Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and before I go any further, I just have to talk about the feedback on the Paul Roma column last week. Wow, it was quite the mix. Although I will not lie when I say I expected some backlash, the positivity some brought into the feedback meant a lot. Thanks to those fans that genuinely had their Paul Roma moments. It's pretty cool to see. This week, hopefully I can divulge into a little more of the current independent scene and showcase a fantastic up-and-comer.

Before we go any further, please check out this week's Hardway Podcast on TheJonHarder.com with Brittney Savage. Brittney has made a lot of waves about retirement and leaving the wrestling business. Thankfully I was able to swoop in and grab a great interview with this former WSU standout. You can find her on Twitter at @TheBrittySavage and most importantly, check out the podcast.

Also, make sure to find me on Twitter @TheJonHarder and let me know what you think of the Professional 3 and anything else on your mind revolving around the world of wrestling.

With that all said, I decided to dedicate this week's P3 on someone who deserves a little exposure in the realm of independent wrestling. Unlike the majority of the fan base online, I truly am a fan of wrestlers that can draw me in with their characters. Every wrestler should have layers of depth to them which should be enough to draw people in emotionally. This one guy in particular has really caught my eye over the past 18 months as a breakout star in the Northeast. He has the look, the passion, the charisma, the in-ring capabilities, and most of all, the "it" factor. Basically, he has all the tools. Combine the tools with the absolute love of old school wrestling, you have a wrestler with blue chipper written all over him. His name...

"The Sure Thing" Mark Shurman.

I first saw Mark Shurman back in 2011, when I was doing commentary for NWA on Fire with the legendary Savoldi family. Out walks this 6'4 gentleman onto my monitor, yelling at the fans in Maine, throwing derogatory remarks at the On Fire faithful. When I finally had the chance to work with "the Sure Thing", I jumped all over it in Beyond Wrestling, as a member of my Professional Revolution. Although Shurman nearly left me for dead at the hands of Dan Barry on October 13, 2012, I always had an affinity for the Boston native.

Shurman has found a way to invoke a series of catchphrases and make them memorable in New England. He has won a plethora of championships over a few months span, including the CTWE Tag Team championship. He has really created a name for himself on the Indy circuit, most notably in Chaotic Wrestling. You don't believe me? Look at this uncut video on "the Sure Thing's" Chaotic career.

Even more, he HAS A FAN CLUB! The Shurmaniacs are followers of Shurman and go to every show he has. A loyal fan base indeed. Check them out HERE: http://twitter.com/Shurmaniacs

If that's not enough for you, grab a pen and pad and write these reasons down, as it is time for...

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Why You Should Know Who Mark Shurman Is

1) SCOTTY SLADE HAS SHOWED HIM #FRIENDSHIP

In 2012, Mark Shurman was on quite the losing streak in Chaotic Wrestling. After threatening to show and show the entire company who he was, Shurman started off 0-20. During a time where "the Sure Thing" needed guidance, ENTER SCOTTY SLADE. "That Guy" showed him the ropes and how to handle himself in wrestling; thus starting a team based on #Friendship. Slade and Shurman have been running the New England tag team division ever since. The current CTWE Tag Team champions have also placed several incredible promos online which quite simply HILARIOUS. Most of all, Shurman has been on the rise ever since the pairing with Slade. "The Sure Thing" might have finally found his footing due to Scotty Slade's Friendship.

2) THE SURE THING HATES JOHN LAURINAITIS

Not many of you people may know, but Mark Shurman has appeared on WWE television before. He was hired by Theodore Long, among other Boston big men, to personally escort John Laurinaitis out of the building during an episode of Monday Night Raw before WrestleMania 28. However, in this writer's mind, it was Shurman that made sure the job got done. Also, several months later, Mr. McMahon was so proud of the job Shurman did that before the go-home Raw to No Way Out 2012, Shurman was hired again to personally escort "Big Johnny" out of the venue. Although it turned into a ruckus with Big Show and John Cena, it was great to know that "the Sure Thing" detested People Power. Most of all, it at least got Shurman's face out there so people could recognize the legend as he continues to ply his trade.

Personally, these actions were the reason why Shurman was my bodyguard in the Professional Revolution.

3) TOMMY DREAMER IS HIS MENTOR

Over the 0-20 losing streak Mark Shurman suffered in Chaotic, one man was none bigger in the streak than "the Innovator of Violence" Tommy Dreamer. The ECW Original got into a classic affair with Shurman in his match, ultimately taking a picture with "the Sure Thing" and making friends with the man. However, Dreamer got the last laugh that night, pinning Shurman after a Spicolli Driver through a table. Yet, Shurman and Dreamer maintained a connection throughout the following year. Dreamer wished Shurman "A Happy Hardcore Holidays" with a card during the holiday season. Shurman wanted Tommy to come to a show during the Cold Fury 12 mega-event, but tickets were sold out.

At Breaking Point on June 7 in Waltham, MA, we witnessed Tommy Dreamer coming to Shurman's aid. In a match which “The Scene" Scott Reed, "The Real Deal" Brandon Locke & Tony Omega were going to face Shurman and Slade 3-on-2, out came "the Innovator of Violence" as a surprise partner and help Shurman and Slade come out victorious. There is legitimate proof Shurman has a mentor in pro wrestling, and Tommy Dreamer is that person.

Thankfully, this footage will exist forever on YouTube. In Beyond Wrestling, Good News Hughes, my sidekick on the Hardway Podcast, wanted to take down what I had worked so hard to build. Thankfully, "the Sure Thing" put a whoopin' down upon Good News and taught him a lesson. Sadly, it is not true JT Dunn needed to help him win. Good News is just a cheater.

If only the Pro Rev still existed…

Mark Shurman might be based out of New England, but the whole world needs to know who this man is. It's Shurman with a U. Get the pen and pads ready, because "the Sure Thing" will make an impact on Indy wrestling over the next few years.

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

Yes Shurman, I do.

Follow Mark Shurman on Twitter: @MarkShurman

#Professional3

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome everyone to the Professional 3 HERE on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and this week was like no other. Pay-per-view anniversaries, companies ending, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Just a really emotional week for a wrestling fan. Trust me; I will make the emotion in this week's P3 into more of a lighthearted jolly feeling. I think I will be able to do it. Trust me, I have an idea.

Before we go any further, check out this week's Hardway Podcast with a WWE Hall of Fame inductee from the Class of 2012, original manager of the Four Horsemen, JJ Dillon! We talk a lot about the territory system, the switch to booking, television producing, the Four Horsemen naturally, and SO MUCH MORE! It was indeed a privilege and an honor to interview a classy and distinguished individual such as James J. Dillon, and I implore you all to check out this important podcast.

