The camera fades in to the face of Ben Jordan. A fairly standard start to Ben Jordan promo, you've seen one of these before right? You haven't? Naughty step for you! Well if you haven't, these are how they start. Usually, there's a bright smile on the Cockney King's face. Today, not so much...
A more than usual serious look crosses Ben Jordan's face as he stands wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt, having never been one for brand names, the T-shirt has no designer label on it. He looks down the camera and tilts his head slightly.
"You know the drill if you've seen some of these things before." He starts "Of you haven't, where have I been all ya lives?"
A smile crosses his face but he quickly changes back to seriousness.
"So you haven't see this big before, so lemme explain it to you good people." He says with a quick wave of his finger. "This is where I usually introduce ya to one of my promo thingys, where ya get to see me in real life situations, followed by a little rabbit about me match coming up, but today, we're gonna take this time to talk about something just a little bit more real, bit more punchy, bit on the nose."
He presses his hands together and looks down the camera firmly.
"This world is becoming a bloody 'orrible place." He says with a sigh "Not long ago, me own city was subject to a big attack that changed the history of it. People's lives changed that day and not for the better. People were working, having a stroll in the afternoon when a coward decided that a peaceful day was not on the cards. I walked those streets many times, these feet of mine have been in the same place where people's lives changed for the worse and it makes ya feel bloody lucky to wake up in the morning. It all got me thinking about some stuff, got me mind ticking over a little bit about hate."
He pauses for just a second, looking down.
"Random hate for people we don't know." He mutters before his tone gets louder. "Hate is a horrible thing people, yet we do it every day without knowing people. Some geezer cuts you off in traffic, hate hits in, someone looks at you funny, hate kicks in, but people don't see what's behind. We are all human, we are all people. We're all a heart ticking away, and we're all a brain keeping us going, we're all the same and yet hate breeds out of nowhere. Get's ya thinking people that without trying, we're the problem too."
He looks back up, looking at the camera.
"Yeah, it's true, because even the best of us can bring hate in to this world, and all that hate builds up." He states, a touch of sadness in his eyes. "And there's no need for it. We hate our fellow people because of our differences. Let me tell ya about some differences. My closest friends are not like me, my closest friends are very different from me. Jamie Dean is an openly gay man, who promotes everything gay under the sun, something people can look at and take the wrong way. Sam Marlowe, oil heiress, how many activists hate people like that? Evie Baang, one of the coldest people on the SCW roster, draws hate for being herself, Amy Marshall, an adult entertainer, telling me all those goody two shoes people don't look down and hate people like Amy for what she chose to do? And Ryan Keys, you might think Ryan is snow white, but there are some prudes in this world that would knock the fella for being comfortable with his own body. Look at Markus Raab and Samuel, hated because they don't fit in, hated because of learning difficulties?"
Ben shakes his head and takes a deep breath.
"All these people friends with a geezer from the East End, that used to run a boozer before the land became more valuable than the actual pub." He says calmly "Cockney's are known for many good things, but believe me, people also think we're loud mouth know it alls. My friends come from seven different walks of life, and hating them never crossed my mind, I do things with an open heart and an open mind. When most look for reasons to hate, I look for the good."
He tilts his head with his left shoulder shrugging.
"I guess my point is to you good people is no one knows how much better their life would be if they threw the hate out the window and gave people a chance." He says slowly "I did and I got five friends there for life, regardless of the paths we walked to get us here. I got seven people there I'd bleed for and not have a second thought about it, because I chose to look at the good in people, and this is the only way I think we can stop this world from being drowned in hate."
He presses his lip together firmly, swallowing hard.
"I know it sound preachy coming from me, but the thing is, none of us know what's around the corner anyone. Those people walking over that bridge in London thought they'll be home by six, planning to watch Eastenders or Corrie, or something. They thought they'd get to kiss their kids good night, and tell their partners they love them." He says softly, looking deep in to the camera. "They never got that chance."
Ben swallows hard, a lump in his throat growing with every passing word.
"What I'm getting at it they didn't have the chance to say good things to the people that meant the world to them. No one should leave home and not get home at the end of the day but they did." Ben says softly "Hate won because there was more of it around than love, so stop sitting on the fence, and if you got some good to say to people, do it. Don't hold back anymore cause who knows if that person is gonna be there tomorrow."
He sighs softly.
