The Miz steps closer to awesomeness

The Miz
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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The Miz has taken another step to being the most awesome Intercontinental Champion of all time. Or at least the champ with the most combined days with the gold. As of this writing on Feb. 11, the Miz has surpassed The Magnificant Muraco and has taken the number two spot on the list. The Miz now has 543 days as IC champ under his belt. If he continues another 77 days, he'll take the top spot from Pedro Morales. 

Me & The Miz in 2010

I've always enjoyed the Miz and I think it's great he's getting another run as IC champ. He's been pretty hot since beating Zack Ryder for the belt just after WrestleMania 32 nearly two years ago. Maryse coming back breathed new life into his career. He's proven himself time and time again that he's a main event player. It's been said before (I think on the Pro Wrestling Unscripted podcast) that if he were on SmackDown Live still, he'd be in the hunt for the WWE Championship. I could see the Miz getting another shot at the big belt once Brock Lesnar is out of the scene. 

Muraco vs. Morales
Courtesy: WWE

The crazy thing about the new milestone for the Miz is he's held the championship eight times and hit this feat. But both Muraco and Morales are each two-time championship holders. I don't know if anyone has it broken down as to how many times the belt has been defended, I know the schedule for pro wrestlers has never been an easy one though.

Congrats to the Miz, continue being awesome.

Trading Maryse for Dallas & Axel

Pep talk by the Miz
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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On Monday Night Raw two relationships seemingly came to an end and a new one developed. Enzo and Big Cass have split as a tag team (a bit prematurely in my 1-2-3 cents) and it looks like Maryse has had enough of the Miz. The "It Couple" has had some trying moments over the last few weeks, in large part due to Dean Ambrose. Reports are Maryse and the Miz are through in part because of the similarities of the gimmick with newcomers Maria and Mike Kanellis on SmackDown Live.

The "It" couple as Cena &Nikki
Courtesy: WWE

Last year when Maryse returned to WWE she gave the Miz's character new life. The couple became Must See TV. Their mocking of John Cena and Nikki Bella was the highlight of that feud leading up to their intergender tag team match WrestleMania 33. Even though the two apparently won't appear on TV together anymore, I haven't read anything about Maryse's future with WWE.

The Entourage
Courtesy: WWE

Now Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel are going to fill the role of support for the Miz. The former Social Misfits are now a part of Miz's Entourage. The duo dressed as teddy bears Monday and offered a beat down on Ambrose to pay back the previous week's attack on the Intercontinental Champion.

That face though...
Courtesy: WWE

While I will miss the magic and chemistry we saw with Miz and Maryse, it's refreshing to see Dallas and Axel getting put in a prime role on Raw. These two have floundered for years with different gimmicks and groups. It's my hope they're able to work well with the Miz and spark new interests from the WWE Universe. Both of these legacies are deserving of something more than what they've done over the past year or so, so I wish them nothing but the best. As for Maryse, I'm sure we'll see more from her in the future too.

3 Things I'm glad I was wrong about on No Mercy

Dolph wins!
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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In my predictions blog for No Mercy, I made a few mistakes. I've said it before I like being wrong on my prediction posts. Here are three things I miscalculated and am happier as a result.

1) Dolph Ziggler won the Intercontinental Championship from the Miz. As I mentioned in the original blog, I was torn on this one. Between the online rumors and my own preferences for the storyline to proceed, I figured Ziggler would lose and move into a producer role backstage, eventually making his in-ring return. However, Dolph won and I couldn't be happier. I'm hoping Miz and Maryse continue working together and the characters for each develops. They're two of the hottest heels on the SmackDown Live brand.

Welcome back Luke Harper
Courtesy: WWE

2) Bray Wyatt beat Randy Orton. I had a feeling Luke Harper would be returning at this event. But I still picked Orton just because I usually never bet against the Viper. Wyatt needed the win and the return of Harper now that Erick Rowan is out with an injury for months to come. Now if only we can get an actual Sister Abigal to appear, the family will be almost complete.

Rhyno-Slater retain
Courtesy: WWE

3) The Usos did not win the tag team titles. I like the combo of Heath Slater and Rhyno, but I never expected them to carry the belts for any extended period of time. Slater has worked hard for years and I'm glad to see that has paid off. Plus Rhyno is a deserving talent who probably never had a chance to shine during his original run in WWE.

I picked the winners in the other contests, expect for the Women's Championship match. When I wrote the post, Becky Lynch was still scheduled to defend the title. Can't wait to see what happens next with the stories as we head into Survivor Series (assuming SmackDown Live will be a part of the show).

