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To begin the new year, this is my first installment of "Worst Raw Ever." This weekly column will feature my perspective on all of the terrible things that happened on Raw this week and how the company continues to shoot itself in the foot. This is not a fantasy booking column, though; I will occasionally share my perspective on how things could have been improved. At the moment, WWE may be at its lowest point in two decades. Not since the doldrums of the Diesel era have I seen such a complete disaster for a WWE product. Aside from a few highlights, ...

We're a little over a month away from the official kickoff to this year's Road to WrestleMania. The formal march takes place the moment the last man is left standing in the Royal Rumble, but we all know that the groundwork is laid months in advance. At least sometimes it is, when WWE wants to make it look like it is trying to put something entertaining on television.  With Tables, Ladders & Chairs (and stairs) booked and ready to go on Sunday night, it's a good time for the most fun exercise a wrestling nerd can have: booking WrestleMania way too early.  Below ...

The revelations of the last two weeks have been stunning to say the least. If you haven't listened to CM Punk's explosive appearance on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast yet, take the next two hours and find a place to focus.  In the podcast linked above, you'll hear Punk discuss subjects related to how the WWE medical staff cared for his injuries and illnesses, his clashes over creative direction, both for his character and others, along with a litany of other grievances.  To follow Punk's comments, WWE Network hosted its first ever live presentation of Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast after ...

It was reported on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc) today that WWE Superstar, former world heavyweight champion and beloved underdog Daniel Bryan may not be back in time for the Royal Rumble as anticipated. Bryan had been expected back for the January pay-per-view, but due to slow progress in his rehabilitation, this may be put on hold. Bryan underwent neck surgery in May following the discovery of an injury caused by years of wear and tear. After the surgery, he struggled to regain strength in his arm. A second surgery was considered but delayed because doctors thought it may not be necessary. According ...

The WWE product has been in the doldrums for the better part of the last year. We appeared on the verge of a new era at WrestleMania when Daniel Bryan did the unthinkable, winning two matches in a single night, effectively dismantling Evolution by himself and receiving the confetti-filled WWE Championship victory celebration we all hoped for. But then Bryan was forced under the knife, and aside from a few appearances here and there, we've haven't seen or heard much from our goat-faced hero in a long time.  With Bryan out, WWE looked for a shock to the system, and they broke ...

When Batista left the WWE as a full-time performer after WrestleMania 26, he did not have any guarantees that his acting career would be a success. Unlike The Rock, who was an international sensation, Batista was well-known in wrestling circles but an unknown commodity everywhere else.  Batista's Hollywood success mirrors that of the surprise blockbuster that has launched his career. Neither Batista nor Guardians of the Galaxy was a sure thing, but they have dominated the box office this summer, and now the former WWE champion is cashing in.  According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com), Batista has extended his contract with Marvel to ...

Vince Russo is one of the most divisive characters in the history of professional wrestling. And I don't mean "characters" as in "on-screen personas." Russo is a character from when he wakes up in the morning until he goes to sleep. He was the creative (sometimes overly creative) force that drove the Attitude Era to new heights for the WWE. It was his brand of crash television that—when applied to professional wrestling—created pure gold. His hot temper, competitive fire and unrelenting creativity eventually burned bridges on his way out the door of the then-WWF and sent him packing to WCW for ...

It's been several months since we saw Bad News Barrett on WWE television. The powerhouse, trash-talking Brit has battled injuries for the last few years, halting his momentum each time WWE has appeared ready to give him a dedicated push. Now, it looks like Barrett may be on his way back to the ring, as he is being promoted for the company's November European tour, per PWInsider (h/t Wrestling Inc). Barrett has shown great potential since debuting with the main roster as the leader of the Nexus. He was the voice and top contender of the group, which consisted of WWE developmental ...

To turn The Shield's catchphrase around: Can you believe that? According to a report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingINC.com) WWE officials are not yet convinced that Dean Ambrose is ready to enter the main-event picture. Could've fooled me after seeing him hold the Raw audience in the palm of his hand for the final half hour of Monday night's show.  This isn't an argument over which member of The Shield is the best. This isn't a question of whether Roman Reigns has the makings of the WWE's next big mainstream star (because he absolutely does). This is a conversation about WWE ...

Brock Lesnar's dismantling of John Cena in the main event of SummerSlam was one of the most vicious beatings in recent memory. There may never have been a more one-sided title match on a major WWE pay-per-view event. Lesnar's dominating performance over the company's poster boy sets the stage for a fascinating scenario. Lesnar's contract status is not known by anyone outside of the WWE, but we do know it's not a regular schedule. Lesnar will probably not be on every week, and he may not even appear on every pay-per-view. Such an arrangement is a challenging situation for WWE Creative, ...