I woke up on Monday thinking it was going to be like any other Monday; just rapidly counting down the hours to the weekend.  Like any other day, the first thing I did was check my phone for missed calls & messages.  Checking my phone is something I have grown to hate doing.  I'm getting tired of waking up to news like I woke up to today.Our friend & colleague, JC Bailey, was taken from us at the young age of 27; his birthday was only last week.

There are so many memories flooding my mind right now in thinking about JC.  Below are some of my favorite moments:

1. CZW World Tag Team Championship held inside the War Games COD at Cage of Death VI: Dual Dimensions.  For those of you who forget or are unaware, J.C. teamed with the late Chri$ Ca$h, Sexxxy Eddy, & "Spyder" Nate Webb at the event to go on & capture the CZW World Tag Team Championship from the BLK OUT.  To see Team Ca$h get not only retribution against the BLK OUT after being on the receiving end of beatings from them for the better part of 2004, but to also win the CZW World Tag Team Championship, was extremely gratifying.

2. 1st Ever Ultraviolent Underground Championship Match: At Only the Strong, J.C. Bailey defeated the Necro Butcher in an Ultraviolent Underground Barbed Wire Cage Deathmatch to become the first UVU Champion.  Though the match wasn't held in the main part of the CZW Arena, we witnessed every chairshot, heard every piece of glass break, & saw the rivers of blood flow as both men attempted to lay claim to the UVU Title on the video screen.  Ultimately, it was J.C. Bailey who won the title & huge bragging rights by defeating Necro.

3. Tournament of Death 9: J.C. Bailey vs Danny Havoc will go down in history as one of my favorite deathmatches ever.  J.C. & Danny showed everyone from the CZW fans to the naysayers that there is more to a deathmatch than carving your opponent up like a roast; THEY WRESTLED!!!  And not only did they wrestle, they wrestled their hearts out.

4. Meeting J.C. Prior to COD 11: This story isn't about a match.  It's about a chance encounter.  Prior to the event last December, in addition to my own duties in the Combat Zone, I ran my own vendor table.  J.C. actually came over, righted my table for me (WITHOUT me asking mind you), introduced himself & shook my hand.  It's an introduction I will never forget. "I'm J.C. Bailey; been gone for a few years, but I'm back tonight & want to tear shit up!"  There was a fire in his eyes that was unmistakable & the reaction he received from the CZW faithful after a nearly 5 year absence was DEAFENING.

J.C. was a pleasure to work with & he always took time to show genuine love and appreciation for his fans.  To see someone so young & so full of life taken at his age is extremely upsetting.  I myself am the same age as JC & I've been beside myself all day.  J.C.'s passing should serve as a reminder to people to live life to the fullest; you never know what day might be your last.

There's an old song lyric stating that only the good die young.  Seems like this year that God's been needing a lot of good people for Heaven's squared circle.  Here's hoping that you, Trent, & Ca$h are "tearing shit up", as you put it, in a much better place.

In Loving Memory of Joseph "J.C." Bailey Jr
8/23/1983 – 8/30/2010

Written for CZWrestling.com by CJ Becker