My WWE Raw, 28th January 2013 Recap

The beast looks over his work. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vickie Guerrero kicked off the themed Raw Roulette night in Las Vegas by spinning the wheel and revealing that Randy Orton versus Antonio Cesaro later on would be a Special Guest Referee match.

A furious CM Punk rushed out, pushing over officials and telling the cameraman to get out of his way. He claimed that he got "screwed" the previous night at the Royal Rumble against The Rock, calling him a cheat for needing outside help and berating Vince McMahon for trying to screw him over.

McMahon himself then joined Punk and revealed that he had video footage supposedly proving the former-champ's involvement  with The Shield, warning Heyman that he'll be seeing him later on for a "performance review."

Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro with The Miz as the special guest referee in what was a solid encounter. Both men gave stellar displays and rarely (if ever, actually) put a foot wrong. My only slight gripe with the bout (and I feel picky typing it considering the efforts they put in) was that I reckon a heel referee should've been picked (Brad Maddox would've made sense considering his involvement with Orton in the past) to aid Cesaro in a win here, he would've benefitted more from one. 

For the finish Miz and Cesaro predictably began having an argument after the US Champion out his hands on the ref, which gave Orton a chance to then sneak up from behind and apply an RKO for the one-two-three. For good measure Miz then attacked cesaro with a Skull Crushing Finale.

After another spin of the wheel, Ryback had to face the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a 'Make Me Laugh Challenge'. After a lame joke from the PTP, Ryback had enough and chased off Young before Shell-Shocking O'Neil. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, and Matt Stryker too who awarded Ryback the win. So as a sign of gratitude Ryback then also Shell-Shocked Stryker, which went down very well with the commentators. 

Wade Barrett received the 'Player's Choice' from the roulette wheel, which meant he could choose any opponent he wanted, so he chose NXT wrestler Bo Dallas who eliminated him in the Royal Rumble match.

Bo Dallas pinned Wade Barrett in an average bout. Barrett dominated for the most part, until Dallas managed to turn a Bull Hammer Elbow attempt into the winning pinfall through a slam. Dallas wouldn't have been the talent from NXT I would've personally picked to move up, but it's a positive sign that they're taking chances on these up and coming talents. 

John Cena beat Cody Rhodes in a worthless squash match. This did absolutely nothing for Rhodes except bury him, and all we got from Cena was his usual old routine. They could've at least used a more lower down talent such as Slater to take the fall here. Rhodes got Cena after picking him via the roulette wheel.

Afterwards Cena debated whether or not to choose the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship to challenge for at WrestleMania after winning the Rumble match. He then pretty much buried the World Championship by foolishly claiming that he would have better odds at winning that than the WWE Title, which just damages the image of that strap that Del Rio holds. Finally he stated that on April 7th at 'Mania he will challenge either CM Punk or The rock for the WWE Championship.

Cena was then taken out by The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns). Ryback and Sheamus attempted to help out but both fell victims to the trio who managed to keep them all down. Smart move here I thought, keeps the three looking strong. Although I'm dreading a potential match with Cena which could only damage their image.

In a bizarre segment, Brodus Clay and Tensai competed in a Dance Off. Unfortunately for Tensai he wasn't informed that the challenge had changed from a Lingerie Pillow Fight, so he was still wearing some unsuitable ladies garments under his robe. After being convinced from Lawler and Clay, he decided to give the dance contest a go anyway and got into it, with the fans also enjoying it. Ron Simmons was then shown watching this all backstage, with his extremely appropriate "Damn." I have to be honest, I did have to chuckle a bit at this, and who knows? Maybe Tensai has a future as a face and in a possible team with Clay? That could help rejuvenate both of their careers.  

In what was meant to be a Body Slam Challenge between Big Show and Alberto Del Rio turned into a beat down from Show as he taped up Del Rio's hand to the rope and slowly took out his ring announcer and friend Ricardo Rodriguez in front of him. Eventually the giant then took out the World Champion with a KO punch.

Kaitlyn versus Tamina in a Lumberjill match ended in a no contest after all the lumberjills ran in and began brawling. It was pretty much a waste of time from start to finish. It failed to enhance any Divas or provide any remore entertainment. Pure filler just for the sake of using the Divas Champion.

The new WWE Champion The Rock came out and thanked the fans for their support, and claimed that the "crap days" of Punk's title reign were finally over. Soon CM Punk joined 'The Great One' and stated that Rock was handed the title like everything else in his life and demanded that he hand it back to him, the rightful title holder before he tarnishes it anymore.

Punk then said he'd grant Rock their championship rematch and began to list off dates of various live shows he has over the next week, clearly taking a personal jab at the 'People's Champion' for his part-time appearance schedule compared to how many hours Punk puts in. There have been various rumours of CM Punk's bitterness towards dropping the strap to Johnson considering how hard he's worked in comparison to him over the last year (and plus) for WWE. But in the end the former champ decided on Elimination Chamber in a few weeks time for their rematch, walking away before The Rock had even finished up. Real emotions in a feud always make it that bit more interesting.

Sheamus bested Damien Sandow in a Tables match. It was a fair outing, with worthy if unspectacular efforts from both men. It's certainly watchable anyway and worth checking out, but just don't expect too much. Sheamus drove Sandow into a table with a nice White Noise for the win.

As The Great Khali got underway in a karaoke contest with Zack Ryder, trying his best at Shawn Michaels' theme song (it was bad, on every level) 3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) interrupted and claimed to be the real rockstars of the WWE. Khali and Ryder responded by taking out the trio.

Chris Jericho came out to a healthy response and thanked his fans for their great reaction when he made his surprise entrance in the Royal Rumble the previous night. Dolph Ziggler, as usual accompanied by AJ Lee and Big E Langston, then joined Y2J and asked him what he was doing on the show, reminding him that he was the one that got him fired in a match last year on Raw. Vickie Guerrero answered that on the big screen by informing 'Ziggy' that she'd signed him back, then spun the roulette wheel to reveal that they'd have to compete in a Strange Bedfellows match, where they'd have to team together.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) beat Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho in a disappointing tag bout. Considering the talent I was expecting a far more exciting contest. Unfortunately they didn't have enough time allocated, which seems absurd considering the time they'd wasted on other segments during the show, and with both teams arguing with each other we didn't get enough decent action. Kane chokeslammed Ziggler for the winning pin after Jericho had slapped Kane on the back and snuck away. 

Trish Stratus was then announced as the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. As my personal favourite ever female performer I was obviously a big fan of this announcement. Along with Foley I'm very much looking forward to the HOF Ceremony this year at Madison Square Garden.

