http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/ Latest Blogs http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/183/is-the-doctor-of-thuganomics-back/
However there was something different about him on the Feb 20 edition of Monday Night Raw. Ce...]]>
However there was something different about him on the Feb 20 edition of Monday Night Raw. Cena had a different energy and looked like a man who was on a mission.

The program started off with Eve turning heel and admitting she only intends to use Cena for her own personal gains. However, Cena overhears her and tears her apart in the ring.

His comments about Eve included "sipping the skank juice" and "hoski." These were pretty unusual for the PG era, but it did was get the fans behind Cena.

The best part of his first segment was when he took a shot at the Rock by comparing him and Eve. Cena said that they are both "scandalous bitches." This was again a little different than the things we have heard during the PG era.

After his shot at Eve and the Rock, Cena looked into the camera and seemed to have mouthed the words "I'm back."

Could this be signifying the fact that he is going back to his thuganomic roots. When Cena was starting his career and making a name for himself, he had a very different gimmick than he has now. He was the "Doctor of Thuganomics" who was a rapper that cut promos by rhyming.

Cena was a heel but as the gimmick grew, so did the support for him. Cena had some significant matches with this gimmick and became the U.S Champion.

By the end of 2003, Cena was a fan favorite and the rapper gimmick slowly started to fade away. However the one thing that should never be forgotten is the ruthlessness and edginess of Cena during his thuganomics run. He became one of the most popular superstars because of his ability on the mic and cutting entertaining promos.


One of the loudest pops in recent memory came last year when the Rock was announced as the host of WrestleMania 27. He came out and started the rivalry between him and Cena, by calling out Cena for his comments regarding the Rock ditching the WWE. While his comments about Cena electrified the fans, Cena's response the next week, in my opinion, was better.

For a few minutes, Cena brought back his thuganomics gimmick and ripped apart the Rock. What was evident was the fans positive reaction and the pop he was getting after each joke. Cena usually has a split reaction from the crowd but for that promo, everyone was cheering.

Cena's second segment on the Feb 20 Raw was uninterrupted and he got the ball rolling again between him and the Rock. He had a different tone in his voice which sounded similar to the tone he used when he was the "Doctor of Thuganomics."

It appeared as if Cena started to go off of what was possibly intended as he apologized and stated that he would probably get fined. While he may not have been rhyming, Cena had the same type of ruthlessness and edginess that got him to where he is today.

He called Eve a "skankapotamus" before addressing Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson. He was taking personal shots at the Rock for his entourage and said he doesn't respect him. What was different about this segment than his recent ones regarding the Rock is the personal comments and they seemed as if they were truly genuine feelings. He also didn't care about putting down his own movies in the process.

The flow and the tone in Cena's voice continued throughout the promo and brought us back to his old rapping gimmick. He admitted that he would get fined by Vince McMahon for saying that "the only reason that he came back in the first place was to promote Fast Five and launch his twitter account."

He then went on to say he would fight at WrestleMania for those people that walk this planet and say that they are proud to be a professional wrestler. He again must have said something he wasn't supposed to because before he said "professional wrestler" he turned to the backstage and apologized as if he knew he wasn't supposed to say that.

Cena put the icing on the cake as he said "I'll see you next week movie star," blew a kiss to the Rock and flipped the microphone.

Cena cut a strong promo that picked up the intensity of this rivalry. The Rock is going to have to bring something different to the table next week if he wants to match the bar that was set high by Cena.

Cena continues to electrify the crowd himself, with the promos towards the Rock. Say what you want about the Rock being the best on the mic of all time, Cena is winning this battle on the mic.

He may not be rhyming or rapping, but Cena is using the same intensity and ruthless approach that he used when he was the "Doctor of Thuganomics." Cena has been in need of a slight change in his gimmick. Could a return to his thuganomic roots be the answer?

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/183/is-the-doctor-of-thuganomics-back/ Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:16 +0000 Kelli H. http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/182/why-the-rock-should-win-and-why-he-won-039-t/
WWE has...]]>
WWE has accomplished building a year-long feud without it becoming stale. As a fan of thirty years, I have a great appreciation for their efforts. It reminds me of the days when feuds weren't force-fed to the fans just to fill a monthly pay-per-view card.

Anyway, enough of me being a curmudgeon.

Here's my take: The Rock should win.

Why? Two reasons:

He's more popular with many of the fans than Cena is. Listen to the pop that Rocky gets when he enters an arena. That's not nostalgia, folks. The guy is over and always will be.

Defeating Cena will do nothing to damage or shame Cena's character. Hear me out on this one. It's not as crazy as it sounds.

