[Thelonious Monk's version of "Memories of You" plays as the shot opens on the skyline of The Crescent City of New Orleans, Louisiana.  We see the mighty Mississippi River, barges and paddlewheels filling the screen.  There's the French Quarter, and the New Orleans Museum of Art. We see the Louis XVI Restaurant, and the enormous Superdome. The shot and the music fade, replaced by Marilyn Manson's "Dogma" and quick images of "Midnight in Mexico", Pain Inc.'s attack on the Dark Disciples, two wild brawls with Chris Quigley/Simon Lebec and Marty Warnett, the Genesis assault on Ronnie Paris and Subway Psycho... Now the shot is of Lord Byron, attacking Duncan Macbeth, leading to his countout loss. And now it is Brody Thunder, the "Lone Wolf" battling three-time Intercontinental Champion Tiger Claw, defeating him with the flying DDT, and then calling out IIWF Heavyweight Champion Casey James. The music fades and the shot dissolves into the opening title:] ##### ###### ### ########## ########## ########## #### ## ########## ########## ########## #### # #### ######## ##### ##### #### ## ##### #### #### #### #### ### #### #### #### #### ############# ######### #### #### ########### ######### #### #### #### #### #### ######### ######### ### #### #### ######### ######### ### ## #### ######## ######## ## # #### =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ## =-=-=-= INTERNATIONAL INTERNET WRESTLING FEDERATION =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "INSIDE THE IIWF" with Tim Dross Tuesday 10 June 1997 ----------------------------------------------- ["Voodoo Child" by Jimi Hendrix plays as we fade in on a darkened entranceway, illumination provided only by the rare candle.  We are able to see cherubic forms suspended on the walls as we go further into the building... pink cheeked representations of deified Catholics serve as guides as we get closer into the main room.  More candles are present now... and the room is bathed in a sort of blueish-green light, much of which seems to eminate from the icon in the center of the room, identified as Ezili Danto, the Black Madonna. A small group of darkly dressed people tend to the "bone garden" which surrounds the perimeter of the room, and a large woman in flowing black robes leads what appears to be a seance of some type in the background. More than a few snakes slither in and out of the mist that fills the lower two feet of the room. And amidst this... is the clearly annoyed Tim Dross.] TD: Well, hello everybody and welcome to "Inside the IIWF".  This is your weekly look at all the news, views, reviews and previews... highlights and sidelights... cheers and jeers.  A look behind at the week that was and up ahead at what will be here in the finest wrestling Federation in the world today... the _mighty_ IIWF! I am still Tim Dross.  And this week the Coronation Clash Crusade Tour brings us to the Crescent City of New Orleans.  And yes, after consecutive weeks at Bondage A Go-Go and then in a Tijuana prison, I was greatly looking forward to my visit to N'Awlins. K-Paul's... The Praline Connection... Broussard's... I ain't picky, folks. Just send me to Popeye's for a po-boy and I'm good to go. However, we are here, at the New Orleans Voodoo Spirtual Temple, where, from what I understand, the "Service of the Loa" is going on behind us. The High Priestess Miriam Chamani and her... er, friends... are attempting to channel whatever spirits might be cloaked within us here at "Inside". [Dross looks off camera, gazing apparently in the directions of the Steves.  Dross gives an involuntary shudder.] Gosh, can't tell you all how glad I am to be here.  Thank you, Acting President Owens.  Despite our rather eclectic surroundings, we had a heckuva bang up Saturday Night from Juarez last week.  So let's kick this puppy off... [A loud barking begins from the back, then the sound of a whimpering dog.] Just an expression!  Hey folks, just an expression.  Here are the headlines. ************************************************************************ ----------------------------- HEADLINES ------------------------------ ************************************************************************ TD: How much longer, folks?  How much longer will a man like Brody Thunder be kept down? Saturday Night, the "Lone Wolf" thrilled a highly partisan crowd with a victory over his former stablemate Tiger Claw... and then demanded from IIWF Champion Casey James a real shot at the big belt to come in two weeks, on June 21. Thunder showed exactly why he was tabbed as a future champion by numerous insiders way back when he debuted in the IIWF last Autumn. Thunder was sharp... Thunder was strong... and Thunder was decisive in his pinfall win over the three-time IC beltholder. Then came the challenge.  Brody Thunder called the Heavyweight Champion out, requesting a title shot to come on June 21st when the Coronation Clash Crusade Tour hits the Cap. Center in the Washington D.C. suburb of Landover, Maryland.  Which is, of course, home territory to the Heavyweight Champ himself.   What makes this particularly intriguing is the stipulation attached by Thunder -- that the title match be of the lumberjack variety, where as many as thirty IIWF superstars would surround the ring, their duty to prevent either man from spending undue time outside.  Also, with so many men at ringside, it would have to be an attempt by Thunder to mitigate the effects of the waiting Syndicate, whose presence has been so obtrusive in past James title defenses. It is my understanding that the IIWF suits are real excited about this possibility, and are looking to do whatever it takes to convince the Champ to accept.  It may be a big night from Landover, Maryland in two weeks, folks.  Casey James goes home... and maybe doesn't come back to Portland with his most prized possession -- the IIWF Championship belt. [Dross looks behind, shaking his head at the "seance" that is occuring behind him... and then moves to speak to the High Priestess.] TD: So, Priestess Miriam... exactly what are we doing here today? HP: Tim Dross, we call on the mighty Orishka to deliver to this place the spirts of those who have passed.  