How Lowri ended up in FGA (part 2)
Jul 15, 2021 22:30:20 GMT -5
Post by David on Jul 15, 2021 22:30:20 GMT -5
OOC: This is the follow up to an rp that I wrote back in March 2017. I actually started writing this the next month, but then stopped after the opening paragraph, and did not resume writing it again until last night, four and a quarter years later.
I originally intended for there to be a third part as well, but given how long it has taken me to write this one, part three will probably not see the light of day until around early 2030, if ever.
On the evening of Wednesday 23rd November 2016, Lowri Moss is seen sitting at a table outside a branch of Costa Coffee, inside the Grand Arcade section of the St. David's shopping centre in Cardiff. Two and a half months on from making her pro debut, Lowri has now competed in a total of six matches, the most recent of which was three days ago, at a show in Los Angeles - her second appearance in the US.
While she awaits the arrival of someone, Lowri is occupying herself by looking at something on her mobile phone, and as she swipes the screen of the phone with her thumb, scrolling through whatever it is that she is reading, it is not long before the person that she is waiting for arrives: retired British wrestler Simon Jones.
Simon Jones: Alright, Lowri?
Lowri looks up from her phone and greets Simon with a smile.
Lowri Moss: Hi Simon! How are you?
Simon Jones: I’m fine, thanks. How about you? I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long.
Lowri Moss: No, I’ve only been here a couple of minutes. And I’m good, thanks. Still on a bit of a high from last Sunday… although returning to the day job, being back in the office after wrestling in front of ten thousand people, that was a bit of a comedown for me earlier.
Lowri puts her phone away, as Simon takes a seat opposite her.
Simon Jones: I’m sure it must’ve been; no one gives you a standing ovation as you make your way towards your desk.
She laughs at Simon’s remarks.
Lowri Moss: No, disappointingly-- though having said that, at least I don’t have to worry about any of my colleagues trying to body slam me, so… you know, swings and roundabouts.
That response causes Simon to let out a chuckle of his own; Lowri picks up a mug of coffee that is in front of her on the table.
Lowri Moss: Are you not going to get a drink?
As she takes a sip of her coffee, Simon glances over in the direction of the counter, where there is a queue of customers waiting to be served. He then looks back to Lowri.
Simon Jones: No, I’m okay.
Lower proceeds to ask him another question, this time one that is wrestling related.
Lowri Moss: Have you spoken to Natalie at all? Since Sunday, I mean.
‘Natalie’ is former FGA grappler Natalie McKinley, who Lowri teamed with - successfully - in her match three days ago.
Simon Jones: No, I haven’t-- the last time I spoke to her was some time last week, a day or two prior to your match. Why do you ask?
Lowri Moss: Because I wondered whether she had told you about the offer that Mark Ward made to the two of us.
Mark Ward is one of the two owners of the promotion in which the aforementioned tag team match took place.
Simon Jones: No, what offer?
Simon leans forward slightly, clearly intrigued to hear more from Lowri about this offer.
Lowri Moss: He offered us both full-time contracts; he wanted me and Natalie to be a regular team, to help strengthen the tag division. But Natalie rejected the offer out of hand.
Simon Jones: I can’t say that I’m surprised. I know she has been considering where her future lies for a while now, and whether she even wants to continue wrestling or not.
Simon rubs his chin.
Simon Jones: Where does that leave you then?
Lowri Moss: In the same position that I was in seventy-two hours ago. Mark Ward didn't just want me, he wanted me and Natalie, and with her out of the picture, he wasn't willing to offer me a contract to be a singles competitor… which I suppose isn’t all that surprising, considering that I’ve only had half a dozen matches so far in my career, and only one of those was a singles match.
As he leans backwards a little, so that he is sitting upright again, Simon lets out a sigh.
Simon Jones: It’s a shame that Natalie didn’t have any interest in taking Mark up on his offer; for two wrestlers who had never teamed together before, the pair of you didn't do too badly.
Lowri Moss: We didn’t, did we?
The smile on Lowri’s face broadens-- although something then soon occurs to her.
