Summer is here, and as the weather gets hot, so does the wrestling competition. The Sixshooter is going to make your viewing a little easier by analyzing each brand’s roster. This is the list of wrestlers to look at for the rest of 2009.
Let us start off with the top dog, the WWE “Raw” brand. My No. 3 ranked wrestler is none other than HHH. He has not been around lately, taking some much needed time off, but HHH is a force on “Raw.” His return last week spiked the ratings and Vince McMahon will take notice. Expect big things from Hunter the rest of this year. Really big things, like the World Heavyweight Title.
The No. 2 ranked wrestler is Randy Orton. The Legend Killer has been on top of his game all year long. You get a lot of points for carrying Batista on your shoulders through a feud nobody cares about. Orton is all that is right with the WWE. He is young, energetic, good on the microphone, and can wrestle. The title picture shall stay in his grasp the rest of this year.
Over in the No. 1 ranked spot is John Cena. As much as true wrestling fans hate him, nobody can argue with the numbers. When Cena is on the show, the ratings go up. When Cena’s merchandise is on the shelves, it quickly exits. There is no more marketable guy on the “Raw” roster than John Cena and the WWE knows this. He has stayed away from the title picture long enough. Look for the McMahons to find a way to get Cena involved with the title and quickly.
The No. 3 ranked wrestler on “Smackdown” is an easy one. Chris Jericho will be a mainstay in the title hunt. Jericho has been a big part of the WWE storylines since his return. The Sixshooter thinks he should go back to his old fun-loving gimmick.
Over in the No. 2 ranked spot is none other than Edge. The Rated R Superstar no longer has to worry about the Vickey Guerrero storyline holding him back any longer, so the sky is the limit.
The No. 1 ranked spot has to go to C.M. Punk. Punk will be a big player the rest of this year because, simply put, he is a fresh face for the viewers to fall in love with. And it does not hurt that he can really go in the ring.
Now let us move along to the ECW brand. The No. 3 ranked wrestler in this group is Evan Bourne. The WWE loves his talent, and needs it to start to show itself in great matches. Bourne has all the tools to excite the crowd, and look for him to do so in the upcoming months. Bourne is the younger version of Rey Mysterio. He never really deserves to be in the title hunt, but he will carry a feud based on his in-ring ability.
The No. 2 ranked wrestler from ECW is Christian. His decision to switch from TNA to WWE was not a wise one. He left a show that is actually higher rated than the one he currently resides on – never a smart move. The odds are that he was sold a bill of goods about becoming a contender on “Smackdown” or “Raw,” only to have the rug pulled out under him. But the fact is he is on ECW and will be in the title hunt for the rest of the year.
Over in the No. 1 ranked spot is Jack Swagger. The kid has a little bit of everything, well almost everything. Swagger has the in-ring ability, but he still lacks a presence on the microphone. That is starting to come though, and look for Swagger to be a big part of ECW for the rest of the year.
Before we head over to TNA, let us give some respect to the women of the WWE. Headlining the Divas is Maryse. The Sixshooter has gotten a lot of entertainment watching this French Canadian do her thing. This blonde-bombshell is going to be a mainstay on top of the Diva division.
TNA has had a strong year so far. The addition of Mick Foley has really helped out, along with the emergence of the Main Event Mafia. Coming in at the No. 3 spot is Samoa Joe. Joe has been up and down so far this year, but with the long awaited debut of his mentor, Taz, the Sixshooter thinks big things will follow this big man for the rest of this year.
Over at the No. 2 ranked spot is Matt Morgan. This is a controversial pick, but, remember, this is on what they will do the rest of the year. And the Sixshooter thinks that Morgan will become an “Impact” player with TNA. He has all the physical skills and seems to be finally getting a push with the higher-level talent. Look for Morgan to keep moving towards the top.
The No. 1 ranked wrestler is A.J. Styles. The Phenomenal One has not received the push this year that would have been expected. Look for him to get that push going forward. Styles is TNA, as much as Sting was WCW. And like Sting, he sometimes gets overlooked. But it is his time to shine. There will be a World Title in his future, and the future is now.
There have been some comings and goings in the world of wrestling recently. Batista is supposedly out three to four months with a torn pectoral muscle. Vickey Guerrero reportedly gave her notice to the WWE, and was promptly met with a humiliating pig storyline. Sometimes the WWE is classy all the way to the end. Mr. Kennedy was given his walking papers, along with Umaga. Look for both to turn up in TNA at the end of the summer when their no-compete clauses run out.
Rob Van Dam said in a recent interview that he is in contact with TNA weekly. It would be nice to get a hold of him, but the Sixshooter doubts Mr. PPV will make the move. That is all for this month Sixshooter-a-holics. Make sure to check me out over at http://www.garden-state-of-mind.blogspot.com. Remember, we update daily and break wrestling news first. As the great Sid Vicious once said, “You are half the man that I am and I have half the brain that you do.”