[Twisted Steel & Sex Appeal]

 DESTINY
"A ROAD ONCE TRAVELED"

Destiny.

Do you believe in it? Do you believe that there is a grand design where the path of your entire lifetime is laid out for you from the moment of your birth? Some might use the word 'fate' to describe this, but there is a philosophical difference between the two very different concepts.

Fate relates to events of the future and present of an individual and in cases in literature unalterable, whereas destiny relates to the probable future. Fate implies no choice, but with destiny the entity is participating in achieving an outcome that is directly related to itself. Participation happens willfully.

New York City - 1972

You might consider that this tale would begin here, in one of the most famous cities in the world; New York City. Each member of the tandem of TSSA was born in different states, and in the case of Chippendale, a different country.

.... Buffalo, New York was the birthplace of the 'Italian Stallion' Thunder.

Chippendale: Wow. Now this is going back a ways. Whenever anyone thinks about Monte Carlo, they just think about casinos and gambling. But they don't know it's far from being just a resort for tourists. It's a beautiful place to live and that's where my own family was from, just outside of Monaco of the French Riviera.

An image filled the screen.

<img src=http://www.languagecourse.net/images/cities/large/monte-carlo_1.jpg>

Chippendale: Of course, what a lot of people fail to understand is that not everyone in Monte Carlo or Monaco was rich or well to do. My own family was pretty large. Besides my parents, I have two sisters and three brothers. Me? I'm the baby of the family. And things were tough, I have to admit.

A family photograph of Derrick's parents and him and his siblings was shown.

Chippendale: With so many wild kids to take care of and keep out of trouble, it wasn't feasible for my mom to work and leave us home alone. So my dad was pretty much the bread winner. I don't know how the man managed it. We didn't have any real luxuries but our clothes were always clean and there wasn't a time where we didn't have plenty to eat.

He frowned in thought.

Chippendale: Now I don't know the entire story, it wasn't something my parents ever shared, but things started to get a bit rough for my folks. Mom developed asthma and so did one of my brothers. That made things harder than usual what with some medical bills for my dad to keep up with, so some family they had in the United States made an offer to lend a hand. They offered to take me in to help lift the burden off of my parents.

A still shot of Derrick as a little boy standing with his aunt and uncle was shown.

Chippendale: It wasn't something either of my parents wanted to do. The thought appalled them but they told me they knew it'd make things better for me. I didn't know what was happening except that I was going on a trip to attend school in America and I'd be able to come back every summer if i wanted. I cried. I remember that much. I didn't care how rough things were at home. It was my home. That's all I cared about. But i was put on a plane with my uncle who had traveled there to pick me up and we were flown to -- you guessed it -- New York.

Ms. Angel: It was really odd how that worked out. It really makes you believe after all that's happened between the three of us that things worked out how God intended. I truly believe that some people were just meant to meet and be together, and the three of us fit that description. I really believe that.

Thunder: By that time, Angel and I had really bonded over the summer. I mean, really. The term 'best friends' doesn't even do it justice. We were practically inseparable and our families had come to realize that.

Thunder and Ms. Angel didn't live that far away from each other, and given the closeness the two little ones shared, the families decided it would be a fine idea for them to attend the same school together. Now although there was a slight social class difference, the adults had met and enjoyed the company of one another -- but it was the forged bond between the children that would serve as the catalyst for this future dynasty.

But there was also a certain third family in particular that lived within close enough proximity that could truly call this path predestined.

Ms. Angel: By then, Tony and I had already started kindergarten together, same school, same class. Our parents had a hand in that.

Thunder: But about the middle of our second week of school, the teacher told everyone that there was a new student that would be joining us and he came all the way from Monaco. I don't think any of us at the time knew where that was. We just knew he wasn't from America and that made it all the more fascinating.

Ms. Angel: So in walked this adorable little boy with the blond hair and blue eyes, practically hiding behind the teacher.

Chippendale nodded.

