A Shift in WWE Female Talent?

Mo4r Buggy?

It was reported today that independent wrestler Buggy Nova has appeared at a FCW house show. This would suggest that she has been signed to a WWE Developmental Deal, and you can read more details here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/21/buggy-nova-appears-on-fcw-show/

I find this very interesting as it seems to strengthen the recent trend of signing women that are outside of the normal "Diva" standard. Back in late 2010/early 2011, the mold was completely broken when the news came out that Amazing Kong (Kharma) had been signed. It was a dream come true for the woman who had worked all over the world and had made it known her ultimate goal was to get to WWE. In September 2011, a contact was officially signed by Britani Knight (Paige) despite rumors that they had signed her earlier in the year, and she reported to FCW in January 2012. Now you have Buggy Nova, who has a decidedly gothic look to her. Three women who are trained wrestlers with stand out looks - is this shift in WWE hiring permanent or just a phase?

We saw back in the early 2000s a handful of women that were already trained before being hired, such as Molly Holly, Jazz, Lita and Gail Kim. Combining them with the women who were already there (Ivory, Jackie), and women who were trained in WWE developmental (Trish, Victoria), you had a roster packed full of women that were not only beautiful but talented in the ring. When the Diva Search came along, however, the trend started to shift towards hiring women that were supermodel beautiful but no previous experience whatsoever. A bunch of women were hired and fired, barely blips on the screen. There were a few that stuck it out and became pretty good in the ring, such as Michelle McCool, Eve and Layla. There were also a few that were hired with previous training, such as Mickie James, Beth Phoenix and Nattie Neidhart. But in the past few years, with 1-2 minute Divas matches, no promo time to speak of and getting shifted off of RAW when there was no time for them, the women's division has been lifeless.

That could change with the aforementioned three women. Plus you have Ivelisse (Sofia Cortez), Audrey Marie (who was trained solely in FCW but is steadily improving), and possibly Tenille (who was never actually signed to a developmental deal, opting to have shoulder surgery instead and who may or may not be signed after all). If WWE is staying on this course, allow me to suggest five names who have actively expressed a desire to be signed by the company. They are beautiful and extremely talented, and would need either little or no time in FCW to adapt to the "WWE Style" of wrestling.

The Queen of Wrestling

*Sara Del Rey. This woman has done just about everything there is to do on the independent level. Her matches are stellar, be it against men or women, and her promo skills are excellent. She is driven, focused, hard working and dedicated. Plus, you never hear a bad word about her professionally or personally. She eats, breathes and lives the gym/wrestling. A few years ago, TNA reportedly turned her down because she "didn't have enough of what the Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky) have." Quite the insult, considering Del Rey can out-wrestle both of them. She is an asset for any company, and considering she has stated her goal is to make it to WWE, they should definitely hire her.

Everybody's Favourite Girlfriend

*Jessie McKay. "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" is all set. She already has "the Diva look" (SHIMMER even built a rivalry around this between her and Nicole Matthews) and a skill set that would easily adapt to the WWE style. In interviews she has repeatedly said she wants to be hired by TNA or WWE. A former PWWA Women's Champion, she was trained by the best in Australia, namely Madison Eagles. Jessie is also hard working and dedicated. An added bonus is the fact she is young, and has experience playing heel and face (whereas Del Rey is a stronger heel), and can make either work for her. On top of all that, who doesn't like a pretty woman with an accent? She would fit right in.

The Blossom Twins

*Hannah and Holly Blossom, the Blossom Twins. With the exit of the Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie, WWE may not be looking for another set any time soon. However, if they were, Hannah and Holly more than fit the bill. The two were a mainstay in former WWE developmental camp Ohio Valley Wrestling for a few years, although they have shifted back to their homeland of England, competing for Pro-Wrestling EVE and other various promotions. These two women are natural born faces, being cute and sweet as the cupcakes they frequently offer, have worked with numerous women with different styles (therefore having the bonus of a lot of knowledge and experience), and they're harder to tell apart than Brie and Nikki were. The Blossoms have expressed a desire to be signed by either WWE or TNA. Despite the fact OVW is now TNA's developmental camp, knowing they made OVW their home base in America could lend itself as a bonus in their favor. If WWE wants more Twin Magic, Hannah and Holly would be the perfect Twins to turn to.

