FPW Young Lions Cup Stages 1 & 2 Promo Card

[Pizza Ant]

Freedom Pro Wrestling presents...
YOUNG LIONS CUP STAGE 1
Odeum Expo Center|Chicago, IL

Match One - Young Lions Cup First Round Match: Kam Kellington vs King Cole Black

Match Two - Young Lions Cup First Round Match: TJ Cole vs Zeke

Match Three - Young Lions Cup First Round Match: James Saturn vs Graham Baker

Main Event - Young Lions Cup First Round Match: Marcus Allen Jones vs Matt Dwyer

Freedom Pro Wrestling presents...
YOUNG LIONS CUP STAGE 2
Odeum Expo Center|Chicago, IL

Match One: Young Lions Cup Semifinal Match

Match Two: Young Lions Cup Semifinal Match

Match Three - Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal Four Way Elimination Match: Anarchy (Davis Reynolds/Kassius Boone) vs Clutch McCloud/Jeremiah Johnson vs The Studds (Nick/Napalm Studd) vs Azrael/El Timido

Main Event: Young Lions Cup Finals Match

---

Message me if you wish to write a match. The due date is March 17th.

[Jim Houston]

This video appears on MDE's Twitter account a few hours after the show closes.

[Saturn]

The camera opens on an empty gym, empty except for James. He does pull ups in the middle of the room, he drops to the floor as the Dasha Banks enters the room.

DB: Hey James, mind if I ask you a couple questions?

JS: Fire away.

DB: You have your first match here in FPW this month against Graham Baker in the young lions cup tournament. How are you preparing for that match?

JS: Training hard as hell, if there is one guy in FPW I'm most excited to face, it's Graham Baker. I mean, "the aviator" is a legend on the indie scene, I've seen his matches from CZW and progress and I'm sure that if I'm less than anything but 100% ready then he's going to kick my ass. But, of course, I won't really know 'till I'm in the ring facing him.

DB: So I take it you're fairly worried about your match with him?

JS: Worried? No. He was great on the indie circuit but so was I. Besides, none of that matters. We aren't in CZW, or RoH, or progress, we're in FPW. This is an untested battleground, we are unproven warriors, nothing that we did previously should matter. In FPW all I've seen Graham Baker do is lose, so I dunno, maybe he's lost his edge?

DB: Thanks for sparing some time before your big match.

JS: See ya.

As Dasha Banks exits James pulls an FPW poster out of his duffle bag. He stares at it with a cocky grin on his face.

JS: I'm gonna take the world by storm.

[The_Aviator_GB]

The camera follows Dasha as she enters the FPW training gym, where Graham Baker is sparring with another young lion in the ring. Baker executes an impressive series of reversals, finishing by reversing a powerbomb into a hurricanrana into the ground. Graham locks his patented Cross Armbar in on the man, making him tap out moments later, before shaking the man's hand and rolling out of the ring. He grabs a towel and wipes his face down as Dasha approaches.

DB: Graham, following your loss to MDE at The New Batch, how has your opinion on your place in FPW changed, if at all? Have you made any personal changes?

Baker looks up, caught off guard for a moment, before holding a finger up. He takes a sip from a bottle of water and looks toward the camera. 

Baker: MDE was a hell of a talent, and a tough challenge. I'll give him credit where it's due-he proved that he was the better of the two men, but as he said himself, I managed to impress him equally. Going into the fight, I'd like to think I was as prepared as I could've been, but I wasn't. I spent a lot of time trying to prod MDE and pull him out of hiding, time I should've spent training and honing my skills. When I slipped up, he took advantage of it, and he claimed victory over me. That's not to say it was all my fault, however-the man's one of the best in the world, and I should've taken more care going into my match. I messed up once-it won't happen again.

DB: Of course. What do you think about your placement in the Young Lions Cup?

Baker: I'm ecstatic. I've not had a great showing so far in FPW-I'd like to change that in the coming weeks of this tournament. I feel like this is my moment, my opportunity, to show that i'm the best of my new generation and show people what I can do. James Saturn is my first test-a man i've seen across the globe, coming out in NJPW off a hot streak in ROH. He's another dream match for me-to see it now, in this tournament, is gonna give people their money's worth and then some. I've heard his interviews and promos-but honestly? I'm not afraid of Saturn. I may have had a bad showing so far, but my reputation outside of this promotion speaks for itself. He's another technical high-flyer like myself...and unlike MDE, he's not the best in the world. He's cocky, and cockiness will lead to mistakes, as we learned in my last match. While he's busy showboating, i'll be focused on getting better...and i'll catch him offguard. 

DB: What have you been doing to prepare for your match, then? Have you changed up your training regiment?

Baker: I have, indeed. Since my last match and my poor showing at The New Batch, i've focused less on independent bookings and wrestling constantly and more on FPW and my home promotion. I've been bouncing between the two, and using FPW's resources to train myself and get better. It's going to show in my match with Saturn-with less travel and wear-and-tear on my body, i'll have a strategy made to dominate in the ring, and to show that i've improved. To all of you watching, at home and in the crowd at FPW, the Aviator's here to stay...and he's only getting better. 

Graham looks to Dasha, who seems to be finished, and returns to the ring as another Young Lion enters to train with him...

[Deleted]

Nick Jameson is sitting in a recliner in what is presumably his home. It's a modest looking place, not particularly well kept, as there are signs of clutter in the room. One might assume it is an apartment or low rent modular. In any event, "The White Devil" is sitting in his black recliner, leaning back in a blood hoodie with a baphomet on the front, sporting a big, white bandage on his forehead. He looks unamused on this occasion.

Nick Jameson:
There are plenty of sayings that get tossed around about "winning" and "losing"... what you can learn from a win, what you can take from a loss. What kind of character and perspective each could bring. I've even heard it said that a loss can be more "valuable" than a win,because of what can be learned, because making mistakes is how we better ourselves. Nobody ever learned anything just by being perfect, according to these great thinkers of the world.

What a load of shit...

Nick looks down, making a slight duckface in agitation.

Nick Jameson:
The only thing I learned from losing to Edward Dessius is that I'd rather be the winner. That's it. Edward, you did your worst to me, and unlike my predictions, it was actually enough to keep me down. I'm man enough to say that. I can admit these things, as much as they gnaw at me, as much as it eats at me from the inside, and makes me utterly sick.

At least I'm not delusional.

And, at the end of the day, no matter how pathetic I feel having lost that match, I can still hold my head high knowing that at least when I wake up in the morning, when I look myself in the mirror, at least I know that I'm not YOU. So, that feels pretty good. That's got to be an awful feeling, waking up knowing that you have to be "you" every God damn day. I don't know how you do it. I understand why you just don't want to do it sometimes. I've met you; it's obviously a horrible existence.

