Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 04/24

#1 Edge [--] (17-1-1) (WWE)
For the tenth week running, Edge remains in the statistical top spot on The Kayfabe Countdown, a fact inevitably finite due to his retirement last week. Some of the fun of watching wrestling from this unique perspective will now be seeing who WWE calls upon to replace their most dominant star of 2011! Earlier in the year it seemed Alberto Del Rio (#4) would be the man whose destiny was to be the most winning star in WWE, but now Randy Orton (#3) has taken that confidence. Rey Mysterio (#2) is most poised to do it, taking the fan-favourite second tier that saw Kofi Kingston (#21) overtake Big Show (#8) in 2010, but with injuries brewing there, he probably won't have the distance. Plus, Orton's got the ticket to ride as long as he sits second to John Cena (#41) and Miz (#18), with goons aplenty to run over.

Sin Cara (#68) went 2-0 with a tag victory alongside Cena in an elevation of his credibility as a major signing. Going against The Miz and Alex Riley (#130) was probably a safer scenario for the sometimes stumbling star than Primo Colon (#64), who helped him train in the WWE style, but bungled crucial spots on his first in-ring debut on RAW a week or so ago.
#2 [--] Rey Mysterio (13-6-0) (WWE)
#3 [--] Randy Orton (12-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Alberto Del Rio (11-7-2) (WWE)
#5 [--] Santino Marella (11-10-0) (WWE)
#6 [+1] Robert Roode (9-0-0O) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [+1] James Storm (9-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#8 [RE] Big Show (9-5-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#9 [--] Eve Torres (9-5-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] Justin Gabriel (9-9-0) (WWE)

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (9-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (7-6-0) (WWE)
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [+1] Big Show & Kane (5-0-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#5 [+1] Sarita & Rosita (5-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#6 [-2] Layla & Michelle McCool (5-3-0) (WWE)
#7 [--] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#8 [--] Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal (3-2-0) (TNA)
#9 [--] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [--] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2011 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. 

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 04/17

#1 Edge [--] (17-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
It was a shocking announcement, but apparently legit: Edge has retired! First impressions were to wonder if the whole thing wasn't just a work, but the sincerity of the delivery made it difficult to argue. Even beyond the obvious immediate symptoms of numbness that Edge had been apparently dealing with -- I wasn't aware of the severity of Edge's injuries. Having my interests distanced from major league wrestling during his rise to the main event (circa 2005-2008), I must have surely missed some of his biggest injuries, and that might have pushed the negativity of my feelings toward Edge further than necessary.

I've often been critical of the low impact nature of Edge's moves. I prefer more grappling than his typical low-contact series of glancing drops and adjacent slips, but now that I know he once broke his neck, I can be a lot more forgiving of that. I wonder if calls for his guaranteed Hall of Fame entry aren't a little generous. I still don't believe he was worthy of the list of accolades he obtained in a rapidfire of very short years. I think he is a figure who helped usher in some of the ugliest years for World Wrestling Entertainment and its top championship belts, but I also feel it is a great shame that he has had to retire, and that he sustained these severe injuries that I previously had no knowledge of. The silver lining to all of this is WWE's Wellness Policy, and the fact that the tests it includes might have protected the future quality of life that Edge will be able to live.

While I would never wish severe injury on anyone, Edge's retirement certainly comes at a convenient juncture. Despite losing at Wrestlemania XVIII, it has been pleasing to see that the Alberto Del Rio (#4) experiment is still alive! He may not be the World Heavyweight Championship, but post-Mania he has been seen to remain strong. Edge's departure also has obvious benefits for Christian (#??) -- his fictional brother who entered WWF barely a year after Edge, but has never held a major championship. The void left makes it a no brainer to serve Christian up as a legitimate champion, even if it is only as a transition to Alberto Del Rio's first reign. It is a terrible human cost that Edge would be in this condition, but it may yet force WWE into a position that is an attractive change of pace for business.

#2 [--] Rey Mysterio (12-6-0) (WWE)
#3 [--] Randy Orton (11-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Alberto Del Rio (11-7-2) (WWE)
#5 [--] Santino Marella (11-9-0) (WWE)
#6 [+3] Justin Gabriel (9-8-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [RE] Robert Roode (8-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#8 [RE] James Storm (8-1-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#9 [-3] Eve Torres (8-5-0) (WWE)
#10 [-3] Chris Masters (8-5-0) (WWE)

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (8-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (7-5-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Layla & Michelle McCool (5-3-0) (WWE)
#5 [--] Big Show & Kane (4-0-0) (WWE)
#6 [--] Sarita & Rosita (4-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#7 [--] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#8 [RE] Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal (3-2-0) (TNA)
#9 [-1] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2011 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. 

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 04/10

#1 Edge [--] (17-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
Sin Cara made his eagerly anticipated arrival, getting the better of Sheamus in a surprising choice of starting points. I can't say I was especially wrapped in his revised attire, more colourful than the whites better known to Mistico, but it was certainly an interesting and surprising start! I'm disappointed that the choice of attack doesn't reflect the main event potential hype packages of his signing suggested, but I'm still quite excited by his arrival. He isn't quite the post-Mania debut of a scale like Brock Lesnar or Goldberg, but I dig it.

Less promising is saying goodbye to Superstars, which made its final US broadcast this week. Santino Marella and Chris Masters owe their impressive rankings on the Countdown to the show, which has specialized in offering some of the interesting third-tier talents that aren't seen on RAW and Smackdown every week. Almost a supercharged FCW brand unto itself, Superstars had started developing some great on-going feuds between the likes of Masters and Tyler Reks, which was genuinely interesting. Fortunately, motivated fans can follow Superstars on WWE.com, where it will continue to be available weekly. Superstars will also continue to air in overseas markets.

