Post by Lone Gunman on May 2, 2004 14:24:17 GMT -6
1. Name
Jonathan Dennis Taylor
2. Birthplace/Current Residence
I was born and grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. I attended college there, studying to be a surgeon, when I fell in love with wrestling. I moved to Mexico soon after where I competed in MCWO. I moved to Hong Kong after that, where I lived for most of the 1990s. In 2001 I moved to Atlanta, Georgia to compete in the GZW. I rent a small house here near the city.
3. Age
I’m 33.
4. Marital Status/Children
Not applicable. In Mexico I stayed with a friend and his wife and kids, and I’ve had several short term relationships. I would never settle down whilst I’m still competing, I have to one hundred per cent focused.
5. First Career Match
My first professional match was for the MCWO in Mexico. I competed as “El Tirador Emboscado”. My first match would have been against “The Lion” Jose Salazar. He was a veteran in the business, and I’m fairly sure he squashed me.
I competed in amateur matches in college, I ended up getting expelled for not following the rules. I had a tendency to try and choke people out.
6. GZW Debut Date
Now there’s a tough one. I try to keep a mental encyclopaedia of such dates, but it doesn’t cross my mind at the moment. It was around Autumn 2001, I’m not sure of the exact date.
7. First GZW Match
It’s been so long since I’ve thought about my time in GZW, I can’t remember specifically. If my memory is in any way as accurate as I think it is, it would have been someone like Pitfighter or Adam Cage. My mind is blank as far as that goes.
8. Career Titles Held
Alongside Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore, I had two lengthy runs with the MCWO tag team titles. Not too long after that I won the MCWO Heavyweight belt by defeating Amadore and ending his career. I couldn’t look myself in the mirror after that. I vacated the title and moved to Japan where I spent almost a decade in HKWF. I defeated Justin Sharp to capture the XFWF Heavyweight Championship, but the belt meant nothing to me. It was the victory over Justin that I craved. I then beat Hades to capture the GZW Light Heavyweight Title, as I’m sure you know.
9. Career Highlights
I have a few. Firstly, and definitely at the top of the list, defeating Sho “Firefly” Murakame in a one on one bout. I consider that match to be my finest hour. Even competing with Firefly, after years of just watching him from the sidelines in HKWF, was spectacular. Next would be my two runs as MCWO Tag Team Champions with Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore. He was my only friend in Mexico, and I will never forget the times we had as Tag Champions. Of course, my run as “one of the greatest Light Heavyweight Champions” is up there, successfully defending against the likes of El Gambit and Hades. Another would be defeating Justin Sharp for his XFWF Title. The title, as I’ve said before, was meaningless, but psychologically it is one of my greatest achievements. Sharp pretty much was XFWF, it was his playing field. I came in, I gave him one hell of a match and I walked out with his title.
10. Career Lowlights
Ending the career of my former best friend, Ramon Amadore. We were competing for the vacated MCWO Heavyweight title in a “Shootout” match, which involved the ring being rigged with explosives and other forms of light artillery, with the ring being surrounded by an “Iron Curtain”. In that type of match, only one man walks out, and I know if it hadn’t have been him, it would have been me, but I still regret it to this day. I crippled him. He was young, he had a bright future ahead of him, he had a wife and kids. His wife divorced him and took the children, he could never wrestle again, and I haven’t heard from him in years.
Perhaps a point to note for Marks, however, is that I earned my “Lone Gunman” moniker from that match. Our team was called “El Assasins Mortal”, The Lethal Assassins. After I beat him and ripped the team apart, I was dubbed El Pistolero Soliterio, Spanish for “The Lone Gunman” .
11. Favourite Match I Ever Participated In
Myself vs. Firefly, hands down. We pushed each other to the limit, just the experience did it for me. My coming out victorious was simply an added bonus.
12. Favourite Match Where I Just Watched
Perhaps one of Union Jack and Firefly’s bouts in HKWF, I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one match. Sincere always impressed me as well.
13. Most Hated Opponent
There have been so many, I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one.
14. GZW Stars (Past or Present) I’d pay to see
Justin Sharp. Around the time I left, he was just getting his feet wet. From battling him in XFWF, I knew he had what it takes to make it in GZW. Obviously he knew it as well and took advantage of it. I’ll be watching some of his matches over the next while to see how he progressed. It’s a shame that he is out of the picture now, I would have liked to lock horns with him once again.
Union Jack, Firefly, Gideon, Sabre, Spartan, Monarch. The list goes on. Not having any Japanese TV at all means all I can see of those guys is from old tapes.
