Zero To Hero. Hero To Zero (Part 2)

Shane Sparx was the first to witness it at Darkest Hour.


Ian Windermaer was blown away by it at Double Jeopardy.


Chase Michaels didn’t expect it at Breakthrough 22.


‘The Wolf’ Chase Michaels was forced to feel it again at Nothing Else Matters, this time bringing along Michael Adrian to share the experience.


Reya Serra was knocked for six by it at Breakthrough 24.


Young Katie Moicelle and the ‘not so phenomenal’ Steve Herring were the last to take it all in.


“Zero to Hero. Hero to Zero!”


It was a chant that echoed throughout the arena on every Zero Gravity Championship match that I have taken part in. Six title matches to be exact, and six wins for moi. The chant from the fans has been so loud that my opponents have not been ready for it. The sound increases in volume each and every time the phrase is sung, and more and more fans are latching on to it.

I stand across the ring from my opponents and I see it in their eyes. That worry, that confusion, and certainly that unexpected look they have where they know that their time is up. Their game plan goes out the window the second the fans surrounding the ring roar together. They stand there in front of me and I know what they’re thinking.

Wow, his fan base is huge!

They’re all against me

My legs feel weak

Will I get hurt?

*Bell rings*

Oh no! I’m not ready for this!

I, on the other hand, move around the ring with a spring in my step. I’ve got that swagger that many wrestlers lack. With the roar of the crowd behind me each and every time that bell rings, I don’t have a care in the world. I stare deep into my opponent’s eyes and we both know the outcome that will come sooner or later.

I’m causing opponents’ fans to jump ship and join Mr. Selfie and his followers. They’re growing in numbers and it’s only going to get bigger. They see the work I put in. They see how dedicated I am and the commitment I have for Visionaries of Wrestling, and they see a hero to look up to.

It’s not only been title matches that the chant rings around the arenas, but when the belt is on the line the fans seem to up the noise level a few notches. It’s like anything in life when something significant is at stake. But those non title matches in between are just as important as when I lay the belt between me and my opponent. I have beaten many others due to the backing from the fans. I hear my name sung in the crowd more than any other wrestler in VOW, and I have come a long way in the past year of VOW’s existence.

Why ‘Zero to Hero, Hero to Zero’ you may ask? Well I started off as a nonentity. An unknown Asian with something to prove. With zero fans I put the work in and soon gained respect from my peers, and eventually the fans. Win after win, battle after battle, Selfie after Selfie, the fans took on board my personality and performance and soon I was a hero to many. Zero to Hero. People watched my progress and realised that if you work hard you can be as good as you want to be. I then took my chance against Shane Sparx, a proven veteran in the Wrestling business with 10 years experience. I got the job done and was now a Zero Gravity Champion. Hero to Zero. A perfect chant from a perfect fan base.

In some ways I have Patrick Jones to thank for coming so far in VOW. His training at the start of the year helped me improve immensely, and my technical side as got a lot better. I was a newly crowned champ but suspect to opponents targeting my weaknesses. Patrick sorted that right out as he is good at the defensive side of the game. He is good at avoiding too much damage. In my opinion, he has a good chin; something his good friend Franco ‘the boxer’ Cruz must be happy with. Maybe he taught him, I don’t know. What I do know is that Monday night will be emotional. We have both worked hard to be involved in this match, and we’ll both give it all we have got for a successfully outcome. At the end of the day, win or lose, I will be a happy man. Patrick Jones is somebody that I can call a true friend, and they are hard to come by these days.




“Stop Ziu! No water! No hose!”

“Ok I’ll stop now.”

My wife, Ling, approached me in our green grass filled garden on a hot and sunny afternoon as I aimed the water hose in her direction. The wind was active, and frequent, but it was nothing that we couldn’t handle. The combination of the sun and the breeze was refreshing compared to the showers and freezing temperatures of late. Being the garden with a hose in my hand reminded me of summertime. The sudden excitement at the thought of summer shot through me and I blasted my wife with ice cold water again.

“Oh Ziu! Me no like water hair!”

“That’s it. I promise.”

I decided to flick the hosepipe at Ling for a third time when she least expected it.

“ZIU! Stop show off in front of friend!”

My ‘broken English’ talking wife ran off into the house to look after Kayden, our young son who is two and half months old. With VOW touring New York for the past six or so weeks it has been a welcomed timing as it has meant the bond with my son has been even greater than if I had to keep flying off all over the place. I haven’t had to step foot on a plane for a long time, and I could certainly get used to it.

I looked across the garden at the friend I had supposedly shown off in front of. We were left alone with the sound of the cool breeze connecting with the trees at the end of the garden breaking the silence. It was never an awkward silence between us, likewise in Patrick’s company,

“You bully, Ziu.”

Franco Cruz labelled me a bully. I call it smart. Who doesn’t like seeing a woman with a wet t-shirt?

“She’ll get me back later. She’s not as innocent as she looks”

Mr. Cruz smiled my way before looking out over the trees at the end of the garden. Patchy clouds dominated most of the blue skies above but there was still space for that penetrating sun. It seemed to be strong today and I would occasionally spray the hose above my head to feel the coldness raining down to cool me down.

My friendship with Franco had blossomed of late, just like my friendship with Patrick had done. Them two have been friends for many years from back in the days over in Total Extreme Wrestling, a company that Franco owned and Patrick was a part of the roster. But Franco and I had a connection and we were slowly becoming a trio of friends.

“So how did a Boxer like you become an owner of a Wrestling company? Sounds a bit far-fetched.”

“It’s a long story. Basically I was a member of the roster but I had to step up and keep the company going. I was the right man for the job and things just improved and improved. Life was good.”

