Anxiety Overload
Aug 18, 2016 11:50:24 GMT -5
Post by Savannah Taylor on Aug 18, 2016 11:50:24 GMT -5
Monday, August 15th, 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada
OFF CAMERA
Tick….
Tock….
Tick….
Tock….
The rhythmic sound of the clock mounted on the wall is the only sound in an otherwise quiet office building. Mid-afternoon on a Monday in one of the busiest sections of downtown Las Vegas is always a hub of activity. The office of Doctor Paulette Rollins is something of a quiet oasis in the middle of Monday afternoon chaos. The pale yellow painted walls offer an inviting and comforting environment in a profession that few who seek help find comfort and ease in.Two solid wood bookcases, both in a rich Brazilian cherry finish, line the wall between the door and the large window and are filled with various psychology texts and classic literature novels. Matching cherry frames adorn another section of the wall, showcasing various awards and accolades received over the years, with her undergraduate and graduate degrees being featured front and center. Seated in a large, high back leather armchair was the good doctor herself. Dressed professionally in a crisp pantsuit and matching heels, she has a clipboard in her hand and appears to be jotting something down. Seated on the couch across from her was the patient she was currently seeing, professional wrestler and Las Vegas native Savannah Taylor. Dressed in a pair of black fitted dress pants that tapered at the ankle, simple black ballet flats and a sleeveless canary yellow button down shirt. She looked somewhat apprehensive to be in this office, and who could blame her?
Savannah had been going to see Doctor Rollins off and on for the past year. She was referred to the psychologist not long after the attack that nearly ended her career. After that attack, she was having a hard time just getting her life back on schedule. Since that initial session, Savannah had gone to see her when events in her personal life threatened to overrun her professional life. She went to see Doctor Rollins when she was reunited with her family. She went to go see Doctor Rollins towards the end of her time out on the West Coast. Now she was here in this familiar office because there was one major issue that she was dealing with that has changed her entire world, that being the loss of her mother. Doctor Rollins cleared her throat as she addressed the woman sitting across from her.
Doctor Rollins: So how long has it been now? Since you lost your mother?
Savannah Taylor: About three weeks now.
Doctor Rollins: And how have you been doing since then?
Savannah Taylor: Honestly? Not good. Most days I’m just wandering around in a fog, wondering what I’m doing and how I’m going to make it through to the end of the day.
Doctor Rollins: Were the two of you particularly close?
Savannah Taylor: For most of my life, she wasn’t even a part of it. It wasn’t until about a year ago that we reconnected. I was able to put whatever issues I had behind me and focus on having my mom back. My dad and my sister were a bonus.
Doctor Rollins: How did you find re-getting to know her, and your other family members, after so much time had passed?
Savannah Taylor: It took some getting used to at first, but things slowly started to feel more, I don’t know….natural. I wasn’t always there one hundred percent of the time, but that is due to what I do for a living. They were understanding, but I couldn’t help but feel a little bit……
Doctor Rollins: Guilty?
Savannah Taylor: Exactly.
Doctor Rollins: Is it because you found out about your mother’s illness and wanted to spend as much time as you could with her? Sort of making up for lost time?
Savannah Taylor: In a way, yes. Despite the fact that everyone told me not to worry and to go out and continue to do what I do, there was always that little voice in the back of my head telling me I should stay behind and make the most of what time I had left with her.
She says as steadies her breathing. Details surrounding her mother, or her family in general, were something she kept close to her chest, only choosing to share things with certain people. She’s learned the hard way since a young age the consequences of keeping things to herself ad what happens the longer you keep feelings inside.
Doctor Rollins: How have you been doing professionally since your mother’s passing?
Savannah Taylor: I wish I could say great, but I’d be lying to your face. What I do for a living, you have to push out whatever personal demons or issues you are dealing with and focus on your job. If you aren’t one hundred percent focused, all it takes is one wrong move and you are done for. I haven’t been performing NEARLY up to what I am capable, and that disappoints me.
Doctor Rollins: How so?
Savannah Taylor: I put what people would say is an unwarranted amount of pressure on myself. I want to be the best that I know I can be. I want to live up to the expectations that people seem to put on me. I want to make everyone who has ever believed in me proud. I’ve not been holding up my end of things as of late.
