MAW: 10 Simple Rules...

[James Casey]

[B][CENTER]Mid Atlantic Wrestling presents: Nationwide Friday, 12th August 2013[/CENTER] Brooke Tyler vs. Joanne Rodriguez[/B] Really, this was more of an excuse to keep J-Ro working and Tyler happy than anything else. During the match, Rodriguez fairly dominated the inexperienced Tyler, yelling that Suzanne Brazzle would be in for the same treatment come next Saturday. Tyler did her best to fight back, and at one point neatly immobilised Joanne in the middle of the ring with a heel hook. But Rodriguez was able to roll with the move, catapulting Tyler into the turnbuckles and setting her up for the match winning J-Rocker. Winner: Joanne Rodriguez (D+) * Swoop McCarthy came down to the ring, Traditional title around his waist. [COLOR="Teal"]“Big things are happening now that Swoop is a part of this company. You see before you the fastest rising star in the world! No-one has captured gold as quickly. No-one has debuted at the bottom and made it to a World title match as quickly. Where Swoop goes, he succeeds. “We have Iron coming up in just over a week. Swoop is not yet booked – so here’s a challenge: In this next match, we have Primus Allen, who’s a two-time Traditional champion. Allen, step in the ring with Swoop next Saturday. Let’s see who the real big man of this company is.”[/COLOR] * [B]Amazing Fire Fly and Primus Allen vs. Swoop McCarthy and The Great Ota[/B] This was a short tag match designed to keep all four in view, while also testing Primus Allen to see if he has much of a future here in MAW. The jury remains out. It was a fairly entertaining match, but below average for what I’d expect from Ota and McCarthy. At least the deserving team went over, as McCarthy blasted one of his predecessors with a Running Powerslam for the win. Winner: McCarthy and Ota (D+) * Lord Geoffrey Windameer was backstage, clipboard in hand. [COLOR="Blue"]“Welcome to Windameer’s Wonders. My opponent tonight is the so-called “Sensational” Kashmir Singh. He has quite an impressive resume, being a two-time Tag Team champion, and a former Six Man champion. “However, he is not capable of facing off against me and coming out with a win. You see, Singh’s weakness is that he is an all-rounder. He has commendable talent in a number of areas – there would scarcely be any point in me facing someone incapable. However, he does not excel in any one area. I am also an all-rounder – I could scarcely have an area where I am weak, of course. However, I am capable of excelling any one area, as the match demands, and in this case I shall be outwrestling Kashmir Singh. “Of course, Singh’s greatest success came in tandem with Brandon Singh. I defeated him in my last match and, to be honest, he was the superior half of that tandem. Tonight’s match, my researchers agree, will just be another chance to show my superiority.”[/COLOR] * [B]“Sensational” Kashmir Singh vs. Lord Geoffrey Windameer[/B] Despite his talent, Windameer has his off days – and Kashmir Singh just isn’t the right person to carry him when those happen. It was an entertaining enough match, but again fell below the standard I would expect for a match in this position on our flagship show. Windameer took the duke with a High Society. Winner: Lord Geoffrey Windameer (D+) * Sara Silverman led Tim Westybrook out to the ring. [COLOR="Gray"]“My client is tired of facing workers not of his calibre. He has fought Jean Cattley twice, and found him a surprisingly capable foe, but otherwise the roster of this company is lacking in challenge. “This impacts my client’s earnings. The number and value of potential contracts has tailed off recently, so my client finds himself in a position where the income from these matches is his main source of earnings. Frankly, defeating the likes of Amazing Fire Fly and Brandon Smith does not bring in the cut of the profits that my client requires to maintain his lifestyle. “If anyone backstage feels that they are of a standard comparable to Mr. Westybrook, please make yourself known. I assure you that the beating you receive will be painful – but quick. My client is efficient. He is paid by the job, not by the hour.”[/COLOR] A somewhat familiar riff played, and a tall, rangy blonde man stepped out onto the ramp... [CENTER][IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q81/jamescasey_photos/ZimmyBumfhole.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] ...Zimmy Bumfhole! [COLOR="blue"]“Sara, hi, how you doing?”[/COLOR] Zimmy grinned. [COLOR="blue"]“Listen, sweetheart, I was backstage, hanging with some friends, heard your offer, sounds interesting... The big guy’s got some talent, I know that – I’ve seen him work. He’s decent,”[/COLOR] Zimmy nodded to himself. [COLOR="blue"]“Yeah, decent.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="gray"]“He is rather more than decent, Mr. Bumfhole.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]“Mr. Bumfhole is my father, sweetheart – although he prefers to be called Mortimer.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="gray"]“Mortimer Bumfhole?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]“Actually, his name’s Quartermass Bumfhole, but he prefers to be called Mortimer. But listen, that’s not why I’m out here. Sara, you manage Mr. Westybrook’s affairs. What do you say to a match between him and me, right now?”[/COLOR] Silverman regarded Zimmy critically. [COLOR="gray"]“You have the name value, I suppose. Yes, consider yourself accepted. The match can begin now.”[/COLOR] Zimmy grinned. [COLOR="blue"]“Nice one. And then maybe you and I can head out after the match and talk about a way we can maximise our enjoyment of this day that brought you into my life.”[/COLOR] Silverman smiled. [COLOR="gray"]“I’m sorry, Mr. Bumfhole, I don’t date wrestlers.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]“Sweetheart, I wasn’t talking about dating...”[/COLOR] Bumfhole grinned, roguishly, and for a second Silverman appeared disarmed. Then she turned to Westybrook and, as Zimmy made his way to the ring, she made the universal symbol for snapping something in half. * [B]Zimmy Bumfhole vs. Tim Westybrook[/B] Ouch. With Zimmy once more joining us on loan from CGC, we only have three shows to use him – and we have plans for all three. That meant no testing – and that meant that the zero chemistry between these two went unnoticed until they went fifteen minutes in the main event of our nationally-broadcast television show. The ten thousand or so watching must have wondered why they bothered as these two fumbled their way through a series of exchanges on their way to the time limit, after which they tried to recover some of the crowd interest as Westybrook seethed and Bumfhole looked smug, making the belt signal around his waist. Winner: No-one (D+) [B]Overall: D+[/B] [I](In most places, this will have improved people’s opinions of MAW...) Next: Moment Of Madness. [U]Honest...[/U][/I]

