Bleacher Report - Articles by Ben Sampson

WWE Night Of Champions vs. TNA Victory Road: Which Should You Watch?

Ben Sampson — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:43:05 -0400

Warning: May contain spoilers. Read at own risk.

Has this question been on your mind: "Should I watch WWE Night of Champions, or TNA Victory Road?"

Well, I may have your answer to this puzzling question, as I will analyze both match cards for Night of Champions and Victory Road. Without further ado, let's see what I recommend for your ailing problem:

WWE Night of Champions

This event, known also as Vengeance, Vengeance: Night of Champions, or simply NoC, is an event where every WWE championship is defended, an unprecedented feat in the harebrained world of professional wrestling.

While it is a revolutionary idea, the WWE creative team seems to make the same matches at every pay-per-view, which lowers the event's value.

As of right now, the card contains the following matches:

Randy Orton (c) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena: Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship

CM Punk (c) vs. Jeff Hardy: World Heavyweight Championship

Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Christian: ECW Championship

Maryse (c) vs. Mickie James: Divas Championship

Chris Jericho & Edge (c) vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase: Unified Tag Team Championship

Other matches that may be added to the match card:

Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler: Intercontinental Championship

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Evan Bourne vs. the Big Show: United States Championship

Michelle McCool (c) vs. Melina: Women's Championship

Let's look at each match and see how they appeal to wrestling fans:

WWE Championship match

Isn't too appealing, since Orton vs. Triple H has been going on since Orton's departure from Evolution, but adding Cena to the mix could help out, as Orton vs. Cena was quite solid.

Nonetheless, there will need to be a lot of build-up to pull this one off, as Orton vs. Triple H is now something you usually expect. The winner is most likely Orton.

World Heavyweight Championship match

I'm not surprised this match was made. McMahon wants Hardy as a main-eventer, but if you won't give him the title or give him the title and change your mind, then why even have him fighting CM Punk?

If Hardy is or isn't champion, you'll still make money from his merchandise. I see Punk winning with Hardy's contract in jeopardy, and John Morrison taking over as the No. 1 babyface at Summerslam.

ECW Championship match

Doesn't sound too appealing as of late, with very little promo time between Christian and Dreamer, and ECW being cleaned out of its budding talent, replacing them with people nobody can seem to use (except for Benjamin, who could finally have a major title run). Anything could happen in this match, but I see Dreamer retaining.

Divas Championship match

The ECW Championship has more hype than this. The Divas are now in filler matches. With Mickie James winning contendership about two weeks ago, we haven't seen any promos, and it seems unlikely that there will be any.

More build-up would lead to believe that Mickie James could become the second woman to hold both female titles, but I see Maryse retaining.

Unified Tag Team Championship match

With Edge's injury keeping him out of action until 2010, no one knows what will happen, as the WWE has been hush-hush about the situation. A good move, as this creates amazing build-up for the match.

Rumors have been going around about Jericho having a new partner to defend the titles, but it seems unlikely, as the only person who could help is Christian, but he is trying to regain ECW's prize jewel.

DiBiase/Rhodes could go over, or they might pull the same thing at last's year Night Of Champions; Rhodes or DiBiase could turn on the other and join Jericho, or they win the titles and feud with the Hart Dynasty/Cryme Tyme.

What about my predicted matches? Let's see what would go down if they were confirmed:

Intercontinental Championship match

With Ziggler's attack on Mysterio yesterday after the Mysterio/Jericho match, it is most likely that both men will face each other at NoC, since rumors have stated Ziggler going after the IC title. I see Mysterio keeping the title, as he just won it at the Bash, and Ziggler winning it potentially in the future.

Women's Championship match

Just like the Divas Championship match, only with more hype, like matches between McCool and Melina. McCool would retain her title; she is in the same position as Mysterio, having claimed the title at the Bash.

US title match

Kingston has held the title for a month and 10 days which is considered a good reign nowadays, but I could see him pinning Evan Bourne after overcoming The Big Show.

There could be gold in a Bourne/Kofi, as Bourne tends to do well being a heel. Look out for either of these young guns making a turn.

The card has its ups and downs, but it could turn out to be good if the stars are used correctly.

Victory Road 2009

The fifth event under the name TNA Victory Road, this pay-per-view shows the aftershock of Slammiversary and makes sure that TNA still sizzles in the summer.

Let's take a look at the Victory Road match card:

Kurt Angle (c) vs. Mick Foley: TNA World Heavyweight Championship

A.J. Styles (c) vs. Kevin Nash: TNA Legends Championship

Beer Money (c) (James Storm & Robert Roode) vs. Harlem Pump (Booker T vs. Scott Steiner): TNA World Tag Team Championship

Samoa Joe vs. Sting

Jenna Morasca vs. Sharmell

Matt Morgan vs. Daniels

Some matches I see also being on the card in the meantime. CONTAINS SPOILERS. CONTINUE AT OWN RISK:

X Division Championship: Homicide (c) vs. Suicide: Homicide will cash in on next episode of TNA Impact and win (pre-taped)

Tara (c) vs. Angelina Love (or Velvet Sky): TNA Knockouts Championship

Match Analysis:

Angle/Foley: I don't see this match as very good, but Mick has been talking about preparing intensely for the match as to not disappoint, so if he does manage to improve, this could be a great match for TNA.

Seeing as how Angle has just won the TNA Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary 7, it's most likely he will retain, as title changes do not occur repeatedly in TNA.

Styles/Nash: Like the main event, this does not sound exciting, but if A.J. can make Kevin look good and vice-versa, then Styles can drop the title and become much more involved in the main event scene, and Nash can help put over younger guys to help their credibility as wrestlers.

Winner: New Legends Champion Kevin Nash.

Beer Money vs. Harlem Pump: Although Beer Money has just won the titles, this sounds like it could be an awesome match.

A budding tag team in Storm/Roode, and a team with experience in Steiner/Booker, could play out quite nicely. In the end, Beer Money will retain, setting up a longer feud.

Joe/Sting: This has had great build-up ever since the initiation of the Main Event Mafia, with Joe opposing them.

Now that both men have switched roles, the hype continues to be good, but this could become an over-hyped if the match is not pulled off. Using interference from MEM, Joe will probably win, but Sting could take the W as well.

Sharmell/Jenna: Like the women's title matches, this is just a filler match. I don't see it going anywhere, and it seems to be just a catfight. I'd like to see who can sway the Main Event Mafia, though. As of now, Jenna could take the win.

Daniels/Morgan: No real hype for this match either, but if there is just enough, and the match is good, Daniels will move up in the TNA food chain, and Morgan can show the Mafia just how talented he is.

I see Morgan winning, but only to impress the Mafia, although Daniels could benefit from a loss.

Predicted Match Analysis:

Homicide/Suicide: This could be a great high-flying match, but with no hype, it seems dead. Like Daniels/Morgan, if build-up is given before Victory Road, then it could be quite good.

Tara/Angelina or Velvet: With this match having build-up from the moment Tara stepped into a TNA ring, this sounds like a great match.

The Beautiful People are tearing at the seams, with Sky infuriated that she wasn't saved from a tarantula placed on her sculpted body, which could work out well for Tara. Because Tara just won the title, there is no reason for her not to retain.

Sounds likes a great card, but could be amazing if used properly, like NoC.

The Verdict:

While WWE has great build-up, they haven't shown it due to the ongoing creative problems. TNA has great wrestling, and some of their matches for Victory Road sounds awesome.

I'd go with Victory Road because of the solid wrestling.

Thank you for reading!

Ben

From Kiss "Krazy" Kindergardner to Pro Wrestler: Adam Copeland on Edge

Ben Sampson — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:06:04 -0400

EDIT: When I'm ready to give this book a good review, I'll write it down. I'll leave it blank.

