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CZCW: Some Things Never Change


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A story of revenge, last chances, letting go, taking charge, and becoming the best in the world...

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http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229224/1024/CZCW/TCW-TotalMayhem.jpg

TCW Total Mayhem XV

Sunday, Week 4, May 2011

Staples Center

Los Angeles, CA

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“This match means so much more than just getting that briefcase, Jason…”

It was supposed to be my “at-last” moment. My date with destiny. The night that I had worked towards for almost four years.

 

It was the night when I was supposed to come down with that golden briefcase and win my first shot at the TCW World Heavyweight title.

 

Key word: SUPPOSED.

 

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229217/1024/CZCW/Sammy-Bach.jpg

 

“On one side, Sammy Bach: a man who has been electrifying this company for the past year, taking on all opponents, fighting so desperately for a shot at the top…”

 

In the middle of 2009, I was approached backstage by Joel Bryant, the man who was on the verge of shoving The Syndicate storyline down the collective throat of wrestling, neglecting all but those at the top. Most felt that the storyline had run its course, that it was making the shows more predictable and repetitive. Joel had heard of my dissatisfaction with my current push and came to me with the appearance of a concerned head booker.

 

Maybe he thought I was being a selfish punk, but it went beyond that. I was holding the All-Action title for the second time in my TCW career, and I wasn’t too happy about that. I felt that I was due for a push into the main event scene, not wanting to be just an opening match fireplug. My problems were with my current state, sure…but I was more concerned of where TCW was going.

 

SWF was booming, “Jack Bruce: Man Under Pressure” was the hottest storyline in decades, and Richard Eisen was becoming a very, very rich man.

 

“I have a feeling that this night could change TCW forever, Kyle!”

 

TCW had lost most of their financial backing, the age and bounce-back ability (or lack thereof) in the upper card was becoming painfully obvious, and The Syndicate storyline was on its last leg. The three-legged horse that started the race was now barely crawling down the track, people.

 

With the injuries taking their toll on a good bit of the roster, the product became a bit softer. They hadn’t sold out to the Sports Entertainment kool-aid of the SWF or even Hollyweird…but more angles and a less demanding in-ring product started to take shape. Storylines other than The Syndicate didn’t really matter, as they were “not what put the fans in the seats”.

 

Guys like Benny and Troy were becoming irritated at being thrown into feuds about as one-dimensional as The Syndicate, only cracking the main event when Joel needed someone to lose to Tommy or one of his boys.

 

I just became the voice of those opinions. Everyone else just seemed content with dealing with it, but appreciated what I did. I talked to the veterans on the roster, when they weren’t in the trainer’s room, and they turned a deaf ear to me. In the back of their minds, I bet, they thought I was just jealous of them. Maybe needed to “pay my dues” first.

 

“Just think of how much Sammy Bach has risen in the past year, fans! This is his moment!”

 

Listen: I was part of one of the most legendary tag team divisions in wrestling history. I had been involved in several award-winning ladder matches in my time at TCW, according to the magazines. I was just outside the top 25 wrestlers in the world today.

 

I had paid my dues, organized the meetings, and bought all of the t-shirts. If I wasn’t in “the club” by now, I would never get in.

 

Joel was less than impressed with my demeanor during our meeting, but I got my point across. I was sick of being stuck in the midcard. I was one of the best performers in the entire company. I had developed a cult following of fans. “Bach and Roll” signs were everywhere at our events. Pushing me just made sense.

 

I kept most of the “TCW is not going anywhere, you oblivious idiot” comments to myself in the conversation, though, just simply playing to what Joel thought of me: an irritated midcarder who was jealous of The Syndicate and their so-called popularity.

 

He told me that I needed to make myself more of a “total wrestler”. Don’t know if he was using that as a pun for one of the company’s trademark Cornell disciples or if he meant becoming a better all-around worker. I could fly with anyone else in the States, and always looked to get better by studying the greats out in Japan. And whenever I got the mic, I made sure that the fans were tuned in. But some more hard-hitting and technical wrestling skills could always help, I suppose.

 

He probably thought I was just going to blow him off and keep doing my own thing.

 

But a recurring theme in my TCW career has been my discontent with just being average, my willingness to do whatever it took to get to the top. If that meant semi-listening to Joel Bryant’s “advice”, so be it.

 

“Another stiff strike by Bach, a testament to that always-expanding skill set…”

 

I worked my tail off in the gym, in training, and in the film room. I wanted this more than anything…if I was ever going to make it in this company, this was my shot.

