Every new beginning is....

[DBrunkGXW]

"There are always new mountains to climb, always new challenges to overcome."



- - - - - - -
It's over, finally....

For now.

For months now the specter of Shane Southern hung in the air. Inevitability was coming fast.

Or so they said.

Historically very few champions had survived a pay per view title defense. The overwhelming desire for change was a constant when the driving force of a popular figure found his opening and took his shot.

DAN RYAN had escaped this time.

Momentum brought Shane Southern to him and very nearly took the World title won almost nine months ago, yet defended only three times since.


The match was won not on a devastating flurry of offense from the champ, but from a defensive maneuver meant only for survival. Experience won the day.

This time.

And now....a new challenge.

An entirely new challenge altogether.

No advantage in experience this time.

No chance of a rookie mistake saving the title.

Nothing but an oppurtunity to cement his reign as one to be revered....

One to be noticed....

One to be respected......

- - - - - -
FADE IN

A CSWA backdrop where DAN RYAN stands in front, belt around his waist - sunglasses drawn down over his eyes.

Ryan: "Another day, another challenge."

"It seems, Tom that the esteemed Mr. Merritt is trying to make up for lost time. For the first six months of my reign there was barely a match to be had....for any of us. Yet in the last month there have been three defenses of this belt....."

Taps the belt....

"And with May coming up, another in line."

"For the second time in as many months I'm defending the belt against an entirely new foe. Yet where Hornet and I have some small history together, you and I have none whatsoever."

"This is a match of simple oppurtunity."

"The oppurtunity is yours altogether."

"There is no grudge to settle, no blood feud to decide. There is simply the matter of a chance to walk out with the World Title, and the chance for two of the best to test themselves against a new foe."

"There's no doubt in my mind, Tom that you are among the finest technical wrestlers in the world both past and present."

"There's also no doubt in my mind that I can go with the best of them in the same realm of expertise. From time to time, all of the various suplex combinations have a little more impact when executed with the power of a six-foot-eight, three hundred pound man behind them."

"But I'm not trying to intimidate you, Tom."

"I wouldn't be so trite as to bother trying to prove superiority with words."

"Honestly, everything there is to know about Tom Adler is firmly on celluloid for the world to see should they so choose."

"You can easily say the same for me, should you be as resourceful as you can be."

"The bottom line is, no one is sneaking up on anyone in this match."

"We'll find out, straight up....who is the better man."

"Who deserves to be called World Champion?"

"Whatever the result, I'll relish the new challenge..."

"I know you'll make it worth my while."

FADE OUT....

 

[TWhitefield]

(Cut to a jam packed arena. Rudy Seitzer stands at an interview station near the entrance to the room area)

Seitzer: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time. He's the former Presidential Champion. Former United States Champion. And Former CSWA WORLD Champion. Tom... ADDDDDDDlerrrrrrrrr!!!

(Cue up "Revillusion" by Tantric. Adler appears through the curtain and stops momentarily to survey the crowd. He moves to the edge of the platform and holds his arms over his head in the <>X symbol format, then turns and walks a few yards to where Seitzer is standing)

Seitzer: Tom, huge opportunity to get off the snide so to speak tonight after what must have been an equally large disapointment at Anniversary Fifteen.

(Adler looks somewhat puzzled then amused by the comment)

Adler: Rudy...

(Pausing again with amusement as he catches a decent percentage of the crowd starting an "Adler! Adler" chant)

Adler: ...I'd be a bit REMISS if I didn't take just a moment and comment on Anniversary Fifteen. HORNET! I am a man who is unaccustomed to losing big matches. The simple fact is, I HATE losing. And, I like losing the way I lost to you even less.

CLEANLY!

Hornet, when I walked into that locker room before our match and stood eye to eye with you, I asked you for one thing, and one thing alone. Show up.

That's all I asked. For the REAL Hornet who had EARNED his right to keep this entire federation in limbo for two years to PLEASE show up. Even if it was just for one match.

I asked you to show up, Hornet. And, you did.

And, for an hour, Hornet, you and I beat the SNOT out of each other. And, then we beat on each other some more.

Did I win the match, Hornet? No. And, while I'm not happy about it, I DID take something out of that match. I GOT what I was looking for. And this company GOT what it needed.

