The Next Chapter
Jan 7, 2016 1:44:25 GMT -5
Post by Savannah Taylor on Jan 7, 2016 1:44:25 GMT -5
Monday, December 7th, 2015
San Diego, California
OFF CAMERA
The arena was empty, void of the sea of faces that crowded its seats and filled the backstage area earlier in the evening. The seats, with a capacity numbering about five thousand, were empty, the blue plastic backs standing bright in a stark contrast to the dimmed lights of the arena. What only hours earlier held an annual spectacle that has constantly entertained everyone who has ever watched is now merely a shell, its once prominent status as a wrestling hub in the Southern California area is now gone. The events that took place within this very arena would be the things talked about for weeks, perhaps months, to come. Backstage, the remaining few workers were cleaning up the various pieces of equipment needed to ensure a smooth and nearly flawless production. The mood amongst them was somber. They knew that because of what happened, this was their last night working. By the time morning came, many would be out of a job. At least the wrestlers themselves would have a slightly easier time going elsewhere.
The sound of a pair of high heels echoes on the solid concrete floor of the backstage area. The steady clicking sounds louder than normal due to the near emptiness of the area. Moving through the area with an air of grace is the figure of one Savannah Taylor. Dressed in her street clothes, which consist of fitted jeans tucked into black knee high heeled boots and a simple white t-shirt, she shifts the weight of the black duffel bag over her right shoulder as she sighs. It was more than the weight of the bag over her right shoulder or the coveted championship belt worn over her left that caused her to sigh. It was the events that took place at the end of the show, the culmination of just about two years’ worth of blood, sweat, tears and frustration that caused the closure of the place where she got her big break in the wresting industry. Despite the fact that she had never once really been on the favorable side of the fans and management, she had worked just as hard as the next person in line. It had just taken her longer to start seeing the results that others got right off the bat. Savannah stops her walking when she comes across a certain section of the backstage area, one that causes a somewhat pained expression to come across her face. She drops her bag to the ground and leans up against the wall, keeping a firm grasp on her title as she simply stares at the floor in front of her. The memories of one year ago were starting to flood back into her subconscious. She could still feel the solid wood baseball bat connecting with the side of her skull. She could still feel the kicks and the fists of the two men who changed everything that night. That was the last thing she remembered before finally waking up in the UCSD Medical Center and seeing the face of the person she wrestled the night before. She was seriously thinking she would be alone when she woke up. How glad she was to be proven wrong.
“Savannah? What are you still doing here?”
The voice coming from behind her snapped Savannah out of her reverie. She turned to see the redheaded now former minority owner Brianna Singer walking down the same corridor, a smallish cardboard box in her hands. Under normal circumstances, the redhead wouldn’t have even stopped to talk to the blonde. But given what transpired earlier in the evening, there was no telling what would happen with anything anymore.
Savannah Taylor: I figured I would take one last walk around this place. Trying to take some of the memories made in this place with me, both the good…
She gestures to her World title belt over her shoulder.
Savannah Taylor: and the bad.
She nods her head towards her current location, her gaze shifting from the floor to Brianna.
Brianna Singer: Understandable.
Savannah Taylor: You know, back in nineteen forty one, Franklin Roosevelt called December seventh a day which will live in infamy. Did you ever think seventy four years later, we would be saying that about this same date?
Brianna Singer: Honestly? No. But then again given what just happened here tonight, I’m not entirely shocked.
Savannah Taylor: I was never what one would call on the favorable side of certain people in power here. But I can’t help but feel betrayed in a way. He was the one I had to meet with when I signed here two years ago. I trusted him to ensure nothing major would happen with my career here. Obviously I, along with everyone else, was lied to. I can only imagine how other people are processing what happened.
Her voice trailed off briefly as Brianna shifts the box in her arms. The location where Savannah was standing was not lost at all on Brianna. There were times, many times in fact, where she wanted to find the right ways to get out in the open everything that was bothering her about that day one year ago. She clears her throat and tries to formulate just what she wants to say.
