Post by robriot on Jul 15, 2019 11:39:04 GMT -5
From darkness, we fade into a black and white, grainy image of Jaguar’s face. The pro wrestling legend is on his knees in the middle of an RSW ring. Nobody who knows anything about professional wrestling needs any introduction to this footage - it’s the final match of Jaguar’s long and storied career. The night he was put down - for the final time - by Rob Riot.
The tape plays.
Joseph Greer makes the call remembered fondly around the world.
“Jaguar’s taking his mask off….Tommy, he’s got tears in his eyes! He knows it’s over! He’s beckoning Rob Riot on to finish him!”
Jaguar, with his face revealed, barely makes it to his feet. His legs threaten to betray him, but he staggers to the ropes, using them to hold himself up. He beckons again Rob Riot, who stands in the corner, shaking his head in disbelief.
Riot reaches out, shakes Jaguar by the hand, and then hauls him onto his shoulders before delivering a devastating Riot Rack, and making the cover. It’s one, two, three, and then retirement for Jaguar.
The image freezes on the screen, and the shot pans out to reveal the footage is being aired inside a small cinema - a cinema with an audience of precisely one. From behind, we see the shaven head of Rob Riot, reclining in the middle of a row and instantly recognizable from his tweed jacket. He’s staring up at the screen, shaking his head.
"It was perfect. I gave you the perfect send-off. It was sad, and it was beautiful, and it was dignified. You went out on your shield, and got the standing ovation you deserved. Listen to this pop, Jaguar. Just listen to it."
Riot presses a button, and the scene shifts on. Jaguar is standing in the middle of the ring, defeated and battered, with his head in his hands. Riot applauds him, and then raises his hand for the crowd, who rise to their feet to give the legend a truly overwhelming pop. Chants of "Thank you Jaguar" ring out through the arena. It's a moment in time. On the tape, Riot gestures to the middle of the ring as he offers Jaguar the stage, and then rolls out, leaving the departing hero alone to take his final bow.
The image freezes as Riot presses pause once more.
“I was so happy with that, Jag. I was proud of the part I’d played in wrestling history. Damn, I was even proud of you. I was happy for you. I respected you. And then what happens? Barely two years later, what have you gone and done? “
With a flick of the wrist, Riot pushes another button. The whole shot changes now - we're looking at a promotional graphic for Jaguar vs. Rob Riot at Anarchy 50. The camera moves, coming round the seats in this private cinema and settling in front of Riot so that he can address us directly. His message, though, is only for one person.
“I was enjoying retirement, Jaguar. I want you to know that. I felt like the beast that seemed to have carved out my soul and sat in my heart had finally left me. I didn’t have the desire to fight anymore. I didn’t have the desire to get to the top by trampling on the head of everybody who crossed my path. I’d fought my wars, I’d won my titles, and I’d let it all go. And then I get a phone call from Riot Star Wrestling head office. Then some office lackey who didn’t even work there when I was on top tells me that you’re coming out of retirement, and you want to face me at Anarchy 50.”
Riot sits back in his chair, curling his lip and rolling his eyes as he lights a cigarette, taking a deep drag before continuing.
“Now, I don’t know how you were raised, boy, but I was taught basic manners. When you enter into a retirement match, you’re entering into a bond of honor with the man you face. If you lose that match, you’re gone forever. You puff your chest out, keep your chin up, and walk off into the sunset, proud of your achievements and looking forward to the next phase of your life. You never, ever come back unless that man invites you to void that contract. And I don’t remember inviting your broken down ass to one single thing.”
Riot takes another drag from the cigarette, but doesn’t divert his eyes away from the camera. He’s allowing his words to percolate in the mind of his intended recipient.
"So, seeing as your word apparently means nothing, here we are. Here's me, ending my own retirement, because I apparently have to remind you how to do business. I don't know if you thought this would be a happy, ceremonial occasion. I don't know if you imagined that this would be some exhibition match between two legends with a hearty handshake and a slap on the back when it's all over, but it's going to be nothing of the sort. You're going to get one souvenir from this comeback party, Jaguar, and it's going to be a painful one."
The camera moves back to the big screen. Now it’s showing that final Riot Rack playing on a loop, snapping Jaguar’s spine over Rob’s shoulders again, and again, and again.
“At Anarchy 50, I’m going to put you back in the retirement home for good. I don’t know where you thought you found the balls to challenge me again, but mark my words, big cat: When the bell rings for the final time, you’re going to feel like you just got spayed.”
