The World Wrestling Entertainment certainly had an interesting 2010. The WWE saw a facelift with new stars, returning legends, and a revolving door of superstars. Rather than look back myself at the WWE 2010 in review, I am joined by a collection of pro wrestling writers from CamelClutchBlog.com.

WWE Wrestler of the Year

Jeff Peck – The Miz.

The Miz’s moniker is that of being “awesome” and according to his 2010 campaign he clearly was “awesome.” The Miz won the WWE Tag Team Championship, WWE United States Championship and the WWE Championship all in 2010. Those statistics right there are what wrestler’s dream of capturing at some point in their career and The Miz did it all in one year. It’s clear that The Miz is a major part of the WWE’s youth movement and I never thought I’d see the day where I’d name The Miz the WWE Wrestler of the Year. But when you look at everything he has had to go through during his time in the WWE, you have to give him a ton of credit as he climbed from the bottom all the way to the top. 2010 was the year of The Miz.

Eric Darsie – Chris Jericho. Yeah, I know, Darsie went “vintage” with choosing Jericho, but hear me out (or read me out). What other main eventer was willing to put over new guys? Triple H, sure. But he defeated Sheamus at WrestleMania, and what other way to put over a new guy then let him get a clean victory over you at the biggest stage of the year? Randy Orton? You gotta be kidding me. He had a chance to put over both Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania as well, and didn’t. He made them both look ridiculous at WrestleMania. Jericho was willing to put over Evan Bourne over this summer, and don’t you guys remember the big talk about Bourne possibly getting a main event push for about two weeks until he was killed by Orton? Jericho supports the youth movement, and granted his isn’t on WWE television as of the moment, but he deserves to be the WWE Wrestler of the Year. He was the “Superstar of the Year” in 2008, the “Tag Team of the Year” in 2009 as one-half of Jeri-Show (both according to the WWE), and was voted in as the Best Interviewer of 2008 and 2009 and the Best Wrestler (Lou Thesz/Ric Flair award) of 2008 and 2009 from the Wrestling Observer. Looking at those credentials, who better than Chris Jericho as the WWE Wrestler of the Year, according to the Camel Clutch Blog?

Brett from WrestleChat.net – The Miz. I really went back and forth on this one. I think that there are multiple people who could be given this award and not be wrong. With that said, to me, Wrestle of the Year means more than who put on the best matches or who main evented the most PPV’s. Not only is The Miz the most improved wrestler of the year, but not one person in the company mirror’s him on the mic, and only John Cena can compete with him in the aspect of truly becoming the face of the present day WWE. The Miz has been everywhere – on TV, magazines, radio, and the Internet. When The Miz won the Money in the Bank briefcase, many thought he would become the first man to attempt to cash in the brief case and fail. Maybe that was the plan at one point, but I believe that his work ethic prevented that. The night he cashed in the Money in the Bank brief case on RAW and defeated Randy Orton for the World Title, he instantly created one of the best moments of 2010. The Miz is the future of the WWE, and, in 2010, he was the WWE Wrestler of the Year. Honorable Mention – Randy Orton, Kane, Sheamus, John Cena, Wade Barrett

Chris Behringer – The Miz. Without a question, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin had THE best year out of anyone on the WWE roster. Holding the United States & Undisputed Tag Team Championships earlier in the year, winning the Money in the Bank match for Raw at the MITB Pay Per View, & ending the year as WWE Champion is not something anyone has done up to this point. Miz has shown dreams can be achieved through hard work and dedication. 2010 was truly an AWWWWWESOME year for the Miz and the success well deserved.

Jerome Wilen – Alberto Del Rio. When I first watched the vignettes for Alberto Del Rio, my first thought was another wrestler WWE was going to push big with lame television promos, but once he actually debuted in the ring, I was impressed. Too some, he might not look the best in the ring at times, but I like Del Rio as a heel character, from that annoying arrogant smile that makes you want to jump the guard rail and slap it off his face, to his serious mean streak with “putting” stop WWE stars like Rey Mysterio and Christian out of in ring action. His “over the top” antic of allowing his “personal” ring announcer get beat up by Big Show is what makes a true heel. He is not my favorite wrestler, but because of how he exploded on the scene and what he has done in a short period of time, for me, Del Rio wins wrestler of the year.

Eric Gargiulo – Sheamus. This was probably one of the toughest years I can recall to pick a Wrestler of the Year. I thought Batista during his run with John Cena was sensational, but he left too soon to give it to him. I thought Chris Jericho was the MVP for most of the year but like Batista, he did not wrestle a full year. I think the last two months out of the Miz are nice but if I were going to base the award on a couple of months than Batista would have been my pick. Looking at the entire twelve months of 2010, Sheamus had the most consistent year. He had a couple of WWE title reigns, was involved some huge angles, and delivered in most main-event situations. I think the rise of Nexus really hurt him towards the end of the year but overall I think he had the strongest year.

Vince DeHoratus – Daniel Bryan. As an avid fan of Ring of Honor, could my choice be anyone other than Bryan? I was very concerned originally how someone of his size would fare in the WWE. Well his year has exceeded all my hopes to this point. He started off with an inspired debut on WWE NXT against Chris Jericho, only to be relegated to a weekly joke as he lost one match after another. Then just as the Nexus angle was getting started he goes and gets himself fired, only to make an unexpected comeback at Summer Fest. And then he caps off the year by winning the United States belt from his arch enemy, The Miz. Bryan has proven, through his athleticism and submission skills, that he can hold his own just fine in the land of giants.

WWE Match of the Year

Jeff Peck – Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, WrestleMania 2). It’s hard to compare any match to what we assume is Shawn Michaels final wrestling match ever. While the match didn’t live up to the Wrestlemania 25 matchup, it certainly was still a good match and had the most emotional buildup of any match in the WWE in the entire year. It was the final hurrah for “The Heartbreak Kid” and was on the grandest stage in all of wrestling, Wrestlemania. Even at their ages, the two veterans can still bring it.

Eric Darsie – World Heavyweight Championship: Chris Jericho (Champ) def. Edge at WrestleMania XXVI. Yes, “Vintage Darsie” on choosing a Chris Jericho match, but let’s look at Jericho’s history at WrestleMania. The last time (only other time) he defended the World title, he lost the Undisputed WWF title to Triple H, and the storyline of the match was focused on Triple H “divorcing” Stephanie McMahon (back in 2002). Granted I don’t feel like this match had the time that it deserved to be a show-stealing match, but it was a good lead-up to the huge Undertaker-Michaels II match at this year’s Mania main event.

