TCW: A Quiet Retirement [Archive]

Phantom Stranger

07-14-2009, 09:00 AM

[Additional OOC: This diary began in TEW08, and as such, we started with the TEW08 data. To those joining us who only know TEW10, the Syndicate had just come to our attention, being formed sometime during 2007, Rick Law was face, Tyson Baine was still in TCW, Painful Procedure were all still on the roster...

That's about all you might need to know ahead of time.

ooc: Hello one and all! Welcome to my new diary. While there will be occasional references to the Philly Pro diary, this takes place in the standard C-Verse data - there's no need to be familiar with Philly Pro itself. Hope to keep your interest as we get rolling...

PLEASE NOTE: The 'play' button image I used to cue music in this diary vanished shortly before the end. There already being over two hundred instances of it spread across three thousand posts, I didn't feel up to editing all of them. If you see a 'missing image' picture, you may assume it's one of the music cues. I apologise for the disruption.]

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/cover.jpg

FOREWORD

A little over three years ago, in the run-up to Christmas 2007, I was pulled aside after a show by the man most people reading this know as RDJ.

This isn't a book which keeps to the time-honoured story, so I'll drop it here, too; Ricky wanted to talk to me as the company owner because, ultimately, that gives me the final word. I don't plan out our shows, but I'm there when it happens and if I don't like it, it doesn't.

"Boss," he said, "I'm thinking it's time I bowed out of the title chase."

I didn't get it. The championship - the TCW World Heavyweight Championship, and a prettier piece of gold the industry doesn't have - is defended last. The main event. To duck behind the curtain a moment, main event players have to carry the show. They have to make the crowd feel for them. They have to produce in the ring and out of it. And for this, we pay them the biggest bucks.

Ricky could do all of this, and the two of us had worked together for...

And then I got it. Tune into a show from late 2006 and you'll hear Jason Azaria list all of Ricky's accomplishments. Kyle Rhodes will sell you on his heroic one-year struggle to take the championship from me, and how hard he's worked to keep it.

Tune into a show from late 2007 and... well, he doesn't have the belt anymore, but not much else had changed, right down to the heroic one-year struggle. We relied on Ricky to keep the crowd behind him and against me.

Ricky just wanted some variety, a chance to rebuild himself, a chance to do something different. I think he had his eye on Sammy Bach as a man to watch and a man to build. That was all he asked for, because Ricky is a great wrestler - but he's a wrestler.

I own one of the biggest wrestling companies in the world, and it took Ricky's focus to make me realise we'd become stale.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoelBryant.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KarenKiller_alt.jpg
The TCW booking team, December 2007: Joel, Tommy, Sam 'Legend' Keith and Karen Killer

At the time, my old friend Joel Bryant was writing the shows. He wasn't doing a bad job - but we'd entered a rut. We needed to shake ourselves out of it.

I told Joel that he had three months to wrap up what he'd been doing and ease a new man into that job. And word leaked. I'm told the Internet went berserk with rumours, most of them revolving around the same two names.

Phil Vibert - the man who built DaVE and made legends out of so many wrestlers (including not a few men who work for me now). And Nemesis - the creative genius, once he made the jump, behind DaVE's near ten years as the biggest player on the independent scene, and a man who gave my career new direction when he made that jump.

It's not unfair to say that without Nemesis - John Campbell, to give him his real name - I wouldn't be here.

But if we'd brought these men in, they would have come with expectations from the fanbase. More hardcore matches. T&A. Insane stunts. The sideshow aspect in wrestling has its place, but I don't want that place to be the headline places in my company. Who else, then?

Joel picked his own replacement, in the end. A man who'd orchestrated early days in my career, a man who'd worked with Joel - and Ricky, and others - before. A man whose career had been built around the tradition of wrestling.

Two years ago, Harry 'Horatio' Dangerous talked to me about the TCW Books line. Here, then, is the record, the diary, of a creative mind who had to pick up from Joel and move on. I've pulled the lawyers off almost everything they complained about in here, and what's been cut has been cut only due to the target's tendency to sue. If you want to follow along with the entries our old shows are available online, and the pay-per-views are all on HD-DVD. And that's the one plug I'm allowing myself.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpg
A portrait of the booker as a cranky old man
Alt credit to FINisher

Harry has been talking about retirement for as long as I've known him. After PPPW went under, he lasted six months before starting a wrestling school, and when he packed that in the competition came calling for their PPPW retrospective. He finished filming that just in time for Joel to secure him for TCW, and he hasn't stopped talking about retiring since.

I think this book may end up with a few sequels before that happens. Oh - and something I should do before I stop talking and let you get on with this - Sorry, Maggie, for keeping your husband busy. At least I cut his road time down...

Tommy Cornell
In flight from Philadelphia to Memphis
January 2011

FINisher

07-14-2009, 09:07 AM

Awesome. I'll be reading. :)

FlameSnoopy

07-14-2009, 09:12 AM

I'll try to follow this, as I really want to get into one of your diaries.

So is this set in 2011. If so, cool.

Tigerkinney

07-14-2009, 09:13 AM

FlameSnoopy

07-14-2009, 09:15 AM

Looks good so far.

I never got into your ROF diary for TEW 07 (but I think that was because I was so attached to Marcel Fromage's), and though the PPPW one looked good.. I'm one of those who finds it hard to get into old diaries.

I must agree with you. Now that I can follow from the beginning, I hope that I can 'get into' this diary, if you know what I mean. Cool beans.

Astil

07-14-2009, 09:15 AM

Very well done, but that is to be expected from you. :)

NoNeck

07-14-2009, 09:24 AM

Outstanding, Stranger.

And making it a book? Kudos.

I thought of that at one point and didn't know exactly how to make it work, but I'm sure you'll continue to be as innovative as ever.

I can't wait to watch it unfold.

:)

Phantom Stranger

07-14-2009, 09:26 AM

So is this set in 2011. If so, cool.

Not quite - that's when the book comes out. (At least volume 1).

The diary itself is going to pick up just after Just Another Day?, which is to say with the first show in April. There's a few pieces coming before that, though, notably a roster review.

I'm glad to get some people joining the ride - I know what you mean about jumping on midway. I can never do it without starting from page one and going through the whole thing, which is a heck of a timesink.

The posting rate is likely to start off slower than Philly Pro, at least until PPPW rounds off. That being said, with the size of a TCW roster it may even stay lower.

I want to give FINisher his props, while I'm OOC, for somehow managing to get a suit onto Horatio. I'm sure you'll agree it's a hell of an accomplishment.

Bigpapa42

07-14-2009, 10:04 AM

Been waiting for this. You know I'll be reading.

Nedew

07-14-2009, 10:10 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-14-2009, 10:15 AM

Whilst initially finding it difficult to get into PPPW, I eventually managed it... and ended up completely avoiding your shows and reading all the interview segments instead, in all their fantastically characterised glory. Maybe I'll manage to do both this time! :p

Heh. So long as part of it grabbed you then it did its job, so I'm happy.

And I had a LOT of fun doing the interviews. Amazing how often facts worked out right for it...

AzzMartin

07-14-2009, 11:43 AM

I'll definitely be reading.

Great backstory and my favourite promotion :)

Marcel Fromage

07-14-2009, 02:02 PM

Great start, as you'd expect from one of our best writers! A fantastic, long-running TCW diary is probably long overdue on these boards!

foolinc

07-14-2009, 04:27 PM

All I have to say: This should be fun. :D

Hyde Hill

07-14-2009, 04:48 PM

TCW! TCW! TCW! from zero to 1 promising and one established writer should be fun.

Zeel1

07-14-2009, 04:58 PM

TCW! TCW! TCW! from zero to 1 promising and one established writer should be fun.

That's me, right? 'Cause I don't know if Tuesday Night Wars counts.. :p

So this is that competition I was promised? Looks stiff..this may be bold of me, coming from a rookie, to a...non..rookie, but dare I say "BRING IT!", good sir? :p

juggaloninjalee

07-14-2009, 05:10 PM

T-C-W equals G-O-L-D!!!

I love TCW diaries since it is my favorite promotion to play as. Should be interesting to see where you go with this.

Astil

07-14-2009, 05:20 PM

That's me, right? 'Cause I don't know if Tuesday Night Wars counts.. :p

So this is that competition I was promised? Looks stiff..this may be bold of me, coming from a rookie, to a...non..rookie, but dare I say "BRING IT!", good sir? :p

Yeah, I think that's you. Yours is promising.

Also, will we see any Dangerous kids here?

Perhaps a zombie Hype? Please? Zombie Hype vs. Space Force Tuna for the World Championship...

...

...please?

Phantom Stranger

07-14-2009, 06:01 PM

Yeah, I think that's you. Yours is promising.

Also, will we see any Dangerous kids here?

Most of the answers to these questions are going to be 'wait and see'. That said...

No, Richard, Adrian and Kate Dangerous are all elsewhere and busy. From Horatio's viewpoint, they're over now, they don't need Dad's help, and they should be allowed to stand on their own.

From my perspective - this isn't about them. I debated on whether or not to use Horatio for this diary, and while I eventually went with it, I don't want to make this PPPW Redux. There is one worker not currently under TCW contract who, if I signed, would revert to their PPPW gimmick, and that wasn't one I came up with so much as a spin on it I refined.

No Zombie gimmicks. No Space Tuna, hilarious as the alt is. Giant Tana actually won't be around for a while. (He's not the only one. Texas Pete is... Elsewhere, too.)

There is only one guy who's departed who will not return; Genghis Rahn's contract came up in the first two months and he opted not to re-up with me, jumping to the SWF. Which annoys me, as I had plans for him - witness the Turisas facepaint alt Marcel was good enough to make, and which sadly will not be showing up.

Everything else is coming up as we go...

James Casey

07-14-2009, 06:03 PM

Been waiting for this. You know I'll be reading.

Ditto - and purely going off ^ this guy's diary, I'm fond of works that start once the writer has their feet under table, so to speak. Should be interesting to see how much things have changed in the last few months...

Phantom Stranger

07-14-2009, 06:10 PM

So this is that competition I was promised? Looks stiff..this may be bold of me, coming from a rookie, to a...non..rookie, but dare I say "BRING IT!", good sir? :p

So long's we both entertain, that's all anyone can ask for, I figure. I doubt we'll be going in *quite* the same directions...

Bigpapa42

07-14-2009, 06:16 PM

So long's we both entertain, that's all anyone can ask for, I figure. I doubt we'll be going in *quite* the same directions...

You know, even if the booking was pretty much identical between two diaries, I think the presentation and writing would likely make them different enough. Which has always been an idea that would love to see explored at some point by some good writers...

angeldelayette

07-14-2009, 06:23 PM

Like with everyone else, looking forward to this and will add in comments as you go. :D

Phantom Stranger

07-15-2009, 08:28 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Any diary worth its salt has Notes pages near the front. I'm just filling these in last. And that tends to happen, too, I've noticed.

I wrote what you are going to read over the space of a couple of years in what I'd intended to be my retirement, very aware that if I did anything worth noting in my new job Tommy Cornell was going to ask me, one day, to write an autobiography – or let someone write it, anyway – to go out in TCW colours. I had other ideas.

I've got my study* just the way I like it these days (don't worry, this is going somewhere) and there's a bookshelf just to the side of my desk, in easy reach. Most of what's on it are autobiographies from people I've known in the business, and frankly, the good stories I was involved in have all been taken before I even thought about starting. Since I think anyone interested in my story is interested in the story of the territories, I don't see the point in asking you to pay for it again.

(For those wondering: Dread neatly covered my time in Japan as we overlapped almost exactly, during my SWF time I went drinking with Sam and Rip so either one has the stories you want and more besides, Mike Nero's book is THE definitive story of the TWL and gets in most of the PPPW stuff that wasn't, as I write this, just on TV.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/Dangerous/SWF%20Footage/CripplerRayKingman-1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/Dangerous/SWF%20Footage/HoratioDangerous.jpg
The Crippler in Danger: Promotional image from CPW, 1985 (Author's own collection)

(Preston Holt's book has all the good stuff from CPW and tops it off by pointing out exactly how much I screwed him over when I walked out, and Jackson Andrews covered my time with George and Dan in Canada pretty well. Heidi Brooks has known Maggie for years, and my home life shows up in her book from time to time, including how we met.

(Mexico? Nothing happened in Mexico I can legally admit to.)

So, knowing Tommy, I wanted something different. Most of the rest of my shelves are sports books of one kind or another, and there are a few really good reads out there where one journo or another has shadowed a coach over a playoff season, and you really get a sense of what matters to their decisions.

Everyone admits wrestling's faked these days, and while I'm not exactly alone in thinking that's a shame, I'm also not alone in thinking it was inevitable. It occurred to me that the booker (in wrestler-speak, the guy who puts the shows together and determines where the feuds are going) could benefit from something similar, but as our storylines often take a lot longer than a playoff to play out, there was no way a journalist would spend the time they needed.

I figured I'd do it myself. What's coming was written from the start with the idea it'd make a book, which is why I often go quiet on upcoming story details where if I were doing this level of detail just for me I'd put them in.

I've gotta thank Tommy, Joel (Bryant, the booker before me and still part of the creative team) Cliff Anderson and the guys at Coastal Zone, and the rest of TCW Creative; the legend Sam Keith, Karen Killer, Jason Azaria's encyclopedic wrestling brain (but not the rest of him) and my old buddy Floyd Goldworthy. Without them, this book would be very different.

* - Study, noun, a place you can hide when your wife has been right too many times already today. Maggie's smarter than me, so mine gets a lot of use.

FlameSnoopy

07-15-2009, 08:33 AM

Interesting. I must say, that this is THE diary to follow for me.

G-Prime

07-15-2009, 04:39 PM

My thought process, as I scanned through the Dynasty forums: "Cool, NWA:RtG got updated *click*... And MoSC *click*... Evolution of Greed *click*... Hey, a TCW diary... Nah, I don't have time, maybe later... Wait, does that say Phantom Stranger? I'm there! *click*"
And now, when my entire morning gets thrown off, and I'm late to class, I'll know who to blame. Great work so far mate, always good to see Horatio.

angeldelayette

07-15-2009, 05:21 PM

Maybe you can pull a coup like TCW just did in my diary and sign Sean McFly!

Phantom Stranger

07-15-2009, 05:25 PM

Maybe you can pull a coup like TCW just did in my diary and sign Sean McFly!

Chances are that some NOTBPW big name will come loose soonish - it tends to happen.

Those I'd go for, and there are a select few other big names I'd be happy to sign in. (And a couple biggish names get signed in the last three months of Joel's time.) Other than those, I'm looking to mostly bring in people that don't make it to the National+ diary scene (and in some cases, the diary scene) much and see if they can be made to have what it takes.

That said, I have to resist signing Shooter Sean every time I open the game.

foolinc

07-15-2009, 05:40 PM

Chances are that some NOTBPW big name will come loose soonish - it tends to happen.

Those I'd go for, and there are a select few other big names I'd be happy to sign in. (And a couple biggish names get signed in the last three months of Joel's time.) Other than those, I'm looking to mostly bring in people that don't make it to the National+ diary scene (and in some cases, the diary scene) much and see if they can be made to have what it takes.

That said, I have to resist signing Shooter Sean every time I open the game.

Why won't you sign Sean Deeley again? He's not used that much in diaries and fits TCW. I'm all for signing lesser knowns, but don't punish the Shooter! :p

juggaloninjalee

07-15-2009, 08:29 PM

I love the idea that you are gonna try to go away from the typical path of signings in TCW.

Phantom Stranger

07-15-2009, 09:32 PM

Why won't you sign Sean Deeley again? He's not used that much in diaries and fits TCW. I'm all for signing lesser knowns, but don't punish the Shooter! :p

Honestly... well, as some may have inferred from the thanks to the Coastal Zone, TCW has a development deal.

Some of the lesser lights are going there. Some other folks are going there.

Almost anyone who's come straight to the main roster has come straight to the main roster for a purpose. In three cases, this purpose is 'provide some small degree of education in the ring while getting the crap kicked out of them'.

Sean Deeley would simply be another bright young mat hopeful if I signed him and brought him straight in. Shoving him into dev seems unfair to him.

Sean Deeley, bright Canadian technical prospect, is worth much, much less to TCW in 2008 with all its other bright young prospects than, for example, Sean Deeley, former CGC World Champion or former NOTPBW Ed Henson Memorial Cupwinner in 2011.

Hyde Hill

07-15-2009, 09:42 PM

Lol 2 actual diary entries and you are on page 3!

Phantom Stranger

07-15-2009, 09:46 PM

Lol 2 actual diary entries and you are on page 3!

Terrifying, isn't it?

I think some of that is that Philly Pro has gotten eyes looking at me - witness any successful return diary's opening - and some of it is just that TCW's been a bit neglected. Hopefully Zeel and I can change that in the near future...

Tomorrow begins the roster breakdown and actual game relevance!

Phantom Stranger

07-16-2009, 07:48 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

So. Here we go. It's the seventeenth of February, 2008. Joel is well into the three-month wrap-up of his booking career, and he's just left the house after discussing where people are going to be after the Just Another Day? PPV, which is where I take over. (Side note: The campaign to get Tommy to rename Just Another Day? begins here and now. Horrible name.)

Some of what he's done is positioning for where I want people at the start, but we can't have everything, and in many cases I'm going to have to get people into the position they need to be in.

Some of it is to wrap up what he wanted to wrap up. Come Just Another Day?, for example, Ricky Dale Johnson will wrestle and lose his last title shot against Tommy Cornell – Tommy being very clear that it's time there were other challengers.

The historic first feud between the Machines – TCW's tag team champions John Anderson and Brent Hill, two of the nicest guys in the business and people I've worked with before – and the New Wave, a recently-signed duo who've spent much of the last ten years in DaVE – will be over too. The Machines, at my request, are going to win that one – they're part of a stable* known as the Syndicate that currently holds almost all of the gold. There's a lot you can do with a group like that, and I didn't see any reason to change that yet. Also, having wrestled all four men in the past and watched their career with considerable enjoyment, the Machines deserve to carry the day first time around.

I'm very aware that since Tyson Baine's autobiography in 2002 took off like it did TCW books get read by a great many people who don't follow current wrestling, which is why that footnote appears down there and is also why I'm explaining things like who the Machines are. By the time this comes out things will have changed; some of the heroes will be villains, some of the villains will have had changes of heart, and people will still be wondering why Robert Oxford hasn't retired. (Actually, that's both unfair and probably not true.) Hell, a lot's changed in the past month and a half, and more will change in the next month and a half. So coming up over my first few diary entries – my opinions on the roster as Joel will be turning it over to me, broken down by how important to the company they are – so we'll start with the main eventers** and move on from there.

* - Stable, noun, a wrestling term meaning a collection of wrestlers, managers, and other hangers-on who are linked in storyline terms and eat like horses.

** - Main eventers, noun, the wrestlers who most often wrestle in the last match, or 'main event' of the night, typically big names who end up with the worst diet as everyone else leaves before restaurants close and they have to put up with room service. I don't miss it.

--

18th February, 2008
The Headline Players
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCWWorld.jpg
Tommy Cornell http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=380C_nVJotY)
I couldn't start with anyone else. The boss, the champ, the best wrestler we have, the leader of the Syndicate... Tommy has everything going for him and, frankly, he should – for a while, anyway. Tommy's faults – and I'll be interested to see how much of this makes it to publication, assuming any of the book does – lie outside the ring, in business terms. Ask me to name the four best wrestlers – not necessarily the best in-ring talents, but the most talented players at actual wrestling – in the company, and they make up four-fifths of the Syndicate, making a wrestling classic for the title – the kind of thing TCW has built a reputation on – very difficult without major storyline events. So, for a while, I'll be looking elsewhere.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
Ricky Dale Johnson http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7ha9U7YNyA)
An old friend – someone I worked with years ago – and the second biggest paycheck in TCW after the boss himself. He deserves it, too; not a great wrestler but a superb fighter, few people are better than RDJ at developing interest in their matches and the crowds love him. Ricky is also an example that, sad to say, Joel should have learned from – when he first arrived, he was hamstrung by an insistence he play the part of a cowboy, and he didn't become a true standout until after he shed that character. And yet, up until recently, TCW have had a tag team and a despised brawler walking to the ring in stetsons. That's going to change.

The big issue with RDJ is a simple one; he's getting on in years. While I expect he won't be retiring any time soon, it's got to be on his mind – and he's made enough money that getting out must be a constant temptation. Even if he doesn't hang up his boots, how long he'll be our go-to babyface is anyone's guess.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpg
Sam Keith http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgd-DPeY7o)
New to the company and an incredible talent in the ring, Sam Keith is the man I spent my in-ring career hoping for a chance to wrestle and never quite crossing paths with. I hung my boots up nearly ten years ago; Sam is five years older now than I was when I did and still better than I ever was. But at forty-seven, the Syndicate's eminence gris may well not see out the year still an active competitor. Recent Syndicate footage used on the shows has been slanted to show this, concentrating on Sam watching the junior members train and offering advice, positioning him as an elder statesman we can still use.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg
Tyson Baine http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMXCMzqV0cU)
The former BLZ Bubb (yes, yes, I know) Baine was presented as an unstoppable demon up until last year, during the course of which it became clear that Ricky Dale Johnson couldn't be the only big name the crowd could support. A shift in emphasis has seen Baine become a very, very unlikely fan favourite, based entirely on the fact he now scares the crap out of the bad guys, not the good guys. Baine has potential to once again be champion, but I've other plans for him first. He also has the ability to make someone a star by the simple fact of him being angry with them, which means that he spends a lot of time getting angry.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCWInternational.jpg
Wolf Hawkins http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PpYBBjYav0)
I've rewritten this three times. Let's not dance around it; Wolf Hawkins is Tommy's golden boy, his bright hope for the future, trained by Tommy and lodged comfortably within the Syndicate. Currently the International champion, a series of battles with Rocky Golden have propelled both of them up in the crowd's estimation, aided when Hawkins handed Genghis Rahn his walking papers last week following Rahn signing for the competition in as brutal a match as we've seen on live TV in some months. Wolf may have outgrown his title; time will tell. To provide a little continuity between his time and mine, Joel's going to spend March embroiling Wolf in a rivalry with Koshiro Ino, the Japanese Kobra.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RockyGolden.jpg
Rocky Golden http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw_90cpuOM4)
A big guy, a great look, some spectacular hard-hitting moves, but he's got only one string to his bow and he tires easily. Rocky is probably a bigger deal in TCW than he should be... but we can use that, so long as those he's working with can teach him enough to keep him where he is. Rocky's another who has recently been embraced by the fans for a stand against the Syndicate, but is going to be a little aimless while I work out what to do with him.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Alt credit to Nachtfalter
Troy Tornado http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WVKkgiLsWk)
This is a man whose recent change in fortunes I'm responsible for. Currently on the injured list, Troy broke the hearts of a lot of the fans when he turned on his 'rock band' stable Painful Procedure, becoming one of the most hated men in the company instantly. Following a violent assault on Procedure a couple of nights ago as I write this, Tornado stormed out, full of energy, to drive off their attackers. I was surprised how well the fans took to it... Joel tells me Troy will be announcing on the occasional match and providing pro-RDJ comments during the last days of his battle with Cornell. He's rehabbing hard, and we expect to have him back in the ring not long after I take over.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpg
American Buffalo http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSnzKoqvxS8)
Silly name, more-or-less ignored gimmick. Buffalo... You can describe Buffalo the same way you describe Rocky, except he's not well-loved and takes pains to stay that way. Joel has him slated to beat Eddie Peak and end their feud at JAD?; the fans have been taking to this little war, though, and Buffalo is a bigger deal now than ever before in his career. We can use that. Floyd Goldworthy provides his microphone skills.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpg
Koshiro Ino http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnfFTVjRpLI)
He wrestled for the biggest company in Japan for eight years. TCW has had him since, and the Kobra has won a lot of respect by going out there and working hard for it. Due to spend March and onward facing off with Wolf Hawkins, this is a sign of how much Joel and I respect him, as he'll be coming off a losing campaign against All-Action Champion Sammy Bach, having earned the honour of being the first heavyweight to challenge for the All-Action belt after Tommy, Joel and I agreed to remove the weight limit. Why call it something other than the Cruiserweight Championship if it's only for Cruiserweights, after all?

Koshiro is slated to become the focus of one of the stranger groups in TCW, but that won't truly emerge until several months down the line.

Phantom Stranger

07-16-2009, 05:44 PM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

19th February 2008
The Tag Teams

These guys are scattered around the crowd, but it doesn't make much sense to split them up – they function in their own rarefied atmosphere. Joel's had a number of them also getting into solo tussles, and for one-off matches I totally support that policy in order to spice things up – but by and large, they should be considered their own division of the company.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCWTagTeam.jpg
The Machines http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjvPjxsgVBs)
Brent Hill and John Anderson are our champions. They deserve it, too, on their own merits and as a fast-maturing tag unit; put simply, these two are great in-ring talents who could be right up at the top... if I wanted to start killing off the tag division, as they pull more weight than anyone else here – and add to the rep of the Syndicate as they do it. Great guys, when I take over they'll have just finished a program with the New Wave, retaining their titles. That also means the Wave will, for the first time since their arrival, not be the number two team. That honour goes to...

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BillyJackShearer.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RandallHopkirk.jpg
Painful Procedure http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjgHSkb2pEE)
Billy Jack Shearer. Randall Hopkirk. It's not so long since these two were the tag anchor to a successful stable built around a rock band, but the fortunes of wrestling saw the group break apart. Former two-time tag champions, it's been some time since the remaining duo got near gold, but they still have the backing of the fans and they're reliable brawlers who can turn the intimidation factor on when they need it. They've recently resumed their friendship with Troy Tornado, which could see them propelled forward again.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoelBryant.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RobertOxford.jpg
The Tag Team Specialists http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hglVqACd1C8)
When Tommy called to offer me the job, I talked it over with my sons. (They're currently working for the competition, so perhaps I shouldn't be discussing this. But still.) I made a mistake in that conversation – I uttered the phrase “When I first met Robert Oxford he was the hot new rookie talent.”

It's been two weeks and, as he's home from the SWF house show round, I can still hear Adrian laughing. Robert's younger partner, Joel Bryant and he have been wrestling together for well over a decade now, which really earns them the name these days – no one seems to keep tag teams together longer than about four years now, and most of them don't even make that. The Specialists are a real asset, but Robert might choose to retire any day and no one could blame him. Still, better examples of tag teams you couldn't hope to find.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Guide.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Scout.jpg
The New Wave http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkkgYktQkFg)
Here's another team that's been going a long time – they just passed their own ten year anniversary. These two kids, who go by Guide and Scout in their somewhat bizarre military gimmick, came into the business together and they've done well for years, enjoying their first flush of international success now. Another team that anchors the division but which it would almost make as much sense to split up and use in other title chases – between these guys and the Specialists, one of the first requirements we've had for our development* deal was replacement tag teams.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HarryAllen_Grunge3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SteveGumble_Grunge2.jpg
The Young Guns http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDehTfim014)
Harry Allen and Steve Gumble. These two used to dress like cowboys. I'm really going to seem like I'm ranting about this by the time you've finished this book, I suspect, but it's a stupid gimmick. It doesn't fool anyone, they look fake, the whole thing affects their credibility and unlike Baine's old demon gimmick (for example) there isn't much you can do to have fun to offset that. Currently enjoying a little notoriety as Joel allowed them to call the shots on their new gimmick, leading to what I call a cheap knockoff of real punk and my kids tell me is actually some new musical thing I can't be bothered to investigate. To confuse matters, their entrance music is old-school punk about cowboys. It's all very cute and silly, but they're a good team and the new look can only help them.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddieHoward.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DCRayne.jpg
Natural Talent http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQmr9UcQBLw)
I'm going to have to stop here and go on a bit of a tangent. TCW is a big company, and the big companies sign success stories or hopefuls from the smaller companies a lot. Sometimes, for whatever reason, they change the character the new guy played severely – often renaming them. The Machines started as an example of this before reverting to their real names.

Fans of the smaller companies tend to hate it. The reason these guys are success stories is because the audience connected with them, and reinventing or repackaging the guy seems disrespectful. And it can be. But there are reasons we do it, and after I heard we were signing these guys I did the repackaging, so I want to explain myself.

In this case, Eddie Howard of the Natural Storm (now Natural #1) was our third variation on Edd or Eddie in the roster. Calling the action on a fast match, it's easy to make a slip on the name, and that pushed it a little too far. So a repackaging – it annoys a few of their fans in a small area, but the rest of the audience doesn't even know. And I think it'll help them grow. Natural Talent isn't intended to be their name for long, but I want to establish them, and making sure they're identified right every time genuinely helps. The one other repackaging we've planned so far? It's for copyright reasons. I hadn't any input in it.

The one real objection – that their past is covered up – is unlikely to happen so long as Jason Azaria stays on the commentary desk. No one else in the big leagues or elsewhere works so hard to make sure the fans know everything worth knowing about the men in the ring.

* - Developmental, noun, a smaller company bankrolled by a larger one so we can cherry pick from it for talent. Ours is a long-term survivor of a small wrestling promotion, Coastal Zone Combat Wrestling, whose owner I owed a favour after nearly dragging him into the East Coast War ten years ago. With Tommy's wallet behind him, Cliff is suddenly pretty much immune to the bankruptcy worries that have dogged him for fifteen years.

Phantom Stranger

07-16-2009, 07:44 PM

Zeel1

07-16-2009, 07:51 PM

Around a hundred views since the main eventers section went up and no one's said 'what the hell is American Buffalo doing in your main event?'

Either you guys want to see where this is going or you wanna see a trainwreck... :D

Trainwreck..sounds like a main eventing Buffalo..

