The Road to Wrestlemania Begins This Sunday.

I love January. It's the beginning of a new year and the beginning of the road to Wrestlemania.

The Royal Rumble has expanded this year to include and additional ten superstars, bringing the total to 40. Sometimes, when it comes to wrestling, I am all for tradition. However, I think the addition of the extra ten men will bring a little zing to the show overall and provide for some very interesting moments. Now comes the speculation of who is going to win the match and the chance to have a Wrestlemania moment. It is going to be tough to pick out a definite winner this year as there are so many great competitors. I'm going to put it out there and say that I think John Cena is going to win. There are so many factors to consider including the alliances that are involved, personal rivalries, the sheer number of opponents, and the push that some people have been getting as of late. It doesn't matter if my pick is right or wrong but it is shaping up to be one of the best Rumbles in a long time. Good luck to all involved, remember that your Wrestlemania moment is at stake.

I also have two picks for surprise entrants in this year's Rumble and they are Triple H and Chris Jericho. It probably won't happen but it would be quite the comeback for either of these men. Triple H has a movie coming out on DVD around the middle of February and Jericho has a new book, this opportunity would provide either with some great publicity. They don't even have to win the Royal Rumble. If they did, they would have sufficient time to build an angle with anybody before the biggest event of the year. Hopefully one of the two (or both!) makes an appearance this year...I'll keep holding my breath!

Another reason why I love January is that the Hall of Fame nominations start to trickle in. The first official inductee for the 2011 Hall of Fame is Shawn Michaels. He's done thing I've loved, things I've hated, but he deserves this spot. He truly defines what it is to be an entertainer. He has had a storied career in the wrestling industry and it is truly saddening to see that some people (Insert Shane Helms here) are trying to sully that. I can't wait to hear his speech at the ceremony this year. As for other inductees, there isn't much concrete evidence as to who will be in. I do have a few predictions of my own that I'd like to share:

1. Arn Anderson
2. Dean Malenko
3. Ron Simmons (more than likely to be inducted by JBL)
4. Macho Man Randy Savage
5. Lex Luger
6. Ultimate Warrior

Another thing to consider is that there could be a possible WCW tie-in this year. How that will affect the Hall of Fame this year is a little iffy, I'm sure there will be more news coming out about that in the coming weeks.

This Sunday is the first step on the road to the biggest sports entertainment event ever and I know we are in for one heck of a ride.

Raw Blurbs.

Tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw started out as expected, with CM Punk and Nexus coming out and opening the show. I, for one, really am enjoying having CM Punk as the leader of the Nexus faction. He seems to have the right persona for it, as well as incredible mic skills. Not to discredit Wade Barrett, but CM Punk is excelling in this role, especially with the slow demolition of his SES. He is a leader, not a follower. This creative decision certainly has rejuvenated the storyline as it had become somewhat stale. It will be interesting to see how John Cena is incorporated into his storyline with his current injury and the fact that he has been pulled from several shows. Hopefully he will be at 100% for the Royal Rumble and able to compete at Wrestlemania.

In other Raw news, the rivalry between John Morrison and Sheamus is going quite well. Morrison is a fantastic wrestler and he is finally becoming the superstar that he deserves to be. He is being brought front and centre to showcase his abilities, and Sheamus is being given some new competition. As much as I do not like him, he is going to go far in this business and is on his way to being one of the top guys (I wouldn't consider his a top guy yet, even though he has won the title).

As I am typing this, it was just announced that Shawn Michaels is the first inductee into the Hall of Fame for 2011. His acceptance speech will certainly be epic and more than a few tears will be shed. What a fantastic honor for an amazing competitor. I may not have always liked him but he sure has provided me, as well as the millions of members of the WWE Universe, with many memorable moments. From when he descended from the roof to face Bret Hart, when he faced Ric Flair in his retirement match, fighting the Undertake in the Hell In a Cell, all his antics with DX, and when he had his ultimate Wrestlemania moment when he fought the Undertaker at WM26. There are way too many moments for me to mention them all here, all I know is that there wont be an ass in a seat when he comes out on stage to accept this prestigious honor. Congratulations Shawn, you truly have earned it.

On a side note, am I the only one that is tired of The Miz being champion? Seriously, can he and Alex Riley be any more annoying? I cannot wait until this little punk loses the title. I understand the need to get newer faces out there instead of having the same guys win the title but The Miz just irritates the hell out of me. Although I am enjoying his interaction with Jerry Lawler very much, it is always a pleasure to see such a legend take to the ring and kick some ass.

A final thought as the last match is happening, Michael Cole should be stuck backstage. I always complain about him for the simple fact that I don't like him. Every time he speaks it just irks me to no end. His whole persona at the announcing table is just unbelievable, he brings zero personality to the table. Hopefully once Lawler and Orton are done with Alex Riley and The Miz, they can take care of Cole. Now that would be a magnificent end to the Raw broadcast!