When Hulk Hogan came back to defeat Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels in one-off bouts at SummerSlam, did it damage either man to lose to the Hulkster? Not one bit.

Orton and Michaels had firmly established characters already, so losing one match couldn't possibly do any harm. Cena is still arguably the face of the company, and putting Rocky over would do little to damage that.

Besides, I can't be the only one sick of Super Cena. Losing once in a while is good for you, Johnny. Embrace doing the job, son.

All that said, The Rock will lose.

Why? One reason. Protection of Cena.

Cena puts money in the coffers, friends. That alone is enough to keep him protected and not lose to someone coming in from the outside, even if it is one of the WWE's biggest stars ever.

Cena isn't a better worker than Rocky. He's not as charismatic, and as good as he is on the stick, Rocky owns anyone who goes toe to toe with him verbally.

But I have to give the devil his due. Cena is correct when he says he's there, week in and week out. I'm not a Cena fan, but I respect the hell out of him for that.

I know this makes me sound like a total mark for The Rock, but it seems clear as day to me that he should go over.

And I'm sure it's quite clear to Vince why Rocky won't.]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/182/why-the-rock-should-win-and-why-he-won-039-t/ Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:18:30 +0000 david cop http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/181/seriously-where-is-kharma/
Amidst all the chaos and disarray, the fans have been led to believe that eventually Kharma will return from her pregnancy and wreak havoc on the division, perhaps restoring a modicum of credibility to a once tolerable aspect of sports entertainment.

But after her surprise entrance in the Royal Rumble three weeks ago, we've been left to wonder: where is she? Four Raws and three Smackdowns later, she is still conspicuously absent from WWE programming.

I understand that she just gave birth at the end of December, but if she was well enough to show up at the Royal Rumble match and be physical for a short period a month afterward, I imagine she should be ready from a physical standpoint almost two months after delivering.

In every Divas match over the course of those three weeks, I've expected her to come out and take her place as the savior of the Divas division; a legitimate challenger for Beth Phoenix and a refreshing departure from the god-awful female performers we're usually subjected to. It didn't happen. I was OK with that, because I figured they were just holding her back until after Elimination Chamber.

I almost expected her to show up at Elimination Chamber during the match between Beth Phoenix and Tamina Snuka to build a feud either with Phoenix or with both women for a compelling Divas Title match at Wrestlemania. It didn't happen. That's OK, I reasoned. It'll happen on RAW.

I fully expected her to show up in the middle of tonight's compulsory Divas match and clean house, serving notice to the WWE that she was back and ready to take what is hers. It didn't happen. Now I'm concerned.

When is it going to happen? After putting herself on our radar by appearing in the Rumble match, will it still be a surprise? There's never been more anticipation for a Diva's debut, and for some reason we're still not getting it. There's a difference between building suspense and wasting time.

With the way WWE's been going, I half expect them to announce her return a week in advance and suck the surprise out of it like they do with every other appearance.

If Kharma wants to challenge Beth Phoenix for the title at Wrestlmania, which many in the IWC admit is the necessary course of action for the Divas division, it needs to start happening yesterday.

With a weekly allotment of, what, about 5-10 minutes if they're lucky, the Divas division can't afford to wait. She needs to debut now, start terrorizing the entire division and put fear into Beth Phoenix's heart the likes of which she's never known. The clock is ticking.

Until then, we're stuck with Aksana and Kelly Kelly vs. The Bella Twins. We're stuck with Natalya cutting the cheese backstage and blaming it on someone else. And the Divas division... well, that's just stuck.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/181/seriously-where-is-kharma/ Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:26 +0000 marquise north http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/180/how-many-more-botched-moments-do-we-need-to-see-this-month-before-things-ch/ this month seems to be Botched February. Its sad cuz guys are gonna get hurt. You had miz not being in the right spot and luckly for R-truth what co... There needs to be better execution because the injuries or possible injuries are starting to mount up and the WWE cannot handle losing so many guys.
Hopefully everyone steps it up and no one else gets hurt. We don't need a little stunt turn into a life threatening injury or heaven forbid a life ending one like the late Owen Hart RIP!]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/180/how-many-more-botched-moments-do-we-need-to-see-this-month-before-things-ch/ Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:39:23 +0000 Nick Finocchio http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/179/cm-punk-039-s-predictable-win-met-with-yawns/
John Cena dispatched...]]>
John Cena dispatched of Kane, Daniel Bryan roughed up a bunch of pretenders and CM Punk took care of business over Chris Jericho and The Miz.

Where was the twist? Where was the unexpected winner that shook up the wrestling world?

I’m still looking.

