I miss Marcus Cor Von

By Michael Vanderkolk

Yeah, you read that headline right. I miss Marcus Cor Von, and I want him back.

Sure, he only had a brief appearance in WWE, but I loved it. Before you get all confused, let me explain myself a little bit.

First, most wrestling fans have that one wrestler they love that most people could not care any less about. For instance, the Wrestling Memes guy is obsessed with Heath Slater. It's just a part of wrestling that will never die out.

Secondly, he had a strange charisma that made him entertaining. He was flamboyant without being too weird. His promos were strange, but not to the level of Ultimate Warrior and better than Ryback.

Third, he looked like he belonged. Other than the color of his skin, he looked like somebody Vince McMahon would create if it were possible and make him the face of the company. His athleticism that carried over from the NFL fit perfectly for his style.

Then there's his finisher: the POUNCE! I simply loved it. Sure, it's nothing special if you just look at it, but Cor Von played in the Super Bowl. That gave his move purpose. It also helped that his opponents would sell it well enough to look devastating. Could you imagine Dolph Ziggler or Zack Ryder taking that? I'd mark-out for sure.

Finally, there's one part about him that most people would instantly disagree with. His theme song is one of my favorites of all time. It's not my favorite style of music, but I love listening to "Smooth." It's not even the typical theme song, but he made it work, and I miss hearing it.

Sadly, he left the WWE due to personal reasons, and professional wrestling hasn't seen The Alpha Male since.

I guess I should be happy that I at least witnessed his only WrestleMania moment.

Monty, if you're reading this, please come back!

Also, who is the one wrestler that you enjoy that others typically don't?

Tips on Attending Live Events

I have made plenty of trips to professional wrestling shows over the years. I have been to four pay-per-views, two live Raw shows, five house shows, and multiple independent events. Each time has been a different experience for me. Plus, I am attending Heroes and Legends Wrestling inaugural event on March 23 so this will help prepare me for the day.

First of all, do not take your children if they are too young. This focuses primarily on the pay-per-views. I attended WrestleMania 23 when I was 14 years old, and I loved going. However, whenever I look back at that day, I realize I made so many mistakes. I chose poor moments to use the restroom; I focused more on taking pictures of the "TitanTron" than watching the in-ring action. The worse thing about the night was the younger kids who sat behind us. They left midway through the show. I'm assuming to prevent the children from staying up too late on a school night. Don't take young people to big wrestling shows. It will be a waste of money.

Attending shows with friends follows not taking children. Whether or not they watch wrestling on a regular basis, taking a few friends to tag along makes for a great time. From my experiences, those who do not watch regularly have a good time which has made them want to watch more often. Wrestling shows allow anyone to be loud and obnoxious without judgment coming from anyone.

These fans had a blast attending EWF's Diesel Powered event in June. Don't be afraid to cheer when you attend wrestling shows. It adds to the enjoyment. (Photo/ Michael Vanderkolk)

Along with attending with your friends, make sure you buy tickets that allow your group to sit with each other. When I attended Raw this past June, my friends and I decided to sit in the front few rows. We also wanted to pay for them separately. The only problem that occurred was not finding seats next to each other. We ended up with three tickets that were in three different rows. Luckily (somewhat), one of my friends could not attend so we had to sell his ticket. This allowed my other friend and me to sit two rows from each other rather than on the opposite side of the arena. The show entertained us, but we both would have enjoyed it more sitting side by side.

What if Someone Else got Rich?

I was watching Money in the Bank 2011 the other day, and it got me thinking about those who have competed in the MITB matches and lost. This match has helped propel the careers for many of the winners. So, what if somebody else who competed in these matches won instead? Since the first six MITB matches were held at a WrestleMania, I figured now is a fitting time to take a look at each MITB match:

1) WrestleMania 21 - Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit's prior championship success would not have made him a surprise winner. That said, the impact of his win would have changed 26.5 months later after he murdered his wife and son before committing suicide. The WWE doesn't even mention his existence outside of record books.

For this sake, be thankful it was Edge who won and became known as the "Ultimate Opportunist."

Actual winner: Edge

2) WrestleMania 22 - Matt Hardy
Matt is the older of the Hardy brothers, but he has always been treated as the younger one by wrestling promotions. Unlike Matt, Jeff Hardy has been the one to win world championships in both WWE and TNA.

