Post by Seth Evans on Mar 26, 2021 23:42:35 GMT
{The introductory video montage for Game On plays, showing numerous highlights from the most recent episode IWF: Sacrifice! The logo for Game On slowly overtakes the camera, as the scene shifts to the studios where Seth Evans is already standing with his hands cupped together; he holds his hands out and greets the audience.}
Seth Evans: Welcome, gamers! Thank you for tuning in to another edition of Game On, where tonight we have our special guest as the IWF Imperial Diamond Champion: Cals Jacobsen! Cals will be here later on in the show to share some of their experiences since entering the industry, and how it feels to be a champion so young, and so quick! Next week is going to be High Stakes. The Roulette! There could be some surprises next week! First up… prediction results!
Seth Evans: Welcome, gamers! Thank you for tuning in to another edition of Game On, where tonight we have our special guest as the IWF Imperial Diamond Champion: Cals Jacobsen! Cals will be here later on in the show to share some of their experiences since entering the industry, and how it feels to be a champion so young, and so quick! Next week is going to be High Stakes. The Roulette! There could be some surprises next week! First up… prediction results!
PREDICTION RESULTS
Weekly:
6-2
Seth Evans: It’s not bad. Not bad at all! There were a few upsets this week, at least for my count, but I do enjoy being surprised!
Overall:
25-10
Seth Evans: And that gap increases! That’s just over 70% correct predictions by me, and I am rather pleased with that number. But it’s a C! I need to increase that!
Weekly Top 5
Five:
GREGOR WINTER.
Reasoning: Gregor Winter… whether you hate him or not, what he did after the match: despicable! Absolutely despicable! But he did dominate the match, and he did surprisingly ruin Jayson’s momentum. I do hope he can bounce back, but until then… Gregor takes the number five spot for the week.
Four:
VENDETTA
Reasoning: Vendetta had a little slip against Violent Tendencies, but they bounce back in a huge way this week! This is what they needed, and I think it puts them back on track to eventually get a shot at the belts.
Three:
GODS & MONSTERS
Reasoning: There are a few questions that I have… but those aren’t important. Gods & Monsters earned the victory for their team, and Locke… I must admit, quite amusing with his antics. It was confusing, and that’s part of— I wonder. Anyways! They earned that pinfall victory. Now they have a chance at the belts at High Stakes!
Two:
VIVIENNE RODGERS
Reasoning: Vivienne went against two of the toughest people that I think are currently under an IWF contract! Neither Amber, nor Virginia, can ever be counted out and Vivienne earned a huge victory, and huge standout performance to become the number one contender for Cals Jacobsen.
One:
ULF HEDNIR
Reasoning: The reason that I am going to give this number one spot to Ulf this week is because not only did he make history by successfully defending the championship now FOUR times, but that streak continues! He has just been steamrolling the competition. This marks eight wins in a row. Can he make it to ten?
Seth Evans: It was a tough call for this top five, a lot of people putting up some huge fights and trying to make some noise and gain their own momentum.
Clutch Play of the Week
Seth Evans: We saw a lot of action this week with the number of matches leading up to High Stakes! Between the triple threat between Amber, Vivienne, and Virginia...
{...All three regroup and Amber moves in for Virginia with an Interceptor! Amber pulls Virginia right back up for the Blast Wave! Amber spots Vivienne coming and hits her with an Interceptor as well!}
Seth Evans: Trying to get yourself the win...
{...Dean tags himself in. Abraxes stares down Dean as Harper climbs into the ring. Harper pulls AA RD up, kisses him on the forehead and then just drills him into the mat with Clipped Wings!}
Seth Evans: Whether the effort was losing...
{Almir has already gotten to his feet and catches him with a front headlock, dragging Ulf up, and then taking him back down with Pay Dirt!}
Seth Evans: But this week… despite the number of surprises that happened, what ultimately came as the Clutch Play of the Week!
