It’s amazing how often I get asked what it was like to work with certain pro wrestling personalities who have since become mainstream stars in either WWE or TNA, or talents who were regular television names but ultimately found themselves released (or future endeavored) and back on the small indy wrestling scene.

To be quite honest, it’s all the same to me. I guess when I was breaking into the business back in 1992, I’d get more starstruck getting the opportunity to work with my childhood heroes such as Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, etc. Afterall, how many people actually get the opportunity to live out their dream and work within a business that is so difficult to get into, let alone succeed. Achieving such goals is the equivalent of being a daily visitor of partycasino.com and one day hitting for the multi-million dollar jackpot. Everything that you ever dreamed and wished for would now be within reach.

I guess there are still times where I get “that feeling”, especially when a star is fresh off TV after a strong run and now I’m the one booking them and telling them what to do. It’s awkward to have a “name” come up to you and say, “Hey boss – what do you want me to do tonight?”

When I worked with R-Truth, he had a short yet forgettable run in the WWE. There had been speculation that there was some sort of backstage heat on him and that’s why he was released from the company. There were even rumors about a relationship with Stephanie McMahon – but he really doesn’t seem like her type, so I easily dismissed them. I saw Ron Killings as that spark that was lost in the shuffle. He had a style and a swagger that the business wasn’t ready for. And without turning this into a race infused analogy, the WWE didn’t know how to book someone that was so…black.

Truth would rap his way to the ring, and do a mixture of dance moves inspired by James Brown and Breakin’ 2: Electric Booglaoo. His energy lifted the crowd and got 17,000 bouncing bodies like a Jay-Z concert. But WWE still didn’t know how to book it. They were afraid of the color barriers and had a limited amount of African American workers, yet those who were on the roster were strong, proud and menacing. Almost felt like it was being booked out of white man’s guilt. It was apparent that WWE was out of touch with the urban community and feared doing anything that would be a blatant stereotype of what would be expected from a black hip hop style worker.

In 2004, R-Truth was competing for TNA Wrestling. He had his moment to shine as a main eventer, and was simply booked as himself. There was no gimmick needed, because the person R-Truth was everyday, was so fun and energetic to be around that it was a no-brainer to share that energy on TV. Fans immediately connected with him because he was real, he was what they enjoyed in their own daily lives, and most of all – he wasn’t trying to sell you on an amped up character, but rather he was selling you on himself.

When I arrived on the NWA Cyberspace scene, R-Truth was already their champion. He had won TNA’s NWA heavyweight title and was enough of a name to lend credibility to a small northeast indy federation. Billy Firehawk had a vision of producing a product that shared his own urban flavor. A Brooklyn native like myself, Firehawk thought it would be good business to make a champion whose look and persona mirrored the audience and local venues where he performed. It gave a sense of inspiration to young African American and Latino kids who came to the shows and saw one of their own as a champion – rather than the typical “token” player.

I didn’t write the first show that I was a part of in NWA Cyberspace. I was asked in April 2004 to come in and take a look at the product so I could tweak it for the next show and start making the much needed creative changes for the company.

At the time, I was working on small side projects with WWE Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper, and he just happened to be in town that weekend for a local convention. The only input I had on my first NWA Cyberspace show was that I brought the Hot Rod in for a special edition of Piper’s Pit. His guest…none other than champion, “R-Truth”.

But there was a problem. Piper was still active with the WWE. He had been feuding with Hulk Hogan, whose identity was being hidden under the mask of Mr. America. So when word got out that Piper was booked on the show, the internet reporters re-worked the press releases to their headline advantage saying, “Current WWE Star Roddy Piper To Conduct Piper’s Pit with TNA Champion Ron Killings”. It took only 48 hours for the WWE office to get wind of it and insist that it be changed and not promoted as a WWE star interacting with a TNA star.

A few days later, Firehawk called me about the buzz he was getting for having Roddy Piper on the show. He asked me if I could get anyone else. The first call I ALWAYS make is to my brother, Diamond Dallas Page.

DDP had retired with a neck injury, but was about to start taking limited bookings on the indies. The only stipulation was that in order to protect his neck (not in the Wu-Tang Clan way), there were only a few people he’d be willing to work with. After a few minutes, we decided on Chris Kanyon as his opponent, and we worked up an angle that would run for three shows. I also figured a good way to get some heat on Kanyon and a HUGE pop for DDP would be to involve the champion.

I met Ronnie for the first time at that April show, and was asked by Firehawk to work with him in building up for his title match against local beast Sinister X. As a perfectionist, I was already pissed that WWE screwed up my plan and wasn’t about to let them dictate our small indy show. So I came up with the idea of still having them interact…but in the match itself. The way I saw it – yeah, I couldn’t promote a Piper’s Pit with a TNA star as a guest to sell tickets. But fans already knew Piper was going to be there and tickets sold on his name alone. So why not have Piper interfere in the match, still interact with TNA talent, and by the time the WWE office hears about it – the show will be over. And that’s how it worked.

To get things kicked off for the eventual DDP/Kanyon match, we had a hooded character named Darkbird attack Ron after his title defense. He laid Truth out with a VERY sloppy diamond cutter and then did the infamous DDP diamond sign with his hands before running out of the building. The fans went NUTS! They knew something big was in the workings.

A few days after the event, Truth called me on my cell. I was surprised because we didn’t know each other at all. We had just met at that one event and kept or discussions strictly business. For one, I didn’t want to look like a mark. And in all honesty, I didn’t know how involved I was going to get with the organization, let alone how long they were going to last.

Truth called Firehawk and asked for my number. He wanted to tell me how much enjoyed working with me and how impressed he was with how I handled the situation yet still pulled it off regardless of the heat from Vince’s office. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing considering that we had only worked briefly and this was a small indy show that only drew less than 200 people. He started asking me what I thought of his match, and in my head I thought – “Who the fuck am I to tell you how your match was?” But I realized that Ron appreciated my honesty, and somehow he knew I had a knack for finding solutions to problems. Our conversation was 30 minutes long. We talked about the match, I filled him in on the layout for the next two shows with DDP and Kanyon and how he would be involved, working indies, music, music videos and his goals of being a rapper. I didn’t expect him to open up to me the way he did. Little did I know, it wouldn’t be the first time as numerous other talents followed suit in opening up to me during me tenure as booker (some of those stories will be revealed here in future articles).

I developed a strong appreciation for Ron, not only because he sought me out and opened up to me, but because I sensed that there were things he wanted to talk about that most other people wouldn’t listen to. The TRUTH was, Ron was looking for an ear to vent to. He was never insecure about his work, but he wondered if he was the type of persona the business was interested in. Perhaps the short run and lack of creative effort in the WWE made him question his decision to be a wrestler? Perhaps he wondered if TNA would be a legitimate opposition for the WWE? Perhaps he was bummed out that he was working shows in front of 200 people?

I wrote numerous press releases building up the next show for Killings to defend his title against the mysterious masked assailant Darkbird – who would b revealing himself to the audience on the night of the event. Most people thought it was a build up for a heel DDP to take on Truth. But the plan was for the hood to come off and reveal Kanyon.