He stubs the cigarette out, and walks away. The clip continues to replay on the screen as we fade back out to darkness.
The tape plays.
Joseph Greer makes the call remembered fondly around the world.
“Jaguar’s taking his mask off….Tommy, he’s got tears in his eyes! He knows it’s over! He’s beckoning Rob Riot on to finish him!”
Jaguar, with his face revealed, barely makes it to his feet. His legs threaten to betray him, but he staggers to the ropes, using them to hold himself up. He beckons again Rob Riot, who stands in the corner, shaking his head in disbelief.
Riot reaches out, shakes Jaguar by the hand, and then hauls him onto his shoulders before delivering a devastating Riot Rack, and making the cover. It’s one, two, three, and then retirement for Jaguar.
The image freezes on the screen, and the shot pans out to reveal the footage is being aired inside a small cinema - a cinema with an audience of precisely one. From behind, we see the shaven head of Rob Riot, reclining in the middle of a row and instantly recognizable from his tweed jacket. He’s staring up at the screen, shaking his head.
"It was perfect. I gave you the perfect send-off. It was sad, and it was beautiful, and it was dignified. You went out on your shield, and got the standing ovation you deserved. Listen to this pop, Jaguar. Just listen to it."
Riot presses a button, and the scene shifts on. Jaguar is standing in the middle of the ring, defeated and battered, with his head in his hands. Riot applauds him, and then raises his hand for the crowd, who rise to their feet to give the legend a truly overwhelming pop. Chants of "Thank you Jaguar" ring out through the arena. It's a moment in time. On the tape, Riot gestures to the middle of the ring as he offers Jaguar the stage, and then rolls out, leaving the departing hero alone to take his final bow.
The image freezes as Riot presses pause once more.
“I was so happy with that, Jag. I was proud of the part I’d played in wrestling history. Damn, I was even proud of you. I was happy for you. I respected you. And then what happens? Barely two years later, what have you gone and done? “
With a flick of the wrist, Riot pushes another button. The whole shot changes now - we're looking at a promotional graphic for Jaguar vs. Rob Riot at Anarchy 50. The camera moves, coming round the seats in this private cinema and settling in front of Riot so that he can address us directly. His message, though, is only for one person.
“I was enjoying retirement, Jaguar. I want you to know that. I felt like the beast that seemed to have carved out my soul and sat in my heart had finally left me. I didn’t have the desire to fight anymore. I didn’t have the desire to get to the top by trampling on the head of everybody who crossed my path. I’d fought my wars, I’d won my titles, and I’d let it all go. And then I get a phone call from Riot Star Wrestling head office. Then some office lackey who didn’t even work there when I was on top tells me that you’re coming out of retirement, and you want to face me at Anarchy 50.”
Riot sits back in his chair, curling his lip and rolling his eyes as he lights a cigarette, taking a deep drag before continuing.
“Now, I don’t know how you were raised, boy, but I was taught basic manners. When you enter into a retirement match, you’re entering into a bond of honor with the man you face. If you lose that match, you’re gone forever. You puff your chest out, keep your chin up, and walk off into the sunset, proud of your achievements and looking forward to the next phase of your life. You never, ever come back unless that man invites you to void that contract. And I don’t remember inviting your broken down ass to one single thing.”
Riot takes another drag from the cigarette, but doesn’t divert his eyes away from the camera. He’s allowing his words to percolate in the mind of his intended recipient.
"So, seeing as your word apparently means nothing, here we are. Here's me, ending my own retirement, because I apparently have to remind you how to do business. I don't know if you thought this would be a happy, ceremonial occasion. I don't know if you imagined that this would be some exhibition match between two legends with a hearty handshake and a slap on the back when it's all over, but it's going to be nothing of the sort. You're going to get one souvenir from this comeback party, Jaguar, and it's going to be a painful one."
The camera moves back to the big screen. Now it’s showing that final Riot Rack playing on a loop, snapping Jaguar’s spine over Rob’s shoulders again, and again, and again.
“At Anarchy 50, I’m going to put you back in the retirement home for good. I don’t know where you thought you found the balls to challenge me again, but mark my words, big cat: When the bell rings for the final time, you’re going to feel like you just got spayed.”
He stubs the cigarette out, and walks away. The clip continues to replay on the screen as we fade back out to darkness.