Brianna Singer: Listen. I need to get something off of my chest. I know you never got a real explanation as to what happened to you last year, and I apologize that it has taken this long to get something to you. I never wanted any of it to happen. Hell, I never even wanted to become directly involved with any of this. All I was doing was helping out Angela when she was dealing with certain people. Apparently the now mutual thorn in our side was getting upset that you had drifted away from his original plan, whatever that was. You know who he blames for that, right?
Savannah Taylor: I do.
She says with a small smile.
Brianna Singer: Anyway, he decided that since I apparently broke a rule by showing up without a contract, he set his sights on me. Then along came another member of a certain family and I was passed onto her like a piece of property. I wasn’t myself. Hell, I haven’t really been myself for a while now. I allowed myself to be manipulated by two megalomaniacal pieces of crap. I hurt people who really didn’t deserve it, most of all you.
The redhead draws in a sharp breath as she wills herself to keep talking.
Brianna Singer: So I guess what I’m trying to say is…..I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I allowed myself to get to the point where I took it out on you. I’m sorry that I was the one who gave the order that pretty much saw a fair chunk of your career taken away.
She finishes what she was saying and lets out a breath. Savannah had her head cocked to the side as she listened to Brianna speak. All she wanted for a little over a year was an explanation as to why she was jumped from behind. As time went y and still with no reason, her frustration level grew exponentially with just about everyone involved in decision making. She had resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn’t get the answers she was searching for, so to have the woman behind her attack come up to her and apologize, it made her feel somewhat at peace. Savannah stands up a little straighter as she regards the other woman.
Savannah Taylor: You know, I had a hell of a time after I was attacked. I remember waking up in the hospital not remembering what happened. I didn’t want anyone to see me the way that I was, all bruised and beaten. I couldn’t sleep well for months after that happened. I only had three people even bother to visit or to see how I was doing. It isn’t something I’ve forgotten, even one year later. But the fact that out of everyone, you were the one to come up to me………thank you. It means more than you probably realize.
There is an air of awkward silence tinged with mutual understanding as the two now former co-workers stood there, neither woman quite sure how to proceed.
Brianna Singer: So what is next for you? I can only imagine the intrigue of having the final ever World champion would bring to a company.
Savannah Taylor: I’ve got my deal still in place with Samantha’s company, so there is that. And I’m actually catching a red eye to New Jersey to finalize a deal tomorrow.
Brianna Singer: Sounds like things are looking up for you.
Savannah Taylor: They really are. What about you?
Brianna Singer: I’m not entirely sure. I’m probably taking some time to evaluate just what I want to do next. I know a bunch of people are planning a massive trip to Las Vegas, so I have that to look forward to.
Savannah Taylor: Just make sure that my city is still standing when I get back, yeah?
Brianna Singer: I make no promises. Oh, one more thing.
She reaches into the box and pulls out a plain white jeweler’s box with a little red bow on top. She looks at the box before handing it to Savannah, who takes it with a raised eyebrow.
Savannah Taylor: What’s this?
Brianna Singer: Something that you should have had a while ago. But do me a favor and don’t open it until Christmas.
Savannah nods before reaching down and slipping the box into her bag. Standing back up, she slings it back over her shoulder before glancing around.
Savannah Taylor: Well, I’d better get going. I don’t want to miss my fight. For what it’s worth, whatever you end up doing, you’ll be just fine and will do well.
Brianna Singer: Thanks. I’m looking forward to seeing you on TV soon.
Savannah smiles as she pushes herself off of the wall. With a nod to Brianna, Savannah continues her trek down the hall towards the exit for the final time. She wasn’t quite sure what the future was going to hold for her, and that left her more than a little apprehensive. But taking risks was all part of the game of life. This chapter of her life was ending, but tomorrow when she landed in New Jersey, she was more than ready to begin work on the next chapter.
