Gregory on Wrestling

by John Gregory; reprinted with permission from www.premier.com
The views expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinions of the e-Casa maintainers.

Our business, professional wrestling, is one that's much like a dictatorship, and for good reason. For those that don't know, many angles (at least the ones in the federations I'm familiar with) are planned months in advance. Because of this, the wrestlers' cooperation with planned angles must be assured in order for a show to go off smoothly. (Despite what others may say, "shoot" angles never work, shoot angles never will work, and a promoter must have confidence and trust in his wrestlers to make sure they "stick to the script"). Sometimes a wrestler must do something that's in the best interest of the federation, and put any personal opinions aside. Allow me to give you a few examples on times in which a promoter and a wrestler don't see eye to eye, and how each wrestler responded.

As some of you know, originally John Robertson and Derek Machismo were programed for an extended angle, leading up to a match at Opening Night. Just a scant few days before Prime Time 3, the first World Title match, Robertson and Machismo appeared for an online chat. Derek's wife had recently lost an unborn child, and John, as he is sometimes apt to do, said something he instantly regretted, something that created a huge rift personally between Derek and John.

Now,Derek has a clause in his contract that gives him some control over his angles, and initially he used that clause to cease the angle. I spoke with him, and told him it was ultimately up to him, but he needed to separate personal and professional business, and that John regretted the comment. So, Derek did what he always does: Derek acted the professional, and continued the angle. Unfortunately, John had some personal conflicts, and was given a leave of absence, but it wasn't because of Derek.

Derek was the professional, and did what was in the best interest of the company. I didn't have to put my foot down -- but Armand Lebeaux of the EWC did.

I can say 100 bad things about EWC, and I have. I do that because I see so much potential in EWC and its wrestlers. For instance, I may have jumped all over Fuego last column, but it was because his talent overwhelms me, and I see so much Premier could do with Fuego, so much that Fuego could do that his wishy washy-ness prevents him for accomplishing. So, I can say all these bad things about EWC -- but one thing I will never say about them is that they have a weak owner. Armand LeBeaux is someone you don't cross twice. Ask Chris Sim. Ask Chris Monroe.

Sim has a world of talent, both on the mic and in the ring, but, as fame will do, he got a big head, and demanded more than what EWC could give. Armand smacked him down, and when Sim threatened to leave if he didn't get his way, Armand solved his problem by releasing him.

Chris Monroe doesn't have the talent that Sim does. Chris Monroe doesn't have the mic skills Sim had when he was 12, and when he demanded more than what he deserved -- when he demanded a spot rightfully given at the moment to Ronnie Frown, and when he refused to work a program with Damien Omega -- LeBeaux gave him the boot.

No, you won't hear this from Armand; and no, you won't hear this from EWC wrestlers (under a "gag order" as a condition of Monroe's release). But I know, and I don't mind telling the fans. Chris Monroe got fired because he didn't want to play ball; he didn't want to do what was in the best interest of the company.

Loyalty is a important thing in wrestling. Those that don't give it, aren't in wrestling long. Ask Chris Monroe, if he was talking.

-- John Gregory