AfterBurn for Vertigo E28

[FGA Office]

Catch up with your favorite FGA grapplers on AfterBurn! Get their thoughts on the latest, their opponents, and other backstage happenings right here, only on AxxessNet!

[Dan Herrera]

(Backstage, now that the show has ended Dan and Peaches are walking towards the exit doors hand in hand. From behind, we hear the voice of FGA Backstage Interviewer Jessie Pederson following them. Peaches seemingly stops Dan as he acts as if he can’t hear her for a moment. They both stop and Pederson catches up to them with a camera in tow. They both stand there ready, knowing Jesse wants an interview. Jesse sets the camera rolling before getting started.)

Jesse Pederson:: I’m here with Dan Herrera. There was speculation earlier that you may not have been here tonight after witnessing the “coronation” of the Usual Suspects as Tag Team Champions. Glad to see that’s not the case.

(Dan sighs and nods.)

Jesse Pederson:: Why the silence? I figured you’d have a lot to say tonight.

(Dan begins to push on the outer limits of his cheek with his tongue as there seems to be a fire lighting behind his eyes.)

Dan Herrera: Silence? Believe me. I’ve spent plenty of words and energy cursing at Rother, Marx, and Tryon behind closed doors. If Marx and Tryon want to believe that they’re tag championships were earned by them being the better team than me and Cordy… then they can go on fooling themselves. There are really only two people that they should thank for that win… Rother and Zero McHannon. Without those two… who knows what the end result would have been.

(Dan smashes and rubs his fist into his own palm for a moment.)

Dan Herrera: Maybe there’s still a coronation. But by the way things were going at the end there… the likelyhood of the outcome that took place with them winning is definitely a lot lesser than our likelyhood to retain.

Jesse Pederson:: Speaking of Zero McHannon… you mentioned on twitter you hoped Cordy ended him at Grapple Kingdom. So does that mean she’s focusing solely on defeating him without the distraction of vengeance for your title defeat?

(Dan scrunches up his face, slightly shaking his head at her.)

Dan Herrera: It was never a distraction to begin with. While Status Quo was holding the Tag Team Championships and continually defending them… she still went on to win the World Championship. Cordy doesn’t get distracted. She’s the most focused woman I’ve ever met. But does she have a big task on her plate at Wrestle Kingdom? Yes. Especially now that we know Chandler Scott is going to be the special guest referee. Hmm?

Jesse Pederson:: So are you, or aren’t you getting your rematch at Grapple Kingdom then? Cause it looks like Elysian Empire may be jumping ahead of you.

Dan Herrera: I don’t book matches anymore. You’re asking the wrong guy.

Jesse Pederson:: But if you had your wa---

(Dan interupts and finishes her thought.)

Dan Herrera: ...We’d of beat them tonight with Rother banned from ringside and I’d be walking out right now with the Tag Team Championship around my waist where it belongs.

(Dan picks his bag back up off the ground getting ready to walk out of the building.)

Jesse Pederson:: Well before you go, with Cordy involved in the main event, I doubt it’s likely she’d be allowed to fight earlier in the night with the unification match being such a big deal for the FGA brass. What will happen to your rematch?

(Dan sighs and shrugs his shoulders.)

Dan Herrera: Listen, if it happens… I have a tag partner. I always have, and I know she’ll be there for me if it comes to it. For now… I just want to leave.

Jesse Pederson:: Well thanks for your time Dan…

Dan Herrera: Yep.

(Dan and Peaches then turn around heading towards the exit. Jesse smirks at the camera before it is taken off the air and the scene fades to black.)

[Noelle Smith]

For a change, Noelle is the one that finds Spencer Burke as he’s sipping a latte, a bouquet of flowers nearby and he chats to one of the techs who suddenly gets a goofy grin on his face as the sweaty and curvy Noelle Smith comes to a halt behind Burke. She pats her face with a small towel before she accepts a bottle of water from the tech and Burke startles, turns and sees her.

Spencer Burke: Oh hey Noelle...

Noelle Smith: So I said I’d be back to ask you what you thought after the match.

