Main Event
Non-Title
Asylum Rules Match
Ethan Murphy © -versus- Hector Venegas ©

View full promo

Non-title matches were a chance for professional wrestling champions to loosen up just a little bit when they wrestled. Matches didn’t have the same stakes. They could have a bit more fun, cut loose, and come at matches from different angles with different drives and desires without the risk of losing your title. You can train in unique and experimental ways, make creative promos, and even try new moves and tactics when the match took place.

This didn’t mean you could afford half-ass matches though. Losing a non-title match as a champion made you look vulnerable, beatable, SOFT. Which meant you would at least appear ripe to lose that title among the starving, needy, contenders in the Asylum Wrestling Society. Even if you lost to another champion. It was bad for your reputation as a champion if you lost your non-title match

And this is what Ethan Murphy had to think about before his match against Hector Venegas. Beating him at AWS Ward so he could stay dominant with his champion’s aura still intact. He was the AWS Asylum Heavyweight Champion after all. The face of the Asylum. He couldn’t afford to take a loss of any kind especially when his title wasn’t on the line. His pride wouldn’t allow it!

Not that Ethan put a lot of stock into that sort of thing anyway. Sure he loved being AWS Asylum Heavyweight Champion. The checks were bigger (which he needed since he was getting settled into moving to Lexington from Worcester with his lovely girlfriend Alessia Zampano), he was doing more interviews and promotional stuff to spread the word of the company as well. But none of that stuff mattered to Ethan in his heart and soul because it wasn’t what he got into wrestling for. He got into professional wrestling because he loved professional wrestling. Not so he can get rich quick. The combat, the competition, the art of professional wrestling was his driving source. The fact that he got paid for it was just a lovely bonus for all of his efforts in the ring.

And Ethan in his prep work and research knew that Hector Venegas had the similar mentality even though they were different people with different origins

Pro wrestling kept Hector out of jail and out of the coffin. The former MS13 gang member had been wrestling since Ethan was a little kid so he knew in his heart Hector had plenty of money, plenty of championships too, but he had the passion and grit to not quit. Pro wrestling was his love and even if the fans didn’t LIKE HIM they respected him. Ethan did too. Which meant that he had to come at Hector differently than usual with his promo.

The scene took place well before their match at AWS Ward. A simple interview space, a camera with lighting, some background music to liven things up but nothing flashy or over the top with its style as it focused solely on Ethan Murphy who was in his street clothes with his AWS World Heavyweight Championship on his shoulders. Looking calm and focused for the cameras as his nameplate appeared below him.

“ETHAN MURPHY. AWS ASYLUM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.”

Ethan Murphy: To be a professional wrestler is to have passions within your passion y’know? A deeper drive than just “I want a job that’ll put food on my table and money in pocket.” You have to have a special desire to want to put in hours of blood, sweat, and tears and go through all of the highs and lows to even be a wrestler for any company. Much less a champion. Especially if you want to wrestle for the Asylum Wrestling Society. I know this because I’m not just any champion but THE champion. The main champion. The AWS Asylum Heavyweight Champion and I’m proud of it. Because this championship belt on my shoulder means that I am the face of Asylum Wrestling Society. Why? Because I put in the work, the effort, the sweat, the blood, to earn the championship that says that you are the FACE of the Asylum Wrestling Society. THE MAN. The overall, sum of all parts, best wrestler in AWS!

Ethan was a respectful wrestler but sometimes it didn’t hurt to brag. Especially if your work and effort made up for it. He never fought dirty, never cheated, and even though AWS was lax with rules he never did anything truly villainous in the ring. He EARNED the right to be the AWS World Heavyweight Champion and the clout that came with it. But he was going somewhere with that self-serving statement.

Ethan Murphy: Now why did I spend so much time talking about myself like that? Well it’s because I’m fighting the Digital Media Champion at AWS Ward Hector Venegas who is the AWS Digital Media champion and honestly I’m impressed. You’re a veteran in this business and you’ve been wrestling since some people in AWS including me were kids including me. And here you are holding the title that puts you on the cutting edge of media. From our Twitch platform to our YouTube shows to even our Twitter. People see you compete as the star of modern media and you deserve it because you are damn good in the ring. I’m surprised this is the first time we really crossed paths. I love your work Hector and I’m looking forward to our fight at Monday Night Ward.

And then Ethan paused to flash a smirk

Ethan Murphy: But here’s the thing. I love MY WORK even more. My work is what led me to being World Heavyweight Champion. My work is what led to people saying that I am the face of AWS. Not me! That’s not me saying that other people who know what I can do who hype me up for me. And you don’t need an app in order to watch me fight you in this Asylum Rules match.

Ethan was a product of the old school ways of wrestling promos. Cover every possible base in the promo. Mention the show, the opponent, the stakes, make them look good even if you make yourself look BETTER.

Ethan Murphy: That’s right it’s an Asylum Rules match which means there’s no rules. The referee’s only there to make sure we don’t die out there and count the pinfall and submission. And in a match like this you’d think you’d have the advantage against me Hector right? I mean you’re a former gangster, and you got no problems grabbing a weapon under the ring while me? I fight cleaner than the average AWS wrestler. I can use a weapon but I don’t do it like you do…because I don’t need to. Why? Because I know I’m better with you with my mind, my heart, and my fists. And those are things you don’t get from under the ring. You get them from here Hector. And yeah I know you got those too. But mine are better than yours. Because they got me THIS.

Ethan pointed to his head, his heart, and then raised his balled fists to the camera for emphasis. It was true Ethan didn’t run to weaponry in even hardcore matches with no disqualifications like Asylum Rules matches. Preferring to beat his opponent with physical grit and wrestling talent.

And now to close the promo…

Ethan Murphy: So when we fight at Ward the whole world will see the differences of who we are and the levels between our talent. Good luck Hector. Because you’ll need it. May the best champion win…

END SCENE.