See You Soon (vs. Noelle Smith)
Dec 14, 2015 5:45:45 GMT -5
Post by Danny Diamond on Dec 14, 2015 5:45:45 GMT -5
Burning The Memories
Location: The Sanctuary
OFF CAMERA
The room is dark, dimly lit only by a fire in its center. The smell of burning wood works its way up Danny Diamond's nostrils, as he stands next to the fire, looking down at it, his hands in his jeans' pockets.
Danny Diamond: "It's been a while since I've been here. This place, this sanctuary, it was once a home to me. The walls were decorated with inhumane images, sights of violence and mayhem. Now ... nothing. It's all gone. Those gruesome scenes that reminded me of what true horrors there were in the world, well ... I don't need them anymore. I'm free. I'm finally free. For years, my own insanity has haunted me. All that I've done, all the chaos that I've caused, has lingered in my mind from the very first day he was created."
Diamond directs his attention to his left pocket. He slides his hands out of his pockets, but with something in his left hand. The Englishman holds up photographs, gazing into the top one with a look of sorrow on his face. It's a picture of a dog.
Danny Diamond: "Chico, Jason's deceased dog - deceased because I murdered him. It's truly a terrifying feeling, doing something you have no control over. Jason was a good man. He didn't deserve this. His family didn't deserve this."
The memories of the night when Mirage set fire to Jason's dog come flooding in. Jason, better known in 2WWF and XWA as Roach Cooper, was known to wreak havoc himself, but Mirage had to let him know that there was no one more devious than him. As Jason's wife and daughter were tied up and forced to watch, Mirage uttered the phrase made famous by Jason.
Danny Diamond: "The ramblings of a mad man never made so much sense ..."
Closing his eyes, Danny takes a deep breath. He can still hear the muffled barks and whines as the dog was set aflame right in front of his very eyes, at his own hands. He opens his eyes back up and grabs the picture with his right hand, pulling it away from the others and tossing it into the fire.
Danny Diamond: "I'm sorry, Jason. I truly am."
He looks back down at the next photograph. This one is of a woman, one whom hasn't been seen in quite some time. Her name is Diana Valentine. Danny and Diana were together for a long time. In fact, they were even engaged to wed. But, when the day came for Diana and Danny to tie the proverbial knot, live on 2WWF Breakdown, Danny turned his back on his would-be wife.
Danny Diamond: "I was fooled. I was fooled by myself into believing you weren't the one, when in reality, you truly were my Juliette. I saw it. I saw you with him, fucking in our bed. Or, at least, I thought I did. But it was all an illusion, all a mirage. I made sure I would never be with you by forcing myself into believing you weren't loyal. Now ... I don't know where you are. Are you okay? Are you even alive? Even with the hatred that filled my body when I saw the illusion of you with another man, I still loved you. I still cared. I would've never wanted anything bad to happen to you. But my blindness may have led to your disappearance."
Danny's fingers tremble as he stares into the picture of his lost love. He could've had a lifetime of happiness with Diana, but it was all taken away when Mirage forced an illusion into his mind, a memory that never happened. He thinks back to their wedding night. When asked the biggest question of his life, he smiled at Diana and then struck her in the throat with his foot. The Sudden Death Superkick is an appropriate name for such a move, as it was the sudden death of something that could've lasted forever.
Danny Diamond: "I know it means nothing now, but I will forever be sorry for what I did to you."
Lifting the photograph away from the remaining two, Danny tosses it into the fire. He then looks at the third photograph. This one shows a man and a woman, sharing a beautiful kiss.
Danny Diamond: "Adam ... Alicia ..."
Indeed, in the picture are Adam Johnson and his then-girlfriend Alicia Wilson. Adam, whom wrestled worldwide as Minkaro, was in a relationship with Alicia for seventeen months before Mirage had his way.
