I'm Big in Serbia

Watching game footage is only one part of a dedicated professional’s routine, whether they compete for a professional sports organization or an upstart wrestling company that has gained worldwide recognition. With a travel advisory in effect for Serbia, the latest stop on Project: Honor’s overseas tour, Indy Darling found himself with plenty of time to do just that. Between the time spent working out in the hotel gym and ordering room service, the X-Factor Champion planted himself in front of his laptop to review his long history with his upcoming opponent, newly crowned Grand Champion, Mark Hunter.


There was little in the footage that Indy hadn’t noticed before, from the match that served as Hunter’s debut to their most recent interaction against The Commonwealth. He had already studied Mark’s matches and typical move set, as well as his inclination to take advantage of anything that would give him an edge, from outside distractions to the ring ropes themselves. Watching Hunter’s matches, including the ones that Indy had not been a part of, were doing less to teach him things and more to stoke his disdain for the man who held the Grand Championship.


“The hell with this…”


Indy muttered to himself as he closed his laptop and turned to look outside his hotel window. Potential car bombings and shootings be damned, the young man needed fresh air to clear his mind, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to find it in stuffed away in a hotel room for the next couple of days. After grabbing his denim jacket off the back of his chair, Indy made his way for the door and stepped into the hall.




With the front entrance to the Stark Arena behind him, Indy Darling sits upon the wide steps leading up to the arena’s main doors. His blue aviators are resting over his eyes as usual, and The X-Factor Championship hangs over the shoulder of his denim jacket. With Proving Ground set to air that very evening, Indy arrived at the arena early in order to properly prepare for his main event contest. In a matter of hours, 24,000 fans will make their way up the very stairs he sits on, and the young man cannot help but think about the support they will give him as he faces off against “The Straight Shooter”.


“This is a place with a lot of history, more than two guys like me and Mark Hunter could ever hope to match. Serbia’s seen its share of wars and political upheaval, the kind of things that can’t be compared to a professional wrestling rivalry. Trying to do that would be an insult to every fan that will be in attendance tonight. They’re not coming to the show to remind themselves of the hardships they might have faced in their lives. They’re coming to watch us perform for a few hours so they can escape whatever reality has thrown at them. That’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders, but it’s the kind of responsibility that I’m honored and privileged to accept. The only problem with that is I’m facing an opponent who would rather give those fans a cheap shortcut than a competitive contest between two of the top guys in the company. Don’t try to deny it, Mark. Your history doesn’t lie.”


“You came into this company wanting to make an impact, and you had the guts to challenge me to a 2 out of 3 Falls Match for your debut. Knowing how you think a little better now than I did then, I’m guessing you knew I couldn’t turn down that kind of opportunity. After all, I promised to accept any challenge when I won The X-Factor Title, and I pride myself on being a man of my word. When John Nash Strader did everything he could to distract me during our match, I fell for it and you took advantage. I can’t fault you for that one. Losing focus falls on my shoulders, not yours. I congratulated you on that victory and offered to defend my championship against you any time you wanted a shot.”


“You had other things to worry about though, most notably the Purge Match, wrestling’s version of hide and seek. When you weren’t hiding from your competition, you were taking advantage of every opportunity that presented itself, and in the end it paid off for you. I guess it’s hard to deny the results, because your methods landed you a briefcase containing a shot at Proving Ground’s Grand Championship. I didn’t offer my congratulations on that one, because I was too busy avenging my loss to you by instigating the start of Strader’s downfall inside of a steel cage. So it’s coming a little late, but congrats on winning Project: Honor’s ultimate paintball game, I guess.”


“No matter what we were doing at Unbreakable Resolution, it wouldn’t be long before our paths crossed again.”



The streets of Belgrade were hardly the dystopian wasteland that the mainstream news would have you believe. From the ancient architecture to the open markets, Indy was thrilled to soak in the culture that Project: Honor’s overseas tour was offering. In his early days of training, Indy had been to the UK and Japan, but a country like Serbia wasn’t on the map of an aspiring wrestler. With that in mind, Indy eyed the various shops and tents that made up one of the open-air markets, hoping to spot something unique that would serve as a souvenir for Doc Miyagi. Of course, finding something the old man would like and not make fun of was proving to be a daunting task. As he glanced over some wooden hand-carvings, a local man rushed to his side and began to tug on the sleeve of his jacket. Indy turned to give the man a smile, pushing the warnings about pick-pockets out of his mind. The middle-aged man began to speak in his native tongue of Serbian, which to Indy sounded like a rush of garbled nonsense.


Indy: “I’m...uh...I’m sorry. I don’t speak Serbian…”


The man persisted with a wide smile, nodding his head as he spoke what little English he had learned from watching television.


