Post by TheNewBreed on Feb 18, 2023 11:23:38 GMT -5
"The Run Down, With Denise Essex"
Host: Denise Essex with Special Guest: JAMES RAVEN
A familiar polished steel plated desk stretches across a small sound stage bathed in soft pink and white lights from above. The reflective black granite desktop is sleek and streaked with pink and white ribbons of color and swirls trailing across its gleaming surface. Across the front, lit from behind by pink neon LEDs, hangs a sign emblazoned with the WGWF Logo, and the words 'Run Down' in brushed steel plated letters ringed in pink acrylic and just below it to the right the words, 'with Denise Essex' in flowing script of polished pink steel. We rejoin our host, Denise Essex, today sporting a black lace shelled bodice over a black pencil skirt, and a large raven feather brooch accented with bright white pearls is pinned to the side of her sleek black hat. As always her smile is bright and cheerful as she looks up at the camera and begins her show.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the WGWF-A-Verse... welcome back to 'the Run Down', with me, Denise Essex! We have had some very special shows here in the Ring Rust Cafe, but today's show is something else entirely. We have had lots of current roster members, and even the Owner of the WGWF, Chris Page himself... but today... today we are blessed to welcome the Legend himself, none other than WGWF General Manger, James Raven!” Denise exclaims excitedly as she stands and motions towards the pink chiffon curtains.
James Raven parts the pink fabric and makes his way on to the stage as the intimate crowd all cheers wildly. His dark suit coat covers a light blue button down shirt and black and blue tie. He wipes his hands on the front of his slacks as he makes his way across the stage to the desk, and gives Denise a brief one armed hug.
“Welcome to the show. It's a pleasure to finally get you on our stage.” she says as the take their seats.
“It's a pleasure to be here. I'm glad I could make the time to finally make an appearance.” Raven says with a smile.
“Well, I know there are a lot of questions the fans out there want answers to, so let's get right down to it. Let's look at the process that happened around the Relaunch of the WGWF. How did you come to be the guy to become the GM? Were there other people discussed? Where you in those discussions from the beginning, or was it something Page brought you into later?” she quick fires some soft questions about the early days of talks between he and Page.
“Maybe there were other people discussed, you’d have to ask Chris about that… but I don’t think they were ever seriously considered. I was talking to Page about the relaunch before he started mentioning it to anyone else, and we knew I was going to be involved. It was just a matter of figuring out how. I didn’t want to be “the money guy”, and I felt like joining the roster would limit my ability to be in the offices and support him the way he needed… so the more we discussed things the more we knew the General Manager role was the right move, and we put that to bed and I started hiring for other openings.” he says with his signature smirk.
“Well, as we have seen so far, it seems to have been a great decision, and the WGWF is regrowing it's former audience at an astonishing rate, quite frankly. Leading up to Relaunch, what were some of your concerns with the reopening of the WGWF?” Denise asks.
“There weren’t many. Chris and I have extensive resumes when it comes to running and managing companies, and I was confident in our ability to get the company up quickly and running smoothly. On top of that the WGWF is a revered Brand. It’s identifiable, and had a fan base that we knew would be supportive and excited about the product we were prepared to offer… but I guess my biggest concern was the modern landscape and how successful we could be carving out our own piece of it. There’s so many new and returning companies these days, toss a stone and you’ll hit one. They’re all competitive for ratings, they all have exciting rosters, and it becomes tempting for most companies to empty their clip early and grow as much as possible as quickly as possible in order to overtake all of their competitors. We weren’t going to do that. We wanted to build a foundation, build step by step, and make sure we were here for the long haul like WGWF was the last time around, and hope everyone stayed invested and came along for the ride.” Raven says with a sly smile, pleased with the success of the company so far.
“Since Relaunch, what has been your biggest struggle with the WGWF so far? I know it seems smooth, but behind the curtains, running a company can't be easy, especially one like the WGWF.” she inquires.
“It’s probably a cliche, but time. There’s only so many hours in a day, and you can get pulled in so many different directions that it’s tough to know where to direct your attention and for how long. The more we move along, the more I’m able to refine my schedule and work with my support staff to make sure we’re running things more efficiently and freeing up time to dedicate to the important things.” James explains simply.
