Dave Vonner's rise from the gutter

[MightyDavidson]

I dunno, the WWF is pretty well established but your last run there didn't go so well. In CState and WCCW however you're having awesome matches and you're the champion in CState. To me the right idea seems to be to stay where you are, at least for the moment.

[Guest Weden]

MACW... Look at that money!

[jksander]

So it's a split 1-1-1 vote so far ... if there end up being no other votes by the time I get back from class I'll stay where I am :)

[jksander]

Actually, I'm very tempted to sign with MACW, now that I have been able to talk their owner up to nearly $28,000 per month! Hmmm ....

[Guest Weden]

Don't talk him up any more.. you'll be risking being turned down! Accept while you can ;)

[Jacko00]

Either WWF or MACW

[jksander]

MACW wins then 3-1-1 :) I'll post an update tonight! :)

[Jacko00]

Thats cool, you should act like a real bad ass, try and get that NWA World heavyweight title

[jksander]

[b][u]March 1986 - Week 1[/u][/b] [b][i]Monday[/b][/i]: I woke up Monday morning at the sound of my cellphone buzzing like crazy. I pick it up, press the call button and answer, still half asleep. But I wake up fully upon hearing who it is. "Yes, Dave? This is Jim Crockett Jr, calling from Mid-Atlantic ..." I jump up. "Yes, Mr. Crockett! I know who you are, it's a pleasure speaking with you!" He laughs. "Yes, yes, but seriously ... have you ever considered us as a fed worth joining?" I honestly hadn't thought of it. They're a Global US fed! "No sir, I thought you were out of my reach," I say, shocked at the idea. "Well, we've had an eye on you, and you've done an amazing job these last few months at getting your overness up where your worldwide reputation's been all these years," he says. "I was wondering if we might meet in Charlotte to talk about you joining MACW." I'm silent. "Still there, Vonner?" "Yeah! ... I mean yes, Mr. Crockett," I say looking at my watch. "I can be at the airport in an hour!" "Tell you what," he says. "Be at our headquarters at 4 p.m. and I'll have a contract ready for you to look over." He hangs up the phone, and I stand there, phone in my hand, sun shining in at me standing slack-jawed here in my jockey shorts. MACW! I can't believe it! I quickly dial up Bob Giegel at Central States. He doesn't seem as shocked as me though. "Look kid," he says. "I knew when I brought you back here that you were headed places. Don't feel bad about striking while the iron's hot!" "But I hate to leave now," I say truthfully. "I mean, it'll vacate the title, you'll have done all that work to help move me up so quickly ..." "Not another word!" he yells. "Get your f---ing ass to Charlotte!" I was about to dial WCCW when my phone rang again. I pick it up. "What's this I hear about you signing with MACW?" Fritz von Erich yells into the receiver. "I haven't signed anything yet ..." "Bulls---! You opportunist! I give you a fair f---ing deal and let you keep working for Central States, and this is your payback? Leaving for our competition?" "Now wait a second!" I say, stunned. "I have to do what's right for my career!" "F--- your career!" he yells. "If I'd known you didn't give a piss about my fed, I never would have let you in the door!" He slams the phone down. I'm bothered by this ... first, that he already had heard about the contract offer (before I even had a chance to look at it) and second that he'd have this kind of reaction. But hey, I tell myself. Bob Geigel isn't upset, and he did a lot more to help me out than von Erich did. And