"You don't want to see it, but you can't look away..!"

juggaloninjalee

07-16-2009, 11:08 PM

I like the American Buffalo character. However with a lot of big guys on the roster it is hard to have A.B. dominate the main event for me.

In my games he usually just busts through midcard and lower midcard guys on a weekly basis.

MrOnu

07-16-2009, 11:18 PM

Around a hundred views since the main eventers section went up and no one's said 'what the hell is American Buffalo doing in your main event?'

Either you guys want to see where this is going or you wanna see a trainwreck... :D

Properly used, AB is a good asset to have at hand. Put him in one or two good feuds and his popularity can rise to a good level. So, yeah, I don't mind AB being a main eventer, specially since it looks like you a pretty large roster and need a lot of main event players.

foolinc

07-16-2009, 11:20 PM

Around a hundred views since the main eventers section went up and no one's said 'what the hell is American Buffalo doing in your main event?'

Either you guys want to see where this is going or you wanna see a trainwreck... :D

Buffalo has an A in menace and for a hoss is pretty damn talented. He's not going to be able to wrestle for more than 20 minutes without it affecting the match ratings, but his matches are going to be brawls anyway.

1PWfan

07-17-2009, 05:48 AM

I like the Buffalo: he's ex-NYCW, and as an old-school guy and rampant NYCW mark I respect that. Plus, he's no worse than Tyson or Rocky, so why not?

I am a little baffled by RDJ's entrance music though. Here we have a class old-school, Southern Fried Babyface akin to Magnum TA or c. 2005 AMW (and what;'s your beef with cowboy gimmicks, btw?), and you give him entrance music by a West Coast Rap-Metal group? I'd have thought something by Molly Hatchet or .38 Special would've been more appropriate.

FlameSnoopy

07-17-2009, 05:50 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 06:30 AM

I am a little baffled by RDJ's entrance music though. Here we have a class old-school, Southern Fried Babyface akin to Magnum TA or c. 2005 AMW (and what;'s your beef with cowboy gimmicks, btw?), and you give him entrance music by a West Coast Rap-Metal group? I'd have thought something by Molly Hatchet or .38 Special would've been more appropriate.

I don't have a beef with cowboy gimmick. This, among other things, sees me book Pistol Pete Hall quite a lot, though not here.

And Horatio's beef is very simple; he has a memory and lives in the C-Verse.

In December 1996 the American scene got a big jolt thanks to the opening of the Hollyweird Grappling Company, later to become Total Championship Wrestling. The promotion was keen to bring in the cream of the independent scene, wrestlers who had never been seen by mainstream American audiences before. Johnson was called up, repackaged as "Cowboy" Ricky Dale, and was in the first televised match for the new promotion, falling in defeat to Rip Chord. Ricky was also on the HGC's first ever pay-per-view in January 1997, as one of the twenty men involved in a battle royal to crowd the new world champion. "The Cowboy" put on a fine showing, being amongst the final five, before being eliminated by eventual winner Sam Strong.

The next two years were frustrating for him, as "The Cowboy" character was an out-dated one that didn't really connect with audiences, particularly outside of the South. As a result he was rarely pushed, and achieved little in terms of meaningful victories (although he did get a count out victory against the world champion Liberty in a non-title match in June 1997, this was due to a ringside attack by BLZ Bubb, and was more of a storyline-advancement for that feud than a big win for Dale). In November 1999, just under two years after initially signing, Dale suffered a broken leg. Initially feared to be career-threatening, the leg injury put the big Texan out of action for over a year. However, thanks to impressive dedication to his rehab, he was able to return to wrestling in January 2001. What's more he was even given a complete makeover, with the cowboy character thrown out in favour of a more realistic approach. He was now using his real name Ricky Dale Johnson, and was portrayed as a big tough Texan who would never back down from a challenge. This new persona suited RDJ perfectly, and he was soon making waves in the singles division for the first time, winning the HGC International title from Joel Bryant in the summer.

In response to the music; it's something I picked as appropriate in Philly Pro when I was using him as, essentially, a precursor to the RDJ gimmick change and specifically not a cowboy, and its something I felt he might have gone back to during the big revamp.

The thing is, when you have tangible evidence that the whole cowboy thing held back a guy who is NOW one of your most valuable stars, why would you then give the gimmick to a tag team and a hoss of a heel?

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 06:59 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

20th February 2008
The Best of the Rest

Below the main event there comes the middlemen, the guys who work the bulk of the matches but don't draw so much money. Some of them will be the big names soon. Some of them, sadly, won't.

But they're all important. Without them you don't have a show. And every one of them has their fans.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCW_AllAction.jpg
Sammy Bach http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wLiqHXJ8C0)
I said some of them will be big names soon, right? The smallest of our high-level prospects, Sammy is a champion, the All-Action guy. This title should be around the waist of one of the very best high flyers we have at any given time; Joel's recently adjusted things so that people of any weight class can compete, but we're going to aim to keep it in the air. Really, the All-Action belt is a way to test the waters to get someone into the middlemen category, and Sammy's positioned, right now, to burst right through to the main event. So at least in theory we'll be taking it off him soon.

The thing is... the way the All-Action Championship is designed leads to short reigns and people moving past it or getting bogged down by the fact they didn't, stuck in its wake. I'm not really happy with that idea. Any time someone wins a title it should mean something, and the All-Action belt doesn't. Sammy could probably change that.

Sammy's been given the brooding rock idol gimmick, and from what I can see he's been playing with that, seeing where he can push the boundaries. There are a few aspects to what he's doing that are likely to skirt the edges of our broadcasting deal, but so long as we can keep from crossing that line I'm all for it. Depending on what happens to position him before I take over the reins properly, we could see this going all manner of different ways. Where's the dividing line between groupie and cultist?

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoeyMinnesota_alt.jpg
Joey Minnesota http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0_JN1es750)
I've never worked with Joey before, but I honestly think he has the chance to be one of the best wrestlers we have. The fans can get behind him as a solid technician already; we need to give them a reason to care about him, not just about his skills. Joey's sporting a much thicker beard than I'm used to seeing on him, which usually spells a turn on the fans. Have to talk to him and find out what's brewing with that. Like Sammy, he's a former DaVE man who came our way after the collapse. A little later, we got another of theirs...

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Eric Tyler http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djj7jW6ny2M)
When it was decided that we would talk to Coastal Zone about becoming a development territory, we also made plans to bring in veterans who could train the next generation. Eric was one of them, but wires got crossed. When he signed the contract, he did so assuming he was joining the main roster, and the result of telling him to go to Cliff's company was a blazing argument. Never mind that we'd all seen him, countless times, take youngsters like the New Wave under his wing and train them; he maintained he wasn't a teacher type of guy.

In the end, honestly, we hired a guy from Europe to train people instead and stuck Eric in the ring with RDJ. He still has it – did a whole lot better than I'd expected – so Joel put him up against Tyson Baine. That series ends just before I take over, and while Baine comes out the winner, it's safe to say that, at least until he retires, we've got a reason to keep him busy – for one thing, he can help a lot of our brawlers round out their game.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpg
Danny Fonzarelli http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2VQQEoWlTg)
Speaking of brawlers whose game needs rounding out... Joel has been experimenting with Fonzarelli as an occasional ally for RDJ. So far he's not on the same level, but the fans have been responding and despite the slightly goofy gimmick, Danny's never been more credible in their eyes – so I'll probably keep that alliance going while he learns how to back that up in the ring. He recently got a shot at Tommy's belt that went down a storm on free TV.

I'm just a little concerned about his finish, the Retro Rocket. It's awkward and twists his gimmick toward a knockoff of a long-standing SWF guy. There's an idea I never got to use running around my head to replace it, but he'll need to broaden his skillbase for it. Fortunately, indications so far suggest he's a fast learner.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpg
Eddie Peak http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVUItOTpvfo)
Ah, Eddie... Eddie Peak, the Great White Shark, a DaVE success story, a fan favourite because he's arguably the best on the roster at convincing the fans that he's an ultraviolent, dangerous man. Eddie is scheduled to come out on the worse end of the Buffalo/Peak rivalry, but it's not because either Joel or I don't think he's the better worker. Buffalo has a role to play that needs him hot immediately; Eddie needs to be kept from becoming our biggest babyface until he's actually ready to challenge someone like Tommy – or until the biggest babyface doesn't logically go after the title. A lot of work is coming in for Eddie in the near future, work he'll be learning from.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickLaw.jpg
Rick Law http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVKDQgT_b-Y)
It's a daft gimmick. It really is. Rick's strength is that he plays the wrestling cop with the kind of gusto that makes you forget how silly it is. He reminds me of Whistler, the patriotic, flag-waving babyface who could still make it work after patriotism went out of fashion – but Rick has a much better game when the bell sounds, and he's young enough to really develop. I'm hoping that by the time I leave the business, Rick will be someone I can be proud of.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddStone_alt4.jpg
Edd Stone http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6nzQQTsT8)
There's no one out there who has a better pedigree in this business than a Stone. Edd reminds me of my younger son, Adrian – he didn't take after his dad, he didn't copy his brother, he did his own thing, and in both cases that thing is going airborne with the best of them. (Though Edd calls it Edd-Fu.) For whatever reason, Joel positioned him as a heel, a kind of airhead who claims greatness due to his family. We can use that; it just surprises me, as his most obvious opponent is Sammy, himself one of the great hated.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/CharlieThatcher.jpg
Charlie Thatcher http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlEs9udOquE)
Massive. Imposing. Goddamn terrifying when he wants to be, threatening, and an incredibly fast striker for a man his size. Charlie does, however, have a lot to learn if he wants to be more than a brawler, and a brawler outclassed by much of the company at that. I'd also love it if he could go more than ten minutes before collapsing. Much as I owe the guy from my previous time with a book, he gets filed under 'project'.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ChanceFortune.jpg
Chance Fortune http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgW8SsHnazQ)
A young hopeful. Clean-cut, popular with the girls, a solid understanding of the fundamentals... Chance's big issue right now is that he just plain doesn't know many moves. He can tell a story, he's safe, he's reliable, but I can't give Charlie more than ten minutes because he's exhausted and I can't let Chance be on the attack for more than five minutes before he's just repeating what he's already done. At twenty-eight, he should be getting ready to move beyond that if he wants to get any further.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Acid_alt2.jpg
Acid http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1F---3jBWc)
Yet another signing from DaVE, this one one of Joel's last picks. Acid is another high-flyer who the fans can be made to absolutely hate. In all honesty, he's here mostly to provide some variety and tune up a few All-Action candidates – right now. I expect him to get his due soon. Best known for a near-chameleonic ability to mimic any other high flyer he feels like, something I intend to use quite heavily.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RonnieVPain.jpg
Ronnie V. Pain http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAZJmOgYdpU)
If you had to pick a single loser from Painful Procedure's break-up, it's Ronnie. All his momentum came from Procedure, and he doesn't have the skill to maintain it – he's just a big, scary, easily-exhausted brawler. As with Charlie, I have good reason to like him – I built a much smaller company in part on his back – but here in TCW, he's outclassed in just about everything. I don't like to fire people, which is his best hope to hang on.

ampulator

07-17-2009, 10:26 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 10:29 AM

I think Chance Fortune can do just fine, but even I find it a bit unusual that he is somewhat lacking in the actual ring skill's department - particularly in the high-flying department. As an ex-CZCW guy, that's unsuual.

Honestly, so do I - but with the caveat that he's really not at the level to go beyond his current push yet.

That said, if I end with Chance or Clark or even Freddy looking like legit top champions I'll be happy.

ampulator

07-17-2009, 10:45 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 11:02 AM

I think I can make something out of both Freddy Huggins and Chance Fortune if I ever sign them up in my SWF game. They are sort of lost in the pack in TCW. TCW cut out a lot of their lightweights, pretty much keeping only a few.

By the way... are you going to hire Steve Flash?

I definitely have plans for Freddy, but they're waiting on the next round of TV negotiations. Chance I intend to do something with, but the All-Action title has other stuff needing doing first.

Steve Flash is in the dev territory as a teacher along with the 'guy from Europe' mentioned in Eric Tyler's piece and another worker - a Japanese wrestler who starts the game, if memory serves, unemployed. There may be a fourth to join them at some point, but none of the teachers are, at this point, expected to be called up. (Though Steve may get a final PPV match the month he announces his retirement as a thank you). I'm not particularly trying to keep their identities hidden, more that they're not a key part of the diary. (They may well feature in diary entries regarding dev, however.)

The Celt

07-17-2009, 01:44 PM

Jesus Christ Phathom you love 80's style rock so much it's not even funny...it's scary.

foolinc

07-17-2009, 01:52 PM

Jesus Christ Phathom you love 80's style rock so much it's not even funny...it's scary.

And you can't even make the excuse that it's because he's limited to the era. This diary is present day (well you know what I mean)! :D

Astil

07-17-2009, 03:36 PM

And you can't even make the excuse that it's because he's limited to the era. This diary is present day (well you know what I mean)! :D

Right, but Cornell's in charge of the promotion, and one would think based on his own theme (Breaking the Law, look it up, it's cannon) that Cornell would pick similar style songs for his wrestlers.

FINisher

07-17-2009, 03:40 PM

I'M YOUUURR TURBOOOO LOVER~~!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfDVY9pK2Oc)

Bigpapa42

07-17-2009, 03:41 PM

Right, but Cornell's in charge of the promotion, and one would think based on his own theme (Breaking the Law, look it up, it's cannon) that Cornell would pick similar style songs for his wrestlers.

To my mind, it also works because I envision Tee-Cee-Dub as harkening back to the "realistic" wrestling of the 80s and early 90s, especially with promotions like JCP/WCW and WCCW. Whether its intentional by PS or not (and it won't surprise me if it is), those choices throw back to for me in a way that I expect. And like.

Astil

07-17-2009, 03:43 PM

I'M YOUUURR TURBOOOO LOVER~~!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfDVY9pK2Oc)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Workers/SWF/Small/Signed%20Alt/ChampagneLoveralt5Small.jpg

? :cool::p:cool:

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 05:28 PM

Jesus Christ Phathom you love 80's style rock so much it's not even funny...it's scary.

Could be worse. Could be all of 'em. ;)

Right, but Cornell's in charge of the promotion, and one would think based on his own theme (Breaking the Law, look it up, it's cannon) that Cornell would pick similar style songs for his wrestlers.

This sort of thing is a lot of it. Someone like Sam Keith or Eric Tyler has also probably been using that song at least since they were first known players. Then you've got, say, Tommy's protege coming in with a name like Wolf, and what the hell else would he think to use?

To my mind, it also works because I envision Tee-Cee-Dub as harkening back to the "realistic" wrestling of the 80s and early 90s, especially with promotions like JCP/WCW and WCCW. Whether its intentional by PS or not (and it won't surprise me if it is), those choices throw back to for me in a way that I expect. And like.

Partially. My own playlist is a lot broader than this, but any song I pick for a wrestler goes through a bunch of filters:

Do I think the crowd would react well?
Does it fit the gimmick the wrestler is working?
Do I think TCW's notably older booking team would go for it?

Bear in mind that Tommy is an old-school metalhead in theory at least, that Joel is older, and that Karen Killer has written for a goth/rock music magazine for the past ten years. And they're the bulk of my 'creative team'.

People who followed the Philly Pro diary will have noted that a lot of the music was from the late 90s, though there were still heavy levels of throwback. This is because the selection process there went differently:

Is this wrestler sufficiently established in age and the gimmick we want them to work that they'd be coming in with established music?
If so, what era do they hail from and what's the gimmick?
If not, what would music-mad 18-year-old Adrian Dangerous pick for them? How about for the PPVs?

As a result of this, Philly Pro had a bit more diversity. And, of course, it actually had some rap, which is the area I'm most aware this list lacks in.

I figure that SWF is the company that buys the hot new singles rights. TCW has its established music. Which is also gonna be cheaper much of the time. (Except, nuECW taught us, for the Metallica).

I don't promise that music choices will make sense outside my own mental filters, but I do promise that I thought about them rather than grabbing the first thing I liked the sound of.

Maybe I'll let the prediction winners for each PPV choose the official song for the next one.

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 06:51 PM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

21st February 2008
Everyone else

My wife is going to be very happy when I finish this section of the diary; I'm watching about four matches per wrestler and as many of their interviews or other segments as I can find on YouTube. In the case of, say, a Ronnie Pain or a Danny Fonzarelli, both of whom have the sort of cardio regime that would have seen Ed Henson force them into daily ten-mile runs until they improved, this takes less than an hour.

In the case of Tommy it took most of a morning. But there's no other good way for me to get a sense of who's likely to be what in the company; a little of Joel's notes gets folded in, a little of my own plans, but mostly I'm trying to be realistic.

And sometimes it comes down to as basic a comment as it did for Charlie. Today is likely to be like that, as most of these guys, well... have some way to go before they're going to be important to the company.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FreddyHuggins.jpg
Freddy Huggins http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5etCbMTNCk)
A useful enough member of the All-Action division, Freddy takes to the air well and can cut a pretty good interview – though he likely won't get much chance unless he can climb up the totem pole significantly. His sister's been brought into the company to look after him over the last year; and she's doing a domineering older sister schtick. Which is fun, but honestly... all the heat he needs when the bell sounds is going on her. He just looks under the thumb. All due respect to Joel, it's not smart booking; I'll have to figure something out.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ClarkAlexander.jpg
Clark Alexander http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HsEbb-9sA)
Until recently the Iceman, now a proud Hawaiian warrior supported by the fans. In this level of ability, he's one of our very best – which is to say, he can probably rise if he gets the opportunity, but he's unlikely to get that opportunity anytime soon. He's just entered his thirties; that rise may or may not come during his career.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BarryKingman.jpg
Barry Kingman http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVFWqfFoYms)
I feel for Barry, to be honest. I wrestled his father nearly a hundred times in the old APWF and TWL, and his father was one of the all time greats. Barry, on the other hand, is a decent hand and a good worker who, if he gets lucky, will position himself to finish out his career a perennial midcarder as far as the big leagues are concerned. And that's a perfectly fine career, one where you can do well, gather a fanbase, make a decent wage. But when you're constantly compared to Crippler Ray Kingman, it has to hurt. Barry is one of two guys I pushed for signing to do some job work while they find their feet, savvy enough in the ring to tune some of our brawlers up and help them add to their arsenal.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShingenMiyazaki_alt1.jpg
New render by jtlant
Shingen Miyazaki http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO40mdCUHPU)
Stone-trained and honed in the legendary GCG roster, Shingen is someone I have a lot of hope for in time. He has one simple problem; the die-hard fans know his name, and the die-hard fans know what it means to be trained by Dan Stone and his family as well as what it takes to rise in GCG. But the casual fan? They have no idea who young Shingen is, and we're going to have to let him show them before he can move too high in the ranks. I have plans to pick the pace he'll be exposed at up as soon as I can.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AaronAndrews.jpg
Aaron Andrews http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDtU_ofJzus)
A real hope for the future; Aaron can throw down in a brawl and take it to the mat well, and he's got a minor fan following. He's lost to just about everyone on the roster, is the problem, and he's virtually discredited at the age of 21. I can't turn that around fast – I can just hope to do it slowly. In a smaller company this kid could be the kind of guy you build around as champion, and I suspect that if it weren't for the pay he'd wish he was.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FrankiePerez.jpg
Frankie Perez http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWY8zYNH-_M)
Frankie's the other man I earmarked, alongside Barry, to job their way to recognition. He boasts a submission finisher – the Perfect Parity, as he calls it – which is one of the most respected in the world, while he himself is not on that level by any stretch. He could be; we'll have to see how it goes.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg
Floyd Goldworthy http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufDTEfj6_aE)
Ah, Floyd. Long-standing manager and a stand-up guy. 'The Fast Buck' is a man I always viewed as a perfect heel; recently he got back to that, backing up American Buffalo and supplying the words that, thus far, Buffalo can't.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasmineSaunders.jpg
Jasmine Saunders http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qidL5_B7uUs)
I'll be honest; this was the first name on the roster that earned the reaction 'Who?' from me. She's... well, in theory she's a future face of the promotion. I honestly have no idea what we're going to do with her early on, but I know that Tommy wants to develop her as a voice the fans will accept – someone who knows wrestling. I'm considering her a pet project by default. Maybe, if we can get a show to back up Total Wrestling, we'll find her a seat on the third commentary chair so we can demonstrate to the fans what knowledge she has. For now, Total Wrestling has its own issues on the announce desk...

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KarenKiller_alt.jpg
Karen Killer http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PDZC38doDM)
Sammy Bach's back-up – which in theory gives him instant credibility; last time she was on our roster she was the voice of Tyson Baine. In practice, Sammy really doesn't need a mouthpiece, and I'm not sure he needs Karen's interference to keep him credible – but there aren't many folks on the roster Karen would make sense paired with. She might be the answer to another question I've been asking myself, but in all honesty I'm not sure we need her.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpg
Laura Huggins http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5etCbMTNCk)
Freddy's sister, as noted – and twin sister, no less. Need to do something different with her so she doesn't leech his heat – she's got the chops for her job, but if a manager isn't reflecting their heat onto their client, they're doing it wrong. She could do with lessons from Karen, frankly.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EugeneWilliams.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RayJohnson.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamSparrow.jpg
Eugene Williams, Ray Johnson & Sam Sparrow http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yRnH2CXMoU)
I'm grouping these three together. They're our refs (Sam having the top spot) and they do a perfectly worthwhile job, but unless you plan to develop a referee's character or use them beyond just being a referee, that's all you need out of them. And that, right now, is all I want out of them.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpg
Jason Azaria
I love this guy. We've worked together before, I've been listening to his voice over almost every single match I've reviewed this last week, and while he's not the best in the business, he's perfect for our company. Jason puts in an insane level of prep work, to the point where he's got an expenses account for acquiring rare footage whenever we sign someone who's done work elsewhere. He'll sell their credentials from other companies. He knows what their best moves are called and how they set up for them, and he'll tell you – and he'll tell you what the moves do to people in loving detail. Would I like to have someone like Peter Michaels on board? Yes. But until and unless that happens, Jason Azaria stays in the hot seat.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KyleRhodes_alt1.jpg
Kyle Rhodes
Kyle I'm less in love with. Jasmine Saunders is already capable of delivering on the level he's reached. Tapes I have around the house prove that Tom Townsend is better at layering in colour – the same goes for Shane Sneer, Duke Hazzard, Farrah Hesketh, Adrian Garcia, and Sara Silver, just to name the examples who work for smaller companies than TCW (in the Duke and Sara's case, much smaller). And when you consider that Silver works for a company that's as much striptease as wrestling, that says a lot. In the next couple of weeks we're going to be phasing him off the TV show, leaving him in the second seat on PPV alone. We'll see how things go from there. The thing is, we have a potential replacement. (Two, if you include Jasmine.)

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Shawn Doakes
Shawn's goal is to become our play-by-play man, and that means that officially he's after Jason's job, not Kyle's. At the same time, he's already, I'd guess, Kyle's equal – and he's young enough to learn. When I remember the days when Mitch Naess used to call PPVs solo, Shawn seems like a very bright prospect. He's taken the second seat on Total Wrestling, as a test.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpg
Horatio Dangerous http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFrVrBQh_50)
The third seat on commentary? For the next little while, I'm going to be taking it. I know where the stories are going, I'm working with the guys to lay out their matches, and I know what I want the audience to take in about any shifts in gimmick or just plain attitude the wrestlers undergo, so it seems like a halfway smart idea. I may ape Peter Michaels in providing the occasional sit-down interview to go with it; we'll see how that goes. Ultimately I want to get to the point where I can relax during the shows as much as possible, so ideally I'll be off the desk inside a year. But that depends on Shawn, Kyle, and maybe Jasmine.

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 06:53 PM

It's perhaps worth noting that the music was always due to diversify when we hit the young'uns near the bottom - see also Chance Fortune for this one.

And yes, Horatio's theme is a bit of an oldie. So is he.

Astil

07-17-2009, 09:40 PM

Have you given thought to using Doakes as a Manager until his time comes?

Phantom Stranger

07-17-2009, 09:48 PM

Have you given thought to using Doakes as a Manager until his time comes?

Some. It's not how I'm going right now - chiefly because he can Announce and I'd like to see that improve too - but it's something I may do, ditto with Jasmine if/when she gets over.

We actually have more managers than we can use right now, and I've brought in another old favourite who hasn't been revealed yet.

So we'll see how that goes...

James Casey

07-18-2009, 04:47 AM

If nothing else, you can use the dark time to train your announcers as much as the wrestlers - Rhodes/Doakes/Saunders calling the pre-show battle royal or whatever has potential

Hyde Hill

07-18-2009, 06:13 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-18-2009, 07:53 AM

BTW In my TCW games Azaria and Silver seem to get an uncommen amount of good chemistry notes in like 3/4 games. But I like the fact that you are going to try to get something outta those no good Doakes/Saunders/Rhodes. BTW where are the road agents? And grouping the 3 refs where did I see that before? Oh yeah lolz.

Hate to tell you this, Hyde, but as I've been planning this diary since May, the roster write-up was done in the middle of last month, and that's when I lumped the refs together. The main reason this is just being posted now - and the main reason bigpapa's champing at the bit - is that I've been waiting for Philly Pro to be in the closing stages before I start something bigger. Bigpapa and I have been chatting about this since May, though, so it's no wonder he wants to see it actually come to something.

As I say, though, I'm trying not to make all the usual signings, so Sara Silver, best available colour though she is, isn't coming in. Rhodes has longevity on his side and both Jasmine Saunders and Shawn Doakes have specific mentions in their bios of having been recently signed as projects to be groomed. While the game doesn't 'know' that, starting out by canning them is not something Horatio would expect to leave a good impression on his boss.

Arnold and Archie are currently in dev while Tommy, Sam and Horatio help people put their matches together - Arnold and Archie know their way around storytelling, which those folk in development will need. In-game, Horatio plans to bring Archie back in a few months when he's got things the way he wants them.

Hyde Hill

07-18-2009, 08:00 AM

Phantom Stranger

07-18-2009, 08:01 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Tuesday March 23rd 2008

Been a while. Sure, the entries are going to pick up in speed now, but it's been a while. I'm backstage at the Connecticut Symphony Hall, where we're going to be shooting Total Wrestling tonight. It's the last TV show of Joel Bryant's booking run, and it's our final chance to sell the Just Another Day? PPV. It's also the first show I'm going to be in the third chair for, planting a couple of seeds.

At my request we're not making a big thing of my arrival on commentary, in no small part to avoid any legal issue due to accusations of 'cashing in' on Jerry Eisen's big drive over at SWF. The Philly Pro shows are airing at quite a rate over there, but there's still a fair few months before they'll get near the end of my time there.

It occurs to me that I need to call Jerry and apologise for any fallout my appearing for the competition causes him. He doesn't deserve to get into trouble for the timing of Tommy's decisions.

There's a fair amount of joking going on backstage, a real carnival atmosphere. Some of it revolves around the fact that a significant proportion of the roster – the New Wave, the Machines, everyone still on our books who was ever part of Painful Procedure, and others – have been subscribing to the competition, watching and waiting for their appearances much earlier in their careers for Philly Pro. Some of it seems to be Joel Bryant letting the weight of the world off his shoulders.

Karen Killer comes by to discuss the bump she's due to take in the Procedure & Ino/Tag Team Specialists & Sammy Bach match next Sunday, on PPV. It's a big one, and it's my idea – take her out of the game so we can see how Sammy does on his own. I feel guilty about it and I spend most of the discussion apologising, but she's surprisingly game. I always forget this woman once took a Dreadsault when he was feuding with BLZ Bubb – but even if I hadn't, that was ten clean years ago. Priorities change.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KarenKiller_alt.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/Dangerous/SWF%20Footage/Dread_alt1.jpg
In happier times: Karen explains BLZ Bubb's challenge to Dread, HGC house show 1999

I can see Tommy from where I sit, stomping about in a small circle half acting out the big spots he sees coming in his tag match tonight as tag partner Wolf Hawkins and opponents Eddie Peak and Rocky Golden look on. Peak has a child's grin as he looks on, Golden less so, thoughtfully listening and occasionally offering embellishments, little things that'll help him and Eddie get a little rub out of a match they're scheduled to lose, part of the marathon run in to the PPV that RDJ has been setting for Tommy.

Tommy beckons American Buffalo over; safe bet that he's reached the point where Buffalo's run-in will help cost Peak and Golden the match as Eddie abandons the match to brawl with Buffalo all the way through the crowd. They split off after Tommy lays out their ending, discussing the brawl itself; a tricky business, as they can't pre-empt the big spots for Sunday, but they've got to hold their intensity without getting boring or overshadowing whatever action's going on in the ring. Eddie's still joking, a side of him I'd never considered before I finally saw him backstage here.

There's a bellow from just outside the locker room; Tyson Baine is filming his backstage segment to be inserted near the end of the show, the traditional brutal, justified fury promo he's honed since his face turn. I can't quite make out the words, but I know what Baine's talking about; he's running down the bad points of Eric Tyler, his fellow Canadian, before the blow off on Sunday.

Just pissing off Tyson Baine has given Eric Tyler more recognition among the broader wrestling fanbase than all his years with CGC and DaVE. This actually makes me sad; there shouldn't be this kind of gulf between the Big Two and everyone else, and Eric deserves much more recognition than he's had. Still, the birth of the DVD retrospective market means he may yet get that chance to shine.

Bit of a break there. Joel called me over to help him lay out the Young Guns' match against Acid and Sammy Bach tonight, based off what I want to do with the four of them in the future – it's a filler match, so apart from leaving Sammy strong Joel didn't have an agenda for it. Mostly I tried to emphasise the new 'punk' attitude Steve and Harry are displaying these days. Sure, they're well established, they've held plenty of gold, but it's going to be a while before they feature as key players again.

I can feel the adrenaline starting to flow. By the time we get to Sunday I know I'm going to feel right back in the swing of things. I'm getting excited.

