Raw Memories: #1 Nature Boy's Sendoff

Raw Moment #1:
Ric Flair's Sendoff
Photo from: My 1-2-3 Cents

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

When thinking back on the previous 999 episodes of Raw, I debated on which moment would top my personal list of favorites.  I chose Ric Flair's sendoff after Wrestlemania 24 for a couple of reasons.  Probably the most important one is that I was there in the live crowd for it.

Chad and I had attended Wrestlemania 24 and witnessed Flair's last match ever (or so we thought).  It was an emotional night to say the least.  We all knew in hearts that Flair was going to lose with all the hoopla around his Hall of Fame induction the night before, but it still stung when the referee counted three.  The 16 time champ had tears in his eyes before HBK even connected with his Sweet Chin Music, so you can imagine what it was like when the match was over.

4 Horsemen reunite!

Typically when we go to Wrestlemania, we leave the next morning.  But for 24, we bought the Wrestlemania Package, which included tickets to Universal Studios.  We decided to hit the park on Monday and spend an extra day in Orlando.  When we got back to the hotel late that afternoon, Chad read online that the Four Horsemen were going to be at Raw for Flair's official sendoff.  Without hesitation, we decided to head downtown and see if we could get tickets.  Much to our surprise, not only were tickets available, but they were good seats and really not at all expensive.

The end of the show saw legends like Ricky Steamboat, Greg Valentine, Harley Race, and of course the Horsemen (JJ Dillion, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, and Tully Blanchard) come out and say their goodbyes.  I think it was significant that the Horsemen were there because I believe that was the first time the five of them had been together in nearly 20 years (in public).

Undertaker pays tribute

Stars on the roster like John Cena, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H also came out for the celebration.  When Raw ended, the festivities continued.  Vince McMahon and the Undertaker also did salutes to the Nature Boy.  I'd say it would be hard to find a dry eye in the arena after all of the celebrating.  It was such an emotional evening.

Of course some of that emotion has been tarnished with Flair's decision to return to the ring.  Never in the history of the business has anyone received such a lavish sendoff.  I don't think it will ever happen again either.  But I still feel fortunate enough to have been a part of that night.  Woooo!

Honorable Mention:
Raw Episode 1
Photo courtesy: WWE

Honorable mention:  How can I list my favorite Raw memories, without mentioning the first ever episode.  It was something new in terms of what we were used to seeing in the world of professional wrestling.  Primetime Wrestling, Superstars, and Tuesday Night Titans were all taped shows with the hosts sitting inside a studio and talking about the matches.  With Raw, it had a pay per view feel in terms of the "live" element.  I know those early shows were recorded, but if you didn't know it was hard to tell.

Vince McMahon, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and radio host/actor Rob Bartlett made up the announce team.  It was an interesting dynamic to say the least.  Bobby Heenan trying to get into the show was also a very entertaining aspect of things.

Damien Demento vs. the Undertaker
From WWE

Originally Raw was only an hour long.  I don't think it was until the Monday Night Wars picked up that Raw added that second hour.  Raw also started off with a lot of top talent versus enhancement guys.  I mean, the main event of that first show was the Undertaker vs. Damien Demento.  Shawn Michaels also beat Max Moon that night, and the Steiners Brothers were in action against tag team jobbers.

Raw has certainly come a long way over the last 999 episodes and nearly 20 years.  I'm already making plans to attend the 2,000th since I can't be in St. Louis tonight.  For those who are there or on the way, enjoy the show.  We'll be watching on USA tonight for My 1-2-3 Cents and From the Rafters Radio signs.

Raw Memories: #3 RIP Owen Hart

Raw Moment #3
Owen Hart Memorial Show

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

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.

Raw Memories: #4 Vince Buys WCW

Raw Moment #4:
The Monday Night Wars End

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

No doubt that March 21, 2001 changed the course of history forever.  It's the night that WCW, a wrestling company rich in history, was bought by its competitor, Vincent Kennedy McMahon.  I had been in Dallas for the week and was away from the computer and had no idea this was going down.  We arrived back home Monday afternoon and I logged in to the usual wrestling sites I frequented.  They were all reporting that Vince had bought WCW.  I couldn't believe it.  I knew the company was likely going to be sold, but the last I'd heard Eric Bischoff and some investors were interested.

I must admit I marked out a bit when Monday Nitro opened and fans were greeted by McMahon who made the announcement that he'd bought the company.  It was one of the most surreal moments in wrestling history.  What would this mean for the future of the business?  Were the WCW guys and gals going to all go to the WWF?  No one knew for sure.

As both shows chugged along and WCW put on matches like Scott Steiner vs. Booker T for the heavyweight title and Ric Flair vs. Sting the anticipation grew.  It all came to ahead when Shane McMahon showed up in Panama City Beach where Nitro was broadcasting from.  He and Vince sparred via satellite and Shane laid it out that WCW had been sold to a McMahon, but Not Vince.  Shane had somehow bought the company out from under Vince's nose.

This immediately took the focus off the pending WCW vs. WWF war in my opinion and became more about the McMahon family feud.  Things escalated when ECW returned only under the ownership of Stephanie McMahon.  So while the initial announcement and Vince appearing on Nitro was an awesome memory, the rest of the booking for the invasion angle feel flat.  It had some moments as you can go back and read in some of the other Raw Memories blogs.

