Shootin' With Bret

Shooting with Brett 4/15/08

Sorry it took me so long to get back to work on my little column here but I have been busy. Now couple that with the fact that I had to really think about who I would size up this week. Well after a lot of careful consideration I finally found my next target and his name is Robert Knight. Robert Knight is one of the smallest wrestlers in the dressing room. Now obviously I have nothing against small guys in the business. In fact I have been teamed with one of the smallest men in the business for the past ten years and size has not stopped him from being extremely successful. I am of course speaking of Mr. Big, and together he and I have held tag team gold in five different promotions and even when Big was on his own he has been successful.

The reason I decided to mention that was to show that I am not just cracking on the little guy. In fact a lot of promotions are learning that smaller more athletic men are much more exciting in the ring than watching two guys who weigh over 300lbs. just slug it out. So with that point made you might be asking why I am writing about Robert. I believe that a little constructive criticism could help him out. So Robert I know eventually you will read this so pay attention to the next few paragraphs and try not to get your feelings hurt. I am just going to call it like I see it.

The first thing Robert needs to learn is that being a small man in the world of Professional wrestling is not easy. Now don’t get me wrong Robert is a well qualified wrestler and has a good amateur background. He is a skilled mat wrestler, however against men that are twice your size the normal takedowns are a lot less effective. So with all of that said I believe Robert needs to develop a more aggressive and high flying style of offense. Use your speed and agility instead of trying to stalk and shoot with someone who can press you over their head. I mean a single leg takedown is extremely effective…unless the guy you are trying to take down has a leg that weighs more than your body.

Second of all and probably the most important is to make yourself stand out. Robert Knight began his career with wins over people like Mr. Big, Kornerstone, Myself and Havoc. Those are the top men in the area and with the exception of one all of them are vastly larger men. Yet after accomplishing all of this he has done nothing with it. Robert needs to separate himself and try to leave an impression in some ones mind. Right now all he does is walk around like a child going to see the principal and tell everyone “DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ME!” Wow, how original, it’s a good thing no other small wrestlers have ever used that before. Oh, wait a minute they have.

Now before anyone says it I know that this is the time in his career that he needs to be developing and trust me I understand that. Right now Robert needs to try and take in as much of the business as he can, from veterans and especially the smaller guys in the area who have made a name for themselves. The learning curve is different for everyone and now is the time for Robert to make a name and establish himself. Again the most important thing you need to do is to leave an impression on the people you wrestle in front of, you are not an amateur anymore and you have to have an interaction with the audience.

It isn’t always easy and nothing is more humiliating than to try your best to rally a crowd behind you and all they do is stare at you like you are some wild man off the streets. Robert needs to stop categorizing himself as an underdog and maybe he won’t feel like one. He needs to walk to the ring with confidence and keep it in his head that no one can beat him. No matter if he believes it or not because believe it or not but a crowd will pick up on the fact that you don’t think you can win and if you don’t believe it then why would they?

Bottom line here is this Robert, there is only so much anyone can do to establish you, and after that you are on your own. Robert Knight has a world of potential if he will just apply it and assert himself individually. Robert needs to learn to apply the things that he has been taught along the way and keep up his work ethic. Try not to take what I have said about you offensively and use it to better yourself.

I already have my next subject picked out but I won’t pick on an individual next time I will try to explain what the business means to me, but until then thank you for shooting with Brett.

April 3, 2008

I have been given the opportunity to write a weekly column on this site and break down some of the talent we have in S.E.C.W. Now I realize that this is not a “shoot” like most of us are accustomed to seeing on the net but pointlessly trashing someone is not really a shoot. A shoot by definition is simply something that is real. That being said the things I write about in this column will be real. My real opinion on things anyways. I as usual can back anything I write about by pointing out facts and not just endlessly railing on some one. I invite anyone who wishes to comment on my column to do so but in a professional manner.

My first victim is none other than the reining heavyweight champion Steven Michaels. To be quite honest I don’t remember when Steven first came to S.E.C.W. but at this point it isn’t really an issue. My first encounter with Steven was as he was first coming into the business, or should I say leaving the yard and getting in the ring with trained wrestlers. I have nothing against yardie workers, hell I had my first (Unofficial) match in a basement so I can relate. I remember the first time I saw him workout in the ring I thought to myself “What a waste of talent”. This guy can do anything in the ring but he is obsessed with a high risk style and he is going to kill himself for no good reason. There was no psychology or purpose to his matches it was simply about how many times he could jump off the top rope.

Steven has always been a great athlete and he still is to this day. I consider him to be one of the most athletic workers on this level. Steven was one of those guys that normally get branded as a high flyer who can get the occasional ooohs and aaaahs but beyond that probably not much more. And for a long time it was true, hell I used to watch his matches just to see when he was finally going to kill himself. I guess you could say he fell into that glorified (UNDERPAID) stuntman category. Nothing about his personality or ring presence made him stand out just the fact that he would at some point in the night dive off the top rope and sail about fifteen feet and nearly break his neck.

Now I want to share a bit of advice with all of the high flyers and high flyer want to be’s out there. The last thing you want to do is to be branded as a guy who can high fly but can’t work a match. I am sure some one is asking why not, so here it is. If you get that reputation you will became the crash test dummy for everyone who has a high spot they want to try. You are also going to find it difficult to ever elevate yourself into the semi-main and main event matches. I know there are exceptions but they are few and far between. Now granted a lot of times a spectacular jump or high spot can steal the show but it can also end your career. I did not write this just to hate on the high flyers though, I don’t believe wrestling would be as lucrative if they were not a part of it. I guess the point I am attempting to make is not to limit yourself to high flying, or anything for that matter. Try not to be one dimensional.

Point in case is my subject Steven. I don’t know exactly when it happened but somewhere along the way I think it clicked in his brain that he has the potential to be a lot more than a high flyer. I like to think he outgrew his old mentality and evolved himself. One of the hardest things to do as a wrestler is to break away from being just another high flyer. However, as difficult as it is Steven Michaels has broken away from that. I hate to say it but right now he is probably the most focused and dedicated wrestlers in the S.E.C.W. dressing room.

Steven trains and improves his game on a weekly basis. Every week he gets just a little better, the guy is in phenomenal shape and his wrestling game has made leaps and bounds from the days of the guy who walked to the ring with his head down and just started jumping off everything in site. Right now I don’t think he realizes that a lot of the younger wrestlers really look up to him and respect his work ethic. I think he has a lot to give to the younger inexperienced guys coming up. I think a lot of them relate to him and want to better themselves in the same way. Steven has come a long way in a short time and none of it was handed to him, he earned everything he ever gets in the business and I will say it publicly for the first time, I respect the hell out of the guy.

Now the only place I can see that he could use a little work is in his ring presence. What do I mean by that ? Well, as the heavyweight champion you have to make people notice you. I have always said that the true test of your connection with the crowd is to simply pause for a few moments when you pick up the microphone to address the audience . If they react to you positively or negatively before you say anything then you are doing good. Ring presence also means that you do everything at your own pace. Take time and make the crowd and your opponent wait until YOU are ready. When you enter the building you should walk around like you own the place and always bring attention to yourself.

In closing I think Steven Michaels is a talented wrestler with limitless potential. There is nothing the guy cannot pull of in the ring. He has earned the respect of his peers and a lot of young wrestlers and even the trainees hold him in high regard. I think Steven is one of the toughest guys I have ever been in the ring with and professionally I respect him for the work he has done and the dedication he has for the business, but Steven don’t think I am inflating your ego because I like you because the next time we meet in the ring I won’t hesitate to suplex you out of your shoes and choke you out, and I would expect nothing less in return.