15. Most Respected Opponent
Well, there’d be a few. Firefly, obviously. I’d have to say El Gambit and Hades as well, I had some good matches in the Light Heavyweight Division with those guys. I also have great admiration for “Kool Hand” Luke Laverne. He managed to defeat me and take my Light Heavyweight title. That cannot be denied, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. A lot of the old HKWF guys as well; Gideon, Monarch, Sabre, Teardrop, Seth Raide. And, of course, Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore.
16. All-Time Favourite GZW Card
I’m not quite sure I could answer that. During my previous run with the company, I generally only focused on my own business; my opponents, potential opponents, potential allies and whathaveyou. I stopped following wrestling completely after retired so I simply couldn’t answer that. The Light Heavyweight Gauntlet from a few years ago impressed me, though.
17. If I wasn’t a wrestler, I’d be…
Technically I’m not a wrestler at the moment. I’m an assistant manager at an accounting firm in the city. If I had never wrestled in my life, I’d be a surgeon today.
18. I wouldn’t give up for $1,000,000…
In honesty, there is nothing in my life that means that I wouldn’t pass up a million dollars for. Up until recently I had lost my passion for wrestling completely, so that’s a no-brainer. Perhaps now, my making a comeback of sorts, giving another stab at it will make me change my mind and rethink how I’d answer this…<br>
19. Dream Opponent
There’s a few. Firefly would’ve been top of the list, but obviously that became reality. Taking on “Smooth Operator” Billy Bond would’ve been interesting. I also would’ve like to wrestle a bigger guy like T-Rex or Pimp. And then of course there’s the likes of Monarch, Union Jack and Spartan as well. To be realistic though, there are quite a few people I’d like to take on that quite possibly could happen in the ‘New GZW’… Jimmy Williams, Phoenix, Seven, perhaps a couple of newcomers, and of course, Pimp Bizkit.
20. Future Goals
At this stage I’m 33. With all these young newcomers flooding through the reopening gates, I know my time will be limited. I’ve already done the rookie thing, I’ve done the respected rookie thing, I’ve done the gimmick thing, the Light Heavyweight thing, the tag team thing, I’ve beaten Firefly. I’ve done just about everything I set myself to do. The way I see it, there’s just one more thing left for me to do. The GZW World Title. As of this moment it is vacant, which means there is a chance that I can reach the top of the ladder and join the likes of Spartan, Magic, Smooth, Firefly, T-Rex, Zachary Sharp in the annals of history. The opportunity is there, and that is my top priority. Time will tell whether or not I can or will achieve that.
Jonathan Dennis Taylor
2. Birthplace/Current Residence
I was born and grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. I attended college there, studying to be a surgeon, when I fell in love with wrestling. I moved to Mexico soon after where I competed in MCWO. I moved to Hong Kong after that, where I lived for most of the 1990s. In 2001 I moved to Atlanta, Georgia to compete in the GZW. I rent a small house here near the city.
3. Age
I’m 33.
4. Marital Status/Children
Not applicable. In Mexico I stayed with a friend and his wife and kids, and I’ve had several short term relationships. I would never settle down whilst I’m still competing, I have to one hundred per cent focused.
5. First Career Match
My first professional match was for the MCWO in Mexico. I competed as “El Tirador Emboscado”. My first match would have been against “The Lion” Jose Salazar. He was a veteran in the business, and I’m fairly sure he squashed me.
I competed in amateur matches in college, I ended up getting expelled for not following the rules. I had a tendency to try and choke people out.
6. GZW Debut Date
Now there’s a tough one. I try to keep a mental encyclopaedia of such dates, but it doesn’t cross my mind at the moment. It was around Autumn 2001, I’m not sure of the exact date.
7. First GZW Match
It’s been so long since I’ve thought about my time in GZW, I can’t remember specifically. If my memory is in any way as accurate as I think it is, it would have been someone like Pitfighter or Adam Cage. My mind is blank as far as that goes.
8. Career Titles Held
Alongside Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore, I had two lengthy runs with the MCWO tag team titles. Not too long after that I won the MCWO Heavyweight belt by defeating Amadore and ending his career. I couldn’t look myself in the mirror after that. I vacated the title and moved to Japan where I spent almost a decade in HKWF. I defeated Justin Sharp to capture the XFWF Heavyweight Championship, but the belt meant nothing to me. It was the victory over Justin that I craved. I then beat Hades to capture the GZW Light Heavyweight Title, as I’m sure you know.
9. Career Highlights
I have a few. Firstly, and definitely at the top of the list, defeating Sho “Firefly” Murakame in a one on one bout. I consider that match to be my finest hour. Even competing with Firefly, after years of just watching him from the sidelines in HKWF, was spectacular. Next would be my two runs as MCWO Tag Team Champions with Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore. He was my only friend in Mexico, and I will never forget the times we had as Tag Champions. Of course, my run as “one of the greatest Light Heavyweight Champions” is up there, successfully defending against the likes of El Gambit and Hades. Another would be defeating Justin Sharp for his XFWF Title. The title, as I’ve said before, was meaningless, but psychologically it is one of my greatest achievements. Sharp pretty much was XFWF, it was his playing field. I came in, I gave him one hell of a match and I walked out with his title.
