WFWF Supreme Gauntlet '17 Night Two: Freak Scene

'See you soon kid'

You know, once upon a time, that might have worked.

The old Joe Bishop, he might have spent the build up to his match with Austin Hayes overthinking Trace Demon, overthinking that one sentence, and ended up falling short. And then, he probably would have spent the build up to his match with Trace Demon overthinking the previous loss and ended up out of the running entirely.

I get it Trace, I do. You're feeling threatened.

There's no need to be ashamed, you've every reason to. And it's cute that you still think that might work. That the Joe Bishop who stood alongside you, the one who reeked of insecurity, is anything like the Joe Bishop in this tournament.

I suppose I should be flattered if anything. Flattered that you feel the need to try and throw me off my game. That it's me worrying you. Either that or offended that you think I'll fall for it.

But honestly? I'm finding it really difficult to give even the tiniest little s*** about your mind games.

I put everything I had into beating Anna Ahriman and I did it. Now? I'm going to put everything I have into beating Austin Hayes and I'm going to do it. You'll get your turn Trace, don't worry about it, but I can't just bump you up the queue because you're starting to feel a little bit apprehensive.

You can say it's cruel if you like, but I'm pretty sure you taught me that it's best to let them stew in it.

'The wind of change is blowing' through this promotion, whether you like it or not. I think you realise that Trace, and I get that you want to adapt to it. That you want to focus on what happens when you step in that ring, so you can stand some chance of staying on top.

I get that winning this tournament really is make or break for you. I do. And once upon a time I would have just been focused, hell bent, on stopping you winning it. I would have been focused on you, because you were in my head, and it would have cost me dearly.

But you're not in my head any more. You're not what's driving me to go out there and win night in and night out.

The chance to make this promotion, this sport, mean something is why I'm doing it.

Achieving that depends on winning this tournament, by extension on beating you. But beating Austin Hayes is just as important and it's going to get exactly the same level of commitment, determination, desire from me.

The Joe Bishop who would could be thrown off his game by one sentence from Trace Demon was way too fragile to be competing in any serious sense, in this sport. Way too weak to be a World Champion. And I thank my lucky stars every day, that he wasn't thrust into that position in the way Dex was. Because I wouldn't be standing here right now, I'd have never reached this point.

But thankfully, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. I had to learn through being beaten down time and time again in the ring -thanks for that – that you have to be stronger than that, to be a champion. To carry this sport and this promotion on your back and move it forward.

I'm not the man I was then. I'm not afraid to think ahead, but I know I can't treat Anna Ahriman or Austin Hayes with anything less than the same level of preparation and thought that I give a match with Trace Demon.

You could play the old Joe Bishop just like that, seal a victory before you even had to step in the ring with him.

Don't worry that you can't do that any more. It's not indicative of your powers waning.

It's just that I'm so much better than that now.

See you soon.

---

It'd be a understatement to say the last few months have been a whirlwind for me.

It's not that long ago that I was barely scraping by, desperately trying – and failing – to find a route in to sports journalism.

And now?

A few months after Joe Bishop's return to the WFWF I'm submitting articles for various WFWF projects, getting into wrestling magazines and journals, it's fair to say my career, my life, has benefited massively from Joe Bishop's.

I owe him a hell of a lot.

There's no way, that without him, I'd be presenting an interview with Frank Lynn to one of the WFWF.COM lackeys who is now – for all intents and purposes – my boss. I've never even had a boss before, and now here I am.

Poppy Yates: What do you think?

To be honest, I'm probably not ready for this.

I'm barely out of University, I have essentially no experience, and I'm wring for one of the biggest sporting organizations in the world – I don't want to draw comparisons with the only women on the WFWF roster – but they're there to be made.

Simon Oakley: You're keen aren't you?

Of course I wasn't about to tell him that I had something of an ulterior motive for seeking out Frank Lynn, and picking his brains.

Truth be told, I was petrified about interviewing a proper professional wrestler, a WFWF wrestler. I've grown up with these people, and outside of Joe I've never spoken more than five words to any of them, it was more than intimidating for me.

