The Power of Nostalgia

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin

January 11, 1993-- I remember it well. I was a sophomore in college and ten years into my wrestling fandom. Over Christmas break, I watched the last of the Prime Time Wrestling shows, a program I had enjoyed for about a decade. Now it was time for something new, Monday Night Raw. 

It's hard to believe that was 30 years ago. Now, at 49 years old, I am still a fan, but I still need to become more committed to watching each week. Having cut the cable cord years ago, I have only had a few opportunities to watch Raw live. However, I located a feed of the special anniversary show via TikTok. 

From the opening segment, featuring the face of 80s wrestling, Hulk Hogan, to the final bell with long-time attraction Brock Lesnar, the show was packed with everything a nostalgic fan like me craves. Ric Flair, DX, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, and others. Memories from the past three decades flooded back. My favorite current storyline featuring The Bloodline provided even more entertainment. I can't wait to see how it all plays out, as I've seen plenty of conflicting theories. 

Sometimes fans of the current product frown upon the dusting off of Legends and allowing them to 'humiliate' the existing talent that's there week after week. That was the case with Raw is XXX (30, not pornographic). The Legends were used appropriately and helped give the rub to modern Superstars like Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, the Street Profits, and even LA Knight. 

Sure the latter was choke slammed by the Undertaker, but I still believe that being in the ring with someone the caliber of the Deadman (or Biker in last night's case) goes a long way. These moments provided feel-good moments for fans (I especially enjoyed it after a not-so-great day). 

Even though The Rock, 'Stone Cold,' nor Vince McMahon were there, as many had speculated, I believe Raw is XXX was a great show that flowed well. I'm even more stoked now for Saturday's Royal Rumble and the unpredictability that event will bring. 

What are your thoughts? Let me know!

Being Good is Bad: 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Sometimes being good is bad for a wrestler's character. It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Such is the case with 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff.

The build-up to the first WrestleMania in 1985 involved the trio of Orndorff, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, and 'Cowboy' Bob Orton. These three were perhaps the most hated men in the WWF. They picked on pop star Cyndi Lauper, Dick Clark, Capt. Lou Albano and many other good guys and celebrities were involved in the infamous Rock 'n Wrestling Connection.

When it finally came to a head at the War to Settle the Score, and Mr. T stepped up to help Hulk Hogan, the main event was set for the upcoming WrestleMania show. Piper and Orndorff would team up to battle the Hulkster and Mr. T. 

We all know that Orton hit Orndorff with his cast during the match, and Hogan scored the victory for his team. I was 12 years old then, and the idea of a babyface, Mr. Wonderful, was, in fact, wonderful news to me. I loved that he and Hogan were teaming up and taking on the likes of Piper, Orton, Adrian Adonis, and the other villains that terrorized the WWF good guys. 

But in the summer of 1986, Orndorff had had enough of being a good guy and, in dramatic fashion, attacked Hogan during a tag team match with King Kong Bundy and 'Big' John Studd, members of the Heenan Family. This led to a reconciliation with Bobby Heenan, and Orndorff embarked on a fantastic feud for the rest of 86 and into 1987 against Hogan. At that point, he came closer than any other Superstar to winning the WWF Championship during that classic cage match on Saturday Night's Main Event.

By this point, I was siding with Orndorff in his battles with Hogan. Perhaps I had grown tired of Hulkamania too, but it wouldn't be long before I'd embrace it again. 

My point to all of this is that I did love the good guy 'Mr. Wonderful', but I don't think it fits with his persona. So turning bad again the following year made him even better. In hindsight, I liked Orndorff more during his second heel run. Eventually, the most hated guy in the company, Piper, turned good. This all worked on many levels and was a win-win for the fans. 

For some reason, in 1987, they did the face turn again. By this point, Orndorff was nearing the end of his tenure with the WWF and would be gone by the end of that year. He popped back up in WCW years later, where he remained a bad guy throughout his in-ring tenure. 

Being that cocky and calling himself 'Mr. Wonderful' is what being a fantastic bad guy is all about. He was next level during that 1986 run. I miss that era and Paul Orndorff. 

Mt. Rushmore: SummerSlam Main Events

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin  

SummerSlam makes its return this Saturday, so I thought, what better topic for this week's Mt. Rushmore than my favorite SummerSlam main events. Please note I said my favorite vs. the best because I think those are two very different things. My list, as you will soon see, is built mostly on nostalgia. 

Courtesy: WWE

John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (2013): This match, I realize, is probably a happy accident in terms of how it all played out. Daniel Bryan, my favorite wrestler of that era, was finally getting some main event love. Sure, he'd been the World Champion earlier, but I felt like he was truly over now, and the powers that be seemed to be on board.

