Follow my blog with Bloglovin Thirty years ago this month the AWA held its one and only pay-per-view event. SuperClash III was held on Dec. 13, 1988, and featured a unification match between AWA World Champion Jerry "The King" Lawler and WCCW World Champion Kerry Von Erich. This week for the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast Minnesota native Bob Schulte joined me to discuss the show and the highs and lows of the AWA. You can listen here.
Stride Pro Wrestling is turning to fans to help determine the next guest who comes to one of our shows. Note we already have James Ellsworth lined up for the April 14 show in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. You can vote on the choices here. Note I am merely fantasy booking here and have no influence on what's going to happen with these particular stars. The contenders include:
Ryback vs. Hatton
Courtesy: WWE
Ryback. He, of course, is a former WWE Intercontentinal Champion. Could Heath Hatton and Ace Hawkins team up and get revenge on the former Skip Sheffield. Remember that duo faced Ryback at WWE Extreme Rules in 2012.
Billy Gunn and I have gone against each other in video game form. We also told the crowd in Herrin to "Suck it!" back in April 2005. He's a former WWE tag team, Intercontinental and Hardcore champ. Maybe he and I could team up for a match...
Courtesy: WWE
Who is most likely to get hardcore with Hardcore Holly? He's been the Hardcore champ along with tag team champion in WWE. He's tougher than a two dollar steak, just like Roger Matheus.
J. Wellington Beauregard and the "Million Dollar" Man Ted DiBiase could compare bank accounts if you chose the former tag team champion. I'm sure DiBiase wouldn't mind funding the DR Party's mission to "Make Stride great again" either.
And last but not least, we'd all give Jerry "the King" Lawler the royal treatment should he be selected. He's old school like Ax Allwardt. Maybe the two could team up against members of the DR Party.
Please vote. We'll let you know soon who we are able to strike a deal with.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Since it's SummerSlam season I figured why not take a look back at an infamous moment from the year 2000. I remember it clearly now but had forgotten about it until hearing Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson talk about it on a recent Something to Wrestle With podcast. Tazz had been harassing good ol' JR, to the point that Jim Ross ended up with glass in his eye after Tazz damaged Jerry "The King" Lawler's rental car. These actions lead to a matchup at the annual summer event.
The night of SummerSlam 2000 there was a candy dish on the announce table. At one point during the Tazz-Lawler match, the referee took a bump and went down. Tazz verbally assaulted JR and warned him he'd choke out the King and then come after Ross. Tazz locked in the Tazzmission finisher and as he and Lawler dropped the mat, JR popped up. The King was out, but he and Tazz were close enough to the ropes that JR was able to crack the former ECW Champion over the head. The dish shattered and glass and candy littered the ring. Lawler pinned his unconscious opponent. Despite it being "sugar" glass used in the incident I imagine it still hurt like hell. It was one of the more unique foreign objects I recall being used in a match.
It's a sad day for comic book and superhero fans. Adam West, who played Batman on the 60s TV series, has died at the age of 88. I knew Jerry Lawler was a big fan of the character, as he owns the Batmobile from the show and still displays it when he's out. A few years ago I got to see it up close at the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois.
But now back to West. In the 1970s, when Lawler was a bad guy in Memphis he had a confrontation with West. West was being interviewed for the weekly wrestling show dressed as Batman. Then Lawler came out dressed as Super King and put down the iconic actor. I don't think this ever lead to anything other than the verbal sparring on TV, but it was a way to get a mainstream actor on Memphis wrestling.
West went on to do plenty of TV and film appearances, including the voice of the mayor on The Family Guy. He's also voicing Batman and Bruce Wayne in a soon to be released Batman vs. Two-Face. I always enjoyed West's work and his willingness to embrace the Batman character through the decades that followed. May he rest in peace.
Sometimes emotions get the best of us while enjoying something that brings so much joy. Here are a few times I broke down while watching wrestling. I'm mostly secure enough to share these tales with you.
February 5, 1988: I was a freshman in high school and watching the Main Event. Hulk Hogan had beaten all the challengers who'd come his way over the course of his four years as champion. It seemed like the prime time WrestleMania III rematch against Andre the Giant would have a similar ending and Hogan would have a new challenger to face at the upcoming WrestleMania IV event. That's how my 14 year old brain operated.