And yet, for some reason, all of these people, they want to give you credit. These people want to get behind you and want to believe in you. Maybe they see themselves in you. And, having looked at the crowd and looked at your hideous face, I can see why that is. But what they fail to realize is that as much angst and self loathing and seemingly self destructive tendencies you try to portray, you're just an opportunist, and you're exploiting all of the things you claim to hate. Without your hardships, without your attempts on your own life, and without being a complete fucking idiot and destroying your body, you are absolutely nothing. You have nothing to offer this world except for your utter destruction. And leave it to the "The Real Horror" of professional wrestling to find his way to you and shine on you that revealing light, because really, exposing you and taking your title, leaving you as less than nothing, that's going to be a worthwhile undertaking for me.

By all accounts, I've hit a bump in the road, but I'm not ready to admit defeat. In fact, I'm ready to bulldoze that bump and repave the road to my liking. I'm going to tear down whatever this place was supposed to be, and whatever these titles were supposed to mean, and I'm rebuilding it all in my image, reshaping it all to satisfy my vision. Edward Dessius, you're pathetic and loathsome, but you are far from captivating and very, very shallow. I am going to conquer and expose you, once and for all. You've hit me with everything you've got, and now it's time to return the favor in kind.

You may have hurt me, Eddie, but I'm going to hurt you worse, make no mistake about it, and I'm going to finish what I've started.

That means I'm taking your title, I'm taking your place, and then I'm carving out my own place at the top of this promotion, in all my fucking glory. And Adam Thompson, The TakeOver, Jeremiah Johnson, Clutch McCloud, all of these guys fighting at the top of the card, trying to prove they are relevant because one guy has this belt, but another guy is holding it, and they must get it back, and blah, blah, blah, it doesn't matter. The baddest man in professional wrestling is going to hold a championship in Freedom Pro, and it's going to be the Hardcore championship, and once "America's Pro Wrestler" finds himself with his hand raised, title around his waist, it'll become obvious that it's not the belt that makes the man, it's the man that makes the belt. With that being said, the best damn wrestler in Freedom Pro sits here, on his throne, and there is no man here to usurp him. No matter what you call yourself, what set you rep or what clique you claim, I don't give a fuck. I'm tearing it all down, and you will know I'm your new fucking God, "The White Devil" in the flesh, and I don't take hostages. Edward Dessius will be a martyr to prove that claim, and I will pike him up if I have to in order to set a reminder to all who dare to cross my fucking path.

Heed those words, Edward Dessius, or don't. It doesn't matter. Freedom Pro isn't safe, and you certainly aren't safe, because I will not stop until I have exposed you, broken you, bled you out like a stuck pig and made what is yours ALL. MINE. And when you beg for your life to end, for it all to finally be over... beg for me to close curtain on this sad charade that is your life, I'll show you no mercy. You'll probably beg to suck my cock if I just off you quick, but I won't give you the satisfaction, cuckboy, no, no, no. No. I'm going to destroy you and make you watch my reign of terror continue as the "Sexecutioner" lays Freedom Pro to waste, unadulterated and with nobody capable of stopping it.

Jameson rocks back in his chair now, smirking as the promo comes to an end.

[Jim Houston]

The screen remains blank as a female voice is heard.

FV: He's... well... he's just MDE.

The screen fades in to show a young female, MDE's assistant, sat in what seems like her office space, which is essentially just a desk. A disembodied male voice is heard.

DMV: Tell us a little about what you do for MDE.

Assistant: Well... I'm Rachel. I'm MDE's assistant... I... I guess I just do all of the out of the ring stuff. I take calls from promoters, I organise his travel, his schedule, his training opponents. I run his social media. I basically make sure that he gets to where he needs to be and that he's doing... what the promoters want him to do... or as much of it as I can I suppose.

DMV: It seems like most wrestlers do these things for themselves. How did you get to working for MDE? Are you two...

Rachel: No! No.... I applied for a social media manager job at a well-known wrestling promotion... can I say the name?

DMV: Yes, please do.

Rachel: I applied for the job at Ring of Honour. They liked me and my ideas but they didn't give me the job. When they gave me feedback they said that they had this guy who'd wrestled for them once or twice who they really liked in the ring. He was supposed to be a guy for one of their up and coming guys to beat but he ended up winning the match and then won another one but they said that they just couldn't work with him. He was so... disorganised was the word they used. They put me in touch and said that I'd be able to make sure that he fulfilled his potential.

DMV: Do you enjoy working for MDE?

Rachel: ... Um... I enjoy a challenge... This is definitely a challenge so yes, I'd say I do.

DMV: What kind of challenges would you say the job entails?

Rachel: Well... most things are quite straightforward but... he's not... he's not the best communicator. We have issues at shows sometimes and I'm always the one who's has to deal with them. There's been some challenges there for sure.

The camera cuts to a blurred image of a wrestling ring.

DMV: On Tuesday night, MDE is wrestling for UWF in his home county of Devon, England. He's wrestling fellow Plymouthian and very popular wrestler, Eddie Ryan, known to fans as English Lion.

The camera focuses on Rachel standing with a promoter who clearly looks unhappy.

Promoter: He wasn't here for the meet and greet. He didn't do anything to promote the match. Why am I paying him this much money when he won't engage with a single fan, won't sign autographs, won't take pictures and doesn't even stand out at the mercy table? What value do I get from that? He's just here to wrestle a match. I'm paying him attraction money and he's not giving me anything back. Tell me why I should pay him all that money for this.

Rachel: Well, with all due respect, you're paying for him as a wrestler. When we spoke on the phone you were keen to get one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. His requirements were very clear. I make sure I go over them with anyone who wants to book him. If you wanted a showman then Colt Cabana may have been available, but you wanted a wrestler and that's what you've got. He'll show you why he's worth the money you're paying him when the bell rings.

Promoter: He'd better show me. If he doesn't put on a top class match out there, I'm not giving him the full amount. I'm not even giving half.

The camera fades back to Rachel sat at her desk.

DMV: Is that kind of problem a regular occurrence?

Rachel: It used to be. When I first started working with him, he would end up arguing with whoever booked him more often than not. There were some promoters who... who knew how to approach him I guess, but most don't know. That's why I made him give me a list of his demands so that it's known in advance what he will and won't do. It's still a... a bone of contention sometimes, but not as much.

DMV: And do you talk to him about his attitude?

Rachel: I try. He makes me drive for him so it gives me time to try and make him see things from other people's point of view.

The camera cuts again, this time to a camera on the dashboard of a car, facing Rachel, in the driver's seat, and MDE, in the back.

Rachel: All I'm saying is that it's possible for you to make an effort with these things.

MDE: I'm a wrestler. I wrestle. I win matches. That's what they want me for. I don't do meet and greets or any of that crap.

