Exclusive w/ Damian Cole: Carter match is a "One and Done"
Apr 5, 2015 12:32:39 GMT -5
Admin: Trevor likes this
Post by Damian Cole on Apr 5, 2015 12:32:39 GMT -5
The Wrestletown Sun
Sunday, April 5, 2015
"A Redemption Story: Damian Cole Speaks Out on Carter Hayes, Live After Prison, and His Future"
"A Redemption Story: Damian Cole Speaks Out on Carter Hayes, Live After Prison, and His Future"
by Clark Westfield, staff writer
As I sat down to speak with Damian Cole at the Steel Mill Tavern, I found myself face to face with a man who has had his fair share of ups and downs in his storied career. A former Second City Wrestling World Wrestling heavyweight champion, and a number one contender to two other titles-- the Greater Metropolitan Wrestling heavyweight championship (held at the time by C.J. Infallible) and the Internet Wrestling Alliance championship (held at the time by Grace "The Prodigy" Taylor)-- Damian knows what it is like to reach the peak of this sport.
And yet, on the anniversary his release from a three year stint in Rahway State Prison, it seems to be the valleys of his career that is currently on his mind.
"I lost it all," he explains as he takes a sip of his coffee on a Friday morning. "First I had it all-- a beautiful wife and two loving children, a house and enough money for us to be comfortable, the fans and all of the recognition that comes with it, and a career that paid me well to do what I loved to do."
It was in late 2010 that it all came crashing down when Cole, who had spent his first twenty six years living a relatively straight-edged lifestyle, was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of narcotics-- enough to send him away for three years. "I had given to a party lifestyle. Being out on the road all the time with Marty (Sunshine, his former manager) and Priscilla (Price, his ring valet-turned-lover), with all of those vices at my disposal, and too much time away from my family, you start to get a big head. You start to thing you're untouchable."
Damian lost his freedom as a result of that 2010 indiscretion. He also lost his career and opportunity at the top prize in Greater Metropolitan Wrestling-- the organization he wrestled for at the time. And then, while in prison, he lost his family when his wife, Julia Cole, filed for divorce after Damian's paramour, former call girl Priscilla Price, became involved in a public scandal: her little black book somehow found its way into the public domain, and there were many high profile names inside of it-- including Damian.
"I was devastated. I had no defense. I had no excuse. I was ruined. It was quite a humbling experience."
It was an experience that, in Damian's own words, had awakened his spirituality, turned him to the Bible, and ultimately to an understanding of Christianity. "At first, I tried justifying my poor choices: well if I had more attention at home, if I wasn't under the influence of the wrong people; but deep down, I knew what it came down to was that I chose to do something that I knew was wrong, that I knew could be hurtful to my loved ones, and I did it for no other reason than that it made me feel good."
It was a year ago that Damian was released from prison. However, upon his release, he found many of the doors that were formerly opened to him had been closed. "There's not a big market for a former pro wrestler whose resume includes a public scandal that had essentially crippled a promotion and led to its closure. Nobody wanted to touch me."
With mounting debts and a child support and spousal support obligation to satisfy, Damian turned to the one many who could open doors for him-- his former manager, Marty Sunshine. "I didn't want to go to Marty," Damian explained. "My worldview had changed, I was seeking to make things right with my family, I was seeking reconciliation-- and Marty was the last person in the world I should have been associating with. But I didn't have a choice."
Sure enough, Marty was able to open doors for Damian, and secured him with a contract with Second City Wrestling in Chicago, where Damian found great success, ultimately winning the Second City Wrestling heavyweight title in the summer of 2014. "It meant the world to me. It opened doors for me, gave me back some recognition, and gave me the confidence that I still had it."
At the end of the summer of 2014, Damian dropped the Second City Wrestling heavyweight championship and moved from Chicago to Washington to wrestle for the Internet Wrestling Alliance. "It was a matter of schedules. I needed money to support my family, and IWA was running a weekly program, while Second City was bi-weekly." In Washington, Damian again found success under the management of Marty Sunshine, amassing a record of 9-1, and putting himself in line for a world title shot against Grace Taylor. Unfortunately, the organization folded right before his title match.
