Remembering Bruno

Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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When I became a pro wrestling fan Bruno Sammartino was a part-time performer in the ring. He provided color commentary on WWF Superstars of Wrestling, a syndicated problem I watched each Sunday morning on KPLR. He would have occasional spats with Jesse Ventura as Bruno and the third man on the team Vince McMahon were clearly in favor of the fan favorites.

Bruno did still step into the ring from time to time. I remember specific feuds with Roddy Piper and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. His only WrestleMania match was in the Battle Royal in Chicago at the second installment of the event. He seconded his son David at the original WrestleMania. Admittedly I was a Hulkamaniac in this era, but I did recognize and appreciate what Bruno had done for the industry.  

Hall of Fame induction

Then there was a huge dispute between Sammartino and McMahon. That estranged relationship lasted decades before Triple H seemingly mended fences and invited Bruno to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. This was exciting news to me as Chad and I had already made plans to attend WrestleMania 29 that year in New Jersey. What made the deal even sweeter was the ceremony was going to be held at Madison Square Garden, the building Bruno sold out time and time again. Several times that night I tried wrapping my brain around the fact that I was finally at MSG. I closed my eyes more than once and pictured the building being set up for the matches and could hear that infamous bell ring and Howard Finkle's voice on the mic that dropped down from the ceiling. 

With the Bruno statue after it was unveiled in New Orleans

Bruno still holds the record for the longest reigning WWF (now WWE) Heavyweight Champion at more than 4,000 days. I'm glad WWE officials and Bruno were able to re-establish their relationship. While he didn't make many appearances after his induction, it's gratifying to know he did take his rightful place in the eyes of WWE and a new generation of pro wrestling fans have had a chance to learn something about Bruno. Plus there's the permanent memorial in the form of the statue unveiled in 2014. 

May he rest in peace.

3 wrestlers I wanted to see in person

Andre the Giant & Bruno Sammartino
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I went all in with my wrestling fandom around age 10. My younger brother and dad had been attending matches regularly as the NWA would hold cards in St. Louis on a regular basis. My first live experience was in December 1984. There are a few Superstars I wish I could have seen wrestle in person.

The closest I came to meeting Andre

Andre the Giant wrestled Bruiser Brody at one point and my brother and dad were there. This was long before I had even considered watching wrestling, so I missed out. I was hoping he'd be on the card in '84, but he wasn't. I attended a few more WWF house shows before Andre retired, but he was never featured. One time I had considered going to a show in December 1987 where Andre and Rick Rude teamed up against Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff. I was in high school by then and really don't know why I didn't bug my parents for tickets. The closest I've come to Andre is posing with his statue at WWE Axxess during WrestleMania festivities.

"Bruno" and me

The same goes for Bruno Sammartino. Bruno was still somewhat active when I started watching. He feuded with Randy Savage and Roddy Piper briefly before hanging up his tights and focusing on commentary. Of course, when Bruno was in his prime and the WWWF Champion, I wasn't even a thought. I do consider myself lucky to have been at Madison Square Garden the night Bruno was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. It's my only MSG experience, but I certainly hope it's not the last.

Wendi Richter
Courtesy: WWE

Wendi Richter quickly rose to the occasion when she arrived in the WWF in 1984. She was different than the other women of that era, like Moolah, Judy Martin and Leilani Kai. It's fair to say I had a crush on Wendi. Unfortunately, her tenure with the company was short-lived. But like Bruno, I was on hand for Wendi's WWE Hall of Fame induction. I consider myself fortunate in that regard.

Which Superstars are on your list of having wanted to see perform live? Share here or on the My 1-2-3 Cents social media pages.

Remembering Ivan Koloff

Ivan Koloff vs. Bruno Sammartino
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Sadly, I'm writing a second memorial piece in as many days. The legendary Ivan Koloff has died. In the first 48 days of 2017 we've lost Rex King, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Chavo Guerrero Sr., George "The Animal" Steele, Nicole Bass and now "The Russian Bear."

The Russians
Courtesy: WWE

By the time I started watching wrestling in the early 80s, Koloff was nearing the end of his career. He was teaming with nephew Nikita and Krusher Kruschev. Together this threesome held the NWA six man tag team titles. Ivan and Nikita were also the NWA tag team champions, feuding with the likes of The Rock 'n Roll Express, Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA and the Road Warriors. 

When Nikita turned good, Uncle Ivan moved on to team with the Powers of Pain under the management of Paul Jones. That trio would also go on to win the six man tag team championship. Eventually, even Ivan would turn good and ended up reuniting briefly with Nikita to battle the Russian Assassins. His time in the ring ended a few years later when he retired from wrestling.

