arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 [B][CENTER][SIZE=4]The Seeds Are Sown[/SIZE][/CENTER] [/B] The quickest way to start a fight: ask me and Tyler Baker who hates Jeff Nova more. Baker has pretty good reason, I guess. Nova bought out Tyler’s company back in 2006, getting it for a steal given the financial straights 21st Century Wrestling was in at the time, then Nova proceeded to transform it into a bastardized copy of SWF in less than a year. The company that had once hailed itself as the new age of British Wrestling was suddenly reduced to lightweight slugfests and Phillip Cooper doing a Benny Hill impression to the roar of the crowd. I still think my reason is better: Jeff Nova killed any chance I had of making it as a wrestler and ensured I’d live with back pain for the rest of my life. See, I was one of the first hires he made for his newly acquired company, an Australian wrestler with a lot of promise who was willing to work cheap. I spent two months working opening matches before my character, Jack Crickey, The Thunder from Down Under, caught on with the fans. Then, just as I started go over, my back was dislocated by a sloppy suplex courtesy of Davey Celtic. Celtic was drunk at the time; that nickname of his isn’t exactly your typical wrestling hype. I could smell the beer on his breath backstage, and so could Nova. In any civilized company he would have been sent home the moment he showed up, but in Nova’s world it just meant he was well and truly in-character. And sure, I knew better than to step into the ring with him, but that’s just the kind of crap you do when you’re an Australian wrestler. If you’ve got a job, even a crappy one like that, you cling to it like it’s a lifeline. The wrestling world has pretty much forgotten that Australia exists since 2004; all the local promotions shut down and there were only five of us who had found work internationally. All in all, it’s been a rough couple of years if you’re a wrestler from Oz. I ended up working for Baker, once my wrestling career was shot. He’d taken the money from selling 21CW and used it to open Truncheon Tapes, a mail-order DVD service that sold distributed wrestling tapes from around the world to customers throughout England and Europe. That had gone well enough that Truncheon Academy was opened not long after; it was a joint venture between Baker and retired 21CW wrestler Nick Adams. Adams was never a brilliant wrestler, but there were only a half-dozen British wrestlers who knew more about telling a story in the ring (and most of them were working in America). Truncheon Academy took off fast, especially after we set up links to the Southern Hemisphere Wrestling Academy where I’d trained under Aussie Battler back in the early nineties. English work visas are easy to get when you’re young and Australian, so a bunch of folks I’d wrestled with in the early nineties immigrated over to continue their training here were they at least had some chance of getting a job. And there we were. I had a little money thank to the insurance I'd taken out before joining 21CW, Baker had a fair amount of money and collateral thanks to Truncheon Tapes, and we had the next crop of great Australian and British wrestlers virtually at our fingertips. Given the circumstances and our mutual desire to crush Jeff Nova into the dirt, it was never going to take much to nudge us forward into the next step... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyPerfect Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Nice little back story, I'll be interested to see where this one goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [CENTER][B]December 2006, Truncheon Tapes Seminar Room[/B][/CENTER] The Truncheon Offices Seminar room is basically a bunch of couches and a data-projector hooked up to Tyler’s computer. He primarily uses it for private viewings of American PPV’s that don’t get distribution in the UK, selling tickets like it was a prestige movie event. You can probably pack about a dozen people in here comfortably, but that assumes you’re talking about normal-sized people. Most of the crowd here were wanna-be wrestlers, and one of them was the mammoth pile of blubber known Monolith. I was fresh out of the wheelchair that night, hobbling around on crutches with Tyler, Nick and Aussie Battler at the front of the crowd. The four of us had been conspiring for the last month, trying to figure out a way of pooling our resources and taking care of some lingering problems. The assembled crowd represented some hot prospects and some old friends we’d hope we could convince to join in. Tyler cleared his throat and hit a remote control, throwing a power-point presentation onto the wall. You could hear the collective groan run through the audience; these boys were wrestlers, not business people, and they didn’t trust anything that started like this. Tyler cleared his throat again, calling for attention, and smiled as he started his presentation. ‘Gentlemen, we’ve asked you here tonight for one reason: the rebirth of modern, athletic wrestling in England.’ He hit the remote and brought up the logo we’d been working on for the last month: NMW. New Millennium Wrestling. ‘Ever since the demise of 21st Century Wrestling, there has been a lack of innovative…’ He sounded like a schoolteacher. It was my time to clear my throat. ‘Ah, Tyler, if I may?’ He looked over at me, eyebrows raised, but Nick had a fair idea of what I was trying to do. He glared at Tyler and nodded, motioning back into the line-up. I hobbled forward on my crutches and looked over the group. It was a good turn-out. Probably better than I’d expected: Monolith, Deejay and the Walkabout Brothers were all Aussie wrestlers working at Truncheon while they sought work in the UK; The Minor Annoyance and Thunderbolt were English recruits, long-term projects that Nick had been working with for months. Aussie Battler had shown up with Nick Raven, Kenny Bonza and Ralph Runga, all former Australian Wrestling Alliance wrestlers that had been out of work since the company folded in 2004. All in all it was a bunch of solid rookies and experienced wrestlers, none of whom had a significant following in England. But it was Tyler who brought the money here, pulling in everyone he could using his old contacts. I was standing in front of English stars like Keith Adams and The Landlord in addition to former 21CW wrestlers like Merle O’Curle and Stardust Phil Cox who simply didn’t fit in with Jeff Nova’s vision. These were the people who would make or break this idea. ‘Listen,’ I said. ‘Most of you know Tyler, either because you’ve been training at Truncheon or you worked with him back in the old days. I’ll save us all and cut in here before he gets too long-winded and businesslike.’ There was a rumble of relief through the room. Everyone but Merle O’Curle cracked a smile. ‘Here’s the deal,’ I said. ‘The four men standing in front of you have pooled resources to open a wrestling company dedicated to bringing innovation and modern action to a British audience. We’re intending to fill the gap between the old-school approach of Ring of Fire and the outlandish excess that 21st Century Wrestling has become. We need people on-board to make this happen, a roster of bankable talent that proves to the banks that we’ll be able to make this work.’ This got mixed reactions. Most of the English veterans looked cautious, but the younger guys were overjoyed. ‘We’re not asking you to sign anything official tonight,’ I said. ‘Hell, we aren’t asking you to sign anything official until this company is formally set-up, but we’ll negotiate with anyone whose interested in good faith and promise to set-down the terms agreed upon in writing once the company is up and running. A company is nothing without talent, and you guys represent the best of the British and Australian independent scene. ‘Now I could let Tyler go through with his presentation and explain this all in detail, but I’m going to try giving you the gist of things right now: you all know one or more of the men standing in front of you. You’ve trained with them, wrestled with them, or worked with them in some capacity. You know what we want out of company, and you either trust us or you don’t. We’ll meet with you one-by-one, if you’re interested; Tyler and Battler will be in charge of negotiating contracts, Nick and I will be handling creative. I think we’d all prepare to do this personally, because that what we want this company to be – personal, professional, and a place you can be proud to work. 'It's a new Millennium out there, and we aim to be the company that defines wrestling for the next generation. We're inviting you to be part of that, and we respect your choice whether you join us or not.’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [B][CENTER][SIZE="2"]New Years Eve, 2006[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] New Years at Truncheon was big; everyone drank except me and Nick. I was still on medication and Nick had seen too many careers killed by alcohol to indulge. Almost everyone we’d invited to that first meeting had agreed to sign if the company went live; giving us a core roster impressive enough to convince the banks and sponsors we were worth giving money too. The agreements had come through just before Christmas and New Millennium Wrestling would be operating as a subsidiary of The Truncheon Tapes Company starting from 9 AM on January first. We had about eighty-thousand dollars in spare change to keep us running and a fair groundswell of support from wrestling fans eager to see something a little faster-paced and lively than they were getting over the last couple of months. Tyler had spent the entire period between Christmas and New Years in a frenzy, phoning everyone he could to start promoting the company and rounding out the roster. I’d heard he was in negotiation with some big names – Harry Wilson had expressed interest in signing on, as had Jack Griffith. We’d even had some success contacting Barry Griffin, offering him a chance to spend a little more time at home instead of spending the entire year working in Japan. Nick and I had been watching the growing roster, trying to figure out what we’d do with the first show. We were both stressed, particularly since the roster seemed to get new additions every couple of days, and rumor had it that Nick was pushing folks particularly hard in the training gym. We found a quiet corner of the party and watched a drunk, six-hundred pound Monolith mosh with a drunk, 98-pound Minor Annoyance. ‘So,’ Nick said. ‘We hired Monolith.’ ‘So,’ I said. ‘We hired Annoyance.’ ‘Chris,’ Nick said. ‘The kid has a name, Sykes, you could use it.’ ‘Monolith has a name as well,’ I said. ‘I don’t jump on you for using his ring-name, do I?’ ‘He chose his ring name,’ Nick said. He snarled a little as he watched Monolith’s belly wobble during the dance. ‘Chris was given his by his fellow wrestlers. He didn’t pick it, he was stuck with it.’ Monolith tripped over and collapsed through a drinks table. Nick shook his head. ‘Seven feet tall and useless,’ he said. ‘I’m going to go on record, right here and now Jack: Monolith ain’t going to make it in this business. Guy that size, all you can really hope for is that they’ll make a decent brawler, but jelly-butt over there can’t even make a punch look convincing. Do you know what he wants to use as his finisher?’ I shook my head. ‘He belly flops on people while they’re in the corner,’ Nick said. ‘That’s his big innovation. That’s the young talent we’re bringing in to make our claim as the new face of British Wrestling. Chris might, with some luck, make a decent cruiserweight, but Monolith is just dead weight.’ Fireworks stated going off somewhere in the distance. I watched Monolith try to push himself off the floor and fail. A drunken Chris Alnoy launched a couple of mock stomps and keeled over himself. ‘You’ve got a point,’ I said. ‘We hired the recruits because we needed numbers, but that shouldn’t be SOP. Tyler’s all for developing talent from the ground up – Christ, that’s how that idiot Celtic got into the original 21CW line-up – but I think you and I are going to need to put some restrictions on ourselves for this one.’ ‘Athletic competence,’ Nick said. ‘I think that’s going to be the key; we don’t hire someone unless they can meet a minimum athletic standard.’ There was a roar of laugher from the other side of the room as Monolith managed to fall face-first into a punchbowl. ‘That sack of lard is Bruce the Giant’s cousin,’ Nick said. He shook his head wearily. ‘Happy @#$@# New Year.’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]The Out-of-Character Post[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] For those of you who have stuck around thus far: thanks :) I started this diary with two simple goals: to bring an incarnation of Tyler Baker’s 21st Century Wrestling and to do something that fleshes out the Australian corner of the C-Verse in my own unofficial fashion. I'm not sure why, since I'm not really all that patriotic, but I'm always slightly miffed that I can't attempt to create a global federation that has its start in a tin shed in the middle of the Brisbane Show Grounds. From that starting point it’s kind of gradually dribbled outwards, taking on a slightly more behind-the-scenes approach than my USPW diary (which is basically done to celebrate my love of wrestlecrap and launched straight into the action rather than wasting your time with three background posts). New Millennium Wrestling starts at basically the same point 21CW started in 2005 – 20% popularity in England’s south with 5% popularity in the other regions. $80,000 in the bank with Tyler Baker in charge, although for story purposes he’s the figurehead of a corporation made up of Nick Adams, Aussie Battler and my user character Jack Sykes (aka Jack Avatar with 30% physical in his body to represent the back injury and a focus on color commentary). The product description, for those interested in such things: [CENTER][B]Key Feature:[/B] Modern [B]Heavy:[/B] Comedy, Cult, Daredevil, Traditional [B]Medium:[/B] Mainstream, Realism, Pure [B]Low:[/B] Risqué, Hardcore, Lucha[/CENTER] The game-world sees some new additions as well. I created twelve new wrestlers and added them to the database, all of them representing either former wrestlers with the Australian Wrestling Alliance which closed in 2004, or trainees that went through Aussie Battler’s Southern Hemisphere Wrestling Academy. Most of the created wrestlers started with the company, but I’ve seeded a couple to debut later. I also added Truncheon Academy/SHWC as a dojo set to produce randomly generated wrestlers – I’ll probably manually transform every second or third new wrestler listed with Truncheon as their training dojo to an Australian wrestler who came through SHWC. Finally, one of my goals for the diary is to keep a regular Aussie-Watch – month by month updates of what any Australian wrestler who isn’t wrestling for New Millennium Wrestling is up too. At this point, that consists of Golden Delicious, Carol Singer and Bruce the Giant. Jed High is an Aussie too, but I hired him for the tag-team division. And in the spirit of keeping things honest – there’s a bunch of images used for the Australians that have their origins on the render thread. Many thanks to all the people who have volunteered their time down there, and if there’s anyone objecting to the use of their work in this diary let me know and I’ll remove it. Is that it? I think so. Back to the action… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Fromage Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Always good to see UK (ok, and Aussie) diaries on here. I'll be reading. Sounds interesting so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]Week 2, January 2007[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] The trouble started early – Jeff Nova was livid that Tyler Baker was starting another wrestling company within months of offloading the ailing 21st Century Wrestling and immediately launched a law-suit threatening to have us shut down. The suite was based around a vaguely-worded clause in the sales data saying that Baker wouldn’t be able to own a competing promotion for five years after leaving 21st Century Wrestling, but we’d gotten around that by splitting the ownership and listing Tyler’s share as an asset of Truncheon Tapes rather than Tyler as an individual. It was a very neat piece of legal wrangling on the behalf of Tyler’s accountant and it made Nova livid – he began his public slagging of NMW on the very next broadcast of British Wrestling. This morning had seen Jeff try taking this from another angle, suing me for walking out on my contract with his company. We sent him a return letter pointing out that he was the one that fired me after I was injured, and that my injury was the direct result of his negligence, so he’d better back the hell off. No reply as yet, but I didn’t expect the response turned my way to be very pretty. Not that I had too much time to think about that – Jeff’s public hate campaign had made NMW hot-property. MosC and RoF both assumed that we were a threat largely because Nova treated us as such – they signed off on working agreements that kept both sides free to use communal wrestlers such as O’Curle and Phil Cox. We also signed off on a working agreement with Ultimate Combat Ring in Europe, although I suspect that they were more interested in taking a jab at Nova following his announcement that he planned to expand across the channel. Still, we were in good shape – a lot of the other companies had good reason to be threatened. We were set to debut with a lot more hype than many other companies could hope for and our roster was looking like one of the best in the business. Nick had been working with everyone for the last forty-eight hours, putting together notes so I could plan our first show, and they’d arrived neatly-typed and annotated just after I finished my morning physio session. He would be keeping tabs on the talent and working as our road-agent, but it would be my job to set-up the loose storylines and set-up matches based on his recommendation. