Crash and Burn: The GM Iser story

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

*There is a cut to where we see a tractor in the middle of the road and then we see where Iser is wearing just a plain XWA T-shirt in an interview room*

Iser: I was born in the heart of country...West Virginia. You know...maybe as the time on my earth grows...my early childhood memories fade into the dark distant past. It's not a very...modern area shall we say and we were NOT rich in the slightest.

*Some random country music goes on in the background while we see pictures of random farming activities*

Iser: Surprisingly, I wasn't much of a farmer...never wore 'dem suspenders.

*Iser lets out a sly chuckle*

Iser: Hell, I lived a rather normal life...just a West Virginia kid who loved wrestling and football. After a knee injury in High School, I couldn't continue in the football path so I just went on the wrestling path...and as they say...away I went.

*They show pictures of the sights of bars in Morgantown and various little wrestling areas where people botch setting up tables*

Iser: I got my training from a group of wrestlers, but the best advice I ever got was when RaVen was nice enough to let me ride with him for a week...and my God I picked his brain for what it's worth. He taught me the ins and outs of this business...what makes this business great and the bullshit you may have to deal with which I'm sure we'll cover later when we get to those points in time, but I really got into the business because of RaVen...and even his Scotty the Body stuff was great. He just knew how to piss off a crowd the right way and made every babyface he ever worked with look great.

*An old picture of WVCW shows*

Iser: My first federation was the WVCW and...and worked as that young fresh face guy who did a bunch of flips and what not to get over and it did work because I was like a gymnist and all that crap. It didn't go on for long though because I went on to a different fed where I really took off called The Gametalk Wrestling Alliance...or the GTWF for short.

*The GTWF logo is shown*

Iser: It was at that point where I met the guy who ended up being the greatest superstar that this federation as ever known...Raven. We talked...and he suggested that I become a bad guy. I had never thought of it before like...how are the fans going to react...this and that. Well, I followed his advice and debuted as The Apocalypse...and got the fans to boo my guts in my all black attire and cut my first promos. I admit...they were very green. Believe it or not, there was a point where...I wasn't exactly the greatest talker and my damn West Virginian roots held me back. Hell, I said ain't a couple of times in the promos and that's a bad thing to do.

*The show a clip where 'Apocalypse' told Meltdown that soon 'the end is near'*

Iser: Yeah, thanks for bringing back my green-ness of my promos into full life, Tazz.

*The two begin to chuckle in the interview room*

Iser: After I started getting more accustomed to this character, I found myself in a long fued with Mike Park. He had about a hundred different nicknames but my God, the man flew like an eagle and was probably the smoothest worker I've ever been in the ring with at that point. I still had that shitty catchphrase and no real proper nickname. Yeah, I'm The Apocalypse, but up until that point I hadn't done anything until I hung Park from the gallows and his toes were NOT touching the floor to make it look like I was trying to kill him. Well, the fans threw all kinds of shit at me and a new star was born. The next night I cut a promo in Pennsylvania somewhere and the fans threw chairs at me because I was wearing a West Virginia hat and I knew...hey I'm getting somewhere because the fans want to kill me...maybe I can do this thing called being an asshole.

*There was then a picture of Noish and Apocalypse in a VS screen hyping up a GTWF World Title match*

Iser: I had been GTWF Intercontintal Champ for a week just to drop it back to Park because he was going to be their golden goose in one of my favorite matches I've ever had. It's on Park's DVD so I won't cover it. The reason why I lost was well it's business...it happens. That's business and I understand that...but the company told me...hey, let's see what you can do against Noish...and the first match we had I believe was in the heart of Texas...and we fought...we brawled and we clicked. He was just so damn talented but he was good guy on top of that. Instead of trying to preserve the top spot for himself like some bald headed red and yellow coward...he put faith in the fact that hey maybe I can do something special for this company and we had a pretty good run together. Granted, I never won the world belt, but it was nice to be mentioned in the same breath as him for a match.

*The GTWF shows the closed logo*

Iser: Yeah...the GTWF closed because of money issues...they grew too much too fast...and that's a huge thing to learn...don't fill your damn with too much water or it'll flood...drowning everything in your previous success. That's just what happened.

*The XWA logo*

Iser: I had gotten a loan from a bank in Morgantown and decided I wanted to run my own wrestling company. I'd base it from the two places I called home at the time. My summer home was in Toronto, Canada.

Tazz: Raven's home?

