Post by Jaice Wilds on Jan 5, 2020 22:49:52 GMT -5
The following is a letter addressed and published to the Alpha Pro Wrestling website.
It has been a whirlwind of insanity the last few months. I won and lost the Junior Heavyweight Title, went to XIII for a rematch I was trying to get months ago, welcomed back to a federation that I previously believed would never work with me again… now I'm in the midst of two major matches occurring within the same month.
I'll save my thoughts on the other one for a future date. But my current focus is on the state of Alpha Pro Wrestling. As it turns out, Dean Wolf committed some rather heinous actions in his stead as our World Champion, and was thusly stripped of said belt and promptly exhumed from the company. As it stands, a great competitor in former champion Smith Jones has a chance to regain the title he lost to this turncoat. But he has to prove himself by battling another, yet-to-be-named competitor. Which, considering the small but very apt talent pool APW has to offer, is difficult to choose from. So what does management do?
Free-for-all.
Yes, ladies and gents; Irina Ivanova officially called for a battle royale to determine who will challenge Smitty for the World Title at 2020 Ways To Die. Now, let's break down exactly what this entails.
A battle royal. No pinfalls, no submissions, no disqualifications, so on and so forth. Only way to win is to not go over the top rope and have your feet hit the floor. I know, I know; we've had this kind of match for centuries now. Everyone knows the rules. But really think on that.
You have guys like Arthur Pleasant and FPV in this match. Don't get me wrong; these guys are incredible athletes. I have a high level of respect for these guys. But here's the issue: they're going to talk about their accolades, their accomplishments. Franklin will even speak on his recent run as AW World Champion and such. But what exactly is that going to mean?? These guys are strategic in the ring. They have a certain mindset, a certain way of dealing with specific styles and attacks. But once you have five, ten, fifteen plus different styles of wrestling in the ring at once… how does one strategically combat that?? One false move, one minor miscue and boom (headshot); you've fallen out of the ring and lost your opportunity. Planning for this many people isn't something one does every day of the year; and the unpredictability of any given star or maneuver is enough to make you defeat yourself. So while I'll be keeping an eye out on guys like this, they really aren't the ones I'm concerned about. They'll end up meeting their fate eventually.
Then you have people like Giovanni Salbrini, Ultimate Destroyer, and Voshon Jackson. Big guys who would stand the best chance of winning, if only for their power and ground. But we all know that saying about height and falling… y'all can throw as many of us out of the ring you want; at some point, you're going to get close enough to the ropes for a small group of us to gather up and toss you over. And while we're all aiming for a date with Mr Jones, there are a couple of us willing to make the sacrifice play if it means proving a point or adding your name to our accolades. I mean, after 2020 Ways To Die, there's going to be an open Contender's spot; who better to challenge the new champ then that guy who dropped a 7 foot beast during a battle royal?? Shit.
Which leads me to the guys I'm actually looking forward to facing. The odds-on favorites to win this whole shebang. But before I address them and why they'll be the last ones standing, humour me as I take a slight tangent into my personal history.
As a child in Puerto Velho, I spent a good amount of time in the forests. Hunting some animals for food, while avoiding other animals that would certainly render me injured or dead. Learning how to navigate the thick, dense jungles while simply looking for sustenance. I learned how to hunt, how to fight, how to survive. I also learned how predators can be made of the most unlikely prey. Have any of you watched a predator back it's prey into a corner? You see, when the prey realizes that it's in a fight-or-die situation, they lash out in unprecedented and unpredictable ways. They do whatever it takes to ensure that they live one more night. Sometimes it works, sometimes it ends in utter failure. Either way it goes, however; the predator never escapes unscathed.
That being said, there is a reason why men like myself, ZMac, and the oft underwhelming Flop are the favorites to win this bout. Yes, you read that correctly. The man who trips over his shoelaces while standing barefoot is more likely to walk out with the victory than a recent former World Champion. Because while he is- how does one put it? unorthodox?- in the ring, it is that very distinction that makes him a formidable foe in a match where pure dumb luck is your greatest ally. In truth, Flop's uncanny ability to fall seamlessly in and out of harm's way is the closest thing to a strategic tool that actually works in a match of this caliber. That man is destined to be, at the very least, in the final four of this match; mark my words.