#2 [--] Rey Mysterio (11-5-0) (WWE)
#3 [--] Randy Orton (11-5-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Alberto Del Rio (11-7-2) (WWE)
#5 [--] Santino Marella (11-8-0) (WWE)
#6 [--] Eve Torres (8-4-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]
#7 [--] Chris Masters (8-4-0) (WWE)
#8 [RE] The Big Show (8-4-0) (WWE)
#9 [-1] Justin Gabriel (8-7-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#10 [-1] Layla (8-7-0) (WWE)

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (6-5-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Layla & Michelle McCool (5-3-0) (WWE)
#5 [--] Big Show & Kane (4-0-0) (WWE)
#6 [--] Sarita & Rosita (4-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#7 [--] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#8 [--] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [--] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [--] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#123 Christopher Daniels
(0-1-0) (TNA)
Sin Cara (Mistico) made a big splash with his debut on RAW, but in the interest of spreading the love (and awareness), I've got to turn the spotlight on "The Fallen Angel", Christopher Daniels!

The "piss ant" (as he was called by Ric Flair in a stunned promo) made a return to TNA, presumably abandoning the now television-less Ring of Honor, which he jumped ship to last year. It's a glimmer of hope in an otherwise matte finish for Total Non-Stop Action, who as a company seem to be content to resigning themselves to a minimum of wrestling on TV, and a string of familiar old scenarios.

Daniels has flirted with the big time before in TNA and as the TNA Championship situation says goodbye to Jeff Hardy and hello to a limited and repetitive routine of Rob Van Dam, Ken Anderson, and Sting, I'm going to hope that Daniels can find his way into the picture. It would certainly be refreshing for this lingering Hogan/Bischoff era to finally crown a champion who hasn't had his best days in WWF or WCW.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2011 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. 

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 04/03

#1 Edge [--] (17-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
Another Wrestlemania, another disappointment...

On paper, this had the potential to be a card that bucked against the trend of underwhelming shows, but alas, the opportunity was squandered. The tone was set with the pre-show announcement that Bryan Danielson (#19) and Sheamus (#31) would be relegated to dark match status in their US Championship match, later to be wrapped up in annual battle royal shenanigans. Edge and Alberto Del Rio were relegated to the opening match -- not necessarily a negative placement for this type of exciting encounter -- but an insult to the tradition of the Royal Rumble winner as a main event contender. Their bout was given little time and little inspiration, but probably sits in the positive half of the show review, never the less. Rey Mysterio and Cody Rhodes (#41) did good business with a fun Captain America nod from Rey, Jerry Lawler (#55) and Michael Cole (#84) overstayed their welcome with a result that made it all seem for moot. Finally The Rock came back to Wrestlemania, and finally The Rock came back to do a move, but in the end, it was a convoluted finish with a rusted silver lining -- John Cena (#47) loses, but The Miz (#15) wins. Bittersweet. Ultimately, for any positive, it was another Undertaker [see spotlight] year, with his match against Triple H easily the only reason to really buy -- something I did not do, and something I won't do (on DVD).

Meanwhile, observant readers must note the (somewhat expected) departure of TNA's representation in the joint statistical top ten. There will be time for this to be reversed if TNA latch on to a prominent posterboy in the next few months, but without that, it's a last hurrah from Robert Roode as his Beer Money partner, James Storm (#11), slips just outside the stack. With that companys problems I'm not sure I would expect anything else, but... it's an instinctive alarm bell for a fan of their potential.

#2 [--] Rey Mysterio (10-5-0) (WWE)
#3 [+1] Randy Orton (10-5-0) (WWE)
#4 [-1] Alberto Del Rio (9-7-2) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#5 [new] Santino Marella (9-8-0) (WWE)
#6 [-1] Eve Torres (8-4-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]
#7 [-1] Chris Masters (8-4-0) (WWE)
#8 [-1] Justin Gabriel (8-6-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#9 [-1] Layla (8-6-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] Robert Roode (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (6-4-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [--] Layla & Michelle McCool (5-2-0) (WWE)
#5 [new] Big Show & Kane (3-0-0) (WWE)
#6 [-1] Sarita & Rosita (3-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#7 [-1] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#8 [-1] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [-1] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#85 Undertaker (1-0-0) (WWE)
Heading into this match, there was a lot of speculation about whether or not Undertaker was even physically capable of pulling it off. Deciding who would contend the covetted "streak" spot came late, the build only a month long. If you were watching during the month, you were hopefully convinced a little bit more each week, until expectations made this one of the biggest matches on the card -- and if you watched Wrestlemania XVII -- I hope you were able to enjoy it to that fullest extent.

Undertaker and Triple H (#122) went on to have what I believe was the only really significant match on the card. Some critics may subscribe to the idea that it walked ground already bravely pioneered by Shawn Michaels, but I think the tone was inevitably different with Triple H. This was less a wrestling match and more a violent epic between two mythological creatures. Finishing moves were less constructs of a conceptually rule driven performance-sport, and more akin to claps of thunder as two titans collided. Arsenals were obliterated -- as was furniture -- as the pair blitzed WWE's soft PG policy and wrapped a chair around with violent intent. The match didn't really veer into the nineties garbage style hardcore showcase that both have touched upon in the past, and I consider that a compliment.

On a Wrestlemania card that gambled away its wrestling credentials for questionable non-wrestlers, I appreciated a tense finish that dovetailed back to the wrestling arena, seeing two spent men locked together in a final test of wills. Undertaker's gogoplata "Hells Gate" submission was the perfect, fluid transition to an end, which saw Triple H desperately, blindly reaching for a sledge hammer that failed to finish a job that not even multiple pedigrees or a tombstone piledriver could. The Game was finished. Undertaker won.