The day of the show, I get a call from Firehawk informing me Truth never got on his flight. Firehawk called him. Other TNA workers on the card called him. The TNA office called him. I called him. But there was no answer. We got worried but the show had to go on. We shuffled things around and Firehawk made the decision to strip Truth of the title. For the sake of the story that we were building, I pleaded with him to think again and just tell the fans that he missed the flight, but Firehawk was adamant about taking the title off him. He said that the champion needs to be on every show and the main title needs to be defended on every show. But we were a small indy company that was barely drawing, so who really gives a shit? Things happen, we can make up for it. If you strip a champion, then what do you do with the vacated title?

Firehawk decided that a new champion would be crowned that night. Darkbird (Kanyon) was granted an immediate title match stemming from his attack, and Slyck Wagner Brown was the recognized number one contender. They would battle it out to determine a new champion.

I didn’t know Slyck at all. So I wasn’t sold on the idea. I fought against it, but little did I know he was a crowd favorite and in his history with the company, fans were waiting for him to have his moment as champion. I’m glad I was overruled that night, because the right decision was made to put the strap on Slyck. I guess I was still a little biased after having an in-depth conversation with Truth. But it was a business decision, and a tough one at that.

Later that night, we finally heard back from Truth. He apologized and said it was a family emergency. I didn’t doubt it, but was left with the task to tell him that we stripped him of the title and had to make a decision to go in a different creative direction. He understood and said he would do the next show for free and pay his own airfare. That’s something you never hear, and he stuck to his word.

In my mind, it was all good. But nobody had told me this was a regular thing for Truth. There were days he woke up and just didn’t want to wrestle anymore. His heart was in his music and not the ring. Early in 2005, we built a story for Killings to work against Lex Luger…he no-showed again. It happened another time or two and I made the decision that I couldn’t build anything around him anymore. I hated telling the fans that as a booker and promotion, we couldn’t deliver – especially when I had no control of the talent getting on the plane. I was disappointed in Ron and thought he only had himself to blame for not making it any bigger in the business.

I ended up going to Orlando to catch a live TNA PPV, Ron was working the show, but he was no longer in the title picture. He was a mid-carder in an urban group with Konnan and Road Dogg Jesse James. He was doing his thing but you could tell he was on performing on auto-pilot. The body was moving but the heart wasn’t beating. His passion for wrestling was lost.

After the show, he had a few friends backstage, but secluded himself from the other wrestlers. I approached him to see how things were going, since it had been a while that I had last booked him. The first thing he said was, “I have one of my CDs in my bag. You wanna listen to the song I just recorded? Maybe we can do a music video?”

I knew where his heart was. The industry wasn’t showing him the love. His talent was going to waste. I asked him, “What about wrestling?” With the most sincerest look in his eyes, “If I can get a record deal, I’m done.”

Truth faded away from TNA. I stopped booking him because it was more of a creative liability. We lost touch as I was over my head in running the growing indy promotion (basically by myself). Truth was off the radar, and in my estimation, I questioned if he’d ever be back. As dark as it may sound, what use would I have for him if his name could no longer draw? Why invest in his fee, air fare and hotel if my business wasn’t making a return? And why risk losing all that money if he no-showed? And…why book him to wrestle if his heart wasn’t in it anymore?

Then one day, guess who pops up on RAW? With a mic in hand, singing and dancing his way tot he ring making the people bounce in their seats with his new phrase, “What’s up?”

Ron Killings, now known as R-Truth was back. But he was invigorated with new life and sense of importance. We haven’t spoken since that last time in Orlando, and there is no reason to remind you what he has become. From main eventer, to Little Jimmy, to tag team champion – R-Truth finally found his passion again. I don’t know how, or why, or where… but it clicked for him again.

It’s been about six years since we last spoke – and I’m guessing the music business was as bad to him as the wrestling business was. But perhaps Vince and the WWE gave him a platform to perform and record his music? Perhaps they saw the magic that I saw years earlier? Perhaps Ron found another ear to listen to him, who was actually able to put him in a better position.

He’s a key figure on the roster. His energy is celebrated by all demographics and safe for young kids. He’s living the dream he thought would never become a reality. His body is moving and dancing, while his heart is beating harder than ever before.

R-Truth, it was a privilege to work with you, but it was a better experience to speak with you and understand the person who drives the celebrity shell. I wish you nothing but the best my friend and I hope that our paths cross again one day. Until that day, “WHAT’S UP!… WHAT’S UP!…WHAT’S UP!”

While DieHard Derek is usually known for conducting in depth one on one sit down interviews that ask the legends the burning questions others are too afraid to ask, the atmosphere in Elmhurst during the Big Event convention didn’t allow him the face time due to the overbearing crowd noise and Philadelphia radio station that was broadcasting live from the show. But again – Brian Barth of Sports Fan Promotions found a way to make it happen!

As DieHard stood outside the hotel ballroom that was hosting the event, Brain started to bring out wrestling legends one by one to give the rolling camera a little face time. In this video, you’ll see cameos from Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Jay Lethal, The Amazing Red and Jessica James – as the talent candidly interacts and praises each other for their contributions to the business.

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This post is sponsored in part by Garden City Homes For Sale & Glen Cove Real Estate

Originally Written and Posted in 2006 on the NWA Cyberspace website:

Question:
What happened to April Hunter and why doesn’t she wrestler for NWA SW anymore?
- From: Tara Monahan, Lancaster, PA

Answer:
First and foremost, let me say that April Hunter is a very talented and gifted worker. Everything from her work ethic to in-ring performance and her overall commitment really set a standard for much of what I have seen in female athletes on the indy circuits today.

With that said, April has a long and detailed history with our company. I’ll be the first to say that under some circumstances (which will be discussed here), there were times where I could have used her character more creatively, and ended up dropping the ball in the long run. From things that I have heard and read, I believe reasons for her departure from the company stem from way back.

To all the readers (including April), I ask that you to read this with an open mind and see what occurred from BOTH our perspectives. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but ultimately there are two sides to every story. I’ve heard numerous accounts from people who were no where near the situation, and there have been public statements made which are far from the truth. I hope to clarify some of the issues that occurred, and would welcome April to fairly tell her side of the story…as long as it does not become a public debate. Worst case scenario, I would rather agree to disagree and move on.

As I mentioned before, I think some of the troubles with April may stem back to when she dropped the title to Jazz in June 2005. April was a real professional and had no problem doing the job, but we had discussed doing a huge program with Jazz that would conclude in a steel cage match, where April even offered to bleed! Needless to say we were psyched…but of course, it never happened.

When we started making plans to move forward with the program, April informed me that she had a tour overseas and would be gone for some time and would most likely miss some bookings. I told her it was fine and we worked in the angle that Rodney Mack had injured her and could not compete until she received medical clearance. I can’t remember if the tour was cancelled or she came home early for the Cybercade 2 event in August, but I told her that her first rematch with Jazz would be set up the following month at the Shockwave tapings.

The September date came around and there were two female matches booked for the show: O.D.B. vs. Lacey and April vs. Jazz. Tracy Brooks was also on hand but was not scheduled to work due to some cosmetic surgery she was supposed to have. That morning, I was notified that Jazz’s flight had been cancelled and neither her nor Rodney Mack would be attending the event. Naturally, this caused a commotion as two of our main matches were now crippled. The plan was for April to make her return during one of Jazz’s promos and challenge her to the rematch later that night. But without Jazz, April’s comeback was insignificant. It also didn’t make sense to just throw April into the Lacey/O.D.B match to make it a meaningless three-way. Firehawk and I discussed our options, and thought we could still set up April’s triumphant return by saving Lacey from O.D.B.’s vicious attack. That way, if we could no longer use Jazz, we’ve at least established a new villain for her in O.D.B.

