A Week of Returns

The Daily Slam

02.24.11

-Elimination Chamber results
-Cena goes old-school
-A shocking return, another return, and one more return.... wait and another one?
-Projected WrestleMania card
-USA! USA! USA!

First off, I'd like to welcome you to The Daily Slam! This column has been on hiatus for a few weeks due to me moving back East, starting a new type of career, and my desktop computer completely crashing. But for the few lucky readers that I might read this, the phoenix has risen from the ashes just as many superstars this past week have. I'd also like to thank whomever it was that put the Elimination Chamber online in a free live stream that allowed me to watch. It was a great ppv for the WWE heading into the grandest stage of them all.

As I mentioned, the EC ppv was one of the better ones recently. Most of the internet armchair wrestling fans predicted John "Superman" Cena to win the Raw chamber but huge congratulations go out to Edge for becoming the first person to retain their championship in an elimination chamber match. True fact, look it up. Not only did the chamber matches help set-up the Mania card, but they also added fuel to some other fires with the other superstars. The interaction between CM Punk and Randy Orton was incredible. If this feud had the WWE Championship on the line it would be even more intriguing. Miz vs Lawler was suprisingly good I thought for it having a 60+ yr old in the match. Throw in two returning stars in the mix and it was an overall great show.

Diva Break...

Last week on Raw, The Rock owned Cena in his non-PG rated promo. Poking fun of his fruity pebble t-shirts and his hand waving signature saying. DJ made a huge buzz through out the wrestling community with his "burns" on the face of WWE and speculation is still running wild about a possible Rock vs Cena match. The new #1 contender didn't take these words too kindly as he went back to the Doctor of Thuganomics
and ripped Dwayne Johnson by ripping into almost every movie he's made. I usually roll my eyes during a Cena promo but this one had me turning up the volume and laughing out loud. "I wasn't talking trash Rock I was talking truth, you left us hanging high and dry to play a fairy with a tooth?!?" That line should be made into an anti-Rock t-shirt for Cena to wear. I don't see these two ever facing one another but I have a funny feeling that Rock will help Cena beat Miz for the title. It just feels like we will see another Tyson turns on DX moment. Not that Dwayne is on the Miz side for this whole ordeal but it just has that possible feel-good segment that Vince likes to create for the fans.

WrestleMania always brings us something different such as special guests starts or returning wrestlers that spice things up. Vince will do just about anything to help boost the buyrates and leave the fans ultimately pleased. This year is having no exception. First we get the return of the movie making Rock, followed by a healed up Christian and Trish Stratus at the ppv who could both become involved at Mania. Then on Monday we get the result of the awaited 2.21.11 promos with the Undertaker taking 10 min to walk down the entrance ramp. That alone got the fans in an upraor but when Triple H walked out it was noticeable that he was the bigger star that night. It appears Taker vs HHH is on tap for the show and maybe another career on-the-line stipulation or guest referee is a huge possibility.

With WrestleMania only a little over a month away, we have a general idea of what the card will look like. So far we will see John Cena vs The Miz for the WWE title and Edge vs Alberto Del Rio for the World HeavyWeight title. I think one of those matches will get a change such as The Rock becoming "special guest enforcer" to the WWE title match. Also, a possiblility of Christian and/or Ziggler becoming involved in the other title match in some form. The other big match will be Taker vs HHH. Will the career be on-the-line for the "Game"? I still have my doubts. The Big Show vs Wade Barrett looks to be on tap as well as Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio. I don't think either the US or IC title will be defended as both champions will most likely be involved the MITB ladder match if there is one. No word has been given yet since the MITB ppv got great reviews last year. If there is a MITB match then I would have Kofi, Bryan, Swagger, Morrison, Sheamus, DiBiase, Kane, McIntyre, and a returning Bourne. Lastly, one match that I am most excited for will be Randy Orton vs CM Punk is some capacity. Either single pinfall or maybe some stipulation. I'd prefer a last man standing. Overall, this year's Mania card will be an amazing one in which I can not wait to order.

Other big news from Raw was the next inductee into the Hall of Fame class of 2011 that happens the night before WrestleMania. Joining HBK this year is "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. This is so well deserving as "Hacksaw" is so well embraced by the fans over all these years and a great presence in the wrestling community. We can go 3 years without seeing him on tv and once his theme music hits and he is shown with a 2x4 in one hand and the US flag in the other, you are compelled to begin the U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A chants. It's almost uncontrollable if your part of the live audience. Congratulations to the 1st ever Royal Rumble winner, a survivor of kidney cancer, and a true American, Mr. James Duggan. "Hooo!!!"

Elimination Chamber Predictions

Eimination Chamber PPV Predictions

02.20.11

Non-Title Match
Alberto Del Rio vs Kofi Kingston

This match really means nothing since the title is not being defended. I can't imagine Kofi winning against the challenger for the World HeavyWeight title at Mania either. Most likely some sort of outside interference by Del Rio's ring announcer but in the end I see the win by submission.
Winner- Del Rio

Elimination Chamber Match for #1 Contendership to WWE Championship
John Cena vs Randy Orton vs R Truth vs Sheamus vs John Morrison vs CM Punk
The survivor of this match goes on to Mania to challenge for the title. The most logical winner would be a face if Miz remains the champ. Cena will most likely prevail but I think Morrison would be the better choice. A Miz/Morrison feud heading into Mania just sounds better than anyone else. But I can't go against the obvious pick.
Winner- John Cena

Elimination Chamber Match for the World HeavyWeight Championship
Edge (c) vs Rey Mysterio vs Kane vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre vs Dolph Ziggler
This match just got a little more interesting because of the removal of Ziggler. The winner goes on to face Del Rio at Mania so just like the other EC match I see a face walking out victorious. I hope they add someone else to this match to even things out as well. Maybe Big Show, Christian, or even Jack Swagger. Could we have the Edge vs Del Rio match that we've been expecting or does Rey face off against his old rival? I think Rey is the better choice for a Mania build up so Edge can finish his feud with Ziggler.
Winner- Rey Mysterio

WWE Championship Match
The Miz (c) vs Jerry Lawler
It makes me cringe to think that Lawler could win the title. I like the King but his time has long long long past to hold any title belt. I see Michael Cole getting involved somehow to allow the awesome one to retain his title and head to Mania as the champ.
Winner- The Miz

Elimination Chamber Predictions

Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio
An interesting warm up match for Del Rio before facing his destiny. Common sense says Del Rio wins to look strong at Mania, but the WWE might want to pull a surprise.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio but you already knew that.

WWE Tag Team Title Match: Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov © vs. Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel
I think we'll get a Corre vs Nexus tag match at Mania, but I could see it being a triple threat with Santino and Koslov as well. I wonder if this match should have Zeke instead of Gabriel to better match koslovs power and to keep Gabriel free for MitB.
Winner: Santino and Koslov with nexus interference.