"I might not even be here tomorrow." He admits with a shrug "but I am now, so I'm gonna try get this message across while I can. That message is simple people, tell people the good that you feel, don't leave it till tomorrow cause who knows if tomorrows gonna come. Go make a difference today, go be around those good people that tick ya life over and don't regret a single minute of being here on this earth. People fight to give you the freedom to do what you want, but the world has too much hate as it is and life can be finished before you know it, so be grateful of everything you have in your life. We're all very lucky to be here. Seven billion people in the world and we're all together for a reason, in one hundred years time, there will be a different seven billion people on this world, and we'll all be memories, so leave some good uns"
He breathes deeply as he looks down the camera.
"That's what I'm gonna do." Ben says "because now I'm gonna go spend some time around seven people that mean a lot to me. We only got this one life, so be around the people who make it worth living."
Ben winks at the camera before walking off, and we fade in to just what he was talking about.
*******
"Are you sure on this?" Jamie Dean's voice is heard saying.
The sounds of the Motown classic song by The Temptations "Ain't To Proud To Beg" can be heard softly playing as the camera fades in to a beautiful sun lit afternoon on the shores of Lake St Clair, just outside Detroit, Michigan, an idyllic scene of peace as the sun beats down on the lakes blue water. Families with children splash along the shoreline, the camera turns towards a group sitting along a long table, four seats on either side. At the end of the table, Jamie Dean sits next to Ben Jordan, Ben on Jamie's right. Next to Ben, Evie Baang sits, followed by Amy Marshall at the far end. Opposite Jamie, Samantha Marlowe stares across the table at him, next to her, Ryan Keys. Next to Ryan sits an unexpected figure, the figure of Samuel McPherson, and at the end of the table opposite Amy, sits Lord Raab.
"Eh?" Ben says with a look towards Jamie.
"Are you sure on this?" He says with a nod of his head in Lord Raab's direction.
Ben waves him off.
"Of course I'm sure." Ben says with a roll of his eyes "Markus and Samuel want to make more friends, this is the perfect chance to show 'em that people are good eggs if ya give 'em a chance. Besides, bit more muscle in the group ain't a bad thing, can't expect Evie to beat up geezers having a go, as much as she wants to."
"I heard that." Evie adds, with a playful elbow to Ben's arm.
Ben looks down the table, food containers open, and empty bottles of drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic, the group having just enjoyed a relaxing picnic away from the spotlight of adoring fans. Ben picks up a bottle in front of him, a bottle of Budweiser and lifts it up, smiling at the group around him. He turns his head to Jamie.
"Give people a chance son, they might surprise ya." Ben tells him.
"This was a good idea Ben." Sam tells him, grabbing his attention.
"It's brilliant to get away from it all." Ben says lowering his bottle "With Blast From The Past conflictions already at this table, nice to just chill out a bit before we have to beat each other up."
"Some of us are already through the first round." Amy comments down the table with a wicked smile towards Ben.
"Three out of five at this table are through." Raab comments, drawing the attention of the table "Three didn't enter, that just leaves you two"
"Yaaaarrrrrp" Samuel adds.
Ben looks down at Raab, a proud look on his face to see the silent monster stepping out of his comfort zone to address people, a move rare from Raab, a move to show his growth as a person recently, down to the influences of Ben, teaming with Evie, and being in the situation of being around new people.
"We plan on joinin' y'all soon." Sam replies with her Houston accent filling the open air.
"You guys think it would ruin your friendship if you did face each other?" Ryan asks.
Ben shakes his head as he looks across at Ryan opposite him.
"Nah." Ben comments quickly "You look around the table, we've all pretty much faced each other in the past. Me and Jamie had a war with Markus and Samuel. Me and Evie teamed against Jamie and Amy. Sam and Amy have crossed paths in the ring. It's part of what we do."
"You guys have known each other a long time." Ryan says with a smile "So I appreciate the invite to this, and the other things you guys invited me to lately."
"It's no problem." Ben says tilting his beer towards Ryan "You're one of us mate. Could tell that when ya turned up for SCW and now look at ya, Roulette champion here. You're a good guy mate, happy to have ya around."
Ben takes a mouthful of beer before looking around the group.
"Actually, while I got ya all here, kinda got something to talk to you all about." Ben says slowly.
"Are you coming out?" Jamie says with a grin and a playful tap on Ben shoulders.
"In ya fantasies." Ben responds.
"Oh you don't wanna see in my fantasies." Jamie fires back "You'll have nightmares."
"No doubt about that." Ben agrees. "It's more to do with my career."
The group look towards Ben.
"What's wrong with your career?" Lord Raab asks.
"Yeah." Amy adds. "You got the tag titles back."
"And Blast From The Past starting for us." Sam comments.
Ben takes a deep breath as he looks around the table.
