It would appear that the reported planned Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena WWE championship match at Money in the Bank 2013 will be delayed. A shift in plans will see a new main-event which kicked off with arguable the WWE angle of the year.

Mark Henry has been in the news as of late with rumors of everything from retirement to him being in the dog house. One recent report from F4Wonline.com stated that Henry was in the dog house after abruptly taking time off due to an injury and not getting surgery. Well if this is the dog house than I am not sure being there is a bad thing.

Henry and the WWE played on those rumors Monday night with one of the best angles in a long time. Henry teased that he was going to announce his retirement on RAW. Henry was seen talking to members of the WWE throughout the night discussing his retirement. The official announcement came later in the night during a John Cena promo.

Henry came out in a pink jacket and gave an emotional speech about his career. The crowd ate it up with chants throughout the speech begging Henry to stay. Henry at one point pointed out that he was a former WWE world heavyweight and ECW champion but never held the WWE championship. Cena raised Henry’s hand up, both holding the belt as Henry paraded around the ring it for what was to be his farewell moment. Cena went to hug him and was quickly lifted up and dropped with the World’s Strongest Slam to officially kick off their feud.

Any of you old ECW fans instantly think of the Sandman-Tommy Dreamer retirement angle or was it just me?

This is a tough one here. On the one hand this was as good as it gets when it comes to a wrestling angle. I certainly have more interest in this feud than the Ryback-Cena feud. That said I can’t imagine these guys having matches anywhere near as good as the Ryback-Cena series. I like Mark Henry’s gimmick but he’s still Mark Henry in the ring. At the end of the day they do have to wrestle and I’m not sure it’s going to live up to the hype of that great angle.

The real bummer here is that this replaces a planned Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena match. I wrote last week on the website that I felt that this match would wind up moving to SummerSlam with Bryan winning MITB and cashing in at the big August event. It looks like that is where they are going. The bright side here is that Bryan will probably win the championship if this is the scenario that plays out. The downside is that the match won’t be in Philadelphia which would have been fantastic given Bryan’s roots to the city.

Either way I have to tip my hat off to the WWE for pulling off an angle that nobody saw coming. It’s stories like this that make you wonder how many stories WWE “sources” intentionally plant to reporters to throw them off as opposed to giving reporters actual scoops.

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History

WWE: Money in the Bank (2013) DVD

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

Coming off the heels of what are some calling the best pay per view in years, the WWE delivered an equally compelling Monday Night RAW. The show was capped off with a memorable segment featuring Brock Lesnar and CM Punk.

Brock Lesnar returned to WWE television for the first time since defeating Triple H at Extreme Rules. What made this one so good is that nobody expected it and the return was one of those rare WWE surprises that are so hard to come by in this day and age of newsletters and Internet leaks. The angle kicked off the expected summer feud between Lesnar and Punk.

Punk is now a babyface, something he made clear when he opened up RAW by confronting new WWE world heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio. Punk challenged Del Rio to a match and subsequently told Paul Heyman he no longer needed him, the same message he conveyed at Payback. Punk told Heyman once again that while Brock and Curtis Axel need Heyman, he doesn’t, and politely asked Paul to stay out of his business.

Punk wrestled Del Rio later in the final RAW match. After the match Punk was alone in the ring when Brock’s music hit. The place went nuts, like every other crowd that has heard Brock’s music. Brock came down to the ring, circled, grabbed a microphone, and got in Punk’s face. Brock then threw down the mic and F5’d Punk to close out the show in one of the more memorable segments on RAW this year.

It would appear that the rumored Punk vs. Lesnar SummerSlam match will now take place at Money in the Bank. I liked the angle but I think that they missed an opportunity for a slow turn. It just seems odd that Punk basically took his ball and went home and after less than a year of being the number one heel is all of the sudden a babyface. I would have liked to see them do a deal where Heyman keeps interfering in Punk’s business and Punk slowly gets angrier culminating with Heyman’s interference costing Punk a big match at MITB, Punk going off on Heyman the next night on RAW, and then Brock doing exactly what he did to Punk.

That said it will be really interesting to see where this one goes. Neither go should lose the match but someone has to lose. The big money is in Brock at WrestleMania 30 not Punk which tells me that Punk is going down. On the other hand a loss right after a big babyface turn isn’t exactly the best way to keep Punk hot either. Maybe they split and leave a third match open for WrestleMania depending upon what The Rock decides to do?

Either way it’s always fun to see Brock back so enjoy the F5!

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History

WWE: Money in the Bank (2013) DVD

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

WWE Payback delivered some big news outside of the ring. Former WWE and ECW champion Rob Van Dam will be officially returning to the WWE and will be a big part of the upcoming Money in the Bank pay per view.

The announcement of the returning RVD got a huge ovation from the Chicago crowd and was met with repeated “R-V-D!” chants throughout Payback. It would appear that MITB would be his first match back with the company but it’s still unclear whether that will be his debut or he will debut sooner and was just being advertised for the show.

Let me start this off by saying this. I love Rob Van Dam. I worked with him in ECW and he was one of the coolest guys I interacted with in the company back then. I have always been a fan and he has been gracious enough in the past to come on my radio show for an hour of unfiltered talk. That said, I am not a big fan of this move at all.

It’s funny because there are a lot of fans excited about this who have tweeted about RVD returning. My assumption is that none of these fans watched his three-year run in TNA Wrestling. Rob appeared uninspired no matter what he was doing and this wasn’t a case of Rob being misused. He was pushed harder and better in TNA than he was in the WWE. He wrestled everyone and anyone over the three years and appeared in many main-events. So anyone that chalks it up to being misused didn’t pay attention. He just wasn’t that good and didn’t appear to evolve at all. It was the same Rob in every match and after awhile it got old.

Anyone remember hearing about that RVD classic in TNA at any time over the last three years? Me neither.

The WWE are in the middle of a youth movement for the first time in several years. There is a shift towards the future with younger guys and the demands on match quality have gone up tremendously over the last few months. If the same RVD that I watched in TNA is returning to the WWE, well than I think his matches are going to stick out for all of the wrong reasons. If for whatever reason Rob was phoning it in for the last three years and still has it, than he could be a welcome addition back to the roster.

Dave Meltzer reported on his latest F4Wonline.com podcast that Rob is not only coming back on a limited schedule but is only under a short-term contract. Meltzer does point out that the contract could change and become longer. I remember when I had Rob on my radio show he said that one of the main reasons he left the WWE was the schedule. To hear that he is back with a limited schedule certainly doesn’t surprise me.