I feel like he had risked enough during the Attitude Era to receive at least one world championship run.

Actual winner: Rob Van Dam

I've witnessed three MITB matches: WrestleMania 23 (pictured) and the two in 2011. It is easily my favorite match type that I have seen in person. Although, a Royal Rumble would probably top it if I see one. (Photo/ Robert Vanderkolk)

3) WrestleMania 23 -  Mr. Kennedy
Alright, you caught me! Mr. Kennedy technically won this match, but he never had the chance to cash in the contract. It seemed like every time Kennedy was about to receive a push, something happened that caused for it to come to a halt. First, the WWE overreacted to an injury. Secondly, he was suspended for a wellness policy violation.

Now he's in TNA as a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

Technical winner: Edge

4) WrestleMania XXIV - Carlito
Carlito had enough charisma and in-ring ability to make a credible champion. Also, I'm sure it could have helped make Carlito more pleased with his standing in WWE.

Actual winner: CM Punk

Is It Cena's Master Plan?

I had an idea pop into my head while I was reading some articles on Bleacher Report. The article had something to do with possible twists and turns that could occur during Elimination Chamber on Sunday. One of these twists was a heel turn made by John Cena by aligning himself with The Shield. This would obviously resemble Hulk Hogan's turn on his "Hulkamaniacs" when he aligned himself with the nWo in 1996. Even though I don't think it will happen since Cena makes too much money for Vince, I can't help but ask myself "what if?" 

Let's look at how 2012 went for Cena:

• He began the year with what could have been the worst feud of the year with Kane.
• Kane's "monstrous" return was all but killed when Cena didn't "embrace the hate."
• He helped bury Zack Ryder in the process.
• He lost to The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII.
• He was F-5'ed by a returning Brock Lesnar the next night on Raw.
• People who lived across the hall from me thought there was a teenage girl in my room who had Justin Bieber sign "Baby" to her.
• My brother topped my reaction by snapping his phone in half.
• Despite the winning the match, Cena was completely destroyed by Lesnar at Extreme Rules.
• I gained a lot of respect for Cena after taking that beating like a champ.
• His wife filed for a divorce which was finalized within the week.
• I know it's not wrestling related, but it still adds to his woeful year.
• He won the Money in the Bank ladder match for a shot at the WWE Championship.
• Hey look, something good happened!
• He became the first man to not win the championship after cashing in the contract.
• It was 2012, of course it wasn't going to turn out well for him.
• This happening on Raw 1000 made it even worse.
• The worst part was when CM Punk stood tall over Cena and The Rock at the end.

Luchadores Lose Identity in WWE

It has been reported that every one's favorite luchador from Tijuana, Canada has officially signed with the WWE. With the WWE's poor history utilizing luchadores, the question on every fan's mind is "Will the WWE ruin El Generico?" Many fans hope not because they feel he "gets it" when it comes to evoking a reaction from the crowd. Let's take a look into the past at a few luchadores from WWE's history to see how the generic luchador's career may fare.

Eddie Guerrero:

Why not start the list off with the greatest luchador in the history of the WWE? Being the only person on this list to have a lengthy reign with the biggest prize in the WWE, it is no lie that Eddie was great. Along with his WWE Championship, he held nine other championships and was a first-ballot entrant into the WWE Hall of Fame.

I think we can all agree on the fact that Eddie lied, cheated, and stole his way into our hearts before passing away too soon. At least he provided us with many great moments and created a path for future luchadores to follow.

Rey Mysterio:

Rey Mysterio is one of the most successful luchadores in WWE history. He has held gold twelve times over ten years. This includes to reigns as World Heavyweight Champion, a short-lived run with the WWE Championship while CM Punk left after Money in the Bank 2011. Along with his championships, he has won the Royal Rumble match in 2006 while setting the record for longest time spent in the ring for any Rumble match.

Some people say that his success after 2005 has only been because of the passing of Eddie. Even though his death may have had an influence on some of Rey's moments, I still believe that Rey's in-ring ability was the main reason.

The guy can work with anyone on any night. Well, he used to be able to. Now, he seems to be on the verge of retirement. Who knows how much longer he will wrestle?

