UNLEASHED 2013: IC Title - Mahogany/Willard/Rezin/Smallz/Light

[DBrunkGXW]

Five Way Dance. ELIMINATION RULES.

For the EPW Intercontinental Title.

Post all RP here.

 

[Mad Dog]

(FADEIN to Boogie Smallz standing in front of a camera with a brick wall in the background. It’s night time, the only light being utilized in the shot is the orange glow of a street lamp hanging 20 feet above his head.)

BOOGIE SMALLZ: What is Dan Ryan thinkin’? Has my assault on him and this company finally paid off? Or has he lost his got-damn mind by lettin’ a non-contracted worker come into Empire Pro for a shot at one of his titles?

Like I said before, Dan…you’re not thinkin’ clearly. You aren’t lookin’ at things objectively. You are just losin’ your shit and makin’ irrational decisions on the fly. Why do you think I did what I did? I pushed all the right buttons, I knew how to illicit the response from you that I wanted.

Whether you realize it or not…I’m the one that manipulated you. I’m the one pullin’ the strings.

You think this Intercontinental championship match is some type of trap for me? Like you finally got me where you want me and you are gonna use these marks to try and work a grifter? The game don’t work that way, son. I see everything five steps ahead of the rest. I know EXACTLY what I’m doin’ and what I got myself into.

Pittin’ me against four muthaphuckas I have some past with…whether it be via a beatdown or run-ins outside the ring. (Shakes his head.) You oughta know by now…I ain’t gonna walk into a blatant ambush without havin’ a plan to walk away with what I came for.

The Intercontinental title isn’t a status symbol to me. It’s not a sign of dominance over my peers. It’s not somethin’ I covet more than anything in the world. What it means to me is far greater than any of that…it’s my opportunity to shove it in your face and let you see first hand the mistake you made when you didn’t give me the contract I wanted.

What’s to stop me from takin’ the belt after I win it and puttin’ it up for auction on eBay? Or usin’ it as a doorstop or somethin’ to prop a window open with at my house? Maybe instead of usin’ the belt to eat pizza off of, I can take it on the road…show up in another company and flash the title around like Impulse has done with the NFW World title.

But of course, I’ve already done that when I first arrived in EPW way back when, at your encouragement no less. How ironic would it be for me pull a repeat performance for some other company? That gag never gets old. (Smirks.)

Has the severity of your mistake crept in just yet? Or are you still standin’ your ground on this bein’ a wise and sound choice for you to have made? Don’t you realize the leverage winnin’ this title will give me?

If the situation was different, maybe I would have more respect for the Intercontinental championship. Maybe after I win it, you will cave in to my contract demands? Either way works for me…I just need to walk out the victor for what I have in store to fall in place.

Let’s take a look at the folks you got me up against. (Sarcastically.) A regular who’s who of the Empire Pro elite.

Adrian Willard…the ex-member of a white gang. Does anyone else realize how racist that sounds? And if that’s not the case…isn’t that some sort of oxymoron? Willard…I beat you down because you were one of the names Dan Ryan announced when he sent me packin’ and teased me with a chance to win the IC title. He would rather have a guy like you work for his company than re-sign me.

Probably because he knows that you are easy to control. Just look at how he had you waitin’ in the wings ready to attack me at Aggression 72. Just pathetic. (Shakes his head.) He is hoodwinkin’ you and you are too stupid to even realize it.

Rich Mahogany…I honestly have no idea why you are even in the mix here. What have you done lately? The best thing that’s happened to you in the last six months here was when I bitch slapped you a few shows ago. This is Dan Ryan Logic at its finest. Reward those that are undeservin’ and bury those that he knows are worthy of bein’ a top draw for his organization.

But maybe there is more than meets the eye here? Maybe there is a conspiracy brewin’ and a guy that sounds like the description of an office desk in a furniture catalog is the key to the master plan unfoldin’. (Rolls his eyes.) Let’s be honest here, we all know that’s not the case…and much like Willard, Mahogany is a non-factor for this match. He shouldn’t even be here.

Then we have Rezin…the man that used to worship me eight years ago when I was on top of GXW. Thankfully his obsession has changed from me…to Anarky. And that bond you have with Anarky will only get you so far. As much as you try to claim you are his equal, you still end up lookin’ like a subservient bitch. Why don’t you cut the purse strings, try a different route, be your own man for once in your life?

After the last time we faced off in the openin’ round to King of the Cage, you spit in my face…literally. You knew in your heart that you could never go toe to toe with me, so you resorted to spewin’ black mist in my face. I had that match under control…I was whippin’ both you and Anarky’s ass inside that cage. Then I made a decision that wound up bein’ in your favor. I could continue to unleash the beast and carry a worthless tag partner to victory…or I could leave him to the wolves to fend for himself and give you guys an easy victory.

As much as it irked me to walk away, I wasn’t gonna let that insignificant piece of shit ride my coattails all throughout the tournament. In the end, we both got what we wanted out of that match. But I let it be known after that match, that there would come a time and a place for me to give you a receipt for the mist in the face…and I intend to cash in on that promise in this match.

And last and certainly not least, Christian Light. The man that Dan Ryan has obviously taken a shine to because what exactly have you done in this company to even warrant a title shot? Yeah, you beat Anarky in a non-title bout. As is the case with most non-title bouts, the champion rarely gives his all. But rather than you havin’ a rematch with Anarky, you get automatically upgraded to the next title on the championship ladder.

Look, you don’t have to defend your position. I tried to tell you a while back…Dan Ryan is just usin’ you. You may not see it and think all of this glory that is bein’ bestowed upon you is just due. And maybe you can also ignore the fact that most of the locker room will probably resent you for it. But if you can live with that, then the squeaky clean persona you project is a bunch of bullshit.

But enough about my conspiracy theories of how you’ve been hotshotted and thrust into this spot because Dan Ryan is desperate enough to attempt whatever he can to keep the belt off of me. I guess you have a little more incentive for bein’ in this match…you wanna get some payback for that Extreme Makeover: Skull Edition that I did to you the last time you stepped into the ring with me.

I was just on the phone with my agent, Saul Weinstein, and he has been fieldin’ sponsorship offers from Home Depot and Lowe’s. They are in a biddin’ war over which one will get the exclusive rights to the Boogie Smallz line of hammers that will be in stores soon. If this thing pans out, I might’ve opened an entire new stream of revenue in an unexploited market for celebrity brand products. Foreman had the grille, Lalanne had the juicer, and now I’ve opened up the market to home improvement tools.

It’s an untapped market…much like your face was before I clawed your forehead like a lottery scratch off ticket. You may take this personally, but to me it was all business. I had a point to prove and you were a victim of circumstance. And ultimately, you shouldn’t blame me…you should blame yourself for bein’ in that situation in the first place.

Whether any of you like it or not…you best be prepared to deal with it. Boogie Smallz is goin’ into that ring at Unleashed 2013 and walkin’ out with the IC strap.

BELIEVE ‘DAT!

(FADE TO BLACK)

 

[John Doe]

Everyone Forgot

“Past...present…future.

Each different but together they make harmony. They tell a story.

What was is no longer.

What is will be no more.”

FADE IN…

(Adrian Willard I standing in what seems to be some sort of abandoned church, the stain glass window behind him has been broken in some areas. But Willard is different, not his casual clothing. This time he is in an all-white hooded robe. Hood on of course his hands folded in front of him, head looking down. The camera is walking slowly up the pews closer to him)

WILLARD: “Life turns and twists. It has unexpected voyages all of which are out of our own control. The actions of man sometimes unwarranted. The actions of many sometimes not justified.

The particular actions of one man are nothing more than repetition.

Others such as Resin evolve. They see who they were adjust and correct it making themselves adaptable to the ever changing game.

And this game is always changing, Boogie. Don’t you doubt that for a second. Never are things stagnating where one can predict the outcomes of their own futures.

Men like me.

Who grew up in the streets of a Chicago, the son of a laborer, a teenager that grew up around white gang members. Not part of one, not a racist, just grew around them. Inheriting one quality, crime.

