The Perfect Opponent
Nov 10, 2016 20:58:01 GMT -5
Post by ChrisMadison on Nov 10, 2016 20:58:01 GMT -5
"It was inevitable..."
"...only a matter of time."
"At Vertigo I lost my first match since returning from a series of nagging injuries that shelved me for eight long months. I was bounced from the FGA World Championship tournament by Annie Zellor, after we defeated Molly Ried and Ruby Tyler, by taking a low blow during our singles match that set up her Rough 'n' Tumble II. Annie Zellor did everything in her power to make sure that she was the one moving onto the semifinals at the Five Year Anniversary show."
"I could be bitter."
"I could rant and rave."
"It'd be easy to let the frustrations of my streak ending and letting an opportunity slip away, but nothing would change. Annie would still be scheduled to lock up with Tony Carmine and I'd still be slated to square off with the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship, Evan Envi."
"The best I can do is learn from my mistake. I let my guard down and gave Annie the opening she needed. I won't let that happen again. Losses come with the territory. In this industry, no one is perfect. Despite how easy I made it look over the last fourteen months, I had this coming to me. But what separates the elite from the mediocre, is how they rebound from defeat. Evan Envi is a talented wrestler in his own right. Throughout the years he has proven to be a mainstay in every company he's worked for."
"There's no taking this match with him lightly."
"Evan's walking into this match at the Five Year Anniversary show with a chip on his shoulder, larger than usual, and the urge to prove himself. At Vertigo he was forced to watch from the sideline as sixteen others were afforded the opportunity to compete. He feels slighted that he wasn't one of the sixteen; and because of that, he's going to be looking to make a statement."
"I can't blame him."
"Thrusted into that same position I'd probably be wrestling with all of the same emotions he has been since this tournament was announced."
"But the thing is, he's not walking into a match against someone who'll just roll over. Envi and I have a bit of a history, stretching back to our APW days; in the early moments of The Black Hand. He and Tommy Knox were amidst a war for the APW Overdrive Championship. But during that war I made the most of my opportunities and solidified myself in the championship picture. Envi, despite his megalomaniacal perception of himself, can't deny that he's facing one of his toughest FGA opponents to date."
"He's faced some stiff competition and has found a way to inject himself into the center of the FGA Pride Championship title picture. But that route he's taken had a few shortcuts along the way. Handful of tights, feet draped on the ropes, Evan Envi has shown he's willing to win by any means necessary. Unfortunately for him, I'm coming off of a disappointing loss because of underhanded tactics..."
"...and I'll be damned if I let a slip up like that cost me another match in FGA."
In the late hours of the night only a handful of people remained inside the Warehouse, most prominently, Chris Madison. Perched above the training center, Frankie Morrison looked over his shoulder and watched through a window as his client rolled on the mats with a pair of students. He tucked a a stack of papers into a folder and stashed it into one of the drawers of his desk. Morrison pushed up to his feet, collected his suit jacket, and exited his office. As he made his way down to the main level of the training facility, Chris Madison momentarily stopped his training.
"Calling it a night," Chris asked as he postured up. The two students he was grappling with remained on their knees, hunched over, trying to collect themselves.
Frankie looked passed his client and smirk. "Yeah. Just finished looking over Elena's contract offer and I'm just mentally drained," he explained. "Don't kill yourself in here. You've been training non stop since losing to Annie, you need to get yourself some rest," he suggested, concerned with his clients wellbeing.
"I'll be fine Frankie. I'm not going to allow myself to lose another match because of a mental mistake," he said.
Chris would never admit it, but Frankie could see that his client looked a little drained. Reluctantly, he sighed and made his way towards the front entrance of the wrestling school, leaving his client alone with the select few students that Madison surrounded himself with.
A Sunday morning just like any other. Nick Madison arrived at the Warehouse bright and early with the intentions of opening up shop. He stepped out of his car and raced against the break of dawn as he moved towards the front door with a large cup of coffee in his hand. Nick made it with ten feet and began to dig into his pockets, searching for the keys. Reminiscent of a deer caught in headlights, he froze as the door swung open and a group of students staggered their way out.
"What the hell is going on," he interrogated, completely miffed by their presence. The students looked back and forth at each other, fully expecting each other to speak on the groups behalf. Nick's patience wore thin as he anxiously awaited an explanation. "Well..."
