impressive for any Champion. And Kofi Kingston did it all three times. But the moment that really stood out as a defining moment for Kingston was on the October 26 edition of Monday Night Raw. Kofi Kingston stood on top of a NASCAR race car with a Randy Orton paint scheme. He called out Orton and defaced the car with a key, tire iron, and paint. In that moment, Kingston’s personality really came out. His character came alive. He propelled himself into a high profile feud with Randy Orton, and in the process proved that he can me a main event caliber wrestler. That night, standing on the hood of the car, was the night that Kofi Kingston dramatically improved his character.

2008 Winner: CODY RHODES





WOMAN OF THE YEAR: SANTINA MARELLA

Santino Marella’s twin sister was a surprise entrant in the Wrestlemania 25 “Miss Wrestlemania” diva battle royal. She eliminated former Champions Beth Phoenix and Melina to win the title of Miss Wrestlemania. Santina took great pride in being Miss Wrestlemania. She entered into a feud with Vickie Guerrero over the title, culminating in a Hog Pen match at Extreme Rules. On the June 22 edition of Raw, Donald Trump fired Santina. Her WWE career was short but very memorable, making her the Woman of the Year.

2008 Winner: Beth Phoenix





FEUD OF THE YEAR: John Cena vs. Randy Orton

This was an epic feud. It featured two of the best wrestlers in the business fighting over the biggest prize in the sport: the WWE Championship. Their feud began in July at Night of Champions, when Orton retained the title in a triple threat match against Cena and Triple HHH. Orton pinned Cena in that match. The two would continue to feud over the title for the rest of the year. They faced each other in some of the WWE’s toughest matches, including an “I Quit Match”, a “Hell in a Cell” match, and the first ever “anything goes” Iron Man Match. John Cena won the Iron Man match, ending the feud. Watching these two wrestlers compete in such high profile, exciting matches was a thrill. Their feud was a throwback to the days when Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes would battle for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. This feud will be remembered in the same light as Rhodes and Flair.

2008 Winner: RANDY ORTON vs. almost the entire RAW roster.





“LOVE TO HATE” WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

Randy Orton

Randy Orton went out of his way to make sure he won this award for the second year in a row. In a February episode of Raw, he gave Stephanie McMahon Helmsley a RKO. Then about a month later he gave her a DDT and kissed her while her husband, Triple H, was handcuffed to the ring ropes and forced to watch. That alone would have been enough to win Orton this award. But his dastardly deeds continued all year long. Orton and The Legacy attacked Batista one day after Batista had won the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules. The injuries Batista sustained in the attack were so severe that he had to vacate the Championship. Orton won that title one week later. He then engaged in an epic feud with John Cena. Orton pulled out every underhanded tactic he could think of to win this feud, including getting disqualified, getting counted out of the ring, and having a “fan” attack the referee all in the same match at Summerslam. Thankfully, John Cena won the feud. But in the process, Randy Orton won the title of “Most Hated Wrestler of the Year”.

2008 Winner: Randy Orton





FAVORITE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

John Cena

John Cena is an old school “good guy”. No matter what happens to him, he never gives up and always fights for what is right. That has always made him one of my favorite wrestlers in recent years, and 2010 really showcased his “Never Give Up” attitude. He lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Edge in a Last Man Standing match at Backlash after the Big Show choke slammed John Cena through a giant spotlight. His subsequent feud with Big Show was concluded in a match that seemed impossible for Cena to win-a submission match at Extreme Rules. But John Cena did not give up and found a way to apply the STF to the massive Big Show for the win. Cena’s “Never Give Up” attitude really showed in his feud with Randy Orton. He won both an “I Quit Match” and an “Iron Man” match against Orton. John Cena’s “Never Give Up” attitude in the face of adversity made him my favorite wrestler of 2009.

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK





PAY-PER-VIEW OF THE YEAR

Wrestlemania 25

Wrestlemania 25 was filled with so many memorable moments. C.M. Punk won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match for the second year in a row. Santina Marella was the surprisingly hilarious winner of the Miss Wrestlemania battle royal. Ricky Steamboat reminded everyone why he is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. John Cena lifted up BOTH Edge and the Big Show at the same time for the Attitude Adjustment. And the highlight of the show was the Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels match. This epic encounter could arguable be considered the greatest match in the history of Wrestlemania. It was a card full of great and memorable moments!

