LadySports ::: Susan Morton vs Josie

Susan Morton vs Josie

The taste of victory turned to the ashes of defeat on her tongue within a matter of mere hours.

On April the 1st of 2006, Josie was presented with the brand-new Tennessee State Women's Championship title. The irony was, she had only wrestled one match in the state of Tennessee, just the night before... and she lost that match. But several regional organizations were looking for a woman who was champion caliber, and who would make the commitment to defending her belt throughout the Volunteer State . Josie... for whom winning was a much more common occurrence than losing... fit those criteria to a ‘T'.

And later that same day, Josie was scheduled to defend her new crown for the very first time. She would face Susan Morton, who may not have had the new Champ's level of experience, but she was a tough and eager competitor nonetheless... one whom both the fans and her ring peers respected. As one area promoter has said of her, "Everyone in the wrestling business should take lessons from Susan Morton. If everyone had a personality and attitude like her, there would be no problems in the wrestling business... Susan should have been the next NWA World Ladies Champion."

But for Susan, respect and fan adoration was no longer enough... she wanted ten pounds of leather and gold around her waist. More specifically, she wanted the new Tennessee Ladies belt. Tennessee born and bred, Morton believed she was better suited to represent her state as its champion.

Had Josie had an inkling of her opponent's steely determination to win, she may have approached their match more cautiously. Or maybe not. She may well have considered Susan little more than yet another local girl with delusions of grandeur, and Josie had fought... and beaten... plenty of those before. Suffice it to say, Josie did virtually no homework on her challenger, and when she stepped between the ropes for their match, she assumed her own talents would dwarf whatever Morton would bring to the ring.

Approximately 15 minutes later, Josie discovered the error of her ways, as Susan Morton had the Tennessee State belt wrapped around her waist and the arena erupted with the cheers of her fans.

Flash forward nine months later. Susan is still the Champ, but she has since taken a "heel turn", and is now greeted to a chorus of boos and jeers from the fans, while Josie, without really changing her rough ‘n tumble tactics, is now a much-liked favorite of the fans! Ever since that loss in April, Josie was anxious for a rematch against Morton. Now, at last, it looked as though it was about to happen. The PGWA was negotiating a battle between them for January 12th in Nashville , and Susan finally agreed to sign the contract.

However, she explicitly demanded that her championship title NOT be on the line. As she explained in her press release: "The simple fact is, Josie isn't worthy of a shot at my belt. I whipped her butt last year, and she's been crying ever since about how she was 'robbed'. The only reason I'm giving her this match now is so that I can whup her all over again, and the idiot fans who cheer her will see once and for all that she isn't anywhere near my class as a wrestler."

As one might expect, Josie did not appreciate being disrespected in this manner. But she also realized that Morton's bravado was not just an attempt to try and rattle Josie prior to their match, but that it also quite possibly hid the fact that Morton was afraid of her championship predecessor, and she was unwilling to risk her belt in a title match with her.

When they finally faced one another across the ring, the air in the Stadium Inn was literally crackling with electricity. The bell sounds, and the two battlers lock up. Morton quickly resorts to hairpulling to keep her opponent off-balance. Josie goes for a textbook Wristlock, but showing she knows a thing or two about the sport, Susan deftly escapes it. Some scuffling, and Morton manages to put Josie down for a count of two.

They trade more holds, but Susan controls much of the action thanks to some underhanded tactics, including choking on the ropes, eye pokes, a boot to the throat, and even using the strap of her own suit to strangle Josie! A Backbreaker followed by an Abdominal Claw put Josie in more trouble, but she battles back with chops and Forearm Smashes.

Minute after minute passes as the two woman hammer away at each other. Finally, it appears as though Josie is poised to claim the victory, and dispel any doubts she may have had about being able to beat her rival again. A gouge of the eyes blinds Josie, while a Fireman's Carry is executed to put her away for the night. However, at the last possible instance, Josie slides out of the hold and rolls Susan up for the three count!

Morton could return home that night at least content in the knowledge that the title belt was still hers, but it had to be cold comfort indeed.

As for Josie, the immediate speculation was that she would now use this victory to demand a title shot at the Tennessee State crown. However, rumor has it that an exuberant Josie was telling other wrestlers in the locker room afterward that this match would be a big stepping stone to finally getting a bout with Nikki Roxx for the PGWA Women's Championship!

But whatever her future plans may be, Josie can proudly claim that she avenged her loss of last April. What's more, she seems to have more importantly conquered the hubris which helped lead to her defeat the previous Spring.

A score was settled, and perhaps now comes the time for a new reckoning.