Andre wins Courtesy: WWE
I was stunned when the referee made a bogus three count on Hogan and awarded Andre the belt. The Giant quickly handed the gold over to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. My disbelief turned to anger and sadness. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I was sobbing. I was so loud my younger brother came downstairs thinking I'd endured some legitimate form of trauma. When I bellowed "Hulk Hogan LOST!!!" in between tears, he laughed at me and told me it wasn't the end of the world. I still can't believe I had such a strong reaction to the first of many attempts to end Hulkamania...
Stone Cold's toast to Owen Hart
May 24, 1999: We were just 24 hours removed from the tragic death of WWF Superstar Owen Hart when the company went on the air again for a tribute show on Monday Night Raw. The men and women who worked with The King of Harts told stories and cried in between matches that night. I held it together through most of the show, only tearing up from time to time. But when as Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross wrapped up the show with their memories, I began to cry. Then "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's music hit. He walked to the ring, held up a beer and toasted the TitanTron that had Owen's image displayed. He set a can in the ring and then left. I lost it and cried like a baby for a long time after the show went off the air. It was one of the saddest memories for me as a wrestling fan.
Daniel Bryan and Connor "the Crusher" Courtesy: WWE
Summer 2014: I don't remember the exact date, but it was when WWE released the video package about eight year old Connor Michalek. Connor the Crusher was battling cancer of the spine and brain and his prognosis was not good. I'm actually tearing up right now thinking about it. There was something about that little boy that captured my attention. Maybe it's because Connor and my daughter were just a few months apart in age. None-the-less seeing him get to interact with the men and women he idolized and knowing these were likely his final wishes broke my heart. I'm glad WWE has shared his story and helped build a foundation to honor this little guy's legacy forever. Learn more about Connor's Cure here.
Honorable mention: I know I said three, but I couldn't end this post on a sad note.
Randy Savage and Elizabeth reunite Courtesy: WWE
March 24, 1991: Even though they were married in real life, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Elizabeth reconciled in the middle of the ring after Savage lost a retirement match to the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. I didn't really cry when the two embraced, but I did tear up. And for that I should probably have my man card revoked forever more...
I think it's safe to say I would not be doing the SummerSlam A to Z blogs if it weren't for the letter V: Vince McMahon. He revolutionized wrestling/sports entertainment as we know it today, first starting with the Wrestlemania pay-per-view. Then came Survivor Series and third of the "Big Four" ppvs, SummerSlam. It's the highlight of the summer and has been going strong since 1988.
JR, Vince & The King Courtesy: WWE
Vince was behind the scenes for the first couple of years. In 1990, he was on commentary, sat out a year and was back behind the mic for several years to follow. He worked the booth with everyone from "Rowdy" Roddy Piper to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan to Jerry "The King" Lawler. Vince did that until 1997, months before adopting the evil Mr. McMahon character on screen.
Vince's head meets the trash can Courtesy: WWE
Vince wrestled sporadically through the Monday Night Wars and beyond. His only match at SummerSlam came when he and son Shane tagged up against Triple H and Shawn Michaels, collectively known as Degeneration X. Considering Vince was just days away from his 61st birthday and had only had a handful of matches under his belt I thought he did pretty well in this contest. There was plenty of outside interference, but I am amazed at the bumps Vince (and Shane) took throughout the course of the match (including that trashcan shot to the head).
It appears his wrestling days are behind him, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up again at the summer tradition somewhere down the road. As they say, you never know what's going to happen in the World Wrestling Feder... oops, my bad. In the WWE.
By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents Listen to the podcast here Follow my blog with Bloglovin The wrestling world lost a true legend earlier this week, when former AWA world heavyweight champion Verne Gagne died. He was 89 years old. By the time I started watching wrestling Verne had retired from the ring (as the champ). He was the promoter and had an on-screen role during that time, even wrestled a few times too. The thing I liked about the AWA was it was a decent alternative to the WWF and NWA. When I really started watching, Vince McMahon had already signed guys like Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and Andre the Giant. But Verne had a talented roster and he worked hard to provide fans with wholesome, Mid-western wrestling action.
