Monday 15th July 2019 – Somewhere in the desert…
The scene opens to an old abandoned warehouse out in the desert, complete with smashed windows, graffiti-soaked walls and the unmistakably eerie sounds of silence. We feel the slight camera sway as it moves in the direction of the building, one side of the shot filled by Dev Khatri, who can be seen walking gingerly towards the structure, clearly contemplating what poor life choices he’d made to put himself in this situation. As he and the camera make their way inside the gap where a sliding garage door had once been, he calls out into the abyss.
Dev: Dragon? You in here?
The Dragon: Hey Dev, thanks for coming.
The unmistakable British accent echoes around the desolate building from out of the darkness, almost booming as it rushes to fill the empty space.
Dev: Why are you in the da...not this again…
The Dragon: I left the night vision goggles at home, don’t worry, I just want to shoot a regular…
The camera is unmoving but the sound of crunching glass underfoot is heard as Dev Khatri disappears out of shot and makes a break for it, his voice trailing away as he opens up distance between the building and himself.
Dev: Hell no, I’m not paid enough for thiiiiiis…
The Dragon: Dev...mate...DEV! BIG D! Aww...is the cameraman still here?
Cameraman: Yeah, Dragon.
The Dragon: Cool. I mean, I guess I can make it work...
We hear a squeal of tyres from outside of the building.
Cameraman: Hey man, any chance I can catch a ride back with you after this? Big D just took my wheels...
The Dragon: Oh yeah, sure thing! Just make sure all this gets edited out for me yeah? Just make it seem like everything just went to plan.
Cameraman: Uhhh yeah, we can do that.
The Dragon: Cool. It’s just my first time on Climax Control, I want it to be perfect, you know?
Cameraman: Yeah sure thing man, start when you're ready.
Taking his cue, the silhouette of a man appears out of the dark, with each step it becomes clearer that the voice belonged to Mark "The Dragon" Cross, now officially enjoying his holiday from Sin City Underground. He is dressed in jeans and a Fire Dragons t-shirt.
The Dragon: I like to hang out in abandoned buildings sometimes. It's strange, I know, but I've made a habit out of being unorthodox, so you'll just have to go with me on this one. It's not about having a quiet place to think, as such…there are much better options for that…but more about a chance to reflect, to get some perspective on life and what’s truly important.
Mark takes a moment to assess the scenery around him, kneeling down to survey a few of the shards of broken glass laying on the ground.
The Dragon: Take the phrase "it's a house, not a home" and let's think about that for just a second. I mean, what is a house anyway? Four walls and a roof...if you're lucky, of course. This old factory, four walls and a roof. A wrestling gym, an arena, that bar where you picked up a genuine 11/10 and took her home that one time when you were in Tulsa, different shapes, different sizes, different materials, but every time the same outcome - it's all just four walls and a roof. What makes them different from each other, and why do we place such importance in buildings in the first place?
Mark throws the piece of glass in his hand to the side, standing back up to his feet, taking another few steps closer to the camera.
The Dragon: Is it the people? The stories, the memories? Was it over in that corner where an employee lost a hand and changed the course of a life forever, or a Christmas party where two co-workers became romantically involved after a few too many drinks, went on to get married, maybe started a family...or is it just what you see in front of you now, bricks and mortar, an empty shell, a blank canvas. I feel like this place lost all importance when the company moved on to pastures new, maybe to come up in conversation here or there, but generally forgotten about, discarded and left to fall into an ever-worsening state of disrepair, potentially to never be restored back to its former glory.
He kicks out to the side, sending pieces of glass flying with a satisfying, high-pitched sound as they come to fall some distance away.
The Dragon: I think about wrestling, this sport that consumed my life and comfortably filled the gap left by the end of my NFL career in pretty quick succession. I've met a lot of wrestlers, worked with them, fought against them, and it strikes me just how many of are just like this building. Hollow, empty, just going through the motions collecting pay check after pay check, putting themselves and their bodies through senseless punishment, anything to avoid having to take a "regular job" just to keep sticking it to their parents many years later…sometimes I think they force themselves to get up one more time in the hope I’ll hit them so damn hard that it’ll bring their whole life to an end I mean fucking COME ON have a bit of respect for yourself, seriously...
