By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Wade Barrett def. R-Truth

Neither of these competitors have meant anything in ages, so it was hard to care about the match early on. However, they picked up the pace down the stretch and had an enjoyable contest. It received a substantial amount of time and the right person went over. The commentators did a good job of making note of Barrett's recent losing ways, so here's hoping a solid story can be made of it. I doubt this victory is the start of something new for Barrett, but it was a good win, nonetheless.


The Usos def. The Prime Time Players

These two teams have faced off countless times in the past, so the action in this match wasn't anything out of the ordinary. They put forth a strong effort and the final few minutes were entertaining, but it wasn't as good as their past encounters. Regardless, it was another nice win for The Usos and I hope they receive another shot at the WWE Tag Team Championships at some point in the near future.

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Daniel Bryan Confronted Mr. McMahon

With the legitimate animosity between Bryan and McMahon in mind, this was a strong segment that played perfectly in portraying Bryan as an underdog in his WWE Championship match against John Cena. I don't mean that there's any heat between the two in reality, but it's been rumored for years that McMahon never thought Bryan could be a big star in the company, so their mic work here was believable. If the plan is to put the belt on Bryan at SummerSlam, then they're doing an excellent job of stacking the odds against him.


The Shield def. Mark Henry and The Usos

I fully expected this to take place at the SummerSlam pay-per-view, so I was disappointed they opted to give it away on free television instead. Regardless, it was a fun match where everyone was given their time to shine. All competitors were able to hit their signature spots towards the end of the contest and the finishing sequence was fast paced and chaotic. It's a good win for The Shield, but I wonder where this leaves Henry and The Usos going forward.

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

For months on end, WWE had been hyping the debut of its new "Total Divas" show on the E! network. It felt like a million commercials aired for it during WWE's programming, and that's not including all the Diva segments devoted to building towards the show's debut that occurred. Needless to say, the hype was obnoxiously overbearing and it left viewers with a bad taste in their mouths going into the show's premiere. Honestly, I, too, was not high on the concept and saw it to be a complete waste of time. However, I made a vow to tune into the first episode and see if it truly was as bad as the commercials depicted it to be. You can't form a clear opinion of something without experiencing first. That, and the fact I was left with nothing else to do on Sunday night.

Shockingly enough, the show wasn't nearly as horrible as I originally anticipated it to. Sure, there was drama and whatnot, but I was more intrigued by the behind-the-scenes stuff that was included in the first episode. I mean, who knew Brodus Clay could be a real jerk at times? I also had no idea that the people ahead of talent relations pulled people aside and told them they wouldn't be taking part in WrestleMania. That came as a complete shocker to me and I found most of what was featured to be incredibly interesting.

By Ali Kaoury

Arguably the most anticipated match of the year, Punk vs. Lesnar will not be a disappointment. As it was announced last week on RAW, this match became official. In my first article, I will note down who should win in this epic match.

CM Punk. He has been a major part of the company for the last 2 years. Not only is he a great wrestler, but he is also a great talker. He reigned as WWE Champion for 434 days, beat the likes of John Cena, Randy Orton and started a 'revolution' in the business. Every time he grabs the mic, you know you're in for an exciting 10 minutes. He has done so much and he has a long way to go. His match at Money in the Bank 2011 was, in so many eyes, the match of the year. Not to mention his battles against Chris Jericho and Daniel Bryan. 

Brock Lesnar. WWE legend. UFC fighter. The Beast has always been one of the greatest brawlers in wrestling history. He has been WWE and UFC champion. He is a monster, enough said. His matches against The Undertaker and Kurt Angle in the past were one of a kind. His matches against Triple H and John Cena recently have also been memorable. 

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Randy Orton def. Damien Sandow

These two have faced off countless times in the past, so this match wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, it was given a substantial amount of time and Sandow was on offense for match of the match. Given the fact it was a battle of the Mr. Money in the Banks, I would have liked to see this match hyped in advance, but it still made for a nice opening bout. Sandow should score a victory over Orton at some point, but I was fine with The Viper going over here since it was due to a distraction from Cody Rhodes.


CM Punk Addressed the WWE Universe

Punk cut yet another strong promo on Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar here. I'm loving his recent intensity and the fire he's been showing as a babyface as of late. Punk seldom makes appearances on SmackDown, so it's good to see his program with Lesnar getting some attention on the blue brand.