Match of the Week: Brad Armstrong vs Arn Anderson

I'm known for my own extensive wrestling collection but however my collection is nothing compared to youtube's. There is a wealth of wrestling knowledge at your fingertips just a connection away. I've long said that Brad Armstrong is one of my favorite babyfaces of all time. His work is impecable. Now in this bout he takes on another one of my favorites, Double A.. Arn Anderson. This is the kind of match you can only get from two men who spent 7 days a week working with little to nothing being said. Sit back and enjoy Double A and BA going one on one.

"You're A Wrestling Fan?" by Kevin Hunsperger

For about 30 years I have watched professional wrestling on a regular basis. It all started when I was about 9 years old. I grew up in St. Louis and my brother and dad watched lots of Wrestling at the Chase. This of course was long before the WWF completely dominated the wrestling scene. There were plenty of choices for fans.

My show of choice back then was World Class Championship Wrestling. I worshipped the Von Erich brothers, particularly Kerry. He had won the NWA World title from Ric Flair shortly after Hulkamania had started running wild in the WWF. But to me, Kerry was the bigger star. There was something appealing about the show that aired out of Texas each Sunday morning. We watched WCCW religiously. The Von Erichs, the Freebirds, Devastation Incorporated, Ice Man King Parsons, Chris Adams, and Gino Hernandez were just a few of the top draws that had me tuning in each week for more.

Of course my love for WCCW carried over to all wrestling organizations. Georgia Championship, WWF, Mid South, NWA, Central States, and AWA were a regular part of my childhood. Then of course you throw in Hulk Hogan’s Rock N Wrestling cartoon, the WWF LJN action figures, and the WWF ice cream bars my life was complete.

We’d go to house shows for the NWA and WWF when they rolled into town. My childhood friends enjoyed the action as much as I did, but it seemed like the older we got, the more they distanced themselves from wrestling. It was almost as if being a fan of wrestling was no longer cool. Well, I’ve never been cool, so I continued watching week after week with much pride. I guess not too much pride as it got to the point that I was a closet fan. The same thing happened when I was in college. I dragged my then fiancé to more than a couple house shows. She hated it, but felt sorry enough for me that she didn’t want me going alone.

As I entered the “real world” I would find a few other closet fans out there. I worked at a TV station as a new anchor. My coworkers and I would talk about WCW Nitro and WWF Raw is War as the Monday Night Wars were fully ignited at that point in time. But still, I hadn’t found my “wrestling buddy.” That all changed when I moved to southern Illinois. I met a guy by the name of Chad who made me look normal in my wrestling obsession. Besides Chad there were a handful of other fans working with us. We would go to local indy shows, watch the TNA weekly pay per views, and order the big WWE pay per views.

Fast forward several years and now I write my own wrestling blog (My 1-2-3 Cents) and serve as a color commentator for All American Pro Wrestling. When people in the community find out that I’m such a big fan I almost always get the “You’re a wrestling fan? You don’t seem the type.” I have a feeling I know what they mean by that. There’s nothing wrong with being obsessed with wrestling, is there?

Of course the answer to that is no. Wrestling is an escape for me, a form of entertainment. Just like some people enjoy watching major league baseball or going to the opera, I prefer to watch “sweaty men in tights” roll around with one another. Perfectly normal. Just ask the millions, and millions who tune in week after week. Some of us have been doing so for decades.

Weight of the World

The wrestle business is at war with itself. Lines have been drawn in between talent. Lines that don't separate us by talent level but lines that separate us by size. Now don't let my remarks be misleading, through the eyes of competitive sports there have always been these lines. Boxing, football, basketball all have these lines within weight classes and positions. However, only in professional wrestling is the line blurred to determine who can and cannot draw money.

Michael Jordan, in my opinion, is the greatest basketball player of all time. Now some might argue in favor of a guy like Wilt Chamberlain. Both were great athletes that revolutionized the sport but they both have one thing in common, they could play basketball. To say Wilt was better because he was larger just doesn't make sense.

Same should go in professional wrestling. The underlining factor should be can they perform? Can they engage an audience and take them on ride of emotion? If the answer is "yes" then I would consider that person a valued asset.

In boxing, great heavyweights like Ali and Tyson have defined eras but there have been plenty middleweights, welterweights, so on and so forth that have drew big money especially in the last decade where heavyweights in the states have been sorely lacking. Same goes for UFC, sure guys like Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir have done very well but lower weight class guys like Georgge St. Pierre and Tito Ortiz have had a major impact on the sport as well.

There was a time in wrestling when you had a guy like Lou Thesz but right next to him you had a guy like Danny Hodge. He wasn't considered below him or less than Thesz but just a a different weight class. He was considered just as talented, maybe even more so.

WWE tries to create an aura that their roster is full of superstars. That there aren't weight classes or lines of division but I bet you could ask any member of the WWE Universe who would get a title shot between The Great Khali and Primo that 99% would pick Khali, not because he's more talented but because the audience has been trained to see the difference in size with years of booking decisions. Now there is always an exception to the rule and Rey Mysterio is WWE's.

I'm not saying make the next 130 pounder the next World Champion. There still has to be a balance of believability. That's when true talent shines through. The way Rey works is exactly what works. Just like the way Shawn Michaels weaves a story is unlike any other. Now at some point in time somebody said the both men couldn't or wouldn't draw money. Makes you wonder how many others could put the WEIGHT of the world on their shoulders and run with it. 

                                                     Me with wrestling legend Danny Hodge

"Business Is About To Pick Up"

A few months ago, Traditional Championship Wrestling made the announcment that they had secured a tv deal in the Ft.Smith, Arkansas area. Great news for me because I have been featured on there events for over the last two years or so. TCW is a great company with alot of great talent and couldn't be prouder than to be a member of there winning team.

Just this morning another huge announcment was made. This time by Southern Illinois promotion All American Pro Wrestling. They too have inked a television deal with WSIL-TV 3, an ABC affiliate. I too have been working very close with them over the last 3 years and this company has many great talents as well.

I'm very excited about what the business has in store for me and my commrades. Both companies have alot of heart, desire and knowledge to make each of their products successful and unique to themselves and their respective audiences.

Traditional Championship Wrestling

All American Pro Wrestling

Humboldt Relay for Life.. Tonight!

I'll be competing at Relay for Life in Humboldt tonight. The event is held at Baily Park. Come out and show your support for a good cause. Robbie Douglas, Naughty by Nature Rude, "Trendsetter" Jon Michael, Cody Melton and many more are scheduled to appear.

EWE Champion:"The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony vs Bishop

Happy Father's Day!

As a father, if your the same person you were before your kids then something just doesn't add up. My boys have changed my life forever. I said I would never dress "twinkie" with anyone, yet here I am red shirted and baseball capped for my boys. Here's to all the true fathers that not only changed but became better men because of fatherhood.