Rachel: I know that's how you feel-

MDE: It's not how I feel. It's right. If every wrestler focussed more in the ring and less on pleasing the fans then maybe they'd all be able to do what I do.

Rachel: But look, you haven't been booked on the last three Progress Chapter shows. Rev Pro brought you in once and haven't called since, even though you pinned David Starr. Fight Club Pro don't want you back. Attack Pro say you're not what they're looking for. Even 5 Star turned you down and they were in Plymouth! Reputation matters, and yours needs work. We've come so far with you but we need to put in the work to get further.

MDE: My reputation is as the best wrestler around. That's all that matters.

Rachel: Is that all that matters when you're working for Freedom Pro once a month and then cobbling together the rest of your time in two or three places where you get on with the promoter then trying to find places where you haven't been before? Show that you can make a bit of an effort; it doesn't need to be much but show that you'll play the game just a bit and maybe we can turn this around. I can only smooth things over with promoters so many times before they pull the plug.

MDE: Let them. Their loss.

Rachel: No. It's your loss too. I know you're not in this for the money but think about it. You have to pay me, you have to pay for the upkeep of the gym, you have to pay travel. You have expenditures that we can't cover if you don't get a certain amount of good-quality bookings. Besides, reputation gets you places. Wrestlers talk. You'll never get to New York if-

MDE: How many times do I have to tell you this. I don't want to go there. I'm a wrestler, not a circus clown. They take the likes of Jerry Bishop and let them wrestle for their fucking world title while a guy like me stays at the performance centre and learns how to be a 'character'. That's not the aim and if you want it to be then find someone else to attach yourself to. I'm a wrestler. I wrestle. I win. I go to the next match and I do the same. If promoters don't like it then they're not worth my time.

The camera fades back to Rachel at her desk.

Rachel: We have that kind of conversation quite regularly. I'm not giving up though. I try to make sure that I do all of the face to face with the promoters. I make sure there's merch and I man the merch stand. I've even managed to get a copy,of his signature and have printed it onto photos so that we can sell those.

DMV: And how much merch do you sell?

Rachel: Not as much as I'd like.

DMV: What would you say is the demographic for MDE to aim the merch at?

Rachel: Well... we try to aim fairly wide but... I guess the average MDE fan is... I don't know how to put it nicely... They're the kind of person who likes to show that they like things other people don't... Maybe to feel superior, I don't know. He doesn't appeal to many fans... Maybe you shouldn't leave that in the documentary.

DMV: Despite these issues, MDE seems to have found a home in FPW. Why do you think that is?

Rachel: Well it's a fairly well-run operation. They know they need a mixture of things to appeal far and wide and they know that a wrestling machine like MDE will appeal to people, especially to those who want to see him lose when he keeps saying how good he is. I just hope they're patient and understanding. They have been so far and Jim Houston seems to know how best to speak to him. It's a... I don't know... it's a skill, that's for sure.

DMV: Where do you see MDE in three years' time?

Rachel: Um... honestly... still in the next room watching tapes of his next opponent. The same as I see in twenty years' time to be honest. I think he's more Terry Funk than Brian Danielson.

DMV: And how about you... will you still be with him?

Rachel: I don't know... maybe I'll... maybe... I guess maybe is all I have right now...

She stares off into the distance as the camera fades to black.

DMV: Next time...

MDE: I was never a WWF fan. I hate it and I hate everything it stands for.

MDE is shown angrily putting his bag over his shoulder in the locker room and shoving past the cameraman to get out.

MDE: I hate losing. I should never lose. Sometimes I do but I shouldn't. I know I'm better than anyone I could face so losing makes me angry.

MDE is shown sitting watching tape, his face close to the screen as the stars shine outside the window.

MDE: Watching tape is where I feel at home. I'm not very social. I don't drink or do drugs. I was made to be a wrestler and I'm going to do it properly.

The camera fades to black and credits roll down the screen.

[kingclutch]

*A live video begins. It shows an old gym with a fairly old looking court. The buckets are visibly rusty and the netting has yellowed and fallen into relative disrepair*

Clutch: Jeremiah. I've been thinking a lot about what happened when you left Adam and I high and dry in our match against TakeOver, against that PUNK Marcus Allen Jones. And the question that has burning in my mind has been: Why? Why would you turn your back on us? *speaking more sternly* Why? Why in the HELL would I want to tag with you again? (pauses, breathes deeply) I'm a firm believer in second chances, Jeremiah. Not everyone gets one. I know that during my time at North Carolina, San Antonio, and even in WWE that I had my fair share of problems. And hey man, I grew up in St. Louis, a city where one of two things happens: the streets get you...or you get out. I was fortunate enough to get out, but like second chances, not everyone gets to. I found my calling and I got good. C-P McCloud boy!, best you've ever seen boy! But in the same way that Jim Houston gave me another chance, when it seemed like it was all over for me, I want to give you another chance Jeremiah.

Now I won't lie, going into this #1 Contender's Match, I feel like I'm going into a 7 on 1 Handicap match, but it doesn't have to be that way. I need Pain & Gain to be more resolute than ever, which means you don't sabotage the match and don't leave me out to dry. We can run through everyone in this division, you and I both know it. But we need to be on the same page.

I am giving you one more chance, Jeremiah. One more. If you cross me again, my gloves are off. I will come at you with every bit of heart, every drop of blood, with every breath in me! I will become the thing that haunts your nightmares, that keeps you up at night. I will not rest until I put you down....and neither will you.

*video ends*

[marileeg17]

Bobby is sitting alone at a table in catering with his phone, watching his match from A New Batch, over and over again when suddenly a caller ID flashes on his screen: CJ Holmes. Bobby sighs heavily as he hits to ignore the call. He goes back to the match, which is right about at the part where he had rolled out of the ring to look for something underneath, something he had planted prior to the match, telling himself it was “just in case.” Bobby closes his eyes and rubs his temple. He looks back up to see Marcus standing over him, holding his phone in his hands.

BO3: What the hell do you think you’re doing?

Bobby snatches the phone back from Marcus who just laughs.

MAJ: You blinked.

BO3: Fuck off.

MAJ: Struck a nerve there didn’t I?

Bobby stands up, slightly backing Marcus up.

BO3: Who’s blinking now?

Marcus just laughs as Bobby looks confused.

MAJ: Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. You’re making my case for me. That tiger inside of you, that aggressor, that bastard, he keeps coming out. My goal is just to make sure he stays out long enough for you to win a match. Because dude, you lost to a guy who has only one other win under his belt. That's embarrassing. But then again, what you've become, nothing more than Jim Houston's personal charity case, is pretty embarrassing...

BO3: I suggest you go before that bastard you’re talking about, rears his ugly head long enough to rip yours off your shoulders.

