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The Professional 3 5.12.13 Oddball Wrestling Factions

May 12, 2013 | Posted by Jon Harder

Welcome to another edition of the Professional 3 exclusively on 411wrestling.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…

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Oddball Wrestling Factions

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

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