“While time may not be on your side week in and week out, there has to be some parts of the job you really love. What about your favorite part of the company? What part of the General Manager's job do you really enjoy doing?” Denise asks with a sight head tilt and a smile.
“Am I allowed to say Atara? She has nice eyes.” James grins as the fans in attendance cheer and Denise blushes slightly as she grins and chuckles at him.
“If not, I’ll open that up to 'the rest of the roster'… aside from maybe Joe and Sonya. I think we’ve done a good job at pulling talent that people respect and enjoy from all over wrestling; from guys like Vaughn and Flynn who have been huge names over the past year or two, to someone like Mark Cross who’s able to come here after years of experience and open himself up to a new fan base and a new crop of competitors. We’ve got Cholo, who I think can be a sport wide superstar, the Show Stealerz who might be the most underrated tag team in wrestling… everyone can scroll down the WGWF roster and find someone that appeals to them, or an underdog to root for. I didn’t bring in all of my friends, or dog out the Rolodex to start calling legends and alumni… I brought in some people that were new and exciting to me, and I think that’s translated well for the audience.” James touts the roster draw as the fans here clap softly.
“Going forward, what sort of plans or innovations have been discussed in the offices of the WGWF to push the company into the future of the wrestling industry?” She asks, prying into the discussions of the front office more than before.
“I can’t give away all the trade secrets here, Denise. We look at everything and we look at it regularly. We discuss talent acquisitions, we discuss corporate and competitive partnerships with other companies or federations, we’ve looked at expanding programming with things that are outside of the ring, scripted and non scripted. Graphics packages, editing and presentation techniques… I constantly want to improve our product. I constantly want to push the company forward. However, I firmly believe that one thing propels us above all else… and that’s what our roster can do in the ring. We have phenomenal talent and you have to be here to see it. What happens when Cholo and Mike Mason get their hands on each other? Can Mark Cross beat Peter Vaughn? How does Paul Montouri or Buster Gloves or John Cable get themselves to a title belt? It’s all of that and more that our audience wants to see, and we’re still just getting started.” Raven answers again to a soft clap from the crowd.
“As the GM, are there any stars out there that you would like to sign to the company that haven't agreed to be a part of the roster yet? Is there a list of acquisitions that you would like to pick up but haven't been able to lock down yet?” she asks, trying to get Raven to divest in some office information once more with her cheery smile..
“You bet your ass there are. Like I mentioned earlier, I brought in a lot of people that were new and exciting to me when I first started handling the company's roster. I also took a lot of submissions, and brought in people that Chris knew well. We haven’t even really scratched the surface yet on some of the people that I personally might recruit, but that doesn’t mean the conversations aren’t happening behind closed doors. A handful of them might even be getting close to putting ink on paper, but I’m not going to keep the secret this long and start spilling names now. Stay tuned. Get your popcorn. Get ready to see a few more of my fingerprints on the glass around the place.” he says with a grin as the crowd claps and one guy way in the back whoops a loud WOOOOOOO in support for Raven's recruitment efforts.
“Well, it seems some of the fans here are more than just a little excited to see your new talents join the WGWF.” she says with a giggle as the crowd laughs.
“What are some personal goals you have for the WGWF in the coming years? What are some milestones you are looking forward to or maybe a record you want to see the company break?” she changes gears a little.
“Sure, if we really wanted to get into specifics there are things like 'the buy rate I’d love to hit for Wrestle Wars' or a classic match I’d like to book… there’s a couple of matches I’d love to see and some people I’d love to bring in… but as much as I hate to throw another cliche at ya I’m very content to take things as they come. Each week I’m focused on the next Brawl getting to air, and I have big plans for Wrestle Wars, but I’m not setting lofty bars for people to clear or aiming at targets because my ego wants to overtake another company. I want to focus on what we’re doing, continue to build and grow steadily, and make sure that we stay enjoyable for everyone before I start adding self-applied pressure to anyone.” he explains with a cheeky grin.