{...Almir grabs Ulf’s arm, and sends him toward the ropes! On Ulf’s return, he leaps into the air looking to catch Almir with The Thor Punch! Almir was able to move out of the way, and starts pointing to his own cranium telling everyone how he’s too smart to be caught with that; meanwhile, Ulf has stopped his momentum and is just waiting for Almir to turn around… as Almir does, Ulf leaps up and connects with The Thor Punch!}
Seth Evans: Another Thor Punch knocks one out! I’m starting to think Ulf perfected that punch while he was away and nobody is going to kick out of it!
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
Imperial Diamond Championship contender
Amber Cooke vs Vivienne Rodgers vs Virginia
Reasoning: This is a match that literally could have gone any way! Amber Cooke put in the fight of her life, Virginia put in the fight of her life, but it’s Vivienne Rodgers who walks out as the winner of the night and the chance to battle Cals Jacobsen for the IWF Imperial Diamond Championship! Now, this is a match that DID NOT make it to the main card on Sacrifice, so I do urge all of you… subscribe to the IWF Go! App, and WATCH THAT MATCH!
Seth Evans: Did someone finally create enough momentum to knock Ulf Hednir from his throne at number one? Or did he retain it? What about the people who had no real activity… are they staying relevant? Are they creating a buzz? Let’s go forward with our Power 10 for the week!
POWER 10
JAYSON MATTHEWS: Sadly, I did have to diminish Jayson Matthews down a bit… he had a lot of momentum going forward last week, but it has just… been… crushed… by Gregor Winter. He is still someone we need to keep an eye on because I do think he will go up this ranking again.
VENDETTA: Bouncing back into the competition is Vendetta! Vendetta earns a huge victory this week, and I think they are en route to go back after the IWF Tag Team Championships. I’m still a believer!
VIRGINIA STEPANOV: Falling a little bit on this rank, but staying on the Power 10, is Virginia Stepanov. The reason that I had to keep her up here was because she did fight for a chance to become the IWF Imperial Diamond Championship, but came up short. She still has a chance to recover from this and continue making a name for herself!
GODS & MONSTERS and THE POWERS THAT BE: I had to give this a tie between the Tag Team Champions, and the challengers! The question that has to be answered: WHY did the Powers That Be drop the match for Gods & Monsters? Was it a power play? They had to have some kind of play. I’ve known Angel a while, and he usually does not do something without a plan… but Gods & Monsters still is up there because of them taking the victory. Do they have a plan by announcing a Ladder Match?
CALS JACOBSEN: Now, this one I hate to mention, but this is another one I have to say is diminishing… I think Cals will move back up if Cals can earn a huge victory to retain the Imperial Diamond Championship, and we will hear what Cals has to say later on on the show!
XAVIER ZION: Xavier Zion, I thought for sure was going to be on his way to the number one spot… he could take it this week with a big victory over Ulf Hednir, and claiming the IWF World Television Championship as his! But… it is a big “if” when I say “IF” he can win the belt with that big victory. He is starting to diminish. His momentum seems to be cooling. And it could spell trouble for him come High Stakes.
WARREN KANE: Warren remains at the number four spot this week. I’ll be honest… there wasn’t much happening on Sacrifice to move him up, but as the World Champion, you have to imagine that he’s going to stay relevant. I think he needs to send a message to Nick Danger this week, and send a message to the rest of the roster: he will be a fighting champion. He will take on all challengers. We could see him reclaim the top spot.
VIVIENNE RODGERS: Coming in quite HOT on the Power 10: VIVIENNE RODGERS! Number three! How did she jump so far? The answer is simple… she generated a lot of buzz! Match of the Week, second place on the Weekly Top 5, and I had no choice… NO CHOICE… but to give her the number three spot on the Power 10. Can she keep this fire going against Cals, or will we see her diminish?
TARA FENIX: Tara retains her spot at number two despite not having a match due to… interest. Straight interest! What is it that has been asked of her? Based on her promo from this week, it would suggest that she has something with Mandi Matthews, and that is part of what she must do. So we are going to have to see at High Stakes what she has planned, and I do not believe it’s going to be pretty.
