First of all, I just want to take this opportunity to wish all my Blainiacs out there a very Happy New Year! The WWE had a hell of a year in 2015, and I have a feeling that the best is yet to come, with all the latest rumours on new talent acquisitions. 

I hate to say this, but I think everyone, including myself, who is expecting AJ Styles to win the rumble or even be on the show, is probably setting themselves up for a major disappointment. Personally, I would love to see it, but I think it would be a much smarter move to promote his debut and then have the actual debut on Raw the next night. But then again, they call it fantasy booking for a reason.

So with that in mind, here are my predictions from start to finish...

Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match for the Intercontinental Championship
​

This feud has really picked up a lot of steam in the last few weeks and I'm really into it, but I still don't think it's as good as it could have been if given a lot more time. I think they'll probably get one more pay per view match out of them, so I don't see this being the end of it, but by then, they'll probably be more focused on what to do with each of these guys at WrestleMania. The one thing that's kind of been missing from this feud is the promos. These are probably the two best promo guys in the company, so I'm kind of surprised that they haven't been given much opportunity to really hammer them home. I'm expecting great things in this match, and I think if these two are going to be in the rumble match as well, it's probably a good idea to put it on first. I see them fighting all over the building in this one, with the finish coming at about the 20-minute mark. Both guys ascend a steel structure and fight it out near the top, with Owens getting the upper hand after a thumb to the eye. Owens then looks down and sees a few tables, so he attempts a belly-to-back suplex from high up, Ambrose changes position in midair and he ends up landing on top of Owens, with both guys flying over the stage and crashing through some equipment and tables below. Ambrose barely makes it up before 10, but it's good enough, as Owens can't make it to his feet, so Ambrose wins.

[Mr. McMahon and Stephanie are backstage in the number drawing area]

Vince: You know Steph, given all of the carnage that's taken place on Raw in the last few weeks, I think it's best that I personally oversee these Rumble proceedings.

Steph: Dad, you're just full of good ideas.

Vince: Oh and speaking of being full of it, Paul Heyman! Come on in!

Heyman: Don't mind if I do. How are you this evening?

Vince: Good enough. But where is your beast, huh? Where's Brock Lesnar?

Heyman: Oh Brock's back in the locker room. I think that's the safest place for him to be at this time.

Vince: Haha safe? What, is the big, bad beast afraid of coming out? Well after the beating he took at the hands of The Wyatt Family, I can't say I'm surprised.

Heyman: Oh, you misunderstood, Mr. McMahon. You see Brock isn't hiding. It's not his safety that I'm worried about; it's yours; it's The Wyatt Family's; it's every other Superstar that dares to step foot in that Royal Rumble match tonight, thinking that they have any hope of walking out unscathed. As I told you and your little princess a couple weeks ago, Brock Lesnar should already be in the main event at WrestleMania. He never lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and tonight, he will conquer and destroy every man who gets in his way. Brock Lesnar being in this match is merely a formality. So I tell you what, you line up any challenger you want, 'cause we'll be waiting on him at WrestleMania!

[Heyman leaves]

Vince: I think I need a shower. But I do like how everybody seems to be Royal Rumble ready. And speaking of The Royal Rumble, Alberto Del Rio!

Del Rio: Hola Mr. McMahon! I don't know what Paul Heyman is going on and on about. It's a good thing that Brock Lesnar is behind closed doors, because The League of Nations has its sights set on him tonight. Sure, he beat The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell. But what did that take out of him? What did the beating on Raw take out of him? I beat John Cena when Cena was at 100 per cent, and I took the United States Championship from him, Not only that, I put him out of commission. And if it comes down to it, I'll do the same to Brock Lesnar. I'm gonna squash him like I'll squash that little cockroach Kalisto. You're looking at the next WWE World Heavyweight Champion...but you already know that.

[Vince and Stephanie both look impressed, as Del Rio leaves]

Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto for the United States Championship
​​

I've actually enjoyed how they've been building this match as well, with Kalisto being the underdog. I believe both guys have two victories over each other now, and I think this should be a pretty good match, though I'm not expecting any title change here, as I think Del Rio should hold onto the title until Cena comes back. Barrett tries to get involved, but he's ejected from ringside, leaving it one-on-one. Kalisto starts to build momentum and goes for Salida Del Sol, but Del Rio crotches him on the top rope, and then follows up with the step-up enzugiri to the back of the head, which drops Kalisto in a tree of woe position. Del Rio then finishes him off with the stomp off the top rope to keep the title.

[Mr. McMahon is in the rumble drawing area with The New Day, as they're trying to teach Vince to dance, while chanting 'New Day rocks!']

Vince: Well it's no Stand Back, but you guys have got some rhythm. By the way, my sincerest condolences for the loss of your trombone two weeks ago. 

Big E: It still stings.

Woods: Why couldn't it have been me?

Kingston: It's okay, Xavier, it's okay. Let's go win this rumble for the trombone (can't remember the name they call it).

Vince: Speaking of the rumble, have you guys decided who will be representing The New Day in the Royal Rumble match?

Kingston: Who?

Big E.: Who?

Woods: Who?

(This continues for a little while)

Kingston: Wait, you mean to tell us only one of us gets to enter the rumble?

Vince: Well it is every man for himself, but I just couldn't have you guys duke it out with each other. I mean you're one hell of a trio! So who's it gonna be?

(The New Day get into a huddle and decide to play rock, paper, scissors, with Kofi getting the nod)

Vince: Well congratulations, Kofi! I know you'll do great. As for the two of you, just remember that New Day rocks! New Day rocks! 

[The New Day keep the chant going right out the door, as the segment ends]

[Dean Ambrose is being attended to by the doctors backstage, and as they're bandaging him up, Kevin Owens attacks him from behind and powerbombs him on top of the examination table. Owens gets a few more shots in, until security steps in to hold him back]

Owens: It's over when I say it's over, Dean!!!

The New Day vs. The Usos for the WWE Tag Team Championships
​

This should be a great match to get the crowd back into the show. Since Kofi is going to be representing New Day in the rumble match, I think Big E. and Xavier will be defending the belts here. The Usos have cooled off a little in the last few weeks, so I think they really need a big win here, whereas The New Day don't really need the titles anymore. Of all the title matches on this show, I think this is the one where we see new champions crowned. Kofi tries to get involved, but he accidentally distracts Big E., which leads to a double super kick. The Usos then finish Xavier off clean with the top rope flying splash to win the titles.