Brett from WrestleChat.net – Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker, WrestleMania 26. There were so many incredible matches this year. The WWE did a great job in giving the true in-ring mat technicians a chance to showcase themselves on multiples events. Much credit also goes to the booking teams for pairing together people who can put on matches that would undoubtedly be a memorable one. With that said, the influx of great matches this year simply do not compare to the showcase that Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker put on at Wrestlemania 26. While arguably not living up to their first show down, HBK/Taker II still goes down as one of the greatest matches in the history of wrestling. The mat work was flawless, the crowd held an emotional investment, and the stipulations and build made the match seem like a rare special occasion. When all was said and done, Shawn Michaels was forced to retire in a moment that tugged at the heartstrings of wrestling fans both new and old. Not only was this the WWE Match of the Year, but it was one of the Top 5 wrestling matches of all time. Honorable Mention – CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio from Extreme Rules, Smackdown Money in the Bank from “Money in the Bank”, Daniel Bryan vs The Miz from Night of Champions, Daniel Bryan vs. Miz vs. Morrison Submissions Count Anywhere IC Title Match from Hell in the Cell, and Daniel Bryan vs Dolph Ziggler at Bragging Rights, John Morrison vs. Sheamus #1 Contenders Ladder Match from Tables Ladders and Chairs.

Chris Behringer – The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan for the United States Championship at Night of Champions. Many are probably going to go with ‘Taker/HBK 2 at WrestleMania. And while good, the match from last year was magic. Miz & Danielson had one of the best wrestling matches of the year provided by WWE. There was a good story going into it (Danielson wanting to be better than his NXT Pro; Miz wanting to prove Danielson was nothing). and it helped to elevate two guys to their respective next levels; Danielson as mid card champ & Miz as the top dog of the Raw brand.

Eric Gargiulo – Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker WrestleMania 26. Unlike Wrestler of the Year this wasn’t a hard one to pick at all. Overall it was a real weak year for “great matches” in the WWE. Michaels vs. Undertaker was very good, but in another year it probably would have come in second for me. Lucky for them they had no competition. The match told a heck of a story and the finale with Shawn Michaels being retired by the Undertaker made this the most emotional moment of 2010 in the WWE. It wasn’t their best but in a year of mediocrity in the WWE, Michaels vs. Undertaker runs away with this one.

Vince DeHoratus – Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker WrestleMania XXV! It was billed as “The Streak vs. The Career Match” and it more than lived up to the hype for me. I felt the build up to the match was some of the best I have seen in recent memory. HBK calls out Taker at the Slammy awards, then goes a little more crazy each week until he has a melt down after losing his “last chance” at the Royal Rumble. He finally forced Taker’s hand after costing him the title and he had his rematch at last. As a lifelong HBK fan I wanted the streak to end, but the Dead Man would not be denied 18-0. Michaels lost but showed his true fighting spirit by refusing to stay down, he made The Undertaker finish him. And unlike another wrestler who lost a career ending match at WrestleMania, Michaels has remained on the sidelines ever since.

WWE Angle of the Year

Jeff Peck – The Nexus vs. John Cena/WWE. The original angle of The Nexus taking out John Cena on a Monday Night Raw in June was one of the most unexpected angles in wrestling in quite sometime and had the entire wrestling world buzzing with how well it was executed on it’s initial night. It elevated young wrestlers who had no television time in 2009 at all and moved them to main event the 2nd biggest WWE PPV of the year at Summerslam. The entire time The Nexus’ focus has been John Cena with different instances where they have taken out other WWE wrestlers & talents. It was the biggest angle of the year and continues to show promise of being an interesting angle heading into 2011. A ton of props to the WWE Creative Team for this angle, it has been really fun to watch.

Eric Darsie – John Cena joining Nexus. Why would I vote this in? I find it amazing putting the top babyface with the top heel faction. Granted I feel like WWE dropped the ball with it with Cena being “fired” but not actually being off of WWE programming and house shows (as of weeks after the Survivor Series), and why would the WWE let go their biggest “Cash Cow”? Granted the storyline writing hasn’t been the greatest, but this storyline drew the biggest news, in my opinion, over any other angle, of 2010.

Brett from WrestleChat.net – The Nexus. This was pretty easy for me to decide. When it came down to it, there really were only 3 other angles worth even mentioning all year. It would either be the Undertaker/Shawn Michaels “Streak vs. Career” feud; Kane finally winning the WWE Title and putting on a great feud with the Taker that showcased some excellent promo’s and the return of Paul Bearer; or, The Miz winning Money in the Bank, teasing cashing it in multiple times, and finally doing it en route to becoming the World Title. Hands down, however, the formation of the NXT Season 1 rookies dominates much of 2010. The night the Nexus formed was one of the most memorable moments in the history of wrestling. It was shocking, unpredictable, and, well, completely shocking and unpredictable. Nobody saw it coming. I’m not even sure that the WWE saw that night play out the way it actually did. Their near 8 month long feud with John Cena was fantastic, filled with multiple twists and turns. In a day where so much of wrestling is predictable or leaked before it even airs, the Nexus angle kept most of us on the edge of our seats for most of 2010. Honorable Mention – Undertaker/HBK “Streak vs. Career” Angle, Kane vs The Undertaker with the return of Paul Bearer, The Miz shocking the world and cashing in MITB to become the new World Champion

Chris Behringer – The Nexus. While the hottest angle of the year, also a prime example of how one can fizzle out. When it started, the Nexus looked like it was going to be the hottest thing since the nWo. And while it did have its moments (destroying the ringside area & everyone around it upon debuting, attacking Vince McMahon, & forcing Cena to become a member), it was plagued with problems (namely members being removed or replaced quickly & lack of character development). In my mind, WWE was sitting on potential gold when Cena was forced to join the stable. A full fledged heel turn would have been fresh as Cena has been the poster boy of the company for the past few years. But it appears as if the Nexus is fizzling out. It was fun while it lasted.

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Jerome Wilen – Nexus and John Cena. When The Nexus made their debut at the Viewer’s Choice edition of Raw and basically annihilated the ending of show, I thought it not was only a great surprise to a lame show, but great unexpected TV that brought the element of surprise that has been missing from pro wrestling since the WWF/WCW Monday Night War. I thought The Nexus turning on Vince McMahon also made for great wrestling television and was unexpected to some. While I thought that this angle had more potential than what it should have been given, The Nexus and John Cena did their best with the direction WWE creative allowed them. Each week, I would tune into Raw because I did not know what to really expect next or what possible direction the show was going to go. I thought the firing of Cena was great as he would show up through the live crowd. Even though The Nexus angle I believe is on its way out, considering all other story lines, for me, I give The Nexus and John Cena feud angle of the year.

Eric Gargiulo – John Cena vs. Nexus. I don’t know if it is a good or a bad thing when everyone consistently agrees on the same awards. I will be the first to admit I was wrong about this one. When I first wrote about the angle I wrote it was a “great moment” but wouldn’t make a great angle. I underestimated the WWE, I underestimated Wade Barrett, and I actually underestimated John Cena. The irony here is that while most will agree that the angle ended too soon (although it seems to have been reincarnated), it actually played out over six months which is an eternity for a WWE angle in the 21st century. I think Wade Barrett has enormous potential and like most, I was disappointed this didn’t end with John Cena going full heel in Nexus. Overall the angle provided some must-see moments and really freshened up what looked like a very weak brand following the exits of Batista and Triple H after WrestleMania 26.