Vince McMahon called out Paul Heyman, informing him that CM Punk had been escorted from the building so he was on his own. The Chairman asked Heyman once again if he had been involved with The Shield or Brad Maddox, and Heyman simply answered "No." But he did admit that he had lied plenty during his life as a promotor.

McMahon then presented some backstage footage secretly filmed a few weeks ago of Heyman talking to Brad Maddox about paying him and The Shield to help out Punk in various title defenses. With him eventually having Shield attack Maddox after all his pestering. Heyman tried to convince Vince that it was an impersonator in the video, but he wasn't having any of it and was about to fire Heyman when Brock Lesnar made his return.

Lesnar slowly made his way to the ring where he warned a hysterical Heyman back and went face to face with McMahon, finally F5'ing the Chairman. I wasn't expecting Brock back just yet but I'll take it, his segments and matches since coming back last year have been superb. I'm guessing this will be the start of his much rumoured rematch with Triple H.

It was a real mixed bag of a show this week, with a fair few memorable moments which is always a good sign. Unfortunately most match ups were unremarkable and a waste of time, especially Cena versus Rhodes and the Divas contest, plus the karaoke and dance off challenges should've been cut in favour of something half decent. Jericho and Ziggler's tag match with Team Hell No was also disappointing.

On the plus side the CM Punk and Rock promos were stellar, we finally had the Maddox and Shield involvement with Punk and Heyman brought out in the open, Stratus announced as a HOF inductee was a nice announcement, Tensai showed promise as a face and of course we had the momentous return of Brock Lesnar. The road to WrestleMania is really underway now. 

My WWE Royal Rumble 2013 Recap

The Rock's heading to 'Mania. Photo credit: WWE.com

Antonio Cesaro (c) pinned The Miz to retain the United States Championship in a largely stellar pre show bout. It exceeded my expectations with more impressive action than I was expecting, credit is due to both men for putting on fine displays. Cesaro retained after pulling Miz into the steel around the ring on the outside, then applying the Neutralizer.

Before he went out for his title contest, Del Rio came across Bret Hart backstage, who claimed the champion reminded him of a "Mexican Bret Hart." Alberto was very flattered by 'The Hitman's' kind words.

Alberto Del Rio (c) defeated Big Show to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing match. Yet again these two delivered a terrific LMS match, giving efforts to be proud of as they dramatically battled back and fourth. In the best spot of the bout, Show chokeslammed his opponent from a section of the stage set onto and through a table below.

Del Rio grabbed the victory after he cracked the giant's arm with a chair onto steel steps, then applied his signature armbreaker as Ricardo Rodriguez taped Big Show's feet to the bottom rope, much like Cena did to Batista a few years back in their LMS battle. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) (c) bested Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles in an enjoyable outing. From the opening bell it was simply a fun watch, with every man giving a worthy effort and making the most of their time, especially Bryan who as usual was on solid form. I wasn't expecting anything that memorable here,  but I'm pleased to say that it's definitely worth checking out. Good stuff.

Before the Royal Rumble began, the first entrant Dolph Ziggler claimed that the final scene of the match will be the same as the start, him standing on his own as the victor. But as the lights then went out, Chris Jericho made a very popular return as number two in the Rumble. As the match begun chants of "You still got it" reigned down on Y2J, to which he retorted "I never lost it baby!" Hard to argue with that.

Cody Rhodes was next in, who soon teamed with Ziggler to take out Jericho. Kofi Kingston was entrant number four, who helped even the odds. Is it worrying that I actually forgot about Kofi? His recent push really died out. Santino Marella was next to join in. After he attempted to eliminate all four men, they then turned their attention to the Italian for retribution and quickly eliminated him. 

Drew McIntyre and Titus O'Neil were the next two entrants, who received indifferent responses from the fans. McIntyre was the next one over the top rope after a missile dropkick from Jericho. Much to his brother Cody's dismay, Goldust then entered the RR to a big pop. Filler competitors David Otunga and Heath Slater were next out.

Last year's winner Sheamus then came out in force as he took down all the men in the ring, quickly eliminating Otunga and O'Neil. Big men Tensai and Brodus Clay were next to enter the hectic bout. Cody then eliminated his brother Goldust, which didn't go down well with the crowd in Phoenix.

Rey Mysterio entered next as number fourteen. Brodus Clay was then thrown over the top rope after a load of the participants joined up to get him out, followed by Tensai who was taken out by Kofi. Kingston was then chucked out by Ziggler, but once again gave us a memorable Rumble moment as he landed on the back of Tensai and onto the announce desk without touching the floor. But to make his way back he had to amusingly hop across on a chair, he then also eliminated Young by pulling down the top rope.

NXT regular Bo Dallas was next to join in after earning a spot by winning a battle royal at the Royal Rumble Fan Axxess. Unfortunately after all his effort Kofi was then taken out of the match after receiving a disaster kick from Rhodes. 

Another throwback in The Godfather was the following entrant, much to the pleasure of a jubilant JBL, but was then quickly eliminated in a  second after a dropkick from Ziggler. However he went out in style with his pimping outfit (yes, I said "pimping") and two girls in hand. Wade Barrett then came out to a decent response.

John Cena then made his anticipated (by some) entrance to a mixed response and in standard fashion for him began taking out everyone in his path, eliminating Rhodes and Slater. After a close call Barrett then pushed Mysterio out of the match. Rey hadn't been at his best, and still looks fairly out of shape.

Damien Sandow and Daniel Bryan were next out, with Bryan eliciting huge chants of "Yes!" as he kicked in a few fellow competitors. US Champion Cesaro next followed the countdown, then the stiff Great Khali. One of the all-time Rumble greats Kane then made his way down, along with Zack Ryder.

After eliminating Khali, Kane was then chucked overboard by his own tag partner Bryan, but he soon got payback as Bryan was thrown over the top rope and into his arms, so Kane dropped him. I imagine this is the start of a split between the two and a probable encounter at WrestleMania. 

One of my favourites to win, Randy Orton then exploded on to the scene and quickly eliminated Ryder. The final member of 3MB Jinder Mahal was next out, just before Cena eliminated Cesaro to the dismay of quite a number of fans. Just before Miz then made his way in he tanged a bit with his opponent from earlier in the night.

Jinder Mahal was next to be thrown out by Sheamus, with Sin Cara then making his return from injury as number twenty-nine. In a surprise exit Bo Dallas then took Barrett over the top rope, could this be his stepping stone onto the main roster and challenging for the IC Title? But before he could think about that, Barrett helped eliminate Dallas and cracked him with a Bull Hammer Elbow for good measure.