Mark smacked the back of his left hand against his palm, the sound echoing through the emptiness.
The Dragon: See, I vow to never be like one of these ruined, dilapidated old buildings. The very thought of having nothing to drive me, to inspire me, it makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. What I do means in this industry means something. My life has a purpose. It isn't just a job. It doesn't pay the bills. In fact, I didn't need the money from the very first time I laced up a pair of wrestling boots, yet it's still the reason I get up at 6am every morning for a run, or why I swallow down a foul tasting protein shake instead of bacon piled high on a stack of...well that's a lie I still eat pancakes on a Sunday...but those shakes taste HORRIBLE most of the time, even the 'coffee' flavour ones, I mean that's not like any caramel macchiato I've ever tasted, but still. I’m not living for the pay day. I’m living for the victory. That’s what gets my blood pumping.
We see the Brit take a moment to compose himself with a few deep breaths as he stares idly at the floor for a moment or two, his eyes returning back to the camera shortly after.
The Dragon: So what kind of win exactly, does it matter? That's the right question. I mean, so what if Team Eggplant think we're a bunch of nobodies from the lesser brand, they dropped their titles like a hot potato when all was said and done, why waste time on them anyway? Maybe they’re the nobodies now, the has-beens. Surely storming through the tournament is priority, hold the title myself, make them come and try to take it, shut them down then and prove to be the rightful champion. I mean, yeah I guess, but my crosshair is still locked on them, and it’s probably for the same reason I climbed in a ring with one working arm to face the guy that broke the other one...I won that match by the way...A lot of people say I've carved a career out of "upsetting the odds", but the trouble is, the odds have been upset so often in the last decade that it's not really a surprise any more, and where’s the fun in that? The Fire Dragons winning the Mixed Tag titles, given my history, that’s almost predictable. Let’s call it what it is, these days. I take just as much pride swooping in out of nowhere and royally fucking someone's day up, just because I can.
Mark shrugs at the camera, almost apologetically.
The Dragon: I was told by my ex-wife that I struggled to be emotionally available, believe it or not, which is probably part of the reason she's an ex in the first place, if we’re being honest. She misunderstood that part of me, and it wasn’t out of a lack of caring, or a lack of observation, but I work in a pragmatic way and would always jump to the practical solution, how could we make it better, rather than spend the time sitting with the feelings. For example, I watch Sierra Williams, she doesn't get the opponents she wants, she's angry and upset, and the last thing she wants is some practical thinker like me looking at the situation from afar and being all like "oh don't worry just train harder and win some more matches and stuff and you'll get there"
Mark steps closer to the camera, staring down the barrel of the lens, lowering his voice.
The Dragon: ...but the thing is, I do get how she feels, I completely do. I will emphasize with her and with Lachlan as they trudge off the ship, defeated, pushed even further back in their quest to recapture the tag team gold that they managed to let slip, every time the subject of concentrating on solo careers, maybe even a new place to ply their trade. I can picture it now. I'm feeling the feelings with them, I imagine how heart-wrenching that situation must be…and I'm doing it with a silly smirk on my face knowing that it was all my fault. Would I like to come over to the big show, win the tournament, take the Mixed Tag Team titles? Of course I would. Putting Kane and Williams in their place after writing us off? I think that means even more to me. You see, this is where my 110% comes from. Every match is important. I give every training session my all, and more often than not, that'll be enough to get the job done against most guys on most rosters. Any match is a must-win in my eyes, but some of them are more must-win than others. Title matches, that much is obvious, but a chance at revenge, even just the chance to shut up some kid who needs to talk less and wrestle more, that makes the victory taste so much sweeter. Every one makes me hit harder, or hoist higher, or dig deeper to get up and keep fighting on.