Serbian: “Indy! Indy Darling!”


The young wrestler smiled and nodded, now aware that the man was one of the Serbian fans he was there to entertain.


Indy: “Yeah, that’s me. Would you like an autograph or a selfie?”


The man continued to nod and smile, holding onto Indy’s arm as if he feared that he might vanish should he let go.


Serbian: “Not good enough! Better than you! Better than Mark Hunter!”


Indy’s smile widened upon learning that the man wasn’t just a fan of Project: Honor, but one of his very own fans. It was moments like this that made the kid from the indies realize just how fortunate he was.


Indy: “Yeah, I guess we’ll find out on Friday.”


The man continued to nod and smile as he held up his cell phone, a clear indication that he wanted a picture. Indy stepped to the man’s side and smiled, giving the Serbian native something to remember the moment by. He then shook the man’s hand and continued to move on his way, before a loud shriek caught his attention.

Indy turned the opposite direction as a group of teens ran towards him with enthusiastic expressions. It wasn’t long before the group had him surrounded, talking to him in excited tones in a language that he didn’t understand. This group of young fans managed to attract more attention to Indy, which in turn drew more Project: Honor fans to his general location. It wasn’t long before he was completely surrounded with no avenue of escape, short of signing autographs and taking selfies with every fan in the vicinity.


Indy: “Oh boy…”


“I knew we’d meet up again, but I sure as hell didn’t think it would be in some kind of crowded elimination match for the chance to cosplay as royalty. In hindsight, being a tyrant didn’t fit me. It belongs to an outspoken guy like Shawn Warstein. Actually, it would have fit you well too, Mark, only there weren't a lot of places for you to hide in a match with 16 people involved. You already had your briefcase, so maybe you were hedging your bets on being handed another opportunity, but ultimately you didn’t fare too well at The Crowning.”


“That’s because it was my turn to take advantage of you being distracted. You were too busy tangling with Blair Regent to see me jumping off the ropes toward you, and one Independent’s Day later, you were out of the match. I admit, eliminating you felt good, like I had evened the score between us. When you get down to the heart of it though, it really didn’t matter. Nothing was proven when you beat me in your debut and I didn’t prove anything by eliminating you from Wargames. That’s the problem with taking advantage of shortcuts or surprise opportunities, they don’t prove anything the way a fair one-on-one match can. No distractions and no one else involved, just two competitors going at it to prove which one is better on that given night.”


“That’s what we have to look forward to at Proving Ground, Mark. It may not be your specialty, but it’s going to be just you and me in that match, fighting to see which of us is the better champion on the brand. That would be enough motivation for me in this match, even if I didn’t have the desire to prove that I’m better than you. I’ve made it clear that I want to elevate The X-Factor Title in the eyes of the fans and everyone in the locker room, elevate it until it’s on even ground or higher than the very Grand Championship in your possession. You’ve only made it easier for me to make that goal a reality.”


“As long as Dickie held the Grand Championship, I’d always be the number two title holder on Proving Ground, no matter how many times I defended it or how many matches I won. Catching up to Dickie’s accomplishments would have been a near impossible task, but now that you’re holding the gold, it seems a lot more realistic. Let’s face it, before I won it, The X-Factor Title was little more than a prop used to stroke a massive pair of egos. I’ve worked damn hard to change that, and without being too self-centered, I think that’s what I’ve done.”


“On the flip side, the Grand Championship was the top prize, defended in main events and sought after by the best Project: Honor had to offer. Now there’s a huge group of fans and competitors who see you as a paper champion, a coward that will do anything to have that gold just to maintain your own fragile ego. So thanks, Mark. Thanks for lowering the prestige of the Grand Championship and giving me the opportunity to make the X-Factor Title the crown jewel of Proving Ground. Now all I have to do to cement that as reality is beat you in front of a worldwide audience in Proving Ground’s main event.”


“Make no mistake, that won’t be easy. Despite the reputation you’re starting to earn, you are one hell of a talented performer in that ring. I refuse to sell you short or look past your abilities, just in case you decide to have a straight up match without any cheap tactics. I saw flashes of your in-ring brilliance the first time we met, and I saw them again when we teamed up against The Commonwealth on the last Proving Ground. Somewhere behind your arrogant speeches and underhanded tactics is a top notch competitor. Is that version of Mark Hunter better than me? I don’t think so, but maybe we’ll both find out if you’re able to put that massive ego to the side during our match.”



Indy was in over his head and he knew it. For every autograph he signed or picture he took, it seemed as if ten more were pushing forward for their turn. He’d been stopped in public by fans before, but he hadn't experienced anything like this. Still, something deep inside wouldn’t allow him to shove his way past the fans to find freedom. They wanted their brush with the guy they’d seen on TV, and he was going to make sure they got it. As he kneeled down to take a picture with two children, Indy heard one of the many voices that surrounded him stand out above the rest. It wasn’t what was being said or the volume of the voice, but it was the way he recognized the words. One of them was speaking English.


