SPOILERS for anyone who hasn’t seen the show yet…

1) Mizdow

The tag division has been getting stronger and stronger for the last couple years now. Too many teams have come and gone, that’s still a problem, but in general the emphasis has improved. Last night’s 4-way tag match for the belts was a lot of fun but one man stole the show.

Damien Sandow has long been a cult favourite, especially with the smarter marks out there. He has never been given a great run, even his Money In The Bank briefcase was even taken off him and given to Cena. But his tireless work and unending commitment has meant that anyone who can see him in action has fallen in love with him.

The Miz is mediocrity personified but he has always been easy to jeer and this current Hollywood gimmick suits him down to the ground.

Their current partnership together is the embodiment of love/hate with the audience but somehow it’s working, partially because The Miz (almost in a mirroring of WWE itself) is sidelining Sandow and making him work endlessly with little or no reward. With Sandow stealing the show, the dynamic can’t last long but should hopefully springboard him into a higher position on the card.

Please, WWE, don’t mess it up.

2) Wyatt vs Ambrose

In an age where CM Punk quits the company because of problems including short sighted booking, it’s almost shocking that the ending of this match was a perfect set-up for the next Pay-Per-View TLC.

These two men are some of the best talent in the wrestling industry right now. Ambrose is exciting, Wyatt is fascinating, both are adored by the audience. The match was going to be great one way or another. It didn’t end cleanly, and while that sometimes can be infuriating to watch, especially at a PPV, they got it note perfect by burying Wyatt in chairs and tables.

Sure, we all got blue balls when Ambrose climbed to the top of the ladder and didn’t jump off (I don’t know if he just didn’t like the look of the drop or if the ref called it off) but it perfectly whetted my appetite for what will be a show stealing match next month.

3) Dolph Ziggler

Speaking of show stealers…

Anyone who has read my reports here knows that I love Dolph Ziggler. He has the ability to be as big as Shawn Michaels was. And you’ll also know that for the approximately 3 years I’ve been writing this column (JEEEEEEEZUS!), my constant complaint is that he has been under used.

Well, you couldn’t level that accusation at WWE last night. He was the MVP in the big Survivor Series match and it was a great match too. One of those moments that really sweeps you up. Or as @WWECreative_ish wrote:
“In case you’re wondering, that feeling you’re experiencing is called “emotion due to a wrestling match.””

Enjoy the spotlight, Dolph. Oh, who am I kidding? The spotlight is just what he calls “home”.

I’m actually excited about tonight’s RAW and I think that’s the first time I’ve felt that way since before the summer. I just hope Larry The Cable Guy doesn’t put a dampener on what should be a big party.

Butt Championship.

Fatal 4-Way.

Tables/Ladders/Chairs.

Part 2

DJ as Dolph Ziggler, the reigning champion.

Kasey as Triple H because he’s a total jerkbutt, like Triple H

Joey as Chris Jericho. I’m not sure why.

Mike as Brock Lesnar because he recognized him and didn’t know any better.

We still just dick around and aren’t actually reviewing the game. We’re good at this.

Winds of change. It’s not just a move by Wade Barrett. This past week has seen a near upheaval of change within the WWE. So many turns, people don’t know their heels from their faces. I thought it an opportune time to do a report of where we are right now.

– Daniel Bryan is carrying the company.

Who would have seen that coming? D-Bry has been stealing the show for a couple months now but WWE have not been subtle with how much they’re relying on him. Every week on both RAW and Smackdown the amount of focus and match time he has been getting has been unparalleled.

The crowd reaction has been insane too. I can’t remember a wrestler getting as big a pop as him since CM Punk dropped his pipe-bomb three years ago and even then it wasn’t as unanimous as the love for Bryan is. He’s got every arena in the palm of his hands and JBL is almost masturbating on mic during his matches.

It’s all incredibly deserved success and I hope it continues. With his match being called short on RAW I think it shows just how valuable the heads backstage think he is. They were more willing to cut a big match short and protect Bryan than risk injuring him. Daniel was clearly happy to carry on and I believe Randy has the experience to be able to look after him out there but backstage panicked and I think that speaks volumes.

It seems we’re all extremely glad he’s OK.

