AJ is ready... but don't give him the belt

AJ wants the belt
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I know members of the Internet Wrestling Community may be losing their minds at the headline on this post. AJ Styles is more than ready and deserving of a run as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. BUT this Sunday at Backlash isn't the time to do a title change. 

I'm not a huge fan of playing hot potato with championships, especially the world title. WWE has done a good job establishing the New Day and The Miz as champions. Dean Ambrose, despite having the belt a couple of months, still needs some time with the gold. This match Sunday shouldn't be a one-and-done and AJ gets the title. 

Courtesy: WWE

Chad and I talk more about the reasons behind this on this week's podcast. I'm a fan of both guys and won't be disappointed either way. SummerSlam proved AJ is really ready for the main event picture (even though he was arguably already there prior to the event). But with the crowning of a new Women's Champion and Tag Team Champions for SmackDown Live; another switch could potentially get lost in the shuffle.

I'd save the switch for the December event and have a rematch ready to go at the Royal Rumble. This will give Ambrose a few more months on top and time to build the story to December. Survivor Series could feature them either on opposing teams or part of Team SmackDown Live vs. Team Raw. But who knows what the company has planned for that show.

Long story short, his time is coming. There's no reason to rush it. 

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.

Red Daniels is blinded by gold

Red sees gold

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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If you haven't checked out Stride Pro Wrestling in southern Illinois yet, I highly recommend it. Yes I am biased as I am the ring announcer for the company. But the action each month is top notch. 

The graduates

Heath Hatton is training a new crop of indy wrestlers several times a week at the Stride Pro Wrestling School and over the weekend two of his students graduated. Congratulations to both Frank Edwards and Red Daniels. 

Less than an hour after receiving his diploma and soaking in the cheers of his hometown fans, Red snapped. He joined former rival "The Hitman" Jake Capone in beating down the Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champions Jay Spade and Joey O'Riley. The popular duo known as Team Triple X was blindsided after Red appeared to be helping the team. O'Riley and Spade have overcome many challenges through the years. But Red's hunger for fame and fortune may lead to the demise of champs.

The Midwest Mafia has arrived
 

There's no doubt Red's "good guy" persona was a front, I just don't know for how long. Not only were the champs blindsided, but so were the fans (myself included). Moments after the beatdown, Capone shared a new Midwest Mafia t-shirt with Red. The two celebrated their heinous actions by holding the tag team titles proudly over the nearly unconscious champs. A night filled with celebrating the accomplishments of the last seven months came to a screeching halt as Red turned his back on those who have supported him longest.

Despite being outweighed by nearly 300 pounds, don't count out Team Triple X. Spade and O'Riley will be ready for a fight. Will it be enough to overcome the hunger (some might say greed) of Daniels and Capone? Stay tuned to the Stride Pro Wrestling Facebook page for updates.

Bret Hart's 20 year deal

Happier times for Vince McMahon & Bret Hart
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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In the fall of 1996 Vince McMahon's WWF was losing the Monday Night Wars. The WWF's flagship show, Monday Night Raw was getting whooped each week by WCW's Monday Nitro. Big time former WWF Superstars like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Razor Ramon and Diesel had all jumped ship. Roddy Piper was soon to head south as well.

McMahon was worried about losing his remaining big stars and in an effort to keep his popular former champion, Bret "The Hitman" Hart in place, he offered the Excellence of Execution a 20 year contract. Had the deal been honored, Hart would just now be wrapping up that obligation. It's hard to believe two decades have passed since then and all the things that happened in between.

The Montreal Screwjob
Courtesy: WWE

We know a year into the deal McMahon and Hart came to the conclusion it would be in Bret's best interest to sign with WCW. Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson talk at length about the situation in the most recent episode of Something to Wrestle With.

It would definitely be interesting to see what would have happened had Vince not been in a financial bind and allow Bret to negotiate with WCW. The Montreal Screwjob would have never happened. That moment is what many people believe helped turn the tide for the WWF in the battle for ratings supremacy. Would the Monday Night Wars have been a thing? Would WCW continue to run roughshod over WWF? How much longer would Bret have wrestled before transitioning into an agent? 

