Post by Seth Evans on Mar 5, 2021 15:13:48 GMT
{There is a video montage mixed between random video-games, and clips from the most recent Danger Zone pay-per-view before GAME ON covers the screen; afterward, the montage fades to the Game On studio and its host, Seth Evans, standing in front of the camera with the same background from the week before. It’s dressed up a bit fancier: rather than stools, two leather recliners with an end table between them. Seth Evans is standing in front of the table as he welcomes everyone.}
Seth Evans: Welcome, gamers! Wrestling fans, enthusiasts, co-workers, and whoever else happens to be watching. This is week TWO {Seth holds up two fingers to the camera before retracting them.} of Game On, and we do have a special guest that will be joining us later on the show as the IWF World Television Champion: ULF! HEDNIR! (Hot off his victory over JC Keeton, and having a formidable opponent in the man that he won the championship from this week, Nick Knight, is he worried? Is he concerned? Does he really believe that he can make it through all participants of the battle royal? Besides that, though, we have some big results from Danger Zone! We’ve had time to let all of the dust settle, everybody has caught their breath, and now it’s time to… evaluate. Who stood out? We are introducing a few new things this week by having a consistent POWER TEN rather than just what will be a Weekly Top Five.
The Power Ten works as such: it will be a consistent evaluation as people go forward… someone may not even have a match for one, two, or even three weeks, yet end up on this list and moving up so long as they do something to give them that spark! They do something to keep the attention on them! But people will be battling for that spot…
{Seth tilts his head, and gives a half-smile while nodding.}
Seth Evans: It’s going to be competitive. Anyway! {Seth straightens up.} Another new thing that I am excited for… CLUTCH! PLAY! OF! THE! WEEK! This is decided strictly by who had the biggest shift in momentum? Was it a counter into a finisher to win the match? Was it just one big move that shifted the match in their favor? What was it?! We had a lot of spots on Danger Zone that are worthy of taking this spot, but only one could make it. And finally… the last new introduction we will have for this week is: WHO DO WE MISS? These can be former IWF or even nCw stars that we would love to see make a return to the IWF ring, and who knows… maybe… if they’re watching at home… they may get that spark, just like the rest of us.
{Seth pauses momentarily, and nods his head giving a genuine smile again.}
Seth Evans: First up, though! Prediction results…
Weekly:
3-4
Seth Evans: It was a rough week for me… if you're a gambling man, I’m not your man! But I think that I can bounce back this week when the predictions come later.
Danger Zone held a lot of surprises, including… a match… I did not predict because it wasn’t there at the airing of Game On last week. It was just a last minute addition. I should have been on the ball with sharing my prediction via social media. What can you do? Anyways! I was surprised to see Vendetta take an “L” this week, but… poor officiating? Gods & Monsters became the number one contenders for Powers That Be, and that will be interesting to watch! We saw THREE championships change hands! THREE! We have a new IWF Imperial Diamond Champion in Cals Jacobsen. Called it. Warren Kane won the IWF Men’s World Championship. I went out on a limb and thought there was going to be some sort of disqualification, and that would result in a no contest. I won’t make that mistake again! And finally! Tara! Won! The IWF Women’s World Championship, and all I can say is that I should’ve known better! Tara has been doing this a long, long time. She trained me! She trained Jessé Marchand! Never count her out. That is the lesson I need to take away from that.
Next up is… the Weekly Top 5! This is the same as the Top 5 from last week, as the only thing that matters. The only thing I care about! The only thing being discussed! IS! The week leading up to Danger Zone. The previous week does not matter! However, I will be using that to set precedent on the later Power 10.
FIVE:
JC KEETON: Coming in at number five this week was the challenger for the IWF World Television Champion! JC Keeton! He put up one hell of a fight against Ulf Hednir, but he was not able to come out with the victory. A tough loss. But JC, don’t be discouraged… It was a valiant effort worthy of taking number five.
FOUR:
ULF HEDNIR: The man went to war with JC Keeton and left with the belt intact. Those fans got everything they paid for, and more, just by witnessing those two battling each other over the IWF World Television Championship! But you have to keep in mind: Ulf said he was not going to lose it on his first defense. He was a man of his word.
THREE:
CALS JACOBSEN: A brand new IWF Imperial Diamond Champion! Cals Jacobsen shocked a good number of people, but I will say… I was not surprised… I could see the spark in Cals’ eyes after Cals lost to Tara, and Cals knew that all Cals could do was bounce back! Cals did that in a major way by winning the IWF Imperial Diamond Championship!
