My 1-2-3 Cents : Seth Rollins

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I try not to judge WWE too harshly on the progression of storylines. As we've discussed before, pro wrestling is a marathon and not a sprint. With six hours of original content 52 weeks a year on top of two monthly special events, the flow must keep going. I understand all that. But in my 1-2-3 cents the main event set for TLC would be better served for next month's Survivor Series.

As it stands now; the Miz, Braun Strowman, Cesaro, Sheamus and Kane will face the three members of the Shield; Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. It's going to be contested in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. I'm all for the Shield reunion. The original main event of those three against the Miz and the Bar was enough for me. When Braun was added, my thoughts turned to saving this for Survivor Series. Now that Kane is in the fold, I'd definitely wait.

Kane returns
Courtesy: WWE

I've always loved the traditional four on four or five on five elimination matches at Survivor Series. In my Tuesday morning booker role, I would have saved Kane to reemerge at TLC and then join The Shield against the four others. Or, Kane appears Monday night and helps Roman win and eliminates Braun from the TLC main event. Then Kane and Braun battle on the undercard and build up to the tag match at Survivor Series.

Again, I don't know where we're headed, so my thoughts are probably not going to make sense in the long-term plan. But that's what wrestling fans do. We book things the way we want them to be. However, I get stacking the deck against the Shield makes them stronger than ever. I just wish they would have saved this angle for November.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Reuniting the Shield

The Shield
Courtesy: WWE

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I was asked for a recent podcast what I thought about the Shield reuniting. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins have already been hanging out on Raw and I believe have had a run on the house show circuit as a team. Roman Reigns, of course, is the missing piece to the puzzle since the group split in 2014. Long story short, I endorse a reunion of this super group.

As I explained on the Ask My 1-2-3 Cents podcast, putting these three superior Superstars back together is not a step back for any of them. Sometimes I think fans get caught up in the idea that once a team splits someone has to be the Shawn Michaels and someone has to be the Marty Jannetty of the unit. That's not the case in 2017. All three members of the Shield excelled outside their roles in the trio.

Flirting with a reunion
Courtesy: WWE

Each man has been WWE Heavyweight Champion, Reigns holding it three times. Ambrose has had a couple runs Intercontinentalial Champion. They've all been U.S. Champ too. In my 1-2-3 cents, the Shield can continue to dominate the WWE as a unit and as individuals. It would be no different than what Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson and Barry Windham (Lex Luger, Ole Anderson, Sid Vicious) did as the Four Horsemen. Evolution did it years later with Flair, Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista.

It's safe to say most fans would enjoy a Shield reunion and it's likely the only way to ensure Reigns is cheered by the crowd again. WWE has tried to make their Universe embrace the big Samoan, but for the most part, he's been rejected and booed. Look at his recent dealings with Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman.

A near reunion
Courtesy: WWE

Bring back the Shield. I like that WWE is building up some factions again, with Miz's Entourage and there's the New Day still rockin' on SmackDown Live and could Jinder Mahal be adding to his group now with the Great Khali? Oh, and while we're at it, let's do something with the Wyatt Family again too...

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Roman Reigns may be right

Roman Reigns makes his case
Courtesy: WWE

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I've had to catch Raw highlights online due to a pet rabbit gnawing away at the cord to the DirecTV adapter. Watching the segment with the five Superstars laying claim to who should be the number one contender got me to thinking. Roman Reigns was first to state his case to General Manager Kurt Angle and may have the best argument for being the number one contender (More on that in a moment).

Finn Balor flies
Courtesy: WWE

WWE has spent the last few years turning Brock Lesnar into a monster. There was that little hiccup against Goldberg, but that notwithstanding, it's hard to find someone able to unseat the Universal Champion. I like Finn Balor a lot and think he will get a run once again with the gold, but I just don't see him being able to conquer someone the size of Lesnar. Lesnar had trashed the Big Show, Undertaker and John Cena in the same calendar year. I know I've said before size shouldn't (and doesn't) matter, but I just can't see Balor-Lesnar being anything short of a one-sided massacre at this point.

Samoa Joe
Courtesy: WWE

I like all five contenders booked for the match at Extreme Rules. If I had to pick the one I want to see win the challenge the most, it would be Samoa Joe. He's got a decent chance against Lesnar, but I'd rather them give him a little more time finding his place on the main roster and save Joe-Lesnar for WrestleMania 34.

