Bättre Folk.  For a long time, the Swedes living in Finland have held themselves to be a step above the Finnish populace, probably stemming from the fact that Finland once used to be under Swedish rule.  That “big brother” mentality still shines through and is prevalent these days, and a LOT of people in Finland despise the snobbish attitude of the Swedish “Better People” (= Bättre Folk).

So it was this past Saturday night, at an event in downtown Helsinki, entitled DOMination 9: New Blood Rising, that this age-old pest termed Bättre Folk showed up.  We had them in the audience, I had one as an opponent, and when all was said and done, there were three of them in the ring.

When I started initially coaching Finnish wrestlers in 2003, I did my best to bring them up under certain, traditional etiquette and codes of honor that are time-tested in our business.  Some of those kids from over the years have fallen out of the game, simply due to the fact that they either did not have the heart that this business requires, or because of serious physical injury in matches on a few occasions.  To be honest, I counted awhile back that over half of the kids that have debuted in Finnish professional wrestling since 2013 have called it quits.  It really is an astounding number.

To the best of my ability, I did my utmost to ween those with the best character, to take up leading positions in Finnish pro wrestling on the promotional end, as after all, our business does require group effort.  Sometimes, my evaluation of certain peoples’ character is correct, but at times, I misjudge who and what they truly are.  I hate to say it, but such an individual from this latter category would be my Eurosport co-commentator, Robert Holmström.

Robert was one of those people that had business savvy when he entered the game.  He worked for a debt collection agency, and he had a certain way about him, that you could say was “business-like.”  Robert even entered FCF’s wrestling school in 2005, but his physical prowess and athletic ability were not up to par, so he ended up becoming a referee.  And for many years, Robert Holmström was the best referee that FCF Wrestling had.  He even got so “over” with the fans in his officiating role, that it carried over to public support on his behalf, when he challenged former FCF General Manager Wilma Schlizewski in 2011 for her leadership title.  Holmström became the new General Manager for FCF Wrestling in December 2011, when his representative wrestler (Finnhammer Halme) defeated Wilma’s representative wrestler (Angel de Tormentá).

It was during Robert’s time as General Manager, that his position of power corrupted him as a human being.  He became Machiavellian in his thinking and actions, clearly proving, that some folks just aren’t cut out to handle authority.  Holmström would abuse his position as General Manager, going so far in his personal xenophobia, as to personally single out Mexican-Finnish talent El Excentrico and make his life hell.  FCF Wrestling’s board of directors couldn’t idly sit by and just let Holmström implode, so he was ousted from his General Manager spot in favor of Kristian Kurki, after the Talvisota VII event back in February of this year.  Since then, Holmström has been a sour grape, with a chip on his shoulder and probably a bad case of acid reflux, considering his constant negativity.

All this said, I even got Holmström his position as my co-commentator of This Week in WWE and WWE Vintage Collection on Monday nights in Finland, back in February 2009.  The Eurosport office asked me if I had someone in mind, who could work in the announcing booth with me, as an announcing team.  They needed to be knowledgeable and have good, on-air chemistry with me.  I had two or three names in mind, but I went to bat for Robert in the end, and he got the job.

Lo and behold, four years later, Robert Holmström has forgotten about the hand that fed him in 2009.  Even moreso, he has forgotten who brought him up in the business and trained him back in 2005.  In short, Robert Holmström has chosen to shit where he lives.  How indicative of his musical taste in punk rock.

When I faced Sweden’s Conny Mejsel this past Saturday night in Helsinki in defense of my BWA Catchweight title, all was fair and game until former BWA champion Valentine blindsided me, prompting the referee to call for a disqualification.  Valentine had previously assaulted me wife Diana on two separate occasions, and when she saw from ringside that Valentine ambushed me, she entered the ring and tried to pry him off.  That is when Robert entered and grabbed my girl, choking and manhandling her in the process.  The trio of Mejsel, Valentine and Holmström left me and my wife laying in the ring, proclaiming themselves to be “Bättre Folk”, as Holmström spat out to everyone in attendance, that he was sick and tired of playing second-fiddle to Yours Truly, and that the final nail in the coffin for him was when I brought Diana into the business.

Holmström already challenged me earlier in May this year at FCF’s Jatkosota 2013 event in Espoo, where I won the BWA championship from Valentine, for a match against my wife.  I accepted, knowing that my wife could wipe the mat with Robert, since she has a background in Jiu Jitsu and Kyokushin Karate.  Robert didn’t get his wish, as FCF General Manager Kristian Kurki denied the match taking place at DOMination 9 this past weekend, and this caused even more bitterness for Holmström.  I guess that is what prompted him to follow in Valentine’s footsteps and attack my wife also, proving that he also, is less than a man and a coward at that.

It will be a challenge for me to sit beside Robert Holmström on Monday nights in the Eurosport announcing booth from this day forward.  Only due to professionalism and for the sake of my job will I retain my composure and refrain from taking out my anger outside of the wrestling ring.  However, once the next wrestling event rolls around, with Holmström and his compatriots on the other side of the ring, all bets are off.  And then, even the cops won’t have jurisdiction, because what happens in wrestling stays in wrestling … and Robert and his Bättre Folk should know that.