BUSHIDO PRO: Ghetto Samurai [C-Verse]

[The Celt]

March 1st 2007: The night DAVE went out with a bang. After over a decade of providing America with gritty, realistic storylines and characters combined with some of the best wrestling around, Phil Vibert’s baby when under, collapsing under the weight of having to pay out wildly lucrative contracts just to maintain their roster.

It’s been an interesting time since then; the rivalry between TCW and SWF has only gotten hotter, and USPW has reared its head as a contender for King of Tuesday night wrestling. I mean, there’s more wrestling to watch then there’s ever been, the dirtsheets are in overdrive and forums don’t know which way to turn, unsure who to throw their support behind.

But something’s off, isn’t it? There’s something in the air that’s saying something missing, isn’t there? SWF, TCW, USPW...separate beasts, but the same species perhaps? Yeah, we’re afraid we’ve got the same feeling you do: Since DAVE when down there a gap in the market that’s been left wide open. There’s a spot on your pallet that’s just not being fulfilled. They say variety is the spice of life, and well as far as wrestling in America goes...we’re lacking spice.

Luckily for you you’re a smark, luckily for you’ve access to a greater variety of wrestling than the greater public, luckily for you when you asked the internet where could you get some wrestling with “a bit of harder edge than goddamn USPW” your friends over at /wooo/ had an answer:

It’s a new promotion just starting off, a little outfit operating from Brooklyn, New York. Despite drawing crowds just a fraction of a fraction of the big three’s amongst those in the know it’s highly recommended. And why? Its fans are full of reasons.

They say it’s the most unique idea for a promotion they’ve hear of in years. They describe it like an abstract concept. They say like it’s like Wu Tang Clan got smoked out and decided to make their own wrestling promotion. They talk about wrestlers who look they’re characters from The Boondocks and act like it too. They’re a strange mix of black and Japanese culture; some of them looking like Modern day samurai but talk like rappers. Others are more akin to characters from Chinese Martial arts films. The DVDs are universally praised as some of the best produced stuff in the country; someone associated with the promotion obviously does graphics professionally.

As for the wrestling itself, they call it a mash up between the TCW and DAVE style with a pinch of puro throw in for good measure; pure mat wrestling that’d please old timers like Robert Oxford thrown in with wild brawling that looks closer to a mugging than pro wrestling.

Your interest is peaked...you type “Bushido Pro wrestling” into Google, and with that your fandom begins...

[The Celt]

The first result from your google search is a slew of youtube links. Despite not having been around for long, Bushido Pro, also sometimes referred to as B-Pro, has a number of semi-popular hype videos. You click the first one you find, curious what all the fuss is about.

Over the next 15 minutes you watch with interest multiple youtube clips of a tiny wrestling organisation that’s not like anything you’ve seen before. You seen indie clips before, CZCW and PSW mostly, but this is different. You thought CZCW and PSW were small with their 1000 people tops crowds, but this is even smaller; 100 fans crowded around a black and orange ring watching wrestling that’s got a vibe all of it’s own. CZCW has good wrestling, PSW has the occasional interesting character (although its more than a bit of tired rehash of DAVE if you’re being honest)...but this is like the nice mix of both of those.

Tough, aggressive wrestlers duke it out, mixing lighting fast wrestling holds and torturous submissions with shockingly hard hitting brawling; indeed of some strikes are the most realistic you’ve seen a long ass time.

It’s obscure, it has its flaws (more than one of the wrestlers needs alot of polish...you catch a good few botches and mess ups on these videos despite them being used to advertise the promotion),but there’s something here...you explore further.

Googling “Bushido Pro wrestling”again brings you neatly along to bushidopro.com. The second the page loads your assaulted by a wave of orange and black; the website is positively decked out in the two tones. Graffiti and grunge style artwork race up and down the website, and both are laced with images such as Samurais, geishas, street thugs, urban skylines and boom boxes. Hip hop music plays automatic; you consider hitting the off option, but let it play to add the site’s atmosphere.

You jump to the roster page.

Name: Afro Tiger
Hometown: Harlem, NYC
Style: Tiger Style meets B-Boy
Signature moves: Funky Nassau (Springboard into a Tornado DDT), Smash Hit (Leg Lariat)
Bio: Some men’s drive and determination stems from a dark and angry place deep in their hearts; Afro Tiger is not one of these men. Bouncing around on the tips of his toes with a smile on his face, Afro Tiger brings excitement wherever he goes, his infectious upbeat personality always a crowd pleaser.