Bray Wyatt, although a recent WWE Champion, doesn't seem viable in ending Lesnar's reign of terror, especially considering Orton beat Bray and Lesnar destroyed Orton a few months ago at SummerSlam. Seth Rollins is great, but I just don't see him getting another run with the belt just yet either. While Reigns has had more than enough time with the main event picture and championship runs, he appears to be the most groomed and prepared for an encounter with Lesnar.

Reigns at WrestleMania
Courtesy: WWE

Reigns made several valid points during his pitch to Angle. He did (seemingly) retire the Undertaker at WrestleMania. And right now I believe him when he says he's the only guy who can beat Brock Lesnar. However, as mentioned, I'd rather see Reigns-Lesnar at SummerSlam and Lesnar-Joe at Mania. But I can also see Braun Strowman getting involved somewhere down the line when he's back from his surgery. No matter what though championship win by Reigns should include a full fledge turn and that could be the set up for him and Balor down the road. They're 50/50 against each other now...

No matter what you think of the current product, it's hard to deny things are very, very interesting in the championship picture right now. I'm excited to see what happens at Extreme Rules.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Should the Shield reunite?

The Shield
Courtesy: WWE

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

In the recent era of professional wrestling, there are three things you can bet WWE fans will speculate on. If WWE is in the Chicago area, CM Punk will be on the show. The Undertaker and Sting will face off at the NEXT WrestleMania. And the Shield will reunite. I think the third option is the most likely to happen, but doubt there will ever be a more than a one-time reunion between Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.

Don't get me wrong, the Shield was one of the best things to happen to WWE in late 2012. The trio shook things up and brought about some positive change in how WWE viewed the talent at NXT. I do wish the three would have stayed together as a unit a bit longer, but the execution of Rollins turn was perfect.

In breaking up the Shield, I liked that WWE didn't do what WCW did with the NWO decades ago by adding new members and growing the group. The Shield will always be remembered as that core three, Reigns, Rollins and Ambrose.

Rollins vs. Triple H
Courtesy: WWE

Now that all three men are back on Raw the speculation has already started that they'll team again. While I'm not opposed to it happening, I just can't see it being a priority right now. Reigns is enjoying the rub of beating the Undertaker, Rollins dethroned the "King of Kings" Triple H and Ambrose is busy with the Intercontinental Championship.

Undertaker vs. Reigns
Courtesy: WWE

That being said, it would make sense to bring the boys back together to help Roman in his battle with the nasty and vile Braun Strowman. But unless he gets a couple of allies, it would look more like the Shield bullying the big man. At one time, Roman Reigns was the darling of the group and fans cheered him. If WWE wants to make him THE good guy and face of the company, it might not be a bad idea to reunite the Shield and get that rub once again.

Ambrose as IC champ
Courtesy: WWE

All three former members of the Shield are talented Superstars and have bright futures in the company. I'm glad to see Ambrose on Raw because it felt like he was getting lost in the shuffle of SmackDown Live. I hope WWE Creative puts more emphasis on the IC title and Ambrose is a featured player on Raw in the weeks and months ahead.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Positive rumblings

It's Samoa Joe!
Courtesy: WWE

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

A lot of wrestling fans, myself included, have done some complaining on social media about the outcome of the WWE Royal Rumble. Last year I vowed to be more positive in my postings, but there are times I don't necessarily like the outcomes of events and a snarky or negative post gets made. Episode 115 of the podcast this week, Chad and I voice our concerns with the current landscape leading up to WrestleMania. But that's the past and now a few positive notes from the Rumble and the Raw after.

Neville
Courtesy: WWE

1. Neville is the new Cruiserweight Champion. For weeks Neville has been the self-anointed "King of the Cruiserweights" and that destiny was fulfilled Sunday night. Neville beat Rich Swann in a great match. I have been a fan of "the King" since before he signed with WWE, so naturally, his title win is awesome. My hope is his involvement in the division will draw more interest to the 205 contenders.

Owens flyin' high
Courtesy: WWE

2. Roman Reigns didn't win the Universal Championship. I understand this is negative, and maybe I should say Kevin Owens retained the title. I don't dislike Reigns, but I don't think he's ready to be at the top of the hill again. I want to see the Owens-Chris Jericho angle play out.