there comes a point where I've got to go with the one fed that can make me a superstar. MCCW wasn't going to do that. MACW just well might be that fed. And if I pass that up, I'll hate myself for it the rest of my life. I throw on some clothes, grab a jacket and my keys, and run to the car. The airport, and Charlotte, awaits! - - - - - It's a quarter past four when Crockett calls me into his office. I sit down across from him, and a lawyer hands me a contract. I read it over and nearly have a heart attack. But I keep my composure. I read the contract through ... twice ... then hand it back to Crockett. "That's a mighty fine offer, Mr. Crockett," I say hoping my voice doesn't betray me. "But I think if I'm going to sign that long a contract I need a bit more money than that." He looks at the lawyer and then laughs. "I should have known! Got to tell our guys to stop bragging about how well I pay them, of course you want more money. Well if $24,000 isn't enough, how about $28,512 per month for 18 months?" He makes a change to the contract and flips it across the table to me. But he holds up a finger first. "And that, son, IS my final offer, before you get greedy." He laughs again. I don't hesitate, grab a pen from my shirt pocket and sign on the dotted line. He takes the contract back from me and hands it to the lawyer, who leaves out the back door. "Now," says Crockett. "Are you familiar with the kind of show we put on?" "Well," I say. "I haven't seen it in a while, since I've been so busy lately. But I used to watch Mid Atlantic Championship every Saturday when I was still in school." "Excellent, so you know what our fans like to see," he smiles. "We also have a touring show each Wednesday, don't know how often I'll have you booked on that once you become a star, but it's there if you're needed. We're also gearing up for our big March show Boogie Jam, which is next Saturday. I'd like you to have a good match that night, but we need to build you up for the fans first ..." He pauses as he grabs some papers off his desk. "I'd like to offer you a feud with one of our wrestlers, so you can introduce yourself. I've seen you play a good Heel, and that's what we want you to keep doing for now. Here are a couple guys I thought you might want to begin with." I look at the two papers. The first is the bio of Dory Funk Jr, current holder of the NWA International and Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight titles. The second is head booker Dusty Rhodes, who is one of the top tag fighters in the wrestling world today! Suddenly I'm just too shell-shocked to really make a choice. I think Crockett figured it out, and let me know it was fine by smiling again. "No, never mind, let's just take these back and I'll book you in a few matches until you find your place in the fed. Then you can come back and we'll talk feuding a little later." I stand up, but he signals me that the meeting's not over. "If you're going to be a good Heel, you need a good manager," he says. "Especially one who can speak for you, since you're really not great on the mic yet. So I wanted you to meet him." "Meet who?" I ask. "Never mind. Bob, can you come in a second?" In walks Bobby Heenan, the man himself, the best most talented crowd wrangler ever in the sport! I'm floored. I jump up to shake his hand, and he shoves me back in my chair. "Sit the f--- down, I'm not gonna sign your goddamned autograph," he sneers. "I'm here to make you a f---ing superstar!" Crockett goes back and shuts the door. Then the real meeting began!

