Aura

Have you ever signed someone thinking that they would be a huge asset for you, only for them to completely blow up in your face? I had a situation like that recently, and I'd be interested in seeing everyone else's stories. I was doing a casual playthrough with MHW recently, and I picked Mustang Blanco Jr. as a part of my starting roster because he did fairly well in a previous attempt at the promotion for me. My original plan for him was for him to hang around the midcard for a little while and pick up wins before entering the title scene. Unfortunately, he ended up being one of the biggest backstage problems that I've ever had to deal with in a stage for seemingly no reason. He ended up either starting fights or physically attacking people three times in six shows, and I ended up having to cut my losses and fire him before he could drag down the backstage morale any more. He ended up only having a couple of matches, and never coming anywhere close to the title scene. Anyone else had a story like this?

New Year Riot Rumble Armando Guerrero, Jake D’Angelo, Jesse Tasman, Lance Lott, Lone Rider, Nathan Rigger, Reed Buckfield, Rusty Mills, Sulphur, The Kipper (I think that Rusty's the one that has the most to gain here, and I think a win in the Rumble can springboard him into his next big storyline.) Smokers & Suplexes vs Golden Grapplers (Smokers & Suplexes are great, but I don't think that this is their time yet. I think that Golden Grapplers are coming for their next title shot.) Gareth Case vs ----- (Am I the only one who thinks that the former DIW star might be Diesel Dan? Either way, I think that this is going to be a showcase for Gareth's power and vicious style, so he's not losing here.) Sydney Championship Match Blackwell Bush vs Vortex © (Bush is a star in the making, but I don't think it's time for Vortex to let go of the belt yet.) Tag-Team Championship Match The Runway vs Lifeline vs The Devoted Souls © (I think that it's finally Lifeline's time. The big bad champions have to lose sometime, and Lifeline might be in the perfect spot to be the beneficiaries.) Australian Championship Match Warmonger vs Adgee Cross © (Adgee still has plenty to give as champion, so I'll say that Warmonger gives him a heck of a fight, but he endures thanks to the heart of a champion.) (Tie Breakers) Promo of the night - I have to give it to my man Delbert Degeorge. If he gets on the mic, he'll knock it out of the park. Top 3 matches - 1. Blackwell Bush vs. Vortex (Both of them are phenomenal, so this seems like an easy pick.) 2. Adgee Cross vs. Warmonger (Adgee's one of SZW's top guys, and Warmonger should be skilled and popular enough to make it a great main event.) 3. Smokers & Suplexes vs. Golden Grapplers (I see three great workers and one guy whose popularity should make up for his middling skillset. Sounds like a good formula to me.)

First two items on the news feed were 21CW signing these guys back-to-back. KP lives up to his name, but Todd's entertainment stats are ironically pretty bad.

This has me picturing MC Motormouth randomly throwing out insults and going on uncalled-for rants during Hard-1's matches. "Say Cliff, doesn't this match remind you that Hard-1 is an absolute piece of TRASH who has NO place in this business?" "Uh... anyway, I'd like to remind everyone that the winner of this match will face Raheem Stash for the West Coast Championship."

Diesel Dan coming back was a surprise, and a face turn was an even bigger surprise. I've never used him in a sav before, so I don't know his maximum potential, but I think that the blue collar Australian hero gimmick could have some legs under it. The fact that SZW doesn't really have a lot of giants is probably going to help him stand out as well. I'm already really invested in seeing Warmonger get a real match. He made a massive impression already, and I think that giving him a debut match against someone who can sell really well will get him over as a HUGE threat and serious powerhouse. Honestly, I'm already imagining what the eventual showdown between him and Adgee could look like. Also, does Delbert's new look remind anyone else of Teddy Long?

Am I the only one who thinks that Trehawke looks EXTREMELY similar to Ted Dibiase in that portrait? Also, does anyone think that Vincent Victory might be our new champion of bad backstage behavior? Shows up for one night, can barely work in the ring anymore, complains about having to lose despite the booker trying to protect him anyway, then injures his opponent? I think that we've finally found someone to dethrone Kelly Tahere! I think that one thing I've been liking a lot about this series is how well you can build characters even without having them in matches every week. I already mentioned how Vortex has been phenomenal with promos, but Warmonger has only shown up once and been referenced a second time, and I have no issues with him being next in line for a championship match, although I am highly interested in seeing how Adgee will handle such an intimidating foe. And now I need to go find some Mexican-Australian fusion cuisine...

