"And making his WWE debut... ARSON ASMODI!"
With Lillian Garcia's announcement, my music hits and I walk out in front of a WWE crowd for the very first time. The roar isn't exactly deafening, as nobody had any idea who I am and this is a dark match, but still, it is the largest crowd I have ever worked in front of and it sends my adrenaline into overflow.
My opponent is a guy named Ron Alexander. He's a local jobber who is just here for a paycheck. He'd given up on any chance of success several years ago. I'm here to earn a spot in the WWE. Losing the match doesn't necessarily mean that I won't make the roster, anymore than winning guarantees a spot. What's important is that I look good and impress the powers-that-be, which I fully intend to do.
Once in the ring, I have a better opportunity to see just how many people are in the crowd. There have to be at least 15,000 fans filling the arena already. The largest crowd I have ever worked in front of before tonight was around 300 people. That was in the indy leagues, however, and this is Monday Night Raw.
Before I can truly soak in my surroundings, the bell rings and the match is underway. We meet in the center of the ring and go into a Collar and Elbow tie up. Ron immediately slides into a Side Headlock, just as I expected an old veteran to do. He's probably never seen me wrestle, so I'm sure he underestimates my strength. I decide to take him by surprise.
Grabbing him around the waist, I lift him up as if to drop him back on his neck & shoulders. I can tell that he's taking the bait because he shifts his weight to minimize the impact, so at the last minute I reverse it and drop him forward, smashing his tailbone onto my knee with an Atomic Drop. He stumbles forward and then turns just in time to eat a Drop Kick to the chin. Now it's on!
Quickly to my feet, I grab Alexander and Irish Whip him into the ropes. As he rebounds, I catch him with a high Hip Toss and quickly twist to drop my leg across his throat. As I pull him to his feet, he punches me in the gut but I shake it off and smash my forearm into his face. I then Body Slam him and stomp away at his head.
The referee backs me up and I wait for Ron to get to his feet. I consider going for my finisher but decide a little more demonstration is necessary to really show the backstage brass who I am. I whip my winded opponent into the ropes again and this time catch him with a 360( Sidewalk Slam. I run to the ropes and leap, springboarding off the second rope backwards into a Leg Drop.
Now it's time to end the match. I pull Alexander to his feet one last time and whip him into the ropes. As he rebounds, I catch him and quickly lift him up into position for a Vertical Suplex. I keep him up briefly and then, holding his head tightly, allow his body to fall backwards. At the same time, I bend forward, snapping his head back hard, and then quickly stand upright and release him, sending him crashing face first into the mat. After that, it's a simple matter of rolling him over and hooking his leg for the 1..2..3 and I have my first WWE victory.
*****
Backstage, Jim Ross meets me and congratulates me on the victory.
"What the hell do you call that finisher?" he asks, sounding impressed.
"Ragnorak," I respond.
"Hell of a move. Hell of a move. You looked great out there. I'd like to put you in another dark match at tomorrow's Smackdown taping, let's give you a little more competition and see how you do. Can you make the trip to Colorado Springs?"
"Definitely," I assure him. I'd walk cross country for a shot at being a WWE superstar, an hour and a half drive was nothing.
"Great. Stick around and watch the show and I'll see you tomorrow." He shakes my hand and then walks off to watch the next try out.
"Thanks!" I call out behind him. Things were looking good. I seemed to have impressed Jim Ross and since he was the man who made the decisions on hiring new talent, that had to be good. I was on my way to earning a spot on the WWE roster and all was well.
With Lillian Garcia's announcement, my music hits and I walk out in front of a WWE crowd for the very first time. The roar isn't exactly deafening, as nobody had any idea who I am and this is a dark match, but still, it is the largest crowd I have ever worked in front of and it sends my adrenaline into overflow.
My opponent is a guy named Ron Alexander. He's a local jobber who is just here for a paycheck. He'd given up on any chance of success several years ago. I'm here to earn a spot in the WWE. Losing the match doesn't necessarily mean that I won't make the roster, anymore than winning guarantees a spot. What's important is that I look good and impress the powers-that-be, which I fully intend to do.
Once in the ring, I have a better opportunity to see just how many people are in the crowd. There have to be at least 15,000 fans filling the arena already. The largest crowd I have ever worked in front of before tonight was around 300 people. That was in the indy leagues, however, and this is Monday Night Raw.
Before I can truly soak in my surroundings, the bell rings and the match is underway. We meet in the center of the ring and go into a Collar and Elbow tie up. Ron immediately slides into a Side Headlock, just as I expected an old veteran to do. He's probably never seen me wrestle, so I'm sure he underestimates my strength. I decide to take him by surprise.
Grabbing him around the waist, I lift him up as if to drop him back on his neck & shoulders. I can tell that he's taking the bait because he shifts his weight to minimize the impact, so at the last minute I reverse it and drop him forward, smashing his tailbone onto my knee with an Atomic Drop. He stumbles forward and then turns just in time to eat a Drop Kick to the chin. Now it's on!
Quickly to my feet, I grab Alexander and Irish Whip him into the ropes. As he rebounds, I catch him with a high Hip Toss and quickly twist to drop my leg across his throat. As I pull him to his feet, he punches me in the gut but I shake it off and smash my forearm into his face. I then Body Slam him and stomp away at his head.
The referee backs me up and I wait for Ron to get to his feet. I consider going for my finisher but decide a little more demonstration is necessary to really show the backstage brass who I am. I whip my winded opponent into the ropes again and this time catch him with a 360( Sidewalk Slam. I run to the ropes and leap, springboarding off the second rope backwards into a Leg Drop.
Now it's time to end the match. I pull Alexander to his feet one last time and whip him into the ropes. As he rebounds, I catch him and quickly lift him up into position for a Vertical Suplex. I keep him up briefly and then, holding his head tightly, allow his body to fall backwards. At the same time, I bend forward, snapping his head back hard, and then quickly stand upright and release him, sending him crashing face first into the mat. After that, it's a simple matter of rolling him over and hooking his leg for the 1..2..3 and I have my first WWE victory.
Backstage, Jim Ross meets me and congratulates me on the victory.
"What the hell do you call that finisher?" he asks, sounding impressed.
"Ragnorak," I respond.
"Hell of a move. Hell of a move. You looked great out there. I'd like to put you in another dark match at tomorrow's Smackdown taping, let's give you a little more competition and see how you do. Can you make the trip to Colorado Springs?"
"Definitely," I assure him. I'd walk cross country for a shot at being a WWE superstar, an hour and a half drive was nothing.
"Great. Stick around and watch the show and I'll see you tomorrow." He shakes my hand and then walks off to watch the next try out.
"Thanks!" I call out behind him. Things were looking good. I seemed to have impressed Jim Ross and since he was the man who made the decisions on hiring new talent, that had to be good. I was on my way to earning a spot on the WWE roster and all was well.