All right I am thinking this shall be the last part about the IWA Exodus. I have covered everything up until the last match in the IWA. Which still seems weird to see or write. But, this update is a TWO-FER!!! It was going to be 3 but, the other one isn't done, and it deserves extra nice treatment. The 2nd update is a brief 2002 year review The link is on the News page.). The third update was going to be dedicated solely to attempting to explain this whole Drew Hanson stupid shit that has grown a life of its on his website. Granted its starting to calm down over their. It will be up in a few days. So keep checking. I was originally posting all 3 at once. But the Drew one is sitting on a different comp. Its me explaining the original circumstances with the fucker. I've had it for about a month. but, as you can see nothing else was updated. But it will make its way on here sooner or later. I got a feeling all this shit will be stopping really soon. And no that’s a threat. Once you read that other update you will find out why
Why I left…. You know the rest Part 4.
After this “meeting” the IWA for a few weeks, the IWA wasn’t in business. Then there was talk for doing a final show. And for the longest amount of time I pretty much assumed I had retired the World Title. Even though there was one more date booked but like I said. It was in the air on rather or not it would rather happen. I had already decided that I wasn’t going to do the show at regardless. I was out. No more. Word spread pretty quickly about the IWA death. It was shortly after it was confirmed that I was out of the IWA damn if I didn’t hear from Mark Stone 2 days later. It probably would have been a much shorter time but I stayed off any IM service just because I didn’t really want to talk about it at that point.
Somehow Stone got my AIM name. And he was asking me questions about what had gone done. This meeting had a lot of buzz in 2 days. I admitted that yes I relinquished the World Title and yes I had done my final show for the International Wrestling Alliance. Stone already had a few offers on the table for me. Big surprise. This was right after where Marcus Dillon needed a tag partner. There had been build up about it. I don’t recall rather or not I was offered that spot. That’s a fuzzy spot. I can recall shit from about 1990. But, recent stuff comes and goes…I guess I should have gotten all that 2nd hand smoke. I don’t do anything but, drink. I don’t make it a thing where I have to do it every single time I step out the door and call it social drinking either. I am crazy enough as is. Anyway, I do know I was offered a spot, which was actually quite interesting. But there was no way it could have worked.
Stone wanted for Carlton Kaz & myself to come in under hoods (Mask ya mark, mask!) and drop his top guys and say we are taking over etc. etc. But, we would even have our own crooked ref too! Mr. Colorblind himself Bruce! He was going to be Charles Robinson to our Ric Flair's. The only problem was that…well…Carlton is not a serious heel. He is a comedy act. While he is solid in the ring and can work with anybody who isn't named Rocky Reynolds apparently. Carlton and I worked our first SWF show against each other and we managed to work a full match with neither one of us actually hitting the ropes one time. I swear to God. Well if you would have seen how shoddy this ring was you would have done the same. Randy Allen (Who is a crazy white guy who is in EWR. By the way Randy you suck. You wouldn’t go to training camp and your stats said you need to attend the camp!) Jumped off the top, as did Trik Nasty. F that.
In concept it was probably a good idea. But, I knew it wouldn’t work. And it seemed more like a big Russo like Crash TV spot. Some big shock angle that was just thrown out there. No follow up. No long term vision or nothing. I don’t like that concept. So, I told him that I didn’t want to do that angle a few days before his show. I went on asking him about comp tickets for the show. Instead of letting me have the comps or not he once again asked me to do the show this time as Dale Johnson’s fill in tag team partner. This I couldn’t believe. It was something I would of love to do…under the right circumstances. How often are you asked to team with one of your mentors? But, there would have been no hype, no build up. Nothing. Which would defeat the purpose of me jumping to FIW. So I declined once again. I was actually told by some people that I was going to be there as Dillon’s mystery tag partner. Or maybe even Trevor Lowe, the Superstar himself! (I talked to a mutual friend and it has been confirmed. Jeff is a dick!) It was Sherman Tank instead.
Anyway Chill, Cyrus, Carlton (Damn that’s a lot of C’s.), Natasha and I all did what turned out to be the last SWF show. That was down in Portsmouth. Once back in Columbus we stopped at the B-Dub’s at the Georgesville Plaza. The email had been sent out. There was suppose to be one more IWA show. It was set and then there was the rumor thing as to who it was going to be sold to. This was such a confusing time. I was done with the IWA. I saw it like this, I had served my time and I was a free man. Carlton was like he was going to do it. Chill hadn’t decided. Cyrus didn’t want to. I thought why should I go back? I didn’t think it was a valid point. After what was said at the meeting by The Promoter. And I thought it was basically a spit in our face to do what he had did and then come back. I was dead set against doing it. That all changed with a phone call.
