SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
For the first time, on Oct. 15 the noted D-Von Dudley Academy (formerly Team 3D Academy) invited members of the press to its training facility located just north of the WWE Performance Center for a press conference promoting their Oct. 24 show.
Ascension will be the school’s third show following this summer’s Inception and Rebound, the latter of which was a collaboration with All Combat Wrestling. It will be streamed live on YouTube, as was this hectic lead-in that highlighted and forwarded current programs. Hype in the form of chaos dominated the evening, but both before and after that entertainment kicked in PWTorch managed to get words from D-Von Dudley himself as well as several exclusives with DDA talent.
Emcee TJ Lopes first introduced Jay Luxx, MCG, Joey Blaze, Selene Heavens, Kiki Roberts, and D-Von Dudley, kicking things off by addressing the attack on D-Von by ACW’s Annexion (Angel Fashion and Riviero Rivas) that concluded Rebound. D-Von admitted that doing whatever needs to be done to make a name for yourself is exactly what he and longtime tag partner Bubba Ray Dudley used to do proudly in ECW, but he thinks ACW “picked the wrong person to try to do that with.” Heavens took a remorseful tone, lamenting that offering an olive branch had resulted in a Brutus-like backstab.
Kiki Roberts transitioned to addressing the issue effervescing between he and Jay Luxx, citing their post-match breakdown at Rebound and accusing Luxx of not knowing how to handle himself professionally. He talked himself up as an international superstar and denigrated Luxx as a crying degenerate who dropped the ball. Noticing the glamorous Luxx was mounting a retort, Roberts taunted him with the microphone as if withholding a treat from a puppy. Using Lopes’ mic instead Luxx rhetorically posited, “Kiki, didn’t you take the pin?” He continued, “Last time I checked, at Inception – our first show – I got the victory. Rebound? You lost… …You dropped the ball.” MCG weighed in, tidily opining that the turn of events between his DDA compatriots was “very shocking.”
Roberts and Luxx weren’t through yet, but DDA wrestler Samson was said to be causing a stir in the YouTube stream’s chat and asking if D-Von had an opponent lined up for him. D-Von authoritatively insisted the online upstart not worry himself with that, adding, “just bring your behind over here and I’ve got somebody for you.” Kiki Roberts – EP at the Academy – suggested that since one opponent apparently wasn’t enough for Samson at Rebound, ‘The Lion from Zion’ should face two opponents at Ascension. D-Von concurred and peered even further into the future by ominously stressing to Samson that “you might make it to the next show, and I guarantee you at the next show you might not make it at all.”
When questioning opened to the press pool, PWTorch first inquired how D-Von is balancing his students’ developmental opportunities on the DDA cards with the drawing potential of focusing shows on previously established talent. D-Von readily explained, “When we started shows we wanted to be one of the best – if not the best – independent-run show here in Florida, and I think we proved that in the first show… …The second show was just a continuation. So as far as I’m concerned, you have to be at the top of your game to be a part of DDA’s shows as we go on. And we’re going to have these shows regularly. We’re going to have our 20th anniversary show in April – April 23rd to be exact. It’ll be 20 years that DDA has been in existence. So therefore all the top talent from the past – as well as the future talent that will be ready to be on those shows coming up – will be on there. It’s not gonna be any different than any other organization that you might see out there that’s only gonna bring their top talent to their shows. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do here at DDA.”
At that point TJ Lopes nervously flagged that ACW wrestlers had arrived and were posturing menacingly at the back of the room as well as posting beatdown threats in the YouTube chat. D-Von immediately took the microphone back to say, “Gentlemen! I’m not sure why you’re here, and I really don’t give a damn. That was very cute what you did at the last show! You can smile all you want, but you see normal people that smile after doing something to me – or even my brother Bubba – basically get their ass kicked. Not to mention they get put through a table. But we’re not gonna do that… …you can stay as long as you want, but when it’s over, make sure you exit the way you came in.”
As we cautiously returned to questions from those in attendance, José C. with Drako Productions asked Kiki Roberts to further address the fallout with Jay Luxx. When Luxx indignantly handed the microphone down the table, Roberts harassed, “You see? I already took care of it… …He’s already following in line.” Roberts then escalated to claiming that if he wanted to fire Luxx, he could. Without hesitation D-Von interjected, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Let’s get one thing straight. There’s only one boss and that’s me. I’m the Hall-of-Famer… …not to mention 24-time world tag team champion, and I’m the one who runs this facility. I’m the one who opened up this school in 2007. I love you, [Kiki]; I love you to death. But you don’t overstep your boundaries.”
Roberts deferred and toyed at playing nice, but then ordered the DDA security team to escort Luxx to the back for “disciplinary training.” Luxx insisted, “I am not a dog,” but knew he had no choice but to comply. D-Von waited out the charade but spoke up to Roberts’ flagrant abuse of authority once more. “I think you and I need to go in the back and talk,” he said. With a sheepish façade barely concealing a roll of his eyes, Roberts relented and followed D-Von to the back.
Turnbuckle Tribe inquired with Joey Blaze about the mysterious fog-like substance that had caused him to collapse at Rebound. Blaze, who had been noticeably stifling coughs to that point, seemed ready to field the subject and began to say that Rebound was supposed to be his opportunity to capitalize on his success at Inception. TJ Lopes interrupted, pleading with the production crew to throw to a video package while he tended to something happening in the back. The lights flickered, and Blaze was suddenly laid out on the conference table. The security team cowered as a staff-wielding figure with an ashen grey face crept forth. The mystery man seemed to weave a spell with his words, and blew a chalky substance onto the prone Blaze. Eerie music began playing as the lights again went dark and the strange assailant vanished. Blaze was helped from the stage as Lopes apologized and desperately segued.