Those who have gone.  Those who exist in the ethereal plane. TD: Okay.  Are these the "good ghosts" or "bad ghosts", Priestess? HP: We respond to the spirits this way come, Tim Dross.  There is the Rada... which you would refer to as a "good spirit." There is the Sector Rouge... which you would believe to be a "bad spirit".  And then there is the Zobop. TD: Zobop? HP: That would be the highest of all evil... death befall any man who might bring the Zobop into the holy house of the Spiritual Temple.  A plague as dark as the destruction of a million suns would only be of superficial punishment for a soul as black as that one would need to bring the Zobop into this house. TD: Well, Priestess Miriam... I don't think you have anything to worry about here.  We're fairly upstanding fellows here at "Inside the IIWF". I can't think of anyone in our little family who might bring about this Zobop person.  I can't even imagine that would come about at all. [Dross gives a brief look at the camera -- and then continues.] ************************************************************************ ------------------------ SUPERSTAR OF THE WEEK ----------------------- ************************************************************************ TD: Well, folks, we have an unusual number of candidates this week. Deathbringer and Creed returned to action with big victories, the Last Resort continued their winning ways and Team Sychosys got a countout win in a wild scene against the Prophets of Rage.  Ike Sampson scored perhaps the biggest win of his young career by taking advantage of European Alliance intererference to defeat Mad Dog Watkins. And, in a tremendous homecoming, local boy Ronnie Paris took another step in establishing himself at the top of the Cruiserweight heap with a victory over Derek Mota. But the Superstar of the Week... is Requiem. Folks, many of us have simply been too stunned by the rapidity with which they have moved to give a proper analysis of this man -- and the group called Genesis.  But in the weeks following their shocking formation, we have seen enough of this "Genesis" to safely say a few things. 1. Requiem is phenomenally talented.  Put everything else aside, and you still have to deal with the accomplishments of this man.  Requiem has defeated both Deathbringer and Subway Psycho -- and defeated each man convicingly, leaving little doubt as to who was the better wrestler. This "Angel of Destruction" possesses a rare combination of size and speed that has dominated all of his recent competiton.  Add to that the obvious skills of Highwayman, Cold Spell, Nightwing and possibly Derek Mota, and you have a stable which is potentially unlike any other in the IIWF. 2. They're bad guys. Not just bad guys, but folks, regardless of what my young friend Steve might allege, these are rotten to the core.  Attacks on people like Violence Unlimited could be undertstood, if not condoned.  Their beatings of people like Ike Sampson and Scott Rogers were certainly worthy of condemnation, but frankly, in this sport, those types of things are to be expected from a stable trying to "make a name" here in the IIWF. But this past Saturday Night, without any provocation, Genesis took out two fan favorites, Ronnie Paris and Subway Psycho -- leaving the "People's Champion", in particular, beaten to a degree that he will miss perhaps several weeks of action. Some have said that Genesis acts for a "higher purpose"  Young Nightwing even seems to believe it -- referring to the IIWF as "oppressors", thereby characterizing the actions of his band of thieves in a cloak of nobility. But the cloak is threadbare, folks.  And as long as men like Nightwing and Icehawk of Cold Spell continue to stand by and condone the actions of Requiem and the Highwayman -- they deserve to be thought of in a similar vein.  [Steve Summer bursts into the shot, nearly trampling over the group of women who continue their "seance", their efforts apparently nearing some type of fruition as an apparition of some type looks to be forming on the back wall.  Summer is wearing an IIWF blazer over top of a t-shirt which reads "Let's Get Smooooooth!"] SS: Mr. Dross... come on, Mr. Dross.  You're not being fair. TD: I believe I'm being more than fair, young Summer.  I've left you out of my remarks so far. SS: Ouch.  Okay, Mr. Dross.  I'm a big boy... I've been to Haight-Ashbury and I survived a Mexican prison... whatever you say I can handle. TD: Okay, well, Steve, you were the voice trumpeting this New Generation vs. Old Generation rivalry -- and now not only has it come to pass, it seems to have been passed by, the phrase that keeps coming up now is the "Genesis Generation" -- and their assaults certainly don't seem to have a Generational component whatsoever. SS: It's just gotten so big, Mr. Dross.  I mean, I knew something was coming, you know.  Nightwing's right, I think -- I mean, he gets it more than, say, Mr. Witt does... no offense to Mr. Witt.  But it's not about age, it's about time at the top.  And a guy like Nightwing sees that wrestlers who just aren't as good as he is continue to get the big matches and the big dollars and it really irritates him -- I know it does. TD: Well, I think some of the men... I think all of the men at the top would object to this characterization -- and the composition at the top has begun to change... look at the success of The Age of the Rage. SS: Ahhhhhhh! Mr. Dross, you're driving me bonkers!   Of course guys don't like being told they're over the hill.  Doesn't mean that nobody is over the hill.  And yeah... heck yeah, the top has changed... why... because I -- because guys have forced the issue.  The revolution isn't about to happen, Mr. Dross.  It's already happened. Whether it's the Rages or the Black Pack -- can I say that, Mr. Dross? TD: Not really, no. SS: Well, whoever it is -- the new guys are taking over.  It's happening right now!  TD: Well, Steve, what about the Genesis attack on a good friend of yours, Ronnie Paris?  Do you support that kind of behavior by Requiem and Genesis?  