Danny Diamond: "I ruined a great thing, here. Well, a few great things. I was so obsessed with defeating you and proving that I was the dominant man. I'm not sure my illness even had anything to do with this one. I crippled a poor, innocent woman for life. And why? Because the man who loved her was pissing me off. That baseball bat fit so well in my hands as I swung it across her body, from her head to her toes. The sound of her kneecaps shattering was like a beautiful symphony to me. And now I can hardly even look at this picture without the regret tearing away at me. I destroyed a beautiful love and, even worse, a woman's life."
"You're not gonna get down on your knees for anyone else, you fucking cunt!" The sounds of Mirage screaming at a woman who he claimed was cheating on her boyfriend ring through Danny's head. It's unclear whether Mirage was simply lying about her cheating or if he truly believed it himself. Alicia was never able to walk again after the horrible destruction he caused. Diamond sighs, slowly shaking his head afterwards.
Danny Diamond: "I am also sorry to you two."
"The Rubik's Cube" tosses the third picture into the fire, leaving him with one final photograph in his left hand. This one gets the biggest reaction of them all from Danny, as he fights back the tears in his eyes, trying to maintain his composure.
Danny Diamond: "And you ... dad."
Daniel Smithson Sr., the father of Danny. He wrestled from the late seventies to the early nineties in England as the widely popular Defiant Dan. He even had his own wrestling school where he taught Danny and several other talents, all the way until his death on July fourth, two thousand and thirteen. His death was linked to the chaos and tragedy of the others in these pictures by one entity - Mirage.
Danny Diamond: "My father ... my own flesh and blood. All you ever wanted out of your life was for me to succeed. You got that. I have succeeded, a damn lot. Despite my problems, I've done things others can only hope to dream of. But you were only able to witness a small portion of what greatness I could accomplish. I told you to leave me be. I knew things would get dangerous for you if you didn't back off, but you just wanted your son back. You tried so hard to help me and I failed you. I gave in to the demons inside of me and now you're gone because of it. I murdered my own father."
When Daniel tried to talk some sense into Danny and show him that Mirage truly was nothing more than an illusion, Mirage took it upon himself to make sure Daniel would never interfere again. What was originally just a systematic beat-down of an old man led to that old man lying in a hospital bed, deep inside a coma. After months of waiting and waiting for the light to shine through and his father to awaken, Danny was finally given the news that he had passed away only a few minutes before the birth of his son. Filled with regret, Danny paid tribute to his father the only way he could and thus, Daniel Smithson the third was given his name.
Danny Diamond: "I still can't believe you're gone. What was to be the happiest day of my life is now the saddest all because I didn't listen to you. I could've prevented this, but I didn't. I didn't think I needed the help. I thought I could control that psychopath by myself, but I was wrong. The last time you ever saw me, I was hidden beneath his mask, choking the life out of you with my forearm. I'm sorry, dad ... I'm so sorry."
A single tear manages to escape from Danny's eye, cascading down his cheek and dropping from his chin onto the photograph.
Danny Diamond: "I love you."
Sniffling before-hand, Danny looks back at the fire and tosses the last photograph into it, burning it to ashes. He takes a brief moment to regain himself and then he turns to the left side, looking over at a barely visible table. He slowly makes his way over to the table and stops in front of it. The Englishman looks down, reaching out in front of him and touching the single item on the table. This item is Mirage's mask.
Danny Diamond: "And then there's you."
Diamond makes his way back over to the fire, while not taking his eyes off of the mask for a second.
Danny Diamonds: "For years you've trapped me inside my own personal cell. I haven't been able to live my life the way I should ever since you came into it. You saw my talent and knew I was something you could exploit in your ever-expanding quest for chaos. You changed me from a confident, some would say arrogant, superstar into the devil's minion. You made me do things I would've never done, ruining not only great parts of my life, but the lives of others as well. I can barely look at myself in the mirror anymore, because anytime I look at my face, all I can see is your mask."
He starts to grip tightly onto the mask, the anger filling inside of him as all of the horrendous things Mirage has done flashes throughout the mind of Danny. "Sanity is just a mirage." His motto, his words to live by, are sung like a chorus in his head.
