Al Envy versus Johnathan Alexander

The following footage was taken from JPW’s Wrestlethon 2010. All properties belong to JPW and its affiliates.



A video timestamped March 3, 2010 JPW’s Wrestleton 2010 “Live from the Tokyo Dome” began to play. A sold out crowd cheered and roared at the large thirty foot high steel cage that sat in the center. Halfway up the small ramp stood a small table full engulfed in flames, the heat could be felt radiating off the table halfway through the audience. Standing on top of the steel cage was a much younger Jonathan Alexander and a much shorter unknown wrestler. Jonathan hoisted the man up and threw him across the cage with an exploder suplex sending him dangerously close to the edge of the table.



Calvin Richards: “Terror Tower throwing Juan Rico halfway across that cage top. Another inch or two and he would have fallen off the cage.”



James Strong: “He needs to fall off. I can’t stand that Mexican asshole.”



The crowd roars its disapproval as Jonathan stalks the smaller man grabbing him by his hair and up to his feet.



Calvin Richards: “The crowd is firmly against Jonathan tonight. After the stunt he pulled two weeks ago he’s lucky he wasn’t chased out of the arena by an angry mob.”



James Strong: “Juan Rico deserved what happened to him and his wife. Don’t mess with fire if you don’t want to get burned.”



Jonathan grabs Juan in a front facelock and hoists him up high. Juan knees Jonathan in the chest causing him to release his grip and drop him back to his feet. He takes a step forward and grabs Jonathan, twisting and throwing him off the top of the cage with an exploder suplex of his own.



Calvin Richards: “He just threw him off the top!”



Jonathan sails through the air and crashes into the flaming table causing it to explode upon impact.



James Strong: “He killed him!”



Jonathan doesn’t move an inch as officials flood the area with fire extinguishers and put out the flames as quick as possible.



Calvin Richards: “Someone needs to check on Jonathan and make sure he’s okay.”



Jonathan remains motionless in the scraps of table as Juan kneels on the top of the cage still catching his breath. Several more officials and EMTs rush down to where Jonathan lies still motionless.



James Strong: “I hope he’s okay. I think his head struck the ramp when he collided with the table.”



Calvin Richards: “Don’t forget, that table was wrapped in barbwire as well.”



The referee calls for the bell as a stretcher and C-Collar are brought down to the ramp as table debri is kicked out of the way. A pair of bolt cutters are handed to one of the officials as he cuts loose several barbs so they can be removed from his skin.



Calvin Richards: “This isn’t good. Folks this is why we say not to try this at home. These men are trained professionals and even they aren’t immune to injuries.”



The C-Collar is put on Jonathan as a backboard is slid underneath him and he’s escorted out of the arena the crowd cheering.



Calvin Richards: “I’m speechless. We’ll keep you updated as much as possible on Jonathan’s status.”



James Strong: “I just watched the replay and it looked like he hit the edge of the table spine first and then sailed into the rest of it.”



Calvin Richards: “We’re going to cut away and get things sorted out. We’ll be right back.”

____



“Get the fuck off your back!”



The loud voice came from the lungs of Alex Cross as he stood on the apron of a ring dressed in a pair of OD Green cargo shorts, a white tank top, and white sneakers. His weight was resting on the top rope as he looked inside at Jonathan Alexander lying on his back, a young man holding him on the mat. His arms were being held in place by the knees of the young man who had him in a full mount trying to secure a guillotine choke. Jonathan fought as hard as he could to keep his head free while at the same time trying to pull his arms out.



”He submits you or you quit I’m calling Alice and telling her what kind of little bitch you are! I showed you how to escape now do it.”



Jonathan bucked his hips and flung his legs around trying to perform a hip escape. For some people it came natural but for Jonathan he looked like a fish out of water or a man having a seizure. Either way he wasn’t able to free himself from the onslaught and eventually found himself locked firmly in a guillotine choke millions of miles away from any help. With his opponents attention on the hold he freed his hands and pulled at the grip of the hold trying to find any sort of freedom. As a last ditch effort Jonathan managed to find some sort of leverage and roll into a more dominant position, his head still firmly locked in the hold.



”Yes! Just like that.”



He wrapped his arms around the waist of the smaller opponent and slowly struggled to his feet pulling him up along with him. With one heave he hoisted him over and planted him with a beautiful northern lights suplex into a bridge. Seeing the pin Alex slid in and made the three count. All three men got up and exchanged handshakes before the young man left Alex and Jonathan alone in the center.



”I’ll be honest. I was this close to calling Alice and telling her she married a little bitch.”



”Thanks for not doing that. Not sure how I’d feel if word got out I couldn’t handle someone fresh out of school.”



”You see that’s the problem though Jonathan. Its been what? Six years or so since you last climbed in this ring? Hell your own wife made you her bitch recently when she cranked on your back.”



Jonathan crossed his arms in front of his bare chest as he looked at Alex. It was obvious he wasn’t liking where the conversation was going but what could he say? Every point he was making was valid. Alice had put a hurt on him recently and she was still learning the ins and outs of the ring while he was considered a seasoned veteran.



”What’s your point Alex?”



