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Prologue: 30 Minutes to Warpath!
It was thirty minutes until the biggest night of my wrestling career, the night where a former Rock impersonator\Jobber in an indy fed known as the American Championship Wrestling Federation would become the first World Champion of Global Championship Wrestling. I sat in my dressing room, going over the notes I had made with John Reed, Thirteen, and Jhub about our matches.
My fingers were shaking. I was nervous as hell, and I had a million thoughts going through my mind. Would I be able to perform well? Would I make my mentor Ben proud of me? Or, more importantly, Would my father be proud of me?
Suddenly, Ben walked in and asked me, "How you doing, Johnny?" He always calls me Johnny because he feels "Gaius" is out of place in America, I have no problem with the nickname.
"Fine, alittle nervous I guess." I replied in my Roman accent. It was the only response I came out with. However, Benjamin Teater is not the type of person to just leave a conversation at that!
"Come on man, out with it! What's got you down?" He said.
"Well, it's just, well it seems like yesterday I took that jobbing position in the ACWF to get started in this business and now here I am, about to go out there and win the World Championship belt. I should be excited but I'm really nervous."
Ben looked at me and smiled. "Johnny, the anxiety is only temporary. I went through the same thing when I won my first belt. As soon as your music hits, you'll know what to do. And you don't need those notes, you have it down cold." He put his hand on my shoulder and continued smiling.
I could feel the anxiety actually dying down. "Thanks Ben, that means a lot coming from you." I said as Ben walked for the door.
Before leaving he said, "Anytime Champ! Take your time and when your ready, come out to the main lockerroom. I have a surprise for you before you go out there."
I excitedly replied "Ok!" as he closed the door. I sat there thinking about all the events and conflicts that got me to this point and fifteen minutes later, when I felt ready to compete, I got up from my chair, fixed my hair a bit, and thought "if only the fans knew how nervous the ‘cold-hearted' Octavian was right now."
I got up, and walked outside through three hallways to the main lockerroom. I opened the door to it, and standing there around a bunch of catered food, were all the GCW wrestlers, applauding me! The babyfaces, Jhub and Rich Rollins, as well as my teammates in the Establishment, John Reed and Toxic, Khan, and the rest of the roster. And behind them all, was Ben; with the kind of smile on his face that looked like a father looking at his proud son. A tear came to my eye, as I made my way around the room. Khan was the first I came to.
"See you out there boss! And Congrats." He said.
"Thanks" was all I could muster. I shook his hand. Next came Andrew AKA The Renegade, and he gave me a hug and said, "Don't worry Johnny, everything will go smoothly. I'll try not to be too rough with ya!" We both laughed and I thanked him to for his support.
Toxic and John Reed were standing beside one another. Toxic spoke first, "Man, look how far we've come. Remember, Toxic's got your back, bro!"
"Ditto for me to, Chief!" was the response from John Reed. I thanked those two guys as well. Everyone on the roster was excited about the first GCW pay-per-view, we had all been through a lot to reach this point, but this gesture touched me deeply. (I am not the cold-blooded Roman you all love to hate in real life! I actually have feelings!) I continued around to room, to Jhub, my final opponent for the night, who reassured me and to Toad and Luke Hanson and all the other great guys of the GCW, who lended me their support. Finally, I got to Ben, still with that smile on his face and said to him:
"Ben, I wouldn't be at this point if it wasn't for you."
"John" He said with a sincere tone, "You earned this, I'm very proud of you and your hard work and determination. Now go out there and give them hell!"
Everyone applauded again and suddenly, the producer said "Two minutes to show-time folks for our Italian stud here and Mr. Reed!" We all laughed and then I went and got ready to head for the stage. Everyone in the room were excited and watching the monitors that were installed. John Reed stood next to me behind the curtain and we looked at each other. He said:
"Don't worry, we're gonna knock them dead with this angle."
I agreed with him. We prepared to give the fans their money's worth and ten seconds later, "Might of Rome" hit, and I walked out to face my destiny.