But I needed to do it.

Not just for me, or for my career.

I needed to do it because, if Frank Lynn is the guy Joe Bishop's got his eye on, someone he sees as a potential ally in this fight against the 'corruption of the WFWF' or whatever it is he thinks he's fighting. Then I need to get a handle on him.

Poppy Yates: Ugh... yeah.

He laughed.

Simon Oakley: I can tell. Keep it up.

He smiled, I continued to pretend I wasn't wetting myself and that handing my interviews to WFWF.COM staff wasn't the least bit intimidating.

I don't think I convinced anyone, but there you go.

Poppy Yates: Thanks.

Joe isn't objective, not about something like this. He sees a rookie lose to Trace Demon and it makes him wet. Pardon my French, but you know what I mean. I really don't think it's so much that he wants to recruit people, as it is that he feels a connection to people going through the struggles he's been going through. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. But he's lying to himself if he dresses that up as being part of some mission to save this compa... promotion.

Wow he's even trained me to wince at thinking of the WFWF as a company.

He needs someone objective fighting his corner. Somebody who has his best interests at heart, but who can see this war he's waging for what it is. A figment of his imagination.

It's a job that's fallen to me, and it requires knowing something about the people he's trying to drag along for the ride. The interview with a WFWF superstar? That's a bonus, of course. But it is just a bonus.

---

One down, three to go.

Austin Hayes, Trace Demon and... sigh... Hugh Jass loom on the horizon.

Seriously? Who on earth let the latter of the three into the building I don't know, but I'm hopeful that he'll have been shunted out of this promotion before he gets anywhere near me. He'd better hope he does.

Anyway, I have, as you'd expect, been doing everything in my power to be ready for the challenges that await. And, as you'd expect...

Poppy Yates: You really need to relax a little.

Poppy Yates has been trying to stop me. Like a broken f***ing record.

Joe Bishop: Relaxing is the last thing on my mind.

Poppy Yates: I'd gathered.

Could have fooled me.

Joe Bishop: And yet you still felt the need to stick your nose in.

Poppy Yates: Nice.

Not sure what reaction she was expecting, but I don't think she had any right to be surprised by the reaction she got.

Joe Bishop: How many times do we have to do this? You think I'm making a mistake, I'm not making a mistake. Kind of covering old ground here.

Poppy Yates: Well if you'd entertain the idea instead of acting like a petulant child every time I might not feel the need to treat you like one.

I really don't know what I'm supposed to say, so I just shrugged. Like a petulant child I imagine.

Poppy Yates: Just... talk to me. Please.

Joe Bishop: What do you want me to say?

She shrugs, a look of desperation on her face, but that doesn't really help me very much.

Joe Bishop: I'm expending a lot of energy making sure I'm ready for this match with Austin Hayes, because I want to beat him. And because I want to win this tournament.

I'm sure she'll find that unacceptable but I'm not really sure why.

Poppy Yates: Is it about that though, or is it that you just couldn't stand to lose to the guy who just lost to Trace Demon?

Hold me back.

Joe Bishop: In a word, no.

Poppy Yates: You're in denial.

Seriously, if somebody could hold me back right now, that'd be super.

Joe Bishop: There's really no polite way to tell you how wrong you are.

She didn't look amused. In hindsight I probably should have stopped there, but f*** it.

Joe Bishop: I get it, really I do. You're gonna keep prodding until I tell you something you can turn in to some big WFWF.COM exclusive. Make a name for yourself. It's not gonna happen. I've got you in the door, but you're not gonna get the meltdown you obviously want from me, so that you can get your name out there. I'm focused, I'm training as hard as I possibly can and I'm going to keep on winning. And no matter how many times you prod, I'm not gonna give you anything.

Poppy Yates: You seriously think that's what I'm doing?

She shakes her head like it isn't true. And credit to her she does a brilliant job of pretending to be hurt by it, probably should've been an actor.

Joe Bishop: Yep.

