Post by Toom E. Guci on Dec 19, 2010 20:40:29 GMT -8
March 27th, 2010 was a big day in Arizona wrestling history. Wrestlemania had finally come to Arizona after Glendale fought long & hard to bring it for the fans. Shawn Michaels put his career on the line against Undertaker’s streak, Edge made his return from an injury to shut Chris Jericho up & attempt to win the World Heavyweight Championship, & John Cena battled Batista for the WWE Heavyweight Championship. But one man was not at Wrestlemania after having made several appearances for the WWE in the past, whether wrestling or as a bodyguard. Instead, Hawaiian Lion was off in Las Vegas, Nevada wrestling for another independent promotion to fulfill his obligations. But what many Arizona wrestling fans, as well as Impact Zone Wrestling fans, do not know is that Lion had his Wrestlemania Moment the day before…wrestling for Ring of Honor at the same venue he wrestled at as a young adult.
Wrestling for Ring of Honor was definitely a big deal in Lion’s career that marks his 10th year in 2011 since he started training in 2001. And Lion followed the path of many other fans aspiring to become a professional wrestler, training hard. But what got Lion into wrestling is an explanation of his own, “It's probably the same answer you always get. Probably because it's true, grew up watching it as a kid and it just captivated you. These guys just killing each other, the crowd reaction, the commentary, everything. I think when a kids growing up, from about 3 on, they want to be a cowboy, a ninja, or a wrestler.”
And Lion’s training brought him to the doorsteps of IZW long before there was an IZW. Quite a few of IZW’s wrestlers got their start wrestling for Western States Wrestling, the predecessor to IZW that held shows on a monthly basis, first at Madison Square Garden on Van Buren then onto an exclusive contract with Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum. Strangler Steve King, Navajo Warrior, GQ Gallo, Monster Mayhem, & the Crock are some IZW names who have worked in WSW before the doors shut. And Lion explains how he came to IZW, “I was training during the days of WSW, but wasn't ready (and probably still not completely) until the debut show at the Bash on Ash.”
So Lion’s career was off to a strong start after beating another former WSW alumni & former WSW Heavyweight Champion, Sin. And from there, Lion went on to become a multi-time tag team champion as well as three time IZW Heavyweight Champion. As the heavyweight champion, Lion got to wrestle in his favorite area outside of IZW: Japan. And since his first time wrestling in Japan, Lion has made, to date, 12 tours of Japan, which includes trips to United States Military Bases to wrestle for the brave men & women. In doing this, Lion has wrestled well over 100 times in Japan, working alongside the likes of future TNA superstar Chris Sabin, Keiji Muto, Dick Togo, Nobukazu Hirai, Kensuke Sasaki, & Abdullah the Butcher, to name a few. Lion opened up about how it felt to represent the United States in Japan, “How do you think it feels? I'm guessing it's a lot like winning the lottery. Words can't really cover it. You are just filled with a sense of pride, accomplishment. “
Wrestling in Japan is far different then wrestling in the United States, as Lion explains, “There's more appreciation for it as a sport in Japan. They respect the discipline as a sport verses being "entertained". You don't need to go through a table, flip a 360 off the top rope or set your opponent on fire to get a crowd reaction. A wrestlers ‘fighting spirit’ is what the Japanese fans want to see. “
Besides several appearances for Japan, Lion has been seen on WWE Television in several capacities. At one time Lion teamed up with Navajo Warrior as Native Warriors not just in IZW, but to face the Highlanders on an edition of Sunday Night Heat. And in another appearance for the WWE, Lion played a member of Eric Bischoff’s security team alongside fellow IZW superstar, Antonio Mestre. These moments were a big change for Lion in the United States, as it wasn’t him working in at The Sets like he was used to. “You know millions are watching you, maybe not you in particular, but it's very unnerving,” opened Lion.
How about the backstage atmosphere though? Every promotion has a different feeling to separate themselves from the other companies. So was IZW any different backstage from WWE? Lion was very honest on that one, “Yes and no. Everyone’s trying to figure out what's going on, where they should be, what to do, while staying out of the way. After your first experience, you realize they (contract wrestlers) are just as nervous about screwing something up as you are.”