Doctor Rollins: You’ve been through a major, life altering event. It is natural for things to seem off. Have you taken any time for yourself? Have you allowed yourself time to grieve?
Savannah Taylor: I honestly haven’t. The day of my mother’s funeral, and we are talking mere HOURS after she was buried, I was on a plane to Orlando because I had a show the net day. Even in the days after she died, I’ve just been so caught up in everything that I’ve barely had any time to breathe it seems.I don’t know. Maybe I got back to business too soon. Maybe I’m allowing things to cloud my career.
Doctor Rollins: You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Different people grieve in different ways. You need to find the time for yourself, because the longer you go without it, the harder things may become.
Savannah Taylor: That is easier said than done.
She meant it too. With her schedule the way it was sometimes, especially with preparing for the Frontier Lions Cup in Anaheim, it wasn't easy to break away and get out of town. Her cabin in Lake Tahoe was an option, but she let her father use it when she left for Orlando. It was easier for Savannah to throw herself into work than it was to just stop and get away for a while. It was how she dealt with things. In her mind, keeping busy with work meant she didn’t have to worry about whatever it was that was on her mind.
Doctor Rollins: I know it has been a trying couple of weeks for you, but I was wondering about something else.
Savannah Taylor: What about?
Doctor Rollins: I’ve been keeping track of how you have been doing in wrestling and something has stuck out to me, especially in recent weeks. Can you tell me about the presence of this burlap sack?
Savannah sat in silence for a minute. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything. Between the initial presence as well as what happened two weeks ago, it was enough to shake anyone up a little bit. Add to it what Savannah has been dealing with and it was a combustible situation.
Savannah Taylor: What do you want to know?
Doctor Rollins: What does it represent to you?
Savannah Taylor: It represents an era of my past that I am still trying to put behind me. It represents the one ghost that is most in need of an exorcism.
Doctor Rollins: What would happen if this seemingly harmless, everyday object manifests into something more?
Savannah Taylor: You want the truth? If that thing becomes more than what it was, it means the past has officially come back to haunt me. NOTHING good will come of it. People that I work with and people that I love won’t be safe anymore. I can only hope that this nightmare doesn’t come true.
She said as she sat back on the couch. The last thing that she needed right now, especially before getting ready to head to Anaheim and the Frontier Lions Cup was to worry about certain ghosts from her past coming back to haunt her. This tournament was far too important to let her focus waver. Considering the level of competition that was in it this year, she needed to be firing on all cylinders if she was to make an impact in this thing. But the nagging portion of her brain was reminding her to keep her senses up in case her nightmare came true. Heaven help the FGA if it did.
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word disappointment as the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the non fulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Right now, few people personify this word more than I do. Two weeks ago, Vertigo took place in my hometown. The best wrestling company on the planet stopped in Las Vegas, and I was thrilled to be able to wrestle in front of my family and friends. Only, things didn’t turn out QUITE the way I had planned. I didn’t win. I failed to put away Salem Cartier, a woman I’ve defeated before. Oh sure, people can sit there and tell me that I did a good job and I have nothing to be ashamed of. They can tell me that I went out there and laid everything on the line and that Salem and I pushed each other to our breaking point. It is one thing for someone to tell me something. It is a completely different story for me to actually take what they tell me to heart and to believe them. I let people down two weeks ago. I let myself down because I expected so much more than what I gave out in the ring. I let the front office down because they had so much faith in me that I would deliver in my hometown. I let my father, my sister and my moth…...other family members down. I disappointed a bunch of people by my performance two weeks ago.
That all ends this Saturday in Anaheim.
This Saturday, I am one of eight people in the coveted Frontier Lions Cup. A chance for one person to either cement their legacy or be catapulted into superstardom. Am I excited and/or anxious about this tournament? Who wouldn’t be? Do I think I can win it all? I’d say I have about as good of a shot as everyone else, though not as good of a shot as some. But in order for me to advance to (hopefully) the finals, I have to get past someone who is one of the top dogs around these parts. I have to get past a popular figure within the FGA community. Someone who has overcome a great deal on their way to becoming a respected and fighting champion.
