1989

1989 was a pivotal year for me, both professionally and personally.

In February, my manager Dutch Mantel reintroduced me to the wrestling world as The Master of Pain - a sinister, former murderer who was a force to be reckoned with in the ring.

This new persona allowed me to tap into a darker, more intense side of my character that I had been cultivating for years.

Gone were the days of the affable gimmicks I had played earlier in my career. Now, I embraced the role of a cold, calculating villain who would stop at nothing to achieve victory.

My first major accomplishment as The Master of Pain came on April 1st, when I defeated the legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler to capture the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.

It was a hard-fought battle, but I was able to overpower Lawler with my sheer size, strength, and brutality. I relished the feeling of that championship belt around my waist, knowing that I had proven myself to be the top dog in the USWA.

However, my reign was short-lived, as Lawler managed to reclaim the title just over three weeks later. I was furious at having lost so quickly, and it only fueled my desire to regain what was rightfully mine.

A few months later, I returned to wrestling in Dallas under the new moniker of "The Punisher."

In this role, I was even more unforgiving and merciless than ever before. On October 5th, I defeated Eric Embry to win the USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship, solidifying my status as one of the most dominant forces in the region. I

took great pride in this accomplishment, as it showed that I was a force to be reckoned with no matter which title was on the line.

By the end of 1989, I had made the decision to take my talents to the national stage, signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

There, I was repackaged as "Mean Mark Callous," a sinister and enigmatic character who was described by commentator Jim Ross as having a fondness for pet snakes and the dark, brooding music of Ozzy Osbourne.

This new persona allowed me to fully embrace my love of the macabre and the occult, as I was portrayed as a truly menacing and otherworldly presence in the wrestling world.

While my professional life was reaching new heights, my personal life was also undergoing some significant changes.

I married my girlfriend of five months, Jodi Lynn. It was a joyous occasion, and I was excited to start this new chapter of my life with the woman I loved.

Additionally, I continued to co-parent our daughter, Destiny, with my ex-girlfriend, Chiara.

Despite the ups and downs of our relationship, Chiara and I were able to put our differences aside and focus on providing a stable and nurturing environment for our little girl.

Speaking of Chiara, she had also started dating a new man named Todd that year.

Admittedly, I wasn't too thrilled about this development, as there was something about Todd that just didn't sit right with me.

However, Chiara seemed happy, and I didn't want to rock the boat, so I kept my concerns to myself. I knew that my role was to support Chiara and Destiny, even if I had reservations about her new boyfriend.

Chiara's personal life wasn't the only thing that was changing - she had also continued to pursue her passion for pageantry.

In fact, she even started entering our daughter, Destiny, in competitions as well. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by this, as I had never pegged Chiara as the pageant mom type.

But I could see how much it meant to her, and I was happy to support her and Destiny in this endeavor.

I loved seeing the joy it brought her, and I have to say, our niece was a natural in front of the cameras. She had that same spark and charisma that Chiara had always had.

It was a real treat to get to watch the two of them up on that stage, living out their pageant dreams together.

As I look back on 1989, it's clear that it was a year of tremendous growth and change for me, both professionally and personally.

The transition to The Master of Pain, The Punisher, and ultimately Mean Mark Callous was a challenging one, but it allowed me to tap into a side of myself that I had been suppressing for years.

I relished the opportunity to portray a more sinister and unforgiving character, and I believe that it helped to solidify my reputation as one of the most formidable wrestlers in the business.

But through it all, I never lost sight of what was truly important - my family. Jodi, Destiny, Chiara...they were my world, and I would have done anything to protect them.

Of course, I had no idea what the future had in store.

Little did I know that the darkness and intensity I was portraying on screen would soon start to seep into my real life in ways I could never have imagined.

The sinister forces I was grappling with in the ring were nothing compared to the ones I would soon be facing in my personal life.

But that's a story for another time.