"Basically, a lot has happened recently." He starts "A lot of eye opening stuff and it's got me mind working. I spend me life sitting there living a life most people dream of, but after all's said and done, there's so many more people worse off than I am, people that proper need help. I mean that charity stuff me and JD do, it's a good start but we only need charities because of underlining problems. Charities ain't gonna fix them, but getting involved to make a difference at the root level just might."
"What are you saying?" Amy asks bluntly.
"Saying that I think it might be time to stop putting me body through hell and start getting involved in fixing the problems." Ben says with a shrug "I work in America, I live in Cuba, money I go through in jet fuel is enough to make a difference."
"So move closer to work." Evie says "You don't look out of place in Vegas or Los Angeles."
Ben shrugs his shoulders.
"Maybe but I think it's time to fix these issues at a more political level." Ben says.
"Oh you could never be a politician" Sam says "You don't lie enough."
This brings a laugh from the group, Ben nods.
"Maybe I can break the mould and be the first non bullshitting politician in the world" He says with a smile "But I can't do it in America. Need to be a national, same with Cuba, means I gotta go home to do it."
"There are other ways to help out, Ben." Ryan says "I know you said charity doesn't fix problems, but it helps. You guys have helped so many get off the streets already."
"I know, but always asking myself if it's enough." Ben says. "It's like I wanna help the entire world and dunno where to start."
"Well you can't do anything until Blast From The Past is over" Sam says "And if we win it, ya can't go anywhere, cause I know ya won't let ya fans down."
"That's a good point Ben." Jamie quickly adds "You'll be letting ya fans down if ya leave and you don't wanna do that now, do ya?"
Ben turns his head to look at Jamie, waving his finger towards his tag team partner.
"I see what you're doing there." Ben says with a smile "I dunno, it's just a plotting along in SCW, not doing too much these days, so I just wanna get out there and help."
"It helps that you're on TV every week." Raab comments off the cuff, causing the table to look at him. "People don't go to the gym, they don't fight like us, they waste their time watching TV. If you're on TV, you can help people."
"Yaaarrrrrrrrp" Samuel adds.
Ben rubs his chin as he looks past the finished picnic towards the unmasked German monster.
"I see your point, but I don't wanna be one of those celebrity arses on Twitter thinking they can talk political crap without actually going out there and being around people." Ben comments seriously "How many celebs were meant to piss off to Canada if Trump got in, and still sitting in their multi million pound gaffs? But you're probably right, being on TV helps."
Ben looks around the group.
"Probably should wait till after Blast From The Past." He says with a calm look. "But if you lot come up with a way I can try and change the world, happy to hear it. Till then, I'm gonna go sit my arse by the lake over there and relax. Got a call to make anyways."
"I think I'm gonna catch some sun." Amy says.
"Now that sounds like a good idea." Ryan adds with a nod.
"Please tell me it's a speedo moment." Jamie puts in to the mix as he looks at Ryan.
"Yeah, that's all I need to hear." Ben says standing up.
Ben moves away from the crowd, as Sam starts to put lids on boxes, ready to pack things up. Ben turns his head to see Amy and Ryan standing, debating on the best spot to sit at to get the suns rays. Ben moves towards the water, taking a seat by the shore, and reaching in to his pocket and looking at his phone. He looks closer and sighs.
"Beautiful spot." He comments to himself "But no reception on this bloody thing."
He leans back, his hands behind his head, fingers locked as he stretches out his muscles. He takes a deep breath as he hears an Australian accent.
"So someone wants to save the world." Evie says as she stands over him, looking down at him.
Ben opens his eyes to see Evie standing above him.
"Think you might need to put on a Superman costume to do that." She says as she sits next to him.
Ben rolls his head to the side, winking at a nearby camera and sitting up, looking at Evie sitting next to him.
"I'd probably make a decent Superman." Ben says casually.
"Something come to mind a few minutes ago while you was rambling on over there." Evie says "And it wasn't filthy."
"I am shocked!" He says before opening his mouth wide and putting his hands on his face.
Evie reaches in to her pocket pulling out a flask and taking a drink before handing it to Ben, who does the same, his eyes widening as the strength of whatever alcohol sits inside, hits him hard.
"Bloody hell." He says, his words instantly coming out with a slight slur "What is that?"
"Best if you don't know." She says "Anyway, my ideas. First off, I know the way they're gonna try and make you stay around SCW, but I'm not gonna appeal to that side of you, I know you like a little competition, so I wanna make it interesting. We come up with a bet. I bet you, I win the Bombshell title before you win the World Heavyweight title"
Ben looks at Evie with lowered eyebrows. He knew she'd found his weak spot. Ben did love a gamble after all.
