| Issue About Justin In Credible And History.
Justin Credible is not just the coolest. He's not just the Best. He's Just Incredible. Everyone knows that. However, the road to being one of the Impact Players in Extreme Championship Wrestling was a long journey around the world that started in his original home state of Connecticut.
Coming across an advertisement for the Hart Brothers Wrestling Camp in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Credible soon journeyed north and was trained under the auspices of the man who would eventually become his partner in crime, Lance Storm, as well as several members of the infamous Hart wrestling family.
After several months of grueling training, Credible returned home and soon began wrestling under the ring name "PJ Walker" up and down the Northeast Independent circuit. Even as a rookie, he was something to behold.
Justin soon caught the eyes of World Wrestling Federation officials, where he performed as PJ Walker on many of the initial Monday Night Raw Telecasts. It was during these initial appearances on National Television that he met Jason Knight, who would eventually sign on as his manager years later. Although his win/loss record was as modest as his demeanor in those years, PJ Walker claimed his first major victory when he pinned Irwin R. Shyster in the middle of the ring on live television in the summer of 1993. He wasn't "supposed" to win, but he did. The seeds of Justin Credible were buried.
This led to the World Wrestling Federation marketing geniuses to attempt to sink its claws into Justin. Approaching him to play up his Portuguese heritage as "The Portuguese Man-O-War" Aldo Montoya, the WWF offered the youngster a chance to take his career to a higher plateau as a contracted, marketed WWF performer. They intended to use PJ as a major ingredient of their forays into Europe where they were increasingly popular. For a twenty-one year old, it was the chance of a lifetime.
Well, it seemed that way, until an excited PJ Walker arrived at the World Wrestling Federation's Television tapings to discover what he would have to wear while performing as Aldo Montoya. A bright red, yellow and green ring outfit, capped off with a yellow mask that looked as bad as it fitted, was hardly a look that inspired one to perform.
Inspiration it was not, and it showed as Aldo Montoya soon found himself immersed in the lower level of the World Wrestling Federation's events, facing preliminary wrestlers and attending public relations events. Even in Europe, where he was told he would be marketed as a huge superstar, things were the same. Although his friendships amongst the other WWF performers were strong, and the experience was something any youngster breaking into the wrestling industry would wish for, Aldo Montoya knew something was dreadfully wrong.
Aldo Montoya continued on. He did his job. He became complacent. He got bitter. Then, he got angry. The seeds to Justin Credible were beginning to grow. Aldo Montoya walked out of the World Wrestling Federation in 1997 and never looked back.
Taking some time off to regroup and focus his career goals, he ventured to the Memphis-based USWA in the summer of 1997, where he linked up with the top tag team in the territory, PG-13 and was nicknamed "PG-187." After some time to get the ring rust out, a now focused young man knew exactly where he was heading...Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Justin Credible was born.
After setting up an agreement with Jason to become his official manager of record, Justin made his ECW debut at the show later titled "As Good As It Gets" in September 1997. Although Joey Styles laughed at the ring name, but he stopped laughing when Credible defeated Jerry Lynn in an impressive showing. Complacency was dead, it was Justin's time and he was going to take it.
The ECW audience is an audience that is cynical at best, unforgiving at worst. With Justin's not-so-storied past entrenched firmly in their minds, the abuse was horrific, but Credible relished it. It would be his goal to shove it right down their throats with every advancement he made, whether he was "pushed" or not, and whether the fans liked it or not.
That first advancement came on October 17, 1997 when Japanese Superstar the Great Sasuke traveled to Queens, New York to face Justin. It was supposed to be a media op for the legend, a puff piece for the wrestling media. That friendly visit ended about fifteen minutes into his match, when Justin planted him on the mat with the spinning tombstone, "That's Incredible."
Justin went on a tear, planting every opponent from Jerry Lynn to Chris Chetti down to the mat with "That's Incredible," until he came across ECW's original upset kid, a man who defeated Steve Austin when he wasn't "supposed" to, Mikey Whipwreck. The pair met in Pittsburgh, PA at Justin's ECW Pay-Per-View debut, November to Remember '97, and when Whipwreck came out on top, Credible was furious. He demanded a rematch and Whipwreck again ended up victorious.
Things weren't supposed to be that way. This was Justin Credible's time. He had enough of laying down for others. It was time to lay someone out. Who better than Mikey?
