After a year away from the ring, Zero McHannon shocked the wrestling world when he resurfaced this past Saturday in Birmingham, AL. An eleven year veteran, McHannon has traveled across the globe, winning titles in Platinum Dynasty Wrestling, as well as other notable promotions. But instead of returning to familiar territory, the Miami native made his debut in FGA. Why? Well, we'll let the man speak for himself...
Zero McHannon: Everyone said that I had “vanished”, that I was “dead”, or gone forever… I had all the stress in the world on my shoulders, and I didn’t have wrestling to take my mind off those struggles anymore. Yet, I’m expected to give an explanation. You won’t get that from me today. What you’re going to get from me today is a little story…
The crowd seems indifferent about that, but Zero doesn’t give them time to think about it too much. He begins to pace the ring, holding the mic with one hand, and making hand gestures with the other.
Zero McHannon: I have missed wrestling. I’ve missed what it feels like to step in the middle of this ring and put on a show that makes people remember. In this very company alone, I’ve had only the pleasure to face off against Dom Harter. Not going to go into much detail about how that went for me…
He can’t help but give a small grin as most people stir, remembering that Zero lost to Dom in PDW for the Bloodshed Championship race.
Zero McHannon: I’ve had the chance to work alongside many others though. Yun and Cordy. Somewhat Noelle and Fujiko. I’ve been a Co-General Manager with Cindy Parker. Some of those very wrestlers I’ve got the chance to watch grow into something special. Annie Zellor, Tony Carmine, and Colton Sterling, who are now wrestling with some of the very best that this company has to offer. Then there are just the names that I’ve heard of, but for some reason, people can’t stop talking about them. Rightfully so if what I'm told is right. The Jimmy Page’s of this world… Regardless of how you look at it, when people talk about where the competition is, they talk about the people here in FGA.
The crowd agrees with him, giving the former Bloodshed and World Champion some support. Zero takes a few steps backwards, letting the fans simmer down some before he continues on.
Zero McHannon: Then there’s that one time where you see a little bit of magic happen. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, you know it. I seen it for myself when I was a World Champion. The match? Andreas Lasiewicz versus Chandler Scott. Even as a World Champ, I envied what they had. I watched the whole thing play out backstage… It was that day that I had found a new respect for someone like Chandler Scott, who I didn’t know very much about before his match with Lass. The guy wasn’t afraid to walk on someone else’s turf and try to take away their most prized possession. Yeah, not something really to put much thought into, but you wouldn’t say that if you seen the same match I watched that night. Coming down to the wire, I honestly didn’t know who would pull out the win. Two of wrestlings finest putting on a show that I could only hope to put on. Who won?
He remembers who won, but he smiles towards the crowd, not hinting the winner as they grow a bit reckless.
Zero McHannon: It doesn’t matter who won. What matters is that the match was everything you could dream for in your career. From beginning to end, like a fine tuned machine. It didn't matter that I was a champion, because these two wrestlers stole the show and there was no getting it back. It was its own reward at the end of the day because it was magical… That’s how I knew that FGA held something special. I witnessed it with my own eyes. So, it isn’t hard to say that I wanted to be where I believe the competition is at. I chase it, I thrive for it... Feed off of it. If you want to be one of the very best to step a foot on this mat, than you have to prove it, not just jack your jaw off about it. I mention all of these people that I knew from this company and how I’ve worked beside them, but I’ve only faced off against one… Sounds like you picked up a book with a juicy beginning, but the pages are blank when you get into the heart and the ending. What kind of story is that?
Zero gives the fans a sour look. Some people are confused where he is going with this, while others have picked up on the little things. He leans up against the ropes, staring off at the roof of the building.
Zero McHannon: It’s a halfass story... That’s why when I promised to return to wrestling, I already reached out to the company that I wanted to be a part of. I want to face off against the people I didn’t have a chance to get the ring with. I want to go toe to toe with friend and enemy alike. To start fresh with a batch of new faces. I wouldn’t accept anything else other than joining with the business where I thought every limit would be pushed.. The only place where I seen firsthand where the magic happened… FGA... Does that idea sound “golden”? Does it give you a “rush”?
The crowd starts to pop some as he gives them a sideways glance. He raises his eyebrows and paces himself back to the middle of the ring.
Zero McHannon: That’s right. You’ll see me as one of the competitors in the Gold Rush Rumble. I don’t just come to fight… I come to win. But you’ll just have to wait until then to see just how thirsty I am to get back inside this ring. I plan to do much more than “keep up”.
He jumps up on the middle rope of the nearest turnbuckle and leans forward.
Zero McHannon: And I’ll be sticking around afterwards, so get use to seeing my new pretty mug around this place!
Spiking the microphone off the mat from the corner ropes, “This Means War” hits the speakers hard again. Reaching up for his arm pads to throw at the audience, he realizes that he isn’t wearing any and takes off his vintage tee shirt instead, tossing it into the crowd. Talking about returning to the ring seems to have fired him up a bit as he begins to try yelling over his music to the fans, but we can’t hearing what he’s saying. The scene fades away as Zero spreads his arms, taking in the cheers from the crowd and the blasting music.