And due to his connections Lion made in the WWE, he was brought back several times in a number of capacities. Lion enjoyed his time backstage & couldn’t pick a favorite to work with, as he explains himself, “I had good matches with the Highlanders, and Tatanka. I've got to do some work with Eddie Guerrero on a project and while short, I talked to him, and learned a lot. But hands down (and LT’s gonna to roll his eyes), but my favorite was Ricky Steamboat. He took me aside for about 45 minutes and just worked with me on so many small things that make big differences. It doesn't hurt that he was my favorite growing up. I was glad I remembered as much as I did considering most of the time he was talking to me, I just kept thinking "holy crap, I'm talking to Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
Then Rising Phoenix Wrestling came along & invited Lion to compete with them. And due to his history in Japan, Lion received a Japanese sign of respect that initially was brought to Arizona wrestling by one Benjamin J. Borracho…streamers. When a wrestler is respected in Japan, the fans throw streamers of a color that represents said wrestler during the ring introduction to show their respect. Borracho felt Lion was one of the top & most respected wrestlers RPW brought in, so he decided to show Lion his respect with the help of other fans. Did Lion appreciate this act of respect? “Gave me chills every time. Thank you to all who did that,” was Lion’s answer.
Meanwhile, back in IZW Lion turned into a man on a mission. And his eyes were set on the IZW Heavyweight Championship, then held by Lawrence Tyler. So during a tag team match with Warrior against Stan Lee & Derrick King, Lion decided to betray his partner & hit him with several piledrivers, a Lion specialty…bringing the match to a no contest. Meanwhile Tyler lost the championship to Johnny Stamboli, whom Justin Roberts brought in for a one time only appearance to try & take the belt off Tyler. Roberts plan worked, much to the fans dislike, & eventually Lion aligned himself with Roberts. And since Stamboli wasn’t a contracted superstar, the championship was vacated & presented to the #1 contender, Lion, by his new ally, Roberts. Many fans had a disgust for Roberts & his acts in IZW, but Lion learned a lot from the future WWE ring announcer, “Although wrestling is entertainment, you don't play a heel or face. You ARE a heel or a face. Justin taught me a lot in that aspect. A well rounded and trained wrestler should be able to switch on a dime and I know I can do that. That was a great time.”
Although Lion went on to lose the belt back to Tyler, a huge respect for his foe grew inside Lion. In fact, Tyler & Lion wrestled so many times that Tyler became his favorite opponent. “He's hard to explain, because you think you have his game plan figured out he switches it up on you. He can go technical, brawling, whatever you can do, and I hate saying this, but he seems to figure out a way to do it a little better. He's another well rounded wrestler that even in defeat, you come out a better wrestler yourself,” explained Lion.
Tyler was not the only man Lion enjoyed working with. During his time in IZW, Lion’s favorite feud would be a future WWE Developmental, Big Jack Bull. Both men battled each other early on in Lion’s IZW career & he opened up on that feud, “It allowed me a lot of out of the ring antics. That was a feud that taught me a lot, had to do a lot of work on the mic. And wrestling against Jack Bull, you can't help but to come out a better wrestler.”
And at one point in his career, Lion did something that totally took EVERYBODY off guard, fans & wrestlers alike. Lion was feuding with Tommy Drake & Dean Radford, but his partner didn’t make it to the show. Drake & Radford first refused to take on Lion in a Handicapped Match for fear of injuring him beyond belief. But Lion was not willing to back down & instead of choosing a partner from the back, it was suggested Lion would pick a partner from the audience. Many fans started raising their hands to be chosen, while others just looked around, wondering who will be picked. Thinking there was a wrestler in the audience that Lion was going to use to trick Drake & Radford, many looked for that wrestler. But instead, Lion shocked everybody by picking yours truly, ME, as his tag team partner. But what made Lion trust somebody who had no wrestling experience whatsoever? “I'm not sure if ‘trust’ is a good word. I was forced into that situation and then when presented with it, picked who I thought best represented the IZW on the other side of the railing. I knew the crowd would carry us to victory, but I wasn't about to pick some ham-n- egger either,” was Lion’s explanation.