– Returns, Returns, Returns

There had been so many injuries of late, it allowed a lot of the younger talent to get some longer air-time. However, WWE still doesn’t trust (or like) some of its talent enough to give them any matches at all. I’m looking at you, Ryder. It seems they feel they need some bigger, more established names so I’m sure they were thrilled to welcome back Punk, Christian and Mark Henry from injury.

Mark particularly impressed me with his wonderful retirement fake-out. I didn’t know he had those acting chops in him! Pork chops, sure… Anyway, I jumped off my couch when he slammed Cena. Henry is one of my favourite heels and I wasn’t aware that he has never held the WWE title. I don’t think he’ll be able to pry it away from Cena right now but I can’t wait to see him fight for it.

Rob Van Dam is back in the frame too. Much like Punk, we will have to pay to see his return. I wasn’t particularly impressed with his work in TNA so hopefully he isn’t over-the-hill yet. I wonder if he’ll team up with anyone. It wouldn’t hurt to let Heyman manage him but I’d be surprised if they make RVD a heel on his comeback. These are just random thoughts on my behalf, folks.

– Good or bad?

Ok, so here are three major heel/face turns that I can gauge from the past week.

1) Punk is now a face.
2) Ziggler is now a face.
3) Del Rio is now a heel.

Of course, these things happen all the time, but those three particularly pleased me as they were crucial to moving the company forward.

Both Punk and Ziggler were too popular to continue as heels. If someone is going to be the bad guy, half the crowd cheering you on is a problem. This allows for bigger crowd reactions now as they utilize two of their best talents in a more sensible vein.

Del Rio never worked as a face. He was always best as a smug bad guy. Even when he smiles he looks evil. He’s much more enjoyable when he’s cheating than when he’s desperately trying to win over a crowd with terrible promos. I couldn’t be happier about the change.

– Do you believe in The Shield yet?

Much like Daniel Bryan, The Shield have been making the lives of the show writers a hell of a lot easier.

Don’t know what to do with a top wrestler? Feud him with The Shield.
Need a main event? 6 man tag match with 3 random wrestlers against The Shield.
Don’t know how to end a match? Send in The Shield.

They’re the Swiss army knives of the WWE. The bonus is they’re killing it in the ring. Amazing match after amazing match. It hasn’t hurt that D-Bry has been in most of those matches with them, but make no mistake, these guys can carry it on their own too. They’ve been a massive highlight this year, and while we’re only half way through 2013, its theirs as long as the writers don’t mess it up.

There is a weird thing that happens the first RAW after Wrestlemania. All the hardcore fans who save up to go to the biggest show of the year hang around and go to the show the night after. Grown-ups. With jobs. Folks who have been fans all their lives. Folks, who aren’t always happy with what WWE have been doing lately. And the RAW show seems to be where they make their points.

Last year, we saw the “YES!” chant begin. The discontent with how Daniel Bryan was being treated, especially after losing his title in an 18 second match to a man who isn’t exactly universally liked, was being shown in a way that couldn’t be ignored. The whole show was being dominated by “YES!” chants. Now keep in mind, this wasn’t a thing before, this was the very first night we saw it. The fans homed in on something that Daniel did on the way to the ring, embraced it, and it became a rallying cry. It dominated promos from The Rock and also John Cena (to the point where both had to acknowledge it). They started to chant “¡SI!” for Del Rio. Daniel didn’t even perform that night on RAW but they put him in a dark match at the end. Here is what happened at the end of that match.

I like to think those fans changed some of the thinking back-stage. Bryan got a huge push since and is still part of most of the big happenings in the company now. And it’s well deserved, I must add.

Well, this year it was no different. I think there was 1 main moment where I think the amazing New Jersey crowd managed to make a point that I think was important, and one long moment where I think they were just having fun.

1) Dolph Ziggler

By far, THE biggest pop of the night was Dolph fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinally cashing it in.

It’s been a long wait, but hopefully this will once-and-for-all legitimize Dolph as a top drawer talent. For years now, smart fans have been telling anyone who will listen that Dolph Ziggler is one of the best wrestlers in the industry. The guy has had to job for everyone and has been amazing doing it. He has all the skills but just not the opportunity. Fans have been getting ravenous waiting for him to cash in the Money In The Bank contract and when he finally did it he got not only the biggest reception of RAW but of the whole Wrestlemania weekend. Now, all I can do is pray that the boys in the back took notice and acts accordingly.