Verne vs. Nick Bockwinkel
Many men were given a chance in the AWA that would have likely been overlooked in the other "big two" companies. Guys like Nick Bockwinkel and Rick Martel made fine champions I always thought. Stan Hansen had a run at the top too as did Jerry "The King" Lawler and Curt Hennig. One of my favorite memories of the elder Gagne was his foray into the pay per view world and an event called WrestleRock. This video was used to promote it, and although cheesy it was memorable and I rooted for the AWA hoping they'd continue the tradition. (They did not though).
I remember his feud with Sheik Adnan al Kaissie and his army. Bruiser Brody was brought in to help the heels in their attempt to dominate Verne's allies, including son Greg. Even though he was well past his prime, Verne would step through the ropes and dish out whippings when he deemed it appropriate.
Verne fought the good fight for as long as he could before going bankrupt. The company folded and this meant no more afternoons of AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN. I'd love watching it after school. Relative unknowns like Diamond Dallas Page, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty and a guy named Leon White all went on to much bigger and better things, thanks to the vision of Verne Gagne.
Hall of Fame induction
In 2006 we had the honor of watching Verne become a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. It was an interesting idea at the time, as I think he became the first non-WWE employee/Superstar to get inducted. I was on pins and needles as he delivered his speech, wondering if he'd take any shots at the McMahons. He did not. Verne was a pro and kept it that way. Much respect to him and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans. Rest in peace.
The WWE is celebrating the life and career of the Ultimate Warrior with Warrior Week on the Network. I thought I'd take a minute to share a few of my favorite returns by the Warrior. I had always been a fan of his work and when he chased Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, and Gen. Adnan from the ring at SummerSlam 1991, I had no idea he wouldn't stop running. This was long before the Internet, so fans had no idea what really happened to the Ultimate Warrior. He simply disappeared from TV.
The Ultimate Return
Fast forward nearly eight months to the main event of Wrestlemania VIII. Hulk Hogan was battling Sid Justice. Papa Shango got involved, causing Justice to get disqualified. As the Hulkster was being attacked, that familiar beat boomed throughout the Hoosier Dome. Then the muscle man with the war paint and tassels came charging to the ring. When he hit the squared circle, he and Hogan cleaned house. The Ultimate Warrior was back home!
Savage vs. Warrior SummerSlam 92 Photo courtesy: WWE
It seemed appropriate to bring Warrior back as Hogan was fading off into the Hollywood sunset again. Randy Savage had turned babyface and was the new champion, but there weren't too many other top good guys on the roster. Warrior and Savage played nice together, despite Warrior beating the Macho Man a year earlier and sending him into retirement. The two ended up facing each other at SummerSlam 92, in a face vs. face championship match. Warrior won by count out and he and Savage formed a team called The Ultimate Maniacs. I don't know the reasons why, but Warrior would exit once again, just ahead of the Survivor Series pay per view.
Warrior vs. HHH Photo courtesy: WWE
Warrior remained out of the spotlight for years, before making another comeback in 1996. He stormed the ring again at a Wrestlemania, but this time as the announced opponent of Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He made quick work of the blue blood, pinning him after a couple of minutes of action. Warrior again didn't stay long though, spending just a few months in the company. He wrestled guys like Goldust, Vader (a match I saw live in St. Louis), and Jerry "The King" Lawler (who was his last opponent in a WWE ring).
Man in the mirror Photo courtesy: WWE
Another comeback came in 1998 when Warrior signed with WCW to feud with Hogan. I wasn't as excited about this return, as I thought the 1990 encounter between the two should have been left alone, but I understand why they redid the match. None-the-less, I enjoyed seeing Warrior back on TV.
Warrior & his daughters Photo courtesy: WWE
Warrior's final comeback came when the legend signed a deal to appear in video game WWE Y2K14. Months later, it was announced he'd be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. Luckily I was in attendance for the ceremony and his appearances at Wrestlemania 30 and Raw the day before he died. Rest in peace Warrior, thanks for being an inspiration to so many. Always believe.
There's not a whole lot of wrestling history this week. At least not stuff to blog about. There are several death anniversaries, but I'd rather this post be a bit lighter. So what I came up with was Paul Heyman replacing Jerry "the King" Lawler as color commentator on Monday Night Raw.
The story was that the WWE had fired Lawler's wife at the time, the Kat. Out of protest, Lawler left too. At that point, he'd been with the E for almost a decade and his departure was a bit of a shock to me. This of course was in the dying days of WCW and the start of the invasion angle which Heyman played a big role in.