Honorable mention:
The kid is good!
Photo courtesy: WWE

Honorable Mention:  I'm not sure how I let this one slip under my radar, but I did.  I had forgotten about the Lightning Kid's match on Raw that made him a house hold name until Chad brought it up on a recent From the Rafters Radio show.  Lightning Kid (aka Sean Waltman) had been a star in Global Wrestling Federation and was now wrestling in the WWF.  Kid looked just like a kid.  He was about 21 years old at the time and looked like he weighed about 160 pounds soaking wet.  To say he was not the a typical WWF meat head wrestler would be the understatement of the year.

But out of no where the Kid pinned a cocky and confident Razor Ramon.  It was a huge upset; one that earned the Kid a new moniker.  He became the 1-2-3 Kid and soon gained confidence and started climbing the ranks of the WWF.  Of course he would eventually become Syxx in WCW and X-Pac when he returned to the WWF and joined Degeneration X.  Had it not been for that initial match back in 1993 in the early days of Raw, who knows what would have become of the Lightning Kid...

Raw Memories: #10 Brain Drain

Raw Moment #10:
Gorilla Monsoon fires Bobby Heenan
Photo from WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For the next 10 days I'll be posting my favorite memories from Monday Night Raw as we count down to the 1,000th episode.  I am basing my list on the things that I still remember after all these years.  I did not go online to look up anything (other than the photos and videos).  My list may be obscure, but hey I'm not a "normal" person anyway.  I also have more than 10 moments that I wanted to share, so I'm going to write my 10 favorites and then 5 "honorable mentions".

I should also state for the record that I started watching Raw when it debuted, I was in college and it became a Monday night tradition for me to head down to the pizza restaurant on campus and watch with a few other fans.

My #10 memory comes during that first year of Raw.  It was December 1993 and Gorilla Monsoon "fired" color commentator Bobby "the Brain" Heenan.  The former manager was set to leave the company and his departure was one of the most significant to me.  No doubt Heenan is one of the greatest personalities in all of wrestling and to see him leave my favorite company was sad to me.  At the time I wasn't sure he was headed to WCW (this was before the internet), but when he did arrive there I did find some comfort.  But let's face it, I don't think he was the same Brain as he was in the WWF.

The night Monsoon fired Heenan, he gathered all his belongings and tossed them outside the arena.  Heenan was then tossed out after them and the door locked shut.  The camera stayed with the Brain as he tried to gather his items and started crying.  It was the end of an era in wrestling and the start of the big name stars heading to WCW.  Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and countless others would soon be following suit.

Honorable mention: This is your life.
Photo from: WWE

Honorable Mention:  I may catch flack for making this an honorable mention and not one of my top ten, but the "This is Your Life" segment with the Rock and Mankind has landed here.  I enjoyed the segment, and obviously the fans did too as it is still the highest rated segment in Raw history.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember this leading to any lasting results in the WWF at the time.

This was during the Attitude Era and honestly my memories of this time starts to get fuzzy as there was SO much wrestling on at the time I had a hard time remembering all the events that happened then.  But the bottom line of this story was that the Mankind was trying to get into the Rock's good graces and brought back several blasts from his past.  The Rock systematically ran down everyone Foley brought to the ring.  The segment came to an end with Triple H hitting the ring with a sledgehammer.

Stay tuned, more memories will be shared tomorrow.  Be sure to like us on Facebook and check out My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube.

Drag Me to Hell

Going to hell #areyouseriousbro

By Chad Smart
@chadsmart on Twitter
All photos come from WWE

I didn’t see the end of RAW on 1/2/2012 because I was disappointed by Chris Jericho’s return so I upheld my long running tradition of not watching the main event if John Cena or Randy Orton are involved. Instead I read a report of the main event and decided to track down the ending of the show and watch it as I was curious how it actually played out.

One of my new year’s resolutions was to complain less when I write about wrestling. Well, like my resolution to take up smoking and drink more, I’ve already broken my resolution. 

Cena saves the day

I have no problem with the Kane/John Cena angle even if I don’t understand why Kane and Mark Henry would be teammates in tag match.  I have no problem with Kane skipping out on the match only to come up through the ring after the match was over. What I do have a problem with is how ridiculous the announcers sounded and Cena’s reaction to Kane trying to drag Zack Ryder into the hole.  To hear Michael Cole talk about Kane dragging Ryder into the abyss you would think we would never see Zack Ryder again. John Cena jumped for his life to reach Zack and pull him out of the hole before loosing his broski to the Big Red Machine.

Here’s a question; why didn’t Cena go under the ring from the sides to get to Kane? Were there too many tables, garbage cans and sledgehammers in the way?  Or why not wait until the show was over and help the ring crew take down the ring? Maybe he’d find Zack, Kane and Hornswaggle sitting around playing cards. 

I can suspend belief in wrestling. I’ve given up trying to understand why Triple H cups his hand over the end of the sledgehammer when attacking opponents instead of just swinging the hammer like he’s Albert Pujols. Or why Big Show doesn’t just punch out his opponents in the first five seconds of every match since he’s punch his so deadly.  But what I don’t like is when the actions are presented in such an over the top manner.

The ring explodes, kinda

Now, had Kane succeeded in dragging Zack Ryder into the hole and the firebomb went off, I could understand Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler being mortified and wondering what happened to the Long Island Lothario. Simply going crazy before Kane was dragging Ryder four feet to the floor is a bit overreaching.

Here’s my plea to wrestling commentators and promoters, please don’t insult the intelligence of your fans. I understand you’re telling a story and at times it’s necessary to go a little overboard. But when you go so far over the top you enter the battlefield of parody, you’ve gone too far. The best stories are rooted in believability.