SZW First Steel Cage Match - Lone Rider vs Rusty Mills (I know that Lone Rider is the boss' son, and he just started his big heel run, but he's been such a huge villain through this feud that I think Rusty needs to get the win for a satisfying ending here.) Tag-Team Number One Contender Match - The Golden Grapplers vs Smokers & Suplexes vs The Runway (Three really good teams here, but I think that the Golden Grapplers are on the rise.) Greatest Fear - ???? vs Armando Guerrero (I feel like Armando takes it in a more lighthearted, entertainment-based affair than the rest of the card.) Sydney Championship Number One Contender Match - Dizzy G vs Blackwell Bush (Bush is awesome, but my pick here is tied to my pick for the Sydney Championship match later in the show, and I think that Dizzy will be more fit for that role.) Buckminster Snark Invitational - Buckminster Snark vs ??? (I'm expecting a big debut to wow the crowd. As good of a performer as Snark is, I feel like this isn't his chance to rise just yet.) Sydney Championship Match - Jake D’Angelo vs Vortex © (Sorry Jake, but after so much buildup for Vortex, I'm pretty certain that he's winning this.) Tag-Team Championship Match - Lifeline vs ??? vs The Devoted Souls © (The Devoted Souls have had a fantastic run, but I think that it's time for Lifeline to ride their groundswell of support and become our second SZW Tag Team Champions.) Australian Championship Match - The Kipper vs Adgee Cross © (Kipper can still go, and that's a fact. However, I feel like it's too early for Adgee to drop the title just yet.) Tie-Breakers One - Top 3 Matches of the Night 1. Lone Rider vs. Rusty Mills 2. Lifeline vs. ??? vs. The Devoted Souls 3. Dizzy G vs. Blackwell Bush Tie-Breaker Two - Promo of the Night (List 3 workers): Vortex, Armando Guerrero, and Delbert DeGeorge

I feel like the main thing that's been making Vortex work is just how different he feels compared to the rest of the company. No one else really has any supernatural elements to their character, but he's just diving straight into the cosmic element of his character, and it makes him feel like something special. Also, I feel like the decision to have him focus more on promos than lots of matches makes sense in-universe as well. By spacing out his matches, he can still keep most of his crowd-pleasing high-risk style, but there's less risk of him getting injured again. I have to say, Wesker's had the chance to get into the ring with a lot of pretty talented wrestlers at this point, so I have to wonder how much he himself has improved. The company's in its third year, and a lot of the roster has developed significantly. If he's lagging behind, that might be a warning sign. Also, just for fun, I'd like to mention that when I imagine Maelstrom in his current role, I can't picture him without a suit and sunglasses. I also sincerely hope that when Lone Rider teamed up with the Bad Truckers in DIW, he swapped out his cowboy hat for a trucker cap.

Pro Wrestling EXILE's undefeated champion, Kyuichi Matsumoto, has managed to hold onto the title since the company's debut. However, a new challenger has made his presence known in record time. Washi Heat, the 20-year veteran, has the entire locker room on notice, and he's coming straight for the champion. This Saturday, Hokkaido's most intense puro action comes to Sapporo. PLATINUM WARRIORS Ryobe Uno vs. Beetle Kimura Midnight Tiger vs. Kaori Takenouchi Oda Yakuta vs. Masafumi Torii Stealth Z vs. Yuki Horigoshi EXILE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH Kyuichi Matsumoto vs. Washi Heat

I'm just going to say, Vortex showing up buff probably helped a fair bit during his big reveal at Friday Night Crush. Also, I feel like Lifeline absolutely have to be in the running for a big push soon. I would be interested how you came up with the idea for Banky, though. I've never seen something like that in-game, but I'll admit that it's made him and Lance's team-up a lot more interesting. I really have to give it up for Jake D'Angelo here. I didn't have high expectations of him, both from the game's description as well as your own appraisal, but I like how he's developing into a sort of crafty character here. It's really helping him find a niche as a sort of midcard villain. I would just like you point out how amused I am that both guys you signed with stoner gimmicks ended up finding great chemistry with completely unrelated partners. As for a new team name? I feel like Slim n' Toasty has a nice ring to it, even if it is a bit uncreative.

