Cara: Damn, Bruh! Everyone lookin’ fancy tonight!
Hood: My name is Hood, damnit.
Cara: Yeah? And my name is Cara, not damnit.
Hood: First it was Alice. Then it was Smith the Alice Fanboy. Now it’s the boss’ niece.
Cara: Put a bow on me and I will lay under your Christmas tree like the gift I am, bruh.
Hood: (Grumbling).
Cara: Anyhoo! Welcome to the OCW Hall of Fame Induction ceremony! We are honouring four bruhs of OCWs past as we move into OCW’s future!
Hood: I will say, there are some pretty big names going into the Hall tonight, and I get to see how it will be when I go into the Hall of Fame myself!
Cara: I don't know, bruh. I am pretty sure Smith will get in before you.
~Hood considers hitting the youngest Strader but decides he will save it for later. Tamika’s music stops when she stands behind the podium. She has a wide smile on her face and lets the OCW Faithful cool down from their cheering.~
Tamika Strader: Welcome everyone to the 2023 OCW Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony!!!! And we have a special class tonight. Entering as what we are calling a “Builder” like the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Builder Category, we induct President Dean and Marcus Welsh!
~There are some boos at the hearing of the name Marcus Welsh, but that was bound to happen with how he departed OCW.~
Cara: So like, I did some research before on this dude, and, well, the only thing I can remember is he took OCW from High School Gymnasiums to the big time! That’s pretty impressive, bruh. He also discovered the legend and Hall of Famer Scott Syren! And seems to have a deeply sexual relationship with Lurrr
Hood: … Yeah, it was shit for conditions back then. Taking us back to the promised land. It was damn tough. Catering would be day old donuts they got from behind Krispy Kremes in the dumpsters and discontinued Pop Tart flavours like Welfare Wildberry.
Cara: What kinda Pop-Tart?
Hood: Welfare Wildberry.
Cara: I am sorry to hear that, bruh. That’s definitely roughing it.
Hood: Wait, did you say Dean and Lurrr have a deeply sexual relationship?
Cara: Don’t shame their love, bruh.
Tamika Strader: And the next two have shown that when they bleed, it was red and black (but from here on out we bleed green and black, which sounds like gangrene honestly). She became the OCW Trans Atlantic Champion holding it for a record 176 days, breaking records as one of the longest reigning champions of any title in OCW, as well with defences. Not to mention went 17-0 to start her career and was seconds from defeating The Big Bifford for the OCW Championship… my niece, Veronica Strader!!!
~The crowd pops for the greatest TransAtlantic Champion in the company's history, keeping company with Mack O’Connor, Betsy Granger, and Vhodka Black. Tamika smiles widely hearing the love for her big sister’s oldest child.~
Cara: Even though she threw me off the OCW Arena while she was making history as the TransAtlantic champion, I have to say Veronica was a dominant champion, bruh.
Hood: Yeah, that was great.
Cara: Her reign? Yeah it was.
Hood: No, no. Her throwing you off the OCW Arena roof. That was great.
Cara: Hardy-har-har dicksmack.
Tamika Strader: And finally, we have The Lost Soul. Or The Lost Stranger, whichever he feels he is at the moment. Timothy Lincoln Samsonite! TLS is a man that knew how to get what he wanted. How to get into his opponent's head like others only wished they could. Also is the man with the most feared schoolboy roll up in the business!
~An image of The Lost Stranger in his Rorschach mask appears, then it turns to The Lost Soul without the mask, and revealing a stoic emotionless man, known by some as Tommy.~
Hood: TLS is single handedly responsible for getting those cartoon idiots out of OCW and forever deserves our respect. PTSD, greatest stable in history.
Cara: Agreed.
Hood: Agreed?
Cara: Yep. Satan just put on a parka, bruh.
Tamika Strader: So without further ado, let’s get this ceremony underway!
Bifford: Can you dig it, SUCKAAAAA!?
~The crowd goes wild for Bifford doing Dean's schtick.~
Bifford: Dean didn't discover me.. Triple M, Mario Maurako did. However, The Big Bifford couldn't have existed as you know him today without Mario bringing me and introducing me to Dean. Together with Dean, I developed what became The Big Bifford. Without him, I would still be in bingo halls telling fans that they were inbred.. But Dean.. Dean was a creative genius and he saw something more in every wrestler that laced up boots in Dean's locker-room.
