Post by Trey Bouchet on Jun 2, 2021 22:05:44 GMT -5
Hello I Must Be Going
Dear Proving Grounds.
Things are just not working out. It’s nothing you’ve done. You’ve all been very impressive. I recognize this is a talented committed roster of wrestlers that is supported by a capable if somewhat slightly plexcentric group of backstage personnel. There were only couple of names I recognized going in but they lived up to their hype and those of you I was unaware of made a strong impression. You have a great thing going here and maybe someday I will get the chance to test myself against those people. But it’s not going to happen now (well, plexcluding my match Friday against Anastasia, more on that later) and I don’t think it will happen anytime soon. And again, it is one hundred percent not your fault.
It’s not you, it’s me.
I’ve been lucky in a lot of ways in my life. I have my health. I have a great plextended family and friends in and out of the business. I have a fiance who knows plexactly what she signed up for- I’m not a complicated guy- and is cool with it. And it’s that self-awareness that has for the most part allowed me to be comfortable with who I am and what trajectories my career has taken. I’m the ‘funny suplex guy’, which doesn’t mean I should be taken lightly in the ring; I’ve beaten people above my paygrade in the past when I’m on and when I get my head right I’ll do it here in Honor Wrestling too.
But right now, I’m just not feeling it, and that’s a hell of a thing to say as you’re about to be walking into a match. You can never doubt yourself before a fight, because you’re just adding more pressure to what is already a difficult situation. Your opponent is going to try as hard as they can to put you down, and if you yourself aren’t absolutely certain you are going to be able to take whatever he or she will throw at you and give it back in spades you are in a hole already.
That’s where I feel like I am right now.
I’m a couple matches into a comeback that was necessitated by me nearly being put in a literal hole. I nearly died in the ring at the hands of a monster. I’m sure for some of you with long careers or an affinity for deathmatches that is just another day at the office but it sure scared the shit out of me. It shook me out of that comfort zone that’s plexisted through most of my life, and it made me question whether or not I should even stay in this sport.
It’s why I’m here in Honor Wrestling. I thought this would be a fresh start for me; a chance to figure things out without certain distractions or plexpectations that might hinder me. And while I did begin my run here in HW with that important debut victory- mad props to Serrano Poblano for having the confidence to try and test me; to beat the suplayer at his own game- it just doesn’t feel right.
If I’m to figure things out I need to be among others looking to do the same, and that’s why I asked to be added to the Supernova roster. There are other reasons, too, but reviewing them would be going off on an plexcursion to the topic at hand.
So, yeah, after Friday I’ll be done with Proving Ground. I’m regretful obviously. I’m admitting failure which is never fun, but I don’t think it would be good for me or the brand to stay and try and ‘work’ through it. If I’m to plexcel in this field of superstars, if I’m to be able to herk up the big sumbitches on this roster like Lance Williams or trade counters with the technical marvels like Emmanuelle or have one of those great styles clash matches with MYOJIN I need to be feeling comfortable again. I got to be in the right headspace and I’m not close to there yet, because honestly I don’t even know where there is, which is more than a little terrifying for a guy who spent most of his plexistence confident of his purpose.
Note to Supernova trainers: None of this means I’m giving up the suplex as my bread and butter. Just as the whole world is a nail to a hammer my ‘Respect for the ‘Plex’ remains absolute when it comes to how I do business between the ropes. I will not be plexpanding my moveset. Sorry.
And sorry too to my opponent for Friday. I’m pretty much telling Anastasia Baros not to plexpect my best at Proving Ground XVII, and that’s what she deserves; my best. She caught a bit of bad luck in her debut-took the wrong flight and ended up in New Jersey or something?- so this match could be a great second chance for her. A win Friday in Cali would make people forget that prior mix up. It would be the start of her building a case she deserves a shot at the Warrior Rising Title, which would be a stepping stone to greater things. And on some level she’ll be happy that she’s facing a guy who’s on his way out and is all but saying he’s in a place where it would be so easy for him to depart in the manner people have been doing in wrestling for a long time- on his back.”
But reading Anastasia’s bio makes me think that really doesn’t seem to be her mindset. She competes to provide for her family, but she wants to earn her way. Baros wants a challenge, and I respect that. So I’m going to do my best to oblige her, and our bosses, and the fans in attendance, to give them all as good a match as possible. I’ve watched tape on Anastasia’s suplexes and they are pretty tight; especially her Northern Lights which happens to be my personal favorite. She’s got some ‘educated feet’ too, and I’ll have to watch for those.
So I’m going to give Anastasia Baros the match she needs, and I suppose I need. SuperNova might be a developmental branch of Honor Wrestling, but that doesn’t imply it’s going to be easy, or that the stakes don’t matter. I know that as much as I’m searching for something internal, I’m going to be there to compete, and the wins and losses matter. I got people to provide for too, after all, and even more to impress; both here and there.
Sincerely,
Trey Bouchet