“What about company goals, from the office and ownership through the board of directors and investors?” she pressures as she continues to fire questions.
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you? Fine. I want to get Punisher's 'ownership' stake away from him. There’s your click bait headline for what my big goal with the board of directors and investors is.” he laughs as the crowd pops loudly for the answer.
“Fair enough... fair enough. You HAVE been in the company for a long time... so... what is your most stand out moment from any era of the WGWF? What moment in the history of the company was one that has always stood out to you as a once in a lifetime event?” she asks, probing him about his own career.
“Did you know I beat Chris Page at Wrestle Wars once? It was in my hometown of Toronto, and snapped his unbeaten streak at the event. Yeah. That was pretty sweet. The World championship that I won and the video packages they put together for me when I left the company stand out as well, but that was a long time ago. I’m not here to give everyone a lecture on history.” he smiles thinking about his past achievements gleefully.
“What about some of your favorite moments in your own career? What is the stand out matches and memories in your professional life that stands out as the greatest moment in the ring for you?” she asks.
“Beating Big Shank at Lord of the Ring when I was 19, and proving to myself that I had what it took to beat the guys that I considered the best of the best. Beating Jem Williams to win the Universal title for the first time, and getting the acknowledgment from the rest of the business that I was one of the best of my generation coming up. Winning that same belt back, in 2017, and leading the charge of returning legends that helped shape the landscape we’re all in today… there’s too many moments I look back at as foundational pieces of my career, I couldn't possibly mention them all, but I’ve always looked at my career as an accumulation of accomplishments and victories, and when I look back at the sum of all parts I’m very happy with the body of work I’ve provided, and I hope everyone else is too.” he smiles as the crowd cheers for him and his illustrious career.
“How about we step outside of the ring for a few minutes, because you have some ties to another company as well... your affiliation to the LFL? How did you get tied up in the industry of Ladies Football with 'possibly' the WGWF's largest rival, and do you plan to be even more involved in the future?” she asks about his ties to the LFL that has sparked off this year.
“I was mentored by people like Centurion when I started wrestling, and if you know anything about his past he was as successful a mogul as he was a wrestler and that’s saying quite a bit. He always preached diversifying, and investing, and building things that you could be proud of and not just be the guy who got body slammed in tights. He taught me what to do with my money, and while it started with things like gyms or small production studios I eventually found myself becoming part of bigger and bigger ventures. In 2018 the LFL was looking to relocate a couple of teams, and as an avid football fan who was looking for an opportunity like that… I put in a bid and was able to get a team secured to move to Toronto. After my first season as an owner, the league founder and commissioner stepped down and approached me about working as part of a committee to maintain the day to day operations and keep the league alive which we were able to do for two more seasons. Eventually the group folded, and the league was disbanded. In 2021 I took an old Centurion quote; “fuck it, I’m just gonna buy it”. I was able to get all of the rights from the old commissioner, and since I had already been co-running the place for a few seasons without him felt good about being able to find a new staff and eventually get the league back up and off the ground. People love the LFL, and I’m happy we were finally able to bring it back. I’m about as involved as I can be right now, and that probably won’t change anytime soon.” he says to wild cheers from the fans of the LFL in attendance.
“What other industries do you intend to step into outside the ring? Liquor? Mobile Phones? Travel companies? A Hotel chain? A burger place? Anything specific?” she presses further.
“Would you believe me if I said I’ve been in talks for nearly all of that at one point or another? Who knows what will actually become a reality, but I would say there’s not much that’s impossible. I want to work with Atara on a few things that we’ve been kicking around. She and I have had plenty of success with independent ventures. We could work some real magic on some of the ideas we have together.” he answers with a cheeky grin keeping his secrets for now.
“Speaking of Atara, what is some advice that you can give to the men out there about their relationships? How do you keep her happy, and what can men do out there to make sure their SO knows they are thinking about them even if they have busy lives that keep their attention focused away from home?” Denise asks, always loving o hear the tips and tricks her guests have to keep their significant others happy and healthy in their busy lifestyles.