********************************************************************************
Close your eyes for a moment. Now with your eyes closed, I want to paint a picture for you. I want you to imagine a woman with an immense amount of talent and the type of beauty that is matched by no one. Now imagine this woman signing with a company who at first promised her the world and everything in it. Had she been any wiser than she is now, she would have seen that this was merely smoke and mirrors. No matter how much this woman busted her ass, no matter how much she poured of herself into this company, the rewards weren’t really worth the effort in her eyes. Sure, she had some success along the way, but to her, she never truly earned what she got. To her, her success was merely a way of management throwing her a bone in the hopes of keeping her quiet. As time progressed, the anger she felt inside of her began to boil. The chip on her shoulder that many accused her of having had begun to grow. While many outsiders saw this as her way of acting like a spoiled brat, there were a select few who saw that maybe she was right in feeling the way that she did. Now eventually this woman would find herself in the position that she had merely dreamed about, which is carrying the ultimate prize. For someone who had been told that she didn’t have the right name or didn’t have the right connections or that she just wasn’t good enough, this was her moment to shine. Sadly for her, someone felt that it was their right to try and take her moment away from her. Even sadder still was that her crowning moment was made extremely bittersweet when she and those that she had worked with, would find themselves out of a job. All of her dreams of becoming the champion that she knew she could be were dashed. Her fleeting moment of happiness was taken away from her, and the anger and resentment started to grow again. It is something that, despite this woman finding a new place to ply her craft, would not go away.
Now open your eyes. Were you able to get a good visual of this woman? Could you get a good enough idea of just what this woman has had to go through in her career? Let me clue you in on something. This woman of immense talent and unrivaled beauty is no mere illusion. She is very much real.
This woman is me.
Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Savannah Taylor. I am considered by some to be either the most underrated talent in the world or the best kept secret in the world. If you don’t believe me, then get yourself to YouTube and get educated. Trust me when I say I am as good as I make myself out to be. Granted I’ve mainly been making a name for myself out on the West Coast, but that was not entirely my doing. But that one is a story for another place and time. I’ve always had it in my head that I was destined to branch out and become bigger than one corner of the country. Thanks to a few people, I have just that chance. Now what does that mean for you fine folks? You get the pleasure of being graced by the presence of one of wrestling’s best kept secrets. You get to witness as I go out to the ring and do exactly what I was out on this Earth to do. I fully intend on starting this year just how I ended it….winning. Unfortunately though, someone is going to have to play the not so lucky role of victim number one.
How you doing, Danny?
Out of everyone on the roster, they feed me to you for my debut. I guess it could have been worse. They could have put me up against the likes of Chris Vector or even worse still….Aries Reed. Instead I get the person who has to be the luckiest man in FGA. Why are you so lucky, Danny? It is by sheer luck that you managed to sneak out a win over Noelle Smith two weeks ago in New York City. Noelle Smith is one of the most talented wrestlers on this roster. Her talent coupled with her God given good looks makes her an incredible threat to just about everyone. I don’t blame you in the least bit if you felt threatened by her and resorted to grabbing the tights in order to secure the victory. Now I’m no angel myself, and I’ve resorted to some sketchy tactics to win my fair share of matches, but come on. Grabbing the tights? Really Danny? I would have pegged you for a much more intelligent man than that. I would have thought that with your Hall of Fame pedigree, you would be able to come up with something more creative than the oldest cheat in the book. How disappointing. But lucky for your, you pretty much get a repeat of two weeks ago. You find yourself set to go one on one with another woman who is equal parts talent and beauty. But here is the catch. While you may have known a fair bit about Noelle, you know next to nothing about me. Don’t you worry your pretty little head Danny. You and I will get quite acquainted with each other in Boston.
