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Michael Morrison

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Michael Morrison last won the day on January 27 2023

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About Michael Morrison

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    Drawing - Graphic Arts - Movie/Music Editing

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  1. Took way too many notes on this show compared to the previous RIOT, but I feel that it was gonna happen that way now that I have some context and backstory to go off. I'm not going to re-read and edit my notes right now, so I'm sorry if they're sloppy or typoed to hell. ----- Emp coming out, lookin' good… like a MILF (Manager I'd Like to Friend) ready to unfriend anyone who crosses the line of the designated fan-zone. Unfortunately for Mr. Hagen, he crossed that line and the barricade on RIOT; forcing Emp to take action by tossing him into the lion's den to face the big cats he recently booped. Chase Psycho instantly gave me Majin vibes during his entrance. I dig the smoked-out, silhouette coming down the ramp. The look is very derivative of course, but is distinguishable and leaves room for growth… to find his truth, as some might say. I would like to see a more unique version of his face-paint for example. Harri is nothing, if not entertaining. So much so, that she's possibly on every form of multi-media available across the world it would seem. The reason I get a kick out of Harri is... well, she's what Vanellope von Schweetz would have been as an adult if she never ran into Wreck-It-Ralph: this kind of childishly snarky and self-absorbed juggernaut of attitude. Loads of fun to watch… but probably not what most people look for in a friend or partner. The Bobbi and Mina segment was a good way to remind us how Bobbi is on the prowl for some up-and-coming talent in need of her assistance. I probably would have tried to keep it a bit shorter by eliminating Mina from the RP and just having a reporter ask Bobbi if she had any hopefuls yet. If the goal was to give Mina some air time as well, then maybe a more intimate RP with Bobbi and Mina hanging out "naturally" instead of standing so far away from each other backstage, in full getup. Perhaps getting coffee, or chillin' at an apartment while going over old OCW episodes. Just something that would allow us to see who they are and possibly connect in some way. That's not to say that I didn't appreciate the effort of the video RP. I think the Fraser/Maxx RP was misplaced on the card? Either way, I enjoyed the competitive banter between the two as it hinted towards a mild respect for one another -- kind of like Hobbs & Shaw or Tango n' Cash. The banter allows them to provide snippets of past accomplishments while praising their partners as well. Well done on the 101. We all know that Quartz can be kind of an a-hole… but it takes one to spot one. So, when he sees Deaver believing in himself a bit too much… that big a-hole decides to open up and lets Deaver in on a secret: acting like a loss is a win is equivalent to putting perfume on your pucker. Eventually, you'll smell the BS and see right through the thin fabric trying to cover that beady brown eye. But… will Deaver follow Quartz down that Hershey Highway of hustle and honor, or will he take the backdoor… a glory loop-hole if you will? Shit, I dunno. Christian Garcia continues the streak of spiciness, but Marcus might be the one to put some ice on that spice. This was a decent confrontation, although the language tarnished it a bit for me. It can be difficult to utilize foul language correctly via text. Without audio or clear facial queues, it can read as someone pretending to be a tough guy, rather than emphasizing a raw emotional response. Also, if you do it casually or too often, the words lose their fire. I still felt the heat between these two, so not a big issue at all. I like the attires for Megan and Kameyo. The attires are very contrasting but both look thought out. I'm not sure if I'm sold on Megan's entrance music yet, as it lends itself to someone with more history behind them. For example, I can see an Undertaker or Nate Ortiz coming out to something so slow and epic, as their accomplishments lend to the weight of it. One of my favorites was when Rust changed up to cover of Teen Spirit because it signified a rebirth… after years of tag team action and putting in work. However, it does seem that Megan implied she comes from a known lineage in her previous RP (I could be wrong though lol) so that may help me grow into it. Kameyo's attire is nice because of the use of textures and different hues. You get tones of lavender, lilac, and mauve to help it from becoming one monotone landscape. It's like a pretty box of Multigrain Cheerios. The only thing I would consider is maybe adding darker trim where the paler segments meet the skin so it's easier to tell where the attire ends. I still prefer this attire over the mostly black attire she previously had. The Matteo/Greene RP was interesting. I was waiting for staff to cut the mic when Matteo started going into "history" lessons. Maybe Bobbi Baddie has should saddle up to tame this horse. Could be a shoe in… a horse-shoe in. Greene just better be careful -- he seems to be collecting enemies like he wants the whole set. Someone once said: In this business, no reaction is worse than boos and jeers. The point being that you want a visceral response from the audience as it shows they are invested or entertained. Laughter and joy are definitely part of that beautiful rainbow of reactions which is why I tend to love comedy RPs, even when they ride the line of silly or ridiculous. The Bill Pine/Jasmin Kaffee bit reminds me of simpler times when I would watch shows like Power Puff Girls or Dexter's Laboratory… perhaps Teen Titans would be a more recent example. I even add little cartoon sound effects as I read it. Rumble Grounds promo catering to the PVP in you and me. Fun Fact: Women naturally have PVP and tend to spread it online via streaming or gaming with large groups of people. Jared MacGregor went from looking for something to finding something, to almost buying… or should I say, selling something. Be careful around the Spooky Blokes, Jared. This was a fun RP to read. Clear with the implications and tone. Good stuff. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the crowd reactions during Kingu's entrance this time around. Acknowledging how long the entrance is and pointing out the connection to "MJPW" really does two things: 1) it lets the audience know that the content creator is well aware of how long and silly the entrance may seem to non "MJPW" fans, and 2) it disarms those who would try to use this as a negative talking point. In other words, it's like saying: Yeah, I get it, just shut up and enjoy it for what it is. This is actually a good segway into Jaden Hero who is reminiscent of The Hurricane --who was also known for breaking the 4th wall in the name of comedy. Now, I was more of a fan of Hurricane's 180 into Gregory Helms but I definitely appreciated the role he played as the hero. It seems there's always room in every federation for someone who stands for truth and justice. The world will always need heroes… especially the thick, blue & yellow variety. What a nice little detour of an RP between Tara and Emp. I get the feeling that these are the kind of RPs that our fearless leader, Jaysin Clinton Sensation, really enjoys. We get from point A to point B without hitting any potholes or speed bumps. We get a good sense of the characters; where they're coming from, and where they intend to go. A classic, road map RP if I ever read one. Emp just needs to be careful that she doesn't end up in an investigation concerning employee health. I guess that's the benefit of having stooges, though. I must say, I'm very concerned for Tera. I'm a fan of The Macs and I'm a fan of Claudio, so I enjoyed the first half of their confrontation. I was a bit confused as to why Claudio attacked one of the security guards in the ring because I assumed the security guards were his idea… but I guess they were just doing what they were meant to do. Maybe it's because I'm accustomed to security being more laxed in OCW. Anyway; back to the action. The spear to Claudio definitely got a reaction out of me when it happened, but it goes against all the known wrestling tropes. I instantly expected the guard to reveal himself to be a disguised roster member, or a rookie trying to get his 15 minutes. In this case, it was neither -- just a security guard who happened to get the better of Claudio this time around. Which goes against the norm, but hey, sometimes it pays to change it up. The threat of suspension and fines to The Macs was more in the wheelhouse, but even that felt anticlimactic to me. Maybe if Emp came out and did the threatening, it would have felt more authoritative. A sudden cut to commercials is also a good way to just end a segment. We don't always need to see the aftermath; the build-up and fallout are often enough to get 'er done. Now I'm wondering if this is going to be the start of a new Security Guard regime with better reaction times and more power… like when referees had their little puff-up a few years back. LOL. What is with the constant referencing of Pearl Harbor tonight? Another funny RP --this time more Naked Gun or Mel Brooks-- but expertly done. Even the running joke around Cody Hagen made me chuckle as Ryu proceeded to harass Our Hero, JCS, concerning the televised assassination of Kassidy "Older Than My Dad" Hayes. It's difficult to determine who I envy less at this point: Cody or Jay. I definitely don't envy Doc "The Kang" Green now that he's dealing with the Livin' Legend, Larry Mugen. When the bane of your existence is more like a living cartoon, it's easy to slip into the role of an Elmer Fudd or Daffy Duck. No one wants to be the Yosemite Sam of the story. Thankfully, Doc is quick on the draw and may have gotten the better of Mugen this time around. Aisu was right: he's not a very outspoken superstar, so it was nice to see him get his mic on. Having Owen interrupt such a unique moment, while robbing us of the big reveal, was a nice way to build him as the heel in this rivalry. Both are mat militant, so it might take a bit more to build up excitement -- not everyone gets hyped for Lance Storm vs Dean Malenko for example. I feel like the weight will be on Owen's shoulders to build that hype. ; The Bishop/Deaver segment felt a little awkward… like Bishop was looking for staff to help him get out of this scenario lol. But, we don’t often get angles like this, so I'm curious where it goes. Kingu is an interesting cat --not to mention a strikingly handsome man once that mask comes off. I'm on board to learn more about this man of rituals and showmanship. A lot going on after the TWC/Kasstianity match, I gotta say. With an ever-growing roster, it seems that factions are once again the name of the game to survive. Loyalties are tested and bodies are collected as the numbers game becomes more prominent. TWC may have gone the way of the dodo and Kasstianity seems to be down one goliath. The Family seems more than willing to pick up the pieces and sharpen their edges, so it's just a matter of time before spooky battles spooky. Risky to say you don't care in this biz. Much like anything based on fans; if you don't care, the fans don't care. I hope we get more info on the woman formerly known as Estrella, and this isn't another pin n' run. Also, if this is the same Estrella with the green lucha attire, I will honestly miss the lucha attire lol. I really dug that one. Kingu's X-ray, Six Million Dollar Man video RP was pretty kewl. Reminded me of Dark Man. According to Rust, there are three things you can count on in this world: Hon… Hon… and Hon. Rust is ready to pull out all the stops, the blades, the dynamite -- whatever it takes to put an end to Harvey and Kasstianity, once and for all. Rust can, indeed, be quite petty, so I gotta believe him when he French-fried Harvey. On the other hand, it can be dangerous to add H2O to hot oil. I'm looking forward to the Anniversary show. I'm not up to date on all the storylines, so the Marcus/Jasmin RP was a bit confusing -- I feel like I need to know more about Pops and some other details -- but what did come across, was the forbidden dance of romance. The two are cute together and I hope it blossoms. I'm a sucker for love stories. Where ever Quartz goes, animosity is sure to follow. The guy can't go the bathroom without someone challenging him to a fight it would seem. This looks to be gearing up to be a mini Rumble for the OCW Title lol. This was a nice Clark Effect and everything flowed as per usual. The audio distraction, the chair shot, and so on. Cliché, yes, but also still entertaining and somewhat unexpected when it comes to who was holding the chair… if it wasn't for the thumbnail image. That Kasstianity RP did a good job of making the locker room feel frantic. Like a scene from a WW2 movie where the remaining survivors meet up at a bunker and try to make sense of what the fuck just happened lol. Great stuff. They seem to have gotten their composer back and made a game plan. With their backs against the wall, it may, in fact, make them even more dangerous than before, even with fewer numbers. FACTION WARS!!! The TOG adding insult to insult and eventually adding an injury as well. It's crazy how different 2023 started for Harri compared to how 2022 ended. Also… has Emp been a heel this whole time? I may be blinded by the thinly stretched pleather pants attempting to keep all that junk in the trunk, but I thought Emp was on the up n' up. She seems hell-bent on keeping Harri down n' down, but maybe this will help Harri grow. Like training with weights, the extra gravity can help you jump higher in the long run.