The life and ramblings of Adam Copeland."- Adam Copeland, professional wrestler, employee of World Wrestling Entertainment Incorporated, and the man behind "Edge" describing his self-written autobiography.

The Indie Source (July 7): Former TNA Wrestler Arrested

Ben Sampson — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:38:43 -0400

Hey, everyone, it's Ben Sampson, your No. 1 writer in Indies Wrestling (simply put, NUMEERRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO UNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO)! Today, I'm hitting you hard with the second edition of The Indie Source (the first one is outdated).

What The Indie Source is, is like Joe Burgett's 411 Pro Wrestling News, except I report on the independent promotions across the globe, not that TNA/WWE action. This ought to widen your horizons of wrestling updates.

Former TNA Wrestler One Of Three AAA Stars Arrested:

Judas Mesias, in the picture above, was one of three wrestlers in the Asistencia, Asesoría y Administración (a wrestling promotion in Mexico) arrested for alleged assault on a male adult.

The former TNA competitor, along with AAA wrestlers Billy Boy and El Hijo del Tirantes, apparently attacked a Mexican man by the name of Fernando Cordova who had refused in consumption of cocaine alongside the athletes, resulting in the assault.

After he was beaten, Cordova claims he was locked in a hotel room. Earlier today, the three wrestlers were released from jail, but still face criminal charges.

My opinion? Either the man is hallucinating (from 'roid rage, obviously) or he is trying to cover up what really happened.

You usually don't get beat up for not wanting cocaine; it's quite the opposite. Nevertheless, Judas, Billy and El Hijo should be watched.

Dragon Gate USA news:

While most of you have heard about Jerry Lawler and JR's autograph signing at the Sept. 6 Dragon Gate USA show, now another WWE-caliber talent is here to promote the show. Dawn Marie, former WWE Diva, will be the "Live Event Hostess" at that show in Philly and the show on Sept. 6 in Chicago.

Another blockbuster announcement is that Dragon Gate has signed a pay-per-view deal, which is a step in the right direction for this budding company. The contract was with G-Funk Sports and Entertainment, who also manage the ROH PPVs.

If you have Bell, Viewer's Choice, or In Demand, then you can watch "Enter The Dragon", which is the name of the pay-per-view. It will be taped at the Philly show mentioned above and will air sometime in September. At the show, Naruki Doi takes on Shingo.

Another announcement about the Chicago show; it will feature the Dragon Gate debuts of Davey Richards (American Wolves; see Dan Telek's piece on this talented young man) and the "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson.

Look, everybody! A new wrestling chain order!

WWE
TNA
ROH
Dragon Gate USA

Being recognized at the fourth best promotion in the world was easy for Dragon Gate USA; to make a bold prediction, I see ROH or Dragon Gate headlining the chain, unless WWE and TNA can get their acts together.

The next Philly Dragon Gate USA show will be on Nov. 28, 2009, so get your tickets now!

NWA Charlotte Shuts Down:

NWA Charlotte, a wrestling promotion in the state of North Carolina (the producers of many great superstars; i.e. Ric Flair, The Hardy Boyz, Hurricane Helms, Shannon Moore, and my fav, A.J. Styles) has shut down.

The promotion, which started in January, closed its door four days ago. NWA Charlotte CEO/President J.D. Costello states the closure of the NWA Coliseum on April 25 led the decision.

Stars such as Raven, Lodi, and Nikolai Volkoff appeared on the show.

From what I have heard, a lot of people liked the product, and while it was sad, there was no place to run the shows, after the sudden termination of the Coliseum.

Upcoming Shows:

IWA Mid-South, a well-known independent federation, has listed new shows, along with the Battle of The Future Stars event in Bellevue, Ill. Here are the details from iwamidsouthwrestling.com:

Battle Of The Future Stars
July 10, 2009
Bellevue Plaza
325 Bellevue Ave.
Bellevue, IL.
Doors Open @ 7:15pm
Bell Time @ 8:00pm

Battle Of The Future Stars 2 will be an eight-man tournament in which the winner will receive an automatic bye into the Ted Petty Invitational for the NEXT 3 YEARS!!!

Everything is based on a point system.

The first round matches will consist of four single matches. The winner of each match will be awarded 10 points where as the loser will receive -5 points for the loss.

The second round will consist of two tag matches. The team that wins will receive 10 points each. The losing members will receive -5 points and the person that is actually pinned in the match will receive an additional -5 points.

The third round will be an eight-man tag match. These teams will be picked in a lethal lottery style. Everyone will receive a raffle ticket with the purchase of admission into the show. Again, 10 points will be rewarded to the winning team.

The losing team will have -5 points added to there total as well as the person who gets pinned will have an additional -5 points added.

After all three rounds, the points will be added (or subtracted) and totaled out. The two wrestlers with the highest points will then go on to face each other in the last and final match.

Which, the prize on the line will be an automatic bid in the Ted Petty Invitational Tournament for three years!

The eight wrestlers confirmed for this show are:
Ricochet
Jon Moxley
Jason Hades
Ryan Phoenix
Prince Mustafa Ali
Shane Hollister
Tim Donst
Marshe Rockett

The first round match ups are:
Marshe Rockett vs. Ricochet
Ryan Phoenix vs. Jason Hades
Tim Donst vs. Shane Hollister
Jon Moxley vs. Prince Mustafa Ali

We hope to see everyone there for this unique and exciting tournament!

All Tickets are only $10. Children 12 and under will only be $7!
To order tickets online, or for more information, please contact Patti at rottenwife@aol.com.

I read all the details, and while it is a complicated way to win a three-year qualification into the Ted Petty Invitational, it has a lot of fan involvement, which is good.

Other shows include:

7/24 - Bellevue, IL - Bellevue Plaza - 325 Bellevue Avenue - "Tryout Show #4"***
7/25 - Bellevue, IL - Bellevue Plaza - 325 Bellevue Avenue ***
9/4 & 9/5 - Joliet, IL - Hartman Rec Center - 511 N Collins Street - 2009 Ted Petty Invitational
10/2 - Joliet, IL - Hartman Rec Center - 511 N. Collins St. - 2009 Double Death***
10/3 - Joliet, IL - Hartman Rec Center - 511 N. Collins St. - IWA's 13th Anniversary Show

To buy tickets, contact Patti at rottenwife@aol.com.

Some Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling Shows as well:

Friday, July 24th, 2009
Bridgeview Hall
Surrey, BC
8 PM Belltime
Doors Open At 7:30 PM
11475 126 A Street

Front Row - $15.00
General Admission - $12.00

Saturday, September 5th, 2009
Russian Community Centre
Vancouver, BC
8 PM Belltime
Doors Open At 7:30 PM
2114 4th Ave W

Friday, September 25th, 2009
Bridgeview Hall
Surrey, BC
8 PM Belltime
Doors Open At 7:30 PM

How about some Great Canadian Wrestling?

ANARCHY IN ANGUS 6: Kill Gill
Friday, June 19, 2009 - 7pm
Essa Recreation Centre – 8527 County Road 10
Angus, Ontario

MATCH LINE-UP:

MAIN EVENT
Triple Threat Match
Dangerboy Derek Wylde vs Tornado vs Crazzy Steve

Jake O'Reilly & Blair Gill vs Tyler Tirva and Anthony Darko

"Angus' Own" Scotty The Body vs. Asylum

More to be announced!

TICKETS:
$10 in Advance

Ticket Outlets:
Naturally For You Health Store, Baxter Corner Store, and Bill Matthews Tile Setting in Angus, Wyldstar Collectibles in Oshawa, and online at www.GCWE.ca.

online at www.GCWE.ca.

