Wrestlemania 28: The Card

Wrestlemania 28: The Card

Randy Orton vs Kane

A newly revamped and and motivated Kane returned complete with a his mask and has been causing destruction ever since, finally homing on Rany Orton as a target. In what seems to be a short and rushed feud, Kane set his sights on Orton with what looked like random attacks. After eventually explaining that during a match last summer, Orton exposed Kane's human side, the Big Red Machine is determined to unleash his demonic monstrous side on the Apex Predator. Orton, however, looks to simply survive the fiery onslaught Kane promises to deliver.

Winning General Manager gains control of both Raw and Smackdown

Team Teddy (Santino Marella (c), Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, The Great Khali, Zack Ryder and Booker T) vs  Team Johnny (David Otunga (c), Drew McIntyre, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger and The Miz)

Teddy Long and John Laurinaitis have both been running raw and Smackdown respectively, and have been rubbing certain superstars the wrong way ast the disagree with their methods. After Laurinaitis boldly claimed he should in charge of both, Teddy took exception and their rivalry was born. After the Board stepped in and set a tag match where the winner would be General Manager of both shows, Laurinaitis and Long set about recruiting for their teams to lead them to victory and control of the brands. There can only be one winner, and with a match of this stature, anything can happen.

Divas Tag Match

Beth Phoenix and Eve vs Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos

It's basically the same as last years Wrestlemania Divas tag match that had Snooki. This time however, it's Maria Menounos in the celebrity spot. Phoenix, as the Divas championship rightly claims that the spotlight should be on her and not Kelly Kelly, and set out with Eve to  ake sure they were getting the attention they feel they deserve. And look to make an example a celebrity hooging heir spotlight in Menonos.

Intercontinental Championship
Cody Rhodes (C) vs Big Show
Holding the IC belt for over 200 days, Cody Rhodes has undergone major changes in the space of a year. From 'Dashing' to the 'Deranged' facing off against Rey Mysterio in a a grudge match in last years Wrestlemania, Cody has stepped up his game and solidified himself as a major threat to anyone he crosses. Whether be it Mysterio, or a legend such as Booker T, or his own brother, Goldust. BUT, he may of overstepped his boundaries when he decided to start mocking a 7 foot tall mean, angry giant who has undergone his own frustrating time. Losing his World championship to Daniel Bryan in just a minute after winning, Show has been unsuccessful mutiple times in his effort to regain what he lost. Cod, however sees this as a moment to humiliate him futher by constantly reminding him of many embarrassing moments Show would rather forget. Memories such as losing to Akebono at WM21 in a sumo match, and being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather at WM24 are amongst the videos Cody keeps embrrasing himw ith. But with his championship on the line, Rhodes may well have awoken an extremely angry giant who is capable of not only beating him, but ending his impressive title reign.

WWE Championship

CM Punk (C) vs Chris Jericho

It's one person who claims to be the Best in the world vs another who claims to b the Best in the world at what he does. Since Jericho returned, he has made it clear that he believes he is the best superstar there is and has gone out of his way to make his feelings clear. Claiming he is the 'original' superstar that everyone copies, he is intent on taking it out on CM Punk. Punk however remains defiant, and looks to retain the championship and shut Jericho up once and for all. There can only be one person who is the 'Best' and these two will battle it out.

World Heavyweight Championship

Daniel Bryan (C) vs Sheamus

Last year, this was the dark match before Wrestlemania 27 started, despite being advertised as a match as part of the PPV. However, this time around, the match is one of the main event matches between the two.
Sheamus winning the 2012 Royal Rumble made im eligible to challenge any champion between Daniel Bryan and CM Punk. After retaining his title in the Elimination Chamber against Barrett, Rhodes, Khali, Big Show, and Santino, we found out that the Celtic Warrior had made his choice. Bryan being the champion capable of 'weasling' his way out of the most difficult situations makes it possible to come out still the champ. But Sheamus being on a destructive hot streak also makes him a strong challenger to take the title away.

Hell in a Cell

Triple H vs The Undertaker (Shawn Michaels as Special Guest Referee)

Two of the greatest superstars ever. And two of the most experienced superstars when it comes to being part of 'Satans Playground'. The third time these two face of at Wrestlemania after their destructive match which saw Undertaker win but suffer a beating resulting in him being carried out on a stretcher. Upon returning, he has been desperate to get a rematch so he can get his defining win. Or as he put it, "Vengeance". HHH, reluctant at first, finally accepted with the condition that they fight inside inside the cell structure. With the streak on the line as usual. this match will not fail to thrill and HHH is more than capable of beating 'Taker. But the question is can he? or will the streak extend to 20-0?

And with Shawan Michaels as Special guest referee, will his grudge aginst the Deadman cost Undertaker the match, or his jealousy over his best friend possibly doing what he couldn't in 2 Wrestlemania's sway his decision. Teasing a possible return match against his fellow DX member hints at him turning on his best friend...

Icon vs Icon

The Rock vs John Cena

Arguably the main event of the night. Besides the inevitable Undertaker Streak match, it is definately the main attraction of Wrestlemania 28. A fantasy match that had been talked about before he match even happened, The Rock and John Cena face off against as two icons who define two different generations and eras. The Rock, representing the attitude era and older generation of fans, whilst John Cena represents the much younger and current generation of fans. Just like Rock vs Hogan from Wrestlemania 18, it will very much captivate the audience, regardless of age or who they are a fan of.

Batman Live

When it was announced that Batman Live was coming to the O2 arena, I couldn't wait to get my hands on tickets and go see one of my all time favourite superheroes on the stage. And it didn't let me down either. From the moment I entered the building and made my way to the merchandise stand, I could feel the 'Batman' aura. Many people turned up in Batman inspired costumes from full Riddler attire, to cowls, capes and masks which I tried in vain to get my hands on, only to discover that the masks had sold during the first couple of days. So I had to settle for a cape instead. But none the less, I got my batman memorabilia.