Lowri Moss: Having said that though, look how well Neal and I worked together when we had our first ever match as a team two months ago - I think “instant chemistry” was how you described it.
Simon nods his head, confirming Lowri’s accurate recollection of how he had described the maiden outing of the team that would come to be known as Pendragon.
Lowri Moss: Maybe I have a knack for tag team wrestling-- or maybe I’ve just been fortunate with the tag team partners that I’ve had so far.
Simon Jones: Or maybe it’s both.
Lowri simply gives a shrug of her shoulders, before then drinking some more of her coffee.
Simon Jones: I suppose this means you won’t be handing in your notice just yet then.
Lowri smiles wryly as she responds.
Lowri Moss: No, not yet, unfortunately.
Simon Jones: Have you set yourself a target, a date by when you want to be able to quit your job at the bank to wrestle full-time?
Lowri Moss: I haven't really set myself a precise date, but… I think I would like it to be by the end of next year, at the latest-- obviously I would want it to be nearer the start of next year than the end of it, but if it takes me until twelve months from now, rather than two months, so be it.
Simon Jones: Have you been contacted at all by any other promoters?
There is a shake of the head from Lowri.
Lowri Moss: No, but then I’m still a relative unknown in the world of wrestling, right?
A slight sigh escapes her lips.
Lowri Moss: Hopefully the two matches I’ve had in the States might have caught the eyes of some people over there, but if not, if Neal and I continue winning matches in the UKWF, then surely that can only help to raise both of our profiles.
Simon nods his head in agreement.
Simon Jones: If you had the choice, would you want to just wrestle in the UK, or would you want to wrestle overseas as well?
Lowri takes a moment to ponder the question, before answering.
Lowri Moss: I think right now, ideally I would want to wrestle mainly in the UK, or perhaps even somewhere else in Europe, if I could make enough money that way for wrestling to be my full-time job. Long-term though, and I think I’ve said this to you previously, I know that if I really want to make a name for myself in wrestling, then the US is the place I need to be.
Simon Jones: Would you ever consider relocating to the US?
Lowri Moss: Yeah, if I needed to.
Lowri lets out another small sigh.
Lowri Moss: Again, in an ideal world, I think I would want to still be living here in Cardiff, wrestling mainly in the UK, perhaps somewhere else in Europe like I said, and travelling to the US say… every other week, to wrestle for a promotion over there. But, if I ended up in a situation where I needed to move to live in the US, to wrestle predominantly over there, then while it would be a wrench to move away from all my friends and my family, I would do it without a second thought.
She pauses to take a breath, before she then continues.
Lowri Moss: This is my dream, Simon-- to be a professional wrestler. It has been my dream since I was like six years old, watching Ricochet Wrestling on ITV. At present I could probably be best described as a semi-professional wrestler, but I don’t want to just be a weekend warrior forever, I want to be a proper, fully fledged pro wrestler-- I want to follow in the footsteps of people like Andreas Lasiewicz, Chandler Scott and Laurel Anne Hardy, and if I have to move to the US to make my dream a reality, I’m more than willing to do so.
Simon considers feigning offence at Lowri not having named him as someone whose footsteps she wants to follow in, although he decides against it. He does though pick up on something that links the three names.
Simon Jones: Going by those three names you mentioned, I’m guessing you must’ve been a fan of Pro-Wrestling Frontier.
Lowri Moss: Indeed I was; I remember your appearance in the GFC Invitational two years ago, reaching the semi-finals before losing to the eventual winner, Anastasia Starling.
Simon Jones: Did you go to the show down the Bay on St David’s Day last year?
‘The Bay’ refers to Cardiff Bay, an area in the south of the city.
Lowri Moss: Yup. I’ve always tried to attend any show that I could in South Wales. By the time of that particular show, I had been living in Cardiff for nearly eighteen months, because of being at uni, but even before I moved here from Llanelli, I would often come to Cardiff to attend shows, from promotions like Frontier, to other, smaller ones.
Lowri smiles, as a thought crosses her mind.
Lowri Moss: I would love to get to wrestle on a show in South Wales some day.
Simon Jones: Maybe if you will if the UKWF starts staging shows outside of London.
