My WrestleMania XXIX Recap

The Undertaker rises from the dead. Photo credit: WWE.com

The Miz bested Wade Barrett (c) to obtain the Intercontinental Title in a fair pre-show match up. To be fair it slotted nicely into the pre-show slot, with decent enough efforts from both men and a title change to get people interested, although a Cesaro bout would've still been far more appreciated.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Sheamus, Randy Orton and Big Show in an enjoyable six-man tag bout. Smart choice for the opener, with nice sequences and displays throughout. Once again Shield delivered a largely rewarding match, granted it wasn't as good as their previous outings but still a fun watch.

Towards the end Orton decided to cut into a potential tag to Show and get himself into the match, but things didn't end too well as he soon got speared and pinned as an angry Big Show looked on. After arguing Show then KO'd both his partners. Looks like we'll be getting a Triple Threat or Orton versus Show at Extreme Rules next month. 

Mark Henry toppled Ryback in an average affair. As expected it was the typical powerhouse versus powerhouse match up, so tests of strength and pedestrian action for the most part. For the flat finish (pun not intended) Henry fell onto Ryback as he attempted a Shell Shock, allowing him to gain the one-two-three. But afterwards Ryback got some payback by successfully applying an impressive Shell Shock to Henry.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) beat Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship. The match itself was decent, but nothing outstanding. I can't fault any man's efforts, they all delivered but unfortunately it was just lacking that little something for me. 

Fandango pinned Chris Jericho in a passable encounter with a few sloppy moments that let it down. Fortunately the in-form Jericho managed to provide some entertaining moments, and while Fandango had a few nice maneuvers in him (such as a swift kick as Y2J went for his signature springboard dropkick) he still looked out of depth here. For the finish Fandango was positioned too near the ropes as Jericho went for a Lionsault, which he blocked as Y2J then went for the Walls which was turned into the winning roll up pin. It was a poor ending sequence to the contest. 

Before the World Title match, Zeb Colter once again claimed that all real Americans felt the same as he and Swagger regarding immigrants in the US, but were too afraid to take a stand like they do. As usual most fans weren't too fussed by what he had to say.

Alberto Del Rio (c) defeated Jack Swagger to retain the World Heavyweight Title in a mixed bag of an outing. While the action was stellar for the majority, there was little to really get me engaged and a lack of genuine excitement, which is not good enough for a World Championship match. Remember the quality of bouts when Edge and 'Taker and Batista and 'Taker would face each other on the grand stage for the same strap? We haven't had that at 'Mania for a while.

The Undertaker pinned CM Punk in the very memorable and thrilling match of the night. I was expecting this to be a great collision, but it succeeded even my estimations. Both men gave superb displays and provided an awesome encounter filled with effective near falls and dramatic action. This was everything you expect and should receive from a big WrestleMania match up. I also want to mention Paul Heyman at ringside, who's stellar managerial work cannot be understated and really added that bit extra to the match. Was this 'Taker's last match though? I'm personally hoping for one more from the 'Dead Man'. 

Triple H pinned Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred contest. Now after reading a fair bit of feedback I can tell that this one split quite a lot of fans, but as for myself I enjoyed it. I felt it told a good story and was well planned out, with solid wrestling from both men. My only gripe was that certain periods did feel like they were played out longer than than necessary, such as Triple H's multiple kimura attempts on the steel steps, which just seemed a bit daft after a while when you figure Lesnar had to simply roll away to avoid it.

Admittedly the crowd did loose interest here, but in my opinion that was more due to following the outstanding 'Taker versus Punk match, I mean one upping that was going to be a major challenge for any pair of wrestlers. So yes, there have been far better 'Mania matches in this spot, but i feel it's harsh to call it poor on any level and I personally still look forward to seeing either man in the ring again.

John Cena bested The Rock (c) to obtain the WWE Championship in an uneven main event. For the most part the wrestling was pretty unremarkable, with average moves being exchanged for far too long. Plus the fact both men were also visibly and clearly calling the next spots more than a few times also took away from loosing yourself in the action. But on the plus side (yes, there were some) the crowd were thoroughly into it, with each red hot near fall towards the end having everyone on their feet. And I have to admit I started to get towards the edge of my seat at the end too.

For me the rematch was superior to last year's effort with a more exciting finale, which admittedly was just filled with finishing move attempts which we've seen plenty of times, but unfortunately like last year's bout it was also very average for the most part when you pull away all the build up and crowd reactions. And one big positive is that hopefully this should be the end of Cena versus Rock, and we can move on to two more deserving wrestlers (here's pulling for Punk) to wrestle in the 'Mania main event spot.

Overall WrestleMania was very much a mixed bag of a show, with the Triple H versus Lesnar, the six-man tag bout and especially Undertaker versus CM Punk being the highlights for me. Unfortunately the rest failed to grab me like 'Mania matches should, and didn't live up to the calibre you've come to expect over the years.