On to the show and the stage is already set to mirror Gotham City with a digital Background that help stage the setting, and serve for some pretty good storytelling as the show went on. Especially in transitions of scenes, the background would mimic a comic book and would 'flick' through the pages, helping to fill in gaps in the narrative in between scenes, and when we are introduced to the Batcave, it becomes Batman's computer that provided Batman and the audience with a variety of information. It would also help in fight scenes, and would feature flashes of bullets and thugs. There were two standout moments for me that used the digital background. The first being is when Alfred and Dick Grayson were in the Batcave whilst Batman was driving to Arkham Asylum to confront Joker. As he is making his journey, Alfred is reading off the villains list whilst scanning through their profiles.

The second eye catching piece using the screen is Batman's actual trip as he is speeding towards Arkham Asylum and we are basically treated to a 2-3 minute cinematic experience, watching the Batmobile navigate the Gotham streets at high speed.



For me the show itself was an enjoyable experience, and I would imagine that most people, whether they are fans or not, would enjoy themselves too. The performances of actors and actresses were solid, and the first time appearances of all the characters on the stage drew rounds of applause. Batman, as ever, was the gruff no nonsense vigilante we all love. Robin in Dick Grayson mode I found annoying at times but overall served his purpose and told his tragic story well. The Joker, accompanied by Harley Quinn, was a show stealer to no surprise, with the actor portraying him creating a crazy over the top 'Clown Prince of Crime'. Commissioner Gordons' role was limited but was true to the loyal, honest police man. There really wasn't a character that was a disappointment, even though some had small roles and may of been underplayed.

A highlight of the night was the Batman signal placed near the entrance to the building which not only attracted me and my friend, but many others, and prompted us all to pose in front of it many times before we finally left for the night.

The Avengers Character Breakdown

Avengers Assemble!

 Its like every comic book nerd and geek dream come true. A collection of their favourite marvel heroes coming together in one big blockbuster movie that before being announced, could only be imagined, read in comics, or seen in animated films and a television series. In 2012, The Avengers in a first will combine a host of characters from different films and bring them together to form the almighty super team.

Sure, we've seen films such as X-Men, and Fantastic Four where there are teams of superheroes, but this is something more. No disrespect to the films I just mentioned. But the heroes in this film have all had their individual films or two and have been successful solo.

Captain America

Steve Rogers. A super soldier perfectly frozen and 'thawed out' in modern day society. The last Avenger to have a film, and the original Avenger if you like. And if you think about it, Cap' is the Avenger that ties all the others together. 

There is the appearance of Iron Man/Tony Stark's father, Howard Stark who is responsible for creating his costume and indestructible shield. There is also the Stark Expo which makes an early appearance. Then there is the Cosmic Cube which the plot of Captain America is centered around which makes it's link the magical world of Thor and we even catch a glimpse of Asgard when a portal is opened and we are able to catch a glimpse of Thor and Loki's world. There is also a  link to the Incredible Hulk through the use of the super soldier serum General Ross makes reference to, and uses to give to Emile Blonsky that transforms him into Abomination.

If the comics are anything to go by, Captain America will be leading the team on the field and will mist probably clash with Tony Stark over leadership and decision making. And it will be very interesting to see how he is able to lead such a big team, and how the team will react to his leadership and 'out-dated' values and ideas.

Iron Man

Arguably the most successful character movie of all The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. has literally made Tony Stark his own character, bringing charm and charisma to the eccentric billionaire playboy. Starting from Howard Stark down to Tony, the Starks and the Iron Man films are responsible for bringing in the technological side of the Avengers world. From the Iron Man suits to the Stark Expo and its collection of advanced technology ideas, it will be a lot easier to believe some the weapons and other contraptions that we will see in the movie as we have come to know of them already.

Tony Stark himself has played a pivotal role in The Avengers as we learned at the ends of both Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk that he is more than just a team member. At the end of the Hulk movie we saw him confront General Ross on his Hulk problem and says to him "We're putting a team together", and at the end of both Iron Man films is seemingly the first recruited Avenger and has become a consultant for them.

Thor

A surprise success, as Thor is one of the least popular members of The Avengers to fans. I was worried while the film was in progress as I thought they might make him speak in the dialect that he spoke in the comic books and would be off putting for the rest of the film. But they managed to create a Thor character who was arrogant but spoke in a toned down version of his comic book self. There was also the worry that it might be too much of a fantasy film and would easily derail, but I think it is safe to say that it was a good balance between fantasy and realism.


Bringing the magical element to the Avengers world, Thor showed us a magical world in Asgard, an brought about different elements of that world to the Avengers universe. And it seems that we will see more of that as his brother Loki is the villain and is looking to abuse that magic. If we're to follow the timeline in all the Avenger related movies the Captain America is the first of all of them. And from that movie is where we first learn of any magical existence and the use the Cosmic Cube that is featured in the the movie. Red Skull even refers to it as "the jewel of Odin's treasure room". Further down the Avengers timeline, the cube makes an appearance in 'Iron Man 2' in the research notes Howard Stark leaves for Tony. Even further along, the cube makes a final appearance in 'Thor' at the end of the credits with Loki discovering it's location. And due to this magic and Loki, we have a villain and his use of magic to look forward to in The Avengers.

Hulk

After the disaster that was 'Hulk', Marvel decided to another  movie that wasn't a sequel but wasn't a reboot either. And it turned out to be a genius move because it was one of their better movies. How Hulk will play out in the film will be interesting to see because at the end of The Incredible Hulk, it seemed like either Banner had managed to control his transformations or he has lost of it all together. But from the teaser, Banner is on board the helicarrier with the rest of the Avengers so we can assume he does have control.

A downer is that Ed Norton who played the character in 'The Incredible Hulk' won't be back to play Bruce Banner, but instead has been replaced for Mark Ruffalo. A positive to come out of this is that Hulk will be a motion captured character this time, rather than being complete CGI and will be using none other than Lou Ferrigno, the original Hulk of the 80's TV series.