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]The Main Event[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] The list started with Nick’s recommendations for the main event, with a particular focus on which wrestlers he figured deserved a shot at our title when we eventually launched one. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/BarryGriffin.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The top of the list, circled in big red letters, was Barry Griffin. We’d lured him over from Japan based on the promise of being closer to his family, but he’d actually signed with us while retaining his deal with Golden Canvas Grappling. Griffin was everything we were looking for in main-event wrestler – a ring-general who can work in a stiff, strong-style manner. Nick had noted that Griffin lacked versatility, trying to keep things based on the mat, but he made up for his lack of versatility with experience and tenacity. We had him pegged as a heel, working a gimmick where he was trying to reinvent Britain as a Japanese arena. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JackGriffith.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] After Griffin was Jack Griffith, an outstanding American wrestler who’d gotten himself blackballed by most American promotions due to his drinking problem. We had him working a heel angle too – he was the wrestler who didn’t want the new era to come about and actively worked an old-school American style familiar to fans of the eighties. Nick and I had talked strongly about giving Jack the title when it eventually debuted, but Nick’s opinion still wavered based on Jack’s drinking problem. ‘Besides,’ Nick’s notes read, ‘if I’m wrong and he is sober, they’ll be resigning him back in America as soon as we’ve proved he can work.’ [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/HarryWilson.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Our third major heel was Harry Wilson, a talented high-flyer who let the success of his brother Cliff go to his head. Nick hates this kid with a passion, promising me he’ll be a problem backstage, but says that he’s probably had just enough experience to make up for his lack of real talent. We pushed him with a spoilt-brat gimmick, since it’ll disguise his legitimate temper-tantrums about being forced to job as a work. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TheLandlord.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Our main event faces were led by The Landlord, an old-school brawler who lays claim to being the most well-known wrestler on our roster. Nick’s notes aren’t complimentary – The Landlord is slow and out-of-shape, used to taking big bumps and getting cut in order to disguise his lack of in-ring ability. He has some advantages though; the Landlord has the kind of presence that makes you think of him as a heavyweight, even though he’s not all that big or strong in real life. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/KeithAdams.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Nick tends to gush a little about Keith Adams, probably because the two of them hit it off during Keith’s short tenure with 21CW. Keith is a cop who wrestles on the side; he’s got the basics down, sells well, and has a pretty-good all-round game. While he lacks the real star-power of guys like Griffin or even Cox, he’s probably our most solid face when it comes putting together a show in the ring. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Upper Midcard[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] While our main event was heavy with talented heels, our upper midcard was the resting place for several solid faces. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/RalphRunga.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The wrestler with the most interest from the press has been Ralph Runga, a former New Zealand All-Black who left football behind when he broke his knee during his first rugby test. He’s since trained as a wrestler, working with the AWA, and comes to the UK with a lot of expectations. A solid brawler, but no-where near as fit as Nick would like and generally bad at selling. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMike.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The other AWA alumni in the Upper Midcard is Walkabout Mike, one half of the AWA’s premier tag-team with his brother Mal. Mike has spent a lot of time training with Aussie Battler, picking up the style of the Japanese Super-Juniors. Solid on the mat and in the air, but not really spectacular. Nick’s real complaints about the youngster is that he’s inconsistent and prone to no-selling an opponents big moves. He’s currently the only heel in the upper midcard, and we’re probably going to push him as a tag-team wrestler for the time being. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/PigeonMask.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/Stardust.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] We convinced both Kenneth Coleman and Phil Cox to take up their masked alter-egos for the company, giving us the return of Stardust and Pigeon Mask. Both are solid cruiserweights with some flashy moves behind them, although Phil has some problems selling and Kenneth is starting to slow down a little in his old-age. Neither are really ready for a big push, but they have name recognition that at lot of the rookies in our undercard can’t quite match yet. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TobyJuanKanobi.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] UCR’s Toby Juan Kenobi signed on to continue working with his younger partner, the Australian Jed High. Toby is a talented cruiserweight whose capable of pulling of some fantastic spots while still remaining comfortable on the mat. Nick recommends pushing him, as he’ll make a far more interesting face than the Landlord in the long term. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]The Midcard[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The one Australian worker that Nick Adam’s gushes over is Nick Raven, a young wrestler from Melbourne who works an Emo gimmick. He’s a strong-style technical wrestler at heart, working fast and hard to take his opponents down. Nick figures that Raven is probably the future of the company at this point, although the odds of him being stolen are pretty good. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/KennyBonza.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Kenny Bonza is the veteran of the Australian contingent, a seasoned all-rounder that worked every AWA show from the beginning of the company to the end. A solid all-rounder, he’s only been in England for three weeks and seems to be struggling a little as he tries to adapt his style. Nick’s note indicates that Bonza seems to the Australian equivalent of his old mate Donny Damage – a good wrestler who has never actually committed to the business enough to become great. I uncap my pen and write ‘Until now’ in the margins. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JedHigh.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/Thunderbolt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Jed High and Thunderbolt don’t get too much in their notes, primarily because they’re both known quantities. Cruiserweights who can pull of great spots, although Thunderbolt has a reputation for focusing on the whacky stunts rather than wrestling. Jed High will spend most of his time teaming with Toby Kenobi, forming the backbone of our tag division. Thunderbolt will be a singles wrestler and a long-term development prospect. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MerleOCurle.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Merle O’Curle has two lines next to his name: Great technical wrestler. No-one really cares. It’s hard to argue with either of those, although he should thrive in a company like ours where the fans are more interested in what you do in the ring rather than your personality or ability to cut a great promo. We chose not to push Merle as a wrestling machine, which is at odds with his usual reputation. Instead he’ll be joining Barry Griffin’s crusade as a heel seeking to transform the wrestling industry. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/OttoHammerschmidt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Our second midcard heel is the German Otto Hammerschmidt, a technician who was the foundation of many early Ultimate Combat Ring shows. Nick’s notes: Lots of ring-rust. Lots and lots of ring-rust. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMal.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Walkabout Mal is the big, hard-hitting brawler who tags with his technically proficient brother Mike. The pair play over-the-top outbackers; they’re at their best when teaming together, where Mal can dump people on their heads while Mike can springboard of anything nearby. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]The Lower Card[/SIZE][/B] [/CENTER] The notes for the lower card are relatively quick, mostly because they’re students and development talents we’re trying to build up. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/DeejayLeeWinks.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Most of the lower-card are heels, with the sole exception being Australian student Deejay Lee Winks, a high-flying spot-monkey with a background in capoeira and gymnastics. Nick thinks Deejay has promise and I know he’s solid on the mic, so he’ll probably get a stronger push once he’s had a little more ring time. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/PierreDuPont.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JacquesDuPont.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Also on the lower half of the card are the DuPont twins – French technicians working a Foreign Legion gimmick as a tag-team. They’re probably the most experienced of the teams on our roster, but their in-ring skills aren’t quite as hot. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/LarryWood.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Larry Wood is a big American brawler whose made his name in Japan. A smart man underneath his mountain-man image, he’s been brought in to give a slight hardcore edge to some of our matches. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/Monolith.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MinorAnnoyance.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Then we have Monolith and the Minor Annoyance; two men who have little talent and little to recommend them. Monolith has the lineage to suggest he could be a world champion, but he’s a lazy git at the best of times. Chris Alnoy is small and enthusiastic beyond belief, but there’s very little chance he’ll ever be more than a mediocre cruiserweight. The pair represent the very definition of a work in progress. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Women’s Division[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] A late addition, but a solid idea from Nick. He pointed out that England lacks any real place to showcase women’s wrestling and suggested having one will differentiate us from the other small promotions. The division consists of: [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MissInformation.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Miss Information – a technician trained by British Samurai. Consistent as hell and a better technician than many members of our roster. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NinaTheBallerina.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Nina the Psycho Ballerina – a brawler who has been getting by on her gimmick and the ability to cut a great promo. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/EllenBathory.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Ellen Bathory – the British girlfriend of Nick Raven and a talented cruiserweight in her own right. Bathory is the first female graduate of Truncheon and boasts a solid all-round game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [CENTER][SIZE=4][B]The Press Release Goes Out[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] We sent out the official press-release for the company two weeks before the first show. Tyler and Aussie Battler took most of the press duties; I probably would have talked a better game, but sending a guy on crutches out to promote a stiffer, more athletic approach to wrestling probably wasn’t the best idea. At least they started spreading the tag-lines we’d come up with. You started to see them plastered across London as the posters went up. We pushed the angle that this was athletic competition rather than storylines, hyping the fact that there would be no title bout on the card to emphasize the point. [CENTER][B]Matches Booked for Dawn of an Era[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER]‘The Celtic Crippler’ Merle O’Curle vs. ‘Dancing’ Deejay Winks Miss Information vs. Nina ‘The Psycho’ Ballerina vs. ‘The Queen of Blood’ Ellen Bathory Pigeon Mask vs. ‘The Killer Kraut’ Otto Hammerschmidt The Walkabout Brothers vs. The Force vs. The Foreign Legion in a battle for tag-team supremacy Barry Griffin vs. ‘All Black’ Ralph Runga Harry Wilson vs. Stardust vs. Aussie Battler in Battler’s only UK wrestling appearance The Landlord vs. Nick Raven Keith Adams vs. Jack Griffith[/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 12, 2007 Author Share Posted August 12, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]NMW Dawn of a New Era[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Countdown: T-minus 12 hours[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Part of Tyler Baker’s great talent as a businessman comes from his ability to pull together the right people at the right time. You could see it in the 21st Century Wrestling of old, where he signed up gold mines like Rod Todd, Davey London and Luke Cool in quick succession. Part of Tyler Baker’s great failing as a businessman is his complete inability to use these people properly once he’s got them signed up. Again, see the latter days of 21st Century Wrestling, where Rod Todd was jobbing out to Red Dragon for the umpteenth time, Luke Cool was languishing in the lower regions of the card, and Davey London was hampered with that drunk @#$ Celtic as a tag-team partner. Or you could just look at the two guys I was working with right now: Joe Youngblood and Henry Gilbert Ashton. They were just a pair of kids really – seventeen years old and full of eager drive – but they were two of the greatest assets we had in the backstage area. The main problem was that neither of them really wanted to follow their talents. Joe had signed on to do most of the commentary for the Truncheon indy shows over the last couple of months, doing odd-jobs around the school in exchange for getting his first taste of what it’d be like as a wrestling announcer. His main dream in life was announcing for DAVE over in the states, and he’d probably do it if there early signs were any indication. Don’t get me wrong – Joe isn’t a good announcer by any technical measure. Not yet, anyway. He’s got just enough knowledge about wrestling to bluff his way through, but he still has cheat-sheets by his announce desk and gets lost anytime someone attempts something more complex than a DDT. A lot of the matches would stretch his abilities beyond breaking point, so we were going to suffer some by making him our lead announcer. But Joe worked cheap, primarily because he hadn’t realized that he has a natural talent for the other side of the announcing disk. While his announcing was second-rate at best, his ability to cover his mistakes with quick quips and colour commentary was outstanding. Better yet, he had a talent for