SCENE BEGINS
(Empty room. One ceiling light, one table, one chair, one door--an environment of absolutely no bull**** or thematic significance, perhaps the way all things should be in this industry. The door suddenly swings open, and Rocko Daymon storms in with a manilla envelope in one hand, wearing his usual jeans, a Mastodon t-shirt, and an opened black dress shirt.)
(Without speaking or making a sound, he briskly opens the flap of the envelope and spills its contents onto the table. They are several facial photographs of various EUWC talents, all of whom involved in the 16-man tournament for the International Title at Superiority II. Daymon's hands quickly align these photographs, setting them up into two rows of eight, facing the camera, in perfect alignment. Then, without looking at the camera, he speaks.)
Rocko Daymon
Sixteen men, one belt to be decided among them. The one who walks away with the gold is the one that survives four vigorous matches in the same night.
(He looks up and directly into the camera, no nonsense in his eyes.)
Rocko Daymon
On the surface, from a strictly technical standpoint, no man has an advantage over the other. If we look at the tourney brackets, we can see that this is simple math. Every man must go through the same process to be victorious.
But when you look around all that, you see all the deciding variables that really make things matter. This isn't a game a chance... the winner isn't going to be selected by a game of Eeny Meeny Miney Moe, or anything like that. A certain skill is required. It takes talent, knowledge, and experience. Some of these individuals you see here, and others do not...
(Daymon holds up the photo of his own face and shows it to the camera.)
Rocko Daymon
I know who I am, and exactly what I'm capable of doing, therefore there's no reason why I should waste time talking about it. Some of the men in this tournament know what I can do, and others will find out soon enough...
(Carefully, he returns this photograph to the manilla folder and sets it aside. He glances down at the table again and examines the remaining photos, and quickly begins rearranging them. Some he keeps in place, and others he sets to the side of the table. Finally, he has set aside the photographs of Lt. Hawkeye, Lord Antharg, xXx, Ryan Baker, and Nick Eliot.)
Rocko Daymon
All of the men you see here are newcomers to EUWC. Rookies, some of them, and others, perhaps, veterans looking for greener pastures... not unlike myself. I'm not familiar with any of them, but some have already made their voices heard. The best way I can go through this is by doing it one at a time.
First, this Little Ecks, Big Ecks, Little Ecks guy... or whatever he calls himself. If his name doesn't rhyme with John Peevins, then I have to laugh at his name choice. Who is he, Vin Diesel? Ice Cube, perhaps? I'm afraid to break it to this guy, but this isn't some crappy popcorn action flick. This is professional friggin' wrestling, and I take this sport seriously. I don't hide behind aliases or gimmicks to serve as my personality, because I know I have one. With any luck, someone else will eliminate you from this tournament, and I won't have to waste my time whooping your ass personally...
Next is Nick Eliot. Know nothing about him, but sources outside of EUWC tell me he's got good tastes in music. Music is good and all, but I haven't heard a lick about this kid in terms of what he's capable of in the ring. A step above that Ecks guy, but nothing I should be sweating over, I'm afraid.
I suppose we'll talk about Ryan Baker next. Unlike Mr. Ecks, he has a REAL name, but unlike Mr. Eliot, there isn't a trace of this guy's past that I'm aware of. Therefore, there's not much I can say...
(He collects these three photos and waves them in front of the camera.)
Rocko Daymon
These three are nothing more than meaningless filler put into this tournament by the office to make sure there was a full 16 men involved in this match. Otherwise, because none of them have chosen to say anything at this point, I don't consider ANY of them to be a viable threat, to myself, or to the OTHER athletes involved in this match, so I'm not even going to waste my time speaking about them any more.
If I ever come in the situation where I fight one in the ring, I'll worry about it then. Until then...
(He throws the photographs aside, off the table, spilling them over the floor. He points down to the remaining three photos.)
Rocko Daymon
Moving right along...
Lord Antharg. Seen his promo, and was not impressed. Seems to be on a trip about being British--as if I couldn't tell by the accent--but that's not enough to get me worried. In fact, I'm not even sure if this fella knows what kind of match he's involved in.
Lt. Hawkeye is in the uneviable position of being seeded against Tyrone Walker in the first round. Walker is an egomaniac... and I'll get on that more later, but he's no slouch in the ring, based on my experience. Hawkeye has been talking tough based on his own experience on the battlefield. Well, newsflash... this isn't Desert Storm; it's EUWC. It's a whole new playground, and unfortunately, your AK won't save you here. To put a long story short, Hawkeye to me comes off as nothing more than a shell-shocked war veteran who talks the talk, but has absolutely no idea on what he's getting into.
Sorry, bub... you've got a lot of spirit, but the second you come into a new fed talking crap, you just KNOW you're in for a beat down.
