Post by Tara on Jun 29, 2021 11:30:11 GMT -5
The camera crew came to me. There is your typical small-talk that was done more as a courtesy, but something that I just-- wasn’t in the mood for on this day… They didn’t take long to set-up. I leaned over the top rope to let my eyes look directly into the camera as they gave their general countdown. Three. Two. One. Showtime.
“There was a sense of… pride… that came to me when I heard Holly call my name out as the winner of the New Arrival Showcase at Hell on Earth,” I said. I was unable to contain the smile, although it was bittersweet when I thought about my next match… it was an opportunity, one that I could not squander, but it was going to be an uphill battle. “Leading up to my debut-- there were thoughts, there were feelings, that I was making a mistake. I knew that I was stepping out of my comfort zone, and… well, when you’ve been doing this as long as I have been, there are people that always seem to question whether you’ve lost a step, or your edge. Whether you’ve lost your spark. When enough people are saying it, it tends to become true.” I shook my head and took a deep breath while thinking back on that; thinking of the time that I did lose that spark… I had no edge… but, still smiling, I also felt that spark get fanned into a flame when I heard name announced as the winner.
“When I heard that final bell sound-- when I heard my music playing-- everything became real… All of the hard work that I put into preparing for that one match, all of the demons in my mind trying to talk me out of going out and regaining the name that I once had, all the fear that I may be coming to this place to merely tarnish my own name… my reputation…” Some of us don’t know when it’s time to hang up our boots, and I don’t want to be like that… the inability to change would only reduce our time inside the ring, which is why the change was necessary. Bring something new to the table. My reputation-- I wanted to maintain, and I wanted to build on.
“My reputation--” I said with a snicker, “--my reputation is something that these fans have become accustomed to. I’m not the nicest person in the building. This is nothing new to me. I’m not the most generous person when I step into the ring, but the reputation that has followed me for all my years has been simple: these fans get what they pay for! These fans know that the moment that I step into the ring, they are going to see something new… they are going to see something spectacular… They are going to see the BEST that this industry has to offer! That’s why when they hear my music play: they cheer. They chant. They scream my name. And I don’t disappoint. At Hell on Earth: I did not disappoint! At Proving Ground: I will not disappoint! But with that being said, I would like to focus on one of my opponents…
“Whom I have already had the pleasure of stepping into the ring with. Daniel Ackerman. The Captain. You and I are stepping into the ring, yet again, as enemies. As opponents. Make no mistake about it, Daniel, when you and I were battling in that triple threat there were things that you were able to do-- it-- they reminded me of me. You are adaptable! You are capable! You are-- incredibly talented…” It would be a mistake for talent not to recognize talent, and there was no doubt in my mind that Daniel Ackerman was someone that I knew I had to look out for this week, “I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t look at the card and wish that the roles had been reversed-- that I had wished you would be my partner, and that John Blade were against us, because in all honesty… one-hundred percent honesty… I feel that if you and I were to team together, we would be able to bring out the best of each other! But that’s not the way that it’s going to be this week-- just as it wasn’t going into Hell on Earth. We are not destined to be partners, but we are destined to compete. We are destined to compete. We are competitors. Daniel, let me give you a history lesson-- a brief history lesson-- there are people in this industry who have spent years, literally YEARS, trying to impress me. Trying to get a mere nod. A token of appreciation for what they can bring to the ring. They try-- so very hard-- to get that nod from me, but they haven’t received it. People have gone on to win World Championships wherever they competed, people have gone on to make a name for themselves wherever they competed…
"Yet they do not feel accomplished. And why? Because I did not give them my nod. But you--” I drop my head and give a nod to the camera, smiling as I do, “--you’ve earned my nod. In one match. In one night. You’ve earned my nod.”
I licked my lips and allowed a brief pause… the words could not have been said better, the words were not any truer than I have said: I was impressed by him. But I couldn’t allow an impression he made cloud me.
