Afterburn for Only the Strong Survive

[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 Frontier+.

[nealdurden]

The cameras pick up backstage with Gareth Prichard Jr sitting on the floor; smiling and clapping. His clothes barely wrinkled after his brief stint in the Gold Rush Rumble. He doesn’t even look tired, if anything, he’s over the moon about everything.



Congrats to the two times -- TWO TIMES… Gold Rush Rumble winner. I always knew you had it in you, they always knew you had it in you. Now you move to fulfill what we all knew you could do… Eventually… eventually…



Gareth finally brings his head back up and a wide grin appears on his face as he begins to rip the white wrist tape off of himself. As he does he continues talking.



For many, my stint there would’ve been an utter failure. After all, I was one of the first people eliminated and I probably lasted less than Nando Fresno out there. But who’s keeping count? I certainly am not; in fact, tonight was perfect. I… didn’t cause a ruckus… You guys… got a jolly good show and… they paid me as if I would’ve had a thirty-minute classic with… I don’t know… let’s say, Owen, for the sake of this thing…



Gareth finishes with his left arm and then goes for the wrist tape on his right arm as he continues.



Now we can get into the meat and potatoes of things. There are no stupid matches that can be won by pure luck. There aren’t any other things that can keep you safe. Now, we play MY game.



Prichard finishes and then leans forward, both of his legs folded in plum position and he smiles.



Now I take what’s mine… what should’ve been mine all along and I will take away what you… enjoy. Let the games, finally… begin.

[Raphael Dallins]

Mighty Sparrow: 53 Minutes...Still wasn’t enough. Four bodies was definitely not enough. More dodges from an elimination, final four, standin’...Hol’ on, steppin’ up to Chandler Scott, Izzy Anders and eventual winner for a second time--Lowri Moss. No hard feelins that she was the one to do me either. No part of it was enough, except for defending against a game-as-all-hell Ash Sands but...But. It’s a start.

Backstage at the arena, after all is said and done, everyone done and gone? The White Hat of FGA is sitting slumped forward on a bench, an ice pack sitting on the back of his neck. Droplets of seat come from the crown of his head, and abdomen rising and falling from exhaustion. Any other sweat has likely been wiped away or dried up. Speaking of any white hats? That particular wear is sitting next to him on the bench as he rubs the ice on aching muscles. His eyes close and for a moment the Legacy champion seems to replay everything that went back. Roll it back, rewind, process it all over again. When his eyes open, he rolls his shoulders in a half-shrug. As has been customary? His hand reaches down out of the camera shot.

...

It rises back up with the Legacy championship that once again stays in his possession. The main plates glisten under the light.

Mighty Sparrow: For a debut, for my first time goin’? That was good. Standin’ there with three of the best in that final four? That was good. Mixin’ it up with Iser, or Stryker, nearly eliminating Lowri, or Chandler...A Stare down with Logan, m’whole soul saved by Owen, a back and forth with Tapp, gettin’ caught in a wristlock...Moments. I got to make moments.

The Legacy champion looks...Genuinely happy about what transpired during his time in the Gold Rush Rumble, victorious or not. As though the pleasure of wrestling so many talents at once was sustaining enough.

Mighty Sparrow: However, there’s something to bother me ain’t? It ain’t just that I ain’t hit my goal of most eliminations y’know. Couldn’t just be that. It’s that I realized somethin’ important in that Gold Rush Rumble. ...Somethin’ I figure that him, or more than likely he manager is listenin’ about right now. Because see I was payin’ attention to him and Sloan and I gotta say that was a match to be seen. ...But me and you Logan? Y’know we got in each other’s business in that Rumble. Harris say you ain’t exactly one to stress number or elim, this that and the other thing but I gotta assume...I got to assume brethren, that you seen me enough without a rematch. So tell your manager cuz I ain’t got one. Tell him to talk to whoever he gotta talk to, I’ll talk to whoever I got to. God willing.

Even with championship still in hand he reaches across the other side of the bench and knocks twice on the bench.

Mighty Sparrow: Mighty Sparrow. Logan Alexander. Legacy Championship. The fans seen us try and step on each other enough, the question of who was really gonna win that Beat The Clock match is still floating in the ether, bana. You wanna take it on, I wanna take it on, so let we take it on. Because and this goes right back to Ash. Ashley pulled out every stop she said she was gonna, and one misstep. One...I could feel it. I could feel like time was comin’ to an end on me, but somehow, I got away still champion. Forget hook or crook, by kick or by slick, I got past she and now...Now Logan I ain’t just expect to be the next challenger. Brethren, I’s beginn’ for it. Let’s go. Give the people what they wanna see, or do it in a way they never see comin’ either way? Logan? I’ll be where you left me last. In the ring. Now... I need a drink.

