It's a Ben Jordan promo so as you'd expect, we fade in to Ben sitting somewhere in a brown leather chair, but his face isn't his normal cheery self, but more of a blank look crossing his usual smiling face.
"Alright people." He says in a softer tone. "Cheers for joining me on one of the biggest weeks I've had recently."
He pauses to look around uncomfortably.
"This week has been actually pretty nerve wracking if I'm honest." He admits. "And I think you lovely lot know exactly why. It's that time again where me and Sammi have a chance to go for the Mixed Tag Team championships and I know you might be sitting there thinking that it's not a massive championship, it's not exactly the top belt that puts your face on the posters and the big ol' trucks that carry everything around but to me, it's fairly important."
He clears his throat.
"It's been a bit like my white whale." Ben says with a soft sigh. "I've come close to it on a few occasions but I just can't seem to grab hold of it and take it. Honestly, it gives me stress good people and yeah, stress ain't fun. From the minute I was told about this, I've been playing with my poker face and trying not to crack but it's a bit hard."
He sighs once more.
"I know you might sit there and think this is weakness and wrestlers shouldn't show weakness cause we're all meant to be tough and what not." Ben says with a slight smile. "But we're human too and go through a whole host of emotions and yeah, that's exactly what happened with me. Not for the I'm scared kinda thing, but for something completely different. Luckily, the moment was caught and that my good lovely people is what I wanna show ya. It was right after the match last week. See, always working..."
Minutes after the final bell at Climax Control 384, Ben Jordan walked through the curtain, a look of indifference on his face as he walked down the steps in the backstage area, shortly followed by Sam Marlowe.
"I'm sorry." Ben mutters, unable to look toward Sam. "I shoulda finished it all off earlier. Bloody hate draws. Shoulda took out Carter sooner."
Sam raises an eyebrow at Ben as he shakes his head.
"It wasn't your fault." Sam say encouragingly.
Ben sighs in disappoint as he feels Sam's hand reach his shoulder and he glance an eye at it.
"I think I coulda finished that one early." Ben says with a slow shake of his head. "Coulda gone on and gone for those titles next week and had a fair crack at them too."
He sat himself down at a nearby bench, Sam sitting next to him, a look of concern of her face as she brushes her red hair away from her eyes.
"Y'all taking this one too hard." She says reassuringly. "We did take one of the better teams on the roster to a draw."
Ben looks at her, still struggling to shake the disappointment from his own performance.
"You're probably bang on." He finally admits. "But can't help think I could have done more to pick up the win and get us that shot."
He puts his hands behind his head, leaning backwards and closing his eyes. He sat for a few seconds before the voice of someone else brought him back around.
"Ben, Sam, just the two people I wanted to see." The voice of Mark Ward says as he steps closer.
Ben opens his eyes, looking around for the source of the English tone and see his boss to the right of him.
"Can we help you boss?" Sam says politely.
"More like I can help you two." He replies. "But I wouldn't say no to a cup of coffee."
A smile places itself on Hot Stuff's face.
"I just wanted to let you both know about next weeks plan." He says in an authority like manor. "Obviously a draw gave us a decision to make on who will be going up against Kayla and Finn next week, but it wasn't a hard decision. We've decided it will be you two up against them."
Ben looks up at Hot Stuff from his seated position, his eyes looking at his boss.
"Why?" He asks. "I wasn't exactly on top form out there."
Hot Stuff snorts towards Ben.
"Well, that's the first time anyone has questioned why they're getting a shot, but I'll play along." Hot Stuff says with a slight last. "Two reasons, one, if there was one more second in the time limit, you two would have already been getting the shot and secondly, I don't know if it's just me, but it feels like Ariana works her way in to like two title shots a cycle."
Hot Stuff frowns.
"Not even sure how but it feels like it happens a lot." He says with a sharp shrug of his wide shoulders. "So you two are up. Good luck."
"Thank you!" Sam says with a smile. "See, everything worked out."
Sam gripped Ben on his shoulder and he fires a weak smile towards her.