[The pay per view panel give their thoughts and predictions for The Royal Rumble match]

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch for the Divas Championship

Given that the participants in every other match will be in the rumble, I don't see why this can't be the second match from the top. Actually, I think this is the best built match on the show. I think Becky has really become a fan favourite, and she needed that, because after the PCB split, she was kind of lost in the shuffle for a while, so I'm glad that she's had the opportunity to make something of herself lately, and she's really capitalized on it. Charlotte has also become a great heel and I think she's much better as a heel than she ever was as a babyface. Ultimately, I think they're building to Charlotte vs. Bayley at some point, so I would assume that Charlotte has to go over here, but it should be a competitive match. Flair tries to interfere, but immediately gets caught and ejected. Becky starts building momentum, but makes a mistake and tweaks her knee, which allows Charlotte to capitalize with the figure-8, and secure the submission victory.

[Jojo is outside the trainer's room backstage]

Jojo: Ladies and gentlemen, I am outside the trainer's room at The Amway Center, where Dean Ambrose is being attended to by medical personnel after the earlier attack by Kevin Owens. At this point, doctors are saying that the injuries that Dean Ambrose has sustained are too severe, and it doesn't look like he will be participating in the Royal Rumble match later this evening. I'll let you know if I hear anything else. Gentlemen, back to you.

[The announcers reveal their picks for the rumble]

The Royal Rumble match
​ 

I don't know if it's going to be the best, but it's certainly going to be one of the most interesting rumbles in history. I will say that if AJ Styles is in this match, he has to win. But if not, they should either give it to someone who is just as popular, or someone who can be the next big heel. What you are about to read is not necessarily what I expect to happen, but more what I hope would happen...

Roman Reigns comes out as number one, and is soon joined by the second entrant, The Big Show. Show tosses Reigns around like a rag doll in the early going, but Reigns eventually makes a comeback. He hits Show with the superman punch and then spear him. As the clock prematurely counts down to number three, Reigns signals that he is going to throw Big Show over, until Vince McMahon's music hits. Vince comes out to the stage in his wrestling attire, teasing that he is the third entrant, but all this does is distract Reigns, allowing four new WWE signees (AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) to assault Reigns much like the original Shield attack. Vince pretends to look surprised, but just as Reigns fights them off, Triple H emerges from the other side of the ring and breaks a sledgehammer over Reigns' upper back. Big Show then gets to his feet, and at the request of Triple H, he tosses Reigns over and eliminates him. Triple H, Vince and TBC leave, as doctors come out to load Reigns on a stretcher. Reigns refuses medical attention, and literally crawls to the back, in search of Triple H. This leads to the official third entrant coming down to the ring, and it is Luke Harper. Big Show and Harper fight it out for a while, until Konnor of The Ascension comes out next and receives The Warlord treatment, as he's almost immediately eliminated by Big Show. Neville is out next at number 5, followed by Stardust at 6 and Jimmy Uso at 7. Neville does an amazing crossbody off Big Show's shoulders onto the other three. Erick Rowan comes out next at 8, followed by Rusev at 9. Everybody teams up on Big Show at this point and tries to eliminate him. Heath Slater comes out at 10 and sees this, so he gets all cocky and thinks he's going to help get rid of Show. But Big Show manages to fight everyone off, while Slater is taunting the crowd. Slater turns around and walks right into the WMD knockout, and then Show tosses him out. Show then eliminates Uso, as Sheamus comes out at number 11. Braun Stroman comes out next at 12 and immediately eliminates Big Show, to the surprise of everyone. Stroman follows that up by eliminating Stardust, as King Barrett comes out at 13. At this point, The Wyatt Family has a stare down with The League of Nations. The LON start gaining the advantage, until Bray Wyatt comes out at 14 and eliminates Barrett. Jey Uso is out at 15, followed by D-Von Dudley at 16 and then Kofi Kingston at 17. The Wyatts pretty much have their way with everybody. Mark Henry comes out at 18 and is almost immediately eliminated by The Wyatts. Dolph Ziggler is out at 19, followed by the returning Shelton Benjamin at 20. Viktor of The Ascension is out at 21, and as everybody else in the match is brawling, The Wyatts are protecting Bray Wyatt. This leads to Brock Lesnar coming out at 22. Lesnar immediately squares off with Braun Stroman. Lesnar delivers three clotheslines, but the big guy doesn't budge, so Lesnar nails him with a low blow and then back body drops him over the top for the elimination. Lesnar then double clotheslines Rowan and Harper out as well. He then sets his sights on Bray Wyatt, pretty much destroys him and eliminates him. Lesnar then beats down everyone else. He F-5's Ziggler, who rolls under the rope to the floor. He then eliminates Viktor and then Uso. Lesnar then tries to belly-to-belly Kofi out, but Kingston hangs on and skins the cat back in, and then Lesnar clotheslines him right back out. Ryback is out next at 23 and eliminates D-Von, but is then eliminated by Lesnar. Kevin Owens comes out at 24 and is still selling the injuries from earlier, and he is quickly eliminated by Lesnar. After Owens is eliminated, Sami Zayn comes out at 25 and he and Owens start brawling in the aisle, before Zayn gets in the ring. Alberto Del Rio comes out at 26 and eliminates Neville, who I think would have lasted the longest, followed by Kalisto at 27. Bubba Ray Dudley comes out at 28. Lesnar is then triple teamed by The League of Nations, but fights them off and eliminates all three of them one-by-one. Lesnar then eliminates Kalisto. The Wyatt Family graphic then shows, and the lights go out. When the lights come back on, The Wyatts have Paul Heyman hostage at the top of the ramp. Lesnar doesn't know what to do, so he eliminates himself and runs up there to get to The Wyatts, but the lights go out again, and when they come back on, The Wyatts and Heyman are gone. Lesnar then runs to the back. This is more fantasy booking, but Daniel Bryan makes his return at 29 and he and Zayn team up to eliminate Bubba Ray. Bryan then eliminates Benjamin, and then has a great back and forth with Zayn, until Chris Jericho comes out at 30 and eliminates Zayn. Bryan and Jericho then have their own back and forth as the final two. Jericho applies the walls of Jericho, but Bryan uses the ropes to lift himself up and flips Jericho onto his back. Jericho runs at Bryan, who elevates him to the ring apron. Jericho swings and misses, allowing Bryan to score with a roundhouse kick, which stuns Jericho. Bryan follows up with a huge dropkick that finally eliminates him, and Bryan is announced the winner of the 2016 Royal Rumble and the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After the match, Jericho returns to the ring and shakes Bryan's hand and then leaves. As Bryan celebrates with the title, Dolph Ziggler comes back in and dropkicks Bryan over the top rope to the floor, and it's then revealed that Ziggler was never eliminated, and therefore is the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion (I think this would be a great way to turn Ziggler heel and also create a new top heel to fill the void left by Seth Rollins) 

So there you have it.