Chippendale: I was terrified. I remember that only too well. I have never been so afraid in my life. It was bad enough that I was living with family that I barely knew in a strange country, but the only kids I had known up to that point had been my brothers and sisters. Now here was an entire room full of strange kids that I had to be around and I wanted nothing more than to just turn and run.

Thunder: The teacher asked him to tell everyone his name, and he said Derrick, but at the time his accent was just so thick you could barely make it out. A lot of the kids started giggling and I think that just made the situation even worse.

Ms. Angel: I just remember these tears running down his cheeks as the teacher guided him from behind her legs to have a seat. He was holding this cute little blue lunch box that the teacher took from him to put away. And here's the funny part; the class room was arranged in small tables with three kids seated to a table. Care to guess which table was the only one with an empty seat?

Thunder: Angel and I had been lucky enough to get seated together at the same table after the others had already been assigned. There was an empty seat at ours and the teacher pulled out the chair and had him sit down.

Chippendale: I didn't say a word. I couldn't have. If I would have been able, I would have crawled under that table and stayed there until it was time to go home. I find it endearing to think back and remember that on that first day, Tony and Angel had no intention of doing anything but making me let them be my friends.

Thunder laughed.

Thunder: That's a polite way of saying that we wouldn't shut up and leave him alone.

Ms. Angel: He was so cute. He had his hands shoved in his lap and just stared down, and Tony and I wouldn't take the hint. Or we just decided we were going to try and get him to talk more because I personally thought his accent was neat. For most of the morning he either didn't react or all he'd do is shrug.

Chippendale: Then it was movie time, as I recall, and the ice started to melt from there. It was 101 Dalmatians, as I recall, and I had never seen it before. All of us at our tables had to turn our chairs around and put them side by side so we could sit together.

Ms. Angel: And Derrick pulled my chair out for me.

Ms. Angel laughed.

Ms. Angel: I didn't know what to think! I was only five and I couldn't see any of the other boys in class doing something like that. I guess Tony thought he was trying to pull that trick to make me fall but he got the idea fairly fast that it wasn't the case. Even the teacher noticed as she was passing out the cookies for the movie treat to munch on while we watched.

Chippendale: She gave me an extra cookie.

He stuck his tongue out at the camera.

Chippendale: Anyway, the movie started up and I loved it, although I found it a bit hard to concentrate on the movie because I spent so much time looking at the movie projector itself.

Thunder: I had seen the movie before. I think most of us in the room had, but Derrick just had his eyes glued to that small screen, like he was mesmerized. That is when he wasn't turning away to watch the projector. I don't think at the time he had ever even seen a movie before. He was laughing enough for the entire class at what he was seeing, and it helped. It really helped because once the movie was over and we rearranged our chairs, Angel and I asked if he liked it and it kind of went from there.

Chippendale: They just kept asking me question after question. Did I like the movie? Did I think it was funny? Did I think the puppies were cute or did I hate Cruella DeVille. I think I got a strange look when I told them I thought she was the funniest one in the movie.

Thunder: At first he would just shrug or give us these whispers for answers but we weren't easing up and he started to talk but was still a pretty shy little guy. How he grew up to be such a hot piece of ass who enjoyed 'flaunting' it I'll never understand!

Thunder laughed.

Ms. Angel: Then our families came to pick us up and Tony and I grabbed Derrick by the hands and brought him to our parents and introduced him. The shyness factor kicked in again but the next few weeks were really helpful in making him comfortable around us. It was my birthday and I invited the whole class to a party at McDonalds but I made very sure that Derrick received the first invitation. By the look on his face, you'd think he was just handed a bar of gold.

Chippendale: I didn't even know what McDonalds was. I just knew that I had been invited to a party and had made two friends that made me feel good, even at my lowest point. People talk about riches in monetary means all the time, but for all the money I've earned over the years, I don't think I had ever felt richer than that first year of school with those two.