Okay, with that out of the way, no more nitpicking for at least 24 hours. Share your thoughts and opinions on Facebook and Twitter. Be on the look out for cool My123Cents merchandise in the coming weeks. 

Occupied!

You're fired (from WWE.com)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

My plan was to lay low on the current booking of WWE programming lately, but after watching the October 10 edition of Raw, I have more questions than answers.  I should probably just let it play out, but here are some of my problems with this angle.

When Triple H first came out and relieved Vince McMahon of his duties, he became the Chief Operating Officer of all of the WWE, right?  So why did the walk out from October 3 not have an impact on Friday Night SmackDown!?  I don't like how they explained it with Teddy Long being in charge of SmackDown! Because if I remember correctly, the working conditions there were unsafe too, with Mark Henry attacking several wrestlers and an audio guy.

Raw's new GM (from WWE.com)

How and why would Vince be able to come back and fire Triple H?  Or relieve him of his duties and announce that John Laurinaitis is now the General Manager of Raw.  So who is the company's COO?  And since he fired Jim Ross, couldn't technically Teddy Long hire JR to join the SmackDown! announce team?

Okay, I'm finally watching SmackDown! from Friday night, and the explanation by Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Christian, and Dolph Ziggler makes sense to me, but I still think the whole premise of the angle is weak.  This is wrestling, of course you're going to face dangers and risks.  I think by having most of the roster walk about last week, it made them look weak.  Did  you hear the boos they received? It almost seems like this was just a way to get Triple H back into the ring.

But I'm not going to pass too much judgment on the angle.  Yet.  I will make this early prediction.  I bet Laurinaitis was on the phone with Stephanie McMahon Monday night.  I'm sure she's going to get involved in this somehow.

New team?

So will Triple H and CM Punk unite with the Rock and John Cena and Sheamus to take on the New Miz Order at Survivor Series?  Only time will tell.  I will say this, I'm curious to see where we're headed.

In closing, I think they introduced too many changes last night.  The walk out ended, Triple H gets fired, Miz & R-Truth rehired, JR canned,  Laurinaitis takes over, Vince returns on camera.  It's a lot to digest.  But I think they're trying to squeeze it all in before Survivor Series in a month.

What are you thoughts?  Post them here or on Facebook or Twitter.

Getting Pushy

Triple H lays down the law (WWE.com)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twtitter

This is going to be a quick write up about Monday Night Raw from 9/26/11.  I have to say, while the show did little to get me to order the Hell in the Cell pay per view, I did like what I saw.  Mark Henry continued to dominate as world champion.  It's good to see a fresh face at the top of the heap (even though Henry has been around 15 years, you know what I mean.)

Mason Ryan returns

Some other developments that happened that I enjoyed:  Zack Ryder enjoyed some more time in the spotlight.  Not only did the Internet Champion have one match on Raw, he had two.  He was 50/50, losing his U.S. title bid against Dolph Ziggler, but winning the 6 man tag match for his team.  Of course he had some help from Mason Ryan.  I'm not totally on board the Ryan train, but I do enjoy the fact that there's another fresh face out there getting some camera time.  I'll be curious to see where that match leads us.  All six men involved have great futures in the WWE.  I hope this trend continues.

A new group? (WWE.com)

Another development I liked from Raw is the work they're doing with David Otunga.  He's been a part of the company for more than a year now, and kind of lost in the shuffle.  It seems (at least as of right now) that they're letting him be himself and flex some mental muscle too.  Otunga has a law degree and is a bright guy.  I like where they're going with this angle, again it's something I hope the creative team has a plan for and it's not totally dropped.  I do however miss the fact that he and Michael McGillicutty were a tag team.  I'm curious to see if this group filing the suit will join forces with Kevin Nash, the Miz, and RTruth.  Of course, I'm probably putting the cart way before the horse here.

Cody lays the smackdown on Raw.

Cody Rhodes prevailing in the battle royal was another notch on his belt.  Sheamus looked strong, despite being eliminated.  And we got another look at the two Sin Caras.  Admittedly though, I wish they would have let the Daniel Bryan feud play out before bringing back the original.    But Cody in my opinion is a future world heavyweight champion.  I like the slow buildup they've done with him.  He has certainly come a long way since the Legacy days.  Keep up the good work with the development of his character.

Face plant, coming up!

Hopefully the third time is the charm for Beth Phoenix and she wins the gold at HITC.  But all four divas looked good in the match.  Kelly Kelly has come a long way since arriving in the WWE, and I have nothing negative to say about Beth or Natalya.  Eve had a good showing too and sold that face plant pretty well.

Like I said, this is quick.  With SmackDown being a supershow as well, maybe they'll do more to sell us on Sunday's PPV.  But even if they don't, I'm convinced that the creative team is at least starting to acknowledge there is more talent on the roster than John Cena, Randy Orton, and CM Punk.  And I'm not discrediting those guys, Punk remains one of my favorites.  I just think developing the next generation is long overdue.

Comments?  Post them here or on Facebook or Twitter.  Also, check out my Muppets Take McMahon video and subscribe to the My 1-2-3 Cents YouTube channel.

Where's Waldo... I Mean Zack Ryder?

MIA: Zack Ryder

By Chad Smart

Monday Night Raw was live from Long Island this past Monday.  There was a lot of hope and speculation Long Island native and Internet sensation, Zack Ryder would see the fruits of his labor for his YouTube show rewarded with a match on the show. After the three-hour show was over, fans were left asking, where was Zack? This apparent snub led to several WWE wrestlers, and fans, taking to Twitter to voice their disappointment in WWE creative not giving Zack something to do on the show.  


