2-0
“Getting hit motivates me. It makes me punish the guy more. A fighter takes a punch and hits back with three punches.”
--Roberto DuranTwo weeks prior…A ton of things swam through the head of “Amazing” Ace Baldwin as he laid flat of his back on the gymnasium floor. He tried to shake loose the cobwebs that Goth had caused when he was thrown to the floor unceremoniously. The lights, the faces of the fans swam before him as he tried to stand to his feet, but his feet and arms were limber and wouldn’t answer his commands at the moment. He shook his head a couple of more times, he ran a hand through his coarse brown hair as he raised up and grabbed onto a barricade to try and muster enough strength to get to his feet. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind.-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Shake it off Baldwin, it isn’t going to get any easier, wake up…Wake up…What would your trainers say if they saw you like this, what would Derek say…What would Jack say…He forced himself to his feet, and as soon as he did he, he gritted his teeth together and wiped a smidge of blood from the corner of his mouth.-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Fight on…He and Goth met one another in a flurry of offense, a plethora of punches thrown wildly between the two until Goth tackles Ace to the ground, pounding punch after punch, this was no longer a wrestling match, and this was a fight. A fight that Ace wouldn’t back down from, sure he had a “pretty boy”
gimmick, sure he was known for his good looks and his charm, but make no mistake, he had been fighting for moments like this his whole life, and Goth wasn’t going to take it away from him. Not like this. Goth pinned Ace down and landed fist after fist into Ace’s head.-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Cover up…Cover up, protect yourself…Turn him…Let’s go. LET’S GO!
Ace used all the strength he could muster and rolled Goth over and gave Goth a taste of his own medicine. He heard the referee in the back of his mind, he heard the count of six, he heard the count of 7 when he felt a rake to his eyes which blinded him.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Ugh, should have known, should have covered the eyes, damn it. Fight back….The count is almost up, I have to get back in that ring.
Goth got up and picked Ace up and goes to send Ace into the ring steps but Ace reverses it at the very last second, he can’t see, the scene swam before him but he saw Goth bite it over the ring steps. Ace felt around for the ring.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Survive, survive…Where’s the ring? Where is the ring? Where is the…Aha!
His hand found the canvas between the nine and ten count and he rolled in, he breathed hard as he hit the mat as he heard the bell ring in his favor…His arm raised in victory as he held the back of his head and tried to blink the water out of his eyes. He was attacked once again by Goth, he and Goth battled it out once again, but just like before, Ace is the last man standing, as he stood in the center of the ring with his hand raised, smack talking with Goth as Goth disappeared at the top of the ramp. Ace took his time as he slapped hands with fans around ring side, and then he headed to the back, he was tossed a towel from the backstage crew in the SCW, or so he thought, the person who tossed him the towel clapped for him as he came from the gorilla position to the locker room area. Ace had to do a double take at the man who stood there.
He had a pair of wire framed, yet huge lenses at least for sunglasses, he was a wiry older man, skinny yet chubby if that was possible with a checkered, western-styled shirt with an extremely large belt buckle on the front—a monstrosity on the front of his belt. It wasn’t that Ace was seeing this person for the first time—no, he knew this man.
Knew the long hair that fell from the obviously large cowboy hat, knew that wrinkly smile and that tan skin, it was his manager, who had been absent in the last four weeks that Ace Baldwin had been a member of the roster in the SCW, and he had been a lone wolf, nobody had really been by his side, at least the man who was contractually obliged to be by his side. It was Dick Weiss, the manager and agent of Ace Baldwin who stood there clapping. Ace smirked at him as he wiped the sweat from his eyes after his win against Goth and walked over to shake the hand of his long time friend.
Dick had been there for Ace, when Dick knew absolutely nothing about wrestling, like a message board smark, Dick was clueless to the way the business worked, the way everything went down, but still he stuck around with Ace to lead him to a couple of championships. Dick wasn’t the type to accompany Ace to the ring, Ace wouldn’t allow it, simply because Dick couple defend himself, and with cock-smokes like Kevin Carter walking around, and picking on people who can’t even wrestle…Dick still didn’t know a hammerlock from a turnbuckle, even if he did know the business. Ace kept his smirk.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
About damn time you drug your lazy ass here to see me…Where the hell have you been? And you got to see my match---Ahem….My WIN.
Dick gave Ace a smile and walked into a hug, as they hugged Dick took his hat off and nodded to Ace and stuck out his hand, the two also exchanged a hand-shake.
