The WWE brings their unique brand of sports entertainment to venues across the world, and 2013 looks to be an exciting year for wrestling fans. WWE Champion CM Punk, World Heavyweight Champion The Big Show, and Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett promise to take on all comers when defending their titles, and there are no shortage of contenders on the roster of performers in The WWE.

The WWE began back in the 1950s when Roderick James “Jess” McMahon and Joseph Mondt started the Capitol Wrestling Corporation and began promoting wrestling matches in New York City, at Madison Square Garden. However, Jess died in 1954, and one of Mondt’s business associates brought in Vincent J. McMahon to fill his position in the company.

By the 1960s, the CWC had become the World Wide Wrestling Federation and featured such historic wrestlers as “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers and Lou Thez, considered one of the greatest wrestlers in history. Other early stars from this era included Lou Albano, who would later become one of the most well-known figures in pro wrestling, and “Superstar” Billy Graham, the influence of wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

The Beginning of the WWE

The WWE officially got underway in 1980 when Vincent K. McMahon, the current CEO of the WWE, and his father started Titan Sports. Vince later purchased his father’s shares and the shares of other stockholders and began pushing the WWE – then known as the WWF – across the country and on national television. Vince also began selling videos of his matches, an unheard of practice at the time.

From there the WWE continued to grow, becoming the top promotion for wrestling in the country and bringing hundreds of shows to fans on a yearly basis. From their colorful past to their meteoric rise to the top of the wrestling game, the WWE has something to offer every wrestling fan, and the best way to experience it first hand is to buy tickets for one of the live shows near you in 2013. If you want action, excitement and fun, you’ll be mightily entertained.

We haven’t heard from Bobby Lashley lately, but the Bleach Report is stating that he may be interested in a WWE return.  This former Wrestlemania superstar was last seen in 2007 wrestling against Mr. Kennedy.  In 2008, he was released and then began a less-than-amazing MMA career.

However, there is legitimate talk of Lashley returning to settle some “unfinished business” in the WWE.  (Oh, don’t they all say that?)  We do know that according to WWE Diva Kristal Marshall, she at least is interested in her off-screen spouse returning to action.  Of course, Lashley’s enthusiasm in returning may not be enough to heal the bad blood still lingering.  What’s the story here?

Apparently when Lashley left the promotion, he burned some bridges with the McMahons and more importantly with head writer and booker Michael Hayes.  Lashley never really said what the issue was but stated that people hated him and personally tried to destroy him!  “Evil has prevailed” he said, just after he left the promotion.  Since then however, Michael Hayes has been in hot water with management anyway.  So is it possible there could be a reconciliation in the future?

Another issue to consider: will Lashley’s poor reception in MMA hinder a WWE return?  Lesnar, while not exactly the UFC champion, at least has some momentum in his favor.  Lashley’s career in the MMA, in contrast, hasn’t impressed anyone.  He actually lost to a relatively unknown fighter by the name of Chad Griggs.

The question at this point is, who does the WWE hate more?  Lesnar or Lashley–both of which are high maintenance guys, and yet both of whom could easily build new interest if they rejoined the WWE roster?  Last but not least, what about personality?  Let’s face it, neither Lesnar nor Lashley are on the same level as The Rock or even John Cena when it comes to interviews and charisma.  Perhaps the final decision is all about price.  How much these tough guys think they’re worth and how much WWE management is willing to pay big-name heels to feud against its fan-favorite faces.

What do you think?  Would you rather see Lesnar or Lashley back in a WWE ring?

Leave it to a “showstopper” like Shawn Michaels to interject some life and vitality into Nash and Hunter’s weird angle thus far in the WWE.  Perhaps what this feud needed was a little “flare” (that’s flare, not Flair) to start a fire.  The WWE’s latest angle of “The Kliq reunited is only going to work if the stakes have changed.  Not much has changed from Triple H’s end–he remains a heel of the utmost degree, while Nash continues to cross the line into both good guy/bad guy territory, with gratuitous
Vinnie Babarino-esque expressions of frustration.

No wonder WWE writers sent Michaels, the unstable element, into Nash and Triple H’s strange, on-air concoction, which somewhat resembles a feud.  Thus far, a lot of the angle has seemed like reality show “soap” more than an intense WWE-style rivalry.  Even up to the latest on-air incident, the energy was awkward, with all three Kliq members sharing “very special” feelings and vague resentment, and making offers to Nash for a WWE-dominating team up.

Here’s the secret–or so, many pundits believe.  The WWE is surely setting up the return of the NWO and or D-Generation X, as this story just seems too small at the moment.  Word is, the WWE is pushing the feud back to the Royal Rumble, which is a big event and which directly leads into the biggest event of the year, WrestleMania in the spring.

