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The Monster and The Man; Sawyer rp vs Brian Blaze
Topic Started: Jun 11 2009, 02:34 AM (129 Views)
Eiji Naginata
Member Avatar
CZW Rising Star!
The Monster and the Man: An Expose on Wrestling by Devin Dawson (documentary video filmed by college student for school, eventually released to DVD).

June 6, Vancouver, BC, Canada; after CZW Overdrive.

The scene is in the backseat of a car or limo, but we can’t see which exactly. The person operating the video camera is in one seat, J. A. Sawyer is opposite. Sawyer is still in a T-shirt and blue jeans, his head back and his eyes closed. There is a narrator (voice of the film maker, Devin Dawson) whose voice is obviously added in production. The footage was filmed with a personal mini-cam, not a professional camera.

Narrator, off camera: “Sawyer had some reservations and difficulty opening up to me as I followed him in his wrestling endeavors previously, but whether he was becoming comfortable to my presence or the events of the day simply overwhelmed him, he suddenly began to talk.”

Sawyer opens his eyes and rubs them. He is very tired and couldn’t hide that if he wanted. He begins to speak without looking at the camera.

Sawyer: “You want insider info on wrestling? In the past month you’ve seen just a sample, but I’m not sure you’ve really seen the stress this can cause, how it can work on your nerves. I’m the kind of guy who usually lets things go easily. I mean, I don’t have time in my life to harbor grudges and carry things on too long. But look at this current situation. Back last year during my second term in CZW I wrestled my ass off and won some pretty big matches and received little recognition for it. There was a ‘stable war’ going on and I wasn’t part of it, so I was spinning my wheels. This time I’m still working hard, but in the last month or so, I’ve been booked for three matches that didn’t happen and I didn’t even have a match at Pandemonium, yet suddenly everyone is talking about me and I’m rising in the rankings. I know it’s about how visible you are, but it still surprises me. I had to take things into my own hands and do some outrageous, fantastic things to get noticed in a place where I was a founding member. Wrestling is a strange business and you have to be prepared to roll with the punches, and not the physical ones, or the business will leave you behind. And, interestingly enough, I have Ian Chadwick and Kris Kamikaze to thank for this.

“Usually, I can leave it all behind me once the show is over, once ‘Elvis has left the building’, so to speak. Because of Kamikaze, I am so pissed off right now. I keep trying to figure out how he can sign for CZW as a wrestler, read and sign the same contract I did, and then make all kinds of demands about who he wrestles when. I mean, he was given a huge debut and a title shot without doing much overall, and yet he figuratively flips the bird at CZW execs by only wrestling matches he deems worthwhile? What kind of work ethic is that? But I know the answer. It is no work ethic at all. And the way he treats the fans? I’ve known a few guys who didn’t really care whether the fans liked them or not, but they at least acknowledged that the fans and their ticket sales make wrestling work. Kamikaze, he blatantly disregards the fans. He goes out of his way and places himself in positions where he can insult someone, cut people he doesn’t know down, for no real reason other than his own amusement.

“Sometime CZW makes weird decisions for ratings, but I’m pleased that they see it my way this time. No newcomer, no matter how much experience you have elsewhere, can walk into a new yard and tell everyone else what to do unless your last name is Hogan. Maybe they are as insulted by his behavior as I am, or maybe they see the ratings that this match will bring in. I don’t know. A lot of fans want to see “Big Time” knocked around and most want to see me do the honors.”


Sawyer shakes his head, yawns, rubs his eyes again, then gives a soft, tired smile to the camera.

Sawyer: “I’m rambling. Sorry.”

Dawson, off camera: “No, that’s exactly the kind of stuff I’m looking for. A real insider’s view.”

Sawyer: “Well, I have nothing more for you tonight, but if you want to see another aspect of the business, be in Grand Rapids, Michigan, tomorrow. You’ll see my roots.”

*

Same Evening, in Sawyer’s hotel room.

Sawyer is sitting on the bed in his hotel room. He is speaking to someone on the phone, keeping the device on speaker so the camera can pick up the entire conversation.

Sawyer: “TV title match? Wow. I know the books say I’ve beaten Kris twice, but those were by forfeit. I honestly didn’t expect a singles title match. Tag team maybe, but not singles.”

CZW Road Agent Sydney Vicious, on phone: “We have to take everything into account, J. A. Even if your recent record does not include many singles victories, your record from late last year includes some impressive wins. Furthermore, you are always at the shows that you are scheduled for and ready to work no matter what happens. You are reliable. We’ve lost some very reliable talent recently, and we’re going to call on our most reliable personnel before calling on someone new or unproven. In the short term, this is a good booking for the fans. In the long term, you’ve earned the shot. In my opinion, you’ve earned a few shots.”

Sawyer, stifling another yawn: “Thanks for that. It is nice to hear once in a while. Any kind of press tour for this?”

Sydney, on phone: “Nothing unusual. You were attacked with a stun gun tonight. We want you 100%.”