Bret vs. Goldberg
Courtesy: WWE

Bret was 40 when he left for WCW. He was one of the most active and hardest working guys in the ring. He could have easily continued on for at least a few years. We all know he suffered that career ending injury against Goldberg in 2000. He likely would have stayed in the ring full-time in WWF until 2002 (age 45) before moving into a behind the scenes guy. But Hart would have still been a part of programming, much like Sgt. Slaughter, Pat Patterson and Mick Foley did after their respective retirements.

Competition between WCW and WWF would have carried on, but I don't know that Vince would have bought WCW without the screwjob to launch it all. That's when we saw Mr. McMahon develop as a bad guy and a whole new way of producing wrestling shows was born. 

Bret vs. Vince
Courtesy: WWE

What do you think? Did Hart's departure aid in the WWF's eventual dominance in the Monday Night Wars? Would there have been another hot angle to help launch the assault had Bret stayed? Steve Austin was destined to become champion, but with the foil of Mr. McMahon ratings started going through the roof for the company.

The birthday blog

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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September 3, 2010 I launched My 1-2-3 Cents and wrote my first blog here called The Opening Match. I'd been blogging on other platforms for a couple of years, but not with any consistency. I decided to start a wrestling blog at the urging of my friend and blogging guru, Jeff Rose. 

I don't know if I've ever explained the name of the blog. It's a play off the phrase "my two cents". In wrestling a referee counts 1-2-3. In my attempt to be clever I mashed the two ideas together and six years later that's what we have. Most of the things written here are opinion and not "wrestling news." I don't have the time or resources to have a news site.

While wrestling is still the primary focus of this blog, a few years ago I added "pop culture" and "life" to the categories. Stories about my childhood and high school years seem to resinate among readers. Over the last year I've expanded my blogging to go beyond this page and I'm writing blogs for other people now (if you're interested send me an email). Writing has become one of my favorite things to do.

My 1-2-3 Cents has grown over the last six years, not just in readers though. In addition to the blog here, there's a weekly podcast on the Jittery Monkey Podcasting Network that is 100% wrestling related. The YouTube channel is not as robust as it once was, but I am working on some ideas for that. Then there's social media sites like Instagram, Twitter (@my123cents) and Facebook. 

As social media and technology evolve, so do my ideas for My 1-2-3 Cents and blogging in general. Thanks to all of you for the support and stay tuned, new things are on the horizon!

Listen, review and WIN!

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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For nearly two years I've been doing a weekly wrestling podcast. Thank you to those who listen on the Jittery Monkey Podcasting Network or iTunes each week. In an effort to boost the algorithm of the show I'm running a contest. It's an idea I've stolen from The Ric Flair Show. (Sorry my prizes won't be as cool as the champs old belts.)

So here's how you play. Head over to iTunes and rate the show, give a rating and then write up a quick review. Please be honest with your thoughts, you won't hurt my feelings. Let me know what you like about the show and what you'd change. If you listen through Jittery Monkey, leave a comment.

Screen capture your review and tag us on social media: @kevinhunsperger or @my123cents on Twitter or post it on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page.  Winners will be picked at random and announced on the October 10 podcast. So you've got plenty of time to enter and win!

Craft beer & Cocoa Pebbles vs. My abs & willpower

I didn't have these together

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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As summer fades away I start another month wondering why I haven't found my abs yet. Well, the answer is actual in the title of this post. Craft beer and Cocoa Pebbles were my big nutritional downfalls in August. But it's not just my sweet tooth and developing love for craft beer that has hurt my waistline. I've fallen off the workout wagon.

Got this from Doug Brinkley 

I did the six week Tarzan Challenge through July and into part of August. But instead of restarting the program and doing each exercise for 90 seconds instead of 60, I just stopped working out completely. My logic sucks, I wasn't getting the results I wanted so I stopped. Makes perfect sense, right? WRONG. 

I am still running everyday. I've hit day 124 of consecutive running. But I've got to do something else. I'm in a fitness rut for sure. The good news is I haven't gained any weight. I'm status quo. I want to see results, but really need to work on getting them. I wish there was more time in the day or I could get a better handle on how I spend my waking hours. Oh and speaking of sleep, don't even get me started on that situation. I still suck at that too.  

Stay tuned for the October update and go enjoy something pumpkin spiced. Oh and check out Craftbeericans on YouTube. It'll make me not having abs worth it if you watch and subscribe.