Post by AJ Knight on Feb 4, 2024 4:36:13 GMT
March 2015
"DAMN IT!"
Still no wins. God... What am I doing wrong? I stuck him right in the middle of the ring! It's a DDT! What am I doing wrong?
"Hey kid? What's the matter?"
It was the voice of Jimbo "Hurricane" Dubois. A notable name during the territory days, albeit never a real World Title contender, but now relegated to be the name that brought people to the high school gym.
What the hell does he think is the matter?
"I lost!"
"Kid, you debuted three weeks ago. That's kind of what's going to happen for a while. You didn't look bad out there to be honest. Green, sure, but not really bad. Just some things to tighten up."
"Like what?
He smirks a bit.
"Your mat work's pretty good. A bit rough, but that's okay, that can work. It can and probably should be your bread and butter. But that's really all you have at this point. Your strikes are kind of slow and sloppy, and you don't really have a ton of impact moves either. Maybe develop something of a submission game, but you need to set that DDT up better. I'm assuming that's supposed to be your finish, right?"
Adam sighs in a somewhat dejected manner. Looking at the ceiling as he answers.
"It's supposed to be, but I guess I need something better. It just doesn't have the kind of impact to get it done in this day and age."
Jimbo smirks at him.
"Wrong. Let me ask you something, young man. What makes a finisher a finisher?"
Adam looks confused.
"The ability to keep people down?"
"Yes, but how do you make sure that happens? My finisher is literally a Backdrop Suplex. Not even a crazy neckdrop one like they do in Japan. If you used it, you wouldn't finish a soul with it. So why can I?"
Adam shrugs.
"The difference between a finisher, and a 'regular' wrestling move is how you control the other person's landing. Lariats are finishers, suplexes are finishers, DDTs are finishers. Any move that you can make sure the opponent lands exactly how you want them to every time IS a finisher. Figure out how they're landing when you hit your DDT and correct from there."
Adam looks deep in thought.
"You gave me a lot to think about Mr. Dubois. Thanks for the advice."
Adam sticks his hand out, and DuBois gladly accepts it.
"Not a problem kid! By the way what is your name?"
"Adam Jacob Lefenfeld."
Dubois pauses.
"One other piece of advice: You need a better ring name kid. Adam Jacob Lefenfeld doesn't have much of a ring to it..."
Present Day
Jimbo was a good man. AJ's last opponent before coming to Lion's Road. That advice changed his life. That's how a rookie gets better, by learning from their mistakes and finding a way to improve it. That conversation gave birth to the Knightfall DDT which was now one of the most feared finishers in wrestling.
It's why Devlin Masters has not gotten better. Constant tap out losses, and absolutely no attempt at improving his submission defense. The same basic rudimentary offense somebody would emulate without training.
"Some guys have to learn the hard way I guess. If a tapout won't send the message, maybe a DDT right in the center of the ring would help..."
"DAMN IT!"
Still no wins. God... What am I doing wrong? I stuck him right in the middle of the ring! It's a DDT! What am I doing wrong?
"Hey kid? What's the matter?"
It was the voice of Jimbo "Hurricane" Dubois. A notable name during the territory days, albeit never a real World Title contender, but now relegated to be the name that brought people to the high school gym.
What the hell does he think is the matter?
"I lost!"
"Kid, you debuted three weeks ago. That's kind of what's going to happen for a while. You didn't look bad out there to be honest. Green, sure, but not really bad. Just some things to tighten up."
"Like what?
He smirks a bit.
"Your mat work's pretty good. A bit rough, but that's okay, that can work. It can and probably should be your bread and butter. But that's really all you have at this point. Your strikes are kind of slow and sloppy, and you don't really have a ton of impact moves either. Maybe develop something of a submission game, but you need to set that DDT up better. I'm assuming that's supposed to be your finish, right?"
Adam sighs in a somewhat dejected manner. Looking at the ceiling as he answers.
"It's supposed to be, but I guess I need something better. It just doesn't have the kind of impact to get it done in this day and age."
Jimbo smirks at him.
"Wrong. Let me ask you something, young man. What makes a finisher a finisher?"
Adam looks confused.
"The ability to keep people down?"
"Yes, but how do you make sure that happens? My finisher is literally a Backdrop Suplex. Not even a crazy neckdrop one like they do in Japan. If you used it, you wouldn't finish a soul with it. So why can I?"
Adam shrugs.
"The difference between a finisher, and a 'regular' wrestling move is how you control the other person's landing. Lariats are finishers, suplexes are finishers, DDTs are finishers. Any move that you can make sure the opponent lands exactly how you want them to every time IS a finisher. Figure out how they're landing when you hit your DDT and correct from there."
Adam looks deep in thought.
"You gave me a lot to think about Mr. Dubois. Thanks for the advice."
Adam sticks his hand out, and DuBois gladly accepts it.
"Not a problem kid! By the way what is your name?"
"Adam Jacob Lefenfeld."
Dubois pauses.
"One other piece of advice: You need a better ring name kid. Adam Jacob Lefenfeld doesn't have much of a ring to it..."
Present Day
Jimbo was a good man. AJ's last opponent before coming to Lion's Road. That advice changed his life. That's how a rookie gets better, by learning from their mistakes and finding a way to improve it. That conversation gave birth to the Knightfall DDT which was now one of the most feared finishers in wrestling.
It's why Devlin Masters has not gotten better. Constant tap out losses, and absolutely no attempt at improving his submission defense. The same basic rudimentary offense somebody would emulate without training.
"Some guys have to learn the hard way I guess. If a tapout won't send the message, maybe a DDT right in the center of the ring would help..."