Following the dissolution of IWA and a fallout with Marty Sunshine, Damian Cole disappeared.
Flash forward six months later and Damian has returned to the sport in March 2015, signing a contract with Wrestletown. We have now learned, however, that Damian has signed with the Holston, Pennsylvania promotion for only a single match and a single purpose: A May 10, 2015 showdown with his former arch rival, "Crybaby" Carter Hayes.
Cole and Hayes have a long history together. They have wrestled each other twice on an amateur level-- both matches coming in 2002. Carter Hayes won the first match 2-1; Damian won the second match, 4-2 in overtime in what is considered to be the most controversial decision in New Jersey high school history (Carter Hayes had won the match at the end of regulation, but had a point deducted for poor sportsmanship, sending the match into overtime, where Damian secured a take down for the win).
"It's a match that has been on my mind for well over a decade; I know it has been on his mind as well."
The match comes under the most auspicious of circumstances. Damian Cole now finds himself managed by Mort Goodman-- former manager of Carter Hayes; meanwhile, Carter Hayes, who has called off his engagement to Mort's daughter Grace Taylor and turned his back on the fans, is now managed by Marty Sunshine.
Whatever the outcome, Damian assures that this is his one and only match in Holston-- at least for now. "I love it here. I love how passionate these people are about this sport. I feel that under different circumstances, this could be my home." However, as Damian explains, circumstances do not permit him to stay.
"[Wrestletown Director of Public Relations] Samantha Pavak put me in touch with Mort, who explained the fallout he had with Carter, and one thing led to another, and we decided to make this thing happen. However, I cannot stay around Marty Sunshine. I cannot stay around Priscilla Price (also signed to Wrestletown). If I ever want to find reconciliation with my wife and children, I need to remove these unhealthy influences from my life."
So what's next for Damian Cole? Win or lose, Damian has already identified his next home after his May 10, 2015 match with Carter Hayes-- a return to Chicago, and Second City Wrestling, where he picked up his career a year ago upon his release from prison.
"They treated me good there. They are no running a weekly promotion. I can get a fresh start, away from Marty and Priscilla, and make a run at being a two time champ, and by the Grace of God, win back my family."
As I sat down to speak with Damian Cole at the Steel Mill Tavern, I found myself face to face with a man who has had his fair share of ups and downs in his storied career. A former Second City Wrestling World Wrestling heavyweight champion, and a number one contender to two other titles-- the Greater Metropolitan Wrestling heavyweight championship (held at the time by C.J. Infallible) and the Internet Wrestling Alliance championship (held at the time by Grace "The Prodigy" Taylor)-- Damian knows what it is like to reach the peak of this sport.
And yet, on the anniversary his release from a three year stint in Rahway State Prison, it seems to be the valleys of his career that is currently on his mind.
"I lost it all," he explains as he takes a sip of his coffee on a Friday morning. "First I had it all-- a beautiful wife and two loving children, a house and enough money for us to be comfortable, the fans and all of the recognition that comes with it, and a career that paid me well to do what I loved to do."
It was in late 2010 that it all came crashing down when Cole, who had spent his first twenty six years living a relatively straight-edged lifestyle, was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of narcotics-- enough to send him away for three years. "I had given to a party lifestyle. Being out on the road all the time with Marty (Sunshine, his former manager) and Priscilla (Price, his ring valet-turned-lover), with all of those vices at my disposal, and too much time away from my family, you start to get a big head. You start to thing you're untouchable."
Damian lost his freedom as a result of that 2010 indiscretion. He also lost his career and opportunity at the top prize in Greater Metropolitan Wrestling-- the organization he wrestled for at the time. And then, while in prison, he lost his family when his wife, Julia Cole, filed for divorce after Damian's paramour, former call girl Priscilla Price, became involved in a public scandal: her little black book somehow found its way into the public domain, and there were many high profile names inside of it-- including Damian.