As far as myself and ZMac are concerned; everyone knows what we're about. Unpredictable offense, careless abandon for our own well being- let alone anyone else's- and the ability to draw on a deeper power of will when necessary. While our individual sources are entirely different- he snorts more cocaine than Mexico can produce daily, I get high on natural adrenaline- we both have a natural tendency towards the hardcore. And that bloodlust, that thirst for destruction gives us an entirely different perspective when we go into a match where we become the prey. Oh, yes; our names are something grand in this business. And with all the upstarts trying to make a name for themselves, all the guest competition looking to steal the main event for another accolade under their belt, we are the key players to get through. Which backs myself and Zombie into our proverbial corners. And like that prey, we find ourselves in a situation where we have to do something drastic if we're going to survive.
That's where reality sets in. Frankie, Jazzy John, Noble Savage... they've all come to Alpha Pro as predators in bigger ponds. But they've come without realizing what kind of hell awaits them. They come without considering the consequences of their action. But this is what happens when ego foregoes logic; mistakes are made and karma becomes your enemy.
At this time, one notes a very distinctive omission from this letter. While I have indeed inferred my place amongst the men to watch in this match, I have not made the obligatory- albeit cliché and overused- statement that I will, without a doubt, be emerging from this match victorious. And I won't. That would be entirely contradicting of my previous point that this match will likely be decided by pure dumb luck. Yes, my time in the jungle, the circus, the business have all prepared me for this match. And I will absolutely fall amongst the final few competitors. But I cannot guarantee that I will be the last man standing; that's ludicrous and downright asinine. Not just for myself, but anyone involved in this match. I will guarantee one thing, however; one promise that I have made and lived up to since the day I broke into the world of wrestling. As a man who seeks competition, I will give everything I have, everything I am, to every challenge I encounter in this match. I'm not worried about any title opportunities, so don't confuse my sights for the glitter of a shiny trinket.
If, and only if, I do successfully leave this event with a victory; it is only for the opportunity to face the best that we have. Smith Jones has, on multiple occasions, proven why he truly belongs in the upper echelon of this industry. He carries himself with pride and dignity befitting a champion, regardless of whether or not he actually holds the title. And a match against him, regardless of the situation, is one that I look forward to with pride and respect. Do I hope to win this match? Certainly. And I will be the same homicidal, suicidal aerial innovator you've all come to expect and respect to do so. But falling short will not be a failure to me; rather, whatever I do accomplish inside that ring this week will be added to my own list of accolades and accomplishments. Further, it will be another testament to the unbridled essence and unwavering will of the Final General to the masses around the world.
Ladies and gentlemen of Alpha Pro, I will see you all Monday night. Au revoir.
It has been a whirlwind of insanity the last few months. I won and lost the Junior Heavyweight Title, went to XIII for a rematch I was trying to get months ago, welcomed back to a federation that I previously believed would never work with me again… now I'm in the midst of two major matches occurring within the same month.
I'll save my thoughts on the other one for a future date. But my current focus is on the state of Alpha Pro Wrestling. As it turns out, Dean Wolf committed some rather heinous actions in his stead as our World Champion, and was thusly stripped of said belt and promptly exhumed from the company. As it stands, a great competitor in former champion Smith Jones has a chance to regain the title he lost to this turncoat. But he has to prove himself by battling another, yet-to-be-named competitor. Which, considering the small but very apt talent pool APW has to offer, is difficult to choose from. So what does management do?
Free-for-all.
Yes, ladies and gents; Irina Ivanova officially called for a battle royale to determine who will challenge Smitty for the World Title at 2020 Ways To Die. Now, let's break down exactly what this entails.
A battle royal. No pinfalls, no submissions, no disqualifications, so on and so forth. Only way to win is to not go over the top rope and have your feet hit the floor. I know, I know; we've had this kind of match for centuries now. Everyone knows the rules. But really think on that.
You have guys like Arthur Pleasant and FPV in this match. Don't get me wrong; these guys are incredible athletes. I have a high level of respect for these guys. But here's the issue: they're going to talk about their accolades, their accomplishments. Franklin will even speak on his recent run as AW World Champion and such. But what exactly is that going to mean?? These guys are strategic in the ring. They have a certain mindset, a certain way of dealing with specific styles and attacks. But once you have five, ten, fifteen plus different styles of wrestling in the ring at once… how does one strategically combat that?? One false move, one minor miscue and boom (headshot); you've fallen out of the ring and lost your opportunity. Planning for this many people isn't something one does every day of the year; and the unpredictability of any given star or maneuver is enough to make you defeat yourself. So while I'll be keeping an eye out on guys like this, they really aren't the ones I'm concerned about. They'll end up meeting their fate eventually.