Paul Heyman & JR (note the XFL hat)
I must admit, as much as I liked Lawler up until that point, Heyman brought something new to the table. He didn't rant and rave about "puppies" and played the role of the heel announcer perfectly. I can't say enough good things about Heyman as a manager or as an announcer. He's one of the best ever. Period.
Lawler eventually returned later that year and his marriage to the Kat dissolved. It seemed like a huge gamble to me for a legend like that to walk out of the soon to be only wrestling company in the United States. Of course Lawler has always had Memphis as a backup, but I would assume being a part of a global force is much more appealing. In my opinion, I believe the King is a lucky man that Vince McMahon hired him back after he left. We've seen in the past that sometimes the boss holds a grudge.
None-the-less, all's well that ends well. Lawler has not left the table since (except his brief and understandable absence after his heart attack) and now Heyman is back in the fold. I hope Paul sticks around, because as I mentioned, I'm a huge fan of his work.
If
you follow @my123cents on Twitter you may have noticed I usually do live
tweeting during the first hour of RAW. Since RAW comes on during my last hour
of work, if I’m not busy I’ll watch the show and throw out my thoughts as the
show happens. Most of the time my tweets are full of snark and sarcasm. As I’ve
stated many times over the past month or two here on the blog and on From the
Rafter’s Radio, I find the current WWE product repetitive, uninspiring and
downright lazy.I am hard pressed
to think of one current WWE feud or storyline I’m interested in seeing each
week.
During
the November 12, RAW I was expressing my displeasure with the show as normal. I
mean the show opened with a singles match that Teddy Long turned into a
tag-team match after interference. Such a scenario has become a parody of WWE
booking.I continued to watch
until Jerry Lawler made his return to the broadcast table two months after
suffering an on-air heart attack.After Jerry thanked the fans, CM Punk and Paul Heyman came to the ring.
Punk ran down Jerry and made fun of the heart attack while threatening to beat
Jerry to death. That was my breaking point for the show.
Don’t
get me wrong. I’m not complaining because I found the segment to be in bad
taste. I am probably one of the most politically incorrect people who will
meet. I think society is on a downward spiral because everybody is getting too
sensitive and easily offended over the slightest thing. Case in point, the two
instances where Native Americans complained in the past week because of the new
No Doubt video and one of the Victoria Secret’s models wearing an Indian
headdress on the catwalk. I’m not going to criticize WWE for showing footage of
the paramedics working to revive Jerry Lawler backstage after the heart attack,
or for Punk and Heyman mocking the heart attack. Instead, I’m calling WWE out
for being lazy.
Heymen's "heart attack"
WWE Raw
Photo from WWE.com
Playing
off the heart attack was the cheapest and easiest writing WWE could have done on
the show. I’m not saying they shouldn’t have mentioned it but I am saying the
length they went to with the segment did very little to increase interest in
the show or the Survivor Series pay per view on Sunday. What does CM Punk
verbally assaulting Jerry Lawler have to do with Punk’s match against John Cena
and Ryback on Sunday? Sure, Punk mentioned how long he’s been champion and how
he’s now the ninth longest reigning champion in WWE history, but is that enough
to make fans want to see the match at Survivor Series? Later in the show, John
Cena defeated Punk (with an assist from Ryback). Did that make people call
their local cable company or satellite provider and order the show?
Add
in other parts of RAW like the AJ/John Cena affair storyline that makes very
little sense and has little, if any, chance of a positive outcome. Once again,
Layla and Kaitlyn vied to become the number one contender to the Diva’s
Championship while the other four divas on the roster were nowhere to be found.
Wait, WWE only has 7 wrestling Divas? They only have 7 divas and can only focus
on 2-3 at a time? This is sadder than I thought.Four tag teams did get some airtime, yet none are, as of
this writing, booked on the PPV. I know not every show is going to be a home
run but if this was the best show WWE could do before a pay per view, there is
a lot of work that needs to be done.
The
angle mocking Jerry Lawler’s heart attack may have been in poor taste, but it
was hardly the worst part of the show. There are several areas in the WWE
Universe that need fixing. However, I’m guessing since 50,000 tickets for
Wrestlemania were sold in the first day of sales, Vince McMahon and company
will keep their heads buried in the sand and ignore the falling sky.