Kevin asked yesterday on the My123Cents Facebook page if WWE should have used Zack Ryder on Raw. Several people offered up their opinion saying Zack should have been on the show. I, however don’t think Zack’s non-appearance is really that big of a deal. Hopefully after I lay out my case, you will either agree or understand I am not just going against the grain to be THAT guy.

Photo from WWE

First off lets take a look at Zack Ryder.  Here’s a guy who’s been under contract with WWE for five years. He is a former tag team champion along with Curt Hawkins back when the two were Edgeheads. After that angle played out at Wrestlemania 24, Curt and Zack were separated and neither done anything of note inside a WWE ring. Both have seen more time on Superstars then on Raw or Smackdown. Three months ago if Zack Ryder would have had a match on Raw the majority of fans would have most likely looked at each other and asked, “who’s the new guy?"

  

Zack, not content to accept his position on the roster and wait for his moment to come decided to try and make the moment happen. He started a YouTube show called The True Long Island Story. It was a bold move not only because there was no guarantee people would want to see a weekly Internet show with some nobody (I don’t say that in disrespect. Simply pointing out Zack’s lack of name value at the time.) but also because in the videos, Zack took shots at WWE for not using him in a meaningful way.  Word quickly spread about the videos and Zack became a hit racking up an average of 75,000 views per episode per week.

From YouTube

As the videos became popular, WWE superstars started promoting Zack on their Twitter feeds and in interviews. Top level guys like John Cena, The Miz, and Dolph Ziggler were telling fans and WWE management (I’m guessing not many interviews are done that management isn’t aware of) Zack Ryder needed to become a more integral part of Raw. Unfortunately, the leap from Superstars to Raw has yet to happen on a full time basis.

Now that we’ve covered the backstory of how Zack Ryder started a grassroots campaign to make himself a star, let me tell you why him not being on this week’s Raw isn’t the end of the world.

The theme for this week’s Raw was All-Stars. With the exception of a few divas, everyone on the show is either currently or has been within the last six months placed in a high profile storyline. Zack Ryder, at this time, does not fit into the All-Stars theme.  The show was also the last show before Sunday’s, Capital Combat pay per view. The focus of Raw was to get fans interested in the pay per view so when Sunday rolls around the fans will spend their $44.95 on a show that will not feature Zack Ryder. Sure, WWE could have put Ryder into either meaningless backstage skit, or into a match with someone who will be on the pay per view. However that would have most likely guaranteed Zack would have ended up fist pumping with his back on the mat looking up at the lights. While wins and losses are secondary to the push a wrestler receives, throwing Zack out there for something meaningless could derail his road to stardom before he leaves the gate.

From WWE

Assuming WWE wants to make Zack into a star, and that’s a pretty big assumption at this point, they need to start building him up before putting him into the ring.  WWE did a good job promoting Sin Cara and Kharma before their debuts. That type of build up has been missing from wrestling in the past few years. Now would be the time to do it with Zack. Incorporate bits from his YouTube show talking about how WWE is missing the boat, dropping the ball and getting cold feet about putting him on TV. Have Zack do promos where he says he’s going to seize the brass ring and he can’t be held back.  His time has come and no matter what his dad thinks, Zack Ryder will be the next big thing. The fans who are already Zack Ryder broskis will eat it up and have their fists in the air waiting for their guy to make an impact. The more casual fans will start to think Zack is someone worth caring about and not “just that guy who teamed with Primo.” 

While I think Zack Ryder should be on Raw because it would add some freshness to the show, I don’t see his exclusion from the Long Island episode as a major issue. What I would be more interested in knowing is if Zack or his supporters are going to creative members pitching ideas to get Zack on the show. Then is creative not capable of finding a spot for Zack, or are they then going to Vince McMahon with ideas for Zack and Vince is saying, no.  WWE universe has to accept Zack Ryder as a true Superstar. Woo woo woo, you know it.

The Last Outlaws, Royal Punishment, & Other Thoughts

Undertaker at Wrestlemania 24

 Quick recap from Monday night's Raw (2/28/11).  I liked the open with Triple H coming out and giving his reasons for challenging the Undertaker.  It made sense to me.  It was a justifiable reason and adds to the drama and emotion behind the Undertaker's streak.  My guess is that the two last outlaws will steal the show and be the main event.

Triple H at Wrestlemania 26

What I didn't like about the segment was the destroying of "King" Sheamus.  My friend Chad lays it all out in his King or Joker post from earlier.  I totally agree with everything he says.  While I was glad to see Evan Bourne return, and even pick up a key win,  I just wonder if this is more about Sheamus being punished (I'm only assuming here) or is Bourne in line for some kind of push.

Moving on to the other King, Jerry Lawler.  It's great that he's finally getting to participate as a wrestler at Wrestlemania.  But the fact that he's wrestling Michael Cole makes me sick.  And now they're dragging Jack Swagger into this mess.  I guess they've got nothing else cooking for him, so why not, right?  Swagger is another victim of being pushed too fast too soon just like Sheamus.

I'm kinda digging the set up to the Randy Orton-CM Punk feud.  But what I don't understand is why it took Punk 2 1/2 years to get revenge.  Punk is quickly growing on me and may very well be the best heel in the company right now.  While I like the Miz, Punk is more of plays that role with pure evil, while Miz is more of the guy you love to hate.  Speaking of Punk and Nexus, where is Husky Harris?  Is he still on the shelf from the "punt"?  Will he be a part of this Nexus-Orton angle?  Doesn't sound like it the way they're talking now.