He challenged John Cena to a great match for the WWE Championship and ends up winning. I was pumped until Randy Orton comes out to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase. Triple H, who was the special guest referee, double-crossed Bryan, and Orton won. Of course, the underdog prevailed in the end, winning the undisputed championship six months later at WrestleMania XXX (a match I was there to see). 

Courtesy: WWE

British Bulldog vs. Bret Hart (1992): My all-time favorite tag team is the British Bulldogs. In the 80s, that duo feuded with the Hart Foundation. The matches were incredible. Fast forward a few years, and now Davey Boy Smith and his brother-in-law Bret Hart are feuding for the Intercontentinal Championship. Both men were good guys, but that didn't stop them from bringing out all the stops.

Hart and Smith closed the show at Wembley Stadium. It was the first and only time in SummerSlam history that the event was held overseas and that the IC Title match was in the main event. Bulldog got the victory in this hard-fought match. Unfortunately, his reign and his time in WWE were cut short, but that doesn't take away from this incredible matchup. 

Courtesy: WWE

The Mega Powers vs. The Mega Bucks (1988): I can't leave off the first SummerSlam main event. This was reffed by Jesse 'the Body' Ventura and featured the new WWF champ Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan teaming up against Andre the Giant and 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase. It was a solid main event for the inaugural event. 

The match ends with Elizabeth showing off her legs and distracting the Mega Bucks. It was great storytelling as the seeds were being planted for the eventual breakup of the Mega Powers, which would culminate at WrestleMania V.

Courtesy: WWE

Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, and Gen. Adnan (1991): What an awesomely bad main event this was. It's the era I grew up in. I have to pick it. I loved this time and everything that was going on in the WWF at the time. Newcomer Sid Justice had just arrived and was the referee for the match. Ric Flair was being talked about coming in at the time. I was so stoked.

But yes, the match quality here was low, but it was fun. As a fan, I had no clue about the tension with the Warrior at the time. Little did we know that would be the last time we'd see him for six months until WrestleMania VIII. As I write this, I'm noticing many connections between SummerSlam and WrestleMania... go figure.

So what are your favorites? I think John Cena and Roman Reigns will close the show this year and do an excellent job. 

Mt. Rushmore: Hulk Hogan's 80s Feuds

 

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin  

It's been a long time coming, but I'm doing something to get this decade-old blog up and running again. While it's not an original idea by any means, I am going to start writing weekly with a Mt. Rushmore theme. I mean, wrestling fans these days seem to create some sort of Mt. Rushmore of Wrestling ____ all the time, so why not me? And for the record, I actually took a picture of Mt. Rushmore I'm using while on vacation earlier this summer in South Dakota. 

First up, the Mt. Rushmore of Hulk Hogan's 80s Feuds. With the recent passing of 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff, I got to thinking about his significance in pro wrestling and quickly deduced that he is on the shortlist of Hulk Hogan's greatest foes (not just the 80s, but of all-time).

Courtesy: WWE

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan were the best of friends during the first few years of Hulkamania. Andre was in the locker room celebrating Hogan's victory over the Iron Shiek at Madison Square Garden. They teamed up to face members of the Heenan Family. That's why it was all the more shocking when in January 1987, Andre declared war on the Hulkster and hired Bobby Heenan as his manager.

The two had a huge main event at WrestleMania III and went on to battle against each other for the next 18 months, meeting in tag matches, singles matches, and the big blue steel cage. More than 33 million people watched their epic match on NBC's 'The Main Event' in February 1988. I still remember crying when the crooked referee counted Hogan's shoulders to the mat. Yes, I was 14 at the time... 

Courtesy: WWE

'Rowdy' Roddy Piper was the man I loved to hate in the early days of Hulkamania. He set the standard for a wrestling heel back in those days. He was a master on the mic and someone hard to beat in the ring. Hot Rod was front and center in the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection which, of course, led to the first-ever WrestleMania. While we never got a one-on-one encounter between Hogan and Piper at WrestleMania, their work before the event to set the tone for 80s wrestling is unforgettable. 

Courtesy: WWE

'Macho Man' Randy Savage came into the WWF in 1985 and quickly set his sites on Hogan's championship. The two had some great matches even before Savage won the Intercontinental Championship. Those matches continued to impress after Savage's win over Tito Santana. Then, of course, we had the epic build of the Mega Powers. This is without a doubt one of the best stories ever told in wrestling. It wove in nicely with the previously mentioned Andre the Giant match on NBC.

The explosion of the Mega Powers added a new element to WWF programming. It all came to a head at WrestleMania V, with Hogan once again winning the gold. Savage tried the rest of the year to regain his belt but always came up short. The Hogan-Savage story worked on so many levels and one that the creative team could depend upon. 