ULF HEDNIR: Ulf does… for the third week… retain his spot as the number one spot on the Power 10! I do believe that we could potentially see someone strip this from him next week at High Stakes, but that’s irrelevant. He earned it this week based on a successful defense, extending his winning streak, extending his defense streak! This is the man to beat! And it doesn’t seem to be easy to do so.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Amber Cooke, Dawn Halliwell
GAME GENIE: WHO DO WE WISH BACK?
XAVIER CROSS: Xavier Cross was a mainstay in New Championship Wrestling, and a mainstay in the Imperial Wrestling Federation! This is a man who did help get the IWF on the map, and continued to do so with feuds remembered against… Dean Harper. Against The Pack. A man that does not stop fighting! A former IWF World Champion. The IWF would love to have you back, Xavier! Oh, mighty Genie! Grant our wish!
Seth Evans: Next up are… one of my favorite parts of the show, still, the PREDICTIONS!
Predictions:
SINGLE MATCH
Tatmusaki vs Adel Travent
My prediction is… TATMUSAKI.
Reasoning: Tatmusaki is one of the newest arrivals to the Imperial Wrestling Federation, but I am the man to do my research! This is a blackbelt in Taekwondo. He started wrestling at a very young age! I think that he has every intention of exploding onto the scene and making a name for himself with this victory.
SINGLE MATCH
Christos Rousakis vs Billie Parris
My prediction is… CHRISTOS ROUSAKIS.
Reasoning: This is one of those matches that you really do not know what to expect. Christos Rousakis is another one of those people that is new to the IWF, and he’s looking to showcase his ability, and I, for one, am excited to see what he can bring! Perhaps if Ulf makes it through the gauntlet, he will earn a chance to be the next in line following it?
SINGLES MATCH
Jack Ferriman vs Nate Fate
My prediction is… NATE FATE.
Reasoning: I do believe that Nate Fate is going to take this one simply because he wants it more! Nate Fate has recently come out as becoming quite vocal that he is not a lackey… he is not a sidekick… he is his own man, and his own deal! The Fateful Danger sure has turned around from last month, seeing Nate Fate come onto the scene in his own competition, and Nick Danger taking a shot at the IWF World Championship at High Stakes. I think Nate Fate is going to prove his point this time.
IMPERIAL DIAMOND CHAMPIONSHIP
Writing challenge: Straight Trash Promo
Cals Jacobsen (c) vs Vivienne Rodgers
My prediction is… CALS JACOBSEN.
Reasoning: This is one of the toughest competitions to call for the night, because Vivienne Rodgers has been on straight fire! She earned a quick shot to take the belt away from Cals before Cals can get one defense in, but that’s just it… this is Cals FIRST defense! I do not believe that Cals is going to accept losing the belt on their first go. Granted, the two are best friends, I think it’s going to be tough… but I think Cals is going to be able to set that aside to defend.
IWF WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
1K RP WORD LIMIT
Xavier Zion vs Ulf Hednir(c)
My prediction is… ULF HEDNIR.
Reasoning: Another man who has just been on an absolute hot streak ever since he returned in December! He became the IWF World Television Championship. He has defended the belt nonstop since acquiring it. This is the second pay-per-view where he is the champion, and he is quickly making a huge name for himself going forward! There are other champions out there, absolutely, but Ulf is quite literally defining what a champion is, and putting in the work for it. Xavier Zion has been another man that has been hot since coming to the IWF, but my only issue… I just do not believe he’s going to have the gas to end the champions reign. Besides, I need Ulf to hang onto that belt one more week, just so I can take it from him.
WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Tara Fenix(c) vs Mandi Matthews
My prediction is… TARA FENIX.
Reasoning: Tara… is on a mission. If you haven’t been following, one thing you need to remember is that defeating Mandi Matthews is also going to give her the right to see her son! Are you going to get between a mother and her child? I don’t think so. And I just… feel so bad for Mandi that she’s the one getting caught in the crossfire, and we have no idea why, but Tara’s going to do what she has to do.
IWF WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH
Gods and Monsters vs Powers that Be(c)
My prediction is… POWERS THAT BE.