Granted it's unrealistic to believe that any WrestleMania will provide a card largely filled with top bouts, with the exception of the revered X-Seven or XXIV (one of my personal favourites) but I guess at least we can take away a few memorable matches that I know I'll probably watch again in the future. It certainly wasn't one of more successful WrestleMania's, but it also wasn't one of the worst. Here's to next years! 

My WWE Raw, 1st April 2013 Recap

CM Punk poses over the fallen 'Dead Man'. I'm looking forward to this one! Photo credit: WWE.com

John Cena kicked off the pre-WrestleMania XXIX Raw by claiming that his rivalry with The Rock was far more serious then last year, due to the WWE Championship being on the line. He went on to also warn Rocky that after having to stand by and watch him unveil a brand new title belt and "usher in a new era" (really?) he will strive to reclaim the strap and prove that he is superior to 'The Great One'. Cena was greeted with chants of "Boring" afterwards, granted it was an unremarkable promo but that was a little harsh I felt.

Big Show, Randy Orton and Sheamus bested 3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) in an average and at times sloppy six-man tag bout. At least it was kept brief. Afterwards The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) warned the their 'Mania opponents that come Sunday they won't be celebrating after they beat them, and also added that they weren't fooling them by pretending to be a cohesive unit like themselves.   

We were presented with a VT featuring Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in Washington DC, talking about the change that Swagger will bring come this Sunday when he obtains the World Title, calling their fellow Americans weak in this day and age due to them accepting all the immigrants that had entered the US over the years.

In response Alberto Del Rio admitted that Swagger was free to say whatever he pleased with the freedom of speech, but that didn't mean he had to like it and would at least get a chance to gain some retribution in their title clash.

Dolph Ziggler pinned Daniel Bryan in a solid back and fourth encounter. These two worked hard and provided an enjoyable bout from the get go with crisp action. During the match AJ Lee distracted Kane, allowing Big E Langston to tear through him with a mean-looking clothesline. Ziggler then took advantage of Bryan kicking Big E through the ropes and gained the one-two-three with a quick roll up. 

Shawn Michaels made a special Raw appearance and warned Triple H that while he was retired by 'Taker at WrestleMania, they still held the upmost respect for each other and he never bragged about ending HBK's career, unlike Brock Lesnar who would relish it. Michaels went on to admit that he wasn't in Washington to talk his good friend out of his match on the grand stage, but order him to "kick Brock Lesnar's ass!"

Lesnar, along with Paul Heyman then made his way out. Heyman went on to list all the people that Triple H will disappoint after his client defeats him, and claimed that he wasn't "man enough" to beat Lesnar. As usual Heyman was on top form on the mic.

Wade Barrett beat Zack Ryder in a passable outing. While most of the match was fairly pedestrian, there were some engaging moments to be found, and it wasn't a bad effort by either man.

Mark Henry flattened Santino Marella in a short squash match. Santino was booked against Henry after playing an April Fools prank on Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox. An angry Ryback then made his way out to confront Henry, who smugly reminded him that they had a no contact clause to their contract. So to get around this Ryback decided to hurl Santino at his 'Mania foe to take him down.

As Alberto Del Rio's match with Zeb Colter begun, he was soon distracted by Swagger at ringside who'd begun attacking Ricardo Rodriguez, this then allowed Colter to start smacking the champion with one of Ricardo's crutches. Swagger soon joined his accomplice and together they took down Del Rio.

The WWE Champion The Rock said that his match with Cena wasn't about retribution for him, but the "the will of the people" and his connection with the fans. He also reminded us that at every turn he'd topped Cena, and it would be no different in their contest for the championship. It was a decent enough promo from Rock, with the crowd in the palm of his hand, which was a stark contrast to Cena earlier. 

Chris Jericho defeated Antonio Cesaro in a decent contest. For the most part it was a fun watch and the wrestling was stellar, but I couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed, maybe I was expecting more form these two talents facing off. During the match Fandango appeared and began judging Jericho's moves out of ten with scorecards. After Y2J had forced Cesaro to tap to the Walls of Jericho, Fandango ran in and after beating down his rival then landed a couple of flying leg drops. I'm definitely intrigued by their WrestleMania match.

The Bella Twins beat Naomi and Cameron in a fair Divas tag match. I was actually pleasantly surprised here, there were some nice moments of action to be found amongst most of the pedestrian wrestling. 

The Undertaker warned CM Punk that the pain he's going to put on him will "last an eternity" after the disrespect he's shown to Paul Bearer. A line up of druids then appeared, along with Paul Heyman dressed as Bearer. As a furious 'Taker marched down he began to take out some of the druids, only for CM Punk to reveal himself as one of them and take out 'The Dead Man' with Bearer's urn.

