|
|
|
|
|
MANIAK MOMENTS |
EPISODE 11: MATCH 1 |
Episode: 11 Match: 1
Johnny Showtime vs. Chase Richards
Event: GATHERING OF THE MANIAKZ
Date: 08/16/01
Duration: 8:24
(*Audio Disclaimer: The audio is jacked up. It’s probably best to watch it with the audio up to a lower level. If you adjust a little, it works and you can still hear some commentary, the crowd, and the bump sounds. This is a horror of dealing with old VHS tapes. I suppose it’s good that I’m transferring these over to some form of digital copy before these tapes turn to ash or something. Sorry about that, but it’s still definitely worth checking out. *)
So many emotions about this match. This is the very first match I booked professionally. Showtime, a long time friend taking on Chase Richards, a close new friend at the time. To me this was what MEW was all about. Old friends and new putting on a show of our own that would be different than all the other companies in the Chicagoland area. Showtime had the year or so in the business advantage than everyone so he was pretty much our “vet”. But at one year in, he was still green as grass. Chase was doing 450’s to the outside, jumping off balconies, and going crazy for a while… but still under a year in. I didn’t care. To me, this was the best match I could put together. No matter how much I felt this way, these two just never meshed well together. They beat the hell out of each other and go back and forth. Then it happens at the end. Showtime hits the “Vertebraker”. You can see that empty look in Chase’s eyes. That’s him not knowing if he’s paralyzed or not. It landed wrong on his neck and for the rest of the night Chase’s arm was tingling and numb. Freaked all of us out to all ends. He STILL wrestled in a battle royal and in the Tag Team Title Main Event… and he still changed his tights. At this point, reality set in. I was living my dream but I was also responsible for the safety and literally the life of the locker room. That’s a lot of pressure for an 18 year old. I’m just thankful everyone is okay and we got this over with. Like my great great grandfather used to say, “It’s all good and fun until someone nearly gets paralyzed stealing a Shane Helms move”. My great great grandfather also time traveled.
| | |