[jksander]

[b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Tonight on tour with MACW, Bobby Heenan introduced me to a rabid crowd late in the show. They'd already seen a great bout between Ricky Steamboat and Dusty Rhodes (Dusty beat the hell out of him!) and Nikita Koloff had just beaten Mark Youngblood to hold on to his belt. Now here I was ("this kid's gonna knock you down, f--- you up, then knock you down just so he can piss on your face!" says Heenan to the crowd, which boos heartily) waiting to take on Manny Fernandez and I'm so nervous I can't believe it! I've been in fights for big crowds, back when I worked for Vince McMahon ... why am I so nervous now? Is it that I'm the verge of Main Eventhood for a Global fed? I have to shake this off. So I forget EVERYTHING I just heard Heenan babbling about and I go out and hammer on Fernandez for a while. I kept pounding and pounding, he kept trying to block but my moves seemed to always hit their mark. And when the ref finally medically DQ'd him after 36:00 I thought I'd really made a point to myself. When you get nervous kid, I say to myself, hammer the f--- out of someone. The match got a "B+" from the fans. Bobby Heenan comes back out. "See what I mean, you morons? None of you can fight! Look at that bloody mass!" he screams pointing at Fernandez. "Look what this kid did to him! Think you can do better? Try it! He'll gut you, make you watch your innards spill out, then make you eat them for kicks!" They boo and throw things and I have to be hustled out the back gates to avoid an angry mob. "Man, what you have to do that for? Now they want my blood!" I say, staring at Heenan as we are rushed into a car. "Face it, kid, they have to hate you," he says. "They have to want to kill you, and know that deep down they could if they got the chance. Once they do that, kid, you'll be a star. Because when they hate you, they're too busy to realize they really idolize you!" I'll take his word for it. [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: On tonight's TV show I was scheduled to fight Jay Strongblood, and it went by the books. Though he did make some great moves late in the match, I overcame them with my powerful Weaver Lock at the 27:00 mark, getting him quickly into submission! The fans gave the match itself a "B" though they booed me like crazy after Heenan riled them up again! I guess he knows what he's doing ... by his definition they're sure showing me an assload of love tonight!