It seems this was the first Wrestlemania in a long time that finished with no titles changing hands. As nostalgia for the micro-era where Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar competed in the main event in a wrestler's wrestling match grips me, I wish that fact meant more. If nothing else, at least Undertaker and Triple H made it count.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. Blogger errors delayed the publication of this post until April 10. 

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 03/27

#1 Edge [--] (15-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]















#2 [+2] Rey Mysterio (10-4-0) (WWE)
#3 [-1] Alberto Del Rio (9-5-2) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#4 [-1] Randy Orton (9-5-0) (WWE)
#5 [+2] Eve Torres (8-3-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]
#6 [+2] Chris Masters (8-3-0) (WWE)
#7 [+3] Justin Gabriel (8-4-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#8 [new] Layla (8-5-0) (WWE)
#9 [-4] Robert Roode (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#10 [-4] James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [+1] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (6-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [-1] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-6-0) (WWE)
#4 [+1] Layla & Michelle McCool (5-1-0) (WWE)
#5 [-1] Sarita & Rosita (3-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#6 [--] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#7 [--] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [--] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [--] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [--] Edge & Kelly Kelly (2-0-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#29 Christian (4-0-0) (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship situation continues to develop in unforseen ways as Christian enjoys another big start to a year. In 2010 Christian kicked things off with a lot of momentum coming off of his ECW Championship reign, and the same sort of thing has come from his return from injury. I'm not sure if it's a positive or a negative, right now, but I'm enjoying the possibilities.

The elephant in the room (not to be confused with Brodus Clay) is the prospect of Christian turning on fictional-brother Edge at some point, possibly at Wrestlemania. It wouldn't be the first time the "Instant Classic" made a sudden turn against one of his partners, not even the first at Wrestlemania. Personally, I would consider it a disappointment if it was a situation reprised. I've got a taste for the sport side of things and right now I can't think of a better situation than Alberto Del Rio rising to the challenge of Edge -- not necessarily at Wrestlemania XVII, but at some point -- giving Christian the chance to then challenge legitimately, without the wacky antics of a "shock" heel turn and feud with Edge. Granted, that kind of set-up requires at least one round of disappointments before I could accept a switch -- it would be a shame to have Del Rio serve as nothing more than a transition champ -- but with a year ahead of us, it's the kind of earning that I'd love to see behind Christian's first reign as the top WWE Champion.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. Blogger errors delayed the publication of this post. 

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 03/20

#1 Edge [--] (14-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
Edge continues to maintain a surprisingly high win percentage as Alberto Del Rio's campaign for a Wrestlemania miracle starts to look ever so slightly dubious. The Rated-R superstar won't win my support by being a dominant title holder, but if Del Rio pulls off the win of the year, then I suppose it makes it all the sweeter when history painted it such an impossible task!

Other stuff happened this week, but I'll be damned if I have much to say about it.




#2 [--] Alberto Del Rio (9-4-2) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [--] Randy Orton (9-4-0) (WWE)
#4 [+4] Rey Mysterio (8-4-0) (WWE)
#5 [-1] Robert Roode (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [-1] James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [+3] Eve Torres (7-3-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]
#8 [-2] Chris Masters (7-3-0) (WWE)
#9 [RE] Madison Rayne (7-3-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Champion]
#10 [-3] Justin Gabriel (7-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [+1] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-5-0) (WWE)
#3 [-1] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (5-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#4 [--] Sarita & Rosita (3-1-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#5 [--] Layla & Michelle McCool (3-1-0) (WWE)
#6 [RE] Angelina Love & Winter (3-2-0) (TNA)
#7 [-1] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [-1] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [-1] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] Edge & Kelly Kelly (2-0-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#65 Cody Rhodes
(2-3-0) (WWE)
For the life of me, I never imagined I could have a reason to want to spotlight Cody Rhodes... lo and behold, there's a first time for everything!

Despite his pedigree, which includes the sometimes underrated Dustin Rhodes (Goldust); Cody struck me as the least inspiring of the long lived Legacy trio combination, which included running budy Ted Dibiase Jr (#70) and ringleader, Randy Orton (#3). When Legacy finally made their long awaited split, I had my money on Dibiase being the more successful of the goon duo, based largely on his more immediately impressive physique and what I thought was potential. Instead, Ted embarked on a string of disappointments, which has produced only one memorable highlight, an awful rendition of the immortal Frank Sinatra's "My Way" on RAW.

While Ted2 languishes through a lack of direction, Cody at least found himself a gimmick. Wrestling in shockingly unflattering attire (that looked awfully like underwear and socks); the skinny ankled Rhodes played the dandy card, claiming "Dashing" as his moniker amidst a series of vanity promos. This gained traction with some fans, I personally found it increasingly easy to dislike Rhodes and the time he took from other stars on Smackdown. That is, until he broke his nose in an angle against Rey Mysterio (#4)!

Granted, my first thoughts went to how long Smackdown could have a break from Rhodes' tired gimmick. When it became apparent he'd be involved in the action sooner than later, it didn't take a genius to start thinking about the classic archetype of vanity gone mad. If Dusty Rhodes was the "American Dream", it got me very excited to consider the possibility of a suited and clear masked Cody as the "American Psycho". I'm pleased to say that seems to be exactly where they're going, complete with a Rhodes who wrestles in-ring in suit pants and jacket, something I support whole heartedly! The suit improves the silhouette, the mask gives Rhodes a bit of character, and the attitude finally makes him a wrestler with something resembling credibility!

