Extreme Rising demands return of title from Stevie Richards over Videogame

[AZUCAR!]

In what will go down as one of the strangest stories I can ever remember writing about, Extreme Rising emailed current champion Stevie Richards today, demanding he return their title belt (which he has kept since winning and has taken overseas and to independent shows to defend as a way to raise the profile of the promotion) or else...because of Richards said he would defend the belt via a videogame.

Yes, really.

So, let's start at the beginning.

Over the course of the weekend, Richards and former ECW star Danny Doring, who are close friends, were writing each other back and forth via Twitter and Facebook.

Richards, a videogame and technology aficionado, posted a photo of the Rising belt and his copy of the latest Madden videogame on his Twitter account, jokingly offering to defend his belt via the game online since he lost his bookings over Wrestlemania weekend.

Doring then posted a photo of the old ECW World Tag Team belt (which has been in his possession since the company closed in 2001) on his Twitter account and responded that he would put up that belt as well, joking it would be "defunct promotion vs. defunct promotion."

Shortly after, Richards received an email from the promotion, upset over the two friends "blowing off steam online", as Richards termed it, demanding the return of the belt by the end of this week, noting they were "disappointed" over the description of the promotion as defunct.

Richards noted that what really upset him the most was that the promotion "doubted his ability as a Madden player." He noted that Rising was upset over something that "20 people saw on Twitter" and said he's tried to help the company by carrying their belt and was amazed they saw the comments as anything more than two people goofing off online.

He also noted that it was silly no one just called him, especially since he hasn't had any communication with anyone at Rising beyond a text announcing the cancellation of the Wrestlemania weekend shows.

One Extreme Rising official noted they were upset over the promotion being described as "defunct", which is something Doring, not Richards, wrote.

Despite the threat, Doring and Richards intend to play the game after all and Richards is looking for a way for the game to be streamed online for whoever cares to watch it. The two intend to build up their "new rivalry" online. Stay tuned to their Twitter accounts (linked above) for more.

PWInsider.com left word for Extreme Rising's Steve O'Neil and should there be any official statement, we will post it, although in my opinion, the entire thing is really silly...unless you really love your Madden.

https://twitter.com/Sugarmask/status/317794237280309248

 

[Chris]

Richards is fucking awesome

 

[Gimmick]

How dare he devalue such a prestigious belt!

 

[Troy]

First they cancel three shows just over a week before they are supposed to happen and now they do this. Poorly run promotion and they should have used this for a bit of publicity rather than looking like a joke for asking for it back. The fact that it wasn't even Richards that called it a defunct promotion should mean a lot but apparently it means nothing to Extreme Rising. I struggle to see them running another show.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

How are they still in business?

 

[Slim]

Heh... now that is a way to defend a belt. ... Hmmmmm as far as streaming it online... they could make an account at twitch and bam... stream it online, just send out the account name and we will all see the belt defended via Madden

 

[Chris]

It'd probably be more fun to watch than any match where the belt was defended.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

Twitch is alright, he could actually get paid to stream it too by them! That would make it even better.

 

[The New F'n Show]

This is ridiculous but quite funny.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

One of the greatest things I've ever heard.

Yeah, he needs to do this shit on Twitch.

 

[Cwalker]

It'd probably be more fun to watch than any match where the belt was defended.

Honestly, yes. I'd rather watch Stevie Richards play Madden than watch him wrestle at this point.