And crime did pay. It gave me the opportunity to join a crime prevention program entering me into an amateur wrestling team.

But that is the past. That is the past you know nothing about, or cared less the read about.

Then again I don’t consider a person of your….particular….background to be literate.

( Adrian’s eyes look up from under the white hood winking)

WILLARD : “As I said Boogie, past, present and future. I wonder how yours was. I wonder if you really are this threat you claim yourself to be or if you are nothing more than self-hype.

The fact is…you left Empire Pro Boogie and guess what?

EVERYONE FORGOT.

A small blip on the radar that vanished and no one took any notice.

Here you are begging, like a dog, for Dan Ryan to take you back. Questioning why he would toss you in a match for a belt and you aren’t an employee.

Common logic doesn’t suit well for low information people, like you, Boogie.

People like me, we get it, and even though I will stand there screaming ‘keep that transient gypsy out of here’ I will still do my job.

Even if you do pop up every now and again like a cold sore.

Even if all this time has passed since your last run Boogie you are doing the EXACT same thing then that you are now. I had to do some digging just to get a brief understanding of your prior stint.

You tried to ruffle the feathers of the industry back in two thousand four and instead of Rich and me putting the boots to you it was Kevin Powers and Gabriel Poe.

You had a beef with the company then and you still do now.

You couldn’t secure a title then and you still won’t.

Repetition.

Fail once, try again. I can’t blame you for your flawed mentality. I can blame you for stepping in the ring with a man of my caliber.

Boogie, even if nine years is behind us....

…it ends exactly the same as it did before.”

(Adrian closes his hands together)

WILLARD: “I think you have the whole premise mixed up. You don’t see the entire vision in front of your eyes, Dan Ryan sees you like a pestering gnat. The same pestering gnat from nine years prior. And all he has to do is swat you away once.

Just once.

And the gnat will fade away.

Forgotten again.

And who do you expect is that destructive force Dan decides to swat you away with?"

(Adrian smiles his arms crossing in front of his chest)

WILLARD: “Empire Pro doesn’t need another Anti-Champion, Boogie. Anarky already beat you to the punch, sorry pal.

We don’t need another person who wants to tear down the establishment. This company needs a champion that is going to take Empire to the next plateau, the next level.

A person like me, Boogie. A person who Dan Ryan trusts to get it done.

That’s why I waited in the wing for you, that’s why I stood on mark ready to strike. Not because I am some lap dog for Dan Ryan but because like any smart man knows one hand washes the other. That by me showing Dan Ryan I can do his bidding he knows I can take this company where he wants it to go.

I am a believer in Dan Ryan. I believe that when you work hard for your boss he rewards you, when you spit in his face he spits back.

You forget, Boogie, this isn’t a democracy. Dan Ryan owes you nothing. He doesn’t owe you time in his ring, his airwaves, or his website.

You don’t get it….You’d rather fight him on every turn.

You’d rather bite the hand that feeds you and then question why Ryan won’t re-sign your contract. All the while I am watching, waiting, plotting. Hand on the phone for when Dan Ryan calls me and offers me my next title shot.

In between that and working out, training, pushing my body to extremes in order to hold what I have rightfully earned. What I have fought for months to reach.”

(He points at the camera)

WILLARD: “While watching you run ‘round like a chicken with its head cut off trying to make yourself relevant. By doing what?

Interfering in my match?

Attacking Larry Tact?

Forgetting that history can’t be forced onto people, history is made. You didn’t etch the history books back then and you simply can’t now.

Not with me in that ring, Boogie. Look at me. Look at all I have endured. All the men I have defeated. All the men I have outwrestled.

My history speaks for itself and its one word, dedication.

It’s what has taken me to this level.

It is what has brought me here.

It will win me the Intercontinental Title and send you back to whatever cesspool you crawled back out of."

(The camera zooms back getting a full shot of Adrian and his full hooded robe. His hands reaching to the sky and head tilting back to look up at the sky)

WILLARD: “And the sky opened in one motion.

The angels came out and proclaimed.

Thou shall pursue the vision. The destiny is merely ahead. Seek not revenge, yet seek justice. Find not solace in competition, yet seek victory and embrace it.

And for those who stand in your wake….

Those who challenge you, deny you, and ridicule you. They shall see their judgment come before their eyes.

And in one voice they shall declare the prophecy to be true, for their eyes are no longer sealed….

It has been envisioned.”

FADEOUT

 

[Mad Dog]

Re: Everyone Forgot

(FADEIN to Boogie Smallz sitting on some concrete steps at an unknown location. He spots the camera filming, folds his hands, and cracks his knuckles before speaking.)

BOOGIE SMALLZ: Adrian, your story of makin’ somethin’ out of your life is truly inspirin’. I mean, it’s almost a page out of my personal history when I first went to GXW to begin my solo career. I wanted to show that someone like me could turn their life around and be a positive influence to the kids growin’ up in the hood. A place where most of those kids would turn to a life of crime if they didn’t get the hell out.

They’d either end up dead, in jail, or doin’ dirt on the corner. I wanted to change that. I wanted to end the cycle. I truly believed that I could make a difference. That I could make a change and some how lift their spirits and take their minds away from the troubles surroundin’ them in that environment.

But I was wrong. One man can’t make a difference. And the most disappointin’ thing about it all? The only kid that I was able to influence and make somethin’ of himself in the sport of wrestling? Rezin.

Go figure. My message didn’t reach its intended audience…it took a wrong turn somewhere and wound up inspirin’ some kid doin’ backflips on haystacks in a cornfield. What a disappointment. (Shakes his head.) But ya know what…you live and you learn. As for what you are tryin’ to do with your life, it’s admirable…but unfortunately…it will get you nowhere.

(Smallz sits up a little bit and slouches over with his elbows resting on his knees.)

Let’s take a look at your life. You grew up as a blatant fraternity pledge with members of a white gang. They didn’t treat you as an equal…you were just a prospect that never had the balls to go all out and join. Either that or they just didn’t view you as a man that could hang with them when the goin’ got tough.

Much is the case that you face now, Willard. Do you truly believe you stand on equal footin’ for this match just because you were booked in it? Do you honestly believe that your opposition in this bout sees you as a true peer? I mean, on the last pay per view, didn’t you fight for and lose a match for the Television title? And what have you done since to be granted a chance at a belt that is seen as bein’ far more worthy to hold?

The answer is simple…not a damn thing.

You come at me and say I’m a man that everyone forgot and no one cares about. (Rubs his chin.) Hmmm. Is that the case? Should I just pack it up and call it a career? Say goodbye to the wrestling game because you say so?

See Adrian, the thing is… you don’t honestly believe what you are sayin’. There are plenty of people here that care. Dan Ryan cares…he wants all of you in this match to do his dirty work. Rezin cares…because he wants to be in the ring with his hero one more time. Christian Light cares…because he wants to get revenge for bein’ in the wrong place at the wrong time. And even you care…otherwise you wouldn’t have searched through the EPW archives to find out what I did back in the day.

How foolish can you be? You call yourself a prophecy, yet what exactly is the message you are sending to be fulfilled? Why is it that after however long you’ve been in Empire Pro…nothin’ has come to pass? Who was the genius that dubbed you with this moniker? Was it Nostradamus in one of his quatrains…or some drug fiend in a crack den in Chicago that had a hallucinogenic induced epiphany?

You just don’t get it and no matter how far you reach back to discover more of my history with this organization…you still won’t get it. You are too blind to see the truth because you view Dan Ryan as an upstandin’ honest man. It’s right there in your face, plain as day, but your fondness for Dan Ryan is cloudin’ your vision. All you are is a puppet to him. He’s pullin’ the strings, he’s givin’ you suggestions, and you are gullible enough to go along with it.

He tried to play me for a fool many years ago. Dan Ryan used me as an instrument to do his bidding, unbeknownst to the people in this company. Of course, he will deny it…a man in a corporate position tends to do his best to cover up the dirt. Not get his hands soiled with the riffraff and leave it to an underling, such as yourself, to handle the situation on his behalf…simply because he isn’t man enough to do it himself.