But if you insist on pressing the issue and your curiosity gets the better of you, I’d be glad to tell you just what awaits you come Saturday night. You are about to set into the ring with someone who has wrestled in some of the best matches anyone has ever seen. Four months ago, I went through complete hell against someone who would just assume slap your head off if you looked at him wrong. This man is nothing short of a beast. Look at me. I’m five foot eight inches tall and I weight a mere one hundred and twenty pounds. He has about eight or nine inches and almost one hundred and fifty pounds on me. You know what happened to him when he continued to stick his nose where it didn’t belong and he continued to get in my way? I put him in the hospital. Twice. Our last match that we had, we put each other through hell all in the name of calling ourselves champion. Yes I may have lost that match, but I gained more than I lost. I gained the respect of my peers and I gained the respect of the fans. Whether they want to admit that to my face is another story. Last month, I went thirty five minutes against a woman who, like you, has a Hall of Fame and World Championship pedigree. There was no feud born in blood when I faced her. There was not case of having ulterior motives. I simply wanted to face her because she has long been considered one of the best and what better way to prove that you belong in the upper echelon of this business than by going against the best? Oh but I wasn’t finished there. Later that same night, I was put into a Triple Threat match against a self-serving, ego maniacal, holier than thou snake in the grass….and his Brazilian doppelganger. Guess who walked away with the win AND a World title to her name? You guessed it. I did. I’ve proven myself against some of the best wrestlers walking God’s green earth. I’ve gone toe to toe with those I just mentioned as well as the very esteemed former FGA World champion. Each time I step into the ring, I look to become that much better than my last match. I look to set myself apart from the pack. A wrestler is only as good as they push themselves to be. Danny, you aren’t going to find anyone around right now who pushes themselves harder than I do. There are a few notable exceptions, but they are about six leagues above you when it comes to how they carry themselves inside and outside of the ring.
One thing you and everyone else will soon find out is I know a hell of a lot more than I let on. I know that when you find your way to a new company, all of your past achievements and accomplishments mean jack squat. So you can cling to having been the man over in XWA or wherever it is you used to compete in. Just like I can cling to being one of the unsung treasures from out in San Diego. My point is Danny; all of our past accomplishments mean nothing in the here and now. All of what either of us did in the past mean nothing in the grand scheme of things here in FGA. You can either let those credits define you or you can let them deter you from ever pushing forward in this business. If you keep clinging to the past like a child clings to a teddy bear, you are going to sink harder and faster than the once mighty Titanic. I’d be more than happy to help expedite that process for you.
Saturday night in Boston is going to be remembered for two major things. One, it is going to be remembered as the night that a future superstar arrived. Two, it is going to be the night that people saw the beginning of the end of its once former and proud Mid Atlantic Legacy champion. It’s up to you Danny which route you want to go. It’s up to you if you want to be remembered as someone who rose up and decided that he wanted to return to the Danny Diamond that people remembered. If you can find it within yourself to prove to everyone that this time you mean business, then by all means do so. It just won’t be at my expense. Not ever. See you Saturday for the fight of your life.
Auf Wiedersehen
San Diego, California
OFF CAMERA
The arena was empty, void of the sea of faces that crowded its seats and filled the backstage area earlier in the evening. The seats, with a capacity numbering about five thousand, were empty, the blue plastic backs standing bright in a stark contrast to the dimmed lights of the arena. What only hours earlier held an annual spectacle that has constantly entertained everyone who has ever watched is now merely a shell, its once prominent status as a wrestling hub in the Southern California area is now gone. The events that took place within this very arena would be the things talked about for weeks, perhaps months, to come. Backstage, the remaining few workers were cleaning up the various pieces of equipment needed to ensure a smooth and nearly flawless production. The mood amongst them was somber. They knew that because of what happened, this was their last night working. By the time morning came, many would be out of a job. At least the wrestlers themselves would have a slightly easier time going elsewhere.
The sound of a pair of high heels echoes on the solid concrete floor of the backstage area. The steady clicking sounds louder than normal due to the near emptiness of the area. Moving through the area with an air of grace is the figure of one Savannah Taylor. Dressed in her street clothes, which consist of fitted jeans tucked into black knee high heeled boots and a simple white t-shirt, she shifts the weight of the black duffel bag over her right shoulder as she sighs. It was more than the weight of the bag over her right shoulder or the coveted championship belt worn over her left that caused her to sigh. It was the events that took place at the end of the show, the culmination of just about two years’ worth of blood, sweat, tears and frustration that caused the closure of the place where she got her big break in the wresting industry. Despite the fact that she had never once really been on the favorable side of the fans and management, she had worked just as hard as the next person in line. It had just taken her longer to start seeing the results that others got right off the bat. Savannah stops her walking when she comes across a certain section of the backstage area, one that causes a somewhat pained expression to come across her face. She drops her bag to the ground and leans up against the wall, keeping a firm grasp on her title as she simply stares at the floor in front of her. The memories of one year ago were starting to flood back into her subconscious. She could still feel the solid wood baseball bat connecting with the side of her skull. She could still feel the kicks and the fists of the two men who changed everything that night. That was the last thing she remembered before finally waking up in the UCSD Medical Center and seeing the face of the person she wrestled the night before. She was seriously thinking she would be alone when she woke up. How glad she was to be proven wrong.