The Saga Begins:
My father had always groomed me from a very early age to inherit the family corporation, "Imperial Enterprises," which has their hands in almost every aspect of European culture. From music to olive oil, my father Claudius Octavianus, turned a small company into a multi-billion dollar corporation and turned our family into the wealthiest in Europe and perhaps the world. Our fortune numbers in the tens of Billions of U.S. dollars, but please do not think I am bragging by telling you this. I just feel that for you to truly know me, you must get a sense of my family.
My father was born into a rather modestly wealthy, noble family with the last name of "Borghese." My grandmother had traced our family history all the way back to Julius Caesar, with my father and grandfather being direct descendants of Julius Caesar's nephew, the first Roman Emperor Octavian. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus and in tribute to our ancient ancestor, my father changed his name and left home to start to build his "empire." Actually, my gimmick is loosely based on my father and his stern, Roman attitude. He used family money to buy an olive oil business and it started from there.
My mother, however, was a very different influence on me. Livia Colonna was always nurturing to other people's needs instead of her own, she met my father before he was extremely rich, and therefore she knew the real man inside.
They met in Venice, when he was there on business. As my father was walking through the streets, he was angry about a partner who backed out of a business deal. Suddenly, this woman's tire exploded while she was riding a bike, and she flew into my father's arms and both went flying into the Grand Canal. They were in shock, but then laughed it off and it started from there. Mother was a gentle woman, very humble, who loved my father so much she decided he was the one she would marry out of many other candidates.
I was born on October 19, 1976 to very happy parents. My father had begun building his fortune, and my mother and he had always wanted a son. I was my mother's gift from heaven and my father's heir apparent. Now, I'll get to wrestling in a minute, but here is the measure of my father's mentality.
When I was fifteen, I did a report for school on governments and social orders in ancient and modern Europe and my father saw this. He came to me and said, "Son, the old order in Europe is dead. Democracy runs rampant, therefore the new Emperors are those who control the wealth!"
"Father" I replied. "Does that mean that we are royality?" By this time, we had reached our current economic status.
"Yes, I suppose it does." With a confident look on his face, he patted my head, and got in his limo to go to work. That is the type of mentality in which I was brought up.
My mother tried to deter my arrogance, and brought me with her on a trip to Los Angles to visit her sister in 1991 when I was still fifteen. I was bored one day, and my mother turned to me.
She said. "Darling, are you not having fun?"
"Nope, this country sucks."
"Well, I have tickets to a sporting event tonight at the Sports Arena! Would you like to go? Just me and you?"
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"Something called wrestling, Wrestlemania VII to be precise!" She said with a smile on her face.
"Sure, why not?"
That night, my mother took me to see WWF Wrestlemania VII, and I watched The Ultimate Warrior defeat Macho Man Randy Savage in a retirement match and the other matches with excitement and wonder in my young eyes.
The clincher tho, was the main event that night. If you all remember, the Gulf War was going on during this period, and the two titans going at it were the Iraqi Sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Real American Hero, Hulk Hogan for the World Title. When the bell rang, and the referee raised Hulk Hogan's hands in glorious triumph, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.
I told my mother my dream, and she smiled and said "Whatever makes you happy, sweetheart."
I began to inquire about how to get started in this business at the age of sixteen. Then my father found out about it while overhearing my mother on the phone. He barged into my room that night and said "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING THROUGH THAT PEE-BRAIN OF YOURS? DO YOU THINK I WILL ALLOW YOU TO THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY COMPETING IN THIS EMBARRASSMENT YOU CALL A SPORT?"
"But it's what I want to do, dad!" I said with a firmness in my voice he quickly destroyed.
"I WILL NOT HAVE A SON WHO IS A WRESTLER! YOU ARE GOING TO OXFORD UNIVERSITY IN GREAT BRITAIN AND WILL GRADUATE WITH A DEGREE IN BUSINESS. END OF DISCUSSION."
"But I want to go to the University of Rome and be with my friends!" I pleaded with him.
"I said End of Discussion! Do not make me repeat myself."
Being sixteen, I was in my final year of high school in Italy. I would be seventeen by the time I started Oxford. I graduated in 1997 at the age of twenty one, and immediately started working at the family business as a member of the board of directors, a job I despised.
