Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another edition of Around The Ring. I know, finally right? I have found that I always have something to say, but it's just finding the time to jot it all down or even get the gumption to start. Once I start, though, it just flows and here we are.

Firstly, I will start with the top 10 winners of the last Brainbuster. Remember, I only list the first 10 people that gave the correct answer, so if you don't see your name listed here, then you were not one of the first 10 to get it correct.

Mike aka ArminLegg, Jimmy D, Greg Kaufman, Brian Butler, Wayne Kjelsrud, Richard A. Nieth, CapDutch, Dennis Hammack, Michael Carman, Stephen.

Congrats to those above and to ALL of you that got it right.

My best friend, Lars Tennyson, attended WrestleMania this past Sunday and wrote up an article on it. You can catch his review on my website:

http://www.aroundthering.com and on the main page, scroll down to the Guest Columns and there it will be!! Its a good read.

Also, don't forget to stop by and take the Around The Ring Poll which is on the main page. I do my best to change it up as often as possible.

With all that being said, there is a lot to talk about so lets get to the meat and potatoes.

This last Sunday was WrestleMania. It's hard to believe a week has almost gone by. Those of you that subscribe to my article, know I sent out my predictions...and I didn't so hot. I did get the surprise of the night correct...CM Punk winning the Money In The Bank Ladder match. I think I had one or two other right but overall I didn't do so well. I didn't order the PPV as $55 is a little out of my budget this month but I did receive a copy of it to watch. I haven't watched it all yet, but I did watch the matches that were recommended.

The first match I went to was the Ric Flair vs HBK match.

I found this to be the classic and emotional match of the whole show. Flair put on probably one of the most stellar performances of his career and while I am not a huge HBK mark, I really have to give him a lot of props for his performance. I honestly thought the match was going to be cut short when HBK moonsaulted through the announce table and cracked his sternum on the edge. For sure, he knocked the wind out of himself. But the match itself I was truly impressed with, including the amazing standing vertical suplex which Flair held Shawn up for a good few seconds before falling back. I would give that match a solid 10 and say that you couldn't ask for a better retirement match. Flair said on Raw, something to the effect that he "lost to a great, great, great wrestler and a better man". Sorry Flair, but as far as I am concerned and I am sure a lot of others are concerned, you ARE the man...the better man. Space Mountain. The Limousine ridin, jet flying, kiss stealin, wheelin and dealin son of a gun!! I almost hate to see a 30 + year career end, especially with the likes of Ric Flair because there is only one Nature Boy Ric Flair...and we will never see another one ever again. As the saying goes...often imitated but never duplicated...no one will ever touch Ric Flair.

The second best match and a definite candidate for a Match Of The Year, was the Money In The Bank Ladder match. Shelton Benjamin, who I have liked in the past as I think he is one of the premiere pure athletes in the WWE. The bump he took going through that ladder outside the ring, I was amazed it broke. I think even Carlito was surprised by that with the look on his face.

Yo Yo Yo!! Pop a 40 and check yo rolies!! It's Cryme Tyme!! Brooklyn! Brooklyn! Brooklyn!! Can you guess who made their return at Raw Monday??? I have missed Cryme Tyme and I hope to see some new funny segments with them. Their debut videos were a riot to watch. Glad to see they are getting a second chance and I hope they make the most of it!! Good luck guys.

I was just reading that instead of Vengeance the WWE is advertising the June PPV as "Night Of Champions".
Interesting and I wonder if it will be a permanent thing or if it is just for the one time.

I am still watching TNA and absolutely loving it. I still find it very strange that WWE is allowing TNA news on their website. Plus you had Robbie McAllister shown on TNA television and then Kevin Nash backstage at WrestleMania. While Jim Ross says that Robbie was sent home for the incident, and that Kevin Nash was just visiting and is still "a part of the WWE Family" it makes me wonder if there is something deeper going on. I mean we found out some time later that WWE was funding ECW to help it to keep going. Is it so far fetched that WWE wouldn't do the same for TNA?? I still have to watch the last show(I have it on DVR) but I just hope they can sustain and keep going the way they are. It is truly an enjoyable alternative to WWE.

I read that Nattie Neidhart debuted on Smackdown this past week. I haven't had a chance to watch the whole show yet which is also on DVR. For those that don't know, Nattie is the daughter of former WWE Tag Team champ, Jim The Anvil Neidhart. It will be interesting to see how she does.

Oh before I forget...I have to give some serious props to Snoop Dogg at Mania for the incredible Clothesline he delivered to Santino. That was awesome compared to some celebrity clotheslines I have seen. I remember Karl Malone giving a clothesline and he basically ran up to his opponent and tapped them on the chest with his arm and expected them to fall down. There was no real follow through at all. Just glad to see at lease ONE celebrity knows how to give a proper clothesline.

So Andrew "Test" Martin was backstage at Mania. Wonder if there will be a meeting between Test and WWE for another chance. I don't know why, but I have always liked Test. Just wish he would have taken more advantage of opportunities.

And with that lets move on to:

***The Last Brainbuster***
(Be sure to send all answers and/or comments to ericknudsen@aroundthering.com. Remember to include your name.)

Q: What Polish strongman, who starred in the AWA, Puerto Rico and the IWA in the 1970's, was known to break bricks over his head? *Hint: He has since passed away*

A: The Mighty Igor

***This Weeks Brainbuster***
(Be sure to send all answers and/or comments to ericknudsen@aroundthering.com. Remember to include your name.)

Q: This wrestler, whose real name was Keith Franke, debuted in 1974. He had numerous runs as the East Coast's bad boy and had a very flamboyant character in the WWF towards the end of his career. He was also a tag team partner of another flamboyant wrestler. Who was he? Hint...he passed away in 1988.

Well that's it for me. Thank you for joining me for this edition of Around The Ring. I am Eric, that's my opinion and I am standing by it!!

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