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!!!"

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.

Orton Reigns Supreme After NOC

Welcome to another edition to The Daily Slam! With only two weeks in between pay per views, the WWE must set up matches quickly and that is just what they have done. John Cena will get his one on one match with Wade Barrett but it comes with a heavy stipulation. Sheamus wants his title back from Orton, The Miz isn't finished with Daniel Bryan, and Chris Jericho's losing streak continues. All this and much more so let's get rolling...

Even though we have a new WWE Champion on Raw all the buzz going into Hell In A Cell is the match between John Cena and the leader of Nexus, Wade Barrett. If Cena wins then the faction that has been causing so much of a stir on Raw all summer, Nexus, must disband. But if Barrett pulls out the victory then Nexus grows only stronger because Cena must join the group with the big yellow "N" on their chest. Having this stipulation between these two makes this match the must-see bout on the ppv card at the moment. I hate to see Nexus break up so soon but with the injury to Sheffield and Darren Young being kicked out leads me to believe that a singles run is in Barrett's near future. This way it allows Otunga, Gabriel, and Slater opportunities in the mid card and tag division as well. If Cena is forced to join the Nexus though, it could be the development of a heel Cena or he could just make things worse for Nexus by being inside the group. Either direction the 'E goes with, it could lead to huge story-lines.


The Viper has won the WWE Championship once again and it was well deserved since he was the most dominate in the ring at Night of Champions. Sheamus wants his rematch and it will happen at Hell in a Cell which is perfect way to end this feud. I can't see Orton losing but I can see a certain MITB briefcase holder getting involved. It would be a great way to end one feud and start another one instantly. I know I'm getting way ahead of myself but it's how I would book it.


Diva Beak...

Another feud that continues on Raw is Daniel Bryan and The Miz. Since he 'tapped-out out at NOC, he is looking for any way of retribution against the American Dragon who comes out to the theme of "Ride of the Valkyries" now which reeks of awesomeness. Bryan lost to Edge on Raw with help from Miz but the GM reversed the call. This helps piss off Edge and doesn't hurt the creditability of the new United States Champion. I can't wait for Bryan/Miz part II at the next ppv.


And last from Raw, Chris Jericho who was supposedly done with the company after NOC lost another match against John Morrison. Chris was booted from the Six-pack challenge match early and it seems that he has lost a step or two. I don't think we'll see much of Chris after Raw next week as he tours with Fozzy and rests up his body. He helped put Morrison over before he takes time off which just shows once again what a first class company man Chris can be. I'm sure once he returns to tv, he'll get right back in the title picture as he should and hopefully gets another great story leading into 'Mania. Also, next week is the release of Y2J's dvd set in which I am most excited about.


The new dynamic tag team of Dashing Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre are on fire as of late by winning the titles and successfully retaining the titles on SD against the Harts. This is a smart move to put the belts on these two as heels can always make the titles look more important than faces can, most of the time. AS long as the new champs show up on Raw from time to time and help promote the tag division more, then I am for them carrying the belts for a long time.


Diva Break... 

Alberto Del Rio has struck once again by taking out Christian this time (kayfabe). Captain Charisma has a torn pectoral muscle and is need of surgery. This puts him out of action for almost 6 months. This is just terrible timing since the move to SyFy for SmackDown means they need the best on the roster to shine and Christian is probably in the top 3 of most entertaining on the SD brand.


At-last, he has returned. No not the Rock, not Austin, not even the Brooklyn Brawler..... I'm talking about Paul Bearer. When Undertaker's long-time manager who carries the urn that gives the Deadman his evil powers has once again graced us with his presence. This in my mind is how they can have the Undertaker beat Kane cleanly with his hell strength back in his soul. I love how great Kane has been since Money In The Bank ppv when he won the title. He has had great matches and even better promos. Now with Paul Bearer in the midst of this feud, I can easily say this is a well deserving way for Kane's title reign to end and you can mark this point in WWE history of a great story-line for the Big Red Machine. Too bad this isn't all happening on Raw though cause it deserves as much coverage as possible. Once again shows why SD is the more superior show even if most fans won't admit it.


Well that's all for this week which means....

... and I'm just sayin!