Here is the other green elephant in the room no pun intended. Rob is well known for his fondness for marijuana. The WWE has instituted a ban on marijuana since Rob left the company. Rob spent about 20 minutes on my radio show talking about the virtues of marijuana. Quite frankly this is why I never thought a deal would work out between the two. Now maybe since Rob is working limited dates he won’t be subjected to those tests. Otherwise one of these two parties had to compromise and I can’t imagine it was RVD.

I would imagine we will get a better idea of what he is doing at MITB sometime over the next couple of weeks.

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History

WWE: Rob Van Dam – One of a Kind

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

The WWE returned to pay per view with Payback 2013 on Father’s Day. While the Three Stages of Hell headliner may not go down as a classic, the undercard is being regarded by many as one of the strongest in recent memory.

Payback was just more evidence that the WWE is experiencing one of its strongest period of talent in a long time. Entire cards are now spread out with great matches, exciting workers, and fresh faces which are something I haven’t seen in almost ten years on WWE television. Payback certainly didn’t have me excited going in, but coming out I felt like I had just watched one of the better events of the last few years.

John Cena retained the WWE championship as expected winning two falls to one in the Three Stages of Hell main-event over Ryback. Ryback pinned Cena to win the first fall in a Lumberjack Match. Cena came back to win two straight in a Tables Match and an Ambulance Match. The finish came when Cena put Ryback through an ambulance with an Attitude Adjustment to win the match.

I’d say the match was pretty good, not great, but certainly not bad. That said, it didn’t hold a candle to the Punk vs. Jericho match and was probably better thanks to a hot crowd. I am assuming that this feud is over, especially with a rumored Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena match at Money in the Bank although I have heard rumblings that they may wind up circling back again at the end of the summer.

CM Punk returned after a lengthy absence and defeated Chris Jericho in what some are calling a Match of the Year candidate. I would probably say that this was better than The Undertaker vs. Punk but both were just completely different matches. Punk and Jericho had a ton of near falls here which made for some great drama with the hot Chicago crowd. There is something about Punk in Chicago that is just gold on pay per views and this match was no different. Punk won with two Go To Sleeps. It should be noted that Jericho was working with an injured knee which is pretty remarkable given his performance.

The big news coming out of this match was the aftermath on WWE.com. Punk and Heyman had a vignette that went under a minute which saw their relationship end…yep that’s the angle. Punk told Heyman that they’re friends but he doesn’t need his help and is not his client. My hunch here is that Heyman will continue to get Punk involved in matches and Punk will eventually lose it on RAW culminating in a Brock Lesnar SummerSlam match.

In other big news Alberto Del Rio not only regained the WWE world heavyweight title from Dolph Ziggler, but the both actually turned in the match. Ziggler wrestled the match like a babyface and wsa cheered heavily by the Chicago crowd. Del Rio worked over Ziggler’s head throughout the match playing off of the concussion. The trainer came out at one point and wanted to stop the match but Dolph wanted to continue. A.J. also wanted the match stopped. Dolph eventually succumbed to a superkick. I am excited to see where Dolph goes as a babyface and Del Rio was much more tolerable as a heel to me. I am not sure if this means Big E. and A.J. turn although you’d certainly get that impression after the match.

Speaking of turning, The Shield defeated Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. Bryan connected on Orton with a tope at one point by accident. Rollins pinned Bryan with a running curb stomp. Orton walked out frustrated after the match. If I didn’t know any better I’d certainly think they were going with a Bryan vs. Orton feud although reports still indicate Bryan will be challenging Cena.

I could see a scenario where Bryan turns at the end of all of this. Maybe The Shield get involved with Bryan vs. Cena, Bryan and Cena team up against The Shield, Bryan turns officially on Cena and the two have a lengthy series in the fall. Once again this is just a guess on my part.

The big news of the night may be the return of Rob Van Dam. RVD was announced for Money in the Bank. I’ll have more on this later.

Overall this was a fantastic show. I’d highly recommend the replay if you skipped the live show for Father’s Day activities like I did.

Full WWE Payback 2013 results and winners…
Sheamus defeated Damien Sandow
Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman) defeated Wade Barrett (c) and The Miz in a Triple threat match to win the Intercontinental Championship
AJ Lee (with Big E Langston) defeated Kaitlyn (c) to win the WWE Divas Championship
Dean Ambrose defeated Kane via countout to retain the WWE United States Championship
Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) defeated Dolph Ziggler with AJ Lee and Big E Langston) to win the World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk (with Paul Heyman) defeated Chris Jericho
The Shield (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) defeated Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship
John Cena defeated Ryback in a Three Stages of Hell match for the WWE Championship
Stage 1 – Lumberjack match (won by Ryback)
Stage 2 – Tables match (won by Cena)
Stage 3 – Ambulance match (won by Cena)
Cena wins 2 falls to 1

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History

WWE Payback DVD

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

This week on WWE Friday Night SmackDown Team Hell No! and Randy Orton take on The Shield yet again.

Daniel Bryan makes his way out to a ridiculously loud “Yes!” chant. If you would have asked him when he first debuted if he would have been World Champion, he would have responded with yes. If you had asked him if he’d lose that title in an 18-second match, he would have said no. If you would have asked if he could win the tag titles with anyone on the roster, he would say yes. Did he think he’d spend nine months with Kane? No. That still doesn’t change the fact that Team Hell No! is one of the best tag teams in WWE history. With that said, Kane, you need to come out here right now. Kane comes out and says the only thing he’s interested in is their 6-man tonight. Bryan says they need to get everything out in the open. The last nine months have been incredible. They’ve been an awesome team in the ring, and he’s proud of what they’ve done to become better partners. At Payback, Kane won’t be his partner, and when he wins, he will be the WWE Tag Team Champions with someone else. As for Team Hell No!, that team will be done. Kane asks if Bryan is breaking up with him. Bryan should know the same thing will happen when Kane wins the US title on Sunday. Bryan says Kane doesn’t understand he and Orton will be the Tag Team Champions, and they will be Team RK-No! Kane says Bryan’s acting like it’s a given he’ll win. He and Bryan couldn’t beat The Shield, not to mention Bryan hates Orton. Bryan asks if Kane doesn’t think he can do it, and Kane says he doesn’t. Bryan says it’s because he’s the weak link. He and Orton had The Shield beat last time, and on Sunday, he will prove he’s not the weak link, and Kane will have to sit back and know that he and Orton did something he and Kane could never do. That means only one thing. Kane asks if Bryan is accusing him of being the weak link. Bryan confirms it, so Kane grabs him by the throat.