"I guess so." Ben says softly. "We should probably celebrate."
"You don't have a flight to catch?" Sam says with a tone of surprise.
Ben stands up and looks around.
"Nah. I should probably stay over here for a week, get myself proper ready for this match. It's not a small match and I've cocked it up so many times when it comes to these belts, I should probably knock the travel on the head and stay put." He says quickly. "Ya know, give me more time to focus on things, get mentally in the right place so this time, we walk away with them."
Sam frowns at Ben.
"I think you're too hard on yourself." Sam tells him. "But it's great you're staying over here."
"Yeah." Ben replies. "I'm sure I'll fine some place to put me head down. Find a place without snow or something, or head to where ever the show is next week early and mooch around there for a bit."
"Alright." Sam says with a slight nod. "I'll go get changed and we can go out and celebrate."
Ben nods towards her as they head in different directions, heading to different dressing rooms. Ben nods to people as he walks through the hall and in to one of the rooms. He looks around, seeing no one there and shuts the door behind him. Ben leans against the door, pressing his back in to the wood before sliding down and sitting on the floor, his knees pressed up against his chest and his fingers interlocked behind his head.
"I can't bloody do this." He says to himself.
An anxious look ran over his face as he closes his eyes.
"Every single time I go for these titles, I mess it up and we walk away with nothing." He sighs. "Every single time I go for these titles, something happens and I end up looking at a disappointed crowd and a disappointed Sam and this is something I mentally can't handle! I can't exactly turn around and say nah, don't worry about the match and asked too get out of it. Relax Ben, Relax!"
Ben takes a long deep breath before opening his eyes.
"What if I screw it up again?" He asks himself. "We didn't exactly get past Ariana and Carter with ease, did we?"
He slowly shakes his head.
"What if I mess up again and we never get another shot at this?" He questions. "What if this is it for me? I know people get title shot after title shot but I know they're few and far in between for me. I can't fluff it up again."
Ben slowly pulls himself to his feet.
"I can not let that happen." He says in a strong tone. "I can not let Sam down. I need to turn this negative energy in to something stronger."
He moves over to the dressing mirror, looking in his eyes, taking his time as he slowly breathes in and out. He continues to lock eyes with himself.
"You have to do it." He tells himself. "There's no excuses this time, there's no way you can take it easy. You're gonna be facing one of the best wrestlers in SCW, sod it, one of the best wrestlers in the world, you need to step and make sure you walk away with those belts. Not just for you, but for Sammi. She deserves this more then anyone else in SCW. She deserves to call herself a champion again."
He grits his teeth.
"You might have earned this shot cause of a poxy draw, but it's yours now." He reassures himself. "It's yours so do not blow it. Come up with a game plan, stick to it, make it work, no last minute changes on the flip, flop, fly, give Finn the right amount of respect but not so much that you over think it. Give him the fight of his life and if he beats you, make sure that he knows he's earned it, but do everything you can to make sure that you come out with the win and not the other way around."
Ben narrows his eyes.
"You and Sammi are a bloody good team!" He says firmly. "You know you can do it, so stop over thinking this one Ben, stop feeling like you lost this one before the bell is even rung. Make sure you go out there and give it everything. You have one week to get this together, get it all in order and go out there and give it the performance of your life. No more doubts, you're Ben Jordan, you've won everything else and you can win this."
He shakes his head.
"No, no, no." He says in a strong tone. "You WILL win this. No more worrying, let's get ready, let's go out, let's drink random shots, with random people and be confident, because you're Ben Jordan and you can do this."
We go back to Ben in his chair.
"As you could see, it wasn't about nerves for the match." He states. "It was the simple fact that once again, I could let Sammi down and that does not fill me with joy good people."
He frowns before continuing.
"I might have stood there for a while talking about how I could do this all, but I wasn;t sure I actually believed it at that point but thought the week, I learned more and more that sometimes, you have to take that negative and turn it in to a big positive." Ben says as he looks in to the camera. "And that's what life should be about, taking the negative and pushing it to be positive. I've had to sit there through the week and try and switch my mind from negative and turn it in to something where I can be positive about thing and ya know what it got me? It got me to change my mindset to no fear at all."
