Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and another exciting week of wrestling! A lot of behind the scenes stories combined with some great mainstream matches on television make this job easy for a guy like I. However, in the P3 as you know full well, there's always something for me to find a thread in some crazy story, and I have found that thread.

Before we go into anything else, check out this week's Hardway Podcast on TheJonHarder.com with my father. He talks old school New York wrestling, including watching WrestleMania 1 closed circuit at the Ridgewood Grove in Ridgewood, Queens, NY and Sunnyside Gardens. He's a long time fan that appreciates the sport of wrestling.

Also, this week, I've decided to start to show what crazy characters we have running around the Hardway studios for each podcast we do. Although not all characters are wrestlers, per say, I am here to introduce to you the first of many throughout the P3. Let me introduce to you...B-SIZZLE.

Originally my little brother Benny, B-Sizzle came to play on Episode 75, when Good News Hughes exposed a rap song that B-Sizzle released to the world. Instead of being embarrassed, Benny turned into B-Sizzle, a street thug from the suburban neighborhood. He has OG's and friends and has quickly developed into one of the more funny characters on the show. He hates Beyond Wrestling, Drew Cordeiro, and a guy named Scott Henson. More recently, he has stolen my phone and my car. He's hood. More importantly, he wants us to know that everyone is his "cuh".

#YaHerd?

With that said, let's go into this week's P3. After this past Monday, the internet was up in arms from an interview conducted by Mike Johnson from PWInsider.com. He is wrestling's most straight-forward personality. He says it like he sees it and doesn't give a damn who knows it. He might not carry around the tennis racket anymore, but he serves up an ace every time he talks. I'm talking about Jim Cornette.

Mr. Cornette's interview struck a chord with a lot of people. The internet wrestling community, in particular, were very upset over what Jim stated about the ROH fan base and how they wouldn't give a lot of people or opportunities a chance with a lot of things within the ROH product. Even Gabe Sapolsky, former ROH booker, was very annoyed with Cornette's words about the fans.

I normally don't vent my feelings when it comes to particular topics online, but when it comes to this interview, I feel as I should. Jim Cornette, for the most part, was absolutely SPOT ON when it came to the wrestling portion of the podcast. Cornette, in his own peculiar way, gave everyone a wrestling lesson on the ins and outs on how ROH is being run right now. To me, it was a very valuable lesson on what it takes to run a week-to-week television product. Although the internet fans are up-in-arms over of some of the comparisons or examples that Cornette used, he makes a very valuable point on what is needed to make a successful product. If nothing else came from this interview, "less is more".

The only negative that could have come from this interview was how Cornette was TOO honest with his views on the fan base. Sometimes, and this includes all columnists, message board dwellers, podcast personalities, and my personal favorite, the trolls, we get angry whenever we don't get the certain wrestlers we want in our favorite companies in the spots we want, and sometimes we get angry when we do, for some strange reason. Cornette spoke the truth; however he should have put them in different terms. He was TOO blunt and it ruffled the feathers of a lot of fans, and rightfully so.

You can't take away from the pure greatness of the interview. Jim Cornette is business oriented and wants to see this business thrive and survive. He’s forgotten more than anyone knows. When it comes to making money in the wrestling business, Cornette has made a truckload. He's virtually untouchable in that regard. When it comes to managing talent, however...

I will not lie when I say that Jim Cornette has managed some of the biggest acts in wrestling history. Cornette's Midnight Express ranks up as one of the greatest tag teams of all time, whether it is with Dennis Condrey, Stan Lane, or Bobby Eaton. In 1993, Cornette managed the World Wrestling Federation champion, Yokozuna. He even had his own stable in 1996 called Camp Cornette, with Owen Hart, British Bulldog, and the man they call Vader. Jim Cornette has managed some big names; yet somehow, there have been some weird choices that JC has taken on as a manager.

Here on the Professional 3, I'm here to lay out on the table the weirdest clients Jim Cornette has had to accompany to ringside. James E. might be one of the greatest characters wrestling has ever had, but his choices for clients weren't necessarily the most sound. And after you see them, you'll judge for yourself, as you always do. Without further adieu...

1) THE ROCK & ROLL EXPRESS (1998, WWF)

In the 1980s, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, collectively known as the Rock & Roll Express, feuded up and down the territories with Jim Cornette's Midnight Express. Both teams HATED each other in front of the television screen and live crowd. This rivalry led to some of the greatest tag team matches ever seen. You could never picture Cornette even saying anything positive about the R&R in front of a microphone. That stood true until 1998.