Lion started making changes in his appearance, as well. Several tattoos started adorning his chest region, as each tattoo told a story for the Lion. “Family. Different stages of my life with different family members, good and bad. My chest is my son, closest to my heart,” stated Lion.
Lion started slowing down in the ring though, but due to years of injuries catching up to him. Lion decided to open up to the fans & explain to them why he was going to disappear for a while. And full of emotion, Lion got that time during an IZW show & the fans broke out in a “Thank you Lion” chant for him. Looking back, Lion has opened up more about what his injury was then, “I had fragmented 2 discs which floated into my spinal column, causing mis-alignment and cord compression, which caused nerve damage, which ultimately caused muscle atrophy. I'm still recovering from it over a year later. I was told I was close to paralysis, more closely than I want to know.”
Forced to the sidelines for quite some time, Lion was now a fan instead of a participant in this rough time. “I was on a very limited schedule for 5 months, and after surgery another 5, so 10 total. I was aware of the broken neck for 6 month and continued as long as I could. Not recommend wrestling with a broken neck. I knew I was a bad fall away from being paralyzed, but my heart was bigger than my brain unfortunately,” comments Lion as he continues to look back.
Does the problem still effect Lion today after surgery & recuperation though? Lion opened up some more on this, “I still have limited strength. The danger itself is gone, unfortunately there was so much damage, it's taking long to rebuild. I feel great though.”
While out on the sidelines is the same period that the now infamous National Wrestling Alliance saga was going on in IZW that has been mentioned in the previous 2 articles. At one point, Lion came back to try & rile the troops while still recuperating. But Lion officially made his IZW return in a Triple Threat Match against Warrior & Mestre to honor their fallen brother, Peter Goodman, during the Peter Goodman Memorial Show. Several weeks later, it was when the decision of IZW to cease bi-weekly shows, eventually being no more. But having connections within the NWA, Lion would continue to work with them in California, helping out other promotions along the way. Lion states he‘s been busy with the “NWA and several promotions in California. The NWA is in it's 4th month of a new TV show, and 12th episode. It's going extremely well. Dave Marquez and the rest of the NWA team has kept after a dream, and it seems to be coming to fruition.”
Mostly focusing on tag team wrestling in NWA-Hollywood, Lion follows in the footsteps of such teams as the Brisco Brothers, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. Lion tries to explain how it feels to follow in such lineage, “Again, you can't explain it. If, when Navajo and I win the tag team titles, we will be in the same lineage as many great teams. Just watch the show (Www.nwahollywood.com) and the first minute will show so much historic footage. You feel honored just being part of it. Navajo and I was getting a good foothold in the tag ranks and don't plan on letting up.”
Another stop Lion has made since IZW cease operation was stated earlier, wrestling for ROH in the opening match during Wrestlemania weekend. The chant of “brutal suplex,” an original IZW chant, followed Lion into ROH, as well. Lion was proud of having that moment to wrestle in their ring & explains, “It was awesome! Standing in that ring, looking down at the huge ROH letters on the canvas, in my home town, at the same venue I competed in college, being accepted by a fairly hostile crowd! Awesome.!”
And Lion has not stopped at all since that weekend in ROH. But doing what? “Like I said, staying busy for the NWA and smaller promotions in California. A tour of the Mediterranean and Alaska is being planned. I also am a personal trainer, so that keeps me occupied between shows,” adds Lion.
But would line take time out of his busy schedule to work an IZW: One Night Only show? Lion’s response to that one is a definite, “Of course!”
And if that was the case, Lion may even be able to compete against a fellow IZW superstar that he has only met twice in the ring, once in a tag team match & once in a single’s match. Who is that man? “Ryan Lynch. He didn't seem afraid of a challenge. In his mind he was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. His ring awareness, psychology, and presence made you feel like you were in the ring with a 20 year vet. You never underestimated him or you were history,” explains Lion.