But if you open your eyes and look beneath the surface…the evidence is there. I can go on and on about what has taken place behind the scenes…and in fact, I have before. I’m not here to give you the bullet points on a PowerPoint presentation and educate you on the shadiness of your beloved owner. He can’t be trusted and he has all of you eatin’ his bullshit up.

(Small rubs his hands together and shakes his head.)

And exactly HOW am I beggin’ to get my job back? That’s not what my purpose here is about. I can find work elsewhere, this isn’t the only show in town. To put it in layman’s terms for a man like you who doesn’t understand the complexity of the situation…

This is a shakedown.

I want the big payday, I want to be in this company…not for prestige and honor, but because I want to ruin anything Dan Ryan has his hands in. I want to make his life miserable. I want him to be in the livin’ hell he put me through for the past 8 years.

And just like you put it, I want to be that gnat. I want to pester the shit out of the boss. But unlike the gnat in your scenario…Dan Ryan has had chance after chance to swat me away. Not “just once” but multiple occasions…and yet I’m still here. I’ve sidestepped every swat…and I’m still lingering around 8 years later. See…he thought he got rid of me, he thought he swept me under the rug…never to be heard from again…but here I am.

And after he fails in this latest attempt, what’s the next step? Where does he go from here? What does he do when I win the Intercontinental title and have no contractual obligations to his company? Is it the perfect revenge? No…but it’s a good start.

(Boogie scratches his temple and looks off in the distance in thought before moving on to the next topic.)

As for your accusation, I’m not tryin’ to be like Anarky. I’m my own man with my own agenda against this company. How did he beat me to the punch when this is been years in the makin’? As far as you questionin’ my relevance, I would venture to say the same could be said about you. Do you think my attacks on you, Mahogany, and Tact were for me to appear relevant? You are givin’ all of you far too much credit. If I wanted to make a statement…I would’ve chosen people much more high profile than the EPW bottom feeders that all of you represent. (Smriks.)

You can continue to raise your arms to the heavens and pray to up above all you want. Hopin’ that some divine intervention comes into play so that you can finally execute this prophecy you’ve been speakin’ of your entire career…but don’t get your hopes up. Your pleas will fall on deaf ears…your requests ignored…and your demise imminent.

This “blip on the radar” that you thought went away is indeed still there. Maybe you can chalk up your incorrect analysis to a system malfunction. (Shrugs his shoulders.) Too damn bad…because that blip is closin’ in and much to your dismay…the target…is you.

(Smallz scowls at the camera. FADE TO BLACK)

 

[John Doe]

Onto Deaf Ears

“The false belief of man distances us from the reality.

The idea that we are in control.

That man can decide his own fate.

An idea, free will, over examined forgetting that life will make its decisions on you.

That that fate will send it’s messenger to correct the transgressions of our lives.

I am your bad karma.”

FADE IN...

(Adrian Willard same white robe, this time he stands in front of and Empire Unleashed backdrop. His head is again looking at the ground, hood up, hands folded.)


WILLARD: “But, what is there to get Boogie? A man with an old vendetta? Am I supposed to respect you for that?

Fear you?

You? A man who has a habit of NOT getting it done?

This isn’t about my child, as much as you’d like to make it about it. This isn’t about my teenage years, frat parties in college, or what I did before Empire Pro.

I don’t care about GXW, which folded.

Or your perception of the man that is Dan Ryan.

My vision, my prophecy, my convictions have never guided me wrong. This is the prophecy, Boogie. You are staring at it, this is the vision, this is Empire Pro. This is what Dan Ryan wanted when he molded this company.

He sought the best, the greatest. He wanted competitors that could display the nature of this sport and do it well.

Maybe that’s why you aren’t getting that big contract that you are so hungry after, Boogie. You just don’t make the cut. You aren’t what Dan Ryan’s Empire wants.

Sure, you were back nine years ago but now, washed up, can barely carry your own weight.

Look at you, pretending you are some sort of blast from the past, some treasure that was lost and we can rejoice has come back home.

It’s a good act, maybe some people are foolish enough o buy such a lie. I am not one of those people, Boogie."

(He shrugs)

WILLARD: “Then again, I am not you. Not on any level.

I am far above you, Boogie. I have done things you haven’t even accomplished and in a shorter amount of time.

And you have the nerve to question why I deserve this opportunity?!
What have you done to earn it? Beat Gabriel Poe? (Snicker)

Make a little noise? Congratulations, Boogie, you did nothing, you didn’t’ work for this as much as you want to act as though you have. You sat back, pushed Dan Ryan’s buttons so he decided to toss you in a literal gauntlet match.

Against a guy like me who lives for these sorts of challenges. I have wrestled some of the best, Boogie. Men that have excelled to the top ranks of this company while you sat watching with spliffs reminded how you never have held Empire gold.

I have.

And I plan to again.

I have fought tooth and nail. Taken my body to the limits, I took a beating from Anarky only to rise back up time and time again. It’s what I do, Boogie. It’s the nature of the beast.

And though I may trip and fall, by job to fulfill the prophecy still remains."

(He pulls the hood down)

WILLARD: “But I forget, this is a shakedown.

The big payday! Not much of a shakedown when you have to get in the ring with men that want to bring themselves up to the next level and will do it at anyone's expense.

Money just isn’t enough, Boogie. Your name forever amongst the greats....money can’t provide that.

That’s where you and I are two different men. You want the money, I want the pride in showing Dan Ryan I deserve my next step. And do you think I will let you take that away from me?

A chance to be named an Intercontinental Champion is nothing to shrug at. It’s the number two belt around this place, the chance to showcase your talent and the gold to back it.

But you, some how really believe that your mission is greater than mine. What we have here now, is a conflict of vision.

You somehow believing that you are owed. That you are better. That you make Empire Pro...relevant."

(Adrian chuckles)

WILLARD: “Let me enlighten you, Boogie. It is Tact, Rich, and myself who make you RELEVANT. Before you started your run ins people were yawning at your 'come back'.

No one took any notice.

Like a toddler making a stink at the store, no one notices but the parent. And then that parent provides discipline. Same concept, you decided to throw a temper-tantrum and Dan is now providing you your ass whooping.

Did you just expected Dan to crumble to your demands? Fact is he threw you to the wolves, Boogie. And a wolf, a hungry, lone wolf....is stalking his prey.

Men like you devoured.

Men like you doubted the reality of the prophecy that stands here.

Only to crumble in its wake.

I have withstood the test of time, Boogie. You just couldn’t hack it.

If this is your time.....well....second chance...to try and prove everyone wrong, stick it to Dan Ryan, show him exactly what he was missing all along then the message isn't being delivered.

And just like he was happy to get rid of you then, I will be more than happy to get rid of you now.

And none of the other men in the ring will do anything to stop me from it.

It has been envisioned."

FADEOUT

 

[RStrawsma]

There Is No Bottom

(CUE UP: “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima” by Krzysztof Penderecki. Yes, fans, we’ve gone into the depths of Classical Sludge.)

(We open on a shot descending through a maddening labyrinth of hissing and steaming metal pipes. Intense condensation and corrosion create the effect of water trickling down the leaden web of plumbing to an unseen world above. As we get lower, the pipes are less dense, and the leaking trail of water converges upon a single and somewhat redundant looking rod jutting out of the bottom of the mess. With a fine accumulation of filth, dirt, and grime to add to its consistency, the repugnant liquid drips off the pipe one drop at a time. Our view comes to a stop... as we see it’s dripping right into a BUCKET OF SLUDGE.)

Rezin
Oh, what a captivating conundrum this merry little miracle called “life” can be...

(Not far away, REZIN is crouched near the floor, looking over the bucket like an emaciated buzzard might look over it’s own nest. His voice is about as dry and joyless as the desert that said buzzard would occupy. He raises his head to look at the camera.)