But then the gripping moment came as Punk poured the ashes of Bearer over Undertaker and on himself. While many will find this segment extremely disrespectful of Moody (which I get) I couldn't help but be completely engaged by it. Punk has really thrown himself into this feud and clearly has no restraints with the material he's used. For me this has been the strongest segment leading into WrestleMania.

Overall Raw was a fair show for the most part, more memorable than most as of late. Ziggler versus Bryan, Jericho versus Cesaro, the Heyman promo and especially the closing segment were my highlights. Outside of them it was pretty pedestrian for me, with a lot of material and bouts feeling a bit too familiar. Still, despite the disappointing build up to 'Mania this year I'm still looking forward to the big event, with more than a few matches that should be very entertaining I reckon.  

My WWE Raw, 25th March 2013

The Rock delivers the final blow of the show. Photo credit: WWE.com

CM Punk kicked things off by claiming that it's only his opinion that matters, and not those of people who believe in Undertaker's mystic powers and such. He also went on to state that 'The Dead Man' should've retired last year after going 20-0 at WrestleMania but now he's pushed his luck because he is taking on someone that will not loose on the grand stage.

After emulating 'Taker's trademark pose with Bearer's urn, The Undertaker himself then appeared and got a few strikes in on Punk before he managed to escape. This for me was the strongest segment for this feud yet, and the fans understandably went wild for 'Taker's appearance. 

As Fandango was announcing himself, Chris Jericho raced out and got some retribution in the form of some strikes after Fandango's attack on Y2J on last week's SmackDown. It was nicely executed.

Chris Jericho defeated Dolph Ziggler in an enjoyable encounter. It's hardly a shock that these two talents provided worthy efforts here, not their finest one on one match but a stellar one nonetheless. Y2J won via the Walls of Jericho. Afterwards Big E Langston applied a Big Ending to Jericho, leaving him to receive a beating from Fandango, who also landed a diving leg drop to finish him off. 

During an interview backstage The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) attacked Sheamus, but Randy Orton and Big Show came to the Irishman's aid and chased them off.

Mark Henry bested Jimmy and Jay Uso in a fair Handicap match. Nothing outstanding to be found here but it was fun for the most part. Afterwards Henry continued the assault on the two brothers.

Antonio Cesaro won via count out versus Alberto Del Rio in a contest that unfortunately wasn't given enough time to really get going. The action was solid while it lasted, until Jack Swagger made his way out and began once again attacking the leg of Ricardo Rodriguez.

This soon prompted Del Rio to run out and eventually chase off his WrestleMania opponent, but also costing him the match after being counted out. As Cesaro then celebrated, the World Champion decided to finish him off and applied his signature arm breaker for good measure. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) toppled the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a passable tag bout. While the action was always decent enough, it was just pretty pedestrian and unmemorable on the whole, like most match ups involving Young and O'Neil.

Triple H explained that while his career was on the line at WrestleMania XXIX versus Brock Lesnar, it made no difference since he'd always wrestled as if it was anyway. He also added that he wasn't planning to simply fight Lesnar, but kick his "ass." On his way out Wade Barett told him to hurry up, so 'The Game' retorted with a swift kick to the nether regions.

The Miz beat Wade Barett in a match that started off quite average, but had an entertaining finish. Once the two managed to hit their stride after an uninspiring beginning, we got some decent displays from them and the crowd begun to get into a bit more. Miz won via the figure four leglock.

Backstage Kaitlyn interrupted Bryan and Kane when arguing over who gets distracted more by AJ, unknown to them AJ Lee then overheard the Divas Champion talking about how unstable she was. This caused AJ to snap and attack her former friend until the Tag Team champions dragged her away.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Justin Gabriel, Zack Ryder and The Great Khali in quite an enjoyable six-man tag bout, mainly due to the efforts of Rollins and Ambrose. Afterwards Orton, Sheamus and Big Show joined them and managed to send the trio packing. Should be an entertaining six-man between them all at 'Mania.

Jericho revealed backstage that Vickie Guerrero had granted him a match with Fandango on the grand stage next month.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) bested Brodus Clay and Tensai in largely mediocre tag contest. The wrestling was just average for the majority to be honest, nothing special. During the bout the Bella Twins and Naomi and Cameron also got into a scuffle on the outside.

Ryback toppled 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in a Handicap match with some fun moments here and there. It was the usual routine from Ryback, but I'll admit that he and his three opponents did provide some nice moments of action. 

AJ Lee won via count out versus Kaitlyn after the Divas champ accidentally landed a hard spear into the barricade. That was about the only interesting moment of the match up, outside of that it was Kaitlyn dominating for a minute or so.