But with all the going on’s in Lion’s career, even he doesn’t know what his future holds for him, “Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.”
The fact of the matter is that Lion will continue doing what he loves for the fans inside the ring. And you just never know where he’s going to show up. Lion’s future looks bright & the man is far from afraid of any challenges!
Wrestling for Ring of Honor was definitely a big deal in Lion’s career that marks his 10th year in 2011 since he started training in 2001. And Lion followed the path of many other fans aspiring to become a professional wrestler, training hard. But what got Lion into wrestling is an explanation of his own, “It's probably the same answer you always get. Probably because it's true, grew up watching it as a kid and it just captivated you. These guys just killing each other, the crowd reaction, the commentary, everything. I think when a kids growing up, from about 3 on, they want to be a cowboy, a ninja, or a wrestler.”
And Lion’s training brought him to the doorsteps of IZW long before there was an IZW. Quite a few of IZW’s wrestlers got their start wrestling for Western States Wrestling, the predecessor to IZW that held shows on a monthly basis, first at Madison Square Garden on Van Buren then onto an exclusive contract with Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum. Strangler Steve King, Navajo Warrior, GQ Gallo, Monster Mayhem, & the Crock are some IZW names who have worked in WSW before the doors shut. And Lion explains how he came to IZW, “I was training during the days of WSW, but wasn't ready (and probably still not completely) until the debut show at the Bash on Ash.”
So Lion’s career was off to a strong start after beating another former WSW alumni & former WSW Heavyweight Champion, Sin. And from there, Lion went on to become a multi-time tag team champion as well as three time IZW Heavyweight Champion. As the heavyweight champion, Lion got to wrestle in his favorite area outside of IZW: Japan. And since his first time wrestling in Japan, Lion has made, to date, 12 tours of Japan, which includes trips to United States Military Bases to wrestle for the brave men & women. In doing this, Lion has wrestled well over 100 times in Japan, working alongside the likes of future TNA superstar Chris Sabin, Keiji Muto, Dick Togo, Nobukazu Hirai, Kensuke Sasaki, & Abdullah the Butcher, to name a few. Lion opened up about how it felt to represent the United States in Japan, “How do you think it feels? I'm guessing it's a lot like winning the lottery. Words can't really cover it. You are just filled with a sense of pride, accomplishment. “
Wrestling in Japan is far different then wrestling in the United States, as Lion explains, “There's more appreciation for it as a sport in Japan. They respect the discipline as a sport verses being "entertained". You don't need to go through a table, flip a 360 off the top rope or set your opponent on fire to get a crowd reaction. A wrestlers ‘fighting spirit’ is what the Japanese fans want to see. “
Besides several appearances for Japan, Lion has been seen on WWE Television in several capacities. At one time Lion teamed up with Navajo Warrior as Native Warriors not just in IZW, but to face the Highlanders on an edition of Sunday Night Heat. And in another appearance for the WWE, Lion played a member of Eric Bischoff’s security team alongside fellow IZW superstar, Antonio Mestre. These moments were a big change for Lion in the United States, as it wasn’t him working in at The Sets like he was used to. “You know millions are watching you, maybe not you in particular, but it's very unnerving,” opened Lion.
How about the backstage atmosphere though? Every promotion has a different feeling to separate themselves from the other companies. So was IZW any different backstage from WWE? Lion was very honest on that one, “Yes and no. Everyone’s trying to figure out what's going on, where they should be, what to do, while staying out of the way. After your first experience, you realize they (contract wrestlers) are just as nervous about screwing something up as you are.”