Sup, Fujiko?
Let me be quite frank with you, Fujiko. I don’t hate you. I know people are going to paint me as the jealous person who wants what you have and therefore must REALLY hate you. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. In some weird way, I admire you. I admire the way you have seemingly turned things around and made quite the name for yourself. You’ve got something of a cult following that shows up everywhere. Hell, if I want concrete evidence of your popularity, all I have to do is look on social media on Fridays and there it is. I don’t have your following. I don’t have your level of popularity. I’m not loved by these fans. But you know something? I’ve grown accustomed to this. I like to think I’ve taken what many would see as a disadvantage and made it my own thing. But just because I am something of the opposite of what you are Fujiko, that doesn’t mean I’m jealous. Not in the least bit. I know you are looking at the Frontier Lions Cup as your opportunity to finally get to the World Championship level. I know you have World title aspirations. Hell, we all do. At the end of the day, it all boils down to who wants it more. It all boils down to who is willing to put in the work and who is willing to do whatever it takes to win the entire thing.
I don’t think you want this enough.
I don’t think that you have it in you to take that necessary step up in the ranks. You have to be a certain kind of ruthless to reach the heights that others have. Sure, you may have this internal fire that burns like no other and that fuels your desire for greatness. But how well that translates into action is a different story. Quite frankly, I haven’t seen much of it in recent weeks. I haven’t seen the kind of mean streak that is borderline essential to getting ahead in this business. People want to see you succeed and they want you to achieve your dreams. People have all of these wants for you and they want to see someone like you do well. I just want to see you knocked down a peg or two. But not nearly as much as certain people who are not in the Frontier Lions Cup. That happens to be a different story for a different time.
I can see the writing on the wall already, Fujiko. I can hear the whisperings and the rumblings on the internet. People are already saying you are going to make it to the finals. Hell, people are even saying that you may shock the world and win the whole thing. Quite frankly I call bullshit on that, but it is neither here nor there. What bothers me is not so much that people are quick to elevate you right into the finals, is that people are so quick to count me out just because I’m facing you. Let me tell you, that burns. That irritates me more than having to hear about grrfaces all the damn time. But I guess I can’t fault people for thinking that way. Last time I checked, this was a free country and people were allowed to think whatever they want and say whatever they want. It is my job on Saturday to shut them all up and shock everyone when I beat their heralded Pride champion. Why am I so confident despite what the critics are saying? Two reasons. One, the critics are pretty much paid to spin the simplest thing into something bigger than it needs to to. Two, I remind myself that it only takes one wrong move on your part for me to capitalize. Everyone is beatable, Fujiko. Want proof? Look no further than the Summer Olympics going on down in Rio de Janeiro. Everyone and their uncle’s cousin’s brother’s next door neighbor has been cheering for the legend Michael Phelps, and with good reason. The man is literally Aquaman. His trademark even is the butterfly event. He never loses…….or so people thought. In the finals of the one hundred meter butterfly, he had to settle for silver because a relatively unknown kid from Singapore named Joseph Schooling bat him. Not only did he beat him, but he set a new Olympic record in the process. My point is that no one expected their hero Phelps to lose. But all it takes is one TINY slip up and your entire night could be over. Think about it.
I’ve been studying you a lot, Fujiko. I want to get a good picture of the woman I’m facing Saturday. While you’ve been impressive in some showcases, there have been some that have me somewhat concerned. How am I supposed to believe you pose a threat to not only me but to everyone else in the Frontier Lions Cup is you can barely manage to keep you Pride championship against someone who isn’t even in the FGA circle? When I finally saw the match, I was amused. Like it or not, Elizabeth gave you fits in that match, and I don’t think you’ve quite recovered from it. Come on, you were supposed to be the established star in that match and you damn near got upset in your FIRST FREAKING TITLE DEFENSE. Ask me again why people are so quick to pick you over me. I’ll wait.
