| Overview |
|
Hello fans, and welcome to the third edition of AWA Coldfront. As the AWA rests on the eve of destruction just a few short days away from what looks to be the best SuperCard yet, Dead & Bloated, feuds are reaching their boiling points. Riptide saw tempers flare and tension rise as the biggest SuperCard to date nears. All of the usual goodies included in Coldfront are here, along with a Spotlight guest that's under quite a bit of public and backstage scrutiny. I have some bold predictions for Dead & Bloated, and I don't want to keep you waiting. I present to you...Coldfront! |
| Angles, Feuds, and Whatnot |
|
The main focus right now is the bitter rivalry between Heavyweight Champion, HaZe, and Atlantic Champion, Mandrake. Many people believe that their dual title ladder match at Dead & Bloated will be a match for the ages. HaZe has never lost to the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil in singles competition, but on the other hand, Mandrake, 2002 King of the Rungs winner, is undefeated in ladder matches. Both men want supremacy over the AWA, and the winner of this match will have just that. HaZe seems to be in top condition, while Mandrake is still healing from his most recent encounter with the Enlightened One, and more importantly, a stab wound he suffered at the hands of William Ian Dillinger. What I'm wondering is how is AWA owner Richard Cormier going to work into the mix? Has he found himself a new chosen champion? Only time will tell. It seems that a Damn Fine Man, Josh McCool has been on a roll since entering the AWA, going undefeated thus far. But, he's never had to face a grappler as skilled and talented as James Nightbane, a man he's been having problems with in recent weeks. It seems that making friends isn't one of Nightbane's strong suits, and the Son of a Bitch is currently on the top of the Dark One's hit list. I don't see this feud ending anytime soon. Jerry Verboncour and Billy Suggs, formly known collectively as an Army of Two, have uncerimoniously parted ways. The pot had be brewing for quite some time before the Texan finally lost it and let loose on the Backwoods Barricuda. Both men earned spots to compete for the brand new Television Championship at Dead & Bloated, but this has got to be considered a grudge match of sorts. These two men can't stand each other, and each blames the other for never acquiring tag team gold. All I can say is look for plenty of bloodshed between these two. Reigning AWA Tag Team Champions, the Super Bastardo Bros., seemed invincible...until now. Steve Zapf and Joe LaBracio, two badass street fighters from the streets of Jersey have reformed to take on the champs. The Masters' rugged, brawling style may prove too much for their smaller opponents. If there is any team in the AWA capable of knocking the champions off the mountain, it's Zapf and LaBracio. After three months of culmination, Kris Kartier and Richard Cormier are finally going to settle things once and for all...inside of a fifteen foot high steel cage! After being pestered by Cormier's Brotherhood of the New Lights for a few months, Kartier finally snapped. Thanks to some slick black mailing techniques, Nyghtmare will finally get what he's been yearning for so much...himself and Richard Cormier one-on-one! It's been reported that there is some major tension between Pyro-Maniac and the rest of the Brotherhood of the New Lights. After making it publicly known that nobody from the Brotherhood even so much as visited him while he was recovering from severe burns in the hospital, Richard Cormier was said to be irate. Cormier is also said to be unhappy with the fact that Pyro is teaming with one-time enemy and brother P.O.D. Cormier had a meeting with Pyro-Maniac yesterday after the interview was shot, and the two have seemingly worked things out. Many Superstars have complained to management about the grotesque William Ian Dillinger, saying that he is both abnormal and disgusting. Dillinger is rarely seen backstage, and seemingly appears out of thin air for his matches, then disappears afterwards just as quickly. It's been stated that a few wrestlers actually fear for their lives when around him, and many are pushing to have the man removed from the AWA roster. |
| Brooks' Rankings |
 1) HaZe (1) 2) Mandrake (2) 3) James Nightbane (3) 4) Machine (-) 5) Nyghtmare (5)  1) Mandrake (1) 2) Jerry Verboncour (3) 3) Billy Suggs (-) 4) A Damn Fine Man (5) 5) Nyghtmare (-)  1) Super Bastardo Bros. (1) 2) The Masters (4) 3) The Folk (3) 4) The New Breed (5) 5) Cliff Anderson & Grendel (-)  1) Jerry Verboncour (-) 2) Billy Suggs (-) 3) A Damn Fine Man (-) 4) Pyro-Maniac (-) 5) William Ian Dillinger (-) |
