MCNEILL'S TAKE McNEILL's "Who's Hot, Who's Not" for Week of 3/18: Big Show, Christian, Hardy, Machine Guns Mar 18, 2008 - 3:46:42 PM

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By Pat McNeill, Torch Columnist

Time for our weekly look at the big winners and losers in the pro wrestling industry over the past seven days. Let's get it started!

WHO'S HOT?

The Big Show: WWE still seems confused as to how to push Paul Wight, but this was the week the big guy turned fan favorite. Show got to dominate Mayweather on last week's Raw, got to squash Jimmy Yang and Shannon Moore on Smackdown, and managed to come out of a mediocre episode of Raw with some momentum behind him after multiple replays of Big Show's big punch to Jericho. Show will also get to go on Conan O'Brien's show this Friday, and hopefully he'll get to show off his sense of humor on late night TV.

Christian Cage: Based on the quarter-hour ratings, the Instant Classic was TNA's most reliable draw this past week. Despite the nonsense of the Christian Colaition-Angle Alliance storyline over the past few months, we managed to get some good intensity out of the Cage-Tomko confrontation. Let's also not forget that Christian wrestled for two in the Impact main event, and that we'll get to see him attempt that feat again this week.

Tyler Black: The former WSX wrestler has been in Ring of Honor for six months, and has already earned a brief run as an ROH tag team champion and one of the headliners on the next Ring of Honor pay-per-view, "Take No Prisoners". Iowa's favorite son has also had the opportunity to use his promo skills as the voice of Ring of Honor's "AgeOfTheFall.com" spinoff site. Since Ring of Honor needs a regular influx of fresh young talent to survive, Black's ascension is good news for everyone.

Jackie Gayda: Mrs. Charlie Haas is pregnant with her second child, and it looks like the former Tough Enough winner is out of the wrestling business by choice. Good for her. We already have too many WWE castoffs floating aimlessly throughout the wrestling business. Why be an average lady wrestler or valet when you'd rather spend time raising your kids? In a few years, she'll be the hottest mom at soccer practice.


WHO'S HOT?

Jeff Hardy: It's bad enough that the Rainbow Haired Warrior fell off the wagon and won't be working at WrestleMania. It's bad enough that there was a forest fire in Cameron and Jeff's doublewide burned up with all his possessions. But the death of Jeff's dog in the fire makes it impossible to make light of Jeff's misfortunes. Here's hoping Jeff's beloved pet didn't suffer.

Motor City Machine Guns: Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are still under the gun for allegedly refusing to get color at the Against All Odds pay-per-view. Despite their popularity with fans, and the fact that TNA trusted them enough to put the Michigan natives on the Destination X poster and the Destination X media conference call, the most exciting team in the promotion is jobbing out to the movie monsters. Oh, well. It's not like TNA is desperate for ratings or money or anything like that.

Brian Gewirtz: Whatever happens over the next two weeks, it's obvious a lot of older wrestling fans will end up disappointed in Ric Flair's final run with World Wrestling Entertainment. Judging by the information leaking out of Stamford, Raw head writer Brian Gewirtz will end up as the fall guy, whether it's deserved or not. One of the most famous wrestlers of all time will leave with a whimper, not a bang. If only the McMahons and WWE had been fair to Flair.

NWA on Dish Network: Believe it or not, I've actually received e-mails asking what happened to the NWA Showcase show on Colours TV. For some reason, Colours aired a rerun last week, again. That's a total of three repeats in nine weeks of NWA television. Many in the limited Showcase audience have despaired of ever seeing the finale of the Los Luchas vs. American Heroes feud over the NWA Tag Team Titles.

Responsible Replies are welcomed.

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