Well its been awhile and I guess I am about due for a new article. My best friend Lars said I need to be writing more frequently...giving myself a "push" so to speak and getting my name out there more and more. It's hard though when WWE or TNA don't always give me a lot to work with. Well, after I read Jake The Snake Roberts blog about Raw, and some of the comments he received back, the juices started flowing...the muscles started pumping and I jumped out of my chair and began "Hulking Up". Ok...so none of that last sentence took place, but it sounded good, right??

Before I go on my usual rant, I have a few things to get out of way. Firstly, I am slowly working on my Brainbuster trivia page. Not sure WHEN it will debut, but just keep your eyes and ears open, and it will be there eventually.

Wow...I seemed to have stumped you all with the help of my friend Rebel with the last Brainbuster. Nobody got it right.

There is going to be a "Legends Of The Ring VII" event on Saturday October 11, 2008 from 9am to 5pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Monroe New Jersey! It is the first annual Ring Roasts of The Iron Sheik! For more information, check out the site at: http://www.ironriverfilms.com/lotr.html

If I can get the money saved, I plan to go with my friend Jeannie and her friend. Thanks for that hook up Jeannie!!

Still looking for guest columnists. If you would like to get your article published on my site, go to: http://www.aroundthering.com and on the main page there is a link to sign up.

On Thursday nights, we will be holding a chat for TNA wrestling and fans. You can find it at http://chat.aroundthering.com . You will need to join up first. Please obey the rules. The first time you try to log in you may have an issue, but just reload the http://chat.aroundthering.com page and it should be fine.

I think that about covers it, so now on to the meat and potatoes...

Well I see WWE is doing some closet cleaning and releasing some of their "Superstars". The first was Braden Walker known to TNA fans as Chris Harris. Rather sad as he was just getting on ECW TV and now he is out.
So we never got to see what he could do. Would be interesting if he could get rehired with TNA and maybe start a feud with his old partner, James Storm.

Big Daddy V was let go...any surprise there? For as big as he is, I was surprised he could move the way he did. He REALLY needs to lose some weight...just for general health reasons. James Curtis...don't recognize the name, but he was used in a jobbing role on ECW. Domino of Duece and Domino was let go...I gotta wonder what WWE is thinking. It seems like they start storylines and before they even get started, they just abandon the whole thing. Sad really. I am not sure the Domino vs Duece would have been a money drawing angle, but it might have been interesting. Shannon Moore was a bit of a surprise...and yet somehow, not. On the one hand, he was just getting underway in his tag team with Jimmy Wang Yang. That was decent as WWE is REALLY hurting for tag teams. But at the same time, Shannon seemed to be lacking something...not sure what. He should go back to TNA despite the way he left. I think he could be good there. Nick Patrick was a bit of a surprise...hope he heals up...I am sure TNA has a place for him.

So I am reading that Sid Vicious/Justice maybe returning to WWE. No disrespect to the big man, but what for? A wrestling role? A creative or backstage agent role?? Hopefully it will not be in a wrestling capacity. I still can't get the image of Sid breaking his leg out of my mind!!

Randy Orton...get well soon. Can't believe he broke his collarbone again. Hope this accident didn't scare you off riding bikes again.

In the can't catch a break file...Misterrrrrrrrrrr Kennedy! KENNEDY!!! I really feel for this guy. He was getting a push awhile ago and won the Money in the Bank match when he got injured. He finally makes it back and is on a roll again...and what happens?? He gets injured yet again. I just hope WWE doesn't use this as a reason to cut him. Get well soon Kennedy.

So going back a few weeks, WWE had Saturday Nights Main Event. It was for a great cause...Autism. But I gotta say...the matches were pretty lame. The opening match was decent...8 man tag with Cena, Batista and Cryme Tyme vs JBL, Kane and DiBiase and Rhodes. Nice opener. But then you give us a crap match like Khali vs Jimmy Wang Yang??? What is that BS?? We already KNOW Khali is huge and can dominate if he so chooses. It is just ridiculous. Didn't much care for the main event either. Not to say it wasn't a solid match, I just didn't feel it was a main event quality match.

Ok...who is the genius that put Adamle in as GM??? Mistake...BIG mistake. But then again...better than hearing this jabroni fumble on commentary week in and week out.

I am glad to see WWE broke up the circle of title holders. They brought in some young guys and are giving them a real chance. Hope they make the most of it. CM Punk getting the World Title is completely amazing. NEVER would have guessed that one. He needs some mic work but overall he is good. The crowd isn't crucifying him, but he isn't getting Cena or Jeff Hardy reaction yet. Hopefully in time that will come. I just don't like the fact that Punk is jobbing at times or his matches end in a DQ to set up another angle that doesn't involve him and is taking away from his push.

