The disadvantage of facing a guy who is just starting his career in the wrestling business is not having access to videos of his previous matches. I thought to myself as I tried to blow warm air into a hole I created by cupping both of my hands together as I waited for my taxi outside of my hotel. The cold crisp air, bit at any exposed skin, providing my face with a slight redness. I rubbed my hands together before ensuring my scarf and coat where as secured to my body as possible.
While the rest of the WZCW wrestlers and staff were quick to depart onto their flight back to America after Meltdown & Ascension, I had decided to stay behind in Europe. I left Stuttgart, Germany and enjoyed my two hour flight to London, England; the home of my next opponent, Scott Hammond.
A quick search of youtube.com revealed nothing of Scott Hammond’s wrestling career aside from his work, or lack of, in WZCW. Scott Hammond, on the other hand, would have access to endless hours upon hours of wrestling footage if he decided to type my name into the video sharing website.
I had high hopes that my recent win over USA would put me back on track and provided me with guaranteed a match at Kingdom Come, but all hope was lost when Bid Dave pinned Chris Beckford and swept the league undefeated. My chance at wrestling at WZCW biggest PPV slipped though my hands and deep inside I knew that I wouldn’t make it to next years event.
Even though I knew that I only had 3 weeks left to secure a match at the PPV, I had no intentions of even put a lot of effort into facing Scott Hammond. For the first time in my career, I was going to half-ass it in the ring. It was clear that this week’s matches won’t determine the winner of the EurAsian League. The league matches this week determined nothing. Win or lose, my plan was to wrestle with the least amount of effort in order to provide my body with the break that it needs.
That was the game plan until I was participating in an afternoon autograph signing and a young child, who had waited for hours for me, was kind enough informed me that I was one win away from being a possible entrant in the King for a Day match at Kingdom Come. I had no idea what he was talking about and discarded it immediately with a simple “thanks, I hope so to.”
I couldn’t get his voice out of my head; his words hovered in my mind for the rest of the signing. En route back to my hotel, I struggled to made use of my blackberry to log onto WZCW.com. After some investigation, I learned the kid was right. I still had the opportunity to make it to Kingdom Come, and only Scott Hammond stood in my way.
I watched my breath form into fog and then disappear before my eyes and I looked in both directions down the road in hopes to see my cab. No luck.
It had become habit to study all of my opponents before our match. I always felt it gave me an idea to see what I would expect first hand, and was much more practical that sparing with someone of the same type. Because didn’t have any videos of Scott Hammond to watch so I really have no idea of what he is capable. Sure, I’ve seen his matches in WZCW, but they have never been very impressive.
I took advantage of already being in Europe to study Scott Hammond in a different way. Not through the viewing of past matches, but by arranging travel to his hometown to see what makes Scott Hammond, Scott Hammond.
I meet with all of his lazy and underachieving friends and it didn’t take me long to realize where Scott Hammond established his unflattering characteristic of settling. He settles for being in the mid-card. He settles for losing all of his league matches. And he settles for the life that he has rather than applying himself to become the best person that he could be both inside and outside of the ring.
I met his boring family and saw that this is where Scott didn’t receive any words of wisdom about goals, hard work, and applying 100% of yourself to what you do. Rather he most likely received gratitude for putting the toilet seat down on a regular basis; which explains why he expects a pat on the back for the simplest task.
I even went as far as to watch a wrestling event put on by Scott’s old wrestling school the FWA. My money would have been better spent in the trash. It was no wonder Scott lacks the intensity, motivation, vision and skill inside the WZCW squared circle, because he never learned what it takes to become professional wrestlers here.
I now know everything about you Scott Hammond. More than the internet could ever teach me. I thought as the yellow cab finally came to a stop in front of my feet. I picked up my suitcase and carried it to the back of the cab and the driver popped the trunk before getting out offering any assistance.
I closed the trunk, and made my way around to the passenger side rear door and opened it. I sank slightly into the cushioned seat and gave my destination to the driver who was watching me in the rear view mirror. With a nod, he put the car into drive and we were on our way. I know where you came from and what you have learned. I have memorized all of your many weaknesses. As for your strengths, when you look into my eyes from across the ring, we both will know, you have none.
