Get the Table

The Dudleys
Photo from WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Regular readers know that we don't like to write blogs based on rumors and things unconfirmed on the Internet.  But recently I've seen a lot of talk about Devon and Bully Ray both being near the end of their contracts with Impact Wrestling.  And whenever rumors like that are posted, people jump the gun and make the assumption that they'll head back to the WWE.

So this begs the question, IF the two are finished with TNA, and IF they sign with WWE again, should they reunite as the Dudley Boyz or continue to pursue separate careers as singles stars.

IF (and I'm going to keep emphasizing that) the two are indeed leaving, I think bringing them back in as a tag team would be an ideal situation for the company.  After reading online (again, not necessarily a viable resource) Triple H is interested in revamping the tag team division.  In the last few weeks there have been indicators to support those claims.  Boom Truth (I don't know if that's their official name, but it's what we've dubbed them here at My 1-2-3 Cents), The Usos, The Prime Time Players, and now Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd are back too.

1987 Survivor Series
Tag team mania
Courtesy: WWE

Granted four teams (all mostly newly established) aren't nearly enough to have a solid division, it's a start.  They're getting more screen time, which will hopefully lead to the future development of some long term tag teams.  Remember, I grew up in an era where the first two Survivor Series events featured 5 on 5 tag team elimination matches.  These weren't just fly-by-night teams either, they were all legit tag teams.

Signing Devon and Bubba Ray as the Dudley Boyz again would bring a lot of legitimacy to the division.  Typically I don't to see older guys come back and get pushed to the moon, but I think Bully Ray and Devon are in the best shapes of their career.  TNA was the right decision for them years ago, and now I think the younger teams in WWE could benefit from the rub of working with such a good duo.

Bully Ray vs. Devon
Photo from Impact Wrestling

So IF the rumors are true and IF the Dudley's are looking for something in their future, I would support a reunion.  It could help get the momentum moving for a solid tag team division.  As of this writing on September 1, both Devon and Bully Ray are listed on the Impact Wrestling roster.  Devon in fact is still the company's TV champion.

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.

nWo, Say it Ain't So...

From WWE.com

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

This was going to be a purely speculative write up about the nWo reforming, but then I actually ran across this story on WWE's website.  So now I'm thinking maybe there will be no rebirth, but I'm still going to write about it.

The only basis I have for thinking that the WWE might be flirting with the idea of the umpteenth version of the once popular group is the fact that Kevin Nash is indeed back on camera.

WWE.com

They have also posted a bunch of old nWo videos on the WWE website, as well as on YouTube.  Plus, add in Nash coming in to attack CM Punk on Raw after the Miz and R Truth did the dirty work.  It makes me go "Hmmmm..."  Could this new version of the New World Order involve the two victims of "WWE conspirators"?  It's been reported that Triple H is in favor of putting the tag team division back together.  That could also include the building of the wrestling factions.

WWE.com

Personally, I'm not in favor of recreating history.  It was lightning in a bottle 15 years ago.  The original concept was groundbreaking for sure and it did change the face of wrestling.  But it literally only took a few months for Eric Bischoff and the powers that be at WCW to water it down and ultimately destroy the idea. When they added IRS and Vincent to the group, it was way past being over and done.  (No offense to Mike Rotunda or Virgil)

I'm cautious about the formation of any kind of super group in the WWE.  Look at what happened to the Nexus, the New Nexus, the Corre, and the Straight Edge Society in the last 18 months.  They all cease to exist.  It's unfortunate, because the wrestling stable is something that I miss from back in the day along with tag teams and managers.  But I'm all for them trying something different.  It appears Vickie Guerrero may be on the verge of starting a new group too.  Unless Dolph Ziggler ends up leaving and feuding with her and Jack Swagger...

I think the Miz and R Truth make a good pairing, however I don't want to see that nWo flag waving again.  The group died in 2002, I thought once and for all.  I know there are fans out there who are excited about the prospect.  They cheered when Nash's nWo theme hit on Raw.  I however, am not one of them.  Maybe I'm getting old.  There are kids on my lawn I must go yell at.

Oh, before I go, check out my thoughts on the Super Raw & Super SmackDown! concept.

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Wrestling Format: Best if Used Before 1998

Photo from WWE

By Chad Smart

Loyal readers of my123cents know for the most part I’ve stopped watching all weekly television programs. Though I do intend to get caught up on NWA: Hollywood soon. Until my recent trip back to Illinois, I hadn’t watched Raw, Impact or Smackdown for about four weeks. While I was back home, I sat down with friends and watched the last two week’s Raw broadcasts. The first week, I watched the entire show even though I kept getting sleepier and sleepier with each passing segment. This past week’s "All-Star" Raw, I watched the first of the three hours before giving up and leaving to go make sure I have everything gathered for my trip back to California on Tuesday.

After not watching All-Star Raw, I really started analyzing the show to see why I can no longer sit through and episode. The reasoning is much more involved than simply, I don’t like John Cena. The biggest reason is the formula or template for the show is beyond stale. The writers are using the same show format that was big during the Attitude era that has been dead for ten years. It’s time for a major overhaul. Just like how the Crash TV format changed the way wrestling landscape in 1997, it’s time for a new direction for televised wrestling.

