Triple H

Smackdown vs Raw at Wrestlemania

At Wrestlemania this year, there's going to be a battle for brand supremacy between Umaga and Batista. It's Smackdown vs Raw.

Umaga Action Figure

The Better Brand There was a time when wrestling fans would choose sides between WCW and WWE. When WCW died, fans had no choice but to choose from within. It became a battle between Raw and Smackdown. Not really sure why fans chose sides. It doesn't really matter if Raw or Smackdown is the better brand. Just like it didn't matter if WWE was better than WCW. It also doesn't matter if WWE is better than TNA either, but that's another story for another time. What does matter, though, is that the wrestlers took pride in being the better brand. There was a period of time when wrestlers from each brand would be ultra competitive with one another. They tried putting on a better show than the other brand. When that happens, wrestling fans win. The competition, though, seems to have died out as of late. It appears as if the wrestlers and management have accepted that Raw is the superior brand. Smackdown is the #2 brand. At Wrestlemania, WWE really needs to push this brand supremacy thing. They really need to make fans believe that the wrestlers actually have a sense of pride in their brand and the performance of the brand. Smackdown vs Raw needs to become a real life thing.

Where's ECW?

Like we said, Raw is considered to be the company's top priority. Smackdown is the secondary show. Poor little ECW is considered the little brother that everyone neglects.

ECW is treated like an inferior brand. WWE will never admit to doing that purposely, but they do. You see little bits of hints all the time that the company doesn't exactly hold ECW in high standards. One of those hints is that ECW hasn't even been mentioned in this brand supremacy thing at Wrestlemania 24.

Sure, there's no one on the ECW roster right now aside from CM Punk that can truly be considered on the same level as Batista and Umaga. The writers just haven't built anyone up to that level. It also doesn't help the guys on the ECW roster that the brand has an inferior feel to it.

You can't really put guys like John Morrison, the Miz, Tommy Dreamer, Kofi Kingston, Colin Delaney, Balls Mahoney, Mike Knox, or Stevie Richards into the match and expect any of them to beat Umaga and Batista. John Morrison comes the closet to being marginally credible compared to these guys. He at least has been a mid card wrestler on Raw.

Next year's version of this match really needs to include an ECW guy.

Closing Thoughts

The idea for brand supremacy is brilliant. It might even become a yearly thing if they can pull it off properly.

Maria Kanellis

Maria Kanellis will be at the Virgin Megastore in New York City on March 6, 2008 at noon to sign copies of her Playboy magazin issue.

Ricky Steamboat

WWE management is currently discussing a Ricky Steamboat DVD for 2009. If it happens, you can also expect a Hall of Fame induction as well.

Hulk Hogan

A woman who worked with Brooke Hogan on her album has claimed that she had an affair with Hulk Hogan. She said the affair occurred after the divorce.

Brock Lesnar's next UFC fight should be on June 14, 2008. His rumored opponent for now is Justin McCully, who used to train with Tito Ortiz.

Rey Mysterio

Sources state that Rey Mysterio's bicep injury became worse after working matches against Chavo Guerrero and Edge after the injury was discovered.

At last night's OVW television show, CM Punk told the audience that he would some day return to wrestle in OVW. Elijah Burke also worked the show.

The Rock

The trailer for the Rock's new movie, "Get Smart", is now available for viewing on the Apple website. The movie is scheduled for release on June 20, 2008.

Candice Michelle

Candice Michelle will be making her return to the wrestling ring on Friday night at a Raw house show in Missouri against Beth Phoenix.