[Ben Jordan]

Now this is bloody weird, it's been a long time since I've done the speaky thing where you can hear my lovely accent with confusing terms and slang without seeing my mush. It's all good, good people, this is how a lot of me work starts.

So Inception V was fun, right? It was announced I was coming back to SCW, but people, let me tell ya, it's a bit weird coming back to SCW. I mean me name is connected with SCW, but it dawned on me at Inception V and even last week at Climax Control 321, that I, Ben Jordan, was coming back to a much changed place. There's so many new names on the roster I haven't had the pleasure of jumping in the ring with. The likes of Matt Knox, Alexander Raven, Supreme Machine, JC, Jaycee Macdonald, Shane Hawthorne and of course my upcoming opponent, Godly Ken Davison don't really know much about me and as much as the rest of the roster do, I feel like I need to introduce meself again, just so ya know who I am, so here's a little back story for ya new fellas and the new fans that these lads have brought with them.

Alright people, my name is Ben Jordan, don't mean a lot to you lot, but to a lot on the roster, it does. I once sat on top of that mountain everyone aims for, ya know the golden throne of SCW, the World Heavyweight Championship throne, yep, my bum was parked firmly on the seat overlooking everyone, but let's go back further. I'm a humble bloke, I don't need to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm a very blessed bloke. I was taught by me family growing up to be humble in victory and defeat, work hard and count those blessings no matter how small they are, be thankful for everything life has given me and take on what life has to offer. I was like that running a boozer and when I fell in to money, it didn't change me at all, it just allowed me not to worry and to be able to fill my time with things I haven't had the chance to do because I was too busy pulling pints and listening to people.

One of those things that little bit of financial freedom gave me was the chance to do something I always wanted to do and become a wrestler. I didn't need to earn a living anymore, I fall in to that pot of money thanks to having a boozer on the outside of London's financial area that wanted to expand. I had all the money I needed in life. I mean when someone buys ya boozer and land for over thirty mil, and you think you might have about forty or so good years in ya, I think you can make that money last.

So yeah, wrestling. I went and trained under Hangman Chett Hawkins, a taskmaster of a guy who probably thought why the bloody hell has this geezer from East London come all the way over here to train. Well, he might have thought it less Cockney and more Hangman-ish but the catch my drift. So I trained hard, I ended up in ACW where I won everything, held belts for a year, had like two losses before SCW won ACW in a poker game.... No seriously, a poker game, and I was an SCW wrestler.

SCW gave me everything, I met life long friends and my wife and I did it all working for free - Yes, you saw that right, for years, I didn't get paid because I didn't want to get paid. I had money, I'm not greedy. It took years for Christian and Mark to make me take money for work and when they did, most of it I gave away to charities, hence the nickname St. Ben. Money or not, I gave it my everything and it took years to get to the top. I was never hear for the fame, money or the titles, I learned quickly that the ego of this business is the most intense thing I've ever seen. I mean these new people who have come in on both rosters, how many have had great success in a weaker company? My guess is most of them, which is great, but how do they handle a loss? Do they run to Twitter and complain? Bang on the bosses door? Straight up quit? Maybe even leak private convos on social media? To me, a loss has always driven me to be better, life is too short for the sulks.

So I was the World Champion and let me tell ya, it's hard work being up there but it's where I worked towards for so many years in SCW. I'd had health problems that lead to some time away, but always came back. I came back because I love SCW, because I love wrestling. My outside interests keep me adding more money that I don't need, but wrestling, I don't need to get paid for it because it's something I love. Money is always offered and law apparently means I need to take it, something to do with insurance, I dunno, maybe Christian is selling me a dummy there. You know what is worth more than money? Appreciation, feeling wanted, and that's how Christian and Mark made me feel.

This is why I'm back, and right here is the story of how it all came about.... Also, out of that ramble stuff, I hope you new people got to learn a little about me.


November 7th 2021 - High Stake XI

My heart was pounding through my chest as I watched Jake Sullivan hold the New York crowd in Madison Square Garden in the parm of his hand as he wrapped up his Hall of Fame speech. I hadn't been in front of a live crowd in so long, knowing I was up next brought on the biggest case of anxiety I've ever felt. I knew I had to step out in front of thousands of people and talk about one of my closest friends heading in to the Hall of Fame, Sam not so Marlowe, married lady now people, but anyway she was worthy of that spot in the Hall of Fame and it was me to induct her, I was tanking it. Absolutely nervous as all hell, but I got through it just about. I was part of the opening segment, had to set the tone for a show that was the biggest in Sin City Wrestling history, thankfully I played my part and got backstage.