Jerry Lawler hosted a WWE Hall of Fame panel of Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Booker T and Dusty Rhodes, who each got to ask The Rock and John Cena a question each, such as what they wanted from their WWE Title match at 'Mania and how they'd deal with a loss on the grand stage. After things got a bit more heated in Philly, Rocky asked Cena to bring it right there and then, so after a little tussle Rock managed to apply a Rock Bottom and flatten his future challenger. It was a strong segment to end the show on, and the best since the revival of their feud I felt.

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show, with some decent moments mixed in with more than a few forgettable ones. My highlights were Jericho versus Ziggler, the Shield six-man encounter and the Hall of Fame panel segment. Unfortunately as I said most of the show was fair if average, but at least this week's Raw was an improvement on the last couple. 

My WWE Raw, 25th March 2013

The Rock delivers the final blow of the show. Photo credit: WWE.com

CM Punk kicked things off by claiming that it's only his opinion that matters, and not those of people who believe in Undertaker's mystic powers and such. He also went on to state that 'The Dead Man' should've retired last year after going 20-0 at WrestleMania but now he's pushed his luck because he is taking on someone that will not loose on the grand stage.

After emulating 'Taker's trademark pose with Bearer's urn, The Undertaker himself then appeared and got a few strikes in on Punk before he managed to escape. This for me was the strongest segment for this feud yet, and the fans understandably went wild for 'Taker's appearance. 

As Fandango was announcing himself, Chris Jericho raced out and got some retribution in the form of some strikes after Fandango's attack on Y2J on last week's SmackDown. It was nicely executed.

Chris Jericho defeated Dolph Ziggler in an enjoyable encounter. It's hardly a shock that these two talents provided worthy efforts here, not their finest one on one match but a stellar one nonetheless. Y2J won via the Walls of Jericho. Afterwards Big E Langston applied a Big Ending to Jericho, leaving him to receive a beating from Fandango, who also landed a diving leg drop to finish him off. 

During an interview backstage The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) attacked Sheamus, but Randy Orton and Big Show came to the Irishman's aid and chased them off.

Mark Henry bested Jimmy and Jay Uso in a fair Handicap match. Nothing outstanding to be found here but it was fun for the most part. Afterwards Henry continued the assault on the two brothers.

Antonio Cesaro won via count out versus Alberto Del Rio in a contest that unfortunately wasn't given enough time to really get going. The action was solid while it lasted, until Jack Swagger made his way out and began once again attacking the leg of Ricardo Rodriguez.

This soon prompted Del Rio to run out and eventually chase off his WrestleMania opponent, but also costing him the match after being counted out. As Cesaro then celebrated, the World Champion decided to finish him off and applied his signature arm breaker for good measure. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) toppled the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a passable tag bout. While the action was always decent enough, it was just pretty pedestrian and unmemorable on the whole, like most match ups involving Young and O'Neil.

Triple H explained that while his career was on the line at WrestleMania XXIX versus Brock Lesnar, it made no difference since he'd always wrestled as if it was anyway. He also added that he wasn't planning to simply fight Lesnar, but kick his "ass." On his way out Wade Barett told him to hurry up, so 'The Game' retorted with a swift kick to the nether regions.

The Miz beat Wade Barett in a match that started off quite average, but had an entertaining finish. Once the two managed to hit their stride after an uninspiring beginning, we got some decent displays from them and the crowd begun to get into a bit more. Miz won via the figure four leglock.

Backstage Kaitlyn interrupted Bryan and Kane when arguing over who gets distracted more by AJ, unknown to them AJ Lee then overheard the Divas Champion talking about how unstable she was. This caused AJ to snap and attack her former friend until the Tag Team champions dragged her away.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Justin Gabriel, Zack Ryder and The Great Khali in quite an enjoyable six-man tag bout, mainly due to the efforts of Rollins and Ambrose. Afterwards Orton, Sheamus and Big Show joined them and managed to send the trio packing. Should be an entertaining six-man between them all at 'Mania.

Jericho revealed backstage that Vickie Guerrero had granted him a match with Fandango on the grand stage next month.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) bested Brodus Clay and Tensai in largely mediocre tag contest. The wrestling was just average for the majority to be honest, nothing special. During the bout the Bella Twins and Naomi and Cameron also got into a scuffle on the outside.

Ryback toppled 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in a Handicap match with some fun moments here and there. It was the usual routine from Ryback, but I'll admit that he and his three opponents did provide some nice moments of action. 

AJ Lee won via count out versus Kaitlyn after the Divas champ accidentally landed a hard spear into the barricade. That was about the only interesting moment of the match up, outside of that it was Kaitlyn dominating for a minute or so.