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.
Leo Buscaglia

"Throughout the rest of their school years, you couldn't have found a more loyal pack of friends. Although they each had grown to have their own separate studies and friends aside from one other, it had become known that these three had grown into a packaged deal. You couldn't include one in plans without being open to the other two being welcome as well. Triple dates for the three best friends were not out of the ordinary.

Then a new revelation had been thrown into the mix."

Chippendale: It was about my junior year in high school when I started to realize I wasn't exactly like the other boys. Tony could be best described as being a bit of a man whore.

Thunder shook his head in denial.

Thunder: So not true.

Ms. Angel nodded.

Ms. Angel: Oh it be true. I think he went out with just about every girl in our grade, not including myself, and even one or two seniors. And it was safe to say he was about as far from being a virgin then as he is now. I swear it was a miracle he didn't end up a father before he had.

Chippendale: I had talked to the one person I knew wouldn't judge me, Angel. And she helped me come to the understanding -- that I was gay. I thought I could trust Tony too, but I was so scared of doing or saying something that might cause him to hate me I did about the worst possible thing I could and kept it a secret from him for as long as I could.

Thunder: But then I found out, a bit by accident, and I have no problem saying I was more pissed off than I was shocked. Not because he was gay but because he had thought I couldn't be trusted and he had told Angel long before he had told me. She had to stop me from confronting him and raising some Hell, but I got my chance a week or two later to show him my support.

Ms. Angel: You know how rumors in school are, especially when they're fueled by jealousy or worse. Some girl who wanted Derrick in bed got mad because he spurned her and she started spreading a 'rumor' about him being gay to try and get even with him. Some rumor! It turned out to be the truth!

Chippendale: I didn't even try denying it. It didn't occur to me that I should but then I got confronted in the locker room after football practice and some of the guys tried to rough me up when Tony walked in and intervened. They thought he'd help them but he pretty much took the ring leader down and he made it clear if they wanted to hurt me, they were going to have to go through him.

Chippendale shook his head.

Chippendale: Nobody wanted to try to fight Tony, even if they had the favor in numbers.

Chippendale looked down briefly. He took a deep breath and exhaled before looking up.

Chippendale: I don't think that I ever felt so ... ashamed. That I actually didn't trust my best friend with something like that. That maybe he'd be uncomfortable around me now, or he'd side with the jocks and end our friendship...

Chippendale shook his head.

Chippendale: There was no excuse for it. It took me a long time to get over the way I had kept that from him. Angel was right the entire time. He just didn't care who I wanted to sleep with or love. Tony was Tony, and I couldn't have asked for a bigger supporter than him.

Chippendale smiled.

Chippendale: Literally.

The remainder of their high school years passed by like any other. Chippendale was still a target every now and then for the other students anti-gay biasedness, but he weathered those storms with not only the support of Thunder, but Ms. Angel as well. The three were always there for each other, ready to stand at on another's sides without a moment's hesitation.

However, despite that closeness they each shared with the other, they knew that in only a matter of time, the inevitable was set to occur.

Ms. Angel: I think that's where we differed from the rest of the student body. They were all looking forward to graduation and moving on to these new paths in life. Don't get me wrong, we were looking forward to what life would hold for us, but it also meant that we were going to be going our separate ways. I was going to attend college in Georgia. Tony had some modeling jobs set up and in a few months time he had planned to enter his first bodybuilding competition. And Derrick, he wanted so much to go back to Monaco and see his family. I mean after all those years he certainly deserved that! Because of money, he didn't get to go home during the summer every year so seeing his parents and his brothers and sisters was a priority for him. But despite our plans and wishes, it still meant not being together.

Thunder: Well, while everyone else had thrown some wild graduation parties for their kids, our own families threw a small one, just for the three of us. The night went on and we just ... talked. That's all we did, and it's okay to admit that none of us went home that night with very dry eyes. You just can't walk away from what we had together. Now the thought got into our heads that there was a very distinct possibility that we might not see each other again. True, everyone says 'we'll keep in touch' or 'I'll write every day'. But that seldom, if ever, really works out.