I had to return a phone call to Natasha. She wanted to do the show. Ugh. I couldn’t tell her no. I mean I wanted to but I know how much this would mean to her. So we are talking and she is telling me how much she wanted to do the show. Even though her on screen character eventually became this manipulative well white bitch. (I still laugh about how they had me refer to her as white bitch. She thought it was funny…or at least didn’t protest it ) So I am like I was dead set against doing it…I was going to have to anyway. So I asked her
“Do you want to do the show?”
“Yes”
“Alright then Ill do the show. But, you are the only reason why I am doing it.”
I almost didn’t do the right thing. Which meant dropping the title to the next person in line. Who for all intents and purposes should have been Al B. Damm.
And now the politics and shit start up all over again. What I talked about a few updates ago about the golden boys getting preferred treatment. Well that’s what was going to happen. For some odd fucking reason the now most over person in the company, and the one guy who deserved it and busted his ass in that ring every time. Logic would apply that he would be next in line. Since he wasn’t The Pr…you know what fuck it. I am tired of writing “The Promoter” I’ve had to go back and double check everything I’ve wrote…fuck it. I was told The Promoter was talking shit about me anyway a few days after this agreement. Ok now back to what I am saying. Since Al B. wasn’t one of Bull’s Golden Boys any logic would be thrown to the wind. Instead Bull wanted the most ass, non-talented, non-over, non-wrestling guy in the promotion…next to E-Dogg. Which means it would be E-Dogg’s mouthpiece Brad Schultz. Who was has never been considered a threat to the Title. Had the charisma of a damp mop, and he basically couldn’t get it done in the ring. So of course this guy just had to be the World Champion. He was essentially the one guy who had no reason being anywhere near being considered a credible champion would have to become one on Bull’s horrendous booking.
For weeks I fought and fought (As did plenty of others.) to not do this as it would completely destroy any credibility that the title had. And if you ever see Cruit in action you would understand why. Every good match he has had has been cause the other guy carried him. Ill explain this later as I am not lieing, or joking. Fast forward to the day of the show. I still didn’t want to do the damn show. I was still thinking of not doing the show, and just handing over the title. Again. Even on the day of the show I tried too get Bull to change the match to put Al B. into the match. His reason for not? He didn’t want to have a tournament for the vacated belt…and if you ever follow the IWA luck in tournaments…you would agree to avoid a tournament at all cost. Well then have ABD drop the U.S. title and I can have an open challenge ABD answers it, and the face goes over big. And I can have what could have possibly been my last match with a quality opponent. My back was seriously bothering me, and I was thinking of just giving it all up. No, Bull would have none of that. He needed to continue to make ABD look like shit in this “feud” where only Bull ever went over, or looked good at the end of the night. Every show for like 5 or 6 shows, ABD was left laying in the middle of the ring by Bull and/or The Riot Squad. You can always tell when a wrestler is booking his own shit for the most part. Bull was Kevin Nash-ing it. He was Triple H-ing. And apparently this messed up the big ABD/Bull Miller barbwire match….yeah it sounds exciting huh? Triple Bull Nash wasn't looking bad. Cause he is that damn good....
This conversation/argument went on for about 40 mins. I didn’t even bother practicing any spots cause I was determined to get this match changed. It was a fucking waste of time. I wish I was up a promoter’s ass too. So, finally it was time to go back to the locker area to go get dressed. Even more pissed than usual. I finally talked to Cruit. Who swears up and down he had nothing to do with this, and that he tried to get the match changed when he found out that I didn’t want the match. But, yet and still he had his family there. His neighbors. His neighbor’s family. His family’s neighbors….their cousins…well you see where this is going. He tried to fight it but, yet he invited everybody he knew to the show to watch him win the World Title. Yeah he must have really fought hard....trying to coordinate the whole thing with Bull. (But, it turns out that this was just some fucking power play by Bull. Cause we all know the IWA is this big giant fuckin multi-million dollar operation and sale or no sale Bull was going to remain in control by having a World Champion that was going to do, and agree with everything Bull wanted. Oh did I say that out loud. My bad.)So, I am sitting there pissed and not being able to breathe out of my nose. I had been fighting a head cold for like 3 weeks at that point and no relief in sight. My back was screwed up, and I was going to have a shitty match that I was going to have to carry a guy who been “wrestling” for like 4 years…and has yet to improve any. There was this heavy tension in the air. I knew I had to get this match planned out. Cause it was going to suck ass. I can’t believe my last match in the IWA was going to be with this guy. I finally went and got him and decided to map out this match.
