MagicianCamille

As bad as TNA is in certain areas the mic work and promos feels more authentic.

That's because they spend so much time trash talking the WWE, and that is straight from the heart.

Plus, a lot of what's said in many wrestling promos are really nonsensical if you really sit down and think about it.

Sure there's a lot of bad promos given in wrestling, and I will criticize each and every one of them. I think they should let Barret do the talking and let Ahmed stick to the powerslamming.

On another note I am glad we got to see Gabriel and Slater team up again. I am not a huge Slater fan but ya know, at least we have another tag team in the WWE now. I think they'll get the titles (again) pretty soon here too.

Also I don't know if you guys watch WWE Superstars (you should, each show usually has 3 matches that go for about 10 minutes) but lately Primo and Zack Ryder have been cutting promos and putting on good matches as a tag team. They've been kind of feuding with the team of David Hart Smith and Yoshi Tatsu, which at first seemed like a random pairing but I'm actually starting to buy into them.

Hopefully we see more tag matches on the Monday/Friday shows featuring these guys as obviously the tag division is in a horrible place right now.

Edge vs Ziggler next week again? Isn't the idea to keep the contenders and champion away from each other... oh wait this isn't the 90's. I hope Teddy Long comes back soon because I can't stand Vickie!

I'm just glad they're keeping Ziggler in the world title picture since after EC it's going to be all about Alberto Del Rio.

I have to disagree on Booker's commentary and Ezekiel's promo. Booker keeps saying "I mean" every other sentence, it's really distracting. He's coming off pretty rusty but I'm sure he'll improve as he gets more experience and starts to build chemistry with the rest of the team.

As for Ezekiel's promo...it made no sense. "The end is here. It's awakened...against you." What does that even mean? I don't mean what are the implications I mean literally what does that mean? It's nonsensical! I love Big Zeke in the ring but every time he grabs the mic he kind of kills the immersion for me.

I liked the way the Elimination Chamber match is set up though, on Raw we've got 4 faces vs 2 heels, and on Smackdown we have 4 heels vs 2 faces. I'm glad Barret got in over Show, even though it was really predictable the way it went down.

Now to see if Vickie manages to steal the title from Edge before Elimination Chamber.

I thought TNA wasn't very good last night and the Fortune face turn made little sense, but I really liked AJ Style's promo because he said a lot of things about TNA that were actually true, whether they realize it or not. They brought in guys they shouldn't have and their younger talent had to take a backseat.

Honestly I just hope it leads to more wrestling.

I don't see people paying money to see a PPV to find out clues about something that will be revealed the very day following the PPV. I doubt the WWE is intentionally booking an awful PPV, they're just playing to their audience. For some reason people really like R-Truth. Personally I can't stand the guy most of the time, however there isn't anyone else that I think should have been in the EC over him. As long as he doesn't win it, who cares if he's in it. Ted Dibiase Jr was in the Raw EC last year after all.

I agree 100% Franny, I am not one for constant shock value without much substance. However I do appreciate some of the old attitude era skits such as Christian & Edge's weekly antics back when they were a tag team, and similar things that they can't really do anymore under a PG rating.

Speaking of Survivor Series...

http://www.wrestling-edge.com/wwe-news/wwe-changing-a-top-ppv-more-on-a-recent-wwe-departure-lilian-stacy.html

- WWE officials are once again looking to get rid of the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November. They reportedly want another concept pay-per-view to replace the big November event, which has been a WWE tradition for years.

Also from the same link:

Regarding Donna Goldsmith, who is leaving WWE, it’s said that she was the main one pushing WWE’s PG direction.

Interesting...I doubt the WWE will seriously move away from PG any time soon but this might be a hint at a later direction shift.

As for Survivor Series, 2010's was lackluster, and it's "Survivor Series" match was hurriedly put together.

I'd be okay with a Morrison heel turn if it meant more screen time and cemented main event status.

BUT as that's unlikely I'd prefer him to usurp the main event face role by out-popping guys like Cena and Orton.

I don't know if this relates here, but it's certainly something.

The most illegal move in wrestling.

That was...incredible. Much better than Jerry Lawler or TNA.

All I have to say to that is "Join the club".

I'm glad there's even going to be a Smackdown Elimination Chamber match. I had little hope of them sticking with it considering the Survivor Series fiasco where they basically threw together one Survivor Series match on the last day involving everyone who had nothing else going on. Not to mention that there won't be a WWE Title EC match (or at least, it's not the currently announced plan...)...though really the #1 contender match will probably be pretty amazing considering it has John Morrison and CM Punk in it. Ya know, unless Super Cena wins.