I do.

Because ultimately Poppy Yates doesn't care about what I'm doing here. She doesn't care about the WFWF. She just cares about her career.

She just cares about getting a scoop.

---

I know I have a record of negativity.

I'm not oblivious to that. I get that it's off putting, that it makes it difficult for people. That it's not particularly endearing. And I guess that's why, in spite of a successful return as far as my in ring performance goes, I'm still struggling to win round my colleagues and those fans. I guess that's why I'm struggling to make the impact I want to make.

It's really because I care so much about this sport, and because my expectations for this place, they're so high. It can be so much and I'm not ever going to be satisfied with incremental improvements or half hearted attempts to appease me. I can't help but feel negative about the way things are, and pessimistic about what could happen.

I think that negativity is always going to be there to some extent, I'll never be completely satisfied, because I so desperately want it to keep improving. Never to stand still.

But in the interests of recognising progress, I need to point out when things go well. When there's steps in the right direction.

The first night of the Supreme Gauntlet '17, it was pretty damn good.

There, I said it.

It was pretty damn good because, it was all about the wrestling. Dex/Dean, Bishop/Ahriman, Brennan/Lynn, even Demon/Hayes, were just two wrestlers stepping into that ring, giving everything they had to pick up the win and four wrestlers doing so without needing to cheat or hit each other over the head with foreign objects.

From almost start to finish it was just good wrestling. Not great, not incredible, but good. And that, that is a huge step forward, that is something we can all be really proud of.

Were there drawbacks?

Of course.

Trace Demon felt the need to try and get into my head, Schneider obviously couldn't let a night of pure sporting competition go completely untarnished and a complete and utter joke was placed into a tournament for the World Championship. But I'm being positive so we'll overlook those blights on an otherwise enjoyable night.

The WFWF is changing and I'm confident that more nights like that, with more wrestling and fewer obnoxious arseholes telling us how great they are, is going to help make that change positive.

As for Anna Ahriman, I've got to admit, I was impressed.

It's easy to dismiss someone because they aren't experienced, or because they haven't necessarily earned their place. But credit where credit is due, you gave me a really good challenge.

It's never easy tasting to defeat but I hope you enjoyed it for what it was. I hope you enjoyed the opportunity and I hope you react positively, I hope you dedicate even more time and effort to improving yourself, to making yourself a better wrestler and a better athlete, because ultimately, that's what's going to make this place better.

That's what's going to make this sport everything it deserves to be. When a generation of people with talent, like Anna Ahriman undoubtedly has, dedicate themselves to progressing in the right way. To improving both themselves and this sport.

I hope you do it and I hope one day we step foot in this ring again when you can give me an even tougher challenge, and win, lose or draw, I'll shake your hand again.

Because all I really want is to step foot in that ring with somebody who loves this sport at much as I do, for the right reasons, and who can give me a proper challenge. Those nights are few and far between right now.

It was a nice change of pace.

---

Poppy Yates: I'm really worried about him Dad.

Andy Yates: Who?

Poppy Yates: Who do you think?

I really don't know why I care. He doesn't deserve it. He deserves me to let him get on with his self destruction. He deserves me sitting back and laughing when he eventually implodes, and he will. Whether it's against Austin Hayes, or Trace Demon or if by some miracle he gets through those, in the World Championship match.

But I can't do it.

For reasons I don't really even understand I find myself wanting to, help him. Wanting to fix it before it all goes wrong.

Andy Yates: Joe's fine.

I suppose it's because I have to, Dad's not going to do it... and who knows how he'll react when it finally dawns on everyone.

Poppy Yates: He's not. He's obsessing over this match with Trace.

Andy Yates: Seems focused on Hayes to me.

Seems being the operative word. It's quite astonishing Dad can't see through that act though. Just about anybody with an ounce of objectivity can tell you that Joe Bishop is not in the right frame of mind right now. He's never in the right frame of mind when it comes to Trace Demon and he's usually happy to accept that after he's lost but he's too stubborn to listen to me tell him before hand.