  2. Just finished watching/reading RIOT Ultra... 24 RP's --25 if you count a wordless attack after a match-- but a good way to start the year. Karmine RP was an interesting teaser of things to come. I like how the Mac relationship feels strong and messy all at once... adds a nice bit of realness to it. They were all over this show as well... with like 3 appearances. Diggin the Jasmin/Carter back n' forth so far... and the Pine Dojo visit was hilarious. I'm going to be honest... the Harri Etiquette and Megan/Jake RPs were hard for me to follow for some reason... I'll try to go through them again, but the former was all over the place and the latter felt like I walked into a drama, mid-episode. Sanctum RP was solid... congrats on the golden goose achievement. KC Barrett caught my eye and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Lots of after-match "incidents" but the Cody Hagen one definitely stood out. I'm worried about Ashley's leg and mindset... hard to walk in combat heels with a bad ankle. Terra had another lovely written RP; full of emotion and struggle. The ability to make her words come out in such a natural way --as if I was reading them as they were being written-- really impressed me. Hard to explain what I mean, but it genuinely felt like a live, honest moment. --- As someone already voiced: not sure if we can trust Parca's change of heart concerning his pompus past choices... but I will say: if he's lying, he couldn't have done a better job of hooking the audience... unless he managed to drop Dillinger. Dillinger's turn is what really makes me question it lol. Top notch RP though. Because Parca has been so vocal and obnoxious in the past, it really pushes this as a great turn or deception. Doc/Mugen seemed a little forced, but they honestly could have said anything to explain why they're in a match. "He said my karaoke was weak-sauce", would have been enough to sell me. The last bit of drama after the ME was pretty fun to watch... despite the sexual gyrations. Kudos to Christian Garcia for his "Jericho-like" attempt to talk smack the Quartz's "Rock".
  3. VIDEO RP: RYU / ARIES Whether you love or hate the man... everyone loves to see Ryu get a receipt. Obviously, when your mouth writes that many checks, someone is bound to cash a few. Aries' monologue went on a bit long for my taste, but I can forgive it from a legend. I didn't even mind when the "Butterworth" line came up twice because that shit was funny. Despite some font-spacing and grammar issues, this was a good start for the show I’d say. VIDEO RP: TERRA / FURIOSA This was a fairly quick clip, but I appreciate all the cuts and edits: Terra in the car, the audio –although I kinda wish the crowd was a bit louder– and numerous angles with clean cuts. The only other small critique I would give is that I wish there was a cut right after Furiosa hit Terra with the sign so it only showed her walking away. By including the animation of Furiosa dropping the sign and then walking away, we get that weird “put your hands up” defensive animation before the more organic walking animation kicks in. WRITTEN RP: CHRISTIAN I dig it. I get a sense of where Christian is coming from and his intentions towards Miguel. Mr. Garcia is not a good guy… or a bad guy per say… just an angry man trying to help his friend… with his fists. I say: let the fists of friendship fly. VIDEO RP: SAMSIN / WREX Another short RP, but well done. I always question whether a short video RP like this is worth the effort –why not just write it out real quick– but the addition of music and lighting definitely helps set a tone… and I assume video RPs get more views, especially during live streams. In the end, as long as the message comes across, there isn’t a right or wrong format I suppose. VIDEO RP: HANZO / GONZALO A good interruption RP… and I think we were ALL glad to see Hanzo interrupted. Gonzalo comes off as a cheeky babyface in this particular exchange, so maybe that’s why I enjoyed his half of the RP a bit more. It just seems like he utilized the video format more successfully when it came to displaying personality. WRITTEN RP: PARCA / DENNIS Despite some minor grammar/spelling errors, this was a professional-grade RP. As I get older, I tend to enjoy stories with more banter or natural conversations that help me believe these characters are real. Witty comments or subtle innuendo sprinkled in to really give characters some personality without making them sound like they're reading a standard script. This was easy to follow, but with enough little details to paint the picture. The tension comes across and I’m intrigued to see where it goes. Is Parca paranoid? Is Dennis full of shit… well, full of more shit than usual at least? Will they kiss? Who knows? WRITTEN RP: TWC / JASMIN A fun little segment amidst the bravado and drama. Even with the bit of awkwardness, in the beginning, the TWC welcome a second, first-lady in Jasmin. Marcus may have his hands full when it comes to explaining the difference between a hug and a Bear Hug, but he seems determined to expose her killer instinct. You can’t spell “fundamentals” without “fun” or “mental”, so time will tell which road this leads them down. VIDEO RP: CLAUDIO I really enjoy this version of Claudio –very entertaining and full of hot, summer air. The gimmick even fits the upcoming PPV aesthetic like some kind of manifested destiny. Will the Beach Boy Bulldozer be able to run through the True-Country Tractor? I dunno, but maybe we can use all these vehicles to rebuild the arena once they destroy it. VIDEO RP: LADS / CUTLASS / TIBBY Technically, this was supposed to be a match, but hey, a pirate’s life is fraught with danger. First of all; the tron video for Cutlass is top-notch. That’s something you’d see in a legit federation where they pay people to come up with clever shit like this. I mean… a question mark turning into a hook, only to double as the letter “C” in CUTLASS. [claps] Bravo. Anyways; I don’t know if it was intentional but the quick cut to Baxter on the floor was classically funny to me. Gave me a mini-pop… or a desk-pop if you will, and it’s always fun to see Tibby in anything because his character is so unique and interesting to look at. LOL WRITTEN RP: SCOTTY Scotty doesn’t know why he wasn’t invited to the party, but Scotty does know how to find loopholes. The ‘ol, buy tickets to the PPV so you can technically say you were part of the PPV, trick. I’ll be surprised if Scotty doesn’t show. Another short n’ sweet RP… might start calling these Sweet n’ Lows. Not much to critique, as it does the job –informs us of Scotty’s intentions and reveals a bit about how the character thinks. I know it seems hard to mess that up, but you’d be surprised. WRITTEN RP: TWC / TGA More faction friction between the GOAT Academy (TGA) and The Wrestling Club (TWC). I always appreciate when characters like AISU or Jordan Trance have an oblivious nature. It reminds me of myself when people try to stir up drama at work –I just want to drink my coffee and enjoy the free Friday donuts, thank you. As for John; I can feel his animosity towards TGA. It’s an unhealthy level that can easily send someone down a spiral of blind, insatiable revenge. And that’s how the Sith get ‘ya. VIDEO RP: LOCKE / MOORE / MUGEN Nothing I write will do this segment any justice. Inside jokes, outside jokes, jokes on jokes. These are not RP’s… they are experiences and you must take the journey alone. WRITTEN RP: CHANCE I’m lost on who Chance is, however, the irony of someone named “Chance”, who is afraid to take a chance, is not lost on me. This reminds me of Guy Fausto, so I’m intrigued for now. VIDEO RP: CLARK / MARISA / MAC Things are reverting back to the late 90s, Attitude Era. Rental cars –that look like they were part of PIMP MY RIDE– are being vandalized; divorce papers are on the line and everything revolves around a set of taw-taws that could eclipse the sun. I love it. VIDEO RP: JASMIN / MARCUS / MOORE The little segment after the match helps to establish the connection between Jasmin, Marcus, and TWC, while possibly setting up a future rivalry? After three pages and 14 RPs at this point, I’m really starting to appreciate the sweet n’ lows. LOL WRITTEN RP: MAXX I’m in love with the monster under Harvey’s bed. This was a decent RP, where Maxx reminds us how determined he is to put Harvey in his place. His conviction will not be diluted by H2Os filtration system… it makes sense if you don’t think about it. VIDEO RP: HARRIS Strong words from a strong man. Harris Turner lays down some facs and explains why The Wrestling Club is wack. A very straightforward, but well-done RP, I must say. Feels like champion material. WRITTEN RP: FLOJO / C-NOTE This sweet n’ low was the very definition of a short RP. I do kinda wish there was a bit more back n’ forth between the two, but I guess it wasn’t really necessary. Flojo has an eye on Jasmin now and C-Note continues to learn. Bing, bang, boom. VIDEO RP: HITO Interesting RP. The vibe is that of 80’s anime, where they say things like: Your pain is exquisite; share it with me. I’m not sure what this “item” is, that Hito references, but I’m hoping it’s the coat he is suddenly wearing at the end. I know that white fur always makes me feel more powerful when I feel it on my naked skin. Mmmmmmm. Thank you, baby seals. WRITTEN RP: HARRI / CLARK Similar to the Harris Turner RP, this is professional grade. The character feels solid and thought out. Even though there was a lot said, it didn’t feel overdone or drawn out. I think this even has the best quote of the night: “See, this shit's why I got an undefeated one-on-one record and why Marisa can't even keep a one-on-one relationship going.” Haha. Savage. VIDEO PROMO: JUDGE Loved this promo video. Harri still walks away with the best quote, but this video comes a close 2nd. Just a well-done video with nothing but good choices: the music, the grey tone, and the clips. It’s so fetch. WRITTEN RP: ORTIZ / EVERRETT / CLARK When you’re at the level of a Nate Ortiz or The Kang, you really could just put your names on a banner and call it a day, but it would be such a waste of all that history and star power. They seem to agree, as here they are, putting in the work and adding more to the lore. VIDEO RP: RUST / MAC Uh… this is an odd one, but I’ll admit, it made me chuckle. Mac gets his leprechaun on by going after some French shoes. This could be some kind of kinky fetish he acquired during his time with Marisa, or maybe he’s just an aggressive sneaker-head. Good thing the boots were already white, is all I’m sayin’. VIDEO RP: KASTIANITY / QUARTZ / TERRA / MAXX Kass is after blood, whether or not it shares a chromosome. Of course, Quartz comes out as the “Stonecold/Moxley” to his “Ministry/Inner Circle”, and all hell breaks loose. The love and knowledge of wrestling are very apparent as it all unfolds in true Sports Entertainment fashion. Fans are happy, promoters are delighted, talent is happy and all is right with the wrestling world. The lines are drawn as we get a final glimpse of both sides before they bash at the beach. What a way to end a show.
