Rewriting History
Oct 27, 2016 12:59:13 GMT -5
Post by ChrisMadison on Oct 27, 2016 12:59:13 GMT -5
"Déjà vu..."
"I feel like I'm sitting here watching a rerun of my first stint in FGA."
"My return match against Rick Young played out just like my debut match against Pierre J. Harris; a convincing submission victory thanks to the Peruvian Necktie. But that's not the only parallel... I made my FGA debut on, July twenty-sixth, two thousand and fourteen; nearly a month before Above & Beyond III, a card that I was left off of. Here I am, two years later, and the story is the same. Despite my impressive performance in the ring, I was forced to watch Retribution from the sideline."
"Two years ago, that infuriated me. Tommy Knox and I had joined FGA to make a mark on the tag team wrestling scene and we felt disrespected being left off of our first super-show with the company. FGA brass had thought it would be more profitable to throw eight unproven talents in a BS breakout battle royal for the pre-show match than finding two people to square off with the Black Hand. That didn't sit well with us. As a competitor it shouldn't!"
"Being left off of Retribution doesn't sit well with me now!"
"The difference? I'm not going to sit here and let the frustration take over and effect my performance in that ring. Two years ago were much darker times for me. I had a piss-poor attitude and I was blinded by a false devotion. Knox and I followed up our exclusion from Above & Beyond III with less than stellar tag team performances and a failed attempt at capturing championship gold as we let an opportunity slip away at Capital Combat."
"I'm not making that mistake again."
"I'm going to make the most of every opportunity that I'm being afforded."
"Vertigo Twenty-Three starts this Wildcard Lottery Tournament to crown a new FGA World Champion. I'm in no position to comment on Zero McHannon's decision to walk off with the championship belt after successfully defending against Chandler Scott. I took a year long undefeated streak and a 4CW Pride Championship title reign and threw it all away because I felt unappreciated, and I felt unchallenged..."
"But McHannon's demons have opened up a door for sixteen of us to fight it out with the FGA World Championship looming over us. Tony Carmine, Ryan LeCavlier, Johnny Cannon, Kevin Hardaway, Dan Herrera, Cordy Stevenson, Johnny Karma, Noelle Smith, Savannah Taylor, Izzy Anders, Salem Cartier, Nero Darling, Ruby Tyler, Molly Reid, Annie Zellor, and Chris Madison; one of those names will be the next FGA World Champion!"
"I'm not going to sit here and declare myself the winner of this thing; there are too many talented wrestlers included on that list of names. Just know, I'm not going to squander this opportunity like I did with the World Tag Team Championships two years ago. Win or lose... I'm using this opportunity to prove that Chris Madison is a world class talent that can compete with ANYONE in this business! And I see no better way to kick this off than a fate pairing with Annie Zellor..."
After nearly a half dozen ignored phone calls and another half dozen read but unanswered text messages, Frankie Morrison made a personal trip to check in on his client in the wake of a hard fought World Tag Team Championship match against Annie Zellor and Laurel Anne Hardy at Capital Combat. He stood on the front porch of Chris Madison's Long Island Colonial home with a paper cup of Starbucks coffee in hand, anxious to get a hold of his client. He raised his free hand up and hammered away at the large oak door with a closed fist.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK
He impatiently waited, fidgeting as he peered into the bay window that was to the left of the door. His concern grew, not hearing a sound or seeing any movement inside. Frankie took out his iPhone and swiped his finger across the screen. He navigated his way through his contacts and tried once more to call Chris on his phone. With the phone pressed against his ear, he continued to inspect the inside of Chris's home through the window.
"Voicemail again," he grunted as he turned around to survey the area. With no neighbor in sight, Frankie began to try sliding the windows up. Frustrated by his failed attempts to gain entry to the house, he let out a deep sigh. "I'm sure Nick has a spare key,", he blurted aloud as he dug out his iPhone again.
Before he could find Chris's younger brother in his contact list, his attention was diverted by the sound of the front door slowly creaking open. Frankie's eyes opened wide as Chris gingerly stood in the doorframe with his right hand pressed against the frame and his left hand holding his side. "So voyeurism is your thing now," Chris joked as he winced in pain.
Frankie looked his client up and down and noticed the deep purple bruising on the left side of his torso. Chris was visibly uncomfortable just standing there in his own skin, stiff as a board. "My god, you look like hell. I've been trying to get a hold of you," Frankie explained as he reached out, grabbing Chris by the wrist and gently pulling his hand from his ribs. In the center of the bruise a knot has formed from the broken bone protruding through his skin. "That's broken Chris! Did you get yourself checked out," he interrogated as he went into crisis mode, trying to protect his best investment from further damaging himself.