Pro Wrestling Guerilla 6th Anniversary Show Card On July 31:

PWG Champion Chris Hero vs. Joey Ryan

Davey Richards vs. Roderick Strong

Chris Sabin vs. Brian Danielson

Alex Shelley vs. Scott Lost

PWG Tag Team Champions Young Bucks vs. El Generico and Human Tornado

Colt Cabana vs. Chuck Taylor

World Wrestling Council Carlos Colon Anniversary Show July 11th:

Main Event: Mr. Kennedy vs. Umaga

Innovative Hybrid Wrestling: Meltdown July 19th Riverview New Brunswick Matches:

Ryan Storm vs. Slash

Titus/? vs. Brody Steele/ "Kowboy" Mike Hughes (Kardinal Sinners)

The PWG, WWC, and IWA shows sound awesome, while the ECCW, IHW and GCW shows have potential (Titus and Mike Hughes are talented, trust me).

Results: Innovative Hybrid Wrestling Carnage 2009 Results

Street Fight
Titus def. BT Bobby Mann

"Gros Papa" Slash & "Rockstar" Chris Cole w/ Kevin Tyler def. Spider-Man & Chris Tough

Urban Miles def Gunzzo McGoth and Jay Phenomenon

iTitle Match
Nick Teeth (c) (formaly Sidewinder) def. Ryan Storm

Chris Cooke def. XXL

IHW Championship
Julien Young (c) def. Pee Wee

That's The Indie Source; hope you liked it!

Two TNA Matches You Just HAVE to See!

Ben Sampson — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:17:35 -0400

Hello, everyone on Bleacher Report, my name is Ben Sampson, and I am reporting for the wrestling community.

In wrestling, there have been matches that have defied the odds. Matches that have you screaming for more; more! Matches that steal the show. These two matches from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling certainly can be described in this manner.

1. Final Resolution 2005: A.J. Styles vs. Petey Williams (c) vs. Chris Sabin- X Division Championship- Ultimate X match:

No doubt one of these matches surely showcases the X Division, and this match exemplifies that. Petey Williams hit a deadly Canadian Destroyer, Chris Sabin got in a Cradle Shock, and A.J. Styles managed to get a one-armed Styles Clash.

The rivalry between Styles and Petey Williams began at Victory Road 2004, when Styles challenged Williams for the X Division Championship, only to have Scott D'Amore (then-manager of Team Canada) interfere and cost Styles the title. In the weeks leading to the match at Final Resolution, Styles and Williams traded finishers, with Maple Leaf Muscle stealing the Styles Clash, and the Phenomenal One using the Canadian Destroyer (Canadian Clash has a nice ring to it; so does Phenomenal Destroyer).

Chris Sabin, meanwhile, had won #1 contendership for the X title, and was inserted into the match. But, this match would not be a normal match; it would be the X Division's top draw; the Ultimate X match.

The Ultimate X match uses two ropes and four steel posts. The ropes are connected to opposing posts and form an X in the middle of the six-sided ring. The object of this match is to climb the X and retrieve the title belt in the middle of the X.

This match is certainly hard to win, and if you make a wrong move, you could come crashing down (i.e. A.J. Styles). This match had all sorts of spots, like Styles' acrobatic-esque punch on Petey Williams (who had been hanging off the middle of the X), Petey's huracanrana from the X to Sabin, and of course, the finish, which I won't tell you, but you have to see it; it is "phenomenal."

Styles was being supported in this whole match, with the adults chanting "Let's go, A.J.!" and the kiddies screaming and yelling for A.J., for A.J. to get up. Petey Williams and Chris Sabin also had some long-due respect, with chants like "Holy ****!" and "This is awesome!".

Tribute videos made by fans from around the world use clips of this match, and it's hard to say no to use these clips.

To view this match, click here.

2. Lockdown 2007: The Xscape match- X Division Championship- Chris Sabin (c) vs. Alex Shelley vs. Jay Lethal vs. Shark Boy vs. Sonjay Dutt:

While this match doesn't have the hype from the Final Resolution match, it certainly has some great tag team spots, as well as high-flying spots, with Sabin & Shelley teaming up (before the glory days of Motor City Machine Guns) against Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt. While the match was a free-for-all, it's good to have allies.

Shark Boy was eliminated first, leaving Sabin/Shelley and Lethal/Dutt to duke it out. A lot of good moves and reversals, like when Sabin jumped off the cage into a crossbody, knocking Jay Lethal down to the floor.

The rules of this match were:

All competitors are eliminated by pin or submission until there are two wrestlers left.
The two competitors must climb the cage to escape and win the match.

The X replaces the e because it is an X Division match.

Brilliant performance by all wrestlers, and this should be on their top three matches.

Want to see this match? Click right here! There? No, here! Here? No, there!

Hope you liked both these X Division matches!

First Impressions: Why Wrestling Is Misunderstood

Ben Sampson — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:46 -0400

People always tell me, day in and day out, that first impressions always leave a mark. Whether it's jobs, personalities, something new, etc., the impact you make is always what people will remember.

With all sports, we have seen this; soccer for its amazing moments and out-of-hand fans, hockey for its glory and being Canada's national sport, baseball for being très controversial, and basketball for its fast-paced action.

But, in the midst of all these sports, there is one who stands out like a black sheep in a herd of white sheep.

That's right, the sport which has no credibility or recognition (despite having a bigger fan base than some sports), the sport that isn't even considered a sport by some. Yes, I'm talking about pro wrestling.

Vince McMahon Jr. bought his father's company, the World Wide Wrestling Federation, in 1982, and changed the wrestling world from being a carnival act to one of the biggest forms of entertainment in American history.

The storylines became more wild, the characters had a bit more flair, and to top it off, McMahon had TV coverage, courtesy of Titan Sports (his company).

Sadly, this is when people started watching wrestling and getting into the art form, and people soon realized that wrestling wasn't a sport.

They thought of many ways to expose the wrestling business, from analyzing rigged fighting, fake angles, and GIANT men who strutted to the ring wearing tights, who had big muscles. The exposers then blamed steroids for all of these muscle-heads.

So, in 1992, trouble started. Vince's World Bodybuilding Federation (circa 1990) was shut down after McMahon was accused of passing steroids to bodybuilders, as well as wrestlers.

The year of '93 saw Vince wrapped up in a steroid controversy, and then put to trial in 1994, gaining a plea of "not guilty." This trial would sever the friendship of Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon.

The funny thing is, McMahon had a line of bodybuilding supplements both wrestlers and bodybuilders used called ICOPRO (Intergrated Conditioning Program). He even had top stars like Bret Hart, Lex Luger, and Razor Ramon star in commercials for the product, so this would've added to evidence of his allegations to steroid use.

The late Bad News Allen, in the book Pain and Passion: The History Of Stampede Wrestling, quoted on Vince, "He was 60 years old and jacked," meaning McMahon had used steroids.

Many wrestling journalists, columnists, and authors say that guys like Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Chris Benoit, and others have layed down the foundation for today's generation of superstars, but of those f ive wrestlers, four have taken steroids (except for Bret), and two have died at a young age (Benoit and Smith).

This is the core problem.

People like Dave Jackson have now shown us the stereotype wrestling portrays; a bunch of half-naked men all oiled up and jacked up, in tights feeling each other.

We, as wrestling fans know that it isn't true; wrestling is an art form, and while some may be half-naked, they still put on a good show (i.e. Randy Orton).

Most wrestlers do wear tights, but since the Hardy Boyz's fame escalated, as well as Rey Mysterio's, there have been some wrestlers who prefer not to wear tights.

"Oiled up" is true, but it is being over exaggerated here; wrestlers put on oil to show off their athletic prowess, such as their abdomen, or any part of their body they want people to look at and say, "Wow!"

Feeling each other is 0 percent true in pro wrestling; wrestlers grapple to lift each other and inflict pain on the other as safe as possible.

Wrestling's stereotype also shows our problem; steroids.

Steroids were a way to get stronger for pro wrestlers, but ever since McMahon's trial in 1994, non-wrestling fans, and even some wrestling fans think all wrestlers have used steroids.

