*Ben Jordan used with his permission*
Thursday, April 21st
Rhodes, Greece
Rhodes Town, Hippocrates Square
Noon local time
It seems like every professional wrestler these days has a vlog. I never thought I’d see the day that I would take the time to put in the effort for one of these things, but here we are.
Max: Hi folks. Be gentle on me, I haven’t done one of these videos in quite some time. But, when I decided to come back to Sin City Wrestling this time around I knew I wanted to document it. I wanted to document it for myself. Hell, I’m not getting any younger, and I should have been doing this for years. I’ve forgotten more than I care to think about. So many memories lost over the years. Not this time. I’ve been journaling a lot since I’ve started this little comeback. When the bosses announced this tour, I knew I wanted to capture as much as I can. Might as well share it with more than just my family right? This loop has been absolutely mesmerizing. Greece is hard to describe in all honesty. Every stop has been filled with breathtaking architecture and landscapes. If you have the opportunity to ever travel to Greece, I can’t recommend it enough.
This is fuckin’ stunning I tell ya. This trip just keeps blowing my mind every day. This trip really is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I just wish we had more time at every stop. There’s just too much to explore. You can’t see it all in a couple of days. Oh well, if that isn’t reason enough to change that once in a lifetime statement I don’t know what is.
Max: I’m glad the sightseeing, and nightlife has been top shelf this trip. As far as last time out goes, Austin James Mercer came in, and got the damn job done. Austin showed why he is a former World Heavyweight, Internet and Mixed Tag Team Champion. I’ve got nothing but respect for that man. He is one tough son of a bitch. The man’s perseverance through everything I hit him with was impressive as hell.
Don’t get me wrong I’m mad as hell. Sometimes you’re the hammer... and sometimes you’re the damn nail. The last couple times I’ve taken those hits, but I’m not done. Not by a long shot. I know I can go with the best in this company.
Max: We beat the hell out of each other in Zante. I threw everything but the kitchen sink at the big hoss, and he managed to survive. I had to ice my knee after the match. You got a hard head Mercer. I don’t think I’ve ever hit that knee strike harder than I did against your skull, and you still were able to somehow able to kick out. I’m sure that stung a tad.
The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes towers above the square.
Max: This beautiful beast was built in the late 7th century. Drink it all in. This castle has so much history. I feel like I’m coming out of the woods of Nottingham right now. Wow. Where was I? Oh yes, then i felt the infamous Legacy Bomb. That my friends is one hell of a ride that I’d care not to repeat anytime in the very near future. You got a hell of a snap on that Austin, It was a pleasure stepping in there with ya champ. I’ll see you around. You got a future pint on me. And that my friends is Hippocrates Square. Time to grab some lunch, and I’ll be checking in soon. Make sure to like and subscribe. Oh yeah... and ring the bell to get notified if I ever decide to do another one of these.
Now where the hell am I going to eat?
Thursday, April 21st
Rhodes, Greece
Rhodes Town, Hippocrates Square
5:30 PM local time
Max: What about this place?
Need food. Need advice. Only one man for the job. My favorite Cockney King. We’re back in the square, and we’re hangry. Lunch was absolutely delicious. I’m excited to try everything here.
Ben: They all look good to me brother. Let’s do this.
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Max: I eyed this place at lunch, but it was absolutely packed. I knew it must be good with the line it had earlier.
You can’t not sit on the patio in this weather. Nice, and there is nice a corner table. That’ll do.
Max: This work? Thanks for coming out.
Ben: This is brilliant. Saw a few plates out of the corner of my eye. I think we’re in for a damn good meal.
Here comes the waiter. That’s impressive. That was fast. Service will always win me over before the food. If the service sucks it ruins the night for me. We’re off to a solid start.
Max: Cheers. I don’t think we need menus today.
Ben: We don’t?
I have no clue what to order. Ben sure as hell doesn’t. I’m going to keep it simple.
Max: Nope. Can you bring us whatever you recommend? We want to try your best. Couple of pints and a couple of water to start please and thank you.
Ben: Alright then. Works for me. Smart plan sir.
This is going to be good. This is the best way to eat. Let the restaurant show off. You know you’ll get their best when you let them pick.
Max: I’m going to cut to the chase. I need help.
