Phoenix Nightingale, known as the wrestler "Xstasy," a popular SWF (formerly IGNWF) superstar and contributer. Known also as wrestling characters "Exodus The Son," "Adonis," "Kross," and "Vanguard." His many monikers include "X," "The Bastard Son,""The Upstart," and "The Kid." But he was most often refered to as "The Perfect Drug." Although not remembered as an historic member of the fed, he remains one of its most influential and controversial ex-members. He is probably most remembered for his various OOC issues, and his feud with the H-Ville Thugg, one of the most personal and brutal in the fed's history.
Early History with the IGNWF[]
Xstasy, or "X" as he is sometimes called, joined the IGNJL not long after it was established, in December of 2000. His brash promo style and well written matches soon moved him up in the JL ranks, and it wasn't long before he held the IGNJL World Title (after holding all of the others as well). Stirring up controversy not even a few months after he joined, he became the first worker to hold two IGNWF sanctioned non-tag titles at the same time, as botht he JL World Champion and USA or "Rules" champion. It was during this run that he met up with IGNML up and coming star, the King of Hearts. King, who would later be known as incomparable heel "Suicide King," and X struck up a friendship due to their similar character choices, and would start the beginnings of what was to become the IGNWF and later SWF "Kliq," based on Poker games that the superstars would have in character. These meetings would also influence and lead to the friendships that forged the IGNWF/ SWF's very popular stable, the Midnight Carnival, of which X was never a member. It was also during this time that a promo by Apostle, a fellow JLer, named X disparagingly as "a drug" because of the resemblance of his ring name "Xstasy," with that of the street drug MNFD, or "ecstasy." X quickly turned this name around, calling himself not "A" drug, but "THE" drug, and his nickname "The Perfect Drug" was born, an alias that has widely been regarded as the neatest in the IGNWF's history.
After being "bumped" to the WF, X's first major controversy began, as he transformed his charact3er into "Exodus the Son." Upset over his IC mother's death, X became a biblical character who wore a mask and all white, spoke in cryptic King James' English, and tried to launch a fedwide transformation. But OOC issues prevented the angle from being realized, and Exodus soon dissappeared, his direction declared a bust almost unanimously.
Not long after, X reappeared as the cocky "Adonis" in the summer of 2001. He kept the IGNWF character for a few weeks, before disappearing again. He then returned as X running minor angles with his longtime IC enemy, but OOC friend and fellow Kliq member Damien "The H-Ville Thugg" McKinney, also known as "HVT."
Waxing Popularity[]
In late 2001, Xstasy was declared all but dead by an In Character motorcycle accident. When he returned that ame year, it was due to great therapy and a will to return to the ring, even though he suffered from heavy amnesia, not remembering anything of his life before the accident. While recovering, he was put in contact with his family in Jamaica, specifically his Half-Sister Alexandra "Natty" Nightingale. He also rediscovered Capoeira in his muscle memory. Capoeira was instrumental to his recovery, and indeed X would often talk of the benefits of Capoeira Out of character. He was the first superstar to use Capoeira as his chief source of wrestling ability. Not long after these events, he returned to the ring and joined his once friend "The H-Ville Thugg," in a stable known as "Da Pound," with members Perfect Bo, Jay Dawg, and future SWF champion Sacred. He also formed the shorter lived but somewhat more popular stable "The Prodigal" with Outcast and fellow fed black sheep Mercury. This still remains one of the few times, and perhaps the first, that any member of the IGN/ SWF has truly belonged to two separate stables. Saying that he had new perspective, X's heel turn wasn't truly accepted until the infamous "Sheep" promo in late 2001. It was a vulgar and explicit promo, disliked by most of the fed for its controversial, though poetic language. X has since apologized for that promo, considering it one of the only low points in his career and a bad decision. Despite that promo, the Upstart's heel turn proved to be his most acclaimed run, netting him the Tag and ICTV titlesat the same time, along with the Hardcore title earlier. He enjoyed new popularity and respect as his matches got better and better, although he claims they were always as good, only HVT's own popularity helped to push him over in the eyes of the bookers.