In comics and animation, Hulk has always had a rivalry with Thor and have clashed on multiple occasions. Add to that the fact that the villain of movie is Thor's brother, Loki, who has manged to stir things between the two and even control Hulk at one point and you can't help but wonder if there will be any friction or rivalry on screen. And this may stretching, but a possible on screen fight seeing as Thor is one of the few who can go toe to toe with Hulk.

Black Widow

Making her first appearance in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanov has already made her presence and role known. Working as an undercover agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, Black Widow has displayed her skills as a martial artist and weaponry, as well as her skill for undercover covert work.


In that appearance we also see her as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent as she was used undercover to scout Tony stark to see whether or not he was suitable for a role on The Avengers team, and giving Nick Fury a report on him.


With any luck we'll see more of her displaying her skills on screen and more of a development of her character.

Hawkeye

Clint Barton is a character that I liken to the Green Arrow arrow from the DC Universe as they are both similar in the fact that none of them have any powers but both are masters of archery. Making his first appearance in Thor in a cameo, Hawkeye will be an interesting addition to the team and movie as he hasn't displayed any of his skills and only teased the use of his crossbow in his cameo.


Well known for his range of different arrows and weapons, which of these he will actually use in the film and what other skills he will display will be intriguing.

Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D

Samuel L. Jackson. Known as one of the coolest actors on the planet is Nick Fury. And based on the version from The Ultimates, there is no one else who has the look or persona to pull of a convincing General Fury.

Making cameo appearances in all the pre-Avengers movies, Nick Fury has been the one other character besides Agent Coulson that links the Avengers together. But now we will see him have a bigger role and longer screen time which is exciting for me or anyone for that matter.

The even more exciting thing is that we will see a lot more of S.H.I.E.LD and the way they operate. From the teaser trailer, there is a shot of the character on board the Helicarrier, the base of operations for S.H.I.E.L.D. Interestingly there is the appearance of Maria Hill who for a brief period replaces Fury and commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. Another character who makes a return and is likely to have a bigger role is Agent Coulson who played a fairly large role in Thor, and made cameos acroos the other films.

The official teaser trailer:

A very good fan made trailer:

My WWE Experience

London, O2 Arena, Tuesday 9th November 2011

After going to my first WWE event last year, I have yet to forget that experience. And almost a full year later, I have been able to write about it from what I remember of that night.

Match 1:
Mark Henry vs Zack Ryder

A good entertaining opener with Mark Henry out working the crowd and pumping them up. I think I must of been one of the few who was cheering Zack Ryder on. Henry won with a Worlds Strongest Slam and hyped the crowd once more before leaving.


Winner: Mark Henry via pinfall

Match 2:
Santino Marella and Vladmir Kozlov vs The Usos

Before the match started the Anonymous Raw GM sent a message to ringside announcer, Justin Roberts phone... That's never happened on TV!

Instead of changing the stipulation, they instead made a dance off where Kozlov and Santino went through a break dance routine and the crowd judged them the winner. There was an actual tag match afterwards though. Santino hit the Cobra on one of the Usos (hard to tell which one) for the 1.2.3.


Winner: Santino Marella and Vladmir Kozlov via pinfall


Match 3:
Alex Riley vs Ezekiel Jackson

Zeke worked the match as face before his 'Corre' whilst Riley was still in The Miz's corner as a heel. A decent match between the two despite both being less experienced superstars. But none the less, both put on a performance the crowd was into. The finish was Jackson hitting the Book of Ezekiel for the win.

Winner: Ezekiel Jackson via pinfall

Match 4:
Ted DiBiase Jr. vs Yoshi Tatsu

I actually liked DiBiase in this match as I felt he was able to work the audience as a true heel should. Playing up to the crowd after hitting hard hitting moves, leaving the ring whenever he felt like he was losing advantage in the match, and even shouting a young fan. whilst Yoshi catered more the younger audience as ultimate babyface.

DiBiase cut a heel performance where I even thought he would sneak out a win but Yoshi Tatsu won the match after hitting one of his kicks to head.

Winner: Yoshi Tastu via pinfall

Match 5:
Wade Barrett (with John Cena) vs Randy Orton 
WWE Championship Match with Special Guest Referee: Bret Hart

 John Cena accompanied Wade Barrett to the ring as he was a part of the Nexus after losing his stipulation match at the PPV. Wade cut a promo stating that the 'Winds of change' were coming and then Bret Hart was then announced as a special guest referee. He immediately ejected John Cena from ringside much to the delight of both the fans and Cena, making the match a fair one on one match.

Midway through the match Sheamus ran out for the beatdown on Orton to cause a disqualification finish. John Morrison then ran out for the save prompting Hart to make a tag team on the spot.


Match ended with Morrison hitting the Starship Pain on Sheamus for the win

Winner: Randy Orton and John Morrison via Pinfall.


Match 6:
Eve and Melina vs Maryse and Tamina

A short tag match between the divas which resulted in Eve getting the pinfall on Maryse. Melina and Ev came out to a spectacular entrance complete with a pyro shower.

Winner: Eve and Melina


Match 7:
United States Championship Match
Daniel Bryan vs R-Truth vs William Regal

Interestingly, Bryan worked the match as the heel, sarcastically playing up to the crowd. William Regal, being the hometown favourite played a tweener role but solidly had the fans behind him throughout the match. A good match which resulted in Bryan forcing Regal to tap out to the LeBell Lock.

After the match, Regal cut a promo in which he stated that this would be his final match in London, hinting that he would be retiring from in ring competition.

Winner: Daniel Bryan via submission


Match 8:
John Cena vs The Miz

Before the match, Riley cut a promo running down the audience the arena they were in. he then introduced The Miz to the audience. Miz then carried on saying he will be a future world champion and prove it tonight because 'He is The Miz and he is Awesome!'

A good entertaining match complete with near falls, and Riley getting in cheap shots on Cena whilst the referee was distracted. Cena eventually won the match after hitting the Attitude Adjustment on The Miz and celebrated in ring to close the show and end the night.

