Words From 'Wildcat'

[BC 21]

"Taken from wildcatchrisharris.com"

Words From 'Wildcat'

It's A Blindfold Match!


Lockdown is now over. While many would say it was a very enjoyable and successful ppv, my part in it wasn't as memorable. It was to be the first time I was going to get my hands on Storm. As much as everyone wanted to see that happen, little did I know the people wanted it in any type of match...other than a blindfold match!

I am usually very hard on myself when I feel like I have not delivered a good performance. I pride myself on my work and I will always give 100% in my matches. Lockdown was no different. Storm and I had a great BLINDFOLD match. What we didn't have, nor was it possible, was a good wrestling match. It was no fault of our own. We were not even given a chance. The fans were booing 10 seconds into the match.

I have tried to understand from all sides. To be honest, I can see the fans side of it to a point. You have 2 guys who were partners for 5 years and friends for even longer. It comes to a head when one guy breaks a beer bottle over the other's eye temporarily blinding him. Fans are blood-thirsty and immediately want revenge, as did I. Problem is, with no doctors release, it was going to come later then sooner. I am not a very patient man and I do have a temper. This is why you would find me week after week chasing after the cowboy. Just remember, it's not easy to catch someone with one eye. After numerous requests to have a match being denied, we came to a compromise. Cornette, TNA officials, and myself came up with the idea of a blindfold match. Wouldn't have been my 1st choice, but this is where the fans need to understand the wrestling side of it.

With Lockdown coming up, I wanted more than anything to get Storm in that cage and tear him up. However, TNA looks at it as they have an all cage match ppv. They want to make each match different which is why there was a different stipulation for each match. They looked at ours and thought about the "story". Remember this is wrestling! The story is that the man blinded me and I can't see 100% which is very true. What better way to put us together than to have us both blinded for the match. It is another way of entertainment and can actually be funny at times. While the situation is far from funny to me, I thought it would be a good form of revenge. I would much rather have a match where I can beat the holy hell out of him for what he has done...but a compromise had to be met. A blindfold match it was.

Understand there is a huge difference between revenge and pay back. The pay back is yet to come...and I promise it will come! The blindfold was a form of revenge. I have been walking around partially blind in one eye for 4 months, sometimes trying to wrestle on independent shows. It's not easy. I wanted Storm to feel what it was like to get in the ring and not be able to see at all. It is a scary feeling and that was part of the revenge process. If the fans would have given it a chance, they could have really enjoyed it and been entertained. That didn't happen. You turned your backs on us when all we were trying to do was give you our best effort and work our asses off! I guess that is part of the business. Sometimes the fans feel betrayed by what we do. This time, we felt betrayed by what you did.

It's all in the past now. I have taken the critisizm and put it behind me. I'm not down on myself because I studied the few blindfold matches I knew existed and feel it was a good match. The fans just wanted something else. Now it's time we both get what we want. TNA has announced a Texas Death Match for the Sacrifice PPV between Storm and myself. Like the blindfold match, it is another old school match. It basically means anything goes. Dress and bring anything to the ring you want. As I said before, there is a difference between revenge and pay back. Revenge may be over, but payback has just begun. You wanted an explosion...now it's going to happen! The time for payback on the Cowboy has arrived!

Always remember to live the dream!

Cat

Cat's note: Many have asked me about the eye patch. Thought I would clear this up. My vision sucks! The damage in and around the eye has healed. My sight has not. The reason I choose to where the eye patch as often as I do is because many times it is better to have one good eye than to have blurred vision with the other. Without it, my vision is blurred and it is hard to focus. With it, it darkens the bad eye and I can at least see with one good eye. It will throw my balance off and I probably shouldn't be wrestling like that, but I have found it to be the better choice. This is why I have it on when chasing Storm. I have come close to just getting rid of it and taking my chances because it really is a pain in the ass! My vision continues to improve so hopefully it won't be a factor much longer.

