Chris Masters saves his Mam from burning to a crisp

[Big Rob]

WWE.com are covering it now - http://www.wwe.com/shows/outside-the-ring/...ilding-26101045

 

Former WWE Superstar Chris Masters (Chris Mordetsky) made headlines today when he became the unlikely center of an extraordinary tale of heroism after rescuing his own mother from her burning apartment building. Masters, best known as the chiseled strongman who neutralized his opponents with the unbreakable Master Lock full nelson, had been training in the gym when he received a call that something strange was going on at his mother’s Los Angeles apartment.

 

When Masters arrived to investigate, he found his mother Diane, 57, was being apparently held hostage by her neighbor in the apartment she shares with Masters’ uncle, Leo Taliaferro. The neighbor reportedly threatened to set the apartment ablaze if Masters or anyone else made a move to break down the door. Once police arrived, according to Masters, a fire became visible inside the residence and that’s when the story became truly astonishing.

 

Sprung into action by the threat, Masters reportedly began to direct the officers and actively aided them in freeing his mother from the house. “I was like, ‘break those windows and get my mom out of there!’ ” Masters said. An initial attempt to snake a hose in through a broken window proved fruitless because it was blocked by a tree, so Masters used his strength to snap a 10-foot tree down to the ground and clear the path to her bedroom windows.

 

“I bear-hugged the whole tree down to the ground, which scratched my forearms up,” Masters said of his feat of strength. “Basically, I took the tree and tackled it down to where it was parallel to the ground. Then [after the police had smashed most of the windows] I broke the last piece of glass with my forearm, and then out of nowhere, my mom pops up. I’ve never loved my mom any more than that moment in my life.”

 

Masters called the relief of her sudden rescue “indescribable.”

 

“Just to see her, you just realize what that person means to you,” he said. “It’s hard to describe the feeling thinking you mom might die and then she popped out of the window like she did.”

 

The whole ordeal left “The Masterpiece” slightly shaken, but more grateful than anything else.

 

“It was the craziest day of my life,” Masters said. “I was raised just by her, so if she would have went out like that, I don’t know if I ever would have recovered. I was hell-bent on [getting her out].”

 

And in case the WWE Universe was wondering where Masters got his toughness from, there’s a solid chance he got it from his mother. “When I brought her out of the house, the first thing she was worried about was my baby pictures in the old photo album!” Masters laughed. “She’s a tough woman.”

[Vamp]

He'll have one of the belts within six months, mark my words.

[Chest Rockwell]

Hello Uncle Leo!

[Big Rob]

Hello Uncle Leo!

Haha, yes that's exactly what I thought as well when I read the article!

[Loki]

Not sure why TNA have no interest though.

The purse is pretty much locked up these days. They hardly ever bring anyone in anymore. "Brazilification" was the term used in an article recently. TNA has a load of big contracts and a load of small $300 a show contracts and very little in between. You are either on a great deal or you are on your arse. What they did with Luke Gallows was wait for about 18 months until he's exhausted his interest on the independent scene and snapped him up when he had little bargaining value. Masters is still a good size name, so he's probably not desperate.

 

TNA have hardly any babyfaces at the minute. They did Team Sting vs the Aces and 8s and Magnus, Eric Young, James Storm and Samoa Joe was the elite squad Sting picked. Those are battered in terms of credibility with the audience after about a 1000 defeats each. Masters would be perfect for them as a top babyface. Now RVD is gone, hopefully that frees up a few quid to bring in Masters. I think TNA needs some fresh mans. They have Jay Bradley who definitely doesn't need any developmental time. He could be a new name on the show if they put him in there.

 

I think they do need to divest themselves of some of the big contracts they signed when they were desperate for stars, and they've slowly been cutting them down to those who really make a difference. Angle is obviously worth the money, and Hardy too, but they don't need to sign deals like RVD , Morgan or Anderson had any more.

 

I can completely understand not signing up Knox or Gallows to decent contracts if I'm honest. But Masters is an interesting one - seems a much better prospect. Perhaps he's asking for too much, perhaps he and Bruce Pritchard don't get along? Perhaps it's that tatau

[David]

On that note, what the fuck has happened to RVD? I've not been watching much TNA in recent times and saw him when he lost the belt to Kenny King. He looked out of shape and slow.

[pgi86]

Not sure why TNA have no interest though.

The purse is pretty much locked up these days. They hardly ever bring anyone in anymore. "Brazilification" was the term used in an article recently. TNA has a load of big contracts and a load of small $300 a show contracts and very little in between. You are either on a great deal or you are on your arse. What they did with Luke Gallows was wait for about 18 months until he's exhausted his interest on the independent scene and snapped him up when he had little bargaining value. Masters is still a good size name, so he's probably not desperate.

 

TNA have hardly any babyfaces at the minute. They did Team Sting vs the Aces and 8s and Magnus, Eric Young, James Storm and Samoa Joe was the elite squad Sting picked. Those are battered in terms of credibility with the audience after about a 1000 defeats each. Masters would be perfect for them as a top babyface. Now RVD is gone, hopefully that frees up a few quid to bring in Masters. I think TNA needs some fresh mans. They have Jay Bradley who definitely doesn't need any developmental time. He could be a new name on the show if they put him in there.

 

I think they do need to divest themselves of some of the big contracts they signed when they were desperate for stars, and they've slowly been cutting them down to those who really make a difference. Angle is obviously worth the money, and Hardy too, but they don't need to sign deals like RVD , Morgan or Anderson had any more.