I hope you take something away from this match, Fujiko. I hope you take away the knowledge that you aren’t as superhuman as you think you are. I hope that you realize that at the end of the day, everyone is bound to have a bad day at some point and that people like me are going to be there to jump all over you. But most importantly, at the end of the day I want you to realize that you are not going to make it to the top. You are not going to realize these dreams that you have of winning the World title. At the end of the day, all your legacy will be remembered for are tits and a hashtag. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, it isn’t like you are my biggest competition in this tournament.
Johnny Karma. Yun Goeun. Molly Reid. Dom Harter. Mark Storm. All of you are in the same boat as I am. All of us are entering this tournament with our eyes not just on the main event finals, but earning a World championship match against either Johnny, Zero or Tony. I know the skeptics and cynics are making light of the tournament field, saying it lacks star power of that one name that people can rally behind in hopes that they win the whole shebang. I call bullshit on that one, personally. Each one of us can do some serious damage in this thing and any one of us could make it to the finals. It would be even sweeter if any one of us won it all. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out that way.
That leaves just one person left.
I haven’t forgotten about you, Chandler. Honestly, who could? I knew this day would come. I knew the day that the possibility of the two of us facing off with something this important would come. Am I looking forward to it? I think you know me well enough to know the answer to that. I know what is at stake here. I know the significance of what this tournament means to all involved, especially you. You want nothing more than to climb back to the top of the mountain and to reclaim your World championship. I want to see that too. I want you to reclaim your rightful place at the top. I know you are prepared to go through hell to reach your goal. I also know that you don’t care who you have to go through to get it, and that includes me. I want to win this thing just as much as the net person does. I want a potential World title match to actually MEAN something to me and to actually feel legitimate. I know I would have to face you in the finals to make that happen, Chandler. Unlike the last time we faced off against each other, I’ll be better prepared. I just hope that when this is all said and done, when this is all complete and in the record books, that nothing really changes afterwards. Now would be the point where I would wish you luck, but I think it’s pretty clear that some in this tournament need it way more than you do. Whatever happens on Saturday won’t change how I feel about you. Just remember that.
Saturday night, ladies and gentlemen, lives will be changed. For one person, they will be one step closer to the World championship after the dust has settled. The only question is...which one of us will it be? Which one of us is going to rise above everyone else and make their claim to greatness? Only time will tell.
Las Vegas, Nevada
OFF CAMERA
Tick….
Tock….
Tick….
Tock….
The rhythmic sound of the clock mounted on the wall is the only sound in an otherwise quiet office building. Mid-afternoon on a Monday in one of the busiest sections of downtown Las Vegas is always a hub of activity. The office of Doctor Paulette Rollins is something of a quiet oasis in the middle of Monday afternoon chaos. The pale yellow painted walls offer an inviting and comforting environment in a profession that few who seek help find comfort and ease in.Two solid wood bookcases, both in a rich Brazilian cherry finish, line the wall between the door and the large window and are filled with various psychology texts and classic literature novels. Matching cherry frames adorn another section of the wall, showcasing various awards and accolades received over the years, with her undergraduate and graduate degrees being featured front and center. Seated in a large, high back leather armchair was the good doctor herself. Dressed professionally in a crisp pantsuit and matching heels, she has a clipboard in her hand and appears to be jotting something down. Seated on the couch across from her was the patient she was currently seeing, professional wrestler and Las Vegas native Savannah Taylor. Dressed in a pair of black fitted dress pants that tapered at the ankle, simple black ballet flats and a sleeveless canary yellow button down shirt. She looked somewhat apprehensive to be in this office, and who could blame her?
Savannah had been going to see Doctor Rollins off and on for the past year. She was referred to the psychologist not long after the attack that nearly ended her career. After that attack, she was having a hard time just getting her life back on schedule. Since that initial session, Savannah had gone to see her when events in her personal life threatened to overrun her professional life. She went to see Doctor Rollins when she was reunited with her family. She went to go see Doctor Rollins towards the end of her time out on the West Coast. Now she was here in this familiar office because there was one major issue that she was dealing with that has changed her entire world, that being the loss of her mother. Doctor Rollins cleared her throat as she addressed the woman sitting across from her.
Doctor Rollins: So how long has it been now? Since you lost your mother?
Savannah Taylor: About three weeks now.
