Phoenix, Arizona. Wednesday.
There's some gym on a compound in Scotsdale that an old wrestler owns. Back in the late 90's is was a hip spot for the best and brightest up and comers in the world of professional wrestling to go to train, sharpen their skills and break through to the top of the business. These days it doesn't get a lot of use. As a wrestling school it's fallen into disuse and has closed it's doors. Only a small group of people ever show up here now. A small group of guys who were once known as Youngblood, now all retired sometimes drop by here to remember the 'Good Ol Days' or for a select few to actually put in a workout and stay in shape. The owner, a former multi-time World Champion in his own right still lives in the adjacent mansion and keeps the gym in good working order. Other than those few, there is only one other that still uses the gym known as the Youngblood Compound.
Blade Alexander sits on a bench in the old gym, elbows resting on his thighs, sights set squarely on the ground. In the background can be see a ring from the now defunct London based IIW. Blade seems oblivious to the world around him and the camera in his face until a familiar hand comes to rest on his shoulder.
Voice: What are you lost in this time, son?
Blade looks up to see the face of his father, former wrestling superstar Zavier Alexander, who takes a seat beside him on the bench.
Zavier: You seem rather sullen for a guy with a championship match in a couple days.
Blade: Not like it's that big of a deal, it's the SCW Championship.
Zavier: A Championship is still a championship.
Blade: Not in SCW where everything is made up on the fly and the titles are meaningless.
The elder Alexander shakes his head and gives a stiff slap to the back of his son's head.
Blade: What's the big deal!
Zavier: Haven't you learned better than that by now? There are NO meaningless Championships, just meaningless champions.
Blade: Yeah well in that respect I'm facing the king of them all.
Zavier: That may be true, but he's still the champion and until someone better comes along and beats him then it's going to look like he's the best that company has to offer. Despite what anyone says to the contrary, on the surface just by having that belt, it looks like Spike Staggs is the best in SCW.
Blade: Looks are very fucking deceiving. The last time he had the best match on the card he was in the ring against me. The last time he was relevant was when he was talking about me.
Zavier: All that is well and good to get upset about, but every time you get in that ring against him, and his title is on the line and you don't care about it then he exploits that, beats you and looks all the better for it. You have to stop that from happening. Even if you think that title means nothing...
Blade: I KNOW it means nothing.
Zavier: Doesn't matter what it means to you. All that matters is what it means to him. He puts all the importance in the world in that thing. It's his most prized possession. I know he'll says it's his woman or his kids or whatever, but I know you can see through that. It's that belt that matters to him. Take it and he breaks. Break him and the world is yours.
Blade: It's still just so hard to get into winning the title knowing that it's importance will be squandered. I've been in SCW long enough to know. I could win that thing but each and every week all we'll see on TV is Spike Staggs and his ever changing circus. Mark Ward's ego continues unchecked out of control, Christian does something stupid to make SCW look like it's still the bush leagues and Erik walks around in a suit trying to convince people that he's boss too.
Zavier: That only happens if you let it. Take the title and stop it. It's that easy. A wrestling promotion's most prized possession is it's champion. Stop letting people think its Spike. Letting him get away with all he does has led to the worst product that company has ever put out. Now he's got a shot at the NWA World Title too? Is that the sort of legacy that wrestling should have?
Blade: Over my dead body.
Zavier: That's my point, son. That's the way you should be feeling about it. Stop sitting back feeling apathetic towards it all. Sure you're doing great in ACW. You even are breaking into WCCW, but every time those guys see you, regardless of where you come from, they're going to think of you as an SCW guy, and as long as Spike Staggs is champion they're going to think of you as second best to him. You can wrestle circles around that kid, we both know you can. But you can also talk circles around him. Don't hold back. Don't just poke fun and go the easy route like you did last time. Cut him to bits. Show those SCW fuckheads what wrestling is all about. Win this match before you even step foot in a ring.