Danny Diamond: "Sanity is real. There are people with true kindness, true compassion for others. I'm no longer one of them, because of you, but they do exist. You, however ... don't."
His grip starts to lighten.
Danny Diamond: "You were never real. You were never alive. You were just a figment of my imagination, designed through years of anger at the world, at myself. I was a joke until you came along. And then ... then I became a savage. I made you - inadvertently, I admit, but I made you. You were never in control because you never existed. The man who did all those heinous, horrendous, horrible things ... was me. I burned Jason's dog alive. I forced myself into believing Diana was a whore. I crippled Alicia. And yes, I sent my own father into the coma that ended his life. I didn't mean to do any of that, but I did. It was all me. I just created an illusion to make myself feel better about my psychopathic ways. You were my puppet. I've finally found the revelation I needed. I am truly, truly sorry for all that I have done in my path of destruction, but finally ... finally ... it's over."
Danny holds the mask up to his face, glaring directly into it.
Danny Diamond: "I was the mirage ... but now, my shadow burns."
Finally, Diamond tosses the mask into the fire, the flames soon engulfing it and destroying it. This was it. He was finally free. After years of being terrorized by his own insanity, Danny was free to move on with his life and there was only one place to move onto.
Danny Diamond: "With you gone, it's time for me to be seated on my rightful throne. While the years you spent turning my life upside down are forever lost and you will forever be gone ..."
Danny's lips begin to curl as he showcases his signature grin, something he had been missing for a while now.
Danny Diamond: "Diamonds are forever."
See You Soon
Location: The Diamond Mansion
ON CAMERA
The camera begins rolling as we see the smiling face of Danny Diamond in his home in Los Angeles, California. Diamond, while seated on a very expensive leather couch, is dressed in faded black jeans, black Adidas and a pink and gold variation of his "Diamonds Are Forever" v-neck t-shirt.
Danny Diamond: "Welcome to my home, FGA workers and fans alike. Now, unfortunately, I'm not filming this to give you a tour of a place none of you will ever be able to afford. As a matter of fact, I'm filming this to officially welcome myself back to your company. Now, I know my previous time with you guys was less-than-stellar, to put it delicately. None of you really seemed to show me much respect until I put on a certain mask, but don't worry. That mask is never coming back. Which, to be honest, is a great treat for all of you, because now you get to see what a free Danny Diamond can do."
Danny chuckles lightly as he leans forward, grabbing the Samuel Adams Utopias in a glass off of the table in front of him. He takes a lengthy sip of the expensive beer and places it back down on the coaster, before licking his lips.
Danny Diamond: "I've dealt with a lot of shit in my life. People may think that because I grew up eating from a silver spoon, my life was going to be easy from day one. They have no clue what kind of bullshit I've been put up against. You know what gets me the most? When people refer to my talent as me being 'gifted'. Yes, my father was an amazing wrestler, but athleticism isn't hereditary. I wasn't gifted any bit of my wrestling ability. Sure, I was born with enough money to get proper training, but training is useless without the mindset needed to succeed and the discipline needed to overcome. I fought damn hard for this ability. Here, let me show you something."
"The Prized Gem" stands up from his couch.
Danny Diamond: "Get a good shot of this."
He lifts his shirt up, revealing his very toned abs.
Danny Diamond: "See these? You don't just wake up with these one day. No, no, no. You work your arse off day and night to get these."
Diamond lowers his shirt.
Danny Diamond: "And it's the same damn story with my wrestling ability. I wasn't gifted shit. I earned my abilities."
Scoffing at the camera, Danny sits back down at his couch.