The group struggled with the idea of serving up the elder Madison brother on a silver platter. They bowed their heads before one finally cracked and pleaded with the head trainer of the Warehouse. "We had no idea it would be an issue. Chris held us back last night before everyone left; said he needed a few training partners," he tried to reason.
Nick looked down at the apple watch affixed to his wrist and noted the time. He shook his head and looked back up at the group. "It's six in the morning," he barked. "Are you trying to tell me that you've been here all night long, training with Chris?"
The group of students kept quiet before the spokesman finally mustered up enough courage to reply, "Yeah."
Agitated, Nick took a few steps pacing back and forth like a caged animal. He bit down on his lower lip and huffed before pushing passed the students and walking through the front entrance. He quickly tossed his backpack aside, bouncing it off of the side of the front desk. Nick stormed through the facility, hunting down his older brother. He quickly locked eyes on Chris as he vigorously pedaled, standing on an indoor cycling bike. Chris kept his head down and focused heavily on his breathing, making him unaware of his younger brother's brooding presence.
Chris lifted his head and caught a glimpse of his younger brother standing there with his arms folded across his chest. "I'm not in the mood Nick," he warned while keeping himself focused on his cardio workout.
"Honestly, I don't give a shit if you're in the mood or not," Nick growled. "I'm not going to stand here and watch you literally kill yourself because you are struggling to accept the fact that the mighty Chris Madison is capable of losing. At this pace, you'll never be able to climb in the ring for FGA's Five Year Anniversary show."
Chris slowly stopped pedaling on the bike postured himself, sitting completely upright. "Is that what you think is going on here? You think I can't come to terms with the fact that Annie Zellor beat me at Vertigo," he asked.
"I don't know what kind of warped perception you have of this situation, but I know that's what's going on here," Nick stated, sticking to his guns.
"Nothing I do in here is going to change the fact that at the Five Year Anniversary show, it's Annie Zellor squaring off with Tony Carmine. Of course I think that opportunity should be mine; I lost because I let my guard down and left an opening for Annie to take advantage of. There's no one to blame but myself," he surprisingly admitted without hesitation. "I'm in here, killing myself, because it's how I focus my attention on the next obstacle in my way."
"Envi," Nick moaned.
"Yeah. Evan Envi," Chris muttered.
"Still, you're doing yourself more harm than good training like this. Your body needs rest, needs to recover," he suggested. "Envi is no pushover. He'll capitalize on every mistake you make. I know you're not that foolish."
Chris climbed off of the bike, bended over and grabbed a gallon jug of water that was on the floor. He tossed the large plastic container back and took a few swigs before wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "You have to trust me Nick. I know my body. I know my limits. I'm not going to push myself to the point of breaking down. A win over Evan Envi erases my mishaps from two weeks ago. That's all the motivation I need," he disclosed.
"Yeah, but a win over Evan Envi is no easy task," Nick forewarned. "Do you remember the last time you stood across from him inside a wrestling ring?"
"Of course I do. A little more than three years ago," he acknowledged.
"Yeah, and how'd that play out," Nick prodded, fully knowing that Chris came up short in that match.
"He had a little help in that one," Chris urged, trying to justify his shortcomings.
"Come on Chris. It was a six man tag team elimination tables match. Nothing was off limits. The fact that it came down to the two of you was a bit of an upset in itself. You were a relatively fresh face in Action Pack Wrestling; a bit of an unknown after spending years overseas in Japan. That match was setting the table for a showdown between Tommy Knox and Evan Envi for the APW Overdrive Championship. You outlasting Knox was an eye opener," Nick explained.
"I don't see it that way," Chris grumbled. "Knox had the momentum but I had the talent. It was The Black Hand versus Envi and NewGen Rising, but at the end it came down to just Evan Envi and I. With a little help from Jace Savage and Jenny Knite, he put me through a table to pick up the win. They're not going to be there to save him this time. He's all alone with no one else to lean on!"
"That may be so, but don't mistake that as a vulnerability," Nick instructed. "At times you get inside of your own head, thinking that there's a certain code of conduct that everyone should be adhering to. You open yourself to moments like Vertigo, leaving openings for your opponents to get the upper hand with the help of underhanded tactics. Evan Envi won't shy away from an opportunity like that; there's no shame in his game. There never has been. He had no problem three years ago when he needed two extra sets of hands to put you away, and he has no problem now! Twice now in FGA he's won in questionable fashion. If you think he's not going to try a low blow, an eye rake, a hook of the tights, or added leverage with his feet on the ropes, you're a god damn fool!"