  4. H2O / QUARTZ With Ijitu Quartz on the brink of surpassing Harvey Hamilton Ocean’s record as the longest-reigning OCW World Heavyweight Champion, Harvey makes one final attempt to keep his reign on top by challenging his brother, Quartz to an impromptu match... right here... right now. This is a risky move from the perspective of OCW booking/promotions -- it can take away from the anticipation of the scheduled PPV match... or, perhaps, add to the draw of the PPV... especially if it ends via a draw or questionable tactics. As far as the fans go, it’s a surefire way to get a big pop; however, if the match doesn’t bang, you’re making it very hard for the rest of the show to dig their way out. I, personally, enjoyed the match and the ensuing backstage brawl, but some may say I’m easily entertained. THE WRESTLING CLUB Marcus McMichaels is tired of the sanctimonious lies of Sanctum, The Wolves of Vanguard, and the OCW elite. He vows to restore the good name of TWC while reminding all other, would-be factions, of their dominance. John Carter points out the flaws in all their contemporaries -- like a controlling girlfriend who wants to point out why YOU should be the one getting her coffee every morning because you will never find anyone better. Elliot Parker questions everyone’s understanding of nature, food chains, and why puppies are not good for hunting. CORT MARSHALL Cort literally tries to keep his cool as staff removes everything from his, formerly, tag-team locker room. All things related to Jehst must go, including the rented mini-fridge. Cort is forced to stack his cans and drink them up before they are no longer worth consuming... he may have to do the same for his career. JOANA SILVER Is there anything more damaging than abandonment? Is there anything that forces the need for self-reliance, better than the time you reached for a helping hand... only to get a boot-to-duh-face? Joana Sliver has learned this life lesson and now she is stronger than ever. She will test her strength against Harri Etiquette, who has recently aligned herself with Ashley Moore... but maybe that’s not enough to save her from the House of Faith. P3 / UNCROWNED Even though DOC apparently had some heated history with P3, the man’s not hot. Water under the bridge... like sand through an hourglass. Speaking of sand; Mr. Graham Green III realizes the similarities between Tony Everrett and the spineless sand spider of OCW – Ryu Matsumoto. The evidence is admittedly staggering; however, the theory is easily disproved and gives way to other brilliant buffooneries. Tony Ev does manage to reveal some strategy for Jacob “Papa Bear” Trance, but can you ever really trust when someone openly offers their plans for an upcoming fight? H2O / QUARTZ P.2 Harvey tries to cut a quick promo to hype the crowd for his second match of the night, but almost gets cut in half as Quartz lets out a guttural, predatorial scream before connecting with a spear. The battle rages on backstage as both men succumb to their primal urges. Brothers... am-I-right? RUST COHLE / CHRISTIAN GARCIA Rust Cohle was intent on getting dirty with Alastair “Brexit from Wrexit” Ross, especially since he was only able to put his hands on Christian Garcia last week, but the cocaine cowboy of DDE is a hard man to reach. No need to worry, as Mr. Garcia is more than willing to pop some Perrier to earn some respect. He’s done with the games and is ready to climb that ladder, even if it means he has no one to hold it still for him. One on one... middle of the ring... put up, or shut up. Like a French Fairy Godmother, Rust grants his wish and puts a lil’ dollop of respect on top for good measure. LOTUS FLOJO / FURIOSA (Heather Angelo) Lotus tries to quickly slip in and out of Furiosa’s locker room, only to find The Furious One slipping further into a dark place. The prominent imagery of Papa Kass and Alexa Hayes is displayed on the wall as we are left to wonder if she still praises both... or either. The only certainty she reveals is that she should be feared... that she WILL be feared. Well, check one off your list of worrywarts, because she scares me more than Parca ever will. D.D.E. The cartel... sorry, the Drug Delivery Exports... sorry, DDE, is up to their usual shady dealings when Christian Garcia busts through an old trope... sorry, an old door. He would love to bust through the glass ceiling as well, but it’s difficult to rise when being held down by a maniacal midget, a human dust-buster, and a deceitful, dollar-driven douchebag. Like in any family dispute, harsh things are said that can’t be taken back... Especially when they’re said with the help of Duolingo. No one wants to apologize twice... or with captions. Only advice would be the usual: allow for more time to read -- I rather pause than try to speed-read, because it doesn’t allow me to fully absorb the details – and maybe make it a bit easier to tell who is speaking. TERRA DATURAS / SUE PLEX / ALEXA HAYES Sue and Terra prepare to leave while taking a moment to acknowledge how crazy the week has been. They reference “The Announcement” once again, but before they can drop any more clues, the atmosphere changes due to Alexa “Happiness Hooligan” Hayes. Alexa makes some disparaging comments towards Sue – the likes that are typically made by insecure men... like a Parca, for example. Terra doesn’t allow Alexa to poison their well but is willing to hear more about it in the ring next week. I don’t think the discussion will involve that many words, but I’m sure someone will make their point. MARI$A XPENSIVE Mari$a didn’t have a match tonight but is always up to grab some attention (among other things) whilst entertaining the horny hoards that encompass the OCW audience. Covid has been hard on us, so we might as well fight fire with fire. I just hope that nothing burns afterward. H2O / QUARTZ P.3 Mari$a’s bikini bonanza is rudely interrupted by the bash’em brothers ova’here. While I try to avoid being bonked, these two are supplying enough bonks for all of us. Perhaps this will end with a satisfactory, "what are you doing, step-bro?” ANTONIO EVERRETT / JACOB TRANCE Having no luck last week, Tony Ev attempts to call out Jacob “Big Bear” Trance so they can speak, man-to-man. Antonio doesn’t want this to turn into a family feud, but if you can’t find the bear you want to poke... maybe poppin’ the baby bear in the mouth will lure poppa out of the cave. Things get heated, of course, and Tony makes a valiant effort, but Jacob manages to get a handful of honey after knocking down the hive. Tony Ev eventually reunites with his title belt thanks to our wonderful OCW staff and officials. He reveals that he never intended to hurt Jordan Trance; the threat was a bluff meant to draw out the real target. Now that Ev has seen Jacob’s hand, it’s time to deal some damage of his own. This was a decent setup, as it paints Jacob as the goliath he is. It doesn’t matter how good you are, when you face a man of Trance’s stature, every hit counts. Tony is a clever lad, and to be honest, I doubt even a big boy like Trance can receive everyone’s favorite knee, without taking a knee of his own. Let us not forget that Tony also has quite a pool of talented friends and family who can possibly help offset the size difference. However, considering how Tony wants to repackage himself, this may very well lead to a legit 1-on-1. CORT MARSHAL / OWEN / TIBERIUS DUPREE Cort has finished off that pyramid of beers and attempts to fill America’s belly with some potato hoagies, but manages to run into quite the wall. It is none other than the human chopping block, Owen, from Sanctum. Sammies are dropped, words are thrown and mustard is misplaced. Cort loses his hoagies, and Owen ends up with a yellow-stained jacket... so, I guess you could say it was all a wash at the end [snorts]. Thankfully, the titan of TURMOIL, Mr. Tiberius Dupree is there to prevent any further stains... whether they be mustard or human ketchup. Still, could this lead to a feud... or will Cort be taken under another wing. Hopefully a stiffer, sturdier wing... that isn’t covered in BBQ sauce, but rather, with discipline. Sanctum could be that very wing. THOMAS ARCHER Archer uses his power and influence, once again, to avoid confrontation with justice... Justice Inc, that is. Instead, Jordan Trance fills in (probably for the better, if you ask me) and tags with Colby McCallum. At this rate, the IRS has a better chance of putting Archer in his place than the OCW roster... or staff for that matter. Shameful. FURIOSA / LA MUJERA OSCURA / ALEXA HAYES Furiosa is popular today, but considering how close she is to cuttin’ a bysh, I’m surprised so many people keep making themselves at home. This time around, she gets the privilege of interacting with the OCW Women’s Champion: La Mujera Oscura, who tries to lay some mental