Iser: Not in his house, but I lived there, yes. Odd part is...all of Canada hates me now, but regardless. The winter home is my much more...well known...Morgantown, West Virginia. I'm actually in a smaller town but nobody would give a shit about the town. You don't say a town nobody ever heard of, so I just said Morgantown early until I actually moved there, but regardless. I went to go contact talent after I got the money for a loan. The first person I called? Raven.

*We then see Raven in a different interview area*

Raven: You see, I came into XWA, when it just started, I saw a fresh up and coming promotion, and, I felt that I could use my ability, to help propel this company to the very top.

*It cuts back to Iser now*

Iser: The first thing I noticed when I brought Raven in was when he walked in the first night we ever started booking a show...about four girls had an orgasam looking at his blond hair. I just went like 'what the fuck did I get myself into?' you know...because even in the GTWF when we were really hot, we never had anybody get THAT kind of reaction. So yeah, that's when I knew I had a very special star right there.

Tazz: Didn't you talk about doing this before?

Iser: Correct, in RoH we did, but my health was an issue at the time so this actually worked out better because I didn't have to wrestle a full schedule.

*The camera cuts to various shots of the much smaller crowd in the first XWA show*

Iser: Yeah, I remember the first show...it was in a very small arena in the gutters of Ohio. I had promoted that there was going to be a world title match between Raven and Zane by having the two of them cut promos on one another in an arena where some people just wanted to hear them talk. Zane's promo skills weren't...the best shall we say...and Raven wasn't quite into what he is today, but you could see some of the greatness that he was about to become. After he shot that first promo about wanting revenge and the potential that he had on the stick...I just knew that I had to put the belt on him and run with this guy to see where he'll take us.

Tazz: Did you use a-lot of local talent to fill in the card besides the big title match?

Iser: Oh my God yes...and they got the crowd booing all of their matches because they completely STUNK. When Zane came out I think they were thinking the same thing but when Raven came out...they booed him but for the right reason. You can tell the right kind of boos and the wrong kind of boos. He got the right kind of heat, though he was a bit uptight about the big match.

*The two began to chuckle*

Iser: Why do you think I only showed the Raven vs Zane match on TV? The other matches would've been enough to make three botchamanias.

*The place then cuts to where Raven was*

Raven: Yeah, I remember all the stuff we did with Zane. Nothing against the guy, but his stuff in that character was...at best limiting. I didn't have a whole hell of a-lot to work with. Plus, I was a bit nervous about this match that I was in after all the bullshit that the local talent put on. I didn't really like my match, but it was the best match on the card.

Tazz: Who came up with the idea that it was five minutes of straight wrestling and then Raven's rules?

Raven: Iser because he felt it would add to it. Looking back on it, both of us agree that it should've just been Raven's rules because Zane wasn't much of a straight wrestler but did better with weapons involved.

*The camera cuts to Iser*

Iser: Yeah, that was my fuck up. It should've just been a Raven's rules match.

*Iser shakes his head*

Iser: Yeah, I booked Raven in tag matches for a little bit to make sure he could ease into the role. Soon...I got a big phone call.

*A photo of Sting comes in*

Iser: Steve Borden...better known as Sting called...and said that he saw what I was doing and thought I could use some help putting over my star. I asked him what he could do and he said...let's do an angle. I talked with Raven and he was cool with it and from that work was when he REALLY started to take off with who he became. Thanks to that, we got off with our first Pay Per View just on that name alone and I appreciate him for it. He got us on and let us show the world what we're about and it was a great way to establish what Raven is and what he is about.

*It cuts back to Raven's interview*

Tazz: Sting. What did you think of that whole program with Sting in what it did for the company?

Raven: I think it put XWA on the map, not only that, but it got me over as a major force here in XWA. Sting is an Icon, and, he came into our company, and helped us elevate our company. Words can't say how much that meant to this organization.

*It cuts right back to Iser's area*

Iser: I think that had one of the biggest moments early in XWA...where we had Chase...known then as Vampiro X...come in and Raven and Chase guzzled Sting. It was huge. The crowd just ate it up completely and Joey went apeshit on commentary...it was awesome. Raven suggested it and since Sting was on his last legs at the time...he was cool with it as a way to write him out of the company.

*Now right back to Raven*

Raven: I think the debut was a stroke of genius. Not only did it help get me over as a heel, it also put the Dead Pool on the map. Granted, being in Toronto, we got the wrong reaction, but, I like being cheered in my hometown. But, I feel that match is what gave birth to my star aura, and the Dead Pool group.