"All the more reason for me to keep busting my ass to prepare for the Fibe Year Anniversary show," Chris blurted out.
"Right, keep busting your ass to the point that your body is on the verge of quitting on you. That'll do wonders for your situational awareness," Nick sarcastically snapped back. He took a moment to cool down, trying to figure out a way to break through to his brother. "I'm not saying don't train. All I'm saying is tone it down a bit."
"I appreciate the concern Nick; really, I do. But you're worried over nothing. Evan Envi is going to get the best Chris Madison that has ever stepped into an FGA ring. I got a small taste of what could be when Annie and I beat Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler. Now, I have to prove that losing to Annie was a fluke, that it was only because of that low mule kick. Beating Evan Envi, the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship, clean, at the Five Year Anniversary show keeps my name in the conversation," Chris explained, his eyes widened by excitement. the magnitude of this match and its implications on the FGA title scene was enough motivation to constantly push him. "I already let one opportunity slip away, I won't allow for a second one to slip away too."
Nick sensed that this conversation wasn't going anywhere. No matter how badly he wanted to breakthrough to his brother, it wasn't going to happen. "If you're telling me you know you're limits, fine; who am I to dispute that? But these kids aren't at a level like that yet. They're just trying to find themselves in this business. Don't be selfish and take that away from them," Nick pleaded.
Chris took another swig of water from the gallon jug and smirked. "That's all you're concerned about? Handling them with kid gloves isn't doing them any favors. They need to see that no matter how hard you work, no matter how good you are, failure rears its ugly head. What separates the elite in this business from everyone else is how they handle defeat," Chris argued.
"And just how do you handle defeat," Nick quizzed. "The only thing you've known as of late is winning. Even you're first FGA run, you had a streak of not being pinned or submitted until that final match. Is it time for you to run away to the next place that you KNOW you can handle with ease?"
Chris nodded his head, fighting back the urge to lash out. "Is that what you really think of me," he asked.
"No. I'm just saying, over the last few years no one has really seen you have to dig down and face adversity. Winning comes naturally for you," he tried explaining.
"It does, but that doesn't mean I can't handle adversity. Evan Envi has been a name that I've always wanted one on one. I know I can beat him. He knows I can beat him. I saw it in his eyes three years ago when we last faced each other, the despair, the desperation. There's no one to call on for help this time around," Chris warned as the corner of his mouth lifted into a grin.
"Over the last three years we've gone completely different paths. Yet, here we are. Evan Envi and Chris Madison wrestling for the same promotion once again. It was only a matter of time before we'd find ourselves at this crossroad."
Chris Madison sat on the back porch of his Long Island Colonial home. He leaned forward on a white all-weather adirondack chair towards a digital camera that he had placed on a table in front of him.
"APW was the first company that was willing to give me a chance after an extended run overseas in Japan. For that, I'll always be grateful to them. I'm sure their expectations for me were very limited. But what they ended up getting was a wrestler who was willing to leave it all in the ring every time he stepped through those curtains. APW allowed me to reunite with an old friend, Tommy Knox, and was the breeding ground for the Black Hand. We had aspirations of changing the way the business was run. Along the way, one of our biggest antagonists was none other than Evan Envi."
"Tommy was breathing down your neck as he chased you for the Overdrive Championship. During all of that, you and I never got a chance to square off, one on one. The only match we competed in was a six man tag team tables match; a match which you came out the sole winner. That night came down to the two of us, but you speared a ladder into my midsection and drove me through a table. I may not have won that night, but I made it perfectly clear that I was the kind of guy who could go out there and compete with anyone on any stage."
"I was an unknown going into that match; Tommy Knox's lackey."
"I walked out the undisputed top talent behind the Black Hand!"
"I just didn't think it would take three years and a different promotion to get another shot at taking you down!"
"You're one hell of a wrestler; you've been proving that since you walked through the doors in FGA. You have this wave of momentum surging behind you every time you step into that ring. Despite some questionable wins, you have been deemed the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship. Molly Reid has one hell of a fight on her hands at Final Frontier."