traps. Whether or not, La Mujera actually fears and respects Furiosa, what could it hurt to stay on her good side? Alexa ain’t no fool; however, having spread her fair share of neurological nets. This seems like a very dangerous game of Texas Hold’Em. MAXX EDWARDS / HARRIS TURNER Maxx offers Harris a gift as a sign of respect; hoping that it will reduce any heat between them. Harris should be grateful... not many people can afford the Maxx Edwards & Thomas Archer Quest 2... or META-QUEST2 for short... if you consider that short. Harris, being the mistrusting type – only sees the bad in people – seems to think that Maxx is just trying to buy his way out of a title match. Harris spouts off nonsense like, “I earned this” and “I love holding on to grudges because I thrive in toxic environments “. I may be paraphrasing but you can make that distinction on your own. Maxx, being the epidemy of championship material, offers Harris some invaluable advice before turning the other cheek like a good Christian lad. AC COBRA / TELOS Cobra pulls the standard heel move of insulting the blue-collared members of the audience while comparing himself to Telos. The segment ends with, what I believe to be, their official Tag Team name: Deadzone. Fun Facts: Deadzone has various ties to the gaming community, but it most commonly represents a small area around a game controller's thumb stick that doesn't respond to stick movement. Deadzones are built into games so that old controllers with slightly worn-out sticks will not cause movement when the control is sitting still. The more you don’t need to know. The overall RP was fine, outside of some grammar choices – one of which I mentioned in a previous review. Seeing as AC is obviously a fan of gaming, I hope to see more ties to that... or, at the very least, more humorous comparisons to Telos. That bit gave me some Brian Kendrick vibes... where someone thinks they’re bigger than they are. I just want something that makes AC Cobra stand out from the roster. Making nerdy gaming references seems like an obvious choice, but now you can really lay it on thick and get under everyone's skin. Like a car guy who expects everyone to know what a differential does. You can even use the terms against the crowd, such as calling them noobs, or campers (likely outdated references, but the point remains). EXAMPLE: Look at this group of camping noobs... you guys are the LARPers of life. You spend every day in the same place, doing the same things, pretending that an elbow drop from the couch is the same as getting in and out of this ring every week. Your area-of-effect is so small, you don’t even make an effort to play the real game. Well... you can continue that AFK lifestyle... Telos and I G2G; on to the next challenge. Do it right and you can even stumble upon catchphrases and potential merch ideas. MINA V/ SARA MOORE After her match with Ashley Moore the robotic rookie, Mina has yet another run-in with Sara Moore – she's really gonna hate that last name after all is said and done. I guess Sara still hasn’t been able to forget what Mina had to say and really wants to make an example out of her. The first step in making an example, coincidentally, involves a set of steps. This was a nice follow-up to last week. It keeps the feud fresh in our minds but doesn’t bog down an already heavy RIOT show. Interested to see where it goes from here. LUNCHBOX JONES / JIM BLACK We get a remix of our previous encounter with Mr. Lunchbox, with a little more detail concerning his moniker. His personality has been consistent thus far, but I wonder where Mr. Jones will eventually end up in the OCW universe. There’s potential though. H2O / QUARTZ P.4 …the battle continues, and we seem to have made our way back to the ramp. The stamina on these guys would make any pornstar jealous. SANCTUM Fraser wants everyone to respect the tag titles, so even though they are willing to defend against anyone deemed worthy... you have to qualify by stacking some victories, brother. Sheldon not only wants the titles to maintain respect but wants to elevate the tag division. Move over, old, dying stars; it’s time for the youngblood to make some donations. Owen continues his tough-but-fair demeanor. He makes a point to call out some contradictory statements made by other groups but does a good job of pointing out why they hold gold and why they’ll likely hold even more in the future. ALISTAIR ROSS / RUST COHLE / JACOB TRANCE / TONY EVERRETT After a slobber-knocker of a match with Jacob Trance, Alistair is chased out of the ring and through the crowd by N.A. Champion, and member of Dominion, Rust Cohle. Jacob Trance is left in the ring to lick his wounds (gross) but he’s not left alone for long as he is joined by another member of Dominion. That’s right, the CCW Champion, Tony Ev, makes another appearance; only this time, he’s the one raising the gold. What a symbol of his confidence and inability to back down -- it didn't take a week, or even a day, because no matter how hard you hit, he gets right back up and is ready to run it back. What a champ. LA MUJERA OSCURA / ALEXA HAYES Ooooooooo, it’s getting tense. Oscura and Hayes finally exchange some well-thought-out words and I’m lovin’ it. Everything seems to have a double meaning or agenda and you can’t tell who will end up on the wrong side of the rope. With every word you sense that the noose is getting tighter around someone’s neck but they are both so devious, who knows how it will all play out. One would think that Alexa has more on her plate, considering the state of Kasstianity, but the 2nd coming of this dick-punching cult is likely why Oscura is even taking an interest. Furiosa seems to be the link, or the prize on the line, which just adds another level to it all. This is turning into my favorite storyline at the moment... or the most intriguing, I should say. TRE GOLDEN Tre returns to his club, The Shogun’s Throne Room (classy) after a sabbatical of sorts. He is brought up to speed on current affairs by the disgruntled, yet dedicated bartender, Candy (double classy). It turns out that Mac hasn’t been much help, but thankfully, Marrisa was able to pick up the slack, cus da’ club was jumpin’-jumpin’. Unfortunately, Tre was not keeping up on OCW bidness either. He learns that that tag team titles are now in the hands of some unknown group called Sanctum and Derek is being harassed by Elliot “Softer Than Toddler Turds” Parker, but Tre seems more concerned with Marcus. Tre hits a fatty and orders Candy to inform the execs, who I’m assuming are pimps and dealers? See, I knew I should have been a cop. I enjoyed the RP for the most part... well written... I just have trouble liking Tre Golden lol. He’s not so over-the-top, that it’s super comedic, but he’s not ethically bound to any moral standard or righteous principle that makes him super face. This leaves him in that “tweener” space, but he’s so overly cocky and dismissive of his peers (even those who hold championships) that he leans more towards “heel”. Obviously, there is no definitive path any character should take, but I want to see more passion and/or struggle out of Tre. Villains can win a crowd over if they’re passionate about their goal or have a relatable struggle – see Thanos, Khan, Magneto, Killmonger. EL PARCA / COLIN LOCKE / GONZALO MUNOZ / CHRIS GREENE A lot going on, but when you’re the most hated man in OCW, everybody wants a piece and everyone has something to say. Munoz adds “crowd control” to his resume, preventing Colin Locke from harassing El Primero. I say he did a decent job because Locke proves that Chumbawamba (ask your parents) was right and still manages to catch up to Parca. When Locke shows UP... Parca ends up getting shown OUT... of the ring, that is. Add another Parca clip to the Discord and put it on repeat, because I could use a pick me up... which is something I’m sure Parca won’t say anytime soon. Munoz also allowed Chris “The Only CG You Need to Know” Greene to run his mouth, which I enjoyed... especially when he called El Primero a puto. Nice. Unfortunately, Parca gets frustrated and stops using his words; resorting to violence. Shameful. I recommend that Chris checks Parca’s veterinary history to make sure he’s had all his shots as I hear chihuahuas are prone to trash-mouth disease. A solid RP – I kinda wish there was a bit more in the Locke/Munoz bit – but then I’m sure someone would have said that it would make the bit too long or something. Keeping it short was probably the safest bet. DOC / NATE ORTIZ What a memorable meeting of mutual, mat-militant members of a mass media monolith known as OCW. You could say that DOC is the Kobe Bryant to Nate’s Michael Jordan, but DOC hasn’t been around quite long enough to make the comparison... although the potential is there, considering how they both had an amazing rookie year. The returning Kang of OCW might not want to bet his Kangdom against the Franchize, but who knows how much longer we’ll be able to buy tickets to the Ortiz Express. Building a throne on that track may be the only way to ensure they both collide and I definitely want to see that runaway match. Nate, of course, backs down to no man, even one with a crown – wouldn't be the first time he kicked some royal highness in OCW. He also asks the question: what is a Kang to the King of Kings? Nate is in God-Mode every day of his life and unlike another religious figure... Ortiz doesn’t take a day off on Sunday. H2O / QUARTZ P.5 H2O manages to slip away from his relentless roaming rumble with Quartz, like a kid finding his way out of a bouncy castle to grab a snack (and who wouldn’t consider Maxx Edwards a proper snack), only to fall right back into the eye of the storm. The show has no choice but to cut out as the brothers continue to battle well over the allotted air time. H2O comes out lookin’ strong and highly motivated, like when Jay finds out your wife has a sister and shows us why he deserves to be in the limelight... as the Good Light.