Character Height and Feud with HVT[]
HVT turned on X in early 2002, and this led to a long feud between the two. During this time, the IGNWF moved to the uncensored SWF, and the two took full advantage of the new opportunities to launch a desperate campaign of destruction against each other. The brutality included destruction with bulldozers, locking in Ambulances, and other standard crash wrestling fare, but the intensity increaced when the former friends discovered that the Media realized HVT caused X's motorcycle crash. After this information was revealed, HVT attacked Xstasy's full sister, Christienne Nightingale, an aspiring promoter herself. This all culminated in a PPV title match at SWF Battleground in early 2002, pitting X against Thugg and "Grand Slam" Mark Stevens, who was recieving a rematch after losing the title to Thugg only a month earlier. Thugg was the victor due to interference by the then league commissioner "Stubby McWeed." The outcome, which X thought of as a blatant jobbing, led him to leave the fed. He was quite dejected over the whole debacle, but left to pursue a career in theater.
Hiatus and Broadway[]
In new york, Xstasy, now known as Phoenix Nightingale, choreographed and starred in "Body of Rhythm," an off broadway musical about capoeira and other martial arts. It was a mild success at the box office, and X considers it his greatest achievxement. But the wrestling bug bites long and hard, and soon he found himself back in the mi.
Vanguard[]
In late 2002, X returned as the masked "Vanguard," a Batman-esque character with a pet owl and a penchant for dark heroics. His character was very well recieved, but abandoned partly because Xstasy did not like that direction for himself. In the highlighted and highly acclaimed "Mall Brawl," match, he showed flashes of old brilliance, but his passion soon fizzled, and the character dissappeared.
Kris and Kross[]
In 2003 Xstasy returned again, this time as the Native American twin "Kross," who formed the tag team "Deja-Vu" with his "brother," known as "Kris." The duo, refered to as an even sillier old school Edge and Christian, were successful, but ultimately died out for similar reasons to Vanguard's dissappearance. The promos in which they annoy the then commissioner Suicide King were widely accepted as riotous, although they left a bit to be desired in wrestling skill.
Brief Return[]
After being slammed in the media, X made a short comeback in late 2003, but by then the damage was done to his image. Unflattering rumors had shredded his career, and the young star hung it up for good. Troubles once again plagued the Drug, after the SWF began using and Xstasy imposter in dark matches. He started a lawsuit, but decided to put that part of his life behind him and move on into the sunset.
Controversies[]
Trouble never seemed to flee this superstar during his tenure, and many of them are known by those who came much later. During the run of Exodus the Son, X became embattled with Creative Control. A lack of communication led X to move too fast on a storlyine that was not approved, or even liked by the powers that be. They also made insulting comments behind his back, which he soon got wind of. After this, he scrapped the Exodus character prematurely, leading many to believe that the idea itself was not only quirky, but half-brained.
This led to the first ever real & public questioning of the IGNWF Creative Control. At the time that X was only being extreme, but many believed, but the parallels between this incident and the talent-led cry for Stubby P. McWeed's resignation ring true. X called for superstars to stand up to the injustices of CC, to become more involved and to be informed of what CC was doing behind the scenes. At the time, few came aboard, but later this incident would directly influence the infomous "list of demands" given to Stubby before his departure. It was this incident which led to his alliance and later friendship with Mercury, who was on the CC at the time and was X's only supporter. This power team could have been quite lucrative, especially when Merc handed himself the commissionership in late 2001. Unfortunately he made some bad decisions, and a power team of a young popular superstar and a respected commish soon turned into a troublemaker and an outcast, especially when Stubby McWeed, an avid X hater, became the commissioner.