Name: Bulldozer Brandon Smith
Hometown: Robinsdale, Minnesota
Style: All-American Amateur style mashed violently together with Football style smash mouth
Signature moves: Bo Jackson (Football Sack), Backdrop Driver
Bio: When BUSHIDO PRO sent an international request to the world’s unaffiliated wrestlers to gather for the birth of a new organisation where competition is king, some were drawn for less than pure reasons. Some came for the promise of money, others the fame, others to vent violent frustrations within themselves. Bulldozer Brandon Smith, alongside good friend Cameron Vessey came because BUSHIDO PRO promised them some of the highest level of competition in North America. As soon as they hear that, they couldn’t resist. BBS is a man driven by the desire to be the best. Once an astounding Football standout, Smith made the transition to wrestling after a leg injury took away the speed needed to compete at the highest levels in that sport. That broken dream has fuelled his desire to succeed in wrestling.


Name: Cameron Vessey
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Style: Well rounded American style with heavy Puroresu influences
Signature moves: Vessey Driver, Bloodline (Lariat), The Weight of Tradition (Brainbuster)
Bio: The weight of tradition rests heavy on the shoulders of young Cameron Vessey; the son of Larry Vessey and nephew of Bryan is trying to fill massive shoes in the world of wrestling. One might think having two wrestling icons for family makes Cameron’s career easier; in his mind it’s the opposite, in his mind he has to meet a standard of excellence few in the profession ever meet. Obsessed with improving his skill and testing it against the best, Vessey jumped at the idea of a gathering of the world’s best unaffiliated talent meeting up in NYC, and brought good friend Brandon Smith along with him.


Name: Canadian Kudo
Hometown: Osaka, Canada
Style: Burning Hammer warrior
Signature moves: Kudo Kutter, Kudo Lock
Bio: Respect is a precious resource in wrestling, one in constant demand but in short supply. So it’s rare to see a tribute such as the one preformed by Canadian Kudo, a man who gives full respect to the man who influenced him the most; Haruki Kudo. Idolizing the Japanese Legend, Canadian Kudo pays his respect by fighting as a version of Kudo’s alter ego Hooded Kudo.


Name: Canadian Grizzly
Hometown: The Great White North
Style: Animalistic Mauler
Signature moves: Chokeslam, Torture Rack, Big Boot
Bio: By far the most hulking figure in all of BUSHIDO PRO, the 6’6 290lbs Canadian Grizzly is a force to be reckoned with. While not the most refined of fighters, Grizzly’s pure strength and size make him a nightmare to face; in fact just knocking him off his feet is considered to be a major achievement. Naturally aggressively territorial, Grizzly looks to establish himself as the top dog amongst the roster.


Name: Captain Brasil Jr.
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Style: Lucha thug with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu influences
Signature moves: Fall from Rio (Swanton Bomb), Pelé Kick, Samba Roll (Forward Roll Senton Bomb).
Bio: Lucha libre and street fighting are rarely ever said in the same conversion, let alone the same sentence, but Brasil Jr. is a fighter like no other. Coming to BUSHIDO PRO all the way from the streets of Rio, the young Captain has a wealth of fighting knowledge well beyond his years. Between his rough background, his grandfather’s influence (a lucha legend in Mexico) and the occasional BJJ training session, Capitao has one of the most unique arsenals in all of wrestling.


Name: White Angel Frankie Dee
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Style: Shotokan style Karate with lighting fast aerial moves
Signature moves: Dragon Sleeper, Shinanju Kick (Springboard kick)
Bio: While rarely speaking a word, one thing that is crystal clear about Frankie Dee: His dedication to upholding the integrity of the sport of wrestling is unparallel. Often going out of his way to shake hands with opponents before matches, the “White Angel” is a model of sportsmanship. However, don’t make the assumption (as many have) that this makes Dee a nice guy push over: once that bell rings Dee is a lethal as any competitor in BUSHIDO. With an arsenal of brutally stiff kicks, more than one BUSHIDO PRO fighter has discover to their dismay that the White Angel is as tough as they come.


Name: Garrett Prince
Hometown: Bodymore, Murderland
Style: S.W.A.T. (Superior Wrestling and Tactics)
Signature moves: Murderland Crossface (Armtrap Crossface), Cradle 2 the Grave (Cradle Piledriver)
Bio: Baltimore is the home of American violence, one murder committed within the city for every day of the year. They’re a violent people, and Garrett Prince is one of them. All Prince cares about is fighting, and getting paid, preferably at the same time. Along with his partner in crime Slim V, Garrett Prince has made no qualms about the fact he’s an out and out mercenary willing to sell his services to the highest bidder. If you’ve got the money and a “problem that needs to be dealt with”, Garrett Prince is the solution.


Name: The Marksman Kirk Jameson
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Style: Clinical technician
Signature moves: Boston Crab, Sharpshooter
Bio: Proudly representing the city of Boston, the Marksman Kirk Jameson is one of the most proficient wrestlers to answer BUSHIDO’s call. Highly adaptable and tactical, Jameson has to demonstrate to BUSHIDO fans and wrestlers alike just how he earned the moniker Marksman: by picking a target on his opponent’s body and taking it out of the game. Jameson already in his short career has beaten top level competitors by throwing wildly onto the backfoot by completely shutting down their game plans by removing a body part needed for their most powerful moves.


