WRESTLING RELATED BLOG BECAUSE I'M GOING TO WRESTLEMANIA!!!! (part 2)

I'm going to Wrestlemania!!! I say again, I'M GOING TO WRESTLEMANIA!!! Last blog, I covered my favorite performers that were not involved in WWE, but this time I will cover some the guys who have a chance at performing at Wrestlemania XXIV. I was going to do a regular top ten favorites, but there is a problem...WWE has three brands! Since I am indecisive and I wish to make a long blog, I will give you all my top ten favorite wrestlers in each brand. Now, the good people of World Wrestling Entertainment will state that all of it's brands are equal...bullcrap! They have their favorites, so I'll start this blog off with the red-headed (like me) stepchild (not like me) brand: ECW.
ECW stands for Extreme Championship Wrestling and is not a Vince McMahon (owner and creator of WWE) creation. Cliff Notes version of its history: ECW was originally a small indy fed based in Philadelphia which exploded. They had such a strong following that it expanded to do shows throughout the U.S. and even landed a pay-per-view deal. Many of their wrestlers and basic storyline ideas were taken by WWE and at the time, WCW. However due to poor financial planning, the company folded in 2001. Then something happened. The fans kept chanting the brands name. They bought DVD's of old ECW matches. The fans would not let it die.
So Vince McMahon brought it back...to mixed results. It is not like the ECW of old, but it gives wrestlers another place to practice and showcase their trade, so ultimately I'm all for it. While it isn't the steak that it used to be and is now a Whopper from Burger King, I do have my favorites. Here are my Top Ten Favorite ECW Wrestlers from the current roster:

10. Chavo Guerrero- The current ECW champion is one of the most celebrated cruiserweights today. A strong technical wrestler with some lucha-libre mixed in, Chavo makes his family proud being a third generation star in this industry. Underrated, but undeterred.

9. Colin Delany- Who? Exactly. Colin is pale, scrawny and has yet to perform an effective offensive move. America loves an underdog, so Colin I salute you.

8. Boogeyman- What's that under your bed, crushing a clock against his head? He eats worms and it's true, he's the Boogeyman and he's COMING TO GET YOU!

7. Kofi Kingston- If Rob Van Dam and Eddy Gordo from the TEKKEN video game series had a kid. Kofi is cool and looks like he's got a bright future in the industry. Check it out, mon.

6. Stevie Richards- A wrestler that was from the original ECW, Stevie has had it rough. He's got solid skills, but never gets much of a break but loves the business so much that he's had multiple neck surgeries to stay in the game. It's his wry sense of humor, ability to parody (gotta love the Blue World Order), and all around good stuff that make him a favorite of mine. Hail, Stevie!

5. Elijah Burke- The Silver Tongued Pugilist has great speed, agility, and wrestling ability. Good on the mic and solid in the ring, why is this man not a champion yet is beyond me. His boxing past gives the Paragon of Virtue the ability to give you 4-UP side your head. Don't get hit by the Elijah Express!

4. Balls Mahoney- The Chair Swinging Freak is one of the misfits from the original ECW. Dressed like a fat, homeless metal fan and missing a few teeth, Balls doesn't look like a typical athlete. However, if pressed this man can chain wrestle with the best of them...if that doesn't work, then a chair to the head works just as well. BALLS! BALLS! BALLS!

3. Shelton Benjamin- An All American amateur wrestler, great worker, and probably the most underrated wrestler in the U.S. Shelton has the work ethic and ability to become one of the greats in the industry someday. I hope he'll unlock his full potential. For now, there ain't no stopping him now.

2. Tommy Dreamer- A man that literally broke his back to be in this industry, with a great creative mind and underrated wrestling creditentials. Tommy Dreamer is a man who has a great mind and a great love for wrestling. While his matches are dubbed "garbage wrestling" by some and "hardcore classics" by others, the fact of the matter is that Dreamer can tell a story in the ring. He doesn't care if he is booked to win or to lose. He just wants to put on a great show. Here's to you, Dreamer.

1. CM Punk- The Straight Edge Superstar lives by the morals of no drugs, no alcohol, no smokes, no problem. One of the few purely clean wrestlers in an otherwise muddy industry, Punk can deliver in the ring, on the mic, and gives the fans their money's worth. His only addiction is competition. His name is CM Punk.

So there's my picks for the bastard brand of McMahonland. I'll be back for Smackdown! shortly.