The Power of Nostalgia

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin

January 11, 1993-- I remember it well. I was a sophomore in college and ten years into my wrestling fandom. Over Christmas break, I watched the last of the Prime Time Wrestling shows, a program I had enjoyed for about a decade. Now it was time for something new, Monday Night Raw. 

It's hard to believe that was 30 years ago. Now, at 49 years old, I am still a fan, but I still need to become more committed to watching each week. Having cut the cable cord years ago, I have only had a few opportunities to watch Raw live. However, I located a feed of the special anniversary show via TikTok. 

From the opening segment, featuring the face of 80s wrestling, Hulk Hogan, to the final bell with long-time attraction Brock Lesnar, the show was packed with everything a nostalgic fan like me craves. Ric Flair, DX, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, and others. Memories from the past three decades flooded back. My favorite current storyline featuring The Bloodline provided even more entertainment. I can't wait to see how it all plays out, as I've seen plenty of conflicting theories. 

Sometimes fans of the current product frown upon the dusting off of Legends and allowing them to 'humiliate' the existing talent that's there week after week. That was the case with Raw is XXX (30, not pornographic). The Legends were used appropriately and helped give the rub to modern Superstars like Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, the Street Profits, and even LA Knight. 

Sure the latter was choke slammed by the Undertaker, but I still believe that being in the ring with someone the caliber of the Deadman (or Biker in last night's case) goes a long way. These moments provided feel-good moments for fans (I especially enjoyed it after a not-so-great day). 

Even though The Rock, 'Stone Cold,' nor Vince McMahon were there, as many had speculated, I believe Raw is XXX was a great show that flowed well. I'm even more stoked now for Saturday's Royal Rumble and the unpredictability that event will bring. 

What are your thoughts? Let me know!

Mt. Rushmore: My Bucket List

 

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin

There are a lot of wrestlers or personalities involved with the business that I've wanted to meet. I have had the good fortune of meeting several greats through the years. Some were through my job, some were for the podcast, and others were at meet-and-greet events. 

Ric Flair has been my favorite for a long, long time. I had the opportunity to see him wrestle when he was the NWA Heavyweight Champion in the 80s, during his first WWF run in 1991, and his retirement match in 2008 against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. All of those times and not once have I had a chance to meet Naitch.

Now that he's left WWE, I suspect Slick Ric will do more traveling and events. I'm hoping that the stars align and I can attend one of those events and meet Flair. I would love to get a pic with him sometime in 2022. Woooo! 

The Rock is not just one of my favorite wrestlers, but I also enjoy his work on the big and small screens. The closest I've come to meeting the 'Great One' is when I posed with his wax statue at Madame Tussauds in Hollywood back in 2011. How great would it be to spend a few minutes with him and getting a photo with the real deal? I know the odds of this are highly unlikely, but I'll continue to remain hopeful. 

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin is one of the all-time greats. Twenty-five years ago this summer, he set the world on fire with his Austin 3:16 speech. 

Since I'm fantasy booking this, I'd love to sit down with him and have a cold Broken Skull IPA or two with him. Not only was he great in the ring, but he's also really given his career new life as the host of the Broken Skull Sessions on Peacock and the WWE Network.

Finally, and probably an even bigger long shot than the Rock, Vince McMahon. The man who is responsible for the development of 'sports entertainment' for the past 40+ years. Love or hate the current product, McMahon remains a massive influence on the business today. I visited the outside of WWE Headquarters in 2013 ahead of WrestleMania 29. But no luck finding the Chairman, maybe next time... 

Who is on your Mt. Rushmore Bucket List? 

Mt. Rushmore: Ric Flair's 80s Feuds

By Kevin Hunsperger @kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter Listen to the podcast  Follow my blog with Bloglovin  

Last week, I launched a new concept for the blog with the Mt. Rushmore of Hulk Hogan's 80s feuds. So it only seems fitting that we hop over to the NWA side and look at Ric Flair's top four feuds in the 80s. I found coming up with this list more difficult than Hogans. I also discovered last week that most people agreed with my picks (read them here); however, this week, I expect to get some backlash. 