(He gathers this photograph with Lord Antharg's and throws it to the floor with the other three. He waves a hand over the remaining twelve.)
Rocko Daymon
Well look at that... we've cut down a third of this tournament in a few minutes. Now we'll get to the opponents who actually MATTER in this match.
Let's start with this Mystery Man. You can't ever be too careful when you have an opponent you can't study. This person is no exception. I'd like to say I could put my focus on other things, but the truth is, a mystery opponent is always a variable that can't go unnoticed...
(He puts this photo back into the envelope with his own, and goes back to the remaining eleven.)
Rocko Daymon
Why not focus on Damian Stone? Honestly, I don't know what keeps ol' DDS going. If it weren't for the front office giving him an ungodly push at every corner, this guy would cease to have a career. I mean, come on... he goes from being beaten by ME, to getting a World Title shot, and he ends up BLOWING it, while I get stuck with Evol in an International Title match that was a set-up from the beginning!
Stone is nothing more than a washed-up vet who still thinks he's some sort of badass just because he's really, really tall and goes by the name "Dante". I remember this guy from SCW. He wasn't anything then, and lo and behold, he's nothing now. My prediction is, the mystery opponent will turn out to be this Amanda chick who's been stalking him, and throw a monkey wrench into his dreams of reviving his fallen "legacy".
The self-proclaimed legend... p'ah...
On the same thought, I come to Angel of Death... a man I beat very early on when I first came to EUWC. For a man of such esteem it comes as quite a surprise that I haven't heard much out of him lately. Seems like ever since the day I destroyed him in the ring, he's been acting much less than his former self. Much like Stone, after I defeated him.
I suppose I have that effect on people...
(Rather disgusted, Daymon throws these photos to the floor.)
Rocko Daymon
Paul Doom? Grizzled vet... hell of a fighter. Didn't last too long in the battle royale, however, which was a disappointment. Big guys like him usually aren't very useful in such matches, which is why they're rarely victorious. Wouldn't be very surprised if I found myself facing this guy at some point in the tournament, provided I get through the first round. I consider it an honor to fight an established man like this, who has destroyed so many legends, as have I.
What, you thought I was just going to spend this time bashing everybody in this tournament? Nah, I still have respect... but only where it's deserved.
Like Sevyn. Don't know much about the man, but he's made his place in EUWC, and he seems to at least know bull**** when he smells it. Waring runs his mouth, and his esteemed opponent rightfully puts him into place. Don't know him, but I feel I might like this guy.
And of course there's "Classy" Mike C. While he might be a prick, the guy has proven just why he is one of the most accomplished in EUWC's ranks. I don't have any preference for his attitude, but I don't look down at his talent. In fact, if there was ANY man in this tournament that would pose a viable threat to me, I feel it's this man. I only expect the best...
Three fine, outstanding athletes... all of whom have their head in the game. But all of whom, likewise, have forgotten that a certain someone has been within arms reach of the International Title for quite some time. They seem to be neglecting that fact, absorbed with their own concerns.
I don't mind, though... they might not think much of me now, but I intend to be the only thing on their minds, whether I win this tournament or not.
(These three photos go back into the envelope.)
Rocko Daymon
Donny Collins... a former World Champion?
Not what I saw at Main Frame, I'm afraid. Move over, Collins... Daymon is taking over.
(He throws Donny Collins' photo aside. There are now only three photos left on the table: "Commander" T. Waring, Tyrone Walker, and Evol. Daymon picks up Waring's photo and hangs it before the camera.)
Rocko Daymon
You lost your first match in EUWC, and already you're coming up with excuses. That's quite a rookie mistake. You see, Waring... only the weak try to reclaim the shreds of their fallen pride by trying to say, "I would have won if such and such hadn't beat me." So you got eliminated in a battle royale... big deal. It happens. You should just take it like a man.
But instead, you start running your mouth, talking about how bad you're going to beat me at Superiority II. I'm afraid I'm NOT that intimidated, kid. You see, we never crossed paths in the ring at Main Frame... but I assure you, had we done so, Evol would be the last person on your mind.
You seem to think you'll make me beg... that you'll end my career. Kid, I've been wrestling for seven years, and in that time, I've suffered concussions and broken bones aplenty, but NEVER, in all those years, has there been a man who has made me beg for mercy. I don't expect anything that bad from a "young shmuck" like yourself.
You're too big for your britches, and I only hope someone straightens you out. Pray it isn't me, because I might make you heavily reconsider your future in professional wrestling.
On the other hand, if someone else eliminated you and I ended up winning this tournament, I'm sure you'd go on to boast about how you WOULD have won if you hadn't been otherwise defeated by the other guy.
(With a mere scoff, Daymon throws his photo aside. Now we're left with Walker and Evol. Daymon picks up Walker's photo.)
Rocko Daymon
The man who is part of Team Danger seems more intent on cracking jokes and hyping himself. In the opinion of this wrestler, this man represents everything I am not: bull****.
