Being Good is Bad: 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff

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

Sometimes being good is bad for a wrestler's character. It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Such is the case with 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff.

The build-up to the first WrestleMania in 1985 involved the trio of Orndorff, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, and 'Cowboy' Bob Orton. These three were perhaps the most hated men in the WWF. They picked on pop star Cyndi Lauper, Dick Clark, Capt. Lou Albano and many other good guys and celebrities were involved in the infamous Rock 'n Wrestling Connection.

When it finally came to a head at the War to Settle the Score, and Mr. T stepped up to help Hulk Hogan, the main event was set for the upcoming WrestleMania show. Piper and Orndorff would team up to battle the Hulkster and Mr. T. 

We all know that Orton hit Orndorff with his cast during the match, and Hogan scored the victory for his team. I was 12 years old then, and the idea of a babyface, Mr. Wonderful, was, in fact, wonderful news to me. I loved that he and Hogan were teaming up and taking on the likes of Piper, Orton, Adrian Adonis, and the other villains that terrorized the WWF good guys. 

But in the summer of 1986, Orndorff had had enough of being a good guy and, in dramatic fashion, attacked Hogan during a tag team match with King Kong Bundy and 'Big' John Studd, members of the Heenan Family. This led to a reconciliation with Bobby Heenan, and Orndorff embarked on a fantastic feud for the rest of 86 and into 1987 against Hogan. At that point, he came closer than any other Superstar to winning the WWF Championship during that classic cage match on Saturday Night's Main Event.

By this point, I was siding with Orndorff in his battles with Hogan. Perhaps I had grown tired of Hulkamania too, but it wouldn't be long before I'd embrace it again. 

My point to all of this is that I did love the good guy 'Mr. Wonderful', but I don't think it fits with his persona. So turning bad again the following year made him even better. In hindsight, I liked Orndorff more during his second heel run. Eventually, the most hated guy in the company, Piper, turned good. This all worked on many levels and was a win-win for the fans. 

For some reason, in 1987, they did the face turn again. By this point, Orndorff was nearing the end of his tenure with the WWF and would be gone by the end of that year. He popped back up in WCW years later, where he remained a bad guy throughout his in-ring tenure. 

Being that cocky and calling himself 'Mr. Wonderful' is what being a fantastic bad guy is all about. He was next level during that 1986 run. I miss that era and Paul Orndorff. 

Mt. Rushmore: Hulk Hogan's 80s Feuds

 

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

It's been a long time coming, but I'm doing something to get this decade-old blog up and running again. While it's not an original idea by any means, I am going to start writing weekly with a Mt. Rushmore theme. I mean, wrestling fans these days seem to create some sort of Mt. Rushmore of Wrestling ____ all the time, so why not me? And for the record, I actually took a picture of Mt. Rushmore I'm using while on vacation earlier this summer in South Dakota. 

First up, the Mt. Rushmore of Hulk Hogan's 80s Feuds. With the recent passing of 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff, I got to thinking about his significance in pro wrestling and quickly deduced that he is on the shortlist of Hulk Hogan's greatest foes (not just the 80s, but of all-time).

Courtesy: WWE

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan were the best of friends during the first few years of Hulkamania. Andre was in the locker room celebrating Hogan's victory over the Iron Shiek at Madison Square Garden. They teamed up to face members of the Heenan Family. That's why it was all the more shocking when in January 1987, Andre declared war on the Hulkster and hired Bobby Heenan as his manager.

The two had a huge main event at WrestleMania III and went on to battle against each other for the next 18 months, meeting in tag matches, singles matches, and the big blue steel cage. More than 33 million people watched their epic match on NBC's 'The Main Event' in February 1988. I still remember crying when the crooked referee counted Hogan's shoulders to the mat. Yes, I was 14 at the time... 

Courtesy: WWE

'Rowdy' Roddy Piper was the man I loved to hate in the early days of Hulkamania. He set the standard for a wrestling heel back in those days. He was a master on the mic and someone hard to beat in the ring. Hot Rod was front and center in the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection which, of course, led to the first-ever WrestleMania. While we never got a one-on-one encounter between Hogan and Piper at WrestleMania, their work before the event to set the tone for 80s wrestling is unforgettable. 