Vince DeHoratus – The Nexus. Quite simply, the WWE Nexus angle was sheer genius. Take a group of no name wrestlers who have no real affiliation with each other and virtually no credibility with the fans and in one magical moment turn them into stars. None of the wrestlers from Season One of NXT could have come in and credibly held their own in the WWE. But by bringing them in all together and by giving them a dark edge, they were instantly over with the fans. Faces that come in and dominate don’t work (Rocky Maivia) while heels get over big time (The Rock). From the moment the Nexus debuted at ringside to deliver their beat down of John Cena I was hooked. If there was a category for “Moment of the Year”, I would have chosen that one. I don’t know how long the Nexus angle will work but if its goal was to jump start the careers of a new crop of WWE wrestlers, then I say mission accomplished.

WWE Story of the Year (in or out of the ring)

Jeff Peck – WWE Youth Movement. The WWE entered 2010 realizing that they needed to create new stars. The Undertaker was getting older, Shawn Michaels was retired, Triple H was rehabbing an injury, Batista & Chris Jericho’s contract had expired, Edge never clicked with their audience after returning from injury and Cena and Orton were all that was left in the hierarchy of the company. It was time to elevate new wrestlers and give younger faces at the top of the WWE. WWE closed out 2009 by elevating Sheamus and putting the WWE Championship around his waist.

In 2010 we would see more of a youth movement take place with NXT becoming the new show replacing the ECW brand. NXT spawned off the entire Nexus stable, as well as independent stars Daniel Bryan and Kaval. John Morrison defeated Chris Jericho multiple times on television and beat Sheamus at Survivor Series. Jack Swagger won the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 26 and would win the World Heavyweight Championship 5 days later. Then the finally icing on the youth movement cake in the WWE was The Miz winning the WWE Championship in November. The WWE Youth Movement is here and there is still more time being built for newer stars to receive the torch in 2011, the future appears to be bright for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Eric Darsie -The rise of Nexus. Who would of thought at the beginning of the year when Bret Hart was the Guest Host on the January 4th show and TNA had a 3-hour live Impact on Monday night with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair coming on that a new guy would lead a faction of new talent and main event the last couple pay-per-views and wrestle for the WWE title and “force” John Cena to join their group? Granted the group isn’t as strong as it was when it first started, I feel like Wade Barrett could be a future WrestleMania main eventer in a couple of years with the roll he’s been on this year.

Brett from WrestleChat.net – Influence of Social Networking on Professional Wrestling. While discussing all of these categories and nominees over on the WrestleChat Facebook group, this would be the only category where I went against the guys. The guys were 50/50 on the top story of the year being either the failed Monday Night Wars II or, “Tie-gate”, in which Daniel Bryan was fired for choking the life out of Justin Roberts with his own tie before being rehired months later. Nobody else even suggested what I did. I believe that the story of the year is the Influence of Social Networking on Professional Wrestling. Why? I believe it is a sign of the times and a sign of things to come. With personal Facebook pages, websites, blogs, Twitter accounts, and YouTube channels flooding the Internet wrestling scene, 2010 saw social networking transcend the way a superstar relates to the fans. Multiple wrestlers used social networking as a way to talk their way out of a release (see Hardy, Matt and MVP). Twitter and Facebook petitions played a huge role in the WWE’s decision to rehire Bryan Danielson after he received overwhelming support. Wrestlers such as Goldust used social networking as an avenue to obtain more TV time. And, who can forget the fake Hulk Hogan accounts and supposed anonymous TNA wrestlers that wreaked havoc on the TNA locker room for months? We’re in a new time in wrestling history. Someone who wants a dream match can go to their Facebook pages and beg fans to make it happen. An unhappy wrestler can use his YouTube account to complain about being misused. A wrestler can now provide instant feedback and answers minutes after stepping out of the ring from a match. Heck, even released superstars appear on Twitter within days to start building relationships and obtain independent bookings. Every single wrestling website in the world are now reporting Facebook status updates and Tweets as news on a daily basis. Social Networking took off in 2010 and has engulfed the wrestling world. Could 2011 see companies enact rules that limit the usage for contracted superstars? It’d be smart because in 2010, Social Networking single-handedly controlled the wrestling landscape and became the WWE Story of the Year. Honorable Mention – Shawn Michaels Retirement, Monday Night Wars 2, The mounting death toll of pro wrestlers (2010 alone – Ludvig Borga, Jack Brisco, Angelo Poffo, Jerry Valiant, Chris Kanyon, Gorgeous George, Trent Acid, Lance Cade, Luna Vachon, Bastion Booger, and Giant Gonzalez), Linda McMahon’s Senate run, and “Tie-gate” which of course would be Daniel Bryan choking the hell out of Justin Roberts, getting fired, and getting hired back.

(In ring) Chris Behringer – Bret Hart Returns to WWE/Bret Hart Wins the United States Championship. Talk about two “Hell froze over” moments. NOBODY ever thought they would see the return of “The Hitman” to a WWE ring. Everyone can speculate on why it was done i.e. an “F YOU” to TNA for trying to run on Monday nights against Raw, etc. Regardless, it happened. What should have been the money feud of the year in Hart/McMahon did not live up to expectations at WrestleMania despite elements leading up to the match being entertaining. Most thought Hart was done in the ring after that match but he went on to win the United States Championship (albeit with interference) from the Miz only to vacate the belt. Many argue that this was a stupid move. I disagree. While I may not be the biggest Bret Hart fan (I still feel to an extent that Bret did screw Bret), I see nothing wrong with wanting to thank the Hitman for all that he has done. It was a classy move by WWE.

(Out of ring) Chris Behringer – Bryan Danielson Gets Hired, Fired, & Rehired. It was the talk among wrestling fans for weeks, if not months. Bryan Danielson was fired for choking out WWE Ring Announcer Justin Roberts with his tie during the beginning of the Nexus invasion. Apparently, you can’t do this on television (yet you can have fake funerals & talk about sending your opponent to Hell on SmackDown). Yeah…I don’t get it either. Fans everywhere wondered how the Hell WWE could let the talent of Bryan Danielson get away and possibly go back to ROH, TNA, etc. We’ll probably never know the full details of the firing or even if it was a firing & not a suspension. When Danielson started doing independent dates almost immediately for promotions without TV, people wondered what would happen once the 90 day non compete clause expired. We got our answer when Danielson made a surprise return at SummerSlam to team with Team WWE against The Nexus. In the remaining time, Danielson was allowed to fulfill his independent bookings as well as work for WWE. There’s no doubt that Danielson helped spark business among independent promotions during his time away from WWE. Chikara, DragonGate USA, & Evolve all saw an increase in attendance. It’s one of those weird circumstances where everyone saw the benefits & turned out being good for the business.