In College, however, I had built up my body to athletic perfection through weight lifting, playing rugby, and I even trained with a European wrestling pro for the four years I was at Oxford. I had saw his offer in the paper to train young hopefuls in this business, and I went to see him. Ted McQueen took one look at me when I walked into his office and said "I know you, you're the son of that rich tycoon. Why the hell are you here?"
"I love the sport." I replied "And since I have already began to weightlift and play rugby, I feel training on the side could enhance my chances of making it in the wrestling business someday."
"It's two-thousand a month"
"Money is no problem for me, however I would like to see your credentials."
"No problem, here you go." He threw me a book of pictures of him wearing different titles in different wrestling leagues. He was a three time World Champion in the British Wrestling Alliance, and a four time World Champion in the European Wrestling Federation, and held countless smaller titles in various indy feds. These credentials were good enough for me. We started training one on one for the next four years, and he taught me a lot about the sport I love.
Once graduation came, I immediately started working, so I would no longer be able to train. I had told him this and he look disappointed but understood. He said "how about one more match, for old times sake?"
I agreed and we started the match. I had started training not being able to defeat him for the first year or so. Now, four years later, I had this forty-five year old muscleman panting as I gave him a run for his money. After twenty minutes, I scored the pin with a double DDT and he looked at me proudly.
"Your ready." he said to me with pride in his voice. "Go get those American bastards." I thanked him for all he had done, and gave him a hug. He had given me the number of the owner of a small promotion in the United States called American Championship Wrestling Federation. I could have started out in Europe, but the biggest feds in the business were in the United States, and I was determined to reach the top of the mountain, as Jim Ross would say.
Sadly, it would be the last I spoke to Ted, because he was in a car accident and had died while I was on the plane to Ohio to meet with Kyle Fisher, AKA Mr. Danger of the ACWF, four days after we last spoke.
I went to work, keeping the number in my wallet, not sure yet if I would call. I still needed something to motivate my decision enough to leave my father and his billions and start training and working in the United States.
Then at work, I saw a man commit suicide out a twelve story window because of stress. From that experience, being a college graduate in a job I hated, I was more determined than ever to become a wrestler, even if it meant being disowned by my own father. I walked into his office that very afternoon, and said:
"Dad, I know your going to be pissed off, but I quit the company. I did what you said and went to Oxford, now I want to follow my dreams."
He had a look of both disappointment and anger on his face. He turned to me and said "Throw your fucking life away, but from now on, I HAVE NO SON!" He turned his back on me. He told security to throw out this "worthless piece of garbage." Imagine that, a father calling his son, garbage! I was deeply hurt, but not enough to be deterred from my plans.
I went home while Dad was still at work and got my things and $10,000 I had stored just in case this happened. My father had frozen all my bank accounts, so this was plan B for airfare and the essentials I would need until I found a solid wrestling job. I said goodbye to my mother, who supported me and tenderly offered to smuggle me money whenever I needed it.
"Gaius." She said. "You're my son, and that stubborn son of a bitch will come around. Give him time, if you need money, please contact me."
"No, I'm sorry but have to succeed without the family fortune. I love you, mom."
"I love you too sweetheart." She said with a proud look on her face.
Mom kissed me and hugged me and then had the limo driver take me to the airport, and I boarded the plane that would change my life, forever.
Getting My Feet Wet: The ACWF
I landed in Columbus, Ohio thirteen hours later and jet-lagged as anything. I found a quiet little motel called "Motel 6," took the phone off the hook and settled in for a nice sixteen hour nap.
I awoke the next day feeling refreshed and I decided to call this Kyle Fisher, Ted had spoken about. I found the phone number and dialed the number. A woman picked up.
"Hello, Mr. Fisher's office. How may I help you?
"Hi, My name is Gaius Octavianus, and I understand Mr. Fisher runs a wrestling promotion?"
"Yes he does, is he expecting your call?"
"I believe so, tell him a Mr. Ted McQueen recommended me."
"Hold please."
I waited in anticipation as a stern male voice got on the phone.
"Gaius, Hi this is Kyle Fisher, Ted told me a lot about you."
"He did?"
"Ya, he sure did! Now, I don't really have a need for another real wrestler out here."