Better and better – Shawn Doakes just came by with the dinner orders we'd put in earlier. Most of the guys are digging into pasta or salad right now. Me, I'm lucky – I'm not wrestling anymore, and that means that with the rest of the backstage guys I get to pick whatever I want. This is still a novelty for me when I'm on the road, and I'm loving it. It'll wear thin when I get back into the swing of it, but my guess is that that's some time off.

Ten minutes to go now. Jasmine's warming up the crowd as best she can. Eric's going to give Barry a going-over in the dark, then it's the Natural Talent/Specialists match, and then Jason, Kyle and I will come out just before the show gets rolling. So close to my booking takeover I can taste it...

--

Sunday March 28th 2008

Maybe Monday, actually. Just Another Day? is in the history books now. Straight title retentions down the line, though Wolf had to resort to getting himself disqualified against the Kobra in what was still a damn fine semi-main. RDJ will not be challenging Tommy again for months.

Joel's time as a booker's in the history books too. I got a kick out of him dancing through the hotel bar after the show belting out 'Happy Days Are Here Again' but I could've done without Eddie Peak then leading the entire roster in a chorus of whatever the song is that keeps repeating 'F*ck you I won't do what you tell me' – not a message a booker's particularly keen on hearing.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoelBryant.jpg
Would you believe this man could smile?

Still, he bought my Scotch for the rest of the night. When he gets his room bill back I'll see how he reacts to finding that out.

Flying out to the Theatre of Dreams in the morning for Tuesday's show. Haven't been to Montana in a while, and haven't been to the Theatre in fifteen years or more.

I'm looking forward to it; I'm still kind of stunned that we are where we are. Koshiro Ino is as over, now, as anyone bar Tommy or RDJ were at the start of the year – and he's done that by losing his way past Sammy to Wolf. I'm wondering if he might not lose his way to a face off with Tommy before too long...

Rambling now, though. Good night.

Phantom Stranger

07-18-2009, 08:05 AM

I know man was just kidding too bad ya can't put sarcasm in posts. Hell I have the same problem been planning out my diary for a long while now and I have some similarities with the one Togg is running. Like I said I like the fact you are not bringing in the usual suspects and grooming doakes/saunders/rhodes. KUTGW and will be reading.

Oh, believe me, I'm not taking the ribs as negatives - I'm glad people are reading, and it's astonishing how often you suddenly realise your diary is going in the same direction someone else just went or vice versa.

...I'm sure people will be happy to know that we're almost at the first actual show.

FlameSnoopy

07-18-2009, 08:12 AM

Nice nice nice nice. This is really good I must admit, I like how the grandpa is getting excited. :p

Phantom Stranger

07-18-2009, 09:18 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalwrestlingbanner.jpg

With Just Another Day? over and the titles still in the hands of the champions, TCW looks to the future. Tommy Cornell has been busy all night fielding requests from the rest of the roster, and as always he's set out to make matches that will guarantee your TCW Champions are of the highest calibre.

Tomorrow night, for example, Koshiro Ino will continue his quest for Wolf Hawkins' International Championship. Many argue that Ino was cheated out of the beautiful platinum last night when Wolf Hawkins escaped through disqualification - and the Kobra uses that as the basis for his claim - but Cornell has deceed that if he wishes to return to the title hunt, Koshiro Ino has to beat Hawkins' Syndicate ally Sam Keith.

Eric Tyler has requested a match against young contender and former All-Action Champion Chance Fortune. It remains to be seen what the veteran Tyler wants from this contest, but after his loss to Tyson Baine last night it seems sure that he'll be thirsty to start climbing the ladder once again.

The resilient RDJ has bounced back from last night's loss despite the stipulation he now has to abide by - that he cannot challenge Tommy Cornell for the World Heavyweight Championship. Mr Cornell has informed us that as a consolation prize he has put RDJ in line for a shot at Sammy Bach's All-Action Championship - if he can beat the champ non-title tomorrow night. Bach has his own worries, of course, as Karen Killer was seriously injured last night...

This has presented RDJ's regular running mate Danny Fonzarelli with a problem, as the Tag Team Specialists' challenge to the pair cannot be fairly contested tomorrow. For a while it looked like Fonzarelli would find himself in a handicap situation - but 'A-Rated' Aaron Andrews has stepped up and volunteered to be Fonzarelli's tag partner. Can the two singles experts overcome the Specialists' wealth of experience?

Joey Minnesota is the other man currently calling out Cornell, and Mr Cornell has him in action tonight against Charlie Thatcher. Between Minnesota's brutal tactician and Thatcher's swift monster, it's sure to be a vicious contest.

Lastly, Tommy Cornell has offered two newcomers to TCW a chance to team for the first time against the Tag Team Champions. The Machines face the son of legendary 'Crippler' Ray Kingman, Barry 'No Gimmick Needed, No Quarter Given' Kingman and Shingen Miyazaki, trained by the House of Stone. Kingman and Miyazaki may not be well known yet, but their talent means it can only be a matter of time.

Prediction Key:
Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith

Regis

07-18-2009, 09:47 AM

Prediction Key:
Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Let's go to school.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
Eyy! Fonzie for the win!

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
Non-title? You sly dog, Horatio, you almost fooled us that the job squad stand a chance!

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Up yours, Charlie.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
I don't like to see a Main Event guy jobbing out a lower-card champ, but I think to have RDJ lose here would seriously harm his cred. Sammy's awesome, but still. Plus, ratings will be good enough that Sammy can raise his game even more in future.

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
Sam's a good guy, and will put over people who need it, but I don't think The Kobra's going to be elevated quite that far just yet.

FlameSnoopy

07-18-2009, 09:58 AM

Card looks good for TV: not that special, but not that bad either. Just the way I like them to be. Won't be predicting though for some time, as I am really bad at it, and I don't know how you book just yet (haven't really read your PPPW one.)

Astil

07-18-2009, 10:38 AM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune

Job time

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists

Andrews is ... well he could be a future Cornell if planned correctly.

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)

See Tyler v. Fortune

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota

No way is Thatcher winning this.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)

An interesting storyline here

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith

Tough choice, but the clincher was Cornell/Hawkinks are free tonight, so they're free to run interference.

Tigerkinney

07-18-2009, 11:05 AM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune

Sounds like Chance is going to be on job duty until he learns to expand his boring move-set. One does have to wonder how he was ever a big deal in CZCW ?

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists

Andrews and Fonzarelli aren't over enough as single star to overcome the Tag experience of Oxford and Bryant.

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)

No shock here

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota

If Thatcher wins, we riot !

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)

It's non title so RDJ gets the win here, but him getting a shot at the All Action belt if he wins the match does seem a bit bizarre. Ino challenging for that belt, I just about get but a straight ahead old school brawler like RDJ ?!

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith

Cheating, savvy veteran like win for Keith. Ino will dominate but ultimately Keith will find a way to come out on top.

1PWfan

07-18-2009, 11:15 AM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
I could see Fortune winning if Tyler's on the way out, but since Tyler is the far better wrestler he can go over (I've also noticed guys seem to improve more when they lose)

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
I don't usually bet against established teams, especially not Oldblood like Bryant & Oxford, but there's no denying the fact that they're on the way out long-term, and like Baine they have enough ready-made credibility to challenge for the titles regardless of results

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
Yeah, right, Shingen...this is why you shouldn't have left Japan

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Thatcher should be in developmental. Minnesota's so much better he cant' lose

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
RDJ may have lost the right to challenge for the title, but he's still the number one babyface and needs to stay dominant

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
I don't like Kosh (largely through ingrained bitterness over Japan's tendency to steal all the best young talent), so I'm rooting for the Syndicate on this one.

James Casey

07-18-2009, 11:44 AM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Stomp the pretty boy... Nah, Chance and Eric are a great pairing right now.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
The Joel Bryant Appreciation Tour starts here

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
Non-title or not, this is an excuse for The Machines to make the opposition look good, tease a loss, and then go over

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
It's Joey "Frickin'" Minnesota, fyi. Likely to be my default choice ad infinitum.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
Can't see it being clean, but as a way of starting a new feud, this works for me

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
A good way to transition Kosh from Wolf to Tommy, perhaps?

Bigpapa42

07-18-2009, 11:52 AM

Zeel1

07-18-2009, 11:55 AM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Eric Tyler's auto-pushed to the Main Event, or atleast Upper Midcard, at the start of a TCW game. Fortune isn't taking him down.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
I'd have to guess you got Andrews out of the Enhancement Talent limbo that he begins the game in. All the same, I don't see his team winning here. Maybe give Joel a little consolation prize, seeing as you stole his job..

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
I like the Kingman/Miyazaki pairing, but I don't see them beating the tag champs in their first match together.

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Thatcher's the worlds strongest jobber, and won't be anything else until he improves significantly..

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
Hmm..Bach can rise up the rankings very fast, and could easily be an Upper Midcarder at this point..but I still pick RDJ. No real point in setting the "Beat the champion, get a shot at his belt" stipulation if you aren't going to use it.

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
Ino seems like someone that comes into the promotion with a lot of momentum, and assuming you've kept that going, this is the kinda match I'd see Keith losing, to further enhance Ino's seemingly on-going feud with The Syndicate.

Phantom Stranger

07-18-2009, 12:25 PM

Sounds like Chance is going to be on job duty until he learns to expand his boring move-set. One does have to wonder how he was ever a big deal in CZCW ?

What he does do, he does pretty damn well, and he's strong on the stick. I have a lot of hope for Chance.

It's non title so RDJ gets the win here, but him getting a shot at the All Action belt if he wins the match does seem a bit bizarre. Ino challenging for that belt, I just about get but a straight ahead old school brawler like RDJ ?!

Never piss off Tommy Cornell for a year and a half then let him control the matchmaking, is the storyline answer.

Hyde Hill

07-18-2009, 12:51 PM

I second Zeel's picks.

foolinc

07-18-2009, 01:40 PM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Chance will have his day. Just not now.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
Could go either way, but right now I can't see the throw together tag team winning.

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
Kingman can't be over enough to pick up a win here, can he?

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Very easy

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
Looks really easy, but I could be wrong here.

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
Ino could go over, but I see him losing via interference.

Astyn

07-18-2009, 09:23 PM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith

Liamo

07-19-2009, 03:15 AM

I agree with foolinc and Astyn, but the fact the Machines/Kingman & Miyazaki is non-title makes me wonder...

Greg McNeish

07-19-2009, 04:26 PM

Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Eric Tyler just naturally falls into the role of trying to beat some respect into the youngin's, which is the perfect use of his skills. Chance Fortune is young punk #1.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
Joel Bryant deserves a victory lap, after running the book. You seem like you'd respect that, so we'll go with that.

The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
You yourself said that you brought in Kingman & Miyazaki to job.

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Thatcher honestly needs to be actively paired up with someone he's protecting, in order to be of any real use. You've got other people that can fill the menacing-guy-to-feed-the-bosses-enemies-to role.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
RDJ's still a top guy, so he's got to look strong. I see the shenanigans picking up, when the title match comes.

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
I'm seeing a no contest. Ino seems to be positioning himself for a top-face run, at least in the short-term. Keith doesn't need to job to make that happen, but a draw would really be good for both guys, as it would prove that Ino can hang with the main eventers, and Keith can still look strong.

jesseewiak

07-19-2009, 06:11 PM

Prediction Key:
Eric Tyler vs. Chance Fortune
Poor Chance. He's gonna' die.

Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
Sure...Aaron & Fonzie will be getting a push...but not quite yet.

TCW Tag Team Champions The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki (non-title)
Machines are the Machines.

Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
Joey's a future World Champ.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. TCW All-Action Champion Sammy Bach (non-title)
Yeah, he ain't jobbing to Sammy Bach. Even if he can't challenge Tommy.

Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
Ino continues to get over by losing to main eventers.

maskedpropaganda

07-19-2009, 06:15 PM

Phantom Stranger

07-20-2009, 08:32 AM

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http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 1 April 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 2.87)

Held at the Theatre of Dreams (Northwest US)

Attendance: 9951

Announcers:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg
American Buffalo jabs at a hanging bag backstage, concentrating on it, each punch a loud, punishing impact. In the background, Goldworthy beams. “That's it, kid,” he smiles. “Now you made a lot of noise taking Peak down like that.”

He pauses as Buffalo delivers a stock right-right-right-left uppercut combo into the bag, one of his signature moves. “Good,” Buffalo grunts.

“Yeah,” Goldworthy nods. “I think we can have you in line for Hawkins' title before too long.”

“Not-” smack “-good-” smack “-enough.” There's a crack, and the chain link support for the bag gives with the impact of the third blow, sending the bag to the mat where weight and momentum make it burst open, sand spilling out. Buffalo stands watching it, sweat glistening, clearly frustrated at this early cutoff to his workout.

“OK,” Goldworthy offers, trying once again to placate his hot-tempered client. “The big one. Sure. I can deliver that. Now, to get the board's support, we'll need a bit more noise. Tornado's around tonight, and he might claim his back's back to standard – I don't believe it. Easy pickings. So we hit him and-”

“No.” Buffalo says it flatly, still watching the broken bag. Goldworthy blinks. “Uh-”

“No,” Buffalo says. “One more person, you think?”

“One more.”

Buffalo nods. “Then I pick the target.

“He's had it coming a long time.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ChanceFortune.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Chance Fortune vs. Eric Tyler
Simple. Straightforward. Fortune starts out strong and optimistic – a spinwheel kick as the bell goes – and rapidly finds himself out of options so far as that goes, while Tyler sticks to his guns, keeping the pace slow, staying clinical.

A face long scarred into impassivity watches the effect of every hold, every throw, every knee on the youngster. Watches, assesses, selects the next assault. Somewhere in there, Chance surprises him – an armbar designed to force him to the ground sees him handplant up and twist, clamping a legscissors submission hold on Tyler that leaves the veteran forced to break his own hold to handle the threat – which he does by lifting Fortune and falling backward, dropping the youngster across to the top rope in a suplex/stun gun effect. The Weight of Tradition brainbuster follows not long afterward, Tyler picking up the victory. Afterward, he watches the youngster regain his feet, nodding almost imperceptibly.
Eric Tyler defeated Chance Fortune
Rating: D+

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Tyler promptly collects a microphone, unwilling to relinquish the ring. “You all know by now what I stand for,” he says. “You come to this sport. You learn to wrestle. You pay your dues. You learn to wrestle. You put in your time. You learn to wrestle. You get noticed. You learn to wrestle.

“And if it seems like I'm picking one aspect out above the others, good. You learn to goddamn wrestle. And you never stop learning. The school of tradition is no respecter of age.

“Example; Sunday night, Tyson Baine beat me.” He pauses, acknowledging the jeers, nodding. Eric Tyler has always been one of the most sympathetic of heels; you can usually see his point, even when you disagree with it. “I'll still say straight up that I'm the better wrestler, but he's got strength, and you can't deny that. The lad here has youth on me, and you can't deny that either. In both cases, though, I learned that little bit more about how to beat those advantages.

“But the School of Tradition is no simple metaphor,” he continues. “I've set out throughout my career to find the chancers. The no-hopers. The talentless bodies like Baine.

“And then we go to school. And by the time I'm done with them, they have learned respect. And I hope they've learned to goddamn wrestle, too, because that's the point.

“But it's these people – the chancers who sneak through, who somehow miraculously think they don't have to put in their goddamn time – who get me pissed off.

“So here's how it is. Aaron Andrews, I call you one of the worst. You're here – and what have you done to deserve it?

“And I call you out. By the time I get done with you, Andrews, you'll either have proved to me that you deserve to be here, or you'll be in hospital. Either way, you'll finally respect this sport.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AaronAndrews.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoelBryant.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RobertOxford.jpg
Aaron Andrews & Danny Fonzarelli vs. The Tag Team Specialists
Shining light in this match is Fonzarelli, hindered though he is by the inability he and Andrews display to find a rhythm together and fully mesh. Much of the match, as they realise this, shifts into a beatdown sequence on Fonzarelli, who makes his own save on two occasions – one notable for the specifics.

Fonzarelli trips Oxford, sending him out of the ring, and flattens a charging Bryant with a left jab. And then he starts to stalk Bryant. “Here it comes,” Dangerous says knowledgably. “Retro-”

“No!” Shawn Doakes yells, the first man on the desk to realise what Fonzarelli's gone for. “It's the One Shot Drop! It's Bryant's move! It's Bryant's move!”

Oxford hauls Eugene Williams out of the ring to break the count. Bryant low blows Fonzarelli behind Williams' back, and TCW's own 'Dr Love' manages to reach his corner, tagging in Andrews.

Aaron comes in fast with fists flying, and that works well for a while, but it's not enough, not against both of them. Bryant hits a One Shot Drop of his own and Oxford blocks Fonzarelli from breaking up the cover.
The Tag Team Specialists defeated Aaron Andrews and Danny Fonzarelli
Rating: D+

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The camera finds itself backstage again. An exhalation of something that might be cigarette smoke, might be dry ice, slides across the screen for a moment as it tracks across to a Sammy Bach who leans against the locker room wall, breathing audible, smiling faintly, eyes halfway-rolled-back. Sammy Bach is the living personification of the afterglow.

“Karen...” he murmurs. “They tell me she'll pull through. Eventually.” He finally lifts his head, with apparent effort, from its rest against the wall, looking into the camera with suddenly perfectly clear eyes. “So the Procedure may live.

“I spread my wings, it seems. And Tommy Cornell prepares to clip them...” The smile is suddenly back, dreamy. “But immortality is like that. To rise, to be an angel, to fly...” He shakes his head. “Soon.

“Ricky Dale Johnson. I've known him some time. I have watched him. We all have.

“Tonight, Ricky Dale Johnson, give of yourself to me, that I may fly. Tonight, give me what you have...”

Abruptly, he rises. The camera is presented with, not a headshot, but a view of his T-Shirt:

Sick.
Twisted.
Perfect.

“...and lose. As you must.”

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The Machines vs. Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki
No issues here with Kingman and Miyazaki being unable to communicate; however, they don't have the name value of a Fonzarelli either, and the net result is that the crowd aren't much more into it. It's a short match as Hill and Anderson plough through their opponents cleanly, glorying in it, revelling in what they can do. The final moments see Kingman smashed into the canvas by Anderson's Ammo Dump, just as the crowd expected.
The Machines defeated Barry Kingman & Shingen Miyazaki
Rating: D+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/CharlieThatcher.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoeyMinnesota_alt.jpg
Charlie Thatcher vs. Joey Minnesota
The pace picks up notably here. It helps that Thatcher has always been quick on his feet for a monster – or, indeed, in general, his 'thing' being speedy, powerful strikes – and that Minnesota is used to controlling brawls, which is what this was always going to be.
Control is what the savvy youngster does; it's all about care, as he watches the assaults and moves, just clear every time, to hit a counterstrike.

It's incredible how close the margins are, but these two seem to have a near-perfect understanding of timing between themselves, allowing Minnesota to pop the crowd with each and every escape. Thatcher gets his heat back by stolidly ignoring every blow struck against him, or more or less doing so; Rhodes reprises one of his few famous calls, remarking that “Charlie Thatcher will happily take twenty punches to make sure of the one punch that sticks,” to hammer home just how resilient the Insurance Policy is.

Nonetheless, it's Minnesota who looks like the star. It's Minnesota who receives the bulk of the effective offence, and in the end, it's Minnesota who gets the Empire Spiral and finishes the match.
Joey Minnesota defeated Charlie Thatcher
Rating: C

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg
Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Sammy Bach
To the experienced eye, RDJ is not pulling his full weight this match, unhappy with recent events. But it takes an experienced eye to see it, as the two men face off for the first time – and we discover that Sammy and Ricky just get it when they get in the ring together, that they have an innate understanding of what the other can do, where he'll be, almost what he's thinking.

Bach is all smiles as he comes to the ring, and all smiles as the bell rings – and then it drops abruptly, lost in focus. He weathers RDJ's early offence, ducks a lariat, and comes back with a sequence of kicks cribbed from capoeira before hitting the top turnbuckle and launching himself all the way across the ring to bulldog Johnson's face into the opposite turnbuckle as he uses the ropes to climb up – a recently-developed signature sequence.

And the crowd, predictably, go nuts. RDJ and Bach come across like equals from different worlds, neither having faced the other or the other's style enough to truly get a handle on them, but each of them a powerful competitor who knows just what to use – RDJ's particular favourite sequence in the match being the catch from a moonsault press into a piledriver, though Bach manages, somehow, to kick out a hair before three.

Somewhere along the way it goes from a wrestling exhibition to a straight-up fight. It'd be extremely tough to say just when, or to say who pushed the match into a brawl – but it happened. They spill out of the ring, they spill back into the ring, they spill right through referee Sam Sparrow, and while the fans wake up to the fury – Bach beaming in between strikes – Sparrow does the right thing after the twentieth minute; he stops the match. The fans aren't as happy with the inconclusive ending as they might have been, but one thing's for sure; they are happy.
Ricky Dale Johnson drew with Sammy Bach
Rating: B

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Fury of the Storm hits, and the crowd respond instantly. Tornado has successfully rebuilt himself into a fan favourite through sympathy over the injury and his redemptive rescue of Painful Procedure; while he's been comparatively active recently for an injured man, he's still a welcome sight, especially after Goldworthy namedropped him earlier in the night.

“How you all doing?” he calls through the microphone once the fuss has died down, whipping it right back into a frenzy.

“That's what I like to hear. After a little physio, a little healing, a little soul-searching and some time to get back to brotherhood with the guys I owe my career to – well, I'm feeling almost as good as you sound. And that means it's time to party like a rockstar and kick a little ass!” He rides the cheer this receives for another moment.

“And the ass I have in mind...” he grins, “belongs to the World. Heavyweight. Champion. Tommy, I hear you're looking for new challengers. I want my name in that list.”

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That brings a hell of a response, and the response only starts to die down when Of Wolf And Man begins to play through the arena. Hawkins emerges, strutting down to the ring, International belt around his waist.

“Well, well, well,” he grins. “What do we have here?”

Tornado just gestures him into the ring, and Hawkins obliges. “Come on, Troy,” he continues. “You think you can just throw yourself out there when you're still hurt and Tommy will let you get away with it?”

“I think you've got your own business to deal with,” Tornado responds. “A little matter of a man called Koshiro Ino. You remember him, right? The guy you lost to Saturday night?”

“The belt's still where it should be,” Hawkins retorts hotly. “And Ino has to prove he can handle it before I sit down with him again. And he won't.

“But come ON, Troy. You know how this works. Tommy chooses his challengers by who he thinks has a chance to beat him. Ricky just finished proving that in spite of beating Tommy before, he can't do it. You, though? You're injured, man. You're hurting. You think you could make it through the match, let alone win it?”

Tornado shrugs. “One way to find out,” he says. Hawkins gets a forearm to the face, then another that sends him back to the ropes. As he rebounds, Tornado's already halfway through the discus windup into the third forearm.

As Hawkins hits the mat the crowd explode. Tornado goes to the ropes as Wolf picks himself up, coming back with a Star Maker springboard lariat.

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That's when help arrives, the Machines sliding under the ring in almost eerie sync. A chop block by Anderson is followed by the King of the Hill splash, before both men pick up Tornado and hold him. Hawkins measures him for the Full Moon Rising...

...If it ain't broke BREAK IT!

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Painful Procedure are suddenly there in the ring. The fight is, briefly, balanced before the Syndicate, seeing that their goal won't be accomplished, bail as the reformed rock band play to the crowd.

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpg
Koshiro Ino vs. Sam Keith
There's almost half an hour left on the clock as the main event begins. What ensues is not a timeless classic, but for a TV main event it's good and strong. Keith and Ino wrestle an entire match in the Japanese idiom, Keith showing everything he's learned in his time with Burning Hammer.

It's an exhibition match, showing the flexibility in style and skill of the living legend and allowing Ino to work in the form he's most comfortable with. Rhodes stumbles occasionally, but Azaria has every move down, the style down, and he sells the fans on its history, on the mythology of the moves, their pedigree and everything else they might need to know.

Maybe that unfamiliarity detracts from the reactions a little; that certainly could explain it. Nonetheless, the fans in attendance are plainly enjoying every countered Neutron Plex, every Flowsion, every backdrop driver and stiff kick.

It's Sam Keith's match, most of the time, but he appears to be getting tired by the pace as the match wears on. That's probably why, on Ino's third attempt, the Kobra's Bite smashes past Keith's defences. Ino bears his shoulders to the mat and Keith simply doesn't have enough left to get back up.
Koshiro Ino defeated Sam Keith
Rating: B

Show Rating: B-

Phantom Stranger

07-20-2009, 08:36 AM

A couple quick show thoughts:

- Sweet, sweet undiscovered good chemistry. A double helping probably saved the show.

- The 'Can TCW Run A Show Safely Without Tommy Cornell Wrestling?' question has been answered, and the answer is 'probably if you'd used bigger names than Fortune, Andrews, Kingman & Miyazaki, dumbass'.

- The banners as segment separation; working or annoying?

Astil

07-20-2009, 09:23 AM

- The banners as segment separation; working or annoying?

I liked it.

FlameSnoopy

07-20-2009, 09:25 AM

It's a great way to separate 'em, but I dislike the TCW banner :p Change the banner itself, then I am ok.

James Casey

07-20-2009, 09:36 AM

- The banners as segment separation; working or annoying?

On this score, I'm coming down against them. I wouldn't go so far as annoying, exactly - but they're kind of distracting and cluttering.

Otherwise, a solid show and a decent start to your reign - although setting Andrews up for a feud and then having him do nothing in the tag match (bad chemistry notwithstanding) seemed odd. I guess it could reinforce what Tyler's saying about him?

Phantom Stranger

07-20-2009, 10:34 AM

It's a great way to separate 'em, but I dislike the TCW banner :p Change the banner itself, then I am ok.

On this score, I'm coming down against them. I wouldn't go so far as annoying, exactly - but they're kind of distracting and cluttering.

Would a simpler, thinner line or similar suit for you guys? I'm trying to provide some definition and break-up between sections, but I had the worry that they might get in the way.

Otherwise, a solid show and a decent start to your reign - although setting Andrews up for a feud and then having him do nothing in the tag match (bad chemistry notwithstanding) seemed odd. I guess it could reinforce what Tyler's saying about him?

For now, let's just say that the tag match had two key angles playing through it. Hopefully that will pick up in clarity soon.

1PWfan

07-20-2009, 10:39 AM

I like the banners- I can see the argument against them but a line or something's too thin for me- when you're scrolling down they're easy to miss, and I like nice thick boundaries. Plus, I think the banner looks cool

Bigpapa42

07-20-2009, 10:43 AM

Good show.

As for the banners, I like the idea. Its nice to have something to break up the segments beyond just pictures. And I really don't mind the TCW banner, but perhaps if you had a few different ones to alternate? Just a thought...

FlameSnoopy

07-20-2009, 10:49 AM

Yeah something not too big. Something like 500 X 25 (25 being the height) are good in my opinion.

James Casey

07-20-2009, 10:57 AM

Would a simpler, thinner line or similar suit for you guys? I'm trying to provide some definition and break-up between sections, but I had the worry that they might get in the way.

If it's clear separation you're after, a shorter banner, sans logo, but saying TCW presents... could work better.

Phantom Stranger

07-20-2009, 11:02 AM

The predictions winner this show is Zeel1, with 5 correct. On its way to him as a result from the TCW merchandise department is the Troy Tornado 'Hope You Bought Storm Insurance' T-shirt.

Hyde Hill

07-20-2009, 11:29 AM

Ehem I seconded Zeel's picks I want my merchandise!!!!!! Minnesota related por favor. Anyways good show and on the banners don't really mind either way.

ChicaGalesa

07-20-2009, 11:32 AM

Loving Troy, with his Dragonforce entrance music :D (and a song from one of the good albums, too <3). Sammy Bach is just the right side of whiny pretentious emo kid for me to hate, too. In the good way.

As for the banners, I get the idea, but some times when you have shorter segments they look a bit much. Maybe have a thinner banner for every segment, with the thicker one only used once or twice? I think they're a good idea though.

Phantom Stranger

07-20-2009, 11:36 AM

Ehem I seconded Zeel's picks I want my merchandise!!!!!! Minnesota related por favor. Anyways good show and on the banners don't really mind either way.

Well, fair enough. I'm liable to miss 'I second so-and-so' posts while skimming through to do the count, however.

Every winner each show gets the same merch, I'm afraid.

G-Prime

07-21-2009, 06:28 AM

Great show.

I liked the banners, I kind of see them as like, the logo flashing up on the screen in between segments (like 80's Transformers cartoons).

Tigerkinney

07-21-2009, 07:23 AM

- The 'Can TCW Run A Show Safely Without Tommy Cornell Wrestling?' question has been answered, and the answer is 'probably if you'd used bigger names than Fortune, Andrews, Kingman & Miyazaki, dumbass'.

I think it can just about survive without Tommy wrestling every week, but he wasn't even on the show at all. Tommy should in theory be like Rich Money in Big P's SWF diary, on the show every week whether it be wrestling or just in an angle. At the start TCW just doesn't have enough 'stars' for the show to survive without Cornell.

The first half of the show suffered from the competitors being simply not 'over' enough, especially in the case of say Miyazaki & Kingman. Things definitely picked up in the second half and you ended with two good (B) matches that kind of saved the show.

What I do like is turning Tornado back to face (it makes sense with the coming back from injury angle) and whilst I was slightly surprised to see Ino go clean over Keith, that was also a good move. Tornado and Ino are two of the most talented (and relatively over) performers on the babyface side (that aren't RDJ) and should be able to pull off better matches than plodding lumps like Baine or Golden, should they eventually by-pass those two in the main event.