Courtesy: WWE

'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff, as I mentioned, is the inspiration for this blog. He, too, had some matches with Hogan before the first WrestleMania. His association with PIper made him another one of those guys I loved to hate. But then, after the mishap at Mania, Orndorff became a good guy and teamed off and on with the Hulkster. Then in the summer of 1986, Orndorff snapped and turned on Hogan, rejoining former manager Bobby Heenan. 

This feud was the most serious threat to ending Hulk's first title reign. I thought WWF might make the switch a couple of times, most notably on the January 1987 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event. Inside the Big Blue Cage, the match saw both Hogan and Orndorff escape at the exact same moment.

So there you have it. A very concise but precise list of Hulk Hogan's best four feuds in the 80s. Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of the Hulkster's foes?   

Scariest of All-Time Part 23: One Man Gang

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I remember when One Man Gang arrived on World Class Championship Wrestling with his manager Gary Hart. The big man had a look that was more than intimidating. The mohawk with the skull tattoos on either side of his head showed fans just how tough this guy was. Remember, this was before we got a look at Bam Bam Bigelow's tattooed skull a few years later.

The Gang was double tough and went toe-to-toe with all the company's top good guys, including the Von Erichs and Bruiser Brody. OMG's look reminded me of a biker, complete with a chain that came into play in matches more than once. But eventually, he would travel to the UWF and win the promotion's heavyweight title. He lost the belt to his future tag team partner Big Bubba Rogers (the Big Bossman) and then headed to the WWF. 

In the WWF, One Man Gang would challenge Hulk Hogan. His size and strength made him the perfect foil for Hogan in that era. For some crazy reason, Vince McMahon decided to change the persona, and the street-tough from Chicago became a shucking and jiving guy from deepest, darkest Africa. 

I was disappointed overall with the Akeem character, though he was quite memorable. However, One Man Gang was the better gimmick as far as I'm concerned. I think even WWE would agree, having brought back the Gang for the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania 17. 

Scariest of All-Time: Kamala

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Day 11 of the Scariest of All-Time blogs and it's the Ugandan Giant, Kamala. I cannot tell you how much I loved this guy. He is one of my all-time favorite gimmicks. I remember as a kid seeing the vignettes for Kamala on World Class Championship Wrestling. I have no idea how long it took me to realize that this man was not really a beast from Africa.

I think that's the beauty of the gimmick and the talent that James Harris had. He made me and many others believe that he was some sort of monster from the jungle. Kamala was a fierce competitor wrestling everyone from Andre the Giant (even bodyslamming him) to Hulk Hogan to the Von Erichs. He was never a world champion but he got in there and helped make each of his opponents look even stronger.

 It wasn't until much later in his life that he actually spoke and that never happened on TV. I was fortunate enough to do a podcast with him years ago when he was promoting the sale of his book, Kamala Speaks.

Sadly, Kamala died earlier this year. He will be sorely missed but his legacy will live on. RIP Mr. Harris and thanks for all the great memories. 

Scariest of All-Time: Bruiser Brody

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Continuing the countdown (again, no particular order) of the scariest wrestlers of all-time. Bruiser Brody has to be on everyone's list, right? I remember thinking how scary he was when he stomped into the ring with his furry boots, scarred forehead, and swinging a chain on Wrestling at the Chase. 

He was a no-nonsense guy inside and outside the ring. I can't tell you how much I wished he would have gone to WWF in the 80s. However, I believe his style wouldn't have meshed with the vision Vince McMahon had, although Brody would have been the perfect foil for Hulk Hogan. 

I had the good fortune of being in the audience when Brody wrestled Ric Flair in St. Louis. I believe that match ended in a draw or a double DQ. I can't remember, but the internet tells me it was a draw. I missed out on the opportunity when Brody wrestled Andre the Giant, also in St. Louis a couple years before this match. My dad and brother did see it, and I imagine it was an epic encounter.

Brody proved he could get in there with anyone from Flair to Abdullah the Butcher to the Von Erichs. Sadly we lost him too soon. Dream matches for him would be against future scariest mentions like Cactus Jack and the Undertaker. 

What's your favorite Brody moment? 

The Ultimate WrestleMania

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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With the fate of WrestleMania still in flux and so many of us at home for the weekend and potentially for the next several weeks, I thought it would be fun to talk more about past WrestleManias. So I posed the question if you built the Ultimate WrestleMania, what 12 matches would you put on the show. 

Turns out this was a bigger challenge than I anticipated as there are hundreds of matches to choose from. The other caveat, no duplicate Superstars for me. But you construct your list however you see fit. These aren't necessarily the best matches of all-time, just ones that entertained me.

Oh, my list is in no particular order, other than the first, which is my all-time favorite Mania matchup. 