Rollins gets mugged
Courtesy: WWE

3. Samoa Joe appears to be on the main roster. I popped as I scrolled through my social media feed Tuesday morning (I go to bed before Raw ends) and saw pics of Joe destroying Seth Rollins. Throw in the "Holy shit!" chant from the fans and my day was made. It's not that I dislike Rollins, I'm just glad to see Joe on the main roster. And yes, I'm the guy 10 years ago who referred to Joe as "Rikishi 2.0". I'm an ass, I know.

There are plenty of things to complain about in wrestling (and in life), but taking a look at the glass being half full is what's best for my business.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Rumble Ramblings: #5 Rollins arrives

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Since the 2017 Royal Rumble is right around the corner, I've decided to countdown to this year's event with my 10 favorite non-Rumble Royal Rumble matches.

The Shield made a huge impact on WWE in late 2012. The trio of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins didn't take long dominate the company. They won countless six-man encounters and were quick to capture gold as Rollins and Reigns winning the tag team titles and Ambrose picking up the U.S. Title. However, the honeymoon ended in mid-2014 and Rollins turned bad and joined the Authority.

He picked up a key victory by winning the Money in the Bank briefcase, guaranteeing a shot at the WWE Championship. Most of the time when that happens, the challenger ends up with the title, so it was just a matter of time for Rollins.

Triple Threat
Courtesy: WWE

But by the time the 2015 Royal Rumble rolled around, he was still hovering over the line between main eventer and mid-card. He got himself booked into a triple threat match against then-champion Brock Lesnar and WWE poster child John Cena. Even though Rollins had the briefcase, I was skeptical about his involvement in this match. He was in there against the two biggest names in the company at that time.

Elbow drop
Courtesy: WWE

As the match progressed, though, Rollins proved to the world that he did indeed belong in the World title picture. His showing was more than impressive and many agree that night is what made Rollins a SUPER Superstar. He was great before even stepping foot in a WWE ring, but the 2015 Royal Rumble cemented his legacy.

Two months later he cashed in that briefcase at WrestleMania (a WWE first) and became the champ. It was a creative way of getting the title off Lesnar without making Lesnar "lose" in the ring. Seth's run was cut short due to injury. Once he gets past the feud with Triple H, I suspect Rollins is due for some kind of championship gold in 2017.

10 Favorite Non-Rumble Royal Rumble matches

10. Super Posedown
9. Harts Broken
8. All fired up

7. Daniel & The Giants

6. Co-owners Collide

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Sting vs. Undertaker is NOT going to happen

I didn't create this

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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For several years many wrestling fans have hung on the hope that WrestleMania will feature a match between two of the biggest icons in the business: Sting and The Undertaker.

Ending The Streak
Courtesy: WWE

The talk got really crazy in 2013 when it appeared Sting was going to finally be signing a WWE contract. But CM Punk ended up facing the Dead Man that year and I don't think Sting ever officially signed a deal. Then prior to WrestleMania XXX the buzz started again, but instead it was Brock Lesnar who took on and ended the Undertaker's streak of victories at the annual event.

Sting vs. Triple H
Courtesy: WWE

A year later the buzz started again, but instead Undertaker battled Bray Wyatt and Sting, who wrestled his first and only WrestleMania match, was defeated by Triple H. Fans were pissed for a variety of reasons, some because they didn't get the match they'd dream of, others because Sting lost in his WrestleMania debut. Me? I wasn't pissed, but I didn't care much for the finish involving DX and the nWo. I was never a huge fan of either faction, I know that makes me some kind of weirdo.

A few months after that Sting was seriously injured in a match against Seth Rollins. So injured that it marked the icon's last match. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016 and ended his speech with an announcement that he was in fact retiring.

Courtesy: WWE

Less than a year after Sting revealed that news, fans are STILL hoping for a match against the Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. I understand many are hoping for this because we've never seen Sting vs. Undertaker (as the Undertaker). But for the love of God, Sting retired because of an injury, getting into the ring at his age (not that he's old) and his physical condition could lead to serious and deadly consequences.

I would never tell anyone to stop hoping or dreaming or asking for a match. But seriously, I have a better shot at wrestling the Undertaker at WrestleMania than Sting does. Why would you want to jeopardize the man's safety for an encounter that's 15 years overdue?