~The crowd pops for Dean's name.~
Bifford: Over the years, Dean and I have went to the bar more times after a show than I can count.. He was a friend, a president, a mentor, and at times an enemy. When Dean and Cheasy M both disappeared for various reasons and I was left as President of OCW, Dean didn't like a lot of the things I did. The new color scheme, the Goldie title run, the goldfish and the baby turtles.. When he returned, we feuded.. but then we got past all of that.
~The fans cheer.~
Bifford: Since the beginning of OCW, Dean has been its creative force, whether or not he was in charge. I'm sure if Marcus Welsh was here and not back in West Virg-.. uhh.. somewhere in the Orient.., he would talk about all the creative ideas Dean sent him or called him with over the years. Dean is a creative madman and many of the characters OCW fans have known and loved over the last few decades wouldn't exist without Dean. Dean was a wild man, a great friend, and like a brother to me. He couldn't be here tonight, so I will accept this Hall of Fame induction on his behalf..
~Bifford raises up the Hall of Fame ring that is intended for Dean. The fans go insane cheering.~
Bifford: Still to this date, I think the greatest OCW event in history was July 31 2022.. Truth or Consequences. The show opened up with none other than OCW's founder, Dean, doing something like only Dean can do: a long freaking promo.. And in that promo, Dean described the FOUR PILLARS of OCW..
~The crowd popped and Bifford pulled his hand up and then threw up one finger.~
Bifford: LURRRRRRRR!!!
~The crowd cheers for the first OCW Champion. Bifford throws a second finger in the air~
Bifford: Scott Syren!!
~The crowd cheers a little bit less for Syren, since his most recent run was.. a little disappointing. Bifford throws a third finger in the air.~
Bifford: SILVERFREAK!!!
~The crowd goes ape shit and cheers for the comedy babyface from New Mexico.~
Bifford: .. and me. Not Triple P, not Mario.. not Outcast or Pike.. not Titan 3.. it was me, it was ME.. it was T! B! B!
~The crowd pops for Bifford and Bifford does the RVD Thumb-point when he says T! B! B!. The crowd chants along and all do the thumbs too. They know the Bifford babyface routine, even when he's clearly wearing an evil robe.~
Bifford: But the truth is.. there aren't four pillars of OCW. OCW's whole roster, throughout the decades, has sustained it and held it up.. so, no.. with all due respect to Lurrr, Syren, Freak, and myself.. we aren't the four pillars..
~Bifford holds up his four fingers and looks at them.~
Bifford: And the more I think about it.. there aren't four of us.. there are five.. and we aren't the Pillars of OCW, we are the fist..
~Bifford holds up his open hand, forms it into a fist and then opens it again, showing all five fingers.~
Bifford: Silverfreak, Lurrr, Syren, Bifford.. and Dean. The Fist.. or..
~Bifford stares at the hand intensely and the crowd starts going wild. Dean's music starts playing and Bifford walks away from the podium, to an open part of the stage. The crowd begins going batshit crazy, realizing what is about to happen, as Bifford gets down on one knee. He then rolls around on the stage, doing the worst (and most highly-robed) Spinarooni the world has ever seen. Two other grim-reaper-robe-wearing men walk over and help Bifford back to his feet. The crowd is laughing and having the best time. Bifford walks back over to the microphone.~
Bifford: I think if Dean were here, he would tell me to never do the Spinarooni in the Plethora Robe.. it would ruin the mystique.. but Dean ain't here.. Thanks for everything, old man.. and when you want a beer or a root beer, you know where to find me. And with that I induct Dean into the OCW Hall of Fame and accept this induction on his behalf. Thank you, Dean. Thank you for everything.
~The crowd claps as Bifford pulls up the Plethora hood and disappears back into the robe. He joins the other robed people and they walk off ominously.~
Cara: That Bifford is a strange dude, bruh. I like him.
Hood: That wasn’t Bifford, that was Plethora.
Cara: Plethora is Bifford, bruh.
Hood: Nope, Plethora wears a robe.
Cara: And I’m the crazy one.
Hood: Hah! You admit it! Classic OCW - - -
Cara: BRUH!
Tamika Strader: Up Next is a very special induction. When I sat down to figure out who should induct Marcus Welsh, only one name came to mind. The name of the man that sold his majority ownership to Marcus for an Applebee’s gift card which ended up costing OCW a lot more than it should with the bastard son of Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne.
