Thursday, December 3, 2009Thursday, December 3, 2009Thursday, December 3, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Once again, we have a lot to catch up on; there just never seems to be any time to put virtual "pen to paper" and come up with a new Commentary in a timely fashion. We left off on September 24, discussing how I had defended my Okanagan-Interior Title with a disputed victory over Friar MacBeth in Enderby on August 28. Immediately after that column, it was time to hit the road for back-to-back dates on Vancouver Island: September 25 in Victoria for PWA: B.C. and September 26 for All-Star Wrestling. The Sugar family had actually been on the Island since September 23, having hit the road early that Wednesday morning; after getting some bad ferry information, we finally ended our 12-hour trip by getting to our old hometown around 6pm that night. Because I work nights at my "real job" (and my work-week ends at 6am Wednesday morning), that made for a long-ass day: I fell asleep as soon as we unpacked the truck, and didn't wake until about 10am on Thursday.
But after catching up on some much-needed sleep, I was ready and willing to take on the competition on Friday night in Victoria...which was a good thing, since I had to wrestle twice that night! Things started with me facing "The Greaser" Ronnie Angel in singles competition; however, it turns out that both of us had been lead to believe we would be fighting for the British Columbia Heavyweight Title that night. When it quickly turned out we were facing each other with nothing on the line, we both took our frustrations out on the Victoria crowd (I lived in the provincial capital for a year, and hated every day of it), before getting in the ring and doing anything but wrestling: stretching, chit-chatting, etc. The crowd was getting annoyed; we didn't care, but someone else did: the massive "Prince of Power" Lak Siddartha! The reign B.C. Heavyweight Champion stormed out, grabbed a microphone, and said if we got off our asses and started fighting, he'd gladly give the winner of our match a title shot that very night! Knowing I already had a shot at Siddartha's belt the very next night in Campbell River, I had nothing to lose in garnering another crack at the gold, so Angel and I stopped goofing off and tore into each other.
This wasn't a scientific encounter by any stretch of the imagination, as Angel and I beat the snot out of each other in an effort to get that coveted title shot. Unfortunately, things fell apart rather quickly and we brawled to the outside...resulting in a double-countout. I disputed with Special Referee, Adam Firestorm, that I should be declared the winner as I was almost in the ring at the count of ten, but Firestorm wasn't listening to my cockamamie excuses. It didn't matter, but Lak Siddartha charged back out and came up with his own solution to the problem: a three-way Hardcore Match as tonight's Main Event!
Backstage, Ronnie and I tried to formulate a plan: one that would neutralize the massive size and strength of The Prince of Power, and leave the two of us with the best possible chance at winning the title. But just like any best-laid plans, they quickly went awry, and it was every man for himself! A young fan at ringside handed me a basketball, and I hit a nifty two-hand pass that drilled The Greaser in the midsection, doubling him over; I used that advantage to stuff my American opponent into a dirty trashcan...shoving him right into the waiting boot of Lak Siddartha. The champion battered the can-trapped Angel mercilessly, as I cheered him on, only to get pummeled by the big man, myself. Back in the ring, Angel had recuperated and was throwing some nasty chairshots, but nobody could get a clear-cut advantage. Ronnie Angel almost had things won when he laid dropped Siddartha with a Shake, Rattle & Roll, but I surprised The Greaser with The Muzzle, putting Ronnie down to his knees...where he drilled me with a wicked shot that was wayyyyy South of the border. As I lay there on the mat, in agony, Ronnie walked right into an F-5 from Siddartha, and the big man had another B.C. Heavyweight Title defense on his resume.
Post-match, I got into an argument with the referee, Kitt Warden, which was not the best idea: Kitt is a world-travelled MMA fighter and he didn't take kindly to my shoving and berating him...he sucker-punched me and tried to rip my arm from its socket! Real tough: attacking a guy who had just wrestled two brutal matches. Maybe next time I'll be ready for such Pearl Harbor tactics and take a bite out of this guy, in true Mad Dog fashion!
Saturday night, it was off to Campbell River, where I had another shot at Siddartha; but first, I was coerced into being part of a "Disco Dance Competition" that was being organized by Disco Fury. Not being a big fan of Disco, and having more important things on my mind (like the B.C. Heavyweight Title), I entertained the crowd with a little rendition of the Macarena (to the tune of "Bad To The Bone," of all things!), then walked off, eliminating myself. The whole debacle turned into a skirmish between Team Japanada and The Kelownafornians, and in the melee, Seth Knight injured his knee and had to be helped to the back.
