Supreme Gauntlet Night 3: Once More, With Feeling

February 7th, 2017 - Backstage
Shortly after Supreme Gauntlet - Night 2 went off the air.

Hugh Jass is sitting down backstage, just finishing up with the medic, as there was a small cut above his eye than needed to be attended to after his match against Trace Demon earlier. The medical worker had already finished cleaning up and bandaging the cut, and he proceeded to hang Hugh a clear plastic cup full of water and a pill. Hugh took a sip of the water, then motioned towards the pill.

Hugh: Hey doc, what's the pill for?

Without looking up from the forms he had begun filling out, the medic responded to Hugh in a curt, to the point type of tone.

Medic: It's a mild painkiller, Like a tylenol, just a bit stronger. I would assume after being banged around and choked out like you were, that you were experiencing a pretty bad headache and general aches and pains. Most guys take one of those after their matches, at least early on.

Looking over the pill, Hugh seems to contemplate it for a moment, before quickly stretching out his hand, offering it back to the medic.

Hugh: Well, I am not most people Doc. I've taken a whole lot worse. You can go on ahead and take this pill back and give it to someone who needs it more than I do.

Briefly looking up, an exasperated look on his face, the medic shakes his head and turns back to his notes.

Medic: I've already given it to you, and you've handled it. I can't take that back or give it to someone else. So if you don't want it, you can just throw it away. But you will be going against my recommendation by doing so. In situations like this, especially where someone was choked for an extended period of time, I prefer to go on the side of caution.

With zero hesitation, Hugh tosses the pill towards the nearby garbage can, missing completely, though he still pumps his fist in the air like it went in, likely due to the fact that he never looked where he threw it, and assumed it went in.

Hugh: Kobe!

With an even bigger look of disdain on his face, impossible as that may seem, the medic flips through his clipboard and pulls out a form. After signing it himself, he hands it to Hugh along with a pen.

Medic: In that case, standard proceedure dictates that you sign this form acknowledging that you refused the medication and did so knowingly. This absolves me or the WFWF of any consequences should any injury be aggravated or discovered from tonight.

Hugh grabs the paper, and despite his care free nature, actually reads the contract start to finish before signing it, which seems to annoy the medic even more.

Medic: Usually people just sign it.

Hugh: Well Doc, I appreciate you trying to speed this up, but I like to make sure I understand what I'm signing before I put my name to it. This is also kind of strange, I didn't have to do anything like this after the battle royal, and I don't see everyone else doing this checkup either.

Taking the form back from Hugh and putting it into his folder, the medic packs up his kit and gets up, and begins to walk away.

Medic: You didn't do it last show because you weren't officially under WFWF contract, so you weren't able to be treated by us. And this isn't a permanent thing, this is your first real match, we don't have any grasp of your durability or any conditions that may creep up on us. We like to keep a close eye on new recruits the first few shows, and especially after their first match. If that's all Mr. Salter. I will be departing now. Have a nice day.

Calling out after the medic as he walks away, Hugh says;

Hugh: I go by Hugh Jass here!

Looking back over his shoulder, with a look like he just stepped in dog crap, the medic responds.

Medic: I am NOT going to say that name out loud.


Hugh responds back quietly to himself, as the medic is already gone, which draws a strange look from the janitor cleaning up in the corner of the room.

Hugh: I don't get why people have trouble saying my name. It's not that uncomforable to say. Now a word like menstruation, now THAT'S a word that makes you uncomfortable when you say it out loud.

Hugh stops and looks towards the door of the room, as he hears someone knock and try to get his attention. It's none other than Daniel Knight, resident WFWF commentator and apparently still interviewer!

Daniel: Umm, excuse me, Hugh? Hi, do you have time for a quick interview?

Hugh nods excitedly, and beckons Daniel over. Knight enters the room, approaching Hugh slowly, as if he might get some sort of infectious disease if he makes contact. After a moment, Daniel reaches Hugh's side, and Hugh opens his arms offering a hug, which makes Daniel looks absolutely mortified. He shakes his head no, causing Hugh to just shrug, and then offer a handshake instead. Reluctantly, Daniel accepts it, letting go as quickly as possible. Looking over Daniel and noting his posture, Hugh asks Daniel the first question.

Hugh: Daniel, do I make you uncomfortable?

Daniel immediately straightens up, putting on a sort of forced professional composure, and he begins shaking his head and overselling his response way too much.

Hugh: Because if I do, it's totally alright. I seem to have that effect on a lot of people. I mean, I'm kind of weird. And I get over excited sometimes.

Daniel: No, no, it's not that you make me uncomfortable. You just. . . . aren't exactly what I expected. You're name, your demeanor, everything about you quite frankly just caught me off guard. That's all.