Randy Orton comes out and says he can’t let Kane do this. He understand why Kane wants to chokeslam Bryan, but he needs him at 100% at Payback. What Kane does to Bryan affects Orton, so if Kane chokeslams Bryan, Orton might hit him with an RKO. Bryan gets offended at Orton interfering, saying he didn’t ask for Orton to save him. Kane interjects and tells them to work things out, and he’ll see them later. Bryan tells him to run off like he always does. The Shield appear on the TitanTron. Seth Rollins calls this funny, and Dean Ambrose calls this a car wreck. After 6 months of being beaten by them, they understand why their opponents are mad. The Shield is unstoppable, unbeatable and untouchable. Now, do you believe in The Shield? Looks to them like you do. Tonight will be like every other night they’ve faced The Shield. They’ll lose tonight and at Payback. The “Hounds of Justice” run this yard.

Sheamus is in action next.

MATCH 1: Sheamus vs. Antonio Cesaro
Before the match starts, Damien Sandow comes out onto the stage. He says the man across from Sheamus speaks five languages. Just like the unwashed masses, Sheamus can barely speak one. Sandow has humiliated Sheamus intellectually and physically, and this Sunday, Sandow will leave him in his Irish wake. The match starts with a lock-up, and Sheamus backs Cesaro into the ropes. Cesaro hits a European uppercut before pushing Sheamus into the corner. Cesaro hits some body blows and a slap to the face. Sheamus responds by stomping Cesaro down and out of the ring. Back in, Sheamus throws Cesaro to the corner for some forearm shots and a short-arm clothesline. Cesaro comes bacak with some strikes and European uppercuts. Sheamus fights out of a chinlock and catches Cesaro with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for 2. Sheamus assaults Cesaro with body blows and goes for a suplex, but Cesaro blocks it and hits a waistlock takedown. He spins around and deadlifts Sheamus from a flat position into a gutwrench suplex before clotheslining him to the floor. Outside, Cesaro goes for a cross-body from the apron, but Sheamus catches him and hits a fall-away slam into the barricade. Commercials.

Back from the break, Sheamus sends Cesaro into the corner. Cesaro blocks the charge, but runs into a backbreaker for 2. Cesaro rolls to the apron, and Sheamus goes outside. Cesaro rams him into the steps. Cesaro lifts Sheamus back into the ring and goes for the pin, getting 1. Cesaro applies a rear chinlock, but Sheamus fights out. Cesaro hits a European uppercut and follows up with a swinging chinlock into a throw for 2. Sheamus’ back looks like it’s bleeding. Sheamus backdrops out of another chinlock, hits a pair of Irish Hammers and a running shoulder thrust in the corner, but gets dropped with a clothesline for 2. Cesaro hits the double stomp for another 2. Sheamus telegraphs a back body drop, but nails a kneelift before throwing Cesaro to the apron for the forearms to the chest. Sheamus hits all ten, then brings Cesaro into the ring with an Irish Curse for 2. Nice spot there. Sheamus goes for the rolling fireman’s carry slam, but Cesaro elbows his way out and hits European uppercut to the back of the neck and follows up with a Widowmaker for 2. Cesaro shoves Sheamus into the corner, but Sheamus pops up a Brogue Kick out of nowhere for 3.

WINNER: Sheamus. Pretty damn good match to open the show. For anyone who says Sheamus can’t work, watch this match and get back to me. I don’t like the guy as a face, but he’s a far better worker than he gets credit for. As for Cesaro, I really don’t understand why WWE is down on him. He’s probably one of the five or ten best workers on the roster right now. Anyway, as Sheamus is celebrating on the stage, Sandow comes back out and nails Sheamus in the back of the head with a forearm shot.

Video for The Wyatt Family, and this is followed by a video package for CM Punk.

We see Teddy Long in his office on his cellphone. It turns into a commercial for Hardee’s. Long proceeds to unwrap a burger and eat it as a pre-unwrapped burger is just sitting on the edge of the table. Makes sense. AJ Lee, Dolph Ziggler and Big E. Langston interrupt Teddy’s feeding. Ziggler says it’s been a month since he’s been on SD, and he’s two days away from the biggest title match of his career, so why is he in a tag match against ADR and Chris Jericho tonight? This show is nothing without him, so Long needs to rearrange his thoughts. What he does tonight will just be a taste of what he does to ADR on Sunday. Long goes back to his burger, but Langston takes it out of his hands and starts stuffing his face. He takes a few bites before shoving it back in Long’s hands. Meanwhile, there’s still another completely untouched burger at the edge of the table.

MATCH 2: The Great Khali (w/Hornswoggle and Natalya) vs. Heath Slater (w/Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre)
Lock-up to start, and Slater gets shoved on his ass. Slater ducks a clothesline and slaps Khali. Khali drops him with a clothesline, then sets him in the corner for an open-hand chop. In the opposite corner, Khali hits another chop. Slater attacks out of another corner, hitting several kicks and punches. Slater hits a shoulder thrust and a few body blows before Khali drops him with a back elbow and a big boot. Clothesline by Khali, followed by another. Outside the ring, the corner members of each side are arguing until Mahal knocks Hornswoggle down. Khali hits him with a Brain Chop from inside the ring, and Slater clips Khali’s knee from behind. He hits a snap DDT and gets the 3.

WINNER: Heath Slater. Wow. When was the last time a member of 3MB won any kind of match?

MATCH 3: Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) vs. Big E. Langston and World Champion Dolph Ziggler (w/AJ Lee)
Before this match, they showed slo-mo video of when Ziggler got his concussion. The kick from Swagger was sloppy and reckless. No wonder he’s not getting pushed anymore. ADR and Ziggler start the match, but Ziggler immediately tags out to Langston. Langston shoves ADR, then hits some shots to the gut. Shoulder thrusts in the corner by Langston, but ADR suckers him in and hits some kicks before nailing the step-up enziguri. Jericho tags in and nails some strikes on Langston before chopping him repeatedly. Jericho ducks a clothesline and hits a step-up enziguri, followed by a low dropkick for 2. Langston shoves Jericho into the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Ziggler tags in, and he stomps Jericho down. The Show-Off elbow connects, and Jericho kicks out at 2. Langston tags back in, missing an avalanche. Jericho rolls him up for 2, then hits a dropkick. ADR tags in and hits a running kick to the head. He ducks a clothesline, but gets nailed with a shoulderblock. Langston goes for a bodyslam, but ADR escapes and hits a Backstabber. Ziggler tags and goes for a cheap shot, but ADR sees him coming, so Ziggler bails to the floor. Commercials.