Winner: John Cena via pinfall

Signs you watch too much wrestling

A compilation of different points from the 'signs you watch too much wrestling' posts that ave found their way online. ENjoy And feel free to add more in the comments section.

1. You walk into church and high five people in the pews as you walk down the aisle.

2. You purposely blade yourself while shaving.

3. Every time you see an Elvis impersonator, you ask for his autograph and get upset when it's not signed "Honky Tonk Man"

4. You attack your friends from behind with a chair, and look around the room, waiting for crowd reaction.

5. You shake someone's hand, you pause, and hesitate, while looking around nervously.

6. You walk up to get your diploma, and the graduation song is playing, you turn to the audience and shout "Ooooooh Yeeeaaahhh!" and snap into a Slim Jim.

7. You won't come out of your room until your parent's play your theme on the stereo.

8. You Leapfrog over people while playing football, then turn around, and clothesline them.

9. Every time you go to church you wait for the priest to quote something from the Book of Austin.

10. Every time you leave a room you shout, "AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE, SON!"

11. Everytime you score in a game, you start doing crotch chops towards your opponent.

12. You want people to leave you alone, you feel up your chest, and deeply inhale.

13. Every time a teacher's pet passes by your desk, you mumble "Lousy Babyface," and stick your foot out to trip him.

14. Every time you walk past someone lying down, you feel the sudden urge to put them in a Sharpshooter.

15. Every time you come in contact with a roll of duct tape, you wrap it tightly around your wrist.

16. Your teacher gives you detention, you give them a Stone Cold Stunner and walk out of class, flashing your middle fingers.

17. You find yourself carrying a baseball bat, metal chair, and 2X4 wooden plank around with you everywhere you go.

18. You hold regularly scheduled matches with your stuffed animals, including a monthly PPV called "In Your Room."

19. You make a Championship Belt out of cardboard, aluminum foil, and glitter and then frequently model in front of a mirror wearing it.

20. You find yourself spending hours designing ring props to bring to school to use as this years science project.

21. You are constantly telling your brothers, sisters and/or friends to eat their vitamins and say their prayers and then they can be like you.

22. As soon as someone shakes your hand, you follow with a boot to their mid-section and immediately go for an Arm-Bar Submission Hold.

23. You are always getting in trouble for trying to put a Figure Four Leg Lock on your little brother and/or sister.

24. You rent a table at the mall for the weekend and hold an autograph session.

25. You challenge the school bully, telling him he can't beat you on his best or your worst day. This is answered by a solid punch in the nose and when all hell breaks loose, school officials rush in to break it up.

26. You took you mothers' wig mannequin and painted "HELP ME" backwards on its forehead and carry it every place you go.

27. You have to be rushed to the ER because you swallowed the green dye you were planning on spitting in a classmates face.

28. You tell your friends you are the neighborhood "Icon" and demand their respect. They all get pissed off at you and a feud erupts.

29. You have to pay to fix the top rail you broke off the wooden deck attempting a Frog Splash onto your little brother or sister.

30. You refer to your girlfriend as your valet.

31. You spend hours teaching your dog to do a moonsault off the top of his doghouse.

32. Every time your boss tells you not to present the proper corporate image, you call him "The dumbest SOB you have ever met," and hit him with a Stunner.

33. You wont enter a room until the lights go out and there is a fireworks display.

34. You switch schools swearing that the principal at your old one screwed you.

35. You ask you girl friend to get pumped up and master low blows.

36. You smash your mothers sewing dummy in the back with a folding chair.

37. You lay your little brother or sister on the kitchen table and do a 450 Splash off the refrigerator onto him and put him through the table.

38. You refuse to visit any family members unless you go in a lear jet and a stretch limo.

39. You want four weeks worth of video promos of you shown to anyone before you meet them for the first time.

40. You wear white face paint and a long black coat to school. You rush in and chase 15 of the meanest kids in school out of the school yard when you see them pushing three of your friends around.

41. You purposely ask ppl for there opinions hoping they will set them selves up for a "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!!"

42. When You feel like you have accomplished something and feel good about yourself, you blurt out an occasional "WOOOO!"

43. You have attempted your favorite wrestlers finisher in a real fist fight (and of course ended up having your ass handed to you).

44. When walking around the mall, every1 your age has no idea what the decal means on your shirt but the 5 to 10 year olds walking with there parents say "Look mom, that man has a WWE shirt like the one I wanted".

45. You schedule your monday (sumtimes tuesday, thursday, and possibly friday) night(s) around the fact that wrestling is on and you have to be near a TV.

46. Two words. Orton Pose.

47. when someone asks "Are you ready" you reply with a LETS GET READY TO SUCK IT!!!!!!!

48. you walk toward the people that just had a bad situation and blurt out "DAMN!"

49. On occasion you give people to crotch chop.

50. When you are talking to people you start saying WHAT?! after everything that they say.

51. You wait until one of your friends says somethig stupid so you can say "Tell me you didn't just say that?!"

52. Practising knife edge chops on your friend in night clubs becomes a regular occurance, almost tradition. Usually waking up with a sore chest and having ne idea why!

53. After witnessing any sort of violence in any medium in life, particulary other sports events, you find yourself chanting ECdub, ECdub!

54: After Staring somebody down for a short length of time, You deliver a strong Sweet Chin Music.

55: You know which submission holds actually hurt (sharpshooter, figure 4, Crossface) and which ones dont (STFU)

55. You walk around shaking your head and acting like a badass for no apparent reason.

56. You freaquently give the peoples eyebrow when someone asks you a hard question

57. You find yourself craving Oklahoma BBQ at odd times

58. You refer to breasts as puppies

59. You frequently shout "You can't see me!" this is particularly true when playing hide and seek with your little cousins

60. When you see someone eating a subway sandwich you get the urge to steal it

61. When your at walmart and you pick a bag of skittles and scream FRUITY, DELICIOUS, FRUTY FRUITY FRUITY, SKITTLES!!!! look at the small child behind you and say "would you like some skittles kids?"

