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Tool Overcomes All The Odds To Become IZW Champion

Posted: Jul 11th 2014 By: CMBurnham

Gary Tool has publicly stated that he is much more interested in having the legacy of training many of the current Oklahoma wrestling stars rather than being known as someone who amassed a lot of titles. But deep inside, like many other wrestlers, Tool still enjoys chasing the old. And on June 28, Tool climbed a mountaintop he had helped prepare so many other people for as he captured the IZW Title.

When the night began, Tool never had any expectation of how it would end, as he, Jermaine Johnson and Damon Windsor were prepared to face off against the Impact, Inc. trio of Johnny Z and IZW Tag Team Champions Team Bull. But when Johnny Z came out wearing the IZW Title, the playing field changed. Z had put Double D out of IZW and since he was the owner, he could do whatever he wanted and he wanted to be IZW Champion again. He also wanted to start the show with the 6-man tag team match that IZW Commissioner Shawn McHale had announced at the previous show. Tool, Johnson & Windsor came prepared to fight and the match was underway. And it appeared that this may have been a bit of a miscalculation on the part of Z, for while Impact, Inc. were able to control the match for some portions, they could never really keep the opposing trio down. Frustrated, Z eventually rolled out of the ring and grabbed the IZW Title, signalling for Team Bull to do the same so they could leave. But they were met at the top by McHale. McHale said he would love to fire Z for the actions he took against Double D, but obviously he can't. Nonetheless, he does have some power. So, since Z ruined his proposed main event, he would have to come up with a new one. And he did, ordering all 6 men to compete in a No DQ/No Countout/Elimination Match to crown an official new IZW Champion!

This obviously threw a spanner in the works of Impact, Inc., but more was still to come when the main event came around. All 6 men understood this was one of the biggest moments of their careers, especially people like Windsor, who had chased Z for the IZW Title for so much of 2013, and Bobby Starr, who had never received an IZW Title opportunity before. But at 38 years old, Tool certainly stood as one of the longshots to win. Not that his skills were lacking, but when compared to young athletes like Johnson or Windsor, he had to be looked at as unlikely to surpass them. Like all great teachers, though, Tool held some knowledge in reserve. And there would be forces at work that none of the competitors or fans would expect.

Windsor would be the first competitor to be eliminated. He had Bobby Starr cornered and delivered his patented back elbows, stunning the Brass Bull. Windsor moved on to the Bronze Bull, but before he could unleash the elbows, Z hit the Big Boot and put Windsor down for the count. The odds were now 3-2 in favour of Impact, Inc., just the way they like them. And it seemed like it may as many as 4-2 as Jordan Jacobs came to the ring when Team Bull had Jermaine Johnson ready for elimination. Jacobs went to the top, positioning himself for the Light Switch as the Bronze Bull Irish-whipped Johnson towards him. Johnson reversed the whip and the Bull stopped short, with both himself and Jacobs waving each other off and making it clear that a mistake almost happened. Then, in a shocking moment, Jacobs executed the Light Switch on the Bull. Jacobs had witnessed Impact, Inc. berating and mocking his former tag team partner earlier in the show and remembered that when everyone else thought he would never amount to anything, Johnson was by his side as they captured 2 IZW Tag Team Titles and 4 MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles. Johnson then hit the ES2 on Bobby Starr and pinned him, evening the odds.

Johnson's celebration would not last long as Z grabbed the IZW Title belt and hit Johnson in the head with it, allowing Starr to connect with a spear and put Johnson out of the match. That left Tool in a 2-on-1 situation, but it was worse than that as Tool had been beaten on the outside of the ring and DDTed on the concrete floor while Jordan Jacobs made his impact in the ring. Tool was certainly groggy and weary, but did have enough presence of mind to be able to roll up Bobby Starr and pin him, bringing the match down to 1-on-1. Teacher vs. Student. But the student was fresher than the teacher. And more ruthless and cunning. And the student had one more surprise in his pocket.

That surprise came through the curtain a couple of minutes later in the form of Convict. The weapon of Johnny Z came to the ring, silent as ever, as Tool was close to pinning Z. After entering the ring, Convict gave Tool a modified 15-to-20, putting the Coach down in the middle of the ring. Z then waved Convict off, telling him that he had everything in hand and did not need any more help. That certainly appeared true as Tool struggled to his feet and fell into a corner, allowing Z to prepare for the Big Boot. But as he began to take off, the lights in the Impact Arena went off, as they had two weeks ago. And just like that time, when they came back on, Kevin Morgan was standing in the middle of the ring. He hoisted Z up and delivered the Moment of Fear, then the lights went back off and when they returned, Morgan had one again vanished. Tool and the IZW fans sensed that this was the biggest moment in his career and Tool did not waste it, executing a perfect Sky High and pinning Johnny Z to capture the IZW Title. The locker room emptied to show their support of the new IZW Champion and a new era in IZW was born.

Tool knows he cannot bask in that glorious moment forever. He knows he has to be prepared, not only for Johnny Z, but for all other possible contenders. And it is entirely possible that Z may have a trick up his sleeve for this Saturday night at the Impact Arena. But there are still plenty of tricks up the sleeve of Gary Tool and he will not allow himself to be caught unaware if he can possibly help it.