”My point is you’re looking at this all wrong. This sport has evolved since the last time you wrestled. Things aren’t the same as they were. People are lighter, quicker and have a larger arsenal to fall back on. It’s about more than just bodyslams and piledrivers bud. MMA has exploded recently and heavily influenced wrestling. Almost everyone has some type of training in a specialized discipline. For me it was Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.”



”So I’ve got to go out and learn a new way of wrestling? Is that what you’re saying? Alex I’m in my thirties I can’t just go learn a new way of doing things.”



”The guy who trained me was Icon Nathan Williams. He was in his forties and he had to adapt and learn something new when he came out of retirement. Now he holds a black belt in Muay Thai and went on to have a better second half of his career than perhaps the first half. Now he runs a wrestling academy and he teaches his students Muay Thai, BJJ, kickboxing and several other disciplines just to make sure they’re well rounded and stand the best chance. I’m not saying you need to go learn a new way of doing things but it would help to know what you’re up against.”



Jonathan uncrossed his arms and sighed as he turned away from Alex and walked towards the nearby ropes resting his arms on them. It couldn’t hurt to learn something new and honestly he was still young enough to retain it if he just applied himself.



”Look around you man. You’re just as new as everyone else stepping into this ring. You might be a veteran but having been away so long it’s almost like starting over again. That kid that took you to the limits has been training for the past three or four years. While you were trying to train students without getting physical he was putting his body on the line day in and day out. To him you’re the rookie. It’s gonna be up to you to prove to everyone that you belong. Prove that those world titles you’ve won, those hall of fames you’ve been inducted into and those awards you’ve been given were for a reason. That’s on you Jonathan not them.”



He turned around to look at Alex leaning his back against the ropes.



”Fine. Where do we go from here?”



”I’m glad you asked that. Come with me.”



Alex put his right arm around the shoulder of Jonathan and motioned him to exit the ring as the two men headed off towards a set of mats.

___



”It’s funny. A few years ago when I opened up my wrestling school if you would have told me that I’d be wrestling in twenty sixteen I’d have called you nuts. Numerous doctors had written me off and told me I was finished. I had the surgeries, I had the theory sessions, I tried everything under the sun to get back in that ring and nothing worked. The carrot was always dangled in front of me just out of reach only to be pulled back at the last moment. Yet here I am, just days away from climbing back in the ring for the first time since March of two thousand ten. This right here is the day I’ve been dreaming of.”



Sweat rolled off the bare chest of Jonathan Alexander as he stood in one of the locker rooms of a local gym in Purity. He took a nearby towel and ran it over his forehead and the back of his neck before tossing it on the bench. He hadn’t worked out this hard in months maybe even years. If he were honest he couldn’t remember the last time he’d put in this much time and effort in one training session. Alex had worked him out and put him through the paces to help him get ready for his debut match against Al Envy. He was as ready as he could possibly be but having not competed in over six years made him extra nervous.



”Now let’s get one thing straight. I’m not delusional. I know that going in I’m looked at as the underdog as I should be. This isn’t your first match back after a layoff. Hell you’ve already had your debut match so you don’t even have those first match jitters that everyone gets in a new promotion. The emotions that are running through me I can’t even comprehend them. Excitement, nervousness, terror you name it I’m feeling it. But do you think that changes anything? Do you think because of those feelings I won’t climb into that ring and give you everything I’ve got? Before my injury I was in more high profile matches than any one person should probably be in. I put my life on the line more times than I should have. Hell I burned the candle at both ends until I finally got burned. Burned so bad I thought I was done forever.”



His attention was on the camera as he stepped closer. It was almost as if he were trying to climb inside the camera he got so close. He wanted his opponent to hear his words, every word.



”Let me ask you something. Have you ever had something you loved taken from you? You know, one day it’s yours and you couldn’t be happier and then something happens and it’s suddenly gone. Nothing you say or do can bring it back to you because it’s now gone forever. That’s what happened to me. Did you know that after I was discharged from the hospital and told I may never walk again much less wrestle that I lied in bed and put a gun in my mouth? I couldn’t tell you how long I looked at the top of that gun before I finally put it down. It seemed like an eternity. It’s funny, they say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger but for some that’s a crock of shit. For some whatever doesn’t kill you leaves you miserable. For me it left me hungry, hungry enough to will myself to walk again. Hungry enough to push my body harder than I should just so I could walk again. And now?”



He held his arms out and turned a circle slowly allowing the camera to catch him at every angle.



”I can walk, I can wrestle and what you’ll find out real soon is that I can fight. I don’t believe in taking things easy. I’ve never believed in giving anyone a chance inside that ring. You step between those ropes you’re willing to leave it all in the middle of the ring. Your blood, your sweat and your tears left as a puddle in the middle of that ring. I don’t care if we’re in the opening match slot or the final one because to me wherever I’m booked, that’s the main event. I learned long ago to make the most of every situation because the people in the crowd can feel it. They know whether you want to be there or not. I want to be here. I need to be here. Soon you’ll find out just how much.”

He turned and walked away without another word. It was time to go home and see his wife. Time to turn off Jonathan Alexander the wrestler and become Jonathan Alexander the loving husband. It was hard at times to figure out which he loved more. Yet when he laid his eyes on his wife he always knew which was his favorite. Her.