"That's What I Get for Being Nice"

Austin Tyler vs Kelvin Thunder, Match 556 (UCW)

New UCW guy Kelvin  is small, fearless, and eerily expressionless. Austin, who is 5'8", appears to tower over the guy. And while Kelvin is strong, Austin is strong AND big, with muscle mass that makes him difficult to command. To his credit, Kelvin seems game for any challenge, willing to face even impossible odds, including taking on a wrestler like Austin, who has well-established championship potential. In #556, Thunder receives coaching and encouragement from Axel, just as he did in his debut match in August against Tyson the Hammer. As a beginner, Kelvin's skill set is limited, and his ability to "sell" the mat action and react to a match's dramatic turns appears sadly stuck at zero.

Austin is a slow-burn kind of guy. In the beginning, he introduces himself and curtly asks Kelvin his name. He doesn't feel a need to establish rapport with a guy he's about to squash - or attempt to - but he's not an asshole either. He braces himself for a good fight, determined to give his best. At the match's midpoint, Axel steps in, advising Kelvin to be more aggressive. He's polite about the intrusion, even asking Austin's permission to timeout with his protege in what might have been Kelvin's imminent trouncing at Austin's hands. Kelvin ups his fight from this point on, with Axel coaching from the sidelines , At the end of the 30-minute match, essentially though not technically a two-on-one fight, Austin is surly, but calm. He mutters, "That's what I get for being nice," and refuses to shake Kelvin's hand - not that it was offered - stating sotto voce, "He doesn't have the skills." He shakes Axel's hand, instead, out of respect. Without making a big fuss about it, Austin has no patience for beginners and amateurs. Message received: Don't step on the wrestling mat with Austin Tyler unless you know what you're doing.

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