[Hyde Hill]

Ouch the chemsitry bug is back! Better say your prayers and take ya vitamens quick!

[Mattlore Devious]

[QUOTE=James Casey;624340]Welcome back! Assuming you went through the last thirty-odd pages in fairly quick fashion, how'd it read?[/QUOTE] Well it's taken me almost a week to catch up, but it's been good. The women's division seemed to be a case of too many new faces too fast but it seems to have settled down a bit now. I think the fact that I bothered to catch up again shows how good it is :)

[James Casey]

[I]OOC: I debated drip-feeding the women onto the roster, but when I looked I had the chance to sign up all my favourites (apart from Steph Blake and Dragon Assassin) so I went for it. Of course, Huntress Makiko turned out to be unavailable for long spells, which at least meant that I had a place for J-Ro when she became available. Then Suzanne Brazzle became available, so... Anyway, it could certainly have been done better - but I can say that about an awful lot of my booking :p[/I] * [QUOTE][I][CENTER]MAW.com show report – Moment Of Madness in Hawaii Sunday, 14th August 2013[/CENTER] Aloha! This is your old friend JC calling from sunny Honolulu as, for the first time, MAW ventures across the ocean to visit our island friends in Hawaii! For those of you who aren’t regular visitors to MAW.com, our Moment Of Madness shows will feature some of the best up-and-coming talents in MAW, plus the best that the North American independent scene has to offer. For example, tonight’s show kicked off with a technical exhibition between Jorge Wilkes and rookie Phil Jerome. Jerome put on a great display in his first ever pro match, but his inexperience cost him as Wilkes trapped him in an Excess Force for the win. Next up, a ten-man battle royal saw the monsters dominate, as Bear Bekowski, Atlas and Findlay O’Farraday all chucked people around for fun! However, with the field narrowed down to just four, the three men turned on one another, and wily veteran Dazzling Dave Diamond ([COLOR="Blue"]“You see three Ds you know it’s me!”[/COLOR]) watched as they eliminated one another, almost caving in one side of the ring as they toppled over the ropes together. In the third match of the evening, Justin Sensitive and Tempest Appleby took part in a wild aerial match, with both men seemingly competing as much to set a high jump record as to win the match. Sensitive, who for reasons I’m sure will become clear, is accompanied to ringside by a monkey, was able to snatch the win with a Full Sensory Assault. In the final match of the night, we were treated to a mat wrestling clinic from former Firm member Ricky Douglas, and Remmy Honeyman. Douglas had an unhappy return to MAW as he fell victim to the one aerial move of the match, a flying legdrop from Honeyman. Of especial note from this match is Honeyman’s manager – Haley Buck. Buck doesn’t back losers, as we all know, so for Honeyman to have her on side even before his first MAW match suggests that he’s something special. Either that, or Buck just wanted to work on her tan, which I’m off to do now! Fans, keep an eye out for MAW in your area. Even if it’s not the stars you know from TV, you’re guaranteed a fantastic night of action – and next time you see these guys, they may just be lighting up the small screen on Friday nights! Jorge Wilkes def. Phil Jerome – E Dazzling Dave Diamond won a ten man battle royal – E- Justin Sensitive def. Tempest Appleby – E Remmy Honeyman def. Ricky Douglas – E+ Overall: E+[/I][/QUOTE] * Curtis Jenkins (dark match, battle royal) has picked up a shoulder injury that will sideline him for a short spell. [I]Next: On Tour, and the drive to freshen up/improve/desperately try to do [U]something[/U] with the tag division continues...[/I]