Back from the break, Langston and Jericho are legal. Jericho suckers Langston into the ropes and sends him to the floor. Dropkick through the ropes by Jericho, and he follows up by slamming Langston’s face into the apron before rolling him back in. Behind the ref’s back, AJ slaps Jericho as he’s trying to get back in the ring, and Langston knocks him off the apron with a running knee. Langston heads outside and rams Jericho into the barricade. Langston rolls Jericho in the ring and goes for the pin, getting 2. Langston hits a standing avalanche off the ropes for another 2 before tagging in Ziggler. Ziggler beats Jericho down in the corner, then hits a Rude Awakening for 2. Ziggler misses an avalanche, and Jericho hits a running facebuster. ADR tags in, hits a pair of clotheslines and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. ADR hits a thrust kick to the face, and Langston comes in and knocks him down with an avalanche. Jericho takes Langston out, and Ziggler nails Jericho with a dropkick. Ziggler goes after ADR, and ADR quickly cradles him for 3.

WINNERS: Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho.

Renee Young is in the back with Chris Jericho. She congratulates him on his victory, then moves onto Sunday. Jericho says that his match with Punk is a rare match. It’s taken on a life of its own because of the crowd as well as the competitors. Chicago will be cheering their hero, but Jericho is no stranger to the city. He debuted in Chicago in 1999, for one. Regardless of who the crowd gets behind, this match will exceed the first two. The camera pans over to show Paul Heyman standing in the area. He wishes Jericho best of luck and offers a handshake. Jericho doesn’t respond. Heyman says Jericho needs the luck, as the odds aren’t in his favor. In addition to being in Chicago, Punk will have Heyman in his corner. Heyman will have the best seat in the house on Sunday and can’t wait until the ring announcer announces Punk as the winner and the best in the world. Jericho slaps Heyman, then says “Pipe bomb!”

MATCH 4: Aksana vs. WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn (non-title)
Kaitlyn immediately tackles Aksana and shoves her to the floor. Kaitlyn assaults Aksana with punches before throwing her back in the ring. Aksana cuts her off upon re-entry, but Kaitlyn tackles Aksana once more. The ref tries to pull her off, so Kaitlyn assaults him as well. Aksana rolls to the floor, and Kaitlyn goes after her again. The ref tries to interject, so Kaitlyn slaps him as Aksana flees to the back.

WINNER: No contest, as the bell never rang.

Curtis Axel makes his way out for a match. Scoff all you want, I’m digging Axel’s new gimmick. His name isn’t the best, but he’s a good worker, and with Heyman as his mouthpiece, that adds up to a good combination. Plus, he has one of the best entrance themes in WWE right now. Looks like Axel is facing Wade Barrett, but before the match, Barrett says he wants to chat businessman-to-businessman with Heyman. Why would we have this match right now? He could injure Axel tonight, and then he wouldn’t be able to compete for the IC title on Sunday. There’s also a small chance Axel could injure him. So, should they fight now, or would it make business sense to leave this until Sunday? Heyman whispers in Axel’s ear as The Miz comes out. Wonderful. He says his catchphrase about 812 times before asking what these two would rather do, like maybe go to Starbucks or compete on Dancing With the Stars. No one wants to see them dance; people want to see them fight. The reaction to Miz’s promo was lukewarm-at-best, pin-dropping-silence at worst. God, I wish WWE would give up on him.

MATCH 5: Curtis Axel (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett (non-title)
Axel backs Barrett into the corner, where he assaults him with punches and kicks. Barrett comes back with punches of his own, then hits some kneelifts to the face and a short-arm clothesline for 1. Axel ducks a clothesline, leapfrogs Barrett and hits a running dropkick for 2. Barrett ducks a clothesline and nails a mule kick to the gut, sending Axel to the floor, right by Miz. Barrett heads outside and tries to slam Axel into the steps. Axel blocks it and slams Barrett’s face into the steps. He goes to clothesline Barrett, but Barrett ducks, causing Axel to connect with Miz. Barrett rolls Axel into the ring, and as he’s climbing in, Axel hits the Broken Axel through the ropes for 3.

WINNER: Curtis Axel. After the match, Miz comes in from behind and hits Axel with the Skull-Crushing Finale.

Another video fro The Wyatt Family. This is proof that Waylon Mercy was way ahead of his time.

MATCH 6: The Shield (WWE United States Champion Dean Ambrose, and WWE Tag Team Champions Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins) vs. Randy Orton and Team Hell No! (Daniel Bryan & Kane)
Bryan and Rollins start, with Rollins assaulting Bryan with rights in the corner. Bryan backflips off a corner whip, ducks a clothesline, and hits one of his own. Bryan hits some kicks before tagging in Kane. Bryan hits a snapmare, and Kane follows up with a low dropkick for 1. Kane hits a suplex for 2. Rollins tags in Ambrose, who attacks Kane with rights before running into a big boot. Orton tags in and kicks Ambrose in the gut before beating him down in the corner. Orton hits some European uppercuts, then follows with a series of headbutts, a corner clothesline and a suplex. Bryan tags in and hits some kicks to the chest. Ambrose backs him into the corner, where Reigns tags in and hits a high bodyslam for 2. Rollins in, and he assaults Bryan with some elbows to the back of the neck. Ambrose in, and he hits some punches before hitting a power-drive elbow for 2. Ambrose applies a deathlock and combines it with a rear chinlock before turning it into a dragon sleeper. Bryan fights out before getting hit with a knee to the gut. Ambrose charges in and gets a kitchen sink. Orton tags in and hits two clotheslines on Ambrose, followed by a powerslam. Rollins comes in and gets powerslammed as well. Orton goes for the suspended DDT on Ambrose, but gets cut off by Reigns. He fights Reigns off and goes for a double DDT, but Ambrose breaks free and hotshots him for 2. Commercials.

