Secrets

February 13th, 1999
From Phoenix, Arizona
Card is subject to change

Friends, Foes, and Forces
Mike Haggar and Jack Slade w/ Jessica Haggar
vs
Major Force (Grater/Skarzz) w/ Saul Masters

               For several years, Mike Haggar and Jack Slade were the best of friends.   Inevitably, though, that friendship came to an end.
       Mike Haggar is the legend of the SMWA, possibly the greatest World Champion of all time.   Jack Slade is the upstart young star, a man who holds the World Title possibly years before his time.   A lot of people credit his success to Mike Haggar.
       Haggar and Slade were always at the front, defending the SMWA from whatever new menace loomed on the horizon.   Haggar, the legendary vet.   Slade, the hot rookie.   For years, the partnership was unaffected by the business of wrestling itself.   Then came 1998.
       First, Jack Slade was attacked by "The Rebel" Jerry Kent, who believed that Slade's success was a direct result of his association with the legendary Haggar.   Next came Charlie Angel, who though Slade was a "Second Coming" and worshipped him as such.   Then, Cody Simmons, a figure from Mike Haggar's past, the ex-boyfriend of his daughter, Jessica.   One thing became very clear to Jack Slade - Intentionally or not, his career was being dominated by his alliance with Mike Haggar.   It had to end.
       In an emotional speech on Monday Night Massacre in October, Jack Slade said his goodbyes to his mentor and to the woman he loved, Jessica Haggar.   Jack Slade went out to become his own man.
       Unfortunately, it didn't quite work that way.   At Thanksgiving Thunder, Jack Slade faced the Actor, who came out impersonating Mike Haggar.   Then, in the qualifiers for the BattleCrash match at Slam Masters: Final Breath, Slade was a last minute replacement for an injured Zangief.   Immediately, Jerry Kent returned to his old form, claiming that Slade had only received the break because of box office potential - The winner of BattleCrash would face the winner of the Mike Haggar/Ghost World Title Match at Final Breath.   Jack Slade vs Mike Haggar was a match a lot of fans wanted to see.
       In one shocking night, Jack Slade not only won the BattleCrash match, but served as a replacement for the injured Haggar, winning the World Title from Ghost.   The following Massacre, SMWA Commissioner Jack McCullough announced the Main Event for New Year's Smash '99 - Jack Slade vs Mike Haggar.
       Two problems.   One: Mike Haggar didn't want the match.   Two: Ghost's stable, Major Force, wanted the World Title back.
       Haggar and Slade engaged in several public arguments.   Haggar didn't want the match because he didn't want to risk straining the friendship he once had with Slade.   Slade wanted the match to finally get out of Mike Haggar's shadow and told Haggar very simply that, if the match did not go on, there would be no friendship to save.   Finally, Haggar agreed.   The match was signed.
       In the meantime, Major Force plotted and schemed.   At New Year's Smash, they destroyed the Main Event by attacking Mike Haggar and Jack Slade thirty minutes in.   No decisive ending was reached.
       Saul Masters made his goal very clear on the next Massacre.   He wanted Major Force running the show and knew that Haggar and Slade were his chief opposition.   Bluntly, he told Haggar and Slade that they would have to go through Major Force to get to each other.
       Slade and Haggar weren't buying it.   They had a rematch in a cage, but Major Force ruined that one, too.   They gave Jack Slade the win he wanted over Mike Haggar, but it wasn't clean, there was no pinfall and Jack Slade wasn't happy.
       Slade and Haggar's friendship seemed past saving at this point.   Slade was frustrated that he couldn't get a clean shot at Haggar.   Haggar just wanted the ordeal to end.   Both men ignored Major Force to keep at each other.   It was then that Saul Masters played his hand.
       In exchange for one tag team match, where Haggar and Slade would team up against Major Force's Alexander "The Grater" and Skarzz, who also happened to be the World Tag Team Champions, Saul Masters would unveil to the world a Sixth Member of Major Force.
       Speculation ran rampant and, thanks to some suggestions by Masters, Mike Haggar and Jack Slade themselves became suspects.   Slade even went so far as to suggest that Jessica Haggar, who has done her best to try and mend the gap between these two, is secretly conspiring with Major Force against both men.   Now, we're at a point where Haggar and Slade each expect the other to turn, but have to team together to discover the truth.   Is the Sixth Member Slade or a Haggar?   Or is it somebody else?