Reasoning: This has been a match that we’ve all been waiting to see! The last time that the Powers That Be stepped into the ring with Gods & Monsters, it was in their favor, but Gods & Monsters have been steamrolling now for a while and are looking to take those belts away! Unfortunately… I do think that they may be underestimating Angel and Dean Harper, and that they’re not going to be able to do enough to take those belts away. I’m also taking bets that this may take the match of the night award! … not counting the Roulette, of course.
IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Warren Kane(c) vs Nick Danger
My prediction is… WARREN KANE.
Reasoning: This match came about when Nick Danger challenged Warren Kane via Twitter, and you have to admire that heart that Nick Danger has… that’s the type of attitude that is going to take you places going forward! Never backing down! The only issue, though, is I think you need to get a little bit of a walk going before you start running, and I think that Nick Danger just went into a full sprint and is about to hit a wall.
Seth Evans: Five championships on the line! And yes, I do believe that all FIVE championships are going to be retained… that’s going to have to be one for the record books… I can’t recall the last event that so many titles were on the line, not counting Night of the Immortals, and every single one of them were successfully retained? But… yeah, that’s my bet. And I’m sticking with it. The Roulette… I’m not going to lie, I’m not going to really call for a winner of that because there are just too many variables; too many things that can go wrong. There are a lot of people gunning for the Roulette victory! And it’s not going to be easy for anyone to do it. Out of momentum: I would have to say Ulf Hednir. He has been unstoppable. Out of desire: I would have to say Dean Harper. He knows that this is one of the few things in the IWF that he has not done, and he is looking to finally do it. But you have so many people! It’s just hard to call.
INTERVIEW
Seth Evans: Alright, gamers! It's the time that we have all been waiting for, and one of my personal favorite guests to have on the show... the IWF Imperial Diamond Champion: CALS JACOBSEN!
{Seth gestures to the side, and Cals enters with a smile, offering a fistbump to Seth as they flip their hood down and settle into the guest chair.}
Cals Jacobsen: Thanks for having me, Seth. Nice setup you got here!
Seth Evans: I'm glad to have you here, and I'm glad you like the setup! Everything a gamer needs, right? Speaking of which, I do like to start with a simple question... your console of choice? Xbox, Playstation, Switch, or what has become the master race: PC?
Cals Jacobsen: PC, I can’t live without being able to screw with my keybinds and UI. Also, mods. Mods mods mods.
Seth Evans: I'm known to mess with a lot of my key binding, and UI for the games that I play! One thing in particular that bothers me to no end is when people continue backing up! I disable that key, and rely on strafing... especially for my arena games. But what are the majority of the games that you like to play? Any specific one that stands out?
Cals Jacobsen: Mostly action-RPGs when I have the time. I’m planning on doing a full dive of the Dragon Age games when I have time. Big when, though.
Seth Evans: That's the dilemma we all have as children... We all told ourselves we're going to be gamers for life, but then we grow up and... well, we have bills, and then we don't have the time for games! Are you intending on streaming it for the fans? I have a full studio at your disposal!
Cals Jacobsen: As long as they understand this isn’t a Nuzlocke run. I am not taking crowdsourced instructions on how to play Dragon Age. Well, mostly.
Seth Evans: Absolutely! I'm sure the audience would just be psyched to be able to communicate with you. Anyways, let's get some of the more... serious questions rolling, and I suppose my first question is: how does it feel? How does it feel being the IWF Imperial Diamond Champion? How did it feel defeating Rowan?! Keep in mind, I called that you were going to pull that big victory which I do not want to call an upset, but Rowan is… ROWAN. I don’t think there’s a thing in the IWF that Rowan has not done, and you beat one of the toughest out there.
Cals Jacobsen: Nerve-wracking. Competing is one thing, but being champion is...it’s everything I was ever warned about. It’s feeling hounded, it’s feeling...the pressure to perform. As for beating Rowan? It felt good. Like vindication. Like I finally could shut up the little voice that said I didn’t really belong here.