2) Fandango

You know, I’ve enjoyed Fandango. Before the name change, when he was just Johnny Curtis, he always impressed me on NXT as the guy who deserved a shot. When I found out his shot required a gimmick change, this gimmick change in particular, I thought “well, that’s the end of that guy”. This ballroom dancer schtick had “dead end” written all over it. But somehow he managed to find something fun with it and I’ve genuinely laughed at some of the “Faaaaaaahn-daaaaaahng-goooooo” antics.

Now, was the fans chanting his theme tune through half the show an endorsement of his excellence? No, it was fans just trying to have fun but hopefully it will give the guy a chance with what would have otherwise been a no-hoper. They did more for him in one night than WWE Creative did in 6 months.

—————————————-

Much like last year, the post show promo (this time delivered by John Cena) had to address the crowd and particularly their reactions for both of the guys above.

But what does this mean for the future? It’s hard to tell. Like I said before, I hope this solidifies Ziggler’s place in the company the way it has for Bryan. But I think it emphasizes something else.

The vast majority of the crowd were above the age of 21. Any regular watcher of the WWE product will note that the opposite is the norm. 12 year olds often dominate the RAW and Smackdown crowds. The problem is, the crowds have been dead for far too long. Deathly quiet arenas have stagnated a product long overdue for an overhaul. The PG experiment has been divisive and while I think it’s probably been a positive as a whole they need to get some more grown ups back in to fill some seats and make some noise because wrestling is nothing without the crowd.

If only we could have this crowd every week.

It’s that time again. The big show. Not him, Wrestlemania. My predictions last year were damn near perfect. The only winner I got wrong was Rock/Cena, but considering that was the big shock of the night, I’m OK with missing just one. Can my accuracy continue?

These are the announced matches at the time of writing this article. Considering there is no Diva’s title or US title match on the card 5 days before the show says a few things but I’m sure there’ll be last minute matches for both on the night.

Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett vs. The Miz (Interactive Pre-Show Match)

The rumble in the pre-show! Nobody really cares about this match so it’s not too surprising it’s a YouTube only event. Although if that was the rule, half of these matches would be on the pre-show instead of the PPV. That being said, Barrett versus Miz being off the Pay-Per-View also locks in it’s inevitability. They won’t change belts like that.

Winner: Wade Barrett
Via: Pin-fall

Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls vs. Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins

This could have been a bigger deal. They genuinely could have made me care about this one. Rhodes Scholars are great on the mic and in the ring. The team of Albert/Tensai/Sweet Tea and Brodus Clay are… good in the ring? But at the very least, the Bella Twins are back and the Funkadactyls aren’t too bad. There is enough going on to make it fascinating. But it has taken a back seat to all the other crap going on. It probably should have been saved for another, less part-timer heavy night. Oh well.

Winner: Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls
Via: The medium of dance

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

Chris Jericho is an excellent servant to the WWE. He has no ego. His last couple of years have seen him job to everyone and yet somehow still remain popular and hasn’t lost any of his reputation.

Fandago is… well, he makes me laugh at the very least. This match is going to be his first one (as this character, watchers of NXT will be familiar the the wrestler under his previous name) and the standard rule is you don’t lose your debut match. They may dirty the ending to keep Jericho strong but this is definitely going to Faaaaahn-daaaaaahng-goooooooooooooo.

Winner: Fandango
Via: DQ?

WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No vs. Dolph Ziggler & Big E Langston

Lots of people are expecting Wrestlemania to be the home of the dissolution of Team Friendship. I don’t think we’re quite there yet and I definitely don’t think they’re going to give the titles to this newly made team.

Am I disappointed we’re not seeing the Prime Time Players in the match? Hell yes. But having these four men in the ring should still result in a great match. Silver linings.

Winner: Team Hell No
Via: Pin-fall

Ryback vs. Mark Henry

Ryback has lost a lot of matches lately at PPVs. He’s still one of creative’s favourite guys and I’m sure they’d love to give him the big win here. Henry has been around long enough that a loss here wouldn’t hurt him as much. I’m sure they’d love to have the spectacle of Ryback giving his finisher to the massive Henry too. This one is locked in.

Winner: Ryback
Via: Eating

Randy Orton, Sheamus & Big Show vs. The Shield

This is the only match that I’m undecided about. This could really go either way. Orton and Sheamus have already lost to the Shield, so logic would tell me that it will reverse and Shield will lose in this rematch. The adding to Big Show could either turn him face again or he could stay heel and cost them the match.