I've got no complaints. I DO have a little advice, though. Hornet? You and I WILL meet again. Maybe in a rematch for the US Title. Maybe in a match for nothing at all. But, rest assured, some where, some time, it'll happen again.

Remember Anniversary Fifteen. Remember what led up to it.

And remember what it took... where you had to go... to survive it.

Remember it, Hornet. And stay there. Because if we have to revisit all of this next time around? Let's just just leave it at that.

Seitzer: A lot of respect gained between the two of you after that match, I'd suspect.

Adler: The respect was always there, Rudy. Don't let the tabloid press and mic spots tell you otherwise. It just took a little house cleaning to remind us both WHY that respect was there.

Respect, of course, brings us full circle to this tonight, though, Rudy.

Seitzer: Respect?

Adler: Exactly. Dan Ryan? There seems to be this GROWING sentiment around this company that I don't respect you...

Seitzer: Well, some of your comments have sort of suggested it.

Adler: Rudy, my comments never SUGGEST anything. If I've got something to say, I say it. I'm a lot of things, Rudy, but CRYPTIC isn't one of them.

I've gotten into far too much trouble over the years saying EXACTLY what I think to be accused of shading a topic.

Dan, this whole notion that I don't respect you goes back to a conversation you and I had before Battle of the Belts. And I told you that despite all the HYPE surrounding this GXW invasion that, frankly, you hadn't done jack squat to earn ANYTHING around here.

You took exception to that comment. But, like it or not, it was true. You hadn't.

And I was also the one that stood out there on the runway at Primetime and said you wouldn't have BEEN World Champion had Hornet shown up at Battle of the Belts because you wouldn't have beaten Hornet for the belt... and you wouldn't beat him at Prime Time.

If memory serves, Dan, you didn't.

Seitzer: This is supposed to suggest respect?

Adler: Rudy, I call things as they are. I don't sugar coat much. And I don't buy into false hype.

Realistic? Yes. Blunt? Absolutely. But non-respectful? No. Because you see, Dan, as right as I was about everything I said, myself and the <> X-Change were ALSO the ones who stood in the middle of the ring and TOLD the CSWA... TOLD Mark Windham... TOLD Chad Merritt that YOU would end up the World Champion unless he took you more seriously.

They didn't. And you did.

When nobody else would give you props for ANYTHING around here, we were the ones who were warning the masses.

So, respect has nothing to do with any of this, Rudy. It's all about reality.

And the reality of our situation is this, Dan.

We BOTH walked out of Anniversary Fifteen with a question mark over our heads. And, the question was the same... what's next?

Frankly, Dan, our futures would have been better determined for the masses had the outcomes of our matches been different. Because people would KNOW what our immediate futures hold. Now? There's this supposed question mark.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, Dan.

I was sitting in Chad Merritt's office a couple of weeks before Anniversary and we were discussing a number of things. Frankly, I think he was trying to pick my brain to see what I had in store for those three No-Questions-Asked contracts I secured...

And, in case you're wondering? No, this WASN'T one of them.

But, your name and that World Title DID come up. You see, Dan, Merritt and I were discussing who did and didn't deserve or need a World Title shot. And we came up with a short list of names. Men who certainly DESERVED a title shot... but didn't NEED one. Didn't need one because getting a title shot... and possibly even WINNING that belt you have... it wouldn't make or break their careers either way.

My name was included on that list. Not because Merritt wanted there. But because I did.

And, no, I don't think it's any too conincidental that no sooner do I say that I don't need a title shot than I get one without asking for it. All within days of losing what most would perceive to be the biggest match of my career.

The question, of course, arrises... since I'm the one who put my name on that list, was Merritt manimpulated into giving me this match or not?

(Adler smiles and a group of fans starts chanting his name again)

Ultimately, Dan, it's irrelavent. What you need to know is this... and I want you to take this very seriously.

From DAY ONE, I have been consistent with one thing, and one thing alone. My need to BE the very best that this industry has to offer. And, there are only a few ways one can do that in this business.

Rest assured, Dan, that no matter WHAT my agenda may be at any given moment, being the Heavyweight Champion of the World is NEVER out of my mind.