 

My new style and the extra muscle I had put on (all clean, unlike
some
folks on the roster, who are too “golden” to fail drug tests) was appreciated by all, or so I thought. I would find out later that Tommy still didn’t like my attitude, proving that once again that politics mattered more than in-ring ability.

 

He might preach that wrestling is most important in TCW, but it’s not. Never has been, never will be.

 

Catch your breath, fellas. TCW isn’t everything you think it is.

 

Anyway, I got bigger and better in the ring. Still could dominate the airways like nobody’s business, and had developed a reputation as one of the best strikers in wrestling. A visit to a Japanese kickboxing dojo became one of the best investments of my career.

 

“The evolution of Sammy Bach has been unbelievable, Jason…and we are seeing all of that come to a head in this match tonight!”

 

As the company I worked for absentmindedly rode their self-made plateau, I got better. I made sure that the crowd appreciated what I did in the ring. They might not have loved me as a heel, but I commanded their attention. I wanted to hit the spots that they would remember for weeks…I wanted to become their dark horse, the one that they would go on and on about on the forums and say “This guy is about to become a mega-star.” I didn’t need a cheesy gimmick, ridiculous amounts of airtime via a tired storyline, or the respect from the guys in charge.

 

I was going to go all out in whatever opportunities they gave me, put on matches and cut promos that got their attention…or I’d die trying.

 

Looking back, that was a waste.

 

Do I regret all of that hard work that made me become a better overall wrestler? No.

 

Do I realize that I could’ve shelled out dozens of A* matches in the midcard and still not have gotten the respect of Tommy and his boys? Yes.

“Listen to these fans here in Los Angeles…they are totally behind Bach!”

 

A couple of days before Total Mayhem XIV, Joel approached me. I was kind of stalling in the midcard after dropping the All-Action title to a big feud between Aaron Andrews and Edd Stone. At first I thought it was my first “shape up or you’re out of here” discipline meeting, as my contract was quickly coming to a close, but it wasn’t. Joel said that Tommy and the other vets wanted me around for a special purpose. They wanted to resign me.

 

“We’ve heard your dissatisfaction about what’s happened in your time here, Sammy,” Joel told me. “What you will do in the next year will be huge for our company, for the fans and the entire roster as a whole. You are the only person we want for this…we need you to resign.”

 

He laid out the plans for me to turn face at Total Mayhem, becoming someone so focused on destroying The Syndicate once and for all. While guys like RDJ and Joey Minnesota would focus on taking down Cornell, my personal mission was to knock Wolf Hawkins out of the entire company.

 

This would be an emotional and physical feud, filled with a bunch of twists and turns that surprised me. It wasn’t anything like any TCW storyline I had ever seen. They were putting all their chips into this one.

 

The details were still hazy past the first few months of the feud, so I wasn’t all gung-ho about it. I reluctantly signed a one year deal with the company, and the storyline began.

 

There was something odd about this deal, though. I couldn’t put my finger on why Tommy wanted me. They were so used to “punishing” me for my remarks on my Twitter and backstage by offering me the no push type of silent treatment. And I know that they didn’t respect me a whole lot, even after it appeared that I followed Joel’s advice…but, remember, I did it for me. Not Joel, Tommy, or anyone else.

 

“We could see him destroy The Syndicate once and for all, fans…”

 

It didn’t click at first that I had become part of what I hated about this company: The Syndicate storyline. I was becoming force-fed to the fans, but I tried to make sure that I wasn’t here to become just another faceless adversary of Tommy and Wolf. As I always have in my career, I put my own personal flair to the storyline…from throwing in personal comments about Wolf during promos (stuff that had nothing to do with his character, just some damaging stuff from knowing him backstage) to openly attacking Tommy Cornell as the boss, not just the wrestler, on TV.

 

My “roadies”, as I like to call them via Twitter (except for the female fans…they were my Bach and Roll groupies, a group that Emma didn’t like too much at times), ate it up. I became the hero of the IWC. I spoke my mind in front of the camera, something I always did with my social media. I might have crossed the line a few times throughout the extent of the storyline, but it seemed to not have mattered. Joel and the others didn’t chastise me, just silently kept pushing my way in the storyline. Hey, if I was going to end The Syndicate, I was going to do it my way.

 

“Someone is about to prepare for the match of their lives…and the other is about to leave TCW!”

 

Right before this event, Total Mayhem XV, the biggest stage in Total Championship Wrestling, I was signed to a winner-take-all Golden Briefcase ladder match, one-on-one against Wolf. Inside the briefcase was the contract to have a World Heavyweight title match that the winner could cash in at any time, and the walking papers for the loser, waiting for Tommy Cornell’s signature.