And where was Cold Spell during the events of Saturday Night -- have they gotten some sense and left that gang? SS: Uh, well.  Okay, first of all, Cold Spell hasn't broken away from Genesis.  I talked to Icehawk just today and they were training for Fitz's match against Casey James in the NLWP -- which he won by the way. Shout out to Fitz! I'd really rather not talk about Ronnie Paris, Mr. Dross.  I mean, it's sort of a tough thing to talk about.  I wish that Requiem would go a different way with all of this -- I wish he'd just keep it against some of the older generation guys.  But I understand what they're saying. They're just about Genesis.  And you're either with them, or you're against them. TD: And are you with them or against them, Steve? SS: I'm...I'm...  I've gotta go, Mr. Dross.  I mean, this is nice and all, but the snakes and everything.  I mean, I have some people to talk to and all.  So, we can do Summertime next week... I guess.  Thanks everybody! [Summer exits the shot, giving a high pitched squeal as he hurdles the collective of snakes which are now guarding the doorway.] TD: Well, there you go.  Requiem is your Superstar of the Week -- and here are some highlights of the rest of "Midnight in Mexico". [Miles Davis' "How Am I To Know" plays over a highlight package while the results roll.] Brody Thunder def. Tiger Claw Creed def. Duncan Macbeth (CO) Chris Quigley draw Billy Shakespeare Team Sychosys def. Prophets of Rage (CO) Requiem def. Subway Psycho Ike Sampson def. Mad Dog Watkins Ronnie Paris def. Derek Mota Last Resort def. Dark Disciples Deathbringer def. Serge Annis ************************************************************************ ------------------- FIRST LOOK: Wednesday War Room ------------------- ************************************************************************ TD: Well, this Wednesday the Coronation Clash Crusade Tour will be coming from downtown New Orleans, where the partyingest city in North America will suddenly run smack into the force that is the _mighty_ IIWF. Here is your First Look at all the action: ------------------------------------------ Marty Warnett vs. Scott "the Whine" Bloom "Real Deal" Luke Steele vs. El Super Gecko ------------------------------------------ Each of these men is headed for a busy, busy IIWF week.  Marty Warnett finds himself embroiled in what is stoking up as a white hot feud in the IIWF, with Chris Quigley, Billy Shakespeare and Simon Lebec all involved in one fashion or another. Luke Steele, on the other hand, earned a victory over Takezo Musashi last Wednesday Night -- and will be looking to continue his roll this week with victories over the Gecko and then the monstrous Otto Verhoeven on Saturday Night.  ------------------------------- Ike Sampson vs. Ned Norton Tiger Claw vs. Jumpin' Jack Pain Inc. vs. Barnacle Brothers ------------------------------- Young Ike Sampson, as mentioned earlier, nabbed a big victory on Saturday Night -- with a little help from Otto Verhoeven and Lord Byron -- and will be looking to see his good fortune continue this week.  The Syndicate will also make its New Orleans presence felt, Tiger Claw and Pain Inc. are each scheduled for action.  Claw is almost certainly heading for some type of confrontation with Derek Mota, who attacked him brutally this week with what he referred to as a "fossil award". This was not Mota's only asault at "Midnight in Mexico"... earlier, following his hotly contested loss to Ronnie Paris, the young Mota seemed to side with Genesis in their post-match onslaught upon the third generation superstar. Pain Inc. and the Dark Disciples are each still officially Syndicate stablemates of the Claw -- but certainly don't seem to be acting much like comrades these days. Their relationship has boiled over to an untenable point, and it is entirely possible that this feud may be coming to a head in the near future as well.  Perhaps, as near as June 21. ------------------------------------------- Violence Unlimited vs. High Plains Drifters Duncan Macbeth vs. Edmund Fitzgerald ------------------------------------------- Well, here's a potential recipe for disaster, folks. Every time Violence Unlimited and Cold Spell have been in the same arena since the IIWF debut of VU, these two teams have been in each others' faces. And it's sure to be no different tomorrow night.  Violence Unlimited will hook up with the High Plains Drifters, who just last week retired the Hangmen. Incidentally, folks, another retirement was noted just yesterday when Rising Sun Revolution did what had been expected, quite frankly, and announced that they too were leaving the IIWF.  RSR certainly can stake a claim as the finest tag team in Federation history, and at one time were not just the hottest unit, but the talk of all the IIWF.  As with the Hangmen, we wish them luck in all of their future endeavors. For Cold Spell, it is a different look this Wednesday, Edmund Fitzgerald, who is a singles competitor of note in some local promotions, will make his debut tomorrow night in IIWF singles competition, matching up against young Duncan Macbeth.  ------------------------------ Simon Lebec vs. Danny Dynamite ------------------------------ An intriguing matchup here between two of the IIWF's more entertaining performers.  Simon Lebec has created quite a stir in the IIWF's front offices with some of his more inflammatory comments on what may turn out to be his short-lived Saturday Night program, "The Final Cut".  He will be pressed into action this Wednesday with another member of the Syndicate, Danny Dynamite. -------------------------------- Joe Petrow vs. Harlequin Tragedy -------------------------------- How about this treat for the people of downtown New Orleans?  The Sychopaths visit Bourbon St.  Unbelievable.  And this is a real personal feud here, folks, stemming perhaps from the attack on Halequin Melody by Petrow during that wild "Audience Participation" match at Birthday Bash. Well, it continued this week, when the Harlequins made their presence felt during the Sychosys/Prophets match on Saturday Night.  