Again Mark steps closer to the camera, more fire in his eyes than on his “Fire Dragons” team shirt
The Dragon: Talent is just one small part in it. A lot of kids have talent. In Faith Simpson I've trained one for the last 4 years, show her a move once and she can execute it flawlessly, without really thinking about it, sickening really. I've fought many like her over the years, often it’s kids in bad situations who ride it just far enough to get out of where they're living, or the bad crowd they fell into, they start to get that big pay day...and then what? It becomes all about the cars and the fancy watches. That thing that drove them to eek out every bit of juice that their talent could muster suddenly goes away...as soon as they have the cold hard cash in their hands. I mean I get it; money absolutely buys you happiness, no matter what they tell you but it's not the best for making you come back for more.
I am the wrestling world's complete package. Peak physical conditioning. An unshakeable work ethic. Money didn’t change me. I've practiced every move in my locker hundreds, maybe thousands of times, and I've probably seen any situation you could throw at me in a ring just as many. I have a Plan A, a Plan B, a Plan C, and if those fail I'll just freestyle it until my hand is raised aloft in victory anyway. I have speed, power, agility, and I'm always working in the gym to try and unlock a little more. I may not be the most entertaining outside of the ring, but I'm one of the last anyone wants to face in it. Don't believe me? Watch a few matches. Look at my record. See who I've beaten, and in just how highly regarded a lot of the names on that list are in wrestling circles, then come back and challenge me on that. You know what my biggest dilemma is going to be in 2019? How the return to the Underground is going to happen when we're Mixed Tag Team champions over here. Double-shifts, anyone?
Mark raises his arms aloft, his head tilted, leaving the question hanging as the scene fades out.
Wednesday 17th July – Miami, FL
The scene opens to 'The Dragon's Lair', the Miami training base of Mark Cross and Faith Simpson, along with a rag-tag variety of grapplers that have also called the building home since it was opened four or five years ago. The building is well equipped with weight area, a full-size ring and punch bags of varying shapes and sizes. It is empty aside from Mark, stood in the centre of the ring and Faith, on the outside, leaning on one of the corner posts.
The Dragon: So...say Val's just smashed your face against the side of the ring...you're dazed...
Faith: She wouldn't.
The Dragon: Why not?
Faith: She’d never catch me. I'm too fast.
The Dragon: But what if she did?
Faith: Nope.
The Dragon: But what if she had to.
Faith: Not happening.
The Dragon: Ok who do you want it to be?
Faith: Ummmmmm...John Blade.
The Dragon: Greatest wrestler in all time and space, good choice. So…he smashes you face first into the ring...
Faith: Uh-huh...
Playing up to the part, Faith begins to stagger around, holding her forehead. Taking off at a fast run, Mark bounces off the ropes and charges towards the opposite apron, launching from one leg into a corkscrew flip to the outside...
Faith: Oh fuuuuu...
Faith suddenly gave up on the "dazed and confused" look when she saw her mentor, normally the epitome of solid technical wrestling rotating through the air towards her like your regular garden-variety adrenaline junkie. A split second later, she finds herself skidding across the gym floor from a perfectly executed hurricanrana, eventually rolling to a halt in front of one of the Lair's heavy bags.
The Dragon: You weren’t 2fast4that.
Faith: So...why would you ever need that?
The Dragon: You know I like backup plans! Plus you never know when you need to catapult an opponent on the outside into a barricade!
Faith: Gonna need them if you keep up this Fire Dragons thing...
The Dragon: Still not sold on Val then?
Mark reaches for his bottle of water and towel from the side of the ring. Dusting herself off, Faith walks over to join him.
Faith: Well...she's winning me over, I mean she's waaaaaaay better than I was expecting when I first heard your choice of partner, from what people were saying on forums anyway, I just...I dunno...
The Dragon: Wish you were out there instead?
Faith: Umm...kinda? I know it's what you told me to do, but I think I enjoy focussing on just singles anyway. Just seems odd seeing you out there with anyone else, especially when it’s not a superstar, leaves me wondering if I could have done better if you’re not winning every match?
The Dragon: I think that's natural, a bit of the fear-of-missing-out thing, even when you've got enough to worry about as it is? That's exactly how I feel when I can't make it to one of your matches.
Mark swats at Faith playfully with the towel.
Faith: Really? I can look after myself you know!
She responds by punching him on the arm.
The Dragon: Ow! Yeah, I know! Me too, doesn't mean it can't feel odd not being there.