*****
Zero McHannon: Everyone said that I had “vanished”, that I was “dead”, or gone forever… I had all the stress in the world on my shoulders, and I didn’t have wrestling to take my mind off those struggles anymore. Yet, I’m expected to give an explanation. You won’t get that from me today. What you’re going to get from me today is a little story…
The crowd seems indifferent about that, but Zero doesn’t give them time to think about it too much. He begins to pace the ring, holding the mic with one hand, and making hand gestures with the other.
Zero McHannon: I have missed wrestling. I’ve missed what it feels like to step in the middle of this ring and put on a show that makes people remember. In this very company alone, I’ve had only the pleasure to face off against Dom Harter. Not going to go into much detail about how that went for me…
He can’t help but give a small grin as most people stir, remembering that Zero lost to Dom in PDW for the Bloodshed Championship race.
Zero McHannon: I’ve had the chance to work alongside many others though. Yun and Cordy. Somewhat Noelle and Fujiko. I’ve been a Co-General Manager with Cindy Parker. Some of those very wrestlers I’ve got the chance to watch grow into something special. Annie Zellor, Tony Carmine, and Colton Sterling, who are now wrestling with some of the very best that this company has to offer. Then there are just the names that I’ve heard of, but for some reason, people can’t stop talking about them. Rightfully so if what I'm told is right. The Jimmy Page’s of this world… Regardless of how you look at it, when people talk about where the competition is, they talk about the people here in FGA.
The crowd agrees with him, giving the former Bloodshed and World Champion some support. Zero takes a few steps backwards, letting the fans simmer down some before he continues on.
Zero McHannon: Then there’s that one time where you see a little bit of magic happen. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, you know it. I seen it for myself when I was a World Champion. The match? Andreas Lasiewicz versus Chandler Scott. Even as a World Champ, I envied what they had. I watched the whole thing play out backstage… It was that day that I had found a new respect for someone like Chandler Scott, who I didn’t know very much about before his match with Lass. The guy wasn’t afraid to walk on someone else’s turf and try to take away their most prized possession. Yeah, not something really to put much thought into, but you wouldn’t say that if you seen the same match I watched that night. Coming down to the wire, I honestly didn’t know who would pull out the win. Two of wrestlings finest putting on a show that I could only hope to put on. Who won?
He remembers who won, but he smiles towards the crowd, not hinting the winner as they grow a bit reckless.
Zero McHannon: It doesn’t matter who won. What matters is that the match was everything you could dream for in your career. From beginning to end, like a fine tuned machine. It didn't matter that I was a champion, because these two wrestlers stole the show and there was no getting it back. It was its own reward at the end of the day because it was magical… That’s how I knew that FGA held something special. I witnessed it with my own eyes. So, it isn’t hard to say that I wanted to be where I believe the competition is at. I chase it, I thrive for it... Feed off of it. If you want to be one of the very best to step a foot on this mat, than you have to prove it, not just jack your jaw off about it. I mention all of these people that I knew from this company and how I’ve worked beside them, but I’ve only faced off against one… Sounds like you picked up a book with a juicy beginning, but the pages are blank when you get into the heart and the ending. What kind of story is that?
Zero gives the fans a sour look. Some people are confused where he is going with this, while others have picked up on the little things. He leans up against the ropes, staring off at the roof of the building.
Zero McHannon: It’s a halfass story... That’s why when I promised to return to wrestling, I already reached out to the company that I wanted to be a part of. I want to face off against the people I didn’t have a chance to get the ring with. I want to go toe to toe with friend and enemy alike. To start fresh with a batch of new faces. I wouldn’t accept anything else other than joining with the business where I thought every limit would be pushed.. The only place where I seen firsthand where the magic happened… FGA... Does that idea sound “golden”? Does it give you a “rush”?
The crowd starts to pop some as he gives them a sideways glance. He raises his eyebrows and paces himself back to the middle of the ring.
Zero McHannon: That’s right. You’ll see me as one of the competitors in the Gold Rush Rumble. I don’t just come to fight… I come to win. But you’ll just have to wait until then to see just how thirsty I am to get back inside this ring. I plan to do much more than “keep up”.
He jumps up on the middle rope of the nearest turnbuckle and leans forward.
Zero McHannon: And I’ll be sticking around afterwards, so get use to seeing my new pretty mug around this place!
Spiking the microphone off the mat from the corner ropes, “This Means War” hits the speakers hard again. Reaching up for his arm pads to throw at the audience, he realizes that he isn’t wearing any and takes off his vintage tee shirt instead, tossing it into the crowd. Talking about returning to the ring seems to have fired him up a bit as he begins to try yelling over his music to the fans, but we can’t hearing what he’s saying. The scene fades away as Zero spreads his arms, taking in the cheers from the crowd and the blasting music.