TWO:
TARA FENIX: Many people… many people… hear Tara, and they believe that she’s out here in some sob story about how her heart was broken, but I hear her words a little bit differently; this is not a broken woman, this is a vengeful woman! This is a woman with something to prove! And she has proven it! In what is only her fourth match back in not only IWF, but the entire professional wrestling industry, since 2013! She has not missed a beat, she has not slowed down, she is just… moving… forward… and I think she’s more dangerous than she’s ever been. More dangerous than I’ve ever known her for being. She is a veteran of twenty years in the industry, starting at the age of sixteen… she used to go out, and just go for the victory. Now she seems like she’s looking for blood. That women’s division needs to watch out.
ONE:
WARREN KANE: Coming in at number one this week is the NEW IWF Men’s World Champion! Warren Kane battled through everybody, has done damn near everything that the IWF asked of him… he fought with blood, sweat, and tears for YEARS to finally reach the top of the mountain! And he is there! Number one in the IWF. Number one in the industry. And number one for the Weekly Top 5.
Seth Evans: Everybody fought extraordinarily hard this last week! There were so many more people that I wish could make this list… but the top five for the week? There’s only five spots. Next up, though, we are going to go into the CLUTCH PLAY OF THE WEEK! There were a lot of hard spots at Danger Zone…
{...Abigail, standing back to her feet, seemed to have forgotten where Tara was… Tara comes to and leaps from the second rope to catch Abigail with Heaven’s Fury!}
A lot of back and forth action.
{JC senses what is coming, and fires a few desperation shots to Ulf’s exposed ribcage. JC Keeton continues driving a few punches to Ulf’s ribcage, and Ulf fires back with a couple of his own that causes JC to grimace; Ulf gets a good grip on JC Keeton, and sails him over with the superplex! The crowd seems to be in a frenzy!}
But only ONE play has earned the right to call itself the Clutch Play of the Week!
{There is a crash heard on the screen as it shifts to Abraxes and Draco Wolfe; they stand across from each other inside of the boiler room, when the lights suddenly fade out. They come back on, and Abraxes is missing! Draco is searching the room until the lights go out again… they come back on, and Abraxes is next to him! He connects with an uppercut! The lights go out, and back on, Abraxes is on the other side and connects with a headbutt! The lights go out, and back on, and Abraxes charges Draco against the wall and slams his head against the wall. The lights go out, and back on, and Abraxes has Draco setup for Hush!}
Out of all of what we saw at Danger Zone, the thing that stands out to me is…
{... Seemingly recovering, Rowan manages to reach up, fumbling for the head of Cals. What she receives instead is a closed fist to her wounded temple, then another, a wild barrage raining down. The strikes stagger Rowan, causing her to stumble again, and Cals manages to slide out the back, hooking Rowan’s arms as they land AND TWISTING HER INTO THE FALL TO PIECES, STRAIGHT ONTO THE STEEL CHAIR!}
Seth Evans: Congratulations, Cals Jacobsen, on winning not only the IWF Imperial Diamond Championship, and number three of the Weekly Top 5, but something that I would say is much more important: CLUTCH PLAY OF THE WEEK! You battled EVERYBODY for this one! And I’m glad to see that your clutch play of the week paid off with that victory! The next thing on our agenda is the MATCH OF THE WEEK. Last week, we had Tytus Rost and Xavier Zion take it in a hard fought contest, where it really seems like it could have gone either way… as I said before, folks, that’s the key to the match of the week! The fans do not want to see you go out there and squash your opponent, just as they do not want to go out there and watch you get squashed… hell, you don’t even want that! So I always choose the match of the week based on who meshes well! Who were the two closest combatants that gave each other a run for their money, and where it could seemingly have gone either way? If you’re on the losing end of it, it’s one you have to take with a grain of salt because… it… could… have gone… either way. There were a lot of matches worthy of taking it this week, and it was no easy decision… but…
IWF WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
1K RP WORD LIMIT
Ulf Hednir(c) vs JC Keeton
Reasoning: The reason that I chose Ulf Hednir versus JC Keeton as the match of the week is because these two battled it out in one of the toughest, most grueling matches that Danger Zone had to offer! It seemed like they each had each other on the number. Neither man wanted to cave! There were numerous near falls… there were numerous signatures… These two men earned their match of the week.