I like the new commentary set up (actually read about it last night) but now I have to ask Matt Striker...you still markin' out bro?

The Raws I'm always most excited for are always the huge letdowns.

Jerry Lawler is ruining Monday nights for me. I can't stand him. His commentary is generic and made up of the same one-liners. He keeps getting in the ring despite being ancient and it's SHOWING in the ring. I mean seriously it seemed like my TV was going in slow motion whenever Lawler had to do a move. I hope he throws out his hip or something and this whole Lawler angle for Wrestlemania is abandoned entirely. Morrison should be the guy going after the title, not Jerry Lawler, a man who is the same age as Ric Flair.

Alberto going for the WHC was obvious but a good segment nonetheless. Orton punting Husky Harris in the skull was fine too except...I think the WWE Universe is a heel now. This is the second time I believe they have cheered on a punt to the skull. That's not to mention when they were urging CM Punk to jump off the Titan tron.

Morrison was great in the Raw Rumble. Cena was surprisingly taking a beating for most of the match and didn't do too much, but still ultimately managed to annoy by hoisting Jerry Lawler's arm in victory.

I have a feeling I am going to hate these next two months in wrestling...seems like it's going to be a Lawler/Cena fest.

I'd be okay with Booker T having a main event run for a bit before going into a managerial/announcer role, the guy is still in tremendous shape. That's what's important. My main criticism of having Jerry Lawler wrestle is he CAN'T. He's fat, out of shape, slow, and just can't GO anymore. Booker appears like he might be able to.

Having Diesel back as an on-air personality would be fine, but to be honest he wasn't entertaining in the ring for me 15 years ago, I really don't want to see him wrestle now. I saw it on TNA...wasn't a fan.

Alberto going for the WWE title would be a disaster, the Raw roster is fine as it is but the Smackdown roster NEEDS Alberto Del Rio. It's full of aging veterans and lacks the main event status youth that Alberto brings.

So what did you guys think of the Rumble?

Cena/Hornswoggle comedy hour was an atrocity.

Started out with huge promise with CM Punk Vs Daniel Bryan, then was really good from there with Khali and Booker T making surprise returns (more emphasis on the latter of course). Then Cena and Hornswoggle ruined it for me. The entire Nexus eliminated, The Corre being a total non-factor...I'm glad ADR won because an Orton win would have been boring, a Cena win intolerable. Barret could have won but eh, he's been in the title picture enough recently.

Diesel returning was interesting, but I hope it was just a one-time thing.

The second Cena entered this match the Rumble became a snoozefest.

Sting was right not to join WWE, Vince squashed and ridiculed almost everyone from WCW.

Sting was WCW's top star. Guys like Mysterio and Big Show came from WCW and have had great careers in the WWE. Sting would have been MUCH better off joining the WWE way back when rather than wrestling for TNA. All wrestling fans would have been better off for it in fact.

Breaking news! It was just announced that Stone Cold Steve Austin will be hosting the revival of WWE Tough Enough! (LINK)

That is awesome, and it's going to be airing right after Monday Night Raw. I was already going to watch this show but now I am actually looking forward to it.

When can I pre-order The Rise & Fall of TNA?

The Death of WCW Part 2.

I really don't think Del Rio needs a Rumble victory as much as a guy like, say, Morrison or Ziggler. Hey, if Ziggler can lose his IC Title only to win the #1 contendership in the same night, he can also lose the World Title match only to win back a WrestleMania title shot. Del Rio will get his belt, but I think it might be too soon.

I can't see Ziggler being in the Rumble. Usually the guys who have another match on the card aren't in the Rumble.

I'm sticking with my prediction of Dolph Ziggler winning the MITB match at Wrestlemania, though I'd prefer if Morrison did (if he has nothing else going on by then) as a face MITB holder would be a nice change of pace.

It's hard to make predictions during the Road to Wrestlemania because you just never know what's going to happen at Elimination Chamber. At last year's event neither world champion successfully defended their titles in their Elimination Chamber matches. I would be pretty surprised to see The Miz defeating 5 other guys in a chamber match for instance. Edge I could see doing it.

All I know is I'm hoping that in 2011 we'll see Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison as world champions. These are the two guys I'm hoping to see step up and take the main event spotlight away from guys like Cena, Orton, Mysterio, and Edge.

That's good, a HHH return at this time would leave Morrison with less air time. He's already being pushed aside a bit by New Nexus and Orton.