Ivan's biggest claim to fame though came long before I started watching wrestling. It actually happened before I was born. Koloff pinned Bruno Sammartino to win the WWWF championship. It was a tremendous feat, as Bruno had been the champion for nearly eight years. Granted, his time as champ only last three weeks, but the significance of the ending of Bruno's streak as champ is arguably as impactful as Brock Lesnar ending Undertaker's WrestleMania win streak.

For that feat alone, Koloff should have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame many years ago. I don't know why he's not there yet. Maybe there were behind the scenes reasons. I know in 2015 he joined the concussion lawsuit other Superstars have filed, so who knows now that he's died if WWE will look past that and ever induct him. 

Ivan Koloff

I must also admit that I was convinced all along that Ivan was really a Russian. He played the character so well it's a testament to the man behind the gimmick, Oreal Perras who was born in Canada. Rest in peace, Russian Bear. You will be missed.

Venues I Missed Out On

Madison Square Garden (1984)
Photo 

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Growing up in St. Louis, I consider myself lucky as a wrestling fan.  The NWA and WWF visited town on a regular basis, holding most of their matches at The Kiel Auditorium.  It's no longer there, but today's fans can catch WWE events at the Scottrade Center.  I remember seeing the likes of Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, Hulk Hogan and the Junkyard Dog live and in person at these events.  

Over the last several years I've ventured to Wrestlemanias in cities like Chicago, Orlando and New Orleans.  Along those trips, we've attended indy matches at smaller, more intimate arenas and venues.  I love going to wrestling events in different settings.  I've been to shows (and even wrestled at one) in a motorcycle warehouse, high school gym and VFW Hall.  But there are three arenas that come to mind that I would have loved the opportunity to have seen some wrestling action.

Madison Square Garden is no doubt the mecca of professional wrestling.  I remember watching shows on the MSG Network and through Prime Time Wrestling when I was in high school.  I always wanted to be a part of that experience.  I loved the way the microphone would drop from above and Howard Finkel would begin his announcements after a series of clanks of the ringside bell.

Outside MSG before the Hall of Fame Ceremony in 2013

In 2004 I attempted to get tickets to Wrestlemania XX.  I failed, but was excited when we booked our tickets from the 2013 Hall of Fame Ceremony.  It's the year Bruno Sammartino was inducted and appropriately the event as at MSG.  I remember walking to the building with a sense of excitement.  Even if I wasn't going to see any wrestling action, it was still a wrestling event with some of the biggest names in the business.  As I made my way to my seat, I imagined the ring in the center of the building and the sites and sounds of past superstars battling it out.  I could hear that bell clanking and The Fink's distinct voice as I daydreamed for a few minutes.

I haven't given up on attending a show at MSG.  I think there will be other chances to make it there.   It's still high on my bucket list.  Meanwhile, you can relive 50 years of MSG shows in the new book Holy Ground: 50 Years of WWE at Madison Square Garden by our friends at The History of WWE.

Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair, Freebirds standing by

Unfortunately though it is too late to catch a show at the Dallas Sportatorium.  The arena made famous by The Von Erich family in the 1980's closed its doors in 1998 and was demolished in 2003.  I remember watching World Class Championship Wrestling on Sunday mornings and how insane the crowd would go when Kerry, Kevin, Mike and David Von Erich would make their way to the ring.  It was comparable to the Beatle-mania craze from two decades earlier.  The fans loved that family and the wrestling action that was a part of each show.  Conversely they were quick to jeer The Freebirds, Kamala and The Missing Link.

The Von Erichs

I can only image teenage me at one of these shows, popping for Kerry who remains one of my all-time favorites.  I did get to see him wrestle Flair once for the NWA Title at the Kiel in 1985, but I would have loved the opportunity to have been in the crowd in Kerry's home town.  Even one of WCCW's big shows at Dallas Stadium would have been epic.  More than 30 years ago when Fritz Von Erich was booking shows at the stadium, I'd never seen outdoor wrestling (I know WWF did it and others too, but I was new to wrestling at that time).

The Pitbulls, 911 and Tommy Dreamer
ECW Arena

Finally, who wouldn't have loved the chance to chant E-C-Dub! E-C-Dub! in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia?  The company was white hot when I was in college and if I'd been more adventurous or had friends who liked wrestling back then, I would have made a road trip to the Arena.  There always seemed to be an element of danger associated with those matches.  The chair pileup on Terry Funk comes to mind.  I also remember watching as fans would hand various objects including ball bats, toasters and even a toy dinosaur to the wrestlers to use as weapons.  Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Shane Douglas, Sandman, Sabu and of course Beluah all left a big impression on me.

Those are just a few of the places I would have liked to seen a wrestling show.  What arenas or venues do you hold near and dear to your heart?   