Smackdown Elimination Chamber World Title Match: Edge © vs. Kane vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Wade Barrett vs. Rey Mysterio vs. ???
Edge-Both won and lost a elimination chamber match 2 years ago and main evented mania last year. Throw in He already has a storyline building with Del Rio Edge should be the odds on favorite.
Kane- Seems built for this kinds of match's. The Big Red Machine is coming off of a dominate title run and would be the obvious choice for a match with Taker.
Drew McIntyre- Poor Drew. He always seems to be the guy they want to push but bad things like injuries and domestic abuse get in his way. Then again they seem like they're putting the belt on any1 these days and Vince seems to really like him.
Wade Barrett- I think he maybe the break out star of the last year inspite of not winning a world title. 2011 hasn't worked out as well for him. Though he is a main event talent and could easily win this with a little help from his friends.
Rey Mysterio- The only face in this match outside Edge and dose have a history with Del Rio. A 2x Champion don't count him out.
?- If this is the literal question mark making its pro wrestling debut then I have to say every1 is fucked. Could it be a returning Christian, HHH, Taker or Sting, if so any of these guys would make a good match with Del Rio. Especially Christian who has some unfinished business with the Mexican aristocrat. Could it be a recently fired "Former World Champ" Dolph Ziggler
Winner: Edge

Raw Elimination Chamber #1 Contenders Match: Randy Orton vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth vs. Sheamus vs. John Cena
Randy Orton- The most on performer in the WWE right now. Definitely deserves to main event Mania. With moves like the RKO and the punt the most dangerous man in the chamber.
CM Punk- Seems to be hitting his peak as the best heel in the WWE and his feud with Orton is gold. Easily could win he is a crafty boy.
John Morrison- Has been aiming to impress this year with a great match with the Miz and show stealing moments at the Rumble. What Kind of magic can the Shaman of Sexy weave in the Devils playground. Can the Monday Night Delight harness the power of parkour to win the right to fight his former tag partner.
R-Truth- Former NWA world champ. Mad over. We have a Black president will we get a black wwe champ to match?
Sheamus- Or will we get a really white one for contrast. Size and Power are not weakness in a cage. Former 2x champ who's proven me wrong too many times.
John Cena- Face of the WWE. The Rock mentioned him as one of the 2 people he's going to see at mania, the other being The Miz.Wouldn't it be convenient if these two were in the same match. That being said he's the obvious choice to face the Miz and dose have a doctorate in thuganomics and a habit of main eventing Manias.
Winner: John Cena

WWE Title Match: The Miz © vs. Jerry Lawler
Wouldn't it be a story for the ages. Jerry Lawler one of the biggest names in the history of wrestling winning his first WWE championship at the age of 61 after already being inducted into the hall of fame. A Big year thus far for the king after being put in tv guide as one of the great tv moments, having a TLC near victory over the champ and losing his mother this week. Would Vince put the title on Lawler. I think...
Winner: "The King" Jerry Lawler

Predictions on a Ruyal Rumble

Not only is the Royal Rumble the kick off on the road to Wrestlemania, it is the first major event of the year in the world of wrestling. In terms of importance it is second only behind Wrestlemania. The Royal Rumble match itself is single greatest opportunity in professional wrestling as in the winners don't just immortalize themselves by winning one of the most prestigious matches in wrestling and defeating 30 now 40 opponents including the biggest stars in wrestling, they get to main event Wrestlemania challenging the either the WWE Champion or the Word Heavy Weight Champion. There is nothing bigger. And best of all the only advantage is the luck of the draw meaning anyone can win.

Divas Championship 2 on 1 Handicap Match; Natalya(c) vs Michelle McCool
After a great title defence against Melina on Monday, Naughty Nattie must defend her title against two wrestlers at once. While I expect her to put up a courageous effort the numbers game will catch up with her. Lucky I can see tension between Laycool and Beth phoenix make the save and then unluckily for Natalya send a message kicking off her own road to Wrestlemania.
Winner: The Queen of Hearts

WWE Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs Randy Orton
This is put up or shut up time for the Miz. He needs to win this match to prove he belongs, but he needs to do it against the must on performer in the WWE right now. This is an exciting match because you have two of the best superstars in the WWE right but I can't really tell who will win. I don't think they'll want to pull the belt off of the Miz but if they want oh with momentum. I can't tell who will win because I don't think they want to take the belt off of Miz yet but if they want Orton to go into Mania the champion now i the time to put it on him.
Winner: The Miz

World HeavyWeight Championship Match: Edge (c) vs Dolph
The rumble has traditionally been the place to put on title match's where there is little chance for a title change, Hardcore Holly anyone. I think that's the case here. However, this is the opportunity for Dolph Ziggler to prove he belongs in the main event. Dolph dose seem to have one major advantage Vicky Guerrero who has taken away Edge's favorite weapon the spear. Wither that's a bad thing though remains to be seen because Edge's spear isn't exactly the most intimidating or impressive finisher in the WWE and making him get a new one might not be the best idea. I'm just saying. I wish this feud had more build because I think it could produced some awesome promos between Edge, Ziggler, and their lady in common.
winner: Edge

The Royal Rumble
The big match itself, the biggest one yet. This year's rumble has a lot going for it. For the first time there will be more than 30 participants meaning every single wrestler now has to worry about 10 more competitors but it also means there's more glory. Also this a is a big year for fans of faction warfare, like myself, as you'll have not only the new nexus but the old one, now The Corre, going at it. I can't remember another Rumble with two opposing factions in it and it'll add a great dynamic.

One last thing to keep in mind, this last year the WWE is looking for new stars and the Rumble is the best way to make them. Winning the Rumble automatically makes you a main eventer which is why I think someone new will win it. Not only do I think someone new will win but it's very possible the winner can come out of no where which means this year more than any other any one can win. Another thing I suspect is that the winner will be a face.
Here's a look at superstars I think will make an impact.

John Cena - Like it or not Cena is the WWE's top dog and as such always a smart pick. I could see Cena being the one to face the Miz at mania especially if the Miz is still champion.

Christian - Not sure if he's ready to make a return, but if he is would make a great winner especially if Edge retains the title.

Alberto Del Rio - A rookie but a rookie on a roll. He has a lot of momentum and management likes him could easily win.

John Morrison - Has been on a role lately with his feud with Sheamus and great match with The Miz.

Wade Barrett - Already at a main event level without winning any titles. Winning the Rumble would just make it official. Really, any member of the Corre stands a good chance.

CM Punk - I feel he should have won last year, but this year works too. Especially, with Nexus watching his back.

Sheamus - Big guy. Prefect for this kinds of match's. Came into 2010 world champ, won it again then won King of the Ring. This could very well be his match to loose.

The Big Show - Bigger guy. Getting quite a bit of main stream love. Big Show vs Miz could be fun.

Rey Mysterio - Not a big guy, but is a former winner and in historic fashion.

Kane - 13 consecutive rumbles. The record for most people eliminated a single Rumble. The most dominate wrestler of the year. Kane vs Orton at Mania doesn't sound so bad.

Jack Swagger - Surprised us with MITB last year and a title run. Also the only competitor with a mascot.

Returning Superstars - HHH, Undertaker and Chrisitan are all guys who could return this Sunday. 2 of those guys won a rumble returning from injury all ready. Both could easily main event Wrestlemania against any one. Booker T has been rumored to return. Kevin Nash has tweeted his desire. HBK might be feeling the itch. Not sure of Khali's situation or if he would want another piece of phoenix. Y2J might want a rematch with Edge from last year's mania so he could return. Batista has his MMA debut coming up in a few months but I'm sure he'd make a detour.

Like I said, big Rumble this year. Lot's of possibilities, but your winner is... Christian.

Royal Rumble Predictions

Pay Per View Predictions 01.29.2011

These are my predictions for the Royal Rumble this Sunday from Boston, Mass.