Orton Looks To Be Unstopable

Welcome to another week's edition of The Daily Slam! We are only days away from the Night Of Champions pay per view, in which every championship will be defended, and the card is almost complete. Early predictions have Randy Orton as the hands down favorite to win WWE gold after the roll he's been on lately. Daniel Bryan has had The Miz's number via the LeBelle Lock but Miz gets last laugh on Raw. The Hart Dynasty still has no #1 contenders. Finally, who will face Melina in the unification match. All this and much more. Roll the opening photo....

On this week's Monday Night Raw, Randy Orton and John Cena were decided from a roulette wheel to have a tables match. The concept is easy, the first superstar to put his opponent through a table wins. Well after a decent bout and many close calls the wrestlers were bombarded by the other 4 members of their 6 pack challenge this Sunday. After Superman and the Viper took out all the interrupters, Cena had Orton in his finishing move and seconds away from the win when instantly Randy reversed into an RKO  ala putting Cena through wood for the win. It wasn't the most amazing reversal RKO we've seen lately but it was still surprising. This has to put Orton on his biggest win steak of his career and the clear cut favorite to win at the ppv. Well maybe not. Every time Randall seems to be doing well he always gets screwed out of winning gold which helps continue any kind of feud with the winner. So with Orton being the most obvious choice to win but almost too obvious leads to 5 other possible winners. Well maybe not Barrett. It sure will be interesting to see who walks out with the belt since the Miz is always lurking with that MITB briefcase gripped so securely in his grasp.

Last week Daniel Bryan challenged the Miz to a match for the US Title. As a heel, the Miz will not be upstaged by some internet darling so this week he faked an injury and threw his apprentice Alex Riley in a match with Bryan. Of course that lead to Riley losing but Miz getting the last laugh with a beat down on Bryan followed by a skull crushing finale on top of the briefcase. If this feud doesn't intrigue the die hard fans of WWE then you don't deserve good entertainment. These two are a perfect match-up not only in the ring but on the mic. Bryan could be the best technical wrestler since Benoit (that's right I said his name) and the Miz is the best heel to get over since Jericho back in the early 00's. It appears Vince thinks highly of the Miz's talent since he is featured on the cover of WWE magazine which is unheard of if your name isn't Cena, Orton, Taker, or Mysterio. Too bad Marty Janetty John Morrison couldn't step up his promo game cause he should be on the same level as the Miz at this point

Diva Break...

The Hart Dynasty faced Chris Jericho on Raw in a steel cage match. Tyson Kidd looked great in the ring which is no surprise. The big surprise is though that these 2 don't have competition as of yet for the Night of Champions ppv. The tag division is so sad these days that they can't even build a decent match for the tag titles for a ppv in which every title will be defended. Hopefully they announce something last minute tonight on SmackDown when they do their final card rundown. Rhodes and McIntyre perhaps?

Speaking of SD, the "Co-Women's" Champion of LayCool need to decide who faces Melina for the Unification match of the belts. I think one diva title is a smart move but only if that champion actually shows up on both shows. Perhaps this will lead to more one on one matches as well instead of all these diva tag matches and diva battle royals. That's when I go channel surfing. If LayCool chooses Michelle McCool to face Melina and loses, can Layla object to the lose since she is the "actual' Women's Champion? I think that could be a good twist in the story. I would prefer to see Layla take on Melina since I can't think of the last time they had a one on one match, if ever and in all honesty Layla is the better in ring worker. She be a good ol' cat fight none the less. I predict a 5 min match which is twice as long as the diva's tv matches are.

Last week on SmackDown, CM Punk lost to the Undertaker in a fantastic match. Either the Deadman is really getting worn out in matches or he puts on one hell of a show by looking beat down. I give him the benefit of the doubt with option number dos. Punk looked dominate most of the match which once again proves that this over drawn feud with the Big Show is a waste of his talent ten fold. Punk needs to be in the ppv main event as much as Cena or Orton on Raw. It appears that SES is on the path to dismantle which I couldn't be any happier since it was a story that never got the time it deserved. Damn those writers dropped the ball with that faction like a bag of bricks. I mean who doesn't miss Serena?

Diva Break...