The Super Hardcore Anime

*Lufisto. My personal bias aside, Lufisto has more than earned a spot in the so-called big leagues. Much like Del Rey, the Super Hardcore Anime has done almost everything on the independent level, including getting a law overturned in Ontario that prevented inter-gender wrestling, helped start an all-female sister promotion to NCW called "Femmes Fatales", wrestled in hardcore death matches, been around the world, developed into a fantastic technical wrestler, has a terrific character that can be deadly serious as well as hilarious and came back from serious health problems to sculpt her body into a well oiled machine. A fifteen year veteran, her knowledge and experience is off the charts. She is a dedicated professional, always giving her all in every match. There are several things she brings to every place she competes, and WWE would be no exception. Lufi has given her all for this business and it would be wonderful for a broader audience to see even a fraction of her talent, drive and courage.


These five would all bring something unique to the table. Will any of them get a shot? If I'm realistic (and I'm always pessimistic when it comes to WWE), then probably not. But the fact that the 'E has signed 3 very different women to the roster is a positive step forward. Only time will tell if this is a permanent shift or not.

Remembering the Sensational One

One thing I regret about not getting into wrestling earlier is the amount of talent I missed seeing in their prime. Be it Shawn Michaels v Bret Hart, Randy Savage v Ricky Steamboat or Alundra Blayze v Bull Nakano, I missed the boat on a large portion of incredible people having incredible matches. One person that particularly stands out is "Sensational" Sherri Martel, also known as Queen Sherri and Sister Sherri.

Sherri Martel was a pioneer for women in wrestling. Not only was she great in the ring (she was the American Wrestling Association World Women's Champion three times; International Wrestling Association Women's Champion once; and World Wrestling Federation Women's Champion once), but she was one of the best managers in the business, aiding the careers of people from Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels to Ric Flair and Booker T and Stevie Ray (Harlem Heat). She could do it all, wrestle, manage, speak, act - her impact is undeniable. Women nowadays cite her as a direct influence on their careers, most notably Sassy Stephanie who frequently has the initials "SS" on her cheek, something that Sherri herself used to do.

When I started digging for information and clips on her online, I fell in love with her. Her raspy, borderline-demonic voice instantly caught your attention. She never hesitate to inject herself into a match to help out her charge. Personally, I felt she was better suited for Randy Savage than Elizabeth, as I found Liz too demure and uninvolved. I also loved her pairing with Shawn Michaels, he has credited her for helping to elevate his career. When I went back even further, her matches in WWF and AWA were amazing. This lady was so well rounded in her career it astonished me.

In 2006, Sherri was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The induction speech was given by one of the men she had managed, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. She spoke from the heart that night and you could tell from her voice and the look on her face how much it meant to be recognised for her achievements. She looked so happy it made me cry. It was a lovely moment.

Who knew that a year later this great woman would be taken from us? At only 49 years of age, on June 15th, Sherri Martel passed away after what was said later to be an accidental overdose. We all have our demons and I'm not going to condemn or judge her for hers. Instead, I choose to remember a woman who was a trailblazer for females in wrestling. She made her mark in the AWA, WWF, ECW, WCW, IWA. She elevated everyone that worked with her. She helped break down walls and prove that women could be as fearless, as outspoken and as ferocious as men in the wrestling business. Brash, bold, classy and dedicated. Sensational Sherri is a legend and she will live on in history as one of the all time greats.

Over at Ringbellesonline.com, the newest Women of Wrestling podcast features a loving tribute to Sherri featuring a handful of people that worked with her: wrestling journalist Bill Apter; friend and rival Candi Divine; personal friend Marianne Ryan; veteran wrestler Lexie Fyfe; and one of her most famous charges "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase himself. Further down the page are links to various moments in Sherri's career, but there are a ton online. Her work is definitely worth seeking out. Here is the link to the podcast: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/15/wow-podcast-41-remembering-sensational-sherri/

I wish I had gotten into wrestling early enough to experience Sherri live, but at least her work will live on as a permanent tribute to this trailblazing woman. I can only say as a grateful fan: thank you Sherri. I pray you are at peace now. You will always be Sensational.