Jerry Lawler hosted a WWE Hall of Fame panel of Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Booker T and Dusty Rhodes, who each got to ask The Rock and John Cena a question each, such as what they wanted from their WWE Title match at 'Mania and how they'd deal with a loss on the grand stage. After things got a bit more heated in Philly, Rocky asked Cena to bring it right there and then, so after a little tussle Rock managed to apply a Rock Bottom and flatten his future challenger. It was a strong segment to end the show on, and the best since the revival of their feud I felt.

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show, with some decent moments mixed in with more than a few forgettable ones. My highlights were Jericho versus Ziggler, the Shield six-man encounter and the Hall of Fame panel segment. Unfortunately as I said most of the show was fair if average, but at least this week's Raw was an improvement on the last couple. 

My WWE Raw, 25th March 2013

The Rock delivers the final blow of the show. Photo credit: WWE.com

CM Punk kicked things off by claiming that it's only his opinion that matters, and not those of people who believe in Undertaker's mystic powers and such. He also went on to state that 'The Dead Man' should've retired last year after going 20-0 at WrestleMania but now he's pushed his luck because he is taking on someone that will not loose on the grand stage.

After emulating 'Taker's trademark pose with Bearer's urn, The Undertaker himself then appeared and got a few strikes in on Punk before he managed to escape. This for me was the strongest segment for this feud yet, and the fans understandably went wild for 'Taker's appearance. 

As Fandango was announcing himself, Chris Jericho raced out and got some retribution in the form of some strikes after Fandango's attack on Y2J on last week's SmackDown. It was nicely executed.

Chris Jericho defeated Dolph Ziggler in an enjoyable encounter. It's hardly a shock that these two talents provided worthy efforts here, not their finest one on one match but a stellar one nonetheless. Y2J won via the Walls of Jericho. Afterwards Big E Langston applied a Big Ending to Jericho, leaving him to receive a beating from Fandango, who also landed a diving leg drop to finish him off. 

During an interview backstage The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) attacked Sheamus, but Randy Orton and Big Show came to the Irishman's aid and chased them off.

Mark Henry bested Jimmy and Jay Uso in a fair Handicap match. Nothing outstanding to be found here but it was fun for the most part. Afterwards Henry continued the assault on the two brothers.

Antonio Cesaro won via count out versus Alberto Del Rio in a contest that unfortunately wasn't given enough time to really get going. The action was solid while it lasted, until Jack Swagger made his way out and began once again attacking the leg of Ricardo Rodriguez.

This soon prompted Del Rio to run out and eventually chase off his WrestleMania opponent, but also costing him the match after being counted out. As Cesaro then celebrated, the World Champion decided to finish him off and applied his signature arm breaker for good measure. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) toppled the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a passable tag bout. While the action was always decent enough, it was just pretty pedestrian and unmemorable on the whole, like most match ups involving Young and O'Neil.

Triple H explained that while his career was on the line at WrestleMania XXIX versus Brock Lesnar, it made no difference since he'd always wrestled as if it was anyway. He also added that he wasn't planning to simply fight Lesnar, but kick his "ass." On his way out Wade Barett told him to hurry up, so 'The Game' retorted with a swift kick to the nether regions.

The Miz beat Wade Barett in a match that started off quite average, but had an entertaining finish. Once the two managed to hit their stride after an uninspiring beginning, we got some decent displays from them and the crowd begun to get into a bit more. Miz won via the figure four leglock.

Backstage Kaitlyn interrupted Bryan and Kane when arguing over who gets distracted more by AJ, unknown to them AJ Lee then overheard the Divas Champion talking about how unstable she was. This caused AJ to snap and attack her former friend until the Tag Team champions dragged her away.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Justin Gabriel, Zack Ryder and The Great Khali in quite an enjoyable six-man tag bout, mainly due to the efforts of Rollins and Ambrose. Afterwards Orton, Sheamus and Big Show joined them and managed to send the trio packing. Should be an entertaining six-man between them all at 'Mania.

Jericho revealed backstage that Vickie Guerrero had granted him a match with Fandango on the grand stage next month.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) bested Brodus Clay and Tensai in largely mediocre tag contest. The wrestling was just average for the majority to be honest, nothing special. During the bout the Bella Twins and Naomi and Cameron also got into a scuffle on the outside.

Ryback toppled 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in a Handicap match with some fun moments here and there. It was the usual routine from Ryback, but I'll admit that he and his three opponents did provide some nice moments of action. 

AJ Lee won via count out versus Kaitlyn after the Divas champ accidentally landed a hard spear into the barricade. That was about the only interesting moment of the match up, outside of that it was Kaitlyn dominating for a minute or so.

Jerry Lawler hosted a WWE Hall of Fame panel of Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Booker T and Dusty Rhodes, who each got to ask The Rock and John Cena a question each, such as what they wanted from their WWE Title match at 'Mania and how they'd deal with a loss on the grand stage. After things got a bit more heated in Philly, Rocky asked Cena to bring it right there and then, so after a little tussle Rock managed to apply a Rock Bottom and flatten his future challenger. It was a strong segment to end the show on, and the best since the revival of their feud I felt.

