07-20-2019, 09:09 AM
Note: For the sake of argument, everything shown here is on-camera. There isn’t a moment here that isn’t relayed upon you in an off-camera function. You know all. You see all. How does it feel to finally… finally… have the omnipotence you so crave?
THE RETROSPECT
A look at the career of Donovan Kayl
A Kayl-TV Presentation
Produced by Brittany Kayl
Written by Brittany and Devon Kayl
Directed by Brittany Kayl
Donovan Kayl’s career has spanned an impressive 24-years. Starting at the age of 16 in an old Toronto gym – likely one torn down in the years since due to funding cutbacks or in the name of “efficiency” or to build a new Tim Horton’s – the man who would become known as the Cornerstone was a mainstay of the independent scene for seven years before being “discovered” by Jake Colossal and signed to an entry-level contract with the fledgling Shootclub Wrestling Alliance.
Donovan: “When I signed with the SWA, I had a tremendous chip on my shoulder. I was going to be “the guy”, and didn’t care who heard me saying it. When I walked in on my first day, I expected all of this fanfare and celebrations. Well… that isn’t what happened…”
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The camera comes on in the parking lot of the MSW Arena in Tennessee. An unknown vehicle is seen pulling in, and a large number of reporters rush around it, anxious to see who is inside. When the occupant steps out, the crowd begins to disperse. This seemingly insults the man who occupied the vehicle, who grabs for one of the reporters.
MAN: Whoa…what’s going on? Where’s everyone going?
REPORTER: Well, we were waiting for Alpha, but you obviously aren’t him.
The reporter goes to walk away, only to be pulled back by the man.
MAN: How can you be sure that I am not Alpha?
REPORTER: I think we’d be able to recognize the former BRW World and Tag Team champion.
MAN: And so, you decide to basically spit on anyone who isn’t him?
REPORTER: Well…no, but…
MAN: You don’t even care that the savior of the Cruiserweight Division of MSW has finally come to where he will launch to stardom.
REPORTER: Um…
MAN: Well, do me a favor, OK?
REPORTER: Ok…I guess…
MAN: Wait until Alpha gets here. When he does, tell him that Donovan Kayl has a bone to pick with him.
REPORTER: Will do…is that Donovan with one “V” or two?
MAN: You don’t even know who Donovan Kayl is, do you?
REPORTER: No…is he a friend of yours?
With that, the “man”, who rather bluntly revealed himself as Donovan Kayl, brushes the incompetent reporter aside and continues into the building. The camera fades to black.
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Ah yes, MSW. The beginning… of the dream. Well, it wasn’t exactly the “beginning” per se. There was the span of seven years before that, but since we lack any tangible footage of those days, we choose instead to ignore it. But after Donovan arguably stumbled out of the blocks, sometimes all it takes is one idea to set someone straight on the path.
Kayl: “Kayl’s Korner was meant to be a temporary thing. Ultimately it ended up defining my career as I tried to find some kind of identity. That’s the thing about entering a company like that - sure, you can get by on the indy scene by just being yourself and making yourself a dick or whatever, but when you get to the big stage you have to be able to stand out. Kayl’s Korner was my shot…”
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Episode 1
The camera comes on in a new, elaborate set. There is a large picture of Donovan Kayl on one wall, a computer screen on projection on the other. “Boom” by POD plays as out steps Donovan Kayl, in a strange “Strong Bad” t-shirt, steps out. He has a microphone in hand, a cue card with it, and something MSW fans haven’t seen from this young star…a smile on his face. Sure, it looks forced, but that isn’t the point…it’s a smile just the same.
Kayl ~ Hello and welcome to…what’s this show called? We haven’t decided yet. That’s just great. Well, either way, this is the show I’m being forced into as a means to further fill the deep pockets of MSW officials. I will receive a question, then, in my ultimate wisdom, answer the question. So without further adieu, let’s get to the question.
The computer lights up, and words, almost as if they were typed, are being produced on the screen.
Dear Donovan,
How do you deal with a comic book, cartoon, and card playing git?
-The Disco Freak
Kayl stares at the screen with a shocked expression on his face. He waves for the producer to come over. Hurriedly, the producer rushes to Donovan.
Kayl ~ Who screens these letters?
Producer ~ Well, sir…
Kayl ~ Fire them.
Kayl then immediately pushes the producer off-screen, and turns to the camera.
Kayl ~ Well, Mr. Freak, if that IS your real name, I’m really questioning if even I can help you. I mean, I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all, but here you are, using the word “git” at the end of a plea for counsel. I think your real problem comes from your obvious lack of…one moment.
A prompter rushes in and whispers something in Kayl’s ear. Kayl stands up straighter than before, with a whole new expression on his face.
Kayl ~ I have just been informed that Mr. Freak is actually the MSW heavyweight champion, Lewis Manchester. In knowing that, I would like to…
Kayl looks around very uneasily.
Kayl ~ Oh, I can’t apologize. That letter is a nightmare! Ok, but you want to know about getting a comic, trading card, maybe even a cartoon deal? What you need to do is wake up! I mean, first, look at those clothes you wear. Now, it may surprise you to learn that I am not a fashion guru, but I am pretty sure that those clothes belong in some Goodwill bargain bin. You need to contemporise…like me.
Kayl takes a sip from a nearby glass of water.
Kayl ~ The other thing you need to do is to stop listening to that God-awful music. I mean, when was the last time disco was popular? I believe it was the ‘70s if I’m not mistaken. What you need to do is get some new music. Get some rock, rap, emo, country, punk...ANYTHING! I suppose that, since no one is perfect, if you can’t escape the urge to groove, you could get dance or techno. But please…disco is in intensive care, my friend.
Kayl looks around at the shocked techies.
Kayl ~ I suppose I should apologize. The truth can be brutal at times, can’t it. And I mean brutal with a capital B-R-utal. And next time, please keep your questions simple. None of this “git” lingo that only the British know…no more signing under aliases, and maybe I will be a little nicer. Probably not, but you never know. Until next time, I’m Donovan Kayl.
Kayl looks into the camera with a real smile as the camera fades to black.
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Kayl’s Korner set the stage for other things like Kayl TV to take hold, so thank God for that, right?! As time wore on, people - by which we mean people signing the cheques - thought Kayl’s Korner was lacking a certain je ne sais pas… and the introduction of a co-host changed things for Donovan forever… forever… FOR-E-VER…
Kayl: “I wasn’t on board at first with the introduction of Chloe Barnes as my co-host. After all, what was the point of having a show named after yourself if you weren’t the only one responsible for it? It wasn’t only for the fact that I had an overgrown psychopath on a quest to kill bunnies on my show. It felt like a slap to the face…
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A Startling Addition
The camera comes on shortly after the Thunderfoot attack on the CWF Mero Memorial Champion, Donovan Kayl. He is recovering with one of his producers pacing in the background.
Producer ~ First Narf...now Thunderfoot. Donovan, you have a disturbing tendency to get attacked.
Kayl ~ I'll shake this one off. I've shaken attacks off before. Besides, Thunderfoot had some Twilight help, it's not like he would of had me if he was alone.
Producer ~ But...we're starting to get concerned...for the show's sake.
Kayl ~ I'm the Mero Memorial Champion. Of course the show's a prime place to attack me. Everyone wants gold.
Producer ~ We're giving you a co-host.
Kayl ~ What I mean to say is....................a what?
Producer ~ It will be safest for all of us if we install a co-host.
Kayl ~ I don't NEED a co-host. Why do I need a co-host?
Producer ~ Not someone who will attack you. Just someone to keep the set safer. We are all beginning to fear for your safety.
Kayl ~ Pfft...safety. Why don't you just cancel the show.
Producer ~ It's too much of a ratings pull. We just need some help to stave off the attackers.
Kayl ~ Who?
Producer ~ Um...Chloe Barnes...
Kayl ~ Who?
Producer ~ She just transferred in...she can help us reach that male demographic.
Kayl ~ So we're sacrificing the integrity of the show for demographics?
Producer ~ ..............................you're taking this well, I'll leave you alone.
