Snails (CWC Day 3)
Jan 18, 2021 23:45:46 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, The Colossus, and 1 more like this
Post by Adrien on Jan 18, 2021 23:45:46 GMT -5
“Every match is its own unique challenge. Every opponent is different from the last, and even opponents you’ve faced in the past have a tendency to change at least a couple of things in their strategy or add a new move to their arsenal.”
Adrien Cochrane flashes a quick smile as he leans on the aquarium in front of him. He has a pair of elbow-length gloves on. The Audubon Zoo in New Orleans was allowing socially distanced visitors and a certain exhibit caught Adrien’s eye. The Dropkick King looks down inside the aquarium before standing straight up and giving his opponent his attention.
“So I stand before you, Lord Dominicus, as your challenge. Find me disappointing? Tell me that when you’ve been in the ring with me. Think I’m a flash in the pan? How about you go ahead and dull it yourself, Dominicus.
“Because all I ever hear is that I can’t do this or that. I’ve heard it since I walked into an XHF Network ring. I didn’t have what it takes, according to many of the people I’ve shared a ring with. People like Mike Lio, Neo James Carner, James Franklin Karn on behalf of Jason Justice, and of course, the former X*Crown Champion Anthony Caffrey… all of them doubted me. All of them told me what my limitations were before they ever stepped foot in the ring with me.
“So what’s your reasoning, Dominicus? Out of ring reasons that make as little sense as that jumble you gave me at the New Years' show about being a bourgeoisie slug or a snail? How am I hogging the spotlight from Adam Sanders when he just got a match to go for the X*Crown? In fact, the only time I’ve been in the ring with him since we got here, was as his tag team partner. How do I have a backdoor handshake with FWA if I haven’t signed there or appeared in their ring yet? I’m signing one or two match deals per trip on my tour of the companies here in the Network. Every promotion knows that prior to my first match while I look to see which locker room I’m most comfortable in. Maybe it will be FWA? Maybe it will be NPW? I don’t even know yet.
“But you told me on New Years' to prove it to you. That’s fine. But you gotta prove it to me. You claim to be the Lord here. I just have a nickname because I’m very good at one move, not some sort of deity of an entire company. You gotta earn those stripes against me just as much as you want me to earn those against you.
“I think your oddest complaint… and I say oddest despite the bar being very high… was that you have a problem with Eric Dane and I knowing each other previously? You know where I got my start right? You know where Dane’s biggest career highlights came from, right? We’re also from the same area. New Orleans isn’t THAT big a city.
“But remember this, LD. This tournament isn’t just for a big fancy trophy. It’s for a shot at a man who has called me out. It’s for an opportunity to hold Network Gold. How big would that be to kickstart my career here in the XHF? The Junior Heavyweight Championship… despite me being this small my whole career, it is a championship type I’ve never even had a match to obtain.
“I can’t let you or any of the other seven competitors stop that. My story is just getting started here in the Network. You might not be impressed with anything I’ve done, and that’s fine. You’re entitled to that opinion. But when I start doing things here? When I start winning tournaments and championships here? Those words lose credibility after every dropkick, every Adrien Cutter, and every match where my hand is raised. And you will realize just how wrong you are about me, Lord Dominicus.”
He leans down into the aquarium and lifts a large Giant African land snail onto his gloved left arm. The snail sits on his arm, adjusting to its new location.
“You know, your first complete sentence to me was not inaccurate. These are fascinating little creatures. Never would have tried to hold one until our little conversation.”
Cochrane gives the neck of the animal a gentle pat and smiling at it.
“That’s right, I called you fascinating, little fella! Let’s get you back in your little home!”
Cochrane lowers his arm back into the tank the snail calls home before removing his gloves.
“Lord Dominicus, you can call me a bourgeoisie slug, disappointing, flash-in-a-pan, whatever. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need you to respect me. The only thing I need from you is to not make excuses when I step into the ring and show you why my name actually means something. I’ll show you how I got all those accolades. I don’t care if you care about them. That doesn’t matter. Because I’ll tell you the accolade that does matter: 2021 NPW Cruiserweight Cup Winner. Don’t like it? Stop me. And find out that I keep getting back up.”