Starting fights backstage and putting on the worst match of the night? Saul Rubennick is back, baby! I think that Adgee being the champ is a good opportunity to experiment a bit. After all, I'm pretty sure that he's the first Australian Champion in the company that isn't a brawler, and with a lot of his opponents being bigger than him, he'll need to be a champion who relies on his skills and agility to protect the belt rather than a straight-up fistfight.I'm looking forward to seeing how his reign goes, especially since Lone Rider definitely isn't done with him yet. I feel like SZW's entertainment factor is underrated compared to the in-ring product. Yes, we've had Delbert being a pro since the beginning, but this show really made me realize how much character potential we've got here. Between The Runway still being goofballs, Armando taking a step into the comedy scene, and Smokers & Suplexes still keeping their gimmick going, I'm pretty impressed. As for my roster pick, my first pick would be Lerone Slim, due to him being pretty talented in the ring and on the mic with a ton of room to grow, so seeing him gone from ZEN was a big shock to me. I think that he could definitely be slotted into the roster as an effortlessly cool type of character. He's already been mentioned though, so if that's already in the cards, then I'd like to go in a bit of an unexpected direction and suggest Pat Rigsby as a backup, who I ironically almost chose instead of Vortex last time. He's a decent brawler with strong fundamentals, and I can see him being the type of worker that would appeal to Paul. Plus, I do like the narrative of a longtime indy guy getting a chance on a bigger stage.

Something I was wondering about is how Importance impacts the venues that you hold a show at. For example, is there any significant difference between a venue with 10% Importance and one with 0%? It's something that's been on my mind lately, and I'd like to know how much it affects the shows themselves.

Beetle Kimura entered the back room of the gym, where Ebina was waiting. The plans for the next show were being put in place, and she requested a meeting with him in particular to discuss something. One-on-ones weren't common with the boss, so it was a pretty nerve-wracking experience. It didn't help that aside from a brief greeting as he entered the room, she didn't even talk until he took a seat across from her, so he couldn't gauge what she was thinking. "Kimura." She addressed him, not bothering with any pleasantries. "Do you want to talk about this month's show?" Immediately, he knew what angle she was taking, and that this meeting might not end up going well. He knew that he hadn't put in his best performance, so he quickly became apologetic. "Ma'am, I just want to say that I'm sorry..." "Sorry..." Ebina let the word roll off her tongue and hang in the air for a few tense moments. "Kimura, remind me how long you've been wrestling?" "Seventeen years." "And can those seventeen years explain that match that you had with Horigoshi at Elements of Battle?" The match itself was... not one of Kimura's better moments, to put it generously. He lost the flow of the match only a few minutes in, and made the kinds of silly mistakes that he hadn't made in years. Honestly, he wasn't surprised that Ebina was mad. What really concerned him was the backlash. "I don't know how to explain it, Miss Ebina." He attempted to explain. "Something was just wrong." It was an unsatisfactory answer, and Kimura knew it even before the boss followed up. "Oh, a lot of things were wrong. It had me feeling like I hired a seventeen-year amateur." She sighed with frustration. "Kimura, did you know that you're been wrestling eight times as long as Kikumoto, and he looked like twice the wrestler you were last night?" It was harsh, but Kimura had a hard time disagreeing. Kikumoto may not have figured out his signature style yet, but the kid was always solid, even if he didn't impress. He nodded in response. Leaning forward, Ebina's eyes looked particularly cold as she glared at the masked man. "Kimura, I want you to listen, and listen well. I brought you into this company because I thought that I found a diamond in the rough. Someone who I could rely on to put on quality matches anywhere on the card." She paused briefly. "And I am not going to look like a fool because I believed that someone had potential. Do I make myself clear?" It was a statement that didn't answer a lot of questions, but it gave Kimura enough reason not to ask any more. "Yes ma'am. Crystal." "All right, then. Get back to work, and I'll lay out the plans for next month." She stated, dismissing Kimura. Both of them were left with renewed determination. For Ebina, the goal was to ensure that EXILE could capitalize on the hype they were building up. As for Kimura, he was set on making sure that his position wouldn't be shaken after one misstep.

Sorry for so many hiatuses with this diary. My schedule has been pretty wild over the last few months. I'll try to figure out a way to get these updates out on a breezier schedule.

I'm honestly stunned that Lone Rider lost the belt so soon after picking it up. However, with the way that he reacted after losing, I feel like we're on the verge of a big character switch for him. I'm not sure if he'll take on a harder edge, or if Paul was convinced to let him do a full heel-turn, but I feel like he's about to evolve into something more than the Original Lone Rider's son. Also, I've been looking into free agents, but I'd be interested in knowing who has been released from the other companies.