62. You own a replica belt

63. You goto McDonalds with same belt and walk around with it

64. When you enter a new place you yell "WELCOME TO...(PLACE) IS JERICHO!"

65. You've held a "This is your Life" segment with a buddy and he's done the same for you.

66. (You know when you're with a group of wrestling fans) when you randomly yell out "WOOOO!" and they all follow suit without question.

67. You've ever tried to deliver the Orton's Running Kick of Death to your cat or dog.

68. When you're tackled straight ahead in a game of football you immediately go for the gogoplata.

69. If you've ever spit an apple at someone while yelling "I SPIT IN THE FACE OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE COOL."

64. when people ask "who are you wearing" instead of saying Abrecrombie or American eagle you say Christan Cage, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Kurt Angle, WWE, TNA ect...

65. You hate reading but read every autobiograpghy by any wrestlers

70: You create your own scripts and try to start your own brand to upstage WWE and/or TNA.

71: On games like Day of Reckoning 2 (where there are no belts to fight for after beating story mode), you use your imagination and have all kinds of weird matches like you never see on WWE TV anymore (a 4 way hell in a cell match for instance).

72: You see a girl backed up against her locker by some creep. You make a run-in with a steel chair, bash the daylights out of the guy, and wind up winning the girl in the end.

73: Your wedding is interrupted by a crazy guy with a score to settle with you. One week later, you're back at the chapel for a match.

74: When you are fired from your job, you give a final salute to your co-workers. Then, seeing as you have nothing to lose, you take out your boss with your finisher

75: You've tried to do Triple H's water spit thing

76. You put a snake (or any other revolting animal) in the wedding cake of someone you don't like.

77. If all the major injuries you have ever had are from trampoline wrestling

78: You get into an argument with a friend. The two of you carry on a yearlong feud with heated exchanges, sneak attacks, and epic trampoline matches until you finally settle your differences in the cell.

78. ......in the middle of winter on a sheet of nice with a rock bottom sending your friend to the hospitol with a concussion

79. You spend countless hours on wikipedia looking at wrestler profiles, reading old storylines, and basically furthering your obsesion with wrestling

80. You own countless wrestling video games and have all but mastered them

81. You have spent countless hours playing said wrestling video games creating wrestlers, tweaking movesets, createing storylines, and proceeding to try and play them out.

82. You have more Wrestling DVD's/VHS than regular movies.

83. It takes you 5 minutes to climb a 12 foot ladder.

84. On said ladder, you spend even more time reaching for whatever you climbed up for

85. When you start to powerwalk like a certain vince mcmahon and shout "YOUR FIRED!

86. During the summer most of your time is spent doing as many Elbow drops, frog splashes, moonsaults and shooting star presses onto the blowup rafts in your pool as you can

87. Whenever you meet up with some kid you don't like, you stare into his eyes with your faces only far enough apart so you're not kissing. You know the staredown I'm talking about.

88.when you claim your name is mrrrrrrr kennedyyyyy.......KENNEDY!
when it is isnt!

89. You walk onto stage at church and make all sorts of gestures.

90. Before such procedures, you demand that your pastor give you a full blown introduction complete with theme song, and all of your nicknames.

91. no matter what type of hat u have on you take it off in front of you with both hands real slow and roll your eyes back.....

92. when ever your cooking, BBQ-ing, etc. you yell "DO YOU SMELL WHAT (YOUR NAME) IS COOKIN!!!".....whether ppl are there or not...

Superman: Man of Steel (2013) Early thoughts

"In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Cavill) is a young twentysomething journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone's imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question - Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as "Superman," not only to shine as the world's last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves."

                                                                                Source: SuperHeroHype.com

After seeing the new up to date version of Superman, I can officially say that I am impressed the new look. Ever since it was announced that then new Superman titled 'Man of Steel', many people including myself  had many doubts on how the end result would turn out. But as the constant develepments on the film are slowly being revealed, the more I am willing to give the film a chance. After the dissapointment that was 'Superman Returns', it was almost as if the series had been killed. But now it looks like there is hope in the form of a re-telling of Superman.

The casting of characters for one is winning me over. Fair enough, Henry Cavill, the lead of Superman is relatively unknown but the supporting cast reads off an impressive list of talent. Laurence Fishbourne as Perry White, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Russell Crowe rumored to be play Jor-El, and Michael Shannon, taking on the role of Zod all characters, adds to the appeal the forthcoming film.

Embarrassingly, I only recently discovered that Zack Snyder directed the very impressive superhero film, Watchmen, but if Snyder produces a film as good as that then Man of Steel shouldn't dissapoint in 2012. Add Cristopher Nolan, the man responsible for ressurecting and reconstructing the Batman universe,  to the directing scene and you are almost guaranteed a success.

Since the early 40's, Superman has been portrayed by a list of actors but Christopher Reeves' Superman is arguably the most recogniseable and iconic interpretation. The closest any other interpretation comes in the form of Tom Welling playing a younger Clark Kent in Smallville, and quite possibly Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman not far behind. But with the direction Man of Steel seems to be heading in, this Superman will be another defining characterisation that will bring about great success and rejuvinate the franchise.

Check out my previous blog on my opinions of Michael Shannon cast as Zod here.

Actors portraying Superman through the years

Kryptonian Green Lantern

So, me and a friend have always wondered if  Superman's home planet of Krypton ever had someone of that race as a member of the Green Lantern Corps. So I started looking into it and thought, why don't I write all of it down for myself and anyone else who's ever wondered. Sort of like a research paper.


The Green Lantern Corps.

"The Green Lantern Corps are an inter-galactic police force dedicated to protecting sentient life in every form, established thousands of years ago by the Guardians. Officers are chosen for their ability to overcome great fear and given a power ring fueled by the strength of their willpower, the mightiest weapon in the universe. They have two representatives for all of the 3600 sectors in the known universe, their headquarters located centrally on the planet Oa.