In the midst of his crusade against "sports entertainment" in 1997 and 1998, Jim Cornette brought the National Wrestling Alliance to the WWF. With North American champion Jeff Jarrett and Barry Windham by his side already, Cornette SHOCKED the world and united with the NWA Tag Team champions. Ricky and Robert alongside Jim Cornette was a very surreal feeling. Although newer wrestling fans during the Attitude Era wouldn't understand, fans of the NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions were absolutely stunned. Such a weird sight to see.

2) MANTAUR (1995, WWF)

Admit it. You probably don't recall much of Jim Cornette being associated with this gentleman. Neither did I. But in searching for strange associates Jim Cornette, none blew my mind more than Mantaur. Half man, half moose, Mantaur only existed for a few months in the WWF. Yet somehow, Jim Cornette locked this beast under contract to his managerial talents. In ring wise, Mantaur wasn't half bad. But come on...it's Mantaur. In 1995, where the wrestling scene needed a change and a breath of fresh air, Mantaur was NOT a part of that. Jim Cornette tried, but it was to NO avail.

3) DYNAMIC DUDES (1989-1990, WCW)

One of the greatest angles during the turnover from NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions was the one involving the Dynamic Dudes and the Midnight Express. The Midnight Express of Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton were getting annoyed with Cornette's lack of attention. Why, you ask? Because Jim was focused on the young, good looking, upstart tag team of Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace, the Dynamic Dudes. Two gentlemen that wore colorful attire and carried skateboards with them. Note of record: Douglas and Ace did not know how to ride a skateboard. Regardless of such, Cornette was managing two teams at the same time, until the Clash of the Champions, when Cornette turned his back on the Dudes and made his sole affiliation with the Midnights. My only issue is regarding Cornette's vision of working with the Dudes. It was a very unlikely duo. Cornette and the Dudes had NOTHING in common. Although it led to a magnificent storyline, the Dudes/Cornette union befuddled me.

Jim Cornette will always go down as one of the greatest wrestling managers of all time. Yet, even this brilliant mind has managed some weird individuals. Say what you will, but Cornette did things his way and his way only. Whether you love him or you hate him, Jim Cornette made his bed and lied in it. That is something I will ultimately give major props to a major beacon in wrestling folklore.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJonHarder. See you next week.

#Professional3

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 on 411mania.com! I'm Jon Harder and professional wrestling has endured another great week. A phenomenal pay-per-view followed up with some entertaining TV on all sides makes for some great strides in the upward swing of pro wrestling. And after this week's P3, you'll see some more of wrestling greatness within the column. By the way, Mark Shurman, I still know who you are.

Before we go any further, check out this week's Hardway Podcast with Leigh A Russ. Granted, he might not be a wrestling personality, but he has a science music CD out entitled "Branches of Science Through Song". He is on iTunes under Leigh A Russ, but if you want to purchase a CD, go to his official website http://branchesofsciencethroughsong.com and find out the inspiration behind the album!

Also, find me on Twitter @TheJonHarder and let me know what you think of the Professional 3 or Hardway each week. I love your feedback.

Now, this week on the Professional 3, I have to discuss about a particular topic I've seen addressed through all these different forms of social media. Whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, I've heard the same statement said over and over...

WADE BARRETT IS CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED.

I tend to truly disagree in that statement. Wade has been consistently a part of the WWE upper-midcard scene for quite some time. The latter half of 2010 was Wade Barrett's time in WWE, as he main-evented the majority of pay-per-views and found himself involved and invested in big-time storylines. One way or the other, Mr. Barrett has found his way around the WWE television screen consistently over the past 3 years.

Wade, I will say, has truly evolved over the past few years as a character on television. Starting off as a rookie in NXT season 1, he quickly won the competition and was the figurehead behind one of the greatest out-of-left field ideas in WWE history with the Nexus. After losing out ultimately to John Cena, he went to Smackdown, became a multiple-time Intercontinental champion, started a win streak (as well as a vicious mean one) known as the Barrett Barrage, and became a feared competitor once going back to his roots as a bare-knuckled fighter. Barrett has truly had a successful career in WWE...except for one idea that has been universally panned as an awful idea. That idea...THE CORRE.

You know what the sad thing is? I LOVED the Corre. Sad how that is, right? Makes for an interesting column though.

In theory, The Corre made sense for a very unique faction. Wade Barrett had just been kicked out of the Nexus in 2011 and after transferring to Smackdown along with other former Nexus members Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater, Barrett wanted to create a group of equals with no true leader. Each was their own man and alongside the last ever ECW champion Ezekiel Jackson, the Corre set out to dominate Smackdown. For a short time, they actually did. For a little over 5 months, the Corre reigned supreme, but due to the combustible element between them because of Wade's internal desires of ultimately being the leader of the group, they split.