I'll preface this by saying in the 80s, I despised Ric Flair. He was one of those wrestlers I loved to hate. However, today, he's my all-time favorite. Sometime in the late 80s, I began respecting Flair and becoming a fan. By the time he arrived in the WWF in 1991, I was all-in with Naitch. 

Dusty Rhodes has to be the best foe for Flair of all time and not just the 80s, right? I mean, Rhodes-Flair has to be on the Mt. Rushmore of wrestling feuds. Maybe I'll make that list soon. Their battles in the ring and on the microphone were what made Jim Crockett Promotions so great. Saturday nights at 6:05 (5:05 CST) was where I spent my time taking in all the action.

The bloody battles they had in singles, tag team, six-man tag, and even War Games matches were the personification of intense. Trading the NWA Championship, main eventing the Great American Bashes, and Starrcade kept fans at the edge of the seat time after time. The two even battled it out in the final WCW pay-per-view in 2001 in a tag team match with Dustin Rhodes and Jeff Jarrett as their respective partners.  

Ricky Steamboat had a few runs against Flair. Since I'm sticking to just 80s opponents, I feel justified in this as the two had some great matches in the early 80s before Steamboat heading to the WWF, where he spent the mid-80s and returned to the NWA in 1989 to face Naitch.

At that time, the two put on some highly regarded matches, including the night Steamboat won the big gold belt from Flair. Their trilogy is still talked about to this day. (I know both have acknowledged their non-televised matches in the 70s were even better.) 

Harley Race may be a surprise pick to some, but when I was growing up and watching Wrestling at the Chase, I remember Race calling out Flair and wanting another shot at the NWA Championship. The two traded the belt, and Flair beat Race for the gold in the main event of the very first Starrcade. My buddy Chad Smart has told the story of watching these two battle it out in a high school gym at the first wrestling show he attended. So whether on closed-circuit television or a small house show, these two always seemed to go at it.

Lex Luger is probably the most controversial of my choices. But I'll explain as best I can. When Luger came to JCP and joined the Four Horsemen, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before he'd split off and challenge Flair for the belt. As his nickname implied, Luger was the 'total package .' When he was kicked out of the Horsemen, I fully expected him to beat Flair for the championship.

I was genuinely disappointed when he came up short at the 1988 Great American Bash, and the match was called due to Luger's intense bleeding. Then a few months later, I was certain Luger would beat Flair at Starrcade but again came up short. In the meantime, it seems like the company was grooming Sting for that spot. (By the way, Sting will definitely be on the Mt. Rushmore of Flair opponents in the 90s.) 

Scariest of All-Time: Bruiser Brody

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Continuing the countdown (again, no particular order) of the scariest wrestlers of all-time. Bruiser Brody has to be on everyone's list, right? I remember thinking how scary he was when he stomped into the ring with his furry boots, scarred forehead, and swinging a chain on Wrestling at the Chase. 

He was a no-nonsense guy inside and outside the ring. I can't tell you how much I wished he would have gone to WWF in the 80s. However, I believe his style wouldn't have meshed with the vision Vince McMahon had, although Brody would have been the perfect foil for Hulk Hogan. 

I had the good fortune of being in the audience when Brody wrestled Ric Flair in St. Louis. I believe that match ended in a draw or a double DQ. I can't remember, but the internet tells me it was a draw. I missed out on the opportunity when Brody wrestled Andre the Giant, also in St. Louis a couple years before this match. My dad and brother did see it, and I imagine it was an epic encounter.

Brody proved he could get in there with anyone from Flair to Abdullah the Butcher to the Von Erichs. Sadly we lost him too soon. Dream matches for him would be against future scariest mentions like Cactus Jack and the Undertaker. 

What's your favorite Brody moment? 

AUDIO: Wrestling Under the Influence

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Pity Party, table for one. That is how this podcast may sound to some. However, that is not my intent. I had big plans for this week’s show since it falls on 4/20. You can read between the lines on who I wanted as my guest…

That being said, my attempts to get Rob Van Dam on the show turned into another failed experiment. So that got my brain churning and I thought, why not review a beer in my fridge called Mad Scientist Milkshake IPA. It’s from the Experimental Series by Witchita Brewing Company. You can visit their website here.