The Corps is an organization of 7200 Green Lanterns who are chosen by the ring for being able to overcome great fear, with two assigned to sectors of space that require the protection of more than one Green Lantern.

Upon recruitment each Green Lantern in the original Corps received a Power Ring, a Power Battery shaped like a lantern (with which the ring is recharged), and a uniform."
                                                                      Source: DC Comics Database


In a nutshell, the Green Lanterns are representatives from all the known galaxies and planets, but what I've been trying to find is whether or not there has been a Green Lantern from Superman/Kal-El's home planet of Krypton. Or if

While there hasn't actually been a legitimate Kryptonian Green Lantern, In DC history there has been a single descendant of Kryptonians, and in an alternated, hallucinatory reality Kal-El have both been Green Lanterns.



Kal-El: Green Lantern
Firstly with the man of steel himself, and his story as a lantern.

In an alternate hallucinatory world, the planet of Krypton never exploded and the ring that found Hal Jordan didn't travel to Earth, but instead found Kal-El and became a Lantern. As a result he became the Lantern responsible for both Earth and Krypton. Unfortunately, this was only an illusion that was set up by Justice League villains to defeat the group. Check out this issue description: http://www.emeralddawn.com/book/kal-el.htm



Daxamites: Kryptonian Descendants

Daxamites are simply Kryptonians who left their home of Krypton and travelled to other galaxies and planets. Just like Superman, when a Kryptonian travels from their home, they develop powers including invulnerability, strength, flight and every other power Superman has been known to possess.

In old comics, a prophecy was told that a Daxamite would one day become an unstoppable Green Lantern that would bring about the end of the Green Lantern Corps.




Sodam Yat: Kryptonian descendant and Green Lantern

In modern comics, he is a Green Lantern who fights for good and holds a superior position as an entity known as Ion. But in the older comic book tellings, Sodam was a more sinister and evil character.

A Daxamite by birth, he was the only person with any form of Kryptonian in him. As previously mentioned, a prophecy stated that a Daxamite would be a Lantern at that person turned out to be Sodam Yat. This is because he would already possess powers just like Superman, and to possess the Ring would make him an even more powerful enemy and is even dubbed 'The Ultimate Green Lantern'.




Tomar-Re: Sector 2813 and Krypton Chargee

Seeing as there was no official Kryptonian Green Lantern, there was a lantern assigned to be responsible for the planet Krypton. And after researching the character, I found out that he tried to stop the planet from its destruction. He was in charge of 'Sector 2813' which the planet was part of, and was on the way to the planet with a rare compound that could have stopped it from blowing up. Unfortunately, he a start exploded and caused to lose his vision and the Stellarium. He did regain his vision and the metal, but arrived just in time to witness Krypton explode.

CM Punk = Modern day Stone Cold Steve Austin

At the moment, there is no hotter property in the wrestling world than the straightedge superstar. After cutting his shoot styled promo on Raw, he instantly set the world on fire, and had many fans wondering where things would go from there.

'Shooting' on Vince McMahon and his family, the WWE fans, and John Cena and his image as the face of the WWE, Punk vented his anger and frustration on nearly everything before having his microphone abruptly cut off.
 
What the amazing thing about this whole story, and the superstar himself, is the fallout from it all and the fact that he is being labelled as the person who will change the face of the WWE, and usher in a new era. Much like Stone Cold Steve Austin, helping bring in the notorious attitude era. Interestingly, both these men carry the rebel spirit and have both been compared as being the catalyst to a revolution so to speak. Punk, incidentally, wore a Stone Cold t-shirt whilst cutting his promo, adding further to the comparisons. Rumours of the two facing off in a dream matchup at Wrestlemania 28 have also been widely speculated, as the two possess similar characteristics, and also a clash of personality. Stone Cold being the beer drinking, take no nonsense rebel versus Punk's anti-drinking, straight talking, straightedge lifestyle.

With the current PG audience the WWE targets, Punk caters more to the grown up fans. The internet fans. The smarks who have a habit of cheering for the bad guys, booing John Cena and a handful of babyface superstars, cheer veterans, and have respect for the old school, classic 'wrestler'.

Falling into most of the categories we old school wrestling fans admire, Punk represents the potential new look of the WWE, whilst his base of fans are from an older generation. Fans who watched wrestling during the 'Attitude' era and other promotions during that time period. Much like Stone Cold, he has the ability to become the face of the company and a new rough-edged, rebel spirited look.


It remains to be seen whether or not this angle has the legs to go all the way, and how much change the company is willing to allow.

WWE Superstars: The Next Generation

Just who are the WWE superstars of tomorrow...?

The next crop of up and coming superstars are all battling to fill up the huge spaces that are constantly being vacated by the likes of Shawn Michaels, HHH, The Undertaker and many other departing superstars. Below are some names from the current roster that have the potential to become major league players within the WWE roster and carry the company for the years to come.

Alberto Del Rio

An instant hit from the moment he first made his Smackdown debut, Del Rio seems to be the complete package with his natural charisma and in-ring talent. Not to mention he has the look of a champion about him.  Already winning the Royal Rumble, and Money in the Bank contract, it's only a matter of time before Del Rio finally wins a heavyweight title.

Like many fast rising superstars before him, impressive displays on the microphone and putting on great matches against opponents always propel them right to the top. And there is no reason why Del Rio is going to be any different. Debuting in the main event at Wrestlemania 28 in his first year, and instantly feuding with veterans including Edge, Christian and Rey Mysterio, the Mexican superstar is well on his way to finally capturing the big title. As he would say it is his "Destiny.... But you already knew that!"

Dolph Ziggler

"I am perfection" as his song says. And it may only be a matter of time before we see 'Perfection'. Already a multi time united states champion. Add to that a one time world championship reign which is honestly forgotten by many people due to that title reign lasting only a few minutes, Ziggler is one of the few young superstars who hasn't as of yet fallen down in the rankings. A solid in ring worker, and growing in confidence cutting promos, Dolph is slowly but gradually moving up.