Tazz: ...and damn, did it start to become really special.

*It cuts back to Iser's area*

Iser: It really also added to Raven's cocky character that he got this jackass GM catering to his every wish...but there was one incident that did happen in XWA that isn't well known that angered me.

*A picture of Hogan is shown*

Iser: Hogan came in...and looked at the top draw, Raven, and said that he would never draw a dime because he doesn't fit the traditional look, and that he isn't big enough appearance wise. As soon as I heard that I was like...you can take your six figure contract demand...and shove it up your fucking ass. Then, Hogan sandbagged a dark match trial and the fans shat on him...so I had Rhino squash him in a tag match never to be used again...and I washed my hands of that parasite. He killed WCW and I didn't want him to kill XWA before it could really be born.

*It then cuts to Raven now*

Raven: Hogan, let me tell you about Hogan. That dumbass had enough nerve to say I would never amount to anything, and also said that I would never draw huge ratings, or make this comany any money. I bet he is kicking his own ass right now as we speak. If he isn't too busy with his 14 year old Brooke look-a-like girlfriend, and watching his son crash into objects while he speeds. This fed is better off without him, and we never needed him. Good riddance to that piece of trash.

Tazz: I remember he was yelling how Rhino stiffed him in the Gore, brother and he didn't even get touched.

Raven: I probably would've fractured his damn skull if Iser didn't restrain me.

*It cuts back to Iser*

Iser: Publicity was publicity and we needed it...unfortunately, Hogan gave us the bad kind...but being the great bunch we are...we bounced back from it. To be honest, things sort of started to flat line a little bit until we started building up to Wrestlemania. Honestly, Rey wasn't much of a huge draw...and he was down on pain killers at the time...and as hot as Raven and Chase were getting, I was having a hard time finding partners for them to dance with...until Rhino stepped in with Raven to build toward that match...and away we went.

*They view the photo that showed Raven vs Rhino at the company's first Wrestlemania*

Iser: The build toward that match was very simplistic, but it doesn't have to be a super complicated situation to draw money...it just took something that everyone could understand. Raven had just obliterated Rey, Rhino's on screen friend, and Rhino wanted revenge. He won a contender's match to earn himself a title shot at our first ever Wrestlemania. I was having a big match of my own to lead into it against a man who I can't mention by name and going into THAT day...I was going insane...so damn nervous...it wasn't funny. I'm just so happy that entire show...as well as the build for both those fueds blew up so damn well at Mania otherwise, I don't think we'd be here talking about it today. I credit Raven for getting much more comfortable at that point into being THE guy and it's hard to have a bad hardcore style match with Rhino regardless...plus the heat he would get just by calling Rey a charity case and saying that Ravens were superior to Rhinos was AMAZING. So was that match. I can't say enough about how good it was. It just showed the faith I put into Raven at the start was really starting...to pay off at this point.

*It cuts back to Raven*

Raven: Mania. I know what I had to do, and that was hit a home run. Not just for myself, but for the company. Iser was a nervous wreck, telling us we had to deliver, if we didn't, all the money would have been wasted. So, this put more pressure on myself and Rhino. Back then, I was not good with pressure, so, I was really going to try my best to make it a classic match. Plus, having Rhino there was good, he was in ECW, so, he knew a thing or two about weapons

*To be continued when I go back to work on it tomorrow*

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

*It then switches right back to Iser*

Iser: Yeah, I was really stressed out on that Pay Per View, but I will tell you a funny story about a couple of days before Mania. The arena was all reserved and all that crap where the undercard wrestlers would do interactive events with the fans. I had to make an appearance after I had done some promoting...so I pull up to the arena driving the beaten down two shades of grey jeep...missing a damn window and I'm wearing a black and red tux. Not thirty seconds after I parked...there is a limo pulling beside me and I'm trying to figure out who it is. As soon as the back door opened thanks to the driver, I saw the familar blond hair, I knew it was Raven...and he was just in his usual attire...one of his black shirts and a pair of black jeans and his skateboard shoes. He put his beanie on, and a couple of the fan girls that were there spazzed out so security came in and kicked them out of the event.

*We hear Tazz start howling from laughter and the other production guys are laughing as well*

Iser: Yeah, Raven was well rested going into Mania while I was lucky to get three hours of sleep a day. Thankfully I don't have to promote on that degree anymore because I don't know if I could take all those sleepless nights.

