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*COMMENTARY UPDATED 06/25/05*

Haven't updated this in some time. I guess I didn't know what to say.

I earned my reputation in this business for some of the risks I would take and wrestling with injuries that I shouldn't have. It was bound to catch up with me. It did....a variety of injuries forced me to go into hiding and make a tough decision...which I announced four weeks ago (as of this writing) to a stunned XCW crowd.

I was having to give it up. I love wrestling but love walking as well. I felt I had to choose between chasing a dream for a few more years or living the rest of my life in the manner that I'm used to physically. In there somewhere I guess I also lost a lot of confidence in the process.

The announcement changed a lot of that. I always knew a lot of people in the XCW crowd had my back, but always felt that they liked Scott Phoenix the wrestler...not the guy who calls himself that. I never figured anyone gave a damn about the man behind the wrestler...just what they see in the ring.

I was wrong.

Wrestlers and fans, some of which I'd never really talked to that much, came out of the woodwork with well wishes and showed they cared. I wasn't sure what to do with all of it at first, but then I talked to a friend of mine who said I should listen.

So I did.

It got put more into perspective on June 17. Billed as my last match, the place was packed. I was stunned given that Necro Butcher had made his return as my partner when the crowd began to chant my name as loud as ever.

Everyone knows what happened in this match. I was already hurt, but 11 feet from the ring to the floor made that considerably worse. Landed neckfirst on a barbed wire board, folding my body over me. Back was shot...shoulders were injured worse...internal organs including my heart bounced off bones...tore both pecs...and so on. Scary time for me, apparently more for the fans.

I didn't see them that night, but I am told people were crying and yelling. They were genuinely concerned. It got furthered over the course of the week as I bumped into people at local businesses and on the street. People were concerned for my well being going into the ring once more with Necro Butcher one-on-one just 7 days after such a hellacious fall.

It then all became clear to me. As much as the support of my fans has always meant to me, my wrestling apparently means at least as much if not more to them.

It took everything I had to get my crippled body through Friday night, but I did so simply because of the people there for me. After the match, some of my closest friends in the business came ringside as well. I made an announcement to all of them. The reason for the announcement was the support that I'd been given.

I'm going to end this Commentary with the same announcement. But this time, I'm not as tired, so I'm going to say everything I wanted to say.

I'm making a promise to all of you.

To the man who kept faith in me even when I was the worst in his class when I first started in wrestling....

To the photographer who snapped great pics of my recent work each week....

To the fans who drove out to see my matches, even up to 4-5 hours away....

To the ladies who took time out to pose for a bunch of corny t-shirt photos....

To the people who bought those t-shirts anyway....

To the fan who dubbed me the Hardcore Kingpin....

Then began to announce my intros as our ring announcer....

To all the fans who ever brought me beer at the show or shots at the bar....

To those who sang my entrance music to me just before the famous cage match....

To all of you who sent me e-mails and made me presents....

And those of you in the back, rookies to veterans, who held me up at my time of need....

To the man in the wheelchair who took over a promotion and took a chance on a guy like me....

And to the young lady who told me my initial retirement speech broke her heart....

To everyone who ever bought a ticket, or asked for an autograph, or shook my hand....

This promise goes out to each and every single one of you.

No matter how long it takes....

The Phoenix WILL Rise Again.

Thank you all!

SP

Contact:scottphoenix2005@yahoo.com