Lowri Moss: Yeah, hopefully.
She takes another sip of her coffee, while Simon asks her another question.
Simon Jones: Have you got any other targets, besides being able to quit your day job to wrestle full-time?
Lowri Moss: I would like to win a title before the end of my rookie year. I’ve still got over nine months left to achieve that yet, so there’s no rush, but… who knows? Neal and I are still undefeated as a team, and so if we can keep that up, maybe we can get ourselves a shot at the UKWF tag titles, perhaps sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, they never did get a shot at the UKWF tag titles, but they of course more than made up for that subsequently in FGA.
Lowri Moss: That’s a short-term target, but for a more longer-term target… I want to be a world champion-- and not just any world champion, but one in a reputable company that has been around for a number of years.
Simon Jones: A lofty goal.
Lowri Moss: I want to be the best-- or at least, one of the best. I know I’m quite some way off that at the moment, but that’s where I want to get to, no matter how hard I have to work, and now matter how long it takes; if I had stuck with football, instead of giving it up to pursue my dream of being a wrestler, I would’ve wanted to be the best I could be at that.
Simon raises his eyebrows, with part of what Lowri just said having come as news to him.
Simon Jones: You used to play football? I thought you were more of a rugby fan.
Lowri Moss: I am. Initially I played both football and rugby, but when you’re young, like seven or eight, they only allow you to play tag rugby, rather than full contact, whereas in football there are no such restrictions, and so before long I stopped playing rugby and just concentrated on football, which I then went on to play for around a decade.
Simon Jones: Were you any good?
Lowri nods, before giving a proud, almost boastful response.
Lowri Moss: I was the best striker in the South Wales Women's & Girls' League in each age group that I played in.
Simon Jones: Were you really?
Lowri Moss: Yeah, honestly. I’ve got the awards at home to show for it.
Being a football fan himself, and having also played the sport in his youth, Simon is clearly impressed by all of this that he is hearing for the first time.
Simon Jones: Well, I guess it’s no wonder you’re so adept at kicking your opponents then.
Lowri Moss: Gotta use my skills to my advantage inside the ring somehow.
The two share a laugh, and with that, their conversation then begins to drift away from wrestling, on to football, as well as other sports.
I originally intended for there to be a third part as well, but given how long it has taken me to write this one, part three will probably not see the light of day until around early 2030, if ever.
On the evening of Wednesday 23rd November 2016, Lowri Moss is seen sitting at a table outside a branch of Costa Coffee, inside the Grand Arcade section of the St. David's shopping centre in Cardiff. Two and a half months on from making her pro debut, Lowri has now competed in a total of six matches, the most recent of which was three days ago, at a show in Los Angeles - her second appearance in the US.
While she awaits the arrival of someone, Lowri is occupying herself by looking at something on her mobile phone, and as she swipes the screen of the phone with her thumb, scrolling through whatever it is that she is reading, it is not long before the person that she is waiting for arrives: retired British wrestler Simon Jones.
Simon Jones: Alright, Lowri?
Lowri looks up from her phone and greets Simon with a smile.
Lowri Moss: Hi Simon! How are you?
Simon Jones: I’m fine, thanks. How about you? I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long.
Lowri Moss: No, I’ve only been here a couple of minutes. And I’m good, thanks. Still on a bit of a high from last Sunday… although returning to the day job, being back in the office after wrestling in front of ten thousand people, that was a bit of a comedown for me earlier.
Lowri puts her phone away, as Simon takes a seat opposite her.
Simon Jones: I’m sure it must’ve been; no one gives you a standing ovation as you make your way towards your desk.
She laughs at Simon’s remarks.
Lowri Moss: No, disappointingly-- though having said that, at least I don’t have to worry about any of my colleagues trying to body slam me, so… you know, swings and roundabouts.
That response causes Simon to let out a chuckle of his own; Lowri picks up a mug of coffee that is in front of her on the table.
Lowri Moss: Are you not going to get a drink?
As she takes a sip of her coffee, Simon glances over in the direction of the counter, where there is a queue of customers waiting to be served. He then looks back to Lowri.