Before I go any further, let me just say that as a booker – or for that matter, as a “creative writer”, the only thing that matters to me is that the story is compelling and makes sense. I hate when things are thrown together for no apparent rhyme or reason and the booker/federation feels there is no need to explain the actions or maintain continuity in the company’s creative directions. During my time in writing for this company, I can confidently say that there is absolutely no way to book stories more than 3 months in advance. There is no way to guarantee the talent’s commitment on being available to carry the story out. Whether it’s their schedule, injury, getting signed by a major organization, etc., it is difficult to maintain stability on the indy market.

Getting back to April – I’m sure she started questioning her direction in the company and if the program with Jazz was still viable. I tried to reassure her that it was still in the plans but that travel problems were out of my control.

In November, I decided that the Slyck Wagner Brown/Rodney Mack feud had gone on far too long. And unfortunately for April, we were never able to pick up on the momentum on her feud with Jazz. We had two shows that month. On the first show, we finally had what could be considered the big blow off main event to end the feud which saw Slyck and April defeat Rodney and Jazz in a mixed tag match. On the second show, Slyck was scheduled to face Rodney in the semi-main event Police Brutality match, while April and Jazz were scheduled to be involved in six-girl elimination tag. The idea behind the tag match was to start building up O.D.B. for April and introduce the new face Talia so we could establish a stronger women’s division. A few hours before the show, we were informed that Rodney and Jazz’s flights were cancelled again.

There was barley any time to rewrite a show and find replacements. Luckily we were able to get former WWE Tough Enough winner Maven to do a spot with Slyck, and the six-girl tag elimination became a regular tag match…without April. I take full responsibility and admit that it was a foolish mistake. As I reflect back on that show, it would have made MUCH MORE sense to team Tracy and April together and introduce talia as their kick-ass “cheerleader” for the night. Instead, Talia debuted and April was reduced to a managing role.

While there is no excuse for mistakes, everyone needs to take into account that it is VERY difficult running a live wrestling show, and being forced to have to make critical decisions in the matter of minutes. This was also the night were cooler heads failed to prevail in a disagreement with TNA talent that will be discussed in another question. The pressure was on, and the wrong decision was made. I can absolutely understand April’s frustrations and her feeling that she no longer had value to the company. For that, I sincerely apologize.

On a side note, I had absolutely NO CLUE that Slyck wand April had split up as a couple in their personal lives. I am a very private individual and keep my personal life far from the wrestling business. On the same note, I do not pry into the private lives of those we employ, and I do not get involved or judge them on the personal lives they live. Both Slyck and April worked together through their hard times as real professionals, and I had no notice or any suspicion that there were problems in their relationship.

In building to our January 2006 show, Slyck was scheduled to work against Frankie Kazarian, and in an effort to give the fans a featured match that was lost at the prior show, we re-booked the six-girl tag elimination. The show was written, the matches were advertised and we were ready to start 2006 strong! Then I started getting phone calls.

Others within the industry started calling me asking if I had heard the news of what occurred between April and Slyck. Contrary to what others think, I do not read the message boards, dirt sheets or news sites. All my info comes from hear-say. I occasionally go to those sites to use them as promotional tools for our events, and that’s about as far as it goes.

I don’t see any need to rehash what occurred between April and Slyck. It’s been well documented and both have moved on. But the series of events did scar their work for some time, and it all began with our January show.

To make a long story short, the incident led to some serious legal issues between the two. As I said before, I do not get involved in or judge any one on what they do outside of my employment. As long as you work hard and have respect in my locker room/ring, then you are responsible to live your life as your own.

I got phone calls from both sides explaining their situation. To be honest, I didn’t want to hear it. Listening to them involves me and I wanted no part of it. I didn’t know who to believe or what to tell them. My heart went out to them both and I tried to console them the best I could WITHOUT taking sides. I advised them both that they were strong enough to get through it and that their personal lives will not affect their working relationship with our organization. My only concern was for their safety and how we were going to proceed with the upcoming and all future shows if they could not share a locker room together or be on the same card. Both were professionals and said they would not cause a disturbance as work was their priority. I greatly appreciated their efforts, but I know from first hand experience that when love comes to an ugly and disastrous end, it is virtually impossible to bottle your emotions.

We discussed many scenarios to ensure their safety. We originally planned to have the girls match open the show and get April out of the building immediately after. Slyck would wait at a diner not far away and would be called to the building once she left to avoid any confrontation. I honestly can’t remember what the details were, but after discussing the scenarios with Firehawk, we opted that the best solution to this problem was to let them deal with their issues legally and when things cooled down, we’d bring them back.

Yeah, it was a pretty shitty thing to do canceling both bookings on short notice, but I would rather cost them a couple of hundred in a booking rather than a couple of thousand in legal fees if something went wrong.

Once the decision was made to take them both off the show, the calls continued trying to get us to reconsider. There were even times where I was pressured with the question as to who is more valuable to the company – a question I refused to answer.

Truth be told, and with all due respect to April, Slyck is more value to the company than she was. Before you all jump out of your seats and protest, please let me explain. This business is male dominated. Let’s say every show has 8 matches. Only 1, maybe 2. of those spots on the card are reserved for women’s matches. As a booker, I always tried to book 2 women’s matches. My philosophy is that one spot is for the women’s champion to defend and the other spot is to build her next contender. With the overwhelming amount of talent we had on the roster, it was difficult offering two women’s matches per show, and if I could only offer one match, it couldn’t ALWAYS feature April in it. At least with Slyck – we had more options and opponents. My perspective is that I was not valuing Slyck and April as individuals, I was valuing men’s wrestling to female’s wrestling, and which genre was better for business.

In any case, neither was happy with the decision. I told each of them that I would never choose between them, and due to these circumstances, it was better that they were BOTH off the show. Had I chosen one over the other, then that would have been taking sides. But that wasn’t the case. They both suffered the same fate.

On the night of the show, April arrived to the building with her new boyfriend. In my head I’m thinking, “Thank God, I didn’t agree to have them both here because all hell would have broken loose”. April was visibly pissed off at me. I didn’t know why she was there. Later I heard it was because she had given Talia (who was booked) a ride. I was very uncomfortable with April at the building as I knew that reports of her being there with her new boyfriend would be mentioned on the boards. As always, I went about my business in directing the show.

Firehawk always got in the ring to have his fun talking to the crowd. Although I did not witness it myself, everyone has told me that he announced some changes on the card – one being that April Hunter “could not make it to the show”. Meanwhile, April was sitting in the audience and all the fans turned to her with dumbfounded looks on their faces. I’m sure it was not only uncomfortable, but embarrassing for her. While I had no part in making this public humiliation – again, I sincerely apologize on behalf of the company.

I also heard that throughout the match she was scheduled to be involved in, her would-be tag team partners continued to acknowledge her presence in the crowd. I have yet to see the DVD to see if it is true or not, and if so I would be disappointed in their professionalism.

After the show had concluded, April approached me backstage and asked me where she was supposed to go to collect her pay. At first, I thought it was joke, but I didn’t see her laughing. I wasn’t sure how to respond. As a promoter/booker, I’m under the logic that if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. I felt terrible that we pulled the booking from her, but at the same time, we weren’t giving money away for free.

