One Man Gang vs. Akeem

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I've found a new pro wrestling podcast and became an instant fan. It's called Our Vantage Point. The first episode I listened to is number 95. They recap that year (1995) as they also talk about successful and not so successful gimmicks. The One Man Gang was brought up as well as his alter-ego Akeem, the African Dream. There was a debate on which character enjoyed the most success. So I brought the conversation over to the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page and created a poll.

As you can see OMG easily beat Akeem. But there were some who were passionate in the reasoning for picking the African based character. Sam Banks had this to say: 

"One Man Gang was very popular in the regional territories in the 70’s and 80’s, but really rose to prominence when he took on the African Dream gimmick in the WWF. 

The WWF is where he did the most memorable things in his career in front of the most eyes, and with the WWE Network available to everyone, his Akeem stuff will be what most people see for as long as the Network exists.

Akeem is the clear answer here. The majority of young wrestling fans since the year 2000 have probably never even heard of One Man Gang, but I would bet they’d know who Akeem and the Twin Towers were."

Jerry Travelstead commented too:

"Personally, don't think this one is close. OMG gimmick wasn't just WWF. Believe he did Mid South, Texas, The Carolinas, and other regional organizations well before WWF. He has popped up as OMG several times when I've been watching some of the older stuff on the network."

I'm still on the fence on the issue. I remember Gang when I watched World Class Championship Wrestling and Midsouth (UWF). Even in his first year or so in WWE he competed as the big man from Halstead Street in Chicago. Then the transformation happened and Akeem was born.

Some fast facts about the WWE tenure of George Gray (the man behind the gimmicks):

One Man Gang debuted in the spring of 1987. He feuded with Hulk Hogan, Don Muraco and Bam Bam Bigelow in that first year. He was in the main event of the first Survivor Series (his team won) and he made it to the semi-finals of the WWE Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV before losing (by DQ) to the eventual winner Randy Savage. 

As Akeem, Gray was back in the main event picture. He and the Big Bossman feuded with Savage and Hogan as the MegaPowers. Again he was part of the Survivor Series main event as well as The Main Event on NBC when the Megapowers finally exploded in 1989. He and Bossman pursued the tag team titles that summer against Demolition. I really thought they were going to win but the Brain Busters did instead.

Akeem vs. Bossman

After that, it seems both men floundered a bit. The Twin Towers split in early 1990 and Bossman made quick work of his former partner at WrestleMania VI. He faded away and resurfaced in WCW as the OMG once again. During the second run in 1995, he picked up the company's U.S. Championship. 

Gimmick Battle Royal

When he returned to WWE in 2001 for the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania 17 he did so as the Gang. He also competed as that character at the King of Trios tournament with Chikara a decade ago. 

Both characters had an impact and were successful. But what are your thoughts? Who had more success in pro wrestling, the One Man Gang or Akeem? Weigh in here or on the Facebook page.

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MVPs of WrestleMania #2

By Kevin Hunsperger & Chad Smart

@kevinhunsperger, @chadsmart, @my123cents

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Last year I had the idea to do an MVPs of WrestleMania blog, but came up with it a day or two before the big event.  So I held my list waiting for WrestleMania 32 to roll around.  Admittedly I've made a couple of minor tweaks to the original list and debated internally over the quality of my list.  I invited Chad to play along too.  While the lists aren't perfect (he's not in our top ten), I hope you enjoy.  A new blog will be posted daily until March 31, the day I leave for Dallas.

Rockin' at WrestleMania 5
Courtesy: WWE

Kevin's pick:

2)  Shawn Michaels:  The Heartbreak Kid is of the most decorated Superstars in the history of WWE.  He has been a HUGE part of WrestleMania, dating back to 1989 when he and Marty Jannetty made their Mania debut against the Twin Towers.  Big Bossman and Akeem took out the Rockers that night and watching the team back then I knew Shawn was special, but I had no idea the icon he'd become.  After splitting with Jannetty and going on his own, HBK had some of the best singles matches the big event has ever seen.

Retiring Ric Flair
Courtesy: WWE

His classic ladder match against Razor Ramon set a new standard in wrestling more than 20 years ago.  He beat Bret Hart for his first WWF World Championship in WrestleMania's first and only Iron Man Match.  That zipline entrance inspired me to do the same thing as my wedding, or at least ask if it was possible.  My wife said "hell no!", but I digress.  His final match during the first part of his WWE career was a torch passing moment to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14.  Years later, he'd return to the company and the big show to face Chris Jericho.  Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Triple H and Vince McMahon were all rivals of HBK in that period.  He also took on and lost to John Cena and retired legend Ric Flair in what has become my favorite "in person" WrestleMania match.

End of an era
Courtesy: WWE

Shawn himself would soon wrap up his own career.  A year after the Flair match he wrestled the Undertaker in what many call one of the best Mania matches of all time.  Then at WM 26, HBK put his career on the line and vowed to retire if he couldn't beat the Undertaker and his streak.  The match closed out the show and just like the year prior, Undertaker scooped up and tombstoned Shawn for the win.  He's been back as a referee and to give Sting some Sweet Chin Music.  I'm sure there's plenty more guest spots in his future, assuming he wants to keep being a part of WrestleMania.