Back from the break, Ambrose has Rollins in a rear chinlock. He breaks the hold and hits a short-arm clothesline for 2. Ambrose applies a fingerlock, then rakes at Orton’s nose. Reigns tags in and stomps Orton down for 2. Reigns chokes Orton over the middle rope, but Orton begins fighting back from his knees. Reigns goes for a Samoan drop, but Orton slides out and hits the 3.0. Reigns gets back up and misses a corner charge, and now both men are down. Ambrose and Kane tag in. Kane hits Ambrose with some punches and a powerslam for 2. Pair of corner clotheslines for Kane, and a sidewalk slam gets another 2. Kane goes up top for the flying clothesline, but Ambrose ducks and charges in with a dropkick. Bryan tags in and hits a seated missile dropkick. Rollins tags in and goes for a springboard, but Bryan dropkicks him as well. Reigns gets knocked off the apron, and Bryan follows up with a suicide dive on Rollins and Reigns. Rollins gets thrown back in and Bryan nails him with two running corner dropkicks for 2. Bryan fires off what are once again the Yes! Kicks, then hits both Rollins and Reigns with Buzzsaws. Pin on Rollins, but it only gets 2. Bryan goes to the top rope. Ambrose tries to knock him down, but Bryan fights him off. The Flying Goat misses on Rollins, and Rollins goes for a pin, getting 2. Ambrose comes in, and Kane shoves him to the floor. Reigns clotheslines Kane to the floor. Orton looks for the RKO on Reigns, but Reigns blocks it and hits a spear. Outside, Kane looks for a chokeslam on Ambrose, but throws him away when he sees Reigns coming. Kane moves and sends Reigns into the timekeeper’s area before chokeslamming Ambrose onto Reigns. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a running powerbomb into the corner on Bryan. He goes up top, but Kane shoves him off right into an RKO by Orton. Bryan applies the No! Lock, and Rollins taps.

WINNERS: Randy Orton and Team Hell No! The crowd is going batsh*t for Daniel Bryan.

End of show.

- Dustin

Dustin Nichols is a freelance writer, and you can keep track of all of his work on his Facebook page, which can be found at www.facebook.com/DustinNicholsWriter. Oh, and if you like bodybuilding, check out his mom’s official site by clicking the banner below:

Before I start this blog, this Sunday is Father’s Day, and, I would like to wish all the Fathers, and Fathers-to-be a very Happy Father’s Day. For those, like myself, whose Fathers are no longer alive, my heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to you.

That being said, in this blog, I am previewing the 2013 WWE Payback PPV, which emanates from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on June 14, 2013, this Sunday. It is a new PPV from WWE. It features a Three Stages from Hell Match between John Cena vs Ryback, a Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Title, and the return of Chicago’s own CM Punk.

The PPV on paper looks pretty good. The promotion on TV could have been better, especially the under card. I also could have done without a McMahon Family Feud getting started. Here they are, pushing a new PPV, and they put the McMahons front and center. I like the McMahons, but in small doses. I just thought they distracted from pushing the PPV.

Well, here is my preview for the PPV. I hope you enjoy it.

Youtube Opening Match: Sheamus vs Damian Sandow

I am guessing that this match wound up on the pre-show due to time restraints. After all, the Cena match is going to take up time, and I am sure there will be another McMahon Family Feud skit thrown into the PPV.

Prediction: I would like Sandow to win, but I think Sheamus wins.

Divas Championship: Kaitlyn (C) vs A.J. Lee

WWE, what have you done with Ms. Lee? You had a fantastic character, that to me, was a total, unpredictable psycho, and turned her into a second rate Lita (during the Rated R Couple days). I don’t understand why WWE pulls out the rug under a character they were clearly behind.

As for Kaitlyn, I don’t have much to say. I really hope that A.J. Lee takes the belt. Perhaps Lee can feud with Natalya, someone who can actually wrestle.

Prediction: A.J. Lee

United States Championship: Dean Ambrose (C) vs Kane

I have been so impressed with Dean Ambrose lately. I think he is going to do great things in WWE. He is excellent on the mic, and is awesome in the ring. Kane has been pretty good in his role as part of Team Hell No with Daniel Bryan. I think this will be a decent match, as you can only do so much with Kane.

Prediction: Dean Ambrose retains his belt.

Tag Team Championship: The Shield (Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins) (C) vs Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan

This match, if allowed enough time, could be a very good match, and maybe one of the top ones. You have four capable workers, and I expect Daniel Bryan (whom I just love) to put on a clinic.

I don’t think they will get the belts, but the dynamic of Orton and Bryan working together will be something to watch. WWE has teased tension between the two, as they, along with Kane, have been fighting the Shield. Bryan has been going bananas, as he insists that he is not the weak link, and Orton keeps calling him “crazy town.”

Orton has given Bryan an RKO on Smack Down recently, so it is not unreasonable to wonder if Orton is going to go heel (where he’s at his best). We will have to wait and see.

The Shield have been doing a great job, especially Rollins. I love his style of wrestling. He is very athletic. Some fans don’t like Roman Reigns, and think he is the weak link. I don’t agree. He is not as polished as the other two, but I think he holds his own, as far as work-rate. I think he will improve with time.

Prediction: The Shield retain their Tag Team Championships.

Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett (C) vs Curtis Axel vs The Miz

This match was to be Barrett vs Miz vs Fandango, but the Dancing King is out due to a concussion. Paul Heyman’s new client, Curtis Axel, takes the vacated spot. This match wasn’t pushed as much. I remember when the IC Championship was a major accomplishment. Nowadays, not so much.

Anyway, I really don’t have a lot of interest in this match. I remember when Barrett was being set up for big things. Now, due to injuries, and whatnot, here he is feuding with Miz and the now sidelined Fandango. He will now deal with Curtis Axel, who has beaten just about all the top guys.

Prediction: I wish “I don’t care.” was an option, but it’s not. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these guys won, but I will just pick Curtis Axel.

Chris Jericho vs CM Punk

This match has been pushed well. I would say it should be the match of the night. Jericho and the conquering hero, CM Punk, will face off to see who is the “Best in the World at what they do.” It is a pretty simple concept.

Prediction: The PPV is in Punk’s hometown. He is returning. My two dollars goes on Punk.

World Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler (C) vs Alberto Del Rio

Barely any push for this match, which is understandable due to Ziggler’s concussion. I am glad that WWE is taking the health of their wrestlers seriously, by the way. That being said, with Ziggler just coming back, I expect this match to be kept short.

I don’t expect Del Rio to win this, and I would not be surprised if Jack Swagger returned to interfere. I also expect Team Ziggler to interfere also.

Prediction: Ziggler retains

Three Stages of Hell Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena (C) vs Ryback
Stage 1: Lumberjack Match. Stage 2. Tables Match Stage 3. Ambulance Match (if needed)

Along with the McMahon Family Feud, this match has been pushed to the hilt. You have Ryback with his ambulance, and making threats to Cena, and attacking Cena. Cena retaliates with some promos serious, and some fit for a ten year old.

In other words, a typical John Cena WWE Championship build up match. John Cena is always one step ahead of the heel, who is chasing the championship.No heel ever gets one over on John Cena. The heel always looks like a moron when feuding with Cena.

Ryback, who has yet to win in a PPV, is going to be another heel losing to Cena, and look like a moron. He has already lost credibility. I am almost sure this match will go to all three falls. Who wins? Do I need to tell you? You don’t have to be a ten year old to figure it out.