I'm not sure his feud with Rey Mysterio, which took a shock turn when he ripped the luchadore's iconic mask off, has the makings of classic, but... win, lose, or draw, Cody Rhodes has direction that finally makes him an interesting contributor, who reinjects a sense of character that seems to have been gradually lost as the the "Attitude Era" was committed to the history books.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 03/13

#1 Edge [--] (13-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
Edge moves four wins clear of his Wrestlemania XVII rival and nearest challenger, Alberto Del Rio (#2), as the WWE television advantage starts to show itself from top to bottom! Frankie Kazarian's (#9) X-Division Championship win over the weekend is all that's keeping a third TNA wrestler in the top ten, while WWE's hefty network of television hours stuffs the win/loss spread in the favour of some of it's top stars -- and some not quite so prominent. Chris Masters (#6) is the surprise package of WWE Superstars, the programme that looks more like an FCW show at times, but clearly packs a seperatist punch. He continues to feud with Tyler Reks (#28) in the show's main event in a good old fashioned weekly serialized rivalry.

Edge remains something of a bane to my self-imposed weekly obligation, failing to capture my imagination as his championship defense against the Royal Rumble winner draws nearer. I still can't get much of a feel for what to expect from the World Heavyweight Championship bout, as Wrestlemania moves forward, still flickering between the good and bad. I don't know if this is going to be the show to reinvigorate a lacklustre "showcase of the immortals," but I do know that for all but one or two weeks of the year, WWE have had a hook that has had me interested. They are making up for the mistakes of the past few years and I'm grateful for that!

#2 [--] Alberto Del Rio (9-3-1) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [+1] Randy Orton (8-4-0) (WWE)
#4 [+2] Robert Roode (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#5 [+2] James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [+1] Chris Masters (7-2-0) (WWE)
#7 [-4] Justin Gabriel (7-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#8 [+1] Rey Mysterio (7-4-0) (WWE)
#9 [RE] Frankie Kazarian (6-1-0) (TNA) [X-Division Champion]
#10 [RE] Eve Torres (6-3-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (7-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (5-2-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (5-5-0) (WWE)
#4 [+1] Sarita & Rosita (3-0-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#5 [-1] Layla & Michelle McCool (3-1-0) (WWE)
#6 [--] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#7 [--] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [--] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [--] Edge & Kelly Kelly (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [RE] Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal (2-1-0) (TNA)

Superstar Spotlight:
#32 Jeff Hardy (4-6-0) (TNA)
Was he, or wasn't he? I'm sure most people will be assuming the latter, rather than asking the former. I'm not entirely convinced a stumbling or distracted Jeff Hardy constitutes anything hugely unusual, but owever you cut it, it was a farcical conclusion to TNA's Victory Road Pay-Per-View this weekend.

The Charismatic Enigma should've shined against boyhood idol and wrestling icon, Sting (#36), in their TNA World Heavyweight Championship rematch on PPV. Instead, the live crowd and paying home audience could only watch on in puzzlement as the main event duo exchanged a few awkward physical moments, resulting in an abrupt scorpion deathdrop and pinfall victory. All in all, a non-event of a title match that lasted barely ten percent of the time given to entrances and pre-match hype.

Jeff Hardy's demons have been well publicized, making him an easy scapegoat for a situation like this. When you have an injured arm, you sell an injured leg. There's no denying that the finish to Victory Road was unusual and disatisfying, but I've seen an angry Sting, peculiar Jeff Hardy, and phony referee gestures enough to wonder if this isn't all a great big work. Reports are TNA Impact has been receiving a bump in ratings. Wouldn't it just be like Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff to try to maintain those numbers by tapping into the transfixing self-destruction of Charlie Sheen by marrying some of Jeff Hardy's own pop cultural mythology with references to the imploding actor?

I'll be honest -- I don't really know what to think.
It doesn't help that notoriously unreliable dirtsheet accounts of TNA events jumped straight to gross exaggerations of the details. Claims that Sting man-handled Jeff to keep him from kicking out of an early pinfall is quickly undermined by a leaning Sting on his back, hooking a leg. Sure, Jeff kicked like wanted out, but let's not forget that wrestling is supposed to exist under a veil of suspended disbelief. Times are tough these days, but even in 2011 a wrestler occasionally looks like he's actually putting some effort in. Which could also explain away Hardy's preoccupation with his shirt, which was likely to be his brand of heel performance art, as it was any drug-induced stupor.

Again, I say it: I just don't know what to think! About the legitimacy of the problem, or who was to blame. All that's clear is that there's a lot about the situation that was odd and unsavory. If it was a healthy Stinger out there, why didn't he get an opponent to fill the void of time? If it was an intoxicated Jeff Hardy, why wasn't he explained away in a backstage skit or announcement?

Some dirtsheets were reporting Jeff Hardy was arrested immediately after the show. If Hardy was at all responsible for the strangeness of the show, then I think it's time for TNA to cut it's ties. I've supported his hiring, and even been an apologist for his position, at times. I've got no more patience if this is going to be the outcome, however, to say nothing of a basic human hope that talent are looked after. All of that is assuming a lot, however, and I'm really not willing to condemn someone on the basis of tonight's performance, because, I'll say it again... I just don't know what to believe.

What I do know is that TNA isn't remotely like the company I used to enjoy.
When it dawned on me that Ken Anderson (#12) and Rob Van Dam (#45) were competing for the right to face the winner, it came with a bitter realisation about the TNA title. Something the company did quite well, for a time, was shuffle it's many prospects. It wasn't that long ago you had Desmond Wolfe taking his chances in a title shot on Impact, while the likes of Kurt Angle (#84), AJ Styles (#59), Samoa Joe (#50), and many others, were circling like sharks. Once upon a time, I would lament the difficulties posed by the company being so top heavy. Now I wonder how they've squandered so much of their potential.