Blade: It's not so easy.
Zavier: Don't give me that shit! It is for you! Look at last week. You buried that guy Frost. You didn't fuck about just talking trash about his titles or his partner, you got right to the heart of the matter. You put him in his place, you cut right to the heart of things. Before he faced you he was a mysterious enigma taking SCW by storm. Now he's just a coward in a mask. You beat him in your promo so badly when it came time for the match he was already done. That's what you have to do to Spike. That's what you have to do to save SCW, and believe me, it needs saving. You know Spike can't do it, hes a failure. Get yourself together. Do you, don't let their bullshit bring you down to their level. Give SCW the champion it needs. It's been a long time coming.
Fade.
Laughlin, Nevada. Thursday.
Inside the Edgewater hotel now are numerous business people and ambitious gamblers all going about their lives. In the background though there's a buzz in the air about the upcoming Climax Control event from SCW. Nearby there is a banner advertising the event and the full card (subject to change). And there, standing in front of, looking up at the banner is challenger to the SCW Championship, Blade Alexander.
“I've thought quite a bit on my father's words over the last twenty-four hours. Be the champion SCW needs. Kind of heavy handed in it's Dark Knight sort of way, but it might ring true nonetheless. Take a look at this undercard for instance.”
He points to the section of the light up poster board featuring the Blast From The Past tournament.
“Here we have this tournament. Mixed tag. Not too shabby in it's own right, but Blast from the Past? What the fuck is that on about? Maybe Christian Underwood is living in a parallel reality, but I don't ever remember Mildred Burke making the hot tag to Frank Gotch. It's fucking ridiculous. You want a mixed tag match tourney find, you want wild card partners, cool, but don't label it after something it's clearly not. Blast from the fucking Past. That's hilarious. The whole SCW is a blast from the fucking past.”
Not for nothing Blade's proficient use of expletives have started to draw some looks from some of the hotel's other guests and they're bringing it to the attention of hotel staff.
“Antiquated rules barring guys from fighting women. A special championship that mocks the hardcore foundations of the sport held by a guy not even old enough to drink. Trannys, crossdressers... Congratulations SCW you've succeeded in dragging professional wrestling back to its' circus roots. But you think it all makes up for it because you can do the circus bigger and grander than it has ever been done before, but that's not the way it works, it just makes us look WORSE.”
“Maybe that's what you're trying to do though. Maybe you're going to chalk up lat Sunday's disaster of a show to Super Bowl Sunday, feel you're validated and keep SCW heading down it's toilet. If that's what you want, fine. But there's just one problem, not all of us are willing to go peacefully.”
“You want to drag us down you'll have to do it kicking and screaming. Some of us are fed up with it all and we're to the point where fighting back seems like a pretty good option.”
He looks up again, seeing his face across from that of Spike Staggs, who has the phrase SCW Champion underneath his portrait.
“Right there is where the problem starts. Having that buffoon as the face of our company. No wonder we're a circus promotion, the monkey-boy is our leader. That's a fucking joke in itself.”
In the background a rather uppity looking man with a pencil thin moustache and thinning hair wearing a blazer with the hotel's logo starts to make his way over.
“Dance monkey, dance. Drown SCW in your monkey shit! Go ahead boy, hurl your verbal feces at everyone who can hear you!”
Just then the man arrives, tugging on the sleeve of Blade's jacket.
Hotel Guy: Excuse Monsieur, but your language is not fit for this hotel, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
Blade: Excuse me, you John Walters looking gestapo, cram it and get back behind your desk. I have a room here.
Hotel Guy: That is all well Monsieur, but at least try not to profane while in our lobby some of our other guests are starting to complain...
Blade: Some of your guests are starting to complain about your phony french accent too but you seem to be keep that up anyway.
Hotel Guy: Well I never!
Blade: Had a french lesson in your life? It shows. Beat it Jeeves.
Hotel Jeeves: Monsieur!