Noelle smiles at him and her eyes go to the flowers.

Noelle Smith: That’s really sweet, someone got you flowers. Now I don’t want to take too long, I still have to track down Kamijo and see if he’s done romanti-terrorising Rother after all… but let’s hear it.

Spencer Burke: I ahm...uhm… well you guys won! That neckbreaker you have it’s pretty effective. I mean it’s no Tippyplex… but it’s better than that Vanity that Sadie does. I’m no expert but that just seems fussy.

Spencer’s eyes go wide and he shakes his head, and waves his hand around like he’s been caught with it in the cookie jar.

Spencer Burke: Nevermind. I’m just an interviewer, I’m not a play-by-play guy.

Noelle gives him an odd look before she laughs.

Noelle Smith: I went into that match wanting to prove a point to Evan and anyone else that thinks it’s cute to call me a groupie. I don’t care, being honest because it’s just like everything else people try to say to get under skins. If that’s what makes Sadie feel better about herself while she puts ice on her boo boos, I’m fine with that. I don’t hate Sadie, Spencer. I don’t even hate Evan, though I probably should. I’m sure he even might want me to. But the biggest problem in this business today is people that can’t keep it business. They can’t stay being steady professional.

Spencer Burke: So you’re saying that the members of Camp Envi are trying to make this personal with you?

Noelle Smith: Of course I am, Spencer. Because that’s what Evan does. Let him know something about you that you don’t want others knowing? He’ll find a way to make you wish you were a blank slate with no past. He cuts up, acts a fool, does things that are just straight up weird. He goads, prods, shoves, he wants that fire and reaction. Now that comes back to bite him in the ass sometimes - look what happened with Molly Reid. If he’s not careful, it’s going to end up that way again and now he’s dragged Sadie into it with him.

Noelle shakes her head.

Noelle Smith: I hate the fact that he makes me get petty though. I know this about myself, and it’s because of how he used to treat me… but I also know that I’m the only one responsible for how I act. So maybe this is enough revenge? Is there ever though? These are things I have to think about.

She pats Spencer on the shoulder before she saunters off, heading out to look for Kamijo.

[Izzy Anders]

<sub>Backstage, Spencer Burke has found his own microphone snatched from him. Leaning on a production crate, Izzy Anders twirls the microphone around before looking at Spencer. Spencer does not seem apt to try to retrieve the microphone from the belligerent Mindkilla. Izzy, noticing that, decides to turn to the camera entirely and speak.

Izzy Anders: What a shame, Johnny Karma. What a shame.

She beams with clear knowledge and pride of her actions.

Izzy Anders: You shouldn't have said that I was not worth the fight, because that's a spit in my face. Normally, I don't get that. That's a very Tony Carmine or Johnny Cannon thing to say, huh? Maybe they did change you. And not for the better. 

She sighs.

Izzy Anders: Don't worry, Johnnyboy, I'm not going to try to prove to everyone that you might not be as well off as you think. No, I need to prove that I am a fight that you need to have. Because when I get mad, I do not get just even with whoever did it. What I did to some people that have scorned me has not been pleasant. I say this not as a threat, but as a warning for your well-being. You have a girl to protect, do you not?

Izzy looked back at Spencer, who looked somewhat worried.

Izzy Anders: I am not above taking her out, Karma. Or making you go nowhere. I will be an anchor on your life, Karma. So, until you fight me, this...

She makes a hand motion for the collective imagination.

Izzy Anders: Will only get worse. By the way, I need to ask.

Izzy stands off the crate.

Izzy Anders: Does this change anything?

She hands the microphone back to Spencer, before heading off somewhere else.</sub>

[bmac]

Backstage we see Molly Reid walking down the hallway, seemingly immediately after her in-ring confrontation with Chris Madison. She still has her Pride Championship slung over her shoulder, while the other arm is held up in the sling. She’s approached by backstage interviewer Jesse Pederson, microphone in her hand.

Jessie Pederson: Molly, can I get a word?

Molly sighs as she nods her head.

Molly Reid: Sure Jessie, what’s up?