I’m typing this on Thursday, June 16, 2011. I’m going to predict next Monday’s Raw with begin one of two ways. Either John Cena will start the show talking about his match with R-Truth and how Cena overcame a challenge to remain WWE champion. After a few minutes of Cena rambling on, Truth will come out and demand a rematch. Or, R-Truth will start the show talking about how his lost at the pay per view was further proof of a C-O-N-spiracy. Cena will then enter the ring toss out some juvenile insults and Truth will demand a rematch.

From WWE

The extended promos to start the show have run their course. Why can’t the shows start with a match occasionally? I understand the idea is to grab the viewer’s attention at the start of the show, but what is more likely to capture the attention of somebody flipping through the channels, two guys talking or an energetic fast paced match? It’s time to flip the script.

One of the other issues with wrestling shows is how the same guys are featured week after week. I blame this factor on the overabundance of pay per views. Since pay per views have to be promoted on a weekly basis, guys who are feuding need to be on the shows to hype up their matches. Because feuds last for two or three pay per views at a time, it’s not uncommon for shows to have the "been there seen that" feel for weeks at a time. Meanwhile new talent, or guys who aren’t in pay per view programs are either regulated to Superstars/Explosion or not on a weekly program at all. So instead of building new stars, stars are ridden until they become overexposed and played out and then there is no one ready to step up and take their spot.

From WWE

My biggest annoyance with the current televised programs is the booking on the fly style of filling out the show. I know wrestling is more sports-ENTERTAINMENT rather than SPORTS-entertainment, but can we at least pretend there’s someone putting the shows together before they go on air? A couple weeks ago on Raw, Jack Swagger challenged Booker T. to a match. What would have happened if Booker had said, no? Why was there a segment of the show that wasn’t booked 45 minutes into the show? Then you have the GM or the Network booking main events during the opening promos. Shows should be booked a week in advanced. I understand the appeal of unpredictability, but does UFC or boxing ever have a show where matches aren’t set before the show starts?

These are just a few of the elements in wrestling I feel are stale and need to be revamped. I’m sure there are others. Let us know what you think. Does televised wrestling need to be revamped or do you think the shows are fine the way they currently air?

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Oh, Baby!

Photo courtesy: WWE.com

By Kevin Hunsperger

Last week I wrote about Kharma's meltdown in the ring on Monday Night Raw and how I felt like it was an epic fail on the WWE's part.  Despite hearing lots of rumors about the reasons why, Kharma herself confirmed it on the Memorial Day edition of Raw.  She is in fact with child, and it is apparently a high risk pregnancy, so Kharma will be off TV for the next year.

I hope the WWE doesn't "future endeavour" her.  In the few short weeks Kharma had an onscreen role with the company, she changed the Divas division.  I know that's a somewhat bold statement, but she seriously re-energized my interest in that division.  I think it was the prospect of her getting into the ring and wrestling the likes of Beth Phoenix, Natalya, and Gail Kim (again).

Her character was headed in the direction of being a monster.  She instilled fear in the other Divas and tore through them.  There was a huge intimidation factor there.  I just hope this announcement and her time away doesn't kill any of the momentum she had.  Clearly now, when she returns she'll be a face.  Again, I'm not sure how I feel about that either, as I mentioned in last week's post, I think the WWE is missing that "monster heel" type character right now, and Kharma was great for that role.

Should the WWE have stayed away from the real life story here and just had Kharma laid out in the back and written off TV for a year?  That could have been done, and I'm not sure why they didn't go that route.
How will the fans react when she returns?  I've already read on some message boards that she'll never be back, that she's done.  I certainly hope that is not the case.  I look forward to seeing some in ring action for Kharma.  I think she's got "it" and will go even further in the business than she already has.

My other question, Brie and Nikki Bella are a part of the "anti-bullying" B A Star campaign the WWE is promoting.  Yet, weren't their actions on Raw rather bullyish?  (I think I just made up a word, but you know what I mean)  And I realize this is wrestling, but why have two spokespeople for this campaign out there doing the exact opposite of what they're preaching in the PSA's?

A few other tidbits from Raw:

While I don't like the whole blowing over of why the Raw GM signed Alex Riley back to the WWE, I like the push he seems to be experiencing right now.  However, I will remain loyal to the Miz.

Good to see Evan Bourne get a win, but is it going to amount to anything down the road?

I figured Dolph Ziggler would beat Kofi Kingston, that seems to be the formula in all non-title affairs.

I like, no love, the fact that Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole are not bickering during each segment on Raw. It's nice to hear them actually call a match, though I do miss Jim Ross.

The heel R Truth is growing on me and is more entertaining than the "What's Up?" dancing version of him.

Glad to see Zack Ryder getting a little love on Raw again.  Though we want to see him in the ring!

That's it for now.  Please subscribe here.  "Like" us on Facebook.  Follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to the YouTube channel.  My latest Broski of the Week submission is up.  Woo, woo, woo! You know it!