Burying the Hatchet

Vince & Warrior
Photo courtesy WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Over the past year or so, I think the WWE has given us lessons in forgiveness.  It was first demonstrated in 2013 when the company announced they'd come to terms with legend Bruno Sammartino to induct him into the Hall of Fame.

Vince, Bruno, & Triple H
Photo courtesy: WWE

For years the two sides were at an impasse, as the former champion refused to be inducted.  Presumably, Triple H in his corporate role, was able to smooth things over with Bruno and he took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.  At Wrestlemania 30 weekend, the WWE unveiled a statue in honor of the legend.  It's good to see them working together again.

In summer 2013, WWE announced the Ultimate Warrior would be a part of the Y2K14 video game.  It was the first time the two sides had worked together in nearly two decades.  Soon after that, Warrior was announced as the first member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2014.  This was great news to me, as I had been waiting for years for this to happen.  Rumors ran wild that he was going in at Wrestlemania 26 in 2010, but it never happened. Warrior will go down as one of the most popular and charismatic stars in the history of wrestling.  He deserved to have a spot in the HOF.

Unlike Bruno though, the WWE had not tried to establish a relationship with the Warrior.  In 2006, the company released a DVD called "The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior."  I watched it and was saddened to hear all the jabs and cheap shots taken against the former champ.

Hulk Hogan, Pat Patterson, Ultimate Warrior

Again Triple H extended the olive branch and the two sides made amends.  Warrior seemed to gain closure as he addressed the WWE Universe and his colleagues during his induction.  Over the course of Wrestlemania weekend he and Hulk Hogan apparently buried the hatchet.  Same goes for Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Kevin Nash, and others.

Sadly Warrior died days later.  In the wake of his death, other wrestlers have come forward and apologized for how they had treated Warrior.  Bret Hart said he was too hard on him, calling Warrior a good guy.  Iron Sheik admitted he loved Warrior and his words toward him were a work.  I'm still shocked and sad, but I'm glad Warrior was able to get this resolution in his life before dying.

Wrestlemania main event 30 years later
Photo courtesy: WWE 

On a much lesser level, we saw another example of forgiveness at Wrestlemania 30.  I'm sure it was more storyline driven than personal, but it was nice seeing Hogan, Roddy Piper, Mr. T, and Paul Orndorff all shake hands and put the past behind them.  By all accounts, Piper had legit heat with Mr. T for years.  I don't know if all is really forgiven or if they just smiled and played nice for the camera, but I'm hoping the backstage segment at Mania was genuine. 

Forgiveness is easy to say, but much harder to practice.  WWE and some of its greatest legends are setting an excellent example.  I truly think we could all learn from it. 

Hulk Hogan vs. 10 Faces of the 80's

Hulk Hogan
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

In 1990, something rare happened in the WWF.  It was April 1, Wrestlemania 6 and Hulk Hogan defended the WWF heavyweight title against the Intercontenental champion and fellow baby face, The Ultimate Warrior.  Back then, face vs face matches didn't happen very often.  It was the passing of the torch of sorts (or so we thought) with Hogan and Warrior.  So I got to thinking, which other top WWF faces would have been good contenders for the Hulkster's gold?  Here's the list I came up with, and in no particular order.  The only thing is, I used guys that Hogan never faced, with the exception of one (at least to my knowledge, if I made a mistake, sorry)

Bruno vs. Honky Tonk Man
Photo courtesy: WWE

Bruno Sammartino: As Hulkmania was becoming a world wide phenomenon, Bruno Sammartino had been long retired and working on the WWF commentary team.  However, from time to time Bruno stepped back in to the ring to face the likes of Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, and Adrian Adonis.  The former champ even competed in the Wrestlemania 2 battle royal.  While Bruno was well past his prime at the time Hogan was on top, this battle would have been epic.

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage
Photo courtesy: WWE

Ricky Steamboat: I'd argue that Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was the best wrestler to never hold the WWF heavyweight title.  His run as IC champ was derailed early on in the run, and from what I've read it was all political stuff.  None-the-less, I think the Dragon would have made an excellent champion, and he would have been a competitor unlike any other that Hogan had faced in the 80's.  The champ was used to guys like Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, and the One Man Gang.  Steamboat's matches in the WWF against Randy Savage and Rick Rude, coupled with his battles early on with Ric Flair in the NWA would have prepared him for a run as the WWF's top dog or dragon.