| Predictions: Dead & Bloated (3-18-02) |
|
Best 2 of 3 Falls: Standard Match: Billy Suggs vs. Jerry Verboncour This is a great match to start of Dead & Bloated. Both Suggs and Verboncour are gifted ring warriors, and they know each other very well having tagged together for awhile. I believe that these two ring and military veterans will give it their all for the sold out crowd inside of the Alantic Arena. It's going to be very difficult to pick a winner for this match, becuase both men are so equally matched. I'm gonna have to pick Jerry to win this match due to his recent singles success, but otherwise, this match is a toss up. The Folk vs. The New Breed The Folk have really gone down hill, and the don't show any signs of letting up. The New Breed look to finally make their impact at Dead & Bloated, and I firmly believe that they'll wipe the floor with the circus freaks. William Ian Dillinger vs. Machine Out of all the matches on the card, this will be the most interesting. Dillinger is a sick, twisted soul, and Machine is...well, a machine. In a standard match, I'd give the nod to Machine due to his enormous size and ungodly strength, but this isn't your typical match. This is a match that favors the knife friendly Dillinger. This is a First Blood match. The goal of the match being to draw blood from your opponent, I can't help but pick William Ian Dillinger to win this match. James Nightbane vs. A Damn Fine Man Over the past few weeks, these two men's rivalry has gotten personal. I don't think fans should expect a wrestling match, because this is going to be a fight. Both are big, physical guys, and both are good at dishing out punishment. Many people claim that McCool is becoming a force in the AWA, but I question his legitimacy. His opponents thus far have been very unimpressive. He's never been in the ring with a mat technician the caliber of Nightbane. I say that ADFM's streak ends here, because I'm going with Nightbane. Tag Team Match: Super Bastardo Bros. vs. The Masters Loki and Plaz have been the team to beat in the AWA, and as of late, nobody's been able to do it...well, not in a ring, anyways. The Masters have brutalized the Bastardos on a few occasions, but when push came to shove inside the ring, the Masters couldn't quite get the job done. Steve Zapf and Joe LaBracio have regrouped and rebounded with a newfound intensity, and they're looking to put a hurtin' on the Bastardos in their own backyard of New Jersey. This match is right up the Masters' alley, a couple of brawlers in a street fight against two well-oiled ring technicians. The odds for this match highly favor the Masters...but don't let the Bastardos know that. Nyghtmare vs. Richard Cormier Let me start off by saying Kris Kartier is going to beat the absolute hell out of Richard Cormier! Cormier doesn't have a hope in hell of winning this match unless his Brotherhood cronies can somehow manage a way to assist him inside of the steel structure. This won't be a match, or even anything that closely resembles a match. This will be a merciless beating for Cormier, and a whole lot of fun for Nyghtmare. Enough said. Ladder Match: HaZe vs. Mandrake In what I believe will be the greatest contest in the history of the AWA, HaZe and Mandrake will meet in a ladder match with both the Atlantic and Heavyweight Championships on the line. As if this match wouldn't be brutal enough, both competitors have the added pressure of two golden belts dangling above their heads. Injuries are going to be inevitable, how severe depends entirely on the two men involved. This is Mandrake's match of choice, but the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil is not 100% as he's still healing up some old injuries. Due to the fact that Mandrake isn't going to be in peak physical condition, I'm going to have to put my money on the Enlightened One to come out on top...either that or both men will be carted away on stretchers... |
| The Grapevine |
|