While Punk was absolutely dominant against R-Truth, Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler, the real intrigue at the Raw Elimination Chamber didn’t begin until it was down to three.


Photo Via Pwpix.com
In what looked to be an eventual Punk-Jericho showdown, a roundhouse kick to the face from Punk knocked Y2J to the ground, and the trainers declared he could no longer go on. Was that part of the show or a complete accident? Jericho looked messed up and seemed pretty lifeless on the ground.

After that, predictably, Punk finished off Miz and retained his status as WWE champion.

The budding Punk-Jericho rivalry certainly took the next level with one kick and now that they’ll be officially squaring off in WrestleMania, the anticipation will be high, but now it’s a lose-lose situation for Punk who technically didn't beat Jericho since trainers said he could no longer continue the match.

Another win and he is less than a month from being the longest champ in the history of WWE. While Punk is great, he is not worthy of such a lofty record. A loss to Jericho and he can’t beat an old man that is likely going to fade to black again sooner rather than later.

Jericho should have won Elimination and set up more intrigue for WrestleMania on April 1st. Maybe the creative team had that planned all along and Punk screwed it up. Or maybe the writers are ready to make Punk the face of WWE for the foreseeable future.

Either way, I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only one that was disappointed that Punk won yet again in a PPV event.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/179/cm-punk-039-s-predictable-win-met-with-yawns/ Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:43:52 +0000 Jeremiah Traylor http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/178/how-the-elimination-chamber-main-event-ruined-the-ppv/
Watching the Kane vs. John Cena match, it seemed to drag on. Sure, the crowd got into it as it went on, but I never got into the match like I did all the others on the card. Cena would get the babyface reactions he usually gets, but they would be short-lived at best. So, other than those short-lived pops, it felt like we were watching a heel vs. heel match.

The entire time, I was waiting for the match to be over so I could see whatever aftermath would take place. After all, something big had to happen to warrant Cena and Kane getting the main-event slot on an event named Elimination Chamber, right?

After a 20 minute back-and-forth brawl, Cena made his classic Superman-like comeback to win the match. Cena's victory was not surprising to many, but it was the lack of a follow-up that left a bad taste in this fan's mouth. Personally, I was hoping for something big that would lead into the final stretch before WrestleMania.

Instead, what we got was Cena standing in the ring, looking at the WrestleMania 28 sign as the PPV went off-air.

It left fans wanting more, but not in a good way. After all the focus the Kane vs. Cena feud has demanded, there was virtually no payoff other than Cena's victory. Many fans, including myself, were expecting some sort of transitional event to shift Cena's focus from this feud to his WrestleMania feud with The Rock. The WWE failed to deliver on that. For that reason alone, I believe that Kane vs. Cena ruined the memory of the 2012 Elimination Chamber PPV.

From top to bottom, this year's Elimination Chamber show was far from Road to WrestleMania expectations, but it was not terrible. It did prove the impact that the order of matches has on the show. In my opinion, the awful finish to the show had an adverse effect on the show as a whole. And understandably so, because the finish to a PPV is generally the most memorable part of the show.

Kane vs. John Cena had no reason for main eventing. Had Elimination Chamber ended with CM Punk retaining his WWE Championship after a very exciting and fun Elimination Chamber match, I feel that this PPV would be remembered in a much better light.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/178/how-the-elimination-chamber-main-event-ruined-the-ppv/ Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:41:18 +0000 KANSAS RATTLESNAKE http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/177/what-cm-punk-039-s-win-means/
Just c...]]>
Just call it another night at the office for CM Punk.

All he did was again prove he can sell and wrestle better than anyone in the business today. And heading into WrestleMania 28, he will be one of the headliners in a very crowded front row.

Punk beat The Miz in the final challenge of the first match of the evening and took home the title. But if the injury to Chris Jericho was real (as it looked like it was and from the reaction of Punk during the match), then someone like a Miz or even Kofi Kingston could jump into the mix as a possible contender for the title.

Punk seems to pull this off time and time again, and while some of this has become predictable, the fact remains there are some wrestlers who are worthy of the title and could carry it while having Punk (who can carry or chase a belt equally) chase them and try to capture glory again.

Punk's ability to put over wrestlers and "wrestle" also proves he can be versatile in his pursuit of WWE glory.

The win also means that should Jericho have healed from any possible injury, the two shall move forward and hopefully light it up as one of the "undercards" of WrestleMania 28. Both were selling it pretty good before Jericho was kicked through the cage.

While Jericho and Punk may not be John Cena and Punk, the match has some great value, like Roddy Piper vs. Randy Savage or Greg Valentine vs. Piper from the NWA. They both have better skills and can talk with the best of them.