So many variables but I’m going to go with my heart on this one. Believe in The Shield!

Winner: The Shield
Via: Count-Out, possibly?, maybe, I don’t know

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger

You know what? Everyone has it nailed on that Swagger is going to win this one. And he just might. Momentum seems to be on his side and it all seems to be going that way. But I’m going to make my boldest predicition of the night. Yes. I think it will finally happen. Ziggler is going to cash in the case. And I will explode with joy.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Via: Cashing It In

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar (No Holds Barred Match; If Lesnar wins, Triple H must retire)

And here starts the slow decent into boredom. The next three matches are so obvious it hurts. HHH will win. No doubt. No worries.

Winner: HHH
Via: Pin-fall

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk

The streak will not end. As much as I’d love to see it happen. As interesting as it would be. It’s just not happening. Just try to enjoy the ride.

Winner: The Undertaker
Via: Inevitability

WWE Champion The Rock vs. John Cena

The part-timer will drop the belt and go back to his real job. Cena will once again be the superman on the block and we can all leave and go cry into our corn flakes.

Winner: John Cena
Via: Sigh…

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Those are my picks. If you want to share your own leave them in the comments and we’ll see how we all get on after Sunday night. Good luck!

Wow, what a year. I’m not saying it was great but it was definitely a year. So much has changed in the WWE since I did my Fave Five of 2011 but yet not really at the same time. CM Punk is still champion. John Cena is still over used. Most worrying of all, Khali still gets more air time than Zack Ryder.

The real question is; has my Fave Five changed at all?

1) Daniel Bryan

Without a doubt Goat Face is my top performer of the year. He never has a bad match. Always gets big pops when he arrives. Has done amazing things with terrible material. He’s just so, so good.

Think about it. If I told you at the start of the year that pre-taped counceling sessions with Bryan and Kane would be one of the best things on WWE you’d check to see if I had lost it. And considering that a year ago he was exhiled to Smackdown, it’s hard to believe that he went on to have arguably CM Punk’s best matches this year and is now “the Tag Team Champions”.

Most wrestlers on the roster would kill to be as over as Bryan is right now and yet I still feel like there is so much more to come. Somehow, he still feels under-used. But everything is moving in the right direction so lets hope it stays that way.

2) Dolph Ziggler

Despite having a win/loss ratio in minus figures, it still feels like it has been a good year for the Heel. He won Money In The Bank, finally ditched Swagger and Vickie, got a win at a PPV over John Cena, and got to be the 5th guy to kiss AJ (that girl gets around).

Admittedly he still hasn’t cashed that briefcase in but I’ve kinda enjoyed all the near misses with it. The best thing about those near misses is that the crowd always cheers when he runs out. People are getting behind him and in an age where a lot of venues are deathly silent, that is the most valuable thing in WWE.

Over the last couple months we’ve been hearing more and more Ziggler chants, lots of Ziggler signs in the crowd, and a more vocal fan base. All he needs now is the creative team to get as excited about him as the fans are. If he cashes in that case, hopefully 2013 will see the Zig Zag man follow in D-Bry’s footsteps.

3) AJ

Despite being reduced to a “crazy slut” stereotype at this point, AJ has acheived something that very few WWE “Divas” have in the past and that’s bankability. It’s almost a golden rule now that if AJ is involved in the storyline, something good is going to happen.

For a tiny girl in a business of burly men, that is a very impressive feat indeed. Some could successfully argue that the way she’s being treated is a bit… sexist… kinda, sorta, totally, but I will give her props for managing to navigate her way through all this mess with her head held high and a skip in her step. So to speak.

It’s probably important to note that she has wrestled very few matches throughout the year but I think it’s more accurate to look upon her as that old school kind of manager at ringside than a wrestler now. In much the same way as Paul Heyman = Gold, AJ has managed to become invaluable.

4) CM Punk

(Yes this is the same picture as last year, but he’s still champion so what do you expect?)

The self proclaimed Best In The World has managed to do something I really couldn’t predict, be WWE champion for a complete calender year. It’s not that I didn’t think he was worthy of it, I’m just shocked that the notoriously flaky WWE have kept with the same guy for that long (who isn’t Cena, naturally).