-Dick Weiss:-
Yeah, I did see that win, I got here just in time for your match. I have to say…Damn impressed, damn impressed. I thought you were really losing it by the time you left GIW, I have to say…
Ace turned his head to the side and gave Dick a bewildered look and then threw his head back and gave Dick a bark of a laugh.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Me? Lose it? Do you know who you are talking about here? Ace Baldwin, the “AMAZING” Ace Baldwin, they don’t just throw that term around lightly. I’m amazing, I proved it the last two weeks I’ve had a match in the SCW, it isn’t about winning, and it’s about surviving. Two weeks ago, I won, this week I survived, but do you know what the record says? It says 2-0, and DAMN right it says 2-0…It’s about to say 10-0, it’s about to say 15-0. I’m not quitting, I’m not stopping until I reach the top…You know it, I know it. I’m the future of this company.
Ace winked as Dick nodded; he patted Ace on his shoulder as he walked towards the small, shared locker room Ace was in.
-Dick Weiss:-
Hey, you don’t have to cut a promo on me, Ace. I know what you can do in that ring, I know when you set your mind to it—you can do it.
Ace nodded as he began to walk toward his locker room, Dick trailed behind, glanced at the I phone in his pocket and proceeded to follow behind.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
See, this is what I’ve been missing: Someone to tell me how great I am.
Ace winked and Dick laughed.
-Dick Weiss:-
Yeah, because your head needs to be blown up bigger than it already is, you’re right. Well, here I am, telling you how great you are!
Dick threw his hands up as Ace nodded and smiled as he towel himself off before he walked into the locker room and tossed the towel into a bin in the hallway before he craned his neck to the side, stretching it.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So, you haven’t told me where you’ve been, but I guess this means you’re finally back after not answering my phone calls or emails? I knew you were bad for getting back with people, but geez, come on.
Ace laughed, but Dick’s laugh just didn’t quite meet the same playfulness as Ace was showing. It was hiding something, Ace didn’t seem to notice, until Dick had stopped mid stride and didn’t say anything. He looked at Ace with a look of sorrow. He sighed.
-Dick Weiss:-
Well, that’s what I’ve came to tell you Ace. I wanted to watch you wrestle one more time, and I got to tonight, but I have to tell you something, that you are probably not going to like.
Ace cocked an eyebrow as he turned around, he was just feet away from his dressing room door as he turned to look at Dick, a hand on his hip as he watched his manager.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Wait—What? You showed up here tonight to tell me—you’re quitting? Just like that? You have to be kidding me, no way…You can’t, and I mean…I’ve never really been doing this thing on my own but these past two weeks— are you leaving?
Dick lowered his hat and out it on his chest as he met Ace’s eyes and rested a hand on his shoulder still as Ace was confused as to what was exactly going on.
-Dick Weiss:-
I’m not…”Leaving” per say, I’m going away for a little while. I got offered to co-run a little independent federation…In Japan. A buddy of mine offered, the money is good, it’s a wrestling hotbed...He wanted me to pull you away, but I know you are happy here in SCW, I know what you can do to this place. I can generate talent…I know all of this may come as a…Shock.
He tried to force a smile, but Ace wasn’t having any of it. He crossed his arms and then uncrossed them; he held them out to either side.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I-Yeah, I mean, hell yeah. A shock? Dick you don’t show up for the last six weeks and then show up and be like, “hey I’m going to Japan, deuces”, what about our agreement? Our contract? You were supposed to be my manager until….
Ace began counting the numbers and days in his head, as he counted, the slow realization came upon his face, a realization that Dick had already come to, and it wasn’t seconds or minutes before Baldwin, he had known about this for a while.
-Dick Weiss:-
Yeah, it ran out this summer, Ace. Everything was going so smooth, I didn’t think it mattered, you know? We were rolling along, but I got offered this job and well…I can’t turn it down. I can’t go back to show-biz and since I can’t, wrestling has turned into a second love for me…You understand…
Ace put his hands to his hips once again and gave in and sighed deeply as he looked to his manager. He looked angry, distraught and upset at the same time. He nodded though and extended a hand to Dick.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
If this is how we have to part ways, backstage after my second win in the SCW, then so be it. I’m not going to sit here and cry and mope about it. I’m living my dream right now, working my way to the top. I can’t say anything about you doing yours….And one day, maybe those dreams will meet somewhere right in the middle, and by God when my music hits and Madison Square Garden goes crazy. I don’t want you to be by my side going to the ring. I want you to be at gorilla position, telling me it’s my time to get out there and do what I do best, entertain and kick ass. Put her there, friend.
Dick smiled and shook Ace’s hand again and pulled him into a hug. They broke apart and Dick began to walk away, Ace watched him, but Dick held up a finger.