Courtesy: WWE

'Macho Man' Randy Savage came into the WWF in 1985 and quickly set his sites on Hogan's championship. The two had some great matches even before Savage won the Intercontinental Championship. Those matches continued to impress after Savage's win over Tito Santana. Then, of course, we had the epic build of the Mega Powers. This is without a doubt one of the best stories ever told in wrestling. It wove in nicely with the previously mentioned Andre the Giant match on NBC.

The explosion of the Mega Powers added a new element to WWF programming. It all came to a head at WrestleMania V, with Hogan once again winning the gold. Savage tried the rest of the year to regain his belt but always came up short. The Hogan-Savage story worked on so many levels and one that the creative team could depend upon. 

Courtesy: WWE

'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff, as I mentioned, is the inspiration for this blog. He, too, had some matches with Hogan before the first WrestleMania. His association with PIper made him another one of those guys I loved to hate. But then, after the mishap at Mania, Orndorff became a good guy and teamed off and on with the Hulkster. Then in the summer of 1986, Orndorff snapped and turned on Hogan, rejoining former manager Bobby Heenan. 

This feud was the most serious threat to ending Hulk's first title reign. I thought WWF might make the switch a couple of times, most notably on the January 1987 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event. Inside the Big Blue Cage, the match saw both Hogan and Orndorff escape at the exact same moment.

So there you have it. A very concise but precise list of Hulk Hogan's best four feuds in the 80s. Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of the Hulkster's foes?   

VIDEO: Fig Bath Friday

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I've had my collection of LJN WWF Superstars for nearly 35 years. (I got my first set during the Summer of 1985.) However, I have never given any of these guys a much needed Fig Bath. The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast (hosted by Matt Cardona and Brian Myers) inspired me to do this (finally). So while experiencing some boredom, I filled up a small tub with hot water and dish soap and grabbed an unused toothbrush and five Superstars for their debut bathing. 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, Brutus Beefcake, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, Andre the Giant and King Kong Bundy were the first of my collection to take the plunge. I recorded it on time-lapse and it goes by pretty quick. Admittedly, I could probably give them all another good scrubbing but for the purposes of time, I made it as quick as possible. Have you given your figs a bath before? What do you use?

The Ultimate WrestleMania

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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With the fate of WrestleMania still in flux and so many of us at home for the weekend and potentially for the next several weeks, I thought it would be fun to talk more about past WrestleManias. So I posed the question if you built the Ultimate WrestleMania, what 12 matches would you put on the show. 

Turns out this was a bigger challenge than I anticipated as there are hundreds of matches to choose from. The other caveat, no duplicate Superstars for me. But you construct your list however you see fit. These aren't necessarily the best matches of all-time, just ones that entertained me.

Oh, my list is in no particular order, other than the first, which is my all-time favorite Mania matchup. 

💪Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage: WrestleMania VII

💪Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista: WrestleMania XXX

💪Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania XXIV

💪Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant: WrestleMania III

💪Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis: WrestleMania III

💪The British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team: WrestleMania II

💪Trish Straus vs. Mickie James: WrestleMania XXII

💪Undertaker vs. CM Punk: WrestleMania XXIX

💪Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart: WrestleMania X

💪'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. The Rock: WrestleMania XV

💪Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. Christian vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Benoit (MITB): WrestleMania XXI

💪Doink the Clown vs. Crush: WrestleMania IX (yes, I'm serious, I love how this played out.)



Because I limited myself on one Superstar only, I would have had other matches as well. So let me know your card.

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.

AUDIO: Wrestling Under the Influence: Rowdy & Proud

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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This week on the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast I'm joined by Stride Pro Wrestling's Ax Allwardt for 'Wrestling Under the Influence'. We drink 'Rowdy & Proud' by Three Taverns Craft Brewery near Atlanta, Georgia.