My heart sank as I heard these words. I couldn't believe I went through all this anguish for nothing. But Kyle Fisher wasn't finished with me.
"However," He continued. "Our ratings are slipping a bit, and in order to boost them, I may have a job for you. Are you familiar with the WWF's The Rock?"
"Yes, I've seen him in action before. Why?"
"Well, I was thinking we could have you on as a Rock impersonator to boast ratings. It won't pay much but it'll get your feet wet in the business. Can you come in for an interview tomorrow?"
"Sure can Sir, is two o'clock ok?"
"That's fine, see you then."
He hung up the phone and I was ecstatic. I was literally jumping around my room in joy. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I stopped and composed myself and then answered the door. It was the office attendant, she had a message for me.
"Sorry to bother you Mr. Octavianus, but your phone was off the hook last night and this message was taken down for you. I think it's from a Mr. William McQueen."
I was kinda taken back. I knew a Ted McQueen but never heard of a William before. I said thanks and shut the door. I opened this note and it read as follows:
"Gaius, My name is William McQueen, Ted's brother. I'm sorry to inform you that Ted was killed in a car accident last night. I tried calling last night to get a hold of you but your line was busy so I called the office. The funeral is gonna be in Dayton, Ohio where Ted's wife is buried. If you want to attend, your more then welcome. The services are Sunday at 12 noon. I'm sorry we have to meet under such difficult circumstances."
My heart sank. I was speechless, and suddenly tears came out of my eyes. I called Kyle back right away and told him what had happened, he too was speechless. He told me to still come in tomorrow that way he'd know who he was driving to Dayton with. I thanked him for the support and we talked on our way to Dayton. It still hurts talking about Ted, so I'll conclude this paragraph by informing you that the funeral was very beautiful, and in a personal message to Ted. I love you man, I hope I'm giving you some laughs by my wrestling skills, wherever you are! Rest in peace, my dear friend.
The way back from Dayton is when Fisher informed me of the position I would hold in the company.
"Basically," said Kyle as we drove down I-95 in his car. "You'll be a Rock impersonator that is there for laughs. Sorry, but you'll be a Jobber to some of the bigger guys."
"And how will this help my career later on?"
"Well, to be honest, the only thing I can think of is it will show promoters how well you take a bump. The pay isn't too good because we aren't doing so well right now, only four-hundred dollars a week, but I suggest you take it."
I thought long and hard and decided to accept the offer. Little did I know that this Jobber position would propel me to bigger and better things when it ended.
Kyle told me to be at the arena around noon the day of the match. He wanted to introduce me to a few people. I got there five minutes early and he met me at the door. I was introduced to two people who would change my life forever. Standing by the ring, getting ready to have a little workout, were Ben Tweater A.K.A. Steven Caldera, and Khan. We said our hellos and Ben took a liking of me from the start. Finally, I went into the studio and did a Rock-like promo for that evenings match. I was to face a wrestler known as "Weasal." I never did get his real name.
I met him alittle while later and he seemed like a nice enough guy. All the wrestlers treated me very well, as an equal instead of a jobber. That night we had an ok match, and Weasal pinned me with his finisher, the Weasel-Kick Bomb. Don't let the name fool you, it knocked you on your ass. But, I had done ok out there for a jobber.
Next up, was the future ACWF World Champion Steven Caldera, who completely decimated me and got the one-two-three with his Caldera Drop. If you wanna read his tales buy his book though, on sale now! (Shameless promoting for someone else's book, in mine. How lame!)
Anyway, I had been doing well in the ring, even though I was a jobber. One day Kyle came in and told me he had to trim the fat. Kyle felt bad and told me I'd still have a job, setting up the ring for the big Pay-Per-View and doing a bunch of other stuff, since he had fired six other people and needed me to fill in.
The Pay-Per-View was a moderate success and we had a new World Champion. Ben and I talked backstage afterwards about the dynamics of the match. We had a nice conversation and then him, Jhub, and Khan went to dinner and I went back to my motel. I fell asleep that night watching old re-runs of Three's Company on a local station.
The next day, I woke up and went to the arena as usual. However, I had gotten there a little late and saw the entire roster in shock. Ben came over to me and told me the sad news, ACWF was closing it's doors. I stood their motionless, my first fed was shutting it's doors.