I understand her reasoning. It was a last minute cancellation and had it been earlier, she could have made arrangements for another booking to make money elsewhere. While I understand and sympathize with that scenario, the truth is, we didn’t unbook her and cost her money because we are asshole promoters. It was her situation and our concern for her safety that cost her the booking. Slyck was in the same boat and we didn’t offer to compensate him. He understood the sensitivity of the situation and dealt with it. I thought she was in agreement to do the same.

Let me make something perfectly clear – I DON’T know what happened between them. I DON’T want to know. It’s not my business. I sympathize with Slyck as a man who lost his love and in turn lost his temper. I sympathize with April who was a physical victim and lost as much interest as he did in the relationship. And I sympathize with them as a couple whose personal and professional lives took a direct hit leaving life long scars. I do not condone the abuse of women, men, children, or anyone. I can’t say that Slyck is guilty or innocent because I was not there. It’s his word vs. hers, and to be blunt, in the end it is THEIR issue to resolve. Unfortunately for them, they both worked for me and it put our business in a compromising position. Neither were to be fired or forgotten, yet in a time when emotions are running at high risk levels, it’s easy to feel that the world is against you.

I contacted Firehawk and informed him that April had approached me looking for pay. I told him I had no clue what she was talking about and furthermore, did not expect to see her at the show. I asked him, if he had been contacted by April and if he offered her pay for her loss of the booking. He responded, “No”.

I know Billy better than most people he ever encountered. He knew I would have strongly disapproved of him paying April for a show she didn’t work. But Billy had such a heart of gold, that he would have given April the shirt off his back if she had asked for it. In no way am I saying Billy was trying to buy April’s friendship, but I think Billy may have agreed to pay April to keep the peace and express his love and support for her during a hard time. I can’t say that for a fact, but I could hear Billy’s voice saying, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of you”. If Billy made an offer to pay April, then I had absolutely no knowledge of it. But I understand why he would have.

I never really spoke to April again after that event. I had gotten a few emails from her where she vented her frustrations and tore me to shreds. Maybe it was deserved. Normally, anyone mouths off to me like that, I fire back and tell them to go fuck themselves. But I’m getting too old for that now. And I’m glad I didn’t, because I like April and I understand her disappointment with her time in the company. Although I have no control over her opponents travel and other issues that may have arisen, there were times I could have done better for her and didn’t.

I never responded to her emails…. I REALLY wanted to…but I didn’t. I sent her one email to notify her of Billy’s passing and another to congratulate her on her wedding. Other than that, we’ve gone our separate ways.

April was a tremendous asset to the company. She has the million dollar look and is one of the few who could actually back up her centerfold looks with her in ring ability. Would I ever work with April Hunter again? If the opportunity presented itself and under the right circumstances…IN A HEARTBEAT! I know April is a real professional and would work with anyone for the sake of the business. But if our paths are to cross again, I don’t want it to be just for a payday. I’m not looking to buy her respect…I’m looking to earn it. Respect is a two way street, and we BOTH have some differences to overcome.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. You may agree or you may disagree. In the end, know that you heard it directly from the source. If April is interested in telling her side, I will be more than happy to print it here unedited. It’s only fair. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s over.

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This post is sponsored in part by Forest Hills Real Estate & Garden City Real Estate

Originally Written and Posted in 2006 on the NWA Cyberspace website:

Question:
I read on a bunch of news sites that NWA SW cannot use TNA talent anymore because Billy Firehawk bounced checks on Jermey Borash and Jeff Jarrett. Is this true?
- Mark Laufenberg, Pine Brook, NJ

Answer:
ERRONEOUS!!! Again, more false allegations from unreliable news sources.

Yes, there was an “incident”, but it did not end the business relationship between NWA SW and TNA. Here’s the story:

The November 2005 “Above The Law” show was built up since July to pit Jeff Jarrett vs. Chris Harris in the main event. Harris was scheduled to win the title and start a singles runs as champion for us. On TNA television, Harris had turned heel with his AMW tag partner James Storm and joined Jarrett’s faction in September. Obviously, the storylines and character relationships were not matching.

Let’s make something perfectly clear – NWA SW is completely separate entity from TNA. We were not sanctioned TNA house shows, we were never acknowledged on TNA television and we had no obligation to follow their TV storylines. There were reports from so-called “credible news sources” stating that we had heat with TNA because the stories I wrote for NWA SW did not fall in line with the product they had on television. It’s absolute nonsense!

In any case, I had a great deal of respect for TNA’s product and wanted to do “my part” in supporting their efforts. I would talk to talent ahead of time to get an idea of what direction they were headed so that no toes were stepped on. We hit a hard cross road in September when I was notified that Harris was turning heel and aligning himself with Jarrett. Our main event had been set up since July. We spent numerous shows building up to that match, and now I was being asked to scrap it. As far as I was concerned, every problem has a solution, and I would find a way to work around it. Scrapping the match was NOT an option.

Ultimately I decided that we would somehow comply with their request, but in doing so it was going to cost Harris his opportunity in being our champion. I came up with the scenario to do the old Hulk Hogan/Kevin Nash screw job, and just when the fans feel they were screwed out of a main event, we’d throw Abyss into the mix and change the title again that night. Everyone was in agreement and I was relieved!

The only thing that bothered me was that on TNA TV, Abyss was also aligned with Jarrett’s faction. So if it was ok for Abyss to win the title, why wasn’t it ok to go with the original plan and let Harris win it? At this point, I didn’t care. I had gained agreement and we were moving forward.

Because we had built up the event for so long, I had to write an in-ring promo for Jarrett that would help change the course of events and explain why the story was going into a different direction. It was set-up great and the show would be a hit setting up a series of matches for Abyss.

On the night of the show, we’re having our production meeting with the talent and Jarrett informs me that he doesn’t think the promo is a good idea. I’m great working with the input of the talent, but I always ask them to explain their concerns so that we are all on the same page. The problem was, he had no explanation, and I wasn’t good with that.

I was disappointed because for a moment I felt as if our show was being dictated by the talent. Our logic is that you are a paid worker for the show and you are paid to do what the promoter asks you to do. I’ve always had an open door policy with the talent to discuss their questions and concerns. Maybe there was something I was missing and because of his stature, I definitely wanted to be on the same page as Jarrett. I have a great deal of respect of him and if he felt differently, I wanted to understand why and learn from it. But I was given no reason. All I knew was that he didn’t want to do the promo, and to me, that was unacceptable.

I walked out of the locker room and I was FURIOUS. I walked out and had to inform everyone, while the show had already started, that the segment had been scrapped and that we’ll move on to the next match. When I informed Firehawk, he was just as upset.

Now here is something most people don’t know – Firehawk spent the evening “entertaining” a visitor from a higher ranking organization that we were considering doing business with. This individual was standing side by side with Firehawk when I informed him of the changes. When the individual overheard the dilemma, he interjected his opinion and said, “If that’s the case, I wouldn’t pay him”. I thought nothing of it at the time. To me, it was just someone else’s opinion.

The match went off exactly as written, and Abyss became the new champion. Although I was upset with what had transpired, I was relieved that Harris, Jarrett and Abyss were real professionals and gave the fans 100% in the match. I thanked each of them afterwards and apologized for any outbursts I may have had.

A month later, I sent out my Christmas morning holiday wishes via cell phone text message to family, friends and talent. Jeff responded wishing me well, and asked “where is my money?”. I had no idea what he was talking about. I immediately called Firehawk and asked him if he knew anything, but he didn’t say much. All he said was, “yeah, it’s taken care of. Don’t worry about it”.