"Why? They're just going to tell me it's broken. We both know that. I'll be fine in a couple days and I'll keep it wrapped," Chris tried persuading his long time manager. Frankie knew he was embarking on an uphill battle with Chris's stubbornness being the main antagonist. Without saying a word he began to swipe his way through his phone. "What are you doing," Chris asked while trying to peer over Frankie's hands to catch a glimpse of the iPhone's screen.
"Protecting you," he announced. "There's no way you'll be in any shape to compete at the Secaucus taping. I'm putting a hold on this," Frankie advised while momentarily looking up from his phone.
Chris took his hand off of the door frame and reached forward, swiping the phone from Frankie's hand. "I can't let you do that. Secaucus is about three weeks away; I'll be ready by then," Chris divulged while reluctantly handing the cellphone back to Frankie Morrison.
Frankie shook his head slightly from side to side as he held his hand out with his palm up towards the sky. Chris placed the cellphone in his hand and watched as Frankie went against his moral fiber and slipped the phone into his pants pocket. Frankie took another look at Chris's ribs and roared an exasperated sigh. "This is obviously a product of your tag match against the #Sparklebuddies, any idea exactly when," Frankie quizzed.
"Oh yeah," Chris quickly responded with a bitter look on his face. "That last knee Annie gave me before I escaped her bulldog attempt, hit her with a wrist-clutch exploder suplex, and tagged Knox in. I heard the bones crack on impact; it was a wonder that I was able to pull off that succession of moves," Chris moaned in-between labored breaths.
Morrison instantly broke out into laughter; the furthest thing from a sympathetic response. "That's priceless," he mocked as the laughter began to subside. Unamused by Frankie's outburst, Chris scowled as he watched his manager wipe away tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just kind of funny that the girl you and Knox claimed wasn't cut out for this business is the one that's got you laid up in your house with broken ribs. So much for that theory, huh?"
"Yeah, she tagged me good. But we still walked out with the win," Chris bragged.
Unimpressed by Chris's rebuttal, Morrison's eyes widened as he mouthed the word "okay". "You really look like a winner! Any other battle scars from this empty victory," Frankie asked. Without giving him a chance to answer Frankie once again begins inspecting his client from head to toe. He notices a small bruise on Chris's right forearm with little lacerations around the perimeter of the contusion. He points to it and questions the lesion, "and that?"
"Laurel literally tried to take a chunk out of my forearm," Chris explained.
"Well at least you guys walked out with the FGA World Tag Team Championships," Frankie sarcastically jabbed. "Oh right, you didn't. Now you broken down with nothing to show for it! There's no way you're competing in Seacaucus. You need to reboot. You need to refocus, put this tag team shit aside and worry about yourself."
"Fuck that. Knox is my boy. We came to FGA for a reason! We may have underestimated Annie but we completely go in Laurel's head. You know me better than anyone in this business. I don't make the same mistake twice. Annie showed me that nothing about her career has been a fluke; but that doesn't mean she's invincible," Chris suggested. "We'll cross paths again; next time she'll get the respect that she deserves."
Chris turned and delicately began to walk inside of his home. Frankie followed suit, knowing that he somehow had to convince his client to let him pull him off of the upcoming DVD taping.
"Soccer dad shorts," Frankie chuckled while staring at his illuminated iPhone screen. "I'll give him this one," Morrison said aloud before placing the phone down on his desk. He pushed up from his high back leather office chair and walked over to a large window that overlooked the Warehouse. Perched above, he had an unobstructed view of all the students who eagerly trained and learned under Chris and Nick Madison's teachings.
Without a knock, the door to his office swung open. Chris Madison strolled in wearing a pair of black shorts with white stripes down the side and white trim that stopped around the middle of his thighs, a gray tank top, and a white towel draped over his shoulder. He swiftly moved to one of the chairs that was positioned on the opposite side of Frankie's desk and plopped down while grabbing the end of the towel and wiping it across his forehead.
"When are we flying out," Chris asked as he hunched over, digging his elbows into the tops of his knees.
Frankie slowly approached his desk. He reached down and pulled open a draw, pulling out two plane tickets. He dropped the tickets down in the center of the desk while instructing his client, "tomorrow afternoon. Flying out of JFK." Frankie slowly pulled out his chair and sat down across from his client. He leaned back while folding his right leg over his left and interlocked his fingers, placing his hands down on his stomach. "What's the plan for tonight," he hesitantly asked.
Unfazed by the question, Chris confidently replied, "i'll be here training. Probably do some cardio and then watch some tapes on Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid."
"Not even interested in," he started before being interrupted.
"Not the slightest. I don't care what kind of parody of me they parade out there. I don't care what kind of bullshit loss they pencil into the record books. I met all of my obligations. I wrestled passed my contract's expiration. I've got nothing to prove to them and I don't owe 'em anything. My mind is set solely on Frontier Grappling Arts, and this Wildcard Lottery Tournament for the FGA World Heavyweight Championship," Chris snarled. "There's no better way to cap off this fourteen month undefeated run that I've been on than hoisting that championship over my head!"