Here are my match predictions for Fastlane:

Dolph Ziggler vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a steel cage match

Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens in an ambulance match for the Intercontinental Championship

The Wyatt Family vs. The League of Nations in an eight man tag team match

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Paige in a triple threat match for the Divas Championship

The Usos vs. The New Day for the Tag Team Championships

Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Neville in a fatal four-way match to determine number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

We're about a month into 2016, and we've already seen one new champion crowned and another one pushed to his absolute limit. If this is any indication of what we can expect this year, then I think it's going to be a great year of fights in the UFC. 

Based on what we've seen in 2015, here are my top 10 lists for each division:

Strawweight 
​

1. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
2. Rose Namajunas
3. Tecia Torres
4. Michelle Waterson
5. Valerie Letourneau
6. Paige VanZant
7. Carla Esparza
8. Jessica Penne
9. Maryna Moroz
10. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Women's Bantamweight
​

1. Holly Holm
2. Ronda Rousey
3. Miesha Tate
4. Julianna Pena
5. Bethe Correia
6. Cat Zingano
7. Alexis Davis
8. Raquel Pennington
9. Amanda Nunes
10, Valentina Shevchenko

Flyweight
​

1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Joseph Benavidez
3. Ali Bagautinov
4. Kyoji Horiguchi
5. John Dodson
6. John Moraga
7. Dustin Ortiz
8. Ben Nguyen
9. Ryan Benoit
10. Sergio Pettis

Men's Bantamweight
​

1. Dominick Cruz
2. TJ Dillashaw
3. Renan Barao
4. Urijah Faber
5. Thomas Almeida
6. Michael McDonald
7. Aljamain Sterling
8. Takeya Mizugaki
9. Kyung Ho Kang
10. Michinori Tanaka
​ 
Featherweight

1. Conor McGregor
2. Frankie Edgar
3. Jose Aldo
4. Max Holloway
5. Chad Mendes
6. Charles Oliveira 
7. Ricardo Lamas
8. Jeremy Stephens
9. Brian Ortega
10. Dustin Poirier

Lightweight

1. Rafael Dos Anjos
2. Eddie Alvarez
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov
4. Anthony Pettis
5. Tony Ferguson
6. Gilbert Melendez
7. Benson Henderson
8. Nate Diaz
9. Donald Cerrone
10. Beneil Dariush

Welterweight
​

1. Robbie Lawler
2. Carlos Condit
3. Johny Hendricks
4. Tyron Woodley
5. Rory MacDonald 
6. Kelvin Gastelum
7. Demian Maia
8. Matt Brown
9. Albert Tumenov
10. Rick Story
​
​Middleweight

1. Luke Rockhold
2. Yoel Romero (Despite the drug issue)
3. Ronaldo Souza
4. Chris Weidman
5. Anderson Silva
6. Vitor Belfort
7. Tim Kennedy
8. Lyoto Machida
9. Michael Bisping
10. Thales Leites

Light Heavyweight
​

1. Daniel Cormier
2. Jon Jones
3. Alexander Gustafsson
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Ryan Bader
6. Phil Davis
7. Glover Teixeira
8. Ovince Saint Preux
9. Rashad Evans
10. Corey Anderson

Heavyweight

1. Fabricio Werdum
2. Cain Velasquez
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Alistair Overeem
5. Junior Dos Santos
6. Mark Hunt
7. Andrei Arlovski
8. Travis Browne
9. Jared Rosholt
10. Frank Mir

So there you have it.

​Until next time...

Another year has come and gone, and I think it's safe to say that 2015 was a great year for movies, television, music, sports, etc., as evident by all the awards that have already been handed out this year. 

I am a huge fan of all things entertainment, but even I still have a hard time keeping track of everything. There are still a few movies and shows that I have yet to see, but just like years past, I will let those carry over into the 2016 awards. I'm sure movies like Black Mass, The Martian and Steve Jobs are all Oscar-worthy, so I will keep those in mind for next year.

Without any further ado, I present to you the first ever Griend Awards for pop culture...

Best of

Movie Star (Male)

Winner: Jake Gyllenhaal (Southpaw)

Is there really anything that this man can't do? I think he proved with this performance, if he hadn't already with previous performances, that he belongs in that upper echelon of talent that is able to secure these starring roles. This character brought out something in him that I don't think had ever been seen before. It was a much different role than he usually gets, as I don't think he's ever portrayed a father before, let alone a deadbeat father, and he was almost unrecognizable in the role, which I thought was a good thing.   

Other nominees:

Dev Patel (Chappie)
Ian McKellan (Mr. Holmes)
Miles Teller (Fantastic Four; The Divergent Series: Insurgent)
Armie Hammer (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)

Movie Star (Female)

Winner: Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)

It's been a while since we've seen her in anything, so this was quite refreshing. It seems like she always gets similar roles, but I liked her performance in this one, because I really think she stole the show. She was totally believable in the role, and I thought she had great chemistry with everyone she worked with in the movie. 

Other nominees:

Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina; Seventh Son; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Margot Robbie (Focus)
Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey)
Rose Byrne (Annie; Spy)

Television Actor

Winner: John Barrowman (Arrow)
​

I think what I like so much about this actor is that he isn't used every week. I think the fact that he's used in small doses makes him stand out, and on top of that, he's also a brilliant actor. The majority of acting on this show is terrible, but his character is one of the convincing ones, because he's so smug and his facial expressions and body language pretty much tell the whole story without him having to say anything. He just makes you want to hate him, and his mannerisms emphasize the fact that his character cannot be trusted. Even when he was on Talking Dead this year, we kind of got a glimpse of that personality, which makes me think that he's either someone who takes his work home with him, or that it's just who he is. 

