The Secret Life of a Pro Wrestler—Personal Experience, Pt. 6: Sabotage

The Secret Life of a Pro-Wrestler takes you inside the good and bad of pro-wrestling. You will see what wrestlers go through on a daily basis in these articles.

If this is your first and you want to understand more about it check out the whole series. To understand this one you can check out the last article, Part 5:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/146567-the-secret-life-of-a-pro-wrestler-personal-experience-part-5-the-match

Now to Part 6.

I felt good, well as good as I could for a loss. I mean can anyone really be satisfied with one? But hey, Eric Escobar was the man I wrestled. So can I really complain?

I loved his idea for having me lose, but not lose the right way. Having him cheat saves me face, and helps his heel image out at the same time. So it all worked out in the end.

The Bookers told me that I would have a match against Joe Hennig next week.

I was really excited, the son of Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig? I mean he is one of the best in FCW right now.

Evidently the bookers feel I can work a match well and have potential to be one of the best in FCW. I loved the fact I was getting attention, and of course my friends and family were too.

But many hated the fact I rose to fame so quickly. It seemed my image was helping me, and I had pull with one of FCW's top stars on my side. And that really made others angry with me.

The fact that I got to wrestle the best in FCW in my first match made them hate me more. Now I got to face Joe Hennig? Another top star.

Now Hennig was considered by many to be the next big star when Escobar left. He had been in the FCW World Title hunt for some time. And I was really looking forward to wrestling him.

Of course I had no idea he was not looking forward to wrestling me.

See with Escobar he knew I was still in training, so when we did our match he made it easy. He made it so we would both look good.

But Hennig only wanted to have himself look good.

However we did not know yet who would win the match. See the writers had to write it up, and I had to wait on them.

We knew we were wrestling each other so we went ahead and decided to choreograph the match.

This would be the first time I ever set foot in the ring with Hennig.

The problem with Hennig was that he was treating me as a veteran, which I was not.

He wanted me to do moves I could not do and he wanted me to sell moves I was not able to sell or even take from him yet.

He got really angry when I told me I would not do a few moves, and said this to me:

"What is your problem!? Aren't you supposed to be one of the best here? Come on, take the moves I do or get out!"

I was not upset with the fact he wanted to have a good match. But I was upset with the fact his ego was as big as Vickie Guerrero's backside.

I told him I would leave and come back tomorrow. It would give us both time to get cooled off. 

I wanted to do well, I really did. But he was to tough to work with. 

I tried to think up reasons other the then fact they were made at my success for why they were hating on me.

The next day was worse. It was like I walked into Hell and Hennig was the mayor. 

It seemed as if the guys who welcomed me to FCW the first day were now not even looking at me.

It was is if I was dead to them. Was it because I had a match with Escobar? Or that I was already popular with fans?

What was it now?

I found out why very quickly upon arrival. I was set to win against Hennig.

It would be my first win in FCW, but it would be against a top star. This could only mean one thing, I was going to get a push by management.

But they had already told me I was going to get a title opportunity, at the tag gold. I had no partner, but they wanted me to win against Hennig?

This seemed as if they wanted me to be a singles guy, not a tag guy.

I never had a tag match even in training. So I was not really thinking I was going to do well in it. But I mean it is a title, so why not right?

I found out that they were going to put Hennig and myself into a storyline. They felt that I would be a rising star and since Hennig was already a star in FCW that we would be "perfect" in tag action together.

Wait? I was going to tag with a guy I could not get along with? Was this a joke?

They wanted me to win against him and then start tagging with him. Weird you may say, well you don't have to tell me.

Apparently they wanted me to win and form a friendship in the ring for all to see. I would have to put on a fake smile and then the next week have a tag match with Hennig as my partner.

We would soon end up champions, but we still had to get past this week against each other. I would win, then have to shake his hand in form of respect.

I had no problem with respecting him, but he was not respecting me. So it was tough to know I had to show it and did not mean it.

Thursday it was time to wrestle again. We were in the main event, and I was already known so I did not have to do a promo or anything.

It was time for the match, we had not practiced that much. But we both knew what we had to do. He entered first, then my music hit and the place stood to its feet.

Apparently they either liked the song, or liked me. And I will never forget the hateful look Hennig had when he saw me come out with that kind of ovation.

I went up to him, and we were not mic'd at the time. He came up and said, "don't get hurt". This caught me by surprise.

Was he going to try and really hurt me in the match, or was this just wishing me luck in his own little way?

Either way I had to look out.

We started off and the crowd seemed into it. I went for a sleeper and Hennig reversed. Soon we both hit a few of our signature moves such as a couple of submissions and technical moves such as a few neck breakers and a little bit of amateur style wrestling from Hennig.

And a for me I went to show off my strength. I did a couple of body presses, a spinebuster, and then I was supposed to hit my signature, "The Saving Grace".

All the sudden when I went for it, Hennig stopped me. He said I should punch him then go for a high risk move from the top. The crowd would love it.

I figured he knew what he was talking about, so I let him reverse it and then I hit the punch he wanted.

I was going to go to the top for a Moonsault. I had practiced this move before, so I knew how to do it. I never did it in a match however. Of course Hennig knew how to take the move, so I was not worried about him.

I went for it and the crowd seemed to be loving it, the match would be over after this so I knew I'd be ok.

I came off the top and hit Hennig, but then I suddenly could not feel my knee. I got the pin 1...2...3.

I could barely get to my feet. But I managed to hobble a bit. I got up and shook Hennig's hand like I was supposed to.

Then I went to the back, medical attention was quickly at my side. Then I saw Hennig come by, he could have asked if I was ok.

But saw me and walked off. He had a blank expression on his face. As if he had no idea what happened, but was not surprised that it did.

It was if he knew all along I would get hurt.

I was able to get it taped up and a brace was soon given to me to wear. They said I'd be fine, just to stay off it a few days.

This was good news, because it meant I was still available for the storyline. Although I did not want to really work with Hennig now more than ever.

On my way out, a guy saw me. He asked me if I wanted some pain killers. I did not know what was in the bottle. And even though I desperately needed them, I did not take them.

I had some Tylenol at home to take. So I figured I could make it there.

I just tweaked my knee, but next time I could hurt it more if I was not more careful. That would be the last time I improved something in a match.

I needed to stick to the game plan no matter how much Hennig wanted to excite the crowd.

I still had not shown my finisher, and I had to do that soon. The Moonsault had been seen before, the Saving Grace had not been.

Maybe it was another form of sabotage. Hennig may have not wanted to have people see the move.

Who knows?

But the next day I would find out, that was for Darn sure!