MAJ: I saw you prior to the show. I saw you place your great equalizer under the ring. And then I saw you look for it during the match. When times got tough, you didn’t trust yourself to get it done, and frankly, you were right to not trust yourself.

MAJ steps back, surveying Bobby.

MAJ: I mean, look at you. You got soft and not just with your mentality either. I mean, did you even work out in the clink because it seems like you put on that prison 15.

Marcus looks him up and down again.

MAJ: Actually, more like 25. Like I said, embarrassing.

Bobby glares at Marcus, his fists forming into tight balls.

MAJ: If looks could kill, am I right? Anyway, Bobby, let me remind you of my offer. I’ll get you back into fighting shape, I’ll get you back thinking correctly. I’ll make sure the next time you think about using your little friend, you don’t just think about it, you do it. Some people say there’s no honor in cheating but I say, there’s no honor in losing. I mean look at me Bobby. This is what you should aspire to. Being a champion like me. Being a winner like me.

BO3: Are you delusional or just a pompous ass? You stole Adam’s title, it doesn’t make you a champion.

Marcus shakes his head.

MAJ: There people go throwing around words again. Seriously, if I had a dollar for every time someone said I stole their precious Pendragon’s title, I’d have enough to get you a month’s subscription to Jenny Craig. You’ll have to pay for the rest yourself as I’m not really in the charity business. But Jim seems to be. I mean, that's why he hired you after all isn't it? He felt bad for the guy who has been unofficially blackballed by half the companies in this industry. The guy whose own brother and daddy don't even want anything to do with him, the guy whose girlfriend--

Once again, Bobby grabs Marcus by the throat and pins him up against the wall. It's not until he notices other eyes in the room on him that he lets go and does his best to compose himself.

BO3: I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not gonna work.

Marcus chuckles.

MAJ: It’s already working…My offer still stands. You’re certainly a project right now but I enjoy a challenge. And it would be my greatest success to tap into the Bastard and bring him back to life, to let that IED monster free so he can bulldoze everyone in this company. Think about it Bobby, you and me, two young guns, two guys who are at the top of the business. Well one who is and the other who can get back there. You and me, and Haych and Dario, four generational talents. Your brother had Legacy, but you and I and the Invaders, we’ve not here to make a legacy, we’re simply here to take over. And if you ever want to be a champion again, this is the road to glory. Be the Diesel to my Michaels, the Christian to my Edge, the Cody to my Randy…Think about it, but in the meantime, focus on getting your confidence back. My stable has no room for self-doubt.

Marcus laughs as he walks away, leaving a clearly conflicted Bobby, who is digesting everything that was said about him. Bobby clicks his phone back on one more time, just to see Zeke pin him 1-2-3. Bobby sighs as his hands continue to shake from anger. He finally calms himself down but his brain still seems to be doing mental gymnastics thanks to the increased self-doubt that Marcus' words and offers are causing him.

BO3: Maybe he’s right…

Out of the corner of his eye, Bobby notices Jerry Bishop, also eating alone, and a small smile crosses his face.

BO3: Or maybe he's wrong.

Bobby gets up, passing Jerry on the way out. He offers the distressed Jester a nod and a smile, which Jerry manages to slightly return. Bobby seems to leave catering but he comes back a few minutes later with a milkshake in hand, which he places in front of Jerry.

BO3: I uh, remembered you like these. Chocolate, it’s your favorite right?

Jerry looks at the beverage and takes a large gulp, too nice to tell Bobby his favorite is actually strawberry. The two sit in awkward silence for a few seconds as Matt Dwyer walks into shot. Jerry offers him a wave and a smile but Matt ignores it and goes off to sit with some of the other talent. Jerry sighs and drops his head right into the milkshake.

BO3: I think the two of us can help each other.

Jerry looks up, milkshake all over his hair and face, and just looks at Bobby. He bites his lip, still not saying anything as he tries to avoid looking at Matt at the table over.

[Jim Houston]

The camera shows a chair with MDE and Rachel in the background. They are having a conversation but it can't be heard as they're in the middle of putting G a microphone onto MDE.

MDE: Fine then.

MDE sits down on the chair and doesn't look at all excited to be there.

Disembodied Male Voice: So how did you get into the wrestling business?

MDE: Sport.

DMV: I'm sorry?

MDE: Wrestling is a sport, not a business.

DMV: Okay... have you been a wrestling fan all your life or did you discover wrestling later in life?

MDE: I've been a fan since I was eight.

DMV: And who got you into wrestling?

MDE: My brother.

DMV: Tell us how that happened.

MDE: He used to watch it. I watched it too.

There is a pause as MDE just stares at something slightly beyond the camera.

DMV: If this is going to work for you, you'll need to be a little more open. Give us a bit more detail. You grew up in the middle on the Monday Night Wars. Were you a WWF guy or a WCW guy.

MDE: Neither. I hate the WWF and WCW.

DMV: For what reason?

MDE: My brother used to watch Raw every Tuesday after school. All I'd see were people dressed as stupid characters getting up to stupid things and occasionally putting on very bad wrestling matches. I hated every minute of it.

DMV: So what did you enjoy.

MDE: All Japan. AJW and other Joshi promotions.

DMV: That was the pre-internet days. It can't have been easy to find that. How did you discover it.

MDE: A Japanese family moved in just down the street from us. My brother began a relationship with their daughter. It was a Tuesday in November when he was watching Raw and she was there. She was a fan of wrestling but she didn't like Raw. She brought over a tape of All Japan the next day and we watched it. Compared to what I saw, Raw was a different sport entirely. From that point on, I watched all of her tapes and managed to find someone in Plymouth who had access to tapes. I'd take them to my bedroom and watch for hours on end.

DMV: Were you a Kobashi guy or a Misawa guy?

MDE: Neither.

DMV: So who was your favourite wrestler?

MDE: Aja Kong.

DMV: Aja Kong? You don't find too many eight year olds who like Aja Kong. Why?

MDE: She won all the time. Almost every match I saw she was the best wrestler. Wrestling is about winning- that's all it's about- and she was the best at it. She didn't like people like Manami Toyota find a way to beat her even thought she'd try so hard. I was drawn to that. I wanted to be that good one day. I wanted people to know they had to perform to their absolute best to try and beat me and to fail anyway. That's what drove me to be who I am.

DMV: You went away to train when you were eighteen. Was that hard?

MDE: Not really. I decided when I was ten that I would be a wrestler. Nothing was going to get in my way. I went up to Wigan and learned in the Snakepit for two years and then began to take bookings and build myself into the best on the planet right now.

DMV: Two years is a long time to train before you take bookings. Why didn't you go out earlier?

MDE: I wasn't ready. I was only going to have a match when I knew I'd be ready to win. And I did. I WON my first eighteen matches in a row.

DMV: You win a lot of matches but you don't win them all. How do you take losing?