-Dick Weiss:-
Ah, before I go in this teary eye’d goodbye. I should tell you, you have a match, two weeks from now against a fellow by the name of Kevin Carter, ever heard of him?
Ace shook his head.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Doesn’t ring a single bell, probably another nobody, just like the last two jackalopes I faced off against. Is he going to be tough?
Dick shrugged.
-Dick Weiss:-
He isn’t your average run of the mill wrestler, he’s got a track record behind him, and I’ve heard he’s pretty damn good…I want you to do something for me, while I’m gone, and my last challenge to you as your manager….Whip his ass.
Ace laughed as Dick nodded and began to walk away but then turned on his heel.
-Dick Weiss:-
Oh, and I may or may not have went ahead and got you another manager for hire, the guy was open so I decided to give him a call, he wasn’t doing anything, but…Yeah, he’s inside.
Ace narrowed his eyes, Dick’s “surprises” usually wasn’t the best, it was usually painfully bad, Dick turned on his heel and disappeared from the hall as Ace walked casually to the door and pushed it open. His mouth gaped open, his eyes widened.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Son of a bitch…”Dynamic” Derek Daniels….
Derek stood in his best suit and tie, far from the cartoon character like figure of Dick Weiss. Derek smirked down at Ace, only his smirk could even match Ace’s. It had been said, Ace was a carbon copy of Derek when he was younger, who had been said to be a spitting image of his trainer in the ring before him. It traveled down the lines of the wrestling school.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
In the flesh, like how you’ve checked up in the last couple of what…Years? Dick gave me a call, and since I’m currently out of a job, and the fact is I don’t want to wrestle right now, nor do I want to join a place like this and steal all your thunder…I’ll manage you…Like I’ve been managed in the past…That is to say, if you want it? I’m not Dick Weiss, but by God with that piss poor managing you became a champion…I can take you to new levels, new heights…Just like I did at one point, because you have it. I didn’t nickname you Ace for nothing, kid. What do you say?
Ace looked around and looked to his mentor, Derek. He had the track record, he had the winning streaks, the money, the women, everything you would want. He knew the business, unlike Dick, inside and outside of the ring. Derek extended his hand, and Ace was quick on taking it.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Fine…Let’s do this….Me and you, Mean Machine School of Wrestling reunited for one cause where it all—
He was cut off because he was hit with a hard forearm from Derek Daniels who had pulled him into it from their handshake. Ace blinked the cobwebs loose as he looked up to Derek Daniels who grinned with a laugh.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yeah, first we cut the nostalgic crap….First lesson is you don’t trust anybody, if this Kevin Carter character offers you a hand are you just going to take it? No, because he’s a cheap shotting bastard and he’s going to try and take your head off in the process.
Ace rubbed his forehead and stood up, Derek actually helped him as Ace sat down in the corner to gather his things, he went behind a curtain to change, he called out from behind it.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Dude, who in the hell is this Kevin Carter you people talk about. Dick mentioned him, I heard some mutterings about him backstage, you mention him. If this guy is such a big deal coming up in two weeks, then who, exactly, is he?
Derek chuckled as he crossed his arms and waited for Ace to emerge, when he did, Ace had on a UNLV shirt with a pair of athletic shorts on, another towel thrown around his neck.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Well, I like the bravado, but the guy is, well, on paper pretty dangerous. This…Is a picture of him, I know you’ve seen him around.
Derek pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed Ace a picture of the open mouthed, faux-hawked Carter who had both arms out to his side. Ace stared at it awkwardly.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
He looks like a tree-frog.
Derek chuckled as he closed the picture and but his phone away and then shrugged.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
He does, look like a tree-frog, and he has the mouth to match. The guy never, ever shuts up about how great he is, reminds me a bit of you actually, except this guy is a bit more delusional than you are. Thinks he’s great because he went undefeated in some WWE rip-off federation.</CENTER
Ace looked up from tying up his Jordan’s.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Eh, sounds about right. I’ll watch some tape on him and his past matches and I’ll let you know what I think about him….Right now, I’ve got to go ice a couple of these wounds, and tomorrow…I still have to find a place in Vegas to stay, staying in a place without a casino is tough to find in Vegas, but after tomorrow, it’s all Kevin Carter, because I’m going to shut him up, once and for all, when I beat the ever loving be-jesus out of him, it’ll be Ace Baldwin who is “CUT THROAT” and I’ll remain undefeated in the SCW…Kevin Carter? He’ll have to tally a loss I guess, sucks to be him.
Derek nodded, the two fist bumped and Ace and Derek headed out into the hallway and into the Vegas night.