  5. So, back to Review. I was about to start on RIOT, when I realized I never finished this Turmoil. So much to discuss. I’m sorry if there are typos or grammar issues, but I really wanted to bulldoze through these pages. After the match with Mason Hunter, Siddhant delivers a brief, but powerful message to Mr. Bookman... and to the rest of the locker room. Who will be Victim 2? Tony Ev gets a little tense with Trance; unfortunately, it’s the baby bear, not the pappa bear. Jordan Trance is not his father’s keeper, so he was of no help when it came to tracking his senior. Apparently, they don’t really speak to one another for various reasons [emotional damage gif] but he had no trouble communicating how rattled The Tarantula looked as of late. Is the long-limbed CCW Champ losing his usually, level-headed faculties? Will Jordan ever talk to his fawja again? If Colby comes in from a side door, does that make him a sidekick... or side piece? Only time and Trance can tell. The Season Premier Preview vids are next level. Very nice. The Furiosa promo was a little confusing – read it twice just to be sure – but in my creeper head, I read: “La Mujera Oscura sneaks up behind Furiosa, who happens to be watching quite-a-show. They both watch... they like to watch. La Mujera whispers in Furiosa’s ear; something seductive... something dangerous. Before Furiosa can give in to her urges; however, La Mujera walks away. Obviously, Furiosa hates to see her go, but loves to watch her leave. She keeps watching La Mujera (they like to watch, remember) never letting go of the hope that she would turn back around. Instead, Furiosa bears witness as La Mujera collides with Alexa Hayes. They become one for a split second and stare, deeply, into one another’s eyes. They eventually go their separate ways, but the intensity is thick with... thiccness. “ Not sure if that’s how it went down, exactly, but that’s how it went down in my mind. Good stuff. Connor Harnage drops a 4K promo (that’s just fun to say for some reason) and it’s a fine promo, no doubt. Pushing the Norse/Viking angle with his pretty words and tattoos. He’s serving me ‘Vikings’ with a smidge of ‘Sons of Anarchy’. I do enjoy accents and various forms of the English language but sometimes it can back you into a corner. Just look at Kofi Kingston, HHH, and Carmella; who all dropped their accents in order to grow and develop. Now, to also add the pressure of being a badass mofo? It’s a lot to pull off (giggidy) for any new talent. If you can’t back up the threats with victories or displays of dominance, then you may be forced to change directions as Marvel did with THOR – switching to a more comedic portrayal of the character and lore; often poking fun at itself. Jim Black gets popped with some finger guns in another short, but sweet, promo. I’m intrigued and confused but in a good way. Who is this fedora-wearin', finger packin’, tooth pickin’ pimp? Maybe we’ll find out later, but I hope we get more finger-bangs for our buck. I enjoy the Comic-Con location and the nods to Valk & Emp. Having Terra Daturas dressed as Poison Ivy is obvious, but also appreciated. Another well-written RP with Terra and Sue and I look forward to more. The RPs remind me of comic book scripts, as I can see each panel as each situation presents itself. If I had time, I would probably use them for practice, when it comes to drawing. The DDE Board Meeting video RP was great. I feel that Dennis had the best lines, but clever writing all around. Not sure if the sloppy cut-outs were intentional, but it didn’t really distract from the story in either case. The sound effects were a nice touch... just wish there was some background music or something. Because there is no voice-over (not saying every RP has to have voice-over at all) the gaps of silence while reading are just more noticeable to me, so my brain wants something to fill it... others may not even notice. AC Cobra explains to Jim Black, why the sudden display of outrage towards his former game-chair buddy, Kassidy Hayes. Unfortunately, another former ally couldn’t help but overhear and express his own disapproval towards Cobra’s lack of a game-code. Now I can’t wait for Telos v. Meta Cobra. The only thing that I would change the next time around, is utilizing the colon ( : ) instead of the dash ( - ) after the speaker’s name. If I saw “CB - Cobra” or “Cobra - Kass”, I would read it as one name. Mari$a continues to be the athletic supporter of the “Ice Man” Nate Mac. She may have him every night in the bedroom, but who will have him next in the ring? Even if the idea of Mari$a... or Nate Mac... or Mari$a with Nate Mac, makes you sick to your stomach, you can’t help but admire the devotion. Perhaps Mari$a is right, and some people are just jealous haters. Who wouldn’t want a thicc Ride-Or-Die thot in their corner? The Elliot Parker/JD RP was a little tough for me to follow. I’m introduced to a character named “Derek” and then someone named “JD” starts speaking. Now, I assumed JD was Derek, but the reader shouldn’t have to assume who is speaking. There were also sentences that were a little difficult to follow – like when Jay has been drinking and tries to give a quick, anger-fueled response on DISCORD, of which, only a few can understand. I also feel that certain points were hammered home; thus, suffering from redundancy. For example, the word “opportunity” was used 7 times lol. I, myself, suffer from redundancy because in my line of work, I often have to repeat myself (or the point) multiple times, and in various ways, to ensure someone understands the training. Unfortunately, this bleeds into my writing. Sometimes I can catch it when proofreading my own work, but it definitely helps to have someone take a lookie-loo before submitting -- someone you trust to give an honest opinion, that is. Everywhere Maxx Edwards goes, he is haunted by the image of one Harris Turner. To be honest, he’s probably not the only one. Harris Turner shook the OCW world when he pushed through the roster like a snowplow in fresh powder during the Super S Cup. Unfortunately for Maxx Edwards, not everyone in OCW is holding a title... or a title that Harris Turner wants to make his own, so I feel for the new Hollywood Star of OCW. The video RP was full of fun, memorable moments – typical of a Maxx Edwards RP. Part of the magic is that fellow creators can appreciate the effort and time put into telling the story. Once again, you don’t have to have Hollywood production value to entertain and delight. Stacy Clark has the misfortune of meeting two representatives of DDE in the forms of Christain “Don’t Call Me Greene” Garcia and Alastair “Don’t Call Me Wrex” Ross. They do what they do best: being bullies with potty-mouths, and making a mess of things... but they also make some solid points before heading into their match with QC Connect. After the match, Rust Cohle proves that despite their victory, DDE may not be as cohesive as they boast to be -- Big Boss Ross abandons Big Daddy Garcia when the French Blade invades the ring and manages to give Garcia a taste of French steel. Another solid, unified front of an RP for Sanctum. Like the Wu-Tang Clan of OCW, every member gets time on the mic to share their thoughts. Individuals, with a common goal and the skill to back it up. Sanctum likes to tell it like it is and always leaves the sugar at home. Who keeps handing this man a mic? Chris “Don’t Call Me Garcia” Greene manages to get ahold of another mic and calls out that pretentious piece of puppy poop, Parca. Chris points out that no one likes vegetables, but sometimes it takes two to do the Mashed Potato (ask your parents). The video was good. The only advice I would give is to fade out the end and beginning of the crowd audio and lay them over one another a bit – so as one ends, the other starts, but it’s not a sudden halt. The other suggestion would be to have a noticeable crowd reaction when your CAW does a dramatic pause after making a statement. If the pause is too long, it just looks like you forgot what you were gonna say lol. Parca does an RP... if you can call it that. I'm not even sure why I’m mentioning it. Booooo this little man. Sarah Moore runs into Mina (tee hee) backstage and doesn’t appreciate her backhanded -- or should I say: back-sided -- compliments. In the end, Sarah leaves Mina in her rearview. Mina takes the bump like a pro... a program, that is. The Lotus Flojo/Ashley Moore/Harri Etiquette RP seemed a little out of place for me. Nothing egregiously wrong with the RP itself, I just feel like I didn’t learn anything new from it. Ashley and Harri kinda poke fun at Flojo – predicting that Flojo’s efforts will end with the same, fruitless results. Flojo does some trash talking of her own, but nothing really comes from it all. Then again, this could be planting the seed for future rivalries or story arcs... or establishing a relationship between Ashley and Harri... or all three characters I suppose. After the match between Telos and Meta Cobra, there appears to be a legit handshake of respect... so either, Cobra has already given up on being the AAA-pex predator, or Telos now respects Cobra’s decision to betray Kass and go heel? I mean, who doesn’t want to stab Kass in the back, so I would probably forgive it as well lol. Anthony Baker is still a little salty, concerning his Title Unification match he had with Rust Cohle back in October of last year during the End Game PPV. I’m pretty sure too much sodium isn’t good for the heart, but perhaps the “Heart Baker” can whip up some sweet redemption sometime soon. Looking forward to this one, so I’m setting that baking timer. Colin Locke and El Parca remind us that perspective is all about looking at things from the right angle... no matter how ridiculous it may seem. I always enjoy the odd, but humorous ways that Colin finds to break the 4th wall or simply point out the craziness of OCW reality. It’s like a satire of a satire and I’m all for it... especially at the expense of Parca. Lotus manages to do the one thing many will never do, and that’s to catch the Turmoil GM, Tiberius Dupree, off guard by busting into his office and demanding a title match against the current Women’s Champion: La Mujera Oscura. A bold move, nonetheless; however, Tibby shares the same apprehension shown by Ashley and Harri in a previous segment. Lotus will have to earn that shot. No free mojo for the Flojo. Speaking of that earlier segment, Ashely Moore interrupts Harri Etiquette, only to reveal that they are newfound BFFs. I’m not sure if anyone bought the goodie-two-shoes from the Heel of Heels, but it doesn’t make it less annoying when she rubs it in our faces. Then again, I wouldn’t mind if she rubbed anything in my face. The DOMINION RP has such a lovely setup, which leads to an open-ended conclusion. Will DOC join his brother, Tony Everrett – essentially combining the power of two families? With the absence of Danny Watts, it would make sense to fill that gap with a returning Kang. Obviously, it makes sense, but in my heart, I feel it temporarily robs us of some good matches, due to all the talent in one faction. And does Nate still have anything to teach this generation of Main Eventers, or is this just a clever way to keep his biggest threats within arm’s length? Nate is the MJ of OCW after all, and despite his greatness, he is still just a man... who wants to win... one way or another. The show ends with Quartz giving his brother, Harvey Hamilton Ocean (H2O) yet another nickname -- referring to him as The Blight instead of The Good Light. Harvey returns the favor, determining that his bigger brother is more like a 3-4" Snow Flurry, rather than The New Storm. Everything is going great when a spider, Ryu Matsumoto, tries to pull an attack from behind. H2O is no stranger to such tactics and robs Ryu of yet another opportunity to prove his worth. Most of us are quite accustomed to being let-down by the trashman of OCW, but now Quartz is reminded why you never send a Spider to do a snake’s work. Nonetheless, Matsumoto does manage to distract H2O for a split second, but once again, his speed saves him from another cheap-shot attempt from the storm approaching from the rear. Harvey gets the upper hand this time, but how long before his luck runs out?
