Careers saved by tag team wrestling

Breezango
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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So far I'm pleased that most of the established tag teams in WWE will remain intact after the draft. Of course general managers could split up some of the duos as Chad suggested during our podcast and have the Ascension and the Usos pursue singles careers. 

Selfie time
Courtesy: WWE

I'm particularly glad to see that Breezango was drafted together and Fandango and Tyler Breeze will at least for now continue to function as a team. When both men were brought up from NXT to the main roster, I had high hopes for them. After very short lived pushes each seemed to get lost in the shuffle.

A couple months ago new life was breathed into their careers when they were put together as a team. While I'm not sure they'll become tag team champions, Breezango is no doubt getting more attention from creative than they were as individuals. There have been other floundering singles Superstars saved by getting a partner.

Oh you didn't know?
Courtesy: WWE

The best example of this is the Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. Billy was transitioning out of The Smoking Gunns team and tried a solo career as RockaBilly with the Honky Tonk Man as his manager. The gimmick fell flat. Road Dogg meanwhile had departed Jeff Jarrett as the Roadie and really hadn't done much. In fact I don't really remember him doing anything until the angle with Billy started.

New Age Outlaws
Courtesy: WWE

When the two first teamed up I didn't think it was a good pairing. Then The New Age Outlaws beat the Legion of Doom for the WWF tag team titles and I thought the powers that be had lost their minds. The Road Warriors, one of wrestling's greatest tag teams of all time, had just lost the gold to a couple of midcard no names. It reminded me of when Steve Regal (not William) and Jimmy Garvin beat the Warriors for the AWA straps 12 years earlier. But this was the start of something big and the Outlaws have gone down as one of the most beloved and awarded tag teams in the history of the business. Joining DX didn't hurt with them getting over either.

New Day Rocks!
Courtesy: WWE

The current tag team champions, The New Day fit into this category too. Kofi Kingston was on the brink of breaking through to the main event scene but for some reason was derailed along the way. He quickly slipped into the land of the lost. Big E showed potential as a heel, but when he turned face he too got lost in the shuffle. Xavier Woods was working hard to make a name for himself. Then these three Superstars in search of an identity came together and the rest is wrestling history. I never imagined New Day would be as wildly popular as they are. The merchandising alone will put them in the books as some of WWE's greatest Superstars. After all, what other Superstar has had their own cereal? 

What singles stars have you seen saved by becoming a tag team competitor?

This Really May Be Hell

Brock wins again?
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I've said it several times not just here but on my podcast as well, that I'm not a huge fan of specialty pay per views like Hell in a Cell and Money in the Bank.  I think too many of these matches takes away from the times when it's "important" to have competitors squaring off in a speciality match.  We're guaranteed at least two HIAC matches each year.  

Undertaker vs. Mankind
Courtesy: WWE

I don't hate the match itself, as there have been some extraordinary things go on inside and outside the structure.  My favorite is a no-brainer, The Undertaker vs. Mankind from King of the Ring 1998.  It was only the third cell match and the rivalry between the two Superstars had built for years.  Plus the emotional commentary of Jim Ross makes this one of those matches I go back and watch more often than any other HIAC match.

Courtesy: Jake Sharpless
http://rukkus.com/blog/author/jake/

Nearly 20 years and 30 Hell in a Cell matches later, I can't say that I'm overly excited for the 2015 incarnation of the event.  Putting Brock and Undertaker back in the cell for what will hopefully be their third and final match of this series makes sense.  Do I think it will be an outstanding match?  Not likely, but I do know both men will put 110% into the contest. But the buildup of this feud hasn't intrigued me at all.  Well I do like the Bray Wyatt-Roman Reigns rivalry, I don't think they NEED to be in a cell.  I'm not sure any feuds right now on the main roster are HIAC worthy.  That's been a trend in recent years and another reason to argue no need for two of these matches on each October pay per view. (Thanks to Jake Sharpless from Rukkus for the cool graphic)

I have no doubt the wrestling action Sunday will be amazing.  I hope from the creative side of things we are given some new options.  I'm still not sure how I feel about Kane competing for the top prize at this stage in his career.  It's a must to cultivate younger talent.  Kevin Owens. Caesaro. Neville. Rusev. Reigns. Wyatt.  The time is NOW to pull the trigger on these guys.  And stay behind them.

Tyler Breeze
Courtesy: WWE

I'll close with the John Cena U.S. Title Open Challenge.  They flirted with Owens a few months ago being the guy to knock off Cena.  If the "champ" is taking some time off in the coming weeks, Sunday's challenger should be given the ball and a chance to run (and far) with it.  Speculation is that it'll be Tyler Breeze.  I have no problem with that.  Let's see what he can do on the main roster.  I know it's a long shot, but I wouldn't mind it being Daniel Bryan (Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm a mark for him)  Tune in to a later edition of My 1-2-3 Cents the podcast and hear a first hand account of Sunday's action.