"Shootin' It Up" - Austin "Ragdoll" Baker

[Dr. Zoidberg 0]

-Fade into a back room. We see Austin Baker!~ sitting in a plush chair, smoking a cigarette. A giant OAOAST Banner is hanging behind him.

 

 

COACH

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to another edition of "Shootin' it Up." I'm your host The Coach, and joining me today is former OAOST X Champion and current HI-YAH World Heavyweight Champion, Austin "Ragdoll" Baker. Ragdoll, welcome to Shootin' it Up.

 

RAGDOLL

Thank you for having me...kinda an ironic name, don't you think?

 

-Both laugh.

 

COACH

We'll get to that later on in the show, Austin. Right now, I'd like to talk about how you started in this business. What was your first memory of professional wrestling?

 

RAGDOLL

Well...it was actually when I was 16. My brother Ken, my sister's Claire and Shannon, and I...uh...I guess we just kinda started to like it. Before I was 16, I never really watched it, or maybe I did, but nothing really stuck out. So, it wasn't until...I guess...'99, I started watching. I started watching Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind...fuckin Mankind was my favorite. He was just so insane. As soon as I saw the Mankind/Triple H/Austin match with our own Jesse Ventura reffing, I went out and bought tapes of Mick in ECW. I had to watch more of him.

 

COACH

So your main influence is Mick Foley?

 

RAGDOLL

Pretty much, yeah...Though now, I credit my wrestling style more to Spanky and Paul London...but there will always be a little bit of Mankind/Cactus Jack thrown in there.

 

COACH

So you started watching when you were 16...you're 20 now. You've been the X Champion, you've earned the monicer "Greatest Wrestler Never to Wear the Belt," you're the HI-YAH World Champion and you've only been in the OAOAST for going on a year. I would say you've accomplished quite a bit.

 

RAGDOLL

Yeah...I've accomplished everything I've wanted out of wrestling.

 

COACH

But you have yet to win the OAOAST World Title.

 

RAGDOLL

That's mainly because I turned it down.

 

COACH

Why would you do that?

 

RAGDOLL

The fuckin' pressure, man. I mean...fuck...I look at Drek, I look at Zack, I look at Crystal...they all look so fuckin' haggard, ya know? It's just so stressful to always be on the top of your game every night. Gotta go to appearances, gotta do this, gotta do that...it's just...it's not bullshit, but it's more pressure than it needs to be, you know? I mean, being the HI-YAH Champ is like being the champ of a backyard fed compared to being the OAOAST Champion, and even THIS is stressful. I was asked last year at the first Elimination Chamber if I wanted to win the title...it could have just been an aside question...but I said no. The heads understood that I wasn't in this business to win titles, I was in it to have fun, and to me, being the top dog and being the mouthpiece for an entire company and having that company rest on my shoulders wasn't going to be fun. Being the X Champion was fun. That was a blast.

 

COACH

Speaking of the X Title, you won that from your brother Ken, aka K-Money...

 

RAGDOLL

What a dumb fucking name (laughs).

 

COACH

...and he was in fact, the one that brought you into this business. Apparently you never had formal training, but he still wanted you in.

 

RAGDOLL

Yeah, Ken actually asked me and my sisters if we wanted to be apart of his "Black Label" storyline. Claire said no, cuz she was getting married, Shannon said yes, and I said yes. Shannon actually backed out the day of because they wanted her to play my girlfriend, and...yeah, that would have just been weird. So, it was me and Ken, and I needed a name. We couldn't go with K-Money and Austin Baker or Ken and Austin Baker because we both decided that would be lame. I came up with Spitfire and Zero before finally saying "Ragdoll." I don't know WHERE the name came from, but...it sounds cool. So, twenty minutes after I came up with my name, I debuted.

 

COACH

Wow.

 

RAGDOLL

Oh yeah.

 

COACH

Well, you certainly got the hang of wrestling quickly.

 

RAGDOLL

Yeah, if you watch the tapes from my first match...I was SO imitating Ken. I was lost as fuck in there, and I was praying the entire time that I wouldn't fuck up. Thankfully, it all worked out.

 

COACH

It was then that you started your feud with your brother, and you two had an impromptu match at License to Pin, where you nearly won the X Title. Any thoughts on that?