10. Career Lowlights
Ending the career of my former best friend, Ramon Amadore. We were competing for the vacated MCWO Heavyweight title in a “Shootout” match, which involved the ring being rigged with explosives and other forms of light artillery, with the ring being surrounded by an “Iron Curtain”. In that type of match, only one man walks out, and I know if it hadn’t have been him, it would have been me, but I still regret it to this day. I crippled him. He was young, he had a bright future ahead of him, he had a wife and kids. His wife divorced him and took the children, he could never wrestle again, and I haven’t heard from him in years.
Perhaps a point to note for Marks, however, is that I earned my “Lone Gunman” moniker from that match. Our team was called “El Assasins Mortal”, The Lethal Assassins. After I beat him and ripped the team apart, I was dubbed El Pistolero Soliterio, Spanish for “The Lone Gunman” .
11. Favourite Match I Ever Participated In
Myself vs. Firefly, hands down. We pushed each other to the limit, just the experience did it for me. My coming out victorious was simply an added bonus.
12. Favourite Match Where I Just Watched
Perhaps one of Union Jack and Firefly’s bouts in HKWF, I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one match. Sincere always impressed me as well.
13. Most Hated Opponent
There have been so many, I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one.
14. GZW Stars (Past or Present) I’d pay to see
Justin Sharp. Around the time I left, he was just getting his feet wet. From battling him in XFWF, I knew he had what it takes to make it in GZW. Obviously he knew it as well and took advantage of it. I’ll be watching some of his matches over the next while to see how he progressed. It’s a shame that he is out of the picture now, I would have liked to lock horns with him once again.
Union Jack, Firefly, Gideon, Sabre, Spartan, Monarch. The list goes on. Not having any Japanese TV at all means all I can see of those guys is from old tapes.
15. Most Respected Opponent
Well, there’d be a few. Firefly, obviously. I’d have to say El Gambit and Hades as well, I had some good matches in the Light Heavyweight Division with those guys. I also have great admiration for “Kool Hand” Luke Laverne. He managed to defeat me and take my Light Heavyweight title. That cannot be denied, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. A lot of the old HKWF guys as well; Gideon, Monarch, Sabre, Teardrop, Seth Raide. And, of course, Ramon “The Speeding Bullet” Amadore.
16. All-Time Favourite GZW Card
I’m not quite sure I could answer that. During my previous run with the company, I generally only focused on my own business; my opponents, potential opponents, potential allies and whathaveyou. I stopped following wrestling completely after retired so I simply couldn’t answer that. The Light Heavyweight Gauntlet from a few years ago impressed me, though.
17. If I wasn’t a wrestler, I’d be…
Technically I’m not a wrestler at the moment. I’m an assistant manager at an accounting firm in the city. If I had never wrestled in my life, I’d be a surgeon today.
18. I wouldn’t give up for $1,000,000…
In honesty, there is nothing in my life that means that I wouldn’t pass up a million dollars for. Up until recently I had lost my passion for wrestling completely, so that’s a no-brainer. Perhaps now, my making a comeback of sorts, giving another stab at it will make me change my mind and rethink how I’d answer this…<br>
19. Dream Opponent
There’s a few. Firefly would’ve been top of the list, but obviously that became reality. Taking on “Smooth Operator” Billy Bond would’ve been interesting. I also would’ve like to wrestle a bigger guy like T-Rex or Pimp. And then of course there’s the likes of Monarch, Union Jack and Spartan as well. To be realistic though, there are quite a few people I’d like to take on that quite possibly could happen in the ‘New GZW’… Jimmy Williams, Phoenix, Seven, perhaps a couple of newcomers, and of course, Pimp Bizkit.
20. Future Goals
At this stage I’m 33. With all these young newcomers flooding through the reopening gates, I know my time will be limited. I’ve already done the rookie thing, I’ve done the respected rookie thing, I’ve done the gimmick thing, the Light Heavyweight thing, the tag team thing, I’ve beaten Firefly. I’ve done just about everything I set myself to do. The way I see it, there’s just one more thing left for me to do. The GZW World Title. As of this moment it is vacant, which means there is a chance that I can reach the top of the ladder and join the likes of Spartan, Magic, Smooth, Firefly, T-Rex, Zachary Sharp in the annals of history. The opportunity is there, and that is my top priority. Time will tell whether or not I can or will achieve that.