What's On The Line?
       This match will not be for the SMWA World Tag Team Titles.   It's not about Gold.   It's about the agendas of those involved.
       For Saul Masters, this is his chance at the ultimate power play.   He has Jack Slade and Mike Haggar teaming with each other as they verbally and psychologically claw each other's throats out.   In one fell swoop, he can eliminate both men from the SMWA and begin his rise to dominance.   And only Masters knows who the Sixth Member is, if there even is one.   This could all be just one, big bluff.
       Skarzz and Grater have little to gain personally in this match.   The feud between Haggar and Grater is the stuff of wrestling legends, but even it has been pushed to the back here.   This isn't about Grater and Skarzz.   For this match, they are simply pawns of Saul Masters.
       It would be foolish to say that Jack Slade and Mike Haggar's friendships are on the line here.   Their friendship seems long dissolved.   Haggar and Slade don't even have to win the match to find out who this Sixth Member is.   All they have to do is show up.   They could find out in the middle of the match, the start or the end.   And both men have stated that is the reason they are teaming this one time.   They want to see what Masters has up his sleeve.
       This isn't about a win or a loss.   It's about finding out what the other man has in his hand.

The Pauper vs The Punk
Terry Sky
vs
"Tricky" Rick Clark

       Terry Sky's troubles started when his former partner in Sky Entertainment Ltd, Ron Grayson, joined Simply the Best in December.   Up until then, it had seemed a sure bet that Sky and Highland Hell were going to get their sweet revenge on Grayson. Unfortunately, it was not the case.   Highland Hell lost to Grayson and StB at Secrets and, soon after, dumped Terry Sky.
       Sky's position was not an enviable one.   He found himself alone against two rivals.   One was Ron Grayson.   Sky and Grayson were the leaders of the now defunct Sky Entertainment Ltd., but Grayson was supposed to be second in command.   His power plays within the organization were what led to the split in the first place.   Secondly, there was StB member "Tricky" Rick Clark.   Long ago, Clark and Sky formed a dynamic tag team known as Highrise.   Unfortunately, Sky's ego got the best of him and he turned on Clark, blinding him in one eye in the process.   Clark has never forgotten the attack, and he wasn't going to let Terry Sky escape from this battle.
       At the time, Terry Sky was a wealthy man, having inherited twenty five million dollars earlier in the year.   Rather than face Simply the Best alone, he went out and did what any businessman would do - he bought himself support.   Terry Sky soon found himself a member of the dangerous Major Force!
       It came down to New Year's Smash, where Sky faced off against Grayson for the SMWA North American Title.   Sky survived Grayson, survived Simply the Best.... And he did it all without Major Force, who seemed unwilling to come to his aid during the match.   Soon, it became painfully obvious as to why.
       Somebody had cleaned out Terry Sky's accounts.   All of his money was gone.   That following Massacre, Saul Masters and Major Force came out very sharply dressed.   Terry Sky wasn't with them.   He had been abandoned in Los Angeles.
       Sky accused Masters of stealing his money.   Unfortunately, there was no proof that Masters did that, though almost everybody agrees it is the most likely possibility.   Masters wanted Sky dealt with and didn't want him interfering with his quest to take down Mike Haggar and Jack Slade.
       Re-Enter Simply the Best.
       Masters paid StB what we can assume was a very large sum of money on two conditions.   One, that StB stay out of Major Force's business, and vice versa.   Two, that StB be the ones to deal with Terry Sky.   Since then, every time Terry Sky has tried to get at Major Force, StB has been there.
       While the relationship with Major Force and StB has been rocky at best, with Saul Masters not wanting StB to even mention anything about Masters and his money, Terry Sky may have come to a realization.   He can try and get to Major Force, but he won't have a fair shot until he gets by Simply the Best.   Now, one more time, Rick Clark and Terry Sky are standing across the ring from one another.   You can bet war will ensue!

What's On The Line?
       Both men are looking for payback in a big way.   Rick Clark has never forgiven Sky for what he did to him and his eye.   Sky wants Clark out of his face so he can have a shot at Masters.
       For Terry Sky, though, there is a lot of dignity to regain.   When his accounts were cleared out, Sky was forced onto the streets for a while.   Rick Clark and StB made sure to poke fun at him, with Clark even going so far as to impersonate Sky himself in the StB skit "Poor Terry Sky".   Sky would love to prove that just because he's been living like a bum on the streets doesn't mean that his is a bum in the ring.
       For Clark, and for StB, this has to be seen as a test.   Saul Masters has already come to odds with StB for how they've handled Terry Sky.   If Clark can put the final nail in Sky's coffin at Secrets, he'll have Saul Masters off of his back.   Then, maybe, StB can enjoy their money in peace.