"But before you two lock up for a third time, you've been tasked with facing me after my first loss in fourteen months. You transitioned into FGA with relative ease but the only notable win you have under your belt is over the current FGA Pride Champion, Molly Reid. You needed a handful of Rick Young's pants to keep him down. You needed your feet on the ropes for added leverage to pin Nero Darling. Sure you made some bum Liam Graves tap out, but he had no business even stepping into an FGA ring. While those wins may have impressed FGA brass, all I see is the same old Evan Envi; an opportunist who thrives at the expense of the weak."
"I couldn't think of a better opponent for me at the Five Year Anniversary show. Especially with the way that my match with Annie Zellor played out. Much like you often do, she took a shortcut to get an upper hand in the match. A low blow while the ref was out of position and the table was set for her to pickup the win, moving on to the semifinals of the FGA World Championship tournament. I've got no one to blame but myself. I let my guard down. I left myself in a vulnerable position. She just did whatever was necessary to win."
"But I need to move on and get back to business. I came to FGA with the intention of wiping away the unmemorable run I had two years ago. What better way to get back on track than disposing of a championship contender?"
"As bitter as you are about being excluded from the tournament, you've carved yourself a nice little place on the food chain in FGA over a short period of time. But I've never been one to care about how big the other dog is in the fight. I can't accomplish the goals I've set for myself if I can't get passed a heartbreaking loss and bounce back against a world class talent."
"I don't know what the future has in store for me in FGA. I've let my opportunity at the FGA World Championship slip away. I don't have a guaranteed title shot looming over my head like you Evan. Im hungry, and I still have to hunt for an opportunity to successfully feed. What I do know is that I'm staring a golden opportunity in the face. Evan Envi, you will once again be used to thrust me into the conversation."
"After our last encounter, I went on to beat Tommy Knox, Niobe Martin, and CJ Gates to win the APW Overdrive Championship."
"After this encounter, FGA may feel their hand forced to reconsider who deserves a shot at Molly Reid and the FGA Pride Championship!"
Chris reached forward and grabbed the camera, cutting the recording off and sending the picture to black.
"...only a matter of time."
"At Vertigo I lost my first match since returning from a series of nagging injuries that shelved me for eight long months. I was bounced from the FGA World Championship tournament by Annie Zellor, after we defeated Molly Ried and Ruby Tyler, by taking a low blow during our singles match that set up her Rough 'n' Tumble II. Annie Zellor did everything in her power to make sure that she was the one moving onto the semifinals at the Five Year Anniversary show."
"I could be bitter."
"I could rant and rave."
"It'd be easy to let the frustrations of my streak ending and letting an opportunity slip away, but nothing would change. Annie would still be scheduled to lock up with Tony Carmine and I'd still be slated to square off with the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship, Evan Envi."
"The best I can do is learn from my mistake. I let my guard down and gave Annie the opening she needed. I won't let that happen again. Losses come with the territory. In this industry, no one is perfect. Despite how easy I made it look over the last fourteen months, I had this coming to me. But what separates the elite from the mediocre, is how they rebound from defeat. Evan Envi is a talented wrestler in his own right. Throughout the years he has proven to be a mainstay in every company he's worked for."
"There's no taking this match with him lightly."
"Evan's walking into this match at the Five Year Anniversary show with a chip on his shoulder, larger than usual, and the urge to prove himself. At Vertigo he was forced to watch from the sideline as sixteen others were afforded the opportunity to compete. He feels slighted that he wasn't one of the sixteen; and because of that, he's going to be looking to make a statement."
"I can't blame him."
"Thrusted into that same position I'd probably be wrestling with all of the same emotions he has been since this tournament was announced."
"But the thing is, he's not walking into a match against someone who'll just roll over. Envi and I have a bit of a history, stretching back to our APW days; in the early moments of The Black Hand. He and Tommy Knox were amidst a war for the APW Overdrive Championship. But during that war I made the most of my opportunities and solidified myself in the championship picture. Envi, despite his megalomaniacal perception of himself, can't deny that he's facing one of his toughest FGA opponents to date."
"He's faced some stiff competition and has found a way to inject himself into the center of the FGA Pride Championship title picture. But that route he's taken had a few shortcuts along the way. Handful of tights, feet draped on the ropes, Evan Envi has shown he's willing to win by any means necessary. Unfortunately for him, I'm coming off of a disappointing loss because of underhanded tactics..."