Eric Gargiulo – Bret Hart returning to in ring action at WrestleMania 26. We are far removed from the initial shock of Bret Hart returning to the WWE after a 12 year absence, which is why I think the impact of this story has been forgotten. I really can’t think of anything bigger than the guy from Wrestling from Shadows who punched out Vince McMahon and had one of the most public feuds against Vince McMahon of the last 10 years actually reconciling and wrestling Vince McMahon at WrestleMania. The match was disappointing although I think some people have been a little harsh with their criticism. Other than Bruno Sammartino returning to the WWE and donning the tights against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 27 I can’t think of anything bigger that could come down the pike in 2011.

Vince DeHoratus – The next generation of WWE Superstars. For all the talk of the down state of the WWE, this year actually had several interesting storylines. Bret Hart’s improbable return, the utter domination of TNA in the ratings, the retirement of HBK, and the Nexus angle are all good choices. But I chose to go a little outside the box. The WWE often gets criticized, and rightly so, for not elevating new talent. Well this is the year I think they finally started to turn the page. Jack Swagger, Sheamus, The Miz, Drew McIntyre, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, and The Hart Dynasty all wore gold at some point this year. And the entire Nexus angle added an entire batch of new wrestlers in one fell swoop. While John Cena and Randy Orton have remained in the main event story lines, other former stars have been almost non existent. HBK retired, Batista left, so did Chris Jericho, Triple H has been gone for months, and The Undertaker has missed most of the year with injuries. Whether by design or by necessity, the WWE has begun to turn the page on its talent. And that is always a good thing for the fans.

WWE Breakout Star of the Year

Chris Behringer – Wade Barrett. During WWE NXT Season 1, the two logical picks to win the “contest” were either Daniel Bryan or newcomer Wade Barrett. Mentored by his pro Chris Jericho, Barrett had the look and attitude of a great heel & could TALK on the mic. His presence commands attention; he knows how to pull you in. While he may not have won any championships this year, Barrett did lead his Nexus stable on a path of destruction through WWE and spent most of his time embroiled in a feud with John Cena. Say what you will about Cena, but both men brought out the best in each other in their matches. I predict Barrett is in store for a great 2011.

***Honorable Mention – Daniel Bryan***
I honestly expected Danielson to have a bigger 2010 than he did. Granted, he was involved in some of the bigger stories of the year, but it just feels like he got lost in the shuffle to me. That’s not to say he didn’t have a good first year in WWE. I think I and many others expected it to be bigger. Maybe I’m wrong.

Brett Clendaniel is a senior writer at WrestleChat.net. Visit http://WrestleChat.net for more wrestling news and opinions.

Jeff Peck is the producer for the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at www.blogtalkradio.com/thewheelhouse and at www.errorfm.com @ 8amET/5am PT

Jeff also co-hosts “The Still Real to us show” with Eric Gargiulo which can be available at www.wheelhouseradio.com and can be downloaded in the “Real Guy Radio” section of the site.

Check out more of Eric Darsie’s blogs at http://vintagedarsie.wordpress.com/

Jerome Wilen is a senior writer at Pro Wrestling Ringside http://prowrestlingringside.blogspot.com

Vince DeHoratus lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two kids. He has been a life long wrestling fan and he has passed that love onto his son. Though not quite yet “middle aged and crazy”, he is fast approaching it.

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The countdown to WrestleMania 27 officially began this past weekend as the WWE (lead by legendary stars Triple H and Shawn Michaels) invaded Atlanta to promote the event that will take place in the Georgia Dome during the first week of April. The official countdown made me think of what a world of hurt the WWE currently finds themselves in despite their best laid plans to use their big guns to promote the biggest pro wrestling event of the year.

WrestleMania 26 saw perhaps one of the greatest build ups to a WWE pay-per-view that this generation of wrestling fans may ever see.

Coming off a flat WrestleMania 25 where the star power (sorry Mickey Rourke, I still love you), element of surprise, and intrigue just wasn’t there, the WWE masterfully adjusted in preparation for its annual spectacular the following year.

The WWE seemed to pull out all the stops for its Grand Showcase in Arizona. Bret Hart, who had stormed out of the WWE 12 years ago following the infamous (and omnipresent) Montreal Screwjob, worked his first match for the WWE since leaving the company and swearing to never set foot in a WWE ring again.

Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker were to wrestle in a rematch for the first time since their instant classic that served as one of the few bright spots in the aforementioned flat WrestleMania 25 pay-per-view.

John Cena and Batista, this generation’s two biggest stars and a very underexposed rivalry, were to compete for the WWE Championship.

The stars had aligned for the type of box-office and in-ring sensation that the WWE needed maintain the luster in the be all end all event in sports and entertainment. The WWE swung for the fences with the lineup for WrestleMania 26, with many pundits expecting the event to flirt with one million buys.

But the event drew a strikingly disappointing 885,000 buys at the box office.

To make matters worse, the WWE is currently faced with a quandary brought about by injuries, a lack of established names, and a youth movement that is to a box office what latkis is to a Muslim.

In WrestleMania 26, the WWE seemed to have put together the greatest build up in WrestleMania history with one of the most stacked lineups from top to bottom in recent memories, and that pay-per-view largely disappointed from a business standpoint.

Adding even more cruel humor to the legendary franchise, the WWE’s objective for WrestleMania 27 will to be to outdo its colossal ’26 lineup with a depleted roster that has been plagued with injuries.

Such is one of the many ill-effects of an overly aggressive initiative for the WWE to feature next generation stars seemingly all at once.

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The idea of a youth movement, while noble and ambitious, could have been ruled unnecessary had the WWE elected to infuse young talent while established stars (which are currently few and far between yet you couldn’t blink ten times before seeing at least one just a few years ago), were at their peak and/or the back end of their primes.

Instead, the WWE got greedy. Featuring the same, safe matchups and feuds that were sure to be attractions at pay-per-views yet were quite damning for a future that in hindsight seems to have been overlooked (ironically enough).

The pin drop that was heard throughout Reliant Stadium following the conclusion of yet another Triple H/Randy Orton Main event looked to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back when the WWE finally decided that they needed to create new stars and fast.

Yet even with ample time to build towards future WrestleMania pay-per-views, the WWE had reacted too slowly with such a realization, and is now faced with the harsh reality that Wreslemania 27 in Atlanta as a card in crisis.

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Triple H is still battling injury, and while a comeback is imminent, an inevitable feud with Sheamus would be played out if it continued into WrestleMania, and there aren’t any home run feuds for Triple H that immediately come to mind.