Prediction: John Cena wins the first stage, the Lumberjack Match. Ryback wins the second stage, the Tables Match. In the Third Match, John Cena, all beat up, battered and bruised, turns into Superman, and, ironically, defeats Ryback in the Ambulance Match, and retains his WWE Championship. Ryback looks like a moron, because he wanted an Ambulance match initially, but Cena was allowed to change the stipulations.

That is my preview. Enjoy the PPV.

Terri Bey currently blogs for CamelClutchBlog.com about Wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture related subjects. Her work has appeared in BleacherReport and for F4WOnline.com. Terri can be found here at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/TerriBey and at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/giopontifan

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History

WWE Payback DVD

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

Once again, this week’s Impact Wrestling opens up with Hulk Hogan. Tonight is the “BFG Series Selection Show”. Hey, remember Open Fight Night and Gut Check? Glad those are still around every month, as promised. Hulk says Hulkamania is once again alive and well in Atlanta, GA, brother. Last week, things could have been a lot worse, brothers. An act of God stopped him from chopping Bully Ray down with the edge of his hand, brothers. Because of all of the drama Bully Ray has caused, he told his daughter to stay home this week. Tonight is the selection show, and all 12 men for the series will be decided. Samoa Joe, Hernandez and Jay Bradley have already earned their spots. There are two other guys who don’t have to do anything to get spots, and that’s the last two BFG winners: Jeff Hardy and Bobby Roode. Jeff Hardy comes out first and he says he’s tired of hammers and Aces & Eights. He’s going to win the series again this year, then win the World title in San Diego…

Bobby Roode’s music cuts him off. Roode tells Hulk to save his breath. “The IT Factor” doesn’t need an introduction. Everyone knows he was the longest-reigning World Champion in TNA history, and if you want to talk about the BFG Series, you’re looking at the first-ever winner. He’s 1-for-1, and this year, he’s making it 2-for-2. Hulk says next week, is OFN (hey, looks like they remembered!), and the fans will decide who gets the first call-out next week, Roode or Hardy. Roode says this is perfect and hopes everyone votes for him, because next week, he’s going to get in the ring and call out Hardy. So…this voting thing doesn’t even matter. Roode says he’s going to kicks Hardy’s ass next week, and Hardy says he should do it now.

Aces and Eights come out through the crowd. This time, it’s Bully Ray, Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff. He wants to know why everyone is so mad at each other. Does it really matter who wins the BFG Series? At the end of the day, the winner faces the champion, and everyone knows who the champ is gonna be. He’s got a bigger problem now, and as usual, it’s with Hulk. He wants to know why no one from A and E is in the series. Hulk says he’s been thinking about it, and A and E gets one spot. Every member of the group will be in a battle royal, and the winner gets that spot. Ray says this is typical of Hulk. Remember this: no matter who is in the series, they are a target of A and E, and it’s because of Hulk. Speaking of targets, Roode and Hardy are targets right now. Wes and Garett attack, but they’re easily disposed of. Roode then attacks Hardy from behind and flees to the back.

This week on TNA Impact Wrestling AJ Styles faces Kurt Angle in a BFG Qualifier, and Bad Influence takes on James Storm & Gunner in a tag team qualifying match.

BI are in the back talking to AI, and Kazarian says Storm has had more partners than Taylor Swift. Gunner frightens people, but not them. Christopher Daniels says the odds are in their favor, and one of them will have the title around their waist.

MATCH 1-Tag Team BFG Series Qualifier: Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) vs. World Tag Team Champions Gunner and James Storm (non-title)
Storm and Daniels start the match with a lock-up. Storm backs Daniels into the corner and gives a clean break. He blocks a punch, hits one and applies a headlock. Storm shoulders Daniels off the ropes, blocks a hip toss and hits one of his own before hitting a suplex and a jumping kneedrop. Gunner tags in, and the champs hit a double shoulderblock for 2. Daniels kicks Gunner and tags in Kaz, who fires off some forearms. Gunner catches a cross-body and hits a fall-away slam. He goes for a fireman’s carry, but Kaz escapes. Daniels trips Gunner, and Kaz hits a springboard legdrop before tagging in Daniels. Daniels hits some shots to the back of the head and tags in Kaz. They hit a series of strikes that ends in a Kaz elbow drop for 2. Gunner gets corner whipped, but rebounds with a double clothesline. Storm tags in and hits some moves on Kaz before nailing a running neckbreaker. Kaz tries for a headscissors out of the corner, but Storm counters into an Alabama Slam for 2. Daniels breaks up the pin, and Gunner takes him out with a clothesline. Running knee for Kaz, and now Gunner goes for the Gun Rack. Daniels breaks it up and throws Gunner to the floor. BI double-team Storm, but he ducks a double clothesline, shoves Daniels into Kaz, then hits a backcracker. He ducks a shot by Kaz and hits Closing Time. He signals for the Last Call, but Daniels nails him with a title belt from behind the ref’s back. Kaz rolls Storm up in a small package and gets the 3.

WINNERS: Bad Influence. They join Joe, Bradley, Hernandez, Hardy and Roode. Five spots left.

We see Crimson enter the building. AI stops him and asks where he’s been. He says he hasn’t been seen in 12 months, and he’s not going to tell AI why he’s here.

Velvet Sky has a manila envelope in her hand, and says it’s a present for Mickie James that will make everyone happy.

Crimson makes his way out, and it looks like this he’s in a BFG Series Qualifier, according to Mike Tenay. Crimson says 470 and 12. Those are two numbers that have been consuming him. Crimson was undefeated for 470 days, and then his streak was ended almost 12 months ago to the day. One small blemish, and he gets sent home for a year. Tonight, he’s no longer consumed by numbers, and has a chance to qualify for the BFG Series, a series he’s no stranger to. Joseph Park, he’s starting with you.

MATCH 2-BFG Series Qualifier: Crimson vs. Joseph Park
Crimson boots Park and clubs him down. He pie-faces Park, and Park slaps him before hitting a hip toss. Crimson no-sells and nails a clothesline. Park gets sent hard into the corner and collapses face-first on the mat before rolling to the floor. Crimson follows him and slams him face-first into the apron. Back in the ring, Crimson locks in a cravat and hits some kneelifts to the face before hitting a neckbreaker. Park hits some weak shots to the gut and face, but gets hit with a spinebuster. Crimson calls for the spear as Park climbs to his feet in the opposite corner. Park avoids the spear, causing Crimson to hit the corner. Park rolls him up in a schoolboy and gets the 3.