Tweet at me @TheJonHarder for any feedback towards anything towards my podcast or the Professional 3 at any time. I really appreciate the feedback.

Speaking of JJ Dillon, it made me think of a point of the podcast when I did ask him about the Horsemen. As I was transitioning to another question, I made reference to one man who truly rubs a lot of people the wrong way. A man who many people consider to be the worst Horseman in the history of the group. Someone who just didn't belong. For some reason, I felt compelled to discuss this one man in this week's Professional 3. That man...

PAUL ROMA.

Unlike everyone else under the sun, I genuinely believe Paul Roma had a great look within the Horsemen fold. He was in phenomenal shape, good-looking, and had a simple yet effective style inside of the ring.

I tend to think on why Paul Roma never went farther in wrestling. He seemed to have oodles of natural charisma whenever he had a microphone or when he was in front of a camera. Plus, he had some great opportunities to break out of the pack. Although supposedly Roma had a dismal attitude backstage, there have been worse wrestlers that have busted through the glass ceiling than "Pretty Paul".

I will admit that there have been some favorite Paul Roma moments that have transpired over the 20+ years I have been watching pro wrestling. And of course, the entire 411 fan base has to be wondering what crack I must be on to write about Paul Roma. However, I have thoroughly devoured the internet for my favorite moments. And after weeks of intense searching, I have uncovered some beauties. So without further adieu, may I present to you...

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Top Paul Roma Moments

1) POWER AND GLORY WORKOUT

When Hercules and Paul Roma formed Power and Glory in the summer of 1990, a lot of people didn't think much. Yet, at Summerslam 1990, they rode of a ton of momentum and a hot Philly crowd to destroying the Rockers in the opening contest. Rumors actually flew at one time that if the top rope didn't collapse on the untelevised and unrecognized Rockers' WWF Tag Team Championship win against the Hart Foundation in November 1990, Power and Glory were going to be the team to feud and ultimately unseat Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty as champions. However, as we all know, Slick's charges became recognized as the losers of the quickest tag team match in WrestleMania history against the Legion of Doom at WrestleMania 7. That didn't mean Power and Glory didn't have their moment of awesomeness together.

On a Coliseum Home Video Supertape released in late 1990, Power and Glory wanted to show the puny and weak how to work out and get into phenomenal shape (AKA me at 6 years old. Coincidentally, it's also for me now). In their no-sleeve belly shirts and identical pairs of AMAZING Zubaz, they pumped iron, shredded skin, and devastated their weights. You can say what you will about the cheesiness of this sketch, but I laugh every time I see it. Paul Roma and Hercules had great chemistry with one another, in my opinion, and there might not be many other guys that could make a workout session entertaining. These two men did.

2) PAUL ROMA AND ARN ANDERSON: WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

I freely admit that growing up, watching Paul Roma and Arn Anderson team up as a child in WCW was great. Even worse: I preferred Roma to Arn. (If only Good News Hughes knew that.) Although I was incredibly disappointed that the Horsemen didn't defeat the Hollywood Blonds at Beach Blast 1993 for the WCW Tag Team Championships, on the Clash of the Champions LIVE on TBS in August of 1993, the Horsemen faced off with Stunning Steve and Lord Steven Regal, a last second replacement for the injured Flyin' Brian, for the championships. What a joy it was to see the Horsemen win the belts in the comfort of my own living room. Although Roma and Double A lost the belts a month later on my birthday at Fall Brawl to the Nasty Boys, it was cool seeing my favorite tag team at the time as champions. If I only knew then that Roma and Double A never really liked each other...

3) PAUL ROMA CATCHES SHANE DOUGLAS OFFGUARD

I remember as a kid at my grandmother's house watching Prime Time Wrestling in Glendale, Queens on the USA Network and releasing how weird this clip was. Apparently, Paul Roma was NOT supposed to win this contest on this Madison Square Garden exclusive match against a pre-Franchise Shane Douglas. However, he did...and the match continued. I know this doesn't necessarily put Paul Roma in the greatest light ever, but this makes me laugh, solely for the Bobby Heenan "He pinned the man TWICE!" line. Although an awkward situation for all in the Mecca of pro wrestling, Madison Square Garden, Paul Roma made a great moment that we can all remember.

On a side note, I really can't believe that footage made it to national television.

Well, Paul Roma might not have had the greatest career of all time, but he'll always be remembered. I have these positive examples of what greatness Paul Roma had. What are your favorites? Let me know either in the comments or on Twitter @TheJonHarder. See you next week in the Professional 3.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and yet another exciting week in the world of pro wrestling. I'm very pleased with the responses from last week's Macho Man Moments column, and this week's should be no different. Hopefully, one way or the other, you guys will be talking about this week's P3...or maybe singing. Who knows?

Before we go any further, check out this week's Hardway Podcast on TheJonHarder.com with independent standout Steve Off! The United States champion for the Bodyslam Wrestling Organization, Steve brings it out to the table for this week's edition. Next week on the Hardway, I have a great interview with the one and only JJ Dillon of the Four Horsemen! This is the first ever WWE Hall of Famer I've ever interviewed, so it is most definitely a big deal and I can't wait for you guys to check it out.

Also, follow me on Twitter at @TheJonHarder and let me know what you think of not only the P3, but the Hardway as well. I love your feedback.

Now, onto this week's column. After last week and talking about the Macho Man's rap song with Men on a Mission, I really started thinking about wrestlers and music. More importantly, wrestlers PERFORMING their own music. Even though Macho Man had a rap album, there have been other wrestlers that have released different genres of music. Jerry Lawler attempted pop music in Memphis in the 1980s. Hulk Hogan played bass on a rock album in Japan in the 1980s. (The 1980s tend to have a lot of this.) However, in this generation, we had one MAINSTREAM album come to the public released by a wrestler.

John Cena's "You Can't See Me" was released in 2005. Alongside his cousin the Trademarc, Cena was the first wrestler in quite some time to go mainstream with his talents. Combined with his marketability, Cena used this CD as a launching pad for one of the most recognizable theme songs in history: "The Time Is Now". For theme songs alone, John Cena's self-made rap is the greatest example of wrestlers doing their own theme songs and displaying another level of depth to their characters.

A plethora of other wrestlers over the years have done the same thing when it came to their theme songs. There have been some good, some bad; yet they are all entertaining one way or the other. I have THREE personal favorites of wrestlers doing their own themes. Since I have a column that is STRANGELY based around the number 3, and my viewpoints are ALWAYS 100% Professional (87% agree with that statement), I think it's time to unleash to the world...