Mark Windham got a pass because we had an objective that dictated he get one.

Whether or not you'll get that same pass here tonight remains to be seen.

I'll simply say this... on a night when the ENTIRE <> X-Change stands with an opportunity to ALL walk out with World Titles around their waists?

You're a smart man, Dan. I think you can do the math.

("Revillusion" cues up again and Adler walks away)

 

[DBrunkGXW]

"Respect"



- - - - -
FADE IN

DAN RYAN in a familiar surrounding - dressing room post-Adler speech.

Ryan is ready to go - gear in place, sunglasses drawn, arms crossed as he leans back in a seated position against the locker behind the bench.

Ryan: "Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom......"

"I'm gonna need you to do a little something for me before this match if you intend to have a good night in the ring."

"Apparently, we're gonna go back to pre-Battle of the Belts which suggests what.....January 2003? Does that sound about right to you?"

"Revisionist history is a fun practice, but it's one I don't intend to live out while preparing for this match. In fact, I believe you have a bit of a foggy memory where my taking offense at your lack of respect is concerned."

"Since you're Mr. Consistency of opinion, allow me to relate to you with this small tidbit."

"You see, Tom. I wasn't looking for your approval then. I'm not looking for your approval now."

"So what was the point back in the early moments of 2003, Tom?"

"What was it what was it what was it?"

"See, the point of the entire situation is not that I was miffed at your suggestion that I hadn't done anything to earn a spot. The point was that I was fully confident then and am fully confident now in everything that I am able to accomplish."

"I believe when I walked into this company that I said right then that whether or not I received the oppurtunity to show it or not, I didn't need to prove myself in this company to feel good about who I am or what I'm capable of doing. I likewise said that if necessary I would turn around, walk out with my head high and never think twice about it."

"And now we fast forward to pre-summer 2004."

"The fact that I've done exactly what I always said I was capable of doing is simply reality bearing itself out. That you can't grasp your inability to see it then or now is your problem, not mine."

"Your 'If A If B, then C' programming rhetoric is too precious for words, Tom. If Hornet had shown up at Battle of the Belts - If I had to beat Hornet - If Hornet defended againt me - If the ball didn't go through Kent Hrbek's legs - If Mike Scott had been able to pitch a game 7 in the '86 NLCS."

"Save it, Tom."

"Take a second and crawl your way past the inevitable great fog of 1995, take a left at reality, a right at Alby-coiky and see if you can't arrive at something resembling the truth about May, 2004."

"Because Tom, the truth is that after listening to Mark drone on about this and that - TWICE and after listening Shane talk about his destiny - TWICE....I'm totally uninterested in hearing about your agenda and about who you plan on giving a pass to."

"Think about this...."

"Maybe I don't need a pass from you, Tom. Maybe you don't have what it takes to make that determination in the first place."

"The only thing becoming irrelevant around here is you. Wake up, Tom."

"I can do the math. If you need help adding one more loss to your record, you let me know...."

FADE OUT...

 

[TWhitefield]

If you can't pay attention to what was said any more than that, Dan, tell me now and I won't waste my time.

I never said you had a problem with what I said. I said a lot of people wanted to make more out of it than needed to be.

Go back and listen to Buckley ramble on about my supposed lack of respect for you when I walked out before your match with Hornet.

And, I guarantee he'll be saying it again during our match.

THAT is what I said. So, before you accuse somebody of revising history, I suggest you stop re-writing your own.

Now... I do agree with you about one thing. What happened a year ago doesn't mean a whole lot now, other than you're riding on the reputation of guys I beat THEN to make something more of yourself NOW.

And, don't get me wrong. Southern? He's ALMOST as good as they come. And, any win over him is a good one, even if it's one like yours.

The fact of the matter is, Dan, that you haven't beaten ANYBODY in this federation that I haven't.

The best you can point to is a draw against a man I lost to. Then again, my match didn't end with both of our shoulders pinned to the mat, yours did. So, if you gain some comfort from being allowed to walk away, go ahead.

And, if it makes you feel more... what's the word you used... relevent? Whatever.

Let me break this down for you in simple terms, Dan. I haven't come out here and lobbied for a World Title match but once in the two plus years I've been here. And I left the champion you beat laying for dead when I got it because I had an agenda OTHER than winning the World Title in mind.

