Taz(z) is Gone

Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Tazz has left WWE after his contract with the company expired. Tazz actually gave notice to WWE that he was leaving a few weeks ago, so the departure was his decision. While saying his goodbyes, he was telling people at the WWE TV tapings on Monday night that he needed a break and that it was time to go home and recharge his batteries. As far as what's next for Tazz, there is always that chance he can come back to WWE one day. As far as we know, he is leaving on good terms. Independent bookings like conventions or signings are a possibility but sources close to Tazz don’t expect to see him taking up a bunch of different independent dates because he always seemed against that. Also don't look for Tazz to be wrestling in a ring because of the injuries from his past. Tazz has had tryouts with talk radio stations in the past, so a career in the talk radio field is possible. And this couldn't have come at a worse time, before Wrestlemania, not great for the company leaving the Smackdown! Colour comentator seat emtey. Websites have been saying that JBL could be in the mix, but they still need to fill the seat on Sunday, if having "The Coach" in that spot last year wasn't bad enough already.

Focus on Money In The Bank - Wrestlemania 22

Match starts at 2:20

Mr Kennedy on Sky Sports News - 19/03/2009 (HD)

John Cena on Jimmy Kimmel Live (HQ)

Match Preview: Unified Tag Team Championship Lumerjack Match

First off, I was surprised to see that Morrison (and maybe even Carlito and Miz) didn't get into the Money in the Bank because of the athletic skill he showed in last years match, along with Shelton Benjamin, they were the highlight reel of that match. Still, this match should show that these teams can perform on the Grandest Stand of them all, well grander than ECW and Smackdown. These four have had a number of great bouts, and after they both won back their respective titles, you knew that it was going to lead to something like this. But, Unified, are they just going to hold each and have title matches for both or is it just going to be one title, and if so you know that Miz and Morrison are to going to win because the end up on nearly every show anyway. That would make Miz and Morrison the only team to have won all three titles (in less than a year aswell, considering they lost the WWE Tag Team Championship at the Great American Bash 2008). All other stuff aside, this could be a great match, four talented superstars all with athletic prowess. Their match will need all of that high-flying prowess and with big athletic spots throughout could make for a match truly worth of Wrestlemania. It will be Miz and Primo's first Wrestlemania and Primo's first PPV (what a way to start), they really need to step up to the plate and not worry about getting hurt but just going all-out to put on the best show they can. Morrison and Carlito know what is needed on the big occasions, to give everything at Wrestlemania. These four also know how each other work and probably can trust each other to put on the best show night after night, let alone at Wrestlemania. That's good for all of them, unlike some of the singles matches, where the competitors wouldn't have had the match experience they need before WM25. The match experience they need they're getting. The Bella Twins have also added a new dimension to this feud (and you'll see something more interesting with them next week on Smackdown). As Miz and Morrison seem to be getting the upper hand on the female side of things. Lets be honest, Miz and Morrison are gold on the mic and that is what you need along with in-ring experience. But ever since Carlito has turned face, he can't cut a promo to save his life, whilst he was a good heel on Raw years ago, he could really use his mouth as well as his wrestling skill; the same is true of Shelton Benjamin, but he never gets given the mic anymore, even when he was the US champion and could give him a golden opportunity to run his mouth, I think him being the "Gold Standard" hasn't helped him, he can't be Shelton Benjamin anymore. Anyway, I digress. Primo is shite on the mic and even though he's high-flying and good to watch, he's in my eyes the weak link between these four and I just don't see him being the next big thing like Miz and Morrison will be and to get into a match at Wrestlemania you have to be something big (wtf Mark Henry in MITB: big person, yes, big superstar, no). This should be a great match and if they do it right they could hit gold with it and also give the winners the chance to call themselves The Tag Team Champions in the WWE, not something you normally get. UPDATE: Since this article was written, the match has been changed to a Lumerjack Match, which will only make that match will have a real winners and that it gives some more face time for any other wrestlers not involved on the night.

Classic Road to Wrestlemania Moment - Randy Orton & John Cena vs Raw Roster (2-on-17 Handicap Match)

Classic Road to Wrestlemania Moment - John Cena & Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker & Batista - No Way Out 2007 (HQ)

Classic Moment - Brian Kendrick vs John Cena Rap Battle (HQ)