Divas Championship 2 on 1 Handicap Match
Natalya(c) vs Michelle McCool & Layla
After a successful title defense against Melina on Raw, Nattie has to face her two biggest rivals once again. Either Vince doesn't think Melina deserved the ppv match or he believes LayCool are just a better fit. I personally think Natalya is representing the Divas title great but LayCool without the title just doesn't seem right. I can see LayCool winning here to start the possible feud with Beth Phoenix heading into Mania.
Winner- LayCool

WWE Championship Match
The Miz (c) vs Randy Orton
A lot of people like to bash The Miz for not being the typical champion but with the help of Orton, he has represented the title very well. Miz is playing that beatable champion part perfectly. This is one of the more memorable feuds for Orton over the year and I give both men incredible kudos for staying relevant during the whole Cena vs Nexus charade. I don't see Miz going to Mania as the champion but I don't think he loses here either. The Elimination Chamber ppv is a perfect setting for him to drop the title so he can proclaim he wasn't officially beaten for the gold. Alex Riley puts Miz at a huge advantage here and I just can't bet against him. He is well..... Awesome!
Winner- The Miz

World HeavyWeight Championship Match
Edge (c) vs Dolph Ziggler
I figured this to be an easy win for Edge. That was until Vickie added the "No Spear Allowed" stipulation which means if Edge uses his finisher then Dolph becomes the new World Champ. Being at that disadvantage, does Ziggler actually have a legitimate shot at winning his first main title. He was an incredible IC champ, he has been a work horse for the company over the last 6 months, and he is dating the current interim SD General Manager. All those signs would leave me to believe he has everything it takes to walk away with the gold around his waist. But here's the only problem; would Vince honestly allow Miz and Dolph to hold the 2 prestigues titles with his biggest pay per view right around the corner? And therein lies the problem. If this was at SummerSlam I would give the nod to Ziggler. Unfortunately, this is just bad timing for the young star. He has everything that it takes to be the face of the blue brand but I just don't see it happening at this ppv.
Winner- Edge

40-Man Royal Rumble Match
This is being advertised as the biggest Rumble in history. The 24th Royal Rumble now has 10 extra participants which to me only men one thing... more jobbers who don't stand a chance. But oh well. It could be the best match of the year as it really never disappoints. We haven't had a multiple Rumble winner for quite some time. The five past winners are Edge, Orton, Cena, Taker, and Mysterio. Orton and Edge are in title bouts so neither one can become muliti winners. Mysterio doesn't have the right story right now to win. Taker can never be counted out but I don't think he is going to be in the title picture at Mania. That's if he even makes it to Mania with all of his reoccurring injuries. That leaves me with Cena. All signs lead right to the Chain Gang leader winning this. For one, the Rumble is in Boston in which is where he is from and second, he has been the focal point of Raw since the beginning of Summer ala feud with Nexus. How about Triple H though? He has been rumored to make his return this Sunday. I can see him coming in just to eliminate Sheamus and re-spark that feud heading into Mania. Christian, Evan Bourne, and Chris Jericho could all make returns as well which is why this match is so damn special. Out of the 40 superstars, I must narrow this down to 5 possible winners. My top five are CM Punk, John Cena, John Morrison, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio.
Winner- John Cena

Ready to Rumble

The Daily Slam 01.28.11

World Champ vs WWE Champ, Cena pulls another shenanigan, Rated RKO returned, and possible Rumble returns.

The Miz and Edge were in a champion vs champion match on Raw that saw Ziggler interfere for a DQ finish. This was a solid match that helped extend the feuds of each individual. Dolph Ziggler was on commentary for the match up until he decided to blind side Edge. During the beat-down though, Randy Orton came out for retribution against the Miz from last week's attack. This was a great bout over all and I can see these two having a feud down the road before Edge retires possibly in 2012.

Over on SmackDown though, the former tag team Rated RKO took on the Miz and Ziggler. This match alone is why SD is the better show week in and week out. The chemistry of all four superstars was superb. Even the finish with Edge getting the pin on Ziggler was perfect heading into their ppv match. Vickie threw a twist into the match though, Edge is no longer allowed to use his finisher the Spear or else he forfeits the title to Dolph. Will Edge pull out an old finisher or submission move to win. I'd like to see him use the Killswitch is respect to his friend/brother, Christian.

Punk and Barrett almost had a match if it wasn't for the special guest referee, John "Lame-Ass" Cena. I know I give Cena a lot of negativity in this column but honestly he makes Raw unbearable to watch sometimes. He double disqualified both stars due to "excessive language on a PG show". This removed both Nexus and Corre from the Royal Rumble match. Thankfully the Raw GM chimed in to overrule that put both factions into this Sundays bout. I understand that Cena is just doing his job out there but I can also imagine he gets a lot of say in the direction of his character. Every week it seems he just gets cheesier and cheesier. I hate to say this, but I miss the old white rap star Cena who lived the HLR gimmick. He just seems like an over grown child these days.

Diva Break...

We here at The Daily Slam (well myself I guess) consider the Royal Rumble match the one must see every year. The WWE always manages to bring in a few surprised every year. Over the past few years, it seems like a wrestler who has been sidelined due to injury miraculously returns to a huge ovation giving them instant "face" status. There are only a couple of superstars who are on IR right now that could make a big impact on Sunday. The big three are Christian, Undertaker, and the most expected is Triple H. All three have feuds to jump right back into if they do make an appearance. Christian was taken out by Alberto Del Rio, Taker of course by his brother Kane, and Triple H needs his revenge against Sheamus. All three of those feuds could be WrestleMania matches so I can definitely see at least two of them showing up. I am banking on HHH and Christian. If Taker is set to wrestle Barrett as Mania then his return can wait until closer to Elimination Chamber ppv. A rumor circulating around the inter-webs is that a former world champ will make his return at the Rumble. No not Chris Jericho (cause that would be fucking epic) but the 5-time, 5-time., 5-time, 5-time, 5-time WCW champion.... Booker T. Apparently he was set to make an appearance somewhere this weekend and it has been suddenly canceled. Could be a total coincidence but then again it wouldn't surprise me. Vince is a slick son of a B.

Some more news has emerged for the reinvented WWE Tough Enough Show coming soon on USA Network. I wasn't sure who they would get to host the show. I was leaning towards a seasoned veteran like a Val Venis or William Regal. But with the announcement of UFC bringing in Brock Lesnar to teach on The Ultimate Fighter, it appears that Vince wanted to bring a household name to his reality show. He found the one man that can draw in viewers like no other, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Having Stone Cold host this reality wrestling show the hour before Raw can only draw more of a ratings boost and bring in huge advertisement money for the show. Great move by both parties. I wish a certain someone who also became a huge star courtesy of the WWE would give back to the company once in awhile. I think we all know who I'm talking about.

Well that is all for this week. Short and simple. Check out my pay per view predictions. Thanks for reading.

Week of Suprise Attacks

The Daily Slam 01.21.11


Punk took on John Cena, Randy Orton was attacked by The Miz, the biggest Rumble ever, Teddy Long is on injured reserve, and when will the Undertaker return?

The main event from Raw this week was the showdown between John "Superman" Cena and the "Cult Leader" CM Punk. To be honest, this match was great to see. Both wrestlers superstars had good looking offense and I wasn't sure which way they were going with a finish. That was until some Batista look-a-like showed up and gave Punk a boot to the face and then took out Cena. CM Punk get the win naturally by disqualification and it looks like the Nexus has a new member. His name is Mason Ryan from WWE development, FCW. He has the right build to be the muscle in Punk's faction. It appears the dismissal of Gabriel & Slater didn't hurt the group after all.

Another blindside attack came from the hands of The Miz and his loyal sidekick, Alex Riley, to Randy Orton after his match with Ziggler. The Miz left the Viper laying on the ground and showing he has the upper hand at this point before their match in less than two weeks. All the matches at the Royal Rumble so far are straight one fall matches so I can definitely see this one getting a stipulation. This attack leads me think Orton is going to ask for a No DQ match which will allow Riley to interfere but also allow weapons in favor of Randy.

