What a Week

21-1

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I think the week of April 6, 2014 may go down as one of the most historic in professional wrestling.  Some of it good, some of it bad, but none the less, professional wrestling, specifically the WWE has been in the main stream media several times over the past seven days.

SUNDAY:
It all started Sunday at Wrestlemania.  The Undertaker's wining streak at the yearly event came to an end.  I'm still surprised by this, and posted a YouTube video earlier in the week.  

Me when the Streak started

Here's why it's a huge deal to me.  Just think about how long the Undertaker has been wrestling and winning at Wrestlemania.  When he wrestled at his first Mania in 1991, I was a senior in high school.  I'm now 41 years old.  That streak has followed me through college, three different TV stations, three kids, and my entire my marriage.   When I think about it in those terms, it really does blow my mind.  To say he's had 21 victories doesn't really put that emphasis on the amount of time that's behind the record.

Another significant moment out of Wrestlemania of course was Daniel Bryan finally getting his revenge on the Authority and Randy Orton and winning the WWE World Heavyweight title.  His reign is now seven days old and is almost seven times longer than his first two reigns as WWE Champion.

Karen Jarrett

MONDAY:
While not as talked about as the events of Wrestlemania and other WWE happenings, I think the announcement of Jeff and Karen Jarrett's new Global Force Wrestling will have an impact (pardon the pun) on the business.  Personally, I'm curious to see how things pan out.  More announcements are planned in the coming weeks.  So far all we really know is that the Jarretts are starting a wrestling company and they're on the hunt for talent.  Follow @GFWWrestling on Twitter to stay in the loop.

Raw had some pretty cool moments.  I was there, and I think that always makes it more fun.  The crowd loves Daniel Bryan and that's even more obvious in person.  Cesaro announcing he's a Paul Heyman Guy came out of left field.  I like this development,  as we all know Brock Lesnar won't be on every week, and right now the world needs Paul Heyman. Speaking of Heyman, his promo on Raw was one of the best I've heard from him and it helped sell me on the ending of the Streak.

Paige challenges AJ Lee

Paige winning the Divas title was a surprise as well.  She's just one NXT talent to debut on Raw, as Alexander Rusev beat Zack Ryder in his first match on Raw.  Plus they showed promos for the soon-to-be arriving Bo Dallas and Adam Rose.  It's an exciting time for WWE's younger talent right now.

Warrior makes his way to the ring

TUESDAY: 
Tragedy struck when the Ultimate Warrior collapsed and died at the age of 54.  Days later, I am still in shock.  I was fortunate enough to see him get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night and was in the crowd for his speech at Raw.  Those words seem haunting now.  Warrior, rest in peace and thanks for all the memories.

Eric Young, new champ
Photo courtesy: TNA

THURSDAY:
I don't really follow TNA like I should, but I do want to note that Eric Young has captured the TNA title.  Many are criticizing the move, comparing the quest for gold to Daniel Bryan's.  Since I haven't seen what they've done with Young, I don't think it's fair for me to comment.  I do wish TNA the best of luck and hope that they can become a competitive force in the wrestling wars, as I think GFW is going to be gunning for them.

Brie & Daniel
Photo courtesy: WWE

FRIDAY:
Maybe not major news, but congratulations to Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella on their marriage.  It's been a great week for the WWE World Heavyweight champion.  

Wrestlemania XXX Recap

Inside the SuperDome

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

My usual post Wrestlemania high didn't last as long this year, in part because of the untimely passing of the Ultimate Warrior.  Then add a 10 hour road trip home from New Orleans, and a 1:30 a.m. wakeup call for work and you get one tired and sad writer.  But enough excuses, it's time to look back at Wrestlemania 30, which I believe is the best Wrestlemania I've attended.

Chad and I have traveled to eight Wrestlemanias over the last nine years.  We've been to 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.  Each experience was fun for different reasons, but I think Wrestlemania 30 will standout for years to come for a number of reasons.  Let's take a closer look at the Wrestlemania moments of the evening:

Drink up!

Legends Unite:
Kicking off Wrestlemania with Hulk Hogan seemed more like a Raw moment, but his speech helped pump the crowd, even if he called the Super Dome the Silver Dome.  Then the sound of breaking glass and the appearance of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin pumped up the crowd even more.  The Rock coming out was the cherry on top, as I watched in awe these three icons interact.  The toast at the end of the segment was nothing short of awesome, as I wonder if we'll ever see these three together in the ring again.  Bonus, because of our seats, as the Legends walked past us, I was able to reach out and touch the Rock's arm.  I know I should probably not have been so excited by this, but it was indeed a mark out moment for me.