Faith: ...yeah I guess you're right. Anyways, wanna go over this match footage then?
The Dragon: ...it still feels odd you going over my match footage...
The pair turn and start walking away from the ring and towards a side room. What had originally been an office had been kitted out with monitors and editing equipment for going over match footage. It was where wrestlers from ‘The Lair’ probably spent as much time as they did in the main gym, game-planning being key to their ethos.
Faith: Oh shush, how many times have you done this for me!?! I've got some really good stuff. You know they didn't even put their team name on the card?
The Dragon: ...they have a team name?
Faith: Have you done any research yet!?! It's Culture Shock.
The Dragon: Culture Shock, got it. Jack Asher lost to Lachlan Kane, can we start there?
Faith: One step ahead of you. If you want Kane and Williams, you can't lose to opponents they’ve already put away. If you guys don’t pick up the W here you may as well use the rest of your holiday to top up your tan. Or watch some of my matches.
Faith brings up the match from Climax Control 237 from back in May, which has already been edited down to the key moments.
The Dragon: Alright, point taken. How’s his mindset after the loss to Kane?
Faith: More fragile than normal, maybe. Looking at his comments on social media, he’s putting a lot of weight on Emmie stepping up to the plate and doing the job out there. Could also mean he’ll come out of the blocks firing to try and put you away, I mean even after the loss he doesn’t seem like a guy short on confidence.
The Dragon: Either/or, I can work with that.
Faith: Exactly – You know what Strong Style brings to the table, technical and powerful. If he comes after you, wait for him to overextend, and make it HURT.
The Dragon: And if he doesn’t, just go on the offensive anyway, pile on any feelings of doubt he had from that last loss and send him scurrying back to the corner, bring Emmie Ward into the picture. How does she match up against Val?
Faith: Ehhh…
The Dragon: Hit me with it.
Faith: Not that well, honestly. First, she’s going to be unpredictable. Emmie’s a speed demon. Compared to me? She’s almost half a foot shorter, she doesn’t have the same leverage, and her ground game is improving but still leaves a lot to be desired, so it’s not like she’s going to outclass either of you - Val’s got to get hold of her first, that’s the problem, and that’s the key match-up to this whole thing. If Valentina can keep her head and lay hands on Emmie, she needs to use her size advantage and do big damage. You know the haymaker knockout punch? That. But maybe with some kinda grappling move, ya know?
The Dragon: She’s hurting, in comes Jack Asher, probably frustrated that he has to bail out another failed partnership, over to me, ready to fight fire with fire. Plus, I had to deal with you at your most predictable, so if I end up in there against Emmie I should be able to follow the same game plan. Anything I need to worry about with Asher?
Faith: Talented amateur wrestling background, got good submissions, he’s the real deal and he’s championship quality, so don’t expect an easy ride with him but you’ve beaten so many guys like him in the past, this is no different. You’re not in a cage, it’s a tag match, and Val could break up a submission hold with Emmie hanging all over her there’s such a difference in height between those two. He’s going to struggle to use his strengths out there, just make sure it’s you vs him.
The Dragon: Think they’ll be prepared for us?
Faith: Judging by Twitter, I doubt it – It sounds like they think of you as two nobodies from the B show. Maybe that’s all part of the act, but if they have the slightest clue about what you’ve done in the past, they haven’t let on so far. Emmie’s too inexperienced to try and get by without a proper game plan, but she’s probably too green to know how to make one, and chances are Asher’s been so sick of her hanging around lately they won’t be hanging out together watching tape.
The Dragon: Got it. Thanks Faith, that’s a great start.
Faith: No worries! I’ll keep at it, see what else I can find.
Satisfied with the first video session, Mark steps up from the desk and heads to the doorway, making a few further strides along the wall before stopping, leaning back against the wall as he faces the camera.
The Dragon: This is going to be an interesting contest. I didn’t expect the red carpet to be rolled out for us as we fly the flag for Sin City Underground, far from it, and we will have to be on our game to bring the victory home for the budget brand, the B team, the nobodies, whatever derogatory term you want to call us. Jack the Gripper and Emmie the Kid stand in our way from a spot in the semi-finals, it’s a close call…but I’m confident we can bring this one home.
