3 Stars who need to come back to WWE

Morrison, Rhodes, Hogan
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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There are reports that 5 Star Wrestling has offered CM Punk a million dollars to be a part of an upcoming summer tour. That's a lot of money and who knows if Punk will actually do it, but the notion got me to thinking about what Superstars I'd like to see make a return to WWE. After all, the company has mended fences with the likes of Bruno Sammartino, The Ultimate Warrior and Kurt Angle. Who knows, one-day Punk may come back to be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame, but I highly doubt we'll see him wrestle there again. So who would I like to see come back? 

Morrison in action
Courtesy: WWE

John Morrison was one of the most underutilized guys on the WWE roster. He went from a tag team guy, winning the championships with both Joey Mercury and the Miz to being a fairly well-accomplished singles star, winning both the Intercontinental and WWECW Championships. However, he never seemed to get over that hump so many Superstars get stuck at. I didn't realize he left WWE nearly six years ago. He's doing great in Lucha Underground and with some acting projects in Hollywood. Morrison (Johnny Mundo) still looks amazing and works his ass off in the ring. He definitely left before WWE really started the push for the current product. He could easily come back and work his way into the main event picture.

Cody & Goldust
Courtesy: WWE

Cody Rhodes has only been gone a year but I miss seeing him on a weekly basis. He's honing his craft and only getting better working indy shows as well as TNA and Ring of Honor. I'm loving the "American Nightmare" gimmick. I liked the Stardust character and even the idea of having Cody on one show and Stardust on the other. But he's established he doesn't need the character to get over. Sometimes leaving and finding oneself and allowing the company to see what they've missed out on is needed. Drew McIntyre comes to mind as the most recent example.

The Hulkster
Courtesy: WWE

Hear me out on this last one. Hulk Hogan is a legend in the business. While I don't agree with, nor defend what he said, it's hard to deny the Hulkster's legacy. I don't want him back full time necessarily or even to wrestle. Right now, I'd be content with some guest appearances on big shows and reentry into the WWE Hall of Fame. There's been more buzz that Hogan will return. It's time. He made a mistake and apologized. 

Who would you like to see come back to WWE? There are plenty of other names out there that can be added to this list.


Hulk Hogan merchandise  

These boots (or shoes) are made for wrestling

Cena's sneakers
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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A post by a friend on Facebook recently helped to inspire this blog. I don't want to call anyone out, as this person was simply voicing his opinion, something I do daily here with My 1-2-3 Cents and other forms of social media. His post was "wearing tennis shoes or basketball shoes in the ring is so disrespectful." 

Cena's shoes again
Courtesy: WWE

Again, I'm not judging him for voicing an opinion, but it did get me to thinking. My first thought was John Cena. He's not worn wrestling boots his entire time in WWE, or at least I don't think he has. I'd say it's hard to argue that he has ever been disrespectful to the business. Shane McMahon too. He wrestles in sneakers. And what about the men and women who don't wrestle in shoes at all? 

Me & my Nike shoes
Courtesy: Jason Wilkey Photography

I should note when I wrestled, I also laced up a pair of tennis shoes. I did this because I am not a wrestler, but was just having a match so it wouldn't have made sense for me to have boots. Also, I wasn't about to spend the cash on boots for a one time deal. 

Sable & her "puppies"
Courtesy: WWE

At the end of the day, wrestling is entertainment. Sometimes as fans we take it too seriously. I'm guilty of this too. But remember, there has been live "sex" show in the ring. Women have danced topless in the ring. Then there's the beer drinking, crotch chops and makeout sessions that happened in the squared circle.

IRS vs. The Undertaker
Courtesy: WWE

I don't know the point of my rambling. I understand and respect the opinions of those different from mine. But the absence of wrestling boots on a character in a show is far from disrespectful. Should there be a dress code? Costumes and gear are what makes characters and gimmicks different. Wrestling in a shirt, tie and suspenders worked for the IRS character. That's just My 1-2-3 Cents... 

Roman Reigns may be right

Roman Reigns makes his case
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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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.

I never knew... OJ Simpson could have wrestled

OJ Simpson vs. Hot Rod???

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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A new week and a new installment of I never knew... And this one is again courtesy of the podcast, Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard. Bruce and co-host Conrad Thompson discuss the match that was supposed to happen between Roddy Piper and OJ Simpson on the Roddy Piper episode of the podcast. Yes, you read that right, OJ Simpson was going to have a match at WrestleMania XII in Anaheim. 

To set the timetable for you, this was less than two years after OJ's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were found murdered at Nicole's house. OJ was the prime suspect and went on trial before eventually being acquitted in October 1995. WrestleMania XII was March 1996.

Split screen from WrestleMania XII

The mention of such a match was the first I'd ever heard of OJ ever doing a wrestling angle. You may remember, Piper eventually ended up facing Goldust in a Hollywood Backstage Brawl. During the course of the match, Piper hops into a white Ford Bronco and chases Goldust in his gold Cadillac. The production team used file news footage of the infamous chase involving OJ's white Ford Bronco along an LA freeway.

Prichard explains on the podcast that once the idea got out that the plan was for Piper to "beat the s--- out of OJ," the ex-NFL star's people declined the offer. Add to the negative reaction many outside the WWE had given the idea, it was safe to say it wasn't going to happen. There was a real fear that sponsors would pull ads at a time WWE was struggling to stay competitive with WCW.

Goldust vs. Piper
Courtesy: WWE

It's for the best that this match never happened. True, OJ was never convicted of the murders, but the court of public opinion had already tried and convicted him. Less than a year after the proposed match, Simpson was found liable in a wrongful death suit filed by the Brown and Goldman families.

I wonder how fans would have received the match and what backlash WWE would have suffered as a result. My gut tells me this would have been a disaster and not helped in the battle with WCW.