“Chris what are your trademark moves? I know you have a forearm/elbow off the second rope. What else do you do?”
“What do you mean?”
…I swear to God that was his fucking answer.
“What do you do to separate yourself from everyone else on the roster?”
“I can do a reverse DDT.”
This was going to be the guy who was going to be the World Champion…and it got worse, and worse with every sentence. How is it that a guy could be expose to as much wrestling and in ring work could only have a set of 3-maybe signature move? This guy has been in the ring with Bryan Fury, ABD, Shank Dorsey, Money D, Cyrus Poe, Mark Mattis, Tommy Chill, and myself….and the only move he has even bothered to develop was a forearm/elbow off the second rope, and a reverse DDT? What in the fucking shit. How is this possible? Its like he didn’t bother to pick up anything new since he started…then again neither has The Rock and look where it got him. But, he also has family connections and charisma. Anyway as I attempt to wonder why I have been placed with this burden and trying to stay calm, Natasha is staying calm. Back to the story, I then literally threw Cruit out the door to the outside. In the back Golden Boy whined about me intentionally stiffing him. He had no problems with the improv run-in segment...just the fact he was stiffed. To him he was stiffed...whatever. (Usual Bull booking to put 2 guys together that shouldn’t be Bull books a battle royal. The winner because no.1 contender for that night. Last time we did this....Cruit win that one too. Anyway I came out and put his ass, threw some stiff chops, and toss him around.)So, Bull was going to yank the whole match cause he didn't want me to legit beat up his heir. (Which like I said was a only chosen so Bull could power play cause Cruit is a fucking puppet.) I was taking off my gear and was fine with that idea (which is probably why I really went out there.)...then I saw Natasha again.
God, I am such a pushover.
I then talked Bull into letting the match happen. I decided my word to Natasha was more important than my personal opinion/feelings with having this ass match with Cruit.
So, I am trying to figure out how this match is going to happen in my head. And they were all pretty shitty. I started thinking more and more. I am going to have to carry this match…with the head cold…meaning not breathing much and trying to make Cruit look somewhat legit. Anyone who has seen Cruit’s work….knows he isn’t a legit threat. Granted he can bump slightly better than Drew Hanson (And you guys know how I feel about Hanson. In all actuality I should probably apologize to Drew for that comment.) I do know they have about the same …vocabulary of offense. So knowing that I am “passing the torch” to a guy who has been doing in ring for 5 years or so and has a move list probably surpassed by a DJ at a nightclub who has less than 10 hours of training in a ring. Do you guys see my anger, frustration and my pleading to get ABD in the match? Hell, anyone but this jackass. I am like how am I going to put him over…then it hit me. Two words…
Curtain Call.
If you have followed this industry any length of time…you’ve heard of the Curtain Call. And I am not talking Goldust’ old finisher either. In a nutshell in Kevin Nash, and Razor Ramon AKA Scott Hall’s last match before they went to WCW they had to put over people (I am not 100% but, I think Hall put over Triple H…I am not sure though.) But, I would have to check to make sure. Don’t quote me on it.) Nash had to put over Michaels in a steel cage match at a house show in Madison Square Garden. Well at the end of it with apparently permission they went out and hugged and celebrated. You gotta remember this was BEFORE Internet dirt sheets, and such. So this was a big thing. Heels, and faces in the ring at once and they all hug. It wasn't a face turn or anything. It was friends going out there and saying goodbye. It snowballed from there. It was the biggest breaking of kayfabe in the business. All type of shit hit the fan from there. I think that’s where the dirt sheets got big, major backstage leaks etc. It changed the business. Not too long after that you could get all kind of info about who had political pull in the back. Who really hated who etc. Well, I decided the IWA needed something like that done. I was going to go out with a bang…and my way. I am Fred Astaire in this piece dunn!