Smiling, Hugh claps Daniel on the back, making him wince.

Hugh: Terrific. Let's get started then. I gotta say, I am very surprised you're interested in interviewing me of all people. I've never really done anything like an interview before. This is exciting!

Daniel: Well, you did just debut, and the fans seem to be enjoying you a lot. The brass figured that this was as good a time as any to get to know Hugh Jass, hot off the heels of his one on one in ring debut here in the WFWF. First things first, what made you decide to take part in the open battle royal a few weeks back?

It takes a moment for Hugh to respond, as he had pulled a little bottle of breath freshening spray out of his pocket and sprayed several blasts into his mouth. Gulping, he answered.

Hugh: Well, I think I kind of had to, didn't I? I always have had wrestling in my life in some form or another, and an open battle royal for entrance into the supreme gauntlet was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Daniel: Did you think that you'd win?

Hugh: I mean, hell no. I thought there would be tons of people showing up, I never imagined in a million years that it would just be me. And if there were others I didn't think I would win. I just thought I'd appear, have some fun, and that maybe my appearance in the match would lead to the occasional recurring appearance in the WFWF every few months.

Daniel: So can you tell us anything specific about your contract status with the WFWF now that you're in the gauntlet?

Hugh: Yeah. So I am officially signed, with mandatory appearances for all of my gauntlet matches and for an appearance on the PPV finals, and after that I am on an open, per appearance deal, rather than on a term deal. This was decided to be best for both parties, since I have a lot of responsibilities back home, and I might need a few weeks off here and there. And for the WFWF, I am an unknown quantity, so it's nice for them to just bring me in whenever it works for everyone without us being tied down to each other. So my focus right now is strictly on my gauntlet matches, I can think of the future after that is over.

Daniel: So is suddenly being in a tournament with 9 of the best superstars the WFWF had to offer a bit overwhelming for you?

Hugh: Absolutely. I didn't sleep at all that first night. I was really excited, don't get me wrong, but I was terrified. Suddenly, the dream just became real, and the reality of what I would have to do sank in. These aren't your run of the mill guys. These are the best. It's a real test to me to have to go in there against them.

Daniel: Well, you did lose to Trace Demon tonight, but you surprised many by having a few moments of sustained offense in there. Did losing so drastically overall hinder your excitement at all, or are you ready to go in there again?

Hugh: Oh man, I am SO ready to get into that ring again.

Daniel: Really?

Hugh: Absolutely, Dan the man. Listen, did I get my butt kicked? Heck yeah I did. But for that one fleeting moment, kicking the hell out of Trace in the corner, I felt like I had the entire world at my fingertips. Hearing the roar of the crowd when that happened, and feeling that hope rise up that I might pull off the impossible was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Grimacing at being called "Dan the man", Knight braces himself for a moment, before continuing the interview.

Daniel: So you're telling me that you enjoyed getting beaten up?

Hugh: Kind of. I know that sounds strange, but hear me out. As a kid, I was bullied a lot in school. I was small, scrawny and a bit nerdy. . . .

Daniel: You still are. . . .

Hugh: So I got beaten up a lot. It's nothing new to me. Eventually, I started standing up for myself, I would fight back, and you know what? Once I did that, the bullying stopped pretty quickly. Those guys wanted someone who would just accept it and not fight back.

Daniel: I'm pretty sure that isn't how wrestling works.

Hugh: I know that. But the point I am trying to make here is that it's kind of nice to get paid for getting beaten up now, and to give a lot of people some entertainment out of it, It also pushes me to try to better myself. That hope that I felt in the air when I mounted my comeback against Trace was straight up priceless.

Daniel: What if that win never comes? How long can you go out there and potentially lose every night? This isn't you starting from the bottom and working your way up. You jumped right into the deep end without a life jacket, and there are sharks in the water. Now that you are going against this level of competition, how will you keep up the drive to go out there?

Hugh: The adrenalin. The moment I stepped out onto that stage and I saw the crowd, that moment I heard them, that moment I FELT them, it's like I had all the fuel I needed. I forgot about all of my problems, I just focused on the moment. I loved that feeling. I want to feel that again, I NEED to feel that again. It doesn't matter who my opponent is next time. I want to go out there so I can feel that feeling again. It makes me appreciate the difficulties drug addicts must go through. If a withdrawal feels like this, I understand why someone might not be able to resist reaching for that pipe or needle. But this, wrestling, is my fix. Silly name of mine aside, I was meant to do this. I have never been more convinced than I am now of that fact.

Nodding in legitimate approval this time, Daniel looks slightly impressed.