Doctor Rollins: And how have you been doing since then?
Savannah Taylor: Honestly? Not good. Most days I’m just wandering around in a fog, wondering what I’m doing and how I’m going to make it through to the end of the day.
Doctor Rollins: Were the two of you particularly close?
Savannah Taylor: For most of my life, she wasn’t even a part of it. It wasn’t until about a year ago that we reconnected. I was able to put whatever issues I had behind me and focus on having my mom back. My dad and my sister were a bonus.
Doctor Rollins: How did you find re-getting to know her, and your other family members, after so much time had passed?
Savannah Taylor: It took some getting used to at first, but things slowly started to feel more, I don’t know….natural. I wasn’t always there one hundred percent of the time, but that is due to what I do for a living. They were understanding, but I couldn’t help but feel a little bit……
Doctor Rollins: Guilty?
Savannah Taylor: Exactly.
Doctor Rollins: Is it because you found out about your mother’s illness and wanted to spend as much time as you could with her? Sort of making up for lost time?
Savannah Taylor: In a way, yes. Despite the fact that everyone told me not to worry and to go out and continue to do what I do, there was always that little voice in the back of my head telling me I should stay behind and make the most of what time I had left with her.
She says as steadies her breathing. Details surrounding her mother, or her family in general, were something she kept close to her chest, only choosing to share things with certain people. She’s learned the hard way since a young age the consequences of keeping things to herself ad what happens the longer you keep feelings inside.
Doctor Rollins: How have you been doing professionally since your mother’s passing?
Savannah Taylor: I wish I could say great, but I’d be lying to your face. What I do for a living, you have to push out whatever personal demons or issues you are dealing with and focus on your job. If you aren’t one hundred percent focused, all it takes is one wrong move and you are done for. I haven’t been performing NEARLY up to what I am capable, and that disappoints me.
Doctor Rollins: How so?
Savannah Taylor: I put what people would say is an unwarranted amount of pressure on myself. I want to be the best that I know I can be. I want to live up to the expectations that people seem to put on me. I want to make everyone who has ever believed in me proud. I’ve not been holding up my end of things as of late.
Doctor Rollins: You’ve been through a major, life altering event. It is natural for things to seem off. Have you taken any time for yourself? Have you allowed yourself time to grieve?
Savannah Taylor: I honestly haven’t. The day of my mother’s funeral, and we are talking mere HOURS after she was buried, I was on a plane to Orlando because I had a show the net day. Even in the days after she died, I’ve just been so caught up in everything that I’ve barely had any time to breathe it seems.I don’t know. Maybe I got back to business too soon. Maybe I’m allowing things to cloud my career.
Doctor Rollins: You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Different people grieve in different ways. You need to find the time for yourself, because the longer you go without it, the harder things may become.
Savannah Taylor: That is easier said than done.
She meant it too. With her schedule the way it was sometimes, especially with preparing for the Frontier Lions Cup in Anaheim, it wasn't easy to break away and get out of town. Her cabin in Lake Tahoe was an option, but she let her father use it when she left for Orlando. It was easier for Savannah to throw herself into work than it was to just stop and get away for a while. It was how she dealt with things. In her mind, keeping busy with work meant she didn’t have to worry about whatever it was that was on her mind.
Doctor Rollins: I know it has been a trying couple of weeks for you, but I was wondering about something else.
Savannah Taylor: What about?
Doctor Rollins: I’ve been keeping track of how you have been doing in wrestling and something has stuck out to me, especially in recent weeks. Can you tell me about the presence of this burlap sack?
Savannah sat in silence for a minute. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything. Between the initial presence as well as what happened two weeks ago, it was enough to shake anyone up a little bit. Add to it what Savannah has been dealing with and it was a combustible situation.
Savannah Taylor: What do you want to know?
Doctor Rollins: What does it represent to you?
Savannah Taylor: It represents an era of my past that I am still trying to put behind me. It represents the one ghost that is most in need of an exorcism.
Doctor Rollins: What would happen if this seemingly harmless, everyday object manifests into something more?