Follow
my123cents on Twitter for your daily dose of snark and join the discussions on
the My 123 Cents Facebook page. If you use Tout, um, why? Here are Kevin's thoughts:
It's Tuesday afternoon and I am finally getting a chance to watch the September 10th edition of Monday Night Raw. The latest update from WWE is that Jerry "the King" Lawler remains in stable condition after suffering a heart attack during the live broadcast.
Michael Cole remained calm, cool, and collected throughout the ordeal. My hat is off to him for his strength during the situation. Of course on camera Cole and the King are rivals at the broadcast table and in the ring, but in real life the two are friends. They're a team and have a partnership that has now endured the unthinkable.
I've been a huge critic of Cole's but the way he conducted himself Monday night should be commended. He fought back the emotions to help the viewers at home feel more at ease. No one knew for sure what was happening, as I'm sure Cole was in the same boat, only getting information over his headset.
You never know what's going to happen on live television, especially in the world of wrestling. Thank you Michael Cole for showing strength and courage. Thank you to the other WWE superstars, referees, announcers, and other staff for continuing on with the show. When a friend and colleague goes down in front of your eyes, it's not easy to carry on in front of thousands of fans in attendance and millions more watching at home. And finally, get well soon King. We want to see you back on Raw when you're back on your feet again.
Because of my work schedule, I go to bed around 8:30 pm CST and missed what happened on Raw Monday night. Here is the very latest (as of 2:30 am CST) from the Associated Press wire.
MONTREAL (AP) - Professional wrestling commentator Jerry Lawler collapsed during a World Wrestling Entertainment event on Monday night. A statement from the WWE said that Lawler suffered a heart attack at the announcers' table and was taken from the Bell Centre to a hospital.
Broadcast partner Michael Cole addressed the television audience and said that the situation is "serious," but that Lawler was breathing on his own. "Jerry "The King" Lawler suffered a heart attack while commentating during last night's broadcast of Monday Night Raw in Montreal," the WWE said in its statement. "We are hopeful Jerry makes a full recovery and returns to WWE in the near future. Our thoughts are with Jerry and his family."
Though the 62-year-old Lawler occasionally wrestles, he mainly works on WWE broadcasts as a commentator.
Lawler of course wrestled earlier in the night. We here at My 1-2-3 Cents, From the Rafters Radio, and All American Pro Wrestling pray for a speedy recovery for the King. He was a guest on our radio show a few weeks ago. Also, props to Michael Cole for keeping a cool head during all this. I can't imagine what he had to be going through as well. Pray for Lawler!
As wrestling fans, most of us tend to get emotionally invested in the men and women involved in the business. We all have our favorites. We all have those stars we love to hate. In May 1999 one of wrestling's greatest tragedies occurred. Owen Hart fell to his death during a WWF pay per view in Kansas City, Missouri.
The next night Raw was live from St. Louis (my hometown). I have this show on VHS still, but I've only watched it when it aired live that night. I have not been able to bring myself to watch it again. Raw started off with all the superstars (minus the Undertaker) on the ramp and a photo of Owen on the Titan Tron. There was a 10 bell salute and the tears started flowing from the wrestlers, the fans, and myself.
The night was filled with touching tributes from the men and women who worked with Owen through the years. Matches were scattered in between the memorials that didn't follow story lines. The company was simply paying tribute to one of their own and doing so the best way they knew how.
Stone Cold's salute
Toward the end of the show, I remember the King and JR giving a brief memorial to Owen. Like most of the others it was a heartwarming memory and of course very emotional. Then Stone Cold Steve Austin came out, held up a beer and toasted the Titan Tron which again featured Owen's picture. Without saying a word, Austin's actions spoke volumes that night as the show faded to black and fresh tears rolled down my face. It was a fitting tribute to one of the most respectable men to ever step inside the squared circle.
Honorable mention:
Foley wins the gold
Honorable mention: Mrs. Foley's baby boy made a giant leap for Mankind in the WWF. It was January 1999 and Foley was embroiled in a feud with the Rock. This match is also one that WCW probably wishes they'd never mentioned.
The title bout (and all of Raw for that matter) were pre-recorded. Internet spoilers were out stating that Foley would win the gold. But not all fans were online back in 99. So the geniuses at WCW decided that commentator Tony Schiavone should announce to their viewers that Foley was going to win the title. He added the snide remark about that "putting butts in seats". Well it helped viewers make up their mind. More than 600,000 of them flipped the channel from TNT and Nitro to the USA Network to watch Raw and Foley's epic win.