Cyndi Lauper's Mother's Day Party

Cyndi Lauper's Mother's Day Party
Courtesy: WWE Network

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I've been a bit nostalgic this week with my wrestling blogs. Since Monday I've written about Bobby Heenan & Brother Love, Bruiser Brody, Terry Funk, Kevin Von Erich and the very first Saturday Night's Main Event. I'm keeping the trend alive for today's Mother's Day post. It was that first SNME that aired in May 1985 that featured a segment honoring the moms of some of the WWF Superstars.

Junkyard Dog & his mom
Courtesy: WWE Network

Cyndi Lauper was at the top of the music charts at the time and had become involved in the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection, seconding Wendi Richter in her feud against the Fabulous Moolah. Before the party started, Richter successfully defended the WWF Women's Championship against Moolah and Junkyard Dog beat Pete Doughtery. JYD's mom, Bertha, was ringside for the match. She got in the ring and celebrated after Dog's victory. Hulk Hogan had also dedicated his championship defense to his mother.

Freddie Blassie & his "mom"
Courtesy: WWE Network

Then it was party time. For some reason, Iron Sheik, Nikolai  Volkoff and Freddie Blassie were invited. Blassie's "mom" Laura was a woman young enough to be Blassie's daughter. Hulkster's mom, Ruth was there too. Cyndi's mom, who was in several of the music videos was on hand. Moolah came in and crashed the celebration. Keep in mind there's a large cake in the shot and you know where that's headed. Moolah insulted Cyndi and her mom Catrine. The mother and daughter along with Richter lunged at the former champ knocking her and "Mean" Gene into the cake. 

Moolah and Mean Gene
Courtesy: WWE Network

Segments like these became commonplace on Saturday Night's Main Event. It definitely was a mix of sports and entertainment and as cheesy as it was, I miss those days, a lot. 

Remembering Bruiser Brody

Brody!

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I'm old enough to have had the chance to watch Bruiser Brody wrestle. My fandom started in 1983, about five years before Brody's life came to a tragic end. But in those five years, I'm flooded with many great memories of one of the toughest wrestlers to walk the planet. 

Husk! Husk! Husk!

Most of the work I recall from Brody happened in World Class Championship Wrestling and the AWA. He would come to Texas and team up with the Von Erichs in their battles with Skandor Akbar's Devastation Incorporated. Brody would go toe to toe with beasts like Kamala and eventually Abdullah the Butcher among others. It was funny because he was the bad guy in the AWA under the management of Sheik Adnan-al Kaissie. 

A week after attending my first professional wrestling show (WWF in Dec. 1984), we took in our first NWA event. Ric Flair defended the championship against Brody. Until recently I had no idea the match was online. The two battled to a bloody no-contest and Flair walked out with the gold. This was before my appreciation for the "Nature Boy" was found so I was disappointed with the outcome. 

Butcher vs. Brody

Besides Flair, I'd argue Abdullah the Butcher was Brody's biggest rival in the business. The two carved each other up with foreign objects, including the Butcher's famous fork, in promotions around the world. Both of their foreheads looked like road maps after their years against each other in the ring.

This Saturday night, May 20, SICW celebrates the life of Brody with a memorial battle royal. His widow, Barbara Goodish, will be on hand as well as Abdullah. The event is also the celebration of the 58th anniversary of Wrestling at the Chase, a show that was a staple in our home on Sunday mornings for many years. 

Brody
Courtesy: Prowrestlingstories.com

Brody's life ended way too soon, but I'm grateful for the time he was here and having the chance to go back and watch his work. No doubt he influenced plenty of men in the ring, including John Nord, Mick Foley and Luke Harper. Even Daniel Bryan wore "Brody boots" at WrestleMania XXX. Hopefully sooner rather than later Brody will take his rightful spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Foreign Object Friday: Terry Funk's branding iron

Terry Funk
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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When Terry Funk debuted in the WWF in 1985 he came with more than his traditional cowboy hat. The tough Texan toted a branding iron to the ring, along with his manager Jimmy Hart. The end of the iron had two crosses, representing Funk's residence of the Double Cross Ranch.

Funk leaves his mark
Courtesy: WWE

My memories of the branding iron include Funk using it to mark his opponents after a match. This paved the way for Jake "The Snake" Roberts to allow Damien to slither over opponents, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake to cut the hair of his fallen foes and "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase to stuff cash into the mouths of his Million Dollar Dream victims. 

Funk brands Hogan
YouTube/WWE

Even big names were branded by Funk. One night WWF Champion Hulk Hogan got the treatment. This lead to a feud between the two. Funk had also been battling the ever popular Junkyard Dog and once Dory Funk, Jr. was brought in, the brothers battled JYD and Hogan several times. The two teams clashed in the main event of a house show I attended in 1986 in St. Louis.

Jimmy Hart gets branded
Courtesy: WWE

Sometimes the tables were turned and the good guy would use the branding iron. JYD lost to Funk on Saturday Night's Main Event. But when Funk tried branding the Dog, JYD fought back and knocked the former NWA Champion out of the ring. During a tug-of-war with the Mouth of the South as the rope, the mouthy manager lost his pants. Hart squirmed feverishly as his butt got branded and the crowd cheered with delight. JYD getting pinned moments earlier no longer mattered.

Look closely there's blue ink on Orndorff's pecs
The branding iron is missing though

Obviously, the branding iron wasn't hot, but it did leave a mark. The same can be said about my LJN action figures. I learned quickly that pressing Funk's iron onto an ink pad leaves a lasting impression. More than 30 years later, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff is still a marked man.

Eventually, Funk's iron did get fired up in "extreme" situations in other companies. And who can forget when he traded in the iron for a chainsaw in the late 90s?