Ms. Angel: Well, I was heart broken but I ended up having to leave for Georgia before the summer was really even set to begin. My parents wanted to move back to Atlanta and I had to get ready to begin college. That left Derrick and Tony to fend for themselves.

Chippendale: And I got this idea, and when I was making my plans to go to Monaco, I asked Tony what the chances were of him spending the summer there too. I mean, he had no plans for a couple of months. His first modeling shoot wasn't until August and there were plenty of gyms he could train in for his bodybuilding. So, why not?

Thunder shrugged.

Thunder: And so my family funded my big trip overseas as a graduation present. This was an experience for me because I'd never really set foot outside of New York in my life up to that point, and here I was, heading for Monte Carlo.

Chippendale: Tony had tried to make arrangements for a hotel nearby where my parents lived, but leave it to them, they wouldn't hear of it. By then all of my brothers and sisters had moved out, so mom and dad had the place to themselves and they were only to happy to have Tony stay there with us for the summer.

Thunder: You'd think with so many kids, Derrick's mom would have had her fill spoiling somebody, but she really laid it on thick with me the entire time I stayed there. She and his dad were thrilled to meet their baby boy's best buddy from America. I guess he wrote to them a lot and told them all about Angel and myself, and it was nice to see if I could live up to the hype.

Thunder smiled smugly and swayed his shoulders.

Thunder: And I'd like to think I held up my end of the legend well enough.

Chippendale: Leave it to Tony. He poured on that charm of his and my mom just adored him. And my dad kept him up late almost every night talking about sports. I think because of how he lost his own dad at an early age, Tony was kind of hungry for a bit of a father figure and my old man stepped in and filled that void pretty nicely.

Thunder: Then one evening we found out that Vince McMahon's WWF was actually in Monaco for a house show while they were touring across Europe. I had the funds so I bought four tickets and treated Derrick and his folks out for a little wrestling action, thinking nothing of it.

Chippendale smiled, biting his lower lip while shaking his head.

Chippendale: But I think we all know what actually did come of that.

TO BE CONTINUED ...
"A ROAD ONCE TRAVELED - PART II"

New York City

"Aren't you ready yet?"

The voice of his partner both in life and wrestling competitions drew Thunder's attention up and away from his closely inspecting his luggage to find Chippendale standing in the door frame of the bedroom they shared in their high-rise condominium apartment. Chippendale was a handsome sight, despite the fact he, like Thunder, was at the ripe age of 41. Life had treated both men well, and neither looked their age.

Clad in a white dress shirt that threatened to burst at the seams with his athletic upper body, and a matching pair of creme-colored slacks and shoes, Chippendale folded his arms over his chest as he watched curiously as Thunder seemed to be devoting so much attention to what he had already packed in his luggage, or perhaps what he was worried he would forget and realize he wanted once they were clear across the world in Tokyo.

Unfolding his arms, he started to walk into the room and he said, "You know, I thought you had all of that finished days ago when we got back from China."

"Are you kidding?" Thunder mumbled as he hefted a pretty large suitcase onto his lap with ease and unzipped it and he started to rifle through the contents. "I had these ready before China. I wasn't taking any chances, and I knew we wouldn't have much time between then and now."

Chippendale smiled and shook his head just slightly at the, as he puts it, anal retentive nature of Thunder always wanting to be in direct control. He approached the bedside and sat down, close enough that the legs of the two men gently touched in a familiar comfort between them.

Chippendale said, "So why don't you just put that down, then? You've got everything packed that we're going to be needing, and probably a good deal that we won't. Your mom has the kids getting ready to go to the airport with us."

"I know." Thunder said beneath his breath, and this caused Chippendale's blond brow to frown somewhat.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked.

"No." Thunder shook his head and did as Chippendale had suggested, and he zipped the bag back up and sat the luggage back onto the floor amidst the mountain of bags and such that they would be taking on their travels to the Land of the Rising Sun. "What could be wrong?"