Frankie let out a deep sigh as he tried his best to read his client's body language, gauging the truth behind Chris's declaration. "You know whoever wins, whether it be Cashe or Bryan Williams, they're going to claim your undefeated streak as notch on their belt," Frankie warned.
"They can claim what they want. I'm not in New Orleans for the PPV. I'm not the 4CW Pride Champion anymore. I'm not even a contracted 4CW competitor. I can guarantee that tonight, my shoulders don't get pinned to a mat, my hand won't feverishly tap against the canvass," much to Frankie's surprise, Chris calmly denounced. "Molly Reid, Ruby Tyler, and maybe Annie Zellor, are the only ones starring down the opportunity to make such a claim.
"You and Annie going to be able to work together to get to the second round of this thing," Frankie asked as he leaned forward and placed his elbows down onto his desktop. "It's not like you guys have the most amicable history."
"Do we have a choice,", Chris rhetorically asked. "With what's at stake, I don't see why we can't get passed our rough history. Two years ago, she physically forced respect out of me. I took her lightly and suffered the consequences of it. As long as he keeps those knee strikes away from me and focused on Molly or Ruby, I think we'll manage as a team."
"I'm glad you're keeping yourself free of distractions. I know I don't have to say this, but, all three of these girls are head and shoulders above that bum, Rick Young," Frankie cautioned.
"Come on Frankie. Do we really need to beat down the man anymore than I already did? Back in his day, Rick Young was a draw. He was competing on borrowed time when we squared off in Plymouth Township. He had no business competing on this level anymore. He knew it, and the fans knew. I, unfortunately had to put him down like the old dying dog that he was," Chris expressed with a heavy heart. Truth was, he saw a lot of himself in Rick Young; a dying breed of wrestler that was on the verge of extinction. "I can't help but wonder just how much longer I have in this business myself. All of our days are numbered, but it's no secret that I'm no spring chicken. Honestly, this very well could be my last chance at capturing a world championship. All three of these girls have lengthy careers ahead of them. Me on the other hand, could be on the last leg of the race. I've been at this for sixteen long years; eventually this body is going to just shut down on me."
"I don't think you have to worry about that anytime soon. I've seen the way you prepare, the way you meticulously take care of your body. You've still got a few good years left in you," Frankie reassured his client. "Hopefully with the FGA World Championship around your waist!"
"Kind of wish this was just a straight up sixteen person tournament for the strap. My track record in FGA tag matches hasn't been all that stellar. The whole thought of relying on someone else to get me through to the next round doesn't quite sit well with me," Chris confessed while brushing the terrycloth towel across his hairline one more time.
"So don't," Frankie blurted out. Chris looked a bit confused by the remark. How could he not rely on his tag team partner while being tasked with facing the current FGA Pride Champion and an accomplished tag team wrestler in Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler. "FGA hasn't seen Chris Madison at his best. They've never bared witness to the fight that you bring to that ring when you're firing on all cylinders. That Chris Madison, he doesn't need a tag partner to help him advance to the next round of this Wildcard Lottery Tournament. He gets there by obliterating the two unlucky souls that had their names drawn against his."
"You make it seem like I'm up against a pair of nobodies. That couldn't be any further from the truth Frankie. Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler are going to be looking to make the most of this opportunity just like everyone else involved. Think about what a pair of wins could mean for either of my two opponents, or my tag partner for that matter. Molly Reid just became the FGA Pride Champion but followed that up with a disappointing loss to Evan Envi at Retribution. A pair of wins could dispel the sentiment that her win over Fujiko Mine was a fluke! Ruby Tyler has been fighting relevancy her entire FGA career, constantly feeling as if she's being overlooked. A pair of wins, pushing her into the final four of the FGA World Championship tournament would force everyone to take notice. Let's not forget my partner, Annie Zellor. Former FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, former two time FGA World Tag Team Champion; what better way to add to her FGA legacy than to make the most of this opportunity by winning the FGA World Championship? They've all got something to fight for, something to drive them deep into this tournament," Chris explained. "Nothing about this upcoming Vertigo screams easy..."
"Fair enough," Frankie uttered. "Just don't go into this thing thinking that they're more deserving than you. Everyone's got their case to plea, the only one winning this thing will be the one who wants it the most."
"At Vertigo, I plan on making it as clear as day, that person is me," Chris exclaimed.
"The Prairie Capital Convention Center, a multi-purpose arena that holds roughly seventy seven hundred people. But on Saturday night it holds more than just a capacity crowd that will fill the stands for an episode of Vertigo. It holds the hopes and dreams of sixteen competitors that are all vying for life in this Wildcard Lottery Tournament that will crown a new FGA World Champion."