Also glad to see Kofi Kingston as IC champ. I don't know why, but I see something in Kofi. I hope he has a good run although I think he'd be better in TNA.

In the stupid angles list...Kane and the burlap sack. Mysterio's mask? What?? Doesn't make the slightest sense at all and completely ridiculous. Really...it should have been Kane's old mask and he needs to go back under the mask...he was a lot better then.

How does Kozlov still have a job???

Not a fan of Jeff Hardy but his match with Shelton Benjamin was very solid!! Shelton is probably one of the few that can go toe to toe with Hardy in aerial moves. Had a good setup with the match end by having MVP attack Hardy to setup their match for Summer Slam.

Why is Cherry STILL from the "Other Side Of The Tracks"?? Update on this...sorry to hear that Cherry was released from WWE just as she was getting a decent push. Rory and Robbie McAllister were let get go also which in my opinion was fine. They were pretty much dead weight and not being used regularly. It was a shame to here Stevie Richards was let go. Maybe, with any luck, he will pop up in TNA! Colin Delaney...seeing him get his a$$ beat like a government mule was getting dull.

I am glad to see WWE is starting to put a few prospects of tag teams together. Ryder and Hawkins are looking decent. Ted DiBiase Jr and Cody Rhodes. Cryme Tyme. Just a few more and they may actually have a good tag team roster!!

What can I say about TNA?? If you are not watching, then you are not a real wrestling fan. You need to stop drinking the WWE Kool-Aid and get to watching GREAT Total NonStop Action!! WWE is okay...they have decent talent, but if you want more than half an hour of actual wrestling and you want unpredictable matches and great angles, TNA is the place to be.

TNA did something very innovative a few weeks ago. I NEVER thought I'd see this. TNA ACTUALLY had a Woman's tag team main event!! WWE usually puts the women's matches in the dead spot around 10:30pm. But TNA took a chance and highlighted their Knockouts!! An impressive performance put on that ACTUALLY ended without one of the guys coming in to screw it up. They let the match finish and then went to Samoa Joe looking for Sting. To say the least, I am VERY impressed with TNA as a whole.

The only thing I can say is, I am sorry to hear that Team 3D may not be resigning with TNA. TNA better make them a great offer!!

Well to wrap this up and seeing as there is a PPV...Summer Slam this weekend, I will give my quick predictions...

As of right now, there are 7 matches...on WWE.com

Shawn Michaels announcement...he is coming back....

Winners Take All Match
Beth Phoenix/Santino Marella vs Kofi Kingston/Mickie James

I like where they are going with Beth Phoenix and Santino. That being said I see Santino and Phoenix winning...but will Santino be the Womens champ???

Winners: Santino Marella and Beth Phoenix

MVP vs Jeff Hardy

This will be a real highlight of the night. In the end though I see Jeff coming away with the win to get the crowd going.

Winner: Jeff Hardy

John Cena vs Batista

Kind of surprised this one is so low on the card. This should be an interesting match. Can you really let one guy win on this? This is a tough one to call but I am going to say that this match will end in a double DQ or Count Out.

Winner: No Contest

ECW Championship
Mark Henry vs Matt Hardy

not sure what Hardy can do in this case. I know he will give it all he has got, but brute strength will reign supreme.

Winner and Still ECW Champion: Mark Henry

World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk vs. JBL

I think it would take so much away from CM Punk to lose the title so early in his reign. And beating JBL would add, I hate to say, a real win under his belt. so I am going with Punk on this one.

Winner and Still World Champion: CM Punk

WWE Championship
Triple H vs The Great Khali

I am gonna go out on a limb here and say that Khali will win the title. I will probably kick myself for going out on this limb, but I think if WWE REALLY wants to shake things up, give the belt to Khali. Then that gives HHH something to work for again.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: The Great Khali

Hell In A Cell
Edge vs The Undertaker

The Dead Mans record in this match is on the losing side of things. But for a returning character, it would make sense for him to win the match and start a great feud between he and Edge.

Winner: The Undertaker

Now onto...

***The Last Brainbuster***
Q: Only person to ever hold the European heavyweight title 4 times & never lose it?

A: Adrian Street...I never said it was the WWE European title! LOL

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

Q: The Von Erich family has had a very tragic history. Jack Adkisson, AKA Fritz Von Erich, lost several of his sons. Which one passed away first?

Well thats 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!!