Some of his PPV matches have been majestic and the guy is currently having a ball as the bad guy. He even managed to keep the title despite an injury which is traditionally unheard of in wrestling. WWE are definitely playing the long game and eyeing next year’s Rocky tussle by keeping the strap on his shoulder. Thankfully too, as it is the right move long-term.

I haven’t been thrilled over the last couple months with his rivalries but I think that’s due to the lack of big names on the roster (that he hasn’t already fought a dozen times). But no matter how dull the story-line is, Punk still manages to make it interesting. Even if he has to punch a fan to do it.

5) The Prime Time Players

If any of my picks this year are going to cause a reaction it’s these guys. Darren Young and Titus O’Neill are, in my eyes, the best tag-team that the WWE have by far. And the best tag-team they’ve had for years. These guys should and will be champions. ‘Fro pick and all.

The sad state of affairs is, if the tag division was being taken more seriously they’d have some storylines to work with. However, for some strange reason, Creative don’t really give storylines to tag teams. They just compete, nothing more. Which is a shame as I think they have the charisma and the skills to be a dominant force.

Recently they had PTP do some commentary with Cole and Lawler, it was absolutely hilarious and rambled into the proper uses of “wash rags”, of all things. This sparked a bit of debate about the team as D-Young stayed quiet the whole time and people wondered if there was a problem with the group but I think it just showed the dynamic of the team.

Hopefully things go their way in 2013 and they can finally get those MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND COMPETING FOR A PLACE…

Much like last time, there are other wrestlers who have impressed me this year for a number of reasons but I just didn’t like them as much as the above. Something makes me hesitant about them and I’ll divulge those niggles with you now.

Ryback: Clearly, Ryback has gotten a huge push from WWE this year. From a guy in a constant rotation of novelty squash matches to WWE title matches. Brodus Clay must be looking on with tears in his eyes. The problem is, despite his size and strength, nothing really inspires me with him. I think he still needs that one really good rivalry. CM Punk’s injury may have robbed him of that opportunity.

The Shield: If they debuted earlier in the year these guys would have definitely made the list. I am ridiculously excited by the 3 men and the TLC PPV sealed my fandom. Hopefully in 2013 we’ll see a lot more of these rising stars.

Antonio Cesaro: United States champion may have a lame gimmick but the dude has the skills inside the ring. When he is allowed to have a long match, he can really show off. Need to get a little more serious if he’s to be considered more than just a midcarder. Like most guys, his future lies in the hands of the writers.

Kofi Kingston: If you dislike Kofi, you officially have no soul. Fact. He’s the eternal baby face. But the guy needs to get more intense on the mic. It’s his big soft spot. We’ve all seen what he can do in the ring when given the chance (handstand at the Rumble, anyone?).

Just when I thought I was out… they pulled me back in!

Before the summer began I had grown increasingly frustrated with the WWE, particularly it’s creative department. Their best wrestlers weren’t being utilized and the few that were had some terrible storylines with wrestlers who didn’t deserve the air-time (I’m still looking at you, Khali). I had genuinely decided to quit this column and concentrate on more grown up things, like comic books.

However, recently things have gotten increasingly better. It’s still not great, but there is definite improvement. The recent RAWs have been enjoyable, especially the week Vickie Guerrero was the guest General Manager, and if you can make me enjoy 2 hours with Vickie Guerrero you know it was something special.

CM Punk and D-Bry have been feuding for over a month. They could feud for another 12 months and I’d be happy about that. These guys are pure class.

And WWE have actually been working on their tag-team division. Seriously, I know, right?! These are all great positives.

There has been a lot of injuries and suspensions but the roster has found an equilibrium recently. Besides, the longer Randy Orton stays off my screen the better.

The Divas division is still completely in dissaray but AJ has gotten a chance to do some amazing work this past month or two and she has grabbed the opportunity with her small, crazy hands.

I don’t know if I can pin (roll-up or otherwise) my new found happiness entirely on Big Johnny being gone from our screens, but it has definitely been apart of it. Now if we can just get Cole to shut up…

But on to last night’s Money In The Bank PPV. Warning now, if you haven’t seen it yet do so before reading this because obviously spoilers abound. Although there is only one thing on my mind

… Seriously.

… No peeking.

… Is everyone ready?

HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! THE ZIG ZAG MAN HAS THE BRIEFCASE, SUCKA! CAN YOU DIG THAT?????? *ahem* Sorry. Got a little carried away there. This is what happens after 3 hours of Booker T commentary.

But yes, Dolph Ziggler is Mr Money In The Bank and I could not be more excited. To say that Ziggler has been abused in the WWE might sound a little sensational but the guy has consistently jobbed for every guy the WWE have wanted to push for the past couple of years. And when I say Dolph could wrestle a broom and make it look good, that is no exaggeration. He is exceptional. But they chained him to Vickie G and Jack Swagger while making him lose week in and week out. It was heartbreaking to watch.

The plus side was, he was still young and you had to hope that he was going to get his shot eventually. They love to make you pay your dues in wrestling and Dolph has sold for Zack Ryder AND Santino Marella so he’s paid more than his fair share. Last night, it really felt like it finally paid off. And much like Daniel Bryan winning it last year, hopefully this is the start of him being a headliner for the considerable future.

Hell, the crowd agrees with me. You could hear Dolph chants throughout the match and you could see more signs for him in the crowd than anyone else.

Including John Cena who… I think had a match that night or something.

So yes, in the immortal words of JR; “business has just picked up”.

PS: if there is a certain someone reading this, if you make a “Go Zig Or Go Home” t-shirt, I’ll buy it.

I’m back from my rather epic Wrestlemania predictions victory to give a quick update for those who may not be following the wrestler’s exploits online.

Anyone who knows me, or has even read these reports, knows that I heart Dolph Ziggler. He’s great, ’nuff said. So it will be no surprise that I follow him on Twitter. (For the record, the wrestlers who I follow online are: CM Punk, Zack Ryder, Kofi Kingston, Daniel Bryan and the Zig Zag man). While Dolph’s feed is mostly kayfabe #HEEL stuff, which I enjoy, he also links to things he enjoys from time to time.

When the following video popped up online, well, Dolph got a little excited. NOTE: don’t worry, the guy chewing his way through the first 30 seconds of the video is not important.

Dolph proceeded to beg the WWE to let him do a response video. Dolph does a WWE YouTube show called Download which is pretty terrible if I’m honest but at least allows the Z man to shine with a few funny self-depricating remarks. My favourite of which being “I don’t lose [to the side]actually, I lose all the time, don’t tell my mom[/to the side]”. It may have taken a while, but his wish was granted.

That promo above, is pretty much more screen time than Ziggler has been allowed in months on TV. I won’t get into how badly the WWE are mismanaging one of the best wrestlers on their roster right now, just know it may be another report in the future.

So far so good, right? A fun internet flame war to keep the boredom at bay. Well, it ain’t over yet.

Now, obviously this is just a PR stunt on behalf of two men who both trash talk in the guise of characters they play but when it makes me laugh as much as it has done so far… I’m down with it.

And when this is the best feud Ziggler has had in months, well, it says something.

Ziggler Vs Apicary for Wrestlemania 2013!

Traditionally the WWE Draft, which decides the show and which championships the wrestlers can aim for, takes place in April. But today I am going to make a case for it to be moved up a little to fix a problem I like to call The Great Khali-een Out.

The Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event is at the end of the month and will feature the top 6 guys from each brand competing for the title. The RAW line up is pretty amazing. CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Chris Jericho, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, and R Truth. And that doesn’t even include the likes of Kane, John Cena and Alberto Del Rio who are competing in other matches or injured (in the case of Del Rio). RAW seem to have an over abundance of wrestlers who can main-event, resulting in some good wrestlers often getting over-looked week-in-week-out.

SMACKDOWN however… well, that’s a different problem. Their match features Daniel Bryan, Big Show, Randy Orton, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, and… sigh… The “Great” Khali. This line-up bugs me for two reasons, of which I’ll get a bit specific about below.

1) Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is a great wrestler with a bright future ahead of him. He’s got all the skills he needs in abundance, he’s just waiting on the right storyline and a real push to take him to the next level. As Intercontinental champion, a title he may only defend a couple times a year, he’s wasted in this regard. But champion he is, so to place him in this match for the Heavyweight Championship just shows the shallow pool of talent SMACKDOWN has at the moment.