MDE: I hate losing. I should never lose. Sometimes I do but I shouldn't. I know I'm better than anyone I could face so losing makes me angry.

DMV: What match sticks out for you? Which would say is your best?

MDE: Any match I win. I don't try to put on matches for anyone other than myself. I go into the ring to win not to make people happy. If I win in three seconds or three hours, it's all the same to me. I win. That's all that matters.

DMV: You talk about being the best. What kind of ambitions do you have in wrestling?

MDE: To win. I want to beat everyone.

DMV: Is there somewhere you aspire to wrestle? A title you want to win?

MDE: Titles are props. Title shots are given to anyone who a promoter feels can make them money. I don't get given them because I don't care about fans. If I had it my way, I'd wrestle in a tiny room with just a ring, an opponent and a referee. No promoter wants me to be at the top of their promotion as their champion and I don't care about winning their titles. All I want to do is to wrestle and to win.

DMV: How about here in FPW. What aims do you have?

MDE: I want to face every member of the roster one on one and I want to beat every single one of them. Then I'll have proven that I'm the best of them all to even the dumbest of viewers.

DMV: You've faced some criticism recently from a number of sources. They claim that you'll never catch one anywhere because of your attitude towards others. What do you have to say to that?

MDE: I'm not very social. I don't care for many other people. They try to latch onto my hard work and my ability without giving me anything. So I don't give much to others. If promoters don't want me because I don't smile at the fans and pretend I'm happy to see them then I don't want to work there. If every wrestler were honest, they'd be like me too. They do it because they think they have to play a game to get ahead. I won't play that game. I'll win every match I have until promoters have to book me because I prove over and over again that I'm the best there is.

DMV: Thank you for sitting down with us. If you don't mind, we'd like to get an insight into your wrestling mind. You're well known for game plans and being a master tactician. We'd like to sit down with you as you analyse some tape to see what you pick up that others might learn from.

MDE: No. I'm not doing that.

DMV: Oh... why not?

MDE: Why would I help others? They need to find a way to catch up to me. I'm not about to reach down and pull them up. If they try to reach up here I'll kick them back down as many steps as I can. I'm not giving away my secrets to anyone, least of all to you.

MDE gets up and takes off his mic, leaving the room.

DMV: Next time...

Female voice: MDE, you just suffered a tough loss to Mark Davis. How do you feel?

MDE is shown throwing a chair against the locker room door. He kicks a bag across the floor and the contents spill out all over the room.

Commentator: MDE is in trouble here... It could be time for... It is... It's over... 1-2-3. MDE loses.

Rachel: I don't know... I have to think about it... Maybe it is time to move on... Excuse me, I have to go.

[The_Aviator_GB]

The camera focuses on Graham Baker, who sits in a chair in the FPW Locker Room. He is alone, and he looks up into the camera, and begins speaking, dressed in exercise gear.

My name...is Graham Baker. In most circles, i'm known as 'The Aviator'. I hail from London, England, and I am twenty-five years old. I trained at the PROGRESS Wrestling school, and have wrestled around the world.

Archival footage begins to play, of Graham's first few matches at PROGRESS, as well as matches in other promotions. In one clip, a triple threat, he levels a man with a dropkick before spinning around and catching another with a hurricanrana, returning to the first man and locking a Cross Armbar in on him. In another, a singles match, Graham runs up the turnbuckles and executes a perfect flip, catching a man with a blockbuster before going for a pin. 

I'm known by my fanbase for my run in Combat Zone Wrestling as the Wired Champion, as well as other matches across various promotions in the United States. In a way, I consider the States more my 'wrestling' home than the UK-PROGRESS trained me, and i'm forever thankful for that, but my opportunities there were...fleeting. I don't blame them-when I left PROGRESS, I was brash and hotheaded. I still am-but i've harnessed it. I know what i'm doing with it now.

Another bit of footage plays, showing Graham, during a title defense, reverse a top-rope powerbomb into a frankensteiner through a chair structure. Another shows him in a steel cage match perform a missile dropkick and send a man through a table set up in the corner of the ring. At the end of both clips, Graham is shown standing tall with his belt hung high in the air, bloodied, bruised, but smiling.

The Combat Zone was my home, and still is, and forever will be...but I had to move on eventually. I did all I could and would there...and it was time to move on. Greener Pastures, as they say. I was offered a Freedom Pro Wrestling contract after a tryout and a place in the upcoming Young Lion's cup, and I took it. I figured that that match would be my debut, but when I was penciled in to face MDE at The New Batch...well, I couldn't turn it down. 

Clips from Baker and MDE's promos against one another are played as Baker continues speaking.

Before my match with MDE, he was a man who I respected, and after, I respected him even more. I was overconfident in myself just as he thought he had me figured out, and when I slipped up and gave him an opening, he took advantage and bested me. I can respect that, as he can respect the fact that I was far, far more than he'd bargained for. I showed him a good fight, just as he did, and I hope to prove myself enough to meet him in the ring...and come out on top, no mistakes or space given.

Clips from MDE and Baker's match play, showing holds reversed into other holds, Baker escaping a Simply Great Stretch by the skin of his teeth, MDE fighting his way out of a Grounded Armbar, and the finish-MDE reversing Baker's hurricanrana into a Gutwrench Powerbomb and getting the pinfall victory over Baker. A clip is shown of Baker looking disappointed as MDE leaves the ring, knowing he was seconds away from victory.

After that match, I knew what I had to do. I had to train harder, to focus on this promotion, this tournament, and on myself. Since The New Batch, i've spent hours a day in this performance center, training against every opponent I can face, reviewing my moves and my weaknesses. I've set my sights on the Young Lion's Cup, and I intend to grasp it, to take hold of it, and beat every competitor in my way. I've spoken of my first round opponent-James Saturn-and I'll speak on every other man in the Young Lion's Cup when I say this: You're all great competitors, as if you weren't, you wouldn't be here. You're all hungry, young, ready to go-and so am I. I'll take on any and everyone in my path, and I will win this tournament. When I get my hands on that cup, it's gonna take one hell of a fight and one incredibly hungry competitor to take it from me, because you're going to have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Freedom Pro Wrestling, I am your company's rising star. Many of your fans already chant my name, your competitors know my reputation. Soon, you, too will know why The Aviator's not going down anytime soon, and in the Young Lion's Cup, you'll have a front row seat to see the excellence that is Graham Baker.

Graham points his fingers in a gun-like shape at the camera.

See you soon.

[Jim Houston]

The camera shows a fuzzy image of what looks to be a wrestler sitting in a locker room.

Disembodied male voice: Today we have unprecedented access to MDE as he prepares to face a relative unknown, Alan Daniels, at a show in Bristol, England.