CM Punk is currently injured, and while he should be back in time for WrestleMania, the expected route of feuding with Daniel Bryan will only excite purists for the most part although Bryan is doing a good job of getting over with the mainstream crowd.

The Undertaker, whose legendary undefeated streak has been one of the biggest draw for WrestleMania on a yearly basis, is suffering from a shoulder injury that recently required surgery. It will be a photo finish as to whether or not the Undertaker (who has been plagued with injuries in 2010 during the twilight of his career) will even be able to compete come WrestleMania 27.

The only matches being thrown around currently involve John Cena, who may or may not be babyface, battling Randy Orton for the WWE Championship *yawn* and Wade Barrett going toe to medically-taped toe with the Undertaker, should he be healthy enough for action.

Cena/Orton had an abundance of intrigue, for a match up we’ve seen too many times, about two months ago when it looked as if John Cena may be a full on heel by the time ‘Mania rolls around.

But the WWE has given this match away on free TV so many times since the start of the CeNexus angle, that I don’t even care if John Cena finally does turn heel. I simply don’t want to see it.

As far as the Undertaker is concerned? With names like Sting, Bill Goldberg, and even Brock Lesnar being thrown and, as rumor has it, pursued as possible Undertaker opponents, it would be quite deflating for Wade Barrett (a rising star in his own right but not quite there yet) to be the ultimate choice.

When WrestleMania 27 buzz centers around talent that is not currently on the WWE roster, it’s safe to say that this is not the best indicator for a healthy buyrate.

The WWE has become its own worst enemy with its ongoing roster complications. Hell, nobody said they had to engage in a full on youth movement because they were too short-sighted to realize the pejorative implications. Band aids heal wounds, too. And a box of band aids, in the form of free agents that casual wrestling fans would recognize working almost (it’s pro wrestling, so give or take some backstage politics) exclusively to help put over younger talent.

The WWE has also caused self-inflicted wounds with constant start-stop booking of talent who could have been the stars they so desperately need today. In the interest of avoiding the electronically ubiquitous discussion of who is getting a raw deal, just go online and Google ‘WWE Pushes’. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of examples.

Unfortunately, now such free agent names are being thrown around as possible solutions to save WrestleMania 27, and while band aids do fix wounds, they can hardly heal bullet holes because this card is beginning to look more and more like it’s going to be shot.

Projected WrestleMania 27 Card

WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton. Tagline: This time, it’s different…we promise. Seriously, just watch…please?

World Championship, ‘Panic Mode’ Match: Kane (c) vs. Sting. (Sting’s music will ‘accidentally’ cut out on his way to the ring, and Justin Roberts will ‘accidentally’ announce him as ‘The Sting’ while Vince McMahon accidentally laughs hysterically backstage).

The Undertaker puts his vaunted WrestleMania streak on the line in an arm wrestling match against Wade Barrett. To protect both the streak and Wade Barrett, the Nexus earn their large ‘Mania paycheck by attacking Taker just as he’s about to win.

A WCW Flashback WrestleMania paycheck battle royal: Ricky Steamboat wins the battle royal that featured established WCW names such as Arn Anderson, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Dean Malenko, Chuck Polumbo, Sean O’Haire, Chavo Guerrero, Diamond Dallas Page, and the Sting.

Daniel Bryan battles CM Punk to a five minute no-finish. So the WWE could avoid Internet fans telling them two ROH guys saved their biggest pay-per-view of the year. If WrestleMania’s going down, the ROH representation will go down with it!

The Three Horsemen receive the loudest ovation during the Hall of Fame acknowledgment ceremony.

Singles Match: Sheamus vs. Triple H: A match where, if saved until Wrestlmania, the WWE will have unintentionally done something right in building up a long term feud.

Money in the Bank Match: Expanded to 12 participants to accommodate those who the WWE forgot about. The biggest spot of the match sees Kofi Kingston hit a missile dropkick on Jack Swagger from the second rung of the ladder. Alberto Del Rio is your winner.

Alfred Konuwa is the editor of the Big Nasty Athletic Dept. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/ThisIsNasty

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The WrestleMania 26 buy rate is in and nobody is celebrating in Stamford, CT. The biggest WWE event of the year drew 885,000 buys worldwide. The number is down from WrestleMania 25 and a huge disappointment for a WrestleMania event that featured Bret Hart, a strong card, and the end of Shawn Michaels.

The 885,000 buy rate is disappointing considering that early projections looked to be well over 1,000,000 buys for WrestleMania 26. I am not big into writing about buy rates because at the end of the day, I don’t think pro wrestling fans really concern themselves too much about buy rates. I have never seen a WWE fan go crazy over a big buy rate, although I have heard many complain about crappy shows. But I think this is big news and worthy of discussion as this is in my opinion a reflection of the current WWE climate and a big alarm for a change.

I have to admit, I was pretty surprised at the WrestleMania 26 buyrate. In my opinion, WrestleMania 26 had one of the better lineups as opposed to WrestleMania events in the last several years. I thought the promotion for Batista vs. John Cena was excellent as a main-event. The return of Bret Hart sparked enough interest that his first confrontation with Vince McMahon drew a 4.1 rating in the WWE RAW overrun. Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker are two WWE stars that have transcended several generations of fans, so the interest in a match that could end the career of Shawn Michaels should have been a big draw in itself. So why the low buy rate on a WrestleMania that should have been an easy success?

For one, Ric Flair killed the golden goose of wrestling retirements. The emotion and memories of the retirement of Ric Flair are still fresh in the minds of WWE fans. Equally fresh are the reappearances by Flair on WWE television fighting Randy Orton in a Street Fight and now wrestling on TNA Impact. The appeal of a wrestling retirement match is over. I don’t think anyone expected or expects Shawn Michaels to stay retired, other than Shawn Michaels. Unlike Flair, Shawn Michaels doesn’t look old or broken down and quite frankly, looks better in the ring than arguably everyone on the roster. Rarely has anyone other than Jack Brisco walked away and never come back in that kind of situation. WWE fans know it and they aren’t buying it (no pun intended).

The WWE also got too cute with the Bret Hart angle. The fact that they even turned this into an angle is surprising in itself because nothing here needed to be done. There was enough history here to sell this match without any gaga or soap operas. The car accident angle turned a lot of the older fans off who tuned back in to watch Bret Hart. The explanation worked but it was a bit corny. In the end, I think a lot of people had tuned out by that point anyway who would have bought this match on seeing a lot less scripted in the build to the Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon WrestleMania match.

The WWE Guest Host idea is working short term but killing the WWE long term in my opinion. I think that way too many wrestling fans have become so turned off by the horrendous comedy and endless array of D-List celebrities. It is working in the short term as a television show because you are getting some new viewers in to check out the celebrities and maybe boost the ratings. But, those aren’t people that are going to pay $50 to watch WrestleMania 26. Those people tuned out a long time ago and aren’t coming back until this thing runs its course. Stephanie McMahon recently compared it to SNL, the big difference is that when people tune into SNL they want to see comedy. When wrestling fans tune into WWE RAW, they want to see WWE wrestling.