 

RAGDOLL

That was actually my favorite match I've ever been in. It made me a face, turned Ken more heel...it was just a good back and forth match. I loved it.

 

COACH

How does your retirement match against your brother rank?

 

RAGDOLL

Ehhh...I liked it...I enjoyed working it...but it just kind of sucked because I knew that after that match, Ken wasn't going to be around to give me guidance anymore. That entire match was me calling the shots and guiding Ken. He wanted me to get used to it.

 

COACH

What made Ken decide, "All right...Austin, you're going to be the X Champion now?"

 

RAGDOLL

Well, Josie was pregnant...we found out that day that she was pregnant...and Ken just decided he wanted to be there for his son or daughter. I think she's 3 months old now. Allison Marie Baker. Beautiful child.

 

COACH

Well congratulations to Ken and Josie.

 

RAGDOLL

Oh yes...very lucky parents.

 

COACH

So...after winning the X Title, you had a three month long program with Mad Matt. Sly Sommers said that he didn't like Matt...what are your thoughts?

 

RAGDOLL

I dunno. When I feuded with him, he was a great guy. He was open to ideas for the matches, he was down for waiting for the X Title...but when he won it, he did a piss poor job with it. I hated his title reign. When Sly won it, though...THAT was an X Title reign. Same with AJ. Those kids are fucking talented. Not saying that Matt isn't talented...he is...he just kinda froze up when he was champ.

 

COACH

Ok...Now, i'd like to talk to you about your heroin addiction.

 

RAGDOLL

Ugggghhh...all right.

 

COACH

Touchy subject?

 

RAGDOLL

Oh, no...I mean, I only almost died from a stupid fucking habit...not touchy at all. But it'll be good to get all of this off my chest.

 

COACH

All right...how did you get started in it?

 

RAGDOLL

It was all Melanie. That bitch...seriously...I should have ended that relationship the minute she pulled out the needle, but at the time, I was so in love with her that I thought it would be ok and that she wouldn't let me get too into it. I thought she loved me...but it turned into a Sid and Nancy type deal, you know? She stayed with me to support her habit, and I stayed with her because she got me easy access to that shit. The minute I told her I wanted to get clean, she left me high and dry. Bitch.

 

COACH

Then you met Jasmine, and your life got more on track.

 

RAGDOLL

Yeah...her real name is Lauren, and she is just an incredible girl. To be honest, she's nowhere near Irish. Well...she's of Irish descent, but she's from Vegas and is more Italian than anything else. She met TJ and Tyler the day she debuted as TJ's sister. But back on subject...she, along with Josie, Ken, Shannon, and Claire...they were ALWAYS visiting me in the hospital...I couldn't have gotten clean if it wasn't for them. I thank her everyday for being the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've been clean since the day we started dating, so that's...I think...6 months? 7 months?...She's gonna be pissed at me for not remembering.

 

COACH

So you took a hiatus from wrestling to get clean, and you made your return with Axel. What are your thoughts on your feud?

 

RAGDOLL

Axel is a fucking phenomenal guy, man. Just the best friend I could have ever asked for. This feud is actually really really hard to pull off because I have no animosity towards him whatsoever, and every week I have to act like I want to kill him. It's no simple task at all. I'm telling you...out of all the wrestlers that visited me, Axel came the most. He was genuinely concerned about my well-being. Great guy.

 

COACH

So your match at Climax is a Las Vegas Deathmatch against Axel...glass on the canvas, glass tables outside the ring, flaming barbed wire bat...this is going to be a bloodbath. Since you just said Axel is your best friend, how hard is this match going to be for you to do?

 

RAGDOLL

Oh my god, it's going to be hell...but Axel and I both agreed that no punch's will be pulled. We respect each other and trust each other enough to go into this match and know that neither one of us will get seriously injured. He actually said to me, "Austin...I love yah...but you and I are going to be near dead." I just laughed...I was thinking the exact same thing, but couldn't be blunt enough to tell him.

 

COACH

Out of all of the wrestlers in the OAOAST, who would you say you get along with the best and the least?