Poppy Yates: Come on, he mentions Trace every five seconds, it's obviously getting to him.

Andy Yates: He's asked about Trace every five seconds, usually by you.

Hmm. I couldn't help but laugh a little. True as that may be, he's never too afraid to indulge me on that topic.

Poppy Yates: You're wrong.

Maybe not about me asking. But there's no smoke without fire, I ask because it's his favourite topic of conversation.

Poppy Yates: I mean he'll say he's completely focused on Austin Hayes, and you might believe it, but he's not. He's got one eye on Trace Demon and one on what's happening with the ownership, and sooner or later it's gonna trip him up unless we can get his head in the right place.

And by we, I mean you obviously Dad.

Andy Yates: You're worrying about nothing.

Poppy Yates: He just scraped past a sixteen year old girl who's never wrestled a match in her life by the skin of his teeth, he's not in a good place.

Dad just shakes his head, because apparently I'm wrong but he has no idea why.

Poppy Yates: You're not helping him.

Andy Yates: His record's looking pretty good.

And that justifies enabling him as far as Dad''s concerned. Letting him go on pretending to be some f***ing heroic freedom fighter who's making the world a better place by arbitrarily deciding who is and isn't making a positive contribution to the WFWF.

Still, even if I did change Dad's mind he'd never admit it to me. He'd keep shaking his head and insisting he's right, as usual. I can only hope he'll have a change of heart and do something about it because God knows I've got no chance of getting through to Joe Bishop. He's made that quite clear.

---

My match with Anna Ahriman was very enjoyable, a real test, which is something I don't think I've had enough of, of late.

It would have been nice to be able to dwell on it a little. To celebrate this success just a little. But the thing about the Supreme Gauntlet is, it keeps throwing opponents at you thick and fast, in matches that have an awful lot riding on them.

This tournament is the ultimate test of your stamina, endurance and your desire. And I'd love to just sit around praising Anna Ahriman for a great match and laughing at Trace Demon's futile attempts to throw me off my game, but it's a challenge I intend to prove I'm up to.

There's no room for celebration, or for distractions. I've got to get straight back to preparing for another fight that's going to push me to my limits.

Andy Yates: Confident?

You know, I'd be feeling a lot more confident if my attempts to prepare for one in a series of the most important matches in my career, weren't constantly being thwarted by a Yates.

I mean I appreciate the interest obviously, but it'd be nice if I could dedicate the hours I need to, to preparing for this match. Instead of having to deal with a barrage of questions every five seconds.

Joe Bishop: Yep.

I'm sure that'll satisfy him. I mean, it shut Poppy up.

Andy Yates: Poppy's worried about you, you know.

Of course she is. I respond with a nod and slow sarcastic roll of the eyes, so it's quite obvious that I know Poppy is really concerned for my welfare. Certain that I need to do an exclusive interview with her right away to get my head round things.

Andy Yates: She thinks you're obsessing over this match with Trace.

Of course she does. The hours of training couldn't possibly be about beating Austin Hayes could they?

Andy Yates: Is she right?

Jesus, you too?

Joe Bishop: She's obviously not right. F***ing hell.

Andy Yates: It's just... you are training almost constantly, thinking about it when you're not... and I don't know. I think she's probably right, I doubt that's just about beating a kid in his third match.

Joe Bishop: I assure you it's about beating a kid in his third match, if you hadn't noticed this one's kind of important for me too.

Andy Yates: I get tha...

He tried to interrupt but I've really not finished.

Joe Bishop: And frankly, Poppy can f*** off if she thinks otherwise. I can just about put up with her bugging me for an interview every five seconds or going round using my name to chase stories, but I am sick to the back teeth of her lecturing me on something she knows f*** all about.

Andy Yates: That's not fair.

Joe Bishop: Not fair?

Who knows how he worked that one out.

Joe Bishop: Not fair is being harassed constantly by somebody you've essentially given a job. Not fair is a professional wrestler being told that they're over-preparing for a wrestling match by a bloody hack. Every single week.