Well boys and girls, it's that time again. Time for Daniel Brooks to sort through the news and rumors he's picked up while wandering around backstage at AWA events. Here is the lowdown on things I've either heard first hand or picked up from very reliable sources: Atlantic Broadcasting Network Final: Earlier today, the WABN received finishing touches and is now fully operational, reaching thirteen different states, including Virginia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, and West Virginia, just to name some. Homes able to pick up the WABN will be able to begin viewing at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, March 18th...just two hours before the AWA's third SuperCard, Dead & Bloated airs! Management Unhappy: It's being said that management is unhappy with the Masters, Steve Zapf and Joe LaBracio. Apparently, they have been working very stiff in the ring, and a few of their opponents have been injured, namely Jingles and Loki Bastardo. During the match between the Masters and the Folk, Zapf reportedly caught Jingles with a stiff kick to the jaw, and it's been very difficult for Jingles to even open his mouth. Loki suffered a strained abdomenal muscle resulting from the Joe, a move in which Joe LaBracio delivered an inverted DVD off the second turnbuckle. LaBracio was said to have been very careless while performing the move, which would explain the injury. Billy Suggs/A Damn Fine Man: There is some legitimate heat between these two men backstage. Suggs and McCool personally don't care much for one another, and their dislike for each other went sour after Riptide went off the air on Thursday. ADFM supposedly made a foul comment about Billy's real life cousin, Horea, which set him off. The two got into a heated argument which led to a brief scuffle which was quickly separated by fellow wrestlers and staff members. Suggs and McCool are now going to be given dressing rooms on opposite sides of the arena to help calm the situation. Tour of Mexico: Pest and Chameleon's tour of Mexico should be coming to an end shortly. The two are said to be fairing very well down in Central America, where Cameleon has even captured a championship belt. Pest is currently out of action healing up a sprained ankle, but both men should be returning to action in the AWA within the next month. Construction Complete: The construction of the upper deck of the Atlantic Arena finished yesterday, and the stadium is now 7,600 seats larger. The arena is now bigger and badder than ever as it's able to accomadate 20,200 raving AWA fans. On another note, all 20,200 of those seats have already sold out for Dead & Bloated. Virginia or Bust: The AWA plans on touring back through Virginia after Dead & Bloated. The Thursday after the SuperCard, the AWA will be invading the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia for a live presentation of Riptide! Cormier Promises Surprise: Richard Cormier told local reporters in Norfolk that he had a special surprise...a special somebody scheduled to appear at the SuperCard. The identity of this person as well as their role at Dead & Bloated is still a mystery. |
| Spotlight: Mandrake |
|
[The camera comes on inside of the small room known as the site of Coldfront's bi-monthly interview, Spotlight. Inside ther room, the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil is seen sitting at a table opposite Daniel Brooks. The Atlantic Champion is absent mindedly fiddling with his braided goatee as he patiently waits for the show to begin.] Daniel Brooks:: Hello, fans, and welcome to another edition of Coldfront's very own Spotlight. I'm Daniel Brooks, and this week, I have the pleasure of interviewing one of the true greats in the sport, Mandrake. [The camera zooms in on the table as Brooks gazes down at a piece of white paper in front of him. After browsing over his questions, he looks up to Mandrake who stares back at him with a twinkle in his pale blue eyes.] Daniel Brooks:: Are you ready to begin? [Mandrake simply nods.] Daniel Brooks:: Okay. Mandrake, you're a legend in your own time, but this legacy has become somewhat tainted as of late. Rumors are running rampant that you and Richard Cormier are in cohoots, so to speak. You've neither denied nor admitted this fact. Care to comment on it? Mandrake:: Well...to be honest, I don't see how addressing the issue will change a thing. Regardless of what I say, there will still be those who label me a sell-out, and I don't blame them. If it was someone else, I might be suspicious of them if some of the same things that have happened recently involved them, whether they denied affiliation with Cormier or not. I know that it's only a matter of time before the truth rears its ugly head, so I'm not gonna waste my breath. Actions speak louder than words, you know. Daniel Brooks:: Okay, another vague answer. Moving on...a few weeks back, you were stabbed in the leg by William Ian Dillinger. Your leg still isn't completely healed. Do you think this injury will affect you at all during your big match at Dead & Bloated? [Daniel stares at Mandrake, waiting for an answer as the daredevil ponders for a moment, stretching out his wounded leg beneath the table.] Mandrake:: It's not completely healed, but the doctors say it'll be about 80-85% by