In his hometown of Buffalo, New York, Justin took the attack to Mikey Whipwreck's much publicized injured knees and snapped them, sending him to the operating room and forcing him out of action for months. Justin Credible wasn't playing around.
Back in Japan, the attack on Whipwreck upset the Great Sasuke when he was informed and he soon traveled back to America, looking to quell the growing momentum behind Justin. Again, it was Justin's time, not anyone else's. He injured Sasuke's knee, and sent him back to Japan on crutches, never to return to ECW or the United States ever again. When Sasuke's countrymen Gran Naniwa and El Gran Hamada tried to avenge Sasuke's injury, they too fell to "That's Incredible."
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At that point, the ECW audience began to find themselves won over by Justin Credible. However, he still hadn't made the Impact that he wanted. The death of Tommy Dreamer's grandfather gave him that opportunity, as Justin interrupted and spit on the integrity of a ten bell count in his memory. Dreamer was irate and so was everyone else in the ECW locker room. Justin relished it. He relished defeating Dreamer at his own game in a "First Blood Match" and hitting his valet Beulah McGuillicuty with "That's Incredible" even more.
Dreamer faced Justin at "Living Dangerously '98." After the shocking appearance of Mikey Whipwreck and the pathetic attempt assistance by Jason's valet Nicole Bass, who was immediately fired by Justin, Dreamer gained the victory. Justin, however, had gotten the rub. He was being seen as a legitimate performer and contender. Defeating Mikey Whipwreck at "WrestlePalooza '98" in a much publicized grudge match only helped solidify that fact.
Credible found himself again facing an old nemesis, Jerry Lynn. In the year before Lynn would go to be dubbed "The New F'n Show" because of his battled with Rob Van Dam, Justin and Jerry stole every show with the "Summer Series" as they traded wins in a variety of matches. Justin won the rubber match at "Heatwave '98" after some well placed interference by Bass' replacement, Chastity, and a tombstone off the top rope.
Now known as a man who would gladly eliminate his opposition to move himself upwards, Justin turned his sights to the man who embodied Extreme Championship Wrestling more than any other: The Sandman. After a brief, intense feud, Justin declared himself the new Hardcore Icon and took possession of his weapon of choice, the Singapore Cane. When it came to facing the future, the Sandman couldn't Hack it in the face of a true Hardcore Icon.
With the Sandman retreating to safer pastures, Tommy Dreamer tried to make excuses for his best friend and ECW. Justin would have nothing of it, destroying Dreamer. When New Jack, the Original Gangsta, got involved, Credible used his ring smarts to find an old school brawler, Jack Victory to offset the violent brawler. For the next few months, Victory would be the muscle behind Credible's vision, making sure the odds stayed the same for Justin.
Justin continued to make life miserable for Tommy Dreamer, being given the approval of wrestling legend Terry Funk. For Dreamer, who was once Funk's protege, the mental anguish was great. Justin loved it. When Chastity began to get a change of heart, she took her termination with a cane shot across the head. Justin loved that even more. He didn't need lackeys, he just needed to be himself, the Hardcore Icon and the best wrestler in Extreme Championship Wrestling.
When Shane Douglas, a man once looked at upon by the ECW fans as their "Franchise" teased he was going to retire because of unhappiness with the way his career had gone in 1999, he claimed he was going to announce a new "Franchise" and pass the torch. Naturally, it should have been Justin.
In a typical Douglas maneuver of all style and no substance, he named Tommy Dreamer as the new "Franchise" in a moment no one took seriously, not even in Dreamer's hometown of New York. Justin was irate, and so was "Canadian Superstar" Lance Storm. They pair united to rid Extreme Championship Wrestling of Douglas, who's "Franchise" days as a performer were now far behind him. In his strategic error to swoon his failing fan base, he had inadvertently created the cause of his own demise in ECW.
Justin Credible, the Hardcore Icon, with Jason, was now aligned with Lance Storm, with Dawn Marie. Forget the supergroups of yesteryear. The Midnight Express. Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. The Hollywood Blondes. The next step in the evolution of tag team excellence had arrived. The Impact Players were born!