impressions and had starred in a couple of local commercials, so he came with a little popularity on top of his quick wit. If we’d hired him for color he would have cost us a thousand bucks a show, easy; because we were willing to let him grow into the role of being our lead announcer we were forking over a hundred bucks a show and getting his color talent for free. If Joe was a catch, then Henry Ashton was a goddamn steal. I first met him when I came to work for Truncheon Tapes; he was running the website for Tyler and doing some database editing on the side to keep things running smoothly. At the time he seemed familiar, but I figured he was just another techie with a punk-rock fetish and thought nothing else of it. It wasn’t until I was watching old video-clips on you tube, looking for theme-songs we could pair up with wrestlers, that I realized where I knew Henry’s face. He was one of those fifteen-year-old boy-band brats that were big back in 2005 – Young Love or something like that. They made a bunch of money and self-combusted a few months later, disappearing into the music annals as yet another one-hit wonder by a bunch of child stars. Henry had gone out of his way to hide his boy-band past over the last couple of years, but he still retained every bit of the charisma and star power that had pushed his single to the top of the charts. He was also just recognizable enough and pretty enough to get some interest amongst female fans, so I drafted him into the live shows as a back stage interviewer. That’s when I learned the real advantage of having Henry onboard; the man lives on the internet and has a photographic memory, allowing him to remember every conversation and news article he’s ever heard about any of our wrestlers. This is coupled with booking instincts that would make Tommy Cornel’s toes curl with excitement, so he quickly joined Nick and me on the creative team. Within the first hour he’d pointed out a whole heap of excitement regarding the women’s division that I hadn’t even noticed, including the unexpected news that there were fans hoping we’d push Ellen Bathory hard in the opening months. And again, Henry was doing all this for a hundred bucks a show, simply because he liked hanging out at the Truncheon offices and jawing with the wrestlers. Apparently it was one of the few places where he wasn’t given **** about his past as a boy-band singer. Nick had a theory about that, and it went a little like this: every wrestler has a bad gimmick in their past that they’re trying to forget, so only a rookie who doesn’t know better would rag on Henry for who he used to be. The fans probably wouldn’t be as nice about it, but Henry’s backstage work was only going to be used on the internet downloads of the show, so we’d be shielding him from the live taunts for a while to come and he was used to being slandered on the internet. I spent an hour or so going over the card with Henry and Joe, making sure they knew what was happening. Henry made some suggestions to tighten the story of some matches and Joe started memorizing the names of a bunch of Japanese and Lucha moves he’d probably need to know over the first couple of matches. I creaked off into my office on my crutches and had a long glass of water. It was hours before the start of the show and I was already nervous. I drank, took some deep breaths, and headed off to meet with Tyler and Nick so we could brief the boss on any special notes we had regarding the night’s refereeing duties. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Countdown: T-minus 4 hours[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] The locker-room was crowded; there wasn’t much space backstage and we’d made a point of booking matches for everyone who’d signed with the company for this first show. Some of the guys were only taking part in dark matches, but they were getting ring-time and getting a chance to strut their stuff for a crowd. There was a good energy running through the room. Most of the rookies were eager to make their debut for a professional promotion, the Australian veterans were eager to kick-start their careers after the lull, and guys like Keith and Merle were just eager to recapture the vibe that had been lost when 21CW went Nova. The four of us running the company took turns giving a short speech. ‘Nasty’ Nick Adams talked about the potential he saw in this room, telling the boys he was proud with the work they’d been putting in rehearsing the show for the last week. Aussie Battler talked about what an honor it was to be working with such great Australian and English talent – both the veterans and the young up-and-comers. A night like this had been a moment he’d been dreaming about for two years, ever since he started the Southern Hemisphere Wrestling Academy. Tyler talked about the future and what tonight meant; he pointed out that there are really only three firsts in the life of a company – the first live-show, the first television broadcast, and the first pay-per-view. These were the moments that stamped a promotion’s identity on the minds of their fans, letting them know what to expect. The matches didn’t need to be perfect, but they needed to give the audience a glimpse of the greatness they’d be seeing in one year, five years, even ten-years down the road. When it came to me, I struggled. Eventually I just came clean with the locker-room. ‘I know a bunch of you have probably made comments about why I got involved in this; why I gave Tyler ten-grand from my own pocket to get this thing started. And you’re right. More than anything else, I wish I was in a condition to go out there and wrestle with you tonight. And sure, I want to stick it to Nova. I want to be part of something that puts together a show so good it’s better than anything he can dream of. But it’s also because I believe in this concept, and I believe in all of you. A month ago New Millennium Wrestling was just an idea; tonight each and every one of you will make it a reality.’ [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Countdown: T-minus 1 hour[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] People started trickling in early, so we gave them a pair of dark matches to keep the hardcore faithful entertained. It was an enlightening moment that gave us some real insight into exactly how much the fans were expecting after the hype. Thunderbolt and The Minor Annoyance ran through a five minute match where Thunderbolt looked strong and TMA took a beating; the audience spent the entire five minutes chanting something about wishing TMA would die. This wasn’t heel heat for the rookie, it was outright contempt for him from all thirty or so paying customers that arrived for the pre-show. The match that followed was a three-way elimination between Monolith, Kenny Bonza and Larry Wood. This one fared a little better, largely because the hardcore marks were pleased to see Larry in action, but Monolith was actually pelted with empty soft-drink cups as he slunk out of the ring after being eliminated by a Bonza Bomb. Not that I really blame the audience – Monolith really is a useless mass of blubber, blowing his wad within the two minutes of a ten-minute match and spending the next three minutes of the match gasping for breath before Bonza put us out of our misery. While Kenny and Larry tried to pick up the pace once they were free of his tallness, they were hampered by the obvious nerves Kenny was feeling performing so far away from home. Ken blew spots, missed marks, and generally botched move after move. Larry was far too professional to get frustrated with either of his opponents, covering as best he could, the big wild-man isn’t a miracle worker. He was the bright point of the match and he still jobbed out, largely because Nick and I were hoping an early win would give Kenny the confidence he needed to work better in coming weeks. While the three-way ended as a passable match for a start-up federation of our size, but it wasn’t enough to convince the rowdy fans that we were going to revolutionize the local wrestling scene. [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]T-Minus 0 minutes: Showtime.[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] I was sitting in the back with Nick Adams, watching a small television screen that was hooked up to the two cameras we had opperating. My stomach was doing summersaults; Nick was chewing on a toothpick and spitting orders at Merle and Deejay, the two men getting ready to officially open the show after a quick promo. We let the crowd start get a little rowdy, eager for something to happen; Ashton was opperating a sound-deck somewhere that piped hardcore punk into the room. Nick turned to me with a wide grin on his face. 'Showtime,' he said. 'Send the Landlord in and put these bastards out of their missery.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 12, 2007 Author Share Posted August 12, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]NMW Dawn of a New Era[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=4]Held at the Truncheon Wrestling Arena [/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=4]Attendance 105 people[/SIZE][/B] [B]____________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Dark Matches[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Minor Annoyance vs. Thunderbolt[/B] [B]Result: Thunderbolt defeated The Minor Annoyance in 4:45 by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: F+[/B] [B]Monolith vs. Kenny Bonza vs. Larry Wood[/B] [B]Result: Kenny Bonza defeated Monolith and Larry Wood in 9:41; the order of elimination was Monolith first, and finally Larry Wood.[/B] [B]Rating: E[/B] [B]____________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Main Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] The show opens when the Landlord comes out and rolls under the ring. He’s the most over member of the roster at the moment, so the crowd greets him with suitable enthusiasm. The smarks among the audience aren’t quite as convinced – his gut sags over the edge of his tights, and it’s obvious from the outset that he’s not as spry as he once was. At thirty-three years of age, after a career that focused primarily on hardcore brawling rather than technical expertise, the Landlord is hardly in peak condition. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TheLandlord.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] He still looks hardcore, though, and there’s not a man in the house that doesn’t whimper a little when those cold eyes turn in their direction. The Landlord is the kind of hardcore, tough-as-nails brawler who looms large in the back of your psyche. Landlord: [COLOR=royalblue]Welcome to the new era of English wrestling.[/COLOR] The crowd launches into another round of cheering and some enthusiastic types up the front start a Landlord chant. The Landlord actually flashes a gap-toothed smile and motions for everyone to calm down. Landlord: [COLOR=royalblue]When they asked me to join this little company, they told me New Millennium Wrestling was based on three principles: sport, not sports entertainment; athletes, not actors; and innovation, not imitation. This was going to be a place where men and women fought for glory and honor, to face the very best in the world and prove their worth.[/COLOR] The Landlord lowers the microphone takes a long, slow breath. His nostrils flare. Landlord: [COLOR=royalblue]And after I signed up, I told those people the same thing I’m about to tell you. I am the Landlord; this ring is my house. And to whoever’s dumb enough to step into the ring with me tonight – your rent is @#$@# due.[/COLOR] The crowd starts cheering and chanting the Landlords name as he stalks out of the ring. Rating: D- [CENTER][B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MerleOCurle.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/DeejayLeeWinks.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Merle O’Curle vs. Deejay Winks[/B][/CENTER] And here we show the audience what we’re all about; a flashy cruiserweight going up against a strong-style technician who works stiff and transforms a simple arm-bar into something that looks realistically painful. It started with Deejay on top, showing off some of his copoeira-inspired kicks and flips, focusing on flash to get the crowd going. Then the pair got down to business and made this an even match. Merle may not have charisma or star quality, but he knows how to match his opponent and put together a good story. While Deejay can hold his own on the mat, he’s at his best when engaging in lucha-style arm-drags and fast-paced reversals rather than trading submission moves. Merle picked this up quickly and wrestled at Deejay’s speed for much of the match, trading reversals and focusing on throws instead of submissions, but quickly changed the pace when it came time to pick up the victory. [CENTER][B]Result: Merle O'Curle defeated Deejay Lee Winks in 7:39 by submission with a Celtic Wreath.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B] [B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MissInformation.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NinaTheBallerina.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/EllenBathory.jpg[/IMG][/B] [B]Miss Information vs. Nina Ballerina vs. Ellen Bathory[/B][/CENTER] No T-and-A here, just female athletes doing what they do best. It quickly becomes apparent why we’re going to be pushing Ellen – she can match Miss Information when it comes to mat wrestling and brawls almost as well as Nina can, plus she has the training of a solid cruiserweight behind her. Better yet, she learns from her opponents, picking up the little things that Miss Information was doing and incorporating them into her own moves. [CENTER][B]Result: Ellen Bathory defeated Nina The Psycho Ballerina and Miss Information in 7:46 when Ellen Bathory defeated Nina The Psycho Ballerina by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B] [/CENTER] Ellen Bathory calls for a microphone and lures her escort, Nick Raven, into the ring. Bathory: [COLOR=red]The House of Bathory claims its first scalp in New Millennium Wrestling; soon we will claim our second. Nick Raven is a warrior who fights to stem the pain of his tortured existence; he is a man who makes poetry out of the act of violence. The Landlord is a hooligan with delusions of grandeur. Soon you will face him, my beloved avenger. Speak; tell us how you feel about your forthcoming match.[/COLOR] She kneels and holds the microphone up to Raven’s mouth. Raven looks distracted, staring off into space, but slowly turns his attention to the mic with a slightly deranged expression on his face. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Raven: [COLOR=royalblue]Existence is pain. Combat is my release. Ask it of me, dear Bathory, and I will vent my tortured soul on this villain.[/COLOR] Ellen lets loose an ear-piercing cry and kisses Raven on the mouth. Bathory: [COLOR=red]You are asked, Nick Raven, and so you will answer. The only result the House of Bathory will accept is victory.[/COLOR] [I][B]Notes:[/B] Man, I knew Bathory and Raven where money on the mic, but I wasn’t expecting the fans to respond as enthusiastically as this. The crowd goes as nuts for Bathory’s rant as they did for the Landlord’s spiel. Of course, I don’t remember booking Ellen and Nick as the House of Bathory or planning any stables for the show, but it looks like Ellen has taken matters into her own hands with this one.[/I] Rating: D- [CENTER][B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/PigeonMask.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/OttoHammerschmidt.jpg[/IMG][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Pigeon Mask vs. Otto Hammerschmidt[/B][/CENTER] Nick wasn’t kidding when he’s said Otto was suffering from ring-rust. I watched a bunch of early UCR tapes before we hired him and Otto was a competent wrestler. Nothing special, but technically solid and capable of pulling a big power-move out of no-where – something that’s trained in the European style. The man in the ring could still do that, but his ring-work was sloppy and his selling was overdone. The real problem, however, lay in the fact that Otto had only worked a handful of German indy shows since he’d left UCR in 2001. While he used to put together a solid story in the ring, he’d gotten lazy. His main approach to the match was to hit two or three familiar spots and let the rest of the match glide past. Pigeon Mask did his best to cover during the dull segments of the match, but it wasn’t really enough. Fans of the pair popped in all the right spots – Otto’s Hammer-Slammer (pump-handle slam) and ground-and-pound sequence of crossface blows, or Masks’ big topé suicidas and springboard crossbody – but the bits between those moments where painfully slow. Both of these men are veterans, but the lack of regular work and training have taken their toll. Pigeon Mask can probably get back into form with a little time, so Nick recommended giving him the win in this match. [CENTER][B]Result: Pigeon Mask defeated Otto Hammerschmidt in 9:50 by pinfall with The Flying Rat Splash.