The producer hurries out the door. Donovan Kayl is left in a shock as the camera fades to black.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl: “And the first time I actually met Chloe? Well, it could have gone better. But knowing how far we’ve come in the 15 years in between, I probably wouldn’t change a thing. We’ve now been married for almost 9 years. We have three beautiful children. Life with our families is good. And we have two successful businesses coming out of our wrestling careers. So yeah, you could say everything worked out for the best, as unlikely as that had seemed on day one.”
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On Set...
The camera comes on at the brand new set of "Kayl's Korner", Canada's first advice show put on by a wrestler. The new set features a Canadian flag at the back, and the chairs are now red rather than blue. The other main difference to the set is the addition of a second chair, the one which will be occupied by the new co-host of the show, "The Beautiful Storm" Chloe Barnes.
As the scene opens, the camera pans around looking as a busy production crew sets up the show for the first Candian edition. The floor director is shown pointing to where some set pieces are going to go. As the floor staff sets everything to ensure a flawless, Narf-free show, Donovan Kayl, the CWF Mero Memorial Champion, enters the scene with a duffle bag over his shoulder. He is wearing a button-up short sleeve designed shirt and black jeans. Removing his sunglasses, he walks up to the floor director.
Director ~ Sunglasses? In the middle of winter? Look at it outside...it's blankets of white.
Kayl ~ I thought you were educated. The suns reflection off the snow is much more dangerous than any possible hazard. Besides, I wanted to get hear early for the show.
Director ~ Oh...(He points around the set) Do you like the changes we made to the set? Management felt it made the show appear more...Canadianized...than before.
Kayl ~ Yeah, yeah...changes are great.
Kayl drops his duffle bag to the floor and looks at his watch. To make sure his eyes do not decieve him, he taps the watch a couple times.
Kayl ~ Dammit...where is Barnes?
Director ~(flustered) Oh..uh...she hasn't arrived yet.
Kayl ~ I THOUGHT we agreed to be HERE...ON SET at 12:30!
The floor director looks puzzled, and checks his own watch.
Director ~ But, my watch says it's only 12:25...
Kayl ~ Well...mine says 12:32...I knew she'd be bad news...LATE for her first shift.
Just then, Chloe Barnes, the newest addition to the Kayl's Korner team, enters. She is wearing a see-through, white frilly blouse that cuts off at the mid-section and brown hip-huggers with platform shoes on her feet. She enters, and immediately walks over to where Kayl and the floor director are standing.
Kayl ~ Well...nice of you to finally show up...
Barnes ~(Shooting a cold look at Kayl) Sorry I'm late...traffic...
Director ~ Oh, you've already met! Great...
Kayl ~ Yeah...we met...she called me an arrogant prima-donna...
Barnes ~ He accused me of being a groupie...
Kayl ~ She said I had "mommy issues"...
Barnes ~ He called me a "freakin' psychopath"...
Kayl ~ Well you...!
Barnes ~ But you...!
Director ~ Whoa! Calm down you two! The last thing we need is for you two to go at it...unless that'd bring in ratings. Hold on.
The floor directer takes the walkie talkie off his belt and speaks into it.
Director ~ Hey, would ratings increase if Donovan and Chloe were to go at it?......What do I mean "go at it"?....You know, fight...........it wouldn't...well what about the other kind of "going at it"?.....we'd have to put the show after midnight....that would hurt our ratings.....yeah.......thanks.
He puts the thing back on his belt.
Director ~ The last thing we need is for you two to go at it. Now, the show is going to start taping in about half-an-hour. Until then, you can go to your own, separate dressing rooms (he shakes his head) or you can sit and get to know each other better (he nods his head).
Chloe looks over at Donovan...Donovan looks over at Chloe. After a few tense moments of silence between them, Kayl breaks it by saying...
Kayl ~ I'll be in MY change room!
Barnes ~ Oh yeah?
Kayl ~ Yeah!
Barnes ~ Well I'LL be in MY change room!
Kayl ~ Oh yeah?
Barnes ~ Yeah!
Kayl ~ Well FINE!!
Barnes ~ FINE!!!
Kayl ~ FINE!!!!
Barnes ~ FINE!!!!!
Donovan Kayl and Chloe Barnes storm off in opposite directions. Before they head down their respective hallways to their respective change rooms, the both turn back to look at eacth other.
Both ~ FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The two co-hosts exit the scene, leaving the shaken floor director standing alone. He stares off into the centre of where they walked off, and says to himself...
Director ~ This could be problematic.
The director then puts the floor crew back to work as the camera fades into a commercial.
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Eventually, “FINE!” would become one of their most beloved bits, the name of an “I hit them, then you hit them, then repeat” signature move of theirs, and a word that anyone uses when they’re not REALLY fine, but don’t want to talk about it. I think we can credit Donovan and Chloe with that. But anyway, time wore on. Donovan and Chloe split up. MSW became CWF and moved to Canada. Donovan stayed until it closed and then found Chloe again. They travelled through Australia, Japan, Philadelphia, Texas… anywhere. Donovan’s career was that of a “good hand” (OH MY GOD DONOVAN DON’T WRAP A STEEL CHAIR ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD!)... he was used to elevate the talent that management wanted on top, but never given the chance on top himself. He watched as others - those closest to him - became World Champion always wondering when it would be his turn.
Oh, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. So here’s the first time he shared the ring with Simon Lyman.
Kayl: “Simon… for someone who would become my best friend, I kind of got the jump on him. See, it was the World Series of Wrestling. Each company put representatives out and we faced each other. I was set to face Simon who was representing Canada’s newest company, Calgary Power Wrestling. So as the former face of the National company to the new face of the nation’s company, I felt we had to meet…”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
The scene comes on with a shot of CPW Iron Man 2005, with Donovan Kayl of RSW standing in the ring, attempting to join Team CPW.
Donovan: What do you say, will you have me?
Looking at Donovan, still unsure, Simon then turns to the crowd and ponders if he should accept the hand or not. They of course would love to see one of their heroes actually join the team alongside a budding hero and so urge him on.
Stepping closer and extending the hand again, Donovan raises the microphone back to his mouth as he smiles... or is it a smirk?
Donovan: You can’t go against the will of the people, bud.
That seems to win Simon over and he lightens up, readjusting his title on his shoulder as he smiles and accepts the hand...
and the two shake.
Kayl then holds Simon’s arm up in the air.
Donovan: The NEW face of Canada!
Chants for both men begin to spring up as Kayl, still holding onto Lyman’s wrist and keeping their arms in the air, begins to turn them around in a circle for the whole crowd to see. After completing the turn and waiting for the cheering to die down some, he continues.
Donovan: I said it wouldn’t be an RSW victory... it’d be a Donovan Kayl victory! So to every moron back in Japan... I’d just like to say... PSYCHE!
Suddenly yanking on Simon’s arm, Kayl pulls him face to face as he grabs him around the neck with one arm and hooks the near leg before falling back and driving Lyman’s face into the mat with a Flatliner!!
There’s a stunned silence from the crowd for a moment before they finally launch into a frenzy of boos.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
I still can’t believe that footage. Donovan was kind of a dick at that point, and Simon didn’t really deserve that. Also I can’t believe that they stood that close for so long without Simon being able to get a word in. Trust me when I tell you that, in 2019, that never happens. Also the flatliner never happens - why does no one use that move anymore? You know what? I’m going to make a mental note to add it to my repertoire. Obviously for Simon and Donovan, that wouldn’t be the end of their history. They’d go on to become World Tag Team Champions basically all the time by the end of 2010. After their first victory, they always reclaimed the titles by defeating the team that beat them, yet somehow only ended up second in the SWA’s Greatest Tag Team of All Time vote in what I can only assume was a politically-motivated vote. For shame, SWA! For shame!
Kayl: “The institution of Standing Room Only came after several successful tag teams on my part. I had been a World Tag Champion with Danny Darko as “Big Shots” and with Sludge Guts as… well… I don’t remember that team name. But I had the pedigree there, and Simon was probably the most complimentary to my style. He was married to Chloe at the time, so I figured why the hell not? I think after what? 20 reigns together? I made the right call…”
And the right call he did… but then it happened. May 27, 2009… in front of a sold-out house show crowd, Donovan took on the SWA World Champion, the Neptunian Robot. That’s right, folks. In the SWA, they fought fucking ROBOTS from NEPTUNE! But that was the night that Donovan Kayl overcame it all… the night he took the world...