One of the questions I know this column will get: Why was Corre spelled with two R's? My answer as a journalist: no idea. I will say that to stand out, you have to be different. When I looked up what Corre meant online, I received, via Wikipedia, "Corre is a commune in the Haute-Saône department of France." We could go with this example as a group of four young athletes trying to make a name for themselves in the big country of WWE. For a time, it worked. Barrett, as I alluded to earlier, was an Intercontinental champion, and Gabriel and Slater were WWE Tag Team champions. A small group trying to make a name: it did work with this tandem.

The big question is simply this, especially for the fans that absolutely hate the fact that I'm writing about the Corre: do they even have 3 moments worthy of this column? OF COURSE THEY DO! As the resident nerd here on 411, I have dug up three moments, plus an honorable mention and a bonus here or there, and you have THIS:

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Top Corre Moments

BONUS: The Corre Theme Song

To have a fresh look, you need to have a fresh style. Unlike the Nexus logo, which was a simple yellow square with a Capital N in the middle, The Corre had a very modern, futuristic symbol with a wheel as the O. Red and black are very fashionable at that. Combined with End of Days as the theme for the equal 4, which is vastly underrated as a theme, and you have the right sound and look for the new group. EDITOR'S NOTE: I always prefer End of Days to We Are One from 12 Stones. Just the way I feel.

1) THE CORRE RUIN JOHN CENA AND THE ROCK'S WRESTLEMANIA 28 MATCH ANNOUNCEMENT

You can say what you will about the Corre not coming out on top of this interaction between the Rock and John Cena, but this was a huge time to step out and make an impact. The Rock and Cena, two men who transcend superstardom in the world of professional wrestling, just announced their main event match for WrestleMania 28, which was the day AFTER WrestleMania 27 in 2011. After the handshake between combatants, Barrett, Gabriel, Slater, and Jackson all hit the ring and ruined the major moment. It might not have fared well for the Corre here, but to take a major risk and have a flashback to when Barrett and the Nexus debuted, was well worth it. I will never forget this moment. It was monumental.

2) CORRE LOSE AND REGAIN THE WWE TAG TEAM TITLES FROM JOHN CENA AND THE MIZ IN ONE NIGHT

The day after No Way Out in 2011, it was all official. John Cena would face WWE champion the Miz for the championship at WrestleMania 27. However, during the wacky days of the Raw Anonymous General Manager, the computer (later figured out to be Hornswoggle) decided that Cena and the Miz should TEAM UP and face the Corre for the WWE Tag Team championships. For whatever reasons, I have no clue. Yet, Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater had their game faces on and were ready to go. Within a 5 minute span, Miz and Cena won the belts! Shocked, Barrett announced that Gabriel and Slater wanted their rematch for the belts...RIGHT THEN AND THERE!

Slater and Gabriel found a way to persevere and regain their belts, approximately ten minutes after losing them. Miz, the conniving bad guy he was, turned his back on Cena just as "the Doctor of Thuganomics" was about to hit the AA on Slater. One three-count later, and the Corre came out on top. Although it was a shady way to win, it was still two of the top main event level talent in 2011, which is no easy feat. A big night for the Corre.

3) EZEKIEL JACKSON VERTICAL SUPLEXES THE BIG SHOW

The unsung hero of the Corre was Ezekiel Jackson. Although Barrett was the Intercontinental champion and Slater and Gabriel were the Tag Team champions, Big Zeke was the one to hold them all as one. His displays of power and the simple yet effective wrestling ability helped show the Corre's dominance for the beginning of 2011. None were as impressive as the attack on the Big Show. Big Zeke wasn't the tallest guy, or the most muscular, but he had an incredible display of tendon strength. The straight-up vertical suplex Jackson did to the Big Show showed what he can do. Big Show did not expect that power from Jackson and he ultimately paid for it. An underrated moment from this group and a reason why Big Zeke deserved better in the long run.

HONORABLE MENTION: THE BEGINNING OF THE END - The Corre loses big at WrestleMania

The Corre was rolling strong going into WrestleMania 27. Borderline unstoppable even. Suddenly, this event happened and everything changed. Within a two minute period, all the hard work the Corre had put in all went away. The Big Show, Kane, Santino Marella, and Kofi Kingston ended it all and made the Corre look pathetic. The worst day for those four.

After that point, it all went downhill for the group. Big Zeke left first and then the group disbanded shortly afterwards. For a few month period, the Corre was in the midst of making a huge impact. Forget the way the name was spelled, or how they were a "poor man's Nexus"; they were DOMINANT. I respect this group and what they stood for. They were a group of equals. They stood for unity. Most of all, they stood for teamwork.

#Professional3

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

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