Afterburn for Vertigo E93

[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+.

[Raphael Dallins]

Filmed days After FGA Vertigo 93

A commonplace diner somewhere in the heart of Harlem. One of those mom & pop places as you’d imagine. The White Hat of FGA and 15 Champion is quietly finishing up a Cobb salad while his manager polishes off grits and egg whites. It needs to be said that grits and egg whites together looks like the most unappetizing meal in the world, but it’s more fuel and habit than anything else. Caroline grins, mugging for the camera.

Caroline Dallins: You know, there is something to be said about--

Sparrow interrupts her almost immediately, without so much as looking up from his cell phone or his salad.

Sparrow: I’d like to take this moment to congratulate all the winners of the year-end awards in 2021. I mean it goes without saying that Cordelia should be congratulated the most since she got like...Half the awards yes. Best World Champion, International Heavyweight (by default), Story of the Year tied with Chandler, Wrestler of the Year, Match of the Year with Lowri, shared Feud of the Year with Lowri, Most Hated, though...Any reaction is a reaction I suspect?

Caroline for her part looks a little miffed. Obviously, she wanted to congratulate Cordelia, and with less...Bemusement in the tone. Her eyes narrow a little bit and her lips part.

Caroline Dallins: Yeah those are my lines. Anyway I--

Once again, Sparrow cuts right across her.

Sparrow: No argument from you? Great. Gotta congratulate Lowri for her parts in Feud and Match of the Year, Fan Favorite of the Year, Tyler for Sportmanship Award and Feud with Voltage. Voltage himself for Pride, and Bisley for how he held this 15 championship before me. Owen for Comeback and Technical, Iser for Brawler, Nina for Striker and U.S.,...I would’ve liked to get Striker this year but I absolutely recognize the master of the craft. Always next year. Teej for High Flyer, shared with Fuji of course, two of the best right there, and uh...tagteamoftheyearwowthisisawkwardrengadesoffunkamIright.

After a distinct pause, and staring into space...Sparrow goes right back to finishing his salad. Caroline’s eyebrow has stayed upward.

Caroline Dallins: ...HENNY for Who to Watch in 2022?

Sparrow: HENNY Hendrix McKanensson Heartache McGuillitcutty for Who To Watch in 2022 yes.

Caroline slowly looks back to the camera as if wondering what’s really going on here before she looks to the 15 champion. There’s a smug smirk on her face.

Caroline Dallins: Meager winnings yourself this year? Then again when you settle for being lower than the top--

Sparrow: Don’t.

Caroline Dallins: ...Excuse me?

Sparrow: Don’t. Whatever you gon’ to talk up to Dover in the coming weeks? Don’t. Don’t think I ain’t caught that look at 93. Don’t do it. Whatever it is. Whatever thing you think you gon’ to help me? Don’t. You helped me enough in Liberty Pro, as TJ can attest. Here in FGA...I’m still a champion at least, and the intention is keepin’ in that way. I’ve seen what happens when a company actually indulges you. A handicap match. You had me booked...In a handicap match. For fun. Having to follow you around like a mindless drone for things I ain't even wanna be a part of. Thank any various God ain’t no one insane enough to give you grip here in this company. So again. Don’t. You wanna help? Advise. Guide. Manage.

Sparrow reached in his pocket for his billfold, dolling out a couple of fivers for the tip.

Sparrow: You wanna go chase scraps of people remembering how good you were anywhere else, be my guest. Throw your name in one-off shows, be Lily Callaghan’s attack dog, get snuffed by Sammie or duck Gwen or whatever else will send you back into early retirement but the second--

Up until this point Caroline had been staring wide-eyed to the side, as if biting back a string of curse words. The White Hat of FGA CLAPS right in her face to get her attention.

Sparrow: The second I catch so much as a sniff of you tryna do me like Cassius did Teej? Nah. So again. My advice? Don’t.

The West Indian Whirlwind calmly stands up, takes a sip of water and walks out of the diner. The camera is left on Caroline staring a hole through his retreating back.

[Mister Harris]

Making their way out to one of the backstage exits from the Giant Center, Logan Alexander and Theodore Harris move along at a fairly brisk pace as the latter speaks to the former in low tones. Logan carries a duffle bag over his shoulder, presumably carrying his championship in there. Logan’s gaze is focused ahead and quickly fixes on something along their route. Theodore is quick to notice Logan’s shift in attention and redirects his attention ahead. A polite smile appears on his face as the pair draw close to Amanda Johnson, who appeared to be loitering around in wait of the stragglers on the way out of the building this night. Theodore takes the lead, stepping out ahead of Logan to meet Amanda, while the Legacy champion remains a few steps back.

Theodore Harris: Greetings Amanda. Something I can help you with?

She smiles politely back at him.

Amanda Johnson: I just wanted to get in a few words with you if possible.

He nods to her.

Theodore Harris: By all means. Where would you like to begin?

Amanda Johnson: We can start with tonight. You seem quite pleased. So I assume that everything went as well as you expected or hoped out there tonight?

His smile widens a bit, growing more genuine.