 

Now, I know what you’re thinking.
Sammy, this is insane. There is absolutely NO WAY that Tommy Cornell would ever fire Wolf Hawkins…they even recognize him as Tommy’s protégé on-camera!
That is all true, my dear friends. But, backstage, everyone knew (or seemed to know) what was about to go down.

 

“All of the punishment that these two men have delivered to each other in the past year is showing in the ring here tonight…”

 

My legend in TCW was growing, and I was due for a World title shot against Rocky Golden in the near future. What they also knew was that Wolf was getting the mess beat out of him, mostly by me, and was on the verge of a serious injury. His work rate had declined terribly, and little minor injuries…the ones that you could still perform with, just with some hitches…kept him from being that shining student that he had always portrayed. The plan, spoken to me by Joel Bryant himself, was for me to win, get the title after a good feud with the recently-turned Rocky Golden, and become that star that I’ve always deserved to be. (I added that last part. Joel would never say that, even if he was lying to me.)

 

Wolf would have a long vacation and possibly a neck surgery, returning later on down the road as a masked face who would become a major thorn in Tommy’s side.

 

It all sounded good and I was ecstatic. Even though I played by my own rules and defied the norm around TCW, my overness and momentum with the fans was enough to keep me in the spotlight. I even began cooling my jets, not being so anti-authority all of the time. Tommy and I were on speaking terms again.

 

Luckily, I didn’t re-sign before this date. My official contract with TCW was coming to a close within a month…my pessimistic side wanted to make sure that this match went smoothly before I put my signature down. I had all the intentions to re-sign with them on Monday, even scheduling a meeting with Joel. Since that title shot wasn't contractually bound, I was glad that it was coming at the early part of the renegotiation period.

 

But, despite all of their prodding, I didn't re-sign in advance.

 

Thank God I did that.

 

“Yet another elbow drop from the top of the ladder by Bach! What else are we going to see in this already historic night in TCW!”

 

Wolf and I were in the main event of this match, as Rocky turned heel in the semi-main event, retreating to a DQ to retain his title against resident tweener Rick Law. Not the most definite way to turn your champion heel (Rocky made it look more like a common sense type of move instead of a sinister one…muscled-up airhead), but I kept my mouth shut. I was about to headline Total Mayhem in front of a jam-packed Staples Center. Kobe Bryant just thought he was the show stealer in this place.

 

Right before I got to the stage entrance, as I was psyching myself up for the biggest match of my life, Edd Stone came up to me backstage. The usual prankster, I thought it was just a joke when he told me to “seriously watch my back” in this match. His face was completely serious, something I thought was physically impossible for Edd.

 

I thought that was odd. The finish was already set in stone, we had worked on it for weeks: I was going to do a rolling powerbomb off of the top of the ladder, planting Wolf on his head. Tommy was going to run down the ramp and try to intervene, but I would cut him off with a springboard Adrenaline Shot. I would get the briefcase and fish for Wolf’s pink slip, demanding that Cornell fire his own wrestling pride and joy at once. It was going to be epic.

 

But, thirty minutes later, when Wolf no-sold my setup to the rolling powerbomb, I knew something was seriously wrong.

“That doesn’t faze Hawkins! Bach knows that he’s in trouble now!”

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First off, thanks everyone for the explosion of comments. I can't wait for this one to get going, but a good bit of backstory must take place first. Hope nobody minds that...

 

Love the set-up and back-stabbing shenanigans so far LLK (as well as the premise of Bach returning home). I'm guessing this CZCW diary is going a different direction to the one you previewed in the aptly-named diary preview thread?

There will be some similarities, which you will find in the posts to come. Glad to have you on board, Sebs.

 

 

Probably will have a post or two up tonight as Bach inches closer to one of the most catastrophic events in US wrestling history...it'll be fun, no doubt.

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Probably will have a post or two up tonight as Bach inches closer to one of the most catastrophic events in US wrestling history...it'll be fun, no doubt.

 

Post now :p. I need to know whether Wolf/Cornell/Whoever screws Bach, or whether it backfires. Also will Eddy Stone be showing up in CZCW after being fired for snitching? So many questions....

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First off, thanks everyone for the explosion of comments. I can't wait for this one to get going, but a good bit of backstory must take place first. Hope nobody minds that...
Hell no. You keep that backstory coming.

 

Post now :p. I need to know whether Wolf/Cornell/Whoever screws Bach, or whether it backfires. Also will Eddy Stone be showing up in CZCW after being fired for snitching? So many questions....

 

Will Bach survive the shoot move as a wrestler is my question. Because a *no longer wrestling* Sammy Bach and a *still an awesome wrestler* Sammy Bach are two completely different scenarios for both TCW and CZCW. The former could have you push TCW down to Cult as the whole situation breathes controversy and chaos while Cornell & co take the heat for it, and explains why he doesn't go to SWF or USPW. The latter has a healthy Bach leading the CZCW charge, but would require a good explanation as to why he didn't just jump to the SWF or USPW with all his controversy-boosted popularity.

 

And as a note to TLLK3: You've already boosted SB's profile in my eyes from jobber to the stars (as to how I treat him) to interesting prospect. So please, continue. :p

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Sammy Bach vs. Wolf Hawkins

Golden Briefcase Ladder Match

TCW Total Mayhem XV

"The SoCal Screwjob"

 

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http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229217/1024/CZCW/Sammy-Bach.jpghttp://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/4311992/640/%2777/vs8.jpghttp://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229219/1024/CZCW/Wolf-Hawkins-alt1.jpg

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“Bach and Hawkins battling it out on the top of the ladder…going for some sort of rolling powerbomb…but no! Hawkins stops him dead in his tracks, and both men are going down…off of the 15-foot ladder!”

 

Wrestling fans love swerves. As a wrestler and a student of the business, I love them too.

 

But when I’m involved, let me know, please.

 

So, Hawkins completely fought through my attempt, locked arms with me, and caused the both of us to tip the ladder over. I hit the mat hard, while Wolf reached out for the ropes, semi-wrapping himself in them, preventing a lot of impact.

 

The wind was knocked completely out of me, and I guess it looked good on the camera. I would later see them focused in on my utterly shocked face, not knowing that this wasn’t the part I was supposed to be playing.

 

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229218/1024/CZCW/Tommy-Cornell-alt3.jpg

 

Right on cue, as if the rolling powerbomb spot happened, Tommy came down the ramp. But he wasn’t running down it like we had planned…he was taking his time, a sort of strut. A smirk that reeked of pure “We got you now, punk” was plastered on his face.

 

Still clinging on to hope that this was just a botched procedure, I scrambled to my feet and prepared for that springboard Adrenaline Shot off of the top rope. I almost had my feet on the rope, ready to spring and give Tommy a stiffer shot than planned, when it hit me.

 

And by “it”, I mean a steel chair, blindsiding me via the swing of Sam Keith.

 

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/6229220/1024/CZCW/Sam-Keith-alt1.jpg

 

“WHAT?!?!?!? Sam Keith has come through the crowd and ATTACKED Bach as well!”

 

Keith had never been one of my biggest fans. We didn’t talk much backstage…I was under the impression that he was one of Tommy’s “boys”. Keith was a veteran voice backstage, and he never really showed that he viewed me any differently than the rest of the crew. On camera, Sam was just a tormenting technician that only trusted himself. Turns out that he was one of them, the final piece in their despicable plot.

 

I knew about Tommy coming in and attacking, but I wasn't expected this at all. First the botch, now this? Something wasn't going according to plan.

 

Joel said that if any interference came in, fight like heck...you know, to make sure you look like more of the triumphant underdog hero.

 

Wolf had distracted the referee by feigning an injury, allowing the chair shot from Keith, which knocking me over the ropes and right into the clutches of Tommy. He yanked me up by the hair and whispered “You brought this on yourself, bloody fool,” into my ear.

 

“Tommy has total control of Bach now…Rough Justice…right into the hard floor! Bach is out like a light!”

 

By the time I could see straight, Wolf had climbed up the ladder and unhooked the briefcase to a thunderous chorus of boos.

 

Well, it looks like there won't be any comebacks tonight.

 

Trash was even getting thrown into the ring area as Tommy and Sam looked on with arrogant sneers.

 

I sat up and stared off into space, trying to get my bearings. Between the ladder botch, the chair shot, and Rough Justice into the thin protective mats, my head wasn’t doing well. But the harsh reality of what had just happened was screaming as loud as the pain.

 

“What could be going through the mind of Sammy Bach right now, Jason?”

 

Sammy,
I said to myself,
they set you up. You have been screwed over in the worst of ways. You just thought you were getting your big break. How could you fall for this? You’ll forever be known in this company as the poster child of what happens when you don’t shut up and do what you’re told.