[/B] [B]Rating: E-[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] In a direct-to-download video segment, we cut backstage to our correspondent Henry Ashton as he bustles into the locker room of Aussie Battler in order to get an interview about the Aussie veteran’s forthcoming three-way cruiserweight clash. He finds that Deejay Winks is already there, hyping his mentor up with a chain of glib patter. Ashton tries to get the interview, but Winks bustles him out of the room, claiming that no-one should interrupt a man while he’s trying to get his head together for a big match. Rating: E- [CENTER][B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMike.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMal.jpg[/IMG][B] vs.[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JedHigh.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TobyJuanKanobi.jpg[/IMG] [B]vs.[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JacquesDuPont.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/PierreDuPont.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Walkabout Brothers vs. The Force vs. The Foreign Legion[/B] [B]Elimination Match Rules[/B][/CENTER] This match showcased our tag-division and gave Nick and me a fairly good idea of where we stood. The match showed us a lot of things and gave us a hell of a lot to think about. The most immediate thing that leaps out is that each of these teams is interesting for very distinct reasons. For starters, Jed High and Toby are easily the most talented wrestlers in the ring at present. The two-time UCR tag-team champions are both solid cruiserweights who can hold their own on the mat, they’ve been tagging together for a couple of years, and their mastery of the basics excels everyone else they’re in the ring with. It’s probably a function of getting regular work – something much of the roster has struggled with. By contrast, the DuPont boys look fairly one-note. They’re vanilla technicians that go for the pin fast, looking workmanlike rather than exciting. They don’t have a great sense of holding together a storyline, but they can ground opponents like no-one’s business. The thing that sets them apart from everyone else in this match is their knowledge of tag-team tactics – the cut the ring in half like pros, double-team effectively whenever they get the chance, and use quick tags to keep one-another fresh. Watching the Foreign Legion is like watching a career-long tag-team like the Young Guns do their stuff over in TCW, only the Young Guns are staring down their thirtieth birthday while Pierre and Jacques are only nineteen. This brings us to the Walkabout brothers, who lack the experience of the Foreign Legion or the raw talent of the Force, but easily earn themselves some fans by being the most damn interesting tag-team to watch. Mike and Mal aren’t exactly strangers to one another – they’re easily as experienced as Jed and Toby – but the thing that separates them from the other two teams is their ability to wrestle very distinct styles and make them work as a unit. The Force is all about the high-spots, the DuPonts take things to the mat; Mike and Mal are all over the place, putting together a chaotic mess that somehow works in harmony. Mal is all intensity and raw power, hitting opponents with mafia kicks and shoulder blocks. Mal springs off the ropes with flying head butts and leg lariats before tangling them up on the mat. Neither of them is perfect – Mal barely sells anyone’s shots and Mike whiffs as many big spots as he hits – but it’s this diversity of styles that catches the fan’s attention. And it’s this that makes me think that the Walkabouts have the better long-term career given the goals of the company. While a Force double-team is all about the top rope and the Foreign Legion is usually a tag-team suplex in waiting, the Walkabout’s put together something interesting and new every time. If only they weren’t so rough around the edges they’d be walking away the winners tonight; instead the Force takes them out with a Return from the Dark Side for the win. [CENTER][B]Result: The Force defeated The Foreign Legion and The Walkabout Brothers in 9:45; the order of elimination was The Foreign Legion first, and finally The Walkabout Brothers.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/BarryGriffin.jpg[/IMG] [B]vs.[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/RalphRunga.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Barry Griffin vs. Ralph Runga[/B][/CENTER] All that talking we did about stamping an identity on the company? In truth, there were only about three matches on the card that I thought would actually do that – this was the first of them and most of the work was being done by Griffin. Runga is a young kid with future star written all over him and he’s achieved an impressive mastery of the basics; unfortunately he’s also got an ego to match thanks to his rugby career, so he tends to flake out during the bits of training that he thinks are dull. The net result is a flashy striker who can put together a passable match in the ring, but lacks the kind of conditioning and strength-training that would allow him to become a true star in the wrestling world. His potential comes out in quick spurts of activity, normally when he’s attacking and basking in the cheers of the crowd; after that he relies on his opponent to hold things together. Griffin, on the other hand, is everything we were looking for in a wrestler when we started this. He’s one of three men on the roster who can boast a real puro background, along with Merle and Nick Raven. While Merle may be the better wrestlers on the mat, Griffin comes across as the real deal thanks to his time in Japan. He starts the match trading strikes with his opponent, utilizing a narrower range of blows than the versatile Runga but hitting harder and stiffer than the New Zealander can manage. After that gets old he starts taking it to the mat, dumping Ralph on his head two or three times before starting in with the submission holds. It’s impressive stuff by English standards – Griffin looks dangerous and legit in a way that few English wrestlers can manage – in fact there’s only one wrestler in England who can do Strong Style like Griffin and he opened our card. Griffin doesn’t even break a sweat here - tonight’s match is a breeze compared to the intensity and speed he works at in Golden Canvas Grappling – but it’s still got an intensity that only Ring of Fire could match in the Isles and the kind of dangerous moves that 21CW has shirked for months. The crowd laps it up, even when Griffin is forced to carry a winded Runga through the final minutes, and they go crazy when he lays Runga out with the powerbomb deathlock. [CENTER][B]Result: Barry Griffin defeated Ralph Runga in 11:38 by submission with a Powerbomb Deathlock.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]____________[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/HarryWilson.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/Stardust.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/AussieBattler.jpg[/IMG] [B]Harry Wilson vs. Stardust vs. Aussie Battler[/B][/CENTER] We’d billed this as the battle of the company’s top cruiserweights, but the match didn’t really hit the high-flying action that title suggested. Stardust provided the match with plenty of flash, sure, but both Harry Wilson and Aussie Battler are competent all-round wrestlers who prefer to tell a decent story in the ring than chain together a display of spots. They can fly, but they can also throw a decent punch and take things to the mat. Aussie is better at it than Wilson, but Wilson is younger and works without the lingering injuries that saw Battler go into semi-retirement. The crowd was fairly split here – some of them clearly wanted more high-spots and got behind Phil Cox, while others started ragging on Stardust for his lack of psychology and one-note performance. The overall effect made this a bit of a mess, with no-one really gaining any real advantage and Wilson pinning Stardust to a tiny whimper of applause. [CENTER][B]Result: Harry Wilson defeated Stardust and Aussie Battler in 10:35 when Harry Wilson defeated Stardust by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TheLandlord.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Landlord vs. Nick Raven[/B][/CENTER] This was our second promotion-defining match, putting our hottest up-and-comer against the hard-fighting British veteran. Raven is loaded with potential, almost as comfortable in the air or trading strikes as he is dropping his opponent to the mat. He fights fast, chaining together lightening-quick offense that hits the Landlord six or seven ways before the veteran retaliates. What Nick doesn’t do well is hit hard – he’s had years of working the Australian scene where stiffness was relatively rare thanks to the sheer number of rookies. This was his first chance to really cut loose against an opponent that knew how to take a hit, but he still held back rather than going for a solid strike. The Landlord’s real strength is stiff brawling, with an approach that resembles street-fighting more than any refined martial arts approach. He hits European uppercuts and head butts with equal force, slaps Raven with enough force to leave the Emo-Avenger’s chest red and raw, then breaks through the flurry of moves with a lariat that almost takes Raven’s head clean off his shoulders. The Landlord also showcases one of our new innovations – the twenty-count rather than the traditional ten when things to the floor. The long count gives the wrestlers plenty of time to take a breather and brutalize one another on the floor, something the Landlord takes advantage of when he throws Raven out and starts working him over with a chair. The story here was fairly simple – Nick Raven is an athlete by any standard you choose to hold him against. He moves fast, he has the endurance to maintain a steady pace, and he represents both the style and the dedication that NMW has been pushing. But NMW is also a combat ring and a real fighter will always win out over an athlete. By the end of the match Landlord has taken a beating, heaving for breath and wiping blood away from a cut above his eyes. Nick Raven looks far better than the veteran in every way except one – the Landlord picks up the victory with a flapjack spinebuster he’s dubbed the Eviction Notice. He gets the quick three-count and tosses Raven out of the ring, roaring at the crowd as the referee raises his fist in celebration. And the message is simple – NMW values athletes, but it values fighters even more. A man who can take a beating and still level his opponent is valued every bit as much as a high-flying cruiserweight or an ultra-fit technical wrestler. The Landlord may be flabby and prone to violence, but he’s still a man who doesn’t say die and fights hard until the very end of the match. [CENTER][B]Result: The Landlord defeated Nick Raven in 9:31 by pinfall with an Eviction Notice.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/KeithAdams.jpg[/IMG] [B]vs.[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JackGriffith.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Keith Adams vs. Jack Griffith[/B][/CENTER] Jack Griffith is, without a doubt, the most talented man on our roster. Keith Adams is probably the most grounded man on our roster. Together they bring home the show with the match of the night. There are a lot of sold brawlers and power-based wrestlers on tonight’s card, but all of them pale in comparison to Jack Griffith. He’s forgotten more strikes and power-moves than most of the others have learned in their entire careers, plus he has the speed and the endurance to keep up the pace for a half-hour if we asked him too. Then, just as you starting to wish he’d do something a little different, Jack snaps off a DDT and follows it up with an ugly flying elbow from the top rope. He’s the kind of wrestler for whom the word explosive was coined. Unfortunately he’s either a drunk or destined to get stolen by one of the big three in America. And that’s a shame because you can literally see Keith Adam’s improving in the ring simply because he’s trying to keep up with Griffith. Don’t get me wrong – Keith Adam’s isn’t exactly shirking his responsibility in there. He throws down with Jack and holds his own, almost matching his opponent move for move. The only difference is the intensity and speed with which those moves happen – Jack always looks just a little bit crisper and fluent. Keith was always a half-step behind, sometimes replaying the same sequence of moves, while Jack Griffith came up with something new every time the pair locked up. And yes, it goes without saying, this was the third match I was hoping would define the promotion in the minds of our fans – hard-hitting and fast-paced, with athletic ability and wrestling ability coming into play in equal measures. Jack Griffith picks up the win and no-one really doubted it was coming, but no-one really cares either. The crowd was on its feet, chanting the Griffith’s name, and gave Keith Adam’s a rousing round of applause as he rolled out of the ring and headed backstage. [CENTER][B]Result: Jack Griffith defeated Keith Adams in 11:55 by pinfall with a Jack in The Box.[/B] [B]Rating: D+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Overall Show Rating: D-[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 15, 2007 Author Share Posted August 15, 2007 There's a cheap cafe just down the road from the Truncheon offices, so I met Henry Ashton and Nick there a few hours to recap the show. Nick was there when I arrived, wearing his trademark cowboy hat and sipping a cup of tea. I flopped into the seat next to him, leaning my crutches against the table. 'Good show?' I asked. Nick looked at me with eyes like cold flint. Nick's a perfectionist; asking him how the boys went was like waving a red rag in front of a bull. "It should have been better," he said. "I'm sorry I ever recommended Hammerschmidt to Baker, and Mr. [I]my brother is Dark Angel [/I]sure as hell proved why the Stones sent him packing.' "Problems? I thought Harry held it together well enough." Nick grunted. "I told him to pin Battler for the finish," Nick said. "Harry's just too big a prick to do it; he had to go for the guy with a bigger name." "It's not a big deal, Nick. Stardust is hardly going to be headlining the next show." Nick leaned over his tea-cup and stared me in the eyes. "Not the point," he said. "I give the kid a note, he does it. You don't pin the wrong man unless there's an injury or someone [EMAIL="#$%@'s"]#$%@'s[/EMAIL] up, you know that. The kids trouble; too much ego." A waitress sailed by and took my order. I asked for coffee, even though I knew better. As I feared, it ended up tasting like black tar when it arrived. Henry arrived late, lugging a laptop over one shoulder. "Sorry I'm late," he said. "Fan stopped me on the tube, wanting an autograph." He set up the computer and started running us through the footage, adding commentary as we went along. This was something Nick had asked for once he'd learned that we were broadcasting on the net. He wanted to see who worked with the camera and who didn't. I was there because Henry could fill me in on what the fans were saying out in the virtual world. "It's all pretty much as you'd predicted," Henry told us, going through a quick highlight's package he'd uploaded to youtube. "People loved seeing the Landlord, but there hardcore fans are cynical about his involvement. Ralph and Raven are both getting attention among the Aussie imports, but here's the real surprise-" He hit a couple of keys and logged onto the cafe's wireless connection, sending the browser towards a wrestling forum. There were a couple of threads about NMW there, mostly people offering opinions on how successful a new promotion could be in the UK. Most of it was the kind of stuff you'd expect: conjecture about who we'd hire and what we'd see, wondering whether the Australian wrestlers were a good idea, a couple of people mentioning the Truncheon shows and wondering what the difference could be. Henry walked us through a couple of the threads and recapped what buzz there was. I saw a couple of the same names coming up - some guy named Perfect was curious about where we were going, and another guy who named himself after a French desert was eager to see more English wrestlers than the Austrlaian imports. Then he flicked over to a thread about the top European tag-teams and showed us the real prize. Out of the hundred or so posts on the forum, a good dozen or so had mentioned the Walkabout boys on the back of the first show. "It's only one sight," Henry said. "But think of it as a microcosm. The story is much the same on the news sites; people say nice things about Landlord and such, but the real interest seems to be where the Walkabouts will go from here. They actually earned themselves some momentum while losing." Nick grunted. "They're sloppy; they're not ready for a push. Maybe next year, once we've tightened up their ring-work." Henry shook his head. "Based on the fan response,' he said. "You might not be given that choice." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 15, 2007 Author Share Posted August 15, 2007 [B][CENTER]Aussie Watch – January 2007[/CENTER][/B] The most prominent Australian wrestler in the world had a good month in January, picking up three wins at USPW shows. Bruce beat both Demon Spite and T-Rex in World Title defenses, then beat Demon Spite again in a grudge match at the end of the month. This gives him a 3 and 0 record for the year thus far, with each match earning a C-. He remains the USPW World Title holder. Carol Singer is still working as an aerobics instructor in California. She hasn’t seen the inside of a wrestling ring since she finished working for CZCW back in 2003. Golden Delicious wrestled Grace Harper in a midcard clash at AAA’s Pretty Amazing show. The match earned a D, one of the highest ratings outside of the main event. She remains a vital part of AAA’s lower-midcard. Outside of his tag-team clash at NMW, Jed High has had a bad month. The Force lost to Dark Side in a D rated match at UCR Psycho Circus, then came up short while challenging Joey Beauchamp for the European Title at UCR International Wrestling Superstars. He remains a stable presence on the UCR midcard despite these losses. [B][CENTER]Creative Meeting[/CENTER][/B] Tyler Baker sat next to his computer, looking over the roster list. He was stressing about money; we’d lost a chunk of change having everyone on the first show and he’d been adamant that NMW stay in the red after the failure of 21st Century Wrestling. That meant any plans for the next show had to come with his approval. ‘Pitch away,’ he said, leaning over the keyboard. ‘I’ll do the numbers on the fly. Start from the top – main event?’ I ran over my notes. “Well, I’m thinking that Griffith is a shoe-in-“ “No,” Tyler said. “Sorry, not this month.” I sat there, open mouthed. “I don’t want the main event to be an American,” Tyler said. “Think about it, Jack; what does it say if we revolutionize the British wrestling scene by bringing in an American. You can use him every second show, at least until we’re established. I want the booking focused on the local boys and any Australians you figure deserve the push.” I gaped a little more, watching my original booking plans slide off the page. Time to think on my feet. “The Landlord, then,” I said. “He’s the biggest draw on the books, but he’ll come with a paycheck. Match him up against Barry – both of them won their matches at the last show, so we can bill it as the clash for dominance among the English locals.” “I like it,” Tyler said. “Who else?” “Raven against Thunderbolt,” I said. “Henry says the fans are into the Emo, but I want to see how he carries himself against a midcarder rather than a main eventer with popularity to burn. Otto vs. Bonza – they’re both rusty, but they’re over-enough that the match-up should draw and we can use them as a feud in the opening slot if things work out. I’m thinking we should open with Ellen and Miss Information; they both work cheap and they know how to work a match. It’ll keep the women front and centre.” “Tag-teams?” “The Walkabouts against The Foreign Legion,” I said. “The French boys look good and the Walkabouts look like they’re going to be hot property. They’re fighting for pride after their loss last week, and Joe can break out his bit about the French surrendering – that went over well at the last show.” Tyler tapped the keyboard, fingers flying across the keys. He looked at the numbers and nodded. “We’ll lose cash,” he said. “But no-where near as bad. Let’s go with it. I’ll send the flyer to the printers and start the publicity machine. [B][CENTER]Next Month, at NMW Acts of Violence[/CENTER][/B] [CENTER]Miss Information vs. Ellen Bathory The Walkabout Brothers vs. The Foreign Legion Otto Hammerschmidt vs. Kenny Bonza Nick Raven vs. Thunderbolt Barry Griffin vs. The Landlord[/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Fromage Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 I've blatantly been misquoted! :D Miss Information vs. [B]Ellen Bathory[/B] [I]Continues her little push thus far[/I] [B]The Walkabout Brothers [/B]vs. The Foreign Legion [I]Looks like the Walkabouts are going to be getting the push[/I] Otto Hammerschmidt vs. [B]Kenny Bonza[/B] [I]Don't envisage Otto getting many wins...ever[/I] [B]Nick Raven [/B]vs. Thunderbolt [I]Raven is definitely more pushable at this stage. Thunderbolt is really only a jobber[/I] [B]Barry Griffin [/B]vs. The Landlord [I]I'll say Griffin here because he's the better worker. But I know Landlord has more UK overness, so you may want to protect that.[/I] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonmack Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 [B]Miss Information[/B] vs. Ellen Bathory [B]The Walkabout Brothers[/B] vs. The Foreign Legion Otto Hammerschmidt vs. [B]Kenny Bonza[/B] [B]Nick Raven[/B] vs. Thunderbolt Barry Griffin vs. [B]The Landlord[/B] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]Tuesday, Week 4, February 2007[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [SIZE=4][/SIZE] [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]NMW Acts of Violence[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Live at the Truncheon Wrestling Arena[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Attendance: 86 people[/SIZE][/B] [B]____________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Dark Matches[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Minor Annoyance and Otto Hammerschmidt vs. Deejay Lee Winks and Kenny Bonza[/B] [B]Result: Deejay Lee Wi \ Kenny Bonza defeated The Minor Ann \ Otto Hammersc in 7:41 when Kenny Bonza defeated The Minor Annoyance by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E-[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Monolith vs. Jed High[/B] [B]Result: Jed High defeated Monolith in 5:30 by pinfall with a Sky High.[/B] [B]Rating: E[/B] [B]____________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Main Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MissInformation.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/EllenBathory.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Miss Information vs. Ellen Bathory[/B][/CENTER] We gave Miss Information and Ellen a note asking them to warm up the crowd as best they could, which quickly resulted in the pair stealing the show with the match of the night. This was a swift technical exchange that saw both exchange holds and throws, fighting in an English style that seemed to gel with the fans. We got a chance to see some of Miss Information’s regular moves here – the Samurai Powerslam she picked up from her mentor, as well as the Disinformation DDT – but Ellen Bathory still outclassed her opponent with the better all-round game. She picked up the pinfall after taking Miss Info out with a flying leg lariat, followed up with Release the Bats (High Angle Senton Bomb with arms spread in a crucifix pose) [CENTER][B]Result: Ellen Bathory defeated Miss Information in 7:39 by pinfall with a Release the Bats.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JacquesDuPont.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/PierreDuPont.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMike.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/WalkaboutMal.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Foreign Legion vs. The Walkabout Brothers[/B][/CENTER] The DuPonts are solid, dependable wrestlers that provide the perfect counterpoint to the less reliable aspects of the Walkabout Brothers. Mike looks like he’s settling down a little, rising up to Mal’s level of dependability, but they’re both a far cry from the reliable performances of the Foreign Legion. The match is solid, but nothing to write home about. The DuPonts cut the ring in half and work over both Walkabouts using a series of DDT’s and Suplexes; the Walkabouts show off their versatility. The high-point of the match was Walkabout Mike catching Pierre DuPont in the corner and holding him in place for a yakuza kick from Mal, following up with a slingshot senton for a quick two-count. This quickly led to the End of the Road and the Walkabouts pick up the win everyone expected of them. [CENTER][B]Result: The Walkabout Brothers defeated The Foreign Legion in 8:50 when Walkabout Mike defeated Jacques DuPont by pinfall with an End of the Road.[/B] [B]Rating: E[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] Henry Ashton is waiting by the ring curtain to conduct an interview with the Walkabout Brothers in n a direct-to-download backstage special. He gets about three feet from the boys, getting out the line ‘High, I’m Henry Ashton-“ before the Walkabouts go berserk. Walkabout Mal catches Ashton up in a headlock while Mike hits a headbutt that leaves Ashton concussed. Rating: E- [CENTER][B]____________[/B][/CENTER] The Landlord comes out into the ring with a microphone clenched in one scarred hand. He cuts a promo on Barry Griffin that’s basically a repeat of his intro: I’m the landlord, this is my ring, and Barry Griffin’s rent is due. Rating: E+ [CENTER][B]____________[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/OttoHammerschmidt.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/KennyBonza.jpg[/IMG] [B]Otto Hammerschmidt vs. Kenny Bonza[/B][/CENTER] Bonza looks like he’s settling in a bit better with this match and Otto proved that he can actually hold himself together as long as things don’t wear on to long. The match started with the pair trading blows, giving Kenny the opportunity to show off the stiff elbow strikes and spinning kicks he’d picked up after a decade of touring with Japanese promotions. Otto tried to keep pace, but Kenny is the better all-round wrestler and Otto never really looked comfortable unless they were tussling on the mat. The big surprise was a point halfway through the match when Nick Adam’s leaned over and whispered ‘wait for it’ in my ear; a few seconds latter Otto went to the top rope and launched a rana off the second rope. ‘Been working on it all week,’ Nick said. ‘He isn’t a high-flyer yet, but he’s working at it.’ Impressive as Otto’s dedication is, it wasn’t enough for him to pick up the win. Kenny takes him out with a Bonza Blaster (Roaring Elbow) after they’ve been in the ring for a few short minutes. [CENTER] [B]Result: Kenny Bonza defeated Otto Hammerschmidt in 5:55 by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/Thunderbolt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Nick Raven vs. Thunderbolt[/B][/CENTER] Last month Nick Raven went out of his way to prove that he was someone to watch. I guess someone let him in on the hype surrounding his English debut, because this match was phoned in from someplace very, very lackluster. Raven just didn’t get his head in the game, forcing Thunderbolt to carry him rather that giving Nick the opportunity to prove he could carry someone else to a decent match. Unfortunately we’re normally cautious about letting Thunderbolt carry his own luggage, let alone giving him the job of carrying a match. While it wasn’t awful – a half-assed Raven is still pretty good by our standards – it probably would have been better under different circumstances. [CENTER][B]Result: Nick Raven defeated Thunderbolt in 8:37 by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/TheLandlord.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/BarryGriffin.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]The Landlord vs. Barry Griffin[/B][/CENTER] I had high hopes for this, especially after the disappointment of the last match. The Landlord is the most over man on the roster and Griffin is easily the most talented, so the combination should have had the fans going crazy. Instead it ended up being merely average – good enough to hold the main event without really hitting any of the high-points their matches at our debut. This was by-the-numbers and plain, consisting of some signature spots and a crowd that just didn’t have it in them to cheer. Barry Griffin picks up the win with a slightly awkward Powerbomb Deathlock that almost saw the Landlord slip free. [CENTER][B]Result: Barry Griffin defeated The Landlord in 10:08 by submission with a Powerbomb Deathlock.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Overall Show Rating: E+[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 [B][CENTER]Monday, Week One, March 2007[/CENTER][/B] [B][CENTER][SIZE="3"]Press Release: For Immediate Distribution New Millennium Wrestling to host tournament for Lucha-Britannia Title.[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] In an interview, NMW owner Tyler Baker had this to say about the debut title: “The English wrestling scene is full of great technicians and daredevil high-flyers, so we wanted to create a title that would showcase the talents of both while still giving our audience the kind of fast-paced intense action that they’re used to seeing at a New Millennium Wrestling show. Lucha-Libre offered the obvious solution, but fans shouldn’t come here thinking they’ll be seeing a carbon copy of the Mexican style – we’ve added our own British twist to the Lucha-Libre rules that will give the Lucha-Britannia title an identity of its own.” The details of the ‘British twist’ Baker speaks off are already posted on the NMW website. Lucha-Britannia matches can only be won by claiming two out of three pinfalls, a stipulation typical of lucha-libre matches – but vary with the introduction of a fifteen-minute time limit and the stipulation that there will be no rope-breaks. “Our goal is to showcase fast-paced action,” says NMW booker Jack Sykes. “With fifteen minutes and three pinfalls up for grabs, there’s no time for wrestlers to rest on their laurels. We’re expecting competitors to go for big moves early and often. The rope stipulation also provides technicians with the chance to innovate – we’re hoping to see a variety of new submission moves emerge as the title gains momentum.” Interest in the new title is high and NMW has offered wrestlers from American and Mexico the chance to compete. Original Lucha Libre in Extreme, one of the oldest promotions in Mexico, has sent over two of their young superstars to challenge for the title – Luis Montero Jr, the son of legendary Mexican wrestler Luis Montero, and the rookie sensation Raul Sanz. While the news has sent a buzz through English fans who have only ever seen the masked wrestlers on video tape or internet download, the bigger news is the first English appearance of two young stars of the American Indy scene – Coastal Zone Championship Wrestling’s Masked Cougar and Ultimate Phoenix. The American’s promise that they’ll be taking the Lucha-Britannia title home with them once the tournament is over, claiming that fast-paced action and daredevil wrestling are second nature to anyone who has wrestled in a CZCW ring. The tournament for the Lucha-Britannia title will be held at a special, three-hour NWM event to be held on Tuesday, the 26th of March. Tournament matches and details regarding the rest of the card are available on the NMW website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 [B][CENTER]Tuesday, Week Two, March 2007[/CENTER][/B] It was late, and the office was empty. The news had filtered through that Nick Ravan had picked up a job with World Level Wrestling and Nick Adams had deemed that a good reason to celebrate. Apparently he’d even convinced Tyler to spring for a bar tab down at the local, so everyone on our roster and half the students in the school were out breaking their training regemine and celebrating Ravan’s good fortune. It was a smooth move on Nick Adam’s part, that celebration. We all knew that Japan was a strong lure for Ravan, so Nick was building a foundation of goodwill to keep Ravan working for us as long as possible. It wasn’t going to be worth spit if he took off and scored himself a written contract, but it might be enough to keep him flying back to England once a month to perform for us. I looked over the final card for Rule Britannia. It was packed full, but the time-limits on the Lucha-Britannia matches would keep things moving forward. While the tournament matches were a highlight, Henry had convinced me that putting Larry Wood and Pigeon Mask in a program together would be money as far as the smart marks were concerned. It made sense, really. The two of them represented two of the biggest in-jokes in wrestling history – a flying rat and a mountain man with a phenomenal IQ and the ability to speak five languages. We’d also be testing the Walkabouts against two of our main event, throwing them a tag-team match against the Landlord and Keith Adams. [B][CENTER]Final Card: Rule Britannia[/CENTER][/B] [CENTER][B]The tournament to crown the first Lucha-Britannia Champion[/B] Ultimate Pheonix vs. Harry Wilson Merle O’Curle vs. Masked Cougar Raul Sanz vs. Nick Raven Luis Montero vs. Stardust Plus the tournament semi-finals and final. [B]Also appearing:[/B] The Force vs. the Foreign Legion in a tag-team clash Pigeon Mask vs. Larry Wood The Landlord and Keith Adams vs. The Walkabout Brothers[/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Pre-Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Phoenix is the wrestler that Harry Wilson pretends to be – explosive, talented, and capable of pulling off big spots without killing the storyline of the match. Yet Wilson is the favorite here, because apart from six or seven marks in the front row who recognize PhoenixWilson for a while, making Wilson PhoenixPhoenixWilson has rallied and Ultimate Phoenix is selling WilsonWilson locks in the Angel’s Twist Takedown, but Phoenix advances to the next stage of the tournament, facing the winner of the clash between Merle O’Curle and Masked Cougar. defeated Harry Wilson in 8:23 by two straight falls, with the final fall happening by pinfall while using the ropes for leverage.UKI was confident of, Cougar less so. He’s an awesome high-flyer, but he just lacks that rock-solid sense of the fundamentals that Phoenix exudes so effortlessly. That’s why he was put in a match with Merle – he’s the first local anyone thinks of when you say [I]rock solid fundamentals[/I]. Unfortunately Merle also has one great flaw as a veteran wrestler – he doesn’t like to sell against anyone whose not a technician and he’s not afraid to sandbag folks he doesn’t think are pulling their weight in the match. He also doesn’t approve of high-flyers and entertainers taking the spotlight in an industry that used to be about technical excellence. vs. Merle O’Curle[/B] [CENTER][B]Lucha-Britannia Rules defeated Merle O'Curle in 14:53 by two straight falls, with the final fall happening by pinfall by using the ropes for leverage.