(And in this writer's opinion, one should not put the bulk of his words into stage directions and narrations which are otherwise unspoken.)
Rocko Daymon
Here's the basic Walker speech: A stupid scenario, usually involving the degrading of a camera man... a bunch of smart-ass remarks directed at his opponent... and in between all that, a bunch of accusations of the federation "trying to hold him back".
Team Danger made quite an impact at Blood Bath. The team took the tag titles, and Stephen Greer earned his shot at Taylor. Unfortunately, that acheivement doesn't make them better than everybody else... especially me.
Tyrone Walker is simply full of himself, and without Stephen Greer watching his ass, he doesn't have a hope in hell on his own in the ring. That's just the kind of **** Team Danger tried to pull at Main Frame, but fortunately, I was able to overcome it. In past situations, I wasn't quite as lucky. But times have changed, and I've improved on working my way out of hairy situations, when the bad guys have numbers and you don't.
If Walker comes to face me in this tournament, I'm going to show him exactly what a champion is made of: not ego, but pure talent and determination, all the bull**** aside. And if Greer or Roundtree came down to try and screw me over? Then I'd deal with them in the same way.
Team Danger might have taken this federation by storm, but they have yet to prove anything to me... and because Walker has all but NEGLECTED me up until this point, then I'll do nothing but neglect HIM, after I surpass him in this tournament!
(With disdain, he throws the photograph aside. Rather than picking up the final photo, he looks at it with a small smile forming over his lips.)
Rocko Daymon
And last but not least, there's my old buddy Evol... who, ironically, is my first-round match for this tournament. I guess that means I'll be speaking more on him than anyone else.
For once, Evol actually delivered a BELIEVABLE analogy--and I'm inclined to believe that I may have had a part in that with my last promo. This entire war of words really is like a broken record, going around and around and playing the same part of the same old Elvis song. It's getting old, and its getting bothersome.
So rather than spend a few minutes bashing Evol's intellect, or lack thereof, I'm going to take this record analogy and give it a new spin.
You see, while the history between Evol and myself may be like a skipping record, Evol misses the point. It's not that the record is skipping... it's that the wrong record is playing. Don't get me wrong, Elvis is the KING, but this entire Daymon/Evol thing... it's more like a skipping Saliva album on vinyl, which is even worse.
What I'm trying to say is, our record has already played and been put back on the shelf. I've beaten you once, Evol... proving to you exactly what I am. You thought I was a nonamed rookie, but I delivered my true talent, and you paid the price for your mistake. It's a mistake you can't make up for, I'm afraid, because I've beaten you and moved on, and you'll always be one step behind me.
We have the same chances as the others in winning this tournament... but only one of us will go on beyond the first round. You think you have a score to settle, but my mind is on other things... like the other people in this manilla envelope, who I may be fighting, and more importantly the International Title I was robbed of after BUSTING MY ASS for months in this federation.
I don't have any score to settle with you, Evol; it was all taken care of one Main Frame, when a man named Rocko Daymon made his debut in this federation, unknown at the time, and sad to say unknown even now, but soon to let loose all of the built-up energy he's been gaining with every small victory over the months. I'm ready to make my mark on EUWC, but you...
You're still playing that record... and while you know it's skipping, you don't seem to understand that I'm done listening, and ready to go on to bigger, better, BRIGHTER things, like the International Championship.
(He picks up the photograph from the table and continues observing it, then looks into the camera.)
Rocko Daymon
I'm not going to put this photo back into that envelope, Evol... nor am I going to throw it on the floor. Rather, I'm going to pin it up next to my bathroom mirror tomorrow, to remind myself of one important thing:
There's everything I'm up against, with the veterans and rookies alike in this tournament, everybody going against each other with one goal in mind... that International Title. The other 14, that belt, and down the road, Sean Taylor and the strap he holds now. All of this is on my path... but the one thing that still stands in my way is YOU.
I haven't a better opportunity to set you aside for once and for all in this first round of the tournament. While I'm sure you'll put up a spirited performance, I've already proven everything I ever needed to prove to you months ago when I first came into this federation. I know your style, I know your way of thinking, and I know how far you'll go to try and win.
I can read you as easily as you can read a book on philosophy, and never once have I doubted my abilities in successfully beating you.
But like a broken record player that keeps the same part of the song playing over and over, you keep stumbling into my path in EUWC. At Superiority II, on the night where I finally make my mark on this federation by outlasting fifteen others and taking the International Title, I'll stop that skipping record for once and for all...
And I won't even think to look back at how you'll turn out in the aftermath.
(With that, Daymon takes Evol's photo and the manilla folder, and, as hurried as he came in, quickly leaves, trodding over ten neglected photographs left on the ground. He slams the door behind him, and we fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