What this also means is that both of them can help sell the PPV and increase ratings through their own Monday night war.

Punk is known for his unpredictability. And to be honest, I thought he would drop the title. But he is the lead dog in what is becoming a crowded bus stop. He drives the vehicle that keeps the WWE afloat. And someone like Jericho is the type that allows us to swerve every once in a while to get out of the way of a speed bump.

But with Punk in the driver's seat, it can only mean a longer title reign is good for the brand and for business.]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/177/what-cm-punk-039-s-win-means/ Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:44:49 +0000 gary hatos http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/176/do-not-expect-undertaker-or-shawn-michaels/
Today is no different.

WWE has been teasing such a moment on their Web site. Johnny Ace is expected to make some sort of huge announcement in just a matter of a few hours, and I am excited.

Add on WWE.com acknowledging Christian perhaps being in Milwaukee, and you have a very interesting situation. Red herring or not, you have to love what WWE is doing here.

The way the message was sent seemed to hint at Triple H or Shawn Michaels making an appearance. With this past week's Raw still being a hot-button topic, many are still wondering: Just who will Undertaker face at WrestleMania?

I have been saying it will be Triple H versus Undertaker since April 3rd, 2011, so that is not of concern to me. My worry is about fans getting their hopes up tonight. This is one of the many reasons to stay away from "fantasy booking."

Fans expecting to see Undertaker tonight will be sorely disappointed. Fans expecting to see Shawn Michaels tonight will also be sorely disappointed.

Triple H making an appearance is possible. I could see him being involved with Johnny Ace at the PPV event. That would be fine.

However, expectations for some sort of "earth-shattering" moment tonight are not reasonable. Just like WWE teasing it would be a "game-changer."
Nice choice of words.

Again, I love WWE garnering some last-minute attention to a PPV event, but you have to remain realistic about the options for tonight. Keep it in the realm of current WWE storylines.

Will Johnny Ace announce he is running SmackDown? Will he "bring back" Christian? Is he going to officially sign Triple H versus Undertaker for WrestleMania?

The possibilities are endless, and I can't wait to hear the news!

As most know by now, I will be live in the arena tonight.

Would I love to see Undertaker appear? Yes.

Would I love to see Shawn Michaels tonight? Yes.

Do I expect them to be there? No.

And neither should you!]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/176/do-not-expect-undertaker-or-shawn-michaels/ Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:15:34 +0000 tommy s http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/175/could-zack-ryder-join-kane-against-john-cena/
As the storyline goes, Kane has been punishing Ryder to anger Cena, but everything took an interesting turn when the Long Island-born superstar saw the kiss between love interest Eve Torres and his buddy Cena.

It was easy to see during their promo together later that night on Monday Night Raw that Ryder isn't going to be accepting any apologies from either Eve or Cena, which leads to the possibility of him joining forces with his abuser, Kane.

The issue with going down that path is that Kane is portrayed as a heel, while Cena and Eve are still babyfaces, so some fans might get the feeling that Ryder is turning to the bad side as well. This is probably a concern WWE's creative team has already thought about, but I don't think that any fan who watched last Monday's Raw would blame Ryder for making a deal with the devil.

The former United States Champion has lost his title, lost his girl and been ambushed on multiple occasions during the Cena/Kane feud; it would only make sense that he'd seek out a little revenge on the guy who's at the root of his issues.


I haven't quite figured out whether this thing with Kane is leading to a Cena heel turn, but one of the best ways to push that angle would be to have Ryder confront his former friend sometime during the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event and have Cena show little remorse for what happened with Eve.

Theoretically, Ryder could then turn to Kane and look to interfere in the ambulance match set to take place that night. This would allow fans to see the ever-popular Long Islander in a sympathetic light and understand his reasoning for going after Cena. That way, no fans walk away thinking their "Woo Woo Woo" kid has become a bad guy, and they actually end up viewing Cena in a negative light.

There's potential in this storyline for greatness. It'd be the first time the fans would see both Ryder and Cena step out of their usual element and get their hands dirty a bit. We could see what the Internet fans have been waiting for: a John Cena heel turn and a mean streak out of the former Edge Head.

While it's debatable WWE is ready to turn the face of their company into a heel, there's a chance we see a variation on this scenario play out this Sunday. At this point in the storyline, Ryder (regardless of "injuries") should get some revenge on Cena at Elimination Chamber, and one of the ways he could do that would be through interfering in the ambulance match and helping out Kane.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/175/could-zack-ryder-join-kane-against-john-cena/ Sun, 19 Feb 2012 03:59:58 +0000 Colby http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/174/if-thq-goes-out-of-business-who-picks-up-the-wwe-video-game-license/ THQ, the video game company responsible for 31 of the 50 video games WWE has ever produced, has been experiencing some trouble with their business lat...
There have been announcements that THQ will be closing their branch in Japan at the end of this month. This has left a lot of questions as to the future of THQ and, with it, the future of WWE video games.