“With that being said, though, as impressive as you are… as good as you are… as much as you may have earned that nod, the fact remains that I. Defeated. You. I may have not pinned your shoulders to the mat, I may have not forced you to tap out-- but I hold that victory over you. I was able to use everything you brought to the ring, and ensure that it wasn’t enough! I was able to eliminate you from the equation and score the victory at Hell on Earth-- there’s going to be no asterisk, there’s going to be no one saying: Well you pinned John Blade, you never pinned Daniel Ackerman. They’re going to say… that I… beat… you.” I said while pointing to the camera.
“I have your number-- but we have a wildcard, or two, in this match. Mark Kelly--” I said with a sigh, “--let me be one of the first to introduce you to Project: Honor! Newcomer to newcomer? This is only going to be my second match with Project: Honor, so I’m not going to pretend to be a veteran in this company. Let me be one of the first to welcome you to the big leagues. Welcome, Mark Kelly, to Project: Honor! And you’ve already got one of the biggest opportunities ahead of you-- much like myself, much like Daniel Ackerman, much like John Blade, much like everyone else! And you have this benefit… this perk… that we have not truly seen what it is that you are capable of. Can you impress me? Can you impress me like Daniel Ackerman did? If you can, I imagine that I could be in some trouble-- I may have Ackerman’s number, but I can’t be so certain if I have yours… But I’ll wish you-- the absolute best of luck-- but there’s something that we have to remember about history.”
I have it… My history from the past has shown me as being dominating-- it has shown that when I reached the top of the mountain, I did not descend. Title or not, I had become the person to beat for the longest time, but I almost always ended up coming out on top. It was no accident. It was confidence.
“Confidence… that’s something that we need to have every time that we march into the ring, and that’s something that is not as easy as it seems. A lot of people get in front of the camera and they say that there’s no way they are going to lose. There’s nothing that can stop them. They are too motivated! They are too strong! They are too strong-willed! They merely… bark… It’s more than just saying that you can’t be beaten. You have to BELIEVE that you can’t be beaten. You have to BELIEVE that you are unstoppable. Trying to convince yourself--” I snickered, “--That’s not believing in it! When I step into the ring, I know that I’m the best motherfucker that’s ever done it. I know that everyone else around me is racing to impress. I know that I’m capable of catching you with the Genocide Kick out of nowhere, and taking the wind right out of your sails-- I know that I’m capable of slowing things down, and breaking you apart piece by piece… limb by limb… wearing you down, and forcing you to tap. Whether it be with a leg lock, an arm lock, a headlock, or any kind of submission. I am able to play you-- I am able to build your confidence with one hand, and with the other, strip it away from you. I know I can do it, because I have done it. And nothing is going to change.”
Another dilemma? I scoffed at the thought of who I needed to trust to have my back. John Blade.
“There’s a difference, though. I know what it is that I’m capable of doing, I know the amount of sheer pain and punishment I’m able to take-- take what you want with that information--” I said with a wink, “--But… to be serious… I am not-- I was not-- impressed by John Blade. Yeah, sure, he brought his A-game to Hell on Earth, and he pulled out everything he could, but for how long I’ve been in this industry--” I shrugged, and held a hand out to gesture a further questioning of him, “--I saw nothing new. I saw nothing that impressed me out of him. So it makes me question just how much can he take? John Blade-- listen to me--” Listen well. “--Whatever you can bring to the ring… I need you to double it. I need you to TRIPLE it. This match is an opportunity for me to really show Project: Honor what I am capable of by being one step closer to earning a shot at the Warrior Rising Championship, and I’m not going to get closer if I have to worry about what you can handle! So I need you to march down to that ring… and dig deeper than you’ve ever dug, be better than you’ve ever been, and be someone that I can actually rely on. And so far…”
Inhale. A deep breath, and I couldn’t stop myself from shaking my head and felt my face scrunch up. I just-- I couldn’t believe that he had the will to step-up… he liked to talk big, but it didn’t seem like he could deliver. I doubt he could deliver in other fields, even in his wildest dreams if he ever thought I was interested. The thought of being more with him nauseated me. But-- keep it professional. Stay focused.
“I’m not impressed.”
It was a fact. I was not impressed, and I knew that I would have my work cut out for me to try to backpack him to a victory.
“This eagle… flies better alone.”
With a simple nod, the director could tell that I had said my piece. The light indicating their recording went off and they tried again for more small-chat before finally dismissing themselves from my center.