Seth Evans: Now… this might be the moment that you’ve all been waiting for, and for the first week: THE POWER TEN! I will be looking back to the week prior to Danger Zone, as well as Danger Zone itself to decide who should top this list. Going forward, we will use every week from that point forward! So… out of two weeks… who stood out? What teams stood out?
GODS & MONSTERS: I do have to give it to Gods & Monsters. They put on a great show, and a winning effort against The Fateful Danger at Danger Zone, and walked out with their arms raised in what will go down as an instant classic… There is no denying that The Fateful Danger brought everything they could to the table, but it wasn’t enough. Gods & Monsters is one of those teams that does stand out for its uniqueness: these fans seem to enjoy Locke as an entertainer! I mean, he’s got a number of tricks up his sleeves. He is the God of Mischief, right? Just out having some fun, right? I enjoy watching him. Abraxes is the contrast: he is just a monster! They got on the same page, and now they are the number one contenders.
VENDETTA: As I said last week, and as I will say again this week: VENDETTA is one of those tag teams that just stands out! They came here to do tag team wrestling; they did not care about anything else! They walked out with a victory over The Disciples on Sacrifice. They did suffer a defeat to Violent Tendencies, but… under what conditions? That’s alright, that’s alright. Vendetta knows they are not going to win every match that they go to, and if the referee had called a fair match I think they would have walked out with the victory. But they’re coming back! I believe in them!
XAVIER ZION: Well… listen… I’m going to stay neutral on this matter, and say that Xavier Zion not only marched into the ring against Tytus Rost at Sacrifice, but he marched down to that ring to face me at Danger Zone, and without making any kind of excuses… the bottom line… he walked out with the victories on both encounters. We’ll see how long Xavier Zion can keep this up, though.
ROWAN: Listen, I’m going to say it… Rowan is a dominating force in the IWF. She did everything she could against Cals Jacobsen, but Cals was too determined to walk out with the win, and with the Imperial Diamond Championship. Rowan is a former two-time Women’s World Champion, and who knows… maybe… after losing the Imperial Diamond Championship, she could go after Tara and the Women’s World Championship? That would be a scary one to watch. But Rowan has nothing to prove to anyone. Rowan comes in at number seven, and we could see her bounce back to the main event.
VIOLENT TENDENCIES: It pains me to have to put Violent Tendencies here after that performance, but you cannot take anything away from them! The duo of King and Chris Diamond; these two are on the same page, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to win a match! It showed at Danger Zone, when they distracted the referee… illegally attacked the man on the apron… and it just shows, they will do what they must. King is a powerhouse, absolutely no denying that. And Chris Diamond has a lot of experience. These two, if they continue tactics like that, could climb this ladder, and could be a thorn in anyone’s side.
JC KEETON: JC Keeton may have not won the IWF World Television Championship… but he won our hearts. Not only did he prove himself a fighter after the battle royal, but he proved himself a contender by giving everything he had in the tank, and when you thought there was nothing left -- he started running on fumes! Sadly, for him, the fumes were not enough to carry him over with a victory to become the champion… but it was enough to bring him not only to the number five of the week, but also number five on the Power 10.
ULF HEDNIR: Ulf Hednir had the greatest match of his career, to date! The reason that JC Keeton took the number five spot was because of how much of a fight he put up to try and take away that championship, and yes… absolutely… there is no shame in that loss. But Ulf retained! That is the only thing that is putting Ulf in the higher spot. I believe we are only going to see him climb the ladder as he defends that championship regularly! He’s only got to get to me. Then he can drop it!
CALS JACOBSEN: Cals Jacobsen did it! Cals dethroned Rowan, who is a former TWO-TIME Women’s World Champion! Rowan is the type of woman that many others are afraid to get into the ring with… because they do not know if they are going to be able to walk out. Cals Jacobsen did it without fear! Pulled off one of the most amazing performances of Cals career, bouncing back after being defeated at Metamorphosis… and becoming the brand new IWF Imperial Diamond Champion. And all I have to say, besides congratulations, is I called it! Great work out there, Cals! I do not believe Cals is going to let that title go for a while.
TARA FENIX: Wow! Wow, wow, wow! That is all that I can say, and that I should have known better… I predicted that Virginia Stepanov was going to walk out of Danger Zone as the new Women’s World Champion, but my friend, mentor, and trainer… although… let me say… she is scaring me, folks. She has gone a little cuckoo, and she hasn’t been returning my calls… she hasn’t said one word to me since she’s returned to the ring -- I did not know she was going to return! -- she is a little cuckoo right now, and yeah, anyone in her path may need to just… duck… but congratulations, Tara. I would love to give her the number one spot, but… coming in at number one!