Indy finished posing for the picture and stood up tall, trying to figure out which of the fans he was understanding. After a few moments, he was able to see the source of the familiar language coming from a Serbian boy of no more than 15. To the overwhelmed young man who made his living being a tough guy, the simple teenager was a sight for sore eyes. Hoping to find some order in the chaos, he called out to the boy like a drowning man reaching for dry land.


Indy: “Hey! Hey, kid! You speak English?”


He already knew the answer to his question, but Indy couldn’t think of any other way to get the boy’s attention. Realizing that this wrestling superstar was talking to him, the boy responded with a nervous nodding of his head.


Indy: “Maybe you can help me out here? I don’t know a single word in Serbian and I’d really like to give everyone their turn without it turning into a riot!”


The boy moved forward as Indy motioned for him, and not wanting to upset their idol, the crowd let him pass without objection.


Indy: “Hey, kid. What’s your name?”


Serbian boy: “I am Luka.”


Indy: “Awesome! Do you think you can help me out here, Luka? I’ll lift you onto my shoulders and you can tell everyone that I’ll get to each of them in turn, okay? Just ask them to form a line or something and I promise they’ll each get to meet me.”


Luka barely had time to nod his head before Indy reached down to grab him under the arms and lift him off the ground. Seated atop the X-Factor Champion’s shoulders, Luka looked around at the crowd Indy had gathered and suddenly found himself at a loss for words.


Indy: “Go ahead, Luka. Don’t be afraid to yell as loud as you can. I want everyone to have their turn, but they’ve got to stop pushing and crowding each other!”


With his wrestling hero urging him on, Luka finally found his voice and began to relay Indy’s words in his native Serbian. At first, it seemed as if nothing he said could break through to the crowd, but then, one-by-one, the rabid fans began to step back, turning the confusing pack into a more ordered mass of humanity. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to ease Indy’s concerns over someone getting trampled. With some semblance of order starting to take hold, Indy lifted Luka off his shoulders and set him on top of a wooden crate next to one of the market stalls.


Indy: “Do you have anywhere to be right now? Cause I could really use a translator for a little while.”


Luka: “No...I...I can stay.”


Indy: “Good man, Luka. I had no idea I was this big in Serbia. Though to be honest, I’m starting to wonder if some of these people are just following the crowd. They can’t all know who I am, can they?”


The boy smiled at Indy and nodded in response.


Luka: “They know. Not many TV stars come to Serbia. We do not have the opportunity to meet American heroes.”


Indy smiled sheepishly and gave his head a bewildered shake as the next Serbian fan stepped forward.


Indy: “I don’t know about that American hero part, but we’re gonna make sure they all have the chance to meet Indy Darling today. What do you say, Luka? Tag partners for the day?”


The X-Factor Champion reached out his hand and Luka answered his question by slapping his own hand against Indy’s.



“It’s not like you were able to ignore that ego against Dickie and Aiden. There were moments where we managed to work together, to the surprise of everyone including ourselves. Unfortunately, there were a lot more moments of you not tagging out when you had the chance and thinking you could manage one of the best teams in professional wrestling on your own. I won’t hold that against you, because we were hardly a seasoned team, and you probably didn’t trust me just like I didn’t trust you.”


“A part of me wanted to kick you in the face and leave you alone against Dickie and Aiden. It would have served you right, because it was your big mouth that got you on their bad side in the first place. Lucky for you, I’m not the kind of guy that leaves his tag team partner high and dry. I’m actually surprised you didn’t try doing that to me first. When things got rough out there, I expected you to take your ball and go home. I guess we’ll never know if you decided to tough it out or if you just never had the opportunity to bail. Either way, you were there until the bitter end and I chose to do the same. You can chalk it up to my competitive spirit or my sense of honor, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you had to Google those in order to understand them.”


“So here we are, Mark Hunter versus Indy Darling, champion versus champion in the main event of Proving Ground. There’s no Strader, no Wargames, and no Commonwealth to keep us from having the match we should have had months ago. For me, this one has been a long time coming, because I’ve kept my eye on you since the night of the Gladiator Contests when I accepted your debut challenge. I guess that’s because I see the two of us as polar opposites. Sure, we may have a few similar moves and our own versions of self-confidence, but that’s about where the similarities end.”