So please, put your hands together and welcome OCW Minority Owner and Hall of Fame member himself, Michael Franklin Zybala!
Hood: Wait, is Zybala’s middle name actually Franklin?
Cara: I don’t think so bruh, my auntie teebag likes to make up names for people. Just ask Weston Alexandra, the Easter Bunny himself, Easton Waylon Smithers Alexander, bruh!
Hood: I should’ve known better than to ask that question. I blame myself.
Cara: Me and the fans blame you as well, homefry!
Zybala: Ladies, gentlemen, Faithful. We all come to these shows because we love OCW. Whether it's Piledriver, Massacre, Equality, Dystopia, or the pay-per-views, we love this company of ours. Very people loved this place more than Marcus Welsh.
~Many fans boo. Zybala raises a hand to calm them down.~
Zybala: It's true. While he may not have shown it most of the time, Marcus always wanted this company to thrive. Some say that's only because he liked the money it brought in, but it was only a small part of it. He knew that people hated the evil boss archetype and he liked to play that role. He came across as a money-grubbing, narcissistic, miserly, aloof can't be bothered with this shit, douchebag. But that was only a role for the crowd to see. Backstage, he was totally different.
Marcus, the one I knew, was the complete opposite. He had an open door policy that I'm sure I made him regret once or twice. He listened to everyone's ideas. Marcus gave his all to OCW. He cared about this business, maybe a little too much. He wanted to give everyone their time to shine, or at least give them a shot. He would plan too many stories, too many shows, and burn the candle on both ends. Sadly, he tried to do it alone too many times.
We all saw what the burnout did to his when we closed down before the pandemic. When the roster went to GCWA, he started to spiral. He had no business, no roster, and barely any cash. But that didn't stop him. He gathered a roster that looked for a home on Outsiders and tried to put on monthly shows under the OCW banner. And once again, The Faithful rallied to that banner. Some because GCWA was folding, but the rest came back because this was home.
Marcus has brought OCW back from the brink of oblivion several times. We still thrive today because of the foundation he laid. He was a good boss, a good promoter, and a good friend. OCW wouldn't be the powerhouse that it is if it wasn't for Welsh. Some people believe that he died in that plane crash. Others believe that he is faking his death to get away from the business forever. However, I believe that my friend is still alive, planning something spectacular that will be game changing. Regardless of his living status, it is my great honor and privilege to welcome Marcus Welsh into the OCW Hall of Fame!!
~A picture of Welsh with the Hall of Fame boarder appears on the big screen as Zybala leads the fans in applause to show their appreciation! The OCWTron lights up and the sneering face of VERONICA STRADER appears. The Faithful pop loudly!~
Cara: It’s my sista from anotha mista!
Hood: That’s still confusing to me.
Cara: Yeah, almost like it’s straight out of Days of Our Lives, bruh. Legit.
~Veronica Strader walks out from stage left and to the podium as Zybala takes his exit. She lets the Faithful calm down as she sneers before gracing us with her velvet voice that was a mix of The Raven and The Cowgirl.~
Veronica Strader: I know I am supposed to be honoured with my own induction into the Hall of Fame but I knew that I had to say something about Marcus Welsh as I was his “Chosen One” after all.
When Marcus made the very unpopular decision to purge the roster of the people that didn’t truly care about OCW, it didn’t go over well. Mostly it didn't go over well with people that weren’t even employed by the company. I was purged along with the rest but I didn’t take it like a little bitch. I made it known that I wanted to be a part of the future that Marcus had envisioned. Zybala said it right. He was a man of vision and knew what the company needed to thrive. It wasn’t purging the roster; it was about putting faith behind the right talent. Behind wrestlers like Dylan Thomas, The Lost Stranger, BRIM, Erin Gordon, PerZag, and yours truly, Veronica fuckin’ Strader.
Cara: I don’t know, the Purge did a lot of damage to the reputation of the company, bruh.
Hood: Maybe, but it didn’t stop your sister from putting down everyone they put in front of her, taking Betsy Granger’s championship and creating a whole new legacy with it.
Veronica Strader: I don’t believe Marcus is dead, I know he’s somewhere out there, probably Thailand with his favourite kind of boys- - -
Cara: The lady kind, amirite bruh?
Hood: Yeah, I hate to admit it but you are both probably right.