Blade: Hey, I warned you about that!
Hotel Jeeves: Sir! At least try to keep your cursing to a minimum!
Blade: Yeah? Whatever. Beat it.
Blade waves his hands sending the uptight hotel receptionist scurrying off.
“That was rude. Now where was I?”
He looks up at the sign again, seeing the giant back-lit picture of Spike Staggs.
“Right, that guy. The guy who called himself the most noble champion in SCW history. Because there's a lot of nobility in calling out someone who you know doesn't care about your title. Right. Because there's nobility in giving a title shot to your friend when you know he's worked for it, then after it gets ruined by guys you ran your mouth off to, you don't bother giving him a rematch because well, he was about to beat you for that title. Then you get upset when he gets fed up with your shit. Noble”
“Or maybe dogging a rematch with the guy you beat for that title is noble? Or it's that everyone trash talks you and you remain clueless as to why, that makes you noble. Like a baboon. Or wait, maybe Spike, your nobility lies in you spoofing me and in your scathing parody revealing your own obvious flaws, that's your nobility? Right?”
“Or maybe it's just that you can't recognize what's obvious to everyone else.”
He turns away from the poster to face the camera.
“You suck Spike Staggs. It's really just that simple. You claim I'm a douche just because I say things that make people upset. I'm supposed to get upset that you think that way, but mostly I kinda just feel bad for you. Other people's opinions on what I say don't really effect me that what. I say the truth. Most people can't handle or don't want to face that. There's nothing more to it than that.”
“You say I only say those things to get noticed, because I don't have a storyline. That's the moment at which everyone left who had respect for you lost it, not that you'd recognize that. A storyline Spike. No, I don't have one. I have life. I have reality. I don't fuck various bombshells because I actually have a life. If I did have a relationship with any one of them you and the masses would never know because it's a fucking relationship stupid, not a storyline. I don't need to exploit getting sex for people to have interest in me. I can just cut a promo on TV and say what I think and have people more engaged that all you and your drama ever could. That's why you challenged me a few weeks ago. You're jealous that I don't have to live my life like a soap opera to get attention.”
“And the worst thing you did was ADMIT that's what you do. You said it yourself, Spike, storyline, never before has one word been so damning to someone's life and career. I don't have a storyline, but obviously you do. That's what you think of Vixen. She's just the latest of the stupid women you've been able to find in your life that think you have real feelings for them when all along you only think of her as a storyline. And it's not the first time you've done this. How many women do you have kids with? How many women thought you'd settle down with them after they popped out one of your bastards. You're such a shallow ass-hat that you probably went along with the whole having kids thing because you figured it would make you a more interesting character!”
“That's how you think of yourself isn't it? You're not a person, your a fucking character! I'm not some character, Spike. I'm a person. And even after all the trash I talk I think more highly of other people that I'm not going to go having kids and dragging other people's emotions through the mud just to make myself a more interesting character. That's why you're losing your grip on reality Spike. You've gone through such pains dragging all your life out in front of the camera that you've become nothing more than a character. You've ruined every relationship you've had because you don't know where to draw the line. You think everything that happens in your life is great fodder for cutting a promo for SCW.”
“It sure as hell is enough to make you the poster boy for SCW. Why the hell not right? If you're going to live it all out on the screen let's put this guy on every picture. It's like SCW is the Trueman Show featuring Spike Staggs. But what has that done to you personal? It's blown up ever single relationship you've ever had. It's why you're on your third version of NXT already.”
“Sooner or later Spike, those around you start to figure out what you really think of them. Sooner or later they catch on that to you, people are just characters and their lives are just your storylines to follow along in until people don't feel for them anymore or your character needs 'spicing up'. And then you wonder why people turn on you. You wonder why no one respects you despite your accomplishments. It's because to you this whole thing is just a fucking game. You may have the masses cheering for you now, but you're no shallower than you ever have been.”