 

[ROHDude]

Dear Chris Harris,

Not only did the match suck, but Storm couldn't keep his damn hood on. It fell off like 4 different times. The match was terrible and it is not entertaining at all. We all know that you can see through the hoods. A blindfold match was cool a long time ago. It's not anymore.

Plus the fans have a right to boo. This is TNA. They supposedly are wrestling. But they give us bullshit like this match and other stupid gimmick matches. The fans just want to see good wrestling which TNA hardly gives us anymore.

And the dude broke a beer bottle over your face and you lost you vision. You should be fucking pissed off and want to kill him. What's the point of the blindfold match? If you weren't cleared to wrestle by doctors why would they allow you to wrestle in a blindfold. Sure you are less likely to injure it because you or you opponent can't see, but it can still get injured and you could still lose your vision. Besides you should have so much hatred that A.) You don't care if you're cleared or not you wrestle in a normal match anyway or B.) You wait until your 100% so you can kick his fuckin ass.

And lastly why have a blindfold match in a steel cage? That's just stupid anyway.

ROHDude

ROHDude Note - TNA never should of split up AMW because after this feud you two are going nowhere. I don't see either one of you going on to have a good singles career.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

I Agree With ROH Dude They Should Have Never broke Up AMW and Yes That blindfold Match Was Absolutely Terrible I Mean Think About The Match These Guys Can Have Holy Crap It Would Be Amazing But No they Had To go Screw It Up With a Blindfold Match A Great Match Oppurtunity Lost. Im sure they Will Have Many Other Encounters But For This To be The First It Just Sets A Bad Tone For The Rest Of The Fued IMO

 

[X]

I have to disagree there bro. I think the split was going to happen eventually as it does to most good tag teams, and plus this Texas Death match they are going to have I guarantee you it is going to be a great match. Sure, the blindfold match was utter shit, complete and utter crap, and it pissed me off to even have to watch it, but hey if I have to put up with a blindfold match every now and then, so be it. Wrestling fans are so god damn ungrateful, it disgusts me. Sure, the match was garbage, but think of all the classic matches these two guys have had before? One match is bad out of thirty? Come on now guys.

Besides I'm sure they will reunite one day, and I think both of them will be sucessful in the singles department.

 

[ROHDude]

Not starting an arguement here just adding to the discussion...

But I don't think they will be successful in singles action. Harris had his big run back when TNA was still doing the weekly PPVs. But now that TNA has all this brand new talent and bigger names I don't see him getting a shot at the title, and even if he does I don't see the fans excepting him as a true challenge. I think TNA needs another midcard singles belt instead of just the X-Division.

And as for James Storm this guy is no good unless he's in a tag match teaming with Chris Harris. I don't find the guy entertaining and he seems to have added weight. Harris too, but he's been off with an injury. Honestly this feud with Harris is the only good thing Storm will have as a singles wrestler. The guy just is no good without a good tag partner.

 

[ExtremeRage81]

Okay. After reading the thoughts from Harris himself, I feel I should say something. First off, I have nothing but respect for both Chris Harris and James Storm. To me, they showed tag team wrestling still existed and considering that the match with Triple X was one of the greatest matches I've ever watched, that respect still stands. However, yes I had high expectations for the blindfold match. Because despite the stipulation, I wanted to see these two beat the hell out of each other. And considering that for almost 5 minutes, nothing happened, yeah I was pissed off. It was a good blindfold match, yes. But that's the problem. It wasn't a wrestling match.

That being said, the texas death match. I know nothing of it. I've only seen one "death match" in my life and that was the Tai Pei Fists of Glass Death Match between the brothers Rotten, Axl and Ian, in ECW. Needless to say, it was brutal and it wasn't pretty. In reading Chris Harris' description of the Texas Death Match, I have high hopes for it. A come as you are bring what you want street fight. Now that's what I'm talking about. I'm hopeful that with this match, we'll see what we hoped for at lockdown.