The final entrant Ryback then made his way out, taking Damien Sandow, Sin Cara and The Miz out of the match. Ziggler then made an unpopular elimination as he superkicked Jericho as he stood on the outside of the ropes. In quick succession Orton was then clotheslined over the top rope by Ryback and Ziggler taken out by Sheamus.

So then there were three. After Sheamus and Ryback then battled it out, Ryback managed to toss the Irishman over the ropes as he came in for a Brogue Kick. No consecutive RR win for him then. Cena then latched on an STFU onto Ryback, afterwards dragging his body over to the ropes. Ryback fought back a bit but Cena then managed to force him out to the floor and stand shocked as the 2013 Royal Rumble winner. Not a surprising victor but one that makes sense I guess.

Overall it was an enjoyable Royal Rumble match. But I think I'm always going to say that about them. You had the drama, excitement and a lot of nice action and old faces returning to make up a match that every year I'm sure I will greatly anticipate. It was a step up from last years for me, but not quite as high a standard as the previous two before that. Still it was a fun ride and did not disappoint. People will no doubt complain about Cena winning but who come on now, who really believed he wasn't going to 'Mania anyway?

The Rock defeated CM Punk (c) to obtain the WWE Championship in a tremendous main event that lived up to the hype. The high quality and drama the match delivered was hardly a surprise considering the talent and how proud both men are of their work in the ring. Punk and Rock must have meticulously planned out the bout beforehand and paced it just right. 

Punk dominated for most of the first half, logically targeting Rocky's midsection which he had injured after The Shield attack last Monday night. Of course Rock made a comeback, also targeting  a part of the champ (his leg) which he had injured slightly as he came off the top rope for a flying dropkick. But as 'The Great One' was about to hit the people's elbow, the lights went out and we were informed by Michael Cole and Lawler that The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) had triple powerbombed Rock through the announce desk.

A smug Punk then dragged Rock's body into the ring and had the ref count the one-two-three. But this was far from other. Vince McMahon then came out, reminding the champion that he had added a stipulation to the bout that if the Shield interfered then he would be stripped of the title. But as he was about to do just that, a beaten down Rock told Vince  to instead restart the match and not end the night like that, so McMahon agreed. Once again The Rock then made a comeback and this time managed to finish off the people's elbow for the win and the strap.

Overall I felt Royal Rumble was a hugely successful show. I enjoyed every single bout, some weren't up to the standard of others but I still had fun watching them. The main event and actual Rumble match itself were the predictable highlights of the card, with the WWE Title contest especially bringing the excitement and drama. For me it was one of the best all round wrestling PPV's in a while. 

My WWE Royal Rumble 2013 Predictions

Pretty intense poster, no smiling Cena here. Photo credit: WWE.com

Pre show United States Championship Match - Antonio Cesaro (c) versus The Miz:

Should be a fairly enjoyable contest I reckon, it's rare Cesaro isn't on form so I'm looking forward to it. I'm surprised with the build up (not massive I know, but reasonable for a mid card title nowadays) that it's ended up on the pre show but hopefully it'll interest fans. Not expecting to be blown away but I'll take it. Cesaro to retain too, with the faith people backstage seem to have in him I can't imagine he'll drop the strap just yet to Miz.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro

WWE Tag Team Championship Match - Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) (c) versus Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes):

Again I'm expecting a fairly fun outing here, but nothing outstanding. Bryan seems the obvious choice for the stand out performer. Hopefully whoever the victors are this feud will come to an end too, I feel it's gone as far as it can now and is dragging a bit. 

Winners: Team Hell No

Last Man Standing World Heavyweight Championship Match - Alberto Del Rio (c) versus Big Show:

I'm a bit confused as to why they're having a title rematch under the same stipulations they had a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not complaining, should hopefully be another stormer of a clash. So far Del Rio's face turn has been a big success in my opinion, and I never thought I'd type this but Big Show has also impressed me in the ring and out since his surprisingly solid feud with Sheamus last year. I'd also be surprised if Del Rio dropped the belt so soon, and I'm not envisaging Ziggler cashing in just yet either, I think it'd seriously diminish the World Title if he still entered the Rumble holding it. 

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

WWE Championship Match - (If The Shield intefer in this match, CM Punk will be stripped of the title) - CM Punk (c) versus The Rock:

Now onto the big one, which should be a superb bout and a have a very interesting outcome. I've been back and fourth with who I think will walk out the champion, thinking of all the possible repercussions of the WrestleMania card. But I see the 'People's Champion' being victorious. It may seem obvious to some, and even as I'm writing this I have my doubts, wondering if perhaps WWE have another plan up their sleeve? But it just seems the most feasible thing to happen. Rock wins. Retains at Elimination Chamber. Faces Cena in the main event of 'Mania and drops the strap before leaving. Leaving Punk to face 'Taker in what should be a tremendous build up if they allow 'The Deadman' to become more human again. But who knows? Maybe Lesnar will face Undertaker instead? It could all change. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride as always.

Winner: The Rock

30-Man Royal Rumble:

Now, here I have three possible men in mind to win the big match and go onto the WrestleMania. First of all the most likely, Cena. As I already said, it seems too well set up to have him win and get retribution on Rocky and win back the WWE Title after a long (and refreshing) period without it. But is that too obvious? 

Second is Ryback. With the monster push he's received since late of last year, I could imagine him outdoing twenty-nine other men and holding up the WWE or World Championship on the big stage as the icing on the cake. I may not be his biggest fan (I don't mind him) but he's proof that when Cena is absent, WWE can still push a wrestler the right way.

And finally third is Randy Orton. I have a sneaking suspicion that backstage they may fancy throwing everyone off by having someone win who isn't quite so obvious. This may sound daft considering he's a nine-time World Champion, but most people will be picturing a Cena victory with all the pyros and such, just like me. With rumours of a wise heel turn looming very soon it would make sense too, with Del Rio or Sheamus (or perhaps both?) the most likely candidates to face him at 'Mania.

Winner: John Cena

Hope everyone enjoys the show, there's always excitement when the Royal Rumble comes around at the start of the year, and I'll see you back here tomorrow with my review.  

My WWE SmackDown, 25th January 2013 Recap

Will Punk still be holding the strap come Monday? Photo credit: WWE.com

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) came out to address the rumours that they've somehow gone soft after their (brilliant) Anger Management Graduation ceremony from this week's Raw. Kane then went on to claim that he will win the Royal Rumble match this Sunday, to which Bryan naturally argued with him about, also claiming that he will be victorious in said match.