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Wrestler-Performed Theme Songs

1) CURT HENNIG'S "RAP IS CRAP"

In 1999, Master P was such a major commodity with his No Limit Soldiers in the music industry. Trust me, "Make Em Say UHH!" is a song that I still utter when I hear it in passing. WCW President Eric Bischoff, who was always on the tip of pop culture, decided to bring in Master P to WCW in June 1999 to feud with Curt Hennig and his newly formed "West Texas Rednecks". In a "rap vs. country" rivalry, everyone expected Master P to be beloved by wrestling fans galore, especially with Master P's incredible popularity in the late 1990s. Yet, in the South, where WCW was primarily based, the country loving rednecks were beloved.

To further the rivalry, Curt Hennig actually made a theme song to demonstrate his hatred of rap, entitled "Rap Is Crap". Not only did this become the theme of the West Texas Rednecks, it became a CULT hit on country radio stations! As well, it was released on the WCW Mayhem CD in August 1999. This theme song, actually sung by Curt himself, is a prime example of what happens when you are given an inch and take a yard. And remember kids, "...it's a bunch of crap. I hate rap!"

Another moral of the story: if you are an entertainer and need a quick fix on money, go into wrestling. Master P made $5 million screaming "Hooty Hoo". Real talk.

2) FABULOUS ROUGEAU BROTHERS "ALL AMERICAN BOYS"

Although Jacques Rougeau is the all-time king of personalized theme songs, this was the one that started it all. Along with his brother Raymond, "All-American Boys" was released in early 1989, as the snobbish French-Canadians changed their allegiances to America. Thankfully to the fact that Jimmy Hart, their manager, had a long history of designing theme music for the WWF, the Rougeaus had easy access to doing so. It still remains a very catchy theme to this day. Jacques also released two other catchy theme songs:  "I'm the Mountie" and "We're Not the Mounties" with Carl Outlette in the early 1990s. If there is anything that I gathered from this song, Jacques Rougeau loves Barry Manilow and the preppy look.

3) MILLION DOLLAR MAN'S "MONEY, MONEY, MONEY"

Debuting at WrestleMania 6 in 1990, it was amazing that it took the Million Dollar Man 2+ years to get this customized theme song for him. In true reality, this song completed who Ted DiBiase was in the WWF. His evil, maniacal laugh kicked off the theme and just lyrics that FIT like a glove. No one else could have pulled this off as well as DiBiase wound up doing. It truly is the personification of an evil wrestling theme.

Who were your favorite wrestler-performed theme songs? Comment here or tweet me @TheJonHarder. Have a great rest of your week guys.

#Professional3

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and another week of pro wrestling is in the books. So much has transpired within the past week in wrestling and of course, the Professional 3, in its own unique way, will try and put a unique spin on the importance of a certain topic in the sport of kings. And trust me; I hope everyone can dig it.

Before we go any further, check out this week's Hardway Podcast on TheJonHarder.com, as I interview this week "the Devil's Outlaw" Stockade, a very talented wrestler for NYWC and ACE Pro Wrestling. Sometimes, I truly love the podcast due to the independent nature of the show and I implore you all to check it out. It's truly a grassroots movement with the Hardway.

Also, I love your feedback, so please tweet at me @TheJonHarder and let me know feedback of any of my projects. I always love feedback, positive or negative.

After last week's P3 on WCW/nWo Revenge, I will not lie when I say I continued to play post-column. Sadly, I got caught for a 12 hour spin straight of playing battle royals and trying to run the gamut on being the #1 points leader for the US championship tournament series. It took me all night, but I got it. It turns out all I needed was the perfect guy to get it done. What made things better is the 25 flying elbows per match I was able to do to get a MONSTER flying rating in the points. There was only one man who could do that and his name is simply the "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

I know that it's a little over two years since the Macho Man passed away at the age of 57. However, his memory still lives on strongly. Randy Savage meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. His wrestling ability was the prototype for the majority of what you see today when it comes to workrate. His character is still one of the top 5 personas of all time. For Christ sake, the Slim Jim slogan is still legendary. Randy Savage ranks up as one of the top 10 most recognizable wrestlers of all time.

Most of all, his wrestling promos are the biggest key to the greatness of the Macho Man. Every single Macho Man interview were strategic and from the heart. You could tell by Savage's personality that every single one was spur of the moment and from the heart. You just can't create art like that. So many of his great promos and moments have been documented on his best of DVD WWE released in 2009; yet there are a few that are never nearly as talked about and should be recognized.

These clips are hilarious and should crack you up as well. The raspy voice combined with just the comedy coming out equals hilarity. Come on, I think you can gather by now that I'm not going to bring the same old thing with the P3. Without further adieu...

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Underrated Macho Man Hilarious Moments

HONORABLE MENTION: MACHO CELEBRATING WITH THE 1-2-3 KID AND MARTY JANNETTY

OK, you MIGHT have seen this clip before. In a huge upset, the 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Janetty defeated the Quebecers on an early episode of Monday Night Raw in 1994. It was a great underdog story. So what does this have to do with the Macho Man? Simple. As soon as the Kid gets the 1-2-3, the Macho Man literally took off into the ring and started celebrating with the new Tag Team champions. Like a flash 20 seconds later, he was gone. Don't ask me why, I just found that to be the funniest thing at 8 years old and it still holds up today.

1) MACHO MAN AND M.O.M. RAPPING ON LEX LUGER

Many people point to "Be a Man" as the Macho Man's first ever rap single in 2003 (a piece of memorabilia that I proudly own). However, Mr. Savage was a piece of rap history ten years earlier in 1993 as a part of a rap dedicated towards Lex Luger in his run towards Yokozuna and the World Wrestling Federation championship. Macho Man, alongside Mabel, Oscar, and Mo of Men on a Mission, dominated this hip-hop as the last push on the Lex Express's tour towards the championship. Although Luger did not win the WWF Title a week later, this hip-hop song still lives on as an underrated piece of folklore that does not get its props.

On a complete side note, is it eerie that Macho Man did a rap for Lex Luger, amidst all that transpired with a connection between the two? I don't know, but as an over-thinker, it just makes you wonder.

2) MACHO MAN VS WEIRD AL...'S HAMSTER

"Weird Al" Yankovic always has a tendency to be very intriguing. The King of the Parody Song, Weird Al was given an opportunity to host his own CBS Saturday Morning program called AL-TV in September 1997. The final episode that existed before it was unceremoniously cancelled in December of the same clip involved Weird Al being down due to the fact his house was robbed, thus limiting his ability to do a good episode of AL-TV. Suddenly, as a spirit of motivation, the Macho Man busts through the walls to lift up the down Al and to "be creative". After a spirited challenge to a wrestling match, Al circles around and brings his trusty sidekick, Harvey the Wonder Hamster, to the table. This contest proves to be an all-time classic. I will not give out who wins, as I want you to watch the video, but in the end, it ranks up there as one of the funnier things I've seen in quite some time.