WINNER: Joseph Park. Four spots in the series left to fill.

We see Mickie James in the back, putting on her wh*repaint…err, makeup. She isn’t sure what Sky has for her, but it is so sweet for Sky to give the champ a present.
Velvet Sky makes her way out, envelope in hand. She says she needs to clear the air about a little something that’s been on her mind lately. Ever since losing the KO title, her friendship with Mickie James has been up in the air. So, in the envelope, she has the solution to all of their problems. If James would please come out, Sky has a present for her. James comes out and she says she’s overwhelmed with emotion. Yes, she’s the champ, but Sky is the KO of the Month. If anything, she should give Sky something. Sky takes a piece of paper out of the envelope, and Sky says it’s clearance from her doctor. That means it’s rematch time. James says you can fake documentation like this thanks to the internet, and even if this is real, the paper says she was cleared yesterday. As far as she can see, Sky’s knee is still hurt. James then kicks her in the knee and applies a variation of the STF until the referees come out and break the hold.

Matt Morgan is pacing in the back and says you’re looking at the man Sting could not beat, yet he has to qualify for the BFG Series. These are the hoops he has to jump through. Just like Sting, these chumps in the Series can’t beat him.

MATCH 3-4-Way BFG Series Qualifier: Rob Terry vs. Kenny King vs. Magnus vs. Matt Morgan
This is one-fall to a finish, and will be under tag rules. Morgan and King start the match, but King immediately tags out to Terry. Morgan shoves Terry, and Terry shoves back. Terry tries a shoulder, and it has no results. Morgan does the same thing, and they continue to trash-talk. King kicks Terry in the back, and this allows Morgan to clothesline him to the back of the head. Morgan hits some headbutts and punches in the corner, then foot-chokes him. King tags himself in and stomps Terry down until Terry begins no-selling. King thumbs him in the eye and tags in Morgan, who hits a low running boot. Morgan sits on Terry’s back, then hits a kneelift. King makes a blind tag and hits a springboard double axe handle. Terry fights out of a rear chinlock, but King hits a jawbreaker. Off the ropes, Terry pancakes him, and Magnus makes a blind tag. He hits a couple clotheslines, as well as a misdirection version. He knocks Morgan and Terry off the apron and catches King off the middle rope for the elevated northern lights bomb. Magnus calls for the flying elbow and connects. He goes for the pin, but Morgan breaks it up. Terry rams Morgan into the corner for some shots as King hits a jumping roundhouse on Magnus. Terry hits King with a chokeslam, and Morgan drops Terry with a Carbon Footprint. He charges at Magnus, but Magnus low-bridges Morgan, sending him to the ramp. Magnus hits the Mag-Daddy Driver and gets the 3.

WINNER: Magnus. Definitely the most deserving guy in this match, and I’m glad TNA didn’t go with Morgan, like it seemed they would.

Eric Young is talking to AI, and says he is going to try to get into the BFG Series tonight by trying to reel in Austin Aries. He then realizes this is being taped and he’s blowing his own cover before running to the bathroom.

Video for Quentin Jackson. This segues into TNA showing us that he’s in the building tonight.

Video for Sting losing at Slammiversary. Let me just say that seeing Bully Ray piledrive Sting on the wood under the canvas doesn’t impress me. Honestly, that spot was so beyond irresponsible that I can’t believe Sting was stupid enough to agree to it.

Sting makes his way out to the arena. He says it’s really good to be back in Atlanta, GA. One year ago at Slammiversary, he was the first wrestler to be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame, and it’s a night he’ll never forget, but a lot has happened since then. Bully Ray’s deception, which led to Slammiversary this year. Sting was given what he wanted, and that was a shot at Ray’s World title. Everyone knows Sting failed, and because of that, he can no longer wrestle for the TNA World title. At Slammiversary, Ray sent wave after wave until Sting was overwhelmed. Ray took over, and the rest is history. And there’s one other fact that Sting won’t ever forget: he was left to fend for himself. Not one wrestler came out to help him when he was in dire straits. But that’s okay. Ray and his group always have each other’s backs. They are just like family. Yeah…family. Just. Like. Family. Family. Oh, just when he thought he was out, they suck him back in. He has to go back to a place he never thought he would, and that’s to create his own family, a family he can trust that knows they can trust him. His own new family. Or, should he say, his own new Main Event Mafia. Very soon, the new Main Event Mafia will rise. Aces and Eights, you’re going to fall.

Great. Just what TNA needs is another faction war storyline. How many more times do we have to relive this? MEM, Frontline, Aces and Eights, the Elite Guard, SEX, Fourtune, Immortal, The Kings of Wrestling…I am convinced TNA has completely run out of ideas.

I love how TNA calls AJ/Angle “PPV-quality”, which basically tells you the rest of the matches they show on free TV are not good enough for your money. Way to market, TNA.

MATCH 4-BFG Qualifier: Eric Young (w/ODB) vs. Austin Aries
We see a video from EY’s new reality show, and in one piece, ODB mentions that they’re still KO Tag Team Champions, but haven’t defended the belts in six months. Meanwhile, back in the arena, they don’t bother to wear the belts. TNA needs to just forget they ever had that championship. Lock-up to start, and Aries turns it into a hammerlock. EY counters into a fireman’s carry and turns it into an armbar. Aries counters into a headscissors for 2. The fans are so into EY in Atlanta that they begin chanting “ODB!” Anyway, another lockup, and Aries turns it into an armbar. EY flips out into his own before Aries counters into a double-leg takedown and slaps EY across the back of the head before taunting in the corner. Aries escapes to the floor, and ODB gets in the ring for no reason. EY takes her down with a waistlock before mocking Aries’ taunt. EY slams him head-first into the buckles, hits a clothesline and a dropkick for 2. EY throws Aries into two of the corner but misses a clothesline. Aries slides to the floor to reprimand ODB. EY grabs him, so Aries thumbs the eyes and hotshots him from the outside. Back in the ring, Aries throws Young to the corner, then chokes him over the top rope. He follows with a choke over the middle rope, then hits a tope con hilo for 2. Aries applies a rear chinlock with a knee to the back, then rakes they eyes. In the corner, Aries hits an open-hand chop, followed by another. EY avoids a corner whip and fires off some rights. He Flair Flops off another whip attempt, avoids a clothesline and hits some rights. Aries does the Flair Flop as well, but gets knocked off the apron into the guardrail. EY follows up with a slingshot cross-body before rolling Aries back into the ring. EY hits a belly-to-belly suplex for 2. Taz called it the “classic high school belly-to-belly suplex”. You know, I wrestled in junior high, and no one ever hit a belly-to-belly suplex on anyone. Ever. In fact, that would be an illegal move. EY goes up for the elbow, but Aries gets back to his feet and crotches EY. He follows up with a running corner dropkick, then kills EY with a brainbuster for 3.

