This is the "face" that could make this Pay-Per-View.

This year’s One Night Stand, which has been preposterously renamed to “Extreme Rules,” seems to feature a bunch of matches with extra stipulations under the cover of an “Extreme” labeling (although nothing was worse than renaming John Cena’s “FU” to the “Attitude Adjustment”).

The matches include WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Batista in a steel cage, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho in a no holds barred match, World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Jeff Hardy in a ladder match, Miss Wrestlemania Santina Marella vs. Vickie Guererro in a hog pen match, John Cena vs. Big Show in a submission match, CM Punk vs. Umaga in a Samoan strap match, and ECW Champion Christian vs. Jack Swagger, vs. Tommy Dreamer in a triple threat hardcore rules match.

Of all these matches, only no holds barred and the hardcore triple threat are truly extreme. I think in honor of Tommy Dreamer the latter ought to be the main event of the night. I doubt it will be though. I also am not too happy with the send-off for Dreamer being a triple threat. Let the guy go toe-to-toe with one man for his final bout. If you want to create real drama, have it be against another good guy… Christian (like Ric Flair’s final match against Shawn Michaels).

If you want to get old ECW fans interested (because I doubt they’ll truly ever be won over), don’t cop out of going over the edge with a bunch of rare matchup stipulations being held under an old ECW card. Oh well.

For two years in a row he's Money In The Bank. But for two years in a row, him using it for a cheap title reign is old.

Looks like the Pepsi logo tattoo laden CM Punk, aka Money in the Punk, is so eager to live up to his name one more year by becoming champion like a punk. Last year, Punk capitalized on Batista’s beat down of Edge on the opening segment of an episode of Monday Night RAW the night after a Pay-Per-View which saw Edge cheat like a mother heffer just to beat him. At the time, World Heavyweight Champion Edge was “incapacitated.” Then out came the biggest Punk of all… CM Punk, cashing his Money In The Bank, administering a GTS, and scoring the pin fall to become one of the lightest Heavyweight Champions in recent WWE history. What a crock, and what a punk.

This past Friday on Smackdown, CM Punk was looking to cash in his briefcase again. The night’s matchup card already had Punk facing Edge in an exhibition contest in the main event. Punk then made a stipulation where if he won the match, he was going to instantly cash in his Money In The Bank, hit a GTS, and then pin that punk (not himself). However, shortly after CM Punk got Edge to go to sleep, Umaga came in and pummeled him before the referee cold ring the bell to start the match.

Here’s the thing. I don’t mind it too often when wrestlers slime their way into title opportunities and reigns. In fact, I think it’s quite hilarious. However, when the man being dubbed the Straight Edge Superstar keeps doing it, I just don’t see how it helps his reputation. CM Punk is a pretty big fan favorite, but when he keeps weaseling his way into titles like this, I feel his character loses respect. Because of this, I hope that when he finally does cash in his opportunity that he screws it up. I hope whoever he attempts to pin counters his GTS with their own finisher, and lays him out cold for a quick pin. And no matter what anyone thinks, that probably will happen eventually to one of the Money In The Bank winners just to keep things unpredictable. I just hope it happens to CM Punk.

Titles are going around like hot cakes baby!

In the last year the two main titles of the WWE, the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship have been changing hands quite frequently turning everyone into transitional champions. It’s almost maddening.

Last year on Smackdown the WWE title went back and forth between Edge, Triple H, and even Jeff Hardy had a brief stint as champion. And you know that would be ok if the other show (Monday Night RAW) had a little bit more of a consistent champion. But ever since Chris Jericho yanked the World Heavyweight Championship off Batista, who only held the title for a week, even that title has been bounced around like a hot potato; First, Cena came back from injury and got the belt off of Jericho. He held it for a good two or three months, then lost it again to Edge in the Elimination Chamber. Then, about a month or so later, Cena wins it back off Edge at Wrestlemania 25 only to lose it again last Sunday at Backlash.

Although a lot of these title changes have made for some interesting Pay-Per Views, one key question (at least to me) is raised. What is the point of Wrestlemania? Wrestlemania is supposed to be “the grandest stage” as the WWE likes to put it. But if you have two competitors, Cena and Triple H, winning and defending their titles respectively on the “grandest stage, only to lose the titles a month later to the same guys they faced at Wrestlemania… then what is the point? I would think of the Mecca of all WWE Pay-Per Views to be the end-all-be-all. However, when Cena wins the title and the WWE makes a big deal of how he took out the Big Show and Edge at the same time then loses 30 days later, and the Triple H and Orton feud is not resolved at the final showdown of the WWE season, then it’s almost like winning at Wrestlemania has no finality to it.

And perhaps that’s not what it is meant to be. But if this keeps up, at least in my mind, it makes Wrestlemania look like just another WWE Pay-Per View.

Time to "duke it up" one more time... Cena and Edge style!