WARREN KANE: The brand new Men’s World Champion! Warren Kane busted his ass for YEARS in IWF… always dependable… always showing… always giving a show for the fans! There is no denying his ability, there is no denying his heart, there is no denying the love that these fans have for him whenever he steps out from behind those curtains. And now! He’s doing so as the IWF Men’s World Champion! It has been a long time coming, and you finally got it! Big congratulations to Warren Kane on not only taking the number one spot of the Power 10, but becoming the IWF Men’s World Champion!
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Abigail, Virginia Stepanov, James Gilmore.
Seth Evans: It was a tough week, and these people are in the best position to keep their spot! Will they keep it? Or will others step up and dethrone them? That is the biggest question that will be answered NEXT WEEK! But we still have more this week… There are a lot of people that have fought in the confines of the Imperial Wrestling Federation, and even New Championship Wrestling, and there are many that I would love to see come back! I could sit here all day and just tell you everyone that I would love to see come back, but then I would be out of a segment for the show. We’ll let the anticipation build each week. This week...
GAME GENIE: WHO DO WE WISH BACK?
Joe Everyman: He was the FIRST IWF Imperial Champion, renamed as the IWF World Championship, and I do not know what it is… we’ve seen a number of people make their surprise returns, little one and dones, but Joe Everyman? He won the belt, and was practically gone the next day. I understand, okay? I understand! His goal was to become the World Champion. That was what he wanted! He did that. He did that, and he was able to walk away happily… and never look back… but it does not stop me from asking: what if? What if Joe Everyman decided to return? Would he go back to battling for the World Championship? Would he even still be able to hang with the people coming in these days?! The world may never know, but I just wonder… what if?
Seth Evans: With everything that has been said, it is all in the past now, right? We are going to move FORWARD. Right? So with all of that, we have to look forward to Sacrifice… and let’s see who stands out as my hopefuls.
PREDICTIONS:
SINGLES MATCH
Kelvin Rivers vs Ducky
My prediction is… KELVIN RIVERS.
Reasoning: I know that Kelvin Rivers has been on a bit of a cold streak, but I think this is his chance to come back! I think this is his opportunity to show the IWF universe, and the professional wrestling industry, that he is back, and he does mean business! This is the bounce back that Kelvin Rivers needs. I would like to believe he is not going to squander it.
SINGLES MATCH
Kate Steele vs Amber Cooke
My prediction is… AMBER COOKE.
Reasoning: Kate Steele is a good competitor, but she hasn’t shown up as of late. I don’t think this is going to be her week to shine, either. Sorry.
SINGLES MATCH
Tytus Rost vs Phillip Deforrest
My prediction is… TYTUS ROST.
Reasoning: Tytus Rost did not have a match at Danger Zone, and the last time he was on Sacrifice he did suffer his first loss to Xavier Zion. TOUGH LUCK for Phillip Deforrest! Tytus Rost is going to be out for blood. Tytus Rost is going to be out to avenge that loss. I’m practically predicting that Tytus Rost is not going to allow Phillip Deforrest to walk out on his own two feet. This is the bounce back he needs, and then… I’m sorry for you, Xavier, but I think it’s a matter of time before he comes gunning for you to truly avenge that loss he suffered at your hands.
SINGLES MATCH
Samira Hamilton vs Gabriela Luna
My prediction is… GABRIELA LUNA.
Reasoning: I… honestly… could not tell you. It is just a feeling that I’m getting, a vibe that I’m getting!
SINGLES MATCH
1K RP WORD LIMIT
Nick Danger vs Xavier Zion
My prediction is… XAVIER ZION.
Reasoning: Nick Danger did show up for the match against Gods & Monsters at Danger Zone, and he was put through a car. Literally. Put through a car. I would like to say that he will go out on Sacrifice and give it his all, he will, but I think he’s still hurting from that brawl. Xavier Zion, on the other hand, is still on fire… hot off his win over Tytus Rost, his win over me, I believe that he’s going to keep that rolling.
TAG TEAM MATCH
Fate and Caroline Machado vs The Dark Triad
My prediction is… THE DARK TRIAD.
Reasoning: That is an intense… scary… team to deal with. Eternity, Rowan, and Jess Reed. Two hall of famers in their midst! It is hard to vote against a team like that, no matter who it is that is getting into the ring. And it has just come to my attention that this is going to be a three versus two... so... it's kind of hard to go against the three.