One last note, I hated seeing AMW split up. I hate seeing good tag teams get split up. Because of the time, only one of them, if not neither of them, are any good in singles. And with tag wrestling on life support as it is, you need as many teams as you can. And AMW to me was as good as they come. Period.

 

[X]

A texas death match is the same thing as any other death match, when the wrestler is pinned or the three count he has until the count of ten to get back up. They are usually very bloody and hardcore, and I have high hopes for this upcoming match of theirs to prove everyone wrong about whether or not they can be sucessful outside of the tag team division.

 

[ROHDude]

On a side note AJ Styles vs. Rhyno a couple months ago was called a Last Man Standing match, but by the rules they went by it was a Texas Deathmatch.

 

[Shocky]

This isn't too big of a deal. They are just covering up for what was a bad match, but not by any fault of their own. Honestly, if they actually grappled with each other, then people would have boo'ed because they didn't sell the Blindfold angle. These two were screwed by the booking of this match, not by any fault of their own. They'll make it up in their next match. This is just the spin cycle running for now to take heat off of them

 

[Shadowmancer]

This is interesting actually, it may be a crap match but look at it from the angle of what he is actually writing, its a mixture of reality and K5. But this texas death match does sound interesting. As for AMW I see them doing something similar to what WWE did with Cade & Murdoch after they split, ths will be after a few months of singles competing by both of these guys.

But I will say this it did make sense to have a Blindfold matchbased on the story that tey had/have going, to bad they couldn't have Storm keep his Blindfold on his head.

 

[Kasey]

It's a sad day when prime talent like Chris Harris has to cover up for the fact that he and his talented partner both had to miserably trip over $hitty booking. From the latest reports (however valid they may be), Russo only books somewhere around 10-15% of the stuff and does finishing scripting and other little trimmings like that. What he should've done was edit out the entire match. Nah...scratch that. He should've edited out the entire split of that tag team. Now the division is running on two teams that have already had a feud that's been regurgitated and bled to death (and we're not even talking about how directionless Storm has been during this time lighting the wrestling world on fire in a feud that always makes me want to get up and go do some housework during its airtime). That would've been the only way to salvage this stinker-out-of-the-gate "match." These overly done gimmick matches have got to be stopped. This crap is a joke and I miss the actual wrestling part of the TNA WRESTLING show. This and the Electrified Steel Cage Match are both on my top ten list of "let's forget this crap" moments in wrestling history.

 

[BC 21]

I have to agree with Kasey on this one. All Wildcat and Storm did was go out and do what their bosses told them to do and tried to do their best with what they were given. I'm pretty sure they didn't like the idea either. And it is sad that Wildcat is covering up for the booking that was done.

And 1 other thing, TNA DID NOT BREAK UP AMW!!! I know for a fact, that Wildcat and Storm wanted & asked to be split up.

 

[Abyss]

Look people, I know BC and he knows what he is talking about before any of you argue. They will give us the match we want. Just be patient.

 

[BC 21]

Look people, I know BC and he knows what he is talking about before any of you argue. They will give us the match we want. Just be patient.

Thanks for the backup, but some are going to believe what they want anyways. For example, all the idiots who think Russo is behind everything, when in fact he's behind very little.

 

[Kasey]

And 1 other thing, TNA DID NOT BREAK UP AMW!!! I know for a fact, that Wildcat and Storm wanted & asked to be split up.

When did they ask? I figure that if it was anywhere before the middle part of last year TNA would've had a contingency plan to not let the division fall apart. So much for wishful thinking. I hope that the next match these guys get just lets them go do what they know how to do best: work their asses off. For my money, these are two of TNA's most unsung heroes in the last few years (along with Killings) that need to have a higher place in the pecking order. They can both cut a solid promo, move well in the ring, and have a rapport with the fans. It seems to me like a no-brainer to have them hitting up higher in the batting order. On the flipside, at least Norman Smiley isn't on TV these days.