*It cuts to Raven for his responce*

Raven: I only remember the girls going nuts because that happens all the time.

*It switches back to Iser*

Iser: Yeah, Mania was brilliant. The culmination of Raven and Rhino...plus Chase and Kurt...what else can you say?

*It then shows off all the various sick falls Iser has done*

*Edge in an interview room now*

Edge: When you have a boss that is willing to be put through an X Box, put through glass, take falls off ladders, go through flaming tables...and God knows what else he might do...and they all mean something in context to the fued he is in...how can you NOT respect that?

*It switches back to Iser*

Iser: Well...I could lie to you and say that half the stuff I did didn't hurt...but considering I'm wearing a knee brace now when I do go out and wrestle and I don't fly around nearly as much as I did in the early days...yeah it fucking hurts. I'm certainly not going to jump off a tron anymore. I gotta look at quality of life, but if the angle calls for it, I'll do it. Hey, if Ric Flair can make out with a plastic doll of a female on live TV, what could taking a fall off the tron do to me if it's in context with the fued. I'm not like some CZW slob who just hits people with potted plants for no reason.

*Now it goes back to Raven*

Raven: To be honest, half of the time, I think he wants to take a big bump. Not for nothing, but, if you are willing to take some of the kind of bumps that he takes, you have to have a few screws lose upstairs. Either that, or, you have no fear. Maybe in his case, a combination of both. I know for a fact, I would not take those kinds of bumps myself. But, you do what you have to do, and if taking big bumps is it, then that is what he will do, to make sure that XWA is at the top of the wrestling list.

*It switches back to Iser*

Iser: I think I'm Mick Foley minus the whale fat, the vest, or the goofy hair. No disrespect intended.

*It then heads toward Tazz*

Tazz: I've had the honor to call a-lot of the GM's matches and the great, but scary thing about them is...you just don't know what you are going to get. He is capable of doing anything at anytime. He can straight wrestle if we wanted to, but it's overshadowed by the fact that he's willing to take such an insane fall for the good of our sport. I don't see the red and yellow coward that wants to cover up his bald head willing to do something like that. He just wants to try to come up with something new everytime...and on top of that he's the owner, he's held to a different standard than the rest of the stars in XWA. It's the price of doing both.

*It goes right back to Iser*

Iser: One thing I did notice after all these stunts...it just got harder and harder to portray the cocky asshole owner. It just did...and since I was aligned with The Dead Pool...I wanted to come up with a unique way of building toward the probable Raven-Iser fued. It just started off as a small rift after the heel monster Kane started torturing me and after all the times I've backed him up...he didn't. It was just something simple that got the wheels...spinning.

*It shows where Kane was just killing the GM in the ring, but Raven was busy focusing on just killing Rey.*

Iser: I remember after having that great match with Michaels...there was just no way the fans would just...go back to hating me without a crap load of cause and I didn't want to stress myself...so I just slowly turned into a face while maintaining a lot of my...mannerisims and characteristics that made the character...the character. I didn't want to do it because I was having so much fun, but for the better of the company I thought...I slowly turned into the face.

*It switches back to Raven*

Raven: I knew that Iser would turn face one day. I think people started to take notice of all the danger he out himself in, taking all the bumps, and the high risk factor. People started to respect that. Also, at the time, they wanted to see a face, who could stand up to me, and eventually beat me. That is how the business works, sure, we were friends on and off-screen, but, here you have a guy, going in night in and night out, putting his body on the line, having great matches, so, it came time to face off.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

*It switches right back to Iser*

Iser: Around the time I was about to turn face...well we had the second major...incident shall we say in this company's young history. Teddy Hart reached out to us in an effort to work here. He has a shady past, but I'm willing to give him a chance. He has a-lot of athletic ability...but on TV, he did a very unsafe corkscrew moonsault and with the way his knee landed on Van Dam's arm, it wasn't pretty. That's why I had to take RVD off of TV for a couple of weeks. Teddy never apologized for it, either. Second, I told him about using the exact variation of my B.M.E. and I would've been willing to stop using it if it ment it'd help him out. All he did was give me a blank stare and say 'I invented it' like an idiot. I think he invented stupidity in Canada. Raven said he should be Teddy Anus instead of Teddy Hart. At least it's closer to his real name and an exact match of his personality. You can tell he wasn't as disciplined as any of the other members of the Hart Family. Nattie I've met once...and she was sweet lady and she has a-lot of potential. David Hart Smith is already better than his dad and his dad, God rest his soul, was pretty good in his hay day. TJ Wilson's got the most potential of the three though his relationship with Nattie is how he's involved. God that man can mix high flying with technical ability and SELLING...something Teddy doesn't know how to do. That and they're professionals...something Teddy isn't, either.