I really didn't think I'd have to explain this to him. I thought he got that I am doing everything I need to do to push forward, to walk out of this tournament with the WFWF World Championship and a chance to lead this place to previously unmatched heights.

I thought he understood that I am pushing forward, and all his daughter's doing, is trying to hold me back.

Joe Bishop: Not fair is being told you're obsessed with Trace Demon constantly when all you're trying to do is make sure you beat Austin Hayes. F*** Poppy.

It was about here that I began to think I'd gone maybe a tad too far, but it was a little late. It is very frustrating in my defence.

Andy Yates: She's doing it because she cares. Nobodies forcing her, she knows you'd be more receptive to her interview requests if she went along with your line of thinking, but she's not. Right or wrong, she's challenging you because she cares. So maybe stop treating her like she's your biggest f***ing problem.

…

I guess that kind of makes sense too. Maybe.

Andy Yates: She's the best friend you've got.

Why does he always have to be right?

Andy Yates: And probably the closest ally too.

I don't do shame too well, not had much practice. But I think my face got the message across pretty well this time.

I probably should have apologised to him then, and got the whole 'it's not me you need to be apologising too' speech. But I just shrugged my shoulders and went back to burying my hands in the punching bag. Shame's not going to win me the World Championship.

---

Joe Bishop: I'm sorry.

Yeah, yeah. Take a picture, it'll last longer.

Actually I'd made damn sure her camera wasn't rolling or even in the near vicinity when I uttered those words just in case. I am sorry, but I don't need her giving me a visual reminder every five seconds.

I suppose Andy was right though as usual. Poppy might be wrong, but she does think she's helping.

I mean, I reiterate, she's wrong about that too. She's doing anything but helping, but she's hindering me for the right reasons I suppose and, on reflection, if I want to maintain any sort of good relationship with other human beings I need to learn to acknowledge that from time to time.

Her lack of response, coupled with the 'still pissed off' body language suggested I might have to work a bit harder.

Joe Bishop: I know you're trying to help me...

Oh come on you can do better than that. A quick lie here can't hurt.

Joe Bishop: I know you're helping me. And I know, I've not exactly been very grateful.

'cause to be honest I'd rather be scouting Austin Hayes than having this tedious conversation but whatever.

Joe Bishop: This, it's really important to me. Really, really important. The whole thing is, if I slip up here then everything I've been working towards is going to disappear in front of my eyes.

Poppy Yates: Well I'm sure putting that much pressure on yourself will help.

She found her voice to offer a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Joe Bishop: The stakes are high, they're high for everyone. The pressures not gonna cost me.

The distractions might, but the pressure certainly won't.

A downbeat Poppy ended the silence that had followed my last comment.

Poppy Yates: I'm not just looking for a story.

Joe Bishop: I know.

Poppy Yates: I care.

I know.

Joe Bishop: Sorry.

Which makes it all the more difficult that – and now I'm the one sounding like a broken record – she's wrong. Giving everything I have to this cause, to this fight and to that match with Anna got me the win I needed. And whether she thinks it's necessary or not, whether she thinks it's healthy or not, whether it hurts her or not.

I'm not changing a thing.

---

I really didn't know what to make of you Austin.

There are two possibilities and I didn't know whether the sceptical side of me, or the optimistic side, should be winning out.

On the one hand I was thinking that it's entirely possible that you're a product of the change I've set in motion. Because let's face it, you aren't here for your look, are you?

I don't mean that as an insult, it's not why I'm here either, and I'm glad.

And you're not here because you say the right things, you're not here because you're charismatic, you're not here because you know the right people.

When I first saw you step into that ring the only thing I could think was that you're here, because you can wrestle. It was a great feeling. A real, personal triumph. Maybe I've made a difference already I thought.

I have been working tooth and nail to make it possible for people who don't fit the usual criteria, to get a chance. All I want is for people to be here because of their passion for this sport and their talent. And in you, when I saw you make such quick work of Brandon Bison, I thought maybe I had my first little victory.