"Are you serious?" Ben asks as Evie nods "What are the stakes?"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something that I want." She says looking at Ben.
"If I take this one." He starts "You won't be winning."
"Oh, we'll see." Evie replies "Does that mean you'll take the bet?"
Ben takes another gulp out of the flask and looks at Evie, again the alcohol hitting him quickly.
"I'll think about it." He says "But you said ideas?"
"Yeah." Evie says "Before you go full fledged eco warrior complaining about flying all over the place. When we get back from the tour, I will be getting a new place in California or Nevada, you let me stay at your place, so why not just split the cost and you be my house mate? Then you can save the whales or the environment or whatever, by only going back to Cuba once every few weeks."
Ben blinks rapidly as the alcohol kicks in, sun and alcohol are not always the best thing children!
"But this will be a bit longer than a month probably, maybe, I dunno." Ben mutters "If I take your bet, I dunno when I will be looked upon to have a fair crack at the title."
"Oh, I know it will be after Blast From The Past." Evie says "because me and Raab are gonna win that, but I'm sure they'll look towards new people to challenge that joke of a champion now. They'll see in like three weeks how bad he is for SCW and start throwing everyone at him, you might get lucky."
"And if I win, then I gotta defend it." Ben stumbles out "And when I lose it, I gotta stick around for at least one cycle so I'm not classed as a whiny little girl who loses the title and leave, so me at your place is gonna be longer than when you was at mine."
"I can live with it." Evie says "As long as we make one change from the current room mate agreement."
"Wasssat?" Ben asks
"You cook your own damn bacon on a Saturday morning." Evie says with a serious look towards the Cockney King.
Ben sighs sadly as he returns Evie's look.
"Alright" he says admitting defeat "Take the bacon thing out of the contract but will need to talk about a few things, but if you don't mind me there."
"I probably owe ya." She says through gritted teeth "You have stopped me killing people lately, even though I've really wanted to."
Ben smiles at her.
"In that case, I better start trying to win this Blast From The Past match." He says with a tap to his chin. "Which begs the question, do I just put the stars in this promo or just continue it from here?"
Evie cranks her neck back, looking at Ben confused.
"What do you mean?" She asks, her tone slowly rolling over her tongue.
"You know." Ben says casually "When you split the scenes in your promo so it so one part don't look too long, that thing."
Evie's eyes widen as she points at Ben firmly.
"Do not do the clicking thing!" She says firmly. "Don't you da..."
***CLICK***
*******
Ah, the freezing finger click! Ben looks around the scene on the lake, seeing that Ryan and Amy lie motionless next to each other, catching the rays of the sun, while Jamie and Sam have paused mid conversation, Raab and Samuel also in mid conversation at the other end of the table. Evie's finger is also frozen in Ben's face.
"You have no idea how tempted I am to bite that finger for shit and giggles." He says with a smile as he looks at frozen Evie.
He turns his head towards the camera and looks down it with a tilted head.
"Now I might have had a few bevvies, and whatever this vicious stuff is." He says, picking up the bottle Evie had brought over earlier. "But I can still cut this promo thingy and people, I ain't gonna lie, it's all very mixed emotions here."
Ben clears his throat.
"But we gotta go it anyway, sooooo..." He drags the word so out for a few seconds "Alright people!"
Ben winks down the camera.
"I might be a little tipsy but that fact changes nothing in this promo, cause I was gonna say this stuff anyway, so ner ner." He says poking his tongue out at the camera directly after. "Little bit awkwardness sort of here, about one of the people I gotta talk a little bit about. See, one of out opponents is Remi, and although I don't like know her that well at all to be fair, she's obviously a decent friend of Ryan's, well more than a friend, I dunno, I ain't sticking a label on her, cause she's not a tin of beans or anything."
Ben giggles at his own joke.
"Would you believe I only just thought of that line?" He says with a slight laugh "Oh alcohol, if you could only make me dances as well as make me funnier than usual. Annnnnnnyways. The lady is clearly alright if Ryan likes being around here, and look, Ryan only likes being around good people as today shows, but wrestling wise, I dunno what to expect from her. The girl is a bit quiet a lot of the times, so I dunno if I even know of her well enough to comment about her, but I do know these tournaments bring people out of their shells to proper have a go at winning these things. I've seen people proper surprise others by going out there and giving it their all to go and get that title shots. We are living in the era of shocks. No one thought J2H would beat half a fed to win a title and hold it so long? Or Jamie winning a battle royal to headline a supercard? Melody overcoming top Bombshells and taking top gold. Shocks can happen, people lift their game for things they want and no doubt at all Remi could have those stars in her eyes, so Sam might have her hands full more that if she was walking around carrying a couple of melons."