SINGLES MATCH
1K RP WORD LIMIT
Gregor Winter vs Almir Sayed
My prediction is… GREGOR WINTER.
Reasoning: I think that Gregor Winter has been playing the lackey for Nick Knight for quite a while, and he’s going to want to get them all back on the right track. Gregor Winter is looking for this victory to remind the IWF that The Church of Crosse is still around. That is not taking anything away from Almir Sayed; he did well in the battle royal… he’s always been impressive to watch… but I think Gregor Winter is going to be a bit more physical this week, and too much for Almir Sayed.
IWF TELEVISON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
1K RP WORD LIMIT
Ulf Hednir(c) vs Nick Knight
My prediction is… ULF HEDNIR.
Reasoning: Ulf… is hurting after the match he had with JC Keeton, but that is not going to be enough to derail him. The man he is going against is the man he won the championship from, and Nick Knight would love for nothing more than to win the belt back! This is going to be Ulf telling him… it’s not his anymore. It belongs to Ulf.
TAG TEAM MATCH
Chosen Elite vs Powers that Be
My prediction is… POWERS THAT BE.
Reasoning: I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll say it again: Dean Harper and Angel are both former World Champions. Angel is in the hall of fame, and Dean Harper is a future hall of famer! These two are the IWF World Tag Team Champions for a reason! There are not many teams that could stand against them. Team Diversity Hire recently lost to them… Gods & Monsters are next on the list for that belt. I think that at Sacrifice, they are going to send a message to Locke and Abraxes that they are not to be trifled with.
Seth Evans: And now… gamers… it’s time for our special guest! Coming onto the show is the current IWF World Television Champion! ULF! HEDNIR!
{Seth gestures to the side, and Ulf Hednir enters from the left side of the screen. He is wearing typical street attire, with a blazer over his shirt, and the IWF World Television Championship around his waist. He waves to the camera, as Seth Evans extends his hand to Ulf, and the two shake hands.}
Seth Evans: Welcome to the show! Please, take a seat. {Seth says while gesturing to one of the two chairs.}
Ulf Hednir: Takk! Takk for having meg… {Ulf adjusts his blazer and takes a seat.}
{Seth takes a seat in the opposite chair and nods his head a moment allowing Ulf to take a moment to settle before beginning the interview.}
Seth Evans: Again, welcome to the show. The fans really did want to hear from you when I announced that Game On was returning, and I would include special guests each week, so… welcome.
Ulf Hednir: Takk.
Seth Evans: Now… I like to start the interview with a simple question, so I must ask: Xbox, Playstation, or PC?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg vil ha to say PC… {Ulf says with a chuckle.}
Seth Evans: Really?! You always struck me as more of a Playstation type of guy, with games like God of War 4 on there…
Ulf Hednir: Ja, jeg ha played det, but PC. Master race!
Seth Evans: What kind of games do you like to play?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg mainly do play World of Warcraft, but jeg play hva-ever comes ute, really…
Seth Evans: Really? World of Warcraft? We need to get you into the IWF guild!
Ulf Hednir: Oh, jeg mainly do play on de EU servers. Er du der?
Seth Evans: Sadly, no, we keep to the NA. More of us are located here…
Ulf Hednir: Jeg understand. Maybe jeg vil consider an account here, too, ja?
Seth Evans: Sounds great! Anyways, Roulette is coming around the corner… Do you have any intent on making a legitimate run in the Roulette? And what chance do you think you have over everybody else?
Ulf Hednir: Absolutt. Absolutely. Jeg ha participated in de Roulette in de past, og jeg didn’t win, but jeg think det jeg stand a good sjanse (chance). Jeg feel determined. Jeg feel on fire. Jeg feel det if anybody can gå ute as a double champion with de IWF World Television Championship og de IWF Men’s World Championship, jeg could.
Seth Evans: Well, I have to say, I’ll be gunning for you.
Ulf Hednir: Kom med det. (Bring it) {Ulf said with a chuckle.}
Seth Evans: Well, when you left the IWF… you stayed under the radar with the industry, but somehow exploded onto the MMA scene! How’s your record there?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg er undefeated. Currently. {Ulf lets out another hearty chuckle.} Min først fight was a bit of a disaster. Jeg did feel… lucky… to vinne. But jeg did, og it impressed a few of de people in de back because they invited me back, og trained with me. Jeg got a lot better, og jeg brought det skill with me back to de IWF.