[Briskout]

Findlay's back?! I marked out there. I mean he's not great, at all but he COULD be great. And now that Primus is turned face, if he makes it to the shows, you have a small feud there. I mean... I just really like him too, and I'm insane so I might just be marking out a bit too much.

[Mattlore Devious]

The Moment of Madness show is a chance to bring back everyones useless & cheap favourites. I was pretty happy to see Dazzling Dave Diamond on the show, and get a speaking role :eek:

[James Casey]

Thinking about it, I may just leave MOM in Hawaii - at least at first. At the very least, I have to visit once a month or more in order to try and maintain the sort of popularity growth that we're getting in the rest of America from the TV show. Imagine if some of these guys got over in Hawaii to the point where they could really draw out there? I'd have to have a Findlay/Diamond main event to bring in the fans who don't care about Cattley/Westybrook... ...and DDD had to be done. Why I haven't signed him before is beyond me.

[pepper2008]

Dude you have a TV show that covers US ,you dont have to visit any US places :D

[FINisher]

[quote=pepper2008;625793]Dude you have a TV show that covers US ,you dont have to visit any US places :D[/quote] Yes you do. If you don't visit the place for awhile the popularity will drop.

[Showtime4Lajf]

A show with Dave Diamond [I]and[/I] Tempest Appleby? In Hawai'i?! With $4 tickets? MAW is the best promotion ever!

[James Casey]