I’m sorry to say this and I feel many non-kid diehard fans may disagree, but this Last Man Standing bout between John Cena and Edge is a blockbuster. I don’t care what anyone says though because back when the first time these two feuded, the matches were often times strenuous and brutal, and with a last man standing stipulation, should be the same.

I even remember the time after the first feud ended when the two would randomly match up. It was almost a treat to see because of the history of their story. And the great thing about it was that the choreography exuded this by inserting a lot of grappling and mat wrestling maneuvers into the fights.

Now the two will duke it out to see who is the last man standing and the intrigue for this match is just the same as always; Cena dealing with that pesky opportunist, Edge. It will be interesting to see how things play out afterward if the expected (Cena winning) actually happens. What will Vickie Guererro do to keep her “loved one” in contention for the World Heavyweight Championship? And are Cena and Edge going to create a part two to their feud?

Can’t wait to find out.

Wrestlemania was more like "Wrestle-shittyia."

I have to say that after spending $54.99 or whatever it was on Wrestlemania that I was not too impressed. None of the matches seemed to have much luster, and some seemed to end a bit quickly as well. All in all, just like the last few years have been, it was a little disappointing at times.

One match that really seems to have lost its edge is the Money In The Bank Ladder Match. I think watching seven guys try to get a brief case at the top of ladder in the middle of the ring gets old after a while, even if it only happens once a year. However, it is especially repetitive when once again there are a handful of contestants who we absolutely know will not win the match.

Another match that left a sour taste in my mouth was the match between the two Hardy’s. First of all, I was not completely enthralled by the storyline leading into the matchup. I feel that it was too sudden and too forced upon us viewers. That alone just made the match unadmirable, and with Matt Hardy winning it did not offer any closure to the brotherly-hate saga like an event of Wrestlemania’s caliber should.

But the biggest let down of all was the second main event which was for the WWE Title, and also respect, between Triple H and Randy Orton. Now I’ll give the match some credit because H and Orton did show their “dislike” for one-another by punching the crap out of each other when one man had the other down and nearly getting disqualified each time, but because of its length, and unpunctual ending, I have to give that one a thumb down.

I wonder what everyone else thinks.

This year’s Wrestlemania is somewhat classic. There are no big promotional gimmicks like Billionaire vs. Billionaire or boxer vs. wrestler. Most of the matches are straight forward, with no wild stipulations and the WWE is going to rely solely on its own people to put on a show. I think it’s a good idea. With that being said, here are my predictions.

Chris Jericho vs. Rowdy “Roddy Piper,” Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat in an elimination match

I bet Jericho eliminates all three, but then the four of them and Ric Flair will beat on Jericho at the end. Jericho wins, but still gets his.

25 Diva Battle Royal

I’m really not looking too hard into this, and just found out it was a match when I prepared to write this article today. I’ll just throw out Michelle McCool’s name.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match

I’m still sticking by my statement that part of drawing Christian back to the WWE was a contractual guarantee that he has a title reign in his first year back. Christian wins.

Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker

The Phenom is not about to lose his perfect 16-0 streak at Wrestlemania in a match that means nothing. Shawn Michaels rests in peace.

WWE Tag Team Champions Miz and Morrison vs. World Tag Team Champions Carlito and Primo

The Miz and Morrison have been holding onto their titles for too long. The two Puerto Ricans will win.

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy in an Extreme Rules Match

This is a tough one. But, I guess the gut has to go with Jeff Hardy.

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Title

Looks like Rey Mysterio should be the next Intercontinental title holder if the WWE wants to shake things up on RAW.

Edge vs. Big Show vs. John Cena for World Heavyweight Championship

Cena has to win. Edge and Big Show are involved in that disgusting love triangle, and John Cena needs to be a champion.

Triple H vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship

I have to call one upset. And I feel Orton winning is a bit of an upset. I think the WWE really wants to shock us.

Let’s start with the Champion. Edge has been dubbed the Ultimate Opportunist. I don’t care what anybody says. That jerk can wrestle! How many times did he pull of a sweet counter against the Undertaker in last year’s Wrestlemania match? It had to be about eight times. Plus his spear, although a very common move, is still a devastating one and almost always looks awesome whenever he hits it.

Don't count out this crazy broad to get in the "middle" of things either.

The Big Show is also a good crowd pleaser. He’s a big, tough, brutal, and bald man. He’s got the choke slam, and when you can lift anyone as high as he can, those always look thunderous. Now he’s added the “right hand” which is nothing more than a right jab/hook which is acted out by the receivers to look like the hardest punch since any of Mike Tyson’s.

Finally, there’s John Cena. His in-ring ability has always been the subject of criticism. His only true body slamming ability is the one side slam he tends to deliver in every match right after his two straight shoulder lunges. Even though his repertoire could use more moves, he will still be in the ring with two hard-nosed heel characters. And really, he has always had the ability to look like he is putting forth a hard-earned effort whenever he is in the ring, which is how I think he makes up for his wrestling ability.