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May 27, 2009
The scene comes on during minute 24 of Neptunian Robot’s SWA World Heavyweight Championship defense against Donovan Kayl. The crowd cheers heavily, attempting to rally behind their “hometown” challenger as the champion latches in a pressing bear hug. Kayl grimaces in pain as Robot’s arms press down on the small of his back, restricting his airways as he struggles against the weight of the maneuver, however his strength saps itself. The crowd, however, does not give up on the challenger…
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Kayl’s arm first pulls to life, swinging itself around in an attempt to gain some feel for the situation. Then, his other arm pops up. Kayl balls his hands into fists before swinging his arms at Robot’s head, sandwiching it. Robot staggers a bit, but holds onto the bear hug. So, Kayl winds up again, sandwiching Robot’s head. This time, his grip weakens enough that Kayl is able to slip out, dropping down to the mat. As Robot regains his composure, he looks to Kayl, swinging an arm out for a clothesline. However, Kayl ducks and slips behind him, quickly applying a weak full nelson. The crowd goes wild in cheers.
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Kayl holds onto the move with all the desperation in the world, going so far as to climb up on Robot’s back, propping his legs up on Robot’s waist. Robot flails his arms around, trying to get his hands on Kayl’s head. With a handful of hair, he goes to flip Kayl over, but Kayl manages to pull his head back, causing some hair to remain in Robot’s hand, but for Kayl to get free. Out of desperation, Robot goes into reverse, backing into a corner. Kayl sandwiches forward, releasing the full nelson. Robot staggers forward, showing the effect of the submission move, before turning back to Kayl. He charges in, jumping up for a splash, but Kayl moves out of the way! As Robot bounces off the turnbuckle, turning around, Kayl meets him with a stiff boot to the midsection. He pulls Robot’s head in for a DDT, but spins around, hitting a thunderous G’Night [bleep]! The crowd explodes on their feet as Kayl slides backwards, laying across Robot’s body with his shoulders pressed across. Kayl reaches back and grabs the far leg as the referee drops for the count, a count with the enthusiastic CWF crowd counts along with…
“ONE!!!”
“TWO!!!”
“THREE!!!”
The crowd comes absolutely unglued as everyone, including some of the CWF staff gathered around ringside, burst to their feet in a unanimous, deafening chorus of cheers. Kayl rolls down onto his stomach, burying his head in his arms. CWF ringside announcer, Jonathan White, gets up to make the announcement, once which he knew would be barely audible over the roaring crowd.
White: Here is your winner… and the… NEEEEEEEEEW SWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… the Cornerstone of CWF…
DONOVAN KAAAAAAAAAYL!
Kayl remains face down as the referee jumps out of the ring, heading to the timekeeper’s table and grabbing the platinum World Championship belt. He rushes back into the ring and slaps Kayl’s shoulder, holding the belt in front of him. Kayl looks up at the belt, his face awash with emotion as he has finally reached the pinnacle of the industry, seven years after his arrival on the scene. As Kayl wipes away joyful tears welling in his eyes, positioned on his knees facing the belt before him, he is pretty much bowled over from the side by a jubilant Chloe Barnes. She is followed closely by “Simply Sensational” Simon Lyman, smiling ear to ear and applauding his friend and tag team partner. Kayl manages to get up to his feet and embraces his friends in the middle of the ring.
Of course, there’s still the matter of the belt, which senior referee Sam Phillipson still has in his hands. As Kayl lets go of Chloe and Lyman, he turns to Phillipson, who holds the belt out to the new World Champion. Kayl takes it in his hand, holding it down at his waist and staring at it as the referee raises his hand to the roar of an approving crowd. Once he looks out over the crowd, not a single soul seated, Kayl looks to the World Title belt again, and is met with the realization he had been waiting for…
Kayl walks over to the corner and, taking the belt in both hands, he hoists it up for the cheers of the crowd, prompting a multitude of cameras to go off in unison. This process repeats at the other three corners, with Chloe and Lyman standing back the whole time, simply leading the applause of the crowd. Kayl takes the belt in his hand, holding it again, as the microphone is brought to him by the referee. Kayl, breathing heavily from his match, goes to bring the microphone to his lips, when his arm is stopped in its tracks by Lyman. He pulls the microphone from Kayl’s hand and holds up one finger in front of him, passing it to Chloe. The cheers begin to dissipate just enough for her to speak and be heard.
Chloe: You didn’t think we’d let you just start in, did you?
Kayl looks to Lyman, who still has his big smile on his face, then back to Chloe.
Chloe: Ladies and gentlemen, may I be the first person…
She looks over at the announce table.
Chloe: Sorry, Johnny boy…
Jonathan White laughs it off.
Chloe: … to present to you the brand new SWA Heavyweight Champion… DONOVAN KAYL!!
Again, a raucous chorus of cheers emanates from the jam-packed crowd. Chloe walks over to Kayl, leaning briefly on him.
Chloe: They’re all yours.
She passes the mic back to Kayl, stepping back as the new champion looks over the crowd. He places the belt over his shoulder…
Kayl: Well? How do I look?
The crowd cheers again, as if on cue. Kayl looks back to Chloe and Lyman, both of whom are giving the thumbs up, or some semblance of a thumbs up. A smile comes across Kayl’s face.
Kayl: I don’t want to be “the guy” to have one of those long-winded “I’m a World Champion” speeches, so I’ll keep this relatively brief. What you witnessed here tonight… was history. What you witnessed here tonight was the culmination a journey that started damn-near seven years ago. That journey led me to the Mid-South United States, to Australia, to Japan, to Philadelphia and to Texas. But my heart, my home, has always been right here in Canada, and right here in CWF!
The crowd roars it’s approval.
Kayl: And while I could have won this belt in any of those places, the fact that I won it here in CWF in front of all of you only further serves to make this the single biggest win of my life. And knowing that I now represent not only CWF, but the entire SWA as Champion, makes this the most spectacular moment of my life. So, I stand before you today, not only the 44th World Champion in SWA history, but I stand here before you as Canada’s World Champion. I could not, and I would not, be here without all of you… this belt is not only mine. It’s ours! Thank you… and good night!
The crowd roars again as Kayl maneuvers back to the corner, jumping onto the second rope and holding the belt up, this time with one hand, to the roaring approval of the crowd. The scene fades on this…
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl: “That moment made my career. Anything else that could happen from that moment on, and I could still say that I was SWA World Champion…”
It was a good thing he had that attitude because, just a few days later, he would lose that Championship to Christopher Noteman,
Kayl: “But! But I beat him for it again a few days after that.”
Fair. Donovan’s second reign was far more successful than his first as he carried it through the month of June, retaining against Mario Lopez’s wrestling twin brother at the Birthday Bash event. Seriously… Mario Lopez has a twin who wrestled. Don’t look up his Wikipedia or anything for that information though. It’s redacted by the government. But from there, you know Donovan’s story… he showed up in SCW…
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Ravyn falls back and Trinity turns and drops down. Trinity then turns and goes over and Ravyn then grabs her by the arm and holds on as the official drops down to break them up. CHBK reaches into his tights and pulls something out as the crowd roars. The camera then gets a wide shot to reveal another man in the ring. CHBK turns to him.
Knots: “Who the hell is that?”
Sharper: “My God! That’s Donovan Kayl! The real Donovan Kayl! Devon Kayl’s cousin. The man Devon claimed to be for years!”
Knots: “Holy crap. They look enough alike each other! Come on Devon…er…Donovan! Help your uncle-in-law!”
CHBK then turns and Donovan Kayl kicks him in the ribs. He hoists him up for a suplex before then throws him forward and runs into the ropes. CHBK lands on his knees and Donovan Kayl drills him with a running knee. The crowd ohs and roars as Donovan Kayl turns and looks over. Trinity nails Ravyn with a shot before getting away and Donovan hops over the top rope and drops down to the floor.
Sharper: “My God! What a shot! What a knee!”
Knots: “Come on!”