Besides reviewing this fine beverage, we share our memories of the late, great 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. Be sure to listen and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

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VIDEO: Go Figure Friday: Friendship Figures

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's always great to receive a gift. When that gift is an action figure it's even better. In today's episode of Go Figure Friday, I share a couple of those gifts from my friend Barry Karafa. Don't forget to subscribe.

How WrestleMania Helped Me Grieve

WrestleMania's first main event
Photo by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's funny how some dates stick with you forever. March 25, 1985, is one of those dates for me. It was a Monday afternoon when a good friend and neighbor, also named Kevin, died in a horrible ATV accident at the end of our street.

Back row left is me.  My friend Kevin is on the right

We were both in sixth grade and had known each other most of our lives. We played baseball together, rode bikes and spent hot summer afternoons 'pool hopping' between all the pools in on our tight-knit street. 

I still remember waving to Kevin as he walked down our street, eating a bag of potato chips. Less than two hours later, he'd flipped the three-wheeler he was riding and did not survive the accident.

I was crushed. In my 12 years of life, I had never experienced so much pain. I cried a lot in the days following Kevin's death. Children aren't supposed to die. I had a hard time understanding why it happened and wondered if I'd ever get over this loss.  

Wendi Richter & Cyndi Lauper
Photo by WWE

As that emotional week winded down, I had two things to look forward to. I was set to attend my first wrestling show at the Kiel Auditorium that Friday night to see my favorite wrestler, Kerry Von Erich, battle Ric Flair. (Pics from that night are too blurry to post.)

Then, that Sunday, the first WrestleMania was going to be broadcast via closed-circuit television. A family friend had invited my family over to watch. 

These events provided a distraction and the first opportunity I hadn't cried that week. I just enjoyed the moments.

I focused on the wrestling action. I cheered for Kerry and booed The Nature Boy when he tossed my hero over the top rope to get disqualified. 

Then on Sunday, I celebrated as my favorites like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Wendi Richter, and the Junkyard Dog won.  I booed villains Roddy Piper, the Iron Sheik, and Nikolai Volkoff.  

After the main event was over and we headed home, the reality set in again. I couldn't help but think about Kevin and his family, just a few houses down, as they were still mourning the loss of their son and brother.  I still miss him 34 years later and often think of him, wondering what he'd be like today as a 46-year-old man.

WrestleMania main event
Photo by WWE

When I think back on the first WrestleMania and write stories about it, I always associate that week of grieving with remembering how much I appreciate being able to get lost in the moment. We never truly get over such losses, but there are moments when we're distracted and can find pleasure. I'm glad I had the support of family and friends during that time. It may sound crazy, but in addition to those loved ones, WrestleMania helped me through what I consider the most challenging childhood.  

When I first posted this blog, I tagged "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in it on Twitter. He retweeted it. Just a few months later, we had lost Hot Rod, too. In a weird way, I'm thankful I wrote that blog when I did, and I'd like to believe he read it and knew the impact he'd had on my young life. 

Every dog has his day

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Stride Pro Wrestling will soon celebrate three years of entertaining pro wrestling fans in southern Illinois. On Saturday, March 2 it's Strideiversary and the company is pulling out all the stops to have an entertaining show. I'll be highlighting some of the matches over the next week on this blog. 

First up it's a Dog Collar Match between Legacy Champion Cash Borden and Jay Spade. A very intense and personal rivalry has developed between these two men. The rules are quite simple. Each man will wear a dog collar and a chain will connect the two. That will keep either from escaping his opponent. 

Valentine vs. Piper
Courtesy: WWE

I have no doubt this will be one of the most brutal matches Stride Pro Wrestling has ever seen. Dog Collar Matches are fairly rare. As far as I'm concerned, the most famous is the battle between U.S. Champion Greg Valentine and Roddy Piper at Starrcade 1983. Things turned ugly quick in this match, with both men bleeding after repeated hits with the chain that bound them. Piper won the match (but the title wasn't on the line, that's not the case with the Legacy title).

Cash attacks Spade

Spade and Borden will not hold back on Saturday night. Cash may be the most sadistic man to ever wrestle for Stride. He has a history of brutally violent matches in other companies. This match is going to be right in his wheelhouse. However, don't count Spade out. I don't recall seeing Jay with some much fire before. Quite simply, he's pissed off and Cash Borden is going to feel the brunt of that rage.

