Facing the Freight Train
“A setback is a setup for a comeback.” Jamal Payne remembered that bit of advice from his father when he just starting off wrestling locally in the state of Virginia way back in the late 90s and that advice held true. It was one of the special things that he remembered his “papa” saying and it held true and fueled his motivation. Yeah Jamal failed in the gold rush tournament. He understood that. But Jamal wasn’t the type of wrestler to get bitter over losses and he hasn’t been in years. Why get bitter when you can get BETTER.
It was his first match back after a layoff anyway and he was entered into a tournament with golden stakes on the line. Not favorable to him. But Jamal took that out on the weight machines and sparring opponents that the Asylum Wrestling Society dojo had to offer. Lord have mercy on the local wrestlers and pure indy wrestlers Jamal faced. For a 50 year old man he could beat the shit out of someone.
And fortunately ol’ “Freight Train” wasn’t doing this for nothing. Jamal was aware that because he was a big name in the AWS he wouldn’t go long without a big match again. So much so Jamal watched closely to the rest of the roster and it paid off. He had a match at Sunday Night Assault against none other than Eli Mercer. A new face in the Asylum and he embodied the manic and menacing aura that the Asylum Wrestling Society he was known for, complete with his own “doctor” keeping him cool. Jamal wasn’t scared by Eli though. He feared no man. But he was aware of the stakes and situation at hand and this wasn’t about a championship title or a tournament to get one. It was about preventing a losing streak. Something that Jamal rarely had to deal with in his eventful career in the Asylum. Plus he couldn’t let the rookies get a win over him. Jamal wasn’t that old!
So this scene took place a little creatively. He was in a quiet bar, about a block away from the Crow’s Nest venue that the Sunday Night Assault episode would be taking place in. He was friendly with the bar owner and he allowed Jamal to use the place for his promo before work hours. Plus he was an AWS fan and was happy to give “Freight Train” a place to speak!
Jamal Payne: This bar is called “the Silver Stamp” and I’ve made this place my haunt since the AWS set up shop in Las Vegas. Keep your loud-ass, bright-ass, wannabe, tourist trap nightclubs on the strip. This is a REAL Las Vegas bar and I’m happy they let me set up shop here and talk to all y’all and clear the air. Yeah, I got laid out last week in the tournament. That man David Stryker wasn’t a joke. It was a rude awakening in my first match back in the Asylum in a while. But I don’t use this bar to drown my sorrows in defeat or get liquid courage for my next opponent. I do use this bar to think. To settle in and relax like a normal man. It’s just that my opponent, who is walking around the Asylum like a po’ man’s Hannibal Lecter ain’t normal. Eli Mercer I’m talking to you.
Jamal said this while sipping a tall bottle of Heineken’s regular while he addressed the Asylum Wrestling Society crowd. Hyping up the bar he loved with footage of and pictures of it, talking about his opponent for the last show David Stryker who beat him with a couple of lowlights, while hyping up Eli Mercer.
Jamal Payne: Eli I’ve been charged with welcomin’ you to the Asylum personally since you’re one of the new stars we got here. Now I ain’t one of those old timers who have a problem with new blood coming in trying to make a name for themselves because imma get my spot, get my gold. And I ain’t retirin’ anytime soon so you’re going to have to fight like hell to put me down and get me to move aside. Now make no mistake Eli I get you got skills. You ain’t a bum or else you wouldn’t be standing up a “Freight Train” so I respect that. But respect ain’t fear kid. Respect just means I got to take you seriously and get ready for that hybrid style you got. I also got eyes on that freaky doc you have too. I'm ready for whatever you got.”
Jamal made it clear that he was a grizzled, battle-tested, veteran who wasn’t set in his ways and let his proven track record of wrestling make him arrogant. He believed that every match had a chance to show him something new in the ring. That every opponent had at least one thing that made them special and worth taking seriously and Eli’s unique brand of brutal yet technical wrestling style with that mysterious doctor keeping him on track was just that. Eli was unique in that regard.
Jamal Payne: So in other words Eli I’ll drink to a good match cuz’ I know you're gonna give me that but that’s the only thing I’ll drink to because that’s all you’ll give me. You ain’t giving me worry, you ain’t giving me nerves, and you damn sure won’t be giving me a defeat. Cuz’ this freight train might get slowed down, rocked, but never stopped and at Sunday Night Assault it’s gonna flatten you. Done-damn-deal.
And then Jamal finished his beer to officially, formally, end the promo.