Bam Bam Bigelow & Hogan as partners
Photo courtesy: WWE

Bam Bam Bigelow: When the Beast from the East first arrived in the WWF in 1987, I had visions of big success for Bigelow.  In fact, when Bam Bam entered the WWF heavyweight title tournament at Wrestlemania 4, I had him picked to win in my bracket.  You can imagine my disappointment when he lost in the opening round to the One Man Gang.  Soon after that Bigelow floundered and ended up leaving the WWF.  Even though Bigelow was comparable to other big men Hogan had faced up until that point, Bam Bam had an athletic skill unmatched by his peers.  This would have been one for the ages.

Dusty Rhodes
Photo courtesy: WWE

Dusty Rhodes: As the former NWA world heavyweight champion, "The American Dream" would have made an excellent opponent for Hogan when he arrived in the WWF in 1989.  The Hulkster had just regained the title from Randy Savage, and Dusty was on a big push going over guys like Big Bossman, Akeem, and even Savage.  However, Dusty was in the twilight of his career at this point, retiring a couple years after coming to the WWF.  But I still think the fans would have popped big time for a chance to see two of the most popular men in the history of wrestling square off for the WWF title.

Graham & Hogan
Photo courtesy: icollector

Superstar Billy Graham: If Hogan looked to emulate anyone in the wrestling business, it would have been Superstar Graham.  Although he had been a heel for quite a long time, in the late 80's when Superstar returned to the WWF, he came in as a babyface.  He feuded with the Natural Butch Reed and One Man Gang, and even teamed up with Hogan and Bigelow at the 1987 Survivor Series.  Clearly by this point in his career, Graham was plagued with injuries and far from being the man he was when he held the title.  However, because of the similarities in style, I would have liked to seen this match.

Hogan vs Atlas
Photo courtesy: PWI

Tony Atlas: In his rule breaking days, Hogan and Tony Atlas did compete against each other.  He was one of the few men who could match strength with Hogan.  There are photos everywhere of Atlas pressing Hulk over his head.  The former tag team champion Atlas was a midcarder at best by the time Hogan's run at top started, but I still think it would have been a great opportunity for him.  I'm talking about Tony Atlas and not Saba Simba.

Tito!
Photo courtesy: WWE

Tito Santana: With two runs as the IC champ, you'd think Tito Santana would have gotten a WWF title opportunity at some point.  Because he was a coholder of the tag team titles during the championship tournament at Wrestlemania 4, Tito missed out on that opportunity too.  It would have been nice to see him get a chance against Hogan.  I think a champion vs. champion match would have been good between these two.

Superfly in action
Photo courtesy: WWE

Jimmy Snuka: In the mid 80's "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka may have been the WWF's second most popular guy right behind Hogan.  Snuka is one of the first guys I remember seeing compete in a WWF ring.  His feud with Roddy Piper was one of the best in that era.  Imagine seeing Snuka climb to the top rope, "spread his wings", and do the Superfly leap on a prone champion.  No doubt Snuka would have brought something out of Hogan and a battle between these guys would have been one fans everyone would enjoy.

JYD vs. Harley Race
Photo courtesy: WWE

Junkyard Dog: Much like Snuka, Junkyard Dog was one of the company's most over faces in the 80's.  He brought a different kind of charisma to the ring.  Although he never reached champion gold in the WWF, I think he was one of those guys who was over enough to be IC champ.  In a different time, I have no doubt he'd not only held that secondary title, but would have been a contender for the WWF gold.

Hacksaw & Hulk as partners
Photo courtesy: WWE

Hacksaw Jim Duggan: This one would not have been pretty, but putting two of the WWF's top patriots in the ring against each other would have been fun.  As JR would say, it would have been a slobber knocker to say the least.  Both men love the good ol' USA, so to see Hogan and Duggan bring that passion to the ring would have been an interesting sight.  Duggan and Hogan beat many of the same men, including Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and Harley Race.

What are your thoughts?  Share here or on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page.

Hall of Fame: Finally...

Bruno Sammartino, the champ
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE Hall of Fame was created 20 years ago this month.  In February 1993, Andre the Giant was inducted.  He was the sole inductee that year and I believe was a relatively low key event.  In the years that followed, greats like Gorilla Monsoon, the Fabulous Moolah, and Buddy Rogers took their place in the hall.  The WWE took an eight year hiatus on inducting wrestlers, managers, and announcers before making it a big ceremony prior to Wrestlemania.  Legends like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Harley Race were then given the nod.

Through the years though one man has not been a part of the festivities.  Bruno Sammartino, the longest reigning WWE champion ever.  He held the title twice for a total of more than 11 years.  That is completely unheard of in this day and age.  I know things are different now with more TV and pay per views, but none-the-less, Bruno is a legend.