3) MACHO KING ON ARSENIO HALL?? YES!!

In February 1990, in preparation for his final WWF championship shot against Hulk Hogan on the Main Event with former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Buster Douglas as referee, the Macho King had a rare public interview on a late-night talk show. During that time period, there was only one show on late-nights that could handle a man quite like the Macho King. Carson? Snyder? Letterman? Nope. The man, the myth, the legend, ARSENIO HALL. He was hip, cool, and had the younger demographic within THE DOG POUND. Put Macho and Arsenio together and you have legitimate magic. This segment is so out there and such a Macho Man style segment, it was memorable. Enjoy it. “Roo, Roo, Roo!” (my attempt at a Dog Pound noise)

What were your favorite underrated Macho Man moments? Write them in the comments or tweet them at me. Bottom line, the Macho Man is among the greats. I truly wished that Macho would have had his last glorious moment in the sun. However, his memory would live on. Plus, if we never had Randy Savage, we never would have had the Macho Midget.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and another P3 is on the docket. So much excitement, I know, but a crazy idea has taken over the realm of my psyche for this week's edition. I am already laying the blame for Nintendo 64. There is a reason. I will get to it in a moment.

Before I do, however, check out this week's Hardway Podcast exclusively on TheJonHarder.com. I have an interview with Florida independent standout Aaron Epic. It's a solid interview that highlights Beyond Wrestling, Resistance Pro, and even a little Billy Corgan talk. Also, this coming Saturday in Deptford, NJ, I will be managing my charge Leon St. Giovanni in a one-on-one battle against CZW's Devon Moore at On Point Wrestling. If you are in the area, please come check out the show and enjoy some great wrestling. More importantly, enjoy a win for Professionalism.

Lastly, follow me on Twitter @TheJonHarder and let me know what you have thought of the columns thus far by simply using the #Professional3 hashtag when writing to me. I love feedback, so bring it on and let me know what your opinions are of the P3.

Now, as I alluded to in the opening paragraph, the Nintendo 64 has really taken control of my life over the past week. Digging deep into the boxes of yesteryear, I found my old console and a bundle of my old games. From Mario Tennis and Super Smash Bros to Goldeneye and BLUES BROTHERS 2000 (Yes, especially that piece of crap), the N64 and I have had a great reunion. However, it wasn't until I made the challenge to plug in THIS game, that my column became crystal clear for this week.

WCW/nWo Revenge was a perfect example of a great game hitting at the perfect time.  At a time where the Monday Night Wars were hot, when pro wrestling was its peak, this video game set the tone for all that was great about the Nintendo 64 wrestling games. It was easy to control, simple to play, and more importantly, a downright treat to explore. You could fight in multiple venues, utilize weapons, and even compete in 40-man battle royals. Every wrestler had a unique move set to one another. Hell, even with a select few, you could do striking combinations with them.

Any game that is easy to control is a good game for me. Unlike the crazy combination button mashing in WWF War Zone and Attitude, Revenge and its predecessor, WCW vs nWo: World Tour, were simple to understand and grasp. It did not take a rocket scientist to learn how to play the THQ/AKI based video game. Most importantly, this game showed how LOADED the roster World Championship Wrestling possessed in 1998.

Whether it be the high-flying Cruiserweights, the pure technicians, the two separate New World Order entities (Hollywood and Wolfpäc), or even Raven's Flock, WCW was packed to the gills with talent. Also, with the customs menu where you could change the attire of all the wrestlers, it was off to the races for me. Trust me, the placing of Hollywood Hogan's attire onto Goldberg and renaming him "Holly Berg" still maintains the greatest character never unleashed onto the world of wrestling. Yet, somehow, the guys I mostly leaned towards using were NOT WCW talent. They were the infamous characters exclusively created for Revenge, and most of all, my go-to-guys.

The creators of WCW/nWo Revenge created two separate rosters of guys for the fictional rosters of EWF (Empire Wrestling Federation) and DAW (Dead or Alive Wrestling). Apparently, the original Japanese wrestlers were created for the game, but due to copyright issues and THQ getting cold feet on using the real counterparts without an agreement, the selected wrestlers from All Japan Pro Wrestling and FMW were switched around to be completely fictional. Yet, these guys, to me, were the cooler guys to utilize in the game. For some reason, taking these wrestlers and having them win WCW championships were fun as a 14 year old Jon. And yet, as an older gentleman now, I STILL think they are awesome. Just the pure concept of something different always drove me to use these characters.

In the spirit of this column, I will now take the time to mention my three favorites within the realm of WCW/nWo Revenge. Without further adieu, I present...

1) AKI MAN

The most memorable of these characters. Supposedly developed in the likeness of the late, great Misawa, AKI Man looked anything BUT Misawa. Dressed in a full body-suit where the mask was attached to the suit, AKI Man's style was legit to say the least. Mixing strikes with high flying ability, AKI Man was fun to use. He made a cool noise when he won his matches and his double dragon-screw leg whips were especially fun to utilize. Also doubling as THQ Man, AKI Man took his successes from Revenge and was the only one that moved over to the WWF franchise when AKI/THQ signed on with the World Wrestling Federation in 1999, as he was the "crash test dummy" for all create-a-wrestlers when it came to developing a move set for WWF No Mercy in 2000. AKI Man was a legend in the N64 boom of wrestling games and more importantly, he did so with a mask that had NO EYES. What a marvel.

2) HAN ZO MON

Based off Hayabusa, the likeness of Han Zo Mon was seen in WCW vs nWo: World Tour as Hannibal. However, unlike World Tour, Han Zo Mon had free range to fly and demonstrate his high-flying abilities at will. Han Zo Mon also demonstrated the Stardust Press for the first time in any American wrestling video game. Bottom line, Han Zo Mon was a cult favorite of my friends during our times playing Revenge. If you are a fan of cruiserweights, Han Zo Mon is a great one to use against the Mysterios and Juvis. Just my personal preference.

3) DR. FRANK

Should this even be a choice? Dr. Von Frankenstein's greatest creation in a wrestling game is INGENIOUS!!! The monster of the EWF made a huge impact within WCW/nWo Revenge by simply being Frankenstein. Obviously based off the Mary Shelley novel (or Herman Munster, personally), Dr. Frank was a very unique creature. With his wrestling style based off the legendary Jumbo Tsuruta, Dr. Frank made his prescience felt. I never had as much fun as utilizing the Giant Swing as I had with Dr. Frank. It just looked like he was having a lot of fun. Dr. Frank was so simple, yet a great creation for the game.


WCW/nWo Revenge was an incredible wrestling that set the tone for future generations on how games were developed, played, and enjoyed. WCW has been hated for a LOT of things, but this game was not one of them. By far, it is the most influential wrestling game in history.

