http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/ Ring Posts is a Baltimore Sun blog about wrestling en Copyright 2010 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:37:00 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/raw_bret_hart_goes_off_shawn_michaels_walks_off.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/raw_bret_hart_goes_off_shawn_michaels_walks_off.html Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:37:00 -0500 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/edge_chris_jericho_shine_on_standout_smackdown.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/edge_chris_jericho_shine_on_standout_smackdown.html Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:57:05 -0500 After TNA Impact did the highest rating in company history for a Thursday episode last week, it took a step back this week. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/tna_impact_rating_drops.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/tna_impact_rating_drops.html Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:20:12 -0500 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/tna_impact_kevin_nash_gets_kicked_out_of_the_band.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/tna_impact_kevin_nash_gets_kicked_out_of_the_band.html Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:18:30 -0500 • 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/quick_hits_on_wwe_superstars_28.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/quick_hits_on_wwe_superstars_28.html Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:08:28 -0500 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/ecw_fate_of_show_revealed_john_cenabatista_footage_teased.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/ecw_fate_of_show_revealed_john_cenabatista_footage_teased.html Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:13:27 -0500 “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]]> http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/stacy_keibler_on_psych_tonight.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/stacy_keibler_on_psych_tonight.html Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:11:19 -0500 “Raw: WWE tries to get viewers 'psyched about Royal Rumble". Here is Barney's comment:]]> http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/comment_of_the_week_17.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/comment_of_the_week_17.html Comment of the week Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:32:08 -0500 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/raw_solid_show_ends_with_broken_hart.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/raw_solid_show_ends_with_broken_hart.html Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:11:25 -0500 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. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/former_nwa_world_champion_jack_brisco_dies.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/former_nwa_world_champion_jack_brisco_dies.html Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:15:27 -0500 I don’t think the “big surprise” of Edge showing up as a participant in the Royal Rumble match at Sunday night’s pay-per-view was really much of a surprise to most fans, but Edge winning the Rumble certainly was – at least for me. Edge – who had been out of action since suffering a torn Achilles tendon last July – drew No. 29 in the 30-man contest, and he immediately eliminated former tag team partner Chris Jericho, which is exactly what I and probably everyone else who expected an Edge appearance believed would happen. When it came down to Edge, John Cena and Batista as the final three, I turned to my wife and said it’s going to Cena who wins, or maybe Batista, but it definitely won’t be Edge. I should have heeded the old adage that it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/royal_rumble_thoughts_2.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/02/royal_rumble_thoughts_2.html Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:09:22 -0500 The road to WrestleMania XXVI officially begins with tonight’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, so with the event just hours away, I thought it would be fun put together a WrestleMania XXVI card based on what I think might happen at the Rumble. Actually, this is more what I’d like to see at WrestleMania; I don’t necessarily believe this is really how the card will end up. First, I’ll reiterate the predictions for the Rumble that I made this morning. I have John Cena winning the Rumble match, with Triple H and Shawn Michaels causing each other’s elimination; The Undertaker retaining the world heavyweight title against Rey Mysterio; and Randy Orton winning the WWE title from Sheamus. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/what_my_wrestlemania_xxvi_card_would_look_like.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/what_my_wrestlemania_xxvi_card_would_look_like.html Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:33:59 -0500 30-man Royal Rumble match: Judging by recent episodes of Raw and Smackdown, it looks as if the final four will be Batista, John Cena, Shawn Michaels and Triple H. I’m guessing Michaels and Triple H will end up causing each other’s elimination, leaving Batista and Cena. I’m going with Cena. ]]> http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/royal_rumble_preview_2.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/royal_rumble_preview_2.html Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:18:40 -0500 During an appearance on The Bubba The Love Sponge show Friday, neither Hulk Hogan nor Eric Bischoff would confirm The Wrestling Observer report from earlier in the week that TNA Impact will move permanently to Mondays beginning with a live show March 1. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/hulk_hogan_eric_bischoff_wont_confirm_tnas_permanent_move_to.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/hulk_hogan_eric_bischoff_wont_confirm_tnas_permanent_move_to.html Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:25:57 -0500 There was a lot to like about Friday night’s episode of Smackdown. It featured four strong matches – three of which were fresh matchups – involving top guys, as well as some good talking segments. More importantly, it did an excellent job of selling Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The highlight was the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Rey Mysterio, two superstars and top-notch workers who have rarely been in the ring together. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/smackdown_delivers_strong_gohome_show_for_royal_rumble.html http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/01/smackdown_delivers_strong_gohome_show_for_royal_rumble.html Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:21:47 -0500