AJ Styles - WWE

1) AJ Styles is a professional wrestler with the WWE who is signed to the SmackDown brand show where he is the current WWE Champion (2-time).

2) AJ has wrestled all over the world including Japan, Mexico, and England and competed in over 20 wrestling promotions since making his professional wrestling debut in 1998. AJ Styles has won over 50 championships in his illustrious career. 

3) AJ Styles graduated from Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia in 1996 and soon after attended Anderson University in South Carolina on a partial wrestling scholarship. Styles ultimately left college to enter a professional wrestling school because his friends were trying it and he thought he may have a natural ability to compete. 

J: Did you have a favorite wrestler to watch when you were growing up?

AJ Styles: I didn't have a favorite wrestler but I did have a favorite football player. Barry Sanders.

J's Follow Up: Barry Sanders was awesome because he always did a bunch of jukes and spin moves. He was slippery. He's my third favorite running back behind Bo Jackson and Walter Payton.

D's Follow Up: That's awesome. Barry Sanders is one of the best running backs ever.

Photo credit / givemesport.com

The Allstate Arena in Rosemont recently hosted two WWE pay per view events (NXT Takeover and Money in the Bank) on Saturday, June 16th and Sunday, June 17th. We had tickets to both events but unfortunately D was too sick to attend. Jordan and I were able to bring a friend to each event in D's place and it worked out well. These two pay per view events were action packed and full of surprises and left us speechless multiple occasions.  

First up was NXT Takeover and Jordan and I were fortunate to meet the phenomenal AJ Styles the Saturday before Money in the Bank. AJ was as awesome as we had hoped and it was an unforgettable experience to meet one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. AJ is currently the WWE champion for SmackDown and he was on his way to another show in Iowa before defending his title against Shinsuke Nakamura the following night. On Sunday, we were excited to be in the building to watch AJ defeat Shinsuke in a brutal "Last Man Standing" match to retain his title and continue his reign as the top superstar on SmackDown. We hope that AJ can keep the WWE championship title around his waist for a long time to come!

Alexa Bliss - WWE Superstar - RAW Women's Champion

1) Alexis Kaufman is a professional wrestler in the WWE performing under the ring name Alexa Bliss. A two-time Raw Women's Champion (current) and a two-time Smack Down Women's Champion, Alexa Bliss has been atop the women's division since making her debut on the Smack Down roster in July 2016.

2) Alexa was involved in multiple sports growing up. She participated in gymnastics, softball, track, kickboxing, and also was a Division 1 cheerleader at the University of Akron in the Mid American Conference.

3) Residing in Orlando, Florida, Alexa is an avid fan of Disney World and has been making visits to see Mickey Mouse since early childhood.

D: We heard that you love Disney World and you have been going since you were a kid. We love it too. What's your favorite ride at Disney World?

AB: I love it at Disney World! I usually go once a week. My favorite ride is Space Mountain.

D's Follow Up: Space Mountain is fun because it's like being in space and the ride is dark. It's my second favorite ride at Disney World. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is my favorite ride at Disney World. I always wanted to go on it when I was too short and now I can do it and it's awesome. I really like roller coasters. 


J: Who is your favorite Disney character?

AB: That's a tough one but Sulley (from Monsters Inc.) is my favorite.

J's Follow Up: I'm a fan of Monsters Inc. and Sulley. Some of my favorite Disney characters are Stitch, Goofy, Rafiki, Kevin (Up), and Grumpy. I wish I could go to Disney World as much as Alexa and I would go on Rockin' Roller Coaster all the time. 

Commonly referred to as "Five Feet of Fury" and "The Goddess of WWE", Alexa Bliss has reigned over the women's division since the summer of 2016 and she also reigns at the top of the list of my favorite WWE superstars. Measuring in at only 5'1", Alexa checks in as the smallest competitor in the WWE in stature but wrestles big in the ring and has the skill and never-say-die attitude that a champion needs to survive the challenging WWE women's division. Couple her in-ring ability with her supreme confidence and Alexa Bliss will continue to be an unstoppable force in the WWE for the foreseeable future. Showing no fear of any opponent standing in her way each week on RAW, Alexa continues to leave the ring with the Women's Championship held high in her hands night in and night out. 

We met Alexa at the Wizard World Comic Con on August 24, 2017 in Rosemont. This event continues to bring the top WWE stars in each year and this is our second time taking part in the fun. Alexa is currently the top performer in the women's division on Raw and she's also a fan favorite here in our home. We knew to expect a ton of fans to be in attendance with Alexa's rapidly rising popularity, but we were blown away at how long her line was. It wrapped around the convention center! The WWE superstars certainly took center stage at Wizard World Comic Con Chicago and our meeting with Alexa did not disappoint.