[/B] [B]Rating: D[/B] ____________[/CENTER] Japan. has named him after the bird that returns from death, but Nick Raven will fight until his death, because he seeks oblivion more than anything else.[/COLOR] vs. Nick RavanPhoenix is an awesome wrestler and Nick Raven has brought his A-game this evening, but they just couldn’t get a solid read on one-another. on a suicide plancha that left the American reeling on the mat that just looked a big too real, and things deteriorated from there. Both men pulled back on the throttle once they realized what was happening, but that meant the high-spot fueled finale we were expecting got overshadowed by the more impressive moments in the heats and semi-finals. Phoenix take the second with a ising at the eight minute mark. The rest of the match was taught, with both men running full-speed in a desperate attempt to get the final pinfall. For a few short seconds as the fifteen-minute time-limit approached it looked like we weren’t going to get a winner, then Raven caught Phoenix in a tornado DDT and hooked his legs on the ropes for leverage in order to get the pinfall. takes the fall and Raven claims the Lucha-Britannia title. in 14:46 by two falls to one after losing the first, with the final fall happening by pinfall while using the ropes for leverage. Nick Raven wins the NMW Lucha-Britannia title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... arwink Posted September 28, 2007 Author Share Posted September 28, 2007 [B][CENTER][SIZE="3"]Friday, Week 4, March 2007[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] It was late and I was in the office alone, but I was getting used to that. Henry had sent through a care-package about the Lucha-Britannia tournament, but it mostly confirmed stuff that I’d already suspected – Raven was the hot-topic among the local wrestlers, Ultimate Phoenix had earned himself some respect, and people were starting to notice exactly how out-of-shape The Landlord was among wrestlers of this caliber and they were starting to realize that Harry Wilson wasn’t living up to the hype. What did surprise me was the dozen or so marks who were hungry – desperately and dangerously hungry – for a Pigeon Mask/Larry Wood feud. The good chemistry in their clash had opened up some possibilities there, although it seemed unlikely it was going to translate into anything other than a couple of extra tickets from the smark crowd. I was halfway through when Nick Adam’s knocked on the door behind me. He eyed the computer with suspicion. “Got a sec?” I shrugged and he settled his large frame into the spare office chair in the corner. “You planned the next show yet?” Nick said. I switched over to the word file where I’d been making notes about the next show. It was going to be a small one, thanks to the packet we’d lost in the tournament, but I figured we’d be bringing in Griffin and Griffith this time around. Nick looked over the half-formed notes and grinned. “You’re up late,” I said. “I thought training had finished a couple of hours back.” “Tonight was the OLLIE show in Mexico,” Nick said. “I was waiting to hear how our boys did in their matches.” I nodded. We’d sent Annoyance, Monolith and Griffin over to Mexico for a couple of events in exchange for Sanz and Montero Jr. We’d gotten word back that Monolith hadn’t been booked – news that brought a smug smile to Nick’s face – but Griffin and Annoyance were both taking part in the show. “Chris did the opener,” Nick said. I blinked and looked confused. “Who?” “Chris,” Nick said. I glared at me for a few seconds. “The Annoyance.” I blinked again and nodded. I’m always thrown when Nick uses Chris’s real name. “How’d the kid do?” “He went down to a guy named Luchaedor Originalic, but he held it together,” Nick said. “Apparently this Originalic guy’s a veteran, so he probably carried the match. Griffin did the job in a title match.” I just about spit coffee across the room. “What the hell?” “They were impressed with his Japanese work,” Nick said. “He has the makings of a classic Rudo, apparently, and there were enough names in his team that they could slide him in with the others and make it seem like a worthwhile midcard bout.” I let out a low whistle between my teeth. “Remind me not to send Griffin to Mexico again,” I said. “I’m not sure we can compete with too many other companies if he gets the itch to go international again.” Nick nodded, adjusting the brim of his ever-present hat. “Consider yourself reminded.” [B][CENTER][SIZE="3"]Aussie Watch – February and March 2007[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] I spent a little time on the net after Nick went home, looking for reviews of the OLLIE show. By all accounts, the English guys had acquitted themselves respectably – Annoyance…Chris…had put on the best match of his short career based on the video footage that made its way onto the net. After I was done with that, I flicked over to the Aussie-Watch site and took a moment to catch up on the last two months. There wasn’t as much news about Bruce the Giant since American Wrestling had lost its television slot, but he’d still put together some decent matches at USPW. He’d taken part of a six-man main event on the last American Wrestling show before it got cancelled, fighting alongside Peter Valentine and Mick Muscles against the unlikely team of Warlord Agony, Demon Pain and T-Rex. While Bruce’s team had lost and the match itself was average (D+), he made up for it a couple of nights later when he blitzed Demon Anger in a World Title match (C-) at Red, White and Blue. He had only one match in March – a second lackluster (C-) title offence against Anger that went to a no-contest. He remains USPW World Title holder and a mainstay of their Main Event. Carol Singer is still working as an aerobics instructor in California, and doesn’t look like she’s actively chasing wrestling work. Over in AAA, Golden Delicious has been going on a miniature winning streak. In February she defeated Michelle Brandon in a D- match, and in March she defeated Miss Mexico in another D- match. She’s still a member of the lower-Midcard, but may be rising soon. Outside of his tag-team clash at NMW, Jed High has had a bad month. The Force lost to Dark Side in a D rated match at UCR Psycho Circus, then came up short while challenging Joey Beauchamp for the European Title at UCR International Wrestling Superstars. He remains a stable presence on the UCR midcard despite these losses. UCR seems to be using Jed High as a jobber of late. He took a loss to his own tag team partner, Toby Juan Kenobi, in a February showing of International Wrestling Superstars (D+), then the Force had a single D+ loss against main-eventers Joey Beauchamp and Byron in March. This seems to be the only appearance that High has made in the two-month period, despite UCR holding ten shows. High still hasn’t won a match in UCR all year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... xfactor9600 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Very nice so far. I'm a sucker for British/Euro dynasties. Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... arwink Posted September 29, 2007 Author Share Posted September 29, 2007 [CENTER][B]April 1st, 2007[/B][/CENTER] I rolled into Tyler’s office in my wheelchair, getting ready to pitch my concepts for the next show and update him on the state of the company. When I got there he was sitting behind his desk looking a little stunned. “Hey bossman, how’s things?” I said. Tyler just blinked and looked at me, wide-eyed. “Rip Chord’s dead,” he said. “They just announced it on TEW.com.” I let out a long, slow breath. “Was it, you know, the drinking?” Tyler Baker shook his head. “He was hit by a car.” We sat there for a while, wondering what to say next. Neither of us knew Chord, but we’d been watching him for years and I was a big fan of what MAW was doing over in the states. The sad part, the really sad part, is that it actually occurred to me that Tyler would be making a killing on Chord tapes over the next month or two. Lord knows I felt a need to go catch some of the old man’s classic matches over the next couple of hours. I didn’t give voice to that thought, instead I distracted Tyler with the latest news. “You know that League of Fighters thing that Moodie is putting together over in Europe?” I said. “They’re starting to get a solid fanbase, so he’s gone looking for new talent. Word is that he’s offered spots to Jed and Jacques DuPont.” Tyler frowned. “Are we worried about this?” “Not particularly. They aren’t big enough that working for them will be a more attractive option thank working here, but they’re going to be working stiff. Real stiff. I’m a little concerned about the tag-team division picking up injuries.” Tyler shook his head and drank from a cold cup of tea. “Give me some good news,” he said. “This is turning into one of those days.” I smiled as best I could and pushed the card for London’s Burning across the table. Tyler opened the folder and looked it over, frowning behind his wire-rim glasses. “I’m trying for cheap but solid,” I said. “Last month cost us a bundle and the Landlord's gonna lose the ability to Draw if we don't have anyone worthwhile for him to face, so we're making use of the cheaper main event.” [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]The Card for NMW: London’s Burning[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle[/B] [B]Lucha-Britannia Rules[/B] [/CENTER] The Celtic Crippler is angry about losing his shot at the finals in the Lucha-Britannia tournament, so he’s challenged Nick Raven to a non-title Lucha-Britannia rules in order to prove that Merle should be the first challenger. If Merle wins, he'll get a shot at the title come [I]NWM: Tag-Team War [/I]in May. If Raven wins, Merle won't get a shot at the Lucha-Britannia title at all during Raven's reign. [CENTER][B]Larry Wood vs. Jed High[/B] [/CENTER] Last month the Wild Man was beaten by the goofy Pigeon Mask, so he’s intimidated NMW officials into giving him a match against another classic cruiserweight. Jed High has been storming through the NMW tag-team devision, but can he hold his own against an angry Wood without the help of his tag-team partner? [CENTER][B]Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga[/B] [/CENTER] The American Brawler has been absent from NMW since our first show, but he’s been sending plenty of disparaging remarks about the state of English wrestling to our booking committee. He’s now announced his plans to dominate the company and plans on starting with NMW’s most well-known import – the dual-sports superstar Ralph Runga. [CENTER][B]Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/B] [/CENTER] Ultimate Phoenix was the stand-out star of NMW’s Lucha-Britannia tournament, but he’s stated that he doesn’t want to waste his time fighting the midcard. He’s issued an open-challenge to NMW’s main event and it’s the international superstar Barry Griffin who has taken him up on his offer. [CENTER][B]NMW: London’s Burning[/B] [B]Live on Tuesday Night, Week 4, April[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle Larry Wood vs. Jed High Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Marcel Fromage Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 Nick Raven vs. [B]Merle O’Curle [/B] [B]Larry Wood [/B]vs. Jed High [B]Jack Griffith [/B]vs. Ralph Runga [B]Barry Griffin [/B]vs. Ultimate Phoenix I'd imagine you'd have Griffin beat Phoenix purely because their overness must be a bit apart. Griffith needs heading towards the main event. Larry Wood needs a win to keep that Pigeon Mask feud interesting. I actually think Raven is likely to beat Merle but I'm not backing against my man Merle. I like the Celtic Crippler name for him - might have to pinch that! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... arwink Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]NMW: London’s Burning[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Live on Tuesday Night, Week 4, April at the Paddington Club[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Attendance: 93 people[/SIZE][/B] [B]___________________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Pre-Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] There was a pallor hanging over the locker-room this month, what with Chord’s death and the news coming through that TCW had dropped in size just a few days before the show. Most of the guys would freely admit that Tommy Cornell’s company was the dream-job in the industry, even if it was unlikely that they’d get there, so the news that it was being hit hard by the USA’s economic slump had a little kick. Especially when it was coupled with the news that the Wrestling Industry was being hit with a congressional investigation – apparently Chord’s high-profile death had called attention to the demise of a couple of other guys from the eighties and nineties and the media was in a tizzy about drugs and alcohol in wrestling. To make matters worse, I’d stuffed a food in my mouth within minutes of hitting the locker room. The news had come through just a week earlier that Jed and Jacques were both planning on doing shows for Rick Moodie’s ELPF, and I’d made a joking comment to Jed that it’d make for a nice third home after his commitments to UCR and us. That’s when Jed looked a little uncomfortable and I got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Listen, it’s not that NMW isn’t great,” Jed said, talking around the point. “It’s just, well, my careers in Europe really. And the League’s got a higher profile, even if it doesn’t have the same audience.” I sat there, nodding, wishing I’d kept my big mouth shut. Then I made a mental note to double-check the dates on all future ELPF shows, since they were going to take one-half of our two major tag-teams if I double-booked. The only person who seemed really happy in the cloud of darkness was Barry Griffin. He’d gotten back from his second OLLIE show only a few days earlier and the experience seemed to be agreeing with him. They’d used him in a short, fast-paced match against the original Phoenix, a veteran of the lucha scene, and Griffin had been wrapped. As he kept telling people: “Wrestling a living-legend in front of two thousand people – it just doesn’t get better than that.” [CENTER][B]___________________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Dark Matches[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Monolith vs. Pigeon Mask[/B] [B]Result: Pigeon Mask defeated Monolith in 7:56 by pinfall with The Flying Rat Splash.[/B] [B]Rating: F+[/B] [B]The Minor Annoyance vs. Deejay Lee Winks[/B] [B]Result: Deejay Lee Winks defeated The Minor Annoyance in 8:03 by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]___________________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Main Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/EllenBathory.