My heart was still racing when I walked through those curtains and looked at the smiling faces around me. At times, I feel like an acquired taste, some like me, some don't, but there was a huge buzz in the air that night and people seemed to want to see me, especially Christian Underwood as I walked down the steps behind the stage.

"Very nice speech Ben." Christian said with a firm nod of his head. "You haven't missed a step."

A sigh of relief exited my lungs sharply as I looked at Christian, all business in a suit and buttoned up shirt.

"I was tanking it out there." I said quickly and honestly. "Been a long time mate and that crowd out there is proper heated. Electric in the air."

Christian nodded in agreement, he'd seen a lot of crowds in his time as an active wrestler and now owner but this was something special and everyone knew it.

"Makes ya miss being out there, doesn't it?" He asked in a casual way.

"I wouldn't know at this point, it was a big tough to take in, in one go." I admitted. "I mean the people were something else out there, I guess if I coulda took it in more, woulda been amazing. I'll watch it back later and I bet the goose bumps kick in then."

Christian smiled at me, and I couldn't help but feel that he had taken time out from this busy show to speak to me about something.

"Actually Ben." He started. "I wanted to speak to you about something."

There it was I thought as I smiled back at the SCW boss.

"Mark's gone mad signing lots of new people lately and has a lot lined up over the coming months, keep the roster on their toes." Christian explained. "He's pulling them out of nowhere at this point and the problem with bringing in so many new..."

"Is you don't have the older guard to explain how things work around here." I said slightly cutting him off as he searched for diplomatic words.

"That's a better way of putting it then I was about to." Christian said with a laugh. "But bottom line, yeah. We've got people in the locker room who have been here years but lets just say, they're not very popular, not very creative, always seem to just phone it in instead of expanding themselves a bit. There's a lot of carbon copies on the roster that need to mix things up, need to be around new people, but they're not people persons, where as you are."

I knew who he meant, which brought a smile to my lips, but didn't say.

"I admit, a lot of people around here seem the same these days, but I'm not sure I'm much of a people person." I said with a shrug "Well, not anymore."

Christian raised an eyebrow as he looked at me.

"How so?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his voice.

"Well..." I started. "I've spent the best part of two years on an Island between England and France on a big old private estate. Me and Eves never went out too much regardless of it being a small place with not many cases of the dreaded Covid, I sorta faded from the spotlight. I wasn't Ben Jordan the wrestler, the bloke on TV, I was just Ben, the geezer who lived on the big estate overlooking the sea. I became just another face in the crowd. We barely left the place, we didn't travel, all those rules put a stop to that, I popped down to the shop occasionally, or to the local for a quick pint, but that was it. The suits and ties were replaced with jeans and T-shirts. I wasn't very people friendly as such."

This seemed to take Christian back slightly as he looked at me with an arched eyebrow.

"But you're very much well respected here." Christian reassured me.

"I'm marmite, some like me, some don't. With a new bunch of people, I dunno." I said cautiously. "I doubt they'll listen to me."

"Well, cards on the table." Christian said firmly. "I think it's time we got you back in an SCW ring. The crowds loved the things you sent in from home to wish people happy holidays, they were loud for you tonight, and you add a different dimension to the card. A genuine nice guy, that is not like anyone else on the roster. Someone who can parody anything. It sure beats gym and hotel promos. You can bring something different back to the roster."

I was sceptical at the offer, I had been keeping up with the company since I haven't been part of it. I've watched the same old stuff over and over. I saw music, sexuality, and religion come to the forefront of everything in SCW, three things I don't need to bring in to who I am, so maybe that's what Christian meant when he said I can be different.

"I'm willing to give you what you want contract wise..." Christian said, snapping my train of thought. "Even the crazy shit Despayre gets put in your contracts."

I couldn't stop myself at smiling at that comment, not at the fact that I could get what I want from this, just the thoughts of Despayre and his crazy ideas to go in to the contract.

"Multi year." Christian said. "Ten percent pay rise on your last contract."

