Post by Markw on Jul 1, 2013 11:29:37 GMT -5
Revolution – A Leap Of Faith
It's difficult to know exactly who you can trust. Heck, I'm not really sure I know who can trust me right now.
There are an awful lot of people, who are taking a leap of faith going in to this match and the match that will follow it. You see just about every single person going in to these matches, will look over to the person next to them in the trenches and they'll see someone, that they're not entirely sure they can trust. That element of doubt is going to creep into the back of each and every participants mind and if you ask me, at either Revolution or Battleground, someone's doubt is going to make all the difference, in fact it'll probably determine who is going to be the owner of the WFWF for the foreseeable future.
Can I trust Trace Demon? Can I be sure, that after I help him win these next two matches, that I'll get the International Championship match that I've been promised?
Can Penny Shannon be sure that after she does the same, Trace Demon isn't going to tear away from Scarlett Quinn everything she's worked for?
What about Trace Demon, does he know for sure, that neither of us have done a deal with Xavier Pierce?
Or Mak Cross and Cam Nitta, can they trust one another going in to this match? Or the Battleground match? Can Devilkiller and Pierce be sure that those two men aren't going to cost them a match that's the biggest of Devilkiller's career and a match that is going to shape Xavier Pierce's entire life?
The answer to all of those questions is quite simply, no.
In some cases it's a risk worth taking, certainly I think for a shot at the International Championship and a chance to end the winning streak of Trace Demon it's worth it and I truly believe that Trace will live up to his end of the bargain. Trace Demon has bigger fish to fry, and after winning at Battleground, he isn't going to want to make too many enemies. I don't think he's going to alienate me and Penny Shannon, and I'm fairly sure that his power would be used to become the World Champion.
But others have taken what I think is a stupid risk. They've put themselves in these two matches, that could leave them, potentially, making an enemy of their future boss, just for five minutes of fame. If you're going in to a match, with two team mates who can't trust one another, that's going to determine whether or not you have any real future in this promotion, you've made a big mistake. A mistake that I wouldn't have been making when I was the National Champion.
But I guess the six participants announced so far and Pierce have weighed the risks against the rewards, and they've all come up with the same answer...
That someone on the other team, is going to let that element of doubt get to them before a member of their own team does the same. Now we're all sat, praying, that we got it right.
---
Two Weeks Ago
1...
2...
3!
He stumbles to his feet, following the biggest victory of his career. His hand raised in the air as those in attendance chant the name of the new UWA World Champion.
But Joe Bishop wasn't particularly interested, nor was his new acquaintance, Alex.
“So yeah, it's at the Cowell Stadium, just go to the reception and tell them that I've left you a ticket, there should be someone there to lead you up.” Bishop smiles nervously. Alex reciprocates to ease his nerves a little.
“See you then.” he responds.
The MK Dons fan wanders off, looking genuinely pleased, although Joe Bishop isn't the best at reading this. He too leaves relatively shortly afterwards, leaving out of a side exit and heading towards his car. Once he gets in to the vehicle, he pulls his phone out from the dashboard, fully expecting nothing to be different, since he hasn't received so much as a text in two months, so he's a little taken aback by the message that meets him.
You have one missed call.
---
I guess, going in to this match, myself and Penny Shannon have a lot in common. I think it's fair to say that neither of us are exactly ecstatic about being a part of 'Team Demon'. I also think it's fair to say that if Trace Demon didn't have any leverage over us, neither of us would be teaming with him for the next couple of shows.
But unfortunately, the one thing that Trace Demon does have is leverage. My motives for joining forces with Trace Demon are fairly obvious, I want to be the International Champion. I'm joining 'Team Demon' because I want to step into the ring with Trace Demon and I want to beat him for that belt, that I came so close to winning a couple of weeks ago. But it's more than that, after our last two matches, my desire to end Trace Demon's undefeated streak has sky rocketed, I can't really explain why, but it's something I need to do. The only way that it's going to happen, realistically, is by ensuring that Trace Demon remains owner of the WFWF.
Penny Shannon's motives are a little less selfish I guess.
