RRO's Brian Thompson sent along the following column as well as a link to the RCW angle from Fourth in the Forest where Alan Steele revealed who he had been looking for for 3 months.
I guess once you have been in the pro wrestling business for some length of time, you suddenly feel entitled and that you don't have to pay to attend an event at the independent level. If you stay within your "normal" geographic region, this is most likely the case.
I've only "paid" to see one show since becoming involved as a participant in wrestling back in May 2000. Most of the time, I don't go to a show unless I have a purpose. I'm either booked on the show, traveling to a show with Bobby Eaton as his "agent" or simply I've been invited to attend by the promoter or a worker on the card.
Back to the last time I paid to see a match. It was November 2006 in West Memphis, AR. I showed up for the debut of "3G" Eric Wayne and Kid Nikels. Instead of giving the usual "I'm here as a friend to so-and-so," I just decided to pay to help the gate out that night. (Don't get any ideas folks!!! I'm not that giving anymore. LOL)
Needless to say, that is the only time in the last decade that I've bought a ticket to a non-WWE or TNA live event.
As much as I love the business, there are not many matches or events I'd pay to see. Doesn't mean that I don't think they are worthy of seeing, I'm just at a stage where that is not necessary for me to do.
There is one match though that I could honestly see dipping into my pocket and pulling out ticket funds if necessary. And it is a match I have longed to see for more than 9 years.
"All That" Alan Steele vs. Derrick King.
At one point, these two were scheduled to face off Saturday night but that show had to be postponed. Bummer man.
When I was doing RCW, I was building up to a feud between these two. I'm sure it could draw money if promoted properly, but besides that the "mark" in me just wanted to see a revival of the stuff these two did against each other in the Dyersburg, TN area circa 2001. They had so many great bouts in that feud.
Both men were on my top list of guys I wanted to use when RCW started. The idea of booking them in a feud didn't initially cross my mind. At first, I was pairing DK with Stan Lee as "Hot Topic." They were set to have a mini feud with Midnight Gold (Bobby Eaton & "Golden Boy" Greg Anthony).
I booked Alan for a card in Augusta, AR, and due to other arrangements Derrick was unable to be on that show and he wasn't going to be on another RCW show for a while due to those commitments in Nashville and elsewhere.
So the idea crossed my mind of an Alan vs. DK feud. But how?
Then it came to me. Since DK wasn't booked for awhile, I would leave him out as I had Alan rack up victories over some worth opponents such as Dan Matthews, Kevin Charles and Seth Knight. After each win, which aired on RCW Late Nite Wrestling on KAIT TV-8, Alan did an interview. The first one had Alan talking about the fact that he wasn't in the RCW Title tournament. While he seemed a little angry about that he said there wasn't something else on his mind. Or someone! He's been looking for this guy for years and every time they get close, the guy allegedly hightails it out of the area.
We did two such interviews with me asking Alan who this man is. Then on June 19 in Forrest City, AR, we set up a final interview where Alan was the guest of Greg Anthony's "Golden Circle" interview segment.
Alan ended up telling Greg who the guy was but they wouldn't reveal it to the viewing audience.
Then on July 3, a big six man tag was set with the trio of Midnight Gold and RCW Champ Jon Michael Worthington facing King, Cody Melton and Christian Jacobs.
We set up a spot where Jacobs and Worthington brawled to the back and then DK got the pin on Bobby. After that, as DK and Melton celebrated, Anthony attacked them with a chair. DK was able to make a short comeback before being cutoff by ALAN STEELE!
Then Steele locked Melton into his "Steele Trap" submission hold as Anthony held DK to make him watch. Chris O'Neal and Stan Lee made the save for DK.
Then I interviewed Steele to ask him which one it was (DK or Melton). Steele revealed it was DK was a very fired up promo. Then DK challenged Steele to settle the issue right there, but alas Alan teased but decided to wait.
I was pumped for the matches these two were going to have, but we never got the chance to get there. Maybe some day.
When you have two pros like Steele and DK, it is so easy to come up with ideas because (1) they can execute them and (2) they are going to add their own personal touches to make the idea even better than a booked can devise.
Trust me. If you see these two on opposite ends of a card . . . buy a ticket! That match would be worth price of admission alone!
Here is that angle from the Fourth in the Forest Show in Jonesboro on July 3.