Big Show then joined them and warned the tag team not to challenge him at WrestleMania if they do happen to win the Rumble after predicting a World Title win against Del Rio this Sunday. Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) also came out and told Team Hell No to be more concerned with their Tag Team Title defence against them rather than the RR. As Rhodes Scholars and Show were about to then take on the tag champs, Alberto Del Rio evened the odds in their favour and faced off with the giant. GM Booker T then (in a blue brand tradition) booked a six-man elimination tag match with everyone in the ring.

Sheamus defeated Wade Barrett in a fair, if a bit of a drab contest. The match had some decent moments towards the end, but the first half was fairly lacklustre. I just felt like I'd seen it all before between these two. Pretty unmemorable on the whole.

Natalya forced Rosa Mendes to submit in a mediocre affair. I'm not quite sure why this even took place except to fill up some time that I'm sure could've been better used on other talent. The match was also overshadowed by the guest commentary of Khali, Hornswaggle, Epico and Primo, with JBL getting in a few cracks at Hornswaggle's expense.

WWE Champion CM Punk came out and admitted that he was afraid of his own potential after his momentous title reign, and also of the fact that The Shield could cost him his strap if they interfere in his bout this Sunday against The Rock after Vince McMahon added the stipulation this Monday. So to clear things up and prove that he wasn't affiliated with them, Punk called out the trio of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, and sure enough they soon joined the champ. Punk simply told them all to stay out of his match at the Rumble, and without a word The Shield then left.

A cocky champion then once again stated that he will retain his title come Sunday because much like all the fans, Rocky is "inferior" to him. This cued The Rock's iconic theme and out stepped 'The Great One' to join Punk in the ring, where he warned his future opponent that when he hits the Rock Bottom in their clash time will stand still and he'll realise that "It's over." For me it was the strongest promo he's given in his feud with the WWE Champion.

Randy Orton won via disqualification versus Drew McIntyre after Jinder Mahal ran in to try and help his fellow 3MB member, unfortunately for him and Heath Slater it didn't work as 'The Viper' RKO'd them both. The match itself was brief and forgettable, but it did its job in pushing Orton as a possible Rumble winner I guess, which could very well happen.

The Miz bested Darren Young in an average bout, with passable action but little interest to be had. Fortunately it was kept relatively short. It wasn't terrible by any means but I wouldn't blame you for skipping it. Afterwards Miz faced off with his opponent this Sunday Antonio Cesaro, who'd provided guest commentary.

Alberto Del Rio and Team Hell No defeated Big Show and Team Rhodes Scholars in a highly enjoyable and engaging six-man elimination tag contest. Del Rio was the stand out performer for me, putting in a terrific and exciting display here. He really has taken on his face role well too.

Damien Sandow was first eliminated after receiving a Chokeslam from Kane, then Kane via count out after receiving a KO punch from Show, ditto for Bryan, then Del Rio gave Big Show some of his own medicine by kicking him whilst on the ropes, causing the giant to tumble out and also be eliminated via count out. Finally Del Rio then won via pinfall on Rhodes after applying an enzuigiri.
Afterwards an angry Big Show then speared and KO punched Del Rio, following up by tipping the announce table over him. He then counted to ten (they will be competing in a Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble). It was a nice ending I thought, good set up to their title bout.

It was an enjoyable SmackDown at parts, with solid promos from CM Punk and The Rock and a great main event, unfortunately no match (bar the six-man tag) felt particularly worthwhile at all, but more like filler. I'll take it though, after the show had ended I felt satisfied (which can be rare for the blue brand nowadays) and that bit more hyped for the Royal Rumble, so as far as I'm concerned it was a success, just don't expect much from most matches. 

My Impact Wrestling, 24th January 2013 Recap

Jeff applies an impressive suplex to Daniels in the red hot main event. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Taz, accompanied by many other Aces & 8s members, explained that he'd joined the group because he wanted to be a part of their vision from a "higher power." He also added that his contract made him "bullet proof," no one could put a finger on him without him suing the company for everything they're worth. He finally said that Aces were meant to rule over everyone, and that's exactly what they'll do. It wasn't a very good promo, and didn't clear anything up.

Tara (c) bested Velvet Sky to retain the Knockouts Title in a largely average contest. Compared to recent outings involving James, Kim and Tara, this wasn't up to par for me. Tara looked okay and put in a passable display, but Sky as usual was quite unremarkable. Tara grabbed the win with the help of her boyfriend Jesse who held down her legs as she covered Sky for the one-two-three.

Joseph Parks came out and admitted that he's never been the most athletic guy, but claimed that he felt his place was now in the Impact Zone as a pro wrestler and not in a court room. He went on to also announce that he will be on Impact next week from Manchester, England, and that he will be participating in his first ever Open Fight Night. I still enjoy the Parks persona, he's highly likeable and stands out from most. 

Zema Ion and Kenny King defeated Christian York and Rob Van Dam in a stellar tag bout. All four men gave fine efforts here, making the most of their time in the ring with exciting maneuvers, as it should always be with the X Division. A fun watch. Ion grabbed the cheeky winning pinfall for himself after King applied a flying blockbuster to York, Kenny was not best pleased with that. Hopefully this will lead into a Fatal Four Way for the X strap, could be very good. 

An understandably upset Bully Ray, accompanied by partner Brooke, came out and stated that he never expected Taz'z actions from the previous week and demanded to know where the "scumbag" was. Unfortunately for him Taz had previously stepped out to take a phone call after the last match had ended. Bully went on to warn Aces & 8s that what he'll do to them he can't even say on national television. Sting them joined them and told Hogan (who wasn't in attendance) that on next week's show he believes he will come out and reinstate Bully so he can help exact his revenge on Aces. It was an okay segment, moved things along and Ray did well enough.

Bobby Roode pinned Hernandez in a fair outing. There were enjoyable moments to be had here, but it was never anything particularly outstanding or exceptional. Certainly watchable, and better than I'd anticipated. At one point Aries ran down to help out Roode as 'Super Mex' was about to come flying at him on the outside, which caused Chavo Guerrero to tangle with AA, this led to Roode catching his opponent out and applying a fisherman suplex for the win.