He leans forward in his chair.
"Realistically, I should be cacking it a bit." Ben says with a half smile. "When you look at who's on the other side of the ring to us, it's a whole holy you know what kinda thing because fellow Brit there Kayla is probably one of the most overlooked people on the Bombshell roster. She's been absolutely killing it out there, she been putting on show after show with not as much appreciation as she deserves. It ain't a she's British, I'm British, let's build each other up kinda thing. I mean I can sit here and make a bunch of jokes about Norwich, but nah, let's look at the talent on display and Kayla goes under the radar a lot when she shouldn't. I know what she can do, Sammi knows what she can do but I know what Sammi can do and her focus is one hundred percent on stopping that force that is Kayla."
Ben presses his hands together.
"You'd think Sammi focusing on Kayla would ease a little pressure on me, but not bloody likely, you lot know who I gotta get in the ring with!" Ben says while widening his eyes. "Finn bloody Whelan."
Ben runs his hand down is forehead.
"Arguably the favourite to become the SCW World Heavyweight champions in a couple of weeks time, a double champion." Ben says raising two fingers. "No offence to Goth, but Finn has to be the fave in this one."
Ben holds up both hands, palms out flat in a defensive stance.
"I get why this match has to be done two weeks before My Bloody Valentine, but not sure it's the greatest idea in the world." Ben ponders. "I get the title defence but here's the thing, Finn will no doubt have his mind focused on the big prize and rightly so, that throws up a whole lot of things that can go wrong for him and I can benefit from that, I can call meself a champion again but I gotta sit there and ask myself is it me that's done it or is Finn just got his eyes on the other prize? If I do beat him, does that take away his momentum going in against Goth? Obviously, Goth is probably gonna play cheerleader for me and Sammi, hoping that I can stop him and take away his mindset. Thing is, I don't even think me beating him will stop him winning the World Championship."
Ben shrugs.
"If I was a gambling man, and I am." Ben admits. "I know where my money would go..."
Ben leans back in his chair.
"But the thing is I said about turning my negative thoughts in to positive ones." Ben says with a wave of his finger. "And that is exactly what I've done in my head. Does Finn Whelan need the Mixed Tag Team championship? No, does he want them and will defend them with all he has? Abso-bloody-lutely, so my negative mindset is what do I have to lose here?"
Ben shakes his head slowly.
"To quote that classic song War..." Ben continues. "Absolutely nothing, and I will sing that again and again."
He takes a deep breath.
"It's pretty freeing Finn when you can sit there and tell yourself you have nothing to lose so you might as well go out swinging." Ben says with a smile returning to his face. "And I know how a mind works, I know you want to sit there and use me as an example, I know you want to sit there and use me and this match to show Goth that you're ready for him. I know you wanna wallop me in to the middle of next week, just to show Goth that you're up for the punch up. Been around here for so long, I know that's how people view the go home show and that's all good to me, so I'm ready for that. I'm ready for what you're gonna chuck in my direction and I'm gonna come back swinging cause I ain't letting anyone down anymore, I'm not being the geezer on a cusp of a title all the time, only to walk away with bugger all. I've been that guy for too long. Number one contender matches, win, get to the big match and flop like a fish on the beach and I'm tired of that."
He exhales sharply.
"I know who you are and I know you deserve all the accolades in the world Finn." Ben says seriously. "I know you've earned every single admirer of your work, but I'm feeling like I actually need this win more then anything else in the world, I'm feeling like I need to smack the ball in the back off the net and take the three points home more then I ever have in my life. I've gone on about writing my next chapter for a long time, and this is where I feel my next chapter needs to start, this is where I feel like it has to start, with me becoming a champion again. I feel like I need to do it for me, but also need to do it for so many people."
He pauses for a second.