While some of this may be true, as steroids have been used as painkillers, and rehabilitation (such as Batista), these were prescribed by a doctor, meaning they weren't the kind of steroids McMahon had been persecuted for handing out.

Since then, steroids have started to die, with only the older men still able to go because of steroids.

While some wrestlers, such as Batista, have used steroids (for medical purposes), there are a lot of wrestlers like Randy Orton, John Cena, Triple H, Kurt Angle, CM Punk, and Edge who are wrestling in the main event of professional wrestling that are non-steroid users.

Another problem with pro wrestling is the choreography, aka "fake."

Wrestling has been a closed art, but ever since the exposure of the sport, fans have called it "fake," "stupid," "not real," "not even a sport," and "so ******** fake!"

The term sport, courtesy of Wikipedia, means, "an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively." So wrestling is, in fact, a sport.

While some people may keep their personal/first opinion/impression of pro wrestling, there will be some that will change theirs.

If pro wrestling can prove to the haters and to the fans that it has changed and there are no steroids involved, then maybe the sport will gain some credibility.

Then it won't be the black sheep in a field of white sheep anymore.

Styles Clash: The Rise of the Phenomenal One

Ben Sampson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:09:53 -0400

*Author's Note: I've been working on this piece for a few weeks with Adam Testa as my editor, so give him props too. Hope you like the article!

When the moniker Total Nonstop Action Wrestling comes to mind, most people think of one man.

It's not Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle. It's not wrestling legend Mick Foley. It's not even TNA founder Jeff Jarrett.

Instead, people think of one man who is the total package—one man who can do it all, who has done it all in TNA. They think of one man, one man named "The Phenomenal One" A.J. Styles.

Early Life

Born in Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 1978, Allen Jones did not live in luxury. His family lived in a small trailer and couldn't afford cable television, preventing Jones from watching professional wrestling.

Jones attended Anderson College in South Carolina on an amateur wrestling scholarship. He later left Anderson to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

He enrolled at the wrestling school of National Championship Wrestling and was trained by Rick Michaels. Styles debuted in 1998, the same year he left college.

He wrestled as Olaf the Russian Bricklayer, and he lost his first match to Michael Brooks. In about a year, Styles had captured the NCW Television Championship.

Then, when NCW merged with NWA Georgia, the wrestling world lost the Russian Bricklayer. Rising from the ashes was the man known as A.J. Styles.

Leaving The Past

After the merge, A.J. defeated K-Kwik (WWE's R-Truth) for his second NCW/NWA Georgia Television Championship. Styles would feud with "Air" Paris over the Television title after Styles lost the title to Eddie Golden before a heel turn.

World Championship Wrestling soon noticed the hype from their feud and signed them both to a contract. They would debut as "Air Raid," a high-flying tag team that wore G-suits (anti-gravity suits).

Once WCW was bought out by Vincent Kennedy McMahon's company, World Wrestling Entertainment, Styles didn't have a full-time job, and he only worked on WWE's (then known as World Wrestling Federation) Jakked on Saturdays.

So when WWF/E offered him a developmental contract in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where performers work before becoming a WWE superstar, he declined because his wife had college plans, and Styles has said that he puts family before his job.

In 2002, Styles debuted at TNA's inaugural pay-per-view event, and word quickly spread about his high-flying moves and amazing strength.

A.J. would become the first NWA-TNA X Division Champion and would also win the NWA-TNA World Tag Team Championship in a heel tag team with X Division companion Jerry Lynn.

Soon, tag team partners would become bitter rivals, as Styles and Lynn constantly argued. Matches were set up, and each competitor scored one win over his opponent.

After his feud with Lynn, Styles would align himself with Sport Entertainment Xtreme, a stable managed by Vince Russo. But, as SEX tried to interfere on his behalf in an NWA World Heavyweight title match, Styles attacked his former teammates and defended Jarrett.

The cocky Styles instantly converted into a fan favorite, but it was a change that wouldn't last long. On Impact, in a three-way dance with Jarrett and Raven, Styles would capture the NWA title with help from Russo. Styles reverted to his heel persona.

In a storyline with art impersonating life, Styles would soon become a man who still had issues about his childhood in poverty. Many TNA officials, such as Mike Tenay, and TNA competitors, like Rhino, tried to help Styles, but the "Phenomenal One" didn't want anyone to help.

He annoyed so many people that Rhino had to fight him in a Elevation X match at Destination X 2007 to get it through his thick skull that TNA "is here to help."

Styles would then join Angle's Alliance, a heel stable along with Kurt Angle, Tomko, Christian Cage, Karen Angle, Ms. Brooks, Robert Roode, and Jeremy Borash.

Styles had hoped that after Christian was kicked out of the stable and formed his Coalition, that both teams could merge as one group.

He was kicked out after Angle found out Styles was having a kayfabe affair with Karen Angle, Kurt's wife.

Vengeful, Styles would form the TNA Frontline with Rhino, a team of face wrestlers that would rebel against the newly-formed Main Event Mafia, headed by Kurt Angle. In doing so, Styles turned face once again.

At Sacrifice 2009, A.J. Styles defeated Booker T for the TNA Legends Championship and become the very first Grand Slam Champion in TNA history.

Today In TNA

Styles is feuding with Booker T and the Main Event Mafia. The faction started when Kurt Angle's actions got out of control, and since then, Styles has been helping to lead the Frontline group into war against Angle and the Mafia.

On the June 8 edition of Impact, Styles defeated his best friend Christopher Daniels for the right to fight in the King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary 2009 against Jeff Jarrett, Mick Foley, and Samoa Joe and one other competitor yet to be named.

If TNA decides to present Styles as their best man, then as a prediction for Slammiversary on June 21, Styles could unify the Legends Championship with the World Championship... and win the King of the Mountain match.

But, then again, another heel turn could be in Styles' fate, like in 2002, when Styles turned heel after Vince Russo helped him win the NWA Heavyweight Championship.

Pros of heel turn:

Styles can carry the company, whether he is face or heel.
He can attract more viewers because of his title and his excellent move set as a heel or face.

Cons of heel turn:

Styles wouldn't get booed anymore; people see him as their champion because of the childhood angle.
A lot of kids like Styles, and having him as a heel would turn a lot of them off TNA and onto WWE and John Cena.

There is a logical argument for both sides, but Styles does better as a fan favorite.

Accolades

A.J. Styles is the most decorated talent in TNA with being a three-time NWA World champion, a four-time NWA Tag Team champion (twice with Christopher Daniels, once with Jerry Lynn, once with Abyss), a one-time TNA Tag Team champion (with Tomko), a one-time Legends champion, a six-time X Division Champion, the first ever Triple Crown Champion (repeating that two more times), TNA's only Grand Slam Champion and Mr. TNA from 2003 to 2005, as voted by the fans.

He has won the TNA Tag Team of the Year in 2006 with the Fallen Angel, as well as the TNA Match of the Year the same year. With that being said, TNA overlooks all of that, putting Styles in matches where he loses to wrestlers who have already had their time to shine.

Final Thoughts

We've seen him with titles before; he'll do whatever it takes to keep, even going as far as putting himself in death-defying matches.

By now, TNA should know that A.J. is the only hope to beat WWE; no one wants to see Angle as champion; that's like showing us fans a play, and then showing the same play again. We already know what's going to happen.

With Styles, we haven't seen him as a adequate champion with the new, experienced talent.

Before TNA set its goal to best World Wrestling Entertainment, company leaders would have already made Styles the champion and face of TNA.

However, because of that goal, management has decided to push the performers who most people know, and Styles is not put into the spotlight because of his popularity compared to that of Kurt Angle.

Right now, WWE is in a very bad situation; storylines have been becoming stale and the product is not fresh.