Cutting his hair, dying his hair brown, and re-labelling himself the 'New and improved Dolph Ziggler' was a disastrous decision as that made him become a generic looking superstar with no defining look. But going back to the blonde hair helped him once again stand out and win back the US title not long after.

There are subtle comparisons to him and Mr Perfect himself through their similar look and persona, but time will tell whether or not Dolph can keep up his hot streak. But with Vickie Guerrero in his corner as manager and mouthpiece,  and his great in ring talent, Dolph's may yet reach 'Perfection'.

Cody Rhodes

Son of the legendary Hall of Famer, 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes has developed his character similar to that of Dr. Doom from Marvel comic book fame. Handsome and good-looking, turned 'Ugly' in his own words, and donning a mask to protect his face, Cody has been able to do what many other characters have failed to do. And that is make his persona develop and grow, rather than stick to the one character and depend on that one formula.

The 'pretty boy' dishing out grooming tips to people so "they to can be dashing", to having his face damaged and becoming this dark, psychologically scarred person giving out paper bags of ugly people has worked wonders for his character and it may be a matter of time before he wins a singles championship.

John Morrison

One of the more vibrant superstars on the roster, John Morrison possesses amazing athletic skill and has the rockstar look to complement it. At one point, Morrison drew comparison to the legendary Shawn Micheals in terms of in ring talent because he is able to pull show-stealing moves. And being labeled the 'Prince of Parkour' for his astonishing in-ring moves adds further to his stock. Pulling off moves moves that has amazed fans, and also drawing references to Spiderman of all people for his agility.

He does have some work to do on the mic with his promos, but he is over with the crowd and is almost the complete package. I preferred him as a heel during his tag team days with The Miz, and the promos he used to cut but that's not to say that his face run is bad. Hopefully, it's a matter of time before he finally wins the big one because it will definitely be fitting of him.

The Miz

In his own words, The Miz is "Awesomeeeeeeeee!

And you cant help agreeing with him. The Miz has come a long way from his reality TV days, to becoming a wrestler, Winning the WWE champion and headlining Wrestlemania 27 against none other than John Cena and winning despite being the underdog in that match. Starting off on Smackdown as the host of the show, many deemed The Miz to be an loud and annoying character who would go nowhere, and opinions didn't change much as a superstar either. But years later, championship reigns and a Wrestlemania main event to his name, The Miz has proved many people wrong and is now on of the big boys on the entire WWE roster.

In his his first and only WWE championship reign so far, he has already defeated the likes of Jerry 'the king' Lawler,  John Morrison, Randy Orton, and the previously mentioned Cena cementing himself as a certified top tier player.

Truth be told, he may not be the greatest wrestler in the ring, but the man can talk on the mic and can cut amazing promo.

Not only has he risen himself, but has helped both Alex Riley and Daniel Bryan get over with the fans by being their on screen mentors, and eventual rival.

Watch The Miz cut an 'awesome' promo about proving doubters wrong, and his journey to the top here

Wade Barrett

Initially starting on NXT as Chris Jericho's rookie, Wade Barrett has come a long way. Forming two factions in the Nexus and The Corre, and winning the first season of NXT as a breakout superstar, Barrett has proven himself to be great when it comes to being part of a group. But it is yet to be seen how he will fare as singles competitor.

Granted, he has already won the intercontinental championship, he still has a long way to go being a legit singles threat. During his time in the Nexus and Corre, he has been able to cut excellent promos and is a good in ring worker, but he is not in the top tier position that he should be in coming out of the two stables. On his own, he has the potential to be a solid singles main event competitor but time will tell as to which direction he will go in.

Zack Ryder

Arguably, one of the most popular superstar in some circles, Zack Ryder has become an Internet sensation with his YouTube show 'Z! A True Long Island Story', and has even dubbed himself the 'Internet Champion' with his modified Intercontinental championship replica belt.

The problem is, Ryder barely gets any ring time beyond WWE Superstars which is only viewed online, but the demand for him is massive. He does get few cameo appearances on Raw, and many top tier superstars are behind him, but has yet to have his big breakout moment. Formerly a tag team champion, and running buddy with none other than Edge as a part of La Familia a few years ago, Ryder is able to perform in the big league, but as long as he is kept subdued, he may only be an online success unless he gets his television time.

Sin Cara

The new comer is already drawing comparison to another luchadore by the name of Rey Mysterio. Signed from Mexico, Sin Cara has won over the majority of the fans his breathtaking move set. That's the plus side.

On the other side, he does not speak English so he is not able to convey his feeling to his opponents or the audience for that matter. Unless he is paired with a manager who is able to translate what he says, in the long run he will just be stuck as a mid-carder who performs and relies on his fast paced, high flying skill set.

Another negative point is that he has not fully adjusted to the WWE style of wrestling, and this is evident as he occasionally botches moves. His moves, as explosive and entertaining as they are, aren't always executed as they should which poses another problem. There isn't many people on the roster that are able to have the type of match that is best suited to him. But it seems that the WWE are behind him are will try what they can to make him as successful as possible. A good entrance, his own lighting in matches, and the move set to justify it all but in the end, it depends on how much more can be done to 'perfect' him so to speak

Daniel Bryan

One of my personal favourites, and probably one of, if not, the most underrated superstar on the entire roster. Technically sound in the ring, Bryan is reminiscent of old school technical wrestlers such as Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, and former teacher William Regal. Watch him in a match and you can see that he can pull of a range of technical mat based move, submission moves, as well as high flying manoeuvres.

Currently the 'Money in the Bank' contract holder, Bryan has the potential to reach the level and hang with the big boys so speak. He's already feuded with both Sheamus and The Miz who are both former WWE champions, so it's not like he can't fight on their level. History has shown us that every person who has cashed it in has won a world title, but Bryan is different due to him being the smaller superstar.

But then again, so was Rey Mysterio and he became a two time world champion. And seeing as he is 'Mr Money in the Bank', depending on how he is booked I believe he too can win a championship. After announcing ahead of time that he will be cashing it in at Wrestlemania 28, Bryan can go into the title match playing the underdog challenger, beating other superstars along the way to prove that he is capable of winning. However, who the champion will be at the time remains to be seen...