THQ has had a long relationship with WWE in making their video games. The last game made by another company was WWF Attitude, released on multiple platforms from March to November 1999. WWE would shock people by ending their long relationship with Acclaim to jump into a deal with THQ.

With the uncertainty of THQ's future, WWE could quickly turn into the hottest free agents, so to speak, in the wrestling world. The brand comes out with at least one video game per year and sells so many units of each game, which in the eyes of fans gets better and better. It's a goldmine that I don't think THQ would want to give up on if they had the choice.

I don't think WWE would have it any other way, either. On their corporate website, WWE announced at the end of 2009 that they signed an eight-year extension with THQ, beginning in 2010. That agreement doesn't run out until 2017. This came after long litigation from the two sides,

At the culmination of the litigation, THQ was left releasing this positive statement about WWE in the game industry.

Since WWE entered the video game market in 1990, it has been a recognized leader and one of the top ten best-selling brands since 1995* according to NPD Group. Through September 30, 2009, THQ has reported net sales of WWE video games in excess of $1.4 billion.

If they could help it, THQ would never lose WWE. While their fears may have been litigation coming up again in a few years, their future as a company entirely is in apparent jeopardy. It also means that fans of video games may be looking to competition for a possible replacement, should THQ fall into issues and no longer be the WWE video game producer.

There is 2K Games, who produces a series of sports-themed video games. They have also been responsible for such popular action games as the Bioshock and Borderlands series. Combined in the same realm of production for the company, that makes 2K more than capable to put together a wrestling video game, as well as the unique video game ventures that WWE occasionally has.

Activision is another interesting developer for this argument. The company, which has produced a series for True Crime, Call of Duty and Prototype, has been a notable name since the 1980s.

When the new contract for WWE and THQ was in discussion, Activision was actually a top bidder for the WWE series, but missed out to THQ. If THQ goes out of business, could Activision's higher offer mean a done deal the second time around?

When you think of sports video games, Electronic Arts is the king. EA Sports is a juggernaut in the gaming world, mainly because they like to sign exclusive deals with sports leagues.

There are annual EA games in regards to FIFA, MLB, NHL, auto racing, tennis, and the overly popular Madden NFL series. With a net income of $339 million, could the rich get richer if EA and WWE join forces?

With one successful series after another, Rockstar Games would be an interesting selection. The popular company responsible for the Grand Theft Auto series has used their technology to put together a lot of violent fighting games. Along with the Midnight Club, Max Payne and Red Dead series, WWE could join that club and be the next big Rockstar Games series.

I would personally be interested in seeing Ubisoft as a potential suitor. From Brothers in Arms to Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia, with too many Tom Clancy games sprinkled in, Ubisoft has been incredibly successful over the years.

They have also been very profitable in utilizing such technologies as XBOX's Kinect and PS3's PlayStation Move. Imagine controlling a WWE superstar with your own body and no controller.

For the immediate future, THQ still will be making WWE video games, satisfying their contract. The newest WWE game, a remake of the classic WrestleFest game, will be made available next week on Apple devices, while THQ is developing a Super Smash Brothers-style game called WWE Brawl.

Brawl is scheduled for some time this year, when THQ will likely come out with WWE '13 as well. That is, of course, if THQ is still around to make it.]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/174/if-thq-goes-out-of-business-who-picks-up-the-wwe-video-game-license/ Sun, 19 Feb 2012 03:58:41 +0000 whuuuuut wooooooooow http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/173/should-cm-punk-really-lose-the-wwe-championship/ WWE Elimination Chamber is the final stop on the Road to WrestleMania, and is surprisingly one of the better-received gimmick PPVs, mainly because of ...
Being between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, the Elimination Chamber gives its premiere match a greater sense of importance, for it's the last chance for men to headline Mania as champion.

And now it comes to us once again in just a few days, and as always, two Chambers will be held to decide the world champions heading into WrestleMania.

On the SmackDown side, it will be Daniel Bryan defending his world title against Santino Marella, Big Show, Great Khali, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes. Not exactly the most exciting Chamber on paper.

However, the Raw Elimination Chamber is one that is greatly anticipated, as it will have the WWE champion, CM Punk, defending against The Miz, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho.