So there are a couple of reasons this is a memorable moment in the history of the show. I guess since I didn't get a Friday Fail written yesterday's, Schiavone's bone head move can fill that void too.
The world of wrestling has produced some of the most creative and quite honestly awesome costumes in the business. It's also generated some of the most ridiculous and hideous wardrobes too. But today, I'm going to focus on some of my favorite. There are a ton out there that I've liked through the years, but these are just a few of the ones that stick out to me. They all popped into my head while driving home from work.
Ohhh yeah!
"Macho Man" Randy Savage falls into my favorites twice. First, I liked his simple pink, orange, or green tights with the three stars on them. The purple Macho Man shirt, headband, and sunglasses topped with a long, flowing sequin robe completed the look. And of course when he had Elizabeth by his side, she was always dressed elegantly and always looked like a lady. The night of Wrestlemania IV really stands out as she had a different dress for each of Randy's four matches in the WWF title tournament. I don't recall now if Macho Man wore a different pair of tights and robe for each contest or not. Even when Savage won the "king" title from "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and adopted the cowboy hat, fringed jacket, and wildly colored tights, he pulled it off. It's not exactly a wardrobe you'd associate with a man calling himself Macho, but Randy Savage made it work. It was one of wrestling's most flamboyant yet cool costumes ever.
Punk's tribute
I like the fact that CM Punk from time to time dons the pink tights with white stars and yellow kneepads and boots to pay homage to the Macho Man. It's hard not to mark out too when he climbs the top rope and drops the elbow. Granted it doesn't quite have the same impact that Savage's did, but it's still a great sign of respect to the late, great Macho Man.
Wooo!
It seemed Ric Flair had a different robe every time he came to the ring. Even when I was a kid and booing "Nature Boy" when he did battle with my favorites like Kerry Von Erich, Bruiser Brody, and Magnum TA, it was hard not to notice how cool Slick Ric looked. When he wasn't in the long robe and tights, he was in a three piece suit, sunglasses, and Rolex watch, looking like a million bucks. Flair lived the character from head to toe, and all I can say about that is wooooo!
Rey flies high
Rey Mysterio has made it a tradition to come out in different, specially made costumes at Wrestlemania and other special events. He's been an Aztec Warrior, a character from Avatar, and the Flash. But I think my favorite creation in the high flyer's wardrobe came at Wrestlemania 27 when he was dressed like Captain America. I'm not a comic book or superhero fan by any means, but I really liked the way the costume looked. It personified that PG image the WWE had been striving for and made the always likable Rey Mysterio seem even more super human than before. Despite the fact that the costume didn't give him any super powers (he lost to Cody Rhodes) it was still a memorable look for him.
Who let the dogs out?
Bobby Heenan makes the list for his costume at Wrestlemania IV. When forced to join his tag team, the Islanders in a six match tag match against the British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware, Heenan outdid himself. Instead of resorting to traditional wrestling gear, the Brain came out to wrestle in the attack dog handler's uniform. He was padded and protected not only from the opposing team, but also their mascot, the always eager to bite bulldog Matilda. The suit worked to protect Heenan and he even scored the winning fall, covering a helpless Koko B. Ware for the three count.
Puppy power
Sable makes the list for of the most memorable costumes as well. I think it's probably obvious why. I'm a red blooded American male (no correlation to Marcus Bagwell or Scotty Riggs) and of course this one ranks high on the list. The handprint bikini made its appearance at the 1998 In Your House: Fully Loaded pay per view. This of course was a time when the Attitude Era was in full effect. The WWF was doing whatever it took to win the ratings war, and adding some T&A (a lot actually) to the product helped them win that battle. Sable and Jacqueline were feuding at the time and had a bikini contest prior to their actual match. Sable won by popular vote when she dropped her robe to reveal two strategically painted handprints. Of course the dirty old King Jerry Lawler nearly lost it right there in the ring. But because it wasn't technically a suit made of material, Sable was disqualified. How is that possible?
So these are just a few of my favorite costumes from the world of wrestling. I'm sure in the coming weeks I'll write something about the fashion faux pas' of the past. Be sure to like us on Facebook and let us know who makes the best and worst dressed lists in your opinion.
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