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show, with some decent moments mixed in with more than a few forgettable ones. My highlights were Jericho versus Ziggler, the Shield six-man encounter and the Hall of Fame panel segment. Unfortunately as I said most of the show was fair if average, but at least this week's Raw was an improvement on the last couple. 

My WWE SmackDown, 22nd March 2013 Recap

The Miz's own 'Miz TV' kicked things off, with guests Randy Orton and Sheamus disputing over having Big Show as their partner against The Shield at WrestleMania. 'The Viper' did, but the Irishman didn't. Big Show then joined them and after some heated words with Sheamus was calmed down by Orton who stated that they needed to "work together." GM Booker T then decided to test out their teamwork ability by booking them in a six-man tag match that night.

Mark Henry pinned Zack Ryder in a brief squash match. Afterwards Henry then applied a few more World's Strongest Slams for good measure. Remember when Ryder actually had some momentum? I know, hard to believe now. Ryback then stormed out and managed to successfully clothesline Henry off his feet after an intense face off. I can't say I'm particularly hyped for their upcoming bout.

Dolph Ziggler bested Kofi Kingston in an enjoyable outing. Both men provided fine displays here, and even though they've fought a fair bit recently they managed to still keep things interesting. Towards the end Kofi decided he'd had enough and body splashed Big E Langston on the outside, this then allowed Ziggler to take advantage and Zig Zag him back in the ring for the one-two-three. AJ Lee also provided amusing guest commentary.

Zeb Colter, accompanying Jack Swagger, claimed that while the attack on Ricardo Rodriguez and Del Rio by Swagger on this past Raw was unfortunate, he was willing to do anything to claim the World Title. He also added that those actions should serve as a warning to everyone, including his following opponent Chris Jericho.

Jack Swagger defeated Chris Jericho in a decent back and fourth contest. It was never particularly exciting but it was a fun watch for the majority, with worthy enough efforts. During the bout Fandango appeared and kicked Y2J as he went for a Lionsault, allowing Swagger to apply a Swagger Bomb for the winning pin. This was retribution for Jericho mocking Fandango's name this past Monday on Raw. I wouldn't mind seeing a match between them at 'Mania.

Brodus Clay and Tensai versus Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes) ended as a No Contest after the Bella Twins and Naomi and Cameron got into a scuffle outside the ring. Can't say I was too fussed that the match ended abruptly to be honest, it was all right.

The Miz beat Antonio Cesaro in a rather forgettable affair. The wrestling wasn't bad, just uninspiring for the most part with little interest to be found until the finish when Miz forced Cesaro to tap to the Figure Four. Did Antonio upset someone in the back? Since when is he being forced to tap to Miz after beating him multiple times only a month ago over the US strap? He deserves better than this.

Sheamus, Big Show and Randy Orton toppled 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in an enjoyable six-man tag main event. For the most part it was the winning side dominating, and although it wasn't the most technical wrestling it was still entertaining. Afterwards The Shield (Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns) made their way down to the ring, meanwhile the other three were beginning to argue amongst themselves, but they managed to sort themselves out and The Shield backed off this time. 

Overall it was a fair SmackDown, nothing outstanding but it was never bad at any point. The highlights were Ziggler versus Kofi and the main event. Still disappointed in this years run up to WrestleMania so far, I know it'll be an enjoyable event but the hype hasn't set in just yet.

My WWE Raw, 18th March 2013 Recap

Heyman reveals the stipulation for Lesnar versus Triple H on the grand stage. Photo credit: WWE.com

John Cena started things off in his new bright yellow top (about as appealing as it sounds) and claimed that in the build up to his match with The Rock at WrestleMania XXIX this time he will not promise victory, but instead warn him and his fans that his time is now.

The Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil, who was dressed as his uncle Rufus 'Pancake' Patterson for some reason...) then interrupted Cena and told him that no one wanted to see him on the grand stage and challenged him to a one on one match with Young, so Cena accepted.

John Cena pinned Darren Young in a brief squash match. I guess this helped build up Cena (not that he needs it) for 'Mania but I can't help but feel the start of the show was a waste of time.

Ryback beat David Otunga in another squash match. And much like the previous one you wouldn't miss much by skipping it. Afterwards the victor warned Henry that their paths will cross again after the 'World's Strongest Man' attacked Ryback on last week's SmackDown. Mark Henry then came out but was soon halted by Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero, who announced that Ryback would no longer be facing The Shield at 'Mania, but Henry instead. 

Fandango made his full entrance this week, but made a quick getaway after Natalya failed to pronounce his name properly. I'm quite liking the persona myself, he certainly stands out.