[D. Boons Ghost]

lol - Jay Strongblood. Any relation to Chief Jay Youngbow? ;) Congrats on the massive MACW contract - And the two highly rated debut matches for them. 2 1/2 years into your career, and you are about to become a main player for one of the best promotions in the scenario (imho). Well done!

[jksander]

[i]Just wait til you read this s---, D Boon's Ghost! ;) Major scenario beginning![/i] [b][u]March 1986[/u] - Week 2[/b] [b][i]Monday[/i][/b]: I got a call today from Jim Crockett Jr saying he wants me on the Main Event from now on! [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: My new tag team debuted tonight! Me and Roddy Piper (hereby known as Rod & Vonner) took on The Great Kabuki and Harley Race in an elimination rules match! Piper took on Kabuki for a few moments, then handled Race until about the 10:00 mark, then tagged me in to do my thing. Race didn't see it coming! A few serious slams and he tagged out to Kabuki, who took the same punishment! Race came back in at 17:00 and out at 21:00. It was two minutes later that I hit the Winged Splash of Death and nearly got the pin on Kabuki! It was at this point that I tagged out to Piper. Piper hit the Brass Knuckles Punch, then reached into his tights and grabbed ... a FORK! He grabbed a f---ing FORK! SLAMMED IT into the eyes of Kabuki, who starts downright wailing in the corner! He hits the hammerlock shoulderbreaker, then taunts Kabuki for not wanting to get up! Race quickly tags back in. It's been 24:00, folks. Piper stuns the crowd by biting a chunk out of Race's forehead at the 25:00 mark, and yet the ref does nothing! Excellent! I guess they don't call him "Rowdy Roddy" for nothing, and the ref must have known it. A few moments later Piper hits him in the nuts with the Brass Knuckles, then goes for a boston crab, which failed to get the submission. That's when I tagged in at 29:00. I hit him with an enziguri kick, a monkey flip and then ... BOOM! ... a fireball lights up the ring and suddenly Harley Race's hair's on fire! The ref halfheartedly warns me as Kabuki throws a bucket of water at Race (putting out the flames while soaking him from head to toe! He comes at me, slips on the water, and I hit the Pancake Facebuster, at which point he barely manages to tag out! I slug Kabuki in the face with a roll of quarters, and the ref DQs me. It's been 34:00! Piper finally got The Mighty Kabuki to submit to the Main Event Sleeper hold at 36:00, then went after Harley Race as the match became a 1 on 1 affair! But he was caught unaware when Harley came at him with a running headbutt that slammed him headfirst into the ringpost. Lights out, Roddy ... the match ended at 38:00 with an "A" rating from the fans! [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: We ran a very bare-bones episode of Mid Atlantic Championship tonight, because of our big show (Boogie Jam) which was also the same night! But I was not booked in the show tonight. I got to watch a hell of a lot of great wrestling though ... and I got to talk to Dory Funk Jr, who actually asked me if I'd be interested in feuding with him in the future! I told him it'd be an honor to work with a veteran like him. He's always been a great ambassador of wrestling. He reminded me that by me taking on someone as loved as he is I'm bound to be hated severely. But such is the game. I'll be ready for it when it happens. Later in the evening, I watched as Ric Flair defeated Dory to hold onto the NWA World Heavyweight Title (his third defense). And just as Dory had told me I should, I came out from backstage just as Flair started dancing around the ring holding up his belt. I walked up to Funk as he tried to stand, and shoved him down. "Hey, you mindless drones out there!" I yelled at the crowd. They booed. "We're the new generation! I'm ready to do what it takes to make sure this geezer never gets another chance at a belt!" I walk over to Flair, take the belt and swing it hard at Dory's head, connecting and sending him reeling into the ringpost. "See this, old man?" I hit him again. "This is the belt you'll never again wear!" The crowd rightfully boos. Mic in hand, I storm up to the front row. "Who's booing me? You people don't know what you're talking about if you think an old f--- like Dory Funk should lead this fed!" One guy spits in my face. I grab the beer out of his hand, dump it on his head and storm back into the ring. I grab Dory, throw him to the mat, and forcibly remove his NWA International Heavyweight Belt, throwing it to Flair. "You don't deserve that one either! You're too old for this sport!" Flair throws the belt back at Dory, who catches it and cradles it in his arms. "Let the old man keep that belt," he sneers. "Wouldn't want him to go home and kill himself in shame!" Flair walks offstage just as Terry Funk comes storming in. He shoves me into the ropes, and it's clear he doesn't know his brother planned this. I can feel his breath in my face as his eyes glow red. "You've fought with me before, but I never thought you'd do this!" he screams. "How could you disrespect our family like this?" I shove him away from me and spit back. "Disrespect?" I snarl. "You get the respect you earn. Go back to Central States, you're not worthy to get in my face! You can't beat me, and your brother is too old to even try." I spin around and nail Terry in the balls with the brass knuckles I always keep around. I hear something pop! He crumbles to the mat unconscious from the pain of the shattered testicle I just gave to him. I drop the brass knuckles on the mat and walk to Dory, who's standing in the corner, holding the belt Flair threw back to him. "I'll deal with you in the ring later ... hopefully unlike your little brother you have the balls to take me!" And with that, I exit. You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to pull that off. I can't stand Terry Funk, but I've always loved watching Dory Funk Jr fight. I hope this goes over well, otherwise I think the crowd'll lynch me next time I come around!