Tragedy is another singles competitor of note, who has been almost exclusively consigned to the tag ranks in recent months... perhaps this signifies a return to the singles' rolls here in the IIWF. It's sure to be a great night of action, and Larry Morton and Becky LaRue will bring the big recap to you on Wednesday War Room! [A huge puff of smoke goes up in the background and an offscreen GONG is heard as the disembodied voice of the High Priestess Miriam wafts through the shot.] HP: He has come.  The one who is tormented has come.  [Dross whirls around to see the illuminated back wall... as now a particular shape is definitely beginning to take form.  It is the shape of a folding table.  And then the High Priestess speaks again, but in a voice which is not her own.  In a voice which, in fact, is that of a raspy middle aged black man.] HP: Dross!  Goddamn Dross!  What the hell's going on out there? TD: That sounds like... Bob?  Is that... is that you, Bob? HP: Goddamn right, Dross, you so and so, you son of an unnamed goat, how the hell are you? TD: Folks, that sure sounds like... and keep in mind I am as sceptical about this as anyone... that sure sounds like Bulldog Brown! HP: Damn skippy, it's Bulldog Brown.  Listen Dross, I don't have much time -- heard you talking about that Petrow and I wanted to say something. TD: Bulldog... I have so many questions.  Where are you?  How is it?  Is your family there?  What about God? What about... HP: Dammit Dross, you always were a chatty little guy.  Listen, I just want to talk about Petrow, can you do that for a dead brother? TD: Sure, Bulldog, sure. [The High Priestess now seems to...well to lumber on over near the camera.] HP: Petrow - Leave Me The Hell Alone!  Damn, boy.  I'm a tired old man, just let me be.  Sure, the Seven Tables of Fear match was cute and all, but did those little pissant fans of your really have to bring me back a second time?  No more tables -- no more fear -- why don't you just get in the ring and wrestle somebody like I used to do, night in and night out...we rode the buses and put on the tights... my forehead is a goddamn roadmap of the juice I had to spill all across the midwest... I remember one time in Kansas City where I was in an iron man match with Gatekeeper Jones... [Dross motions the camera away from the High Priestess as she continues, on and on...] TD: Thanks for stopping by, Bulldog -- I'm sure we all appreciated your being able to take time out of your busy afterlife to share some anecdotes with us on "Inside". ************************************************************************ --------------------- SHOOT, SOUNDBITE! SHOOT! ----------------------- ************************************************************************ [The High Priestess has now collapsed to the floor, no longer speaking as Bulldog Brown... instead a barrage of largely unintelligible gibberish is heard, snatches of converation, all in angry male voices, are discernable from the off camera High Priestess.] "$10,000 to bodyslam me...I did so bench press 730 pounds...I have to do what with Pat....damn you Fritz...damn you Fritz...damn you Fritz...he's not my son you lying...pass me some tequila, Eddie... work, you over paid son of a..." [The audiotaped voice of Sparkplug Lee and the familiar sound of Eddie Van Halen's guitar are then heard...] SL: Ladies and gentlemen... Steve "Soundbite" Roberts! ["Running with the Devil" begins as Roberts enters the shot, he is wearing his customary leather jacket above a white t-shirt which simply has one word: "Who?"] TD: Well, Soundbite... I see you've made it to the voodoo palace here in New Orleans. SR: Dross...my man, Dross. Really enjoying the show so far. Let's see, snakes crawling all over the place..Summer hands you your lunch in that debate... and then this crazy broad over here starts speaking in tongues. Baby, I think you need something more severe than tongue -- you know what I'm saying? [The High Priestess immediately stops her convulsing, looks Roberts dead in the eye, and in a devastatingly breathy, sultry voice says:] HP: Shoot, Soundbite! Shoot! [And then she collpases in a heap on the floor.] TD: Good grief. SR: What can I say, Dross? The spooky chicks dig the Soundbite. TD: I assume you have a few remarks? SR: Well, hell, Dross - you did most of the shooting tonight - what the heck's gotten into you, big man? I guess prison will harden a guy. At least, that's what Summer was saying. Not that there's anything wrong with that. TD: Of course not. SR: Anyway, I gotta say hello to your friend and mine, Lord Byron. Dross, are these European Alliance guys brilliant or what? The Butcher spanks Mad Dog, costing him a win, and then Byron saves that punk Creed's butt in his match. You know, that's what's good, Dross. You can talk all you want about the "New Face Jobbers" or the Harlem Globetrotters or ABBA or whatever kind of stables are forming around these days. The fact is when you're talking about production... when you're talking about ass kicking -- you're talking the European Alliance, and you are talking the Syndicate. Now that's something you'd think Brody Thunder woulda got by now, Dross. You'd think after all those months of watching the masters at work -- that he woulda figured out the way this game is played. Apparently he's just too dumb. You want a lumberjack match, Thunder? A lumberjack match? On June 21st -- in Casey James' hometown? Let me explain this to you, Thunder... a lumberjack match only works for you if you have friends. Who exactly are your "buddies" in the IIWF, Thunder? Derek Mota? Forget it. Casey James and the Syndicate are gonna show you exactly what's in store when they beat the heck out of that schizophrenic Canadian punk Saturday Night. Who else, Thunder? Mad Dog Watkins? Joe Petrow? Creed? You've made enemies out of everybody in this Federation, Thunder -- I bet even J.W. Hardin himself would turn his back on you in a lumberjack match. Forget it Thunder, just go chop down trees, wear high heels and go to the lavatree, because there ain't no lumberjack match gonna win you anything on June 21st. TD: Somehow, I think we'll be hearing that reference again. SR: It's a cultured group, moron. TD: Now, Steve Roberts, it is