With so much baggage wrapped up in the old faces from WWE and WCW, I can't help but wonder what would happen if the powers that be decided to just go for it. To book the likes of Douglas Williams (#86), Brutus Magnus (#110), Robert Roode (#4), Matt Morgan (#65), Frankie Kazarian (#8) and Samoa Joe in the main event. What would happen if TNA decided to take a chance on names they've seen through their doors? Guys like Petey Williams or Consequences Creed? Would the company really be any worse off if it followed through on the promise it seems to have abandoned? I'd love to include Jeff Hardy in that list of names, as the first in a new generation of senior leaders, but after this weekend, I don't know. Is Jeff Hardy just a new brand of laibility, or are the likes of Sting, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo the monkey on the back of the industry and company, repeating the mistakes of the past? I really just don't know...

Special Note: The Kayfabe Countdown includes results from TNA: Victory Road, where Sarita (#27) and Rosita (#37) captured the Knockouts Tag Team Championship from now-former champions, Angelina Love (#41) and Winter (#55). No other title changed hands.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 03/06

#1 Edge [--] (12-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
I started these weekly accounts of wrestler stats in late 2010, so it's only anecdotally that I can talk about the variety of names that came through the top ten in the early parts of the year. By the final quarter of 2010, it was becoming a two horse race between Big Show (#26) and eventual year-ending #1, Kofi Kingston (#31). In 2011, it seems the statistical top ten has both victim and beneficiary of an even more varied approach to booking in the major promotions.

By using the entirety of their television network to showcase superstars from the less accessed Smackdown program, WWE have created a widening gap between top stars from the blue brand and the rest of the field. Where in 2010 many names came and went during the first half of the year, it seems the build to 2011's Wrestlemania XVII has put the focus squarely on Edge and Alberto Del Rio (#2; Royal Rumble winner). As Edge spends more time as the subject of this Countdown opening monologue, I find my patience for the Rated-R Superstar wearing a little bit thin.

I've been very enthusiastic about Alberto Del Rio, but I'm sure along the way I've expressed some doubt about his readiness to be World Champion, particularly on a stage as grandiose as Wrestlemania. That said, Edge's reign as an 11-time World-level champion, in only five years, has served to highlight what I believe are his many inadequacies as a top level talent. So we have two shades of a bad situation, and I find myself hoping Edge can start balancing out his record with a few losses, just to give me something else to talk about at the end of every week.

Three wins clear of his nearest rival, and with twice as many as the pack vying for #5 rank, I get a sense Edge and I will have to spend a lot of time together over the next few months. It's not a fact I'm at all at peace with, but I won't bother to labour the point this early in his reign of terror.

#2 [--] Alberto Del Rio (9-2-1) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [+3] Justin Gabriel (7-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#4 [+1] Randy Orton (7-4-0) (WWE)
#5 [+3] Robert Roode (6-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [+3] James Storm (6-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [RE] Chris Masters (6-2-0) (WWE)
#8 [-5] Ken Anderson (6-3-0) (TNA)
#9 [-3] Rey Mysterio (6-4-0) (WWE)
#10 [-3] The Miz (6-6-0) (WWE) [WWE Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (6-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (5-2-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [--] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (5-5-0) (WWE)
#4 [+5] Layla & Michelle McCool (3-1-0) (WWE)
#5 [-1] Sarita & Rosita (2-0-0) (TNA)
#6 [-1] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#7 [-1] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [-1] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [-1] Edge & Kelly Kelly (2-0-0) (WWE)
#10 [--] Madison Rayne & Sarita (2-1-0) (TNA)

Superstar Spotlight:
#NR Mistico (0-0-0) (WWE)
To say I'm any kind of aficionado of Mexican wrestling would be a complete lie, but when I see it, I often enjoy it. I like the different logics and concepts that are at work in this world, where styles and characters have different depths to their counterparts abroad. For me, there's a lot to like about the prospect of lucha libre and the mythic history it's steeped in, which looks all the more colourful when placed beside the developing mediocrities of certain American styles. WWE, for example, has abandoned much this colour, denying it's history whilst stripping away at it's interesting characters.

With all of that in mind, it was with mixed feelings that I learned of Mistico's signing with WWE -- an eventuality that has been many years in the making. Given their recent track record, it was easy to approach the news with extreme cynicism. It was with dreaded expectation that they unveiled a new moniker for their 'big name' international acquisition, who won't be wrestling under his 'big name' when he debuts with WWE.

I'm told CMLL -- the company he remained loyal to when WWE first began courting him -- own the rights to the Mistico name, which makes the situation that has given us "Sin Cara" much more forgiveable than the name itself. A name that reminds me of the last time they picked up a wrestler with history in Mexico -- Dos Caras Jr, aka; Alberto Del Rio. If including "face" in the new name is intended as a humorous reference, it isn't appreciated.

Still, Mistico arrives in a WWE that seems to be changing...
2011 has already given us some of the best booking of the last five years, with an interesting blend of new and old coming to prominance as we head toward Wrestlemania. Linda McMahon's political aspirations were dashed late last year, and one of the leading proponents for WWE PG, Donna Goldsmith, has left the company. Alberto Del Rio won the first ever forty-man Royal Rumble and is getting a World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XVII. In the build-up for that same show, The Rock has returned to WWE, unleashing more pseudo-profanity in a single promo than WWE has in the entirety of two years. The Rock's return has also waved the flag for an era of wrestling that many fans like myself are looking back on, regarding as a much better time in wrestling. In other words; WWE is showing signs of changing.