The winner!

Super Cesaro: 
Up until the end of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, I had The Big Show picked to win.  Not because I wanted him to or thought he deserved the honor, but because he was the biggest man in the event and the parallels have been made between he and Andre.  I love the concept of the battle royal, getting many Superstars on the show and paying tribute to one of the greatest Legends in the history of wrestling.  Kofi Kingston's near elimination was pretty cool. I thought he had gotten hurt and that's why the camera was on him because from where we were sitting it looked like a nasty spill over the top rope.  I was glad to see Kofi keep his streak of unique near eliminations alive.  But the true Wrestlemania moment came when Cesaro scooped up the Big Show and slammed him over the top rope.  It was a flashback to 1987 when Hogan slammed Andre to win the main event of Wrestlemania III.

Prematch stare down

RIP The Streak:
I'm not gonna lie, I thought the Streak would live on forever.  I had actually contemplated making a $50 bet with an old friend from high school that the Undertaker would win. I'm glad now that I didn't.  Another confession, I haven't been that into the Undertaker, ever.  I like the guy, don't get me wrong.  His matches from the past were very good.  But in recent years, I've just not been overly impressed.  I know I'm in the minority when I say that.  Finishers done on the opponent, several near falls, and finally the victory.  Don't hate on me for that, as I do respect the Undertaker and his contribution to wrestling.  But I was not fully engaged in the match with Brock, but looked up from my phone as Lesnar delivered the final F5.  When the ref's hand hit the mat the third time and the bell rang, I immediately thought Paul Heyman called for the bell and Taker had kicked out.  Then they flashed the 21-1 graphic on the screen and Heyman and Lesnar left the ring.  Like the 75,000 others in the Super Dome, I was shocked.  I did not cry though, nor scream bullsh!t.  I didn't leave either.

21 and 1

I was disappointed at first, but I think it makes perfect sense now.  The ending of the Streak garnered national media coverage.  Heck, a radio station from my hometown called me and interviewed me about it.  After sleeping on it, I had a different perspective and after Monday's Raw where Heyman introduced Lesnar as the 1 in "21 and 1", I loved the idea even more.  I don't know what the future holds for the Undertaker, but his legacy will not be tarnished by his loss at Wrestlemania 30.  I just hope they keep this momentum going for Brock and the loss was for nothing.

Triple H vs. Bryan

Yes! Yes! Yes!:
Taker's streak ending likely overshadows Daniel Bryan's victories at Wrestlemania 30, but it no doubt was another great moment that night. For years, I think Wrestlemania has lacked those definable moments, but this year there were several.  Bryan's initial win over Triple H in the opener sent him on a path of domination into the main event.  The match was really good, as I think both men put on one helluva show.  

I've said it before, I'm not a fan of Batista or Randy Orton, but both men put their bodies on the line for the sake of entertaining the millions watching this WWE World Heavyweight title match.  The Batista Bomb/Reverse RKO was phenomenal and Orton's crash landing on the monitor had many fans wincing in pain.  I wondered for a moment if he was going to be able to continue.  To his credit, Orton got back in their and fought an epic battle against his two foes.  

The new champ

Bryan overcame the odds of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon returning to ringside and the bogus actions of a corrupt referee to win the title.  Even though Bryan has held gold before, this victory seemed especially sweet.  I'd say 90% of the Super Dome was chanting YES! at the end of the match as confetti showered the crowd and Bryan.  It was a long and winding road, a slow burn that ultimately paid off in a big way for the WWE Universe and the new champ.  I don't know what the plan was before CM Punk left, but I don't care.  I'm happy to see Bryan win the big title at the biggest Wrestlemania to date. 

The Shield 

I've rambled long enough.  I was glad to see the Shield remain intact and look strong in defeating three WWE Legends in Kane, Billy Gunn, and the Road Dogg.  John Cena's victory was unexpected and I think unappreciated by a majority of the crowd.  It is what it is as far as I'm concerned.  AJ Lee's victory was clever, I liked it a lot and felt sorry for the Divas as they made their way to the ring moments after the Streak came to an abrupt end and fans took out their anger on the ladies in the ring.  

It was a solid show, the best Mania I've attended in person. Props to the WWE talent, producers, and all the men and women who make the magic happen and don't get recognized for it.  I'll write more about that soon.

Tis the Season for Sting Rumors

Fan art
whatculture.com

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For years, wrestling fans online have posted their hopes and desires for Sting to sign with the WWE.  I'd say three years ago when the 2/21/11 promos started airing on Raw and SmackDown! fans truly thought the former WCW and TNA champion was going to be joining the WWE and challenging the Undertaker's unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania 27.  It didn't take long to learn that the Stinger was not coming to the E, and fans seemed very disappointed.