That's what always makes me laugh about TCW's starting roster. They claim that they aim to put on better wrestling than the SWF, yet they've elevated a classic sports entertainment hoss like Rocky Golden into the main event.

G-Prime

07-21-2009, 07:33 AM

That's what always makes me laugh about TCW's starting roster. They claim that they aim to put on better wrestling than the SWF, yet they've elevated a classic sports entertainment hoss like Rocky Golden into the main event.

I'm quite a fan of Rocky Golden. Once you get his Stamina up to C+, and he can go at least 20 minutes without gassing, he's a pretty decent worker, delivers in angles, has the look.
If you get lucky with potential, he even turns into a passable wrestler, especially when you consider who he's got to learn from in TCW.

Hyde Hill

07-21-2009, 07:44 AM

With Rocky I awlays think he got over just because he oozes star quality and charisma he could have gotten that high just by loosing to better workers. As well traditional + realism = Big men that can brawl so he fits TCW's product in that respect. It also explains Buffalo, RDJ, Baine being so high up.

Phantom Stranger

07-21-2009, 08:18 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Wednesday April 3rd 2008
Early morning flights, and the TCW crew scatter. Based as I am out of the Philly area, I find myself on the same flight as Eddie Peak and a few others, mostly DaVE diehards.

Much to my relief, Peak's mostly amused by the whiskey payback; I got passed a note just before the show finished:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/eddienote.jpg

I guess working with Nemesis means that most things just seem like ribs. Either way, it's probably a good thing for me.

I got lucky with that show. Tommy wasn't impressed with the results, and to be honest, I was hoping for better.

--

Eric Tyler just left. He asked Sammy to swap out for him for a bit, wanting to talk. This was fine with me; I had a couple of issues with his post-match promo, mostly centered around naming Aaron Andrews the 'worst'.

I'd been hoping to see Tyler make a project of the undercard youngsters. Someone with Tyler's experience and reputation taking an interest in you can take you from a nobody to a significant player with the 'smart' section of the audience, and once they're behind you, you almost can't help rise to a certain level. That's not the top by any stretch, but for a lot of our casual fans, simply seeing a youngster start to be the focus of some of the crowd signs will make them take a second look at him, opening their eyes to just how much he delivers, and get them behind him.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Acid_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Guide.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Scout.jpg
Tyler and the rest of DaVE stable the School of Tradition, 2006

But Tyler took just half a sentence to tell the audience, quietly, that Andrews was the big offender – and to imply as he did so that any further feud post-Andrews would be kind of a letdown.

Eric is smart enough that when he sat down he let me raise the subject. He let me point out more or less what I just pointed out, though I didn't take half so many words.

Then he smiled.

“I got my eye on better meat, to be honest,” he said. “Your boy with the badge and the baton.”

“Rick?” I was surprised, to say the least. Rick Law barely needs making. He's over, out-there gimmick and all, his ability to wake the crowd up on the microphone is truly remarkable, and he can brawl as sweet as RDJ. His only real issue is that he doesn't have the flex of an RDJ.

Tyler just nodded. “Him and me,” he said, “we'd have a lot of fun. It's up to you, chief. I ain't gonna call him out live unless we have an understanding – I did that and I'd expect you to send him out and bury me.

“But it's not a bad program. I know you want me to work with the kids, but I just came off workin' Baine. I don't wanna just work the kiddy pool.”

There's a glint in Eric's eye whenever he talks about this sort of thing. The guy lives for wrestling. His family lives for wrestling. And people forget that – they assume Eric talks to bookers this way because he's got an inflated sense of what he's worth.

The problem is, Eric Tyler is entirely right about what he's worth. He's still a name. I'm just not sure how much longer he'll be actively wrestling. I make the appropriate noises, and Tyler smiles, knowing that he's been promised nothing. You can't hide it from the experienced boys.

He changes the subject, mentioning the Danger Zone – the training school I've been running the last nine years. I tell him yes, it's still running.

“Mostly my daughter in charge now, though. So it runs in between Five Star tours. The boys and I drop in from time to time to lend a hand. The occasional guest star. Why, you planning to put in an appearance?”

“Yeah,” he says. “But that's basically the payment you get to let me look your operation over.

“My eldest, Brooke, she wants to follow her pa. House shows and all, I ain't got time to do a good job of the teachin' myself. So I'm looking the various places over, you know?” He makes a face. “Ain't enough places willin' to teach the girls.”

I realise why I really get on with Eric at that point as we drift into the talk of fathers watching their children get ready to wrestle – before Leatherheads starts on the in-flight movie and Sammy wants his seat back.

Phantom Stranger

07-21-2009, 10:22 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalwrestlingbanner.jpg

The fallout from Koshiro 'the Kobra' Ino's win last week looks to be at the forefront of Tommy Cornell's mind. Mr Cornell has added a further match to the itinerary before Ino can challenge once again for Wolf Hawkins' International Championship - the Kobra will be in main event tag-team action this week as he and World Heavyweight hopeful Troy Tornado square off against the Syndicate's big guns, Tommy Cornell and Sam Keith. Mr Cornell has intimated that the member of Ino and Tornado's team who performs better - scoring a fall or evading being the defeated man - will be moving a step further toward their goal.

Meanwhile, Mr Cornell has granted Tyson Baine a match against Wolf Hawkins following an angry confrontation between Cornell and Baine after the show finished last week. We're told that Baine wanted a match against Cornell, but that Mr Cornell felt that his young protege would be a more appropriate rival.

Following last week's confrontation between Syndicate and Painful Procedure, a pair of singles matches have been arranged across this week and next. John Anderson will be taking on Randall Hopkirk this week, with their tag partners to face off next week.

We're told that the face-off between factions has also led to Mr Cornell arranging a hardcore match for Ronnie V. Pain, former Procedure guitarist, in which he'll face the 'Great White Shark' himself, Eddie Peak. Quite what Pain's ordeal has to do with Hopkirk, Shearer and Tornado remains to be seen.

Danny Fonzarelli has asked for and been granted a match against Robert Oxford following Oxford's actions during their match last week. Fonzarelli seems put out by Oxford's interference directly following Fonzarelli's use of the One Shot Drop on Joel Bryant - and just why is Fonzarelli using the Specialist's own move?

In tag action, the New Wave take on the unusual team of Edd Stone and Acid. We're told that Mr Cornell is deliberating on All-Action Championship matches and looks at this match as an audition piece.

We expect to hear from American Buffalo regarding his choice of 'target' from last week and I wouldn't be surprised to discover that Eric Tyler's issues with Aaron Andrews will proceed during the show.

Prediction Key:
Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

* - Yes, this is different to what's in the website preview box.

Bigpapa42

07-21-2009, 10:26 AM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

1PWfan

07-21-2009, 10:36 AM

Prediction Key:
Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford
As an NYCW man it feels almost wrong to bet against Oxford, but if this feud's going to have legs Fonzarelli needs a win

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave
Now don't be silly...one of the best tag teams in the world vs. the worst Stone and Acid. Who I don't much like

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain
Eddie's character wouldbe killed stone dead by a loss here

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk
Again, if we're going to take this seriously PP need a win, and I buy Hopkirk winning slightly more than I do Shearer

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Wolf Hawkins
I've violated my own ethics once...I'm not betting on Wolf here unless you really don't like RDJ

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith
TCW fact of life #1: Tommy never loses, especially not to Ino

Phantom Stranger

07-21-2009, 11:32 AM

The first half of the show suffered from the competitors being simply not 'over' enough, especially in the case of say Miyazaki & Kingman. Things definitely picked up in the second half and you ended with two good (B) matches that kind of saved the show.

Yup. Complete goof on my part in that I ended up combining both 'can TCW survive doing X' questions - not using Tommy and using the young unknowns.

What I do like is turning Tornado back to face (it makes sense with the coming back from injury angle) and whilst I was slightly surprised to see Ino go clean over Keith, that was also a good move. Tornado and Ino are two of the most talented (and relatively over) performers on the babyface side (that aren't RDJ) and should be able to pull off better matches than plodding lumps like Baine or Golden, should they eventually by-pass those two in the main event.

That's what always makes me laugh about TCW's starting roster. They claim that they aim to put on better wrestling than the SWF, yet they've elevated a classic sports entertainment hoss like Rocky Golden into the main event.

TCW at the start is in a very weird position. Some of their workers are over, some of their workers are talented, and the Syndicate are over and talented. (Slight oversimplification). Ideally you can help Golden and Baine improve without burying them along the way as what they have to offer is overness, and hopefully at the same time you can ramp up the overness of various undercard folks who can go at it. At the same time you've the tightrope of not falling to Cult to walk...

I think it's eminently doable, however. Just takes a bit of care early on.

Regis

07-21-2009, 06:11 PM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford
Fonzie!

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave
Edd is nowhere near as over as either of these guys, and he and Acid don't have the experience.

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain
No, seriously. Go to dev for a while.

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk
A win for Randall would make sense if we assume that Randall and John are on the same level in any way at all. Seeing as they're not...

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Wolf Hawkins
Wolf is the Syndicate's whipping boy, to stop his ego growing too big.RDJ doesn't get his title shot, of course.

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith
DQ win as the Syndicate storm the ring. Pure Four Horsemen tactics.

Tigerkinney

07-21-2009, 06:24 PM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

I'll go against the general consensus here and go for Oxford to use his experience...experience of cheating that is

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

Can't see Acid and Stone co-existing as partners, even if they were able to co-exist...I'd still go for a New Wave win.

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

Squash, Pain is terrible and should in all honesty be released or at the very least sent down to development

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

I have to agree with Regis here, Hopkirk isn't on the same level as Anderson to justify a win here in singles competition. Painful Procedure if they are going to get a shot at the belts will earn that shot some other way.

Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins

DQ or count-out win...Hawkins keeps his belt but takes another loss to keep him somewhat humble.

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

However Cornell and Keith will show Hawkins how you cheat and get away with it !

angeldelayette

07-21-2009, 06:29 PM

I'm not entirely familiar with the TCW roster itself so these are just guesses.

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk[/B[

[B]Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

foolinc

07-21-2009, 06:30 PM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford
Tough call, but Danny's younger

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave
It's the New Wave and Acid & Edd are partnering for the first time so unless Edd and Morton have good chemistry as a team this is easy.

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins
Top babyface is going over

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith
Ino isn't going over the champion just yet

Hyde Hill

07-21-2009, 07:26 PM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Wolf Hawkins

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

Greg McNeish

07-21-2009, 08:59 PM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford
I like the stealing-the-finisher storyline. It's so old school.

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave
No brainer.

Hardcore Match
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain
This is a squash, plain and simple. The question is whether this will lead to the band getting back together.

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk
Hopkirk has slightly more value than Shearer, so he'll be the PP member to take the victory. Anderson's young enough, talented enough, and connected enough to get this back, no problem.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Wolf Hawkins
Baine is the obvious choice as Buffalo's target, for the old Morpheus days. He'll get taken out, and RDJ will come in as a substitute. Hawkins will either get pinned, or bail. Either way, he'll make the excuse that he wasn't ready for RDJ, in classic heel fashion.

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith
The big question is which of these boys will take the fall. At this point, Troy Tornado needs a bit more sympathy in his character, to truly get over his face turn, so I'm picking him as the one staring at the lights.

Oregano Jensen

07-22-2009, 03:17 AM

Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford

I feel like you always have the right to make Oxford the loser in any singles match. It's part of his whole thing.

Acid & Edd Stone vs. The New Wave

The interesting thing here, to me, is the fact that Acid and Edd are two guys who I think have already been portrayed pretty definitively in other dynasties. (The former in Monkeypox's DAVE, and the latter in FCK.) So I'm simultaneously interested in seeing where you're going with them, and skeptical that they'll really catch on... that much having been said, full-time team beats one-time team.

Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain

John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk

I feel like you can't have all of Painful Procedure losing on the same show, and a solo Anderson (while formidable) is easier to tag with a loss Cornell/Keith. The natural impulse is to say Peak over Pain and Hopkirk over Anderson -- Peak is the best of these men, and if Hopkirk can beat Anderson solo, that raises questions about the tag matchup. But I'm going the other way -- you've been talking about holding Peak back, and Anderson is probably the best in-ring performer of the four. He wins, probably by cheating. Peak either loses clean or... I want to say he's the kind of guy who can get DQ'd for some brutal action and still be a face, and if so, no time like the premise to demonstrate it. He's Peak. He can do anything. (But not yet.)

Ricky Dale Johnson* vs. Wolf Hawkins

Pro wrestling is the only combat "sport" in which the guy taking the fight on short notice is generally considered to have the advantage... I say this gets converted to a non-title match when RDJ replaces Baine, and RDJ gets the clean win too. He's the top face in the company; Wolf's a high-level lackey, but still a lackey.

Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Tommy Cornell & Sam Keith

I know Ino is getting a huge push, but the Syndicate are the Syndicate, and their two biggest stars are right here. We know this isn't the start of an Ino-Tornado alliance, because Tornado has his stable and Ino is apparently slated for something in a few months. So it must be a loss.

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 12:22 PM

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http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 2 April 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 3.28)

Held at Virginia Park Fields (Mid-Atlantic US)

Attendance: 10,000 (SOLD OUT!)

Announcers:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpg
“...can't believe Sammy managed that,” Hawkins says as the credits fade. The camera has taken us inside Mr Cornell's office, where the three solo Syndicate members are gathered in their suits.

Sam Keith nods. “I know you've been taking stick for it since it happened,” he says. “The All-Action Champ doing something the International Champ hasn't managed, all that. But it can work for us.” Cornell nods in his turn; like Keith, he's all business, while their younger colleague is clearly smarting from the criticism received over the past week.

“Sam's right, Wolf,” Cornell offers, trying to soothe his young protege. “If Johnson can't beat the All-Action champ,” the trademark self-assured Cornell smirk emerges, “then he can hardly ask to challenge for any of our belts, right? No indication he has a chance. We can use this to lock him down for months.”

Hawkins nods. “Alright,” he says. “OK. What'd you call us in for?”

“Two things,” Cornell says swiftly. “First off, Painful Procedure. We've got the numbers on 'em, but we need 'em cut off from backup. I think we're going to have to make a show of it, right?”

Keith nods; Hawkins follows a moment later. “Next,” Cornell continues. “The Syndicate holds pretty much as many titles as we currently can. Sam's not exactly inside the All-Action remit – no offence-”

“None taken.”

“But I'd like us to hold all the titles. We're going to have to recruit.”

“Sammy won't do it,” Keith says immediately. “He's still pissed you made him fight RDJ.”

“OK,” Tommy nods. “And Sammy's damn good.

“We're going to have to make someone better, boys.” The camera cuts, frustratingly, to the ring, where a match is due to start.

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RobertOxford.jpg
Danny Fonzarelli vs. Robert Oxford
A better-received match than their tag encounter last week, if not by much. Fonzarelli is clearly motivated for this one, but a lot of it manifests as showboating – the former Darkness Warrior has really learned to play to the crowd in short order, and the crowd seem to love it. In-ring action is as largely unspectacular as you'd predict between an aging mat professor and a huge hoss, except when we reach the finish; Fonzarelli levels Oxford with a massive lariat and then, uncharacteristically, goes to the top turnbuckle.

“What the hell's he playing at?” Dangerous demands. Doakes gets it a hair before Azaria, but they essentially make the call together:

“Top-rope kneedrop! It's Oxford's signature!”

And Oxford's signature looks a lot nastier when it's a man the size of Danny Fonzarelli hitting it. Oxford has no chance of kicking out of this one.
Danny Fonzarelli defeated Robert Oxford
Rating: C-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Guide.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Scout.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddStone_alt4.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Acid_alt2.jpg
The New Wave vs. Edd Stone & Acid
Guide and Acid start this one out, former allies in another company on opposite sides here. As they watch each other and the bell chimes, Acid's stance abruptly changes, flowing chameleon-like into Guide's own stance. Guide is visibly thrown by this, but starts to relax slightly as the match goes on and it becomes clear that Acid's moves are still his own trademark repertoire, rather than mimicking Guide to any deeper degree.

After a couple of minutes, the Wave manage to isolate Acid. A serious beatdown ensues, interspersed with highly athletic escape attempts, and the Wave of Mutilation is set up – but Edd Stone intercepts, literally running along the top rope to rana Scout off the turnbuckle before he can leap.

Stone promptly leaps up and plays to the crowd, who are more than a little disconcerted by this. Guide hits him from behind with a baseball slide, and this time the crowd cheer emphatically. Somehow, in that magical way of tag matches, by the time order is restored Acid's on the apron and Edd's in the ring.

Craziness ensues. Edd-Fu is not a style for the faint-hearted, or for people who employ strategy to face. The New Wave have most of Edd's signature spots scouted, so he confounds them; the usual punch, punch, handspring, dropkick turns into punch, punch, handspring, wander off aimlessly, wait for opponent to attack, dropkick.

Guide takes this and tries to work with it, Stone, Acid and Guide all being people who'd fit smoothly into the All-Action division. Scout, when he tags in, is a little less friendly about it. He just cuts Edd off every time the showboating starts, doling out punches, kicks, and suplexes like nobody's business, finally hauling Edd over to his corner, just barely out of reach of the ropes, to clamp on the Special Force. Edd taps promptly and frantically.
New Wave defeated Edd Stone & Acid
Rating: C

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Eric Tyler is shown on the big screen, microphone in hand. “I've been looking,” he says. “And Aaron, wherever you're hiding, I can't find you. Which is just going to make things worse when I do. You gotta show up if you want to get paid, Andrews. Make this easy on yourself.

“Next. Week. Get me?”

“Excuse me,” comes a female voice that provokes immediate disgust from the crowd. “Mr Tyler?”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpg
Tyler glances across and the camera realigns, showing Laura Huggins entering frame in her usual sharp executive gear. “Yes, doll?”

“Well, Mr Tyler, as you may know I represent my brother's interests within this company. We would like you to know that, ah, should you feel at any point that you need an assistant in your current endeavours, my brother will make himself at your disposal.”

“Huh.” Tyler nods, then looks back to camera. “See this, Andrews? Respect. Hope you're listenin'.”

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HARDCORE MATCH
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RonnieVPain.jpg
Eddie Peak vs. Ronnie V. Pain
It's one of Pain's best-received matches since he left Painful Procedure -which says little if anything. Peak starts by walking him through it, then starts to run him through it, then just starts whaling away on Pain with absolutely anything to hand including the ringside camera.

Like Baine, what keeps Peak away from being a heel is primarily his exclusive choice of opponents, though Peak also boasts DaVE-cred. In this case, a talented worker is beating the hell out of Ronnie V. Pain. Peak nearly destroys him, then stops. He kneels for the pin, and suddenly a chair shot smashes Ronnie upside the head.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg
Panning out, the camera catches Wolf Hawkins adding an exclamation point to Peak's beatdown. Eddie watches Hawkins carefully, and Hawkins backs off for the three count, coming in to continue the assault the moment Peak has the victory.
Eddie Peak defeated Ronnie V. Pain
Rating: C-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg
Peak watches Hawkins assault Pain for a few seconds longer, then shoves him away, standing between Pain and more injury. As EMTs scramble for a Pain who's rolled and fallen from the ring to the floor, Hawkins and Peak stand off –

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And Tornado, backed up by Painful Procedure, hits the ring to ensure Hawkins backs off.

Peak regards the group curiously, pointing at Pain questioningly.

Tornado and Hopkirk immediately shake their heads while Shearer shrugs. Tornado promptly collects a microphone.

“We got your message, Tommy,” he says. “You'll go through anyone whether they're with us or not, just so long as you think they might be.

“And you seem to think that might make us back down. Sorry, hombre. That's not how we work. I'm going over your head, Tommy. I'm going to the Board. And at Where Angels Fear To Tread the boys are going to take your boys' Tag Team Championship. Not just that either – I'm going to take your World. Heavyweight. Championship!

“Get ready, Tommy. Fifteen months is plenty of time to have it. Don't cry too hard when it goes.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RandallHopkirk.jpg
John Anderson vs. Randall Hopkirk
Not a brilliant presaging of events to come; Hopkirk and Anderson have issues in the ring, significant enough issues that this performance simply isn't that great – but, at the same time, isn't nearly as bad as it might have been. Hopkirk gains the upper hand around ten minutes in, only for reinforcements to arrive.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpg
Brent Hill hits the ring and the Machines get thirty seconds' worth of uninterrupted double teaming. Off the back of a double back suplex, however, a pop starts to rise from the crowd and Hill rises and turns -

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Straight into a Star Maker! A jawbreaker to Anderson later, the legal Syndicate man staggers into a Randallism while Tornado rouses the downed ref. The three count doesn't take long at all after that.
Randall Hopkirk defeated John Anderson
Rating: C-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg
Tyson Baine emerges from his locker room backstage as Number of the Beast begins to sound through the arena. The camera tracks with him as he stalks toward the ring for his match with Hawkins. Baine emerges onto the ramp to a huge pop-

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American Buffalo comes out of nowhere and Stampedes him six feet off the ramp into the steel crowd barrier, which buckles before snapping under the impact, spilling both men into the crowd. Cushioned by the big man, Buffalo rises and bellows in triumph.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg
From the ramp and visibly on edge, Floyd Goldworthy raises a microphone and a card containing a prepared statement.

“My client would like to inform you that what you have just witnessed is simply the first part of revenge for an act ten years ago, an act severe enough to still have repercussions.

“Further information will be revealed in due course, when Baine emerges from the grip of Morpheus.”

Buffalo climbs back onto the ramp and the two men make it backstage. Just before commercial, the last shot to go out is one of an unconscious Baine lying amid the wreckage.

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg
Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Wolf Hawkins
Returning from commercial we see Baine's hastily-nominated replacement make his entry to the ring. Azaria and Doakes point out that RDJ was the only comparable name not already occupied; Doakes, quick to respond, notes that if RDJ isn't held off by Hawkins, the debate about whether Hawkins or Bach is a better wrestler is going to get very heated.

“And of course,” Dangerous points out, “beating the International Champion is a quick way back into title contention.”

Better received and hotter than RDJ's match last week, this one is also a little shorter, a little tighter. Hawkins plays a good game throughout, staying almost ahead of RDJ for much of the match, but inexperience will always out eventually.

It's a classic approach, heel on face, and with the undisputed talent on display in the ring there's little question but that this could be a main event in the very near future.

What Hawkins lacks in experience, he makes up for in speed; what RDJ lacks in technical prowess, he makes up for in strength. Which is how it ends; RDJ positions himself for a German suplex, but Hawkins manages to hook the leg and block, elbowing clear and moving to go for a side Russian leg sweep; RDJ simply overpowers Hawkins, lifting him and shifting him across to score with the Southern Justice. That picks up the pin after fifteen minutes.
Ricky Dale Johnson defeated Wolf Hawkins
Rating: B+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpg
Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado vs. Sam Keith & Tommy Cornell
The shining light of this one is Tornado, who appears to have added new matwork and new impact tricks to his playbook while out with injury. The Kobra, meanwhile, picks out Sam Keith – and vice versa – and the two men set out to settle the score caused by last week's main event.

Tornado and Cornell, meanwhile, are all about each other, and the result is a high-speed match with a surprising number of double-tags. As time goes on it becomes clear that in both mini-match-ups, there's no clear winner; eventually, shooting Sam Keith off the ropes, Koshiro Ino misses Tommy Cornell blind-tag himself in. The Kobra's Bite follows for Keith, followed instantly by a quick roll-up from Tommy which edges the win.
Sam Keith & Tommy Cornell defeated Koshiro Ino & Troy Tornado
Rating: B

Show Rating: B-

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 12:24 PM

Banner divide tweaked - let me know how this one works.

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 01:28 PM

Two predictors walked away with 100% records on this show - 1PWFan and Greg McNeish. On their way to you both are 100% cotton Syndicate T-shirts, specifically the Cornell shirt:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/Tommyshirt1.jpg

FlameSnoopy

07-23-2009, 01:44 PM

Banner divide tweaked - let me know how this one works.

Better. Much better. And good show too :)

Greg McNeish

07-23-2009, 02:34 PM

Yay! I win. I'm pretty sure this is my very first Cornellverse t-shirt.

The banners are good. I liked them before, but these ones are definitely easier on the eyes.

Fantastic show, man. I like that it's unclear whether Ronnie V Pain will rejoin Painful Procedure. Who could be the new prospect for the Syndicate? Intrigue!

foolinc

07-23-2009, 02:37 PM

Banner's a ton better, but seeing Hopkirk winning makes me want to puke.

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 03:26 PM

Banner's a ton better, but seeing Hopkirk winning makes me want to puke.

TCW only has so many face tag teams, man...

foolinc

07-23-2009, 03:53 PM

TCW only has so many face tag teams, man...

You've had 3 months to correct this problem didn't you? ;)

Zeel1

07-23-2009, 03:58 PM

You've had 3 months to correct this problem didn't you? ;)

*Snaps fingers in Z formation.*

:p

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 03:58 PM

You've had 3 months to correct this problem didn't you? ;)

Well, there's Natural Talent. :rolleyes: ;)

There are more tag teams due to come in, but they still need to be built, and the Machines need challengers now.

I'm a big fan of tag team wrestling, and once enough teams have the kind of experience necessary to form the cornerstone of a division, you can expect it to really take off. But the division as I see it in future won't happen, I don't think, inside 2008. Maybe not 2009 either.

foolinc

07-23-2009, 04:23 PM

Well, there's Natural Talent. :rolleyes: ;)

There are more tag teams due to come in, but they still need to be built, and the Machines need challengers now.

I'm a big fan of tag team wrestling, and once enough teams have the kind of experience necessary to form the cornerstone of a division, you can expect it to really take off. But the division as I see it in future won't happen, I don't think, inside 2008. Maybe not 2009 either.

To be honest, TCW isn't that far off from having a solid division from right off the bat. The Machines and The New Wave are just about as good as you are going to get in terms of tag team wrestling. Hell, from day one they are good for B grade matches with each other. The Tag Team Specialists and The Young Guns are both solid midcard teams as well. All you really need to do at the beginning is switch the overness from Painful Procedure and The Young Guns and add a lower midcard tag team (personally I like giving Freddie Huggins or Edd Stone a bodyguard) and you have a solid foundation for a tag team scene.

And this is before you get into the idea of making additions to the roster and throwing two guys on the roster together and see what sticks. One of the best things about TCW's roster is the fact there whole roster is more or less in the same overness range. Not the greatest thing at the beginning of the game, but sure gives you a lot of choices in the midcard.

Phantom Stranger

07-23-2009, 05:04 PM

To be honest, TCW isn't that far off from having a solid division from right off the bat. The Machines and The New Wave are just about as good as you are going to get in terms of tag team wrestling. Hell, from day one they are good for B grade matches with each other. The Tag Team Specialists and The Young Guns are both solid midcard teams as well. All you really need to do at the beginning is switch the overness from Painful Procedure and The Young Guns and add a lower midcard tag team (personally I like giving Freddie Huggins or Edd Stone a bodyguard) and you have a solid foundation for a tag team scene.

Foundation, yeah - but you only have the New Wave as cornerstones.

I've found through experimentation that what takes a tag division from putting on matches of around two grades lower as a team than they'd do solo is enough of that division having really strong tag experience that they can help carry the rest while it learns. TCW doesn't start off with that - you have to build what you've got. The Machines need many, many matches to get to even a B tag experience, which I consider to be a sound minimum for 'tag cornerstone'.

The Young Guns have the experience but not the overness & talent combo - they're on my list to improve, but there are other issues in the way right now. (Some of this will doubtless translate into a diary entry at some point.) And like I say, others are coming.

But for right now, the New Wave just finished their challenge under the three final months of Joel (who, we will recall, was tagged as 'stagnant' and didn't change a great deal) and the Procedure really are next in line, particularly with a resurgent face Tornado. Yes, they need work - a lot of the roster needs work, and a chunk of it's getting it in dev while others are holding the fort while they're gone.

Things will evolve - next week's show is likely to display part of that.

Phantom Stranger

07-24-2009, 07:10 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg
Wednesday April 10th 2008

The worst bit of being the booker, for me, is that disciplinary gets run through you. There are reasons; say Tommy hears that, I don't know, Robert Oxford has been shaving people's heads as they sleep (which, the word has it, is why Joel Bryant originally went for the skinhead look when they began teaming – it was just easier than trying to get Oxford to stop) and promptly suspends Oxford for a month.

At that point, the Specialists' beef with Fonzie becomes kind of tricky to book. So it makes a lot of sense to me that I get called in, but it's an awkward part of things. As a booker, I spend enough time asking the boys to do all manner of things that aren't necessarily what they want to do, and I need every ounce of goodwill I can muster.

You can probably tell where this is leading. It's been brought to my attention that Scout of the New Wave has been spreading some nasty rumours about Randall Hopkirk. I doubt many folk are going to believe them, and out of courtesy to Randall I'm not going to repeat them here. But it means that it falls to me to discipline Scout.

Now, the thing is, Scout's just come out of a feud with the tag champs on the losing end. Hopkirk's just entered one.

And with the Specialists busy with Fonzie and Natural Talent not able to hold up their own end of a tag feud, the New Wave are very much treading water for a while. It's natural for Scout to be a little frustrated by that. It's also natural for someone who's part of such a noted team as the New Wave to feel their oats when they're not the featured team – but acting on it's a problem.

I couldn't bring myself to give Scout too much of a dressing-down, and I do intend to use the Wave fairly regularly in singles and tag competition. So it was pretty much a verbal case.

But it's the part I hate most. Always.