So this week you’ll hear me kinda rant and complain about the guests who I’d always wanted but never got. I also review the beer and share some thoughts on other aspects of pro wrestling.

Listen HERE!

AUDIO: Now Hit My Music

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Theme music is essential in the world of pro wrestling. It's hard to imagine a time without it. This week on the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast, Chad Smart and I talk about the history of theme music and some of our favorite songs.

Give it a listen here. 

AUDIO: The Summer of '89

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Oh, what a year! The Summer of 1989 is one of my favorites as a wrestling fan. There's a lot to talk about on this week's My 1-2-3 Cents podcast. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What was your favorite memory of that year?

Listen here.

VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: WWE M.U.S.C.L.E.

 By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's a new Go Figure Friday! Check out this week's episode on the WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. You could win a pack for yourself. Watch the video for all the details.

AUDIO: Stop spreading fake news

 By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I hate the phrase 'fake news', but I hate the people and websites that spread this kind of crap even more. We saw a lot of it last week with Ric Flair's trip to the hospital. I use my platform this week to rant about it and talk about the damage involved.

You can listen here. Please don't share stories online until you've verified them. Thanks!

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VIDEO: WCW Lives

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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March 26, 2001: WCW was bought by Vince McMahon and WWE. So to mark the occasion, I'm sharing details about my only WCW action figures. It includes an unboxing of Sid Vicious. Check it out and subscribe.

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AUDIO: Favorite pro wrestling returns

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By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Who doesn't love a good return to the ring? There have been plenty of great ones over the years. This week Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Red Daniels and I go through a few of our favorite returns. I picked him to be on the show because his return was a huge one recently for Stride.

You can listen to the show here. Don't forget to keep up with Stride Pro Wrestling here. 

VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: Flair Friday

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Wooo! Happy birthday, Nature Boy. The celebration of Ric Flair's 70th birthday continues this week on Go Figure Friday. I chat about my Ric Flair action figures. I still need to add the Hasbro one to my collection. 

Who will win the Ultimate Royal Rumble?

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Since 1988 25 men have won the Royal Rumble. There have been a handful of two time winners, including Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, John Cena and Randy Orton. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin has won the event three times and Braun Strowman is the winner of the first Greatest Royal Rumble. I did include him in this post. 

But of the 25 winners who would win the Ultimate Royal Rumble? 

Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, Steve Austin, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio and Vince McMahon (yes, I know) all proved they can go the distance, choosing single digital numbers and winning. Yokozuna had the massive size. Braun Strowman, Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, Batista, Sheamus, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar Lex Luger and John Cena are among the most powerful.

I loved Flair's performance in the 1992 Royal Rumble. He's on my shortlist of men to win this time around too. The raw power and dominance that Strowman has shown for the past year or so has made him unstoppable. But I'm picking the guy who has won the most Rumbles, even though he kinda cheated in 1997, and that's Austin. 

Who is your choice? 

• 1988: Hacksaw Jim Duggan (entrant No.13)
• 1989: Big John Studd (No. 27)
• 1990: Hulk Hogan (No. 25)
• 1991: Hulk Hogan (No. 24)
• 1992: Ric Flair (No. 3)
• 1993: Yokozuna (No. 27)
• 1994: Bret Hart (No. 27) and Lex Luger (No. 23), co-winners
• 1995: Shawn Michaels (No. 1)
• 1996: Shawn Michaels (No. 18)
• 1997: Steve Austin (No. 5)
• 1998: Steve Austin (No. 24)
• 1999: Vince McMahon (No. 2)
• 2000: The Rock (No. 24)
• 2001: Steve Austin (No. 27)
• 2002: Triple H (No. 22)
• 2003: Brock Lesnar (No. 29)
• 2004: Chris Benoit (No. 1)
• 2005: Batista (No. 28)
• 2006: Rey Mysterio (No. 2)
• 2007: The Undertaker (No. 30)
• 2008: John Cena (No. 30)
• 2009: Randy Orton (No. 8)
• 2010: Edge (No. 29)
• 2011: Alberto Del Rio (No. 38)
• 2012: Sheamus (No. 22)
• 2013: John Cena (No. 19)
• 2014: Batista (No. 28)
• 2015: Roman Reigns (No. 19)
• 2016: Triple H (No. 30)
• 2017: Randy Orton (No. 23)
• 2018: Shinsuke Nakamura (No. 14)
• 2018: Braun Strowman (No. 41 in Greatest Royal Rumble)

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VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: Teeny Talk

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's time for the latest installment of Go Figure Friday. This week I'm opening up three packages of WWE TeenyMates. I had never heard of these until a friend of mine, Dan Gentz, sent them to me a couple weeks ago.