Bruno

There are a number of reasons why it took so long to get here, but the point of this blog is we're finally there.  I'm glad to hear that the WWE has reached a compromise with Bruno to induct "the Living Legend." I've read that Triple H helped to broker the deal.  Kudos to him for working so diligently to make this happen.  It's a long overdue honor and in my opinion helps make the WWE Hall of Fame seem a little more legit.  Add Bob Backlund to the mix this year and you've got two of the all time great champions going in.

I know some have argued Bruno had his chance and refused and the WWE should have moved on.  I disagree.  This is a significant moment and I'm happy to say I'll be live at Madison Square Garden to see the ceremony.  While I'm not the biggest Bruno fan, I can recognize his place in history and how important it is for him to be in the Hall of Fame.

WWE Title By the Numbers

CM Punk retains WWE title
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I'm going to give Lords of Pain the assist on this blog, as they did all the math (something I was never good at anyway).  Basically they broke down all the lengths of title reigns for the WWE champions.  CM Punk is at this point the 12th longest reigning WWE champion.  Assuming Punk makes it to Night of Champions later this month with the title in hand (which there's no reason to think he won't), he'll crack the top ten.  Let's take a look at the numbers...

1.  Bruno Sammartino (2,803 days)
2.  Bob Backlund (2,135 days)
3.  Hulk Hogan (1,474 days)
4.  Bruno Sammartino ( 1,237 days)
5.  Pedro Morales (1,027 days)
6.  John Cena (380 days)
7.  Randy Savage (371 days)
8.  Hulk Hogan (364 days)
9.  Diesel (358 days)
10. Billy Graham (296 days)
11. Ultimate Warrior (293 days)

My friend Adam Testa from the Baltimore Sun's Ring Posts blog did even more math for the equation.  So as mentioned, Punk will break into the top ten at Night of Champions, even if he loses the title.  If he retains, and holds until Survivor Series, he'll be tied for 8th with Hogan.  Assuming he continues on after that and holds until TLC in December, he'll move to 6th place.  But to break into that top 5, Punk will need to retain the title until September 13, 2014.  For Punk to take the top spot on this list, he'll have to hold the title until July 25, 2019.

CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler
2012 Royal Rumble
Photo by: My 1-2-3 Cents

Realistically, I see Punk holding the gold and taking that 6th spot on the list.  Retaining for nearly two more years to crack the top five seems like a stretch in this day and age.  But personally, I'd love to see it happen.  I think in general titles are traded far too often.  This is the first time in a while I've viewed the both the WWE and World Titles as stable.  Sheamus has been the world champ 154 days as of this writing.  As of Monday, September 3, 2012 he'll be the third longest reigning world champion.

Back to Punk and the WWE title.  He's had an interesting series of challengers, including the Big Show, Cena, Daniel Bryan, Kane, the Miz, Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler, and Chris Jericho.  That's a who's who of the WWE elite right now, and Punk holds victories over all of them.  But in this day and age of weekly TV and monthly pay per views, will the fans tire of Punk on top?  The WWE and Punk are doing a good job of keeping his character fresh.  I'll be honest, for the first couple of years he was in the WWE, I did not like the CM Punk character.  It was the Straight Edge Society that really got my attention and he has continued to evolve since.

Punk vs. Big Show vs. John Cena
SummerSlam 2012
Photo by: My 1-2-3 Cents

And to be fair to the guys at the top of this list, like Bruno and Hogan; they were defending the titles on the house show circuit.  I don't know if they were defending the title with the frequency that today's champions do, but they were doing it in front of a much smaller audience.  Now days, we all see it when Punk or Cena or Sheamus or Miz defend a title.

I haven't made my official prediction for Night of Champions yet, but I believe that Punk should retain and continue to move forward to the Royal Rumble with the Rock.  A victory over the People's Champion will undoubtedly earn CM Punk a shot at immortality.

Boo: It's Electric

Thunderdome!

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

For the first time ever, I've sat down and watched Halloween Havoc 1989.  With the exception of HH '91, I don't think I've ever seen any of these WCW classics.  I did watch some of them on "scramble vision" in the late 90's.

The inaugural event was in Philadelphia.  Jim Ross and Bob Caudle did the play by play for the night.  JR did a nice job giving histories on each man in the ring.  It was good hearing some of his stuff from 'back in the day'.   I forgot that Mr. John Laurinaitis wrestled on the show.  He and Shane Douglas attempted to win the tag team titles from the Fabulous Freebirds.  Who would have thought that Michael Hayes and Johnny Ace would be two of the WWE's top guys backstage some 21 years later?

Muta vs. Sting

The main event of the night touted the first "Thunderdome" matchup.  It was an electrified steel cage match pitting Sting and Ric Flair (rivals becoming buddies) against Terry Funk and the Great Muta.  In a pre match interview, Funk referred to the structure as a 10,000 Watt Boogie.  Bruno Sammartino was the guest referee for the match.

