JAW Breaker

WWE's top 25 most impactful women's list

2010-03-12T05:46:08Z

WWE.com recently listed its Top 25 Most Impactful Women.

Here's the list with my thoughts.

25. Torrie Wilson. Deserves to be on this list, but should be ranked higher.

24. Bull Nakano. Vastly underrated, along with her unique look.

23. Ivory. I can't argue her being on the list. Probably should be higher, as she had a long run.

22. Kelly Kelly. If you factor in her ECW routines, I guess that would be impactful. But I'd put the first three ahead of her.

21. Jacqueline. Decent run, but not as impactful as several mentioned above.

20. Vickie Guerrero. Probably should be ranked higher, although she's been more impactful the last few years.

19. Molly Holly. Passion for the sport, and nothing bad is ever said about her.

18. Stacy Keibler. I'd put Torrie Wilson ahead of her, as Stacy didn't wrestle as much.

17. Beth Phoenix. Dominating, and the current version of Chyna. She will only move up on this list.

16. Luna Vachon. Unique and involved in many angles has her placed at the right spot.

15. Miss Elizabeth. Worse ranking on the entire list. She should be in the top three, and a case could be made for making her No. 1.

14. Melina. Seems like she's ranked too high, but of the current ones listed above, she's been around the longest.

13. Alundra Blaze. Right ranking spot here. The lasting image of her dropping the women's title into the garbage on Nitro defines impactful.

12. Mae Young. Longetivity, and should be ranked higher.

11. Wendi Richter. One of the top women wrestlers of my time, who I think should be ranked higher.

10. Michelle McCool. Did the Undertaker compile this list? While a great wrestler, she hasn't been around long enough to warrant this spot.

9. Sunny. Probably at the right spot when you see the names below. She was impactful.

8. Lita. Had an amazing run, and an awesome feud with Trish Stratus.

7. Mickie James. Glad to see her ranked this high, as she's probably the best current women's wrestler.

6. Sable. Definitely made an impact, and pushed the censors like few others.

5. Stephanie McMahon. I can't argue this one. Check the last name.

4. Sensational Sherri. Manager and wrestler helps her ranking here. She definitely had an impressive run.

3. Chyna. She changed women's wrestling with her power game and appearance. And she has out-of-ring appeal.

2. The Fabulous Moolah. Definitely top two.

1. Trish Stratus. Deserves a top-five ranking, but I wouldn't have her No. 1 here.

Final thoughts: My top three, keeping in mind that this is for "impact," would be Moolah (1), Miss Elizabeth (2) and then Trish Stratus (3). I'd round out my top five with Chyna (4) and Sable (5).

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

Wrestling fan Jereme, according to f4wonline.com, said facing Triple H at a WrestleMania guarantees you a world championship 10 of the last 11 times, except for Shawn Michaels. REACT: While Sheamus has already had a world-title run, he'll get more.

TNA Wrestling

Scott Steiner cool with Ric Flair. REACT: Refreshing if accurate, as these two hated each other.

Morale is up, but there is criticism over "big-name stars" not having to work many if any house shows. REACT: Such is life.

Hulk Hogan reportedly enjoyed being portrayed as someone who was old and shouldn't be wrestling anymore. REACT: I enjoyed the angles as well. It seemed real and heartfelt.

Jeff Hardy report of working about 100 dates in 12 months. REACT: That's not "big-name star," as that means some house shows.

Sting, RVD, Hogan, Flair deliver for TNA Wrestling

2010-03-09T10:45:32Z

OK, we can get it out of the way right now.

They are older. They have aged.

Now, if you accept that fact, keep reading.

Simply put, you have to go into watching TNA Wrestling's angles involving veterans with a more open mind than you would watching WWE Raw.

I did, and as a result, I found Monday's show to be slightly better than WWE Raw.

Was it because Bret Hart wasn't on Raw? Possibly.

Was it because TNA Wrestling had the best match of the night between the two shows? More likely.

Was it because there were some surprises where Raw had none? Most definitely.

Let's review.

The matches

1. Abyss/Hulk Hogan vs. A.J. Styles/Ric Flair. REACT: Hogan cut what I thought was a very strong promo. I thought it was smart to lead off with this match. Had I been watching live, I would have stuck with this show as opposed to Raw's opening segment with Undertaker-Shawn Michaels. Sting turning on Hogan/Abyss, while some would say was predictable, was still nicely done. And it's historic and should keep Sting on television, as opposed to being on the sidelines like he seems to be more often than not. Flair later cut a strong promo for setting up the rematch later.

2. Doug Williams beat Christopher Daniels and Kazarian in an X-Division Title Match. REACT: Best match on either show, by far. Shannon Moore doesn't do much for me, but he's an addition.

3. Velvet Sky/Madison Rayne beat Tara/Angelina Love and Sarina/Taylor Wilde for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Titles. REACT: Awesome Kong looks to be done, I guess. Decent, but quick match. Daffney's interference wasn't explained to the new viewers.

4. Rob Van Dam beats Sting. REACT: Kudos to RVD. Yes, I know he won, but he really put Sting over here. He was getting crowd pops the entire beatdown segment. Sting was really put over strongly as a heel, with constant baseball bat shots.

5. Eric Young beats Sean Waltman. REACT: They weren't in wrestling gear, which was bad, but the quick match -- with the always-awesome piledriver -- was decent. The build got a nice push even before the match, when Waltman slapped Young.

6. Beer Money beat Jeff Jarrett. REACT: This 2-on-1 had the right outcome. I liked how Mick Foley tried to help Jarrett with a barbed-wire bat. Decent match.

7. Abyss/Hogan vs. Styles/Flair, again. REACT: OK, it may not have been pretty, but it was effective. Yes, we had Hogan using his yellow belt, but the blood, hits and chops were good television. I thought Abyss could have been used more during the match, but he did get the much-needed pin on Styles. Desmond Wolfe-Pope coming out, and then Jeff Hardy, was a little rushed, and unexplained, but that's a minor complaint.

The angles

1. The intro. REACT: Nice, fresh music intro. I enjoyed it.

2. Crowd/camera shots. REACT: If you're there, you will likely make it on television. The close-up shots are annoying at times, but it's more fan-friendly and up close with in-ring action. The crowd was fired up for this show.

3. Blood. REACT: Wow. This show was full of blood. Hogan and Flair, especially, really had it going.

4. Sting vs. Dixie Carter. REACT: I loved the simple "I owe you nothing, Dixie" comment Sting made.

5. Jennifer and Brooke Hogan. REACT: It was strange incorporating Hogan's real life into this, but I thought it was effective. Hulk even mentioned Nick watching from home but being upset. Brooke was on TV a little too much, but it seems like there will be an angle with her as Hogan will no doubt wrestle again, against her wishes. Brooke was very effective on camera, but I thought she was effective in WWE in the Randy Orton-Hogan angle, too.

6. Pope vs. Desmond Wolfe. REACT: The chain-ankle beatdown was different. I liked it.

7. Kevin Nash/Eric Young vs. Scott Hall/Sean Waltman. REACT: Is it Waltman, X-Pac or Six-Pac? Please, settle on something. I liked the match angle with the match being for contracts. Something has to give. You'd think Hall/Waltman would have to win now, though, right?

8. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Ken Anderson. REACT: I loved the effective use of the U.S. Army, during Angle's entrance, during his promo and during his beatdown of Anderson. Anderson was funny with his "high school dropouts" comment. The troops beating down Anderson was comical and I marked out when they celebrated with Angle.

9. Earl Hebner. REACT: A second chance for Earl has to mean bad things for someone, soon. It was weird hearing Hogan telling Earl to stop things if they got out of control.

10. Back off, Bubba. REACT: Hogan telling Bubba to back off was interesting.

TNA Wrestling analysis: Sting being pushed as a monster heel was the highlight. I hope it continues to be pushed, leading to Hogan vs. Sting. I am concerned as to how RVD will be used in the future. But I have faith Flair, Angle, Jarrett and Nash will keep the veteran story lines going. The X-Division will have no problem staying strong, and the women's division remains interesting. I have no idea what will happen with Hardy. That concerns me. TNA Wrestling grade: B.

TNA Wrestling

Ken Anderson said he blames John Cena and Randy Orton for conspiring against him in WWE. REACT: Ah yes, corporate politics.

Criss Angel guest hosts WWE Raw

2010-03-09T10:35:12Z

Criss Angel was one of the more interesting guest hosts of late.

It was not just name value and what Angel brings to the table as a "mind freak" magician, but he was able to produce different backstage skits than the usual guest hosts.

Criss Angel

1. Hornswoggle and the Bella Twins. REACT: Angel was here to promote his Las Vegas "Believe" show, which sounds cool. But he doesn't use twins in his shows? Shame on him.

2. Thread into mouth and out eye. REACT: Coolest trick he did the entire show.

3. Silencing Jillian's voice. REACT: Funny, but not realistic.

4. Match made. REACT: Good to see a guest host make a match for a change again, as Angel made the Evan Bourne vs. William Regal match.

5. Write down a number. REACT: The Number 56 was used here in what was mostly a waste-of-time segment. Regal losing a bet with his NXT rookie, Skip Sheffield, was funny because of the Travis Tritt CD.

6. Knife under which four cups with Santino Marella participating. REACT: Shouldn't there have been a "Don't try this at home" warning on this one? As my wife said, like he really would have smashed the cup with the knife under it. Dumb segment.

7. Guest ring announcer. REACT: He seemed to be having fun, so he gets points for that.

Guest host analysis: Different, and that's usually good. Better than average, but not by much. Angel's grade: C+.

The matches

1. Eve/Kelly Kelly/Gail Kim beat Alicia Fox/Katie Lea/Divas Champion Maryse. REACT: Gail and Eve seemed to carry this match. Eve getting Maryse to submit was shocking. I guess it's something new.

2. Unified Tag Team Champions The Miz/Big Show vs. John Morrison/R-Truth ends in a no-contest. REACT: Too quick, and this WrestleMania match shouldn't have happened on free TV. However, it had a solid out-of-ring beatdown and a nice WM build, making a statement by putting the champions on notice.

3. Cody Rhodes/Ted DiBiase beat Randy Orton in a 2-on-1 handicap match. REACT: Orton carried things early in a match that had a nice pace and was given a lot of time. It was good, again, to see DiBiase one-up Orton with the pin. Smart booking.

4. Evan Bourne beats William Regal in the final Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. REACT: Decent match. Christian is awesome on commentary. Big, big win for Bourne. He should have won, but I'm still kind of surprised he beat corporate-favorite Regal.

5. Vince McMahon beats John Cena in a No-Disqualification Handicap Gauntlet Match. REACT: I liked this. Kozlov, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger and Mark Henry were great choices. Henry, especially, as he was reluctant to help McMahon. I like how Kofi Kingston came out to help fend off Batista, who smartly got the beatdown of Cena.

The angles

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels. REACT: Strong opening segment. I liked the fear vs. the confidence/desperation angle. The WrestleMania match was given a pinfall/submission stipulation, which is all the better. I liked how Undertaker said Michaels "may be the greatest." Undertaker gave the better promo here.

2. The Miz. REACT: What a strong promo, bringing up the likes of the British Bulldog/Lex Luger and The Bushwhackers. Miz may be right in saying Big Show and him are the "last truly great tag team in the WWE."

3. John Cena vs. Batista. REACT: I like how Cena admitted he can't beat Batista but will just have to beat him. I also like how Batista later promised he wouldn't "get involved" in the main event, saying Cena needed a confidence-boost.

4. Triple H vs. Sheamus. REACT: Strange start as Sheamus grabbed the microphone from HHH. But HHH then talked to him about maybe having the "greatest first year in the history of the business." I like the make-your-name at WM angle, as HHH admitted he tried that and was beaten by John Cena and Batista (the short list) but had beaten many others (the long list). The angle then moved to "do you have the guts?" This gave HHH control back in this feud. Strong build.

5. Goldberg beats Brock Lesnar clip from WM 20 (2004) with Stone Cold Steve Austin as referee. REACT: Funny choice, as Goldberg was in the news the last few weeks denying a TNA Wrestling appearance and Lesnar has been battling health issues.

Raw analysis: Nothing horrible here, and WM was advanced nicely. Angel brings the grade down. Raw grade: B-.

Next week's Raw

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin guest hosts. REACT: I hope Austin adds to the show and doesn't steal from the WM push. He's guest host No. 37. Wow. That's a bunch.

2. The matches (John Cena-Big Show, Shawn Michaels-Chris Jericho, Triple H-Randy Orton). REACT: The first two matches are different, but I've seen HHH-Orton way too much.

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

Gail Kim claims she wasn't hurt in last week's pillow fight match. REACT: WWE said she was hurt. She just doesn't want to admit it happened in a this kind of a match.

Linda McMahon confirms Stephanie McMahon's pregnancy. REACT: Congrats to Triple H and his wife. He is creating quite a stable. That will be No. 3 for them. Brother Shane and his wife Marissa just had their third child.

Reports of a WCW-themed Hall of Fame for 2012 in Atlanta, with Sting, Lex Luger, Ron Simmons, The Road Warriors and The Steiner Brothers being mentioned as possible inductees. REACT: I like this idea, but Sting? How about Goldberg?

Melina out for about four more months. REACT: Long recovery time is smarter than rushing back.

Carlito 0-24 on Raw. Mike Knox is 0-13 on Smackdown. REACT: Will the skids continue?

Shawn Michaels reportedly tells friends he plans to leave after WrestleMania. REACT: This might be the end for HBK, who will go down as one of the best ever.

Ultimate Warrior replaces Ric Flair in Raw intro. REACT: Warrior in this year's Hall class? Speak to me!

RVD, Sting re-ignite Monday Night Wars

2010-03-06T06:03:49Z

This Thursday was TNA Wrestling's last Thursday show on Spike.

TNA Wrestling moves to Mondays, starting with the March 8 show, when it will go head-to-head on a weekly basis with WWE Monday Night Raw.

While TNA Wrestling's January 4 live debut show was important for historical significance, this Monday's show will kick off a run of consecutive Monday shows, making it even more important.

I don't expect TNA Wrestling to steal a huge chunk of WWE viewers during this time.

WWE is on fire right now with its Vince McMahon-Bret Hart story line, along with several other strong main-event-caliber matches, as WrestleMania XXVI approaches March 28.