Classic Moment - "You Talking To Me?" WM21 Promo

Road to Wrestlemania and WWE in General

WWE is rolling full steam ahead towards Wrestlemania. Money in the Bank is full up and my hope to win is Kane, but despite internet rumours I think it is Captain Charisma will be taking the briefcase away or will CM Punk make it two in a row? This could be my personal opinion but I have never been a fan of Matt and Jeff Hardy and so I am not particularly excited about this match, but usually Jeff is a solid performer with lots of spills and so is Matt, therefore despite lack of interest on my part it should be good. On Smackdown the Undertaker defeated Kozlov to make it 1-1 and on Raw there was an average tag team match between HBK and Taker Vs JBL and Kozlov. Kozlov’s ring work is getting better and better but the overall match was poor and the surprise ‘Sweet Chin Music’ on the ramp was poor and Shawn’s mad rant was poor. Also on Smackdown Kofi looked fired up taking on Edge and that could signal great things for the WWE and this young rising star. Also Carltio and Primo was unsuccessful which in my opinion is a good thing because I think that the Miz and Morrison are the best tag team in the WWE and this shows that when they took on DX last year there should have been a clear winner and it was not the men in green and black. The World title matches are a really interesting prospect. HHH VS Randy Orton especially with the house invasion being very dramatic. Also the Edge, Vickie and Show love triangle (something I never fought I would say!) HHH VS Rhodes was a great match showing the power of The Game. The inclusion of the cage along with Legacy was amazing. Rhodes unfortunately did not get the chance to show how talented he is but if there was a Tag team match at Mania I would like to see: Legacy VS The Miz and Morrison VS the Carlito and Primo VS Rey Mysterio and Evan Bourne to unify the tag team titles, with the Miz and Morrison winning the belts cause this would cement their status as the number 1 tag team in the WWE. Jack Swagger has disappeared from ECW seemingly or at least it feels like that, I think I have seen DJ Gabriel and Paul Burchill more than the champion. Personally I think he is a great champion but needs more time to progress in his skill. Also just to finish up I hope ‘Good Old’ JR Jim Ross is ok after from suffering chest pains that he later found out to be walking pneumonia. I hope that he gets better soon.

John Cena on SNL

He had a short section in the opening of Saturday's Saturday Night Live, as a security guard which that gets punched out by the show's guest host, Tracy Morgan.

Rest In Peace Andrew 'Test' Martin

Just a short blog to note the sad passing of Andrew 'Test' Martin former WWE Superstar who was last with the company in 2007 on the ECW brand. He was four days short of his 34th birthday. Our thoughts, feelings and prays go out to his family and friends. RIP Andrew 'Test' Martin March 17, 1975 – March 13, 2009

Bye Bye Boogey

The Boogeyman is gone and I wish him the best of luck and hope he stays away for TNA! ECW loses one of it's stars, but as they say every cloud has a silver lining and this cloud's is the fact that Kizarny has also gone Goizod luizck tizo hizm, however he can go to TNA. Speaking of TNA it is rumoured that 'dangerous' Danny Bonaduce' will be taking part in a match at Lockdown and despite the fact he is the best in Hulk Hogan's CCW he should not be in the six sided ring he should be in the WWE four sided ring. Actually I don't think anyone should be in the six sided ring and Dixie Carter should cut her loses and shut TNA down, before WWE has to buy it out like WCW and ECW before it. Wrestlemania 25 looks to be hoting up but my major concern is that with 23 days and counting left not all of the matches have been decided and therefore there may be a struggle to build up enough heat. Although the two Texans in the main event HBK and The Undertaker will take the roof off and when Taker wins (sorry if Taker wins) the hometown crowd will go wild. Finally just to say that I agree with JR who said he wanted Joey Style to commentate on the Diva Battle Royal, it would be interesting how many times he would say 'OH MY GOD!' or 'CAT FIGHT!' the way that only he can.

Classic Moment - Kurt Angle vs John Cena Rap Battle

Classic Moment - Edge and Kurt Angle (HQ)

WWE = PG, Sorry What?

Can you just run that by again, Vince. You want WWE to have a PG-Rating for all its broadcast television, but why the fuck would you do that?

Exactly, Vince. One thing about WWE going PG is trying to reach out to a family atmosphere, just cause it says PG and doesn't have blood in it, doesn't mean your going to get the whole family to sit down for two hours every monday at 9 to watch. If your main audience is males between 25 and 40, you're gonna lose them cause it's not what it use to be when they grew up watching it, what a downer that must be, if a kid wasn't totally allowed to watch WWE when he was young and then when he is old enough, WWE goes all family-friendly, you'd be pissed off. Really if you want it to be family-friendly, why don't thet go to TV G, and they'll be the only so ever to go from TV R to TV G in around a decade, wtf? I don't get how this is helping their ratings because since the start of Raw and Smackdown their numbers have gone down every year because of these changes and also it's harder to suspend people's belief anymore whilst watching Wrestling, especially if it's in HD. To be honest WWE has kinda lead its own downfall, and to add to the bad ratings the low attendance numbers all WWE events and not to mention the recent credit crisis making their stock price fall wildly over the last year. This year's Wrestlemania isn't even sold out yet, its too expensive and also that the sale date was put back twice due to hurricanes etc. In the past years Wrestlemania would be sold out within the day, if not in hours. And thanks to US Residents having to fork out $50 to watch all 4 hours of Wrestlemania (It's £15 in the UK, around half), it will be interesting to see what return they get. For example, last year's Wrestlemania was one of biggest ever, adding everything together and in the end wasn't good on the WWE's checkbook. Anyway, I digress, WWE is getting nowhere with TV PG, you can't call ECW extreme anymore, when it first came back it was extreme and still slightly felt like the ECW of old, but that was in TV 14 rating and they practically could do what they wanted. The only way you can see the real hardcore WWE of old is by watching the PPV. Well I say that, but at No Way Out, no one in either Elimination Chamber bled, come on, after 'Taker DDT'd Big Show on the steel can't that be a chance to get some blood out. The Only blood came from Randy Orton then he really started to bleed after Shane hit him the TV from the Announce table. To be honest, The WWE going PG hasn't gone over big with the fans, and I hope that in the future they sneak back to 14 or whatever it is (I'm from UK, we don't have age ratings on TV, just warings on swearing etc. and only on films on TV in listings and the like).