Now, I'll leave it up to the imaginations of you and the marks that follow this sport to decide whether winning that belt of yours is REALLY my agenda now or not.

But, ultimately, Dan, the bottom line is this... I don't make a habbit out of losing World Title matches, whether I ask for them or not.

If you think you're the man to START that habbit, take your best shot.

I'll just leave you with this.

I didn't underestimate your ability to win that World Title.

Don't underestimate mine.

 

[DBrunkGXW]

"We judge ourselves by our intentions, but judge others by their words and actions"


- - - - - - -
FADE IN

DAN RYAN - CSWA Backdrop

Ryan: "I have to concede a point to you, Tom."

"You did not in fact ever say that I had a problem with what you said. Your exact words in fact were that I took exception to your comment."

"As we all see and as I clearly illustrate for the jury, taking exception to something and having a problem with it are ENTIRELY different things."

"Much like a phone and a telly"

"Or like an elevator and a lift."

"Or like Tom Adler and a f**ktard."

"So I'll happily retract that premise, Tom. Do please forgive me. Of course the question arises....do I truly want to be forgiven or not?"

Ryan mockingly raises an eyebrown and from nowhere, some piped in "RYAN - RYAN - RYAN" chants are heard then abruptly stop....

"I'm enjoying the Adler line of logic."

"If Adler #1 beat jobber #1, then jobber #1 beats World Champion #1 then Adler is better than World Champion #1."

"Furthermore, if Adler #1 isn't properly motivated for something his losses do not mean anything."

"HOWEVER..."

"Should World Champion #1 ever not convincingly win a match and yet retain his title, he is therefore weak and must be inferior to Adler #1. No other conditions apply to this rule because Adler #1 is a one hundred year vet and has defeated everyone from Hitler to Santa Claus and every Tom, Dick and Windham in between."

"But he hasn't defeated any Ryans."

"So that brings me to the only point I have in even wasting my time with you any further."

"Do you say these things to be verbally masturbatory for your own sake?"

"If you had paid attention to anything outside of your oh-so-fruitful pursuits of the last year, you might understand a few things about me."

"First of all, don't bother trying to intimidate me. It won't happen. Period."

"Secondly, I have confidence to the point of cockiness in knowing what it takes to win and in knowing that I have what it takes to win."

"Finally....and most importantly of all....."

"Lobby or don't lobby for what you want. Lobby for a World Title shot all you want. Go to Chad Merritt's house, borrow some swim trunks and do cannonballs into his pool while the boss flips some burgers on the grill and regales the crowd with stories of yesteryear."

"OR...."

"Don't."

"Ignore the World title and lobby for another former star to come back to his glory days. Lobby for Evan Aho. Lobby for women's rights. Lobby for Culture Club to reunite and for the drummer to finally admit after all of these years that he truly was in love with George O'Dowd all along."

"I don't care much what your motives are, I don't care much what your big secret plans are and I don't give a S*** about the track history of your habits and schemes or your hopes dreams and fears about winning the World title or not."

"In fact, go ahead and dream in one hand and s*** in the other and let's see which one gets filled up first."

"I'm gonna tell you up front. My goal is to win this match by any means necessary, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"Now be a good little former star and go drag the fight out of Aho."

"You've wasted enough of the air in the main event scene already...."

FADE OUT

 

[TWhitefield]

Ummm, pardon me for asking, but... exactly WHAT match have I lost around here that I said it was because I wasn't properly motivated?

If you can remember one... PLEASE let me know.

Or, maybe, just maybe, you can quit reading the "New Blood" talking points and start thinking for yourself for a second.

The simple truth is this, Dan. You are an ALSO RAN champion.

And, please don't take that as an insult. Because, quite frankly, it has nothing to do with you.

Oh, don't get me wrong, nine times out of ten the match you're in will be called "The Main Event" for however long you hold that belt. It's customary. It's protocol.

But, let's not pretend it's for much else.

The fact of the matter is this, Dan, there are some individuals around here that, whether we beat them or not, will ALWAYS be a tier above everybody else.

My agenda at Anniversary Fifteen was simple. Do what Aho, Triple X, Mark Windham, Eli Flair and DAN RYAN failed to do. MAKE HIM EARN IT.