Sharper: “Lyman and Trinity have gotten one on CHBK and Ravyn!”
A roll of quarters rolls out of the hand of CHBK and towards the ring apron. Donovan quickly glances up and grabs it before throwing it down. Lyman gets up and he looks at CHBK before grabbing him and lifting him up. He then drags him over to the corner and lifts him up and props him up on the top rope. The crowd roars as Lyman exits to the apron and then climbs up. Trinity has a smile on her face as Lyman then climbs up and starts to lift CHBK up onto his shoulders. The crowd rises to their feet and roar as Lyman gets to the top rope. He turns to the ring and Ravyn gets up and gets to the apron and just looks on as Lyman flips off and hits the Simply Extraordinary! The crowd roars. Lyman then turns and throws his arm over CHBK.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
...became the first person to ever make the legendary CHBK submit in an SCW ring…
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl then looks at CHBK as he gets up. Kayl then grabs him and pulls him in. CHBK nails him in the ribs and then again and again. CHBK gets free. He then nails Kayl with a hard right before turning and running into the ropes. He bounces off and Kayl suddenly jumps up and nails him with a jumping knee. CHBK falls to a knee. The crowd cheers. Kayl then pulls him over and spins him around. He then drops him with a reverse DDT backbreaker. He lifts him back up before hitting a second one. He then looks right at CHBK before yelling something at him before dropping him with a reverse DDT. He then suddenly rolls him onto his stomach and into a dragon clutch. The crowd roars. CHBK reaches out in frantic peril as Kayl sits down on CHBK’s back.
Sharper: “Kayl! Dragon clutch! And Kayl calls it the Attitude Adjustment!”
Knots: “No! His attitude doesn’t need to be adjusted?!”
Sharper: “CHBK trying to get to the ropes, but the pressure on the back! The throat!”
Knots: “Come on! It’s a choke!”
Sharper: “No it’s not! It’s a variation of a sleeper!”
CHBK tries to move himself as best as he can as Kayl pulls back. The crowd roars. Kayl keeps the hold on as CHBK reaches out. Kayl however pulls back more and CHBK then starts to tap the mat. The referee calls for the bell. The crowd erupts in cheers as Kayl holds on for a moment as CHBK still taps before Kayl lets go and falls back.
Phillips: “Here is your winner…Donovan Kayl!”
Kayl rolls over and looks at CHBK as he has his arm raised. CHBK rolls to his back, grimacing in pain. Kayl just looks at him before walking around him. He then drops down to the mat as his music plays. Kayl then drops down to the floor.
Knots: “I don’t believe it…CHBK tapped…”
Sharper: “And if I’m not mistaken, that’s the first time CHBK has ever submit in an SCW ring. Donovan Kayl came in with a plan and he may have just succeeded in ending CHBK’s plans…”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
...won some Championships, opened the Youth of a Nation Wrestling Academy and trained future World Champions like Kennedy Street and me… and here we are.
Kayl: “Rise to Greatness six-teen… XVI, if we want to use the Roman numerals… it’s bittersweet. I’ve given most of my life to the wrestling industry. It’s provided me with the means to support my family. It’s allowed me to have a family. Before I started wrestling, I was an outcast and a runaway. Wrestling gave me a home. It gave me people I could lean on. It gave me a purpose unlike any other. So to walk away from that… but on the other hand, it gave me my family that I’m walking away to. I’m content. I’m fulfilled. And I’m going to keep up with my trainees and watch them continue to succeed. They’re my legacy now. After numerous World Championships, I’m happy with that.”
We are happy with that too… thank you Donovan Kayl, for…
Kayl: “Wait… that’s it?”
What else was there supposed to be?
Kayl: “It’s Rise to Greatness weekend… I have a big match coming up… my LAST big match… I gotta get a little airtime to talk about it…
Oh… well the floor is your’s…
Kayl: “Thank you.
As you can see, I’ve done a lot in this industry over my twenty-four year career. I’ve worked hard at crafting a career I can be proud of, and a legacy that I can hang my hat on. But this Retrospect barely scratches the surface of what I’ve seen and done in the business. There are so many faces… so many names… so many experiences. I crashed through a glass house structure to win a match. I was thrown from the back of a moving flatbed. I drove a John Deere tractor through the side of a triple-cage to get to a rival. I was there the night Tetsu Degucci was ripped apart - literally. I put on a talk show to bring entertainment beyond wrestling to viewers. I advocated for wrestling in Canada and, as such, was dubbed the Cornerstone. I have met some of the very best people in my travels. You know the usual names… Chloe… Simon… Trinity… Kennedy. But also names like Cindy Todd… Veronica Skyy… Dan Ashmore… Mary Beth Mallory...Amy Chastaine… David Helms… people who have helped to shape not only my career, but the fabric of the industry itself. I have seen it all, and done it all. So you can imagine my amusement when someone tries to come at me to try and teach me the differences between professional wrestling… and sports entertainment.”
Donovan scoffs, shaking his head.
Kayl: “What?”
Sorry… providing narration for the vision-impaired.
Kayl: “Oh… good. I’ve been dealing with this kind of thing much of that entire career. See, what Katie Steward and TJ Johnson are attempting to accomplish is nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ve been through it. I’ve faced the “You’re not Professional Wrestling enough” talk. I’ve faced the “You’re not Sports Entertainment enough” dissent. And in the end? It’s all just meaningless talk - an attempt by someone to get over at my expense. And here, on my last weekend as an active professional wrestler, I’m going to drop a little bit of truth on you.
They’re the same. Fucking. Thing.”
Donovan was getting serious, yet incredulous.
Kayl: “Professional wrestling… sports entertainment… the need to separate the two only makes each of them weaker than when they are whole, because that’s what the industry is. It’s this wonderful marriage of what we do out there and what we do here. If we were a bunch of guys or girls in black spandex simply having matches, there’d be nothing for people to buy into. But if we were just a bunch of skits, we might as well become Saturday Night Live. Professional wrestling needs sports entertainment, and sports entertainment needs professional wrestling. That’s why I always find the talk of the Katie Stewards and TJ Johnsons of the world to be so… counterproductive. No one wins when the two sides are pitted against each other. And that’s why I issued the challenge to put me through the Steward Gauntlet. No Championship waits at the end of the line for me. Once it ends, whether it’s with my shoulders on the mat or my arm raised in victory, the reward is the same: I get to walk into the sunset of my career and live the rest of my life with my family. Katie, you got to bring your family right into this. You got to make them a part of your crusade and so they became a part of the climax. Because, like you, I’m something of a director myself. So let me tell you how this is going to play out…
First, you’re going to send Maddy out. I know it’s coming. I can see it already. She’s going to try but you’re not going to have prepared her well enough for someone of my calibre.
Then it’ll be Gigi. You’d never come out yourself before the grand finale. Gigi is going to get further than Maddy did, but she’ll suffer the same fate… the difference there is that, when she goes down, there’ll probably be some kind of cheap shot to weaken me up, leaving me ripe for the picking against you.
I don’t know why you lean so heavily into this “sports entertainment yay, professional wrestling boo” demeanor. You are a talented professional wrestler. I’ll say it. You’re good at what you do, so to hide it is just baffling. But that doesn’t matter. You and I… that’s the endgame (sorry for sounding like a cliche from a movie). You can throw whatever you want at me… whatever you have. I will reject it. And as strange as it is, for the first female World Champion in SCW history…
I’m going to make you famous.”
Donovan smiles, nodding his head.
Kayl: “Because you see, only one person in the wrestling world is going to be able to be Donovan Kayl’s last match. It’s not going to be Maddy Steward. It’s not going to be Gigi Steward. It’s going to be you, Katie. Then it won’t matter how many of the women to have become World Champion since you have surpassed you in every tangible way. You’ll have something that no one else will. Something you won’t have to share. Rise to Greatness sixteen WILL be the end of my career one way or the other. And you will be a part of that… your name will go into the record books… and when it does, the period at the end of the entry will be pressed in the way I know how: POINT… BLANK!”