“Savannah? What are you still doing here?”
The voice coming from behind her snapped Savannah out of her reverie. She turned to see the redheaded now former minority owner Brianna Singer walking down the same corridor, a smallish cardboard box in her hands. Under normal circumstances, the redhead wouldn’t have even stopped to talk to the blonde. But given what transpired earlier in the evening, there was no telling what would happen with anything anymore.
Savannah Taylor: I figured I would take one last walk around this place. Trying to take some of the memories made in this place with me, both the good…
She gestures to her World title belt over her shoulder.
Savannah Taylor: and the bad.
She nods her head towards her current location, her gaze shifting from the floor to Brianna.
Brianna Singer: Understandable.
Savannah Taylor: You know, back in nineteen forty one, Franklin Roosevelt called December seventh a day which will live in infamy. Did you ever think seventy four years later, we would be saying that about this same date?
Brianna Singer: Honestly? No. But then again given what just happened here tonight, I’m not entirely shocked.
Savannah Taylor: I was never what one would call on the favorable side of certain people in power here. But I can’t help but feel betrayed in a way. He was the one I had to meet with when I signed here two years ago. I trusted him to ensure nothing major would happen with my career here. Obviously I, along with everyone else, was lied to. I can only imagine how other people are processing what happened.
Her voice trailed off briefly as Brianna shifts the box in her arms. The location where Savannah was standing was not lost at all on Brianna. There were times, many times in fact, where she wanted to find the right ways to get out in the open everything that was bothering her about that day one year ago. She clears her throat and tries to formulate just what she wants to say.
Brianna Singer: Listen. I need to get something off of my chest. I know you never got a real explanation as to what happened to you last year, and I apologize that it has taken this long to get something to you. I never wanted any of it to happen. Hell, I never even wanted to become directly involved with any of this. All I was doing was helping out Angela when she was dealing with certain people. Apparently the now mutual thorn in our side was getting upset that you had drifted away from his original plan, whatever that was. You know who he blames for that, right?
Savannah Taylor: I do.
She says with a small smile.
Brianna Singer: Anyway, he decided that since I apparently broke a rule by showing up without a contract, he set his sights on me. Then along came another member of a certain family and I was passed onto her like a piece of property. I wasn’t myself. Hell, I haven’t really been myself for a while now. I allowed myself to be manipulated by two megalomaniacal pieces of crap. I hurt people who really didn’t deserve it, most of all you.
The redhead draws in a sharp breath as she wills herself to keep talking.
Brianna Singer: So I guess what I’m trying to say is…..I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I allowed myself to get to the point where I took it out on you. I’m sorry that I was the one who gave the order that pretty much saw a fair chunk of your career taken away.
She finishes what she was saying and lets out a breath. Savannah had her head cocked to the side as she listened to Brianna speak. All she wanted for a little over a year was an explanation as to why she was jumped from behind. As time went y and still with no reason, her frustration level grew exponentially with just about everyone involved in decision making. She had resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn’t get the answers she was searching for, so to have the woman behind her attack come up to her and apologize, it made her feel somewhat at peace. Savannah stands up a little straighter as she regards the other woman.
Savannah Taylor: You know, I had a hell of a time after I was attacked. I remember waking up in the hospital not remembering what happened. I didn’t want anyone to see me the way that I was, all bruised and beaten. I couldn’t sleep well for months after that happened. I only had three people even bother to visit or to see how I was doing. It isn’t something I’ve forgotten, even one year later. But the fact that out of everyone, you were the one to come up to me………thank you. It means more than you probably realize.
There is an air of awkward silence tinged with mutual understanding as the two now former co-workers stood there, neither woman quite sure how to proceed.
Brianna Singer: So what is next for you? I can only imagine the intrigue of having the final ever World champion would bring to a company.
Savannah Taylor: I’ve got my deal still in place with Samantha’s company, so there is that. And I’m actually catching a red eye to New Jersey to finalize a deal tomorrow.