Sid Vicious, a man who was once supposed to rule the wrestling world, came in the path of the Impact Players at "Hardcore Heaven '99." Vicious was assaulted by Justin and Lance Storm, never to be seen again. That Impact was doubly sweet, as Tommy Dreamer succumbed to back injuries that months of attacks by Justin had caused. Justin Credible was more than ever on the verge of overtaking Extreme Championship Wrestling.
This led Justin into the direct line of fire of Jerry Lynn, Sabu and Rob Van Dam, the three most popular performers in Extreme Championship Wrestling. Several months of ferocious battles took place as the Impact Players emerged unscathed, yet all three were at each others' throats.
Extreme Championship Wrestling debuted nationally on TNN in the fall of 1999 and Justin Credible was at the forefront of the movement. When Tommy Dreamer somehow returned to the ring and won the World Tag Team championships with his oldest enemy Raven, the next target for Justin Credible and Lance Storm was clear, and the World Tag Team championships soon made their way to the Impact Players' waists.
Still, this was not enough for a man who had gone from complacency to the top of the toughest wrestling promotion in the world. When Tommy Dreamer shocked the world by defeating Tazz for the ECW World Heavyweight championship, the ECW roster all congratulated the "Innovator of Violence." Not Justin Credible. He saw his chance for greatness.
Attacking Dreamer and throwing down the World Tag Team championships, Credible declared the Tag titles were not enough for him. He wanted it all, and Dreamer was happy to oblige him. When all was said and done, Credible once again outsmarted Dreamer, as he captured the ECW World Heavyweight championship with the help of Jason and new Manager Francine.
Credible is without a doubt a champion for the Millennium, and someone who used his work ethic to inch ever closer to total domination of Extreme Championship Wrestling and the wrestling world. From the streets of Connecticut, to the dungeon of Canada, to the Arenas of the United States, Justin has accomplished everything he's ever wanted to, despite the obstacles those jealous of him have placed in his path. That's not Just the Coolest! That's Not Just the Best! That's Justin Credible!
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Unique Title Recap
When Japan's Michinoku Pro Wrestling Superstar the Great Sasuke made his way to America and ECW, Justin embarrassed him with a tremendous victory over the legend. When Sasuke returned to avenge his loss, Justin injured his leg and stole his sacred mask!
Mikey Whipwreck may have been a Triple Crown champion and the hometown kid from Buffalo, NY, but once he faced the Impact Player, he was never the same as Justin decimated his knees!
Tommy Dreamer's grandfather Joe helped him start his wrestling career. After he passed on, though, Justin showed the world that not only did he not care about Dreamer's loss, he spit in the face of one of wrestling's sacred ceremonies, the ten bell salute!
At Cyberslam '98, Dreamer tried to get revenge over the Impact Player, but all Dreamer got was the chance to see Justin hit his girlfriend with "That's Incredible!" The Dudleys may claim they ran Beulah McGuillicuty out of wrestling, but we all know the truth!
The Sandman was all that epitomized Extreme Championship Wrestling, but when the former World champion faced Justin Credible in the ring, he was stripped of his precious Singapore Cane, his "Hardcore Icon" nickname, and even his promotion when Credible ran him out of ECW!
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Justin Credible got his first taste of a World Championship at the ECW Guilty As Charged extravaganza in 2000. Along with Lance Storm the Impact Players got their names into the ECW history books defeating Tommy Dreamer and Raven for the ECW World Tag Team Championships.
For seven years ECW built the credility of their World Tag Team championships, but at Cyberslam 2000 Justin showed the world what he thought of the legacy of the Dudley Boyz, The Public Enemy, and the Eliminators by throwing down the belts and spitting on them, shattering the lineage and prestige forever.
Tommy Dreamer fullfilled his lifelong dream winning the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against Human Wrecking Machine Tazz at ECW Cyberslam 2000. Although, moments after the big win Justin Credible hit the scene challenging Dreamer to a match. Dreamer accepted and Justin ended up winning his first World Heavyweight Championship. To add insult to injury Dreamer's former valet Francine turned on him during the match and sided with Justin Credible!
Justin proved that Francine is indeed the Queen of Extreme and the number one woman in ECW when he disposed of Dawn Marie at Hardcore Heaven, in exactly the same manner he did of Beulah...with That's Incredible!
When the battle between The Impact Players climaxed at ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000, Justin was victorious over his former tag team partner and friend, Lance Storm. Unable to face the embarrassment of the loss, Storm made a quick departure from ECW.
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