*EDIT* I completely forgot to mention Sherri's time in Japan! It wasn't long by any means, but to make up for it, here's a tag team match featuring her teaming with Judy Martin to take on Mimi Hagiwara and Yukari Ohmori (it's in 3 parts) (Honestly YouTube is filled with matches and segments from every part of her career. Well worth browsing!):

 

 

The Ballad of Veronica and Archie

"There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed.
But when she was bad, she was Veronica!"

When I was young, I was into comics. Particularly a series that featured a redheaded teenage boy and his circle of friends in a small town. The boy was a nice, if somewhat clumsy, young man who was caught between two girls. One girl, the blonde, was very nice and sweet. The other girl, the brunette, was rich, haughty and arrogant - although from time to time she would show a very sweet side of her own.

Of course, I'm talking about the Archie comics. Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper and the infamous Veronica Lodge. However, when I started watching CHIKARA, it took me awhile to see the connection between Archie and Veronica, and Marchie Archie and Majorette Veronica. The comparison is quite accurate (except that Comic Archie was never arrogant, whereas Marchie Archie was) - both couples were inseparable, until (invariably), Archie did something to make Veronica mad and look elsewhere. In the comics, Archie would either be unable to afford to take Veronica out, or do something clumsy or downright silly, and Veronica would turn her back on him to go out with Reggie Mantle.

In CHIKARA, this power couple were unstoppable and inseparable from their debut in the spring of 2011 until CHIKARA's first iPPV, "High Noon" on November 13th, 2011. After a loss to Colt Cabana, Marchie Archie has been on a losing streak that even turning into "Mixed Martial Arts" Archie has been unable to stem. Veronica has gotten mighty angry - and you don't want to see Veronica angry. Ever.

To make matters worse, she has cast her eyes towards a new face in the promotion - one Mr. Touchdown. She seems to fancy the muscular newcomer who has been the target of Archie since realising his partner's interest in him. Yet Majorette Veronica also shares a characteristic of Veronica Lodge - she, too, has a soft spot for Archie and has yet to completely abandon him, no matter how angry or how much she has berated him.

At CHIKARA's second iPPV this Saturday, "Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur" we will see the resolution of this conflict - MMA Archie is teaming with former foe Colt Cabana to take on Mr. Touchdown and Dasher Hatfield. If you have been following Veronica on twitter, you well know how conflicted Miss Ticklefeather is. Will she follow her heart or her head? Will she show mercy and compassion or be ruthless and unforgiving? Will we see a reuniting of Archie and Veronica? It all comes down to Saturday and to one woman's ultimate decision.

Tick tock.....tick tock....

Stereotypes in 2012 Wrestling aka Lazy Booking 101

 "I won't be ignored, Dan!"

I already wrote about my problem with the AJ Lee/Bryan Danielson story line. I made sure to mention last week about CM Punk's "I kinda dig crazy chicks" line as well. This week, cue WWE Shop's newest addition: a CM Punk shirt proudly proclaiming, "I Dig Crazy Chicks."

Three cheers for WWE continuing the stereotype of the crazy ex-girlfriend. Someone on twitter asked what AJ did exactly to be deemed crazy. Obviously according to WWE logic, any woman who reacts to a humiliating breakup other than "calmly accept it and move on" is crazy. Wrestling is full of stereotypes and the "crazy chick" is one of them. This is one of my core frustrations with wrestling itself - lazy booking that falls back into stereotypes instead of trying something different. If you're black, you get to be a savage, an angry militant, or a dancer (thanks to Demond aka OVW's Mo Green aka WWE's Lamont for pointing that one out!). If you're Mexican, you get to be a gang member or a lazy worker (such as the "Mexicools" driving their riding lawn mowers to the ring). If you're Asian, you get to be the superior foreigner who knows no English and is supposedly too good to learn it. If you're a woman, you get to have no personality (just another face/heel) or be a slut ("hoeski"), a bitch, power-hungry, or crazy.