"You know me, Christian." I said with a raised palm. "I do one year deals and money don't mean a lot to me, so if I do this, one year, January the first, eighty percent of the money you pay me set up to automatically go to set charities and the other twenty, I'll give to different charities each month."

Christian looked at me with serious eyes, not saying a word.

"It will give me some time to think about it all, talk it over with the missus." I said with a shrug. "As much as she misses the big American cities, and the lake house in Maine, I think she's got used to the quiet island life. I'm not gonna do this if it means dragging her around, or putting her where she don't wanna be."

Christian broke his serious look and smiled.

"Proof that you're still a good guy." He said with a slow, intentional nod. "But I will be offering Evie a way back in to SCW too."

It was a tough choice for me, I'd spent so long time away from the ring, but the roar of the crowd could bring anyone back to the ring. Feeling wanted was another thing we all needed as wrestlers. We put our bodies, our well being on the line so we need to feel that we're doing it for the right reasons and the right company who will treat us right.

"I'll tell ya what." I said with a slight smile. "I'll go take a medical at the end of the year, and you send me a contract on January the first, if everything is in order, I'll sign it there and then for a year and figure out a way back in. Not sure I just wanna randomly appear and say I'm back, wanna have a good reason."

"Great." Christian replied with a pat to my shoulder. "You never did get that World Championship rematch."

I instantly put up my hands.

"Not really interested in that." I said quickly. "There's a lot of people in this company that would sell their grannies for a championship belt, there's people here who would intentionally bury someone else or try and handpick their feuds with a lesser opponent to keep titles here. I'm not one of those people. I'm happier to just go with the flow."

"I think most of our champs would do that at this point." Christian says matter of factly. "But I'll start working on details."

"I'll let Despayre know to come and see you." I said with a smile.

"You called!?" Despayre's voice said as he popped up from seemingly nowhere.

"The hell you come from?" Christian asked as he holds his chest and glares at Despayre.

"Canada originally." Despayre replied with a toothy grin. "Now what can I do for you?"

I put my left hand on Despayre's shoulder and points at Christian.

"New contract negotiations." I said with a wink.

Despayre looked at me and attempted to give me his best serious look before pressing his hands together and cracking his knuckles, looking Christian square in the eye.
 
"Let's get started shall we?" Despayre said as Christian rolled his eyes.

"Gotta go lads." I said putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "You have fun now."

A business looking face had replaced Despayre's smiling face as he led Christian away from the scene. The rest of the night was fantastic. The more I watched SCW put on a show that was nothing short of spectacular, the more the urge was back, the more I wanted the first to come to put my name on that contract and be a part of the roster again...


January 1st 2022 - New York City, New York.

Me and Eves decided to stick around in New York after High Stakes XI, at least for a couple of months while the world slowly started getting back to normal and we decided if New York was gonna be where we're at going forward, or if it was back to Maine, Jersey - Not New Jersey, Jersey, look it up. The New Year had passed pretty uneventfully, just the two Jordan's and their loveable dog, Bear and a few drinks.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

At least I thought it was just a few drinks, but man was I beat.

THUMP!

Yep, that was me rolling over and falling off the sofa with a crash. I could barely see the ceiling as I looked up through half open eyes. I could hear the sound round me. I could hear my wife walk to the door of the apartment to open it, I could hear the conversation she had with the person there as I closed my eyes for just a few seconds. I heard the door shut and I opened my eyes, only to see Bear looking down over me his nose a few inches away from mine.

"Bloody hell mate." I said with a croaking voice. "I think you need a breath mint."

"I bet you could do with one too."

"Blimey! You can talk!" I said with a grin. "Who said you can't teach an old dog, new tricks."

"Idiot." I could hear Evie say with a slight laugh to her tone.

"I knew it was you all along." I said as I tried to open my eyes a little more. "If Bear could talk, he'd ask for bacon."

"Like father, like son." Evie said as I could hear her footsteps getting closer. "Are you gonna lay down there all day?"

"I did consider it." I replied. "It's not as uncomfortable as you think."

I felt something land on my stomach with a thump, causing my eyes to open wide as I looked down towards my midsection, seeing bundled together papers on me, held together by a folder. Bear had moved away but Evie stood next to me looking down.

"These came for you." She told me. "SCW logo on the front."