And with that, and one last wry grin to the camera, the scene fades out on Donovan Kayl’s last wrestling promotion. Is it just me, or is it getting hazy in here? AND WHO STARTED CUTTING ONIONS!? SON OF A…
© KAYL TV 2019
THE RETROSPECT
A look at the career of Donovan Kayl
A Kayl-TV Presentation
Produced by Brittany Kayl
Written by Brittany and Devon Kayl
Directed by Brittany Kayl
Donovan Kayl’s career has spanned an impressive 24-years. Starting at the age of 16 in an old Toronto gym – likely one torn down in the years since due to funding cutbacks or in the name of “efficiency” or to build a new Tim Horton’s – the man who would become known as the Cornerstone was a mainstay of the independent scene for seven years before being “discovered” by Jake Colossal and signed to an entry-level contract with the fledgling Shootclub Wrestling Alliance.
Donovan: “When I signed with the SWA, I had a tremendous chip on my shoulder. I was going to be “the guy”, and didn’t care who heard me saying it. When I walked in on my first day, I expected all of this fanfare and celebrations. Well… that isn’t what happened…”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
The camera comes on in the parking lot of the MSW Arena in Tennessee. An unknown vehicle is seen pulling in, and a large number of reporters rush around it, anxious to see who is inside. When the occupant steps out, the crowd begins to disperse. This seemingly insults the man who occupied the vehicle, who grabs for one of the reporters.
MAN: Whoa…what’s going on? Where’s everyone going?
REPORTER: Well, we were waiting for Alpha, but you obviously aren’t him.
The reporter goes to walk away, only to be pulled back by the man.
MAN: How can you be sure that I am not Alpha?
REPORTER: I think we’d be able to recognize the former BRW World and Tag Team champion.
MAN: And so, you decide to basically spit on anyone who isn’t him?
REPORTER: Well…no, but…
MAN: You don’t even care that the savior of the Cruiserweight Division of MSW has finally come to where he will launch to stardom.
REPORTER: Um…
MAN: Well, do me a favor, OK?
REPORTER: Ok…I guess…
MAN: Wait until Alpha gets here. When he does, tell him that Donovan Kayl has a bone to pick with him.
REPORTER: Will do…is that Donovan with one “V” or two?
MAN: You don’t even know who Donovan Kayl is, do you?
REPORTER: No…is he a friend of yours?
With that, the “man”, who rather bluntly revealed himself as Donovan Kayl, brushes the incompetent reporter aside and continues into the building. The camera fades to black.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Ah yes, MSW. The beginning… of the dream. Well, it wasn’t exactly the “beginning” per se. There was the span of seven years before that, but since we lack any tangible footage of those days, we choose instead to ignore it. But after Donovan arguably stumbled out of the blocks, sometimes all it takes is one idea to set someone straight on the path.
Kayl: “Kayl’s Korner was meant to be a temporary thing. Ultimately it ended up defining my career as I tried to find some kind of identity. That’s the thing about entering a company like that - sure, you can get by on the indy scene by just being yourself and making yourself a dick or whatever, but when you get to the big stage you have to be able to stand out. Kayl’s Korner was my shot…”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Episode 1
The camera comes on in a new, elaborate set. There is a large picture of Donovan Kayl on one wall, a computer screen on projection on the other. “Boom” by POD plays as out steps Donovan Kayl, in a strange “Strong Bad” t-shirt, steps out. He has a microphone in hand, a cue card with it, and something MSW fans haven’t seen from this young star…a smile on his face. Sure, it looks forced, but that isn’t the point…it’s a smile just the same.
Kayl ~ Hello and welcome to…what’s this show called? We haven’t decided yet. That’s just great. Well, either way, this is the show I’m being forced into as a means to further fill the deep pockets of MSW officials. I will receive a question, then, in my ultimate wisdom, answer the question. So without further adieu, let’s get to the question.
The computer lights up, and words, almost as if they were typed, are being produced on the screen.
Dear Donovan,
How do you deal with a comic book, cartoon, and card playing git?
-The Disco Freak
Kayl stares at the screen with a shocked expression on his face. He waves for the producer to come over. Hurriedly, the producer rushes to Donovan.
Kayl ~ Who screens these letters?
Producer ~ Well, sir…
Kayl ~ Fire them.
Kayl then immediately pushes the producer off-screen, and turns to the camera.
Kayl ~ Well, Mr. Freak, if that IS your real name, I’m really questioning if even I can help you. I mean, I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all, but here you are, using the word “git” at the end of a plea for counsel. I think your real problem comes from your obvious lack of…one moment.
A prompter rushes in and whispers something in Kayl’s ear. Kayl stands up straighter than before, with a whole new expression on his face.
Kayl ~ I have just been informed that Mr. Freak is actually the MSW heavyweight champion, Lewis Manchester. In knowing that, I would like to…
Kayl looks around very uneasily.
Kayl ~ Oh, I can’t apologize. That letter is a nightmare! Ok, but you want to know about getting a comic, trading card, maybe even a cartoon deal? What you need to do is wake up! I mean, first, look at those clothes you wear. Now, it may surprise you to learn that I am not a fashion guru, but I am pretty sure that those clothes belong in some Goodwill bargain bin. You need to contemporise…like me.
Kayl takes a sip from a nearby glass of water.
Kayl ~ The other thing you need to do is to stop listening to that God-awful music. I mean, when was the last time disco was popular? I believe it was the ‘70s if I’m not mistaken. What you need to do is get some new music. Get some rock, rap, emo, country, punk...ANYTHING! I suppose that, since no one is perfect, if you can’t escape the urge to groove, you could get dance or techno. But please…disco is in intensive care, my friend.
Kayl looks around at the shocked techies.
Kayl ~ I suppose I should apologize. The truth can be brutal at times, can’t it. And I mean brutal with a capital B-R-utal. And next time, please keep your questions simple. None of this “git” lingo that only the British know…no more signing under aliases, and maybe I will be a little nicer. Probably not, but you never know. Until next time, I’m Donovan Kayl.
Kayl looks into the camera with a real smile as the camera fades to black.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl’s Korner set the stage for other things like Kayl TV to take hold, so thank God for that, right?! As time wore on, people - by which we mean people signing the cheques - thought Kayl’s Korner was lacking a certain je ne sais pas… and the introduction of a co-host changed things for Donovan forever… forever… FOR-E-VER…
Kayl: “I wasn’t on board at first with the introduction of Chloe Barnes as my co-host. After all, what was the point of having a show named after yourself if you weren’t the only one responsible for it? It wasn’t only for the fact that I had an overgrown psychopath on a quest to kill bunnies on my show. It felt like a slap to the face…
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
A Startling Addition
The camera comes on shortly after the Thunderfoot attack on the CWF Mero Memorial Champion, Donovan Kayl. He is recovering with one of his producers pacing in the background.
Producer ~ First Narf...now Thunderfoot. Donovan, you have a disturbing tendency to get attacked.
Kayl ~ I'll shake this one off. I've shaken attacks off before. Besides, Thunderfoot had some Twilight help, it's not like he would of had me if he was alone.
Producer ~ But...we're starting to get concerned...for the show's sake.
Kayl ~ I'm the Mero Memorial Champion. Of course the show's a prime place to attack me. Everyone wants gold.
Producer ~ We're giving you a co-host.
Kayl ~ What I mean to say is....................a what?
Producer ~ It will be safest for all of us if we install a co-host.
Kayl ~ I don't NEED a co-host. Why do I need a co-host?
Producer ~ Not someone who will attack you. Just someone to keep the set safer. We are all beginning to fear for your safety.
Kayl ~ Pfft...safety. Why don't you just cancel the show.
Producer ~ It's too much of a ratings pull. We just need some help to stave off the attackers.
Kayl ~ Who?
Producer ~ Um...Chloe Barnes...
Kayl ~ Who?
Producer ~ She just transferred in...she can help us reach that male demographic.
Kayl ~ So we're sacrificing the integrity of the show for demographics?
Producer ~ ..............................you're taking this well, I'll leave you alone.
The producer hurries out the door. Donovan Kayl is left in a shock as the camera fades to black.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl: “And the first time I actually met Chloe? Well, it could have gone better. But knowing how far we’ve come in the 15 years in between, I probably wouldn’t change a thing. We’ve now been married for almost 9 years. We have three beautiful children. Life with our families is good. And we have two successful businesses coming out of our wrestling careers. So yeah, you could say everything worked out for the best, as unlikely as that had seemed on day one.”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
On Set...