Now, although my P3 topics are completed, I have decided to at least attempt to tackle one man who is a major secret catch in Revenge that was never supposed to make the final cut. In my opinion, this is a topic that NEEDS a legitimate answer and I'm out for truth. Let's see how this goes...

BONUS DISCUSSION: WRATH

If anyone remembers, in the original WCW vs nWo: World Tour video game for Nintendo 64, Wrath was one of the hidden characters that could be unlocked after winning the DOA league challenge. However, in Revenge, Wrath was not a part of the original roster for the game. It was determined through the maker of the original game, Wrath was going to be included. But due to either a last second switch or to reasons unbeknownst to fans, he was taken out. Yet, the coding of Wrath was still within the Revenge game. So via a Game Shark, which was the ultimate cheat code aid for all video game nerds, and specific codes entered through the Game Shark, Wrath could be injected into WCW/nWo Revenge. I like to call him the ULTIMATE hidden character. He was given Sting's gear, and had some glitches on certain maneuvers (i.e. his front grapple special the Spinning Uranage having no crowd response whenever he delivered it), but Wrath was awesome within the game. He was my WCW champion on numerous occasions...until the game reset and I had to take hours out of my day to get the Game Shark to work to do it ALL over again.


Here is a YouTube video of Wrath's entrance and silence of his finish within the game:

Who were your favorite custom characters in Revenge? Even more so, who were your favorites to use IN Revenge? EVEN MORE SO THAN THAT, what’s your opinion on Wrath being hidden within Revenge? Tweet me @TheJonHarder with your responses. Thanks for reading the P3 and see you next week!!!

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 exclusively on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and another great week of professional wrestling has entered the record. I just want to say I truly appreciate all the comments, positive and negative, that I receive for the P3. Last week's article made me truly realize how important it is for the wrestling fan base to establish characters and show off their offbeat personalities to the world. This week might shed a little insight of some more of my unique wrestling tastes.

Before we go any further, please check out this week's Hardway Podcast exclusively on TheJonHarder.com, as I interviewed New England standout Anthony Stone. Stone shed some insight onto his Wrestling Is Art matches against Francis O'Rourke and Kobald in the New England area. Hopefully by the time you read this, the over-achieving underdog will have had a successful winning weekend.

Now, onto this week's Professional 3. Over the past few months within the mainstream wrestling scene, there have been a select few men that have showed their dominance within WWE. They wear black, work together as a unit, and their voice is heard throughout every week of worldwide WWE television. They let their actions do their talking. You guys know who I'm talking about...

3MB.

Did you think I was talking about anyone else?

Honestly, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, and Drew McIntyre are an entertaining trio on WWE television. Fans see these three pseudo-rock stars and think nothing of them. 3MB is considered a "joke" to the WWE Universe. And you know what? They are absolutely right. Slater, Mahal, and McIntyre are the comedy relief for WWE programming. In turn, they are doing their jobs very well.

This group of oddballs makes it work. Of course, three grown men becoming the modern-day air band warriors aren't supposed to be looked at as World champion material. However, they find themselves on television every week as an entertaining act. 3MB aren't supposed to be taken seriously; yet that is the ingenious part of their act. These guys are taylor-made for the kid-friendly WWE audience. In so many words: 3MB is goofy.

This in some semblance, leads into this week’s P3. There have been a plethora of factions in the world of pro wrestling. Some have been dominant (DX, NWO, 4 Horsemen); others have been manipulating (Straight Edge Society, the Ministry of Darkness, Raven's Flock); and some...just never worked (the Corre, the Union, the Revolution). However, in between the cracks of all these wrestling stables, there have been a select few that have been oft-kilter. These groups were so awkward, it was entertaining. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you...

1) THE DESPERADOS

In 1991, Stan Hansen was coming off a series of solid matches against Lex Luger for the WCW United States championship. WCW management decided that to come off the stirring success of that rivalry, "the Lariat" needed to go in another direction. That direction was straight towards a feud OR partnership with the Desperados.

"Dirty" Dutch Mantel will always be known as one of the most gifted talents in the history of the Memphis territory. However, not even Dirty Dutch could save this one. In a series of weird segments, Dutch, alongside the ever dangerous Black Bart and Deadeyed Dick. Yes, Deadeyed Dick. He had one eye, and was deaf. Incredible stuff, folks. Regardless, the entire goal of these segments were to find Stan Hansen and stand alongside him as a trio. Sadly, we never knew if the Desperados ever found "the Lariat", as Hansen quit the company and went to Japan to finish out his career. The Desperados lasted only a few more months in an unsuccessful fashion and just like that, they were out of WCW.

Honestly, as a 6 year old, I found it really funny and to this day, Dirty Dutch will always be a Desperado. Plus, any group with a deaf, dumb, and blind guy will always live onto me. Although they lasted for a short time, no one was as odd as the Desperados.

2) BWO

This one had to be an obvious choice. Now, despite the fact these three were as prominently known as the Blue World Order, Stevie Richards, the Blue Meanie, and Nova were always acting the goof in ECW. In the midst of their parodying everything in 1996, these three men were the epitome of comedic foils. Aligned with Raven through his Nest, Stevie, Nova, and Meanie repeatedly parodied different wrestling acts. They even spoofed the Jackson 5 and KISS (as you can tell from the video above) awesomely. So needless to say, it was borderline shocking when those three men started the Blue World Order and, in Stevie Richards' case, became involved with the main event talent scene. So many oddball moments with Richards, Meanie, and Nova, but in the end, the chemistry was undeniable and the ability to be an oft-kilter faction paid dividends for their legacy in ECW.

3) THE ODDITIES

Was there any more of an oddball pairing than the Oddities? Originally formed by the Jackal (ECW's Cyrus) in 1998 as a disturbing look at the freaks in society, they quickly turned into a fun loving faction due to the lovely Sable. Golga, Kurrgan, Luna Vachon, and the 7'4 Giant Silva were not the prettiest or most cosmetic WWF superstars, but they loved to have a good time. Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J, everyone's favorite Juggalos, rapped their theme song "The Greatest Show". Hell, the Insane Clown Posse rapped them out at the critically acclaimed Summerslam 1998. George "the Animal" Steele even joined the group as "the Original Oddity". Ultimately, the group disbanded in February 1999, as the Big Show dominated every member of the group on an episode of Sunday Night Heat to prove he was the ultimate big man in the WWF. Despite that, the Oddities were a fun group to have around and a shining example that even fun loving babyfaces could exist in the Attitude Era.

Plus, in a weird way, it introduced to the hijinx of Eric Cartman.