In non-tv wrestling news: Kevin Nash and Matt Hardy have been busier on twitter as of late then they have been in the ring. Kevin isn't too happy with the direction of TNA and his role with the company. It appears that Big Daddy Cool will be leaving after his contract is up to pursue other wrestling gigs. I find this situation to quite interesting seeing how the WWE is having a WCW type of WrestleMania/ Hall of Fame this year in Atlanta. Is this Nash's way of getting in the HOF earlier than expected? Makes sense to me. I'm not saying that's his sole reasoning but I'm sure it crossed his mind. Matt Hardy on the other hand is in denial stage. It seems that WWE sent him home from a few shows but Matt refuses to admit to these stories. I can't blame the WWE for not being behind Hardy anymore since it seems like his dedication to staying in shape has hit rock bottom. He still puts on a good match but as an independent contracted wrestler, you must do everything in your power to be in the best shape possible. Matt has always been loyal to the WWE and I hate to see him get future endeavored but the company must do whats best for them. I don't think it's personal but business is business and a Hardy reunion in TNA might be a better option for Matt anyways.

That's all for this week. Check out my pay per view predictions for Night of Champions that will be posted tomorrow. Thanks for reading and as always.....

...I'm Just Sayin!

MITB Fallout

Hello one and all and welcome to another edition of The Daily Slam.We are only days removed from Money In The Bank ppv and plans for SummerSlam are already unfolding. Randy Orton looks to win the WWE Championship back but who will he face? Also, can anyone stop the newly crowned champ Big Red Machine? This and much more so let's get on with it...

If anyone who purchased the Money In The Bank pay per view didn't feel like it was worth the money than I feel bad for you. That last couple of WWE ppv's have been somewhat dull and that's typical post-WrestleMania time but this last Sunday's show was a good one. First off, Kane wins the SmackDown MITB match which was a shock to most. Then he cashes it in after Rey Mysterio successfully defends his title against Jack Swagger to become new champ. Followed by a damn good Raw MITB ladder match which the Miz may have won but I give big props to John Morrison for taking some devastating hits. Overall, with having to diva matches and the boring tag title storyline involved, I say this ppv delivered on all measures. Yes the WWE Championship cage match was a big lackluster but I figured that was gonna happen since Nexus was going to get involved. Still the right person won the match, thankfully.

The following night on Raw, they start off the show with a big #1 contenders match involving Orton, Edge, and Jericho. The Apex Predator won which is the right call since he can help Sheamus along as a legitimate champion more than Cena ever could. I wonder how many boots to the face Randy will take over the next few weeks. I don't know why the WWE doesn't have a gimmick match to get into the main event at SummerSlam like they do for WrestleMania ala the Royal Rumble winner. I think it would build the SS show more by having a huge match to determine who faces the champ at the company's biggest blockbuster of the Summer. Just food for thought.

The big question is though, who will be the WWE Champion walking into SummerSlam. Since the Miz won the MITB briefcase, he will be on a constant prowl to take the title from Sheamus at any sign of weakness. When he laid-out the Irishman on Raw and told the ref to ring the bell, I thought we were going to see a new champion right then and there. It would have been the biggest night of the Miz's career life and I bet he would have cried. I bet John Morrison wishes he could have been drafted to Raw two years ago instead of the Miz.

Diva break...

On the blue brand, Kane won the MITB match followed by winning the World title from Rey and becoming the first ever man to hold all three title in the WWE; the WWE title, World Heavy title, and ECW title. That is until the Big Show does right around the same time his movie comes out. So yea, around October I believe we'll see that happening. You'd figure Jack Swagger would be the man to take a run at Kane for his new championship but it looks as if the 'E wants Rey to get his rematch at SummerSlam. I don't like this booking so far but hopefully Swagger can be thrown into the match for a triple threat bout.

It appears that not only will Cena take on team Nexus, but he has recruited a team of people looking for revenge. Aligning with the chain gang leader is Edge, Jericho, Morrison, the Great Khali, and Evan Bourne Bret Hart. That's right, everyone's favorite old ass, pink and black wearing, sharpshooter using, revenge filled asailant is back. Remember when Nexus put Bret in the back of a limo and crashed him into like 6 different cars? Well he is all healed up and ready for a fight. I was expecting a handful of other guys to be in this match but I guess with the Undertaker and Triple H out of SummerSlam, the WWE needed to insert a legend to fill in. I only want to see one outcome of this match as of right now.... all 6 members of team Cena lock in all 6 member of team Nexus in Sharpshooters, simultaneously. The crowd would go ape shit.