Danny Diamond: "The point of this is simple. Getting here, getting to where I am today, wasn't easy. It's not something just anyone can do. I'm a member of the Xtreme Wrestling Association's hall of fame. I've held countless championships and broken records with a few of them. I've won award after award after award. Match of the year, most extreme wrestler, best talker, best champion and, yes, even wrestler of the year. I've done so damn much and I've done it on my own accord. So, if you want to say I've had an easy road or even that I haven't done a damn thing worth mentioning, go ahead. At the end of the day, you're so very incorrect."
Danny picks up his drink and takes another sip. He leans back on the couch, keeping the alcoholic beverage in his hand.
Danny Diamond: "So, it's been announced that I'm making my official in-ring return to FGA. My first opponent back will be someone I have a little experience against, Noelle Smith. She may not remember me, but I do remember her. She actually defeated me - well, kinda - one, two, three back about a year ago. I sort of had this little obsession with the sweet and innocent types back then. Chaz Holiday surely remembers that. But, regardless, perhaps it's good if Noelle doesn't remember me too well. Why? Well, it's quite simple, because I'm not the same man that I was one year ago. I've spent an entire year perfecting an already amazing craft and, well, I don't have to deal with any nagging voices in my head anymore. Look, I'm going to stop toying around it. Noelle faced Mirage. I'll give her some well deserved props, she beat him. She went toe to toe with a complete psychopath and won. But, the thing is, I was that complete psychopath. I didn't believe it at the time, but that man, that monster, was me. But that part of me is long gone now. Sure, I still enjoy a little chaos every now and then, but it's not about me beating others to a bloody pulp anymore. No, now it's about something far more dangerous."
The Englishman smirks, as he looks directly into the camera.
Danny Diamond: "It's about success. See, I believe a man is most dangerous when he has a goal. When I wore that damn mask, I didn't have any goals. I just wanted to watch the world burn. But now, now I actually want something. I want to succeed in FGA, much-like I have in 2WWF and in XWA. This drive that I have to be the very best, it won't be overpowered. Noelle, she did good against Mirage, but she won't be so lucky against Danny Diamond. It's a shame to say, really. I like Noelle. A bit too peppy for my taste, but she's a good person. Trust me when I say this, Noelle. What will happen in New York City is nothing personal. It's just about a great man proving to the world how great he truly is."
Continuing to grin, Diamond takes another sip of his drink and then places it back down on the coaster. He stands up, off of the couch, and makes his way over to the camera as the grin slowly dissolves from his face.
Danny Diamond: "I've done a lot with my life. Some of it I'm proud of. Other stuff, not so much. But yet, there's still so many people who don't give me the respect I deserve. Are you one of them, Noelle? Do you respect me and all of my accomplishments? When you fought me last year, did you feel pride for yourself when you managed to pick up the win or did you just think of that victory as a small challenge on your road to glory? Personally, I don't believe in this give respect, get respect bullshit. Respect must be earned and I've earned it. I've earned it from every damn person I stepped into a squared circle with and beat, and you better believe that number is very high. Still, I feel as though, despite all of my successes and my talent, there are still some out there who just don't get it. I hope you're not like them, Noelle. I truly do. You're talented, you're beautiful, but if you can't see why I deserve respect, you will never have mine. So many so-called 'arrogant' wrestlers call themselves Gods and claim to be the very best to ever step foot in a ring. I've made both claims myself and I've backed them both up - myself. In New York City, Noelle, I'm going to beat you. Not because I dislike you. Not because you're a push-over. I'm going to beat you because I'm good enough to beat you. And then, once I'm done with you, I'm going to head onto the next one and beat them too. I'm going to tear through this roster, bit by bit, until I'm standing atop FGA's golden ladder. And then ... and then I'll reap my rewards."
Danny looks away from the camera, nodding slowly as he does so. Smiling, he looks back.
Danny Diamond: "Consider this a warning to each and every wrestler in, or thinking about getting in, FGA. The Danny Diamond you saw last year isn't the one you're getting now. Nor is Mirage. You're getting the best of the best. Call me arrogant all you will. I say arrogance is bliss. Noelle, I'll be seeing you soon. Everyone else - I'll be seeing you soon."