"At Retribution, Zero McHannon successfully defended the FGA World Championship by defeating Chandler Scott. But when the cameras kept rolling and they caught up with Zero backstage the bomb was dropped. Zero was walking away from FGA and he was taking the World Championship with him."
Chris paused briefly as he stood underneath the large overhang outside of the main entrance to the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
"I get it..."
"The road I traveled to get back to FGA is much like the road that Zero is embarking on now. I felt undervalued in a company that lost sight of what matters. For over a year I ran through anyone put in front of me with ease; the only blemish was a double count out in a match which I thought I was helping out a friend. I sought out competition elsewhere, unsure if they could challenge me the way I needed to be. vWc, Honor Wrestling, NJFC, NONE of it felt right. So I walked..."
"I walked away undefeated over a fourteen month span."
"I walked away the 4CW Pride Champion."
"I walked away with no intention of ever turning back."
"The only difference? I airmailed that championship back to the company that I felt had wronged me. I'm not roaming the wrestling world holding onto a championship that reminds me of the disrespect I felt. No one can stand here and, with a straight face, say Zero McHannon isn't one of the best in the business right now. But he sure as hell doesn't need the FGA World Championship to reiterate that."
"With that being said, FGA finds themselves in a rough situation. Their hands down, undisputed, World Champion wants nothing to do with them. But if you ask any promoter in this business, they'll tell you that it's essential to have that top spot in the company occupied. Insert the Wildcard Lottery Tournament. Sixteen people, all in different standings with the company, have been thrown into a mishmash of tag team matches to kickstart this thing. The winners move on to face their partners in the second round of the tournament, all in the same night."
"This is just the opportunity that I wanted coming back to FGA for a second run. First time around I blew it. I left a piss-poor impression the first time around and it hasn't sat well with me since I left. Proving to myself that I can compete here in FGA at a high level was a major reason for re-signing when I did. What better way to prove that than turning this tournament upside down and winning the FGA World Championship?"
"To do so I have to first get through a tag team match against Ruby Tyler and the current FGA Pride Champion, Molly Reid, with Annie Zellor in my corner."
"Oddly enough, I couldn't be any happier with the pairing. Two years ago, Annie and I were at each other's throats with the FGA World Tag Team Championships at stake. During those few months that Tommy Knox and I chased the #Sparklebuddies, we tried to find her breaking point; thought she wasn't cut out for this business. We were proven wrong. And now I'm going to Vertigo with her as my tag team partner for the first round. Annie is not the innocent little girl that I thought she was. When push comes to shove, she has proven time and time again that she can handle herself just as well as anyone. Annie has proven to be one of the more decorated wrestlers to compete under the FGA banner. Success comes naturally to her and hopefully she brings that to the table when we face off against Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid."
"I've got no score to settle. I've never had a run-in with either Ruby or Molly. Each of these women have proven over time that they belong in FGA. I'm the wildcard in all of this. They've earned their spots with success inside an FGA ring. Molly recently dethroned Fujiko Mine, earning the FGA Pride Championship. Ruby Tyler has been scrapping since she debuted back in March, trying to translate her past success into a new promotion. Along the way she's locked up with some of the best FGA can offer: Nero, Annie Zellor, Camelia D. Magna, Status Quo, Nero Darling, The Usual Suspects, Johnny Cannon. No one can deny the level of competition she's had to face since debuting."
"But what have I done to deserve this golden opportunity to be dropped in front of me? I've won all three of my singles matches in FGA, but the caliber of those opponents are nowhere close to the talent pool making up this tournament. My performances in tag matches have been mediocre at best, losing when faced against some of the elite. So why me?"
"Maybe FGA brass sees the potential. Sees that all I need is an opportunity and I will have this fanbase demanding more. Walking out of Vertigo with a tag team win over Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid, and then a singles win over Annie Zellor, will shatter any preconceived notions about me. I came to FGA fully expecting to have to dig deep and earn every bit of success that I can achieve; I didn't expect the opportunity so soon."
"Now it all falls on me. I control my own destiny."
"It'd be easy to imagine someone like Johnny Cannon surviving this thing and winning the FGA World Championship for the second time. It'd be a heartwarming story if FGA pillars such as Tony Carmine, Dan Herrera, Cordy Stevenson, or Annie Zellor were to cash in on this opportunity and were crowned FGA World Champion for the first time. All of those scenarios mean one thing; somewhere along the lines I stumbled and failed."
"An ending that I cannot accept."
"I will not accept."
"I need to be more than a horrid footnote in one of the #Sparklebuddies tag title reigns. This tournament provides me that opportunity. You better believe that I'm going to pull out every trick in the book to rewrite my FGA history!"
"I feel like I'm sitting here watching a rerun of my first stint in FGA."