A lot of UFC fans and writers are pumping their chests out about the low buyrate. There is a belief that by the UFC broadcasting UFC 111 the night before WrestleMania 26 that they stole customers away from the WWE. I don’t buy it at all. I really don’t think there is as big a crossover of pro wrestling and MMA fans as some think. The UFC has never done any damage at all to WWE RAW when they have gone head to head with live Monday shows. While I do think that there are some crossover fans that may opt one over the other on a particular weekend, the numbers are so miniscule that they really don’t factor into the equation.

The technology when it comes to Internet users pirating live streams of pay-per-view boxing, WWE, and UFC events has vastly improved. The UFC has been more reactive in this regard to stopping pirated streams than the WWE has. One theory may suggest that WWE fans are getting smarter and would rather find a live online stream than pay $50+. Again, I don’t necessarily buy this theory when it comes to WrestleMania. I definitely think when it comes to a B-level WWE event, a fan may choose to find a live stream rather than waste their money but this is WrestleMania. I think that if a fan wants to watch WrestleMania that WrestleMania would be the one show a year that they would shell out the bucks for to watch comfortably or with friends rather than stay in alone and watch it on some jumbled stream in front of an 18” monitor.

Finally, the booking just flat out sucks these days in the WWE. I really enjoyed the booking of the Batista vs. John Cena feud, but that didn’t make up for the rest of the show. Angles and feuds are being thrown together without reason or conclusion at a pace that even makes Vince Russo scratch his head at times. The WWE is also forcing issues and stars down the fan’s throats that they just honestly don’t want to see. It has gotten to the point where you can miss three month’s worth of WWE television and not miss a thing. Even Vince McMahon blamed the creative process for the disappointing WrestleMania 26 numbers on a recent conference call to WWE shareholders.

I hope for the sake of wrestling fans that the WWE will use this information as a wakeup call. At least for now, it sounds like Vince McMahon is looking to react to this and make some hard changes. However, if the last few WWE RAW television shows are any indication than the WWE could expect an even lower number for WrestleMania 27. Considering that Flava Flav and Jon Lovitz will be WWE Guest Hosts for the next two weeks respectively, I don’t see any changes coming in the near future.

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The biggest WWE event of the year is now available on DVD. The WrestleMania 26 DVD will be released today. WWE fans have several WrestleMania 26 DVD options to choose from. There are 2-Disc, 3-Disc, Blu-Ray, and exclusive K Mart editions of the WWE’s blockbuster event of 2010.

What I really like about WrestleMania DVD releases is that the WWE goes overboard in offering extras with the purchase. It is almost impossible for any WWE fan to turn down the $25 purchase with the extras in addition to owning one of the most historic WrestleMania events of all-time. This year, several versions will allow WWE fans to choose how much extra they want with their WrestleMania 26 DVD.

The standard WrestleMania 26 DVD is anything but standard. In addition to the full WrestleMania 26 show, the collection will include the USA Network broadcast of the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Retail prices range anywhere from $17-$30 for this 2-Disc edition of the WrestleMania 26 DVD.

Order the Wrestlemania 26 2-Disc DVD.

For a few dollars more, WWE fans can own the WrestleMania 26 Collector’s Edition DVD. This is really the set to buy as you get three DVDs with this set. The set includes the full WrestleMania 26 event in addition to the full unedited 2010 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, as well as the final WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown shows before WrestleMania 26. Retail prices range anywhere from $26-45 for the WrestleMania 26 Collector’s Edition DVD.

Order the WWE: Wrestlemania 26 (Collector’s Edition).

The WrestleMania 26 Blu-Ray edition will not be released until July 6. This set features the entire WrestleMania 26 event, the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, matches featuring the WWE Hall of Fame inductees, and the WWE RAW and SmackDown go-home shows.

Finally, K Mart will have an exclusive WrestleMania 26 DVD bundle. The standard 2-Disc edition will include a bonus The Greatest Superstars of WrestleMania DVD. I own The Greatest Superstars of WrestleMania DVD and it is really a tremendous collection of WrestleMania matches. I checked the K Mart website and I see nothing as far as any ordering information. I’d recommend visiting your local K Mart if you wish to purchase the WrestleMania 26 K Mart exclusive DVD.

The WrestleMania DVDs generally sell pretty well, so I’d suggest ordering one as soon as you can. Overall the event wasn’t the greatest, but you get a lot of value for your buck with these sets. I have always enjoyed the full WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies, so I will probably grab the WrestleMania 26 Collector’s Edition DVD just for the ceremony alone. The Hall of Fame ceremonies are 1,000 times better than the television broadcasts when you get to watch them uncut and unedited. Additionally, the WWE RAW and SmackDown shows were tremendous leading into WrestleMania 26.

The WWE WrestleMania 26 card…
Big Show & The Miz vs. John Morrison & R-Truth – Unified Tag Team Championship
Randy Orton vs. Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes – Triple Threat Match
Jack Swagger vs. Christian, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, MVP, Drew McIntyre, Matt Hardy, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, and Shelton Benjamin – Money-In-The-Bank Ladder Match
Triple H vs. Sheamus
Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk – If Rey Loses he Joins SES
Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon – No Holds Barred Lumberjack Match
Chris Jericho vs. Edge – World Heavyweight Championship
Vickie Guerrero, Michelle McCool, Maryse, Layla, & Alicia Fox vs. Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, & Eve – 10 Diva Tag Team Match
John Cena vs. Batista WWE Championship
Undertaker vs. Shawn Micheals Streak vs. Career

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The WWE returns with its second installment of WWE Extreme Rules this Sunday night. The WrestleMania fallout will take center stage with a series of WrestleMania 26 rematches all contested under Extreme Rules. This year’s show has loads of potential but can the WWE capitalize off of its WrestleMania momentum this Sunday at Extreme Rules?

Unlike WrestleMania 26 which featured Shawn Michaels vs. the Undertaker, WWE Extreme Rules doesn’t boast of any particularly intriguing matches. There is only one match on top different from WrestleMania 26. Yet every match does have a gimmick or stipulation which ensures an action packed WWE event. Let’s take a look at some of the top matches at WWE Extreme Rules.

John Cena vs. Batista in a Last Man Standing Match for the WWE title

How could the hottest WWE feud going into WrestleMania 26 turn into one of the least interesting feuds in less than a month? I don’t know how, but the WWE has dropped the ball a bit on this one in my opinion. Cena made Batista tap out at WrestleMania so I am not sure why we are even having this match.

John Cena vs. Batista definitely wasn’t the best match at WrestleMania 26. But, it was arguably the most over with the crowd. There is great chemistry between these two and these two guys have the potential to steal the show. I really don’t like the Last Man Standing stip for this one. It seems like Cena is in one of these kinds of matches every few months.