I think WWE is making a mistake constantly jobbing out the Nexus guys those.  When they first started as a group, they were sold to us as an unstoppable force, beating the crap out of anyone in their way.  But you get any of them in the ring, and they're normally looking up at the lights at the end of the match.  Seems they need to work on the way they're pushing some of these guys, but again, this is just my opinion.

I hate to say this, because I am a Miz mark, but it seems like he's being overshadowed in this whole John Cena-Rock war of words.  I appreciate them bringing the Rock back to the WWE, but I think the spotlight should be on the champion, not a guy who is most likely NOT going to be wrestling again.  Does John Cena write his own material?  I just don't find him funny AT ALL.

When is Awesome Kong coming?

I think even Stevie Wonder saw the Bella Twin switch-a-roo coming.  This gimmick is wearing out its welcome.  Just sayin'...

If I was in attendance at Raw, I'd be pissed that the Rock was not there live.  Especially two weeks ago after he said "I'm back." Then they had to sit there and watch the HBK-Undertaker-Triple H package.  Who planned that?

Too much talk leads to little wrestling.  I guess that's why we had the blindsiding of Daniel Bryan too.  Here's another example of a guy being made to look like a chump.  I guess it's two fold as a way to make the Miz look strong, since Bryan is the one who beat him for the U.S. title.  Wow, Michael Cole spoke ill of the Miz, I'm impressed.  But hey, this is wrestling, I want the action in the ring.  Come on!  Shouldn't Bryan's opponent come out and stop the attack so he would have a shot at the title?  Just sayin'... (again)

No surprises with the Alex Riley-Cena match.

Overall, Raw was okay.  Again, too much talking and from guys who aren't even on the roster.  I'm curious to see where we're headed from here.  The Road to Wrestlemania has the potential to get even more interesting in the weeks ahead.  I'm going to stay optimistic that it will.

ROCK-ing Wrestlemania

"Stone Cold" Smart vs. the Rock

By Chad Smart

Finally … The Rock is making his return to WWE. He has been announced as the special guest host for Wrestlemania 27. This is a big deal in the wrestling world, and thankfully the rumors of the host being Justin Bieber were only rumors.

But is it really something to get excited about? Will it make Wrestlemania a must see show? I may get some heat for what I’m about to write, but in my opinion this is nothing more than a desperation move by Vince McMahon.

We’re currently less than seven weeks away from Wrestlemania. The biggest show of the year and based on current story lines the only foreseeable matches are; John Cena vs The Miz, Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk vs. Randy Orton and possibly Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole.

Outside of those top of the card matches the only other match with seeds being planted is Big Show vs. Ezekial Jackson. Out of these matches only the Cena/Miz match up feels like a Wrestlemania worthy match. Alberto Del Rio, while getting the push of a lifetime, getting a title match at Wrestlemania feels rushed. CM Punk and Randy Orton will most likely have some interaction with each other for the next seven weeks making their match anti-climatic. Unless Jerry Lawler lays a beating on Michael Cole so severe Cole never commentates another match, what’s the point of having two announcers wrestle on the grandest stage of all? In other words, what is going to make this year’s Wrestlemania feel important?
That’s why I think Vince McMahon is panicking and figured he had to do something big to get people interested in Wrestlemania. So he brings in "the most electrifying person in all of entertainment" to get people excited. The Rock has not been in a WWE ring in almost 7 years. And outside of appearing at the Hall of Fame ceremony three years ago, he’s had very little to do with WWE since transitioning from wrestler to actor. Unlike Steve Austin or Mick Foley who continued to make appearances after they retired and subsequently diminished their aura, The Rock still has that larger than life wrestling persona in the eyes of the fans. Announcing him as host of Wrestlemania has people already contemplating ordering the pay per view simply because of The Rock will be there.

The Rock recently stated on his website he won’t wrestle again. He achieved all his goals during his time in WWE and has nothing left to prove. If that is indeed true, it would stand to reason the only thing The Rock will be doing at Wrestlemania is talking. Now there’s no denying The Rock’s ability to entertain when he has a microphone in his hand. I would even say he’s a better talker than wrestler so him not wrestling will be more entertaining than if he were to have a match at Wrestlemania. The pay per view costs around $50, I think. Are fans really going to shell out that kind of money simply to hear The Rock spout off catch phrases? Maybe I’m underestimating the power of The Rock, or the mindset of wrestling fans, I just can’t imagine anyone spending money simply because of one person.

During his return to Monday Night Raw, The Rock verbally ran down John Cena. I know Cena is the modern day Rock, but what was the point? John Cena has in the past criticized The Rock for walking away from wrestling fans and for turning his back on wrestling in general. Those comments though were done in various interviews and not on WWE programming. Most fans probably aren’t aware of Cena’s comments therefore The Rock making fun of Cena came out of nowhere since both guys are fan favorites. In addition to the insults being out of place, Cena didn’t come to the ring to confront The Rock. Are we to think Cena had left the building or wasn’t watching or listening while The Rock was in the ring? I don’t know how many appearances The Rock will make on WWE programming before Wrestlemania so maybe he’ll show up next week and Cena will confront him then. If that happens, assuming The Miz retains his title and Cena wins the Elimination Chamber match as is expected thus creating their title match at Wrestlemania, the focus gets shifted from a title match to a match that isn’t going to happen. So I will once again scratch my head and question what is the point of The Rock mocking John Cena?