"I was devastated. I had no defense. I had no excuse. I was ruined. It was quite a humbling experience."
It was an experience that, in Damian's own words, had awakened his spirituality, turned him to the Bible, and ultimately to an understanding of Christianity. "At first, I tried justifying my poor choices: well if I had more attention at home, if I wasn't under the influence of the wrong people; but deep down, I knew what it came down to was that I chose to do something that I knew was wrong, that I knew could be hurtful to my loved ones, and I did it for no other reason than that it made me feel good."
It was a year ago that Damian was released from prison. However, upon his release, he found many of the doors that were formerly opened to him had been closed. "There's not a big market for a former pro wrestler whose resume includes a public scandal that had essentially crippled a promotion and led to its closure. Nobody wanted to touch me."
With mounting debts and a child support and spousal support obligation to satisfy, Damian turned to the one many who could open doors for him-- his former manager, Marty Sunshine. "I didn't want to go to Marty," Damian explained. "My worldview had changed, I was seeking to make things right with my family, I was seeking reconciliation-- and Marty was the last person in the world I should have been associating with. But I didn't have a choice."
Sure enough, Marty was able to open doors for Damian, and secured him with a contract with Second City Wrestling in Chicago, where Damian found great success, ultimately winning the Second City Wrestling heavyweight title in the summer of 2014. "It meant the world to me. It opened doors for me, gave me back some recognition, and gave me the confidence that I still had it."
At the end of the summer of 2014, Damian dropped the Second City Wrestling heavyweight championship and moved from Chicago to Washington to wrestle for the Internet Wrestling Alliance. "It was a matter of schedules. I needed money to support my family, and IWA was running a weekly program, while Second City was bi-weekly." In Washington, Damian again found success under the management of Marty Sunshine, amassing a record of 9-1, and putting himself in line for a world title shot against Grace Taylor. Unfortunately, the organization folded right before his title match.
Following the dissolution of IWA and a fallout with Marty Sunshine, Damian Cole disappeared.
Flash forward six months later and Damian has returned to the sport in March 2015, signing a contract with Wrestletown. We have now learned, however, that Damian has signed with the Holston, Pennsylvania promotion for only a single match and a single purpose: A May 10, 2015 showdown with his former arch rival, "Crybaby" Carter Hayes.
Cole and Hayes have a long history together. They have wrestled each other twice on an amateur level-- both matches coming in 2002. Carter Hayes won the first match 2-1; Damian won the second match, 4-2 in overtime in what is considered to be the most controversial decision in New Jersey high school history (Carter Hayes had won the match at the end of regulation, but had a point deducted for poor sportsmanship, sending the match into overtime, where Damian secured a take down for the win).
"It's a match that has been on my mind for well over a decade; I know it has been on his mind as well."
The match comes under the most auspicious of circumstances. Damian Cole now finds himself managed by Mort Goodman-- former manager of Carter Hayes; meanwhile, Carter Hayes, who has called off his engagement to Mort's daughter Grace Taylor and turned his back on the fans, is now managed by Marty Sunshine.
Whatever the outcome, Damian assures that this is his one and only match in Holston-- at least for now. "I love it here. I love how passionate these people are about this sport. I feel that under different circumstances, this could be my home." However, as Damian explains, circumstances do not permit him to stay.
"[Wrestletown Director of Public Relations] Samantha Pavak put me in touch with Mort, who explained the fallout he had with Carter, and one thing led to another, and we decided to make this thing happen. However, I cannot stay around Marty Sunshine. I cannot stay around Priscilla Price (also signed to Wrestletown). If I ever want to find reconciliation with my wife and children, I need to remove these unhealthy influences from my life."
So what's next for Damian Cole? Win or lose, Damian has already identified his next home after his May 10, 2015 match with Carter Hayes-- a return to Chicago, and Second City Wrestling, where he picked up his career a year ago upon his release from prison.
"They treated me good there. They are no running a weekly promotion. I can get a fresh start, away from Marty and Priscilla, and make a run at being a two time champ, and by the Grace of God, win back my family."