"...and I'll be damned if I let a slip up like that cost me another match in FGA."
_______________________________________________________________
November 5th, 2016
Long Island, New York
Long Island, New York
In the late hours of the night only a handful of people remained inside the Warehouse, most prominently, Chris Madison. Perched above the training center, Frankie Morrison looked over his shoulder and watched through a window as his client rolled on the mats with a pair of students. He tucked a a stack of papers into a folder and stashed it into one of the drawers of his desk. Morrison pushed up to his feet, collected his suit jacket, and exited his office. As he made his way down to the main level of the training facility, Chris Madison momentarily stopped his training.
"Calling it a night," Chris asked as he postured up. The two students he was grappling with remained on their knees, hunched over, trying to collect themselves.
Frankie looked passed his client and smirk. "Yeah. Just finished looking over Elena's contract offer and I'm just mentally drained," he explained. "Don't kill yourself in here. You've been training non stop since losing to Annie, you need to get yourself some rest," he suggested, concerned with his clients wellbeing.
"I'll be fine Frankie. I'm not going to allow myself to lose another match because of a mental mistake," he said.
Chris would never admit it, but Frankie could see that his client looked a little drained. Reluctantly, he sighed and made his way towards the front entrance of the wrestling school, leaving his client alone with the select few students that Madison surrounded himself with.
_______________________________________________________________
November 6th, 2016
Long Island, New York
Long Island, New York
A Sunday morning just like any other. Nick Madison arrived at the Warehouse bright and early with the intentions of opening up shop. He stepped out of his car and raced against the break of dawn as he moved towards the front door with a large cup of coffee in his hand. Nick made it with ten feet and began to dig into his pockets, searching for the keys. Reminiscent of a deer caught in headlights, he froze as the door swung open and a group of students staggered their way out.
"What the hell is going on," he interrogated, completely miffed by their presence. The students looked back and forth at each other, fully expecting each other to speak on the groups behalf. Nick's patience wore thin as he anxiously awaited an explanation. "Well..."
The group struggled with the idea of serving up the elder Madison brother on a silver platter. They bowed their heads before one finally cracked and pleaded with the head trainer of the Warehouse. "We had no idea it would be an issue. Chris held us back last night before everyone left; said he needed a few training partners," he tried to reason.
Nick looked down at the apple watch affixed to his wrist and noted the time. He shook his head and looked back up at the group. "It's six in the morning," he barked. "Are you trying to tell me that you've been here all night long, training with Chris?"
The group of students kept quiet before the spokesman finally mustered up enough courage to reply, "Yeah."
Agitated, Nick took a few steps pacing back and forth like a caged animal. He bit down on his lower lip and huffed before pushing passed the students and walking through the front entrance. He quickly tossed his backpack aside, bouncing it off of the side of the front desk. Nick stormed through the facility, hunting down his older brother. He quickly locked eyes on Chris as he vigorously pedaled, standing on an indoor cycling bike. Chris kept his head down and focused heavily on his breathing, making him unaware of his younger brother's brooding presence.
Chris lifted his head and caught a glimpse of his younger brother standing there with his arms folded across his chest. "I'm not in the mood Nick," he warned while keeping himself focused on his cardio workout.
"Honestly, I don't give a shit if you're in the mood or not," Nick growled. "I'm not going to stand here and watch you literally kill yourself because you are struggling to accept the fact that the mighty Chris Madison is capable of losing. At this pace, you'll never be able to climb in the ring for FGA's Five Year Anniversary show."
Chris slowly stopped pedaling on the bike postured himself, sitting completely upright. "Is that what you think is going on here? You think I can't come to terms with the fact that Annie Zellor beat me at Vertigo," he asked.
"I don't know what kind of warped perception you have of this situation, but I know that's what's going on here," Nick stated, sticking to his guns.
"Nothing I do in here is going to change the fact that at the Five Year Anniversary show, it's Annie Zellor squaring off with Tony Carmine. Of course I think that opportunity should be mine; I lost because I let my guard down and left an opening for Annie to take advantage of. There's no one to blame but myself," he surprisingly admitted without hesitation. "I'm in here, killing myself, because it's how I focus my attention on the next obstacle in my way."
"Envi," Nick moaned.
"Yeah. Evan Envi," Chris muttered.