💪Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage: WrestleMania VII

💪Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista: WrestleMania XXX

💪Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania XXIV

💪Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant: WrestleMania III

💪Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis: WrestleMania III

💪The British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team: WrestleMania II

💪Trish Straus vs. Mickie James: WrestleMania XXII

💪Undertaker vs. CM Punk: WrestleMania XXIX

💪Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart: WrestleMania X

💪'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. The Rock: WrestleMania XV

💪Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. Christian vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Benoit (MITB): WrestleMania XXI

💪Doink the Clown vs. Crush: WrestleMania IX (yes, I'm serious, I love how this played out.)



Because I limited myself on one Superstar only, I would have had other matches as well. So let me know your card.

VIDEO: Ask My 1-2-3 Cents: nWo in HOF

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's time for a new feature on the My 1-2-3 Cents YouTube Channel. It's called Ask My 1-2-3 Cents. I will be answering questions there as they come in.

The first one is about the nWo going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Be sure to check out the video and don't forget to subscribe. Ask your questions here or on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page. 

Take a look:

VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: Tag team figures

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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In less than a week I'm stepping back into the ring. This time I'll be teaming up with Heath Hatton against the Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champions, Jay Spade and Tony Flood. That match is happening Thursday, Aug. 29 at Rent One Park in Marion, Illinois. BE THERE!

So to gear up for the match, I'm sharing a few of my favorite tag team action figures on this week's Go Figure Friday. Take a look! 

AUDIO: The Summer of '89

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Oh, what a year! The Summer of 1989 is one of my favorites as a wrestling fan. There's a lot to talk about on this week's My 1-2-3 Cents podcast. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What was your favorite memory of that year?

Listen here.

VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: Caged!

 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Happy Go Figure Friday. Today I'm feeling blue. Not really... Just talking more about the Big Blue Steel Cage. This came out in 1986 to go along with the WWF LJN Superstars. 

What's your favorite cage match from that era? Take a look and don't forget to subscribe.

VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: WCW Thumb Wrestlers

Click to watch 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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This week on Go Figure Friday I take a closer look at WCW Toy Biz's thumb wrestlers. This line came out in 1999 and the set I have is Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Both are wearing nWo gear.

Take a look at the video and let me know what else you'd like to see in the series.

How WrestleMania Helped Me Grieve

WrestleMania's first main event
Photo by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's funny how some dates stick with you forever. March 25, 1985, is one of those dates for me. It was a Monday afternoon when a good friend and neighbor, also named Kevin, died in a horrible ATV accident at the end of our street.

Back row left is me.  My friend Kevin is on the right

We were both in sixth grade and had known each other most of our lives. We played baseball together, rode bikes and spent hot summer afternoons 'pool hopping' between all the pools in on our tight-knit street. 

I still remember waving to Kevin as he walked down our street, eating a bag of potato chips. Less than two hours later, he'd flipped the three-wheeler he was riding and did not survive the accident.

I was crushed. In my 12 years of life, I had never experienced so much pain. I cried a lot in the days following Kevin's death. Children aren't supposed to die. I had a hard time understanding why it happened and wondered if I'd ever get over this loss.  

Wendi Richter & Cyndi Lauper
Photo by WWE

As that emotional week winded down, I had two things to look forward to. I was set to attend my first wrestling show at the Kiel Auditorium that Friday night to see my favorite wrestler, Kerry Von Erich, battle Ric Flair. (Pics from that night are too blurry to post.)

Then, that Sunday, the first WrestleMania was going to be broadcast via closed-circuit television. A family friend had invited my family over to watch. 

These events provided a distraction and the first opportunity I hadn't cried that week. I just enjoyed the moments.

I focused on the wrestling action. I cheered for Kerry and booed The Nature Boy when he tossed my hero over the top rope to get disqualified. 

Then on Sunday, I celebrated as my favorites like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Wendi Richter, and the Junkyard Dog won.  I booed villains Roddy Piper, the Iron Sheik, and Nikolai Volkoff.  

After the main event was over and we headed home, the reality set in again. I couldn't help but think about Kevin and his family, just a few houses down, as they were still mourning the loss of their son and brother.  I still miss him 34 years later and often think of him, wondering what he'd be like today as a 46-year-old man.

WrestleMania main event
Photo by WWE

When I think back on the first WrestleMania and write stories about it, I always associate that week of grieving with remembering how much I appreciate being able to get lost in the moment. We never truly get over such losses, but there are moments when we're distracted and can find pleasure. I'm glad I had the support of family and friends during that time. It may sound crazy, but in addition to those loved ones, WrestleMania helped me through what I consider the most challenging childhood.  

When I first posted this blog, I tagged "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in it on Twitter. He retweeted it. Just a few months later, we had lost Hot Rod, too. In a weird way, I'm thankful I wrote that blog when I did, and I'd like to believe he read it and knew the impact he'd had on my young life.