Michael McGillicutty won the obstacle course of NXT which means he is safe from elimination on next week's show. Michael, I think has the best shot at winning this season. He's a 2nd gen wrestler with good in ring skills. He's not too bad on the mic and he is is the son of Mr. Perfect. Still not sure when they wouldn't leave him with the Hennig last name. Speaking of NXT, as of right now McGillicutty and Kaval are the FCW tag champs and Alex Riley is still holding onto the FCW Championship title. I don't recall any of the season one guys being title holders in development and being on the NXT roster at the same time but I could be mistaken. Doubtful though.

Knockout Break...

 This week I sat through an entire episode of TNA iMPACT. I have to say I was somewhat surprised by the talent. Oh wait, other than Bischoff phoning in, him and Hogan were no where to be scene. That explains the good show then. I like how the tag title are being determined with a best of 5 matches stipulation. Also, with Beer Money up 2 wins already, I expect MCMG to put on some good matches. The match between Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy was actually just starting to get good until the 10 minute time limit was reached. I commend TNA to sticking time limited matches but these two kinda deserve more than 10 minutes. It means a rematch will be in the future but I feel the whole thing was unnecessary.  At the end of iMPACT, Dixie introduced the crowd to the ECW Originals and granted them their very own pay per view. This means Hard Justice is now HardCore Justice and a bunch of ECW stars will be returning for one last night. Well we've all been feed that lie before so I expect atleast half of them to stick around TNA for the rest of 2010. I just want to see Sabu fight one more time and I'll be happy. I also wasn't too thrilled with the way Tommy Dreamer spoke about "the other company". They bash the WWE like it's the devil. Last time I checked, those wrestlers are independent contractors which means if you don't like the job your in then you can leave. Sorry you had to be paid a bunch of money and be the face of a Tuesday night show Tommy, you piss poor sport. I always had big respect for Dreamer and his extreme ways but sticking around WWE for all those years only to bad mouth them on public television leave me with a negative look on his character.

Until Next Time...

...I'm Just Sayin!

Money.In.The. Bank.

Money in the Bank has been a highlight of every WrestleMania of the past 5 years. This match has given us some of our biggest stars and most spectacular moments. Like King of the Ring before it, it has catapulted many mid carders to super stardom. In fact, it has a 100% of the time in so much as every individual who has cashed in their money in the bank briefcase won a would championship.



However, I would be remiss if I didn't point out a few things. While an amazing concept match, I feel having giving it its own ppv is a mistake. A large part of the MITB's greatness was that you never knew when it was going to be cashed in or which champion it would be cashed in on and having two at the same time may add to some fun moments but I feel ultimately would kill some of the suspense. Besides, wouldn't it have been more prudent to have a war games ppv instead where team Cena fights team Nexus.Now for the predictions.

UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: The Hart Dynasty vs. the Uso's



This match makes me sad for the tag division. The Uso's have been great since their debut, same with the Hart Dynasty. Still, you cant have a solid division with just two teams. I'll go with the hart dynasty on this one because I feel the belts will get caught up in the nexus storyline and there aren't really any face teams to challenge the USO's

Winners: Better then the best.



DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:Alicia Fox(c) vs. Eve



It's kinda remarkable that this match doesn't feature a blond. The diva division on Raw may feature the most diversity of any division in all of pro wrestling history. Alica Fox needs a win, but i don't think the wwe really cares.

Winner: Eve by DQ



WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Layla(c) vs. Kelly Kelly



Wow, 2 women's matches on one card, Let's see if combined they'll get 5 minutes. After the draft, I was excited for the smackdown woman's division. It looked like they started to care. That didn't exactly pan out. Still, they've done an all right job building to this match so let's see what happens.

Winner: Layla



WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Rey Mysterio(c) vs. Jack

Swagger



Jack Swagger was robbed by the masked man. Now, he gets his title back. This is going to be a nice juxtaposition of styles with Swagger's size and armature background and Mysterio's speed and power of flight. Swagger should win here,but I'm counting on a non finish and for Swagger to reclaim his title at Summerslam.

Winner: The 6!!!! 1!!!!! 9!!!!!



STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheamus(c) vs. John Cena



I really can't tell you. It .could go either way. We may even get a third participant. We may get a face turn for Sheamus. It's all really about Nexus. Yea.

Winner: Sheamus?



RAW MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Randy Orton vs. John Morrison vs. Mark Henry vs. Evan Bourne vs. Ted DiBiase Jr. vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. The Miz



Orton: Has his feud with Edge and has Bourne out for him. Would be perfect person to have something like MITB, you'll never know when he will strike.



John Morrison; My personal favorite for this match and he should spectacular in it. He's in the same spot where Edge and Punk was when they first won threes. Still, I don't think Vince sees it as his time.



Mark Henry: He may end up winning just as a WTF moment and he wouldn't exactly be a bad person to hold it.



Evan Bourne: Coming in with some momentum and part of me thinks he'll win. Even if he doesn't this could be a star making performance for him, just call him Shelton Benjamin 2010.



Ted DiBiase Jr.: Big match for him, but I don't see him winning. Then again who saw swagger winning.



Jericho: Chris Jericho with the briefcase would be a lot of fun. He doesn't need it, but hey why not?



Edge: Poor Edge. He's been in two feuds this year that should have been great but both have underperformed. Not to take away from his history with Money in the bank because no one has more history with this then him, but both Orton and Jericho have beef with him and every1 else sees him as the #1 threat. Still, if there's an opportunity open...

The Miz: The only reason the miz won't win is because it would be obvious. This is his night.

Winner: Hard match to call as in everyone could win, but I have to go with the Miz.


SMACKDOWN MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Big Show vs. Matt Hardy vs. Christian vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Kane vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler

Big Show: Seriously, do they have a latter that wont break? Dose he even need one? I like show I was excited to see him get a title shot when he came to Smackdown, but I don't see him winning.

Matt Hardy: My initial instinct is no chance in hell, but if he will ever get a shot at the main event this is it.

Christian: My personal favorite for this match. Smackdown could use another main eventer and it's his time and his kind of match. He has shown the same kind of heelish attitude Edge had when he first won the briefcase.

Kofi: Should be great int his kind of environment and the wwe has shown this guy some love so he could very well win this here.

Cody Rhodes: I like his solo run better than his former partner and but I don't see him winning.

Kane: One of the most underrated guys in the biz, but his time in the main event I think is over.
Drew McIntyre: Apparently being the chosen one is not just a gimmick as he was apparently scheduled to win MitB at mania and here before his visa troubles. I think it would be a mistake to give Drew this kind of push now.
Dolph Ziggler: Poor guy can't seem to catch a break. He's got all the tools to be a star and this would be the perfect chance to give him a shot.
Winner: Christian

Money In The Bank Preview

This Sunday, the WWE is taking their fan favorite concept match from WrestleMania and forming it's very own Pay Per View gimmick. The Money In The Bank matches have given us some of the greatest "Oh My God!" moments and has been a launching pad for so many young stars. Would Edge, CM Punk, and the latest winner Jack Swagger been given such a huge push without their victories? Who's to say. But by holding a  briefcase that grants them a championship match at anytime & anywhere, it's the perfect opportunity to win a top title. Will Edge or Punk once again walk out victorious or will a new main eventer be born by standing tall on top of the ladder? My Pay Per View Predictions...

UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The Hart Dynasty(c) vs. The Usos
 This feud has been dragged out so much as of late and hopefully this match ends the sharade. The Uso's are the new bullies on the block and even though are very talented on the mic, they haven't shown anything too special in the ring (at least in tv matches). The only way I see the Harts dropping the titles is a.) Tamina gets involved and the finish is dirty or b.) the 'E wants the a rematch to happen at SummerSlam. I still lean towards the Harts and the beautiful Natie to pull of the 'W'.
Winner- The Hart Dynasty


DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Alicia Fox(c) vs. Eve
Apparently the WWE is really big on Alicia's work and look. Tall, beautiful, and bad ass finishing move. It doesn't really matter who walks away the winner because Melina will be back any day now and she's top diva in my book. I'll say Fox pulls out a foxy finish.
 Winner- Alicia Fox


WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Layla(c) vs. Kelly Kelly
I don't get how they announce them as co-champions on SmackDown but yet Layla has to defend her title solo. Doesn't seem fair. I hate to see LayCool lose the gold but Kelly Kelly is so over with the crowd that they don't even remember Mickie James anymore. Layla should retain but this will be my shocker of the night.
Winner- Kelly Kelly

Diva Break...

