My First Match
Opponent: "Playboy" Paul Richards
Event: UPW Supreme Judgement 2011
Event: UPW Supreme Judgement 2011
I'll never forget the first time I stepped through the ropes. I had contacted the UPW front office about the possibility of working for them. I told their promoter who had trained me and a bit of my background as a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, my years of experience in Muay Thai Kickboxing, and some of what I did as a Combat Engineer in the US Army. They talked it over among themselves and eventually gave me the green light for tryout. Their booker told me that I would be wrestling against "Playboy" Paul Richards. I had heard a bit about him, but, hadn't ever seen him wrestle. I went online and tried to find footage of him so I could study a bit and see if I could learn anything about him. I couldn't find any footage of him, so, the only thing I could do was to try and get myself into the best ring shape I could. I contacted my former Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai instructor and I took a few classes with him to refresh myself and to see where my cardio was at. Since I had just competed in my first triathlon, I thought I was in good enough shape.
I'll tell you, that was what one could call a rookie mistake.
On the day of the event, I picked up a fellow named Bryan Skyline. He would be instrumental in refining my wrestling style and continuing my training; but that is another story for another day. We made the drive from Iron Mountain, MI to Escanaba, MI and while we were driving, it became evident that I definitely didn't know as much as I thought I knew.
After arriving at the Delft Nightclub, I introduced myself to all of the wrestlers and crew there. I met up with the booker and I found out that Richards hadn't arrived yet. I laced up my wrestling shoes (I hadn't gotten boots yet, in martial arts I went barefoot), stretched out, warmed up, then made my way to the ring area to see if anyone was willing to give me pointers or do some warmup exercises with me. As it turned out, "Supreme" Brett Powers was more than willing to coach me along. It was there that I met Slick Rick, who had some words of encouragement as well. Between the two of them, I felt as ready as I could be to face the challenge ahead.
It was right about then that I heard some of the most memorable words that I've heard in pro wrestling.
"Hey, the Outlaws are here"
"Oh, you didn't know?"
The New Age Outlaws had made their way to the building! This was when it truly became a surreal experience. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this would be happening. I introduced myself to them, and Road Dogg said, "You're that guy from Twitter with the food tips, right?" I had tweeted them about a few good restaurants in the Escanaba area about a week prior. "I'm that guy" I said.
About 30 minutes before the bell, we all went to the locker room. I found a small spot in the corner and made sure that I was ready. I tried to sort out my game plan and think of all the wrestling that I had watched throughout my life, hoping to remember something that worked.
I then found out that I was in the very first match of the undercard. No pressure.
When I heard the familiar sound of "Revenge of the Nerds," I knew it was my time to go out. I barely remember the walk out, I was so nervous. When I got in the ring, I finally saw Richards. He was shorter than I expected, but, I knew better than to underestimate my opponent.
The bell rang and we were off.
As we tied up, I knew I could overpower him, so I backed him up to the corner. The referee split us up and I immediately knew I was in for it. Richards took a cheap shot and threw me to the buckle and worked me over. He went to toss me to the other corner, but, I held my own and reversed it. He hit the corner, bounced off, and I nailed him with a back body drop. As soon as he got up, I got him with an arm drag, a hip toss, then he made his escape to the outside.
In my excitement, I followed. Another rookie mistake. I got tangled in the ropes and it set me off balance enough that Richards was able to grab my head and run it into the ringpost. He laid in more punches and then rolled me into the ring. He tried to pin me, but, I kicked out. He then started choking me, taking full advantage of each 5 count by the ref. He took a moment to taunt the crowd, I got back on my feet and we traded punches. Mine definitely didn't have as much oomph behind them as I normally would. I was still trying to catch my breath after being choked. I bounced off the ropes, hoping to clothesline him, but he ducked aside and caught me with a knee in the gut that fully drove the wind out of me. As I rolled around desperately trying to catch my breath, he rolled me over for another pin. I was lucky enough to kick out at 2. I was still gulping for air when he grabbed my tie and started choking me with it. I got over to the ropes to help me break his grip. But, he just forced me into the ropes and used those to choke me.
I was really getting tired of being choked.
He started picking me up, presumably to try to finish me off. With all the strength I had, I threw a punch. It caught him in the stomach. Then another, then one to the head. I tossed him to the ropes and caught him with a big powerslam! Hooking his leg, I went for the pin.
1!
2!
He kicked out. What would I have to do to beat him? I charged at him and he dodged and I ate turnbuckle again. He grabbed me and threw me to the ropes. I ducked his clothesline, then dodged a back elbow. He charged at me and we hit each other with a double clothesline!
The ref began the count to 10.
I knew I couldn't stay down. My head was foggy. The choking and his punches had really done the job.
I heard the count of 5 as I made it to my feet. I knew that I had to make the next few moments count. I ran at Richards and with everything I had, clotheslined him. Then another one. I whipped him to the ropes and caught him in the jaw with a back elbow.
I WENT FOR THE PIN!
1!
2!
Another kickout. Things were not looking good. I just couldn't keep him down.
He threw a few punches at me as I picked him up. They rocked me. He threw me to the ropes and I heard him shout, "I got you now, sucker!"
I jumped as high as I could and got him in a sunset flip.
I held him down as hard as I possibly could.
1!
2!
3!
I won. I WON! My very first match and I was lucky enough to win. As the ref raised my hand, I made a promise to myself that I would learn from this.