I don’t see any way that Batista wins the WWE title here. He tapped out at WrestleMania and really hasn’t been too strong following the big event. On the other hand, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Batista win the title here with the WWE world champion being drafted to SmackDown. In the end I look for Cena to retain and Batista unable to answer the count.

Jack Swagger vs. Randy Orton in an Extreme Rules Match for the WWE world championship

This may be the most awkward main-event of the new decade for the WWE. These two guys have had issues immediately following WrestleMania, but they aren’t gelling for me. There doesn’t seem to be too much chemistry between these two. I think a big part of this is that the WWE Universe still isn’t buying Randy Orton as a babyface. Compound that with the feeling that most fans see Jack Swagger as a fluke champion and this feud is doomed.

Hopefully the Extreme Rules will camouflage all of the defaults and make this an entertaining match. Orton has had some pretty decent matches at these Extreme Rules and One Night Stand shows, but Swagger is no Triple H. Orton pinned Swagger a few weeks ago which leads me to think that Swagger will get his win back here. If the WWE is truly committed to Jack Swagger, he should win clean at Extreme Rules. That may be pushing it, but I like Swagger to leave WWE Extreme Rules with the WWE world championship.

Edge vs. Chris Jericho in a Steel Cage Match

Some will argue that these two had the better match at WrestleMania 26. They certainly did a lot of new moves and kept the crowd on their feet from the start of the bell. Unlike Swagger and Orton, these two guys have tremendous chemistry. I am really looking forward to seeing these guys in what should be their blowoff match.

If this is truly their blowoff match, I expect Edge to win. Jericho got the win at WrestleMania and it is time to return the favor. There is a big part of me that feels that these guys got short changed a bit. I think they should have left the title on Jericho at least through Extreme Rules to keep this a main-event feud. At this point the feud almost seems irrelevant, although I like their matches.

Once again, I look for Edge to take the win here. Edge is rumored to be joining the WWE RAW roster, so it could also be a case of Edge doing the favor on the way out. Looking up and down the lineup I can’t see any reason that these guys won’t steal the show. I look for an Edge win, but a Jericho win would be a tremendous boost to his heel persona on the post-WWE Draft SmackDown.

Triple H vs. Sheamus in a Street Fight Match

I may be the only one, but I am really enjoying this feud. A lot of fans were upset that Triple H won their match at WrestleMania 26. The critics felt that Triple H should have put Sheamus over in such a big spot. I wasn’t so quick to jump on the Triple H hate bandwagon. Before I criticize the booking here, I want to see how this plays out. Maybe Sheamus gets his win back after all and these two are back to an even series.

Triple H may not be the best wrestler in the WWE these days but he is still one of the best at the Street Fight. He gets it and has rarely had a bad Street Fight Match. I thought he and Sheamus had good chemistry at WrestleMania 26 and I really don’t mind seeing them wrestle again. The WWE writers have done a pretty decent job of continuing the angle and giving fans a reason to want to see these two go at it one more time. I look for lots of blood, brawling, and some tables out of these two at WWE Extreme Rules.

I will go out on a limb and predict a Sheamus win here. There is no point to having these two guys wrestle twice if Triple H is winning both of them. A win here would not only be huge, but it would also reinforce the toughness of the Sheamus character. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see Sheamus win clean. Sheamus wins and evens up the series at one a piece at WWE Extreme Rules.

The entire WWE Extreme Rules lineup…
John Cena vs. Batista…Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship
Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk…Hair Match (If Punk is defeated he loses his hair)
Jack Swagger vs. Randy Orton…Extreme Rules Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H vs. Sheamus…Street Fight
Edge vs. Chris Jericho…Steel Cage Match
JTG vs. Shad Gaspard…Strap Match
Michelle McCool vs. Beth Phoenix…Extreme Makeover Match for the for the WWE Women’s Championship

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The WWE Universe is still in shock about the retirement of Shawn Michaels. The Undertaker pinned Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26 to send HBK into retirement. The WWE sent off Shawn Michaels in style with a farewell tribute on WWE RAW. However, as moving as Shawn Michaels’ farewell was it was the farewell to Ric Flair that still has fans and WWE superstars talking.

I thought it would be a great opportunity to look back at what some people call one of the greatest moments in WWE and pro wrestling history. It was two years ago, March 31 2008 when the pro wrestling world stood still as Ric Flair walked that aisle for what we all thought would be the final time of his career. While the moment may be slightly tarnished by Flair’s eventual return to the pro wrestling world, the night the WWE paid tribute to Ric Flair will still go down as one of the most special nights in all of pro wrestling.

It is rare that anyone does a retirement ceremony right in sports or entertainment. Unfortunately, retirement ceremonies cease to exist or usually come too late for the fans truly appreciate the greatness of the individual. On March 31, 2008 the WWE did it right with a retirement ceremony for the ages dedicated to the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

Ric Flair wrestled what we were all led to believe would be his last match at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels. A Shawn Michaels kick to the chin theoretically ended the career of one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. WWE Raw allowed Ric Flair to give a farewell address to the fans. The farewell address turned into one of the greatest moments in wrestling history.

Ric Flair came out at the end of the show to say farewell to the fans, his peers, and the pro wrestling business. Ric Flair gave a modest speech and looked all cried out by this point between the WWE Hall of Fame two days earlier and WrestleMania 24. The WWE for all of its issues,  showed more class than even the biggest sports organizations in the world with the way they followed Flair’s speech.

Immediately following Flair’s speech, Triple H hit the ring. Is it me or do you always have the feeling in the back of your head, “I think he may turn heel” every time Triple H hits the ring with another babyface? Anyway, Triple H hit the ring and proceeded to thank Ric Flair and pay homage to his favorite wrestler and close friend. Who knew the party was just getting started?

Triple H then proceeded to bring out several very special guests from Ric Flair’s past that wanted to pay tribute to the former world champion. For the first time in twenty-years, the combination of Four Horsemen including Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, J.J. Dillon and Ric Flair appeared on live television together. As someone that grew up as a big Four Horsemen fan, this was an amazing moment in wrestling history. I predicted a Four Horsemen appearance at WrestleMania 24. So I got it one day wrong, but I am glad someone got it right after all.

The Four Horsemen weren’t the only ones from Ric Flair’s past to pay tribute to Flair. Flair’s greatest rival, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat was next to walk down the stage. This was another great moment as just one hour earlier, Raw showed clips of the classic Flair vs. Steamboat match from WrestleWar 89′. Other notable guests from Flair’s past included ex-Horsemen Dean Malenko, former rival and tag team partner Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, former world champion Harley Race, and of course Flair’s family.