It's been announced that this year's Royal Rumble match has been changed to a 40 participants and not the traditional 30. Being advertised as the biggest Rumble ever but could it end up being the worst? The added 10 superstars means you are adding almost the rest of the roster who isn't involved in the main title matches. Hopefully Yoshi Tatsu can beat his time last year of :29 seconds. The reason for the additional ten is probably a result of all the new young faces in the company. It's being called the biggest but I highly doubt it won't be the best.

Diva Break...

Over on SmackDown, some big news was the surprise attack that occurred to Teddy Long. Resulting from the beat-down sent Teddy straight to the hospital. The new group formed by Wade Barrett, Corre, quickly cleared their name from any speculations. That can only mean two things; either it was them so they can once again prove that they are superior or it was Ziggler so his cougar girlfriend, Vickie, would be in charge from now on. This could mean a huge disadvantage to current champion Edge. I can see this being just the thing that Dolph needs to take the belt away from Edge. Looks like an intriguing story-line to me.

There are a lot of rumors floating around that the Undertaker has hand picked his WrestleMania opponent and the lucky choice is Wade Barrett. If this is true, then Barrett has been given a golden opportunity and should feel grateful. If Taker is set to go at the Grand Daddy PPV then it appears he will be making a return very soon. Possibly at the Rumble and no later than the Elimination Chamber ppv. Barrett and Nexus did help Kane bury his brother back at Bragging Rights so maybe this feud will help answer some questions.

Well that is all for this week. Thanks for reading.

Nexus Initiations

The Daily Slam 01.14.11

CM Punks leads the new Nexus, HBK is a first ballot Hall of Famer, Royal Rumble title matches, and some TNA news.

All the talk from Raw was about how CM Punk is turning the Nexus into a SES 2.0. The members were required to complete specific initiations into the group. I must admit that Husky Harris taking a strap to the belt multiple times must have hurt like a bitch. The red welts show his devotion to the Straight Edge Superstar. I was a little surprised by the choice to remove Gabriel and Slater from the group though. Fear not fans because those two have joined their former leader, Wade Barrett, over on SmackDown. After a brutal attack on the Big Show by the new group with newcomer Ezekiel Jackson, it appears that we have another Nexus faction. This sure sparks my interest to seem if the two groups will feud. This is all David Otunga's fault by the way. He just couldn't take anymore John Cena beat downs on behalf of Wade Barrett. Pussy.

The other big news from Raw this week was the first inductee in the class of 2011 WWE HOF. The Showstopper, Mr. WrestleMania, the Heart Break Kid... Shawn Michaels. I must admit that I have a problem with this. Shawn is one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time but he hasn't been out of the ring for a complete year yet. I understand that personalities like Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler were inducted while still being on television but let's face it, they weren't retiring any time in the near future. I was really hoping for a WCW HOF ceremony. People like  Harlem Heat, Arn Anderson, the Steiner Bros, DDP, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, and the Icon... Sting. Having HBK being inducted right away kind of eliminates a WCW themed HOF which disappoints a lot of fans. I hope the rest of the inductees don't get pushed into the HBK shadow for this year.

Diva Break...

So far, Randy Orton will get a chance to win the WWE Championship back from The Miz and Dolph Ziggler will face off against Edge for the World HeavyWeight Title. Both of these matches are perfect for this time of year. You have two well developed veterans helping put over younger talent right in time for WrestleMania. I've become a huge fan of Ziggler's work inside the ring over the past year and he deserves this push to the top. If he would become champ, with Vickie by his side, he has a better chance of standing out than Swagger ever had a chance to. At this point, I don't see The Miz or Edge dropping their titles but it's possible at the Elimination Chamber ppv next month. I honestly saw Del Rio winning his first major title before Dolph but with Vickie by his side, it's only a matter of a few matches before he holds gold. I think it would have been better to see him both as IC and World Champion. Just to rub it in a little more.

Now some TNA news bites. I have to throw out a congratulations to the one and only asshole, Mr Anderson....... Anderson. he is your new TNA Wrestling Champion. It is well deserved and I'm sorry his first major title is in TNA and not the WWE. Now that he has been able to stay healthy for a long period of time, he is getting that push that someone with his in-ring ability and mic skills should get. I doubt we will be seeing Ken back in a WWE ring in the next decade because of how he was let go but perhaps he is enough of a draw to help put TNA to that next level. Jeff Hardy was never going to propel that company to where they should be by now. Legal issues always bring a black cloud over projected hopes & dreams. Bad decision by Dixie, very bad. Speaking of Hardy, Matt Hardy made his debut over the weekend. I'm glad to see Matt back in the ring and happy. His departure from the 'E was also on bad terms but I think he brought a lot of that on himself. I hope Matt all the best in his new role.

Well that is all for this week. Thanks for reading.

A Look Back & Forward

Welcome to a special new year edition of The Daily Slam! Let's take a look at the year 2010 in wrestling and what's possible for 2011.

The past year saw a lot of fresh faces in the WWE while some older ones went off into the shadows. The Nexus was formed from season one NXT and ran wild on Raw. They made their presence know the first night and ended the year with a continued feud with Mr John Cena. There were some new champions in Jack Swagger and The Miz after both cashed in Money In The Bank briefcases. Also, Kane won the championship and held it for months while defeating his brother, The Undertaker, multiple times. HBK retired and HHH took off the year following Extreme Rules ppv. Bret Hart returned and defeated Vince McMahon at WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) was fired then rehired and has become the United States champ. What a year it has been but I predict better things to happen in 2011.

Stating tonight on Raw, 1/3/2011, The Miz will defend his WWE Championship against his former tag team partner John Morrison in a falls count anywhere match. Could the "Rockstar" win his first main event title tonight to bring in the new year? Doubtful but it should be interesting to see how Miz holds onto the gold. Elsewhere in the WWE, CM Punk has stepped from away from the commentary table and started a feud with Superman Cena. That alone sparks a lot of interest but let's throw Nexus onto the fire. That's right, CM Punk and Nexus are in cahoots together. If the Straight Edge Superstar is the new leader of the "We Are One" clan, how will this effect the rest of the locker room? And does this mean the members must also be Straight Edge because I know David Otunga parties a lot. He is "A-List" and all.

The Rumble is approaching so everyone will begin to throw out their predictions for a winner. My predict: Triple H. The WWE loves to have injured stars return at the Rumble so this fits perfectly. If not then I'd love to see Jericho return and win to solidify him as a top 5 greatest WWE Superstar of all time.

The night after WrestleMania, which is always Raw, usually does some big tv ratings for WWE and it looks like their capitalizing on that fact. The new return of Tough Enough will premiere before Raw on that night. I imagine NXT will be a thing of the past after this season but the WWE is still pushing the new star envelope. The original Tough Enough was very entertaining so this sparks my interest. Let's hope they don't go all MTV Hills on us and start scripting what the young hopefuls say and do.

What I am expecting for the year 2011 in WWE? 
Triple H returns to tv but as a heel
Jericho returns to feud with Christian in what will be feud of the year
The Miz gets burried like Punk did after his 1st title reign but bounces back around Summer
The Nexus goes through a few more transitions before complete dismantle by end of Mania
Wade Barrett and Alberto Del Rio will be the only 2 first time Champions of the year
LayCool introduces Awesome Kong as their body guard
Justin Gabriel goes face and becomes the next Evan Bourne
Evan Bourne returns but becomes future endeavored
The IC and US titles will be Unified
Kevin Nash makes at-least one cameo appearance on WWE TV

Well that is my year end/ new year special Daily Slam. Let's all hope the WWE steps it up and makes 2011 better than the past few have been. Thanks for reading.

T.L.C. Predictions

 My Predictions for the WWE TLC Pay Per View on Dec 19th 2010.

#1 Contender Ladders Match
John Morrison vs Sheamus

The Shaman of Sexy seeks to dethrone the newly coronation King of the Ring in a contest of ladders. While both Sheamus and Morrison have completely different styles the ladder match plays to both of their strengths. Morrison has a platform to jump off of and Sheamus can use the ladder like a hammer to hit JoMo with. John is amazing on his own, but with a ladder I expect him to do some amazing acrobatics to help justify his #1 contender status. While Sheamus isn't anything to sneeze at he won't continue his legacy that he started last year at TLC. Morrison has a date with destiny at the Royal Rumble when he faces off against his former partner in crime.
Winner: "The Monday Night Delight", John Morrison.

Tables Match
Beth Phoenix/Natalya Neidhart vs LayCool

This must be a first; a diva's tag team tables match. It's going to be harder for either member of LayCool to put Phoenix through a table then for Beth to do the same. It isn't easy being skinny I guess. LayCool definitely isn't defenseless with their advantage on the experience front. Also there's a question of unity; can Beth and Natalya trust each other or will Beth want to make a statement with WrestleMania on the horizon?
Winner: Heart of the Phoenix

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs Kofi Kingston vs Jack Swagger

I always thought Ziggler and Swagger would make a great tag team. Kingston would make the best use of the ladder of the three however Swagger will soar to an IC title reign.
Winner: The All American American Intercontinental Champion

Chairs Match
John Cena vs Wade Barrett

Such a big match wasted with a stupid gimmick. Then again they're both big guys and could do some damage with a chair. Normal booking would have John get his revenge and that's the safe bet. Still, Barrett is the breakout star of the year and I wouldn't count him out. While I think the booking has been rushed I want to give a shout out to Barrett getting so pissed at Otunga that he would reinstate Cena to force Otunga in a match with him.
Winner: The women and the children aka John Cena wins

World Heavyweight Championship Tables, Ladders, Chairs Match
Kane (c) vs Edge vs Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio

Kane has been a dominate champion even though they've made him look like a bitch recently, Edge is the undisputed master of TLC matches, Rey can fly and Del Rio has been on a roll. I think Kane wins and starts a heel vs heel feud with Alberto Del Rio.
Winner: Kane

WWE Championship Tables Match
The Miz (c) vs Randy Orton

Last year Sheamus shocked everyone by defeating Cena and becoming the new World Champion in a tables match. The surprise win came earlier this year when Miz cashed in his MITB briefcase. The question is can Miz do to the Viper what Sheamus did last year to Cena? The answer is yes! The Miz will retain and it will be Awesome.
Winner: The Miz

WWE TLC Pay Per View Predictions

PPV Predictions 12.17.10

Here are my predictions for this Sunday's WWE TLC pay per view from Philadelphia, Pa.

#1 Contender Ladders Match
John Morrison vs Sheamus
These two square off for the third time to resolve this feud and it's for a shot at the gold. Sheamus may be the new king of the ring but Morrison looks to be on a good roll as of late. Could be a show stealer in my opinion and in all honesty needs to be a platform for Morrison. If he wins this match and Miz retains the title, we could have Miz vs Morrison at Royal Rumble. That makes me excited. Just Sayin.
Winner- John Morrison

Tables Match
Natalya (c) & Beth Phoenix vs Laycool
This makes me wonder if this is Vince's way of matching the knockouts cage match from impact last week. Just a thought to ponder. Anyways, I love this match-up. Two strong divas vs two sly/cunning ones. Beth and Nattie have a huge upper advantage and that makes me think they will lose. Somehow that gorgeous Lalya will figure out a way to save Michelle McCool and in the process send Nattie through a table.
Winners- LayCool

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs Kofi Kingston vs Jack Swagger
A good triple threat match with three veterans of this type of stipulation. Swagger is a revent MITB winner so he knows how to overcome ladder matches with the odds against him. Ziggler has been champ for a long time and has no real reason to drop the belt unless he moves to the main event. Kofi is just Kofi and honestly doesn't need the title at this point. I'm pulling for Ziggler here just because if he loses the belt, he might be lost in creative over the next few months heading towards Mania.
Winner- Dolph Ziggler

Chairs Match
John Cena vs Wade Barrett
The re-hired John Cena gets his revenge against foe Wade Barrett. Wade actually asked for this match though. The big concern here is will Nexus get involved. I don't see how they wouldn't want to help out their leader and destroy the man who has been beating them down. This is a match where the odds will be stacked against Cena and yet he finds away to prevail. This chapter has been written before many, many times.
Winner- John Cena

World HeavyWeight Championship Tables, Ladders, Chairs Match
Kane (c) vs Edge vs Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio
You throw two heated feuds together into one big match and the result will be nothing short of impeccable. Edge and Mysterio will do some high risk maneuvers while Kane and Del Rio can cause some ground damage to their foes. This should be one brutal match with possibly an unexpected twist. Before I thought Edge would finally beat Kane but now with the Rey and Alberto in the mix, I might be leaning towards a first time champ in Del Rio. The man has made such a huge splash since coming to WWE and is deserving of the spotlight. It would just be a major twist in the business. The Rated R Superstar is still my odds on favorite.
Winner- Edge

WWE Championship Tables Match
The Miz (c) vs Randy Orton
It's so weird to type the Miz as champion but in a good way. The Miz has looked like such a beatable champion that I feel he has to win this one. There is a reason you have Alex Riley around so you can use him as a distraction. Orton would win a lot of his matches with help from Legacy so I don't see why Miz wouldn't do the same. Plus I am really pulling for this Miz vs Morrison match at the Royal Rumble next month. It's hard to go against my favorite wrestler over the last 3 years but this is the Miz's time to shine.
Winner- The Miz

Slammy Award Shockers

The Daily Slam 12.17.10


WWE finishes it's ppv card for Sunday, Cena is re-hired, Orton faced a former WCW Champion, the winners and losers of the Slammy awards and much more.


Unleash the banner!!!

Let's start of the today's Slam with a recap of the Slammy Awards from Monday. Sometimes these 3 hour shows can drag on but surprisingly Raw went fairly smooth for an awards show. To be honest, Cena doesn't deserve the Superstar of the Year award but that was fan voted so it comes as no shocker. The biggest disappointed was Pee Wee Herman winning the Guest Star Shinning Moment. William Shatner was the talk of the town after his appearance on Raw when he sang the entrance songs. It was epic on so many levels in my opinion.

Other rememorable wins were CM Punks winning the Despicable Me Slammy which allowed him to showcase more of his incredible promo skills. It appears that he will have a ready made feud once he fully recovers some time soon. Then the angry Miz girl winning the Reaction of the Year Slammy. Miz stealing the trophy from her was hilarious. I'm sure she actually had a great time backstage talking to all her heroes and I bet the Miz told her he really is a nice guy (just not to tell anyone).

Wade Barrett was practically forced to rehire his arch-nemisis, John "Superman" Cena, or he would face the possibility of being thrown out of Nexus. Not everyone was happy with the outcome of this decision since he threw David Otunga under the bus by placing him in a match with Cena. The "A-List" was dominated and humiliated since the Nexus members didn't even stand by to watch his match. This whole situation is beginning to drag out to much and get confusing. Barrett is the leader and shouldn't be pushed into decisions. I'm sure there are other low card wrestlers wanting a shot in Nexus if the current members refuse to take orders from Barrett.  Also, I am a fan of what Nexus represents but this feud with just one man in the company is getting old and drawn out. It was more enjoyable when it was Nexus vs the Raw locker room. Creative needs a reboot on this angle.

Mr Cena getting his job back wasn't the shocker of the night though. The appearance by one former WCW Champion, David Arquette, was not only unexpected but comical. He gets thrown into a match alongside A-Ry to face off against Randy Orton. I applaud nonathletic hollywood pawns who dare step into the ring with wrestlers who are on top of their game. You may call it fake all you want but having a man power bomb you through a table from 6 feet up in the air can't feel like a tickle from a goose feather. I bet the detective from Scream felt a little soreness in his back the next morning from that move. I must admit, I am a little jealous.

Diva Break...

Other notable notes from Raw was the one and only Dashing Cody Rhodes getting a clean pin-fall over Mark Henry. This might not mean much to most people but remember that Henry is a former ECW Champion (it still counts in my book) and a big freaking specimen. I'm glad to see that Rhodes is silencing his critics who thought DiBiase was the better wrestler from Priceless. I credit his performance due to him being so damn.... Dashing. There was supposed to be a rubber match (that means 3rd times a charm) featuring John Morrison and Sheamus. These two apparently hate each other so much that the match had to be moved to the TLC ppv. The match was made into a #1 Contenders ladders match. This bout alone could steal the whole show and I bet it will. Could this finally be the push Morrison needs? Will we have Miz vs Morrison at Royal Rumble? Will Skipper and Gilligan ever get off that damn island? So many questions will be answered soon enough.

Let's move on to the B-Show (if B means Better than I mostly agree). The World HeavyWeight Championship match at TLC has been changed to a fatal four way and will feature Kane vs Edge vs Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio. At first I opposed this idea but looking at the TLC card, it has become a little too congested. By moving the Del Rio/Mysterio match into the main event it allows for a much better bout since it features some high risk takers. Let's face it, Edge always performs well in TLC matches so now you throw Rey Rey into the mix and I'm sure Del Rio will hit some high spots. Should be a brutal match to watch and I for one will rent the dvd when it comes out for this match. The Edge/Kane feud has become a little soggy in my opinion but only because it shows Kane as being too weak. Now with Paul Bearer out of the picture maybe he will return to kicking some major ass.

That is all for this week and be sure to check out my WWE TLC pay per view predictions.

"And I Quote..."

All Hail The King

The Daily Slam 12.03.2010

Sheamus is the King, the Viper is a no show, Cena doesn't need a job, a recent WWE release and much more.

Roll the openning banner...

The WWE put on one hell of a jam packed 3 hour Raw this past Monday. The biggest thing was the return of King of the Ring tournament. I had originally predicted Del Rio or Morrison to win but I'm okay with Sheamus. No one should be surprised that Triple H's golden boy walked away victories. The only thing I have a grife with is that there was a double count-out which resulted in an automatic finale spot for Sheamus. Logically how does Morrison stack up against a past WWE Champion who only had to wrestle one match when John won two hard fought bouts earlier in the night. Good tournament overall in which I wouldn't be surprised to see it return next year around the same time. "I'm King, Fella!"

For the second week in a row, the WWE Championship was on the line. No Randy Orton didn't ask for a rematch (in which he is entitled to) because he was not at Raw. Apparently the Viper is having some neck problems and had an MRI on it during the week. This is terrible timing for him to be banged up since he needs to help elevate the Miz into a top main eventer. On the other hand, Jerry "the King" Lawler was ready dust off his boots and step into the ring with the new Champ. Jerry was awarded his first ever Championship & TLC match. Even though Lawler is up there in age, those two put on one hell of a story. Alex Riley and Michael Cole getting involved in the bout made the match even more incredible and showed that the Miz is champ that can be beaten by anyone. It should be interesting to see how the Miz keeps his title for the upcoming months.

John Cena had a busy night on Raw even though he is no longer on the payroll. First he took out McGillicutty backstage then had no problem hopping over the wall and taking out Heath Slater. Lastly, him and his band of brothers beat down the other members of Nexus in the back. He successfully gave Justin Gabriel an Attitude Adjustment on to the hood of a car. I think that creative is dropping the ball a little bit on this whole angle. Cena should have been held off of tv for a couple of weeks and had a mystery person taking out Nexus members backstage. I miss Nexus being a powerful faction cause now it's all focused around Cena and has become boring.

Diva Break...

Yesterday brought some sad news from Titan Towers as the Ballin' One was given his walking papers. Yes the man known as MVP was released and wishes him the best in all future endeavors. I wouldn't get too upset about it though because he asked for this. Mr. Porter hasn't been too happy with his direction in the company and asked for a release. I can't imagine there are any hard feeling on either side. I am sure we will see MVP on tv shortly as he is one of the most underused wrestlers for the past 5 years. I can see him in TNA and would be an incredible addition to their roster. He is a true inspiration to anyone who is given a second chance in life and follows their dreams. "Ballin!!!"

The show Tough Enough will be returning some time in 2011 but until then another season of NXT has been cast. The only person I recognize right away is Byron Saxton who has done some broadcasting for the WWE/ECW brand. The pros are the most interesting group. Ziggler, Bryan, Masters, DiBiase, Truth, and Del Rio. Not sure why Del Rio is a pro since he is still fresh to the WWE but it should be interesting to see the interaction between all the pros in this season. I'd also like to congratulate Kaitlyn on winning the NXT Diva version. That is her above... you're welcome.

Finally, I switched over the Superstars last night and witnessed a great show of wresling talent. The main event was David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd. These two put on probably the best free tv match I have seen in awhile. The crowd seemed really into it as well which really put it over the top. I know these two have been around each other for years and years so it's expected that their chemistry would spill onto the mat. I could watch these two square off for a good 10 minutes every week.


Thanks for reading and as always...

The Champ is Awesome!

Welcome to another edition of the Daily Slam! Survivor Series is over and the landscape has changed dramatically in the WWE. The Miz cashes in, King of the Ring tournament is set for next week, LayCool is missing something, and John Cena says goodbye. Plenty of things to get to so let's get started...

Just when you thought the WWE was going to put the strap around Wage Barrett's waist they throw a curve ball into the mix. The awesome one cashed in his MITB briefcase and took the gold from Orton to become the new WWE Champion. The former reality star has been getting a lot of media coverage with his win and I think it's well deserving. Him winning the title has had mixed reactions from the fans. I am on the positive side of this decision from the creative team. It's good to see someone how has had to work his way up the ladder and prove himself not only to the fan base but the veterans in the locker room. He doesn't fit that usual champion mold which is why him winning is great for the business. It appears that Morrison is turning more and more into the Jannetty of the former tag team of Miz n' Morrison. The Awesome one is the new top dog on Raw and I can't wait for his first promo.

On Raw, there were qualifying matches for next week's 3 hour KOTR Raw special. The participant are Morrison, Daniel Bryan, Big Zeke, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Kofi Kingston, Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes. I could see any one of these superstars winning the crown to be honest. Del Rio sticks out the most in being able to use the win to propel his character to the next heel level. To be honest, I'm disappointed that Swagger is not able to win cause he would be my first choice out of the entire roster. Should be a good tournament non the less and I'm just glad they brought it back.


Diva Break...

The beautiful duo of Layla and Michelle McCool were denied access to Raw because they no longer hold the unified Divas title. Nattie Neidhart won the title at Survivor Series with some help from good friend Beth Phoenix. I'm glad to see Beth's return and I hope that her and Natalya get to tag together on SD to spruce up that division. I'm sure Layla and McCool will be looking to regain their gold so I'm sure we will get to see some good rematches.

The big buzz on Raw was about John Cena's departure from WWE. Since he rewarded Orton the title and not Barrett, Cena has been fired from the company. At first I believed that he would be taking some time off. Maybe even until after Royal Rumble but just in time for WrestleMania. But apparently Cena announced on his twitter account that he bought tickets for the Raw show next week in Philly. If his interference during the title match on Raw was any indication, his feud with Barrett is far from over, an employee of the 'E or not. I'm guessing he will be sitting ring side and taunt the Nexus members all night. Also the WWE has been advertising a "Juan Cena" on upcoming house shows. Would Cena put on a lucha libre type of mask so he can stay on Raw? I honestly don't hate that idea. To be honest, it sounds hilarious.