More fantasy booking
ultimatesportstalk.com

There's always a buzz this time of year that Sting is going to sign with the WWE.  It's started up again this year, however, according to Impact Wrestling's website as of this posting, Sting is still listed on the roster page.  But that hasn't stopped fans from hoping that Sting will somehow show up in New Orleans to take on The Undertaker.  But seriously, I don't understand why fans want this match in 2014.

Yes, I do hope that Sting signs with the WWE, at the very least a Legends deal.  I think it's safe to say Sting is the "one who got away" fro Vince McMahon during the prime of his career.  I was always a bigger WWF/E fan than WCW fan back in the day.  I would have loved to seen "beach bum" Sting as a part of the company in the early 90's.  But now Sting is nearly 55 years old.  He's been wrestling for decades.  I'm not saying age should be a deterrent, but realistically Sting vs. Undertaker (who is no spring chicken either) should have happened at least 10 years ago, probably 15.  

Here's another...
http://teardroptc.blogspot.com

Another reason I don't want to see this match at Wrestlemania, why have Sting's first big pay per view result in a loss to the Undertaker?  On the flip side of the coin, why have the Streak end at the hands of  a guy who's older than Taker and is not going to be around for any length of time?  If the WWE does chose to end the Streak at some point, it needs to happen to someone who will benefit from that move.  With the exception of CM Punk, the Undertaker's last several Wrestlemania opponents had nothing left to prove.  Ending the streak would have been a feather in the cap, but not likely to excel anyone's career.  It would have been wasted.

Again, I'd like to see Sting come in and have a few matches, put over some guys and then get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  There's all kinds of rumors out there, so we're going to have to wait and see if 2014 will be the year the Stinger steps into a WWE for the first time in his nearly 30 year career.

Monday Mayhem: News of the Day

John Cena & the Rock
Wrestlemania 30 Press Conference
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Admittedly, My 1-2-3 Cents is not a wrestling news website.  However, I came across several items today and instead of writing several different blogs, I figured I'd put them all in one.  For most fans, this "news" is actually old at this point, but humor me in reading until the end.

Wrestlemania in the Big Easy:  The cat was let out of the bag on this one a couple of weeks ago, but the WWE made it official today (February 18) that Wrestlemania 30 (XXX) is coming to New Orleans.  The event will be held Sunday, April 6, 2014 at the Super Dome.

My reaction:  Two things come to mind, please don't let the power go out.  And please don't give us Rock-Cena III (thrice in a lifetime).

Rock retains, looks toward Wrestlemania 29
Photo courtesy: WWE

Rock Retains, Faces Cena at Wrestlemania 29: The Rock retained the WWE title at Elimination Chamber Sunday night, which means as of right now (1:34 p.m. CST on February 18) he'll defend the championship against John Cena.  This will be a rematch of last year's hotly promoted "Once in a Lifetime" match between the two.  Of course with the circumstances of Rock winning the title and Cena winning the Royal Rumble, the WWE is able to make these changes seem "legit."  I should also mention that Jack Swagger has won the right to face Alberto Del Rio at Wrestlemania.

My reaction:  I've ranted before about not liking Wrestlemania rematches, especially in back-to-back years.  There are rumors that CM Punk will be added to the mix to make it a three-way for the title.  I don't know if the WWE had planned on Rock-Cena II all along or if they reached a point last year that they realized they still haven't pushed anyone to the main event.  Either way I think it's not a good sign for the current product and I wonder where things will stand six months to a year from now after the Rock has (presumably) returned to Hollywood.  I'm going to digest the Swagger win a little further before commenting on it.

KOA to make Collision debut
Photo courtesy: Pro Wrestling Collision

Sweet Deal for Pro Wrestling Collision: Indy wrestling stars Sugar Dunkerton and Aaron Epic, who wrestle as the team KOA, make their Pro Wrestling Collision debuts this Saturday.  The two will be at the taping at the Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale.  Bell time is 7 p.m. on the 23rd.  Tickets are $10.

My reaction: Regular readers know I work for Pro Wrestling Collision.  I'm excited to see a couple of up and comers on the indy scene wrestle here in southern Illinois.  Another admission, I don't know a whole lot about KOA.  I do know Sugar's work in Chikara where he was a member of the Throwbacks and FIST.  I'll be doing my homework this week so I can call the action that these two stars are going to be a part of.  Like Pro Wrestling Collision on Facebook to get more updates on Saturday's show.