Veronica Strader: The truth is, with Marcus Welsh believing in me, taking a huge risk putting his faith behind the unproven Strader of my ridiculously large family (although the Knox side puts the Straders to shame in that regard) he played the ultimate gamble. What happened? I started my career in OCW with a 17-0 winning record. One hundred and seventy-six days as the greatest TransAtlantic champion in history…
Me and my man, Outcast, the first ever three time OCW Champion, a Hall of Famer himself who rebuilt the house The Big Bifford, Scott Syren, Mario Maurako, Silverfreak, Titan 3 etcetera etcetera built and I was the interior designer behind the redecorating.
~Veronica turns quiet, obviously taking a moment of silence for her late boyfriend which the OCW Faithful in attendance do, along with Cara and Hood. Veronica looks down for a few seconds before looking back up at everyone.~
Veronica Strader: I wouldn’t be inducted into the Hall without Marcus… so if you are out there listening or watching somewhere with a McDonald’s coffee in your hand while Greg and the Lady Boy’s are rubbing your feet and shoulders, I want you to know that no one deserves to be in the OCW Hall of Fame more than you do, and without you taking the risk you took believing in me, I wouldn’t be inducted in the same class as you. No one believed in me as much as you did, besides my late mom, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.
Proud and Strong, Marcus. Proud and Strong.
~Veronica nods her head to the audience, as she heads off stage, the camera stopping on the OCWTron built on the stage behind the Hall of Fame podium showing the image of Marcus Welsh and then His Chosen One, Veronica Strader.~
Hood: President Dean, Marcus Welsh and Veronica Strader are officially apart of a large and great group of wrestlers, except that dirty whore Alice fuckin’ Knight, in the greatest hall of fame in the wrestling industry.
Cara: Up next is The Lost Soul, but I am hearing he has a special inductor!
Tamika Strader: Unfortunately, The Lost Soul’s inductor couldn’t be here in person to induct TLS, but he comes to us live via satellite… former two time OCW Champion… the one… the only… the Steve Wilson In Charge himself… PIC!
~The OCWtron lights up and the smiling face of the healing Pimp In Charge showing up on the screen. The OCW Faithful in attendance give the former champ a large pop and a standing ovation.~
Cara: Mad respect for the former champion, bruh.
Hood: A Champion OCW could be proud of. Now we are stuck with that wingnut, SYNN!
PIC:When I stepped into a wrestling ring for the first time as a wide-eyed 18-year old, I never could have imagined where the journey would have taken me. I was a hot shot, I thought I knew it all because I was faster and more agile than most of the veterans surrounding me. I wanted to be taken seriously. I wanted a moniker that would make me seem more legitimate. So I began to call myself the “Pimp in Control”, or P.I.C. for short. Even after realizing how ridiculous it sounded for a redneck with roots deep in Appalachia to call himself a pimp, the acronym stuck. Three letters that have followed me wherever I’ve gone. So it’s fitting that, on a day like today, I have the privilege to honor a man who, like myself, spent his career in the shadow of three letters.
T L S
The Lost Soul. The Lost Savior. The Lost Stranger. Thomas Leviathan Samson.
Or as I like to call him…
Tommy.
Tommy and I met in a small independent fed known at the time as the Virtual Wrestling Alliance. It would undergo various name changes over a 3-4 year span depending on the whim of whatever financial backer our promoter Kenny Fowler had secured to keep the lights on before settling in as International Extreme Wrestling. We were immediately placed together as a tag team and the chemistry the two of us shared in the ring was second to none.
Tommy was a kid who grew up hard. He didn’t have the kind of family life that most do, and it was that lack of stability that drove him to be the best. Whether he’d admit it or not, he began wrestling because he was searching for that very thing he’d spent his life without.
He had the bravado, I had the charisma, and neither of us had much in the way of brains back then. We’d go on to feud here and there, letting our real-life jealousy toward each other bleed over into the business. But, it was good business, and Kenny was always willing to do whatever it took to make a dollar.
And that meant that PIC vs. TLS would go on to trade the IEW world title over and over until the company went under. That’s when TLS found his way to ICWF. While on his own, TLS managed to quickly rise the ranks, and in February 2001, he did the unthinkable and defeated ICWF and OCW Hall of Famer, Titan 3, to gain the ICWF World Championship. By this point, Tommy and I had put most of our past behind us and agreed to work together yet again. For the next year, the two of us, along with Kali, would form the Total Damnation faction. TLS and Kali held down the main event scene while I slowly moved my way up the card.