[I]OOC: I think that TV will sustain/boost your popularity in a country indefinitely, so I don't [U]need[/U] to visit anywhere in the US. However, I'm doing so to get my guys over, to boost the gains from TV, to make money, and on the off chance that DDD, Tempest, Cal Sanders or whoever actually gets over. More on that in a couple of posts, though, there's a bit of a ramble coming up...[/I] * [QUOTE] [I][CENTER]MAW.com show report – On Tour in South East Thursday, 18th August 2013[/CENTER] Hello fans, and welcome to the Sweat Box – a particularly good name for a venue that tonight saw a lot of effort put in, and some significant events as well. We kicked off the show with two new signings, Jorge and Michael, The Wilkes Brothers. The Brothers issued an open challenge to any team on the roster, saying that they were new in MAW and wanted to prove themselves against the established teams. This brought out The West Texas Peacekeepers and the fight was on. The Peacekeepers are talented brawlers, while the Wilkes are more in the modern cruiserweight vein. On another day, it would have made for a cat-and-mouse match up, but tonight saw the Peacekeepers brutalise their opponents from bell to bell, delivering punishment that even I thought was a bit more than was required, before Jorge was nailed with the Volcanic Repeater to give the Peacekeepers the win. After the bell, Haley Buck made a surprise appearance. [COLOR="Magenta"]“Go ahead, finish them off,”[/COLOR] she said, as the crowd watched on in puzzlement – until the Peacekeepers resumed their assault on the Wilkes Brothers, putting Jorge down with a spike piledriver before pitching Michael up and over the top rope to the concrete floor below. [COLOR="Magenta"]“Well done,” [/COLOR]Buck said. [COLOR="Magenta"]“You’ve shown that you belong in my stable. For the rest of MAW, take note. Lenny Brown, Remmy Honeyman, Deborah Young, and now the West Texas Peacekeepers. I only work with those who have the potential to excel. The Peacekeepers have not performed to their potential since debuting here, but under my guidance, and performing with the same ruthlessness I expect of all my clients, they shall soon be the champions of the tag team division.”[/COLOR] Casey Valentine was next to make an appearance. He had an arrogant grin on his face, and of late I guess you have to say it’s been justified as him and Antonio have been on a winning streak. He issued a challenge to The Canadian Blondes for a Tag Team title match at Iron. Oscar Golden responded by saying that Valentine would have to earn the shot by beating him in a one on one match, there and then. The fans weren’t quite sure what to make of these two fighting, but were gradually won over by the action. It was a case of seeing who cheated the best, with the referee at his wits’ end trying to keep up with the shenanigans. In the end, Valentine scored with a Sweet Sweet Heartbreak to earn his team a title shot this Saturday. Before the next contest, Brooke Tyler took a moment to hype herself up. She was worried bout facing the monstrous Deborah Young, but her father had instilled a never-say-die attitude in her that meant that she would fight to the end – even if she wasn’t hardcore like her old man. Haley Buck was back for the next match, accompanying Deborah Young to the ring. Brooke Tyler looked nervous going into the match, but found herself with the early advantage as she was able to tie up her opponent and blunt her strength advantage – at least temporarily. Young was able to power out of the holds, but seemed to be getting worn down – until she was able to land a brutal uppercut that left Tyler seeing stars, and made her easy prey for the Sit Out Powerbomb to score the win as Buck looked pleased at ringside. Buck’s most high-profile client is probably Lenny Brown, and the All Action champion was in an extravagant mood, throwing out an open challenge to anyone in the building. What he wasn’t counting on, judging his response, was the presence of Amazing Fire Fly, making a rare appearance On Tour. The masked man threw everything he had at the self-proclaimed Hollywood star, and came within aces of taking the title on a number of occasions. Brown fought back hard, though, and was able to retain the title with his stunning Star Treatment finisher. Antonio took to the stage next, looking even more arrogant than Valentine earlier. [COLOR="Sienna"]“The Second Sons have followed our mentor’s advice, and soon enough we’ll have tag team gold around our waists. Why stop there, though? I know that Jean Cattley’s backstage. Jean, it’s been a very long time since I had a World title shot. I’m on as good a run of form as anyone, so come on out and face me – I demand the chance to walk into Iron with one belt, and leave with two.”[/COLOR] Jean Cattley emerged from the back, looking untroubled by the challenge. [COLOR="Navy"]“Antonio, if you want to do this then we can – but you are on a good run of form. Are you sure that you want to jeopardise that ahead of your match?”[/COLOR] Antonio didn’t look impressed by the implication that he would lose, and beckoned Cattley on to the ring. The match was a throwback to the early days of MAW, with two workers who competed on our very first show going all out in an attempt to claim the World title for themselves. Antonio showed fire, and at one point had the champion set up for an Italian DDT, but Cattley reversed it into a bridging German suplex for two, and as the two men rose to their feet, Cattley scored with the Mood Swing for the successful title defence. The West Texas Peacekeepers def. The Wilkes Brothers – E Casey Valentine def. Oscar Golden – D- Deborah Young def. Brooke Tyler – E+ Lenny Brown def. Amazing Fire Fly – D- Jean Cattley def. Antonio – D Overall: D[/I] [/QUOTE] * [CENTER][B]MAW Nationwide[/B] Suzanne Brazzle vs. Nadia Snow – non-title “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. Firebird El Heroe Mexicano vs. Tim Westybrook “Machine” Jean Cattley vs. The Great Ota – non-title[/CENTER]

[Mattlore Devious]

Suzanne Brazzle vs. [B]Nadia Snow[/B] – non-title [I]Not quite sure who to go for here[/I] “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Firebird[/B] [I]Could have gone either way[/I] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] [I]Despite your love for El Heroe, Westybrook won't lose here[/I] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Great Ota – non-title [I]Even though the title is not on the line, the champ to retain[/I]

[Hyde Hill]

[B]Suzanne Brazzle[/B] vs. Nadia Snow – non-title [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Firebird El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Great Ota –

[AzzMartin]

[B]MAW Nationwide[/B] Suzanne Brazzle vs. [B]Nadia Snow [/B]– non-title [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Firebird El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Great Ota – non-title

[Tigerkinney]

Suzanne Brazzle vs. Nadia Snow – non-title [I]Given the current storyline this could go either way...actually I'll go for a draw to set up a three way with J-Ro. [/I] “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Firebird[/B] [I]Firebird's still that bit more ahead on the roster and until BBS scores a big win against an established upper carder, I wont be convinced that he's ready to step up. This could be that match but I'll stick with the safer bet. [/I] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] [I]Westybrook may have disappointed in his last match, but he's still your top heel challenger and should be kept strong. Heroe will get a title shot eventually but not right now.[/I] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Great Ota – non-title [I]Non Title it may be but I don't see Ota suddenly getting into the title picture.[/I]