 

I can completely understand not signing up Knox or Gallows to decent contracts if I'm honest. But Masters is an interesting one - seems a much better prospect. Perhaps he's asking for too much, perhaps he and Bruce Pritchard don't get along? Perhaps it's that tatau

Or they just don't have a spot for him. Sometimes timing is the most important thing. Masters tried to get into TNA at a very inopportune time when they were signing a lot of other people (Aces & Eights dudes and new indy guys through Gut Check). He's not exactly the biker type (like say DOC, Knox and Brisco who all look the part), a new indy guy they can sign through Gut Check or an X Division wrestler (which the roster is lacking right now) so he's shit out of luck. It's as simple as that, I reckon. Bad timing, that's all. And honestly, unless they have a specific angle/character in mind that he would fit or they fire a bunch of other dudes there simply isn't a spot for a guy like Masters on the roster right now, which sucks but that's the way things are. TNA's roster is way overcrowded as it is.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Or they just don't have a spot for him. Sometimes timing is the most important thing. Masters tried to get into TNA at a very inopportune time when they were signing a lot of other people (Aces & Eights dudes and new indy guys through Gut Check).

That's such bollocks, though. They re-signed Matt Morgan and found a spot for him and he's fucking useless. TNA had Eric Young in one of their top matches at the pay-per-view and he's a complete joke. Samoa Joe is still knocking about in the upper midcard position and he's never getting back to his old form. They are trying to push Magnus finally, because the talent depth on the babyface side is at the lowest its been in years. If there was anything to what you are saying and they decided against signing Chris Masters because Sam Shaw and Joey Ryan was at the top of their priority list, then they need to sack their head of talent because their priorities are fucked.

 

I can't see how TNA's roster is over crowded anyway. They have a few really good guys (like Joseph Park, Bully Ray, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Daniels and Kaz and a few others) and the rest is filled with the dregs of the business like Zima Ion, Matt Morgan and Wes Brisco. This TNA roster is very weak compared to previous years.

[pgi86]

This is not about whether or not Masters should be in TNA and who he should replace. The question was why he isn't in TNA. Like I was saying, Masters simply isn't the type of person they've been signing lately nor is he a guy who's been there for years and they decide to re-sign. They've been signing very specific types of people since Prichard took over and Masters doesn't fit in those types that they've been signing. Whether they're wrong or not that's up for debate but given their hiring policies lately it's easy to see why Masters isn't under contract. And besides, he's not a big enough star or a proven commodity (in their eyes) to warrant them going out of their way to bring him in so unless a specific spot opens up that he's a good fit for (like a spot opened up for Gallows & Knox in the bikers or Chavo in the tag division, for example) I doubt they'll bring him in.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

but given their hiring policies lately it's quite easy to see why Masters isn't under contract.

What hiring policies? This Gut Check thing has no pattern. Its an excuse to bring in guys desperate to sign deals on shit money. Which goes back to the original point of TNA not being in a position to sign someone like Masters or John Morrison unless they have no bargaining power. Its the same reason why TNA sign Christian York and Kenny King, and WWE snap up every top independent name going (who most of them seeked out tryouts at various times over the last few years). If Chris Masters laid down and died like Gallows and Knox did, he'd be under contract to them now. The idea that TNA isn't hiring Chris Masters because he isn't what they are looking for (when they have a big idiot who cant work like Matt Morgan in a strong position on the show) isn't so ridiculous to comprehend.

 

And besides, he's not a big enough star or a proven commodity (in their eyes) to warrant them going out of their way to bring him in so unless a specific spot opens up that he's a good fit for I doubt they'll bring him in.

The whole roster would be working in OVW if they hired someone based on whether or not they could draw. Its obvious to anyone why he isn't there. Once the purse strings got tightened, they just kept recycling guys over and over again. Its pretty sickening that any fan has a theory that "there isn't a spot on the roster for (insert name)". That's never been how a successful company was ran. If you have someone who can work (like Masters), who can talk (like Masters can to a certain degree) and looks good (like Masters does), then you bring him in. That's just mental. Especially in TNA, where their whole history has been stopping the bus to let other people on.

[PowerButchi]

Obviously TNA have some interest in Chris Masters as they've brought him in for about 6,000 dark matches. So Bruce Prichard has an eye on him, and so PGI's point is incorrect. TNA have even less chance now though, as this story has just doubled his price.

[pgi86]

Butchi, he's done 1 dark match for TNA, not 6,000. I never said they didn't have interest. They brought him in for a tryout so they clearly do have some interest but on the flipside they bring in a lot of people for tryouts and most of them don't get signed so just because you have a tryout doesn't mean you're all but signed. All I said was they most likely don't have a spot for him. Hell, don't take my word for it. Go back and read all the Masters interviews after his tryout. The man himself said the same thing - they didn't have anything for him at that time.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Of course. When I want to find out the backstage negotiations between a wrestler and a promotion I consult an interview from AngryMarks.com or where ever. Its not like he's going to say "they don't think I'm worth anything more than $300 a show, so until they cough up the money expect me to be a regular in Preston City Wrestling".

 

Have a day off PGI. They have Christian York wrestling PPV matches. If there was a way they could fit Masters into their budget, they would have him. They are currently paying their wrestlers one pay day for two TV tapings and dropped a load of PPVs. Money is obviously tighter than it was a few years ago.

[pgi86]

I like how you're assuming the only possible reason Masters isn't in TNA is because they gave him a shit offer and then taking that assumption and acting as if it's a 100% confirmed fact. Nicely played.

 

So with that being said, I'll take your advice and have the rest of the day off.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

No. I'm just pointing out the holes in the "they can sign indy guys through Gut Check" (who are very cheap) and "he isn't the biker type" (in a group consisting of D'Lo Brown) theory.