[jksander]

Dude, who keeps rating my thread one star? I did the math from past voting ... I'd gotten a five from someone, then a one. Then three more fives that averaged 4.20 :) Then within the last day or so, I just got another one! Which troll did it? Come out and take a Ballcruncher Move from Dave Vonner like you deserve!

[MightyDavidson]

[QUOTE=jksander]Dude, who keeps rating my thread one star? I did the math from past voting ... I'd gotten a five from someone, then a one. Then three more fives that averaged 4.20 :) Then within the last day or so, I just got another one! Which troll did it? Come out and take a Ballcruncher Move from Dave Vonner like you deserve![/QUOTE] I don't know who the dumbass who keeps giving you the one star rating is, but I'm happy to admit to being the fellow who gave you the five star rating. I'd actually give you more bit the rating system doesn't go that high. :D Congrats on the feud with Funk btw.

[jksander]

[b][u]March 1986[/u] - Week 3[/b] [b][i]Monday[/b][/i]: I'm sure most of you don't care, but I used some of my proceeds from matches the past few months and put $35,000 down on a three-star restaurant here in Charlotte. It's been redesigned and just opened as "Vonner's Smokehouse" -- a purveyor of down home barbeque in a wrestling atmosphere! I'm hoping it will prove to be a solid investment (and perhaps a good tax shelter, heh heh). [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Tonight I'm up against "Rowdy Roddy" Piper, and the two of us were having a pretty good go of it when at 27:00 I decided to end the whole affair by hittinga calculated series of moves ending with a Shake Rattle and Roll Neckbreaker! 1 ... 2 ... looks like he's down for the count! NO! Dory Funk Jr comes strolling in, and together he and Piper start whaling on me! I get a second to catch my breath though and I plan the perfect fireball! WHOOOOSH! The ring is engulfed, as are Funk and Piper! I bodyslam Piper before the fire dies down, and 1 ... 2 ... no he's STILL ALIVE! Funk's off in the corner, taking off his International Heavyweight Belt, and starts beating me with it! "Who's old now, bitch?" he says, swinging it down again and again. "Show me what you're made of you f---!" Piper hits the Low Blow With Cradle, as Funk kicks me in the head, and I roll to avoid the pinfall. Finally the ref makes Dory leave the ring and I can at least attempt to regain my focus on the bout! I know I've got maybe one good move left in me, so I aim to go for it hard. I slam Piper with the Spinning Death Valley Driver, and Piper goes down! 1 ... 2 ... HE'S DONE! I pulled out the big win even after being beaten down by Piper AND Dory Funk in the middle of the match! The fans gave this one an "A" and I left with my head held high. [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: I was not booked tonight. Ric Flair beat Ricky Steamboat to defend his Heavyweight Title again, but the bout was booked as an opener, which seems absurd considering it was one of the best fights of the night. After that it became hard to watch some of the other matches try to live up. [b][u]March 1986[/u] - Week 4[/b] [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Tonight's the big night, my first ever fight against Dory Funk Jr! And it's a 30 Minute Time Limit match for the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Belt! So I've got to try to win this in less than 30 minutes, or risk having my fate rest in the hands of judges likely on the side of Funk! But my big moves kept failing me midway through the match! He turned a Spinning Death Valley Driver into a Backbreaker, for Christ's sake! So while I was able to hurt him pretty bad down the stretch, I couldn't pin the slimy f---er ... I kept hitting, he kept not falling, the time kept on slipping away. He hit me with a piledriver at 28:00 that nearly got me pinned for good, but Bobby Heenan pulled me out before the three count (and got himself thrown out of the stadium!) prolonging the match. Then to the shock of everyone in the building, Dory Funk tried to throw me over the rope, and I countered with the Scorpion Death Drop, PINNING HIM! The match was over, total length 28:35! The crowd gave it a "B+" overall, and I move to 1-0 in the feud! And I get this shiny new belt! It was f---ing great to have that to wave above my head as the crowd booed me and my trusty manager! [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: I was not booked tonight. Ric Flair defended his belt for the 6th time (this time against Harley Race). [center][b][u]Overness[/u][/b] [b]US[/b]: 93% ([b]+7[/b]) [img]http://jonathansanders.0catch.com/MAHeavyweight.jpg[/img] [b]MID ATLANTIC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP![/b] Successful Defenses: [b]0[/b] [b]Spirit[/b]: 62% ([b]+4[/b]) [b]Power[/b]: 24% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Technique[/b]: 66% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Speed[/b]: 45% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Psychology[/b]: 94% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Stamina[/b]: 41% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Toughness[/b]: 66% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Charisma[/b]: 34% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Microphone[/b]: 41% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Safety[/b]: 75% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Looks[/b]: 74% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Respect[/b]: 47% ([b]+1[/b])[/center]

[D. Boons Ghost]

Egads... what a week! You've got a great style of writing, jksander. The action is given the perfect amount of detail to vividly portray it in the reader's head - well... this reader, at least. I thank you for taking the time to write this stuff up. It is very entertaining.

[jksander]

You're welcome :) It's a welcome break from studying Tsarist Russian History. I should write up some of my notes for you from THAT class, to help prevent insomnia ;)

[Guest TPB_Fan]

Very nice diary man. Keep it up

[captainlou]

I agree as well. This is terrifically done. Maybe Vonner with his Ballcruncher move should team up with Texas Red, who will choke slam and then give the person an inverted piledriver, to the maroon who is giving the journals 1 star.

[NickC13573]

hey why not try your hand in Japan?

[jksander]

I'm on a two year contract in the US. I'm a main event here and my style fits what American wrestling fans want to see. I tried fighting in Japan, but I don't have the speed moves to make it worthwhile.