Daniel: Speaking of your next match, while it is unconfirmed at this time, I have heard rumors that your next opponent is none other than Joe Bishop, who has made his feelings about you pretty clear to anyone who would listen since you made your debut. Do you have any thoughts about him being your next opponent.

Smiling, a look of complete confidence on his face, Hugh looks directly at Daniel.

Hugh: Yeah I do. Bring him on.

Daniel: Those are strong words. You appear to have confidence in yourself. I guess we will see if that pays off. Good luck with your next match, and congratulations on your official WFWF debut.

Hugh: Thanks Daniel, I truly appreciate that.


***************


February 8th, 2017
Hotel Room - Dallas, Texas

Opening the door to the room, with some difficulty because of a refusal to put down either his suitcase or the other bags he was carrying, Hugh stumbled into the hotel room, almost losing his balance. He set his bags down on the table in the room, and laid his suitcase on the bed. Moving into the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of water, and drank the entire thing in one go. Setting the empty glass on the counter, he made his way back to the bed, sitting down and grabbing the phone. He dialed, and after three rings, a voice answered.

Jack: Hello?

Hugh: Hey Jack, it's Hugh! Jack: Hey man, How's it going?

Jack: It's going pretty good. I forgot to DVR Family Feud today, so that's kind of annoying, but that's about it. Where are you?

Hugh: I wanted to give you a heads up that I just got in to Dallas. I decided to come straight here early for the next show instead of coming home like I planned.

Jack: Why did you do that? I thought you wanted to come home after each show? Plus, everyone here is proud of you, the first time you show back up at the bar you won't have to pay for anything. Considering we're in a recession, that says something.

Hugh: I know man, and I promise, I'll be home after this next show. I just wanted a bit of time to enjoy being somewhere different. Try some Texas barbeque, check out some local landmarks, that sort of thing.

Jack: What landmarks are there to see in Dallas?

Hugh: I haven't the foggiest idea, but I'm sure the locals will know some cool stuff to see. Plus I bet there is some World's Largest Steak eating challenge or something I can try out.

Jack: Still, that's a lot of time to spend in Dallas alone.

Hugh: Yeah it is, but I figure I may as well make use of the almost free vacation. Plus, I got a nice check cut from the first match, and I used a lot of it to buy a ton of WFWF shirts from the merch guys, going to take them and go visit the children's hospital sometime this week, give them out to the kids, and take some pictures, that sort of stuff. You think the kids would like that?

Jack: Probably. But I'm not sure if kids are even allowed to watch the WFWF.

Hugh: Are you kidding? No parent actually bothers to supervise what their children watch or do anymore! They just wait until they do something wrong and then blame things other than themselves!

Jack: I suppose that's true. You didn't buy any Trace Demon shirts did you? The kids might revolt if you did.

Hugh: No sir. I got a few Trevor Wolf ones, a bunch of Josh Dean ones, some Austin ones, and some Anna ones, don't want to let the girls feel left out. Oh, they had like three boxes of Dex shirts on clearance for five bucks each, but I avoided those like that plague.

Jack: They'd make good painting shirts.

Hugh: No, they'd just make everyone sad. Anyways, I should probably go, I just wanted to make sure you didn't worry about me not showing up. I trust you can let everyone know I will be back in town in a couple of weeks?

Jack: You know it man.

Hugh: Awesome. Oh, and can you make sure to go in my place and water my plants for me? You remember where I keep the spare key right?

Jack: Of course. Alright man, you take it easy, I'm going to go get some coffee.

Hugh: Timmies?

Jack: It's Roll Up the Rim to Win, of course I'm going to Timmies.

Hugh: Take it easy man.

Hanging up, Hugh then falls backwards onto the bed, closing his eyes for a well deserved nap.



***************



So here I am. Underneath the bright lights, the loud music, the screaming of the crowd. Finally, everything I dreamed of as a little kid has come to fruition. Don't kid me and tell me that I am the only one. How many kids, or hell, even adults see the superstars on TV getting the monster crowd reactions, the people who seem almost larger than life, and don't ever wish or imagine that it was themselves in there instead? Everyone has those moments. It might not be wrestling related. It could be seeing your favorite movie star, and wishing you were a real life superhero, just like the ones you love on the silver screen. It could be that you dream about being a professional athlete, wearing that sweater and leading your team to the Stanley Cup. Everyone has that moment at least once in their lives where they delve deep into fantasy and wish for it. Whether it's because of problems in their life, and they just want to escape, or they just want it because it would be cool, nobody goes without ever dreaming of something like that.