“You claimed you started NXT to further the careers of young people in SCW, but the only benefit has come once they find out that you're really only in it for yourself and they stab you in the back. Face facts Spike, the only reason reason why you bitch and moan about it is because they did to you what you were going to do to them. You're just pissed they got the drop on you.”
He looks up at the illuminated poster again where you can see part of the SCW Championship belt resting over the shoulder of Spike.
“And now you really think that next time they print one of these up you're going to be a double champion? You think someone like you is talented enough to come away a double champion? You're not even making it to WrestleClassic as the SCW Champion, Spike! It's time you woke the fuck up and smelled the roses! Better than that, it's time I woke the fuck up and started putting people like you in your place!”
“You feed on apathy, you feed on opportunity to claim titles when champions are weak and people aren't looking. You think Nick Jones was stronger when he faced you? Face facts, stupid! Nick needed Mark and everyone else around him by the time you faced him! When I faced Nick he was strong enough to stand on his own.”
“Then you have the audacity to make it seem like Climax Control wasn't good enough for you to show up? For YOU? You're epic half-assery as champion is EXACTLY what put SCW in the place it is now! You think you can really lead this company on the two tours it wants to go on this year? You can't even lead a group of five people without them imploding. You can't lead the entire NWA, it's not in you Spike. You were LUCKY when you won the NWA World Title and everyone in the world knows it!”
“You want us all to think you're that fucking good, but we've already woken up to the fact that you're just not that good. Your friends in NXT let you abuse them for months before they left. Soon you'll probably end up knocking up Vixen then leaving her for someone younger and hotter the way you always do and Spike Staggs will have more bastard children and more evil exs to his name. Good for you Spike, but NONE of it makes you the person you think you are in your head!”
“Instead Spike, why don't you do what you always do. Come on TV with your little promo about your women and your kids and your friends all turning on you. Whine about respect the way you always fucking do and you sit their and wallow in despair over how everyone leaves you no matter how well you do. Then ignore everything I say and do because I'm not a 'character' and I don't have a 'storyline' and dismiss me as a bore because I'm just out here telling you the things you're too fucking scared to hear and too afraid to tell yourself even though each and every one of them are true. You around you spike when all you have is your shiny gold belt and realize for the first time in your fucking life that winning titles and selling t-shirts doesn't translate to love and respect the way you think it does. You're a fucking sell out Spike because once upon a time you were a lot like me, but then one day you sold yourself out all for the adulation of a bunch of people that need to be told what they like because their too stupid to decide for themselves.”
“When you were on my side of the fence you set yourself up a bunch of rules that you thought were how that side operated, but now that you're over there living that way you're all sad because you've found out that's not how it works. People don't actually like when you treat them like shit all for the sake of making your life interesting, Spike. All they care is that you treat them the way you feel about them. You talk trash about how I treat the bombshells. I trash talk them because one day if people like you don't kill it first, SCW is going to grow and the girls and guys are really going to mix it up in the ring. I'm looking forward to it. That's why I do what I do. You can say anything you want, but you put your life on film buddy, and every time you do the world sees what you really think of women. You treat them like gold when they're young and hot but the minute after they've pushed out a few of your kids and the weight of life with a piece of shit like you starts to wear them down and it shows then you kick them to the curb, call them a crazy bitch and move on.”
“You're the fucking crazy one Spike, and the cracks are starting to show. You think you're going to wind up a double champion, but you're going to look like a fucking idiot when you walk into WrestleClassic, already broken and title-less. My dad was right, Spike. It's about time I get off the bench and back into the game. On the very first Climax Control I set a bar so god-damned high that losers like you could never reach it. Ever since then it's just been getting lower and lower till now when it's just wallowing in the muck of avarice. Now things are so low thanks to self-centered assholes like you Spike that a place like SCW, which should be a giant global company by now, is going to wither and die unless someone saves it. You've been champion long enough. You're part of the problem. It's time to cut out the cancer.
Cut.