  6. So, I'll probably have to do segments; because, as usual, I ended up typing way too much. An hour or two later, I'm still on Page 1 of the show. I ended up getting stuck on the CAW stuff for Mason and Siddhant --which is the short version of what I originally had. Anyways... here's part 1 of... 20. Right off the bat, we have a promo vid from Quartz that starts right where the S17 Intro Video left off, which is a nice touch. I asked myself: self... why didn’t Yake just attach his promo right to the end of the intro video so it would be even more seamless... then I realized that most people probably skip the intro video and would never have seen the promo at the end. The close-up shot of the belt should be enough to let you know who is running their mouth again, but just in case you’re RD Money, and you have no idea WHO holds WHAT title, you eventually get a glimpse of The New Storm t-shirt (available at OCWSHOP.com) to drive it home. But why is the OCW Champion being so coy with his camera angles? What new horror could he possibly be waiting to reveal? A new manssiere design? Even worse: a man-sized spider who, coincidentally, is named after his personality traits. Much like Arkham Asylum, the CUBE seems to be a revolving door for all-things-unwanted by decent human beings... especially 8-legged creepy crawlies. Side note: I appreciate how the fonts match the person speaking. Parca shows faith in his DDE boys, concerning their match against Q.C. Connect (Quan Jay / Claudio Stardom) as Christian Garcia and Alastair Ross have been on a hot streak as of late. Garcia shows some concern over the role of Gonzalo Munoz when it comes to DDE, but Parca reassures Garcia that he will always be the invested right hand of DDE. As we all know, these are often the famous last words before a fallout, and Parca already has his hands full with a barrage of locker-room heat, backstage business dealings, and multiple acronyms to remember. The most important acronym being CG: while one represents his right-hand (Christian Garcia) the other one is equivalent to an itchy-butthole (Chris Greene). Now, Mr. Greene did secure a win (via DQ) during an impromptu match with Parca on RIOT last week, but he also got his Greene eggs scrambled... so who’s to say who really won that exchange. None the less, Parca has many platos spinning while trying to feed himself and “el familia”. One wrong move and he could lose it all... or end up with his own head on a platter. Excellent. I don’t usually go over matches, but there is a promo after the Siddhant / Mason Hunter match, and there was much discussion over the attires as well, so I’ll drop my 2 cents. Mason Hunter CAW/ATTIRE - Well made, obviously. Everyone gave high praise during Live Stream, with the only real issue being the color scheme as the Red/Black combo has become such a go-to for rookies and the general community when it comes to attires. Others mentioned that it reminded them of the Dudleyz, due to the camo, which is not a bad thing at all, especially if it fits the character. Mason does pop a salute when entering the ring, further pushing the connection to the military. The face is very handsome as well. My only advice to creators is to be careful not to just find a handsome face – the world is full of handsome people, but if you want them to stick out, it helps to have some kind of distinguishing feature or overall unique quality: sad eyes, slightly large mouth, or oddly shaped nose. Even though Mason fits the current trend of faintly bearded, light-eyed men with sculpted hair, his attire is also fairly unique, so that helps... and really, when it comes down to it, it’s more about what you do, than how you look. Appearances can always be updated or altered as you go. Now, if Mason says that he used his own face for the CAW, I will respectfully ask him to stay clear of my wife and to wear a bag over his head if we ever meet in person. ENTRANCE THEME - I dig the theme. Nice hook of an intro that could easily become associated with the character. The lyrics are clear and fit the CAW: “Face to face with the devil” makes sense with the angel wings on his knee pads; the military camo, and the “Danger Zone” logo on his back. It tells a story. Siddhant CAW/ATTIRE - I like the general concept. It gives me vibes of with JCVD. I do agree with some of the comments concerning how it looked a bit unfinished or unrefined. The front view looks great but when you turn him around, you get the feeling like you’re seeing someone underwear sticking out. The frills on the belt are not symmetrical so they reveal this odd, brown, spanx-like segment and then the remaining yellow tights. I’m OCD, so I can’t stop looking at it. I wish the yellow portion was colored brown as well to blend in... or add another skirt or tights (may not be possible due to CAW restrictions) underneath to cover it up. Not sure. The other thing would be the boots. I like the style of boot... I just wish there were one or two things to make them unique. Perhaps adding the belt’s flower logo on the sides, or some kind of pattern design. Even something as simple as the wrestler’s name. If I saw the boots in the locker room, I should be able to say: Oh man, those belong to Siddhant... I wonder how much I could get for them on eBay. A lot of people put hours in the tights and face, but neglect the boots. I’m almost 40 though, so it’s probably just an old-school thing at this point. ENTRANCE THEME – It's fine. Reminds me of DMX. It’s got a good beat and fits the character... but for me, it just doesn’t have that 1-2-3-BOOM effect. I wanted it to be more ominous or slower for some reason... dunno. Once again, I could just be a slave to clichés. I want to have a feeling of dread when I hear it, to match the size and power of the man. MOVE SET – I didn’t go over Mason’s move-set because he’s that size that can practically get away with most moves. Siddhant, on the other hand, has a move-set that really fits his CAW. I’m a fan. The big chops, the drops, the clubbing blows. The finisher is great as well.