Name: KZA
Hometown: Medina, NYC
Style: Tiger Style
Signature moves: Exploder Suplex, KTFO (Stomp to the back of the opponent’s head followed by a rolling elbow smash as they rise), Nemesis Arrow (Vertical Suplex into a Piledriver)
Bio: A simple man on a simple path, KZA claims to aspire to remaining a fighter who lives by the ideals of BUSDHIO. Normally soft spoken, it’s not wise to raise his ire though as KZA’s blend of pure technical mat wrestling with straight up brawling makes him one of the most potent fighters in all of BUSHIDO.


Name: Mario da Silva
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil
Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Signature moves: Kimura, Triangle Choke, Cross Armbreaker
Bio: When BUSHIDO PRO sent out an invitation to the world’s wrestlers in late 2009, the call went far and wide. Hailing from the great Southern Hemisphere nation of Brazil, Mario da Silva brings to BUSHIDO PRO a highly technical and ground based style of offence. With an arsenal of devastating chokes and locks, da Silva has instilled fear and respect for his offence amongst most of the roster.


Name: Mean Machine
Hometown: The Steel Throne
Style: Remorseless Wrestling Machine
Signature moves: Caught in the gears (Cloverleaf), Accelerator Suplex (Half Nelson Suplex),
Bio: Cruel, cold and cunning, Mean Machine is one of the most dreaded competitors in all of BUSHIDO PRO. Claiming to eat, breathe and sleep wrestling, Mean Machine wrestles a style that is all heavy impact and few (if any) mistakes. There are no risks in the Mean Machine moveset; every movement is design to forward his attack and bring him every closer to victory without leaving himself vulnerable in any way. Mean Machine has little regard for the rules or his opponents’ wellbeing, abusing the rules of BUSHIDO to their limit and earning the ire of all our officials. However, his talent is undeniable and he seems to radiate success.


Name: Mimic
Hometown: The wrong sides of the tracks, Toronto, Canada
Style: Suicidal Kamikaze
Signature moves: T.K.K. [This Killed Kobain] (Double Knee Facebreaker)
Bio: “Holding a mirror up to a decaying society”, the angst-ridden Mimic claims his controversial attitude is simply a reflection of what he sees around him. His dark motivation can be seen in how he fights: Mimic seemingly has no regard for either himself or his opponent, often launching himself around the ring with total reckless abandon. Sometimes it seems Mimic doesn’t care whether he wins or loses, just so long as he has the opportunity to hurt somebody.


Name: Primal Rage
Hometown: Deadman Crossing, California
Style: Out of control Berserker
Signature moves: Alarm Clock (Military press dropped into a lifting kick to the opponent's chest), Silent Scream (Half-Nelson choke)
Bio: More than one wrestler on the BUSHIDO roster has problems controlling their temper, few of them however even come close to the sheer fury that Primal Rage frequently finds himself in. With seemingly no throttle on his emotions, PR often completely loses himself to battle fury, lashing out wildly at his opponents with his freakish strength. Indeed PR is almost animalistic and totally unthinking in his ways, making him an incredibly dangerous and unpredictable opponent.


Name: Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah
Hometown: Killadelphia
Style: Brutal and unforgiving Street fighter
Signature moves: Kop Killah (back to back double underhook piledriver), Curb Stomp, Fist of an Angry God (Spinning Backfist)
Bio: Even amongst a roster as varied and tough as BUSHIDO PRO’s, Sayeed Allah stills stands out like a wolf amongst the sheep. Possibly the most vicious man on the roster due to an upbringing as rough as they come growing up on the streets of North Philadelphia, Sayeed is noted for his hyper aggressive and egotistically personality that demands respect from every one he encounters or else.
Sayeed’s arrogance is so great that he feels perfectly comfortable proclaiming himself a God amongst men, barking at the roster that this is his world and they just live in it. A ruthless and shrewd fighter, Sayeed is the ultimate bully, and it’s no wonder he came running when BUSHIDO PRO first put the call to the world’s fighters to assemble.


Name: Slim V
Hometown: Hastings Street, Vancouver
Style: Run and Gun Guerrilla warfare fighter
Signature moves: Murder One (Michinoku Driver), Guillotine Leg Drop
Bio: Money, power and respect are all powerful motivators, and some men find that these things are easily gotten if they make themselves tools for others. Slim V, alongside business partner Garrett Prince, is a man who has earned himself a lot money and a lot of respect amongst certain groups for doing such that. A hired gun, Slim V business is taking out targets with extreme prejudice, something more than transferable to the world of BUSHIDO PRO, whether we like it or not.