--

Monday April 15th 2008

Got a call this morning from Tommy, while I was packing. “We've been fiddling with Pay-Per-View,” he said. Not that I didn't mishear him and assume he was tinkering with the upcoming PPV. So that was thirty seconds of confusion right there. Eventually, however, I found out what was going on; Tommy has, over the past month, taken advantage of the buzz following Just Another Day? which officially put us on the SWF's level in the eyes of the international press – and we've inked PPV deals with carriers in Japan and Europe, as well as a Mexican carrier and our extension with the guys in Canada. (We could probably upgrade from the one in Canada, but it'll have to wait until the extension runs down.)

So that's good, right?

Well, mostly. It's also confusing, because we broadcast our TV to the US, Canada, and a small portion of Mexico. We can't exactly expect a big buyrate anywhere else because, frankly, they won't know what's going on with the feuds, to say nothing of the fact that our big names are less well known there. So in theory I'm to make our PPVs more 'accessible' as a standalone thing “without compromising the product” as Tommy put it, that phrase being a sure sign that he's been talking to too many men in suits this past month.

I think I'm going to ignore the phone call entirely and see what happens, to tell you the truth.

Phantom Stranger

07-24-2009, 05:40 PM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalwrestlingbanner.jpg

A major clash is coming in this week's main event, as Tommy Cornell allies with protege and Syndicate colleague Wolf Hawkins against Tyson Baine and Rick Law. Mr Cornell has made no comparable matches for Troy Tornado or Koshiro Ino, the biggest current thorns in the Syndicate's side. Quite why this is we do not yet know.

We're told that Mr Cornell allowed Wolf Hawkins to select RDJ's opponent this week after Hawkins suffered a loss against RDJ last time around; whether or not this is true, Ricky Dale Johnson faces off against the American Buffalo whose actions last week have set the wrestling world talking.

RDJ is not the only one who's smarting under Wolf Hawkins' recommendation. It seems that after the All-Action Champion Sammy Bach held RDJ to a draw - something Hawkins was unable to do - that Bach has earned Hawkins' ire, and that ire comes this week in the form of a non-title match against Rocky Golden.

The Tag Team Specialists have once again challenged Danny Fonzarelli to a tag contest to help them determine whether or not singles or tag competition produces the superior wrestlers. With Fonzarelli's friend and ally RDJ still embroiled in his war with the Syndicate, Danny has turned to the great young talent of Joey Minnesota who has a case to make in favour of singles competition.

In the second of two linked matches, Painful Procedure's Billy Jack Shearer faces off with the Syndicate's Brent Hill. The Syndicate lost last week's contest following interference on both sides - who'll take the upper hand this week, and how many men will it need?

Lastly, Mr Cornell has confirmed that Aaron Andrews must step into the ring against Eric Tyler this week following the impassioned case put by the veteran over the past few weeks.

Prediction Key:
Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins

Greg McNeish

07-24-2009, 06:48 PM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
I'm thinking we'll see another draw here, further infuriating Wolf. I'm thinking we might see Bach get recruited to the Syndicate, but Wolf be furious about it. That would be a glorious feud.

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
Evening things up.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
I'm thinking we'll see Freddy Huggins play a role here, freeing up Tyler to tackle the Po-Po.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
Tyson Baine will be looking to return the favour, from last week. He'll weaken the Buffalo, leaving him easy pickings for RDJ, without Buffalo looking weak.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
The singles guys win the singles matches, and the Tag Team Specialists win the tag team matches. That's just science. Also, I love that Fonzarelli is considered someone that isn't a tag team wrestler. Fantastic kayfabe work.

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins
Your two top singles champions aren't likely to take the fall here. Perhaps a DQ, from Tornado and Ino.

Phantom Stranger

07-24-2009, 07:09 PM

Also, I love that Fonzarelli is considered someone that isn't a tag team wrestler. Fantastic kayfabe work.[/i]

Heh. This has been something due to come up for a while, but it's needed to wait a little while before the final piece for this feud is actually freed up to be portrayed as part of it.

Hyde Hill

07-24-2009, 07:56 PM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)

Syndicate shenanigens will give Golden the win.

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill

Both are old but one is waaaaaaaay better.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler

For now.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson

RDJ is still a way bigger player and better.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota

It's Joey frikking Minnesota

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins

Creative control and it's Cornell.

Bigpapa42

07-24-2009, 08:05 PM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
Its too bad this is non-title. Because is any worker on the TCW roster who just screams "All Action", its Rocky Golden...

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
Gotta give the Machines some love... right...?

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
Stranger things have happened that Double-A going over the vet... but I think Tyler sticks with tradition and beats the living crap out of the kid...

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
Could be a fairly big win for The Buff. But I still RDJ means more yet...

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
Its Joey Freakin Minnesota, but...

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins
Tommy and the Hawk take this one.

Regis

07-24-2009, 10:39 PM

Prediction Key:
Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
Hey, he's done it before, why not again?

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
After Randall took the freak win last week, Brent has to stay strong.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
I mean, seriously.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
I think there may be interference here.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
I have to agree - TTTS are set to triumph.

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins
Even if Wolf can be jobbed a lot, he can't just be the whipping boy.

foolinc

07-24-2009, 11:11 PM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
Rocky Golden as the All Action title would be awesome. Too bad he's a face right now.

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
The Machines get a win back.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
DQ or Flash pin

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins

Zeel1

07-25-2009, 12:06 AM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)
I know it doesn't quite sound right at the beggining of a diary, but it is two months in, and Bach goes to Upper Midcarder pretty quickly most of the time. And the one between the two with more value is obvious..

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
BJS doesn't seem like much of a jobber, but is a good face to gain heat over in a win.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
Ending this feud, to abruptly move on to Law? That doesn't sound like great booking, but Tyler auto-pushes to Main Event at the beggining, and Andrews auto-pushes to Enhancement Talent. Two months later, or not, I don't see Aaron walking away with a win.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
RDJ's out of the title picture, so he needs something to do. A feud with Buffalo doesn't sound too bad, a win here, either clean or by DQ, could be a nice start to that.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
Victory lap or not, I don't see you copying me and having Bryant go over Minnesota, sooo.. ;)

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins
While Hawkins/Cornell definately look like the better team, a No.1 Contender for Tommy's belt is needed. Having Hawkins get pinned seems like an effective enough way of establishing one.

Tigerkinney

07-25-2009, 03:17 AM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)

It's not secret that I'm not exactly Golden's biggest fan, but as he is over and that this is also non title, I think he probably will win this one.

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill

Two in a row for PP ? ...hopefully not

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler

No way Andrews who starts so low on the card at the start gets a win here.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson

RDJ's out of the title picture, Buffalo needs a feud to help him break out of upper mid-card limbo. This could be that feud but RDJ wins the first one, probably by DQ.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota

The old guys may have the Tag experience but Fonzarelli seems to be getting into their heads and Minnesota's certainly an upgrade on the last partner he had.

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins

Could go either way, Syndicate take this one but probably via some kind of distraction/interference.

jesseewiak

07-25-2009, 03:37 AM

Prediction Key:
Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill - Parity booking to set-up the tag match.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler - This ain't MAW.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson - Floyd helps out

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota - To further the Danny looking for a tag partner storyline

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins - Setting up the PPV.

Oregano Jensen

07-25-2009, 06:13 AM

Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach (non-title)

But Sammy Bach escapes his scheduled beating -- possibly by DQing himself?

Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill

The Pride of... Philadelphia? Are we living in the post-PPPW Cornellverse?

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler

He's not a very good teacher if he doesn't get some wins early.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson

Buffalo needs to be kept strong; RDJ's strength will manage itself. That much having been said, no way he goes over clean.

The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota

They're not called the "Regular Singles Match Specialists".

Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins

I get that Hawkins is the third wheel of the Syndicate, and can lose (say) a singles match at any time. But this is Tommy Cornell -- even in doubles, there needs to be a reason for him to lose. And if Hawkins costs Cornell the match, after the loss to RDJ, he's just going to look pathetic.

mad5226

07-25-2009, 11:52 AM

I just read through all this and want u to know i think its awesome and a great presentation. Im going to wait one more show before i start to predict but you have a reader in me

Phantom Stranger

07-26-2009, 08:03 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCW.jpg
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 3 April 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 3.27)

Held at the Evanovich Riverside (Tri-State US)

Attendance: 10,000 (SOLD OUT!)

Announcers:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg
Credits fade down and reveal Sammy Bach lounging in the locker room. He lifts the All Action belt casually, looking at it, then looks back to the camera with a dreamy gaze. “What does this say to you?” he asks. “Plodding punches? A match strategy entirely based on absorbing more pain than your opponent?

“No. So this is revenge. Revenge for success.” A slight smile, lip curling in arrogance. “Well. If this is what the Syndicate give me, then they do not offer me a reason to join with them, hm?” Bach snickers.

“Rocky Golden, I have lived through the worst that DaVE could throw at me. I have endured, purified in the fire of the blazing tables, the worst of me bled out and left behind on canvas in Philadelphia – and running scared down to Pittsburgh.

“The search of alchemists has been for perfection and, with it, immortality. I am purified. I am ready. I do not think you can be – but I believe you shall try.” He rises, the belt held loosely in one hand. “I look forward to it, Rocky. From the altar to the mosh pit, my fans do too.

“Give me what you have. Let me take the best of you and grow.

“But don't imagine you can win where Johnson could not.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RockyGolden.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg
Rocky Golden vs. Sammy Bach
Golden awaits the All-Action Champion, a shrug of his shoulders the only real response to Bach's ethereal attitude on the way to the ring. Bach seems dreamy as he emerges through the entrance, as he walks down the ramp and climbs the steps...

...And then he steps into the ring, straightens, and the dream goes out of his body language entirely. Golden nods at that, seemingly approving. Then the bell rings and Golden charges. Bach sidesteps, but gets caught with a punch as Golden whirls on the spot. From here on the contest is truly on.

In many ways this is a shorter and less shining revisit to the Bach/Johnson match of two weeks previous, as Golden is simply a weaker opponent than Johnson – indeed, as Golden is less capable of taking charge and leading the match. That said, Golden also gets in, if anything, more heavy hits than Johnson did, taking over the offence pretty comprehensively in the ninth minute and going to town, leathering Bach.

Rocky seems to realise that if he gets a win here he has a chance to comprehensively step ahead of RDJ and there's no better spur. After a truly vicious powerbomb as a counter to Bach's comeback, he hoists Bach up into the Rack.

Bach's eyes close and a slow dreamy smile spreads across his face while Golden works the Rack, aiming clearly for the submission. After maybe ten seconds Bach's eyes snap back open with a purpose and he shifts his weight, somehow twisting clear and almost rolling down Golden's back, dragging his opponent with him to lock in the Bach on your Back. Golden fights it for a while, but in the end he has to tap.
Sammy Bach defeated Rocky Golden
Rating: B

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BillyJackShearer.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpg
Billy Jack Shearer vs. Brent Hill
Maybe it's just all the times these two have gone up against each other over the years, but there's a natural understanding of each other's style here that genuinely seems to make the crowd sit up and take notice. It's finesse against power, a classic TCW story, and as so often in TCW sheer power is the good guys' weapon.

The Syndicate man counters this with the ease of experience, taking few of Shearer's strikes directly on the chin and concentrating exclusively on his shoulder - a strategy that causes some comment from the announce desk as non of Hill's most devastating moves target the shoulder in the slightest.

The realisation comes in near the finish; using the injury to overcome Shearer's strength, Hill whips him toward the corner. Shearer manages to stop short before he'd collide with Sam Sparrow, but Hill promptly follows up with a dropkick, sandwiching the ref and taking him out of the picture.

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As Wolf Hawkins races down to the ring, Hill applies an armbar and wrenches Shearer down a little, allowing Hawkins to hit the Full Moon Rising enzuigiri on the big man. A quick ref revival and pin count ensue promptly, before Painful Procedure have a chance to retaliate.
Brent Hill defeated Billy Jack Shearer
Rating: C+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Back in his former home town, Eric Tyler strides out to the ring. Here if anywhere the cheers for Tyler's respected veteran status can be recognised mingled in with the fans' issues regarding his activity in TCW.

“Andrews!” he calls into the microphone. “You must've heard we got official backing this time. You gotta get out here now – and believe me, if you don't I'll get back there and I'll drag you out.

“You ready to learn some respect, boy?

“I hope so. I know these days you kids hunker down with your video, you watch what your opponents have done to people, and Andrews, you and I both know I've done plenty.

“So while you were scouting me, Andrews, you find any weak spots? You find a psychological flaw you could exploit?

“Because I know you went looking. But me, I reckon you got stalled. I reckon you thought this was gonna be easy homework, something you could do to find maybe some small crack of a gap you could work through.

“And it didn't work out that way. I reckon you saw the Weight of Tradition. I reckon you saw the Tradition Lift. Maybe you saw what I did in DaVE, maybe you saw me toe to toe with the DeColts – but you saw what I got to offer. And I reckon that's going to have sent you off your tracks.

“You might even have worked out that I'm someone to respect. Well, you can show me that if you want. Come on out, Andrews. Come on and give me what you got.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AaronAndrews.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler
Andrews lasts longer than Tyler clearly expected him to. He fires back at the veteran with sharp punches and stiff kicks, at one point grounding Tyler and bringing the knees into play.

It's a swift, blunt offence calculated against the fact that Tyler's older, and it's clear that Aaron's game plan is to try and overwhelm him early and keep on it.

That lasts until the first pinfall. Tyler kicks out and grabs a leg as he shifts position, tugging Andrews down to the mat.

What follows is hard, is painful, is driven by Tyler's own very personal knowledge of how much everything he does to Andrews genuinely hurts. It caps off, after nearly ten minutes, with the Tradition Lift.
Eric Tyler defeated Aaron Andrews
Rating: C-

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The video screen crackles into life. The first few bars of a familiar song hit; Rotorblade's 2004 hit L.A. Nights. After just long enough that people can recognise the track and realise what it means, the interference on the screen washes away, leaving behind a pair of smiling lips. A chuckle emerges just as the track transitions.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMGcod6f00o)

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BlondeBombshell.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/_mysteryman.jpg
The Blonde Bombshell is back and as the screen pulls out, we can see she's not alone. It's a darkened nightclub, with the Bombshell picked out in a brilliant golden spotlight. Others dance nearby – and one man lurks behind her, kept carefully in shadow. Intercut are equally dark shots from a wrestling ring, second-long glimpses of a figure in shadow rolling through an array of challengers. Throws and takedowns are the order of the day, and after each one, it seems, another falls utterly.

The video ends with a single still, the Bombshell wrapped around this mystery man, his features obviously blacked out with computer trickery as she shines still in the light. A caption appears.

Where Angels Fear To Tread

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoelBryant.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RobertOxford.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoeyMinnesota_alt.jpg
The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
Not the greatest of matches, this one. Minnesota and Fonzarelli put up a good solid fight while the Specialists function, as ever in tag matches, as a single perfectly-tuned unit, each man automatically coming in just as his partner needs him.

Like the majority of famous tag teams, underhand moves are part and parcel of their style. Fonzarelli is unquestionably tougher, and Minnesota is probably the best talent in the ring. But when you're fighting two men who work as one and who cheat into the bargain, it's not always a good thing.

Brass knuckles play into the finish here as Bryant lays Fonzarelli out with a set, immediately afterward getting the cover as Oxford tucks the evidence away.
The Tag Team Specialists defeated Danny Fonzarelli & Joey Minnesota
Rating: D+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
Buffalo has rapidly turned himself into a very credible, legitimate threat to even the biggest names in TCW of late. RDJ's expression, watching his opponent before the bell rings, is edgy; the only man who seems more nervous, in fact, is Goldworthy as he watches his charge.

Buffalo goes on the offensive right from the start, and Johnson's caught on the back foot – and absolutely can't get off it. While his defence includes a lot of stiff shots and kicks, there simply isn't a break from Buffalo's onslaught that he can use to do more than throw a punch.

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And then help arrives. With Goldworthy's protests drawing Eugene Williams' attention from the ring, Tyson Baine steps over the top rope, yanking Buffalo off Johnson and delivering a thunderous Hades Bomb before scooping him back up and shoving him into RDJ, who catches him, almost by reflex, in the setup position for the Southern Justice.

Baine leaves the ring and Southern Justice is dealt. Immediately following this, Eugene Williams is able to count the pin for RDJ.
Ricky Dale Johnson defeated American Buffalo
Rating: B-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickLaw.jpg
Baine is swiftly joined in the ring by Rick Law, his partner in the upcoming main event. Both men take microphones up.

“Tonight,” Rick Law declares, smiling softly, “once again, it's! Time! To lay... Down... THE LAW!” He beams as the fans join with his catchphrase, while Baine simply watches his partner for the night quietly.

“Tommy Cornell faces Troy Tornado for the World Heavyweight Championship soon. Wolf Hawkins, I'm guessing, has run out of hoops to make the Kobra jump through.

“But tonight, it's me and the big guy who face them. And you can bet your life that tonight we'll be kicking ass and taking names. You can bet that tonight, Tommy Cornell will... Respect the Badge.”

Baine steps forward, raising his own microphone. “Buffalo,” he growls. “This man might tell you that our match tonight is nothing personal. Because he likes to be the good guy. Because he earns his way.

“For him, maybe it is. It's not like he won't give it everything anyway.

“For me, this match is damn personal. This match is here to show you exactly what's going to happen to you Where Angels Fear to Tread.

“We used to be friends, Buffalo. And friends make the worst enemies...”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickLaw.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg
Rick Law & Tyson Baine vs. Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins
Baine starts the match out, with the result being a long slow stall to begin on the other side as Cornell and Hawkins both put their case for not facing him.

Eventually, Cornell shrugs his shoulders and steps forward.

And Baine overpowers him. Baine hammers him, throws him, bombs him, chokes him. Cornell seems devastated throughout, eventually thumbing Baine in the eye to make the tag. The five-second rule allows the Syndicate to open their offence with a leg lariat/sweep combo that takes Baine off his feet, and Hawkins adopts a speed technique, striking fast and often to keep Baine on the ground.

After a couple of minutes Cornell tags back in to take over, working on the now-vulnerable Baine with a wide variety of inventive holds. Even now, the big man has the power advantage as he finally proves when he throws Cornell clear and makes a tag.

Rick Law is no Tyson Baine. He's physically smaller, he's not as strong, and he doesn't have the same capacity to dominate or terrorise.

But he's very, very good at what he does and both Cornell and Hawkins eat some quick punishment from Law. It's some minutes before they can again turn the tide, though they do – Law has strength compared to Cornell if not Baine, and he has speed, but he doesn't have the variety that Cornell can offer, and sooner or later Cornell can find a counter to anything. Hawkins swiftly tags in and goes to town, and from then on the match proceeds typically of big-name tag contests.

Hawkins is the man to settle it in the end, ducking the Long Arm of the Law and felling Rick with the Full Moon Rising – a move he seemingly can hit from any situation, no matter how dangerous.
Tommy Cornell & Wolf Hawkins defeated Rick Law & Tyson Baine
Rating: B+

Show Rating: B

Phantom Stranger

07-26-2009, 09:06 PM

This show's winners are Greg McNeish, Bigpapa42, Regis & foolinc, so a fairly heavy week for the merchandise boys.

On their way to you four are one each of the new Rick Law shirt:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/rickshirt1.jpg

Greg McNeish

07-26-2009, 09:19 PM

Sweet! That makes two t-shirts. Hopefully I soon get to complete the "Justice" series, with 'Rough Justice' & Law down, there's just 'Southern Justice' to go.

I am loving Sammy Bach's character, so far. I love how he ignored the Rack, like he was just able to transend it. Brilliant portrayal. He seems to be climbing the card really quickly, which is great. It makes me wonder how long it'll be before he outgrows the All Action title, although he may have already done so.

Cheers!

Zeel1

07-26-2009, 09:19 PM

Phantom Stranger

07-26-2009, 09:22 PM

I was the only one to pick Sammy Bach winning..shouldn't that warrant some sort of consolation prize?

I'll save the first Sammy shirt for your next win. ;)

I think it was only you and Hyde who picked up the first one, yes?

Zeel1

07-26-2009, 09:31 PM

I'll save the first Sammy shirt for your next win. ;)

I think it was only you and Hyde who picked up the first one, yes?

Well, I was promised a Troy Tornado shirt, but never got one.. :(

Oooh, can I request that Bach's say "Prince Of Evil"? That's his nickname in my diary..[/crosspromote] :p

Phantom Stranger

07-26-2009, 10:01 PM

Well, I was promised a Troy Tornado shirt, but never got one.. :(

You're right, I forgot to go back and update that, didn't I?

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/troyshirt1.jpg

Nevermore

07-26-2009, 10:24 PM

Phantom Stranger

07-26-2009, 10:29 PM

Just starting to read this.

However, I had to take a minute to comment on Clark Alexander's music. Having never heard Joe ****er's version before, I can safely say you have soiled "Summer In The City" for me.

Boo hiss...

Quote The Raven
Nevermore

See, for me the Lovin' Spoonful version still works, even if it lacks something as entrance music. If it's hurting, though, I do half-heartedly apologise.

Nevermore

07-26-2009, 10:31 PM

See, for me the Lovin' Spoonful version still works, even if it lacks something as entrance music. If it's hurting, though, I do half-heartedly apologise.

Nah... the fact that his name doesn't make it through the word blocker (which I didn't previously consider) fills me with enough glee to forgive you :p.

If you didn't guess, I'm not a fan of his :D.

Quote The Raven
Nevermore

Oregano Jensen

07-26-2009, 11:31 PM

So... did he make a whole career out of doing inexplicably croaky versions of better songs from the '60s?

(Still going to protest "The Iceman" having an entrance song that's about summer.)

Phantom Stranger

07-27-2009, 07:48 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Thursday April 17th 2008
Laura Catherine Huggins, I would guess, never expected wrestling to become her career. Without her twin brother, I doubt she'd be here now.

Freddy's been wrestling since around the age of 18, or to put it another way, as long as the insurance companies have been willing to take him on. I don't have a complete picture, but the impression I get is that he went pro and went to college at the same time. He was working babyface back then and, frankly, didn't have much to make him stand out – but then, few rookies do.

You get by in this business by talent, talking, politics, size or looks – or a combination. Talent takes a while to develop and few people understand the politics early on.

This was fine with Freddy. He wanted a little cash to help him out at college, wanted a start in a business he knew it took time to break into. Meanwhile, twin sister Laura was at a different college, buckling down with what will eventually become her MBA.

A year along and things change. Freddy gets the bug that you need to make it as a wrestler all the way under his skin. The six or seven shows he wrestled on in a year will become the full twelve that company runs, fuelled by improving talent on Freddy's part, another worker leaving the company – an opening that a promising youngster they have can fill. He needs to be rebuilt off his losses, but that's OK, the guy who moved on to greener pastures was a heel. Franklin Huggins turns on the fans and becomes 'Teen Idol' Freddy Huggins, buckles down to wrestling, and in need of more training time, drops out of college. Meanwhile, Laura continues to work on her MBA.

Some of that last paragraph I know. Some of it I'm just sure of. I've watched it happen to loads of kids coming up in the business, with the details being the only things that really change.

Freddy does well for himself and eventually we take an interest in him. That was 2005, and the 21 year old Huggins got one hell of a break.

We used him for the All-Action division, which at the time was nothing special. Freddy got some early momentum, some time with the belt. And then he didn't rise up – which comes back to my main argument in terms of what we're trying to do for the belt.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ChanceFortune.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FreddyHuggins.jpg
Use of managers in a nutshot: Laura makes her presence felt at her debut during the Huggins/Fortune feud, 2007

By this stage Freddy didn't just have some talent, he had some idea how the game was played. He pushed for a manager, and specifically pushed for his sister. He threw enough ideas at Joel and the others that they got excited and it happened. Laura had her MBA, jobs weren't biting, she took something that was.

And she's done well enough that we want to keep her, but she's still new to the business. And it bugs her, I think, that since I took over she's actually had more to do on TV than her brother – though she knows it'll lead to something for Freddy, but she's not sure what.

We talk for a while; she knows enough to know that the better Freddy does, the better she does rather than the other way round. Freddy doesn't seem to her to be doing so well, probably because right now he isn't.

So we talk about ways that can change. We talk about why I use the word 'can' and what it means – I make it clear to her that I'm not guaranteeing it, just that it's on the table.

Then we move on to other things. There's no guarantee at this point that they'll pan out – though if you're reading this book, there's a good chance you'll see some of them by the end. The Huggins twins are more valuable to me as a storyline tool than Freddy or Laura alone.

That's part of what seals the deal, I get the feeling; she gets a new contract, I get the pair for longer. Need more TV time, I surely do.

The last thing I tell Laura is to talk to Karen Killer. Few other manageresses have survived at top level as long and as well as she has, and Karen has a head for the business, too. In my eyes, anyone under 30 and with a TCW contract automatically qualifies as a long-term prospect. They may or may not make it, they may jump ship – but there is the possibility that we can get ten or more years of top-level performance out of them, groomed right.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/karenkillerlosttrem.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasmineSaunders.jpg
At the bar after Where Angels Fear To Tread 2008

I want people like Laura to look at the company and see family, and to look at pro wrestling as a whole and see a life. I want to see the next Sam Strong, the next Rip Chord, and the next Mike Nero – but I also want to see the next Phil Roberts, the next Alex Braun, and the next Whipper Spencer Marks. There's no shame in a career spent in front of those fans whether you sell the most tickets and raise the most title belts or not.

Phantom Stranger

07-27-2009, 11:59 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalwrestlingbanner.jpg

Who has the power in TCW? The Syndicate, and they're certainly showing it with the final Total Wrestling before we reach Where Angels Fear To Tread. We're told that contenders and champions will all be in action tonight, and that's true, but not, perhaps, in the way you might expect. Which is not to say that the challenges ahead of the Syndicate are minor.

The Machines will be facing a new tag team. We're told that the team have, between them, competed on three continents and have held a total of six tag team and three singles championships - and we're assured that these championships can be considered the equal of TCW belts. Neither newcomer is a stranger to the top levels of the American wrestling scene.

Meanwhile, challengers Painful Procedure will take on recent challengers the New Wave in what's guaranteed to be a gruelling battle which will take its toll.

Wolf Hawkins will tag with Edd Stone against the Young Guns. Indications are that the Syndicate wishes to take the measure of the current All-Action scene.

Tommy Cornell faces the Great White Shark Eddie Peak, who apparently has been asking for this match since Wolf Hawkins interfered in his match with Ronnie V. Pain two weeks ago.

Perennial Cornell foe Ricky Dale Johnson has been denied his requested match. No details yet on the match he wanted - what we know is that Cornell has assigned him to face young hopeful Frankie Perez.

Sam Keith has perhaps the biggest mountain to climb of all the Syndicate as he faces Tyson Baine. Mr Cornell has asked us to place it on record that this match was not of his making, but as yet we do not know how it came to be made.

Hawkins and Cornell, of course, have challengers to their gold soon, and those two men will battle each other in the main event - it's Koshiro Ino against Troy Tornado live on Total Wrestling!

Prediction Key:
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado

Tigerkinney

07-27-2009, 12:13 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns

Can't see the benefit of Hawkins jobbing to the Young Guns. Stone will almost lose the heels the match though, meaning that Stone won't be joining the Sydnicate any time soon. Just can't see Stone in the Syndicate.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)

From the sounds of things the new-comers sound pretty useful, so I see them getting the non title win to immediately stake their claim as challengers.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez

Perez could be a good addition for the All Action Division but here he'll be on job duty. I think it'll be one of those competitive squashes though, that makes Perez look fairly useful and not some random jobber.

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure

You're gong with the New Wave- Machines feud has already been a bit played out the previous year, and right now as much as it pains me to say it Painful Procedure seem to be the ones getting a push towards a title shot. I suppose it keeps things fresh but in my opinion PP shouldn't be anywhere near the belts. Either of Shearer or Hopkirk are fine if they have a more capable partner to carry their lumbering behinds but together ? Ugh No thanks.

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine

Whilst Keith remains heel his job is to put the top faces over and build them as strong challengers to Tommy's title.

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell

Take it this is for the title, can't see Peak being the one to dethrone Tommy..especially with no build.

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado

Tornado's the one going after the World Title, so Tornado should be kept strong here and go over...though some kind of schmozz draw ending with the Syndicate laying them both out wouldn't surprise me either.

Self

07-27-2009, 12:24 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns - [I]Edd in the Syndicate could be comic gold.
The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez
The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado

Greg McNeish

07-27-2009, 01:00 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns
I agree with Tigerkinney. Edd Stone just doesn't fit with the Syndicate. Anyway, this is a squash.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
The sounded like it could be the Vessey's resume. I'd love to see that.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez
Frankie looks competent, but in the end, this is a squash.

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
To cement themselves as the #1 contenders... for now....

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Keith is the gatekeeper. Tyson Baine is already through that gate.

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
Eddie Peak will brutalize the champion, but either get disqualified, or Cornell will take advantage of Peak's over-aggression, and pounce.

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado
Syndicate ruins the party, causing a no contest / double DQ catastrophe.

angeldelayette

07-27-2009, 01:01 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns
Wolf picks up the victory.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
Looking forward to seeing just who these newcomers are!

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez
Never bet against RDJ!

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
Draw

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Though I like Sam Keith, Baine picks up the win.

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
Can Tommy lose?

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado
Ino continues his streak.

Hyde Hill

07-27-2009, 01:05 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado

The Mystery

07-27-2009, 01:08 PM

Zeel1

07-27-2009, 02:56 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns
If it was pretty much any other team, I'd pick Stone to get pinned here, but Wolf Hawkins is not going to be on a team that will lose to The Young Guns..who's team name you should maybe consider changing. They still have a very cowpoke-ish name..

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
Could only see them losing here to some sort legend team that's going to be added to the division, and since the CornellVerse doesn't really have that many available legend teams, (That aren't in their mid 40's) gotta go with the tag champions getting the win here.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez
Perez'll probably look tough, but RDJ gets the win. Maybe an Orlando Jordan vs. Undertaker type debut?