The War of the Super Powers: Against All Odds
Biff Slamkovich
vs
Gunloc and ??? w/ Chad Hillsman

       The War of the Super Powers raged on two fronts until January.   Chad Hillsman and Zangief had bee n feuding for over a year, dating back to when the ultra nationalist Hillsman began degrading Zangief's deceased mother.   Biff Slamkovich and Gunloc were, at one point, the greatest tag team in the history of the SMWA before Gunloc grew tired of Biff and turned on him, siding with the hated Hillsman.   The war got so intense between Zangief and Hillsman that SMWA Commissioner Jack McCullough had to officially ban them from attacking each other before or after matches, stemming from an incident where Chad was nearly choked to death by Zangief and a leather strap.   In January, at New Year's Smash, it was all supposed to end in a Gulag Death Match.   Unfortunately, something terrible happened.
       Zangief found himself tied to the steel cage as the All-Americans double teamed Biff Slamkovich, nearly beating him within an inch of his life.   In order to save his friend, Zangief was forced to submit to Chad Hillsman, but not before Hillsman made him run down his country, himself and his family.   Zangief had lost the match.   But that wasn't enough.
       Gunloc continued to beat down Biff.   Hillsman gave Zangief several options.   One, wait until SMWA Officials could open a jammed cage door to save his partner.   Two, do nothing and allow Biff to be beaten into oblivion.   Or three, once free from his ropes, save Biff himself.   That strategy would involve the kind of post match attack that Zangief could get suspended for.
       Zangief was freed from his ropes and nearly tore Hillsman apart.   That was the last we've seen of the big Russian.
       Hillsman, however, wasn't spared either.   He was suspended for thirty days, ordered to pay thirty days salary to Zangief and, in the ultimate humiliation, was censored!   Chad Hillsman could no longer talk in the SMWA or in any capacity for the SMWA.   For a time, this left two men alone in the War of the Super Powers.   The Super Powers themselves!
       However, it was not to last long.   Hillsman, censored, returned and Gunloc decided to give Biff a chance to end it all.   If Biff could beat Gunloc and his partner at Secrets in a handicap match, the war would end.   Biff would have won.
       One problem.   We later found out that, by "his partner", Gunloc wasn't talking about Hillsman.   He's got somebody else on his side.
       The War rages on.

What's On The Line?
       For the All-Americans, this is a chance to end it all.   Realistically, after what they did to Biff and Zangief at New Year's Smash, they could destroy him alone at Secrets.   It wont be Hillsman leading the charge on this one, but you can be sure that whoever Gunloc has as his partner, he will be more than capable.
       For Biff, this is the chance to end the war on a high note for the good guys.   A chance to be victorious over the traitor and the xenophobe.   Really, it's just that clear cut.
       A decisive win by either side will win the war at this point.   Question is, who's going to win?

The Conspiracy Theory
With Special Referee "Jumbo" Jack Flap
"The Rebel" Jerry Kent
vs
West Bronco

       Well, maybe having former wrestler "Jumbo" Jack Flap become a referee was a good idea at first, but....
       Jumbo refereed a series of matches between then TV Champion West Bronco and Simply the Best member Cody Simmons, something became apparent.   Jumbo seemed to be making more calls for Bronco and more calls against StB.   At first it seemed benign, but the the SMWA's Chief Conspiracy Theorist, Jerry Kent, put Jumbo on the spot.
       Jumbo and West Bronco used to team together as the Cross-Border Cowboys before Bronco violently turned against his mentor.   Bronco later revealed that Jumbo was a little to strict in his role as mentor and was trying to mould Bronco into a younger version of himself.   After the break-up, Jumbo was heartbroken.   He left the SMWA, and there was speculation that he still wanted to make amends with Bronco.
       Jerry Kent and Jumbo had a feud ranging back to the eighties, when Kent was the SMWA Champion and a face, while Jumbo was the hated heel looking to take the gold.   Jumbo came very close on many occasions, but could never defeat Kent.   Kent believes that Jumbo calling matches against StB is his revenge for all those years ago.
       Even outside of Bronco's matches with Cody, we could see evidence of this "bias" on other occasions.   Jumbo would be a little tighter on Bronco's opponents during his matches, not letting them get away with anything.   He'd be the same way towards Simply the Best, not allowing them to bend a single rule.
       Both Bronco and Kent became fed up.   Bronco told Jumbo to give it a rest and let him get on with his own career.   Kent issued the challenge for Secrets.   He wanted to take on Bronco in a match where Jumbo was the referee.   If Jumbo called a perfectly even match, Kent wouldn't push the issue any farther.   If Jumbo called the match for Bronco or against himself, Kent wanted a match with Jumbo.   Jumbo accepted.   That's why we're here.

