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The Champ Has Something To Say!

Posted: Jun 4th 2020 By: C. M. Burnham

The legacy of family is one that is so important in professional wrestling. In years past, it was a quicker way into the business. And there is still the belief that growing up around the business makes it come to you more naturally,.

Many 2nd generation wrestlers have felt the pressure of trying to live up to the expections of their more famous parents. Some have succeeded. But others, such as David Flair, Erik Watts and David Sammartino, could never escape the shadow of their father and had their careers cut short.

Until recently, there was quite a bit of suggestion that Maddox Jones might be in that category as well.

The son of Striker, Jones has competed for 8 years. And yet his bio reads the same almost everywhere he went.

IZW - lower-mid card status. No titles

WFC - lower-mid card status. Brief push under the tutelage of Stevie Caballero. No titles.

Basically everywhere: lower mid-card status. No titles.

Whether tagging with his father (as Prone To Violence) or feuding with his father (and being voted Feud of the Year in WFC in 2014, but still not getting much out of it), Jones has always been connected to Striker, Sometimes he has accepted that, but usually this has angered him. And this past Saturday, that anger finally brought him the success that he never had accomplished before.

For weeks leading up to the inaugural NCWO event, Jones had tried to get on the card. All he wanted was a match to prove himself. To show everyone that this was his time, his place. But neither Striker nor NCWO owner Richard Bedford had time for Jones. And to be fair, Jones’ attitude did him no favors. He didn’t ask. He begged. He whined. He thought he deserved. Even on the day of the event, during the opening moments of the show, Jones attempted to interrupt Bedford in the ring and Bedford was having none of it. He told Jones flat out that there was no place for him on the card and that he needed to go to the back.

This is a mistake that Bedford would regret later. Because when Jones returned, he brought with him one of the most devious minds that this region has ever seen: Bad Brad Michaels. A man who at one time managed Prone To Violence. A man who travelled for many years with Striker as members of the Old School Assassins. A man who knew Striker better than just about anyone else.

Michaels made the point very clear that he felt Jones deserved to be on the show and that both Striker and Bedford were holding him back. Words and tempers began to flair as Striker tried to speak to Jones first as a father and then as a competitor. When he could stand no more, Striker agreed to a match with Jones, but Bedford added to that, saying that their match would be the main event and would crown the first NCWO Champion.

When the time for the match arrived, both men understood what was at stake. Striker brought the experience to the ring, while Jones had the youth and energy, plus the presence of Brad Michaels at ringside. Both men battled in the intense heat for what must have felt like an eternity. Striker thought he had things settled after a belly-to-belly suplex, but that didn’t pay out. Then, a collision in the corner with referee Michael La Noy and the ref was down. Jones had Striker pinned, but no one to count to 3. Jones picked Striker up and brought him to Michaels for Michaels to throw powder in his eyes, but Striker ducked and it got in Jones’ face instead. By this point, Richard Bedford had come out and helped La Noy out of the ring then entered the ring himself in time for Jones to catch Striker with the forward DDT. With no other option, Bedford counted to 3 and Jones was declared the winner and first ever NCWO Champion.

It was a moment that Jones had been waiting his whole career for. After 8 years of never being good enough, never being able to capitalise on the right moments, Maddox Jones finally had a championship belt in his possession. And Brad Michaels had once again proven that he was invaluable to the people under his charge.

Now that he is the NCWO champion, Jones hopes this will change the perception of him. Instead of being lumped with Flair, Watts and Sammartino, Jones hopes to be up there with Curt Hennig, Eddie Guerrero, Bret Hart or even The Rock. But more importantly, when he breaks that curtain and screams “I got something to say!”, more than likely that “Something” is “The Champ is Here!”