“Watching you is like looking into a distorted mirror. It serves as a reminder of what kind of guy I could become if I ever fully give in to self-loathing and doubt. I’ve had my moments where I lost control, became arrogant and willing to win no matter the cost. Thankfully, I was able to pull back and rein myself in before I went full “Mark Hunter”. The last thing this business needs is more people like you, full of conceit and believing that winning is the only thing that matters. Seeing someone like you reminds me of why it’s important to stay true to myself, so that I can give the fans and my opponents the fight they deserve and still be able to look at myself in the mirror the next day.”


“Not too long ago, I got into a little discussion on Twitter with your buddy, Lance Williams, about what kind of person you really are. For his own reasons, he thinks you’re a stand-up guy. He chooses to see the best in you while the rest of us are content to accept that you’re a cockroach with no heart. I could understand where Lance was coming from, because it wasn’t too long ago that I was the only guy willing to give Colton Saint the benefit of the doubt. I based my opinions on my own interactions with the guy, my own intuition. Whether I was right or wrong doesn’t matter, what matters is that there’s at least one person out there willing to have your back. I don’t know if Lance is right about you anymore than whether or not I was right about Saint, but as long as there’s that one person willing to believe in you, I think there has to be something redeemable that you’re not showing the rest of us.”


“So I’ll appeal to that hidden version of Mark Hunter that only his buddy Lance is able to see. Step out from that shadow you’ve cast over your run in Project: Honor, over the title reign that you’ve started, and show us all that you’ve got the guts to fight like a champion. Step between those ropes and prove guys like me and Dickie wrong. Show us that you do have some shred of honor, that your ego hasn’t completely taken over. Give us all the fight that we deserve instead of another underhanded move from the Mark Hunter “How To Be a Heel” Handbook. If you can do that, maybe you’ll finally get some of the recognition that ego’s starving for. Shut us up, Mark. I dare you.”



For his part in helping keep things organized, Indy was happy to give Luka his four comp tickets, which the young boy accepted with tremendous joy. Along with the tickets to the show came backstage passes, and when Indy explained what he was offering Luka and his family, it was as if he was giving him pure gold. It put a smile on Luka’s face that Indy would not soon forget, no matter what kind of challenge he would face on Friday night.


To say the scene at the market had left a lasting impression on the young man from middle America would be an understatement. For the first time, Indy realized that his influence was spreading to corners of the globe he couldn’t have previously imagined. It didn’t take long for Indy to lose track of the number of autographs and selfies he handed out, but one thing he could measure was the amount of time it took him to escape the mob. His impromptu meet-and-greet had managed to cut a few hours out of his afternoon, but there wasn’t a single shred of regret or animosity in Indy’s thoughts. Spending that time with the fans and giving them a special moment with someone they admired was worth it, even if it did bring an end to his sight-seeing and souvenir shopping.


More importantly, that time spent among the people had given him the kind of clarity that match footage wasn’t providing. It made his upcoming match seem more clear, as well as the glaring differences that stood out between him and his opponent. Something told Indy that Mark Hunter would not have so graciously given his time to those fans, and that realization left him with mixed feelings of disappointment and motivation. As Indy made his way through the hotel lobby, he began to understand why his match against Mark meant so much to him. It wasn’t just a match to see which man was better, but it was a match that could help determine the soul of Project: Honor and what it meant to represent the company as champion.


“There’s two ways this thing can play out, Mark, and I’m not talking about one of us winning and the other one losing. The first possible way our match could go is that the world class grappler and ring general behind the cocky “Straight Shooter” façade shows up to prove himself. If that happens, I can promise everyone watching that they will see one hell of a match between two champions that are hungry to represent their titles. On the other hand, you can use the ropes, pull the tights, and take every possible shortcut that comes to mind. If that happens, I have a different promise to make. I promise that this won’t be our last fight, because I will keep coming after you until Proving Ground has a champion that people can be proud of.”


“Whether that means my goal of elevating the X-Factor Title comes true, or whether I rip the Grand Championship out of your cold hands, remains to be seen. You have the opportunity to do something great, Mark, but if you’re not up to that challenge I’m more than willing to represent Proving Ground in your place. I might do that by ending your reign or just by being better than you in and out of the ring. Our main event match is going to show me which path I need to take.”


“By now it should come as no surprise how I like to end my promos. When I say that being Indy Darling isn’t just good enough, it’s better than you, I always believe it. Sometimes it turns out to be true, and other times I’m proven wrong. I don’t always know which way things are gonna go, but this time I don’t just believe in it, I know it for a fact. No matter which version of Mark Hunter shows up at Proving Ground, I know I’m a better wrestler, a better entertainer, and a better representative of Project: Honor than anything you could ever be. The only thing I have left to do, is prove it. That's exactly what I'm willing to do, but experience tells me you won't be able to do the same. This time, being X-Factor Champion isn't just good enough, it's being a better champion than you that matters the most."