What's On The Line?
       Really, this may be the biggest match of West Bronco's career.   Jerry Kent is a true legend and a victory over him would catapult Bronco into the upper echelons of the SMWA, possibly putting him in line for shots at the North American Title or the World Title.   A loss puts Bronco very comfortably back in the mid card.
       For Kent, this is his chance to prove he is right.   A win is a win.   A loss wouldn't help Kent out, but if it wasn't a clean loss, then he'd be able to justify it.   And he'd then have his match with Jumbo.
       For Jumbo, it's his credibility on the line.   Will this once great superstar be remembered as a bitter old referee who used his position to settle old grudges?   If he refs a clean match, then he has nothing to worry about so long as Kent keeps his word.   If there is anything that is questionable, then Jumbo's reputation will be openly smeared and he'll have to come out of retirement to fight Kent.

All the World's a Stage...
"Titan" Tim Redbury
vs
The Dark Brand

       Nobody knew what was happening when the Dark Brand first attacked "Titan" Tim Redbury during a match with Doomsday.   The Brand had only been a part of the SMWA for a few weeks, and already, he was attacking one of its most established stars.   Slowly, though, things began to come into focus.   Titan picked up on hints in Brand's speeches, where he would occasionally use quotes from "Hamlet", and pieced together a theory.
       Years before he entered wrestling, Titan made a go of it as an actor in England.   Because of his size, he was often typecast as a big oaf, but he finally got a fair shake in a shabby Shakespearean theatre troupe.   It was there that Titan met a fight co-ordinator by the name of Joseph McAllister.   Joseph was in line to play Hamlet in a production the troupe was putting together.   In the end, he was denied.   At that point, Titan lost touch with Joseph.
       Titan has publicly accused The Brand and Joseph of being the same man.   In fact, one week after Titan had issued a challenge to the Brand for a one on one encounter, the Brand didn't show up.   In fact, Joseph McAllister took the Brand's place.   After seeing both men, one must admit that the resemblance is absolutely uncanny.   The Brand wears a scarf that covers most of his face, but he's the same build and height as Joseph and talks in a similar manner.   Realistically, they are probably the same person.
       As of right now, we aren't sure why the Brand has been attacking Titan.   Is he jealous of Titan's success?   Did something happen in their past?   Nobody knows at the moment.
       As it stands, Titan is looking to beat some answers out of Joseph/Brand at Secrets.

What's on the Line?
       It's hard to say.   For Titan, a win against the Brand wouldn't be that significant.   The Brand is a newcomer and a win by Titan wouldn't elevate him any more than he already is.   Titan can only hope that a win answers some of the questions he is certainly asking.
       For the Brand, a win over one of the SMWA's most respected stars would shoot him up through the stratosphere.   Still, is that what the Brand is looking for?   Or does he have a darker motivation, such as revenge of some sort.   There's a link between him and Titan, that is for certain.   The link just has to be uncovered.
       Really, we won't know what either man has to win or lose until we find out more about just why they're fighting.

The Battle of the Baki Mono
"The Great Light" Oni
vs
"The Storm Warrior" Zuzanow

       At one point, The Great Oni battled Teioh of the Baki Mono, claiming that Teioh was a false deity, not truly one of the Japanese mystic spirits.   Teioh proved more than up to the task and, at the end of one match, Oni disappeared in a flash of light.   Little did we know what that would lead to.
       During Teioh's matches in upcoming months, he was haunted and stalked by this mysterious light source.   Nobody knew what was going on.   Finally, the Light Man revealed himself as Oni, who had undergone some sort of transformation to battle Teioh.   He was now known as the Gran Hikari, The Great Light.
       Slowly, the situation started to become more clear.   Teioh was only part of an advance team, a group of men who would use the SMWA as a refuge before attacking a prophecized "defender" of some sort.   Oni was his agent.
       At New Year's Smash, the rest of Teioh's group showed up.   Led by a woman, Iznami, the group went by the name of the Baki Mono.   Three men with powers similar to Teioh's, and one giant man named Amatsu, who Oni told us "brings evil".
       According to Iznami, Oni has stolen his power source, which seems to come from a mystical trident staff known as the Kongo.   Oni claims it was a gift, something to ward off the Baki Mono before the defender makes his appearance.
       Oni has fought off all members of the Baki Mono with the exception of two.   Amatsu is one.   Zuzanow is the other.
       Recently, this feud has been complicated by another factor.   During several Baki Mono attacks, Oni has been saved by a mysterious blue fire.   Oni claims this comes not from the defender, but from somebody else.   Somebody who seems to be on Oni's side in this conflict.
       Tonight, the battle resumes.   The Baki Mono, through Zuzanow, looks to eliminate Oni, leaving the road to this defender clear.   Oni looks to buy him more time.