After finishing a long wait to meet Roman Reigns just minutes before, we entered an even longer line to meet "The Goddess". Fortunately, a Comic Con worker spotted us and moved us up to the front of the line as they worked to get any adults with children through the line so wait time was shortened dramatically. We made our way in to take a picture and the boys had the opportunity ask their questions to Alexa. It was a Disney-themed set of questions for Alexa because we found out she was a big fan of Disney World just like us. We love Space Mountain like she does and we are certainly fans of Sulley and the other Monsters Inc. crew members too. We thought it was awesome that she visits weekly. Our last visit was in February and we wondered if she was in the park at the same time as us. We thought that would have been awesome if she was! While writing this post, the boys and I started thinking about all the fun we've had on our Disney trips and we don't think it would take too much convincing to get Mom on board with making another visit sooner than later.

It was an unforgettable experience meeting one of our favorite superstars that we watch on TV every Monday night. We want to thank Alexa Bliss for answering our questions and we hope she continues to hold that title up high as she embarks on her upcoming battles with her former friend Nia Jax. The Vincents will be in her corner cheering her on. Hopefully, we'll see her again soon. Maybe next time it will be at Disney World!

Roman Reigns - WWE Superstar

1) Leati Anoa'i is a professional wrestler in the WWE performing under the ring name Roman Reigns. A 3-time World Heavyweight Champion, 1-time United States Champion, and Tag Team Champion (with Seth Rollins), Roman Reigns has been one of WWE's top performers since making his debut on the main roster in 2012.

2) A three year starter and first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) player for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as a senior, Roman was a star football player in college who had brief stints in 2007 with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL and played one season for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was a college teammate of Calvin Johnson, widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history playing his entire career with the Detroit Lions.

3) Reigns comes from a family with an extensive pro wrestling background. A member of the Anoa'i family, he is cousin to former wrestlers Umaga, Rikishi, Yokozuna, The Tonga Kid and is first cousin once-removed with The Rock and The Usos.  

D: We saw that you live in Tampa, Florida and that you have a daughter. What's your favorite activity to do with your daughter in Florida when you are not wrestling?

RR: I do whatever she wants to do...she usually picks swimming.

D's Follow Up: I usually ask you to take me to get ice cream and do other fun stuff. Rockin' Jump (trampoline park), Great America, and swimming. Swimming is one of my favorite things to do too. I think Roman Reigns would be an awesome dad to have too. I remember seeing his poster in the mall and Barnes and Noble having tea with his daughter. 


J: How was it playing football with Calvin Johnson in college at Georgia Tech and what is your favorite NFL team?

RR: It was awesome! He's the best athlete I've ever played with...and my favorite NFL team is the 49ers.

J's Follow Up: My best friend Jackson likes the 49ers too. I don't think the 49ers are going to do very well this year but they're going to be better. I think they were the second worst team last year behind the Bears? Their new quarterback Brian Hoyer is going to have an OK season. I have another reason to root for the 49ers now that I know Roman Reigns likes them like Jackson does. I can't wait to tell him at school tomorrow.

 

As many know by now, our family consists of huge WWE fans and you will see us in attendance at live events or regularly glued to the TV on Monday and Tuesday nights for WWE's top wrestling shows, Raw and Smackdown. Danny and Jordan have many favorite superstars and their list is always changing but the superstar who always remains at the top of my list is Roman Reigns.

Known as "The Big Dog", Roman is consistently in WWE main events and and always in the WWE title picture. He has no problem going toe to toe with competitors of all shapes and sizes on any given night. I have always viewed Reigns as one of the toughest superstars in wrestling as he continues put his body on the line and take on the world's best opponents every week while always appearing to come back even stronger for the next match.

When we found out that Roman Reigns would be attending Wizard World Comic Con at the Rosemont Convention Center this year, we knew we had to jump on the opportunity. We have met so many amazing athletes including Michael Jordan, Matt Ryan, John Cena, and Jordan Howard to name a few and Roman Reigns ranks at the top of the list of athletes we have wanted to meet next. We also agree that he would be a huge addition to our blog vincentsgo3on3.com! 