Sparrow gets up and walks off camera, his championship still in hand before he throws it up and over his shoulder. He walks out of the shot but the camera continues to linger right on the bench where he sat. Only his white hat is left there.

...

...

The sound of heels gently clicking precedes a woman walking into the shot, her head cut off by the camera. White business suit, with custom metallic red buttons and a tie to match. Her fingers reach down and lift the white hat up. She grips the brim in the palm of her hand and taps the stitching of the words with a single nail.

She puts the hat down back on the bench, whoever she is and leaves in the direction she came. Her voice is familiar and strange all the same.

??: See you soon.

[Fujiko Mine]

AFTERBURN EXCLUSIVE - POST Fujiko V. Cordy

The referee checks on a stirring Fujiko, who has recovered consciousness and clutches at her hurt leg. She shakes her head in disbelief and hurt, but as the referee tries their best to help her, she waves him off. She turns herself over and crawls over to the nearest rope, and then uses them to support getting herself back to her feet. As soon as she can, she wraps her arm over the top rope and uses her free hand to wipe her matted hair out of her face. She looks out at the crowd, who slowly raises to their feet and begin to applaud the Apex Goddess. She looks taken aback at the display of respect, but then nods and gingerly makes her way to the center of the ring. The applause grows, and Fujiko slowly takes a bow towards the hard camera side, then turns and bows towards the announce table, then the opposite side, and finally, at the entrance ramp. “In the face of Evil” By Magic Sword begins to play again as Fujiko keeps as much weight off of her leg as she can. Tucking her ‘strong’ leg, she drops down to the mat, and then rolls from the ring. She lets her hair fall back over her face as she begins to make her way back to the entrance. With one more turn, she looks back to the audience and bows one more time. The scene fades to the Afterburn logo…

...and back in, with a view of the trainer’s room. Fujiko sits on the table, wincing as one of the female trainers pokes and prods at her ailing leg. Next to her is Spencer Burke, with a microphone. In the background, cheers can be heard faintly as the Gold Rush Rumble carries on at ringside.

Spencer Burke: Fujiko, thank you so much for taking this time. I know that tonight did not go the way that you hoped. Can we start with your thoughts?

Fujiko shakes her head in disbelief, like she had back at ringside, but opens her mouth to start.

Fujiko Mine: Thank you, Spencer. You’re a welcome sight. I know Cordy is going to gloat and preen on social media while people who have never taken a single glance at FGA programming try to validate her opinion. I know she is going to go on and on about beating me. But I said that she wasn’t going to break me, and I was right. I can stand in that. The only thing Cordy was right about was leaving here tonight with the championship. But she tried to tell everyone that I did this to myself. No, I didn’t. Cordy did all of this. She did it the moment she believed that she was being disrespected by the company, by the fans, and by some of her peers. Cordy exposed herself for what she truly is the moment she used the tights to beat Lowri Moss. What she wanted was for people to turn a blind eye to that. And she can bring up how I won what is now the Legacy championship-but what she won’t do is acknowledge how I made my peace with that, I’ve atoned for it, and moved forward. I moved forward by doing things she hasn’t done...which she is content to downplay at her leisure. I didn’t move forward by cherry picking. I moved forward by becoming a two time wrestler of the year. I moved forward by being entered into the hall of fame.

She sighs.

Fujiko Mine: It breaks my heart to have fallen short tonight. It breaks my heart for everyone who was hoping to see me defeat Cordy tonight to have failed them. But, I know that Cordy has shown how truly desperate, petty, selfish, and deplorable she is. Maybe after tonight, I’ll kick back in the penthouse apartment I don’t have to pay rent on in Cordy’s head. You’ve seen how she wakes up in the middle of the night, or 5 in the morning, or 3 in the afternoon, desperate to have to open the bird app, and hit the @apexgoddess so she can make sure I know she’s thinking about me. You can rest assured I will get all sorts of messages from her once she’s back at her phone. She’s got those notifications on. She can barely let a Fujiko tweet go by. She’s got a full section of her brain to pick old quotes, etc. You even heard her trying to downplay her behavior at the beginning of the night. She can dismiss it all, because it doesn’t vibe with her message. And that’s fine. The point is - this is not the end of Fujiko Mine. Worse people have tried and failed to bring me down. So I’ll get back on my feet. Just like I did when I lost to Seth. Just like when I lost to Molly. And I will find my way back to the championship picture. Maybe the Frontier Lions’ Cup will be an option this year. But I’ll work my way back to the title. The ‘Fujiko feels bad for herself’ party ends in about…

She looks at her non-existent watch.