Ben: The hell are you talking about? You just had Mac and Austin back to back. You got nothing to feel like shit about.
Hey now. I don’t feel like shit. I said I needed your help. Well.. do I? Ok maybe a little.
Max: Hold up. I’m good. Seriously. I mean, yeah I’m pissed off. I’m pissed off at myself more than anything. I almost fuckin’ had Mercer beat. You couldn’t get any closer than I did against Mercer. I mean that was like 2.99999 twice. I still don’t know how he did it. So yeah... okay yeah I’m frustrated.
Ben: You said you wanted the best. You didn’t think they would accommodate your request?
Max: Yes, I know. I was clear to Mark. But, this is not the direction I wanted to be headed in this early. Last thing I want is to turn this into a bonafide losing streak. I need to do something to get back on track.
Ben: Are you listening to yourself right now mate? You’ve just been in punch ups with the current and a former World Champ.
Max: Yeah, and the result is the result. I need to turn this ship around fast brother.
Ben: You went toe to toe with them. You gave em as good as they gave em. You were in it right till the very end both times. Don’t you forget about that. You’ve been stepping it up huge. This is the best Max Burke I’ve seen.
Max: Thanks for the vote of confidence. Physically, I feel fuckin’ fantastic. Like I’ve impressed myself. Hell, that’s my best Blast result ever. I don’t know about you but I definitely wasn’t expecting it looking at the field. Myra and i clicked. We both had something to prove. I think we did that even if we did come up short in the end. I’m thrilled with the result overall. Made a new friend to boot.
Ben: You two were brilliant. You can both hold your heads high. You took the champ to his limit. You told Mac a lot had changed from the first time, and I definitely think he knows that. There’s a reason he didn’t say your name either. Face it, you can now add Blast finalist to the resume. Nothing wrong with that.
Max: Thanks buddy. I know we can. I asked for the best like you said. I knew damn well this wasn’t going to be easy. I know how talented this roster is. You cannot take a night off. That’s why I need your help. I want to get in more ring time. If I’m going to break through that wall, I can admit I need help. I need someone to push me on a daily basis, not just on Sundays. I need to step up my game, and I need to do it fast. I need your help my friend. I need the Cockney King to step in between those ropes, and kick my ass. Please and thank you. I know Fenris will jump at the chance for a good ol’ sparring session. Drinks and post training sessions dinners on me of course. I just need to step up my daily routine if I’m going to see different results in the future. If I want to complete with the upper echelon in Sin City I know I need to get my ass kicked daily to stay on top of my game. It’ll be fun to teach this old dog some new tricks.
Ben: Name the time. I’ll be there. You’ve always had my back. I got yours. You know that. If it means I have to smack some more confidence in you I will.
Max: Thanks brother. Oh! Check out this spread coming. They knew we were serious.
It’s a parade of food. They are not messing around. The wait staff fill our table, and a cart next to us with a wide array of Greek favorites, and the bistro’s top dishes. The bar staff come to the table and set 2 flights of beers in front of us.
Ben: Well now. I’m drooling already. I don’t know where to to even start.
Max: Same. See? I knew what I was doing. I don’t know how we’re going to eat all this, but we’re going to have a blast giving it the old college try. Probably going to regret this later, but it’s going to be a tasty regret. Who are we kidding? We’re not going to regret this at all. Let’s dig in.
Ben: They must have takeaway mate. We’re going to put a serious dent in it though. Trust me on that. And this is a nice start to wash it all down with. Thanks for the invite. We stumbled on a good spot by the looks of it.
Max: You’re damn right we are. Cheers to good brothers.
Ben: Cheers. Cheers to family.
Max: Cheers Kinger. Love ya brother.
You don’t need to see the massacre that is about to happen at this table. Let’s just say there is nothing better than good food, and good friends. I honestly don’t think there will be a scrap of food left for a takeaway by the time we’re done with this. Crazier things have happened though...
Thursday, April 21st
Rhodes, Greece
Outside Diagoras Stadium
8PM Local
I’ve learned to love these evening adventures. I make it a point to head out on my own every spot we visit. I’ve just been taking it all in. These moments I’ve come to learn way too late are all too precious. I’m learning to try to stop and smell the roses. We’re never in a spot long enough to truly appreciate it when we are on the road. These tours are that opportunity to enjoy it to the fullest.