Rezin
I was all but certain I’d be going into Unleashed once again be jerking the curtain... warming up the canvas for the big stars, by getting into a pointless tussle with another Mister Sunshine or Captain Rainbow, or what have you. And then Dan Ryan drops a bombshell the day he calls me up and tells me I’m filling in for Teddy, with a one in five shot at being the EYE-SEE champ.

I don’t think anybody was more surprised than myself. Because, I mean, let’s be realistic here... what the fuck have I done lately?

I waged a war against the elite, and my challenge was completely ignored..

I gave my support to a champion and fellow soldier who had been wronged, only to have the rest of the locker room call me weak and dependent.

I boldly challenged a former champion and Hall of Famer only seeking to earn a measure of respect, only to be convincingly beaten and humiliated.

And then came the King of the Cage tournament... a seeming perfect opportunity for someone like me, who was once, so many, many years ago, a Tag Team Champion of Empire Pro, to make a resurgence... to put himself back on the forefront of this company, for which he has dedicated so many years of his life. But as was the case, and as is ALWAYS the case, the dirty little goat bastard’s pathetic hopes were smashed by the whims of a superkick.

This is not the bottom of the barrel, ladies and gentlemen. There IS no bottom. We just sink a bit lower...

(He reaches out and dips the ends of his fingers into the bucket of black filth, and holds them up, enamored with the dark residual stain that’s left there.)

Rezin
...and we get a bit more tainted.

But we never reach the bottom... and we never break.

And I don’t honestly know what it is dwelling deep in the black and shriveled in my chest that compels me to just keep getting up and allowing myself to continue walking through this perpetual and never-ending hell of building myself up, only to be knocked down again. A sane man would have just accepted the situation and gone home to hide his face in shame... become a used car salesman, or an assistant manager at Subway.

Not me, though. I just keep playing this everlasting game of Russian Roulette with fate... putting my time and my body on the line, hoping some day I’ll squeeze the trigger and there might actually be a bullet in the chamber.

Question is... whose head is the gun pointed at? My own?

(He shrugs.)

Rezin
Ah well... at this point, oblivion would be an upgrade.

But moving on from the past, we’ve come to Unleashed... where I’ve found a place in this five-man war. But how have I earned that place? What have I done lately, other than beat up a wounded man, and piss and moan a bunch about being walked over? Did Dan Ryan grant me this opportunity to make a name for myself out of pity? Profit? Practicality, perhaps?

I can’t answer these questions... but considering my upbringing, having grown up far outside of a major metropolitan hub and being devoid of the genetic make-up of the fucking Incredible Hulk, I can definitely say that I know the TRUE value of an opportunity when one is given. So I don’t care how I got this chance... all that matters is that I’m here, and I’m making the most of it.

I’m sorry I disappoint you so much, Boogie. I wasn’t aware that by being a fan of your work as a teenager, I was sworn into a silent oath to dedicate the course of my life to spreading your message and honoring your legacy. Here I just thought you were a dopesmokin’ anti-authoritarian figure... which was all a downtrodden kid like me needed in a role model. But I guess that shtick only works when you’re eight freaking feet tall and weigh half a metric ton.

I’m not in this for your fucking approval, though... and I never was. I’ve always been my own man. I’ve been that way since the day I parted ways with Ivan Dalkichev. You’re just too ignorant to see the man that I am... and blind to the grave dangers I will bring to you in that ring.

The truth is, Boogie... you aren’t the anti-authoritarian I deluded myself into thinking you were. You’re just another Type-A Alpha asshole who is obsessed with only himself, and his image, and his philosophy.

I’m sure you’d be a great Intercontinental Champion. I KNOW you’d make Dan Ryan loads of money, all the while pledging that he’s your enemy and the rest of us are his pawns.

But that’s a prestige I must deny you of, Boogie. You see... I promised this wretched world, a long time ago, that I would be the man to destroy the Great Dan Ryan’s glorious Empire... and I don’t intend to be robbed of that distinction. Certainly not by some ass-hat who belittles me as a failure collapsed beneath the weight of his misfortunes, all the while putting all the blame for his own problems on the owner.

So it will be you and me, Boogie.

And three other guys between us.

And should one of those other three guys kick you in the fucking kidney and bring you to your knees, and I run up and kick your goddamb head off, does that make me a bitch for taking you down while you were weak?

That’s the beautiful set-up about this match, Boogie. Chaos is the rule. None of us have eyes in the back of our head... and the game can change at a moment’s notice. It doesn’t matter if you dominated the cage in our last encounter... because dominance doesn’t guarantee victory.

For you, it’s a gimmick... yet another excuse to say that Dan Ryan is trying to hold you down. For me, though... it’s an equalizer.

I don’t have excuses to make anymore, Boogie. There’s nobody left for me to blame. Not Dan Ryan... not Anarky. It’s not about where I’ve come from or what I’ve had to go through anymore. I’m going into that ring and using every last bit of my wits and my guile to come out of there the last man standing. And if I go down... I go down.

Like a fucking MAN.

(He slowly raises a hand and takes off the shades hiding his eyes... revealing that he hasn’t been looking into the camera at all, but just a few degrees off to the left and millions of light years beyond the cosmos. Somewhere in the back of his mind, we can practically hear the last few strings of his sanity straining under the immense tension that has plagued him.)

Rezin
Just don’t be surprised if it’s a different kind of man than what you would apparently approve of...

(His eyes flick over to the camera... cold, and merciless.)

Rezin
And let’s be clear here, Boogie... I’m only singling you out because you feel the need to talk shit. I suppose it’s warranted, given the circumstances of our last meeting... but your garbage will only get you so far once that bell rings.

Fuck your vendetta against Dan Ryan... and fuck Adrian Willard’s self-contained prophecy, for that matter. If a wretch like me isn’t good enough to hold onto that Intercontinental Title, then NOBODY will have it.

(He rises off of the ground, standing up to his full height.)

Rezin
In the end, all five of us will stand in that ring like a perfect pentagram, and together we will summon a demon of violence and fury the likes of which fans of professional wrestling have never seen.

The world is eager to see who will be the last man standing... the man who will pick up the torch left behind by the current number one contender. But me? Such things are trivial. The only thing that matters to me at Unleashed...

(He grabs the handles of the bucket and lifts it up. A smile crosses his face.)

Rezin
...is WHO will walk out UNCLEAN.

(With a chuckle that sounds like gravel being crushed into an ashtray, Rezin backpedals further into the shadows, until everything we see is obscured in BLACK.)

 

[Mad Dog]

(FADEIN to Boogie Smallz sitting on a weight bench with some dumbbells doing curls. He sees the camera, drops the weight, and wipes his face off before addressing the camera.)

BOOGIE SMALLZ: Willard, you are just too dense to really see what’s goin’ on. I get this feelin’ that you will continue to pull shit out of your ass, fling it to a wall, and hope it sticks each time you open your mouth. One accusation after the other, the pattern continues, and each time I dismiss your ludicrous claims and make you look like a got-damn fool.

The thing is…I see what your game is. I see that you are tryin’ to get my on the defensive because you have no footin’ to stand on. You throw out a claim that I have a habit of not gettin’ the job done…yet you don’t toss out any examples of this.

Then you go on to say you’ve done more than me in this industry and in a shorter amount of time. Well…why didn’t you bother namin’ your long list of accolades so that you could have some concrete evidence to back up what you are sayin’?

How far did you get in the Ultratitle tournament, Willard? How far did you progress in the King of the Cage? Oh…that’s right…you didn’t sign up for either one.

Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? You say you are great, yet when the opportunity arises for you to prove your status…you simply don’t have the balls to show up. Deep down you’re scared.

So while maybe I haven’t had the best track record since my return, I at least am man enough to face whatever is thrown my way. I’m not afraid to throw caution to the wind and test my mettle against the top guys in the industry.

You never venture out of Empire Pro…you never leave the cozy confines of this organization…because you know that one step out of your comfort zone…you will get squashed like a grape. This cold cruel world will annihilate you once you step out from the umbrella of protection Dan Ryan has provided you in EPW.