Fujiko Mine: ...one minute. So am I upset? Sure. Does Cordy winning mean that she is validated in her many opinions? Not in the slightest. She’s shown who she really is, and I showed these fans that I don’t quit.  And they showed me how they feel about that. And that when shown honor, honor is given. And when it isn't, they've understood why I don't just 'turn the other cheek'.

The trainer slowly bends in Fujiko’s leg, which incites a wince from the Apex Goddess.

Spencer Burke: May I ask what you hope to do next?

Fujiko sharply exhales, the pain she feels in her leg distracting her. After a few thoughtful moments, she tilts her head at Spencer.

Fujiko Mine: I’m not sure, bud. There are a couple dream matches out there for me. I still want to face Chandler someday. Mighty Sparrow is a name to watch. TJ Techniques, Owen Gonsalves...there could be more. But those are things that might have to wait. Despite what some people think, I don’t run things around here. So we’ll see what happens. Keep an eye out for what's advertised for Vertigo. But I’m not done. Not yet. And I’m still the FGApex, Still the Apex Goddess, I'm Fujiko Mine, and I can still smile.

She nods to herself, and then looks away from her hurting leg. She smiles at Spencer.

Spencer Burke: Thank you so much for your time, Fujiko.

Fujiko smiles again, and then returns her attention to the trainer, who begins asking her questions. The camera backs up, and fades.

[bbbaseball96]

Ace Voltage's Apartment in Soho, NYC
The day after On the Strong Survive


The scene opens up in Ace Voltage’s Manhattan apartment, the day after Only the Strong Survive. We see Ace sitting on his couch in a suit with the Pride Championship on the coffee table in front of him. Ace speaks softly.

Ace Voltage: I told you. I told you all. But… nobody believed me.

Ace chuckles and talks in his regular tone.

Ace Voltage: At Only the Strong Survive, I did what I said I would do. I did what everyone thought couldn’t be done. I defeated Tyler Storm for this beauty of a championship and to top it all off? I made the [bleep] give up. I proved once again that Ace Voltage is not joke! I am a two-time champion here in FGA, with many more to come.

Ace smirks as he gets up and walks around his living room.

Ace Voltage: But where do we go from here? I am the greatest FGA Mid-Atlantic Legacy champion this company has ever seen. Now? I will show that I am greatest Pride champion this company has ever seen. I never called this a redemption tour. I am here to be the best and it seems as though I have already proven that. Tyler knows.

Ace sits back down.

Ace Voltage: And speaking of Tyler, he is just as dumb as I thought he always was. Pandering to the fans. Being the role model for this company. Do you know what that got him? A loss to the Main Event! If he was a smart champion, he never would’ve accepted my rematch challenge. All I needed was this rematch, I never had any doubt that I would lose. I came out firing. I had all the momentum. And then? The crowd was shocked. The locker room was silenced. Ace Voltage became your Pride champion.

Ace grabs the pride championship from the table.

Ace Voltage: This title right here? Never coming off my waist. Whoever thinks they can take it from me, be my guest. I am proving to FGA and the world that I am the best technical wrestler here. People want to say I take shortcuts? Maybe. But not as your pride champion. I am here to put a good name on this title. I am here to be the champion that everyone aspires to be.

He places it down back on the table.

Ace Voltage: Now I know what everyone is thinking. Shouldn’t Tyler get a rematch? Negative my friends. Tyler goes to the back of the line where losers stand. But you know what? The truth is that is doesn’t matter who steps up or who’s next in line. I will beat them and defend like my title as advertised. Maybe… maybe I’ll get the respect I truly deserve now.

As Ace finishes the sentence he gets up from the couch and leaves the camera shot. The scene fades out looking at the Pride championship.

[Cordy]

Cordelia Stevenson: Well this was certainly a glorious -- fucking --night!

