Welcome to another edition of Around The Ring. I am as surprised as you are to have a column out so soon. Usually I don't find much to write about, but I think I have enough to create a new column this week. So with that being said, lets get to the winners of the last Brainbuster...and remember...I only list the first 10 people that emailed me with the correct answer. This weeks Brainbuster was a little easier than I guessed, but here are the first 10:

Joe Pereira, Brian "Doggcoolers", Newton Hyde, Jimmy D, Jim McMillen, Gregory Kaufman, Mike "ArminLegg", Karl Wardlaw, Stacy Small, Tony Scipio.

Congrats to all above and to all of you that got it correct. Next time...it will be harder!!

Don't forget to stop by my site for the latest poll at http://www.aroundthering.com

Hope you checked out the article by Lars Tennyson. Email me with some feedback at the above email address. Let me know what you think!!

Now on to the meat and potatoes...

Vince McMahon has struck again. Is it such a surprise? To the true wrestling fan, it's not. It's just another in a long line of issues that I have with WWE. What I am referring to is...the new voice of ECW...Mike Adamle. How do you take the seasoned veteran that Joey Styles is and replace him with a guy who has been in the business for only a few months?? And did they not sit this guy down in the Stamford studios to study the tapes and do mock match callings before they put him on the air?? Obviously not. This is just another way for Vince to take out his frustrations on something else he did not create. Makes me wonder...the ratings for ECW were not that great before...but with Adamle, can they get any better?? I highly doubt it.

If you didn't get a chance to read it, check out the stuff Paul Heyman said about Adamle and WWE/ECW. Check out the link below http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1060395.ece I really have to agree with Heyman who said it all!! I mean really...who can scream "OH MY GAWD!!!" better than Joey Styles??

Ok...so...Smackdown two weeks ago and I am sitting there watching...hoping it will get better as I always do, and what do I see?? Edge and Vickie Guerrero at a spa getting the full treatment. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or vomit. I was just so ticked off. What in the name of all that is good does that have to do with wrestling?? I mean maybe if Taker came in and beat the holy hell out of Edge that would have been something. But this series of segments was so ridiculous. I just don't get it.

I remember a time when segments had to actually do with wrestling. Things that FUELED the rivalries. Or things that had to do with showing off the character. Does anyone remember Ken Petera holding a van back with his legs? For those who don't know who Ken Patera is, he was a weight lifter who, in order to show how strong his character was, leaned back against a wall, Vince got in a van and Patera put his feet on the bumper of the van and Vince floored the pedal and Patera held the van back. Don't try that at home kids...leave it to the pros.

Or there is another time I remember video of a wrestler getting out of his car in front of his home and suddenly out of nowhere, two of his rivals jumped him and beat the holy hell out of him. I do believe it ended with the one beaten wrestler getting his head slammed in his own car door. But do you see what I am getting at? At least it had something to do with wrestling and with a particular angle. What in the world does a spa treatment have anything to do with anything???

Vladimir Kozlov. As The Rock might say..."Who...in the blue hell...are you?? Why are they even wasting their time with this guy?! I can honestly say I haven't been impressed with Vladimir thus far and find him to be a bit of a bore. Usually when his matches come on, I hit the fast forward on my DVR and skip it all together.

Since when has King Of The Ring been demoted to Raw?? This seems to be a sad attempt by WWE to try and boost their ratings. What they were thinking, I don't know. It almost reminded me when WCW used to have The Great American Bash on TBS or TNT.

I was surprised to see Taker vs Festus a few weeks ago. It was a half way decent match and it seems Festus gave Taker a bit of a run for his money. Go Festus.

Don't forget...if you get ESPN Classics, and you have Tivo, DVR or a VCR...stay up or tape AWA. It comes on at 1am EST and it is worth it to see where some of the guys we still watch came from. Shawn Michaels back when he was still with the Rockers. Scott Hall when he was actually jacked!! DDP, Taker and so on. It is so crazy to see some of these guys...and where they have ended up!!

Wow...what can I say about TNA?? I am really enjoying their programs and glad to see they spend more time wrestling than their back stage shenanigans. And the matches have been really decent quality. I can't believe some of the gimmicks they have which really crack me up. You have Shark Boy who has really come a long way and taken over the gimmick of a certain Texas Rattlesnake. Then there is Jay Lethal who has the Macho Man character down pat. It is truly amazing. Even the fact that Sting is back hasn't bothered me at all. He fits right in with TNA.

I am glad to see they are finally allowing Matt Morgan to start wrestling and showcasing his in ring abilities. The guy is a monster and should be out there. I am keeping my eye on Petey Williams who has really focused on his physique and looks phenomenal. Not to mention his finisher the Canadian Destroyer. I am sure he picked up that beauty of a move in Japan, but it is amazing. They have such a good group of wrestling talent right now, I just hope that one day they can truly make some competition for WWE. That's the biggest problem with wrestling right now...no competition. So we are stuck with whatever we can get or we just stop watching.

Before I close, I just want to give my quick predications for the WWE PPV tomorrow...Backlash. These are the matches that have been promoted thus far.

12 Diva Tag Team Match

Pure eye candy and to get the male end of the crowd pumped. I think it will come down to Mickie James and Beth Phoenix...with Mickie James getting the dupe to solidify her championship reign.

Winners:
Mickie James, Ashley, Maria, Michelle McCool, Cherry and Kelly Kelly.


WWE United States Championship

MVP vs Matt Hardy. This should be a decent match and I would like to see more of these two wrestling. I think they work quite well together. The way I see it is Matt Hardy coming away with the win and the title.

Winner and NEW US Champ: Matt Hardy


Big Show vs Khali

Ok...this is probably the match you can take a bathroom break or get another beer or whatever. Even a nap. WWE doesn't seem to get it that these kind of matches with the "giants" doesn't go over with the crowd because they just don't have the athleticism. Even back when with Big John Studd and Andre...I love those guys...but their matches were such a slow and lumbering pace. I see Big Show winning which would make sense since Khali is going home for a month.

Winner: Big Show


Shawn Michaels vs Batista - Special Ref: Y2J

I don't expect much from this match. I don't even know how you could dress this match up. I have to wonder if WWE see the same thing and that's why they added Jericho as a ref. I could see Jericho getting involved somehow and this match ends in mayhem.

Winner: No Contest


ECW Championship

Kane vs Chavo with Chavo's new body guard. I don't see Chavo winning here.

Winner and STILL ECW Champion: Kane


World Heavyweight Championship

Undertaker vs Edge. This match will probably see a lot including Edge's goons interfering, but in the end, the Dead Man will prevail.

Winner and STILL World Champion: The Undertaker


WWE Championship - Fatal Four Way

Orton vs HHH vs Cena vs JBL. This match could be something, and then again it could be the stinker of the night!! You just never know. What I do see is the end of the reign of Orton...but who will be the new champ?? My prediction is Triple H.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: Triple H.

With that being said, its now time for:

***The Last Brainbuster***

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.

A: Adrian Adonis

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

Q: This woman was known as the "Apache Indian Beauty" in the 1960's. Who was she better known as?

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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