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Nick Raven and Ellen Bathory come out and do their moody emo thing, cutting an over-the-top promo. Raven’s highpoint comes when he claims that any physical pain that O’Curle causes will mean nothing when compared to the dark, eternal agony that lurks in Raven’s soul. Raven: Pain is the reason I earned this title, and pain is the reason I'll keep it. Come, O'Curle, and do your worst. It will be as nothing before the Raven's sorrow. Rating: D- [CENTER][B]_____________[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MerleOCurle.jpg[/IMG] [B]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle[/B] [B]Lucha-Britannia Championship[/B][/CENTER] It appears that having a title around his waist puts Raven in a good mood, since this was the second show in a row where he kept his head in the game and worked with his opponent to make a great match. We let Merle take the lion’s share of the offense, scoring the first pinfall before Raven even got in some solid offense. When Raven did start fighting back it was high-impact and flashy – splashes from the top rope here, a triple-jump moonsault there – and he almost scored the second pinfall when he spiked Merle into the mat with a DDT. Sadly, this left Merle in a bad mood and he stopped toying with Raven. Two quick chokes on the ropes were broken up by the ref, but they left Raven too weak to fight back against the German suplex that puts him away. Merle O’Curle puts on the match of the night and earns himself a title shot at Tag-Team War next month. [CENTER][B]Result: Merle O'Curle defeated Nick Raven in 13:50 by two straight falls, with the final fall happening by submission after blatantly cheating.[/B] [B]Rating: D[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] Jack Griffith comes out and cuts a promo, telling the crowd that he’s the Icon of Old School wrestling and there’s no chance some young upstart like Ralph Runga will defeat him. Griffith: [COLOR=red]Lets get this straight, you English yahoos – Runga isn’t a wrestler. He’s a washed up footballer who thinks he can make some easy money of you @#$@# marks.[/COLOR] Rating: E [CENTER][B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/LarryWood.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JedHigh.jpg[/IMG][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Larry Wood vs. Jed High[/B][/CENTER] This match started with Jed surprising everyone, whittling down the man-mountain Larry Wood with a devastating series of low dropkicks while staying out of the big man’s reach. The crowd was completely behind High and started taunting Wood; one fan even got in Mountain Man’s face after High send him to the floor. Larry came within inches of slapping the fan silly, stopping only because Jed hooked Wood’s arm and tried to pull him away. This gave Wood the opening he needed – a quick head butt followed by a power-slam into a chair at ringside and he had the match dominated for the six minutes that remained. He didn’t wrestle High, he brutalized him, working Jed over with a series of stiff blows that eventually saw the cruiserweight busted open. The best part was that it all seemed completely natural – Jed and Wood clicked just as well as Larry and Pigeon Mask had. At the thirteen minute mark it looked like this was all over. Wood had spiked High into the mat with a piledriver, standing over his opponent and beating his chest with both hands. Wood was roaring and playing to the crowd when Pigeon Mask came charging out of the backstage area. Wood charged at Mask, knocking ref Tyler Baker aside as he barreled forward. Mask floated up onto the turnbuckles and launched a beautiful hurricanrana to take Wood down, pulling High over the Mountain Man and waking Baker up to perform the three-count. Jed High picks up a win in what could be the match of the night at this point. [CENTER][B]Result: Jed High defeated Larry Wood in 13:33 by pinfall following interference from Pigeon Mask.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] We give Ultimate Phoenix some mic time to hype his match with Barry Griffin. Phoenix tells the crowd how much he’s enjoyed his time in the UK, how much respect he has for Griffins accomplishments here, in Japan, and in the OLLIE promotion in Mexico. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/UltimatePhoenix.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Phoenix: [COLOR=royalblue]When I came to England I came to wrestle the best; tonight I get to do that. But I didn’t come here to lose, especially not twice in a row. Tonight, Barry Griffin will feel the force of the Rising Phoenix.[/COLOR] Rating: E- [CENTER][B]_____________[/B] [B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JackGriffith.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/RalphRunga.jpg[/IMG][/B] [B]Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga[/B][/CENTER] Griffith is an experienced brawler and a seasoned showman, eager to make his mark after years of being blacklisted for his drinking. Runga has the athletic prowess and the natural charisma to become a great performer, but he needs a steady opponent to really drag his best out of him. Fortunately for us, Griffith proved to be that steady hand. The pair put together a solid brawl that ranged across the ring, working non-stop from start to finish. While Runga was definitely starting to tire by the time Griffith got the pin, the match’s workrate was solid enough that it made him look good rather than out-of-shape. [CENTER] [B]Result: Jack Griffith defeated Ralph Runga in 14:38 by pinfall with a Jack in The Box.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/BarryGriffin.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/UltimatePhoenix.jpg[/IMG][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/B] [/CENTER] The contrasting styles made this an interesting match, with both men throwing everything they had at one another. Griffin is a solid wrestler, second only to Merle in his mastery of the technical aspects, but the latest tour of Mexico has taught Barry a thing or two about working with swift lucheadors like Phoenix. Even better, the experience has taught Griffin how to throw a little flash into his matches, even if he never goes near the top rope. There was a point halfway through this match where he started chasing the American around the ring with a flurry of stinging slaps to the face – a move that was more about taunting his opponent than anything else, but one that the crowd loved if the roar is anything to go by. Phoenix is good and makes Griffin look awesome, but in the end this match was all about Barry Griffin. [CENTER][B]Result: Barry Griffin defeated Ultimate Phoenix in 17:39 by submission with a Powerbomb Deathlock.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]___________________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Overall Show Rating: D-[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... arwink Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 [QUOTE=xfactor9600;295576]Very nice so far. I'm a sucker for British/Euro dynasties. Keep up the good work![/QUOTE] In the words of Otto Hammerscmidt: Danke Schoen and welcome aboard :) [QUOTE=Marcel Fromage;295728]I'd imagine you'd have Griffin beat Phoenix purely because their overness must be a bit apart. [/quote] To say nothing of the fact that Griffin is the only main eventer who'se growing more popular when we use him. [quote]I actually think Raven is likely to beat Merle but I'm not backing against my man Merle. I like the Celtic Crippler name for him - might have to pinch that! :D[/QUOTE] Settle in for a nice long program between Raven and Merle. Ravan is charismatic as all hell, but lacks polish in the ring. Merle is the very definition of polish, so we're hoping they'll rub off on one another :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... arwink Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 [B][SIZE="3"]May 1st, 2007[/SIZE][/B] The first of May was a sad day of Japanese wrestling, with two legends of the scene announcing their retirement. Dark EAGLE and living-legend Optimus both made press releases announcing that they’d be hanging up the boots, although they’ll probably retain a backstage role in their respective companies. I looked over both press releases and shook my head. “I really, really hoped we’d get a chance to bring Optimus in for a show some time,” I said. “Hell, the whole reason we actually have a working agreement with Burning Hammer was in the vain hope they’d trade someone for Optimus somewhere along the line.” “Could we not talk about Japan, Sykes? I’m sick of hearing about it.” Tyler Baker was picking at an omelet, barely listening. Merle had rung through to tell us he’d been offered a spot with INSPIRE only a few hours earlier, so we were waiting to hear what would happen. And, as usual, we were going to have a long chat about money. The last show had lost money and he was blaming the Americans. Not that there was any validity to the claims – as our main event goes, Jack Griffith was one of the cheapest competitors – but Baker was the kind of guy who liked you to weigh things in more than purely monetary terms right up until he was looking at the loss column in the ledger. “So where are we sitting?” Tyler said. “Give it to me both ways – with Merle or without him.” I took a deep breath and glanced down at my notes. There were pages of print-outs from databases Henry was maintaining using some arcane logic of his own devising. Apart from the losses, we were doing pretty well. There was only one problem: “We’re going to lose money on the next show,” I said. “If we’re serious about running a tag-team war for the titles, then it’s going to be next to impossible to do it without bringing in the established teams. The Walkabouts, The Legion and the Force all cost, but it’s going to lose credibility if we don’t have them there.” “So make it cheaper,” Tyler said. “Find some way of getting the lower-card guys in without making it look like we’re excluding the established teams.” Our coffees arrived and Tyler started loading his up with sugar. Six teaspoons in a short-black. I stared at my notes and tried to figure out how to make the tag-team title tournament cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Prev 1 2 3 Next Page 1 of 3 Archived This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.
arwink Posted September 28, 2007 Author Share Posted September 28, 2007 [B][CENTER][SIZE="3"]Friday, Week 4, March 2007[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] It was late and I was in the office alone, but I was getting used to that. Henry had sent through a care-package about the Lucha-Britannia tournament, but it mostly confirmed stuff that I’d already suspected – Raven was the hot-topic among the local wrestlers, Ultimate Phoenix had earned himself some respect, and people were starting to notice exactly how out-of-shape The Landlord was among wrestlers of this caliber and they were starting to realize that Harry Wilson wasn’t living up to the hype. What did surprise me was the dozen or so marks who were hungry – desperately and dangerously hungry – for a Pigeon Mask/Larry Wood feud. The good chemistry in their clash had opened up some possibilities there, although it seemed unlikely it was going to translate into anything other than a couple of extra tickets from the smark crowd. I was halfway through when Nick Adam’s knocked on the door behind me. He eyed the computer with suspicion. “Got a sec?” I shrugged and he settled his large frame into the spare office chair in the corner. “You planned the next show yet?” Nick said. I switched over to the word file where I’d been making notes about the next show. It was going to be a small one, thanks to the packet we’d lost in the tournament, but I figured we’d be bringing in Griffin and Griffith this time around. Nick looked over the half-formed notes and grinned. “You’re up late,” I said. “I thought training had finished a couple of hours back.” “Tonight was the OLLIE show in Mexico,” Nick said. “I was waiting to hear how our boys did in their matches.” I nodded. We’d sent Annoyance, Monolith and Griffin over to Mexico for a couple of events in exchange for Sanz and Montero Jr. We’d gotten word back that Monolith hadn’t been booked – news that brought a smug smile to Nick’s face – but Griffin and Annoyance were both taking part in the show. “Chris did the opener,” Nick said. I blinked and looked confused. “Who?” “Chris,” Nick said. I glared at me for a few seconds. “The Annoyance.” I blinked again and nodded. I’m always thrown when Nick uses Chris’s real name. “How’d the kid do?” “He went down to a guy named Luchaedor Originalic, but he held it together,” Nick said. “Apparently this Originalic guy’s a veteran, so he probably carried the match. Griffin did the job in a title match.” I just about spit coffee across the room. “What the hell?” “They were impressed with his Japanese work,” Nick said. “He has the makings of a classic Rudo, apparently, and there were enough names in his team that they could slide him in with the others and make it seem like a worthwhile midcard bout.” I let out a low whistle between my teeth. “Remind me not to send Griffin to Mexico again,” I said. “I’m not sure we can compete with too many other companies if he gets the itch to go international again.” Nick nodded, adjusting the brim of his ever-present hat. “Consider yourself reminded.” [B][CENTER][SIZE="3"]Aussie Watch – February and March 2007[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] I spent a little time on the net after Nick went home, looking for reviews of the OLLIE show. By all accounts, the English guys had acquitted themselves respectably – Annoyance…Chris…had put on the best match of his short career based on the video footage that made its way onto the net. After I was done with that, I flicked over to the Aussie-Watch site and took a moment to catch up on the last two months. There wasn’t as much news about Bruce the Giant since American Wrestling had lost its television slot, but he’d still put together some decent matches at USPW. He’d taken part of a six-man main event on the last American Wrestling show before it got cancelled, fighting alongside Peter Valentine and Mick Muscles against the unlikely team of Warlord Agony, Demon Pain and T-Rex. While Bruce’s team had lost and the match itself was average (D+), he made up for it a couple of nights later when he blitzed Demon Anger in a World Title match (C-) at Red, White and Blue. He had only one match in March – a second lackluster (C-) title offence against Anger that went to a no-contest. He remains USPW World Title holder and a mainstay of their Main Event. Carol Singer is still working as an aerobics instructor in California, and doesn’t look like she’s actively chasing wrestling work. Over in AAA, Golden Delicious has been going on a miniature winning streak. In February she defeated Michelle Brandon in a D- match, and in March she defeated Miss Mexico in another D- match. She’s still a member of the lower-Midcard, but may be rising soon. Outside of his tag-team clash at NMW, Jed High has had a bad month. The Force lost to Dark Side in a D rated match at UCR Psycho Circus, then came up short while challenging Joey Beauchamp for the European Title at UCR International Wrestling Superstars. He remains a stable presence on the UCR midcard despite these losses. UCR seems to be using Jed High as a jobber of late. He took a loss to his own tag team partner, Toby Juan Kenobi, in a February showing of International Wrestling Superstars (D+), then the Force had a single D+ loss against main-eventers Joey Beauchamp and Byron in March. This seems to be the only appearance that High has made in the two-month period, despite UCR holding ten shows. High still hasn’t won a match in UCR all year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xfactor9600 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Very nice so far. I'm a sucker for British/Euro dynasties. Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted September 29, 2007 Author Share Posted September 29, 2007 [CENTER][B]April 1st, 2007[/B][/CENTER] I rolled into Tyler’s office in my wheelchair, getting ready to pitch my concepts for the next show and update him on the state of the company. When I got there he was sitting behind his desk looking a little stunned. “Hey bossman, how’s things?” I said. Tyler just blinked and looked at me, wide-eyed. “Rip Chord’s dead,” he said. “They just announced it on TEW.com.” I let out a long, slow breath. “Was it, you know, the drinking?” Tyler Baker shook his head. “He was hit by a car.” We sat there for a while, wondering what to say next. Neither of us knew Chord, but we’d been watching him for years and I was a big fan of what MAW was doing over in the states. The sad part, the really sad part, is that it actually occurred to me that Tyler would be making a killing on Chord tapes over the next month or two. Lord knows I felt a need to go catch some of the old man’s classic matches over the next couple of hours. I didn’t give voice to that thought, instead I distracted Tyler with the latest news. “You know that League of Fighters thing that Moodie is putting together over in Europe?” I said. “They’re starting to get a solid fanbase, so he’s gone looking for new talent. Word is that he’s offered spots to Jed and Jacques DuPont.” Tyler frowned. “Are we worried about this?” “Not particularly. They aren’t big enough that working for them will be a more attractive option thank working here, but they’re going to be working stiff. Real stiff. I’m a little concerned about the tag-team division picking up injuries.” Tyler shook his head and drank from a cold cup of tea. “Give me some good news,” he said. “This is turning into one of those days.” I smiled as best I could and pushed the card for London’s Burning across the table. Tyler opened the folder and looked it over, frowning behind his wire-rim glasses. “I’m trying for cheap but solid,” I said. “Last month cost us a bundle and the Landlord's gonna lose the ability to Draw if we don't have anyone worthwhile for him to face, so we're making use of the cheaper main event.” [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]The Card for NMW: London’s Burning[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle[/B] [B]Lucha-Britannia Rules[/B] [/CENTER] The Celtic Crippler is angry about losing his shot at the finals in the Lucha-Britannia tournament, so he’s challenged Nick Raven to a non-title Lucha-Britannia rules in order to prove that Merle should be the first challenger. If Merle wins, he'll get a shot at the title come [I]NWM: Tag-Team War [/I]in May. If Raven wins, Merle won't get a shot at the Lucha-Britannia title at all during Raven's reign. [CENTER][B]Larry Wood vs. Jed High[/B] [/CENTER] Last month the Wild Man was beaten by the goofy Pigeon Mask, so he’s intimidated NMW officials into giving him a match against another classic cruiserweight. Jed High has been storming through the NMW tag-team devision, but can he hold his own against an angry Wood without the help of his tag-team partner? [CENTER][B]Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga[/B] [/CENTER] The American Brawler has been absent from NMW since our first show, but he’s been sending plenty of disparaging remarks about the state of English wrestling to our booking committee. He’s now announced his plans to dominate the company and plans on starting with NMW’s most well-known import – the dual-sports superstar Ralph Runga. [CENTER][B]Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/B] [/CENTER] Ultimate Phoenix was the stand-out star of NMW’s Lucha-Britannia tournament, but he’s stated that he doesn’t want to waste his time fighting the midcard. He’s issued an open-challenge to NMW’s main event and it’s the international superstar Barry Griffin who has taken him up on his offer. [CENTER][B]NMW: London’s Burning[/B] [B]Live on Tuesday Night, Week 4, April[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle Larry Wood vs. Jed High Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Fromage Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 Nick Raven vs. [B]Merle O’Curle [/B] [B]Larry Wood [/B]vs. Jed High [B]Jack Griffith [/B]vs. Ralph Runga [B]Barry Griffin [/B]vs. Ultimate Phoenix I'd imagine you'd have Griffin beat Phoenix purely because their overness must be a bit apart. Griffith needs heading towards the main event. Larry Wood needs a win to keep that Pigeon Mask feud interesting. I actually think Raven is likely to beat Merle but I'm not backing against my man Merle. I like the Celtic Crippler name for him - might have to pinch that! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]NMW: London’s Burning[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Live on Tuesday Night, Week 4, April at the Paddington Club[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=3]Attendance: 93 people[/SIZE][/B] [B]___________________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Pre-Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] There was a pallor hanging over the locker-room this month, what with Chord’s death and the news coming through that TCW had dropped in size just a few days before the show. Most of the guys would freely admit that Tommy Cornell’s company was the dream-job in the industry, even if it was unlikely that they’d get there, so the news that it was being hit hard by the USA’s economic slump had a little kick. Especially when it was coupled with the news that the Wrestling Industry was being hit with a congressional investigation – apparently Chord’s high-profile death had called attention to the demise of a couple of other guys from the eighties and nineties and the media was in a tizzy about drugs and alcohol in wrestling. To make matters worse, I’d stuffed a food in my mouth within minutes of hitting the locker room. The news had come through just a week earlier that Jed and Jacques were both planning on doing shows for Rick Moodie’s ELPF, and I’d made a joking comment to Jed that it’d make for a nice third home after his commitments to UCR and us. That’s when Jed looked a little uncomfortable and I got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Listen, it’s not that NMW isn’t great,” Jed said, talking around the point. “It’s just, well, my careers in Europe really. And the League’s got a higher profile, even if it doesn’t have the same audience.” I sat there, nodding, wishing I’d kept my big mouth shut. Then I made a mental note to double-check the dates on all future ELPF shows, since they were going to take one-half of our two major tag-teams if I double-booked. The only person who seemed really happy in the cloud of darkness was Barry Griffin. He’d gotten back from his second OLLIE show only a few days earlier and the experience seemed to be agreeing with him. They’d used him in a short, fast-paced match against the original Phoenix, a veteran of the lucha scene, and Griffin had been wrapped. As he kept telling people: “Wrestling a living-legend in front of two thousand people – it just doesn’t get better than that.” [CENTER][B]___________________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Dark Matches[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Monolith vs. Pigeon Mask[/B] [B]Result: Pigeon Mask defeated Monolith in 7:56 by pinfall with The Flying Rat Splash.[/B] [B]Rating: F+[/B] [B]The Minor Annoyance vs. Deejay Lee Winks[/B] [B]Result: Deejay Lee Winks defeated The Minor Annoyance in 8:03 by pinfall.[/B] [B]Rating: E+[/B] [B]___________________[/B] [B][SIZE=3]Main Show[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/EllenBathory.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Nick Raven and Ellen Bathory come out and do their moody emo thing, cutting an over-the-top promo. Raven’s highpoint comes when he claims that any physical pain that O’Curle causes will mean nothing when compared to the dark, eternal agony that lurks in Raven’s soul. Raven: Pain is the reason I earned this title, and pain is the reason I'll keep it. Come, O'Curle, and do your worst. It will be as nothing before the Raven's sorrow. Rating: D- [CENTER][B]_____________[/B] [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/NickRavan.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/MerleOCurle.jpg[/IMG] [B]Nick Raven vs. Merle O’Curle[/B] [B]Lucha-Britannia Championship[/B][/CENTER] It appears that having a title around his waist puts Raven in a good mood, since this was the second show in a row where he kept his head in the game and worked with his opponent to make a great match. We let Merle take the lion’s share of the offense, scoring the first pinfall before Raven even got in some solid offense. When Raven did start fighting back it was high-impact and flashy – splashes from the top rope here, a triple-jump moonsault there – and he almost scored the second pinfall when he spiked Merle into the mat with a DDT. Sadly, this left Merle in a bad mood and he stopped toying with Raven. Two quick chokes on the ropes were broken up by the ref, but they left Raven too weak to fight back against the German suplex that puts him away. Merle O’Curle puts on the match of the night and earns himself a title shot at Tag-Team War next month. [CENTER][B]Result: Merle O'Curle defeated Nick Raven in 13:50 by two straight falls, with the final fall happening by submission after blatantly cheating.[/B] [B]Rating: D[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] Jack Griffith comes out and cuts a promo, telling the crowd that he’s the Icon of Old School wrestling and there’s no chance some young upstart like Ralph Runga will defeat him. Griffith: [COLOR=red]Lets get this straight, you English yahoos – Runga isn’t a wrestler. He’s a washed up footballer who thinks he can make some easy money of you @#$@# marks.[/COLOR] Rating: E [CENTER][B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/LarryWood.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JedHigh.jpg[/IMG][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Larry Wood vs. Jed High[/B][/CENTER] This match started with Jed surprising everyone, whittling down the man-mountain Larry Wood with a devastating series of low dropkicks while staying out of the big man’s reach. The crowd was completely behind High and started taunting Wood; one fan even got in Mountain Man’s face after High send him to the floor. Larry came within inches of slapping the fan silly, stopping only because Jed hooked Wood’s arm and tried to pull him away. This gave Wood the opening he needed – a quick head butt followed by a power-slam into a chair at ringside and he had the match dominated for the six minutes that remained. He didn’t wrestle High, he brutalized him, working Jed over with a series of stiff blows that eventually saw the cruiserweight busted open. The best part was that it all seemed completely natural – Jed and Wood clicked just as well as Larry and Pigeon Mask had. At the thirteen minute mark it looked like this was all over. Wood had spiked High into the mat with a piledriver, standing over his opponent and beating his chest with both hands. Wood was roaring and playing to the crowd when Pigeon Mask came charging out of the backstage area. Wood charged at Mask, knocking ref Tyler Baker aside as he barreled forward. Mask floated up onto the turnbuckles and launched a beautiful hurricanrana to take Wood down, pulling High over the Mountain Man and waking Baker up to perform the three-count. Jed High picks up a win in what could be the match of the night at this point. [CENTER][B]Result: Jed High defeated Larry Wood in 13:33 by pinfall following interference from Pigeon Mask.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] We give Ultimate Phoenix some mic time to hype his match with Barry Griffin. Phoenix tells the crowd how much he’s enjoyed his time in the UK, how much respect he has for Griffins accomplishments here, in Japan, and in the OLLIE promotion in Mexico. [CENTER][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/UltimatePhoenix.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Phoenix: [COLOR=royalblue]When I came to England I came to wrestle the best; tonight I get to do that. But I didn’t come here to lose, especially not twice in a row. Tonight, Barry Griffin will feel the force of the Rising Phoenix.[/COLOR] Rating: E- [CENTER][B]_____________[/B] [B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/JackGriffith.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/RalphRunga.jpg[/IMG][/B] [B]Jack Griffith vs. Ralph Runga[/B][/CENTER] Griffith is an experienced brawler and a seasoned showman, eager to make his mark after years of being blacklisted for his drinking. Runga has the athletic prowess and the natural charisma to become a great performer, but he needs a steady opponent to really drag his best out of him. Fortunately for us, Griffith proved to be that steady hand. The pair put together a solid brawl that ranged across the ring, working non-stop from start to finish. While Runga was definitely starting to tire by the time Griffith got the pin, the match’s workrate was solid enough that it made him look good rather than out-of-shape. [CENTER] [B]Result: Jack Griffith defeated Ralph Runga in 14:38 by pinfall with a Jack in The Box.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]_____________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/BarryGriffin.jpg[/IMG] vs. [IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x15/arwink/UltimatePhoenix.jpg[/IMG][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Barry Griffin vs. Ultimate Phoenix[/B] [/CENTER] The contrasting styles made this an interesting match, with both men throwing everything they had at one another. Griffin is a solid wrestler, second only to Merle in his mastery of the technical aspects, but the latest tour of Mexico has taught Barry a thing or two about working with swift lucheadors like Phoenix. Even better, the experience has taught Griffin how to throw a little flash into his matches, even if he never goes near the top rope. There was a point halfway through this match where he started chasing the American around the ring with a flurry of stinging slaps to the face – a move that was more about taunting his opponent than anything else, but one that the crowd loved if the roar is anything to go by. Phoenix is good and makes Griffin look awesome, but in the end this match was all about Barry Griffin. [CENTER][B]Result: Barry Griffin defeated Ultimate Phoenix in 17:39 by submission with a Powerbomb Deathlock.[/B] [B]Rating: D-[/B] [B]___________________[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Overall Show Rating: D-[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 [QUOTE=xfactor9600;295576]Very nice so far. I'm a sucker for British/Euro dynasties. Keep up the good work![/QUOTE] In the words of Otto Hammerscmidt: Danke Schoen and welcome aboard :) [QUOTE=Marcel Fromage;295728]I'd imagine you'd have Griffin beat Phoenix purely because their overness must be a bit apart. [/quote] To say nothing of the fact that Griffin is the only main eventer who'se growing more popular when we use him. [quote]I actually think Raven is likely to beat Merle but I'm not backing against my man Merle. I like the Celtic Crippler name for him - might have to pinch that! :D[/QUOTE] Settle in for a nice long program between Raven and Merle. Ravan is charismatic as all hell, but lacks polish in the ring. Merle is the very definition of polish, so we're hoping they'll rub off on one another :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwink Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 [B][SIZE="3"]May 1st, 2007[/SIZE][/B] The first of May was a sad day of Japanese wrestling, with two legends of the scene announcing their retirement. Dark EAGLE and living-legend Optimus both made press releases announcing that they’d be hanging up the boots, although they’ll probably retain a backstage role in their respective companies. I looked over both press releases and shook my head. “I really, really hoped we’d get a chance to bring Optimus in for a show some time,” I said. “Hell, the whole reason we actually have a working agreement with Burning Hammer was in the vain hope they’d trade someone for Optimus somewhere along the line.” “Could we not talk about Japan, Sykes? I’m sick of hearing about it.” Tyler Baker was picking at an omelet, barely listening. Merle had rung through to tell us he’d been offered a spot with INSPIRE only a few hours earlier, so we were waiting to hear what would happen. And, as usual, we were going to have a long chat about money. The last show had lost money and he was blaming the Americans. Not that there was any validity to the claims – as our main event goes, Jack Griffith was one of the cheapest competitors – but Baker was the kind of guy who liked you to weigh things in more than purely monetary terms right up until he was looking at the loss column in the ledger. “So where are we sitting?” Tyler said. “Give it to me both ways – with Merle or without him.” I took a deep breath and glanced down at my notes. There were pages of print-outs from databases Henry was maintaining using some arcane logic of his own devising. Apart from the losses, we were doing pretty well. There was only one problem: “We’re going to lose money on the next show,” I said. “If we’re serious about running a tag-team war for the titles, then it’s going to be next to impossible to do it without bringing in the established teams. The Walkabouts, The Legion and the Force all cost, but it’s going to lose credibility if we don’t have them there.” “So make it cheaper,” Tyler said. “Find some way of getting the lower-card guys in without making it look like we’re excluding the established teams.” Our coffees arrived and Tyler started loading his up with sugar. Six teaspoons in a short-black. I stared at my notes and tried to figure out how to make the tag-team title tournament cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts