(RTL) Ellis Jackson versus the World

[Sternum]

ELLIS JACKSON versus the WORLD

 

High School finished in June, and I immediately moved out of my parents' house in Hempstead, Long Island and into a dingy studio apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. I had been accepted into Columbia University, where I planned to study business. It was time to seek fortune and glory.

 

Columbia's football team is terrible, but their athletic facilities are world-class, so I spent my spare time in the gym. There I met a personal trainer named Blassko who told me that with a physique like mine, I could make some easy money in the wrestling business. It was a sell, of course. He planned to train me himself and wasn't going to do it for free. He claimed to know a promoter in Brooklyn who could get me matches.

 

Although I was sceptical and should have known better, he had me intrigued. I gave him what was left of my savings and spent my summer learning the basics.

 

ELLIS JACKSON

 

SKILLS

Overall Rating 300/350

Spirit 300/300

Strength 300/850

Striking 600/800

Grappling 150/700

Ground 50/600

Speed 50/600

Stamina 300/1000

Athleticism 300/1000

 

ATTRIBUTES

Respected Brawler (+5% to Upper Body Strikes)

Showman (+5% to any taunts)

 

MOVES

Low Level Moves

Atomic Drop, Backdrop, Begging Off Eye Poke, Begging Off Sucker Punch, Bodyslam, Chair Shot To Ribs, Choke Hold, Clothesline, Corner Choke, Corner Elbow, Corner Forearm Blow, Corner Knife Edge Chop, Corner Open Handed Chop, Corner Repeated Shoulder Rams, Corner Slap To Chest, Corner Ten Punch, Elbow Drop, Eye Poke, Face Rake, Fist Drop, Forearm To Back, Forearm To Back Of Head, Front Facelock, Hair Pull Takedown, Hammerlock, Headbutt, Kick To Gut, Kick To Knee, Knee Drop, Knee Lift, Knife Edge Chop, Legdrop, On-Apron Clothesline To Inside, On-Apron Forearm Blow, On-Apron Headbutt, On-Apron Kick To Gut, On-Apron Knee Lift, On-Apron Punch, Open Handed Chop, Punch, Punch Flurry, Ring Apron Face Slam, Ring Apron Forearm Blow, Ring Apron Headbutt, Ring Apron Punch, Ring Apron Turnbuckle Smash, Running Clothesline, Running Face Smash, Running Shoulder Block, Side Headlock, Side Headlock Closed Fist, Slap To Chest, Stomp, Ten Turnbuckle Smashes, Throat Thrust, Turnbuckle Smash

 

Medium Level Moves

Attempted Mask Removal, Avalanche, Big Legdrop, Bionic Elbow, Blindside High Knee, Cable Choke Out, Cage Rake, Chair Shot To Arm, Chair Shot To Back, Chair Shot To Knee, Cheating Roll Up, Chop Block, Corner Boot Scrape, Corner Clothesline, Corner Forearm Charge, Corner Forearm Flurry, Corner Stomp Flurry, Discus Clothesline, Discus Punch, Face Rub Taunt, Guard Rail Atomic Drop, Headbutt To Groin, Inverted Atomic Drop, Knee Plant, Leaping Elbow Drop, Legdrop To Groin, Piledriver, Posing Elbow Drop, Rebound Knee Lift, Ring Apron Ram, Ring Post Smash, Rope-Assisted Choke Hold, Rope-Assisted Double Footed Choke, Roundhouse Body Punch, Roundhouse Punch, Running Cheating Roll Up, Running Forearm Blow, Running Knee Drop, Running Knee Lift, Running Schoolboy Roll Up, Schoolboy Roll Up, Seated Back Kick, Seated Kick, Splash, Stomp Flurry, Stomp To Groin, Strong Knife Edge Chop, Strong Open Handed Chop, Thrust Kick, Thrust Kick To Corner, Trash Can To Back, Trash Can To Head, Trash Talk, Triple Forearm Blow, Vertical Body Press, Violent Hair Grab Takedown

 

High Level Moves

Begging Off Low Blow, Chair Shot From Above, DDT, Get Up Taunt, Low Blow, Mafia Kick, Slapping Taunt, Slit Throat Motion, Stalk Grounded Enemy, Stump Piledriver

 

Finisher Level Moves

Brass Knuckles Punch, Call For Finisher Taunt, Chair Shot To Head, Corner Running Low Blow Kick, Double Arm DDT, Low Blow Kick, Running Big Boot, Stunning Face Crusher, Super Kick

[Sternum]

<p>In January, Blassko got me a booking with Brooklyn Four-Star Wrestling, which was an indie promotion that ran shows out of a warehouse in Red Hook. The pay was terrible, but Blassko insisted that I needed experience more than money. </p><p> </p><p>

The promoter was a crusty-looking character by the name of Jake whose claim to fame was a brief stint as Peter Valentine's manager back in the 80s. He had me come in early to set-up the ring and sign half-a-dozen insurance waivers. It wasn't a good sign.</p><p> </p><p>

Later in the evening, as the show was about to start, Jake took me aside and broke down the evening. "Listen up, Jackson. You're going to début tonight in a tag match with Remmy." He paused and nodded to a lanky-looking guy on the other side of the room, "He's been doing this for a couple years and has enough ring sense to keep you protected. Just follow his lead."</p><p> </p><p>

"What's my gimmick?" I asked.</p><p> </p><p>

"You're a spoiled rich kid from Long Island. You're enrolled in an Ivy League school," he replied. "Just run with it."</p><p> </p><p>

</p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="match_01.jpg" data-src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7888410/tew/ws3_jackson/match_01.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p>

<strong>Ellis Jackson & Remmy Honeyman vs. Romeo Romaro & Phobia</strong></p><p>

(American Indy) Independent Tagging, part 1</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>

(00:00) *** The match began with Romaro and Honeyman in the ring</p><p> </p><p>

(03:06) Remmy takes an early offensive lead and proceeds to wear down Romaro with a series of holds and locks. It wasn't the most exciting display of wrestling, but it was effective. </p><p> </p><p>

(03:18) Romeo slips out of a suplex and ducks under a clothesline before tagging out. Here comes Phobia!</p><p> </p><p>

(04:10) Phobia immediately goes to the top rope, and Remmy has a hard time keeping up. </p><p> </p><p>

(06:40) Remmy finally corners the luchador and spends three minutes wearing down his knees. With Phobia contained and things going our way, Remmy generously tags out so I can get my first taste of the action.</p><p> </p><p>

(09:46) WOW! Phobia spends three minutes schooling me. He dodges everything I throw at him and immediately dishes back some lucha moves that leave me dizzy and nauseous. I manage to toss him off of the top rope and desperately tag Remmy back into the match.</p><p> </p><p>

(12:57) Remmy tackles Phobia and immediately locks him into a Boston Crab. The match grinds to a halt as he slowly dismantles his opponent. Things shift our way until Remmy taunts the luchador. Phobia knocks him over while Romaro makes the tag.</p><p> </p><p>

(16:14) Remmy brawls with Romeo Romero, starting with a series of corner forearm blows. Romeo gets a few licks in, but Remmy is relentless. He hits a fallaway slam and a belly-to-belly suplex before nailing Romeo with a nasty-looking DDT. Romeo is bleeding! Again, just as things start to go our way, Remmy tags me back in...</p><p> </p><p>

(17:43) Romeo doesn't look very good, so I decide to give him everything I've got. I nail him with my mafia kick, but he manages to get his shoulder up to break the three count. Then he avoids or slips out of everything I try... DDT, piledriver... I'm running out of moves. Finally he breaks a headlock and tags out to Phobia. </p><p> </p><p>

(18:39) Phobia... well... Phobia scares me. He's too fast. I take a breather and roll out of the ring. I pace around for a bit and toss a steel chair into the ring in for show. Then I hit him with a takedown and a couple stomps before tagging Remmy back into the match.</p><p> </p><p>

(21:03) It goes back and forth for a few minutes. Remmy gets Phobia into joint locks when he can, but he gets run around the ring a few times and takes some dropkicks in the process. Phobia tags Romeo.</p><p> </p><p>

(24:43) Remmy dismantles Romeo, but things shift suddenly and Remmy starts taking a series of DDTs and drop-toe holds. When Remmy does mount an offense, Romeo breaks out of it. Remmy blocks what he can, but things are not going his way. He tags me back into the ring.... </p><p> </p><p>