“… Wow, you really changed lanes on me there. I don’t know that I’m fit to give anyone relationship advice. I catch plenty of flack for the few public relationships of mine that people have watched. I’m lucky in that she understands the business I’m in because she’s in it too, and she knew what I was like at my low points before we got together, and always knew she was able to help pull me back and right the ship. None of that bothers or fazes her, and so in exchange I do my absolute best to be present and engaged whenever I’m with her or with the kids, and it’s not like that’s a challenge. I’m absolutely obsessed with all of them. I’m madly in love with her and think she’s breathtakingly gorgeous every time I see her, and sometimes it’s tough to hide. She sees it, and she knows that I’ll never be anything but supportive and encouraging, and so far I’m lucky that it’s all worked out for me. Anyways, can we go back to you asking me about digital rights or something?” he says shyly as the fans cheer and laugh.
“Sure, sure... but since you have not entirely exited the ring, making a few rare appearances yourself, what matches do you have on your horizon coming up?” she asks about his near future plans inside the ring.
“You can catch me at the Denzel Porter Invitational in a few days. I’ve got a match with Tara Docherty and have been trying to get myself back up to par and ready for that, but otherwise… it’s tough to say. I’ve been looking around a lot lately, and weighing a lot of options. I’ve been itching to get more involved, and while I won’t be the guy that wrestles on his own roster, I’m open to pretty much anything else.” Raven says, much more comfortable to be talking about wrestling again.
“You have been a part of several super shows in your career... what show stands out to you as the best Super show of all time?” she leans in as she asks James about the big shows that have become far more popular in the last few years.
“Can I say “XX” in 2019? I ran it, so I don’t want to pat myself on the back too much here… but I was incredibly proud of the talent that we assembled for that show, from All Time Greats that had been retired for a decade to top modern stars… I’m not sure I’ve ever seen as many people I admired and respected and borderline hero-worshiped gathered in one place at one time for one event. Every match that night was main event caliber, every spot was highlight reel worthy. When I’m a hundred years old, I’ll remember that night fondly.” he says with a warm smile, happily thinking about some of the most amazing moments in his career.
“What about predictions for future super shows? Who will run one? Who do you think will make a legacy for themselves on the circuit? Where do you see the future of super shows? You seem to have your finger firmly on the pulse of the business, so what do you see coming in the future for wrestling fans?” Denise asks.
“Man, throw a dart at a board full of names and you could be right. The industry has changed since I was a rookie. There’s not the same ferocious loyalty to the company you start with, and so much power has shifted to the wrestlers as it should… I feel like “super shows” have evolved from the time of being a rare opportunity to see one companies champ against another’s and cross promote, and become an opportunity for any wrestler to put on a showcase. People move between companies so often now, and chase the matches they want for themselves, then when a Super-show comes around it’s more of an opportunity for each booker to show us the business through their own lens. What talent inspires and entertains them? What’s their aesthetic? Where do they host it? I think every single person in this business can do a Super-show now, and make it successful. They don’t need to rely on multiple companies striking a deal together or some independent promoter telling them 'Congratulations, you have the star power necessary for me to use you at my special event'. As far as some shameless self promotion goes; keep an eye on the end of April. Ravenstock is real.” Raven states to a huge pop from the intimate crowd in the Cafe.
“WOW. Ladies and Gentlemen... you heard it here first! RAVENSTOCK IS REAL, and it's coming in April! James, it has been a pleasure to have you with us today, but I think that announcement is the perfect place to close out for today... but if you want to hear more about the upcoming Ravenstock Super Show or anything else about the WGWF-A-VERSE, stay tuned right here on WGWF After Dark for news and rumors floating behind the curtain, and don't forget to drop the like and subscribe down below, leave a comment to let me know who you want to see as my guest on the Run Down, and while you're down there, click the ring bell to get notified when we drop even more content. It's been a pleasure to have you all with me today and I hope you have all enjoyed the show. Until next week, Take care, and be kind to one another. This has been the Run Down with me, Denise Essex, and we'll see you again next week.” she says cheerily as the scene fades to black.