In reality, Rhodes should either drop his IC title or be having his own feud with someone for it thus defending it at this PPV. I think Rhodes and Bryan could have some incredible matches if placed in the right position so personally I’d like to see him drop the belt to one of the lower ranked guys so he can go for the big one. Whether or not that will ever happen this year remains to be seen but at the very least it points to his inclusion in this Elimination Chamber match being slightly off base.

2) Khali

Nobody likes him because he’s useless.

I hate to be this blunt but it’s true. Nobody is wearing a Great Khali t-shirt. Nobody buys a ticket to see the show hoping Khali will be there. He’s a terrible wrestler, he doesn’t speak English, every time he walks to the ring I fear that his knees will buckle at any moment. When a man’s only wrestling move is to slap someone on top of their head, you have issues.

I understand that Mark Henry getting injured forced SMACKDOWN to replace him with someone, but really? Really? Really?

So what’s my point? Well, I understand that Sheamus winning the Royal Rumble meant that he couldn’t be involved directly in this match but even without him, SMACKDOWN needs some better talent and RAW quite franky is wasting some of theirs. With Christian and Mark Henry both on the sidelines for who knows how much longer, it’s time to make a draft, or at least a few transfers.

Who should move? I have a couple suggestions.

1) Kofi Kingston

Kofi’s Air Boom partner Evan Bourne is a bit of a habitual rule breaker and it has forced Kofi to leave the promising team. His inclusion in this PPV main event is a positive thing after he stole the show during the Royal Rumble but historically all the signs point to this being a short lived push.

I think a move to SMACKDOWN could offer a host of great rivalries, one in particular including a possible Intercontinental Championship run.

2) Dolph Ziggler

Dolph NEEDS to move. And this is not just my man-crush on him talking here. It’s well documented I think he’s an amazing wrestler but his last title match against Punk at the Rumble proved that WWE sacrifice him all too often and that match made him look weak. Too weak to legitimately do anything on that brand any time soon. With Jericho coming back it also looks like he’ll be out of the picture anyway.

3) Zack Ryder

While thrilling as it was to see Ryder drop his championship and then get beaten up by Kane every week, I think it might be time for a change of scenery for Cena’s side-kick.

Hell, team him up with DiBiase instead and let them party all night long. Anything to stop the constant mishandling of his career on RAW. They didn’t want to put him on TV in the first place and it showed when they finally did. With the likes of Hornswaggle and Santino on the SMACKDOWN brand, they obviously like their goofballs so I think Ryder could fit in well.

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I could go on, there is a great case to be made for a lot of stars to change brand right now. And no matter who you think should move, I think we can all agree any wrestler in the roster would be better than Khali.

To close out the year I thought I’d take a leaf out of Booker T’s… book, I guess, and nominate my favourite five wrestlers of 2011. Or Fave Five, if you will.

I haven’t ranked them, so the five are in no particular order. They are also not necessarily my favourite wrestlers in the company either but these are the guys who I think had a great year and as of right now are the wrestlers I look forward to seeing the most when I turn on the show.

1) CM Punk

No surprise to anyone. The reason why I even put him first is because it was too obvious to hold back. Punk turned a lot of heads earlier in the year with his shoot shenanigans and there is a reason why he’s the WWE champion right now.

He’s always interesting on the mic. You genuinely don’t know what he’s going to say from one week to the next. In a time when the WWE is struggling to sell their Par Per Views, this guy is getting people excited again.

If I was to level one criticism, it’s that he often poorly connects with his moves and thus weakens a match with a limp looking kick to the shoulder. But considering how much he works to get the crowd involved in a match, it somehow evens out by the end.

2) Dolph Ziggler

I got a little bit over excited this past Monday when Dolph won a shot at the WWE title. Not because I think he will win (there is no chance he will) but because it is the culmination of what has been a year of endlessly good performances from him.

After pulling two matches at most PPVs and successfully managing to make everyone on the roster look good by losing a match to someone every second week, Dolph had put more than enough work in to deserve a shot at the main events.

He has been selling every move like one of the best and even makes an Irish Whip look like a killer blow as he throws himself into turnbuckles like nobody I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t noticed how hard this guy works, watch his matches carefully. Nobody gets beat up as convincingly as this guy and nobody consistently hits their moves like him either.