The bottom line is this: every wrestling company has had its fair share of oddball wrestling factions. It is needed in every mainstream company to take away sometimes from the seriousness of blood feuds and personal rivalries.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Prince Justice Brotherhood

Come on, even TNA had that. How could I not mention Super Eric, Curry Man, and "Stone Cold" Shark Boy? These three were odd as Hell together, yet immensely entertaining.

Again, every company needs this. I'm always for oft-kilter stables. 3MB is right on the docket.

Who are your favorite oddball wrestling factions? Tweet me @TheJonHarder and use the #Professional3 hashtag when responding.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 HERE on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and I'm incredibly happy on the response for the P3 within the last week. That was awesome to see a poll based off my column about Underrated Specialty Matches on the 411 page this week. It means a lot to know that maybe the P3 is slowly starting to take off. I'm proud of the first 10 pieces and it will be NO different with #11, as I plan to showcase another inch of my nerdy wrestling knowledge.

Before we go any further however, please check out this week's Hardway Podcast exclusively on TheJonHarder.com, as I interview "Brutal" Bob Evans, the trainer and confidant of "the Prodigy" Mike Bennett. More importantly, Brutal Bob gives some great insight into the hottest independent wrestling territory going today, the New England area. It truly is an informative listen. Also, go check out the Hardway Facebook page and like it. The first 100 people to like the page will automatically be entered in the contest where one at random will win a FREE Hardway shirt! I'd do a lot of things for a free t-shirt. I think a lot of other people would as well!

Now, it is onto this week's column. A few weeks ago, Zack Ryder posted a little teaser to possibly a re-starting of Z! True Long Island Story. Ultimately, it was just a ruse, but it got me thinking about the infamy of being in the WWE and having an internet web-show.

The main question that kept popping in my mind was simple: Have internet web-shows genuinely elevated talent long-term for WWE? The answer for the most part is NO. Although Zack Ryder received short-term success for his self-made stardom with Z! TLS, he hasn't received the long-term stability others have received at the upper-midcard level, due to his deserved success being "unexpected" and not fitting in the machine's scheme of things. Shows like "Santino's Casa" and "Word Up" with Cryme Tyme was a vehicle solely to keep up the fun babyface stature that both Santino and JTG & Shad had already with the WWE fan base. As I stated in an earlier column, "What's Crackin'" with Scotty Goldman was simply a blip in the radar and was not perceived as anything within the WWE Universe. The JBL & Cole Show is a great little show; however, JBL and Michael Cole aren't necessarily young wrestlers looking for a breakout moment within the company.

By all accounts, every possible attempt at a web-show establishing talent to another level long term has not been there. HOWEVER...there has been one show on WWE.com back in 2008 that has done such. There was one show that showcased next-level charisma, established rivalries, made two men look like an incredible duo, which led to such LONG TERM upper-midcard to MAIN EVENT elevation. The men: John Morrison and the Miz. The show: The Dirt Sheet.

Debuting in February 8, 2008 on WWE.com, Morrison and the Miz, then-WWE Tag Team champions, started the Dirt Sheet, which was a formatted show in which both men would lash out at WWE/ECW talents and ridicule them, while utilizing their unique brand of comedy and modern styling to the forefront. Instantly, you could see the chemistry that Morrison and Miz had with one another, and more importantly, their love for pro wrestling. Howard Finkel, the Hall of Fame ring announcer, even recorded the introduction for their show! So many dated, yet current, pop culture references were a beacon for entertainment on the Dirt Sheet.

More importantly, Morrison and Miz's stock rose. Due to their working for ECW and the ability to work on both Raw and Smackdown with their "business arrangements", the Dirt Sheet hosts were able to wrestle all of the top talent on all shows. Most notably, Morrison and Miz did it all as a tag team. Winning both sets of WWE Tag Team Titles, a pair of Slammy Awards, even taking D-Generation X to their absolute limits.

If it wasn't for the Dirt Sheet, John Morrison and the Miz would not have been able showcase their charisma as well as they could have. If not for the Dirt Sheet, the love of pro wrestling Morrison and Miz have would not been shown through as well as it ultimately was on the web-show. Most importantly, if it wasn't for the Dirt Sheet, Morrison and Miz would not have been elevated to the next level at all.

The Dirt Sheet was the platform, and John Morrison and the Miz made it into a way to get to another level in the realm of WWE.

1) BUILT UP TAG TEAM TITLES FEUD WITH COLONS

In late 2008-early 2009, quite the budding rivalry was developing between both Raw and Smackdown's Tag Team champions. Carlito and Primo, who won WWE Tag Team championship on September 21, 2008, and Morrison and Miz, who won the World Tag Team championship in December 2008, had a series of classic tag team matches where both set of tag team belts were on the line in two back-to-back Smackdown matches. Feeling the heat from the Colons and possibly the Bella Twins, the Dirt Sheet was utilized blasting the brothers from Puerto Rico, calling them "the colons", as in the rectal area colon. In this clip, the Colons' invaded with their "Cabana", blasting and making fun of both hosts. Quite simply put, it was entertaining web-TV. Ultimately, both teams faced off at WrestleMania 25...in the DVD Exclusive, to unify both sets to the Tag Team championships. Although the Miz and Morrison lost their opportunity to become the first ever Unified Tag Team champions, the Dirt Sheet was a great place to elevate the feud between two great tag teams. More importantly, it put tag team wrestling back on the map.

2) MIZFITS AND MOFOS

On the thirtieth episode of the Dirt Sheet on August 29, 2008, Morrison and Miz were feuding with Cryme Tyme's JTG & Shad, hosts of the WWE web-show "Word Up", over who had the better WWE.com web-show. To further spice up the rivalry between the two tag teams, "the Shaman of Sexy" and the "Rabbi of Radiance" turned it up a notch, releasing their rap music video "Mizfits and Mofos" to the world. Needless to say, it was a very entertaining rap song, which lit up Cryme Tyme and furthered the innovative use of the Dirt Sheet. Morrison and Miz truly enhanced their characters and their creativity with the rap video and took them to another level. Most importantly, they won the battle of the web-shows hands down.


Be Jealous. (I waited the entire column to get this in. Yes! I definitely need to get out more.)

3) BROADCAST LIVE

The Dirt Sheet started to catch up with popularity so much on WWE.com that ECW on SyFy, the Tuesday night program brought to the world by a WWE's own Extreme Championship Wrestling, wanted it on their program. And on August 5, 2008, the Dirt Sheet kicked off its first live episode on the opening segment of ECW. After badmouthing both Matt Hardy and Mark Henry, who had a match ready for one another at Summerslam 2008, both combatants came out and in separate matters, beat up the Dirt Sheet hosts. Although there was a bit of ripping off Late Night with Conan O'Brien (the best of the Late Night TV shows in my honest opinion), it was a solid way to show that the Dirt Sheet was for real and that Morrison and Miz were on the way up.