Simon Jones: No, I’m okay.
Lower proceeds to ask him another question, this time one that is wrestling related.
Lowri Moss: Have you spoken to Natalie at all? Since Sunday, I mean.
‘Natalie’ is former FGA grappler Natalie McKinley, who Lowri teamed with - successfully - in her match three days ago.
Simon Jones: No, I haven’t-- the last time I spoke to her was some time last week, a day or two prior to your match. Why do you ask?
Lowri Moss: Because I wondered whether she had told you about the offer that Mark Ward made to the two of us.
Mark Ward is one of the two owners of the promotion in which the aforementioned tag team match took place.
Simon Jones: No, what offer?
Simon leans forward slightly, clearly intrigued to hear more from Lowri about this offer.
Lowri Moss: He offered us both full-time contracts; he wanted me and Natalie to be a regular team, to help strengthen the tag division. But Natalie rejected the offer out of hand.
Simon Jones: I can’t say that I’m surprised. I know she has been considering where her future lies for a while now, and whether she even wants to continue wrestling or not.
Simon rubs his chin.
Simon Jones: Where does that leave you then?
Lowri Moss: In the same position that I was in seventy-two hours ago. Mark Ward didn't just want me, he wanted me and Natalie, and with her out of the picture, he wasn't willing to offer me a contract to be a singles competitor… which I suppose isn’t all that surprising, considering that I’ve only had half a dozen matches so far in my career, and only one of those was a singles match.
As he leans backwards a little, so that he is sitting upright again, Simon lets out a sigh.
Simon Jones: It’s a shame that Natalie didn’t have any interest in taking Mark up on his offer; for two wrestlers who had never teamed together before, the pair of you didn't do too badly.
Lowri Moss: We didn’t, did we?
The smile on Lowri’s face broadens-- although something then soon occurs to her.
Lowri Moss: Having said that though, look how well Neal and I worked together when we had our first ever match as a team two months ago - I think “instant chemistry” was how you described it.
Simon nods his head, confirming Lowri’s accurate recollection of how he had described the maiden outing of the team that would come to be known as Pendragon.
Lowri Moss: Maybe I have a knack for tag team wrestling-- or maybe I’ve just been fortunate with the tag team partners that I’ve had so far.
Simon Jones: Or maybe it’s both.
Lowri simply gives a shrug of her shoulders, before then drinking some more of her coffee.
Simon Jones: I suppose this means you won’t be handing in your notice just yet then.
Lowri smiles wryly as she responds.
Lowri Moss: No, not yet, unfortunately.
Simon Jones: Have you set yourself a target, a date by when you want to be able to quit your job at the bank to wrestle full-time?
Lowri Moss: I haven't really set myself a precise date, but… I think I would like it to be by the end of next year, at the latest-- obviously I would want it to be nearer the start of next year than the end of it, but if it takes me until twelve months from now, rather than two months, so be it.
Simon Jones: Have you been contacted at all by any other promoters?
There is a shake of the head from Lowri.
Lowri Moss: No, but then I’m still a relative unknown in the world of wrestling, right?
A slight sigh escapes her lips.
Lowri Moss: Hopefully the two matches I’ve had in the States might have caught the eyes of some people over there, but if not, if Neal and I continue winning matches in the UKWF, then surely that can only help to raise both of our profiles.
Simon nods his head in agreement.
Simon Jones: If you had the choice, would you want to just wrestle in the UK, or would you want to wrestle overseas as well?
Lowri takes a moment to ponder the question, before answering.
Lowri Moss: I think right now, ideally I would want to wrestle mainly in the UK, or perhaps even somewhere else in Europe, if I could make enough money that way for wrestling to be my full-time job. Long-term though, and I think I’ve said this to you previously, I know that if I really want to make a name for myself in wrestling, then the US is the place I need to be.
Simon Jones: Would you ever consider relocating to the US?
Lowri Moss: Yeah, if I needed to.
Lowri lets out another small sigh.