[James Casey]

[B][CENTER]Mid Atlantic Wrestling presents: Nationwide Friday, 19th August 2013[/CENTER] Suzanne Brazzle vs. Nadia Snow[/B] The fans really wanted to see this match – it was maybe the most anticipated match on the show. However, I had a feeling that these two would continue to show a lack of spark. There’re no chemistry issues, it’s just that, frankly, Snow is more popular than she is talented. That has its place, even in MAW, but it’s something of a truism of the women’s division – the faces have the talent, while the heels have the popularity. Anyway, the match was all about Brazzle warming up for her title match against Joanne Rodriguez, as J-Ro had done the week before. Snow showed some good form with impressive mat wrestling that kept Brazzle grounded and slowed during the mid portion of the match, but the champion was able to kick it up a gear after breaking free, and was able to score with a Miracle Connection for the win. Winner: Suzanne Brazzle (D) * Suzanne took the mic: [COLOR="Blue"]“You know, I’d much rather that that match had been for the title, at Iron. Joanne Rodriguez may have won the qualifier two weeks ago, but I don’t think she deserves the title shot. She betrayed the trust that Snow placed in her and, even if Snow isn’t one of my favourite people, she didn’t deserve to be treated that way. “So Joanne, tomorrow night, I won’t just be fighting to defend my title. I’ll be fighting to make you sorry that you’re a conniving, dishonourable cow.”[/COLOR] * [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. Firebird[/B] This was a match that had taken place [URL="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=622726&postcount=911"]in Puerto Rico[/URL] a little while ago, and we were curious to see how it played for us – not bad, as it turned out. This was Smith’s best match since tying up with Westybrook, while Firebird showed his professionalism in being able to brawl with his much larger opponent, to a point, before pulling ahead with a combination of chain wrestling and outright speed, culminating with the Phoenix Firebird Splash for the win. Winner: Firebird (C+) * As Firebird made his way up the ramp, El Heroe Mexicano made his entrance for his match. The two masked rivals stared one another down, before Heroe took up the mic. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]“Some say that last month we had one of MAW’s greatest ever matches,”[/COLOR] he began. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]“And that watching us soar around the ring brought to mind footage of aerial dogfights.”[/COLOR] He shrugged, and smiled, but for once the smile didn’t reach his eyes. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]“All I know is that last month didn’t settle matters, Firebird. You think that one win proves your beliefs. I think that it shows you had one night where you outfought me. Tomorrow night, let’s settle this. If you win, I’ll accept that you’re as good as you are because of the path you’ve chosen. If I win, you take the time to look at yourself and ask if all this talk of darkness and falling has come about because you lost faith in yourself.”[/COLOR] Firebird stared him down, unmovingly. After several long moments, he raised his mic to speak. [COLOR="DarkOrange"]“I accept.”[/COLOR] * [B]El Heroe Mexicano vs. Tim Westybrook[/B] Look out for this one down the line... This was a meeting of two superlative athletes. EHM has impressed consistently since making his debut last month, with his well-polished aerial skills complemented by impressive technical skills and a worthy ability to brawl that saw him going toe-to-toe with Tim Westybrook for a few moments at the start of this match... before being overwhelmed by the Iron Man’s high impact offence. Westybrook had the better of the early going, but Heroe was able to outmanoeuvre him thorugh superior speed, and nullify Westybrook’s strength by keeping the match on the mat for a long spell. However, Westybrook could not be contained indefinitely, and when he regained a vertical base he unleashed a barrage of hard punches and clubbing forearm strikes that softened up the masked man, before firing off a trio of suplex variations to set up a TNT Whirlwind for the win. Winner: Tim Westybrook (B-) * A hype video was played of the best moments of Jean Cattley, Tim Westybrook and Zimmy Bumfhole, before Rip announced that the three men would face each other for the World title at Iron in a triple threat match! * [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley vs. The Great Ota[/B] Ota is always a threat to anyone he faces, champion or opener, and he matched up well with the champ in this match. The action was fairly even for long spells, with Cattley’s superior technical ability equalised by Ota’s rapid strikes and agility. The advantage see-sawed back and forth between the two men, before Cattley was able to catch the ninja in a Mood Swing to score the win. Winner: Jean Cattley (C+) [B]Overall: C[/B] [I](Up on last week, but I wish I’d reversed the last two matches... actually, I wish we’d gone 4, 1, 2, 3 in terms of match order. Oh well...) Next: Ruminations on the nature of episodic television, and getting to Cult without our accountants sending death threats...[/I]