(26:21) Romeo tags in Phobia as soon as I enter the ring. I'm immediately knocked over with a drop kick and a series of sentons. He goes up top. I try to shake him off the ropes, but eat a double-axe handle, followed by a legdrop bulldog.</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>(26:25) *** Phobia got a three count on Jackson</strong></p><p>

<strong>MATCH RATING: TWO STARS</strong></p><p>

<strong>XP: +25 (25 total)</strong></p><p> </p><p>

A loss on my début stung, but it was a pretty good match. I could have handled Romeo, but Phobia's speed was incredible. I was moving in slow-motion by comparison, which didn't give me much room for counter-attacking.</p>

[Sternum]

<p>Despite our loss, we put on a good show, so Jake invited Remmy and me to run another tag team match on the following Saturday night. It was cold outside and there were barely 50 people in attendance, but the show must go on. </p><p> </p><p>

</p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="match_02.jpg" data-src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7888410/tew/ws3_jackson/match_02.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p>

<strong>Ellis Jackson & Remmy Honeyman vs. Rex Reeves & Ron Greenhorn</strong></p><p>

(American Indy) Independent Tagging, part 2</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>

(00:00) *** The match began with Honeyman and Greenhorn in the ring</p><p> </p><p>

(00:03) Honeyman hit a Punch</p><p> </p><p>

(02:17) The match started out as a simple brawl between Remmy and Greenhorn. Punches and chops flew back and forth until Remmy wrestled his opponent to the ground and applied his usual combination of joint locks. As always, he generously tags me in as things are going our way.</p><p> </p><p>

(05:43) Another embarrassing show of rookie mistakes and incompetence! I attempt to brawl with Greenhorn, but he gets me down on the ground and starts pulling my joints out of their sockets in sequential order. I'm not much of a mat wrestler, so I just eat it. Greenhorn takes a moment to pose for the crowd and I quickly tag out.</p><p> </p><p>

(08:11) Remmy floors Greenhorn with a European uppercut. He works him over on the ground before putting him through a series of atomic drops and suplexes. Greenhorn is looking green in the gills. Reeves makes the tag and gets himself involved.</p><p> </p><p>

(14:26) Reeves is a cruiserweight, but doesn't have anywhere near Phobia's speed or agility. Remmy gets a hold of him and never lets go. After a quick series of punches, he pulls Reeves to the ground and goes after his knees relentlessly. I almost felt bad for the guy. When Reeves finally tags Greenhorn back in, he rolls out of the ring like a used dishrag.</p><p> </p><p>

(19:59) Greenhorn and Remmy go back and forth in a display of old school mat wrestling, with neither man getting an advantage until Remmy hits a face crusher. He gets a two-count, but Greenhorn makes the hot tag to Reeves.</p><p> </p><p>

(20:46) With Reeves already spent, Remmy decides to tag me back into the ring. He is a gentleman first and foremost.</p><p> </p><p>

(26:37) I realize that I'm a brawler, not a wrestler, and proceed to beat Reeves back and forth across the ring. He breaks up my momentum with a few sentons, but I poke him in the eyes and lay him out with a bodyslam. I let Remmy finish the match.</p><p> </p><p>

(32:58) Remmy beats on Reeves for a few minutes before hitting him with his American figure four leglock. Reeves breaks it, but it doesn't do him much good. Remmy hits a facecrusher!</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>(33:03) *** Honeyman got a three count on Reeves</strong></p><p><strong>

MATCH RATING: TWO STARS</strong></p><p><strong>

XP: +100 (125 total)</strong></p><p> </p><p>

I wisely let Remmy do most of the driving in this match. It's becoming obvious that Blassko's training has left me a one-dimensional brawler in the ring. I'm going to need to work on speed and technique if I want to go anywhere in this business.</p>

[Sternum]

<p><strong>TRADEMARK MOVE</strong></p><p>

Money Talks taunt</p><p>

With the victim down on the mat, the attacker pulls a wad of money from his pocket and proceeds to stuff his opponent's mouth with dollar bills.</p><p> </p><p>

Market Drop (a double-armed DDT)</p><p>

With a doubled up opponent, the attacker grabs the arms in a double underhook, then falls backward, driving the victim's head into the mat.</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>XP: -70 (55 total)</strong></p>