This also leads to one of my biggest complaints whenever a former superstar shows up in WWE. Even if it’s only for a one time appearance, the former superstar usually gets to make a current superstar look like a fool. Steve Austin made Muhammad Hassan, Carlito, Santino Marella and others look foolish during his returns to WWE programming. I know, some will justify it by saying those guys weren’t on Austin’s level so him getting himself over at their expense isn’t a big deal. I disagree. It’s all about the message being sent to the viewer. If guys are treated as subpar talent, fans will see them as subpar talent. Instead of having past superstars bury up and coming talent, the guys who’s have achieved super stardom should be used in a manner that elevates the current wrestlers. Maybe I’m putting the cart before the horse and this won’t happen, but I’ve seen the scenario enough to be concerned. 

My final question is why does Wrestlemania need a guest host? There have been 26 Wrestlemanias so far and none of them needed a host. Yes there have been celebrity guests used as everything from timekeepers to ring announcers to commentators, but none were hosts. What exactly will The Rock be doing as host? Is this a way to create excitement because there are currently no Wrestlemania level matches outside of of John Cena vs. Undertaker, and that doesn’t appear to be in the cards this year. My suggestion for WWE creative for the next year is to start elevating talent and stop rushing through every possible match up so next year something fresh can be booked for Wrestlemania 28.

While I don’t think The Rock is needed at Wrestlemania. I will be there in person and will more than likely be cheering along and playing sing along with The Rock while he busts out all the catch phrases. What I’m hoping for is at least one big time Wrestlemania match. Is it too much to ask for a wrestling show to provide one good wrestling match?

Shut Up, Michael Cole!

Courtesy: WWE

Up until recently I considered Tony Schiavone the most annoying wrestling announcer of all time.  Really, I didn't have a problem with him until the Monday Night Wars really heated up and he made comments about Raw, the WWF, and Mick Foley.  He continued his bashing week after week.  I know he was doing what he was told, but it was annoying.  The hatred for the competition too far and let it ruin him (that's my opinion)

Now Michael Cole has won that honor.  I've never been a big fan of his, but now this new "heel" version of Cole is annoying as hell.  Again, I know this is a character, but I think he plays it a little too well.  He's over the top.

As an announcer, even as a heel, you're supposed to call the action in the ring.  Watch Raw from Monday, February 7th.  Whenever there's a "guest" announcer at ringside it turns into an interview and not calling a match. This isn't necessarily Cole's fault, but during that tag team match with the Miz & Ted DiBiase vs. Daniel Bryan & Jerry 'the King' Lawler, he wouldn't stop the Miz love fest.  We get it, you like the Miz.  You don't like the King.  Move on and call the match, which is what you're supposed to be doing.  I would think the "voice of the WWE" would know that.  Please JR come back.

Other observations on Cole, it's okay to have a heel announcer.  There have always been announcers pulling for the "bad guys."  Jesse Ventura, Bobby Heenan, and JBL instantly come to mind.  There was obvisiouly something different about them. They put over the heel without sounding like they had a school boy crush on them.  I've been watching some old school WWF DVDs lately and I miss the Jesse-McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon-Bobby Heenan match calling.  Even the Jim Ross-King stuff from the Attitude Era was right on.

Also having Cole be the mouth piece for the anonymous General Manager adds to this frustration.  Again, I realize this is a character, but I've seriously had my fill.  He can be a heel without being so obnoxious.  And the fact that's he's "calling" matches on SmackDown! and feels the need to argue more with the other members of the team makes it even more irritating.

I think Cole has taken his new role as the heel too far.  Jesse and Bobby never once made me want to fast forward through what they were saying or change the channel.  I can't say the same thing about Cole, can you?

As I sit here and watch Raw, Cole and the King are arguing over the Miz.  Call the freakin' match both of you.  This of course in my opinion is leading us up to King-Cole match at Wrestlemania.  Maybe Lawler will punch Cole's teeth down his throat and we won't have to hear him for a while...

A guy can dream right?  Don't sign me up to be a Cole Miner anytime soon.

Thanks for reading.  Check out My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube too!  Subscribe there and comment.

Clash of the Champions

Quick thoughts on Monday's Raw from 1/24/11.  You can also watch a recap on My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube.

Opening Segment: When Edge came out I really thought we were going to get the Clash of the Champions match at the start of the show.  Those hopes were quickly dashed after the impromptu Royal Rumble challenge and the Corre vs. Nexus confrontation.

Did you notice Edge disappeared after that whole deal between the two groups?  I don't like how that happens.  That seems to be a trend.

Mark Henry & John Morrison vs. Albert Del Rio & King Sheamus:  I'm still not sold on Alberto.  And I find it hard to believe the "World's Strongest Man" taps out almost instantly to the arm bar submission.  You could have him tap, but it was like a second after the hold was applied.  Plus, I don't think there was any work on the arm to even weaken it, was there?

Natalya vs. Melina: That was a kick butt Sharpshooter by Natalya.  Good match between these ladies. LayCool annoys me, but I think that's their role.  I still don't like the comments about Natalya's weight.  And again it's a double standard.  The King insulted Vickie Guerrero again last night and people find it funny.  When LayCool does it, it's criminal.  Twitter was lit up with comments.  Trust me.

The Miz vs. Edge: I felt like this match could have been saved for a Pay Per View.  Why give away a match like that on free TV?  That seems to be the trend though, as they did it last week with CM Punk vs. John Cena.  The match went on pretty long, but I knew (as we all did) that Dolph Ziggler was going to interfere.