Did that loss matter to me? You better F(bleep)in' believe it did. Never claimed otherwise.

But, believe it or not, for one long night, I actually had a goal that didn't just involve me.

And THAT goal I succeeded in.

Your goal at Anniversary Fifteen? Walk out with that strap. No matter what.

Congrats, champ. You did it. You survived your "No Guts No Glory" main event and lived to tell the tell to the droves of mindless New Blooders around here who need a false prophet to follow.

It's cool. Every generation has one. The last time I was here it was Scott Watters. You can be this one.

The thing I find most amusing in all of this, Danny, is that you're so willing to shove everything I've done in the PAST when the only thing YOU have to point to is the SAME recent past as me.

If you wanna take the "You're only as good as your next win" approach to things, so be it.

The problem with that, Dan, is that you can't escape the inevitable. The "You only SUCK as much as your next loss" side of the coin.

And trust me, Dan, that loss WILL come. I won't play dime store prophet and tell you it will be tonight. But, it will come none the less.

I, for one, will enjoy when all of a sudden the "That was yesterday this is now" Dan Ryan becomes the "I did this yesterday so I deserve this today" v2.0.

I'll repeat my advice. You don't need to acknowledge it in public. I've been where you are. I understand the drill. But, I suggest you acknowledge it none the less.

I don't underestimate your ability to win matches. Don't underestimate mine.

Like I said, Dan. Some things in life are just inevitible.

 

[DBrunkGXW]

"Second verse, same as the first....."




- - - - - - -
FADE IN

Another reply to Adler between his initial on-card promo and the match?? What kinda freaky ass speed are we on??

DAN RYAN - CSWA Backdrop - You know the drill....

Ryan: (Smiling broadly) "Tom, this is so unbecoming of you."

"A man such as yourself reduced to 'You're an also ran champion'."

"Tsk tsk tsk, my friend."

"If you can't say something nice....."

"Now Tom, I'm disappointed in this black and white way in which you've chosen to see the world. Since I plan on winning, apparently you infer from that in a manner in which to suggest that if I lose.....hell, what would I do then? My fan support....my....my merchandise sales....my God....my very career!!"

(In a mock-sympathetic Bill Clinton-esque manner) "I'm gonna do something most people in my position don't normally do."

"I'm going to admit fault."

"There, I said it."

"Dan Ryan is not perfect."

"Perhaps you expected me to suggest otherwise. Apparently you think that if I lost to you tonight, I might not be able to handle it."

"See, in my opinion Tom...a man who holds his self worth in the opinions of other people is the weakest man possible. So no matter what Tom Adler or indeed every other human being on the planet may think of me at any given time? I'll sleep just fine at night. And then, the next day? I'll be back in the ring."

"But bottom line, Tom. Nine times out of ten it just ain't gonna be a loss."

"This is a fickle business, Tom. When I came into this company I already had six World Titles under my belt. I know, I know....but nothing here."

"At that time everyone I came across said the same things."

"Big fish in a little pond."

"Two bit bingo hall company."

"Writing checks with my mouth that my ass can't cash."

"Quite honestly, Tom....if I gave two s**ts about what any of your opinions were of me I might have hung it up a long ass time ago."

"And therein lies the problem with every argument you have to argue."

"When it comes down to it, all that the man who cuts the bull***t has to say is essentially 'Tom Adler is superior to Dan Ryan no matter what happens.' "

"I expected that, Tom. I really did."

"I didn't expect you to brag about making someone earn a win over you, which of course...results in a loss for ya....but that's neither here nor there."

"I've never begged for respect and I've never needed it. Trust me....ten losses in a row and I'll still be the same man you see standing before you today."

"Thing is, Tom?"

"In an eight year career I've never hit a run of more than two losses in a row, much less anywhere near ten."

"If it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing that you maintain lofty purposes in matches that don't require winning then good for you, sport."

"You're not the first supposed old schooler with an ego problem who thought that my success was a slap in the face to the golden days, and you won't be the last."

"Just like you won't be the last one I beat....."

"Oh...and Tom?"

"Any attempt to put words in your mouth with my sarcasm....is purely intentional."

FADE OUT...