But really the fans are going to be the winners Saturday night. Stride has never seen a Dog Collar Match before. It's one of many firsts for the company that night. Join us at 600 N. Carbon Street in Marion. Bell time is 6:30. 

Show your Stride pride

AUDIO: Things that didn't age well

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By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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No hating here, just starting a new segment on the podcast called 'Things That Didn't Age Well.' This first installment is the feud between "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis. Chad and I explore the way WWE handled a homosexual character and why in 2018 Adonis would have been the good guy.

Listen here and please share your 1-2-3 cents on the subject. You can also suggest future episodes.

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My 1-BOO-3 Cents: Your Halloween pics

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Happy Halloween everyone. Each year I ask for your pics as it relates to the holiday. This year did not disappoint. Enjoy the selections and be sure to post your Halloween (or cosplay) photos next year. 

"Rowdy" Ax Allwardt

"Ravishing" Billy Wilson

Chris Slammer's guns trump the knife

Jake Montalvo will always believe

They're here...
The Karafa Family

The Mouth of the Northeast (and Scotland)
Martin Endersby 

You will always remember the name of...
Nathan Goolsby 

'Stubby J' and his crew are ready to settle the score

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Remembering Adrian Adonis 30 years later

A tale of two Adrians...
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Usually, on July 4, I share a holiday related blog here. However, today, I'm remembering a somber anniversary. It was July 4, 1988, that WWE Legend Adrian Adonis died in a car accident. It happened in Newfoundland. The minivan Adonis was riding in swerved to avoid a moose on a bridge. The van plunged into the creek below and Adonis along with Victor "Pat Kelly" Arko, and Dave "Wildman" McKigney died from their injuries.

Dick Murdoch & Adrian Adonis
Courtesy: WWE

Adonis was only 34 years old at the time of his death, but he had already had a rich career, competing around the world including a run as WWF tag team champion with Dick Murdoch and AWA tag team champion with Jesse "The Body" Ventura. The WWF tag team title win is one of my first memories in wrestling. I was stunned when the two beat Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson for the belts. Clearly, the babyfaces in the match were in much better shape and wrestling was 'still real to me' at that time.

Those runs were long before Adrian's 'adorable' gimmick took over his career and is probably how fans best remember him. However, there was much more to Adonis than the flamboyant character who was instrumental in the babyface turn of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. 

I saw Adonis and Murdoch defend the tag team titles against Jack and Jerry Briscoe at the first WWF Live Show I attended. Later, I attended a show that saw Adonis battle Junkyard Dog in the Sam Muchnick Tournament. Dog won that encounter. 

"Adorable"
Courtesy: WWE

I liked the adorable gimmick. It was a complete 180 of Adonis' biker look. This was the 80s and being gay wasn't socially acceptable, which explains why Adnois was the bad guy in this scenario. The gimmick saw the traditionally black ring gear, Adonis wore traded for bright pink tights, bleach blond hair, ribbons and sometimes a sundress. I found it ironic when Adonis "came out" originally it was on Piper's Pit. Hot Rod supported the announcement, as Roddy was still a bad guy. A year later, Piper was poking fun at Adonis and destroying the set of the Flower Shop.

He was a Paul Heyman guy before it was cool
Courtesy: WWE

I enjoyed that storyline very much but some 32 years later it doesn't age well. Adonis and Piper feuded through WrestleMania III where Piper retired and Adonis lost his hair. However, he didn't stick around long in the WWF after this match and ended up in the AWA again. He remained adorable there and became a Paul Heyman guy in the early days of Heyman's managerial career (he was Paul E. Dangerously back then).

WrestleMania III
Courtesy: WWE

Adonis leaves behind a legacy of being a great tag team wrestler. He also moved around the ring well for a big man as he gained a lot of weight later in his career. I always thought he was good on the mic and could generate heel heat. I'm still surprised Adonis hasn't been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. It's an honor he certainly deserves after being a big part of the early expansion of WWE.

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