Post by Markw on Oct 11, 2013 17:53:56 GMT -5
Revolution – Country Feedback
You know it's been difficult to avoid two names this past week. At least it has been for me.
Jayson Garrett and Trace Demon.
No one wants to talk about my match with a WFWF legend like Thunder, instead the media, the fans, everyone wants to know how I feel about Jayson Garrett's attack and Trace Demon 'costing' me a shot at the International Championship.
Well first thing's first, let's clear up this suggestion that Trace has cost me a shot at the International Championship. He quite clearly hasn't, if anything he's made it a slightly easier task for me. It's easier to beat three competent wrestlers than to beat one great wrestler.
But I should make it clear that I am still disappointed that Trace has backed out of his title defence. I'm angry that he's been able to drop that belt and deny me my chance to end his winning streak because honestly, it's as much about that as it's about winning the International Championship to me.
But you can only run for so long and if you do win the WFWF Championship, Trace, I promise that it's me you'll be meeting at SuperBrawl. Your decision to drop the WFWF International Championship wasn't a noble one, you of all people certainly weren't concerned about giving other people an opportunity to shine. It was a cowardly decision made by a man who's only concerned about number one and I intend to, one day, make you regret it.
As for Jayson Garrett, well he's clearly out of his depth. I beat him fair and square a week ago, but he clearly couldn't accept defeat. When I lose I don't attack the man who beats me, I improve, I earn my rematch and I beat him fair and square. But Garrett isn't capable of that. He had to resort to jumping me from behind, beating me down into the mat when I was off my guard.
He's another man who I intend to punish.
He's nothing more than a B-list celebrity, he doesn't belong in this promotion and I intend to drive him out of it. Eventually.
But right now my focus isn't on Garrett or Demon, nor is it on Devilkiller who I finally seem to have eradicated. I'm focusing solely on beating Thunder and getting one step closer to the International Championship, I can wait for my vengeance.
---
As I kid, I wasn't really brought up on those 'and they all lived happily ever after' fairy tales. Circumstances meant that the harsh realities of life were obvious to me from day one. I knew that life didn't just 'work', I knew that you don't really have happy endings, you don't have heroes and villains. You just have people and they can all be pretty f***ed up.
But unfortunately, I forgot that you don't get happy endings in real life.
I let my guard down, just for a second, and SMASH!
Lights Out.
I've tried just about everything, but how do you respond to that. It's a hopeless situation. One minute you think you can finally get everything you want and the next, you've got nothing.
Now I'm left with nothing, but a memory and I'm not sure if it's one I love or loathe. The impact's gone, I can't remember that, I'm left simply with the memory of letting my guard down. I'm left with a memory of a moment that was the greatest of my life, but that laid the foundations for the worst. I'm... I'm not really sure if I want to forget it.
A broken down, Joe Bishop sits in the locker room after a try out match with the XWA that, well frankly, didn't go too well.
“Oh God, are you okay?”
Jessica asks softly, clearly concerned as she takes a seat next to Bishop and grabs hold of the ice pack that was pressed up again his head.
“Does it look like it?”
The teenager snaps, wiping the blood from a gash on his forehead, just about summoning the strength to offer an unconvincing smile to Jessica, who responds with a genuine smile, leaning her head into his chest.
“Sorry, I just can't believe I f***ed that up” Bishop explains, still furious about the result of his earlier match.
“It doesn't matter” she says confidently, although Bishop doesn't seem amused at the response. “Well it doesn't really, does it?” she continued.
“I've dedicated my entire life to professional wrestling and it's gotten me nowhere. Of course it matters”
“You're going to do fine, you're too good not to. But even if you don't you've still got me” She throws a cheeky grin in Joe's direction and this time he manages a much more natural smile in response.
“You're trying to cheer me up”
“Ugh!” Jessica turns her head away from Bishop trying to feign genuine hurt at his joke. Bishop wraps his arms around her and kisses her cheek.
“I love you”
“I love you too”
And they all lived happily ever after.
---
I know that I should feel intimidated. Nervous even, about stepping into battle with a man who I idolised six years ago. A guy who was the figure head of this company, a guy who could go toe to toe with the likes of Obo, Wayne McGurk, Reverend Shadow and Alex Sean without looking out of his depth. This should be the biggest moment of my career, this match should be the greatest opportunity I've had to prove myself.
But it really isn't.
A victory over Thunder in 2013 means nothing, on paper drawing Thunder in the first round of this tournament is no greater challenge than being put up against a Mak Cross or a Jayson Garrett. If I do beat Thunder then it's not something that people are going to be talking about for years to come, heck I'm not sure it'd be an upset any more.
I do respect you Thunder and I know that if you can be the Thunder I grew up watching when we meet in that ring then it's going to take a hell of a lot for me to get through to the Semi-Finals of this tournament. I've seen enough flashes of the old Thunder in recent weeks to know that you've still got it in you. So don't think for one second that I'm going to be complacent.
This match is really going to come down to which Thunder I'm facing. If I'm facing the man who has lost that spark and desire to succeed, the man who sticks around because it's all he knows even though the passion has gone, then I may as well have a bye into the Semi-Finals of this tournament. If I'm facing the real Thunder, the three time World Champion, then this one's going to be interesting. If I'm facing the real Thunder then it's going to be the biggest challenge of my career.
But it's a challenge I'm prepared for. I'm confident that it's still a war I can win.
Why?
I'm not going to pretend that it's because I've got more natural talent than a three time WFWF Champion, I've done nothing to prove that and at the moment, I've got no right to say it.
Nor am I going to romanticise about beating you because I'm the underdog, because I've got more heart or passion or because I'm destined to win this match. I'm not going to insult your intelligence with dribble like that.
I guess to understand why I'm so confident that I'll be walking away from this match victorious and indeed to understand why I believe that I'll be crowned the International Champion when the tournament comes to a close, you need to know where I'm coming from. You need to know why I step into that ring.
For years I've been wrestling, not just literally but metaphorically. I've always been fighting, I've struggled non-stop with a man that I despise, but a man I can't escape. My entire life has been one long drawn out battle with my own mind.
Everything I touch turns to crap.
I find a way to flush every friendship down the toilet, I manage to push away everyone who loves me. Every opportunity life hits my way, is dropped in increasingly embarrassing ways. It'd be funny if it wasn't so heart breaking.
The only thing that's ever brought me happiness when I'm at my lowest, the only thing that's offered the smallest light when I'm consumed by darkness, is professional wrestling. I know that sounds stupid, but it's true. This is my lifeline, my escape route, this is the one thing that brings me hope. This is the one piece of evidence that I can use to prove to myself that I have a purpose and to prove that I still can move forward with my life.
I came back to the WFWF one year ago a former National Champion and in that time I've had two more reigns with that belt. But for me it isn't about proving I'm capable of holding the National Championship, I've already done that. It's about proving that I'm better than that and the International Championship is what I need to do that. It's what I need to prove to myself, that I've not stagnated, that I can move forward, that I can still change.
Thunder you're a Grand Slam Champion, a WFWF Hall Of Famer and that's what's going to cost you this match. You've done it all, you've already proved to the entire world that you're that damn good. But I haven't and if I want to keep looking at myself in the mirror, day after day, then I have to. Unlike you...
I need this.
OOC: So yeah, juggling University and RPing really isn't as easy as I'd hoped it'd be, managed to make a little more time for this, this week but still had to cut a couple of bits a little short. Obviously pretty disappointed that I've not been able to put as much into these last two shows as I had for the 4 or 5 shows prior to it.
