Post by Connor Kelly on Jun 25, 2015 19:01:17 GMT -8
CONNOR KELLY
"I made a promise to everyone back home that I would do a live journal during my trip into the States. The belief is that Golden Gate Wrestling is the golden ticket and I will be able to grow in the ranks and become a star.. so welcome to the first entry of my life across the Atlantic Ocean, of course starring The Irish Iceman."
This wasn't the first time I've been away from Ireland, I've been in the states for quite a while, but I had managed to reconnect while I went back and even started new relationships. What drew me back to the United States was the opportunity that I wouldn't get in the United Kingdom, a shot at glory. Golden Gate Wrestling was beginning to attract attention from all walks of life, they may not know it yet but they've got eyes on them all across the world. I know a few people who catch it in Germany, in England and even people in Dubai. Whatever they were doing, I was interested in and I quickly needed to jump into the fold. I had the camera set up on a small wooden table outside of the ring and it was a bit of a hassle setting it up at the perfect angle but I think I did OK with it. Sitting on the ring apron, I had my head resting against the second rope and let my legs dangle.
C. Kelly: For those who don't know who I am, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Connor Kelly, and I'm entering myself into the Dusty Rhodes Memorial Cup. Dusty Rhodes is an inspiration for me because I could relate to The Dream. He was the son of a plumber? I am the son of a carpenter, my father worked his hands to the bone to secure the future of my family. I know the struggle of coming home to an empty fridge, with nothing but broth to eat because my family couldn't afford to go to the market and buy food. When Dusty spoke of Hard Times, even though I was about 11 years too late to see it happen live, it resonated with me, I understood it...
At times in my life, my family couldn't afford Christmas, we'd get toys my father built in an attempt to appease us and we appreciated the work. I didn't come from much, I had to work my way through school and quickly decided that wasn't for me, professional wrestling was my calling. I tilted my head back just a bit and looked beyond the camera for a moment.
C. Kelly: I understood what Hard Times meant, not just for the business, but for people like me. I understand what it means for my family and friends, the people who struggle to make ends-meet because it's hard out there, real life sucks sometimes. But Dusty said not to let it take you down, you've gotta bounce off that mat and get back to your feet and make sure for every punch life throws at you, you hit it back equally as hard. For each body-shot, take it and answer back! I would be a disappointment if I quit my dream because the road twisted and turned a few times, I wouldn't disgrace the memory of my father and now, Dusty.. This is so much more than just a debut and a match, this is a chance to say thank you to The Dream for inspiring this young Irish lad to get off of his backside and make something of himself!
Working hard and putting in as much work as my body would allow was a trait I picked up from my parents. Without they, I have no idea where I would be and that is what drove me to be the man I am today, and allowed me to be in the position I'm in now.
C. Kelly: I've made promises to people back home, promises I have intentions to keep and I'll make another promise right now, it's to the fans of Golden Gate Wrestling. I'll work as hard as I can to make sure when you go home, you're happy with what was witnessed in the ring. As much as I look at my father for inspiration, I also look to a man like Dusty Rhodes and without a shadow of a doubt, there's no one that's managed to make an impact the size of The Dream. Despite the talent involved in The Dusty Rhodes Memorial Cup, I believe that I was brought here for a reason. I know that the possibility of Drew Stevenson entering with his buddies is there, and I'd much appreciate the chance to square off with Drew as I've seen how he handles the in ring portion of the industry. While Drew may be the best technical wrestler I've ever seen, there's little doubt that I would give him a run for his money and would very much like to test the waters, but I'd have to make sure I make it through the other talented participants lined up. All I can do is go out there and put my best foot forward, but I do promise to leave it all in the center of that ring. Whether it's BURAI, whether it's Frankie Cocheese.. whether it's Black Fly; the one thing that will never change is how much work is put in. I'd like to dedicate this and the rest of my career to not just the people counting on me back home, but also to my family and of course, to The Dream.. I'd be an honor I wouldn't know how to take for me to earn a nickname like The Irish Dream, but one step at a time. or now, I'm entering my name into the hat and I'm not relying on luck or a 4 Leaf Clover to get the job done.. The only 'Cloverleaf' that I believe in, is a submission hold that's earned me the nickname I proudly bare today.. My name is Connor Kelly, and at Gold Rush, I'll make Dusty proud.
That's all that needed to be said. I've never been a man of many words, I've always been a firm believer of getting my point across as quickly as possible without boring the daylights out of people. I moved off of the ring apron, reached out and killed the recorder. Knowing the odds of me making the kind of impact that I would want is rare, but I still need to make an active effort. With a lot on my shoulders, I didn't have the build of Atlas to keep it there, so I needed to make sure I did what I could with what I had. The match would be a great test of my ability, I would be in there against great talent from across the way and I would use it as a way to gauge what I can do. It won't be easy, but nothing worth it in life ever is. The fact of the matter is, I am Connor Kelly, I am The Irish Iceman, and it was time I put that to work and show the world who I am and what I do.