In 2011, Mistico might not be walking in to a company that has dashed the hopes of almost every foreign wrestler to walk through it's doors. Mistico might be walking in to a company that is ready to get back in touch with it's penchant for colourful characters, outrageous situations, and maybe even the credible wrestling it's presented at various points in it's history. Mistico -- Sin Cara -- might be walking in to WWE to be a catalyst for a new era! If that's how it works out, colour me excited!

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 02/27

#1 Edge [--] (11-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
Another week, another win for Edge on Smackdown. The current World Heavyweight Champion doesn't look to be having any troubles in the push department, despite being bogged down in an obscure team-up with Kelly Kelly (#50) against the ailing forces of Vickie Guerrero (#108) and her crumbling house of cards. This premature march of heroes might lead some fans to speculate the chances of Royal Rumble #1 contender, Alberto Del Rio (#2), who'll face off against Edge at Wrestlemania XXVII for the title.

With John Cena (#38) and The Miz (#7) likely to headline, and The Rock in a supporting role, you'd have to think the good guy glory will come from some form of reconciliation between "The People's Champion" and his rapping counterpart, Cena, setting up a customary happy ending for the massaged Mania audience. Which really only lends credence to the theory that Del Rio might be gearing up for a win. He certanly seems to have the more impressive build, besting Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston (#26) in the most unflattering of manners for the IC belt. In other words -- I'm starting to believe and get very curious about the recent WWE signing of Mistico, who may or may not join his lucha fellows on the blue brand just in time for the "showcase of immortals." Very interesting!

#2 [--] Alberto Del Rio (9-2-1) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [+5] Ken Anderson (6-3-0) (TNA)
#4 [new] Justin Gabriel (6-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#5 [-2] Randy Orton (6-4-0) (WWE)
#6 [+3] Rey Mysterio (6-4-0) (WWE)
#7 [RE] The Miz (6-6-0) (WWE) [WWE Champion]
#8 [-4] Robert Roode (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#9 [-4] James Storm (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#10 [-4] Frankie Kazarian (5-1-0) (TNA) [X-Division Champion]

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [+5] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (4-2-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#3 [-1] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (4-4-0) (WWE)
#4 [-1] Sarita & Rosita (2-0-0) (TNA)
#5 [-1] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#6 [-1] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#7 [-1] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [new] Edge & Kelly Kelly (2-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [-1] Layla & Michelle McCool (2-1-0) (WWE)
#10 [-1] Madison Rayne & Sarita (2-1-0) (TNA)

Superstar Spotlight:
#NR The Undertaker (0-0-0) (WWE)
Depending on who you ask, WWE's latest Wrestlemania return campaign may have backfired, somewhat. As remarked upon at the time [February 6], it never struck me as likely that the 2 21 11 promos would regard anything but the return of the Deadman, but it seems some fans had so thoroughly talked themselves into anticipating the arrival of Sting, that they were disappointed by The Undertaker.

The Phenom didn't arrive on RAW alone this week, immediately follow by a returning Triple H, whose silent face-off with the Deadman confirmed their involvement in the annual clash to test Undertaker's winning power. On the one hand, I thought this was a very simple and effective moment, which used all the cache value of these two tested stars, as well as the weighty iconography of the Wrestlemania name and logo itself. On the other hand, I was disappointed that the atmospheric cabin promos that preceded Undertaker's return weren't of more value. Despite an exit that implied some sort of passage to the afterlife, and these return promos that insinuated something akin to a home haven for the wild west inspired Undertaker, it was for moot, a mere transition from clip to stage playing out the involvement of the rainy desert and it's cultish gloom.

I've always been a fan of the pageantry and the fiction of The Undertaker, which are aspects generally lacking from today's WWE product. That said, I wouldn't let personal preference get in the way of appreciating what was ultimately a much more convincing set-up than I would've expected of a match that will only have one month to breathe. In a way, it segues out of the Shawn Michaels challenges of the previous years, which completely changed the complexion of what it is to challenge The Undertaker's streak at Wrestlemania. I would still have loved to see Brock Lesnar return to challenge the streak in an MMA-infused encounter, but I doubt Undertaker is physically up to making the most of that scenario, any way. With Triple H, it becomes a match about status and standing. A continuation of the previous two years that sees the fresher of the DX duo take on the Deadman, in a rematch of their 2001 "X-Seven" clash that gave 'Taker Mania win number nine! Roll on number nineteen!

Special Note: On the February 21 episode of RAW, John Cena (#38) and The Miz (#7) were paired together to win the Tag Team Championships. They lost the belts back to Justin Gabriel (#4) and Heath Slater (#22) immediately, granting the latter pair their second reign for 2011, and third overall. It was about as pointless as it sounds.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 02/20

#1 Edge [+1] (10-1-1) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
It was triple duty for the World's Heavyweight Champion this week, giving him a clear win ahead of Royal Rumble #1 Contender and current Kayfabe Countdown rival, Alberto Del Rio (#2). The "Rated-R Superstar" continues to benefit from his on-going feud with Dolph Ziggler (#90), who granted Edge a second World title reign for 2011 when Teddy Long returned to undo Vickie Guerrero's dodgy dealings. A twelve-man tag team match made it a triple-double for Edge on the 600th episode of Smackdown, levelling Ziggler with a feeble 1-9-1 win/loss/draw rate, before being fired by the returning GM, and removed from Sunday's Elimination Chamber.