Other nominees:

Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham)
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele)

Television Actress

Winner: Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
​

She wasn't my favourite character at first, but I think she really shattered the glass ceiling this season. Her character is just so easy to hate, but I think when she was going through that public 'shaming' this season, it exposed a more vulnerable side of her, which had never been seen before. Her performance during that scene was brilliant, and it almost made the audience feel sorry for her, despite all the cruel things that she had done. I'm not sure if that was the intention, but it was a fantastic performance regardless.

Other nominees: 

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs)
Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black)
Jada Pinkett Smith (Gotham)

Musician (Male)

Winner: The Weeknd

This guy hit the music charts like a bolt of lightning, didn't he? He has a unique name, unique hair and a unique sound to his voice. And on top of all that, he had at least three major hits in 2015, so it's kind of hard to go against him.

Other nominees:

Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
Dr. Dre
Jason Derulo

Musician (Female)

Winner: Taylor Swift
​

If someone had told me five years ago that I'd ever even consider Taylor Swift for a best female artist award, I'd have called them crazy. But what a difference five years can make. I think 2015 was the turnaround year for me, and she completely won me over. I still don't think she's the best, but I think 2015 was her year. She had a number of chart-topping hits, and she is actually a skilled performer as well, and always keeps it classy, which I admire; she's a true role model. I think ever since she sort of distanced herself from country music, which I don't think was the best fit for her, she's improved by leaps and bounds. I think pop/r & b is definitely better suited to her style, and I prefer that she does these kinds of songs with a country twist, which she has been doing, so she isn't completely abandoning her roots. 

Other nominees: 

Adele
Alessia Cara
Selena Gomez
Ellie Goulding

Song

Winner: Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon

I don't think this is one of those songs that will be remembered for years to come. But it has a catchy tune, and it literally makes people just want to shut up and dance. It was definitely the song of the summer, and my pick for song of the year.

Other nominees:

Cheerleader by Omi
Hello by Adele
​Heroes by Alesso
See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

TV Show

Winner: Gotham

I don't think there is any show of its kind that has placed such strong emphasis on character development and story line progression in such a short period of time. Last season was good, but thus far, this season puts the show head and shoulders above the rest in my opinion. It had one of the strongest builds to a mid-season finale, and a huge payoff for that finale, with plenty of teasers for the next half of the season. It accomplished what every show should accomplish with a finale, which is to leave the audience wanting more.

Other nominees:

Game of Thrones
Arrow
Man Seeking Woman
Daredevil
"Honourable Mention": SNL Anniversary special (particularly Celebrity Jeopardy) 
​ 

Movie

Winner: Ex Machina
​

I love that there is always so much creativity with these Sci-Fi movies. I liked that the robots in the movie were made to look smarter than the humans who created them, and they evolved on a daily basis, which I guess was the whole point of the movie. I felt that Alicia Vikander really owned every scene that she was in, and really became the character. But most of the acting was great. They took bits and pieces from other movies that preceded it, but I thought it was an interesting plot, and for a movie that kind of fell under the radar as far as Hollywood Blockbusters go, I think they hit a home run with this one. 

Other nominees:

Selma (carried over from 2014)
Southpaw
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Mad Max: Fury Road

Worst of

Movie Star (Male)

Winner: Robbie Amell (The Duff)

There really wasn't a lot of bad acting this year, but I definitely thought that he was the weakest character in the movie, and I didn't find him funny at all. For the most part, I thought he was pretty much carried by his female counterparts, and it just wasn't the greatest performance. Perhaps he should consider doing the superhero thing like his brother on Arrow. 

Other nominees:

Adam Sandler (Pixels)
Channing Tatum (Jupiter Ascending; Magic Mike: XXL)
Adrian Grenier (Entourage)

Movie Star (Female)

Winner: Shailene Woodley (The Divergent Series: Insurgent)

I think this girl has potential. In fact, I think I picked her as my best actress last year. But this performance really paled in comparison to the first movie, and honestly, I think it fell flat. It's the same kind of movie as The Hunger Games, but I don't think Woodley is anywhere near the same league as Jennifer Lawrence, and unfortunately, I think this will be her only claim to fame. 

Other nominees: 

Gwyneth Paltrow (Mortdecai)
Michelle Rodriguez (Furious 7)
Mila Kunis (Jupiter Ascending)
​Amanda Seyfried (Ted 2)

Television Actor

Winner: Grant Gustin (The Flash)

Again, there aren't very many options, which I suppose is a good thing. It's been over a year now, and I still don't think this guy has fully adjusted to the role. I think his character is likable, but it's just not believable. Hopefully Ezra Miller does a better job playing Barry Allen on the silver screen.

Other nominees:

Stephen Amell (Arrow)
Chandler Riggs (The Walking Dead)

Television Actress

Winner: Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls)

I actually really liked the series premiere, but ever since then, I have grown to hate everything about this show, starting with the actors. I initially thought Dennings was going to be another Sara Gilbert, but boy was I wrong. Her delivery is awful, and her jokes are always mistimed. Her facial expressions basically tell the audience to expect something funny to happen, but once it does, nobody cares. Each joke is worse than the next, and it's always some kind of terrible pun that nobody would ever use in a real conversation. 

Other nominees:

Anna Faris (Mom)
Sara Ramirez (Grey's Anatomy)
Ellen Pompeo (Grey's Anatomy)
Willa Holland (Arrow)

Musician (Male)

Winner: Sam Hunt

I just find his style so boring and unoriginal. It's essentially just one sad country song after the next, and I don't think his voice really appeals to the masses.

Other nominees:

Andy Grammer

Musician (Female)

Winner: Rachel Platten

She just reminds me of everything I used to despise about Taylor Swift. She only had one big hit this year, but that's all it took for me. The song wasn't bad, but I just think she has a generic look with a completely unoriginal voice.

Other nominees:

Elle King
Nicki Minaj
Meghan Trainor

Song

Winner: Take Me to Church by Hozier

I don't know what it is about this song, but I just find it incredibly depressing. I don't know if that was the intended effect, I liked it the first time I heard it, but I guess that's the case with most songs. Nowadays, whenever I hear it, it just makes me want to go to sleep.