No pinfalls counted in the match.  Ole Anderson was outside the ring for the faces, Gary Hart was outside for the heels.  So one of them had to throw in the white towel for his team.  Before the match even started, part of the cage caught fire.  Muta even climbed up and used his green mist to put out the flames.  It almost seems like an early version of the Hell in a Cell, only a bit more shocking.  The managers were also inside this structure.

Flair measures up Funk

For those who don't remember the history, Flair and Funk had been feuding since Funk attacked Nature Boy after winning the world title back from Ricky Steamboat.  Muta and Sting had a separate program going on.  It's crazy watching how young Sting and Muta are in this match, heck even Funk is in pretty good shape.  And Natch is 40 years old here and looks fantastic too.

The guys know that the top of the cage is electric, what's the point of climbing up there?  Who wants to get shocked like that?  You can't win the match by escaping, so what's the point.  Heck, Bob Caudle just basically asked the same question.  It's good to see Funk was "middle age and crazy" 20+ years ago.

Look close, the towel is in mid air.

There would have been a great shot of Flair chopping Funk, but the camera blocked by a prop on the cage.  The match had a screwy ending.  Flair locked Funk in the figure four and Sting did a couple of top rope splashes on Funk.  Hart refused to throw in the towel.  He and Anderson ended up in the ring, Bruno's back was turned, and Ole punched Hart hard enough to make the towel fly out of his hand.  It handed on Bruno's back, who then called the match.  Disappointing finish, and a somewhat awkward match at times.  I think that's because it was a new concept, but all four men did a great job telling a story.

Other observations: five of the eight matches on the card were either tag team or 6 man tag team matches.  Very interesting.  I think those days are far behind us.

Brian Pillman put up a good fight against Lex Luger.  I always supported Pillman, even during his babyface days.  I really wanted him to win the U.S. title that night, as he was certainly the underdog in this contest.

Why was the Cuban Assassin vs. Tommy Rich on pay per view?  Seems like a WCW Saturday Night match to me.

I enjoyed the 6 man tag between the Samoans and the Midnight Express and Dr. Death Steve Williams.

I've just started watching Havoc '90.  Look for My 1-2-3 Cents on that soon.

Staying Informed

2010 HOF (My 123 Cents)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter


For me, the Hall of Fame ceremony is one of the highlights of Wrestlemania weekend.  Chad and I have been to 5 of the last 6 events.  We plan to be in Miami as the Class of 2012 gets inducted too.


And while I think it's way too early to be writing about this, something came to my attention today, and I thought I'd just weigh in.  Typically, I try not to speculate on things as it relates to the world of wrestling, but I'm going to indulge.  This is from the WWE Magazine column called, "The Informer."


"A trusted source managed to sneak me the short list for the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame, and I can tell you that a lot of old wounds are about to be reopened!"


This of course could be a number of people.  It seems like there are plenty of guys who have left the company on bad terms, but they always seem to make their way back into Vince McMahon's good graces and get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

From WWE

My gut tells me it's one of three guys.  The Ultimate Warrior is my top suspect.  I say that because the WWE seems to have (or at least had) a great deal of heat with the Warrior in the past.  The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD did nothing to help repair any strained relationship between the two sides.  However, there was a rumor circulating that Warrior was to be inducted in the Hall of Fame back in 2010 in Phoenix.  That never happened, but his image has been added to that open that runs before each show.  

From WWE

I also today happened to stumble across something related to the 1991 Royal Rumble, you know, the one where Ultimate Warrior lost the WWF championship to Sgt. Slaughter.  That event was held in... Miami, Florida, the same place as Wrestlemania 28 and the Hall of Fame ceremony.  Warrior's recent Twitter war with Hulk Hogan would also perhaps indicate that he's ready to call a truce with Vince and reestablish a relationship with the company.

From WWE

Someone who I hadn't put much thought in, but a friend pointed out is Owen Hart.  The reason I never thought it was Owen was because of Bret Hart making amends with Vince.  BUT, Owen's widow has a huge axe to grind with the WWE, Vince McMahon, and the Hart family.  So, old wounds related to Owen's tragic 1999 death in the ring could be reopened with Martha Hart if the WWE does induct "the King of Harts."

From WWE

My final thought on someone who has old wounds would be Randy Savage.  Of course there has been all kinds of speculation on Savage being inducted since his untimely death in the spring.  The relationship between the Macho Man and Vince was strained to say the least after Randy headed to WCW in 1994.  Things were never the same again between the two.  But I suspect Randy isn't the one being referred to in this article simply because I read something the other day that Lanny Poffo said the only way Randy wanted to be inducted was if Lanny and their father Angelo Poffo were inducted with him.  I guess we'll have to wait and see on that one.