If TNA can push Styles to the top, he will be able to prove himself like he has before, the fans will rejoice, and TNA could possibly become the next big thing in wrestling.

TNA should focus on one man, one man named A.J. Styles.

Five Pro Wrestlers WWE Needs to Sign, Now!

Ben Sampson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:51:09 -0400

WWE is in, as most would say, a mid-life crisis. With storylines and feuds becoming stale, and the main events now boring, WWE has been heavily influenced by the recession. They are the only league that has been impacted the most, with TNA being second. With that being said, Vince McMahon could sign so many stars that aren't as well known, and make them legends. Here is my list of the five Superstars WWE should sign if they want to saty the way they've always been, fresh and entertaining. *I will note that most of these wrestlers are high-flyers, as they bring a lot of elements to wrestling.

Begin Slideshow

This Is Not the Target Market: CM Punk and Batista Aren't What Fans Want

Ben Sampson — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:47:13 -0400

Who watched Extreme Rules last night? I didn't, because I had homework, but I checked the results today.

Isn't it funny how WWE wants to appeal to a certain age group, and do just that, but it turns the rest of the wrestling fans off? That's their strategy; bring in the dough by appealing to the younger fans, who would rather watch their favorite Superstar as champion. Because of this, a lot of fans have been turned off by WWE.

The eight-to-12 year demographic isn't what WWE should appeal to; because when those fans become older, WWE will still have those kid-attracting champions, like John Cena, and those fans won't like it at all.

This brings me to CM Punk and Batista. Both are fan favorites, but Batista only attracts kids, which is the group of people WWE wants to watch their programming. PG change? Kids. Cena, Hardy, and Punk as champions?

Kids too, although a lot of the older audience likes Hardy and Punk. Evan Bourne himself talked about the PG change and how he isn't allowed to swear, but his favorite ECW promo was Tazz swearing at Steve Corino for 10 minutes straight.

At Extreme Rules, Batista won a Steel Cage match against Randy Orton to win the WWE Championship. This was for the kids only, because they want the cool guy to win, which is Batista in that match.

CM Punk fended off Umaga in a Samoan Strap, which had absolutely no point whatsoever, then cashed in the Money In The Bank briefcase against new World champion Jeff Hardy and won.

Punk using Edge's style of winning is getting to be a bit annoying. I mean, we've seen it happen FOUR times; Edge winning against John Cena and Undertaker, and CM cashing in the briefcase on Edge and Jeff Hardy. If Punk wins Money In The Bank next year, we all know what will happen.

Don't get me wrong; Punk is a great entertainer, whether he's heel of face, for all age demographics, but to have him win a World title in an Edge-ish kind of way only hurts his reputation.

Edge can do it because he always seizes the opportunity, but CM Punk doesn't, which enrages a lot of people because it portrays him as a coward, who can't win a world championship without his opponent being battered and bruised.

Batista, on the other hand, has shown us that he can wear a World title and say he won it fair and square, but with guys like Randy Orton and Christian becoming top-notch guys who can wrestle and talk on the mic, the Animal just can't stay in the title picture. He can put on a great show, but can't back himself up on the microphone.

WWE has told us that Punk needs a crutch (that would be the MITB briefcase) to become World champion, and that Batista is only in the title picture because of his past title reigns and his younger fans.

After making an analysis of Punk and Batista, I'd say that Punk needs to prove himself a bit more to WWE by winning and putting on some great matches.

He could aslo turn heel, which could help his mic skills, as they are more proficient. He is pretty good on the mic, but as a heel, he is one of the best. If WWE can't trust Punk to carry a brand or the company, then fans will start doubting his overall skill, which is quite good.

Batista needs to improve his mic skills, which will take a LOT of work, but if he can do it, then he will always be a top contender. His wrestling skill needs a bit of work. If he can improve, WWE could make him the top guy in the business today.

Create. Climb To The Top. What's Your Fate? The Secret Wrestling Society

Ben Sampson — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:17:37 -0400

The world as we know it is coming to shambles. Citizens are running in fear, the governments of all countries are trying to fight the force, but their sovereignty is slowly being captured, and the world could possibly be controlled by the most hated man in pro wrestling today.

Vince McMahon has all the wrestlers in the world, that make up a third of the earth's population, to fight for him while he sits in Stamford, Conn., at Titan Tower laughing. Laughing.

But, there is only one pro wrestling faction that could help end this reign of terror; the Kardinal Sinners. Mike Hughes and Gary Williams have now started recruiting, by order of U.S. President Paul Levesque and Canadian Prime Minister Adam Copeland, and that is where you come in.

You shall work, eat and sleep in a secret society of pro wrestling. While Williams is showing you the ropes of professional wrestling, you must not tell a soul about the Secret Wrestling Society.

You will leave all loved ones for the right to fight. You shall end McMahon's reign of darkness before the world is sucked into pandemonium.

Up to the challenge, Bleacher Report? Leave your name, pro wrestling name, theme song, Finisher, notable moves, gimmick, etc.

This series will start after I resign from the "Boy In Blue" position, as WWE/TNA: Smackdown Xplosion.

Theme song for series is "Renegade" by Hed PE (lol :P).

Is Sidney Crosby Actually That Great? My Brother Doesn't Think So.

Ben Sampson — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:40:16 -0400

A lot of people like Sidney Crosby because of his flashy moves and his amazing goals. My brother hates Crosby, so I asked him why, and he said:

"Everyone goes on and on about Sydney Crosby and how he is so great. Yes I know he is from Nova Scotia and he is an amazing player, but he is overrated. It is so annoying to hear the same things over and over again: 'Oh, he is so great,' 'Hey, I got his rookie card,' or from the girls, 'Oh, he is so hot.'

"There was a player from Chebucto (Nova Scotia) who played for the L.A. Kings, but you never heard about him because he never broke any records or made any fancy moves."

"Crosby can score goals, but so can every other NHL hockey player. There is one other thing that I think really turns me off from him. Everything, and I mean everything, has to be compatible with his number. His salary was $9.0 million a year and he went and told them to bring it down to 8.$7 million just so it would work with his number."

"My Dad tries to tell me that he saves his team $300,000 a year, and in three years that is almost a million, but I think that that is a load of crap.

"I also think the reason that they just gave him the big 'C' on his jersey was just to break the youngest captain record and not for anything else. He may be their best player, but there are players that have played for 10 years on his team, and I think that that was a slap in the face to them."

I usually don't write in the hockey section, but this was interesting, so I decided to post it.

Please rate and comment (and don't get mad at me; these were my brother's words).

WWE/TNA: Raw Impact: Want to Join?

Ben Sampson — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:34:17 -0400

Just Imagine WWE And Tna Join Togerther And Created One Superpower.Well Here it is.

That is the slogan for Adam Roberts' newest series, WWE/TNA Raw Impact. Here's the link to the first article:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/182009-wwetna-raw-impact-the-age-of-orton-begins

Now you may wonder why I'm promoting this; well, Adam needed someone to write about Smackdown, so here I am, "The Boy In Blue", writing about Smackdown. You should see my finished piece on Friday.

But Adam needs another writer to fill up the ECW void, and that is when you, the reader who is a writer, come in. You shall run the show as if you were GM, with storylines/titles/rivalries,etc.

Now if you join, this is your WWE/TNA roster for ECW. You get the ECW Heavyweight Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and the ECW Tag Team Titles.

Here is the list from Adam:

Christian
Big Show
Batista
Tyson Kidd
DH Smith
Vladimer Kozlov
Goldust
Sim Snuka
William Regal
Mick Foley
Shark boy
Paul Burchill
Rey Mystirio
James Strom
Micki James
Natalyn Hart
Traci Brooks
Angelina Love

You may sign anyone to a contract you want, but you must confirm it with Adam.

Interested? Leave a message on my message board, and I will forward it to Adam.