Icon vs. icon
Courtesy: WWE

Chad's pick:

2) Vince McMahon: If it weren’t for Vince McMahon, there would be no WrestleMania. Given the events of the past 35 years, if there were no Vince, who knows if wrestling would have any mainstream exposure today. It was a risky move to place all the chips on the table with the first WrestleMania. Looking back at how barebones the first event was, it’s amazing to think how big WrestleMania has grown. From a mid-afternoon, darkly lit wrestling show to a weekend extravaganza with an average of 70,000 fans and larger than life staging, WrestleMania has definitely earned the nickname “Super Bowl of Wrestling.” That is quite the accomplishment for the 70-year old WWE visionary.   Not to mention the handful of times he's competed in the ring at Mania against his own son, Shane, as well as Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels.

Catch up...

10. Brock Lesnar, Edge and MVP

9.   "Stone Cold" Steve Austin & "Rowdy" Roddy Piper 

8.   The Rock & "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

7.   "Macho Man" Randy Savage

6.  Bret Hart

5.  Triple H & The Fink

4.  John Cena & Shawn Michaels 

3. Hulk Hogan 

Boo: The Gang's All Here

The One Man Gang
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

When I was young and watching World Class Championship Wrestling, I remember very vividly a mountain of a man hailing from Halsted Street in Chicago.  He had a mohawk with skull tattoos on either side of his head.  He wore black ring attire with skulls on the shoulders, a denim vest, and a long chain.  He was the One Man Gang.

Gang was a member of Skandar Akbar's Devastation Incorporated as well as Gary Hart's dynasty.  At more than 400 pounds, he squashed many of his competitors.  But it wasn't always a walk in the park for him.  I remember his struggles against my favorites, like Kerry Von Erich (who slammed the big man and pinned him in order to shave Gary Hart's head) and King Kong Bruiser Brody.  As you might imagine, a huge brawl ensued between the two beasts.

Gang eventually moved on to the UWF and picked up that company's heavyweight title.  He had classic matches with the likes of Terry Gordy and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams.  Once he prepared to jump ship and head north to the WWF, Gang dropped the title to Big Bubba Rogers (his future tag team partner in the Twin Towers).

The Gang in the WWF
Photo Courtesy: WWE

Gang fit in immediately in the WWF.  He was a mammoth among men.  It didn't take long for him to get a shot at Hulk Hogan's WWF title.  Although he came up short, I was impressed that someone from little ol' WCCW was hanging with the best the WWF had to offer.  He squashed "Superstar" Billy Graham, forcing him to retire.  Gang also feuded with Don Muraco and earned a spot in the WWF Title Tournament at Wrestlemania IV.  He was disqualified in his match against the eventual winner "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

With Slick by his side, One Man Gang seemed nearly unstoppable.  But in the fall of 1988, he underwent an awkward transformation and became known as Akeem the African Dream.  I'll share about my thoughts on that in a future post.

Gang & Sullivan 1991
Photo courtesy: WWE

Today, I wanted to focus on the beast known as the OMG, who eventually resurfaced again after his WWF tenure ended.  In WCW he and Kevin Sullivan ran rough shot over the competition.  This was a throwback to the Gang of old, the joke of Akeem was long in the past.  Even though that tenure didn't last long, OMG did return again in 1995 and won the U.S. Title.  He held it for a short time before dropping it to Konnan.

Gang has made sporadic appearances since then, including a mark out moment for me when he teamed with Demolition at Chikara's King of Trios tournament in 2008.  Even though they didn't make it out of the first round, it was great to see some blasts from the past join forces in the wacky world of Chikara.

Black History Month: Slick

The Slickster!

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

The Doctor of Style Slick was one of the main stay managers in the WWF in the mid 80's and early 90's.  He managed lots of different talent, including Rick Martel, the Big Bossman, and the tag team of Power and Glory.  However, I don't think any of his men ever won any gold.  But hey, the Slickster was one of the most entertaining managers of all time.

My first memory of Slick was on Central States Wrestling when he was managing Butch Reed.  This was right before the duo headed to the WWF.  And once they arrived, Slick was paired up with "Classy" Freddie Blassie as he seemed to be the heir apparent to Blassie's stable.  Once Freddie retired, Slick took over the contracts of the Iron Sheik and Nikola Volkoff.

Slick & the Twin Towers

Through the years, men would come and go with his stable.  He picked up One Man Gang, who he helped transform into Akeem the African Dream, the Big Bossman, Rick Martel, the Warlord, and Power and Glory.  I think Bossman and Akeem, known collectively as the Twin Towers were probably Slick's most successful adventure.  They never won the tag team titles, but they were involved in some high profile matches in the WWF, including the Mega Powers explosion between Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage during Main Event back in 1989.  The Towers also main evented Survivor Series 1988 with their team taking on Hogan and Savage's.  I always thought the pairing of Slick and Rick Martel was a little awkward.  Martel struck me more of Heenan Family material.

One of the WWF memories I have of Slick is his singing of the song "Jive Soul Bro" on the Piledriver album.  I still chuckle when I hear the song, which I have in my iPod.  It became the anthem for the Twin Towers.

Slick & Kamala

I believe it was in 1991, Slick got powerslammed by the British Bulldog during a match with the Warlord.  Slick sold the injury and was missing from TV for some time.  When he returned, he was a face.  Reverend Slick even tried to soothe the savage beast known as Kamala.  The two did some mildly entertaining vignettes where Slick tried to teach Kamala to be more civilized.  They went bowling in one skit and I think sat down to a fancy dinner in another.

It wasn't long after that Slickster disappeared again.  He's popped up from time to time in the past on WWE television, including a guest spot at a recent Wrestlemania.  He was part of a backstage dance party.  He was also a part of Old School Raw.  I'd love to see him get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at some point.