WINNER: Austin Aries. Two spots left.

We see Aces and Eights in the back. Ray is talking about the BFG spot reserved for them. DOC and Ray are apparently arguing about who is going to win the battle royal. Everyone agrees Mr. Anderson should get the spot, except him. He eventually agrees, albeit begrudgingly.

Chris Sabin is talking about his return, and what would have happened if he hadn’t torn up his knees. A year ago when he returned, it was only for seven matches, one of which was then-World X-Division Austin Aries. He might have beaten Aries for the belt, and maybe moved onto Destination X to become World Champion. That’s fine, though. He’s now a 5-time champion. Does he give that up for the World title? Right now, he doesn’t know yet.

MATCH 5-6-Man Battle Royal BFG Series Qualifier; Participants: Devon, Mr. Anderson, Wes Brisco, Knux, Garett Bischoff and DOC
Everyone acts like they’re going to fight, circling each other. At one point, they all stop and surround Anderson. He finger-blasts Wes (that didn’t sound right), and Brisco goes diving over the top rope. He does the Hulk point at Garett, and Garett lets Anderson throw him out. Knux puts his dukes up, and Anderson points to the crowd. Knux looks and Anderson finger-pokes him over the top rope. Anderson tells Devon to get the table, and Devon jumps over the top rope to do so, pretending he got tricked. DOC is the only other guy left in the ring, and Anderson pretends to mind-will him over the top rope. DOC isn’t budging, though. After a moment, he starts to climb over the top rope, but then changes his mind. Devon and Knux jump on the apron and scream at him, and now Anderson is screaming in his face. DOC eventually nails Anderson and beats him down. Anderson comes back with a kneelift and throws him to the floor.

WINNER: Mr. Anderson. The rest of A and E get in DOC’s face as the group leaves through the crowd.

Quentin Jackson stops Kurt Angle in the back and wants to know what Angle meant by what he said last week when he said Jackson could face him when he was ready. Angle says he was talking about training, and that you can’t just step in and expect to be good.

We see DOC trying to leave the building as the rest of A and E continue screaming at him. Bully Ray shows up and tells everyone to shut up. All DOC had to do was stick to the plan. TNA is doing to them what they do to TNA. DOC tries to explain himself. Ray says he likes DOC stepping up and having passion, but they had a plan, and they needed to stick to it. DOC apologizes and then addresses something else. AJ Styles turned his back on A and E, hitting DOC with their hammer. Tonight, he’s stepping up to take AJ out himself. Ray tells him to get the job done.

MATCH 6-BFG Series Qualifier: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles
This is for the final spot in the series. AJ has a new theme song. Lock-up starts the match, and Angle backs AJ into a corner, giving a clean break. Angle ducks another attempt and goes into a waistlock. AJ counters, and Angle breaks it with an arm wringer. AJ counters into his own and turns it into a side headlock. Shoulder off the ropes by AJ does nothing. Angle goes to the ropes and is met with a dropkick. AJ hits a snapmare and follows up with a kick to the spine and an elbow to the trapezius muscle. Angle gets sent to the corner, where AJ nails him with a flying forearm. Backbreaker connects, and now AJ is assaulting Angle in the corner. Angle fights back with rights before stomping AJ down in the corner and foot-choking him. AJ shakes it off and chops Angle before hitting a suplex. Kick to the gut by AJ, and Angle gets thrown to the corner once more. AJ goes for another suplex, but Angle blocks it and fights AJ off with rights. AJ kicks him and suplexes him into the turnbuckles. We see Quentin Jackson watching from a skybox. Commercials.

Back from the break, AJ hits a snapmare and applies a rear chinlock. Angle fights out with elbows before getting hit with a back elbow that sends him to the floor. AJ follows up with a baseball slide that sends Angle into the announce desk. AJ heads out and hits Angle with a forearm before slamming him face-first into the apron. AJ goes back into the ring for a cross-body, but Angle moves. AJ lands on his feet, and Angle hits him with an overhead belly-to-belly. Angle throws AJ back into the ring, where he hits a backbreaker for 1. Angle rolls AJ onto his stomach and applies a chinlock with his knee in the middle of AJ’s back. AJ gets back to his feet and fights out of the hold with a right hand, but runs right into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker that Alberto Del Rio obviously stole from him. Angle goes for the pin twice, with AJ kicking out both times. A waistlock is applied, but AJ gets back to his feet and elbows out. They trade punches until AJ hits a series of strikes that ends with a spinning backfist and a discus clothesline. At least when AJ changes his gimmick so drastically, he remembers to add new moves in order to make the gimmick different from previous ones. AJ hits a couple of clotheslines and a running boot to the head. Angle backdrops him to the floor in the corner, but AJ lands on the apron, where he hits the Superman for 2. Angle comes back with the Murder-Suicide and signals for the Angle Slam. AJ counters into a DDT for 2. Angle climbs to his feet in the corner, where he avoids an avalanche and hits the Angle Slam for 2. Angle drops the straps and applies the ankle lock. AJ spins onto his back and counters into the Calf Killer. Angle rolls through and goes back to the ankle lock. AJ flips through and sends Angle face-first into the turnbuckles. AJ follows up with a roundhouse, then climbs to the top rope. Angle jumps up and goes for a release German superplex. AJ lands on his feet and hits a DDT into the turnbuckles. AJ pulls Angle back to his feet when DOC and Knux run into the ring. Mr. Anderson is out as well, and he distracts the ref as the other two attack. AJ sees them coming and sends DOC to the floor before hitting a Ghetto Blaster on Knux. Anderson rolls into the ring, and Angle knocks him out before he can do anything. AJ uses the distraction to roll Angle up in a schoolboy and get the 3.

WINNER: AJ Styles, who becomes the 12th and final man in the BFG Series. After the match, A and E triple-team Angle in the ring until Quentin Jackson runs down. Knux and Anderson leave the ring as DOC is still in there. Jackson tries to nail him with a chain, but he ducks and jumps to the outside. A and E circle the ring as Jackson swings his chain before backing off.

End of show.

-Dustin

Dustin Nichols is a freelance writer, and you can keep track of all of his work on his Facebook page, which can be found at www.facebook.com/DustinNicholsWriter. Oh, and if you like bodybuilding, check out his mom’s official site by clicking the banner below: