Grapple Kingdom 4
Mar 5, 2022 23:58:57 GMT -5
Post by FGA Office on Mar 5, 2022 23:58:57 GMT -5
As the attention of the camera switches elsewhere, Amanda Johnson is seen standing somewhere backstage at the Blue Cross Arena, microphone in hand.
Amanda Johnson: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time… the FGA Undisputed Champion… Lowri Moss!
The camera pans out, and the audience responds with a loud cheer, as Lowri comes into view.
Lowri Moss: Hopefully we won’t have any interruptions this time.
Ahead of her upcoming match, Lowri is dressed in her ring attire, which tonight consists of a light blue top and a pair of yellow trunks– the significance of which should not be lost on anyone– with black knee pads, black boots and black kick pads. The Undisputed title is wrapped around her waist.
Amanda Johnson: Lowri, in tonight’s main event you’re going to be defending the Undisputed Championship for the first time since winning it at All-Star Showdown X, against the woman who you defeated to win that championship, Cordelia Stevenson, so my first question for you is simply how are you feeling now, ahead of what is such a momentous match for you?
With a smile on her face, Lowri replies.
Lowri Moss: I’m feeling good, Amanda; I feel positive. It’s the first pay-per-view event of the year, my first pay-per-view event as Undisputed Champion, I’ve been looking forward to walking into my first pay-per-view event as champion almost since the moment that I won the title, that night has now arrived, now I’m just looking forward to getting out there in the ring, throwing Cordelia off a ladder like Emery Layton told me to, and chalking up a first successful title defence.
Amanda Johnson: Before we get into discussing the match in greater detail, something I don’t think you’ve been asked about any of the times that you’ve been interviewed during the past twelve months or so, is how vocal Cordy has been about the injustices that she perceives in FGA, alleging that she is always put at a disadvantage, with the deck being stacked against her; as one of the people that Cordy has often referred to when talking about how she believes she has been mistreated, I was wondering whether you had any thoughts about any of that?
That question causes Lowri to let out a little chuckle.
Lowri Moss: Some conspiracy theories can be fun to think about, Amanda. Like for example the one about the Titanic, that it wasn’t actually the Titanic that sank, but that it was the Titanic's sister ship, disguised as the Titanic, in an insurance scam. Ultimately though, theories like that are just theories, with little evidence to support them. And that’s what this is. Cordy probably hopes that if she repeats it enough times, then eventually other people will start to believe her, but how many people have you seen or heard say that they agree with her? Besides Stephy Auger, I’m sure she agrees with Cordy.
And Evan Grayson, if he was still around.
Lowri Moss: Cordy referred to me as FGA’s “number one pawn,” but if I really was being groomed by the Executive Committee to be their hand-picked champion, why would they have had me enter last year’s Gold Rush Rumble at number twenty-six and not at number thirty? Why would they now be allowing me to defend the title in a ladder match, a match that Cordy herself chose, rather than something of my choosing?
Lowri shrugs her shoulders.
Lowri Moss: Make it make sense.
Amanda Johnson: As you just mentioned, this time your match with Cordy is going to be a ladder match– how do you feel about having your first defense of the Undisputed Championship be in a ladder match?
A slight sigh escapes Lowri’s lips.
Lowri Moss: I’m okay with it. I mean, I’m not going to stand here and deny that I would’ve preferred to have a more traditional match, but at the same time, I’m not at all apprehensive about it– I might not be as at home in ladder matches as some people are, but I’m not new to them either; I’ve been in two ladder matches before in FGA, at least that I can remember. There was the seven man ladder match for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Championship at All-Star Showdown VI, my first title match in FGA, and the first ladder match of my career, a match that… I don’t exactly have fond memories of.
Lowri's involvement in that match ended with her being dumped off a ladder and crashing through two tables on the outside of the ring.
Lowri Moss: I have better memories, however, of the ladder match for the United States tag team titles at Capital Combat, when Gareth and I successfully defended our titles against The Tenacious Wrecking Crew. And my record in my two previous ladder matches here in FGA is pretty much in keeping with my record in ladder matches in other promotions; I haven’t been in that many ladder matches in my career, the number is only in single figures, and those that I have been in, my win-loss record is an even split, as far as I can remember. I did win the most recent one that I was in though, fifteen months ago, an eight man contest in Underground, and so while my record in ladder matches might not be quite as impeccable as Cordy’s record is, I’m still confident about my chances.
Amanda Johnson: I assume that only having one opponent, rather than six or seven, like in some of those past matches that you just brought up, must at least make things less complicated for you.
Lowri runs a hand through her hair.
Lowri Moss: It does make preparing for the match a bit more straightforward, only having the one opponent instead of multiple opponents, but it doesn’t make the match itself any easier, not when that one opponent is someone of the calibre of Cordelia Stevenson. In fact, if anything, I’m expecting this match to be even tougher than, say, the one for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title was– I may have had six opponents in that match, but none of them were close to Cordy’s level; no offence, Sadie.
She turns to give a wink to the camera.
Amanda Johnson: You alluded a moment ago to Cordy’s record in ladder matches, with her never having lost one so far in her career– are you at all concerned by that?
Lowri shakes her head.
Lowri Moss: No. This is what Cordy wanted, her favourite kind of match, at the event that she says is her show, but I’m not known for backing down from a challenge, no matter the circumstances, as she well knows. And sure, right now she may never have lost a ladder match in her career, but prior to All-Star Showdown X, how many times had she been made to submit?
That is a rhetorical question.
Lowri Moss: There’s a first time for everything, Amanda.
Amanda Johnson: I’ve talked to you previously about how your reign as the Legacy Champion, or the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, as you were at the time, how that fell below the expectations that you set for yourself–
Lowri interrupts Amanda.
Lowri Moss: Not only my reign as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, Amanda, but also my reign as Pride Champion, to an extent.
Rather than carrying on with whatever question she was going to ask, Amanda instead gestures for Lowri to continue.
Lowri Moss: I have no problem admitting that I wasn’t satisfied with how my reign with either of those titles panned out– for all of the months that I held them, I only managed a combined total of one successful defence. My time as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion was particularly disappointing for me, having spent much of my first year in FGA chasing it, and it having taken me four attempts to win it. After I won it, I had such high hopes for what I wanted to accomplish during my reign, I wanted to emulate the likes of Izzy Anders and Sadie San Francisco, two of my predecessors as champion, but I ended up falling well short of that. Then eighteen months after losing that title, I won the Pride Championship, and I hoped that I could have a better reign as Pride Champion than I had as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, but I wasn’t able to do that either.
Lowri lets out another sigh.
Lowri Moss: I’m still waiting to have a singles title reign in FGA that I can well and truly be proud of. And what better title to have that with than the Undisputed title?
She glances down at the belt that is around her waist, before looking back up at Amanda.
Lowri Moss: I don’t have any specific targets for what I want to accomplish during my reign as Undisputed Champion. I’m not going to declare that I want to hold the title for x number of months, or that I want to defend it x number of times, because if I do that, once I reach one or both of those targets, I run the risk that I might subconsciously take my foot off the pedal, and then my time as champion might not last much longer; I’m not aiming to emulate or surpass what anyone else has done as FGA World Champion, or Undisputed Champion, I just want to be the best champion that I can be.
Amanda Johnson: Recently in the year end awards, you and Cordy won awards for both match of the year and rivalry of the year, and it certainly has been quite the rivalry that has developed between you, with tonight’s match being the third one-on-one match between the two of you in FGA, or the fourth in total if we include the match that you had two years ago in Japan. Prior to Only The Strong Survive last year, you stated that you wanted to be the one to end Cordy’s reign as Undisputed Champion, which you of course did, and so now, as you get set to defend your title for the first time, does having Cordy as your first challenger provide you with any extra motivation?
Lowri takes a moment to briefly contemplate the question, before answering.
Lowri Moss: I don’t think I really need any additional motivation tonight, Amanda– not wanting to have my reign as Undisputed Champion come to an end in my first defence should be all of the motivation that I need, especially considering what I just talked about. Beating Cordy to get that first successful defence will be a nice bonus though. She has talked about me being “destined for failure,” and I know she’s convinced that she’s going to regain the Undisputed Championship here tonight. However, she was also convinced that I wouldn’t win the Gold Rush Rumble for a second consecutive year, as well as that I wouldn’t defeat her at All-Star Showdown X, and well, look how that turned out for her.
Lowri taps the faceplate of the Undisputed title.
Lowri Moss: At the 10 Year Anniversary Show, when I was having my moment on the first show after becoming Undisputed Champion, she came out and she tried to make my victory all about her, and even after I win this match tonight and retain the title, I’m sure she'll still try to make it all about her. She probably already has all of her excuses ready, and we’ll all no doubt have to listen to them in the coming weeks.
She puts her hands on her hips.
Lowri Moss: Cordy thinks that the Undisputed title is her title, and she has “every intention” of taking it back; unfortunately for her, I have every intention of keeping it. Yesterday marked five years to the day that I made my debut in FGA. I debuted as a virtual unknown, not just here in North America, but also to most people in the UK. Since then I’ve worked my way up from being an unknown to becoming only the fourth Grand Slam winner, capped off by winning the Undisputed Championship at All-Star Showdown. To reach that point, I’ve had to go through tournaments, ladder matches, battle royals, and a whole host of other matches– and that’s only what you’ve seen of me out there in the ring, that’s not to mention all of the hours that I spend preparing for each match, which is what has gotten me to where I am. I haven’t gone through all of that, I haven’t worked that hard, just to let go of this title almost immediately after winning it; no [BEEP]ing chance.
She emphasises that with a single shake of her head.
Lowri Moss: I’m going to go to the ring, I’m going to do battle with Cordy one more time, I’m going to climb the ladder, grab my title, and then next weekend, I’m going to walk into Royal Battle… still the Undisputed Champion.
With Lowri looking confident about her prospects for the main event, the camera cuts back to ringside.
Amanda Johnson: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time… the FGA Undisputed Champion… Lowri Moss!
The camera pans out, and the audience responds with a loud cheer, as Lowri comes into view.
Lowri Moss: Hopefully we won’t have any interruptions this time.
Ahead of her upcoming match, Lowri is dressed in her ring attire, which tonight consists of a light blue top and a pair of yellow trunks– the significance of which should not be lost on anyone– with black knee pads, black boots and black kick pads. The Undisputed title is wrapped around her waist.
Amanda Johnson: Lowri, in tonight’s main event you’re going to be defending the Undisputed Championship for the first time since winning it at All-Star Showdown X, against the woman who you defeated to win that championship, Cordelia Stevenson, so my first question for you is simply how are you feeling now, ahead of what is such a momentous match for you?
With a smile on her face, Lowri replies.
Lowri Moss: I’m feeling good, Amanda; I feel positive. It’s the first pay-per-view event of the year, my first pay-per-view event as Undisputed Champion, I’ve been looking forward to walking into my first pay-per-view event as champion almost since the moment that I won the title, that night has now arrived, now I’m just looking forward to getting out there in the ring, throwing Cordelia off a ladder like Emery Layton told me to, and chalking up a first successful title defence.
Amanda Johnson: Before we get into discussing the match in greater detail, something I don’t think you’ve been asked about any of the times that you’ve been interviewed during the past twelve months or so, is how vocal Cordy has been about the injustices that she perceives in FGA, alleging that she is always put at a disadvantage, with the deck being stacked against her; as one of the people that Cordy has often referred to when talking about how she believes she has been mistreated, I was wondering whether you had any thoughts about any of that?
That question causes Lowri to let out a little chuckle.
Lowri Moss: Some conspiracy theories can be fun to think about, Amanda. Like for example the one about the Titanic, that it wasn’t actually the Titanic that sank, but that it was the Titanic's sister ship, disguised as the Titanic, in an insurance scam. Ultimately though, theories like that are just theories, with little evidence to support them. And that’s what this is. Cordy probably hopes that if she repeats it enough times, then eventually other people will start to believe her, but how many people have you seen or heard say that they agree with her? Besides Stephy Auger, I’m sure she agrees with Cordy.
And Evan Grayson, if he was still around.
Lowri Moss: Cordy referred to me as FGA’s “number one pawn,” but if I really was being groomed by the Executive Committee to be their hand-picked champion, why would they have had me enter last year’s Gold Rush Rumble at number twenty-six and not at number thirty? Why would they now be allowing me to defend the title in a ladder match, a match that Cordy herself chose, rather than something of my choosing?
Lowri shrugs her shoulders.
Lowri Moss: Make it make sense.
Amanda Johnson: As you just mentioned, this time your match with Cordy is going to be a ladder match– how do you feel about having your first defense of the Undisputed Championship be in a ladder match?
A slight sigh escapes Lowri’s lips.
Lowri Moss: I’m okay with it. I mean, I’m not going to stand here and deny that I would’ve preferred to have a more traditional match, but at the same time, I’m not at all apprehensive about it– I might not be as at home in ladder matches as some people are, but I’m not new to them either; I’ve been in two ladder matches before in FGA, at least that I can remember. There was the seven man ladder match for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Championship at All-Star Showdown VI, my first title match in FGA, and the first ladder match of my career, a match that… I don’t exactly have fond memories of.
Lowri's involvement in that match ended with her being dumped off a ladder and crashing through two tables on the outside of the ring.
Lowri Moss: I have better memories, however, of the ladder match for the United States tag team titles at Capital Combat, when Gareth and I successfully defended our titles against The Tenacious Wrecking Crew. And my record in my two previous ladder matches here in FGA is pretty much in keeping with my record in ladder matches in other promotions; I haven’t been in that many ladder matches in my career, the number is only in single figures, and those that I have been in, my win-loss record is an even split, as far as I can remember. I did win the most recent one that I was in though, fifteen months ago, an eight man contest in Underground, and so while my record in ladder matches might not be quite as impeccable as Cordy’s record is, I’m still confident about my chances.
Amanda Johnson: I assume that only having one opponent, rather than six or seven, like in some of those past matches that you just brought up, must at least make things less complicated for you.
Lowri runs a hand through her hair.
Lowri Moss: It does make preparing for the match a bit more straightforward, only having the one opponent instead of multiple opponents, but it doesn’t make the match itself any easier, not when that one opponent is someone of the calibre of Cordelia Stevenson. In fact, if anything, I’m expecting this match to be even tougher than, say, the one for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title was– I may have had six opponents in that match, but none of them were close to Cordy’s level; no offence, Sadie.
She turns to give a wink to the camera.
Amanda Johnson: You alluded a moment ago to Cordy’s record in ladder matches, with her never having lost one so far in her career– are you at all concerned by that?
Lowri shakes her head.
Lowri Moss: No. This is what Cordy wanted, her favourite kind of match, at the event that she says is her show, but I’m not known for backing down from a challenge, no matter the circumstances, as she well knows. And sure, right now she may never have lost a ladder match in her career, but prior to All-Star Showdown X, how many times had she been made to submit?
That is a rhetorical question.
Lowri Moss: There’s a first time for everything, Amanda.
Amanda Johnson: I’ve talked to you previously about how your reign as the Legacy Champion, or the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, as you were at the time, how that fell below the expectations that you set for yourself–
Lowri interrupts Amanda.
Lowri Moss: Not only my reign as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, Amanda, but also my reign as Pride Champion, to an extent.
Rather than carrying on with whatever question she was going to ask, Amanda instead gestures for Lowri to continue.