BONUS: MIZ AND MORRISON VS COLONS WRESTLEMANIA 25 PRE-SHOW MATCH TO UNIFY BOTH SETS OF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

I personally enjoy this last high-profile match that Morrison and Miz had as a team, and it closed off a feud that had been jump started due to the Dirt Sheet build.

Once John Morrison and the Miz split up, both men went their separate ways. Morrison became the Intercontinental champion and had an electrifying array of maneuvers, due to a great training method called parkour. This led to a solid 2 1/2 years in the upper midcard for JoMo, before leaving WWE in 2011. The Miz rose through the ranks, winning the US, Intercontinental, Tag Team, and ultimately the WWE Championship. He even defeated John Cena in the main event of Wrestlemania 27!

To date, this one web-show has truly advanced the careers of both men involved with it. The Dirt Sheet spawned creativity and innovation. The Dirt Sheet also showed that within the system of WWE, you can make it through the internet. John Morrison and the Miz certainly did.

Questions? Concerns? Hate tweets? Tweet me @TheJonHarder.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

What's happenin' everyone? Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 here on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and this week's column will be no different than any other P3, as I attempt to stress the unique topics that pop into my mind at any given basis. It truly is the highlight of my week when I get an opportunity to write this column. It brings out my inner-nerd when I dig back into the annuls and dig out small pieces of wrestling history.

I am genuinely pleased with the comments of last week's column. So many different mustaches; so little time. Good News Hughes was so pleased with the Professional 3 being dedicated to him; he announced on this week's Hardway Podcast that hisInstagram will be "Mustache Week". Of course, Good News loses track of time, so his week of soup-strainers will most likely take 5 weeks. Also this week, Vanessa Kraven from the Quebec wrestling scene and manager extraordinaire Loudy from On Point Wrestling stop by for a few to talk about their careers within the independent scene. Oh, and "Stone Cold" Charles Barkley makes an impact this week.

Now, this week in the Professional 3, I want to talk about an art form that many wrestling fans love, yet many might not 100% fully appreciate: the specialty match. Specialty matches are an attraction that can either enhance a feud or end a long-term rivalry. It truly is like watching the final fight scene of a movie after being emotionally invested throughout an entire flick. You watch little pieces thrown in that lasted throughout an entire rivalry and watch it either succeed again or fail miserably. The Hell in a Cell match is a perfect way to put an ultimate feud to rest. In particular, the Undertaker vs Edge Summerslam 2008 match is a perfect example of what a feud-ender should feel like. It just had that perfect ability to have incorporated everything that the rivalry had for over 18 months.

Not only that, specialty matches can also be used as a spectacle that showcases a group of wrestlers abilities. Death-defying stunts mixed in with an utter display of recklessness to one’s body equal that demolition derby setting. The multi-man ladder match personifies that to a t. Whether it's in FRAY form, Money in the Bank style, or even the multi-team TLC match, if it involves a ladder, insanity will pursue.

Obviously, there are a plethora of "gimmick" matches that have existed in the pro wrestling art form. From the simple yet barbaric cage match, to the leather strap match, to Buried Alive, to EVEN the infamous Dog Poo match with the Rock-N-Sock Connection against Val Venis and the British Bulldog in October of 1999 (yes, even that one), a zillion have existed. Yet to me, there are three in particular that are either not remembered, not respected, or completely forgotten about and most definitely should not be forgotten. SO, as per usual in the spirit of this column, I proudly present...

1) TRIPLE CAGE MATCH

In 2000, one of the most ridiculous, yet one of my personal favorite movies came out to movie theaters: Ready to Rumble. The WCW based flick revolved around a "shoot" rivalry between former WCW champion Jimmy King and Diamond Dallas Page, along with crooked promoter Titus Sinclair. The movie built to a climatic Triple Cage match, which were 3 cages stacked on top of one another. The movie was ludicrous, but the match premise was unique. The bottom cage was a Hell in a Cell structure, covering the ring. The second cage, slightly smaller, was filled fence to fence with weapons. The final and smallest cell was strictly used to climb up and grab the WCW World championship at the tippy-top. The Triple Cage was a cool match concept in theory.

There have only been two official Triple Cage matches in the history of wrestling. The first took place on May 7, 2000 at Slamboree where WCW World champion David Arquette (yes, the guy who starred in Ready to Rumble and the 1-800 Collect commercials) defended the title against DDP and Jeff Jarrett. In what can only be classified as a modern miracle, the three had a solid match. In the end, however, Arquette took out DDP with a guitar and helped Jarrett win the match and the championship. (DID YOU KNOW: this was also the match where Mike Awesome threw Kanyon off the top of the second cage to the stage below.)

The other one took place on Monday Nitro in September 2000 as a part of a War Games match for the WCW championship. Unlike the original, the only way to win was to grab the championship from the top and THEN go through all obstacles in reverse before getting to the first cage and exiting through the door to win. At the end of the match, Bret Hart cost Goldberg the opportunity to regain the WCW championship. It was an insane battle, especially on an episode of Monday Nitro.

Regardless, the Triple Cage match has not taken place since. I think the unique specialty match could work in this day and age, especially with the evolution of wrestling style. This concept is vastly underrated and deserves to be seen again somewhere. ANYWHERE.

2) STAIRWAY TO HELL

ECW was the master of putting a new twist on already barbaric matches in the mid 1990s. Examples include the High Incident match, the barbed wire match, and the Gangstas Paradise cage match (i.e. Sandman, 2 Cold Scorpio, and New Jack against Mikey Whipwreck & Public Enemy in 1995). However, Paul Heyman and his maniacal wrestling mind put the ultimate twist to the ladder match by concocting the STAIRWAY TO HELL match.

The Stairway to Hell match had the basic gist of a ladder match, in which a ladder was used to climb to grab a coil of barbed wire. Unlike a ladder match, once the barbed wire was pulled down from the ceiling, the match didn't end; IT ONLY BEGUN. The brutality and bodily harm only intensified from that point. The match mercifully ended with a pinfall or submission.

There have only been a handful of these matches in the era of extreme, and for good reason. The first ever match of this magnitude was between the Sandman and Sabu during the fall of 1997 during their legendary rivalry. The damage inflicted by both athletes on each other was inhumane. Simply devastating, at least to me and my tastes. The last known Stairway to Hell took place at Heatwave 2000 between ECW World champion Justin Credible and Tommy Dreamer.

This is not a PG style match to say the very least. It is the violent end to a rivalry and a blessing that a mass exodus of talent have not experienced personally in wrestling. It is such an underrated specialty match and deserves massive props.