Penny Shannon is willing to take on Mak Cross, Cam Nitta and Devilkiller this week, and she's willing to step in to a solid steel cage, to face four men hand picked by Xavier Pierce a week after. She's happy to enter a match that has the potential to take years off her life, that is almost certainly going to leave her a bloody, beaten, mess, a wreck of a human being. She's risking all of that, not for herself, but to stop Trace Demon from annihilating Scarlett Quinn.
And you know what, I kind of respect that.
But it's more than that, honestly, in a weird kind of way, I envy Penny Shannon.
There's a part of me that thinks my team mate is an absolute imbecile for throwing herself in to one of the most dangerous matches in recent memory, to help her friend. There's a part of me that finds it difficult to comprehend why she'd put herself through that, when she's not going to benefit, at least not directly.
But honestly, I wish that there was a person in my life, other than myself, that I would be willing to go to war for. I wish that there was a human being on this planet, that I would risk my entire career, my life, to protect. I wish I had that.
I'm less than thrilled about being a member of 'Team Demon' and if booked against her, I would do everything in my power to defeat Penny Shannon. But my problem is with Trace Demon and, to some extent, Xavier Pierce. I see no reason why myself and Penny can't co-exist in these matches. At the end of the day it's going to help both of us get what we want from Trace Demon and if it means doing his dirty work for two nights, well... I can live with that.
---
Last Week
Joe Bishop was a little annoyed at being forced out of his ring by a second-rate National Champion just moments after defeating Mak Cross, but he had bigger problems on his mind, namely did he make the right call in electing to join 'Team Demon' earlier in the night, and a question that he had been pondering all week, should he return the call of this unknown number.
A stream of possibilities have been running through the head of the Englishman all week. Had Alex found his phone number? Was this Jake... or Jessica? It was probably just a cold caller, but even so Bishop had been struggling, trying to decide whether to return this call for days. Something had been stopping him, time after time, just as he was about to make the call.
Bishop is sat in his car, just moments after defeating Mak Cross, when he decides to call the person back. Bishop is tense as he waits for the person on the other end of the phone to pick up.
“Hello, Mr. Bishop”
A familiar voice, which Bishop recognises as that of WFWF owner Trace Demon, greets him.
“Great” Bishop begins sarcastically, “You called me last week what did you want?”
“What do you think I wanted...?” Trace replied as though the answer should be obvious. After a few seconds of silence from Bishop, Trace puts him out of his misery. “I was going to offer you a spot on my team for the Battleground match, but obviously we've cleared that up already. I can see that you're not going to be the brains of the operation.”
“Is that all you wanted?” Bishop responds, hoping that the next sentence would be one that allows him to hang up.
“No actually, I've just been made aware that you weren't going to be wrestling this week.”
“Correct. I'm not.”
“Well you are now.”
“Look I...” Bishop begins before being cut off.
“See I'm going to need you to team up with myself and Penny Shannon to take on three members of Pierce's team at Revolution.”
“What's in it for me?” Bishop asks.
Trace Demon bursts into laughter at this question, although Bishop isn't finding it very amusing. Eventually, Trace is able to respond. “Nothing.”
“You can't make me.”
“Well I can. But that's beside the point, I offered you a title shot on the condition that you help me become the owner of the WFWF. This match is a crucial part of that, if you don't want a rematch then I can easily find someone who does. You're hardly irreplaceable.”
Bishop pauses for a moment, weighing up his options, before eventually responding. “Fine.”
It's rare, nowadays, for anything to shock me. I've become locked in to this routine that I just can't break, and you know, not much has surprised me recently. So this week has been something of a welcome change of pace.
I didn't expect to be joining forces with Trace Demon. I didn't really expect to take the step forward in my social life that I believe I've made this week.
But there are some things that will never shock me, and being kicked in the teeth just when, for once, things start going right, is one of those things. It never really surprises me, because it seems to happen every single time I get close to being happy.
It does feel, at times, like everything is conspiring against me. I know that I've allowed my mind to believe that everyone's out to get me before, but that's hardly surprising when so much goes against me... so often. I do know that there's no great conspiracy against me. I'm just saying it feels a bit like that at times.
So often I've come close to getting everything I want out of life and I've had it pulled away from me. I've had joy, cruelly waved in front of my face, and then yanked away when I go to reach it. To be honest, I'm sick of it. I'm tired of having everything snatched away. But every time it's waved in front of me, like a piece of bait on a hook, I go for it and I end up with a hook sticking through my mouth.