Other nominees:

Four Five Seconds by Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney
Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Honey, I'm Good by Andy Grammer
Fight Song by Rachel Platten

TV Show

Winner: Grey's Anatomy
​

This show has been on the air for far too long, and it needs to go. The popular characters have all left, and I think most of the story lines are just repetitive. I actually think Sandra Oh was a much bigger loss than Patrick Dempsey, but I stopped watching at the point that Dempsey was written off, because it had gotten so unbelievably bad.

Other nominees:

The Walking Dead
2 Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men
Orange is the New Black

Movie

Winner: The Gunman
​

You would think that a movie with such great actors like Sean Penn and Javier Bardem would be in contention for an Oscar or something, but this was just a major flop. It was just so cliche, and it had a story that just went nowhere. The action scenes were very forgettable, and if anything saved this, it was the acting, but unfortunately it wasn't enough.

Other nominees:

Pixels
The Gambler
Jupiter Ascending
Fifty Shades of Grey

So there you have it.
​Until next time...

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new year and I'm feeling good! Yeah that's right, I added a lyric.

Greetings friends, and welcome to the first annual Griend awards. Those of you who have been following my posts probably know that I started doing this blog in 2011, when it was then Bag of Chips, and it was called the BOC awards, but I obviously had to change the name, due to the new site.

The blog was inspired by my friends at Live Audio Wrestling, but I tried to add my own flavour to it, so I hope you enjoy, and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Best of

Female Wrestler

Winner: Bayley 

The women's movement in wrestling has really come a long way in the last couple of years. I find that the women of NXT have been granted opportunities that the women on the main roster don't have. For instance, they are able to have longer matches, and are given much more air time. I was always a fan of Bayley, not just for her in ring ability, but just the fact that she is so convincing in her role. She was so believable as a fan girl, but now that she is having longer matches and main eventing shows, I find that she is just as comfortable in a more serious role. She's a role model to young women everywhere, and she just seems so genuine. It's very tough for a new person to get over, especially if they're a babyface, but she has completely won over the crowd in the short time that she's been there.

Other nominees...

Asuka
Sasha Banks
Sexy Star
Paige

Tag Team

Winners: The New Day 
​

What started off as a complete joke has turned into a pleasant surprise. I counted this team out from day one, particularly because none of them were ever able to get over as singles stars. I thought it was going to be another failed experiment, but they have been able to gradually win me over with their comic routines and in-ring abilities. I think this is really the best thing for each of them individually. Each of them has something to add and they continue to get strong reactions from the crowd. I hope this team stays together for a long time. 

Other nominees...

Enzo Amore and Big Cass
The Young Bucks
The Addiction
The Lucha Dragons

Announcer

Winner: Jim Ross 

Some of you may have read that name and been like 'What?' But you are probably forgetting the fact that JR called the Wrestle Kingdom 9 show at the beginning of 2015. It was such a great moment to hear his voice again, and I thought he and Matt Striker did an excellent job. I really liked how JR was able to make comparisons between current and former stars, and it basically made him seem like a fan again. His references were on point, and I thought everybody on the show came out looking like a major star, simply because he was calling their matches.

Other nominees...

Matt Striker
Steve Corino
Joe Rogan
Nigel McGuinness

Angle

Winner: Brock Lesnar suspension 
​

Despite the fact that he's only part time, Brock Lesnar is one of those guys who is so convincing in the role that he's in. And this was just another example. I thought it was a very creative way to write him off of television, and I thought everyone involved did a great job of making this believable. Attacking Michael Cole was a nice touch, as was Stephanie being the one to personally suspend him, because it made him look like a major babyface coming out of it, and it also created much more anticipation for his eventual return. Well done!

Other nominees...

The Rock and Ronda Rousey confront The Authority
John Cena brings The Authority back after Seth Rollins threatens to paralyze Edge (this happened on the final Raw of 2014, but I had done my 2014 awards before this, so it carried over to this year)
Kevin Owens assaults Machine Gun Kelly
Seth Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank and  wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania

Match

Winner: Minoru Suzuki vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (Wrestle Kingdom 9)
​​

I don't usually look outside of the mainstream promotions when deciding on the best match of the year, because I tend to look for matches that are not only known for great in-ring performance, but also matches that are going to make headlines. However, I decided to check out the Wrestle Kingdom event last year and will be doing the same this year, and I came across this gem. When I watch an indie show, I go in expecting great wrestling; it's just understood. But I found this match to be completely different from anything else in the wrestling world. It was almost as if a professional wrestling organization had sanctioned a shoot fight. This match felt like an actual fight. Both guys just beat the hell out of each other for a good 20 or 30 minutes, and to say that the fans got their money's worth would be a major understatement.

Other nominees...

Ethan Carter III vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (Impact Wrestling)
John Cena vs. Kevin Owens (Elimination Chamber)
Bayley vs. Sasha Banks for the NXT Women's Championship (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)
The Young Bucks vs. ReDragon for the ROH Tag Team Championships (ROH 13th Anniversary)

Feud

Winner: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar 

Only in professional wrestling can a feud last 13 years. Okay, so there may have been breaks in between, but this rivalry has pretty much always existed. I thought Paul Heyman did an excellent job of constantly reminding everyone who would listen that Brock Lesnar ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak. Bringing back The Undertaker on a b-level show like Battleground was a great strategy, because not only created interest for Raw the next night, but also created a compelling main event for SummerSlam, which turned out to be a great show. Not only that, but it also made you feel like you missed something if you didn't order it. The SummerSlam ending may have been questionable for some, but I really enjoyed the subtlety of it, and they did a great job with the camera angles and the position of the referee. I didn't think they did as good a job building towards the Hell in a Cell match, but for what its worth, the right guy went over, and it was another tremendous match.

Other nominees...

John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo
Steve Corino vs. BJ Whitmer
Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier

Gimmick

Winner: John Cena's U.S. Title open challenge

I wasn't sure if this would fall under this category or best angle, but regardless, I thought it elevated the U.S. Championship to not only have the company's top star as the champion, but also to be contested with lengthy, competitive matches every week on television. Even now that Alberto Del Rio is champion it still kind of feels like an important title, maybe even more important than the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Other nominees...

The Bullet Club
The New Day
Kane transitioning between demon and corporate
The Four Horsewomen

Best on the mic

Winner: Paul Heyman

​I believe this may be the third consecutive year that he's won this award, and rightfully so. His mic work has always been great, nobody's denying that. But what really impresses me is his passionate delivery, and his facial expressions and body language, which is really the selling point of every promo he cuts. I think he makes every segment he's involved in feel more important than it is (not that they aren't to begin with), and he does a great job of selling big matches and angles, and making you feel like you've missed something if you hadn't seen it. 

Other nominees...

Bray Wyatt
Seth Rollins
Conor McGregor
The New Day

​Comeback of the year

Winner: Sting

​I honestly not believe that a man in his early 50s, who's been wrestling for almost 30 years can still go. Not only that, but he seems to be more athletic and put on better matches than some of the younger stars on the full-time roster. That match he had with Seth Rollins at Night of Champions was just incredible, and without question, the best match of the night. I really hope that Sting's career is not over at this point, because there is still a lot that he has to offer.

Other nominees...

The Undertaker
Jeff Jarrett
Vampiro 
Samoa Joe

Most improved

Winner: Big E.

​A few years ago, I really thought that this guy was hopeless. He was an average worker with an average look, and limited mic skills. But this is the year that he finally found his niche. Before The New Day came about, I never thought that he could possibly be that funny, but I think his body language and facials sell the whole gimmick. I said before that they all have something to add, but I actually think he may be the standout in the group. And on top of that, I admire the fact that he's added new moves to his repertoire and has also improved his in-ring ability.

Other nominees...

Taryn Terrell
Jessie Godderz
Kane
Alberto Del Rio

DVD

Winner: Destruction of The Shield

​I really don't understand why they create these DVD's for guys who haven't been around for too long, as I just think to myself that it's such a waste of time and money, and it's completely pointless. But this one was kind of different, as it didn't really focus on their life stories, but just a little bit of history about each guy, and how they came together as a group, and why it worked so well. I also thought the match selection for this was great, and I liked that there was a brief comment before each match took place, so you kind of understood why it needed to be in the set.

Other nominees...

Jerry Lawler: It's good to be The King
The Road is Jericho
Sting: Into the Light
Owen Hart of Gold

Wrestling pay per view

Winner: WrestleMania 31

​I think it's safe to say that this was the best WrestleMania in the last 10 years. Everybody on this show worked their hearts out, that were huge angles that really made it feel like a WrestleMania, most of the matches were great, and even the not so great matches were at least entertaining. Another home run!

Other nominees...

WWE SummerSlam
Wrestle Kingdom 9
ROH 13th Anniversary
WWE Money in the Bank

MMA pay per view

Winner: UFC 194 - Aldo vs. McGregor

This one had it all: great fights, major upsets, title changes, settled feuds and more. It was such a great way to end 2015.

Other nominees...

UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos
UFC 187: Cormier vs. Johnson
UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson
UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm

MMA Fight

Winner: Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 192)

I was impressed by the fact that Gustafsson did not let the loss to Anthony Johnson defeat him in any way, like I've seen with so many fighters over the years, after losing a big fight. He fought his heart out in this one and there were a couple of instances in the fight where I thought we were going to have a new champion for sure. As far as Cormier goes, I think this was by far his most entertaining fight in the UFC to date, and even though it could have gone either way, he really earned that victory.

Other nominees...

Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne (UFC 187)
Yair Rodriguez vs. Charles Rosa (UFC 188)
Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (UFC 186)
Uriah Hall vs. Robert Whittaker (UFC 193)

TV Show

Winner: NXT

I really love the changes that they've made with this show in the last couple of years. It's become more of a proving ground show, and I like that they've signed plenty of indie stars to attract the hardcore audience, and it just feels so different from anything else. 

Other nominees...

Lucha Underground
WWE Raw (from WrestleMania to Summerslam anyway)
UFC on Fox
The Ultimate Fighter season 22

MMA Fighter (Female)

Winner: Holly Holm

Ronda Rousey has won this award for the last three years, so how do you go against the woman who knocked her off the top of the mountain? It wasn't even like it was a lucky punch or anything. Holm completely dominated Rousey up until that final knockout, and I think she may be the new future of Women's MMA, or maybe even MMA in general.

Other nominees...

Ronda Rousey
Cris Cyborg
Michelle Waterson
Joanna Jedrzejczyk

MMA Fighter (Male)

Winner: Conor McGregor

I don't think there is anybody denying the fact that he is the new face of the UFC. He is a very smart fighter and really takes his time to deliver pinpoint accuracy, as seen in his last fight with Jose Aldo. McGregor was all about strategy in that fight, and he waited for the right moment to strike. I wasn't too impressed though with his performance in the Chad Mendes fight, but at the end of the day, a win is a win.

Other nominees...

Rafael Dos Anjos
Frankie Edgar
Demetrious Johnson
Robbie Lawler

Male Wrestler

Winner: John Cena

Now I know most of you are probably thinking 'In what universe in John Cena in a higher league than Shinsuke Nakamura?' Well just hear me out. Even though fans chant 'Cena sucks,' or criticize his wrestling ability, the fact remains that whether positive or negative, the man still gets the loudest reaction of anybody in professional wrestling; that is the mark of a truly great entertainer. He is without question, the face of the company. He represents them at the charity events, he makes time for his fans, and he basically does whatever is asked of him with a huge smile on his face. I attended a WWE house show a few years ago, and I could not believe the amount of young kids with Cena merchandise and Cena signs. I couldn't even hear myself chew gum when he came out. But besides all that, let's focus on this year alone. He has had some of the best matches of his career during his U.S. title run. He instantly elevated Cesaro and Sami Zayn, and he put over both Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins. I really admire the fact that he understands business and has no issue with putting over younger talent.

Other nominees...

Shinsuke Nakamura
Jay Lethal
Seth Rollins
Brock Lesnar

​Worst of

Female Wrestler

Winner: Tamina Snuka

I was never really a fan of her dad in the ring, and I never thought she had much ability either. She has no charisma, and other than being the muscle of the group, she doesn't really add much else to Team BAD. I hope that they eventually replace her with Nia Jax, and she ends up being sent back to developmental like Eva Marie.

Other nominees...

Alicia Fox
Eva Marie
Brooke Tessmacher
Velvet Sky

Tag Team

Winners: ​The Prime Time Players
​

I think they've proven this year just how limited they are. I don't think anybody even remembers the run they had as champions. I hated their horrendous commentary, especially Darren's, because he says nothing, but anytime he does add something, it's just some stupid one-liner that he has to be spoon fed. I respect Titus for being such a goodwill ambassador for the company, but I just think he's terrible in the ring, and most of his mic work is cringe-worthy. 

Other nominees...

The Ascension
War Machine

Announcer

Winner: Byron Saxton

As much as I disliked Booker T.'s commentary, I don't think this guy adds much either, and I really don't know why they just can't have a two person announce team. His arguments with JBL are so stupid, and despite the fact that he's supposed to be the protagonist announcer, he always loses the argument. And on top of that, Cole usually sides with JBL.

Other nominees...

JBL
Michael Cole
Jerry Lawler
D'Angelo Dinero

Angle

Winner: Jon Stewart costs John Cena title match at SummerSlam
​

When it comes to celebrities in wrestling, there is always a right way and a wrong way to use them; this was the wrong way. As far as I know, Jon Stewart has no athletic background, so this was never going to lead to a match, which instantly begs the question: What's the point? And also, Stewart is a comedian, which is the worst person to use in a serious angle, because it's not believable. And his reason for screwing Cena out of the title was just stupid. 

Other nominees...

Reid Fleihr's death used to get heat on Paige
GFW invades TNA
James Storm shoves Mickie James in front of a train
Tigre Uno challenges Donald Trump

Match

Winner: Los Villanos vs. Los Psycho Circus (AAA TripleMania XXIII)
​

I am a huge fan of Lucha Libre, and I completely understand that most of the matches in Mexico are six-man tags. This one was just a complete mess. It was very sloppy and I really didn't have much interest in these characters either. But I must say that Hugo Savinovich and Matt Striker did try their best. 

Other nominees...

The Ascension vs. The New Age Outlaws (The Royal Rumble)
The New Day, King Barrett and Sheamus vs. Ryback, The Lucha Dragons and The Usos (Survivor Series)
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback (Payback)
Bram vs. Matt Morgan (Slammiversary)

Feud

Winner: Roman Reigns vs. The Authority

I don't find this feud convincing at all, specifically because everyone knows that Triple H is really a supporter of Reigns, and it's not like the Daniel Bryan feud, where Reigns is a smaller guy who is not expected to make it. But we're talking about a guy who's basically the prototype of what the WWE looks for, so it's just not believable that the company would be trying to hold him back. On top of that, the mic work between them is just awful. 

Other nominees...

GFW vs. TNA
Eric Young vs. Chris Melendez
EC3 vs. Jeff Hardy
Dolph Ziggler/Lana vs. Rusev/Summer Rae

Gimmick

Winner: Joey Ryan using his genitals as a weapon in a wrestling match

In the 26 years that I've been following wrestling, I have seen a bunch of stupid things in wrestling, but this one has to take the cake. It was so unbelievably ridiculous, and it really made me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. I find things like this hard to defend, when people are talking trash about wrestling.

Other nominees...

Tag team elimination chamber
King of the Mountain Championship
The new Mega Powers (Axel Mania and Macho Mandow)
The League of Nations

Worst on the mic

Winner: Jeff Hardy
​

You'd think that a guy who's been in the business for 20 years would have picked up some mic skills by now. But instead, it's just the same lines with the same boring delivery. I don't know if it's just the fact that he's unmotivated in TNA, but it seems like he just doesn't care anymore, and it shows in his performance.

Other nominees...

Mahabali Shera/Khoya
Ryback
Mr. Anderson
Roman Reigns

Most underutilized performer

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

I think this may be the first time in the entire history of this blog that this award is going to someone other than Samoa Joe. First of all, I hate Ziggler's new look. His pants might as well have the word 'Jobber' printed on them, and he desperately needs to lose the headband and jean jacket, as it just makes him look like an '80s rockstar. Also, they need to either get behind him completely, or just let him go; I'm tired of this start and stop nonsense. He's still one of the most talented guys on the roster, but he really needs a complete repackaging. 

Other nominees...

Cody Rhodes
Tyrus
Eli Drake
Jack Swagger

They really dropped the ball with...

Winner: ​The Undertaker match at Survivor Series

When I heard that they were going to use Taker for a match at Survivor Series, the inner fan in me came out, because I really thought it was going to be a show that I couldn't miss, and at the time, it felt like a big deal. Even the angle with The Wyatt Family after the Hell in a Cell match was delivered quite well. But the follow-up is what killed it. I don't know if that was the plan to begin with, but I would have liked to have seen an elimination match, with two younger guys on the side of Taker and Kane, who could get the rub from being paired with them. Instead, we just get another generic tag match.

Other nominees...

Damien Sandow after Miz/Sandow break-up
Rusev after losing U.S. title
Survivor Series tournament finals
The Divas Revolution

DVD

Winner: The Best of Nitro Volume 3

I was actually really looking forward to this set, because I thought they did a great job of selecting the matches and segments for the previous two, especially the last one. But this one paled in comparison to those. A lot of this was just filler, and I cannot believe some of the stuff that was on here, and really didn't need to be. I mean nothing against either guy, but I would be completely fine with never seeing another match between DDP and Stevie Richards.

Other nominees...

Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes! (A lot of kayfabe, and a very forgettable story)
The Monday Night War series (How many of these can they do? Lol)

Wrestling pay per view

Winner: AAA TripleMania XXIII
​

Again, I'm a huge fan of Lucha Libre, but this was almost painful to watch. The opener was pretty entertaining, and the two main events were great, but there were just too many technical issues, and the in-ring quality was just kind of sloppy for some of the matches. The three team cage match could have been great, but I think there were just too many bodies in a confined space, so it just didn't work. 

Other nominees...

WWE Survivor Series
WWE TLC
TNA Slammiversary
WWE Royal Rumble

MMA Fight

Winner: Frank Mir vs. Andrei Arlovski (UFC 191)

It's kind of hard to choose a bad MMA fight, because shoot fights are mostly based on strategy. This one kind of stands out, because Arlovski put on a great performance in the Travis Browne fight, but this fight was kind of lacklustre by comparison. I never thought Mir was an entertaining fighter at all, and his last few fights have just been painfully boring to watch.