R-Truth won via count out versus Damien Sandow in a largely average and forgettable outing. There were a few nice moments here and there and it wasn't bad by any means, but it just failed to ever create some real excitement.

The Undertaker warned CM Punk that after what he did last week involving Paul Bearer's urn and the disrespect shown, he's going to "hurt you bad." He also demanded the urn be returned back. CM Punk then appeared on the big screen, mocking Bearer and claiming that while 'Taker is the best at WrestleMania, he's the best all year round and is the only one that can carry the burden of ending the 20-0 streak.

All the while Punk was also throwing around Bearer's urn, dropping it at one point. I haven't minded this feud so far, but I'm not blown away by it. It certainly hasn't lived up to the build ups between Taker and Triple H and Michaels over the last few years.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) bested Epico and Primo in a decent enough tag bout. All four men provided fine displays, with only a bit of a botched chokeslam at the end looking sloppy. During the match AJ Lee ran out and skipped around the ring, but this failed to distract the tag champions enough as they still gained the win. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Cody Rhodes in a solid contest, and top match of the night. It contained well executed back and fourth action, with worthy efforts from both men. Del Rio really is on great form this year. Afterwards Jack Swagger began attacking Del Rio from behind, with the World Champion briefly making a comeback until Zeb Colter caught his attention, which allowed Swagger to once again take out his 'Mania opponent. Swagger also damaged the ankle of Ricardo Rodriguez after being instructed by Colter to do so. It was a decent segment.

Booker T was announced as the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2013. I have absolutely no quarrels at all with him being inducted, he more than deserves it, but I feel he could've gotten a fairer spot in a not so busy year of high class inductees.

Randy Orton and Sheamus toppled 3MB (Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre) in a fun enough tag match. Not the greatest bout you'll witness but it had some entertaining moments, and there's no doubting the crowds support for the team of Orton and Sheamus. Afterwards The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) made their way to the ring, but soon backed up and left after Big Show came out and joined Orton and Sheamus. Show pointed towards the WrestleMania sign as a clear hint that he should be a part of their unit on the big stage before leaving.

Dolph Ziggler pinned Kofi Kingston in a fair bout. These two always deliver stellar displays against each other but unfortunately I feel like I've seen their encounters a hundred times now, and after a while you can't help but start to find them unmemorable and a bit dull to be honest. Nothing against either wrestler of course. 

Afterwards Team Hell No challenged Ziggler and Big E Langston to a tag match, so AJ accepted on their behalf, but only if the tag team titles were on the line and it took place at WrestleMania, which they agreed to. Should be a decent match.

Wade Barrett (c) bested The Miz and Chris Jericho to retain the Intercontinental Title in a Triple Threat match. The contest was entertaining for the majority, with nice sequences and plenty of effective near falls. Jericho was definitely the top performer here, with the fans firmly behind him. Barrett grabbed the win by applying a schoolboy for the one-two-three after Miz had flattened Y2J with a Skull Crushing Finale.

Paul Heyman, along with his own security, joined Triple H in the ring and once again reiterated that he won't reveal the stipulation of his match with Brock Lesnar until after 'The Game' had signed the contract. After Heyman had winded Triple H up, including bring Stephanie into things, he had enough and took out the three security guards, then began beating down and slapping around Lesnar's manager.

After the 'Cerebral Assassin' had signed the contract, Brock Lesnar himself appeared and circled the ring, but decided after some convincing from Heyman to leave things for now and walked back down the ramp. Heyman then officially announced that at WrestleMania it will be a No Holds Barred match between the two, with Triple H's career on the line. It was a strong end to the show, and felt like a WrestleMania build up.

Overall it was a largely pedestrian show, with a few solid matches and promos that managed to save it a bit. The highlights were Triple Threat for the IC Title, Del Rio versus Rhodes and the final segment. Other than that it was pretty unmemorable, but at least they made a few matches official for the grand stage. 

My WWE SmackDown, 15th March 2013 Recap

Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) in a solid tag bout to open the show. Each man gave a worthy effort and provided an enjoyable outing. Afterwards The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) claimed that after taking out The Rock and Cena in the past, it was a travesty that they weren't even included on the card for WrestleMania XXIX, so they challenged Orton and Sheamus to a six-man tag match on the grand stage, which they accepted.

Backstage Big Show asked Sheamus and Orton to be the third man in their team for 'Mania, but they revealed that they'd already asked Ryback instead.

Kaitlyn and Layla bested Aksana and Tamina in an average tag contest. As usual with the current Divas division it all just felt very pedestrian and very similar to what we see each week from the female performers. 

Backstage the Bella Twins took out Naomi and Cameron as a way of introducing themselves after putting down the way they act and dress. I presume this will lead to a tag match no one really wants.