Husky Harris & Michael McGillicutty vs. Santino Marella & Vladamir Koslov: Tag team champions made to look weak once again.  I like the duo of HH & MM.  Would like to see them developed as a unit.  They have potential, and let's face it the WWE needs a tag team division.

Mixed Gender Six Person Tag: I think this was just a set up to have Gail Kim and Daniel Bryan get caught by the Bellas.  The match itself was lame.  I like the storyline, especially if it means Kim getting more in ring time.

CM Punk vs. Wade Barrett:  I think this match could have and should have been saved for pay per view.  Not the Royal Rumble.  They could have totally carried this out to Wrestlemania I believe.  And I wonder if we get a Corre vs. Nexus match at Mania.  Many factors as we head to the big event in April. Cena refereeing the match made sense, but again lately Cena has been really annoying.  I'm talking Cena the performer.  The guy outside the ring who does all the philanthropy has all my respect.

It was no surprise the show ended with a locker room clearing brawl in the ring. That's what we have come to expect in the days leading up to the Royal Rumble.  Later this week, I'll post a prediction for the Rumble, probably just on YouTube though, so check it out.

Thanks!

Let's Skip, Sheffield Please!

Courtesy: WWE

Okay, I don't write this to be mean or cruel.  Let's get that out of the way.

I have read several online reports that former WWE creative team member John Piermarini has started a blog.  I tried to get on the site today, but it just has the message: "Be Back Soon" so I can't confirm what I'm reading in these reports with his actual site.

But anyway, the claim is that Vince McMahon at some point saw or sees Skip Sheffield as the number 2 babyface in the company, behind John Cena.  Wow.  Really?  I find this claim hard to believe.  I can't imagine anyone in their right mind thinking Skip Sheffield should be the company's second highest profile figure.

Of course, maybe they're talking down the road, I don't know.  What I do know is what I saw of Skip on the first season of NXT I was not impressed.  To me, he seemed to try to hard to be like Stone Cold Steve Austin.  The look, the talk, even his finisher is similar to the Stone Cold Stunner.  I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but we've been there and done that.  And I do still have the t-shirt.

One reason I believe this online report may be true is due to the fact that Skip was listed pretty high on the WWE.com list "the Top 11 to Watch in 2011."  In fact, he was fifth, and that's saying a lot because he's been out with an injury since August.  

I think if creative could come up with something for him and repackage him, he'd be a legitimate threat, but right now I just see him as another Stone Cold wannabe.  I'll be curious to see if he ends up in the Corre or with Nexus upon his return.  Or will he end up like Darren Young and Michael Tarver lost in the shuffle?

I'm also curious to know what you think?  Am I too harsh?  Am I missing something here?  I'm sure my thoughts were similar back in 2002 when a fresh faced John Cena was on the scene and look where that took us...

Layin' the Smackdown on SmackDown!

Courtesy: WWE.com

Delayed reaction to Friday Night SmackDown! as I was hosting poker last night and didn't get to watch the show live.

Some quick notes and thoughts.  I like the idea behind the Corre.  Wade Barrett is a natural leader I think and if the creative team gets behind him and this group, I think it can achieve success.  I just hope we don't see the typical implosion of the group/team dynamic we've come to see so often before in the WWE.

I'm not sure why Michael Cole is on Raw and SmackDown!  Honestly, I think the guy is a tool and don't really care to hear him on either show, but I realize he is now the "voice of the WWE."  I'd rather see the WWE get behind another announcer and actually push them.  It's important to give the announcers time to develop just like the in ring talent.  I have no problem with the team of Josh Matthews and Matt Stryker calling the show.

Why was Michael Tarver inexplicably backstage when they found the unconscious Teddy Long?  Is he on SmackDown! now?  We haven't seen or heard from this guy since the Nexus fired him.

I can understand why the Miz and Alex Riley showed up on the show, but why in the world are we still getting Alberto Del Rio vs. R-Truth?  This feud should have never happened in the first place.  It's two guys from different shows.  Wasn't there someone else Del Rio could be put over?  Is he really going to be the new "Mr. Wrestlemania"?  I'm still not ready to hang my hat on those claims.  We'll wait and see.

Speaking of A-Ri, I like the character, but I think the guy has enough talent to step out of the flunky role.  It's like a modern day Virgil, only I think he gets smacked around more than Virgil and has a heck of a lot more talent than the former Million Dollar champion.

I would have liked to see Cody Rhodes get a win.  I really think it's time for Ted DiBiase to move to SmackDown! and a Priceless reunion.  That way you help two guys lost in the shuffle and make a step toward revitalizing the fledgling tag team divison.

Some wrestlers should be seen and not heard.  Yes Heath Slater, I'm talking to you.  I'm glad to see Justin Gabriel pick up a win over Edge, even if it was under nefarious circumstances.  I think he's the breakout star of Corre group and hope to see him shine a little brighter in 2011.

I never understood why wrestlers in the back don't come out to help another wrestler when they're getting attack by a group like Corre.  Especially the Big Show.  The guy should have been charging to the ring and kicking @$$.  Did they say he was on the shelf?  I did fast forward through parts of the show.  And what was the final condition on Teddy Long?  Oh well, I guess we'll find out next week, right?

I must admit, I'm really stepping onto the Dolph Ziggler bandwagon.  I liked him before, but I really think his work in recent weeks has helped him climb a few notches.  I still don't think he's going to win the title at the Royal Rumble, but I am happy to see that someone who's not been in the title picture before is getting a shot.  And I'm disappointed that Randy Orton pinned him on Raw earlier this week.
Ziggler is another one who I think will make a big mark this year.  Hope he stays healthy and creative doesn't lose him in the shuffle.

