Day 1: The Battle of the Sleeves.

Hi. I'm Ashlee. My esteemed colleagues have given their opinions on Monday Night Wars II. I was at the same Lockdown where the "electric cage" was some fireworks going off and the lights flickering. This is a perfect example of TNA doing everything halfway. In two short months Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and the other people whispering in Dixie Carter's ear have managed to take everything that was inventive and different about TNA and turn it into WCW Lite.

When Kurt Angle is no longer the most important thing on the program, considering the price tag he comes with, there's a problem. Sting doesn't even want anything to do with the program. You know why that is? Because he hates Bischoff/Hogan politics. He did that in WCW, and he's over it. Jeff Jarrett carried that company on his back for nearly three years, and it's like he's being ushered out the side door. Because a man that's going to keel over dead before we get out of this decade wants one more Wrestlemania moment... oh wait, someone told Hogan there's no Wrestlemania right.

The TNA Knockouts Division was one of the best things going for it. It is heads and tails above the WWE Divas Division. WWE is down to two women who can actually bring it in the ring. (Natalya and Gail Kim) I'm counting at least 6 women on the TNA Roster that are WRESTLERS. Not bad to look at, but as I'm sitting here, real life wrestlers. Already rumors that Hogan thinks Tag Belts for the women are "a waste of time" and women should "be used less". Again, sucking the life out of everything that was inventive and good about the program in the first place. I'm not saying WWE handles the Divas any better. I'm saying TNA no longer has a leg up on the competition.

The X-Division is another prime example of this. Sure, Samoa Joe and some other "heavyweights" got themselves some spot-errific moments in X-Division matches, but there was a time when X-Division wrestling was a big deal in TNA. Now the premiere "mid card" PPV is being changed, and Destination X is being "Revamped" because 'the X-Division can't carry it by themselves'. Newsflash TNA - I would rather watch a 3 hour Alex Shelley promo than ANYTHING Hulk Hogan has to say. I could watch Amazing Red, Shannon Moore, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Jay Lethal wrestle all day. Instead I get the Nasties and whoever else you pull out of prescription drug hell.

But tonight: I find myself uninspired. I am generally lackadaisical about both programs. Here are our main events:

Monday Night Raw: John Cena -v- Mr. McMahon (which just screams of Batista and possibly Bret Hart.)

TNA iMPACT: Hulk Hogan & Abyss -v- Ric Flair & AJ Styles

My personal feelings about Ric Flair being the Bret Favre of wrestling and toying with fans emotions notwithstanding, what is this?! It's a pretty sorry state of affairs when Vince McMahon thinks he's a draw. Given a choice, to avoid seeing Vince flex his inhumanely large 70 year old biceps, I will probably switch the channel to see how badly Hogan and Flair embarrass themselves. You would think Vince would be busting his hump to make sure the last 20 minutes of this show keep people on USA. But I think Vince is still no selling this whole TNA thing. That, or he's brilliant. Let them think they're making headway. Then bring back The Rock. Mark my words, TNA will sink faster than the Titanic when Rock comes back. Vince will be waving from his 4.1 million dollar Trump Tower apartment in Stamford, while the Fire Fighters are still putting out the blaze, because he just burned that one down.

Criss Angel. The Divas doing something stupid. Santino taking part in some magic trick. Hornswoggle eating Lucky Charms. The aforementioned main event, and a handicap match between Randy Orton & Legacy.

or

TNA's nostalgia driven main event. The Knockouts doing something stupid. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry you've ever heard of popping up on the screen for all of ten seconds. Rob Van Dam with Sabu's gimpy self trailing behind. And Shannon Moore, more than likely there to introduce Jeff Hardy, but there none the less.

Forgive my indifference - but this simply amounts to a battle of the well tattooed arms for me. Randy Orton -v- Shannon Moore (AH! New Dream Match!) Shannon will pop up on screen to fist pump somebody. Randy's teetering the fine line between face and heel every week with complete precision. I'm left every week going, 'Did he just turn? Will he turn. Ugh! Just turn him alreaaadddy.'

So tonight's point is going to go to WWE. But I'm warning you Vince, if Randy Orton's match is the only reason I'm watching - and you continue to put his matches first - I'm probably going to be forced to change the channel. I'm not saying Orton should be the star of the show. I'm saying opening Raw with a Randy Orton match (Randy's last three matches have been the first on the night's card) then padding me with Guest Host promos and Diva's bull rides/pillow fights until an anticlimactic Batist/Cena laden main event, I'm changing the channel after Orton. Because there's no longer something for everybody in the show. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who watches Raw for two or three people. (Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Miz) If those people continue to be knocked down the card in favor of Vince McMahin in spandex, I might be forced to try the alternative. Don't MAKE me do it.

Randy Orton: 1
Shannon Moore: 0