"My return match against Rick Young played out just like my debut match against Pierre J. Harris; a convincing submission victory thanks to the Peruvian Necktie. But that's not the only parallel... I made my FGA debut on, July twenty-sixth, two thousand and fourteen; nearly a month before Above & Beyond III, a card that I was left off of. Here I am, two years later, and the story is the same. Despite my impressive performance in the ring, I was forced to watch Retribution from the sideline."
"Two years ago, that infuriated me. Tommy Knox and I had joined FGA to make a mark on the tag team wrestling scene and we felt disrespected being left off of our first super-show with the company. FGA brass had thought it would be more profitable to throw eight unproven talents in a BS breakout battle royal for the pre-show match than finding two people to square off with the Black Hand. That didn't sit well with us. As a competitor it shouldn't!"
"Being left off of Retribution doesn't sit well with me now!"
"The difference? I'm not going to sit here and let the frustration take over and effect my performance in that ring. Two years ago were much darker times for me. I had a piss-poor attitude and I was blinded by a false devotion. Knox and I followed up our exclusion from Above & Beyond III with less than stellar tag team performances and a failed attempt at capturing championship gold as we let an opportunity slip away at Capital Combat."
"I'm not making that mistake again."
"I'm going to make the most of every opportunity that I'm being afforded."
"Vertigo Twenty-Three starts this Wildcard Lottery Tournament to crown a new FGA World Champion. I'm in no position to comment on Zero McHannon's decision to walk off with the championship belt after successfully defending against Chandler Scott. I took a year long undefeated streak and a 4CW Pride Championship title reign and threw it all away because I felt unappreciated, and I felt unchallenged..."
"But McHannon's demons have opened up a door for sixteen of us to fight it out with the FGA World Championship looming over us. Tony Carmine, Ryan LeCavlier, Johnny Cannon, Kevin Hardaway, Dan Herrera, Cordy Stevenson, Johnny Karma, Noelle Smith, Savannah Taylor, Izzy Anders, Salem Cartier, Nero Darling, Ruby Tyler, Molly Reid, Annie Zellor, and Chris Madison; one of those names will be the next FGA World Champion!"
"I'm not going to sit here and declare myself the winner of this thing; there are too many talented wrestlers included on that list of names. Just know, I'm not going to squander this opportunity like I did with the World Tag Team Championships two years ago. Win or lose... I'm using this opportunity to prove that Chris Madison is a world class talent that can compete with ANYONE in this business! And I see no better way to kick this off than a fate pairing with Annie Zellor..."
_______________________________________________________________
October 20th, 2014
Long Island, New York
Long Island, New York
After nearly a half dozen ignored phone calls and another half dozen read but unanswered text messages, Frankie Morrison made a personal trip to check in on his client in the wake of a hard fought World Tag Team Championship match against Annie Zellor and Laurel Anne Hardy at Capital Combat. He stood on the front porch of Chris Madison's Long Island Colonial home with a paper cup of Starbucks coffee in hand, anxious to get a hold of his client. He raised his free hand up and hammered away at the large oak door with a closed fist.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK
He impatiently waited, fidgeting as he peered into the bay window that was to the left of the door. His concern grew, not hearing a sound or seeing any movement inside. Frankie took out his iPhone and swiped his finger across the screen. He navigated his way through his contacts and tried once more to call Chris on his phone. With the phone pressed against his ear, he continued to inspect the inside of Chris's home through the window.
"Voicemail again," he grunted as he turned around to survey the area. With no neighbor in sight, Frankie began to try sliding the windows up. Frustrated by his failed attempts to gain entry to the house, he let out a deep sigh. "I'm sure Nick has a spare key,", he blurted aloud as he dug out his iPhone again.
Before he could find Chris's younger brother in his contact list, his attention was diverted by the sound of the front door slowly creaking open. Frankie's eyes opened wide as Chris gingerly stood in the doorframe with his right hand pressed against the frame and his left hand holding his side. "So voyeurism is your thing now," Chris joked as he winced in pain.
Frankie looked his client up and down and noticed the deep purple bruising on the left side of his torso. Chris was visibly uncomfortable just standing there in his own skin, stiff as a board. "My god, you look like hell. I've been trying to get a hold of you," Frankie explained as he reached out, grabbing Chris by the wrist and gently pulling his hand from his ribs. In the center of the bruise a knot has formed from the broken bone protruding through his skin. "That's broken Chris! Did you get yourself checked out," he interrogated as he went into crisis mode, trying to protect his best investment from further damaging himself.
"Why? They're just going to tell me it's broken. We both know that. I'll be fine in a couple days and I'll keep it wrapped," Chris tried persuading his long time manager. Frankie knew he was embarking on an uphill battle with Chris's stubbornness being the main antagonist. Without saying a word he began to swipe his way through his phone. "What are you doing," Chris asked while trying to peer over Frankie's hands to catch a glimpse of the iPhone's screen.