2008 Winner: UNFORGIVEN





MATCH OF THE YEAR

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 25)

Not only was this match one of the greatest matches in the history of Wrestlemania, it could very easily be considered one of the greatest matches EVER! Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker pulled out all the stops in this match. They wrestled with more intensity than I had seen in any Championship match. But that is what made this match so remarkable. There were no titles on the line. This was all about the Undertaker’s Wrestlemania winning streak. Michaels wanted desperately to be known as the man who ended the streak, cementing his legacy as Mr. Wrestlemania. And the Undertaker did not want that to happen. The Undertaker used a choke slam, a Last Ride, and a Tombstone, but could not get a pin. Michaels hit Sweet Chin Music, an elbow drop, and a super kick but could also not get the win. Finally, after 29 minutes of intense action, the Undertaker caught Michaels in the middle of a moon Sault, turned it into a Tombstone piledriver, and got the win to remain undefeated at Wrestlemania. This matched showed just how important the Undertaker’s Wretlemania undefeated streak has become. And it showed why the Undertaker and Michaels are two of the best wrestlers to EVER step into the ring. And it showed why Professional Wrestling is such great entertainment!

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





TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR
D-X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels)

There is no question which tag team was in the spotlight the most in 2009, and that is DX. They reunited to feud with The Legacy. That feud saw DX win matches at Summerslam and Hell in a Cell. They also defeated the impressive pairing of Chris Jericho and the Big Show at Tables, Ladders, and Chairs to win their first ever Tag Tam Championship. And each episode of Raw since the reunion of DX centered on this legendary tag team, easily making them the winners of this award.

2008 Winner: JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ





WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

John Cena

2009 was not a dominate year for John Cena. In fact, it may have been one of the toughest years of his career. Cena faced relentless challenges from Edge, Randy Orton, and Sheamus. But every time Cena needed to come through with a big win, he pulled it off! From beating Edge and Big Show at Wrestlemania 25 to win the World Heavyweight Championship, to defeating Big Show in a submission match at Extreme Rules, to a big win over Randy Orton in a “anything goes” 60-minute iron man match. When his back was against the wall and he needed a big win, John Cena emerged victorious, making him the wrestler of the year.

2008 Winner: C.M. PUNK





“NOW THAT…THAT’S COOL” AWARD

This award is for my favorite moment of the year.

The Undertaker’s Suicide Dive at Wrestlemania 25

My favorite moment of the year was also one of the scariest. During his match against Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania, the Undertaker launched himself in a suicide dive onto Shawn Michaels, who was on the arena floor. The Undertaker missed Michaels and landed on his head. He could have easily broken his neck. What made this moment so memorable for me is that is showed the dedication and passion that the Undertaker and so many other professional wrestlers have for the sport. The Undertaker is already one of the greatest wrestlers to ever step in the ring. He is a Legend. He has nothing to prove to anyone. But he gave it his all on that night in Houston. He put his body and his health on the line to entertain us fans. That is what makes professional wrestlers the greatest athletes in the world as well as the greatest entertainers in the world. We the fans must never take for granted what wrestlers like the Undertaker put their bodies through to entertain us night in and night out.

2008 Winner: JEFF HARDY WINS THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP





And introducing a new award this year:

The “What a Sheamus” Award

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

The inaugural winner is: Sheamus Defeating John Cena for the WWE Championship at the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Pay-Per-View

After only 6 months in the WWE, Shamus won the WWE Championship. This easily made him the newcomer of the year. But it also won him this award for the event that should never have happened in 2009. Sheamus did NOTHING to earn a title shot. Up until the TLC Pay-Per-View, his biggest claim to fame was feuding with an old, out of shape Goldust. He won a battle royal to earn the title shot. But he spent most of the battle royal just standing there looking confused. But the real reason that he should never have won the WWE Championship is that after only six months in the WWE, Shamus has done something that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Big John Studd, Dusty Rhodes, Rick Rude, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat could not do in their entire career. There is no way that Shamus is a better wrestler than any of the Legends listed here. But he is a WWE Champion and they are not. “What a Sheamus”.

Remembering "Dr. Death" Steve Williams

I first heard about Steve Williams in the February 1987 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Back before Youtube and internet news sites, the only way to learn about a wrester who did not work for the WWF or the NWA was in wrestling magazines. Pro Wrestling Illustrated was THE source for wrestling news in the 80’s and 90’s. The February 1987 issue of PWI featured seven wrestlers from the UFW on the cover. PWI and the UWF were sponsoring a tournament called the “$50,000 Challenge Tournament” to determine the best wrestler in the UWF. I thought it was really impressive that PWI was sponsoring this tournament. The fact that the leading source of wrestling news at the time was putting together this tournament meant to me that these wrestlers must be really special. Steve Williams went on to win this PWI sponsored tournament, giving him instant credibility in my mind.

Steve Williams left the UWF a year later and joined the NWA. He had a brief run as a member of Kevin Sullivan’s “Varsity Club”. But he did not catch my interest until he started teaming with Terry Gordy in 1989. Williams and Gordy defeated the Steiner Brothers for the WCW Tag Team Championship. This made me take notice of how great a wrestler Steve Williams was. The Steiner Brothers were two of my favorite wresters at the time and one of the best tag teams I had seen. For Steve Williams to be able to defeat the Steiner Brothers meant to me that was truly a great wrestler.