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
HAHAHA-yeah, no. You teased that New Wave was getting pushed back for the time being, and PP was the current top babyface tandem, but I see that as a possible red herring. And I quite simply would not ever forgive you for putting PP over the New Wave. It's just simply not the ring thing to do, current challengers or not.

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Tornado already seems to be solidifying his No.1 Contender status, so I don't see Keith being used in the "measuring stick" role here, for a Baine title match. I could see Keith cheating, or getting interferance, for a win, to set up a PPV rematch.

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
Very interesting match-up here. Peak could use this as a good learning experiance - aside from brawling, all of his "top row" skills are incredibly weak..

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado
Ino makes his debut with a lot of momentum, and I find the smart thing to do is to keep it going, but he can be forgiven for a Troy Tornado loss. Very fresh main event, here, by the way. But then, I guess that's a perk of starting the diary two months in..

James Casey

07-27-2009, 04:51 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns Edd in the Syndicate? That would be something...

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title) It's non-title, which suggests to me that ???? are too small at the moment to rate a shot - but that could change...

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez Can't see Perez winning against RDJ

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure Just 'cause

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine Could go either way, but Keith is winding down

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell Not cleanly or anything, but yeah

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado Troy's on the bigger push right now

And incidentally, is that meant to be nutshell in the previous post?

Phantom Stranger

07-27-2009, 05:31 PM

And incidentally, is that meant to be nutshell in the previous post?

Absolutely not - which tells you what the picture would be as a full image if I had the requisite Poser skills and kit.

Bigpapa42

07-27-2009, 06:09 PM

Marcel Fromage

07-27-2009, 06:22 PM

jesseewiak

07-27-2009, 08:28 PM

Prediction Key:
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns - This ain't FCK, so the Young Guns aren't getting a push.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title) - Yeah, Machines win this one versus random indy team.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez - Squash!

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure - Schmozz

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine - BAINE SMASH!

Regis

07-28-2009, 05:14 PM

Prediction Key:
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns
Jobbers, sorry boys.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
Can't really vote against the Champs here.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez
Jobber!

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
Although I think this may suffer interference, I still think PP will win.

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Baine. Is. FURIOUS!

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
You don't cross the boss.

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado
Troy is the big challenger.

foolinc

07-28-2009, 05:20 PM

Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns
Golden Boy wins, period.

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title)
Could be wrong, but I am going with the new comers just falling short.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure
The madness must stop! ;)

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine

Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell

Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado - Double DQ from the heels

mad5226

07-29-2009, 10:12 AM

Prediction Key:
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. The Young Guns -

The Machines vs. ???? (non-title) -

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Frankie Perez -

The New Wave vs. Painful Procedure -

Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine -

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 10:50 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCW.jpg
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 4 April 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 3.38)

Held at the Friedman Building (Mid South US)

Attendance: 10,000 (SOLD OUT)

Announcers:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddStone_alt4.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HarryAllen_Grunge3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SteveGumble_Grunge2.jpg
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins vs. Young Guns
It's pretty clear here that the most talented grappler in the ring is Wolf Hawkins, but the Young Guns have teamwork on their side and Edd Stone... is Edd Stone, with all the innovation and unpredictability that implies. For one thing, he comes to the ring wearing a Young Guns T-shirt.

He wipes out on a relatively simple double-jump moonsault against a savvy Steve Gumble, and for a while Wolf finds himself literally backed into a corner, blocking lariats, ducking dropkicks, and throwing punches.

And then Edd careens in from off camera with a wild headlock/legscissors move that yanks both Guns over the top rope and down to the floor, but from which Stone bounces up, spins out, and plays to the crowd.

He plays to them, in fact, way too long; by the time he turns back to the fight Harry Allen's in position to backdrop him – though the flying Stone prodigy turns that into momentum, dropkicking Gumble as he tries to re-enter the ring. Hawkins promptly capitalises, dragging Gumble through the ropes and starting to beat him down one on one. It is, however, Harry Allen who gets back in quicker, breaking up the assault on his partner, but the damage is done; Gumble will go down to the Party's Over at the finish, giving Edd and Wolf the victory.
Edd Stone & Wolf Hawkins defeated the Young Guns
Rating: C

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpg
Danny Fonzarelli paces backstage, the camera on him. “It's no secret,” he begins, then stops for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Before TCW's own Dr Love really came into his own, he wasn't this way. He was still good at what he did, but he wasn't doing good.

“Back then, I was a tag guy. No secret there. I was a tag champion as often as not.

“Like the Tag Team Specialists. And they've been coming for me for the last three weeks – because, so far as I can make out, I don't tag any more, not really.

“You know, I can understand why they feel this way. I didn't stop tagging because it's 'better' to wrestle one on one, because I don't believe that. Nor do the Specialists, and if anyone should know, it's gotta be them, right?

“I stopped tagging because me and my partner, me and my... brother... we had a falling out. I grew out've the phase of my life I was in. I came into being Dr Love and I became more than I'd been. And he was still who he was.

“It happens, you know? But I lost my tag partner and I was still wrestling. And now I've got Bryant and Oxford coming after me like I'm some kind of traitor for getting on with life and love.

“So I need someone to help me fight back. And since it started, I know a buncha you have been wondering why I haven't gone to an old buddy. Truth is, he's just had troubles of his own.

“But he can see my point here, too. He used to tag himself. He was a champ. And while his partner wasn't a brother, man, I can tell you, Bryant and Oxford can tell you, he can tell you himself – you get to be as close as brothers.

“So when his brother left, bound up in death and dreams of vengeance – he was still wrestling.

“And Where Angels Fear To Tread, Specialists, we're taking the fight back to you. Ain't that right?”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
“Sure is,” says Ricky Dale Johnson, stepping into shot. “Tag or no, a man stands up for his friends.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KazumaNarato.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TheCannonballKid.jpg
The Machines vs. Narato & The Kid
The new team is something of a disappointment to a number of the fans, signalling perhaps that the 'challenges' the Syndicate have to face may not be considered as major as previously anticipated.

Star of the match is Brent Hill, though all four men blend the speed and aerial ability of the newcomers with the down-to-earth straightforward style of the Machines pretty well.

Simply by lasting as long as they do Narato and the Cannonball Kid remind fans of why they were cheered in the past, but the Machines make it clear that at the moment, they've no time for these challengers. The Cannonball Kid eventually takes the fall following a King of the Hill.
The Machines defeated Narato & The Kid
Rating: D+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg
Bad to the Bone sounds again, and Eric Tyler, as always, accompanies the sound, coming out to the ring.

“Aaron Andrews,” he says again, almost seeming to luxuriate in the reaction it gets, “went down. Like a punk.” He watches the crowd carefully, choosing his words for maximum effect. “Which is about what he is. Young. Learning. But still disrespectful.

“Or, at least, he was.

“Now, Aaron, you should know by now when I start on a project I always aim to get it finished. I didn't come out last week to beat you, I came out last week to beat some respect into you. So I want you to come out here and tell me, in front of everyone, that you respect me. That you respect our sport. That you respect champions like Tommy Cornell.

“And when I hear it, I'd better believe it.”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoeyMinnesota_alt.jpg
Music hits, but it's not Andrews' music. It's The Fight Song and that can only mean that Joey Minnesota is on his way to the ring.

“You ain't due,” Tyler tells him. “I got business to conduct, so take a hike.”

“I'm making your business mine,” Minnesota returns. “Lay off the kid, Eric. He's doing the best he can.”

“He needs to put his time in. Being young ain't a crime, but not giving respect to the people who've earned it-”

“Oh, please,” Minnesota shakes his head. “Spare me, Eric. I heard all this before.”

“And look at you now,” Tyler replies, pleased. “A fine advert for respect and hard work.”

“And this fine advert says lay off the kid. Or I will make you.”

Tyler shakes his head. “I'm not done with him yet,” he comments. “But I'll tell you what. I'll put some more work in on you at the same time. You pal up with Andrews and we'll tag it a spell. Seems to me I met a youngster who showed the right respect recently.”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpg
“We still do,” Laura Huggins calls from the entrance. “And we'll keep doing it, sir. Is this for Where Angels Fear To Tread?”

“Damn right,” Tyler nods. “Me and your brother,” he pauses, turning back to Minnesota, “versus you and your boy. Soon see about respect.”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalbanner.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FrankiePerez.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
Frankie Perez vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
A debate flares up on the announce table, during the entrances; why was this match made? Given Cornell's developing predilection for putting those he has grudges against through the ringer, a number of possibilities get raised; that Perez' P-Clutch of rumour is even more dangerous than has been made out, that Perez is better than news makes out, or that RDJ has been dismissed by Cornell as not worth bothering with anymore.

The contest covers a bare six minutes and Johnson is clearly dominant for the bulk of it; however, what offence Perez gets looks and sounds utterly lethal. After a particularly vicious-looking kick to Johnson's forehead, the youngster even gets a two-count that has the crowd surprised and talking. A Southern Justice follows, however, and Johnson is able to walk away with a win.
Ricky Dale Johnson defeated Frankie Perez
Rating: C+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BlondeBombshell.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/_mysteryman.jpg
Back to the video screen once again, and Get the Party Started sounds. The Bombshell stands at the side of a darkened ring, watching, picked out in a golden spotlight. One of the silhouetted figures in the ring launches the other over in a suplex and clamps on a complicated submission hold; their victim taps almost immediately. The Bombshell nods, the camera realigning, picking out a detail half-hidden in the murk; a maple leaf outlined on the gym wall.

The caption comes up again:

Where Angels Fear To Tread
The Brave Will Soar

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalbanner.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BillyJackShearer.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RandallHopkirk.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Guide.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Scout.jpg
Painful Procedure vs. New Wave
It's a big match, with expectations on the line, and the New Wave set out to stake their own claim to return to the championship race. Meanwhile, the Procedure return the fury in kind, the fight rapidly going from a display of wrestling to a brawl for supremacy, tempers bubbling over.

The fight lasts ten minutes. By that time, number one contenders and New Wave alike are beaten senseless, groggy, injured... And then they get guests.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg
Cornell and Hawkins themselves hit the ring. Simultaneously, Cornell drops Billy Jack Shearer with the Rough Ride and Wolf Hawkins practically cracks open Guide's head with the Full Moon Rising. It's an immediate and obvious double disqualification... And it's all four of the biggest threats to the Machines' title belts laid out and seriously hurt just days before the Pay-Per-View.
Painful Procedure and the New Wave went to a double DQ
Rating: C

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BillyJackShearer.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RandallHopkirk.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpg
The assault continues. Cornell and Hawkins turn their full attention to Painful Procedure. Both men find themselves clamped into the Guilt Trip, Hawkins in particular hauling back on the hold with something to prove. The Machines come in, too, and as Hawkins and Cornell release their holds more damage begins to be inflicted.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
That's when help arrives in the shape of tonight's main event wielding chairs. Ino and Tornado rapidly wipe out the Machines as Cornell bails from the ring. Tornado cuts off Hawkins' attempt to do likewise and the Painful Procedure frontman tries to bait Cornell back in range by threatening to hand Hawkins over to Ino who stands poised and ready.

Cornell doesn't make a move, and after a tense moment, Tornado shrugs. The Kobra's Bite slams home, dropping Hawkins onto a chair. The combined impact is sickening, and one thing's clear; Wolf Hawkins is out of it.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalbanner.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg
Sam Keith vs. Tyson Baine
Not a great contest, but certainly not a bad one. Baine comes after Keith, early on, this match not personal but still a good shot at pulling himself up in the estimation of the fans if he can win, and Keith, the cagey veteran, keeps his distance, looking and hoping to tire Baine – or stalling for some other reason.

The match is pretty even – Keith has the veteran experience and where he manages to do something, it looks savagely effective. However, Baine is bigger and stronger by far. After a while, Baine manages to turn things in his favour and begins to hammer home his advantage.

Keith somehow manages to get clear for a moment and then artfully 'accidentally' takes Ray Johnson to the canvas and out of the game with a drop toe hold.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpg
Wary now, Baine holds up, one eye on the ramp – and sure enough, American Buffalo makes his way out. The two face down inside the ring, neither ready to make the first move...

...And Sam Keith stomps Baine's knee out from behind. Baine drops and the Stampede follows, with the Proton Lock being clamped onto Baine immediately afterward. Buffalo drags the ref over and leaves as Baine taps in frustration.
Sam Keith defeated Tyson Baine
Rating: B-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpg
Eddie Peak vs. Tommy Cornell
The Great White Shark appears to be not all there during this match, though he turns in a sterling performance. It's a brawl, no question, from the off.

The thing is, while people think of Cornell as a technical wrestler over and above his other achievements, Tommy Cornell's career really sparks into legend during a brawl with DaVE legend Nemesis. Cornell works with Peak on this one, the two men apparently evenly matched, tempers fraying for nearly fifteen minutes. Eddie Peak damn near gets a win over the champion on three or four occasions – but it can't last, ultimately.

An exposed turnbuckle and a missed charge lead to a Guilt Trip, and while Peak fights it, while he twists and writhes and the crowd roar for him to break free, it's a hell of a hold – escape isn't easy to say the least. Azaria and Doakes speculate on what would've happened if Cornell had never exposed the steel of the turnbuckle. Cornell has to limp his way back up the aisle.
Tommy Cornell defeated Eddie Peak
Rating: B

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Koshiro Ino vs. Troy Tornado
The show's pace continues to pick up in this excellent exhibition. There's not much of the show left and knowing that seems to drive both men, working at a nearly frenetic pace to pick up crucial momentum before their PPV matches.

After the events of the Procedure/New Wave match there's a lot of speculation on ambush, but as the minutes tick by it becomes clear that the damage done by Peak – and the Kobra's Bite to Hawkins – have kept the Syndicate busy elsewhere. So it is that, ultimately, the Star Maker is given free reign to fell the Kobra, leaving the number one contender to Tommy Cornell's title standing tall as Total Wrestling goes off the air.
Troy Tornado defeated Koshiro Ino
Rating: B+

Show Rating: B

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 01:05 PM

Sole victor this week is Zeel1 (though there might have been more had jessewiak and mad5226 predicted full cards).

As noted ahead of time, Zeel1's next victory would earn a Sammy Bach T-Shirt. On its way - and fresh into the tcwstyle.com online shop - is this:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/sammyshirt1.jpg

Zeel1

07-29-2009, 01:19 PM

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 01:37 PM

Bitchin'. :p That's some true arrogance, right there..

..how did that get through the censor?

The censor was so relieved that we'd sent Ronnie V. Pain to dev that it went through on the nod.

...In all seriousness, yeah, Sammy is going to be as close to the wire as we can make him. A lot of the character he's shown so far comes from having come up with this slogan while throwing a merch list together with Regis before the diary proper started.

Those who followed Philly Pro will know that I have a fondness for characters that slam right up against the boundaries of what's acceptable, between the portrayal of Charlie 'Your Mom' Thatcher and about half of what Travis Century got up to. In TCW, this role will be filled, early on, by Sammy Bach.

The question is, how much of it does he believe?

mad5226

07-29-2009, 04:45 PM

wow can't believe I didn't predict the full card, i was realling hopin for a shirt too

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 04:49 PM

wow can't believe I didn't predict the full card, i was realling hopin for a shirt too

Don't worry - there are sixty-five shirt ideas down in the merch file now, and that doesn't cover new arrivals outside what's on the roster sheet or new shirts for those in there.

(Main Eventers, by and large, have four. Midcarders have 2-3 depending on how merch-friendly they are; below that it's around one apiece. So far.)

angeldelayette

07-29-2009, 05:04 PM

Don't worry - there are sixty-five shirt ideas down in the merch file now, and that doesn't cover new arrivals outside what's on the roster sheet or new shirts for those in there.

(Main Eventers, by and large, have four. Midcarders have 2-3 depending on how merch-friendly they are; below that it's around one apiece. So far.)

-wants a Bombshell shirt- lol.

Remianen

07-29-2009, 05:05 PM

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 05:15 PM

Does your merch person do commissions? :)

Y'know, I hadn't given it a great deal of thought...

I may open up a thread in the Mods section, a la ReapeR's belts and Kamchatka's logos. If I do, don't expect turnaround time to be stellar...

Zeel1

07-29-2009, 05:36 PM

Y'know, I hadn't given it a great deal of thought...

I may open up a thread in the Mods section, a la ReapeR's belts and Kamchatka's logos. If I do, don't expect turnaround time to be stellar...

There actually was something I was thinking of asking for, which may or may not be a little easier then a shirt, but I doubted anything would come of it..

Phantom Stranger

07-29-2009, 09:56 PM

There actually was something I was thinking of asking for, which may or may not be a little easier then a shirt, but I doubted anything would come of it..

See Mods forum. I can't promise I'll be able to keep it rolling, but I'll try.

Phantom Stranger

07-30-2009, 07:49 AM

[QUOTE=Phantom Stranger;675061]http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Wednesday April 24th 2008
Just barely Wednesday, but it's an overnight flight this time. I don't usually like to do diary entries just after the show, but I don't want to forget this one – Frankie Perez came up to me after I got back to the Crippler Position at show end, making a point of thanking me for putting him up against RDJ.

Frankie's a smart guy. Like Barry, Shingen, the Naturals and the bulk of the All-Action Division, most of his recent work has been in the dark, with the occasional on-screen job or an appearance as an extra warm body in a multi-man PPV spot* match. Any match he gets on TV is a chance to get past that – but a match against RDJ, win or lose, can really change things. Perez handled it pretty well, I thought, and it'll be interesting to see how the feedback on that goes.

Thursday April 25th 2008
Weekly ritual; I get together with my kids and we watch through Total Wrestling, the competition, and Combat TV when 5-Star are touring. (Thank God for Tivo).

Didn't think much of the competition's show this week – Genghis Rahn actually did OK for himself, but when your second-best match involves Big Smack Scott in tag competition there's a problem, though my boys seemed to help him pull his standards up. What I saw of Kate's stuff for 5 Star looked pretty good, though. But the big reaction of the day's viewing was Frankie Perez – sure, a lot of matches were better, but we expect that of the people involved.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DonnieJ.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FrankiePerez.jpg
Internet favourites: Frankie meets former TCW competitor Donnie J's dive with a kick in CZCW, August 2007

Perez seems to have had the same effect on the online fans, too. That leaves him popular with a small minority, sure – but a vocal, active sure minority. It's a step forward; his name recognition and buzz has significantly spiked since we signed him near the start of the year.

It's a shame we can't just immediately repeat the same formula with other solid unknown talents like, say, Shingen – it'd look too obvious a play, and Frankie's success against Ricky was partly due to his ability to switch up from matwork and make it a fight, that being RDJ's strong point. Shingen is a mat man first and foremost; with the benefit of hindsight, we positioned him badly on debut.

At the same time, Eric Tyler's program with Joey, Aaron and Freddy (and yes, I expanded it after Tyler tried to close it off) will provide some valuable forward motion for Aaron and Freddy – but it also probably absorbs a lot of the airtime we can actually afford to give over to developing young talents. What I wouldn't give for a second show...

So what do I do with Shingen? How do I persuade the fans that he's worth watching?

What I wouldn't give for his Burning Hammer tapes to be free for our use on air, but they're not; the rights would be a pain in the neck and they'd cost an arm and a leg. It's physiologically irresponsible.

Side goal for the next little while; figure out how to begin building Shingen Miyazaki. Whether he ever makes it all the way, he's useful – and he deserves some support.

* Spot, noun, a particular planned moment in a wrestling match, also see Spot, adjective, descriptor for a match that goes from big moment to big moment with no significant rationale to them. The All-Action championship is rife with spot matches.

Phantom Stranger

07-30-2009, 11:10 AM

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PPV logo by hakk99

It's here, folks. It's upon us. We have come Where Angels Fear To Tread. As we head into the Alabama Field Row for this year's April Pay-Per-View, let's take a look at what's coming...

A combined total of eleven tag team championship reigns to date; the Tag Team Specialists have a bone to pick with former tag standouts now united with new partners, Ricky Dale Johnson and their main target, Danny Fonzarelli. Which of these teams will prevail here tonight?

Eric Tyler's quest for respect continues, as he aligns with young All-Action star Freddy Huggins against Aaron Andrews and the former 'Suplex Kid' Joey Minnesota who's standing up for today's youth.

Speaking of the All Action Championship, we've received word that Mr Cornell is determined to see it contested Where Angels Fear To Tread. So Sammy Bach will be in title action - but who will he face? Mr Cornell refused to give us an answer when we pressed for details. Will it be an All Action regular, or will someone new step into the frame?

American Buffalo has promised to explain his grudge against Tyson Baine preparatory to their match. What could drive a man to Stampede someone the size of Tyson Baine from the entrance ramp through a steel barricade?

What of the Blonde Bombshell's return? Who will she be bringing with her to Alabama, and what role will he play?

The Syndicate's run of title matches begins as The Machines face off against Painful Procedure. The challengers were left battered and bleeding last edition of Total Wrestling - can they turn things around tonight and come away with the gold?

The Championship Board have spoken, and Wolf Hawkins' International Championship will be on the line against Koshiro 'the Kobra' Ino. The Kobra was one of those who took revenge against Hawkins for the Syndicate's attack on Painful Procedure, but he lost out in a gruelling match later that night - with neither man likely to be on top form, the title could end up with anybody.

Lastly, the main event of the evening; Troy Tornado, freshly returned from a shoulder injury and victorious last week against the Kobra, sets his sights on Tommy Cornell and the TCW World Heavyweight Championship. Cornell left the arena rather than attempt to rescue Hawkins from Tornado and Ino - has the challenger got inside the head of the champion?

Prediction Key:
Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

Self

07-30-2009, 11:16 AM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson - I don't bet against RDJ in TC-Dub diaries.
Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins - Both teams seem pretty even, so I'll plump for the one with the difference-maker
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure - Outclassed
American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine - Outmonstered
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ???? - Bizarre. A mystery opponent on a PPV.
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino - One title has to change hands. I reckon it's gonna be this one
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado - Not yet.

mad5226

07-30-2009, 12:22 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
Mainly just because I really like what your doing with Tyler, but I could see it going the other way for storyline purposes.

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
Nt real sure why lol...it has something to do with what u said about using him in th begining of the diary though

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
Its a good way to try and get him over with the fans

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

James Casey

07-30-2009, 12:47 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson Okay, a tough choice to make - but I always think established tag teams should go over random singles...

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins Yeah, this one has legs

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure Pssh. Leave them where they are - no benefit in switching at this point.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine Baine is more suited to a push right now

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ???? I could see this being the new Syndicate guy, and even if not, Bach retaining keeps him strong

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino You've already hinted at Ino being aimed above this level

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado For the shock factor, this would definitely have potential

Zeel1

07-30-2009, 01:06 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
Established team or not, RDJ getting a loss to either of the Specialists on Pay-Per-View doesn't even seem like a logical thing.

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
Tough choice here..but if Tyler's going to be feuding with Law afterwards, then I see him as needing more momentum then that.

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure
I don't see PP ever winning the tag titles again..

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
I really wanna vote for Baine, as I see him as being something of an Undertaker equivalent, (Probably way off on that, but hey, you never know) but I've seen indictators that you're building up Buffalo, and this is a match I could see Baine eventually being forgiven for losing.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
Sammy Bach defending his title against a mystery opponent, in the first PPV of the TCW diary? Gee, where have I seen this before.. :p

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
While trying not to make any assumptions about where Hawkins will be for the immediate future, as he can be used very broadly - from being the catalyst that ends the Syndicate, and ends up winning the World Title before '09 starts, to being the Syndicate's main jobber, if only to keep him from becoming arrogant - but the fact is he starts out as a Main Eventer, and getting the International title off him early seems like something most would do. And Ino seems like a good enough fit for the belt.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado
Tornado with the belt sounds pretty sweet, but I don't really see this diary changing World Champions so fast..I mean, it's two months in, so that's kinda moot, but still.

Regis

07-30-2009, 01:27 PM

Prediction Key:
Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
Cannot bet against RDJ.

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
Aaron isn't going over Eric, I don't think, and for Joey to win it would be ridiculous considering he's a last-minute addition.

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure
But the title does not change hands. DQ, countout or some such.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
Match gets thrown out, I'd like to guess.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
I rarely bet against ????, but in this case I'll make an exception.

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
Not clean. Never clean.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado
But in such a way that Troy gets his rematch.

Tigerkinney

07-30-2009, 01:47 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

I agree with Zeel, can't see RDJ dropping one to a couple of guys on the way down and Fonzarelli gets the rub here too, even if his team with the cowboy seems unlikely to be a regular thing.

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

This feud will probably run for a while, so the heels take this

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

Surely there would be better teams to switch the titles too than Painful (to watch) Procedure.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine

Some kind of double DQ draw which will lead to some kind of No DQ match with some lame name to try and make out that it's a bigger deal than it really is - I'm thinking something in the vein of a 'Monsters Ball' match at the next PPV.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

May well as well keep this belt round Bach's waist, even if he has apparently out-grown. Seems like almost everyones aim in TCW is to make the All Action belt mean something.

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

Is Ino ready to main event, possibly but giving him a trial run to see if he can carry a Title round his waist with the International belt wouldn't be a bad idea and it's a good idea early on to keep Hawkins ego in check.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

Cornell's going to retain but I think Tornado will be booked strong enough to remain in the title hunt for the forseeable future.

Greg McNeish

07-30-2009, 02:21 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
The promo did a nice job of establishing both RDJ and Fonzarelli as guys with tag team experience, so this isn't just a singles guys vs. tag guys match. RDJ carries the day.

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
I'm thinking Huggins gets the win, with a whole pile of cheating. Hardly a lesson in respect for Aaron & Joey, but still not a loss for Tyler, whose stock is still too high.

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure
They've had their fun, looking credible, but honestly....

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
This won't end here, but Buffalo's got to pick up the victory somehow. Maybe a countout, or something. Anyway, Baine will get his revenge eventually, possibly in a cage.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
Sammy's not done with the All Action belt yet.

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
Wolf will keep the title, but Ino needs to stay hot, to challenge for Cornell's title. This'll help keep Hawkins' ego in check.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado
The whole universe is named after him. Come on.

angeldelayette

07-30-2009, 02:25 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
Bach retains

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

jesseewiak

07-30-2009, 04:31 PM

Prediction Key:
Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine - DDQ

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

Bigpapa42

07-30-2009, 07:10 PM

foolinc

07-30-2009, 07:54 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
One side has a main eventer. I wonder which sides winning?

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
Tyler isn't getting any younger, might as well push him now before start making him "give back" to the business

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure
The joke ends here

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
Baine gets his revenge

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
Bach holding the title makes your undercard that much better

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
I think it's time for Hawkins to pass that strap and Ino seems to be the man for the job

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado
If Hawkins is losing the belt, there isn't a chance in hell of Cornell losing his too

Hyde Hill

07-30-2009, 09:55 PM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

Oregano Jensen

07-31-2009, 02:43 AM

Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson

RDJ's probably the top face right now -- he's big enough to put Fonz over the Specialists.

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins

Gut reaction: Huggins costs them the match somehow.

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure

I say one title changes hands, and I say it's this one.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine

Goldworthy interferes to get his guy the win.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????

I thought Sammy would get himself DQed to maintain last time... that didn't happen. I think I'm going to predict it until it does.

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino

This could be the title change... but I don't mark for Ino yet.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado

I don't expect to bet against Cornell any time soon.

Marcel Fromage

07-31-2009, 04:27 AM

Prediction Key:
Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
They may be singles guys put together, but the TTS are likely to be putting people over left, right & centre

Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
I'd think the Tyler/Huggins combo probably has more going for them at this point

TCW Tag Team Championship
The Machines (c) vs. Painful Procedure
I think this is probably a case of giving PP a nice title shot whilst you figure out new challengers. I don't see them winning it.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
Yeah, some kind of schmozz ending. Double DQ or count-out. Baine will get him in the end though.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. ????
I'll go with Bach as the safer bet at this point.

TCW International Championship
Wolf Hawkins (c) vs. Koshiro Ino
I think of the two main matches, one change is likely and this seems the likelier one.

TCW World Heavyweight Championship
Tommy Cornell (c) vs. Troy Tornado
I don't think Tommy will be dropping this belt yet.

Phantom Stranger

08-01-2009, 09:05 AM

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http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0xt1hMHda4)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Sunday Week 4 April 2008

Live on

Held at Alabama Field Row (South East US)

Attendance: 26,822

Announcers:
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Jason Azaria – Kyle Rhodes - Horatio Dangerous

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Tommy Cornell and Sam Keith make their way along a corridor backstage, talking quietly together, intercut with shots of the fans settling into place.

“...giving a woman a footrub is serious business, man,” Cornell offers. There's a pause.

“Look,” Keith says eventually. “You sure you want to do this?”

“Bach won't go with us,” Cornell says. “We haven't made a choice yet, haven't seen enough. But you saw the contract she's got; he's good.”

“Good? I saw him train. I can't believe he left them.”

“It's the Blonde Bombshell,” Cornell chuckles. “Point is, if he gets the belt off Sammy, he might listen. If he won't, we can deal with that at the time.”

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With that, Cornell raps on a door which is swiftly opened. The Bombshell's head appears; smiling, she holds up one finger, closes the door, and reopens it a moment later with a towel wrapped around her.

“Your man,” Cornell says. “He's here tonight?”

A nod, an amused smile.

“Ready to wrestle?”

She giggles, then nods.

“Then he's facing Sammy,” Tommy says. “The All Action Championship goes on the line.

“Good luck to him.”

The two Syndicate members carry on down the corridor, a cynical expression on Keith's face. Cornell raises a hand and pats him on the shoulder twice, reassuring.