Even though not every luchador wears a mask, a lot do and they sell well. Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara mask are a hit with young fans. Why would the WWE not want more of these superstars? (Photo/ Morgue File)

Sin Cara:

Speaking of Rey Mysterio doing one more job, Sin Cara is the guy that he needs to do it for. The WWE is well-known for passing the torch between two similar wrestlers. How much more similar can two masked high-fliers get? They both appeal to kids, do flippy things that make people go "Whoa," and fit the underdog role perfectly.

Wait, I feel like I'm missing something else. Oh yeah, they both seem to be injury prone. The only difference is that Sin Cara is still young. Hopefully he can find a way to stay healthy so he can make a big impact down the road. If he does not, he might be the biggest bust in WWE history.

The Road to WrestleMania has Begun

The "Road to WrestleMania" always seems to be one of the most exciting times of the year. Intense storylines, big returns, and Undertakers streak all make these weeks the best of the year, but you all already knew that. Even though we know some things are almost guaranteed to happen (Undertaker winning), it's still the exciting because of the "what if" factor.

I know that we still have plenty of weeks and Elimination Chamber left, but these are my thoughts on what the WrestleMania XXIX card will look following Royal Rumble:

-Rock (c) vs Cena - This match is all but finalized already, and we have only seen one Raw since they both were victorious at Royal Rumble. With The Rock being the big name star that he is, I do not see him dropping the belt after only a month. Although I would love to see anyone else with the strap. The Rock went over in his "Once in a Lifetime" homecoming match last year, so I see "Once In a Lifetime: Part II" being the official passing of the torch and championship belt.  Winner: Cena

    

Stars such as Carlito (pictured) and Shelton Benjamin were heavily rumored to return at the Royal Rumble. They were both involved in many MITB matches, I would love to see either one at Mania. (Photo/ Michael Vanderkolk)

-Del Rio (c) vs Orton - After Del Rio beats Big Show and Orton wins the EC match, the two will have a face-vs-face 'Mania match. Del Rio wins, but Dolph Ziggler finally cashes in his MITB contract on the grandest stage of them all. Winner: Zigger via MITB

-HHH vs Lesnar- Lesnar returned on Raw and injured Mr. McMahon. I see the recently retired son-in-law wanting to seek vengeance. Since Vinnie Mac never said the words "You're fired" to Heyman, I see his contract being on the line. Lesnar saves his manager's job. Winner: Lesnar

-Taker vs Punk - There's rumors Taker is sitting this year out. I for one would be disappointed. Punk has little to prove anymore. To be the first one to defeat Undertaker at WrestleMania would be something no one would forget. It doesn't happen, but no one will forget the match. Winner: Taker

Welcome!

Welcome to Vander Time: A Pro Wrestling Blog! My name is Michael Vanderkolk, and I am a college student who enjoys everything professional wrestling has to offer. After school, I’m hoping to get involved with the business side of the industry because pro wrestling is something I love.

This love has been growing for most of my life. I am sure I watched episodes of Raw ever since I was born, just months after its debut, but cannot recall watching until I was around five years old. I have attended five house shows, two live Raw events, WrestleMania 23, SummerSlam (2008) Money in the Bank (2011), and Survivor Series (2012) along with multiple local independent shows. Each experience will have its own post later on. However, if you were at that Survivor Series, and you saw a guy in a pink Dolph Ziggler shirt jumping like a little kid when John Cena won the Royal Rumble and screaming “Viva la revolution” after the Shield’s debut, it was probably me. I was only slightly excited to witness the debut of Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins (I did not know who Roman Reigns was at the time but am excited for him as well).

My brother is an independent wrestler by the name of Mark Vandy. This past summer, he got the opportunity to wrestle Kevin Nash. I was happy enough to take a picture with a living legend. (Photo/ Connor Okey)

My goal with this blog is to expand our knowledge on wrestling by posting and interacting with you via comments. Since my professional goal is to work in the industry, I am going to attempt to be as professional as possible. At the same time, we are fans and will have fun with this. 

Everyone has a voice on here. If you have ever been on a wrestling forum but felt like your posts were overlooked (I did), then you will be welcomed here. I feel like forums have too much traffic that causes posts to be overlooked. This blog will provide a voice to the voiceless of the IWC.