"The Rubik's Cube" winks at the camera, as the segment comes to an end.
Location: The Sanctuary
OFF CAMERA
The room is dark, dimly lit only by a fire in its center. The smell of burning wood works its way up Danny Diamond's nostrils, as he stands next to the fire, looking down at it, his hands in his jeans' pockets.
Danny Diamond: "It's been a while since I've been here. This place, this sanctuary, it was once a home to me. The walls were decorated with inhumane images, sights of violence and mayhem. Now ... nothing. It's all gone. Those gruesome scenes that reminded me of what true horrors there were in the world, well ... I don't need them anymore. I'm free. I'm finally free. For years, my own insanity has haunted me. All that I've done, all the chaos that I've caused, has lingered in my mind from the very first day he was created."
Diamond directs his attention to his left pocket. He slides his hands out of his pockets, but with something in his left hand. The Englishman holds up photographs, gazing into the top one with a look of sorrow on his face. It's a picture of a dog.
Danny Diamond: "Chico, Jason's deceased dog - deceased because I murdered him. It's truly a terrifying feeling, doing something you have no control over. Jason was a good man. He didn't deserve this. His family didn't deserve this."
The memories of the night when Mirage set fire to Jason's dog come flooding in. Jason, better known in 2WWF and XWA as Roach Cooper, was known to wreak havoc himself, but Mirage had to let him know that there was no one more devious than him. As Jason's wife and daughter were tied up and forced to watch, Mirage uttered the phrase made famous by Jason.
Danny Diamond: "The ramblings of a mad man never made so much sense ..."
Closing his eyes, Danny takes a deep breath. He can still hear the muffled barks and whines as the dog was set aflame right in front of his very eyes, at his own hands. He opens his eyes back up and grabs the picture with his right hand, pulling it away from the others and tossing it into the fire.
Danny Diamond: "I'm sorry, Jason. I truly am."
He looks back down at the next photograph. This one is of a woman, one whom hasn't been seen in quite some time. Her name is Diana Valentine. Danny and Diana were together for a long time. In fact, they were even engaged to wed. But, when the day came for Diana and Danny to tie the proverbial knot, live on 2WWF Breakdown, Danny turned his back on his would-be wife.
Danny Diamond: "I was fooled. I was fooled by myself into believing you weren't the one, when in reality, you truly were my Juliette. I saw it. I saw you with him, fucking in our bed. Or, at least, I thought I did. But it was all an illusion, all a mirage. I made sure I would never be with you by forcing myself into believing you weren't loyal. Now ... I don't know where you are. Are you okay? Are you even alive? Even with the hatred that filled my body when I saw the illusion of you with another man, I still loved you. I still cared. I would've never wanted anything bad to happen to you. But my blindness may have led to your disappearance."
Danny's fingers tremble as he stares into the picture of his lost love. He could've had a lifetime of happiness with Diana, but it was all taken away when Mirage forced an illusion into his mind, a memory that never happened. He thinks back to their wedding night. When asked the biggest question of his life, he smiled at Diana and then struck her in the throat with his foot. The Sudden Death Superkick is an appropriate name for such a move, as it was the sudden death of something that could've lasted forever.
Danny Diamond: "I know it means nothing now, but I will forever be sorry for what I did to you."
Lifting the photograph away from the remaining two, Danny tosses it into the fire. He then looks at the third photograph. This one shows a man and a woman, sharing a beautiful kiss.
Danny Diamond: "Adam ... Alicia ..."
Indeed, in the picture are Adam Johnson and his then-girlfriend Alicia Wilson. Adam, whom wrestled worldwide as Minkaro, was in a relationship with Alicia for seventeen months before Mirage had his way.