Is it really asking so much for promotions to think outside the box when it comes to wrestlers outside of the white, straight male persuasion? Plenty of promotions have already, so why can't all of them? I'm speaking specifically of WWE here, obviously, but in 2012 no promotion anywhere should be falling back on such lazy, narrow minded and quite frankly stupid booking of their talent.

But on the flip side, if WWE is going to go the stereotype route with merchandise, lets go all the way. How about the following for shirts?


For Eve Torres, a silhouette of her when she had collapsed in the ring crying after Cena had publicly called her a hoeski. The words underneath would read something along the lines of "#HoeskiProblems" or "I Dig Hoeskis" or "Yay for Slut Shaming!"

For AJ, one that says, "I Hate Manipulative Douchebag Men." Comes with or without a picture of her holding a bunny in a pot.

For John Cena, "Minorities in Trouble? What, Me Worry?" or "Hustle. Loyalty. Respect.* (*Does not apply to homosexuals or minorities)"

For Vince McMahon, "Stand Up for Perpetuating Stereotypes!"


I wonder how many of those would sell? Maybe as many as the new CM Punk shirt.

*Edit, thanks to ACrimsonMask on Twitter for pointing this out. WWE really wants to get the point across that AJ is crazy. Take a look at her entrance video:

My Problem with AJ & Daniel Bryan

For several weeks now, the story line between AJ and Daniel Bryan in WWE has bothered me. But I couldn't really put my finger on it until last night right when I was about to go to sleep. If you watched RAW from 5/21, you would've seen AJ come up to CM Punk and say that she really liked watching Bryan getting beaten up by Kane and then by Punk. To which, Punk replied, "So you're a sadist?" Then she proceeded to cry after being called crazy, Punk hugged her, asked her to stop crying, which she stopped immediately. He said, "I kinda dig crazy chicks." And as he walked away, she looked bewildered, confused and upset.

What came to me last night was what AJ should've said when he asked if she was a sadist. She should have replied, very calmly and reasonably, what any woman would have said.

"No. I just enjoy seeing the man who tore my heart out and upended my world get a fraction of the pain that he dealt me." Or something along those lines. Because let's face it, when the man or woman that we are in love with rejects us (be it gently or harshly) one of our gut reactions is to hope that he/she feels as much pain as we do. And since Bryan isn't feeling the emotional pain AJ is, why not take enjoyment that he's in physical pain?

But no, they didn't go that route. Instead they seem to be heading further down the "AJ is a psycho ex-girlfriend" route. And that route bothers me. Why? Because I see myself in that role. I've been there, along with a lot of other women I'd imagine. And although I've harped on this before, it's just another example of how little WWE thinks of the women that they employ. The women have to fit into neat little boxes - Eve is the hoeski evil boss. AJ is the psycho ex-girlfriend. Layla's the spunky babyface that's freshly returned from injury and determined to prove herself worthy of being Divas champ. ...Actually that's it. The other women are interchangeable wrestlers. That might be the saddest, most telling point of all. None of the other women have any kind of point to them. The faces are smiley, the heels are ultra-serious. They're just there.

For me, however, I would rather see AJ be another faceless name than regulated to a role that is all too easy for women to be given. One person asked me what the difference was between this and Mickie/Trish. Well, for starters, Mickie was an obsessive fan that became a stalker, came on to Trish, was rejected and wound up taking the title from her. They were never a couple. Trish tried to treat her nicely and make it clear they were just friends but after Mickie came onto her, she rejected James. AJ and Bryan were a couple, and even though Bryan treated her like crap, AJ remained loyal. Even after Bryan so brutally dumped her. We always knew that Mickie was a little "off" but it's only since being rejected that AJ has started to show signs of not being "all there." So whereas I was okay with Mickie/Trish, I'm not okay with AJ/Bryan.