"Still, you're doing yourself more harm than good training like this. Your body needs rest, needs to recover," he suggested. "Envi is no pushover. He'll capitalize on every mistake you make. I know you're not that foolish."
Chris climbed off of the bike, bended over and grabbed a gallon jug of water that was on the floor. He tossed the large plastic container back and took a few swigs before wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "You have to trust me Nick. I know my body. I know my limits. I'm not going to push myself to the point of breaking down. A win over Evan Envi erases my mishaps from two weeks ago. That's all the motivation I need," he disclosed.
"Yeah, but a win over Evan Envi is no easy task," Nick forewarned. "Do you remember the last time you stood across from him inside a wrestling ring?"
"Of course I do. A little more than three years ago," he acknowledged.
"Yeah, and how'd that play out," Nick prodded, fully knowing that Chris came up short in that match.
"He had a little help in that one," Chris urged, trying to justify his shortcomings.
"Come on Chris. It was a six man tag team elimination tables match. Nothing was off limits. The fact that it came down to the two of you was a bit of an upset in itself. You were a relatively fresh face in Action Pack Wrestling; a bit of an unknown after spending years overseas in Japan. That match was setting the table for a showdown between Tommy Knox and Evan Envi for the APW Overdrive Championship. You outlasting Knox was an eye opener," Nick explained.
"I don't see it that way," Chris grumbled. "Knox had the momentum but I had the talent. It was The Black Hand versus Envi and NewGen Rising, but at the end it came down to just Evan Envi and I. With a little help from Jace Savage and Jenny Knite, he put me through a table to pick up the win. They're not going to be there to save him this time. He's all alone with no one else to lean on!"
"That may be so, but don't mistake that as a vulnerability," Nick instructed. "At times you get inside of your own head, thinking that there's a certain code of conduct that everyone should be adhering to. You open yourself to moments like Vertigo, leaving openings for your opponents to get the upper hand with the help of underhanded tactics. Evan Envi won't shy away from an opportunity like that; there's no shame in his game. There never has been. He had no problem three years ago when he needed two extra sets of hands to put you away, and he has no problem now! Twice now in FGA he's won in questionable fashion. If you think he's not going to try a low blow, an eye rake, a hook of the tights, or added leverage with his feet on the ropes, you're a god damn fool!"
"All the more reason for me to keep busting my ass to prepare for the Fibe Year Anniversary show," Chris blurted out.
"Right, keep busting your ass to the point that your body is on the verge of quitting on you. That'll do wonders for your situational awareness," Nick sarcastically snapped back. He took a moment to cool down, trying to figure out a way to break through to his brother. "I'm not saying don't train. All I'm saying is tone it down a bit."
"I appreciate the concern Nick; really, I do. But you're worried over nothing. Evan Envi is going to get the best Chris Madison that has ever stepped into an FGA ring. I got a small taste of what could be when Annie and I beat Molly Reid and Ruby Tyler. Now, I have to prove that losing to Annie was a fluke, that it was only because of that low mule kick. Beating Evan Envi, the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship, clean, at the Five Year Anniversary show keeps my name in the conversation," Chris explained, his eyes widened by excitement. the magnitude of this match and its implications on the FGA title scene was enough motivation to constantly push him. "I already let one opportunity slip away, I won't allow for a second one to slip away too."
Nick sensed that this conversation wasn't going anywhere. No matter how badly he wanted to breakthrough to his brother, it wasn't going to happen. "If you're telling me you know you're limits, fine; who am I to dispute that? But these kids aren't at a level like that yet. They're just trying to find themselves in this business. Don't be selfish and take that away from them," Nick pleaded.
Chris took another swig of water from the gallon jug and smirked. "That's all you're concerned about? Handling them with kid gloves isn't doing them any favors. They need to see that no matter how hard you work, no matter how good you are, failure rears its ugly head. What separates the elite in this business from everyone else is how they handle defeat," Chris argued.
"And just how do you handle defeat," Nick quizzed. "The only thing you've known as of late is winning. Even you're first FGA run, you had a streak of not being pinned or submitted until that final match. Is it time for you to run away to the next place that you KNOW you can handle with ease?"
Chris nodded his head, fighting back the urge to lash out. "Is that what you really think of me," he asked.
"No. I'm just saying, over the last few years no one has really seen you have to dig down and face adversity. Winning comes naturally for you," he tried explaining.