Kurt Angle announced that he was sick and tired of Aces & 8s attacking everyone, and informed Mr. Anderson before calling him out that he will face him next week on Open Fight Night. Anderson managed to get in a few punches on Angle after telling him that he wanted to instead fight there and then, but Angle managed to make a comeback and chased off his foe, informing him that their match next week will be a steel cage one. Last time these two had a cage match it was superb, so hopefully it'll live up to that. But it is a bit odd that they're having one with Lockdown coming up, so I'm maybe thinking Aces will play a big part.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Christopher Daniels to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a thrilling and thoroughly enjoyable title clash. With these two on-form talents it's hardly a surprise how good the match was, with great back and fourth solid wrestling and nice near falls. Hardy grabbed the win after managing to kick Kazarian (who'd naturally interfered at ringside) through the ropes and applying a Swanton to Daniels. 

Afterwards Taz then distracted the champ by asking him what he'll do when everything around him is destroyed, this cued a masked Aces & 8s member to run out and crack Hardy's leg with a hammer from behind before legging it. Not quite sure what the point of this was, what Aces member could Hardy take on for the World Title that would be a realistic threat to it? I think they should've waited to involve Hardy with the gang when a new member had joined such as AJ Styles perhaps.

Overall it was a good show. Most match ups, bar the Knockouts one, ranged from enjoyable to terrific, especially the great main event. Taz as a heel commentator was fairly bizarre as he would sometimes switch back to being a face for a moment before switching back again, he's normally poor as it is but now he's even worse in my opinion, and he gave no real reason for joining Aces & 8s. On the positive side of the show again they did a nice job of setting things up for next week's Impact, giving fans a reason to check it out. A definite step up from last week. 

My WWE Raw, 21st January 2013 Recap

Nice to see Bryan made the effort with his hair. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vickie Guerrero, with Paul Heyman accompanying her, announced that she had banned The Rock from entering the building that night after he had embarrassed both her and Heyman on last week's Raw with his concert. We then witnessed The Rock backstage warning the San Jose police that he was "relentless" and would eventually find a way into the building anyway.

Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro in 11:36 as part of the Beat the Clock Challenge. It was a decent contest, with solid enough action as expected from these two. For a 'Beat the Clock' match there were moments were both men were taking their time though, it looked a bit daft. 

Big Show beat Zack Ryder in a brief squash match. Ryder also had on his self-made Internet Title belt on his way to and during the bout, this really did a lot for the strap I'm sure. It's almost hard to believe how relevant Ryder was back in 2010. Afterwards Show claimed that the same thing will happen at the Royal Rumble when he faces Del Rio. The most entertaining thing about the match was actually Brad Maddox's impromptue guest commentary as he jumped from the crowd onto the announce desk. This guy's got character, which they could really use right now.

Ryback bested Heath Slater in a short and average outing, with the victor dominating for the majority. Ryback managed to also take out 3MB members Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre towards the end, and then apply a Shell Shock to Slater for the one-two-three. Ryback then stated that the Royal Rumble match was the kind of environment he thrived in, and the stepping stone for him getting to WrestleMania.

Backstage Vickie Guerrero offered Rocky a way into the show by apologising to her. But The Rock refused, claiming once again that he'll find a way into the ring anyway.

WWE Champion CM Punk came to the ring and stated that he was "the man" and spoke about how hard he'd worked to get to his current position, refusing to let The Rock take the strap from him. He went on to call 'The People's Champ' a fool for choosing to support the fans rather than be arrogantly honest such as himself. You could sense the raw honesty from him as he told everyone how he'd earned the championship through years and years of blood, sweat and tears. As usual it was a stellar and engaging promo from the champ.

Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz at 10:56 in the BTC Challenge. It was a disappointing bout, with quite a few clumsy and sloppy moments marring it. Ziggler worked well enough, unfortunately Miz seemed off his game a bit, wrongly applying the Figure Four Leglock being the worst part of his display.

In a highly amusing segment, Doctor Shelby officially graduated Daniel Bryan and Kane from his Anger Management course. Naturally it wasn't long before the tag team began arguing, so to settle things Shelby asked them if they'd feel comfortable hugging it out if everyone else did too. So Team Hell No had everyone in the arena hugging, including Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler. Even Doctor Shelby began getting his own chants going. It all ended with Kane, Bryan and Shelby all sharing a group hug.

Kaitlyn beat Alicia Fox in a pretty forgettable affair. Nothing about it was particularly engaging, and the action wasn't terrible but just unremarkable.

Paul Heyman came to the ring on his own and called Vince McMahon a "tyrant" who was hell bent on taking the WWE Title from Punk. He also added that The Rock, like the people, was stupid for mocking him rather than concentrating on the man he's going to face this Sunday in what should be a very good match up. The Rock himself then joined Heyman, producing a ticket as an excuse to be in the arena legally, and told him to leave.

'The Great One' then told Punk that it was his very last night on Raw as the WWE Champion, and went on to claim that he'd worked his "ass off" to earn the title shot at the Royal Rumble after ten long years since he last held it. The lights then went out, and as they came back on we witnessed The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) take out Rocky, applying their signature three-man-powerbomb.

CM Punk then told the fallen 'People's Champ' that although it's nice he has a dream, eventually we all wake up from them and he simply wasn't good enough to bring down the "best in the world." Rock sold the attack from Shield tremendously, even spitting out blood in the ring for added effect. 

Sheamus failed to beat Wade Barrett in time in a BTC Challenge match. 'The Great White' had Wade lined up for a Brogue Kick, until AJ Lee, Ziggler and Big E Langston all came down and distracted the Irishman, causing Barrett to mount a brief comeback. Sheamus did manage to then apply his signature kick, but it was too late as the clock ran down. The bout itself had been fair, certainly watchable but nothing exceptional.

Afterwards Vickie informed a jubilant Dolph Ziggler in her office that the two entrance numbers for the Royal Rumble he gets to pick from after winning the Beat the Clock Challenge was either one or two. The odds aren't looking good for old Dolph this Sunday then.

Vince McMahon warned CM Punk backstage that if The Shield interfere in his title clash with The Rock this Sunday then he will be stripped of his championship. He also added that if there is any evidence of his involvement with the trio than he'll find it. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Tensai in a fun watch. Although it was quite short, the action they did provide was enjoyable enough. Del Rio grabbed the winning pinfall after an off-target moonsault.

Bob Backlund was announced as the next inductee into the 2013 Hall of Fame. A worthy candidate, although I admittedly haven't seen many matches of him in his prime. But anyone that holds a World Title for six years is an inevitable candidate.

John Cena came out and spoke about Sunday being a day for everyone to recover and recuperate, and then asked a young fan what he does in his luxury time and began harmlessly arguing with with him about beating him online at Black Ops 2, admitting his username was "skid marks one-eighty-seven." Yeah, it was the standard kind of humour expected from Cena.