Seth Evans: With their blessing?
Ulf Hednir: Ja, ja! When jeg talked to dem about returning to de IWF, they were fine with it. They encouraged it. But jeg assured them det jeg ville continue min MMA career, too--
Seth Evans: {Holding a hand up as if to ask Ulf to pause.} Wait… you’re balancing both?
Ulf Hednir: Ja, jeg balance both. Jeg er in constant communication with the AEF--
Seth Evans: So you have more fights planned? Scheduled? Anything?
Ulf Hednir: Ja, jeg vil ha my next fight in May, actually.
Seth Evans: That is going to be in the middle of your gauntlet? I guess that’s the best way to describe it, your IWF World Television Gauntlet… speaking of which! I came up with a nice little graphic here, if you don’t mind taking a gander.
{Ulf is the first to burst out with a laugh, and Seth Evans joins his laughter shortly after.}
Ulf Hednir: Det! Is! Fantastisk!
Seth Evans: I’m not a pro, or anything, but I was proud of this.
Ulf Hednir: Jeg see det JC Keeton is crossed ute… Nick Knight vil ha to be, too!
Seth Evans: I can only hope, because my best chance at fighting for that belt of yours is for you to keep it!
Ulf Hednir: Oh, jeg vil keep it.
Seth Evans: I hope so! Anyways, back to the topic… your fight is taking place while you’re still in the Gauntlet, so is that going to interfere? Have you talked to Roberto Verona? Maybe take a week off? Prepare?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg consider min selv a professional, og a man of min word. De fight vil take place but it vil be on a Saturday, og jeg should be good to make it to Sacrifice…
Seth Evans: But you are going to be sore.
Ulf Hednir: Jeg vil just ha to make it a round one finish. {He shrugged.}
Seth Evans: Is there anyone from the IWF that may be joining you in your training camp for that match? Anyone that stands out to you.
Ulf Hednir: Vel, jeg ha Xavier Cross… he is going to be there. Like jeg said, jeg may regret det jeg joined de Council, but jeg do not regret de friendship jeg maintain with de members. JC Keeton is another one det vil likely be at ringside… jeg understand det he is also an MMA fan, jeg vil be honored to have him der. De last one is Virginia Stepanov; another former MMA star, so jeg thought she may be help in training. Teach me a few new tricks det jeg do not know, maybe?
Seth Evans: After defeating JC Keeton, and not including Nick Knight… is there anyone that you are looking forward to facing?
Ulf Hednir: Umm, hmm. Du?
Seth Evans: Me?!
Ulf Hednir: Ja, of course! But ja, de Thunderchild for next week… if… when… jeg defeat Nick Knight, but jeg like hva jeg see ute of Xavier Zion. Jeg like hva jeg see ute of de King of Clubs. Almost everyone in hva du call de Gauntlet, jeg er excited to face all of dem.
Seth Evans: Sounds like a political answer to me.
Ulf Hednir: Jeg do not dismiss de ability of anyone under an IWF contract. Even Scott Handsome earned a recent victory, ja?
Seth Evans: You would be correct there! Well… that is all the questions that I have for you, so without further ado, we will move on to the fan and colleague questions! {Seth pulls out his tablet and taps the screen a few times to get to where the questions are.} One fan asks: Do you have any regrets in your career?
Ulf Hednir: Hmm… jeg vil ha to say joining de Council.
Seth Evans: You didn’t enjoy your time there?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg ha nothing but love for de members of de Council, og jeg er not saying anything against dem… they were great guys, they really did look ute for meg, og jeg er grateful, but it was not de right move for me at de time. Jeg feel det jeg was on fire when jeg first signed min contract, og just feel that it kind of… dampened… me.
Seth Evans: Understandable. You were getting over with the fans, while the fans did not seem as fond of the rest of the Council. Did you feel that they were, in a way, corrupting you?
Ulf Hednir: Nei, not at all. Jeg saw it as an opportunity to learn from some veterans, but jeg just needed to pave min own path.
Seth Evans: {Nodding his head.} Good answer. Good answer. The next question is submitted from another anonymous fan: How is it being back in IWF after doing MMA?
Ulf Hednir: Det is a tough one, because in MMA… jeg stayed healthy, og jeg took samme det fight jeg could so long as jeg had at least one month to train. Some short notice fights. Some hvor jeg ha up to tre (three) months to train. De IWF, de professional wrestling industry is more, {Ulf snaps his finger.}... match, {Snaps his finger again.} … match, {Snaps his finger again.} … match! Two veldig different worlds, but it is good to be back! Og jeg do not plan on slowing down.