The camera comes on at the brand new set of "Kayl's Korner", Canada's first advice show put on by a wrestler. The new set features a Canadian flag at the back, and the chairs are now red rather than blue. The other main difference to the set is the addition of a second chair, the one which will be occupied by the new co-host of the show, "The Beautiful Storm" Chloe Barnes.
As the scene opens, the camera pans around looking as a busy production crew sets up the show for the first Candian edition. The floor director is shown pointing to where some set pieces are going to go. As the floor staff sets everything to ensure a flawless, Narf-free show, Donovan Kayl, the CWF Mero Memorial Champion, enters the scene with a duffle bag over his shoulder. He is wearing a button-up short sleeve designed shirt and black jeans. Removing his sunglasses, he walks up to the floor director.
Director ~ Sunglasses? In the middle of winter? Look at it outside...it's blankets of white.
Kayl ~ I thought you were educated. The suns reflection off the snow is much more dangerous than any possible hazard. Besides, I wanted to get hear early for the show.
Director ~ Oh...(He points around the set) Do you like the changes we made to the set? Management felt it made the show appear more...Canadianized...than before.
Kayl ~ Yeah, yeah...changes are great.
Kayl drops his duffle bag to the floor and looks at his watch. To make sure his eyes do not decieve him, he taps the watch a couple times.
Kayl ~ Dammit...where is Barnes?
Director ~(flustered) Oh..uh...she hasn't arrived yet.
Kayl ~ I THOUGHT we agreed to be HERE...ON SET at 12:30!
The floor director looks puzzled, and checks his own watch.
Director ~ But, my watch says it's only 12:25...
Kayl ~ Well...mine says 12:32...I knew she'd be bad news...LATE for her first shift.
Just then, Chloe Barnes, the newest addition to the Kayl's Korner team, enters. She is wearing a see-through, white frilly blouse that cuts off at the mid-section and brown hip-huggers with platform shoes on her feet. She enters, and immediately walks over to where Kayl and the floor director are standing.
Kayl ~ Well...nice of you to finally show up...
Barnes ~(Shooting a cold look at Kayl) Sorry I'm late...traffic...
Director ~ Oh, you've already met! Great...
Kayl ~ Yeah...we met...she called me an arrogant prima-donna...
Barnes ~ He accused me of being a groupie...
Kayl ~ She said I had "mommy issues"...
Barnes ~ He called me a "freakin' psychopath"...
Kayl ~ Well you...!
Barnes ~ But you...!
Director ~ Whoa! Calm down you two! The last thing we need is for you two to go at it...unless that'd bring in ratings. Hold on.
The floor directer takes the walkie talkie off his belt and speaks into it.
Director ~ Hey, would ratings increase if Donovan and Chloe were to go at it?......What do I mean "go at it"?....You know, fight...........it wouldn't...well what about the other kind of "going at it"?.....we'd have to put the show after midnight....that would hurt our ratings.....yeah.......thanks.
He puts the thing back on his belt.
Director ~ The last thing we need is for you two to go at it. Now, the show is going to start taping in about half-an-hour. Until then, you can go to your own, separate dressing rooms (he shakes his head) or you can sit and get to know each other better (he nods his head).
Chloe looks over at Donovan...Donovan looks over at Chloe. After a few tense moments of silence between them, Kayl breaks it by saying...
Kayl ~ I'll be in MY change room!
Barnes ~ Oh yeah?
Kayl ~ Yeah!
Barnes ~ Well I'LL be in MY change room!
Kayl ~ Oh yeah?
Barnes ~ Yeah!
Kayl ~ Well FINE!!
Barnes ~ FINE!!!
Kayl ~ FINE!!!!
Barnes ~ FINE!!!!!
Donovan Kayl and Chloe Barnes storm off in opposite directions. Before they head down their respective hallways to their respective change rooms, the both turn back to look at eacth other.
Both ~ FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The two co-hosts exit the scene, leaving the shaken floor director standing alone. He stares off into the centre of where they walked off, and says to himself...
Director ~ This could be problematic.
The director then puts the floor crew back to work as the camera fades into a commercial.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Eventually, “FINE!” would become one of their most beloved bits, the name of an “I hit them, then you hit them, then repeat” signature move of theirs, and a word that anyone uses when they’re not REALLY fine, but don’t want to talk about it. I think we can credit Donovan and Chloe with that. But anyway, time wore on. Donovan and Chloe split up. MSW became CWF and moved to Canada. Donovan stayed until it closed and then found Chloe again. They travelled through Australia, Japan, Philadelphia, Texas… anywhere. Donovan’s career was that of a “good hand” (OH MY GOD DONOVAN DON’T WRAP A STEEL CHAIR ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD!)... he was used to elevate the talent that management wanted on top, but never given the chance on top himself. He watched as others - those closest to him - became World Champion always wondering when it would be his turn.
Oh, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. So here’s the first time he shared the ring with Simon Lyman.
Kayl: “Simon… for someone who would become my best friend, I kind of got the jump on him. See, it was the World Series of Wrestling. Each company put representatives out and we faced each other. I was set to face Simon who was representing Canada’s newest company, Calgary Power Wrestling. So as the former face of the National company to the new face of the nation’s company, I felt we had to meet…”
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
The scene comes on with a shot of CPW Iron Man 2005, with Donovan Kayl of RSW standing in the ring, attempting to join Team CPW.
Donovan: What do you say, will you have me?
Looking at Donovan, still unsure, Simon then turns to the crowd and ponders if he should accept the hand or not. They of course would love to see one of their heroes actually join the team alongside a budding hero and so urge him on.
Stepping closer and extending the hand again, Donovan raises the microphone back to his mouth as he smiles... or is it a smirk?
Donovan: You can’t go against the will of the people, bud.
That seems to win Simon over and he lightens up, readjusting his title on his shoulder as he smiles and accepts the hand...
and the two shake.
Kayl then holds Simon’s arm up in the air.
Donovan: The NEW face of Canada!
Chants for both men begin to spring up as Kayl, still holding onto Lyman’s wrist and keeping their arms in the air, begins to turn them around in a circle for the whole crowd to see. After completing the turn and waiting for the cheering to die down some, he continues.
Donovan: I said it wouldn’t be an RSW victory... it’d be a Donovan Kayl victory! So to every moron back in Japan... I’d just like to say... PSYCHE!
Suddenly yanking on Simon’s arm, Kayl pulls him face to face as he grabs him around the neck with one arm and hooks the near leg before falling back and driving Lyman’s face into the mat with a Flatliner!!
There’s a stunned silence from the crowd for a moment before they finally launch into a frenzy of boos.
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
I still can’t believe that footage. Donovan was kind of a dick at that point, and Simon didn’t really deserve that. Also I can’t believe that they stood that close for so long without Simon being able to get a word in. Trust me when I tell you that, in 2019, that never happens. Also the flatliner never happens - why does no one use that move anymore? You know what? I’m going to make a mental note to add it to my repertoire. Obviously for Simon and Donovan, that wouldn’t be the end of their history. They’d go on to become World Tag Team Champions basically all the time by the end of 2010. After their first victory, they always reclaimed the titles by defeating the team that beat them, yet somehow only ended up second in the SWA’s Greatest Tag Team of All Time vote in what I can only assume was a politically-motivated vote. For shame, SWA! For shame!
Kayl: “The institution of Standing Room Only came after several successful tag teams on my part. I had been a World Tag Champion with Danny Darko as “Big Shots” and with Sludge Guts as… well… I don’t remember that team name. But I had the pedigree there, and Simon was probably the most complimentary to my style. He was married to Chloe at the time, so I figured why the hell not? I think after what? 20 reigns together? I made the right call…”
And the right call he did… but then it happened. May 27, 2009… in front of a sold-out house show crowd, Donovan took on the SWA World Champion, the Neptunian Robot. That’s right, folks. In the SWA, they fought fucking ROBOTS from NEPTUNE! But that was the night that Donovan Kayl overcame it all… the night he took the world...