And with Stone Cold Steve Austin hosting the March 15 show and Pete Rose on March 22, there will be few viewers that will drop WWE allegiance entirely.

However, that doesn't mean TNA Wrestling won't generate viewers. I have been watching the last several Thursday shows and I have seen a solid progression of story line development.

Hulk Hogan said on radio Thursday that Rob Van Dam signed and will appear on Monday's show. That's huge. Rob Van Dam has a very strong fan base.

Sting also reportedly will be on Monday's show. Hopefully, he won't be watching from up in the rafters but will instead confront Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair.

I will say I am more intrigued in some ways with Monday's show than I was with the Jan. 4 show. Things are looking up. There are now choices for the talent, and the fans.

TNA Wrestling

Eric Bischoff, on the Bret-Vince story line: "Allegedly WWE found out about a Lloyds of London (insurance) policy that Bret had in effect AFTER setting up this match, and as a result Lloyds of London has to approve of the physical structure of the match. Can't confirm this, and perhaps WWE has 'bought out' the problem, but if not..could be disappointing." REACT: I've heard past reports of an L of L insurance policy, but I'm sure WWE has already handled this.

Maria coming aboard in 90 days, after a possible Celebrity Apprentice win. REACT: That would be good possibility. Maria has a strong following.

Traci Brooks released. REACT: Surprising, as she's been with the company for eight years.

VH-1 doesn't renew "Brooke Knows Best," instead reportedly offering Brooke a new dating show concept which she turned down. REACT: Kind of surprising. I guess that officially ends the run of the Hogan "Knows Best" shows. It looks like Brooke is back focusing 100 percent on her music career.

Sean Morley (Val Venis) released. REACT: Surprising, as he had story lines, but he wanted to wrestle in Mexico.

WWE

Matt Osborne (Doink) said he recently completed a rehab stint. REACT: Good to hear he's recovering in WWE's nice-to-do program.

Angelo Poffo dies. REACT: Poffo didn't have much of a career as a wrestler. He's best known for being the father of Randy "Macho Man" Savage and Lanny Poffo. Condolences to his family.

Midget wrestling in Orlando

2010-03-03T05:37:04Z

PWInsider.com reported Monday that Eric Bischoff's Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment company will kick off production of its reality TV series on Micro Championship Wrestling, a midget wrestling promotion, this Thursday at the iMPACT Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando.

The report said even though Hulk Hogan looks to be involved in this that it is not a TNA Wrestling project and not for Spike TV, which has its own new midget wrestling reality show called Half Pint Brawlers. The report hints at a pilot for TruTV.

Bischoff doesn't start things up, especially in wrestling, without knowing what he is doing. While it's a little strange having two midget wrestling promotions starting up at the same time, especially one on Spike TV which is TNA Wrestling's main network, the concept seems interesting.

I'm assuming admission is free for this one, too, but don't take my word on that.

For more on MCW, visit mcwusa.us

Cheech & Chong guest host WWE Raw

2010-03-02T13:24:55Z

I wasn't sure what to expect with Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong going into this show.

For starters, I'm not a big fan of either one of them.

And I was also concerned how much drug shtick would emerge in the now WWE PG world.

Let's review:

Cheech & Chong

1. Merchandise plug. REACT: I'm OK with this, as these guys are still trying to make a living.

2. "Lucky Charms." REACT: C &C's segments centered around Hornswoggle and his cereal. I'm sure the spinning went way over younger viewers heads.

3. Eve as William Regal. REACT: "Lucky Charms" would not cause me to make that mistake.

4. Kelly Kelly as Chris Masters. REACT: Inexcusable.

5. Chavo, Primo, Carlito, Katie Lea, Yoshi Tatsu. REACT: Bizarre segment. Chavo was called Carlito, too. I wonder if my LOST friends caught the "Wanna know how LOST ends?" comment. I also wonder if the mustaches were a rib on Hulk Hogan's mustache event from the other day.

6. "Getting Legal Comedy Tour." REACT: The smoking microphone gesture made me chuckle.

7. Pillow fight. REACT: I guess they did give us this match. That doesn't hurt their grade.

8. More cereal. REACT: Throwing it into the crowd? Not wise. Michael Cole was funny when he told Jerry Lawler, "Dont eat -- we still have the main event."

Guest hosts final thoughts: They weren't horrible, but they were all comedy. Grade: D+.

The matches

1. Randy Orton beat Ted DiBiase by disqualification. REACT: Hard-fought battle, with a weird but effective follow-me clothesline by DiBiase on Orton. I wasn't too high on Orton getting the better of DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.

2. Jack Swagger beat Santino Marella in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. REACT: Efficient, the right guy won, but way too quick, especially for Swagger's hometown fans.

3. MVP beats Zach Ryder in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. REACT: A squash. Sad for Ryder. Great for MVP. Waste of time for me.

4. Eve beats Divas Champion Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Gail Kim, Jillian and Alicia Fox in a Diva Pajama Pillow Fight Match. REACT: I tried to pick up some pointers, but their were more clotheslines in this match than most normal matches. I thought it was a 3-on-3 match, but WWE.com said Eve beat the other five. Also, best recovery wishes to Gail, but getting hurt in a pillow fight match?

5. Unified Tag Team Champions Big Show/The Miz beat DX. REACT: The Miz has main-evented Smackdown and Raw back-to-back. That's awesome. The match did a good job showcasing The Miz and Michaels was given a needed character boost, but having Michaels be distracted by The Undertaker (on screen) and being pinned was a little unbelievable and a replay of a few weeks ago. I guess he's supposed to come off as overfocused, but it's going overboard, and really forces him to have to win at WM.

The angles

1. Slim Jim commercial. REACT: Not an angle, but I wonder what Randy "Macho Man" Savage thinks about Edge being in the new Slim Jim commercial?

2. Hall of Fame to induct "Mad Dog" Vachon. REACT: Solid choice. He has a long and enjoyable history.

3. Jim Ross at Raw. REACT: Good to hear he was looking and feeling better.

Officially set for WrestleMania XXVI

In order of importance:

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels. REACT: Of the WrestleMania matches, this one was pushed the worst on Raw. It was a little strange using Triple H to help Michaels get his game back on track. I'm all for the motivation angle, but does Michaels really need it?

2. Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart. REACT: Raw finally made this one official. I liked the segment, with Vince introducing Bret and Vince asking Bret for clearance for having any role in the car incident. I like how Bret wanted a farewell but that Vince played the "world champion liar" card. I like how Vince brought up Bret's WM challenge and how he goated Bret with comments like, "Do it for your fans" and, "Your last name used to stand for something -- you have no heart." I like how Vince called Bret a "coward" and kicked Bret down, with Bret finally saying, "You got it" for a WM match. These two had a better promo than HHH and Michaels.

3. John Cena vs. WWE Champion Batista. REACT: This WM match was pushed the best on Raw. I like how Batista implemented guards. I like how Cena called him a "6-6, 300-pound pansy." I like how Batista said they are the two biggest stars since the Attitude Era (not true, but good to say). I like how Batista is being labeled jealous, and how he said Cena is the latest Stone Cold Steve Austin. I like how Batista said he is "better than (Cena)" and "can't stand (Cena)." I like how Cena put the focus back on the title, saying Batista is selfish. I like how Batista said he's in this for the money and the titles, and not the fans. I like how Batista reminded Cena of breaking Cena's neck. I like it when Batista said to Cena, "You can't beat me." OK, it's obvious I loved this segment, right?