Now that is one star-studded Chamber, and considering how good all six men are at working a match, throwing them all into one Elimination Chamber promises to be one of the better Elimination Chambers, guaranteed to steal the show.

However, realistically, only two men have a chance of winning this match and the title, and that's CM Punk and Chris Jericho.

These two are building up their new feud from the ground up, and are guaranteed to battle for the WWE Championship on the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania.

The question is—Who should walk into WrestleMania as WWE champion?

This is a question that has the IWC split down the middle, as either of these two could win the chamber and still make the feud work for WrestleMania. Both men have reasons in the IWC as to why they should be the one to walk out WWE champion.

Chris Jericho is called to win the Chamber by many for the fact that the feud between him and Punk would be better if he walked into Mania as champion. With the notion that Punk would be better chasing the title, Jericho winning the title would be bringing some steam to the feud.

And if Jericho loses, they say he may not be taken seriously in a feud with Punk for Mania, and Punk winning the title at Mania would be a huge moment.

On the other hand, Punk has had a very successful and long title reign, the longest since The Miz's reign last year. Keeping the title all the way till Mania will bring quite a bit of prestige to the title and make it feel important. He has been on quite a roll, and losing here would really halt that momentum.

If Jericho were to win the title just to give it back to Punk a month later, it would be Batista/Cena all over again, playing hot potato with the title.

So who should walk out with the WWE title?

In my opinion, it should be CM Punk.

Maybe part of it is that I'm a huge CM Punk fan right now, but I am truly calling for a CM Punk victory this Sunday.

I mean, it wasn't too long ago that the IWC was calling for CM Punk to walk into WrestleMania with the WWE title, something they all longed to see.

Now, they are calling for Jericho to win the title and walk into Mania as champion.

Oh, how fickle the IWC can be and how quickly they change their minds.

CM Punk should win the Chamber because it would bring so much important and prestige to the title.

The WWE title has not been retained inside the Chamber since John Cena in 2006, and if Punk could pull it off, it would raise his stock considerably. And with the long title reign he would have heading into Mania, his defense of the title would on that stage would be of great importance.

Plus, should Jericho really win the title because it's the only way the feud between them should progress?

Hello, this is Chris Jericho and CM Punk we're talking about. They can make this feud work without Jericho winning the WWE title.You say he won't be taken seriously if he doesn't win, but there's more than one way to make an impact.

Here's a scenario: Punk retains the title in the Chamber and he celebrates, but as he turns around he is taken down by Chris Jericho. Frustrated and enraged at not winning, he snaps and absolutely destroys Punk in the Chamber. With Punk nearly unconscious, he grabs Punk's head and yells in his face "You are not better than me! You are not the Best in the World! I am!"

He then grabs the WWE title, and shoves it in Punk's face, saying "This is mine, and I will reclaim it, no matter what." He then throws Punk and the title to the ground to leave.


That would definitely keep Jericho a worthy adversary to Punk, and make him a very viable threat. Winning isn't the only way to keep yourself interesting.

Everyone also says that because it's the Elimination Chamber, one of the titles must change hands, and that two retentions in the Chamber are unlikely. Therefore, it's Punk who must lose.

However, like the old saying goes, "Anything can happen in the WWE."

Who said that both Daniel Bryan and CM Punk can't win their respective chambers, and both go to WrestleMania as champs?

I mean, isn't it the IWC's ultimate dream to see both men not just headline WrestleMania, but to headline both as world champions of WWE?

You guys change your minds so many times I lose count.

It would definitely be history if both titles are retained inside Satan's Structure, and that's what I think will happen.

Also, Jericho doesn't need to win the WWE title. He will still be big and a major adversary for Punk even if he doesn't. He's reached the point where he doesn't need the title.

And I honestly doubt he wants to. He's always been a class-act guy, putting so many younger and up-and-coming people over so they could get opportunities he was denied in WCW. I wouldn't be all that surprised if letting Sheamus win the Rumble instead of him was his idea.


Jericho knows he doesn't need the title, and that Punk is the present and future of this business. So putting Punk over inside the Chamber is not something we can so easily rule out.

However, that doesn't mean Jericho won't win Sunday.

The reasons stated for a Jericho win can be seen as valid, and anything can happen. If he does win Sunday, then I will be cool with that. I am a Jericho fan also, and I will adapt to the new story presented in front of him.

But no matter what happens, Punk and Jericho are destined to dance for the richest prize in sports entertainment on the Grandest Stage of Them All, so it may not matter who wins.