The Blonde Bombshell turns back into the room, letting the towel drop, then steps in and closes the door behind her.

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The Tag Team Specialists vs. Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson
There's been speculation on this one from time to time during the pair's two or three outings in tag matches over the past months, but it wasn't confirmed until this moment; Danny Fonzarelli and RDJ have reached an intuitive level of understanding together that makes them a great team to watch, easily helping them reach the levels of teamwork that the Specialists have made their forte.

That evens the playing field on the question of experience, and you can visibly see Fonzie and RDJ loosen up as they realise how well they've come to gel together. The Specialists still have a tactical advantage, where their rivals have power aplenty to retaliate with – and that makes this, for some while, an entirely even fight. It's great to get an advantage with a thumb to the eye, but when your victory-roll follow up sees you dropped across the top rope by someone who refuses to be tugged forward, there's only so much you can use that to pick up the pace.

As the match sails past the ten minute mark, the legal man distinction breaks down, first on the Specialists side and then on their opponents as they look to even the score. From there hell seems to break loose but Ray Johnson lets it all go while two teams battle to settle a grudge; climaxing when RDJ levels Oxford with the Leaping Lariat before taking Bryant down with the Southern Justice.

Oxford once again receives his own finish as Fonzarelli keeps him from breaking the pin with a top rope knee drop – but RDJ has the cover assured.
Danny Fonzarelli & Ricky Dale Johnson defeated the Tag Team Specialists
Rating: B

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Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota vs. Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins w/ Laura Huggins
Not on the same level as the match before it, but no one expected it to be; it's still a pretty good contest, showing Andrews and Huggins both in their best light to date in TCW. Tyler and Huggins' chemistry is not the surprise that Fonzie and RDJ's was, but is still a good boon to the match.

The two DaVE stalwarts divide time with their less heavily supported allies more or less equally, allowing Huggins to show the beginnings of a new trace of ruthlessness in his assault and Andrews to begin to play to a finally-sympathetic crowd a little without being entirely overshadowed.

At the finish, Tyler locks the Tradition Lift in on Andrews, and as Minnesota moves to break it Laura Huggins tugs his feet from the apron, leaving him to drop jaw-first into the canvas as she struts away. Andrews fights for a long time, Tyler keeping up a running litany of demands for respect, but in the end Andrews yields, his face contorted in pain. Tyler promptly dumps him face-first on the mat and steps on him on his way to shake Huggins' hand.
Eric Tyler & Freddy Huggins defeated Aaron Andrews & Joey Minnesota
Rating: C

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The camera takes us swiftly to the back, and the American Buffalo is seated at a table, contemplating a stack of photos of Tyson Baine in action. Goldworthy, microphone in hand, frets around the edge of shot, a sheet of paper in hand. He coughs nervously, and the Buffalo glances up, then nods slightly.

Goldworthy raises his microphone to his mouth. “Ah... My client wishes it to be known that Tyson Baine, who he faces tonight, has brought this upon himself.

“Twelve years ago the man called Tyson Baine was wrestling throughout the smaller companies under a name you all know. Under the name BLZ Bubb.

“Bubb was part of the biggest, most dangerous tag team wrestling at the time. The...” Goldworthy reaches the next part of Buffalo's statement and halts, clearly visibly agitated.

“Say it,” the Buffalo growls.

“...The weaker half,” Goldworthy continues. “He wrestled with a man who called himself Morpheus. They had been allies for a long time.

“Morpheus believed they were friends.

“Twelve years ago, Tyson Baine was offered a contract with the Hollyweird Grappling Company, a new wrestling promotion that would eventually become TCW, home of the best wrestling to be found in the United States.

“Baine refused to bring Morpheus with him. He entered more fully into his BLZ Bubb character.

“Morpheus believed his friend was mentally disturbed. He forgot his dreams of stardom. His avenue to the top had been closed off by betrayal.” Goldworthy's delivery is unusually flat; the intensity in the words seems only to resonate with their author, still clear in shot behind the Fast Buck. It's like Goldworthy is trying to distance himself from the words of his client.

“But this past year, Baine returned to his real name. He has behaved entirely like the Baine of old.

“And Morpheus has still not been congratulated. Not for making it anyway. Not for his restraint in allowing his so-called friend the chance to apologise, to take the time to talk.

“Because Morpheus made it. Morpheus shed the silly persona that Baine stayed locked into.

“Morpheus became the most dangerous man in the sport. The only man worthy of a Stampede, whatever Canadians may think, and the master of the Colt Killer.

“Morpheus is my client, the American Buffalo.

“And tonight, the man who was Morpheus pays off a debt long-owed.”

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All belts credit to ReapeR
TCW Tag Team Championships
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The Machines © vs. Painful Procedure
Power versus wrestling skill. Resilience versus arrogance. The Machines have been, despite their Syndicate stylings, deserving champions throughout their tenure – in fact, to be fair, the Syndicate as a whole have been strong champions, setting aside a few incidents of illegal retention and a general attitude problem.

Still, the clash isn't as firey as either tag match beforehand, an indicator that something needs to change around the top of the tag division. It's less the champions' issue than the challengers, who by now are beginning to lose their edge somewhat. Mindful of this, the match plays out like a greatest hits compilation of Machines/Procedure matches of the past, touching on all the big spots, shifting their order, punching things up a bit. Maybe it's in tribute to that, still, that the match ends when Hill secures a handful of Hopkirk's tights to mark the fall...
The Machines defeated Painful Procedure
Rating: C

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This Corrosion starts to play, and Sammy Bach emerges, microphone in hand, All Action Championship around his waist.

“So,” he begins. “I find myself Where Angels Fear to Tread. From the heights of elation, the heights of victory, to this hell.

“Facing a man I don't know. A man who hasn't been identified.

“A man who doesn't matter.” He chuckles. “So sure, I defend my title again. But that's not the point.

“I crave immortality. I crave legend. And I face a nobody.

“Why did no one care when Adrenaline Rush became tag champions in DaVE? Certainly not entirely because Teddy Powell was less important than the fifth Beatle.

“We faced nobodies.” He closes his eyes beatifically, sighing happily, then glances around. “There are legends here.

“Why did I come here, Cornell, if you will feed me nothing satisfying?”

He shakes his head. “Let us deal with this, then,” he says. “Next month I may receive better.”

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The Bombshell emerges, posing to a massive crowd reaction. Bach watches impassively. “Make your big announcement,” he says. “I still gotta feed.”

She simply gestures to the entryway.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoVvfHx8uaE)

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Last seen as the NOTBPW Canadian Champion, Johnny Bloodstone throws his hood back to a strong response from those portions of the crowd who follow Canadian wrestling.

Bach looks taken aback, then nods to himself. “OK,” he says. “You'll do, Bloodstone. Let's feed.”

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TCW All Action Championship
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JohnnyBloodstone_alt2.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BlondeBombshell.jpg
Sammy Bach © vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
No amount of talent can camouflage the issues in the ring, sadly, as Bach and Bloodstone can't find a matching pace to keep to and work with each other. It hurts things, but they do the best they can.

The best spot, a transition from Bach on your Back to Bloodstone Mutilation, fails to work smoothly enough to the fans' regret; nonetheless, the pair manage to work through, finishing the match when a frustrated Bach rolls free of the ring and creams Bloodstone with the belt.
Johnny Bloodstone defeated Sammy Bach by DQ
Rating: C-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg
American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Tyson Baine
Short and sweetish; Buffalo and Baine let loose in one of the fastest-paced matches either man has worked. It's hard to say which man hits harder – or, for that matter, which man can take more – in a contest reminiscent of EWA at its best.

Toward the end, Baine finally manages to get an advantage when Buffalo's rage leaves him overextended. A series of knees into the gut, a whip to the corner, five punches and a quick splash, and the Buffalo is reeling.

Baine hoists him for the Hades Bomb and steps forward to deliver it – only to find Goldworthy's hand around his leg. Baine stops, turning his head, and something not unlike a DDT ensues from the Buffalo as he drops. Baine collapses, the Buffalo down too. Ray Johnson begins a ten count.

The Buffalo is up at seven, Baine by that stage using the ropes to pull himself up. A Stampede follows and Buffalo covers, hauling on the second rope for leverage.

Johnson misses the foul, counting three to give American Buffalo probably the biggest win of his career to date.
American Buffalo defeated Tyson Baine
Rating: C+

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TCW International Championship
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpg
Wolf Hawkins © vs. Koshiro Ino
Poor Eugene Williams. If there are two competitors in TCW with the determination, speed, and power to work so hard that the two of them can, on their own, outpace a referee to the degree that he can't keep up, it's these two.

The bell rings and both men launch themselves at their opponent like the predators they've taken the names of. Impact happens in literally less than a second, and no clean lock-up here either.

They clash, break apart, and circle multiple times before truly settling to the business at hand, but the pace never lets up. Maybe, toward the end, Ino once again gets the measure of Hawkins. Maybe that's the Kobra's Bite he's setting up for.

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It's difficult to be certain, because that's when Sam Keith gets involved. Williams is briefly occupied checking a cut opened up on Hawkins' forehead, and the veteran needs very little time. A Neutron-Plex occurs, and as Ino rises, Keith already back out of the ring, the Full Moon Rising snaps crisply off. Hawkins gets the cover and keeps the title off the back of interference – the second straight month cheating has blocked Ino from the title.
Koshiro Ino defeated Wolf Hawkins
Rating: B

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“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,” Shawn Doakes' amplified voice booms, Doakes obviously greatly excited by whatever's coming, “May I introduce to you...

“Live in concert...

“THE NEW PAINFUL PROCEDURE!”

Part of the main stage slides open, and a platform bearing the band's gear slides out...

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Randall Hopkirk on bass...

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Billy Jack Shearer on drums...

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Troy Tornado charging out, fist raised in celebration, to take the microphone, guitar slung by his side...

And at keyboard and on rhythm guitar...

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The Young Guns!

“This one's to you, Tommy,” Tornado announces with a cheerful, knowing grin. “Watch yourself. It ends tonight.” He launches into a song Painful Procedure were touting for a while before their breakup. One the crowd know. One they can respond to. And respond they do...

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ift85e38H3M)

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCWWorld.jpg
TCW World Heavyweight Championship
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Tommy Cornell © vs. Troy Tornado
Tornado comes off a massive wave of momentum following the song, and the fans can clearly feel something in the air. Even the discovery that Cornell has issues matching the pace of yet another of his employees doesn't dampen their zeal – there's just too much talent with too much support in the ring.

The contest goes for a full half an hour before the end, and during the match both men throw absolutely everything they have at the other. Around the twenty minute mark Tornado manages to hit the Star Maker dead centre rather than the slight awkwardness of his first attempt.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpg

Cornell doesn't kick out, but Brent Hill is there to prevent that being a problem. Tornado takes the fight back to Hill, Ray Johnson loathe to give the challenger only a DQ win after the All Action match earlier, and for a couple of moments the crowd rejoice. A DDT is swiftly followed by a third Star Maker, this time on Hill.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RandallHopkirk.jpg

Then Randall Hopkirk appears, yanking the man who beat him by nefarious means out of the ring and laying him out with a punch. Bought time to recover, Cornell comes back, trying for the Rough Ride only for Tornado to spring back off the transition, avoiding the impact of the move and dropping the champ with a dropkick as he turns. Another pinfall comes up just short; Tornado tries for a fourth and final Star Maker not long afterward, but this time Cornell is ready and the Guilt Trip is quickly applied in counter.

Tornado squirms clear, reaching the ropes, and Cornell releases the hold. The double-handed blade chop is quickly followed by a missile dropkick of Cornell's own, and the Guilt Trip goes right back on. This time, Tornado has no choice, tapping out in the centre much to the fans' frustration.
Tommy Cornell defeated Troy Tornado
Rating: B+

Show Rating: B

Phantom Stranger

08-01-2009, 09:10 AM

Random notes:

- Double helping of unchecked bad chemistry, including the Main Event, hurt this one. Unfortunately I'd positioned myself such that I felt I had to commit to Troy this month before he recovered from injury, and after that became clear I felt I was better off not knowing in advance in case I did something stupid while trying to compensate.

- At least Troy and Tommy did well anyway

- Seriously, I've tagged RDJ and Fonzie up three or four times in the undiarised months and never got that note until now. That one really made me happy.

- No, NOTBPW didn't have Johnny drop their most prestigious title before he left. It's on Maverick around about now.

- Tommy Cornell has bad chemistry with three guys floating around the UM/ME level on the face side - so far. This could get painful.

Phantom Stranger

08-01-2009, 11:24 AM

Standout winner for the PPV is angeldelayette, picking up six from seven.

We hope Angel can find someone special to wear this new shirt:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/bombshellshirt1.jpg

angeldelayette

08-01-2009, 11:39 AM

Good show and thanks for the tank top! I'm sure I can find a couple of lucky ladies to jello-wrestle over it. ;) But next time I'm looking for a full deck!

MrOnu

08-01-2009, 11:29 PM

Phantom Stranger

08-02-2009, 07:07 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/bookbanner.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/book_open-2.jpg

Monday May 1st 2008

Busier weekend than normal with the PPV. Usually at this point I'd be in the air toward wherever the show's coming from tomorrow, ready to get an early night, but we're down in Coastal Zone country this week and I decided to take a much earlier plane. I've a connecting flight later, but it gives me a chance to give Cliff Anderson's contenders a proper look over.

Tommy, Joel and I spent a long time debating who to bring here on developmental contracts. We took even longer selecting the men we were going to bring in as coaches. The net result, of course, is that none of us are perfectly satisfied with the trainees – though I think we're all happy with the trainers.

While who's here is the responsibility of a group of us, who gets called up and when is mine – because, ultimately, I'm the man who has to find things for them to do when we bring them up. That also means I'm the only person who has to come down here – though, on chatting with Cliff, I find that Joel stops by whenever we run house shows near enough, and Tommy makes it down here once a month. Between that and a monthly FedExed DVD to each of us containing their TV show and big event – none of us live in or even near the broadcast area for Watch This Space – we keep up pretty well.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/BaireiYasujiro.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/LouisFigoManico.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/MasutaroKataoka.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/SteveFlash_alt1.jpg
Coastal Zone training team, April 2008:
L-R Bairei Yasujiro, aerial expert, Louis Figo Manico, mat ability and out-of-ring work, Masutaro Kataoka, all-rounder and brawling specialist, and Steve Flash, fundamentals and all-rounder

The biggest argument we had, early on, was a trio of British wrestlers from the same small federation. Chances are only UK readers will have heard of the company – at time of writing it doesn't have TV and only runs a few places within England. The three men we took are three of their best, though they need both US exposure – at least to the fans online – and some more work before I'll be entirely happy letting them on TCW programming.

The issue we had was simple; Tommy was uneasy about taking three of Britain's current key talents away from the British scene, feeling that it's in an unstable state and needs encouraging. While I pretty much agree, there are two big problems I have with this argument.

First, it's entirely possible they'll wash out – but they'll do so after a couple of years honing their skills against trainers and other wrestlers who are, and I hate to say this, a cut above all but the very, very best in Britain. They'll improve a lot faster here, and if they wash out, then the British sport should be re-energised simply by their level of ability.

Second, and more importantly, the man saying this is Tommy Cornell. Who is, first, one of the two or three best wrestlers on the planet and, second, English. TCW – and HGC before it – worked hard to make Cornell a household name in the United States, and he is still held in greater renown in Britain than he is here.

Has to be noted, also, that with the specific trio we have here one of them was, before we signed him, concentrating more and more on his work in a company based out of Japan. Whatever we do, the fate of the best of British workers is to leave and go where the money is. Unless more money's there, that's going to be the case.

Another trio are the main focus of my attention, here; the recently-arrived Ronnie V. Pain, who might be showing some minor improvement – or it might be my imagination – the dedicated Giant Tana, now an occasional main event in the Coastal Zone and clearly loving that fact – and Texas Pete.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/TexasPete.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/One-Offs/SteveFlash_alt1.jpg
As he was then: Texas Pete squares off with Steve Flash in CZCW, 2008

Pete went straight to the Coastal Zone when we acquired it by unanimous decision of myself, Joel and Tommy. Tana came along a little later, and seems to be having more fun with it; but Pete is fascinating me.

Tana's showed significant improvement – a lot of which I put down to the new 'lease of life' from working at the top – but Pete Goldman, the man behind Texas Pete, seems to have taken his new status like a drunk being dumped in a bath of ice water.

The drunk wakes up and may well look at his situation with a new clarity; the shock of being the first roster regular consigned to the Coastal Zone has given him a purpose and a fire. He's listened to our trainers – and to anyone else around the place who can offer him anything – and his all-around game is much improved. He's still hardly Syndicate-ready, but in just four months he's significantly better in the ring than he was before. I'll have to ask Steve and Louis to concentrate on his cardio later – make sure he can actually hang in for a full match without blowing up – but I suddenly have real hope for him. He may never win any titles – but he'll do more than give Edd Stone competition in cleaning out the bars.

Phantom Stranger

08-02-2009, 07:53 AM

Seriously, Sammy Bach has already grown on me enough that I want to see someone shut him up. He has that little something that makes a good heel. It won't be Bloodstone unfortunately, thanks to poor chemistry. Still, I can't wait to see the kind of impact Bloodstone can have, I really like that guy.

Good thing you explained the grudge between AB and Baine, I had forgoten that they used to tag.

I've had those games two where my top star has poor chemistry with every other talented individual. Micky Starr is my now dead SWF75 diary had that issue, I had to throw some curveballs to dodge the problem. At least, it's Tommy Cornell in your case. He could get a decent match out of Tank Bradley.

Playing the 97 mod recently, Baine and AB's old alliance is stuck in my head. It's still common enough currency to be mentioned in AB's background - Buffalo having finally been hired on Baine's recommendation - so I figure it's just about fair game.

I can confirm that I won't be asking Tommy Cornell to get a decent match out of Tank Bradley. I won't be asking anyone to get a decent match out of Tank Bradley. (And now, watch the Tank Bradley votes come in if I ever do a 'which worker would you like to see come to TCW' poll)

Phantom Stranger

08-02-2009, 06:39 PM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalwrestlingbanner.jpg

The history books have their fill, and now the fallout begins.

It seems that following Johnny Bloodstone's failure to capture Sammy Bach's All Action Championship the Syndicate have a continuing interest, as his second test in TCW will be against Syndicate member John Anderson. Whether Mr Cornell has made this match due to displeasure or due to an interest in recruiting is as yet unknown.

What is certain is that the Syndicate interest in the All Action Championship remains. Wolf Hawkins teams with Acid against Chance Fortune and Clark Alexander in another match designed to test the capabilities of the All-Action candidates. Acid has to be considered the favourite of this trio to join the Syndicate, but anything could happen here.

Ricky Dale Johnson can't reach Tommy Cornell, but his issues with the Syndicate are far from done. Johnson finds himself now facing Brent Hill in a match made by Mr Cornell to, no doubt, put his regular rival through a gruelling slog while keeping him far from the World Heavyweight Championship. We're told that the next match was requested moments after this match was confirmed...

Danny Fonzarelli faces the Tag Team Specialists again. This time both men have allies; while Fonzarelli cannot count on RDJ with the other man's obligations - no doubt why the Specialists chose the moment they did to request the match - he will stand alongside the newest members of Painful Procedure, the Young Guns. On the Specialists side is long-standing TCW insurance policy Charlie Thatcher.

In a display of TCW's broadening tag team division, the New Wave will take on Natural Talent. This is thought not to be a number one contendership match following the dubious nature of the Machines' title defence, though a win for either team surely can't hurt their standing - especially in the case of Natural Talent.

Lastly, the night's main event promises to be scorching. A command performance by Troy Tornado, at Mr Cornell's discretion, sees him face off against not only All Action Champion Sammy Bach but the man Mr Cornell will doubtless be hoping beats them both, the Syndicate's 'Contract Killer' Sam Keith.

Prediction Key:
John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli

Natural Talent vs. New Wave

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado

Hyde Hill

08-02-2009, 06:43 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli

Natural Talent vs. New Wave

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado

Bigpapa42

08-02-2009, 06:44 PM

Prediction Key:
John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Bloodstone should do very well in TCW, so I could see him getting a push up the card pretty early.

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli

Natural Talent vs. New Wave

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
Snap, though call. I'll give the love to Sammy.

Self

08-02-2009, 06:46 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli
Natural Talent vs. New Wave
Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado

Tigerkinney

08-02-2009, 06:51 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Bloodstone pushes the Machine all the way to a time limit draw.

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli

The change of image has done a world of good for the Young Guns who don't have that jobber aura about them anymore and I see them and Fonzarelli going over the old timers and Thatcher

Natural Talent vs. New Wave

New Wave stay strong

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander

Two pairings on completely another level from one another

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado

Even though Tornado had iffy chemistry against Tommy, I still feel that you want to keep him strong.

Phantom Stranger

08-02-2009, 06:59 PM

OK, my face is red.

Missed a match - RDJ versus Brent Hill. It's up on the original now.

Zeel1

08-02-2009, 07:14 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Anderson's pretty much the weakest of The Syndicate, atleast at the start, so him jobbing to Bloodstone doesn't seem impossible. But, as it's still early in the recruiting hunt, I don't see Bloodstone being picked to join. He takes this win to make it seem that way, before eventually being swerved out of the running.

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli
I can't, in all good concious, ever allow myself to pick Charlie Thatcher, soo.. :p

Natural Talent vs. New Wave
NT aren't high enough yet to beat THE GREATEST TAG TEAM IN THE WORLD TODAY.

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
Two of them are main eventers..one of them had to use a good luck charm just to get hired.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill
Sincerely doubt you have the kind of plans for Brent Hill as I do.. (;)) so I don't see a win over RDJ being plausible.

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
Bach's an ME project for sure, but Tornado should probably be taking this. Pinning, and starting a feud, with Sam Keith seems like a natural storyline transition for Tornado.

Greg McNeish

08-02-2009, 07:22 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Fantastic pick up here. Bloodstone has always been one of my favourites. Back in '05, I had a REALLY lengthy NOTBPW game, that saw Bloodstone become the top heel, and shockingly, the top face in the company, after turning to save his old nemesis, Dan Stone Jr. Anyway, he's going to make an impact tonight.

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli
I've always had a soft spot for the Young Guns, and I always thought they were too easily relegated to enhancement duties, by too many people. They'll go over here, to cement their new-found momentum.

Natural Talent vs. New Wave
As much as you're trying to elevate teams, the New Wave still needs to stay up near the top. Not just so they can elevate contenders, but because they deserve to be there.

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
Burning Wolf all the way.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill
RDJ's still a top dog. Tag team guys can lose singles matches, without it hurting them.

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
Coming off such a strong showing (B+ with poor chemistry), Tornado deserves this. I'm loving Sammy Bach right now, and love the ambiguity of the character. He's not a traditional heel, as he hasn't cheated for his victories, and looks like he could easily transition into babyface work, whenever he wants to. That's my favourite kind of heel.

Nevermore

08-02-2009, 11:14 PM

God damn it, man! I still haven't finished reading Philly Pro yet and you're storming ahead on this one.

I'm never gonna catch-up at this rate :(.

Seriously, though, technically the wrong thread I know but I've loved what I've read of PPPW so far (I'll comment properly when I finish) and I'm looking forward to checking this out at some point too.

Quote The Raven
Nevermore

angeldelayette

08-03-2009, 01:40 AM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
I don't see Bloodstone losing this one.

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli
Charlie Thatcher's finisher used on him!

Natural Talent vs. New Wave
New Wave keeps up momentum

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
I like Acid.

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill
RDJ FTW!

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
I'm calling no contest here!

WrestlingGeek

08-03-2009, 09:17 AM

Phantom Stranger

08-03-2009, 12:12 PM

foolinc

08-03-2009, 04:48 PM

mad5226

08-03-2009, 09:19 PM

Marcel Fromage

08-04-2009, 02:52 PM

John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
I'd imagine Bloodstone will become a major player in TCW down the line

Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Young Guns & Danny Fonzarelli
I think you want to keep the Fonz strong. The other team scream gatekeepers to me

Natural Talent vs. New Wave
More likely at this point, I think

Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
I like Chance and Clark - just not in this match!

Ricky Dale Johnson vs. Brent Hill
RDJ continues to look strong

Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
Tornado to win to keep him rolling against the Syndicate

Phantom Stranger

08-04-2009, 03:35 PM

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http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 1 May 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 3.88)

Held at the Utah Park Reservation (South West US)

Attendance: 15,000 (SOLD OUT!)

Announcers:
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Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JohnnyBloodstone_alt2.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BlondeBombshell.jpg
John Anderson vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Down to earth, old-fashioned wrestling. Typically speaking, the TCW crowd will eat it up – and a demonstration that you have it mastered is almost as important to them as name value. While Anderson is near the bottom of the Syndicate's pecking order, while Bloodstone's American following is small and mostly northern, some distance from the Utah Park Reservation, this is still a match that catches the fans' eyes more than two others on their level might.

Transitions are smooth, throws crisp and dangerous, holds applied with a tactician's intensity. Bloodstone's temper, famous in NOTBPW, is entirely absent here, the Bombshell's presence seeming to entirely negate it, and the result is confident and thoughtful, a master of the game operating at the height of his skills. Ultimately, even the self-styled 'Human Arsenal' can't find the move that would beat Bloodstone, and the Canadian finds his way to the Bloodstone Mutilation, picking up a clear victory over the Syndicate member.
Johnny Bloodstone defeated John Anderson
Rating: C

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/totalbanner.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HarryAllen_Grunge3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SteveGumble_Grunge2.jpg
A video clip begins to play, opening with a montage; at a gym somewhere, the walls decorated with a mix of TCW posters and faded concert tour flyers, two young men take to the air, lock up, dropkick, and otherwise take the fight to one another. The Young Guns seem in their element as they train and spar with each other. The montage draws into a standoff between the two men and stays with that shot, the camera pulling out to find Troy Tornado.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
“I had a lot of time to think while I was injured,” he begins. “I ended up thinking about Painful Procedure. What we had... what there was when I joined them... What I did when we lost it.

“Like you all already know, that turned me around. I made my peace with Billy and Randall. I don't know whether I'd have reached out to Ronnie – he made it pretty clear he wasn't interested in a reunion tour – but that chance got taken away from me anyway.

“The Syndicate don't take well to people challenging the Man, you know?

“Thing is, the band wasn't a band. And when Tommy Cornell told Hawkins to make sure of Ronnie, he made it pretty clear that it wasn't going to be in anyone's immediate best interests to join us.

“You gotta have balls if you want to stand up to the Syndicate. And you gotta care. You gotta be passionate, ready to take the fight to them. Ready to really stick it to them. Because they'll come for you, and the only way to survive is to for them right back.

“These two young guns behind me – they've got that kind of balls. They've got that kind of passion. And they are more than willing to stick it to the Syndicate. And that means only one thing.

“Painful Procedure is back. And Tommy Cornell is finally in for a very... rough... ride.”

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Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher vs. Danny Fonzarelli & the Young Guns
Short, to the point, not particularly sweet. Fonzarelli seems mildly frustrated at the regularly-repeated challenges by the Specialists, but doesn't let it faze him; indeed, he lets the Guns deal with most of the Specialists' in-ring activity, concentrating on preventing Charlie Thatcher from overwhelming his smaller allies.

The Guns, long-time irregular rivals of the Specialists, display a solid knowledge of their tricks and rely on speed and teamwork to keep themselves from being overwhelmed by the veterans. Toward the end it comes down, once again, to Fonzarelli and Joel Bryant; this time, following the One Shot Drop to Bryant, Robert Oxford's attempt to break up the pin is cut off by a missile dropkick from Steve Gumble.
Danny Fonzarelli & the Young Guns defeated the Tag Team Specialists & Charlie Thatcher
Rating: D

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Natural Talent vs. New Wave
Even shorter, this match, but the crowd perk up for it; what some call the best tag team active today facing off with the not-exactly-unknown Natural Talent, who've been getting some steady recognition and support.

It'd be hard to say that anyone present didn't know which way this match was going to end, but Scout shows himself stymied by the Naturals' work on a few occasions early on before knuckling down to it. He and Guide cut Natural #2 off from his partner and begin to work him over. A Guided Missile to set up the Special Force submission by Scout follows, and Natural #2 quickly taps.
The New Wave defeated Natural Talent
Rating: C-

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Jason Azaria quickly introduces a pre-taped video interview and the big screen cuts to show a set somewhere between the traditional image of a bookers' office and a cosy bar. On one side of the big desk: Horatio Dangerous. On the other: Koshiro Ino.

“What you're about to see is what we hope will be the first of a series of Spotlight Interviews on the rising stars of TCW,” Dangerous tells the camera. “Over the next few weeks, the Kobra and I will be talking about his career to date, his plans for TCW, and wrestling in general...”

Dangerous turns to Ino and glances down at his notes. “So,” he begins. “For those of our fans who don't know, the Kobra was trained by one of the best. Our older viewers might remember a man called Hooded Kudo fighting Sam Keith and others for, ah, a rival promotion, fifteen or sixteen years ago. Canadian viewers will remember him besting Jeremy Stone – in my opinion, then one of the best men at mat and submission wrestling in the world – on two occasions for the NOTBPW Championship.

“What you might not know is that this is not Kudo's greatest accomplishment. In over forty years, the most renowned wrestling federation in Japan, Burning Hammer of the Wrestling Gods, has crowned just eleven World Champions. It's an elite club; it includes TCW founding figures Sam Strong and Dread, not to mention current TCW competitor Sam Keith.” Ino inclines his head slightly.

“Only seven of those champions have had more than one reign. Both Dread and Sam Keith achieved it – but you have to understand that this accolade is one that escapes even Sam Strong.” He pauses.