"I need to do it for me, I need to do it for Sammi." He says passionately. "I need to do it for the fans, every single person that laid their eyes on me and believed I could be someone. I need to do it for my family, I need to do it for my friends, I need to do it for anyone who ever patted me on the back, smiled at me, had even the tiniest bit of hope and faith in me. I need to do it for them all because without them, I wouldn't be where I am. I wouldn't be Ben Jordan the wrestler, I'd be Ben, the guy in the corner of the pub, I'd be Ben, Mr nine to five. I'd be Ben, the bloke known for the football team he supports and the fact he lives in a crummy little place on the rough part of the island. They made me Ben Jordan the wrestler because they believed in me, because they wanted to see me succeed. They made me who I am and followed me through thick and thin, the good and the bad times, the ups and downs that is my life. This championship would mean more to me then the leather and gold, it's about what it represents."
Ben leans forward.
"What it represents is hard work, what it represents is a journey that so many people have been on with me and Sammi." He says in an unusually firm tone. "It represents everyone coming along for the ride and pushing me along. I can sit here and focus on the negatives but these people deserve better and they're gonna play their part, they're gonna play their role in me and Sammi becoming SCW Mixed Tag Team champions on Sunday."
Ben swallows hard.
"I know you're gonna bring it all Finn." Ben continues. "I know Kayla is gonna be top notch as usual, but I got something driving me right now that I haven't had in a long time. I feel like I've been kicked up the aris and will do everything I can to walk away as a champion again. It's been a bloody long time since I could look in the mirror and tell myself I am the top of a league. It's been forever since I could do that and actually feel like I'm proper again and not drifting through anything, that championship belt is gonna give me some serious self worth. Self worth is positive, right?"
Ben rolls his shoulders back.
"Nothing to lose, everything staying in that ring and I do mean everything, Finn." Ben says seriously. "There's not gonna be a me that shows up less then one hundred and ten percent ready for anything and everything you have. You might be on the path for bigger things and it's pretty clear you are but my focus isn't clouded by bigger prizes. My focus is on what you have, not what you're likely to get. It will be one of those magic moments where the crowd will not believe their eyes when I put on a show and take out the man who is gonna probably be headlining My Bloody Valentine."
Ben clears his throat.
"I've seen all you've done over the last few weeks Finn." Ben says respectfully. "And I know just how good you are, I've seen the amount of effort you've put in, it's never in doubt to me just what you can do and mate, it's amazing at times. I know you have most people beat before you even get in the ring cause there's an aura about you that most people can't match but I've been around for a long time and there's something in me telling me not only can I match it, but I can scrape past it. Don't think I'm taking you lightly because there's not a chance that's happening, in fact I'm more serious about this match then I think I've ever been about any match in a long time. Without being disrespectful, I know this isn't a Bill Barnhart turn out. I know the threat you have is far greater then him, but I've ballsed up this chance to have these belts for a long time and it needs to stop."
Ben grits his teeth.
"It has to stop." Ben says firmly. "It's the one belt here that's played hide and seek with me for a long time, I've found the others and like that game line, gotta collect them all. You're the only one standing in my way stopping me from doing that Finn and it's gotta stop mate, it's gotta stop before it drives me absolutely bonkers. It's the only one I've never had and on Sunday Finn, hoping to change that big time."
Ben brushes the hair from his face.
"You can expect nothing less then the best version of me on Sunday people." Ben says with a strong nod of his head. "The absolute best version of me, I can not be anything other then that because my eyes are set on what I want. The negative thoughts are gone and the determination is there to do this for everyone as well as myself."
He breathes out slowly.
"Nothing is gonna stop me." He mutters. "I wish you the absolute best for everything that happens after Sunday, but Sunday, it's my time to write that chapter that starts with the words we are the champions, my friend."
Ben smiles properly for the first time.
"So good people, you make sure you join us cause on Sunday, the magic happens." Ben says as he cocks his head to the right. "Gotta tune in to see it. I think I've taken up enough of your time. Cheers for watching, it's very much appreciated. Till next time..."
Ben winks down the camera.
"Laters people!"
And with that, the camera fades to black.