 

Look at them. You’ll never be a Tommy Cornell. You’ll never be a Sam Keith. You’ll never be a Joel Bryant or a Ricky Dale Johnson. Heck, you won’t even be a Wolf Hawkins or a Rocky Golden.

 

You’re right. I won’t.

 

I am better than them all.

 

What matters to me is what’s in the ring, not who you know or what you did for the boss backstage. You were against all the odds from the start. My worth comes from putting on the best freaking wrestling match in the ring and making the fans go home happy.

 

Sure, Tommy and Sam are talented guys. But they’ve got power. They’ve got egos that will get the best of them constantly. They know who they like and that’s all that matters. They run a product that fits them as wrestlers without regard to what the fans may or may not want to see.

And that’s why they are on the verge of running this place straight into the ground.

 

“Well, Mr. Bach, looks like your time in this company is up,” Tommy hissed into a microphone, snapping me back to reality. I rubbed my head and made my way to my feet, staring down the three all the way. “Your ultimate dreams are all dead now. You lost. You messed with us to our breaking point and now you see what you’ve brought on yourself.

 

“You’ve been a good-sized pain in the neck for years now to us, Samuel. You fought hard against us…you were that bloody gnat that won’t stop…just trying to make yourself noticed. You wanted attention? You got it. But what you wanted has now slipped right between your fingers, all because of us. And now we’ll never have to worry about you again.

 

“It’s over, Bach. You’re time is up.”

 

“It’s apparent that there is no love lost between these two sides…”

 

Was he talking kayfabe or being for real? I haven’t necessarily been Tommy Cornell’s number one fan since I signed on here, and vice versa. I did want a shot, and I did what it took to get there. Hard, back-breaking work, while others in this company rose faster than me thanks to their politics.

 

That was my shot. I worked for that. I got the fans behind me. I busted my tail in every conceivable way, knowing that they couldn’t ignore me for long.

 

I did get their attention. I didn’t see their motives behind it, however.

 

And now, it comes to this: on the verge of a concussion, being shot on by three of my worst company enemies, and humiliated to the point of no title shot and no contract.

 

This was not what I signed up for.

 

“Tommy, Tommy…” Wolf screeched, tapping him on the shoulder. “He’s got nothing left. Let’s see what he has to say for himself.”

 

Sam nodded at Tommy, a silent vote of approval. He shot his eyes at me, a piercing glare full of utter hatred. Well, that solved that mystery. Apparently he’s always hated me.

 

“Sounds like a good idea, Wolf,” Tommy replied. He motioned for one of the nameless staff clad in their black TCW polos. “Get Mr. Bach a microphone. You like to talk, Samuel? You always have…here, how about a farewell address to your ‘roadies’?” he sarcastically asked.

 

One of the polo guys rudely shoved me a microphone. What, does everyone here hate me now?

 

I cleared my throat and gathered my thoughts once more, slowly stepping into the ring. I stared down the ones who set me up.

 

Who betrayed me.

 

Who lied to my face.

 

Who wanted me gone.

 

Who screwed me over.

 

I opened my mouth and let the words charge out of me like a kamikaze attack, wanting nothing but total destruction, whatever the costs.

 

These three and any more cowards backstage were about to feel the wrath of Bach…

 

“Kyle, this might be the last time that we ever hear from Sammy Bach in a TCW ring…”

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CM Punk...CM Punk...CM Pu...

 

Wait, I mean Sammy Bach..Sammy Bach...Sammy Bach...:D (Sorry, having Bach shoot got the better of me.)

 

Seriously good work so far.

Someone has recognized the inspiration for this character...

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Someone has recognized the inspiration for this character...

 

Ha, I saw lots of little references that, intended or not, pointed towards Mr. Punk (or atleast his on screen character).

 

Saying Tommy Cornell (The Boss/Mr McMahon) never really appreciated him, calling Keith one of Tommy's boys (A kiss ***), and finally getting what he wanted, a microphone, at the very end of his contract (and I think its safe to say he used it (or will be using it if the speech is coming up in a later post) in a way that would make Punk proud).

 

And like the others I am on the edge of my seat. (Well bed actually :p)

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I have to say, I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I love the writing. You've got an awesome style, and I miss your KANZEN diary. On the other hand... Oh noez! Sammy Bach, DAVE wonder child, has been screwed over by POLITICS! Big wrestling boss is TEH EVULZ! And what will we see next? Breaking kayfabe! That solves everything, the fans love that!

 

I love your style, I've enjoyed your previous dynasties, but I'll like this a lot better once the CZCW shows start and the backstory stops. The Screwjob was a dead horse years ago, flogging it further won't make it better.

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