Williams spent some time in All Japan Pro Wrestling before stepping into the spotlight by signing with the WWF in 1998. Steve Williams competed in the “Brawl for All” competition. This was a bad idea by the WWF in which wrestlers would compete in legitimate fights. Williams was knocked out by Bart Gunn in the second round of the tournament. This destroyed Williams’s reputation as a tough guy and ended a promising career in the WWF.

Despite the disappointing way his WWF career ended, I will always remember Dr. Death Steve Williams as a great wrestler. His victory over the Steiner Brothers for the WCW Tag Team Championship is still one of the most impressive accomplishments I have ever seen in professional wresting.

But when Steve Williams’ in ring career was winding down, his biggest battle was only beginning. In 2004, he underwent surgery for throat cancer. In 2005, he was declared cancer free. In this battle with cancer, Steve Williams found a new tag team partner-a deeply personal Christian faith. In one of the blogs on his Myspace page, Steve Williams said “The greatest part is that you’ve got the toughest, baddest guy in pro wresting who is now preaching. Instead of taking my big hands to slap somebody, I’m telling people to put their hands together and pray.”

Sadly, the cancer returned and Steve Williams passed away on December 29, 2009 at 49 years of age. There are many ways to remember the life of this great wrester. We can watch his matches. We can use his card when playing Legends of Wrestling by Filsinger Games. But the best way to remember Dr. Death Steve Williams is by doing something that was very important to him. Take some time today, put your hands together, and pray for somebody. Pray for your family members. Pray for your friends. And pray for your enemies. If you do this, then Steve William’s legacy will live on and you will touch lives!

Sheamus...What a Shame!

Professional wresting is a scripted form of entertainment. And like any fictional universe, the writing has to fit into certain “rules” that make sense in that universe. If events start happening in a mythology that do not fit into the “rules” of that mythology, then the storytelling starts to fall apart. For example, it would destroy the Batman mythology if Bruce Wayne suddenly became invulnerable and had the ability to travel through time. Similarly, it would make absolutely no sense for the Easter Bunny to become a mercenary for hire. Sheamus winning the WWE Championship at the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Pay-Per-View is very confusing and hurts the mythology of the WWE Championship.

The WWE Champion is supposed to be the best wrestler on the Raw brand. Does anyone really believe that Sheamus is the best wrestler on that roster? On a television show that features guys like HHH, Shawn Michaels, and John Cena we are supposed to believe that Sheamus is the best that Raw has to offer. Hardly!

In addition, the history any wrestling Championship, while fictional, is very important to a wrestling organization. This is evident in the WWE with their recent “History of…” DVD releases. A wrestling champion has to prove himself before even getting a title match. A wrestler usually spends years improving his wrestling skills and developing his character. That wrestler has to prove himself in matches for secondary Championships such as the Intercontinental title. Guys like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Savage all proved that they were Championship caliber wrestlers by capturing the Intercontinental title before moving into the WWE Championship hunt. Is Sheamus supposed to be better than Hart, Michaels, and Savage? I don’t think so!

What has Sheamus done to prove that he deserved a WWE Championship match? Absolutely nothing! He debuted on ECW on June 30 2009 and had feuds with an old, out of shape Goldust and the underachieving Shelton Benjamin. He never even won the ECW Championship, the lowest prestige title in the company, before going to Raw on October 26, 2009. On Raw, Sheamus’ big accomplishments included feuding with the equivalent of a jobber in Jamie Noble and beating up an announcer. He then won a “break-through battle royal” to earn the Championship match. This was a battle royal where Sheamus spent most of the time in the ring just standing there looking confused. In less than a year Sheamus has been given a WWE Championship match while doing nothing to prove that he deserved it. It must be frustrating for guys like MVP, Mark Henry, and Carlito who have spent years working on their wrestling skills and developing their characters to watch an inexperienced rookie be given a big push less than one year into his WWE career.

Finally, the Championship victory itself has to be believable. The WWE wants the fans to believe that John Cena, the guy who beat HHH at Wrestlemania 22, Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 23, Edge in a TLC match, and Randy Orton in a 60 minute iron man match, lost to an newbie with little over 5 months of experience in the WWE. Not even close to being believable.

I will concede that Vince McMahon knows talent and Sheamus may develop into a big star. But Sheamus holding the WWE Championship at this very early stage in his career is a joke, no different than when Vince McMahon held the title in 1999 and when David Arquette was the WCW Champion. Giving Sheamus the title hurts the mythology of the WWE Championship.