Danny Diamond: "I ruined a great thing, here. Well, a few great things. I was so obsessed with defeating you and proving that I was the dominant man. I'm not sure my illness even had anything to do with this one. I crippled a poor, innocent woman for life. And why? Because the man who loved her was pissing me off. That baseball bat fit so well in my hands as I swung it across her body, from her head to her toes. The sound of her kneecaps shattering was like a beautiful symphony to me. And now I can hardly even look at this picture without the regret tearing away at me. I destroyed a beautiful love and, even worse, a woman's life."
"You're not gonna get down on your knees for anyone else, you fucking cunt!" The sounds of Mirage screaming at a woman who he claimed was cheating on her boyfriend ring through Danny's head. It's unclear whether Mirage was simply lying about her cheating or if he truly believed it himself. Alicia was never able to walk again after the horrible destruction he caused. Diamond sighs, slowly shaking his head afterwards.
Danny Diamond: "I am also sorry to you two."
"The Rubik's Cube" tosses the third picture into the fire, leaving him with one final photograph in his left hand. This one gets the biggest reaction of them all from Danny, as he fights back the tears in his eyes, trying to maintain his composure.
Danny Diamond: "And you ... dad."
Daniel Smithson Sr., the father of Danny. He wrestled from the late seventies to the early nineties in England as the widely popular Defiant Dan. He even had his own wrestling school where he taught Danny and several other talents, all the way until his death on July fourth, two thousand and thirteen. His death was linked to the chaos and tragedy of the others in these pictures by one entity - Mirage.
Danny Diamond: "My father ... my own flesh and blood. All you ever wanted out of your life was for me to succeed. You got that. I have succeeded, a damn lot. Despite my problems, I've done things others can only hope to dream of. But you were only able to witness a small portion of what greatness I could accomplish. I told you to leave me be. I knew things would get dangerous for you if you didn't back off, but you just wanted your son back. You tried so hard to help me and I failed you. I gave in to the demons inside of me and now you're gone because of it. I murdered my own father."
When Daniel tried to talk some sense into Danny and show him that Mirage truly was nothing more than an illusion, Mirage took it upon himself to make sure Daniel would never interfere again. What was originally just a systematic beat-down of an old man led to that old man lying in a hospital bed, deep inside a coma. After months of waiting and waiting for the light to shine through and his father to awaken, Danny was finally given the news that he had passed away only a few minutes before the birth of his son. Filled with regret, Danny paid tribute to his father the only way he could and thus, Daniel Smithson the third was given his name.
Danny Diamond: "I still can't believe you're gone. What was to be the happiest day of my life is now the saddest all because I didn't listen to you. I could've prevented this, but I didn't. I didn't think I needed the help. I thought I could control that psychopath by myself, but I was wrong. The last time you ever saw me, I was hidden beneath his mask, choking the life out of you with my forearm. I'm sorry, dad ... I'm so sorry."
A single tear manages to escape from Danny's eye, cascading down his cheek and dropping from his chin onto the photograph.
Danny Diamond: "I love you."
Sniffling before-hand, Danny looks back at the fire and tosses the last photograph into it, burning it to ashes. He takes a brief moment to regain himself and then he turns to the left side, looking over at a barely visible table. He slowly makes his way over to the table and stops in front of it. The Englishman looks down, reaching out in front of him and touching the single item on the table. This item is Mirage's mask.
Danny Diamond: "And then there's you."
Diamond makes his way back over to the fire, while not taking his eyes off of the mask for a second.
Danny Diamonds: "For years you've trapped me inside my own personal cell. I haven't been able to live my life the way I should ever since you came into it. You saw my talent and knew I was something you could exploit in your ever-expanding quest for chaos. You changed me from a confident, some would say arrogant, superstar into the devil's minion. You made me do things I would've never done, ruining not only great parts of my life, but the lives of others as well. I can barely look at myself in the mirror anymore, because anytime I look at my face, all I can see is your mask."
He starts to grip tightly onto the mask, the anger filling inside of him as all of the horrendous things Mirage has done flashes throughout the mind of Danny. "Sanity is just a mirage." His motto, his words to live by, are sung like a chorus in his head.