However, for the long run, it will be better if Punk retains his title. But that's just me.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/173/should-cm-punk-really-lose-the-wwe-championship/ Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:53:59 +0000 Tracy Lively http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/172/sheamus-vs-alberto-del-rio-for-the-world-heavyweight-title/
Let’s be honest: Randy Orton’s absence...]]>
Let’s be honest: Randy Orton’s absence has left the SmackDown match with no other real options to win the title and main-event WrestleMania 28.

Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett have taken too many defeats in the past weeks, not exactly the build-up a future World Champion should get.

Santino Marella is clearly very popular, but nobody sees him as main-event material.

The Great Khali? Hell no.

We already know that Big Show is headed to a match with Shaquille O’Neal at WM 28; I don’t think it will be for a belt.

In addition to that, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus already had a match this week and the way it ended provides the Great White a good reason to go for the World Heavyweight Championship instead of the WWE title.

A bit too predictable, isn’t it?

Since The Great Khali was announced as a participant in this match many have expected –and wished– him to be taken out by a surprise return; now that Santino has replaced Orton, the SmackDown chamber looks really weak.

But what if we do get a surprise entrant? How about one guy who already returned in house shows and is a 2-time WWE Champion?

Yes, I’m thinking about Alberto del Rio.

The Mexican Aristocrat already main-evented WrestleMania last year as Royal Rumble winner, although he couldn’t take Edge’s World Heavyweight Championship.

Coincidentally, one year earlier Edge had been the Royal Rumble winner and also lost the match for the WHC.

Del Rio is definitely a credible enough star to enter the chamber and leave it as new champion.

To be honest, I would take Sheamus vs Alberto del Rio over Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan without a doubt.

It’s not because Del Rio is Mexican and so am I; it’s the match just seems more even, while Bryan would just keep weaseling like he has done in the past two months against Mark Henry and Big Show.

Also, there are two details that make me thing this could actually happen:

1) The WWE attributed Orton’s absence from the Elimination Chamber to a concussion caused by Bryan; do we really expect The Viper to do nothing about it?

After his feuds with Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett, there is no clear opponent for Orton heading to WrestleMania, so starting a feud with Bryan would make sense.

Sure, Teddy Long could add Orton to the WHC match and make it a triple threat, but I just don’t like the idea.

2) Despite being a RAW Superstar, Del Rio has made his return in SmackDown house shows… in which he has faced Sheamus in an arm wrestling challenge.

It could be just that the WWE decided to put Alberto in those shows to add star power to the decimated SmackDown roster, but it could also be a way of testing the chemistry between him and the Celtic Warrior.

Allegedly Del Rio hasn’t been cleared to compete, but it has been two months since he got injured and then the WWE reported that he would be out between four and six weeks; I really doubt he is not ready to wrestle yet.

Also, we know Sheamus has gotten a Cena/Orton-like booking in the past months, not losing cleanly since his match against Mark Henry at SummerSlam, which he lost by count-out.

Who was the last man to actually pin the Great White? It was Alberto del Rio, on the October 14th edition of SmackDown.

Maybe it’s his destiny to do that again.

Source: Br]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/172/sheamus-vs-alberto-del-rio-for-the-world-heavyweight-title/ Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:52:19 +0000 Dean Edward Miller http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/171/why-elimination-chamber-ppv-should-be-wiped-from-wwe-039-s-schedule/ While the Elimination Chamber matches are exciting and fun for WWE fans, the pay-per-view itself in February is actually a distraction on the Road to ...
One of the biggest problems that I had with January's Royal Rumble event, besides the fact that so much of it was played for comedy, is that the next night on Raw it was announced that 10 wrestlers who lost in the Rumble match were getting title shots at the Elimination Chamber.

If these stars are supposed to focus all of their energy on winning the Rumble to earn a title shot at WrestleMania, why do 10 of them just get a free shot at the very next show?

This is more of a knock on any February pay-per-view, not just the Elimination Chamber, but it doesn't help that WWE has to fill 10 spots a Chamber match, as opposed to a singles match between the champion and top contender.

Instead of going from the Rumble to the Elimination Chamber to WrestleMania, WWE should take even more time to build up WrestleMania after the Rumble.

If you have watched Raw the last three weeks, it just feels like the Chamber pay-per-view is getting in the way of the build for WrestleMania.

Look at how many angles WWE has been running since the Rumble, then think how many of them have actually been towards building the Elimination Chamber. The biggest feud on television the last three weeks has been Undertaker and Triple H, which has nothing to do with this show.

Chris Jericho-CM Punk and John Cena-Kane have gotten a decent amount of time. The problem is no one cares how the Kane-Cena thing ends, because that feud has been screwed up so badly, and Jericho vs. Punk is not going to kick into gear until after the Chamber show.