I know Billy very well, and I have to say that it was a VERY BAD decision on his part. But, in his defense, this is not the type of man Billy was. I personally feel he was influenced by the individual he was with that night in making that decision to stop payment on the check.

Personally, that it is not how I do business. Everyone I know keeps telling me, “You’re the boss! You pay them to do a job. If they don’t do it, fuck ‘em! They don’t get paid” My outlook is that I hired them to do a job. They came out, traveled and performed for my audience. Therefore they earned their pay. As long as they work, they deserve to be paid. On the flip side of that coin, if they don’t do as they were told, then it will be the last time they get booked. That’s how I cut ties. I don’t play with people and money.

Firehawk told me several weeks later that he had stopped payment on the check. I was VERY upset and insisted that he pay his debt. The money was paid by the next show and regretfully it was the last time Jarrett worked a NWA SW show.

I was very disappointed with what occurred and feel that is cast a negative shadow on how we conducted business. It was the first time in the company’s history that something like this had occurred, and I hated being a part of it. I have since been in contact with Jarrett on several occasions and ALWAYS express my gratitude and deep respect for him, as I would never want that to blemish a business or personal friendship. It’s is all behind us, and I look forward to working with him again in the future.

On a side note, Jermey Borash’s name was associated with the incident. Let me go on record in saying that as far as I know, Jermey was never on a NWA SW payroll sheet. For those who don’t know, Borash is Jarrett’s right hand man and wherever you find Jarrett, Borash isn’t too far behind working on business. As far as I know, Borash came in on TNA’s or his own dime. He was never written into the shows and offered to do guest ring announcer spots for Jarrett’s matches. Other than that, I have to kill rumors that Borash was owed an obscene amount of money from our company.

TNA was a HUGE part of our company’s history. And I am very privileged to say that I was a part of it. It was one of the best experiences of my career. The relationships between organizations are well and healthy. But ultimately, we decided to put more effort and focus on our homegrown stars with the re-birth of the company. Will there be TNA talent on future NWA SW shows. ABSOLUTELY! Their roster is loaded with some of the most talented athletes in the world and we would be foolish to pass on an opportunity to book them. But right now, my commitment is to my local boys. I want to help them develop and grow so hopefully one day I’ll have to go through the TNA office to book them!!!

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

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This post is sponsored in part by Nassau County Apartments & Five Towns Homes For Sale

AMIL (All Money Is Legal) was truly one of my favorite tag teams to work with while booking for NWA Cyberspace. Not only did they provide some of the best high flying tag team action on the indy circuit – but their dedication to entertaining the fans was second to none. If we ever found ourselves in a creative jam, AMIL was one of those teams that we could depend on to give the fans what they paid to see.

In this video – you’ll see AMIL in action, in what I had booked as a four corner tag team match.

BACKSTAGE STORY:
We were having trouble finding new teams that could compete and draw with our tag team champions. We sent our scout to local indy shows, had him review tapes and do some online research to find teams that had the skill but who were also not overbooked in the same area that we ran in. I had gotten several recommendations of a group of young new talents looking to get booked in a territory where they would be more exposure to their work. I had liked what I had seen but then the creative devil popped his head in to offer an opinion or two.

All of the teams consisted of smaller guys – and when I say smaller, I’m saying smaller than you’re average lightweight. Their look also didn’t have anything that screamed “Book Me”! Regardless of their work – I was concerned about how they would draw and if the fans would quickly lose interest for the simple yet most common reason – they didn’t look like wrestlers. Then again, times were changing and I couldn’t be so closed minded in literally judging a book by its cover.

Rather than spreading out the auditions and filling a card with newbie matches – I decided to book to a four corner tag match. Now some critics called it a clusterfuck of a match – which the match in itself was anything but. But the critics out there who have never spent a day of their life in the business, (nonetheless running a wrestling promotion) thought the concept of a four corner tag team match was ludicrous since there was no real purpose to the match. This is where business and creative come clashing in. So let me share with you the thought process of the booker/promoter.

As I mentioned before, I needed more teams. The title was being bounced around from the sizable team The Solution to TNA’s tag champions America’s Most Wanted (‘Wildcat’ Chris Harris & ‘Cowboy’ James Storm). Not only could I NOT book an entire show filled with tag team squash matches, built it also gave me an opportunity to see how these teams work against each other. Did the match serve and purpose creatively? Absolutely not. But did it make sense for me to sacrifice ONE spot on the card to see the teams at work with each other so that I can plan out the future? Abso-fuckin-lutely!

Nevertheless, A.M.i.L showed me their hearts were bigger than there actual size. The Hall Brothers showed me they could have easily built themselves as tribute to The Rockers. Thrillogy proved to me that as good as they were as a team – they might be better off as singles competitors. And of course – Ken Scampi and Dan Barry proved that they were true veterans who were able to carry the match and give me a real account of how the workers performed in the ring.

You want to know the mentality of the booker? Well, here it is! Not everything you see in the ring is designed for entertainment purposes. Real bookers/promoters who only get to produce one show a month with limited resources have to go about their “business” in different fashions in order to analyze the results. So before you attempt to take a big wet shit on independent creative, try looking at the bigger picture. And instead of watching a match to attack the booker – how about watching the match for the sake of the match?

Here comes the attack on “DieHard” Derek, who is notorious for attacking WWE and TNA creative…Wait for it… Wait for it…

The difference between me and them is simple – I’m JUST me. And they are THEM – with large financial backing, private studios, training facilities, weekly programming, PPVs, multi-million dollar marketing machine and a shitload of television time to explain their storylines and get their talent over. Give me those tools and I promise to shake up the wrestling world. Until that day, here’s my middle finger. Sit on it and spin!

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This post is sponsored in part by Nassau County Rentals & Five Towns Real Estate

No one ever said that working in the pro wrestling business was easy. Regardless of what your role is in the business, you have to deal with a lot of shit. You get it from the wrestlers, the promoters, the agents, and most of all – the fans. No one is ever satisfied with your work or efforts, and at the end of the day your ‘thank you’ comes in the form of a big steamy turd. Just when you think you have the right formula to entertain the masses, someone is always there ready to drop a deuce all over it.

On the flip side of the coin, I shouldn’t be pointing stinky fingers because I have also been critical of the current product. Then again, I’m not the one with a multi-million dollar empire and staff full of veterans who should know better and be capable of wiping their own ass. Week after week, wrestling programming leaves a foul stench and mental skid-marks in what use to be man’s favorite soap opera and pseudo sport. Now I just wait for the punchlines and fantasize that I’ll see a cameo from Triumph The Insult Comic Dog who will look into the camera and say, “This is a GREAT wrestling product…for me to poop on!”

I’m sure you’re wondering what’s with the verbal diarrhea of the mouth? Why take a dump on an industry that you’ve been involved with since 1992? Why am I ready to flush the pro wrestling business like the drizzling shits? The answer is simple… It is what it is. But in this instance, it’s just one of those moments where the figurative sense turns into the literal sense.  Allow me to set the stage for you.

I’m working a mega-convention in New York being run by a rookie money mark promoter. The event itself is an unorganized disaster and one that will go down in the books as an epic failure. I’m interviewing most of the talent for a yet-to-be-released DVD. Next up on the slate is former WWE superstar, Al Snow.