[jksander]

[b][u]April 1986[/u] - Week 1[/b] [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Tonight I took on Mr. Wrestling in a fight earlier on the card than usual. He's challenging me for the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight though, so it's not like "early on the card" means "phone it in" ... the match was crazy from the start. I kept pounding Mr. Wrestling, but he has the amazing ability to stay standing even when suffering like crazy! He fought hard, and down the stretch hit some impressive moves, and I just couldn't compete. He felled me with the Gotch Toehold, and got me into submission. I lost the belt having never properly defended it. The fans gave this one a "B+" since they hate me so much! You should have heard them pop when he got to take my belt from me after this 29:00 fight. Dory Funk, notably, stole Ric Flair's NWA World Heavyweight Title in the Main Event. Could I be getting a push for that belt in our feud? [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: Tonight I'm teamed with Angelo Mosca against The Lost Souls (Dory Funk Jr and Harley Race) in a basic tag match. The match was a brutal one, a long one, and I didn't have to do much as Angelo Mosco really loves being out there pounding on people! He ripped into Funk and Race, and at the 39:00 mark he got Race into submission with an Atlas Bear Hug! The match ended with a "B+" rating from the fans. [b][u]April 1986[/u] - Week 2[/b] [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Rematch! Me and Dory Funk hit the ring tonight, and he's got to win if he wants to prolong this feud! And if he wants to keep his NWA World Heavyweight belt! But there's a 30 minute time limit again, so we have to plan this out strategically. But while I hit a few great moves early, I couldn't do much late in the match but hit the occasional bodyslam while he pounded me with flips and kicks and punches to the head. The time limit expired, and the decision went to three judges -- and I had no idea how this was gonna go! Judge one took the microphone and called out "Dave Vonner!" Judge two called out "Dave Vonner!" I go crazy, and barely hear the third judge yell out "Dave Vonner!" as I won this one by unanimous decision! The match got a "B" rating from the fans. And I now have a new belt to wear around this place! [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: It's time for the Crockett Cup, and I wasn't booked. But I took the time to get to know the folks in the fed a little more while hanging around backstage ... and thanks to great advice I got from Otto Wanz and Tommy Young, my trainer says my mic skills have improved two points! I'm all for off nights now. [b][u]April 1986[/u] - Week 3[/b] [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: Tonight I had to fight Jerry Brisco in a singles match! But it wasn't much of a fight. I tore the hell out of him in the first ten minutes, then got him in a Weaver Lock and it was goodNIGHT! The fans gave it a "C+" overall. [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: Oh man, this is the big one! I'm up against Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight belt, in a 60 minute Time Limit match! The fight was going very well, we'd both fought like crazy, and then I decided to hit him with the Coal Miner's Glove Blast which of course did properly lay him out ... and it got me disqualified! The 27:00 match got a "B" rating and the title remains unclaimed! [b][u]April 1986[/u] - Week 4[/b] [b][i]Wednesday[/i][/b]: I was given the night off again. [b][i]Saturday[/i][/b]: Yet again I wasn't booked. No big deal, I am assuming they're preparing the stage for a different push, perhaps a new feud. [center][b]Record[/b]: 132-113 [b][u]Overness[/u][/b] [b]US[/b]: 95% ([b]+2[/b]) [b]Spirit[/b]: 65% ([b]+3[/b]) [b]Power[/b]: 24% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Technique[/b]: 67% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Speed[/b]: 45% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Psychology[/b]: 94% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Stamina[/b]: 42% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Toughness[/b]: 67% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Charisma[/b]: 35% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Microphone[/b]: 43% ([b]+2[/b]) [b]Safety[/b]: 76% ([b]+1[/b]) [b]Looks[/b]: 74% ([b]EVEN[/b]) [b]Respect[/b]: 48% ([b]+1[/b])[/center]

[NickC13573]

What was i thinking with 95% Overness in the US! that's gotta travel over the border's

[jksander]

Yep ... 90% Canada, 80% Mexico, 80% Japan, 70% UK, 70% Europe, 70% Australia

[That Crazy Guy]

Muahaha. The 30 Minute title win is identical to my Masa Saito diary! Hahaha. Awesome. That just made me laugh. Amazingly cool. This diary is one of my favourites, of course. An I love every bit of it.