Sawyer: “Ok, good. I’ll be ready. Blaze and I should put on a good show.”

Sydney: “That’s what we’re hoping for. Take care of yourself.”

Sawyer: “Bye.”

Sawyer sits there for a moment then looks at the camera.

Sawyer: “See? It’s just an amazing business.”

*

Monday, June 8, 2009: Grand Rapids, Michigan; Williams Sports Center.

Godzilla Sawyer is walking around the corner of the ring in pursuit of his opponent, a rather small individual in bright blue and white tights and mask. He calls himself Awesome Sean Air, and though he’s never wrestled in Mexico or Japan, he wrestles in that style. He is also one of the rising stars of the region, wrestling throughout Michigan, sometimes neighboring states, and Ontario Canada. Although he is not specifically a Hardcore wrestler, his style utilized many moves in and outside the ring and gave him some advantages. Sawyer grabbed his slightly stunned opponent and rolled him back into the ring. Sawyer climbed into the ring, lifted the young man up, and hit him with a perfect Atomic Slam, laying Shawn out on his back. Confident, Sawyer climbed the ropes and the 700+ fans began to cheer. Although Sawyer was using a different finisher in CZW, here in his hometown it was still The Wrecking Ball.

Except this time, it wasn’t.

It was then that one of the local black hats, a beefy 250 pounder named Dynamic David Drake (and Shawn’s current nemesis), appears out of nowhere and shoves Sawyer. Godzilla falls from the top rope right next to Awesome Shawn even as Drake climbs the ropes and hits a very well executed swanton off the top. He rolls Shawn on top of Sawyer and jumps out of the ring.

Drake (to audience): “Now I’ll take that title from Awesome Shawn!” HAHAHAHAHA!”

Referee (simultaneously): “One…two…THREE!”

And in a moment, Godzilla Sawyer is no longer The Michigan Hardcore Champion.

*

Backstage, Sawyer is changing his gear as Billy Williams watches the final match from his vantage point. Billy’s fortune in wrestling continues to grow. Now, he owned the ring and rented the building where the shows were held. It was once a High School gym but the school has closed and the gymnasium refurbished. The former ‘Janitor’ Billy Williams now rented the place for these wrestling events as well as small time concerts, shows, conferences, and anything else that requires space but can supply its own tables, chairs, etc. He owned the ring, leased the gym, and co-promoted the Grand Rapids shows; Billy Williams had become a rather important person in the Michigan independent wrestling scene.

Billy: “Brian Blaze, huh? That should be a good match. And you shouldn’t have to worry about any interference.”

Sawyer: “You know better than that.” Even though he isn’t booked, Kamikaze could be lurking around waiting for an opportunity. I trust Blaze well enough but not Kris.”

Billy: “True enough, but you are ‘The American Kaiju’, The Working Man. Part of what you do is to just be ready for anything that comes at you.”

Sawyer: “Didn’t help me much out there tonight.”

Billy: “Right, but I don’t think your mind was in this match tonight. You had also been stunned less than 24 hours before and on the run all day. Make sure you are rested. Take tomorrow off and we’ll train the next day.”

Sawyer: “Sure. Sounds good. I can take the time to plan a video. If my opponent is Mr. Entertainment, that almost requires a ‘Union Productions’ spot.” Sawyer thinks for a moment, an idea crossing his mind. “I wonder if Brian would be in my video himself? That would be huge!”

Billy walks away and Sawyer looks up at the camera with a somber expression.

Sawyer: “Its hard not to be bitter sometimes. Last year I was on Conan O’Brien. I was on a ‘Who’s Line Is It Anyway’ reunion show. I was a bit of a star. I’m still a star but some of the shine is gone. I have to build myself back up or accept that I’m not cut out for it. And, contrary to what the others tell you, most of us wonder fairly regularly if we should call it quits. The business can be tough. It can drain the energy and enthusiasm right out of you. Of course, there are times that make you feel like you are the greatest thing ever, the adrenalin pumping through you so strong it almost hurts. Being a pro-wrestling gives you an idea what its like to be a manic-depressive, because it really has its ups and downs. But man, the ups…I mean, I’ve probably had a hundred once-in-a-lifetime moments just in the last 16 months. How can you beat that?”

Another wrestler walks by, slapping Sawyer on the shoulder.

Wrestler: “Talking to yourself, Sawyer? That’s the first sign of senility.”

Sawyer: “You don’t see the camera? DUH!”

Wrestler: “Nice to see you back, man. Can’t wait to see you with that TV Championship belt.”

Sawyer: “What makes you think I’d show it to you, Terry?”

Both laugh as the camera shot fades.

Narrator: “One of the things that surprised me most is the culture that wrestlers have. It’s almost like the carnival. They have their own terms, their own language, their own way of being. I can’t imagine too many other situations where grown men can beat the living hell out of each other and go out for a beer after the show is over. They are part of an exclusive club and only the most anti-social of them don’t appreciate that.”
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