Tag Archives: COVID-19

NEWS AND NOTES FOR APRIL 19

First of all, Shelter in Place Tour #1 was a pretty emphatic success for us, which is a rare occurrence, and as far as we can tell, no one got any diseases they didn’t already have. I guess we’ll know for sure in like 12-14 days, though. As always, cards are subject to change, but here’s the tentative card for #2, which is going to happen… eventually… at some point. Yeah.

  • Super C-Cup 2020: Jackson Victory vs. Uno Muerte
  • Yass Kweendom 2020: Lorelei Grim vs. Virginia Slams
  • Super C-Cup 2020: Radical Jeremy vs. Tupac Machine
  • Yass Kweendom 2020: Pam From Human Resources vs. Donita Zapata
  • Yass Kweendom 2020: Agent Bulldog vs. Yumiko La Grange
  • FIRST TIME ON NORTH AMERICAN SOIL IN OVER TWENTY YEARS: Kazushi Maeda vs. Ugly, Stupid Bob
  • Decline of Western Civilzation: Toxic Walt vs. Screaming Rage Man (Million-Billion Light tubes Deathmatch)
  • Decline of Western Civilzation: Pitbull Van Scorpio vs. The Korn Demon (Million-Billion Light tubes Deathmatch)

As you can see, we’re really trying to plow through these title tournaments, especially after the deathmatch title one has literally been going on for like a year now. An announcement about a tag tournament is coming soon, but we still don’t have a physical world title belt in hand. Which is sad, but what can you do.

Also of note is that Kaz Maeda is finally making his STRUGGLE debut. The whole COVID-19 is kinda fucking with international travel, so the STRUGGLE/Hyper Pro Wrestling MOSES talent exchange isn’t really going as planned. Maeda and Toshiyo Nakano are safely here in the South Central Tri-State Area, but Sargent MOSES and Dai Chungus had some delays with translators and visas, and by the time they got their shit together, no flights were happening. So if they ever show up here, it probably won’t be any time this year. On our end, none of our people made it out of the country in time, so this ended up being a one-sided deal so far. Also, Stormy Knight is fucking pissed, because she gave up her spot in the women’s title tournament for this.

Meanwhile, Crawdad Hoshino… I don’t know what to say there. Maeda and Nakano made their own arrangements, as they both speak enough English to handle their own business here, but Crawdad seemed to insist that she knows more of the language than she actually does, and well… We do know that she’s somewhere in the continental United States, but that’s about it. We get occasional phone calls from her updating the situation, but we honestly have no fucking idea where she is. She’s doing some weird shit where she’s refusing to speak Japanese or listen to anyone who does, so the most that anyone’s been able to get out of her was the she is “very toaster.” no one knows what that means, but she sounded really happy about it, I guess.

The last show was light on injuries, but Hoda Duda-Day has some neck soreness after Bulldog dropped her on her head, and will probably sit out a show or two, but it’s no biggie.

Concerning pre-existing conditions, Skip Legday is almost 100% after Garfield Vanzetti smooshed his balls with a steel-toed boot. No word on the exact timetable for his return, but it probably won’t be too long. I would ask you to offer thoughts and prayers for Vanzetti, but fuck him.

Immortan Jimmy remains comatose and still shows no brain activity after nine years, so the cruiserweight title #1 contender is considered day-to-day.

As for Ricky Coke, who has been out for about a year after Crash Ferrari broke his neck, there have been no updates, honestly. But there is a recently-leaked video of him doing lines directly off the ass of a well-respected Bolivian Instagram influencer, (not linking to it, pervs) which seems to suggest that he’s just fine and will probably show back up whenever she figures out that his dad cut him and Ross off years ago, and that he’s flat broke. Hopefully this happens soon, because Ross’s cocaine psychosis has been completely out of control lately, and he could use the positive influence of his somewhat less cocaine-psychotic brother.

TALES OF THE INVISIBLE BACKSTAGE CAMERA: THE GANG SHELTERS in Place

THE SCENE: STRUGGLE Pro headquarters in the closed-down Blockbuster location next to the arena. Acting company president Nate Ruggle, looking like he hasn’t slept in days – because he hasn’t – sits at a desk covered in receipts and invoices, desperately trying to figure out a way to keep the company afloat during the COVID-19 health crisis. He has now reached the point of last resort: Calling his his mom and asking for money.