Savannah Taylor: You want the truth? If that thing becomes more than what it was, it means the past has officially come back to haunt me. NOTHING good will come of it. People that I work with and people that I love won’t be safe anymore. I can only hope that this nightmare doesn’t come true.
She said as she sat back on the couch. The last thing that she needed right now, especially before getting ready to head to Anaheim and the Frontier Lions Cup was to worry about certain ghosts from her past coming back to haunt her. This tournament was far too important to let her focus waver. Considering the level of competition that was in it this year, she needed to be firing on all cylinders if she was to make an impact in this thing. But the nagging portion of her brain was reminding her to keep her senses up in case her nightmare came true. Heaven help the FGA if it did.
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word disappointment as the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the non fulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Right now, few people personify this word more than I do. Two weeks ago, Vertigo took place in my hometown. The best wrestling company on the planet stopped in Las Vegas, and I was thrilled to be able to wrestle in front of my family and friends. Only, things didn’t turn out QUITE the way I had planned. I didn’t win. I failed to put away Salem Cartier, a woman I’ve defeated before. Oh sure, people can sit there and tell me that I did a good job and I have nothing to be ashamed of. They can tell me that I went out there and laid everything on the line and that Salem and I pushed each other to our breaking point. It is one thing for someone to tell me something. It is a completely different story for me to actually take what they tell me to heart and to believe them. I let people down two weeks ago. I let myself down because I expected so much more than what I gave out in the ring. I let the front office down because they had so much faith in me that I would deliver in my hometown. I let my father, my sister and my moth…...other family members down. I disappointed a bunch of people by my performance two weeks ago.
That all ends this Saturday in Anaheim.
This Saturday, I am one of eight people in the coveted Frontier Lions Cup. A chance for one person to either cement their legacy or be catapulted into superstardom. Am I excited and/or anxious about this tournament? Who wouldn’t be? Do I think I can win it all? I’d say I have about as good of a shot as everyone else, though not as good of a shot as some. But in order for me to advance to (hopefully) the finals, I have to get past someone who is one of the top dogs around these parts. I have to get past a popular figure within the FGA community. Someone who has overcome a great deal on their way to becoming a respected and fighting champion.
Sup, Fujiko?
Let me be quite frank with you, Fujiko. I don’t hate you. I know people are going to paint me as the jealous person who wants what you have and therefore must REALLY hate you. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. In some weird way, I admire you. I admire the way you have seemingly turned things around and made quite the name for yourself. You’ve got something of a cult following that shows up everywhere. Hell, if I want concrete evidence of your popularity, all I have to do is look on social media on Fridays and there it is. I don’t have your following. I don’t have your level of popularity. I’m not loved by these fans. But you know something? I’ve grown accustomed to this. I like to think I’ve taken what many would see as a disadvantage and made it my own thing. But just because I am something of the opposite of what you are Fujiko, that doesn’t mean I’m jealous. Not in the least bit. I know you are looking at the Frontier Lions Cup as your opportunity to finally get to the World Championship level. I know you have World title aspirations. Hell, we all do. At the end of the day, it all boils down to who wants it more. It all boils down to who is willing to put in the work and who is willing to do whatever it takes to win the entire thing.
I don’t think you want this enough.
I don’t think that you have it in you to take that necessary step up in the ranks. You have to be a certain kind of ruthless to reach the heights that others have. Sure, you may have this internal fire that burns like no other and that fuels your desire for greatness. But how well that translates into action is a different story. Quite frankly, I haven’t seen much of it in recent weeks. I haven’t seen the kind of mean streak that is borderline essential to getting ahead in this business. People want to see you succeed and they want you to achieve your dreams. People have all of these wants for you and they want to see someone like you do well. I just want to see you knocked down a peg or two. But not nearly as much as certain people who are not in the Frontier Lions Cup. That happens to be a different story for a different time.