Ben snickers at another one of his jokes.
"But I know Sammi can handle it." Ben says "Probably be the only time I end up in the ring with you Remi, so looking forward to seeing ya up close, but I think Sammi's got ya number. Still, Ryan talks highly of ya, so we know ya a decent person. Who knows, maybe you can come jump in this little group of ours at some point."
Ben looks across the lake, a smile appearing on his face.
"I'm no gonna lie, me eyes were glued to the screen when I heard about replacements for this tournament and when I heard the name Jordan Williams replacing someone, I almost did a back flip, which really ain't me, not a cruiserweight, but man, ya heard that name and boom! Anything can happen" Ben says with a grin. "Then I found out I was facing him and the thought crossed my mind of oh bollocks. I don't fear facing Jordan, I have hero worship of the man."
Ben puts his palms out in front of him and shrugs.
"I mean what wrestler in their right mind wouldn't?" Ben says firmly. "I've known Jordan a while, I admit, been a bit of time since we've spoke, but I knew him back when. I got to team with the bloke, it was an absolute honour to do that, I got to team with one of the best wrestlers in the world, and a man who taught me so much about tag team wrestling. Indirectly, he is the reason I ain't too bad at this tag team thing. He gave me some blinding advice and paid me one of the greatest compliments I think I've ever had in me career."
Ben smiles as he thinks back.
"He told me I was the future of this company." Ben explains with a warm smile "I think I let ya down a bit there mate, cause my arse ain't really been out of the tag ranks, but due to my bet with that thing pointing at me."
Ben looks at the frozen Evie, her finger still out in front of her pointing at Ben.
"I might live up to that one someday." He says with a frown "Who knows, but it's gonna be so much bloody fun being in the ring again with a legend. This fella won Blast From The Past, the first male winner to lift that trophy above his head and celebrate. That demands respect right there. Jordan's career has been littered with gold, and things to remember him by. He is a hero for me, I'm glad I got to call him a pal. The man embodies what wrestling is about. Knowing I'm gonna be in that ring and hearing his name announced, I'ma get goose bumps just being there, I got 'em now."
Ben shows his arm off to the camera, indeed his arms have goose bumps on them.
"I get to live and breathe the return of this legend and wrestle him." He says with a wide smile on his face. "Jordan, believe me mate, it's gonna be an absolute honour, a huge moment in my career to get a chance to wrestle you again. It will be so damn big, for meself, I don't really mind win or lose, it's just the chance to face you, a chance to say I got in the ring with you after all this time. Obviously, I wanna win for Sammi's sake, she deserves to be back at the top. She's been treated like a muppet for a long time and she deserves to be kicked back to the top, having an ultimate face vs face clash with Melody, but for me mate, this is all about being in the ring with a legend."
Ben looks around at the frozen scene before looking back.
"I will obviously give it me all in that ring against ya Jordan, you deserve nothing less than that." Ben comments "I know it will be tough, I mean for a popular guy like me, I know the louder cheers will be going towards you. I know the momentum will be on your side and nowhere near mine, but I will give it my all to give you one hell of a return match mate. One way or the other, I hope this ain't the last we see of you here, because between me, you and the gate post, we could do with more legends around here to impart wisdom on people on how they should conduct themselves. Every fed needs a Jordan Williams, I wouldn't mind seeing the original stick around here after this tournament and I know for a fact the fans won't mind it. They might start some kinda movement to keep ya around J-Will, and I hope they bloody well do. I know these lot around me are frozen, but if we asked them, we both know they'll all want you to be around more Jordan, so I hope you are."
Ben runs his hand over his chin.
"As for the match..." He starts "I am just gonna enjoy every second of it. I'm gonna sit there and love it all, take everything in and give the fans a wrestling spectacular that they ain't seen before. The chances to take on greats like this, don't come along every day, I'ma make the most of this and will shake his hand after. This is gonna be a match for the ages, cause ladies and gents, a legend returns, three others in the ring determined to make the most of it. It's something you guys ain't gonna wanna miss."
He takes a deep breath.
"Right, it's time I got back to these lot, make hay while the sun still shines and all that." He says "But you come join us on Sunday. Gonna be a proper decent night. Until then, go hang out with your friends, smile at strangers, make someone's day and I'll catch ya all soon."
Ben winks at the camera.
"Laters people!"
Ben clicks his fingers and the freeze ends, allowing people to move again.
"Fucking froze me again, didn't you?" Evie growls towards Ben.
Ben just smiles at Evie as the scene fades out.