The boyfriend that uses the lovesick girl for his own means. The boyfriend that dumps her after a mistake that wasn't her fault. The boyfriend that keeps treating her like shit despite the fact she still loves him. These roles aren't good for either Bryan or AJ, although Bryan is hugely over despite being the heel, so I doubt he's complaining much.

At the end of the day, we are still seeing the tired old routine that we've seen in dozens of movies, songs, plays, etc. Girl goes off the deep end after being rejected by the man she loves. Being in love, having your heart broken and your whole life go upside down...it makes for great drama, but I watch wrestling to escape my problems for awhile. And when one of the women I'm a fan of is playing out something that I am still going through...it just makes me sad and reminds me of how strong the stereotype of the "psychotic ex" is still firmly attached to women.

I'm not psychotic. Nor are any of the other women who go through so much turmoil after a breakup. We are simply trying to find our way through one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives. That's all. And I'm tired of seeing it on television, let alone in something like wrestling that still has so many stereotypes tied into it. For my sake and the sake of the other women and men who dislike this story line, I sincerely hope it comes to an end soon.

Accentuate the Positives

It's really, really easy to focus on the negatives in wrestling, especially in World Wrestling Entertainment. I've done it, you've done it, we've all done it. Sometimes for genuine reasons (sexism, racism), sometimes for nit picking (Oh my God, what is Eve wearing? Cena wins again, argh!). Trust me, it's VERY easy to look at the downside. Just this once though I'm going to focus on what WWE is doing right. This is purely my opinion, naturally, so what I see as a positive, you might see as a negative. That's fair enough. A wise man once said that you can't please all of the people all of the time. That should go double for wrestling. Anyways, here we go.


*Layla's return. Before her injury and Michelle McCool's retirement, Layla was paired up with McCool and together the two were, really, flawless. McCool undoubtedly helped Layla with her in-ring training and in return the dark haired beauty brought personality and a much-needed spark to her blonde partner in crime. Sure, there were cries of nepotism and favoritism, but would Layla have gotten a chance to show what she could do if not paired up with Michelle? She might've been lost in the shuffle and ultimately released. For one, I'm glad that didn't happen. Upon her return at Extreme Rules, Lay won the Divas title for the first time, beating Nikki Bella in a short but crisp match. She then went on to have a really good (albeit short) match against Natalya last week on Smackdown. I see a ton of potential in her. She didn't rush back, she took her time to get rid of the ring rust (there is still a little but not a lot), and she is genuinely refreshing to watch. I can over look the "happy smiley" personality she's showing, as I think it's really her reaction to being back, but I do hope she gets some mic time soon and a story line.

Also, for the love of Pete, change her music. It will always be associated with McCool, a crowd killer, and it's more of a heel tune than a face tune. After all, a woman talking about how a man isn't enough of her isn't going to get a positive reaction...


*Claudio Castagnoli's Smackdown! debut. Yes, I know, he's now Antonio Cesaro - I still call Daniel Bryan, Bryan Danielson. Sue me. He's only had one match, a short but sweet affair with Tyson Kidd, but he's had two backstage segments and just the fact that he's back on my television is fantastic. FCW really does have some cream of the crop going on - Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), Chris Hero (Kassius Ono), Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose), Britani Knight (Paige), Ivelisse (Sofia Cortez) and that's just a sampling. These are stars and seeing how well Punk and Danielson have done in WWE so far gives me hope that the rest of these lads and ladies will give crowds great matches in the future.


*CM Punk v Bryan Danielson. Yes, I know, they've wrestled each other before in Ring of Honor. And they've wrestled each other on tv in WWE before. So why is this different? I don't know...it just feels different, you know? It will, presumably, be the main event on the next PPV (although I have my doubts, given that Cena/Brock was the main event at ER, and Cena/Rock was the main at WM) and be for the WWE title instead of the Heavyweight title. It feels like Vince is finally putting faith in "indy talent" as they've been referred to in the past. Yeah, they're not the biggest or the strongest or the most bulked up but both have worked their way up from the bottom to become champions in the most famous mainstream wrestling company.