But real life issues always found a way to hit Tommy right when his rocket was ready to launch. He was forced to relinquish the title as he left the company, and even through many returns he was never quite able to recapture the magic.
Tommy would go on to many successful iterations of the TLS character in promotions like NLW, GCWA, and most notably here in OCW. While he never again held the main title for another promotion, Tommy was successful in winning too many championships to name. He was, and still is, as solid a hand in this business as you’ll find. Hell, if not for a bit of a lazy streak, he might still find himself at the top of most cards to this day.
Short and simple: TLS is one of the best to ever do this.
Now, I’d be remiss not to mention the backstage reputation that Tommy earned over the years. After all, his IEW Hall of Fame bio from 2004 reads:
“TLS was the absolute most hated person in IEW. He got under everyone's skin and was an absolute disaster backstage. He was fired numerous times by then president Blue Sexy, yet always managed to weasel his way back in.”
His backstage feuds with Dcafmaster, Eli Johnson, and Stupac were legendary in the IEW days. In ICWF he’d rub just about everyone the wrong way at times. Tommy wore the ‘loser leaves the fed’ gimmick out time and again with folks who disagreed with him. The guy is relentless.
But it’s funny. Maybe it’s the passage of time, or maybe it’s just the wisdom that comes with age, but the Tommy you see today doesn’t have that reputation. In fact, for those who have gotten to know him, it’s likely you’ll find many who agree that Tommy has been the backbone of this company for years. He’s the man that Welsh would go to time and again when things got tough. He’d be the one to rally the troops or ward off any intruders that got too close to destroying OCW’s legacy.
Tommy went from a locker room cancer to a locker room hero. Maybe not the hero we wanted, but most definitely the one we needed most. He entered this business as a lost soul searching for validation. He did what he felt was right despite what it would make him look like to the fans or other wrestlers. He did it his way, and in so doing, paved a way for an entire generation to do the same.
So, Tommy, congratulations. There is no one more deserving of this award as you. If Kenny could see us now, huh? Who’d have thought 25 years ago that the two of us would have shared so much of our lives together. You may have entered this business with no family to call your own, but today, I proudly call you my brother.
But don’t get it twisted. You’re still a little bitch.
Ladies and gentlemen… your 2023 Inductee into the OCW Hall of Fame… THE LOST SOUL!!!
Cara: Funk Show Brother check it out now, funk show brother, right about now! UH! UH! UH!
Hood: *Audible eye-roll.*
~TLS walks up to the podium, and looks at the palm of his hand where his acceptance speech is written.~
TLS: It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the OCW the last 2 decades. I've lost a lot blood, have been dehyrated from the amount of sweat I've perspired, and I've bathed in all the tears of the cry babies who have come and gone in the OCW ring. See I may not have the accolades, or even the big shiny belt on my OCW resume, but those things don't always define your impact on a place. I was here when nobody else wanted to be here, I stood in the frontline and fought off enemies who were looking to do us harm while others cowered in fear or tried to placate these intruders. I was OCW Proud and Strong when others were weak. This induction means that they saw the effort I put in, you all saw the effort I put in.
When I started this journey as a professional wrestler, I didn't do it for the fame or the glory. I did it because it gave me a sense of purpose, it was where I belonged. I've made few friends and many enemies along the way, but I wouldn't change anything. As a new era of OCW starts to take form, I want to acknowledge all the wrestlers currently in the Hall Of Fame and their history that they have established. I'm humbled to be joining them. To the OCW faithful, thank you.
~TLS nods to the OCW Faithful and to Tamika Strader as he exits stage left. Tamika walks up to the podium once more.~
Tamika Strader: As OCW’s new Majority Owner and General Manager I want to extend my deepest thanks to The Big Bifford, President Dean, OCW Minority and man who never stops emailing me with ideas in Mike Zybala, my niece and former OCW star Veronica Strader, the Steve In Charge himself, PIC and of course Thomas Leviathan Samson aka The Lost Soul. Each one of these men and woman truly belong where they have been inducted tonight. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening, we’ll be serving food and refreshments with a meet and greet with tonight’s inductees! And please, for the love of Alanis Morrisette… do not eat the chicken sandwiches provided by Plethora The Perilous. I cannot guarantee they are made of chicken and not the homeless people in the tent cities of the Second Chance Ranch.
~The OCW Faithful stand and applaud as a final video tribute to the Inductees and all previous OCW Hall Of Fame members.~
