It was only a few weeks before the end of OCW’s first season on Channel 31 that we saw the 6’4” Kiwi behemoth Slade Mercer make his televised debut, emanating from Bendigo, in a triple threat match against KrackerJak and Joel Bateman that “I had to make for myself because my announced opponent Cletus no showed—no doubt because he's afraid of me.”
Mercer was unsuccessful in that match, but he proved his worth in fierce one-on-one battles against KrackerJak and international guest Tommy Dreamer in an OCW ring. He says,
“I'm still finding my feet amongst the OCW talent. There are some great wrestlers here. That said, there's always a method to the madness. I've learnt something in each of those matches, and 2015 is a new year, a new beginning and a chance to show everyone what I'm really capable of."
Despite his losing efforts Mercer certainly impressed someone in charge usurping the likes of seasoned hardcore competitors KrackerJak and Maddog to face off against Tommy Dreamer at OCW’s final show of the year, Hardcore Halloween.
It’s fair to say both the OCW fans and the Originals were taken aback by that development and for Mercer, “it was an honour. Here is a man who has been there, done that and has been making a living from professional wrestling for over two decades.”
But his modesty ends there. “I'm at the top of my game and he's an old man, and it [was] my chance to stake my claim both in OCW and around the world by beating the ‘Hardcore Legend’.”
Rising from a mid-card talent to a main event-level player would surely indicate that big things are on the horizon for Mercer. The Kiwi pays no mind to chatter about his status as OCW’s fastest rising star, “but I can't say I'm surprised. I've got the fastest rising stock of anyone in the OCW locker room,” Mercer says. “I've known for years that I am one of the best in the country, even Oceania, perhaps even the southern hemisphere.”
After asking Mercer the obligatory closing question—what and who is he setting his sights on in the New Year—he succinctly informed me it’s “winning the OCW Championship. It's as simple as that.
“While the current champion Andy Phoenix and I have an amicable working relationship, as long as he holds that belt he'll be in my crosshairs,” Mercer continues. “[Or] maybe I'll have to stomp Adam Brooks for it. Maybe I'll have to demolish KrackerJak. Maybe I'll have to knock Cadman’s block off. Maybe I'll have to send Cletus back to whatever back water hillbilly rural Victorian town he’s from. Whatever the case, and whomever the champion, take my word for it when I say that it's only a matter of time. When opportunity knocks, I'll answer.”
Mercer puts it best himself when he says, “The rumours are true, boys and girls: Slade Mercer isn't here to muck about.”
What do you think of the self-assured giant’s claims of taking OCW by storm in the New Year? Who are you looking forward to seeing him plough through in his quest for the championship? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
We’ll be back in the New Year with updates about the culmination of our Tag Team Tournament on Friday 30th January, 2015, at Ashwood Performing Arts Centre. Click here to buy tickets.
Thanks for all your support over the past year and we look forward to seeing you in 2015!
Mercer was unsuccessful in that match, but he proved his worth in fierce one-on-one battles against KrackerJak and international guest Tommy Dreamer in an OCW ring. He says,
“I'm still finding my feet amongst the OCW talent. There are some great wrestlers here. That said, there's always a method to the madness. I've learnt something in each of those matches, and 2015 is a new year, a new beginning and a chance to show everyone what I'm really capable of."
Despite his losing efforts Mercer certainly impressed someone in charge usurping the likes of seasoned hardcore competitors KrackerJak and Maddog to face off against Tommy Dreamer at OCW’s final show of the year, Hardcore Halloween.
It’s fair to say both the OCW fans and the Originals were taken aback by that development and for Mercer, “it was an honour. Here is a man who has been there, done that and has been making a living from professional wrestling for over two decades.”
But his modesty ends there. “I'm at the top of my game and he's an old man, and it [was] my chance to stake my claim both in OCW and around the world by beating the ‘Hardcore Legend’.”
Rising from a mid-card talent to a main event-level player would surely indicate that big things are on the horizon for Mercer. The Kiwi pays no mind to chatter about his status as OCW’s fastest rising star, “but I can't say I'm surprised. I've got the fastest rising stock of anyone in the OCW locker room,” Mercer says. “I've known for years that I am one of the best in the country, even Oceania, perhaps even the southern hemisphere.”
After asking Mercer the obligatory closing question—what and who is he setting his sights on in the New Year—he succinctly informed me it’s “winning the OCW Championship. It's as simple as that.
“While the current champion Andy Phoenix and I have an amicable working relationship, as long as he holds that belt he'll be in my crosshairs,” Mercer continues. “[Or] maybe I'll have to stomp Adam Brooks for it. Maybe I'll have to demolish KrackerJak. Maybe I'll have to knock Cadman’s block off. Maybe I'll have to send Cletus back to whatever back water hillbilly rural Victorian town he’s from. Whatever the case, and whomever the champion, take my word for it when I say that it's only a matter of time. When opportunity knocks, I'll answer.”
Mercer puts it best himself when he says, “The rumours are true, boys and girls: Slade Mercer isn't here to muck about.”
What do you think of the self-assured giant’s claims of taking OCW by storm in the New Year? Who are you looking forward to seeing him plough through in his quest for the championship? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
We’ll be back in the New Year with updates about the culmination of our Tag Team Tournament on Friday 30th January, 2015, at Ashwood Performing Arts Centre. Click here to buy tickets.
Thanks for all your support over the past year and we look forward to seeing you in 2015!