"I know it comes as a shock, Johnny." (The nickname originated here.) Ben said. "Since I'm out of work for the moment, if you pay me fifty bucks a week, I'll train you four times a week on the side. That way you don't have to be a jobber in your next federation."
"Wow, I appreciate the offer. But why so cheap?"
"Cause I like you, I don't know what it is. But I have this weird feeling inside me that's telling me not to let you go. And I always trust my instincts."
So we agreed to start training me more in the American style of wrestling and ACWF closed it's doors. We worked together for about two months, while Ben looked for other openings.
Now this was the period when Ben was negotiating with CWU. I was showing real progress, and Ben informed me that it would have to be twice a week instead of four times because he was starting CWU in a few days. We continued training even though he worked a full time wrestling job as that promotion's new commissioner.
However, a few weeks after he cemented his position as commissioner of the Cyber Wrestling Union, I received a phone call from Ben.
"Johnny, How are you?"
"Fine, got a minor headache. Why? What's up?" I asked curiously.
"Well, today is your lucky day. We have an opening in CWU and I want you to fill the position."
"Fucking A! That's great. I'll be right there."
"Woah big man! Wait a second, you need a gimmick."
"I got that covered."
"You do?"
"Oh I do. Remember I told you about my father and his arrogant attitude?"
"Yes?!"
"I just might have an idea that is perfect for me."
"I look forward to hearing it. Come in as soon as you can."
I was ecstatic. I rushed to CWU headquarters and had a meeting with Ben, Nathan Krotzer and the creative team of CWU. After six hours of grueling work I found the perfect gimmick, based completely on my father, the man who had disowned me, and Octavian was born.
Making Up
While I was still preparing for my debut, the phone rang one day in my small motel room. I answered it and expected it to be Ben, but I got the shock of my life. It was my father.
"Gaius!"
"Dad?"
"How are you, son?"
"This is really unexpected dad. I'm...uhhh...I'm doing ok. How are you and mom?"
Now, I want to be clear that I never held any hatred towards my father for what happened. I would probably be pissed if my son deserted me to chase his dreams, but I would get over it, as he was.
"Your mother, she's fine. A little pissed at me. Listen son, I've realized some things and I don't want this to continue. I understand your young and you have interests, so pursue them and know that your family is proud of you and backs you a hundred percent. Your bank accounts are no longer frozen."
I was speechless. My father had never acted this way before. I had assumed my mother got to him. But I wasn't prepared for what he told me next.
"The main reason I'm calling is, I'm going in for tests, and the doctors think it might be colon cancer."
"Dad, that's terrible. You'll call me as soon as you get the results right?"
"Absolutely son. We'll talk soon."
He hung up the phone. He didn't say "I love you" or anything, but that's how my father is. I couldn't believe this. I started training more to get my mind off it, and I told Ben who tried to console me.
A couple days later, the phone rang. It was Dad and he was jumping for joy.
"Son?"
"Dad! What's the news?"
"Son, it was a kidney stone! I don't have cancer. I knew our great genes couldn't have cancer."
"Dad, that's great! But, what now? Is everything okay between us?"
"Well, tell you what son, let's make an agreement. You can wrestle your heart out for years to come. You already know how the corporation runs. So, if you return to Rome only on the most important corporate occasions to help me out, I'll condone your wrestling. But when I retire, you stop and take over the company for me. Agreed?"
"It's a deal, Dad. Thank you."
"We'll talk later son."
He hung up the phone. I was so happy, I had my family back. It's amazing how a person you thought you knew your whole life can still amaze you. Well I guess Octavian wasn't based on my father anymore, so I would have to take him to even bigger heights.
The following months, that's exactly what I did. As you all know, I started my legendary rise to fame through the ranks of both the CWU and GCW, earning the Hardcore, Tag Team, and U.S. belts in CWU and the World Title and Commissionership in GCW. And even now, as I write this, Octavian is gearing up for another feud over the World Title, and the question we all must ask is, Will anyone be able to stop this Roman Powerhouse? That in itself, may be a question for the ages.....
by gaius octavianus