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Truth and Honesty Bring Mixed Results for Hardaway

Posted: Jul 5th 2020 By: Michael Hunt

Most children were taught at a young age that honesty is the best policy. It’s a credo that is often utilized (if not exactly recited) through school, business and most basic walks of life. It’s supposed to show people that if they alway tell the truth, they will be winners and good things will happen to them.

Tell that to ASP 5-Star Champion Dexter Hardaway after the events of July 29. Honesty may have returned his championship to him, but it also may have cost him a much needed friendship.

Two weeks prior, Hardaway had defended his title against Doc Black, an individual for whom honestly is almost an unknown word. Besides being mouthy and temperamental, Black is also a cheater. And there is proof of that, as shown in his match with Hardaway. The end of the highly competitive match saw Hardaway rolled up by Black, who put his feet on the ropes for extra leverage. The fans saw it, there were pictures taken and video footage shot. But none of that seemed to matter as the referee still raised Black’s hand and awarded him the title belt.

That did not sit well with Hardaway. And while he has, of late, been one to simply accept the decision of the referee and try harder the next opportunity, Hardaway knows that he only has a limited amount of time left for his in-ring career. Wasting it chasing someone who utilizes those types of tactics is not a good use of the time, so Hardway went to the resource he understood best: Social Media. As fans sent him pictures of Black’s feet on the ropes, Hardaway posted them on his facebook page and sent links to the ASP Board of Directors.

And they listened.

When the ASP event began July 29th, Adam Patrick made his return as ring announcer, carrying the 5-Star Championship and immediately called out Dexter. He explained that the Board of Directors had reviewed the footage and pictures and while there is no instant replay in pro wrestling, it was clear and incontestable that Hardway had been cheated out of the the title. So the decision was being stricken from the title history and the championship was returned to Hardway.

If the story had ended there, things would have been all smiles for Dexter, but sadly, this was only the beginning. Hardaway was announced just after intermission as the special guest referee for the ASP Title match between Jake O’Brien and ASP Champion Angel Camacho. O’Brien explained that Hardaway was a man he could trust. He had trained O’Brien. He had been the first opponent for O’Brien and he knew that Hardaway would call it right down the middle. And Hardaway made that intention clear as well in his pre-match ritual, announcing quite clearly that if either man touched him, it would be a disqualification. Obviously this was an announcement meant for Camacho’s manager, C. M. Burnham, who is well known to interfere in matches as much as he possibly can. But while Burnham vocally protested, he did not go beyond his boundaries as a manager. At least not until almost the end of the match.

Both men relied on power for much of the match and as O’Brien attempted to hoist Camacho up for a powerbomb, Camacho reversed out of that and delivered a back elbow. This staggered O’Brien and Camacho came off the ropes, ducking a wild swing by O’Brien. O’Brien then turned and quickly tried again with his vaunted right hand knock-out blow, but Camacho again ducked and this time O’Brien connected on Hardaway’s chin. This presented Burnham with the chance he wanted as he told Camacho to execute a Vader bomb on the fallen Irishman. Camcho dragged O’Brien over to the corner and climbed up to the second rope, preparing to drop 400+ pounds on the sternum of O’Brien. And Burnham stood over the fallen former champion, verbally berating him and reminding him that this was the end. In a desperation move, O’Brien grabbed the front of Burnham’s trousers and catapulted him face-first into Camacho’s gargantuan posterior. The eruption of laughter from the crowd was music to O’Brien’s ears and Burnham’s face turned green and he began to gag from the apparent smell. And Camacho didn’t come out unscathed either as he grabbed his crotch in pain from the collision with Burnham’s chin. With the manager down and the champion incapacitated, O’Brien knew this was his opportunity and he capitalized on it, pinning the champion as another referee ran from the back to count 1-2-3! The crowd finally saw O’Brien climb to the top of the mountain again and reclaim the title for them and he celebrated this victory with as much energy as Burnham and Camacho were exuding in their apparent defeat.

And that’s when the bottom fell out of the situation, when Hardaway had to take the microphone and tell O’Brien that he had to give the belt back.

Hardway didn’t want to do it. He knew that by all rights, he should just let this go. Allow the fans to be happy. Let the good guy win. But if he did that, his honor, his integrity, everything that he has emphasized for so much of him time over the past few years in Oklahoma, all that would be for naught. Hardway had clearly said that if either combatant made contact with the referee, it would be an automatic disqualification. Whether intentional or nor, O’Brien had done just that. And since Hardaway was the appointed official of the match, he had to override the decision of the other referee and reverse the decision, awarding the match to Camacho and allowing him to remain champion.

The look on Burnham’s face told the whole story as he knew he had slid by on this one by the skin of his teeth, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that the belt was still in his control. Camacho still reigned surpreme. And feeling confident in that, Camacho attacked O’Brien and was joined by Thorne the Hunter, who had faced Hardaway earlier that night for the 5-Star Title. This led to the locker room emptying in an attempt to pull everyone apart and culminated with O’Brien diving off the top rope onto everyone. And seeing that this was getting out of control, a match was made on the spot as the main event for July 12th. Angel Camacho & Thorne the Hunter vs. Dexter Hardaway & O’Brien.

But will that match actually happen? Moments after O’Brien returned to the locker room, he attacked Dexter, demanding an explanation for his actions and reminding him that he had been chasing Camacho for months, battling to become #1 contender with Double D. He had done everything the right way only to have Hardaway, in his opinion, rob him of his prize. And he was none too pleased about being forced to tag with him at the next show. It’s pretty clear that Hardaway isn’t happy about being forced to tag with someone who doesn’t care for him, but what choice is there? Somehow those two are going to have to find a way to co-exist or they will forfeit the match (And the payday) on July 12.

Sometimes doing the right thing brings you all the wrong results. For Hardaway, he can only hope to somehow redeem himself and prove that the truth shall prevail.