Thanks for reading,

Ben

*EDit #1* We have already found our ECW GM, but once we start another show, we'll put out the word.

This Week's Indie Source: WWE Signs, TIWF Results 5/16, Two ROH Guests!

Ben Sampson — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:10:25 -0400

Hey, everybody, this is Ben Sampson, and today I'm starting a new rumour/news series, along with the "Ideal Champion" (Haven't gotten much response so is going to put that series on hold).

This series will be called The Indie Source, and it is about independent wrestling in the world. Every Saturday, I will post all the week's latest news on indie wrestling. Without further ado, let's get started.

This week's Headline:

Earlier today, World Wrestling Entertainment signed April Jeanette, a female indie wrestler working around the Northwest area of the United States in small wrestling promotions.

She was trained by "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, and is one half of the WSU (Women Superstars Uncensored) Tag Team Champions. "Miss April" is from Union City, N.J., and was studying art at NYU (New York University).

She had started training about two years ago and had her first match about six months ago (so that means she started training in May 2007, and had her first official match in November 2008).

Although I am happy for her, I'm not sure she has enough in-ring experience (if her first match was six months ago, and she has a match every week, that means she has about 24-40 matches under her belt). That doesn't seem like much, and it is said that she doesn't have charisma or personality, and she loathes promos.

Some say she has potential to be the next Gail Kim, or a girl who is very athletic that can pull off a lot of flashy moves. Nonetheless, I am willing to give her a shot. Are you, WWE Universe?

Results from TIWF (Tennesse Indepedent Wrestling Federation) from May 16 in Trenton, Tennesse:

The show starts with a 10-bell salute for "Tank" Tim Robertson, who died this week. He was one of 15 who had won an ultra-rare Ric Flair trading card.

And the match card:

PK Ripper defeated Marvelous Mike Kelly
Chico Mendoza wrestled Way Cool to a double countout
Damage Inc. (Blaze/Pyro) defeated Dazzlin’ Dixie & Samoan Raja
“Ruthless” Ron McClarity defeated Da’ Knockout Kid
Royale Executioner defeated Lawman Williams
Kilo & Chris Lexxus defeated Devon Day & Wildside

Last headline for today: Tomorrow, watch Ring of Honor, because a special guest will make their debut in ROH!

Announced about 19 days ago, the wrestling world was shocked when Ring Of Honor announced that former WWE Champion Bret "The Hitman" Hart is scheduled to appear on ROH's card tomorrow night in Toronto, Canada.

They are also selling tickets for an autograph session with the renowned wrestler and Ric Flair, who is scheduled to appear the following night (May 25) after Bret.

If you live in Toronto, or have HD Net (or the channel that ROH appears on), then you'd better tune in or buy tickets at rohwrestling.com.

That's this week's Indie Source. I'm Ben Sampson, and that's all, folks!

What's Your Favorite Indie Federation (not Including WWE and TNA)?

Ben Sampson — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:20:52 -0400

Everybody seems to have "What's your favourite..." articles, so I decided to make my own.

So, what's your favourite independent wrestling organization (this may include ROH)?

Here are my Top 10 (if you have any more, you may post them in the message board, but only your Top 5 get 1 vote each):

10. TWC (on Youtube)

9. MainStream Wrestling (yay!)

8. Ultimate Championship Wrestling (yay!)

7. IHYWA (also on Youtube)

6. IWF (Insane Wrestling Federation) (Only on Youtube)

5. Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (they are crazy)

4. TWF (Trampoline Wrestling Federation)

3. Combat Zone Wrestling

2. Ring Of Honor

1. OMEGA (Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts)

Only Top 5 leagues get the vote.

Hope to hear your Top 5!

*EDIT #1* So far the indie federation in the lead is the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, with four votes.

*EDIT #2* Please state the league's full name.

*EDIT #3* If you were vying for the CMLL to be the favourite indie league, then you'll be mad. Senior writer and former numero uno Joe Burgett accidentally out CMLL twice, so he switched his #2 vote to Combat Zone Wrestling, making it a four-way tie with 3 votes between:

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre

Combat Zone Wrestling

Ring Of Honor, and

The Hardyz' OMEGA

*EDIT #4* ROH takes the lead! By the way, you can put any wrestling organization you want, not just the ones I picked.

Why Keep Such a Talent Disguised? The Potential of Newly-Signed Low-Ki

Ben Sampson — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:40:29 -0400

You don't need to tell me, I already know; Low-Ki/Senshi, now known as Kaval in FCW, is currently part of the WWE talent roster.

But what I don't get, is that Senshi is in developpment territory.

FCW's great for those that need some work, but Senshi is amazing anyways. So why leave him on FCW, where he'll constantly main-event, or send him up to WWE where he can start as a mid-carder?

I like the second solution, myself.

Now, most of you would say "Wouldn't Low-Ki want to win the FCW Heavyweight Championship?". I'd probably ask the same question, but in the wrestling business, you're always wanting to move up, and...

The WWE is at the top of the mountain all wrestlers want to climb.

It doesn't matter if you are 5 or 82, you'd know that rather stay in a feeder federation, you want to move up in the wacky world of wrestling and be the BEST of the BEST. It'd be nice to win some titles along the way, but everyone's goal is the same: become a WWE Superstar or TNA Superstar.

Low-Ki should try to suggest to Vince to move him up to ECW or Smackdown. I say ECW because the WWE can see if he is the next big thing they want. But, I also suggested Smackdown because Low-Ki/Senshi/Kaval is friends with none other than Rey Mysterio. So Rey pitched Vince two really good ideas for a Kaval/Mysterio feud:

An imposter Rey Mysterio OR
Another masked superstar (that would be Low-Ki) (a heel) that would feud with Mysterio.

The first storyline is kind of old (i.e. Imposter Undertaker, Kane, and now Mysterio). But the second one is new and fresh. If I were Vince, I'd go with the second storyline.

Besides, Low-Ki can fight better than some main-eventers, is pretty good on the mic, and has a lot of charisma, making him instant gold for the WWE, who is in a bit of a crisis for finding new storylines, gimmicks and when to end feuds (Punk/Kane lasted about a month).

In your own opinion, should Low-Ki stay in FCW? Or should he be in the major leagues already? Because a lot of WWE fans are eager the see him in action.

Thanks for reading!

Ben

I will be starting a new series called "The Ideal Champion". If you want to check it out, just go to my profile, and the first article is called "The Ideal Champion: World Heavyweight Championship V.1". Hope you read!

Another Show? Wow, Vince. Watch For TNA To Make An Impact

Ben Sampson — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:49:01 -0400

WWE certainly hasn't been able to entertain like they can in the past couple of months.

Why? For many reasons; ECW doesn't have any really good superstars (let's exclude Christian and Evan Bourne, shall we?) and is only 1 hour a week.

The WWE talent is either being babied too much (those multiple-time world champions that seem to always hold the title; not trying to offend any fans), getting only the table scraps (i.e. Cody Rhodes, United States Champion MVP, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio, etc. who deserve more) or those who just can't seem to win a match.

The lack of extreme matches has turned off many, and Vince has done nothing to remedy that problem. So if it's extreme action you love, then check out TNA.

Also, ECW should always have extreme matches, or mainly those types of matches. TNA has girls fighting in a steel cage (c'mon, Vince, show us why you're at the top of the mountain) on their card.

If I may, I shall use a term I heard from the Internet: ECW isn't "Extreme Championship Wrestling", it's " Extremely Crappy Wrestling"!

WWE Superstars is a great concept, but it leaves no mystery of knowing what's going to happen. I liked the idea of Superstars being allowed to appear on different shows more than another hour composed of two to three matches.

I also heard on the Internet that Vince had a meeting with WWE stockholders and was interested in having another show on a Wednesday. Big no-no! We're already bored with four shows; why have five? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!