time. After their actions on Saturday, after they beat the heck out of two men for whom you have no affection whatsoever -- Subway Psycho and Ronnie Paris -- you have to have... Steve Roberts, you must have feelings about this awesome Requiem and the group called Genesis. [Soundbite pauses a moment, holds open his jacket wide to expose his t-shirt, and then thrusts a thumb at that one word... "Who?" "Running With The Devil" immediately kicks in again -- and Roberts moves from the shot.] TD: Good grief. SL: The Soundbite has left the building... the Soundbite -- [The music and Sparkplug tape cut off dramatically as the High Priestess rises again and with a wild-eyed look of sheer terror says the word, "Zobop", before letting out a scream -- and then her voice changes again. It is a male voice. It is a sarcastic, angry... well, just flat wrong male voice.] HP: Hey, Stephanie! Hey, Stephanie! Why don't you drag your fat ass back here and get your old man a beer, you no-talent bitch. [Soundbite creeps back in the shot, staring at the High Priestess as if he has seen his worst red nightmare leap up and bite him.] SR: D...Dad? HP: Well, don't just stare at me, loser. Get me something to drink. What the hell's your problem - haven't you ever seen your dead father come back as a broad before. Hey, take a look at the jugs on me! SR: Wh..what do you w...what can I...? HP: Still dumb as ever - you were a loser when you were a kid, Stephanie, and you're a loser now. Hey, folks in TV land -- you wanna hear about how Stephanie here used to sit in his bedroom all day long -- playing Monopoly by himself because he didn't have any friends? Hah! What a joke -- what a damn joke of a son -- always tugging at his momma's skirts. Pathetic. I've crapped better that you, Stephanie. TD: I don't think that's necessary at all, Mr. Roberts -- Steve Roberts is a highly respected, er... well, he is highly respected by millions of wrestling fans. And I'm proud to call him, my friend. HP: Oh, you're one of those, are you, Dross? One of those, huh? Okay, this'll be a good story for you... Stephanie's about eight years old, when I come into his bedroom, and he's sleeping or talking to himself, with that lisp that he used to have. Hey, Stephanie -- say "My name is Steve." Go on, it'll be fun. SR: A...It was...I'm... HP: Yeah, some broadcaster. Anyway, I go into little Stephanie's room and I tell him that I bought a puppy for him. That after work - I went to the pet store and I bought this cute little puppy just for him. TD: Well, that was nice of you, Mr. Roberts. HP: Yeah, I'm a freakin' Prince. Anyway, little Steph here was all excited -- I mean, because he didn't have a pet before, or a friend for that matter. So, he starts jumping up and down, wanting to give me a hug, the little fairy. Anyway, then I says... you'll love this, Dross. then I says, "But then I pulled off the side of the road -- and I killed that puppy. I didn't like its face." You love that, Dross? Ain't I a pistol? TD: Mr. Roberts, I'm going to politely ask you, one more time, to leave. And leave now. HP: No... no, wait. It gets better. The thing of it is -- I didn't kill the puppy. I made the whole thing up, Dross. Why would I ever buy little Stephanie a puppy in the first place? SR: I...I...Arrrgghhhhhh! [Roberts jumps atop the High Priestess, choking the old woman's neck, screaming "I loved you, you bastard... I loved you..." as he chokes the woman out. The other black-robed denizens of the voodod temple leap to the High Priestess' defense, all rolling along the floor... rolling right out of the shot. They've knocked a number of the candles in the room over, not only leaving the room in virtual darkness, but starting what appears to be a fire in the background.] SL: The Soundbite has left the building... the Soundbite has left the building. TD: Steve "Soundbite" Roberts, ladies and gentlemen. [First Look - IIWF Saturday Night] TD: Well, folks, we have another big card of action on you way live from New Orleans this week. Here is your _First Look_ at what will go down. 1. Ronnie Paris vs. Nightwing 2. Requiem/Highwayman vs. Serge Annis 3. Cold Spell vs. Zodiac Connection 4. IIWF WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Prophets of Rage [c] vs. The Harlequins 5. Tony Starks vs. "Enigma" Takezo Musashi 6. Otto Verhoeven vs. Luke Steele 7. IIWF CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Dirt Dog Unique Allah [c] vs. "Spotlight" Billy Shakespeare 8. IIWF INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Lord Byron [c] vs. Mad Dog Watkins 9. NON-TITLE: Casey James [c] vs. Derek Mota Nine big matches coming your way -- three titles on the line; Lord Byron should get a bit more crowd support that he is used to when he meets Mad Dog Watkins, and the Age of the Rage will put their belts on the line against some truly stiff competition in Billy Shakespeare and the Harlequins... and a big Main Event non-title matchup between Casey James and Derek Mota. Will James give Brody Thunder the answer for which he is looking? We'll also see two definite grudge matches involving Genesis: Requiem to meet Serge Annis and Nightwing battling Ronnie Paris. Add in Cold Spell, the Butcher... and a tough man's tussle between Tony Starks and the Enigma -- and you have a white hot card coming your way this Saturday Night! ************************************************************************ ---------------- UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Serge Annis ------------------ ************************************************************************ TD: Also white hot has been the intensity of the man known as Serge Annis. So little is known about this reknowned superstar who shocked the world last Saturday Night when he chose to align himself with the Deathbringer against Genesis. Larry Morton had a chance to sit down this week with the "Epitome of Evil" in what indeed was an illuminating encounter. [The camera shows a shot of Serge Annis walking down an isle in slow motion, in black and white. Larry Morton starts a voice over.] LM: Ever since Serge Annis arrived on scene in mid-December, he has yet