I had always watched wrestling with my dad. He had passed away in 2008, but, I knew he was looking down at me, smiling. My mom and my sister with in the audience, I knew they were proud of me. My wife was in Tennessee at the time, visiting with her sister who she hadn't seen in a long time. I couldn't wait to tell her all about this.
It was the start of what has been a dream come true. I was finally a pro wrestler.
Thank you all for reading this. It's one of my favorite stories to tell.
I'll tell you, that was what one could call a rookie mistake.
On the day of the event, I picked up a fellow named Bryan Skyline. He would be instrumental in refining my wrestling style and continuing my training; but that is another story for another day. We made the drive from Iron Mountain, MI to Escanaba, MI and while we were driving, it became evident that I definitely didn't know as much as I thought I knew.
After arriving at the Delft Nightclub, I introduced myself to all of the wrestlers and crew there. I met up with the booker and I found out that Richards hadn't arrived yet. I laced up my wrestling shoes (I hadn't gotten boots yet, in martial arts I went barefoot), stretched out, warmed up, then made my way to the ring area to see if anyone was willing to give me pointers or do some warmup exercises with me. As it turned out, "Supreme" Brett Powers was more than willing to coach me along. It was there that I met Slick Rick, who had some words of encouragement as well. Between the two of them, I felt as ready as I could be to face the challenge ahead.
It was right about then that I heard some of the most memorable words that I've heard in pro wrestling.
"Hey, the Outlaws are here"
"Oh, you didn't know?"
The New Age Outlaws had made their way to the building! This was when it truly became a surreal experience. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this would be happening. I introduced myself to them, and Road Dogg said, "You're that guy from Twitter with the food tips, right?" I had tweeted them about a few good restaurants in the Escanaba area about a week prior. "I'm that guy" I said.
About 30 minutes before the bell, we all went to the locker room. I found a small spot in the corner and made sure that I was ready. I tried to sort out my game plan and think of all the wrestling that I had watched throughout my life, hoping to remember something that worked.
I then found out that I was in the very first match of the undercard. No pressure.
When I heard the familiar sound of "Revenge of the Nerds," I knew it was my time to go out. I barely remember the walk out, I was so nervous. When I got in the ring, I finally saw Richards. He was shorter than I expected, but, I knew better than to underestimate my opponent.
The bell rang and we were off.
As we tied up, I knew I could overpower him, so I backed him up to the corner. The referee split us up and I immediately knew I was in for it. Richards took a cheap shot and threw me to the buckle and worked me over. He went to toss me to the other corner, but, I held my own and reversed it. He hit the corner, bounced off, and I nailed him with a back body drop. As soon as he got up, I got him with an arm drag, a hip toss, then he made his escape to the outside.
In my excitement, I followed. Another rookie mistake. I got tangled in the ropes and it set me off balance enough that Richards was able to grab my head and run it into the ringpost. He laid in more punches and then rolled me into the ring. He tried to pin me, but, I kicked out. He then started choking me, taking full advantage of each 5 count by the ref. He took a moment to taunt the crowd, I got back on my feet and we traded punches. Mine definitely didn't have as much oomph behind them as I normally would. I was still trying to catch my breath after being choked. I bounced off the ropes, hoping to clothesline him, but he ducked aside and caught me with a knee in the gut that fully drove the wind out of me. As I rolled around desperately trying to catch my breath, he rolled me over for another pin. I was lucky enough to kick out at 2. I was still gulping for air when he grabbed my tie and started choking me with it. I got over to the ropes to help me break his grip. But, he just forced me into the ropes and used those to choke me.
I was really getting tired of being choked.
He started picking me up, presumably to try to finish me off. With all the strength I had, I threw a punch. It caught him in the stomach. Then another, then one to the head. I tossed him to the ropes and caught him with a big powerslam! Hooking his leg, I went for the pin.
1!
2!
He kicked out. What would I have to do to beat him? I charged at him and he dodged and I ate turnbuckle again. He grabbed me and threw me to the ropes. I ducked his clothesline, then dodged a back elbow. He charged at me and we hit each other with a double clothesline!
The ref began the count to 10.
I knew I couldn't stay down. My head was foggy. The choking and his punches had really done the job.
I heard the count of 5 as I made it to my feet. I knew that I had to make the next few moments count. I ran at Richards and with everything I had, clotheslined him. Then another one. I whipped him to the ropes and caught him in the jaw with a back elbow.
I WENT FOR THE PIN!
1!
2!
Another kickout. Things were not looking good. I just couldn't keep him down.
He threw a few punches at me as I picked him up. They rocked me. He threw me to the ropes and I heard him shout, "I got you now, sucker!"
I jumped as high as I could and got him in a sunset flip.
I held him down as hard as I possibly could.
1!
2!
3!
I won. I WON! My very first match and I was lucky enough to win. As the ref raised my hand, I made a promise to myself that I would learn from this.
I had always watched wrestling with my dad. He had passed away in 2008, but, I knew he was looking down at me, smiling. My mom and my sister with in the audience, I knew they were proud of me. My wife was in Tennessee at the time, visiting with her sister who she hadn't seen in a long time. I couldn't wait to tell her all about this.
It was the start of what has been a dream come true. I was finally a pro wrestler.
Thank you all for reading this. It's one of my favorite stories to tell.