The place is packed and the only spot quiet enough to shoot the video interview is in a small office the size of a jail cell. Four grown adults cramped into this little room with no air conditioning in the middle of summer. Not the ideal set up, but when you’re on a run and gun mission, you’ll take what you can get. Fortunately, the interview came off without a hitch. Al shot with us for over 20 minutes and gave some real insight into the psychology of the business and the flaws that are deteriorating it. There was even a brief cameo by Shelly Martinez and Mick Foley.

For the purpose of my in-house branding, I always get the talent to do a quick promo bumper for me. A bumper is basically a short piece infront of or right after the content where the talent looks into the camera and says, “Hi, I’m BLAH BLAH BLAH, and you’re watching DieHard Wrestling!”. Those bumpers are nice little branding interstitial that helps build credibility for your product. Now before I go any further, let me first warn you that we had lunch with Al Snow a couple of hours prior to the interview. Nothing fancy. Think of it as a cheap ghetto date as we shared a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

When the interview was over, we were quickly prepping to shoot the bumpers when one of the guys on my crew (Toddy D) had to take a personal phone call. He left the small office space for a little privacy, but when he came back….let’s just say he was welcomed with a little gift courtesy of Mr. Snow.

Without going into anymore detail, I’ll let you experience it for yourself. Fortunately, you won’t be able to get the full “scratch and sniff” effect – but I’m sure you have plenty of personal experiences in your own memory bank that you can use to understand our dilemma.

Check out this never before seen exclusive blooper outtake!!!

This post is sponsored in part by Five Towns Apartments & Lynbrook Rentals

Did I ever tell you the story about my involvement in the infamous Montreal Screwjob? Ok, before you get your panties in a bunch, let me first clarify that I wasn’t directly involved in the screwjob. I wasn’t even associated with it. Truth be told, I just happened to be “around” it. Not as a “worker” or decision maker, but as a broadcast journalist.

See, for those who don’t know – this is where I get put myself over for a minute – I had the FIRST EVER pro wrestling radio talk show (later turned TV show) on the internet. At the time, there weren’t too many people who understood the concept of what the internet was, and even fewer owned computers in their own home. In 1997, I signed on with the first ever streaming broadcast company in New York and brought my creations to the air for a global audience. The name of the show was, “…And Justice For Brawl“, and because of my ties in the wrestling business, the show shot off like a stud in the last minute of a porno – but without the sticky mess, of course.

Because the show was still in its infancy and I was still working on strategic marketing and building a fan base, I didn’t want to start booking big names just yet and blow my load too early – there we go again with the adult references. You may be too young to remember, but internet porn was TERRIBLE back in the 90s. It was basically websites for photographers that took 3-hours to download one picture with a dial-up modem. Oh, how we’ve come so far since those days…. I mean in terms of progress. Not in the trajectory or distance you can…nevermind. Back to the screwjob….Here we go again! Get your minds back to pro wrestling!

Long story short, I decided to give Bret Hart a call at the end of October to see if he’d be interested in doing a rare interview. As the true professional he is, was and always will be – Bret obliged. The “Hitman” was one of my all-time favorites and getting the rare opportunity to interview him gave me the jitters. I wanted to do some prep work and ask questions that he had never been asked. What also made the opportunity so rare was that Bret was the reigning WWE champion at the time and during an era where the title was much more valued than it is today. Scoring an interview with the WWE’s title holder was unheard of at the time. So Bret and I agreed to wait a few weeks to do the live interview. It would give me enough time to promote the appearance, and I could tie it into a Survivor Series promotion if the WWE office gave any resistance in having their heavyweight champion doing an interview leading into one of the most anticipated events in history.

The Monday Night Wars were in the heat of battle. The WWE’s attitude era had just started picking up some steam with the formation of Degeneration-X, led by Shawn Michaels. The white hot heated history between Bret and Shawn had already been exposed to the public and was being used in the storylines. Bret blasted Shawn for what his character had become and what it was doing to the industry. The “Hitman” questioned The Heartbreak Kid’s lifestyle and choice of attire. He ridiculed Shawn’s ring outfits, perhaps because they weren’t  designed by a Bryant Park fixture like Hank Shalom of  Soho Fashion But as the date drew closer to the Survivor Series event, and to my interview which was scheduled days before the pay per view, the industry blew up with rumors that Bret Hart was leaving the WWE and signing with the rival WCW.

My heart raced like fat man running to an alton brown ribs all-you-can-eat buffet! I knew that with the interview scheduled, it was my responsibility to address the rumors. My fear was that Bret might have been gag-ordered to keep quiet until after the pay per view. Perhaps by discussing his decision live on the air, fans would lose interest in the event if they could figure out the result based on Bret’s decision to stay with the company or not.

So I called Bret, and explained to him my concerns about doing the interview and how he’d like to approach it. I even offered to postpone the interview until everything was finalized and he could openly speak about the rumors and his decision. Bret calmly said, “I don’t have anything to hide. You can ask me anything you want and I will tell you as much as I can. Don’t hold anything back.”

Not only was I relived after hearing Bret giving me the green light, but I also realized the pressure I was under. I was the ONLY journalist on the planet who could publicly discuss the rumor of Bret Hart leaving the WWE with the man himself. The show was booked for Tuesday, November 4th. The Survivor Series was set for Sunday, November 9th. Bret hadn’t addressed any of the rumors and decided to wait to make his first statement on my show. Not only were the wrestling fans eager to hear the broadcast, but I’m sure the WWE offices were listening too.

On that Tuesday, Bret made his scheduled appearance on my show. The draw and out-pour of the fans crashed our broadcast servers several times. And when the time came for me to ask, “…Bret, are you going to WCW?…”, I literally felt the world stop moving for a moment. Bret gave his explanation and discussed his feelings, and without giving a final or definitive answer, he concluded in saying that at that very moment, his decision was “strongly leaning towards going to WCW”.

Yeah, some of you may be saying – “Big fucking deal!”. Well, at the time it was. It was a big deal for Bret Hart, for the WWE, for WCW and for the industry as a whole. It was a move many thought was even bigger than when Hulk Hogan signed with WCW. Afterall, here is your current heavyweight champion publicly stating that he is going to work for the competition. But for me, it was the real launch of my career. I may not have been the guy who broke the story, but I was the guy who got the answer to confirm the rumor. What made it more magical is that it wasn’t a “hear-say” story. I had the power to put the champion under the interrogation light to ask the question and get the answer that the world wanted to hear. It was my Edward R. Murrow moment.

So I guess Vince McMahon and the WWE locker room was listening too. Between my show on Tuesday and Sunday’s PPV event, Bret got screwed out of the title on live television, punched Vince in the eye and hastily departed the WWE to join its arch enemy.

Almost two months later, it was finally announced on WCW television that Bret Hart would be joining the company leading into their Starcade event. Ironically enough, the WCW office was listening to my show as well and I surprisingly got a call where I was offered a contract to work for WCW as a broadcaster on their soon-to-launch internet programming and as the Tuesday voice on the n.W.o. hotline. I was flown down to Washington D.C. to sign my contract at the Starcade PPV, the same night Bret debuted for the company. Not only did I start with Bret on the same day, but we were stranded together at the airport during a nasty blizzard that had our flights delayed for hours. When we talked about the irony of the interview and how it ended up with us both working for WCW, Bret said, “Things have a really weird way of working out and it’s only proof that your destiny is already chosen”.