Seth Evans: It is strange going from fighting once a month, or even every couple months, to suddenly being expected to at least be present at the show in case something comes up that requires your attention. Does Roberto Verona give you any special treatment? Most of us have heard rumors that MMA stars would get special treatment in whatever promotion they go to in professional wrestling.
Ulf Hednir: Nei, Roberto Verona does not give me any special treatment. Besides being de IWF World Television Champion, hva ha jeg done to earn it? Either way, whether jeg “earn” special treatment or not, jeg ville not want it.
Seth Evans: Humble. Some people would kill for special treatment. The next question is from MinnesotaMiking: if you had to select a tag team partner, which IWF superstar would you choose and why?
Ulf Hednir: {Visibly thinking.} Det… is… a god (good) question. De two names det come to min mind er JC Keeton. Han og jeg shared a match det jeg truly believe could be candidate for match of de year! Han showed me a lot in det match: his iron will, his toughness, his heart! Jeg know det jeg could trust him as a partner to bring as much intensity, og as much heart as jeg ville bring. De other name det… if du had asked me before Danger Zone, uten (without) hesitation, jeg ville say de Thunderchild. Han og jeg also shared a few classics, en in en mot en, de other fighting Nick Knight. Perhaps vi vil start a stable! One of those two… ja…
Seth Evans: So, after the Roulette, and if you were to go on to win the IWF World Championship, would you consider a run at the World Tag Team Titles?
Ulf Hednir: Can jeg carry tre titles?
Seth Evans: It would be tough, and probably a lot of double duty nights.
Ulf Hednir: Jeg er game!
Seth Evans: Next fan question! What is your favorite cheat food day?
Ulf Hednir: Ostekaka.
Seth Evans: Osta-what?
Ulf Hednir: Cheesecake.
Seth Evans: Cheesecake… that’s always good. Emma88 says: do you get nervous before your matches? You seem so brave!
Ulf Hednir: {Chuckles.} Jeg de get a litt (little) bit of de jitters every time, but de moment det my theme starts to play… all of it goes away, og all jeg think about is hva jeg ha to do to walk ute as de vinner.
Seth Evans: I think we all get those jitters. It takes a long time, but I still get them… and I don’t know if they’ll ever go away. WrestlingGuru87 asks: Was the transition back into IWF difficult for you? Are you glad that you took that break away to pursue other interests?
Ulf Hednir: Vel… de reason for me stepping away were part personal, but det is where jeg got de offer to fight at AEF in MMA. Jeg do not know if jeg really did complete de transition back, but det is why jeg wanted to do dette Gauntlet, jeg wanted to get min selv back in de transition! Og det is how jeg do things: just dive right in. {His hand gestures a diving motion.} Jeg er glad det jeg took de time away, because jeg believe det jeg came back stronger. Better. Better enn (than) jeg was. Quicker, even. Life is full of experiences, og everything does happen for a reason, ja? Vel, det was part of min story. Det was part of min life. It was a good break, og allowed me to come back more focused… more determined. As jeg spoke of earlier, min mistake was joining de Council; jeg feel det de passion, in a way, was lost during min time with dem… because jeg tried to not create my own path. Leaving was probably de best decision. It allowed me to come back to make min own path.
Seth Evans: You heard it, folks: if the fire is gone, it may be a good moment to take a step back and re-evaluate before going forward. It paid off for Ulf! Success in MMA. I am assuming success with your personal life? Let’s talk about that for just a moment: the cameras did catch a brief moment of you on webcam with a young girl, and I have to say… absolutely… adorable. Who is she to you? Daughter? Niece? Sister?
Ulf Hednir: {Rubbing his chin.} Det is min daughter. Hun is one of de reasons det jeg needed to take a step away, because jeg do want to be der for her as often as jeg can.
Seth Evans: And the mother, your girlfriend? Wife?
Ulf Hednir: Ex.
Seth Evans: Ex. Any turmoil there?
Ulf Hednir: Nei. Vi er still friends, vi just knew det it was not going to work ute in de long run. But hun was already pregnant, og jeg assured her jeg ville make sure she is god (good)... det is part of why jeg took de fight offered to me. It was too much money to turn down.
Seth Evans: I mean, you are a Norwegian resident. Is there any kind of child support that you are required to pay?