Lowri Moss: Again, in an ideal world, I think I would want to still be living here in Cardiff, wrestling mainly in the UK, perhaps somewhere else in Europe like I said, and travelling to the US say… every other week, to wrestle for a promotion over there. But, if I ended up in a situation where I needed to move to live in the US, to wrestle predominantly over there, then while it would be a wrench to move away from all my friends and my family, I would do it without a second thought.
She pauses to take a breath, before she then continues.
Lowri Moss: This is my dream, Simon-- to be a professional wrestler. It has been my dream since I was like six years old, watching Ricochet Wrestling on ITV. At present I could probably be best described as a semi-professional wrestler, but I don’t want to just be a weekend warrior forever, I want to be a proper, fully fledged pro wrestler-- I want to follow in the footsteps of people like Andreas Lasiewicz, Chandler Scott and Laurel Anne Hardy, and if I have to move to the US to make my dream a reality, I’m more than willing to do so.
Simon considers feigning offence at Lowri not having named him as someone whose footsteps she wants to follow in, although he decides against it. He does though pick up on something that links the three names.
Simon Jones: Going by those three names you mentioned, I’m guessing you must’ve been a fan of Pro-Wrestling Frontier.
Lowri Moss: Indeed I was; I remember your appearance in the GFC Invitational two years ago, reaching the semi-finals before losing to the eventual winner, Anastasia Starling.
Simon Jones: Did you go to the show down the Bay on St David’s Day last year?
‘The Bay’ refers to Cardiff Bay, an area in the south of the city.
Lowri Moss: Yup. I’ve always tried to attend any show that I could in South Wales. By the time of that particular show, I had been living in Cardiff for nearly eighteen months, because of being at uni, but even before I moved here from Llanelli, I would often come to Cardiff to attend shows, from promotions like Frontier, to other, smaller ones.
Lowri smiles, as a thought crosses her mind.
Lowri Moss: I would love to get to wrestle on a show in South Wales some day.
Simon Jones: Maybe if you will if the UKWF starts staging shows outside of London.
Lowri Moss: Yeah, hopefully.
She takes another sip of her coffee, while Simon asks her another question.
Simon Jones: Have you got any other targets, besides being able to quit your day job to wrestle full-time?
Lowri Moss: I would like to win a title before the end of my rookie year. I’ve still got over nine months left to achieve that yet, so there’s no rush, but… who knows? Neal and I are still undefeated as a team, and so if we can keep that up, maybe we can get ourselves a shot at the UKWF tag titles, perhaps sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, they never did get a shot at the UKWF tag titles, but they of course more than made up for that subsequently in FGA.
Lowri Moss: That’s a short-term target, but for a more longer-term target… I want to be a world champion-- and not just any world champion, but one in a reputable company that has been around for a number of years.
Simon Jones: A lofty goal.
Lowri Moss: I want to be the best-- or at least, one of the best. I know I’m quite some way off that at the moment, but that’s where I want to get to, no matter how hard I have to work, and now matter how long it takes; if I had stuck with football, instead of giving it up to pursue my dream of being a wrestler, I would’ve wanted to be the best I could be at that.
Simon raises his eyebrows, with part of what Lowri just said having come as news to him.
Simon Jones: You used to play football? I thought you were more of a rugby fan.
Lowri Moss: I am. Initially I played both football and rugby, but when you’re young, like seven or eight, they only allow you to play tag rugby, rather than full contact, whereas in football there are no such restrictions, and so before long I stopped playing rugby and just concentrated on football, which I then went on to play for around a decade.
Simon Jones: Were you any good?
Lowri nods, before giving a proud, almost boastful response.
Lowri Moss: I was the best striker in the South Wales Women's & Girls' League in each age group that I played in.
Simon Jones: Were you really?
Lowri Moss: Yeah, honestly. I’ve got the awards at home to show for it.
Being a football fan himself, and having also played the sport in his youth, Simon is clearly impressed by all of this that he is hearing for the first time.
Simon Jones: Well, I guess it’s no wonder you’re so adept at kicking your opponents then.
Lowri Moss: Gotta use my skills to my advantage inside the ring somehow.
The two share a laugh, and with that, their conversation then begins to drift away from wrestling, on to football, as well as other sports.