Jessie Pederson: Do you think Chris Madison is off-base accusing you of possibly colluding with Annie and the Crimson Baroness to help you win last week?

Molly looks at Jessie with a deadpan expression on her face as she frowns.

Molly Reid: Yes, obviously I do. I said that much in the ring. It’s ridiculous for him to accuse me of that. I mean for god’s sake, Annie, the Baroness, Dom and myself have all come out and said that none of that had anything to do with each other. Annie came out to get revenge on Dom for getting involved in her match earlier. The Baroness came out after to help Annie. Dom got distracted and I took advantage. I don’t know how many times I can say that. Even he agrees! But Chris doesn’t for whatever reason. He’s convinced that I’m going to cheat or not give him a fair fight or something. But I’ve given him my word, and I think my track record speaks for it’s damn self. I don’t need to cheat or get any kind of advantage to beat Chris Madison.

Jessie Pederson: He alluded to you not having yet come out and admonished Annie for her actions interfering with your match. Would you like to take this time to do that?

Molly Reid: Absolutely not. What happened was between Annie and Dom, and that’s how it’s going to stay. You know how many of my opponents spoke out against Evan Envi when he was interfering in my matches? None! Because this is wrestling. If it’s not your business then you just ignore it and keep going. And nobody questions it. Nobody asked my opponents to speak against Envi. Why should I have to come out against Annie? Because she’s my friend. It’s bullsh*t that I’m being questioned on this at all. Annie did what she felt was necessary and it had absolutely nothing to do with me. If she wants to do it again then she’ll do it again. PLUS, why has nobody asked Chris why he hasn’t spoken out against Dom yet? Dom was the reason all this happened, he got involved in Annie’s match with Chris and that started everything. Yet he gets a pass just because Dom and him aren’t friends so there’s no possible way they could’ve colluded. It just angers me that I’m being accused of all these things that just aren’t true. At Grapple Kingdom I’m going to beat Chris Madison and defend my Pride Championship. I’m not going to cheat, I’m not going to bend the rules, I’m just going to beat him straight up.

Molly takes a deep breath as she tries to calm herself down from her agitated state. She forces a smile as she looks back at Jessie, who’s ready for another question.

Jessie Pederson: When you were in the ring a few minutes ago you said you had another announcement to make, but it seems that Chris Madison coming out distracted you and you didn’t get to make it. Can I ask what that announcement was going to be?

Molly Reid: Oh! Yeah! I completely forgot. I wish Madison was still here because this concerns him too, but I guess he can watch this back later. What I was going to say before I got mad and left that ring was that in two weeks, Madison is going to have to trust me because we’ll be teaming up together in a tag team match against Izzy Anders and Savannah Taylor!

Jessie Pederson: Well, there you have it folks. Make sure you check out Vertigo on February 4th to see Molly Reid and Chris Madison team up to take on Izzy Anders and Savannah Taylor in some epic tag team action!

The shot lingers on the two women for a moment before Molly starts to walk away as everything fades out.

[Lou]

A gratified Ricky Valero wanders backstage following the close of another episode of Vertigo. He walks with his head high above his shoulders and a smug smirk on his face. He’s brought to a screeching halt, however, when FGA interviewer Jessie Pederson appears beside him.

Jessie Pederson: Ricky, please, before you go, do you care to share your thoughts on your match tonight against Dom Harter?

Valero snickers.

Ricky Valero: I’d call tonight a pretty successful evening, wouldn’t you?

Jessie Pederson: Well, it did look like you used the ropes there at the end of your match to assist in the win.

The grin across Valero’s face vanishes into a cold, blank stare at the reporter in his presence.

Jessie Pederson: Ricky?

Ricky Valero: Jessie, who’s hand was raised at the end of the match?

Jessie Pederson: Yours wa--

Ricky Valero: Exactly. My hand was raised. I was declared the victor and thus, I won the match. You may choose to get caught up in subjective details, but the only thing that matters to me and the only thing that gets me closer to championship gold in my grips...is a W going up on the board.

Jessie bites her lip, contemplating another question to get under Valero’s skin, but it’s not worth the headache.