I had a medical a couple of days before and passed with flying colours, but hadn't given much thought to my contract, I never did, I just gave it a quick once over and wrote me ol' name down on it in a few places and job's a good un. I hadn't even spoken to Despayre about what he could have got in there, what I wanted in there, I just let the little loon annoy Christian for a while, I very rarely take up anything in there that's too crazy.

"I wonder what randomness Despy has put in this one." I said as I sat up.

The light hit me, causing my eyes to narrow as I pulled myself on to the sofa and motioned for Eve's to join me, which after a few seconds, she did, sitting as close to me as possible. My eyes looked at the top of the folder before I flipped open the first page, my eyes glancing over the typed words.

"All pretty standard so far." I said out loud as my eyes continued to read.

I quickly flipped the page and stopped, my eyes widening as I looked at the words. I had to blink a few time to see if I was really seeing what was written.

"What is it?" Evie asked.

"Ben Jordan can have a bouncy castle at the show, as an when he wants." I read out loud in a disbelieving tone.

"Why would you want that?" Evie asked confused.

"I have no idea." I said with a chuckle "But that's one hell of a clause to put in there."

I continued to read down, smiling at what I'm seeing.

"Ben's dressing room must be stocked with Cherry Coke." I said with a slow shake of my head. "I get the feeling Despy has put a lot of these in for himself."

"Ya think?" Evie said with a laugh.

I looked at Evie seriously for a second, causing her to sit upright.

"So what do you think about me going back to SCW?" I asked seriously.

I wasn't too sure on it myself and I valued her word above everyone else.

"I think you owe it to yourself to do it." Evie said seriously. "All these arses in SCW right now, people are becoming cocky, they think they run the place, they don't have respect for the people who came before them. Austin James Mercer and Alex Jones are getting looked down on from these new people, Fenris is getting shafted because of these new people. It's time that the old school SCW guys got a leader."

"I don't think I'm much of a leader." I said seriously.

"Everyone respects you and the fact you've busted your arse for years trying to lift SCW to the top and when you was champion, it was the feel good story of the century." She said with a hand on my shoulder. "Everyone wanted to work with you, everyone wanted to be around you. I get the feeling this is what SCW needs the most right now with all these cocky shits in there."

Evie was right, the landscape of SCW has changed dramatically over the past six months, people have come in and got way too comfortable, championships have changed people, the humbleness of SCW had disappeared.

"I still gotta be able to keep up with these new people." I mused. "Has been a while."

"You got this." She said reassuringly. "The fans will love it too."

I looked at her for a few seconds, looking deep in to her eyes. She didn't need me to ask what I was going to next as she raised a pen in front of me. I nodded as she handed it to me. A few seconds later, names were signed and I was back, I was an under contract SCW wrestler again. My last thought was what the hell have I got myself in to.... I guess we wait and see.


11th February 2022 - Paradise, Nevada

"Alright people." I say as the camera fades in as I stand on a balcony, overlooking Paradise. "I know you lot usually hear from me a little sooner in the week, but life has been a bit hectic."

I roll my left shoulder back.

"And I'm probably a bit rusty at doing this but we're gonna give it a go." I comment with a smile. "First off, a congratulations is in order for my opponent."

I clear my throat.

"Godly Ken Davison" I say firmly. "Congrats on becoming a champion in a short space of time, I know it ain't an easy thing to do but well done. I don't really know you from Adam, unintentional bible name mentioned there, so I've had to look you up, see what you're about and yeah mate, not gonna lie, I'm fairly impressed with what I see. Taken SCW by storm with your Savour buddies and what not. Clever booking, eh? Mac mentions me, I get to take on one of his closest friends. It's a banging chance to send a message to Mac through you. I get that you're all about delivering messages, delivering the word so yeah, smart booking for me, but really, I'm in a no lose situation."

I take a deep breath.

"I come back and lose to a champion, no skin off my nose." I say with a soft tone. "You, a champion, a man who's done pretty bloody well in my absence I must admit, a man who could take on the world, now that man loses to a rusty old geezer like me and people will start to look at you differently, people will look at you and wonder if your championship run is gonna be worth keeping their peepers on. People are gonna sit there and wonder if you're gonna be worth it. I'm really in a no lose thing. I mean you could think I could lose my reputation, former World champion and all. People could sit there and look at me and say I don't have it anymore, hell, you might be sitting there ready to say the same thing, but it's not a worry to me. I'm not like most who come back and want their old spot back, nah, that's just not me. I've come back to work, to push myself a little, to face new challenges. I've fell on me face God knows how many times, and I've got back up, so I've got a lot less to lose in this thing than most people think, then most people understand."