"Well, that's what I'm asking you." Chippendale answered. "I mean, how long have we known each other Tony? You can try to play off everything is fine and dandy, but when it gets right down to it, the ocean will turn into peanut butter before you're ever able to lie to me. So c'mon."

Thunder kept his body still but turned his head to look at Chippendale.

Chippendale pressed him, "Out with it."

Thunder glanced down briefly, a flash of a movement, and then looked up. He took a moment's pause before he said, "I'm just a bit pissed at you, that's all."

"Me?" Chippendale said sounding surprised. "Why are you pissed at me? What did I do?"

"Oh not much." Thunder answered, but the tone of his voice betrayed the truth. "Just a little matter of you deciding to risk your health again after we swore that the last time we were in the ring in GXW, would be the last time."

"Are you serious?" Chippendale frowned but had his mouth in a tight lipped smile. "You're bringing this up here, now? Why didn't you say something in China when we were talking to Jordan and Mark?"

Thunder turned at the waist and said, "Say something? Like what? Oh, you mean my use of the word 'no'? I do seem to recall that I did just that a few times. Be kind of hard to have ignored. Then you go and accept Mark's idea and agreed for the both of us."

"Hold on." Chippendale intervened, holding a hand up to forestall any further attempts to challenge his decision. He continued, "Isn't that what you were doing when you said no? Turning down the offer for the both of us?"

Thunder shook his head. he said, "I was only thinking about what's best for you, Derrick."

"Yeah," Derrick started. "So am I. C'mon, Tony." He leaned forward at the waist and propped his elbows on his knees but kept Thunder's gaze locked within his own. "Are you really telling me that this doesn't have you excited? That this one match against two of our best friends in the business hasn't got you just ready to dive into the ring and do this again?"

Thunder shook his head. "No, no of course it does. I just never thought something like this would ever happen again. I thought this part of our lives was in the past and... I kind of wanted to keep it that way."

Thunder stood up and stepped away from the bedside and walked across the bedroom. Chippendale opted to give the big man time to find the right words to express himself, but he knew after all these years he might need a bit of gentle coaxing. Thunder could be the boisterous sort. Able to speak with an open mind without fear of reprisal or offence, but he also knew that he alone was one of the only ones Thunder felt the need to watch his words with extreme care. Chippendale leaned back on the bed, resting his elbows on the soft bed spread covered mattress while he watched Thunder turn around and look at him.

Chippendale said, "Now why don't you tell me what's really bothering you? And please don't insult my intelligence with one of your bullshit attempts to spare my feelings. I love you, and I know when you're trying to spare me a bit of hurt. So out with it."

Thunder exhaled and gave his lover such a look that would have wilted many an opponent or rival, but it just bounced harmlessly off of Chippendale himself.

Thunder finally relented and said, "I think you know, Derrick. I didn't want to do this again because I didn't want to risk..." He waved a hand upward, motioning towards Chippendale himself.

Chippendale sighed and sat up straight before he said, "Tony, we've been through this. If I wasn't okay, the doctor never would have cleared me to do this match."

Thunder said seriously, "I was in that office when he talked to you, so now who's bullshitting who? He cleared you, but he also tried to warn you against doing this. There are risks."

Chippendale countered, "That's life, Tony. I'm taking a risk crossing a street or taking a shower. I'll be fine."

"And what happens if you're not?" Thunder asked hotly. "What happens if Mark hits you with that superkick of his? Or if Jordan hits a piledriver or something like that? I've been listening to all these people talking about this match and they're all acting as if you're healed one hundred percent when we both know that's not the case. The car accident, and the amount of concussions and neck injuries built up over time... even the doctor said they'd never heal completely."

"I'm aware." Chippendale said openly. "They are my injuries after all. Nobody knows them better than myself."

"Then just answer me this." Thunder sat down on the edge of the bed stand. "...If you know all of this, why are you taking this risk for one match? Mark would have understood. So would Jordan."