Mark taps the wall twice with his fist.
The Dragon: Emmie Ward…you remind me of someone. A lightning-quick high flyer, young, inexperienced, fresh to the sport, with a family name to live up to and a bit of pedigree to go along with that bloodline. Faith here came to me four years ago, a raw untapped talent, unbelievable levels of natural ability, she could flow through move after move on instinct, barely able to explain how she was doing the things that she was. To be honest, it didn’t matter half the time, she’d blitz through opponents before they could even manage to lay a finger on her. We didn’t need a game plan for her. Faith won her first match aged fifteen, her first title at sixteen, and she’s gone on to continue that success from then on. We train together virtually daily, we try and come up with new tricks every week to try and catch the other off-guard. Sometimes it even works. Faith’s quick to tell opponents that she’s “2fast4u” and you know what? Most of the time she’s right. It takes a lot of effort to lay a hand on her when she’s in full flight, but at least I can say I’ve had plenty of chances to practice, and plenty of times I can say I was fast enough to catch her.
Mark points a thumb in the direction of the video room he’d just left.
The Dragon: Faith? She’s four years further along the line than you are in your career. She knows what holding a title feels like. She knows how to defend one. She knows how to react when things aren’t going all her way, and she can adapt. She’s three, four years more technical. She’s years more physically honed to the rigours of the wrestling industry. I get it, you’re raw. You’re full of surprises, you’re unpredict…oh wait, you remember what I just said, about how you remind me of someone? It turns out, I’ve spent years preparing to face someone like you. I just didn’t know it yet. I don’t want to dismiss you out of turn, but you’re missing some tools that will come with time…and contrary to the belief of your teammate, you can’t carry the show against us.
Mark stretches out a little, feeling the effects of the training session.
The Dragon: So that brings me to Jack Asher. Don’t worry Jack, I won’t tar you with the same brush as most do, the pretty little rich boy that never had to work a day in his life. I know your four State championships won’t have come from fluke. You will have had to work hard, had the skills to back it up too clearly, and from everything that comes out of your mouth, we know you back yourself. That’s fair. Overconfidence? Probably. I don’t know if you know much about me…I don’t know if you even care, so let me give you a free pointer or two before we step into a ring together, in case you didn’t think me worthy enough to watch any tape of my matches.
The Dragon pushes himself up from the wall.
The Dragon: It’s guys like you that bring out my very best in the squared circle, you keep me honest. Trivia question while we’re at it - Which country in the world is responsible for the most sales of Mark “The Dragon” Cross merchandise. Is it here, in the United States, where I’ve spent the majority of my career? No. England, my home country? Guess again. Maybe Japan, where wrestling is considered a pure art form and the “showmanship” that we’re most known for in the US is frowned upon. Yup, the land of the Rising Sun. I say this, because you know ring craft. You can construct a match. You talk a good game, but you wrestle a better one, and so do I. Nobody likes a show-off, and most think I’m pretty boring, so we’re in the same boat there in our own ways.
Again, Mark steps closer to the camera, going for the big finish.
The Dragon: For the guy that likes to let his wrestling do the talking, I’ve had a lot of things to say this week huh? Well I guess it was important for you all to see what I’m about, to get an idea about how my mind works. Don’t worry, I fully intend to back it all up with a performance in the ring. If we were battling this out in five years’ time? Emmie, Valentina, Asher, they could all be world beaters, and I would have just hit my forties, maybe my powers would have started to diminish, I don’t know. Luckily for me, we’re wrestling this in the present day. Emmie’s entertaining, but she’s got too many rough edges. Valentina’s wrestling the best she ever has, proving doubters wrong wherever she goes. Jack Asher is a contender, but he hasn’t learned humility, and that attitude won’t get him anywhere. And me? I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. I’m in my prime, I’m motivated, and I’m ready for anything that anyone in Sin City Wrestling want to throw at me. I’m not here for a long time, but I’m here for a good time, and I plan on getting off the boat undefeated in the main brand. Come at me – I look forward to seeing you all in the ring.
The scene fades to black