The show closed with members of the WWE roster hitting the ring including Ric Flair’s ex-Evolution mate Batista, John Cena, and Chris Jericho. The rest of the WWE’s roster surrounded the ring and said thanks to a man that has influenced every single wrestler in one way or another that you watch in a pro wrestling ring today. The show ended with Flair in tears, hugging his family and a unison fans and wrestlers screaming “Thank you Ric.”

Sadly, Ric Flair would tarnish this moment by returning to the ring both in Australia and on live United States television for TNA Wrestling. It didn’t come as much of a surprise as Flair started telling people in interviews shortly after the ceremony about how much he missed the ring. Regardless of how things turned out today for Ric Flair, nobody can ever take away this great moment in pro wrestling history.

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As I watched WWE WrestleMania 26 this past Sunday night I couldn’t really come to grasp at the time that it would be the last time that I watched Shawn Michaels wrestle. Maybe it was due to the fact that most wrestling fans including myself figured that HBK would lose at WM26 to The Undertaker and end up retiring. It was well known that Shawn Michaels days in the wrestling ring were coming to an end and that the spotlight on the showstopper himself would turn off in Glendale, Arizona for the last time.

When I turned on Monday Night Raw this past Monday I could not help be happy that the WWE was going to give the sendoff Shawn Michaels deserved by allowing him to come into the (naturally) main event segment and say farewell to the wrestling fans. As I watched the highlights of Shawn Michaels’ career unfold in every package prior to commercial break I could not help but begin to think the same thing that Shawn Michaels would echo during his speech this past Monday Night. That for the last near twenty years of my life Shawn Michaels was part of my life as a wrestling fan.

That’s when Shawn Michaels retirement finally begun to sink in. I’m in my mid-20s and have been watching wrestling since I could remember. My generation of wrestling fans grew up with things such as the end of Hulkamania’s run in the then WWF, the “new generation”, WWE Superstars on Saturday mornings on the Fox 5 affiliate in the New York area and the start of Monday Night Raw. Those were cherished memories of my youth as a wrestling fan and many of those memories contained “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels.

Many wrestlers from the era have come and gone, including my favorite wrestler from that era in Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Bret Hart never had a sendoff from the WWE and hence I never really got that feeling that Bret’s days in wrestling were gone, he kind of faded away for a time period only to thankfully return to write a good ending to his wrestling career. During the attitude era it was The Rock and similar to that of Bret Hart, he too never got a formal “farewell” to the wrestling fans and faded away into a movie star.

The time period that I grew up in as a wrestling fan was defined by the two remaining wrestlers on the WWE roster that was on the first Monday Night Raw back in January of 1993. Ironically and poetically it was the two wrestlers that were in the main event of WrestleMania 26. Of course I’m speaking of The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.

Despite Bret’s return to the WWE, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were the last two keys left in my youth as a wrestling fan. I have watched them grow as I have grown over the years. Whether it is every Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday or Friday, they were constantly in my life and entertaining me every time they pass through the curtain and into the ring.

Now it was time say farewell to the man, the showstopper, the main event, the icon, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. In what will go down as one of the greatest WrestleMania & Monday Night Raw moments of all-time in WWE history we got to see, feel and hear Shawn Michaels say goodbye to the wrestling fans as a in-ring performer. We got to hear him openly discuss his career, the obstacles he endured and what everything he did in the wrestling ring meant to him.

As I look back at the career of Shawn Michaels you can not help to feel that this man was a success story. There was a dark period of time in his life, where he was away from the wrestling fans, out of the spotlight that seemed to follow him for most his life and I remember during 1998-2002 that I would “pop” every second Shawn Michaels returning to the WWE. While he never wrestled during that time and we as fans didn’t know what was going behind the scenes it was great to see that “boy hood smile” appear on our televisions.

The return of Shawn Michaels in 2002 was something all wrestling fans waited for. I felt that this return (and I’m sure Shawn did too as well) was going to be short lived. That we were going to see Shawn Michaels go out on his terms and the way he should have gone out all along. Nearly eight years later and we finally say farewell to the “icon.”

The final run in Shawn Michaels’ career really defined the new chapter and life he embraced in his personal life. He came back to the WWE as a family man, a husband and a father. He found god and embraced a lifestyle completely 360 degrees different then his lifestyle during his first run in the ring. But one thing remained the same, his knack for the spotlight, his ability to wrestle at an all-time high all the time and being what he said he always was…”the Showstopper.”

Prior to leaving the WWE this past Sunday he even buried the hatchet with Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Their relationship was of much built up frustration and dislike between the two. It was amazing to see the two put everything in their past aside, embrace a new relationship as friends and co-workers. I was even happier to see Bret Hart put over HBK on this past Monday’s Raw and vice versa. You could the emotion from both was heartfelt and it was what they truly felt about one another.

Shawn Michaels has left us with countless classic matches, some that rank in my Top 10 favorite matches off all-time. Quite frankly when you think of it, whether he won or loss, most of my favorite matches of all-time include Shawn Michaels. He truly was the greatest in-ring performer of all-time.

The emotion on this past Monday Night when Shawn bid farewell was one of the most emotional moments in wrestling history. As I said before I could not help but realize as he spoke the words himself, that he was part of my life for the last twenty years. He was there on the television week after week, or on VHS or on DVD, he was there. This was his farewell to us and our farewell to him.

As a wrestling fan & a fan of Shawn Michaels I can not help but wish nothing but the best to him, to his family and to his future in his time away from the ring. If I ever get the opportunity to sit down or greet Shawn Michaels face to face I will simply say the same words that the fans in Arizona spoke at WrestleMania & Raw this past week. That is quite simply “Thank you Shawn.”

Shawn Michaels, in my opinion the greatest wrestler of all-time has bid us farewell from active competition. He will be missed but his legacy will live on forever. Whether you loved him, or you hated, you will never ever forget him. As Shawn Michaels simply put this past Monday Night, it started the same way it ended…

“Shawn Michaels has left the building.”

Farewell HBK, we will miss you.

We want you to share your favorite Shawn Michaels’ moments and matches with us as we pay tribute to “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels for this week’s edition of “The Still Real to Us Show.” Then find out of your favorite HBK moments and/or matches made the air by downloading this week’s edition of “The Still Real to Us Show” around 3pm ET on Saturday April 3rd over at www.wheelhouseradio.com!

If you have any questions or comments for Eric Gargiulo and I for this week’s “The Still Real to us Show” please e-mail us at [email protected]

Jeff Peck is the producer for the “Wheelhouse Radio” program that airs every Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm ET/5pm PT at www.blogtalkradio.com/thewheelhouse and at www.errorfm.com @ 2am ET/11pm PT

Jeff also co-hosts “The Still Real to us show” with Eric Gargiulo which can be available at www.wheelhouseradio.com and can be downloaded in the “Real Guy Radio” section of the site. There you can also download many different shows including “The Wheelhouse”, “24 on 24″ and “Lost: Smoke Monsters and You.”

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