The statement is yelled into the warm Baltimore night. A joyous laugh escapes Cordelia’s lips as she twirls about happily, her arms thrust outward. In the far distance, the bright lights of the Royal Farms Arena illuminate the backdrop, showing that our crusader has put some distance between herself and any dangers that may be seeking her out.

Cordelia takes in a deep breath and lets out a slow sigh. She lowers her triumphant gaze towards the camera and simply shrugs her shoulders.

Cordelia Stevenson: I don’t think I could have imagined it going any better to be quite honest with you. I know old Lenny T is about to have an aneurysm right about now.

Cordelia’s pauses momentarily, processing the thought. That only seems to cause her smile to brighten. The Holy Trinity is on full display. She hoists the International Heavyweight Championship and the FGA World Championship up higher on their respective shoulders, allowing the Undisputed Championship on her waist to become the focal point of your gaze. Her eyes slide down to it and it’s almost as if she’s in tune with your thoughts.

Cordelia Stevenson: Does this sight upset you, Lenny?

Her tone is confident, borderline arrogant and mocking. Her eyes flick up towards the camera and she shakes her head.

Cordelia Stevenson: Seeing me here, still the Undisputed Champion? Knowing all of your pawns got knocked off the fucking board? I know you wanted nothing more than to see me fail tonight. But let’s be honest, deep down you and I both know that you knew it was a longshot. You put Fujiko in my path with a hope and a prayer but not much faith; and rightfully so, because you knew that she was in over her head. You knew I was a bite that she simply couldn’t chew and you didn’t care. You tossed her into the Lioness’ den anyway. Don’t get me wrong, the girl’s got heart, and it has carried her much further than she ever needed to go. But tonight? I made it apparently clear that it only dragged her into a territory where she simply didn’t belong -- no matter how you tried to spin the narrative. Fujiko Mine is not on my level and she never has been. Not in PDW. Not now. Not in 2014. Not in 2021. That is something that has never changed throughout the course of our entire careers, but you, Lenny…

Cordelia tuts with a click of her tongue and shakes her finger at the camera.

Cordelia Stevenson: … You wanted to make your lab created, manufactured gem seem more valuable than it actually was. You wanted to diminish me… disrespect me… by hailing her as my… equal?

Cordelia’s face twists with disgust as she leans against a street sign with her arms folded across her chest.

Cordelia Stevenson: You know she’s a simple minded girl, Lenny. A proud glutton that ate up every ounce of bullshit that you fed her and was actually dumb enough to believe her own hype. But that reality check set in real quickly, didn’t it Fujiko? Keep it a buck with me babe, I’ve made life for you a living hell, haven’t I? And as much as you’d love to believe that it’s because you’re living rent free in my head, don’t flatter yourself sweetheart. Everything I do has a purpose. For the past few months… I made people care about you. As uninteresting and boring as you are, people actually turned their attention towards you, willingly at that, off the strength of me. That was a flex, sweetheart. The funny thing is you’re too dumb to even realize it. This is exactly what I mean when I say that I’m the energy. This is me coming to understand the power that I truly possess. I did for you in a couple of months what Lenny, a two year red hot run, a record breaking world title reign, and two wrestler of the year awards couldn’t even do… I made Fujiko Mine interesting. And now that you’re in my rearview? The world will lose interest in you once again, because I’ve lost interest. You don’t get it, Fujiko. This was never about you, but in typical Fujiko Mine fashion, you tried to make it about you. The same way you tried to commandeer my issues with Lowri. The same way you impeded on my issues with this company; you just love to interject yourself into matters that don’t concern you.

Cordy cups her chin, pondering for a second.

Cordelia Stevenson: Now that I think about it, you also did that in my relationship with KJ… you don’t know how to mind your damn business. You’re the attention fiend, incapable of keeping anyone’s attention. So I gave you what you wanted. Were you not trying to find yourself on my radar? Was that not the reason behind the unwarranted shots that you took at me at your little press conference with Lowri? You were so desperate for my attention that I decided to give it to you in spades, just to prove a point.

Cordelia leans forward a bit, a sinister sneer forming on her face.

Cordelia Stevenson: And you buckled, just as I knew you would.

Cordelia emits a low chuckle as she slides her hand down her face.

Cordelia Stevenson: I had you on your heels from the very start, chica. You know, you have this weird obsession with trying to portray yourself as perfect, when the truth is you are so far from it, and you just hate to acknowledge that. You became so obsessed in trying to debunk every little flaw that I pointed out, that you completely forgot your ultimate goal….