The match itself wasn’t anything special. (Did I mention that I worked the match in a Zero Tolerance shirt? Which in itself was weird. I haven't worn a ZT shirt in a IWA match since Feb.) Chris was face because he had like everybody he knew out in the chairs. So, I went out of my way to be an asshole…, which isn’t that, much of a stretch for…well an asshole. One of my favorite parts was as I did my usual march around the ring, and talked shit about everybody I got to this guy and his girl or wife or cousin. (It was Washington CourtHouse!) I talked all this shit to him. I got to her….and just laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. I actually walked into the ring walked around a bit, then jumped out and run over to her pointed at her and fall down laughing. This was an over the top, loud obnoxious as I could get it. I took Shank’s goofy laugh when someone does something really stupid, or something really stupid happens to them. I made sure everyone was interested in seeing I got what I deserved. I made sure they were all paying attention to me. All 5 people…no I am kidding. It was probably closer to 50-75 people. I would have to look at the tape again. I am thinking it was closer to 75 than anything. I had them.
The match itself minus the ending…was nothing special. Over the top heel antics by me to cover the fact that I couldn’t really breathe, and that my opponent sucked big hairy, moose cock. Cruit had minimal offense. Giving the face sympathy, and allowing him to get a bigger cheer when he is on offense…and keeping the crowd from realizing that someone in this match is assing it up. I had Chill over to watch the footage of the match. And laughed at how ineffective Cruit’s offensive moves looked. Hustler seen the match on TV and couldn’t believe he went over for the World Title. Mark Mattis wouldn’t stay to see the match “Cause he didn’t want to be around when hell froze over cause Bad Brad Schultz wins the World Title.” So needless to say (At least until I can’t work around the fact again.) it sucked. Soon enough I hooked Caine’s Lullaby on him, (With a bumped ref.) and I didn’t even get the move hooked on him completely before he was tapping. So technically speaking…I retained the title successfully! Ha. Then the “curtain call” began.
It started with Cyrus Poe stomping me off of Cruit, and giving me his version of The Dudley Dog, and laying me out. Then Devlin Anderson gave me a spinebuster. (He also told me goodbye right after he landed, and slid out the ring. Means a lot from a guy that I stretch a few months ago to show him a lesson in not doing moves before you are able to take a face bump.) Basically the entire roster that was there hit their finishers on me one after an another. The crowd loved it. I figure I might as well…I don’t have anything to lose. And if this was going to be my last match possibly…I might as well get everyone involved with it. So after Devonaire, The Repeat Offenders (Who even taunted & chased Natasha around afterwards playing up the hate, and emotions between the 3 of them.), and ABD hit their finishers…then my brother came out. The guy who helped make this possible. The guy that helped me get to the top of the IWA, a guy who is without a doubt my best friend in this business Tommy Chill came down with a table in tow, and was ready to put me through it.
What are friends for right?
I made Chill come out last. His ass whuppin for me was special LOL. And once again I unintentionally sandbagged him on a powerbomb. I thought I had it in me. I was constantly getting dropped for like 5 minutes straight. The moves with just a back bump like Devonaire’s Devonstator, or Cyrus’ finisher was simple. But then there was the complicated ones….like R.O.’s finisher. Not breathing sucks…and it zaps your energy when you don’t have any to begin with. So I assed it up. But, then you get 2 fuckers just blatantly taking advantage of the fact that I am letting them do this. Carlton, and Fred come out….Carlton whips me to the ropes…and hits me with a freaking flip-flop! A FLIP-FLOP PEOPLE!
Not just any flip-flop though…no, I get the flip-flop of Doom. Carlton’s words not mine. He was over and seen the footage at my place.
“Look you can see the look of disgust on your face when you’re coming back off the ropes!”
And you can. Bruce, Carlton, and myself must have watched that footage like 20 times in a row laughing with the look on my face before contact with the FFoD. 3 spinning toeholds later, and a corkscrew elbow…you see. Just flat out taking advantage of me being nice. Never again! Nay! I say thee nay! But, before Fred bails he give Bruce a stomp to the back to make sure is out. We watched that footage about 20 times too.
Anyway after I go through THE NON RIGGED table with my shoulders, and neck and upper back, the crowd is in a frenzy, and Chill kicks the debris out of the ring, and drags Cruit on top of me and wakes up Bruce. A groggy 3 count later, and the torch is passed. I am done. Cruit’s extremely high charisma level sells the fact that he was KO’ed moments earlier and woke up the World Champion by looking dazed, and shouting a “Yeah” out loud, and looking groggy again, and leaving the ring. Damp mop baby, damp mop. I have Bruce send everybody back into the ring. While waiting, Natasha is holding my hand talking to me. She ask if I am ok. I am fine. Pissed I took a few bumps wrong. But, its cool considering the circumstances. I look up at her and ask her if she is going to cry (She is an emotional gal.), actually I asked her if she was going to cry, and have her tears hit me in the face. She smiles and says no. I think I might have stopped them from flowing cause I said that. At this point the others had surrounded us in the ring. Homicide pulled me up, and the whole building thought I was about to receive an another beatdown.