Danny Diamond: "Sanity is real. There are people with true kindness, true compassion for others. I'm no longer one of them, because of you, but they do exist. You, however ... don't."
His grip starts to lighten.
Danny Diamond: "You were never real. You were never alive. You were just a figment of my imagination, designed through years of anger at the world, at myself. I was a joke until you came along. And then ... then I became a savage. I made you - inadvertently, I admit, but I made you. You were never in control because you never existed. The man who did all those heinous, horrendous, horrible things ... was me. I burned Jason's dog alive. I forced myself into believing Diana was a whore. I crippled Alicia. And yes, I sent my own father into the coma that ended his life. I didn't mean to do any of that, but I did. It was all me. I just created an illusion to make myself feel better about my psychopathic ways. You were my puppet. I've finally found the revelation I needed. I am truly, truly sorry for all that I have done in my path of destruction, but finally ... finally ... it's over."
Danny holds the mask up to his face, glaring directly into it.
Danny Diamond: "I was the mirage ... but now, my shadow burns."
Finally, Diamond tosses the mask into the fire, the flames soon engulfing it and destroying it. This was it. He was finally free. After years of being terrorized by his own insanity, Danny was free to move on with his life and there was only one place to move onto.
Danny Diamond: "With you gone, it's time for me to be seated on my rightful throne. While the years you spent turning my life upside down are forever lost and you will forever be gone ..."
Danny's lips begin to curl as he showcases his signature grin, something he had been missing for a while now.
Danny Diamond: "Diamonds are forever."
See You Soon
Location: The Diamond Mansion
ON CAMERA
The camera begins rolling as we see the smiling face of Danny Diamond in his home in Los Angeles, California. Diamond, while seated on a very expensive leather couch, is dressed in faded black jeans, black Adidas and a pink and gold variation of his "Diamonds Are Forever" v-neck t-shirt.
Danny Diamond: "Welcome to my home, FGA workers and fans alike. Now, unfortunately, I'm not filming this to give you a tour of a place none of you will ever be able to afford. As a matter of fact, I'm filming this to officially welcome myself back to your company. Now, I know my previous time with you guys was less-than-stellar, to put it delicately. None of you really seemed to show me much respect until I put on a certain mask, but don't worry. That mask is never coming back. Which, to be honest, is a great treat for all of you, because now you get to see what a free Danny Diamond can do."
Danny chuckles lightly as he leans forward, grabbing the Samuel Adams Utopias in a glass off of the table in front of him. He takes a lengthy sip of the expensive beer and places it back down on the coaster, before licking his lips.
Danny Diamond: "I've dealt with a lot of shit in my life. People may think that because I grew up eating from a silver spoon, my life was going to be easy from day one. They have no clue what kind of bullshit I've been put up against. You know what gets me the most? When people refer to my talent as me being 'gifted'. Yes, my father was an amazing wrestler, but athleticism isn't hereditary. I wasn't gifted any bit of my wrestling ability. Sure, I was born with enough money to get proper training, but training is useless without the mindset needed to succeed and the discipline needed to overcome. I fought damn hard for this ability. Here, let me show you something."
"The Prized Gem" stands up from his couch.
Danny Diamond: "Get a good shot of this."
He lifts his shirt up, revealing his very toned abs.
Danny Diamond: "See these? You don't just wake up with these one day. No, no, no. You work your arse off day and night to get these."
Diamond lowers his shirt.
Danny Diamond: "And it's the same damn story with my wrestling ability. I wasn't gifted shit. I earned my abilities."
Scoffing at the camera, Danny sits back down at his couch.
Danny Diamond: "The point of this is simple. Getting here, getting to where I am today, wasn't easy. It's not something just anyone can do. I'm a member of the Xtreme Wrestling Association's hall of fame. I've held countless championships and broken records with a few of them. I've won award after award after award. Match of the year, most extreme wrestler, best talker, best champion and, yes, even wrestler of the year. I've done so damn much and I've done it on my own accord. So, if you want to say I've had an easy road or even that I haven't done a damn thing worth mentioning, go ahead. At the end of the day, you're so very incorrect."