You can learn more about these interesting teeny, tiny toys in this week's video and don't forget to like and subscribe if you dig what you see on my YouTube channel.

Looking back on Starrcade 1990

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's hard to believe how fast time flies. Twenty-eight years ago today (Dec. 16) Starrcade 1990 went down. I'm talking about it today because it was the first (and only) WCW pay-per-view event I ever attended. It was my senior year of high school and my buddy Jim Horrom and I decided to get tickets when the show was announced.

The event was at the historic Kiel Auditorium. I'd witnessed several other WWF house shows in that building prior to Starrcade. It was a different vibe though. As I try to remember back on that night, things seemed brighter. Obviously, this would be because of the fact it was the first time I'd attended a show that was going to be televised.

Courtesy: WWE

Sting was the WCW World Champion, having beat Ric Flair months earlier for the big gold belt. By this point, Sting was feuding with the mysterious Black Scorpion, a figure from the champ's past who continued to torment him with mind games. Flair had moved on to team with Arn Anderson against Doom for the WCW Tag Team Titles. In fact, the two teams were set to clash in a St. Louis Street Fight that night. But either prior to the show or during the event, it was announced Flair was unable to wrestle that night. A chorus of boos erupted at the news, but in my mind, I instantly knew Flair was under the mask of the Scorpion.

I was not wrong in that assessment. In the main event, Flair was in fact revealed to be the Black Scorpion. It was a bit of a letdown. Up until that point, I really didn't have an idea of who the mystery man would be or who I even wanted for that matter. 

Despite that bit of disappointment, the night was still a lot of fun. We saw several wrestlers we'd never seen before with the International Tag Team Tournament. I wish I knew then what I know now as I would have taken pictures of the show. I'll always have a special place for Starrcade 90 though. 

Rest in Peace "Dirty" Dick Slater

RIP "Dirty" Dick Slater

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Early Thursday morning (Oct. 18) reports started surfacing that pro wrestling legend "Dirty" Dick Slater had died. I was leery to share the news or even write this blog because literally at that time and for more than an hour it was just people sharing it. There were no links attached and no websites had verified, other than the standard line "multiple sources are reporting..." 

However as the day went on, WWE confirmed the news. For some reason, Slater's ill-fated WWE run comes to mind when I think of him, but his career was so much more than that 18 months or so he spent up north. My first recall of Slater was ahead of his departure to Stamford. I remember reading about him during his run in Mid-Atlantic and Mid-South, including his feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

"The Rebel"
Courtesy: WWE

When Slater arrived in the WWF (then) in 1986, I assumed he'd resume his battle Roberts, but it never really happened. He was a good guy with the moniker "The Rebel" added to his persona. There was never a big push for him in WWE. I recall a few enhancement matches on Superstars of Wrestling and a bout against "Magnificant" Muraco on Saturday Night's Main Event. Other than that, there were no WrestleMania moments or pay per view paydays for Slater.

The Hardliners

My next best memory of Slater was his run in WCW. He was part of Gary Hart's team hellbent on destroying Ric Flair and Sting. (Muta and Terry Funk were also involved.) Then Slater and Dick Murdoch wrestled as the Hardliners and took out Scott Steiner sometime in 1991. I know Slater stuck around and had various partners and feuds in that era, however, I think his greatest success predated my fandom. I know while researching him, Slater held the NWA Television Championship, Mid-Atlantic Championship and the UWF TV Title too. He actually has quite a list of accolades in the business.

Like so many Legends in the pro wrestling business, Slater left us way too soon. At just 67 years old, he had plenty more life to live. My condolences go out to Slater's family, friends and fans. Rest in peace.