Something Old, Something New

Courtesy: WWE.com

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't watched SmackDown! yet and don't want to know what happened yet, read a previous post.  Maybe my thoughts about the Miz or my quest for a Wrestlemania costume idea.

Otherwise, let's go on...

It appears that Wade Barrett is picking up on SmackDown! where he left off on Raw.  Laying waste into the faces of the WWE.  And now he's got some help.  Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel, who chose not to beat each other with kendo sticks on Raw, have moved to Friday nights now to help Barrett in his fight.  And the trio has a new ally.  Ezekiel Jackson has apparently joined the "new" SmackDown! version of the Nexus.

I like this idea for a couple of reasons.  One, I'm glad they didn't go with the Wade Barrett face turn on Raw.  I think it's too premature for that.  Barrett works well as a heel and has a lot of potential.  SmackDown! is in need of a shakeup.  Raw had gotten all the overflow of the NXT guys from all the members of Nexus and Alex Riley.  All SD got was Kaval, and we see what happened to him.

Also, I always thought Zeke worked better as a heel.  I liked him a lot when he was under the tutelage of "King" William Regal.  Hopefully this new group will stick together and the four of them can grow and develop together.  I think it might be a good idea to give them a manager too.  If the rumors of Regal's retirement from the ring are true, I think he'd be a natural fit for this situation.

I liked they way the group (I'm not sure if they're still considered Nexus or not) manhandled the Big Show.  Zeke definitely provides some muscle the Raw version didn't really have.  I had heard that Wade, Justin, and Heath were being joined by someone else tonight, and my fear was Skip Sheffield was coming back.  I'm glad that wasn't the case, but I know it's only a matter of time before the Stone Cold wanna be is back in the ring and on my TV.

Besides the formation of this new faction, SmackDown! didn't really stand out to me.  Not sure why R-Truth (from Raw) is feuding with Alberto Del Rio (from SmackDown!)  I was kinda surprised to see Del Rio and Cody Rhodes lose to Rey Mysterio and R-Truth.  Seems like the guy you're grooming to be the next "Mr. Wrestlemania" would have had a better showing.  At least he wasn't the one who got pinned.

The Cutting Edge segment at the end was predictable and lame.  I get tired of these love triangles in wrestling.  I guess it truly adds to the "male soap opera" element of sports entertainment.

How soon before Beth Phoenix turns heel again and goes after Natalya?

I'm glad to see Kofi Kingston successfully defend the Intercontinental title.  I really like Kofi's potential and feel like he's got something to contribute.  Jack Swagger is no slouch either. I just think he got pushed too soon last year and wasn't ready to win Money in the Bank, let alone the World Heavyweight championship.

Final thoughts on SmackDown!, I dislike it when any show opens with talking heads and ends with talking heads.  That's what we got tonight.  Remember a couple of weeks ago when Raw started off with John Morrison vs. the Miz?  That's the way a wrestling show should be.  You don't have to have a high paced, action packed match like that open every show, but every once in a while it would be nice.  We know that Kofi and Swagger have a history, why not just start the show with them?  They could have set the pace for the night.

It's just my 1-2-3 Cents, and you're reading this, so you wanted to know, right?  Thanks for reading, and I invite you to check out My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube too.

The New Nexus & Other Monday Night Ramblings

Courtesy: WWE.com

So the big news after Monday Night Raw is that Nexus apparently has a new leader.  That leader is the Messiah from the Straight Edge Society, CM Punk.

Two big questions come to mind.  Where is Wade Barrett?  And why CM Punk?  He was the other guy brutally attacked by the Nexus back in June when the group first formed on Raw.  I do however, like the idea of a "veteran" being involved with the group.  Whether Punk is the man for the job will remain to be seen.  But I have enjoyed Punk lately, especially as a heel.  I think his work in the ring is really good too, so this stands to be a win-win unless we get the breakup of the group by the time Elimination Chamber rolls around.

Thanks for giving away a potentially stellar pay per view match on Raw next week.  And I think we can pretty much all assume the Miz will win that one.  And it looks like dissention is already mounting between the Miz and A-Ri.  Personally I like these two together.  I hope they don't split them up. 

Speaking of split ups, it looked like for about 5 minutes that Tyson Kidd was going to be successful in his singles run.  He even threatened U.S. Champ Daniel Bryan.  Then he jobs to Mark Henry.  My first thought was okay, they're using Tyson as a way to help get Jackson Andrews over.  But then he gets himself punked out by Henry too.  So I'm scratching my head on this one...

No offense to the King, but why in the hell is he getting a push all the sudden?  I've complained before about making your champions look weak, and that's just what's happening to the Miz.  I know it was just a countout loss, but last week he was pinned in that six man tag match.  As Gorilla would say, "Give me a break!" 

I think it's great they're giving Santino a push.  But it's been in singles matches in recent weeks.  Isn't he a co holder of the tag team titles?  Where's Koslov?  Where are the belts for that matter?  Oh wait, it's the tag team division in the WWE, which we all know is going the way of the Dodo bird.

My guess is since Randy Orton beat Sheamus and the Miz will likely defend against John Morrison, I'm predicting an Orton-Miz rematch at the Royal Rumble.  B-O-R-I-N-G!

This is a really negative post on the WWE and the state of affairs, but I really wish they'd taking their booking in another direction.  Champions should be pushed as strong competitors.  Tag team champions should defend their titles or at least wrestle WITH their partners.  And new blood should be getting pushed. 

Okay rant over.  Thanks for reading.