What's On The Line?
       For the Baki Mono, the elimination of Oni will aid them in achieving their goals.   Iznami and here consort, Zists, according to Oni, are some sort of mystics who are looking to tap into this power that the "defender" is supposed to defend.   The Baki Mono are their agents.   Eliminating Oni means an open shot.
       For Oni, a victory helps his new cause, that of this defender.   Any damage he can do to the Baki Mono only aids him.
       Again, there are still many grey areas in this feud.   The goal seems clear, but with two major players not yet revealed, it's uncertain to say what's to gain.

SMWA Toughman Title Match
followed by a
SMWA Television Title Match
The Flying Scotsman (Toughman Champ)
vs
Kodiak Marmoset (Television Champ)

       We used to call him a loser.   Then he teamed up with Major Force.   We still call him a loser... only now, it's from a distance.
       After a long losing streak and a rather humiliating feud regarding SMWA mid-carder Clone, Kodiak Marmoset finally made good on some of his potential.   He joined the terrifying Major Force and upended the hot West Bronco for the SMWA TV Title.   Kodiak has been a fighting champion and, while his wins haven't always been clean, he's kept on winning.   In fact, in a series of matches against Hamish MacTavish of Highland Hell, Kodiak managed to do a number on the Highland Giant's knee.   Hamish went down to injury briefly, and his hot-headed friend, the Flying Scotsman, stepped up.
       Scots decided that Kodiak had to pay for messing up Hamish's knee.   He challenged Kodiak to a TV Title match.   Kodiak would agree, but only if he could get a shot at the Scotsman's Toughman Belt.   Scots agreed and the matches were set.   The toughman brawl would go first, and then we'd have a match for the Television Title!
       Kodiak and the Scotsman met once before in a toughman match.   The Scotsman beat Kodiak as he has beaten everybody else.   Quite convincingly.

What's On The Line?
       The Scotsman wants revenge for Kodiak's attempts to injure Hamish.   He also wants to regain the TV Title, a belt he held for only six days once before.   Plus, a win over Kodiak would re-establish Scots as a major player, not just a fringe champion in a fringe division.
       For Kodiak, every win boosts his ego and eliminates the tag of loser from his own mind.   If he can beat the Scotsman at his own game, then beat him for the TV belt, he has even more ammo to throw at the fans who insult him.
       The Toughman Bout will make or break the night for these men.   Whoever wins and can hurt their opponent has an excellent shot of taking the TV Title Match.   A win early could equal a win later on.
       Also, a win by Kodiak could eliminate any potential problems caused by the Highlanders to Major Force.   Masters has already proven, with Terry Sky, that he doesn't like distractions.   If the Scotsman wins tonight, that's going to give Highland Hell some guts.   Maybe enough guts to start messing with Major Force.

Tag Team Grudge Match
Simply the Best (Grayson/Simmons) w/ Monica
vs
Steelworks

       One team can't do much with a win.   The other team can't do much to win.
       This feud started a few weeks ago when the newly formed team of Cody Simmons and Ron Grayson battled the struggling Steelworks duo to a double count-out.   Since then, the two sides have met in singles action.   In fact, during these singles encounters, an old feud was rekindled, that of Andrew Marshall and Ron Grayson, who had one of the hottest feuds in the SMWA this time last year.
       These two teams don't really like each other.   Both want the win.
       Both teams have had problems as of late.   Steelworks have struggled and the signs of strife between the two has been obvious to the fans and wrestlers alike.   Grayson and Simmons, aside from not much liking the deal that Clark and Kent struck up with Saul Masters, have been clicking as a team.   Still, recently, Cody and Monica, Grayson's valet originally, now working for both men, have been late for matches and other appearances.   Hopefully, this isn't going to hurt StB too much.

What's On The Line?
It's do or die for Steelworks. They've been struggling to regain a winning form, and it's been a damn hard struggle. A win over StB means they're on the right track. A loss could be the end.
For StB a win is a win. It brings them higher in the rankings so they can be contenders to a team that they really cannot oppose at this point in time, Grater and Skarzz of Major Force. Still, with a few wins and a little time, who knows what can happen.

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