That's admirable and it gives others who have the same goal hope. They both persevered and ultimately gained what critics said was out of reach. Hard work pays off. Do they get to wrestle the length of time they used to in previous companies? Maybe not. Do they get to showcase everything they know? Possibly not. However, you know damn well that however much time they are given they will put to the best possible use they can. They are two of the best in the world and together they have made magic before. I believe they will do it again.


These are the three main things that I'm enjoying right now in WWE, three people rather that I'm enjoying. What about you, what/who are you enjoying? What are the positives you see in the company right now?

Wrestlemania XXVIII: The Three Match Show

Let's be honest, that's what it was. Three matches. However, I thought those matches would be:

*Bryan Danielson v Sheamus for the WHC
*Chris Jericho v CM Punk
*Undertaker v Triple H (Hell in a Cell)

Now, I'd made it clear that three matches was not worth $50 (and I later found out that they'd upped the price to $60 - bollocks to that!). Well, one of those matches, Danielson v Sheamus, was an 18 second affair so that was crossed out and the third match was The Rock v John Cena. Which, quite frankly, wasn't one I was all that interested in. Infact, I thought Punk v Jericho was closing the show until some twitterquaintances pointed out my error.

I'm really glad I didn't order it honestly. HITC and Punk/Jericho delivered but the rest was hardly the "Showcase of the Immortals" like it used to be. I said this before, but didn't Wrestlemania used to be reserved for the best of the best? The culmination of weeks/months of build up, of feuds that finally reached their peak at the show? Thanks to a friend of mine who sent me several of the old Wrestlemanias, I can compare between then and now. It does not feel the same at all. Maybe that's because of the changes in wrestling overall, but it lacked. There were several filler matches that didn't deserve a spot. I'm all for folks getting their "Wrestlemania payday" but when did it become about getting everyone possible crammed on the card?

Anyways, enough bitching. Lets get on with it.

Danielson v Sheamus. Out comes Sheamus. Out comes BD with AJ. BD gets AJ up on the apron to get a kiss from her. BD turns around into the Brogue Kick and gets pinned. 18 seconds. Absolute crap, I don't care what kind of story that comes out of this, bottom line is that there were people who paid to see that match and they got cheated. So did Danielson and Sheamus. Speaks volumes about how little WWE cares about the fans, or their wrestlers for that matter. Oh, I'm sorry, not wrestlers, *Superstars*.

Kane v Orton was better than it had any right to be, but it was, again, a slapped together feud just to get them on the show. Filler material. But interesting that Kane won.

Big Show v Cody Rhodes for the IC title. Strange to see a man who has won the WWE title before get so emotional about winning the IC title, but it was nice to see that it meant something to him. They did alright together and Show finally ends his losing streak at Wrestlemania. Personally I think he should've lost and have him face UT next year. Streak v Streak. (I'm joking. Mostly.)

Edit - Jon just informed me that Show had never won the IC title, so with that win last night, he is now a Grand Slam Champion, having won every title in the WWE. Which explains the emotion he showed. Congratulations Show!

Oh, the tag team titles were defended in a three way contest before the actual show, in a pre-show that was aired online. Why they didn't bump Kane v Orton and put the tag titles on the actual card is beyond me. Then again, the tag division is a joke. Much like the women's division. Oh, sorry, DIVAS Division. My bad. Speaking of which...

Giving credit where credit is due, kudos to Maria Menounos for working with cracked (or broken depending on who you read) ribs and I think foot injuries. Although it really made the match worse due to not being able to move a lot. Also kudos to Beth Phoenix for carrying three women - her shoulders and back probably hurt like hell today.

And that's all the good I can say about this match because otherwise it was crap. Not just crap, but crap that was deep fried in oil, basted with urine, stuffed with coconut and set inbetween two slices of charbroiled cow manure.

Kelly has been there since 2006 and she still cannot run the ropes. SIX YEARS AND SHE CANNOT RUN THE ROPES. But she can do a half assed Molly Go Round apparently. Eve was really off her game, she is normally decent in the ring. Not last night though. Beth did her best, but aside from some "Hoeski" chants at the start, not a single fuck was given by the crowd or by most of the at-home fans. In a better world, Maria would have come out with Kelly, announced her injury and say she found a replacement for herself. Out comes, best case scenario, Nattie. Worse case scenario, Alicia. But at least they would have made sense as replacements. And if Maria still wanted to be involved have her distract Beth or Eve to allow the faces to get the win.