Jessie Pederson: Fair enough.

Ricky Valero: I’m here to make an impact, Jessie. I’m not trying to wallow around at the bottom of the card or rest on someone else’s laurels. Notice Owen Gonsalves wasn’t here this week? I did that. He was too scared to show his face around me. Dom Harter? Beaten. Done. Next man up. That’s all just the tip of the iceberg for what I’m going to do here in FGA. I’m not trying to make friends here, and I damn sure don’t care if me winning matches upsets you or Dom or the fans. I’m going out there to win. That’s what I did tonight, and that’s what I’m going to continue doing. Plain and simple, babe.

And with that, Valero exits the scene and we fade to black.

[Brian Stryker]

Vertigo is over for another week, and this time Brian Stryker was victorious. Him and his tag partner Noelle Smith managed to get one over on Camp Envi and walk away with the win. Brian is grinning ear to ear as he is holding his son RIchie, who’s busy playing with a toy train he got earlier in the day.

Spencer Burke: Brian Stryker, oh….this a bad time?

Brian Stryker: Oh no, perfectly fine. Just watch the language.

Spencer nods as he holds up his mic.

Spencer Burke: Brian, tonight you and Noelle Smith managed to get an moment of revenge on Camp Envi over your match last week during your debut. How does it feel to get the win this time around?

Brian Stryker: Well Spence, you never get tired of winning. In fact it gets better and better. And it’s even better when it’s someone who’s a pain in your butt like Sadie is.

Spencer Burke: She has seemed to taken exception to you these past few weeks.

Brian Stryker: Over a locker room. Let that be on the record, her issue is a locker room. She’s just a few eggs short of a dozen you know what I mean? Isn’t that right Richie? She’s as kooky as those puppets on the shows you watch right?

Brian bounces his son who laughs as he runs the toy train up and down Brian’s shoulder.

Spencer Burke: So where do you go from here? Or is your issue with Sadie not over yet?

???: Yeah. I’d be interested in figuring that out myself.

Spencer and Brian both turn around at the sudden intrusion of this mysterious voice. The cameras pan toward the doorway where we see Sadie San Francisco lean into the room, flashing a look of disinterest toward Spencer. Her eyes drifted toward Brian Stryker-- but lit up at the sight of Richie. She walks into the room, mouth open, eyes wide in an exaggerated display as she looked at the small child.

Sadie San Francisco: And who is this precious little guy?

Brian holds his son a bit closer as he glares at Sadie. Richie, not knowing any better waves at the woman as he bites down on his toy a bit.

Spencer Burke: Oh, thank you for joining us Sadie. Tell us, what’s next for the two of you?

Sadie either seems to not hear or ignore Burke as she moves farther into the room, closer to Stryker and Richie. Sadie leans forward just a bit so she’s eye-level with the boy. She looks up toward Stryker.

Sadie San Francisco: How old are you?

Richie: I’m tew.

Richies holds up two of his fingers and Sadie’s smile only widens. Brian holds a closed fist at his side, waiting for Sadie to try anything. One thing Brian didn’t take was anyone messing with his kid.

Brian Stryker: What do you want?

Sadie stands upright again, returning a half-lidded gaze back toward Brian Stryker.

Sadie San Francisco: Don’t. Don’t be like that. Just wanted to say congratulations, Brian. You and Noelle did a great job tonight. That… that was a truly humbling experience. Nice work.

Brian keeps a fist ready but relaxes a tiny bit. He was not expecting that kind of response.

Brian Stryker: Well thank you. Mighty noble of you. But I’m sure there’s something else you want to say. I doubt one lose to me will end whatever issues you and I are having. So I bet you got a solution to that.

A smirk creeps its way across her face. She points a finger at Brian while she ponders her next words.

Sadie San Francisco: Very perceptive.

Spencer Burke: So what’s your solution?

Sadie San Francisco: I think we should have that match. Think it should happen at Grapple Kingdom.

Brian looks at Richie then at Spencer then Sadie. He thinks for a moment before grinning.

Brian Stryker: Alright on one condition. No one is allowed ringside. So that when I beat you soundly, there’s no excuse. No one to blame but yourself.

