"He was drawn to the edge of things. To the places old mariners knew, and warned, "Beyond here be monsters."… He stepped into the beyond, and found the monsters hidden deep inside all the reasonable, gentle, laughing people. He went where even they were afraid to go."
― LouisePenny
Since the advent of its creation, FITE has embraced all forms of combat sports no matter the genre, presentation or form of pugilism at the heart of the conflict that sees two stellar competitors face off to determine who is the victor and who exits the defeated.
This past summer's Free the Narrative event, sparked, produced and directed by the world renowned EC3 may have been the most unique and debated presentation in FITE history. Headlined by Matt Cardona facing off with EC3, the broadcast was more than just another presentation of professional wrestling, but equal parts mission statement, sociological experiment and therapy sessions for all who competed and all who followed those fighters down a most twisted rabbit hole. Indeed, it was EC3's personal rage against the machine, his attempt to shatter the cage that incarcerated his soul as much as his professional career. It was a mantra against the social and political norms of 2021. It was his declaration that to control your narrative, to explode the expectations forced upon you, to ascend to the next level, one must fight for themselves, against their doubts and against the scars life has inflicted upon them as hard, if not harder, than the opponent that steps across them inside the squared circle.
It is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another." ‒ Mary Shelley.
This Saturday October 2nd, FITE fans across the globe get to experience a second taste of this primal, twisted cinematic presentation that bleeds authenticity from the soul of EC3. This avant garde experimentation has proven to be transformative for those who have emerged from the trenches of creativity and soul searching that can only be explored in a realm such as this; a labyrinth where a boy enters and emerges a man; a battleground where man emerges predator.
So, what happens when a Monster Among Men chooses to cross through the Looking Glass and see what battle awaits him on the other side? Adam Scherr, the former Braun Strowman in WWE, has opted to embrace the alternative and forgo the easy to fight, to scratch, to trudge, to transform himself and free his own personal narrative when he steps into a war with EC3 in the main attraction of Free Your Narrative II this Saturday.
For Scherr, this is his moment to shatter the chains of what is expected of him based on past performances and to step into a very different theater of war, showcasing the ferocity, power and anger that has empowered his entire professional career. This battle isn't about money or titles or even vengeance, it's about earning the respect that comes with sneering away all doubt, with rising from the depths to prove to the world at large and to himself, that all that bound him to his previous identity has been torn asunder and shattered forever.
Indeed, what happens when one such as Scherr bathes in the Lazarus Pit, seeking a exorcism to murder the demons of the past and rise up reborn, a new beast ready to conquer all new kingdoms?
Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak" ‒ Patrick Ness.
While EC3 and Adam Scherr seek to Free Their Narrative this Saturday October 2nd on FITE, they will not be alone in their transformative passage. A cast of fighters including Matt Taven, Westin Blake, John Skyler, William, Parrow, Jake Logan, The Unknown Hand, Gentleman Jervis, Fodder and more seek to carve their accomplishments into the celestial records of time, rising beyond competition, doubt and themselves. Such a journey can only be presented, captured and absorbed emotionally when one seeks to Free The Narrative.
The door has now opened to combat sport's most unlikely realm. Journey, if you dare, and experience for yourself how this visit changes how you view the worlds of professional wrestling and its most ardent competitors.
Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.