I never thought I’d have the chance to be on an open forum with one of my childhood heroes. I never thought I’d be in the center of the news with the exclusive scoop on a breaking story. And I never thought that based on those events, I’d be working with Bret Hart in WCW. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, Bret’s fascinating documentary “Wrestling with Shadows” was set to debut. A few months before the public got to see it, Bret contacted me to do a follow up interview and promotion. Although our interview wasn’t featured in the documentary, I felt it had its own place in part of that history. Bret felt the same way and it was one of the reasons he sought me out. Unfortunately, Bret’s run in WCW had been botched, and by the time the movie was ready to debut – he had already regretted making the decision. It was at that point that I reiterated his own words, “Things have a really weird way of working out and it’s only proof that your destiny is already chosen”.

Hearing the sentiment in Bret’s voice, I wanted to do something on the show that expressed the appreciation that the fans wanted to share with him. I took it to task and edited my first ever videos. Don’t be too harsh on me, this was before Final Cut Pro!

The videos are two tributes to a legend, Bret Hart. And some of the footage used was from the screener copy that Bret had sent me himself. So if you’re a fan of the “Hitman”, I not only ask you to enjoy the video, but to share it so that fans will remember and honor the legacy of the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.

Bret Hart Tribute Video 1 – Song: Measure of a Man – Performed by Elton John

Bret Hart Tribute Video 2 – Song: Untouchable Themes – Performed by Ennio Morricone

CM Punk has been the industry buzz as of late with his attitude era shoot style promos surrounding his WWE contract status and eminent departure. Without question, it’s some of the best TV pro wrestling has produced in nearly 10 years. I’ve been just as fixed on his every word as every diehard wrestling fan, every dirt sheet writer and cyber journalist, and every worker in the locker room. I’m completely engaged in the angle, looking forward to where it goes from here and curious to know who will be the next star to get the opportunity to step up their game with an open mic. But I’m not going to waste time analyzing the angle and fantasy booking. I want to focus on somethng else – how much of a REAL douchebag CM Punk is. I have a REAL story to tell.

I understand that his character is supposed to generate heat. I understand that CM Punk has the natural ability to be one of the top heels in the business because of his in-ring abilities and his vervbal skills on the mic. I understand that he has a strong fanbase following that dates back to the heydays of Ring of Honor where he was pretty much branded as the “King of The Indies”. Believe me, I get it.

But I’m not talking about CM Punk. I’m talking about Phil Brooks – the person. And trust me when I say, this guy is a fucking douchebag!

I had the privelege of working with CM Punk several years ago, just before he signed with the WWE. I use the word “privelege” rather than the word “pleasure” because working with Punk was anything but a pleasure.

While I was the booker for NWA Cyberspace, we decided that we’d like to start drawing the smart marks to our shows and figured the best way to do it was to feature some of the talents who were highly regarded by the internet fans. At the time, CM Punk was the hottest name on the market. I’m pretty sure he had been romantically linked to TNA Knockout Traci Brooks (or at least was tapping that ass), and she recommended that we bring him in for a couple of shows. I thought it was a good idea, but my biggest concern was that there were already rumors that he was heading to the WWE, therefore I couldn’t come up with any long term plans. So I wrote him into a storyline that would run three shows.

Over the phone, CM Punk was great. He spoke in a lowkey voice and seemed very humble for the opportunity. My first impression was that this guy was a real professional and it was only a matter of time that such integrity would be noticed by the WWE. Now that I look back at it – perhaps I was too quick to judge his character based on a 10 minute phone call. But I had seen the videos of his matches, I had heard all the hype from the fans, and I had shared a mutually respectful phone conversation. What reason did I have to think anything negative?

So the plan was to have CM Punk team up with Julio Dinero. They had a short history teaming with each other in TNA, and I thought it would blend well with what was going on with our product. Having Punk involved in a tag team match made more sense than booking him in short term high profile matches. There was no sense in trying to build around him if he wasn’t going to be around that long. But to compensate for not being booked in a top spot, I set it up where Punk and Dinero would be challenging for the tag team titles and made sure that I positioned that match as the main event for the night.

Not only was I the booker for NWA Cyberspace, but I pretty much did everything else and would be running around like a chicken without a head on the day of the shows. I could literally count on one hand the number of people I could depend on to help me out.

So on the day of this show, with less than 20 minutes before bell time and while I’m proving to everyone that I am the world champion of multi-tasking, I realize that I have yet to see CM Punk. I start to wonder if he’s going to no-show. Check the cell phone – no calls, no messages. Ask anyone if they’ve seen Punk come in – nothing. I start to wonder if my main event is in jeapordy and if I have to rebook it at the last minute. Then I started to wonder how and and at what point do I break the news to the crowd waiting to see their hero. It’s cusotmary to make the no-show announcements before the first match, but I didn’t think Punk would stand me up because he has a reputation to uphold. Maybe I should wait till after the show starts? Maybe he’s just stuck in traffic? Maybe he…wait a minute, who the fuck is that in MY locker room?

I’m very protective of my product. There were instances where rival promoters would go backstage while the show was on and solicit bookings from my talent. My shows are not a place for another promoters negotiations. My shows are MY shows, and my workers need to be focused on my shows not a future booking for someone else. I also had fans trying to sneak backstage for free autographs and photos rather than waiting for a paying opportunity at the gimmick tables. Business is business, and in business you protect your investments and profits. I’d also have a number of wrestler entourages and unpaid guests roaming around the locker room. My locker room is my office and if you’re getting paid to work for me, then your family and friends shouldn’t be in my locker room interfering with the work that needs to be done. So again, who the fuck is this stranger secluded in a corner in my locker room?

The stranger is sitting alone in a chair, away from the rest of the locker room. He’s wearing a black hooded sweater with the hood covering his entire head and face like he was a sith lord from Star Wars. His Ipod is blasting some shitty metal music to the devices maximum volume. I tap him on the shoulder and he slowly turns his head and raises his chin to peer under the hood rather than taking it off.

“Punk?”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“I’m Derek, the booker…”
“Oh, alright..”
“I’ve been looking for you everwhere. Wasn’t sure if you were making it or not.”
“Huh?”
“Can you lower the Ipod for a few minutes so we can formally introduce each other and discuss your match?”
“Yeah, yeah…I’m tagging with Julio, right?”
“Yeah – it’s a main event tag team title match against our champions. You guys are going over on a DQ but it sets up your next two appearences.”
“Ok. I’ve tagged with Julio before, so we know our stuff.”
“I appreciate that, but you need to know my stuff in order to tell the story.”
“What story?
“Exactly. You want me to come back once you’ve settled into your gear and warm up so we can talk?”
“No. I’m good”

So that was our “formal” introduction. Considering that I had expected more from his character, I was pretty disappointed with our brief meeting. For a guy who was WWE bound and who is regarded as a professional, his locker room etiquite BLOWS! Anyone who has privilage to the locker room knows that the code is to go around and shake everyones hand while introducing yourself. Aside from that, we’ve never worked together before. Punk doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall. Wouldn’t it make sense to seek out the promoter/booker and introduce yourself properly, get a better understanding of your assignment and know who to go to to get paid at the end of the night? Apparently, Punk doesn’t think that way.

Needless to say, I had more on my plate than I could handle that night and couldn’t be bothered to babysit Punk. If he’s as good as they say and he thinks he is, he’ll figure it out.So I go about my business in running the show.

