Basic Training - November 2014

[OrochiGeese]

November 2014

Field Leader: Darius

Hello and welcome back to Basic Training. I know that it has been a few months since our last official show. Some of our fans have the misconception that our roster only competes on these events but that fails to take into account Live Shows, bookings from other promotions, and the daily training that they all undergo in the gym. Every wrestler on the Basic Training program competes daily in exhibition matches and trains with myself and Juan Leche. A newcomer by the name of Coach Everett has begun working with Basic Training prospects on the Front Lines to get them ready for their opportunity to join our roster.  Tonight brings with it two opportunities to do exactly that. Four of the top candidates for our program will wrestle each other in our first two matches of the evening. The two winners will be immediately promoted to the Basic Training roster.

We start with Tsaoring Chou facing THRASH Ogawa. Both men have been rather quiet since joining UBL although Ogawa has already said too much in the few times he's been approached for an interview by John Randolph. Chou has worked very hard in the gym and impressed all of us, but he's still finding his voice for the audience. The same goes for Tetsu Gushiken in our second match tonight. It can be intimidating for rookies in a promotion such as this, especially with psychopaths running around in need of bandages and morality.

Chou has a high flying style that has been hard to predict and a level of concentration that has been even harder to break. THRASH is less a name, and more a description of his behavior in the ring. Chou will absolutely have to stay two steps ahead of THRASH. If Ogawa gets a hold of Chou, I'd be concerned for his safety. A lot of people have predicted THRASH as the favorite here due to his viciousness and size advantage. Chou can be summed up in one word: "spirit", and that word can not be overemphasized in the context of a pro wrestling ring.


Match 1: Tsaoring Chou vs. THRASH Ogawa



Tetsu Gushiken and John Matthews wrestled each other on Basic Training last November as part of a triple threat match with Wang Gom-Bu. It was Wang's victory and subsequent impressive performance at Battle Formation that won him a spot on this program. Tonight John and Tetsu hope to follow him. These two have met a number of times on Live shows, splitting victories. They know each other very well and I believe have a level of mutual respect. John is one of the strongest men on the Front Lines and Tetsu is one of the most talented grapplers. However, both men are still overcoming a level of stylistic myopia. Whereas Tetsu struggles to face other styles given his expertise in judo, Matthews is still acclimating to a professional wrestling in general. Some of his mannerisms are not quite suited for competition in a rule based environment. Tetsu has not said a word to the press or the fans which is worrying both Drake and Arthur, but not me. For a man as talented and fun to watch as Tetsu is, the fans will follow the talent even if there isn't a silver tongue behind it. I think we are in for quite a competitive affair right now, especially with the stakes as high as they are.


Match 2: John Matthews vs. Tetsu Gushiken



Just ask our returned Champion Matt Rivers, you kick out of a guy's finisher and suddenly the path of least resistance reveals itself. This was an impressive encounter but one challenge for rookies is their inability to refocus after their assumed best move doesn't get the job done. Sometimes a wrestler's best move is what works for that situation, rather than the one they want to do to end the match.


We turn to the next match. Wang Gom-Bu defeated Bones at the July Basic Training event. Ever since then, Bones has gone on a huge string of victories across the pro wrestling world, from FPCPP to NARF. He's looking more dangerous than ever. Meanwhile, the fact that Wang Gom-Bu, a man who did not even have 3 matches to his credit, defeated Bones says a lot about Wang's talent and potential. Archibald Snow, Wang's handler, (sorry) was bragging about the victory for the last few months. But he would do well to realize the dynamic of an experienced wrestler facing an inexperienced wrestler in a rematch. I'm not saying Bones adjusting and winning is a foregone conclusion, but you have to believe that he has the momentum and the ingenuity to make it happen. For his part, Wang appears very comfortable in the ring but I still believe it is Archibald devising the strategy. That means that if Wang were to slip out of his plans, he may be unable to get back on track. Bones has a second attempt at climbing and conquering this mountain right now.