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Rey Mysterio(c) vs. Jack Swagger
Rey suprised us all by winning the title at Fatal 4Way since he's was rumored to be taking time off to heal up. By having the masked warrior winning, it seems that Rey is healthy enough for a title run and I don't see any reason for him to lose the gold right back to Swagger. If the Undertaker was to return next month then I'd say Swagger wins here so they could feud. If Rey drops the belt then it was a poor choice for him to win in the first place.
Winner- Rey Mysterio


STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sheamus(c) vs. John Cena
The somewhat boring guy vs jar of mayonnaise. I would prefer seeing Sheamus walk into SummerSlam the champion but without Cena in the main event could lower buy-rates for the WWE. Having Sheamus lose the title would make his second reign look even more like a fluke then his first did. I say let the young cat walk into the Summer's biggest stage as the champion to see if he has what it takes to become top heel. And if this match is last on the card, maybe a suprise "cash in" could happen and a first time champ could be crowned. That'd shock the hell out of some fans.
Winner- Sheamus


RAW MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Randy Orton vs. John Morrison vs. Mark Henry vs. Evan Bourne vs. Ted DiBiase Jr. vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. The Miz
This is the more top "dogs" match and will probably be less hardcore than the SD version but after seeing Orton RKO Bourne mid-air, I think this match could the better of the two. All these guys will probably hit their finisher atlerast once if not multiple times. Randy doesn't need a briefcase for a title shot, he's the viper and does what he wants anyways. Morrison is almost there but winning won't put him over. Henry doesn't have a shot in the dark. Bourne is a rising star in the company and his stock keeps growing in popularity. I could him winning only to be the first MITB holder to lose when he cashes in. DiBiase would look good holding a gold briefcase and rub it in everyone's face. Plus, Maryse gives him an upper hand in my book. Jericho, like Orton, really doesn't need to win since he's always a contender. Also Y2J might be taking time off this fall to tour with Fozzy so it doesn't make much sense for him. This leave Edge and Miz. My two favorites to be victorious for different reasons. Edge because he has mastered this type of match and has made "cashing in the briefcase" so damn interesting. I mean, there is a reason he's called the Ultimate Opportunist. The Miz on the other hand, with the win, would bump up to the next level which is where he needs to be as a legitimate threat for the WWE Championship on any night. He's done everything correct in the 'E since his arrival and I think it's his time. He's almost followed the footsteps of Edge in a sense. I think Edge has the best odds of winning but I'm going with the "Awesome" one.
 Winner- The Miz

SMACKDOWN MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Big Show vs. Matt Hardy vs. Christian vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Kane vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler
Even though this match has two "big guys" involved, there will be some serious high flying spots. With Hardy, Christian, and Kingston all being big time risk takers, this match will make it worth spending the money. I don't think it will steal the show but these guys will put on one hell of a performance. I can cross off Matt Hardy and Ziggler since neither are in any spot to deserve a title match. Rhodes also seems like a very unlikely winner even though he is Dashing. The Big Show falls in that same category of guys who really don't need to hold a briefcase for a Championship bout.  This leaves Christian, Kingston, and McIntyre. Kingston is a top face on the blue brand but I think still has a long run  of IC Champ before his big break. McIntyre is the so-called "Chosen One" so it could make sense for him and I prefer heels holding a title contract because their mischievous. But, I have to say not only does Christian look like the odds on favorite but damn it, he deserves to win. Ever since returning to WWE, he has put on some of the best matches, put over plenty of younger talent ala Sheamus and Swagger, and has always been in most fans eyes as a top contender. He no longer deserves to be treated like the Jannety of E&C and needs his own spotlight. By winning and cashing it in on Raw against Edge (if he was champ) would be one of the greatest moments in the 'E's history. If Rey leaves due to injury soon, Christian could take over as a top face on SD other than the Taker. There are so many possibilities with Captain Charisma winning that I don't see why Vince wouldn't want him to. He's my choice and I'll be royally pissed if he doesn't walk out vivtorious.
Winner- Christian

Until Next Time...

... I'm Just Sayin!