[James Casey]

Just a quick reminder to vote in the various DOTM awards. Even if you don't vote for me - there's a lot of good diaries around :)

[James Casey]

Another 0.02 rating. I’m aiming for 0.03 by the end of the year – that will be indisputable progress from where we started. * In CGC, Raphael and Nathan Black are the new World Tag Team champions. I don’t know what to make of Raphael – he should get over in MAW, albeit that we’ve not really pushed him. But then, we’ve not really pushed Amazing Fire Fly, either, and he’s an Upper Midcarder despite being a Luchadore. I think... ...I might just have to push him... This could be a problem, but I don’t care. He’s become a great worker, he’s charismatic, he has everything going for him that he could need in a performance-based fed like MAW. I sat in my office, preparing for Iron, and looking at some of the people we’d pushed over the years despite their not being quite right for the company, or their being weaker wrestlers, or... I nodded, and made a note to speak to Rip about it. I was determined to get Raphael over, one day, somehow – even if it was destined to be a slow process. * I looked at the card for Iron. It was a good show – destined to be one of our best. The main event had genuine potential to be the best match we would put on this year. I sighed, and checked my calendar again. There was one day left until Iron. One day. Somehow – I knew how, but it had come as a surprise to me nonetheless – we’d reached the monthly show without making adequate preparations for a lot of the matches on the card. One or two of the matches had sprung from just one segment on one show – nowhere near good enough (even if the lack of attention to the Primus Allen match was semi deliberate...). Some conclusions from the last month: • One hour of TV a week simply wasn’t enough to build up a show if I was going to waste any of it. • I should have put the Gold Rush match on an On Tour match. • If a match on TV isn’t building to the monthly show – which isn’t broadcast on TV or PPV, so why do we make such a big deal of it, anyway? – then it’s of no use to us. • I can’t afford to waste time. • The matches booked for Iron looked remarkably similar to the matches booked for Beach Blast... • ...not that there’s anything wrong with that, as a tubby, balding guy with a New York accent and a baseball cap once told me. Occasionally I check the ‘net forums to see what people make of MAW. Generally, it’s positive. MAW’s product is a grower. The fans appreciate – usually, barring the occasional draw when I don’t want either guy to lose – clean finishes. They enjoy the action as well, and the fact that we have a sizable archive of previous shows and matches stored for online viewing is appreciated – especially the stuff with Aaron as champion, when we were at our peak in terms of performance. Of late, our fans have been a bit more restless. The unofficial brand split (let’s be honest about what it is) has had people complaining about the poorer quality of shows. There’s a strong and vocal minority urging us to ditch the undercard and make a run for Cult, at which point the PPV companies – who have a slavish devotion to the tew.com rankings unmatched even by the tew.com writers themselves – can offer us a deal. We’d love that too – but it’s not practical. Here’s why: At last September’s Vegas bash, I had the chance to sit down with the head of 4C, Troy Winner, and discuss life at Cult – and how it killed the company he’d built from near-enough nothing. [COLOR="Blue"]“It’s a tough son of a -----,” [/COLOR]he said, once I’d introduced myself and convinced him to discuss one of his less pleasant memories. [COLOR="Blue"]“We knew for months that we were likely to get canned. We couldn’t crack the venues we needed to make money. The Stones and the DeColts had no interest in any more competition, so they did nothing to help us. Oh, it was nothing overt, not most of the time, anyway. Running a show a few days before or after us in the same towns so that people would have to choose... You can’t get by at Cult with two-thousand seat venues. We lost our TV deal, we lost our big names... At one point, Eddie Peak was our big star. We had Rich Money, we had the Bumfholes. We were putting on some of the best matches in North America. But we couldn’t get the message out that we were worth watching.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]“We brought in Nemesis, so there was even that cult following towards the end – but it wasn’t enough. We weren’t making enough money to sustain the company. When you get to that size, everyone thinks you’re a millionaire – and I ain’t. What could we do? Nothing changed as far as we were concerned – it’s just perception. We weren’t magically filling bigger venues, we weren’t suddenly pulling more fans in places we hadn’t visited. It was a damn crock, eh?”[/COLOR] I nodded thoughtfully. I’d been on a rush to hit Cult, thinking of it as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – a land of pay-per-views, comfortable television audiences and six-figure advertising revenue. [COLOR="Blue"]“Come the end, we were back to the two-thousand seat venues, earning no more than we did before we hit Cult, and spilling cash at near enough five figures a day.”[/COLOR] I winced. Our biggest loss at that point had been something like forty-thousand, although in our first week of TV we topped out at nearly fifty-thousand. 