Whether you think you’ve done more in shorter time can be debated. A one-time TV champion…that’s somethin’ for you to be proud of…but hardly as impactful as you seem to think it is. It doesn’t carry much weight in the real world. Now maybe in a thin roster like Empire Pro, it’s a golden ticket to greatness and allows you opportunity after opportunity to regain a championship once again. But when you never do…what’s the point?

Tell ya what, I will take my chances without that bein’ on my resume and hopefully…hopefully I can regain my street cred so that I can have the stamp of approval by Adrian Willard. It’s what I live for. (The tone of sarcasm leaves Smallz with a slight smirk on his face after hat remark.)

And as much as I would like to talk down to you and make you look even more ridiculous than you already do…I want to spend the rest of this promo on a man that seems to have a bigger gripe with me than I initially thought…Rezin.

(Boogie stands up and rolls his shoulders.)

Rezin, what puzzles me more than anything is what you said at the end of your promo. “Only thing that matters is who walks out unclean”…what the fuck kinda shit is that? Unclean? Fuck unclean. Only thing that's gonna happen in this match is four guys are gonna lose and one guy is gonna be the champ. You makin’ up new standards makes me think you're already expectin’ to lose, well I'm gonna grant that wish, bitch!

(Smallz looks wild-eyed into the camera and takes a swig of water from a bottle nearby.)

Rezin, is it really that difficult for you to figure out why you were named a replacement for this match? Look at who Dan Ryan has thrown into the mix without any validation for provin’ who he chose.

You are a substitute for a diluted field of contenders for a title that was stripped from a man because Dan Ryan was angry at him. And rather than the man that held it before Stalker bein’ in the runnin’ to reclaim the Intercontinental title…he was afforded the luxury of battlin’ it out for the opportunity to be named the number one contender for the World title based on no prior justification for bein’ in that match in the first place.

Dan Ryan isn’t playin’ with a full deck…let alone a full roster. The choices were slim. And instead of another tournament or decreasin’ the number of talents he wanted in this match, he kept on with his plan to have five men fight it out. I’m sure there are a lot of question marks surroundin’ why each of us was given this chance.

EPW is in disarray, the well of new talent has dried up, and this is all that’s left. I don’t even have a contract here and somehow was entered into the fray. This goes back to what I spoke of a few days ago, the logic behind the choices Dan Ryan has made as of late. The man doesn’t have any business runnin’ a company. He makes rash decisions, can be totally manipulated by his emotions, and doesn’t look at the big picture or the long-term growth of the organization with the actions that he takes.

I did my best to urge any of the sponsors to back out…to let them see the err of his ways…but who am I for them to listen to? I’m no corporate guy. I don’t have pie graphs and flowcharts to sit down with them to discuss so that they can see where things are headed.

And while I wasn’t the model employee for EPW when I was under contract, the fact that I knew what was good for business and Dan Ryan was blinded by rage shows that he’s not mentally capable of runnin’ operations for this place on a day to day basis.

Coupled with the fact that so many people here have a grudge with him or want to destroy this company…it’s all a recipe for disaster. But enough about that, we may not see why we’re in this match, but here we are.

(Boogie rubs his chin as he reflects on a moment in Rezin’s promo that made him laugh.)

Rezin, you and your Amazing Grace diatribe is somethin’ ONLY YOU could be proud of. “A wretch like me”, did you honestly just yank a lyric off an old Negro spiritual? Or is that a universal song that transcends slavery and encompasses the struggle of rural white kids in Middle America tryin’ to get out of the monotony of milkin’ cows and pluckin’ chickens? I did say pluck, but I wouldn’t put it past you if things went further than that.

All that aside, I honestly hope you will be your own man for once in your life. Stand on your own two…make somethin’ of yourself without bein’ influenced by Anarky or whoever else may have misguided you your entire career.

As for me not bein’ what you thought I was…such is the case when people meet their idols. They have such high expectations that this person they have emulated or looked on with fondness will be all that they hoped for when they cross paths with that individual. And seldom do they fit the mold you created for them in your mind.

People do change, Rezin. Maybe at one point in my life I was the person you thought I was. And maybe after bein’ disappointed with my life and realizin’ it was all a sham, I took a different route with my career. Truth is…I grew bitter about this industry. My eyes were wide open to how things operated behind the scenes…and from those experiences…I am what I am today. (Smirks.)

And what I’ve become is EPW’s worst nightmare. A man that has ripped through everyone he has been up against and ultimately dominated anyone that’s opposed me inside the ring. I put down the weed and picked up the weights. I’ve spent hours on hours reviewin’ my old matches so that I can improve upon my mistakes. Studied my opponents so that I could exploit their flaws. I have done my best to be in unison with my mind and my physicality. As far as I’m concerned…I can’t be stopped.

And as much as I’m a “Type-A Alpha asshole”…if that’s what it takes to be successful…so be it.

(Boogie rolls his neck slowly and mean mugs the camera.)

As for your newfound manhood…we get to put it to the test at Unleashed. See if the other three in this match will be a factor or not…or as you predicted…it just comes down to us. My personal feelings on it? As long as I walk away from this match as the winner and secure the Intercontinental title…that’s all that matters. Even a “wretch” like you can understand that.

Fade me out.

(The camera slowly FADES TO BLACK.)

 

[Justin]

“So there was this chick, right?”

[There always is.]

“Her name was Matilda.”

[Of course it was.]

“She worked in the office, right, but she was cute and she could talk in front of the camera and she got along with most of the boys, so we came up with something for her to do.”

[She “had the hots” for Teddy Alexander, and Rich “had the hots” for Matilda.]

“We were gonna work this whole Love Triangle thing. Nothing too original, we weren’t gonna reinvent the wheel or anything, but it gave me’n ol’ Teddy something to do leading up to this big Interclusterfuckinental Title match at the pee-pee-vee to drum up a little interest.”

[You can catch up on the beginnings of this on Aggressions 70 and 71.]

“So, it was going along okay, like I said we weren’t exactly lighting it up, but it was better than anything those other mooks were doing. Next thing ol’ Richie-Rich knows, lo-and-behold, Teddy Pindergrass and the Norse Milkmaid actually were in love. Apparently they ran off to Cambodia or somewhere and eloped, fuck, I dunno if that’s how it all actually went down, but I know that Teddy’s gone, Matilda’s gone, and some new people may or may not be in the EYE SEE title match or something.”

[Way to pay attention, Rich.]

“Whatever, can we get this over with? I’ve got three appointments at ye olde “massage parlor,” if yer pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down. Happy Endings for all, ya dig it?”

[...]

[FADEUP: The Ladies Man stands slack against a wall-hung EPW banner. Something isn’t quite right about RICH MAHOGANY today, he just doesn’t seem to be the same creepy yet lovable scamp we’ve all come to know and love.]

RICH:
Sup?

[He shrugs.]

So I guess Fatboy Slim couldn’t hack it ever there in Dee Eee Eff, so he decided to stick to EPW where Dan Ryan only fires him when he embarrasses him, rather than beating the piss out of him or whatever happened. He talks a lot and I gotta tell you, I honestly can’t follow a word out of his mouth.

Boogie Smallz is retarded.

[Duckface.]

RICH:
And then Adelade Willard says a bunch of words in the wrong order and nobody can be bothered to translate it for the masses. ZOMFG I don’t know what that guy’s issues are, but I’d bet there’s some “funny curves” in his double-helix, if’n ya know what I mean.

Adrian Willard is the product of incest.

[Crip-walk.]

RICH:
Rezin also said some “things” about “stuff” or whatever. I dunno what his deal is, either, but if he’s out of weed and needs to quit smoking little butthole-balls of tar out of his bong, The Love Machine can point him in the direction of a few very reliable dispensaries. I don’t think that’s the issue, really, so much as the guy fully doesn’t understand gimmicks or the English language or how wrestling works at all.

That is to say, Rezin is a mark.

[Fuck you, kayfabe.]

RICH:
And then there’s Christian Light, who I guess is still in this match.

[He scratches the side of his package.]