*It shows RVD there in his RVD t-shirt now in a different interview room*

RVD: Dude, I normally don't get hot at a-lot of things, but the unprofessional behavior of Mr. Anus infuriated me. Since he screwed up my arm, I decided to potato him and I remember he complained to Raven about it and Raven, our locker room leader, simply told him to stop stealing my pot which was actually pretty funny. Teddy was just a fucking asshole, though.

*It then goes right back into the GM*

Iser: Around the time of my slow face turn began the longest fued we've had in XWA thus far...and the fued that has drawn the most money as of this point....Raven and Rob Van Dam. Those two just couldn't be anymore opposite. RVD is very flashy, very aerial while Raven is the ultra cocky brawler. They have enough similarities yet the differences are so extreme...pardon the pun...just ain't funny.

*It then cuts to Van Dam*

RVD: I remember coming in to the company...and I had a sit in meeting with Iser and Raven. Thinking about it, that'd be pretty fucking nerve wracking...if your first big meeting is with the franchise player and the boss. We started talking about how I'd be used and I'd be featured in a huge...feature angle and I agreed immedietely. WWE wasn't doing anything with me, and the pay was going to be the same anyway. The fued with Raven just flowed so well...just shows why he's on top and making all the money he's made for the company as champ.

*It then cuts right back to the GM*

Iser: Man...Raven was cool with the fued, but he wasn't so cool about the inital match. Rob suggested they do a ladder match and I was open for it since we haven't had a title match involving the ladder yet and it'd been about eight months since we had one. We were building toward it, and Raven reluctantly agreed to it despite it being a complete...uh...180 from what he likes to do.

*It then cuts right to Raven*

Raven: With RVD coming into XWA, I wanted to be the first one to get a shot at him. We talked about the Invasion angle, and I liked it. RVD was my first real opponent that likes to fly all over the place. No, Rey doesn't count. I remember Rob wanted to do a match out of my normal area, and make it a ladder match. Since I like to prove critics wrong, I did agree to it, but, not as easily as some would assume. I think the final product was a solid contest, that led to more matches in the future.

*It then switches right back to Van Dam*

RVD: It was a great way to come in. It got me as hot as I always was until that Teddy douche bag fucked up my arm, but we already covered that.

*It then switches back to Iser*

Iser: Yeah, that was what carried the invasion angle. I got one quick story. Raven did not play Pokemon Diamond for an entire week to prepare for that match. After that, we decided to car pool and ride together and I got all brash and cocky that I've trained my team with proper moves to finally beat his T-Tar-Dragonite combination...well, holy backfire is all I want to say. It didn't end well for me. I do better than most in trying to outwit him, but that wasn't a good day for me.

*It soon switches to Raven*

Raven: Yeah, I kicked his ass. He didn't have the antidote to the then Virus of Life. I don't think he knew what I was going to send out...but Lucario and Espeon were no match on this night. Close only counts in West Virginia Horse Shoes...and he doesn't believe in that hick crap so he just flat out lost.

Tazz: Has he tried to battle you again?

Raven: Yes. He's one of the few that's ever knocked out a single pokemon in the double battles, but Mewtwo just...infuriates him. The last time Mewtwo just killed him...we were pulling up at a Burger King and I had just won...he just took the food from the girl who gave it to him...and it was cold. I was going to say something, but he was pissed. He went on the greatest cuss riddled rant I have ever heard calling her cunt lips, and even cursed the donkey she rode on. It was AWESOME. I just sat there and epic pointed the entire time before we went out for cheese pizza instead. Oh and he didn't pay her either...he just tossed the food back at her.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

*The clips then show where Iser was limping around visibly backstage*

Iser: Tragedy did strike but it was a completely different type. You know with my style that things are going to happen...but my left knee was getting progressively worse and worse. I think a-lot of people saw me limping around but...I wanted to work through it due to the brilliant angles Raven and I had planned. It was going to be huge in helping me get over as a face where Raven will probably get more heel heat than he has ever had. Just as the weeks went by, the limp got more and more noticeable. It was impossible to really function without taking painkillers at that point. It just fucking sucked. I was probably the most...cranky and miserable I ever was during the XWA stint minus the Hogan bullshit.