Did we all watch the same Raw? Personally I thought it was a perfectly booked and very entertaining Raw.

First match, the tag match between Morrison/Henry and Del Rio/Sheamus. Gives Morrison and Sheamus air time, continues to sell Del Rio with his win streak as a serious contender at the Rumble, but doesn't bury Morrison as Mark Henry is the one tapping out to Rio and not him.

Diva match blah blah I like Melina a lot but am glad this match was kept short.

Miz Vs Edge, good match but what is more important is that it's going to be a week-long feud which is going to reunite Orton and Edge on Smackdown, and pair Miz and Ziggler together as the "new generation" champions of the WWE, should Ziggler win this Sunday of course. Him winning a world title this year I think is a foregone conclusion. I absolutely love this angle (albeit it a short one), and all of the guys involved.

The Daniel Bryan twist was amazing. I was so glad. Everyone in the IWC was talking about how horrible the Bellas are and how Bryan's being wasted blah blah blah, well how about that? BRYAN was the one stringing the BELLAS along, and is actually dating Gail Kim. Meanwhile it looks like the Bellas might be heels now.

Then we had the tag match between Santino/Vladmir and Harris/Hennig Jr. I liked this match because how it subtly reflected how CM Punk's leadership is affecting Harris and Hennig. The things they had to go through for CM Punk are causing them to be ultra aggressive in the ring. They were frothing at the mouth at Santino like he was a piece of raw meat, and Harris absolutely destroyed him. I loved this. Once we see the Corre get involved in the tag division I think we all stop being so embarrassed by it, and it could actually be pretty awesome.

Now for the main event. I couldn't conceive the idea of Cena raising neither Barret's or CM Punk's hand in victory. I think they played this one right. Cena comes out and has his fun, gets everyone going wild for him, pisses off the Corre and Nexus, but the GM ultimately saves the day. My only wish is that the match went on a bit longer before this happened, as I really wanted to see CM Punk in action.

I was also surprised to see Tarver back on TV. I'm curious to see what they're gonna do with him.

So yeah, good Raw, looking forward to Smackdown and the Rumble. I actually like all the cross-brand activity, the Rumble is bigger than either brand, and I actually hope it continues past the Rumble. Why? Simple. The Corre and Straight Edge Nexus.

It is being reported that WWE is considering reuniting Edge & Orton as Rated RKO! What are your opinions on this and what does it mean for the future of the Miz as WWE Champion? Does this mean with taking Orton out of the title picture Miz will be given a lengthy title run, does this mean Cena and Miz will be feuding? What do you guys think?

Rated RKO is better as a heel team. That's obvious of course as both Orton and Edge are amazing heels. I don't know, I'd love a Rated RKO reunion either way but I'd prefer them to do it as heels.

Cena/Miz feuding would be unbearable because obviously Cena would win and become WWE champion and Raw would become unwatchable with all the Cena love.

I like the Corre, it seems to be a legit all for one and one for all group rather than former Nexus which was all about Barret. I like that as we already saw, it gives Justin Gabriel time to shine.

Interesting Smackdown, now Vickie Guerro is in charge and seems to be building a relationship with The Corre. Smackdown seems more and more like it's going in a very good direction with new guys getting the spotlight, and more importantly, the younger guys.

I've really been liking Ziggler as of late. He's a heel but when you look at his actions he's not really too much of one, especially compared to Edge. Ziggler stood up for his girlfriend, saved her from a would-be spear by Edge, and is just trying to become champion.

Edge tormented a guy for months and was responsible for Paul Bearer's possible demise at the hands of his own son. Edge was about to assault a woman with a spear. Edge has been bringing up dirty laundry. In this feud, I'm liking Dolph Ziggler more. He's a heel, but he's justified in my eyes.

I'd be okay with HHH Vs Taker but not if HHH breaks the streak. HHH is definitely a hall of famer and as deserving as anyone else of such an honor but the fact that he does have some creative control and company influence makes the whole thing utterly distasteful.

I know it's just an unsubstantiated rumor, I'm just stating my feelings about a HHH Vs Taker WM match in general. I don't hold the opinion that Taker HAS to go 20-0 and retire either. I'd be 100% fine with a DESERVING wrestler breaking the streak, with preference that a deserving young guy be the one to do it as a launching pad for a main event career.

I wonder why they had him wear the exact clothes Jackson Andrews used to wear. That sure was confusing. I hope that's not going to be his regular look, blue jeans and cowboy shoes.