Maybe I've started to make a difference.

Maybe the future of this 'company' isn't going to be so bad after-all.

Then of course, the doubt set in.

See, I began thinking that it's entirely plausible, that you're only here as a marketing ploy.

That because Dungeons & Dragons and Magic The Gathering and living in your parent's basement is cool now, you've been hired to target that market. I mean there's a financial incentive to target those people isn't there? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you're here in the hopes that action figure sales are about to skyrocket.

And let's be honest, if your performance against Trace supports either of the two theories, it's the latter.

I do realise that for a young kid just starting to make their name in this promotion, Trace Demon is an opponent who comes with an intimidating aura. I know, because I was exactly where you are once upon a time. And I know that, for another week or two at least, the name Joe Bishop doesn't come with quite the same fear factor.

That people panic when they take on Trace Demon, whereas when they take on Joe Bishop they think 'I can win this one'.

I know that the Austin Hayes we saw last time out isn't Austin Hayes at 100%, you don't have to be a genius to work that out. And I know that I need to hit certain heights to make sure that it's me moving a step closer to winning the World Championship. A step closer to ridding this sport of the parasites feeding on it.

I'm going to hit those heights, and I'm going to beat you Austin. That's what's going to happen, and I really was ready to tell you the same thing I told Anna Ahriman. That there's no hard feelings, that I hope you bounce back and prove just how good you are, prove that you belong in this promotion. I was ready to try and soften the blow of eating a second defeat in as many matches.

But I can't.

Sorry if it comes as a surprise to anyone, but when I watch wrestling... I like to watch the wrestling. Shocker I know.

So, to be honest, when I see Daniel Knight sticking a microphone in the face of a kid who I assumed had won a competition (I do apologise, I try not to pre-judge, it's just that the 'cute' t-shirt you found on teefury doesn't scream 'serious athlete'), I fast forward as quickly as I possibly can.

It's not that I don't care what my peers think about this sport, about the direction of the WFWF – I think it's pretty obvious that I do.

It's just so frequently unbelievably depressing that I just have to try and block it out for the sake of my sanity.

But during my preparations for this match, curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know whether you were an ally in this fight or another joke who's here to satisfy the five year olds and the freaks.

I got my answer.

It's not often I find myself agreeing with (I'm going to pretend I don't know his first name because I'm so edgy) Knight – not a big fan of him or his line of work. But this time he has got a point hasn't he?

I really am struggling to see what you've done that warrants a place in this tournament, this huge chance.

And I can't give you a pat on the back and send you on your way with a 'better luck next time', like I did to Anna, when I end any hopes you had of capitalizing on that chance. Because you've said it yourself, you're 'not here to take things seriously'.

Anna might not have belonged in this tournament, but at least she cared. She said so, and she proved it. But you?

You're not here to make this sport better. You're not here to contribute anything, not really. All you want to do is have fun, and that's fine if you're some no-mark in the XWA or PRW or wherever. You want to go there and do some flips and have your fun then that's fine by me.

But not here, not in a promotion that aspires to be the best in the world.

I thought the message had come across loud and clear when I beat The Future, sent him home from the biggest show of the year with his tail between his legs. I really thought I'd made my point and that for once people had realised they need to listen. I guess I was naïve, because here you are, ready to take his place. Ready to teach the WFWF fans that this sport can be fun. That it can be family friendly. That it doesn't matter whether you win or you lose as long as you're having a good time.

Well that's bulls***.

It's about fighting, and when you and I step into that ring, hoping to move a step closer to the WFWF World Championship, I'm going to make sure you know just how seriously I treat this. Exactly how much it means to me.

This match, Austin Hayes vs. Joe Bishop, it's going to be about as fun for you as Donald Trump's America is great. It's going to be a painful wake up call, because you need to know that this sport means something. That just waltzing in and saying you're here to have a laugh and not take it too seriously – is gonna see you get your head kicked in. Personally, I don't think Trace Demon made that point quite clearly enough, maybe I can show him how it's done.