As expected, Edge came out on top over Kane (#51), Rey Mysterio (#9), Drew McIntyre (#12), Wade Barrett (#50), and Ziggler's replacement, The Big Show (#46), to set-up a title clash with Alberto Del Rio at Wrestlemania XXVII (April 3). It seems unlikely the match will headline the show, with John Cena (#54) having earned a WWE title match against The Miz (#11) in the RAW Chamber match.

Personally, that bothers me. I like the main event marquee being part and parcel with the honor of winning the Royal Rumble, something bookers know well in advance after more than a decade (with rare, justifiable exception). I agree that, even with his meteoric rise shown on RAW, it might be a big ask for an audience to go with Del Rio in a main event. It could even be a big ask for Del Rio, who might be irrevocably damaged by being prematurely pushed into the biggest spotlight of the year. It's a no-win situation, which will just have to bother me without reply.

#2 [-1] Alberto Del Rio (9-2-0) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [RE] Randy Orton (6-4-0) (WWE)
#4 [-1] Robert Roode (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#5 [-1] James Storm (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [+1] Frankie Kazarian (5-1-0) (TNA) [X-Division Champion]
#7 [+1] Eve Torres (5-2-0) (WWE) [Divas Champion]
#8 [-3] Ken Anderson (5-3-0) (TNA)
#9 [+1] Rey Mysterio (5-4-0) (WWE)
#10 [new] John Morrison (5-5-0) (WWE)

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (5-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [+5] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (4-4-0) (WWE)
#3 [new] Sarita & Rosita (2-0-0) (TNA)
#4 [new] Edge & Randy Orton (2-0-0) (WWE)
#5 [new] John Morrison & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#6 [new] Rey Mysterio & R-Truth (2-0-0) (WWE)
#7 [RE] Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (2-1-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#8 [-6] Layla & Michelle McCool (2-1-0) (WWE)
#9 [-4] Madison Rayne & Sarita (2-1-0) (TNA)
#10 [-7] Zack Ryder & Primo Colon (2-2-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#NR The Rock (0-0-0) (WWE)
Here at the end of the week, it seems like ancient history, but no one can have forgotten the electric shock of February 14's Monday Night RAW announcement of Wrestlemania XXVII's celebrity host!

I was tempted to describe this as a spotlight on "Dwayne Johnson," but I think we all saw quite clearly that FINALLY The Rock has come back to WWE!

In my former life as a columnist for prowrestling.com and an Attitude Era tragic, I generally had more negative things to say about icons, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, than positive. As much as the vivid characters, trademark phrases and moves, and bold storylines were important to me, I valued sport as well as the entertainment. Rock and Austin, to even the most dedicated fan, were not terrific in-ring performers. Not during their prime, at least. Another grinding factor was their omnipresence, which sometimes seemed to only be interrupted by occasional, half-hearted month long glimpses of rival contenders. To a lesser degree, but in similar fashion, it bred resentment in me as a viewer that I now feel toward John Cena (#54) and Randy Orton (#3) without mitigation.

The Rock's return, however, undeniably highlights the contrast between the two periods. While he and Austin had a reign of terror over the main event for a good four or five years, they had the benefit of being far more compelling in their presentation, charismatic in their person, and surrounded by a company that supported this domination, even if it wasn't exactly to my taste.

In twenty minutes, The Rock held a captive audience, who simmered hushed mere moments after exploding into the biggest applause I've heard in years. Rock dipped into some of the sillier turns of phrase that sit awkwardly with his better known repetoire, references to fruity pebbles and hobbits effective, if a little hokey. For the most part, Rock, even without attacking Miz, John Cena, and Michael Cole, revealed everything that made him "The Great One", and has been lost since the mid-late nineties. As critical as I might have ever been of The Rock, I could not deny that he's a great personality, a great talker, and was electric in his return to the ring.

"Damn" and "ass" was flying around the arena as live censors did a mediocre job to keep safely within the Mattel sponsored PG rating. Is that a sign of a shift in the WWE product, post-Donna Goldsmith (Executive Officer key to the Mattel deal, and proponent of the soft PG brand)? The Rock's appearance seemed to rebel against everything that the current WWE is bogged down in.

Will The Rock step into the ring for Wrestlemania? All logic suggests no, even though he laid the verbal smackdown on some of WWE's biggest top stars. It seems unfathomable that Rock will remain uninvolved in the WWE title match between The Miz (#11) and John Cena, but I can't imagine anything more than a Rock Bottom or a People's Elbow. I also can't imagine The Rock leaving WWE before attempting to give the rub to good-guy and company leader, John Cena, with whom he had some legitmate beef with a few years back, but probably has no real problem with. An exit without endorsement seems unfathomable, given the company's reluctance to turn John Cena heel, and their utter dependence on he and Orton in the main event. Then again, there is the small matter of Randy Orton, and who he'll face at Wrestlemania... Psyche!

It was good to see The Rock back, but I don't expect to see a lot of him. Certainly not to the weekly degree some fans have imagined after what was apparently a promise to be 'back for good.' I don't remember anything like that sticking out to me during Rock's rant, but it's been a big story for a lot of outlets. I'm sure The Rock intends to keep wrestling in his heart, and to make future appearances that would constitute 'never going away [for good]', but weekly appearances on RAW? I've got my doubts. It'll be fun finding out, though, as a little slice of the Attitude Era comes back to bring sponteneity and surprise with it. If you smell what The Rock is cooking!