Seth Evans: I hope it silenced every naysayer out there. How do you feel about facing Vivienne Rodgers this week? Does it make you nervous at all about some of the competition that is shining in the division, or are you just going to take each one as IWF gives them to you and just showcase your own ability? The ability is there! You’ve fought only the best over the past couple months, and no doubt, Vivienne is going to be another tally.
{Cals exhales slowly and nods to Seth, stepping their fingers.}
Cals Jacobsen: I’m going to be honest. If it were anyone else, I’d feel like I could beat the world. But Vivienne’s my best friend. She’s the person that encouraged and still encourages me to be the best me, and I...I don’t want to hurt her. But I’m going to do my best. I’ve got to put my butterflies down. New to the game or not, I’ve already done the impossible. But she won’t just be a tally. No victory ever is.
Seth Evans: That’s the name of the game, though, as we all know. I’ve shared the ring with Andrew a few times, and I would love to do it again, no ill will… just friends competing. {Seth smiles.} But you are, as you say, new to the game, but nobody is able to tell! Do you feel that you have big shoes to fill with the Jacobsen clan?
Cals Jacobsen: You've seen Andrew's feet, you tell me. In all seriousness, yeah. I'm a second-generation wrestler, and even if my dad's not a household name, my brother is. People expect the world from you from the word jump, just because of your last name. I'm doing my best, but all I can do is my best, not Andrew's, not anyone else's.
Seth Evans: At the end of the day, it’s us that we have to live for. It’s ourselves we have to please. So, a second-generation wrestler, I would say you’re doing fine just creating your own path. Was there any point where you felt your momentum might have stuck? Clearly it didn’t affect you, but when you did lose to Tara at Metamorphosis, was there any part of you that thought what you could have done differently, or did you just roll with the punch and get ready for the next?
Cals Jacobsen: The longer I live in the past, the more I ignore the future. That's one nice part of living almost my entire life adjacent to the wrestling business. I've learned lessons from watching that others have to from living. I broke it down with my trainers after the match, we looked at things we could improve, and folded that into my prep. Next match up, y'know?
Seth Evans: That is the best mindset to have. Nothing you can do about the past, just build to the future. That’s the problem that some new people have when they first arrive on the scene, but as indicated, hasn’t been an affect on you which is why you are where you are! Now, one thing that is out there. There is a lot of hate around in the world, but the world is finally gaining acceptance, to a degree. How do you feel being recognized as an inspiration for non-binaries?
Cals Jacobsen: You’ll hear it a thousand times if you look into any of the conversation about media, but representation matters. I know that I, visually, am a very specific slice of the nonbinary community. I’m white-passing. I’m relatively skinny. I’m told I’m conventionally attractive. I’m AFAB. I lean towards a somewhat androgynous presentation. I’m not a full picture. But when I was growing up, there wasn’t anyone on TV, in the ring, on the radio that was nonbinary. We gendered everything from robots to ships to weapons. I’m a piece of a picture, a mosaic that is a community. But it’s a piece that’s being seen, and hopefully recognized. When you have words for what you feel inside, it makes it easier to talk about, to accept. I hope, I HOPE, I can help someone, anyone with that.
I
Seth Evans: It’s good to see more representation for anyone who feels they have no one for them. Is there any message you have for anyone who may feel alone in their struggle?
Cals Jacobsen: You are not alone. I promise. There are people all around you who think they’re alone too. Sometimes, all it takes is that one voice to give them the courage to be themselves. The world is a better place for having you in it. Be proud of who you are.
Seth Evans: That is one thing that I am certain that people need to hear from someone they can associate with. We have some incoming messages from the fans. Are you ready to answer fan questions?
Cals Jacobsen: As I’ll never be.
Seth Evans: The first question comes from a fan that has chosen to stay anonymous. The fan asks: What’s it like being the first out trans person in IWF?
Cals Jacobsen: It’s a lot. You feel the pressure to excel. Like, if a cis dude or cis girl comes in and doesn’t light the world on fire, it’s whatever. If you’re the first of anything, you feel pressure to be a trailblazer, a role model. At least, that’s what I’m feeling. I can only hope I’m not the last.