Despite the fact that he has been lumbered with a manager (usually a tactic to help out guys who are bad on the mic) he’s one of the most quotable characters on the show, “no offence”. And this would almost go by un-noticed if it wasn’t for some of the great cameos he’s had on Zack Ryder’s YouTube show. The Zig-Zag man needs some more mic time in 2012, hopefully this upcoming run against Punk will allow this.

3) Mark Henry

Mark Henry’s World Championship title reign was one of the few things the WWE creative team did right this year. They built him up as a violent juggernaut and didn’t back down from that. In fact, despite the fact that he’s lost the belt now, he’s still seen as the toughest guy to beat on the roster thanks to the injury to his ankle which offers the excuse for this temporary loss of momentum.

I’d rather not see him in matches with the likes of the Big Show as two big slow guys beating on eachother isn’t as interesting as when there is a miss-match. Which is why I hope we see a full strength Henry take on Daniel Bryan in 2012 as their cage match on Smackdown this year was a highlight.

He’s not great on the mic but he has utilised that by turning his character into a man of few words, one of which is PAIN. So it works to not only save embarrassment but also back up his mean attitude.

It’s nice to see a guy who has been a journeyman for so much of his career get given a shot and taking it so well.

4) Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan has had a weird year. Was doing very little until he won the Money In The Bank briefcase. Then did very little afterwards. His statement to wait until Wrestlemania to cash the case seemed interesting but was such a long time away it also felt like an instant loss of whatever momentum he might have built up from winning it.

And now the guy is the World Heavyweight Champion. Go figure.

I’ve always liked Bryan but felt like he was often being ignored by the WWE. His mid-card wallowing was frustrating to see for many reasons. He’s funnier than he often gets a chance to show. He’s a great wrestler but is usually consigned to short matches. The crowd always seemed to naturally shine to him, even though he was rarely seen. He should have been a big hit but was just never used right.

Now hopefully he’ll get that chance to shine going into 2012. He’s a great under-dog style of character to watch but with the skills to back up his new found success, we could be in for a great ride.

5) R-Truth

It’s hard not to write this while using one of the 101 R-Truth catchphrases but this year Ron Killings has been a goooooood R-Truth. Constantly cracking me up every week.

For a guy who is supposedly “crazy”, he has one of the few story arcs this year that makes sense.

Sure, all his conspiracy stuff is silly but it works. He hasn’t had to change his tune for a long time because his character fits in to almost every situation. “Why did he turn on his friend?” dude’s crazy. “Why is he attacking that guy?” dude’s crazy. You could drop him into any ludicrous situation that the WWE writers come up with and he’ll make it plausable by blaming little Jimmy.

Combine his good mic work with some solid in ring performing and I can find very little to complain about. He even made Miz more watchable. Seriously, I just wrote that sentence.

AND COMPETING FOR A PLACE…

This list was tough to make as there were 4 other guys who almost made the cut. But I think they all could have a big year next year so I’d like to name-check them now as guys I like, but need a little something to improve.

Sheamus: By all means, Sheamus has had a good year. The WWE obviously like him as he barely loses a match and the crowd are definitely on his side. Unfortunately though, he hasn’t had any consistent feuds this year and I think he needs a real juicy rival, or at least a run at the title to elevate him to the next level. Judging by this past Smackdown he might get that after the Royal Rumble.

Cody Rhodes: This kid has it all. The looks, the skills, the title. The only thing that’s holding him back is a similar problem to Sheamus in that he hasn’t had a great feud this year. Sure, he has had plenty of matches but so many forgettable ones. Hopefully they’ll figure out what to do with him in 2012.

Booker T: The man who inspired this list. I know he’s semi-retired but his recent back-and-forth with Cody (a genuine highlight of the last couple months for both Cody and I, as a viewer) showed that he still has what it takes to tell a damn fine story in the ring. I don’t know how his body is holding up at his age, but hopefully 2012 will see him wrestle on a more full-time basis. If not? Sure, he’s not the greatest announcer of all time but he seems to be genuinely having fun at the desk and makes me laugh. And just think, every time Booker talks is time Michael Cole isn’t and I think we can all be grateful of that.

Zack Ryder: Most people might be surprised he didn’t make the list but it’s for a very valid reason. He just hasn’t performed in the ring. He’s great fun and a guy I route for but not once have I watched one of his matches and thought “wow”. He needs to up his game inside the ropes but now that he’s the US Champion he should get plenty of opportunities to do just that.