Until Next Time...

... I'm Just Sayin!

Survivor Series Prediction

Welcome to my pay per view prediction for the annual fall classic, Survivor Series. This ppv was on the chopping block but is now the host of the biggest storyline of 2010. Here are my predictions on the current card for this Sunday.

John Morrison vs. Sheamus
These two should be in a traditional survivor series match but atleast it's some way to get them on the card. Morrison needs a good push to the main event level and maybe a feud with Sheamus is a way to do it. No matter what the outcome is, these two need to be injected back into the title picture in some capacity. A win here helps Morrison more than it would help Sheamus.
Winner- John Morrison

WWE United States Championship Match
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Ted DiBiase (w/Maryse)
A throw together match last minute for the 2nd most prestigious title on Raw. Stupid booking on the part of creative team. Bryan was supposed to feud with CM Punk before he was injured but having DiBiase inserted is ridiculous. At least have a #1 contender match to somewhat make it more deserving. No way does Bryan lose this match.
Winner- Daniel Bryan

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Dolph Ziggler (c)r vs. Kaval
The season two winner of NXT will take his title shot against the man who has perfect the sleeper hold. After watching a couple of Ziggler/Bryan matches recently, Kaval & Dolph should not disappoint. I'm a little torn of who should win here. On one hand, Ziggler has brought some good attention to the IC Championship but now it's time he moves on to the main picture. Kaval needs to hold a title to get some credibility in the WWE. If they don't have anything for Dolph in the near future than I would prefer he hold onto his gold.
Winner- Dolph Ziggler

2 on 1 Handicap Match for WWE Unified Diva's Championship
Michelle McCool & Layla (c) vs. Natalya
I've been picking her to win the Divas title for the past few pay per views and she always disappoints. Is this third times a charm? I hope so. With the Hart Dynasty splitting up, there is no need for Nattie to pick sides if she is the Divas champ and defending her title all the time. Double sharpshooter for the win.
Winner- Natalya

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Nexus (Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater) vs. Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov
One of the most bizarre tag title matches in a long time. the Nexus duo should win here but if not I wouldn't be all that suprised. Just the thought of Koslov and Santino holding the titles makes me laugh which might be what creative is after.
Winner- Gabriel & Slater

Team Del Rio vs. Team Mysterio
Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, "Dashing" Cody Rhodes & Tyler Reks vs. Rey Mysterio, The Big Show, Kofi Kingston, M.V.P & Chris Masters
The one and only traditional tag team elimination match on the card. Looks like a good match-up of good guys vs bad guys. I see this coming down to Mysterio & Del Rio with Mysterio picking up the victory.
Winner- Rey Mysterio 

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Kane (c) vs. Edge
It's good to see the Ultimate Opportunist back to his old tricks. Even though Kane has been on such a hot streak as of late, Edge has the upper hand going into this match. With the distraction of Edge kidnapping Paul Bearer I think this is where Kane loses the gold. He was supposed to drop the belt to Taker but due to an injury that wasn't possible. I see Edge winning here and there being a 4 way ladder match at TLC next month.
Winner- Edge

WWE Championship Match (Free or Fired, Win by Pin-Fall or Submission Only)
Randy Orton (c) vs. Wade Barrett (w/ John Cena as Special Guest Referee)
A match full of stipulations. No Disqualification! No count out! Nexus banned from ringside! How is it possible for Barrett to win? Oh yea, he has an ace up his sleeve. If John Cena wants to keep his job then he must award Wade Barrett the WWE Championship. If Cena screws Orton from his gold then he will be relinquished from being Barrett's lackey for good. Thus will be a match full of close calls and most likely some outside interference. Even though Nexus is banned, I see the Miz getting involved in some capacity. I don't know if allowing Cena to be fired (kayfabe) is a good choice due to how the general audience would react. My prediction is that somehow Orton gets knocked out by outside interference which allows Barrett to pick up the win.
Winner- Wade Barrett

Raw Goes Old School

Welcome to another end of the work week edition of the Daily Slam! The WWE is at the beginning of the WrestleMania long hall. After this Sunday there is only 3 pay per views until the grand daddy of them all. Things will sure to be heating up in the next couple of months before the 'E heads to Atlanta. While we still have some time til then, this week the WWE held the first ever Old School Raw. The Nexus tag team got #1 contenders, Daniel Bryan faced Jack Swagger with some good ol' commentary, and Piper's Pit had some main event guests. All this and much more so let's get started...

The inevitable happened on Raw. The Hart Dynasty finally came to a crashing halt. Tyson Kidd turned on his best friends and looks to be going after that heel image. This is a bad bad move to split one of the few legit tag teams but I like Kidd being the heel coming out of this for now. Remember that when they started together, they were a heel team. I'm curious to see how these two do in single form.

Speaking of tag teams, Vladimir Koslov and Santino beat the Usos to become the new #1 contenders for the tag titles this Sunday at Survivor Series against Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater. With such a small list of possible opponents for the current champs, I don't mind the goofy team of Vlad/Santino getting a shot. I don't see the Nexus duo losing but winning might be because of some outside interference.

The match of the night on Raw was Swagger vs Bryan. Then you throw Jim Ross on the commentary and it's the greatest thing possible on free tv. It was a good back and forth match with Daniel Bryan winning with a brutal kick to Jack's head. I hope these two are on the same show in the very near future because more matches between them will show how good technical wrestling can be.

Divas Break...

Piper's Pit was featured at the end of Raw and had some great dynamics. Rowdy Roddy Piper made the main event for Survivor Series look more important than the creative team has for the past three weeks. Piper told Cena that by him handing Barrett the belt, it's like a slap in the face to all the older wrestlers who never held the prestigious WWE Championship. All the dynamics between Piper, Orton, Cena, and Barrett made the Survivor Series ppv sound worth the money alone. At the end of the segment, Orton gave Cena an RKO but was hit but John's Attitude Adjustment following. Cena then gave Barrett one as well to end the show. What will Cena end up doing as the guest referee this Sunday?

In some TNA Wrestling news, Eric Young has signed a new contract with the company which is a wise choice on TNA's part. He may not be main event level yet but when you have a roster full of old timers, his time to shine is inevitable. Lacey Von Erich has asked for her release from the company which makes me sad. One of the hottest knockouts apparently wasn't too happy with her progress and wants to try other venues. Also, last night on Impact current TNA Champ Jeff Hardy defeated Raven which means he is now fired from the company. I am really starting to enjoy Jeff's new heel gimmick and I'm a little disappointed that the 'E didn't try this out.

Until Next Time...

I'm Just Sayin!

A-List in Hot Water

Welcome to this weeks edition of The Daily Slam! We are coming to the end of the 2nd week in November which means Survivor Series is only 9 days away. This weeks topics include "A-List" Otunga facing John Cena, The Nexus took on Team Orton, MVP has a shot at gold, and departures from the business. Roll the banner...

Apparently David Otunga aka A-List aka Mr. Jennifer Hudson is testing the water of becoming a leader in the Nexus clan. He lead the group to SmackDown last week and was successful at beating down individuals but fell short to win a team vs team match. On Raw, Barrett was none to happy with Otunga's efforts so he threw him into a match against other Nexus member John Cena. John won the match easily leaving Barrett to the decision of giving Otunga one last shot. A-List faces Edge on SD tonight and if he loses, he will be kicked out of the Nexus faction. Even if Otunga beats Edge, there is a lot of tension building up with Barrett and Otunga and it will be interesting to see if David lashes out. He could even cost the bare knuckle brawler his shot at the WWE title.

