Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels have not wrestled on the same WrestleMania card since they had their classic Iron Man Match at WrestleMania XII in 1996. Who would have believed that in 2010 “The Hitman” and “The Heartbreak Kid” would once again be the focal points at WrestleMania?

It was evident watching Raw Monday night that the most compelling programs for WrestleMania XXVI are Hart vs. McMahon, and Michaels vs. an opponent to be determined.

Continue reading "Raw: Bret Hart goes off; Shawn Michaels walks off" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (37)
        

If Edge and Chris Jericho end up facing each other at WrestleMania XXVI – and I’m pretty sure they will – the road to WrestleMania is going to be a fun ride. The two superstars opened Friday night’s episode of Smackdown with an effective verbal confrontation and closed it with another one, whetting the fans’ appetites for a match between them on the grand stage that seems inevitable.

Jericho was gold on the mic as always, and Edge did a nice job of playing the babyface role without losing the “edge” that made him such a great heel. It’s too bad Edge got injured shortly after he and Jericho were put together as a tag team last summer and we never got to see their story line play out as it was originally intended.

Continue reading "Edge, Chris Jericho shine on standout Smackdown" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

After TNA Impact did the highest rating in company history for a Thursday episode last week, it took a step back this week.

Continue reading "TNA Impact rating drops" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)
        

In the climax to Thursday night’s TNA Impact, Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac attacked “bandmate” Kevin Nash after Nash’s hardcore match against Mick Foley, a development that no one could have seen coming. Well, actually, everyone saw it coming, especially since the title of the episode was “Breaking of the Band.”

And here I thought Nash was supposed to be the smartest man in wrestling. Doesn’t he know that TNA 2010 is basically WCW 1998? Hall turned on Nash back then, too.

Continue reading "TNA Impact: Kevin Nash gets kicked out of The Band" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (37)
        

• Evan Bourne and Carlito had a very good match – which Bourne won with the Shooting Star Press – to highlight Thursday night’s episode of WWE Superstars. It was a welcome change of pace to see these two in a match in which both of them had a chance to win rather than playing their usual roles of jobbers to the stars. Bourne is always fun to watch, and the inconsistent Carlito stepped it up in this match.

Continue reading "Quick hits on WWE Superstars" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Tuesday night’s episode of ECW was a newsworthy one. First and foremost, WWE chairman Vince McMahon announced that the ECW brand was going away, which wasn’t a very well-kept secret. He said the show is going off the air in three weeks and a new WWE program will take over the time slot. He didn’t provide any specifics, only saying that the show will be “the next evolution of television history.” At least he’s not over-hyping it.

Continue reading "ECW: Fate of show revealed; John Cena-Batista footage teased" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
        

Baltimore native and former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler returns to the USA Network – but not for an appearance on Raw. She is guest starring in an episode of “Psych” at 10 p.m.

“My character is into extreme sports, so I’m white-water rafting and rock climbing," Keibler told me in an interview in November.

The episode is titled “Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers.” Sounds interesting, but I’m guessing it has nothing to do with Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Road Warrior Hawk and Kensuke Sasaki (some of you will get that).

Getty Images photo

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The featured Ring Posts comment for the week of Jan. 25-31 comes from Barney, who responded to the entry “Raw: WWE tries to get viewers 'psyched about Royal Rumble".

Here is Barney's comment:

Continue reading "Comment of the Week" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 9:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Comment of the week
        

There’s no question about who screwed Bret this time. It was Vince McMahon ... and Batista.

A compelling closing segment featuring a confrontation between Bret Hart and McMahon – with a surprise appearance by Batista – highlighted a very good episode of Raw Monday night.

Continue reading "Raw: Solid show ends with broken Hart" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (53)
        

Jack Brisco, one of pro wrestling's top stars in the 1970s, died today due to complications from open heart surgery, according to multiple reports. He was 68.

Brisco had undergone the surgery a few weeks ago, and a little over a week ago he collapsed while undergoing rehab and was in rough shape, according to wrestlingobserver.com. There are no further details at this point.

Continue reading "Former NWA world champion Jack Brisco dies" »

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (25)