"Protecting you," he announced. "There's no way you'll be in any shape to compete at the Secaucus taping. I'm putting a hold on this," Frankie advised while momentarily looking up from his phone.
Chris took his hand off of the door frame and reached forward, swiping the phone from Frankie's hand. "I can't let you do that. Secaucus is about three weeks away; I'll be ready by then," Chris divulged while reluctantly handing the cellphone back to Frankie Morrison.
Frankie shook his head slightly from side to side as he held his hand out with his palm up towards the sky. Chris placed the cellphone in his hand and watched as Frankie went against his moral fiber and slipped the phone into his pants pocket. Frankie took another look at Chris's ribs and roared an exasperated sigh. "This is obviously a product of your tag match against the #Sparklebuddies, any idea exactly when," Frankie quizzed.
"Oh yeah," Chris quickly responded with a bitter look on his face. "That last knee Annie gave me before I escaped her bulldog attempt, hit her with a wrist-clutch exploder suplex, and tagged Knox in. I heard the bones crack on impact; it was a wonder that I was able to pull off that succession of moves," Chris moaned in-between labored breaths.
Morrison instantly broke out into laughter; the furthest thing from a sympathetic response. "That's priceless," he mocked as the laughter began to subside. Unamused by Frankie's outburst, Chris scowled as he watched his manager wipe away tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just kind of funny that the girl you and Knox claimed wasn't cut out for this business is the one that's got you laid up in your house with broken ribs. So much for that theory, huh?"
"Yeah, she tagged me good. But we still walked out with the win," Chris bragged.
Unimpressed by Chris's rebuttal, Morrison's eyes widened as he mouthed the word "okay". "You really look like a winner! Any other battle scars from this empty victory," Frankie asked. Without giving him a chance to answer Frankie once again begins inspecting his client from head to toe. He notices a small bruise on Chris's right forearm with little lacerations around the perimeter of the contusion. He points to it and questions the lesion, "and that?"
"Laurel literally tried to take a chunk out of my forearm," Chris explained.
"Well at least you guys walked out with the FGA World Tag Team Championships," Frankie sarcastically jabbed. "Oh right, you didn't. Now you broken down with nothing to show for it! There's no way you're competing in Seacaucus. You need to reboot. You need to refocus, put this tag team shit aside and worry about yourself."
"Fuck that. Knox is my boy. We came to FGA for a reason! We may have underestimated Annie but we completely go in Laurel's head. You know me better than anyone in this business. I don't make the same mistake twice. Annie showed me that nothing about her career has been a fluke; but that doesn't mean she's invincible," Chris suggested. "We'll cross paths again; next time she'll get the respect that she deserves."
Chris turned and delicately began to walk inside of his home. Frankie followed suit, knowing that he somehow had to convince his client to let him pull him off of the upcoming DVD taping.
_______________________________________________________________
October 26th, 2016
Long Island, New York
Long Island, New York
"Soccer dad shorts," Frankie chuckled while staring at his illuminated iPhone screen. "I'll give him this one," Morrison said aloud before placing the phone down on his desk. He pushed up from his high back leather office chair and walked over to a large window that overlooked the Warehouse. Perched above, he had an unobstructed view of all the students who eagerly trained and learned under Chris and Nick Madison's teachings.
Without a knock, the door to his office swung open. Chris Madison strolled in wearing a pair of black shorts with white stripes down the side and white trim that stopped around the middle of his thighs, a gray tank top, and a white towel draped over his shoulder. He swiftly moved to one of the chairs that was positioned on the opposite side of Frankie's desk and plopped down while grabbing the end of the towel and wiping it across his forehead.
"When are we flying out," Chris asked as he hunched over, digging his elbows into the tops of his knees.
Frankie slowly approached his desk. He reached down and pulled open a draw, pulling out two plane tickets. He dropped the tickets down in the center of the desk while instructing his client, "tomorrow afternoon. Flying out of JFK." Frankie slowly pulled out his chair and sat down across from his client. He leaned back while folding his right leg over his left and interlocked his fingers, placing his hands down on his stomach. "What's the plan for tonight," he hesitantly asked.
Unfazed by the question, Chris confidently replied, "i'll be here training. Probably do some cardio and then watch some tapes on Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid."
"Not even interested in," he started before being interrupted.
"Not the slightest. I don't care what kind of parody of me they parade out there. I don't care what kind of bullshit loss they pencil into the record books. I met all of my obligations. I wrestled passed my contract's expiration. I've got nothing to prove to them and I don't owe 'em anything. My mind is set solely on Frontier Grappling Arts, and this Wildcard Lottery Tournament for the FGA World Heavyweight Championship," Chris snarled. "There's no better way to cap off this fourteen month undefeated run that I've been on than hoisting that championship over my head!"