Seth Evans:It’s similar to just… lighting the beacon. Light it up, and see who comes knowing that they have people that will support them, and people that understand what they are going through. The next question is coming from JacobsenMasterRace: what made you decide to follow into the family business?
Cals Jacobsen: First of all, you know my family’s Jewish, right? I let the earlier master race thing slide, it’s a meme, but talking about a family is just...ew.
On topic, spending time around Vivienne and her family. I’d dabbled in training before, but when you’re immersed in it all, it just...I’d never felt it the way I did. Maybe it was being closeted, not feeling at home in my skin. It kept pulling me up short, convincing me I didn’t want it.
Seth Evans: We’ll have to better look out for these names passing through. Next question from TheBobSaget: with your success and athletic prowess, not to mention the easy comparison to Andrew, what do you say to the people who are saying that the Jacobsen clan is poised to become the new Kane’s of IWF?
Cals Jacobsen: I get the urge to make the comparison, but as much as it hurts me to say this about Warren and Dawn, we're not going to be the next Kane family. My dad was pretty good at keeping it in his pants, all told, and unlike Spike he was more than willing to put family over career. I love my brother. He loves me. We're not the Kanes. We're the Jacobsens.
Seth Evans: I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be like the Kanes, honestly… aren’t they like the Kardashians of wrestling?
Cals Jacobsen: Hey. The kids are trying. And they have talent.
Seth Evans: Absolutely. No one can deny their talent, and I am a fan of their work… but they, too, are trying to ensure they make a name for themselves, and they are. This is going to the next generation. Your generation. It’s time for the torch to be passed, right?
Cals Jacobsen: Torch gets passed when it's taken. If we want that top spot, we step up and we fight for it.
Seth Evans: Absolutely. But there always comes the time that you do. That’s history. But let’s move to the next question, which is a bit of a doozy from Baskerville 616… and let me just say, I do wish that more people would focus on questions FOR YOU and stop worrying so much about your family, but I am just relaying the message: Any relations in wrestling inevitably draw comparisons. Knowing how successful your brother has been, particularly in IWF where it can be argued he truly came into his own and still holds the record as the longest men’s world champion in company history, how do you deal with the pressure and expectations of something like that, especially since you’re a Champion yourself now so you know people will eventually start to compare reigns if they haven’t already?
Cals Jacobsen: Oh boy.
{They rub the bridge of their nose, exhaling slowly and looking up into the camera.}
Cals Jacobsen: You're right, questioner. They have. You just did. And all I can say is that I am not my brother. I am not my father. I'm not here to live up to his legacy, I'm not here to add hardware to the collective trophy room, I'm doing this because I found a passion inside me I thought I never would. I found a comfort and a strength in the ring that gave me the direction I'd been looking for my entire life. I deal with the pressure, first off, by having him around. Andrew's been tempering his own expectations with reality for over a decade now, and he's taught me what he can. Ultimately, it's that in-the-moment, next match up mentality that's been my saving grace. It's helped me to put everything into context and not think about expectations. As was said, I'm already a champion. Rookie year. Same as he was. I just need to keep focusing on what's before me, not what's behind someone else. He loves me. He's proud of me. That's all I could ever ask for or want.
Seth Evans: I do wish we could step away from these questions based on your family… I don’t know how you feel about it. Just one night! And so… damn it… how did this one pass? You guys are supposed to be screening this! Do you want me to even bother with this next question?
Cals Jacobsen: You want to step away from questions about my family? Bitch, me too, the fuck. Also, I do not, nor have I ever intended to, operate an OnlyFans. Sorry, kids.
Seth Evans: It is sad that some people get an OnlyFans and that becomes all they’re known for, and they get judged and ridiculed for it. And why? They wouldn’t be doing it if nobody was paying for it, so maybe I just don’t get it… people make their choice. Anyways. The next question comes from ObsessedWithDanger: do you think Nick Danger can really beat Warren Kane?