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
May 27, 2009
The scene comes on during minute 24 of Neptunian Robot’s SWA World Heavyweight Championship defense against Donovan Kayl. The crowd cheers heavily, attempting to rally behind their “hometown” challenger as the champion latches in a pressing bear hug. Kayl grimaces in pain as Robot’s arms press down on the small of his back, restricting his airways as he struggles against the weight of the maneuver, however his strength saps itself. The crowd, however, does not give up on the challenger…
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Kayl’s arm first pulls to life, swinging itself around in an attempt to gain some feel for the situation. Then, his other arm pops up. Kayl balls his hands into fists before swinging his arms at Robot’s head, sandwiching it. Robot staggers a bit, but holds onto the bear hug. So, Kayl winds up again, sandwiching Robot’s head. This time, his grip weakens enough that Kayl is able to slip out, dropping down to the mat. As Robot regains his composure, he looks to Kayl, swinging an arm out for a clothesline. However, Kayl ducks and slips behind him, quickly applying a weak full nelson. The crowd goes wild in cheers.
Let’s go Kayl, let’s go!
*clap clap*
Kayl holds onto the move with all the desperation in the world, going so far as to climb up on Robot’s back, propping his legs up on Robot’s waist. Robot flails his arms around, trying to get his hands on Kayl’s head. With a handful of hair, he goes to flip Kayl over, but Kayl manages to pull his head back, causing some hair to remain in Robot’s hand, but for Kayl to get free. Out of desperation, Robot goes into reverse, backing into a corner. Kayl sandwiches forward, releasing the full nelson. Robot staggers forward, showing the effect of the submission move, before turning back to Kayl. He charges in, jumping up for a splash, but Kayl moves out of the way! As Robot bounces off the turnbuckle, turning around, Kayl meets him with a stiff boot to the midsection. He pulls Robot’s head in for a DDT, but spins around, hitting a thunderous G’Night [bleep]! The crowd explodes on their feet as Kayl slides backwards, laying across Robot’s body with his shoulders pressed across. Kayl reaches back and grabs the far leg as the referee drops for the count, a count with the enthusiastic CWF crowd counts along with…
“ONE!!!”
“TWO!!!”
“THREE!!!”
The crowd comes absolutely unglued as everyone, including some of the CWF staff gathered around ringside, burst to their feet in a unanimous, deafening chorus of cheers. Kayl rolls down onto his stomach, burying his head in his arms. CWF ringside announcer, Jonathan White, gets up to make the announcement, once which he knew would be barely audible over the roaring crowd.
White: Here is your winner… and the… NEEEEEEEEEW SWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… the Cornerstone of CWF…
DONOVAN KAAAAAAAAAYL!
Kayl remains face down as the referee jumps out of the ring, heading to the timekeeper’s table and grabbing the platinum World Championship belt. He rushes back into the ring and slaps Kayl’s shoulder, holding the belt in front of him. Kayl looks up at the belt, his face awash with emotion as he has finally reached the pinnacle of the industry, seven years after his arrival on the scene. As Kayl wipes away joyful tears welling in his eyes, positioned on his knees facing the belt before him, he is pretty much bowled over from the side by a jubilant Chloe Barnes. She is followed closely by “Simply Sensational” Simon Lyman, smiling ear to ear and applauding his friend and tag team partner. Kayl manages to get up to his feet and embraces his friends in the middle of the ring.
Of course, there’s still the matter of the belt, which senior referee Sam Phillipson still has in his hands. As Kayl lets go of Chloe and Lyman, he turns to Phillipson, who holds the belt out to the new World Champion. Kayl takes it in his hand, holding it down at his waist and staring at it as the referee raises his hand to the roar of an approving crowd. Once he looks out over the crowd, not a single soul seated, Kayl looks to the World Title belt again, and is met with the realization he had been waiting for…
Kayl walks over to the corner and, taking the belt in both hands, he hoists it up for the cheers of the crowd, prompting a multitude of cameras to go off in unison. This process repeats at the other three corners, with Chloe and Lyman standing back the whole time, simply leading the applause of the crowd. Kayl takes the belt in his hand, holding it again, as the microphone is brought to him by the referee. Kayl, breathing heavily from his match, goes to bring the microphone to his lips, when his arm is stopped in its tracks by Lyman. He pulls the microphone from Kayl’s hand and holds up one finger in front of him, passing it to Chloe. The cheers begin to dissipate just enough for her to speak and be heard.
Chloe: You didn’t think we’d let you just start in, did you?
Kayl looks to Lyman, who still has his big smile on his face, then back to Chloe.
Chloe: Ladies and gentlemen, may I be the first person…
She looks over at the announce table.
Chloe: Sorry, Johnny boy…
Jonathan White laughs it off.
Chloe: … to present to you the brand new SWA Heavyweight Champion… DONOVAN KAYL!!
Again, a raucous chorus of cheers emanates from the jam-packed crowd. Chloe walks over to Kayl, leaning briefly on him.
Chloe: They’re all yours.
She passes the mic back to Kayl, stepping back as the new champion looks over the crowd. He places the belt over his shoulder…
Kayl: Well? How do I look?
The crowd cheers again, as if on cue. Kayl looks back to Chloe and Lyman, both of whom are giving the thumbs up, or some semblance of a thumbs up. A smile comes across Kayl’s face.
Kayl: I don’t want to be “the guy” to have one of those long-winded “I’m a World Champion” speeches, so I’ll keep this relatively brief. What you witnessed here tonight… was history. What you witnessed here tonight was the culmination a journey that started damn-near seven years ago. That journey led me to the Mid-South United States, to Australia, to Japan, to Philadelphia and to Texas. But my heart, my home, has always been right here in Canada, and right here in CWF!
The crowd roars it’s approval.
Kayl: And while I could have won this belt in any of those places, the fact that I won it here in CWF in front of all of you only further serves to make this the single biggest win of my life. And knowing that I now represent not only CWF, but the entire SWA as Champion, makes this the most spectacular moment of my life. So, I stand before you today, not only the 44th World Champion in SWA history, but I stand here before you as Canada’s World Champion. I could not, and I would not, be here without all of you… this belt is not only mine. It’s ours! Thank you… and good night!
The crowd roars again as Kayl maneuvers back to the corner, jumping onto the second rope and holding the belt up, this time with one hand, to the roaring approval of the crowd. The scene fades on this…
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Kayl: “That moment made my career. Anything else that could happen from that moment on, and I could still say that I was SWA World Champion…”
It was a good thing he had that attitude because, just a few days later, he would lose that Championship to Christopher Noteman,
Kayl: “But! But I beat him for it again a few days after that.”
Fair. Donovan’s second reign was far more successful than his first as he carried it through the month of June, retaining against Mario Lopez’s wrestling twin brother at the Birthday Bash event. Seriously… Mario Lopez has a twin who wrestled. Don’t look up his Wikipedia or anything for that information though. It’s redacted by the government. But from there, you know Donovan’s story… he showed up in SCW…
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Ravyn falls back and Trinity turns and drops down. Trinity then turns and goes over and Ravyn then grabs her by the arm and holds on as the official drops down to break them up. CHBK reaches into his tights and pulls something out as the crowd roars. The camera then gets a wide shot to reveal another man in the ring. CHBK turns to him.
Knots: “Who the hell is that?”
Sharper: “My God! That’s Donovan Kayl! The real Donovan Kayl! Devon Kayl’s cousin. The man Devon claimed to be for years!”
Knots: “Holy crap. They look enough alike each other! Come on Devon…er…Donovan! Help your uncle-in-law!”
CHBK then turns and Donovan Kayl kicks him in the ribs. He hoists him up for a suplex before then throws him forward and runs into the ropes. CHBK lands on his knees and Donovan Kayl drills him with a running knee. The crowd ohs and roars as Donovan Kayl turns and looks over. Trinity nails Ravyn with a shot before getting away and Donovan hops over the top rope and drops down to the floor.
Sharper: “My God! What a shot! What a knee!”
Knots: “Come on!”
Sharper: “Lyman and Trinity have gotten one on CHBK and Ravyn!”