4C had lost almost a quarter of a million in their last month – enough to convince almost anyone to hang it up. [COLOR="Blue"]“So don’t rush, James. Make sure you’ve got a few areas that can bring in the cash, and milk them for all they’re worth when you get there. We lost TV, we never made it onto pay-per-view... It would have been nice to pull it off, but there was no chance with things the way they were.”[/COLOR] I thought about that conversation a lot. We weren’t far off cult now – and our TV shows would get us there quickly enough, provided we put out more shows like tonight’s, and less like last week’s. We’d deliberately focused on building up three regions from (nearly) day one – really as soon as there was any sign of interest from the Great Lakes and Tri-State regions, we’d started playing there. The same tactics were now being put to use in the rest of the US. TV had given us a foothold everywhere except Hawaii – and that would be a recurring focus of the Moment of Madness and, eventually, the On Tour shows. There was a lot of America for us to cover. Fifty states (well... forty-nine. Who cares about Alaska?). Ten regions. In five of those regions, we’d struggle to fill a cupboard. Two more (Tri-State and Puerto Rico) had us just breaking the 100-fan barrier. In the Great Lakes and South East, we could reliably fill 1,000 seat venues – and soon enough, we’d be pushing for the 2,000 seaters. And, of course, the Mid Atlantic. Even with the economy and wrestling industry in freefall, we were turning people away from the Biker Museum every time we played there – and that was three times a month. Maybe we should stop here. Maybe we should drop television, run a twelve show month, and luxuriate in being the biggest little fed around. It was appealing. But at times like this, I thought about Rip. His plan had been to found a company that would turn out hot prospects, to be involved in the future of the industry. I’d bought into that, and I’d convinced him that it was possible to grow and teach at the same time. Running a show a month did nothing for anyone, frankly. Two shows a month was better, three better still... At times, I’d lost sight of our original goal. Growth for growth’s sake had been my mantra, and Rip had indulged me. The loss of people like Steve Flash and Chance Fortune had infuriated me – more than it should have done. Yes, I wanted to put on great shows, but I should be able to put on those shows without relying on the ready-made stars. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t bring in recognisable workers when I had the chance – I would, and if they brought in new fans, then I’d keep doing so. But equally, I wanted to make sure that those guys were used to improve the undercard, to enhance the popularity of guys like Brandon Smith and Casey Valentine. Signing the Moment Of Madness roster was an attempt to refocus on bringing through the youngsters (although a lot of the guys on the list weren’t young by any means). If even one of them got picked up by a bigger fed, I’d count it as a victory. Playing with the twins had made me realise that I’d strayed from my goal – from the rules I’d set Rip, unknowingly, all those years ago. It wasn’t possible to run a fed that did nothing but polish up the skills of young workers and send them off to the big leagues, not if you wanted to ever make a real profit from the business. But at the same time, taking on someone like Findlay O’Farraday or Jefferson Stardust, and maybe doing enough that they could survive in the TCW undercard, or giving Lenny Brown the solid fundamentals to back up his flashiness, and seeing him go on to boss the uppercard for NOTBPW... or even to see Kirk Jameson climb in the ring for SWF and be acknowledged as the brightest prospect in the country... That had to take precedence if I had to make the choice. I had to remember those ten simple rules... I stretched, and looked at my watch. With a sigh, I realised how late it was – well past the time I should have gone home. Katie was pretty tolerant, and the twins had been asleep well before she left me to wrap up. Still, that was something else to think about... There was already way too much travelling to do in this job. But then, I had someone coming in who I hoped would be able to help with that... As I locked up for the night, I thought about the following night’s show. It would be good – but from here on in, I would be using all four TV shows, plus time on the Tour and MOM shows, to build to the main show. If and when pay-per-view arrived, and if and when we had the chance to run it alongside TV... well, episodic development of our young kids into superstar workers who get snapped up by the top companies in the world seemed like the best of both worlds to me... * [CENTER][B]MAW Iron[/B] Suzanne Brazzle (c) vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title The Canadian Blondes (c) vs. The Second Sons – MAW Tag Team title Eddie Powell vs. Lord Geoffrey Windameer Primus Allen vs. Swoop McCarthy (c) – MAW Traditional title Bradford Peverell vs. ??? El Heroe Mexicano vs. Firebird “Machine” Jean Cattley (c) vs. Zimmy Bumfhole vs. Tim Westybrook – MAW World title[/CENTER]

[Phantom Stranger]

If I were to recommend cutting anything, it wouldn't be the TV; it'd be the Moment of Madness and On Tour shows, the extra cost. Sure, they're helping - but you can pull back to a core set of venues, develop overness there, and move forward that way...