4. World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Edge. REACT: It'll be interesting to see if Jericho shows up to help his former tag-team partner Big Show on Smackdown.

5. Money in the Bank Ladder Match. PARTICIPANTS: Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Swagger and MVP are in, with two more to come. REACT: I was surprised Ziggler survived a triple-threat match against John Morrison and R-Truth to get in. I was also surprised Kane beat the previously undefeated Drew McIntyre for a spot. Benjamin beating Punk for a spot was an upset, but makes sense since Punk-Mysterio is being pushed for WrestleMania. Swagger and MVP won easily, and Swagger has to be considered the top challenger so far against Christian.

Other possible WrestleMania matches

In order of probability:

1. Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk. REACT: All but set after Mysterio cost Punk a chance in the Money in the Bank ladder match on Smackdown.

2. Triple H vs. Sheamus. REACT: This match was hinted at as Raw ended, when Sheamus jumped HHH. It's strange it took this long for HHH to get a match, and it's strange seeing how he'll have what's probably the fifth-most interesting match on the card. Something big needs to happen here to elevate this match. Might I suggest a brawl involving HHH winning by using a tanning booth on Sheamus?

3. Legacy in a triple-threat match. REACT: The interesting part of this feud is the pops Orton is getting by the week. The fans are on his side, which almost means he has to win.

Raw final thoughts/grade

The wrestling was short and horrible, for the most part. The show did an awesome job pushing Cena-Batista, strongly made official Vince vs. Bret, and finally gave HHH a WrestleMania opponent. Cheech and Chong helped little. Grade: C.

Next week: Raw vs. TNA Wrestling (both shows live)

1. Raw: John Cena vs. Vince McMahon. REACT: Interesting, but how much wrestling can McMahon actually do? This reaks of a Batista run-in. Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase/Cody Rhodes will help, but it seems obvious it's their turns to get the better of Orton. Criss Angel as guest host does raise the potential show grade.

2. TNA Wrestling: Abyss/Hulk Hogan vs. AJ Styles/Ric Flair has more interest for me. Bigger names, more possibilities, and yes, even better wrestling than Raw's main event.

March 15 guest host:

Stone Cold Steve Austin. REACT: I think it's safe to say he will be used to help Cena, who will no doubt take a beating on Monday from Vince McMahon.

SMACKDOWN

It was silly to have Michelle McCool need help to beat Mickie James for the WWE Women's Title. Edge-The Miz was a strong main event. The Miz has really come a long way.

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

Charlie Haas released. REACT: Haas didn't wrestle much, but he's a good wrestler. TNA Wrestling should scoop him up.

TNA Wrestling

Awesome Kong released? REACT: Nothing official, but she would be a huge asset for WWE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7S7KFKmYP4 REACT: How long before Hulk Hogan dishes out a lawsuit against Cocoa Pebbles cereal for that?

Hogan recently said, "I really shouldn't be wrestling anymore." And on The Rock, he said, "I thought about moving out to L.A. and doing the movie thing cause I have seventeen movies under my belt -- mostly low-budget kid movies, kind of like what The Rock is doing now." REACT: Correct on both counts. He shouldn't be wrestling still, but the fans want it. And The Rock's movies have really hit Rock Bottom lately.

Also

Harris County forensics investigator Dan Morgan says Umaga's death was caused by "acute toxicity due to combined effects of hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and diazepam." REACT: Another pain-drug-related death. Sad.

http://www.sportsinteraction.com/ REACT: Trish Stratus will probably get more people to bet as this site's spokesperson.

Sanford wrestling Sunday, Port Orange UFC

2010-02-27T05:22:34Z

Wrestling Sunday in Sanford

Seminole Harley Davidson and the Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling will hold the second installment of WrestleRock WrestleRock 2 this Sunday (Feb. 28) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 620 Hickman Circle in Sanford.

Admission is free. Yes, free!

Radio personality Buckethead will host the event, which will feature Kip James (Billy Gunn), Rob Terry, Jesse Neal and Team 3D (Dudley Boys).

And, why not feast on some food and drink some beverages at the show after-party (4 p.m.-7 p.m. at Hooters of Sanford)?

(Above image courtesy of James Pash)

UFC monthly in Port Orange

Port Orange's new theatre off Williamson Blvd. is among the 300 nationwide theatres that will show UFC pay-per-views in HD, starting with UFC 111 on March 27. For info, call 386-523-9404.

WWE NXT and the Undertaker

2010-02-27T05:13:34Z

WWE NXT

I thought WWE's NXT show Tuesday night had a solid debut.

I was a little concerned with the start having too much interviews, but it picked up with a strong format that should carry it on a weekly basis.

I am interested as to how the live crowds will react to this, but seeing how the segments reportedly will be taped at the FCW gym in Tampa, it's a win-win for everyone. The live crowds will likely just get the matches, just like they did for ECW.

The Undertaker

The Associated Press treated the Undertaker's pyrotechnics mishap like it was a big deal. It really wasn't. While I shouldn't jump on AP for generating a wrestling story on back-to-back days (Ric Flair being the other), I'm surprised there was so much background (fan concerns for Undertaker and a mention of the late Owen Hart) in the story.

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

Three-hour Raw to have draft April 26. REACT: Drafts rule.

Sheamus held off Raw due to concussion. REACT: Explains Batista-Cena main event.

Ultimate Warrior turns down Hall of Fame induction chance. REACT: Speak to me why?

Stone Cold Steve Austin might be the last guest host, or WWE may keep it going to counter live TNA Wrestling shows. REACT: Keep it going either way. It's fun.

Midwestabulance.com has hilarious comment regarding Bret "The Hitman" Hart. REACT: I wonder how many calls they got after Raw.

Hornswoggle's future. REACT: With DX done, Hornswoggle needs an angle. WWE will be sure to find him one. He's popular.

Michael Coles vs. Josh Matthews. REACT: Please, don't make this into a match.

Triple H to turn heel? REACT: It wouldn't hurt. He's been boring in DX.

Shad Gaspard goes over-PG in interview. REACT: Speaking his mind hopefully won't cost him his job in WWE PG.

Hurricane Helms said he gave Drew McIntyre's "Avatar" name to him" because he's "tall and lanky," not because of Tiffany. REACT: Good to know, I guess.

Helms, Paul Burchill, Maria and referee Scott Armstrong released. REACT: Maria's release is shocking, as WWE fans recently voted her Most Popular Diva. Burchill's character has been down lately. Helms' release is not a huge shock because of the incident with Chris Jericho. Armstrong is a surprise, but he's a referee. Someone else can count to three, right?

TNA Wrestling

The ABC affiliate in Raleigh, N.C., said Ric Flair was hospitalized following the alleged assault by his wife. REACT: Wow.

Mick Foley said with the exception of WWE's "top six or seven guys that we (TNA Wrestling) have a lineup that fans are really more familiar with." REACT: Maybe so, but a bigger, younger name would help.

The Nasty Boys want a six-month feud with Team 3D. REACT: God help us.