Cordelia taps the Undisputed Championship around her waist.

Cordelia Stevenson: I don’t think I’ve ever met such a mentally weak person. You thrive against those you can talk down to — you’re at your most confident then. But as I said before, I’m not James Edwards, I’m not Marlon Cure and I’m damn sure not Molly ‘fuckin’ Reid. I’m cut from a different cloth, and your biggest mistake was trying to group me with them. It was quite amazing actually, watching you revert back to that scared and overwhelmed girl that used to hide behind TJ, KJ and whoever else whenever the pressure became too much: the same girl that would tuck her tail and get the hell out of dodge whenever Tony Carmine or Zero McHannon made fun of her because she just couldn't cut it. It’s so easy to see through the facade, baby girl; it was so easy not just to break through it, but to break you.

Cordelia points at the camera as she pushes off of the post that she’s leaning on.

Cordelia Stevenson: You’re not driven by thoughts of being the best, Fujiko. The truth is you’re just scared and running away from your own feelings of inadequacy; the same feelings that you’ve had to deal with your entire career. Is that why you can’t stand me? Because I make those feelings so prevalent? Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop comparing yourself to me. You’ll never measure up. Stop comparing yourself to Chandler. You’re not half the competitor he is. You’re your own worst enemy; always chasing ghosts. Do yourself a favor. Never watch the replay of tonight, because it’ll haunt you. Seeing yourself lying there… helpless, defeated… broken...

The laugh that escapes Cordelia sounds somewhat sinister.

Cordelia Stevenson: … with every single flaw that you’ve desperately tried to hide exposed for the world to see. You see, tonight was successful for me, not because I beat you, Fujiko… honestly that wasn’t the goal. It’s nothing to gloat about. For me, beating you is the equivalent of saying I know what 1+1 is. I get no props for that cause I’m sposed to. No, tonight was about exposing you for the fraud that you are. And I calculated it so masterfully if I must say so myself.

Cordelia steps forward now with her arms spread wide; a knowing grin on her face.

Cordelia Stevenson: As I said before… everything I do, I do for a reason, Fujiko, and when I locked you in the Chandler Could Never… with your arm damaged the way that it was making it almost impossible to pull yourself to the ropes, I knew exactly what would happen. Let me clue you in on a little secret, chica, I never expected you to tap out. I knew that you wouldn’t. No matter how hard I pulled, no matter how much pressure I applied, I knew that your pride simply wouldn’t let you do it.

Cordelia lets out a long sigh.

Cordelia Stevenson: Your pride. You know pride is a funny thing. As I cranked back and I looked around that arena, do you want to know what I saw? I saw tears welling in the eyes of children. I saw legit worry and concern on the faces of your fans. Thoughts of you winning had long fled. No, they weren’t concerned about that, at that point they simply wanted you to survive. All they wanted was for you to be ok. I’m sure time slowed down for them, Fujiko. It must have seemed like an eternity for them, watching me do that to you; watching me lock that hold in. They watched helplessly as you fought to no avail… and faded. They knew full well the damage that I could have caused, and you knew it too. You could have ended their suffering, Fujiko. You could have eased their worries. All you had to do was tap.

Cordelia reaches down and makes a tapping motion against her thigh.

Cordelia Stevenson: But you didn’t. In that moment you didn’t give a single fuck about those fans. Ms. Righteous; Ms. Perfect… in that moment, you didn’t care if you ever got to set foot in the ring in front of them ever again… that didn’t matter. You knew that I could end you and you simply didn’t care. Knowing what you mean to them and how’d they feel not having you around… none of that mattered to you, Fujiko. It was all irrelevant. The only thing you cared about was denying me the satisfaction of making you tap. The only thing that mattered to you… was your pride.

Cordelia’s eyes glisten as a small smile lines her face.

Cordelia Stevenson: In the end, you didn’t deny me a thing. As a matter of fact you only proved that you are exactly who I thought you were, Fuji. You’re every bit as selfish as I imagined you to be, only now? The entire world knows it too. How funny is that? All the bad things you say I am and come to find out…

Cordy’s tone lowers to a whisper.

Cordelia Stevenson: … you ain’t much different.

Cordelia blows a kiss at the camera and chuckles.

Cordelia Stevenson: Checkmate, bitch.

And with those final words uttered, the Undisputed Champ saunters off camera laughing as the scene fades away.