While Seth was being attended to, I headed to the ring for another match with Lak Siddartha. Despite putting in a valiant effort against a much larger foe, the third time was not charming: it ended with another F-5 and another pinfall loss to The Prince of Power. Rumor has it that the powers that be are trying to work around Lak's many Ontario bookings, to give him a shot at my Okanagan-Interior Title...so if I am going to figure out a way to beat that monster, it better be sooner than later!
As the show reached the Main Event of the evening (Kelownafornians vs. Team Japanada for the Tag Team Titles), it had become gravely apparent that Seth Knight was not going to be able to wrestle: his knee was a mess. I offered to replace Seth in the Main Event, since I still have unfinished in-ring business with my K-Town pals, Adam Fedyk and Collin Cutler...but in his broken Engrish, The Great Kasaki refused to team with me, and chose Disco Fury! I stood by and watched as the miscommunication between Disco and Kasaki lead to another Tag Team Title defense for Cutler and Fedyk; but I knew that I would get a chance to resolve this issue, myself, in seven short days.
Meanwhile, the show also included a "Goodbye Match" between Torch and Disco Fury, as Adam Firestorm donned the mask one final time. Adam's long-standing arm injury had made it impossible for him to continue wrestling, but he wanted to have one final match to go out in style. After getting the pinfall on his mentor, Disco gave a heartfelt speech thanking Adam for his contributions to wrestling in the Pacific Northwest, and Adam in turned thanked the fans for all their support during his amazing career. Later that very night, while driving home to Victoria with "Mr. Thug" Ken Cossitt and "Dirty Money" Shaun Myall, Adam got a faceful of elk as Thug's truck smashed into the beast on the highway. Miraculously, Adam only suffered a mild concussion and a few scrapes...and a sockful of windshield glass, of all things. Everyone was happy to be able to chuckle over Adam's humorous dismissal of a potential disaster.
Of course, there would be no laughter on November 5, as Adam shockingly passed away. The entire Pacific Northwest wrestling world was left stunned and saddened. Adam was indeed one of the true "nice guys" in wrestling; from the day I met him, Adam always treated me like a friend and a brother...I didn't have to "prove myself" to Adam Dykes, he respected the efforts I was making in the ring, and complimented and gave constructive criticism that I found invaluable. Plus, he was funny as Hell, always quick with a joke or an interesting wrestling road story. He was also a dedicated video historian of our sport, and an amazing wrestling announcer. Here's a prime example, as he makes my out-of-shape ass sound like a killer on September 15, 2007 (the very first night I unveiled the "Mad Dog" gimmick):
Backstage, Ronnie and I tried to formulate a plan: one that would neutralize the massive size and strength of The Prince of Power, and leave the two of us with the best possible chance at winning the title. But just like any best-laid plans, they quickly went awry, and it was every man for himself! A young fan at ringside handed me a basketball, and I hit a nifty two-hand pass that drilled The Greaser in the midsection, doubling him over; I used that advantage to stuff my American opponent into a dirty trashcan...shoving him right into the waiting boot of Lak Siddartha. The champion battered the can-trapped Angel mercilessly, as I cheered him on, only to get pummeled by the big man, myself. Back in the ring, Angel had recuperated and was throwing some nasty chairshots, but nobody could get a clear-cut advantage. Ronnie Angel almost had things won when he laid dropped Siddartha with a Shake, Rattle & Roll, but I surprised The Greaser with The Muzzle, putting Ronnie down to his knees...where he drilled me with a wicked shot that was wayyyyy South of the border. As I lay there on the mat, in agony, Ronnie walked right into an F-5 from Siddartha, and the big man had another B.C. Heavyweight Title defense on his resume.
As the show reached the Main Event of the evening (Kelownafornians vs. Team Japanada for the Tag Team Titles), it had become gravely apparent that Seth Knight was not going to be able to wrestle: his knee was a mess. I offered to replace Seth in the Main Event, since I still have unfinished in-ring business with my K-Town pals, Adam Fedyk and Collin Cutler...but in his broken Engrish, The Great Kasaki refused to team with me, and chose Disco Fury! I stood by and watched as the miscommunication between Disco and Kasaki lead to another Tag Team Title defense for Cutler and Fedyk; but I knew that I would get a chance to resolve this issue, myself, in seven short days.
