On Thursday Night Avulsion on August 11th, 2005, I defeated Sean Galen in my first match for the company in a non-title match. Sean Galen was the NLCW's World Champion at the time, and had been reigning dominantly for quite some time. It wasn't expected for me to pull off the win, but... well, you could say that on that night, David certainly trumped Goliath.
Road 2 Slamfest, 2005. It was November 20th, and on that night I had two milestones in my career take place... it was my first ever match against "Sugar" Shane Perry, a man who'd become one of my greatest rivals in the NLCW and one of the few men to truly push me to my limits in an NLCW ring. Furthermore, it was the night that I won my first Road 2 Slamfest tournament... giving me the opportunity to face Dillon Durst for the first time at NLCW Slamfest.
Speaking of which... NLCW Slamfest, on December 18th, 2005... it was my first real shot at the NLCW World Championship and, despite losing... I proved that a rookie could go the distance against one of the greatest wrestlers the NLCW has ever seen. It was a career-defining moment for me... because at that time, I could have either let the disappointment stop me from moving forward, or I could use the information gained from my loss to trump Dillon Durst the next time we faced.
Thanks to NLCW Bloodbath on January 15th, 2006... I was given that opportunity. After beating "Sugar" Shane Perry for a second time, I was thrown into the lion's den on the January 19th episode of Avulsion to take on Durst for his title again and, just a day over a month after my loss against the man... I was finally able to get the title I'd worked so hard to obtain. It was a night I'll never forget, a night where I'd finally realized my dreams after so many years of hard work and effort.
February 19th, 2006... NLCW's Rising Sun, an event that marked one of the most dangerous matches of my entire career. Judged by Rick Majors, Chris Champion and James L. Rockingwell... it's funny how tied-together my career has been with Chris and Rick, subtle though the ties-that-bind may seem. Bucky Skyler, Shane Perry... the three of us took each other to our absolute limits and, in the end, we gave the NLCW one of the most memorable matches of all time.
NLCW's Conflicting Values on August 27th, 2006 marked another memorable moment for me in my career... the moment I won the NLCW World Title for a second time, and taking out both Alex Jay and Violent A in the same match in order to do just that thing. It took absolutely everything out of me to pull it off, but... I remember that night, I remember the pride that filled me when I held that belt high, and I remember feeling like I'd made it to the top of the world.
On September 30th, 2006 I defended the NLCW's honor against Sean Galen and the LCW... and I did it successfully. The LCW lost both matches that night and was officially absorbed into the NLCW, and as for me... I protected the very title I'm going into this match for on Avulsion from being replaced by the LCW's gold. Of all my matches throughout my career... that one may have been one of my most proud.
New Year's Eve, 2006... NLCW's Slamfest 10 marked one of the most controversial matches of my career, and one of the most eye-opening all the same. Chris Champion and I fought each other to a draw, something that never should have happened... but it was Champion who'd nearly threatened to leave because of it. Until then, I'd never truly given thought to how driven Chris was to win his matches... but on that night, and thereafter... it made me realize something about my best friend I'd not really thought of before. It's likely what drove him, in the end, to bring himself back into the NLCW for one final run.
It was certainly what drove him to finally defeat me on March 11th, 2007 during NLCW's Sultan of the Squared Circle. Our second ever School House Brawl, and Champion... he finally broke even with me in that regard. He beat me, he truly beat me... and with that match I'd honestly thought that I was going to retire-- and for awhile, I was. I was retired and enjoying every precious moment of it with Suki and, eventually, with Ehno... but when the time came for me to make my return, I was ready.
My first appearance as "Remnant" was on July 29th, 2007 at NLCW 1NE... and I debuted underneath a mask to aid the NLCW against Dillon Durst's invading army. In the end, just as with the LCW, the NLCW prevailed... another group formed for the purpose of ending a federation that simply refused to die... it's funny to see how things turned out in the end, really.
January 25th, 2009... around the start of last year, I finally made my return, no mask, to take on Tyler Scott on an episode of NLCW Avulsion. That match began a many months-long winning streak that saw me tear through the NLCW's ranks at the time... but hearing the fans roaring so loudly for me and my return after those years had passed by? I was on the verge of tears as I made my way down to the ring, and it easily reminded me why I'd missed the business so greatly-- the fans really are a family for us... and they're a family I'm going to miss dearly.
March 1st, 2009. July 5th, 2009. August 2nd, 2009. Each of those dates represented something important to me... they represented me facing a kid that I believe will one day be a huge name in this industry of ours. Carmine Vestieri... I beat him all three times, but to be honest, he was able to grow from each loss and develop into a much more competant worker along the way. I sincerely hope that, one day, I'll be able to watch him wrestling in an organization where he's dominating as I believe he is capable of. That kid, he... he has a bright future ahead of him, I'm certain of it.
March 22nd, 2009 marked the day I won my first NLCW Tag-Team Championship, getting teamed up with Isaac Reynolds and running the gauntlet through all challengers in order to earn the vacant titles. Up until the bitter end of the division, he and I did a great job of keeping those titles held firm over our shoulders... and, beyond just being a great partner, Reynolds turned out to be a great friend, too. When the NLCW is done and over with... I definitely plan on contacting him again sometime. Thank you for the awesome run as champions, Isaac... those matches may be some of my favorites in this career of mine.
And then, there's August 23rd, 2009... my first match against Chris Champion since his return. It was a significant victory for me, because it meant keeping Champion from bogging himself down with the pressure of being NLCW's World Champion for at least a little while longer. In the end, that victory led to an eventual loss... but on that night, I did exactly what I set out to do, and in my mind helped drive Chris to go that little bit farther down the road. To the rest of the world, this was a phenomenal match... but to me, it was an attempt to save my best friend's life from ending even more prematurely than it already will.
I'd eventually go on to lose that title of mine to him in a gauntlet of a match that saw several people fighting for a chance at the gold... and then lose to him a second time when I challenged him for the title a month later. He'd grown stronger because of that strap, and to be honest... I was proud of him for his work. He'd grown a huge head because of his ego again, but a part of that was just his means to survive... Champion had to keep himself believing he was at his best again if he meant to make it to the end of the year. In a way, I suppose I can understand... but when I face the facts, it was the same thing that put him in the ring with Rick Majors at Slamfest, and may have cost him everything in the end.
And now... there's you and I, Rick. There's you and I, in the final match of the NLCW's history... and I'll even admit to being more nervous than I have in a considerably long time. However, to hear some of the things you've said, and to know how you feel about this federation of ours... I can't let you win, Rick, I just... I can't.
We're going to make history on Avulsion, Rick Majors... rest assured, you and I will define what the NLCW has forever stood for when we take each other on; however... you simply aren't going to be the last man standing, Rick. After what I watched you do to Champion, and after everything I've heard you say about this company I love so much, well...
... not even the Messiah can save you now.