Instead Homicide and I hugged. I worked my work to everyone. Some people in the crowd caught on and clapped. Which was good considered they were just screaming for my head not too long ago. Of course being the Attention Whores they are Fred, and Carlton hug each other before either of they hug me. Bastards. Chill was one of the last people left. We grabbed hands and hugged. We talked and I gave Natasha a hug. Al B. handed me the mic as everyone jumped out. I remember someone in the crowd throwing out the comment : “You gonna cry now?” The only answer I could throw out was: “I just might”. I was on the verge of crying in front of these people. I wanted to say something but, I couldn’t I was literally getting choked up with emotion. I finally swallowed it back and got it out. Here it is word for word what I told that crowd that just shared in a special moment in my life (And I got heckled and didn’t care.)
"Guys...I want to thank you guys....I want to thank you guys for paying attention to what I am doing, and what the rest of these guys are doing. There's a lot of stuff going on, that only we know about...but, I know I've had my problems with just about everyone in the back probably at one point in time (Turn to look at the boys near the entrance.) . I want to thank all of you....I love you guys."
By the time I got done with that statement it took all I had (Which wasn't a lot at this point!) to not bust out crying. You could hear it in my voice that I was about to cry. I said thank you, dropped the mic, and wiped my eyes. But, the strongest thing that happened that night...was the crowd respected me enough to cheer me right after I said this. They forget that I had made some pretty degrading comments about them, and about some of their mommas too. Not only that I think EVERYBODY that came in as a fan asked for either an autograph with me, a picture, or talked to me. It was without a doubt the most emotional night I ever had at a wrestling show. It ranks pretty high up there with my other life experiences that had squat to do with wrestling. It meant that much. I knew at that time....that moment that I had to come back. Where I wasn't sure. I just knew I had too.
A few months of resting, not bumping...did me wonders. My back felt the best it ever did in the past 2 years or so. Which says a lot. Later, which was something that just happened Jabari, and Joey Galloway (Not that Joey G., the one from the kids class at the IWA.) Went to the first new Gym Wars the IWA was holding. And I was incognito. Skull cap down almost covering my eyes, way too much stubble and my glasses...I had no f'n clue who anyone was but like 4 people in a room of about 20 or so. I was just the World Champion there like 4 months ago. And I had no clue as to more than half the people were in that room. One of the people in the room was Devlin. He came up to me and told me how good it was to see me again etc. Then he said something that I didn't expect:
"Its good seeing you smile again. You look happy."
I couldn't help but laugh. I was happy. My response was:
"You take away a man's stress, and that happens."
I was extremely happy. I didn't have some asshole constantly telling me and my brothers and one sister that we sucked, the promotion sucked, nothing will get better etc. once a month at the so called "company meetings." I didn't have that anymore. I was constantly hearing the company is shutting down, or that whatever we did wasn't enough or that we didn't do enough that's why we were failing. None of that. It was amazing. Fuck yeah I was happy. PWC was the first company in a long time that got excited about wrestling again. Hell yeah I was fucking happy. Then of course being the parasite that feeds off of other people's happiness, and obviously sensed that someone was happy and needed to drained the happiness out of that person...Bull called me into his office. I was in there for a good 2 hours. And then I came out, and I wasn't kicked out the building...which fueled the DDK is coming back to the IWA rumors.
Those flew around for about 2 months after this point. Of course I wasn’t going back. The unstoppable tag team of Bull Miller and his fuckin ego had apparently taken over the IWA even though he wasn't suppose to even be booking, or doing anything with live events per the agreement of him selling the live event portion of the IWA. But, I knew as soon as the vets left (i.e. The Poes, Chill, and myself.) that he would start a power trip. And damn if he didn't. I had enough people still in the company to tell me about what he was doing, and what his Mini Me, Cruit was doing along side him to help him continue ruin the IWA, and alienate pretty much everybody who had ever worked with Bull. All I have to say is: Karma's a bitch.....
And this ladies and gentlemen....is the reasons I left the IWA. Now go read the other new stuff or play EWR with me kicking everyone's ass!
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IWA Exodus Part 3 IWA Exodus Part 2