And due to his connections Lion made in the WWE, he was brought back several times in a number of capacities. Lion enjoyed his time backstage & couldn’t pick a favorite to work with, as he explains himself, “I had good matches with the Highlanders, and Tatanka. I've got to do some work with Eddie Guerrero on a project and while short, I talked to him, and learned a lot. But hands down (and LT’s gonna to roll his eyes), but my favorite was Ricky Steamboat. He took me aside for about 45 minutes and just worked with me on so many small things that make big differences. It doesn't hurt that he was my favorite growing up. I was glad I remembered as much as I did considering most of the time he was talking to me, I just kept thinking "holy crap, I'm talking to Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
Then Rising Phoenix Wrestling came along & invited Lion to compete with them. And due to his history in Japan, Lion received a Japanese sign of respect that initially was brought to Arizona wrestling by one Benjamin J. Borracho…streamers. When a wrestler is respected in Japan, the fans throw streamers of a color that represents said wrestler during the ring introduction to show their respect. Borracho felt Lion was one of the top & most respected wrestlers RPW brought in, so he decided to show Lion his respect with the help of other fans. Did Lion appreciate this act of respect? “Gave me chills every time. Thank you to all who did that,” was Lion’s answer.
Meanwhile, back in IZW Lion turned into a man on a mission. And his eyes were set on the IZW Heavyweight Championship, then held by Lawrence Tyler. So during a tag team match with Warrior against Stan Lee & Derrick King, Lion decided to betray his partner & hit him with several piledrivers, a Lion specialty…bringing the match to a no contest. Meanwhile Tyler lost the championship to Johnny Stamboli, whom Justin Roberts brought in for a one time only appearance to try & take the belt off Tyler. Roberts plan worked, much to the fans dislike, & eventually Lion aligned himself with Roberts. And since Stamboli wasn’t a contracted superstar, the championship was vacated & presented to the #1 contender, Lion, by his new ally, Roberts. Many fans had a disgust for Roberts & his acts in IZW, but Lion learned a lot from the future WWE ring announcer, “Although wrestling is entertainment, you don't play a heel or face. You ARE a heel or a face. Justin taught me a lot in that aspect. A well rounded and trained wrestler should be able to switch on a dime and I know I can do that. That was a great time.”
Although Lion went on to lose the belt back to Tyler, a huge respect for his foe grew inside Lion. In fact, Tyler & Lion wrestled so many times that Tyler became his favorite opponent. “He's hard to explain, because you think you have his game plan figured out he switches it up on you. He can go technical, brawling, whatever you can do, and I hate saying this, but he seems to figure out a way to do it a little better. He's another well rounded wrestler that even in defeat, you come out a better wrestler yourself,” explained Lion.
Tyler was not the only man Lion enjoyed working with. During his time in IZW, Lion’s favorite feud would be a future WWE Developmental, Big Jack Bull. Both men battled each other early on in Lion’s IZW career & he opened up on that feud, “It allowed me a lot of out of the ring antics. That was a feud that taught me a lot, had to do a lot of work on the mic. And wrestling against Jack Bull, you can't help but to come out a better wrestler.”
And at one point in his career, Lion did something that totally took EVERYBODY off guard, fans & wrestlers alike. Lion was feuding with Tommy Drake & Dean Radford, but his partner didn’t make it to the show. Drake & Radford first refused to take on Lion in a Handicapped Match for fear of injuring him beyond belief. But Lion was not willing to back down & instead of choosing a partner from the back, it was suggested Lion would pick a partner from the audience. Many fans started raising their hands to be chosen, while others just looked around, wondering who will be picked. Thinking there was a wrestler in the audience that Lion was going to use to trick Drake & Radford, many looked for that wrestler. But instead, Lion shocked everybody by picking yours truly, ME, as his tag team partner. But what made Lion trust somebody who had no wrestling experience whatsoever? “I'm not sure if ‘trust’ is a good word. I was forced into that situation and then when presented with it, picked who I thought best represented the IZW on the other side of the railing. I knew the crowd would carry us to victory, but I wasn't about to pick some ham-n- egger either,” was Lion’s explanation.
Lion started making changes in his appearance, as well. Several tattoos started adorning his chest region, as each tattoo told a story for the Lion. “Family. Different stages of my life with different family members, good and bad. My chest is my son, closest to my heart,” stated Lion.