Brianna Singer: Sounds like things are looking up for you.
Savannah Taylor: They really are. What about you?
Brianna Singer: I’m not entirely sure. I’m probably taking some time to evaluate just what I want to do next. I know a bunch of people are planning a massive trip to Las Vegas, so I have that to look forward to.
Savannah Taylor: Just make sure that my city is still standing when I get back, yeah?
Brianna Singer: I make no promises. Oh, one more thing.
She reaches into the box and pulls out a plain white jeweler’s box with a little red bow on top. She looks at the box before handing it to Savannah, who takes it with a raised eyebrow.
Savannah Taylor: What’s this?
Brianna Singer: Something that you should have had a while ago. But do me a favor and don’t open it until Christmas.
Savannah nods before reaching down and slipping the box into her bag. Standing back up, she slings it back over her shoulder before glancing around.
Savannah Taylor: Well, I’d better get going. I don’t want to miss my fight. For what it’s worth, whatever you end up doing, you’ll be just fine and will do well.
Brianna Singer: Thanks. I’m looking forward to seeing you on TV soon.
Savannah smiles as she pushes herself off of the wall. With a nod to Brianna, Savannah continues her trek down the hall towards the exit for the final time. She wasn’t quite sure what the future was going to hold for her, and that left her more than a little apprehensive. But taking risks was all part of the game of life. This chapter of her life was ending, but tomorrow when she landed in New Jersey, she was more than ready to begin work on the next chapter.
********************************************************************************
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney
Close your eyes for a moment. Now with your eyes closed, I want to paint a picture for you. I want you to imagine a woman with an immense amount of talent and the type of beauty that is matched by no one. Now imagine this woman signing with a company who at first promised her the world and everything in it. Had she been any wiser than she is now, she would have seen that this was merely smoke and mirrors. No matter how much this woman busted her ass, no matter how much she poured of herself into this company, the rewards weren’t really worth the effort in her eyes. Sure, she had some success along the way, but to her, she never truly earned what she got. To her, her success was merely a way of management throwing her a bone in the hopes of keeping her quiet. As time progressed, the anger she felt inside of her began to boil. The chip on her shoulder that many accused her of having had begun to grow. While many outsiders saw this as her way of acting like a spoiled brat, there were a select few who saw that maybe she was right in feeling the way that she did. Now eventually this woman would find herself in the position that she had merely dreamed about, which is carrying the ultimate prize. For someone who had been told that she didn’t have the right name or didn’t have the right connections or that she just wasn’t good enough, this was her moment to shine. Sadly for her, someone felt that it was their right to try and take her moment away from her. Even sadder still was that her crowning moment was made extremely bittersweet when she and those that she had worked with, would find themselves out of a job. All of her dreams of becoming the champion that she knew she could be were dashed. Her fleeting moment of happiness was taken away from her, and the anger and resentment started to grow again. It is something that, despite this woman finding a new place to ply her craft, would not go away.
Now open your eyes. Were you able to get a good visual of this woman? Could you get a good enough idea of just what this woman has had to go through in her career? Let me clue you in on something. This woman of immense talent and unrivaled beauty is no mere illusion. She is very much real.
This woman is me.
Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Savannah Taylor. I am considered by some to be either the most underrated talent in the world or the best kept secret in the world. If you don’t believe me, then get yourself to YouTube and get educated. Trust me when I say I am as good as I make myself out to be. Granted I’ve mainly been making a name for myself out on the West Coast, but that was not entirely my doing. But that one is a story for another place and time. I’ve always had it in my head that I was destined to branch out and become bigger than one corner of the country. Thanks to a few people, I have just that chance. Now what does that mean for you fine folks? You get the pleasure of being graced by the presence of one of wrestling’s best kept secrets. You get to witness as I go out to the ring and do exactly what I was out on this Earth to do. I fully intend on starting this year just how I ended it….winning. Unfortunately though, someone is going to have to play the not so lucky role of victim number one.
How you doing, Danny?