But then again...it's the Divas. And we are programmed to not care. So, I don't. Moving on.

I was surprised that the HITC match was in the middle of the card. It zapped the crowd of a lot of their energy and they didn't really come back alive until towards the end of Punk v Jericho. Which is a shame considering that was the other best match on the show. Nonetheless, for me, Undertaker v Triple H was match of the night. And it would've lacked that spark if HBK hadn't been there.

I've often likened wrestling to a dance. When all the dancers know their moves, execute them flawlessly and radiate real passion and emotion, it can bring an audience to it's feet. So it was with their match. I poked fun at Shawn's reactions at the start but by the end, I was fully invested in his struggle. When Triple H started wailing away on Undertaker's back with the chair I winced and wished it would stop. Same for when the roles were reversed. But I did not want HBK to stop the match like Triple H was ordering him to. It pained me to see Undertaker begging him not to. The emotions were all so raw and real.

I thought it was over after the Superkick/Pedigree combo. Fortunately it wasn't and it played out so well, with Triple H mentally and physically deteriorating, coming to the realisation that he could not beat the Undertaker. I loved at the end when he mimicked Shawn, giving the DX chop, then crawling up Undertaker's legs until he grabbed him for the Tombstone.

After the match though, that got me to cry. Shawn extending his hand, Undertaker taking it, the hug between the two. I thought UT would leave but when he helped Shawn pull Hunter up and helped him up the ramp...when the three hugged, I cried. It was as if the curtain was pulled down and we weren't seeing Shawn, Hunter and the Undertaker. We saw Michael, Paul and Mark. Colleagues, co-workers, friends (maybe). The three that, even in the worst of times in the '90s, never left the WWF for greener pastures. The three that are the last links to the past.

If it really is the end of an era, then it's a fitting end for three souls who have walked such a long path together.

.......Although I'll be mourning the loss of the Undertaker's hair. He was my first wrestling crush and that died last night. A horrible, horrible death.

Anyways...

I'll be honest, I didn't see Team Johnny v Team Teddy because I was watching Diva-Dirt.com's alternative Wrestlemania match, which was Lufisto v Kalamity from Femmes Fatales VII last October. A superb match by two fantastic women and one of the best things about Wrestlemania overall. Although I did see Eve cost Ryder (and Team Teddy) the match. That would've been fine though, had she pulled off her shirt to reveal a "Team Johnny" shirt. Otherwise it just solidified her heel status. I guess? I don't know. I'm confused.

The crowd was still so spent that it didn't really rev back up for Jericho v Punk until the end. Which is unfortunate because it was the other great match of the night. And Punk went over clean, getting Jericho to tap out. See, Hunter? Others are capable of putting over younger talent. Why couldn't you? Anyways. Good to see Jericho still has it. And Punk was awesome as he always is. The right person won.

Rock v Cena closed the show. There were a bunch of unnecessary musical acts that introduced them both but I couldn't tell you who they were. I knew Puffy. Oh, I did know Flo Rider but meh. The match started fine, there was some nice technical work (Rock busting out some deep armdrags, which was cool), but Rock got really winded halfway through. It was noticeable, him huffing and puffing. The match was what it was, nothing decent or memorable in the long run. But neither of these two are known for their wrestling skills so it was obvious how it was going to be.

Rock winning sent the crowd home happy, and sets up an interesting dilemma - where does John Cena go from here? A lot of folks want him to turn heel and try to set up a rematch. Cena himself says he's against turning his character. True it would cost a lot of revenue in merch and hurt his standing with his fan base, but the Cena character itself is stale and in need of a change. Even a subtle change, more edginess, would be different.

We'll wait to see what happens. Regardless, I'm glad I didn't pay for this show. I haven't bought a WWE program in two years and that won't change any time soon.