The camera focusses on the entrance to the building, as MDE and his personal assistant Rachel make their way through the door. They pass three fans on their way in, including a young child, but MDE walks straight past them, ignoring their requests for autographs.

Rachel: There will be a chance to purchase autographed items once doors open. Thank you for your support.

The fans look disappointed as MDE and Rachel disappear through the doors.

Fan: He's a great wrestler. I've seen him many times in Plymouth and in the area and it's good to see a local lad making it big with the big British promotions and in the US with Freedom Pro, which is a great little rising promotion, but he's not the most personable. I don't know why I bother trying to get an autograph or a picture. He's never as much as acknowledged me or any other fan that I've ever seen.

MDE continues to walk through the building and is met by a middle aged woman who gives him an ID badge and escorts him through to the locker room.

The camera cuts to Rachel, who stands in front of a blank wall.

Rachel: He's wrestled here a few times before. I think this is somewhere with people who can keep him happy. We don't tend to have too many problems here, as long as he wins of course.

DMV: Do you expect him to win tonight?

Rachel: Against Alan Daniels? Yes. Daniels is getting a big chance tonight but he's not faced someone like MDE before. I don't think he'll cause too many problems.

MDE walks into the locker room where three other wrestlers are already sat. They say hello to him but he ignores them and puts his bag down in the far corner. He then walks back out of the room and along the corridor a little, stopping when he sees Rachel talking to a man in a suit. When the man sees MDE, he walks over to him and extends his hand. MDE looks at it for a moment and shakes it, but his facial expression doesn't change.

Promoter: MDE. Good to see you again. I see everything is going fairly well for you at the moment. I especially liked your match with that young lad Graham Baker a couple of weeks ago. He's quite the talent.

MDE: He's quite the talent? Who won the match?

Promoter: ... well you did, obviously. I'd have expected you to, but I thought he put up a good showing given the difference in experience.

Rachel: Anyway, Jeff says that you and Daniels are on first tonight in about an hour. You'd better-

Promoter: Big responsibility opening the show. We need to get the crowd excited and draw them in. You're facing one of their own tonight so I expect they'll want to see him win, so you won't need to interact with them too much. Just let him pump up the crowd at the start and then go and do what you do best. Just...

MDE: What?

Promoter: He's not quite faced someone as good as you are before. I don't want him to lose in two minutes. Give him a bit of leeway before you go all out.

MDE: I'm here to win a match. If you don't want me doing it quickly then give me a more challenging opponent.

Promoter: I'm just...

MDE walks away, leaving Rachel to pick up the pieces with the promoter. The cameras follow MDE as he enters the arena, where a ring is set up surrounded with a few rows of seats. The venue looks like it can hold about two hundred people.

DMV: So what do you do before a match?

MDE (as he is shown doing each thing): I test the ropes to see how tight they are. I look for where the padding on the outside is at its thickest or thinnest if I get dragged out of the ring. I check how firm the guardrails are for the same reason. Then I get into the ring and I look for harder spots and softer spots. I take a few bumps in different area's so I know what to expect and so I know where different moves will have the biggest impact. I want to know where the timekeeper sits, where the announcers are if there are any. I want to know my way around so I don't leave anything to chance.

MDE then walks back to the locker room, cameras following him again. They catch up with Rachel as he enters.

DMV: While MDE is getting warmed up, what do you do?

Rachel: I talk to the promoter and the other wrestlers. I talk about matches they've had recently, where they've worked. I get a feel of places where MDE might be a good fit and where to avoid. I have to keep my finger on the pulse. A lot of what I do could be classed as marketing I suppose. I lay the groundwork for repeat bookings as soon as we step through the door.

The camera then cuts to a much busier locker room, with MDE in his ring gear going through some stretches.

DMV: Do you have a clear warm up routine or does it depend on how your body feels?

MDE: The same each time. I start with my ankles and work up. I want to get every single muscle loose. Once I've done that I'll do some drills to get my feet moving quickly. Wrestling, just like any sport, is all about footwork and I make sure my feet are lightning quick whenever I step into the ring.

DMV: How soon do you go for your match after warming up?

MDE: I cool down for maybe two minutes before I go to make my entrance. It's easy tonight because I'm on first, but when I go in later in the night it's more hit and miss. That's why I want to open shows whenever I can or work to a specific time schedule when I know when I'll be on and if matches are short people just have to wait.

The camera then shows a man knocking at the door to tell MDE that he needs to make his way out to the ring. MDE takes a swig of water before closing his eyes for a moment and then he walks with a purpose out of the door.

DMV: Unfortunately we can't show you any of the match, but this proved to be quite an upset, Alan Daniels rolling MDE up after just two minutes to pin him.

The camera shows the same corridor from earlier, but from the far end, as MDE comes storming back to the locker room. He overturns a table, sending snacks flying throughout the corridor. He kicks the door open and storms into the room, pounding the wall with his fist. One of the other wrestlers makes a comment and MDE swiftly takes him down with a double leg and locks in the Simply Great Stretch. It takes four other wrestlers to pull them apart before he promoter runs in.

Promoter: Hey! We don't do that in here, you know that. If you're unhappy that you lose then come and ask me for a rematch. You don't take it out on the other guys.

Wrestler: I think he broke my goddamn arm! Aaaaah.

Promoter: If he can't wrestle tonight and I'm a match down, you're losing your pay and you're not coming back here.

MDE grabs his bag and shoves past the promoter, knocking him to the ground. He looks up and down the corridor to see a Rachel running towards him.

Rachel: What happened? I heard-

MDE: Get in the car. We're leaving.

Rachel: We can't just-

MDE: I SAID WE'RE LEAVING.

Rachel turns, her face showing fear, and quickly walks ahead of MDE out into the car park. She gets into the car as he pulls open the back door, almost ripping it off completely before slamming it shut with a loud bang.

The camera then switches to an in-car view.

Rachel (carefully): Look... I know you lose tonight, but you can't-

MDE (loudly and angrily): Yes I lost. You know why I lost? I barely had anything to go on. You managed to get me four matches of his. Four! When I faced Baker I managed to see fifty-two. I have hundreds of matches of most of my opponents and you get me four?! What do you expect? Next time, do your fucking job.

Rachel is shown breathing deeply and saying nothing. For twenty seconds, the camera simply shows her driving, with a deadpan expression, while MDE fidgets and fumes in the back.

The camera then cuts to a view of the car pulling up outside the gym where MDE has been seen before. Rachel gets out and MDE follows, slamming the door loudly and clearly still angry.

MDE: I want you here at seven tomorrow.

Rachel: Seven? I... it's midnight now. I live fifteen miles away. I can't get here for seven.

MDE: I said seven. I have work to do and so do you. Get here or that lost pay is coming out of your pay check and not mine.

MDE then storms into the building, leaving Rachel outside.

