I failed to mention it when it first happened, but I am reminded of it now. One of Stride Pro Wrestling most popular stars Chris Hargas is back. You may remember shortly after winning the Legacy Championship from Tony Flood in December 2017, Hargas suffered a back injury. He had to forfeit the title and took several months to recover.
On April 14, Hargas came back in full force to take on Brian Richards of the DR Party. Hargas picked up the win against the Party's 'enforcer'. This was one of Hargas' first matches since the injury in January, but he looked great. I talked with him briefly after his win and he says he's excited to be able to get back in the ring and perform in front of the great fans of Stride Pro Wrestling.
Hargas won the Legacy Title in December
Hargas will be a part of our next show coming up on Saturday, May 5. His match hasn't been announced yet, but I'd have to assume he has his eyes on current Legacy Champion Wraith. Hargas never lost the belt in the ring and should be considered a top contender for that title. He's worked hard in Stride Pro Wrestling (and beyond) to become one of the top talents in the indy world. I'd love to see him have another opportunity at gold here.
There's no shortage of second and third generation Superstars in WWE. Notables on the current roster include Charlotte, Bray Wyatt, The Usos and Natalya. Being the son or daughter of a legendary wrestler can be a double-edged sword. We've seen some rise to new heights, while others struggled to make a name for themselves. Here are a few legacies I'd like to see in WWE sometime soon.
Ross, Kevin and Marshall Von Erich
Rumors that Marshall and Ross Von Erich are going to be a part of NXT have been circulating for quite some time. The sons of WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Von Erich and grandsons of the late, great Fritz Von Erich (also in the HOF) are amazing in the ring. They worked briefly for TNA and do a lot of wrestling in Japan. Growing up I was a huge fan of the Von Erichs and these two young men have picked up where their father and uncles left off. They've inherited the talent from Kerry and Kevin and take it to the next level. With WrestleMania being in Dallas this year, I'm still holding out hope that they'll be a part of the NXT show Friday night.
Tessa in action (Courtesy: BK Photography)
Tessa Blanchard would be an excellent addition to the Divas Revolution. She's the daughter of Four Horsemen original and WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard and granddaughter of Joe Blanchard. Her stepdad is the great Magnum TA, so she's surrounded by wrestling greatness. Her sling shot back suplex reminds me of her father's finisher 30 years ago. Tessa is only 20 years old, but has a couple of years experience already. She will continue to develop and hone her craft and I have no doubt we'll see her on Raw one day soon, and as more than just a member of Adam Rose's entourage.
Richie Steamboat (Courtesy: WWE)
Richie Steamboat was a talented member of the FCW roster when it was WWE's developmental territory. He held the FCW title and was a tag champion with Seth Rollins. Richie is no longer wrestling because of an injury and surgery. However, in the wrestling business you never say never. His father, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (also in the hall of fame) came back after a 15 year hiatus and wowed the crowd at WrestleMania 25. He stuck around briefly and wrestled Chris Jericho a few more times. I have no idea what Richie is up to these days, but with his bloodline, hopefully he's able to get in the ring again and make his way to the main roster.
Ted DiBiase, Jr. has announced he is stepping away from the WWE. He released a YouTube video letting fans know what his plans are for the future. Right now, he wants to focus on being a dad. As a father myself, I commend him on his decision to put his family first. I want to first and foremost wish him the best of luck, and really hope to see him back in the ring again when the time is right.
DiBiase is of course one of a long list of wrestling legacies. His father was one of my favorite heels of the 1980's, proving everybody has a price. When I learned the son of the "Million Dollar Man" would be headed to the WWE several years ago, I looked forward to seeing what DiBiase Junior had to offer.
New Million $ Man Photo courtesy: WWE
His first angle came as a pompous, spoiled rich kid who "bought off" Cody Rhodes. The two won the tag team titles after Rhodes turned on his partner Hardcore Holly. It was DiBiase's first match on the main roster of the WWE, which is not a bad way to start off a career. I loved the duo of Rhodes and DiBiase as they were known as Priceless. They had a chemistry that really worked and in an era where tag team wrestling was being overlooked, they did a great job making the titles relevant. Eventually the two stars would join a more established third generation wrestler in Randy Orton and the trio became known as Legacy. The faction didn't last long and like all good groups in wrestling imploded.
DiBiase floundered as a result. He tried reviving his father's old Million Dollar Man gimmick and even carried the gold and diamond encrusted Million Dollar Belt, but the character went no where fast. I actually liked what they did with him and Maryse, but it fell flat. He got hurt and ended up being used very sparingly as a result. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I saw him wrestle. We did run in to him in the parking lot of the 2012 Royal Rumble. He was hurt then too, but checking out a DiBiase Posse tailgate party.
Rhodes, Orton, DiBiase: Legacy
Ted DiBiase seems like a great guy (I've actually interviewed him and his father on separate occasions). I felt like his in ring work was good too, but he lacked the charisma that his father possessed back in the day (and still does for that matter). I think a lot of times fans (myself included) see a legacy join the ranks and expect them to live up to their famous father's reputation. It's only happened in a handful of cases, as far as I'm concerned, that the son or grandson has become a bigger star. A few names that come to mind: Randy Orton, the Rock, Bret Hart, Kerry Von Erich, "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, and Barry Windham. It's still way too early to tell if Natalya, Cody Rhodes, Richie Steamboat, Bray Wyatt, and Ashley Flair will be more successful than their dads and grandfathers.
I think for that to happen, they must not rely on their heritage to be their only means of getting over. That also means the writers and creative team need to have good ideas for these young men and women. The fans must also consider these superstars based on who they are and not who their fathers were 20 years ago.