---
I'm not stupid.
I know that I could give everything I have to help Trace Demon, I could give everything I have to ensure victory on Revolution this week, I could give blood, sweat, tears, to ensure that he becomes the owner of the WFWF at Battleground. I could risk life and limb to earn another shot at Trace Demon's International Championship... and I could still lose. For a third time I could step in to the ring with 'The King Of Demons' and lose.
I'm not naïve enough to think, that just because I'd have helped him become the WFWF owner, that Trace Demon would happily give me a fourth chance, or a fifth or a sixth. If I want to get my hands on that belt and be the man to end the streak, then I'm going to have to be on the winning team at Battleground, and when I next step in the ring to go one on one with Trace Demon, I'm going to have to be good enough to beat him.
If I want to follow in the footsteps of former International Champions like CBT, Wayne McGurk and Obo, trust me I do, then I can't afford to slip up once.
If, and it's a big if, I earn that match against Trace Demon and I f*** it up, then all of those sacrifices mean nothing. Everything I've given up for that shot, doesn't matter.
Now I find out, that not only am I risking my career at Battleground for Trace, but apparently I might have to sacrifice a chance to get my life back on track. But that's fine, because I'm going to make you regret it Trace. A lot of people had to make some tough decisions going in to this match, they had to make sacrifices, it wasn't just me. Penny, Cam, Mak and Devilkiller had to weigh up whether or not they could trust the people alongside them. But of everyone involved, you know who I think made the biggest mistake?
You.
Sure, you're probably going to win at Battleground, but you've given me an opportunity, to earn one last shot at that belt. And I'm not going to pass it up again, not when I know that it's my last chance. I promise you, that so long as Penny and your mystery man keep up their end of the bargain, you will become the sole owner of the WFWF and then you'll lose your International Championship and your unbeaten run. Honestly, I don't think that's a wise trade Trace. But then I guess the things that motivate us are very different Trace, you seem desperate for control, for money, for power. I'm not. All I want from wrestling is to be the best, I want to be main eventing shows, I want to be winning week after week after week. You've got all of that... but it's still not enough for you. I really do think that someone needs to take those things away from you to show you just how important they are, I hope I'm that person.
---
Serena Williams' smashes through the ball, blasting it down to the other side of the court. A desperate Sabine Lisicki dives, helplessly, towards the ball, but it's to no avail. 15-0.
Joe Bishop is spread out on his bed, where he has spent half of the day already, and even though he has a pretty important match to be training for, he has no intention of getting up. The plan instead seems to be avoiding the outside world and remaining glued to Wimbledon for as long as possible. Tennis has always appealed to Bishop, like wrestling and I guess for similar reasons. Competition is perhaps the main reason, it has controlled Joe Bishop for all his life. The other things that separates it from most sports, and another reason a recluse like Bishop loves it, is that being part of a team isn't at all compulsory.
Wrestling is Joe Bishop's escape route, it's his opportunity to distract himself from everything that's going on around him. When he needs to escape from the world of wrestling, he looks for other escape routes, like these. But this match wasn't exactly serving it's purpose. Rather than being able to absorb himself in this match and forget about everything else, this clash was proving to be a depressing reminder of his last two clashes with the International Champion.
On one side of the court was a European competitor, who has never got in to the top 10 in the world and who has never got further than the Semi-Final of a Grand Slam. On the other side of the court, a North American, currently the number one in the world, 16 time Grand Slam winner, who going in to the match was on a 34 match winning streak. For all intents and purposes this match was Trace Demon vs. Joe Bishop.
Although as the match went on, Bishop couldn't help but observe that this underdog was putting in a similar performance to his most recent against Trace Demon. It genuinely looked like maybe, just maybe, she could end the winning streak in the most dramatic of circumstances.
But this time there was one key difference, because she actually did it.
Lisicki falls to turf, in tears, as she knocks out the Wimbledon favourite. For Joe Bishop it was an odd moment. This was a tennis match, between two strangers he knew little about, yet it seemed to be of great importance. It was a bitter reminder of his own failure, but it reaffirmed what he already knew, that such an achievement would be worth everything he had sacrificed. Although the sport, the occasion, the people were different, it felt exactly the same. Bishop smiled as a stat appeared on the screen...