to make a lasting impression on the IIWF." [A clip of Annis chokeslamming a jobber is shown is slow motion, B&W] Recently, Serge Annis' future in IIWF was literally, up in flames,   and the "Epitome of Evil" was close to walking through the IIWF's doors, for the last time. [A clip of Serge smiling at a camera is shown and freezes, again in B&W] What caused Serge Annis to become the man he is today? What really   happened in his past? And why did he decide to stay in IIWF? I conducted an up close and personal interview with the self professed "Epitome of Evil" a few short days ago, and found out some shocking, and rather unbelievable things about Serge Annis. For the viewers, we now go to parts of this one on one interview I had with Serge Annis. [The screen shows an empty IIWF studio. The lights are dimmed, except for two stage lights on two chairs in the middle of the floor. In one, sits veteran IIWF personality, Larry Morton, and in the other the 6'8, 293 pound Serge Annis wearing black jeans, and a white shirt saying 'EPITOME' across it.] LM: Serge, I know one thing that goes through everyone's minds when they    see, and hear about you. Why do you call yourself the "Epitome of    Evil"? SA: A man with my mentality and outlook and life, Larry, cannot be on the side of good. There is no way that it would be allowed. The term "evil" is very mis-used. Evil, in my aspects means harmful, vicious,     wicked and corrupt. That is exactly what I am to everyone else. And    if that makes me evil, then so be it. LM: Okay. Now Serge, answer this if you can. You have always eluded to a tortured childhood. I don't think anyone has really had the courage to ask you this, but Serge, what happened to you when you were a    child? [Serge looks around the room and places his hands on his lap.] SA: To be honost, a whole hell of a lot, Larry. Did you ever grow up with an abusive father, Larry? Did you spend your nights, locked downstairs in your basement right after you got home from school?  Were you ever hit across the face by a loved one when you made a simple mistake like leaving the milk out? Were you ever chained to a wall, so you wouldn't escape to call the pollice? Let me ask you Larry Morton... did you ever see your two most loved people in the world, die right before you? I did, Larry. I did all the above... every single one of them, I lived through each and every day of my life growing up. LM: [pause] That is... rather shocking... SA: Shocking for you, maybe, but truth for me! Larry, I survived the days downstairs in the basement... watching and old black and white television. I sat in the corner, with the volume real low so no one would hear me. I watched news, I watched cartoons. But what I watched most of all, Larry, was professional wrestling. Ever since I was eight. I wanted to be a professional wrestler. Because they traveled, far, FAR away from home. They had a life on the road. Larry, I spent most of my days in the basement picking scraps off the floor just to eat dinner! I never left the basement except to go school. And each and every day after school, I had to run home. I had to run past all the other kids who stayed and played on the monkey bars. Why? So when I got home, my father would not beat me with a strap! And trust me Larry, if I were just a few moments late, I'd be strapped. I was strapped for many other things too. I was pummeled before. I was beaten untill I couldn't get up. The only thought that rushed through my mind all the while that was happening, was "how much I hate my father!" He inflicted so much pain on me... so much Larry that after a while... I began to enjoy it! Each beating I got, the less it hurt, and the more it tickled! It got to the point where I challenged my dad to smack me accross the face with the strap! And believe you me, he did it. LM: Oh my... couldn't you get help from anybody? SA: Who was I to go to? My teachers? My father told me if I were to tell my teachers, or anyone else... that I would be beaten harder! He even threatened my life. I was too afraid to risk that Larry. Any child would... LM: You spoke earlier, that you saw loved ones die before your eyes. If you do not mind, what do you mean by that? SA: Larry, I was close to my grandparents. My mother died when I was two. My grandparents were all I really had for realatives except for my father. My grandparents were kind, loving people. The opposite of father. And one night, when I was eleven, I saw a ghastly thing Larry. I saw both of my grandparents die in a car accident. They were both crushed in by a drunk driver. Do you know who was in the backseat of that car, Larry? Do you know who had his only loved ones' blood soak into his clothing? LM: I imagine you, Serge. SA: You are damn right it was I! I was there when the grim reaper of death came and took away the two I loved most in this world. Death itself passed right through me, as I laid on the ground in a crippled mess... and I saw it take away my grandparents Larry. From that day on... my heart turned black. I did not care about anything any more. LM: What happened after the tragic death of your grandparents? SA: Life went back to the way it was... only it got worse. The beatings were more frequent. The beatings were more painful. The cruel punishment called life had taken away EVERY chance of hope I ever had...I was 16, Larry. I stood at 6'2, 200 pounds when I was 16... and I was still being tortured... I was still being tormented by my father's abuse... do you know what it is like going through high school like that, Larry? I couldn't join any teams! I had to be home right after school! I didn't get any girlfriends, because no one wanted to date me with my black eyes, bruised face and battered body! I didn't have time to make friends. I was too busy learning when I could, Larry. I learned all I could learn from the school library at lunch hour. I lived a life of senseless abuse until I was sixteen, Larry! Sixteen! That ruined my life! I HAD NO LIFE, LARRY! LM: ...why did it end you turned sixteen? SA: That is a question that is for the fire, Larry. LM: For the fire? I do not quite follow. Does this