“Still fewer have secured the Burning Hammer World Championship on more than two occasions. Only three have done it, and no man has captured the belt more than three times. Haruki Kudo, known as Hooded Kudo, is one of these, and sitting opposite me is his protege.” Dangerous offers a respectful nod, as close to a bow as he can at the desk “The parallel to our own company is, I think, obvious.”

Ino nods. “Wolf Hawkins, I assume, is who you speak of,” he says. “His support from Tommy Cornell... But I think that we are not quite parallel.

“One thing my teacher never did was to arrange for me to win matches,” he continues. “He never arranged to help me secure championships. He was secure enough in his own renown not to feel a need to add unearned reflected glory to his own.”

Horatio seems almost to wince. “Strong words...”

“I actually feel sympathy for Hawkins,” Ino says. “Despite his antics in keeping me from the International Championship – or rather, because of them. I know that I earned my time with the Burning Hammer tag team championship.” He shrugs. “But we're now talking simply of what I am doing at this moment,” he says. “And the fans know this.”

“Right,”Dangerous says, collecting his notes and his thoughts. “Japan is, like the USA, somewhere that brings far more wrestlers in than it sends out to other places. It's unusual to see someone like yourself – successful with a major company – go elsewhere. Could you tell us a little about why you decided to expand your horizons.”

Ino nods again, decisively. “As you stated earlier, my teacher had done something similar,” he says.

“He was not the only one. Eisaku Kunomasu, who I watched as I was training – he was just beginning in Japan – left before he attained a pinnacle in Japan that seemed all but certain. He came here, to Phil Vibert.”

“The 'Lord of Strong Style',” Dangerous nods. “One of the men who decided the course of the East Coast War.” There's a certain tightness to his voice, mingled with respect for Kunomasu's work.

“Yes,” Ino nods. “There are many Japanese wrestlers who have visited Canada, also, but typically at the start of their career. Shingen Miyazaki is one such.”

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Acid & Wolf Hawkins vs. Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
Acid not performing at his best, this time, and Hawaiian Thunder C.A. in particular is clearly looking to take advantage of that. Chance and Hawkins reprise a number of the greatest hits from their All-Action feud of yore.

Unlike the Edd Stone contest, there are no particularly big spots here, and the contest seems closer as a result – no one really stands out as a potential new Syndicate member, despite Doakes' speculation on Acid in a suit – but Wolf Hawkins makes his presence felt as the match plays out, going to town on both Fortune and Alexander.

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Unfortunately for him, that's when someone else makes their presence felt; Ino rolling into the ring to blast Hawkins with the Kobra's Bite in full view of Eugene Williams.

Hawkins and Acid pick up the win, but it's likely Hawkins in particular won't be happy with how.
Acid & Wolf Hawkins defeated Chance Fortune & Clark Alexander
Rating: C

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Bad to the Bone plays again. Flanked by Laura Huggins, Eric Tyler struts down to the ring.

“Well, the results are in,” Tyler smirks. “Aaron Andrews still can't win. He can wrestle – but I never said he couldn't. And Joey Minnesota – I hope you, too, understand now. Just because you already paid your dues doesn't mean the new kids don't have to.

“So with that – Andrews, I want you out here, and I want you to show me and this smart girl some respect.”

There's a pause.

The pause lengthens.

“Freddy!” Laura Huggins offers. “Get him out here!”

Silence.

After nearly a minute Freddy Huggins emerges empty-handed, offering a shrug.

Tyler's face is set in cold fury. “Next week, Andrews,” he promises, “you pay for this.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
Brent Hill vs. Ricky Dale Johnson
Suddenly, the show picks up. All it takes is one of the most underrated wrestlers on the roster squaring off with a man who will always be one of the biggest faces of TCW.

Hill starts off cautious, mindful of RDJ's hitting power. After ducking a couple of punches he begins to step his own pace up, a couple of armlocks, a takedown, some smooth impacts off the ropes as Hill begins to use his superior speed.

RDJ takes the punishment, returning it with some of his own offence – particularly the more brutal throws and slams.

His big problem is simply the breadth of Hill's skill; the man has a counter to so much, and even stunned by a big more, there's a pretty good chance he'll be able to pull it out.

Hill's own assault doesn't seem to be focusing in the usual scientific style, appearing more like a total assault; some injury to the arm, then to the ribs, a leg gets torqued hard, a few shots to the head, and so on... Maybe it's just a change in strategy, or maybe – as Azaria speculates – Hill's job here is simply to put a hurting on RDJ.

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That seems a lot likelier when Hill's stablemate Sam Keith, dubbed the 'Contract Killer' of the Syndicate, arrives in the ring. Around his fingers is a brass knuckleduster; a punch to the base of RDJ's spine staggers him, dropping him to his knees. Hill dropkicks RDJ in the face and Keith sets on him as he drops, bloodying the former champion. For the second match running, the referee has to call a DQ.
Ricky Dale Johnson defeated Brent Hill
Rating: B

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The assault continues and Breakin' the Law begins to play. On the entrance ramp, Tommy Cornell shows his face, remaining near the entrance with a microphone in hand.

“What's this all about, Sam?” Cornell says softly. “I booked the match when you asked it, but RDJ's no threat now. We've got him covered. He can't challenge me for ages.”

“And he's still been getting inside Wolf's head,” Keith returns. “He's still been winning matches. Making cases.

“I just took care of the angle, Tommy. Like I always do.”

“That's not how the Bloodstone match worked out.”

“Yeah, well...” Keith shrugs. “If he'd taken the belt, tonight wouldn't have been needed, would it?

“You brought me in to have someone watch your back, Tommy. You brought me in to ensure a smooth ride. That's why this, that's why John had his match earlier. That's why I asked for the final match.

“So let me do that.” He turns and nods to Hill, who at this point is perched on the top turnbuckle and who, at the signal, launches into a King of the Hill splash on RDJ. The Complete Package locks in as TCW goes to commercial...

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Sam Keith vs. Sammy Bach vs. Troy Tornado
Two thorns in the Syndicate's side. Two rock stars on either side of the artiste divide. Three dangerous men, as the Contract Killer continues to look out for his boss.

The result is a beautiful match; the two younger men showboat and showcast, Tornado bringing the powerhouse with his stocky, energetic style, Bach soaring, and Keith retaliating with surgically-precise strikes and takedowns, every inch the great technician.

It's good stuff, great even, as the pace changes up and down on a regular basis, highlights being Bach's coast-to-coast bulldog on Tornado, Keith and Bach working a Proton Lock – Back on your Bach – Proton Lock transition before Tornado breaks it up, the return of the long-ignored Tornado Driver (a tilt-a-whirl into a tombstone piledriver) on Bach and an attempt at a second on Keith that somehow flows into Keith hitting a DDT – though Tornado kicks out, and a few moments later, so does Bach, the delay having bought him time to recover.

Just... not enough time. While he covers well enough to slip out of the Neutron Plex and superkick Keith out of the ring, what follows is a Star Maker and Bach is left without enough in the tank to escape this time.
Troy Tornado defeated Sam Keith and Sammy Bach
Rating: B+

Show Rating: B

Phantom Stranger

08-04-2009, 04:46 PM

Zeel1, Greg McNeish, Marcel Fromage, foolinc and WrestlingGeek all got six from six.

Another man got a clean sweep, though without the RDJ/Hill match I initially forgot to include in the predictions page. Accordingly, Tigerkinney is accounted an additional winner as missing that match was my fault.

You'll all be receiving the New Wave's most popular shirt:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/Merchandise/newwaveshirt1.jpg

Bigpapa42

08-04-2009, 10:40 PM

Greg McNeish

08-04-2009, 10:44 PM

I got to check out this great show, showcasing some cracks in the leadership of the Syndicate, and some fantastic wrestling, with a new t-shirt (my second) to boot.

What more could a TCW mark ask for?

Astil

08-04-2009, 10:50 PM

Very nice show, pushes Ino nicely, which always will make me happy.

Marcel Fromage

08-05-2009, 03:16 AM

Thanks for the shirt - think that's the best you've done so far, PS.

Enjoyed the show too. It's interesting that you seem to be embracing the Painful Procedure band concept rather than just dumping it too.

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 09:32 AM

Friggin nice shirt. You had me a bit worried with the match grades for the undercard - I was a bit surprised that Bloodstone didn't produce a bit better. Nice to see the last two matches deliver, especially the three-way main event.

Pure and simple, Johnny's not that over yet. He was D+ when I signed him, he's C+ now (and actually has gone from B+ to A in Canada) following that match, the other match, and the vignettes.

The Machines, meanwhile, have consistently stayed around the C- to C area, and TCW is split evenly on performance and popularity. Bloodstone will, I'm sure, get where he's going, but it may take a little while.

I'm glad people dug the Koshiro bit, because those interviews are likely to become regulars. Heck, Koshiro's isn't even done yet.

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 09:41 AM

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Friday 5th May 2008
The real pleasure of being with TCW rather than Philly Pro? TCW means more to people who aren't wrestling fans themselves.

Getting Philly Pro a TV show involved leaving a show, driving to the airport, and flying all night because there was only one time the network were prepared to talk to us.

GNN Total Sports was more than happy to schedule a meeting whenever we could get there. 'We' in this case being me, Tommy, and the man RDJ insists is legally named 'Lenny From Accounts'. Tommy's wife caught the jet into Miami, too, but promptly disappeared off to go shopping.

Lenny is here on my own insistence. I still can't help but think the deal Philly Pro struck was part of what killed the company, and the net result is that I don't trust myself around this kind of thing without a moneyman.

But then, if anyone was going to not be here, it'd be me. Except that extending Total Wrestling wasn't the only job here.

Since the deal with CZCW went through there've been discussions at every level – camera crews, the locker room, Creative, the finance department, the transport office – about something inherent to the problem of signing talented but unknown wrestlers to a company that relies as much as we do on name recognition.

Two hours a week of programming isn't enough time. Look at my first month in charge; Rocky Golden's an afterthought, which is just about understandable. Eddie Peak and Rick Law, two of the big men who show the best balance between achievement so far and potential to achieve more – they've been close to the same.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AaronAndrews.jpg http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpg
Together, they could add up as the future of the company. Who do you choose?

I could have done what one of these three deserves if I hadn't been doing my best for Aaron.

Or...

Or Total Wrestling can showcase the unknowns much less frequently. But if we do that, we still need to showcase them.

I'm on the plane back following the discussion with GNN. A second show has been agreed. We've told them that we're going to focus it on those guys who need development, one way or another – talent or exposure or both – and they've accepted that. But I had to be there.

I had to pitch them the big storylines that the show will run with. I had to explain to them how we could package the show so that even if it doesn't do Total Wrestling numbers it won't upset their advertisers.

Thankfully, we had an ace in the hole. Joel told me after his attempts in February that we were going to need a hook like this, and sometime in April I figured it out. (There'd be a diary entry, except I don't like spoiling things for people.)

One of our production boys whipped up a logo and a credit reel based off the concept. Based off the idea of a show protected by a Rick Law who's taken it as his own. From June onward, Fridays are going to see the launch of...

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/tcwbadge2.jpg
Logo by Kamchatka

foolinc

08-05-2009, 10:09 AM

I love the idea of Badge of Honor as TCW's B Show. Gives one of TCW's "white knights" something to do.

Bigpapa42

08-05-2009, 10:15 AM

Gotta agree. That is a pretty awesome idea. And another nice logo from Kam.

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 10:17 AM

I love the idea of Badge of Honor as TCW's B Show. Gives one of TCW's "white knights" something to do.

Aye. And I really, really didn't want a name that screams 'B-Show'...

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 10:21 AM

Gotta agree. That is a pretty awesome idea. And another nice logo from Kam.

Kam's work is fantastic, it really is. I got that logo before the diary even began, so I imagine he's been waiting a while to see it unveiled...

Bigpapa42

08-05-2009, 10:22 AM

Aye. And I really, really didn't want a name that screams 'B-Show'...

And intentional or not, I do like the "L.A. Confidential" reference...

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 04:00 PM

And intentional or not, I do like the "L.A. Confidential" reference...

I love Ellroy's books, but it's more that they both reference the same thing...

Phantom Stranger

08-05-2009, 04:33 PM

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A massive start to the show this week, as RDJ and his running mate Danny Fonzarelli find themselves embroiled in Syndicate business. The Machines are set to take them on. And what of Fonzarelli's continuing stream of challenges from the Tag Team Specialists?

Eric Tyler's preoccupation with Aaron Andrews has led to a match being made that should prove quite interesting. Mr Cornell declined to state why he ordered this match, seeming quite frustrated, but Eric Tyler and Aaron Andrews will be in the ring together this week to wrestle - as will Joey Minnesota and newcomer Johnny Bloodstone. Only one man can walk out the winner, however...

International Champion Wolf Hawkins' run with potential new Syndicate All Action performers continues. Alongside Shingen Miyazaki the two men are set to face Eddie Peak and Rick Law in what seems to be an endurance test for the young Miyazaki. Law and Peak are known to have been demanding matches with Hawkins following his run-in and assault on Ronnie V. Pain during Pain's match with Eddie Peak, feeling that the Syndicate are overstepping their bounds. Quite how they've received the green light for the match is, again, unknown.

While auditions for a Syndicate All Action contender are still under way, the All Action Championship will also be defended tonight. Sammy Bach faces challengers Kazuma Narato and Edd Stone.

Troy Tornado is pushing for a rematch with the World Heavyweight Champion. Mr Cornell has indicated that a win against the American Buffalo may influence his thinking and has made the match official.

But the World Heavyweight Champion will be in action himself after an absence last week. He's set to take on Rocky Golden in the main event...

Prediction Key:
The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)

Self

08-05-2009, 04:41 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ
Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins
TCW All Action Championship Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado
Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)

foolinc

08-05-2009, 04:43 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)

Hyde Hill

08-05-2009, 04:55 PM

mad5226

08-05-2009, 05:28 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
Although I should note Im a huge edd stone mark

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)

I also want to say i love the idea of giving Rick Law his own show and using that to sell it to the network

Tigerkinney

08-05-2009, 05:53 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)

Non Title, one of the non champion team is a main eventer

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell

Bloodstone picks up his second consecutive victory to start his TCW career off hot

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins

More combined star power on the face side and I just don't see Miyazaki being the one who impresses enough to become the Syndicate's latest recruit

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato

Pretty straight forward defence for Bach me-thinks

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado

Possible DQ but anyway Tornado's picking up the win here

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)

Non Title it may be but Cornell isn't losing to Golden who has become a bit for a forgotten man.

Zeel1

08-05-2009, 05:54 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)
A win over the TTS is okay, but The Machines? RDJ seems far too high level for a regular tag team..though I suppose putting him in one would be something no-one else has done..I don't know, Fonzarelli getting pinned still seems like the smart thing to do. And, to be honest, I'm not a big fan of that gimmick.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Because high level debutees like him should really hit the ground running when they enter the company, and that lackluster debut kinda set him back.

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins
What, seriously? They're petitioning to get Miyazaki in right now? What, is he going to become a Japanese Vincent or something? :p

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
Stone is a fine fit for the All-Action Title, but if you're looking to raise that belt's prestige, then having it change hands in a random TV Triple Threat seems like something to avoid.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado
You said you were building up Buffalo, but Tornado has a lot more for him right now. Honestly, I don't think either of these guys should be losing at the moment..maybe a draw?

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)
Ha, no real way Golden would win this. This graded out quite well in the second show of my diary, however..

Marcel Fromage

08-05-2009, 06:19 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)
Was torn on this one, but the non-title swayed me towards the challengers

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Keeps the new boy's early momentum going

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins
Don't think Shingen is going to make a huge impact here

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
Don't see the title changing hands in a tv show triple threat

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado
Tornado has been main eventing. Although Buffalo should stay strong in this match, I see Tornado winning it. Maybe Baine comes in and causes a count out or something similar

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)
Rocky is treading water right now, which makes him good fodder for Cornell to grab a straightforward victory

Bigpapa42

08-05-2009, 06:26 PM

Greg McNeish

08-05-2009, 08:48 PM

The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ (non-title)
The Machines aren't too far down the card to hurt RDJ too much, and I'm not a fan of this team. Fonzarelli's character is way too... SWF.

Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
Bloodstone could have an incredible feud with Eric Tyler, who feels like Bloodstone is interfering with his lessons.

Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins
Shingen will obviously take the fall, but losses like this are key, in order to keep Hawkins from becoming a complete douchebag.

TCW All Action Championship
Sammy Bach (c) vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
Bach is hot Hot HOT.

American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado
I could see Buffalo getting himself DQed, by shear brutality. I always mark hard for that kind of stuff.

Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell (non-title)
Again, it's his universe.

Phantom Stranger

08-06-2009, 11:15 AM

I've always tried to make a habit of this...

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Phantom Stranger

08-07-2009, 11:27 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TCW.jpg
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/Bigpapa42_2006/Wrestling/Main/Other/Playegg_28207.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4GAXzWf5ag)

TCW Presents Total Wrestling

Tuesday Week 2 May 2008

Live on GNN Total Sports (Rating 3.87)

Held at the Theatre of Dreams (north West US)

Attendance: 10,000 (Sold Out!)

Announcers:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JasonAzaria_alt1.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShawnDoakes.jpg
Jason Azaria – Horatio Dangerous – Shawn Doakes

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BrentHill_alt2.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HumanArsenal_alt4.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/DannyFonzarelli.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickyDaleJohnson.jpg
The Machines vs. Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ
As opening matches go, this one was hot. The faces are loved, the heels are respected, and opinion was divided.

Following on from last week, the Machines set out to target RDJ, who found himself under concerted double-team attacks for much of the match. Fonzarelli, whenever tagged in, was dealt with sharply – quick shots and an attempt to force a blind tag to bring RDJ back in.

This didn't entirely work, however; Fonzarelli managed to hammer John Anderson into the ground with the Ammo Dump, though Hill broke it up, and he almost managed to lock in the Complete Package on Hill, only to be countered and spiked with a DDT at the last moment.

It's touch and go throughout – RDJ and Fonzarelli have the power to take anyone down they choose, no question – but at the end, twenty minutes have rolled through and the match reaches a time limit, no decision.
The Machines drew with Danny Fonzarelli & RDJ
Rating: B

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/LauraCatherineHuggins.jpg
Backstage, and Eric Tyler is talking in a low tone with Laura Huggins. Glancing up, Tyler notices the camera and – initially – frowns. “Get outta my face,” he begins, then halts. “No – wait.

“Tonight, Andrews gets the man whose ass he's been kissin' to back him up in the ring.

“I don't get my own friend in there. Is that respect?

“Tonight, someone else gets crammed into our dispute. Maybe his inflatable wife got him involved. Maybe they just looked at us and thought, hey, Tyler's Canadian. He worked for the real cred in Canada, let's throw in the other lot's champion just to piss him the hell off. Maybe he's got his own say in all this.

“I don't care. I have an issue with one man and I'm not being allowed to settle it the way it should be. Is that respect?

“Bottom line – there isn't enough of it in this company. There probably isn't enough of it among you fans.

“I'm just going to have to beat it into enough people that the fear of it drives the rest of you to respect this sport.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AaronAndrews.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EricTyler.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JoeyMinnesota_alt.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/JohnnyBloodstone_alt2.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/BlondeBombshell.jpg
Aaron Andrews vs. Eric Tyler vs. Joey Minnesota vs. Johnny Bloodstone w/ Blonde Bombshell
It doesn't keep up with the previous contest, but it hardly embarrasses anyone, either. Rapidly this pairs off; Tyler and Andrews, Minnesota and a Bloodstone who seems determined to prove himself against one of the best technical workers among DaVE's legacy.

Minnesota tries to help Andrews out, but gets cut off by Bloodstone – leaving him easy prey for Tyler, who tosses him from the ring. Andrews goes for Tyler, aided by Bloodstone – the pair of them hit a smooth high-low double team, drawing a nod of respect from Bloodstone to the youngster.

Andrews nods in return, and Bloodstone leaves the ring to square off again with Minnesota. Andrews, meanwhile, goes for Tyler in a fury; and that undoes him. Tyler takes that rage and fights round it, fights past it, overcoming Andrews in the end. Bloodstone rolls Minnesota into the ring, clamping on the Bloodstone Mutilation. Tyler pauses, looking at this, and starts to break it up – then stops.

Andrews is hoisted up into the Tradition Lift. It's a question now of who will succumb first, and Minnesota makes it moot, wrenching his way clear of the Mutilation, diving for Tyler, hitting him -

- seconds after Andrews submits.
Eric Tyler defeated Aaron Andrews, Joey Minnesota and Johnny Bloodstone
Rating: C

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/HoratioDangerous_FIN6a.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KoshiroIno.jpg
The feed shifts to the interview footage begun last week. Horatio Dangerous and Koshiro Ino had just finished discussing the relationship the Canadian promotions have with promising Japanese wrestlers...

“But you didn't go to Canada,” Dangerous notes. “Instead, you came to TCW. Why was that?”

“Sam Keith,” Ino says immediately. “As you yourself said, Keith is one of the few multi-time World Champions in the company I came up in. The same in Mexico, the same in Canada, the same in America.

“From what I saw of him as a child, watching him wrestle in Burning Hammer, I held him in high regard. When I decided that I must seek new places, learn new skills, to reach the goals I have set for myself, I thought immediately that he could be a worthy teacher.

“In terms of his skill as a wrestler, I am happy to say I was right. Whatever else he may have become, Sam Keith is a great man who was a great champion. Even at forty-seven he remains so.

“There were other federations that made me offers. Daniel Stone contacted me telling me how highly his son Duane speaks of me, asking me to come to his company. A Scottish company called with the intent of using me as Phil Vibert used Kunomasu-san.

“What truly settled my mind was the range here. Edd Stone, Tyson Baine, the Canadian representatives, showing some of the best of the two major Canadian styles. Sam Keith, a man who knows worldwide styles. Tommy Cornell, a master of the form designed in an English town called Wigan. Harsh work, with its form and aesthetic coming from simplicity; its form is its function.

“Guide. Scout. Great American workers. Ricky Dale Johnson and Archie Judge, two of the greatest exponents in their respective times of the Texas style. Eddie Peak, who understands better than most the art of wrestling with weaponry.

“Here is somewhere where I can study and learn from a great many disciplines. Here is somewhere where fairly-won victory proves you among the best in the world.

“So here is where I came.”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddiePeak.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RickLaw.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/WolfHawkins_alt3.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/ShingenMiyazaki_alt1.jpg
Eddie Peak & Rick Law vs. Wolf Hawkins & Shingen Miyazaki
Another good, solid match. Miyazaki begins the contest as an unknown and, while he spends much of the match being mauled, he provides enough entertainment and interest to thrust himself a little more closely into the spotlight.

Peak, now... Peak evidently took Hawkins interfering in his match intensely personally. The assault Peak makes on Miyazaki could be described – indeed, is described by Shawn Doakes with a surprising insight – as playful. There's actually a smile on his lips as he manhandles the Japanese star, as he absorbs what Miyazaki has to retaliate with.

But when Wolf Hawkins steps in the ring against the Great White Shark it's an entirely different story. The smile becomes a rictus, and Hawkins goes through pain into an area beyond it.

By the end, that's all that keeps him going; somehow, Hawkins manages to fight through the storm, taking the brawl to the outside. Somehow, Hawkins manages to reverse an Irish whip, wrapping Peak around the ringpost.

Law blind tags in, but Hawkins ignores it. The Full Moon Rising strikes, sandwiching Peak's head between Wolf's boot and the ring post.

Rick Law retaliates. Wolf is bundled back into the ring, spent of his energy against Peak – and Law calls for it. He gets the fans reaction, and he uses it well. Hawkins falls to the Long Arm of the Law.
Eddie Peak & Rick Law defeated Shingen Miyazaki & Wolf Hawkins
Rating: C+

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TCW All Action Championship
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SammyBach_alt1.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddStone_alt4.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/KazumaNarato.jpg
Sammy Bach © vs. Edd Stone vs. Kazuma Narato
Bach seems to have his work cut out for him here and he plays a cautious game early on, as does Narato; Stone, meanwhile, takes to the air with gusto. As Bach hands his belt to Eugene Williams for safekeeping, Stone sails into shot with a dropkick, following it up with a handspring splash off the ropes.

His problem, here, is simply that the others are playing cagily. Whenever Stone's unorthodox offence works, it works well, leaving the others staggered, dazed, and unable to react. But whenever Bach simply moves to one side – Edd Stone crashes and burns.

Ultimately, that's how this finishes. Edd flies, Edd takes a tag backdrop from ring to floor, and Bach fells Narato with a crescent kick then clamps down with the Bach on your Back, one hand hooking the ropes for leverage out of Williams' view.

Kazuma Narato taps as Sammy Bach remains in control.
Sammy Bach defeated Edd Stone and Kazuma Narato
Rating: C

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A video plays. Black and white, these glimpses into the Syndicate's private training became, through March, a regular feature on TCW television, but have been rarer since.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/SamKeith_alt2.jpg
Tommy Cornell is in the ring, demonstrating some kind of hold to another Syndicate member by applying it. At ringside, Sam Keith stands watching, hands resting on the apron, focused on the action.

“Nearly,” Keith says. “Left hand about an inch and a half further back.”

“You reckon?” Cornell grunts.

“It's all about the fundamentals,” Keith replies. “That extra inch and a half is going to be good for another ten pounds of leverage.

There's a grunt of complaint from Cornell's victim. “Huh,” the World Heavyweight Champion grunts. “Learn something new every day.”

“You sure about this one, Tommy?” Sam asks softly.

“He's here, isn't he?” Cornell's head tilts up slightly. “He's got what we need, Sam. And he's not Bach.”

“Point,” Keith concedes. “OK, then. By XXXX we have ourselves a new All Action Champion.”

“Yeah.” Cornell releases the hold, patting the downed man on the shoulder as he gets up and walks off. “Take five,” he says. “Hydrate. It's important.”

Keith offers a drink in. “Here you go, Edd.”

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/EddStone_alt4.jpg
And Edd Stone rolls over, wincing, rubbing his shoulder from the hold. “We're hitting the bars after this, right?”

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/AmericanBuffalo.jpg w/ http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/FloydGoldworthy.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
American Buffalo w/ Floyd Goldworthy vs. Troy Tornado
Honestly speaking, from the audience reaction this contest could have been a main event.

Tornado is easily outmassed and outmuscled by the Buffalo. What he has that the Buffalo doesn't is finesse, and he exercises all of that. His target is the right knee of the Buffalo – the kick-off muscle when he begins a Stampede – and he works it well. Stomps, dropkicks, a low Star Maker from behind serving as a makeshift chop block, and into single-leg crabs.

The problem with that last is just that it puts Troy in range of Buffalo's arms, leading to a brutal series of elbows. While the Buffalo is hopping now, not operating at full speed, any time he can corner the championship contender is a bad time to be Troy Tornado.

From a commanding lead Tornado sees his momentum beaten away. An attempt to counter a chokeslam by flipping round and into a DDT is blocked – but not before Sam Sparrow eats a boot to the head. Tornado's planted to the canvas with a thunderous sound...

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TysonBaine.jpg
...And Tyson Baine is suddenly in the ring. Buffalo looks toward him, and starts for him – and Baine kicks his knee out from under him. A Hades Bomb later, Baine leaves, driving Floyd Goldworthy before him.

First to rise is Troy Tornado, though by this point the Buffalo is back to one knee – and having difficulty getting past that point. A Star Maker to the face follows, and Tornado hooks the injured leg to add pain to the cover.

It's enough.
Troy Tornado defeated American Buffalo
Rating: B+

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/RockyGolden.jpg vs. http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpg
Rocky Golden vs. Tommy Cornell
Less entertaining; Cornell takes on a Golden who's slipped in rankings and in respect in recent weeks, and he continues the Syndicate's systematic assaults on their quarry.

Golden is always a tough contender, but Cornell has him outfoxed here. Save for a few major spots, the bulk of the work in this match belongs to Tommy, a showcase of the champion's power.

Sad to say, the outcome isn't in doubt, and that's likely what hurts this one; Golden has the chops to make it, but of late he hasn't been positioned that way, and Cornell's Rough Ride to finish it is the perfect punctuation for that.
Tommy Cornell defeated Rocky Golden
Rating: B-

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TommyCornell_alt5.jpghttp://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/trenchcoatbrigand/TCW/TroyTornado_nacht6.jpg
Cornell makes a big show of collecting his title belt after the match and raising it in triumph, which draws out recent challenger Troy Tornado.

“In case you were wondering,” Tornado begins. “I'm not done with you.”

“In case you were wondering,” the champion replies, “I don't care. You don't have another match for this.”

“Yeah?”

“That's right.”

“Awfully convenient, you making the matches,” Tornado muses. “Doesn't explain why you made the match that left poor little Wolf in that kind of pain, though, does it?

“Or why Peak got to take it to you a couple weeks ago?

“Matter of fact, it doesn't explain why I got my last match with you.

“Problem is, Tommy, there's a board to consider.” Tornado starts walking down the aisle.

“They can overrule you. And from time to time, they do.”

“From time to time,” Cornell shrugs. “So now – what? You're going to say that because someone jumped you last time you went after my title it's unfair? Appeal on those grounds? Think again, Troy.

“You had one of your buddies come out to take the fight back. The Board don't care. They just see tit-for-tat, your appeal's got no hope.”

Tornado frowns. “Then I'm gonna have to get my match from you.”

“Not happening, slugger.”

Tornado hurls the mic overhand. Tommy dodges it and turns back into a Star Maker. Troy mounts and starts to rain down punches.

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Sam Keith sprints down the aisle. After a few moments, Tornado is yanked off the champion, squaring off with Keith.

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Keith looks set and ready to do some damage – but suddenly Rick Law's in the ring, too, nightstick in hand.

There's an uneasy standoff...

Show Rating: B