 

[BC 21]

When did they ask? I figure that if it was anywhere before the middle part of last year TNA would've had a contingency plan to not let the division fall apart.

I hope that the next match these guys get just lets them go do what they know how to do best: work their asses off. For my money, these are two of TNA's most unsung heroes in the last few years .

Remember all the teasing (miscommunication in the ring) of the split in the early 2006? So I'm thinking at least then. I first heard of it in the spring/early summer.

Have to agree with you on the 2nd part. Not to mention that they are both great guys. Hopefully Wildcat will get in the HW title picture sometime soon.

 

[ROHDude]

I have to agree with Kasey on this one. All Wildcat and Storm did was go out and do what their bosses told them to do and tried to do their best with what they were given. I'm pretty sure they didn't like the idea either. And it is sad that Wildcat is covering up for the booking that was done.

And 1 other thing, TNA DID NOT BREAK UP AMW!!! I know for a fact, that Wildcat and Storm wanted & asked to be split up.

I'm not sayin it was their fault the match sucked, I'm stating the match sucked. Plain and simple.

It doesn't matter who broke them up it was stupid. These 2 are going nowhere. They'll always be AMW to the fans and that will hurt because no one is going to take them serious as singles competitors. Especially with the talent and names TNA has now. Harris and Storm should never of split.

 

[BC 21]

They'll get a push. I think Harris will get one soon and possibly a title reign before the end of 2008. Remember these 2 are TNA lifers and they will be rewarded for staying loyal when the "W" came calling not too long ago. Plus both are good workers.

Harris can fit in the HW picture and I wouldn't be surprised if they try to put Storm in the X picture.

 

[Abyss]

Another thing, if I am going mad i'm sure I saw a match booked for sacrifice between these two which was like a last man standing match or something?

If not My apologies.

 

[BC 21]

Let me get something straight. I'm not saying I enjoyed or wanted to see the blindfold match at Lockdown. I'm just saying that I'm sure that Wildcat & Storm were just doing what they were told and tried to do the best they could(just like any of us would do at our jobs). Hell yeah, I wanted to see them beat the crap out of each other. And I think we are going to see it at Sacrifice, with the Texas Death Match, which I think is some sort of street fight. Hopefully, they get the damn eyepatch off of him before then.

 

[ROHDude]

They'll get a push. I think Harris will get one soon and possibly a title reign before the end of 2008. Remember these 2 are TNA lifers and they will be rewarded for staying loyal when the "W" came calling not too long ago. Plus both are good workers.

Harris can fit in the HW picture and I wouldn't be surprised if they try to put Storm in the X picture.

Neither AMW wrestler will have a singles title reign unless TNA brings in another midcard title. Neither man are World Title material. Christian, Abyss, Sting, Joe, Styles, Angle, Rhyno, Jarrett. Those are your top dogs in TNA. Harris & Storm are nowhere near those guys. Especially since Harris has been out with an injury and Storm is a fat slob. And I'm talking popularity wise and wrestling wise. And as of right now Tomko and Steiner are ahead of Harris and Storm.

X-Division no weight limits & no limits. That is there motto, but that doesn't mean we'll see Storm joining the X-Division. He doesn't fit at all. The X-Division wrestlers can wrestle circles around Storm. Storm is screwed after this feud with Harris. He's now riding on Jackie's feud with Kim. Storm is going nowhere.

Harris eventually could be a contendor, but he'll never touch the World Title. He also needs to get back into ring shape. But in reallity these guys are going nowhere without each other.

 

[Shocky]

Neither AMW wrestler will have a singles title reign unless TNA brings in another midcard title. Neither man are World Title material. Christian, Abyss, Sting, Joe, Styles, Angle, Rhyno, Jarrett. Those are your top dogs in TNA. Harris & Storm are nowhere near those guys.