We finally got our opportunity to step into "Roman's yard" at Wizard World Comic Con yesterday and he was as awesome as advertised! There were hundreds lined up to take a picture with Roman and get close to one of WWE's top stars. Fortunately, the line moved quickly and we were soon near the front within 20 minutes to get a moment with one of our heroes. We were able to shake hands with Roman and thankfully Jordan and Danny were able to ask their questions before the next set of fans came in. They had to be ready to ask their questions with no hesitation because he was due to sign autographs in 30 minutes with hundreds of anxious fans waiting behind us. Roman was very accommodating and happy to answer their unique questions which certainly made for a fun conversation during the ride back home.

When meeting athletes, the boys have been focusing on asking questions that are different from the typical ones they receive about their day job. Jordan and Danny love football and they know all about his time with the Vikings and Jaguars and they were blown away that he played college football with Megatron, Calvin Johnson! It came as no surprise to us that Roman said Calvin was the greatest athlete he ever played with. Likely a first ballot Hall of Fame player, Calvin Johnson was never stopped in his nine year career on the gridiron and teams could only hope to slow him down. I have too many memories to count of Calvin Johnson making life nearly impossible for the cornerbacks that played for my Chicago Bears.

Danny and Jordan both remember the ads they saw with Roman and his daughter having tea while strolling through the mall a few years ago. We also have watched Roman's commercial with his daughter that was part of a national public service campaign intended to inspire fathers across the country to get more involved in their children's lives. Personally, I love being a dad and it's the best thing to ever happen to me. Being involved in Jordan and Danny's lives and being a positive role model for them is a role I take seriously and am beyond honored to have. It's clear that Roman is an amazing father and Danny thought it would be fun to see what he and his daughter love to do most together. Danny and I agree that swimming is a ton of fun and we imagine that they get to spend a little more time in the pool than us with their warm Tampa weather!

It was an amazing experience for the three of us boys to see the man who dominates the WWE competition on the airwaves every Monday night. Thank you to Roman Reigns for taking the time to talk with the boys and provide an unforgettable experience! You have a house full of fans here in Illinois who will be there to support you throughout your entire WWE career. Believe That!

Dolph Ziggler- WWE Superstar

1) Dolph Ziggler is a nine time WWE champion (2x World Heavyweight Champion, 5x Intercontinental Champion, 1x United States Champion, 1x Tag Team Champion)

2) Dolph was a collegiate wrestler at Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference where he won 3 MAC Championships in the 165 lb weight class.

3) A Cleveland native, Dolph Ziggler is a huge fan of the Browns, Cavaliers, and Indians and can often often be spotted watching his favorite teams in person!

D: Who is the strongest wrestler in the locker room and what sport would you like to play if you weren't a wrestler?

Dolph Ziggler: I would play hockey if I had more time and Cesaro is definitely the strongest wrestler in the locker room.

D's Follow Up: I thought Jinder Mahal was the strongest wrestler in WWE. I do think Cesaro is strong because he does the Cesaro swing and wears cool athletic tape on his muscles. I think Dolph would be pretty good at hockey too. I've played floor hockey with my friend Colin and it was fun.

J: What was the best part about wrestling at Kent State in the MAC conference?

Dolph Ziggler: The best part was leaving Kent State with the most all-time wins at the school.

J's Follow Up: I think it's pretty cool that he did real wrestling before he went to WWE. It's also cool that he won so many MAC Championships.

We've been fortunate to meet many of WWE's top superstars like John Cena, Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose, Cesaro, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and more. Having had the opportunity to spend time with Dolph Ziggler last week, I can say that he is right at the top of the list when it comes to interacting with us and his excitement to answer Jordan and Danny's questions.

Danny was surprised that Cesaro was Dolph's pick for strongest wrestler but I'm not surprised at all. He tends to test his strength in each match, holding suplexes for extended time, catching opponents off of the top rope, lifting heavy athletes into the Cesaro swing, and sending them spinning around the ring for what seems like a full minute. If I had to guess another that would be close, my pick would be Braun Strowman. He is massive and he is known to throw athletes in and out of the ring with ease.

We love that Dolph wrestled in college before entering the WWE and we especially appreciate that he competed in the Mid American Conference. As a graduate of Northern Illinois University which is in the MAC, I always root for MAC athletes who go on to the highest level of competition and have continued success. Working side by side with athletes from the MAC as a football equipment manager, I know how tough Dolph's feat of having the most wins in school history would be to achieve. The MAC constantly produces high level division 1 athletes that compete well versus any university. What an awesome honor for Dolph to leave Kent State with the most wins and I can see how that would be his greatest memory. Dolph Ziggler has always been a fan favorite here in our home and we are grateful for the awesome opportunity we had to visit him at Cricket Wireless in Wheeling!