After some more light banter with a couple of fans he then turned his attention to this Sunday, which will not be like every other Sunday for him, and proclaimed himself the victor of the coming Rumble match to a mixed reaction. Sheamus, The Prime Time Players, Randy Orton, the Miz, Team Hell No, Antonio Cesaro and 3MB, along with a host of other wrestlers then all came out claiming they would instead win the RR, which instigated a brawl between them all in the ring.

Overall it was a fair show, with the CM Punk promos, effective Shield beat down and Anger Management Graduation being my personal highlights. Most matches were okay, but none exceptional or particularly memorable to be honest. It wasn't a bad Raw by any means, and with a few segments I'd recommend checking out I'd call that a win. 

My WWE SmackDown, 18th January 2013 Recap

The show kicked off with Alberto Del Rio's very own fiesta celebrating his World Title win last week. Shortly into it however, Dolph Ziggler (accompanied by Big E Langston and AJ Lee) interrupted the champ and warned him that the strap over his shoulder was nothing more than a target as he owned the Money in the Bank contract. An upset Big Show then also joined everyone, not saying a single word.

As things looked bad for Del Rio, Sheamus also arrived and put his differences aside and congratulated the champ on his title victory last week over Show and shook hands. In a SmackDown tradition GM Booker T then came out and and calmed things down by booking a tag team match for the main event between Ziggler, Show, Sheamus and Del Rio. After AJ, Ziggler, Langston and Show left the party started up again, with Booker and even Sheamus getting in some dancing. It felt a bit goofy but harmless enough.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Kofi Kingston in a decent encounter. While it was never exactly edge of your seat stuff, it contained solid action and a good effort from both men. The highlight was the impressive ending when Cesaro caught Kofi as he came off the top rope and turned it into a Neutralizer for the one-two-three. 

The Great Khali bested Tensai in a brief, drab and worthless match up. The only solace was that it was kept short.

Backstage Kane hinted at the poor state of Bryan's beard, which of course led to an argument before Orton turned up. Bryan advised 'The Viper' to control his anger like he and Kane had, telling him to take it one step at a time and even include a group hug. Randy naturally refused. It was an okay segment, not one of Hell No's best.

Randy Orton and Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) beat Wade Barrett and Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) in an enjoyable six-man tag bout. It was simply a fun watch, with each man doing well enough with their limited time in the ring. Orton grabbed the win after applying an RKO to Sandow. Afterwards Bryan and Kane amusingly had a group hug with Orton, I couldn't help but smile at Bryan's priceless face.

The Miz beat Primo in a passable contest. Their displays were okay, but I just failed to find the interest. It never engaged me at any point. Miz won via submission after paying tribute to Ric Flair by applying a Figure Four.

Kailyn bested Aksana in a pretty mediocre and forgettable clash. It just felt like filler really, an excuse to use the new Divas Champion. They desperately need to bring up some of their developmental female talent to freshen things up and bring some much needed life to the division.

We were then shown another VT from The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) where they explained why they've attacked and targeted Sheamus, Orton, Ryback and Mick Foley (on this week's Raw) ending the footage by simply warning them "Believe in The Shield." 

It was especially funny hearing Ambrose bringing up his reasons for the attempted Foley take down, considering the reality and controversy behind it and the stir it made last year when he called out the 'Hardcore Legend' in his FCW days. For those that are unaware of what happened (really? I'll let it go this time, okay?) Ambrose called out Mick, accusing his hardcore style of wrestling and stunts he performed a bad influence on younger talent, forcing them to up their game and go one step further, causing severe injuries and ending careers. There's an argument to made for both sides so I won't be getting into it just now, maybe another time.

Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio defeated Big Show and Dolph Ziggler in a stellar tag bout. The top period was between Ziggler and Del Rio, but to be fair I had fun watching the whole match so it doesn't really matter. Granted, it isn't going to be the greatest tag match you've ever seen, but you should be able to sit back and simply enjoy it, with solid action from all four men and a bit of a different finish. As Show was about to reenter the ring, Del Rio pulled out a bucket of water (unknown at the time) that Ricardo Rodriguez had brought down to and threw it over the giant. A stunned Big Show just stood there, then decided the embarrassment was the last straw and left, being counted out. 

Overall it was a pretty fair SmackDown compared to its usual standard (that normally meaning a few decent enough matches but nothing that eventful happening). Both tag outings were the highlights, providing good quality match ups, and the Kofi versus Cesaro bout is worth a watch too. Outside of them there wasn't anything that entertaining really, except for The Shield VT perhaps. 

My Impact Wrestling, 17th January 2013 Recap

The always-entertaining Bad Influence mock Hardy's fan base of 'Creatures'. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

World Champion Jeff Hardy kicked off the show, oddly receiving chants of "You still got it" after mentioning the great Triple Threat he participated in at Genesis, when did Jeff 'loose it' exactly? After then thanking the fans for their support and claiming that he was after a fight to keep his momentum going, Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) joined him,  with Kaz reminding Hardy that he'll be defending his strap against his tag partner next week, and Daniels calling all of the champ's fans losers.

In retaliation Hardy then began to attack the duo, but soon fell victim to the numbers game, that is until James Storm predictably ran out to his aid and after scaring Bad Influence off challenged them to a tag match right there and then. Daniels and Kaz refused, but where then dragged into the ring and the bout begun.

Jeff Hardy and James Storm defeated Bad Influence in a solid tag team contest. I mean, with these four talents it's hard to go far wrong, right? All four men gave solid displays and kept a nice fast pace going, especially in the exciting final few minutes. Hardy applied the Twist of Fate to Kaz to gain the one-two-three for a popular win.

His future opponent Daniels then snuck in from behind and gave the champ a nicely executed Angles Wings onto his own title belt and laid cockily on top of him. It was a nice image and set up into their title clash, where I see a possible DQ happening which will hopefully lead into a World Championship match at Lockdown, which would be superb I reckon. 

Bryan Cage was first eliminated during the Gut Check segment, leaving the man he lost to last week, Jay Bradley to be judged on whether he deserves a TNA contract. The three judges voted two to one in favour of Jay. With the exception of Christian York, the lack of Gut Check winners of TV each week has diminished the effect and meaning of the whole thing for me.

Kenny King beat Christian York in a largely pedestrian outing. The action was fair, not bad, but also nothing that special. Their match up last Sunday was definitely more enjoyable and engaging. King grabbed the win after a cheeky roll up where he grabbed York's trunks.