Plus, and this is what we say for all gimmick pay-per-views, it cheapens the impact of an Elimination Chamber match to have two on the same show and to simply have them because the calendar says it is time.

It would be in WWE's best interest to get rid of the February pay-per-view so the company can focus all of its energy on building WrestleMania.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/171/why-elimination-chamber-ppv-should-be-wiped-from-wwe-039-s-schedule/ Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:19:20 +0000 Michael Smythe http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/170/underrated-stars-who-must-shine-at-elimination-chamber-ppv/
With all of the ...]]>
With all of the big disputes being played out constantly on Raw and SmackDown, the intrigue really hasn’t been there in the major PPV events unless there is a Sheamus-like upset.

The Elimination Chamber is an event where it feels like the underdog will make more noise than normal; it’s where a new guy can further enter the consciousness of fans.

With that in mind, here are three wrestlers poised for a big Sunday night, with the risk of fading to obscurity with a poor performance

Santino Marella

The shocking news that Randy Orton was removed from the event brought about a battle royal on SmackDown where Marella locked down the vacancy with some terrific moves.

This is by far his biggest match and he has the ability to take his air-trumpet skills all the way to a big night. Here is the one chance Marella has been working for and he better not blow it.

Wade Barrett

He’s been losing a lot lately and people are looking at him as an afterthought this weekend.

Big mistake.

He is one of the best in-ring wrestlers around and his strong heel turn would be catapulted to a new level with a big Sunday night. Sure, he’s not a big name that can mover the PPV needle, but is a surprise candidate that nobody would have predicated to win.

If not, it’s back to irrelevancy for this British wrestler with questionable mic skills.

Daniel Bryan

He is a fringe star, but a big performance on Sunday puts him in a different class. He can be mentioned alongside CM Punk, Chris Jericho and John Cena if he plays his cards right.

A loss will further prove many people’s point that this vegan isn’t meant for the big stage and bright lights.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/170/underrated-stars-who-must-shine-at-elimination-chamber-ppv/ Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:17:37 +0000 Deon Cresswell http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/169/wwe-elimination-chamber-finally-a-real-divas-championship-match/
That was the message the patrons of video game arcades would hear whenever someone popped a quarter into the cabinet f...]]>
That was the message the patrons of video game arcades would hear whenever someone popped a quarter into the cabinet for Street Fighter II. And like a kid anticipating his shot at the guy who won six matches in a row, I am looking forward to seeing the Divas Title match between new challenger Tamina Snuka and reigning Divas Champion Beth Phoenix.

Beth has held the Divas Title since the 2011 Hell in a Cell pay-per-view when she defeated Kelly Kelly for the belt.

It wasn’t long before her victory when she and her partner Natalya declared war on the “perky bimbos” of the WWE. Since then, Beth has taken out all challengers, including Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres and Alicia Fox.

As of late, The Glamazon is holding to the statement that she is “bored” due to having no competition in the WWE.

Meanwhile, Tamina has been on a hot streak as well, with her own victories over A.J. and Kaitlyn. In December, she turned face, and again gained several wins, including a victory over Brie Bella and multiple wins over Natalya.

Another interesting point is that she now billed as “Tamina Snuka,” a reference to her real-life father, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. If you ask me, Tamina is more than ready for her chance to shine in a Divas Championship match.

Phoenix and Snuka had their first moment of tension during the February 10th episode of SmackDown. After Tamina saved Alicia Fox from what would have been a second Glam Slam, the two powerhouse Divas engaged in a staredown.

Instead of exchanging blows, they traded smiles, a sign of mutual respect for one another. Beth Phoenix had a worthy challenger after all. On the February 13th episode of Raw, the match was made official.

What am I expecting to see at the Elimination Chamber from these two ladies? The answer is simple: a serious wrestling match from two of the most hard-hitting Divas of the past few years.

No stinkfaces, no lazy rope-running and no roll-up victories will be seen here. This is not going to be your typical, cookie-cutter Divas match that we have all been stuck with for a while.

While Tamina doesn’t quite have the experience Beth has, she is lightyears ahead of girls such as Kelly Kelly, Aksana and The Bella Twins.

I am truly optimistic that this match will help put an end to the days of going to the concession stand whenever a Diva’s music hits.

But to help that cause, the winner of this match needs to again face a nonconforming female wrestler, as opposed to facing, in the words of Jim Cornette, a “lingerie model.” Of course, I am talking about Kia Stevens, otherwise known as Kharma.

Until then, this match is a definite push in the right direction.

Source: BR]]> http://www.ringsidenews.com/blog/169/wwe-elimination-chamber-finally-a-real-divas-championship-match/ Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:15:17 +0000 matt robinson