Special Note: At Elimination Chamber (2011) on February 20, 2011; Justin Gabriel (#15) and Heath Slater (#42) defeated Vladimir Kozlov (#22) and Santino Marella (#23) to claim their second Tag Team Championship reign.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 02/06

#1 Edge [+1] (7-1-0) (WWE)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
It seems Alberto Del Rio's victory in the Royal Rumble has fulfilled WWE's hard working plans for the Mexican superstar, at least for now. Edge has risen rapidly in the win/loss rankings to leap from 2011 obscurity, back into second place for last week's [January 30] Countdown! In a year when John Cena (#99) has begun his road to Wrestlemania without a single victory; Edge's 87% win rate from eight matches in five weeks has to be considered no small feat!

Edge was unsurprisingly successful in defending his championship against unlikely contender, Dolph Ziggler (#76), whose fortunes have been inverse to Edge's (1-7-0 win/loss/draw), including losing the Intercontinental Championship immediately before his entry into the World title picture. I'm not sure I'll ever agree with the favour Edge has garnered in his role as a main event player, but it's undeniable that Ziggler was not yet ready to step up into the role. I appreciate, particularly with a WWE Champion as green as The Miz (#37) working on RAW, that bookers saw fit to grant Ziggler the opportunity, without prematurely following through on it.

Pseudo-babyface Edge appears to be carrying a little babyfat right now, but that hasn't stopped WWE investing heavily in the "Rated R Superstar," who replaced Kane (#73) as Smackdown's resident World Heavyweight Champion. With an opportunity to main event Wrestlemania in a title bout against Del Rio on the line; you'd have to think Edge will be relatively secure when he defends the belt in an Elimination Chamber at the February event of the same name. His opponents will be Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Drew McIntyre (#17), Rey Mysterio (#6), and Wade Barrett (#68), presenting the most likely alternate as Mysterio, whose feud with Del Rio was supposedly ended in a match won via count-out due to interference. An all-Mexican main event would certainly be a welcome change from WWE's typically unkind booking to international stars, but is only an outside possibility.

#2 [-1] Alberto Del Rio (6-2-0) (WWE) [Royal Rumble]
#3 [--] Robert Roode (4-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#4 [--] James Storm (4-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champion]
#5 [RE] Ken Anderson (4-2-0) (TNA) [World Heavyweight Champion]
#6 [RE] Rey Mysterio (4-2-0) (WWE)
#7 [-2] Kofi Kingston (4-3-0) (WWE) [Intercontinental Champion]
#8 [-2] Randy Orton (4-3-0) (WWE)
#9 [RE] Yoshi Tatsu (4-3-0) (WWE)
#10 [-3] Jeff Jarrett (3-0-1) (TNA)

#1 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (4-0-0) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [RE] Layla & Michelle McCool (2-1-0) (WWE)
#3 [-1] Zack Ryder & Primo Colon (2-1-0) (WWE)
#4 [RE] Yoshi Tatsu & DH Smith (2-1-0) (WWE)
#5 [RE] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (2-3-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#6 [-3] Eve Torres & Brie Bella (1-0-0) (WWE)
#7 [-2] Natalya Neidhart & Brie Bella (1-0-0) (WWE)
#8 [-2] Randy Orton & Jerry Lawler (1-0-0) (WWE)
#9 [-2] Angelina Love & Winter (1-0-0) (TNA) [Knockouts Tag Team Champions]
#10 [-2] Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy (1-0-0) (TNA)

Superstar Spotlight:
#NR Sting (0-0-0) (Independent)
A promo promising something mysterious for Monday night's RAW on the 21st of February has sparked speculation and theories about the imminent arrival of one of wrestling's biggest stars never to sign with WWE. The Sting phenomenon owes it's origins to the days of NWA (National Wrestling Alliance), but was solidified in WCW (World Championship Wrestling), where he eventually transformed from a brightly coloured surfer, to a gothic, comic-book inspired Crow style figure, clad in long trench coat.

While the "2 21 11" promo features a black figure in a long coat, and bares superficial similarities to promo reels from Sting's WCW days, there isn't a doubt in my mind that says this is a sign of the return of The Undertaker. [Undertaker] was bundled out in October last year at Bragging Rights, where he lost a Buried Alive gimmick match to fictitious brother, Kane. His only subsequent appearance featured the Deadman in a long hall, stepping through a door into white light -- imagery similar to previous instances of the Undertaker's theatrics, which have suggested many experiences with the afterlife.

These new promo vignettes, set in the rainy gloom of a solitary desert shanti, harken back to the original concept of Undertaker, which was directed toward the archetype of a Wild West figure, rather than the overtly supernatural, gothic overtones that the character is well remembered for. The video is either part of a return campaign that will be told exclusively in clips, or merely hype for the Undertaker's return from his previous bizarre video sequence. It may represent an Undertaker who has 'gone home', and come back stronger -- in time for Wrestlemania, which is a key part of his dominant mythology.

The looming significance of Wrestlemania plays a part in Sting theories, as well, given that the show is returning to WCW's spiritual home of Atlanta. WWE's annual Hall of Fame is expected to include representatives of the WCW era, and Sting is certainly among the top contenders who haven't already been inducted -- but will it happen? If it does, I don't think the 2 21 11 clips will have any part to play.

In the recent past, Sting has flirted with permanent retirement, but seems to be persuaded to come back to action time after time by a paycheque, and some sense of loyalty to a group who has opposed the oft-times dominant WWE, for two decades. His most recent performances have been with TNA (Total Non-Stop Action), often described as being as much about giving the fledgling company a chance to rise, as any aspiration to maintain his iconic status as one of wrestling's biggest stars.

Special Note: Technical difficulties meant the publication of this post was delayed [until February 11]. A second "2 21 11" vignette has aired, finishing with the Johnny Cash "Ain't No Grave" song used to promote Undertaker's 2010 Wrestlemania clash with Shawn Michaels. It seems a certainty the promos refer to WWE's "Phenom", rather than the Stinger.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events.