Sting called out his good friend Hulk Hogan and asked him what it will take for him to accept Bully and his daughter Brooke's relationship. Hogan explained that there was something about Ray that he didn't trust, that seemed off, so he'll never accept him.

Velvet Sky bested Gail Kim in a number one contenders match to the Knockouts Title. It was a largely decent outing, with stellar work from Kim as she dominated for the most part and an above average effort from Sky (compare to her usual standard). Once again referee Taryn Terrell played a part in Kim's loss as she halted a pin when Sky managed to get her leg under the ropes. As Kim argued with the ref, Sky managed to recover and get in a few offensive moves, including an In Yo' Face for the win. Seems like their setting up a match between Terrell and Kim. I don't remember Terrell being that great in the ring to be honest, I think they should just leave her as a good-looking official.

A suited up Bobby Roode and Austin Aries came out and stated that the only celebration that should be happening rather than the wedding was for them. They went on to also criticise the current crop of champions in the company, claiming that since they'd lost their respective straps it's gone downhill. Tag Champions Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez soon joined them and objected to the claims being made against the title holders of the TNA. After AA and Roode then mocked their race, calling them the caterers, Chavo and 'Super Mex' retorted by chasing them out of the ring. I'm certainly all for a tag team title match between these four, could be great.

After Sting had another word with Hogan backstage, 'The Hulkster' admitted that he had no issue with Bully Ray, but that he objected to the wedding because he didn't want his daughter being involved with a business that had brought some hard times to him. Sting simply told him to do the right thing.

As the wedding ceremony began, Hogan then appeared and walked Brooke down the aisle. The ceremony progressed nicely, but after Bully and Brooke said their "I do"'s, Taz suddenly interrupted and asked if Ray really knew what he was doing. He then took off his blazer to reveal an Aces & 8s waistcoat underneath. This cued other Aces members to enter the ring and take out everyone bar Brooke. So out of all the potentially interesting and exciting members we could have joining the gang, we have Taz? No doubt we'll get some weak reasoning from the commentator next week as to his switch. Disappointing finish to the show, I was personally expecting Brooke or Bully to turn, either would've been more entertaining.
Overall it was a fair Impact, not one of the best as of late. The tag team match was definitely the highlight, providing a solid encounter. The Kim versus Sky bout was also decent enough, the rest of the show was just quite run of the mill and forgettable to be honest. Taz turning, as I mentioned, was a big disappointment, considering the potential candidates (Styles? Bully? Even Brooke, as bad an actress as she is). 

My WWE 20th Anniversary Raw, 14th January 2013 Recap

Big E attempts to help out his pal Ziggler. Unsuccessfully. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vince McMahon appropriately kicked off the 20th anniversary of Raw, and thanked himself for the success of the show, proclaiming to be a "certifiable, iconic genius" (he hasn't mellowed with old age, eh?) and also thanked the fans. Big Show then joined the Chairman and asked him to address the "travesty" that occurred on SmackDown last week, that being Del Rio beating him for the World Title in a great Last Man Standing match. He asked that the new champion be stripped of the strap after accusing GM Booker T of being biased against him. 

Alberto Del Rio then of course joined them and called Show a baby after the way he was complaining, and challenged him to a Title match that night to settle things. But the giant refused, instead choosing the Royal Rumble as a more suitable battleground. After some more banter Big Show then went for Ricardo Rodriguez, so Del Rio intervened and applied a hurricanrana and enzuigiri to send his future opponent packing. It was a fun segment to get the show started, and so far Del Rio's face turn has worked out nicely, he really needed a shake up with his previously stale persona.

Wade Barrett defeated Randy Orton in a decent contest. The action was largely solid, albeit a bit familiar perhaps. With these two having faced each other so many times the excitement and interest has been watered down, but it was still a worthy display from both men and worth a watch. The biggest note from the bout was the fact that Barrett beat Orton cleanly, yes you read that right. This is a very good sign for the fellow Brit, could he be a contender to win the Rumble match?

Before their check up with Doctor Shelby, Daniel Bryan and Kane agreed to just pretend that their anger management issues were behind them to pass the test. After answering a couple of questions, Shelby asked in Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow to try and antagonise the Tag Team Champions. After criticising his technique and ability, Shelby had enough of Team Rhodes Scholars and Bryan and Kane threw them out. It was as usual an amusing segment from Hell No, much like their earlier days.

Kane beat Damien Sandow in a quite forgettable and average affair. The wrestling was never bad, it was just too brief and uneventful to leave a lasting impression.

Mick Foley came out after being announced as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame 2013, but shortly into his speech The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) made their way out to the ring. This then prompted Ryback, Sheamus and Orton to race out and gain some payback on the trio. I'm predicting a six-man between them all at the Royal Rumble, which should be quite enjoyable I think. Ryback then promised in an interview with Josh Matthews that he will have retribution on Shield after all they've taken from him.

Kaitlyn bested Eve (c) to obtain the Divas Title in a fair bout. I'll give them both credit, they put in pretty worthy efforts and tried to actually give us a decent and engaging Divas match up. Unfortunately it wasn't that special but certainly watchable, and it's a suitable time for Kaitlyn to win the strap I reckon.

CM Punk defeated Brodus Clay in a passable contest. Clay was a bit sluggish at parts, while Punk worked hard and pulled out a good display to up the overall quality of the bout. Afterwards the WWE Champion stated that it was "fact" that he was the "best in the world" and once again reiterated that he will topple The Rock at the Royal Rumble. 

3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) bested Sheamus in a three on one over the tope rope challenge. It was about as entertaining as you'd expect, so not very. It wasn't terrible to be fair, but it just felt pretty worthless. I can't help but think something much more worthy could've had the spot. Slater managed to last eliminate Sheamus with the help of his two team mates who'd already been thrown out, so as payback the Irishman took out the entire band.

The Miz introduced Ric Flair as his special guest on 'Miz TV' and asked 'The Nature Boy' what his favourite ever memory of Raw was, so  Flair said the night after he'd retired, which was an extremely memorable and fitting send off to the Hall of Famer (at the time). After a VT of famous catchphrases over the years, Flair was tearing into his classic one but Antonio Cesaro then interrupted him and accused 'Naitch' of spending so much money to keep up an illusion of a time long gone. In retaliation Flair and Miz then took out the US Champion, finishing up with Miz applying a Figure Four. 

Daniel Bryan beat Cody Rhodes in a brief outing. Why couldn't they have cut the Sheamus 3MB match and allocated more time to these two talents? They could've had a much more worthwhile match. The action itself was decent enough, Bryan caught the win with his signature No Lock. 