TNA only has one show, which gives it that much more suspense. They also have many talented wrestlers, seem to pass around their World title, and have contracts with Japanese and other foreign wrestling promotions for talent exchange, which gives them a variety of new talent.

They can have extreme matches, and even pay-per-views, like TNA Lockdown, with every match being contested in a steel cage (unlike some promoters...*cough cough* Vince McMahon...).

The only problem with TNA is the air-time of Impact. It may be 9pm Eastern Time, but in my area, we're one hour ahead of ET, so we watch TNA from 10 to 12.

That could change, but Thursday night is not the best time to air Impact. Why not air a live Impact on Friday?

No other promotion does that, so it'd be perfect. The only obstacle is Smackdown, who was been recently named the best brand in the WWE, so TNA could air Impact on Saturday.

If TNA did that, it might actually have a chance of bulldozing the empire that is WWE.

Just as advice, here are some ideas for Jeff Jarett, owner of TNA:

More build-up and promotion; promo videos, exclusive coupons for ShopTNA.com that can only be received by calling a number aired onmly on TV, and a magazine (WWE Magazine is pretty good; why can't TNA do the same?).
Try to win over a WWE Superstar
Giveaways!

And for Vince:

Do not do a Wednesday night show! The quality of WWE shows has faltered since the creation of ECW!
Do a talent exchange with New Japan and other foreign promotions for a fresh look.
Give your mid-carders a couple of chances at your World titles.
Give the viewers more mystery (i.e. get rid of Superstars!)
Try to promote yourself by using other fields of entertainment (don't you remember the XFL and the WBL?)

Got any suggestions? Just comment

CM Punk: His Role in the Championship Craze

Ben Sampson — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:29:17 -0400

Backlash sure gave us wrestling fans a hell of a lot of action.

We crowned three new World Champions in Edge, Randy Orton, and the "Instant Classic" Christian Cage, we saw Jeff make his brother quit, and we saw Chris Jericho and the Big Red Machine Kane secure their own wins over Ricky Steamboat and C.M. Punk.

Speaking of C.M. Punk, isn't it high time that the two-time Money In The Bank winner cash in his title opportunity?

As we all know, Smackdown is always taped on Tuesday, so I got the full scoop, and Punk vs. Edge is on that very card.

So when Punk delivers the finishing blow to Edge, his patented GTS, he tries to use his title opportunity on Edge, but Umaga (who is never on TV) storms the ring and manhandles Punk.

Then Jeff Hardy, the newly-named No. 1 contender for Edge's title, saves C.M. Punk by attacking the Rated-R Superstar.

So WWE considers the MITB briefcase to have not been used.

I think Edge had already planned out the Umaga attack, because when he steps into the ring with Punk as World Champion and Punk being Mr. Money In The Bank, the Ultimate Opportunist knows that Punk could easily take his title, because C.M. Punk used it after Night of Champions 2008, on Raw, the same way that Edge used it on John Cena and Undertaker.

But during Judgment Day, not only should Edge be cautious, but so should Randy Orton and Christian (in my own opinion, Orton should be very alarmed, because not only does he have to face Batista, but he knows that Triple H is seething at his Backlash loss, and Punk could be vying for his title; after all, Punk, a former World Heavyweight and ECW Champion, has yet to win the most coveted prize in sports-entertainment, the WWE Championship).

Christian should be fine; he's facing the Champion of Jobbers (my own nickname), Jack Swagger, for his title, and Punk doesn't seem to want the ECW Championship. However, he should still be concerned with Punk taking the ECW title from his waist.

"Alert at all times" should be Edge's motto for Judgment Day. He is not only going to fight a man who can beat him, but he also has the former World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena, wanting his title back.

Don't forget about Punk either; he tried to cash it in on Smackdown, but by golly, he might do it again.

Randy Orton should be at high alert, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He's got the McMahons and Triple H wanting to kill him, he has Batista ready to rip him in shreds, Big Show wanting the title, and who else but Punk.

Chicago Made Punk (C.M.) should play an interesting role in the Viper vs. Animal match, and I believe Punk is ready to take the title from Orton.

It looks, from my perspective, that Punk wants either the WWE Championship, or the World Heavyweight title. So Orton and Edge must be on their toes at all times, especially at Judgment Day.

Look for Big Show, John Cena, Priceless (Rhodes/Dibiase), Vickie Guerrero, Tommy Dreamer, Teddy Long, Tiffany, the McMahons, and Triple H to stir the pot at Judgment Day 2009 in Rosemont, Ill.

What will transpire?

WWE Draft 2009 Picks Part 2: My Friend's Picks

Ben Sampson — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:45:34 -0400

RAW Draft Pick Predictions:
Evan Bourne
Mark Henry
Maryse
Triple H
Primo
Edge
Jeff Hardy
Matt Hardy

SMACKDOWN Draft Pick Predictions:
Alicia Fox
Kofi Kingston
Randy Orton
Christian
Rey Mysterio
Santino Marella
John Cena

ECW Draft Pick Predictions:
JTG
Umaga
Vladimir Kozlov
Undertaker
Shawn Michaels
Kane
Ezekiel Jackson
Golddust

They are random but my friend doesn't watch wrestling much.

Should Petey Williams be in the WWE? I Think So

Ben Sampson — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:22:06 -0400

TNA has released Peter "Petey" Williams.

Bad move. VERY bad move.

Petey was one of the top contenders if not the most talented X Division Champion in history. He amazed us all, with his patented "Canadian Destroyer" finishing move, which some fans regard as the best finisher in pro wrestling today.

Not only that, but he has a varied set of aerial moves that sent him to the top of the X Division, and his alignment with "Big Poppa Pump" Scoot Steiner has done nothing to weaken or destroy his career; it has improved.

But once he lost to Beer Money with Eric Young on February 19 for the TNA World Tag Team Titles, that ended "Maple Leaf Muscle"'s TNA career, per stipulation of the tag team match. Nine days earlier, he had been released.

This is where WWE comes in.

WWE is having difficulty with their rosters, trying to make Raw the best show and making sure Smackdown and ECW have some top-name talent. ECW is given the developping talent, although Evan Bourne and others have worked hard to make sure ECW isn't just the minor leagues.

When Smackdown gets some amazing talent, sooner or later they get sent back to Raw. Always happens.

If WWE can somehow manage to sign Petey to a contract, he would be placed immediately on ECW. The same thing happened with Christian; when he was signed to another WWE contract, they sent him to ECW.

Petey Williams could most certainly improve ECW's ratings, from winning the ECW title to possibly feuding with the newly-drafted ECW Superstars (such as CM Punk and Hurricane Helms, possibly, in my mind).

Petey Williams: ECW Extremist.

WWE better make it happen. Or else TNA will gain the advantage (not just from the released Petey Willaims).

Question of The Article: Where's Petey going?

My WWE Draft 2009 Picks

Ben Sampson — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:40:35 -0400

On WWE.com, there is a draft simulator. Here are the picks I made:

RAW DRAFT PICK PREDICTIONS

Triple H
The Miz
Jim Ross
Brie Bella
Primo
Edge
Nikki Bella
John Morrison
Evan Bourne
DJ Gabriel
Carlito

SMACKDOWN DRAFT PICK PREDICTIONS

Chris Jericho
Tony Chimel
Michael Cole
John Cena
Rey Mysterio
Theodore Long
Christian
Matt Striker
Kofi Kingston
Santino Marella

ECW DRAFT PICK PREDICTIONS

Shad
The Brian Kendrick
JTG
Lillian Garcia
Kane
Hurricane Helms
Zack Ryder
DH Smith
Curt Hawkins
Dolph Ziggler
CM Punk
Ezekiel Jackson

Any comments, please don't hesitate to type.