The Abyss character to be portrayed as untouchable. REACT: I'm cool with that.

House show events back on after strong January. REACT: Good to hear.

Awesome Kong files lawsuit against Bubba The Love Sponge and AT&T. REACT: This is getting ugly.

Spike TV grants eight-minute overrun for March 8 show. REACT: Overruns are great, if you DVR for them.

Eric Bischoff on Vampiro: "No talent gimmick come lately," on Kimberly Page in TNA: "Double No," and on guest hosts on Raw: "Weak stunt." REACT: I have always liked Vampiro's character. Page's run is long over. The Raw guest host has been a business savior.

Hulk Hogan said he should have said on Arsenio Hall, on steroids, "No, but I did do them for a time when they were legal." REACT: Yes, that would have been better, but times were different then.

Sting's future in question for March 8 show. REACT: TNA Wrestling needs Sting there for March 8. No doubt about this.

Honky Tonk Man plans to sue Bubba The Love Sponge and TNA Wrestling for "making disparaging and slanderous remarks about him that have cost him indy bookings." REACT: More lawsuits. Yuk!

Ty Murray, Jewel guest host WWE Raw

2010-02-23T09:36:25Z

Being a huge fan of Jewel's music, I was really looking forward to her stint as co-guest host with her husband, Ty Murray, on Monday's Raw.

But, boy oh boy, Jewel stunk up the joint and was outdone by Ty.

While it pains me to say that, let's review.

Ty and Jewel:

1. Divas segment. REACT: Jewel slapped Jillian Hall, which was unexpected and was a hard hit. Jewel outsinging Jillian Hall was expected and pleasant to my ears. Ty and Jewel hanging out with the Divas, though, accomplished nothing.

2. Jewel injured? REACT: Was Jewel really hurt riding a mechanical bull? Or was this all bull? I didn't buy it, even if it was legit. Although her twitter (twitter.com/jeweljk) said she did hurt herself last week.

3. Diva bull riding challenge. REACT: Normally, I wouldn't complain of such a thing. But with the slowest mechanical bull I've ever seen, I was bored. Eve, Kelly Kelly and The Bella Twins had no problem staying on the bull for their turns. And that was ridiculous. Have any of you seen these things and actually thought you'd stay on one?

4. Miz and Big Show. REACT: I laughed when The Miz said he didn't mean to be "spoiling the party." The Miz and Big Show had strong verbage with Ty, who cut a few funny one-liners. Big Show falling off the bull and then punching the bull didn't do much for me.

5. Funny Ty. Jewel's humor dry. REACT: Yes, I have just bashed Jewel. My apologies.

6. Ty and Jewel make a match. REACT: Their only executive decision the entire show.

7. PBRNow.com. REACT: That's the link for Ty's next rodeo gig. Good plug.

8. Jewel's "Stay Here Forever" CD for the Valentine's Day movie. REACT: A good plug for Jewel.

9. Oops! REACT: While WWE.com did a good job with the link (tymurray.com), I don't think I heard any Raw mention that Ty and Jewel will be on "Dancing With the Stars" on ABC beginning March 9.

Guest grade: Jewel's five seconds of singing and being on Raw prevent her from a failing grade. Yes, she was that bad. Ty didn't hurt her grade. Grade: D.

The matches:

1. Maryse beats Gail Kim to become the new Divas Champion. REACT: It was good to see this match get some time, and it was one of the better recent women's matches.

2. Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, Yoshi Tatsu beat Randy Orton and The Legacy (Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes). REACT: I like how Orton said he taught The Legacy too well and that everyone was his fault. I actually bought it, especially after The Legacy said they had their own plan. The pace of this match was fast at first, but slowed down when Orton and Kofi were wrestling. Bourne's resiliency and high-flying was the highlight, along with Orton snapping nicely on Rhodes and then DiBiase. Orton being the face in this feud concerns me alot, but I like this becoming a probable WrestleMania triple-threat match.

3. Christian beats Carlito in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. REACT: This was a decent match, even though it was obvious Carlito had no chance of winning. While Christian will definitely be a top-two favorite in this WrestleMania eight-man match, I'm curious who else will be in it.

4. Unified Tag Team Champions The Miz and Big Show beat Mark Henry and MVP. REACT: Big Show implementing a spear was nicely done, and it was good to see him get the knockout punch. Match was decent.

5. John Cena beats WWE Champion Batista by disqualification. REACT: It was crazy-stupid that this match had no time at the end, but the payoff was strong with a quick DQ after a low blow by Batista to Cena right after the bell. Batista was really put over, and that was refreshing.

The angles

1. John Cena vs. Vince McMahon. REACT: Those rumors of a face McMahon turn to help the real life political campaign of his wife Linda won't be happening anytime soon. This feud is fine as long as it doesn't go full-blown like Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. McMahon did.

2. Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart. REACT: I'm enjoying this alot. I like how Vince said he wanted to wrestle Bret before the car hurt Bret's leg. I also like how Vince invited Bret back next week to "say a proper farewell." Multiple WWE sources said McMahon is considering having Bret win the WWE Title at WrestleMania. That would be shocking, as it seems like Cena-Batista will be a world-title singles match and not a tag-team match with stipulations.

Officially set for WrestleMania

1. World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Edge. REACT: While Jericho went on a minute too long, I like how Edge wasted no time making his decision as to which champion he wants to wrestle.

2. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels. REACT: Wow. The streak vs. retirement. It doesn't get any bigger than that. I thought the post-confrontation clips were well-done. I liked Michaels' "I did what I had to do" and "I'm not just hoping for a reaction, I'm counting on it" quotes. While Michaels' begging Undertaker, who looked very old, by the way, was strange, the segment was strong. I'd buy the show just for this match.

3. Money in the Bank Ladder Match. REACT: Christian is in. I don't see him winning, although I do wonder if a win was promised to him when he signed back with WWE.

Raw grade. REACT: Wrestling and the push for WrestleMania, with three matches officially set, bump up the D guest grade. It was that good of a show. Grade: B.

Other possible WrestleMania matches

In order of probability:

1. John Cena vs. WWE Champion Batista. REACT: This one is all but set.

2. Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart. REACT: All but set, and scary that it's leaning toward a one-on-one encounter.

3. Legacy in a triple-threat match. REACT: This needs to be settled.

4. Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk. REACT: Mysterio pinned Punk in the Chamber, and we've heard of a mask vs. hair match.

5. Triple H vs. Sheamus. REACT: HHH did pin Sheamus in the Chamber, and these two do need a match. It's just a strange pairing.

Next week's guest hosts

Cheech and Chong. REACT: God help us. I guess they can't be worse than Ty and Jewel.

Hall of Fame

Ted DiBiase Sr., Antonio Inoki are joined by Wendi Richter. REACT: That's refreshing to see Richter added. She's one of my early favorites as a young lad. I enjoyed seeing the Rock 'N' Wrestling clips and the wrestling cartoons. Those ruled! I remember waking up every Saturday to watch those.

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

Connecticut Post article said WWE's answer to "How many wrestlers have died while under contract with the WWE?" is "only five." REACT: Sounds close to accurate, and it's good to see a number on this always-sad picture.

Drew McIntyre's backstage nickname is reportedly Avatar because his girlfriend Tiffany reportedly controls him. REACT: Still a strong power couple, but he's losing points.