Adrien Cochrane flashes a quick smile as he leans on the aquarium in front of him. He has a pair of elbow-length gloves on. The Audubon Zoo in New Orleans was allowing socially distanced visitors and a certain exhibit caught Adrien’s eye. The Dropkick King looks down inside the aquarium before standing straight up and giving his opponent his attention.
“So I stand before you, Lord Dominicus, as your challenge. Find me disappointing? Tell me that when you’ve been in the ring with me. Think I’m a flash in the pan? How about you go ahead and dull it yourself, Dominicus.
“Because all I ever hear is that I can’t do this or that. I’ve heard it since I walked into an XHF Network ring. I didn’t have what it takes, according to many of the people I’ve shared a ring with. People like Mike Lio, Neo James Carner, James Franklin Karn on behalf of Jason Justice, and of course, the former X*Crown Champion Anthony Caffrey… all of them doubted me. All of them told me what my limitations were before they ever stepped foot in the ring with me.
“So what’s your reasoning, Dominicus? Out of ring reasons that make as little sense as that jumble you gave me at the New Years' show about being a bourgeoisie slug or a snail? How am I hogging the spotlight from Adam Sanders when he just got a match to go for the X*Crown? In fact, the only time I’ve been in the ring with him since we got here, was as his tag team partner. How do I have a backdoor handshake with FWA if I haven’t signed there or appeared in their ring yet? I’m signing one or two match deals per trip on my tour of the companies here in the Network. Every promotion knows that prior to my first match while I look to see which locker room I’m most comfortable in. Maybe it will be FWA? Maybe it will be NPW? I don’t even know yet.
“But you told me on New Years' to prove it to you. That’s fine. But you gotta prove it to me. You claim to be the Lord here. I just have a nickname because I’m very good at one move, not some sort of deity of an entire company. You gotta earn those stripes against me just as much as you want me to earn those against you.
“I think your oddest complaint… and I say oddest despite the bar being very high… was that you have a problem with Eric Dane and I knowing each other previously? You know where I got my start right? You know where Dane’s biggest career highlights came from, right? We’re also from the same area. New Orleans isn’t THAT big a city.
“But remember this, LD. This tournament isn’t just for a big fancy trophy. It’s for a shot at a man who has called me out. It’s for an opportunity to hold Network Gold. How big would that be to kickstart my career here in the XHF? The Junior Heavyweight Championship… despite me being this small my whole career, it is a championship type I’ve never even had a match to obtain.
“I can’t let you or any of the other seven competitors stop that. My story is just getting started here in the Network. You might not be impressed with anything I’ve done, and that’s fine. You’re entitled to that opinion. But when I start doing things here? When I start winning tournaments and championships here? Those words lose credibility after every dropkick, every Adrien Cutter, and every match where my hand is raised. And you will realize just how wrong you are about me, Lord Dominicus.”
He leans down into the aquarium and lifts a large Giant African land snail onto his gloved left arm. The snail sits on his arm, adjusting to its new location.
“You know, your first complete sentence to me was not inaccurate. These are fascinating little creatures. Never would have tried to hold one until our little conversation.”
Cochrane gives the neck of the animal a gentle pat and smiling at it.
“That’s right, I called you fascinating, little fella! Let’s get you back in your little home!”
Cochrane lowers his arm back into the tank the snail calls home before removing his gloves.
“Lord Dominicus, you can call me a bourgeoisie slug, disappointing, flash-in-a-pan, whatever. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need you to respect me. The only thing I need from you is to not make excuses when I step into the ring and show you why my name actually means something. I’ll show you how I got all those accolades. I don’t care if you care about them. That doesn’t matter. Because I’ll tell you the accolade that does matter: 2021 NPW Cruiserweight Cup Winner. Don’t like it? Stop me. And find out that I keep getting back up.”