Max: Sometimes you need to simply come home. I love the spontaneity of the Roulette division. It holds a special place deep next to my heart. I thrive on the unknown. I held the GRIME Nightmare championship for 238 days. When you are the Nightmare Champion you know you’re going to be in for a long bloody battle with every defense of the championship.
Flashes of defenses past dance through my mind. I can’t help but smile. Those were some good scraps. Every night was an unexpected twisting road of violence where you never truly knew the end destination.
Max: Holding that championship in Sin City Underground under the GRIME banner was a nightly reminder of what I loved about the Roulette division. With every creation from the minds of the mad scientists of the Nightmare division, I had to find a way to embrace the insanity. I had to find a way no matter how unorthodox it may have been to walk out with the championship securely in my grasp.
I’ve got newly won scars carved in my skin to remind me for the rest of my life. The scars are cherished memories of the battles won and lost. Each one a moment in my career that I can look back on with pride of opponents past. I carry them with honor.
Max: No matter what was thrown in my path I survived and thrived building my confidence with each passing defense. It didn’t matter who stepped in front of me for a shot at my title, I knew I’d leave it all in there no matter how cliché that may sound. It’s the truth. I bled buckets for that championship. I pitied the training staff. The Nightmare division was not the friends of the training or medical staff. We definitely kept them on their toes.
Oh to be a fly on the wall of their conversations. They had to hate us. Nobody deserves what we put them through, I’m confident they were not being paid enough to deal with what they had to deal with in the Nightmare division. We left some of the trainer’s rooms looking like an 80’s slasher flick. Those poor people didn’t deserve any of it
Max: This coming Sunday I’m returning to the Roulette division in a match for an opportunity at the Roulette Championship in Athens on May 15th at Into the Void XI. This is quite the coincidence that the shot is at Into The Void. You see, I’ve got a love hate relationship with that show. Let Uncle Max tell you all a story. I’ve got a complicated past with Into The Void. 2 years ago, I entered the event under the guise of The Destroyer known as Abaddon. 4 men entered the steel cage, but I was the one that walked out as the new GRIME Nightmare Champion by making Lord Raab tap out, and then going on to spike that big bitch Samuel MacPherson’s head into a steel chair. This night was another stop along the way of the greatest run of my career. My actions spoke for themselves as I didn’t back away from a single challenger.
It was quite the rogues gallery I must admit. GRIME was the perfect place to test myself. The monsters that I slayed night after night proved to me that I could still hang with anyone in this business.
Max: I’m telling you I love this shit. The Roulette division opened my eyes to a whole new world of professional wrestling, and it always stayed with me. Having the opportunity to dip my toes back into the wonderland that is the Roulette division has me grinning wider than the Cheshire Cat.
Yep. Can’t wait for Sunday. This will be fun. You never know what the bosses are going to toss on the wheel. Your wildest imaginations are not twisted enough for what they have come up with over the years.
Max: This Sunday, I’m heading into a Triple Threat against Miles Kasey and Agostino Romano. This is my first time stepping into the ring against Romano. Miles and I went at it hard in this year’s Blast From The Past. Miles has unlimited upside. He showed that to me immediately when we squared off. I cannot wait to get back in there with both Miles and Romano under Roulette Rules. Around and around the wheel goes where it stops nobody knows. That’s the thrill of it right? How do you plan for where the wheel lands? The answer is simple. You can’t plan for it. You go out there, and you perform to the best of your ability under the most trying of circumstances. That’s why I love this damn division. You know nothing going into your match. Your fate is secured only moments before the bell rings.
But, let’s be serious, I need this one. I need to get back on track. I need to get back in the win column. I cannot let this opportunity pass me by.
Max: This match on Sunday has a lot riding on it. All 3 of us have hit bumps in the road lately. This match is going to be a bounce back for one of us. This match is for an opportunity at the Roulette Champion at Into The Void XI on May 15th. The question is which one of us is going to have the fortitude to outlast the other 2 and pull out the victory? I’ve been razor close to a different path. I’m proud that I had my best performance in the Blast this year. But listen closely... I know how close I was. I let it slip through my fingers. That’s on me. This Sunday, I’m leaving with my arm raised. Whatever it takes I’m booking my spot for Into The Void XI.
