The Hardcore Revolution: WrestleMania, NXT, and Everything In Between

Ladies and Gentleman have we got a column for you.

It has been too long since my last Hardcore Revolution, for which I apologize, but with running the BR Prediction League and school and work and the knee surgery and this run on sentence I just haven't had the time.

I must sad I am sad to see ECW finally put out to pasture and especially how they killed off the ECW Championship.  I can't say I'm sad that Ezekiel Jackson got some sort of "push", but since he has not been seen or mentioned since said ending of ECW I don't know how much good the "push" is doing.

I'll get to my Points Of Interest here in a little bit.
Right now though I want to go over each brand and discuss some things I've noticed over the weeks.

RAW

- ShoMiz keeps winning matches by the skin of their teeth and it makes me love them.  I have no clue why it makes me love them, because I am not the biggest fan of The Miz, but I think I'm secretly a closet Miz fan.

- Sheamus, although he only ends up sneak attacking people, is so over in a good way.  He looks to be building a great match with HHH in the future and if they play it just right they can give Trips the glory without completely emasculating Sheamus' character.

(Side note: when pluralizing Sheamus, do you just do what I did like his name was Jesus or do we go with Sheamus's)

- Why is Zack Ryder getting crapped on for the MITBM (Money In The Bank Match for those of you who don't know)!  I understand MVP deserves it, but Zack Ryder is who I want to see at WrestleMania, not the Hulked up "Power Ranger" of the WWE.  Zack Ryder was one of the faces that kept ECW afloat as long as it was and he was doesn't even get a push the first time he's on RAW, bad move in my book.

SMACKDOWN

- CM Punk and his Straight Edge Society is by far the most entertaining thing on WWE television right now.  He is just spectacular on the mic, and though his Shelton Benjamin match wasn't flawless, he's been one of the top performers as well.  The Rumble and The Chamber have solidified him as one of the greatest mic workers in the WWE today if not of all time. (This is entirely my opinion, but if you put your hand up the your computer screen you can let my thoughts become your own!)

- Chris Jericho as World Heavyweight Champion = Amazing.  I've been begging for this to happen for a while and have been greatly saddened by the disbanding of JeriShow, but as noted in the RAW notes I am a fan of ShoMiz now.  His mic work has been impeccable at drawing heat and I can't wait to talk more about him and Edge in my points of interest.

- I'm liking the Tag Team division here.  With the Trent and Cole team and The Dynasty, and even Cryme Tyme.  With a little more help and pushing, I think the Tag Team division can turn into what it used to be, but that means there needs to be more Tag Team, and no I do not mean teams like The Great Khali and Matt Hardy, that is just sheer disappointment drenched in the tears of shame.

Points Of Interest

1. Is the McMahon v Hart WM match a good idea?

- I still have to see how they build this or give it a stipulation.  Are they going to say Bret made "another" ground breaking recovery. Now before you get all bent out of shape, I have a lot of respect for how Brett got himself back from where he was.  It is a sheer Miracle he can even perform in a wrestling match.  Will they decide oh wait Bret doesn't need a cast anymore?  Will they find a way to make Bret not have to wrestle?  I would love to see Bret wrestle again, but I think I'd rather see Brett manage the Hart Dynasty against the McMahon backed ShoMiz.  Or if it doesn't get too weird, have Hart behind Cena and McMahon behind Batista, but that match is already going to be a huge disappointment for me as Cena is going to be champ again.  I don't hate the guy anymore, but I still question the "Next Hogan" thing he does, but that is for another discussion.

2. Is Shawn Michaels ready to retire if he loses to Taker?

- It is a toss up.  I can't actually see either thing ending.  It's a shame to end Taker's streak, but it's more of a shame to end HBK's career.  I can't wait for the match, it's being built great and I hope no one gets involved to ruin it from just being HBK/Taker.  I personally don't see HBK retiring.  This one is going to be emotional for me, and yes someone can get emotional over a scripted thing to all of you non-wrestling fans.  HBK is by far the greatest entertainer ever in the WWE and maybe the greatest Wrestler of all time, he is at least is the Top 10 if not the Top 5.  It will be a close finish at the end, but HBK is not ready to retire.

3. Is Edge being built for a huge disaster?

- Normally the way a feud is built by the bad guy beating down the good guy until the good guy inevitably overtakes the bad guy.  This feud is Jericho being cocky only to get speared by Edge over and over and over againe.  Edge is getting built right now as the Babyface, but I honestly think Chris Jericho come WrestleMania, if it keeps going the way it's going, will walk away still the World Heavyweight Champion.  Think about it folks.

4. Where is Chavo Guerrero?

- Seriously someone tell me!  I only hear about him through house show reports.  He is one of the most lineaged superstars in the business today and a damn fine performer.  Give him the Tag Team title or make him a mentor of NXT please.

(I apologize for that, but come on, where is he, it's just stupid)

5. Is NXT doing a good job?

-Two shows down and it has one of the best matches I've ever seen in my life.  On the downside I can only see Daniel Bryan as a successful star.  This show is building some great ground and it is revolving around The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho and his Rookie (God help me I can't remember his name, but I like his wrestling ability).  As long as CM Punk's guy gets a hair cut, the other Rookies really start working on their mic skills, and rivalries start picking up this show not only will be doing a good job, it will be one of the greatest experiences ever.

Well as always, oh wait I can't say as always, ECW is no longer alive.  Hmmm now I have to figure out a NEW end to this thing.

Well as always is soon to be:

Let the Revolution be known and Long Live The Extreme