For most, that idea fades into the rearview mirror after a time. The percentage of people that actually get to that level of adoration or become a recognizable superstar is incredibly low. Most hockey players never sniff the NHL, they instead get regular jobs, like a mechanic. Most high school drama students never reach Hollywood. Most wrestlers just end up fighting in bingo halls once a month around their real jobs. It is a mixture of the incredibly talented and in some cases, the incredibly lucky ones that make it to the highest levels. There is however, one constant between every single one of the athletes that make it this far. Persistence. Without going to it, and having conviction and a strong will and work ethic, you will never reach those heights. All the ability in the world means nothing if you don't have the drive to use it. I clearly have a ton of drive. There has to be some reason I'm here. And everyone feels the need to continuously tell me it isn't because of my overwhelming amount of skill. So that puts me into another unique position. Every damn day I come out there I have to bust my ass and prove I deserve to be there. There is no name value or pre-conceived assumption about my place in the WFWF. I have to constantly work harder than everyone else to prove why I should still be here. That makes me want it even more.

Do people think it's easy to just shrug off being called a joke everywhere you go? Because it isn't. Though I don't know if Trace Demon is still saying it. He sure as hell wasn't laughing when I was stomping him to hell in the corner in our match. I got a little overzealous and went for a big move too early on him, and that is why I got caught. So I'll try to learn from that. If calling me a joke makes people feel better about themselves, go for it. I'll just be over here training, and improving just a little each day. While doing that, I will also be signing autographs for any fans that ask. I will be hanging out with my friends and doing the other work I like doing. All the negativity is just going to bounce off the bubble of positivity I'm trying to create here.

Hell, maybe I don't deserve to be here. But I am. So people are going to have to deal with it. Those are the words from a former champion here in the WFWF. Cameron Stone reached out to me after I won the battle royal to congratulate me, and tell me to kick some ass. He also told me a funny story. The WFWF didn't really want me in this tournament after the battle royal fluke. This was supposed to be a serious tournament. Stone told me that he was asked about possibly entering the Gauntlet himself if I could be convinced to bow out of it. They wanted to push me out and put him in because he has star power. He told them he wasn't interested. I can only imagine that they tried the same thing with others. But they all must have clearly said no. So here I am. Everyone has to deal with it. Cameron told me to go show the world that I had something to offer, and that's exactly what I intend to do.

Perhaps that's why this match is the most important to me in the entire gauntlet. If I am being honest, beating Joe Bishop would be just as big of a deal to me as winning the championship. You may think that's crazy to say, but here is the reason why. Joe Bishop is pretty much officially the new WFWF Golden Boy. He is the guy that everyone is afraid to face. The locker room talk is all about how good he's been since he came back, and how he might be unbeatable. Everyone predicts this guy to be the world champion by the end of the year. Anyone in the other gauntlet group is grateful that he isn't a factor until the finals. A man only holds power like that if you let him. I'm not afraid to face Joe Bishop. Why should I be? I've already lost a match here. It's not like there is anything to lose by going against him. Imagine what there is to gain though. To be the man to beat him after the run he has been on would be legendary. Especially if it's a guy like me. Bishop has made no attempts to hide his agenda of "purifying" the WFWF and restoring the place to some former glory that he never really elaborates on. This place has always been a twisted hive of scum and villainy. So Bishop puts himself on this pedestal and proclaims that he is better than everyone else around him. Well if he's so much better than everyone he faces I don't understand why he brags so much about going through all of them, it must not be too challenging. Doesn't sound too impressive, does it? Bishop has probably been the most outspoken about how big of a joke I am. Hell, the WFWF.com description of our match even references it! The crazy thing is that I don't think too highly of him myself. Here is a man who complains about everything, in particular this place, but chooses to stay around anyway. If you don't like the competition or the feel of this promotion, why not choose to leave and go somewhere else that you actually like and respect? It's because you're afraid of doing that Joe Bishop. The WFWF is the familiar beast, the place you know. You're too scared to take the big jump into what else life has to offer. If you hate this place so much, just leave. An entire roster will thank you for it. The reason that you don't is because you don't have that conviction that I do. For as talented as you are, nobody really cares about you. That must be what upsets you so damn much. You remind me of that mixed martial artist, Jon Fitch. The one who was an extremely talented wrestler, one of the best in the world. He had one of the best MMA records around for a while. The problem was for all his talent he was boring. Nobody cared about him or enjoyed seeing him. You're like that. Nobody is lining up to buy a Joe Bishop shirt at the merch stands. I think that makes you crazy. But instead of adding some flair you double down on your boring, dour attitude.

I might be a mockery here. That isn't really for me to decide. But Bishop, when I take you to the absolute limit in Dallas, what's that going to say about you? Now if you excuse me, I have a great idea for an official Hugh Jass t-shirt.