I can see the writing on the wall already, Fujiko. I can hear the whisperings and the rumblings on the internet. People are already saying you are going to make it to the finals. Hell, people are even saying that you may shock the world and win the whole thing. Quite frankly I call bullshit on that, but it is neither here nor there. What bothers me is not so much that people are quick to elevate you right into the finals, is that people are so quick to count me out just because I’m facing you. Let me tell you, that burns. That irritates me more than having to hear about grrfaces all the damn time. But I guess I can’t fault people for thinking that way. Last time I checked, this was a free country and people were allowed to think whatever they want and say whatever they want. It is my job on Saturday to shut them all up and shock everyone when I beat their heralded Pride champion. Why am I so confident despite what the critics are saying? Two reasons. One, the critics are pretty much paid to spin the simplest thing into something bigger than it needs to to. Two, I remind myself that it only takes one wrong move on your part for me to capitalize. Everyone is beatable, Fujiko. Want proof? Look no further than the Summer Olympics going on down in Rio de Janeiro. Everyone and their uncle’s cousin’s brother’s next door neighbor has been cheering for the legend Michael Phelps, and with good reason. The man is literally Aquaman. His trademark even is the butterfly event. He never loses…….or so people thought. In the finals of the one hundred meter butterfly, he had to settle for silver because a relatively unknown kid from Singapore named Joseph Schooling bat him. Not only did he beat him, but he set a new Olympic record in the process. My point is that no one expected their hero Phelps to lose. But all it takes is one TINY slip up and your entire night could be over. Think about it.
I’ve been studying you a lot, Fujiko. I want to get a good picture of the woman I’m facing Saturday. While you’ve been impressive in some showcases, there have been some that have me somewhat concerned. How am I supposed to believe you pose a threat to not only me but to everyone else in the Frontier Lions Cup is you can barely manage to keep you Pride championship against someone who isn’t even in the FGA circle? When I finally saw the match, I was amused. Like it or not, Elizabeth gave you fits in that match, and I don’t think you’ve quite recovered from it. Come on, you were supposed to be the established star in that match and you damn near got upset in your FIRST FREAKING TITLE DEFENSE. Ask me again why people are so quick to pick you over me. I’ll wait.
I hope you take something away from this match, Fujiko. I hope you take away the knowledge that you aren’t as superhuman as you think you are. I hope that you realize that at the end of the day, everyone is bound to have a bad day at some point and that people like me are going to be there to jump all over you. But most importantly, at the end of the day I want you to realize that you are not going to make it to the top. You are not going to realize these dreams that you have of winning the World title. At the end of the day, all your legacy will be remembered for are tits and a hashtag. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, it isn’t like you are my biggest competition in this tournament.
Johnny Karma. Yun Goeun. Molly Reid. Dom Harter. Mark Storm. All of you are in the same boat as I am. All of us are entering this tournament with our eyes not just on the main event finals, but earning a World championship match against either Johnny, Zero or Tony. I know the skeptics and cynics are making light of the tournament field, saying it lacks star power of that one name that people can rally behind in hopes that they win the whole shebang. I call bullshit on that one, personally. Each one of us can do some serious damage in this thing and any one of us could make it to the finals. It would be even sweeter if any one of us won it all. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out that way.
That leaves just one person left.
I haven’t forgotten about you, Chandler. Honestly, who could? I knew this day would come. I knew the day that the possibility of the two of us facing off with something this important would come. Am I looking forward to it? I think you know me well enough to know the answer to that. I know what is at stake here. I know the significance of what this tournament means to all involved, especially you. You want nothing more than to climb back to the top of the mountain and to reclaim your World championship. I want to see that too. I want you to reclaim your rightful place at the top. I know you are prepared to go through hell to reach your goal. I also know that you don’t care who you have to go through to get it, and that includes me. I want to win this thing just as much as the net person does. I want a potential World title match to actually MEAN something to me and to actually feel legitimate. I know I would have to face you in the finals to make that happen, Chandler. Unlike the last time we faced off against each other, I’ll be better prepared. I just hope that when this is all said and done, when this is all complete and in the record books, that nothing really changes afterwards. Now would be the point where I would wish you luck, but I think it’s pretty clear that some in this tournament need it way more than you do. Whatever happens on Saturday won’t change how I feel about you. Just remember that.
Saturday night, ladies and gentlemen, lives will be changed. For one person, they will be one step closer to the World championship after the dust has settled. The only question is...which one of us will it be? Which one of us is going to rise above everyone else and make their claim to greatness? Only time will tell.