 

RAGDOLL

Well, I don't really talk to very many people. I mean, Crystal is someone I've never really chatted with. Same with Chris Stevens, The Tethers', GPX...all these new guys, I've never really chatted with. I wouldn't call Crystal new, but I've never talked to her. However, I would say I get along best with Axel, Drek, and Zack. Those three are the guys I talk to the most.

 

COACH

All right...to end, I have some names of wrestlers...it's basically what I asked Sly Sommers last time.

 

RAGDOLL

Fire away.

 

COACH

Zack Malibu.

 

RAGDOLL

One of the best performers I have ever met in my life. Not a great wrestler, per se...but he just has "It", you know? His worst match is miles ahead of most guys' best matches, and that's just because he has an aura around him. I can't really describe it, but he's...yeah, he's a good fucking guy.

 

COACH

...Drek Stone.

 

RAGDOLL

That kid has got a good head on his shoulders, and what a fuckin' worker. Jesus...everytime he wrestles, it's incredible. In all honesty, though...he got the title kinda quick. Not to say he doesn't deserve it! Not at all. It's just...I dunno...he didn't really have a chance to pay his dues. Guys like Axel and Sly, they've made a name for themselves over their time here and have had titles, but not THE title. Axel...fuck, I'd love to see that kid with the title. That would be the most amazing title reign...but Drek is by far my favorite wrestler in the OAOAST. Just a great person, all around.

 

COACH

...TNT.

 

RAGDOLL

Gayer than hell!

 

COACH

Are you serious?

 

RAGDOLL

Yeah (laughs)...those two are SO flamboyant...TJ especially. Great people, though. Not a god damn thing wrong with them. They never ever say an unkind word about anyone. I need to call them up, actually. I think they moved to San Francisco, as cliche as that sounds. But yeah...those two are the best tag team I've ever seen. Vastly underrated.

 

COACH

...Axel.

 

RAGDOLL

My best friend. Greatest guy. Like a brother to me.

 

COACH

And finally...Austin "Ragdoll" Baker.

 

RAGDOLL

A shithead (laughs). No...just a guy that got lucky and is blessed with a beautiful wife, great friends and family, and pretty soon, a child of his own.

 

COACH

Congratulations! Any names picked out?

 

RAGDOLL

If it's a boy, Austin, Ken, or Caswell. If it's a girl, Vegas or Jessica.

 

COACH

Austin, thank you for your time.

 

RAGDOLL

No problem, daaaaaawg.

 

-Coach looks at the camera.

 

COACH

That's it for this weeks "Shootin' it Up." I'm Jonathan Coachman. See you next week.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

and K-Money won it from ME~!!!

[Adam 0]

Coming Soon!

 

Shootin' it Up Round 3: Axel!

 

Coach sits down with Axel for the first time ever, and Axel discusses the following...

 

- Growing up in Tasmania, Australia

 

- First Wrestling Experience

 

- Leaving Home to wreslte

 

- Training

 

- Meeting Crystal

 

- Moving to the US

 

- Wrestling in Detroit Pro Wrestling Extreme

 

- Meeting AJ Flaire and Gunner Sharps

 

- The Bleeding Souls

 

- Crystal leaving for the OAOAST

 

- Debuting in the OAOAST

 

- His thougths on Brock Ausstin (MUST READ!)

 

- The Revolution Tournament

 

- Beating Calvin Szechstein

 

- Joining Totally Endorsed

 

- The feud with The Dream Machines

 

- AJ Flaire joining the OAOAST

 

- The suspension angle

 

- Gunner joining the OAOAST

 

- Feuding with Peter Knight

 

- The Royal Rumble, and Gibraltar

 

- The feud with Crystal, and the lead up to AngleMania

 

- AngleMania

 

- Feuding with Gunner and AJ Flaire

 

- The casket angle with The Thrillogy

 

- Going back home

 

- The return at License to Pin

 

- The Japan Tour

 

- winning the HI-YAH World Championship

 

- Feuding with Zack

 

- HeldDown: Australia

 

- The Casket Match at Dirty Deeds

 

- Ragdoll's heel turn

 

- Axel vs. Zack vs. Ragdoll

 

- The Elimination Chamber

 

- Feuding with Ragdoll

 

- The Retirement match

 

- The Future

 

- Word Association

 

All this and MORE! in OAOAST Shootin' it Up Round 3: Axel! Coming Soon!