Then you have people like Giovanni Salbrini, Ultimate Destroyer, and Voshon Jackson. Big guys who would stand the best chance of winning, if only for their power and ground. But we all know that saying about height and falling… y'all can throw as many of us out of the ring you want; at some point, you're going to get close enough to the ropes for a small group of us to gather up and toss you over. And while we're all aiming for a date with Mr Jones, there are a couple of us willing to make the sacrifice play if it means proving a point or adding your name to our accolades. I mean, after 2020 Ways To Die, there's going to be an open Contender's spot; who better to challenge the new champ then that guy who dropped a 7 foot beast during a battle royal?? Shit.
Which leads me to the guys I'm actually looking forward to facing. The odds-on favorites to win this whole shebang. But before I address them and why they'll be the last ones standing, humour me as I take a slight tangent into my personal history.
As a child in Puerto Velho, I spent a good amount of time in the forests. Hunting some animals for food, while avoiding other animals that would certainly render me injured or dead. Learning how to navigate the thick, dense jungles while simply looking for sustenance. I learned how to hunt, how to fight, how to survive. I also learned how predators can be made of the most unlikely prey. Have any of you watched a predator back it's prey into a corner? You see, when the prey realizes that it's in a fight-or-die situation, they lash out in unprecedented and unpredictable ways. They do whatever it takes to ensure that they live one more night. Sometimes it works, sometimes it ends in utter failure. Either way it goes, however; the predator never escapes unscathed.
That being said, there is a reason why men like myself, ZMac, and the oft underwhelming Flop are the favorites to win this bout. Yes, you read that correctly. The man who trips over his shoelaces while standing barefoot is more likely to walk out with the victory than a recent former World Champion. Because while he is- how does one put it? unorthodox?- in the ring, it is that very distinction that makes him a formidable foe in a match where pure dumb luck is your greatest ally. In truth, Flop's uncanny ability to fall seamlessly in and out of harm's way is the closest thing to a strategic tool that actually works in a match of this caliber. That man is destined to be, at the very least, in the final four of this match; mark my words.
As far as myself and ZMac are concerned; everyone knows what we're about. Unpredictable offense, careless abandon for our own well being- let alone anyone else's- and the ability to draw on a deeper power of will when necessary. While our individual sources are entirely different- he snorts more cocaine than Mexico can produce daily, I get high on natural adrenaline- we both have a natural tendency towards the hardcore. And that bloodlust, that thirst for destruction gives us an entirely different perspective when we go into a match where we become the prey. Oh, yes; our names are something grand in this business. And with all the upstarts trying to make a name for themselves, all the guest competition looking to steal the main event for another accolade under their belt, we are the key players to get through. Which backs myself and Zombie into our proverbial corners. And like that prey, we find ourselves in a situation where we have to do something drastic if we're going to survive.
That's where reality sets in. Frankie, Jazzy John, Noble Savage... they've all come to Alpha Pro as predators in bigger ponds. But they've come without realizing what kind of hell awaits them. They come without considering the consequences of their action. But this is what happens when ego foregoes logic; mistakes are made and karma becomes your enemy.
At this time, one notes a very distinctive omission from this letter. While I have indeed inferred my place amongst the men to watch in this match, I have not made the obligatory- albeit cliché and overused- statement that I will, without a doubt, be emerging from this match victorious. And I won't. That would be entirely contradicting of my previous point that this match will likely be decided by pure dumb luck. Yes, my time in the jungle, the circus, the business have all prepared me for this match. And I will absolutely fall amongst the final few competitors. But I cannot guarantee that I will be the last man standing; that's ludicrous and downright asinine. Not just for myself, but anyone involved in this match. I will guarantee one thing, however; one promise that I have made and lived up to since the day I broke into the world of wrestling. As a man who seeks competition, I will give everything I have, everything I am, to every challenge I encounter in this match. I'm not worried about any title opportunities, so don't confuse my sights for the glitter of a shiny trinket.
If, and only if, I do successfully leave this event with a victory; it is only for the opportunity to face the best that we have. Smith Jones has, on multiple occasions, proven why he truly belongs in the upper echelon of this industry. He carries himself with pride and dignity befitting a champion, regardless of whether or not he actually holds the title. And a match against him, regardless of the situation, is one that I look forward to with pride and respect. Do I hope to win this match? Certainly. And I will be the same homicidal, suicidal aerial innovator you've all come to expect and respect to do so. But falling short will not be a failure to me; rather, whatever I do accomplish inside that ring this week will be added to my own list of accolades and accomplishments. Further, it will be another testament to the unbridled essence and unwavering will of the Final General to the masses around the world.
Ladies and gentlemen of Alpha Pro, I will see you all Monday night. Au revoir.