Xstasy always believed that McWeed hated him, and as evidence he shows that only Stubby marked matches were matches he lost. During his strongest run he defeated very good superstars such as Grand Slam, Axis, Mistress Sarah, Fallout, El Luchadore Magnifico, and good friend King of Hearts. Yet he lost every Stubby marked match he had. He did lose the Clusterf*ck match of early 2002 due to a stipulation confusion, but otherwise he won each match with any other markers. that he showed for, of course.
X was also involved in the short but well known Kliq Flame War between Himself, HVT, GSMS, and the Suicide King, four of the five members of the Kliq. This Flame War showed how much stress and overconfidence could affect even usually respected members of an e-fed community, and he apologized for his role in those events. The aftermath also helped solidify the relationship of the Kliq, for whom X still has the utmost respect.
Influences[]
When Xstasy joined the IGNJL in 2000, most of the original members were still in the IGNWF. X's influences therefor included older stars such as Red Hurricane, Damian Diablo, Spike, and Angel. He was also influenced by contemporaries King of Hearts, Edwin MacPhisto, and El Luchadore Magnifico, with whom he had most of the matches in his career. Indeed, a high flying match between Magnifico and Xstasy was a HUGE draw almost every time, and the two consummate workers did not dissappoint. X still consideres Red Hurricane to be his primary influence, and the best writer amond the old school in the fed. Outside fo the IGNWF, X's influences were Rey Mysterio Jr, the Rock, Eddie Guerro, Jimmy Snuka (his favorite wrestler of all time), Jeff Hardy, and Rob Van Dam.
Influence[]
Xstasy has influenced several superstars admittedly, including Munich, Trash and Christian Fury. But his greatest impact has been on the fed at large, even though many superstars don't realize it. He was perhaps the first superstar to speak out against bookers and markers, and with good reason. When no one else would, he openly criticized the decisions of Stubby McWeed, a commissioner not chosen by the talent. Indeed, no one knows how Stubby siezed power of the fed, but X hated his corruption, pointing to his previous bannings and his attitude as reasons not to succomb. Even before that, he did not like the idea of a CC who made decisions about talent while they were active performers themselves. These ideas helped shape the future of the SWF. X was a founding member of the SWF Kliq, which included also Suicide King, "Grand Slam" Mark Stevens, The H-Ville Thugg, and Edwin MacPhisto. Based on the "Poker Game" promos done by King and X early in their careers, OOC frfiends Mark Stevens and King came together with MacPhisto, and other OOC friends Xstasy and HVT. Their work together and apart has shown talent throughout the fed until the retirement of each member led to their disbandment. X's "Whipback Kick," a no hands backflipping double kick was assimilated into several movesets, including that of his good friend Edwin MacPhisto. X was also a pioneer of the "Script" style of matchwriting. The "Book" style became very popular, writing matches as if mini novels or books. But X was one of few who used a style resembling plays of books, where dialogue was formatted with the name of the speaker, and then the spoken word, and action was interspersed in prose between the lines of commentary. This stule worked well for some writers, including great champion HVT. X slso pushed the promo envelope by doing multiple promos for each show and by pouring heat into his angles with promotionals. His angles, specifically with HVT, were among the most hard hitting.
Following[]
Xstasy does not have many fans now, but he continues to be a Smart fan's choice for underrated wrestler. many of those "in the know" consider him to be be one of the best talents to come through the SWF, right up there with Edwin MacPhisto and OUtcast, Suicide King or Toxxic or Tom Flesher. Unfortunately, all of them held the SWF title except for Outcast, and X did not. It is widely believed that office politics played a huge role in his lack of success, although there was a time when X had held every title availible to him except the World and lightweight titles. Indeed, X often spoke of a goal of having held every title in the fed, and being the first to do so. Unfortunately, Sacred beat him to that goal.
Now, many people do not truly know of Xstasy. He is often talked of as a black sheep in the fed. But those who know his matches and promos, who chatted with him online, or who came in contact with him know that without him, the fed would certainly not have been the same, for better or for worse.