"It does, but that doesn't mean I can't handle adversity. Evan Envi has been a name that I've always wanted one on one. I know I can beat him. He knows I can beat him. I saw it in his eyes three years ago when we last faced each other, the despair, the desperation. There's no one to call on for help this time around," Chris warned as the corner of his mouth lifted into a grin.
_______________________________________________________________
FGA Video Diary: Series 2 - Volume #3
November 9th, 2016
Long Island, New York
November 9th, 2016
Long Island, New York
[•REC]
"Over the last three years we've gone completely different paths. Yet, here we are. Evan Envi and Chris Madison wrestling for the same promotion once again. It was only a matter of time before we'd find ourselves at this crossroad."
Chris Madison sat on the back porch of his Long Island Colonial home. He leaned forward on a white all-weather adirondack chair towards a digital camera that he had placed on a table in front of him.
"APW was the first company that was willing to give me a chance after an extended run overseas in Japan. For that, I'll always be grateful to them. I'm sure their expectations for me were very limited. But what they ended up getting was a wrestler who was willing to leave it all in the ring every time he stepped through those curtains. APW allowed me to reunite with an old friend, Tommy Knox, and was the breeding ground for the Black Hand. We had aspirations of changing the way the business was run. Along the way, one of our biggest antagonists was none other than Evan Envi."
"Tommy was breathing down your neck as he chased you for the Overdrive Championship. During all of that, you and I never got a chance to square off, one on one. The only match we competed in was a six man tag team tables match; a match which you came out the sole winner. That night came down to the two of us, but you speared a ladder into my midsection and drove me through a table. I may not have won that night, but I made it perfectly clear that I was the kind of guy who could go out there and compete with anyone on any stage."
"I was an unknown going into that match; Tommy Knox's lackey."
"I walked out the undisputed top talent behind the Black Hand!"
"I just didn't think it would take three years and a different promotion to get another shot at taking you down!"
"You're one hell of a wrestler; you've been proving that since you walked through the doors in FGA. You have this wave of momentum surging behind you every time you step into that ring. Despite some questionable wins, you have been deemed the number one contender for the FGA Pride Championship. Molly Reid has one hell of a fight on her hands at Final Frontier."
"But before you two lock up for a third time, you've been tasked with facing me after my first loss in fourteen months. You transitioned into FGA with relative ease but the only notable win you have under your belt is over the current FGA Pride Champion, Molly Reid. You needed a handful of Rick Young's pants to keep him down. You needed your feet on the ropes for added leverage to pin Nero Darling. Sure you made some bum Liam Graves tap out, but he had no business even stepping into an FGA ring. While those wins may have impressed FGA brass, all I see is the same old Evan Envi; an opportunist who thrives at the expense of the weak."
"I couldn't think of a better opponent for me at the Five Year Anniversary show. Especially with the way that my match with Annie Zellor played out. Much like you often do, she took a shortcut to get an upper hand in the match. A low blow while the ref was out of position and the table was set for her to pickup the win, moving on to the semifinals of the FGA World Championship tournament. I've got no one to blame but myself. I let my guard down. I left myself in a vulnerable position. She just did whatever was necessary to win."
"But I need to move on and get back to business. I came to FGA with the intention of wiping away the unmemorable run I had two years ago. What better way to get back on track than disposing of a championship contender?"
"As bitter as you are about being excluded from the tournament, you've carved yourself a nice little place on the food chain in FGA over a short period of time. But I've never been one to care about how big the other dog is in the fight. I can't accomplish the goals I've set for myself if I can't get passed a heartbreaking loss and bounce back against a world class talent."
"I don't know what the future has in store for me in FGA. I've let my opportunity at the FGA World Championship slip away. I don't have a guaranteed title shot looming over my head like you Evan. Im hungry, and I still have to hunt for an opportunity to successfully feed. What I do know is that I'm staring a golden opportunity in the face. Evan Envi, you will once again be used to thrust me into the conversation."
"After our last encounter, I went on to beat Tommy Knox, Niobe Martin, and CJ Gates to win the APW Overdrive Championship."
"After this encounter, FGA may feel their hand forced to reconsider who deserves a shot at Molly Reid and the FGA Pride Championship!"
Chris reached forward and grabbed the camera, cutting the recording off and sending the picture to black.