Frankie let out a deep sigh as he tried his best to read his client's body language, gauging the truth behind Chris's declaration. "You know whoever wins, whether it be Cashe or Bryan Williams, they're going to claim your undefeated streak as notch on their belt," Frankie warned.
"They can claim what they want. I'm not in New Orleans for the PPV. I'm not the 4CW Pride Champion anymore. I'm not even a contracted 4CW competitor. I can guarantee that tonight, my shoulders don't get pinned to a mat, my hand won't feverishly tap against the canvass," much to Frankie's surprise, Chris calmly denounced. "Molly Reid, Ruby Tyler, and maybe Annie Zellor, are the only ones starring down the opportunity to make such a claim.
"You and Annie going to be able to work together to get to the second round of this thing," Frankie asked as he leaned forward and placed his elbows down onto his desktop. "It's not like you guys have the most amicable history."
"Do we have a choice,", Chris rhetorically asked. "With what's at stake, I don't see why we can't get passed our rough history. Two years ago, she physically forced respect out of me. I took her lightly and suffered the consequences of it. As long as he keeps those knee strikes away from me and focused on Molly or Ruby, I think we'll manage as a team."
"I'm glad you're keeping yourself free of distractions. I know I don't have to say this, but, all three of these girls are head and shoulders above that bum, Rick Young," Frankie cautioned.
"Come on Frankie. Do we really need to beat down the man anymore than I already did? Back in his day, Rick Young was a draw. He was competing on borrowed time when we squared off in Plymouth Township. He had no business competing on this level anymore. He knew it, and the fans knew. I, unfortunately had to put him down like the old dying dog that he was," Chris expressed with a heavy heart. Truth was, he saw a lot of himself in Rick Young; a dying breed of wrestler that was on the verge of extinction. "I can't help but wonder just how much longer I have in this business myself. All of our days are numbered, but it's no secret that I'm no spring chicken. Honestly, this very well could be my last chance at capturing a world championship. All three of these girls have lengthy careers ahead of them. Me on the other hand, could be on the last leg of the race. I've been at this for sixteen long years; eventually this body is going to just shut down on me."
"I don't think you have to worry about that anytime soon. I've seen the way you prepare, the way you meticulously take care of your body. You've still got a few good years left in you," Frankie reassured his client. "Hopefully with the FGA World Championship around your waist!"
"Kind of wish this was just a straight up sixteen person tournament for the strap. My track record in FGA tag matches hasn't been all that stellar. The whole thought of relying on someone else to get me through to the next round doesn't quite sit well with me," Chris confessed while brushing the terrycloth towel across his hairline one more time.
"So don't," Frankie blurted out. Chris looked a bit confused by the remark. How could he not rely on his tag team partner while being tasked with facing the current FGA Pride Champion and an accomplished tag team wrestler in Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler. "FGA hasn't seen Chris Madison at his best. They've never bared witness to the fight that you bring to that ring when you're firing on all cylinders. That Chris Madison, he doesn't need a tag partner to help him advance to the next round of this Wildcard Lottery Tournament. He gets there by obliterating the two unlucky souls that had their names drawn against his."
"You make it seem like I'm up against a pair of nobodies. That couldn't be any further from the truth Frankie. Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler are going to be looking to make the most of this opportunity just like everyone else involved. Think about what a pair of wins could mean for either of my two opponents, or my tag partner for that matter. Molly Reid just became the FGA Pride Champion but followed that up with a disappointing loss to Evan Envi at Retribution. A pair of wins could dispel the sentiment that her win over Fujiko Mine was a fluke! Ruby Tyler has been fighting relevancy her entire FGA career, constantly feeling as if she's being overlooked. A pair of wins, pushing her into the final four of the FGA World Championship tournament would force everyone to take notice. Let's not forget my partner, Annie Zellor. Former FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, former two time FGA World Tag Team Champion; what better way to add to her FGA legacy than to make the most of this opportunity by winning the FGA World Championship? They've all got something to fight for, something to drive them deep into this tournament," Chris explained. "Nothing about this upcoming Vertigo screams easy..."
"Fair enough," Frankie uttered. "Just don't go into this thing thinking that they're more deserving than you. Everyone's got their case to plea, the only one winning this thing will be the one who wants it the most."
"At Vertigo, I plan on making it as clear as day, that person is me," Chris exclaimed.
_______________________________________________________________
FGA Video Diary: Series 2 - Volume #2
October 27th, 2016
Springfield, Illinois
October 27th, 2016
Springfield, Illinois
[•REC]
"The Prairie Capital Convention Center, a multi-purpose arena that holds roughly seventy seven hundred people. But on Saturday night it holds more than just a capacity crowd that will fill the stands for an episode of Vertigo. It holds the hopes and dreams of sixteen competitors that are all vying for life in this Wildcard Lottery Tournament that will crown a new FGA World Champion."