“It must have felt strange. Switching from a Boxing career to a Wrestling career to then stepping out of the ring to own that same company that you had only recently joined to wrestle for.”

“There was no time for thinking. It was all about doing. It turned out to be the best decision I had ever made. There’s no regrets. It was pure success.”

“And Patrick?”

“What about him?”

“How did you two become such good friends?”

“We’ve been through a lot together. He is one of the most loyal people that I have ever met. Wears his heart on his sleeve. We just seem to have this bond and we’ve stayed in contact since our days back in TEW. He’s a smart individual.”

“So why did TEW close?”

I noticed Cruz swallow hard as I looked away and concentrated on the flowers that I was trying to grow. Looking down at one section of the ground I had obviously stood there for too long as a puddle had formed in the mud. Sorry flower, maybe you won’t need a drink for a few days.

“Financial issues. I don’t really want to talk about the past, though, Ziu. That’s history. It’s all about the future. Like Monday night at Fate of the Gods. You and Patrick Jones are the future.”

“Fair enough. So are you going to be in attendance?”

“Maybe. If I can get hold of a ticket I’ll be there. Unless VOW management let me backstage.”

“Who do you want to win then?” I threw the cheeky question out there but already knew the answer. Franco and I were new friends and I respected that he had known Patrick for many years and they had gone through a lot together.

I caused Franco to laugh out loud. His serious presence made me think that he didn’t do it often.

“Just go out and do your thing, Ziu. That’s what I told Patrick to do. You’re the last match of the night so you need to go out there and give it your all. Make it a night to remember. I know Patrick’s ready.”

“Yeah I witnessed that last week with my own eyes. I see a spark in Patrick’s performance. We were surprisingly good as a tag team I thought. Chemistry flowed but we have things to work on if we’re going to make it a permanent feature.”

“I think you’ve got that spot on.”

Franco took a beer from the cooler on the garden table, cracked it up and gulped it down. I bet he had put on a few pounds since he was last Wrestling and Boxing back in 2010.

“I’m taking the match seriously. I hope Noodle boy realises that.”

“Oh he does. He knows how long you’ve been undefeated for. He knows that you win more often than not. He knows everything about you. As you probably do him. But I’ve seen how he prepares for these matches. I’ve been backstage when he has walked past my office way back in TEW and he just has that look in his eyes. He then heads to the ring and puts on one hell of a show for the fans. I’ve seen him outsmart opponents. He was my Rising Star Champion once. If he wants the win that bad, he’ll take it.”

“It’ll be his toughest match to date, I can promise you that. When he hears the fans chanting my name and he glances outside the ring and sees the fans holding up boards and banners with my name all over them, it’s going to affect him. I’ve been in many Main Events for VOW now, and many, many title matches. I know how to get the job done. With the majority of fans on my side, I’m confident of retaining my belt.”

“I’m sure you do my friend. I’m just pointing out that Patrick is hungry for this. He respects you but it won’t stop him going all out for the victory. After TEW shut down he went on to become the NEW Youngblood Champion. Many of the Wrestlers in VOW today were there to witness it. They know what Patrick is capable of when he puts his mind to it.”

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He trained me remember?”

“There’s a big difference between training and competing for real, but either way Patrick will make you work.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. I had to take part in some tough matches but I held on to my belt. In some ways, I thought about the possibility of this match more so than I did about still being the champion. My priorities changed, and all I have been thinking about is getting to this match at VOW’s one year anniversary event. Patrick earned his spot against me many weeks ago, but I had to prove to various other challengers that I deserved my place in this match. We both have earned our place, and that’s why VOW management have made it the second Main Event of the evening. They realise what we have been through, and they know that they’re in for a match to remember. The build up to this match will not be forgotten for a long time.”

“Patrick may not like me saying this but all that’s left to do now is go out there and prove to everybody why you have been the Champion for 6 months.”

“It’s what I do best.”

“Well good luck to you both. If you do your best and Patrick does his, we’ll be in for a good’en.”

“I hope so.”

Franco planted his ass on the garden chair on the patio and put his Nike footwear up on another chair. Sipping his beer he could just sit back and enjoy a match between two friends.

“We've come a long way since Patrick’s birthday party when you two first met. When we first met for that matter.”

“Indeed.”

“As long as Patrick doesn’t perform his raining alcohol dance we’ll be alright.”

I smiled then laughed almost instantaneously. “If he somehow defeats me we may just see it again. I’ll do my utmost to make sure he don’t put everyone through that.”

After concentrating so much on talking to Franco I realised I had made the same mistake as before. I looked down and the next set of flowers along were now swimming in water. Whoops. I’m not very good at all this gardening stuff.

Franco continued to chill in my back garden with his feet up and a beer in his hand. There was no time for relaxing for me, and certainly no time for a beer. I had an important match to prepare for.

The Zero Gravity Championship implies that if you apply yourself, steadily improve, and are consistent, there is no height that you can't reach. This week I prove for the seventh time why the only way is up for the current Champion.

So Monday night, when my good friend and I stand toe to toe in the ring, the fans screaming at the top of their lungs with the chant that has been with me for six months now, there won’t be much Patrick can do other than try to block it out. No one has been able to do it so far, but Patrick is not like anyone I have faced before. He is hard to read, and it may be a case of pouncing on eachother's mistakes. It will be tough, but I'm confident. Each and every fan that sings the chant will be joined together on my back, flapping our wings together as we reach heights we haven’t reached before.

As the darkness sets in over the Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday night, just sit back, close your eyes and listen to the sound of the crowd as the chant rings out.

“Zero to Hero. Hero to Zero. Zero to Hero. Hero to Zero. Zero to Hero. Hero to Zero.”

The anniversary special will surely be the loudest chant to date.