Bucket List Opponents #ShootingMyShot

So now that we sit here in Mid August of 2021 I am (for the first time in a year and a half) beginning to examine the potential for wrestling shows once again. Actual ones in front of real live people. While travel in Canada is a bit less difficult now than it was before and our vaccination numbers are rising every day I am personally feeling much more comfortable about heading out into the world without as much fear of bringing the virus back to my loved ones.

As such, the question must be asked: at my age and level of wear and tear, how much tread is left on these old tires? Can my body handle the rigors of in ring activity? Will the travel (should I choose to make trips of course) be manageable on my joints?

We all have a “Bump Card” and I’ve tried to be more selective in the last few years of my run about where I spend those precious impacts. Because while I could easily modify my in ring approach to be a bit less physical, rely more on posturing and promos and request a smaller opponent base to work with and likely extend my in ring career for a number of years… that just wouldn’t feel honest to me. I’ve never wanted to be one of “Those Lazy Old Fucks” who just coasts on tricks and gimmicks to get by. If I truly can’t deliver a match up to a level that I’m happy with, then I refuse to subject my efforts to a paying audience. They deserve the best for their dollar.

So with that said, this got me thinking about whom I WOULD like to face if I had my druthers. As such I’ve put together a little list. Not a fantasy booking kinda list, just a realistic compilation of fellas whom I believe I have a realistic chance to step into a ring with were things to line up.

These gents are in no particular order:

Shaun Moore is a mainstay on the Canadian Indy scene at the moment. Well travelled across several provinces and based out of Saskatchewan. It’s been my privilege to have shared a locker room with him on a few occasions though our paths haven’t yet crossed within a ring as of yet. I want to rectify that and test my mettle against his skill and technique. Plus I think our discrepancy in size would lead to some fun dynamics and storytelling opportunities.

Alex Hammerstone is a freak of nature. I first met #YBH during an overstuffed battle royal taking place at the Cauliflower Alley Club Convention back in 2016 or 2017 (?) and had a laugh. Since then he’s gone on to be a major player for Major League Wrestling in the USA as well as enjoying success with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. A powerhouse wrestler with an amazing dropkick and excellent in ring presence. Definitely someone I’d love to lock horns with.

My buddy Arik Cannon has done a masterful job with FIRST Wrestling based out of Minneapolis for many years now and has been a staple of the MidWest Indies for almost 2 decades. We originally crossed paths for a spot show in Fergus Falls, MN in front of legitimately 11 people. One of those “The locker room was more packed than the house” scenarios. Since then we’ve had laughs and moments along the way in the Dakotas but have never had the chance to tie up. Maybe I’m nuts, but I think that “The Outlaw vs The Anarchist” makes for a hell of a log line.

This one might take some travelling, however since the United Kingdom is on my separate “Places to Wrestle Before I Retire” list this seems like an easier two-for.  All the preamble to say just how desperately I want to hit the mat with British Heavyweight Legend Doug Williams. After flirting with retirement himself a few years ago he is back with a vengeance and appears to be in incredible condition. A phenomenal catch style grappler with amazing strikes… man, the things I could learn just by locking up. Mr. Williams, it would be an honour.

A few years ago while he was on his international excursion from the DDT promotion in Japan I ended up nose to nose in a battle royal with “The Japanese Beast” Shigehiro Irie. I’m not even sure we ended up getting to trade any blows before the parade of jabrones swarmed us. Regardless, this Winnie the Pooh loving athlete is so well respected and incredibly talented. I have no doubt that he and I would be able to tear into each other and bring crowds to their feets.

I lied about no particular order as I’ve certainly saved these athletes for last.

The current reigning and defending NWA World Champion Nick Aldis has been carrying the banner of the revitalized National Wrestling Alliance for a number of years now with dignity and aplomb. The success of their quarterly Pay Per View events on the FITE app as well as their flagship show NWA POWERRR have been an excellent alternative to other pro wrestling you can find on TV today. A throwback to the glory days of in studio wrestling, Mr. Aldis has been a shining example as champion and in unquestionably someone whom I would love to face. So let’s get Billy on the horn, share another beer and make this deal happen.

The last name on my list today is the only Pipe Dream that I am throwing out there. It’s also a cheat since a few years back I actually had the chance to team up with this man for a Trios Bout right here in Winnipeg. But if by some chance I was able to get in the ring to face Scott “Flash” Norton one on one… man, this is a battle I would LOVE to have. A legend in Japan. An arm wrestling Champion. Yes, a part of the NWO. Championships all over the world. A powerlifting badass like few others. And a gentleman through and through. Mr. Norton, if you’re still taking bookings my schedule can be very easily cleared.