Jim Ross said Matt Striker is on an "adjective rush." REACT: Striker can be annoying at times.

Slim Jim is the official sponsor for WrestleMania. REACT: OK. Now we just need a Randy Savage appearance at WrestleMania!

NXT face-heel breakdown has pros (3 faces, 5 heels) and newbies (4 faces, 4 heels), with 2 heel-heel pairings, one face-face pairing and five face-heel pairings. REACT: More heels means more drama, and that's good for this show.

Also

Former ECW wrestler New Jack said he is donating his brain after death to medical research. REACT: I think it's great wrestlers are doing this. New Jack's brain would be unique for sure.

Poor Ric Flair

2010-02-23T09:24:53Z

"To be the man, you gotta beat the man."

Flair's wife, his No. 4 by the way, is officially the man, I guess, after assaulting "The Nature Boy" on Sunday night.

While it's good to see Flair wasn't seriously hurt, this entire incident is unfortunate.

I would like to see an angle out of it in TNA Wrestling, but don't count on it.

As a heel in his pairing with TNA World Champion AJ Styles, an angle would cripple Flair's character.

Expect a few fans to have fun with it.

Oh, and for the record, with Flair being on wife No. 4, he is 1/4 of the way there to tying his number for his 16 (recognized) world championships.

Here's the full story from The Associated Press:

Wife charged with assaulting wrestler Ric Flair

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Police say the wife of pro wrestler Ric Flair has been charged with assaulting him in their North Carolina home.

In a statement, Flair called the incident an unfortunate disagreement and said he did nothing wrong.

Authorities say officers were called to Flair's home in south Charlotte on Sunday night. Flair said his wife attacked him after they went out for dinner. He had minor injuries, but refused treatment from paramedics.

Police charged 41-year-old Jacqueline Beems with simple assault. She was released from jail a few hours after her arrest.

The 60-year old platinum blond grappler nicknamed "The Nature Boy" is currently wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling after a long career with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Top photo: Provided by the Office of the Sheriff Mecklenburg County via the Charlotte Observer is Jacqueline Beems in a booking photo.

Second photo: This Dec. 16, 2008 photo shows Flair and then-girlfriend Jackie at the premiere of the movie "The Wrestler" at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008.

7 WrestleMania matches set?

2010-02-22T05:54:22Z

WWE Elimination Chamber review

John Cena wins the Raw Chamber against WWE champion Sheamus, Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase & Kofi Kingston, then loses to Batista. REACT: It seems Batista will next face Cena for the strap. It looks like we'll have a DiBiase-Orton feud after DiBiase eliminated Orton, although Kingston pinned DiBiase. Sheamus pinning DiBiase was smart, as was HHH pinning Sheamus assuming we'll have a Sheamus-HHH feud. Cena getting HHH to submit to win the title was a surprise, and it was even more of a surprise when Batista was granted a match and won in 31 seconds. I like how there was some surprise here, although Batista winning came out of nowhere. It seems to overpush the feud as opposed to letting it evolve slowly. Plus, it's for the title, where I think it would be better to have HHH-Sheamus for the title. PICK: I'm 0-1.

Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre beats Kane. REACT: No surprise here. The right guy won in what was said to be a dry match. PICK: I'm 1-1.

Michelle McCool/Layla beat Maryse/Gail Kim. REACT: I don't like how WWE went weeks promoting the vacant Divas title match and then made this a tag-team match. McCool getting the pin on Kim doesn't bother me at all, but we still don't have a Divas champion. PICK: Match was changed. Doesn't count.

NXT promos. REACT: Smart. Why William Regal was in an angle with Edge, though, boggles my mind.

U.S. titleholder The Miz beats MVP. REACT: Good to read this match was solid. PICK: Match was added. Doesn't count.

Chris Jericho wins the World Heavyweight Title in the Smackdown Chamber against champion Undertaker, John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. PREDICTION: Jericho-Edge and Undertaker-Michaels seem set after Michaels snuck in and superkicked Undertaker, leading to Jericho getting the pin. Punk pinning R-Truth was smart, as was Mysterio pinning Punk as that's a likely WrestleMania match. I liked Morrison pinning Punk and Undertaker then pinning Morrison, as it made sense to have Undertaker lose at the end. But now, Michaels is a heel, and I don't think that's the way to go. Also, it's good to hear Undertaker isn't seriously burned after a real pyrotechnic malfunction. Somebody will likely get canned over that.

WrestleMania matches? Batista-Cena, Sheamus-HHH, Legacy in a three-way match (?), Jericho-Edge, Undertaker-Michaels, Mysterio-Punk, Vince McMahon-Bret Hart. Are there really seven matches already set?

LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS

WWE

No charges for Randy Orton for spitting accusation. REACT: Great news for Orton and WWE.

Tim Baines of the Ottawa Sun said Bret Hart will use his broken leg angle to trick Vince McMahon into a match at WrestleMania. REACT: Makes sense. Vince screws Bret. Bret screws Vince. Everyone is happy.

Shad Gaspard said he made the first-round cut of casting for a heel role in the upcoming Conan the Barbarian movie. REACT: Five percent chance he gets it.

TNA Wrestling

Eric Bischoff said there is no chance of Dallas Page returning and said he spoke to Bill Goldberg recently but wrestling wasn't discussed. REACT: Goldberg returning would be huge.

According to the Wrestling Globe Newsletter, the Hogans will have to provide life-time care for John Graziano as part of the undisclosed settlement. REACT: That sounds like a ton of cash.

WWE Elimination Chamber predictions

2010-02-21T05:25:55Z

Sheamus defends the WWE title against John Cena, Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase & Kofi Kingston in the Raw Chamber. PREDICTION: This is the toughest match on the card to call. I see Sheamus dropping the title, though. The odds are too stacked against him. In order of winning, I see Triple H, Randy Orton, John Cena, Ted DiBiase and Kofi Kingston. If Triple H wins, it gives Edge a choice, although we'll likely see HHH-Sheamus at WrestleMania. Orton is likely better off facing DiBiase at WrestleMania, while Cena and Batista seemed destined to meet. And Kofi? Sorry. Won't happen.

The Undertaker defending the World heavyweight title against John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk, Chris Jericho & Rey Mysterio in the Smackdown Chamber. PREDICTION: I think it's safe to say Undertaker will drop the title. WWE seems to want an Undertaker-Shawn Michaels match at WrestleMania. In order of winning, I see Jericho, Punk, Morrison, Mysterio and R-Truth. Jericho seems like the safest bet, as Edge will challenge him for the title at WrestleMania. Punk vs. Mysterio is being rumored for WrestleMania. WWE is considering turning Morrision heel, so it doesn't have world-title faith in him like I hoped. And R-Truth? It just won't happen.

Maryse vs. Gail Kim for the vacant Divas title. PREDICTION: There is no reason Gail should win this match. Maryse is a much more interesting character, and can do much more with the title in numerous feuds.

Drew McIntyre vs. Kane for the IC title. PREDICTION: WWE is high on McIntyre, and he should win this match. Kane doesn't need the IC title.

WWE

Mae Young reportedly the first to perform in nine different decades. REACT: I won't dispute that.

Layla El wants an Elimination Chamber match for the Divas. REACT: Will never happen.

Former Florida Gators defensive end Thaddeus Bullard wrestles as Titus O'Neill in FCW. REACT: How about a college gimmick?

Chris Jericho twitters he had a root canal this week. REACT: Ouch! Right before the pay-per-view, too?

WWE to use wrestlers with established actors in movies. REACT: Smart, if WWE can get established actors.

One of Stephanie McMahon's favorite WrestleMania moments: "I think certain moments stand out more than others, like Undertaker-Shawn from last year. The WrestleMania 24 Orlando show stands out for me because of the open roof and because the spectacle of it all felt so special." REACT: Great to hear. How about a return visit?

TNA Wrestling

Scott Steiner reportedly not kept because of Ric Flair coming in. REACT: That's a shame.

Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett on decent terms. REACT: Refreshing.

TNA to reportedly have less women's matches. REACT: With the strong ratings, that seems unwise.

Destination X PPV to be scaled down from an all-X Division event. REACT: No-brainer.

Orlando Jordan and male companion in-ring angle segment not shown on TV. REACT: Smart. The poor live crowd, though.

Talk among TNA management about reducing the number of annual pay-per-view events. REACT: I think that would be a good move.

Hulk Hogan joining ex-Dallas Cowboy Troy Aikman as a "power personality" for Rent-A-Center. REACT: How about them Cowboys?

Hogan settles with Graziano family

2010-02-20T01:15:32Z

Hulk Hogan settling a lawsuit with the Graziano family is huge. Plain and simple.

Hogan has avoided major media coverage of an upcoming event.

This is great for TNA Wrestling as it embarks on every-other-week live shows and every Monday night shows, with Hogan leading the way.

I'm certain Hogan had to come up with a huge amount of money to satisfy the Graziano family, but it is money well spent from all indications.

I am surprised the Graziano family agreed to a settlement, but the money numbers must have raised their eyebrows.

One less celebrity trial is better for everyone, especially all involved in this horrific car crash.

Continued best of luck to John Graziano in his recovery.

Here's the complete story from The Associated Press:

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Hulk Hogan has settled a lawsuit with the family of a young man critically injured in a car crash caused by the celebrity wrestler's son.

An attorney for the family of John Graziano held a news conference Friday to announce the settlement. Lawyer George Tragos did not disclose the terms of the settlement.

The 25-year-old Graziano was riding without a seat belt in Nick Bollea's speeding Toyota Supra when it crashed in downtown Clearwater in August 2007.

Graziano suffered brain injuries and spent two years in a hospital before his release in September. The Iraq war veteran's family says his care will cost millions.

Nick Bollea pleaded no contest to reckless driving and spent more than five months in jail.

Hulk Hogan's real name is Terry Bollea.

WWE NXT looks interesting

2010-02-18T07:57:42Z

I was always a big fan of WWE's "Tough Enough,'' and while I'm not a total mark like a few of my co-workers are for "The Ultimate Fighter," WWE NXT is similar to that show as well.

I think a total revamp of WWE's Tuesday night show -- from the now-dead ECW to WWE NXT -- is a welcomed sight.

Here's what we know.

The show will feature pros mentoring eight rookies trying to go from FCW to WWE Raw or Smackdown. It will have two to three seasons per year.

While the direction concerns me some, as some of this will be done "on the fly," it will make Tuesday nights for wrestling much more TV-friendly.

Season 1 names, with their mentors, are:

1. FCW Champion Justin Gabriel (Justin Angel in FCW) with Matt Hardy

2. Daniel Bryan (formerly Bryan Danielson) with The Miz

3. Wade Barrett with Chris Jericho

4. Skip Sheffield with MVP
5. Michael Tarver with Carlito

6. Heath Slater with Christian

7. Darren Young (longtime Northeast indie wrestler Fred Sampson) with CM Punk

8. David Otunga (Jennifer Hudson's fiance) with R-Truth.

Other names rumored were Joe Hennig and Brett DiBiase, although they would seem to be called up soon one day due to their last names. They -- along with Kaval (Low Ki) -- were not chosen.

Gabriel and Bryan seem like locks to make the final, but with the mentors, who knows how Season 1 will play out.

There have also been reports of incorporating the Divas into the show. But that seems pointless to me.

WWE

Ezekiel Jackson beats Christian to become ECW Champion. REACT: That's a surprise. While it pushes Jackson big-time and will allow Christian to move to Smackdown, it ,means Ezekiel Jackson will go down as the last ECW Champion. Is that right? I don't think so. I think it's a slight knock on all past ECW Originals.

The NXT Wrestling group from Scotland comes to terms with WWE over WWE NXT. REACT: I wonder how much cash exchanged hands here.

ECW changes reportedly have Christian, Caylen Croft and Trent Baretta going to Smackdown, with William Regal, Ezekiel Jackson, Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendez going to Raw. REACT: A Christian-Edge feud or pairing is smart, while Croft/Baretta remain my favorite young tag team. I can't see Regal/Jackson contributing much to Raw, but Ryder/Mendez will be respectable. Shelton Benjamin needs a home on Raw, but will probably get thrown on Smackdown. However, as usual, he's on an extreme -- currently on a push after an awesome last two weeks on ECW. Maybe Benjamin has hope for Raw.

Chris Jericho pays his fine to void a reported arrest warrant for no-showing his court hearing. REACT: Did he actually forget?

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels. REACT: Since this is a WrestleMania rematch, why not make it a retirement match?

Stone Cold Steve Austin says he has no interest in wrestling Hulk Hogan. REACT: I wanted this match forever. Now, it's pointless and would be embarrassing.

TNA Wrestling

Rob Van Dam tells the Right After Wrestling Sirius XM satellite radio show there is a "good possibility" he will accept an offer. REACT: A relaxed schedule, and less WWE corporate, would serve RVD very well.

Hulk Hogan/Abyss vs. Ric Flair/TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles on the second live show March 8. REACT: Why not. It's a tag-team match. I'll be watching that one closely.

Mr. Kennedy tells The Sun that WWE's steroids testing are "a little much." REACT: I totally disagree on this one.

Bill Goldberg said he hasn't been contacted. REACT: Not contacted by TNA? Yes. Not contacted by Hogan? Doubtful.

Booker T and Sharmell. REACT: Twins rule! Congrats to the couple!

Jerry Springer guest hosts WWE Raw

2010-02-16T08:46:30Z

I read last week that Jerry Springer, one of my favorite talk-show host personalities, was drinking when he agreed to host Raw.

That didn't give me much faith in him going into the show.

After watching Raw, he's one of the toughest guest hosts yet to grade.

1. "WWE Superstars' Most Intimate Relationships." REACT: I wasn't sure where WWE was going to go with this at first. I was intrigued.

2. 20 minutes? REACT: Seems like a lot, but I don't think it was 20 minutes I completely lost. Pretty much lost? Maybe.

3. Great with fans. REACT: Jerry remains great with his fans, shaking every hand and thanking them. He's a class act. I shook his hand in Daytona Beach years ago during Spring Break.

4. Kelly Kelly pregnant? REACT: The thought is so comical that I should have eased up on the direction of the segment.

5. Pushing the PG rating. REACT: We heard phrases like "Lots of possibilities (for who the baby's father was)," "somebody to finish the job" and "Brie is a man."