Theodore Harris: Certainly. Patrick Jones came out and offered a good fight for Logan tonight. It was non-title match worthy. Not quite what would have been needed to be worthy of a championship match though, even disregarding the end result. Logan was ready for what Patrick brought to the ring tonight. Patrick got his shot lined up. He felt that the match was his. But Logan caught the Zoned Out kick. He knew it was coming and had the proper response for it. Jones didn’t have much to offer after that and Logan just wrapped things up for another victory. A good way to build some more momentum after his last outing.

Amanda Johnson: Well, Logan’s last outing at the Ten Year Anniversary show was quite a bit different than the one he had here tonight. Cassius Reed gave a much stiffer challenge and came very close to undoing all the work Logan had done to get to that point.

Theodore appears to concede the point with a slight nod, his smile fading.

Theodore Harris: Yes. He came close, but close doesn’t cut it in the business. Coming close is just a more painful version of failure. You’re right there, but can’t quite get the job done.

Amanda Johnson: Cassius might be able to argue that he didn’t get there because of your timely intervention Theodore.

He snorts softly in response.

Theodore Harris: So he can, but if that’s the game he wants to play out there in the ring, he shouldn’t be upset when the tables get turned on him by a more savvy player. I mean up until the point that Mister Reed decided to try taking a shortcut to get past Logan, he wasn’t measuring up against him out there. So he decided to perform two renditions of the Nutcracker for Logan and followed up with his lucky golden elbow pad. Since the referee missed all of that, I just wanted to be sure that he didn’t miss Logan’s foot being under the ropes. Mister Reed can blame me all he wants for that, but it was his fault for being sloppy and not pulling Logan away from the ropes in the first place. After that, Logan repaid half the debt that was owed in the ring and then made sure to actually finish the job.

Theodore pauses to glance back at Logan.

Theodore Harris: Like a professional should.

As usual, Logan offers no reaction to that. Theodore smiles again and looks back at Amanda. She doesn’t look pleased by that answer, and it comes through in her tone.

Amanda Johnson: Uh huh.

Theodore Harris: Ah… the sound of disapproval.

He offers an apologetic shrug.

Theodore Harris: I get it Amanda. Everyone expects that we should all play by the rules out there. Honour, integrity, yada yada yada. Sometimes you need to be willing to bend the rules though… sometimes you have to be willing to break them as well. Logan understands that. He knows it may be required from time to time. Cassius figured that he could pull a fast one on Logan because the champ has a reputation for being a clean competitor and that’s because he doesn’t need to rely on those sorts of cheap tactics. But one of the best deterrents for that sort of behaviour is to let everyone know that if they want to play that game, that we can do so too and better than they do. Cassius got to be an example and people will keep that in mind going forward. They’ll think twice before getting into that sort of fight with Logan now.

Amanda Johnson: Interestingly enough, Logan may soon be facing someone that could put that theory to the test.

Theodore regards her with some curiosity at that.

Theodore Harris: Oh? Do tell.

Amanda Johnson: The current rumour is that Mark Bisley is looking to get a rematch with Logan for the Legacy title.

Theodore turns to regard Logan. Logan looks back at him in response. Both remain silent for a few moments before Theodore lets out a sigh and looks back at Amanda.

Theodore Harris: Well, I suppose that should have been expected. Mister Bisley is not one to be easily dissuaded. Still nursing the blow to his ego of not being Legacy champion right now, I figure. Since nothing has been announced, I assume that management is still mulling over the idea.

He then shrugs.

Theodore Harris: We’ll just wait and see what they decide on.

Amanda looks a little surprised by his reaction.

Amanda Johnson: Well do you have any thoughts on such a match up? It was only four months ago that Logan and Mark had a one on one match.

Theodore Harris: Yes, and Mark winning that match has him convinced that he deserves this match. Of course, it’s not our place to make his case for him. We’re not going to advocate for having one particular opponent over any other. If he’s worthy of the title match, management will give him what he wants. In that case, we’re not going to duck him. All we want is for Logan to face the best competition available for the Legacy title. We’ll let unbiased individuals make the decisions on who fits that criteria though. Heaven knows that Logan has dealt with enough flak from people thinking he was trying to avoid title matches with them over the years.

Theodore rolls his eyes.

Theodore Harris: But if Mister Bisley wants, at the next Vertigo broadcast he can make his case for why he should get this match. And if he wants, we can be there too. I know he loves to run his mouth in front of Logan, so it could make for an interesting encounter and maybe that’d let him make his case better. Maybe he could even try to pick another fight to get what he wants, it worked wonders last time.

He looks over towards the camera.

Theodore Harris: Let me know Mark.

Holds his hand up beside his face, with his thumb and pinky fingers extended to mimic the receiver of a telephone, while smiling. He lowers his hand, glances back at Logan and then back to Amanda.

Theodore Harris: Anyway, I think we’ve had enough fun for one night and should be on our way. Until next time Amanda.

Amanda Johnson: Of course. Thank you for your time gentlemen.

She nods to them and steps away. Theodore turns and nods to Logan. Logan resumes walking and Theodore falls back into step beside him as the pair continue on their way once more.