DMV: Do you get treated like that often?

Rachel (almost in tears): Quite often, yes. Whenever he loses, he's just... His brain... He's... different. Most people can shrug it off in the end, but him... It's like he takesmin every loss and retains the feeling, getting worse and worse with each new loss he suffers. One day... I don't know...

DMV: Have you ever considered not working for him?

Rachel: Many times. Especially early on. But then... I suppose once you understand him and... the way he... the way he is... it's still not nice but you can see why he acts like that. I know,deep down that he's just angry with himself and he takes it out on me because I'm someone he trusts. I suppose I think that many I can... I don't know... maybe I can help him.

DMV: It seems to me that he's a little beyond that. I really think you ought to consider moving on. We have a position open here that you might be very well-suited for...

Rachel: I don't know... I have to think about it... Maybe it is time to move on... Excuse me, I have to go.

The camera follows her as she gets in the car and then fades out.

DMV: Next time, in the final part of our All Access documentary on MDE...

Rachel: You need to treat me better. Without me, you'd have nowhere to go right now. I'm the reason you're still somebody.

MDE: Without you I'd still be MDE. That's all I need to be who I want to be.

Rachel: No. Without me, you'd be barely wrestling. Hell, you'd be bead in a ditch somewhere without me smoothing things over whenever you mess up. Keep on this path and nobody will be able to help you. It doesn't matter how good you are if you're blackballed from every promotion from here to Japan. Times are changing and you'd better change too.

MDE: I...

[Saturn]

Footage shows a younger James in a match in RoH. He jumps off a 20 foot ladder in the ring, diving straight into his opponent on the outside. Screams erupt above the crowd as both men lie mangled on the floor. Footage cuts to James jogging across a bridge, as he jogs footage cuts back to him and his opponent on the floor, as the camera cuts back and forth James begins voicing over the footage.

James: August 14, 2013. I broke 13 bones, dislocated 7, and tore open so many different parts of myself I couldn't count it on 6 hands.

The footage cuts to James being carried away on a stretcher. Then back to him exercising.

James: I was in the hospital months, in rehab for even longer. It was the worst year and a half of my life, but I don't regret any of it.

The footage shows James undergoing surgery in a hospital room.

James: I don't regret it because I love it, I was born to do it, I'm great at it. Its not just my job, its my passion, and damn anyone who says it isn't.

The footage now shows James in rehab rebuilding his body.

James: I've loved it since I was a kid, I idolized those guys, and I work every day to be like them. Oh, and Graham Baker, I've heard what you said about me. If I'm cocky I have a reason to be, it is because I am one of the best wrestlers in the world today, everything I say is true. I'm not cocky, I'm confident.

The footage then cuts to James back in the ring, fighting a new opponent.

James: My point is that I love this, I destroy my body for this, and I do whatever it takes to win. The same thing goes for my match with Graham Baker. When we fight, I will win.

James pins his opponent
1!
2!
3!

The camera cuts to black.

[Jim Houston]

The video begins with a shot of the outside of MDE's private gym. A time stamp reads 9:01am. A car arrives and parks outside and Rachel, MDE's personal assistant, exits the car.

Disembodied Male Voice: So you didn't make it for 7am?

Rachel: Nope.

Rachel storms past the cameras and enters the building. The camera shake as they hurry to keep up with her. They go through a door into a small room with a old desk in frnot of several pieces of gym equipment. An open door further back in the room shows a glimpse of a wrestling ring but Rachel takes a right and goes through a door and up some stairs. She stops part way up and goes through another door instead of continuing up. Through this door is her office, where she hangs her coat and pauses for a moment before turning to the camera.

Rachel: Well... wish me luck.

She walks through a door opposite the desk, where the back of MDE can be seen. A wrestling match is paused on his computer screen and he's writing notes on a pad of paper. When he hears the door opening, he turns, his face still as angry as it was the night before.

MDE: You're late.

Rachel: Look... we need to talk. About that and-

MDE: You're late. I needed you. Where have you been?

Rachel: What did you need me for?

MDE: I lost to a roll up last night. I've lost a few times to roll ups recently. I need opponents to come here who are skilled in different roll ups, as many different ones as there are. People know they can't go toe to toe with me and come out on top so they try to catch me by surprise. Not anymore. These two hours should have been spent making calls and booking people to come here. Maybe I could have one here by now if you were on time.

Rachel: Did you ever think that you could have made the calls yourself?

MDE: You know I don't do that. That's what-

Rachel: You need to treat me better. Without me, you'd have nowhere to go right now. I'm the reason you're still somebody.

MDE: Without you, I'd still be MDE. That's all I need to be who I want to be.

Rachel: No. Without me, you'd barely be wrestling. Hell, you'd be dead in a ditch somewhere without me smoothing things over whenever you mess up or can't make calls or talk to people. Keep on this path and nobody will be able to help you. It doesn't matter how good you are if you're blackballed from every promotion from here to Japan. Times are changing and you'd better chance too.

MDE: I...

Rachel (to the camera): You'd better give us a minute.

DMV: The two of them stayed in that room for two hours while we waited outside.

The camera cuts to Rachel, sat behind her desk.

Rachel: He's... well... he's just MDE. I've got a brother who's... like him. I understand how hard life can be for him. My brother didn't get the support he needed and... well... it didn't go so well. I won't make that mistake this time. I make allowances a lot of the time and I try to show him how to do things better. Sometimes he needs to hear things that he doesn't want to hear and I think I'm pretty good at telling him those things. I don't think he'll change that much but if he stops and thinks for a moment before verbally abusing me or someone else next time then I've done my job well.

DMV: What exactly was said in there?

Rachel: Well... I'd rather not say. That's private between me and him. All that anyone needs to know is that things are fine. He's going to carry on being the best wrestler there is and I'm going to carry on doing all of the behind the scenes work to allow him to be. Will he change his attitude towards people a little? I hope so. He knows what he needs to do to make sure that keeps getting bookings and keeps getting help and he's thinking about it. He'll never change who he is in the ring, but a few small changes outside it and his ceiling is barely visible. He'll go as far as he wants to and I'll be right there with him to do so.

The camera cuts to a shot of MDE in the ring in his gym. He is rolled up over and over and over again, sometimes kicking out, sometimes transitioning the roll up into a submission. At no point does the man in a referee's shirt ever count to three. After a few minutes, the opponent calls for a time out and MDE rolls out of the ring.

DMV: MDE... sorry to interrupt your work out. You looked good in there.

MDE: I did. Everyone has a weakness. I pick on those of others and I make sure they can't pick on mine. Once I've patched this up, I'll find something else to improve. I just need to make sure I find it before anyone else does... I will find it before anyone else does.

DMV: Could you tell us a little about this place?