Cecilia Brooks and Caeli Fuego were introduced and sat distantly from one another in preparation to address their upcoming rematch. Fuego – known as ‘The Fire of DDA’ – confidently stated that she’s been growing and getting stronger in order to defeat Brooks a second time. ‘Brick Wall’ Brooks then called out that getting screwed has become a recurring theme for her, after having an apparent title win overturned at Inception then getting slapped by Fuego’s abuelita at Rebound. She callously foreshadowed bucking the theme and attaining victory this time. Lopes desperately stretched for a thread of hope, begging as to whether the former friendship could be repaired. Fuego simply stated, “No.”
The wrestlers then openly disagreed regarding who had made their feud personal first. Cleveland Henry with Black Arrow Wrestling pressed for an explanation as to why Brooks and Fuego no longer get along. Brooks leapt in, “You guys keep throwing the word ‘friends’ around.” She turned to Fuego and broke the news, “We were never friends… …You used me. You followed my footsteps.” And just when Brooks was heating up with an insensitive remark about Fuego’s abuelita, she was rudely splashed with water from Fuego’s cup and the two subsequently needed to be held apart by security. Lopes whined that he needs a raise.
D-Von was reintroduced to fulfill a promise to make a special announcement. He said, “So now DDA has started doing shows, and we’re very proud of them. We’re very proud of the talent that has come out of DDA to help launch this. So therefore, we have new [tag team] titles that are going to be displayed at our anniversary date in April.” He clarified that a tournament will be held for the titles, and stressed the importance of the resulting champions being representative of the DDA. He then turned his attention to the looming horde of ACW wrestlers, who shouted that they want in on the tournament.
D-Von thought aloud, “This might be interesting.” He swiftly made it official that an ACW duo – presumably their tag team Annexion who attacked him at Rebound – will have to qualify for the tournament against the team of T.N.T., that being D-Von’s own sons Terrell and Terrence. In attempt to insure against shady shenanigans, D-Von then amended the qualifying match to be a lumberjack match with five wrestlers from each promotion surrounding the ring. The ACW wrestlers made their absolute confidence known, so D-Von bet the farm and said that if the ACW team manages to become DDA’s first tag team champions then he will also hand ACW the keys to DDA itself. He stipulated, however, that if ACW causes any further mischief then they forfeit not only this opportunity but any future opportunities at the DDA tag belts.
Once the manic event came to a close, PWTorch caught up with DDA talent for exclusives.
PWTorch to Cecilia Brooks: Arguably, you should have won the Monsters Wrestling Orlando Championship from Amber Nova at Inception – you were controversially disqualified. And arguably, you should have won via disqualification in your Rebound match against Caeli Fuego. Are these decisions affecting your approach to your match at Ascension?
Brooks: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s affecting my approach. It’s just reflecting, and not having trust in the companies that I’m working for. I know what I’m capable of, and I think with both opponents that I wrestled I had the upper hand the entire match. That’s gonna be the same next week – October 24th at DDA Ascension. Caeli Fuego will get hers, and there will be no confusing ending to that story.
PWTorch to Jay Luxx: It seems Kiki Roberts – a key figure here at DDA – is treating what we might call a feud with you as though it’s actually part of your training. Do you have any response to the idea that his conduct is allegedly part of a training exercise?
Luxx: I just want to make one thing clear. I think D-Von made it a point tonight that Kiki Roberts is overstepping. Sure, at one point Kiki helped me out at this school. Sure, he was my assistant coach… but he’s not the head coach here at the D-Von Dudley Academy. And since I decided to do my own thing these past few years, I have branched out and I have made a name for myself outside of DDA. I’ve gone to California, I’ve gone to New York, I’ve gone to Atlanta, I’ve gone to Vegas, I’ve gone to Arizona, I’ve been all over the United States… so Kiki Roberts has not shown me anything. Sure, he taught me how to do a back roll, but right now, in this present time, Kiki Roberts hasn’t taught me sh*t. I’m doing it all on my own. And like I said, Kiki Roberts got the loss at Rebound, not me. So I think Kiki Roberts is a little sad about that, and he should be asking himself these questions – not me.
PWTorch to Kiki Roberts: We saw you get pulled aside by D-Von in the middle of the press conference. It seems that from your perspective your feud with Jay Luxx is more of a training exercise, but D-Von seemed to have some further thoughts on that. Do you have any comment?
Roberts: Well, of course D-Von – as D-Von is – has to make it known who D-Von is, right? We say inside the building all the time that we always hear, “I’m a 24-time world tag team champion!” He’s always got to get that in, right? Those old-timers always gotta get it in, right? So I understand that; I know that he needs to set the line and I get it. I am following him. It is the D-Von Dudley Academy, right? So… I’m following his guidance, but… I will not allow his company to be defaced the way that it’s being with Jay Luxx. So maybe he doesn’t see it in the moment, but as long as I have an opportunity to speak with D-Von and help him understand what I’m doing, it’ll help. It’ll make more sense to him.
DDA Ascension streams live on the D-Von Dudley Academy YouTube channel Saturday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. EST, from the Empire Event Center in Casselberry, Florida. Other wrestlers scheduled to appear include Leva Bates, Robert Colon, Damu Anoa’i, Damian Fenrir, The Metro Brothers, Onix, and Savannah Thorne.