A roll of quarters rolls out of the hand of CHBK and towards the ring apron. Donovan quickly glances up and grabs it before throwing it down. Lyman gets up and he looks at CHBK before grabbing him and lifting him up. He then drags him over to the corner and lifts him up and props him up on the top rope. The crowd roars as Lyman exits to the apron and then climbs up. Trinity has a smile on her face as Lyman then climbs up and starts to lift CHBK up onto his shoulders. The crowd rises to their feet and roar as Lyman gets to the top rope. He turns to the ring and Ravyn gets up and gets to the apron and just looks on as Lyman flips off and hits the Simply Extraordinary! The crowd roars. Lyman then turns and throws his arm over CHBK.
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...became the first person to ever make the legendary CHBK submit in an SCW ring…
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
Kayl then looks at CHBK as he gets up. Kayl then grabs him and pulls him in. CHBK nails him in the ribs and then again and again. CHBK gets free. He then nails Kayl with a hard right before turning and running into the ropes. He bounces off and Kayl suddenly jumps up and nails him with a jumping knee. CHBK falls to a knee. The crowd cheers. Kayl then pulls him over and spins him around. He then drops him with a reverse DDT backbreaker. He lifts him back up before hitting a second one. He then looks right at CHBK before yelling something at him before dropping him with a reverse DDT. He then suddenly rolls him onto his stomach and into a dragon clutch. The crowd roars. CHBK reaches out in frantic peril as Kayl sits down on CHBK’s back.
Sharper: “Kayl! Dragon clutch! And Kayl calls it the Attitude Adjustment!”
Knots: “No! His attitude doesn’t need to be adjusted?!”
Sharper: “CHBK trying to get to the ropes, but the pressure on the back! The throat!”
Knots: “Come on! It’s a choke!”
Sharper: “No it’s not! It’s a variation of a sleeper!”
CHBK tries to move himself as best as he can as Kayl pulls back. The crowd roars. Kayl keeps the hold on as CHBK reaches out. Kayl however pulls back more and CHBK then starts to tap the mat. The referee calls for the bell. The crowd erupts in cheers as Kayl holds on for a moment as CHBK still taps before Kayl lets go and falls back.
Phillips: “Here is your winner…Donovan Kayl!”
Kayl rolls over and looks at CHBK as he has his arm raised. CHBK rolls to his back, grimacing in pain. Kayl just looks at him before walking around him. He then drops down to the mat as his music plays. Kayl then drops down to the floor.
Knots: “I don’t believe it…CHBK tapped…”
Sharper: “And if I’m not mistaken, that’s the first time CHBK has ever submit in an SCW ring. Donovan Kayl came in with a plan and he may have just succeeded in ending CHBK’s plans…”
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...won some Championships, opened the Youth of a Nation Wrestling Academy and trained future World Champions like Kennedy Street and me… and here we are.
Kayl: “Rise to Greatness six-teen… XVI, if we want to use the Roman numerals… it’s bittersweet. I’ve given most of my life to the wrestling industry. It’s provided me with the means to support my family. It’s allowed me to have a family. Before I started wrestling, I was an outcast and a runaway. Wrestling gave me a home. It gave me people I could lean on. It gave me a purpose unlike any other. So to walk away from that… but on the other hand, it gave me my family that I’m walking away to. I’m content. I’m fulfilled. And I’m going to keep up with my trainees and watch them continue to succeed. They’re my legacy now. After numerous World Championships, I’m happy with that.”
We are happy with that too… thank you Donovan Kayl, for…
Kayl: “Wait… that’s it?”
What else was there supposed to be?
Kayl: “It’s Rise to Greatness weekend… I have a big match coming up… my LAST big match… I gotta get a little airtime to talk about it…
Oh… well the floor is your’s…
Kayl: “Thank you.
As you can see, I’ve done a lot in this industry over my twenty-four year career. I’ve worked hard at crafting a career I can be proud of, and a legacy that I can hang my hat on. But this Retrospect barely scratches the surface of what I’ve seen and done in the business. There are so many faces… so many names… so many experiences. I crashed through a glass house structure to win a match. I was thrown from the back of a moving flatbed. I drove a John Deere tractor through the side of a triple-cage to get to a rival. I was there the night Tetsu Degucci was ripped apart - literally. I put on a talk show to bring entertainment beyond wrestling to viewers. I advocated for wrestling in Canada and, as such, was dubbed the Cornerstone. I have met some of the very best people in my travels. You know the usual names… Chloe… Simon… Trinity… Kennedy. But also names like Cindy Todd… Veronica Skyy… Dan Ashmore… Mary Beth Mallory...Amy Chastaine… David Helms… people who have helped to shape not only my career, but the fabric of the industry itself. I have seen it all, and done it all. So you can imagine my amusement when someone tries to come at me to try and teach me the differences between professional wrestling… and sports entertainment.”
Donovan scoffs, shaking his head.
Kayl: “What?”
Sorry… providing narration for the vision-impaired.
Kayl: “Oh… good. I’ve been dealing with this kind of thing much of that entire career. See, what Katie Steward and TJ Johnson are attempting to accomplish is nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ve been through it. I’ve faced the “You’re not Professional Wrestling enough” talk. I’ve faced the “You’re not Sports Entertainment enough” dissent. And in the end? It’s all just meaningless talk - an attempt by someone to get over at my expense. And here, on my last weekend as an active professional wrestler, I’m going to drop a little bit of truth on you.
They’re the same. Fucking. Thing.”
Donovan was getting serious, yet incredulous.
Kayl: “Professional wrestling… sports entertainment… the need to separate the two only makes each of them weaker than when they are whole, because that’s what the industry is. It’s this wonderful marriage of what we do out there and what we do here. If we were a bunch of guys or girls in black spandex simply having matches, there’d be nothing for people to buy into. But if we were just a bunch of skits, we might as well become Saturday Night Live. Professional wrestling needs sports entertainment, and sports entertainment needs professional wrestling. That’s why I always find the talk of the Katie Stewards and TJ Johnsons of the world to be so… counterproductive. No one wins when the two sides are pitted against each other. And that’s why I issued the challenge to put me through the Steward Gauntlet. No Championship waits at the end of the line for me. Once it ends, whether it’s with my shoulders on the mat or my arm raised in victory, the reward is the same: I get to walk into the sunset of my career and live the rest of my life with my family. Katie, you got to bring your family right into this. You got to make them a part of your crusade and so they became a part of the climax. Because, like you, I’m something of a director myself. So let me tell you how this is going to play out…
First, you’re going to send Maddy out. I know it’s coming. I can see it already. She’s going to try but you’re not going to have prepared her well enough for someone of my calibre.
Then it’ll be Gigi. You’d never come out yourself before the grand finale. Gigi is going to get further than Maddy did, but she’ll suffer the same fate… the difference there is that, when she goes down, there’ll probably be some kind of cheap shot to weaken me up, leaving me ripe for the picking against you.
I don’t know why you lean so heavily into this “sports entertainment yay, professional wrestling boo” demeanor. You are a talented professional wrestler. I’ll say it. You’re good at what you do, so to hide it is just baffling. But that doesn’t matter. You and I… that’s the endgame (sorry for sounding like a cliche from a movie). You can throw whatever you want at me… whatever you have. I will reject it. And as strange as it is, for the first female World Champion in SCW history…
I’m going to make you famous.”
Donovan smiles, nodding his head.
Kayl: “Because you see, only one person in the wrestling world is going to be able to be Donovan Kayl’s last match. It’s not going to be Maddy Steward. It’s not going to be Gigi Steward. It’s going to be you, Katie. Then it won’t matter how many of the women to have become World Champion since you have surpassed you in every tangible way. You’ll have something that no one else will. Something you won’t have to share. Rise to Greatness sixteen WILL be the end of my career one way or the other. And you will be a part of that… your name will go into the record books… and when it does, the period at the end of the entry will be pressed in the way I know how: POINT… BLANK!”
And with that, and one last wry grin to the camera, the scene fades out on Donovan Kayl’s last wrestling promotion. Is it just me, or is it getting hazy in here? AND WHO STARTED CUTTING ONIONS!? SON OF A…
© KAYL TV 2019