Name: Zachary Inc
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Style: Motor City Muscle
Signature moves: Muscle Buster
Bio: Detroit builds them for power, and Zachary Inc is no exception. No much is known about the young competitor, but we can say the it’s clear he’s hungry for success being one of the first fighters to answer BUSHIDO PRO’s call to arms in late 2009.

[critical-23]

Blown the f**k away yo!!

[serotonin187]

WOW! I'm excited this looks awesome.

[Tiberious4]

Okay you've got me hooked. That roster introduction is by far the best one I've scene in a diary. Looking forward to this diary.

[Boltinho]

Celt!

Nice to see you back with a new diary and such a great project. Nice idea and identity for the company and the look!

Best looking diary since that short-lived ZEN one that had comic-book art. Amazing work so far sir.

Love it.

[Jack Hood]

A Celt diary and a good one by the looks of it.

I still miss the comic book ZEN that lasted like 4 posts. That had greatness all over it. Its all good though cause we got Canadian Samurai Gangstas. Look forward very much man!

[smurphy1014]

WOW! This looks amazing!

[The Celt]

That’s it; you’ve made your decision: You’re going to take the plunge and buy some BUSHIDO PRO DVDs. Since finding out about the promotion you’ve been steadily intrigued, going back to youtube again and again to check out what ever clips are out there (previous few unfortunately). It’s time to tap into the source.

You decide you going to go back and start from the beginning, their very first show and work your way forward. In this age of internet shopping getting access to this stuff is fairly straight forward; thankfully you don’t have to trade tapes like your peers did a decade previously.

As you read the blurb for their first DVD, you wonder in your head what what the results will be...

Unlock the World: Stage 1
January 16th 2010; Taped live @ The Babylon Club, Brookyln in front of 102 people
All matches are quarter finals in our tournament to crown our first ever BUSHIDO PRO Champion.
The final match in the tournament will be a three way match.

KZA vs Primal Rage

White Angel Frankie Dee vs Capitao Brasil Jr.

Afro Tiger Vs Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah

Canadian Grizzly vs Cameron Vessey

Garrett Prince vs Bulldozer Brandon Smith

Mean Machine vs The Marksman Kirk Jameson

[Jack Hood]

KZA vs Primal Rage

White Angel Frankie Dee vs Capitao Brasil Jr.

Afro Tiger Vs Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah

Canadian Grizzly vs Cameron Vessey

Garrett Prince vs Bulldozer Brandon Smith

Mean Machine vs The Marksman Kirk Jameson

[sebsplex]

Looks sexy and very promising. I like the look of your roster too, especially the creative licence you've used on the bios and movesets.

Hook me up with more B-Pro.

[Regis]

KZA vs Primal Rage
KZA is the one talent I don't know anything about here - let's take a risk.

White Angel Frankie Dee vs Capitao Brasil Jr.
I recall CBJ as being pretty awesome, let's take a gamble.

Afro Tiger Vs Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah
Wait, Sayeed Allah? Sheeeeeeeeeeit partner, I missed that the first time around. Yeah, let's go for it, I love Sayeed.

Canadian Grizzly vs Cameron Vessey
He's bitchin' awesome. Plus, y'know, he's HUGE.

Garrett Prince vs Bulldozer Brandon Smith
Much though I love the Bodymore, Murderland gimmick, BBS is just plain better.

Mean Machine vs The Marksman Kirk Jameson
Don't make me choose... Okay, okay, I'll go for Kirk, just to be different from Jack Hood. Hi, Jack.

[Tiberious4]

KZA vs Primal Rage

White Angel Frankie Dee vs Capitao Brasil Jr.

Afro Tiger Vs Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah

Canadian Grizzly vs Cameron Vessey

Garrett Prince vs Bulldozer Brandon Smith

Mean Machine vs The Marksman Kirk Jameson

[1PWfan]

KZA vs Primal Rage
I'm guessing KZA is the user character, and in the early stages it's always good to keep your user character near the top of the card to exploit his cheapness

White Angel Frankie Dee vs Capitao Brasil Jr.
He has no pop at all in the states but is still pretty good as a worker, and can built it up plenty at the expense of ropier workers like Dee

Afro Tiger Vs Street Fighting God Sayeed Allah
Who is Afro Tiger? I mean, is he an original character to this dynasty or someone we know under a new character?

Canadian Grizzly vs Cameron Vessey
You can do a lot worse than pushing Cammy early on, and besides, I have no idea who Grizzly is

Garrett Prince vs Bulldozer Brandon Smith
Don't bother pushing 'Dozer, you won't get to keep him long

Mean Machine vs The Marksman Kirk Jameson
I like him more

[Jack Hood]

Hi back Regis... you took my seat. You ready for some BUSHIDO PRO? YEAH YEAH!