"But I needed this, Tony." Chippendale said. "I needed to do this. It's important to me."

"It's important for you to risk injuring yourself?"

"No, it's important to me to get to step inside the ring just one more time!" Chippendale answered hotly, perhaps more so than he intended. "I had all of this taken away from me before I was ready! I had no say in the matter! I didn't want to retire, Tony! I had to!"

Thunder crossed the room and back to the bed side where he again had a seat. He held his eyes closed and nodded, "I know it hurt you to come to that decision, but the risks were just too damn much."

"Yes, well..." Chippendale looked away from him and down at the floor. "It's not something that you can really understand, Tony. You didn't have to retire. You did it because of that pact we had made, knowing I would have understood if you had wanted to continue. You could have went on. You could have still been wrestling to this day but..."

"Stop it."

"Tony I..."

"I said stop!" Thunder barked, and the start of his commanding voice did indeed make Chippendale stop and he looked up at the larger man at his side. Thunder continued, "I know all of this. We had been through all of this countless times years ago when you made the choice to step away. I didn't lie to you then, and I won't now. I do miss wrestling, but if I can't do it with you as my partner then get it through that thick skull of yours, I am NOT interested!"

There was a brief pause of stunned silence between the two men who were as close to being soul mates as any two people might hope to become.

Thunder said, "Do i wish things had turned out differently? Hell yes! But if you think it's because I want to wrestle again then that peroxide you use to highlight your hair has soaked through to the brain! I wish things had been different so you wouldn't have gotten hurt and been forced to stop doing something that you loved!"

Chippendale shook his head, looking away from Thunder. He chewed his bottom lip and looked up toward the ceiling for a brief respite until he felt the need to turn again to ace his partner.

He said, "Then I need you to understand why I have to do this."

Thunder put a comforting hand on Chippendale's shoulder and said, "I'm just trying to protect you."

Chippendale said, "Okay, I get that. And I appreciate that Tony, believe me."

"But...?" Thunder said, bringing his eyebrows up almost to the hairline.

"But..." Chippendale exhaled. "I don't need a mother. I need my best friend and husband." he looked up at him and wore pleading eyes. "I need my partner."

"Damn you and those puppy dog eyes." Thunder growled, narrowing his own. He shook his head and sighed, standing up. "Just promise me you won't get hurt."

Chippendale grabbed a handful of luggage and hefted it up and went for the bedroom door. Thunder reached down to grab some of the rest when he gave pause and frowned. He stood upright and called after him.

"How can you make a promise like that?" He asked.

Chippendale turned around with that very familiar boyish grin and answered, "Hey if I don't come through, what are you going to do to me?"



It's sad to see the state that tag team wrestling has become. There was a time when every wrestling company was swollen to the very brink with credible combinations that could bring the house down when paired against one another. Now the only time you see exciting tag team divisions is either when you visit some of the better known independent promotions like Ring of Honor or Dragon Gate USA, or when you head over to Japan -- which is right where we're headed.

The fans in Japan hold an appreciation and respect for professional wrestling like no other. It's a blessing and treat to just be there and witness how those men and women, young and old alike, will sit there in near silence and stare into the ring, studying the holds and maneuvers that each man is working their opponent with, and you come to understand they see it as an art form to be properly appreciated. It's why competition that we take for granted in the United States thrives there, such as the lady wrestlers and tag team matches. Mark my words; you attend a Japanese show and the programs will be at least seventy-five percent tag team and six man encounters.

And the women? Whoo! Their women would give our very best men the fights of their lives and I have seen a show or two myself where the so-called fairer sex would sell out the Tokyo Egg Dome which seats over fifty five thousand! But we seem to be getting away from the topic at hand.

Tag team wrestling I think hit it's peak when we had promotions such as Global Championship Wrestling and Generation-X Wrestling. Back in those times we had teams made up of men who called each other both friend and brother. There were teams like Double Impact. The Inner Circle. Sex & Violence. The Blonde Valley Boys. Golden Glenn and Desperado. The Enforcers. The Mobley Congregation. Life of the Party. The Association. Perfect Dynasty. Power & Precision.

