Kyle Matthews has a New Year's Message for Rampage Pro Wrestling
Looking back at 2010 is a mix of emotions. It was, on one hand, the best and most rewarding year of my life and on the other hand it was the toughest and saddest year of my life. It will always go down as one of the most emotional years, and the year that I broke out as a singles competitor in wrestling.
I began the year of 2010 much the same way I had finished 2009, as a member of the Rampage Wrecking Crew with my long time partner Frankie Valentine. We had our battles with many tag teams but, particularly the Exotic Ones. We had many battles with them. In the end we would finally defeat the Exotic Ones and end our feud.
It was after our feud with the Exotic Ones, Frankie stepped away from RPW and I began my singles career. I have always been branded as a tag team wrestler. I have formed many successful tag teams in my career with Andrew Alexander as The Hollywood Brunettes, with Bobby Moore as the Winner's Club, with Ted Allen, and with Frankie. But I had very little experience as a singles competitor. In the spring, this inexperience as a singles wrestler showed. I was on quite a losing streak. I became more and more frustrated as the loses came and continued.
During the summer of 2010, Jimmy Rave came to me and said he would help me get on the winning track. He helped me up my game inside the squared circle and then finally break my losing streak when I defeated Jeremy Vain. It was quite the emotional moment, as all of my struggles as a singles wrestler finally came to an end.
I was then granted the biggest match of my career at Sizzlin' Summer Bash 2. It would be myself vs Jimmy Rave vs J-Rod vs Bryan Danielson. It was my chance to face the Best in World and see if I could hang. Jimmy would be the first to be eliminated by J-Rod, then J-Rod would be eliminated by Danielson. That would leave myself to battle someone who I looked up to and admired in the wrestling business, Bryan Danielson, one on one. I would battle the best for around 15 minutes. We traded many nears falls and I felt that I was on the verge of defeating the now WWE superstar. I even countered the LaBell Lock. In the end, Bryan would crucifix me and get the victory. However, showing the sportsman he is and that I had earned his respect, Bryan shook my hand in the middle of the ring and raised it to the fans of RPW.
I was very proud of my performance that night vs Danielson, but on August 19, 2010 the world would fast bring me back to reality. That day my mentor, trainer, often tag team partner, second dad, and best friend "Nightmare" Ted Allen passed away. It was a day and moment that I will never forget. Without Ted Allen, I would not be the person and wrestler I am today. He was my best friend and losing him was the hardest moment of my life. The tattoo on my left shoulder is Ted's mask and I do my best to honor and continue the legacy of one of the most legendary wrestlers and best human beings that this world has ever seen.
The most emotional match in my career occurred on August 21, 2010. It was the first match since the death of Ted and I faced RPW Heavyweight Champion Shaun Banks in a non-title match at RPW. I was named number one contender for this championship before the match and was able to defeat Banks with a slurpee kick followed by a small package. The match was very emotional but gave me confidence that the next time I faced off with Banks I would walk out with the championship.
The next time I stepped into a RPW ring, I had my opportunity to win the championship. But the unthinkable happened. Just when it seemed I had the championship in my grasp, the one person who I trusted and had become great friends with, Jimmy Rave, decided to turn his back on me. This was something that I never expected. But it was something that I would have to deal with.
As the weeks passed, Jimmy started adding new people to his "group" Jimmy Rave Approved. Brain washing them and convincing them that his way was best. First, he convinced Chip Day and then Corey Hollis. Both great wrestlers and people I considered friends. I never got my hands on Jimmy, only his flunkees. It was during this time that I was given the opportunity to go to Japan. For the entire month of October, I trained at the Zero 1 dojo and wrestled for the Zero 1-Max and Hustle Promotions in Japan. I was able to learn new things, train harder and become more focused than I had even been before in my career.
I made my return at Doctoberfest and defended Jimmy Rave Approved's Corey Hollis with a new move I learned in Japan, the Hidaka Lock, named for one of my trainers in Japan Ikuto Hidaka. It was at this time I learned of another person who was having their problems with Jimmy Rave Approved, Mike Posey.
Just like myself, Posey had to look over his shoulder at all times because he never knew when Jimmy and his goons would attack and try to take him out. Posey and myself had a common goal to take out Jimmy Rave Approved. We began to team some in an effort to take out Jimmy Rave Approved. I thought I would finally get my chance to mame and destroy Jimmy when General Manager Sal Rinuaro made a match between Jimmy and myself with Mike Posey as the referee. But once again Jimmy had something up his sleeve. Just when I finally got my hands on Jimmy, Posey would hit me with a low blow and take off his ref shirt to reveal a Jimmy Rave Approved shirt. Then Corey, Chip, Jimmy, Posey, and TV Champion Jeremy Vain began to give me one of the worst beatings of my life. Three of my friends Adrian Hawkins, Drew Adler and Michael Stevens came to my rescue only to be beat up for their efforts. Even with all of the bad of the night there was one good thing that came out of it. It was announced that at the last RPW show of the year a ten man elimination tag would take place between myself, Drew, Michael, Adrian and my returning tag team partner Frankie Valentine vs Jimmy, Corey, Posey, Chip, and Jeremy Vain.
When the day finally came for the big 10 man. I had one small problem, Frankie had been attacked by Jimmy and company and was not able to continue. But this time, it was my turn to have a surprise. As we approached the ring one short I revealed my final tag partner, the returning Sal Rinauro. Stevens was the first eliminated, then Jimmy decided to hit me with a chain and split my head open about 3 minutes into the match. Jimmy was DQed and I was taken to the back. In the back I received medical attention to my head. I was bandaged up and returned to the ring. When I finally got back to the ring, my team was left with just Sal vs Corey, Posey, and Chip. Just as I was about the get the tag, I was pulled from the apron and Sal was pinned followed a low blow by Posey. This left me vs 3. I was determined to be the last man standing. I was able to eliminate Chip by reserving an O'Connor roll, then Corey with a slupree kick. That left me vs Posey. After a blistering exchange of strikes I was able to lock in the Hidaka Lock on Posey and he tapped out.
By winning the match I get to name my match and opponent for the next RPW Supershow at the end of January. I think everyone can guess the opponent but what will the match be. Jimmy, you have left me beaten and bloody and you have tried to take me out of wrestling and RPW. But Jimmy you can never take away my heart and desire to be the best. You can never take away my desire to continue my respect for and the legacy of Ted Allen. I know you are sweating it out. But you will have to wait until January 15th at Johnny G's to find out what I will do. Happy New Year Jimmy.
- Kyle Matthews