*Soon, it cuts to Edge*

Edge: Of course, the wrestler mentality is to work right through it. I can relate as I had come back from my broken neck with a broken bone in my foot and a broken hand. It was starting to get really bad for Iser, though.

*Then, it cuts right to RVD*

RVD: I've had major knee surgery before, and I can tell Iser probably needed something of that magnitude with how bad he was limping around. To do half the shit he's done, you have to be a tough guy with...a screw or two loose upstairs, but it was just starting to snowball.

*It soon cuts to Raven*

Raven: Each time we would see Iser, his limp was getting worse and worse. It was starting to wear on him, so we discussed a way to get me over as a heel even more, and plant the seeds for our eventual fued. In the mean time, get him off tv so he could get his knee checked out. So, all of that led to the famous ambulance match, where myself along with Dead Pool took him out, targeting his knee. We tried to do it as carefully as we could, to not do anymore damage then there already was.

Tazz: Were you careful?

Raven: Yes, despite Iser saying go ahead and be as stiff as you want if it'll help the angle. You know how stubborn he can be.

*It cuts back to Iser*

Iser: I won't disclose what all was entirely wrong with my knee. I'd like to keep some things hidden. I still don't know how the fuck I made it through that match. I guess God was looking over me that day because Kane, even though he will protect you and is one of the safer big men, doesn't know his own strength sometimes. The worst part of it though was when I was roomed, there was this idiot beside me that was a chronic masterbater. I, of course, had the curtain closed around me so I don't get caught in the crossfire, but the nurse walked in one day and he told the nurse...'I like to grab my penis, I pull it all the time. Will you pull it for me...I promise I won't disclose the crime.' I couldn't help but laugh at how stupid that was. Thank GOD I was out of the hospital the next day even though I was in a wheel chair.

*Everyone in the production room starts laughing*

Iser: But wait, there's more. I'm sitting at the house a couple of days later and I get a phone call from that same nurse and she asked if she could pull my penis instead. I told her that I don't want crabs and hung up the phone, and then laughed my ass off.

*Once again, everyone in the production room cracks up laughing*

Iser: One more story. The first night I came back to get into the swing of things in terms of the ownership deal. I had really long blond hair before I was written off, and when I came back, it was back to my natural brown hair and it was barely touching my shoulders. Raven looked at me and said who from CZW assaulted me with a weed wacker. I about died laughing from that.

*For a third time, everyone in the production room busts out laughing*

Iser: Not to be outdone, I just coyly replied, 'I watched a Necro Butcher match and most of my hair hated it so much, they went all emo and cut themselves so they can run in the trashcan and hide from that hideous bullshit.'

*Soon, it cuts to highlights of the first Raven-Iser match with some of the commentary going on in the background. Soon, it's back to Iser.*

Iser: Holy shit, I was fucking nervous for that match. It was my first real match back in a few months and it was my first match where I started wearing the knee brace that I still wear to this day. At least I figured that if I am rusty, a great worker like Raven could carry my rusty ass through that match. There was also the whole issue in our styles possibly conflicting during the match. Raven didn't know at the time I was going to adjust my style to have less high flying and more mat based stuff and incorporate brawling into my arsenal due to wanting to protect my knee. It turned out to be one hell of a match that I'm damn proud of. I was going batty most of the day leading up to it, though. Jumping up and down in pace...jogging through the hallways three times more than usual...butterflys were definately rumbling in my stomach. I couldn't eat anything for a day and a half leading up to that match, either.

Tazz: The one that was on TV?

Iser: Yes.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

*More of the highlights of that match is played, including all the high spots and then that aftermath*

Iser: I didn't want to be World champion, but Raven and I both agreed that we needed to get the belt off of him for the time being so he can do something completely fresh. So, we talked with Edge and asked if he was willing to carry the torch and he said 'Hell yeah, I'll be your man.' So we did that.

Tazz: No backstage drama?

Iser: The only backstage drama was me panicking over if my damn knee will hold working such an intense match. You know how I've always worked and how Raven has always worked. I'm not sure how HE felt about it, but God damn. Words can't describe. Let's just say that match was going to be memorable. Either I'm on my game immedietely and it's a classic...or I'm off my game and it goes on a botchamania level of Wes's IQ from the Real World.