-One Week Later-
The lights flickered on inside the Perishing Center in Lincoln Nebraska, as that is where we find “Amazing” Ace Baldwin as he slowly walked to the center of the concrete floor. The multi-purpose arena wasn’t filled with anything, no wrestling ring, no basketball court, no stage at the moment. Just a small riser right dead center of the complex, where Ace walked toward. Ace’s hair was spiked up, he wore a pair of jeans and a cut off sleeved t-shirt sporting the Memphis Grizzlies. He had his hands jammed into his pockets as he walked up to the riser and stepped up on it. He held his hands out.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Kevin Carter…How about a little history lesson for you, because you seem like you may need it. About me, about Ace Baldwin. You seem like the type that don’t know a whole lot about history. In fact you seem quite the opposite. I can tell what type of person you are Kevin Carter by the type of language you use. I’ve watched you, studied you in the course of the last two weeks, and I can tell you aren’t the person that “digs” history. Probably too cool for it. After all, you’ve been involved in the “porn” business for some time, which means you’ve probably been on pornhub.com quite a bit in front of your computer, if that is being in the “porn” business, then…Uh, consider me caught red handed.
He gave a classic smirk and bowed for a moment before he raised his 6’4” frame back up to full height as he spoke.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
The type of person who uses curse words instead of expanding his vocabulary, the type of person who throws the word “faggot” around like you’re some kind of independent wrestling punk who probably thinks it’s “gay” when a man hugs another man or a guy wears pink. I wouldn’t expect nothing less, from a guy like you. Hell, I’m not wearing a white hat, I’m not claiming to be the moral compass of the SCW, we are in Sin City after all, but that doesn’t mean we have to have the IQ and cut promos like we are just breaking into the business, like we are sophomoric, which is exactly what you are Kevin Carter, but I don’t blame you, I blame your lack of knowledge, your lack of history…I have quite a bit of history on you…
He pulled out a list from his pocket that was crumpled up and looked down it, quite the laundry list for Kevin Carter, he had done many, many amazing things outside of the SCW.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
WWER Heavyweight Champion, undefeated, X-Division, Intercontinental, Hardcore, Superstar of the year in 200….Having trouble reading this last number…2006. That’s odd, that’s over seven years ago. Seven years ago, I wasn’t even in this business, gramps. Seven years ago, I was just breaking in, and funny, breaking into this business I didn’t hear a name like Kevin Carter, you know why? Because Kevin Carter is just another, geriatric wanna-be. I’ve harped and harped on people like Carter since I stepped into the SCW, step out of the shadow, be your own man, be your own wrestler, and yet I run into another cookie-cutter, right off the assembly line, tool named Kevin Carter.
Ace put his head in his hand for a moment as he stood atop the risers, he let the piece of paper with Carter’s accomplishments fall to the ground before him.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Dare I add some depth and character to the SCW, dare I add someone the fans can root for that don’t come out and yell at interviewers and bang chicks on the “reg” because you are living the life in some pent house I’m sure while I’m holed up in a cheap hotel trying to live the life of a wrestler, you see it doesn’t make sense, guys like Kevin Carter living the life, while I’m the better man, the better wrestler. I’m different, I’m unique because I don’t clamor to something that I did seven years ago, you know what I did seven years ago? I was 18 and graduating high school. Should I put that on my accomplishments? You’re old news, Carter, you’re just what I’ve mentioned earlier, history. You see, I mention my accomplishments because I’ve done them in, oh, say, the last fifty years. I won the GIW championship last year, I won the MWA title before that six months earlier, I won the EWE international title, the HCW Minuteman title, all in the last couple of months, no less than two years ago, because I’m relevant, you’re not.
Ace smirked as he crossed his arms.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, where you fail is where I succeed. I can admit you have a better track record than me, I can admit my weaknesses, I can admit that maybe, just maybe you were once the better wrestler than me. Going undefeated is tough, especially in a tough fed like the GIW, especially in a place like the MWA, the EWE, and the HCW. Probably not places with rip-off WWE superstars. You list a win over Shawn Michaels, are you kidding, THE Shawn Michaels? Funny, because I looked up and down his biography, looked high and low and could not find a place where it says he had a match of the year in some “WWER” or whatever it was called federation. You’re a phony, a fake. Your stats are padded like you played a bunch of cupcakes.