"At Retribution, Zero McHannon successfully defended the FGA World Championship by defeating Chandler Scott. But when the cameras kept rolling and they caught up with Zero backstage the bomb was dropped. Zero was walking away from FGA and he was taking the World Championship with him."
Chris paused briefly as he stood underneath the large overhang outside of the main entrance to the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
"I get it..."
"The road I traveled to get back to FGA is much like the road that Zero is embarking on now. I felt undervalued in a company that lost sight of what matters. For over a year I ran through anyone put in front of me with ease; the only blemish was a double count out in a match which I thought I was helping out a friend. I sought out competition elsewhere, unsure if they could challenge me the way I needed to be. vWc, Honor Wrestling, NJFC, NONE of it felt right. So I walked..."
"I walked away undefeated over a fourteen month span."
"I walked away the 4CW Pride Champion."
"I walked away with no intention of ever turning back."
"The only difference? I airmailed that championship back to the company that I felt had wronged me. I'm not roaming the wrestling world holding onto a championship that reminds me of the disrespect I felt. No one can stand here and, with a straight face, say Zero McHannon isn't one of the best in the business right now. But he sure as hell doesn't need the FGA World Championship to reiterate that."
"With that being said, FGA finds themselves in a rough situation. Their hands down, undisputed, World Champion wants nothing to do with them. But if you ask any promoter in this business, they'll tell you that it's essential to have that top spot in the company occupied. Insert the Wildcard Lottery Tournament. Sixteen people, all in different standings with the company, have been thrown into a mishmash of tag team matches to kickstart this thing. The winners move on to face their partners in the second round of the tournament, all in the same night."
"This is just the opportunity that I wanted coming back to FGA for a second run. First time around I blew it. I left a piss-poor impression the first time around and it hasn't sat well with me since I left. Proving to myself that I can compete here in FGA at a high level was a major reason for re-signing when I did. What better way to prove that than turning this tournament upside down and winning the FGA World Championship?"
"To do so I have to first get through a tag team match against Ruby Tyler and the current FGA Pride Champion, Molly Reid, with Annie Zellor in my corner."
"Oddly enough, I couldn't be any happier with the pairing. Two years ago, Annie and I were at each other's throats with the FGA World Tag Team Championships at stake. During those few months that Tommy Knox and I chased the #Sparklebuddies, we tried to find her breaking point; thought she wasn't cut out for this business. We were proven wrong. And now I'm going to Vertigo with her as my tag team partner for the first round. Annie is not the innocent little girl that I thought she was. When push comes to shove, she has proven time and time again that she can handle herself just as well as anyone. Annie has proven to be one of the more decorated wrestlers to compete under the FGA banner. Success comes naturally to her and hopefully she brings that to the table when we face off against Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid."
"I've got no score to settle. I've never had a run-in with either Ruby or Molly. Each of these women have proven over time that they belong in FGA. I'm the wildcard in all of this. They've earned their spots with success inside an FGA ring. Molly recently dethroned Fujiko Mine, earning the FGA Pride Championship. Ruby Tyler has been scrapping since she debuted back in March, trying to translate her past success into a new promotion. Along the way she's locked up with some of the best FGA can offer: Nero, Annie Zellor, Camelia D. Magna, Status Quo, Nero Darling, The Usual Suspects, Johnny Cannon. No one can deny the level of competition she's had to face since debuting."
"But what have I done to deserve this golden opportunity to be dropped in front of me? I've won all three of my singles matches in FGA, but the caliber of those opponents are nowhere close to the talent pool making up this tournament. My performances in tag matches have been mediocre at best, losing when faced against some of the elite. So why me?"
"Maybe FGA brass sees the potential. Sees that all I need is an opportunity and I will have this fanbase demanding more. Walking out of Vertigo with a tag team win over Ruby Tyler and Molly Reid, and then a singles win over Annie Zellor, will shatter any preconceived notions about me. I came to FGA fully expecting to have to dig deep and earn every bit of success that I can achieve; I didn't expect the opportunity so soon."
"Now it all falls on me. I control my own destiny."
"It'd be easy to imagine someone like Johnny Cannon surviving this thing and winning the FGA World Championship for the second time. It'd be a heartwarming story if FGA pillars such as Tony Carmine, Dan Herrera, Cordy Stevenson, or Annie Zellor were to cash in on this opportunity and were crowned FGA World Champion for the first time. All of those scenarios mean one thing; somewhere along the lines I stumbled and failed."
"An ending that I cannot accept."
"I will not accept."
"I need to be more than a horrid footnote in one of the #Sparklebuddies tag title reigns. This tournament provides me that opportunity. You better believe that I'm going to pull out every trick in the book to rewrite my FGA history!"