This statement is true concerning now. But I believe the statement was that one of these guys will sniff the world title before the end of 08. Alot can happen in 18 months. Sting and Jarrett will probably be out of the world title picture. Sting will probably be out of wrestling by then. Joe and Angle are the only two not to be former NWA champions out of this bunch. I don't see Angle getting the belt anytime soon. I think we'll have a lengthy Cage title reign, followed by a length Joe title reign to bring some stability to that belt.

I'm not saying Harris or Storm are going to be the guy or the torch bearer in the company within 18 months, but I do believe within 2 to 3 years there can be a conceivable push to have one of them be a HW champion. Hell, it could be were one knocks Joe off with the help of the other, before dropping the belt the next month to a Kurt Angle. Will either have a lengthy title reign, probably not, but they both fit the role of transitional champion very well.

 

[ExtremeRage81]

ok. I was the first to say that the match at Lockdown was the worst I'd ever seen from TNA. However, nowhere was I saying that it was the fault of Chris Harris or James Storm. Both I respect for everything they've given and have done in TNA. The fault is in fact on the booking and while Russo may play a part, it's only a small part in comparison to the major players in charge of booking who are losing sight of how to keep bringing the fans in and definitely what made some jump to TNA in the first place.

Secondly, whether or not this texas death match will be what we're wanting to see between the two, I have no doubt in my mind about that. A come as you are, bring whatever the hell you want street fight, that is all we wanted.

Third, I've been hearing that Harris and Storm asked to be split up. The only reason I could see why they would ask for it is because they would want to explore what they can do in singles. And I respect that. However, I can't see anything for the two past this rivalry. And while I respect them wanting to split up America's Most Wanted, it doesn't mean that me, or any fans of the two when they were a tag team, have to like it.

Bottom line, the blindfold match was a bad idea by booking. And to have it at Lockdown was an even worse idea. But that's only the fault of the booking. Harris and Storm, can't blame the guys for following the orders given.

 

[Shocky]

What really do AMW have left to accomplish as a tag team? Nothing. They will be known as that great tag team that really kicked off the TNA tag division. They brought respect back to tag team wrestling as a whole. They have solidified themselves amongst the best tag teams of this decade, (ya i know that's not saying much). Simply put, it was time for a split. If the singles career doesn't work for either, fine, put them back together.

All tag teams break up eventually. Name one tag team in recent years that haven't gone their separate ways. These guys are competitors. There is nothing left to go for in the tag division. They need to prove to themselves that it is time to move on and that they can accomplish individual goals. What would have happened if the Rockers never split? Shawn Michaels would still be dragging Marty Jannetty around.

The Blindfold match was a very bad idea. In context to the storyline, you give it a pass. Guy has his eye poked out, so it fits. It's just like with Jake Roberts getting sprayed by "Arrogance" to set up his blindfold match with Rick Martel. The match sucks, but it's apart of a bigger story.

The Texas Death Match fits well with the former cowboy gimmicks. It's a bad ass no holds barred, beat the mans ass until he can't get up again. I love it. Let the storyline unfold, don't judge a three act play after the first act.

 

[ExtremeRage81]

Points taken. However, while true that all tag teams break up at some point, not all of them work out. Example, the Steiner Bros. Both have sucked up a storm ever since they split up. Scott isn't that great and Rick is even worse. Then there is Harlem Heat. Booker T was the only one with talent and Stevie Ray was painful to watch. The Gangstas (Albeit not the greatest team) only had one good one and that was New Jack. The Eliminators, both fell apart after that.

The point I'm trying to make is that I don't want to see happen to AMW the same fate as some teams like the Steiners. In fact, they're the worst case scenario of all of it. The one difference being is that Harris and Storm do have skill. Scott Steiner hasn't had the skill he once had in years. He traded strength and agility for bulk and slowness and Rick, seriously did he ever have skill?

I just don't want to see this being a mistake for two great wrestlers like Harris and Storm. That's all.