MDE: I bought it when I'd been wrestling for a couple of years. The bottom floor is the gym and a practise ring. The middle floor is my office space. I live on the top floor. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom. It's all I need. There's a small number of people who pay to use the facilities and that helps with the upkeep.

DMV: Do you aspire to something... more? To something bigger?

MDE: No. This is all I need. The more money I make, the better facilities I can give myself. I live to wrestle. I live to win. It's all I need.

DMV: So from this point on, can we expect to see a new MDE?

MDE (looking confused): No. I wrestle. I win. That's all I've ever been and all I ever will be. I'm a wrestler. Nothing more. Nothing less. If people don't like that, I don't need them.

Credits roll, including a special thank you to FPW for access to MDE.

[The_Aviator_GB]

The following video appeared on Graham Baker's social media accounts mere days after the last bit of YLC promotional material. 

At a CZW show outside FPW, Baker finishes a match against the current Wired champion-a non-title bout-with a Frankensteiner from the top rope onto the ground before wrapping the man up in an armbar. A brief struggle ensues, but the man taps out moments later, and Baker is deemed victorious. The crowd goes wild as Baker pulls the man up, holding his hand up and motioning toward him and the belt, touching the belt one final time as the man leaves the ring. Baker is handed a microphone, and as the crowd cheers and chants his name, he quiets them for a moment, laying his jacket over the ring ropes and looking around to the crowd. He breathes, pulling his aviators on for a moment, before pulling them off and laying them next to the jacket.

Combat Zone...you've been kind to me for so many years. You were the place I called home when my old home could no longer support me. You took me in from the cold, offered me a few matches, and eventually trusted me enough to represent you, to hold that title...to be a top guy. 

You plastered my face on posters, you put me in promotional material, you paid for me to fly to distant states and countries and represent you. You stood with me through every win, every loss, every up and down, every time I came close to losing that title and disgracing you...you still stood by me. When I'd lost faith in myself, thought that I wasn't good enough to hang with the best...you were still there to show me I was. You still screamed my name, you followed me wherever I went...and now, I need to ask you to do that one more time, to follow me as you have before...because I need to focus my attention somewhere else.

The crowd quiets a bit more as they realize that Graham seems to be saying a farewell, and Baker motions for something to be brought to the ring. Moments later, two members of the ring crew hand a bomber jacket to Graham. He hangs it over the ropes next to his own, and he puts his own back on. He taps the bomber jacket on the shoulders, and hangs his head for a moment.

This was my first jacket, my entrance attire for my first match here. I wore this jacket through my landmark matches, when I first won the Wired title, through every defense. This jacket is as much yours as it is mine...and i'm going to leave it here, for all of you. Take it as a token of my appreciation, for those of you who have followed me all the way. I've got a rare opportunity coming up...and I need to focus solely there. I need to be in Freedom Pro, and I need to spend my time training for the Young Lion's Cup. For those of you who wish to heap on me for 'selling out' and tell me that i'm abandoning my roots...I understand your pain and frustration, and i'll take it freely.

At this time, Graham throws his hands up, and the crowd remains silent. However, a small clap breaks out, followed by a 'Thank you Graham' chant. The chant erupts through the arena, and Graham seems taken aback by the reception. Filled with new energy, Graham picks the microphone back up and the crowd hushes only slightly as he begins speaking again. 

That's the fucking following i'm talking about! This ain't goodbye, this is a see you soon, and some of you i'll see sooner when you're in that crowd watching me tear through the Young Lion's cup! When I win that tournament-which I will-i'm coming back here, and i'm bringing that trophy with me so all of you can see how far i've come. It's the first of many-first the YLC, then the Hardcore title, and when I win that world fucking championship, drinks are on me, because this is the first place i'm coming to with it! You've always been here for me, i'll keep coming back to you!

The crowd continues going mad, and chant Graham's name as he puts his jacket over his shoulder and his aviator glasses back on, leaving the microphone and his old jacket in the center of the ring as the intermission to the next match gets underway. Graham exits through the crowd, recharged with purpose and a desire to win the Young Lion's Cup. 

[Jim Houston]

MDE's Twitter page posts a link to an episode of the British Wrestling Experience podcast, on which there is an interview of him with presenter Benno.

B: I'm very lucky to be joined by British wrestling star MDE. MDE, thanks for joining me.

MDE: No problem.

B: We haven't seen too much of you recently with the big promotions. Tell us a bit about what you've been doing.

MDE: I've been working some smaller shows like UPW in the South West as well as some Bristol shows. I've also been wreslting in the US with Freedom Pro Wrestling.

B: Tell us a bit about your FPW experience. A lot of people are talking about your match with fellow British and CZW regular Graham Baker.

MDE: I beat Baker last time I wrestled there. We opened a show dedicated to showcasing some of the new talent that has come into the promotion recently, myself included, and I think it's safe to say that I increased my stock there significantly. There's another British wrestler, Adam Thompson, who's the champion there and I expect a match with him fairly soon.

B: How did you get involved with FPW?

MDE: They have a loose association with failed British promotion 5050 wrestling, where I wrestled for some time a couple of years back. They did a show with former 5050 wrestlers and I came in for that before impressing them enough to invite me to stick around for longer.

B: Probably best we don't talk about 5050 here! You haven't been seen in Progress for some time after being somewhat of a regular for a while. When can we expect you back?

MDE: If they want me back, I'm ready to go.

B: So you haven't chosen not to be there?

MDE: No.

B: ... Well... It's 16 Carat Gold weekend over in Oberhausen this weekend. In the past you've been over there and I've had the pleasure of seeing your matches there with Axel Dieter Jr. and Illia Dragonov. Were you hoping to be invited back this year?

MDE: I'd have considered it. My match with Dieter Jr is one of my best performances I'd say so I'd have liked to have gone again. It wasn't to be this year. Maybe next year I'll go back there. WALTER is gaining a lot of steam at the moment and I'd like to see how well I can perform against him.

B: I think we can all agree that that would be a fantastic match. I caught the all-access documentary that you did for FPW recently. Would you say that it was a fair reflection of events that went on around that time?

MDE: Yeah, probably. When I watched it back it made me think a little.

B: About what?

MDE: It made me think about my potential and about where I want to be. It made me wonder if I was on the best path to get there or if I had some changes to make outside of the ring.

B: And what was the outcome of that?

MDE: That's for me to know right now. All you need to know is what I do in the ring.

B: ... Ok... Finally, what do you have coming up soon?

MDE: I'm in Bristol tomorrow night. I've got a fairly big match up in Preston next weekend against Rampage Brown, who I haven't faced for some time. I'm meeting someone quite important at the weekend about a pretty big show that's coming up soon so there may be an announcement about something fairly big in the next few days. Other than that I'm training, scouting opponents and getting better every day.

B: Well, thank you for joining us and best of luck.