I remember even seeing some makeshift teams as a result of a Lethal Lottery tournament see such success that they opted to remain together and chase after the gold. Teams like Jason Adams and Christian Underwood or Miami Hurricane and Kolossus were teams that got put together randomly but stayed together to either win gold, or chase after it. It showed a dedication to the division that is sorely missed.

What happened to those glory days? It just seems that these days we have an influx of young superstars who just don't want to share the spotlight with another so they consider tag team wrestling to be a step down, when it's anything but. Tag Team wrestling is an art like no other. It teaches you the value of team work and above all else, trust.

Do you get where I'm going with this? What happened?

Hm? What's that? We forgot a couple teams? We forgot the two best teams of that era? No, no we didn't. You see we're simply placing those two teams a head above the rest simply because that's where they belong. Twisted Steel & Sex Appeal (that's us!) and the two legends we'll be going up against at 'Violent Conduct' in Hot n Sexy -- and trust us the name befits a combination that puts two hot samples of beefcake together such as Mark Ward and Jordan Williams.

(Almost as hot as yours truly!)

I think those two give us a bit too much credit for where we helped out their careers, but we appreciate the sentiment. To us, it's just a matter of reaching out and lending a hand to someone you come to value and appreciate. Mark and Jordan are two such men and wrestlers who fit that description perfectly.

TSSA got our start clear back in 1994 in the Phantasy Wrestling Alliance, and from there the IWA where we met Jordan Williams under the moniker of Marauder. From there it was the WWA, then GPW, ASFW, GCW, and finally the place where we had brought everything to a close, GXW. Through all those years we watched as Mark and Jordan dominated the singles division, winning every championship that they targeted. We had to admit we were uncertain what would happen when those two decided to try their hands at tag team wrestling. We thought they'd either explode on the scene and take it for everything it had, or they'd implode with a clash of egos and practically kill one another. I'm glad to see the former was what occurred, because Hot n Sexy was borne and they were lethal as a combination. Are lethal as a combination.

You don't walk away with the accolades those two did as a team without having some stellar team work. Back in GPW, they were two-time World Tag Team Champions, having defeated Power & Precision and the Thrillseekers for their respective championship reigns.

Why do we respect those two? Why do we think of them so highly when they are perhaps our chief rivals atop the tag team ladder? Mainly because they're our chief rivals atop the tag team ladder! And as singles? We both have met Mark Ward in the ring and traded wins and losses against him in our time, and I swear you won't see a more complete wrestler who is capable of doing it all. Technical wrestling. Aerial. Submission. And that man Ward loves a good brawl as much as anyone. Oh, and watch your back because he can be a sneaky bastard when he wants to be! (And yes, we mean that endearingly!)

Then you look toward Jordan, and he is so much like Hot Stuff that you'd think they were one wrestler in two bodies. We remember how he swept into the IWA and damn man! You'd never think he was a rookie at the rate he was racking up the wins! Then he joined us in our little 'family' and together we were sweeping the field clear of any stray championships that got in our path. We teamed together in six man matches, he'd team with one or the other to go after a tag title (and most likely win). Jordan just fit with us, if you get our meaning. It could be our old age playing tricks on us but I don't recall a single time where we wrestled each other one on one like we did with Mark. We've only went up against each other in the tag team division.

And yes, in ASFW, Hot n Sexy met one time, and one time only, with yours truly, and it was Hot n Sexy who walked away with the tag team titles in that encounter. Come to think of it, we never did get a rematch. I guess that's something we might consider this. A long overdue opportunity for a rematch between the two best tag teams that ever graced the sport.

That's what is making this one-time event so damned special; the fact that it is one time only. Just remember one thing gentlemen. The fact that you beat us one time means only one thing; you were the better team that night. It doesn't necessarily mean you're the better team overall.

Why don't we let Tokyo decide that one?