Match 3: Bones vs. Wang Gom-Bu



We'll have updates on the condition of both men in the week to come. Strength like that is impressive, but it comes at the cost of one's long term health.


It is now time to turn to the main event, one that I am very proud to be hosting. This is the first time that the Universal Battalion Championship, one of the honored Titles in the UBL, is being defended on Basic Training. While it was never a rule that the Title could only be defended on large events or Circuit Shows, it had been the custom. My hope is that this becomes a regular occasion. And the reason I was able to make this match happen is due to the competitors to the Champions. WE HAVE BEARDS, the team made up of Tenshi and Lucha La Barba, both made memorable UBL debuts on the Front Lines roster. Lucha La Barba wrestled in one of the best matches of 2011, narrowly losing to Matt Rivers in a Field Leader Title match. Tenshi grabbed the attention of the fans and his competitors through his unorthodox style and success. The two went on to win numerous Tag Titles around the world. They made a huge impact in UBL last year by defeating The Golden Pair, Charles Langford and Jasper Woodruff, to earn the #1 contendership.

However, their Title shot was delayed because of the singles career of one half of the Battalion Champions, RYOMA. He was involved in a best "two out of three" series with Corey O'Brian for NEXUS Title contention. That series is now over, and Sun & Moon have dedicated themselves entirely to defending their Championship in UBL. And I say UBL because, this past month, Sun & Moon narrowly lost their Super Nova Gemini Championship Titles. Those were the first belts they won as part of their two year domination of the international tag team scene. There is no doubt that they will be hungry tonight to hang onto their only remaining Tag Titles: The Universal Battalion Championships. Whether some of the shine has been taken off this team may be debated, but I wouldn't do so to their faces. Yes, they lost in Super NOVA, but they were as close to victory as one could get, and still proceeded to save their rivals from a disturbing invading force. Sun & Moon has not lost a step in my view, but it's naive to think that one team can win every single match they face for 3 straight years. They will have their ups and downs, but their ups have been legendary and practically incomparable to any other team in our modern era. But, if you were to pick teams that belong in the same echelon, you have to consider WE HAVE BEARDS due to their multiple junior tag team Championships captured from across the world, much as Sun & Moon have done. In many ways, this is the best Heavyweight Tag Team vs. the best Junior Heavyweight Tag team of the last 3 years. And each team wants the Universal Battalion Championships.

Stylistically, Sun & Moon are powerful men who strike the skin off your chest with chops and drive you on your head and necks. WE HAVE BEARDS confuse the hair on your head and strike you from all angles. No one has really figured out WE HAVE BEARDS, but Sun & Moon doesn't concern themselves with psychoanalyzing their opponents. Why? Because any human is affected by the sheer force of their moves. WE HAVE BEARDS, for their part, is one of the few teams that hasn't lost the match from intimidation before entering the ring. They can't be intimidated, I am not even entirely sure they know what is going on. Lucha La Barba is a student of the Wonderland Dojo and Tenshi La Barba allegedly lost his mind making pretzels in a monastery. Those experiences ward them against any psychological warfare. If you are RYOMA and Nobu, your tales of warriordom won't get through to these guys. But, if you are Lucha or Tenshi, your confusion won't shield your body from the punishment it will receive. Whoever wins this match will have to do just a better job of figuring out their opponent than the other side, and that is no easy task.

But you, the audience, will have no problem enjoying their attempts at it. Here we go, for the Battalion Championship.


Universal Battalion Titles


Match 4: WE HAVE BEARDS vs. Sun & Moon (c)


A Circuit show will be coming to you next. Before I go, I just want to congratulate Matt Rivers for regaining the UBL NEXUS Championship. I have always admired your work ethic and abilities and now I admire your resiliency and innovation. All UBL Championships are once again held by those who have this promotion's best interest in mind. I will see you at Basic Training in a few months.