Raw Memories: #1 Nature Boy's Sendoff

Raw Moment #1:
Ric Flair's Sendoff
Photo from: My 1-2-3 Cents

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

When thinking back on the previous 999 episodes of Raw, I debated on which moment would top my personal list of favorites.  I chose Ric Flair's sendoff after Wrestlemania 24 for a couple of reasons.  Probably the most important one is that I was there in the live crowd for it.

Chad and I had attended Wrestlemania 24 and witnessed Flair's last match ever (or so we thought).  It was an emotional night to say the least.  We all knew in hearts that Flair was going to lose with all the hoopla around his Hall of Fame induction the night before, but it still stung when the referee counted three.  The 16 time champ had tears in his eyes before HBK even connected with his Sweet Chin Music, so you can imagine what it was like when the match was over.

4 Horsemen reunite!

Typically when we go to Wrestlemania, we leave the next morning.  But for 24, we bought the Wrestlemania Package, which included tickets to Universal Studios.  We decided to hit the park on Monday and spend an extra day in Orlando.  When we got back to the hotel late that afternoon, Chad read online that the Four Horsemen were going to be at Raw for Flair's official sendoff.  Without hesitation, we decided to head downtown and see if we could get tickets.  Much to our surprise, not only were tickets available, but they were good seats and really not at all expensive.

The end of the show saw legends like Ricky Steamboat, Greg Valentine, Harley Race, and of course the Horsemen (JJ Dillion, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, and Tully Blanchard) come out and say their goodbyes.  I think it was significant that the Horsemen were there because I believe that was the first time the five of them had been together in nearly 20 years (in public).

Undertaker pays tribute

Stars on the roster like John Cena, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H also came out for the celebration.  When Raw ended, the festivities continued.  Vince McMahon and the Undertaker also did salutes to the Nature Boy.  I'd say it would be hard to find a dry eye in the arena after all of the celebrating.  It was such an emotional evening.

Of course some of that emotion has been tarnished with Flair's decision to return to the ring.  Never in the history of the business has anyone received such a lavish sendoff.  I don't think it will ever happen again either.  But I still feel fortunate enough to have been a part of that night.  Woooo!

Honorable Mention:
Raw Episode 1
Photo courtesy: WWE

Honorable mention:  How can I list my favorite Raw memories, without mentioning the first ever episode.  It was something new in terms of what we were used to seeing in the world of professional wrestling.  Primetime Wrestling, Superstars, and Tuesday Night Titans were all taped shows with the hosts sitting inside a studio and talking about the matches.  With Raw, it had a pay per view feel in terms of the "live" element.  I know those early shows were recorded, but if you didn't know it was hard to tell.

Vince McMahon, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and radio host/actor Rob Bartlett made up the announce team.  It was an interesting dynamic to say the least.  Bobby Heenan trying to get into the show was also a very entertaining aspect of things.

Damien Demento vs. the Undertaker
From WWE

Originally Raw was only an hour long.  I don't think it was until the Monday Night Wars picked up that Raw added that second hour.  Raw also started off with a lot of top talent versus enhancement guys.  I mean, the main event of that first show was the Undertaker vs. Damien Demento.  Shawn Michaels also beat Max Moon that night, and the Steiners Brothers were in action against tag team jobbers.

Raw has certainly come a long way over the last 999 episodes and nearly 20 years.  I'm already making plans to attend the 2,000th since I can't be in St. Louis tonight.  For those who are there or on the way, enjoy the show.  We'll be watching on USA tonight for My 1-2-3 Cents and From the Rafters Radio signs.

Hanukkah Heroes: Day 4

Dean Malenko (from WWE)

By Chad Smart
@chadsmart on Twitter

Halfway through the countdown of top 8 wrestling personalities.  Today's entry has become such an integral part of the WWE behind the scenes they named a wrestler after him. Its the "Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko.

Benoit, Douglas, & Malenko

Dean, son of legendary wrestler Boris Malenko and brother of Joe Malenko, who was a talented wrestler in his own right, first appeared on my radar when he was part of the original ECW.  As part of the Triple Threat with Shane Douglas and Chris Benoit, Dean would hold the ECW Tag Team titles as well as the TV title. Probably his most famous match from ECW was the Two out of Three Falls match with Eddy Guererro on both guys' last night in ECW before they moved on to WCW.

The Horsemen

In WCW, Dean helped make a star out of a debuting Rey Mysterio Jr. and had one of the best feuds of 1998 with Chris Jericho. Eventually Dean would re-team with Chris Benoit as members of the Four Horsemen.  Backstage politics would eventually lead to Dean, Chris, Eddie and Perry  Saturn leaving WCW and making the jump to the WWF during the Monday Night Wars.