Extreme Rules Match: Why It Was Awesome

Ben Sampson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:34:26 -0400

Now why did people think that Wrestlemania 25 was bad?

I thought it was okay overall; my favorite match would have to be between the Icon vs. Icon match, or the Brother vs. Brother match. Both matches got a lot of hype, though the B v. B match was very personal.

Yet, most people thought it was a suckish match. As if! Jeff brought the action, and so did Matt. Jeff stacked two tables on top of each other (he placed Matt on the supporting table with a steel chair,) and dove into them. I would have preferred a Swanton Bomb, in my opinion, but the dive was fine with me.

Then, Jeff sets up two ladders, climbs the shorter ladder and throws himself from 20 feet in the air onto his brother, only to miss. I liked the finish; Matt did a Twist of Fate to Jeff while Jeff's head was in a steel chair.

The match had many highlights, with Jeff going for his patented Whisper In The Wind and Matt hitting him with the steel chair while Jeff was in mid-air.

WWE put a lot of popularity around this match, including the Sibling Diaries on WWE.com, and giving the rivalry its own theme song "Crash," performed by Decyfer Down, made this match as good as the Icon vs. Icon match.

If you don't agree with this article, then maybe you should watch the Brother vs. Brother match, thinking that it will be a great match because of the personal controversy and the skills both brothers bring to the table, so to speak.

What's your opinion on the Brother vs. Brother match?

Underground Writers' Guild

Ben Sampson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:03:24 -0400

Have you heard about Joe Burgett's wrestling faction, The Assassins?

Here's the article about it.

This will start out as an underground faction, for anyone who wants to join. The only guidelines are these:

No harassment of another B/R writer (that even means the writers of the other sections).
You must give me a link to an entry article to the group. It can be a new article or an old one. Ninety-five percent of the time you'll be accepted.
Make sure to write as much as you can!
At the end of all your articles, you must enter the code "UWG."

Question of the article: Who wants to be a part of this faction?

Who Thought up the "Mankini"?!

Ben Sampson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:29:44 -0400

It's five days from Wrestlemania 25 now.

I didn't watch "Raw" last night, but I did catch up on all the latest news of the WWE Universe. Rey defeats JBL, Cena gets his ass owned by Big Show and Edge, Shawn Michaels Sweet Chin Musics The Undertaker, Triple H and the McMahons brawl with Legacy, and Santino still wants to be in the 25-Diva Battle Royal at the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania.

Which is the topic of this article.

After ECW Diva Tiffany scores the win for her team in the 18-Diva Tag Team match by pinning Katie Lea Burchill, Santino Marella enters and proclaims that he is "a more dominant than all of a you." To prove his point, the Italian Superstar then reveals the "mankini" hiding under his bathrobe. Beth Phoenix, his girlfriend, insists that he put back on his clothes, but the "Champion of Planet Earth" still "danced around."

The divas were getting fed up with Santino, so they beat him up and threw him out of the Raw ring. Despite the divas' actions, the "Mandiva" still wants to be Miss Wrestlemania, even though the divas want him out.

This storyline is actually quite humorous, but when Santino revealed his "mankini," that took it to the next level of weirdness. Who could have thought up a thong with straps? And call it a mankini? Whoever did was probably having a bit of a hangover, or maybe the storyline is revolved around Santino's sexual orientation.

TWO Questions of The Article:

Good or bad storyline?
What's going to happen at Wrestlemania (predictions)?

It's Not Just the Other Show in April, It's Wrestlemania!

Ben Sampson — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:04:41 -0400

I actually watched TNA last night.

I liked all the matches, especially the 20-man Six Sides of Steel match won by Samoa Joe and Awesome Knog wo-manhandling the Beautiful People. I also became a huge fan of Suicide (he's just that good).

But something that kinda made me BOIL was the Mick Foley/Sting segment, where Mick explains that he hit Sting last week with a steel chair to protect the founder of TNA, Jeff Jarett (Sting tried to hit him with a guitar).

But when Foley said, "Everyone's not talking about that other show in April; they're talking about Lockdown!", I thought the complete opposite.

Everyone's talking about the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania, not TNA Lockdown. I mean, it's probably the fifth Anniversary of Lockdown, but multiply that by five, and you have the number of years that Wrestlemania's been around.

That means that Wrestlemania has been around five times longer than TNA.

If Mick Foley, the Hardcore Legend and former WWE employee, says that Wrestlemania is just "some other show in April", then he must have forgotten everything, including when he and Terry Funk, best known as Chainsaw Charlie (in the WWF), beat the New Age Outlaws for the WWF Tag Team Championship.

It just makes me sad that a wrestler like Mick Foley is required to say that Wrestlemania is not what it seems, but I think that TNA is trying to get more viewers, but with comments like this, WWE could get some popularity because people would try to figure out what this "other show" is in April.

So, this could backfire for TNA. Instead, if they want more fans, they should either move the time slot of the 2-hour show, or they should try to invade the WWE (most unlikely thing to happen).

Question Of The Article: Did you think Foley's comment was distasteful, and how should TNA win more fans?

What If The Draft Rumours Aren't True?

Ben Sampson — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:48:20 -0400

What if the rumours about the WWE 2009 Draft aren't true?

If they aren't, then Randy Orton will certainly not be going to Smackdown!. Now who gave me this crazy idea? A Mr. Justin Thomas who just happened to come across my first article on B/R. Here's what he thinks:

"I hate the idea, I guess because this was my favorite tag team of all time. I think the Edge thing still could have worked, but the Christian thing would have been a mess. Anyway I think this was done to help Matt's career, because it looks like Vince wants Edge on Raw meaning Hardy could be the top heel. Good first article."

If you read the underlined part, then you know Justin is indicating that Edge may go to Raw during the Draft (if he loses at Wrestlemania 25), and that would mean that Matt Hardy would be the most popular heel on Smackdown!. Now this may change if Orton is sent to Smackdown!, but rumors aren't always true.

Now, if we assumed that Vince McMahon really wants Edge on Raw, then who would go to Smackdown! in his place? I'm thinking that it would be a face, so I'm going to pick Cena so that he can feud with Big Show, Matt/Jeff Hardy, etc. But who would go to Raw in Cena's place? Triple H. He's already feuding with Orton, a Raw superstar, while he's on Smackdown!, so this works out.

Question of The Article: Do YOU agree with Justin's theory? Let me know.

Jeff Vs. Matt: What The Hell Happened?

Ben Sampson — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:07:04 -0400

I may not be a senior writer, but I still can write a mean article (this is my first article).

Anyways, Wrestlemania 25 is going to go down as an amazing pay-per-view, with Cena vs. Edge vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship (and Vickie's "affections"), the Money in The Bank match, the 25-Diva Battle Royal, Triple H vs. Randy Orton, etc.

But one match that stands out for me the most is the Brother vs. Brother bout between the Hardy Boyz. The first time I watched wrestling on a VHS, the one wrestler that put his body on the line the most was Jeff Hardy, so naturally, he's my favourite wrestler.

But the way WWE has changed Matt's personality was just wrong. I mean, Matt and Jeff have gone at it before, but come on! A steel chair to the head during Jeff's WWE Championship match: what was WWE thinking?

I personally think Jeff should have held the title for longer than a month (Matt held the ECW Championship for 3 months)!

This storyline was made by WWE Creative because of leaked Internet rumours that Christian (who is competing in the Money in The Bank match) was behind the hotel attack, the hit and run, and the pyrotechnics accident. Since McMahon was infuriated, the writers had to change the culprit;they had to pick between Matt Hardy and Edge.

Since Edge is in the mess with Cena/Big Show/Vickie, the creative writers decided to make Matt the culprit behind Jeff's problems. I can see why they did what they did, but no one expected or wanted this. If you need to voice your opinion, you can comment below.

Question of this article: Do you think WWE made the right decision?

Thanks for reading!

Ben