Dolph Ziggler pinned Kane in a decent outing. Nothing exceptional but stellar enough wrestling from both men, as you'd expect. Towards the end Daniel Bryan and Big E Langston began tangling outside the ring, causing Kane to be distracted and Ziggler to capitalise for the win. Big E then helped deal further damage to Kane afterwards. Could this be leading to a tag team title match at 'Mania involving these four? It would make sense, but I'd rather Dolph didn't end up back in a team.

Fandango mocked The Great Khali's dancing ability, then once again refused to compete due to his name being announced to a sub-par standard for him.

During an interview backstage The Shield took out Orton and Sheamus, chucking the Irishman through a table and 'The Viper' into a wall. A frantic Booker T told the concerned Ryback to just go ahead with his match with Mark Henry. But as their match begun, The Shield made their way out and began briefly attacking Ryback until he removed them from the ring.

This was short-lived however as the trio made a comeback and took out Ryback with a triple powerbomb. After they left Henry then crept back into the ring and applied multiple World Strongest Slams.

Jack Swagger pinned Chris Jericho in a largely solid affair. Again much like the Kane Ziggler bout this was an enjoyable watch, but it wasn't anything outstanding or that special. Swagger managed to apply a gutwrench powerbomb to Y2J for the one-two-three after he'd collided with the ropes head first.

Overall it was a fair SmackDown, with the opening tag match, Ziggler versus Kane and main event upping the quality and providing some matches worth a look at. We also finally had The Shield versus Orton, Sheamus and most likely Big Show set up officially for WrestleMania, with a healthy amount of time to build it up some more. Unfortunately the rest of show was either quite pedestrian or just average and unmemorable. 

My WWE Elimination Chamber 2013 Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

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

These two put on a stronger match up than I was expecting last month so I'm hoping for good things here, I'm sure it'll be a decent title bout. I can't see past Cesaro retaining, and I think that's the best way to go.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro

Divas Championship Match - Kaitlyn (c) versus Tamina Snuka:

As usual I'm not going into a Divas Title match with particularly high hopes, although Tamina is usually pretty competent in the ring so this could be a fair encounter. It's pretty fifty-fifty but I'm going with Kaitlyn to retain.

Winner: Kaitlyn

6-Man Tag Team Match - John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus versus The Shield (Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose):

I'm personally quite looking forward to this one actually, after The Shield's superb debut in the TLC match and playing to Cena and Ryback's strengths by having them enter in short bursts I think this could all add up to a solid tag outing, plus Sheamus who had a great 2012 in my opinion. With Cena heading to 'Mania in a much likely rematch with Rocky I can't see him and his team loosing here.

Winners: John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus

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

After two gripping title clashes I'm very much looking forward to their their third and final encounter tonight. Both men have been on good form as of late and I've been enjoying their feud, even if it has lost a little steam. Del Rio to most likely retain here and go onto into a Triple Threat at 'Mania against Dolph Ziggler and Orton (you heard it here first! Or if not just pretend you did) after 'The Show Off' cashes in. 

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contenders Elimination Chamber Match - Chris Jericho VS Kane VS Randy Orton VS Daniel Bryan VS Mark Henry VS Jack Swagger:

With a nice lineup this should be a fun Chamber match, with Bryan and Jericho as my two predictions for standout performers, especially Y2J on recent form. While not a massive Henry fan I think he'll be an entertaining factor here, with everyone else most likely ganging up at some point to eliminate him. I'll also be intrigued to see how well Swagger does, hopefully he'll be allowed to look quite dominant, I'm really liking his intriguing new partnership with Zeb Colter. 

I also expect this to be the big stepping stone leading into Bryan versus Kane at WrestleMania, with Bryan eliminating Kane with a quick roll up pin or something similar I reckon. But the last man I'll mention is Orton, who I see as the final man standing. I can understand people thinking Henry will win here, and I wouldn't be surprised at that, but I'm sticking with my gut and going for 'The Viper'. 

Winner: Randy Orton

WWE Championship Match - The Rock (c) versus CM Punk:

After reading a fair bit of feedback from fans on Punk and Rock's match from the Royal Rumble (as depressing as it can get) a lot of them were not that impressed, but I quite liked it myself (call me an optimist), so I'm actually looking forward to their rematch.

I reckon it'll be an improvement on their last effort and a far more interesting watch than people are expecting, I'm sure we'll get an intriguing story from it with decent action to boot. Unfortunately the only downfall (and largest complaint from the Royal Rumble) is that the outcome almost seems just too predictable, with 'The People's Champ' riding out still the champion and going on to loose to Cena at WrestleMania. So that's my prediction.

Winner: The Rock

Overall I think it should be a largely enjoyable card, much like the Rumble last month. So I hope you all enjoy it (you all won't, there are always those few, or many rather) and that it's a good show, with a few surprises perhaps? Na maybe not, and I'll see you all back here tomorrow for my recap!