{Cals pauses, taking a slight breath, and exhales, trying to keep their expression neutral.}
Cals Jacobsen: Anything can happen in IWF, I suppose? Like, Nick Danger's got a lot of heart, but Warren's a big step up in competition. It'd take the perfect gameplan from Nick...or for a flash roll-up, a lucky submission, something like that. All it takes is one moment to decide a match, so I can't say it's a guarantee one way or the other, but...if I'm being honest, I don't like Nick's chances.
Seth Evans: I mentioned it earlier, and he’s in way over his head… he’s got heart, but I don’t think that’s going to be enough for him to take that win. But… I just don’t see how that’s relevant to you. And… the next-- DAMN IT! The next question from Potsandpans4eva: Do you ever wish your family hadn't involved you in any of their wrestling life?
Cals Jacobsen: There was a time, sure. But looking back on it, even if I'd never gone to a show in my life, even if they'd tried to keep me shut out entirely, I don't think it would have worked. Besides, without wrestling, I wouldn't have Viv, I wouldn't have seen the world like this, and I wouldn't be here with you now.
Seth Evans: It is strange to think about the way dominos fall. But let’s explore that a little bit… What do you think you would be doing if you were not a professional wrestler?
Cals Jacobsen: Like...I passed the bar in Minnesota. I would probably be a lawyer.
Seth Evans: That is never an easy thing to do. I have a… small… understanding of the law. Not to your extent, of course. Would you have gone for defense attorney, or for the state?
Cals Jacobsen: My gut says defense attorney, maybe a public defender, but I'm not sure. There's no such thing as a perfect scenario. Statistically, you're going to end up either prosecuting innocents or defending the guilty.
Seth Evans: It’s true. The main question that would have to be answered is whether their rights are being violated. I would say the most difficult part with U.S. law is that everything is open to interpretation. But… I’m sure our viewers aren’t here to receive a lecture on civil liberties, so we’ll go ahead and stray away from that conversation. Ooh! TMNT4Eva asks: favorite pizza?
Cals Jacobsen: Woo! Not about my family! Uhh, I once tried to reconstruct my favorite pasta salad as a pizza, and it turned out DISTURBINGLY good. Deep dish, chicken, alfredo sauce, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, gorgonzola cheese...ugh, I want it again now.
Seth Evans: Right? RIGHT?! Nothing about your family, and let’s just hope it stays that way. But about the pizza, I will say that it sounds absolutely… delicious. But I would have to throw some pineapple on there. How do you feel about pineapple on pizza?
Cals Jacobsen: It's an option, but I'm not sure it works there. I do love pineapple...can't do Hawaiian, though. Treif.
Seth Evans: You’re probably right. I’ve unfortunately had to cut out most pizza from my diet… it’s such a comfort food, and so hard to give up. Besides pizza, is there any food you just can’t give up in a diet?
Cals Jacobsen: Ohh. I need some sort of vaguely ice cream-esque sweet to keep me sane. I needs it.
Seth Evans: Ice cream does sound amazing. Are you a fan of the Halo brand?
Cals Jacobsen: A bit before my time, honestly?
{Cals pauses, then their eyes go wide.}
Cals Jacobsen: OH! Halo Top! The ice cream! Sorry! Yes! Duh! They have PB&J!
Seth Evans: Yes! That’s the one! I’ve yet to have that flavor, but it’s a nice cheat without being too much of one. I mean... we are out on the road a lot, and it just makes me wonder: when we are at certain parts of the world, is there a restaurant that you just can’t wait to go to?
Cals Jacobsen: Oh. Oh, uh...that's a tough one. Like...one particular restaurant? I'm not sure. If we're in the Midwest, like...depending on where we are, I might do an entire day's pilgrimage to a particular dive bar in northern Wisconsin. But that's if I feel like being guilty afterwards.
Seth Evans: We’re gonna have to hit up a certain place when we get closer to Florence... best gelato, ever. It goes a bit beyond the Halo Top ice cream, but it is worth it.
Cals Jacobsen: I'll make an exception for it.