NATE: Look – No, mother, there is nothing left! Between replacing the wiring and – No, we couldn’t leave it alone! It was a fire hazard! But between that and the pipes, I’m wiped out!… No, we couldn’t just ignore the plumbing problems! The basement was full of sewage! It was a river of shit!… No, we couldn’t just close the door!… Yes, mother, yes I know that Stevie always found the money. He found it by laundering it for the mob! Hell, not even the mob, more like eight different mobs!… No, that’s not just a rumor, it’s why he’s in prison!… Christ, you had to pay half of them back yourself!… What!? No, it wasn’t a bank loan! A bank doesn’t ask you to repay a loan by going to a parking garage at night and handing a briefcase to a guy named “Vlad the Bull!”… His legal defense fund!? There’s nothing to defend!… No, it’s not that I have no faith in the legal system, it’s that he was guilty as hell, and exposed himself to a judge!… Mother! He’s not a “good boy!” He tried to bribe a 75 year old judge with sexual favors!… No, no, no, the liberals didn’t make it up, there were witnesses and a security camera!… No… No, we’re not doing this right now… NO! Goddammit, I am hanging up this phone!… Love you too, bye.

(Nate throws his phone down on the desk and lets out an exasperated sigh, then looks up to see STRUGGLE head booker/producer/building supervisor/etc. Uncle Abdul standing in the doorway, looking both concerned and highly entertained)

ABDUL: So, uhhh… Bad news, boss?

NATE: Yeah, you could say that. We’re fucked, Abdul. There’s no more money. We were this close to actually turning this thing around, but there’s no telling how long everything’s going to be shut down, and we simply don’t have the cash to keep the company running while we can’t run any shows. It’s over. At this point, it’s all a question of whether or not selling the ring and the title belts – which we never even used – can get us enough to pay the rent we still owe.

ABDUL: Okay, first of all, stop it. We’ve always figured this shit out before, and we’ll figure it out this time. Second of all, you might wanna walk back this “can’t run shows” talk.

NATE: What? Are you crazy!? We’re in a global pandemic! People are dying by the thousands! Have you even seen the news lately?

ABDUL: Well, yeah, but have you seen the news today?

NATE: Not following you.

ABDUL: Ah, shit… Just gimme a minute here…

(Abdul turns on the TV and spends like five minutes positioning the antenna so that something resembling a human can appear on screen for more than three seconds)

NEWS ANCHOR: …And in local newsszzzzgghbrbrbrbbrbr

ABDUL: Goddamn digital bullshit!

(He spends another minute or so moving the antenna to different parts of the room)

ANCHOR: …After Tri-State Area provisional governor “Fast Eddie” Gambino announced-bbbvvvrrxxxnnkkk

ABDUL: Motherfucker!

(more antenna wiggling)

ANCHOR: …ordered local strip clubs and casinos closeddddzzzbbrrbrbrbr… angry mob stormed the governor’s mansskzkzkzkz…

NATE: Wait, what!?

ANCHOR: …burned to the groundzzkzkzk… torn to piecessszzkkzkz… critical conditionnznznz…

(Abdul finally gives up and turns it off, while Nate sits silently, slack-jawed in shock)

NATE: So… What the hell is going on right now? Are we going to die?

ABDUL: No. Well, I mean, eventually, but… Never mind. Look, the government shut down the casinos and strip clubs. And I know you’re from the North End, where people have families and hopes and dreams and all that shit, but here in South Central, that’s all these people have! Gambling, titties, and wrestling, Nate. And now two out of three are gone, and society’s coming apart. Wrestling is the only thing that can save this godforsaken place from itself! We have no choice here. Besides, the old folks’ bingo has been cancelled for the near future, and they’re willing to cut us a deal on rent for the duration.

NATE: Well, okay, but what about the pandemic? What about social distancing?

ABDUL: Shit, have you seen the people that attend our shows? Half of ’em have so much alcohol in ’em that their blood is effectively a sterile solution, and the rest already have so many damn diseases that there’s no room for any more!

NATE: Okay, that sounds like a slight exaggeration, but even if people attend, the wrestlers… Abdul, I’m not going to force the talent into a dangerous situation.

ABDUL: Eh, it won’t come to that. I figure the roster’s an even split between stupid and crazy, and there’s only a couple in high-risk groups, so we should have enough volunteers. If we don’t, we’ll just see who wants to put on a hood and wrestle twice. Besides, back to the audience thing, do you really think any living thing – be it viral, bacterial, or otherwise – could survive in Ross Coke’s bloodstream? Or Reverend Freakout, or PARTY TIGER, or Lil’ Xeljanz, or you know, hell, I could sit here naming people for an hour.

NATE: Okay, fine. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this, but I’ll start making calls to see who’s still willing to wrestle. But just… Man, I dunno, this seems…

ABDUL: Does it seem dangerous, unethical, immoral, and like it can’t possibly end well?

NATE: Yeah.

ABDUL: Seems like pro wrestling to me, boss.

NATE: My god.