*Tazz falls off his chair from laughter as the rest of the production crew laughs once more*

[angryiser]

*The camera cuts back to Edge*

Edge: I'll honestly say that fueding with Iser was probably one of the easiest fueds I've ever had to do. The guy just knows how characters mesh, what clicks and what doesn't. That just makes coming to work all that much more fun.

Tazz: Did he put any added pressure on you?

Edge: No. Not at all. He just told me to do your job as only you can and everything around me will be taken care of. He held good to his word and even with all the stereotypes of how people in power should be booed...he got me, as a heel, very much despised.

*The camera soon cuts back to Raven*

Tazz: Who's idea was it to go darker with the character when you targeted all the crusierweights?

*Raven then looks at Tazz with a quizical expression on his face*

Raven: I went in a darker phase? That's news to me.

*The camera then pans to Iser*

Iser: If Raven gives you an explaination, I'll go into details...but if he didn't, like I suspect...I'll just meekly say this. It was to bring in Daffney in the end. Mission accomplished.

Tazz: Well, what was your favorite 'crazy' Raven moment?

Iser: Probably when he threw Matt Hardy into the pond and the fat son of a bitch begged to be saved.

*Everyone starts chuckling at that responce*

Iser: I also loved when Joey had a fucking heart attack when he said 'TWO CRAZY PEOPLE!?' and then Raven reverted to 'normal' when she came in. I almost fell out of my chair laughing.

Tazz: Who's idea was it to bring Daffney in?

Iser: Daffney pitched the idea herself. She was starting to get a little chummy with Raven if you know what I mean...and there was the natural fit where Raven was having an on again off again fued with Punk at the time and Punk and Daffney used to date. All parties were cool with the idea...hell, I think Raven and Daffney were really cool with the idea in more ways than one...and the rest is history.

*The camera cuts to Raven*

Raven: Yeah...

*Daffney then walks into the set and sits on Raven's lap*

Raven: I think the GM hit the nail on the...well nevermind. Anyhow, it was very fun...and it still is.

*The camera then cuts to the GM again.*

Iser: As much as being a babyface was refreshing and all...I'll be honest. I hated it. I fucking hated being the white knight. I look like shit wearing white anyway. It was even more stressful for me than when I had to work with that knee injury at the start of the run even when I'm working with such natural heels like Edge and Raven.

*It reverts to Edge*

Edge: I can tell that he, like I was at one point, wanted to be a heel for life but they wouldn't let that happen. He worked hard...maybe a little TOO hard, but I think he was fine in the role.

*Now to Raven*

Raven: Well, in our fued, it was natural, everyone hated me, and wanted to see me lose more than anything. As time went on, you did try a bit too hard to make sure the fans were happy, giving them matches they wanted to see, taking all the crazy bumps you did.

*Raven then blinks a couple of times*

Raven: I can't really judge though. I've never really been a babyface before. I don't kiss ass, I kick ass...and am completely awesome while doing so.

*It reverts back to Iser now*

Iser: I do understand enough psychology to stay likable, but...it's just not fun for me. I know I'm easy to like backstage, but I'll be the FIRST to say I got a few screws loose and for someone to play off of that...it's a billion times easier to be a despised and loathed character than a likable one.

*It then cuts back to Raven*

Raven: Maybe he would've been more likable if he wore 'dem suspenders' as he put it and then talked like a southern hillbilly all the time riding a pig and screaming yeehaw whenever he slammed someone.

*Tazz falls off his chair in laughter*

[angryiser]

*We cut back to Iser*

Iser: The heel turn...was very slow developing. I needed this as a character, but I couldn't just be the same heel I was before. I wanted to do something different...so I put my brain together with Raven and we plotted out the second phase of our program. God knows how many different modifications we made before we got to execute it, but...I'd like to think it really turned out well. It got the biggest buyrate we ever had.

*Now to Raven*

Raven: It made people think my title run was coming to an end. My entire career, leading up to this point, maing eventing WrestleMania, in my Hometown of Toronto, with one of my childhood Heros as the special referee. It was the clash of the two biggest personalities. The build up was like a war, you have these two sides, and, the entire crowd were the innocent victims of the result. I have been told I bring out the best in people, this case isn't any different. We both added a lot to the program.

Tazz: Did you see the number Iser did on your childhood hero?