Speaking of those who wear a big N on their chest, they took on Randy Orton and a team hand picked by the anonymous general manager. The Nexus won but only because of betrayal involving The Miz. The current MITB holder gave the current champ a skull crushing finale allowing Barrett to pick up the victory. The Miz shows once again that he is the top heel and that his mind is on the gold at all times. Even if Barrett wins the title at Survivor Series, he lose it seconds later to a weasel lurking around the corner in Mike Mizanin. Also, the new stipulations for the WWE Championship match at Survivor Series are win by pin-fall or submission only. Has Barrett ever showed any form of submission maneuvers in the past? Hell his finishing move is weak so his submission moves should be something interesting to see.

Diva Break...

Just when you thought things were looking down for the "ballin" one on the blue brand, he gets some new theme music and now a shot at Intercontinental gold. MVP hasn't been on the receiving end of wins as of late so it's good to see him get a new shot at something and even a single ppv match. I can see him and Ziggler having some good back and forth matches so Dolph possibly losing the title to MVP at Survivor Series wouldn't be a bad thing since a rematch is a given.

Some off screen news this week; William Regal made an announcement overseas that his time in the ring is coming to a close soon. He through out that word "maybe" but I feel its inevitable. With all this young talent being brought in, someone like Regal is being lost in the mix. I don't remember the last time he had an actual one on one match on Raw. If Superstars had its own roster he would be the face of it that's for sure. With CM Punk being sidelined due to injury it appears that Sir William is being placed into a feud with his protege Daniel Bryan. I can't express how excited I am to see these two square off for hopefully a good 15 min match. If Regal is looking at hanging up his boots, I imagine he will stick around the WWE and help develop young stars. If tough enough does return, he should be the first person considered to be a coach.

Another person that has been let go by TNA due to contract talks. Eric Young has left the company and maybe heading to the indy circuit or RoH I would imagine. The WWE might be a good fit for Mr. Young even though they'd repackage him with some crazy name. I always thought Eric has good ring presence but was always misused with some stupid TNA creative direction. He should tell Desmond Wolfe to leave TNA and those two join CM Punk & Daniel Bryan in the 'E as a new 4 person stable. Oh how I could only see greatness coming from that idea.

Last thing on my mind is next week's "Old School" Raw. The WWE is bring back the old theme and some old faces to the Monday night show. There are many confirmed guests but I have my own list of hopefuls such as Jake "the Snake" Roberts, The Brooklyn Brawler, and last but not least....Sid Vicious. I will mark out if any of those 3 appear on my tv screen.

Well that's it for this week. Until Next Time...

... I'm Just Sayin!

Special Guest Referee

Welcome to another edition of the self proclaimed greatest column written on this blog, The Daily Slam! After a one week hiatis, I am back with another week ending post with my thoughts on the current state of the wresting entertainment industry (mostly WWE). The main focus this week is John Cena's big dilemma going into Survivor Series, the Hart Dynasty's fall from grace, Lita makes a teeny-tiny-pee-wee return, and Vince wakes up from his coma. All this and maybe a little a bit more..... roll the banner!

Heading into one of the original "four big ones" pay per views, Survivor Series, we have a match of epic proportions. If you thought John Cena being in Wade Barrett's corner at Bragging Rights was bad enough for current WWE Champion Randy Orton then shit just hit the fan. Cena has been assigned to be Special Guest Referee for the Barrett/Orton rematch which entails some extra motivation for Cena to help the leader of Nexus. If Wade wins the gold then Cena is vanquished of his current duties to the Nexus faction and can be on his merry little way. On the flip side, if Orton retains the title then Cena will be fired on the spot via Wade Barrett. Not sure why Wade has that kind of control but apparently he is the all mighty ruler when it comes to John's contract. I thought he was just his slave but apparently he has Cena's job in his hands as well. Definitely makes for an interesting concept.

With this Nexus is in charge of Cena storyline and being somewhat in control of what happens a lot on Raw, it makes me curious as to who the mystery GM is and why he/she allows it to continue. I am beginning to think that the anonymous person will be revealed soon and I have a hunch as to who the person will be. She goes by the name of Stephanie McMahon. Her and her hubby, Triple H, have been off of tv for quite some time now and their return should be approaching shortly. I don't see the Game sitting out of the major pay per views coming up such as Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. I think Steph will reveal herself as the GM and HHH will be standing next to her proclaiming that he was also pulling the strings. This could lead to the story of they were responsible for Nexus attacking Vince resulting in his coma and also taking out the Undertaker. Could we get Taker vs Triple H at Mania? Maybe Jericho returns and reveals them to be the GM's since he said he knew who it was before his departure setting up a HHH vs Jericho match. Ponder this for a second.... on Raw, after Vince's sudden awake from his coma they show Steph waking up from a terrible dream that was what we just witnessed with Vince. Triple H assured her that her father was still brain dead and she seemed happy about that. Looks like the start of a Steph/HHH heel story to me.

Speaking of bizarre things to happen on Raw, Pee Wee Herman was the guest host, him and the divas played twister, and Big Show is apparently his cousin who dresses like him. Okay none of those are actually bizarre enough to top the return of Lita. Yes one of the greatest divas/woman wrestlers in the industry made a quick cameo along side Pee Wee. It was the "WTF" moment of the week and it has people speculating on a possible return. Could Lita bring some much needed spark to the Divas division? Is this Vince's way of saying TNA can have Mickie James cause Lita is back? Or was this a one shot deal for some quick cash? I'm banking on option three (no pun intended) since the divas division is nothing like it was when Lita was there and Mickie serves no threat to the WWE by joining TNA. I'd love to see a return by the high flying diva but I'm not about to get my hopes up.

Diva Break...

The rise and fall of the Hart Dynasty is a short lived tale. Uncle Bret helped them reach the top of the mountain and win the unified tag team titles but now Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith are on different wave lengths. Honestly I don't know which one is leaning more towards the heel side since they both could play that role well. I'd prefer Kidd since he'd probably end up being a jobber as a face. This is the worst possible timing to split up the only real tag team on the roster but it appears that Vince is on a one way course to end the tag team division all together. Make me miss the good old days of the Headbangers, Legion of Doom, New Age Outlaws, the Acolytes, the Hardyz.... I could go on for awhile but you get my point. We live in a time where teams are just thrown together at random and hope it makes for a good showing. At least the Harts were the last to hold the true WWE tag titles. 

Some sad news recently reported is that CM Punk is going to be out of action for about 3 months while recovering from a hip injury. Terrible timing for the Straight Edge superstar seeing that he was looking for a fresh start on Raw after being traded from SD. Looks like the Punk/Bryan possible feud will be put on hold. I'd rather see it at Mania anyways.

In some TNA Wrestling news, it seems that they are finally seeing the potential that Matt Morgan has by placing him in the championship bout this Sunday against the newly crowned Jeff Hardy. On no level do I believe Morgan has a shot at winning the gold but it's still nice to see them making some positive moves. Most likely we will see some sort of interference to help Jeff win the match to help push the Hardy heel persona. Also Kevin Nash looks to be out of TNA and looking right back at his old stomping grounds. He tweeted some interesting comments as of late to insinuate his desire to return. He posted "Vince let me in the Rumble if I win i get taker at mania. If I lose I’ll join the kiss your ass club the next raw…………….DEAL?" I'm all for a Nash return but only for the reason that WrestleMania is in Atlanta this year. I do not wish to see him getting title shots mid summer. Too many young stars need the spotlight right now.

That is all for this week. Until next time....

.... I'm Just Sayin!