From WWE

Actually that wasn't my final thought, Bruno Sammartino is someone else the WWE has been trying to get into the Hall of Fame for years.  The former champion has refused constantly and publicly waged war on Vince McMahon and his company.  Has Bruno finally come to an agreement to work with the WWE again?  


We're a few months away before the official announcements start.  For me, I'd love to see ALL four of these guys inducted.  I don't think they'll all go in the same year though.  The WWE has to spread out the big names to attract fans to the event.


So, who do you think the Informer is referring to?  Or will it end up being nothing more than a ploy to generate interest in the event?  Post your thoughts here or on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

Hall of Fame Hopefuls

2008 Hall of Fame Ceremony in Orlando

I know it's early to be talking about the Hall of Fame Class of 2011, but some other bloggers are doing it, so I wanted to get my thoughts out there too.  I guess this list is a combination of guys and gals I hope get in and who I think should be in the Hall of Fame.

There are of course lots of worthy candidates, especially since we've seen in recent years non-WWE guys getting inducted like Verne Gagne and Gordon Solie.

There's also a lot of criticism over the mid card guys being in.  Stars like Koko B. Ware and "Cowboy" Bob Orton.  But I think you have to put things into perspective.  Afterall, this is a Hall of Fame for sports entertainment.  And those guys did entertain us, right?  So who's really worthy and who's not?  I think it all comes down to personal preference.

But I can see where some would be irritated that Koko is in, but Bruno Sammartino isn't.  So here's my short list of some guys who should be inducted in the next couple of years.  Because many of them are big names, and the WWE tends to spread them out.  I get it.  


By the way, I've google image search most of these photos, and I don't know who they should originally be attributed to, so if it's your's I apologize.

Bruno Sammartino

1.  Bruno Sammartino:  By the time I started watching wrestling, Bruno was pretty much done with his in ring tenure.  He was a part of the announce team on Superstars with Vince McMahon and Jessie Venture.  And I don't remember them really talking much about Bruno's past as a wrestler.

I know he did wrestle sporadically over, including a program with Randy Savage and was a part of that big 20 man battle royal at Wrestlemania 2.  He also had an LJN figure made in his likeness, as a wrestler and not an announcer.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Bruno is the longest reigning champion in the history of the WWE.  With only two title reigns, he held the belt for 4,040 combined days. (Thank you Wikipedia).  That alone should get him in, right?

And to be fair to the WWE, the invitation has been extended, Bruno has not accepted it.  From the stories I've read, he sounds pretty bitter and at least in his lifetime won't be going into the hall.

Bob Backlund

2. Bob Backlund: I must admit when I first discovered Backlund wasn't already in the Hall of Fame a few years back, I was pretty surprised.  Actually shocked.  I had always thought Backlund and the E were on good terms.

He was a part of a special Raw episode a few years back.  And even after he stopped wrestling, he briefly managed The Sultan and Kurt Angle (not at at the same time)

Backlund is 3rd on the list of the longest WWE world title reigns.  He wore it for 2,138 days.  That's unbelievable in this day and age.  Backlund was also a co holder of the tag team titles with Pedro Morales (a WWE Hall of Famer).

From his early days, one of his most memorable matches for me was the one against "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka inside the steel cage.  Snuka had perched himself atop the "25 foot" tall structure for his pattened Superfly leap, but the champ rolled out of the way.  Snuka crashed to the mat and Backlund escaped the cage and retained the title.

Macho Man and Liz

3.  Randy Savage:  Randy Savage no doubt belongs in the Hall of Fame.  I think it may be bitterness on both sides that he's not.

When Savage first arrived in the WWF he took the company by storm.  He won the Intercontential title and was a legitimate threat to Hulk Hogan's world title.

Then in 1987 when he turned face, his world really turned around.  He started getting an even better push then when he was IC champion.  He'd teamed up with Hogan and was getting that rub.  By Wrestlemania 4, he was the world champion.  He'd go on to win the title again, holding it for more than 500 days, and making him the 8th longest reigning champion.

Savage's time in WCW was also successful with four runs as that company's world champ.  While we're on Savage, I think his valet/manager Elizabeth is worthy of the Hall of Fame too.  She really laid the ground work for other women (non wrestlers) to get involved in the business.  Now it seems like all the ladies involved are required to wrestle whether they should be in the ring or not.

So Vince and Randy, but your differences aside and induct the Macho Man into the Hall of Fame, dig it.