Brian held out his hand to offer a gentleman’s shake. Sadie looked at it for a moment with pursed lips before delicately extending her own, shaking his hand lightly.

Sadie San Francisco: Mkay.

Her gaze lingered on Stryker with that same coy, calm expression before she leaned forward to be eye-level with the toddler again.

Sadie San Francisco: See you later, cutie.

Brian drew back his hand as he looked at his son then at Spencer.

Brian Stryker: There’s your answer Spence. Come on Richie, let’s get you something to eat.

He bounces his son a bit as he walks off.

[ChrisMadison]

The Afterburn production cuts away from Spencer Burke's interview with Bryan Stryker and we find Jesse Pederson flanked by Chris Madison in the parking lot. Madison stood with his back against the passenger side door of a black Cadillac CTS. As Jesse Pederson began to question the number one contender to the FGA Pride Championship, Chris leaned forward with his arms folded across his chest.

Jesse Pederson: Tonight, for the first time, we saw a little animosity between Molly Reid and yourself. You put her on the spot for the way her match with Dom Harter played out, insinuating that she may have had a hand in it.

Chris Madison: I said what I said. You won't find me taking any of it back. At this point it's up to the FGA fans if they want to buy her claims of being oblivious to what was going on. The distraction. The handful of tights. All of it. If the fans want to believe her, then so be it. I know what I saw, and now I know the true nature of what I'm up against at Grapple Kingdom.

Jesse Pederson: She didn't take too kindly to the accusations you threw her way.

Chris Madison: Of course she didn't. I was essentially calling her a fraud in front of an arena full of fans with plenty more glued to their television sets watching. But all of my concerns were genuine. Frankie Morrison and I have done nothing but show her respect. And in return i've been dismissed as a legitimate challenger to her title. She speaks as if I have a snowball's chance in hell to take that strap away from her at Grapple Kingdom. I've been overlooked before in my career; it usually doesn't pan out for my opponents...

Jesse Pederson: You can't blame her for getting defensive...

Chris smirked before cutting her off.

Chris Madison: No you can't. But you can't blame me for wondering if at Grapple Kingdom it's me versus Molly Reid for the FGA Pride Championship, or me versus her crew of mean girls...

Jesse Pederson: A little earlier she pointed out the fact that Dom Harter got involved in your match against Annie...

Chris Madison: Yeah, and I know exactly where you're going with this. Why is that different from what happened during her match?

Chris chuckled as his head swayed from side to side.

Chris Madison: She's pretty good at deflecting some of the heat away from her, isn't she? Dom and I have barely ever had a conversation with each other. We weren't caught on camera colluding to help each other. But I'm tired of running around in circles. Molly had no idea the Small Boob Wrecking Crew were out there distracting Dom after she...

Chris brought his hands up and signaled quotation marks in the air.

Chris Madison: ...declined Annie's suggestions. I want to believe her. I really do. Bullshit aside, she's a hell of a wrestler and has a career filled with success ahead of her. But I've been around the block a time or two during my long career; I've seen this shtick before. Whether it's Molly Reid alone, or her parade of friends along with her, at Grapple Kingdom she's getting the hardest fight of her lifetime.

Chris turned around and grabbed the car door handle. Pulling it open and placing his left foot inside. Jesse Pederson places her hand on the inside of the door and leans in as Chris sits down.

Jesse Pederson: What do you think of her announcement a little earlier on Afterburn? The two of you will be teaming up at the upcoming Vertigo against Izzy Anders and Savannah Taylor.

Chris Madison: With our match at Grapple Kingdom looming, this would be as good of an opportunity as any to get a leg up on me. My hands being forced to have to trust her. Izzy Anders and Savannah Taylor aren't the type of talents to just turn our noses up to. She could easily leave me stranded, let Anders and Taylor soften me up. I guess we'll see if how much weight her words actually carry.

Madison turned over towards Frankie Morrison who was in the driver seat of the vehicle and nodded his head. Jesse Pederson took a step back and Chris pulled the door shut as the segment cut away.