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Who's Pulling Morgan's Strings?

Posted: Nov 7th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Rumours, lies and insinuations. SWCW Champion Kevin Morgan seems to be surrounded by these issues everywhere he goes. As fans question his motives and fellow wrestlers question his loyalty, Morgan's back appears to be pushed to the breaking point. But is it possible that massive manipulations are being effected by one of the sneakiest men in Oklahoma wrestling, Johnny Z?

Two weeks ago, Morgan was a last minute substitute for Bad Boy in a tag team main event with MSWA Mid-South & IZW Champion Aaron Neil against Impact, Inc. It was obvious that Morgan & Neil, who once considered themselves to be the frontline against the Impact, Inc. invasion, were no longer on the same page and this lack of partnership lead to a victory for Johnny Z & MSWA Oklahoma Champion Jermaine Johnson. Throughout the match, Morgan seemed unable to concentrate as Johnny Z continually proclaimed that he could make the right choice, join Impact, Inc. and earn what should be his: the MSWA Mid-South Title. By the time the match was over, many members of the crowd believed that Morgan's inaction was an action unto itself and that he had made a choce, even if he hadn't said it.

This past Sunday, MSWA owner Bad Boy & MSWA commissioner Outlaw opened the show, saying it might have appeared that they had also defected from MSWA due to their absence, but that they had important MSWA business which took them away. They promised they were MSWA through and through and would be there from now on to show that. But Outlaw was very outspoken about wanting to speak to Kevin Morgan and called him out. It wasn't Morgan who responded to the call, but Impact, Inc and both men were in rare form. Johnny Z even questioned whether Bad Boy knew where he was, since he had a record of not being at his own shows, while Johnny was there every time, "carrying" it.

Mostly, Johnny was upset by Outlaw's announcement that there was going to be a Battle Royal in the show to determine the #1 contender to the MSWA Mid-South Title. Johnny said that he was #1 contender and hadn't used his title shot, so there was no way that someone else could step into his spot. Bad Boy took the mic, reminded Johnny that this was HIS show and he could make whatever matches he wanted to. The Battle Royal was on. Johnson told Bad Boy to open his eyes because "actions speak louder than words" and Kevin Morgan's actions were telling a clear story.

Outlaw ordered Impact, Inc. into a non-title match against MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions Aerial Assault. After an exciting match, which saw all four men crashed outside at one point after a succession of planchas, Montego Seeka & Ky-ote Joe had Johnny Z set up for their finisher. Rage Logan then ran out, grabbed one of the tag team title belts and slammed it into the head of Seeka, earning the champions a DQ victory. With their chance to earn a future tag team title shot vanquished, many fans thought they had seen the last of Impact, Inc. until the main event. They thought wrong.

Johnny & Jermaine reared their heads again during the match between Logan & Morgan, coming out in full support of "The Awesome One". Johnson even distracted the referee so that Johnny could crotch Morgan on the top rope, allowing him to hit a powerslam and get the win. Impact, Inc. then put the boots to Logan after the match as Morgan left, before he decided to return to help his former opponent. But as soon as Morgan got back in the ring, Johnny & Jermaine kicked Rage Logan out of the ring and Johnny grabbed a microphone. He said he was glad to have some 1-on-1 time wth Morgan and he wouldn't "treat him like Bad Boy" and "demand answers". Johnny again said that Morgan could be the #1 man in the company and again reiterated that "actions speak louder than words". He believed that at some point, Morgan would speak. Johnny then took a bold step by offering Morgan an Impact, Inc. T-shirt as a token of his request. He said that they could be his best friends, but Morgan didn't seem to want this, as he kept pushing the shirt away. Johnny then calmly laid the shirt down and said he'd leave it with Kevin because he might want it later. While Johnny had Kevin's attention, Jermaine shoved Rage Logan back into the ring and into the back of Morgan. Morgan turned around, irate, and again picked up Logan and powerslammed him. And Impact, Inc. looked on approvingly, smiling and clapping as Johnny once again said "Actions speak louder than words".

At this point, something Morgan hadn't heard in over a year resounded through the arena: "Kevin sucks!"

When it came time for the Battle Royal, the participants filled the ring slowly. There were 25 contenders, so the ring was full, but people started to be eliminated quickly. Tag team partners, rivals, associates...all that went away in this every-man-for-himself venture to become the top contender to the richest prize in MSWA. The final 4 men saw both members of Impact, Inc. along with Kevin Morgan and Bad Boy. Jermaine & Johnny were both eliminated, but came back into the ring to pummel Bad Boy. Morgan stared at this, looking torn and confused. But with Impact, Inc. leaving the ring, Morgan took advantage of the weaked Bad Boy, throwing him over the top rope and becoming the #1 contender.

All this brings up the question of who might be manipulating Kevin Morgan. The obvious contenders are Johnny Z & Jermaine Johnson, who seem to want to recruit him, turn him against his friends and fellow wrestlers and bring him into the crowd. Would Johnny follow through on his promise to take Kevin to the top of MSWA? That seems unlikely, based on Johnny's history of using people. He's adamant that he should be the #1 contender to the MSWA Title and doesn't seem to want anything standing in the way of that.

Could Rage Logan be the mastermind behind all this? Logan, the leader of Nemesis, is similar in many ways to Johnny Z and has reentered MSWA about the time things started to go south for Morgan. This seems an unlikely assertion, though, as Logan appears to be more interested in winning the tag team titles for himself and partner Crisstopher Crow.

Might Outlaw & Bad Boy be trying to get into the head of this superstar? Bad Boy's absences have caused quite a stir in recent weeks and Outlaw has not been as active and present of a commissioner as he appeared to be at the beginning of his term. Both men are partners from the past and could be trying to take desperate measures to rid MSWA of Impact, Inc. But again, this seems unlikely as both men are also upstanding and forward, wanting to confront problems face on rather than hide from them and use other men to get their job done.

That leaves one other possibility: no one is coercing Morgan to do what he's doing. He's choosing to do it himself. Morgan may truly be confused as to what the right choice is. With his friends unhappy with him, the fans unhappy with him and frustration over not receiving title shots that he thinks he deserves, it wouldn't be any surprise if Morgan had devised this whole plan on his own. The question remains as to whether it's all been worth it, but that's something that only Morgan can answer.

Morgan's whereabouts this weekend are already causing some interesting speculation. Both MSWA & SWCW are running shows at the same time Sunday afternoon. 3rd Rail's continuing quest to get a title shot at Morgan in SWCW is also pressuring him. Some sources are indicating that Morgan won't be at EITHER show and might be taking this weekend away to try and resolve all outstanding issues before committing to a plan of action in either federation. Oklafan will have results and reports from both shows and will be interested in what effect Morgan's presence (or absence) has on the procedings.

As Johnny Z says, actions speak louder than words.

Tags: SWCW, Kevin Morgan, Johnny Z, Bad Boy, MSWA, IZW, Aaron Neil, Jermaine Johnson, Impact, Inc., Bad Boy, Outlaw, Aerial Assault, Montego Seeka, Ky-ote Joe, Rage Logan, Nemesis, Crisstopher Crow