6. Cast of characters. REACT: What a group with Santino Marella, Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, The Bella Twins, Chris Masters, Eve, The Great Khali and Hornswoggle.

7. Maury Povich. REACT: Having paternity test results in "three days" was absurd, but there was nothing realistic about this segment. It was supposed to be funny.

8. "Crazier than my own show." REACT: Not true, Jerry. I've been to some of your shows live.

9. Chirade. REACT: WWE settled the concerns of the PG rating by saying this was done to freak Jerry out. It was funny when Jerry asked, "I've been Punked?"

10. Mae Young. REACT: Mae Young's acts never get old. It's funny.

11. Springer's final thought. REACT: Yes! I love the final thought. It really pushed the PPV.

12. "Please don't judge me." REACT: Another great Springer quote when he exited with Mae Young.

Springer's grade: He didn't make matches. His goal was to have a comedy segment and then push the PPV. Plain and simple. But it was a little too much comedy. Grade: C-.

The matches

1. WWE Champion Sheamus beats Randy Orton by DQ. REACT: I like that the champ led off (and ended) the show strong. It moved smoothly. I didn't like how Legacy distracted Orton more than Sheamus. I would like some decision on where The Legacy, specifically Cody Rhodes, is going with Orton, who is starting to receive strong pops.

2. Mark Henry/MVP beat Unified Tag Team Champions Big Show/The Miz in a non-title match. REACT: ShowMiz is 760 pounds? Wow. I enjoyed the match pace. I liked Big Show's legdrop on Henry to break up the pin attempt. The rollup on Miz did come out of nowhere, but the result is good.

3. Ted DiBiase beats Kofi Kingston. REACT: Kofi is some high-flyer. While it was a little eerie for DiBiase to tease concussion-like symptoms, it was good and surprising to see him win. The match was decent.

4. John Cena vs. Triple H ends in no contest. REACT: I would think Batista would be a major distraction to Cena in a match involving guys with 20 combined world titles. I thought a goal was to make people realize HHH is a great singles wrestler and not just a tag-team wrestler. That was accomplished. There were some surprising top-rope moves and out-of-ring action in this back-and-forth match.

Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon

1. "Finish things once and for all?" REACT: Without Vince there? That didn't make sense.

2. Bret pops. REACT: The crowd loves him. Face it, Bret on Raw is huge every week.

3. "Victory will last a lifetime, but excellence will last forever." REACT: Awesome quote by Bret.

4. Thanks. REACT: I liked how Bret thanked the fans and John Cena. I also like how he said good-bye to several Superstars.

5. Random blonde backs into Bret's limo, crushing Bret's leg. REACT: I thought this segment worked. It's the only way to get Vince to want to wrestle Bret, so why not. This story line is about closure. Bret is now the underdog, and that's necessary for this to work.

6. TNA Wrestling. REACT: No, that wasn't Hulk Hogan that sent Brooke Hogan to run into Bret's leg. I don't think TNA Wrestling would do an angle like this with Brooke, especially with Nick's driving history.

7. Security camera angle. REACT: While the car-on-leg impact looked harder here, it was nice to see it to make it more believable. The pops when Bret puts a Sharpshooter on Vince with a "broken" or "almost-broken leg" will be huge.

John Cena vs. Batista

1. It's dragging on. REACT: It had to with the PPV on Sunday. I do like this new comical Batista.

Final Raw thoughts

1. Dog show reminders. REACT: Remember when Raw went to the dogs a couple times per year? While the constant reminders to swap channels were annoying, I was waiting for one of the announcers to mention pedigree as it relates to Triple H and not the sponsor.

2. President's Day national anthem. REACT: That girl scored a sweet gig. Well done, too.

3. Hall of Fame for Antonio Inoki. REACT: Awesome clips, which included Muhammed Ali, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. A good history recap for those who don't know much about Inoki.

Raw grade: Not enough wrestling (four matches). Too much Springer comedy. But I really liked the Bret-McMahon push. Grade: C+.

Sunday's Elimination Chamber

1. HHH has four EC wins. REACT: How can he not be a favorite, when only two of six champions have retained?

2. Sheamus. REACT: At 6-foot-6, 276 pounds, you can't discount him to retain. But, he could barely hold up HHH for the finishing move to close the show. That's a concern.

3. Promo. REACT: Great clips, making me want to watch the show.

WWE

ECW stars to become free agents. REACT: Smart.

Talk of turning John Morrison heel again. REACT: Bad idea. No wonder he hasn't gotten more of a push.

Undertaker to probably work two, possibly three, matches between now and WrestleMania, and will probably drop the title before WrestleMania. REACT: Makes sense, as he would drop it at the Chamber pay-per-view.

The Rock may serve as a semi-permanent RAW guest host for the entire summer. REACT: I can't see this happening.

WWE reportedly contacted Hollywood writers to help with NXT. REACT: Give it a go. It can't hurt the Tuesday show. I do prefer more of an Ultimate Fighter episode, though.

John Morrison's ankle broken? REACT: The Dwight Freeney of WWE.

Serena Deeb reportedly the only woman willing to get her head shaved for the CM Punk story line. REACT: Many women wrestlers missed a chance for a call-up.

Survivor Series PPV down 26 percent. REACT: I agree the concept is old, and I think something fresh would be welcomed for one of the original four PPVs.

Vince McMahon plans to launch WWE's upcoming television network by next summer. REACT: Great idea, and Raw can still say on USA.

Brian Danielson now called Daniel Bryan. REACT: This name has nothing to hook me.

Maria said she doesn't get along with Cyndi Lauper. REACT: Lauper is an original and shouldn't be bashed verbally.

Jenny Quinn (Jenny Cash) gone from FCW. REACT: Too bad. She had potential.

Depush for Tiffany and Cryme Tyme? REACT: In the new PG world, it's likely. All three would be missed, as they each bring something to WWE.

TNA Wrestling

TNA made it official. It will start its Monday shows March 8, taping live every other week. Here's the new Orlando schedule: Monday March 8 (live); Tuesday March 9; Monday March 22 (live); Tuesday March 23; Monday April 5 (live); Tuesday April 6; Monday April 19 (live); Tuesday April 20. REACT: This is awesome for wrestling. While we probably won't get a ratings war again, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Bobby Lashley's profile removed from Web site. REACT: Lashley won't be a huge loss, but he does have strong name value, and that name value will only become greater.

Hulk Hogan says he may turn heel soon. REACT: May be a good idea considering how fans react to him.

Hogan vs. Ric Flair soon. Again. REACT: Can't hurt.

Eric Bischoff has a ratings system for title-belt contenders. REACT: I love this idea.

Scott Steiner gone after not being offered a new contract. REACT: Name value who had a surprisingly strong run.

Kurt Angle wants a reduced schedule with no live events. REACT: I will believe that when I see it.

Hogan and Flair not at Jack Brisco's funeral service. REACT: They have that right and shouldn't be criticized for not showing up. Flair reportedly had travel issues.

Upcoming Kevin Nash and Scott Hall feud. REACT: Why not? I like that.

Also

ECW founder Tod Gordon said he and Paul Heyman are working on the "greatest collaboration ever" that will be announced in July 2011 before they go public in August 2011. REACT: A return of ECW? I'd watch.