The question is, how will the angle unfold?  Will Nash and Shawn team up for the first time and either reignite an old stable or form a new team altogether?  Will Triple H suddenly be placed in the role of face, if Shawn and the ex-Diesel (who were actually friends before Triple H came along) start their shenanigans?  Or will Triple H and Nash turn on HBK and have HBK subjected to cruelty from the worst of DX and the NWO simultaneously?  Final scenario: Nash plays the victim as both Shawn and Triple H turn on Big Daddy Cool and beat him senseless in a throwback to DX vs. the NWO of the 1990s era.

Writers and bloggers are suggesting this feud could be really good or really bad, depending on whether they allow the performers to continue adlibbing about hurt feelings, or if a major double cross is in someone’s future.  Bet on the latter, as this is shaping up to be a major feud, not just a minor quibble.  What do you think?

Some guys in the locker room know when it’s time to hang it up.  Think the difference between Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair.  One guy knows how to bow out gracefully while the other sort of…just…hangs around.  It appears as if the same thing is happening with two newer age WWE superstars (newer in the sense of 1990s, not 1980s).  Kevin Nash and Chris Jericho.

Kevin Nash is being a Flair with his “flair”, and most recently returned to the WWE, causing many reporters and fans to speculate that he may be on the Wrestlemania card.  Nash returned in a big way, by attack CM Punk at the SummerSlam Pay-Per-View.

Nash went on to blame Triple H for his interference, and eventually attacked the WWE executive and boss’s son in law.  An altercation recently happened involving Triple turning on Nash; Hunter went so far as to attack him with a sledgehammer.  (Yes, it is hard to maintain a friendship after someone beats you with a sledgehammer!)  Nash recovered and began assaulting Triple H with his own weapon and put him out of commission.  The latest news is that WWE agent John Laurinaitis signed Nash to a new contract.  It looks as if the big “grey” wolf is here to stay.

Meanwhile, Chris Jericho is taking the other route–he’s claiming early retirement.  At just 41 years of age, he announced that he will never wrestle for the WWE again.  Of course everyone says this at some point in his career, so how do we know Jericho is telling the truth?  He is not featured in the upcoming WWE 12 game, which does not bode well for his McMahon-controlled future.

However, Jericho didn’t actually say that he’s done with wrestling.  Some insiders believe he may be joining the TNA alternative soon, perhaps reuniting with many of his old WWE alumni.  Neither party has commented, but it remains a possibility.

In that case, we can expect Jericho to wrestle for TNA for a few years and then return to the WWE, like everyone else does.  Now if Jericho actually retires in his 40s that would be unprecedented in the wrestling world.

In July 2011, former New Age Outlaws team member Monty Sopp (Billy Gunn) told media source “The Whig Standard” that he, “X-Pac” Sean Waltman and Brian Gerard James (the Road Dogg) should be considered for the WWE Hall of Fame. “Do I think we deserve the hall of fame? Yeah, of course we do,” said the former smoking Gunn.

This old New Age Outlaw also stated that he would like to work for WWE again in an advisory capacity. However, seeing him pop up at a WWE Monday Night RAW show may be unlikely–at least for the time being. Gunn stated that he burned bridges with WWE officials shortly after his release. Gunn, definitely a part of the Attitude generation of the 1990s, has been working independent shows ever since his release from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Of course, Gunn’s ability to mix in with the new WWE direction of family-friendly sports may be too hard to imagine–including for the wrestling federation’s own creative team. Gunn’s reputation was one born of vulgarity and brash posing, the permeating spirit of the former WWE. Nevertheless, his potential for Hall of Fame status cannot be underestimated, considering some of the other names the WWE has been honoring as of late.

During the last Hall of Fame ceremony, the company honored 1980’s mid-carder “Hacksaw Jim Duggan”, Abdullah the Butcher (who worked for the WWF only briefly back in the 1970s) and Drew Carey (yes the one you’re thinking of) of all people. Would the WWE Attitude generation, which undoubtedly saved the federation from bankruptcy at the hands of Ted Turner and WCW, have been possible without non-main eventers like Billy Gunn, Jesse James and X-Pac?

These ex D-Generation X members are often grouped together with other predicted Hall of Fame favorites like “Ravishing” Rick Rude, the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage, “Diesel” Kevin Nash, Jake “the Snake” Roberts and “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson. WrestleMania XXVIII is scheduled to take place at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place at the American Airlines Arena, along with a host of other pre-shows. This may be a clue as to who is inducted, since Johnson happens to be from Miami. Is his induction a surer thing than even the rumored main event of Rock Vs. Cena? Get your WWE tickets and follow the WWE in 2011 and 2012!