have anything to do with your obsession with fire?" SA: Larry, fire is my best friend. I enjoy seeing flames burn down things. Burn down walls. When I was sixteen, a miracle happened, Larry. When i was locked up down stairs one night... my father got into his usual drunken state. And he accidentaly knocked over a candle. The flame from the candle spread all through the wooden house in a mere matter of moments... the fire department came, and they looked down to the basement... and they saw me, sitting amongst the flames. I breathed in too much smoke to get up, Larry. Yet I had a smile on my face. I saw the fire burn down the walls that had contained me my entire life... I was free... LM: What happened to your father? SA: My father passed out as he tried to escape the burning house. Not because he breathed in too much smoke, but because he was too damn drunk to move! My father burned to death, Larry. The alcohol that was drenched in his clothing ignited him.  He had no chance... the fire not only freed me from the cellar, but from my father!" LM: Oh my! Well... how did you go from a homeless teenager, to a profesisonal wrestler? SA: I had been put in a home. I never got allong with the other kids. They tried to control me as my father did I... I would not allow it again! I struck anyone that tried to stop me from getting what I wanted Larry. By the time I was 20, I was 6'7, 245 pounds. I knew that I wanted to be like the wrestlers I saw on TV my entire life. Living the life on the road... I got the oportunity to train with The Phantom... and ABC legend. ABC was a federation out of Toronto, a few short minutes from my hometown of Oakville. I was trained by the Phantom. Eventually, I entered the ABC under the name, "Sammy Awsome." They wanted me to pretend I was a bouncer for a local nightclub. I refused to do so. I walked for my first match in basic black tights and boots... I saved all my money for them, and I used the name, Serge Annis... and I crippled my opponent.  I broke the American Mania's neck, Larry Morton. All of that, from a chokeslam. When I felt the power... how good it was to _FINALLY_ dish out what had been done to me for so many years... I cannot explain it, Larry Morton. I was invincible. LM: So, you spent a good chunk of your carrer in ABC? SA: I spent four years in ABC. I was the world champion three times... I only lost the belt because I kept getting suspended for "unsportsmanlike" conduct... I only gave to everyone what society gave to me as a child. Payback Larry, that is what it was... then I moved on to the defunct GWF... I was there for two monthes... I remember my fourth match ever in GWF. I was _NEVER_ a main eventer. I never toured until GWF. I was in awe. My fourth match, I wrestled the biggest name in pro-wrestling... LM: Hulk Hogan... yes, many people remember that bout. SA: I beat The Immortal Hulk Hogan. A rookie Larry. It was the upset of the night, if not the GWF. The GWF collapsed, Larry, after two months. I thought I lost it all... then I received an invitation to the Universal Wrestling Federation... Larry, I went through the entire federation to become their first ever world champion. I have been in UWF since then, and I still am to this day. They truly know why I am the Epitome of Evil... LM: And from there, you entered the IIWF. Let's be frank, Serge, your track record in IIWF has not been too impressive. Your actions certainly did not live up to your reputation from other federations. You never hit it off... SA: You are right in some ways... my reputation is as good as gold, Larry. I've done things that would make you sick to your stomach. My win/loss record may not have been the best... but if you look at my matches, circumstances always had a deciding role in what happened to me. Dan Kauffman... he was what drew me to IIWF. I didn't get my chance to wrestle him at Ringlord. I beat him at WCeW and he whined about it, and said it wasn't fair... I came to IIWF to shut him up, no other reason. Then Dan Kauffman decided to retire... before I got my match. I never asked for one, because he was world champion, and I didn't want that then. Dan Kauffman eventually wrestled me, and I got screwed over by the arrogance and ignorance of Chris Quigley. LM: You indeed lost the match, partially because of Chris Quigley's interference. SA: Since then, I had no real purpose in IIWF. I stuck around because I liked the second pay check. That is the only reason. I showed my talent in UWF, while I was beaten in IIWF... LM: And that takes us up to now... last week, you were as good as gone from IIWF, were you not? SA: That is true. I talked with officials. They told me I wans't cutting my weight around here... they told me I didn't deserve to stick around. And I agreed... I didn't want to be around. Nothing interested me. I was bored... then I received notice from Acting President Steve Owens himself, that I would have to wrestle Deathbringer on Saturday night, in what may have been very well my final IIWF match ever. I didn't care anymore how much I toned down myself. I let it all out on Deathbringer that night. And he still beat me. That is why I now respect Deathbringer. Afterwards, he extended his hand to me... and acted as if I were to have a place in IIWF. I saw it as him rubbing it in... I turned my back on Deathbringer, and the entire IIWF because I was heading out the doors for good." LM: But then later that night, you came out when Deathbringer was being attacked by Genesis with the guitar. What made you come out? SA: I never liked Deathbringer. His idea of being the grim reaper made me so mad... because I have seen the reaper, Larry, as I said earlier... To me, he mocked the loss of my grandparents. But then, as I watched from the monitor, I saw something that caught my eye. Genesis "punking" The Psycho. I heard comments backstage from officials. One comment rung out in my mind. "Genesis are truly evil!" Those words rang in my head as Deathbringer ran by me, and to the ring. I saw as he was pummeled. All I thought was, "Genesis are being called true evil... Genesis are being called true evil!". So I went out there... to