Ace chuckled a bit at this as he paced back and forth on the riser before he raised his arms out to his side again.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, this place is wrestling history. This place is the Perishing Center in Lincoln Nebraska, where I got my start in wrestling. We didn’t have a “Wrestlemania” or a “X-Divison” champion because, you know we weren’t as generic in the federations I’ve been in and we can actually think up names ourselves, but that is kind of what you’re all about, isn’t it Carter? You’re generic. Even your last name, even your first name. Hell, your finishing moves are straight off a create-a-wrestler on a WWE ’13 game. You’re like watching a player on there who doesn’t know what they are doing but his the running grapple the whole time, you literally have the two WORST finishing moves of all time, the SUPER KICK and the CANDIAN DESTORYER. Plus, you’ve always gotta’ be the coolest, hippest guy in the room, of course you do, you’re that, generic guy.
He rubbed his chin for a moment.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, I won the MWA title in this building, it wasn’t in front of 30,000, because let’s face it as much as you want to pretend you are something, you’re not. You’re a independent wrestler, and that is putting it lightly. If you were something you wouldn’t be in the SCW working for hot dogs and handshakes, you wouldn’t be in the GIW, the FEW, the EWE, you’d be in the TNA, you’d be in the WWE, you’d be in the ROH, the NJPW, SOMETHING, but you’re not, you’re not because you’re just like the rest of them, average. I won that average title in front of about a thousand fans, who love pro wrestling, I was never pretending I was something I’m not, like you. That’s why I brought you here, back to my roots, because your roots are imaginary. You think you are something you aren’t. You can’t blaze your own trail and that is evident by the very music you walk to the ring with.
Ace smacked his lips with a laugh.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, I’m dealing with a guy who has a shooting star press and a spring board 450 splash in his move-set, because you know, it’s Kevin Carter. This isn’t Madison Square Garden, this isn’t Cowboys Stadium, this is the Perishing Center, this is where I made it, and I’m not afraid to admit it, because at least the MWA could think of better titles, and the competition wasn’t some knockoff, Shawn Michaels guy who has a gut and a mustache, this is the real deal, this is wrestling…And Kevin Carter…I’m about to show you wrestling.
He smirked wide.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Because you know what? I’m not good enough to be in the TNA, to be in the WWE, but you know where I am good enough to be? In the ring, in the SCW. I am a better wrestler than you, I am a better man than you, and I damn sure, have a lot more ability than you in that ring. But you see, I’m not going to pull my dick out and have a pissing contest with you, no, that’s impossible to win with a guy who makes up stuff, I prefer to show you what I’m made of in the ring, I’m not prepared to beat you at this point, I’m prepared to slaughter you, to maim you, and show you why you need to pack it up and go back home, because you don’t have what it takes to be in the ring with Ace Baldwin, you don’t have what it takes to deal with the echelon of the SCW.
Ace stepped off the platform and then back on, balancing on the side as he spoke and took one small step at a time across the mini-stage.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see, don’t take it personally when I beat you in the middle of the ring, or I beat you because I beat a count, or I beat you by submission, or my DQ, however I beat you, I’m going to do it. The history books will show a win. I don’t want this to be a lesson just to you that you need to stop biting off more than you can chew, I want this to be a lesson to all of the SCW, I want this to be a moment that the SCW locker room stops, they pause and they look and they realize that Ace Baldwin is not just coming for Kevin Carter, this whole thing, Kevin is bigger than you. It’s bigger than your pathetic little thing you call an ego, it’s bigger than your lies about your fame and your fortune.
He took a deep breath and inhaled, then exhaled.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
And hell, I commend you for coming into this thinking you stand a chance against me. I commend you for coming in pretending that I’m some sort of underdog, but that’s where you messed up, Carter. I’m not an underdog, I’m THE dog, and I’m coming for every spot, every single title, every single bit of fame, and fortune I can get in the SCW, and I’m going to fight, tooth and nail to get it, and when I do. I’m never, letting go. I’m not going to piss away my legacy like you did, people will know the name Ace Baldwin, and unlike they know the name Kevin Carter.
Ace finished as he looked around the Nebraska home where he had his first taste of success, it wasn’t in some kind of triple stacked hell in a cell, he didn’t have to dive off a cage, his wrestling skills and ability got him there, got him to where he was today…
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You see this thing isn’t rocket science, no matter how much your pea-sized brain thinks this is hard to comprehend. This isn’t “cut throat” this is the truth. I’m not lying, I’m telling the truth, this has been a history lesson, and our match on Sunday will be a history lesson, because I’m about to show the world, what happens when I put the old man out to pasture, because I’m not lucky, I’m not an ass-kisser, I’m amazing…In every sense of the word….
Ace winked and walked off the platform, the lights in the Perishing Center went off as Ace Baldwin walked out of the building and into the sunny, Nebraska day.
*OOC: Few coding issues was the edit, nothing word or correction wise.