  7. Welcome back, Doc. The return was well done and is likely how many of us wish our returns would play out. The timing, the history, and the circumstances all made sense, and as Jake said, well deserving of the pop it got. Good to see The Kang back in the Kangdom. I like the chemistry between Sue and Terra in this RP. The dialogue reads very natural and pushes a positive vibe with a hint of trepidation underneath. I’m not caught up on the history, but they seem to be very excited about being the first “something”. My mind automatically goes to “champions” of some kind... but I can’t remember if there was ever a Women’s Tag Team title. In either case, even though life has jaded me, having a daughter has made me a bit of a softy again and I appreciate anything heartwarming or pushing a positive agenda. Good stuff. The Mina and Hott Boi RP’s seem to be from the same director, as the styles are very similar and they both end with the voice-over distorting. Mina comes off as a futuristic sex-droid (like an Aphrodite IX) accidentally programmed to take ass and kick names, so I’m legit surprised that they approved of such an angle (falls kinda close to ultra-fantasy) but I’m super curious how it plays out. Hott Boi seems more in the realm of wrestling reality. I’m all for a motivational-speaker type of character. How can you go wrong? If you’re good at your job, you could be ultra-face... if you come off as preachy, you are automatically ultra-heel. Win-win. The Lunchbox RP was short and sweet. I get his motivation and get an idea of what drives the character. I’m not sure if he actually clarifies why they call him “Lunchbox” as my lunchbox was never one for kickin’ ass, but I’m assuming he’s gonna eat the OCW roster like it's lunchtime. The only thing that bothers me is when people say they aren’t in OCW for titles. I get the accolades bit because sometimes you do things for yourself, but if you just wanna kick ass without any prizes, you can do that almost anywhere. Just watch Cobra Kai and you’ll see what I mean. Rumbles in schools, malls, drive-ins... nothing is off-limits. P3 Segments are always fun... or at the very least, interesting. We get some kind of Chopping Squid Game, with a few references I understood and one I did not – no idea who Young Ryan is – but the idea of a Lethargic Mantis Blue makes up for it. Also, the idea of Sheldon Tremblay being in a Tag Team called “Guten Tag” will tickle me for a good while, so thanks for inspiring that thought in my noggin. Another short n’ sweet RP, this time, featuring the return of Ashley “Legit Heel” Moore... but perhaps she is a HEEL no more? Perhaps she will focus on the LEGIT portion for now. Even though the return of Kang will likely shadow all other returns during this show, how can you not be a fan of Miss Moore? Whether her beauty, ability, or entertainment value, there’s something for everyone. Now, for someone a bit more polarizing, we jump to Mari$a. Not made for all TV audiences, but still made for TV, she caters to potential creep-sqwad members across the world. She not only promises biting... but HARD biting. You mix that with a Frenchman and I’m tuning in. Will Wolves “The Of” Vanguard be able to back up their bark? Time will tell. If they do, then I hope you have plenty of tissues and lotion to watch Mari$a celebrate in the ring. Thomas Archer paints Judge Leroy Brown as a reckless hick who ruins the lives of staff by sentencing them to death... or at the very least; life without the possibility of Demerol. His name was Liam... and we will not forget. A great RP for a horrible person. The Sanctum RP is promotion 101. They give us a glimpse of who they are, their motivations and, not only introduce us to their rivals, but build them up as they build the hype. You go into the match with a sense of what is going on and what is on the line. The Clark Effect was pretty good. As many have already mentioned, the match was a bit long but still fun and entertaining. I dig the video and audio use, along with the banter. I wish Parca’s voice was a bit louder, to fit his “MACHISMO” but you could still hear him over the crowd, so no biggie. A sentimental send-off for Justin Jehst – a respected and influential superstar to say the least. I feel privileged to have worked with him and I can only hope his return is inevitable. Entertaining and inspiring with his natural creativity... I thank you, Jehst, for sharing your talents with us. The RP also gives the Cort/Baxter match juuuuust a little extra in the “feels” department. It’s no wonder that it ended up being the Match of the Night. What a sendoff. Q.C. has an interesting look, for sure. I don’t know much about them, but they appear to be on the heel side of things. I’m curious how they perform in the ring. Can they back up their words? Nate Mac is going to reveal The French Blade’s kinks and exploit them all night long. Giggidy. I enjoyed the Alexa and Heather/Furiosa RP. When someone has that much faith in a belief, they can be quite the adversary. I get the sense that Kass may be removed from the mural if he’s not careful. Getting some Game of Thrones, season finale vibes, like he’s on dangerous ground. Mistyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Ooooooooooocean... Ocean! The head of hydration is pointing his super soaker at the newest of the new storms. What happens when water meets a storm cloud? Rain... I imagine it rains a lot. Harvey seems rather confident, but should he be? I don’t know if anyone on the roster can make me believe they are legitimately THAT confident against the OCW Champion... but it’s always better to fake it, rather than show any sign of weakness. Then again, H2O is quite the clutch king. He’s managed to WHET my appetite for this match. Really cool bullet-time effect in the Harri segment. I’m not sure exactly what happened – once again, it seems that the line between reality and ultra-fantasy continues to blur in OCW – but I’m intrigued. I wonder what other tricks are up the long wizard-sleeves of The House of Faith. The Maxx Edwards segment was probably my 2nd favorite segment of the night. Very entertaining and creative. The “black silhouette” line still made me laugh the 2nd time around. Now that Jehst is out of “the picture” it seems that Maxx is OCW’s brightest Hollywood star, but Turner makes a Classic Move of disrespecting the lead actor of the production. The OCW Champ comes out in some classic Quartz gear and delivers a chilling message to a certain water-based lifeform. Is Harvey shaking in his frozen boots... or is Quartz the one who is showing cracks in the ice? The old gear... the scattered images... the morbid mindset. Maybe Quartz is close to reaching the event horizon. Harvey better hope to avoid getting sucked into the black hole of a dying sun when all is said and done. What a fun RP with Colby and Jordan. This reminded me of feel-good, heist movies like Maverick, Money Train, or Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. The scene is theatrical but nothing felt too over-the-top or excessive... and the family bond just adds to the dynamic. The Tag Team scene has great potential this year, especially if these two crooks are ready to grab the gold. The Obscura and Flojo RP was fine. I’m a fan of both characters, so I wanted more of a conflict or reasoning for a rematch besides: “I know you’ve already beaten everyone but how about giving me another shot”. However, Obscura did say no, so there is still time to build tension. Pretty solid RP’s tonight and the one with Trance and John falls under that. A quick snippet that does some character building... or lack of character when it comes to TWC. They really need to look into securing a shoe deal... for track or short hikes. They love taking a hike. The NA Title looks beautiful, BTW. Kudos to whoever designed it. Looks legit. The attack after the ME was classic in its execution and I appreciate the details on the hat and shirt. I’m excited about the potential match and the list of possible stipulations.
  8. PAGE 02 RP 06: Lotus Flower In The Attic What a dark little House of Faith they’ve built. With a leader --who, in my eyes, is the OCW equivalent to Granny Goodness from DC comics-- ruling with an iron cage, no one wants to get on her bad side. The trouble is, I’m not sure she even has a good side. I’m talking about the great Caleigh, of course. One of the things I like about this RP is the weight it puts on the Women’s Chamber match. It’s great to win, but what are the consequences for those who lost? Even better: what is the consequence for the one eliminated first? Well, we find out and witness how the House of Faith ensures the foundation stays strong. Unfortunately, the Purple Lotus is hidden from the sun, in a moment that can be considered “tough love” or “kidnapping” with a side of “false imprisonment”. I mean, I get it -- we all have our way of parenting, so I’m not judging. RP 07 : Marisa Welch Is Broken! >>> <<< Is this just a small piece of the “peace out” puzzle, or is Marisa Welch really removing her jelly from the OCW sandwich? I’m always wary of commenting on stories where the lines blur --occasionally reaching out to those involved to ensure I don’t push any sensitive buttons-- but this is one of the more intriguing angles, given the veracity of Marisa’s introduction to OCW. RP 08 : Tucker and Run... Back I can appreciate how Tucker acknowledges his absence and makes no excuses. I do, however, have trouble determining whether to cheer or jeer this guy. At first glance, I get this peaceful, one-with-the-earth vibe; but then he’ll make a momma joke at the audience’s expense, so the jury is still out for me. Still, I'm glad to see the Tuckster back in action. MATCH : ICEMAN MAC vs. SHEPARD Shepard may not be the Kang of OCW, but his flattop is pretty close to being a natural crown. And let's not forget championships around his… leg? I keed, but I do enjoy Shepard’s look. RP 09 : TY But No TY Great RP. The setup was crisp and clear; the mood change was sudden and abrupt; I know that TY is kinda oblivious; Ryu is kinda weasely and Quartz is the Head-Dick-In-Charge. The contrast between TY and Quartz also represents stages of maturity and life. Where TY represents the youthful exuberance, not yet crushed by the weight of compounding letdowns and failures; Quartz represents the cutthroat acceptance of the dog-eat-dog world where one has to do the crushing. Spider is… well... he represents the power of networking... I guess*. Because TY represents the part of us we can recall with fondness, due to our blissful ignorance, it’s difficult not to route for him. Quartz reminds us that walking hard can lead to great accomplishments, despite the cost of trusting others or being vulnerable; so we may not like him, but it’s hard not to respect him. Will Quartz mold Sparks into the Doom Machine that B17 could not pull-out... or off? Or, perhaps TY will show Quartz the value of nurturing, over nature. My money is on Spider making this all moot somehow. *I may have, in fact, used this analogy before... but at least I'm consistent
  9. Ha. I used to do a weekly show review, so I eventually developed formats. Made it easier for people to spot their segment and to look back later.
  10. Yeah, it's a matter of time and effort. I have the will and ideas I want to run, but I had to make the choice of MMM at 25-50% or not at all. Luckily, I've also learned to not dwell on stuff I can't/couldn't do... I just try to focus on what I can fit in there. Thanks for the kind words and thoughts.