RICH:
Chris used to be a big hullabaloo all over the place. Now he’s slummin’ it with us in the middle. I’m not so sure if it’s time to start thinking about the “R” word for Old Man Light, but maybe at least the guy should look into some performance enhancing “smoothies” or something. Maybe we should dig up Widowmaker and Venom so they can run the train on his new family. Nobody in EPW will get that joke, but Chris will pop a vein, you can better believe it.

Christian Light is a shell of himself. Also he’s getting fat.

[Mahogany shuffles his flip-flopped feet.]

RICH:
I know, I know. Everybody thinks that the Rich-man’s done gone and lost his mojo. Well, whatever, think that. While yer doin’ that you can go eat a bowl of dicks, too. Anarky thought I wasn’t man enough to whip his ass when he was the World Champion and I did. Nobody thought I belonged in contention to the Television Title and I went out and won that muh’fuckee like a boss. Y’all niggas need to understand, the Rich Mahogany Express is rollin’ through Arlington, Tee Ex, and when it’s all said and done with, you bitches can get right back to the back of the fluffer line and I can get on with the life of a Champion.

Under the bright lights.

With the soft, sexy music playing.

Candlesticks dripping wax down old bottles of cheap wine.

Oils laid out for her pleasure.

You know where this ends, people.

Submission. Humped into it. By Rich Mahogany.

[FADE2BLA-]

“Boom. Money Shot.”

 

[John Doe]

I Stand for Justice and Justice Stands by Me.

“The world….it operates in a fashion that is erratic making it uncontrollable.

Its seas can consume, its lands can devour, and its weather can be unforgiving.

A living breathing object that holds our lives in its hands yet we tear it apart piece by piece.

Greed of man to rip the natural resources from it.

To drain its wells.

It’s rivers like veins constricted and destroyed by the death grip of man.

All it wants to do is provide. All the earth wishes to do is sustain…..”

FADE IN…

[It’s a bitter cold morning in Chicago, not a single bird chirping and the sky a greyish hue with small snow flurries hitting the dormant grass. Adrian Willard is at the Botanic Gardens, a beanie on his head, black leather gloves, and a pea-coat he is sitting against a tree on the ground. Adrian is taking in his surroundings, enjoy the outdoors.]

WILLARD: “…..But men like you, Boogie and Rezin, you would love the world to perish if it meant proving to yourself that you could do it. The ego and disrespect so apparent that we can see both your flaws open up in front of our very eyes.

Empire Pro?

…..this is my world. This is where I live, where I flourish. This company has been good to me, nourished me, provided me a chance to grow with it and for that I am grateful. For that I am loyal…even if it means refusing an Ultratitle contract.

You did asked where I was for Ultratitle didn’t you, Boogie?

Well, let me be honest with you. The fact is, I didn’t want to enter the Ultratitle Tournament because I didn’t feel the need to be in a “let’s take out a ruler and measure ourselves” contest.

Mainly and truthfully, Boogie. I didn’t feel the need to participate in any tournament where the same elite circle would be jerking each other off in finals while jumping on the nearest podcast or radio station to gloat about it.

We all know how those meetings went, we know the backdoor deals. We all know about the paid off officiating and referees those elite few have been buddy-buddy with for years that give them a half count faster.

And the ones who make sure they get the nod week after week when we all see they don’t deserve it.

Anarky said it best sadly, politicking. Even if he was a culprit himself.”

[Adrian sighs and shakes his head]

WILLARD: “I stay away from that crowd, Boogie.

I don’t want to make the black eye on our sport any larger than it already is.

But men like you? You jump all over opportunities to wheel and deal what you get instead of fighting for it.

Men like Rezin and yourself would rather suck all that this company has for no reason other than self-gratification not thinking about the next step. What happens when you run into a man that wishes to stop you by any means necessary?

No one thinks of it.

Which is fine, I don’t expect you to. Everyone in this match has swept me under the rug, ignored me as a threat.

So be it, I will be the silent assassin. You aren’t the first to underestimate me and you won’t be the last. I have been under dogged since I have set foot here.

If it wasn’t Cameron Cruise doubting me it was Rich Mahogany cheating his way to win my belt after I beat him decisively prior.

If not him everyone in the TV Title Brawl which Anarky somehow came on top of. Guess what Boogie? I was the only one able to stand up to him, the last one to take him to his limit.

Not Teddy Alexander, not Larry Tact…ME.”

[Adrian shakes his head turning it to face the camera]

WILLARD: "And do you know what I got in return of all my hard work, Boogie? Of busting my ass DAY after DAY?

‘Nark pretty much giving his resignation speech to Malcolm Joesph-Jones.

The sad part is Dan Ryan didn’t approach me or apologize for giving a title opportunity to an athlete who would just eventually walk out on him. But I don’t blame him either, he is also dealing with the situation.

While....yet again....I am pushed in another title scramble of hot potato.

I don’t have the luxury that Em-Two-Jay has of facing a competitor one on one. I am instead subjected to fight and claw my way through another chaotic circus match with two guys who seem destined, no matter how many times attempted, to tear this company down and another one who can only tell dick jokes.

But you don’t see me throwing a temper tantrum, Boogie.

You don’t see me trying to shred everything Dan Ryan has worked to achieve.

I have too much respect for this industry. I have too much respect for Dan Ryan and this company.

It doesn’t need to take a prophet such as myself to open your eyes to reality. It shouldn’t at least. There is only so much I can expose you to.

Or as one Jack Nicolson said…You can’t handle the truth.”

[Adrian plucks a grass blade holding it up before it is taken by the wind, camera panning to the the left of him, but he just keeps facing forward.]

WILLARD: “Because the truth is...and brace yourself...that as much as you want to believe you can destroy this company....there will be always someone in your way to stop you from doing it.

Even if men like me are a dying a breed.

Even if defenders of honor, pride, valor, and faith are cast aside by the fans for men like Rich Mahogany.

It doesn't matter if week after week I am belittled by you elitist wanna be’s or that week after week I am ridiculed for envisioning a future where I can lead this company into prosperity empowering it further than Chad Merritt could have ever envisioned for CSWA.

Not anymore.

Not when I walk out with that title again defying your odds.

Once I do, my title, the Intercontinental Title will be a belt of prestige and competition. One open to challengers and brought back to a standard that the fans can appreciate!

Not whatever muck you plan to drag it through.

It will not be allowed, not as long as I am standing.

And there isn’t one of you that I am going to let tear me down.

It’s been envisioned."

FADE OUT

 

[Mad Dog]

Re: I Stand for Justice and Justice Stands by Me.

(FADEIN to Boogie Smallz in his home gym doing some deadlifts. He finishes out his last one, wipes off the sweat from his forehead, and guzzles some water. Smallz sees the camera is recording and takes a few deep breaths to calm his heart rate before he speaks.)

BOOGIE SMALLZ: Just gettin’ my swole on before I enter hostile territory and face off against four men that Dan Ryan thinks will eliminate me from bein’ a thorn in his side. Hired henchmen is all you people really are…whether you view yourselves as that or not.

(Boogie takes another swig of water and does another pat down with a towel to his face.)

Willard…you compare the Ultratitle to a dick measurin’ contest? Yo dawg, let me fill you in on a lil’ somethin’…that’s all this sport really is. And if you don’t see that, then you are probably hung like a like a pimple. The kind of dude that gets stage fright when it’s your turn at the urinal.

What makes this match any different than a tournament like the Ultratitle? Sure…it’s a five man match…it’s not broken down into rounds…there are no breaks between falls. But if you really break down the general concept…this match has pretty much the same principles behind it.

And while I can’t argue with your point about politics and riggin’ the matches to benefit others…don’t be blind to the fact that the same shit goes on here in EPW. Just look around…see who your opponents are…do I detect favoritism? Have we not argued the validity of the people involved in this match-up?

You want to paint Empire Pro as a safe haven, a place you choose never to venture out of because the factors that exist beyond its cozy confines scare the shit out of you. I mean, that’s basically what you’re sayin’….that’s what all of this boils down to. Do you really think Dan Ryan is fair and impartial?