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Road Block preview

Courtesy: WWE

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

WWE is closing out the year with one more Raw “pay-per-view” event. Road Block: End of the Line features several championship matches and brewing rivalries. The show also makes the bold promise to be the “end of the line” for women’s competitors Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair.

That’s the match I’m going to talk most about. I’m guessing this Ironman (woman) match will close the show. Like most fans, I’ve enjoyed the matches these two women have put on over their time on the main roster and while they were both in NXT. But at the same time, I agree it’s time for both women to move on to new opponents. Years ago two wrestlers could get away with feuding for more than a year because there wasn’t so much TV time to fill.

Charlotte needs the win here. Her undefeated singles streak on PPV can’t be broken on a smaller show. Also, when Charlotte does finally lose it needs to be against someone who hasn’t already beaten her. The smart money is on Bayley, however, I’d rather it be Nia Jax. If it doesn’t happen at WrestleMania, I’d wait until SummerSlam for this to happen.

Kevin Owens will come out of the match against Roman Reigns as Universal Champion, however, I don’t think he’ll beat the U.S. Champion. A disqualification or count out are more likely results to this match.

Seth Rollins will beat Chris Jericho. Jericho really doesn’t need the win. He’d still be strong for the much-anticipated championship match against Owens.

The New Day should hold on to the tag team championships, but at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sheamus and Cesaro finally win the gold (or copper). I’d hate for the new record breaking champs lose the titles in such quick fashion, but it’s a huge possibility now. Other than Big Cass and Enzo, Sheamus and Cesaro are my next picks for tag team champions.

Sami Zayn will survive his 10 minutes against Braun Strowman. But then what happens next for both men? WWE hasn’t seemed to have much of a plan for the big man lately.

I want to be a fan of the Cruiserweight Division, but I’m not sold on it yet. Rich Swann should retain the title, I see no reason to pass it off again, but like I said before nothing would surprise me.

Enzo will cause Big Cass to get disqualified in the kick-off match against Rusev. It keeps all parties involved looking strong and further advances the issues between Enzo and Rusev.

Despite a number of rematches as a part of this show, it should be a great event with the crowning of at least one new champion. Long live Charlotte!

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Clash of Champions picks

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I'm trying to keep my blogging streak alive and am now experiencing no internet at home so I'm writing this on my phone. It'll be short and sweet. Here are my picks for Clash of Champions.

Kevin Owens will retain the Universal Championship. This is the only match I'll be happy with either man winning.

Rusev should retain the U.S. Championship, but I won't be surprised if Roman Reigns wins.

The New Day over The Club.

TJ Perkins retains the Cruiserweight Championship against Brian Kendrick

Charlotte over Bayley and Sasha Banks

Sami Zayn over Chris Jericho

Nia Jax will beat Alicia Fox

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Keep Roman Reigns out of the title match

Reigns confronts Owens
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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As Monday Night Raw came to a close on Labor Day, former WWE World Champion Roman Reigns was told by General Manager Mick Foley he could get into the WWE Universal Championship match at Clash of Champions. The catch is Reigns must beat current champ next week on Raw in a non-title match. I have no idea what the plan is, but I really hope they don't add Roman or anyone else to what is already an amazing main event match.

It's great that there is plenty of talent sitting at the top of the card, but I am not a huge fan multi-man (or woman) championship matches. The tactic has been used at the last couple of WrestleManias for the Intercontinental title as a means to get several Superstars on the show. But with Clash of Champions, I'm content with this match saying Kevin Owens defending against just Seth Rollins.

Maybe Reigns vs. Jericho instead?
Courtesy: WWE

With Rusev and Lana on their honeymoon and out for several weeks, I understand the need to put Roman into a high profile matchup. I'd rather see Roman be used in another match, ideally Chris Jericho. It's too soon for Braun Strowman to get a top tier opponent. Just throwing Roman into the title match will take away from Owens and Rollins. More often than not one of the three competitors ends up on the floor while the other two competitors go at it.

Keep it Rollins vs. Owens
Courtesy: WWE

So I'm not picking on Roman Reigns. I'm picking on the idea of a triple-threat match so soon after the fatal four-way was used to determine the new champ.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

I'm more than OK with KO

KO is the champ
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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