Head-To-Head: Williams 2-1 Lisicki
---
Mak Cross, Cam Nitta, Devilkiller. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but honestly Mr. Pierce, I'm not that impressed.
Last week I took on Mak Cross and I beat him. You can spin it whatever way you want, at the end of the day I was victorious. And if you want you can blame that outcome on Cam Nitta... but if I was Xavier Pierce... that wouldn't fill me with confidence.
In recent weeks Mak & Cam have done a brilliant job of getting in each others way. Going up against those two, right now, feels like a positive more than a negative. It shouldn't be like that, I'll accept that they're two of the brightest talents this promotion has right now. But facing them in their current state is hardly intimidating. These are two guys who were both involved in a World Championship match at Psycho Circus, yet last week both lost convincingly.
Yeah, I feel confident. I do believe that the threat posed by Mak Cross and Cam Nitta has been significantly reduced in recent weeks.
As for Devilkiller, he's the National Champion, I accept that. I do feel like my run with that belt was a lot more impressive though. Again I'm not trying to be arrogant, but even though it's lasted longer, can anyone really say that his reign as Champion has been more impressive than mine? Can anyone honestly say that they believe that when Devilkiller loses that belt, that he'll be propelled to the level I've reached recently?
I doubt it. Let's face it, the likely outcome is that the same thing that has happened to every recent National Champion, other than myself, will happen to him. Odds are, he's going to fade into obscurity when he loses that belt.
It's not that I think it's a forgone conclusion, but the law of averages would suggest that he's going to retire with one National Championship reign in the WFWF being his greatest achievement. You just have to look at the people that came before me and the people that followed to see that I'm the anomaly. To see that usually the people that lose that belt, don't get title matches with Trace Demon soon after. Carter Contra, Cameron Stone, Daniel Sabat... where are they now?
More to the point, who the hell are they?
You can go back even further than that, you can go back to the likes of Jon O'Deeves and The Possesed Child. It's rare for a former National Champion to go on and get that recognition, it's rare for them to prove they're anything more than that. Sure every now and then a Trace Demon or a Hutton Brown comes along. But generally they go nowhere fast. I can't say I know as much about Devilkiller as I do about Mak and Cam, but I wouldn't be putting my money on him in these next couple of matches.
The biggest problem, well I say problem, it's actually quite convenient. The biggest mistake that I see coming out of Pierce's recruitment policy, is that he simply hasn't played on the flaws that there are in our team. I'm no fool, I'm well aware that there are flaws. But Pierce has so far, found no one that can exploit them. If anything he's selected the worst possible competitors.
He has selected, to go in to the Battleground match, and face one of the toughest women in professional wrestling... a man who's afraid to fight a woman.
To partner that man, he has chosen a guy who just last week lost to Dave Demento, he picked a guy who has no momentum to speak of.
And as much as Devilkiller may like to say that he's a dominant, aggressive, extreme competitor. He's no Trace Demon and he's never going to be.
As far as I'm concerned, Pierce is putting all his eggs in one basket. He needs Team Demon to fall apart for him to stand any chance of gaining control. He's praying for a mistake. But as much as I dislike Trace Demon, that mistake isn't coming, at least not from me. There will be a mistake though and at both Revolution and Battleground, when Devilkiller or Mak or Cam make that mistake, I'll make them pay for it. I'm not going to do that because I hate Devilkiller, Mak, Cam or Pierce. I'm not going to do it because I want Trace to be the owner of the WFWF.
So why am I risking so much, to win these next two matches?
Yes I'm doing it because I want to be the International Champion. Yes I'm doing it because I want to beat Trace Demon and make up for losses in our last two encounters.
But it's more than that. It's really because I'm sick and tired of being a midcard guy, I'm sick of being considered alongside the likes of Devilkiller, Mak Cross, Cam Nitta. I don't want to be considered the easy target when I'm teaming up with the likes of Penny Shannon and Trace Demon, I don't want to be the one who doesn't belong. And I'll be doing it, because, even though I probably shouldn't, I still believe that I can earn this shot at the International Championship. I still believe that for once, I can get everything I've worked for, without being kicked in the teeth. Right now, that hope is the only thing keeping me going, maybe losing it would kill me. But at some point, you've got to take that leap of faith.