I glance away from the camera.

"But the thing is." I start "The thing is Ken, I ain't coming back to lose to you. I didn't put my name on that contract so people can brag about beating a former world champion, I ain't coming back for that, no way Pedro, I'm coming back because I still got that fire in me, I still have that passion for this. This ain't an ego trip or a nostalgia run or anything like that, this is me showing I still have that fire I had when I first stepped in to an SCW ring, this is me showing I still have more passion for what I do then most of the roster put together. Winning matches won't change me, winning titles won't give me an ego the size of the moon, I don't really care about those titles, I care about doing something I'm passionate about. I won't be coming for your title when I beat you Ken, I'm not Diamond Steele jumping on the I beat the champ so I'm owed something, that is not me at all. The thing is, when I bring this level of passion, when I bring this level of fire, I'm pretty tough to beat, it doesn't matter if you have your mates in your corner, it doesn't matter if you have God on your side, it doesn't matter if you think you are indeed the big man upstairs himself. When I'm on my game, there's nothing that can stop me from being the best I can be and it's gonna be unfortunate for ya Ken, cause I will be on my game this week."

I turn to look back at the camera.

"You don't know me well enough to know if I'm serious or full of hot air." I remark. "But it won't take ya too long to work out that I'm a man of my word and my word is Ken, that I am gonna give it all, give it everything I got to be able to walk out to that ring, head held high and walk back in the same situation. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to remind everyone in the back of the man I once was and show all you new people who I am now. There is no difference, it's one hundred and ten percent effort and a huge chance of victory. No point doing things by halves Ken mate, gotta give it your all and that's exactly what I plan on doing. You've done blinding so far in SCW, very impressive but you've never taken on anyone like me. Agostino is alright when he can be arsed to show up and put some effort in and yeah, he was a champion, but I don't need a belt to show the world who I am and what I can do, I don't need to have around in crowds to show how tough I am. For the record mate, hanging around in a gang makes ya a mug, not tough. I don't need all that. All I need is what I can do and what I will do and show ya that you might have just beaten a champion, but he wasn't on my level at any time of his career."

I pause for a few seconds.

"He wasn't on my level, so you're in for one hell of a challenge." I mention firmly, with just a touch of confidence. "I'm coming back with something about me at the moment, ready to show the world ring rust ain't a thing, ready to show the world that I'm still the same old fella I was. Ready to prove that being out of the ring has not had any effect on me at all. I'm ready for this and I want you to make sure you get Mac to watch real closely, get him down at ringside, get him doing some talking on commentary, just make sure he listens close."

I stare deeper in to the camera.

"I guess this is a case similar to the sins of the father." I say with a slight smile. "He mentioned me a hell of a lot lately, I still don't have a clue why, looks like he's got enough on his plate, but me going against one of his sons in The Saviors, this is where I can do something to show him that he might wanna keep my name out of his mouth. It's a common thing I guess, talk down to old champions, try and give yourself a little bit of clout, but I'm pretty sure he didn't think I'll be running against his rag tag bunch of people so soon, so this is a chance for him to see what I can do, while taking on his buddy. The random attacks, the out numbering people doesn't show strength as much as you think Ken, doesn't show power, shows a bunch of fellas not good enough on their own to make a difference, to make themselves stand out. You'd think I'd be worried about your little crew attacking me, but nah mate, I'm expecting it and trust me, I got friends in back, a lot of people you've actually peeved off that wouldn't take a lot of persuasion to keep an eye on things. I mean you're actually welcome to bring the whole lot of them down to the ring and watch, but they're gonna watch me beat you before they can get there digs in on me. The only way you can win is if they step in and help you out."

I can't help but smile at that comment.

"Anyway." I start. "It's been fun rabbiting for a while to you all, I think we all know who's side you lot are gonna be on come Sunday, until then, it's been real, and Max is gonna buy me a pint in about forty mins. Amazing how motivated you get to do something when there's a pint on the go."

I wink down the camera.

"Laters people."

And with that, the camera fades.