Topic: Hey guys and gals, I'm back and guess what I did?

Almost six years after my last match (and the stroke that made me leave wrestling), I made my triumphant return to the ring and am now the Southern Heavyweight Champion. Ok, sure that belt and four bucks will get me a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but hell I'm proud. I told the doctors when I had my stroke and they told me I'd be lucky if I ever walked again that I'd be back in the ring. They said I was crazy but to keep working for it as a goal.

I reached my goal. Anyone can reach their goals. It may take time, it may take hard work and chances are you'll feel discouraged but NEVER GIVE UP.

Ok, here's the story. I went to a local indie show a promoter I know was putting on and was backstage with the boys about three months ago. There's just something about hanging out with them, sharing a beer, reminiscing and helping them put their matches together that made the itch come back. I told the promoter and said after I go to my appt. I'd give him a call, especially with Christmas coming up I could use the extra money.

I gave him a call and he put me on a few shows. I worked under a mask because they weren't my "official" debut, I was just getting my timing back. Yeah, I was a lot older and a lot more worn out after the matches than usual but I figured I had a few left in me and we came up with an idea. Since the champion was getting stale and needed to take some time off, we worked it where when they were in my hometown, he challenged anyone to come out from the back and try to beat him, if they did he would "retire". So about a minute over the loudspeakers you hear the opening to "You got the Touch" (yeah, cheesy 80's synth hair rock for a babyface lol, plus I'm a geek) and a few of the old timer's and my friends that I invited knew exactly who was coming out. I stand and look at the massive crowd of over 250 people (to me it was like 250,000) and head to the ring.

We work our match perfectly. At the end, I reverse his finisher into mine and three seconds later I'm the "champion". I get the microphone and tell the crowd how I don't think I have it in me to give them the kind of wrestling they deserve to see with their hard earned money and am about to hand the belt back to the referee when the former champ tries to get it back when another (younger) babyface runs down and stops him. I shake his hand and try to hand it back again when the crowd chants "one more match". (we had hoped for this kind of reaction and it worked beautifully)

So I offer the guy that saved me a title match for the next month and he accepts. We have our match and it end in a time limit draw (I was blown up and dead after 45 minutes) and scheduled another one for Jan.

I'm going to do the job and hand over the belt to him. I hope that the little bit of a rub I have with the crowds here carries over to him because he is a great guy with a great family and really loves the business. I really hope he goes far and becomes the next John Cena and if me doing the job for him helps that in any way, then I will truly feel blessed.

I'll also feel truly blessed if anyone who reads this realizes that you should never give up your dreams for anything, because with enough effort and time and a pinch of luck, anything is possible to you.

Wow, Rowdy! That's pretty awesome dude! Where are you at? I'd love to come watch you job if it's nearby.

That was awesome! I had no idea! You have any vids or pics?!

Is this a film? It should be a film. Make it happen, Hollywood!

Wow. That's one heck of a story. Nice to see you got a dream to come true. Oh, and I also second the film notion that James proposed.

With Keanu Reeves as Rowdy.

Great work. Congratulations!

Wow! That's awesome dude! I get the holiday feeling from this story.

Winston Churchill is right! Welcome back as well!

Congratulations on your recovery and "getting back in the game"!

Thanks guys. The next match is either in OK or LA, not sure which yet. There is video of it (not sure if it's online or not) and I really need to watch the copy my friend taped from the front row. Sadly, my next match will be my last ever but it's been a good run all told. I never made it full time to the big time, but I've had matches in WWF (before they got the F out lol) and WCW which I always told people I would do back in school.

/me hums the Rocky theme song as he's reading.

_{grats dude!}

The Autobots always make a comeback...

_Congrats!

Welcome back dude! That was quite a story.

Promise me you'll take it easy after your farewell fight.

Congratulations, dude. I'm not even a fan of wrestling but that was a good read. Great stuff! Always follow your heart.

Well done. Well done.

dang, man, 'grats on the comeback. sounds like you had a blast :3

That's awesome.

I don't have a digital camera right now, but here's a link that shows what the belt looks like (I guess they ordered it through these guys)

http://topropebelts.com/gallery/classic-style-wrestling-belts...

My nieces haven't seen me since I won it and they are coming for their Christmas tonight and staying til tomorrow, so I have it under the tree for them to see when they get here. They know what wrestling is and that I used to do it before they were born (they thought I was getting hurt when they saw the tapes and asked me if that was why I was sick (as we said to the oldest about my stroke) so I had to smarten them up pretty quick. Even though she is smart to the business, my mom still refuses to go. I guess I do my job well to convince her I'm hurt lol) and that I started up again, so when they see that I won a "big shiny belt" as the oldest says about championships they'll go through the roof.

If they are like my ex's kids, when they see it the first thing they'll want to do is try it on and get pictures, so I guess I need to go get a camera. It's weird. I'm really superstitious and won't let any adults wear my belts (not even my mom, dad or brother) but I'll let kids wear them anytime until I officially lose them, then they can wear them (if I get to keep it, just depends on the promoter really). That reminds me, when I get a chance I'll take a shot at my wall of belts I have. There's six that I won and are real title belts (4-8 mm plates) and 4 replica belts that I've bought over the years and one REAL 80's-90's era WWF IC belt I got from a former IC champ that kept "mysteriously" having their belt stolen (to get extras so they could sell the others or trade them for other things).

But yeah, check that link. It's not the best looking belt in the world, but damn am I proud of it (even though I know I didn't win it and it was just given to me- that's just in case anyone wants to tell me wrestling isn't a competitive sport, in case I didn't know lol).

Wow congrats Rowdy thats great. I have been a huge wrestling fan since I was a kid which was the day of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, and now my son is a huge wrestiling, in fact being a pro wrestler had been his dream since hes been 2 and it hasnt changed. I hope he has a great career like it sounds you had.

Anyway congrats again man very inspirational.