Ulf Hednir: Der is, but vi did not go through de government… vi ha a mutual understanding, og like jeg say, jeg vil take care of min datter (daughter) og her mor (mother). But jeg do not wish to go too far into min personal life, if du do not mind?
Seth Evans: I completely understand. We’ll go to the next question… IWFUndercoverAgent asks: what’s your favorite thing about being back?
Ulf Hednir: {Taps the plate of the IWF World Television Championship.} Dette! Dette is min first championship… ever… jeg did not vinne any championship during my previous stay at de IWF, og jeg still ha not fight for de heavyweight championship at AEF. So… dette… is min first championship, og jeg er proud to have it!
Seth Evans: Quick question, on the side, what would happen if AEF asks you to drop weight to fight in a lower class? You are on the higher end of the heavyweight division in MMA? Like… what? 240? You would have to drop--
Ulf Hednir: 243.
Seth Evans: You would have to drop 38 pounds to be at the high end of the next division down. Would you consider doing that? Would that impact your wrestling career?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg imagine det it ville, but jeg do not think det it would stop me from being able to do hva jeg do now. Just leaner. Jeg ville look exactly like those men ute of 300! But jeg ville consider dropping weight to de next division down, if jeg must, but as far as MMA goes de heavyweight division is where jeg er still progressing. Jeg ville like to become de champion der before jeg consider any other division.
Seth Evans: Makes absolute sense. I would say the average weight of people in the IWF is between 200, and 210… we’ve had a few bigger men sign as of late, but still you do walk as a giant amongst most of them.
{Ulf shrugs, but nods his head in agreement.}
Seth Evans: Duckie187 asked: Why do you bathe with the TV Title? And further comments: That’s so weird!
Ulf Hednir: {Laughs out loud over the question, and comment.} Jeg do not know why jeg decided to take a bath with min championship, but jeg did… jeg do not consider it weird in de least. Jeg think det Ducky187 sounds a litt (little) jealous.
Seth Evans: Legends have done it. Why not you?
Ulf Hednir: Why not?
Seth Evans: OneManPunch69 asked: Why the Superman Paunch? And comments, you’re no Saitama!
Ulf Hednir: {Raises his fist.} When du do something right… it’s best to go back to it. When jeg first started wrestling, jeg did not intend on de punch to be min finisher! But jeg knocked ute min first person with it, og… it just clicked. Keep at it.
Seth Evans: Gam3rGuy29 asks… pre-match rituals. Do you have any? Or any superstitions, or things you do for good luck?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg just try to get de blood flowing, honestly. Jeg always ask Thor to grant me his strength so det jeg can knock ute min opponent with de punch, og ask Odin to grant me the accuracy of Gungnir - it does not miss. But mainly jeg do go ute der og rely on min own abilities.
Seth Evans: So no blood sacrifices?
Ulf Hednir: Those day are behind us.
Seth Evans: Well… that’s probably good for all of us. We have one more question coming in from Big_Bear77: What do you think of how the World Title changed hands? Would you have been satisfied if you won it that way?
Ulf Hednir: {Drawing in a deep breath.} Nei. Jeg ville not be happy if jeg won de IWF World Championship det way, og jeg ville probably think of how jeg could remedy de situation… a rematch? Forfeit de championship, even? Perhaps even have de rematch under a clause det should jeg not vinne, min name ville be stricken from de records. Jeg ville not want to vinne de championship det way. Jeg do not like how it changed hands. But… hva business is it of min? {Ulf finished with a shrug.} Jeg stay in min business, og ute of theirs. For now.
Seth Evans: It makes sense. Warren Kane went through a long road to win the championship, and that’s why I did give him the number one spot in the Weekly Top 5, and the number one spot in the Power 10. What do you think of your placement on it?
Ulf Hednir: Jeg think det du vil see me at number one in de next couple weeks. Jeg do not intend on slowing down.
Seth Evans: Well, you have to earn it, like everybody else! Good luck to you, Ulf, and thank you for taking the time to come to the Game On studios to do this interview! It has been a pleasure talking with you!
Ulf Hednir: Takk for having meg.
Seth Evans: That’s all the time we have for the show this week, folks! Thank you for tuning in, and we will see you next week! Be sure to vote for our next guest which is up between Warren Kane, Cals Jacobsen, Tara Fenix, and JC Keeton. You can vote online up until Monday! Until next week, gamers: GAME ON!
{Seth Evans clicks his tongue and does a finger pistol at the camera. Ulf smiles at the camera, and does the same finger pistol as the Game On show comes to a close.}