Raven: I actually almost felt envyous because of how pissed off that Toronto crowd got. The heat they gave him before hand was huge, but after when he cemented it all...was insane. The only time I ever got that much heat was whenever I was shitting on him in his hometown and they threw half filled beer cans, tractor parts, moonshine spoons, and other various redneck projectiles at me. That was great...plus those incest loving rednecks didn't even touch me with the projectiles and that protected my face and hair.

*We switch back to Iser for the moment*

Iser: Even though I did turn babyface to freshen up that part of the Iser character, there comes a time where a character that isn't close to who you are hits an expiration date so I had to reinvent myself to something that was closer to home. I kind-a had a very screwed up childhood in some respects...so a darker character was easier for me to play but every good dark character needed that motivation. That motivation soon came from the Raven character pushing my character's buttons to the point that he transformed into a morally corrupt being that replaced what good qualities this man once had. It's a believeable transformation. Initally, you could cheer for it...but once you go too far, there ain't any turn'n back.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

Iser: Alright...one thing I can say after that wrestlemania...and I remember this so damn well. We had Bret come in and he did the motivational speech...the fuck'n week after. Mark told me that I had guest that was coming in and that he wanted to join the booking team with some new ideas. The booking team if you didn't know at that point was myself as the main guy, Mark...erm...Undertaker as the guy who sort of helps piece things together, and Raven who is more of an ideas guy.


*Iser's normally jokitive face turns dark and sour now as the memory is now fully into his mind.*


Iser: We're sitting here and we're starting to plot out the current direction for the main stars and we just really give bullet points for promos and what not. Raven was particularly happy because the blow off between him and I ended. Mark was joyous because of how great the show went and I'm happy because we're making the most money we've made in a very long time. Not that we were in bad shape but I was starting to think maybe we're losing our touch a little with the people. The ratings declined a little post Mania but shit...we were doing damn well with the houses.


*Iser grimaces at the next part*


Iser: As soon as we begin, Vince Russo, with a giant folder with papers stacked to the brim, walks in.


*We cut to Raven on his memory of it*


Raven: Russo? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


*Raven falls off the couch and doubles over laughing before it swings back to Iser*


Iser: Vince Russo plops his folder down and the very first idea was...we were going to do a big title match between Raven and a guy we were starting to bring in with Jeff Jarrett and he wanted to roll with Jarrett because he says he made a ton of money with him as a heel. He didn't fuck'n realize we just did an angle where I turned heel but Raven was our main antagonist at this point.


*We switch back to Raven and he's still laughing and then we go back to Iser*


Iser: The next idea was...he wanted to overhaul Kane by giving him a valet that would turn him heel and then face all within a month and no, Torrie Wilson doesn't have the range to be that type of valet nor should anyone be subjected to that fuck'n storyline. At this point...he's growling at us for not knowing shit about how pretapes work and Mark just goes 'We're not the movies, Vince. This is fuck'n wrestling.' and Taker almost never gets pissed even if you ruin his Jack Daniels.


*Iser lowers his eyes and shakes his head*


Iser: Then Russo went on one last pitch. It was to transform Shelton Benjamin into another version of Rico and if you get to know Benjamin...he's a quiet guy who doesn't do any talking or has that flamboyant type of charisma so it would've been forced and doomed from the get go so Mark kicked him out. Russo threw his binder at me saying I didn't know shit...and then I lept over the table and started punching him in the face...repeatedly.


*We cut back to Raven and he's still laughing*


Raven: Russo got more hits than Kelly Kelly's vagina in a Mexican locker room.


*After more laughter, we cut back to Iser*


Iser: I would've legit killed that motherfucker for his absolute disrespect toward the industry and what we've centered ourselves around. The other thing was...he wanted to script our promos word for word and we don't do that bullshit. My belief is nobody can really get that much better unless you just give'm the chance with some bullet points and let their character talk how they should instead of what you THINK the character should. I know how to book fueds and how some characters would naturally clash but I hate scripting shit.


*Iser lowers his eyes*


Iser: Oh and Vince...before you trash me by calling an anti-God guy and saying the power of Christ will repel me. He can't repel shit because he's dead but if he DID repel anything, it'd be your Jersey loving sadomastic ass straight to the eighth layer of hell for ruining so many fucking careers for no god damned reason you ignorant fuck! FUCK YOU!


*Iser lets out a sigh in disgust*