You sit there and try to spin your words into somethin’ that makes YOU feel better about yourself. “Boogie Smallz likes to wheel and deal”…blah blah blah. Do you think if I was about that…that I would be in the predicament I’m in today with this company? If I was makin’ “backdoor deals”, do you truly believe I would be on the outside lookin’ in? Fightin’ for the opportunity to win the IC title just so I can rub it in my former boss’s face?

Adrian, your logic ranks up there with Dan Ryan’s bookin’ philosophy.

All you are is another sheep…just a company man. You don’t have the balls to speak your mind…to let people know how you truly feel. You are scared that if you open your mouth and voice your concerns…that Dan Ryan won’t like you…that you will be busted down to openin’ match duty against mystery opponents like Aaron Jones. I mean…that’s all he’s good for anyway.

As much as you respect this industry, this company, and your boss…what about respectin’ yourself? What about havin’ a backbone and bein’ a muthafuckin’ man instead of just doin’ as you are told by your superiors?

Just take a look at the country we live in today? If the foundin’ fathers would’ve kept eatin’ the shit that the King of England was feedin’…would the U.S. be where it’s at today? Of course, most of it was built on the blood and tears shed by my ancestors, but that’s another analogy for a later time.

The point is…there comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to fight for what you believe in. If you just accept the status quo…your life is doomed for failure.

But if that’s your thing, so be it. If you want to stay in the same rut your career has been in since you lost the TV title…then I guess you are perfectly content to live your life bein’ an insignificant cog in the wheel of the Empire Pro machine.

I mean…hangin’ out under a tree in the botanical gardens before, what is probably, the biggest match of your career…doesn’t sound like time well spent. Instead you should be trainin’, reviewin’ match footage,…doin’ whatever you can to gain whatever advantage you can get. And you would rather tiptoe through the tulips or some shit.

If you becomin’ one with nature is supposed to send shivers done my spine…time for you to switch to Plan B. If it proves anything…it just shows how soft your psyche is…and how easy it will be for me to break you down mentally in this match.

(Smallz stretches his arms and bends them in, trying to loosen up from the weight lifting.)

I truly hope this match comes down to you and me, Willard.

Christian Light? I had such high hopes for the man that stepped up when I shit all over the company he came from and answered my open challenge a few shows ago. But here he goes pullin’ the same deal he did for King of the Cage. When he knows he can’t win, he just shuts down. He doesn’t bother sayin’ a word even though the odds are against me.

Bitch Mahogany? He comes out and brings up some shit about Defiance, which is odd since he isn’t on the roster. (Shrugs his shoulders.) He says I couldn’t hack it there? Me? Says you on what authority? Well if the company is only booked on the whims of the owner and not based on head to head battles…I ain’t got time for lame ass shit like that. I could crush everyone there…and they know that. I could go on about my dislike for the organization…but I ain’t gonna give them any more free press because they don’t deserve it.

Rezin? I heard about your boy, Anarky…I saw his last promo. He’s all sad and depressed. The guy has pretty much defeated most of the competition he faces since he came back…and then all of the sudden he’s off his game in one match…a match that didn’t even matter…and he wants to whine…take his ball and go home. And with you bein’ around him so much, you better hope that shit didn’t rub off on you.

(Boogie rolls his neck and cracks his knuckles.)

All in all…you want it to be about who wants it more…but your argument is weak, Adrian. I see that desire in your eyes. That “want” inside you that pushes you to go all out in this match to secure higher standing within Empire Pro. It’s truly admirable. The thing is…it’s not only about wantin’ the title…you also need to have the tools required to pull off such a feat.

I think the both of us know…you don’t have that killer instinct. You lack the necessities of what it takes to be a champion. And you sure as hell will come up deficient in your abilities if you think you can defeat me.

Through this war of words, you’ve changed my opinion just a tad on what I thought you were all about. But don’t mistake that courtesy as a sign of weakness on my part…because it will only give you a false sense of security…and in the end you will only end up disappointin’ yourself.

Instead you should recognize the fact that no matter what you do in this match…none of it will matter. I will walk out the winner, I will force Dan Ryan into cavin’ in to my demands, and at that point I will start to destroy him and this company from within.

As far as the dick measurin’ contest goes…get out the yard stick…I’m about to whip it out.

(Moves his hands to the zipper of his jeans, begins to unzip his pants, and then promptly stops himself before finishing the deed.)

Figuratively speakin’ that is. (Smirks.) Unlike the distorted belt Impulse has been flashin’ around in promos…this company doesn’t have enough video distortion to cover up this…and they ain’t gonna pay my FCC fines…so the big reveal ain’t happenin’.

If you wanna see it THAT badly…go get the sex tape I made with Poison Ivy about twelve years ago. It’s probably on the Jizzhut website by now.

(Shakes his head.)

BELIEVE ‘DAT!

(FADE TO BLACK)

 

[John Doe]

You are the Status Quo

“Who is really an individual and who is really a sheep?

Who is the shepherd and who is the wolf?

And who is the one to combat the wolf when he decides to attack?”

FADE IN...

[The terminal at O’Hare International Airport and Adrian Willard preparing to board a flight to Dallas, Texas. Willard is sitting by himself for his early morning flight. Normal jacket, jeans, some airport breakfast half eaten on the chair beside him]

WILLARD: “I take eight minutes out of my day to engage in the solace of nature and immediately you jump down my throat to assume I am not training?

Because I don’t need cameras and crews in my gym to show I am working out?

You want to show the world you earned a shot at that title, Boogie? You want to prove you have done what it takes to beat four other men in that ring?

And you do it by showing off your dead lift strength?”

[Willard just huffs at the ridiculousness]

WILLARD: “Boogie, I want you to look at me. I am two-hundred and eighty pounds of flesh, I don’t need to prove to the world how strong I am in a gym it stares you in the face every single time the red light on that camera is on.

But enough about size, we all know it comes down to more than just strength and endurance.

I was told once that a peaceful mind is a deadly mind. That to be completely in tune, consumed mentally with winning, translates to actual victory.

Mental preparation is key, Boogie. When a man’s body is aching, muscles depleted of oxygen, lungs huffing to get any molecule of oxygen in their alveoli are when most will collapse, when most will fall.

Muscles...[he points at his bicep]...these? These are just tools for the architect, the better the tools the better his craft. The mind, the epicenter of what makes us is what we should all hone and condition.

But your mind...the unpurified mind...has greed on it.

Would you wheel and deal to get what you want? Yes.

Would you do what Anarky did and pack your bags the second you don’t get what you want? Of course you would.

You have before. You will again.”

PA (V/O): “Now boarding flight TACA*2019 Chicago O’Hare to Dallas, Fort Worth.”

[Adrian looks at his boarding pass briefly before picking up his carry on from the floor]

WILLARD: “And that is why I am here, Boogie. This is why Dan Ryan has handpicked me to end you before you are able to continue any further.

But you are right it is about more than a title, Boogie. I have said that, you just choose not to listen because it’s not what you want to hear.

That title needs to rise above the grasp of men like you and Rezin. Men that have no purpose other than you use it as a bargaining chip. And you are right you can’t stay with the status quo, you have to rise above.

The status quo, right now Boogie, is men like you. Men on a personal vendetta to take this company down to its knees because they are power hungry, men that all want the same thing you do, Boogie. Wrestlers that somehow think Dan Ryan is to blame for their own mistakes…

...Rezin...

...‘Nark...

...Steven Shane...

...First...

...Stalker...

...You...

The list continues of men on the same exact road as you but you’re so overtaken with this false sense of individualism you fail to see that you’re just different version of another egomaniac.

You fail to see that YOU ARE the status quo, Boogie.”

[Adrian stands up lugging his carry on backpack over his shoulder]


WILLARD: “Luckily. I am changing that starting at Unleashed. I am putting a stop to all of this nonsense and bringing the Empire its first legitimate champion that wants to work with the company to make it successful.

The fans deserve something better. The fans deserve a person that can respect them enough to honor the traditions of this industry.