  11. RP 01 : Mean VALCano Girl >>>LINK TO AUDIO FILE<<< Really enjoyed this one. I felt it was a bit stronger than the previous Val RP on RIOT. I get a real MEAN GIRLS vibe and I love me some wordplay, so I appreciate all the volcano references to really push the gimmick/brand. But she better be careful, because she may consider Joana a big ugly silver rock, but maybe she’s big enough to plug the VALCano before it has time to blow up? RP 02 : Rust Cohle Bares His Soul >>> <<< If you were wondering where Rust goes after his last two matches with Quartz. The answer: he goes away? I guess you can take the blade out of France, but you can’t take France out of the blade -- joke. But, I gotta say, it kinda bothered me to hear Rust apologize for his recent actions. On the other hand, it’s interesting to see people going in different directions, rather than just doubling down on douche. I got the feeling that Rust was about to take a hiatus, due to feeling down in the dumps, but then KD comes along and dumps more on his already existing dump. We get some classic KD, but I’m not sure if it will stop Rust from eating them French Cries. I have a feeling KD ain’t done badgering this baguette. RP 03 : Mad Hollywood Head Games WOW! What an RP. So good... so damn good. Kudos to all those involved. It’s like I was there when I read it... like the writers knew how to reach me, ya know? Great stuff. Just wonderful. LOL But seriously, had a good time working on this with Jehst. Despite our weird schedules, we manage to squeeze out the juice from our melons. MATCH : Joanna Silver vs VALCano I like the overall look of Joanna: the singlet, the silver hair. The face looks good and the tats look pretty realistic. I feel there needs to be more definitive designs on the singlet itself. The big logo on her tum-tum is a good start, but from a distance, nothing really distinguishes her from any other black singlet. Maybe a JS on the sides or use of the Silver and Purple... dunno. Still, as I said at the start, I like the overall. VALCano looks more indie, for sure. I suspect those are flames on her skirt and top, but once again, it gets lost from a distance. I wish there were more fire-based colors instead of just black with a string of fire at the edges -- yellows, oranges, reds, even whites. She looks kinda punk/goth... Hot-Topic... so at the very least, the big boots with flames coming up the sides. Her body type reminds me of Alicia Fox, with the long legs and a thin physique, but it stands out in OCW for sure. Curious to see how the overall look evolves. RP 04 : Gorilla Press Conference : Lucha Country & D20 Nothing like a good press con to get everyone’s take on an upcoming match. They can be a bit drab at times, especially if tables don’t get flipped or belts don’t get stolen, but I’m usually interested in hearing what both sides have to say. Thankfully, Reese was there to provide some relief from the tense tones of DOC/H2O (D20) with his country grammar and linear, but likable, linguistics. I also got the sense that some of the questions were answered out of order... but I could be wrong... I get lost easily at my age. MATCH : The Wrestling Club vs. DOC, H2O & Aisu Wrestling Club may show up late, but their attires gotta coordinate. Who doesn’t appreciate matching attires in a team? X-Men did it... Fantastic Four... Cool Runnings. All the great teams do it. Aisu has one of those entrances where I can’t remember if it’s the same song or not. I also spoke of my love for coordination earlier, so I have to point out how Aisu’s entrance-lighting kinda triggers me, as it doesn’t seem to sync with the music that well. I’m sure most people don’t even notice or have any kind of opinion on the matter, but I made a similar comment about Holly Hunter’s entrance -- where she came out like Speedy Gonzalez on cocaine, but her music was very low-key at the time, so the sound didn’t match the energy we were seeing. Now, both of these examples are not technically mains, so I’m not looking for the same attention to detail, but Aisu is pretty well known at this point, so I see him as a legit main character. RP 05 : Elliot Parker Refuses to Stay Parked Much like Jules from Pulp Fiction planned to follow the philosophy of Kwai Chang Caine, who wandered the earth in Kung Fu (1970’s show starring David Carradine from Kill Bill fame), Parker wants to put his spin on the trope. I hope he doesn’t follow his footsteps too closely and avoids putting too much spin on the rope. That’s a horribly tasteless joke, but I couldn’t help myself… especially since no one will likely catch the reference. ... Moving on! We’re introduced to a possible new roster member, and we learn that Parker has some heavy pull in OCW; or, at least, he believes he does. In either case, as a man of the land and then the Gram, Parker can’t be stopped by death or dollars -- this sounds expensive -- as his journey begins, despite the rough start. NOTES Man… that’s a lot of content on page one, alone. I’ll stop here for now. You may have noticed I’ve been messin’ with audio files again, and now that I’m getting the hang of it, and have a way to easily upload/share the files, I may end up making AUDBILE versions of RPs I enjoyed… so others can enjoy via audio files.
  12. Thank you. Playing around with media. Essentially, I want to add visuals as well... like still images floating on the screen that can help provide reference... like an image of Blane from her match with Blackheart when she is mentioned.
  13. A brief recap and update to the state of Mad Michael Morrison prior to The Clash. AUDIO CLIP
  14. Will keep this quick, because some people actually appreciate a minute-man. She's only been here a hot-mess of a minute, but I know who Marisa Welch is and I think I may be ready for all that jelly. [wonders if Welches still makes jelly... or if it's actually called Welches] Just through the endless self-promotion, she's become recognizable --not that she didn't already stand out in the OCW crowd-- and she doesn't allow you to forget either. Her new partner in crime: Bambi, also has a... uh... unique appearance, but for me, it's somewhat disturbing... like her bones didn't form correctly. We'll see what role she ends up playing in Marisa's success or failure. I dig the look of Morgan Blackheart. The little bits of color in the hair and her face is unique enough to stand out --at the right angles she has crazy eyes. It's like someone mixed Valk, Ashley, and Blaine together. I do worry that people tend to default into the monochromatic attire colors --similar to how, at one point, 90% of the male roster was Red/Black-- but definitely a solid base to start from. And then there's Holly Hunter... the Demon Clown of OCW? Not sure what to make of this one. I appreciate that her attire matches Blaine's to a degree, but it needs more refinement... more character. As mentioned above: it tithers on being just another monochrome costume, but I like the way it looks on her. I'd keep pushing the "clown" theme a little more... just have to find that balance. Having mentioned the Red/Black era... here comes Franklin Wesley. A decent looking CAW, but other than the red glove, nothing really differentiates him from the crowd of smaller, lighter, tattoo-covered, young bucks. All the pieces tossed in just remind me of someone in OCW already: the bandana reminds me of Jay Fury; the towel/rag reminds me of Elliot Parker; the music reminds me of DOC; the hair reminds me of Baby Sparks (doo-doo duh doo doo-doo). A reoccurring piece of advice given by me, and various others, is to look at the current roster and fill a void, as opposed to just making another version of what is already there... even if you think it's the superior version. You might get lucky and become the one version that sticks out... but usually, you just blend into the crowd. I'm old, so James Fraser is more my type of CAW: Not many people rock a singlet; so that already helps to set him apart. The McDonald colors (not a jab at the color choices btw) also singles out his singlet. I'm assuming he's in league with Colby McCallum as they both have the True Alpha gear, but I think Fraser has a more distinct look --Colby kinda reminds me of the Hattons, as far as his look goes. Coming in as a group can help build a character; especially since the tag division is getting larger by the week. I also appreciate the no-nonsense entrance and music, which lacks any lyrics and consists of a simple but familiar riff. He comes off as a straight-to-bidness type... a foreign Cort Marshall, akin to the likes of Fit Finley, Owen Hart, or Dean Malenko. He even follows the trend of simple-first-name followed by a memorable last name --which is probably how most will refer to him. The backstage beatdown of a staff member went a bit long in my opinion, especially since the target was not a roster member. I did, however, enjoy the sound effect that accompanied each chair shot in the 2nd act. I dig The Wrestling Club. Face-wise, they remind me of... certain roster members, but their coordinated costumes, and their in-ring performances are quite nice. I'm not a big fan of their individual names (we already have a Green and isn't John Carter from Mars?) but if they are successful as a tag team, I will eventually learn to deal, as they say. I get a Motor City Machine Guns vibe from this pair and I don't hate that... quite the opposite. Next, we have a match that one might mistake as Chase Hatton vs DOC, but in actuality, we have Tyler Walker vs Colby McCallum. Once again; decent attires, but similar to existing roster members. Colby has the benefit of matching his fellow True Alpha: James Fraser... at least when it comes to gear and body hair. Speaking of body hair --I'm assuming they aren't using in-game body hair, as the reflective level of their skin makes the body hair seem a bit drawn on. Just a minor observation, though. I enjoy some of the details in Colin Locke's entrance: the sound effects; the lock and chain imagery; the song that pops and gets the crowd going. The street fight attire DOES make him stand out, but I'm not sure if it's in a good way lol. Maybe if he didn't have the white shirt? I dunno... could end up being a signature look, but I'm typically not a fan of the ECW, jeans w/T-shirt attire. I mentioned the rarity of singlets earlier, so of course, Code Jackman decides it's his thing now. I'm just glad he didn't wrestle in his Best Buy Manager / 1990's Inner City School Principle entrance attire lol. I actually liked his new gear --if anything, it covers up some of the unsightly body hair. I also think it works with his appearance... especially the lack of knee pads. Now, for the man who inspired this mini-review: Nate "The Ice Man" Mac. I was happy to see the switch from Grimm to this particular character and secretly enjoyed the Macho-Man'isms. I'm a fan of the CAW --the entrance and attire are very professional and clean. The color choices, the patterns, and textures... they all lend themselves to the character and the gimmick. Very well thought out. The Grimm character was also fairly clean but lacked the depth that I feel Nate will grant the handler. With Mac, he's serving me a smidge of Sid Vicious with a touch of Matt "The Blueprint" Morgan. It's a nice mix of old and new... and now that I've had more time to compare... I think I will have to say I prefer the Macho Timberlake hair and shorter beard, as opposed to the current, grown out hair. Jehst is always a treat to watch and we're all familiar with his aptitude for putting together a well-thought-out look, so I'll spare you guys having to read the written equivalent of orally pleasuring him... with words, you sickos. FINAL THOUGHTS: So, in true "me" fashion, this turned out to be the opposite of a quick review... but I stuck with the visuals because I would be here all night otherwise. I did not read the other reviews, so I apologize if I repeat anything that was already said or mentioned. Last, but not least: all this is just the opinion of one person... others may agree or disagree so please don't use this as scripture from OCW as a whole.
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