Please follow the links I’ve provided to check out the work and merchandise pages for all of the gentlemen I’ve mentioned above. While there are of course many other wrestlers I’d be honoured to face these are the ones front of mind for me today. If you’ve got anyone you’d like to see me face, feel free to tag em on Twitter, hit up your favourite indy promotions and put a bug in their ears, or just RT and SHARE The heck outta this post.

Thanks for Reading. I’m looking forward to getting back to more Wrestling soon.

AK

Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes through in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers. Available in eBook, Paperback and Hardcover.

AMAZON  KOBO  B&N  SMASHWORDS  SCRIBD  APPLE

Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler today by visiting Pro Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there, consider looking at my site first willya?

The Power of Music

There’s a reason why “Music Composers” is a category that get thoroughly study-session by those who compete in the Movie Trivia Schmoedown. Primarily because in any visual medium no matter how good your storytelling is everything just clicks when the right music is played in the proper manner to elicit a greater response from the viewing public.

Often times this can be accused of being a crutch or a manipulation in order to bolster a tale that isn’t quite connecting. And to that I say “So fucking what?” If the goal at the end of any project is to make an emotional connection between your story and your audience you would be an idiot to not collaborate with as many other artists as possible in order to best achieve the desired result.

In fact the biggest challenge I have as a novelist is trying to find the right mood to better enhance the scene I am creating with my characters. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to underlay a soundtrack on all my eBooks or have a note in all the margins suggesting the songs I had on in the background while I crafted this chapter.

One of the most creative releases I have outside of writing and wrestling is video editing, and cutting images to music is one of the most enjoyable practices I engage in and certainly the one I would love to spend more of my time doing. Maybe that’ll be my Xmas present to myself, an updated desktop solely for videos. Hmmm…

Regardless; this topics comes to mind for two recent reasons.

The first came as a question from one of the wrestlers who for some Godforsaken reason has chosen me to mentor him. Among one of the many questions I get fielded on a semi-regular basis came the all important “What do you think of such and such song for my walk out music?” And boy, after 25 years of independent wrestling and seeing all kinds of bonkers trends, musical tastes and more I have witnessed some disastrous examples of dumb-fuckery for those making a key first impression upon their audience.

The first thing to remember in this case, is that the music should reflect not only who you are trying to portray, but who you actually ARE. I mean, I really like listening to the Beastie Boys, but under no circumstances should I have ever walked out to “No Sleep til Brooklyn.” And yet, that mistake I did make. Several times.

Nothing turns an audience off more than someone whose walk out music just doesn’t fit what they end up seeing. Perception truly is everything. So no matter how deeply you might like the hardest of hardcore death metal, if you walk through that curtain and don’t look like a bad ass shit-kicking machine the climb to having your audience respect the match you’re going to provide for them just got a lot steeper.

This isn’t to say “Pick something generic or bland.” Just pick something that suits you. Something that genuinely works with your presentation and mood. Being a “Try Hard” is fine, but people see right through that shit. So don’t get discouraged, play around with a few things until the right one sticks. You’ll know it when it happens.

The second reason I wanted to talk about this came as I was watching Episode 15 of “The Bad Batch” on the Disney-Plus.  This might be slightly spoilery but by this point you’re either in on the show or you’re judging me for watching a Star Wars cartoon on a Friday night. Either way, too bad.

In the penultimate episode of this season we have the pseudo reunion of the team with their estranged member Crosshair who has been ostensibly hunting them down since the pilot episode. After having the kind of dialogue and emotional discussion not normally found in most “cartoons for kids” we find the main characters suddenly surrounded by battle droids, espounding upon the original reason for which the Clones were all created. As the fight begins and things look lost we are treated to not only Crosshair joining in the fight and once again making the Bad Batch whole, we have the swelling of the shows main theme. But this time, composer Kevin Kiner changes the tone perfectly, making it less of an action march and into something triumphant and exultant. An audible cue that finally the team is back together and that all is as it should be. Even if only for a moment.

That moment brought literal chills to me. True story, I ain’t afraid of my emotions. That was a powerful moment in the show and the music helped the audience understand that it was important for us too.

Storytelling is rarely ever one thing. And while some people get bogged down in plot and minutae, I think it’s important to remember the things that make us feel. And so long as you’re feeling things, the story is working.

 

AK

Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes through in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers. Availble in eBook, Paperback and Harcover.

AMAZON  KOBO  B&N  SMASHWORDS  SCRIBD  APPLE

Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler today by visiting Pro Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there, consider looking at my site first willya?