During the middle of the event, we were scheduled to film some backstage promos and vingettes that would help explain Punk’s short term storyline with the company. While going over the script and explaining the concept, Punk interrupts with the comment, “Jesus, you ‘d think you were working for Vince in this place!”

Now let’s get something straight – I’m not in this business because I some mark promoter who gets starry-eyed around wrestling celebritites. I’m a passionate filmmaker, director and storyteller who’s used pro wrestling as a medium to entertain people for nearly 20 years. I’m not a money mark promoter who pays the boys to hang around them or who organizes a half ass show so that the boys can get a public work out and “get their shit in” during their match. My product is strategically planned from a creative and business standpoint – much like Vince Mcmahon and the WWE. Now while I may not be making the billions of dollars that Vince is and while my product may not be as successful as the WWE, I’ve worked very hard to maintain a respectable locker room, working environment and product for the fans. Can someone please point out where I’m at fault? You would think that for someone who was about to sign with the WWE, he’d have more apprecation for a small indy company who wants to provide its workers with an environment where that can exercise their professional disciplines. Yeah, I may not be Vince, but it doesn’t mean I can’t run a tight ship that prepares the workers for the day they’re called up to the big show.

With that said, Punk was than less enthused about doing the vignettes and they were ultimately scrapped because of his lack of effort. I understand that Punk didn’t have a history invested in my company and didn’t plan on sticking around long enough to build one – but what makes my company and paying gig any different from the others? Punks lack of effort and interest disrespects me, my judgement, my company, my locker room, my workers, my product and my fans. But it only lends credibility to those who have claimed that Punk thinks he’s bigger and more imprtant than the business.

I was already furious and trying to figure out what more I could do with this dickhead. I dreaded the thought of having to deal witht his for two more shows. I racked my brain trying to figure out what I could do to make this work for the product and for the fans. Maybe there was something I could do that could change Punk’s tune and earn his respect (I can’t believe I just said that because normally I could give two shits and a cup of warm piss what anyone thinks – but I knew that my fans loved CM Punk and I wanted to give them what they wanted).

As the main event started, I was still consumed by other duties in the locker room. The plan was for Punk and Dinero to win the match via disqualification, but the champions would retain the titles. When Punk hit the ring, the fans went nuts. They were glued tohis every move and the chants got louder and louder. That’s when it hit me!

The Solution (Havok, left & Papadon, right) with manager "Sure Thing" John Shane (center)

The fight spilled outside the ring and into the crowd. John Shane was able to shimmy his way to my direction as he followed the action. I quickly whispered, “Let them go over for the titles. You’ll get it back in two months”. Shane nodded and understood where I was going with this. He knew that the roof would blow off the place if CM Punk and Julio Dinero won the tag team titles to end the show, thus sending the fans home happy and helping push ticket sales for his upcoming title defenses.

Shane managed to relay the message to the boys, and just as planned, the crowd erupted when the final bell sounded with Punk and Dinero holding up the tag team titles.

I figured I’d be able to have a better conversation with Punk after the show, especially now that he was one of my representing champions. I start to look for Punk in the locker room, but instead find Julio Dinero wearing both belts. I asked him where Punk was and he told me that he had left the building already. He had collected his money from someone else and took off.

In my locker room, the norm would be to go to thank the former champions, thank the booker, collect your pay and take a couple of promo shots with the titles so that I could design a better poster for the next event. I got none of the above.

A few hours later, I get a call from Punk:

“Hey, sorry I had to get out of there so soon. My ride was in a rush to get out of there and hit the road. I had a lot of fun tonight. Give me a call when you know the next date”.

I was pissed and disappointed, but in the back of my head, I knew the fans were happy. That was all I had to go with in building to the next show….until, two weeks before that next show when I got this call from Punk:

“Hey, I screwed up my schedule and double booked myself. I’m not going to be able to make that next date.”
“But you agreed to three dates and you’re defending the tag titles…”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I had this date booked for a long time. It’s a huge show in Florida for Ring of Honor.”
“My show may not be as huge, but it’s huge to the fans who are expecting to see you”.
“Sorry about that. Let’s set something up again down the road.”
“What about the titles? How am I supposed to explain that?”
“Just strip me or something like that and we’ll work it in when I come back”

As you’d expect it, Punk never came back. But luckily for me, I was able to write a great story that picked up the shattered pieces left by Punk. I don’t know what the CM stands for, but it sure as hell doesn’t stand for “Championship Material”.

For a "Straight Edge" guy, he looks high as a motherfucker!

Well Punk, I’ll tell you the same thing I tell the virgins, “Thanks for nothing”! As a worker I have a great deal of respect for you. As a person, you’re a fucking douchbag who belives his own hype.

We all know that your promos in the WWE are a work. We know you’re taking time off and more than likely you’ll be a surprise entrant into the Royal Rumble next year. We know you’ll win it and end up main eventing WrestleMania for the title, because I don’t see how it makes sense for Cena to defend against The Rock.

You know how I know Punk? Because there’s no where else for you to work. You’re not stupid enough to wrestle the best years of your life in clueless TNA/Impact Wrestling. Japan is always an option, but do you really want to do that forever? They don’t have action figures, T-shirts, PPVs, collector’s cups and ice cream bars. You know you can’t make a living in this economic recession on the indy scene, especially when your asking price will be a minimum of $5,000 per appearance because you’re a headliner fresh off of TV.

You know what else I know Punk? I know there are two things in life that I’ll never do. I’ll never climb Mount Everest and I’ll never work with a douchebag like you!

Can you dig it?

Just when you thought that the wrestling business was overcrowded with “divas” and “knockouts” who spent more money on their boob jobs than they did on actual wrestling school, comes and old school throw back to the 80′s in Roxie Cotton.

This northeast valley girl airhead (yeah – I know there aren’t any valleys in the northeast) comes in full 80′s gimmick with a deafening high-pitched voice and florescent ring attire. But she’s also equipped with a strong determination and passion for the business…and a great all natural rack!

DieHard Wrestling talks to Roxie about her career, her experiences, the state of female wrestling and much more.

Check out a DieHard Wrestling Exclusive:
Roxxie Cotton vs. Kylie Pierce – 6.20.09 – Boonton, NJ

On a side note, we’d like to hear YOUR thoughts on the state of women’s wrestling. How do you feel about traditional female athletes in pro wrestling as opposed to WWE Divas and TNA Knockouts? What works and what doesn’t work? Can it be taken as seriously as the men’s matches or is it just a boobs and booty side attraction? Leave us YOUR COMMENTS below! Also, don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE this video through your social networks!

*Post Sponsored In-Part By: Five Towns Real Estate & Nassau County Rentals

Mercedes Martinez is without a doubt, the most dominant female wrestler on the indy circuit today. We had a chance to speak with the Latina Sensation to discuss her career, her experiences, her influences and thoughts on the state of the industry and the female workers who continue to fight hard for equality in the male dominant pro wrestling business.

On a side note, we’d like to hear YOUR thoughts on the state of women’s wrestling. How do you feel about traditional female athletes in pro wrestling as opposed to WWE Divas and TNA Knockouts? What works and what doesn’t work? Can it be taken as seriously as the men’s matches or is it just a boobs and booty side attraction? Leave us YOUR COMMENTS below! Also, don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE this video through your social networks!

*Post Sponsored In-Part By: Five Towns Homes For Sale & Nassau County Apartments