Danny picks up his drink and takes another sip. He leans back on the couch, keeping the alcoholic beverage in his hand.
Danny Diamond: "So, it's been announced that I'm making my official in-ring return to FGA. My first opponent back will be someone I have a little experience against, Noelle Smith. She may not remember me, but I do remember her. She actually defeated me - well, kinda - one, two, three back about a year ago. I sort of had this little obsession with the sweet and innocent types back then. Chaz Holiday surely remembers that. But, regardless, perhaps it's good if Noelle doesn't remember me too well. Why? Well, it's quite simple, because I'm not the same man that I was one year ago. I've spent an entire year perfecting an already amazing craft and, well, I don't have to deal with any nagging voices in my head anymore. Look, I'm going to stop toying around it. Noelle faced Mirage. I'll give her some well deserved props, she beat him. She went toe to toe with a complete psychopath and won. But, the thing is, I was that complete psychopath. I didn't believe it at the time, but that man, that monster, was me. But that part of me is long gone now. Sure, I still enjoy a little chaos every now and then, but it's not about me beating others to a bloody pulp anymore. No, now it's about something far more dangerous."
The Englishman smirks, as he looks directly into the camera.
Danny Diamond: "It's about success. See, I believe a man is most dangerous when he has a goal. When I wore that damn mask, I didn't have any goals. I just wanted to watch the world burn. But now, now I actually want something. I want to succeed in FGA, much-like I have in 2WWF and in XWA. This drive that I have to be the very best, it won't be overpowered. Noelle, she did good against Mirage, but she won't be so lucky against Danny Diamond. It's a shame to say, really. I like Noelle. A bit too peppy for my taste, but she's a good person. Trust me when I say this, Noelle. What will happen in New York City is nothing personal. It's just about a great man proving to the world how great he truly is."
Continuing to grin, Diamond takes another sip of his drink and then places it back down on the coaster. He stands up, off of the couch, and makes his way over to the camera as the grin slowly dissolves from his face.
Danny Diamond: "I've done a lot with my life. Some of it I'm proud of. Other stuff, not so much. But yet, there's still so many people who don't give me the respect I deserve. Are you one of them, Noelle? Do you respect me and all of my accomplishments? When you fought me last year, did you feel pride for yourself when you managed to pick up the win or did you just think of that victory as a small challenge on your road to glory? Personally, I don't believe in this give respect, get respect bullshit. Respect must be earned and I've earned it. I've earned it from every damn person I stepped into a squared circle with and beat, and you better believe that number is very high. Still, I feel as though, despite all of my successes and my talent, there are still some out there who just don't get it. I hope you're not like them, Noelle. I truly do. You're talented, you're beautiful, but if you can't see why I deserve respect, you will never have mine. So many so-called 'arrogant' wrestlers call themselves Gods and claim to be the very best to ever step foot in a ring. I've made both claims myself and I've backed them both up - myself. In New York City, Noelle, I'm going to beat you. Not because I dislike you. Not because you're a push-over. I'm going to beat you because I'm good enough to beat you. And then, once I'm done with you, I'm going to head onto the next one and beat them too. I'm going to tear through this roster, bit by bit, until I'm standing atop FGA's golden ladder. And then ... and then I'll reap my rewards."
Danny looks away from the camera, nodding slowly as he does so. Smiling, he looks back.
Danny Diamond: "Consider this a warning to each and every wrestler in, or thinking about getting in, FGA. The Danny Diamond you saw last year isn't the one you're getting now. Nor is Mirage. You're getting the best of the best. Call me arrogant all you will. I say arrogance is bliss. Noelle, I'll be seeing you soon. Everyone else - I'll be seeing you soon."
"The Rubik's Cube" winks at the camera, as the segment comes to an end.