I think this is the one match that should not be overlooked by the “WWE Universe,” as I’m sure it won’t. It probably won’t be the last of the two main events, as I’m sure with the way things are unfolding, that slot will be left for Triple H and Randy Orton for the WWE championship.

Last night on RAW, the bookers put the final stamping on the battle for Smackdown’s title, and added John Cena to the match (as if that wasn’t inevitable). The WWE’s attempt to convince us that Cena had a good reason to be added by Vickie Guererro was quite comical. “Apparently” Cena exposed a steamy love affair between the Big Show and Guerrero, but before doing so, he used it as black mail to be entered into the match. I guess that shows the bratty side of Cena’s character: blackmail the acting General Manager into placing you in a high-profile bout, wait until it’s official, then expose your bargaining chip anyway. Even though this plotline is intriguing (yet unoriginal even for the WWE’s standards), I feel many fans may agree that they are being short-changed by this turn out.

I think for the most part, everyone knows that Wrestlemania this year would not have been the same thing without mister Cena headlining. However, the storyline is not juicy enough for a Wrestlemania. The outcome is painfully obvious with that being Cena coming out victorious. But even with its apparent conclusion, things are not what they seem.

At the previous Pay-Per View, No Way Out, Cena looked flat out like a scrub. When he was released from his chamber, he showed off a few of his moves in one volley of positive momentum as if he had been down-graded to an up-and-coming superstar, and then received three straight finishers; a Code Breaker from Chris Jericho, a 619 from Rey Mysterio, and finally a spear from Edge who pinned him right after. So, it’s not as if Cena had been cheated when he lost his title. He lost it fair and square, and Edge’s last minute entry into that Elimination Chamber doesn’t have anything to do with that. And that’s fine. I like a little twist every now and then, and I don’t think I would be alone in saying that no one expected Cena to get bounced from a match so quickly, especially being the one defending the title.

However, if the WWE is trying to make it look like Cena deserved to be in that spot I just do not see it. This storyline is nothing more than a big dumb brute (Big Show), a spoiled brat (Edge), and a knucklehead punk (Cena) all claiming they deserve the title, with neither having some kind of destiny-filled storyline befitting a Wrestlemania. They’re just three little kids in the schoolyard bickering about who is the best and who ought to be starting quarterback.

Overall I feel the decision for the match being a Triple Threat just goes to show the lack of star power that the WWE has right now when most of the same people who head-lined last year’s event are doing it all over again this time around.

WWE's John Cena

Last night on Monday Night RAW, Vickie Guerrero finally honored Cena’s contractual obligations by giving him his rematch against Edge. However, Edge did what he’s always done, what he’s done since he got to Smackdown, and what he did in his first feud with Cena… cheat.

I’m all for cheating in the WWE. It’s kniving, clever, and keeps stories interesting. You can’t wait until that guy finally gets caught, or he defends his title with stipulations where the title changes hands on disqualifications. And a lot of the time I even like seeing a guy get screwed over by some cheating too. But this time it was too obvious and so unoriginal it was a slap in the face to the so-called WWE Universe.

Edge didn’t cheat in any special way. He did what many champion cheaters do and that’s use their belt as a weapon. It just puzzles me. Why would the WWE restart a feud that lasted quite a long time already the first time around, and rehash the same tricks as the last time?

Now the bookers are trying to fool us by having Vickie Guerrero, acting RAW General manager, name Big Show as number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. That’s crap. Nobody is going to believe that outside of the little kids who still think it’s real. If this Wrestlemania matchup does not get altered somehow by the time it goes live, I will be astounded. And if it actually does end up being the Big Show and Edge, I will be forced to predict something unprecedented to happen.

For now though, my prediction will be that Cena somehow will qualify for the match and it will be a Triple Threat. We’ll see though.

How about this unpredictable No Way Out Pay-Per View? Both the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championships changed hands in the elimination chambers, thoroughly setting up an intriguing card for Wrestlemania.

Now that the Game is back in the main event of Wrestlemania, who can the WWE put him in the ring with to actually make things interesting. Triple H is great, and necessary for the WWE to succeed, but he’s getting old as a Wrestlemania main eventer. But even then, with all of the sporadic title changes going on, who even knows if he’ll be headlining it.

As for Edge, what the heck man? Why does he get to have the RAW title? That makes no sense. I mean, it’s kind of interesting, but sometimes the WWE likes to bend the rules of their own game too often. I can’t even begin to think who he should be facing at Wrestlemania.

I doubt it would be Orton, even though a heel vs. heel match would be interesting. Orton would most likely wrestle Triple H of course due to their Evolution background. But that wouldn’t be too entertaining. Those times were way too long ago.

Whatever the WWE decides to do for the big show this year, I say it will either be highly disappointing or greatly unprecedented.