teach them a lesson. A lesson, that _I_ am the Epitome of Evil! After it was all said and done, I extended my hand to Deathbringer for I finally respected him, something I do not do often. That handshake formed a bond between Deathbringer and I... i am not sure what it was, or what it is. All I can say, is there is  an "unholy alliance" between he and I. LM: And Genesis, especially Requiem, are none too happy about it. SA: I couldn't care less, Larry... I taught them who the true "evil" was. And now Requiem wants my blood. Requiem, I have spilled my blood so many times, it makes no difference to me how I do it. And if it be in a match with you, then it will be so. But it will end with a chokeslam. LM: Could you tell us all your status in IIWF as of now? SA: Larry, I have meaning here in IIWF once again. I have a reason to   stay. Serge Annis isn't going anywhere... and now that everyone has seen the "real" Serge Annis on Saturday night... expect that every time I wrestle now, Larry. I now care about my career... I'm going to show everyone TRULY, why I am "The Epitome of Evil"... LM: Wow. Thank you Mr. Annis. [Larry nods to the camera and it fades to black with a close-up of Serge bending his head down as if he were praying somewhat.] ************************************************************************ ----------------------- IIWF SINGLES RANKINGS ------------------------ ************************************************************************ as at 7/6/97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name F/H Fought W L D Win% Ranking (old) new ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Casey James H 41 23 16 2 59% (WC) WC Lord Byron H 25 20 5 0 80% (IC) IC Dirt Dog Unique Allah N 21 12 7 2 62% (CW) CW ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Creed N 17 12 4 1 74% (2) 1 Deathbringer H 35 24 8 3 73% (1) 2 Mad Dog Watkins H 17 11 4 2 71% (3) 3 Requiem F 10 6 2 2 70% (9) 4 Otto Verhoeven H 35 23 10 2 69% (5) 5 "Enigma" Takezo Musashi F 32 22 10 0 69% (6) 6 Highwayman F 13 9 4 0 69% (7) 7 Chris Quigley F 31 19 9 3 66% (8) 8 Billy Shakespeare F 41 26 13 2 66% (11) 9 Brody Thunder H 24 15 8 1 65% (13) 10 "Sychosys" Joe Petrow N 17 10 5 2 65% (14) 11 Nightwing F 14 9 5 0 64% (12) 12 Marty Warnett F 41 24 16 1 60% (15) 13 Ike Sampson F 5 3 2 0 60% (16) 14 Mr. Damage H 34 20 14 0 59% (17) 15 Ronnie Paris F 19 11 8 0 58% (18) 16 Duncan Macbeth N 7 4 3 0 57% (10) 17 "Real Deal" Luke Steele F 13 7 6 0 54% (21) 18 Tiger Claw H 50 24 24 2 50% (22) 19 Serge Annis N 15 7 7 1 50% (20) 20 Derek Mota H 12 5 5 2 50% (19) 21 Tony Starks F 8 4 4 0 50% (23) 22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Danny Dynamite H 2 2 0 0 100% (24) 23 Simon Lebec H 1 1 0 0 100% (25) 24 Scott Rogers F 3 2 1 0 67% (26) 25 ------------------------- suspended / injured -------------------------- Steve "Fury" Kowalski H 21 15 6 0 71% (-) - Subway Psycho F 37 24 10 3 69% (4) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ************************************************************************ ----------------------- IIWF TAG TEAM RANKINGS ----------------------- ************************************************************************ as at 7/6/97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name of team F/H Fought W L D Win% Ranking (old) new ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Prophets of Rage H 13 11 2 0 85% (WT) WT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Last Resort F 6 5 1 0 83% (1) 1 Cold Spell F 12 8 4 0 67% (2) 2 The Harlequins N 13 8 5 0 62% (3) 3 High Plains Drifters H 35 20 14 1 59% (4) 4 Pain Inc. H 25 14 10 1 58% (5) 5 Rising Sun Revolution F 19 11 8 0 58% (6) 6 Dark Disciples H 19 10 8 1 55% (7) 7 W & W Express H 13 7 6 0 54% (8) 8 The Zodiac Connection F 27 13 14 0 48% (9) 9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Violence Unlimited N 3 2 1 0 67% (10) 10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ************************************************************************ ------------- COMING FRIDAY: Countdown to Saturday Night ------------- ************************************************************************ [Dross stands in near complete darkness, save for the flames which are evident in the background... fire engine sirens growing more and more close as the crackling of a fire is louder and louder.] TD: Well, folks, that's all the time we have for you today. Please tune in tomorrow for Larry Morton and Becky LaRue from Bourbon St. with all the action from the War Room. On Thursday... on Thursday, I don't really know if we'll be getting a look at IIWF Classics... [Clothes baddly torn, Roberts stumbles back into the shot.] TD: Steve Roberts, are you all right? SR: Course I am, moron. Me and the High Priestess there just had some business to take care of. I straightened her out. TD: But... your father... those things he said. SR: I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Tammy, my daddy was the finest man ever walked this earth and I don't ever want to hear another word about it. Understand, Tammy? TD: Whatever you say, Steve. SR: Damn straight. TD: So, will we be getting an IIWF Classic this week? SR: Not a chance, moron. TD: Okay, so, tune in on Friday for Larry Morton and Jackson witt who will "Countdown to Saturday Night", and then my tag team colleague Steve Roberts and I will return on Saturday with the finest two hours of wrestling on the planet -- IIWF Saturday Night! So, for Steves Summer and Roberts, I am Tim Dross saying, so long everybody! [Charlie Parker's "Lonely Boy Blues" plays as the New Olreans fire department hacks throught the front door with an axe. Dross pats Soundbite on the shoulder and the two men walk out of the inferno as the shot and music fade.] +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I * I * W * F =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+ | President: Daniel Spreadbury | Vice-President: Jim Jividen | | univ0322@sable.ox.ac.uk | brokeback@webtv.net | | iiwf@sisko.demon.co.uk | | +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://www.sisko.demon.co.uk -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+