While Dean had some success in the WWF, his career was cut short by neck injuries.  Dean transitioned into a backstage role as an agent helping other wrestlers plan out their matches.  After ECW folded, Mike Bucci (known as Nova in ECW) debuted in the WWF as a workout guru named Simon Dean. This was a rib on Dean Malenko as his real name is Dean Simon.

Malenko continues to work in the agent role and makes the occasional cameo on WWE programming helping to break up a fight or randomly appearing backstage.

The wrestling menorah is halfway lit. Who's next on the list? Come back tomorrow and find out. In the meantime, Like us on Facebook, read our tweets on Twitter. And get some eggnog ready for when we stop by your house while we're out caroling. 

Four Wooing Horsemen

The best version of the 4 Horsemen, IMO

Day 4 of the Wrestling Christmas and of course I couldn't ignore the 4 Horsemen.  Perhaps the best stable in the history of wrestling.

The version in the picture (courtesy of Pro Wrestling Illustrated) was in my opinion the best foursome.  Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, and Ric Flair under the guidance of James J. Dillon.  It didn't get much better than that.

Anderson & Blanchard were the NWA tag team champions.  Windham was the U.S. champ, and of course Flair was the World champion.

Through the years we've gotten plenty of versions of the Horsemen, but Flair was always the staple.  Even when the WWE tried to reinvent the faction with Evolution, Flair was a big part of the group.



The original group, which formed in 1986 consisted of Flair, Blanchard, Anderson and his "cousin" Ole Anderson.  Dillon was the manager.  The concept was hardly new, having a stable of wrestlers.  But there was something different about the Horsemen.  I think it's the Flair factor.  The man was the best talker back then.  And he could back it up in the ring.

Of course all the other members contributed to the success of the group, but through the years, others would rotate in and out.  Ole Anderson was replaced with a younger, stronger Lex Luger.  He would eventually be replaced by a two timing Barry Windham.

For a time the Horsemen gimmick came to a halt, as many of the members, in fact all but Flair, had left for the WWF.  But in the world of wrestling, change is constant and Arn Anderson would eventually make his way back to Atlanta.

This time group reformed but as faces, and they added an up and comer named Sting to the group.  Ole Anderson was also invited back into the fold, but I think he mainly served as a manager, as Dillon was still working in the WWF's front office.  In true Horsemen fashion, they'd turn on the young, naive Sting and become the company's villains again.   Shortly after that Barry Windham left his Widowmaker gimmick in New York and came back to be a Horsemen.  The monsterous Sid Vicious was also a new member and Ole began fulltime management of the foursome.

Sid would leave about a year or so later for the WWF and Flair was soon to follow after his termination from WCW.  So that was the death of the Horsemen again.  But like a cat, the group seemed to have nine lives.  Or close to it.

When Flair returned to WCW in 1993, he got the "band back together" so to speak.  He and Arn Anderson and the unlikely third member, former WWF jobber to the stars Paul Roma.  Now it was just the 3 Horsemen.  I'm pretty sure this run was as faces too, as they feuded with the young cocky Hollywood Blonds (Steve Austin and Brian Pillman) who hazed Flair and Anderson about their age.

This formation didn't last long either though and Flair and Anderson eventually went back to their rule breaking ways and invited Brian Pillman and Chris Benoit into the group.  This was another good version of the Horsemen.  Youth, speed, agility, and experience melded well together here.

Dean Malenko, Curt Hennig, and my least favorite Horsemen of all time Steve "Mongo" McMichael would all become members at some point before the group finally disbanded.

Horsemen reunion for Flair's "retirement"

That was in 1999.  Then in 2008, something truly awesome happened.  My friend Chad and I had just witnessed Ric Flair's storied career come to an end.  We had planned to stay in Orlando on Monday (we had tickets to Universal Studios) but we had no plans to go to Monday Night Raw.

We had gotten back from a day at the park and Chad read online that the Horsemen (Tully, Arn, Barry, and JJ) were going to be at Raw for Flair's big send off.  We immediately decided to head to the arena and try to get tickets.

Not only did we get tickets, but we had awesome seats.  We were just off the floor and on the opposite side of the camera.  So if you own the Ric Flair Definitive DVD collection and you watch that retirement ceremony, you can see Chad and I in the crowd.

Anyway, I never had a chance to see the Horsemen wrestle live as a group, but seeing them in the ring and reuniting was the next best thing.  So here's a Woooo! and a "diamonds are forever and so are the 4 Horsemen" for you.

For those keeping score...
A Red Rooster in a Wrestling Ring
2 Turtle Jobbers
3 French Canadians
4 Wooing Horsemen