Lowri Moss: I have no problem admitting that I wasn’t satisfied with how my reign with either of those titles panned out– for all of the months that I held them, I only managed a combined total of one successful defence. My time as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion was particularly disappointing for me, having spent much of my first year in FGA chasing it, and it having taken me four attempts to win it. After I won it, I had such high hopes for what I wanted to accomplish during my reign, I wanted to emulate the likes of Izzy Anders and Sadie San Francisco, two of my predecessors as champion, but I ended up falling well short of that. Then eighteen months after losing that title, I won the Pride Championship, and I hoped that I could have a better reign as Pride Champion than I had as Mid-Atlantic Legacy Champion, but I wasn’t able to do that either.
Lowri lets out another sigh.
Lowri Moss: I’m still waiting to have a singles title reign in FGA that I can well and truly be proud of. And what better title to have that with than the Undisputed title?
She glances down at the belt that is around her waist, before looking back up at Amanda.
Lowri Moss: I don’t have any specific targets for what I want to accomplish during my reign as Undisputed Champion. I’m not going to declare that I want to hold the title for x number of months, or that I want to defend it x number of times, because if I do that, once I reach one or both of those targets, I run the risk that I might subconsciously take my foot off the pedal, and then my time as champion might not last much longer; I’m not aiming to emulate or surpass what anyone else has done as FGA World Champion, or Undisputed Champion, I just want to be the best champion that I can be.
Amanda Johnson: Recently in the year end awards, you and Cordy won awards for both match of the year and rivalry of the year, and it certainly has been quite the rivalry that has developed between you, with tonight’s match being the third one-on-one match between the two of you in FGA, or the fourth in total if we include the match that you had two years ago in Japan. Prior to Only The Strong Survive last year, you stated that you wanted to be the one to end Cordy’s reign as Undisputed Champion, which you of course did, and so now, as you get set to defend your title for the first time, does having Cordy as your first challenger provide you with any extra motivation?
Lowri takes a moment to briefly contemplate the question, before answering.
Lowri Moss: I don’t think I really need any additional motivation tonight, Amanda– not wanting to have my reign as Undisputed Champion come to an end in my first defence should be all of the motivation that I need, especially considering what I just talked about. Beating Cordy to get that first successful defence will be a nice bonus though. She has talked about me being “destined for failure,” and I know she’s convinced that she’s going to regain the Undisputed Championship here tonight. However, she was also convinced that I wouldn’t win the Gold Rush Rumble for a second consecutive year, as well as that I wouldn’t defeat her at All-Star Showdown X, and well, look how that turned out for her.
Lowri taps the faceplate of the Undisputed title.
Lowri Moss: At the 10 Year Anniversary Show, when I was having my moment on the first show after becoming Undisputed Champion, she came out and she tried to make my victory all about her, and even after I win this match tonight and retain the title, I’m sure she'll still try to make it all about her. She probably already has all of her excuses ready, and we’ll all no doubt have to listen to them in the coming weeks.
She puts her hands on her hips.
Lowri Moss: Cordy thinks that the Undisputed title is her title, and she has “every intention” of taking it back; unfortunately for her, I have every intention of keeping it. Yesterday marked five years to the day that I made my debut in FGA. I debuted as a virtual unknown, not just here in North America, but also to most people in the UK. Since then I’ve worked my way up from being an unknown to becoming only the fourth Grand Slam winner, capped off by winning the Undisputed Championship at All-Star Showdown. To reach that point, I’ve had to go through tournaments, ladder matches, battle royals, and a whole host of other matches– and that’s only what you’ve seen of me out there in the ring, that’s not to mention all of the hours that I spend preparing for each match, which is what has gotten me to where I am. I haven’t gone through all of that, I haven’t worked that hard, just to let go of this title almost immediately after winning it; no [BEEP]ing chance.
She emphasises that with a single shake of her head.
Lowri Moss: I’m going to go to the ring, I’m going to do battle with Cordy one more time, I’m going to climb the ladder, grab my title, and then next weekend, I’m going to walk into Royal Battle… still the Undisputed Champion.
With Lowri looking confident about her prospects for the main event, the camera cuts back to ringside.