Sheamus

One of the most dominant and brutal superstars on the roster. Already a 2 time WWE and former United States champion, the 'Celtic Warrior' will definitely win a heap more championships. Debuting as a ferocious, tough Irish warrior on the reincarnated ECW, Sheamus created a path of destruction until he eventually powered through John Cena to win his first championship.

Surviving his disastrous 'King of the Ring' reign, he soon found form again and has been reaching his dominating best once again. He has already had long standing feuds against Cena, Orton, and HHH and is more than a legitimate threat to the top guns, and will surely be able to brush aside even more opponents to achieve even more gold.

Ted DiBiase Jr.

One the most disappointing superstars on the roster. Son of 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase, Ted Jr. has the potential to be one of the top tier superstars.

But he doesn't have much of a character to reach that level. Not yet anyways. And has always been seen a partner or associate, rather than a standout singles superstar. Even now, he is a lackey to Cody Rhodes. As part of Legacy with Rhodes and Randy Orton, he was always the tag team of that group. Fast forward a couple of years and his once again secondary and unless his character undergoes changes to make him 'breakout' of his current status, there isn't much hope for Dibiase Jr.

Being the son of the 'Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase Sr also poses a problem, as as he instantly draws unfair comparisons which make even tougher for him to break through. In ring, he can perform well, but his on the mic skills aren't the best and that counts for a lot in the WWE.

All in all, Dibiase has a lot to do to climb up the rankings and make it a superstar who can become a legitimate threat and champion of any sort.

Jack Swagger

One of the great disappointments at the moment. A former Mr Money in the Bank and World Heavyweight champion, Swagger's stock has plummeted dramatically with a world title reign that is barely remembered now.

And it looks as if Swagger, at the moment, is stuck in the mid-card position. Which is a shame because Swagger is such a good in ring performer. I've always been a fan of technical wrestling and Swagger I think is one of the great underrated wrestlers at this. He may not be a Kurt Angle, but his amateur wrestling style is impressive and could take him far. 

Problem is he seems to be forgotten about. His Heavyweight Championship reign was dissapointing with passable feueds against Randy Orton and The Big Show. Instead of having a match of his own at Wrestlemania 27, he played manager to Michael Cole and once Cole's feud was over Swagger hasn't had anything coming his way. He's arguably had more success during the reincarnated ECW with more memorable title reigns. It remains to be seen if he will win another world title soon. Or again for that matter. But it is possible to win the Intercontinental or United States championship. He is the 'All American-American' after all

Drew McIntyre

'The Chosen One'. Handpicked by Vince McMahon to be a future world champion, Drew has so far unfortunately only managed to achieve Intercontinental and Tag Team success. And in his current position, it doesn't look like McIntyre will be moving beyond that anytime soon.

 Once a credible upcoming threat, he has now fallen through the ranks and doesn't seem to be rising anytime soon.Having an impressive run on Smackdown, where he feuded with the likes of John Morrison, R-Truth, and Matt Hardy. This year he was drafted to Monday Night Raw, where he has been lost in the shuffle so to speak and has no feuds or championship opportunity to fall back on.

For a 'chosen one'', his only claim to fame so far is that moniker, and the one Intercontinental title to his name. Beyond that, the future looks bleak for McIntyre unless somehow this 'prophecy' begins to take shape and he once again finds form.

The Usos

In a roster where the Tag Team division is almost dead, The Uso Brothers seem to be the only legit tag team that hasn't been thrown together for the sake of forming a new team of contenders. Off the top of  my head I can only think of the New Nexus, and Santino/Kozlov if they still exist as a team. And that's saying a lot.

Coming from a long lineage of legendary Samoan wrestlers including The Rock, The Wild Samoans, Umaga, and their father Rikishi Fatu, The Usos are continuing the Samoan legacy by bringing elements of their heritage into their performances such as the Samoan war dances.

Despite being pushed, there aren't many other tag teams to feud against, so it looks like The Usos are moving up in a now almost vacant division which at the moment is pointless. And that is a shame because they are a talented pairing, and the fans are really into them. In the end, it all comes back around to the current situation of the tag teams.

Alex Riley

Just like Daniel Bryan, Riley is also a rookie to The Miz who is increasingly growing in popularity and already holds a victory over his former mentor. Already over with the fans coming out of his feud with The Miz, it remains to be seen where he is once the proverbial dust settles and where he goes from there.

Anyone who has watched the early seasons of NXT will most likely agree that that 'A-Ry' is clearly a guy who is talented on the mic and can cut a promo. They will also argue that he is more over as a heel, rather than the babyface push he is getting. With any luck, we will see a heel turn and see the 'Varsity Villain' return to the ring and be the natural heel he was on NXT.

Kofi Kingston

A straight up high flyer, who is lightning quick, extremely agile and is always popular and hot for the crowd.

A couple of years ago, he had a red hot feud with Randy Orton where his character excelled to the next level and became an intense superstar who could not only beat Randy Orton, but a legitimate challenger who could one take on other big stars for the title. However, once that feud ended, he dropped back down to mid-card and has yet to rise to the level he had once reached again. 

Not to say that he has dropped into a forgotten position. He has won multiple championships during that time, and shows elements of his intense character from his days of feuding with Orton. With any luck, he will once again find that spark and kick it into gear again so that he will be able to feud with more big names and stay there this time.

Evan Bourne

Another fast paced, high flying superstar who never fails to entertain and wow the crowd with his moves. Most of all, his beautifully executed Shooting Star Press. Apart from his exhilarating in ring style, Bourne is not the greatest superstar to cut a promo, and he is usually used as a jobber or to put on exhibition matches. And for someone of his talent, that isn't encouraging.

Winning no titles as of yet, Bourne may be able to win a US or Intercontinental title but will always be an underdog in the majority of his matches, but it may take a lot to even reach that status yet.