We were then shown footage from the WWE Active App where Eve announced that she'd had enough of the company and her poor treatment and quit. So now there's even less female talent on the main roster, time for the likes of Paige and others to enter the fray and freshen up the division I think.

John Cena defeated Dolph Ziggler in a Steel Cage match. It was the top match of the night (which doesn't say much I'll admit) and best televised bout of the year so far. The action was highly enjoyable from start to finish, with exciting moves from Ziggler and dramatic escape attempts. It's probably the best match these two men have had with each other.

For the finish AJ Lee started to climb the cage, allowing Big E Langston to enter the steel structure and be accidentally cracked in the head by Dolph with his Money in the Bank briefcase, with Cena then applying an AA for the one-two-three. The ending made Ziggler look goofy and stupid, just what you want for your MITB holder right? No. But aside from that my only major gripe with the match was with the victor, with the help of Big E Langston (who thwarted a few escape attempts by Cena) a win for Dolph here would not have hurt Cena, and he needed it a lot more. The day Cena retires will be a very positive one for any up and coming talent.

The Rock performed a rare Rock Concert for the fans in Texas. His first song was dedicated to Paul Heyman, mocking his weight and small, well, manhood. He then asked Vickie Guerrero to come on out and dedicated a cover to Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight' to her, or as he put it "No be-atch, you look horrible tonight." As childish as it was, I have to admit it was quite amusing.

After Vickie stormed off Rocky turned more serious and called out CM Punk, warning him that despite his promo last week he is not god and that he will take the title from him on the 27th. Punk then sprinted towards the ring and the two collided in a brawl until they were split up. It was a nicely executed and heated scrap between the two, and a nice progression seeing them get physical like that. Strong end to the show I thought.

For the most part it was an enjoyable Raw, with Barrett versus Orton, Team Hell No segment, promos from Punk and Rock and especially the cage match being the highlights. Unfortunately the rest of the bouts were quite forgettable and felt more like filler, which is poor enough for a normal broadcast never mind an anniversary show. I would've like to have seen some time cut from certain clips and contests and added to other areas (such as the Bryan versus Rhodes encounter). I don't want to complain too much though, overall a fun show. 

My TNA Genesis 2013 Recap

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) defeated Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship in a fair opener to the show. It was never anything that special but I can't fault the efforts of all four men, they delivered a decent enough tag bout. Certainly watchable anyway.

Mr. Anderson bested Samoa Joe in a largely drab outing. The last third of the match upped the interest a bit with more technical action from Joe, but for the most part it was pretty pedestrian. Anderson grabbed the win with a Mic Check after Mike Knox distracted Joe from ringside.

Christian York beat Kenny King in an enjoyable contest. Both men went back and fourth with some nicely executed and exciting moves, working well together. And although unfortunately while it was York's best performance I've seen to date he still looked a little sloppy here and there. York grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin, so an upset King decided to pay him back by applying his Royal Flush finisher.

As per the stipulation York then qualified for an X Division Title match straight after against Rob Van Dam, who inappropriately then came swaggering down and showed absolutely no concern for his fallen opponent. If you didn't know TNA any better you'd have presumed he was a heel with the way he acted. He then did admittedly show some worry for York and said that he didn't have to go through with the bout, but the number one contender wanted to go ahead with it.

Rob Van Dam (c) defeated Christian York to retain the X Division Title in a passable match up. Logically Van Dam had the majority of offense against the still-hurt York, who did manage to get in a couple of nice near falls though. Unfortunately a lack of intensity and some some sloppy moments marred the championship clash. Rightfully RVD applauded the efforts of York afterwards.

Devon beat Joseph Parks in an average encounter. It just failed to deliver any excitement or ever really engage me throughout. Parks, portraying a man who just passed wrestling school, was understandably acting amateur, which made sense but also hindered the quality of the match. As part of his act he also transformed into Abyss after seeing his own blood when he was thrown into an exposed corner post, temporarily throwing his foe around. Devon also looked okay but nothing special, afterwards he cracked Parks with a clothesline from behind.

Gail Kim first eliminated Brooke Tessmacher, then ODB and Mickie James, but was finally pinned by Velvet Sky after she applied an In Yo' Face to win the Knockouts Gauntlet to to become number one contender to the Knockouts Championship. It was a controversial win however as Kim's foot was under the rope as the winning pin was counted, I imagine this will set up a Triple Threat for the Knockouts strap.

The majority of the gauntlet was fair viewing, and to be honest much more engaging than anything you'll get from the female talent in WWE right now. The highlight was the period between James and Kim, the most talented Knockouts in my opinion.

Christopher Daniels bested James Storm in a solid bout. It's hardly a suprise that two of the companies best all-round talents pulled out an fun watch, with stellar wrestling from the opening bell. That should really be enough to convince you to check it out. Daniels gained the win (and a World Title match on a later episode of Impact) after Kazarian distracted Storm.

Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan came out and once again announced their wedding that will take place live on Impact Wrestling this Thursday. Bully then also recorded a live video to tweet out of the crowd who the couple had invited to the wedding. That was it, they could've just recapped the proposal from last week's Impact to be honest and saved time.

Before the match even begun, a few Aces & 8s goons beat down Sting before Doc dragged him into the ring for the opening bell.

Sting beat Doc in a brief and unmemorable match up. Nothing about it was outstanding as Sting gave a pretty pedestrian display and Doc was his usual drab-self in the ring. You wouldn't miss much by skipping this one. After the bell rung more Aces members were about to pounce on 'The Stinger' until Bully Ray ran out with his chain in hand and chased them off.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Bobby Roode and Austin Aries in an Elimination Triple Threat to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. And what a superb main event this was. Now I was expecting a solid contest here, but it exceeded that as all three men worked very hard to provide a red hot match up, and succeeded. As promised beforehand Aries and Roode attempted to beat down Hardy and eliminate him first, but the resilient champion resisted the dramatic pinfall attempts, eventually rolling to the outside to leave the other two to face each other.

After some nice exchanges Hardy and Aries then managed to score a double pinfall on Roode to send him packing. Shortly after Hardy then applied an insane-looking Twist of Fate on AA through the middle rope, followed by a Swanton for the winning pin. Terrific high note to end the event on, as should always be the case.

Overall Genesis was a bumpy pay-per-view, with the majority of matches being quite forgettable and humdrum, but King versus York, Daniels versus Storm and the main event providing above average and in the case of the Triple Threat, brilliant entertainment. I'm sure Lockdown in March will provide a much more consistent show. Hopefully.