No one asked you to come back, Boogie. No one called you and said Dan Ryan wanted you back or had a contract waiting for you to sign.

You came on your own accord wanting this and demanding that. The fact still remains Dan Ryan didn’t want to give you it, that Dan Ryan doesn’t respect you, that you don't deserve to be here and because of that you have a beef.

Because of that you went around and assaulted.

All in essence because you were UNDESIRED.

This match isn’t about you as much as you want it to be. This match is Dan Ryan proving to you that you are too far out of the game to compete with men of my caliber.

You are too busy playing checkers that you can’t see Dan Ryan is playing chess.

I may have opened your eyes but you are not one to steer me astray from my vision. I will never respect you I will never succumb to you or your attempt to diminish the value of that title and this company.

Most men are weak, Boogie, but I am not easily defeated.

My psyche is not one to be broken.

My body is not one to be destroyed.

I am not merely just man, Boogie.

I am the prophecy; I am your next Intercontinental Champion...

It’s been envisioned.”

FADEOUT

 

[BigPimpin]

Re: You are the Status Quo

[The EPW promo booth is in full effect. One Christian Light stands in front of the camera, Cavs Irving jersey and blue jeans his garb of choice.]

“The Last Nighthawk” Christian Light:
"Boogie-man!"

Been so long, dude! Come on in, have a seat! You want a drink? I gotcha something special. I'm not much of a drinker, but I talked to the guy at the local Bottle King, and he gave me a recommendation for something I think you'll really like.

[Christian reaches down on the floor in front of him and grabs a paper bag. In the paper bag is a capped bottle that looks like...well, about 40 ounces big. Light sets the bag back down.]


Light:
You know, I know we've been working the same shows lately...well, I've been working, I'm not sure what you've been doing besides mugging Rich, Adrian, and Larry Tact. Begging for spare change, maybe? Ah, whatever. What matters is you got yourself back on the roster in time for this little get-together we've got going on.

As you can tell, I've been looking forward to it.

I don't like to leave things unfinished, after all. And you managed to escape out the back door before enjoying the full brunt of my hospitality last time we got together. I don't expect you to remember that with the way I beat you all around the ring last time before you pulled out the home improvement tools, but I'd have no problem reminding you when we fight. It’s only proper that a good host helps out his slightly slower guests after all.

I do have to confess something to you, though Boogie-man, and I hope you don't think me too forward for bringing this to your attention.

This entire scenario has nothing to do with Dan Ryan.

This is all your fault.

You decided to let my name roll out of that foul mouth of yours. You decided, for some strange reason, that I'd be an easy mark, someone who you could use to further your agenda. You continued to run your mouth about, of all things, my bad attitude. And then, to top it all off, you took a shortcut in our match when you realized that you had well over-estimated me and weren't going to make an example out of me like you thought. Dan Ryan using me? I doubt it, but at this point it doesn't matter what his involvement is on this one. You made this personal when you threw that handful of salt in my eyes. You made this personal when you took that hammer to my head. You made it personal by taking it that one step too far.

Further, you're the one that decided to throw a month-long temper tantrum that resulted in Larry Tact being shelved and a couple of other familiar people getting attacked backstage.

And to top it all off, you've got the nerve to brag about all your endorsement deals for claw hammers.

Which is cute, really, but when it comes to total destruction, no one should overlook the power of Sledgehammer.

As your gracious host, I'll be happy to finish what I started the last time you showed up to Unleashed as an actual member of the roster.

Enjoy your drink Boogie. It’s probably going to be your last.

Between Rich Mahogany, Adrian Willard, and I...well, I’d say it was nice knowing you, but I’d rather not lie.

[A pause.]

And once that’s done...well, the rest of us can have an Intercontinental title match.

And between myself...Rich Mahogany...Rezin...and Adrian Williard...may the best man win.

Because anyone’s better than the Boogie-man.

 

[Mad Dog]

Re: You are the Status Quo

(FADEIN to Boogie Smallz in Arlington, TX at the Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers and site of the EPW extravaganza Unleashed. The forum is empty and has not been setup in the configuration for the upcoming show. The bases are in place on the field and Smallz is doing a little batting practice with a pitcher on the mound behind a net.

Boogie swings at a ball and appears to have knocked it over the fence in the outfield. He begins to round the bases in a leisurely with the bat still in hand. A cameraman follows him on his journey around the infield.)

BOOGIE SMALLZ: America’s pastime, arguably one of the most popular sports in the world. It lacks the physicality I’m used to, but still has plenty of strategy in place that it’s enough to occasionally intrigue me when I’m bored off my ass and Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones isn’t on that night when I channel surf in the summer.

(Smallz reaches first base, where an image of Christian Light is plastered over the bag. He touches the bag and then grinds his foot over the image, rounds the corner, and heads towards second.)

But nothin’ in the world, besides maybe MMA, can compare to the brutality displayed in professional wrestlin’. This bat I carry, while a useful tool in the game of baseball…can be an instrument of carnage and destruction when placed in one’s hands in the wrestling ring.

I suppose that age in our sport appears to be gone. The generation today calls it “garbage”, the industry pundits look forward to matches that have cruiserweights rollin’ around the ring and want to emphasize “pure wrestling”…a throwback to the days of old. But people should really be honest with themselves....because this sport’s popularity came when absolute devastation and outright bloodshed reigned supreme in the ring.

I intend to bring that back. My goal is to not only secure the Intercontinental title…but to revive what so many wrestlin’ purists have turned their backs on. Disqualifications only pussifies our sport, the lack of extreme wrestlin’ and hardcore imagery is what the boom in the late 90’s and early 2000’s was built on.

(Boogie reaches second base. An image of Rich Mahogany is displayed on the bag. Much like he did on the previous base, Smallz steps on the bag, rubs his Timberlands on it, and then begins his approach to third.)

But enough about the movement I intend to resurrect. (Takes a swing of the bat as he continues to pace towards the next plate.) My war with Dan Ryan and this company hinges on one thing at this moment…winnin’ my match at Unleashed and holdin’ the IC title for ransom. Will I give up if I can’t reach my objective? Probably not, but I have come so far to let this little speed bump in the road slow me down from accomplishin’ what I want.

As I dispose of these fools, one by one, that Dan Ryan has summoned in his attempt to thwart my evil scheme…he forgot one simple thing for his counterattack that will undoubtedly foil his plot against me. He put a championship on the line. And as much as he wants these supposed enemies of mine to put me in my place…he underestimated the greed that each and every one of them hold inside. They too want the title…and they won’t work in unison…they will be stricken by greed and ultimately want the prize over any ulterior motives that Dan Ryan plants in their heads.

(Smallz reaches third base that has an image of Rezin adorning it. Boogie stops, does a single foot stomp, and rubs it into the bag as if he is putting out a cigarette. He steps off the bag and heads towards home plate.)

And this group of men that have been compiled don’t have that certain intangible to get the best of me. They lack the mindset, focus, and flat out blood thirst that is needed to put down a ruthless sonuvabitch like me.

No matter what they say…how they argue against me…what they deem as doin’ things the “right way”…all of their gripes against me hold no legitimacy. If anything, they just like to hear themselves talk because they believe in their minds that they can stand toe to toe with me on a mic and in the ring. Fact is…none of them can. And regardless of their individual inspirations…my motivation for this match far outweighs their own personal beliefs.

(Boogie steps on home plate with a picture of Adrian Willard garnishing it. He takes one of his boots and kicks it up a bit, and then takes the bat to knock off the dirt accumulated in the tread. Smallz then repeats this with the other boot and spits on the plate.)

Much like I just rounded these bases with the greatest of ease...each one represents my opponents in this match that I intend to defeat just as easily. I could’ve been overly dramatic, had some dude dressed up in catcher’s gear to try and tag me out as I bull rush him to reach the plate…but I don’t think I need to go that route for everyone to get my point.

You don’t believe me? (Shrugs his shoulders.) I have no problem showin’ you the hard way. (Swings the bat and stops it midway with the camera looking up the length of the bat.)

Batter up, bitch.

(FADE TO BLACK)