Seth Evans: I’m gonna hold you to that. To the next question comes from AceFan8413: You got your start in professional wrestling tv exposure in some would say controversial fashion given how much the business has changed over the last 10 years or so by today’s standards. Controversy has always been a part of wrestling though hasn’t it? How do you feel about working with Jake Conway at the time against your brother no less, are you still on good terms or is there some resentment and perhaps a wish to have done things differently, even if it was for the sake of sports entertainment?
{Cals rubs their temples, exhaling through their nose again.}
Cals Jacobsen: Aaaand back into it. Yes. I got my start in...controversial fashion. And I regret doing it. I don't regret having connection with Jake or Kathleen, because the training that he gave me, however rudimentary, was enough to fall back on. I regret hurting Andrew. I regret letting myself be drawn in and playing a role that I shouldn't have. I regret letting being a starstruck teenager, barely an adult, overwhelm me. Would I do it differently? Yes. Absolutely. I just don't know how to do it while still preserving the good I got out of things.
Seth Evans: That’s the most difficult part, really. I believe we mentioned it earlier, everything you’ve done has brought you to this moment. Just as everything I’ve done has brought me to this. We can call it fate, destiny, or anything of the sort, but I like to believe we all are where we are supposed to be. But let’s go ahead and move to the next question from @movesetsrule: What made you choose your finishing moves? Aside from the sharpshooter of course, unless the story is different then what I assume. Also, whom within the women’s division do you think has a really cool finisher?
Cals Jacobsen: I picked up the Fall to Pieces because it was a move I’d seen have success before with other wrestlers, like Xavier Cross. As for the Hard Pass? Clotheslines are fun. Spinning is fun. And I got my form down early. For the second part of that question...the HANO Driver looks like murder every time. It’s an absolutely underrated way to die.
Seth Evans: I can’t see many people kicking out after such a move. So, the thought of your move list did intrigue me to want to know a bit more... Was there any particular reason you settled on your theme song? Just vibed right, sent the right message? Or anything? What is it that drew you to it?
Cals Jacobsen: I’ve always really liked Bullet for My Valentine, but the cover that I’m using—huge, HUGE shout-out to Violet Orlandi and Lauren Babic, follow them on YouTube, check out Lauren’s bands Red Handed Denial and CrazyEightyEight—came across my feed one day and it just blew me out of my seat. It was one of my teenage favorites remastered, with beautiful vocals and just that extra bit of genre-bending to make it really speak to me. It’s a song that fires me up every single time I hear it. I actually had to take it off my gym playlist so it could stay special, hit when it matters.
Seth Evans: Just one of those things that it hit you, and you knew that was it. I am intrigued: past or present, is there anyone that comes to your mind that you would love to share the ring with that you haven’t already?
Cals Jacobsen: Eternity. Jessica Reed. An honest fight. I said it before, ladies, if you’re that afraid of me, it’s not my problem. Past? Zelda Knite. Not just for her role in establishing NCW’s women’s division, but because I’d love to see what kind of heated gaming moment she would pass off as promotional work.
Seth Evans: Any of those three sound like they would give an amazing match! But I do believe that is all the time we have for today, so… it has been a pleasure! Do you have any closing comments you would like to share with the fans? Or the viewers in general?
Cals Jacobsen: It’s okay to not know what you want or who you are. Life is a journey. Some people never stop traveling. It doesn’t make the trip any less fun.
Seth Evans: Well said. Very well said. Well, gamers! That's all the time we have for this week, so until next week... {Shoots a finger pistol at the camera while slouching back in his chair.} GAME ON!
{The scene comes to a close with Cals Jacobsen and Seth Evans looking at the camera.}
Cals Jacobsen: It’s okay to not know what you want or who you are. Life is a journey. Some people never stop traveling. It doesn’t make the trip any less fun.
Seth Evans: Well said. Very well said. Well, gamers! That's all the time we have for this week, so until next week... {Shoots a finger pistol at the camera while slouching back in his chair.} GAME ON!
{The scene comes to a close with Cals Jacobsen and Seth Evans looking at the camera.}