The King of Harts

4.  Owen Hart: If Owen Hart were alive today, I think he'd still have some sort of involvement in the world of wrestling.  Either he'd be a trainer in the back or I could have seen him as a heel manager for the Hart Dynasty.

Even though Owen was never the world champion, he accomplished a lot during his short career.  In the WWE alone, he was a multiple time tag team champion (with Yokozuna, Davey Boy Smith,  and Jeff Jarrett).  Owen was also the European champion, held the Intercontinental title twice, and won the 1994 King of the Ring Tournament.

Owen had some of the best matches of the mid-90's in the WWE against Bret and Davey Boy.  He has a rich family history in wrestling.  His dad and brother are both in the Hall of Fame.  And given that he literally gave his life up for the sport, I think it's only fitting that he go in in 2011.

The Road Warriors

5. The Road Warriors: One of, if not the most dominate tag team in the history of wrestling.  I think I'm correct in stating they're the only duo to hold the world tag team titles in the AWA, NWA, and WWF.  That's pretty impressive.

The Road Warriors were just rough and tough guys who took care of business in the ring.  I always liked them better as heels, but the fans really bought into them and supported them through most of their career, which made it tough to boo them.

Although I'll say when they arrived in the WWF in 1990, they weren't as dominate as I thought they'd be.  I think this goes back to my theory that Vince likes to create his own stars and pushing guys from other promotions is some sign of weakness.  He quit calling them the Road Warriors and simply named them The Legion of Doom.

Remember how long it took them to actually win the WWF tag team titles.  It was about a year to be exact.  Then they only held the belts briefly before being saddled with that stupid dummy gimmick Rocco.  It wasn't long before they'd go their separate ways, but they reunited and wrestled in WCW and WWE off and on after that.

But their success can't be ignored and without a doubt they're one of the best loved teams in the history of wrestling.  It only makes sense that they're immortalized in the hall.

"Ravishing" Rick Rude

6. "Ravishing" Rick Rude: My first memories of Rude were of him invading World Class Championship Wrestling.  He was pretty dominate back then, winning the company's "world" title.  I remember he played the heel part excellent with his plump manage Percy Pringle helping him to win by any means necessary.

I was such a Von Erich mark back then and remember when Rude was defending the title against Kerry.  I knew my hero would win, but when Rude cheated and pinned Kerry, I was outraged.  That's exactly what a good heel wrestler is supposed to do.

Rude jumped from WCCW to the NWA were he held the tag team titles with Manny Fenandez.  He wasn't there long before heading to the WWF and winning the Intercontinental title from the Ultimate Warrior.  Rude engaged in some memorable feuds too with the likes of Jake "the Snake" Roberts and the Ultimate Warrior.

He never won the world title there, but jumped back to WCW and beat Ric Flair for the NWA title.  He also had a successful run as U.S. champion and beat guys like Sting and Dustin Rhodes along the way.  I'd say his run in WCW was probably his most successful.

He jumped back to the E before pulling the old doublecross where he was on a taped version of Raw and a live edition of Nitro.  Sadly, Rude died in 1999.  I think he still had something to give to wrestling, be it as a manager or a trainer.

"Adorable" Adrian Adonis

7.  Adrian Adonis: This one may surprise a lot of people.  But I really feel like Adonis had a big impact on wrestling, especially in the late 80's.  He was a part of the biggest Wrestlemania in the history of the business.

But don't just look to the stereotypical gay character they turned Adonis into.  Look back into the late 70's and early 80's when he was a tough guy street thug.  I probably should have used a better picture to illustrate my point.

Adonis was a tag team champion in the AWA with Jessie Ventura.  They were like a Hollywood pretty boy meets New York tough guy, hence their name the East-West Coast Connection.  Adrian would later move to the WWF and team with Dick Murdoch to win the tag team titles from hall of famers, Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas.

Shortly after they lost the belts, Adonis changed his look by bleaching his hair.  He also packed on the pounds and started wearing dresses.  This was of course part of the show, as Adrian was married with children.  Adrian lost a hair match to Roddy Piper at Wrestlemania 3 and shortly departed the WWF for the AWA once again.  He got injured there and didn't do a whole lot more in the ring.

Sadly, Adonis also passed away much too young.  He was involved in a car accident in Canada in 1988.  But his impact was felt years after his death.  From his adorable days, he carried around perfume, just like The Model Rick Martel would do years later.

So there you have it.  I know several of these guys (Hawk, Rude, Hart, and Adonis) have all passed away.  It would make for a pretty dreary ceremony.  But I think all these guys deserve to be in the Hall of Fame at some point.  Of course there are many others that I thought of as I wrote this post.  Many of them are mentioned as partners or opponents of the men listed here.

I'd like to hear your list of who should be going in this next time around.