3) THE SCRAMBLE CAGE

Ring of Honor has always been the home of revolutionary wrestling. State-of-the-art competition has always reigned supreme in the most influential independent wrestling company in the 2000s. Yet, of all the hard-hitting matches that ever took place in ROH, there was only one truly innovative match that was influential yet career-shortening for every athlete that ever stepped foot in it: the Scramble Cage.

Unlike a normal cage match, ROH officials added an unusual element to their fenced squared circle. In each corner of the steel cage, four wooden planks were added to the top. That one added extra maximized the high flyers chances of doing crazy dives off the top, which was 10-15 feet in the air. It was AWE-INSPIRING to say the very least.

Debuting in Elizabeth, NJ, the first installment in 2003 was simply a "can you top this" affair, ultimately culminating with the earth-shattering double moonsault from Jack Evans from the top to the outside on the arena floor. (DID YOU KNOW: This was also the match where Teddy Hart went absolutely berserk with back flips and such post-match.) "At Our Best" in March of 2004 showcased the end of a long rivalry, as the Carnage Crew ended their war with Special K, utilizing the double team piledriver on Azrieal off the top of the cage through 2 tables as the "exclamation point" ending.

The most controversial Scramble Cage took place at "Scramble Cage Melee" in August of 2004 in Boston, MA, where a dozen men walked into a cage and put it all on the line for the ROH fan base. The ultimate stunt was Mr. Evans topping his double moonsault from 2003 and delivering a 630 to the late, great Trent Acid off the wooden plank through a table. The Scramble Cage Melee was so risky that Gabe Sapolsky, ROH booker at the time, refused to book another match similar to that effect.

HONORABLE MENTION: THE STINK FACE MATCH

I don't think I have to mention how underrated this match type is in the world of wrestling.

My girlfriend will absolutely LOVE my fondness for this specialty match.

So many match types have existed in pro wrestling. Some have lasted the test of time; others have existed for a short time span. However, they are all remembered in one facet or another. I vividly remember these particular specialty matches as brilliant, and hopefully they will get the props they deserve within the context of the P3.

Which are your personal favorite specialty matches that are vastly underrated? Comment on the bottom of this page or tweet me your picks @TheJonHarder. Thanks for reading and see you next week on the Professional 3.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 EXCLUSIVELY on 411mania.com! I’m Jon Harder and what a week it has been within America. I hate to see this great country go through a lot of carnage with the situations in Boston and Waco. Regardless of which, God bless everyone who got through it and for the injuries and fatalities and the people who are traumatized by what transpired, you are in my prayers to overcome. I hope that this week’s column can be an escape, because trust me when I say that it is my goal this week to get people talking in fun conversations in the comments thread. Hopefully, this will be a few minutes where you can escape from reality.

Before we go any further, check out this week’s Hardway Podcast exclusively on TheJonHarder.com. We have former BWO original from ECW, Thomas “the Inchworm” Rodman and CZW’s Joe Gacy on the show. Two different time periods, yet one fantastic listen. Also, we at the Hardway are running a contest for our fans. If the Hardway Podcast Facebook page gets to 100 likes by May 1, we will select a winner at random to win a free Hardway t-shirt. Lastly, the Hardway has uploaded two links to streaming audio of 3-5 minute interviews with Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart and Nikolai Volkoff. Busy week for the Hardway, but our objective is to keep the ball rolling in a positive direction.

Speaking of the Hardway Podcast, I don’t know if I’ve ever introduced Good News Hughes into the world of the Professional 3. He is not only my sidekick on the Hardway, but a young wrestler as well. Working his way through the independent circuit since 2010, Good News is a complete throwback with his wrestling style. He is old school to say the least. However, there is one thing that ultimately makes Good News stand out above ALL the rest in independent wrestling: his mustache.

That mustache is borderline legendary. Personally, it might actually reach Tom Selleck “Magnum PI” status in a few years. Regardless, Good News’ ‘stache makes him stand out. When I ask him on his reasoning behind having one, his answer is simple: “It’s the personification of being a man.” Unbelievably, I have to agree.

Ever since I was a little boy, I always thought wrestlers with mustaches were cool. Starting with Hulk Hogan’s handlebar and even before that, Scott Hall’s AWA porn flavor-savor, wrestlers with ’staches have put within a different class of their own.  Big Bully Busick’s soup-strainer, Triple H’s Lemmy mouth-brow, and Sabu’s face furniture are prime examples of sweet mustaches.

However, this is the Professional 3, and this week, I will discuss my personal favorite 3 mustaches in wrestling’s past, present, and future. Whether creepy, sleazy, dangerous, or outright outrageous, these mustaches will definitely provoke agreement, criticism, and most of all, discussion.

1) DAN “THE BEAST” SEVERN

Whether or not Dan Severn was a phenomenal pro wrestler, “the Beast” is pound-for-pound the toughest man to ever enter the grappling game. In the early days of UFC, his amateur wrestling helped him win multiple championships. A two-time former NWA World champion, he made the championship “legit” with a shooter’s mentality.  However, Mr. Severn possesses one hell of a cookie-duster.  No one can deny that. The legitimate toughness combined with the incredible soft-spoken nature shows that Dan Severn is a dangerous man. The mustache only adds to the aura.

2) DUTCH MANTELL (WWE’S ZEB COLTER)

How can we not mention Dirty Dutch? The international legend, who’s been involved with wrestling for over 40 years, has been known for having the most outlandish mustache in the history of the business. Completely symmetrical on each side when it came to length, Dutch’s mustache has lasted the tests of time. Whether as a monster heel in Puerto Rico, Memphis, managing the Blus in WWF, booking in PR and TNA, and back to WWE as Zeb Colter, the lip spinach stayed in its entire outrageous nature. You can’t mention mustaches without mentioning this vile Tennessean. 

3) RAVISHING RICK RUDE

Ravishing Rick Rude had it all. The chiseled body, the legitimate strength, the wrestling ability, and the raspy, yet suave voice were all a part of his shtick. However, what put Rude over the top with his act was the sleazy, porn star style mustache. Just take a look at that mouth brow! It truly made Rick Rude look like a vile degenerate; yet, it made him the MAN to the older male audience. Rude’s mustache became synonymous with being Ravishing. In fact, the only time Rick Rude was truly hated in wrestling was when he shaved the mustache OFF in 1992 in WCW! You can’t have a top mustached wrestler list without Rick Rude. Now hit the music.

These are my personal list of favorite mustaches within wrestling. However, there have been many more guys with some very special soup-strainers in the sport of kings that you might prefer over others. Which are your favorites? Comment your favorite 3 ‘staches in the comment section.

Hope this cheered you up after this crazy week. Enjoy your week.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com
@TheJonHarder