Out of everyone on the roster, they feed me to you for my debut. I guess it could have been worse. They could have put me up against the likes of Chris Vector or even worse still….Aries Reed. Instead I get the person who has to be the luckiest man in FGA. Why are you so lucky, Danny? It is by sheer luck that you managed to sneak out a win over Noelle Smith two weeks ago in New York City. Noelle Smith is one of the most talented wrestlers on this roster. Her talent coupled with her God given good looks makes her an incredible threat to just about everyone. I don’t blame you in the least bit if you felt threatened by her and resorted to grabbing the tights in order to secure the victory. Now I’m no angel myself, and I’ve resorted to some sketchy tactics to win my fair share of matches, but come on. Grabbing the tights? Really Danny? I would have pegged you for a much more intelligent man than that. I would have thought that with your Hall of Fame pedigree, you would be able to come up with something more creative than the oldest cheat in the book. How disappointing. But lucky for your, you pretty much get a repeat of two weeks ago. You find yourself set to go one on one with another woman who is equal parts talent and beauty. But here is the catch. While you may have known a fair bit about Noelle, you know next to nothing about me. Don’t you worry your pretty little head Danny. You and I will get quite acquainted with each other in Boston.
But if you insist on pressing the issue and your curiosity gets the better of you, I’d be glad to tell you just what awaits you come Saturday night. You are about to set into the ring with someone who has wrestled in some of the best matches anyone has ever seen. Four months ago, I went through complete hell against someone who would just assume slap your head off if you looked at him wrong. This man is nothing short of a beast. Look at me. I’m five foot eight inches tall and I weight a mere one hundred and twenty pounds. He has about eight or nine inches and almost one hundred and fifty pounds on me. You know what happened to him when he continued to stick his nose where it didn’t belong and he continued to get in my way? I put him in the hospital. Twice. Our last match that we had, we put each other through hell all in the name of calling ourselves champion. Yes I may have lost that match, but I gained more than I lost. I gained the respect of my peers and I gained the respect of the fans. Whether they want to admit that to my face is another story. Last month, I went thirty five minutes against a woman who, like you, has a Hall of Fame and World Championship pedigree. There was no feud born in blood when I faced her. There was not case of having ulterior motives. I simply wanted to face her because she has long been considered one of the best and what better way to prove that you belong in the upper echelon of this business than by going against the best? Oh but I wasn’t finished there. Later that same night, I was put into a Triple Threat match against a self-serving, ego maniacal, holier than thou snake in the grass….and his Brazilian doppelganger. Guess who walked away with the win AND a World title to her name? You guessed it. I did. I’ve proven myself against some of the best wrestlers walking God’s green earth. I’ve gone toe to toe with those I just mentioned as well as the very esteemed former FGA World champion. Each time I step into the ring, I look to become that much better than my last match. I look to set myself apart from the pack. A wrestler is only as good as they push themselves to be. Danny, you aren’t going to find anyone around right now who pushes themselves harder than I do. There are a few notable exceptions, but they are about six leagues above you when it comes to how they carry themselves inside and outside of the ring.
One thing you and everyone else will soon find out is I know a hell of a lot more than I let on. I know that when you find your way to a new company, all of your past achievements and accomplishments mean jack squat. So you can cling to having been the man over in XWA or wherever it is you used to compete in. Just like I can cling to being one of the unsung treasures from out in San Diego. My point is Danny; all of our past accomplishments mean nothing in the here and now. All of what either of us did in the past mean nothing in the grand scheme of things here in FGA. You can either let those credits define you or you can let them deter you from ever pushing forward in this business. If you keep clinging to the past like a child clings to a teddy bear, you are going to sink harder and faster than the once mighty Titanic. I’d be more than happy to help expedite that process for you.
Saturday night in Boston is going to be remembered for two major things. One, it is going to be remembered as the night that a future superstar arrived. Two, it is going to be the night that people saw the beginning of the end of its once former and proud Mid Atlantic Legacy champion. It’s up to you Danny which route you want to go. It’s up to you if you want to be remembered as someone who rose up and decided that he wanted to return to the Danny Diamond that people remembered. If you can find it within yourself to prove to everyone that this time you mean business, then by all means do so. It just won’t be at my expense. Not ever. See you Saturday for the fight of your life.
Auf Wiedersehen