the time Dead & Bloated rolls around. I'm not gonna lie...pulling a win out of that match may be a little tricky thanks to the injury. Haze is a strong competitor, and he'd be a handful if I was at my best. Never the less, once the match gets started and the adrenaline starts working it's magic, I'm confident that knife attack will be the last thing on my mind. And while we're on the subject...Dillinger may have gotten his jollies in during our match, but he who laughs last, laughs last. We're not through...not by a long shot...and the funny thing is, he has no idea what he's started. In good time... Daniel Brooks:: I imagine. Well, several of your fans have started to boo you rather than cheer you due to your alledged alliance with AWA owner Richard Cormier. What is your reaction to this? Mandrake:: It was a little surprising at first, but when you think about it, it makes sense. I know that if my favorite wrestler had apparently joined forces with the enemy, I'd be booing him too. My actions in the ring are what bring in the fans, not backstage antics or heartfelt speeches. Like I said before, all of this will be settled soon, so it's only a matter of time before the fans know who deserves their praise and which one of us deserves their hatred... [Brooks nods with a somewhat confused look on his face, then peeks back down at his cheatsheet.] Daniel Brooks:: Many insiders have been speculating that you and Regina Cormier, Richard's daughter, have been dating. Is there any truth in that? [The Kill Devil Hills Daredevil smiles and laughs.] Mandrake:: No...no...no. I'm sure she's a wonderful woman, but...no. The fact that her father is the owner of the AWA has nothing to do with it, either. I just simply don't have the time or patience right now to make a relationship work. I'm not an easy man to live with as it is, and when you factor in the traveling and the training, it would just be a big waste of both our times. So...no. Daniel Brooks:: Man, what woman wouldn't want to be with the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil. Speaking of the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil, how'd that nickname come about? Mandrake:: Well, it originated back in my days with the Elite Wrestling Federation. I was matched up against "The Greek God" Pat Gordon, and he referred to me as the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil in one of his interview. Kill Devil Hills is my hometown, and daredevil refers to my reckless style in the ring. The name just kinda stuck with me. Daniel Brooks:: Interesting...Okay, now to the last question...You and HaZe are the top dogs in the AWA. You're the reigning Atlantic Champion, and he's the Heavyweight Champion. This ladder match will no doubt be a classic. You and HaZe know each other very well. You've been friends, and you've been enemies. This match has been culminating for the past three monthes. Would you care to give us an insight as to what we should expect from the Kill Devil Hills Daredevil in this match? Mandrake:: I wish I knew, Daniel. I usually have some sort of crude plan worked out in my head when I go into a match, and it's nothing very elaborate. A person has to be able to adapt to the situation at the drop of a hat to succeed in this business, so I don't exactly have things planned out five moves in advance. But I will tell you this...this match will be one to remember. When you put two titles on the line in a ladder match, you're just asking for it. Haze has been the heavyweight champion since the beginning of this federation, and who did he defeat to win it? That's right...me, and his win took place under questionable circumstances. I've been waiting for the day when my chance came back around, and now that it's here all bets are off. Neither busted ribs, or knife wounds, or rampant rumors will ruin this for me. I won't allow it. We know each other about as well as two opposing wrestlers can, so I'm looking forward to showing just what this daredevil is capable of...and that's nothing more than unspeakable carnage. You'll see things at Dead & Bloated that you'll never see again in this life, so don't blink 'cause it's hard telling what you might miss. Daniel Brooks:: Well, I can assure you that I am definitely looking forward to this match, as I'm sure fans are. This very well may go down as the most brutal, sadistic, injury-plagued match in the history of the AWA, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Thank you for your time, Mandrake. Jerry Verboncour:: Anytime. [Mandrake reaches over the table and shakes Daniel's hand, then stands and leaves the room as the scene fades to black.] |