[AzzMartin]

[B]MAW Iron[/B] [B]Suzanne Brazzle[/B] (c) vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title The Canadian Blondes (c) vs. [B]The Second Sons [/B]– MAW Tag Team title [B]Eddie Powell[/B] vs. Lord Geoffrey Windameer Primus Allen vs. [B]Swoop McCarthy [/B](c) – MAW Traditional title [B]Bradford Peverell[/B] vs. ??? [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Firebird “Machine” Jean Cattley (c) vs. Zimmy Bumfhole vs. [B]Tim Westybrook [/B]– MAW World title

[Briskout]

[B]Suzanne Brazzle (c)[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title - Just won the title. Not going anywhere I think The Canadian Blondes (c) vs. [B]The Second Sons [/B]– MAW Tag Team title - The Second Sons have a new mentor. The Blondes are still the Blondes Eddie Powell vs. [B]Lord Geoffrey Windameer[/B] - Windameer is awesome Primus Allen vs. [B]Swoop McCarthy (c)[/B] – MAW Traditional title - Right. Bradford Peverell vs. [B]???[/B] [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Firebird - Tough one but... “Machine” Jean Cattley (c) vs. Zimmy Bumfhole vs. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] – MAW World title - ..I think Tim wins and EHM winning will set him up for a title shot.

[Hyde Hill]

[B]Suzanne Brazzle (c)[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title- Not yet but soon The Canadian Blondes (c) vs. [B]The Second Sons[/B] – MAW Tag Team title -Sons are better and more deserving plus storyline Eddie Powell vs. [B]Lord Geoffrey Windameer[/B]- Seem to be pushing him Primus Allen vs. [B]Swoop McCarthy (c) [/B]– MAW Traditional title -Swoop! and bye bye Allen Bradford Peverell vs. [B]???[/B] -Peverell is a reliable jobber [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Firebird -The Heroe moves forward “Machine” Jean Cattley (c) vs. [B]Zimmy Bumfhole[/B] vs. Tim Westybrook- To set up zimmy vs Cattley and especially Zimmy vs Westy

[Bigpapa42]

[B]MAW Iron[/B] [B]Suzanne Brazzle[/B] (c) vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title [B]The Canadian Blondes[/B] (c) vs. The Second Sons – MAW Tag Team title Eddie Powell vs. [B]Lord Geoffrey Windameer[/B] Primus Allen vs. [B]Swoop McCarthy[/B] (c) – MAW Traditional title Bradford Peverell vs. [B]???[/B] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Firebird[/B] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] (c) vs. Zimmy Bumfhole vs. Tim Westybrook – MAW World title

[Hyde Hill]

On the point of costs etc. Keep ya tv show and Monthly show in the Mid Atlantic even if it means over exposure. Build up all except the Great Lakes and South East with the tour/moment of madness roster. This way you won't hit cult too fast while having overness across the States, except Hawai but who cares about that place! Keep the tour/mom shows short and with few wrestlers to cut costs just have a good main event so that the overness rises nicely which also leads upto the Monthly show. this should also prevent the lack of storyline problem atm. Keep T.V. down to one hour for now.

[Mattlore Devious]

MAW Iron [B]Suzanne Brazzle[/B] (c) vs. Joanne Rodriguez – MAW Women’s title [I]Champ retains - the faces need overness[/I] [B]The Canadian Blondes[/B] (c) vs. The Second Sons – MAW Tag Team title [I]Who really cares about the tag division?[/I] Eddie Powell vs. [B]Lord Geoffrey Windameer[/B] [I]Because I picked against him last time[/I] Primus Allen vs. [B]Swoop McCarthy[/B] (c) – MAW Traditional title [I]One of these two is Swoop McCarthy[/I] [B]Bradford Peverell[/B] vs. ??? [I]Always hard to pick[/I] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Firebird[/B] [I]Not quite ready[/I] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] (c) vs. Zimmy Bumfhole vs. Tim Westybrook – MAW World title [I]Westybrook's time can't be far off though..[/I]