High spots: After sustaining a torn pectoral injury, Cena made an unexpected, and victorious, return to the ring at the Royal Rumble last January. To bookend his astounding year, The Champ made a second triumphant return in November when he overcame neck surgery to capture the elusive World Heavyweight Championship for the first time from Chris Jericho at Survivor Series.

Low blows: While Cena basked in his glories, 2008 proved that even a seemingly impervious Superstar could be felled by injuries. For much of the year, the man whose love of wrestling is well documented was forced to watch from the sidelines as he recouped from career-threatening surgery.

Crystal ballin’: For Cena, priority one is staying healthy. If The Champ can manage to stay out of the operating room and in the ring, there’s no telling just how long his World Heavyweight Championship title reign will be.

High spots: Hands down, the high point for the SmackDown Superstar was earning his first World Title, defeating Triple H and Edge in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship at Armageddon.

Low blows: Hardy seemed to be the epitome of the phrase “Close, but no cigar” until he achieved his dream. Before gaining the gold, he missed out on several opportunities at Royal Rumble, Unforgiven, No Mercy, Cyber Sunday and when he couldn’t make it to Survivor Series.

Crystal ballin’: The WWE Champion may have already made his resolution a month early, overcoming his so-called inability to finish. In 2009, Hardy’s goal will be to show consistency and hold on to that title, without letting matches slip through his fingers.

High spots: Entering the year as WWE Champion, the Legend Killer seared his place in history on the grandest stage in entertainment, retaining his title at WrestleMania XXIV, defeating archrivals John Cena and Triple H in a Triple Threat Match.

Low blows: While basking in his WrestleMania success, the joy for Orton was short-lived, as several weeks later, Randy lost the WWE Title to Triple H in a Fatal Four Way Match at Backlash. Orton’s attempts to regain his title from Triple H were unsuccessful, leading to a collar-bone fracture at the hands of The Game at One Night Stand, which derailed Orton’s title pursuits for the majority of 2008.

Crystal ballin’: With Orton fully recovered from injury, and seemingly amassing allies in the locker room (Cody Rhodes and Manu), the championship potential for Orton seems limitless. Could this be the start of the second “Age of Orton?” We’ll soon find out.

High spots: The Glamazon captured her second Women’s Championship at SummerSlam, running roughshod over the Divas Division along the way. Beth also picked up her first Slammy, being named Diva of the Year. With various feats of strength, 2008 has been a banner year for the beauty from Buffalo.

Low blows: The Glamazon got all kissy-kissy and cuddled up next to … Santino Marella? While canoodling with the “Italian Stallion” and sticking up for her man, The Glamazon got pummeled by Batista after she slapped The Animal on Raw, making a mockery of both Marella and herself in the process.

Crystal ballin’: Phoenix needs to focus on the task at hand: keeping the gold around her waist. In 2009, The Glamazon should dump the deadweight known as Santino Marella and concentrate on carving her own path — a single one — in forging her Diva destiny.

High spots: The ECW Champion earned his first World Title at Unforgiven, overcoming not one but four other Superstars, including then-champion Mark Henry, to become an Extreme title holder.

Low blows: Although Hardy has been impressive, one weak spot was his confrontation with SmackDown Superstar Vladimir Kozlov at Armageddon. Lucky for the ECW Champion, their contest was not a title match.

Crystal ballin’: Now that his brother, Jeff, has accomplished his goal of being WWE Champion, Matt needs to focus on his own career. Perhaps part of the reason why he dropped that bout to Kozlov was that his mind was on Jeff. If Matt can concentrate on what’s in front of him in the Land of the Extreme, his success should continue throughout 2009.

High spots: After winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXIV, CM Punk cashed it in on Raw, defeating Edge to take the World Heavyweight Championship. Then, nearly two months after Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase & Manu cost CM Punk the World Heavyweight Title, the Straightedge Superstar & Kofi Kingston defeated Rhodes & DiBiase on Raw to become the new World Tag Team Champions.

Low blows: Punk never actually lost the World Heavyweight Title at Unforgiven -- Randy Orton's punt to the head took Punk out of commission, and the right to defend his title.

Crystal ballin’: At Armageddon, CM Punk defeated Rey Mysterio, winning the Intercontinental Championship Tournament, making him the No. 1 contender to Intercontinental Champion William Regal. With gold now in his sights once again, will 2009 be Punk’s year?

High spots: On SmackDown, the Rated-R Superstar took home championship gold, married the “Love of His Life,” and lived up to his "Ultimate Opportunist" moniker like none other. Proving that "out of sight, out of mind" always works to his advantage, Edge’s victory over Triple H at Survivor Series ended the 12th reign of The King of Kings, who had held the WWE Championship since April.

Low blows: Edge engaged in a destructive dance with The Deadman, being banished straight to Hades in a brutal Hell in a Cell Match at SummerSlam, never to be seen for months by the WWE Universe.

Crystal ballin’: The aligned stars of the squared-circle suggest that the Ultimate Opportunist’s thirst for power and gold could lead to a shake-up at SmackDown ... maybe at the cost of his wife, SmackDown GM Vickie Guerrero.

High spots: Any recollection of the past year would be incomplete without recalling what has been described as the single greatest match in WrestleMania history: The career-ending bout pitting Michaels against Ric Flair. While saddened to send his longtime friend and mentor out to pasture, The Showstopper undeniably understood the honor being bestowed upon him.

Low blows: Over the summer of 2008, Michaels watched in horror as his hated rival Chris Jericho punched HBK’s wife Rebecca square in the face. Perhaps equally as gut-wrenching, the global financial crisis that rocked the economy at the end of 2008, had forced a nearly bankrupt and desperate HBK to turn to oily millionaire JBL for help.

Crystal ballin’: First order of business for Michaels, clear up your finances and severe all ties with JBL. After all, no one walks away from the Longhorn Loudmouth without at least an earful of bile.

High spots: The All-American American broke onto the scene with unmatched success, enjoying an undefeated 2008.

Low blows: While nobody in the ring has been able to get the best of Swagger, ECW General Manager Theodore Long has put the young Superstar in his place. Swagger has become notorious for his constant complaints over not yet receiving a title opportunity. Every time he does, Long publicly embarrasses the All-American American.

Crystal ballin’: Swagger simply needs to have faith that his undeniable talent will earn him the ECW Title opportunity he covets. Long has always been known as a fair GM, and he is bound to give the All-American American what he deserves. Swagger needs to keep his mouth shut and let his work in the ring do the talking.

High spots: The Animal had two championship moments in the past year, teaming with John Cena to win the World Tag Team Titles in August, and regaining the World Heavyweight Title at Cyber Sunday. He was also able to pull off a victory against Cena at SummerSlam in the first-ever match between the titans.

Low blows: The “Legend Killer” Randy Orton dealt the worst blow of the year to Batista, punting him in the head on Raw in December. The devastating blow to The Animal’s cranium caused him to have bone graft surgery on his jaw to repair two teeth damaged from the kick. Also, Batista would elect for surgery on an injured hamstring damaged at SummerSlam, forcing him out of action “indefinitely.”

Crystal ballin’: Always a championship contender, look for The Animal to return to action in the middle of 2009 – rehabbed, rested, rejuvenated and ravenous for gold. Could his first prey of 2009 be the Legend Killer himself?

High spots: The All-American Diva was the first to claim WWE’s new Divas Championship when she defeated Natalya at the Great American Bash in July. McCool was nominated for Diva of the Year at the 2008 Slammy Awards, and the teacher-turned-Diva’s uplifting blog,"Lovin’ Life," is one of the highlights of WWE Universe.

Low blows: McCool wasn’t exactly Lovin’ Life toward the end of ’08. In late December, the All-American Diva lost her Divas Championship to Maryse on SmackDown. After the match, the usually agreeable McCool uncovered a dark and wicked side, brutally attacking her former friend, Special Guest Referee, Maria.

Crystal ballin’: WWE’s first Divas Champion must do everything in her power to reclaim the gold she held for more than five months. McCool needs to remember she first won the Divas Title fairly, with her head held high.

High spots: MVP started 2008 as the reigning United States Champion. He enjoyed that success for four months during the year until his former tag team partner Matt Hardy returned and defeated him for the title in April.

Low blows: Just about every moment since April has been a low blow. This is especially true since August, the month MVP last won a contest. Since then, the only thing he’s been good at is making other Superstars shine.

Crystal ballin’: MVP needs to start ballin’ and get back to his elite status in 2009. There is no doubt that he’s in breech of his contract, failing to cash in on his end of the business agreement with wins.

High spots: The King of Kings prevailed in a history-making Fatal Four Way Elimination battle at Backlash, defeating a trio of past and present WWE Champions -- JBL, John Cena and, ultimately, Randy Orton -- to claim his 12th World Title. He ended Orton's nearly seven-month hold of the title, and began his own nearly seven-month reign.

Low spots: Triple H lost the title to an opportunistic Edge, who inserted himself into a Triple Threat Match at Survivor Series, stealing both the championship opportunity from Jeff Hardy, along with The Cerebral Assassin's hopes of retaining the gold.

Crystal ballin’: Wearing World Championship gold 12 times is no easy feat. With the bull's-eye on Jeff Hardy's back, an always determined and championship-hungry King of Kings will continue to battle Hardy until the gold is wrapped firmly around his waist.

High spots: Mickie James again moved her way to the top of Raw’s Women’s Division this year when she defeated Beth Phoenix for the gold in April. The four-time Women’s Champion dominated Monday nights for more than four months during the summer. Dressed as Lara Croft, she won the Divas Halloween Costume Contest at Cyber Sunday, and was nominated for Diva of the Year at the 2008 Slammy Awards.

Low blows: Cheerful James’ title run came to a sudden halt in August when the indomitable force known as Beth Phoenix won the Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Since then, Mickie hasn't been able to stop Phoenix's dominance.

Crystal ballin’: Mickie will have have to find a way to outsmart and outmuscle the beauty from Buffalo. She should look to her Raw resources – former Women’s Champions Melina and Candice Michelle, as well as Kelly Kelly – for some help in bringing down Phoenix and reclaiming the Women’s Championship for the fifth time.

High spots: Undertaker defeated Edge at WrestleMania XXIV to reclaim the World Heavyweight Championship and keep his undefeated (16-0) WrestleMania streak intact.

Low blows: At One Night Stand, Edge defeated Undertaker in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match to capture the once vacant World Heavyweight Championship and simultaneously banish Undertaker from WWE. Although The Deadman arose once again within WWE, Big Show did what perhaps no other Superstar could do – knock The Phenom out cold with a well-targeted punch at No Mercy.

Crystal Ballin': At Survivor Series, Undertaker used his unstoppable submission move to weaken Big Show and claim sweet revenge over The World’s Largest Athlete. Can The Phenom carry this momentum further on Friday Night SmackDown, as well as into Royal Rumble and WrestleMania?

High spots: The first third-generation Diva made her WWE debut in 2008, even earning a chance against Michelle McCool to become the first-ever Divas Champion at The Great American Bash.

Low blows: Natalya has had many BFFs during her time in the ring, from Maryse to former Women's Champion Victoria. Yet none have really given her the push she's needed to become Divas Champion. After some tough and hard-fought losses, it was Maryse and not Natalya with the Divas Championship opportunity.

Crystal ballin’: We've seen touches of the pink and black. We've seen the Sharpshooter that would make any member of the Hart family proud. Now, the WWE Universe would like to see Natalya break away from the BFFs and display that famous Hart intensity in some one-on-one matches ... maybe even for the Divas Championship.