Other nominees...

Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock (Bellator 138)

TV Show

Winner: WWE Smackdown

I think this is the first time since it first aired in Canada, where I have not watched a single episode of Smackdown all year long. I have been reading the spoilers though, I chose this specifically because NOTHING EVER HAPPENS ON THIS SHOW! I've noticed that they don't even do the Smackdown rebounds on Raw anymore, because there's really nothing significant to talk about. I think they should get rid of Smackdown altogether and replace it with NXT on USA Network. I will probably check out this coming week's episode, just because I'm curious to see how much freedom Mauro Ranallo gets on commentary.

Other nominees...

TNA Impact Wrestling
WWE Tough Enough
ROH TV (If Ring of Honor's shows were only up-to-date, this would definitely not be on this list)

MMA Fighter (Male or Female)

Winner: Ken Shamrock
​

The guy's a legend, there's no question about that. But when is the time going to come when he finally just says 'Enough's enough!' I don't remember the last time he even won a fight, and he's taken beating after beating after beating; it just makes you feel so bad for him. I hope this is the year that he finally hangs it up and is remembered for the fighter that he was, not the fighter that he is. 

Other nominees...

Kimbo Slice
Frank Mir
Michael Bisping

Male Wrestler

Winner: Mahabali Shera

As someone with a South Asian background, I consider this to be a major insult. First of all, TNA does not know how to introduce new stars. They kind of tried at the beginning, and then just completely gave up on it. This guy is very limited in the ring, and it's hard to take him seriously, when he's pretty much been designed to fail. I hated that stupid dance that he did at Bound for Glory, as it just made everyone involved look ridiculous, and it turned him from a cult follower into a comedy character. Putting him in the Revolution was a terrible move to begin with, and they obviously had no clue what to do with this guy from day one. 

Other nominees...

Moose
Braun Stroman
Sheamus
Ryback


Until next year...

The New Year's celebrations continue as the UFC promotes its first pay per view offering of the year. And anytime there's a title fight on pay per view, it's a safe bet that MMA fans around the world will be watching. 

Let's take a look at that line-up...

Abel "Killa" Trujillo (12-7-0) vs. Tony "2.0" Sims (12-3-0)

Trujillo is coming off two very disappointing back-to-back submission losses to Tony Ferguson and Gleison Tibau respectively, and in the same fashion no less. Needless to say, he'll probably have eyes in the back of his head for this one, as he'll be on the lookout for that rear naked choke. But he's fighting a guy who isn't really known for his submissions, so I don't think Trujillo has much to worry about in that regard. Actually, before those two losses, Trujillo won his previous two fights in grand fashion with two devastating knockouts. Sims is no stranger to knockout victories himself, but he has barely dipped his feet in the UFC talent pool. These guys are evenly matches, with a slight experience advantage going to Trujillo. I'm thinking Trujillo picks up yet another TKO.

Brian "T-City" Ortega (9-0-0) vs. Diego "DB" Brandao (20-10-0)

I have to say that Brandao has been one of the major disappointments coming out of The Ultimate Fighter. He looked like an absolute beast on that show, and I fully expected him to just plow through the competition in the UFC. He was doing well at first, but all it really took was one devastating knockout at the hands of Dustin Poirier to take him down a peg or two. And then that knockout led to another, at the hands of Featherweight Champ Conor McGregor. But Brandao seems to be back to his winning ways in recent fights, so I guess not all hope is lost. Ortega is undefeated though, and will likely have more confidence heading into this fight, compared to a guy who's been knocked out. Ortega made a major statement in his previous fight by knocking out Thago Tavares, and he will undoubtedly be looking to do the same here. I don't see it happening though, because to even compare Ortega to Conor McGregor at this point is like apples and hockey pucks. I'm going to say Brandao continues his winning streak here with another TKO.

Albert "Einstein" Tumenov (16-2-0) vs. Lorenz "The Monsoon" Larkin (16-4-0)

It's no secret at this point that both of these guys have some serious knockout power. The difference is that Larkin has actually been knocked out himself, while Tumenov has yet to taste a defeat so devastating. Actually, that might not be 100 per cent accurate, because all defeats are devastating I suppose. What I meant is that there is a world of difference between losing a decision and losing by knockout. I've seen fighters that have been able to bounce back from decision losses, but then when those same fighters get knocked out, it ends up haunting them for a while, and they just aren't the same. Larkin actually defeated Robbie Lawler just three years ago, and he's had much bigger fights, so I can't go against him. I'll pick Larkin to get the Unanimous Decision.

Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski (25-10-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (13-2-0)

I think the outcome of this fight will depend heavily on which version of Arlovski shows up, because we've seen two of them in the last couple of years. There was the Arlovski who dominated both Travis Browne and Antonio Silva. But there's also the Arlovski who barely eked out a decision over Frank Mir and Brendan Schaub. I think other than being knocked out by Stefan Struve, Miocic has remained consistent. I was quite impressed that he was able to knock out Mark Hunt, and I think that puts him in the top five, as far as heavyweights go. Needless to say, he can not afford a loss here, and I don't expect him to taste defeat. I'm picking Miocic by TKO. 

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (26-10-0) vs. "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit (30-8-0) for the UFC Welterweight Championship

2015 wasn't the greatest year to be a champion, but I guess Robbie Lawler has a different opinion. There were only three titles that did not change hands in 2015, and Lawler's was one of them. Well technically the Light Heavyweight Title never changed hands, but a new champion was crowned. In any event, Lawler has had quite the journey in the UFC. He returned to the promotion in 2013, following a string of losses in Strikeforce, and he has been dominant ever since. In fact, his only loss since returning was a very close decision against Johny Hendricks, but he was able to rectify that by beating Hendricks to claim his title. Condit also fought a very close fight with Hendricks, but the loss to Tyron Woodley might have set him back a bit. I think these two guys will have a great fight, and I fully expect it to go the distance, which I think favours Lawler, as he really seems to pick up a lot of momentum in the later rounds. I'm picking the champ to retain by Unanimous Decision.

So there you have it.

​Who are you picking?

​