Can Apollo cruise to the Intercontinental Championship?

Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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The short answer is no. Apollo Crews will not defeat the Miz at SummerSlam this weekend. It's nothing against Crews, but WWE hasn't built him into a viable contender for what was once the second most prestigious championship in the company.

In the go home show for SummerSlam, the only glimpse we got of Crews on SmackDown Live occurred during a commercial break that was replayed once the show was back on air. That doesn't bode well for the former NXT star. It sucks because he truly is a talented wrestler. It just doesn't feel like the right time for him to be in a program for the Intercontinental Championship.

Crews vs. Sheamus
Courtesy: WWE

This match feels like it was thrown together too. I'm not a huge fan of number one contenders being crowned via battle royal. It's a great way to get everyone on the roster in on the action and it feels like anyone can become a contender. But typically speaking I prefer a different method to figuring out who should be going for the gold. And before you say it, I realize that's the whole premise of the Royal Rumble for the last 20+ years.

Maryse & Miz
Courtesy: WWE

The other reason Crews won't win is because WWE is finally using The Miz correctly. The rebirth of his character is working and the partnership with his real life wife Maryse has been amazing. I haven't enjoyed the Miz this much since his run as WWE Champion five years ago.

Now WWE Creative has two challenges on their hands in the wake of SummerSlam. Turning Apollo Crews into a viable contender that the fans can invest in and care about and developing a solid number one contender for the IC title. No offense to Darren Young, Crews or former champion Zack Ryder; but it's time to put a solid focus on the midcard and build some legitimate contenders for the title who can one day become WWE Champion.

Randy Savage and Elizabeth
Courtesy: WWE

Remember when guys like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and The Rock held the IC title? It was a stepping stone to the bigger belt. That focus has been lost in the last several years. A champion is only as strong as his challengers. Let's make the Intercontinental Championship great again.

For more SummerSlam thoughts check out the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page for the live video I did on the event.

Three French Canadians

From: skyrock.com

No French hens on the third day of wrestling Christmas.  Instead, we've got three French Canadians.

Of course you know the fellas in the picture.  It's Rene Dupree and Sylvain Grenier, La Resistance.  These two debuted as a tag team in WWE back in 2003.  This was a time the tag team ranks were stronger then they are today, but the division was starting to slip.

This version of the team held the tag team titles one time.  It wasn't long that they added a third member, an American named Rob Conway.  Conway and Grenier went on to hold the tag titles three times.



Eventually Dupree would move to Smackdown! and try his luck as a singles star (he didn't fare too well)  Conway and Grenier would stay together for a while, but like most teams in modern day WWE, the two ended up splitting and then feuding, albeit very briefly.

Dupree and Conway were saddled with really lame singles gimmicks.  It didn't take long before all three men were "future endeavored."  Grenier and Conway still team up on the independent scene and Dupree wrestles in Japan now.  He has a much different look now and said in a recent interview he doesn't miss his days in the ring here in the States.

So that's two French Canadians.  The third is Maryse, the two time former Divas champion.

Maryse has come a long way since arriving in the WWE.  She worked in the OVW honing her skills back in 2006 before finally making it on TV in 2008.

My first thoughts of her was that she was nothing more than eye candy, someone for Jerry Lawler to oggle over.  And while she is a beauty, she can really work too.

I think she's developed a lot in the ring over the last couple of years.  Although she now seems to be stuck with this Ted DiBiase valet gimmick.  She's done some wrestling, but nearly as much as before.  I'm not sure if she's recouping from an injury and taking it slowly.

My favorite Maryse moment was back in November 2009 when she showed up on Raw dressed as the Gobbledy Gooker and attacked Melina.  The initial attack went off great, but then when it came time to shed the turkey legs, she ran into some problems.  But she covered well (as did Melina) and continued to lay the smackdown on the fallen divas champion.

Her finishing move is called the French kiss.  It's an exaggerated DDT, which is actually one of my favorite finishers anyway.  Having it done by a beauty like Maryse makes it all the more awesome.  Okay, I'm starting to sound like "the King."

Anyway, I'm hoping Maryse gets back into the Divas title hunt in the new year.  The division needs some work, and I think she definitely brings something to the table.

So let's recap:
On the 1st day of Wrestling Christmas, my true fan gave to me: A red rooster in a wrestling ring.
On the 2nd day of Wrestling Christmas, my true fan gave to me: Two turtle jobbers.
On the 3rd day of Wrestling Christmas, my true fan gave to me: Three French Canadians.