FOUR CORNERS: Future Shock Fight Night 11-6-12

Just a small glimpse at what went through at Future Shock Fight Night. 

1. BLACK IS BACK
Hey, remember when Arabella Black was the favorite to win Future Shock, and was a damn scary psychopath to boot?  Then she became evil-Colleen's lapdog, and then pretty much disappeared from FFW for several months, with only a couple of appearances to boot.

Tuesday night's victory in the Future Shock Cup, however, announced that Arabella's career is very much alive, and likely on a track towards a Television Title shot if she can keep the winning up.  Surviving Payton and Casey's bullshit on the same night is hardly a small feat, but Arabella did it quite nicely.  And I don't think anyone has any deal with Arabella walking out and telling Jodie Gray to shut her yapping mouth, either.  The rematch at Anarchy is going to be big for these two, but if Arabell downs the red-hot Gray, title contention is going to be seriously considered for her. 


2. THE TITLE OF FUTURE SHOCK CHAMPION IS VASTLY OVERRATED
Of course, I'm not saying that the remaining ladies in Season 8 should give it up and go home- the prize that awaits the victor of the season alone should be enough to make you want to go for it.  But being in and of itself, the title of Future Shock Champion has proven to be hardly an indication of Future success.  Of the three champions we saw in the ring during last night's six-femme tag match (where they lost to three non-champions, mind you), only one- Serafina, has demonstrated any sort of success in FFW since her crowning, and even that's been limited, thanks largely to her painfully light schedule.  Mel's FFW career has been by and large a disappointment, and Jennifer Williams, who's stock was rising so steadily throughout Season 7, has almost literally hit a brick wall since her victory over Casey in the finals.  You throw that in with Alysson Addison washing out in less than three months, and you can see that translating from Future Shock Champion to success in the main roster is hardly a given thing, perhaps even harder than it is for non-champions. Even the Champions who have had success- Raven Wicked, Desirae Kain, and Sophie Richards, have more or less disappeared from the scene.  (And yes, I know Sophie's challenging for the Evolution Championship at Anarchy, but that's what?  Her second match in six months?)

This isn't an indictment on the competition.  Future Shock's given us many great talents- the best of which are undoubtedly Cara Stone and Caroline Dallins.  And it's vastly entertaining television, a show that I'm honored to be a part of.  But it's hardly an indication of what will happen once a girl enters the main roster.  

3. I HOPE PENNY BUCHANAN WAS WATCHING
Because the blueprint for beating Payton St. Pierre was laid out for her in very clear terms last night.  I've made it clear all along that I've always felt PSP is an undertalented, overrated hackjob who couldn't win a match clean to save her life.  All you needed was someone to expose her for the fraud she is.  That 'someone' turned out to be Arabella Black, who plowed through the Season 2 runner up with almost Sophie Richards-esque aplomb. 

SO what does Penny need to do at Anarchy?  Aggression, aggression, aggression.  Payton St. Pierre has proven time and again that she cannot cope when heavily pressured, and its only when her opponent lets up and gives her room that she can pull out her bag of (uncreative, yet somehow effective) tricks.  If Penny keeps up the pressure, maybe even throws in a little bit of insanity, and doesn't stop until Payton is little more than a bloody sack of meat, then Anarchy is going to be a very good night for her. 


4. IF HANNA ELLIOT ISN'T ABOUT TO CHOKE A BITCH, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH HER. 
Save for perhaps Jodie Gray, there has been no more surprising star over the past couple of months than Hanna Elliot, who's gained considerable momentum since her huge upset of Vanessa Cade at the first Firewall.  That momentum was cooled somewhat last night, when she lost to Casey Atherton in the First Round of the Future Shock Cup. 

Okay, that doesn't really tell the whole story.  Hanna got hosed, Team Adonis style (which is somehow more annoying than most ways of getting hosed).  I mean, complete travesty of justice, to the point that maybe we should be calling NATO or some shit. 

Here's my concern.  Hanna Elliot isn't exactly known for taking losses well, by her own admission.  We all remember her six month fell-off-the horse lying in the sand sob story when she lost- to Tara Thunder of all people.  If she does that again, then Vanessa Cade is going to rip her apart, and pick her teeth with Hanna's ribs.  Hanna needs to turn her disappointment into aggression, and go out there and prove she's not going to let a tough loss ruin her.