Lion started slowing down in the ring though, but due to years of injuries catching up to him. Lion decided to open up to the fans & explain to them why he was going to disappear for a while. And full of emotion, Lion got that time during an IZW show & the fans broke out in a “Thank you Lion” chant for him. Looking back, Lion has opened up more about what his injury was then, “I had fragmented 2 discs which floated into my spinal column, causing mis-alignment and cord compression, which caused nerve damage, which ultimately caused muscle atrophy. I'm still recovering from it over a year later. I was told I was close to paralysis, more closely than I want to know.”
Forced to the sidelines for quite some time, Lion was now a fan instead of a participant in this rough time. “I was on a very limited schedule for 5 months, and after surgery another 5, so 10 total. I was aware of the broken neck for 6 month and continued as long as I could. Not recommend wrestling with a broken neck. I knew I was a bad fall away from being paralyzed, but my heart was bigger than my brain unfortunately,” comments Lion as he continues to look back.
Does the problem still effect Lion today after surgery & recuperation though? Lion opened up some more on this, “I still have limited strength. The danger itself is gone, unfortunately there was so much damage, it's taking long to rebuild. I feel great though.”
While out on the sidelines is the same period that the now infamous National Wrestling Alliance saga was going on in IZW that has been mentioned in the previous 2 articles. At one point, Lion came back to try & rile the troops while still recuperating. But Lion officially made his IZW return in a Triple Threat Match against Warrior & Mestre to honor their fallen brother, Peter Goodman, during the Peter Goodman Memorial Show. Several weeks later, it was when the decision of IZW to cease bi-weekly shows, eventually being no more. But having connections within the NWA, Lion would continue to work with them in California, helping out other promotions along the way. Lion states he‘s been busy with the “NWA and several promotions in California. The NWA is in it's 4th month of a new TV show, and 12th episode. It's going extremely well. Dave Marquez and the rest of the NWA team has kept after a dream, and it seems to be coming to fruition.”
Mostly focusing on tag team wrestling in NWA-Hollywood, Lion follows in the footsteps of such teams as the Brisco Brothers, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. Lion tries to explain how it feels to follow in such lineage, “Again, you can't explain it. If, when Navajo and I win the tag team titles, we will be in the same lineage as many great teams. Just watch the show (Www.nwahollywood.com) and the first minute will show so much historic footage. You feel honored just being part of it. Navajo and I was getting a good foothold in the tag ranks and don't plan on letting up.”
Another stop Lion has made since IZW cease operation was stated earlier, wrestling for ROH in the opening match during Wrestlemania weekend. The chant of “brutal suplex,” an original IZW chant, followed Lion into ROH, as well. Lion was proud of having that moment to wrestle in their ring & explains, “It was awesome! Standing in that ring, looking down at the huge ROH letters on the canvas, in my home town, at the same venue I competed in college, being accepted by a fairly hostile crowd! Awesome.!”
And Lion has not stopped at all since that weekend in ROH. But doing what? “Like I said, staying busy for the NWA and smaller promotions in California. A tour of the Mediterranean and Alaska is being planned. I also am a personal trainer, so that keeps me occupied between shows,” adds Lion.
But would line take time out of his busy schedule to work an IZW: One Night Only show? Lion’s response to that one is a definite, “Of course!”
And if that was the case, Lion may even be able to compete against a fellow IZW superstar that he has only met twice in the ring, once in a tag team match & once in a single’s match. Who is that man? “Ryan Lynch. He didn't seem afraid of a challenge. In his mind he was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. His ring awareness, psychology, and presence made you feel like you were in the ring with a 20 year vet. You never underestimated him or you were history,” explains Lion.
But with all the going on’s in Lion’s career, even he doesn’t know what his future holds for him, “Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.”
The fact of the matter is that Lion will continue doing what he loves for the fans inside the ring. And you just never know where he’s going to show up. Lion’s future looks bright & the man is far from afraid of any challenges!
